EFREN ARANEZ---IS TRYING TO GET BACK INTO OFFICE AS VICE MAYOR OR COUNCILOR. I HOPE PEOPLE IN ZAMBOANGA WILL BE SMART NOT TO VOTE FOR HIM INTO OFFICE AGAIN BECAUSE HIS A SWINDLER. HE WAS IN THE PAYROLL OF THE BUSINESSMEN IN ZAMBOANGA WHEN HE WAS A VICE MAYOR AND COUNCILOR. I KNOW HIM PERSONALY. THIS GUY IS JUST ONE PLANE THIEF

EFREN ARANEZ---IS TRYING TO GET BACK INTO OFFICE AS VICE MAYOR OR COUNCILOR. I HOPE PEOPLE IN ZAMBOANGA WILL BE SMART NOT TO VOTE FOR HIM INTO OFFICE AGAIN BECAUSE HIS A SWINDLER. HE WAS IN THE PAYROLL OF THE BUSINESSMEN IN ZAMBOANGA WHEN HE WAS A VICE MAYOR AND COUNCILOR. I KNOW HIM PERSONALY. THIS GUY IS JUST ONE PLANE THIEF

Dont wori cruizer333444, I know the zambo people know him very well and they would not make thesame mistake of voting for such city official like him and the likes of him ever again. :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down: :down:

Kita kits tayo sa next thread... Be out for a while be back in a couple of days, i have to travel... :soon: :soon: :soon:

Zamboanga Hermosa: I (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=295499&page=1)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f5/Ph_locator_region_9.png

The region

Designated as Region IX, Zamboanga Peninsula consists of three provinces, namely, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay. The region of Zamboanga Peninsula was previously known as Western Mindanao before the enactment of Executive Order No. 36 on September 19, 2001.

Zamboanga History

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(2000 pop. 603,000). Located at the tip of the Zamboanga Peninsula in the Mindanao Island group in the Philippines, the City of Zamboanga is a chartered city independent of the province of Zamboanga del Sur in terms of funding, administration, and so on. The early Malay settlers known as Subanons ("people of the river") named the place Jambangan or Tambangan ("land of flowers"), and the city is still known for its many species of flowers, especially orchids. The Samal and Badjao ethnic groups who came to the city in their vintas or native boats called it Samboangan, referring to the wood poles they used to dock their boats.

The Spanish established a small garrison on the site in 1596, but they failed to hold it in the face of repeated attacks by the Moros, various Muslim ethnic groups of Malay descent who had dominated the area from the 1400s. In 1636, the Spanish reestablished themselves in what is now known as Fort Pilar, which remained the center of Spanish rule in the southern Philippines for three hundred years. A testimony to this long Spanish presence is the use of Chavacano, the chief local dialect, which is based on Spanish.

When the Americans came in 1898, the city became the capital of Moro province, which encompassed all of Mindanao and Sulu Islands. Zamboanga City attained its cityhood status on 12 October 1936 under Commonwealth Act 9 and was formally inaugurated as the City of Zamboanga on 26 February 1937. The city became a headquarters for the Japanese during World War II but was retaken by U.S. troops in March 1945.

Today the city is a trade center and port for the southern Philippine products of copra, hemp, timber, and fish. It is also a center for Moro brass and bronze ware and a collection point for the many varieties of shells found locally. In terms of religious background, the population of Zamboanga City is 75 percent Christian and 25 percent Muslim. It is considered a Christian enclave in the heart of the Muslim region of the Philippines.

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For almost three centuries, the Spaniards held the City of Zamboanga with Fort Pilar as the center of settlement. The presence of the Spaniards amidst many Filipino ethnic groups resulted in the development of a unique dialect – chavacano – a mixture of Spanish and the native dialects which is still the predominant medium of communication in the city today.

http://www.zamboanga.com/images/Zamboanga_Peninsula_MAP.gif

We're proud to bring to all the Zamboangueños around the world and in our beloved City of Zamboanga, a special gift from a very special woman who helped witness the Presidential Charter creating the City of Zamboanga in 1936 - Mayor Caling Lobregat, and her city hall crew. Muchas gracias con ustedes todos.


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This memorial photo belongs in all our hearts & homes. This is our story. This is our history. Long live our City of Flowers!

IN THE FAR SOUTH is a place bursting with life. It is a place imbued with a dizzying array of ethnic ingenuity, a home filled with delightful discoveries.

Come to the place where colorful vintas meet the sunset.
Come to the place where the call of the rolling sea reverberates.
Come to the place where the green is superfluous.
Come to the place where the most succulent of dishes can be found.
Come to the place where the Spanish legacy is met with unique dances, pilgrimages to the Shrine.
Come to the place of friendly smiles and grins of the little children

Come to the place that is Zamboanga.
Come and join us in celebrating our FIESTA PILAR!!!

"REGATTA de ZAMBOANGA 2002" witness the colorful vinta's on display

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"CULTURAL STREET DANCING" Reviving the glorious past through dances and colorful costumes.

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In addition to the main land territory of Zamboanga City, which encompasses 1,681 kilometers (645 square mile), there are (officially) 29 islands that are part of its principality, and all of them are now named. The most popular of these islands is the Great Santa Cruz Island, and most deservedly so. Its tantalizingly beautiful scenery encompasses the rare "pink sand" (a coloration effect of white sand mixed with red coral sand), crystal clear blue water, and the symphony of varied living corals, abundant colorful tropical sea life, and island vegetation. It is truly a wonderland.

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Cawa-cawa Boulevard at Dusk, Zamboanga City


Zamboanga City is located on the western most peninsula of the big island of Mindanao, the Philippines. It is a busy international port strategically located on the Basilan Straight.

The city has long been a bastion of Spanish intelligentsia, and is home to some of the finest educational institutions in the country and around Asia. The literacy rate of the region, and of the country in general, is one of the highest in all of Asia.

The Spanish culture influences the way of life of the Zamboangueños. The culture blends harmoniously with Moorish and western influence.

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Regatta de Zamboanga

Zamboanga City's Art history spans a period of over 500 years, with heavy influence coming from the Malay and Spanish culture early on, and the West more recently. Countless, and quite priceless, artefacts dating back to over a thousand years have been excavated in the early 1900s by American archaeologists during their occupation of the Philippines in the vicinities of Zamboanga and Mindanao. Many of these artefacts are currently housed in "vaults" of some major U.S. universities, inaccessible to the general public.

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Moro School Zamboanga, Mindanao, P.I.

Zamboanga City is also a centre for Moro brassware and bronze ware, and a collecting point for numerous varieties of shells, which are exported or used locally for button manufacture and many other products and souvenirs. The Philippine Archipelago is home to over a third of the world's known sea shells, and Zamboanga's Great Santa Cruz Island is home to many shells and corals, and the pristine "pink" sand - a coloration effect of the white sand and red coral sand mixed together.

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Fort Pilar with its world-renowned religious shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar, was built in the 17th century by the Spanish soldiers, along with their Jesuit counterparts, for the protection of Christian settlers against Moro (Muslim) pirates, and other marauding invaders from nearby Chinese and Dutch outposts. It now houses the Fort Pilar Museum, one the few national historic museum chain that houses cultural artefacts of the region, and a wealthy display of its surrounding rich marine and natural life.

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Rio Hondo, Taluksangay, and Campo Muslim are nearby Muslim villages built on stilts over water. Indigenous peoples include the Tau Sugs, Samals, and Yakans. The colourful Bajau, or sea gypsies, ply the waters of the Basilan Straight for fish, coral, and shells; they live on board their multi-hued vintas (sailboats) and take temporary shelter in stilt-raised homes during storms.

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Valderosa St. is just beside the City Hall, walking thru this street gives you a feeling like you're in a time warp. Old houses and palm trees still stands along the street, it gives you a glimpse of the past. This street will lead you to Bayot Hotel now known as Lantaka Hotel by the sea.

Close to 15,000 residents of far-flung barangay Vitali located east of Zamboanga City will soon have their own potable water system.

The local government, congressional office, and Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD) joined efforts and chipped in to raise the needed funds for the construction of the water system project.

Of the P11,651,625 cost of the water system project, the local government has contributed P4,819,004, Congressman Erico Basilio Fabian, P2,412,500 and ZCWD, 4,420,121.

Mayor Celso Lobregat announced that the construction of the production well for the water system project is now ongoing under the supervision of ZCWD technical personnel.

Lobregat said the construction work immediately started after the groundbreaking held last August 10.

He said that once in place and operational, thousands more residents from the nearby barangays could benefit by having clean and potable drinking water.

Vitali barangay chief Francisco Ramillano said it will be the first time that his barangay will have its own water system.

At present, he said the Vitali residents depend much on shallow wells for their drinking water. The rest are buying bottled water. (Bong Garcia)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/08/21/news/p11.6.m.water.system.up.for.zambo.remote.barangays.html

THE local government has doing serious talks with some of the country's giant telecommunication firms for the putting up a multi-million fiber optic lines that will cater to calling center companies, which intend to establish their operations here.

Mayor Celso Lobregat bared the ongoing effort to put up the long-awaited connection of fiber optic lines, which will pave way for the city to become one of the calling center hubs in Mindanao.

"Fiber optic and tri-band connections are some of the basic requirements in order for such a place to accommodate calling centers. However, Zamboanga City is not yet connected with this high-tech communication lines and this is a major stumble block for the city to lure calling center companies to invest here," Mayor Lobregat said.

He said the plan to put up fiber optic facilities came after the American-Filipino owned G-Com Limited manifested serious intention to put up an initial 150-seat calling center in this city within the year.

"We are now trying to negotiate with service providers such as the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company with its wireless provider Smart Communication, Bayan Telecommunications, Inc., and Globe Telecom, and based on our past exploratory talks, some of them are willing to look at the possibility to install fiber optic facilities here," he said.

Lobregat said top officials of the identified telecommunication firms are expected to be here for a meeting with local government and G-Com representatives during the 15th Mindanao Business Conference, which Zamboanga City will be hosting on August 30 to September 2, 2006.

Councilor Juan Elago, who chairs the city council's committee on information and communication technology, said that fiber optic connectivity plays a very vital role for the calling center industry, as this has the capacity to handle heavy data transmission demands of a calling center.

Elago said a fiber optic line can contain over 100 independent fibers with each fiber capable of transporting a massive amount of data from different sources to different destinations.

He said the coming in of G-Com Limited will give jobs directly for competent calling center's agents in the city. "Newly graduate students of this city have double edge over other applicants in landing as calling center agents because of their familiarity of languages, such as Spanish, because of the local dialect Chavacano and Arabic for Muslim students who studied in Madrasah schools," he said.

He said aside from United States and European countries, among the prospective clients targeted by the G-Com are the Middle East countries and Spain.

At least 10 private universities and colleges here have opened short courses on conversational English, Spanish and Arabic this school year, aiming to increase the competency of their enrollees as prospective calling agents in Zamboanga Peninsula.

G-Com Limited established the first call center in Mindanao, particularly in Davao City. It is affiliated with Cyber City Teleservices, Limited (CCTL), a leading provider of customer-related management services and solutions, including the offshore call center services.

CCTL, an American company based in New Jersey and California, USA, is the largest customer-related management call center in the country
today. CCTL currently employs more than more 3,000 agents at the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga and in Davao City.

Elago said call centers will remain the largest employer in the country in the next five years, accounting for a little over 400,000 jobs out of the total 1.2 million for the business process outsourcing sector. Back office, medical transcription and digital content follow with roughly 350,000, 70,000 and 50,000 jobs, respectively. (DTW)

Written by Carolyn O. Arguillas /MindaNews
Sunday, 20 August 2006 12 57 18

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/19 Nov) – The bishops and ulama agree “In the Name of the Almighty, God of Harmony, Care for the Earth” is a timely choice for a peace week theme for Mindanao because caring for the environment is “an urgent and serious call to action."

This year’s Mindanao Week Of Peace (MWOP), the eighth since the Bishops-Ulama Conference adopted Zamboanga City’s Peace Week and made it Mindanao-wide, is on November 30 to December 6.

“For Mindanao at the present moment, is undergoing environmental degradation and destruction. It must be protected from illegal logging, illegal mining, naïve subdivision developers, unscrupulous land conversion to golf courses, and uncontrolled pollution by factories and garbage mismanagement,’ the joint statement of Bishops-Ulama Conference convenors, Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla; Mahid Mutilan, president of the Ulama League of the Philippines; and Hilario Gomez, Bishop of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, said.

The statement, issued July 24, was distributed during the 29th Bishops-Ulama Conference Friday at the Sydney Hotel here.

“All these degradations are caused by unbridled greed and selfishness and blatant ignorance which underpin the violations of human rights and social unrest. Conflicts and wars can be traced in their origin to the abuse and misuse of land, resources, and political influence,” the BUC convenors said.

The three signatories acknowledge that true and lasting peace is “terribly difficult, yet not impossible. For, with God/Allah, nothing is impossible.

They appealed to Mindanawons to”effectively address” the environmental issues “before, during and after” the week of peace

“We wish to remind us all that peace comes from order and harmony both in our relationship with God, with one another and with the environment. This relationship must be characterized not only by love and respect, by justice and fairness but also by mercy and compassion,” the convenors said.

The theme echoes the mandate in Genesis 1:1, 27-28 of the Holy Bible and Sura II:29-30 of the Holy Qur’an, that humans were “created in God’s image and are vicegerents on the earth.”

“This dignity as God’s deputy in the care for the earth brings with it rights and obligations to maintain and protect the earth’s order and harmony originally built by the Creator for the interconnectedness of creation,” the convenors noted.

Last year’s theme was “Millennium Development Goals: Women and Youth as Partners in Peace Building.”

The 2004 Mindanao Week of Peace theme was “A reconciled family, agent of reconciliation." The 2003 Peace Week’s theme was “Healing through Forgiveness: Key to Total Human Development;” In 2002, it was "Peace through Reconciliation: Mindanaoans seeking a common ground;” in 2001, “Peace: Sharing the Vision of Unity and Hope;” in 2000, “Mindanaoans Journeying Together Towards a Culture of Peace;” and in 1999, “Healing the Past, Building the Future.” (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews)

http://mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=706&Itemid=50

VICE Mayor Beng Climaco has formally asked the Women's Global Connection (WGC), a worldwide organization advocating for women's protection and welfare, to consider Zamboanga City as the venue for the international convention in three or four year's time.

The vice mayor personally conveyed the message to Dr. Dorothy Etling, a WGC representative who made a brief visit to Zamboanga recently to look into the city's implementation of women plans and programs as well as to meet with various sectors here.

The WGC had its 2nd Conference in San Antonio, Texas last May where Vice Mayor Climaco was one of the only three Filipino participants. Next year's gathering will be in Africa while Asia will be the venue for the 2008 convention.

Vice Mayor Climaco said Dr. Etling saw for herself what the city government, through the Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point is doing to help alleviate the plight of women and children and other sectors.

Climaco together with the Rotary Club of Metro Zamboanga including the Task Force Sta. Cruz Island, brought Dr. Etling to Sta. Cruz Island where she visited the children-students of the Silsillah Foundation elementary school in the isle.

The visit also provided Climaco's group and Dr. Etling the opportunity to look in to the other needs of school including the military detachment in the island. A simple program honoring Dr. Etling was hosted by the Silsillah School principal and staff. Children were also gifted with goodies prepared by the vice mayor's office.

Dr. Etling also had the chance of calling on Zamboanga Archbishop Carmelo Morelos and Mayor Celso Lobregat during her visit. She also addressed the gathering of association of religious nuns and other women groups including urban poor associations.

Vice Mayor Climaco said Dr. Etling's Zamboanga visit gave the visitor a glimpse of the real situation here and possible networking in the future in the aspect of education, women's and children's concerns and other social action concerns.

WGC is a non-profit organization based in San Antonio, Texas that hopes to promote sharing of women's wisdom, experience and spirituality for the purpose of nurturing transformative change and building a just and sustainable global community.

Dr. Etling is a member of the Society of Incarnate Word of San Antonio, Texas.(SE)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/08/14/news/city.official.asks.women.s.international.group.to.hold.next.confab.in.zambo.html

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The local government is adopting the Biñan, Laguna, model of waste disposal instead of implementing the sanitary landfill system which would cost much more than that of the Biñan model.

Councilor Juan Climaco Elago II disclosed the local government will spend only at least P85 million if it will adopt the Biñan model while the landfill system would cost the city P200 million.

Elago said the local government will have a source of income if it will adopt the Biñan waste disposal system aside from spending less.

The Biñan waste disposal system uses the segregator-shredder machine that converts garbage into hollow blocks, fertilizers and other useful materials that could be sold and can be a source of income for the city.

Elago said the Biñan facility can convert 100 metric tons of wastes into useful products daily. The facility employs 300 families.

He said that the facility is easy to operate and all the needed machineries could be bought locally.

He said there is also no need for segregation in the collection of garbage "as it will be the job of the machine" that is used in the Biñan waste disposal model.

He said, however, the local government would have to study first if it is feasible in the city. PNA

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=47931

more pictures of Zamboanga City Downtown please

MIDTOWN PLAZA MALL

Midtown Plaza Mall
Nuñez Ext./Gov.Camins Ave.
Zamboanga City, Philippines 07000
Telephone# 062-992-4118
Cell Phone# 0917-722-5609

http://www.zamboanga.com/midtown/images/facade_007.JPG

Opening up a business in Zamboanga City makes sense. Zamboanga is a university city. There are 3 universities and 6 colleges. There are 98 barangays in Zamboanga City with a population of over one million people and they all shop downtown for their needs.

Zamboanga City is one of the top 10 taxpayer to almighty Malacañang. Zamboanga City is a revenue generator. We are the biggest fish producer and of canned sardines. One of the largest coconut oil producer in the Philippines is located here in the city. We have an international airport and one of the biggest sea ports in the Philippines. We have an Economic Zone.

If you want to know more about Zamboanga check out our history page.

If you are concerned about security; Zamboanga City is one of the most secured cities in the Philippines. We have the air force, army, marines, and the Southern Command of the Philippines or South-Com.

Midtown Plaza Mall is centrally located in this beautiful and dynamic city. Midtown Plaza Mall is the best location for your business!

Midtown Plaza Mall is a development of ZC Midtown Plaza Inc., headed by Mr. Valentino S. Go, President and managed by Frank Maletsky.

The project is strategically located near the residential subdivisions, high schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, government offices, hotels, international airport and commercial offices. We are accessible by all modes of public and private transportation.

KFC is the first major Manila-based locator for the project.

The project is envisioned to be the best neighborhood shopping center in Zamboanga city.

The building has a centralized air-conditioning system with power generator backup.

This is a tri-level building; Basement, main floor, and second floor.

YUBENGCO STAR MALL IN ZAMBOANGA CITY

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aerial view of zamboanga city

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more pictures of Zamboanga City Downtown please

here:

Climaco avenue
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more pictures of Zamboanga City Downtown please

here:

Climaco avenue
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/f/fd/Climaco_ave..jpg

zamboanga aerial view
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the mafia of zamboanga ---lepeng wee, efren aranez,vitaliano agan, manuel dalipe,vicente atilano, reynerio camins, ricardo baban, maximo enriquez, gerry acuna, venusto anora, robert ko, susan de los reyes, jaime cabato, abelardo climaco, cresenciano cabalit, jun patrica, edel marquez, mel sadain, ruben angeles, col.bernado, rosendo castillo, etc --are supporting the priest for mayor (crisanto de la cruz). this tells you something about the priest that he cheats. his main financial backers are the swindlers of zamboanga. and how could a priest run for mayor unless his a crook.

:ohno: :ohno: :ohno: :ohno:

Look how the naivete of religion use people for hegemony.

^^ The Zambo Hermosa photos taste a lot like they're taken in a far time epoch. Halina Perez is now dead!

Looks promising

^^ But Climaco Street looks too small... needs road widening.

Lo siento pero puede mi preguntar por que es meaning de "Orgullo de Mindanao?" Me habla y entiende Chavacano un poco. Perdoname.

(Trying hard talaga ako but I want to learn) :D

i read in the news that sm the country biggest mall developer will build 27 malls next yr and one of the location of the malls will be in zamboanga. hope it will finally materialize for zamboanga. yehey in advanced.

Lo siento pero puede mi preguntar por que es meaning de "Orgullo de Mindanao?" Me habla y entiende Chavacano un poco. Perdoname.

(Trying hard talaga ako but I want to learn) :D

Pride of Mindanao = Orgullo de Mindanao. Na'a vaya ni sa wikipedia. :D

THE Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority is undertaking the construction of a power sub-station to ensure better service and convenience to business enterprises located in the economic zone.

Zone chair and administrator Georgina Yu said a five mega-volt amperes (5MVA) power sub-station will be built in the first industrial park located in the village of San Ramon.

Yu said the construction of the power sub-station is in anticipation of the problem of power shortage that the city might be facing as the power requirement of the city continues to increase.

She said the construction will be undertaken by Power Dimensions Incorporated, which she describes as one of the well-experienced companies in building power systems in the country.

"There was no truth to the allegations that the zone is not doing anything about its power interruption problem. It has been addressed since the day one of this year," Yu said.

She said her office has also made an arrangement with the National Transmission Corporation (Transco) for additional power supply line for the Ecozone.

Electric posts had already been placed leading to the zone area in the west coast, Yu added.

ZAMBOANGA CITY: A Roman Catholic priest, Msgr. Crisanto de la Cruz, has urged the creation of a new province out of the highly urbanized city of Zamboanga and see what benefits a new province can bring the people.

De la Cruz was nominated by opposition political groups in this city last Monday to run against incumbent Mayor Celso L. Lobregat.

Without mentioning names, de la Cruz noted that there is a massive information drive against the proposal for a new province, presented by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Zamboanga Chapter.

As reported by the Zamboanga Peninsula Journal, the proposal will convert a part of Zamboanga City, comprising the excess 500,000 population into a new province to maximize the development of these communities and bring about more benefits to the people.

Governance in Zamboanga province is concentrated in the city and most of the elected officials come from the city proper, according to critics.

Leaders from the outskirts of the city are excluded. This has led to the development of only the urban areas and concentration of multimillion-peso projects in the city proper while the rest are neglected.

It is difficult for local leaders to attend to all of the 700,000 constituents because the law provides for only a 200,000 population for a highly urbanized city to ensure maximum attention to the people’s needs.
--PNA

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/aug/22/yehey/top_stories/20060822top8.html

RP urged to offer BPO services in Spanish

First posted 07:11pm (Mla time) June 26, 2005
By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net



THE PHILIPPINES could sidestep India in the business process outsourcing market by offering Spanish language services that target the large Spanish-speaking population of the United States, industry executives said at a recent conference in Cebu.
“India has zero capability to provide services in Spanish but the Philippines could perhaps take advantage of its skills in Spanish,” National Association of Software and Services Companies President Kiran Karnik of India said.

The Philippines was a Spanish colony for over 300 years and Hispanic influence permeates its culture. Spanish is taught in many universities though the language is not widely spoken.

“As far as the Hispanic market is concerned the Los Angeles, California area has among the biggest Mexican populations in the US that have stable consumer purchasing power. This doesn't include the Cuban and Puerto Rican groups in the eastern side of the US. We're talking of several millions of Spanish-speaking people,” SPI Technologies

President Ernest Cu said the Cebu ICT 2005 conference.

However, Cu is skeptical that the Philippines could provide Spanish-language services despite the country's colonial heritage.

“My thought is that if we couldn't learn it when it was being taught in school, how can we learn it now? It can't be done,” Cu argued.

Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) Commissioner Damian Domingo Mapa noted that there are locations within what he calls the Cyberservices Corridor--particularly Zamboanga--where “Chabacano," a creole dialect derived from Spanish, is widely spoken.

However, he noted that the telecommunication infrastructure in these areas is not yet ready to accomodate BPO firms that can offer Spanish-language services.

“We're just waiting for companies like Globe and PLDT to come in that will deploy the infrastructure,” Mapa said.

By AL JACINTO
The Manila Times Reporter

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The US Chargé d’Affaires to Manila Paul Jones on Friday vowed more development and humanitarian aid for Zamboanga as he inspected several Washington-funded projects in this port city.

Among the projects Jones visited was the HIV/AIDS facility, where he conferred with Dr. Rodelyn Agbulos, city health officer, and other health officials who briefed him about the AIDS program.

"The US government will provide more assistance to help officials contain the HIV/AIDS virus and conduct a robust education and outreach program," he said.

Agbulos said that at least nine HIV/AIDS cases have been recorded in the city since 1995. He said most victims were Filipino workers who had come home from overseas. Five have since died.

"We are embarking on an aggressive program to educate people, especially bar workers and their patrons, about the danger posed by the disease," the doctor said.

While in Zamboanga, Jones donated a wheelchair to a Muslim Grade 5 pupil, Gazpar Salem, and spoke with students of the Culianan Learning Center.

Jones first met Salem in January. Seeing the boy in a broken and ill-fitting wheelchair, the official promised to bring him a brand-new one the next time he came to visit.

The boy had sought the US Embassy officials’ help through the Mindanao Examiner. The newspaper took up the request with Yolanda de Guzman, a Filipino journalist employed by the US Embassy.

"I would like to thank Mr. Jones," the 11-year-old boy said, "and the media for this assistance. Now I can go to school in my new wheelchair."

While in the city, Jones discussed the business climate and economic prospects with members of Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce. He assured them the US Embassy would send a delegation to the 15th Mindanao Business Conference, scheduled to be held here later this month.

He spoke to students at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, toured the American Studies Resource Center and joined teachers who were training under the Tudlo Mindanao Project.

The US Peace Corps, under the auspices of the US Agency for International Development, runs the project. More than 100 teachers get free training in English teaching and in information and communication technology.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=48501

Zamboanga City (28 August) -- "I am thrilled to return to Zamboanga City, where the American people support a wide range of programs to benefit Zamboangan families" expressed United States Embassy Charge' d' affairs Paul W. Jones during his visit here in Zamboanga City recently.

The US diplomat visited the city to inspect US government-sponsored projects in the area. He also met with the local political and business leaders here.

Jones was accompanied by Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat and City Health Officer Dr. Rodel Agbulos in a tour of the US government-sponsored HIV/AIDS Sentinel Surveillance Site at the Zamboanga City Social Hygiene Clinic located inside City Health Office compound in Petit Barracks, this city.

The Zamboanga City Social Hygiene Clinic is one of only 10 "sentinel sites" in the country that study HIV/AIDS statistics.

In the afternoon, Jones was a guest speaker at the closing ceremony of the "Tudlo Mindanao" program, a weeklong English language training program conducted by US Peace Corps and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for Mindanao teachers held at the Grand Astoria Hotel, Zamboanga City.

Some 128 teachers received free training on how to teach academic subjects in English as well as learn information and communication technology. These teachers then will re-echo or train other teachers in the techniques they have learned upon their return to their respective areas.

During his visit, Mr. Jones also met with Zamboanga City Chamber of Commerce officers to discuss the city's business climate and economic prosperity. (PIA)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news.asp?fi=p060828.htm&no=47

Zamboanga City (28 August) -- Some 7000 Mahogany trees were planted along the stretch of Maria Clara Lobregat highway as Zamboanga City participated in the nationwide, simultaneous launching of the "Green Philippines Highway" project of the government thru the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Thousands of students from various schools, government employees, NGOs and civic organizations participated in the tree planting conducted last Friday.

City Mayor Celso Lobregat and DENR regional director Ernesto Adobo spearheaded the tree planting activity with a short program at Barangay Divisoria, this city.

At exactly 10 a.m., the tree planting activity was simultaneously done all over the country.

The 7000 Mahogany trees were provided by DENR.

Director Adobo said the DENR central office has provided some 500,000 mahogany trees to be planted along the highway in the entire country. (PIA)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news.asp?fi=p060828.htm&no=48

VICE Mayor Beng Climaco has expressed gratitude to the volunteer-based spiritual and welfare organization Tzu Chi Foundation Inc. for continuous assistance to the people of Zamboanga through humanitarian missions and untiring commitment to help the poor.

The City Government, she said, in grateful recognition of the Tzu Chi Foundation's efforts, has declared August 26 of each year as "Tzu Chi Day" in Zamboanga City.

The declaration, formalized through Executive Order 104-2006, is timed with the groundbreaking ceremonies Saturday for the establishment of a P14 million Tzu Chi Great Love Eye Center in line with the foundation's sight saving program.

Vice Mayor Climaco said the Tzu Chi Foundation, through its numerous medical and surgical missions, has assisted thousands of poor Zamboanguenos since its inception six years ago.

"Zamboanga City dedicates this day as Tzu Day to commemorate the compassion, love, and concern introduced by Tzu Chi Foundation founder Dharma Master Cheng Yen," the vice mayor said.

She also cited Dr. Anton Lim, Tzu Chi Foundation Inc. Zamboanga liaison office head, for the support and assistance given to the local government specifically the vice mayor's office.

Tzu Chi Foundation Inc. is a non-stock and non-profit, volunteer-based spiritual and welfare organization founded in 1966 by Master Cheng Yen in the impoverished east coast of Taiwan. The Zamboanga liaison office, established in 2000, was a recipient of the prestigious Zamboanga Hermosa Recognition Award in the field of community service last February 26, 2003.

Mayor Celso Lobregat in his executive order issued August 21, 2006 said the declaration is "in great honor and humble recognition of Tzu Chi Foundation's humanitarian missions and its resolution to commit itself to helping the poor and educating the rich in Zamboanga City and other parts of the Philippines, under the guiding and inspiring light of its Founder Master Cheng Yen, who considers Zamboanga City as a field of blessings and finally the untold sacrifices of the volunteers of Tzu Chi Foundation Zamboanga Liaison Office, which are worth emulating by people of different beliefs and denominations."

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/08/26/news/city.declares.august.26.tzu.chi.day..html

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/windmanmd/ffe9e5ce.jpg

GOLDEN BELL GRAND CENTER

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/windmanmd/GOLDENBELLSUPERCENTER.jpg

GOLDEN BELL SUPER CENTER


ADY I FINALLY GOT HOLD OF THE PICTURES YOUVE BEEN ASKING FOR BUT UNFORTUNATELY I JUST GOT 2 PICTURES, GOLDEN BELL HAS 3 BRANCHES IN ZAMBOANGA, THE BIGGEST IS THE SUPER CENTER, THE SECOND ONE IS THE GRAND CENTER, THE OTHER ONE WHICH I DONT HAVE IS THE GOLDEN BELL BRANCH WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE UNIVERSIDAD DE ZAMBOANGA AREA....
GOLDEN BELL HAS ALSO BRANCHES IN CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY AND DAVAO CITY.

Celso praised as good city manager
Tue Aug 29 09:51:54 2006


Having been cited for the proficient and skillful management in setting out the local budget, the regional office of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said yesterday they are impressed by how the city government is being managed by Mayor Celso Lobregat.

Rafael Evangelista, Jr., NEDA regional director, said "given the figures and the evaluation by no less than the Commission on Audit, this is an encouraging update that reflects the assured direction that the city is taking."

"I am impressed with the way Mayor Lobregat is managing the city
affairs, especially the budget of the city. This is an indication that our city is doing well. That follows if the leader is good. And we're just fortunate to have one," Evangelista said.

Last Friday, COA released its 2005 Financial Report on provinces and cities that was published in national dailies, citing among others Zamboanga City's impressive financial standing.

The COA report said Zamboanga City is No. 1 in the region, and No. 11 in the entire country in terms of sound fiscal management.

The report is a result of the evaluation conducted covering 117 cities and 79 provinces.

As this developed, Tourism Regional Director Ric San

Juan said "the city is on the right track, and the neighboring cities should watch out for the city will soon enjoy the tourism development".

Councilor Benjamin Guingona, III, who chairs the Council Committee on Appropriations, commended Mayor

Lobregat "for such a very job well done".

"This is a product of political will," Guingona said.

Guingona pointed out that the city government has increased its efforts in the collection of local revenues. From parking fees to the real property taxi "All these years, the mayor has been doing things for the city and it's now paving the way," Guingona said.

In the same manner, Councilor Elias Enriquez said all these good and resounding news of good management skills depend largely on what type of leader the LGU has. "In our case, it's about our leader who defined what good governance means".

Enriquez said "the COA report will indeed usher Zamboanga City

toward bright prospects".

Chinese Chamber President Eleuterio Tan said "the COA update is a remarkable achievement, and I want to congratulate Mayor Lobregat for improving the lives of the Zamboangueños. This means that more infra activities and development for the city".

Mayor Lobregat who was informed of the report Friday said this is an indication that the funds of Zamboanga City is appropriately set in good application and that local funds are consistently generated coupled with our ability to save funds.

"I have always maintained that the city wwill not spend on 'wants', but on 'needs'," Lobregat said.

^^ But Climaco Street looks too small... needs road widening.

Climaco avenue cannot be widened na ady001 kasi pano nalang yung mga buildings, di puede gibain kasi it will cost more, the thing that should be done is to make wider roads in other business districts in zambo that are in far flung areas which is what the city is doing now, the center of the old city di na puede yun... as is na yan.

