TSUNAMI SURVIVOR HIGHLIGHTS DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

by Prov’l. Press Bureau

During the 39^th Tsunami Commemoration of the Moro Gulf Tsunami, a survivor highlighted the importance of a disaster preparedness to lessen the adverse effects of calamities on the populace. In the commemoration last August 17, 1976 Earthquake and Tsunami Commemoration Preparedness Day at F. S. Pajares Avenue in front of Alvin Bazar, survivor Luz Yañez said that disaster training would help the people prepare for any emergencies.

“I thank the government for conducting disaster preparedness training because through this, people would know what to do when disaster strikes and they would also know where to go to protect them from great destructions, Yañez said in vernacular.

Yañez recounted that she lost her mother and 3 year old brother to the earthquake induced tsunami that occurred several minutes after the midnight of August 17, 1976.

“If the people know where to run and escape from the giant waves, my family and thousand others would be spared, she added.”

The tsunami left 1,400 people dead, 7,100 seriously injured, and more than a thousand missing. It was an earthquake that resulted in massive destruction of properties and great loss of lives. The tsunami generated contributed immensely to the devastation.

The cities and provinces of Cotabato took the brunt of the earthquake while the tsunami unleashed its fury in the provinces bordering the Moro Gulf, especially on the shores of Pagadian City.

After the sea rolled back to its natural flow, thousands of people were left dead, others homeless or missing, and millions of pesos worth of properties were lost.

The said activity was graced with Honorable Governor Antonio H. Cerilles as the guest speaker commemorating the devastating disaster that led our provincial leaders to plan and be ready in times of disaster such as the Tsunami of 1976 in Pagadian City.

ZDS to Host 2015 philippine National Game

By Christina Anana Mascual- Sausal

Prov’l. Press Bureau

Zamboanga del Sur will host the 2015 Philippine National Games from September 10 to 14, 2015 as part of the 63^rd Founding Anniversary of the Province having an expected guests and participants of more or less 5,000 to 6,000 as announced by the Honorable Board Member Vicente P. Cajeta, focal person for the Sports Development Program of the Provincial Government of Zamboanga Del Sur.

In an interview, BM Cajeta underlines the fact that the province of Zamboanga del Sur is very much ready to host the Philippine National Games. More so he said that, if we are going to speak about sports facilities and venues, the Provincial Government Center in Dao is already equipped with such.

Meanwhile, he added that, the Philippine National Games (PNG) was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 163 dated March 3, 1994 under His Excellency former President Fidel V. Ramos. That the Philippine National Games program is envisioned to effectively address our need for a truly comprehensive grassroots sports development program, generating sports activities in the countryside and harnessing the full potential of our people to athletic excellence.The Philippine National Games was instituted to serve as the ultimate challenge and ground to bring out the best of the national team athletes and the emerging ones.

Now on its 5^th year, the POC-PSC National Games and the Batang Pinoy, in partnership with the Philippine Olympic Committee, the Department of Education, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the respective Local Government Units, will once again feature the country’s best young athletes.That all Local Government Units (LGUs) constituting the Physical Fitness and Sports Development Councils consist of officials of barangay, city, municipal and provincial are directed to extend full support and active participation in the Philippine National Games.

Twelve sports will staple for the Mindanao Qualifying Leg to be played in their respective sports venue:  namely Athletics- Pagadian City Oval; Archery-Provincial Government Center, Dao; Arnis- Sports Arena, PGC; Badminton- Sports Arena, PGC; Boxing- Combat Sports Arena,PGC; Chess- Dep-Ed Teacher’s Center; Karatedo- Gaisano Capital; Billiards- PGC; Swimming- Sports Arena; and Taekwondo-AEC Gym, Capitol Compound. The National Finals for Futsal and Softball will also be held here.

The POC-PSC Philippine National Games (PNG) is a multi-sport tournament in the Philippines. It was created to serve as the ultimate challenge for athletes in the Philippines to bring out the best of the national and emerging teams as well as to be the main source of possible composition of national pool athletes that will compete in international tournaments such as the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and the Olympics. It has the objective which is to develop the ideals of discipline, teamwork, camaraderie, unity solidarity, competitiveness and fair play among Filipino athletes and sports enthusiasts and to serve as inspiration to encourage other people to engage in sports in the Philippines.

To this end, Governor Antonio H. Cerilles invites the people of Zamboanga del Sur to witness the much awaited Philippine National Games since it is a first time in history that that the Philippine National Games Qualifying Leg for Mindanao area will be hosted by the Province of Zamboanga del Sur