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Army troops accused of human rights violations
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overnment troops and its militia units have been acc used of human rights violations in Davao City in southern Philippines and human rights organizations have called on the local government to immediately act on the accusations against the army. Hanimay Suazo, a spokesperson for the human rights group Karapatan, said civilians and tribesmen have complained about the rampant abuses allegedly committed by army soldiers in Paquibato District. “In Paquibato, leaders of progressive organizations are either charged with trumpedup cases, or unlawfully questioned under the false accusation that they are members of the NPA,”
she said, referring to the communist rebel group New People’s Army, which has been fighting for a separate state for many decades now. Suazo said she and representatives of other human rights organizations – Karadyawan and Paquibato District Peasant Association – met on Tuesday with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and discussed the “worsening” situation in the area where troops have turned villages into virtual garrison. Suazo said rampant human rights violations by soldiers were also reported in the towns of Maco and Mabini in Compostela Valley province and in Davao del Norte’s Kapalong town. “Residents in those areas suffer the baseless allegations of the military that they are supporters of rebel groups. Harassments, vili-
fications, encampments in civilian structures, and signature campaigns wherein people are deceived into signing bogus documents that claim they are surrenderees from the New People’s Army and these are just a few of the human rights violations committed by military forces stationed in the areas,” Suazo said. She said they have documented at least 5 cases of human rights violations, including extra-judicial killings in Kapalong alone since early this year. “Military forces cannot genuinely bring peace to indigenous peoples, contrary to its claims of Peace and Development Operations Plan. We call for justice for the victims of the human rights violations committed by the state’s armed forces against civilians.” Continue to page 4
OIC Secretary-General Iyad bin Ameen Madani.
Protesters say ‘No to Coal’ in Ozamiz City
H
undreds of people and environmentalists have recently protested the proposed coalfired power plant in Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental province, citing hazards and pollutions it pose to humans and animals, and the environment. The protesters marched around the city to denounce the plan and called on the local government to scrap the proposal and save Ozamiz and the province from the toxic pollutants cause by the burning of coal or fossil fuel. The protest was spearheaded by the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (Ozamiz City and Western Mindanao Chapters), Gitib, Inc.; Freedom from Debt Coalition-Western Mindanao, Power Alternative Agenda in Mindanao, Kampanya ng mga Kabataan para sa Kinabukasan, Our Rivers Our Life-Philippines, Science Club Advisers Association of the Philippines, Youth for Climate Justice, CAMPSIC, Partido Lakas ng Masa and Bukluran ng
Manggagawang Pilipino. It was also participated by various civil organizations and local villagers. “We, the climate justice, environment and civil society groups of Ozamiz City and Misamis Occidental and concerned Ozamiznons have realized that the City Government of Ozamiz is still contemplating to pursue the agreement for the construction of the Ozamiz City Coal-Fired Power Plant. We are disappointed and horrified that despite the already established and scientifically researched irreparable impacts and destruction caused by coal fired power plants, the City Government still turns a blind eye from its constituents to pursue the project.” “We are also Ozamiznons. And we fear of our future and our children’s future if this sinister plan will continue. But we will not stop from saying our piece and inform our fellow Ozamiznons of the dangers of coal fired power plant. We believe that it is our right and obligation as citizens and Ozamiznons who will be later become victims of this
tragedy,” the organizers said in a statement. It cited the following reasons for opposing the establishment of the coalfired power plant: First - there is no way that this coal power plant will be clean and can be cleaned. Even the best technology available today cannot disprove this point. The simple reason is because coal, when deposited million years ago, carried with it lots of inorganic materials like mercury, sulfur, arsenic, etc. Cleaning or washing coal only transfers the deadly particles to other areas. There is no such thing as Clean Coal – Clean coal technology emits 4 times more coal ash compared to an ordinary coal plant. According to United States Energy Information Agency (US EIA), the risk of getting cancer is 900 times higher from coal ash exposure compared to cigarette smoking. Also, according to Yale Environment and to the NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) clean coal is just a myth and a promotional gimmick. Continue to page 6
OIC backs Mindanao peace process; tells MILF, MNLF to unite for peace
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he Philippines said it has the full support of the influential Organization of Islamic Cooperation on the peace process with Moro Islamic Liberation Front following the visit of SecretaryGeneral Iyad bin Ameen Madani to Mindanao. Madani led a delegation in Philippines re-
ARMM
cently and met separately with leaders of both the MILF and its rival group Moro National Liberation Front in Davao City and has reaffirmed his support to the peace process. He stressed on the need for unity, agreement and consideration of the role and importance of each group to achieve peace and prosperity in the
region. Madani came to the Philippines to push forward the peace agreement and the autonomous Muslim government in southern Philippines. Madani said the OIC – formerly the Organization of Islamic Conference – is encouraged by the sincere desire and the serious effort displayed by both the MILF
Southern Mindanao
Davao
and MNLF, and the Filipino government in the peace process. His visit – the first visit by an OIC Secretary General to Mindanao – came following the January 25 clash between MILF and Filipino police commandos that killed more than 5 dozen people in M a g u i n d a n a o’s Mamasapano town. The
fighting have further delayed the peace process and the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Madani then presided over the meeting of the Bangsamoro Coordinating Forum (BCF), which was formed in 2014 for the MILF and MNLF to work together. And both sides agreed that the BCF is the best mechanism for dis-
Western Mindanao
Cebu