^^ The Zambo Hermosa photos taste a lot like they're taken in a far time epoch. Halina Perez is now dead!

You know why ady001 kasi lahat ata ng forumer na taga zambo dito, hindi sa zambo ang base kaya ganun yung pictures, lahat ata kinuha lang sa ibang site ng zambo, zambo looks different at present. :) :) :) :) :)

^^ davao's golden bell bares a little semblance with zambo's golden bell supercenter

15th Mindanao Business
Conference opens today

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Hundreds of delegates, including investors and partners from east Asean neighbors, Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, the US and Middle East countries, have arrived in this city for the 15th Mindanao Business Conference starting on Friday.

Hosted by the Mindanao Business Council, the government of Zamboanga City, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc., among others, the meeting is dubbed “Mindanao—The Best of the Philippines. ”

The conference at the Garden Orchid Hotel will run until Sunday.

The three-day conference will look at where Mindanao is now, the socioeconomic gains the region has achieved over the years, and how they can be fostered and enhanced further.

Local Zamboanga entrepreneurs will also have the chance to showcase their products to both local and international buyers. Small and medium enterprises in the region are expected to tap new markets for their products, organizers of the event said.

Activities lined up include a business summit, plenary sessions, trade exposition featuring the winning products of Mindanao and the Zamboanga peninsula, special tours, a golf invitational friendship tournament, and fellowship.

Sessions will focus on investing in Mindanao, the region’s mining prospects, its tourism, mineral development and economy, ICT infrastructure challenges, business climate, and business prospects for off-grip areas in the region.

Organizers said five major concerns—employment, mining, shipping, power and e-services—have been identified in the Mindanao Action Agenda of conference. Conference director Teresita Uy-Sebastaion, who is also the regional governor of the Zamboanga Peninsula Chamber of Commerce an Industry, said some of the country’s top business leaders and government economic managers are expected to attend the gathering.

She said among those attending are Dr. Lucio Tan, Lucio Tan Group of Companies chairman, John B. Ridsel, Canadian mining firm TVI Resource Development Phil. Inc corporate adviser; Peter Henrie Sutherland, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines; and Gil Genio, Innove Communication Inc. chief executive.

Representing the government are Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila, who will deliver the keynote speech and Jesus Dureza, the presidential adviser on peace.

Dureza will brief the participants in overview of the present efforts of government and private sectors in enforcing peace in Mindanao for development.

Businessman Joey Concepcion 3rd, presidential consultant on entrepreneurship, will give a talk on developing and improving small and medium scale enterprises.

On the other hand, Tourism Undersecretary Oscar P. Palabyab will tell how to further tap the potential of Mindanao as one of the world’s top tourist destination sites.

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GUYS DO KEEP ON SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL BAND FRIO OKIES! :dance:

THE 15th Mindanao Business Conference (MinBizCon) opened in Zamboanga City Thursday, with more than 80 local entrepreneurs within and out of the Peninsula participating in the trade exposition that was inaugurated by Mayor Celso Lobregat and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries (PCCI) president Donald Dee.

The opening ceremony at the Garden Orchid Convention Center was witnessed by Minbizcon participants and local guests, some of whom arrived as early as Wednesday.

The trade exhibit provided Mindanao's businessmen and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME's) the opportunity to showcase their products and services.

The mayor welcomed the participants particularly the top officials of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry headed by Ambassador Dee. Also in attendance were the members of the BIMP-Eaga Business Council headed by Romeo Serra, who is currently the chairman of MinBizCon.

The mayor said the convention, which is attended by an expected 1,000 participants, is an opportunity for the city to showcase its potentials as the fastest growing economic hub of Southern Philippines.

The delegates and guests then proceeded to the trade exhibit with approximately 100 exhibitors from all over Mindanao showing the pride of their cities and promoting their best products.

The press conference was attended by Lobregat, conference director Teresita Uy-Sebastian, Dee, Serra, and PCCI chairman Emeritus Sergio Luis Jr.

They underscored the benefits of Minbizcon and the mayor discussed his plans to make Zamboanga the center of trade and development, adding he would work to make it a call and convention center, ICT hub, subdivision hub, and other economic development projects.

With its rich culture and history, the City Government is also positioning Zamboanga as "Asia's Latin City". "It is the only city in Asia which speaks Chavacano," said Mayor Lobregat in explaining the city's new moniker.

The delegates of the convention will become the ambassadors of goodwill, the mayor appealed. They will be the ones who will promote the city and it is the city's pride to welcome the local and foreign investors from all over the country, he told the participants and guests.

The "Asia's Latin City" label came as a result of the ongoing participation of the city in the World Bank-sponsored Cities Development Strategies (CDS) program. Under the program, the city's economic and cultural resources will be mobilized to build local capacity for accelerated urban management and growth.

The mayor said the CDS program will facilitate and support more business investments in the years ahead by building the city's capacity to provide trained manpower, upstream agricultural products and communication facilities, among other requirements. (Pooled reports)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/09/01/news/mayor.opens.trade.expo.unveils.zambo.as.asia.s.latin.city..html

THE Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (Zamboecozone) commenced the construction and concrete paving of the proposed International Seaport Complex to provide the basic facilities and amenities needed by its local and foreign investors.

Within the coastal bounds of some 664.68-hectare 2nd Industrial Park, now lays the four and six lanes concreted access roads, which kick offs the start of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 land development in the said area.

Ecozone chairman and administrator Georgina P. Yu said that under her administration, it was her great desire to realize the start of the basic site preparation construction in the proposed International Seaport Complex, in order to attract and invite more investors to do business in the zone having this world class facility.

Historically, Zamboanga City is the only city in the Visayas and Mindanao which has both an ecozone and seaport. These opportunities are very favorable climatically to international business ventures.

Ecozone initially spent some 34 million pesos for this seafront road network project which is considered a birth to the forthcoming trade and commerce facility.

A US-firm has earlier expressed serious intention in investing in the whole seaport facilities if the basic road networks were provided by Ecozone.

American Chamber of Commerce President Rick Santos welcomes the present full blast development in Ecozone, which marks progress in Zamboanga City and the US businessmen are open into possibilities of doing business here.

Aside from the seaport road network, Ecozone is also completing the construction of its investors’ houses, standard manufacturing buildings and other basic facilities needed by the investors around the Asean and European region who earlier expressed intention to do business inside ecozone. (Bong Simbajon)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/09/01/bus/ecozone.constructs.international.seaport.road.network.html

Demak Motors Philippines Inc. launched Thursday its product labeling of Zamboanga-manufactured motorcycles during the opening rites of the 15th Mindanao Business Conference Trade Expo.

Demak Motors have showcased its new modeled motorcycles, which are now being sold both in the domestic and international market with labels “Made in ZamboEcozone, Zamboanga City.”

Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority Chairman and Administrator Georgina P. Yu spearheaded the products launching and sticker labeling of the Zamboanga-made motorcycles together with Mayor Celso Lobregat, Ambassador Donald Dee, Congressman Erbie Fabian and the ZamboEcozone Directors Hon. Asbi Edding, Arsenio Gonzales, Jose Suan, Butch Blanco.

Chairman Yu said that this product launching marks another history in Zamboanga City having a product which is competitive in the domestic and international market, considering that the Philippines and the Southeast Asean Region within the Bimp-Eaga area are dominantly good-selling market of motorcycles being the cheapest motor vehicle an ordinary citizen can afford.

Demak motorcycles are being sold at reasonable price much lower than those other brands being sold in the market today. Its quality and durability is measured by satisfying performance and good track records set by their mother company in Kuching,Sarawak, East Malaysia, which brought the company here inside ZamboEcozone Authority in San Ramon.

Demak Philippines General Manager Lin Bin said the product launching and labeling of their branded motorcycles signified doing good business in Zamboanga City and the entire country.

Bin said that in their few months of operation, their market have already reached the entire Mindanao region, the Visayas and even in Metro Manila, wherein Demak motorcycles are in demand to the public eye due to its user-friendly features, performance and stylish models.

Demak Motors Philippines and ZamboEcozone have set display booths in the mezzanine floor of Garden Orchid Convention Center where the venue of the business conference is being held for public viewing and business transactions. (Bong Simbajon)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/09/01/bus/demak.motors.launches.zambo.label.product.html

aerial view of zamboanga city

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/6/68/Aerial_view_of_zamboanga_city_2.jpg


iba talaga ang dating ng Zambo..... sí, muy hermosa!!!! :cheers:

Thread renamed to Zamboanga Hermosa: Orgullo de Mindanao & Asia's Latin City II as Animo suggested

Thread renamed to Zamboanga Hermosa: Orgullo de Mindanao & Asia's Latin City II as Animo suggested

Wow the new thread name is more catching, good idea animo! : :okay: :okay: :okay:

Fabulous new name. Zamboanga is indeed Asia's truly Latin City.

La Fiesta de la Nuestra Senora del Pilar (Zamboanga's feast day) is fast approaching (12 October). Sana tuloy tuloy na ang development sa Zamboanga.

Quiere yo contigo Ciudad de Zamboanga!

Fabulous new name. Zamboanga is indeed Asia's truly Latin City.

La Fiesta de Nuestra Senora del Pilar (Zamboanga's feast day) is fast approaching (12 October). Sana tuloy tuloy na ang development sa Zamboanga.

Quiere yo contigo Ciudad de Zamboanga!

Yup very Fabulous indeed, going global ang dating :) , The Fiesta de La Nuestra Senora del Pilar is really fast approaching, I hope this years revelry and prayers will be able to surpas last year celebration, last year was so far the grandest....
:dance:

Thanks for the changes mod! :D

Thread renamed to Zamboanga Hermosa: Orgullo de Mindanao & Asia's Latin City II as Animo suggested

TRADE Expo organizers of the 15th Mindanao Business Conference are pushing to promote the city's processed fish industry, particularly canned and bottled sardines.

Department of Trade and Industry assistant Regional Director Sitti Amira Jain said the trade exposition wants to impress upon visitors that Zamboanga City, aside from being dubbed as the City of Flowers, is actually the "Sardines Capital" of the Philippines.

In 2001, the fishing industry in the country has contributed 3.9% to the Gross Domestic Product of the Philippines. The city is home to three of the top canneries and fishing companies in the country, namely, Universal Canning Company, Permex Producer and Exporter Corp. and Mega Fishing Company.

During the ongoing three-day fair, a side show of the 15th Mindanao Business Conference, at least 80 exhibitors coming from the Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao, Basilan, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm), Sulu and Indonesia showcased their products, representing arts and crafts, fashion accessories, furniture, gifts and houseware, home décor, fine jewelry, bamboo craft, leather craft, loom-woven product and novelties, organic and natural products.

"The trade expo will also be a venue for the region to promote its tourist and investment destinations," Jain explained.

Aside from booths featuring special products, there are also institutional booths of Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay that showcase their respective tourist attractions.

Organizers aim to generate over 30 million pesos worth of business orders and contracts. This means that the projected sales are not a one-shot deal, since longer-term patronage is expected as well. Sales will come from book orders, sales under negotiation, and on-the-spot cash sales.

Furthermore, the DTI will continue to monitor the relationship between the exhibitors and buyers to ensure that the orders placed are delivered and served, even long after the trade expo is over.

As part of the long term plans, DTI 9 will deliberately focus on the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) to help boost the region's economy. In addition, the Zamboanga Peninsula SME champions exist to aid in the development and promotion of the native products.

Trade fairs have been an annual activity of the DTI 9. Nonetheless, the 15th MBC Trade Expo is the largest among all other fairs ever realized in the region so far, the organizer said. (DT Wee)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/09/02/bus/zambo.s.canned.sardines.take.center.stage.in.minbizcon.trade.fair.html

if i'm not mistaken with the figures Zambo has at present almost 30 sardines cannery plants with brands like 555, Mega sardines and Family's brand just to name a few, almost 75% of canned sardines circulating in the market today are manufactured in Zamboanga. :cheer: :cheer:

if i'm not mistaken with the figures Zambo has at present almost 30 sardines cannery plants with brands like 555, Mega sardines and Family's brand just to name a few, almost 75% of canned sardines circulating in the market today are manufactured in Zamboanga. :cheer: :cheer:

If Gensan is known for Tuna, Dagupan is known for Bangus, Dipolog for Spanish Sardines, then Zamboanga can also be the "Center of Sardine Processing in the country". :D

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/windmanmd/ffe9e5ce.jpg

GOLDEN BELL GRAND CENTER

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/windmanmd/GOLDENBELLSUPERCENTER.jpg

GOLDEN BELL SUPER CENTER


ADY I FINALLY GOT HOLD OF THE PICTURES YOUVE BEEN ASKING FOR BUT UNFORTUNATELY I JUST GOT 2 PICTURES, GOLDEN BELL HAS 3 BRANCHES IN ZAMBOANGA, THE BIGGEST IS THE SUPER CENTER, THE SECOND ONE IS THE GRAND CENTER, THE OTHER ONE WHICH I DONT HAVE IS THE GOLDEN BELL BRANCH WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE UNIVERSIDAD DE ZAMBOANGA AREA....
GOLDEN BELL HAS ALSO BRANCHES IN CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY AND DAVAO CITY.

Thank you ate... wow, it's quite small... but at least you got hold of them. Me isa pang golden bell colored yellow... is it qualified to be a mall?

Zambo has a new title: ‘Asia’s Latin City’
By VIC P. AREVALO

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- While Zamboanga City still maintains its title as the "City of Flowers," it will also be globally known starting this month" as "Asia’s Latin City," Mayor Celso Lobregat said.

The mayor spoke about the new distinction of this city last Thursday during the opening of a trade exposition at the Garden Orchid Hotel Convention Center as part of the three-day 15th Mindanao Business Conference (15th Minbizcon).

The launching and promotion of the new identity of Zamboanga were held last Wednesday at the Astoria Regency in Pasonanca, this city through a socalled "City Branding." The affair was attended by thousands of Minbizcon delegates.

Lobregat said: "We should preserve our culture and history. The branding has a lot to do with it as we move into the future and globally, it is very important that one of the things we have to do is to preserve the advantages of Zamboanga ... and one of this advantages is that we have been able to preserve and strengthen our chavacano dialect."

Lobregat said that Zamboanga is the only city in the entire country and in the entire Asia where the people speak the Spanish language, which is considered as the city’s greatest advantage.

Last week, the G-Com call center company signified its intention to set up a call center in this city after learning that applicants here could easily be trained to speak Spanish that would cater to the needs of Spanish call centers in abroad.

However, Lobregat said that Zamboanga will still be known as the City of Flowers, but since other cities like Davao and Baguio, which are also claiming same title, "it would be better for us to look for another that will be globally acceptable."

Early this year, Lobregat presented the "Zamboanga’s Mission and Vision" before the City Development Strategy (CDS) council in Manila, a conference which was attended by members of the League of Cities.

The participants were very impressed and appreciative of the new title of the city.

To preserve the chavacano dialect, Lobregat said, a training course, sponsored by the City Social Welfare Office, is being conducted among day-care children who are taught to speak the city’s vernacular.

In the same manner, the Department of Education came out with a policy requiring teachers in the primary grades to instruct pupils in the native dialect for them to learn faster.

To preserve the chavacano dialect, Lobregat has issued an executive order instructing all government offices and schools in the city to sing the "Zamboanga Hermosa" song after the flag-raising ceremony.



Lobregat said that one of the tokens being given to visitors is the ChavacanoEnglish-Spanish dictionary, which many of them find interesting.

Zamboanga's new title "Asia's Latin City" sounds good to me.

The American-owned call center company based in Davao City known as G-Com is definitely setting up a branch in Zamboanga City.

The Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Company has promised to immediately place the fiber optic line, which is needed in putting up a call center.

Councilor Juan Climaco Elago II said G-Com company executives wanted the call center that they intend to put in this city be operational by December this year.

Elago said that once operational, G-Com will employ 450 call center agents for its initial operations.

He said each of the call center agents will receive a minimum P10,000 monthly salary plus other benefits.

Zamboanga City has been the source of call center agents for G-Com's branches in Davao and Pampanga since the time the company started operations in the country.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/09/05/bus/american.run.call.center.here.in.december.html

Zamboanga's new title "Asia's Latin City" sounds good to me.

Yup, once the city have a strong Spanish call-center then the language might have a chance for the entire Philippines. ;) It pays twice as much as speaking English. :D

Vice Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco has cited the contributions of the Turkish community to the development of this city specifically in the aspect of education and assistance to the poor.

Climaco said this as she welcomed a group of Turkish visitors led by the Turkish Parliament Vice President Ismael Alptekin to Zamboanga City Sunday afternoon.

Alptekin with 22 others, mostly government officials and representatives from non-government organizations, arrived in the city for a goodwill mission.

The group is set to meet with local officials and visit the Filipino Turkish Tolerance School (FTTS) in Pitogo in the west coast.

The FTTS managed by school director Sami Sahinduran brought honors to this city when a number of its students won in various national and international competitions in Mathematics held the past months.

The Turkish community is a big help to the city, Climaco remarked. A week ago, she graced the inauguration of the FTTS' computer laboratory, now equipped with modern and state of the art computer facilities.

Aside from Mathematics, computer literacy is also a concentration area of the FTTS.

On the other hand, the Turkish community is also involved in outreach missions through the distribution of beef and other goods during Eidil Adha celebrations for several years now.

Thousands of indigent families in the different barangays in the city have benefited from the outreach mission.

The other members of the Turkish visiting team are Necati Senturk-Deputy Governor of Istanbul; Kerem Altun- Secretary of Education; Nuri Comu-Governor of Osmaniye City; Ismail Firat-Mayor of Osmaniye City; Ahmet Yurtseven-Governor of Duzici City; Mehmet Ali Sengun-author/educator and several educators, businessmen and officials of various foundations and school institutions in Turkey.

The group graced the opening of a Filipino Turkish Tolerance School in Manila over the weekend. (PNA)

http://news.balita.ph/html/article.php/20060904104140286

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/images/news/newspics/09-02-2006/lobregat.jpg
Government officials of Zamboanga City, led by Mayor Celso Lobregat, honor Dr. Lucio Tan as an "entrepreneurial son" during the 15th Mindanao Business Conference. The Lucio Tan Group of Companies is expanding its presence in Mindanao by investing P1.25 billion in the region. HADER GALANG

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The Philippines can make it bit in the global export market for halal food products, estimated at over $150 billion, for a global base of 1.8 billion in 112 countries.

Trade Secretary Peter Favila revealed the bright prospects for the country’s halal industry during the opening of the 15th Minbizcon Trade Expo here.

The trade fair is one of the highlights of the 15th Mindanao Business Council held August 31 until September 2 at the Garden Orchid Hotel Convention Center.

The convention aims to benefit small and medium enterprises not only in Western Mindanao but the whole of Mindanao in the domestic and international markets. It also aims to strengthen the SME’s capability as suppliers of quality products and services.

In his keynote speech, Favila said the Department of Trade and Industry is committed to ensuring the success of the Philippine halal industry.

"However, in the face of competitive market forces, it is very important for us to ensure that our halal products find their own strengths and market niches. Thus, the need for concerted effort among all stakeholders to boost our capability to meet market requirements," he said.

Favila said the department will continue to promote greater awareness of halal market opportunities and encourage local halal producers and exporters to tap available markets.

At the same time, the department is initiating bilateral recognition of local halal product certifying bodies by the auditing, assessment and accrediting agencies of halal importing countries, he added.

The accreditation of Philippine halal certifiers will ensure that our shipments, particularly of meat products do not get rejected, but instead are accepted by importing markets where halal certification is required, he said.

The six agencies mandated by Memorandum Order 201 to harmonize all programs relevant to Halal Export Trade Development have agreed to pursue a Consolidated Halal Action Plan covering the period 2006-07.

Already, two firms are joining a joint venture to provide halal poultry products to the Middle East. Monte Maria Agro-Industrial Development Corp. and Maharlika Agro-Marine Ventures Corp. signed an agreement in March to form the venture in Brunei Darussalam.

The corporation, which will have an estimated annual production capacity of 212,456 metric tons, expects the first shipment of poultry to the Middle East early next year.

In order for the Philippines to produce halal chicken at a competitive price, there is a need to lower the cost of feeds whether it comes from the Philippines, Indonesia or elsewhere, Favila said. Hader Galang

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=49269

AIMED at making Zamboanga City an investor friendly place, the City Council is urging Mayor Celso Lobregat to fully implement an ordinance that requires the establishment of a one-stop-shop business permit office.

Ordinance 224, otherwise known as an "Ordinance to Establish One-Stop-Shop Business Permit Office" in City Hall, was enacted on October 24, 2002 and approved on November 4 of the same year.

Councilor Asbi Edding said that Ordinance 224 provides that in the case of renewal, the business permits will be issued in a half hour while for original application one hour after submission of the application.

Edding said with the present system, the applicants have to wait for several days before they could get their business permits or licenses and this is unfriendly to businessmen.

He said the implementation of Ordinance 224 will lure out-of-town investors to open up business in the city and in turn will generate local employment.

The council's call for the mayor to implement the ordinance was made through a resolution approved last week, according to Edding.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/09/05/news/city.dads.push.for.making.zambo.investor.friendly..html

Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Sutherland has urged the Philippine government and the private sector to get a slice of the $50-billion worth of global investments in mining.

"The Philippine should get a good share of it," Sutherland told the more than 500 businessmen at the opening of the 15th Mindanao Business Conference held at the Astoria Regency Convention Center in this city on Thursday night.

Sutherland said foreign mining companies are looking atn how the government and the mining firms operating in the Philippines perform.

"Big mining companies in the world including Canadians are watching the development of the mining companies operating in the country. They are watching to see what will happen," he said.

Sutherland urged the national government to create a council that will enforce responsible mining in the country in response to the "strong opposition" among some sectors against mining activities.

"This council will fill the communication gap and understanding, and will bring the pro-mining groups and the opposition in to one table, and I hope the government will be able to demonstrate its commitment to inform the people consistently and equitably on what is the world-class mining code. On the other hand the mining companies should commit themselves to responsible mining," he explained.

Sutherland said the Philippine government must show strong will in implementing responsible mining regulations.

He said future foreign investments in the country will depend on how those already on the ground will fare in the face of the opposition.

Without the mechanism for responsible mining, he said, "stakeholders are talking past each other."

"Mining industry is not easy. The government, mining companies, and the stakeholders should open communication lines and let the people understand fully what is mining," he said.

He said of eight Canadian mining investment projects in the country, three are in Mindanao, while others wait how these present investments will turn out before putting their money in the country.

"Right now we have eight mining companies in the Philippines and three of them are located in Mindanao, including TVI, which has been operating its gold and silver project in Canatuan, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte for the last four years. They have already invested some $25-million in mining, and expected to double it in the next two few years."

Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (ZamboEcozone) will highlight today its assets and advantages being a prime investment destination in the ASEAN Region.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/09/02/news/canadian.envoy.grab.investment.opportunity.in.mining.html

THE business conference that is being acknowledged as the "leading yearly event for business leaders and relevant public decision makers for Mindanao" will have President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the most honored guest.

Peter Reger, consultant of the Mindanao Business Council (MBC), revealed the information as the Davao City-based group of entrepreneurs hops to the neighboring Mindanao city of Zamboanga for this year's Minbizcon (Mindanao Business Conference) on its 15th year staging.

Final preparations have been undertaken by event organizers and the host city including elaborate security preparations, which included among others an order by Zamboanga City Mayor Celso L. Lobregat to strictly implement a firearms ban.

Latest updates from the conference's official website included an information that a good number of Malaysian businessmen are raring to come to Zamboanga for the three-day event starting Thursday.

Two years ago during the 13th Minbizcon, the conference adapted the Mindanao Action Agenda (MAA) in response to the national 10-point legacy agenda, which in turn had gathered "significant policy gains" achieved from the intense advocacy of the conference and reported during the 14th Minbizcon in Davao.

This year's conference hopes to further increase awareness on the concept of the federal system of government and push for faster implementation of key infrastructure projects, cutting red tape for mining permits, modernization of Mindanao seaports, strengthening of small enterprises and technical/vocational education priorities.

The key players to the 15th Minbizcon are business leaders, government policy-makers, investors and "all who have an interest in bringing Mindanao to the future it seeks, the conference's official website adds. (PIA/Romy Sabaldan)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2006/08/31/bus/arroyo.to.grace.2006.minbizcon.html

TOURISM is of the most important part of the agenda that will be discussed in the three-day 15th Mindanao Business Conference (Minbizcon) that reels off Thursday and ends on Saturday in this city.

The stakeholders are looking into the possibility of increasing linkages within the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga), following the recent certification of the 5th freedom traffic rights by the Bimp-Eaga transport ministers.

Mindanao Business Council chairman Romero Serra said the granting of full fifth freedom traffic rights in the Bimp-Eaga region is a start to further smoothen air transport linkages in the region.

Serra, who is also the Bimp-Eaga Business Council (BEBC) chairman, said the agreement includes the designation of two selected Eaga entry points in each member country every year starting this year and subsequently all Eaga points by 2008 with fifth freedom traffic rights for scheduled passenger and cargo services.

Eaga is a major sub-regional cooperation pursued since 1994 by the four contiguous countries of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, aiming to boost formalized trade and economic ties that have existed for centuries.

Serra said in view of the development, a Russian-Filipino owned airline company known as MosPhil Areo Inc. inaugurated its Zamboanga City-Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia, route.

Local Air Transportation Office manager Celso Bayabos said that MosPhil Aero had their probing flight on Wednesday for the Zamboanga-Sandakan route.

MosPhil Aero Inc. has also identified Zamboanga City, Jolo, and Davao City for its domestic flights.

Serra said the Royal Brunei Air will also be flying starting April next year the Brunei-Kota Kinabalu-Davao route while the Air Asia is eyeing the Kota Kinabalu-Puerto Princesa-Palawan route.

He said that another airline company is in the final stages of processing the papers to establish direct flights to Davao from Macau.

"These are all tourism air linkages. We look at tourism as one of the critical issues that will be discussed in the 15th Minbizcon," Serra said upon arrival here on Wednesday.

He said that the opening of the new air linkages will be a big boost to the tourism industry of Mindanao.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is scheduled to grace the 15th Minbizcon, has revived the granting of East Asean Growth Area (Eaga) travel tax exemption running through September 2008 in a move to fully support the growth initiatives in Eaga.

Last year, there were over 220,000 foreign tourists that visited Mindanao with a modest increase of two percent compared to the previous year, according to Serra.

He said 19 percent of the foreigners who visited Mindanao last year were Americans while the rest were Korean, Japanese, Chinese and others.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/08/31/news/tourism.tops.15th.minbizcon.agenda.html

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Hundreds of delegates, including investors and partners from east Asean neighbors, Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, the US and Middle East countries, have arrived in this city for the 15th Mindanao Business Conference starting on Friday.

Hosted by the Mindanao Business Council, the government of Zamboanga City, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc., among others, the meeting is dubbed “Mindanao—The Best of the Philippines. ”

The conference at the Garden Orchid Hotel will run until Sunday.

The three-day conference will look at where Mindanao is now, the socioeconomic gains the region has achieved over the years, and how they can be fostered and enhanced further.

Local Zamboanga entrepreneurs will also have the chance to showcase their products to both local and international buyers. Small and medium enterprises in the region are expected to tap new markets for their products, organizers of the event said.

Activities lined up include a business summit, plenary sessions, trade exposition featuring the winning products of Mindanao and the Zamboanga peninsula, special tours, a golf invitational friendship tournament, and fellowship.

Sessions will focus on investing in Mindanao, the region’s mining prospects, its tourism, mineral development and economy, ICT infrastructure challenges, business climate, and business prospects for off-grip areas in the region.

Organizers said five major concerns—employment, mining, shipping, power and e-services—have been identified in the Mindanao Action Agenda of conference. Conference director Teresita Uy-Sebastaion, who is also the regional governor of the Zamboanga Peninsula Chamber of Commerce an Industry, said some of the country’s top business leaders and government economic managers are expected to attend the gathering.

She said among those attending are Dr. Lucio Tan, Lucio Tan Group of Companies chairman, John B. Ridsel, Canadian mining firm TVI Resource Development Phil. Inc corporate adviser; Peter Henrie Sutherland, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines; and Gil Genio, Innove Communication Inc. chief executive.

Representing the government are Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila, who will deliver the keynote speech and Jesus Dureza, the presidential adviser on peace.

Dureza will brief the participants in overview of the present efforts of government and private sectors in enforcing peace in Mindanao for development.

Businessman Joey Concepcion 3rd, presidential consultant on entrepreneurship, will give a talk on developing and improving small and medium scale enterprises.

On the other hand, Tourism Undersecretary Oscar P. Palabyab will tell how to further tap the potential of Mindanao as one of the world’s top tourist destination sites.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/aug/31/yehey/prov/20060831pro1.html

ASIAN trade representatives and Filipino businessmen flocked Thursday to Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines for the 15th Mindanao Business Conference.

The three-day business conference is expected to generate millions of revenues from its trade exhibits, where some 78 stalls and booths were on display at the convention center of the Garden Orchid Hotel.

"This will promote our products and help Zamboanga regain its old glory; a trading hub and tourist destination in this part of the Philippines," said Ismael Ajijul, a Muslim trader, who sells hand-woven Yakan cloth.

Mayor Celso Lobregat, of Zamboanga City, boasted of high economic growth the past years, citing government reports, but statistics were not readily made available. He also said the improved peace and order situation here continue to attract investors.

"We have a lot of investments here. Zamboanga has a very sound economy and there are many new establishments. The peace and order is very good and we are happy about these all," he said.

The influential Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, Sharif Ibrahim Ajibul Mohammad Pulalun, is also expected to attend the conference to welcome the delegates and promote the Sulu Archipelago, which comprises of Basilan, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi islands as a trading exchange and investment destinations.

"We have a lot to offer. The archipelago is rich in natural resources, like minerals and oil deposits. Tawi-Tawi is a beautiful tourist destination and the whole of the Sulu Archipelago is one place to invest, such as in palm plantation, oil exploration and many more."

"Basilan and Jolo are great places and rich in timber and coconuts and coffee and marine resources; and our culture and heritage are similarly wealthy. We welcome you in our exotic land," Pulalun said.

Teresita Sebastian, convention director, said businessmen from Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei arrived in Zamboanga to participate in the international conference.

"Diplomatic officials from the embassies of United States, Canada, Italy, Australia and some other countries are also slated to attend the convention," she said.

She said among the dignitaries that are expected to arrive here are Peter Henrie Sutherland, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines; Jon Linborg, of the United States Agency for International Development.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was also invited to grace the closing ceremony on Saturday, Sebastian said.

Donald Dee, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was also in Zamboanga City Thursday and inspected different trade exhibits, including the booth of a Malaysian motorcycle manufacturing firm, Demak Motor, which has an assembly factory here.

"We expect more than 1,000 businessmen from around Asia and others involved in economic activities and studies in this 3-day conference," she said.

The Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga) Business Council also joined the conference.

Sebastian said the participants will discuss major issues and concerns affecting key Mindanao investments to facilitate and hasten trade within the region, and the BIMP-EAGA with other trading partners.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/09/01/news/asian.businessmen.flock.to.zambo.for.confab.html

Zambo has a new title: ‘Asia’s Latin City’
By VIC P. AREVALO

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- While Zamboanga City still maintains its title as the "City of Flowers," it will also be globally known starting this month" as "Asia’s Latin City," Mayor Celso Lobregat said.

The mayor spoke about the new distinction of this city last Thursday during the opening of a trade exposition at the Garden Orchid Hotel Convention Center as part of the three-day 15th Mindanao Business Conference (15th Minbizcon).

The launching and promotion of the new identity of Zamboanga were held last Wednesday at the Astoria Regency in Pasonanca, this city through a socalled "City Branding." The affair was attended by thousands of Minbizcon delegates.

Lobregat said: "We should preserve our culture and history. The branding has a lot to do with it as we move into the future and globally, it is very important that one of the things we have to do is to preserve the advantages of Zamboanga ... and one of this advantages is that we have been able to preserve and strengthen our chavacano dialect."

Lobregat said that Zamboanga is the only city in the entire country and in the entire Asia where the people speak the Spanish language, which is considered as the city’s greatest advantage.

Last week, the G-Com call center company signified its intention to set up a call center in this city after learning that applicants here could easily be trained to speak Spanish that would cater to the needs of Spanish call centers in abroad.

However, Lobregat said that Zamboanga will still be known as the City of Flowers, but since other cities like Davao and Baguio, which are also claiming same title, "it would be better for us to look for another that will be globally acceptable."

Early this year, Lobregat presented the "Zamboanga’s Mission and Vision" before the City Development Strategy (CDS) council in Manila, a conference which was attended by members of the League of Cities.

The participants were very impressed and appreciative of the new title of the city.

