Filipino Muslims begin Ramadan fast Sunday

COTABATO CITY, June 28 (PNA) –- Fasting season in the Philippines officially starts Sunday after the naked-eye moon sighting by Muslim religious leaders failed to view the crescent moon.

Ustadz Mike Ibrahim, commissioner of the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), said the Darul Ifta, Islamic House of Opinion and members of the Ulama Council of the Philippines (UCP), failed to view the moon in viewing sites in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), thus fasting officially starts Sunday.

”Since the crescent moon was not sighted clearly on Friday evening, fasting officially starts tomorrow, Sunday,” Ibrahim said, adding that it will last until July 27 where the Hariraya Puwasa or the end of Ramadhan is celebrated.

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam that every Muslim must perform except for pregnant women, elders or senior citizens and minors.

The other pillars include performing pilgrimage in the Holy Land of Mecca, praying five times a day, offering material and financial aid to the needy brethren and those in need.

Fasting from food, water and earthly desires, including engaging in sex are observed by Muslim faithful from dawn to sunset.

According to Ustadz Jaafar Ali, speaking for Darul Iftah, the organization of Islamic religious leaders, said during the fasting month, Muslim faithful are obliged to fast from sunrise to sunset, breaking the fast at about 6 p.m.

During the fasting month, Islam believers refrain from taking solid and liquid food, smoking and other earthly desires.

Fasting is the most important Islamic religious activity.

Various activities like nightly presentation at the ARMM compound have been prepared ahead of the fasting month.

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hatamn said a food festival is being prepared at the ARMM compound so Muslims can break the fast shortly after work.

The start of fasting month is a regular working day but Muslim workers are allowed to work until 3 p.m. without noon break to give them ample time to prepare for the breaking of the fast at sunset.

For a devout Muslim, Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection and sympathy for those who are suffering and needy.

"During the fasting month, we pray that Allah that peace will reign in our land and that we continue to provide help to our brethren who are in need, physically, financially, emotionally and spiritually," said Allan Hamdila, a 29 year-old government employee.

Ustasdz Ali urged Muslims to share part of their wealth to the needy during the fasting month.

He urged those who have extra money to share by buying food and donate them to less privileged Muslims. (PNA)
JBP/NYP/EOF

NFA starts selling cheaper rice in CDO’s rural villages

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, June 28 (PNA) – The National Food Authority (NFA) has started selling rice at P 27.00 per kilo in 40 rural villages here, City Councilor Yan Lam Lim, said on Saturday.

Lim, president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC), in the city’s 80 rural and urban villages, said that rice is now displayed in NFA accredited outlets in the city’s rural villages.

He said that the program is under the NFA’s “Bigasan Ng Bayan” which intends to cushion the impact of the rising prices of rice in the local market.

Commercial rice in the local market now costs P 48.00 per kilo from a low of P 42.00 per kilo. “The difference of P 15.00 per kilo of the NFA rice from the price of commercial rice is already of big help,” Lim said.

He said that residents in Cagayan De Oro’s rural and urban villages should not worry since the NFA has assured consumers of ample rice supply in the local market.

Lim also directed members of the ABC to keep close watch and be alerted of possible hoarding of rice in their respective villages.

“We have to intensify the surveillance in the villages in order to report immediately to the NFA and other concerned agencies unscrupulous rice traders who hoard rice in their areas,” Lim added. (PNA)
CTB/CD/ERCEL MAANDIG/CD/RSM

OCD-Zambo discourages use of schools as evacuation centers

By R.G. Antonet A. Go

ZAMBOANGA CITY, June 28 (PNA) -– The local Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is discouraging the use of schools as evacuation centers in times of calamities.

OCD Regional Officer-in-Charge Jose Eric Castillo issued the statement citing using schools as evacuation centers hamper the education of the children.

Aside from that, Castillo said it is also to prevent destruction of properties as it has been observed in the past that school facilities were destroyed by some of the evacuees.

Castillo added the school children already lack the facility to study once the classrooms are cleared of evacuees.

