As-Salāmu `Alaykum ARMM

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/299/51955193dsc00143quezonbpl6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Quezon Beach Sulu


:cheers:

the best beach in the Philippines... Talo ang boracay...
Quezon Beach is located at buhanginan, Patikul, Sulu...
Waah. miss my hometown SULU...:):):):)

the best beach in the Philippines... Talo ang boracay...
Quezon Beach is located at buhanginan, Patikul, Sulu...
Waah. miss my hometown SULU...:):):):)


wow na wow na wow:okay::okay::okay:

cotabato capitol

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kulang lang sa landscaping. pero i like the design ng capitol. its a fusion of classic and ethnic.

Hospital to rise in Army’s Sulu camp

The Philippine Star

A two-story, fully equipped military trauma hospital is set to rise at the Army headquarters in Jolo, Sulu, a senior military official said.

Maj. Gen. Ruben Rafael, commander of the Joint Task Force Comet based in the island province, said the hospital, which will be built at the camp of the 104th Infantry Brigade in Barangay Busbos, will cater not only to the medical needs of soldiers wounded in combat but also their sick dependents and local folk needing quality medical attention. – Jaime Laude

Hospital to rise in Army’s Sulu camp

The Philippine Star

A two-story, fully equipped military trauma hospital is set to rise at the Army headquarters in Jolo, Sulu, a senior military official said.

Maj. Gen. Ruben Rafael, commander of the Joint Task Force Comet based in the island province, said the hospital, which will be built at the camp of the 104th Infantry Brigade in Barangay Busbos, will cater not only to the medical needs of soldiers wounded in combat but also their sick dependents and local folk needing quality medical attention. – Jaime Laude

wow..thats good..just like in Zamboanga, all the military camps here are equipped with hospitals..

jolo

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The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is such a rich cultural region.

There is tremendous tourism potential for the ARMM, both in the cultural and the natural aspect.

Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao and Sulu are cultural jewels of the Philippines.

I'm sure many people from the Northern Philippines would like to visit these areas kasi palagi na lang Boracay, Tagaytay, Baguio, Palawan, Cebu, Davao and Bohol ang pinupuntahan ng domestic tourists.

The ARMM would surely be a great destination kung ma-develop lang at ma-overcome ang negative publicity.

DBM gives nod to P867-M automated ARMM elections

MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has issued the special allotment release order (SARO), giving the Commission on Elections (Comelec) the go-signal to spend about P867 million for the automation of the elections in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, a spokesperson of the Comelec said.

Comelec is scheduled to release the request for proposals (RFP) Thursday, February 14, said James Jimenez, Comelec spokesperson, in an interview.

The release of the RFP initiates the government bidding process, as required by the government procurement law

The SARO is an order to authorize the poll body to spend funds allocated under the General Appropriations Act of 2008 for the poll body. A staff at the office of the DBM Secretary confirmed that the SARO was issued Tuesday.

"The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) yesterday, 12 February 2008, issued the Special Allocation Release Order (SARO) for the automation of the August 11, 2008 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The SARO was for the amount of PhP 867,329,000.00," Jimenez said in a statement.

"In honor of that day (February 14), we are considering having the Requests for Proposal bound in red," Jimenez said.

Comelec has also released the schedule for the bidding.

Publication of the invitation to bid will be made from February 14 to 16, 2008. A pre-bid conference is scheduled on February 25, 2008, 10:00 a.m., with the deadline of submission of bids set for March 10, 2008, 10:00 a.m.

The opening bids will also be accepted on March 10, 2008.

The Comelec en banc, in a resolution last week, announced that it has accepted the recommendations of an advisory council led by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT).

The recommendations include the use of two technologies in the ARMM elections: the direct recording electronic (DRE) technology and the optical mark-reader (OMR).

DRE uses a touch-screen or touch-pad technology for voting, while OMR requires voters to fill up a paper-based ballot which is fed to a specially designed machine, similar to a scanner.

The Comelec en banc, however, has decided to use the DRE technology for the whole province of Maguindanao, which was contrary to the advisory council's recommendation which limited the use of DRE in two cities or municipalities.

The advisory council has recommended the DRE technology in two cities or municipalities.

Jimenez said the Comelec en banc decided to use the DRE for the whole province of Maguindanao to test the technology in time for the 2010 elections. The ARMM automated polls is a test pilot leading to the 2010 presidential elections, the Comelec spokesperson said.

"The RFP for the automation of the ARMM elections was drafted in close coordination with the Advisory Council and bears the Council's stamp of approval," Jimenez said.

The advisory council is the body of expert advisers created under Republic Act 9369. It is a body tasked to recommend to the Comelec which technology to use for the automation of elections.

Members include the Chairman of the Commission on Information Communication Technology, representatives from the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Education, a representative from the academe, representatives from IT professional organizations and from non-governmental electoral reform organizations.

By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/299/51955193dsc00143quezonbpl6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Quezon Beach Sulu


:cheers:

nice, very nice.

Rio Grande de Mindanao, transversing Cotabato City

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miss this view. anybody has some cotabato city downtown pics?

Local residents in Marantao said that this house is more than 150 years old.

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nice to see that this is still standing. only that the necessary agencies should try to preserve and restore it.

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/299/51955193dsc00143quezonbpl6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Quezon Beach Sulu


:cheers:

no this is nice....very very nice.....ang ganda talaga.....

ganda talaga ng sulu... marami pa siguro magagandang beaches dyan sa sulu at tawi-tawi... rate ko 10/10!!!!! hehehhe

matagal na siguro naging tourist haven yan kung naging progressive lang sana yung developments dyan....

bumisita si KC Concepcion sa Marawi last week...:)

Mindanao State University - Marawi City


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library

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golf course

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panoramic view

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asministration building

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panoramic view

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Institute of Peace and Development

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grandstand

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Peace Park and Gymnasium

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MSU Entrance

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NPC Agus PowerPlant in Marawi City

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Marawi City Water District

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NPC Agus 2

Lanao Lake

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Bacolod Mosque in Bacolod, Lanao Sur

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Basilan is an island province of the Philippines mostly located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Its capital is Isabela City, which is administered as part of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region. Basilan is located just off the southern coast of Zamboanga Peninsula. Basilan is the northernmost among the major islands of the Sulu Archipelago.

Isabela inhabitants include Christians and Muslims from tribal groups such as the Tausugs, Samal Bangingis, and Yakans[1]. Tribal fishermen, farmers, small-store and market vendors favor the traditional native attire.

Basilan is seen as one of the strongholds of the Islamic separatist group, the Abu Sayyaf. This group kidnapped a group of tourists from Palawan and brought them to Basilan, including an American Christian missionary couple named Martin Burnham & Gracia Burnham.

Basilan is one of a system of 7,107 islands that make up the Philippine archipelago. Regionally, Basilan is part of the Sulu Archipelago between the Philippine island of Mindanao and Borneo which includes about 400 islands. The island chain is one of two partial land bridges to Borneo and is an important migration route for birds. Basilan Strait, about 17 miles at its narrowest point, separates Basilan Island from the mainland of Mindanao and the port city of Zamboanga.

Basilan is subdivided into ten municipalities and two cities. Isabela City, located on the northern shore of Basilan Island facing Zamboanga City, is a component city and capital of the province. Isabela City votes for provincial officials, shares its tax revenues with the province, and continues to be under the jurisdiction of Basilan for the administration of provincially-devolved services and functions. But for the administration of regional services, the city is part of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region despite the rest of Basilan being under the authority of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Basilan used to be part of Western Mindanao (the former name of Zamboanga Peninsula), but in a recent plebiscite the residents of Basilan opted to join ARMM, with the exception of Isabela City.

Agriculture is the main source of economic livelihood. Basilan's major products include coconut (primarily copra trading), rubber, coffee, black pepper, and palm oil. Other crops are palay, corn, cacao, cassava, black pepper and African palm oil. The island’s ocean waters produce grouper, tuna, squid, octopus, marlin and fishponds supply milkfish, prawns and shrimps. In addition, seaweed is cultivated along some coastal areas.

Local products also include weavings by members of the Yakan tribe. Yakans use fibers from plants such as pineapple for their weavings. The weavers traditionally used extracts from leaves, roots and barks to dye their fibers. However, contact with U.S. Peace Corp workers and Christian Filipinos has influenced Yakan textile art. One is influence is the introduction of chemical dyes.[1] The museum of Lamitan displays the colorful and intricate designs of the traditional Yakan textiles and highlights of the traditional Yakan Festival called the Lami-lamihan.

The Basilan hostage crisis of 2001 raised questions about the economic future of Basilan. Operations by the militant Islamist separatist group Abu Sayyaf reduced prospects for investment and tourism. However, increased presence by the Philippine and U.S. military in the area and the death of the Abu Sayyaf's leader, Khadafi Abubakar Janjalani, in 2006 have been followed by investments by the United States through USAID. Investments reportedly have created 40 new infrastructure projects in the conflict areas of Mindanao as of 2007.[2] Projects include the Basilan Tuburan Road Improvement Project and improvements to Lamitan and Maluso Ports.

Smaller barangay infrastructure projects intended to help boost economic growth are also under development. For instance, authorities are building farm-to-market roads, community and trade centers, water projects, and pedestrian bridges; according to USAID information

The Island Province of Basilan has one (1) State College and five (5) private colleges. The Basilan State College is located in Isabela City and has an extension college in Lamitan City.

Among the private higher education institutions in Isabela City, one is Claret College of Isabela formerly Fatima High School, established by the Jesuits as the premier institution for a Catholic education. The Juan S. Alano Memorial School, Inc., offering Midwifery and other health-related courses since 1958, and affiliated with the Juan S. Alano Memorial Hospital, Inc., the first private health care institution in the province, was established as the first secular School of Midwifery in Western Mindanao. Its campus is located at Juan S. Alano Compound, Brgy. Doña Ramona T. Alano. It will soon be opening choice TESDA-accredited courses through a Technical Vocational Department. More recently, the pioneer computer school in Zamboanga Peninsula and the only computer college in Basilan - the Computer Technologies Institute (COMTECH) Inc. was established in 1997, located along N.S. Valderrosa Street.

The schools in Lamitan City are Mindanao Autonomous College and the Mariam School of Nursing.The Mariam School of Nursing was established in 2004 as part of its Chairwoman's educational outreach program and was named MARIAM or Mother Mary - a unifying and guiding figure among the Christians and Muslims. An I.T.-based College of Nursing located in Flores Street corner Rizal Avenue, it envisions to be recognized as a leading center for nursing and allied health education in the province.

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Isabela City is a 5th class city and the capital of the province of Basilan, Philippines. The city is located on the northern shore of Basilan. Across the Basilan Strait to the north is Zamboanga City. Zamboanga City is very accessible via ferry boat (lantsa) or fast sea craft (which takes only 45 minutes ride) and even pumpboat.

While administratively, the island province of Basilan is part of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Isabela City itself is in not part of this region and is placed under the Zamboanga Peninsula region.

Institutionally, the Military has played a major part in Isabela City's and Basilan's volatile history, owing to the incessant conflicts borne out of the Moro Secessionist wars of the 1970s, and more recently, by Al Qaeda-backed Islamic fundamentalist groups fomenting a running gun-battle with the Philippines' armed forces for over a decade now.

Also exerting great influence in everyday life is the Roman Catholic Church and the Islamic Mufti and Imams, religious scholars and leaders who exercise a moral ascendancy over their respective groups.

Politically, just as is the case in the rest of the Philippines, Isabela City has been controlled by a few families since its inception. Foremost of which are the Dans, Barandino, Brown, Pioquinto, Nuñal, Guevarra, Biel and Alano Families, whose economic interests still dominate the City's business scene. On a fast clip to equal the established economic business names, are the cash-rich Yakan traders and land-owners who have themselves taken up residence in the City of late.

Trading and commerce is still predominantly East Asian (Fookien Chinese), aided more so by a recent influx of immigrants from Taiwan and by Koreans as well.

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The City of Lamitan (Filipino: Lungsod ng Lamitan) is a component city in the province of Basilan, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 58,709 people in 11,586 households.

The city is bounded on the east by the Municipality of Tuburan ,on the south by Tipo-Tipo, on the West by Isabela City and on the north by Basilan Straight.

On June 18, 2007 voters in Lamitan ratified Republic Act 9393[1] ,An Act Converting the Municipality of Lamitan in the province of Basilan into a component City to be known as the City of Lamitan.

According to Lamitan Mayor Roderick Furigay, 26,636 voted "yes" while only 177 voted against the ratification of RA 9393. Lamitan has 34,909 registered voters.

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AGUADA BRIDGE

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ISABELA CITY

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VIEW OF ISABELA HARBOR

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JUST ANOTHER PICTURE OF ISABELA

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A LIGHTHOUSE IN BASILAN

HISTORY OF ISABELA CITY

Records of Pre-historic Philippines gleaned from the extensive archives of China's Imperial courts mentions a "Kingdom of Kumalarang" located in one of the southern islands of Ma-yi (the Chinese name for the Philippine archipelago), whose King sent regular tribute to the Chinese Emperor through Chinese traders who frequented the place in the 13th to 14th centuries. Local historians attribute this long lost kingdom to modern-day Kumalarang (now reduced to a Barangay) located along the western coast of Isabela City.

The proselytization of Basilan started in earnest when Fr. Francisco Lado, a Jesuit, established the first Catholic mission in an area called "Pasangen" by the native Yakans. This coastal area, however, was predominantly populated even then by natives of the Tausug and Samal tribes.

Towards the second part of the 19th century, pirate raids from Sulu increasingly harassed the Spanish settlement in nearby Zamboanga, usually using the island of Basilan as a staging ground for some of their more successful forays. By this time, a flourishing kingdom of Yakans and Samals was established in the area of modern-day Lamitan City. Headed by a Datu (local tribal chieftain), the kingdom traded with Yakans who usually lived farther inland.

To check the inroads of both the increasingly bloody Tausug pirate raids and the growing influence of Lamitan's Yakan kingdom, as well as to thwart any further attempt by other European powers to colonize Basilan (the Dutch in 1747 and the French in 1844) the Spanish commandery in Zamboanga City sent over an expeditionary force tasked at establishing a Spanish settlement on Basilan island in 1845, both to serve as an early beacon and defensive perimeter against the pirate parties, and as a trading post for Spanish interests on the island.

In 1845, Don Ramon Lobo, a Marine Chief of Zamboanga, accompanied Don Cayetano Suarez de Figueroa, District Governor of Zamboanga, to a coastal settlement of Pasangen. A wooden palisade was initially erected on a high promontory facing the narrow channel that was easily defensible from attacks and raids from the sea. By 1848, a stone fort was constructed on the same site, and thereafter, a wooden Catholic Church further downhill was built to serve the fledgling Christian settler colony which grew around the Fort, named: Fuerte de Isabela Segunda. The community thus established was subsequently named in honor of Queen Isabella II of Spain after the Spanish Fort was dedicated to her. The military garrison thus established was initially placed under the direct command of the Fuerza dela Nuestra Senora del Pilar de Zaragosa (Fort Pilar) in Zamboanga. In 1863, Fort Isabela Segunda became the focal point of the 6th District of the Police-Military Government of Mindanao.

In 1879, the Spanish garrison built a "floating" Naval Hospital on shallows guarding the eastern entrance to the Isabela Channel.

Fort Isabela Segunda was used by invading Japanese forces during World War II as a military camp, as well as an ammunition dump and was thereafter blown up during liberation, together with the Naval Hospital. The Provincial Capitol now occupies the same site where the old Fort used to stand. Recent excavations yielded rusted cannon balls piled in underground cellars dug up during the Spanish era.

Early in the American period, American plantation owners cleared vast expanses of Basilan's virgin forest land and established what was to be Basilan's primary economic activity - plantation agriculture, mainly rubber and copra. American Dr. James W. Strong, the Father of the Philippine Rubber Industry, inaugurated the first rubber plantation in the Philippines (inauguration was attended by President Manuel L. Quezon no-less) in Baluno, a plaque and shrine to this pioneering individual may be visited in the same Barangay to this day.

The success of what was soon to be the B. F. Goodrich rubber concession in the northern part of Isabela City, enticed other multi-national firms, such as the British-Malaysian Sime Darby and the Hispano-German Hans Menzi Corporation to open rubber plantations in the City's southern areas. The first Filipino-owned plantation was established on Malamawi Island by Don Juan S. Alano, originally of Malolos, Bulacan, who served as Representative of the entire Moro Province (Mindanao) during the Commonwealth Era (1936-1942), and the first Congressman of Zamboanga Province (now comprising Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City and Basilan) in the Republic's first Congress (1946-1949). He authored the Charter of both the Cities of Basilan and Zamboanga.

More Filipino settler families, such as the Cuevas-Flores-Pamaran-Antonio combine (progeny of the legendary Datu Kalun, also known by his Christian name as Don Pedro Cuevas of Cavite) in Lamitan and the Pardo, Barandino, Brown, Dans and Nuñal families of Isabela itself soon followed suit, establishing sizeable plantations, usually engaged in coconut/copra production.

From July 1, 1936 to December 27, 1973, Isabela was a district of the now defunct Chartered City of Basilan. On the latter date, former Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued a Presidential Decree creating the Province of Basilan, concurrently converting Isabela into a Municipality, and appointing its first Mayor, Ricardo G. Mon.

On March 5, 2001 Republic Act No. 9023 “An Act Converting the Municipality of Isabela, Province of Basilan into a component city to be known as the City of Isabela” was signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Then on April 25, 2001 the Isabeleños overwhelmingly ratified Isabela's Cityhood The Bill for Cityhood was filed by former Deputy Speaker Gerry A. Salapuddin, a Sorbonne University-educated former MNLF Commander, who likewise served three terms as Governor of the Province.

On the same year, the residents of Basilan Province opted to join the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in yet another plebiscite. However, the citizens of the capital, Isabela, opted out of the autonomous government experiment so the city remained a part of the Zamboanga Peninsula region pursuant to Executive Order No. 36.

Through the administration of the first City Mayor, Luis Rubio Biel II, Isabela was regarded as "The Rising City of the South".

This nascent optimism took a backseat with the untimely assassination of the abovementioned Mayor on March 3, 2006. He was succeeded by then Vice Mayor Rodolfo Tan, an erstwhile notable businessman, who finished the late mayor's term until the May 2007 elections produced the City's current Mayor, Cherrylyn Santos-Akbar, second wife of the Representative of the Province, Wahab Akbar, who was himself assassinated by a bomb at the Philippine Congress on November 13, 2007.

Gradually, the optimism of Isabela City's people has returned as the new Mayor's programs and projects promises to give the City a fresh new start.

Talks of either dividing the present Isabela City into three distinct political units, namely (Isabela City, composed of the existing Poblacion and adjacent built-up mostly residential Barangays; Calvario Municipality, composed of Barangays located east of the central barangays towards the Lamitan boundary; and Pasangen or Kumalarang Municipality, composed of Barangays located in the western coastal and inland barangays towards the Lantawan and Sumisip town boundaries) are currently making the rounds of coffeeshops around town. Yet another proposal making some news is the proposed revival of the City of Basilan, which shall comprise the merged Isabela and Lamitan Cities on the northern part of Basilan Island, distinct and separate from the Province of Basilan which shall then comprise Tuburan, Tipo-Tipo, Sumisip, Maluso and Lantawan (the new towns of Al-Barka, Akbar, Muhammad Ajul and Ungkaya Pukan are creations of the ARMM Regional Assembly).

The violent politics that has characterized Isabela and Basilan of late, has left much of the populace guessing as to the future of their City and Province as new political alignments take shape and new political leaders appear.

- THE BUSINESS SECTOR OF ISABELA -

Isabela City's business sector is represented by the Basilan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., established in 1975.

Nearly 90% of the agriculturally productive land area is owned by Isabela City residents, usually Christian and mostly Catholic.

Almost all trading activities are handled by the resident Chinese community, who has a significant presence in the professions as well.

Chavacanos are mostly working either as professionals or as City Government employees

Tausugs/Maranaos are engaged primarily in retail commerce, vending and fishing

Bisayas are into micro-small enterprises and rural farming

Yakans are mostly copra dealers, traders, or Provincial Government employees

the Department of Trade and Industry Isabela City Office is located at the Isabela City Hall Complex, Sunrise Barangay

- PRIMARY ECONOMIC ENTERPRISES -

Baluno and Menzi are two baranggays that produce agricultural products, primarily rubber. They have their own rubber processing plants from the raw rubber sap, and sell these products to merchants for export. Also these rubber processing cooperatives contribute much to Isabela City's employment rate.

Isabela City's OTOP (One Town One Product)showcase is: crumb rubber, owing to the number of rubber processing plants located within City limits.
BF Goodrich and Sime Darby Tires are the major international investments in the city.

The Barandino Estate, Alano Group of Companies, The Biel Transportion are some of the longtime local investors in the city.