To preserve the chavacano dialect, Lobregat said, a training course, sponsored by the City Social Welfare Office, is being conducted among day-care children who are taught to speak the city’s vernacular.

In the same manner, the Department of Education came out with a policy requiring teachers in the primary grades to instruct pupils in the native dialect for them to learn faster.

To preserve the chavacano dialect, Lobregat has issued an executive order instructing all government offices and schools in the city to sing the "Zamboanga Hermosa" song after the flag-raising ceremony.



Lobregat said that one of the tokens being given to visitors is the ChavacanoEnglish-Spanish dictionary, which many of them find interesting.

Grabe ate, if we can see Dora being aired with a Spanish version or Marimar reruns sans the dubbing, it can do good for the city.

Also, there should also be an accent change, and much publicity. We should market that "Latin City" thingie about Zamboanga and definitely preserve that touch of Chavacano feel in the city as well as "re-orienting" the vernacular to the proper mother tongue.

Zamboanga City (8 September) -- To improve the quality of life of her constituents especially the women's sector, Governor Aurora E. Cerilles has tapped the expertise of the Department of Science and Technology to provide a technology-based livelihood project and training on Food Processing.

Mr. Ebenezer T. Tulog, Prov'l Science and Technology Officer said after the training on food processing, a seminar-workshop on Packaging and Labeling of Processed Food is slated on September 14-15 as one of the major activities during the 54th Anniversary of Zamboanga del Sur to be held at the Food Processing and Livelihood Resource Center, Provincial Government Complex, Dao, Pagadian City.

The Zamboanga del Sur Women's Association, an active organization which enjoys the full support of the governor has embarked in the production of indigenous processed food such as : preserved sweet potato called "halaya", jellies, jam, bottled Spanish sardines, quality dried fish, "salabat", cassava chips and many others.

Ms. Grace D. Noceja and Ms. Josie L. Diaz from the Packaging Research and Development Center will be the resource speakers whose services are provided free by DOST in support to the province's 54th anniversary celebration.

Tulog said packaging and labeling is the art of science and technology of bringing goods from its source to places of consumption at minimum cost. It improves the quality and shelf life of the product, reduces waste, secure its safety and handling during delivery and enhance the products sales appeal. More than that, it adds value to the product.

Packaging protects what it sells and sells what it protects. It protects against physical, biological, chemical damages and human tampering. The packaging material comes in the form of bottles, tubes, sachets, jars, crates, trays, pouch, gallon and cups.

Tulog said the seminar - workshop will be a big boost to the women's economic enterprise through improved product presentation. (PIA-Pagadian)

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Private investors and government's tourism planners are urging businessmen and entrepreneurs in Mindanao to take advantage of the booming industry of medical tourism by grabbing the market of the sub-regional trade bloc East Asean Growth Area (Eaga).

Aside from being the country's major source of agri-based products, the island of Mindanao which has the edge because of its "rich natural resources and cultural affiliates" with the countries of Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia face a big potential as a site for medical tourism.

Mindanao can easily capture the market of these countries, said Hernando B. Delizo, medical director of Wellness Place in Quezon City.

He said with the recent opening of the fifth freedom traffic rights in the Brunei- Indonesia- Malaysia-Philippines (BIMP-EAGA) region, Mindanao will get a very good advantage, particularly in medical tourism.

"These people will come here for trading and if the local businessmen here will be able to offer them medical tourism it will be an add-on for them. Definitely they will come here anyway since they're doing business here. There's no need to exert extra effort to lure them," Delizo said, who was one of the speakers during the 15th Mindanao Business Conference here last week.

The fifth freedom traffic rights were formally signed last June by the transport ministers of the member countries to further smoothen air transport linkages in the region. According to Romeo J. Serra, chairman of the BIMP-EAGA Business Council, the agreement has focused on the establishment of scheduled passenger services between Davao City - Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) - Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei Darussalam) and between Pontianak (Indonesia) - Kuching (Malaysia) - Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei Darussalam).

He said at least four airlines have already signified their intention to service the inter-BIMP EAGA routes. These are the Royal Brunei Airlines, Air Asia, Sea Air and Frontier Aviation. Currently, the Russian-and Filipino-owned Mosphil Aero Inc., re-opened early this month the Zamboanga-Sandakan-Kota-Kinabalu route.

Through this, Delizo noted that access is one of the major factors which will bolster the medical tourism industry and the local economy of Mindanao as a whole.

He said the current tourism boom in the member countries of the EAGA-generating a total of 2.5 million tourists a year - presents a huge opportunity for Mindanao to take part in the medical tourism trend.

He suggested that in grabbing the health tourism industry, local entrepreneurs and businessmen in Mindanao should focus on the island's uniqueness and the strong cultural connections of the identified countries. (DTW)

Brunei-Davao flight to start next year

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Direct flight between Brunei and Davao City may materialize early next year, a top government envoy recently said.

Retired general Efren Abu, the country's special envoy to the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysian, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga), said the government has initiated steps to enhance physical linkages of Mindanao to the rest of the growth area's member countries.

"Royal Brunei Airlines hinted that they will start early next year although we asked them to start (in) December," the former chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said.

In 2003, President Gloria Arroyo urged Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei to open a direct flight of the Royal Brunei Airlines to Davao City because of their proximity.

Brunei is only 45 minutes by air travel to Davao City.

Aside from the Brunei-Davao flight, Abu also announced the impending resumption of the Zamboanga-Sandakan and the Davao-Kota Kinabalu-Brunei Darussalam air routes.

Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza said Mindanao's current trade and tourism linkages to Eaga are being sustained by direct sea links between Zamboanga and Sandakan of Sabah, Malaysia as well as direct flights between Davao and Manado in Indonesia.

Dureza said the Zamboanga-Sandakan route would be serviced by local airline Asian Spirit and Filipino-Russian joint venture Mosphil Aero, which launched its domestic operations (Zambonga-Jolo) last week.

Abu said the Davao-Manado air route would soon increase to two flights a week.

To lure airline operators in the Eaga, Abu said the government reduced all air service fees by 50 percent for airlines traveling to Mindanao and Palawan from Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Grabe ate, if we can see Dora being aired with a Spanish version or Marimar reruns sans the dubbing, it can do good for the city.

Also, there should also be an accent change, and much publicity. We should market that "Latin City" thingie about Zamboanga and definitely preserve that touch of Chavacano feel in the city as well as "re-orienting" the vernacular to the proper mother tongue.


I agree ady001 :) :)

Brunei-Davao flight to start next year

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Direct flight between Brunei and Davao City may materialize early next year, a top government envoy recently said.

Retired general Efren Abu, the country's special envoy to the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysian, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga), said the government has initiated steps to enhance physical linkages of Mindanao to the rest of the growth area's member countries.

"Royal Brunei Airlines hinted that they will start early next year although we asked them to start (in) December," the former chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said.

In 2003, President Gloria Arroyo urged Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei to open a direct flight of the Royal Brunei Airlines to Davao City because of their proximity.

Brunei is only 45 minutes by air travel to Davao City.

Aside from the Brunei-Davao flight, Abu also announced the impending resumption of the Zamboanga-Sandakan and the Davao-Kota Kinabalu-Brunei Darussalam air routes.

Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza said Mindanao's current trade and tourism linkages to Eaga are being sustained by direct sea links between Zamboanga and Sandakan of Sabah, Malaysia as well as direct flights between Davao and Manado in Indonesia.

Dureza said the Zamboanga-Sandakan route would be serviced by local airline Asian Spirit and Filipino-Russian joint venture Mosphil Aero, which launched its domestic operations (Zambonga-Jolo) last week.

Abu said the Davao-Manado air route would soon increase to two flights a week.

To lure airline operators in the Eaga, Abu said the government reduced all air service fees by 50 percent for airlines traveling to Mindanao and Palawan from Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

WoW more additional flites from Mosphil aside from its Sandakan-Zambo route, more flites means more influx of currencies for the city.... :bow: :bow:

Brunei-Davao flight to start next year

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Direct flight between Brunei and Davao City may materialize early next year, a top government envoy recently said.

Retired general Efren Abu, the country's special envoy to the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysian, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga), said the government has initiated steps to enhance physical linkages of Mindanao to the rest of the growth area's member countries.

"Royal Brunei Airlines hinted that they will start early next year although we asked them to start (in) December," the former chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said.

In 2003, President Gloria Arroyo urged Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei to open a direct flight of the Royal Brunei Airlines to Davao City because of their proximity.

Brunei is only 45 minutes by air travel to Davao City.

Aside from the Brunei-Davao flight, Abu also announced the impending resumption of the Zamboanga-Sandakan and the Davao-Kota Kinabalu-Brunei Darussalam air routes.

Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza said Mindanao's current trade and tourism linkages to Eaga are being sustained by direct sea links between Zamboanga and Sandakan of Sabah, Malaysia as well as direct flights between Davao and Manado in Indonesia.

Dureza said the Zamboanga-Sandakan route would be serviced by local airline Asian Spirit and Filipino-Russian joint venture Mosphil Aero, which launched its domestic operations (Zambonga-Jolo) last week.

Abu said the Davao-Manado air route would soon increase to two flights a week.

To lure airline operators in the Eaga, Abu said the government reduced all air service fees by 50 percent for airlines traveling to Mindanao and Palawan from Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia.


although this is a zambo thread, please allow me to post my reaction regarding this matter..BAKIT BUHAY PA RIN ANG DAVAO-MANADO ROUTE? lols, wala pa akong kakilala na nakapunta na ng Manado..may sumasakay ba dito?hehe

anyway, the Zambo-Sandakan route makes more sense than the Davao-Manado route..is the boat route (they call it tuktuk right?) still active between Zambo and SAbah? or is that Basilan and Sabah? plus diba may feryy from Zambo to Sabah? now that make the ZAmbo-SAndakan Air link more sensible right?

']although this is a zambo thread, please allow me to post my reaction regarding this matter..BAKIT BUHAY PA RIN ANG DAVAO-MANADO ROUTE? lols, wala pa akong kakilala na nakapunta na ng Manado..may sumasakay ba dito?hehe

anyway, the Zambo-Sandakan route makes more sense than the Davao-Manado route..is the boat route (they call it tuktuk right?) still active between Zambo and SAbah? or is that Basilan and Sabah? plus diba may feryy from Zambo to Sabah? now that make the ZAmbo-SAndakan Air link more sensible right?

Sorry Waway I really have no Idea about the Davao-Manabo route. In regards to sea travel from Zambo-Sandakan there are two companies which are handling the routes as of the present 1. is the Aleson Shipping company in which a ferry from zambo to sandakan has a trip every week. 2. is Weesam express which runs the Ultra fast craft from zambo to sandakan weekly or twice a week if im not mistaken.

Celso calls for support to Armarie Cruz


Mayor Celso Lobregat has called on Zamboangueños to support

Zamboangueña Armarie Cruz in her quest to win the first Philippine Idol title.

The call for suppor for Armarie was sounded by Lobregat in his regular message to all government employees during the flag raising

ceremony yesterday morning. It was repeated during his regular press conference with local newsmen.

"We are extremely very happy and very proud over the honor that our very own Armarie Saavedra Cruz is bringing to our city. She is very talented and versatile. She has made us all proud by having been selected to the finals. And we need to also support her and offer prayers that she will succeed," Lobregat said.

Yesterday morning, when Mayor Lobregat mentioned about

Armarie's making into the finals as one of the four finalists, all city government employees applauded. Last Sunday, no less than the mayor himself has texted people to vote Armarie via text as gesture of support.

"Armarie needs our help more than ever. We need to help her reach the top," Lobregat said.

Armarie, whose real name is Armarie Lourdes Saavedra Cruz, was

born on July 30, 1978. His brother JR also made it to the regional finals. And so with Shalmai Calisang who made to the top post in the Cagayan de Oro and Cebu screenings, however, both JR and Shalmai didn't make it at the PICC selection.

Last Sunday, Zamboangueños heeded the call of the mayor who also

texted their votes to the Philippine Idol bureau in Manila via ARMS at 2339.

In the same manner, Maricar Saavedra-Perez, mother of Armarie said this is the time that Zamboangueños need to cooperate because Armarie is representing Zamboanga City. "It's not because Armarie is my daughter. But

It's about having someone who gets to represent our beautiful city and it's about someone who is bringing it to new heights," Maricar said.

"I even asked the ABC 5 people in Manila and the organizers to also take video footages about Zamboanga City. We have to show them not only the talents of Armarie but also the beautiful city where Armarie came from," Maricar said.

Maricar emphasized.

The official carrier station of Philippine Idol is ABC 5, and in

Zamboanga City, it's ABC 11. Philippine Idol is the most watched TV Reality Show in the country today.

Armarie used to sing at Latitude and at Sunflower Restaurant prior to her joining the widely popular Philippine Idol.


TO ALL ZAMBOANGA PIPOL LETS HELP SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BET ARMARIE CRUZ FOR THE 1ST PHILIPPINE IDOL OKIES!!!!! :) :) :)

']although this is a zambo thread, please allow me to post my reaction regarding this matter..BAKIT BUHAY PA RIN ANG DAVAO-MANADO ROUTE? lols, wala pa akong kakilala na nakapunta na ng Manado..may sumasakay ba dito?hehe

anyway, the Zambo-Sandakan route makes more sense than the Davao-Manado route..is the boat route (they call it tuktuk right?) still active between Zambo and SAbah? or is that Basilan and Sabah? plus diba may feryy from Zambo to Sabah? now that make the ZAmbo-SAndakan Air link more sensible right?


There are at least 10,000 (?) thousand Indon living in the Davao-So.Cotabato area. If you live somewhere in Juna or Ecoland, you'll find many of them there, housed in dormitories. An Indon school pavilion in Juna was opened late 90's. The Indon Consular Office is one of the oldest in Davao (the other one is the Jap Consulate). The Bouraq flight is more or less a missionary route to "ferry" officials to and from Djakarta via Manado. There are also many OFW's in Manado... I know of a Davaoeno Plantation Manager who works there and gets frequent visits from his Davao-based family. Another person I know is a pilot who did Aerial Spraying in the Manado plantation fields during the 90's. Last but not least, some Indon richies make use of the route on their way to the northern countries to avoid, quote "the circuitous route" refer to old Mindanao Times articles....

The Zamboanga-Sandakan, etc...., i agree, would do better and should commence ASAP.... :cheers:

Grabe ate, if we can see Dora being aired with a Spanish version or Marimar reruns sans the dubbing, it can do good for the city.

Also, there should also be an accent change, and much publicity. We should market that "Latin City" thingie about Zamboanga and definitely preserve that touch of Chavacano feel in the city as well as "re-orienting" the vernacular to the proper mother tongue.

yeahh.. de-creolization should be the long term goal... hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, hablais, hablan :hahaha: ........ oh.. i love to visit Zamboanga!!! :cheers:

yeahh.. de-creolization should be the long term goal... hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, hablais, hablan :hahaha: ........ oh.. i love to visit Zamboanga!!! :cheers:

Cge Rajah go and visit Zambo if you have time, if you want, visit the city during its fiesta w/c is held every 12 of the month of October.

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Mayor Celso Lobregat on Thursday gathered local journalists, national newspapers and wires' correspondents and appealed to them to help promote Zamboanga City's new brand name of "Asia's Latin City."

Lobregat explained that the basis for branding the Zamboanga as a Latin City is the existence of Chavacano, a derivative of the Spanish language that in turn is an outgrowth of Latin, the old Roman tongue.

The local government formally launched last month the branding of Zamboanga as "Asia's Latin City," in a simple ceremony held during the opening of the 15th Mindanao Business Conference, at the Astoria Regency in Pasonanca Park here.

Chavacano is spoken by a majority of the people here, in Basilan and other parts of the Zamboanga Peninsula.

"We are the only city in Asia that speaks the Chavacano dialect, which is derived from the Spanish language," he told some 50 reporters, editors and local councilmen at the Garden Orchid Hotel.

Nostalgically, Zamboanga has been known as the "City of Flowers," but Lobregat said other cities have also been planted to flowers and could be more abundant with flowers than Zamboanga nowadays.

"Zamboanga City has been known as the 'convention capital of the country' or the 'sardines' capital,' because canning factories here provides about 70 percent of all sardines sold and consumed in the country today," he said.

Yet, the city has what others may not have at all-Chavacano, where more than 70 percent of its vocabulary is pure Spanish in nature and origin.

The remaining percentage of Chavacano is picked from local dialects, according to the official Philippine News Agency.

The growth of Chavacano in Zamboanga can be traced to a concentration of Spanish nationals in Zamboanga at the height of the Spaniards colonization efforts in Mindanao that lasted for centuries until the late 1800.

"The branding of Zamboanga as Asia's Latin city is the result of the City Development Strategies program spearheaded by the League of Cities, the World Bank and the involvement of the different local sectors," Lobregat said.

Local officials said this would give the city a positive shift since it carries an international appeal and anchored on the rich Castilian influence and history of Zamboanga City.

The branding of Zamboanga will provide the city with a competitive global outlook instead of just comparing it with other cities in Mindanao. Call centers, like G-Com, has started recruiting agents from Zamboanga because they could easily be trained to speak Spanish.

Spanish is the second most spoken language after English and call centers need Spanish-speaking agents to serve their clients in Central and South America and Europe.

Lobregat also unveiled on Thursday a theme logo for next month's Christian celebration here of the Fiesta Pilar honoring the Virgin Mary. With the theme, "Alegria! Alegria! Adelante Zamboanga," Lobregat said the weeklong feast, held every October 12, is expected to draw thousands of tourists because of the city's rich cultural past.

yeahh.. de-creolization should be the long term goal... hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, hablais, hablan :hahaha: ........ oh.. i love to visit Zamboanga!!! :cheers:

This is actually a goal for the Spanish and Philippine government. :)

---
Monday, September 18 2006 @ 07:30 PM BST

Senator Edgardo J. Angara on Monday cited the need to establish good relations between countries to create more jobs, trade and investment opportunities.

Angara said strengthening human contacts is a more powerful foundation for productive relationships than establishing diplomatic relations with other countries, both at the economic and political level.

He said the government-to-government relations is not the only way to promote relations between countries.

"I think people-to-people interaction is a better foundation for enduring relations," said Angara in a recent 3rd Spanish Products and Services Exposition held at the Megatrade Hall.

Angara added there is a need to intensify the country's relationship with Spain since "Filipinos are recipients of Spanish cultural influence more evident in the words we use, the food we eat and even in some historic architecture we preserve".

"This exposition is a very good window to introduce the quality, class and style of the Spanish, of whose cultural influence we are recipients," he said.

Angara noted in the past three to four years, he has been a witness to an increasing influx and an intensified relation between Philippines and Spain at the economic, political, cultural and educational levels.

He also suggested that the government setup a Spanish language institution, particularly in Zamboanga city where almost everyone knows how to speak Chavacano, basically Spanish language with a mixture of Filipino local tongues.

"Zamboanga City is probably one among the Philippine cities that has a natural mount to re-establish language renaissance in this country because everybody there speaks Chavacano. And I think, that is a very good start in learning Spanish language," he added.

Angara authored the law which declares 30th of June as the Philippines-Spanish Friendship Day to commemorate the cultural and historical ties, friendship and cooperation between the two countries. (PNA)

All set for Zambo Hermosa festival

The city is all geared up in preparation of Zamboanga City’s grandest fiesta celebration, slated this coming month of October.

The city government recently released its official calendar of events for the forthcoming 2006 Zamboanga Hermosa Festival that will highlight this year’s annual October 12 Feast of the Lady of the Pilar in honor of Mama Mary with the theme: “Alegria, Alegria…. Adelante Zamboanga” (be merry…be merry…Forward Zamboanga).

City Mayor Celso Lobregat said the celebration will focus on how to showcase the new branding of Zamboanga from the city of flowers to Asia’s Latin City.

This year’s Zamboanga Hermosa Festival will officially reel off with a Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship-(Zamboanga Tournament) to be staged starting September 30 to October 1 at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University gymnasium; October 1-31-“Las Mojeres de Zamboanga” (art exhibit) at the Lantaka Hotel by the Sea; October 3 to 10-Wow Zamboanga with its site at the National Museum Courtyard; October 3-15-Cosechas de Zamboanga(trade fair and exhibit) at Plaza Pershing; Oct. 3-11-Procession, Holy Mass, Novena Mass at the Cathedral to Fort Pilar Shrine; Oct. 4-dance sport 2006 to be held at the Zamboanga City Coliseum; October 5-Motorcade of Megastar Sharon Cuneta; Oct. 6-26th Chavacano song festival at Garden Orchid Hotel, Torch Parade and Top Model Search-Mannequin and free concert among many other activities.

Mayor Lobregat said the Wow Zamboanga presentation from the 8 districts of the city will be a newest innovation this year.

He said, the city’s 98 barangays will be clustered into 8 districts, of which, each barangay will set up its own booth showcasing the best products in the area.

Each district will also come up with nightly cultural presentations from October 3 to 10 similar to Wow! Philippines concept.

Private groups and business establishments have also prepared their own activities related to this year’s fiesta.

The Pettit Barracks will again be an open bazaar area where traveling merchants will display different products for sale.

:dance: ITS PARTY TIME IN OCTOBER IN ZAMBO CITY

Zamboanga peninsula bags national championship in Philippine Travel Mart

Zamboanga peninsula (Zampen) has bested other exhibitors in the recently concluded Philippine Travel Mart held at Mega Trade Hall, SM Mega mall, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila.

Around 300 exhibitors from all over the country have converged in Mandaluyong to display their respective tourist destinations but the booth of Region IX stood out emerging as the "Best Tourism Showcase."

Director Ric San Juan of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in Region IX said the concerted efforts and support extended by all the cities and provinces of the region made it win national champion.

The facade of the booth, which wowed the viewers, was designed by artists from Dipolog City led by Don Jabines. It was a bridge made of bamboo poles with ethnic designs heading towards waterfalls, replica of the falls one could see in Dipolog and other parts of the region.

San Juan also disclosed that some investors had already signified to invest in the region particularly in the province of Zamboanga del Norte as well as in the twin cities of Dipolog and Dapitan.

The delegates joining the travel mart from Zamboanga del Norte and the cities of Dipolog and Dapitan included Provincial Tourism Officer Atty. Ivan Patrick Ang, Atty. Flint Concha of the Provincial Toruism Council, Dipolog City Mayor Roberto Y. Uy, his wife Evelyn, Dipolog Tourism Officer Cecil Bilog, Dapitan Tourism Officer Radiolan Porlas and some members of the city tourism councils of Dipolog and Dapitan.

http://www.philippineidol.com/images/contestants/flyers/f_arms.jpg

GUYS DONT FORGET TO VOTE FOR OUR VERY OWN ARMS CRUZ OK!!! DAPAT FULL SUPPORT TAYO.... "D ATUN STE", FINALS YA THIS WEEK...

Oye Animo!~ ya dura ya yo no hay visita con este site~
ei guys i need your help. i wanna make a zamboagueño/chabacano website and i need mp3s music songs for the downloads... and its kinda hard to find songs in zamboanguenño/chabcano...
i hope you might donate some chabacano songs to me... pls sent it here tatsumaki_1986@yahoo.co.jp ..... gracias~

Chao~

Viva'l Raza! latinos de Asia!

By Al Jacinto, Arab News

ZAMBOANGA CITY, 25 September 2006 — Call it corny but
“Asia’s Latin City” is what the leaders of Zamboanga
City want this key southern Philippine port city to be
called.

Mayor Celso Lobregat said the basis for the new name
is the existence of local Chavacano dialect, a
derivative of the Spanish language that in turn is an
outgrowth of Latin, the old Roman tongue.

Chavacano is spoken by a majority of the people in the
city, in nearby Basilan Island and other parts of the
Zamboanga Peninsula.

“We are the only city in Asia that speaks the
Chavacano dialect, which is derived from the Spanish
language,” he said.

The city government formally launched last month the
branding of Zamboanga as “Asia’s Latin City” during
the opening of the 15th Mindanao Business Conference
in the city.

Zamboanga has been known as the “City of Flowers,” but
Lobregat said other cities in the country could be
more abundant with flowers nowadays.

The beautiful mountain resort city of Baguio in the
northern Philippines, for one, celebrates the
Panagbenga flower festival every February.

“Zamboanga City has been variably called the
‘Convention Capital of the Country’ or the ‘Sardines
Capital,’ because canning factories here provides
about 70 percent of all sardines sold and consumed in
the country today,” he said.

Yet, the city has what others may not have at all —
Chavacano, where more than 70 percent of its
vocabulary is Spanish in nature and origin.

The remaining percentage of Chavacano is picked from
local dialects, according to the official Philippine
News Agency. The growth of Chavacano in Zamboanga can
be traced to a concentration of Spanish nationals in
Zamboanga at the height of the Spanish colonization
efforts in Mindanao that lasted for centuries until
the late 19th century.

“The branding of Zamboanga as Asia’s Latin city is the
result of the City Development Strategies program
spearheaded by the League of Cities, the World Bank
and the involvement of the different local sectors,”
Lobregat said.

Local officials hope the new name would give the city
a positive shift since it carries an international
appeal and it is anchored on the rich Castilian
influence.

They hope it will provide the city with a competitive
global outlook instead of being compared with other
cities in Mindanao. Call centers, such as G-Com, has
started recruiting agents from Zamboanga because they
could easily be trained to speak Spanish. Spanish is
the world’s second most spoken language after English
and call centers need Spanish-speaking agents to serve
their clients in Central and South America and Europe.

Lobregat also unveiled on Thursday a theme logo for
next month’s celebration of the Fiesta Pilar. With the
theme, “Alegria! Alegria! Adelante Zamboanga,”
Lobregat said the weeklong feast, held every Oct. 12,
is expected to draw thousands of tourists because of
the city’s rich cultural past.

http://arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=87096&d=25&m=9&y=2006

Oye Animo!~ ya dura ya yo no hay visita con este site~
ei guys i need your help. i wanna make a zamboagueño/chabacano website and i need mp3s music songs for the downloads... and its kinda hard to find songs in zamboanguenño/chabcano...
i hope you might donate some chabacano songs to me... pls sent it here tatsumaki_1986@yahoo.co.jp ..... gracias~

Chao~

Viva'l Raza! latinos de Asia!

No creo tío. Lo siento. Its hard to fine one online. They have the Julia 'Titang' Enriquez Jaldon. :D

Solar power energizes Zambo community
By Katherine Adraneda
The Philippine Star 09/26/2006

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200609260404.htm


KALAWIT, Zamboanga del Norte — In this part of the country, the heavens used to dictate if there would be classes or not.

Children checked out the clouds for signs of rain before deciding whether to head for school or stay home. When dark clouds obscured the sun in the Marcelo agrarian reform community (ARC), classes were automatically suspended because schools did not have electricity.

This all changed when the Solar Power Technology Support (SPOTS) project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) was launched two years ago, bringing light not only to schools but also to the homes of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

Funded by the Spanish government, DAR is implementing the P1.7-billion SPOTS with the Department of Energy.

"It used to be really difficult for the students. Even if they wanted to go to school, they simply could not hold classes because the classrooms were dark because it was cloudy," recalled Mansueto Guanco, general manager of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries of Marcelo Multi-purpose Cooperative (ARBEMMCO).

A total of 830 students currently go to the community’s two elementary schools, one secondary school and two day-care centers.

The Marcelo Elementary School and Marcelo Day Care Center are powered by three solar panels and one solar panel, respectively.

These solar panels sufficiently energize the schools, ensuring that classes are not disrupted — rain or shine, Guanco said.

Although electrical power in Barangay Tugop, which is part of the ARC, is serviced by the Zamboanga del Sur Electric Cooperative (ZAMSURECO), Guanco said the line installation remains insufficient.

In Barangay Marcelo, on the other hand, priority sites are still to be energized by the Zamboanga Norte Electric Cooperative this year.

Around 280 households in this rural site are without power. They have to make do with kerosene lamps and candles, which have to be purchased at the Kalawit proper, or nine kilometers from the Marcelo ARC. The poblacion (town center) can only be reached by taking a single motorcycle for hire called habal-habal via dirt road. Fares range from P100 to P120 round trip.

"It was why the community availed itself of the SPOTS project," Guanco pointed out. Households in the Marcelo ARC said they have since then been able to do more activities for livelihood and for their homes.

And in schools, the learning environment has improved. "Students have more time to do their homework and eye problems due to reading with minimum lighting can now be avoided," Guanco said.

There are at least 200 solar panels currently installed in the Marcelo ARC. Solar panels, which are usually installed in front of each house, can energize fluorescent light and electric fans among other home appliances of low energy demand.

The ARBEMMCO office makes use of energy produced by its 10-megawatt 60 solar panels day and night, Guanco said.

The "slightly rolling and hilly" Marcelo ARC is located in the interior part of Kalawit, or 187 kilometers southwest of Dipolog City, the commercial center of Zamboanga del Norte.

It envelops a total land area of 1,167.7662 hectares, with 1,023.7672 hectares titled and fully planted with rubber under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program of the government.

The average household income of the residents and the 333 farmer-beneficiaries in the Marcelo ARC is estimated at P55,258.48 per year, which was more or less 50 percent below the poverty level of the province, according to DAR data.

From year 2000, rubber production by the Marcelo ARC has been decreasing due to the ongoing rubber re-planting as most of the rubber trees were already senile.

Farmer-beneficiaries are currently conducting their rubber re-planting under the Credit Assistance Program-Program Beneficiaries Development to boost rubber production in the coming years.

In the whole of Zamboanga del Norte, a total of 931 solar home lighting system, 14 barangay halls, 11 barangay health centers, 16 schools, and 23 communal lights were covered by solar electrification under SPOTS.

The SPOTS project targets to provide solar electricity to about 40 ARCs in Mindanao that is expected to improve farm productivity, household income and the general lives of some 400,000 people.

SPOTS comprises three components: solar electrification, agriculture/rural enterprise development, and institutional development.

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ITS PARTY TIME IN ZAMBO CITY THIS OCTOBER..

"ALEGRIA, ALEGRIA, ADELANTE ZAMBOANGA" THE ZAMBOANGA HERMOSA FESTIVAL


:dance:

SORSOGON CITY (25 September) -- A resolution transmittal from the City Council of Zamboanga signed by Zamboanga City Mayor Celso L. Lobregat was received by the Office of the City Mayor of Sorsogon, September 21, acknowledging a sisterhood relationship with this city.

The Resolution numbered 697 dated August 24, 2006 of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Zamboanga declares its intention to forge a sisterhood affiliation with this city to enhance their existing mutual relationship being a prototype local government unit classified as a "highly urbanized city" that serves as a model for their city to emulate in terms of local governance and urban development.

According to Hon. Sally A. Lee, City Mayor of Sorsogon, the said sisterhood program will also be an enormous help in developing this city as a 'fast growing city' in the Bicol region in accordance to her governing term's agenda, the making of the city of Sorsogon a Dream City and a progressive gateway to the South by 2015.

Mayor Lee also expressed her appreciation to Zamboanga City Council and said that she is grateful knowing that the efforts made by Sorsogon City are now being recognized not only here but even in other places outside the region.

It can be noted that two months ago, the Sorsogon City Mayor attended a seminar in Zamboanga City. And there, she expressed her intention to promote a sisterhood agreement with the city of Zamboanga which in turn was acknowledged by its City Council. (PIA Sorsogon)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/Default.asp?m=10&sec=news&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p060925.htm&no=03

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Five Filipino crewmen were rescued from their sinking ferry Tuesday, as heavy rains and huge waves battered sea crafts off the southern port of Zamboanga City, the Coast Guard said.

"Navy and Coast Guard teams rescued the five crew members of M/L Harcima-1," said Claro Pontecha, leader of a Coast Guard rescue team.

He said the boat was on its way to the coastal village of Recodo when it hit a reef, several nautical miles off Sta. Cruz Island. The daring rescue took hours because huge waves and strong winds were making it difficult for the Coast Guard and Navy boats to go near the sinking ferry.

"We have to use two vessels and divers to rescue the crew and inspect the condition around the ill-fated boat; whether we can pull it out from the water or not," he said.

The boat was not carrying any passenger, except for its crew, Pontecha said. The Coast Guard took the rescued crew to its base in Zamboanga.

Heavy rains and huge waves forced many fishermen to anchor their vessels. "We cannot go out at sea in this condition.
Look at the waves and look around you, it is not safe to go out at sea because of the bad weather," said Omar Sakalahul, a fisherman.

Many streets in downtown Zamboanga were flooded and a large portion of the city was without electricity since morning because tree trunks, felled by strong winds, tripped power pylons in some areas.