He said such a situation affects the studies of the children aside from being affected by the calamity.

He suggested that families displaced by natural or man-made calamities should be housed at the covered court or gymnasium of the barangay. (PNA)
CTB/TPGJR/RGAAG/RSM

DSWD provides P9.7-M livelihood funds to Zambo IDPs

ZAMBOANGA CITY, June 25 (PNA) -– The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has recently released P9.7 million to 42 Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) associations comprising of close to 1,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in this city.

The SEA-K is a capability building program of the DSWD and local government units (LGUs) which aims to enhance the socio-economic skills of poor families through the organization of community-based associations for entrepreneurial development.

DSWD Regional Director Zenaida Arevalo said Wednesday that 30 of the 42 SEA-K beneficiary-associations comprise of IDPs who are presently housed in the different transitory sites while the remaining 10 groups are home-based IDPs.

The transitory sites serve as temporarily shelters for families displaced by the September 2013 siege while the home-based IDPs are those who sought refuge with their relatives.

Arevalo said SEA-K associations in the transitory sites are as follows: Philippine Tuberculosis Society, Incorporated (PTSI) transitory site in Barangay Upper Calarian, three; Rio Hondo transitory site, eight; Tulungatung transitory site, nine; and, Taluksangay transitory site, 10.

The 12 home-based IDPs are from the barangays of Rio Hondo, Mariki, Sta. Barbara and Sta. Catalina.

Arevalo said the 42 SEA-K associations they have formed from the different transitory sites and home-based have a total of 970 IDP-members.

Arevalo said each of them received P10,000 financial assistance, which is payable in one year with zero interest.

She said the financial assistance, which was released last Friday, is to be used to jump start livelihood programs to enable the IDPs to earn a living.

She said the IDP-members of the 42 SEA-K associations have undergone six-month Community Driven Enterprise Development (CDED) process “where all of them were trained on Financial Literacy, Time Management and Basic 

Budget Management during Social Preparation and Capability Building Training phases.”

“This compliance will ensure the effective delivery and readiness on the livelihood activities they have chosen,” she added.

She advised the IDP-beneficiaries to be responsible enough in managing their livelihood undertaking they have chosen “as this can be replicated for the rest of the IDPs who also intend to avail of the same assistance.” (PNA)
LAP/TPGJR/UTB

DAR distributes land to ARBs in Zamboanga del Sur

By Hirohito D. Cadion

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, June 25 (PNA) -- The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has distributed 266 hectares of land to Agrarian Reform 

Beneficiaries (ARBs) for the first five months of this year in this province.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO) Arthur Soria said Wednesday it represents 10 percent of the agency’s target to distribute 2,556 hectares of land to ARBs in this province this year.

Soria said the distribution of lands to the identified ARBs will continue throughout the year to meet DAR’s targeted land distribution of 2,556 hectares this year.

Soria said DAR has a total of 29,723 ARBs comprising 17,960 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries’ Organizations (ARBOs) in 280 Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) throughout the province.

Meanwhile, Soria said they are conducting this month a subdivision survey in Mahayag, Zamboanga del Sur covering a land area of 166 hectares.

He said the land will be distributed to 145 ARBs once the survey will be completed and with the approval from DAR regional office.

DAR is celebrating this month the 26th anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and the 5th anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform program Extension with Reforms (CARPER).

Soria said they have lined up activities for the anniversary celebration that started June 15 and ends July 1.

He said they will conduct feeding program, distribute bags with school supplies and raincoats to the school children at the ARC in Barangay Sumpot, Dimataling town.

He said they will also conduct forums and dialogues to the ARCs in this province’s first and second districts as well as to assess the projects they implemented. (PNA)
LAP/TPGJR/HIROHITO D. CADION/EBP

BFP constructs 3 fire sub-stations in Pagadian City

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, June 25 (PNA) – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is constructing three fire sub-stations to boost its fire fighting response and capability in this city.

City Fire Marshall Senior Insp. Reggy Olmedo said Wednesday the fire sub-stations will be constructed in the barangays of Danlugan, Santiago and Tiguma. The construction will start this week.

