Seafood grill record attempt botched by rains

By Jhelyn G. Andal

 

The attempt for Palawan to hold the title in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest seafood grill last June 23 was postponed indefinitely due to weather conditions, according to organizers. The longest seafood grill was anticipated to be the highlight of the Baragatan 2008 celebration.

 

According to Palawan Economic Development Council (PEDCO), the event’s organizer, the grill was set up at six in the evening when the weather was already damp. Gov. Joel Reyes and Mayor Edward Hagedorn were present that night to supposedly start the lighting of the grill. However, when the rain started to pour heavily, PEDCO decided to postpone the event and reschedule it.

 

“It was still good that we had not started the lighting yet when we decided to postpone the event because if we did so, we would already be disqualified by Guinness,” Board Member Cipriano Barroma, PEDCO executive director, said in a press conference June 24, Tuesday.

 

He added that he was disappointed of what had happened but the grill would still be pursued some other time this year.

 

            “There was a sort of chaos. There were so many people, some stuffs had gone missing, the charcoals got wet, and when we were about to start, some participants had already left so we decided to postpone it and reschedule when the weather is good,” Barroma stated.

 

Over 9.5 tons of fish and seashells were prepared while the total budget for the grill amounted to P3 million. Barroma added that PEDCO wanted to exceed the 9.5 tons of seafoods next time. He also assured that the sponsors would not need to pay another P5, 000 or P10, 000 for the grill.

 

“Hindi na nila kailangang magbayad uli at meron pa naman tayong budget for the next grill,” Barroma said.

 

Aside from the weather condition, other problems encountered during the event were the lack of fish to be grilled and the crowd control. Some participants said that they were not reached by the PEDCO personnel who were in charge of the distribution.

 

“There were 500 personnel from PEDCO. Bagong hire pa lang sila for the activity. Madalian ang pag-hire sa kanila kaya hindi sila na-briefing ng husto. Nakita natin na wala nga sila sa lugar nila na dapat bantayan,” Barroma admitted.

 

Gov. Joel Reyes, on the other hand, said that the Provincial Government supports the decision of PEDCO.

 

“PEDCO wants to play a very important role in the Baragatan celebration and I respect their decision as organizers,” Reyes pointed out.

 

 

 

Estrada says Hagedorn should remain in Puerto

By Christopher Barrientos

 

Former President Joseph Ejercito “Erap” Estrada believes that Mayor Edward Solon Hagedorn should not run for a national office and just stay in Puerto Princesa as Mayor.

 

“May isa pang term dito ang inyong Mayor kaya mas maganda kung tatapusin n’ya muna ‘yun dahil naniniwala ako na kailangan pa s’ya ng mga taga-Puerto Princesa. Dapat na gamitin n’ya ang panahong ‘yun para ipagpatuloy pa ang kanyang mga nasimulang proyekto sa ika-uunlad ng mga mamamayan ng Puerto Princesa”, Estrada said.

 

Estrada also said that even before, he had asked Hagedorn to run as senator under his card but Hagedorn had refused.

 

“Noon ko pa nga s’ya pinapatakbo pero tinanggihan n’ya ako”, Estrada added.

 

On the part of the city mayor, Hagedorn thank Estrada for his support and for the trust given to him.

 

“Salamat pero kahit noon pa man ay sinabi ko na hindi ako para sa snado. Pang-Puerto Princesa lang ako at pag natapos an gating termino, mas pipiliin ko sigurong masama sa gabinete na magpapatupad ng mga batas kaysa sa ako ang gagawa ng batas. Mas karapat-dapat ako sa posisyong iyon”, Hagedorn said.

 

            The idea is supported by former senator Ernesto Maceda. According to him, its been a long time since the United Opposition is courting Hagedorn to run for the higher position but the mayor rejects the offer.

Electrical circuit may have sparked Maresca fire; Morados ouster sought

By Mian Rondina

 

An electrical appliance that was left by one of the stall owner is probably the cause of the structural fire last June 11, 2008 that razed down the Maresca market mall in Valencia Street corner Bonoan Road, Puerto Princesa City.

 

“Due to unattended functioning of electrical appliance, it was possibly heated and melted the insulators of DVD players, cell phone chargers or electric fans which resulted to have a short circuit,” Fire Chief Inspector Milo Morados of City Fire Departmentsaid last week.

 

Based on the investigations and statements conducted by arson investigator FO1 Nilo Caabay on the security guards and witnesses on duties in Market Mall, it is not the first time that the security guard on duty saw an unattendedelectrical appliance in some of the stalls inside the mall.

 

Caabay said such incidence had been recorded on their logbook.

