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Socoteco II allays fears of large-scale brownouts in GenSan

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 02:26:00 +0000

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (SOCOTECO II) reiterates its vision toward power stability while allaying the fears of city officials and worried residents here over a “large-scale” brownout. Socoteco II management said it continues to coordinate and collaborate with the city government officials to discuss possible measure that would deter any more long power outages. This amid the National Power Corporation or NPC’s recent advisory announcing the 90 MW energy shortage in the Mindanao power grid due to ongoing preventive maintenance work on one of its coal plants.

Socoteco II general manager Rodolfo Ocat said the city government’s vision of “sustainable power supply” also epitomizes the company’s direction toward power stability for its consumers. Briefing City Mayor Ronnel Rivera of GenSan’s current power situation, Ocat assured the mayor of the possibility of no brownouts citing the cooperative’s venturing into many more projects if only to concretize the goal of “no brownouts” in line with the city government’s power sustainability program. Rivera, on this note, commended the cooperatives’ efforts to stabilize the supply of energy noting its commitment and openness to many strategies and new schemes for the welfare of its member-consumers.

To augment its energy supply, Socoteco II has recently forged a contract deal with SOEnergy International for the diesel-fired modular generator sets aside from its existing partnership pacts with Therma Marine, Incorporated and Mapalad Power Corporation. Both local energy suppliers provide 30 MW of power to Socoteco II. SOEnergy, on the other hand, is a large-scale energy solutions provider based in Miami, Florida, USA leasing for two years to Socoteco II the modular generator units.

Vickie Fernandez, Socoteco II public relations officer told PIA General Santos that the modular generator sets are now ready for use having been delivered in June this year and installed at Socoteco’s property-owned compound at New Society, Barangay Apopong here. She said Socoteco II signed the power sales agreement (PSA) with SoEnergy last May. Among the vital provisions covered in the PSA, Fernandez said include the operationalization of the modular units and the generation of 15 MW of embedded power supplies for Socoteco.

When asked of the new possible power rates as a result of PSA signing, Fernandez said its implementation has yet to begin pending approval from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).We are just waiting for the go signal from the commission, she added saying the ERC is thoroughly assessing, evaluating, and studying still the documents they submitted. Earlier, the cooperative said that it will look into the implementation of the so-called Interruptible Load Program (ILP) in the city tapping major industrial and huge commercial establishments enrolled in the scheme here to help generate some megawatts of power for its member-consumers.

Socoteco II believes that sharing a power load to the residents is part of the corporate social responsibility of big corporations in this area. It also urges all power consumers to implement an individual energy conservation effort at homes so they themselves can do their share in attaining the goal of no brownouts in GenSan.

Reported by Catherine T. Apelacio

6 Soccsksargen nominees vie for 2013 National Gawad Saka Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 02:20:00 +0000

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato -- Three farmers, a professor-scientist, and two farmer groups from Soccsksargen Region are in for the final stretch of the 2013 National Gawad Saka Search, the Department of Agriculture 12 announced today. DA 12 Regional Executive Director Amalia-Jayag Datukan said the regional office endorsed 11 nominees to the department’s annual nationwide search for individuals and institutions whose exemplary works have contributed to the country’s agricultural development. Datukan identified the farmer finalists from Region 12 as Merlito Ancheta for outstanding sugarcane farmer category, Dr. Melchor Serquiña for coconut farmer category and Leonardo Primne Jr. for fisherfolk category.

Dr. Cayetano C. Pomares of the University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan, North Cotabato is also a finalist in the agriculture scientist category. Moreover, Malandag Barangay Food Terminal is being considered for Outstanding BFT (BLGU-Operated) category while the Alamada Multi-purpose Cooperative is in for the small farmers’ organization category. Ancheta owns and personally manages a five-hectare sugarcane farm in Barangay Kibudoc, Carmen, North Cotabato. Using appropriate technologies, he said he is assured of net income of not less than P50,000 per hectare per harvest. What separates Ancheta among other farmers, however, is the regular work and assistance he provides to members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the area.

