District Governor Maria Victoria "Nanette" Garcia of Rotary District 3850 arrived in this City yesterday for her 1st scheduled visit to some clubs in Zone 9.

She was welcomed at the Zamboanga Airport by Asst. Gov. James Makasiar, District Governor Elect Eric Lavi ¤ a, the different Club Presidents of the zone, Ann Presidents, Past District Governor and other district officers.

Every child''s dream is to have peace on earth -- no domination, nor chaos.

To attain this, one must start at home because everything begins at home.

The Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (ZCCIFI) is organizing a seminar on Republic Act No. 9184 otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Acton Saturday, September 4, 2004 at the Celebrity Hall of the Grand Astoria Hotel. The time set for the seminar is from 8 AM - 4 PM.

The said seminar also aims to orient the participants on the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9184. Ms. Virginia San Agustin - Gara, City Budget Officer and Chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee of the City Government of Zamboanga. will be the lecturer of the seminar. Ms. Gara would discuss the various bidding processes and requirements in relation to procurements being made by the City Government and other government agencies. Likewise, Mayor Celso L. Lobregat has been invited to attend the seminar.

Congressman Erbie A. Fabian inducted the new set of officers of the Sta. Barbara Elementary School Homeroom Parents-Teachers Association last Saturday.

In his message, Fabian related that during his high school days in Ateneo, it was in Sta. Barbara Elementary School that he was assigned to teach catechism.

Newspaper columnist Mike S. Apostol is the new president of the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) replacing Board Director Gilbert Alvarez.

Apostol was elected unanimously with nine votes during a board meeting held middle of last week. The election results were however announced during the 29th Annual General Membership Assembly of Zamcelco held at Astoria Regency in Pasonanca.

Mayor Celso Lobregat received two chairmanship nominations during the Regional Development Council (RDC) and Regional Peace Order Council (RPOC) meetings held in this city yesterday and Thursday, respectively.

Lobregat was nominated in the two regional councils along with Zamboanga Del Norte Governor Rolando Yebes. The two nominees are awaiting appointments from higher offices on the national level.

Indigent and less privileged people were the beneficiaries of free major operations sponsored by the Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines held at the Zamboanga City Sanitarium Hospital yesterday morning.

Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines volunteer doctors, nurces and other medical personnel operated more or less 60 to 70 hernia and goiter patients for free. The latter also received free medicines.

"All praise belongs to my mother."

This was the message of Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday when he along with some city officials, inaugurated a P12 million building project at the old public market.

Congressman Erbie A. Fabian yesterday aired his strong objection to the proposal to slash the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), the main source of funds of all local government units like Zamboanga City.

At the same time, Rep. Fabian said he favors a similar move to reduce the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAP) of congressmen and senators.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at Port Sta. Maria in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte on August 31 for the construction of the P24-million wharf funded by United States Agency International Development (USAID) and the package program implemented by the Growth Equity for Mindanao (GEM).

Siocon Mayor Ceasar C. Soriano said yesterday that on top of the list of persons who will grace the affair are an American representative, Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza, Zamboanga del Norte Gov. Rolando Yebes and Congressman Ceasar Jalosjos.

Mayor Celso L. Lobregat said that he favors the move to postpone the barangay elections on the context that the national government is currently experiencing fiscal crisis and thus the cancellation of the said election will spare the government billion of pesos.

"Under this present condition I am in favor of the cancellation of the barangay election," Lobregat said during a press conference last Tuesday.

Three prominent political figures in the region are reportedly eyeing for the chairmanship of the Regional Development Council.

They are Mayor Celso Lobregat, Gov. Rolando Yebes of Zamboanga Del Norte and Congressman Antonio Cerilles of Zamboanga Del Sur.

Mindanao congressmen have urged President Arroyo to re-appoint House Committee on Justice chair Simeon Datumanong (Maguindanao) to the Department of Public Works and Highways for equal representation in the Cabinet of an official coming from Mindanao.

Reps. Munir Arbison (Sulu) and Mujiv Hataman (Anak Mindanao) said the expertise and decent reputation of the soft-spoken Datumanong can please the dismayed Mindanaoans after the non-inclusion of a Mindanao leader in the recent appointments.

The true essence of leadership is service.

Thus said Congressman Erbie A. Fabian in his inspirational message during the 54th founding anniversary of the Zamboanga Chong Hua High School and the induction of the Board of Directors and officers of the Zamboanga CHHS Alumni Association of Metro

Mayor Celso Lobregat assured the public yesterday that the city is not experiencing any financial crisis but urged the city officials to prepare for such a "devastating eventuality," as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the other day, declared the country in the midst of a "fiscal crisis."

Because of the unmanageable public deficit, economist warns the country will suffer an Argentine-type default in the next three years, once the balooning public deficit will not be properly addressed.