cussion and exchange of information, and would continue to exert their efforts for the benefit of the peace process. “We feel on both sides the sincere desire, and the serious effort to reach a conclusion (in the peace process). We are optimistic. We are supportive,” he said. Continue to page 4
Manila
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The Mindanao Examiner
Figaro's First Hit in 2015 FIGARO Coffee Company welcomed 2015 with six new stores in the first quarter. To reach more coffee enthusiasts, new Figaro branches were opened in Batangas, Davao, Paranaque (2), Quezon City and SaudiArabia. Known for coffee, Batanguenos hailed another Figaro store in Batangas, set off at Wanda Place last January. During the Chinese New Year, Figaro celebrated the grand opening of its fifth Davao branch placed in the new Felcris Centrale Mall. The third Figaro store which launched this year is at San Antonio Valley 1 in Paranaque City. Also in Paranaque, Extremeli Suites in Solemare put up a f,igaro coffee shop in the hotel lobby. Doctors and other
coffee lovers were glad when Figaro opened in the Medical Arts Building of Delos Santos Medical Center last” March. While outside the country, Figaro’s second store in Saudi Arabia was opened at Almawred Complex in Gizan City. But this is just the beginning as Figaro plans to intensify its expansion in local and international areas. Guam is all set for the coming of Figaro coffee within the month of May. While construction of the first Figaro store in Qatar is underway to cater the countqy’s diverse market. Qatar will start to experience Figaro’s world class Filipino coffee probably in June. Other stores which are expected to open in the second quarter of 2015 will be sited in Valenzuela City and
San Juan, La Union. A temporary cart is now brewing Figaro coffee in Camaya Coast, Bataan while its store is in progress. Soon, Figaro vyill be seen in Kalibo, Aklan as well. More to come for Figaro Coffee Company this 2015 as Figaro continues to develop and improve its products and services to offer its customers a one of a kind specialty coffee shop experience, therefore, gaining brand loyalty and profitable returns to its investors. Figaro accepts new business partners to join them in their expansion, hence, promoting Filipino specialty coffee here and abroad. For franchise inquiries, email franchise@fisarocoffee.com or call (632) 632-1526, (632) 635-5047 loc. 124, (63917) 887-6180 or fax 747-3436.
Apr. 27-May 3, 2015
Apr. 27-May 3, 2015
The Mindanao Examiner
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HOW SAFE ARE THE OZAMIZNONS FROM THE OZAMIZ CITY COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT PROJECT IN BARANGAY PULOT? We, the climate justice, environment and civil society groups of Ozamiz City and Misamis Occidental and concerned Ozamiznons have realized that the City Government of Ozamiz is still contemplating to pursue the agreement for the construction of the Ozamiz City CoalFired Power Plant. We are disappointed and horrified that despite the already established and scientifically researched irreparable impacts and destruction caused by coal fired power plants, the City Government still turns a blind eye from its constituents to pursue the project. We are also Ozamiznons. And we fear of our future and our children’s future if this sinister plan will continue. But we will not stop from saying our piece and inform our fellow Ozamiznons of the dangers of coal fired power plant. We believe that it is our right and obligation as citizens and Ozamiznons who will be later become victims of this tragedy. And these are the reasons: First irst, there is no way that this coal power plant will be clean and can be cleaned. Even the best technology available today cannot disprove this point. The simple reason is because coal, when deposited million years ago, carried with it lots of inorganic materials like mercury, sulfur, arsenic, etc. Cleaning or washing coal only transfers the deadly particles to other areas. There is no such thing as Clean Coal – Clean coal technology emits 4 times more coal ash compared to an ordinary coal plant. According to United States Energy Information Agency (US EIA), the risk of getting cancer is 900 times higher from coal ash exposure compared to cigarette smoking. Also, according to Yale Environment[1] and to the NRDC (National Resources Defense Council)[2] clean coal is just a myth and a promotional gimmick. Second econd, the negative impacts of coal-fired power plant have been widely researched and documented globally and here in the Philippines. These have gripped the lives of concerned Ozamiznons. In a study commissioned by Greenpeace “Burning Our Future”,[3] the scientific research quoted” Greenpeace issued a report in August 2001, detailing the mercury emissions of coal plants. Evidence was provided by fly ash samples taken from the 600-MW coal-fired power plant of Calaca, for testing to a commercial laboratory. Mercury was detected in at least four fly ash samples that Greenpeace sent. Mercury is a neurotoxin so deadly that it only takes 1/ 70th of a teaspoon to contaminate a 10.11-hectare lake to the point that fish caught in the lake area contaminated with mercury are considered unfit for human consumption. Greenpeace challenged the Philippine government to conduct its own testing after it had denied, together with the company operating the coal plant. The Philippine government took up the Greenpeace challenge and conducted even more extensive tests. The test results of the government were unequivocal: mercury was detected in all of the government sampling stations in amounts way higher than those detected by Greenpeace. The Calaca plant was described by Philip-
pine Senator Sergio Osmeña III as “an environmental disaster I wouldn’t wish on anyone” quoted the Greenpeace report. Thir d, the 35-kilometer death zone from where the Third coal-fired power plant is located is scientifically proven and this will have consequences to small city like Ozamiz. In a May 2005 study made by W.F.Donahue, E.W. Allen, and D.W. Schindler of the Department of Biological Research of the University of Alberta, documents metallic concentrations of mercury, copper, lead, arsenic and selenium have increased 1.2 to 4 fold in three (3) lakes where coal fired power plant are located within the 35 km radius.[4] Ozamiz City is composed of 51 barangays whose