Serquiña of Kidapawan City is a veterinarian who has chosen coconut-based farming as a primary vocation. The Serquiña Farm, dubbed “Farm in the City,” grows over 400 coconuts as main crops integrated with swine production following a Korean Technology as well as production area for poultry. He also planted high value crops like kalamansi, rambutan, mangosteen and tropical fruits for consumption and income. Like other coconut farmers, the veterinarian-coconut farmer has in several times been affected by the highly variable price of copra but he got through this by establishing a coconut seedling nursery out of the mature nuts he collected from his farm. Dok Chong also produces his own bio-gas out of the different farm wastes.

Moreover, Primne of Banga, South Cotabato relies on tilapia production for family livelihood. Unlike most growers, however, Primne sell tipalia while these are still fingerlings, which he said “commands better income.” For additional income he, raises ornamental fishes. Primne , who is named as a “magsasakang siyentista” also grows palay in a two-hectare farm, which has been chosen as a Palayamanan Model Farm of the Department of Agriculture. Along with palay, he raises cows, goats, chickens and ducks. Dr. Pomares, is a multi-awarded professor at the state-owned University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan, North Cotabato.

As an agricultural scientist, he is known for biotechnology techniques on breeding and physiology. His paramount breakthrough, the artificial insemination in goats and sheep, has been adopted by the Department of Agriculture’s Livestock Development Council and Bureau of Animal Industry, Isabela State University and other premier academic institutions . Dr. Pomares has institutionalized artificial breeding as a tool to livestock improvement through his two-way work with the DA and National Artificial Breeding Center, among others, making it as a principal component of the Unified National Artificial Insemination Program (UNAIP).

He also spearheaded the genetic resources conservation of Philippine crocodiles particularly Crocodylus mindorensis by leading the establishment of the Philippine Crocodile Rescue and Breeding Center in North Cotabato. Among over 100 food terminals in the region, Malandag Barangay Food Terminal in Malungon, Sarangani is considered the most progressive village-based food terminal in the region. Starting only as a simple stall selling vegetables produced by local farmers, it has now expanded to turned into a major store in the area, adding grocery items and other household requirements to its wares.

Most importantly it has provided additional income for its members through the expanded projects including swine and poultry production projects. Meanwhile, Alamada Multi-purpose Cooperative in Alamada, North Cotabato was established in 1991 as Agricultural Credit Cooperative (ACCA) with a meager P12,500 capital fund. Since then, it has continuously grown as a major enterprise managed and owned by farmers members that do not only come the municipality of Alamada but also the other town in PPALMA (Pigcawayan, Pikit, Alamada, Libungan, Midsayap, Aleosan) alliance.

As of 2012, its total assets are valued at P114,639,646. In one year alone (from 2011 to 2012) its assets grew by over P13 million. Alamada MPC is also a multi-awarded farmer enterprise: Most Outstanding Coop 1998 to 2001, Gawad Pitak Awardee, Model Cooperative and Key Cooperative from 2003 to present, and one of the Top 30 Outstanding Time Depositors. As finalists, the aforementioned individuals and groups are being evaluated against two other nominees in their respective categories. Declaration and awarding of the national winners of the Gawad Saka Search is initially set in October.

Reported by Danilo E. Doguiles

SocSarGen farmers join TOFARM launching in Gensan

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 02:15:00 +0000

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- More than 200 farmers from South Cotabato, Sarangani and General Santos City (SocSarGen) joined in the recent launching here of the search and award for The Outstanding Farmers (TOFARM) of the Philippines. TOFARM is an award program of the Junior Chamber International Philippines (JCIP) and the Universal Harvester, Incorporated (UHI) “in recognition of the resiliency, ingenuity, and the strength of our hard working Filipino farmers.”

The program is anchored on promoting farming in the youth sector in all regions by encouraging participation of public and private sector stakeholders in agriculture, fisheries and livestocks. “It’s very heartwarming and motivating to see that in our quest to inspire the nation to farm, SocSarGen farmers are united and committed to our country’s struggle for food sustainability,” said TOFARM 2012 National Chairman Rommel Cunanan.