Other Major Economic Activities include coconut/copra production and, to a lesser extent, bamboo crafts/furnitures

- RESTAURANTS -

Jollibee Basilan, the first Manila-based fastfood company to locate in the province, is the 500th Jollibee branch opened in early 2005.

Twin's Pavilion, for elegant night soirees and other special occasions

Font's and Mon's Restaurant, fastfood located at the center of town

Emerald Cafe, sidewalk cafe located beside Isabela City Plaza

Lolo Jose Grille and Restaurant, offering native dishes, located in Sunrise Barangay

The Hidden Garden - located in J.S.Alano Compound, Doña Ramona T. Alano Barangay

- SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT -

D'Biel Bowling Center, located in Sunrise Barangay

RAFCER Entertainment Complex - disco, videoke, bowling, located in Menzi Barangay

3 Tennis Courts (Basilan Tennis Club at Tabuk, Basilan PNP Tennis Club and Menzi Tennis Club both in Menzi Barangay)

Badminton games are played nightly at the Isabela City Gym

Volleyball games may be played in the schools, as well as the BNHS
Grandstand and J.S.Alano Compound

a number of Videoke Bars and Restaurants are open until 2AM

- BUSINESS CONCERNS -

High electricity rates - calculated to be second only to Japan in the whole of Asia

Outdated communication facilities - the City is serviced by an analog phone system, with little or no national/international direct dial capabilities
High Freight Expenses - onerous rates charged by inter-island ferry/cargo shipping operators

- ISABELA CITY ATTRACTIONS -

Annual Cocowayan Festival - Anniversary of the Cityhood of Isabela, April 25

Fiesta Santa Isabel - Annual Feast of St. Elizabeth of Portugal, July 8

Cathedral of Santa Isabel de Portugal - the seat of the Diocese of Basilan and Prelature of Isabela, built in 1960s mod-art style with a distinctively Classical Roman mosaic for an altar wall.

Provincial Capitol - constructed along elegant middle-eastern architectural lines reflecting the majority Muslim population (70%) of the Island Province

Kaumpurnah Mosque - historic seat of Islamic faith and teaching in Basilan, can be seen as you enter the Isabela Channel

Alano White Beach Resort - located on the northern part of scenic Malamawi Island, features white sand beaches, day cottages and basic amenities for a day of fun with family and friends

Barandino Farm - located on the eastern part of city, it is 12 kilometers from the main city and has hectares coconut and fruit trees

Sumagdang Beach Resort - a publicly owned beach resort for affordable weekend getaways for the family

ISAWAD Resort - a refreshing inland pool and water park located in Cabunbata Barangay

Cabunbata Falls - a natural watering hole for the environmentally conscious and the eco-friendly traveler

Yakan Crafts - showcasing authentic Yakan cloth designs and souvenir products, located at J.S.Alano (Zenith) Bldg.

- ACCOMMODATIONS -

The Farmland Resort - a cool family retreat located at the nearby hills of Lanote Barangay

Anson's Hotel - offering business and tourist accommodations for the occasional traveler

Other smaller accommodations include: Royal Issra Pension House, Charina's Pension House, Basilan Hostel, Basilan Hotel all located within a kilometer from the City Center

- ACCESS - By Sea...

Isabela City is accessible by sea, through several sea ferries plying the busy Isabela City - Zamboanga City route

Basilan lines Inc. - operators of M/V Dona Ramona, M/V Lenora and M/V Don Julio

A. Sakaluran Shipping - operators of AS Express, MS Express and RS Express fastcraft ferries

Aleson Shipping Lines - operators of M/V Stefanie Marie and M/V Kristel Jane

Ever Lines - operators of M/V Ever Sweet and M/V Ever Princess Nicole
ferries leave on an average of 30-minute intervals

By Land...

Isabela City is served by the D'Biel La Virgen Milagrosa Transportation Co., whose buses ply the Isabela-Lamitan route
a number of franchised vans and multi-cabs also ply the Isabela-Lamitan, Isabela-Maluso routes

EDUCATION IN ISABELA CITY

- PUBLIC -

Basilan State College - located at Barangay Sumagdang, offers the biggest number of courses among tertiary institutions in the City

All public high schools and elementary schools are administered by the City Schools Division of Isabela, DepEd Zamboanga Peninsula

Basilan National High School - the premier secondary educational institution in the Province

- PRIVATE -

Claret College of Isabela - formerly Fatima School, the only Catholic-run sectarian school in the City, located at Barangay Sta. Cruz, also has a High School and Elementary Department

Juan S. Alano Memorial School, Inc. - affiliated with the Juan S. Alano Memorial Hospital, Inc., offers Midwifery and related health science courses, located at Dona Ramona T. Alano Barangay

Jack n Jill Integrated Learning Center and Hansel and Gretel International School provide preparatory and Kindergarten learning for pre-school toddlers, with the former offering Elementary grades up to the 6th grade level

An unspecified number of Sunday Schools for Christian children and Madaris (Madrassah) for Muslim learners are also operating within City limits

me my boss and some workmates were there in the late 90s. then basilan was always in the news of the kidnappings. well little did we know about it. went to a isabela school where a sister warmly welcomed us and even offered us a van to drive around. we declined and went our way to lamitan. basilan then was with a warm people (and probly still), probably exasperated with those kidnappings landing in the national papers.

Kumusta ang katahimikan diyan? Wala na bang mga rebelde? I'm just asking sorry.

thanks bro for adding this thread. i'm surely gald to know more about basilan and its towns and cities. and based on these pictures, it surely is a beautiful island waiting to be discovered...i hope you'll post more of this place and may peace forever reign in this land.:)

me my boss and some workmates were there in the late 90s. then basilan was always in the news of the kidnappings. well little did we know about it. went to a isabela school where a sister warmly welcomed us and even offered us a van to drive around. we declined and went our way to lamitan. basilan then was with a warm people (and probly still), probably exasperated with those kidnappings landing in the national papers.

Basilan now is kinda different from Basilan 10 years ago..it already aquired the blend of urbanization..

Kumusta ang katahimikan diyan? Wala na bang mga rebelde? I'm just asking sorry.

rebels are just in the mountains..so peaceful ang Isabela and Lamitan

Basilan now is kinda different from Basilan 10 years ago..it already aquired the blend of urbanization..

good to know that.:)

nakapunta ka na ng basilan zoro?

nakapunta ka na ng basilan zoro?

yuh..its like 30 minutes from Zambo..para ka lang sumakay ng jeep..in fact, in a clear day and even in foggy, the island of Basilan is visible from the mainland.

in some ways..its like Basilan most particularly Isabela is so attatched to Zamboanga..maybe its because they share the same culture and tradition..

Chavacano din kasi ang most of the population of Basilan..

Wahab Akbar: The Terror of Basilan

This article was first published in Newsbreak magazine's first special issue on Mindanao.

Wahab Akbar believes destiny made him governor of Basilan, the tiny island province with 332,828 people and thousands of loose firearms. Even if he has to instill terror in the hearts of Basileños, Akbar says he would do it to bring peace and development to his “godforsaken land.”

“It would be better to kill 10 suspects than to let the criminals go and let everybody suffer,” the macho governor says. “I have to be tough. I have to be a dictator. I must not show pity.”

Akbar is an ustadz (Islamic teacher) who admitted his Friday sermons in madrasahs (Islamic schools) and mosques might have inspired young Muslims to join the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group bandits.

Born on April 16, 1959, in the village of Lantawan, Akbar, a Yakan, was only 11 years old when he joined his father, a rebel, in the mountains. “I was young, but I was already eating bullets in the jungle,” he recalls.

Akbar’s father, Hajji Mutamad Salajin (Akbar is the name of Wahab’s maternal grandfather), was a squatter in a logging concession owned by a multinational corporation. When security men burned his house and the mosque where he preaches on Fridays, Salajin took up arms.

“[The struggle] was actually selfish. [Most of the rebels] just wanted to have a better life, but there was no opportunity for them, so they joined the revolution,” Akbar says.

After three years, the government persuaded Salajin to surrender. He was given a piece of land and Ferdinand Marcos appointed him mayor of Lantawan. Akbar came down from the mountains and resumed his studies in Isabela, Basilan’s capital town. He was sent to Manila after a year and enrolled at Gregorio Araneta University where he took up agriculture.

He did not finish his studies. In 1979, at the height of protests against martial law, Akbar was arrested with other Muslim students and was detained in Bicutan for 40 days. After his release from detention, Akbar left for Sabah where he worked as a rice cake vendor, carpenter, mason, and driver until 1982 when he left for Syria to study Islamic jurisprudence.

“I also studied Sufism in a special institution,” he says, stressing that he did not become an “Islamic fundamentalist.” He stayed in Syria for five years until 1987 when he was sent to Libya by the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to train as a commando.

Influencing the Abu Sayyaf

Akbar met Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani, founder of the Abu Sayyaf, in Libya. “We met in a dahwah (Islamic preaching). He was a good student and was undergoing formal Islamic education in Libya while I was just bumming around,” Akbar says.

Akbar denies he had links with Janjalani or his group. He preached jihad (holy war) during his sermons when he came back to Basilan after six months in Libya. “If that is the context, then maybe I was able to inspire [future Abu Sayyaf bandits],” he says.

Akbar, who used to wear a thoub, a longsleeved one-piece dress that covers the whole body, a white pilgrim’s cap, and a goatee, made his mark as a charismatic preacher in Basilan. However, he distinguished himself from Janjalani, who also preached jihad when he came home from Libya.

“He had his own interpretation of Islam, which he might have read in books, but he did not really understand its teachings,” Akbar says of Janjalani. Sources say, however, that a good following among young Muslims.

Janjalani was arrogant, Akbar says. “He really believed in himself. That’s what I did not like in him. I told him, ‘Don’t tell me that you’re better than us, that you’re braver than us, that you know how to fight more than us.’”

Akbar left for Sabah in the early 1990s. “When [the Abu Sayyaf] were in the mountains, they always called on me and it could not be avoided that I would be linked to them,” he says. But sources say Akbar left because he did not become Abu Sayyaf’s emir (leader).

Khalifah Connection

When he returned to Basilan in the mid-1990s, Akbar resumed preaching in mosques and madaris. He tried to establish Islamic schools in villages with the help of some foreign donors, who included a certain Mohammad Jamal Khalifah. Khalifah, a brother-in-law of Osama bin Laden, reportedly built significant financial and logistical networks between the Al-Qaeda and the Abu Sayyaf.

“I learned that Khalifah was giving money to mosques and institutions, so I asked something for my family,” Akbar says. “He gave me money for the hospitalization of my wife and provided the capital for a bakery I put up in Tabuk.” Akbar’s relationship with Khalifah was short-lived. “I don’t actually like him,” Akbar says. “He looked down on me because I smoked.”

Khalifah rejected a proposal submitted by Akbar for the building of a madrasah. “He said the concept was too shallow. He said he wanted other ways to help Muslims,” Akbar recalls.

When Khalifah had projects in Mindanao, he brought with him Palestinians and Arabs to run it. “He did not trust Filipinos,” Akbar says.

When his relationship with Khalifah soured, Akbar approached local politicians for help. But he was turned down. “It was painful. They looked down on me because I was just a preacher.”

Akbar ran for governor in 1998 to prove to the politicians that he could also be a leader. The people of Basilan supported him. They saw in Akbar an alternative to the traditional politicians who ruled the province for decades.

“I was part of those who destroyed the province when I was a rebel. When the fighting stopped, I waited for someone to rebuild the island, but nobody even tried,” he says.

The war only worsened, Akbar points out, people became poorer and only the politicians got rich. “I thought, ‘Shit, my family will be affected, my children will become victims, all of us will be in deep shit.’ So I said, if nobody will do it, I will do it.”

He says he hardly spent to win the elections in 1998, unlike in 2001 when he solicited money to run for reelection. “I had to look for money to win in 2001. My opponents were spending a lot,” he said. (Akbar refused to reveal his sources of funds for the 2001 elections. “It’s a secret among politicians,” he says, adding that he is a “fast learner.”)

Role Model

As a leader, Akbar points to his father as his role model. “He was hardworking and propeople. He became mayor but did not get rich.” His father once told him that whoever would finish Basilan’s circumferential road would be remembered forever.

Thus Akbar made it his mission to finish the province’s 230-kilometer road. When American forces came to Basilan in 2001 to hunt down the Abu Sayyaf, they rehabilitated the road, but Akbar says it should have been cemented for it to last.

When he became governor in 1998, he built a capitol to house government offices.

Inspired by the success of his first project, Akbar started dreaming of roads and bridges. He lobbied for money from the national government. His friend, then President Joseph Estrada, gave him P10 million for the circumferential road. He also borrowed P2 million from banks.

Everything looked bright for Akbar until 2001 when Estrada was ousted. In June of the same year, when the Abu Sayyaf attacked the town of Lamitan, Akbar was accused of facilitating the payment of ransom for the release of Abu Sayyaf hostages in Lamitan.

Akbar has denied the allegations. Akbar laments that when his projects started to take off, people began attacking him. “The Abu Sayyaf wanted me to fail, Candu [Muarip] and [Basilan Rep.] Gerry [Salapuddin] were happy that I would fail, [the Arroyo administration] didn’t want me as governor, and the military hated me,” he says.

Akbar is no different from other politicians, his critics say.

“He changed a lot since he became a politician,” says Djalia Turabin of the Moro Human Rights Center in Western Mindanao. She says Basileños supported Akbar in 1998 because he was a religious leader. “People looked up to him. They were willing to die for him.”

People saw in Akbar, who preached jihad, an alternative to Salapuddin’s traditional politics and bias for the Yakans. After four years in office, however, people say Akbar is worse than Salapuddin.

Akbar appointed relatives to juicy positions in the provincial government and lobbied for his siblings: a sister became Basilan’s representative to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao while a brother is mayor of Maluso town.

Akbar knows that people are angry. “They don’t understand me,” he says. “But I have no time to explain to them what I am doing. I have no time to play politics. I have a lot of work to do.”

He adds: “I haven’t killed anybody. People look at me as if I am a killer, but nobody has been killed on my order. Many asked for my permission to kill, but I would always ask, is there really a need to kill?”

In a message to the Abu Sayyaf during the kidnapping of students and teachers of Tumahubong in 2000, Akbar said: “I swear to God that if any of them [Abu Sayyaf hostages] are harmed I will kill all members of your family.” He admits that he ordered the arrest of innocent civilians, including relatives of suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits, when the government put Basilan under a “state of lawlessness” in 2001.

Akbar doesn’t want to listen even to his advisers. “Nobody should question me. I am the governor. I will do what I believe is good for the people, whether they like it or not, whether they will love me for it or not, I don’t care.”

Adjusting to the World

On the personal side, Akbar stopped drinking at the age of 24 and stopped smoking early this year after doctors told him to quit. “My only vice is women, but I stopped [womanizing] last year,” he says.

Akbar has been married more than 10 times, but maintains four wives at a time to follow the tenets of the Koran. He has three children and his latest wife, a Christian, is pregnant.

He recently stopped wearing his Muslim garb and shaved his moustache and goatee.

“I have to adjust to the world around me. I don’t want people to look at me as a Muslim. I want them to look at me as governor of both Christians and Muslims,” he says. “It’s a sacrifice, but someday, I will return to my being a Muslim when the problems of Basilan are solved.”

“When there will be enough jobs, people here will realize that it is better to go to school or work than clean their guns the whole day,” a reflective Akbar says.

It will be time then to go back to the mosques and madaris.

Former Basilan Governor, later elected Representative Wahab Akbar was killed in the November 13, 2007, blast at the Batasang Pambansa Complex that killed two other people and wounded eight others. This article was first published in Newsbreak's first special issue on Mindanao, January 2003.

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/1390144.jpg

Downtown Bonggao, Tawi-Tawi

Maganda sa Basilan

this is from a blog..

Alam nyo ba na maganda rin sa Basilan? Maganda ang beach nila. Masarap ang hangin. Pero sino kaya ang magiisip sa atin na magbakasyon sa Basilan? Nalinya kasi sila sa pagiging kuta ng Abu Sayaff; pero sa totoo lang, masamang publicity lang yon na kumapit na sa probinsya ng Basilan. Marami ang nagsasabi na dahil sa negatibong publicity na ito ay dahan dahang nalugmok ang Basilan. Napabayaan ang eco tourism; actually, halos wala nga tayong naririnig tungkol sa Basilan e, di ba? Kung meron man, mga balitang hindi nakakaganda sa image ng lugar na ito.

At ang resulta? Mas lalong naghihirap ang mga kababayan nating nasa Basilan. Naghirap na nga sila sa kamay ng mga insurgents, dapat pa rin ba silang parusahan? Sa tingin ko, hindi na tama yon. Tama na yung halos mamatay na ang ecotourism sa lugar na yon pero hindi dapat na magdusa ang mga kababayan nating taga Basilan. At sino pa ang mag tutulong-tulong kundi tayong mga Pinoy din. Sa anong paraan tayo makakatulong?

Kung isa kang blogger, bigyan natin ng pansin ang Basilan. Suportahan natin ang project na pinangungunahan ni Ibno Hajar Turabin, President of BIDA (Basilan Island Development Association).

Ang proyekto ang tinatawag nilang, Project: H.E.L.P. Basilan

At eto ang focus nila:

H – HEALTH
E – EDUCATION
L – LIVELIHOOD
P – PEOPLE

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/4247555.jpg

a river in Basilan

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/1298375.jpg

bonggao Airport

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Deployment of marines in Basilan..

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20080520/i/r4088352167.jpg?x=234&y=345&sig=RWCb9lJOL8_CA9wWNPJPsg--

New Marawi facility to produce biofuel from malunggay seeds

The Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology Program Office (DA-BPO) has established a Marawi City facility that will produce biofuel from malunggay seeds.

Besides providing employment to Maranaos, an ethnic group, the first Moringa Oil Manufacturing Plant in the city is also expected to expand trade opportunities for malunggay growers. The facility intends to process oil from malunggay seeds, producing a viable source of biodiesel for export to the United States.

FDC Lanao Moringa Farmers Association, Inc. and Secura, all-Filipino biotechnology company, the Moringa Oil Manufacturing Plant Site will produce 150 million gallons of moringa oil a year.

Marawi City is a strategic location for the plant since it has sufficient water supplies The city also serves as a gateway to other areas in the region like Bukidnon, Cotabato, and the Zamboanga Peninsula.

Currently, the plant site in within a 3.5-hectare plantation developed by the FDC Lanao Moringa Farmers Association Inc. Secura hopes to expand the plantation to 30,000 hectares this year.

Danny Manayaga, Secura president, said it plans expand its moringa plantation to 100,000 hectares.

On the third week of June, training sessions will be conducted in Marawi City to help farmers improve and enhance commercial production of malunggay.

The training courses will be conducted through a tie-up with the Blo Umpar Adiong Agricultural School.

Bureau of Plant Industry personnel will also train Marawi State University technicians on commercial moringa oil production. The women of Marawi City will be taught household processing of leaves to produce different malunggay products. - GMANews.TV

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3181/2442284986_11bdaea5b4.jpg?v=0

Bucol Falls

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2081/2379671494_dfa1128782.jpg?v=0

When FPJ went to Basilan..

Moringa oil plant to rise in Lanao del Sur (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20080605-140815/Moringa-oil-plant-to-rise-in-Lanao-del-Sur)


By Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:37:00 06/05/2008


The Department of Agriculture (DA) plans to put up Mindanao’s first moringa oil manufacturing plant in the province of Lanao del Sur to expand trade opportunities for malunggay growers in the region.

Joining DA in the landmark plant project are the FDC Lanao Moringa Farmers Association Inc. and Secura, a local biotechnology firm that has pioneered the extraction of oil from malunggay seeds.

Secura currently offers contracts to farmers to ensure the supply of malunggay seeds and leaves. It exports moringa oil to personal care product manufacturers and supplies powdered malunggay leaves to local food processors.

The company believes in the huge potential of moringa oil as the oil is now regarded as a viable alternative source of biodiesel in countries such as the United States.

In a statement, the DA-Biotechnology Program Office said the plant would be put up in the 3.5-hectare plantation of FDC Lanao Moringa Farmers in the Gadongan of Marawi City. When completed, the plant will produce an estimated 150 million gallons of moringa oil a year.

The DA has not given an estimate of how much the plant will cost.

DA-BPO Director Alice Ilaga said Marawi City was an ideal location for the plant, given its access to ample water supply and its being a gateway to other provinces, such as Bukidnon and Cotabato and the Zamboanga Peninsula.

Marawi City also has access to malunggay plantations.

“The target is to have 100,000 hectares of moringa plantations. We will also employ the locals,” Secura president Danny Manayaga said.

In the third week of June, training sessions will be conducted in Marawi City to help farmers improve and enhance commercial production of malunggay, the DA said.

Experts from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) will train Marawi State University technicians on commercial moringa oil production while the women of Marawi City will also be taught household processing of leaves for different malunggay products.

The DA-BPO added that it hopes to establish a Biotechnology Information and Resource Center in Marawi City to provide information, services, seedlings, training and technology demonstrations to farmers.

