Surigao City and Surigao del Norte Province

[KulasKusgan]

tara na, byahe tayo!

[dancethingy]

Wow Fhoy and Manileno, those are just awesome photos and looking at them makes my go baliw given that i'm in the midst of all this asthma inducing pollution.

Surigao is FUN-F*%&-FABULOUS

[drfeelgood17]

is that what's making you baliw? hehe

[c0kelitr0]

Busy air traffic in Mindanao noted; Surigao tops growth
Saturday, December 24, 2005


BUSINESS upswing and stable peace and order condition in Mindanao have remarkably brought in a busting aircraft movement and air passenger traffic at the island-region's airports during the first half of the year.

Year-on-year data processed by the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco) showed that Mindanao airports hit a total of 1.69 million air passengers and 18,809 flights during the first semester this year, which translates to an increase of 1.84% and 3.42% respectively over the same period last year.

Midyear figures of air traffic and volume in Mindanao are normally being generated and processed towards the end of the year.

Davao City International Airport registered the busiest air passenger traffic with a total of 874,825 passengers served in the first six months, which accounts for over 52% share of the total air passenger volume during the period.

DIA is followed by Cagayan de Oro City Airport with a total of 266,370 passengers (15.73%), Zamboanga City International Airport with 189,375 passengers (11%), General Santos City Airport with 149,785 passengers (9%) and Butuan City Airport with 62,149 passengers (4%).

In terms of growth rate in passenger traffic, Surigao Airport registered the highest at 457.32%, marking a dramatic rose from just 3,393 passengers in the first semester of 2004 to 18,910 this year due to the increasing tourist arrivals in Surigao, particularly in the surfing capital of Siargao Island. Data also showed that both Surigao and Siargao airports manifested a significant growth in aircraft movement, attributed mainly to the increased flight frequency of small airlines in Surigao City and Siargao.

Mindanao's aircraft movement this year is buoyed by small airline companies such as Asian Spirit, South Phoenix and South East Asian (Seair) airline, which were notably linking areas not served by other national carriers. These areas include Tandag, Dipolog, Cagayan de Oro, Siargao, Camiguin, Cotabato, Zamboanga, Jolo, Tawi-Tawi as well as Malaysia and Indonesia for some seasonal routes.

Asian Spirit, for instance, has recently expanded operation in Mindanao when it opened major hubs to small, yet profitable destinations called as "missionary routes." These existing air routes have been benefiting these areas as it has encouraged more tourist arrivals in the region.

Meanwhile, a hectic air cargo movement in Mindanao was also seen during the first semester when total volume of cargoes passing through the island's airports climbed 7.82% or 33,761 metric tons from 31,311 metric tons last year. Davao City International Airport consistently captured the biggest bulk of cargoes with 60% of the total share, followed by Cagayan de Oro Airport and General Santos City International Airport with a twin share pf 13%.

A significant increase in cargo volume was also noted in the airports of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) where air cargo volume rose from 26.42 to 45.29 metric tons this year, boosted by the eight-fold increase in cargo volume served by Sanga-Sanga airport in the island province of Tawi-Tawi. Sanga-Sanga airport has served this year a total of 41.04 metric tons in cargo, up from 19 metric tons in the first half of 2004.

"The bustling traffic of passengers and cargo in the skies of Mindanao is indicative of Mindanao's bullish economy that is reeling towards greater, accelerated economic growth. It is worth noting that these are some of the gains out of the intense advocacy effort and collaborative work by the government and private sector to enhance air linkages in the remote areas of Mindanao as a means to fully integrate development in the island-region," Secretary Jesus Dureza, chair of Mdeco, said.

He added that such growth may be attributed to the fast growing visitor arrivals in several areas of Mindanao which have been regarded as business and tourist destinations in the country.

[KulasKusgan]

Condolence to the family of ex-Sen Robert Barbers.

[c0kelitr0]

Surigao del Sur as free port pushed

Surigao del Sur may soon be elevated from its current status as one of the 20 poorest provinces in the country if a proposal by its representative Prospero Pichay to develop the province into a special economic zone and a free port area will be implemented.

Surigao del Sur with its strategic location, rich natural resources and human capital with varying skills and trades highly qualifies as an economic zone, Pichay said.

The proposed Surigao del Sur Economic Zone will not only contribute to the development of one of the nation’s 20 poorest provinces, but also contribute to regional and national development, Pichay said. “The capital, technological and knowledge spillovers of the proposed Surigao del Sur Economic Zone will filter throughout the country thereby helping attain the government’s agenda of economic dynamism and competitiveness.”

The vice chairman of the Commission on Appointments said Surigao del Sur qualifies as a potential economic zone because of its strategic location along the border area, which allows easy transit of goods, it has sufficient road networks, sea and air transportation infrastructures, and has been blessed with raw materials and human capital at varying levels of skills and trades.

Pichay underscored the need to establish more economic zone in favorable geographic positions such as Surigao del Sur to enable the country regain a steady footing in the export industry.