UHI Executive Vice President, Dr. Milagros Ong How underscored the importance of the program to attract new generation farmers and be proud of this livelihood. “If fewer and fewer young farmers fail to realize their contribution to nation building, we will face a food security crisis in the very near future,” she opined. The TOFARM search is open to all farmers and harvesters of rice, corn, coconut, sugarcane, organic and high value crops. Fisherfolks, livestock owners, agri-entrepreneurs, young farmers, urban city farmers, agriculture cooperatives, and family farmers including agricultural innovators, local government units, private organizations and other institutions are also welcome to participate.

“This is to support and acknowledge our unsung heroes in the agriculture industry,” explained Virgilio Jose Cabanlet who is this year’s National Chairman. Cabanlet also expressed gladness over the active involvement of the participants who traveled from as far as Maitum, Sarangani and T’boli, South Cotabato just to learn for the first time the search and award that will finally recognize even small-scale farmers in their field of endeavor. Benjamin Hurtado, an inventor and designer of a mechanical equipment that can dry 1,000 sacks of corn in 1 hour expressed optimism that his work of art will be finally recognized through TOFARM.

“I am happy to note that there is a program like this, otherwise, I will just keep my invention until it decays,” he said. T’boli Municipal Agriculturist, Olivia Miramon also shared the same optimism especially for the farmers in her town. “This is one great opportunity to enhance the skills and capabilities of our farmers and at the same time to uplift their living conditions,” she said. Meanwhile, Cabanlet disclosed that submission of TOFARM nomination is extended until August 15, 2013 to give ample time for interested individuals and groups to complete the necessary requirements and/or documentation for the completion of their nominations.

For more information about the nomination one may visit www.tofarm.org and coordinate with the JCI General Santos “Twin Star” through 0932 774-3257/09089017649 or visit the Philippine Information Agency-SarGen Office with contact number (083) 301-8244. Entries can be emailed to info.tofarm@gmail.com or send it to TOFARM Secretariat Office at HCC, 10th Floor, 158 P. Tuazon Ave. cor 7th/8th Ave., Cubao, Quezon City. (By Nirvana Alpha Vita G. Fruylan /PIA-Gensan)

Flood victims received relief goods from Rotary Club of Isulan

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 02:10:00 +0000

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato -- Around 290 flood victims from two barangays of Isulan received relief food packs of noodles, rice, bottled water, canned goods and some milk from home-based non-government organization. The Rotary Club of Isulan distributed Tuesday, relief goods to affected families of the flood that left rice fields and homes underwater in the two barangays of Isulan, Sultan Kudarat on Sunday.

Mark Phillip Mariveles, president of the Rotary Club of Isulan (RC Isulan) said the packs are donations from fellow Rotarians, some members of REACT Capitol group and private individuals who were touched of the unfortunate state of the affected families. He said, he is very glad and thankful to those who responded to his call and volunteered to share their time, money and actively participated in the distribution of relief goods to the affected families.

“Having this kind of activity embodies the ideals of being a Rotarian. It is nice to see Rotarians working and pooling resources together to help the less fortunate ones. It is like putting into action the theme for the Rotary Year “Engage Rotary, Change Lives,” Mariveles said. He also expressed his gratitude to the members of PNP, BFP, REACT, Rotaract Club of Isulan, and staff of Radyo Natin Isulan and Radyo Natin Tacurong who volunteered in the repacking of the sacks of rice, boxes of noodles and cans of goods.

“It is a good thing that some officers and members of the PNP and BFP are Rotarians which made the influx of volunteers overwhelming,” Mariveles said. Of the 290 households from Puroks Sikat, Bagong Pag-asa II and Roxas of Barangay Bambad and Puroks Santan, Riverside and San Francisco of Barangay Kalawag 3, only 150 families Bambad evacuated to Maremco Elementary School while the affected families in Kalawag 3 decided to stay with their homes and to wait for the flood to subside.

Around 1:00 on Saturday morning the water level of Allah river rose and overflowed to the farm lands and houses of affected barangays. This is due to heavy downpour of rain in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces. (By Aida C. Agad PIA 12/Jemuel Dael-RN Isulan)

DAR, state university ink agreement to aid agrarian reform beneficiaries

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 14:00:00 +0000

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato -- The Department of Agrarian Reform in South Cotabato has signed a memorandum of agreement with state-run Mindanao State University in General Santos City to prepare agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBO) before they are granted assistance. Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Felix Frias said the MOA he signed with MSU-Gensan Campus Chancellor Atty. Abdulrrahman T. Canacan on July 23 would help beneficiaries in managing their enterprises.