Private and public schools also sent their students home early by midday. Boat passengers bound for Jolo and Tawi-Tawi islands in the southern Philippines were also stranded in Zamboanga after inter-island ferries refused to sail due to bad weather.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2006/09/27/5.rescued.from.sinking.ferry.in.zambo.html

No creo tío. Lo siento. Its hard to fine one online. They have the Julia 'Titang' Enriquez Jaldon. :D

yes we have titang & major chords. but all i can find are ram files, not mp3s..
im also looking for songs that are rap,reggaeton chabacano... something new like GHOST 13 = chabacano rappers, Armarie chabacano version songs.. something like that. all music... as for now im gathering chabacano mp3s.. hope i can finish it... but i dont think i can make the downloads enabled.

yes we have titang & major chords. but all i can find are ram files, not mp3s..
im also looking for songs that are rap,reggaeton chabacano... something new like GHOST 13 = chabacano rappers, Armarie chabacano version songs.. something like that. all music... as for now im gathering chabacano mp3s.. hope i can finish it... but i dont think i can make the downloads enabled.


I have Ghost 13's album but ill try to find it muna kasi na misplace ko....

I have Ghost 13's album but ill try to find it muna kasi na misplace ko....

Vale~ era puede tu encontra con ese.. ^_^

----
Viva'l raza!
Chao~ ^_^V

Vale~ era puede tu encontra con ese.. ^_^

----
Viva'l raza!
Chao~ ^_^V


^^ Taki lang kel na mio collection de mga cd's, ill look for it then ill just inform u

Zamboanga Retailers Urged To Put Up Halal Section


The Depatment of Trade and Industry in Western Mindanao has urged retail establishments in Zamboanga City to set up a Halal section in their stores, saying that if it proved successful, the measure could be implemented nationwide.

By setting up a Halal section, the stores will also give retailers an idea on how to upgrade their marketing practices not only to stay afloat, but also to be sensitive to their consumers’ needs, particularly the growing number of Muslim buyers, said Sitti Amina Jain, assistant regional director of the Trade and Industry department.

"What we advocate is that retailers should be sensitive to the needs of the Muslim shoppers," she said.
Halal is an Arabic term, which means lawful or permissible. "It compasses everything from money to marriage. It fundamentally defines the Muslim way of life," she said.

"Muslims only patronize products and services that are permitted in Islam and this offers a huge opportunity not only for manufacturers, but also to the retailers who are at the end point where the consumer and the sellers meet," she added.

Ms. Jain said her office had introduced the proposal to retailers in the city, consisting of supermarkets, malls, and department stores. "We are targeting an initial of at least 10 major retail stores in the city. We hope that these establishments can finish setting up the Halal sections before the Consumer Month in October, with the main theme as Halal," she said.

"Since the city lies at the center of Muslim-dominated islands and provinces, setting up a Halal section in retail stores is a market strategy to capture not only Muslim customers but also to keep up with the demands of other customers," she said.

"At least 29% of the 700,000 population of Zamboanga City alone are Muslim, and it is still growing with a projection of roughly 3% increase per year. Aside from that, retailers have to consider that Zamboanga City is the trading, commercial, and shopping center for Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, which are dominated by Muslim residents," she said.

The trade of Halal foods is lucrative since Halal products are fit for Muslims and non-Muslims alike, particularly health-conscious consumers. In setting up a Halal section, retailers should also follow certain rules.

"For Halal meats, there should be separate facilities to cut the meat, such as the knives, chopping board, weighing scale and freezer, and this will be manned by Muslim salespersons. On the other hand, for processed foods, cosmetics and others, retailers will have to construct a cabinet that will separate non-Halal from Halal goods," she said.

Ms. Jain said the setting up of a Halal section in groceries will help the government protect the interest and promote the welfare of Muslim consumers. "This will help the consumer locate where the non-Halal and Halal goods are. Aside from that, the stores will also earn the recognition and gratitude of the Muslim community," she said.

To help retailers stock up Halal goods in their stores, the Islamic Dawa Council of the Philippines has already listed the names and directory of the more than 50 manufactures with Halal certification which produce an average of 400 Halal products.

"This will also help the local retailers spread their business through networking," she said, adding Trade has already sent a proposal to the national government to implement the program not only in Zamboanga City but also nationwide, particularly in Mindanao.

Those are the words which greet passengers as they arrive at the Zamboanga International Airport. A visit to Zamboanga City is like visiting our nation's past where our Spanish colonizers seem to have left the strongest imprint of their 300-year rule. Chabacano, the creole language spoken in the area, is said to contain 60 percent Spanish and 40 percent nativo words.

Anyway, I hardly remembered the Cebu Pacific flight I took from Manila at 4:55 a.m. since I was fast asleep, tired from the work this week. I was so sleepy in fact that I wanted to go straight to bed. But I decided to take photos first of the City Hall of Zamboanga for the 2007 HCS calendar while there were no vehicles parked in front.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7662/1454/1600/DSC02833.2.jpg

So from the airport, I took a jeep to Canellar Street which was a few meters away from city hall. Most of the old historic core of Zamboanga City was relatively intact. It's one of the few cities I've visited which had maintained its character. Beside the city hall were several colonial structures and newer structures which followed the colonial theme. Yes, the Jolibee store in front of Rizal Park was a new building which chose to adapt its facade to the buildings beside it. I would have been all praises for it if not for the exageration of tarpaulin streamers on its windows and facade.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7662/1454/1600/DSC02839.jpg

A few meters away was another open space called Plaza Pershing (that's what Metro cities lack, green open spaces). I was surprised to see the original lamposts intact but in a bad state of deterioration. Sad to say the buildings around it do not complemement such a charming plaza.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7662/1454/1600/DSC02854.jpg

From city hall, I took a walk towards Fort Pilar, a national cultural treasure. Along the way were more old structures along a royal palm tree-lined street. And you could see the great adaptive re-use such as the Bank of the Philippine Islands branch office in a restored old house. I commend BPI because even the signage is subtle and does not distract the viewer from the intricate woodwork of the house's facade. If only the city government pushes this a little further.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7662/1454/1600/DSC02851.jpg

After some photos at the fort, I decided to walk back and try to look for a place to stay. I was quite tired and sleepy so I did my usual backpackers routine which was walk until I find an affordable place to stay in. I found a pension house very close to Plaza Pershing and got an air-conditioned room for PHP440 a night.

It was quite unlike me but I didn't do much today, went to bed for the most part. In the afternoon, I went back to Fort Pilar since it was still closed earlier. I also dropped by the DOT regional office beside Lantaka Hotel to ask some questions and book myself a trip to Santa Cruz Island which I will describe in detail in the next entries.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7662/1454/1600/DSC02853.jpg

Then is was time for a snack. Lo and behold, my favorite Indian food was sold in Zamboanga in a restaurant called Tini's Malaysian-Bruneian Restaurant just a few meters from city hall. So I ordered a murtabak ayam (chicken murtabak) and iced Milo.

After another nap, it was time for dinner and to sample a Zamboanga dish called satti which according to my brod Mikki Abubakar, is sold along Pilar Street. I was surprised though when I woke up that it was raining really hard. So it was flooded when I got to Pilar Street. None of the satti outlets were open but I found a canteen which served it but it wasn't as good as the freshly grilled ones. Satti may have gotten its name from a similar Malay dish called satay. But satti is smaller is serving size, three tiny pieces of roasted beef on a barbeque stick. It is served to you in a bowl of sweet and spicy sauce with rice chunks also swimming in a pool of the same sauce. Anyway, I'll show you photos of it in a later entry.

http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com/2006/08/hola-zamboanga.html

^^been to Zamboanga City myself, my aunt used to be the official distributor of Tupperware there, it was a big business then, but alot of "bad" things happend overthere that made her leave the place, it seems now its more better there,and biz is booming,I love the place though, Pasonanca Park, downtown,the port area, still in my memory, Hope to go back there again!

^^been to Zamboanga City myself, my aunt used to be the official distributor of Tupperware there, it was a big business then, but alot of "bad" things happend overthere that made her leave the place, it seems now its more better there,and biz is booming,I love the place though, Pasonanca Park, downtown,the port area, still in my memory, Hope to go back there again!

Yeah its much more better now than the early 90's in which stagnant tlaga ang economy ng zambo, I went home last summer and i saw for my self the changes, constructions here and there. :) :)

Zamboanguenos in overseas to attend “Vamos A Zamboanga”

Some one thousand Zamboanguenos residing abroad have confirmed participation in the “Vamos A Zamboanga”, a balikbayan program during the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival next week. Department of Tourism Regional Director Ricardo San Juan said majority of those who will make a journey back home are residing in North America and Canada. The balikbayans will get to witness the different activities prepared by the city government and non-government organizations for the festivities that will kick off October 1st until the end of the month. “All these are successful Zamboanguenos abroad and they see to it that they come home once a year as a pilgrimage to the Nuestra Senora de la Virgen del Pilar”, San Juan said. The Zamboanga Hermosa Festival, the grandest celebration in the city every year is in line with the feast day of the La Virgen del Pilar on October 12. The celebration this year is themed “Alegria, Alegria, Adelante Zamboanga!”. Among the city-sponsored activities are the Cosechas de Zamboanga, an agri-trade fair at the Plaza Pershing; the Regatta- a sailboat race at the R.T. Lim Boulevard; Mascota, a competition of Zamboanga vestidas; the 26th Chavacano Song Festival; the Float parade; street dancing and a lot more. The city government has also clustered the different barangays in the city to participate in the “Wow! Zamboanga”, a new innovation that will adopt a similar concept with that of the Wow! Philippines program of the DOT. The concept will see the different barangay clusters setting up their own booths showcasing their best of the best products and presenting nightly cultural shows. The DOT regional office in coordination with the city government is preparing a dinner-program in honor of the Balikbayans dubbed as “Balikbayan night” first week of October to recognize the contributions of these returning Zamboanguenos. “This year we hope to have more Zamboangueno balikbayans visiting the city to witness the different activities that the city has prepared for the Zamboanga Hermosa”, Dir. San Juan said. The Vamos a Zamboanga program has been conceptualized by San Juan several years back and is an annual undertaking to promote Zamboanga City as a premiere tourist destination.

http://www.philippineidol.com/images/contestants/flyers/f_arms.jpg

GUYS DONT FORGET TO VOTE FOR OUR VERY OWN ARMS CRUZ OK!!! DAPAT FULL SUPPORT TAYO.... "D ATUN STE", FINALS YA THIS WEEK...

RE-POSTING LANG:) :)

Zamboanga Hermosa Festival 2006

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m303/windmanmd/FIESTAPILARLOGO2006.jpg

Here comes the most touted, considered as the grandest festivity staged every year in Zamboanga City - the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival!

Starting September 30 until the end of month of October, a series of activities have been prepared by the city government and the private sector, an ambitious project designed to draw local as well as foreign tourists to the city.

The organizers have adopted the theme: “Alegria, Alegria, Adelante Zamboanga” (Merry, Merry, Forward Zamboanga!) to highlight what awaits those who would join the revelry.

Expected to draw visitors to the city are scheduled concert of Sharon Cuneta on the 7th of October, the unique presentation of "Wow Zamboanga!", the Band and Dance competitions, the Regatta de Zamboanga, the religious activities on October 12, the free concert of Rey Valera, the trade fair and many more.

It officially reeled off September 30 with the opening of the 14th Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship (regional leg tournament) at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University gymnasium.

The month-long celebration consists of over 40 activities which will last until the end of October. The annual revelry is being held in honor of the feast day of the Nuestra Senora de la Virgen del Pilar, the city’s patron saint, on October 12.

Senate President Manuel Villar will be the city’s guest of honor and speaker during the commemorative program on October 11 at the open stage fronting City Hall. The program will be preceded by a street dance where elementary and high school students will parade the streets with their different costumes and dances at 9 a.m.

At 1 p.m. the same day, a floral float competition and street dance showdown would be held fronting the open stage.

This year’s festival will be highlighted by the unique presentation of Wow Zamboanga!, wherein some of the city’s 98 villages will present nightly cultural shows at the National Museum Courtyard from October 3-10, spearheaded by the Department of Tourism (DOT-Zamboanga City).

On October 1st, traveling merchants will open their stalls for the public at the CDCP complex, which has been converted into an open bazaar complex. Some 200 merchants from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will participate in the festivities.

Micaela Marquez, a Zamboanguena, will feature her art works in an art exhibit dubbed as “Las Mujeres de Zamboanga” at the lobby of the Lantaka Hotel.

The “Cosechas de Zamboanga”, a trade fair exhibit will also run from Oct. 3-15 at the Plaza Pershing.

The 2006 Dance Sport competition will be held on October 4 at the City Coliseum while a motorcade for Sharon Cuneta will be held on October 5 from the Zamboanga International Airport to the Palmeras Restaurant in Sta. Maria where she is to hold a press conference.

On October 6, the activity will include the 26th Chavacano Song Festival at the Garden Orchid Hotel roof deck (6 p.m.); a torch parade sponsored by the Universidad de Zamboanga, which will also be celebrating its Foundation Day; the Search for Mannequin of the Year, 7 p.m. at the Astoria Regency; and the free concert featuring Rey Valera, Saling Ket and Yra Johnson dubbed as “Ayer, Ahora y Manana Tuloy ang Love Songs, at 7 p.m. at the Coliseum in Tetuan village.

The public will have the chance to see the "Carrera de Zamboanga" from the Sta. Cruz Island to R.T. Lim Boulevard, Luyahan-Pasonanca-Muruk and then to City Hall on October 7.

The same day will also be the start of the two-day 1st Zamboanga Hermosa Mindanao Age Group Swimming Competition at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex; the start of the two-day (Oct. 7-8) golf tournament dubbed as Mayor Celso Lobregat Cup Golf Tournament at the Golf and Country Club and the start of the BC Cup 2006, an inter-government badminton tournament sponsored by Vice Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco at the LB Badminton Center (Oct. 7-8) and Sharon Cuneta's Mega Concert (Oct. 7) at the Summit Center in Tetuan.

October 8 will be the Regatta de Zamboanga, the sail boat race at the R.T. Lim Boulevard at 7 a.m.; the Milo Marathon at the Joaquin Enriquez Sports Complex; 37th Celebrating Dance, a dance competition at the WMSU gym and the Balikbayan Night, a dinner program for the Vamos A Zamboanga participants sponsored by the Department of Tourism at the Hacienda de Palmeras, 6 p.m.

October 9 activities will include the band competition at the Southern City Colleges and the Modern Dance Competition dubbed as “You Got Serve” at the Ground Zero disco.

The 3rd quarter regional scout committee meeting will reel off on October 10 at the Astoria Regency in the day time and at 7 p.m. simultaneously will be the Miss Zamboanga Beauty Pageant at the Astoria Regency and the ABS-CBN Mighty King of the Road Amateur Singing Competition at the City Hall Open stage

On the eve of the Fiesta Pilar - Oct. 11 - will be the street dance at 9 a.m. and the street dance showdown and floral float at 1 p.m. and culminated by program with Sen. Villar as guest.

October 12, the Feast Day of the Nuestra Senora, declared a non-working holiday in Zamboanga, will be devoted to religious activities. At 5 a.m. will be Diana (street brass band play) and the saying of the Holy Rosary and the grand procession in the afternoon from the Metropolitan Cathedral to the Fort Pilar shrine where the mass will be held.

The post fiesta activities include the October Fest at the Park 88 diner (Oct. 12-14); Oct 14 - Six Cycle Mind's concert at the city coliseum and the Concert at the Open Stage City Hall featuring the Viva Hot Babes; October 14-15-culmination of the BC Badminton Cup; October 20-21-Clean Green Coco Zamboanga at the Yubengco Star Mall in Putik village.

Zamboanguenos in overseas to attend “Vamos A Zamboanga”

Some one thousand Zamboanguenos residing abroad have confirmed participation in the “Vamos A Zamboanga”, a balikbayan program during the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival next week. Department of Tourism Regional Director Ricardo San Juan said majority of those who will make a journey back home are residing in North America and Canada. The balikbayans will get to witness the different activities prepared by the city government and non-government organizations for the festivities that will kick off October 1st until the end of the month. “All these are successful Zamboanguenos abroad and they see to it that they come home once a year as a pilgrimage to the Nuestra Senora de la Virgen del Pilar”, San Juan said. The Zamboanga Hermosa Festival, the grandest celebration in the city every year is in line with the feast day of the La Virgen del Pilar on October 12. The celebration this year is themed “Alegria, Alegria, Adelante Zamboanga!”. Among the city-sponsored activities are the Cosechas de Zamboanga, an agri-trade fair at the Plaza Pershing; the Regatta- a sailboat race at the R.T. Lim Boulevard; Mascota, a competition of Zamboanga vestidas; the 26th Chavacano Song Festival; the Float parade; street dancing and a lot more. The city government has also clustered the different barangays in the city to participate in the “Wow! Zamboanga”, a new innovation that will adopt a similar concept with that of the Wow! Philippines program of the DOT. The concept will see the different barangay clusters setting up their own booths showcasing their best of the best products and presenting nightly cultural shows. The DOT regional office in coordination with the city government is preparing a dinner-program in honor of the Balikbayans dubbed as “Balikbayan night” first week of October to recognize the contributions of these returning Zamboanguenos. “This year we hope to have more Zamboangueno balikbayans visiting the city to witness the different activities that the city has prepared for the Zamboanga Hermosa”, Dir. San Juan said. The Vamos a Zamboanga program has been conceptualized by San Juan several years back and is an annual undertaking to promote Zamboanga City as a premiere tourist destination.

The 2005 Hola Zamboanga Hermosa (by Jen Chuaunsu)

when October rolls around, anticipation jostles the quiet streets of Zamboanga. All roads lead to the “City of Flowers” as Zamboangueños celebrate the annual Zamboanga Hermosa Festival—a month-long fiesta that climaxes with a procession honoring La Virgen del Pilar, the town’s first patron saint. With a colorful array of street dancing, floral float parades, trade fairs, vinta regattas, sports events, and beauty pageants—the home of the vibrantly hued vinta surely lives up to its most famous symbol.

Of Myth and History

October 12 was the day Christopher Columbus discovered the New World in 1492. But for Zamboangueños, the date marks two occasions: the birth of Zamboanga as a chartered city in 1936, and the Feast of Our Lady of the Pilar.

http://www.vivazamboanga.com/update/images/1.jpg


The lady has served as a unifying cultural and historical symbol for the people of Zamboanga. When Spanish soldiers brought an image of the Lady of the Pilar from Zaragosa as their patron in 1719, it signaled the recapture of the Spanish stronghold from Moro pirates. The fort was renamed “Real Fuerza de Nuestra Senora del Pilar de Zaragosa” in her honor and the image was embossed on the eastern side of the fort as a front piece. Legendary miracles have been attributed to her over the centuries. It is said that the lady once prevented a tidal wave from wiping out the city by simply stretching out her hand. Even now devotees regularly visit her shrine, laying their hands on the weather-beaten ramparts of Fort Pilar, a symbol as enduring as their faith.

Onboard the Regatta

http://www.vivazamboanga.com/update/images/2.jpg

We ventured to Cawa-Cawa Boulevard to witness Regatta de Zamboanga 2005. This year, 109 dazzling vintas raced around Sta. Cruz Island and back. The vintas looked like a throng of beach towels arranged on a clothesline dancing in the wind. The boatmen were extremely efficient as fishing is the main industry in Zamboanga. Despite the simmering heat, hordes of people lined the beach in support of the event. Vendors sold latik cakes, popcorn, and balloons while children readily dove into the sand. The winning team, aboard vinta no. 34, received P10,000 from Mayor Celso Lobregat.

Floral Float Parade

A few days before the event, massive flower arrangements were already being transported on motorbikes. Zamboanga is not called the “City of Flowers” for nothing. It seemed that the whole town came to the junction of Gov. Alvarez Avenue and Mayor Jaldon Street to watch the spectacle. The floats celebrated the uniqueness of Zamboanga’s culture with the use of indigenous materials (corals, banana leaves, plants, etc.) and iconic symbols like a vinta formed by a colorful variety of fresh flowers. Industry giants like Cebu Pacific, Coca-Cola Bottler’s Phils., and San Miguel Corporation showed their support by joining the parade as well. Out of the more than 10 entries this year, Columbus Seafoods Corp., with their extravagant flowery vinta sail sitting atop a sardine fish, bagged first place.

Street Dance Competition

http://www.vivazamboanga.com/update/images/3.jpg

Students from the different schools of Zamboanga burst unto the scene with fiery energy matched by lavish sets and lively costumes. Clad in barongs, butterfly-sleeved ternos, and Spanish dresses in loud shades of red, turquoise and gold, they paid homage to La Virgen del Pilar, re-enacting how the Spanish soldiers traveled by sea and presented her shrine to the grateful natives. The influence of foreign cultures like Spanish and Portuguese were celebrated with Latin-inspired beats, dances and instruments. Unibersidad de Zamboanga’s dynamic energy won over 12 equally exciting performances. The young people truly brought the spirit of carnival with them, giving new meaning to the term “dancing in the streets.”

Electric Light Parade

http://www.vivazamboanga.com/update/images/4.jpg

The Electric Light Parade’s deafening percussions, twinkling lights, and sassy performers drew people out of their houses and onto the streets. There was no shortage of themes—a Chinese-inspired float followed by a trail of dragon dancers, a row of dancers dressed in silver and blue kicking their legs up and forming a chorus line, tribal men walking on stilts, exotic masked dancers, a Moulin Rouge-inspired float with “cabaret” dancers blowing kisses to the crowd. The parade may have lasted only 15 minutes but its magical effect lingered throughout the night’s festivities.

This year’s Fiesta Pilar was made even more special with the arrival of balikbayans. Zamboangueños from as far as London, New Jersey, North and South California, Los Angeles, New York, Australia, and Canada were invited by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the City Government to come home and celebrate.

Zamboanga City also welcomed members of DOT Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula). Cultural shows, exhibits, and agricultural fairs were held nightly at Fort Pilar and showcased the best of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Dipolog, Dapitan, Sibugay, Isabela, and Pagadian City. “This is an opportunity to unite the different provinces and cities of the Zamboanga Peninsula to make it a premiere tourist destination and a haven for investors,” said Mayor Lobregat.

Despite Zamboanga’s shimmering beauty and the warmth of its people, the city still gets dubbed as a dangerous place. The media paints a stark, black and white image of Mindanao, but the Zamboanga we saw was quite different. Even at night, people safely walk the streets. Children jump into the clear blue-green waters and swim naked, without worry that the waters are contaminated. The people of Zamboanga love Zamboanga. It is seen in their merrymaking, in their pride over Zamboanga’s history, and in the meticulous care and effort they had put into making Fiesta Pilar a success. Far from black and white, Zamboanga is splashed with color.

^^ Taki lang kel na mio collection de mga cd's, ill look for it then ill just inform u

wow! chene ya masqui rap y reggaeton na chabacano? paquemodo man ya sucede aquel? :D bien bonito oui siguro.. puede ba io oui cun este sample del ghost 13 si yan upload ya 'ste na web? favor dale lan comigo el url na PM o puede ya tamen scribi aqui. gracias mujer de viento. :)

bueno hermosa gat este ciudad de flores y quere io mira cun mas fotos pati le cun mas noticias del maga ta sucede na zamboanga. gracias cunustedes :okay:

Zamboanga Peninsula shaping up as a tourist draw

Zamboanga City -- Zamboanga Peninsula may have been bombarded with security-related criticisms since 30 years ago, but the trend is being reversed as the region%u2019s tourism industry posted substantial improvement in the last three years.

[img]http://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender100606/photos/cityhall.jpg[img]
The spanish-inspired Zamboanga City Hall

"The tourism industry in the region is finally picking up," said tourism regional director Ricardo San Juan, noting "the effort of the government and the private sector in fighting the wrong perception towards the region has been thriving."

Mr. San Juan said Zamboanga Peninsula%u2019s tourism industry has gained in two major ways: the increase in the number of tourist arrivals and the emerging growth of tourism destination sites in the region.

"In a span of three years, the tourism industry in Zamboanga Peninsula has grown from a fledgling sector to one of our major industries. Tourist destination sites have sprouted like mushrooms within the region in recent years," Mr. San Juan said.

He said visitor arrival volume has been growing steadily at an average of about 20% annually since 2003.

Data from the Tourism department%u2019s regional office shows that Zamboanga Peninsula%u2019s visitor arrivals posted a significant increase of 8%, which translates to 439,160 for both domestic and foreign tourists in 2005. The big leap came in 2004 when the region hosted 402,709 tourists, 84% higher compared with the previous year.

Mr. San Juan said tourist arrival is expected to exceed 500,000 this year.

The report also revealed that domestic tourists comprise more than 80% of tourist arrivals. "Inbound tourism has experienced rapid growth during this period. Domestic tourism -- Filipinos traveling within the Philippines -- has generated the bulk of the revenue and jobs," Mr. San Juan told BusinessWorld. To meet traveler needs, he said tourism businesses employ nearly 80,000 direct workers. "Those jobs provide vital incomes for individuals and families, and are the economic lifeblood of the entire communities."

The industry itself has been consistently contributing roughly 20% of the total economy of the region.

Trade and Industry planner Grace C. Aduco said major investment goes to building hotels, food and restaurants, spa centers, and upgrading beach resorts. She said Zamboanga Peninsula generated almost P4 billion in investments, roughly 60% invested in tourism-related businesses. Currently, the region has a dozen international-standard hotels and inns that can accommodate a little over 3,000 tourists. Hotels and inns room rates go as low as P300 to P2,000 per night.

Mr. San Juan said given the fact that most of the available rooms are in key gateways like Zamboanga City, Dipolog City, Pagadian City, and Dapitan City, a substantial number of accommodations are built in or near these cities. He said visitors also have the option to stay with local houses.

"Our office was able to train some 300 households within the region, through our %u2019home-stay program%u2019," he said.

He said under the concept, visitors who cannot find room in resorts and hotels are encouraged to stay in the homes of residents for a fee. "With this, foreign visitors, especially, will have a chance to interact with the host families, such as story telling and others. This would also be our opportunity to show them our warm hospitality traits and the seafood we ourselves are very proud of," he added.

Out of the total tourist arrivals, many visited Zamboanga City with roughly 50%, followed by Zamboanga del Sur, specifically Pagadian City, with 20%. Zamboanga del Norte gets at least 19%, while the new province of Zamboanga Sibugay hosted at least 11%. Basilan had the lowest number of visitors, with less than 1%.

More:
http://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender100606/main.php?id=travel1

[img]http://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender100606/photos/zamboanga2.jpg[img]
Downtown Zamboangga

[img]http://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender100606/photos/zambo.jpg[img]
Seashells sold outside Zamboanga%u00B9s Lantaka Hotel

^^ Preguntar me. Que Alavars galing sa Zamboanga? Because there is Alavars in Cebu in it's soft opening. :D

yes, alvars started in zamboanga.

Zamboanga Peninsula shaping up as a tourist draw

Zamboanga City -- Zamboanga Peninsula may have been bombarded with security-related criticisms since 30 years ago, but the trend is being reversed as the region%u2019s tourism industry posted substantial improvement in the last three years.

[img]http://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender100606/photos/cityhall.jpg[img]
The spanish-inspired Zamboanga City Hall

"The tourism industry in the region is finally picking up," said tourism regional director Ricardo San Juan, noting "the effort of the government and the private sector in fighting the wrong perception towards the region has been thriving."

Mr. San Juan said Zamboanga Peninsula%u2019s tourism industry has gained in two major ways: the increase in the number of tourist arrivals and the emerging growth of tourism destination sites in the region.

"In a span of three years, the tourism industry in Zamboanga Peninsula has grown from a fledgling sector to one of our major industries. Tourist destination sites have sprouted like mushrooms within the region in recent years," Mr. San Juan said.

He said visitor arrival volume has been growing steadily at an average of about 20% annually since 2003.

Data from the Tourism department%u2019s regional office shows that Zamboanga Peninsula%u2019s visitor arrivals posted a significant increase of 8%, which translates to 439,160 for both domestic and foreign tourists in 2005. The big leap came in 2004 when the region hosted 402,709 tourists, 84% higher compared with the previous year.

Mr. San Juan said tourist arrival is expected to exceed 500,000 this year.

The report also revealed that domestic tourists comprise more than 80% of tourist arrivals. "Inbound tourism has experienced rapid growth during this period. Domestic tourism -- Filipinos traveling within the Philippines -- has generated the bulk of the revenue and jobs," Mr. San Juan told BusinessWorld. To meet traveler needs, he said tourism businesses employ nearly 80,000 direct workers. "Those jobs provide vital incomes for individuals and families, and are the economic lifeblood of the entire communities."

The industry itself has been consistently contributing roughly 20% of the total economy of the region.

Trade and Industry planner Grace C. Aduco said major investment goes to building hotels, food and restaurants, spa centers, and upgrading beach resorts. She said Zamboanga Peninsula generated almost P4 billion in investments, roughly 60% invested in tourism-related businesses. Currently, the region has a dozen international-standard hotels and inns that can accommodate a little over 3,000 tourists. Hotels and inns room rates go as low as P300 to P2,000 per night.

Mr. San Juan said given the fact that most of the available rooms are in key gateways like Zamboanga City, Dipolog City, Pagadian City, and Dapitan City, a substantial number of accommodations are built in or near these cities. He said visitors also have the option to stay with local houses.

"Our office was able to train some 300 households within the region, through our %u2019home-stay program%u2019," he said.

He said under the concept, visitors who cannot find room in resorts and hotels are encouraged to stay in the homes of residents for a fee. "With this, foreign visitors, especially, will have a chance to interact with the host families, such as story telling and others. This would also be our opportunity to show them our warm hospitality traits and the seafood we ourselves are very proud of," he added.

Out of the total tourist arrivals, many visited Zamboanga City with roughly 50%, followed by Zamboanga del Sur, specifically Pagadian City, with 20%. Zamboanga del Norte gets at least 19%, while the new province of Zamboanga Sibugay hosted at least 11%. Basilan had the lowest number of visitors, with less than 1%.

More:
http://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender100606/main.php?id=travel1

[img]http://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender100606/photos/zamboanga2.jpg[img]
Downtown Zamboangga

[img]http://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender100606/photos/zambo.jpg[img]
Seashells sold outside Zamboanga%u00B9s Lantaka Hotel

Wow that greats news for Zam Pen!!!! Go Go Go Zam Pen :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

^^ Preguntar me. Que Alavars galing sa Zamboanga? Because there is Alavars in Cebu in it's soft opening. :D


Yes, galing Zamboanga ang "ALAVARS" Berniemacksouthcentre, theres also one in Cebu which is also own by the Alavars ang "Gelo" near Waterfront Lahug.

wow! chene ya masqui rap y reggaeton na chabacano? paquemodo man ya sucede aquel? :D bien bonito oui siguro.. puede ba io oui cun este sample del ghost 13 si yan upload ya 'ste na web? favor dale lan comigo el url na PM o puede ya tamen scribi aqui. gracias mujer de viento. :)

bueno hermosa gat este ciudad de flores y quere io mira cun mas fotos pati le cun mas noticias del maga ta sucede na zamboanga. gracias cunustedes :okay:

Buenas dias juanMc, ya puede ya iyo man convert to mp3 file el Ghost 13, si kere to man post lang d tu yo email add imbia lang yo kuntigo via dropload para mas pronto. Via Con Dios!

Mindanao cities cited as models of efficiency
By Marianne V. Go
The Philippine Star 10/08/2006
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/news200610080701.htm

While doing business in Metro Manila may not be the most efficient, based on the recent findings of a World Bank survey on the ease of doing business in the country, such finding is not necessarily reflective of other cities in the rest of the country, the Asia Foundation said.

In fact, several cities in Mindanao can teach their Metro Manila counterparts lessons on doing business and making it easy for those who want to secure the necessary permits to engage in business, the group added.

It cited, Zamboanga City, which was able to increase by almost 300 percent its business tax collection from only P9.995 million last year to P29.448 million by speeding up the renewal process.

Zamboanga basically minimized the number of times applicants had to deal with city bureaucrats and lessened the requirements for securing a business permit, thus allowing even squatter applicants to register their small businesses. By doing so, Zamboanga was able to widen its tax base. Similarly, Koronadal City was able to increase its business tax collection by 44.45 percent from P5.249 million last year to P7.572 million this year after it reduced the business permit processing period from seven days to just one day.

Thus, from only 954 business permits issued in January 2005, Koronadal City was able to increase that number to 1,505 in January this year.

The cities of Oroquieta and Malaybalay are following suit, showing substantial increases in their business tax collection.

Malaybalay in just 19 days was able to double its business tax collection for the period Jan. 2 to 20, 2005 from P3.272 million to P7.169 million for the comparable period of Jan. 2 to 20 this year.

Oroquieta City increased by P45,011 its collection from only P2.454 million in January 2005 to P2.499 million in January this year.

The outstanding performance of these key cities in Mindanao has been recorded and put to good use to encourage other cities in the country to follow their lead.

The Asia Foundation, through a $6-million, 10 year grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has produced and released a video documentary entitled "Reinventing Business Permitting Means Better Business Climate" that highlights the achievement of Zamboanga, Tacurong, Ozamiz, Koronadal, Malaybalay and Oroquieta in revamping their business permits systems, thereby reducing opportunities for graft and corruption and, in turn, improving their revenues and making it easier to attract more businesses to their cities.