distance from Barangay Pulot, the host of the coal-fired power plant will not exceed 35 kilometers. The farthest of the barangay from Barangay Pulot is Barangay Sangay Diot which is 19.4 km from Pulot. This means to say that the whole Ozamiz City will be within the 35 kilometer radius and therefore a ground zero in terms of environmental impacts threatening the lives of all 133,000 inhabitants. Four th ourth th, the coal-fired power plant in Barangay Pulot will also be fatal to the whole Panguil Bay. Panguil Bay is a small, but rich fishing ground that supports the livelihood of thousands of small-scale fishers in northwestern Mindanao. Flanked by 10 municipalities and two cities belonging to three provinces (Lanao Del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur, and Misamis Occidental) and three administrative regions (Regions 9, 10 and 12), such complex jurisdictional structure calls for an integrated management framework for the sustainable development of the bay’s fishery resources. The bay has an area of 18,000 hectares of water area and has a total coastline measuring 116 km from Clarin, Misamis Occidental to Barangay Liangan, Maigo, Lanao del Norte (FAO 133). As many as 9,323 fishers owning more than 5,000 boats depend on the municipal fisheries of Panguil Bay for their livelihood in 2005. But however, if the coal fired power plant will be constructed, study shows that for every 100 megawatts (MW) that a coal-fired power plant will generate, it will emit 25 pounds of mercury a year. The proposed 300 MW OPGI coal plant will emit 75 pounds of mercury in a year. It only takes 0.002
pounds of accumulated mercury to contaminate a 10 hectare lake rendering marine life forms will unsuitable for human consumption. Meaning to say that the coal ash from the Ozamiz Power Generation Incorporated (OPGI), when it will start operation will emit 37,500x poisons enough to destroy 375,000 hectares of body of water which is bigger than the Panguil Bay Area. So devastating is the impact will even reach neighboring provinces of Misamis Occidental. Fifth ifth, and this has some bearing with the aforementioned, is the fact that Ozamiznons are not democratically and substantially consulted about this dirty coal-fired power plant. This reinforces our belief that since coal-fired power plants around the world carry track records of destruction and death of communities and people, then it is politically expedient for Ozamiz City Government to get rid of genuine consultation process. They even ignored the Misamis Occidental Provincial Government opinion of the project, a requirement of the law since Ozamiz is a component city. With lots of transparency issues hounding this coal fired project there must be something fishy that they have to hide this from the public. With these abominable impact already established, all the City Government of Ozamiz will have to do is to stop the endorsement and reject the project. We, climate justice, environment groups and concerned Ozamiznons call on the City Government “NOT TO ROB US AND OUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN OF OUR FUTURE.” DO NO T TO R OB US NOT ROB AND OUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN OF OUR FUTURE! NO TO OZ AMIZ C OAL- FIRED PO WER PL ANT! OZAMIZ CO POWER PLANT! -PHILIPPINE MOVEMENT FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE – OZAMIS CITY CHAPTER -PHILIPPINE MOVEMENT FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE – WESTERN MINDANAO -Gitib, Inc. -Freedom from Debt Coalition-Western Mindanao -Power Alternative Agenda in Mindanao (PALAGMindanao) -Kampanya ng mga Kabataan para sa Kinabukasan (KKK) -Our Rivers Our Life (OROL) –Philippines -Science Club Advisers Association of the Philippines -Youth for Climate Justice (Y4CJ) -CAMPSIC -Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM)
[1] http://e360.yale.edu/feature/ the_myth_of_clean_coal/2014/ [2] www.nrdc.org/policy [3] http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/th/Global/ seasia/report/2009/6/burning-our-future.pdf [4] W.F.Donahue, E.W. Allen, and D.W. Schindler of the Department of Biological Research of the University of Alberta. “Impacts of Coal Fired Power Plants on Trace Metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in lake sediments in Central Alberta, Canada.” 15 May 2005.
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The Mindanao Examiner
Apr. 27-May 3, 2015
Environmentalists vow to fight ‘incinerators’
OIC photos show Secretary-General Iyad bin Ameen Madani during a meeting in Davao City with leaders and representatives of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front. And Malaysia Foreign Minister Dato’ Sri Anifah Hj. Aman.
OIC backs Mindanao peace process; tells MILF, MNLF to unite for peace Continued fr om page 1 from Both the MILF and MNLF were also invited by Madani to another meeting on the sidelines of the 42nd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Kuwait on May 27. Madani also met with Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Secretary, Albert del Rosario, on April 17 and other lawmakers – House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Representatives Rufus Rodriguez and Bai Sandra Sinsuat Sema; and Senator Teofisto Guingona III. Del Rosario said the Aquino government appreciates the role of the OIC in bringing peace to southern Philippines. Madani also reviewed the progress of the peace process with the Ambassadors of OIC Member States posted in Manila during a dinner hosted by Saudi Ambassador Dr. Abdullah AlBussairy. He arrived April 16 to-
gether with Sayed El-Masry, OIC Special Envoy for Peace in the Southern Philippines; Maha Mostafa Akeel, Director of the OIC Department of Information; Dr. Hassan Ahmad Abdein, Head of the OIC Department of Muslim Communities and Minorities; Saidu Dodo, Liaison Officer for OIC Special Envoy for PCSP; Mohammed Adoum, Personal Assistant to the OIC Secretary-General; Mohammed Naghi, Protocol Officer; and Ahmad Madani. Madani travelled to the Philippines from Malaysia where on his last day there met with the Foreign Minister Dato’ Sri Anifah Hj. Aman and they discussed the Philippines-MILF peace agreement. Malaysia is brokering the peace talks between the Philippines and the MILF. The Saudibased OIC currently has 57 Member States and a dozen Observers and among them is the MNLF. His visit to Mindanao
coincided with a series of bombing and grenade attacks in the restive Muslim autonomous region that left one person wounded. The motive of the attacks is still unknown; however the violence occurred in the middle of a hot debate in Congress whether to strike out several provisions in the Bangsamoro Basic Law that would give Muslims in the South a wider autonomy. Some Christian lawmakers insist the provisions were unconstitutional and among these would give the Muslims far reaching power over security and natural resources that some politicians fear would affect their interests and businesses in the autonomous region. The MILF, which has signed a peace deal with Manila, repeatedly warned that any delay in the passage of the law could trigger unrest and even war in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)
Army troops accused of human rights violations
Continued fr om page 1 from “There is no other alternative but to pull-out the state’s armed forces from the communities, and a relentless investigation, till those guilty are put behind bars,” Suazo said. Women’s group Gabriela also accused the military of violating the rights of civilians also in Maco and Mabini towns in Compostela Valley. Citing the report from a humanitarian peace mission that investigated military encampment and human rights abuses in the communities