Per agreement, MSU will conduct Organizational Enterprise Needs and Design Assessment (OE NADA) for beneficiary organizations which are recipients of the Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS). The OE-NADA would focus on the Glamang Communal Irrigators Association (GCIA) in Glamang, Polomolok, and the Banga Agrarian Reform Community Cooperative (BARCCO) in Malaya, Banga, all in South Cotabato. Both ARBOs are set to receive common service facilities (CSFs) relative to mechanized corn production.

As a partner service provider, MSU will assess the ARBOs in terms of access to market and credit, enterprise capacity, crop and farm productivity, capability of the organization, and the suitability of intervention. These are factors considered vital in the management of their projects to eventually increase their farm productivity and income, Frias explained. ARCCESS is a project of DAR aimed at increasing farm productivity, improving net income and sustaining livelihood of agrarian reform beneficiaries.

An important component of the initiative is tapping professional service providers such as agricultural extension and business development experts to coach the organizations on farm technologies and enterprise development and management. ARCCESS also provides common service facilities (CSF). These CSFs include farm equipment, machineries and implements that they ARBOs could use in their operations and business enterprise. At the signing of the MOA, Atty. Canacan expressed confidence they could surpass their previous similar engagements with DAR South Cotabato.

Meanwhile Frias urged the subject ARBOs to fully cooperate with MSU team on the assessment to make sure that their needs will be comprehensively addressed before they begin with their respective projects. He also thanked MSU for their assistance in the ARCCESS and the other initiatives of DAR. Early this year, MSU conducted similar assessment and coaching to two ARBOs, namely: Cebuano Small Coconut Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Barangay Cebuano Tupi, and Maguad Farmer Irrigators Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Brgy. Kusan, Banga. Maguad Farmers Irrigators MPC received P1.76 million worth of CSF, including four hand tractors, three power cultivators, and six threshers in April. The Cebuano Small Coconut Farmers MPC also received similar assistance.

Reported by Danilo E. Doguiles / PIA 12

More weather trackers installed in Soccsksargen Region

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 15:30:00 +0000

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato -- Fifteen weather devices have recently been installed in different parts of Soccsksargen Region, according to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 12. Dr. Zenaida Hadji Raof Laidan, regional director of DOST 12, the installation of the weather tracking devices form part of the continuing nationwide effort to mitigate disasters and hazards due to typhoons and heavy rains. Laidan said, these included seven Automated Rain Gauges (ARG), four Automated Weather Stations (AWS), and four Water Level Monitoring System (WLMS).

ARGs were installed in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat; Carmen and Alamada in North Cotabato; Kiamba and Malungon in Sarangani; Tupi and Koronadal City in South Cotabato. Meanwhile, AWSs were established at the People's Palace in Cotabato City; Barangay Badyangon, Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat; North Cotabato provincial capitol compound in Barangay Amas, Kidapawan City; and the General Santos City airport complex. WLMSs were located at Lumayong Bridge in Kabacan, North Cotabato; Kalawag III Bridge in Allah River, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat; New Dumangas Bridge in T'boli, South Cotabato; and Upper Buayan Bridge in Malungon, Sarangani.

The Doppler antennas in Tampakan, South Cotabato and Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur have already functioned to forecast weather conditions in Mindanao. "These are modern devices that provide real-time weather data," Laidan said. Each AWS is equipped with sensors capable of measuring weather parameters, wind speed and directions, air temperature, air humidity, and air pressure as well as rain volume, duration and intensity, she explained further. ARGs gather and record the amount of rain fall over a set period of time.