Buenas Tardes mi mana companeros de escuela y parientes alli na Isabela y Lamitan...
que tal vosotros alli! haay... mas de 10anos ya yo no hay puede visita alli, si para habla lang gayot bien bonito el isabel y lamitan... muchas islas blanco y busay....

been to marawi last april and i was captivated.
mindanao colors of yellow red etc is everywhere.

from Basilan pala tlaga kau acer?

Military draws agri-fishery dev't plan for Sulu province

SULU military officials have come up with a concept paper entitled "Poverty Alleviation through Enhancement of Agri-fishery Cooperatives."

The concept paper aims to provide strategies and insights in the utilization of cooperatives as channel towards poverty alleviation and economic upliftment. Through this, lasting peace and sustainable development can be achieved.

Joint Task Force Comet chief Juancho Sabban presented the paper Wednesday to all concerned stakeholders during a consultation meeting held at the Provincial Area Coordinating Center in Jolo, the province's capital. It was attended by key military and civil government officials.

Sabban said although Sulu is blessed with agricultural endowments, setbacks have limited productivity to optimize gains in the province, which if addressed, is an essential contributor to Sulu's economy and source of livelihood or employment to its people.

The concept paper highlights a common agenda and advocacy strategy in the promotion and organization of agri-fishery cooperatives for livelihood and human development, according to Sabban.

Sabban said the province is rich in agriculture and understands the importance of agriculture in the economy and in the realization of the military's peace mission.

Sabban's command is tasked to run after the remaining leaders and members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf in the island province of Sulu.

Sabban said the concept paper is the military's initial input to the ongoing efforts of the Provincial Government.

"This (concept paper) empowers the people to be self-reliant, productive, and participative in the attainment of peace and prosperity," he said.

"The alleviation of human suffering is the ultimate goal. It is a long term solution, but lays a firm foundation of sustainable development and lasting peace for all," he added.

He stressed that peace is the military's ultimate mission in the province of Sulu.

However, he said that to achieve peace it requires a holistic approach of empowering all the government and non-government machineries to synchronize efforts in achieving mutual goals.

"Convergence of efforts and cooperation are paramount to effectively respond and adequately address the needs of the people. An environment conducive to equitably shared economic growth is fundamental to reducing poverty, hence trims down criminality," he explained.

Colonel Celestino Pereyra, chief of the 2nd Marine Brigade, one of the military commands under the JTFC, pointed out that reaching toward the goal is the responsibility of all stakeholders.

"Each group has its own part to play, its own unique contribution to strengthen the agriculture and fishery communities and cooperative reliability," Pereyra said.

Sabban said the concept paper is a product of the constant dialogues between the office of JTFC Civil Military Operations (CMO) with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in the autonomous region headed by Helmie Halem, and the Provincial Cooperative Officer Hadjirul Mandangan.

During the presentation, JTFC CMO chief Yuri Pesigan shared a brief background behind the concept and explained the primary objective of the consultation meeting, according to Sabban.

"The consultation meeting was called for to provide the forum for continuing discussions to bear out better concept of appropriate strategies, refine and strengthen policies to better serve the people," he said.

Some of the recommendations from the stakeholders include classification of cooperatives; laying down the roles and functions of each stakeholder; creation of task force Kooperatiba; formulation of plan of actions, inclusion of other government agencies.

Before the consultation meeting ended, Sabban said the body unanimously agreed to task the Provincial Cooperative Office in recommending for the issuance of an order for the creation of Task Force Kooperatiba.

Area Coordinating Center Executive Director Hja. Jainab Abdulmajid has been assigned to head the Secretariat, Sabban said.

Buenas Tardes mi mana companeros de escuela y parientes alli na Isabela y Lamitan...
que tal vosotros alli! haay... mas de 10anos ya yo no hay puede visita alli, si para habla lang gayot bien bonito el isabel y lamitan... muchas islas blanco y busay....

OMG! i love chavacano language...can you teach me? per pabore...ciao!

OMG! i love chavacano language...can you teach me? per pabore...ciao!

merong thread sa may heritage section about Chavacano..it is entitled "Foro Chavacano..

merong thread sa may heritage section about Chavacano..it is entitled "Foro Chavacano..

ok...thanks...may book ba about how to learn chavacano.?..

ok...thanks...may book ba about how to learn chavacano.?..


there's a lot..marami kang makikita dito sa mga bookstore sa Zambo..its available in all libraries of the city..i doubt if its available in some parts of the country..

baka this can help u..

http://www.stumbleupon.com/demo/?review=1#url=http://www.zamboanga.com/chavacano/chavacano_de_zamboanga_speak.htm

gtg..mgpapaenroll pa ako

^^i really want basilan to prosper, i have plenty of beautiful kept memories told to me by my lolo about the place. although i did not live in basilan but ive visited the place a couple of times before when i was younger. :cheers:

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/2891811.jpg
panoramic view


http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/2908135.jpg
grandstand



i had a lot of memories on this place. i miss MSU Marawi...
:cry:

PASG identifies 4 big-time rice smugglers in Basilan

ISABELA CITY — The Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) here has already identified the four big-time businessmen engaged in rice smuggling in the island province of Basilan.

At the same time, Bob Reynera, PASG regional director of Basilan,Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (BASULTA), has also identified Filipino-Chinese businessmen in this city resorting to hoarding of commercial rice in their warehouses and mixing commercial and government (NFA) rice.

Reynera identified the three big-time rice smugglers in the province only as “Panther”,”Jaguar” and “Tiger”. The fourth is a certain Hadji operating in Maluso.

“Im still trying to get the real and complete names of these smugglers, but they are known here in the province based on intelligence reports and in my personal conversation with rice dealers in this city, some of whom are my relatives,”Reynera stressed.

“In due time they will fall into the hands of the PASG in coordination with the Philippine Marines, whom I had requested to help me as embodied in our Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).

PASG here has already identified the smugglers who bring rice to Lamitan City using a closed-van and their loading area in Maluso and at the finger wharf inside the Tupay Village in this city.

“As a Basileño I already know the different warehouses here in Isabela City where they hoard their commercial rice and these are all pinpointed including some inLamitan City,”Reynera told DZT.

“As of the moment we have not conducted yet any operation but soon as I finish the renovation of our PASG office which is located inside the NFA compound at Sunrise Village. Thanks to Abel Usman, the NFA provincial manager who accommodated us inside the compound,”Reynera said.

Meanwhile, Reynera already called on Gov.Jum Akbar, Mayor Cheryllyn Santos Akbar and Mayor Roderick Furigay of Lamitan.

”They are all very supportive of the objectives of PASG,” he said.

Last week, Reynera called on Gov. Sakur Tan in Jolo, Sulu and Gov.Sadikul Sahali of Tawi-Tawi. He is also expected to organize PASG detachments in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

http://www.basilan.gov.ph/images2/main2%20copy.gif

this is from the website of the Prov'l Government..si Akbar pa ang governor dito

http://www.basilan.gov.ph/images/Farm%20to%20Market%20Road.jpg

http://www.basilan.gov.ph/images/Farm%20to%20Market%20Road2.jpg

Farm to Market Roads in Basilan

http://www.basilan.gov.ph/images/Provincial%20Capitol.jpg

Provincial Capitol of Basilan

Concreting of Roads..

http://www.basilan.gov.ph/images/Provincial%20Concrete%20Road.jpg

http://www.basilan.gov.ph/images/Provincial%20Hostel.jpg

Provincial Hostel of Basilan

http://www.basilan.gov.ph/images/P-1.jpg

a Falls in Basilan

Basilan is starting to boost its economy. You can see isabela city, lalo na if your in abong-abong hill. =)

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj53/svenz_2008/1_979746228l.jpg

village in Luuk.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj53/svenz_2008/1_770342745l.jpg
Aerial View of Jolo Town from Bugdatu.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj53/svenz_2008/1_379698534l.jpg

Floating Cottage in Quezon Beach, Sulu

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj53/svenz_2008/1_939819671l.jpg

ewww! Walu-walu in Quezon Beach

yan ba yung Venomous Sea Snake?

http://images.inquirer.net/img/thumbnails/new/hea/pag/img/2008/06/20080620.jpg

Maganda tong maging banner ng SSC!

http://images.inquirer.net/img/thumbnails/new/hea/pag/img/2008/06/20080620.jpg

tapos po, idagdag po natin ang picture ni ate ces with her captors hahahhaa :lol: :jk:

DOJ: Misuari Told Us Laring-Laring Is Isnaji's Alias (http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/news.php?news_id=20080620042436)
Friday, June 20, 2008 05:24:36 PM


MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday said it was former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MNLF) chief Nur Misuari who provided investigators one of the missing pieces that linked Indanan Mayor Alvarez Isnaji in the Sulu abduction.

Radio dzBB's Teresa Tavares reported that according to Justice Sec. Raul Gonzalez, Misuari told authorities that the mastermind of the abduction who was referred to by locals as "Laring-Laring" is actually an alias used by Isnaji.

Gonzalez said investigators stumbled on the name Laring-Laring after debriefing the hostages shortly after their release.

The hostages recalled the kidnappers mentioning the name Laring-Laring when they were talking about how to divide the ransom money.

But the investigators were stumped on who Laring-Laring was, until Misuari told them it was actually Isnaji. Isnaji is affiliated with Misuari's Moro National Liberation Front. - GMANews.TV

Puno: Proof indicates Isnaji masterminded kidnapping (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/102312/Puno-Proof-indicates-Isnaji-masterminded-kidnapping)

(Updated 3:55 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Interior and Local Government on Friday maintained that investigators have basis to charge Alvarez Isnaji and his son in the kidnapping of television reporter Ces Drilon and her crew, adding that the Indanan mayor might have masterminded the abduction and pocketed most of the P5-million ransom.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said information received by his office indicated that Isnaji might be a "principal player" in the incident.

"Ang unang nakarating sa akin...ang nag-isip ng kidnap at namuno sa kidnap ay isang Laring-Laring. Nang tinanong namin sa tao namin sino yan, yun pala isa sa mga alias na gamit ni Isnaji (When news of the kidnapping first broke out, our local sources said a certain Laring-Laring masterminded it. It turned out Laring-Laring was an alias used by the mayor)," Puno said.

He said Isnaji extracted a P5-million ransom from Drilon's family, and kept most of the money.

"Mukhang may naibigay kay Mayor Isnaji, ang halaga ay P5 million. Dinala sa bahay niya, binilang niya roon... Ang P2 million, dinala sa kidnapper ng emissary. Nang nilabas si Angelo...nagka-onsehan pa roon (Mayor Isnaji got the money, about P5 million. The money was brought to his house and was counted there. But only P2 million went to the kidnappers)," Puno said.

Puno said the kidnappers through "negotiator" Isnaji pressed Drilon's family to pay ransom after ABS-CBN refused to pay the amount demanded by the abductors.

"Pamilya ang kinausap nila, tinakot nila dahil ayaw magbigay ng pera ang ABS-CBN, may policy sila against paying ransom. Ang pamilya ang inipit nila. May nakuha sila sa pamilya na dapat para sa pagpalaya kay Ces. Si Mayor Isnaji lang ang kausap dito (The kidnappers demanded ransom from Drilon's family because ABS-CBN has a no-ransom policy. They got money from Drilon's family and it was Mayor Isnaji who relayed the message)," Puno said.

Puno denied claims that he encouraged Isnaji to negotiate with the abductors, saying he could not have encouraged Isnaji because he does not know him. "I never met Mayor Isnaji and I do not know him," he said.

Puno said he ordered the Philippine National Police to hold a press conference and present all their pieces of evidence linking Isnaji to the abduction, including a photograph of the counting of the money at the mayor's house.

"Ang karamihan na halaga doon naiwan sa kanya... Ang katotohanan pag nakita nila yan mahirap tanggihan ni Isnaji isa siya sa principal dito (The story behind the photo was that Isnaji kept most of the money. If the truth comes out, the mayor will find it hard to refute the charges against him)," Puno said, adding that he has already cleared the matter with the National Security Council.

"Ako nagpipigil ako magsalita dahil siguro ebidensya na lang, mahirap makipagtalo... Marami silang pwedeng gawing istorya, ang bottom line diyan, yung ebidensya pa rin (I've been trying to hold back but I'll let the evidence do the talking. They can make up stories all they want but the bottom line is the evidence)," Puno added.

Director General Avelino Razon Jr, PNP chief, said investigators have testimonial evidence pointing to Isnaji as the mastermind of the kidnapping, which is supported by intelligence reports and photographs.

"A lot of questions were asked on evidence versus Isnaji. Madami evidence ang hawak in terms of witness accounts, intelligence reports, statements and even pictures and reports of events. This picture shows Alvarez counting money initially given for the release of Ces but in the end, na-release si Valderama," Razon said.

Razon described the evidence against Isnaji: "(In the picture) is Mayor Isnaji seen in beige vest and checkered polo. Si Lady in white na may bonnet and Senior Superintendent (Winnie) Quidatu in blue and a bodyguard of Quidatu who is a member of the Intelligence Group who was sent to Jolo in a covert operation after we received info that the leader of kidnap for ransom is a certain Laring-Laring."

"This information came from local sources - di lang isang source - who gave us this info and piecing together these information, Laring-Laring is the alias of Isnaji so he was sent there and presented himself as part of negotiating team," Razon added.

"According to Quidatu, ang binayad ni Mayor to the kidnappers is 2 million and the 3 million he retained for himself... (There's) first hand knowledge na nakaupo siya, nakikita niya binibilang yung pera," he further said. - GMANews.TV

click her: Bombardment starts in Sulu (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/102214/Bombardment-starts-in-Sulu)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Shelling of selective areas in Sulu province started yesterday as the military intensified its offensive against the kidnappers of a television crew and an academician released late Tuesday.

Maj. Gen. Juancho M. Sabban, chief of Joint Task Force Comet, said the operation started right after the release of the victims.

On Wednesday, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered security forces to wipe out the bandits.

Cecilia Victoria "Ces" Oreña-Drilon and her cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., and Sulu-based Mindanao State University professor Octavio Dinampo were released around 11:53 p.m. on Tuesday in the hinterland of Sitio Danasig, Barangay Lower Sinumaan in the town of Talipao.

Ms. Drilon, her crew and Mr. Dinampo were kidnapped on June 8 in Sulu while pursuing an exclusive story. Crew driver Angelo Valderama was released on June 12.

Mr. Sabban said the kidnappers have splintered in the jungles of Sulu. "We want to be precise on our targets to avoid civilian casualties."

Meanwhile, the government said operations will include a "humanitarian and development offensive" to wipe out poverty in the area, which is said to be the root cause of insurgency and extremism.

"President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the resumption and upscaling of a ’humanitarian and development offensive’ in Sulu...," said Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza.

Mr. Dureza said Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Hermogenes C. Esperon, Jr. has reactivated the "HELP Sulu Basilan" aimed at providing relief to the poor in the said places.

HELP stands for health, education, livelihood program. It was launched last year. — Darwin T. Wee and Alexis Douglas B. Romero, BusinessWorld

click here: PNP finalizes security plan for ARMM polls (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/102463/PNP-finalizes-security-plan-for-ARMM-polls)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -

ARMM police director Joel Goltiao said they would secure the counting areas especially that it would be the first time an automated election system would used in the country.

The Commission on Elections is using the direct recording electronic (DRE) system in Maguindanao while the optical mark reader (OMR) technology would be used in the other five ARMM provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

The DRE system uses touch-screen or touch-pad technology and is fully automated from the voting to the counting and the final transmission of results to the canvassing centers at the provincial and regional levels.

On the other hand, the OMR Technology requires voters to fill out a paper ballot, which is scanned by specially-designed machines. – Sun.Star Zamboanga

^^ yes pero hindi masyado klaro..the whole island of basilan is visible atop Abong-Abong

pwede apilon dinhi ang Sulu ug tawi tawi province?


:)

naa man siguro sila kaugalingon nga thread..sa ARMM thread..or puede pud mgbuhat nlang ka bai..

Isabela Seaside Market

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3070/2598710742_8784e6d569.jpg

US envoy says aid will center on South (http://www.malaya.com.ph/jul07/news7.htm)

July 07, 2008

BAGUIO CITY - United States Ambassador Kristie Kenney on Saturday said the US will continue educational support and development aid to the country, especially in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Kenney, in an interview after Saturday's celebration of the centenary of the Baguio Teachers Camp (BTC), said Mindanao will continue to be the focus of the US in terms of development aid because it is the "least developed and most in need."

The BTC, as part of its centennial celebrations, held a "Tribute to the Thomasites," the young American teachers who came to the country in waves in 1901 to educate Filipinos who had had just emerged from centuries of Spanish colonial rule.

The Department of Education (DepEd) earlier cited the support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in education projects in the ARMM.

DepEd, with USAID support, has intensified efforts to improve access to quality education and provide livelihood opportunities for children and the youth in the southern Philippines, particularly in areas most affected by conflict and poverty.

The US government's for Education Quality and Access for Learning and Livelihood Skills (EQUALLS) project "has helped improve the quality of education of nearly 500,000 public elementary students in Mindanao, trained nearly 10,000 teachers in core subjects like English, Science and Mathematics and provided almost two million books to schools in the region."

Aside from ARMM, the program also focuses on war-torn communities in the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9) and the Cotabato area (Region 12).

Launched in 2004, EQUALLS is a five-year $30.1 million initiative that combines the efforts of USAID partners from government, civil society and the corporate sector.

USAID has allocated $85 million for Phase 2 of the project (2006-2011), which seeks to "increase learning opportunities for children and youth through community support for education, strengthen capacity for teaching English, Math and Science and improve relevance and training for out-of-school children and youth."

In Manila, President Arroyo ordered the reorganization of the six-man Board of Advisers of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) by adding two members to represent the private sector.

Arroyo, in issuing Executive Order 730, said the move aims to strengthen the CHED.

The CHED Board of Advisers is composed of the Secretary of Education as chairman; the Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority as vice chairman; and the secretaries of Science and Technology, Trade and Industry, and Labor and Employment; and the presidents of the Federation of Accrediting Association of the Philippines (FAAP), and the Fund Assistance to Private Education (FAPE) as members.

Under the Higher Education Act of 1994, the Board of Advisers meets with the Commission at least once a year "to assist it in aligning its policies and plans with the cultural, political and socioeconomic development needs of the nation and with the demands of world-class scholarship."

The President also issued Executive Order 729 designating the director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) or his representative as member of the Teacher Education Council in order to include the technical-vocational sector to the TEC and train technical-vocational teachers of unquestionable integrity and competence.

The TEC is presently composed of the Education Secretary as ex-officio chairman, a CHED Commissioner, a representative of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the chairman of the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC), as ex-officio members.

The regular members are the representatives of the Centers of Teacher Education from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; Science teachers; Mathematics teachers; Social studies teachers; and Language teachers in the country. - Ashzel Hachero and Jocelyn Montemayor (http://www.malaya.com.ph/jul07/news7.htm)

Btw, has anyone been to these places? I hope you could share some photos. :)

ive been to these places but too bad, i wasn't able to bring my cam, haha. i was afraid na it would get stolen...

^^ It shouldn't be taken as an offense. Its constructive criticism. ;)

indeed it is. :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2303/2331470648_d00d253433.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1089/1462439189_d52809fb5f.jpg?v=0

This is a very good website....

http://www.royalsulu.com/

MILF deal may expand ARMM (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080718-149109/MILF-deal-may-expand-ARMM)
Homeland for Moros to include 5 other provinces

By Nikko Dizon, Inquirer Mindanao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:16:00 07/18/2008


MANILA, Philippines—A plebiscite will determine the composition of the new territory to be considered the ancestral homeland of three million Moros in Mindanao, which it is hoped would result from a peace agreement between the government and the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), according to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s adviser on the peace process.

The “projected” territory referred to as the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity is the “current” Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which may be expanded to include 712 barangays (villages) in five provinces in Central Mindanao, Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said Thursday.

He said the five provinces were Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Zamboanga-Sibugay and Palawan.

--- problem is will these provinces agree?

“The MILF has agreed that additions to the present ARMM will be subject to the conduct of a plebiscite... We promised to cause the [conduct] of the plebiscite six months after the signing of the MOA (memorandum of agreement),” Esperon told reporters.

He said the two panels would meet on July 24 to determine the formal signing date of the MOA, and the formal peace talks—which had stalled on the issue of ancestral domain—would resume after that.

“Whether it will take one month or one year, we don’t know. But we would like to build on the goodwill that has been built,” said Esperon, a former Armed Forces chief of staff.

But Fr. Eliseo Mercado, OMI, a former member of the government panel in peace talks with Moro rebel groups, said he was “90 percent” certain that a final peace agreement with the MILF would be signed this year.

75-25 sharing

Esperon said the two panels had also agreed that the jurisdiction and control of resources found within 15 kilometers from the shoreline would be with the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity.

“Beyond that, there will be joint control in the sharing of these critical resources, primarily fuel, oil and other such critical minerals,” he said.