The investigation also revealed that the fire originated in one of thestalls at the right side upon entering from the main entrance gate of the Maresca Market Mall, but they pinpoint however the exact stall where it was originated, according to Morados.

 

He added that the cooperation of the fire victims is one of the factors why their investigation took two weeks before they come up with the full result of the fire incident.

 

The fire damaged had been valued at P74 million, based on the declarations given by 22 fire victims. Some 62 stalls, 2 establishments and 140 occupants inside the market was affected in this structural fire.

 

Meanwhile Councilor Jimmy Carbonell said he supports a recommendation raised at the city council to call for Morados replacement as head of City Fire Department. Carbonell claimed that Morados did not have an initiative to find ways to improve their performance particularly in times of fire incident despite of the lack of equipment and personnel of their office.

 

Morados, in response, said he is willing to be replaced “but whoever would be the next head of their office, if the city government will still not take action regarding the additional personnel and equipment, it will be useless, and the same problem that they encountered during fire will be repeated”.

Reyes mulls over 2010 politics

By Jhelyn Andal

 

Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes named five personalities who he thought would qualify to be the next governor of the province in 2010. Vice-Gov. David Ponce de Leon, Congressmen Antonio Alvarez and Abraham Mitra, Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn, and Reyes’ wife, Femes were mentioned by the governor to be qualified for the next gubernatorial race.

 

In a press conference held at the Governor’s Office June 24, Tuesday, Reyes said that these five all have the traits to be the next chief executive of the province. Ponce de Leon, Mitra, and Hagedorn are all serving their last terms for their respective positions while Alvarez still has one more term. His wife, on the other hand, was linked to be the subject of the so-called Reyes 2010.

 

“I don’t know anything about the Reyes 2010 but I think my wife has the qualities to be a governor,” Reyes said.

 

Asked what his political plansfor 2010 are, Reyes answered that he would first see what the Palaweños wanted him to be.

 

“Titingnan muna natin iyong grade natin sa ating mga kababayan kung passing ba or kailangan pa mag-masteral,” he joked. He thanked the people of Palawan for supporting him for over 20 years since 1988, he said.

 

According to him, he may transfer his registration as a voter in Aborlan where he also has a residence. Reyes is currentlyregistered in Coron.

 

Mitra, being the representative of the second district where Aborlan belongs, is now on his last term. He was named by the governor as one of the qualified candidates for 2010 elections.

 

Reyes also pointed out that Hagedorn, as well as Femes Reyes, may transfer his registration in other municipality if he would run for other political seat after Puerto Princesa was declared as a highly-urbanized city (HUC). Both are registered voters of the city. Voters in an HUC are not allowed to elect provincial officials.

 

The governor further stressed the strong ties within Palawan’s local officials.

 

“There is a strong family ties within politicians in Palawan. We can sit altogether and find a win-win solution for all of us,” Reyes said.

 

 

Fire hits market area

By Jhelyn Andal

A portion of Maresca Building in Valencia Street and Puerto Princesa City Public Market was caught on a 12-hour fire June 11, Wednesday.

According to reports, the fire started around 11:05 in the evening and lasted until 11 the following morning, June 12 Thursday. Initial investigation showed that P25 M worth of property was destroyed and may increase as investigation continues.

Authorities reported that almost 30 percent of the old public market was destroyed including the Muslim section and portion of Malvar Street. Syoti Marketing, Maresca Market Mall, and stalls along Bonoan Road were totally set out on fire while part of Mercury Drug in Valencia Street was damaged.

According to the City Fire Department, the cause of the fire may be electrical in nature. The fire department is considering the angle of appliance overload or overheat. They added that the incident lasted for such a long hour because establishments were closed which made it hard for the firemen to go inside the affected area.

Security guard of Maresca Market Mall said that around 11 in the evening, he smelled burning rubber inside the establishment and saw black smoke before the fire started.

As of this writing, the City Fire Department is still conducting further investigation on the area.

Erring mining company seeks tribal leaders’ support

By Jhelyn Andal

The indigenous communities in Aramaywan, Narra are appealing to the Provincial Government to lift the suspension order of Aramaywan Metals Development Corp. (AMDC), which was already revoked last week.

Through a letter submitted by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to the Provincial Government, affected indigenous communities cited that the suspension, now already a cancellation, caused them “loss of gainful employment, loss of scholarship, livelihood and other assistance.” They also mentioned the one percent royalty share of these communities from the mining operations.

AMDC’s operation was suspended after a resurvey of the area conducted by Engr. Baltazar Caimoy found out that the company was operating outside the permitted area.