[KulasKusgan]

Caraga solons push Dinagat as province
By Ben Serrano
Caraga correspondent

SURIGAO CITY -- Caraga lawmakers who are co-authors in the proposed law filed before Congress as House Bill 0084, otherwise known as An Act Creating the Province of Dinagat Province, are pushing for the immediate passage of the law at the Senate.

But oppositors, mostly independent lawyers, have also urged Congress to investigate allegations of padding census results that allegedly bloated population figures.

They claimed that even names of dead persons and those residing in Davao City or outside Dinagat were included in the population list.

They added that the law, once enacted, would be designed to feed the political ambition and greed of some politicians or vested groups who want to reign in the island.

Overdue dream

Caraga Region lawmakers who are authors of the bill are Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers, Agusan del Norte Representative Maria Angelica Rosedell Amante, Surigao del Sur second district Representative Peter Paul Jed Falcon, Surigao del Sur first district Representative Prospero Pichay Jr., and Butuan City Representative Leovigildo Banaag.

Fifty-seven other congressmen, including House Speaker Jose De Venecia and Cebu Congressman Eduardo R. Gullas, were named co-authors of the bill.

The bill's principal author is Dinagat and Siargao Islands Representative Glenda B. Ecleo (Lakas-CMD, 1st district Surigao del Norte).

The lady lawmaker is mother of two Surigao del Norte town mayors, Gwendolyn Ecleo of Dinagat town, BenGlen Ecleo of San Jose town, and Surigao del Norte Provincial Board member Alan B. Ecleo I.

The lawmaker's late husband is the popular PBMA Divine Master and leader Ruben Ecleo Sr. His namesake and controversial son, Ruben Ecleo Jr., is a former San Jose mayor. Ruben Ecleo Jr. is touted as the inherent successor of his late father, Divine Master Ruben Ecleo Sr.

Congresswoman Ecleo explained the passage of her bill would provide opportunity for Dinagat Island to prosper.

Barbers in a text message to Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro said it is about time that the long overdue dream and aspirations of the people of Dinagat Island are achieved through the passage of the bill.

"Dinagat Island has rich natural resources and fishing grounds, which if given opportunity to be created as separate province, can help make provide economic activities giving jobs to its people," Barbers claimed.

Dinagat Island is about an hour's boat ride from this seaport city with seven municipalities, namely Basilisa, Cagdianao, Dinagat, Libjo, Loreto, San Jose, and Tubajon.

It has a total population based on the 2000 census of 106,951, with an annual growth rate of 1.55 percent in the 2000 census and a total land area of 80,205 hectares.

Around 54,223 hectares of the total 80,205 hectares of Dinagat Island are considered as mineral lands. Among minerals found abundantly are Nickel Silicate ores, Saprolite, and Limonite and Metallurgical Chromite, gold, and silver.

[c0kelitr0]

Diving in Surigao

[Lili]

Great underwater shots. What beautiful coral reefs.

[Animo]

Yeah, Surigao looks fanstastic. I think I should post photos of it in the Spanish forum. Meron kasing forumer doon na plano daw mag-vacation sa Philippines after seeing the photos of Manila. Marami kasi akala nila walang ganung mga buildings sa Philippines.

[Askal82]

Baliktad ang assumptions nila

[c0kelitr0]

St. Paul University Surigao

Celebrating 100 Years of Life and Mission

(1906-2006)

From the Cartilla or Doctrina School which the last group of Spanish Benedictine Missionaries founded in 1906 with the Religious of the Virgin Mary as administrators, the school evolved into the Escuela Catolica de San Nicolas under the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart or the Dutch Fathers who later renamed the school as San Nicolas School.

In 1926, the St. Paul of Chartres Sisters came to administer the School in response to the invitation of the MSC Fathers. From that year onwards until today, the SPC Sisters have journeyed with us through the varying seasons of the institution’s existence.

The evolution of the school came about in a stride and never dramatically. The primary school which opened in 1915 was in existence for more than twenty years before the high school was opened in 1938, and it took another ten years before college courses were offered in 1948. It was almost half a century before the Doctrina School metamorphosed into a higher education of learning.

Continuing its educational pursuit, the missionary spirit of the school was undaunted even with the travails it encountered. There was the 1st World War in 1941 which destroyed the dormitory and the school and caused classes to be suspended; two super typhoons, “Louie” in 1964 and “Nitang” in 1984 which caused damage up to millions of pesos in infrastructure, but these were sieges which did not dampen the determination to restore and to rise again so that with its entrance into the second half of the century, the school has been developing and growing remarkably.

On this year before the school reaches its 100th year of life and mission, we take a glimpse of our school’s stature as an institution of learning. Today St. Paul University Surigao

• Is the only university in Caraga Region
• Is Accredited by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities or PAASCU (Level III)
• Is ISO 9001:2000 Certified by TUV Rheinland Philippines, Ltd.
• Is Center of Development in Teacher Education
• Is TESDA Competency and Assessment Center and Career Development & Testing Center
• Offers 25 degree programs, 7 Certificate and Associate programs, secondary, elementary, kindergarten and nursery programs
• Is blessed with 90,000 sq meters extension campus at Luna, Surigao City

With San Nicolas de Tolentino and St. Paul, our patrons, and Mary, our model, we continue to implore the God of Life and Mission to bless our University with a stronger missionary zeal in its educational service to the people of the Philippine Republic, particularly to the populace of Caraga Region and more particularly to the residents of Surigao province. And together we resolve to live our motto: “Caritas, Veritas et Scientia”. CARITAS CHRISTI URGET NOS! (“Love, Truth and Excellence.” The love of Christ urges us!)