According to Dr. Stephen Rood, country representative of the Asia Foundation, the video documentary project is part of the Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) project of the foundation in partnership with the League of Cities of the Philippines and with the support of the USAID.

very impressive city of Zambo!

MORE than a thousand spectators flocked Sunday to a beach in Zamboanga City to watch the annual sailboat race called Regatta de Zamboanga.

The race was part of the weeklong celebration of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival where tens of thousands of Catholics come here join the mardi gras to honor the Virgin Mary, believed by many to be miraculous.

Dozens of wooden boats, fitted with colorful sails called vintas, raced at sea off between the city mainland and Santa Cruz Island, as crowds cheered wildly. Local festival songs and music played during the entire race. The winners were given awards and cash prizes.

"This is good and we are having fun, watching all these racers trying to out do each other. The mood is festive and there are so many visitors," one visitor, Samuel Cruz, said.

Mayor Celso Lobregat graced the activity with city guests, led by Senator Kiko Pangilinan, at the beach in R.T. Lim Boulevard. Lobregat was busy promoting Zamboanga as Asia's Latin City.

Pangilinan also came for her wife, Sharon Cuneta, who has been staying in the city since October 5 for her concert Saturday.

The basis for branding Zamboanga as a Latin city is the existence of Chavacano, a derivative of the Spanish language that in turn is an outgrowth of Latin, the old Roman tongue.

Chavacano is spoken by a majority of the people here, in Basilan and other parts of the Zamboanga Peninsula. More than 70 percent of Chavacano’s vocabulary is pure Spanish in nature and origin. The remaining percentage of Chavacano is a mixture picked from local dialects.

The growth of Chavacano in Zamboanga can be traced to a concentration of Spanish nationals in Zamboanga at the height of the Spaniards colonization efforts in Mindanao that lasted for centuries until the late 1800.

Lobregat said the branding of Zamboanga as Asia's Latin City spearheaded by the League of Cities, the World Bank and the involvement of the different local sectors.

Local officials said this would give the city a positive shift since it carries an international appeal and anchored on the rich Castilian influence and history of Zamboanga City.

The branding of Zamboanga will provide the city with a competitive global outlook instead of just comparing it with other cities in Mindanao, accodring to the mayor.

Zamboanga City had been under Spanish rule in the past and was also used as a base for American soldiers. The city is also popularly known as "Zamboanga Hermosa."

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/10/09/news/spectators.flock.to.zamboanga.for.annual.sailboat.race.html

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Mahinay is the regional word for "slow" here. But a first-time participant from Universidad de Zamboanga proved otherwise.

Abelardo Mahinay topped the elimination race of the 30th National Milo Marathon on Sunday in 1 hour, 8 minutes and 12 seconds to capture his first leg championship and qualify for the national finals slated on December 10 in Metro Manila.

Mahinay, who recovered from a bout with flu and tonsillitis only last Thursday, pulled away from the rest of the pack at the 12-kilometer mark of the 21-km footrace held in partnership with Bayview Park Hotel-Manila, adidas, Cebu Pacific, Department of Tourism and Powerbar.

"I started training for the Milo Marathon two months ago, but I got sick last week," said the 19-year-old criminology student. "I only got back to jogging on October 5."

Placing second and third were 34-year-old Rolando Costa (1:08:58) and 25-year-old Jefrey Quipao (1:09:36).

Topping the distaff was another student from Universidad de Zamboanga.

Commerce student Mary Grace de los Santos led from start to finish and completed the 21K course in 1:29:45. She also competed in the Milo Marathon for the very first time.

Placing second 2:09 behind was her cousin Mary Joy de los Santos, who is a criminology student also at Universidad de Zamboanga.

They have yet to compete in the 42K full marathon, but vowed to train well in time for the Metro Manila finale in December.

While the de los Santos cousins ruled the women’s 21K run, the Tahil siblings dominated the shorter distance races.

Radjeev Tahil topped the men’s 5K race, brothers Frasser and Jurist scored a 1-2 finish in the 6-to-9 years old boys 3K race, Hannika ruled the girls’ 10-12 3K run, and Nisha placed eighth in the women’s 5K event.

Ten-year-old Gainzly would have won the boys 10-12 event but was disqualified at the finish line owing to a technicality. He lost his turn-around ribbon on his way back to Joaquin Enriquez Sports Complex and was declared a nonfinisher.

The other winners were Krisha Sardenia in the 3K girls 6-9 age group, Jerico Bayhon in the 3K boys 10-12 and Rogelyn Villarta in the 5K female race.

Mayor Celso Lobregat fired the gun that flagged off more than 3,500 runners.

Next week, the country’s biggest and longest-running foot race goes to Dagupan City, where 5,000 runners are expected to participate.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=52581

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/04 October) – Zamboanga City increased its business permit collections by 300%; more firms are now securing business permits in Malaybalay City; and in Ozamiz, you can get your business permit in half a day instead of the usual three days.
How they did it will be answered in a video documentary titled, “Reinventing Business Permitting Means Better Business Climate.”

The documentary will be launched on October 6 at 6 p.m. at the Renaissance Ballroom, New World Renaissance Hotel, Makati City.

A press statement from The Asia Foundation said the launching “aims to share the lessons of Mindanao cities in enhancing their business permits and licensing processes with the rest of the country.”

IT was produced by the TAF’s Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) Project in partnership with the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Representatives from international development agencies, the national government and the mayors of 16 TAG cities in Mindanao are expected to attend the launch.

Under the 1991 Local Government Code, cities are empowered issue business permits and collect fees and taxes. With assistance from TAF, technical working groups were tasked to look for ways to improve their systems. Among the innovations were “simplification of requirements for renewal; translation of forms into local languages; re-arrangement of the workflow among tables in the one-stop-shop venue; changes in the sequence of steps; and convincing national government agencies to be available in the one-stop-shop venue.” (MindaNews)

http://mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1004&Itemid=50

By Ronnel Domingo
Inquirer
Last updated 10:40pm (Mla time) 10/08/2006

Published on page B6 of the October 9, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

SIX CITIES ARE REAPING THE benefits of a US-funded transparency and anti-graft program with tax collections increasing due to simplified business registration processes.

According to The Asia Foundation, reforms in the business permits and licensing system (BPLS) in the cities of Oroquieta, Malaybalay, Koronadal, Ozamiz, Tacurong and Zamboanga indicated overall success.

In Malaybalay City, tax collection from business permits went up 119 percent to P7.17 million in the January 2-20 period.

At the same time, the number of permits issued went up 85 percent to 1,905.

The increases were attributed mainly to the cut in the processing time to an hour and six minutes from two hours and 10 minutes.

In Ozamiz City, collection went up 15 percent to P22 million and processing time was shortened to a day from three days.

In Zamboanga City, collection went up 195 percent to P29.5 million while the number of times a business owner needed to visit City Hall for assessment and payment was reduced to one from six.

In Tacurong City, collection increased 64 percent to P5.5 million; processing time was shortened to two hours from two and a half days; the number of forms was reduced to just one and the needed signatures cut down to four from 11.

In Koronadal City, taxes from permits increased 44 percent to P7.6 million; the number of permits issued increased 58 percent to 1,505; the number of forms halved to just two; and processing time shortened to a day from seven working days.

In Oroquieta City, tax collection went up 2 percent to P2.5 million and processing time decreased to just about two hours from a day and a half.

Steven Rood, The Asia Foundation country representative, explained that the BPLS was part of the agency's Transparent Accountable Governance Program.

Rood said BPLS was aimed primarily at shortening the processing time for permits and licenses, simplifying forms, reducing the number of forms and increasing tax collection.

"We are cooperating with the local governments and the business community which has direct material interest on better governance," he said.

The six cities make up the second batch of BPLS reform efforts under the TAG project.

The first batch that started in 2002 covered the cities of Cotabato, Marawi, Iligan, Samal Island, General Santos, Surigao and Dapitan.

Last Friday, The Asia Foundation launched a video titled "Reinventing Business Permitting Means Better Business Climate," which featured the achievements of the second batch.

Rood said the TAG project also involved municipalities in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, where local officials were encouraged to allocated their town's budget in projects that they chose.

"Sixteen of Mindanao's 27 cities are taking part in the TAG project," Rood said. "If we can expand coverage outside the region, I hope we could bring this to the Bicol region or the provinces of Samar and Leyte."

According to the International Finance Corp. and World Bank's Doing Business 2007 study, the country ranked 126th out of 175 economies based on reforms related to business regulations and processes.

An earlier poll of the Social Weather Stations called Survey of Enterprises on Corruption showed that a third of respondents--the biggest group--said they were asked for bribes when transacting for local government permits and licenses.

Other respondents said they were asked for bribes related to national government permits and licenses (29 percent); income taxes (29 percent); import regulations (22 percent); government contracts (18 percent); collecting payments from government (16 percent), and availing of government incentives (11 percent).

http://newsinfo.inq7.net/breakingnews/metroregions/view_article.php?article_id=25525

REGATTA DE ZAMBOANGA

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More than a thousand spectators flocked Sunday to a beach in Zamboanga City to watch the annual sailboat race called Regatta de Zamboanga.
The race was part of the weeklong celebration of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival where tens of thousands of Catholics come here join the mardi gras to honor the century-old Virgin Mary, believed by many to be miraculous.

Dozens of wooden boats, fitted with colorful sails called vintas, raced at sea off the Santa Cruz Island as crowds cheered wildly. Local festival songs and music played during the entire race.The winners were given awards and cash prizes.

“This is good and we are having fun watching all these racers trying to out do each other. The mood is festive and there are so many visitors,” one visitor, Samuel Cruz, told the Mindanao Examiner.

Mayor Celso Lobregat was also spotted with some council members at the beach in R.T. Lim Boulevard. Lobregat was busy promoting Zamboanga as Asia’s Latin City.
The basis for branding Zamboanga as a Latin city is the existence of Chavacano, a derivative of the Spanish language that in turn is an outgrowth of Latin, the old Roman tongue.
Chavacano is spoken by a majority of the people here, in Basilan and other parts of the Zamboanga Peninsula. Chavacano, where more than 70 percent of its vocabulary is pure Spanish in nature and origin. The remaining percentage of Chavacano is picked from local dialects.
The growth of Chavacano in Zamboanga can be traced to a concentration of Spanish nationals in Zamboanga at the height of the Spaniards colonization efforts in Mindanao that lasted for centuries until the late 1800.
Lobregat said the branding of Zamboanga as Asia’s Latin City spearheaded by the League of Cities, the World Bank and the involvement of the different local sectors.
Local officials said this would give the city a positive shift since it carries an international appeal and anchored on the rich Castilian influence and history of Zamboanga City.
The branding of Zamboanga will provide the city with a competitive global outlook instead of just comparing it with other cities in Mindanao, accodring to the mayor.
Zamboanga City had been under Spanish rule in the past and was also used as a base for American soldiers. The city is also popularly known as "Zamboanga Hermosa." (Mindanao Examiner)

Buenas dias juanMc, ya puede ya iyo man convert to mp3 file el Ghost 13, si kere to man post lang d tu yo email add imbia lang yo kuntigo via dropload para mas pronto. Via Con Dios!

hola windlady. gracias pero cosa dropload? y paquemodo de pesao ba el todo maga mp3s? ay imbia io era el di mio email contigo pero ya perde el Private Messaging. nu quere man io post aqui conese cay baka chene pa man stalk comigo. hehe! si puede tu man upload ya lan na un site cabar download ya lan came. gracias uli :)

GMA to confer award to Celso on Oct. 16

Asia's Latin City' will be awarded as one of the 2006 Top Ten Local Governments in the Philippines as cited by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Galing Pook Foundation.

The Special Citation on Local Capacity Innovations for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) award will be conferred by no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Mayor Celso Lobregat on Monday, October 16, 2006

at the Marikina City Sports Auditorium.

Zamboanga City and nine other cities were cited out of the 216 entries based on "their pioneering efforts on the localization and substantial accomplishments on the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)."

Mayor Lobregat said the significant recognition is not just a feather in his cap as he attributed the honor to the Zamboangueños who believe in one strong and united community. "It is only through our unity that we can hurdle the challenges as well as for us to attain our goal toward real progress," he said.

Austere A. Panadero, managing trustee of the Galing Pook Foundation informed Lobregat early this week of the award. The Awards Ceremony will be the culminating event of a whole-day international campaign by the United

Nations called 'Stand Up Against Poverty'.

The MDG has been adopted by the United Nations as an instrument or benchmark to tract the country's performance in terms of reducing poverty and improving human development.

Zamboanga City was cited because of the city-led health programs particularly the initiatives and best practices of the Zamboanga City Multi-Sectoral AIDS Council headed by Lobregat which is now fast becoming a model organization not only in the local setting but in the international sphere as well.

Last month no less than US Embassy Charge d Affaires Paul W. Jones and other US medical officials visited the city to be oriented on how the Local AIDS Council, operates.

The MDG stressed that the LAC is one approach which will be replicated by international organizations. The said council was first organized in 2002 during the administration of the late Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat. -- Gerky Valesco

How is the Zamboanga Hermosa fiesta? Any photos? :)

^^ You can search "fiesta Zamboanga" in google and it will give you results from the Ateneo de Zamboanga 2004 collection but they give you "errors" when you enlarge them.

By Julie Alipala
Inquirer
Last updated 04:45pm (Mla time) 10/11/2006

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Heavy rains, which have triggered floods in many areas of the city, have not dampened the spirit of the Zamboangueños, as they continued with the celebration of the 12-day La Hermosa Festival.

The event, also known as Fiesta Pilar, began October 1 and is celebrated annually in honor of the Virgin Mary whose reportedly miraculous Our Lady of Pilar icon here is highly venerated.

The festival features vinta races, street dancing, musical concerts, and other crowd-drawers.

Ricardo San Juan, Western Mindanao Tourism director, told the Inquirer that despite the floods that prompted the city government to declare a state of calamity in at least nine districts, foreign and local tourists have flocked here to join the festivities. Hotels have been reported high occupancy rates since September.

"We don't have the actual figures right now, but based on our monitoring, all hotels, inns, lodging houses and resorts are fully booked," San Juan said.

San Juan said Filipinos working abroad have also come home to pay homage to the Lady of Pilar.

Chito Ledesma, business manager of the Lantaka Hotel, said they’ve had to turn away last-minute bookings because there were simply no rooms available.

"Our rooms are fully occupied until next month," he said.

Lolita Ngo, business center head of Marcian Garden Hotel, also reported a high occupancy rate and said they were honoring only bookings made in advance.

Asked about the weather, Sarita Hernandez-Sebastian, city tourism officer, said they were determined to push through with the scheduled activities.

"Rain or shine, the show must go on," she said. "All the activities generated wide support. In fact the Sharon Cuneta concert last Saturday was jampacked despite the heavy rain and flooding."

The military said they have put in place enough security personnel to make the events safe.

Colonel Antonio Supnet, Task Force Zamboanga chief, told the Inquirer that they were determined to prevent a recurrence of the bombings that spoiled the festival four years ago.

"We are bracing for retaliatory attacks because our intelligence community has reported that the Abu Sayyaf and the Jemaah Islamiyah were planning to sow terror in the city," Supnet said.

"We want the people to enjoy the activities," he said.
Inquirer Mindanao

http://newsinfo.inq7.net/breakingnews/metroregions/view_article.php?article_id=26080

^^ buenas diaz zamboanga!

could anybody post an updated picture of Climaco Avenue? i like that avenue, thanks.

Windlady: pidi eu el mp3..... este'l mio email --> sensei_tatsu@yahoo.co.jp
pati man-add tamen na friendster. hehe

tan-wonder eu si por que'l maga costume de street dance igual na maga de south america.. nuay ba kita maga costume latino aquel verdadero de zamboanga?

vaya con dios~

quen tiene retrato del camino del climaco avenue, ya genda ya yo alli kabar yagos ta yo. :)

AN ALL-Filipino owned company, dealing herbal products that contained the best ingredient in fighting and prevention of cancer is opening on October 14, 2006, a branch in this city.

Classique Herbs Corporation Mindanao Coordinator Joven Repollo said in a press conference on Friday that the Zamboanga City branch will be the company’s 21st branch all over Mindanao.

Aside from the Philippines, Classique Herbs Corporation also has branches in United States of America, Japan, Macau and Hongkong.

Repollo said his company is primarily engaged in the distribution of food supplement, beverages, personal care and household products using mostly indigenous herbs that can be found anywhere in the country.

Repollo said his company is engaged in multi-level marketing scheme that offers good incentives to people who are interested to venture into direct selling.

“Our comprehensive marketing plan offers an attractive and lucrative compensation packages that is distinctively unique making it incomparable from the rest,” he said.

“We aim to give our distributors the maximum benefits they can get and challenge their own potential to aspire for more,” he added.

Dr. Luis Rodriguez, of the Zamboanga City Medical Society, who is the company’s medical director in this city, said one of their food supplement products is an immune booster that could prolong the life of a patient afflicted with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Rodriguez said the product is the Agaricus blazei Murill, which is traditionally known to promote strength and vitality and increase the immune system of the body.

It was documented to be one of the most potent in immune system support among all medicinal mushroom based in recent research studies conducted in Japan and China.

“What the agaricus does is it improves the immune system. So it helps you improve your resistance to fight and, of course, if your body can fight naturally the AIDS virus, the more you can stay longer,” Rodriguez explained.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/10/14/bus/all.filipino.owned.herbal.company.opens.branch.in.zambo.html

hola windlady. gracias pero cosa dropload? y paquemodo de pesao ba el todo maga mp3s? ay imbia io era el di mio email contigo pero ya perde el Private Messaging. nu quere man io post aqui conese cay baka chene pa man stalk comigo. hehe! si puede tu man upload ya lan na un site cabar download ya lan came. gracias uli :)


Juan, juanito, juanes! :D Eres tú tío manila en hispano-filipino? Creo que él postea poemas de chabacano allá. :)

El tiempo es mas precioso que el oro (en chabacano)

El tesoro si ta perdi, ta pudi busca remedio para volvi na lugar - pero el tiempo pasado es perdido para siempre. Por eso debe nisos usa este sabiamente y prudentemente.

Mucho joven y viejo ta dura na casa o tienda de juego hasta madrugada, o pasao pa. Tiene ta falla na obligacion o trabajo si sobra el dormida. El mga otro si no hay que ta hace, ta anda na parque o donde mucho ta pasea, para observa y critica nu mas.

Despues de cuanto dia o semana, el mga holgazan ta anda presta cuarta o si posible, ta pedi ya para su necesidad y de su famila.

Mientras nisos vivo, debe mantini el dignidad. Mas mucho del educado y profesional, nunca ta olvida el valor del tiempo. Ta pensa ilos profundamente su bienestar, y el porvenir, especialmente del mga hijo.

Vocabulario

tesoro – treasure
para siempre – forever
sabiamente – wisely
prudentemente – sensibly
holgazan – idler,lazy
bienestar – well-being
porvenir – future
perdido - lost

Mañana es otro dia.Cada dia tiene innumerable momento.Un momento es corto tiempo – donde puede tini alegre, triste, o ordinario suceso. Alguna vez ta recibi nisos gracia na diferente manera, otro vez ta encontra accidente. El momento que ta dale placer es inolvidable.

Cuando ta recibi regalo, cuando ta obtene honor, cuando ta gana na juego, o cuando ta tini escito na vida son agradable momento.
Nunca nisos ta gusta momento que ta lleva tragedia o mal de corazon. Todo ta roga para hace experiencia bien divertido momentos.

Vocabulario

divertido – enjoyable
escito – success
placer – pleasure
inolvidable – unforgettable
innumerable – countless
rogar – ask, pray

* Ms. Del Rosario is a founding member of the Asociacion Chabacano del Ciudad de Cavite, and helps propagate Chabacano through her poems and essays.

Windlady: pidi eu el mp3..... este'l mio email --> sensei_tatsu@yahoo.co.jp
pati man-add tamen na friendster. hehe

bueno. jende ya tu ya contesta na di mio pregunta.
aqui ya lan tamen el email y pidi io tamen aquel mp3s --> manilenoone@yahoo.com
salamat

Juan, juanito, juanes! :D Eres tú tío manila en hispano-filipino? Creo que él postea poemas de chabacano allá. :)

no tengo ni idea de que hablas. no soy poeta ni escribo en ese grupito :)

^^ Ah, pensé que tú escribe literatura de chabacano. :D

Windlady: pidi eu el mp3..... este'l mio email --> sensei_tatsu@yahoo.co.jp
pati man-add tamen na friendster. hehe

tan-wonder eu si por que'l maga costume de street dance igual na maga de south america.. nuay ba kita maga costume latino aquel verdadero de zamboanga?

vaya con dios~

Buenas! Imbia lang you kuntigo via dropload okies, bien busy gad yo poreso nuay yo puede responde dayun di tu message. AMDG+

bueno. jende ya tu ya contesta na di mio pregunta.
aqui ya lan tamen el email y pidi io tamen aquel mp3s --> manilenoone@yahoo.com
salamat



no tengo ni idea de que hablas. no soy poeta ni escribo en ese grupito :)

Pasensya ya tu kay ara lang iyo ya puede man reply, bien busy gad yo, man check lang anytime d tu email kay man send lang you kel okies! AMDG+

quen tiene retrato del camino del climaco avenue, ya genda ya yo alli kabar yagos ta yo. :)

Wow! Junax sabe gale tu man chavacano? amazing:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Junax Il try to get hold of a new picture of that place, il post it if i got it na ok!!!!!!

Hey guys tatsu and juanmc, i sent the mp3's na, do check ur email cause it will expire in seven days u have to retrieve it within that period okies. AMDG+

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/6527/streetdancing2006or1.jpg



http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/3585/streetdancing20062yv9.jpg


STREET DANCING DURING THE FIESTA PILAR CELEBRATION (PHOTOS BY MINDANAO EXAMINER)

Lobregat to present P20 billion major projects for Zambo to Word Bank and ADB consultants
Sunday, 15 October 2006
Written by Sheila E. Covarrubias

Mayor Celso Lobregat is expected to present the City Development Strategy, a roadmap to progress that includes three major projects amounting to some P20 billion before a team of consultants from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank in Manila in December. The projects intended to help spur growth and development, include the P12 billion international airport, P5 billion seaport with container yard and P2 billion by pass road from the east to the west coast of the city. Councilor Juan Climaco Elago, who is a member of the local CDS team said the three projects and several others will be presented for funding assistance from the national government through funding institutions. “These are big projects that will not immediately profit in the next five years but 20-30 years after”, Elago said. The CDS is a program initiated by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank and Zamboanga City is one of the few cities in the country selected to be part of the program. The CDS requires extensive studies and consultations and to be a part of the program, the local government unit concerned has to submit numerous requirements. The CDS meeting in December requires that the chief executive himself make the presentation, according to Elago. He said about 10 or more projects are included in the CDS of Zamboanga. The other project proposals include waste water management, land fill system, reforestation and coastal preservation among others. The extensive studies and consultations on related to the CDS also led to the city’s new branding as “Asia’s Latin City ” which seeks to project Zamboanga as the gateway to the BIMP-EAGA and an economic hub. The new title also projects Zamboanga as the only city that speaks chavacano, the Spanish derivative. In a forum with the media recently, Mayor Lobregat took pride in citing the city’s strengths and potentials. “Zamboanga is a unique premiere city of Southeast Asia endowed with rich history, culture and natural resources. An international gateway and economic hub that is globally competitive with a balanced and sustainable development and sound governance empowered by capable, united, peace loving and God fearing citizens”, the mayor said, quoting a portion of the CDS presentation.

Authorities have called on all the population to invoke Mary with true faith and to remain united in times of adversity like now, after torrential rains devastated the city

Today the Christian and Muslim communities of Zamboanga, in the southern province of Mindanao, will come together to celebrate the feast of the Virgin of Pilar, patroness of the city.

This was announced by the deputy mayor of the city, Beng Climaco, who called on her co-citizens to "light a candle with true faith before the shrine of Our Lady, and to believe miracles happen".

Climaco said she was "sure the Marian feast will unite the population, shaken by the recent storms that struck our coasts: we will put misunderstanding aside and with the help of the Virgin, we will remain united in adversity."

The city authorities had to declare a state of natural disaster after fierce rains destroyed several homes but Climaco said: "Let us all be happy. We must believe miracles do happen and celebrate the feast of our patroness with faith, because with her help, even the rains and winds can be overcome."

The southern archipelago of Mindanao has been torn apart by around 40 years of rebellion by Muslim guerrillas who are asking for formal independence from Manila. The government started to concede partial autonomy to the two main rebel groups, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front, but interfaith tension remains high in the area.

http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=33&idsub=122&id=6030&t=Philippines%3A+Christians%2C+Muslims+celebrate+Virgin

Wow! Junax sabe gale tu man chavacano? amazing:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

hehehe... tiene tan insignia con migo de zamboanga antes.

he's a former ncc employee there in your place, tumaga area kaya fluent sya ng chavacano.

hehehe... tiene tan insignia con migo de zamboanga antes.

he's a former ncc employee there in your place, tumaga area kaya fluent sya ng chavacano.

Wow atleast your learning fast..... :) :) :) :) :)

Zambo sets livelihood, job fairs for soldiers and dependents


Monday, 16 October 2006
Written by News Release
Zamboanga City-- Good news for soldiers assigned in the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) and their dependents. A livelihood, training and job fairs will be conducted this coming November for their benefit. The affair which is spearheaded by the Department of National Defense (DND) will be conducted purposely for their advantage. The recipients of the activity are personnel assigned in WesMinCom, dependents of killed in action (KIA) military workforce residing in the area and retired workers who wish to join in the organic personnel in the unit. The said activity is part of the government’s program aimed to train and educate military personnel, their dependents and retired members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to be more productive and dynamic. “This program will be of great help to the beneficiaries as they will be trained on how to earn extra income. Retired soldiers, on the other hand will be keeping themselves busy into something productive.” Said Lt. Col. Susthenes C. Valcorza, commander of the 4th CRG, CRS AFP. (PIA)

i like this zamboanga city street pic...
http://mindanao.com/photoblog/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/downtown-zamboanga-city.JPG

i like this zamboanga city street pic...
http://mindanao.com/photoblog/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/downtown-zamboanga-city.JPG

Very colorful :) :) :)

City to unveil promotional campaign for national, int'l markets

THE campaign to promote Zamboanga City in the national and international market, a project of initiated by the Office of Senator Richard Gordon, would soon be unveiled, according to Vice Mayor Beng Climaco.

The vice mayor recently conferred with Louie Pawid, Senator Gordon's staff, in Manila to finalize preparations for the implementation of the memorandum of agreement earlier entered into by the city government and the office of Sen. Gordon.

Under the agreement, the office of the senator will finance the installation of signage materials or templates in different entry and exit points of the country.

Climaco said the promotional campaign is very timely with the new branding of Zamboanga as Asia's Latin City.

The forging of the memorandum of agreement is based on a Council resolution supporting the move to include Zamboanga City in the project initiated by Senator Gordon, who is former secretary of the Department of Tourism.

The senator himself chose Zamboanga City to be one of the few areas in the country to be part of his promotional campaign.

He saw for himself the potentials of Zamboanga City during his visits here in recent past.

During his stint as senator, Gordon popularized the Wow! Philippines project, which continues to be implemented by the DOT as part of its promotional effort.

Vice Mayor Climaco is optimistic that the project would help the city in its effort to improve the image of Zamboanga and make it a tourism and investment hub in this part of the country. (SE)

Tourism booms in Asia’s Latin city

Zamboanga City (19 October) -- Tourism in this Southern Philippines city which has been recently named as Asia’s Latin City continues to flourish as the Department of Tourism (DOT) IX reported a 10% increase in tourist arrivals for the last 9 months of this year.

Travel advisories issued by other countries not to travel to the southern part of the country have not prevented tourists to visit the city with Koreans, Chinese and Malaysians topping the list of visitors according to DOT IX Regional Director Ricardo San Juan.

“Despite the advisories, Philippines is still the favorite place of Koreans, Chinese and Malaysians and they make up the market left by travelers from countries affected by the advisories”, he said.

San Juan is also optimistic of a further increase in tourist arrivals before year ends as the last 3 months of this year is considered as traveling season for tourists.

San Juan credited this success to the leadership of DOT Secretary Ace Durano giving emphasis on marketing and promotion of the whole country which is instrumental in exceeding the target last year. Sec. Durano commissioned marketing teams to countries abroad like USA, China, Japan, Korea, Europe, Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia promoting Philippines’ tourist destinations.

San Juan quoted “the strategy is effective and all missions are initiated by the private sectors”. He emphasized the participation of private sectors as a plus factor in the department’s promotional efforts.

Very recently, the city celebrated its biggest festival, the “Fiesta Pillar”, which attracted both foreign and local tourists. Mayor Celso Lobregat was elated on the success of the celebration which aimed at promoting the city of Zamboanga as tourist destination. As part of the effort, the City Government passed a resolution renaming the city from “City of Flowers” to “Asia’s Latin City” which heaped praises from other Chief Executives in the different parts of the country.

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Happy Fiesta Pilar.

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Joyfull ride. No pollution, a cheap mode of transportation. Solving the high cost of fuel. The calesa. Just 5 pesos from Pilar shrine to city hall. Happy Fiesta PILAR con todos.

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Fireworks

A break from days of rains, wind and flood. For a change so we can celebrate our fiesta. Tonights fireworks courtesy of universidad de Zamboanga alumni. Bienvenido!

Source: http://my.opera.com/zambuddy/blog/?startidx=0

http://www.worldeventsguide.com/a/main/475a87cf-dc46-4248-bae3-f88c90783cd5/b7c6b1f4-6f8a-4d60-ae8b-4ce8fbc623e5/5e1cba31-5c40-4a48-916c-4ff3ac705751.jpg

01 Oct 2006 - 31 Oct 2006

Each October the picturesque city of Zamboanga celebrates its Zamboanga Hermosa Festival with 12 days and nights of events and celebrations. Held in honour of Our Lady of the Pilar, the festival is also popularly known as the “Fiesta Pilar” and is a big celebration across the region. The event includes live music, cultural performances, street parades, fireworks displays and a regatta which sees numerous boats with brightly-coloured sails fill the harbour.

Zamboanga Hermosa 2006 Parade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xot_yGUqt0g

Viva!

http://www.worldeventsguide.com/a/main/475a87cf-dc46-4248-bae3-f88c90783cd5/b7c6b1f4-6f8a-4d60-ae8b-4ce8fbc623e5/5e1cba31-5c40-4a48-916c-4ff3ac705751.jpg

01 Oct 2006 - 31 Oct 2006

Each October the picturesque city of Zamboanga celebrates its Zamboanga Hermosa Festival with 12 days and nights of events and celebrations. Held in honour of Our Lady of the Pilar, the festival is also popularly known as the “Fiesta Pilar” and is a big celebration across the region. The event includes live music, cultural performances, street parades, fireworks displays and a regatta which sees numerous boats with brightly-coloured sails fill the harbour.

Zamboanga Hermosa 2006 Parade: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xot_yGUqt0g[/ur

Viva!



THE PARADE WAS VERY COLORFUL, FULL OF LIFE, VERY ZAMBOANGA!!!!
TRULY "ASIA'S LATIN CITY" :dance:

More training, recruitment hubs for call center agents sought

The Cyber City Inc., the pioneering call center at the sprawling Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ), has called on the government and private institutions to increase the number of training centers and recruitment offices for call center representatives.

George Sorio, senior executive vice president of Cyber City, echoed the views of Mabalacat Mayor Marino Morales who earlier urged schools in Pampanga to include call center subjects in their curriculum.

Morales has also asked civic groups like Rotary International and Kiwanis to give scholarships or free training for call center agents.

Sorio said there should be collaboration among schools, colleges and universities for the inclusion of call center subjects in their curriculum. "The inclusion of call center subjects will give students the chance to have a grasp or employment opportunities to call centers in the country," he said.

The availability of call center subjects and more manpower pool for the booming call center industry will also eliminate poaching of call center representatives, according to Sorio.

Sorio had earlier called to a stop on the culture of pirating call center representatives.

Cyber City disclosed that it will provide free training to prospective applicants for call center service representatives in a bid to eradicate the culture of pirating them.

Sorio has recently announced that Cyber City is hiring an additional 800 call center representatives and technical support workers for their operations in the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ). He said a branch in Zamboanga City is also being eyed in anticipation of the booming Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) in the country.

The firm already has its operations in Davao City which opened last year.

"We are offering free training to talented English-speaking workforce to fill up the need for more call center agents," said Sorio.

Cyber City, which has around 2,500 workers in Clark ecozone, is bent to provide a training program for prospective call center agent-applicants to make them more competitive in the global market. It is hiring an additional 1,000 call center agents to fill up their branches.