there, Mary Ann Sapar, Gabriela spokeswoman, said the setting up of camps in civilian areas are illegal “more so, if the military have been intruding the houses of the residents.” She said that this situation puts women and children to be more vulnerable to abuse and human rights violations including sexual assaults and violence. She cited the case of “Celsa”, a mother who was allegedly raped by a soldier in November last year. “Military camps in civilian communities and other
public structures like schools and village halls must be dismantled. These are illegal and therefore enforcement of the law must be done by police and local government units,” she said. There was no immediate statement either from the Eastern Mindanao Command and 10th Infantry Division about the accusations, but the military has previously tagged the Karapatan as a front of the Communist Party of the Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner)
MANILA – Environmentalist groups have marched in the Philippine capital to protest a plan by lawmakers to lift the incineration ban in the country, saying, it would worsen the pollution and poses health hazards to humans. Comprising of the EcoWaste Coalition, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Green Convergence, Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), KULAY, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), and green advocates from local communities, protesters paraded a “mock incinerator monster” surrounded by youth activists dressed as zombies, to symbolically depict the horror of incineration for drastically devastating clean air, climate, public health, as well as jobs and livelihoods.
Some 200 protesters joined the march ahead of the Earth Day celebration. “In response to renewed attempts by some pro-incineration congressmen to water down the Clean Air Act, we call on President Benigno Aquino to defend the law from legislative attacks and keep the incineration ban intact,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of the waste and pollution watchdog EcoWaste Coaltion. “Aquino should make it his legacy to defend the Clean Air Act from attempts to lift the ban on the burn and to uphold it through genuine implementation.” Rep. Edgar Erice has proposed a bill amending Section 20 of the Clean Air Act or Republic Act 8749 to allow incineration of wastes. “We are aghast that, de-
spite oppositions from the civil society and in the face of hard evidence against the supposed benefits of incineration – thermal treatment technology – pro-incinerators lawmakers in the House of Representatives were too excited to amend RA 8749 that they appeared willing to proceed with it even behind our backs,” said Paeng Lopez of GAIA. Merci Ferrer, HCWHAsia Director, underscored the health impacts of incinerating medical wastes, particularly to host communities. “Burning of biomedical wastes produces dioxins and furans which when released to the environment will cause enormous public health impacts such as impairment of the immune, nervous, endocrine and reproductive systems,” she said. (Mindanao Examiner)
Mayor Samier Tan, (middle) of Maimbung town in Sulu province, during the recent distribution of assorted vegetables seeds to 27 barangays. The Department of Agriculture project is being supported by the municipal government.
Human Rights Watch documents military abuses in Southern Philippines MAGUINDANAO – Here’s a snapshot of the plight of tens of thousands of internally displaced people in the Philippine province of Maguindanao after an anti-insurgent military operation: women, children, and the elderly endure the heat in makeshift evacuation camps with inadequate food, medical care, and sporadic electricity supply. Many are sick; at least one child has died from dehydration. They sleep on cartons and blankets on the ground, exposed to the elements. This is the ongoing humanitarian fallout from a security forces calamity that occurred three months ago. In the early morning of January 25, dozens of elite police commandos were deployed to Maguindanao to arrest terrorist suspects hiding among local insurgents from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and its splinter group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. That operation became a deadly debacle in which 44 of the commandos died,
along with 10 insurgents and 7 civilians. The military responded to the incident with an “all-out-offensive” against the insurgents. Politicians obsess over who should take responsibility for the police deaths while ignoring the toll that the ongoing military operation is having on the local people. The Muslim residents of restive Mindanao, the southern Philippine island where Maguindanao is located, are no strangers to dislocation due to separatist armed conflict. But the scale of the impact of this operation on people is significant, even by local standards. The number of internally displaced people in Maguindanao has fallen to about 70,000 after peaking at more than 125,000 after January 25, but their situation remains dire. In a report issued this week, Protection Cluster, a United Nations-supported initiative of government and nongovernmental groups, indicates that the military offensive has resulted in numerous alleged serious
human rights abuses, and that military operations in Maguindanao are “the main driving factor of displacement in the armed conflict.” The report also alleges that people’s homes were destroyed as a result of the offensive, that the military has created indefinite “nogo” areas and unnecessarily restricted people’s freedom of movement, and that it has harassed people who try and return home to secure livestock, crops, and their belongings. The report also alleges that soldiers are present in evacuation centers and relief distribution sites, are present in schools, and have even deployed children to gather intelligence about insurgent operations. These allegations demand an urgent investigation. Philippine President Benigno Aquino needs to make clear to the armed forces that the liberty, safety, and livelihoods of the people of Maguindanao cannot be held hostage to anti-insurgent operations. (Carlos Conde)
Apr. 27-May 3, 2015
The Mindanao Examiner
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The Mindanao Examiner
Apr. 27-May 3, 2015