The sharing will be 75 percent for the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity and 25 percent for the government, he said.

As for land resources, Esperon said there were “existing arrangements,” and pointed out that the ARMM had its own Department of Natural and Environment Resources.

Esperon said there should be “some unification” between the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) regarding the issue on ancestral domain.

He declined to comment on how this could be attained.

The ARMM, composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Shariff Kabunsuan, was created after the Philippine government entered into a peace agreement with the MNLF.

Breakthrough

At informal talks in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, the government and the MILF reached a breakthrough in efforts to resume the peace talks.

The two panels agreed to drop the word “freedom” in reaching a deal to create an ancestral homeland for Muslims in Mindanao, and settled for the phrase “aspiration of the Bangsamoro people.”

In the earlier wording of the agreement, the MILF sought to “permanently address the aspirations of the Bangsamoro for freedom.”

The unofficial, draft agreement will thus read: “The recognition and peaceful resolution of the conflict must involve consultations with the Bangsamoro people free of any imposition in order to provide chances of success and open new formulas that permanently respond to the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people.”

Esperon said the wording on ancestral domain would be negotiated once the peace talks resume.

He said the word “freedom,” which basically was about governance, was one of four contentious issues between the government and MILF panels in the peace talks.

He said the three other issues were jurisdiction and control of natural resources, the kind of organization to be established to “enable” the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity “to function efficiently,” and “the matter of providing for a clause proposed by the Philippine side that all these agreements must conform with the Constitution ... or with the legal framework of the Philippines.”

Big difference

Father Mercado, who now heads the peace advocacy group Kusog Mindanao, told radio station dxND in Kidapawan City that the agreement on the choice of words could spell a big difference in the peace talks.

But he warned that the agreement did not automatically resolve all the issues hounding the peace process with the MILF.

“The MOA on ancestral domain is not the comprehensive agreement, as what others [think]. It will only pave the way for the resumption of formal peace talks,” Mercado said.

MILF civil-military affairs chief Eid Kabalu told Inquirer Mindanao on the phone that the separatist group was also optimistic about the signing of a final peace deal.

But he said this would depend on how fast the panels could agree on the issues pending resolution.

Still, Kabalu admitted that the Kuala Lumpur agreement resolved some of the stickiest issues that had been stalling the peace talks.

Possible federal state

Esperon said the new territory would cover a “considerable” land area.

If the residents agree to be included in the new territory through the plebiscite, their barangays or towns will comprise an expanded ARMM.

Esperon said the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity “would take a form more advanced than that of an autonomous region, and this could take the form of a federal state.”

An amendment in the 1987 Constitution may also be necessary depending on “the provisions of the peace agreement,” he said, adding:

“A federal state is not allowed within our current legal framework, and so if we go through that, then the agreement will not be executory until we have the enabling act which could come in the form of a constitution.”

Interviewed over dzBB in Manila, President Arroyo gave thanks for the agreement made by the two panels in Kuala Lumpur.

“Yes, praise God, yes, praise God,” she said.

She added that a peace deal could be concluded soon because the clashing views on ancestral domain had been resolved.

Ms Arroyo also said that “once a lasting peace is achieved in Mindanao, a speedy and lasting ... development will ensue.”

She said that while certain areas in Mindanao were “very, very productive,” some parts were “very, very deprived” because these were “torn by armed conflicts.”

Resistance

In Kidapawan City, the provincial board of North Cotabato passed a resolution opposing the inclusion of the province in the proposed expanded ARMM.

In the resolution, the provincial board also authorized North Cotabato Gov. Jesus Sacdalan to file a case with the Supreme Court in the event the province is identified as part of the projected Moro territory.

“The people of North Cotabato already spoke in 2001 when they opposed the inclusion of the province in the ARMM,” Vice Gov. Emmanuel Piñol said.

Piñol said North Cotabato’s opposition was based on documents indicating that the province was one of the areas being considered for inclusion in the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity.

Moro assignment

Esperon said another important development in the peace process with the MILF was the appointment of a Moro as head of the government team in the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), a body formed by the government and the MILF to address the prevalence of organized crime in Mindanao.

Brig. Gen. Muhammad Nur Askalani replaced Brig. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, the Marine Corps chief, in the AHJAG.

“I know he can handle this job well, knowing his experience,” Dolorfino said of his successor, who is also deputy commander of the military’s Western Mindanao Command.

Said Esperon: “Askalani is the first Tausug to become a general in the Philippine Army, and with his vast experience in Mindanao, I have no doubt that he can perform well for the Bangsamoro people.”

Askalani hails from the fishing village of Lugus Island in Sulu, a depressed province in the ARMM, which is always known as the hotbed of the Moro rebellion. With reports from Julie S. Alipala, Edwin O. Fernandez and Dennis Jay C. Santos, Inquirer Mindanao; Michael Lim Ubac in Manila

Pierce Brosnan, Vanessa Redgrave Win Mindanao Polls (http://s52.photobucket.com/albums/g6/ZamboangaJournal/?action=view&current=ADS-Rate-1.jpg)

MANILA, Philippines (July 20, 2008) - At a mock balloting held at the main headquarters of the Philippines' Commission on Elections, at least 20 bloggers voted for actor Pierce Brosnan for ARMM Regional Governor over mock candidates Kevin Costner, Leonardo di Caprio, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Al Pacino and Sharon Stone.

On the other hand, Vanessa Redgrave won as Regional Vice Governor, beating Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Micheal Jackson, Tom Jones, Jennifer Lopez, Brian McKnight and David Pomeranz.

The bloggers, mostly students and young professionals, got to see first-hand the automated voting and counting machines that will be used in next month’s automated elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“We invited bloggers because we believe them to represent a significant part of the general public that wants to be informed about the most recent developments in election automation,” said COMELEC spokesman and education and information chief James Jimenez.

A blogger himself, Jimenez said blogs can be a powerful medium to share knowledge with the electorate, especially the youth.

Sulu sultanate pushes for federal state


The Sultanate of Sulu, the longest ruling dynasty in the world, is now demanding a federal state in the Philippine republic before the centennial of the 1915 Carpenter Agreement, a formal agreement wherein the Sultan of Sulu recognized United States sovereignty in the sultanate territories of Sulu Archipelago.

"If the Sultanate is not granted a federal state by 2015," Jingona Pangambayan, the Manila-based panglima (governor) of the sultanate of Sulu, said in a statement, "we will unilaterally proclaim independence!"

"Let it be known to the Philippine nation, the United States of America, the United Nations, and the whole world," Panglima Jingona declared, "that the sultanate of Sulu will raised its flag after the 100th year of the Carpenter Agreement."

"We the raayat (people) and officials of the sultanate call on the United States, which the sultanate in the 1915 Carpenter Agreement acknowledged as sovereign over its archipelagic territories," Pangambayan explained, "to help us in this political transformation; it was the United States that created the Republic of the Philippines and therefore it has the major obligation and responsibility to facilitate the creation of a federal state of the sultanate of Sulu and to transform the unitary system of the Philippine government into a federated republic."

This means that the sultanate by virtue of the Carpenter Agreement is explicitly asking the United States to directly interfere in the political transformation of Sulu into a sultanate federal state. Moreover, it is inviting the United States to actively engage in the transforming the Philippine government into a federal system.

"We also call on the active promoters of federalism of Cebu, Bicol, Ilocos, Cordilleras, Cagayan Valley, Southern Tagalog, Maguindanao, Lanao and other regions to work with the Sultanate of Sulu in the peaceful transformation of the Philippine nation into a strong and equitable federal republic."

"The sultante of Sulu has all the right to demand and initiate a federalist movement," Rajah Muda (Crown Prince) Agbimuddin Kiram intoned, "since it is the only surviving state that negotiated with the United States."

"Moreover, the territorial domain of the sultanate covers Palawan (including Sulawan, now known as Spratlys), Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front(MILF), whose top leaders and constituents are mostly from Maguindanao," Agbimuddin emphasized, "does not represent the sultante of Sulu nor does it represent the people of Sulu Archipelago."

"Whatever agreement the Republic of the Philippines concocts with the MILF," he stressed, "is its own doing and will not be accepted by the sultanate of Sulu in its teritories."

"A 20-80 sharing of revenues (20 percent for the federal government, 80 percent for the state)," Panglima Jingona said, "is immovable position of the sultanate. The federal government, which will handle external defense and foreign affairs, must limit itself to gobbling 20 percent of overall revenues. Let all federalist proponents agree on this primordial premise before proceeding on creating a federal constitution."

On March 22, 1915 Frank W. Carpenter, then governor of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, formalized an agreement wherein "the Sultan of Sulu, on his own account and in behalf of his adherents and people in the Sulu Archipelago and elsewhere within American territory, without any reservation or limitation whatsoever, ratifies and confirms his recognition of the sovereignty of United States of America."

"For almost 100 years," Abraham Idjirani, the secretary-general of the sultanate, narrated, "the raayat and the officials of the sultanate have remained true to the Carpenter Agreement. Now it is demanding a justifiable payback to reestablish a constitutional sultanate of Sulu Archipelago."

"The sultanate hopes to build a just, lasting, prosperous and harmonious federal structure with its neighboring region of Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon," Pangambayan emphasized, "but if our demand for a federal state of the sultanate of Sulu fizzles, the sultanate of Sulu will unilaterally declare an independent state by 2015."






The Philippine Star
The Nation page A-23
July 27,2008 Sunday

Spanish firm wants to buy seaweeds from RP (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=2008080423&type=2)
By Marianne V. Go
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Hispanagar S.A. of Burgos, Spain, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of hydrocolloids, is interested in buying raw seaweed from the Philippines, mainly from Sitangkai, Tawitawi.

This was learned from Jerry E. Pacturan, executive director of the Philippine Development Assistance Programme (PDAP) which is helping seaweed farmers in Sitangkai. In a recent meeting in Spain, Pacturan said Hispanagar officials told him that they are interested in sourcing seaweed from the Philippines because of its high quality.

Pacturan said he met with Hispanagar general manager Javier Fernandez and purchasing manager German Gonzalez who are looking at the possibility of buying 120 metric tons of seaweed from Tawi-tawi farmers every month.

“We also talked about the increasing prices of seaweeds, which is affecting processors worldwide. This is, however, an Asian phenomenon with Indonesia and Vietnam catching up with Philippine prices,” Pacturan said.

“They point out to China’s massive buying in the Philippines and other Asian countries as the reason behind the rise in the prices of seaweeds. But the level of interest to buy from us is still very high,” he added.

The Philippines is one of the world’s top producers of seaweed, with the municipality of Sitangkai accounting for half the country’s total production.

Seaweeds are produced in enormous quantity in approximately 10,000 hectares (out of the 60,000 hectares available) and an estimated average annual production volume of 120,000 metric tons valued at over $150 million or P6.6 billion.

Pacturan said companies like Hispanagar are turning to the Philippines as a major source because word is getting around that Philippine seaweed is best suited for the production of carageenan.

Back to top

Sulu sultanate pushes for federal state


The Sultanate of Sulu, the longest ruling dynasty in the world, is now demanding a federal state in the Philippine republic before the centennial of the 1915 Carpenter Agreement, a formal agreement wherein the Sultan of Sulu recognized United States sovereignty in the sultanate territories of Sulu Archipelago.

"If the Sultanate is not granted a federal state by 2015," Jingona Pangambayan, the Manila-based panglima (governor) of the sultanate of Sulu, said in a statement, "we will unilaterally proclaim independence!"

"Let it be known to the Philippine nation, the United States of America, the United Nations, and the whole world," Panglima Jingona declared, "that the sultanate of Sulu will raised its flag after the 100th year of the Carpenter Agreement."

"We the raayat (people) and officials of the sultanate call on the United States, which the sultanate in the 1915 Carpenter Agreement acknowledged as sovereign over its archipelagic territories," Pangambayan explained, "to help us in this political transformation; it was the United States that created the Republic of the Philippines and therefore it has the major obligation and responsibility to facilitate the creation of a federal state of the sultanate of Sulu and to transform the unitary system of the Philippine government into a federated republic."

This means that the sultanate by virtue of the Carpenter Agreement is explicitly asking the United States to directly interfere in the political transformation of Sulu into a sultanate federal state. Moreover, it is inviting the United States to actively engage in the transforming the Philippine government into a federal system.

"We also call on the active promoters of federalism of Cebu, Bicol, Ilocos, Cordilleras, Cagayan Valley, Southern Tagalog, Maguindanao, Lanao and other regions to work with the Sultanate of Sulu in the peaceful transformation of the Philippine nation into a strong and equitable federal republic."

"The sultante of Sulu has all the right to demand and initiate a federalist movement," Rajah Muda (Crown Prince) Agbimuddin Kiram intoned, "since it is the only surviving state that negotiated with the United States."

"Moreover, the territorial domain of the sultanate covers Palawan (including Sulawan, now known as Spratlys), Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front(MILF), whose top leaders and constituents are mostly from Maguindanao," Agbimuddin emphasized, "does not represent the sultante of Sulu nor does it represent the people of Sulu Archipelago."

"Whatever agreement the Republic of the Philippines concocts with the MILF," he stressed, "is its own doing and will not be accepted by the sultanate of Sulu in its teritories."

"A 20-80 sharing of revenues (20 percent for the federal government, 80 percent for the state)," Panglima Jingona said, "is immovable position of the sultanate. The federal government, which will handle external defense and foreign affairs, must limit itself to gobbling 20 percent of overall revenues. Let all federalist proponents agree on this primordial premise before proceeding on creating a federal constitution."

On March 22, 1915 Frank W. Carpenter, then governor of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, formalized an agreement wherein "the Sultan of Sulu, on his own account and in behalf of his adherents and people in the Sulu Archipelago and elsewhere within American territory, without any reservation or limitation whatsoever, ratifies and confirms his recognition of the sovereignty of United States of America."

"For almost 100 years," Abraham Idjirani, the secretary-general of the sultanate, narrated, "the raayat and the officials of the sultanate have remained true to the Carpenter Agreement. Now it is demanding a justifiable payback to reestablish a constitutional sultanate of Sulu Archipelago."

"The sultanate hopes to build a just, lasting, prosperous and harmonious federal structure with its neighboring region of Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon," Pangambayan emphasized, "but if our demand for a federal state of the sultanate of Sulu fizzles, the sultanate of Sulu will unilaterally declare an independent state by 2015."






The Philippine Star
The Nation page A-23
July 27,2008 Sunday



Mabuti pa nga sigurong maging federalismo ang bansa natin- total watak-watak na rin lang ang mga ?Filipino? magkanya-kanya na rin tayo.. parang sa Quezon...mula sa isa, hinati pa! Sabihin na nating lupa at karapatan/ karangalan ang pinag-uusapan sa issue na to...Madadala ba yan sa kabilang buhay? Mas gugustuhin ko pang pag-awayan at pagtalunan kung papaano natin mapapangalagaan ang lupaing sinasaka natin kaysa pagtalunan ang lupang kumitil ng di mabilang na buhay; kung papano magagamit ang lupaing ipinamana sa atin ng mga ninuno natin. Kapag nangyaring magkawatak-watak ang buong bansa natin..hinihiling ko kay Allah at sa Dios ng Israel na ilubog ang lahat ng mga pulo na bumubuo sa Pilipinas sa karagatan!

naku wag naman... pero I agree I'd want to see a federal Philippines soon....

Here is a statement from a true blooded Mindanaoan himself.

On Target
Christian Mindanao up in arms

By Ramon Tulfo
Philippine Daily Inquirer (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080807-153134/Christian-Mindanao-up-in-arms)
First Posted 00:54:00 08/07/2008


Is the government in Manila driving Mindanao to a civil war between Christians and Muslims?

This seems to be the drift after Presidential Peace Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. allegedly told North Cotabato Vice Gov. Manny Piñol that if the pact with the Moros to create a separate state does not push through, the military would not be able to protect Christian Mindanao from Moro attacks.

If he was quoted right, then he’s driving the Mindanao Christians to arm themselves!

That was the most irresponsible statement a top government official – and a peace adviser at that – could make!

As a former military officer who spent most of his years in the service in Mindanao, he should have known that without government intervention, there would have been carnage in the second biggest island a long time ago with the Christian majority having the upper hand.

What the Muslims are capable of doing, the Mindanao Christians can do eight times better or worse since Muslims comprise only 20 percent of the population in the island.

The silent Christian majority has been holding its peace and leaving it to the government to control the seemingly intractable Moro minority.

But if the government in Manila leaves the Christians to fend for themselves, all hell would break loose. It’s frightening to imagine the amount of blood that would be spilled in the island paradise.

Being from Mindanao, this writer knows the bad blood between the Christians and Muslims in the region, despite pronouncements by the government in Imperial Manila that the war in the south is political and not cultural in nature.

So please, Mr. Esperon, don’t add gasoline to the smoldering mutual hatred with irresponsible statements such as the one you allegedly made to Vice Governor Piñol!

Since you’re from Luzon, you don’t care about Mindanao. All you care about is finishing your job of negotiating with the Muslims for a lasting peace.

Mr. Esperon, you’re wrong to believe the Christian majority will swallow bitter medicine rammed down their throats by the government in Manila.

If you force the “medicine” on Christian Mindanao, you’re driving them to declare their own independence from the Republic of the Philippines.

Already, many local government officials have expressed their interest to join the Movement for Federal Republic of Mindanao of former Davao del Norte Congressman and Transportation and Communications Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez.

You’ll be surprised at the personalities who support the movement by Christian Mindanao to secede from the Republic.

I should know. I saw prominent Mindanaoans at a conference of the movement that I attended as a guest last year at the Eden Farm in Davao City.

The participants agreed in principle to quietly bring their independence aspiration before the United Nations.

A few wanted to discuss the possibility of forming a “Mindanao self defense force,” but the majority voted it down, fearing charges of sedition from the government.

But with Esperon’s thoughtless statement, things might change and the self-defense force could be formed.

* * *
I rest my case.

What happened to MNLF? Bakit MILF na ang nagrerepresent sa Bangsamoro? Lumads should be consulted if they favor MILF as their representatives. It is a known fact that Mindanao belongs to Bangsamoro people (Muslims and Lumads) until Christians dominated the area except for the ARMM. Obviously, matatalo sa referendum sa mga lugar na kasama sa mas pinalawat na ARMM.

wow na wow !, Phil has so much potential talaga, di lang gina gamit... mga politician natin di nag isip2x, or kulang lang sigoro sa iodized salt.

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/299/51955193dsc00143quezonbpl6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Quezon Beach Sulu


:cheers:

http://images.inquirer.net/img/thumbnails/new/hea/pag/img/2008/08/20080806.jpg

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/pageoneimage/



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/2749733438_072558a3bb_b.jpg

Cant help but admire the history of our country... below was about the last sultan of sulu.



excerpt from The perils of partition (http://blogs.inquirer.net/current/2008/08/11/the-perils-of-partition/) Inquirer.net

Nine days prior, from Jolo in the Sulu Archipelago, His Highness Padukka Mahasari Manaluna Hadji Mohammad Jamalul Kiram II, Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, Judge of Agama, lineal descendant of the Prophet, had ascended to enjoy the limitless quantities of gold, jewels, silks, dates, rice, spitted lamb and beautiful women which await the Faithful in the Mohammedan Paradise. The Sultan, who for some years was the only sovereign reigning under the U. S. flag, lived on the tribute of his 500,000 Moro subjects, plus his pension from the Philippine Government, plus his land rent from British North Borneo Co. With this wealth the Sultan kept a primitive court where he enjoyed the favors of scores of wives in his youth, several in his old age, although he begot no offspring. Three nieces, however, he adopted as his daughters. No sooner had he died than one of them, Princess Dayang Dayang,* began to quarrel with Hadji Butu, the late Sultan’s grand vizier, over who was to succeed Kiram II. Dayang Dayang won the first round. Since the Sultan’s corpse was rapidly putrefying and could not be buried until a new ruler had been chosen, she secured the appointment of her husband Datu Umbra as Sultan pro tern. Meantime, datus (princes) of the Sulu islands had been advised by Grand Vizier Hadji Butu, ablest and best educated of the Moro patriarchs, to enthrone Datu Rajamuda, only surviving brother of the late Sultan.


On the same day that the National Assembly met in Manila the datus assembled at Jolo, determined to make Rajamuda Sultan. Again the wilful Princess got the best of Hadji Butu. She informed the visiting princes that according to tradition a Sultan of Sulu could not be chosen except by unanimous vote. Therefore they must wait until every datu from the farthest Moro island had arrived. The followers of Rajamuda called her by the names of she-animals. They declared she planned to make herself Sultana or—almost as unforgivable an insult to a warrior race—get the job for her husband, Datu Umbra, or her father-in-law. Datu Amil-bangsa. The princes grumbled, but the proclamation of Rajamuda’s accession was withheld and the throne continued last week to tremble in the balance.


To this day, the heirs of the last Sultan have been unable to unite; one factor may be that the Philippine government in 1936, the year of the last acknowledged Sultan’s death, abolished the state subsidy to the sultanate and refused to recognize a successor.