There are 106 call center companies in the Philippines and 425 in India, which gives a stiff competition for limited resources. Pakistan, China and South Africa have also booming business processing outsourcing.

Earlier, the influential Metro Clark Advisory Council (Mcac) has supported the call of Cyber City to stop the culture of call center representatives or technology support workers. (RGN)

Tourism booms in Asia’s Latin city

Tourism in this Southern Philippines city which has been recently named as Asia’s Latin City continues to flourish as the Department of Tourism (DOT) IX reported a 10% increase in tourist arrivals for the last 9 months of this year.

Travel advisories issued by other countries not to travel to the southern part of the country have not prevented tourists to visit the city with Koreans, Chinese and Malaysians topping the list of visitors according to DOT IX Regional Director Ricardo San Juan.

“Despite the advisories, Philippines is still the favorite place of Koreans, Chinese and Malaysians and they make up the market left by travelers from countries affected by the advisories”, he said.

San Juan is also optimistic of a further increase in tourist arrivals before year ends as the last 3 months of this year is considered as traveling season for tourists.

San Juan credited this success to the leadership of DOT Secretary Ace Durano giving emphasis on marketing and promotion of the whole country which is instrumental in exceeding the target last year. Sec. Durano commissioned marketing teams to countries abroad like USA, China, Japan, Korea, Europe, Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia promoting Philippines’ tourist destinations.

San Juan quoted “the strategy is effective and all missions are initiated by the private sectors”. He emphasized the participation of private sectors as a plus factor in the department’s promotional efforts.

Very recently, the city celebrated its biggest festival, the “Fiesta Pillar”, which attracted both foreign and local tourists. Mayor Celso Lobregat was elated on the success of the celebration which aimed at promoting the city of Zamboanga as tourist destination. As part of the effort, the City Government passed a resolution renaming the city from “City of Flowers” to “Asia’s Latin City” which heaped praises from other Chief Executives in the different parts of the country. (PIA ZC) :applause: :applause:

Zamboecozone vows to continue infra developments for locators


ZAMBOANGA City Special Economic zone and Freeport Authority (Zamboecozone) has vowed to continuously provide infrastructure development projects for its locaters inside the vast economic area in San Ramon, west of the city.
Yu said that projects, like the waste-water facility, potable water system, standard manufacturing buildings, investors' houses, development of the eco-tourism sites, nature park, and road openings are only some of the implemented projects in the Ecozone under the present administration.

These facilities are constructed after the Zamboecozone Board of Directors agreed and approved to accommodate the needs of its locators presently doing business and those about to invest at any given time.

The Authority is also underway of constructing its independent power source -- a 5MVA sub-station to address power failures from the local electric cooperative provider.

Chairman Yu said that pursuing the mission of promoting trade and industry in Zamboanga City being the economic hub of Southern Philippines towards the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia-East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga).

Ecozone is pushing for developments and providing facilities that will lead to better business climate needed by its locators here.

Zamboecozone also ventures on Information Technology investments, retirement villages, and medical tourism.(Bhong Simbahon)

http://www.worldeventsguide.com/a/main/475a87cf-dc46-4248-bae3-f88c90783cd5/b7c6b1f4-6f8a-4d60-ae8b-4ce8fbc623e5/5e1cba31-5c40-4a48-916c-4ff3ac705751.jpg


Viva!


^^This looks like its from the Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo, an old pic.

P12 B for an int'l airport? that's a huge amount! will zamboanga really need that huge of an infra? good if materialized anyway.

^^This looks like its from the Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo, an old pic.

P12 B for an int'l airport? that's a huge amount! will zamboanga really need that huge of an infra? good if materialized anyway.

Yeah thats a really huge amount because it will be a mega project,if materialized, it will not only benefit zamboanga city alone but the areas of the whole Zamboanga Peninsula, especially Zambo sur and Zambo Sibugay area as well.

Malaysian firm to open branch in Zamboanga Economic Zone

Friday, 27 October 2006
Written by Philippine News Agency
Zamboanga City - -(PNA) – A Malaysian firm engaged in trading and recycling that targets the market in Asia, Middle East and Africa, is opening up a branch at the Economic Zone and Freeport in this city. Zamboanga Special Economic Zone and Freeport chairman Georgina Yu said the firm is known as the Wellstar Recycling Corporation (WRC) which is engaged in trading and recycling of used imported vehicles, machineries, engines and equipment. Yu said that WRC, being registered as a trading enterprise, targets the market in Japan and People's Republic of China for its scrap iron, copper, aluminum and bronze products. She said the used vehicle importations and exports, including dismantle and segregation of engines, are intended for countries like Indonesia, Dubai, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Ghana, Vietnam and Cambodia. Having Filipino counterparts, Yu said, the WRC envisions a more progressive and venturesome business inside Zambo ecozone considering its proximity to the Brunei Darrusalam, Indonesia and Malaysia which are part of the East Asean Growth Area (EAGA). WRC will be the second Malaysian-owned firm locator once it will open up a branch at the Zamboanga Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (ZamboEcozone). The first was Demak Motors that specializes on customized-design motorcycles and All-Terrain Vehicle units. It has its mother company in Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia. The company has other assembly plants in China, Indonesia and West Malaysia. (PNA)

Zamboangue?o Gathering in Riyadh to Feature Yakan Dance, Chavacano Music
Bien Custodio, Arab News


RIYADH, 24 October 2006 — A cultural presentation including a Yakan dance and Chavacano music, among others, will be featured in a get-together celebration of Zamboangueٌos in Riyadh on Thursday.

Organizers said the gathering, a belated commemoration of the Nuestra Seٌora del Pilar fiesta of Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines, will also feature sports and parlor games, with fabulous prizes awaiting the winners.

“It is our hope that the celebration will unite all Chavacano-speaking Filipinos from Mindanao,” said Edwin Dela Luna, one of the organizers of the event dubbed Alegria, Alegria, Abante Zamboanga (Happy, Happy, Forward Zamboanga).

Dela Luna said the affair, which will be held at a private resort, will start at 4 p.m.

He said that in addition to Zamboangueٌos and other Chavacano-speaking Filipinos from neighboring Basilan province and other towns in the Zamboanga Peninsula of Mindanao, some guests are also expected to join the affair.

Dela Luna said that some foreign nationals from Spain, Australia, Canada, Jordan and the United States have expressed interest in attending.

“They are curious about the Chavacano dialect,” said Dela Luna, referring to the Spanish-based tongue of Zamboanga City.

Dr. Muhammad Ali Astillero, a community leader and a Zamboangueٌo, is expected to deliver an inspirational message.

Raymond Araneta, one of the organizers, expects to discuss the formation of an association later on for the Chavacanos of Zamboanga.

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flickr.com - rorenz

Very lively and very colorful photos animo...Viva La Rasa :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

^^ Oh my, Zamboanga is really colorful!!!

Btw, Are there many Spanish mestizas in this city?

^^ Oh my, Zamboanga is really colorful!!!

Btw, Are there many Spanish mestizas in this city?


^^ Yup, there are a lot of mestizas in zamboanga :dance:

On-line learning system opens in Zambo
Thursday, 26 October 2006
Written by Sheila E. Covarrubias


Zamboanga City-- City caretaker and Vice Mayor Beng Climaco has expressed elation over the recent opening of L&M Transcript Solutions, Inc., the first to offer home based correspondence and/or on line learning system in Zamboanga. Climaco, who graced the inauguration and blessing of the firm at Veterans Avenue said the establishment of the first home based correspondence and on line learning system in the city is a realization of her recommendation to American investors during her visit to the United States in 2002. She stressed that the operation of L&M Transcript Solutions, Inc. will help provide employment to people in the city and will help make Zamboanga at par with the other areas in the world. L&M Transcript Solutions Inc. is the exclusive area sub-licensee of American Correspondence Institute learning Systems for Zamboanga Peninsula offering home based and or on line training for medical transcription, legal transcription and other modular on-line courses at a very affordable and practical training course package. The company is a medical and legal transcription service provider that aims to provide quality medical and legal transcription service provider that aims to provide quality medical and legal transcription services to clients in the United States and other countries where such services are outsourced, thus creating job opportunities for Zamboanguenos. American Correspondence Institute Learning System, formerly Lincoln International Correspondence Academy is the leading and duly recognized home based correspondence and on line learning system. A medical transcriptionist (MT) interprets and transcribes physician-dictated reports and other documents which become a permanent part of the patient’s record and serves as an important document for future health care delivery, for medico legal and billing purposes and many more. The Department of Trade and Industry has cited MT as the next sunrise industry after call centers. While the Philippine share of $5 billion outsourced business from the US is not even 1 percent, the government is optimistic that it will soar significantly due to the computer skills of Filipinos and their proficiency in English. The Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CITC) said that 226,000 information and communications technology jobs such as call center agents, medical transcriptionist and animators have been generated this year and may hit to a million by 2010. Medical Transcription jobs last year reached5, 500 and 13,800 this year. By 2010 it is estimated to hit 114,700 jobs. L&M Transcript Solutions Chief Executive Officer Dr. Cathalyn Luy emphasized the need to properly train people in order to pass the proficiency level and set a very good record. Aside from the vice mayor and CEO Luy, other guests present during L&M’s inauguration were Councilors Rudy Lim and Kim Elago, TESDA OIC Operations Division Chief Alma Gudmalin and several others. L&M is located at 3 A HC Bldg. Veterans Ave. , tel. nos. 9901760/9901761. (SEC Suzette Bacon)

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PARK 88
PASONANCA PARK
ZAMBOANGA CITY

ECOZONE CONSTRUCT INTERNATIONAL SEAPORT ROAD NETWORK


Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority already started the land preparations and construction of its road network for the establishment of the International Seaport Complex.

These efforts realized when the present administration of ecozone with the full support of its Board of Directors approved the budget allocation for the construction of such basic ground preparations which is necessary for the forthcoming international port facility.

ZamboEcozone Chairman and Administrator Georgina P. Yu said that this project will kick-off the realization of the long time dream of Zamboanga City, that is, to have an international seaport facility being the only one in the Visayas and Mindanao. An American firm had already expressed intention in investing and building the world class port facility which will soon be enjoyed by both the foreign and local locator investing in the zone.

Chairman Yu said that ecozone have started implementing the Phase 1 & 2 of the seafront road complex which is a six lane road with substantial drainage system as required by its foreign investors.

Said project was approved by the ZFA Board of Directors for implementation by contract for the construction and concrete paving of ZamboEcozone 2nd Industrial Park Road Network (Seafront-Phase I&II).

Phase I of its project has a duration of 180 calendar days for completion with 75percent completion as of this month while Phase II has a duration of 240 calendar days for completion with 25 percent accomplishment as of today.

The international Seaport Facility of ZamboEcozone is located within its 2nd Industrial Park formerly owned by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and managed by San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm. The said facility has an access road just right in front of the main gate of ecozone in the west coast of the city.
Chairman Yu is optimistic that with this present development, the would-be investors in the South East Asian Region and other parts of the world can now comfortably enjoy the perks and incentives being offered by the government to those foreign capitalists who do business inside ecozone.
A US firm has already expressed its serious intention of building the ZamboEcozone International Seaport Facility which will be on a Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Scheme.

http://www.zamboangacity.com/zamboangacity_gallery/images/picturetakenfromCathedral.jpg

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THE NEW CPAR REVIEW CENTER
BESIDE MC DONALDS LA PURISIMA BRANCH
ZAMBOANGA CITY

Sana me hablar Chavacano ang conversation dito. I like listening to Chavacano Zamboangueño. Para kasing merong uniqueness ang dating.

Quetal? :)

Sana me hablar Chavacano ang conversation dito. I like listening to Chavacano Zamboangueño. Para kasing merong uniqueness ang dating.

Quetal? :)

^^ Buenas! Berniemacksouthcentr, tiene vez tan chavacano man kame aki si visinos el kun ken tan kwento, si man chavacano kame pirmi baka hende intende todo quen ta visita aqui. :) :) :)

natural..intende kami :hahaha: (non-chavacano speakers will pidginize the chavacano language by participating in your hablas :lol: :lol: )

^^ Buenas! Berniemacksouthcentr, tiene vez tan chavacano man kame aki si visinos el kun ken tan kwento, si man chavacano kame pirmi baka hende intende todo quen ta visita aqui. :) :) :)

Old Zamboanga airport’s sale to fund new facility
Zambanga City — The central government will sell its 290-hectare Zamboanga International Airport and all its facilities and the proceeds would be used to construct a new airport 15 kilometers away from the city proper.

A master plan approved by the Department of Public Works and Highways released in May listed the selling price of the land and its facilities: P5.7 billion.

The government expects to spend about P2.7 billion on a 109-hectare site at Talabaan district also in the city next year.

Air Transportation Office regional manager Celso Bayabos said the whole plan was approved by the Department of Transportation and Communication four months ago.

Presidential adviser for Western Mindanao Christopher Laurence Arnuco said "since the project will be funded from the sale of the property, no big amount for the project was allocated in the national budget."

The government will fund only the facility’s maintenance.

Pending the sale, the government will maintain the present airport facility with a projected funding of P119 million next year.

Similar budgets will be provided in the succeeding years, until the projected money from the sale is realized, Mr. Arnuco explained.

The old airport will still operate pending the completion of the new facility

The present airport is between the populous barangays of Sta. Maria, Tetuan, Baliwasan, San Jose and San Roque and is just about five kilometers from the Zamboanga seaport.

Its runway is about a kilometer parallel to the highway and the shorelines constrict expansion to the western part where canneries are located.

Former councilor Jaime Cabato who lives about 300 meters from the main airport building said it is better to construct a new highway to the western part of the city except that the only other way to the west would be through the airport.

The eastern end of the runway starts at the side of Sta. Maria road from the city proper to Pasonanca Park, and its western apron ends at the San Roque road that links to the western highway and the Western Mindanao Command complex.

That 2,610-meter x 45-meter runway can be converted into an instant highway by the opening or breaking down of barriers in both ends of the roadways, Mr. Cabato said.

OBSTRUCTION

City officials and business leaders have also blamed the present location of the airport as obstructing the growth of the city.

Its location in expanding commercial and residential zones bars the construction of high-rise buildings. The tallest building in Zamboanga is only six storeys at the heart of the city.

Talabaan, a coastal barangay along the eastern flat lands of the city is beside the progressive communities of Taluksangay and Mulumuluan in Mercedes district.

It was identified as a growth center in the city’s master plan for development prepared by a planning group based at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. It is near the headquarters of the regional police command.

The proposed runways in the new site will be leading towards the shorelines so that planes can take off or land from the seaside of the facility.

Mr. Bayabos explained that while the original plan was to occupy a 509-hectare property, it was later reduced to only 109 hectares as "future expansion can be made towards the shorelines."

He led a team of engineers from the department last week to personally check the site for the proposed project. — Felino M. Santos


http://www.bworldonline.com/BW110206/content.php?id=102

Old Zamboanga airport’s sale to fund new facility
Zambanga City — The central government will sell its 290-hectare Zamboanga International Airport and all its facilities and the proceeds would be used to construct a new airport 15 kilometers away from the city proper.

A master plan approved by the Department of Public Works and Highways released in May listed the selling price of the land and its facilities: P5.7 billion.

The government expects to spend about P2.7 billion on a 109-hectare site at Talabaan district also in the city next year.

Air Transportation Office regional manager Celso Bayabos said the whole plan was approved by the Department of Transportation and Communication four months ago.

Presidential adviser for Western Mindanao Christopher Laurence Arnuco said "since the project will be funded from the sale of the property, no big amount for the project was allocated in the national budget."

The government will fund only the facility’s maintenance.

Pending the sale, the government will maintain the present airport facility with a projected funding of P119 million next year.

Similar budgets will be provided in the succeeding years, until the projected money from the sale is realized, Mr. Arnuco explained.

The old airport will still operate pending the completion of the new facility

The present airport is between the populous barangays of Sta. Maria, Tetuan, Baliwasan, San Jose and San Roque and is just about five kilometers from the Zamboanga seaport.

Its runway is about a kilometer parallel to the highway and the shorelines constrict expansion to the western part where canneries are located.

Former councilor Jaime Cabato who lives about 300 meters from the main airport building said it is better to construct a new highway to the western part of the city except that the only other way to the west would be through the airport.

The eastern end of the runway starts at the side of Sta. Maria road from the city proper to Pasonanca Park, and its western apron ends at the San Roque road that links to the western highway and the Western Mindanao Command complex.

That 2,610-meter x 45-meter runway can be converted into an instant highway by the opening or breaking down of barriers in both ends of the roadways, Mr. Cabato said.

OBSTRUCTION

City officials and business leaders have also blamed the present location of the airport as obstructing the growth of the city.

Its location in expanding commercial and residential zones bars the construction of high-rise buildings. The tallest building in Zamboanga is only six storeys at the heart of the city.

Talabaan, a coastal barangay along the eastern flat lands of the city is beside the progressive communities of Taluksangay and Mulumuluan in Mercedes district.

It was identified as a growth center in the city’s master plan for development prepared by a planning group based at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. It is near the headquarters of the regional police command.

The proposed runways in the new site will be leading towards the shorelines so that planes can take off or land from the seaside of the facility.

Mr. Bayabos explained that while the original plan was to occupy a 509-hectare property, it was later reduced to only 109 hectares as "future expansion can be made towards the shorelines."

He led a team of engineers from the department last week to personally check the site for the proposed project. — Felino M. Santos


http://www.bworldonline.com/BW110206/content.php?id=102



^^ WOW A VERY POSITIVE APROACH, A VERY GOOD IDEA SO WE WILL NOT WAIT FOR FUNDINGS FROM THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WHICH I THINK WILL TAKE YEARS TO REALIZE. :) :) :) :)

natural..intende kami :hahaha: (non-chavacano speakers will pidginize the chavacano language by participating in your hablas :lol: :lol: )

^^ OK, PRUBA KITA PRINSIPIA AHORA :) :) :)

natural..intende kami :hahaha: (non-chavacano speakers will pidginize the chavacano language by participating in your hablas :lol: :lol: )

Chavacano is supposed to be pidgin Spanish already. Is it possible to pidginize an already pidgin language?

At any rate, maybe what the government and possibly the academe in Zamboanga should encourage or promote is the development of real Spanish language as part of Filipino historical legacy, and even for tourism and business purposes.

Chavacano is supposed to be pidgin Spanish already. Is it possible to pidginize an already pidgin language?

At any rate, maybe what the government and possibly the academe in Zamboanga should encourage or promote is the development of real Spanish language as part of Filipino historical legacy, and even for tourism and business purposes.

Spanish was part of our course outline when i was still studying at the ateneo, i just dont know if its still thesame today. Chavacano is what makes zamboanga unik, it is inherent in the blood if your really from zamboanga ("De Rasa").

Spanish was part of our course outline when i was still studying at the ateneo, i just dont know if its still thesame today. Chavacano is what makes zamboanga unik, it is inherent in the blood if your really from zamboanga ("De Rasa").

Indeed it is unique. Its sound so Spanish yet like Portuguese mixed with Filipino. Obra Zamboangueña. Yo pensar aquel ibang tao sa Ciudad Isabela hablar Chavacano, correcto?

new photos of zamboanga city at (www.zamboangacity.com)

Indeed it is unique. Its sound so Spanish yet like Portuguese mixed with Filipino. Obra Zamboangueña. Yo pensar aquel ibang tao sa Ciudad Isabela hablar Chavacano, correcto?

^^ Si mucho mga vivientes de Isabela sabe hablar chavacano porque Isabela es muy un cuidad esta bien proximo en la cuidad de Zamboanga...

Concepcion cited as outstanding LGU
By T. Villavert

"FOR the past five years, we kept our silence in the midst of the political noise and remained focus in the fight against poverty. And I want to thank all of you for your solidarity and faith to help me improve our economy and our countrymen," President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said as she cited the 10 outstanding Local Government Units.

The ten outstanding Local Government Units (LGUs) are Concepcion, Iloilo; Capoocan, Leyte; Bulacan; Pasay City; Negros Oriental; Maitum, Saranggani; Malalag, Davao del Sur; Munoz, Nueva Ecija; Naga City; and Zamboanga City.

These LGUs were recently awarded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for actively pushing the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in their respective communities under the Galing Pook program.

The Malacañang press report said that the UNDP-Galing Pook Special citation on Local Capacity Innovations is an annual awards program that identifies and showcases the country's best local governance programs and practices, particularly those that have been adopted and continuously demonstrated, expanded, replicated and institutionalized to help LGUs meet the MDG.

President Arroyo told the Municipal Mayors, during her address at the 16th League of Municipalities General Assembly and the National Summit on Hunger and Population, that the strong demonstration of trust in the Philippines by the world community is a result of the reforms and peace initiatives of her administration with the help of the local governments.

The UN Millennium Development Goals are a set of global targets espoused by the UN to address poverty, education, gender, health, and nutrition issues and diseases such as HIV/Aids and environmental issue by 2015.

For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao.

http://www.zamboangacity.com/zamboangacity_gallery/images/k_1.jpg

STREET SCENE PUTIK HIGHWAY GOING TO MARIA CLARA LOBREGAT HIGHWAY


http://www.zamboangacity.com/zamboangacity_gallery/images/CaminsSta.Cruzmarket.jpg


STREET SCENE STA CRUZ MARKET GOING TO INTERSECTION OF GOVERNOR CAMINS ROAD

PICTURES FROM STORM:) :) :)

http://www.zamboangacity.com/zamboangacity_gallery/images/former%20galleria%20mall.jpg

^^ THIS IN AN EARLIER PICTURE OF SOUTHWAY SQUARE MALL ON THE RISE

P30 M Up for Ex Mayor Park
03 November, 2006 | posted by viva zamboanga


The city government will spend the amount of P30 million to spruce up a portion of the Pasonanca Park where a bronze statue of former Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat was installed in January this year. The project is expected to draw more tourists to the park –developed in 1907 by the American colonizers in Mindanao .

The amount will be for the site development of a portion of the park that has been dedicated to the former mayor who died in Jan 4, 2004 while serving her second term as chief executive of Zamboanga. Previous to her last position, Lobregat serve for three terms as representative for the lone district of Zamboanga in the House of Representative.

The city government led by her son, former congressman and now mayor Celso Lobregat has initiated the project of installing a brass statue of his mother at the Pasonanca Park . The statue that cost some P700,000 was casted by National sculpture Artist Abdulhari Imao,a native of Sulu.

The statue of the late mayor took three months to be completed, according to City Engineer Luis Vicente Despalo An initial P5 million was also spent early this year for the foundation of the statue and initial seats and other amenities located at the site.

Mayor Lobregat together with Congressman Erico Basilio Fabian led city officials and the local populace in the formal unveiling of the statue on the occasion of her second death anniversary at the Pasonanca Park last January in an effort to perpetuate the memory of the city’s first lady congresswoman and chief executive known in this city for her philanthropic works.

The City Engineer said the site development for the area around the Lobregat statue will include a multi-million peso Museum where memorabilia of the former city executive who also served as a delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention and President of the Philippine Coconut Federation or Cocofed will be kept for posterity.

Part of her memorabilia is now kept at the national museum office inside the centuries old Fort Pilar , an old Spanish bastion that dates back to the 1600s.

These artifact of his mother will be transferred and stored at the Museum at the Pasonanca Park and will serve as added attraction for tourists visiting the park. Aside from the museum, part of the P30 million fund will be used to encircle the area with a concrete and iron grille fence and the planting of flowering plants in the site.

Bidding for the project will be done before the end of the month and work will begin as soon as possible before the end of the year. (VZ)

ngeek... di ako sabe :hahaha:

^^ OK, PRUBA KITA PRINSIPIA AHORA :) :) :)

ngeek... di ako sabe :hahaha:


^^ CGE LANG RAJAH, APRENDE LANG TO SE SI PIRMI KITA MAN KWENTO :) :) :)

http://www.zamboangacity.com/zamboangacity_gallery/images/elsmallbldgnarightamoanteselzamcelcopowerplant.jpg

^^ STREET SCENE: VETERANS CROSSING TO TETUAN HIGHWAY

PICTURE FROM STROM

Nuestra Sra. Del Pilar Shrine To Rise In Cagayan De Oro
Sunday, November 05, 2006 10:20:41 PM


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (Mike Banos / 05 Nov) - A replica of the world-famous Nuestra Senora del Pilar shrine at the Fort Pilar National Museum in Zamboanga City will soon rise in a hilltop village called Macasandig in Cagayan de Oro City in Northern Mindanao island, south of the Philippines.

Jose Nebrao, president emeritus of Circulo Zamboangueno, said the shrine will be a replica of the miraculous Blessed Virgin Mary's shrine set in a wall of the Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City.

Nebrao said the core group of the Circulo, an association of resident Zamboanguenos who have migrated to Cagayan de Oro and its nearby provinces, towns and cities, will have the project completed by next year in time for the October 12 fiesta of "Our Lady of the Pilar", the patroness of Zamboanga City.

The project was first announced October 12 during the annual celebration of Fiesta Pilar in Cagayan de Oro which was attended by some eighty members of the Circulo and their immediate family members at Xavier University.

The celebration started with the holy sacrifice of the mass celebrated by incoming Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU) Fr. Antonio Moreno, S.J. at the XU Loyola House chapel. This was immediately followed by the final novena of our Lady at the XU canteen and the traditional "cena communal".

Among those present during this year's Fiesta Pilar celebration were the following: Con-con Ignacio, Raul and Antonietta Rodriguez and family, Jonel and Nanette Bergado and family, Adolfo and Norma Uro, Carmelita Ubalde, Ben and Ginny Aspera, Edwin and Judith Amik, Mr and Mrs Oscar Escudero, Jonathan Tamin, John Ferrer, Col Cesar and Rachel (nee Causin) Miel, Ester and Joan Causin, Randy and Becky Redondo, Henry and Nitz Pelisan, Isidro and Ning "Cupcakes" Audal.

And Tony Rodriguez, Art and Connie Surdilla, Paul & Joy Paladio and family, Manny and Josy Alinabon, Joe and Rose Nebrao, Rudy and Lily (nee Tang) Fulminar, Emmanuel Saavedra, Sor. Rachel Bernardo, RVM; Glor Delgado and this author. (Mindanao Examiner/Kagay-an.com)

Indeed it is unique. Its sound so Spanish yet like Portuguese mixed with Filipino. Obra Zamboangueña. Yo pensar aquel ibang tao sa Ciudad Isabela hablar Chavacano, correcto?

I believe a study actually found out that chavacano has a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese. Por ejemplo, fish en español es pez o pescado (when dead or cooked) pero en chavacano es de portugués: pescao. Lo siento por mis Spanglish. :lol:Hopefully more Zamboangueños will be able to find this thread while searching and then will have more chavacano speakers. :D

Zambo Pescao Festival trade fair nets P566,468.63

Zamboanga City (Oct. 15, 2003) -- The 6-day Zamboanga Pescao Festival Y Las Cosas trade fair was able to raise a total of P566,468.63 net sales; this was disclosed by Mr. Al Lipae of the Department of Trade and Industry-Zamboanga City Office (DTI-ZCO) during the culmination program held last monday at the Brebeauf Gym of the Ateneo de Zamboanga Unviversity (ADZU).

Mr. Lipae also said that 3 out of the 38 exhibitors who participated in the trade fair were adjudged as the Top Sellers. They are: Filtrend Marketing Corporation with P67,680.00 net sales, followed by Almar Shell Industries with P67,580.00 net sales, and Mr. Sausage with P57,092.00 net sales.

The Zamboanga Pescao Festival now on its third year, is being celebrated to highlight and showcase Zamboanga City as the Sardines Capital of the Philippines. The festival is one of the humble contributions of the Chamber of Fish Processors in Zamboanga City (CFProZam) led by its president Mr. Telly Arcillas. (Danny Escabarte/PIA)

Very lively and very colorful photos animo...Viva La Rasa :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

¡Hola, windlady! Hay más fotos en flickr.com. Just search Zamboaga Hermosa and they have more better ones. :)

¡Viva la Raza!

aprubado :)

^^ CGE LANG RAJAH, APRENDE LANG TO SE SI PIRMI KITA MAN KWENTO :) :) :)

Chavacano is supposed to be pidgin Spanish already. Is it possible to pidginize an already pidgin language?

At any rate, maybe what the government and possibly the academe in Zamboanga should encourage or promote is the development of real Spanish language as part of Filipino historical legacy, and even for tourism and business purposes.



i believe that chavacano/chabacano/zamboangueño is a creole spanish-portuguese-malay..... we have many words in portugues.... one big example is the word "ELE" which means "he/she"... we have some mexican words to0 like sacate which means grass......

i love zamboanga....

chao y viva'l raza!~

^^^^Uniquely Zamboanga!

Monday, November 06 2006 @ 02:26 PM GMT

Provincial

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office Representative Hsin-Hsing Wu is arriving in the city next week to turn over motorcycles to be used by local authorities in the peace-keeping efforts.

Wu will hand over 38 units of Taiwan-made motorcycles to the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, which, in turn will donate it to the local government.

City Hall spokesperson Rogelio San Juan said 20 of the motorcycles will be given to the local police, 10 to Task Force Zamboanga (TFZ), two to the Red Cross and the rest to the other local government offices that need additional transportation.

The motorcycles donated by Taiwan will form part of the 60 motorcycle units that will be utilized by the local police and TFZ to patrol on a 24-hour basis as part of the security measures following the spate of killings in this city.

Since last month, 12 people including policemen and soldiers were killed by gunmen riding on motorcycle in the different parts of the city.

At least 120 personnel will be deployed for patrol. Each motorcycle will be manned by two people, a driver and a riding tandem as part of the anti-criminality campaign. (PNA)

http://news.balita.ph/html/article.php/20061106142654180

The Zamboanga Journalist Group (ZJG) and the Fundacion Climaco Inc. are inviting high school students to participate in the feature-writing contest on the life of the late Mayor Cesar C. Climaco.

The competition will be held at the City Health Office (CHO) conference room on November 11 at 9 in the morning.

Contest organizers said the activity seeks to enhance the feature writing skills of high school students while acquainting them on the life of the legendary public servant.

The contest also aims to provide student participants with the experience of joining a competition participated in by the best high school writers in the city.

Prizes are at stake for first, second, and third prize winners.

Interested participants are advised to call Liza Jocson at tel. no. 9912970 or Sheila Covarrubias at tel. no. 9911880 for further details.

Deadline for submission of application is set at 5:00 p.m. on November 8, 2006. Participation may be confirmed through telephone call. (Press release)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/11/06/news/zamboaonga.press.group.holds.feature.writing.contest.on.ccc.html

VICE Mayor Beng Climaco has expressed confidence that the assumption of Sr. Supt. Mario Yanga as the acting police chief would contribute to the improvement of the peace and order situation in Zamboanga City.

She vowed to help supplement police support currently provided by Mayor Celso Lobregat.

"As vice chairperson of the City Peace and Order Council, I try to supplement whatever support we can give to the police considering that most of the victims of the spate of killings are men in uniform," the vice mayor declared.

Climaco said Yanga's installation is one of the City Government's responses to the current peace and order situation.

The vice mayor considers Yanga as one of the most respectable police officers who gives her advise on issues concerning security and other matters including free legal assistance for distressed members of the police.

She stressed that while the local government under the leadership of Mayor Lobregat in coordination with the police and the military is looking for ways and means on how to stabilize the situation, Zamboanga residents should also do their share in the peacekeeping effort.

The vice mayor makes the rounds of the different police sub-stations in the city proper and barangays to give them support in form of snacks and to boost their morale.

During the All Saints' Day observance last week, she said members of the police labored to keep families and residents safe.

At least 10 men in uniform, most of them policemen, had been slain by unidentified gunmen the past months, resulting in the call for more stringent security measures.

At the height of the gun slays a week ago, Mayor Lobregat convened the Peace and Order Council where various resolutions were approved including the request for the Philippine National Police to designate Yanga as the police chief of Zamboanga on a permanent basis and not merely on an acting capacity.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/11/06/news/vice.mayor.confident.of.police.chief.html

Bay Walk, Park To Rise In Zamboanga's Historic Beach Front
Monday, November 06, 2006 05:57:40 PM

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Uly Israel / 06 Nov) - Here’s good news for sunset lovers! Another bay walk and park will soon rise in Zamboanga City that will give them the opportunity to view the captivating sight of setting sun.

Not only that, a museum will also be built in honor of the late Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat. Her son, Celso Lobregat, now mayor of Zamboanga City, said all these will be constructed to provide the city’s denizens of another place to go, watch the sunset, stroll around and catch the cooling effect of sea breeze.

Lobregat said the park and bay walk will become a new site for food stalls, coffee shops and stores that will cater to strollers, joggers, and visitors.

“It is patterned after the Roxas Boulevard in Manila where people can go to stroll, relax, jog or watch the sunset. The people will have a place to go,” he told the Mindanao Examiner.

The construction of the bay walk will cost about P15.6 million, while the Maria Clara Lobregat Museum is estimated to be worth P11.9 million; and the park costs around P16.5 million, he said.