Protesters say ‘No to Coal’ in Ozamiz City Continued fr om page 1 from Secondly - the negative impacts of coal-fired power plant have been widely researched and documented globally and here in the Philippines. These have gripped the lives of concerned Ozamiznons. In a study commissioned by Greenpeace “Burning Our Future,” the scientific research quoted Greenpeace issued a report in August 2001, detailing the mercury emissions of coal plants. Evidence was provided by fly ash samples taken from the 600-MW coal-fired power plant of Calaca, for testing to a commercial laboratory. Mercury was detected in at least four fly ash samples that Greenpeace sent. Mercury is a neurotoxin so deadly that it only takes 1/70th of a teaspoon to contaminate a 10.11-hectare lake to the point that fish caught in the lake area contaminated with mercury are considered unfit for human consumption. Greenpeace challenged the Philippine government to conduct its own testing after it had denied, together with the company operating the
coal plant. It said the Philippine government took up the Greenpeace challenge and conducted even more extensive tests. The test results of the government were unequivocal: mercury was detected in all of the government sampling stations in amounts way higher than those detected by Greenpeace. The Calaca plant was described by Philippine Senator Sergio Osmeña III as “an environmental disaster I wouldn’t wish on anyone” quoted the Greenpeace report. Thirdly – the organizers said the 35-kilometer death zone from where the coalfired power plant is located is scientifically proven and this will have consequences to small city like Ozamiz. It also cited another study in May 2005 by W.F.Donahue, E.W. Allen, and D.W. Schindler of the Department of Biological Research of the University of Alberta, that documents metallic concentrations of mercury, copper, lead, arsenic and selenium have increased 1.2 to 4 fold in three lakes where coal fired
power plant are located within the 35-kilometer radius. It said Ozamiz City is composed of 51 barangays whose distance from Barangay Pulot, the host of the coal-fired power plant will not exceed 35 kilometers. The farthest of the barangay from Barangay Pulot is Barangay Sangay Diot which is 19.4 km from Pulot. “This means to say that the whole Ozamiz City will be within the 35 kilometer radius and therefore a ground zero in terms of environmental impacts threatening the lives of all 133,000 inhabitants,” according to organizers. Fourth, it said the coalfired power plant in Barangay Pulot will also be fatal to the whole Panguil Bay, a small, but rich fishing ground that supports the livelihood of thousands of small-scale fishers in northwestern Mindanao. Flanked by 10 municipalities and two cities belonging to three provinces (Lanao Del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur, and Misamis Occidental) and three administrative regions
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(Regions 9, 10 and 12), it said such complex jurisdictional structure calls for an integrated management framework for the sustainable development of the bay’s fishery resources. The bay has an area of 18,000 hectares of water area and has a total coastline measuring 116 km from Clarin, Misamis Occidental to Barangay Liangan, Maigo, Lanao del Norte (FAO 133). As many as 9,323 fishers owning more than 5,000 boats depend on the municipal fisheries of Panguil Bay for their livelihood in 2005. But however, if the coal fired power plant will be constructed, study shows that for every 100MW that a coalfired power plant will generate, it will emit 25 pounds of mercury a year. The proposed 300-MW Ozamiz Power Generation Incorporated (OPGI) coal plant will emit 75 pounds of mercury in a year. It only takes 0.002 pounds of accumulated mercury to contaminate a 10 hectare lake rendering marine life forms will unsuitable for human consumption. “Meaning to say that the coal ash from the OPGI, when it will start operation will emit 37,500x poisons enough to destroy 375,000 hectares of body of water which is bigger than the Panguil Bay Area. So devastating is the impact will even reach neighboring provinces of
Misamis Occidental,” the organizers further said. It said this has some bearing with the aforementioned and the fact that Ozamiznons are not democratically and substantially consulted about this dirty coal-fired power plant. “This reinforces our belief that since coal-fired power plants around the world carry track records of destruction and death of communities and people, then it is politically expedient for Ozamiz City Government to get rid of genuine consultation process. They even ignored the Misamis Occidental Provincial Government opinion of the project, a requirement of the law since Ozamiz is a component city. With lots of transparency issues hounding this coal fired project there must be something fishy that they have to hide this from the public,” the groups said. The protesters were demanding from the City Government of Ozamiz to immediately stop the endorsement and reject the coalfired power plant project. Greenpeace said coalfired power plant is a clear threat to sustainable development. “Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel and a main driver of climate change. There are hundreds of examples around the world where communities around coal plants suffer the impacts of
environmental damage and health problems,” said Greenpeace Southeast Asia campaigner, Amalie Obusan. Pro-environment groups said coal-fired power plants are the single largest stationary source of pollution in any country. The toxins these coal fired power plants produce severely damage both human health and the environment and contribute to a reduced quality of life. Coal-fired power plants are responsible for release over 85% of total global carbon dioxide emissions, a prime contributor to global warming. Emissions from these power plants contain tens of dozens of toxic chemicals and the pollution they release every day are a major threat to human health and environment. Coal-fired units produce electricity by burning coal in a boiler to heat water to produce steam. The steam, at tremendous pressure, flows into a turbine, which spins a generator to produce electricity. The steam is cooled, condensed back into water, and returned to the boiler to start the process over. But environmentalists say the coalfueled plants will pollute the air and contribute to global warming. There are at least over a dozen coal-fired power plants in the country. (With a report from Christina Diabordo)
Republic of the P hilippines Philippines Autonomous R egion in M uslim M indanao Region Muslim Mindanao MUNICIP ALIT Y OF P ATA MUNICIPALIT ALITY PA Province of S ulu Sulu
OFFICE OF THE BA C CHAIRMAN BAC CLERICAL ERROR The amount of Two Million Pesos intended for the Construction of Andalan Elliptical Road was been unintentionally mistyped in our first publication of invitation to Bid dated April 13, 2015 (People's Mirror) Sorry for the inconvenient. BAC Pata, Sulu
Apr. 27-May 2, Issue 1
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The Mindanao Examiner - OPINION
Apr. 27-May 3, 2015
