On Zamboanga's Tallest Structure

The Garden Orchid Hotel by that time it was built, was considered to be the largest hotel complex in the city with more or less eighty-seven accommodating facilities and amenities. It is the usual options of dignitaries when they come and visit Zamboanga mainly because of its proximity to the local airport and its prestige.

Last year, Garden Orchid Hotel engaged in a very ambitious expansion. They built a ten-story building at the back of their current facility to house more suites and hotel rooms. It is expected to add three-hundred fifty more rooms equipped with state-of the art facilities including a helipad atop the structure. This will eventually give Garden Orchid Hotel two titles 1.) Largest Hotel Complex in Mindanao 2. Tallest Structure in Western Mindanao.

It is expected to beat Marco Polo Hotel of Davao City as Mindanao's Largest Hotel and Sky Park Hotel as Western Mindanao's tallest structure.

Kudos to the management of the hotel.

Turncoatism is the Business of the Day

Yesterday, the country was rocked by the news of the defection of the Presidential Economic Adviser and Albay Governor Joey Salceda. Salceda bolted out of the ruling coalition, withdrawn its support for Gilberto Teodoro and decided to join the Liberal Party. This action, however is a backfire to the Aquino camp over accusations made against its closest rival, Manny Villar.

Last week, we've seen LP Senatorial aspirants shouting during rallies direct accusation against Villar as the secret candidate of Mrs. Arroyo. This was premised on the exodus of the close administration allies from the Lakas-Kampi-CMD Coalition joining the Nacionalista ranks. The Liberal Party that time, specifically pin-pointed the defection of Former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson, Davao del Sur Governor Douglas Cagas, Bukidnon Governor Juan Maria Zubiri, and many more as a strong evidence of the Villaroyo accounts.

However, this accusation backfired to the Liberal Party just this week when some pillars of the ruling coalition bolted out of the party and openly declared its support to the Aquino candidacy. The very premise where the Liberals anchored their accusation was actually destroyed by their actions of receiving the new turncoats with open arms. Salceda was just the most recent. Two days ago, we've seen Deputy Majority Floor Leader Neptali Gonzales being sworn as a Liberal. Aquino even confirmed that more will defect in the succeeding days.

This however, strengthened the speculation that its not Villar but Aquino who is Arroyo's secret candidate. Its also noteworthy that Aquino's trusted advisers today are former cabinet members of the Arroyo administration while its Senatorial race aspirants are former allies, if not with affiliations to Arroyo. It can be predicted that, if ever elected, Aquino will just play the game with the same chess pieces Arroyo played.

A Commentary on the WMSU's Corporate Programs

For quite sometime, Western Mindanao State University ventures to a clever way of admitting students beyond its capacity relative to its appropriation from the government. They call this concept as the CORPORATE PROGRAM. This idea is characterized by admitting students beyond the university's capacity by letting them pay for their facilities, teachers and other materials that cannot be shouldered anymore by the government. This is currently practiced in the College of Nursing, College of Science and Mathematics, College of Education, College of Liberal Arts, College of Home Econmics and the Integrated Laboratory School. Under this program, a student's tuition is usually ten times higher than the tuition of the regular student.

What do Republic Act 8292 say about this?

Paragraph W, Section 4 of the Republic Act 8292 prescribes the power and function of the Board of Regent as to "privatize, where most advantageous to the institution, management and non-academic services such as health, food, building or grounds or property maintenance and similar such other objectives;". Following this clear mandate from the law, an educational institution like WMSU can only privatize non-academic engagements and never its academic offerings. Clearly, this practice violates this provision in the law. However, up to this point of time, court litigation are still impracticable since no complaints coming from the concerned against this unjust and unfair practice was filed before the proper forum.

What is my proposal?

To avoid future problems, we must convert all existing corporate programs into regular ones.

How?