In the same year that the Sultanate of Sulu passed into history, the National Assembly enacted Commonwealth Act 141 (http://www.scribd.com/doc/4673327/Booklet-CA141), amending and compiling the laws on lands in the public domain.


Both actions -the refusal to intervene in the succession crisis among the last Sultan of Sulu’s heirs, and passing a law that firmly placed the authority of the Philippine government in the line of legal succession to American and Spanish authority, recognized as paramount by Muslim rulers in the past- was a strategy that would have been familiar to state-builders like Mustapha Kemal Ataturk or the ruling Congress Party of India. It was a policy encapsulated by Manuel Roxas in 1922:

they just bomb iligan city...

It's a mess the govt has to fix.
Jeesh, Manny Pinol needs to stop politicking.

It's a mess the govt has to fix.
Jeesh, Manny Pinol needs to stop politicking.


If defending your right and property is politicking, then im a politician too.

^^ geeh it depends on what property ,i don't know why Vice- Governor Pinol is the one voicing-out , i never heard of Gov. Sacdalan :ohno:

^^ geeh it depends on what property ,i don't know why Vice- Governor Pinol is the one voicing-out , i never heard of Gov. Sacdalan :ohno:

Maybe because Pinol is really the real power in their province and this is but a temporary arrangement to comply with the 3 term limit of a local official? Maybe the present gov has no balls? Maybe because the people in north cotabato looks up to Pinol rather than Sacdalan?

If they do come to our province and city and they try to wreak havoc here, I would be glad to have someone like Pinol or Duterte rally the citizenry to defend our homes, our land and our people

Maybe because Pinol is really the real power in their province and this is but a temporary arrangement to comply with the 3 term limit of a local official? Maybe the present gov has no balls? Maybe because the people in north cotabato looks up to Pinol rather than Sacdalan?

If they do come to our province and city and they try to wreak havoc here, I would be glad to have someone like Pinol or Duterte rally the citizenry to defend our homes, our land and our people

The problem is Pinol needs to go after the GMA clowns who went to Malaysia and supposedly signed the agreement then came back and said it was just a piece of paper they signed.
Duterte is not very happy with Pinol right now.

The problem is Pinol needs to go after the GMA clowns who went to Malaysia and supposedly signed the agreement then came back and said it was just a piece of paper they signed.
Duterte is not very happy with Pinol right now.
it was a serious blunder coming out in public with that statement. thay could have used proper channels to milf and other stakeholders without having to resort to widespread publicity. governemnt is at fragile stage of building trust and sincerity to a ethnic group known to resort to violence and with zero trust on government sincerity from the beginning. i dont understand the prudence of politicians who are not well enlightened have to go public issuing insensitive statements. and i dont understand why media outfits not policing their journalists in coming up stories out from interviews of public personalities they can drag into the scene. looks like every reporter is getting a piece of the story, dragging in politicians, get opinions and make a instant story out of their mouth. its corroding the philippines to its self destruction.

imo whether the signing was legally binding or not, the fact it was signed agreed by both parties infront of foreign government representatives, milf have high hopes and confidence about the sincerity on the meaning and significance of the signing. government should have imo treat it seriuosly than issuing satements of embarrasing proportions. their statements would not matter anymore. it was recieved a done deal. they better make it up at the next level of comprehensive talks. they are endagering lives of christians in mindanao if they keep holding on with their poorly calculated move in publicly denying the signed agreement. barbaric groups of this violent ethnic minority are out on the prowl and sow destruction to christians. looks everything is in a mess. please cooperate you all media and greedy politicians. only faceless milf leaders earnd the respespect of the barbarians, finish the agreement soon(at greater natioanl interest) to empower leaders to police and monitor their tribe. never did i change my perspective view on islam until what theyve done to bali and beheadings in mindanao. australia still weeps in pain every year of commemorating the anniversary of their destruction.


my speech is done. and feeling better now

Erap calls for all-out war
Palace sees 'urgent' need to review peace talks

BY JP LOPEZ

FORMER President Joseph Estrada yesterday called for an all-out war against Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the face of renewed attacks by the secessionist group in Mindanao.

Estrada also called for the suspension of the peace negotiations with the MILF. He said the solution to the ongoing crisis in Mindanao is to stop giving concessions to the group.

"The MILF is taking the government for a ride. Given the record of the MILF as a secessionist group engaged in terrorism, engaged in so-called negotiations and talks with the government for over 30 years while continuing their attacks, the government should now know better than to entertain their demands. They should negotiate from a position of strength," he said.

The Estrada administration overran 46 MILF camps in an all-out war against the secessionist group in 2001.

Estrada said the Arroyo government made a mistake in entering into negotiations with the MILF. He said offering the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity as a concession for peace is tantamount to treason, "an unforgivable act for a president."

"The primary duty of the president and commander in chief is to protect the territorial integrity of the nation at all costs under one flag, one armed forces, one commander-in-chief and one government," he said.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said the latest MILF attacks make it urgent for the government to conduct a "very close review" of the peace policy.

He said it is difficult to engage in peace talks when fighting between the two parties is ongoing.

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said: "They can unilaterally review, but as to a bilateral review, I don't think that is possible."

Dureza said the government is determining whether Umbra Kato and Bravo are really MILF members, and how their actions would impact on the talks.

"On a policy level that is now being subject to very close review, looking at the incidents . Pinaglalaruan ba tayo dahil sinasabi nila hindi nila kontrolado ang mga taong ito?" he said.

The government will also look into the MILF's claims that the attacks were perpetrated by MILF commanders who are frustrated over the delayed peace process.
------------:)---------
I suppport Estrada, all out war na sana para matapos na...habang andyan pa ang MILF, patuloy ang gulo...

While Pres. Arroyo wants the Peace Talks to resume, i just hope that MILF will abide to it to whatever their agreements are...

Just my thought, kasi pag andyan pa ang MILF (considering the fact that MILF [together with NPA and Abbu Sayaff] is listed as one of the international terrorists by the USA )...they will continue to demand for something more in the future, look at it now, one of their wants is to expand the ARMM, then after how many years mag bomba2x na naman sila kasi gusto nila e expand na naman ang ARMM?! then after that whole mindanao na gusto nila, then after that whole philippines na.!
There is no place in the philippines for them, for such international terrorist. They are such a big hindrance in the Philippine progression specifically in some parts of mindanao...and they're giving a bad image to the philippines.

dp

i guess the recent brutality all boiled down to sentiments of anger of rebels drawn from unabated media frenzy on irresponsible reporting of opinions of irresponsible personalities. the attitudes of media handling sesitive opinions of just anyone is putting christian civilian lives in danger. they created atmosphere of anger and brutality among the rebels to even intensify their killing spree and burning houses. when can they learn. i hopemedia outfits delegate political matters to their seasoned political analyst journalists who specialised on mindanao affairs than leave it to just any reporters.

ive read an article, wherein Sec.Dureza wants the television networks to be responsible in the delivery of their reports...

though its too late but still theres a start. toolate, bodies lying on the streets of death. and nobody knows wnen its gona end. hope is in the hands of government and media iguess

it is in the hands of the government...why? beacause they are the most powerful in the country and that they should dominate the land...

it is in the hands of the government...why? beacause they are the most powerful in the country and that they should dominate the land...
their power is in no match with destructive irresponsible press freedom of i guess. media can destroy any philippines leader and bring down government. either by abuse of freedom or allowing themselves to be used by another powerful corrupt personality for money or greedy interests.

their power is in no match with destructive irresponsible press freedom of i guess. media can destroy any philippines leader and bring down government. either by abuse of freedom or allowing themselves to be used by another powerful corrupt personality for money or greedy interests.

specially that the people in the philippines rely on tv for the news...and television really influence peoples mind, just imagine during elections, political ads in tv are more influencial compared to newspaper ads and radio ads...

well thats why the MILF have the courage to make havoc bec of media. We all know those attacks are meant to make HEADLINES . Some media even pay bad elements to make a mock "war" just to have a scoop! :bash:

What happened to MNLF? Bakit MILF na ang nagrerepresent sa Bangsamoro? Lumads should be consulted if they favor MILF as their representatives. It is a known fact that Mindanao belongs to Bangsamoro people (Muslims and Lumads) until Christians dominated the area except for the ARMM. Obviously, matatalo sa referendum sa mga lugar na kasama sa mas pinalawat na ARMM.

mindanao as a whole didn't belong to bangsamoro people.

Bangsamoro covers the provinces of Basilan, Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Palawan, Sarangani, Shariff Kabunsuan, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga Sibugay; and the cities of Cotabato, General Santos, Iligan, Marawi, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Zamboangaand the City of Isabela in Basilan.

Other interpretations may include territories that used to form North Borneo including Sabah, Labuan and the islands of Sipadan and Ligitan. This area is currently under the Sabah dispute.

in short, much of western mindanao only belongs to them while much of eastern mindanao belongs to lumad.

(the Bangsamoro) It may also refer to the Moro people, in general. These include the Tausug, the Maranao, Maguindanaoan, and the Banguingui.

so, lumads cannot be generalized as Bangsamoro people because there are lots of tribes found in mindanao aside form the tribes mentioned above.

source:
http://www.google.com.ph/search?q=bangsamoro+people&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/299/51955193dsc00143quezonbpl6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Quezon Beach Sulu


:cheers:

ang ganda!!!
only if those rebels weren't there this would be such a tourist haven.
armm has such great wonders!

August 24, 2008

Hundred of Muslim civilians of Barangays Anbadao, Muntay and Balong, all of Datu Piang, Maguindanao were stuck up in their houses, trapped with their children and frightened to death while the government forces launched, couple of days ago, attacks against the MILF forces brandishing excessive force of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).


Firefight started early morning when the AFP troops attacked the MILF fighters along the river banks of Barangay Kadigasan and Damatulan in Midsayap, Cotabato.

The loud volume of gun fire awakened the civilians residing at barangays just across the river at the side of Datu Piang Municpality, to include its border barangays of Balong, Muntai, Anbadao, Kalipapa, Masigay and Duaminanga.

Fierce fighting on the ground and the horrendous indiscriminate air strikes by the AFP from OV 10 bomber planes, fighter planes and helicopter gunships entrapped local civilians from fleeing their residences away from the area of firefight.

Balong, Muntai and Anbadao are just 50 or so meters away from the area where the actual fighting took place and the air strikes were falling. And every fall of bombs trembles the ground and the entrapped people.

“We were trapped, cannot evacuate because of the air strikes, please help us tell the soldiers to stop the air strikes so we can move out,” a txt message reaching luwaran stated in a local dialect. But how if a ceasefire cannot be enforced?

Even the local government officials were crying for help just to facilitate the evacuation of the trapped civilians in the middle of the fighting and indiscriminate air strikes.

But unfortunate with all the clamor and cry for help, the civilians did not manage to evacuate. They spent the night trapped and under immense fear and anxiety, a traumatic experience caused by the government military action against innocent Muslim civilians.

Efforts were made by the non-government and humanitarian organizations such as the International Community of Red Cross, Non-Violence Peace Force, Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society, Bantay Ceasefire, United Bangsamoro Youth Organizations and other in coordination with the GRP – MILF Ceasefire Committee in extricating the trapped civilians.

This traumatic case is a serious infringement of human rights, International Humanitarian Law, Geneva Conventions Protocol II and can spur communal and ethnic conflicts between Muslims and Christians, a humanitarian crisis created by the state and government.

A United Nations mandated intervention is sought to come in order to an impending humanitarian disaster.

ang mahirap dito pwede rin kasi silang mag panggap as civilians.

An Open Letter
24 August 2008

My reply email was interrupted by a brownout amidst my composing thoughts I wanted to convey to our readers at the Mindanews website besides Luwaran website. Hopefully someone from the editorial box of the national dailies (in particular PDI) will pick as news items warranting some space the legal views of lawyers (like me) who represent MILF as the real Party in interest across the GRP-MILF negotiating table.
The series of full page ADS in PDI 08/22/08 and PD 08/23/08 of former senate president Frank M. Drilon simplify and focus on perceived infringements to the 1987 Constitution. Those two Q & A pages make up powerful arguments for the continuing extension of what I call the “colonisibility status” of the Bangsamoro people, posing the matter of immediate infringement as a danger.

If we think rationally out of the maddening reactive anti-Moro sentiments generated by opinion-editorials and hardly balanced media coverage of the Government-MILF peace process, it makes me reflect the ‘triumph of diplomacy’ in our era of postmodern states. [N. B. this phrase is taken from the title of a book on how the Moro rulers of the Magindanaw sultanate and the Sulu sultanate had survived the era of treaty-making with Spain, an imperial power, and Holland, a commercial power, of the time and the United States up to 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson enunciated seminal ideas of the right to self determination.] Thus, there is no occasion to speak of Balkanization of this ungovernable part of the region.

Now the Country (el Pais)—Las Islas Filipinas—has just awakened to the depth of the Bangsamoro legitimate GRIEVANCES. Instead of killing the ideas—the CAUSE (or SABAB)—embodied in the MOA-AD, the representatives of Government must face up to the Agreed Text as STATECRAFT. It vindicates the JUSTNESS of the ORIGINAL POSITIONS to fix in constitutional construct. Traditional Moro negri (statehood) ‘earned sovereignty’ is encapsulated by the Republic in its present form and structure as an autonomous entity presently in existence before the family of nations since 1946.

Spokespersons for that Sovereign state called the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) configure their constituencies into a political community. Such an assumption neglects a number of contested constitutional issues before the negotiating table.

What is the “territorial integrity” of the Philippines? When reduced to geographic maps with proper technical coordinates, the fundamental question we formally raised at the GRP-MILF Talks are as follows:

1. Is the present national territorial delimitation based on the Treaty of Paris of 10 December 1898 as corrected by the Treaty of Washington of 7 November 1900 and the treaty between the United States and England on 2 January 1930? Or,

2. Is it the current technical description of the archipelagic doctrine based on R.A. 3046 of 1961, as amended by R.A 5446 of 1968 as a system of straight baselines, its negotiating position on boundary delimitations under the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention?

An act of statesmanship is to ‘write sovereignty’ in terms of the ‘associative ties’ envisaged in the MOA-AD. We cannot proceed with a serious debate as if the meaning of sovereignty were stable; for, in reality, not one but various forms of sovereign statehood exist. There’s no confusing justice with legitimacy for workable arrangements here. However, there’s a truncated understanding of sovereignty when 12 June 1898 was fixed by law as an episodic event, following the inauguration of Philippine independence on 4 July 1946. Article 1 of Title I of the Malolos Constitution succinctly reads: “The political association of all the Filipinos constitutes a nation, whose state is called the Philippine Republic”. At that point in time, the Bangsamoro homeland was not a part of the whole Country, for as a matter of historical narrative that Republic invited the Sultan of Sulu and the Sultan of Magindanaw to federate with it.

What matters for us present generation of patriots is that Driion’s half-a-million-worth of PDI ADS highlights the absolute necessity for a change in the first principles of the unitary system. How do we, then, fit inter-subjective understandings of ‘statehood’? Former senate president Drilon, at least, seriously confronts the arenas of debate over the MOA-AD, but why does he not concede to explore the course of constitutionalism beyond the status quo of the existing constitutional order? That is unfortunate, because, what is placed before the Supreme Court is a new “elegant formula” of negotiability to balance between state sovereign authority and the right to self determination.

We need to examine the MOA-AD on the foundation of the formal division of sovereignty that favors "state rights" that have inhered in the Bangsamoro people, whose ancestral homeland was "illegally and immorally annexed" to the Republic without their plebiscitary consent. Peace negotiations are said to be “the war after the war”. Here, too, there is a subtle but in-depth way of looking at what amount of central authority in point of fact is compatible with "what is worth dying for" in the eyes of the majority of Bangsamoros in the contemporary politics of identity.

This is what the MILF-GRP negotiation process is all about: to determine the extent and limits of each side’s commitments. Clearly the premise of peace with your Muslim brothers under the MOA-AD precisely does not endanger but entrench the Country's sovereignty. The MOA-AD achieves, rather than contemplates the use of naked coercive force, the desirable levers of division, allocation and distribution of powers; in other words, shared and residuary authorities for the Bangsamoro people and the rest of the Filipino people. All I can advance for now as an explanatory note is that the “general welfare clause” of the Philippine Constitution matching the principle of maslaha wal mursalah in Islamic constitutionalism is a catch all framework to accommodate “a medley of associative ties and tiers”.

I will elaborate on these points in a separate commentary on specific provisions of the MOA on AD. If only a healthy environment for serious debate is not drowned out by the intrusion of the mass media into the negotiating process that now encourage the politics of fear at the Metro Manila capital while excessive use of force are applied to villages in Mindanao, we can peaceably settle the conflict in Mindanao.

All the best,

Datu Michael O. Mastura*

* Datu Michael Mastura is a peace negotiator as well as noted lawyer, lecturer, and author. A former Congressman, he represented Maguindanao and Cotabato City from 1987 through 1995. Datu Mastura served as a Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Muslim Affairs, Member of the Board of Regents of the Mindanao State University, Member of the Southern Philippines Development Authority, and Member of the Mindanao Economic Development Council. He was also elected Delegate to the 1971 Philippine Constitutional Convention. Atty. Michael O. Mastura, is a senior member of the peace panel of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

August 25, 2008

Tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) or evacuees continue to suffer for lack of food and medicines in the battle zones of Maguindanao and Sarangani as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ordered a blockade of food and medicines since yesterday.

People are hungry and children are suffering from various illnesses inside combat zones especially in Datu Saudi Ampatuan complex where fierce fighting has been taking place for days already. The AFP is using excessive military force including use of howitzers, OV-10 planes, helicopter gunships in an attempt to dislodge thousands of MILF mujahideens, who use telescopic single-shot .50 cal. rifle against soldiers. Many of the government casualties died of shots in the forehead, even as one military helicopter was shot down in Maasim yesterday.

A Luwaran reporter disclosed that the helicopter was burning above the fighting zone in Maasim and crashed few minutes later in the mountains near General Santos City.

Sources inside the war zones in Maguindanao and Sarangani said that even non-government organizations (NGOs) which were trying to bring food and medicines to thousands of families still inside war zones were not allowed by the military inside.

“There is a humanitarian crisis in Maguindanao now and people will die if no food and medicines reach these evacuees whose houses were either burnt or destroyed by indiscriminate shelling and bombings by military forces for days,” the report also said.

“The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP), and other international aid agencies must intervene now or people will die of hunger or by government bombs or bullets,” it added.

The food blockade is being clamped by the military along the Mindanao River and the Cotabato-General Santos City Highway and all roads leading to the Datu Saudi Ampatuan Complex in Maguindanao and Palimbang-General Santos City in Maasim in Sarangani.

The military want the MILF mujahideens starved but it is hitting the civilians instead.

An Open Letter
24 August 2008

My reply email was interrupted by a brownout amidst my composing thoughts I wanted to convey to our readers at the Mindanews website besides Luwaran website. Hopefully someone from the editorial box of the national dailies (in particular PDI) will pick as news items warranting some space the legal views of lawyers (like me) who represent MILF as the real Party in interest across the GRP-MILF negotiating table.
The series of full page ADS in PDI 08/22/08 and PD 08/23/08 of former senate president Frank M. Drilon simplify and focus on perceived infringements to the 1987 Constitution. Those two Q & A pages make up powerful arguments for the continuing extension of what I call the “colonisibility status” of the Bangsamoro people, posing the matter of immediate infringement as a danger.

If we think rationally out of the maddening reactive anti-Moro sentiments generated by opinion-editorials and hardly balanced media coverage of the Government-MILF peace process, it makes me reflect the ‘triumph of diplomacy’ in our era of postmodern states. [N. B. this phrase is taken from the title of a book on how the Moro rulers of the Magindanaw sultanate and the Sulu sultanate had survived the era of treaty-making with Spain, an imperial power, and Holland, a commercial power, of the time and the United States up to 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson enunciated seminal ideas of the right to self determination.] Thus, there is no occasion to speak of Balkanization of this ungovernable part of the region.

Now the Country (el Pais)—Las Islas Filipinas—has just awakened to the depth of the Bangsamoro legitimate GRIEVANCES. Instead of killing the ideas—the CAUSE (or SABAB)—embodied in the MOA-AD, the representatives of Government must face up to the Agreed Text as STATECRAFT. It vindicates the JUSTNESS of the ORIGINAL POSITIONS to fix in constitutional construct. Traditional Moro negri (statehood) ‘earned sovereignty’ is encapsulated by the Republic in its present form and structure as an autonomous entity presently in existence before the family of nations since 1946.

Spokespersons for that Sovereign state called the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) configure their constituencies into a political community. Such an assumption neglects a number of contested constitutional issues before the negotiating table.