I Have Many Aliases, Too! By Jess Dureza SO, what’s all this fuss about MILF’s Vice Chairman and chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal using an alias? Use of many aliases or pseudonames is a common practice. Consider this. Since I was born December 24, my baptismal records call me “JESUS”. But if you ask the National Statistics Office (NSO), they officially call me “JESUS VIRGILIO”. My call sign in my congressional radio base before — and up to now — still call me “ALPHA”. My fraternal brods in the Guardians Brotherhood call me ‘BRO ALPHA”. My buddies at the radio group REACT call me “CAPSULEMAN”. Friends can call me “JESS”. And pretty ladies can call me……. “ANYTIME”. (Ooops! ha ha ha!) So, no worries! CABINET PRAYER – Just recently, I joined many former Cabinet members who gathered at President Arroyo’s Veterans Hospital detention room in Quezon City to belatedly celebrate her birthday. She looked frail but beaming. When she joined us at the long table, I immediately volunteered by saying: “Happy birthday, Ma’am. We have a quorum now. Do you want me to start by giving the opening cabinet prayer?” The group broke into laughter, recalling my famous controversial cabinet prayer which she obviously was not happy about some 7 years ago. No, I did not say the prayer this time. Thankfully, the officiating priest who said mass, did! REALITY CHECK – Let’s all support the work of the National Peace Council composed of eminent leaders in the private sector. As I earlier pointed out, peace summits or
dialogues help clarify — and exorcise — issues. This was what President Ramos did when he talked and forged peace with Nur Misuari’s Moro National Liberation Front. This also worked with President Arroyo in order to pick up the pieces shattered by the debacle of the MOA-AD at the Supreme Court. But at the wake of Mamasapano, the eminent persons must first have a reality check. Even with good intentions and their sterling credentials, they have to manage their expectations. Their work is not easy given the over-all prevailing sentiment. NOT ‘DEODORIZER’ – The peace council’s work or mandate must not be restricted or canalized but with some wide leeway so that it can redirect or re-formulate courses of action as may be necessary. I trust the eminent persons can do well to avoid being perceived, rightly or wrongly, as just being there to “deodorize” the now controversial BBL. WORLD BANK STUDY – I must hurriedly correct the misimpression given by a news article in the national dailies, where Sen. Chiz Escudero used the recently released World Bank study to oppose the BBL. If you ask me, it is pandering a “half truth” or it lifts or quotes a portion and avoids the whole correct context. I myself have not read the WB report so I had to check with a friend and colleague who are working with WB. In reply, he texted me to clarify that the news stories that WB is not supportive or is critical of the BBL is “not true” or is “half true”. He said that on the contrary, the report positively notes
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a dramatic drop in “vertical conflict”, meaning between MILF and government forces. But it admonishes the MILF and government to attend to the preponderant “horizontal conflict”, referring to clan wars or “ridos”, conflicts by rogue elements like BIFF or ASG or just plain criminals. The report then, in obvious support of the BBL, notes that a good start in addressing the total environment of conflict in the Bangsamoro areas is to put a closure to the MILF-GPH peace efforts through the BBL. In any case the WB report also gives us a reality check: that having a final settlement with MILF will not necessarily result to automatic peace as some quarters would like many to believe, given the disparate players on the ground. Managing expectations, as we all know is important in this serious business of peace settlements. This again reminds me about someone claiming that “there is no god!” quoting a passage in the Holy Bible. He omitted that part which said: “according to the fool”. So there. NO HOSTAGE – You know why I could not immediately believe the WB report “spin”? I was at OPAPP when we first organized the development aspect of the peace negotiations. World Bank is a leader institution in the Mindanao Trust Fund in support of the talks so I could not believe what I was reading. I also had a long chat with some of their officials recently. So I had to check. Having said that, my calculated guess is that agencies and institutions like World Bank will not walk away from Mindanao, whatever happens to BBL. Improving the lives of the people is a never- ending effort. For peace talks to indefinitely hold hostage introduction of development for the benefit of the Bangsamoro people must not be allowed to happen. But of course, having a peaceful environment in the conflict-affected areas by peaceful settlements is key. TIDBITS – THE Alsons Power Group is about to commission its first 105MW (of a total 210MW ) Sarangani Energy Corp. power plant located in Maasim, Sarangani. It will serve about 3 million Mindanaoans when operational. A breakthrough in health technology. A 69-year old Frenchman with an artificial heart powered by lithium batteries is now even biking around. THE Malaysian parliament just passed a tough anti-terrorism law to counter Islamist militancy called “Prevention of Terrorism Act” that can detain terrorist suspects without charges. This came after 17 militants were arrested who are followers of Islamic state extremists planning to form an ISIS-like Islamic state in Malaysia. USA and Cuba are resuming diplomatic ties. For about 50 years, Cuba was in economic isolation. Tourists will flock to Cuba to look at 50-year-old antique buildings, cars, appliances, etc and to see how life was half a century ago. The US blockade that started 50 years ago has “frozen in time” what has been called a “Forbidden Island”. Now, it’s open to the world. ( Jess Dureza – info@advocacymindanow.org)
Republic of the P hilippines Philippines Autonomous R egion in M uslim M indanao Region Muslim Mindanao MUNICIP ALIT Y OF P ATA MUNICIPALIT ALITY PA Province of S ulu Sulu
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