The WLMS is a stand-alone equipment with solar panel panel and makes use of an ultrasonic sensor to measure the rate of change of water level using the principles similar to radar and sonar. "Weather and rainfall data are sent wirelessly through short message system (SMS) or text message. Each station is equipped with data logger platform GSM Data Acquisition Terminal (GDAT), which serves as a mini-computer or brain that intelligently controls all functions and data communications," a briefer on the automated weather station said. "Deployment of these modern tracking equipment would eliminate subjective weather forecasting that would eventually help keep our communities alert to possible calamities and untoward incidents brought about by heavy rains and typhoons," Laidan said.

She said these projects are implemented in coordination with Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI), which helped develop the needed instruments to assist the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its weather monitoring and forecasting functions. These are in partnership with local government unuts which provided the area and security of the devices, These tracking devices are among DOST Secretary Mario Montejo's initiative for a "Smarter Philippines," which utilizes science and technology in assisting and ensuring the safety of every Filipino through disaster preparednesd and mitigation under the DOST's Project NOAH or the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards.

Reported by Danilo E. Doguiles

GenSan newly-installed mayor vows to fulfill campaign platforms

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 15:00:00 +0000

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, (PIA) -- Newly-installed city mayor Ronnel Rivera vowed to fulfill his campaign platforms as he assured his Muslim constituents here of his support. This, he said as he attended a Muslim thanksgiving "Kanduri,' organized by residents of Purok Islam in Barangay South for the newly-installed city officials, Wednesday, July 3. The Muslim leaders urged the mayor to include the Muslim community in his development agenda and give their priority needs utmost attention.

But the mayor assured them that his administration will be just and transparent and that the Muslim community's voices will be heard in the development undertakings and processes of the city government. Rivera, who accompanied by Vice Mayor Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles, said the city government will continue to work for Muslim “mandatory representation in the city council and the establishment of a Muslim cemetery.” Both leaders also said that they will exert effort to eliminate discrimination of Muslims residing in the city especially in applying for employment citing his administration’s full support of Madaris program.

Mayor Rivera also disclosed that under his administration the Sangguniang Panlungsod and the city chief executive will synchronize their actions thru the Executive-Legislative Agenda or ELA. The new mayor also bared his plan to forge strong collaborative efforts with neighbor, Sarangani Province for possible partnership to scale up fishery, tourism, and other related service delivery for the benefit of the marginalized constituents in both areas. In a meeting with leaders of the South Cotabato Swine Producers Association (SOCOSPA) at the City Hall conference room Tuesday (July 2), Rivera said he envisions to positioning General Santos as “center for agro-industrial, financial, and service hub of the South.”

Rivera cited that aside from being the “Tuna Capital” of the Philippines, the city could also be developed as “agro capital” of the country. SOCOSPA, was the sponsor and organizer of Tuesday’s 4th Lechon Festival of the city, staged as part of the monthly celebration of Yaman GenSan (YG), which kicked off on June 20 and will end on July 19. Rivera also reiterated same view in his speech during the Livestock Sector and Suppliers Night, still in celebration of YG business month held Tuesday night at the KCC Convention Center here.

On Monday’s Flag raising ceremony at the Oval Plaza’s Covered Court, Mayor Rivera addressed city hall employees for the first time urging them to unite with him and help him propel GenSan even more to greater heights. Mayor Rivera vowed and assured them that he would fulfill his promise to build “a better GenSan” echoing his inaugural address call for the need to “create a city bound by common vision…and embracing a culture of great collaboration.” (CT Apelacio, PIA-12 General Santos City/With reports from Ping Aponesto, CPIO)

Decline of Philippine seas can be reversed via sustainable practices: Greenpeace

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:08:00 +0000

Sustainable fishing practices are crucial in reversing the ongoing decline of the Philippine seas, Greenpeace said today during a media briefing in the country’s tuna capital.

“We are running out of fish and running out of time. For a country known for marine biodiversity, there are very few fish left to catch,” said Vince Cinches, Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

“The government’s recent plans to import fish from other Asian countries like China and Taiwan is a clear sign that our seas have now collapsed, with the local fishing industry, particularly the livelihoods of small scale fishermen, at risk,” he added.

Greenpeace is challenging the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and local fishing communities to look into sustainable fishing methods to prevent what could be an imminent fish shortage.