We will request the House of Representatives through our local legislator to increase the allocation of WMSU during the enactment of the General Appropriations Act. This will in return expand the quota of the university and each College in admissions. As an immediate action, we will absorb all existing Corporate students and grant them equal privileges to that of the regular ones. As a long term solution, the University must intensify its screening process during admissions in order to ensure the good composition of the students of the university.

Corporate and Regular students alike must have equal access to school facilities and enjoy equal privileges and rights. What's being savored by a regular student must be tasted as well by its counterpart. After all, both students took the same examination and passed it using the same standard.

Climaco vs Enriquez: Will History Repeat Itself?

The race for the Congressional seat in the First District is quite exciting.

Maria Isabel Climaco-Salazar of Sta.Maria, the incumbent Representative of the district seeks reelection against former Bureau of Customs Official Atty. James F. Enriquez of Ayala. This is a decade-old rival between two of the most influential clans in the city - the Climacos and the Enriquezes.

It can be well noted that both families already had their respective turns to run the city in various opportunities. Two of the longest serving mayors of the city both are coming from the above-mentioned clans - Cesar C. Climaco and Joaquin Enriquez. Climaco and Enriquez served three terms each as City Mayor of Zamboanga.

The interesting part of the rivalry happened during an election for the members of the Batasang Pambansa in the 70's. Climaco and Enriquez wrestled for the position. At the end of the day, Joaquin Enriquez prevailed. The said victory was attributed to the impressive strategy of Enriquez being an incumbent official that time.

Four decades after, the same family names dominates the polls - Climaco and Enriquez. Will history repeat itself by granting the victory to another Enriquez or will the circumstances give the win to the incumbent.

Both aspirants have their respective strength and weaknesses. Its just up to the people who they think is worthy of their vote.

Quick Notes on a Recent Travel: Diplahan

One of the towns that really exhibited impressive transformation is the small town of Diplahan in Zamboanga Sibugay's first district. The town's topography is characterized by extremes - wide plains and rolling terrain. Its Poblacion is located a top a mountain range elevated approximately three hundred (300) meters above sea level. From there, you can majestically behold the golden fields of rice paddies which made the town as the province's rice granary.

The town was converted into a Municipality in 1981 by virtue of Batas Pambansa 48 signed into law by the then President Ferdinand Marcos from being a barrio of the Municipality of Malangas.

The town's economy started to bloom during the height of the PNOC-sponsored coal operation in the Diplahan soil. Miners from all over the country flocked to work for higher wages. Unfortunately during the early 90's, a tragedy occurred, an explosion rocked the mine's tunnel killing almost a hundred. After the said occurrence, the mines' administration decided to cease the operation and together with the closure the once lively town of Diplahan became quaint and silent.

From that point, most of the town's economic activity were already based on small-medium industries and the thriving rice production in the town's plains. However, the agony was just temporal as several years later, private company ventured in the rich coal sites of Diplahan and started its operation there. This opened new opportunities in empoyment and business. Today, the town boasts to host the largest underground tunnel in the Philippines courtesy of a Taiwanese mining firm.

After the 2007 Election, under a new administration, the Local Government Unit started to revive the town's thrive. The new mayor laid a new architectural plan for Diplahan. He started to demolish the old public market and transferred it in a more strategic site. He built a covered court, a food court, commercial buildings and a new state of the art bus terminal. It can also be noted that there is a sufficient effort from the administration to boost the town's tourism potentials. He built a Municipal Hostel, Municipal Swimming Pool and the famed Diplahan Bamboo House. Sitting on this edifice while sipping a cold beverage reminds me of Baguio's Mines View Park as it offers a breathtaking view of the plains.

Due to its high elevation, fogs dominates the town's skyline during early morning and dusk. Driving along the town's paved streets can be challenging as you need to constantly open your headlights and offer a generous horn blow to announce you passage, or less you will end up bum ping to something you don't know. The temperature as well, sends shivers and chills to your body during night time and will extremely sweat you during day time.

The town's elevation is also credited for the unending water problem of the town. Although level three in classification as households has individual connection, it is still in the rationing basis. That's is why, deep wells are normal sights in the backyards of the townspeople.