What is the “territorial integrity” of the Philippines? When reduced to geographic maps with proper technical coordinates, the fundamental question we formally raised at the GRP-MILF Talks are as follows:

1. Is the present national territorial delimitation based on the Treaty of Paris of 10 December 1898 as corrected by the Treaty of Washington of 7 November 1900 and the treaty between the United States and England on 2 January 1930? Or,

2. Is it the current technical description of the archipelagic doctrine based on R.A. 3046 of 1961, as amended by R.A 5446 of 1968 as a system of straight baselines, its negotiating position on boundary delimitations under the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention?

An act of statesmanship is to ‘write sovereignty’ in terms of the ‘associative ties’ envisaged in the MOA-AD. We cannot proceed with a serious debate as if the meaning of sovereignty were stable; for, in reality, not one but various forms of sovereign statehood exist. There’s no confusing justice with legitimacy for workable arrangements here. However, there’s a truncated understanding of sovereignty when 12 June 1898 was fixed by law as an episodic event, following the inauguration of Philippine independence on 4 July 1946. Article 1 of Title I of the Malolos Constitution succinctly reads: “The political association of all the Filipinos constitutes a nation, whose state is called the Philippine Republic”. At that point in time, the Bangsamoro homeland was not a part of the whole Country, for as a matter of historical narrative that Republic invited the Sultan of Sulu and the Sultan of Magindanaw to federate with it.

What matters for us present generation of patriots is that Driion’s half-a-million-worth of PDI ADS highlights the absolute necessity for a change in the first principles of the unitary system. How do we, then, fit inter-subjective understandings of ‘statehood’? Former senate president Drilon, at least, seriously confronts the arenas of debate over the MOA-AD, but why does he not concede to explore the course of constitutionalism beyond the status quo of the existing constitutional order? That is unfortunate, because, what is placed before the Supreme Court is a new “elegant formula” of negotiability to balance between state sovereign authority and the right to self determination.

We need to examine the MOA-AD on the foundation of the formal division of sovereignty that favors "state rights" that have inhered in the Bangsamoro people, whose ancestral homeland was "illegally and immorally annexed" to the Republic without their plebiscitary consent. Peace negotiations are said to be “the war after the war”. Here, too, there is a subtle but in-depth way of looking at what amount of central authority in point of fact is compatible with "what is worth dying for" in the eyes of the majority of Bangsamoros in the contemporary politics of identity.

This is what the MILF-GRP negotiation process is all about: to determine the extent and limits of each side’s commitments. Clearly the premise of peace with your Muslim brothers under the MOA-AD precisely does not endanger but entrench the Country's sovereignty. The MOA-AD achieves, rather than contemplates the use of naked coercive force, the desirable levers of division, allocation and distribution of powers; in other words, shared and residuary authorities for the Bangsamoro people and the rest of the Filipino people. All I can advance for now as an explanatory note is that the “general welfare clause” of the Philippine Constitution matching the principle of maslaha wal mursalah in Islamic constitutionalism is a catch all framework to accommodate “a medley of associative ties and tiers”.

I will elaborate on these points in a separate commentary on specific provisions of the MOA on AD. If only a healthy environment for serious debate is not drowned out by the intrusion of the mass media into the negotiating process that now encourage the politics of fear at the Metro Manila capital while excessive use of force are applied to villages in Mindanao, we can peaceably settle the conflict in Mindanao.

All the best,

Datu Michael O. Mastura*

* Datu Michael Mastura is a peace negotiator as well as noted lawyer, lecturer, and author. A former Congressman, he represented Maguindanao and Cotabato City from 1987 through 1995. Datu Mastura served as a Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Muslim Affairs, Member of the Board of Regents of the Mindanao State University, Member of the Southern Philippines Development Authority, and Member of the Mindanao Economic Development Council. He was also elected Delegate to the 1971 Philippine Constitutional Convention. Atty. Michael O. Mastura, is a senior member of the peace panel of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

whc cm u my brother.

whc cm u my brother.

...@ J. kuyang, :: 305 glp, nanay ko. Ikaw kuyang, how old is ur mother?

...@ J. kuyang, :: 305 glp, nanay ko. Ikaw kuyang, how old is ur mother?

236 bro. Its about time we hear the other side of the coin so to speak to better arrive at a well informed conclusion on the issue at hand. I may not necessarily agree with your cause but i respect your aspirations. May GAOTU guide us in all our undertakings.

236 bro. Its about time we hear the other side of the coin so to speak to better arrive at a well informed conclusion on the issue at hand. I may not necessarily agree with your cause but i respect your aspirations. May GAOTU guide us in all our undertakings.

I posted it just for information and reference bro, not for anything. As you said, in order for us, "to better arrive at a well informed conclusion on the issue at hand." You might notice too, I haven't given my stand or opinion about it, yet.

Please extend my warmest greetings to you and your family and fraternal greetings to the Brethren of Mt.Diwata.

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Cocowayan Festival in Isabela

RP, US soldiers turn over infra, dev’t projects to Patikul execs (http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/08/31/PROV20080831133907.html)



By ALI G. MACABALANG

JOLO, Sulu - Philippine and United States soldiers have finished and turned over various development and infrastructure projects for the villagers of nearby Patikul town.


The projects, which were inaugurated Thursday, are part of joint undertakings with the Sulu provincial government aimed at addressing basic needs of civilians in Patikul, which in previous years teemed with rebel elements, officials said.

Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, a Filipino marine officer, said four artesian wells have been handed to local officials in the villages of Timpook, Taung, Tanum and Liang, all in Patikul town.

Military and provincial officials led by Gov. Sakur Tan also inaugurated a new school building in the village of Bonbon and two road projects in Liang and Bud Datu, also in Patikul.

"The inaugurations are result of successful unity of efforts among the Joint Task Force Comet, Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines and the Provincial government in accomplishing these humanitarian goals," Sabban said.

Sabban said while development is the primary concern of the local government, there is growing recognition on the significant benefits derived from partnership and teamwork in the delivery of basic services to the people.

"We believe in a teamwork approach in fulfilling the aspirations of our people for basic necessities. The people’s welfare has always been our top priority, and is one to which the military has devoted time and energy," he pointed out in a press statement.

He added: "The local government officials deserve citation for their unrelenting support. And though there are still a variety of development challenges, we are very certain that we can brave the odds with everyone’s continued cooperation."

Gov. Tan, for his part, said he would continue supporting military humanitarian activities "to bring about change and hope for brighter future" among his people.

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Turtle Island..

IFC brokers power supply deal (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=2008090126&type=2)
By Donnabelle L. Gatdula
Tuesday, September 2, 2008

The International Finance Corp. (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank Group, has facilitated a private-public sector partnership to spur development in the country’s rural electrification program.

IFC said it had helped broker a power supply agreement in the Philippines that will benefit about 330,000 people, over half of whom will gain access to electricity for the first time.

Under the terms of the agreement between Basilan Electric Cooperative Inc., a local distribution utility company, and Coastal Power Development Corp., a private power producer that won the competitive bid on the project, Coastal Power will supply 11.8 megawatts of dependable electricity to Baselco, at a cost of P11 per kilowatt-hour from 2010.

“By signing this agreement, we can guarantee that there will be a significant improvement in the quantity and quality of electricity supply for residents and businesses on Basilan Island. The increase will allow Baselco to meet current and potential demand 24 hours a day, seven days a week at a competitive price,” Ismael Basa, president of Baselco said.

“Coastal Power’s price represents annual savings of more than P50 million from the National Power Corp.’s operating cost because of increased efficiency. This will reduce subsidies and improve our organization’s financial position,” Napocor president Cyril del Callar said.

“Once again, IFC is pleased to partner with the Philippine government and the private sector to facilitate a transaction that will help increase efficiency, provide reliable power to remote islands in Mindanao, and meet the government’s objective of total rural electrification,” IFC resident representative for the Philippines Jesse Ang said.

“This is consistent with IFC’s strategy to support sectors identified for their high development impact,” he added.

Ang said this initiative was made possible by DevCo, a multidonor program affiliated with the Private Infrastructure Development Group and supported by UK’s Department for International Development, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swedish International Development Agency and the Austrian Development Agency.

IFC fosters sustainable economic growth in developing countries by financing private sector investment, mobilizing private capital in local and international financial markets, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments.

In 2007, IFC committed $8.2 billion and mobilized an additional $3.9 billion through syndications and structured finance for 299 investments in 69 developing countries.
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In Basilan province (ttp://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/09/02/BSNS20080902134034.html)
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IFC brokers 11.8-MW power project

Myrna M. Velasco

The International Finance Corporation, private sector arm of the World Bank Group, has brokered an 11.8-megawatt power project that shall serve the electricity requirements of Basilan, one of the so-called conflict-stricken spot in Mindanao.

The power output, which shall be wheeled to the Basilan Electric Cooperative (BASELCO), will be sold at P11 per kilowatt hour (kWh), relatively a steep price as compared to the P2.1030 per kWh average generation rate of National Power Corporation in the grid.

But given the nature of investment, which takes the form of an off-grid generation facility, the IFC noted the electricity can still be considered "competitively-priced."

IFC Resident Representative for the Philippines Jesse Ang said they took the task of facilitating another transaction to "help increase efficiency, provide reliable power to remote islands in Mindanao and meet the government’s objective of rural electrification."

Once set on stream, the facility is expected to benefit around 330,000 people, more than half of whom will be gaining access to electricity supply for the first time.

"Services will be improved for those who already have access to electricity," the IFC said in a press statement.

The power plant, which is targeted for commercial operation by 2010, will be built by Coastal Power Development Corporation, a private power producer which won the competitive bid for the project.

According to BASELCO president Ismael Basa, the project will "guarantee that there will be a significant improvement in the quantity and quality of electricity supply for residents and businesses on Basilan island."

He added the capacity addition to be brought in by the new power project "will allow Baselco to meet current and potential demand" round the clock.

On the part of NPC, company president Cyril C. del Callar noted that Coastal Power’s entry into BASELCO’s franchise area will cause the government some P50 million worth of savings on operating costs.

At the same time, del Callar stressed "this will reduce subsidies and improve our organization’s financial position." (MMV)


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Tawi-Tawi seeks DA support in dev’t of seaweed industry (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=2008090424&type=2)
By Marianne V. Go
Friday, September 5, 2008


Tawi-Tawi Governor Hji. Sadikul A. Sahali is urging the Department of Agriculture to help strengthen and further develop the thriving seaweed industry in the province which produces about P6.6 billion worth of raw seaweeds a year.

In a letter dated Aug. 14, Sahali informed Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap that the demand for seaweeds has soared dramatically over the past year, causing the price of raw seaweed to triple over the past three months.

Sahali wrote that the price of raw seaweed has increased from $800 a ton at the end of last year to over $2,000 a ton in August due to dwindling production and the global increase in demand for seaweed which is processed into carageenan.

The price increase, Sahali noted, is a cause for grave concern for processors who are hard pressed to keep up with rising production costs.

“The situation may be good to the farmers, but rising prices have some negative signals from other industry players,” Sahali wrote.

Philippine Development Assistance Program (PDAP) Executive Director Jerry Pacturan has noted that global seaweed processors from Europe, North America and recently from China, South Korea, Japan and Singapore are turning to the Philippines as a major source because word is getting around that Philippine seaweeds are best suited for the production of carageenan.

Carageenan is an important ingredient in a number of products. It is primarily used as a stabilizing, thickening, binding and gelling agent. In dairy products, carageenan is used in the manufacture of fruit yogurts, chocolate milk, ice cream, chocolate mousse and cottage cheese.

Carageenan is also used in dessert jellies, cake icings, syrups, gummy candies, gelatins as well as in concentrated fruit juices, soups, seasoning sauces and salad dressings.

Non-food applications include toothpaste, air fresheners, shampoos and cosmetics.

Sahali is asking Yap to immediately convene a special meeting or forum that will gather the Seaweeds Industry of the Philippines, Philippine Seaweeds Industry Council, LGUs and partners such as the PDAP.

“The objective of the meeting is to strengthen and develop the seaweeds industry in Tawi-Tawi such that it will benefit the small farmers as well as the processors and redound to the economic development of the Tawi-Tawians,” Sahali said.

The Philippines is one of the world’s top producers of seaweed with the municipality of Sitangkai as the single biggest source, accounting for half of the country’s total production of about 120,000 metric tons.

The country’s total output is estimated to be worth $200 million or over P9.4 billion, with Tawi-tawi accounting for P6.6 billion.

PDAP, is supporting the growth of the Sitangkai seaweed industry through its promoting rural industries and market enhancement program which is supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

PDAP has also been instrumental in the formulation of the Sitangkai Seaweeds Industry Master Plan, a medium-term development plan that will increase the income of seaweed farmers and improve their standard of living.

The master plan calls for an increase in the seaweed production area in Sitangkai, dubbed the Seaweed Capital of the Philippines, from 2,500 hectares to as much as 10,000 hectares by 2010.

The master plan also aims to increase total seaweed production from 3,000 metric tons a month to 27,000 metric tons and increase average farm income from P60,000 to P300,000 a year.

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US spends $ 10 M on projects in Sulu (http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/09/07/PROV20080907134537.html)

By ALI G. MACABALANG

JOLO, Sulu – The United States military has poured some $ 10 million in infrastructure and development projects in an effort to win hearts and minds in this southern island province, according to Filipino officials.


For its part, they said, the Philippine military spent over P39 million in similar projects in Sulu in partnership with the provincial government under Gov. Sakur Tan.

They said the US aid this year went to the constructions of 13 area coordinating centers and 14 road projects, including repairs of 20 school buildings, 25 artesian wells and eight water distribution systems across Sulu.

These projects were on top of other humanitarian programs that benefited the locals, from medical missions to training of policemen and soldiers in various workshops, Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, a Filipino marine commander, said.

Sabban said more development projects have been lined up in Sulu by both the Philippine and US militaries as part of the humanitarian mission of Balikatan, a codename for joint undertakings between Manila and Washington.

"Progress comes easily for a community where people are educated and well-informed. In recognizing this vital factor, the military makes it its goal to help bring education especially in far-flung communities. Investing in education is the key to peace and development, which is a long term solution," he said.

He said Tan signed an agreement with the Philippine military to maintain all finished projects.

The Philippine military projects in Sulu went mostly to the renovation of school buildings, road infrastructure, repairs of mosques, water system and livelihood programs for the locals that included goats and ducks-raising, seaweed and cassava farming.

Korean-Filipino mining partnership starts exploration in Sultan Kudarat (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&sec=reader&rp=1&fi=p080919.htm&no=1&date=)
by Prix D Banzon

Davao City (19 September) -- A Korean investor with local partners in Sultan Kudarat started mining exploration in barangay Kinayao, Bagumbayan town within the 4,500 hectares with approved mineral production sharing agreement (MSPA) issued to FADICASU.

The partnership was registered under FMC & GRCO Fadicasu Mining Corp & General Resources Co. Ltd.

In an interview with the Corporation's operation manager, Rudolf Joseph C. Lopez, he said Fadicasu Mining Corp is the Filipino partner while General Resources Co., Ltd. is the Korean investor.

He said Fadicasu represents the name of the shareholders that all reside in Bagumbayan namely Faducan, Dida, Caspe and Subere.

Although the MSPA was approved in 1998, the exploration only started May 2008 and as of this writing are already into its 600 meters depth drilling of 10 holes.

Mineral deposits within the Daguma Range are copper and gold but the resource is more of copper with the gold deposits of 22 K.

He said they still need to go down to 2,000 meters of drilling to determine the volume of the reserves and they expect to hit their target by December this year with 100 holes.

With an initial investments of over P100 million, the company plan to put up processing plant in the area only after determining the volume because what they will ship to Korea are copper concentrate.

Within the Damuga Range he said are about 11 MPSA holders and that for the whole of Sultan Kuradat there are some 50 of them including mineral tenements which were issued same agreement.

Like in any other mining explorations he admitted that there are issues raised and in their case these are siltation of the Allah River, the threat to landslide and other related issues.

Lopez said prior to their entry in the area siltation is already present and the threat to landslide is outside of the approved MPSA.

However. he said they are closely cooperating with the local government unit because they have the responsibility to play in relation to their investment in the area.

In fact a workshop will be held on September 22 for both their company and the local government unit to forge agreements on how to handle the problem.

"And besides, the provincial government is supporting investors like our company because it is the only foreign investor in the province," he added. (PIA) [top]

SEC approves Philodrill stock rights offer (http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?aid=2008091930&type=2)

Saturday, September 20, 2008
The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved the P383.74-million stock rights offering of oil exploration firm Philodrill Corp.

Based on documents filed with the SEC, Philodrill will offer 38.37 billion shares priced at P0.01 each share, representing a significant discount to the company’s closing stock price of P0.027 per share as of yesterday.

“The discount is being given to encourage participation in the offering,” Philodrill said.

Shareholders can subscribe to one share for every four shares held as of a record date yet to be set by the company.

The shares to be issued will come from the company’s latest increase in capitalization from P1.55 billion to P2 billion.

Penta Capital Investment Corp. has been tapped as lead underwriter for the rights issue.

Proceeds from the offering will be used to pay the company’s share in the expenses for Service Contract 14 at the Galoc oil field amounting to P54.47 million, and payment of loans and advances (P134.56 million).

Other proceeds will be used for 2009 operational expenses, including the funding of oil production activities of SC 14’s Nido Matinloc Production Block and SC 14 C-1 and cost of well abandonment and platform dismantlement of the Nido and Matinloc oilfields.

Philodrill is eyeing a net income of P1.2 billion this year on higher revenues as the Galoc oil field starts production.

The company has projects in the offshore areas of Palawan and South Sulu Sea and onshore Mindoro.

The Galoc oil field, operated by Galoc Production Co., reportedly contains proven reserves of up to 16 million barrels of oil.

Philodrill initially held a 6.4-percent participating interest in the project but raised this to 7.02 percent after it acquired Phoenix Gas and Oil Co., which has interests in several petroleum exploration blocks, for P32.6 million in May last year.

Other shareholders in the project are Australian firm Nido Petroleum Ltd., with a 22.28-percent stake, and other local upstream oil companies. — Zinnia B. dela Peña

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GMA declares October 1 non-working holiday.
President Arroyo has declared October 1 as a regular non-working holiday in observance of Eid'l Fitr or the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The declaration of the holiday that is observed every year is contained in Proclamation No. 1625, issued by the President last Friday.
After a month-long period of sacrifice highlighted by day-long fasting during Ramadan, Muslims around the world celebrate the end of the holy month with a three-day feast called Eid'l Fitr.

RP, USAID to upgrade two Mindanao airports
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 (http://www.gov.ph/news/?i=22357)


MANILA (PNA) –- The Philippines and the United States are fast tracking the Jolo (Sulu) and Sanga-Sanga (Bongao) airports in Mindanao.

The rehabilitation and upgrading of the two airports to the tune of Php430 million is jointly funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Philippine government to accommodate bigger aircraft.

The Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) will fund most of the improvements of the runways while the Philippine government through the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will handle the improvement of terminal facilities and the acquisition of the lands required for the expansion of the airport strip.

Earlier, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by GEM, the DOTC and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).

DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the projects include the expansion and widening of the existing runways as well as upgrading of the passenger terminals, to include new baggage conveyors and x-ray machines.

Mendoza said with the rehabilitation and upgrading of the two airports, “it would help expand economic activities in the two provinces.”

For the Jolo airport (Sulu), the runway would be extended from 1,200 meters to about 1,845 meters, requiring a Php230 million budget.

On the other hand, the Sanga-Sanga (Bongao) airport will be extended by an additional 300 meters from the existing 1,608 meters and would entail the amount of Php200 million.

The projects are expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2009. (PNA)

Congrats for this development. To God the glory. :banana:

Basilan mayor favors American troops presence

The president of the Mayor’s League in Basilan, Mayor Tahira Ismael of Lantawan municipality, on Tuesday denied reports of alleged participation of US soldiers in the military offensive against the MILF rebels and the extremist Abu Sayyaf in the province.

Ismael likewise denied reports of US soldiers constructing permanent camps in Basilan.

She told newsmen in an interview that the presence alone of the U.S soldiers in Basilan contribute a lot to the stable peace and order situation in the province and “I even suggest their permanent stay here.”

“We are constantly monitoring their (US soldiers) activities here. So far, we have not received reports of alleged involvement in the operation against lawless elements in the area,” Ismael said.

The mayor leads the chief executives of 11 municipalities and one city (Lamitan) under the league.

“What we learned was that the US soldiers are only extending medical assistance to wounded Philippine troops whenever there is an encounter with the rebels,” Ismael said.

The active mayor is even commending US troops for the various improvements they have introduced in the province.

She said a lot of school buildings and farm to market roads were constructed and many are still to be completed.

In so far as Basilan is concerned, Ismael said that Balikatan soldiers are doing fine and “we favor their stay here for they will continue for sure their humanitarian service that redounds to the benefits of Basileños.” — Jimmy Villaflores

Net Find lang: ISABELA CITY, BASILAN
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JOLO CATHEDRAL
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Boat bound to Isabela

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Malamawi Island from a distance

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Street Scene in Isaabela de basilan

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Japan funds P270-M ARMM projects (http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/10/05/PROV20081005137097.html)

For 32 strategic infrastructures

By EDD K. USMAN

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao -- The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) is funding 32 socio-economic projects in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) worth P270 million through the ARMM Social Fund Project (ASFP), one of the program thrusts of ARMM Gov. Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan to combat poverty.