Fish accounts for most of Filipinos’ daily intake of protein, with the average person eating 28 kilos of fish every year. If current destructive fishing practices continue, fish will soon become more expensive, and may even become a luxury. Common species like round scad, or galunggong, has dwindled to the point that it can no longer meet local market demand. Importation will only serve the immediate needs of the population, but will not address the problem of why the sea is no longer self-sufficient.

Greenpeace is offering an alternative and sustainable solution to the country’s fishing woes through Skipjack Pole & Line (P&L) Fishing. Together the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Socksargen Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries Inc. (SFFAI Inc.) the group has organized a 1-day forum at Sidney Hotel tomorrow to discuss the benefits of skipjack pole and line fisheries. Two fishing experts, Bill Holden from the Marine Stewardship Council of the Australia, and Ibrahim Athif Shakoor, Secretary General of the Pole and Line Federation, of the Maldives, were brought in by the group to share their insights on the safe practice and market viability of P&L.

Modern fishing techniques have resulted in unwanted and unsustainable by-catch and over fishing that has wiped out some tuna populations. Pole and line is a traditional method practiced by fishers in coastal communities. It requires the use of a pole, a line, a hook, and a bait boat. A few countries in the South Pacific practice P&L. Both Holden and Shakoor believe that P&L is the best option to revive the seas. They maintain that a well-managed and sustainable fishing is essential for healthy oceans, livelihoods, and economies worldwide.

“There is huge potential for P&L in the Philippines. Not only is it safe for the environment, but it also economically advantageous to fishermen who will continue to engage in it, as we have seen in the fishing economy of the Maldives,” says Shakoor.

Holden adds: “as an archipelago, the Philippines should tap into the vast resources of its seas without harming the ocean’s ecosystems. In order to do that, the fishing industry must practice safe and sustainable methods. A good first step would be to be an MSC certified P&L fishery.”

Greenpeace is calling for a full cooperation between government and fishing industries and communities to work together to develop sustainable and responsible fisheries in order to revive the Philippine seas.

“More than 70% of the world’s fisheries are fully exploited, over-exploited or significantly depleted, and the Philippine situation is a stark reflection of this sad reality. But there is hope: sustainable practices, such as P&L, should be embraced by all stakeholders. This way, our seas can continue to provide food and livelihoods for the millions of Filipinos in the years to come,” said Cinches.
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organization that acts to change attitudes and behavior, to protect and conserve the environment, and to promote peace.

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For more information:

Vince Cinches
Oceans Campaigner
Greenpeace Southeast Asia
+63 917 5363754

Therese Salvador
Media Campaigner
Greenpeace Southeast Asia
+63 908 660 3444

website: http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/

E.0.79 on Mining draws flak from CSO network

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 01:29:00 +0000

Anti-mining groups like the PANALIPDAN-Southern Mindanao Region calls for the scrapping of the Republic Act 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 during a protest rally in San Pedro Street in Davao City. Mindanews photo by Toto Lozano

Calls for urgent promulgation of a new law

Philippine-Misereor Partnership, a national network of around 300 civil society organizations from all over the country laments that the optimism of its members and mining-affected partner communities around the country towards the much anticipated issuance the E.O had been crushed.

Copy of the signed EO which was circulated to the network’s 15 regional clusters for review and discussions has elicited a common feedback. “The new E.O. which cloaks itself with the intention to reform the mining sector and to ensure environmental protection and responsible utilization of mineral resources is but the start of the long drive for a favourable environment for mining investments “ said Paul Paraguya, PMPI Co –Convenor for Mindanao and PMPI CABUSTAM Regional Cluster Point Person.

While the network affirms the EO’s provisions to ensure environmental protection such as expanding the no-go zones to include prime- agricultural lands, tourism development areas and other critical areas and island ecosystems among others, PMPI maintains that these provisions would be rendered useless as the EO is generally confined to the policy framework of RA 7942 or the Mining Act of 1995 which perpetuates mining as an engine for economic growth.

Fr. Edwin Gariguez, Executive Secretary of the National Secretariat for Social Action and PMPI Co-Convenor who had recently won the Goldman Environmental Award said that the overriding framework for reform as claimed by EO 79 seemed to put primacy on the need for effective revenue increase and profit sharing. “Everything else that follows sinks in as mere consuelo de bobo.” Fr. Gariguez quipped.

