Govt kills thousands of non rabid dogs yet

CVO: Pasonanca tops 36

barangays rabies-positive

The City Veterinary Office said that 36 of the 98 barangays in the city are rabies positive, meaning that there are confirmed rabies cases in these communities for the last four years or for calendar year 2002-2006.

The City Veterinary Office led by Dr. Alcadio B. Cavan ,Jr. together with Dr. Agbayani and other representative who conducted information campaign against rabies control and eradication in several barangays disclosed that among the barangays, Pasonanca also has the most number of rabies cases for the last four years.

Dr. Cavan said that rabies positive cases in the 36 barangays have become alarming as records showed that from January to June this year, there were seven (7) fatalities among humans that prompted the CVET office to intensify rabies control and eradication.

Under the City Ordinance NO. 241, the rabies control and eradication is being chaired by the Local Chief Executive with the different composition of members coming from the different line agencies.

There is also a penalty of P 2,500 under section 7 on City Pound Ordinance for pet owners whose dogs happens to bite others as well as the medical expenses that will be shouldered by the pet owners which is too high costing from P 20,000 to P26,000 for the complete treatment .

Dr. Cavan said that there is already a national law on Rabies where as the penalty is P 25,000 instead of the local ordinances that impose the penalty of only P 2,500.

It was also learned that in most cases rabies positive occurred within the city proper about 80% came from pet dogs while the remaining 20 % are bits from stray dogs.

The local ordinances prohibits pet owner to just leave their pets outside their backyard.(LMMES)

Cops, soldiers, killer squads happy on law

CHR 9 to conduct information

campaign on Anti Terror Law

The Commission on Human (CHR) regional office will conduct an information dissemination campaign on the newly approved Anti Terrorism Law so that people will be aware of what the law is all about.

CHR Regional Director Atty. Manuel Mamauag said that a team of lawyers of the CHR will go to the different areas in the city to explain the Anti Terrorism Law or Human Security Act of 2007.

The Anti Terrorism Law was created to protect the people from the threat of terrorism worldwide.

The controversial Anti Terrorism Law will formally take effect on July 15, 2007 as the law was already signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last March 6, 2007.

The law became controversial because many are saying that the new law may invade the rights of every Filipino citizen to privacy and freedom.

In the new law, a citizen can be arrested even without a warrant of arrest, wire tapping can now be done and the checking of bank accounts can be undertaken by agents of the government without need to have the consent of the person being checked by them.

City claims title as child friendly.. but

CHO says there are 5,853

city malnourished children

There are 5,853 malnourished children aged zero to six years old in Zamboanga City, according to initial and partial reports of the City Health Office.

Last years’ report said that many children from Dulian Upper Pasonanca were found out to be malnourished.

This year there were 5,853 malnourished children in the city. There are 133,484 children from out of the recorded population of 762,768.

Last year when the population was 723,611 , there were 5,788 malnourished children of the 126,632 children listed in Zamboanga.

City Health Officer Dr. Rodel Agbulos said that the city is addressing the problem by providing feeding programs for the malnourished in coordination with the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).

He said some of the kids get malnourished because some skip meals while in school while the others don’t eat the right food during recess time.

Most kids are also picky; they only choose their food and eat it everyday like hotdog and others.

A child is malnourished if he or she does not have the right weight and height for his or her age.

Malnutrition is a problem and if not remedied a child could dies if the malnutrition becomes severe.

The remedy for malnutrition is eating the right food in the basic food group to include the so called “go foods grow foods and glow foods.”

A malnourished child will easily get sick because his or her body system is weak. (LMES)

Party men shows greed at its worst

LDP councilors corner all

43 city council committees

As prophesied and insisted upon by City Mayor Celso Lobregat, the 12 majority councilors of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino or LDP have cornered all the chairmanship of the 33 major committees and 10 other special committees in the 16-members city council elected by the people in the May 14 , 2007 elections:

Five of the LDP Councilors; Juan Climaco Elago , Asbi Edding, Cesar Ituralde, Benjamin Guingona, and Abdurahman Nuno were allotted by the LDP majority five chairmanship each of committees or as representatives to special committees in the city council or the local government.

Two LDP Councilors, Rodolfo Lim and Rhoel Natividad took four committee Chairmanship each while four other councilors, Reynerio Candido, Cesar Jimenez Jr, Lilia M Nuno, and John Dalipe (Youth Sector) all have two chairmanships each.

Newcomers in the LDP, Eduardo Saavedra, Ethelinda Abarro and Rogelio Valesco were allotted one committee each of the 43 available in the Sangguniang Panglungsod.

A report of the city council secretariat showed that the three councilors who won under the banner Nuevo Zamboanga were allotted membership in minor committees.

Councilor Luis Noning Biel was allotted membership in six committees, Melchor Sadain (five) while Jaime Cabato was allotted one committee as membership.