The museum will house artifacts and personal effects of the late Maria Clara Lobregat. It will also serve as gallery for art exhibits, among others.

The bay walk, Lobregat said, can attract operators and owners of international and local fast food chains and even fine dining restaurants.

“It will generate jobs, provide space for businesses and a place to meet people from all walks of life,” he said, adding, the project is expected to be finished by next year.

The area is where the historical Fort Pillar, built in 1635 by a Jesuit priest engineer and Spanish authorities to ward off attacks from Moros and foreign invaders, is located. The fort was eventually converted to a shrine and miraculous powers are attributed to the statue of Our Lady of the Pillar. :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

Mindanao trade performance in the upswing
by Prix D Banzon

Davao City (8 November) -- “Trade performance of Mindanao for the first quarter of 2006 made good showing” Ever Abasolo, senior economic development specialist of the Mindanao Economic and Development Council (Medco) said in a recent business forum at Café Barcellis along J P Laurel Avenue in Davao City.

He said growth rate on export was pegged at 10.73 percent with fresh banana still among the top 5 export commodities together with coconut oil (crude and refined), sintered iron ore aggregates, fresh pineapples and tuna.

The top export markets are Japan, United States of America, Netherlands, China and South Korea.

The top imported commodities on the other hand are rice, iron ore and concentrates, wheat, flat-rolled iron and kraft liner and these are sourced from Vietnam, United States of America, Malaysia, New Zealand and Brazil.

The major agricultural exports in Mindanao are coconut oil (crude and refined), banana (fresh and chips), tuna (fresh/chilled), pineapple (fresh/preserved), pineapple juice concentrate, oil cake and other residue, rubber in primary form and dessicated coconut.

Meanwhile Abasolo said that among the regions in Mindanao, Region IX was the largest producer of commercial and municipal fish during the first semester of 2006.

Aquaculture fishing was strongest in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao and its production improved by 9.83 percent during the first six months this year.

Region X registered a high growth rate in livestock and poultry at 5.79 percent that was triggered by the largest increase in chicken eggs production which was 16.35 percent. The region was also the biggest contributor of livestock/poultry production as it accounted for 26.71 percent of the total production.

The Davao region however was the largest producer of palay, corn banana and coconut for the period in review.

Region IX also was noted as the largest producer of rubber during the first six months this year but it also registered with the largest increase in coconut production with 9.59 percent from 779,000 metric tons in 1st semester of 2005 to 853,450 MT in 1st semester 2006. (PIA XI) GO GO MINDANAO, GO GO REGION IX....:)

¡Hola, windlady! Hay más fotos en flickr.com. Just search Zamboaga Hermosa and they have more better ones. :)

¡Viva la Raza!

^^ Muchas Gracias Animo por las information en la fotos de zamboanga.

^^ Muchas Gracias Animo por las information en la fotos de zamboanga.

Una pequeña corrección: Muchas gracias por el enlace/link o por las fotos.

De nada. :okay:

IN CELEBRATION of annual Mindanao Week of Peace, Peace Advocate Zamboanga (PAZ) announced on Wednesday its search for this year's Peace Weaver Awardees.

PAZ President Father Angel Calvo said its search committee is now accepting nominations from individuals or organizations in Zamboanga City as candidates for this year's peace awardees.

Interested parties can personally submit their nomination during office hours at PAZ office, SLSI Building, 2nd floor, San Jose Road.

He said the deadline of the submission of nominees will be on November 24. The screening process will take effect one week before the awarding night, which is yet to be announced.

"The nomination will be evaluated by a search committee composed of representatives from PAZ and SALAM Peace Foundation. The committee will immediately thereafter announce the results," he said.

PAZ has been giving recognition to outstanding individuals and organizations that have selflessly devoted their effort towards peace building in the city or region, Fr. Calvo noted.

The peace weaver award started in 1998. Its awardees included prominent local leaders like the late Hadji Jainuddin Nuno, Amilhussin Jumaani, and Sultin Unding Pamaran. Calretian priest Fr. Rhoel Gallardo who was killed while under captivity of the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan was also another awardee.

Nominations may also include a community, which showed substantial performance on peace building for the last years.

The mechanics are: Individuals has to be nominated by someone other than the person himself/herself; connected with the association or organization itself; Nominated individual who are deceased, should have been alive 15 years before the awards; Nominations either individuals or groups should be accompanied by, at least, two testimonies also written and prepared by objectivity independent parties; The testimonies shall be validated by other disinterred parties contacted by the search Committee; Nominees must be residents/based in any of the Provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi or the city of Zamboanga.

Awardees will receive a specially made trophy during the awarding ceremony of the weeklong celebration. For more information visit PAZ office or call (62) 992-3086.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/11/09/news/advocates.launch.search.for.peace.weavers.award..html

Ambassadors from 6 nations to visit Zambo and Basilan


Friday, 10 November 2006
Written by Philippine News Agency
Zamboanga City (PNA) – United States Ambassador Kristie Kenney will host a visit of ambassadors from five nations to this city and Basilan province on Monday in a unique event demonstrating international support for peace and prosperity in Mindanao. Visiting this city and Basilan together with Kenney are: Australian Ambassador Tony Hely; Canadian Ambassador Peter Sutherland; Japanese Ambassador Ryuichiro Yamazaki; New Zealand Ambassador David Pine; and United Kingdom Ambassador Peter Beckingham. Also traveling with them is Undersecretary Nabil Tan of the Philippine's Office of the Presidential Advisor on the Peace Process. The six countries all support myriad development projects in Mindanao, focusing on education and job skills training, small business development, improved healthcare, agricultural sustainability, poverty alleviation, counter-terrorism, and coordinate their efforts with one another and with the national and local governments in the Philippines. The US embassy on Thursday said that during their visit, the Ambassadors will discuss greater coordination and synergy among their various programs, which will help them work together more effectively as partners to benefit citizens of Mindanao and the Philippines. The Ambassadors will visit Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, Jr. for a briefing on security activities; meet with Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat to talk about partnership programs in development; talk with members of the Basilan Chamber of Commerce about improving economic prospects on the island; and participate in opening ceremonies for US, Australian, and Canadian government development projects in Zamboanga and Basilan. During their courtesy call to Lobregat, they are going to meet the members of the local media at City Hall of Zamboanga. The visiting ambassadors will also turn over computer units to the Islamic Institute of the Philippines in Barangay Rio Hondo where the anti-terrorist Task Force Zamboanga intercepted on Tuesday a shipment of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer used by rebels and militants in making bombs. They will take their lunch at Jollibee fastfood in Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province. (PNA

By Franklin P. Gumapon

Dipolog City (10 November) – The provincial elimination for the 15th Philippine Statistics Quiz (PSQ) was held here yesterday with 23 first year college students from six colleges vying for this year’s PSQ provincial champion.

Joining the quiz were students from Jose Rizal Memorial State College-KNAS (JRMSC-KNAS) in Katipunan town, Rizal Memorial Institute (RMI) in Dapitan City, Dipolog City Institute of Technology (DCIT), Dipolog Medical Center College (DMCC), Andres Bonifacio College (ABC) and Saint Vincent’s College (SVC).

A certain Letty Seño, 17, of RMI emerged as provincial champion, followed by Cherry Mae Benitez of SVC and Winnielyn Dipolog of DMCC for second and third places, respectively.

The PSQ is held yearly by the National Statistics Office (NSO) to instill in the students the importance of statistics in life.

The quiz is open to first year college students officially enrolled in any recognized college and/or university, however.

Provincial Statistics Officer Expedito Rebollos disclosed that the regional elimination will be on Nov. 14 in Zamboanga City and the national competition will be on Dec. 4 in Manila. (PIA)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p061110.htm&no=39

hola wind lady..... btw.... gracias por las musicas/mp3s en chabacano~

tenchu tamen na friendster add. ^_^

aquel lng~
chao~

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/11 November) -- Joey Ayala will be joining Fr. Amado Picardal and other priest-cyclists and cycling enthusiasts in the 34-kilometer “bike for peace” on November 30, the opening of the Mindanao Week of Peace. The activity will start at 8 a..m. with Ayala as special guest. Picardal said Ayala will “bike part of the way.”

Ayala, a Dabawenyo artist, will also perform at the Rizal Park opening of the Mindanao Week of Peace. This year’s theme is “In the Name of the Almighty, God of Harmony, Care for the Earth.”

Ayala early this year had expressed interest in joining Picardal’s 2,000-kilometer Bike Tour for Life and Peace around Mindanao.

Picardal and other cycling priests who joined Picardal celebrated mass in every parish where they stayed for the night.

Picardal was accompanied part of the way by some priests and a bishop during the 21-day tour.

This year’s Mindanao Week Of Peace, the eighth since the Bishops-Ulama Conference adopted Zamboanga City’s Peace Week and made it Mindanao-wide, is on November 30 to December 6.

“For Mindanao at the present moment, is undergoing environmental degradation and destruction. It must be protected from illegal logging, illegal mining, naïve subdivision developers, unscrupulous land conversion to golf courses, and uncontrolled pollution by factories and garbage mismanagement,’ the joint statement of Bishops-Ulama Conference convenors, Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla; Mahid Mutilan, president of the Ulama League of the Philippines; and Hilario Gomez, Bishop of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, said in a statement issued on July 24.

The statement was distributed during the 29th Bishops-Ulama Conference at the Sydney Hotel in General Santos City.

“All these degradations are caused by unbridled greed and selfishness and blatant ignorance which underpin the violations of human rights and social unrest. Conflicts and wars can be traced in their origin to the abuse and misuse of land, resources, and political influence,” the BUC convenors said.

Last year’s theme was “Millennium Development Goals: Women and Youth as Partners in Peace Building.”

The 2004 Mindanao Week of Peace theme was “A reconciled family, agent of reconciliation." The 2003 Peace Week’s theme was “Healing through Forgiveness: Key to Total Human Development;” In 2002, it was "Peace through Reconciliation: Mindanaoans seeking a common ground;” in 2001, “Peace: Sharing the Vision of Unity and Hope;” in 2000, “Mindanaoans Journeying Together Towards a Culture of Peace;” and in 1999, “Healing the Past, Building the Future.” (MindaNews)

http://mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1259&Itemid=50

THE Zamboanga Journalist Group and the Fundacion Climaco, Inc. bared Sunday the names of the winners in the feature writing competition on the late Mayor Cesar Climaco held on Saturday.

Janna Jochelle I.Parel of Pilar College bagged the first prize with a rating average of 87.33 percent, Hazel Ann P. Etiong of the Arturo Eustaquio Memorial High School garnered the second prize with an average of 86.66 percent while Lea A. Tumulak of the Zamboanga City High School-Main landed third with an average of 83.33 percent.

The competition, held at the City Health Office (CHO) conference room in Pettit Barracks, was in observance of the 22nd death anniversary of the late Mayor Cesar C. Climaco on November 14.

The first prize winner will receive P3,000; the second prize winner P2,000, and P1,000 for the third prize winner. Awarding of prizes will be done during the City Government-sponsored Dia de Cesar program, at the Abong-abong Park on Tuesday.

Prizes will be awarded by Gregoria C. Alvarez, president of the Fundacion Climaco and Liza Jocson, president of the Zamboanga Journalist Group with Mayor Celso Lobregat as witness.

A total of 37 students from 17 public and private schools in the city participated in the competition.

Criteria for judging included organization--40 percent; grammar--25 percent; style--25 percent; and neatness--10 percent. The board of judges was composed of Pilar Villanueva, English supervisor of the Division of City Schools, Sheila Covarrubias of the Zambo Journalist Group and Aimee Natividad, representing Fundacion Climaco, Inc.

The winning entries will be published in a local newspaper one after the other as part of the Dia de Cesar celebration. (Press release)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/11/13/news/winners.of.feature.writing.tilt.on.zambo.legendary.mayor.bared.html

By ROEL PAREÑO
The Philippine Star

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Ten motorcycle riders from Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia arrived here on Friday from Sandakan, Malaysia to take part in a motorcade dubbed as "Ride for Peace Movement."

The bikers riding on big and expensive motorcycles like Harley Davidsons, BMWs, and Hondas, took a roll-on-roll-off (ro-ro) ship from Sandakan and arrived at the local wharf without fanfare.

Datuk Douglas Primus, a Malaysian lawyer who heads the group, said they later paid a courtesy call on Mayor Celso Lobregat.

Primus said the bikers converged at the Sandakan port and took the overnight ro-ro ship to Zamboanga City.

He said the motorcycle team intends to complete a 3,200-kilometer ride passing the major cities in Mindanao like Zamboanga, Davao City, General Santos City, and Cotabato.

The ride for peace team will later embark on other bike rides in other Southeast Asian countries.

Primus, 55, told Lobregat that aside from the group’s aim to promote peace among Southeast Asian neighbors, the bikers also want to establish a regular transportation route from Sabah to Sandakan in Malaysia to Zamboanga City and the rest of mainland Mindanao.

Asri Nor, who is from Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, said part of the group’s objective is to meet new friends and big bike enthusiasts in the Philippines.

Primus said this is the first time he visited Mindanao, but that despite the news of armed conflict and violence in the island, the team members were not discouraged to push through with the ride for peace.

Lobregat expressed support for the bikers and informed the mostly first-time visitors that Zamboanga City is also known as Asia’s Latin City because of the Spanish influence in the city’s culture and dialect, called Chabacano which is like pidgin Spanish.

"They said it is dangerous to visit Mindanao, but that did not stop us from coming because how can you know if it’s safe or not if you do not see the place personally. And for a rider who will not go to places, he should rather stay home and sell his bike," Primus said.

Primus said he has been a big bike enthusiast ever since he dreamed of owning a motorcycle when he was still in college in Malaysia. Back then he owned only a small motorcycle because he could not afford a big bike.

He said he now owns four Harley Davidson bikes and a Kawasaki 800 Classic.

"It was just a dream before. Now the only thing I want to do is to ride, ride, ride," said Primus who brought along his Electra Glide Classic Harley Davidson 1993 anniversary model.

http://uw.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=56010

HISPANIC FESTIVAL

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

By Id Acaylar

THEY call it Zamboanga Hermosa or Beautiful Zamboanga literally, which Zamboangueños annually hold in the second week of October in time for their patronal fiesta.

Starting this year's celebration, Zamboanga City is claiming to be Asia's Latin City. And rightly so. Nowhere in the Philippines is the Spanish influence more eminent. Its people, the Zamboangueños, pleasantly speak "chavacano," which is 80 percent derived from Spanish, a language developed from Latin.

Sun.Star Network Online coverage of the Pacquiao-Morales Sunday fight here

Their patron saint, the Blessed Virgin of the Pillar, was introduced by the Spanish Friars in conjunction with Spain's national patron, St. James the Apostle. And the well preserved fortress in the city was named after Her.

The Zamboangueños proudly claim it has protected the city from invaders and many calamities. This perhaps accounted for the strong religious fervor I noticed among them. Even the Zamboangueños residing in Davao City show it. They built a replica of Her shrine in Magsaysay Park.

It was 1:30 a.m. on October 12 when a new-found friend, a Miss Zamboanga two decades ago, Myra Abubakar brought me and Barge Ramos, a prominent Manila fashion designer and a columnist to Fort Pilar to light candles at the Shrine of Nuestra Señora del Pilar.

Honestly, I felt uncomfortable because having come from a social function I was still wearing my piña barong with matching beaded alampay made by Ronan Opiña. Barge was in his sculpted pinokpok barong. Myra, being a wife of a prominent Tausug businessman, was in an authentic Muslim princess costume. So I just said to myself "Que ver!" Besides, postponing our visit during the day would be more inconvenient.

The scorching sun would be up and thousands of people would then be at the shrine. I was amazed by the sight that greeted us. The shrine was a big park with concrete benches and an ancient fortress brick wall that reminded me of Intramuros.

In the middle of the wide wall, the image of the Blessed Mother was majestically ensconced. And at that very early dawn, I was surprised with hundreds of devotees already queuing to light their votive candles, to pray and to pay homage to their patroness.

I did what they did. And what a feeling! What a sight! Serene and spiritually fulfilling. That became my most glorious experience during my recent stay in Zamboanga.

Not only at the Fort did I witness the religious fervor of the Zamboangueños. I saw it on the streets during the traditional procession and even during the street dancing competition.

Every dancing contingent was preceded or followed by a dray bearing an iconic representation of the Lady of the Pillar. Ergo, the storylines depicted her adulation.

The costumes, the dances and the flowers were doubtlessly hispanic. I found out this was a contest requirement. And a smart one. It made the festival unique and different from the other festivals in the Philippines as the dancers minced, sashayed and twirled in their colorful, layered, voluminous costumes to latin beats and joyful Spanish tunes.

My favorites emerged as winners, namely; Universidad de Zamboanga (formerly Zamboanga A. E. Colleges), Zamboanga City High School and Dr. Pablo Lorenzo
Memorial High School.

On the other hand, the Festival's Float Parade told a different story. Although the floats were florally dressed, it depicted the city's architectural landmarks, which are colonial and hispanic.

Like most festivals and fiestas in the country, the celebration is never complete without a beauty pageant. So they had one for the title of Miss Zamboanga. Unlike in other places, it was not organized by the local government or by the festival committee. For more than a decade, the search was single-handedly undertaken by an individual, Sonny Villares who invited me and Mindanao's famous dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Neil Oropesa to sit as judges.

The two of us were astounded for several reasons. First, Zamboanga has four big convention halls. The competition was held in the city's latest, Astoria Regency. Second, there were beautiful contestants. From the point of view of the colonized Filipino, these are the mestizas of which Zamboanga boasts to have a lot. Thus, it has long been called the City of Flowers. Third, there was a swimsuit parade.

The candidates clad in skimpy black bikini comfortably and nonchalantly glided and posed on stage. Dr. Neil was approvingly smiling for such he did not find in the Mutya ng Davao while I was contemplating and appreciating the conservative Filipino culture particularly of the religious Zamboangueños who did not raise a fuss about it.

Perhaps all these are reflective of the mystique of the city and its people as well as their ability to quietly and unperturbedly blend the old and the new. A reason they have remained cheerful, radiant and progressive. And this was so succinctly captured in their Festival theme: "Alegria, alegria! Adelante Zamboanga!" Hola! Zamboanga! I will be back for further exhilarating experience and discovery.

A tribute to a legend
BOB JALDON · Wed Nov 15 10:12:45 2006


SAN PEDRO, CA. — This piece comes a day late, as yesterday was the death anniversary of the legend that changed the course of Zamboanga history — Cesar C. Climaco. He wished the kind of death he got — assassinated at the height of Martial Law. He was inspecting a fire scene in Camino Nuevo (in front of La Merced Funeral Homes) when a lone gunman, acting through many minds, fired a bullet in his head and snuffed the daylights out of him. He never recovered, not even at the Doctors’ Hospital where he was rushed by grieving relatives and avid supporters. That was a Wednesday, a council session day (it used to be Wednesday, not Thursday, that the legislature met). His wish was to be buried with the same clothes he had on.

His charisma was strange, his drawing power electrifying. Triple C never used money to draw people to his side. He tossed around candies and bread, but never money. He sometimes feasted the media with “pansit” de Savory. That’s all. He was a taskmaster, as Atty. Aster Solis (who worked with him as city legal officer) will attest. He would pound on his “Underwood” typewriter (there were no computers yet in those days) like a journalist beating the deadline whenever he had a sarcastic but masterfully-crafted letter addressed to President Marcos or his Chief of Staff Fabian C. Ver. He gave people a chance to make up for their transgressive lives. If they were still alive, they, too, will attest to that.

Sometimes, he would make fun about the church. In one of his conversations with “Curcillistas” at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, now known as the Zamboanga Metropolitan Cathedal, CCC jokingly said that his initials stood for three of the most important sacraments of the Catholic Church: Confession, Communion and the third and most important of all — Contribution.

Triple C also made fun of the Commission on Elections. You see, he ran three times as a senator and three times he lost. He summed up his defeats this way: “When I first ran for the senate, I campaigned in the cities and lost in the provinces. The second time I ran, I campaigned in provinces and lost in the cities. The third time I ran, I campaigned in both the cities and provinces, and lost in the Supreme Court.” That’s how Wenceslao Lagumbay of the Nacionalista Party became a senator.

He was commissioner of the Bureau of Customs. One night, he and his team raided a warehouse in Pasay City that was stocked with rolls of Chinese cloth worth millions of pesos. He always placed himself in the line of fire in his crime-busting ways. When he was relieved as Customs commissioner and appointed as chairman of the Philippine Assistance for Community Development (PACD), Climaco wrote a small note to then President Diosdado Macapagal (yes, La Gloria’s father) and declined the appointment, saying that PACD actually meant: Please Accept Climaco’s Demotion.” That’s how Ernesto Maceda got to be chairman of PACD.

When Climaco ran for mayor and won by a landslide in 1980 (the first local elections decreed by Marcos after 1971), he took all but one of his council aspirants to victory. The lone KBL survivor was Eddie Rodriguez. After winning his first national position as assemblyman in 1984, Climaco refused to sit as a member of parliament, having been contented with depriving the KBL from occupying one more seat in the legislature. Months after that resounding victory, he was murdered. Although many preferred that his martyrdom be postponed, CCC willed his death, and God gave it to him.

An American statesman Benjamin H. Hill spoke about Gen. Robert E. Lee in 1894. He said: “He was a Caesar without his ambition, a Frederick without his tyranny, a Napoleon without his selfishness, and a Washington without his reward.” That, in a nutshell, is who Cesar C. Climaco was.

Zamboanga City (17 November) -- Good news to off-grid barangays in the province for they will soon be energized by Amore.

Amore stands for Alliance for Mindanao Off-Grid Renewable Energy or simply called as "for the love of giving light to bleak areas" particularly the 13 barangays of Zamboanga del Sur being declined by Zamsureco-I to energize due to its remote distance. For the speedy and smooth implementation of the project, Amore Senior Regional Operations Manager Jun Tillah led a 21-man delegation recently to meet with Governor Aurora Cerilles for a possible signing of Memorandum of Agreement between the Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Sur and Amore.

Provincial Administrator Roger Saniel, in behalf of Governor Cerilles entertained the Amore delegation which was composed of community organizers under the Aid Foundation.

"The provincial government is committed to help," Saniel said as he learned that Amore won't require any financial counterpart from the provincial government. He stressed that the role of the local government unit here is to complement and supplement whenever needed.

Mainly funded by USAID, Amore discourages "dole out" concept for recipients to be socially prepared in terms of their responsibility to maintain and sustain the operation of the solar power inasmuch as it aims to extend to others so the community must pay back the cost of the project.

Tillah informed Saniel that Amore has identified 13 more remote barangays of Zamboanga del Sur to be energized aside from the first 10 barangays which are expected to be energized within this year.

The 13 barangays in three municipalities are: Tulan, Paraiso and Pedagan in Mahayag; Licuruan, Pili, Pawan, Balonai (Midsalip), San Jose, and Dumara in Lapuyan; New Tuburan, Lacarayan and Mate in Tigbao.

Karl Arbon, also of Amore said that of almost 3,000 un-energized 8 barangays across the country, more than 50% are situated in Mindanao while Zamboanga del Sur alone has 23 more identified off-grid barangays to be energized by Amore.

Tillah said that Amore has already energized 8 schools in this province whose students are now enjoying to watch television. Likewise, Amore provides potable water system in other areas. (PPB-PIA) [top]

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- Following its test flight in late August, Mosphil Aero Incorporated finally took off with its first commercial flight from Zamboanga to Sandakan, Sabah, and back on Nov 12.

The flight, which was launched to encourage more domestic and international air links, as well as trade and tourism in the East Asean Growth Area (EAGA), seeks to support the high passenger traffic from Zamboanga to Sandakan.

The Zamboanga-Sandakan flight draws on the two cities' trade ties, which dates back to the 18th century.

Mosphil's 90-minute flight offers an alternative to the 14-hour travel sustained by the SRN Fast Seacraft and Alesson Shipping Lines.

"This is also a cheaper (flight) option to the Kota Kinabalu-Clark (Pampanga)-Manila-Zamboanga route that I had to take before," said Eddy Lim, a Malaysian businessman from Kota Kinabalu who took the airline's first commercial flight from Zamboanga to Sandakan.

"With my old route, I had to spend for my hotel fare in Manila. It's now easier to go to Zamboanga. It saves me time," said Lim, who has been going to Zamboanga for 12 years now.

Lim buys and sells golf clubs, spare parts and grocery items.

Glenn Lamela, Mosphil's sales and marketing director, said besides offering a more convenient trip for passengers to and from Zamboanga and Sandakan, the airline's 48-seater Russian-made Antonov 24 aircraft also offers cargo services for at least five tonnes of cargo.

The plane flies three times a week, on Wednesdays, Sundays and Fridays.

Lamela said Mosphil has also tied up with Malaysia Airlines on linkaging and ground-handling services.

He said that besides its Zamboanga-Sandakan route, Mosphil has domestic flights from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi and from Zamboanga to Jolo.

Eventually, the airline plans to link major economic centres in the BIMP (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines)-EAGA, with flights from Davao to Kota Kinabalu and Manado to Indonesia as additional links.

Mosphil was established in 2005 as a response to the increasing demand in both air travel and cargo services.

The airline also sees potential in the BIMP-EAGA's vision of development in trade and tourism in the area.


http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_business.php?id=230654

RON Jacob G. Orendain, Sangguniang Kabataan chairman of Barangay Zone III, Zamboanga City, was adjudged as one of the Top 10 Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairmen in the entire Philippines in the recent staging of the Outstanding Sangguniang Kabataan Awards and Recognitions (Oskar).

The awarding was held during the SK National Congress jointly spearheaded by the Sangguniang Kabataan National Federation and the National Youth Commission held on November 11-13 in Crown Regency Suites, Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City.

The national congress was attended by close to 700 SK chairmen from all over the country and was graced by Cabinet Secretary Ricardo T. Saludo as the guest of honor and speaker together with Sangguniang Kabataan National Federation president Milton Isagani Mendador and the new chairperson of National Youth Commission Alvin M. Nalupta.

The Search for Outstanding Sangguniang Kabataan Awards and
Recognitions (Oskar), which was first launched during the Y2004 SK National Congress held on March 29-31, 2004 in Bacolod City, aims to give recognition to the immense contribution of the SK to national development as well as recognition of SK leaders who have developed and implemented sustainable programs and projects. This also seeks to highlight the significance of the program and SK activities worthy of emulation.

Orendain bested hundreds of other candidates from the entire Philippines and was chosen because of his remarkable achievements in leading the youth of Barangay Zone III in the areas of legislation, sports, health and sanitation, community involvement, and education.

A true pride of Zamboanga City and Ateneo de Zamboanga University where he is a graduating student taking up Bachelor of Arts major in Interdisciplinary Studies, Orendain was the only SK chairman from among 98 barangays in Zamboanga City and the only one that came from Region 9that qualified in this national youth leadership tilt.

He was egged on by many of his supporters to join the search even though his entry was only at the barangay level in view of the fact that his programs and projects are so glaring and his leadership skills impressive enough to be recognized.

Orendain, who was overwhelmingly elected as SK chairman in 2002, has relentlessly and consistently been implementing programs and projects that produce great impact to his constituents.

Among others, he was able to sustain and replicate sports and fitness programs, like basketball, volleyball, badminton, billiards and chess that benefited not only the males but the females and children of the barangay as well.

In addition, his efforts in emphasizing the value of education have not gone unnoticed by the grateful youth of the barangay as more and more youth are participating in the various seminars and educational symposiums.

Ron Jacob is known to his peers and the community as the "Golden Boy with a Heart of Gold." His selflessness and genuine concern have earned him this moniker.

He is the youngest of the four children of Esther Orendain, Barangay Zone III councilwoman, and Antonio "Jun El Palo Alto" Orendain, city administrator.

Incidentally, the older Orendain is also a recipient of numerous awards and commendations given by local and national organizations, most important of which is the Lingkod Bayan/Pag-asa Award given by the Civil Service Commission in its 105th anniversary last year. (Dioscoro Sale)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/11/17/life/zamboangue.o.among.top.10.sk.in.rp.html

Zamboanga City (16 November) -- Isabela City, Basilan Province remains hopeful as visiting envoys promised the province assistance in anyway they can.

Initially, the ambassadors pledged to donate to the city oil mills and fire trucks.

Isabela City was host to the recent visit of six foreign ambassadors led by US envoy Kristie Kenney.

The six were tenderly welcomed by Isabeleños led by Basilan Governor Wahab Akbar and Isabela City Mayor Rodolfo Tan.

Ms. Kenney and the five other ambassadors: Peter Sutherland of Canada, Peter Beckingham of the United Kingdom, Tony Hely of Australia, David Pine of New Zealand and Ryuichiro Yamasaki of Japan had a talked with top city and provincial officials and discussed on the issues and concerns of Basilan Province. The ambassadors noted of what their country can donate to the province in the near future.

Mayor Tan said the visit of the envoys served as an avenue were concerns of Basilan were aired and the ambassadors were most willing to help develop Basilan in terms of economy.

He said the visiting foreign envoys were interested to find out what are the major products of the island, and in what way they can help contribute for its progress. (PIA)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p061116.htm&no=54

MORE than 100 new police graduates from the region will be sent to Cebu to augment the security forces that will secure the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit next month.

A total of 132 policemen coming from the different parts of Zamboanga Peninsula graduated on Wednesday from a six-month training, at the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) in Camp Felicisimo Marcos in Barangay Pasonanca, seven kilometers north of Zamboanga City.

Zamboanga Peninsula includes the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte, and the Cities of Dapitan, Dipolog, Isabela, Pagadian and Zamboanga.

Zamboanga Peninsula director Chief Supt. Jaime Caringal said the new police graduates will also participate in a civil disturbance management competition prior to their deployment as part of the Asean Summit security force.

They were given a three-day break after their graduation to spend with their families.

"They will be sent to Cebu to compete in the civil disturbance management competition and they will be stationed there up to the 17th of December," Caringal said.

The Asean Summit is scheduled from December 10 to 14 in Cebu City.

It will be attended by the leaders of the 10 Asean-member countries to tackle issues and concerns of the region.

Before the summit, Cebu will also host the 4th Asean Business and Investment Summit from December 7 to 10 to open doors to new investments and discover new markets for the region's export products.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/11/18/news/zambo.peninsula.deploys.cops.to.cebu.for.asean.summit.html

THE Taiwanese government has officially turned over to the local government 38 motorcycles to be used in the peace-keeping efforts in this city, a city official said on Saturday.

City Hall Spokesperson Rogelio San Juan said the motorcycles were turned over to Mayor Celso Lobregat on Friday morning by Taiwan Economic and Cultural Officer Hsin-Hsing Wu.

In turn, San Juan said the mayor turned over to the local police 20 units of motorcycles, 10 to the Task Force Zamboanga (TFZ), two to the local chapter of the Red Cross, one to Patrol 117 while the rest to distributed to six city government offices that need additional mobility.

It will be recalled that the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) has been working in coordination with the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce for the donation of 38 motorcycles by the Taiwanese to be used in motorcycle patrolling the city streets.

The donated motorcycles will form part of the sixty units that the CPOC will provide the local police and Task Force Zamboanga in patrolling the city streets as part of the City Government's anti-criminality campaign.

Each of the motorcycles will be manned by two personnel that will entail the deployment of 120 lawmen in a three-shift 24-hour roving duty.

The CPOC has come up with the decision following the recent spate of killings in this city the victims of which are policemen, soldiers and businessmen.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/11/19/news/taiwan.donates.motorcycles.to.zambo.html

AT FIRST I thought "mascota" was some sort of a mascot or a mask. I was corrected by Dr. Roberto Torres, the dean of fashion designers in Zamboanga and a professor at the Western Mindanao State University.

From his forthcoming NCCA commissioned book Mascota: The Evolution of Design Patterns from Zamboanga Costume, I have learned what it really is.

The "mascota" is a "traje de alta sociedad," finery for women in high society. Believed to be of Spanish origin, it was worn by Zamboangueñas and I suspect also by other Filipinas during special occasions at the turn of the 20th century.

The dress has two parts comprised of several items. The upper part pertains to the blouse with finished hemline at the waist, a quarter moon or boat-shape neckline and a pair of butterfly or bell sleeves.

Over the blouse, a stiffened "pañuelo" called "candongga" is donned. Underneath the blouse, a "corpiño" or half chemise is worn especially in the olden days when the blouses were made of flimsy or see-through materials like "sinamay" and "cañamaso."

The lower part is a biased cut skirt with a trailing tail, which is popularly known as "saya de cola." Wrapped around the skirt is a "tapis" referred to by Zamboangueñas as "sobre falda."

Underneath is "enaguas," a long half-slip that is normally embroidered or embellished with lace. It is revealed when the skirt is raised and gathered on the waist.