Olmedo said the fire sub-station in Barangay Danlugan, seven kilometers north of this city, will serve 15 neighboring rural barangays of this city.

Olmedo said the fire sub-stations in Barangays Santiago and Tiguma will serve eight rural barangays each of this city.

In addition, Olmedo said the Tiguma fire sub-station will also serve the nearby municipality of Labangan, which does not have a fire station.

The Pagadian Fire Station also serves the nearby municipalities of Tukuran, Dumalinao, Tigbao and Lakewood, which like Labangan, do not have fire station of their own.

Councilor Jurefer Pulmones, the Liga ng mga Barangay president, said they have provided the land as counterpart to realize the construction of the fire sub-stations.

He said the construction of the three fire sub-stations is a welcome development in terms of response to fire calls.

Meanwhile, Olmedo said they need five additional fire trucks to meet the ideal ratio of one fire truck is to 20,000 people.

He said they only have six fire trucks at present. (PNA)
LAP/TPGJR/HIROHITO D. CADION/UTB

SSS reminds Zambo pensions to make annual confirmation

ZAMBOANGA CITY, June 21 (PNA) -- The Social Security System (SSS) reminds pensioners in Zamboanga province and this city to personally appear during their birthdays before the SSS office for the annual confirmation.

SSS-Zamboanga Branch Head Elizabeth Cabatingan issued the reminder as her office is currently conducting the annual confirmation to monitor who among the pensioners are still living.

Cabatingan said they could also personally appear before the banks where they withdraw their monthly pension.

“Every birthday of the pensioner, they must go to the banks where their pensions are deposited or to the SSS,” she said.

She said it is important to confirm annually so that their monthly pensions will not be stop.

The release of the monthly pensions will only be resumed after they will appear at the SSS office.

Cabatingan said there are 297,911 SSS members to include pensioners in this city.(PNA)
CTB/TPGJR/R.G. ANTONET A. GO/PJN

PDEA-ARMM vows to bring more drug suspects behind bars

COTABATO CITY, June 22 (PNA) -- The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has intensified its anti-narcotics operations in the region and in North Cotabato as illegal drug traders continue their trade and are even getting bolder.

Director Yogi Felimon Ruiz, PDEA-ARMM regional director, said this as he disclosed the arrest of four persons suspected to be members of a drug syndicate operating in North Cotabato, Digos City and Davao City.

Ruiz identified two of the arrested suspects in drug buy-bust operations over the weekend as van drivers Joemer Villosino, 33, of Banga, South Cotabato; and Charlito Petalino, 39, of Agdao, Davao City.

Their arrest came after PDEA agents in Davao City nabbed Nasser Pasandalan Cudales, allegedly a leader of the Matalan drug syndicate operating in North Cotabato and Davao City.

Ruiz said PDEA-ARMM agents also arrested in a raid in Kidapawan City a certain Mohammad Mama, 45, laborer and resident of Sinsuat Street, who has links with Cudales.

PDEA-ARMM Deputy Director III Aileen Lovitos said the arrests were made following buy-bust operations which also led to the recovery of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as shabu, from the suspects.

PDEA agents posed as buyers on two occasions, with the second attempt already a buy-bust operation.

Ruiz said Villosino and Petalino were arrested inside a hotel in Barangay Paco, Kidapawan City.

He said appropriate cases for violation of R.A. 9165 have been filed before the Kidapawan City Prosecution Office against the suspects who are presently detained at PDEA-ARMM Jail Facility, PC Hill, Cotabato City.

Ruiz also warned drug syndicates that the PDEA and other concerned government agencies will lower its guards against lawless elements.

CIDG-11 regional director Sr. Supt. Joel C. Pernito said Davao City CIDG and PDEA-ARMM have been coordinating because the illegal drug pushers are operating in the two provinces.

2M Bolivians lifted out of extreme poverty

LA PAZ, June 19 (PNA/Xinhua) -- At least 2 million Bolivians have been lifted out of extreme poverty in the past eight years, the Bolivian Information Agency (ABI) said on Wednesday.