JBIC had agreed two years ago to allocate P270 million for 32 strategic regional infrastructure (SRI) projects for the ARMM.

The first five projects up for implementation out of the 32 SRIs are worth about P60 million.

Ampatuan welcomed the JBIC’s projects, saying they augur well for his new administration.

"The partnership between ARMM and JBIC and other international donor agencies goes a long way. We are glad our friends and partners are still here with us helping our people improve their lives. We are grateful to them," said the newly-installed ARMM governor.

Ampatuan said he hopes member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference would respond to the call for more assistance to fight poverty, illiteracy, and lack of employment.

ASFP, now headed by lawyer Mustapha Sambolawan as project manager, is the conduit of JBIC and World Bank for the implementation of their separate projects designed to support the Mindanao peace processes.

Under the first term of Ampatuan, who chairs the ASFP Board, experts from the World Bank had successively rated thrice as "satisfactory" the projects being handled by the ASFPD.

Sambolawan named JBIC’s five funded projects as ARMM Integrated Regional Standards and Testing Laboratory Building (P5.6 million); upgrading of the Polloc International Seaport in Shariff Kabunsuan (P22.8 million); expansion of the Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi (P10.3 million), rehabilitation of the Tamparan District Hospital in Tamparan, Lanao del Sur (P5 million); and the upgrading of the Dr. Serapio Montaner Memorial Hospital (P14.4 million).

On Friday, JBIC and ASFP jointly awarded the projects to various contractors in the presence of officials of different regional departments in the ARMM.

Hadji Razul Abpi, who heads the ARMM’s Department of Public Works and Highways, assured the JBIC-funded projects will be faithfully implemented.

"It is also nice to imagine how the ARMM and the JBIC have been helping each other deliver the autonomous region from the bondage of poverty and underdevelopment," said Abpi, one of those who signed the contracts for the five projects.

Sambolawan expressed elation at the awarding of the contracts for the JBIC’s projects.

Out of the 32 projects that JBIC is funding, Sambolawan said they awarded the five after two years of gestation period.

"Let us remember that these 32 SRI projects of JBIC are to be implemented in 2008, 2009 and 2010. This is something big that our people can anticipate," said Sambolawan.

"Credit goes to Regional Gov. Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan for ably steering the ASFP projects. That is why under his administration, ASFP received satisfactory ratings thrice from the World Bank," said Sambolawan.

Jolo, Bongao airports undergoing P430-M

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The airports of Jolo in the province of Sulu and Sanga-Sanga in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi are now undergoing rehabilitation and upgrade under a P430-million project jointly funded by the US and Philippine governments.

The projects are expected to be completed in the second quarter of next year.

Manuel T. Jamonir, infrastructure specialist of the United States Agency for International Development-funded Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program, said the projects include the expansion and widening of the existing runways as well as upgrading of the passenger terminals, to include new baggage conveyors and x-ray machines.

"The two airports are now designed to accommodate big aircraft," Mr. Jamonir said in a recent interview.

The memorandum of agreement signed by GEM, the Civil Aeronautics Board, as well as the Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC) noted that the rehabilitation of the two airports would help expand economic activities in the two provinces.

Currently, the two airports are being serviced by South East Asian Airlines, which uses a small Islander plane.

With the rehabilitation, Mr. Jamonir said more airline companies would establish regular flights to these provinces.

He said GEM will fund most of the improvements of the runways, while the Philippine government, through the DoTC will handle the improvement of terminal facilities and the acquisition of the lands required for the expansion of the airport strip.

For the Jolo airport, the runway would be extended from 1,200 meters to about 1,845 meters, requiring a P230-million budget. The Sanga-Sanga (Bongao) Airport will be extended by an additional 300 meters from the existing 1,608 meters and would entail expenditures amounting to P200 million. — Darwin T. Wee, BusinessWorld

good morning basilan...hows life na ba there?

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SLEEPING LADY. This mountain across Lake Lanao as viewed from Marawi City is dubbed “Sleeping Lady.” Her head and long hair on the left side, her hands over her chest in the middle part, her legs folded, the knee protruding towards the right. MindaNews photo by Bobby Timonera

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SLEEPING LADY. This mountain across Lake Lanao as viewed from Marawi City is dubbed “Sleeping Lady.” Her head and long hair on the left side, her hands over her chest in the middle part, her legs folded, the knee protruding towards the right. MindaNews photo by Bobby Timonera

I've seen this mountain on visiting MSU Main Campus before. They say that the mountain is enchanted.

http://www.mindanews.com/images/stories/Photos/09sleepinglady.jpg

SLEEPING LADY. This mountain across Lake Lanao as viewed from Marawi City is dubbed “Sleeping Lady.” Her head and long hair on the left side, her hands over her chest in the middle part, her legs folded, the knee protruding towards the right. MindaNews photo by Bobby Timonera

people in bombaran and some sitios in talakag called that mountain as "Blue Mountain"..

US to upgrade airport in Jolo

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney arrived in Jolo aboard a small aircraft yesterday morning to open various infrastructure projects to be undertaken by the US Government through the Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM).


A short program was held at the northern part end of the Jolo Airport participated by high-ranking officials of the US and Provincial Government, USAid and the GEM program.

In her arrival statement, Kenney said “we are here to build something that your people could benefit now and into the future. It will help accelerate economic growth in your area.”

In December 2007, Kenney during one of her visits here said that her government has allocated US $3 million, specifically for the expansion and construction of the existing runway to be at par with other airports in the country. Jolo Airport had started operation during the Japanese occupation in the 40’s. It was improved by the Americans in the 50’s serving the workhorse at that time C-47 or DC-3, Fokker Friendship and Hawker-Siddily 480 aircraft.

Last year traffic volume of the Jolo airport reached 18, 305 passengers, unfortunately due to its out model state it is limited to accomodate light aircrafts only for landing and take-off. The bigger C-130 military plane is allowed, but only limited to a minimum load capacity. Presently, only Seair commercial aircraft has the only regular flight coming in and out of Jolo daily. Asian Spirit had stopped service after only a few months of operation.

Carlos Tan of GEM3 told Kenney that the design of the project will be a concrete 1,800 meters runway with the estimated eastward extention of 630 meters and widening to 30 meters. “The works will cover the removal and reconstruction of elevated concrete platform, runway strip clearing, grading and landscaping along along the runway of 75 meters from runway centerline at both sides and 60 meters in lenght from the thresholds,” he stressed.

There will also be a provision of a runway and safety area of 60 meters long at both ends of the runway strip, relocation of military and airport facilities and their resettlements will be covered in the design of the project.

The Philippine government has allocated P90 million through the Department of Transportation and Communications for the construction of the Jolo Airport Terminal Building and perimeter fence taken from the 2008 General Appropriation Act.

Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan said “if completed, commercial aircraft like Boeing 737-300 and C-130 military palne will be allowed to utilize the airport,” as he appealed to the people for support.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney visits Datu Odin Sinsuat and Cotabato

During a visit on Friday to a camp for internally displaced persons in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao Province, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney announced that the US government is providing $2.5 million in assistance to individuals and families displaced by the tragic outbreak of violent conflict in Mindanao. The assistance includes 1,480 metric tons of US rice, valued at approximately $2 million, for free distribution by the United Nations World Food Program, as well as water, health and sanitation support by nongovernment organization partners.

Soon after the conflict began, the United States government responded by supplying essential relief goods to families in need in the provinces of North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, Sarangani and Maguindanao, through Save the Children.

During her visit to Datu Odin Sinsuat and Cotabato Friday, the Ambassador recognized the work of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Departments of Health of the national government and in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao to improve the health and sanitation situation to people who were forced to flee their homes due to the violence.

“My thoughts are with those who have been displaced by fighting, people whose lives have been lost and disrupted,” said Ambassador Kenney. “Working together, we can help Mindanao move toward peace and prosperity, so the citizens of Mindanao—especially the children—may have the future they deserve,” she added.

US govt gives $2.5M for bakwits in Mindanao

COTABATO CITY: A total of $2.5 million was allocated for the “bakwits” or the internally displaced persons on Friday by the US government as a grant intended for relief assistance to these people who were forced to evacuate and leave the comfort of their homes in order to evade the ruthless of war between Armed Forces of the Philippines and rebels belonging to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

United States Ambassador Kristie Kenney arrived here on Friday and made the announcement after she toured an evacuation center at Datu Odin Sinsuat municipality in Ma-guindanao province. She emphasized that the amount is separate from what the US government has allocated for other development projects for Mindanao.

”This assistance is new and is intended for relief and rehabilitation,” Kenney said.

Kenney was accompanied by Stephen Anderson, country representative World Food Program. Anderson also led the distribution of rice and fortified biscuits to some 5,000 families who were displaced by the recent hostilities between the military and the Moro combatants led by Ustadz Ameril Ombra Kato.

On the other hand, the rice which the World Food Program has been distributing to evacuees from war-torn towns in the provinces of Maguin-danao and Shariff Ka-bunsuan as well as the province of North Cotabato, for months now are among those procured with grants from member-states of the European Union and donations from private sectors.

It can be recalled that hostilities between the military and renegade forces of the MILF in Central Mindanao started in August when Kato and his men attacked several barangays (villages) where many civilians got killed in North Cotabato.

This was in protest of the aborted signing by the Philippine government and MILF peace panels of the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain (MOA-AD) that was scheduled to be signed on August 5 in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The MOA-AD, which the Supreme Court has already declared with finality as unconstitutional, was supposed to be the basis for the grant to the MILF their long dreamed Bangsamoro homeland with the creation of the proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity.

Both Kenney and Anderson said they are hoping for peace to reign and eventually for the cessation of hostilities between the MILF and military in Central Mindanao.

“I ask both parties to find ways to declare a ceasefire so that people can return home, family members can be reunited and life can go on peacefully,” Kenney said.

Kenney also acknowledged the efforts of local government units and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) executive department in providing evacuees with relief services.

Earlier, the European Union’s envoy to the Philippines, Alistair McDonald, and officials of ARMM, led by Regional Gov. Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan also agreed during a meeting here on Tuesday to prod Malacañang and the MILF to resume their peace talks and go back to the negotiating table.

Mcdonald said the European Union is worried of its humanitarian and socio-economic projects in Mindanao getting hindered due to the problem of peace and order brought about by the recurring hostilities between the military and the MILF.

Ampatuan, chairman of the ARMM’s multi-sectoral, inter-agency Regional Peace and Order Council, stressed in his state-of-the region address last week that his administration would remain supportive of the national government’s separate peace overtures with the MILF.

any pictures from these places?

Pre-Christmas 'ASG' grenade attack wounds 17 in Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - At least 17 people were injured in an Abu Sayyaf grenade attack late Tuesday outside a popular fast food restaurant in southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said one of two men riding tandem on a motorcycle tossed the fragmentation grenade outside the store of the Jollibee in Isabela City on Basilan Island, south of Zamboanga City, where a late night concert was taking place.

"Two unidentified person on a motorcycle threw a fragmentation grenade in front of the Isabela Jollibee fast food," said Lt. Steffani Cacho, a military spokeswoman.

Brig. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, commander of the Marine forces on the island, said the attack occurred at around 9 p.m. "We suspect the Abu Sayyaf was behind the attack that injured at least 17 people," he said.

A report from the Associated Press however put the number of casualties at 16.

Guerrero said the attack was probably in retaliation to continued operation against the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan. "There is an ongoing operation against the terrorists and this attack could be diversionary," he said.

Guerrero said most of those injured in the explosion were civilians relaxing at the plaza in front of the store owned by Jollibee Foods, a leading operator of quick-service restaurants in the Philippines with more than 1,500 outlets in the county.

The company also operates such chains as Greenwich Pizza, Chowking and Yonghe King, Red Ribbon and Delifrance French-style cafés.

The Abu Sayyaf group has been linked to the spate of kidnappings and bomb attacks in the Philippines and is labeled a terrorist organization by both Manila and Washington. It is believed by the US to have links with the al-Qaeda terror network and Jemaah Islamiya.

The Philippine government, aided by the US military, has deployed thousands of troops in the south, including in Basilan island, to eradicate the Abu Sayyaf.

:ohno::ohno:

Basilan is starting to boost its economy. You can see isabela city, lalo na if your in abong-abong hill. =)

^^ Klaro pla ang Isabela from abong-abong?....d tlaga masyado....as u can see ia a little splurge os white......i think eto ung mga buildings sa isabela......if u have a telescope klaro na cguro....:)

Basilan is starting to boost its economy. You can see isabela city, lalo na if your in abong-abong hill. =)

^^ Klaro pla ang Isabela from abong-abong?....d tlaga masyado....as u can see from abong2 is just a little splurge of white......i think eto ung mga buildings sa isabela......if u have a telescope klaro na cguro....:)

Ewan ko lang kung marunong ba sila maglaro ng golf o pasikat lang para sabihing marunong sila mag laro nitong Abusadong Secretary ng DAR at isang Mayor :ohno: :ohno: :bash: :bash:



original blogpost..
http://vicissitude-decidido.blogspot.com/2008/12/world-is-fucked-up.html

DAR chief’s son tagged in golf attack (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20081227-180232/DAR-chiefs-son-tagged-in-golf-attack)

By Beverly T. Natividad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:48:00 12/27/2008

Filed Under: Crime, Government, Human Rights, Golf

MANILA, Philippines -- The son of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman and several persons beat up a 14-year-old boy and his father at a golf course in Antipolo on Friday, the victims complained Saturday.

The alleged attackers were identified as Nasser Pangandaman Jr., mayor of Masiu, Lanao Del Sur, and his armed bodyguards. The victims, Delfin De La Paz and his family, said the Cabinet member witnessed the incident at the Valley Golf Club but did not stop his son and their bodyguards from attacking the victims.

De La Paz filed the complaint immediately after the incident on Friday with the Antipolo police, who said the charges would be filed on Monday.

De La Paz said the incident started with an altercation after the Pangandamans allegedly broke golf etiquette by playing out of turn and overtaking the De La Paz family at the South Course of the Valley Golf and Country Club.

In an interview, De La Paz, 56, said he and his two children -- daughter Bambee, 18, and son Bino, 14 -– were playing golf and were on Hole No. 3 when two golf carts bearing the Pangandamans and their friends overtook them.

Aside from the Pangandamans, the flight also included Paysal Abdulaa, Mohammed Hussein, Abdan Pacasuna, Rene Maglaque, and Arnel Astacio.

De La Paz said he complained to the marshal and an altercation ensued when the two groups caught up with each other at the tee house on Hole No. 5.

De La Paz said that at the height of the altercation, Nasser Jr. suddenly attacked him and his son, punching and kicking them and shouting: “Hindi mo ba ako nakikilala? (Don’t you know me?)”

Bambee De La Paz, who witnessed everything, said the younger Pangandaman continued to attack even when his brother was already on his knees pleading for him to stop.

Bambee, in an e-mail to friends, said they decided to stop playing and retreated to the clubhouse to seek medical attention, but their attackers followed them to the clubhouse. This time joined by their bodyguards, the Pangandaman group again attacked father and son. Bambee said two of the mayor’s bodyguards pulled out their guns.

She said that while Secretary Pangandaman did not participate in the attacks, he did not lift a finger to stop his son and his companions from beating the victims.

De La Paz’s 14 year-old boy suffered various facial, head, and back injuries due to the blows he received. The family plans to file charges of child abuse, among other cases, against the assailants.

‘‘This is a golf course. I have been a golfer all my life and I have never seen anything like this,’’ Bambee said. ‘‘And I thought golfers were decent people. You would think politicians were decent people.’’

Efforts to reach Secretary Pangandaman for comment on Saturday proved fruitless. His cell phone was off. The public information officer of the Department of Agrarian Reform promised to call the INQUIRER as soon as he got in touch with the secretary but he had not done so as of posting time Saturday.

“Hindi mo ba ako nakikilala? (Don’t you know me?)”
- bakit may amnesia ka.???? :bash:
ito talaga ang nagpapakulo ng dugo ko kapag may sumasabi na ganito ang linya...


She said that while Secretary Pangandaman did not participate in the attacks, he did not lift a finger to stop his son and his companions from beating the victims.

-way nada na amahan.. o talawan jud mo pugong... :bash:

Ewan ko lang kung marunong ba sila maglaro ng golf o pasikat lang para sabihing marunong sila mag laro nitong Abusadong Secretary ng DAR at isang Mayor :ohno: :ohno: :bash: :bash:



original blogpost..
http://vicissitude-decidido.blogspot.com/2008/12/world-is-fucked-up.html

DAR chief’s son tagged in golf attack (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20081227-180232/DAR-chiefs-son-tagged-in-golf-attack)

By Beverly T. Natividad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:48:00 12/27/2008

Filed Under: Crime, Government, Human Rights, Golf

MANILA, Philippines -- The son of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman and several persons beat up a 14-year-old boy and his father at a golf course in Antipolo on Friday, the victims complained Saturday.

The alleged attackers were identified as Nasser Pangandaman Jr., mayor of Masiu, Lanao Del Sur, and his armed bodyguards. The victims, Delfin De La Paz and his family, said the Cabinet member witnessed the incident at the Valley Golf Club but did not stop his son and their bodyguards from attacking the victims.

De La Paz filed the complaint immediately after the incident on Friday with the Antipolo police, who said the charges would be filed on Monday.

De La Paz said the incident started with an altercation after the Pangandamans allegedly broke golf etiquette by playing out of turn and overtaking the De La Paz family at the South Course of the Valley Golf and Country Club.

In an interview, De La Paz, 56, said he and his two children -- daughter Bambee, 18, and son Bino, 14 -– were playing golf and were on Hole No. 3 when two golf carts bearing the Pangandamans and their friends overtook them.

Aside from the Pangandamans, the flight also included Paysal Abdulaa, Mohammed Hussein, Abdan Pacasuna, Rene Maglaque, and Arnel Astacio.

De La Paz said he complained to the marshal and an altercation ensued when the two groups caught up with each other at the tee house on Hole No. 5.

De La Paz said that at the height of the altercation, Nasser Jr. suddenly attacked him and his son, punching and kicking them and shouting: “Hindi mo ba ako nakikilala? (Don’t you know me?)”

Bambee De La Paz, who witnessed everything, said the younger Pangandaman continued to attack even when his brother was already on his knees pleading for him to stop.

Bambee, in an e-mail to friends, said they decided to stop playing and retreated to the clubhouse to seek medical attention, but their attackers followed them to the clubhouse. This time joined by their bodyguards, the Pangandaman group again attacked father and son. Bambee said two of the mayor’s bodyguards pulled out their guns.

She said that while Secretary Pangandaman did not participate in the attacks, he did not lift a finger to stop his son and his companions from beating the victims.

De La Paz’s 14 year-old boy suffered various facial, head, and back injuries due to the blows he received. The family plans to file charges of child abuse, among other cases, against the assailants.

‘‘This is a golf course. I have been a golfer all my life and I have never seen anything like this,’’ Bambee said. ‘‘And I thought golfers were decent people. You would think politicians were decent people.’’

Efforts to reach Secretary Pangandaman for comment on Saturday proved fruitless. His cell phone was off. The public information officer of the Department of Agrarian Reform promised to call the INQUIRER as soon as he got in touch with the secretary but he had not done so as of posting time Saturday.

- bakit may amnesia ka.???? :bash:
ito talaga ang nagpapakulo ng dugo ko kapag may sumasabi na ganito ang linya...

-way nada na amahan.. o talawan jud mo pugong... :bash:

One day they'll have a doze of their own medicine :bash:

Welcome to Jolo Airport.....Jolo,SULU:)

http://blogs.gmanews.tv/sidetrip/blog/uploads/HSJolo.JPG

http://blogs.gmanews.tv/sidetrip/blog/uploads/Ellajoloairport.JPG

^^Di ba yong Sanga-Sanga is in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi?

^^Di ba yong Sanga-Sanga is in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi?

oo nga pla...nakalimutan ko....:cheers:^^

awesome! more pics please!

I've been to Jolo and Tawi-tawi and I realy love them. :cheers:

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6298/dumaguetecopy3rm8.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/3150592470_2e4fd21564_b.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/Legazpinewyear.jpg
Photo by tonytones (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonytones/)

ALL AROUND THE WORLD CELEBRATES TONIGHT


http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll149/glittergn/newyear/newyear075.gif

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll149/glittergn/happy%20new%20year%202009/15.gif


From SSC-Iligan City

ALL AROUND THE WORLD CELEBRATES TONIGHT


http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll149/glittergn/newyear/newyear075.gif

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll149/glittergn/happy%20new%20year%202009/15.gif


From SSC-Iligan City

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa249/illpic/NewYears/x.gif

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/67/154205273_98399acce9.jpg

Don’t take life too seriously & always find time to laugh coz laughter not only add years to ur life, but adds more Life to ur Years. Happy New Year !

ph_matrix,

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!!