Independent Councilor Charlie Mariano was not allotted any participation in the committee.(LMMES)

Mayor goes loco on unity meaning

Cabato laments Celso’s

“twisted sense of unity”

City Councilor Jaime U Cabato has denounced what he described as a “cross eyed view and a twisted sense of the word unity” by City Mayor Celso Lobregat when the mayor referred to his party mates in the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) who comprise the majority in the city council as the only ones that count in his concept of unity in Zamboanga. .

In his address and talk about unity during the maiden session of the city council last Thursday, Lobregat thanked his two LDP elected representatives, Congresswoman Maria Isabelle Climaco and Congressman Erico Basilio Fabian and his 12 LDP elected councilors.

He thanked them for their support, but said nothing about the minority in the council, whose presence in the Sangguniang Panglungsod, proves the essence of democracy.

Instead the mayor asserted that his LDP will “stay forever united,” and that no one “can drive a wedge” between them in the party.

The mayor said that he will allow anyone to sow fear under the unity of his present administration.

In his message during the maiden session at the Sangguniang Panglungsod last Thursday, July 05,2007 Lobregat said that he knows his place and he practice proper forum in protocol.

“I will not allow anyone to sow fear,” Lobregat said .

Lobregat further said that the present administration will not be counted down by tyranny by the minority member of the local legislation.

Cabato said that the Mayor twisted the meaning and his interpretation of the word ‘unity” as something that can only exist among his LDP party members.

In effect, this concept of Lobregat, excluded the thousands of local residents who also voted candidates of Nuevo Zamboanga during the May 14 election.

“Elections are over and he as the city mayor should be the first to initiate unity among the people, the entire populace of Zamboanga, because the LDP are not the only people in Zamboanga,’ Cabato said.

Yet despite his calls for unity, the mayor exclude all the others and mean only the unity within his party-the LDP, he said.

Cabato also noted that if as claimed, Lobregat as congressman, did not complained about not being given any committee in Congress, Cabato said he is made of different stuff and will continue to talk about inequities and imbalances in government, particularly in the local government in Zamboanga. (LMMES)

City administrator promises Law-Order at markets

Outgoing City Councilor Elias “Ely” Enriquez has promised to instill law and order at the city’s public markets, scene of urban anarchy, after he assumes office as the City Administrator next week.

Enriquez who ends his third year term as city councilor, served as city chief of police in the early 1980’s prior to his political career nine years ago. “I am familiar about how the underworld operates in this city,” he said.

There is said to exist a “shadow government” in these public markets, who collects their own taxes from the thousands doing business is these facilities.

A few market officials have met violent deaths in recent years to include Market superintendent Manolo Alpichi shot dead about six years ago and Market Superintendent Idris Abdullah who was killed some three months ago.

The killers of these market official remain unknown to these days.

The city administrators overseas the economic enterprises of the city to include the old waterfront public market, the Sta. Cruz market at suburban Tetuan barangay, the Bagsakan (Food Terminal) Market in front of Sta. Cruz and the city’s slaughterhouse.

Enriquez said that among others, he will implement those ordinances that have something to do with the market orderliness and cleanliness.“I will put order in the market,” Enriquez promised.

According to Enriquez , there is no order in the main public market. People just put up their own structures in addition to what the government has invested in the facility in millions of pesos.

“There are illegal structures not provided in the ordinance,” Enriquez said .

“How can you clean a market that is in a state of anarchy ,”Enriquez asked.(FMS)

LTO rules SP’s Habal Habal law

The city government may not be able to implement its Proposed Ordinance No. 2005-20 that will govern motorcycle-for-hire or Habal-Habal operations in the city. The council ordinance was approved on 3rd and final reading during the June 14, regular session and has been forwarded for approval by the city mayor.

But while the city government will authorize the use of motorcycles to ferry passengers, the passengers cannot be covered by any insurance because a national law bars the use of motorcycles for hire.

Land Transportation Office LTO) regional officials said the law does not allow the use of motorcycles to ferry passengers since these are designed primarily for personal use.

Simply said, the LTO will not and cannot register for hire single motorcycle because Republic Act No. 4136 bars such an act.

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Land Transportation Regulation Officer Romeo Jallorina said that a recent LTO legal opinion said that Habal-Habal or any single motorcycle can not be used for hire or to solicit and ferry passengers.

Jallorina said that R.A. 4136 is definite that single motorcycles are not for hire vehicle but only for private use. “It can be registered as for private use only,” Jallorina said.

As this developed, Jallorina said that a single motorcycle is only insured and limited up to P 10,000 for personal accident thus the passenger or back rider is not included .

LTO Regional Director Aminola Abaton said that Habal-Habal can not be legalized because it is contrary to RA. 4136.

This being the case, the LTO can apprehend any body using their private motorcycles for ferrying passengers as contemplated in the city council proposed ordinance.

Comelec checks out voters voting records

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has starting checking out all voter’s voting record after the May 14 local and national election to retain or retire from the Voter’s Book of records, all voters who failed to vote in the last two elections.

City Election Officer Roy Cuevas said “Balik na kami sa administrative duty after the elections,” meaning that they are back to their regular work of checking voters records in preparation for the next elections.