Just last June 2, a day before the NCIP requested for the lifting of the suspension, Vice-Gov. David Ponce de Leon signed the cancellation order of AMDC. According to the order, Small Scale Mining Permit No. 47, issued to Agapito Salido Jr. was revoked because his company conducted mining operations outside of the permit area.

The NCIP, however, stated in their letter that in their six-day verification and revalidation survey, the team found out that the questioned mining pit was inside Salido’s mining claim.

According to the NCIP, the indigenous peoples are the real party in interest in the case because the areas are within their ancestral domain.

During a visit at AMDC, Salido mentioned that more than 200 families were affected economically of the suspension, most of them belonging to indigenous communities.

Ponce de Leon, however, said in an interview that unemployment would be the effect but AMDC, according to him, committed a violation.

Cuyuno dialect upheld

By Jhelyn Andal

A resolution requesting Department of Education Sec. Jesli Lapuz to integrate the teaching of Cuyuno dialect in the primary school curriculum in Palawan was passed to the Provincial Board.

Proposed Resolution No. 155 states that the teaching of Cuyunon language in schools is part of the Provincial Government’s “serious steps to institutionalize the use of Cuyunon dialect through conversational means and as a medium of official communications in Palawan”.

Authored by Board Members Gil Acosta and Leoncio Ola, it also directs educational institutions in the province to promote the use of Cuyunon in classroom instruction and discussions

“The proposal is good because it would allow the people of Palawan to learn our own dialect and at the same time, a part of culture preservation,” Teresita Marcial, OIC School Superintendent of Palawan, said in a phone interview.

She also said that other provinces in the country use their own dialect in classroom instructions because that is the language most of the students understand. However, the problem in Palawan, according to her, is that Tagalog prevails as the widely spoken language.

Marcial added that instructional materials would also be a problem.

“If Cuyunon dialect would be included in the curriculum, there would be a need for Cuyunon instructional materials such as books. There would also be a need for Cuyunon writers,” she stated.

The resolution was drawn from Provincial Ordinance No. 1070 or The Cuyunon Provincial Dialect of Palawan which mandates the use of Cuyunon dialect in the Provincial Government and other official transactions.

During the Board’s 44th regular session June 10, Tuesday, deliberations were done in Cuyunon dialect. Provincial Ordinance No. 1070 declares every first Tuesday of the month as a Cuyuno Day in which Sangguniang Panlalawigan discussions, announcements, and press releases shall be done in Cuyunon.

DepEd expects more students this year

By Mian Rondina

The City Department of Education expects there will be a higher population in public schools in Puerto Princesa City this school year 2008-2009 compared to last year.

In an interview, City Deped Superintendent Servillano Arzaga said that the Memorandum from the Department of Education about the zero collection policy and not requiring the students to buy new uniforms to use this class are some of the possible reasons of the expected increase on school population in our City. It is aside from the transferees from private to public schools because of the tuition fee increase, he said.

“Deped removed all the obstacles during enrolment to be able to achieve their aim to have more students’ participation in schools this year”.

Yet, City Deped cannot give any figure about the increase of the school population because there are still enrollees in every school despite public school classes started last Tuesday June 10, 2008.

He also explained that a student can enter inside his/her school with out wearing school uniforms or I.D’s.  He/or she can wear anything he/she want as long as it is appropriate attire aside from uniforms.

Ancheta relieved

By Christopher V. Barrientos 

CONTROVERSIAL Police Superintendent Enrique Gacutan Ancheta has been relieved from his position as Chief of Police of Puerto Princesa City Police Station effective June 1, 2008. 

This was based from Special Order Number 126 issued by Police Chief Superintendent Luisito Palmera, PNP Regional Director of Region IV-B MIMAROPA.

Ancheta is re-assigned at Regional Holding Services Group of PNP MIMAROPA from his current assignment at Palawan Police Provincial Office. 

According to Police Senior Superintendent Dennis Peña, Palawan PNP Provincial Director, he received an order from Police Chief Superintendent Palmera to relieve Ancheta on his post due to the cases filed against the Chief of Police of Puerto Prncesa 

“Ni-relieve ko si ancheta dahil marami siyang kasong kinakaharap dito sa lungsod at para hindi n’ya ma-impluwensyahan ang magiging resulta ng imbestigasyon at resulta ng kaso,” Peña said in an interview. 

Peña gave Ancheta nine days more to prepare and fix his thing and clear his liabilities at the City Police Station. 

“Hindi ko na siya kailangang personal na kausapin para ipaalam ang relief order dahil ako ang kanyang immediate supervisor. Hindi ako required na gawin ‘yun, actually pwede ko sya i-relieve kung kailan ko gusto,” Peña added. 

