Vice Mayor Beng Climaco has cautioned private organizations in the city in initiating environmental protection projects that lack feasibility studies and become the so-called "one shot deal" undertakings.

"We need a sustainable program to green the forests, blue the oceans and keep the skies clean," the vice mayor said as she expressed particular concern over a tree-planting activity undertaken by a non-government organization in Abong-abong during the Arbor Day recently.

Key players in Mindanao''s information and communications technology (ICT) sector are set to converge for a two-day congress in Zamboanga City next week, hoping to strengthen the island''s push for more investments in ICT development.

The 3rd Mindanao ICT Congress, slated for October 8-9 at the Garden Orchid Hotel here, is expected to draw around 300 participants from within Mindanao and the rest of the country, including ICT players from the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

Siocon municipal leaders have strongly opposed a plan by Mayor Ceasar Soriano to put up a 25-bed hospital as they claim it to be "impractical and unnecessary tantamount to another wasteful spending."

In a letter addressed to Zamboanga del Norte Gov. Rolando Yebes dated Sept. 21, 2004, the oppositors voiced their disagreement on the plan which Soriano revealed and was reported in a Zamboanga City daily last Sept. 8.

One of the most awaited events for the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival is the PBA All-Filipino match between the San Miguel Beermen and the Sta. Lucia Realtors to be held on Oct. 7 at City Coliseum at 6 p.m.

The two PBA teams will arrive on Oct. 6.

Mayor Celso Lobregat called on all local media executives to help the city government attain a good image for Zamboanga City.

In an open forum with newspaper editors, radio and TV station managers, Lobregat said that the media should help in promoting the city by reporting more progressive and developmental news and downplaying on crime stories so as not to create a perception of violence for the city.

Calling all consumers. Want to be a millionaire? Collect your receipts and text them to the new promo of the Bureau of Internal Revenue paraffle program.

The BIR will launch on Thursday the Bayan I-text Ang Resibo 2004 ng Kawanihan ng Rentas. The launching will start at 8 with a motorcade at the BIR District Office rolling towards the city''s main thoroughfares and back to the office. It will be participated by BIR employees and invited businessmen, lawyers, doctors, accountants and many others.

Mindanao Economic Development Council chairman Secretary Jesus G. Dureza has vowed to bring to the attention of President Arroyo the power problem of Tawi-Tawi.

Dureza made the pledge during the 1st Tawi-Tawi Power Summit last September 24 held at the capital town of Bongao.

Education Regional Director Ibrahim Albar distributed computers, microscopes and textbooks to schools selected by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Science and Technology last weekend in Sibugay province and Pagadian City.

The recipients of the equipment were Ipil Central School, Pangi Central School, Siay Elementary and National High School, Bacolongan Elementary School, Mabuhay High School, Olutanga Central School, all in Sibugay, Tawagan High School and Elementary School and Mangga National High School, both in Pagadian City.

Tetuan Central School bested eight other contestants in the lively Drum and Lyre Corps competition held at the CDCP reclaimed area last Sunday as one of the activities culminating the celebration of National Tourism Week.

Tetuan Central School went home with P20,000 in cash prize which was received by Principal Elidia Hebron. The trainor, Benilda Taup got P3,000.

The City Tourism Office culminated the celebration of National Tourism Week with a drum and lyre and tent competitions held at the CDCP reclaimed area yesterday.

The drum and lyre competition was participated by nine elementary schools while the tent competition was open for all and was participated by ten tent enthusiasts.

Vice Mayor Beng Climaco said yesterday to fully demonstrate the city''s concern towards the welfare and protection of children, at least four "gifts" are being prepared by the stakeholders of children''s programs in preparation for the celebration of Children''s Month in October.

Climaco said the four gifts include the enactment of the proposed children''s welfare code; the drafting of the Local Development Plan for Children; the Investment Plan for Children and the state of the children''s report.

The municipality of Siasi serves as the main transport link and trading center of the entire second district of Sulu province.

People from nearby municipalities of Pandami, Lugus, Tapul, Pata and South Ubian regularly visit the area to sell their goods.

The City Council yesterday rejected a resolution presented by Councilor Mannix Dalipe which merely requests Mayor Celso Lobregat to order all deparment heads to make available to the public any information or public documents involving public funds.

During yesterday''s regular session, Dalipe presented his motion that in the interest of transparency, the mayor is requested to direct the department heads to open to the public all public documents or records.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) yesterday reiterated its stand to sincerely continue peace talks with the government as it strongly denied anew fresh reports of its alleged links to the Al-Qaeda and Jemaah Ismaliya terror groups.

"We are reiterating our stand that the MILF is for peace and we will continue sincerely the peace talks with the Philippine government. And we strongly deny any reports of links with either the Al-Qaeda or the Jemaah Islamiya," a rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu said by phone from Maguindanao.

Congressman Erbie A. Fabian yesterday lauded the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Zamcelco) board for creating a probe body to investigate the mysterious disappearance of millions of pesos worth of cores or windings in 95 of 3 ^distribution transformers from the Zamcelco warehouse.

Fabian, who recently assisted the electric firm in collecting some of the unpaid electric bills of the military and police, noted that the high credibility and unquestionable professional backgrounds of each of the members of the probe team will lead to an impartial investigation of the robbery that has cost the electric cooperative millions of pesos, thereby contributing to its high system loss.