Today, Diplahan slowly transformed itself into a major center of commerce and business to rival its neighbors like Buug and Imelda which are considered to be provincial economic tigers. Diplahan, indeed is a manifestation of that a a responsive local government is an essential ingredient to prepare a town's economic success.

Quick Notes on a Recent Travel: Ipil

Much has changed in this capital town in the central part of the Province of Zamboanga Sibugay. From a sleepy agricultural town in the late 80's the town transformed into a bustling commercial center in the present years. Thanks to the thriving rubber industry that was instrumental for this remarkable changes and for putting the name of the town in the agricultural map being the "Rubber Capital of the Philippines."

In a bus ride from Zamboanga City, Ipil offers a very hostile welcome, couple of choke and check points are blocking driveways inspecting every vehicle traversing the National Highway. However, in a bird's eye view from the bus, you can already see a breathtaking view of the famous Buluan Island, famous for its white and pristine sand beaches. From that vantage, the view completely offers not only a spectacular sight but an inviting one as well.

As you can notice, the town has an organize traffic system. Bus stops are installed in various points of the town to ensure that no unloading will be done in the town center. The terminal is in Taway, some two kilometers north of the town proper. The newly built edifice has two parts, the Right Wing is exclusively for Rural Transit Buses accommodating around eight (8) buses at a time mostly bound for Pagadian, Dipolog, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro. The Left Wing on the other hand is used for Public Utility Vans. It's second level houses the food court and some supply stores which offer necessities for long travel.

From the bus terminal, you can already see from a far an architectural breakthrough - the Provincial Capitol of Zamboanga Sibugay. The huge structure sits atop Capitol Hill together with several other government offices. I just can't understand why the Provincial Government chose to build there, it seems like climbing to Mount Calvary with a cross on your shoulder. Suppose, the government, through its capitol or whatsoever must be nearer for the people to access.

A Php 10.00- trike ride will transport you from the terminal to the town center. The town center offers generous availability of hotels, restaurants, banks and recreation facilities. Several multi-national companies are already venturing in the town's economy (i.e. Jollibee, Chicken Ati-Atihan, Mercury Drug etc).

If you happen to arrive in the town on either Friday or Saturday, never fail to visit the famed TABUAN which gathers all vendors from all over Zamboanga Sibugay bringing fruits, vegetables, RTW, clothing gears and the famous Ukay-Ukay.

Travelling eastward, you will find the village of Sanito, a Galik Pook Awardee for innovations in the local government. You can notice that the village has its own Bagsakan Center, PUV/PUJ Terminal and Livelihood Centers. Just can't help as well to commend the well-organized display of campaign materials in the locality. The Barangay duly designates common posting areas in conspicous parts of the place, the good thing is, candidates are following it. Also in Sanito, you can find the province's largest hotel - The Sibugay Grand Plaza which is equipped with a disco house and restaurants, the Ipil Airport which was recently concreted without renovating first its dilapidated terminal and now serves as a hub for joggers and other figure conscious individuals, the Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Hospital, the Ipil Municipal Cemetery, the PNP Provincial Command and the largest agricultural facility in the region - the Western Mindanao Agricultural Research Center (WESMIARC).

Further eastward is the village of Pangi. A mid-sized baranagay which also houses several important installations like the Zamboanga Sibugay National High School, Department of Education Division Office and the Main Office of the Zamboanga del Sur II Electric Cooperative.

Today, as i passed over Ipil, adoring its majestic infrastructures and establishments, I can already conclude that Ipil already fully recovered after the bloody siege in 1995 which claimed hundreds of lives and ashed millions worth of properties.

As of the moment, as a first class municipality tallying an income of more than a hundred million, Ipil is already qualified to join the ranks of Philippine cities. We just need to wait until the election is over, and wait who will file Ipil's city hood bill and claim the prestigious title "Father of the City of Ipil".