Figures show President Evo Morales' policies have had a "great impact" on society, ABI cited Deputy Minister of Budget and Fiscal Accounting, Jaime Duran, as saying.

In 2005, extreme poverty affected some 38 percent of the population, according to Duran, while in 2013 that figure dropped to 20 percent.

"That means that some 2 million people have been lifted from extreme poverty, so the social policies of Morales' administration have had a great impact on Bolivia," said Duran.

Morales has redistributed the country's wealth through government programs that benefit children, mothers and the elderly, he said.

The government aims to eradicate extreme poverty by 2025, the year Bolivia celebrates the bicentennial of its independence from colonial rule "and we can all have enough income for our subsistence," Duran said.

As Bolivia's 80th president and first indigenous president, Morales was first elected in 2005 and reelected in 2009. (PNA/Xinhua)
JBP/EBP

DA: No rice shortage in ARMM

COTABATO CITY, June 18 (PNA) -- An agriculture official in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Wednesday said there is no shortage of rice in the region.

This is because the dry spell that hit rice and corn producing areas in the region from February to May this year has not caused any shortage in supply of grains owing to the 60 percent increase in production during the two preceding cropping seasons.

Farmers in the region, in fact, have had sufficient supply surplus from their harvests prior to the dry spell, Makmod Mending, Jr., ARMM agriculture secretary, said.

Mending said farmers did not feel any long-term effect of the four-month drought.

“There was no shortage of rice and corn supplies in the region as a result of that drought,” Mending told reporters.

He cited his office carried out mitigating measures during the dry months resulting in stable supply of palay.

"Credit should go to the farmers and DAF's field personnel for having cooperated well in implementing measures aimed at preventing any undue effect of the drought," he said.

The atmosphere of peace brought about by the GPH and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace process gave an opportunity for farmers to focus on farming thus an increased production this year, Mending said.

Mending said the tranquility made farmers till their land without any disruptions or threats while DA technicians had all the opportunity to assist farmers become more productive.

According to Kadiguia Rakman Abdullah, DAF’s chief information officer, the DA intervention also made the farmers productive with many of them, including mothers, who used to be unproductive, became busy with “Gulayan sa Barangay” projects.

She supported Mending's assertion that the prevailing peace and order situation in remote communities made the DA technicians visit more areas to introduce modern farming techniques. (PNA)
LAM/NYP/EOF

NCIP-Isabela gives dictionaries to IP students

ILAGAN CITY, Isabela, June 6 (PNA) -- The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in Isabela turned over Friday 160 pieces of English-Tagalog dictionaries to five integrated schools in the five interior villages of San Mariano town.

The turn over was conducted in five integrated schools in Barangays Del Pilar, San Jose, Cadsalan, Alibadabad and St Felomina, all in the town of San Mariano where IP students are enrolled.

Barbara Garcia, NCIP–Isabela chief, said the provision of dictionaries to IP students will help their research works and in enhancing vocabulary usage of IP students.

Garcia said the dictionaries were received by the respective school principals and school heads in the five integrated schools.

The dictionaries will be stored in the libraries of the integrated schools as research material for students.

Garcia said the provision of dictionaries was made possible with funds coming from NCIP leaders. (PNA)
LAM/SCD/MEDALE

Police: No let-up in smoking ordinance campaign in Zambo

ZAMBOANGA CITY, June 6 (PNA) -- The Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) will be strictly enforcing the provisions of Ordinance 413, otherwise known as the Smoking ordinance, which went on to full effect May 31, following a two-month information campaign.

“The City police is very consistent in its implementation [of the ordinance],” Zamboanga City Public Safety Company commander Chief Insp. Ariel Huesca said.

Since the ordinance took effect, the ZCPO have already apprehended 15 individuals who were caught smoking in public vehicles and areas in the central district of this city.

“These 15 individuals were given the chance, and they were given stern warning,” said Huesca, who is also the ZCPO spokesman.

“If they commit the same offense for violating the Ordinance 413, appropriate action will be taken such as the imposition of admin fines,” he added.