When a Zamboangueña wears her mascota complete with accessories that may include a "payneta" (a hair piece), "argollas" (dangling tambourine earrings), an "abanico" (Spanish fan) and a pair of beaded or embroidered footwear, she is said to be "prendida." Meaning, she is well-dressed and glamorous.

The proud Zamboangueños did not want to lose this custom, which they claimed to be their own. So four years ago, the late Mayor Caling Lobregat and the city's tourism officer, Sarita S. Hernandez, instituted the Mascota Competition.

This year I feel fortunate to be invited to judge the competition together with Barge Ramos, an accomplished Manila fashion designer and columnist acclaimed for his innovative barong tagalog creations, and Myra Valderrosa Abubakar, the granddaughter of the first mayor of Zamboanga City. She was Miss Zamboanga 1986 and very recently, the Miss United Nations 2006 of Soroptimist International.

The final presentation was held at the old Fort Pilar. It was invitational and everybody came "prendida." The models were radiant. The mascotas were all elegant.

The ambience was nostalgic. It was indeed an enchanted evening. But to me, as a judge, it was also a difficult one.

It was not easy selecting the best among 10 beautiful entries considering that the dress structure was the same. Nevertheless, my top three choices became the winners.

Awarded with first prize was the only wedding gown entry of Federico Navarro that ingeniously utilized a pure white yakan weave and muslin brass buttons. The second prize winner was the creation of a medical doctor, Ben Jason Caranay. What caught my attention were the skirts that dropped and flowed freely and the fine woven raffia used for the blouse and the candongga.

The third prize went to the black lace mascota of Joe Harris Kari made attractive by multicolored floral appliqués done from fibered fabrics. I was dazzled, and fascinated of Zamboanga City's rich and pronouncedly mixed culture.

Its strong affinity to history made Zamboangueños proud and desirous to preserve and develop their cultural heritage. Pachada gayot!

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2006/11/20/feat/mascota.de.zamboanga.html

US military facilities seen hampering Zambo airport upgrade

By Julie Alipala
Inquirer
Last updated 10:21pm (Mla time) 11/19/2006


ZAMBOANGA CITY--The presence of US military facilities and shanties of civilian squatters inside the Zamboanga International Airport (ZIA) is hampering a government project aimed at upgrading the airport's capabilities, a high-ranking aviation official said.

Celso Bayabos, Air Transport Office (ATO) chief for Western Mindanao, told reporters here that American military facilities, including a hangar for helicopters, were built 50 meters away from the centerline of the airport's 150-meter runway system.

He said the facilities were affecting aircraft traffic in the airport.

"The height of their structures is affecting the altitude of aircrafts winding down for touch down on the airfield," Bayabos said.

He said the ATO wants the airport cleared of obstructions so it could implement the P257-million airport improvement project.

Bayabos said they already talked with other agencies about the problem but these agencies had not moved on the ATO’s requests.

He said 70 families alleged that US military facilities had forced them to occupy areas in the airport. "Settlers refusing to vacate the area were citing the encroachment of the Americans," Bayabos said.

Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on the peace process, agreed with Bayabos.

"It is difficult to remove the locals while the Americans are there and expanding. We cannot get cooperation from our own people. We'll take a look at it. I am sure the Americans will comply with the local requirements," Dureza, who visited the airport the other day, said.

Major John Redfield, public affairs officer of the Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines (JSOTFP), said that although the issue had not been formally brought to their attention, he was aware that some US facilities located at the airfield "might be too close, in the event of a runway expansion."

"The JSOTFP has always, and will always, work to be good neighbors. If the proximity of our structures to a new runway becomes an issue, we will work with Philippine authorities to resolve it. US forces are in the Philippines at the request of the host government. We will continue doing all we can to ensure that our presence is only beneficial to the host nation. We look forward to continuing our strong, positive working relationship with the people of the Philippines," Redfield said in a statement.

Once the airport is cleared of obstruction, the ATO said it expects the upgrade to be completed by 2008.

Velasquez predicts booming transport business with IBT
Tue Nov 21 10:24:02 2006


Acting Vice-Mayor Mila Velasquez yesterday lauded the transport sector for their contribution to the economy of the city and assured local operators of brighter prospects once the Integrated Bus Terminal (IBT) is in place.

Speaking during the induction of the Zamboanga International Airport Public Transport Service Multi-Purpose Cooperative (ZATSCOOP) at the Marcian Garden Hotel, Velasquez said the performance of the transport sector is an important economic indicator that determines the development of the city.

Although the car service is a very young industry, it has a bright future with the continuing dispersal of the commercial and business sector outside of the city’s 7-kilometer radius.

Velasquez said the proposed Integrated Bus Terminal, a landmark project of the city government will increase the demand for public transport services not only in the east coast but from all points of the city.

Also, the proposed transfer of the international airport, tourist influx and construction of large shopping malls in the east coast will also spur activities of the transport business here, Velasquez said.

She admitted that the presence of tricycles in the city is giving the car service sector a stiff competition.

In 1998, the cooperative acquired eight units of public utility vehicles from the Countryside Development Fund (CDF) of the then Congresswoman Maria Clara Lobregat.

The vehicles are still in service, according to Ramon Dagun, president of the transport group.

Present during the induction ceremonies of ZATSCOOP were Councilor Cesar Jimenez, Councilor Asbi Edding, Councilor Roel Natividad, Eling delas Penas, the Mayor’s Executive Assistant and the officers and members of the cooperative.:) :) :) :)

I

Zamboanga hermosa, preciosa, perlita
orgullo de Mindanao
tus bellas dalagas
son las que hermosean
tu deliciosa ciudad.

II

Flores y amores
que adornan su jardin
eres la imagen
de bello eden...

III

Zamboanga hermosa, preciosa, perlita
orgullo de Mindanao
tus bellas dalagas
son las que hermosean
tu deliciosa ciudad.

http://cbk-zam.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciudad_de_Zamboanga

Airport runway refurbishing completed
By Bong Garcia

REFURBISHING work has been completed at the Zamboanga International Airport (ZIA), which has started serving an international flight, linking southern Philippines and the northern state of Sabah in Malaysia.

The Filipino-Russian-owned Mosphil Aero, Incorporated took off with its first commercial flight from this city to Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia on November 12 following a test flight in August.

The refurbishing of the ZIA runway answers the immediate need of the airline companies with flights serving this southern port from key cities of the country and Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia.

The asphalt overlay was completed last week and was undertaken by the Teddie Construction firm based in Zamboanga City.

The national government has spent P33 million for the asphalt overlay covering 18 meters of the 45 meters wide runway and more than 900 meters of the 2,600 meters total length of ZIA runway.

"ZIA asphalt overlay project is not big but has responded to the initial critical needs of the airline companies," said Mindanao Super Region champion Jesus Dureza, who inspected the project.

Department of Transportation and Communication Director for Planning Service Ildefonso Patdu and Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco) chair Undersecretary Virgilio Leyretana accompanied Dureza during the project inspection.

Patdu said the asphalt overlay is part of the P257 million projects to refurbish the ZIA including all other facilities like the control tower, terminal and others, which was programmed for completion within 2007 and 2008.

Local Air Transportation Office (ATO) manager Celso Bayabos informed Dureza that the control tower and fire rescue facilities are the priorities to be attended aside from the runway.

"We look forward to further expand the asphalt overlay of the runway," Dureza said as he disclosed that he and Patdu have already conferred where to source out the needed funds.

Aside from Mosphil Aero, the newest player in the airline industry, Zamboanga City is also being served by Philippine Airlines, Cebu-Pacific Air, Air Philippines and Southeast Asian Airline.

Dureza disclosed that the proposed transfer of ZIA from its present location is being outlined by the national government.

The proposal is to transfer ZIA to Barangay Talabaan, some 15 kilometers east of this city.

(www.zamboangacity.com)-----the website have more than 500 pictures of zamboanga city.

Friday, November 24 2006 @ 04:48 PM GMT

Provincial

The local government will bid out in January the multi-million pesos integrated bus terminal project for this city.

City Administrator Antonio Orendain, Jr. said all submitted bids will be scrutinized by the City Engineer's Office (CEO) to ensure that the winning bidder's designs and specifications are in accordance to the standards set by the CEO.

Orendain said the project is set to be awarded to the winning bidder by the first week of February so that construction work could immediately start.

The local government has allocated the amount of P300 million for the construction of the integrated bus terminal including the purchase of lot.

The integrated bus terminal will be constructed in a lot purchased by the local government in Barangay Divisoria nine kilometers east of this city.

It will house the buses plying the Zamboanga-Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga-Dipolog routes.

At present, the inter-provincial buses plying various routes to and from this city are being housed at a privately-owned terminal in Barangay Guiwan, four kilometers east of this city.

The construction of the bus terminal by the local government is aimed at decongesting the city within the seven-kilometer radius. (PNA)


http://news.balita.ph/html/article.php/20061124164800947

CLOSE to P1 million in livelihood assistance were released Friday to dependents of overseas Filipinos workers in the Zamboanga Peninsula, a government agency said.

Overseas Workers Welfare Association (Owwa) officer Sheryl Joaquin, also the designated information officer, said a total of 18 OFW Family Circles (OFCs) were organized into a federation and benefited from the livelihood loan assistance.

Joaquin said the OFC-beneficiaries in Friday's release of livelihood assistance were from this city and nearby Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province.

She said the 18 OFCs received a total loan of P900,000 at P50,000 each group, and payable in two years after a two-month grace period from date of release.

The release of livelihood assistance was spearheaded by Owwa acting Regional Director Liddy Rasul-Tañedo, also a labor attaché'.

The monthly loan amortization for each OFCs is P2,083.33, according to Joaquin.

The livelihood assistance loan is granted to OFWs and dependents under the "Owwa Groceriya Project" in line with the Philippine reintegration Program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The loan is interest-free and no collateral is required except that the OFCs have to undergo the needed training to qualify for the livelihood assistance.

Joaquin said OFWs or their dependents must organize into a group of not less than five members, register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and come up with a business plan.

"We will evaluate it to determine if their propose business is buyable for eventual approval," she said.

She said they prefer that each OFCs will engage in the business of fast-moving goods like grocery items and other basic commodities, fish, vegetables and fruits vending.

Aside from OFWs and dependents, the others who are entitled to avail themselves of livelihood assistance loan are those who used to work abroad provided they can present proof of employment, according to Joaquin.

Previously, 21 OFCs mostly from Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte received the same livelihood assistance. Nine OFCS are from this city.

Livelihood assistance to OFWs and their dependents started in 2004.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/11/25/news/p.9.m.livelihood.aid.released.in.zambo.peninsula.html

http://www.zamboangacity.com/zamboangacity_gallery/images/calesa.jpg

CASELA NEAR JOLIBEE RIZAL BRANCH
ZAMBOANGA CITY
Photos by Storm :) :)

Zamboanga's mangoes considered as the Philippines' SWEETEST! :applause:

Buenas noches...LOLS

OVER 30,000 peace-loving people swelled downtown as they marched along Zamboanga City's major roads on Wednesday morning to formally open the weeklong celebration of this year's Mindanao Week of Peace.

Carrying various streamers and placards, marchers who came from diverse groups and organizations in the city exulted as they urged spectators to join them in the call for peace in Mindanao.

The city, whose image was affected by a sharp increased in killings and other serious crimes, came together in one rally to call for peace, said Fr. Angel Calvo, president of Peace Advocate Zamboanga (PAZ) and who who spearheaded the week's celebration.

"We came out to the streets to show our solidarity with people crying for peace, love and harmony with the environment," a third-year high school student from Claret School said.

"This is the biggest gathering of peace, environmental, civil liberties and human needs' activists in the city. Indeed, this is a very successful activity. It shows that Zamboangue?os are united," Mayor Celso Lobregat said as he waved to the marchers.

The annual celebration, which is now on its 9th year, carries an environmental theme: "In the Name of the Almighty, God of Harmony, Care for the Earth!" The Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC), which sponsors the same event throughout southern Philippines, decided on the theme.

The grant parade, encompassing five blocks long and a full-street wide, was observed with much enthusiasm.

"Sentiments were very positive and residents leaned out their windows to show support," noted a member of a tricycle group, who also joined the grant parade driving their three-wheeled commuter vehicles.

Many more creative and positive signs abounded, including the raggedly-clothed street children shouting "We are for peace," while playing on their makeshift tri-drums, which are made from disposed milk cans, water pipes and tire rubbers.

The peace contingent expressed its love of peace and the environment in various ways, through dancing, singing, drum thumping, and cheering.

An indigenous Subanen float was covered with cheerful yellow flowers and agongs - a musical instrument. Behind the float marched the schools with their anti-war banners. A large sign proclaiming "Peace" was greeted with applauds, and many peace hand signs were flashed by parade watchers as marchers passed.

Military and police officers were also visible in the event.

During the entirely peaceful, colorful, and cheerful march, the audience reflected the diversity of people in the city, while sitting at the bleachers of the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex, where a short program ceremony was held.

Past celebrations had concentrated on themes particularly affecting Mindanao, such as the value of family, culture of peace, reconciliation, and women and children rights. (Darwin T. Wee)


http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/11/30/news/thousands.join.parade.to.open.week.of.peace.celebration.html

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and local government have entered into an agreement for the co-management of two new watersheds of Zamboanga City, one located in the east coast and the other in the west coast.

Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer-west (CENRO-west) Tito Gadon on Wednesday said that under the agreement, the DENR and local government will handle the technical and financial aspects, respectively, of the two new watersheds.

Gadon said the new watersheds known as the Ayala in the west and Manicahan in the east are close to 2,000 hectares in land area.

Ayala is about 500 hectares while Manicahan is over 1,000 hectares, and they were earlier identified as among the six additional watersheds for the city.

Gadon said they are now undertaking the delineation process to determine the exact boundaries of the two new identified watersheds.

After the delineation, they are going to lay down the management development, work, and financial plans that would serve as guidelines in the co-management of the watersheds, according to Gadon.

He said the people found staying within the identified two new watersheds will be given means of livelihood through the agro-forestry project.

"We will tap them to be our partners in the maintenance of the watershed since they have been staying in the area for several years already," he said.

He said the eco-gov funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) who is also a party in the signing of the agreement will help in the capacity building of the residents within the watersheds.

The co-management agreement was signed last week and was witnessed by US Ambassador Kristie Kenney.

For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/11/30/news/denr.zambo.ink.pact.to.co.manage.watersheds.html

Zamboanga's mangoes considered as the Philippines' SWEETEST! :applause:

^^ :cheer: :cheer: I Agree Jhaelnis Siento por Siento:cheer: :cheer:

Buenas noches...LOLS

^^ Buenas Dias FancisXavier :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Celso: All is set for 2006 Xmas festival
Sheila Covarrubias ? Thu Nov 30 09:54:01 2006

Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday announced that several activities have been lined up for the month-long Christmas festival dubbed "Pascua na Zamboanga 2006" sponsored by the city government.

Lobregat said this year's Yuletide festivities will kick off tomorrow, December 1, with a concert dubbed "Un Concierto de Pascua" featuring the country's hottest celebrities Toni Gonzaga and Sam Milby at the Summit Centre in Tetuan.

The following day, Dec. 2, starts the Solitary Week celebration until Dec. 7. In between this weeklong celebration, the rank and file employees of the city government will take to the streets for the Lantern Parade on Dec. 4 from the sports complex in Baliwasan to the historic Plaza Pershing downtown where a merrymaking program will be held.

Highlighting the event at Plaza Pershing will be the ceremonial switch-on of the Christmas lights synchronized on the giant Christmas Tree down to its surrounding plants and trees and stretching to City Hall.

Mayor Lobregat will led the witch-on rite.

On the same day (Dec. 4), the Southern City Colleges will mark its 60th Foundation Anniversary until Dec. 10.

The annual chorale competition dubbed "Canciones de Pascua" among the elementary schools will start on December 6 at Plaza Pershing with the theme, "Pastores a Belen".

Lobregat said that P10,000 cash awaits the first prize winner of the Christmas Lantern competition, which is open to all city residents. The second and third prize winners will receive P7,000 and P4,000 cash, respectively.

The feast of Mary Immaculate Concepcion on Dec. 8 will be highlighted with the first-ever professional boxing title match dubbed "Golpe-Golpe na Zambonga"; Dec. 10- One Mega Fair and Christmas Bazaar at the Garden Orchid Convention Center sponsored by the Tzu Chi Foundation Zamboanga; Dec. 10- 2nd Pascua Carera; Dec. 11 to 14- Evaluation of Christmas landmarks in the barangays; Dec. 13- prejudging of the Open Lantern Competition at the City Tourism Office and the Inter-barangay and Inter-school hip hop dance showdown at the City Coliseum in Tetuan.

The activities will continue on Dec. 14 with the Best Dressed Sta. Claus competition at the Plaza Pershing; Dec. 15- awarding ceremonies at the Plaza Pershing; Dec.16- Reynang Negosyante 2006 and the "Blow Band Concert" featuring hunk celebrity Diether Ocampo at the City Coliseum; and Dec. 18- the Regional Development Council quarterly meeting and Christmas Party to be hosted by the city government of Zamboanga.

The mayor said that the Best Landmark competition will be open to all barangays. (Sheila E. Covarrubias)

Zamboanga City tax collections up by 11.9%

Saturday, 02 December 2006
Written by Philippine News Agency

Zamboanga City (PNA) - Tax collections of the city reached P968 million for the third quarter of 2006, up by 11.9 percent from last year's P865 million. Mayor Celso L. Lobregat attributed the higher revenues to collection of business taxes, real property taxes, sand and gravel and Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA). Lobregat said the tax collections would be used to fund increases in allowances of teachers, police, Aviation Security, Bureau of Jail and Management guards and other purposes, including the monthly allowances of 98 barangay tanods. (PNA)

Philippine Boxing Federation title bout slated in Zambo
Written by Bong Garcia, Jr.

Zamboanga City – Preparations are underway for the Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) flyweight championship to be held on December 8 at the government-owned coliseum in this city. Games and Amusement Board (GAB) regional head Rogelio San Juan said reigning PBF champion Jojo Bardon of the Cebu-based Wakee Salud Stable will slug it out with challenger Bert Gawat of Valencia City Larry Llanares Stable in the main event. San Juan said the title bout is promoted by the Blue Stallion Promotions of Congressman Erico Basilio Fabian and sanctioned by GAB. "This is the official revival of professional boxing in this city," Fabian said of the PBF title bout to be held here. Two 10-round matches that would feature PBF top ranked flyweight boxers would serve as under card events to the Bardon-Gawat championship fight. San Juan said PBF number 1 contender Ritchie Mipranum of Mayor Jojo Lopez Stable of Maasim, Sarangani province will fight against PBF number 2 contender Dave Cris of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay of Rey Paciones Stable and PBF number 6 boxer Allan Dugang of Jimenez, Misamis Occidental of Bernard Yu Stable will slug it out against PBF number 7 contender of Lopez Stable as the under card events. The other events, like two six-round matches, five four-round fights that would see action featherweights and light-flyweights boxers from this city, Basilan, Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Sur will serve as curtain raisers. San Juan, who was named as GAB regional head two months ago, said revival of boxing here is aimed to discover individuals who have the potentials to become professional boxers and one day would bring honor to the country. He believes that there are several individuals in this city and in the region have the potential to become professional boxers but don't have the chances to show and enhance their talents and skills. Boxing is a kind of sports that Filipinos have greater chances to excel as the fights are measured in weighs and not in heights.:dance:

Zamboanga's mangoes considered as the Philippines' SWEETEST! :applause:

^^ Guimaras Mangoes as well are very very sweet.:)

all mangoes in the Philippines are sweet! ^^ :applause:

all mangoes in the Philippines are sweet! ^^ :applause:

^^ Fair enough :) :) :)

Libro Para Sa Mahihirap Ipamumudmod Sa Zamboanga
Sunday, December 03, 2006 05:55:06 PM


ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 03 Dec) - Siguradong matutuwa ang mga street children at batang pulubi sa Zamboanga City matapos na makatanggap ang Mindanao Examiner ng dalawang malalaking kahon ng children's book upang ipamahagi sa mga mahihirap.

Galing sa The Asia Foundation ang mga libro at ibinigay ito sa hiling na rin ng Mindanao Examiner (http://mindanaoexaminer.com) na pinatatakbo ng mga manunulat sa Mindanao. May humanitarian program kasi ang Mindanao Examiner para sa mga maralita sa ibat-ibang panig ng rehiyon at ito rin ang isa sa dalawang media partner ng Asia Foundation sa katimugan.

"Nagpapasalamat kami sa mabuting hangarin ng Asia Foundation dahil nagbigyan ng maraming libro ang Mindanao Examiner upang ipamahagi sa mga bata sa lansangan at maralita at sa gayun ay matulungan natin silang matuto sa araw-araw nilang pakikibaka sa mundo ng karihapan," ani Maritess Fernandez, ang tumatayong publisher ng Mindanao Examiner.

Si Mr Rey Ocampo, ng Asia Foundation, ang siyang nagpadala ng mga libro, wika pa ni Fernandez. Naunang nabigyan ng libro ng Asia Foundation at Mindanao Examiner ang Lumbangan Elementary School nitong taon lamang.

Ang Barangay Lumbangan na kung saan ay naroon ang tambakan ng basurahan ng Zamboanga City ang siyang naging daan upang maitatag ang Mindanao Examiner at maging instrumento sa pagtulong sa mga mahihirap.

Doon makikita ang maraming mga bata na napilitang tumitgil sa pagaaral upang mamulot ng basura at makatulong sa pagpapakain sa kanilang pamilya. Umapela rin si Fernandez ng tulong mula sa mga malalaking kumpanya sa bansa, partikular ang mga food companies, upang madagdagan ang mga kaligayahan ng mga pulubi sa Mindanao.

Bukod sa Asia Foundation ay nangako na rin sa Mindanao Examiner ng 500 kilong bigas si Sharif Ibrahim Ajibul Mohammad Pulalun, ang Sultan ng Sulu at North Borneo, para sa mga mahihirap na batang Muslim at Kristiyano sa darating na pasko. May isa rin foundation si Pulalun sa Mindanao na ang tanging layunin ay tumulong sa mga mahihirap.

Monday, December 04, 2006
Mindanao super region now in full swing

THE government's plan to transform Mindanao into an agribusiness super region is now reportedly moving in full swing, the Mindanao Economic and Development Council (Medco) reported.

Medco chair Virgilio Leyretana said they have already consolidated the identified key infrastructure projects in the island and set the implementation strategies for the development of the proposed super region.

"The adoption of the super region strategy augurs well for Mindanao, given the island's competitive edge in agribusiness that could be further harnessed by major infrastructure support," said Leyretana, who also acts as deputy development champion for Mindanao super region.

In her state-of-the-nation address (Sona) last July, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo laid out the proposed development of Mindanao into a super region to fast track its development as a prime economic hub in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-EAGA).

She said the government will prioritize the development of the island's agribusiness areas, which would be tapped as anchor of the proposed Mindanao super region.

Leyretana said they are continuously coordinating with concerned agencies to fast track the implementation and completion of various Sona-committed projects.

He cited the P1.326 billion Sibuco-Siraway-Siocon-Baliguian-Gutalac in Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, the P2.065 billion Awang-Upi-Lebak road in Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao and the P6.278 Surigao-Davao Coastal Road.

He said they also assisted the holding of a Resource Mobilization Forum in Manila by the Regional Development Council of Region 12, which is seeking foreign and national funding for at least 24 priority development projects in the area.

A technical working group on irrigation composed of regional irrigation managers in Mindanao to validate the priority small irrigation projects for the next four years had already been convened.

Leyretana said they expect to start the implementation of these projects early next year.

Monday, December 04, 2006
Bangus hatchery to rise in Zambo
By Bong Garcia

ZAMBOANGA State Colleges of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST) president Ernesto Caraecle said he is planning to put up a bangus hatchery for the region in Zamboanga City.

Caraecle said there is a need to establish a bangus hatchery to supply the needs of fishpond owners who have been dependent on other regions for their supply of bangus fry for fish production.

He said they already have the breeder needed for the production of bangus fry once a hatchery is established in this city.

Caraecle plans to adopt new technologies used by other regions in the production of bangus to ensure a high yield.

The school official has sought the help of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) to realize his plan.

Monday, December 04, 2006
Farming village receives water system facility

RESIDENTS of Barangay Guisao, a farming village 20 kilometers east of Zamboanga City, will soon have a new communal water system to supply them with potable water.

A group of non-government organizations (NGOs) known as the Zamboanga City Coalition of Development (Zamcode) acquired a P1.96 million loan for the purchase of equipment needed for the new communal water system of the farming village.

An agreement was signed by Zamcode and the loan recipient, the Sta. Catalina Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SCMPC), during the first day of the Anti-poverty Symposium and Agri Expo held at the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) on Friday.

Claretian priest Fr. Angel Calvo, Zamcode chairman, said the loan is payable within eight years with three years grace period from the date of release.

The agreement signing, witnessed by WMSU president Eldigario Gonzales, is the highlight of the Anti-Poverty Symposium and Expo by WMSU and also part of the celebration of the Week of Peace that started on November 29 and ended on December 6.

SCMPC president Pastor Palis said the new water system will be a major help in his community’s effort to acquire basic services and improve the health of the residents, especially the children.

Calvo said the SCMPC will also be provided with basic services, organizational development training, technical support, and values formation.

Gonzales encouraged the farmers to go into jatropha, corn cassava, and native chicken production and promised to assist them in marketing their products.

WMSU, Zamcode, Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF) and Nadilaab Foundation earlier forged an agreement to collaborate in providing various anti-poverty and peace-building interventions in Zamboanga City and in Basilan Province. (Bong Garcia)

iHola Zamboanga Hermosa!

ill will be in Zamboanga this sat-mon dec 9-11 aside from zambo pupunta din ako ng Basilan.

i dont have solid plans basta tour lang ako jan sa place nyo. sino gusto meet? :)

hola Zamboagueños! Saludos desde España y que sorpresa que se entiende bien las frases en chabacano!

Un saludo desde un pais hermano!

Hello Errante! Welcome to SSC Philippines..


Oi, zambo folks, meet nyo si kuya eric...:lol:

iHola Zamboanga Hermosa!

ill will be in Zamboanga this sat-mon dec 9-11 aside from zambo pupunta din ako ng Basilan.

i dont have solid plans basta tour lang ako jan sa place nyo. sino gusto meet? :)

Hello ericd001, just have fun while your in zambo, hope youll enjoy your stay in our city.......:) :) :) :) :)

hola Zamboagueños! Saludos desde España y que sorpresa que se entiende bien las frases en chabacano!

Un saludo desde un pais hermano!

hola Errante! Saludos desde Filipinas y Zamboanguenos! esta bien alegre porque
un hermano desde mardrid entiende bien las frases en chavacano!

Saludo desde hermanos y hermanas Zamboanguenos desde entero mundo!!

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Monday, December 04, 2006
Mindanao super region now in full swing

THE government's plan to transform Mindanao into an agribusiness super region is now reportedly moving in full swing, the Mindanao Economic and Development Council (Medco) reported.

Medco chair Virgilio Leyretana said they have already consolidated the identified key infrastructure projects in the island and set the implementation strategies for the development of the proposed super region.

"The adoption of the super region strategy augurs well for Mindanao, given the island's competitive edge in agribusiness that could be further harnessed by major infrastructure support," said Leyretana, who also acts as deputy development champion for Mindanao super region.

In her state-of-the-nation address (Sona) last July, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo laid out the proposed development of Mindanao into a super region to fast track its development as a prime economic hub in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-EAGA).

She said the government will prioritize the development of the island's agribusiness areas, which would be tapped as anchor of the proposed Mindanao super region.

Leyretana said they are continuously coordinating with concerned agencies to fast track the implementation and completion of various Sona-committed projects.

He cited the P1.326 billion Sibuco-Siraway-Siocon-Baliguian-Gutalac in Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, the P2.065 billion Awang-Upi-Lebak road in Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao and the P6.278 Surigao-Davao Coastal Road.

He said they also assisted the holding of a Resource Mobilization Forum in Manila by the Regional Development Council of Region 12, which is seeking foreign and national funding for at least 24 priority development projects in the area.

A technical working group on irrigation composed of regional irrigation managers in Mindanao to validate the priority small irrigation projects for the next four years had already been convened.

Leyretana said they expect to start the implementation of these projects early next year.


^^ I hope tuloy tuloy nato, not only for the Zamboanga Peninsula area but the whole of mindanao as well, lets keep our fingers crossed!!!!!!:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

Monday, December 04, 2006
Bangus hatchery to rise in Zambo
By Bong Garcia

ZAMBOANGA State Colleges of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST) president Ernesto Caraecle said he is planning to put up a bangus hatchery for the region in Zamboanga City.

Caraecle said there is a need to establish a bangus hatchery to supply the needs of fishpond owners who have been dependent on other regions for their supply of bangus fry for fish production.

He said they already have the breeder needed for the production of bangus fry once a hatchery is established in this city.

Caraecle plans to adopt new technologies used by other regions in the production of bangus to ensure a high yield.

The school official has sought the help of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) to realize his plan.


^^ well this is another positive news for the agriculture sector of zamboanga city and its neighboring cities who are into the fishpond industry :) :) :)

could somebody please recommend an affordable place to stay in zambo. i dont need a plush accomodation. basta importante may matulugan .. at sanamay TV ( manonood ako finals ng philippine idol eh) eheheh


at magkano ang ferry from zambo to basilan at ano oras ang sked nito?

i might go to basilan sa sabado upon arrival... or sa sunday na lng.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Zambo police receive P1M worth of equipment


MAYOR Celso Lobregat turned over close to P1 million worth of two-way handheld radios to the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) to enhance the communication capability of the force.

The 60 units of radios were received by Police Director Mario Yanga in a simple turnover ceremony on Monday morning at the conference room of City Hall.

Lobregat said each of the radio set is worth P16,450 or a total of P987,000 for the 60 units.

The mayor said the money that was used to purchase the radio sets came from the calamity fund of the city.

He said the City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) passed a resolution for the purchase of the radio sets for disaster preparedness and “at the same time, these can also be used for the maintenance of peace and order.”

Yanga said the new radio sets will be distributed to the policemen assigned with the traffic and patrol divisions, City Mobile Group, Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) and selected police stations.

The ZCPO has 11 police stations under its command including one that has responsibility over the island barangays.

“The priority to be given is the operational units, meaning those who are on the ground,” Yanga said as to the distribution of the radio sets.

He said only one-half of the more than 100 radio units given to them since 1997 are still operational.

Last week, 19 unserviceable units were returned to the City General Service Office (CGSO) for proper inventory. (Bong Garcia)

could somebody please recommend an affordable place to stay in zambo. i dont need a plush accomodation. basta importante may matulugan .. at sanamay TV ( manonood ako finals ng philippine idol eh) eheheh


at magkano ang ferry from zambo to basilan at ano oras ang sked nito?

i might go to basilan sa sabado upon arrival... or sa sunday na lng.

^^ I recommend either Marcian Garden Hotel or Grand Astoria Hotel, it will cost you less than a thousand for a day.. As for the the boats to basilan there are if im not mistaken every other hour ang trip coming to and from zambo - basilan, you can either ride AS 1 or 2, Weesam express 1 to 6 bullet fast craft they usually start their trip at 6am!!!!!!! :) :) :) :) :)

For me, Grand Astoria has the best value for money. Stayed there several times. Mura pa pagkain nila.

For me, Grand Astoria has the best value for money. Stayed there several times. Mura pa pagkain nila.

^^ I agree toledonhon, but Marcian Garden Hotel too, although a little bit mahal but i can assure you that the place is worth the price..... :) :) :) :)

magkano mga hotel rates jan? whew! excited na ko mag zamboanga and Basilan!!!


thank you sa inyo...

magkano mga hotel rates jan? whew! excited na ko mag zamboanga and Basilan!!!


thank you sa inyo...

^^ if youll stay in astoria i think its less than a thousand for a day... btw if you dont mind what will you do in basilan? no malice ha, basilan is a wonderful place too, very rich in culture with lots of white sand beaches which are untapped.

ikot lang ako sa basilan then explore the beach @ malamawi island. i might even spend a night there. then another night in zambo.

====================
ito yung pupuntahan ko sa zambo. please feel free to add kung may na miss ako.

- fort pilar
- cathedral
plaza pershing
rio hondo
taluksangay mosque
yakan weaving community

ikot lang ako sa basilan then explore the beach @ malamawi island. i might even spend a night there. then another night in zambo.

====================
ito yung pupuntahan ko sa zambo. please feel free to add kung may na miss ako.

- fort pilar
- cathedral
plaza pershing
rio hondo
taluksangay mosque
yakan weaving community

^^ ive been to basilan a couple of times before but i never had the chance to visit the malamawi beaches but according to friends who had visited the place all had positive feedbacks regarding the place. this is my added suggestion where to go if your in zambo.
1. National Museum
2. Pasonanca Park
3. Freedom Park
4. the resorts if you still have time

by the way for me rio hondo is a bad idea!!!!!!!:) :)