2nd INVITATION TO BID CONCRETING OF 500m SAIMBANGON-PISAKPISAK FARM TO MARKET ROAD and 200m ANDALAN ELLIPTICAL ROAD, MUNICIPALITY OF PATA, SULU. The Municipal Government of Pata, Province of Sulu intends to apply the sum of Six Million Nine Hundred Fifty Nine Thousand Eight Hundred Sixty Seven and Twenty Centavos (Php 6,959,867.20) from the 20% Local Development Fund as the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the Concreting of 500m Saimbangon-Pisakpisak farm to market road and Concreting of 200m Andalan Elliptical Road with the sum of Two Million Pesos (Php 2,000,000.00), Municipality of Pata, Province of Sulu. Bids receive in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the time of Bid Opening. The Municipal Government of Pata, Province of Sulu now invites bids for the Concreting of 500m Saimbangon-Pisakpisak farm to market road and Concreting of 200m Andalan Elliptical Road, Municipality of Pata, Province of Sulu. Completion of the Work required within 65 Calendar Days from the date of start of subproject. Scope of Words involves Excavation, Embankment Sub Grade Preparation, Aggregate Base Course and PCCP. Bidders should have completed in the last 5 years a contract for work similar to the project. The description of an eligible Bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II, Instruction to Bidders. Minimum Equipment required: Bulldozer, Road Roller, Road Grader Back Hoe Excavator, Vibratory Compactor, Dump Truck, Water Truck, and Survey Instruments. Interested Bidders may obtain further information from the LGU-BAC of Pata, Sulu and inspect and purchased the bidding documents upon payment of a non refundable fee for the bidding documents in the amount of P5,000.00 from April 25, 2015 to May 13, 2015 at the address given below from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM It maybe also downloaded free of charge from the website of the Government Policy Board (www.gppb.gov.ph) provided that bidders shall pay the non refundable fee for the bidding documents not later than the submission of their bids The bidder may request that the Bid Documents be sent to them by mail or courier, and for this, the bidders shall pay the amount in Philippine Pesos to cover the cost of mail or courier shall be paid by the bidder thru a Cashier’s Check or Manager Check issued in favor of the Municipality of Pata. The Municipality of Pata, Sulu will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on May 5, 2015 @ 9:00 AM at the Sanggunian Bayan Session Hall, Saimbangun, Pata, Sulu which shall be open to all interested parties. Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before May 13, 2015 at the Sanggunian Bayan Session Hall. All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in the form of Bank Guarantee and in the amount of 2.5 of the total ABC. Bids will be opened in the presence of Bidder’s Representatives at the address below. Late Bids shall not be accepted. The deadline for the submission of Bids must not be later than 9:00 AM on May 13, 2015. The opening of Bids will proceed immediately after the time set for the deadline of submission of Bids as indicated above. The Municipality of Pata, Sulu reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. The Invitation to Bid is not an integral part of the bidding documents.
For further information, please refer to: ENGR. GENER S. ALIH BAC Chairman Pata, Sulu Approved by: (Sgd.) Engr. GENER S. ALIH Municipal Engineer BAC Chairman
BAC Member
Prepared by:
Noted By:
(Sgd.) RONNIE S. NULON MPDC
(Sgd.) Hon. ANTON J. BURAHAN Municipal Mayor
Apr. 27-May 2, Issue 1
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30 ka lalawigan sa nasud, nakasinati og huwaw - PAGASA
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okabat sa 30 ka lalawigan a n g n akasinati karon og huwaw, matud pa sa Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Ser vices Administration (PAGASA). Ang mga lalawigang apektado mao ang Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao, Ilocos Nor te, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Batanes, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales ug Palawan. Apil usab ang Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Agusan del Nor te, Surigao del Norte, Basilan ug Lanao del Sur. Ang gipahigayong rainfall assessment sa PAGASA gikan Disyembre 2014
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hangtud Marso karong tuig nagpakita nga ang mga nahisgotang lalawigan apektado sa huwaw. Matud pa sa PAGASA, ang huwaw sa partikular nga mga lugar mahimong magbaton og below normal rainfall conditions sulod sa duha hangtud tulo ka buwan nga magsunod. Ang buwan sa Abril makasinati og pag-ulan nga near to above normal conditions sa mga lugar sa Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley Region, Northern Mindanao, CARAGA ug Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao kauban ang mga probinsiya sa C a t a n d u a n e s , Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental ug Sarangani. Samtang ang nahabiling parte sa nasud makasinati og mas ubos sa normal nga pagulan. Gitataw usab sa PAGASA nga adunay
hinay nga El NiĂąo sa dagat Pasipiko sukad pa niadtong Oktubre sa niaging tuig. Kining maong kondisyon gipaabot nga magpadayon hangtud sa tunga-tunga sa tuig nga adunay tsansang mokusog sa pagtapos sa tuig. Samtang gipasalig sa Palasyo nga padayon ang pagtutok sa Department of Agriculture ug mga ahensiya niini sa sitwasyon sa huwaw sa nasud. Matud pa ni Presidential Communications Operations Officer Sonny Coloma Jr., ang focus sa ilang mga gihimo mao ang tabangan ang mga mag-uuma, nanghatag og mga lawngon alang sa mga ubang alternatibo nga mahimo nilang itanom. Sa mga lugar usab nga may matabang nga patubig o irrigation resources, nag-deploy usab og tabang ang DA ug uban pang mga ahensiya. (Elvira C. Bongosia)
Cebu City and Yokohama City, Japan have signed a memorandum of understanding on technical cooperation for sustainable urban development at the Cebu Provincial Capitol recently. (Cebu City Government)
DOH nakatutok sa agresibong kampanya batok sa HIV-AIDS
A
ng Department of He a l t h (DOH) agresibo k a r o n g
100,000 trabaho, kinahanglan sa aviation industry
ag-abli ang 100,000 ka trabaho sa aviation industry sugod karong tuig. Bunga kini sa pagarangkada sa paghiusa sa Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) diin apil ang Pilipinas. Target sa maong lakang nga mapalambo ang ekonomiya sa tibuok rehiyon pinaagi sa pagpaluag sa mga patakaran tali sa 10 ka
nasud nga sakop sa ASEAN. Tungod niini, maapil sa mga trabahong nagunang kinahanglan ang mga piloto ug aircraft technicians. "S'yempre, 'pag
Permanenteng bunga sa maayong reporma, hagit ni Aquino sa LGUs
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ihagit ni Presidente Aquino III ang tanang lider sa lokal nga kagamhanan nga himuong permanente ang maayong bunga sa reporma tungod sa tul-id nga sistema sa pagdumala sa nasud. Matud pa ni Aquino, dungan sa pagpalapad sa mga institusyon sa gobyerno, ang mga lokal liders ang pultahan sa nasudnong liderato aron ipahatud ang gikinahanglang tabang sa katawhan. Mao kini ang hagit sa Presidente atubangan sa kapin sa usa ka libong mayor ug uban pang lokal nga lider sa gipahigayong
ARMM
League of Municipalities of the Philippines. Gitumbok ni Aquino nga tungod sa maayong pagdumala, midaku og halos doble ang internal revenue allotment o IRA sa LGUs tungod sa epektibong koleksiyon sa buhis sulod sa lima ka tuig. Tungod niini, gi-aghat sa Presidente ang LGUs nga ipatuman ang panaghiusa sa pagkab-ot sa kauswagan nga naka-base sa integridad ug kumpiyansa. Giingong dili angay masayang ang gitarong nga sistema alang sa nasudnong kaayohan. Pagsiguro pa ni Aquino, wala naka-base sa politika ang pagpatuman sa mga mahinungdanong programa sa gobyerno.