Ordinance 413, enacted in June 2013, prohibits smoking in centers of youth activity; elevators and stairwells; fire hazard locations; within the buildings and premises of public and private hospitals, medical, dental and optical clinics, health centers, nursing homes, dispensaries and laboratories; public conveyance and public facilities, train and bus stations, restaurants and conference halls except for separate smoking areas and food preparation areas.

Penalty for violators are as follows: P500 or one day community service for first offense; P1,000 or two days community service for second offense; P2,000 or three days community service for third offense and P5,000 without prejudice to the filing of any criminal case or at the discretion of the Court for fourth and subsequent offense.

On the other hand, the establishment that allows smokers to freely smoke in “no smoking” areas and found violating the provisions of the ordinance, will be fined P1,000 for first offense; P2,000 for second offense; P3,000 for third offense and P5,000 for fourth offense and revocation or cancellation of the business permit. (PNA)
FPV/TPGJR/PR/UTB

Task Group closing in on Navarro slay suspects

DAVAO CITY, June 4 (PNA) – The Special Investigation Task Group on the killing of Laak mayor Reynaldo Navarro has leads on the group behind the ambush incident following the identification of the slain assailants and two others who were wounded during the attack.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) XI chief Joel Pernito said the Task Group is digging deeper in its investigation into the killing of Navarro and looking on the angle of business rivalry.

It may be recalled that Davao del Norte Police Provincial Office has the identity of the killers of Navarro when two women appeared to claim the bodies of the gunmen (as their husbands) killed when the police escorts of the late mayor retaliated during the attack. The slain suspects were identified as certain Nestor Torredes and a certain Simeon Roma, both from barangay San Miguel, San Isidro town, Davao del Norte

P/Sr. Supt. Samuel Gadingan earlier said one of the suspects Simeon Roma is a wanted person on the police record that has multiple warrants of arrest for murder and two cases of robbery with homicide.

Pernito said two wounded assailants are still at -large. According to Pernito, the Task Group is completing all the documentary evidence needed for legal processes in solving the Navarro killing.

On May 28, Navarro was ambushed by six assailants along Km 9 Barangay Sigayen, Asuncion town, Davao del Norte.

Navarro died in Tagum Doctor’s Hospital after the ambush. His driver, Timitilito Pacano and two police escorts Police Officers Glen Ochoco and Rey Leones of Laak Police Municipal Station were wounded during the attack. The police escorts were able to fire back at the assailants killing two of them.

Also wounded during the firefight between the mayor’s escorts and the assailants were two civilians identified as Crispolo Patajo Sr. and Paquito Tonocante.

Pernito said the Navarro family has committed to give a statement after the burial of the late mayor. (PNA)
FPV/LILIAN C. MELLEJOR/LDP

DepEd-Zamboanga del Sur marks 2 percent increase in students’ population

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, June 3 (PNA) -– The Department of Education (DepEd) expects a two percent increase in the enrollment of students both in the elementary and secondary levels for school year 2014-2015 in this province.

DepEd Provincial Planning Officer Zenaida Mago said Tuesday that this school year’s elementary students is set to reach 147,503 or two percent higher than that of last school year’s 144,611 enrollees.

Mago said that the secondary students would reach 45,855 this school year also representing a two percent increase from 44,956 in the previous school year.

This province, which comprises of one city and 26 municipalities, has a total of 670 elementary and 124 secondary schools.

Meanwhile, Mago said the provincial schools division has hired new teachers both for elementary and secondary levels increasing its teaching force by five percent this school year.

She said this year’s teaching force for secondary will be 1,817 from the previous of 1,731 while the elementary to 4,113 from 3,917 the previous school year.

The Zamboanga del Sur Schools Division headed by Superintendent Dr. Arturo Bayocot is considered the largest division in terms of school population and number of school districts.

This province has 32 school districts wherein 17 are located in the 1st Congressional District while the remaining 15 in the 2nd Congressional District. (PNA)
LAM/TPGJR/HDCADION/UTB