IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay-The Western Mindanao Integrated Agriculture Research Center (WESMIARC) based in the municipally of Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay and in partnership with four certified seeds companies and a fertilizer company hosted a 3-day corn production techno demo in Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay Province and in Tampilisan and Gutalac towns in Zamboanga del Norte.

The four seed companies namely Monsanto, Pioneer, Asian Hybrid and Syngenta and Atlas, a fertilizer company provided bags of corn seeds and the required fertilizer in identified areas in three towns covering a combined area of 4 hectares which started in May this year.

Let us grant that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are telling us the truth that they are not harboring the notorious escape convict and explosive expert Al Ghozi. The next possibility is that he will likely touch base with Abu Sayyaf terrorist band. If he is not doing that now, the equally elusive Khadaffy Janjalani, leader of the fragment of Abu Sayyaf terrorists that had been sighted somewhere in the jungles of Sultan Kudarat, maybe reaching for him now.

The military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf marauders ought to be stepped up to prevent At Ghozi from seeking shelter in the lair of the terrorist gang. A massive operations will also deter, if not eradicate, any attempt of the ferocious and extremist Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) elements in linking up with the Abus.

Republic of the Philippines-Department of Labor

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority

Some electorate unknowingly glorify “corruption” by glorifying candidates with so much money to spend during election.

The trend nowadays is that only political aspirants with enough money are sure of winning during election and this is true in many occasions.

Conveniently located at Tetuan Highway (near Kape Kueva), the city’s distinctively enjoyable restobar — with live bands, comedy shows, karaoke and disco sessions — Shooter’s Mega Billiards, Bar and Restaurant offers a unique dining experience that blends food, showbiz entertainment, dancing/singing portions and billiard sport.

SMB’s interior decors are accentuated by shades and shades of aesthetic and sporty photographs and posters which testify to the owner’s love for showbiz and sports.

The Zamboanga City Sports Athletics Development Foundation, Inc. (ZCSADFI), inducted its officers and held the turn-over ceremonies on August 23, 2003 at Astoria Hotel, this city.

The program started at 8 p.m. with invocation, national anthem, opening remarks and introduction of guest speaker by Mr. Wilbert Laureano, Kit Mortera and Teng Torres and followed by the message of Congressman Celso L. Lobregat, turn-over ceremonies, inspirational message, response and closing statement by Ricardo A. Marmoleño, Councilor Natividad and Otto Antao respectively.

The blood of a blue-collar worker is unlike any other. It pulsates with hard labor, it flows with hard toil. The employees of the different cargo-handling, porterage and janitorial agencies under the supervision of the Philippine Ports Authority, Port Management Office (PMO) -Zamboanga selflessly donated 12,000 cc of blood in the Mass Bloodletting activity held at the PPA Administration Building last July 11,2003 in connection with the agency’s 26th anniversary. Most of them are blue-collar workers.

This generous, life-saving move earned PPA, PMO-Zamboanga the award of being the “Bloodiest Government Agency” for the year 2002-2003. The award was accepted by the Port Manager, Winfred G. Elizalde, in the Recognition Program of the Philippine National Red Cross held last July 31 of this year.

Life is like a box of chocolates

Have you ever tasted white chocolate? It’s kind of strange, right? If you’re like me, you grew up begging for chocolate while standing in the grocery line with your mom. If you’d ask me at five years old to describe chocolate, I’d have told you (while drooling) that it’s sweet, creamy and brown. The first time that I was offered white chocolate, I just knew it would be terrible; my concept of chocolate just didn’t include the white stuff that lay in front of me! But as you all know white chocolate tastes like...well, chocolate.

I drive my children to school almost everyday and each time I pass Bagsakan Center along Governor Camins Street, the foul smell especially in the morning coming from the City government’s fertilizer composting project out of the city’s garbage suffocates my lung. As a citizen and taxpayer, I have the right to raise this complaint and make the Mayor, City Health Officer and the Environment Office (DENR) immediately do something about it.

I know I’m not the only one affected by the risk and danger of the stinking and filthy environment at the Bagsakan Center but other citizens who also constantly passes through the area and those who sell their products inside and eventually stays there 24 hours a day and make that place their living quarter. The immediate neighborhood are also in grave danger of getting sick and contaminated with the foul odor emitted from the machines used to produce compost fertilizers. Children in the immediate vicinity could be susceptible to respiratory diseases because they are constantly exposed to the odor at Bagsakan.

Bie, this is for you my dearest friend...you’re forever gone but your spirit still lives in us.

L osing a friend like you

“While we await the pending appeal on the Supreme Court’s decision on the $ 658-million Marcos Swiss Deposits, we should seriously re-examine the Agrarian Reform program which by law should be benefited by the recovered Marcos assets,” said Trade and Industry Secretary Mar Roxas.

Roxas pointed to a provision in the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law called Section 27. This section states that, for a period of 10 years, reformed lands cannot be titled and used by farmers as collateral for loans.

The newly-elected officers of the Mutual Homeowners Association in Katatagan, Upper Calarian held their induction last July 24, 2003 at the residence of its new president, John A. Iggo.

Kagawad Sinforoso R. Urbano, Jr. administered the oath of office to the new officers. The induction ceremony was witnessed by Kagawads Andres P. Evangelista, Jr., Romeo G. Garcia, and Dandy Z. Dolocanog.