Gitumbok usab niya ang mga tulay ug imprastraktura nga natapos lamang ubos sa iyang pagdumala human sa duha hangtud tulo ka dekada. Apil na niini ang proyekto sa Iloilo, Alluling ug Lullutan Bridge sa Ilocos ug Isabela Provinces. Giseguro usab ni Aquino ang tabang sa LGUs taliwala sa pagsulbad sa mga nasudnong problema apil na ang kalabot sa benepisyo sa mga unipormado. Nagdala sa tema nga “Empowerment of LGUs towards all inclusive growth,� gipadangat usab sa pangulo sa LMP nga si Javier (Leyte) Mayor Leonardo Sandy Javier ang padayong suporta sa gidusong mga programa sa administrasyong Aquino.
Southern Mindanao
Davao
maraming flights e 'di maraming kailangang crew" (Kun daghang flights, kinahanglan gayud og daghang crew), pasabot pa ni Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Dir. Gen. Rodante Joya. Sa talaan sa World Travel and Tourism Council, padayon pa gihapong nisaka ang gidaghanon sa mga turista sa ASEAN Region. Gani, halos gi-triple na kini sa 90.2 milyong turista niadtong 2013 kun itandi sa 38 milyon niadtong 2000 mao nga nisaka apil ang gidaghanon sa mga mibiyahe sakay sa eroplano. Sa pagbanabana sa AirAsia Zest, manginahanglan ang ASEAN og halos 50,000 ka piloto ug 50,300 ka technicians sa aviation industry taman tuig 2032. Gidali na karon ang bidding alang sa nagkalain-laing airport projects sa Department of Transportation and Communications. Pipila na niini ang nakumpleto na sama sa Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 rehabilitation. (Elvira C. Bongosia)
nagpahigayon og information campaign aron ipa-usbaw ang kahibalo sa katawhan kalabot sa Hu m a n Im m u n o d e f i ciency Virus-Acquired Im m u n e D e f i c i e n c y Syndrome (HIV-AIDS) nga nakapabalaka karon sa nasud. Matud pa sa DOH, maka-alarma na ang n a g k a s a k a n g gidaghanon sa nataptan sa maong sakit matag tuig ug kun magpadayon, lisud na kining ma-kontrolar. Si g o n pa sa buhatan, ang impeksyon taas sa mga lalaking nakig-hilawas sa mga lalaki ra usab." Tungkol muna doon sa HIV cases, bilang pagtugon diyan, pinaiigting ng Departm e n t o f He a l t h a n g pagsasagawa ng kampanyang pangimpormasyon upang maging maingat ang mga mamamayan laban sa mga sanhi o pinanggagalingan ng pagkakaroon ng HIV virus,(Mahitungod una s a H I V c a s e s, i s i p pagtubag niini, gihingosgan sa Departm e n t o f He a l t h a n g p a g p a h i g a yo n og kampangyang pangimpormasyon aron mahimong magamping ang katawhan batok sa mga hinungdan o sinugdanan sa
Western Mindanao
Cebu
pagbaton og HIV virus) matud pa ni Presidential Communications Operations Officer Sonny Coloma Jr. sa usa ka radio interview isip tubag sa gobyerno sa bagbatok sa maong sakit. Matud pa sa Kalihim nga naghatud usab og serbisyong HIV testing ug counselling ang DOH isip tabang sa mga katawhan. Sa m t a n g n i h a t a g usab og komento si Coloma kalabot sa pagkatap sa bag-ong droga nga "liquid ecstasy" nga giingong nahimo na karong inila sa mga batan-ong drug users. Matud pa sa Kalihim nga ang National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) nagpahigayon na og m g a o p e r a s yo n a ro n mapugngan ang paggama ug pagbaligya niining ilegal nga droga. "Ang PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) at lahat ng mga kinauukulang ahensya ay nagbababala sa paggamit ng iligal na d r o g a n g i t o, " ( A n g PDEA ug tanang mga h i n g t u n g d a n g ahensiya, nipasidaan sa paggamit niining illegal nga droga) matud pa ni Coloma.
Manila