Way to go Ipil.

Quick Notes on a Recent Travel: Lakewood

Lakewood is my hometown's neighbor with an approximate distance of 15 kilometers from my town's center of economic activity traversing towering mountain ranges and long and winding rock-dirt covered roads which is more identical to a dried up river bed. However, despite the proximity, I was not able to behold the towns mystic beauty, not until I'm nineteen.

A close relative decided to celebrate her birthday in a resort situated in the coast of the serene and quaint Lake Wood - The Alindahaw Lakeview Resort. The facility is owned wholly by the powerful Cerilles clan of Zamboanga del Sur. My attendance to the said celebration is not just devoted to give tribute to the birthday celebrant, but also to personally witness the so-called ZamSur's hidden paradise.

The resort offers lots of enjoyable trek to adventurers including a boat ride in the lake's surface. However, as I was about to give my decision on taking a ride, my vocal expression was overtaken by a suggestion of a local which send shivers to my spine and hold me aback. The lake's mysticism was affirmed by local's folktales about it.

They related that, the lake attracts divers all over the country to explore its underneath and finally divulge to the the scientific world what's about this body of water. However, it seems the lake has its own mind and prevents the realization of these things. Many divers, can't anymore manage to resurface and are just found floating two or three days after, lifeless. Many attributes this occurrences to the unusual depth of the lake. They call the yearly loss of lives in the lakes vicinity as BUHIS. In history, accordingly, not a single year had passed without claiming some two or three lives, mostly stranger to the place.

Locals who tried to measure the depth of the lake tied a stone at the end of a 300-meter string but the stone failed to reach the bottom as the string reached its maximum. Some legends would say, that there's a hole at the bottom of the lake that connects it to another dimension. I wonder if its true. I wonder if there's someone who was able to swam to reach the bottom and told to the local community regarding such. One local claimed, that once a year a giant boat traverse the Sibougey River sailing upstream and terminates at the lake submerging itself in the lake's bottom. This boat are told to be carrying tons of golds, silver and treasure of all sorts.

Adding to the place's mysticism is the SLEEPING LADY MOUNTAIN along the western front of the lake. From afar and during dawn and dusk when it converts into a silhouette, you can see it as a lady with her hair spread at the tip and in a sleeping position. This was told to be a fairy who use to be the lake's guardian against evil forces which are imposing dominion over the lake. Due to an extravagant and excessive use of dark power, the fairy was defeated by the evil forces. They cursed the lake, send heavy rains and blocked the lake's spillway. The water level rose drowning a sizable number of the population. The fairy was crushed and buried into mounds of clay. The area of which he was buried rose into a figure of a woman which is now called as the SLEEPING LADY MOUNTAIN.

This are lovely folktales that maybe at some point are believable but can also be easily dismissed as ordinary city folk can claim to be just a product of the wild and creative imagination of man.

Whatever is the truth behind these stories,I am still fascinated by the the place's tranquility, serenity and picturesque panorama. And for sure, i'll keep coming back to the place with a new zeal of exploring new things.

Zamboanga in Steps: Forward or Backward?

In the daily Zamboangaueño living, its already common in the airwaves to hear a slogan which campaigns for the city's development and progress in all forms of media - Adelante Zamboanga. This ironical statement was popularized by the incumbent city head, Mayor Celso Lobregat and his cohorts to gloriously masked their real performance by eye-catching projects which I question on the merits of its necessity and benefits. They even made a TV program out of the name and made no less than the Mayor to be the host, using government's funds to pay for its weekly airing. It is now a name of a local political party courtesy of the Mayor's brother. It is now being reflected in school buildings and other government infrastructure which was erected during the incumbent's administration. However, the question still remains, is the slogan really speaking of the real state of the city? Or is this just a propaganda to extend Lobregat's stay in the City Hall together with his trusted allies?