Last Saturday, Police Chief Superintendent Luisito Palmera arrived at the Province together with Police Superintendent Romie Estepa, the PNP official from region to replace Ancheta at City PNP as OIC Chief of Police. 

The 40- year old Estepa was a member of the PNP Special Action Force before he was re-assigned at PNP MIMAROPA Regional Mobile Group in preparation for his assignment at the city police. 

In an interview, Estepa said that this was his first time to handle a police station. All his life since he graduated from Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), he said stayed with the Special Action Force of PNP. 

“First time ko ito kaya nang sabihin sa akin ni RD (Palmera) na ako ang magiging OIC dito sa Puerto Princesa, agad ko itong tinanggap. Kahit naman nasa PNP-SAF ako ay may exposure kami sa admin work”, Estepa said. 

“Sa mga taga-Puerto, magtulungan po tayo para maging maganda ang ating pagsasamahan at maging epektibo ako sa aking posisyon. Gayundin sa mga makakasama kong pulis, magtulungan po tayo sa pagpapanatili ng katahimikan sa lungsod”, Estepa added. 

Meanwhile, Peña disclosed that Ancheta will also be facing a much bigger problem in Manila. 

“May kasong kinakaharap si Ancheta na ang recommendation ay dismissal from service. Nakuha n’ya ito sa Maynila bago pa man s’ya napunta dito sa Puerto Princesa at wala kaming kinalaman doon”, Peña clarified. 

On the part of Ancheta, he thank the people of Puerto Princesa whom he served for almost five (5) months also with his fellow policemen whom he used to worked with during his stay. 

“Salamat po sa suporta at tiwala sa aking pananatili sa Puerto Princesa at humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa lahat ng aking mga nasagasaan sa pagpapatupad ko ng batas. Wala akong ibang hinangad kundi ang mapaglingkuran lang ang taong bayan. Naniniwala ako na ang mga kabaro kong pulis na naiinggit sa akin ang nasa likod ng lahat ng paninira sa aking pangalan”, Ancheta said. 

“Umaasa ako na makababalik sa Puerto at umasa kayong lahat na mas mabuting Col. Ancheta ang inyong makakasama”, Ancheta added. 

The turn-over ceremonies will be on Monday at Puerto Princesa City Police Station were both Ancheta and Estepa are expected to attend.  

Hundreds of families threatened by potential landslide

By Christopher V. Barrientos 

THE MUNICIPAL Disaster Coordinating Council of Sofronio Española has ordered the immediate evacuation of hundreds of families from the three Baragays namely Abo-Abo, Panitian and Isumbo due to possible landslides at Mount Catbagan 

This was upon the recommendation of Philippine National Red Cross Palawan Chapter and 570^th Composite Tactical Wing of Philippine Air Force during the MDCC emergency meeting called by municipal Mayor Marsito Acoy after the aerial inspection done last June 4, 2008. 

According to PNRC Palawan Administrator Arsenia Tabique, the situation at the area was too serious and if the rain will continuously pour at the area, possible landslides will occur. 

“Kami po sa Red Cross ay nakahandang tumulong sa evacuation ng inyong mga kababayan. Kasabay nito, tutulong din kami sa pagbibigay ng pagkain sa loob ng isang lingo,” Tabique told Mayor Acoy during the MDCC meeting. 

The recommendation of Red Cross was supported by Colonel Jose Tony Villarete, Commander of 570^th Composite Tactical Wing of Philippine Air Force. 

According to Col. Villarete, he alerted his team to be ready at all times for possible evacuation of the affected families at Mount Catbagan, Bgy. Abo-Abo, Española, Palawan. 

“Kami po sa Air Force, mas gusto naming i-rescue ang mga buhay at nasa maayos na kalagayan kaysa sa mga patay kaya tulad ng Red Cross, kung maari po ay lumikas na kayo bago pa man may masaktan, masawi o mas masamang mangyari”, Villarete said during the meeting. 

On the part of Mayor Acoy, he said that the situation at Mount Catbagan is very alarming that’s why he immediately called for an emergency meeting last Wednesday. 

“Hindi pangkaraniwan ang pagbitak ng lupa sa bundok at bago lang ito nangyari dito sa amin. Naaalarma ako dahil sa loob ng ilang araw ay tuluy-tuloy ang pagbitak ng lupa at lalo pa itong lumalaki”, Acoy said in an interview.

Mayor Acoy also sent his team at the area to investigate and test the soil at Mount Catbagan together with the Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau personnel of Department of Environment and Natural Resources or MGB-DENR to determine the cause of the cracks at the mountain. 

The result of the initial investigation and soil examination at the area will be announced at the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council meeting this afternoon.