[Edmundtanso]

fhoy
did you took those pictures in surigao (diving)? looks nice

[dancethingy]

Fhoy are you a diving fanatic? do you dive?
I am desperate to learn. It's just one of the things i hope to get to do before my time is up.

[Edmundtanso]

not sure if i like surigao to become a free port, i think the country have so many already and they should concentrate on one at a time and not keep on making many places a free port since the demand is not that much.

also, in order to keep the beauty of surigao, they should not make it a free port, i could just imagie all the pollution problems...sayang

[c0kelitr0]

no i didn't take the photos. they were shot by a diver who is opening a diving resort in surigao.

[mhe-ann]

those are superb underwater shots! di ko magagawa yun kahit kelan. takot ko na lan malunod.

[c0kelitr0]

SINO firm to invest $4 million in Surigao mining


President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo witnessed today the signing of a $4-million Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between Chinese investors and residents of Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte for the right to mine the province’s rich chromite deposits.

Chromite is one of the main components in making stainless steel.

The MoA involves the residents of Minahang Bayan ng mga Mamamayan ng Dinagat Island Cooperative, the Oriental Synergy Mining Corporation, and Macao Quanta Mining Co. Ltd. of the People’s Republic of China.

According to the MoA, Macao Quanta will agree to fund the mining operations of the cooperative which, on May 14, 1992, entered into a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) with the Philippine government to "explore, develop and commercially use" chromite deposits found to be buried deep within the Surigao Mineral Reservation in Loreto and San Jose, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte.

Also under the MoA, Oriental Synergy "represents itself to be technically competent to manage, develop and supervise the mining operations of the cooperative."

Aside from mining, all parties agreed to protect the environment, the residents of the province and to operate a mining operation "geared towards a holistic, sustainable and integrated development strategy of Dinagat Island."

According to the cooperative’s lead counsel, lawyer Rodel Batocabe, this new Chinese investment is expected to boost the province’s economy and strengthen its reputation as being the premier mining site in the country.

Also Present during the MoA signing were incoming Presidential Management Staff Chief Michael Defensor, Surigao del Norte Rep. Glenda Ecleo, Dinagat Island Mayor Ruben Ecleo Jr., Minahang Bayan president Benglen Ecleo, Oriental Synergy chairman Jiang Jie Ying and Macao Quanta chairman Zhang Tiang Ming.

released 1/23/2006

[c0kelitr0]

AIM study lists top competitive cities

By EDU H. LOPEZ

Five metropolitan cities have made it to the ranking of the most Philippine competitive cities in 2005.

The study on competitiveness of cities as a place for living and doing business identified the metropolitan cities of Davao, Las Piñas, Makati, Marikina, and Muntinlupa.

For medium-sized cities that have populations of more than 200,000 inhabitants, the most competitive were Bacolod, Batangas, Iligan, Iloilo and San Fernando in Pampanga.

Ten smaller cities with populations of less than 200,000 inhabitants made it the most competitive ranking * Dagupan, Koronadal, Legaspi, Naga, Olongapo, San Fernando in La Union, Sta. Rosa, Surigao, Tagbilaran, and Tagum.

The study was conducted by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center in collaboration with the Asia Foundation, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the German Development Cooperation.

The results were based on a survey of 65 cities across the country categorized into 13 metropolitan cities, 15 midsized cities and 37 small cities.

Seventy indicators were identified, scored and converted into a ten-point scale based on national and global benchmarks.

The study was designed to promote healthy competition among Philippine cities in order to motivate local government leaders become economic and development managers apart from being providers of outstanding public goods and services.

Dr. Federico Maca-ranas of the AIM Policy Center said the ranking was also intended to recognize the outstanding performance of cities, assess their weaknesses and strengths, and encourage decentralization.

The cities were ranked based on the seven major drivers of competitiveness adopted from the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development’s World Competitiveness Yearbook.

These drivers are cost of doing business, dynamism of local economy, human resources and training, responsiveness of local government, quality of life, infrastructure, and linkages and accessibility.

Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from city statistics culled from the official publications of various government agencies and executive surveys administered to owners and managers of small and medium enterprises in the participating cities.

The Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project (PCCRP) 2005 was conceived to gauge the capacity of cities to provide an environment that nurtures the dynamism of its local enterprises and industries.

It assesses the city’s general ability to attract investments and entrepreneurs and uplift the living standards of its residents and provides benchmarks that help individual cities in measuring competitiveness.

[Edmundtanso]

guys....i plan to visit surigao this year, any suggestion on clean hotel that is less pricey than pinasukan? thanks