From SSC Naga

http://support.rocknpooches.com/images/happy_new_year_ball_gig6.gif

http://support.rocknpooches.com/images/happy_new_year_ball_gig6.gif

Revamped the Welcome to SSC-Philippines (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=777770) thread. No need to add your name after you copy and paste the long list of forumers. I've also included a poll to see which part of the globe our members are from.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n250/bobtaz08/SSC.jpg?t=1230790298

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n250/bobtaz08/SSC.jpg?t=1230790298

^^Di ba yong Sanga-Sanga is in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi?

its one of an island in tawi-Tawi adjacent to bongao island..nandun ang Sanga-Sanga Airport at Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography..

I've been to Bongao and conquered the highest peak there - Bongao peak. Maingat na nga ako magbisara ng Tausog. :lol: MSU-TCTO is very known in the island. I love their guest houses. :okay:

Mingat man ako mgbisara Tausug..pero tio -tio lang..MagTausug kaw kako..hehe

How I wish. :) Pero hindi rin naman ako nagtagal doon. Pero me natutunan din ako kahit konte. As what you've said - tio-tio lang. :lol:

I've been to Bongao and conquered the highest peak there - Bongao peak. Maingat na nga ako magbisara ng Tausog. :lol: MSU-TCTO is very known in the island. I love their guest houses. :okay:

Mingat man ako mgbisara Tausug..pero tio -tio lang..MagTausug kaw kako..hehe

Anduh... Laung... maingat kamu mag tausug, misan tiyu' tiyu' da. Mayta kamo maingat magbitsara tausug?

SULU Provincial Capitol at night.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu4.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu3.jpg

SULU Provincial Capitol at Daytime

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu1.jpg

SULU street scene

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu6.jpg

Tanduh Beach, SULU

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu11.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu9.jpg

Quezon Beach, SULU

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu7.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu5.jpg

Sulu Island.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu10.jpg

Mosque in SULU.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu2.jpg

^^ I have heard that this is the largest mosque in Mindanao. Is this true?

Anduh... Laung... maingat kamu mag tausug, misan tiyu' tiyu' da. Mayta kamo maingat magbitsara tausug?

When I was in Tawi-Tawi, some Tausug friends were happy enough to teach me some Tausug words. I swear, I know a lot of Tausog words then while i was with them. But since no one is using Tausug here in my place, those precious Tausug words slowly faded away. I am very proud that once in my life, I have learned to speak Tausug. :cheers:

When I was in Tawi-Tawi, some Tausug friends were happy enough to teach me some Tausug words. I swear, I know a lot of Tausog words then while i was with them. But since no one is using Tausug here in my place, those precious Tausug words slowly faded away. I am very proud that once in my life, I have learned to speak Tausug. :cheers:

pwede paki share some of the words?

I remember some like: Malingkat (maganda); Hain kaw madtu? (Saan ka pupunta); bud (bundok); mami kaw siga (bumili ka ng sigarilyo - tama ba?); pila sin? (magkano?) etc.

I remember some like: Malingkat (maganda); Hain kaw madtu? (Saan ka pupunta); bud (bundok); mami kaw siga (bumili ka ng sigarilyo - tama ba?); pila sin? (magkano?) etc.

"I am very proud that once in my life, I have learned to speak Tausug."

Thanks for being proud that once in your life you learned to speak Tausug. :cheers:

Power to the Moro People! Power to people of Mindanao!

In Iligan and Cagayan de Oro are their any significant number/notable number of Tausug speakers? Just like Zamboanga?

It's really hard to tell their number but I know some students studying at MSU-IIT and MSU-Main. :)

Mosque in SULU.

^^ I have heard that this is the largest mosque in Mindanao. Is this true?

That's the the Masjid Jammi Tulay, the new central mosque in Jolo, Sulu and according to this site (http://www.senard.com/Final_Pages/Tulay_Mosque.htm), the largest in the Philippines and could accomodate 7,000 worshipers.

It is reported as "a newer version of the existing one in Sulu", referring to the original mosque built in 1884.

Here's another angle of the same mosque:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2152/1808831914_362c694168.jpg

SULU Provincial Capitol at night.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu4.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu3.jpg

my uncle did this design. he's also the provincial treasurer. :)

ganda namn...

ganda namn...

yep, nag landscape architecture din kasi ung uncle ko, kaya lang hanggang 2nd year lang sya dun tapos nag commerce.

First time to visit this thread. Nice beaches there! Bitsara is the same as "bichara" in Bahasa Malayu? meaning talk? :)

I have not been to Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi. How I wish I could visit the place someday. It's just a media hype portraying these places as dangerous. US Ambassador went there not only once.

When you're in Tawi-Tawi, you have this feeling of not in Pinas anymore. The culture is more of the neighboring Malaysians'. And to think that the island is nearer to Malaysia than the mainland. :)

^^ Would love to experience that :) I've been to Borneo/Kalimantan before

Hi which part of Kalimantan have you visited before? :)

Good Day SSCers!

Here is the information necessary for ordering the SSC National T-shirt:

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/gibbster1/others/SSCTeedesign1.jpg

Ordering - Manila, Philippine Domestic and Overseas


You may send your payment through Western Union or for the Philippines, either in ML Lhuiller Kwarta Padala or Cebuana Lhuiller. The recipient information will go as follows:

Name: Bernardo Muerong Arellano III
Address: Unit 16C, Kingswood Condominium, Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City, Philippines
Telephone Number: +63(921)2155266


Upon sending, please PM/YM/or SMS me the details of your name, address and most importantly your MCTN or the shipping/tracking number.
For Metro Manila orders, you may also pay directly/personally to me (HabagatCentral1) but you may have to contact me before 21 January 2008 since I'll be leaving for Iloilo and will be there for 2 weeks.
Deadline for purchasing for the first batch would be at February 10, 2008.

Distribution and Shipping


For Metro Manila and suburb orders, you have two options:
First: You may claim it personally through me in which it would not incur additional shipping costs. Please do contact me or send me a PM/YM/SMS for claiming your shirt. Otherwise, we will be announcing the date when you can claim your shirts in one meet.
Second: For special requests or delivery, we may send in your order directly to your doorstep with additional shipping cost. For Manila orders, shipping cost may have an additional P115 and for Luzon P120.



For Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao Shipping:
We would like to suggest that the SSCers of Luzon and especially Visayas and Mindanao would agree on one contact person who will be responsible distributing the t-shirts in their locality so that we could send the shirt in bulk...this way it will be more affordable to ship the said t-shirts to any destination in the Philippines.
Please do have an agreed assigned representative from your locality by 31 January 2008.
Please do send me a PM of your personal information, delivery address and contact number through PM of the said assigned representative.
Possible rate may be PhP50 to PhP80 but may be reduced if the orders would increase in your locality, so start informing other forumers there and encourage them to take part of this project.



For Overseas Shipping:
Standard shipping rates apply either through FedEx or DHL.

Distribution:


For Greater Metro Manila area orders, we will be announcing when will be the date to claim your t-shirts personally.
For Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao orders, you may claim your tshirts from your designated representative.
Possible delivery of the t-shirts would be from a week to two weeks after deadline, so most probably we will have our tshirts by mid or late February.


For more questions, suggestions or comments, please feel free to send me a private message/PM.

Also, for interested parties who want to order, please add up your name on the list so that we could have a complete list of how many will be ordering.

Thanks and mabuhay po tayong lahat!

=====================================

Please check out this thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=761866) for more details and information. :okay:

SULU Provincial Capitol at night.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu4.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu3.jpg


unbelievable. very photogenic. nice one.

Hi which part of Kalimantan have you visited before? :)

Hi, I've been to Banjarmasin and also in Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi. :)

Hi, I've been to Banjarmasin and also in Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi. :)

so its not in Kalimantan..Sulawesi is a separate island..

Banjarmasin is the capital of South Kalimantan, Indonesia.

ah ok..the way he stated kasi Banjarmasin and Ujung Pandang are in one island..

ah ok..the way he stated kasi Banjarmasin and Ujung Pandang are in one island..

When I replied Banjarmasin, I was referring to our friend from Jakarta on Kalimantan's. I just added Ujung Pandang, South Sulawesi because it's near....anyway sorry for the confusion.

Cotabato-Cebu route eases traveling by 4 hours

COTABATO CITY -- Direct flights from here to Cebu City started on Saturday, a welcome development for local businessmen and those from Maguindanao and North Cotabato provinces as traveling to the Visayas will become easier.

Budget airline Cebu Pacific will be plying the Cotabato-Cebu route on a thrice a week basis.

Ricardo C. Juliano, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry governor for Central Mindanao, lauded Cebu Pacific for the venture that hopefully will attract more investments in the restive south.

"This will bring convenience to our businessmen. You know, local investors do not just put their investments in one basket but spread it," he said, explaining that local traders have been expanding their undertakings outside Metro Manila to Cebu City and other major areas in the Visayas.

Prior to Cebu Pacific's newest offer, Juliano noted that businessmen or any other air commuters from the city and the provinces of North Cotabato and Maguindanao have to travel by land to either Davao or General Santos cities to reach Cebu City.

Land travel time to board an aircraft either in Davao or General Santos bound for Cebu takes an estimated three to four hours.

Currently, air traffic in and out Cotabato through the Awang airport involves daily flights to Manila served by Philippine Airlines and also Cebu Pacific.

Juliano expects PAL, through its PAL Express, to follow the lead of Cebu Pacific in serving the Cotabato-Cebu route in order to give passengers a choice.

"Hopefully, too, Cebu Pacific will serve the Cotabato-Cebu route on a daily basis," he added.

Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and distribution, said the company has offered a P500 all-in "Go Lite" fare for the Cebu-Cotabato route as a promotional blitz when it revealed the plan last month.

"Go Lite" fares are for passengers traveling with no check-in baggage.

Passengers with check-in bags just have to add P200 to the fare.

Aside from Cotabato, Cebu Pacific is opening new destinations from Cebu to Dumaguete, Legaspi and Siargao and adding flight frequencies from Cebu to Iloilo, Ozamis and Tacloban.

"As we continue to take delivery of brand new ATR 72-500 aircraft, we will operate new inter-island routes and add frequencies to existing ones to encourage local trade and tourism. Coupled with our trademark low fares, we hope to stimulate travel despite market conditions," Iyog said in an earlier statement.

Cebu Pacific has the most number of inter-island routes and connections from its operational hubs in Clark, Manila, Cebu and Davao.

The opening of new routes in the next few days will bring Cebu Pacific's domestic destinations to 32.

DPWH IX to start P750M Basilan road project this year

Good news for Basileños! The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 9 bared yesterday the implementation of a P750 million worth of circumferential road project within this year in the island province of Basilan.

Sharif Madsmo Hasim, Al Haj, DPWH-9 Assistant Regional Director, said the concreting of 22 kilometers road, which is financed by the government of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the Saudi Fund for Development, is scheduled for bidding within this month.

Hasim said the implementation of the road project will immediately commence either in the second quarter or third quarter of the year, as soon as the post evaluation of bidding is conducted by the ‘RPMO” in Manila, in-charge of the said road projects.

“Our target (for the implementation of the project) is actually within this year. If the bidding pushes through this month, it is expected at the end of this quarter or in the second quarter, the construction will begin,” Hasim said.

The Basilan’s circumferential road has a total length of 135 kilometers. The concreting of its 22 kilometers is divided into two packages – the 11 km. Lamitan-Tipo-Tipo section and another 11 km. within the Maluso-Sumisip section.

In 2007, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who projected to finish the Basilan CR in 2010, ordered the initial release thru the DPWH the amount of P50 million to jumpstart the construction of 86-kilometer road.

The said road project is actually a part and parcel of the 135-kilometer road of Basilan Province of which 76 kilometers of the CR have already been paved. It is under the P2.2 billion road projects allotted for Mindanao.

Fifty-one percent of the funding was loaned from the Saudi Fund. The government of the Kingdon of Saudi Arabia has pledged $20million loan for road projects in Mindanao which is payable in 20 years.

Meanwhile, Hasim expressed confidence that with the implementation of the Basilan circumferential road project this year, the peace and order in the island province, which is hampered by kidnappings, would return to normal.

“I fully believe the development of the road in Basilan will contribute to the socio-economic development in the province, particularly in the resolution of the problem of peace and order. We can’t attend peace by military action alone, it should be coupled with development,” Hasim said. Hader Glang

:applause::applause::applause:

SULU Provincial Capitol at night.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu4.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj235/hakhaimo/Sulu3.jpg

grabe Jolo is different now. The last time I visited Jolo is when I was at the of 12. Whew.

Wow! can somebody post more pictures of Jolo? those pictures changed how i imagined how Jolo looks like....

Im hoping to visit it one day when all is all well and peaceful. but as of now, wag muna...

http://www.lakbaypilipinas.com/images/lanao_del_sur_agus_river.jpg

Agus River

Inside the MSU Campus

http://www.msumain.edu.ph/landmarks/images/swimming_pool.jpg
University Swimming Pool

http://www.msumain.edu.ph/_galleries/KFCIAAS/kingfaisal.jpg
King Faisal

http://www.msumain.edu.ph/_galleries/baguio_of_the_south/P1060376.JPG

http://www.msumain.edu.ph/_galleries/baguio_of_the_south/P1060269.JPG

http://www.msumain.edu.ph/_galleries/baguio_of_the_south/P1060288.JPG

http://www.msumain.edu.ph/_galleries/baguio_of_the_south/P1060314.JPG

http://www.msumain.edu.ph/_galleries/baguio_of_the_south/P1060480.JPG

http://www.msumain.edu.ph/_galleries/baguio_of_the_south/P1060264.JPG

Hadlok mo suroy diha sa place...:ohno: mas haldok pa sa Iraq. While looking at the pics... murag hadlok pa jud mo suroy diha ba.... I dont give a chance to go diha na place... sorry.

Hadlok mo suroy diha sa place...:ohno: mas haldok pa sa Iraq. While looking at the pics... murag hadlok pa jud mo suroy diha ba.... I dont give a chance to go diha na place... sorry.

^^
ok lang kung naa ka sa campus :)
kung naa ko sa province dli pud ko pataka ug laag kay lisod na :lol: permi lang ko sa balay magtago :D

Marawi City is the only muslim dominated city in the Philippines, right?

^^
yes, about 90% of it's population :)

^^ I see. Thanks! :okay: Oh yeah, what's the population size of Marawi City?

about 130,000 :)

Hadlok mo suroy diha sa place...:ohno: mas haldok pa sa Iraq. While looking at the pics... murag hadlok pa jud mo suroy diha ba.... I dont give a chance to go diha na place... sorry.

my first time 4yrs ago@reg naningil ko sa APGH, nakadala kog Pay to cash nga chek 6digit kantidad, ako gibutang sa ako medyas unya ako gbitbit ang pouch arun ingnon nga tua ra didto.pait pajud kay gipakuyugan ko ug tagaIligan daw nga wala ko kaila.kadto pajud ko nakasulod sa city proper.ako lang nga makasulod ko sa LandBank ok na.pero sa sulod cge text/tawag ang mga tawo sa sulod sa banko, hadlok kaayo..naa koy nailaila sa sulod sa banko, Christian tga Iligan pod, iya ko gpasakay pabalik sa Amai Pakpak.didto ko hulat para hits sakay sa Ambulance padulong Iligan..paskang bugnawa didto pero mas bugnaw akong singot adtong hitabua nga ngilngig kaayo lugara..pero in fairness. gwapo nga ciudad..:cheers:

my first time 4yrs ago@reg naningil ko sa APGH, nakadala kog Pay to cash nga chek 6digit kantidad, ako gibutang sa ako medyas unya ako gbitbit ang pouch arun ingnon nga tua ra didto.pait pajud kay gipakuyugan ko ug tagaIligan daw nga wala ko kaila.kadto pajud ko nakasulod sa city proper.ako lang nga makasulod ko sa LandBank ok na.pero sa sulod cge text/tawag ang mga tawo sa sulod sa banko, hadlok kaayo..naa koy nailaila sa sulod sa banko, Christian tga Iligan pod, iya ko gpasakay pabalik sa Amai Pakpak.didto ko hulat para hits sakay sa Ambulance padulong Iligan..paskang bugnawa didto pero mas bugnaw akong singot adtong hitabua nga ngilngig kaayo lugara..pero in fairness. gwapo nga ciudad..:cheers:

^^
hadluka pud sa experience nimo oi :D
kung maglaag ko dha kay naa jud ko kuyog nga maranao or pinsan nako kay kabalo man maranao

my version..

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo174/erwintheater/IMG_6971.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo174/erwintheater/IMG_6972.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo174/erwintheater/IMG_6973.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo174/erwintheater/100_1140.jpg

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo174/erwintheater/100_1181.jpg

another one..

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo174/erwintheater/IMG_7011.jpg

^^ NICE pictures!

^^ Yup.

Hadlok mo suroy diha sa place...:ohno: mas haldok pa sa Iraq. While looking at the pics... murag hadlok pa jud mo suroy diha ba.... I dont give a chance to go diha na place... sorry.

Hadlok gyud. The worse is when 6 pm comes. No man's land nag gyud ang campus sa MSU Marawi kay anything that will happen to you is at your own risk! And besides, my aunt who used to live there told how dangerous it is there for lady dormers. There were unreported cases rapes and abductions in the past. Only those of a group abductions were reported in public. Anything about one person abduction is not reported.

That is why we really pulled our sister out of that campus to study in Iligan because of the danger. Some people there know no rules. :ohno:

Na feature r gyud ako skul. hehe. Di raman gyud kau hadlok dire basta dli lng magtinanga. Critical thinking dapat ang mauna. Nindot ang city ky grabe kabugnaw pareha krn g post k ani bugnaw kau sko kwarto. Ang nakalain lng gyud kay grabe pud ka hugawX5.

wow i miss the place...

Inside the MSU Campus

http://www.msumain.edu.ph/landmarks/images/swimming_pool.jpg
University Swimming Pool

http://www.msumain.edu.ph/_galleries/KFCIAAS/kingfaisal.jpg
King Faisal


I spent one year in MSU. Way back in 1985-86. Murag wala pa nang swimming pool kay we used to swim didto sa pool sa hotel.

Ahh, the golf course, brings back a lot ofo good memories and one on one bible studies.:)

sayan lugar armm..dami nang pumasok na pera galing sa government and internatinal community...sa bulsa lang nang politico pumapasok..look at their cars and houses...talo pa and presidente sa pilipinas kung umasta..daming bodyguards parang pupunta sa gyera....peoples money naman ang ginagamit..sayang..........

Na feature r gyud ako skul. hehe. Di raman gyud kau hadlok dire basta dli lng magtinanga. Critical thinking dapat ang mauna. Nindot ang city ky grabe kabugnaw pareha krn g post k ani bugnaw kau sko kwarto. Ang nakalain lng gyud kay grabe pud ka hugawX5.

na mao gyud. When I went to their public market at Marawi City proper in 1998, i noticed how stinky that market was. It's smell was worse compared to a poop laden pig pen. I dont know how it smells now as I havent gone to the place recently.

Boycott call vs israeli goods (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/boycott-call-vs-israeli-goods)

ILIGAN CITY -- A campaign to boycott Israel-made products is gaining headway among Muslim communities here and in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.

This is in response to the 22-day siege laid by Israeli forces on Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip that has killed around a thousand and injured at least three times more, mostly women and children.

Citing the heavy toll the siege exacted on the civilian population, the international community strongly condemned the attacks.

The campaign against Israeli products was launched January 16 during a rally in Marawi City that expressed local Muslims' solidarity with their besieged Palestinian brothers in Gaza.

"Whosoever hears Muslims calling for help without answering that call is not a Muslim," read a manifesto of the Haraqa Islahiya (Movement for change, reforms, and progress).

Religious leaders Aleem Ali Magintao and Aleem Nasser Papaladun acted as conveners of the movement that launched the boycott campaign.

Since its launch, Haraqa Islahiya has been distributing copies of an appeal by Palestinian religious leaders who originated the boycott call. It listed at least 40 consumer products sold internationally which are of Israeli origin.

"Each riyal, dirham, peso, or dollar used to buy Israeli goods eventually becomes bullets to be fired at the hearts of our brothers in Palestine. For this reason, it is an obligation not to help the enemies of Islam by not buying their goods," the boycott exhortation partly read.

Among others, the products sought to be boycotted include consumer goods like cola; wearing apparel like shoes and clothing; and cosmetics.

The campaign by local religious leaders gained the backing of a prominent Moro rebel leader-turned-politician.

In a talk with several reporters, former Marawi City mayor Omar Ali described the Gaza offensives as "a one-sided fight" wherein "the Palestinians are overwhelmed by the Israelis."

"If only the seven million Muslims in the Philippines can help in that fighting, we will," said Ali, who also heads the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Lanao del Sur. (Ryan D. Rosauro