The City of Zamboanga is considered to be the first stronghold of the Spanish in Mindanao. The founding of the city coincided with the establishment of the Real Fuerza de San Jose which was later renamed in honor of the Nuestra Señora la Virgen de Pilar. This circumstances made Zamboanga as the very first organized pueblo in Mindanao. When we talk of organized pueblo, it is already safe to say that the community already had a comprehensive street pattern and sufficient facilities and installation to sustain a community's survival and eventually capable of hosting a military or civil government. During this time, current economic boom cities like Cagayan de Oro, Davao and General Santos are still virgin forests waiting to be exploited. In fact, the expedition tasked to explore the Davao and Surigao area was launched in the bustling port of Zamboanga which was at that time considered to be an international port already, together with Sual, Manila and Iloilo. This made Zamboanga the most advance community in the whole of Mindanao during that time.

Let us compare all major cities in Mindanao. Zamboanga was founded in 1611. Cagayan de Oro was organized in 1748, Davao in 1848 and General Santos in 1939. However, let us take a look on the span of year each city took to become a city. It took General Santos twenty-nine (29) years to become a full-pledged city. Davao City waited eighty-nine (89) years for it to become a city while Cagayan de Oro counted two hundred two (202) years. Surprisingly, the very first organized Spanish settlement in Mindanao, Zamboanga City took three hundred twenty six (326) years. Strike one!

In the American period, Zamboanga was made as the capital of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu because of its significance in the economic and military aspect. A century after, the city is not anymore worthy to be called the premier one. The title of the De Facto Capital of Mindanao was given to Davao in recognition of its economic importance. Meaning to say, Davao City managed to shift the flow of trade, originally being magnetized by Zamboanga as an entry port, towards their city. Strike two!

And here is the final blow! On the aspect of competitiveness, let's check our city's performance. In the report released by the Asian Institute of Management in its Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project of 2007, Davao City emerged as the Most Competitive City in the country with an over-all score of 7.05. General Santos tallied an impressive 6.94 and Cagayan de Oro closely follows at 6.49. However, among the four prominent cities, Zamboanga scored the lowest with a staggering 6.19. What is more surprising is the fact that cities like Tagum (6.66), Iligan (6.42), Butuan (6.52), Dipolog (6.74), Kidapawan (6.61), Koronadal (6.55), Malaybalay (7.11), Oroquieta (6.43), Ozamis (6.30), Surigao (7.08), IGACOS (6.22), Gingoog (6.55) and Tacurong (6.81) are even higher in score than Zamboanga City. It seems that all other cities are mocking us leaving us behind in all developments. The progression of projects in the city is not anymore paralleled with the city's population and age.

What could be the valid reason behind this? As a continuation of AIM Policy Center's report, the performances of the cities are intervened by several factors. Let us see which factors the city failed to cross the line between prestige and negativity. In the report, it was very well noted that among the four major cities of Mindanao, Zamboanga has the highest cost of doing business, its the lowest in the dynamism of local economy and the lowest in the quality of life.

Now we can post the question: Why the local government in defending the local economy by preventing the entry of multi-national companies in the city failed to maximized into its potentials the local economic activity? Why do we have the lowest quality of life if we are one of the billionaire cities of the country in terms of income. Is it right to let just the money sleep on banks without the people benefiting on it?

Now, we want our Honorable Mayor to explain, is Zamboanga really doing "adelante" or "pa-atras"?

Open your eyes Zamboangueños. Tiempo ya para cambia!

Why Omnia Vencit Veritas?

The Latin phrase simply means "the truth conquers all" in English. This phrase reverberated in ancient Roman Forum before during sessions and assemblies while deliberating on pressing issues concerning the public. This becomes a forceful challenge to the people to speak of the truth by all means, as this liberates man's conscience from lies and all evil.

This blog will be an online commentary on general and local issues that surrounds us using truth as a powerful weapon to divulge what the public ought to know.

Common! Join me in this discourse and exchange ideas with me to produce a useful outcome.

Muchchisimas Gracias y Buenas Diaz!

Alvin Rex M. Lucero
Blogger