The next elections will be for barangay officials scheduled for October this year.

Cuevas explained that if a voter did not vote for two elections their names will be removed from the master list and they can only vote again if they go to COMELEC and reactivate.

The voting record of the voters will reflect how many times a voter voted and where he or she voted.

The office is also checking and sees to it that the record of the dead are deactivated and removed so that no one will vote in their stead on Election Day.

More names at DTI lists

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) an increase in the registration for new business names in the city.

DTI Provincial Director Engr. Rolando Acuña said that from January 2007 to yesterday, his office has so far listed 884 new business names for one individual or sole proprietorship.

Fr the same period last year the number of business names registered reached only 882 who registered for business name also for sole proprietorship.

Most of the new business names registered with the DTI were for internet cafés, fast food, parlors and barber shops.

Acuña stressed that it is important to register their business names because this will give their businesses its own identities.

Those who would like to apply for business names need only to secure the forms from the DTI or its website www.dti.gov.ph fill it up and pay the fee of P300 for sole proprietorship and P500 for corporations they can get their papers after 30 minutes.

The DTI is checking on the business names from their data base to ensure there will be no duplicate of business names.

The office is also checking that the names given are related to the business example monitor internet café you cannot give the name monitor internet café to a barbershop. (FMS)

Region readies celebration of Disaster Consciousness Month

The regional disaster council has lined up a series of activities for the celebration of National Disaster Consciousness Month starting July 1 to July 31.

Office for Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Director Adriano Fuego said that the National Disaster Consciousness Month celebration will be spearheaded by the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) and the OCD.

Fuego said the celebration is an important one as this will increase the people’s awareness of disasters.

The RDCC headed by Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Jaime Caringal has presided over a meeting held last Tuesday to finalize plans for the celebration.

Until recently the National Disaster Consciousness Month is celebrated for only one week but a proclamation numbered 137 mandates its celebration for an entire month.

This year’s theme is “Safe Ka Ba? Programa Laban Sa Kalamidad, Tungo Sa Pag – Unlad.”

The activities for the Month of July will include the hanging of streamers, official launching of the occasion, joint meeting of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council and City Disaster Coordinating Council.

There will also be a one day forum on the Civil Defense Deputized Coordinator, sports feast, earthquake drills, water search and rescue training, disaster preparedness seminar, poster making and essay writing contest, awarding of winners, signing of Memorandum of Agreement with Institute of Criminology Western Mindanao State University and closing ceremonies.

Sabah deportees decrease

The number of deportees being shipped back to Zamboanga City by the Malaysian government is now decreasing according to records of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

DSWD Information Officer Fe Dela Cruz said from the average 1,000 deportees a month, this number went down to only 146, recorded in the recent arrival of last Saturday.

Data from DSWD says that from January to present the DSWD already served a total of 5,717 deportees.

Dela Cruz said that the reason for the decreasing numbers of deportees might be that there are only a few of them (undocumented Filipinos) in Malaysia.

She explains that the office does not only send the deportee’s home but gives them trainings.

For the deportees who has an immediate employer in Malaysia, the DSWD assist them to finish or complete their working papers such as passports and others.

Penalties await late car registrants

The Land Transportation Office-IX (LTO-IX) will impose the mandated penalty for late renewal of registration of all kinds of vehicles in the region.

LTO Regulation Officer Romeo Jallorina disclosed that there are still a big number of motor l vehicles with plates ending in 6 whose owners failed to renew their registration papers.

The LTO-IX can not have any excuse for failing to accept the registration of motor vehicles since the office is now computerized and easier to process papers of clients and patrons.

Jallorina said that that the office will impose a 50 % penalty late registration of all kinds of vehicles. The last day for the registration of vehicles with plate numbers ending in 6 will be on today June 29.

HE also said that the registration of motor vehicles will include subjecting the vehicles for emission testing pursuant to the provisions of the Clean Air Act.

Noise barrage vs dengue set

Noise barrage vs dengue set

The city government has adopted another tack at combating the rising number of dengue fever cases in Zamboanga.

In addition to fumigating suspected breeding places of the dengue fever carrier, aedis aegypti mosquito, the city health office will lead in a noise barrage scheduled for tomorrow, June 30 in several barangays.

The noise barrage will not be used to frighten the mosquitoes away – but to raise the awareness of the people to disease for which there is no known effective cure, except for palliatives to help the body resists and recuperate from the disease.

The barangays affected include Sta. Maria. Boalan, Pasonanca, Tumaga, Divisoria, Talon-Talon, Putik and Mampang.

City Health Officer Dr. Rodel Agbulos said that it will depend on the barangays affected to what time they will conduct the noise barrage on Saturday .

Dr. Agbulos said that cases of dengue fever already reached or gone to 59 cases registered just for the month of June.

As this developed, Dr. Agbulos said that CHO is appealing the citizenry to take active participation in the noise barrage since it is expected that dengue fever will still rise because of the rainy days . “The