According to Atty. Mario Maderazo, Advocacy and Legal Officer of PMPI Anti-mining Campaign, the government’s responsible mining policy direction towards improving the normative behaviour of both government and business on transparency and accountability is right on track with its provisions on competitive bidding for awards of mining contract, review of mining contracts, its intention to join EITI and the development of downstream industry among others. Unceasingly harping on the responsible mining slogan is another thing though and has yet to be proven as the actual conduct of mining corporations spanning years of operations present a glaring spectre which is the exact opposite.

“The existing mining contracts which are deemed valid and binding, under the new mining policy will be subjected to review process according to E.O 79. Although it does not preclude the affected communities to seek remedies under existing laws, there is no parallel mechanism provided for victims of mining-related corporate abuses and complaints for violation of environmental laws, boundary conflicts between mining tenements and government-issued tenurial instruments and even the consent process of the IPs among others. The conflict resolution mechanism provided by RA 7942 is not even sufficient and are not appropriate not to mention the capacity and political will of the regulatory agency such as the MGB to handle and address such conflicts” Atty. Maderazo further added .

Numerous member organizations of PMPI have expressed concern over the new mining policy’s inadvertent failure to include conflict affected areas as closed to mining as consistently and formally laid down in various forums and consultations for the crafting of the executive policy.

Roldan Gonzalez, PMPI DOPIM (Dipolog-Iligan-Pagadian-Marawi) Cluster Point Person expressed dismay over the EO’s deliberate exclusion of the civil society participation and involvement in the Mining Industry Coordinating Council or the MICC, a crucial policy and implementing body detailed in the EO and which relegated civil society sector to a mere stakeholder to be consulted and dialogued with.

“The new EO is the very example of how the views and experiences of the grassroots constituency as represented by the CSOs have been brushed aside if not trashed altogether. We could hardly resonate with the many provisions of the EO. It is business as usual” said Gonzalez.

Members of the PMPI-DOPIM Cluster has pointed out that more than 40% of the region’s total land area mostly consisting of IPs ancestral domains, critical watersheds and agricultural lands are covered by various mining permits. They explained that out of the 21 critical watersheds as identified by the DENR and local communities, only one was proclaimed by the government as a watershed. The rest are within the areas of mining permits granted by the DENR despite strong resistance by the communities. “The EO which only declared proclaimed watersheds as one of the No go zones in effect offers no protection for watersheds defined and identified by communities and stakeholders. Clearly, it only goes to show where the priorities of this government are in our case” mused Gualberto Lagro, Coordinator of the Social Action Ministry of the Prelature of Ipil and one of the convenors of the 2BIG Campaign.

Marilou Llavan, Panay Cluster Point person and the current Chairperson of the PMPI said that Malacanang is quick to deflect criticisms on the new mining policy when it said that it cannot please everyone. “We can only agree. The current EO has only pleased the mining investors and corporations, the parties to the mining contracts that the government has entered into through the various FTAAs, MPSAs already in effect. It is the mining-affected communities that have been rendered invisible under the new mining policy” Llavan stated.

Meanwhile, Rene Pamplona of the Social Action Marbel, whose organization is the designated secretariat of the Dioceses of Kidapawan, Marbel and Digos (KIDMADI) to address its environment concerns and the Tampakan mining issue, bewailed the EO’s subliminal warning to the local government units that passed resolutions declaring moratoriums on mining and adopted a ban on open pit method such as South Cotabato province. “The EO is a bullying policy and legitimizes the political intimidations that the provincial government of South Cotabato have been subjected into” Pamplona said.

“The emergence of this new EO only strengthens our resolve to call for the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995 and the urgent promulgation of the Philippine Mineral Resources Act of 2012 or the Alternative Minerals Management Bill (AMMB)” said Yolanda Esguerra, PMPI National Coordinator. “While we take cognizance of PNoy’s bold attempt to come up with an executive policy on mining and in taking time to consult various stakeholders to craft one that in his opinion will most appropriately address contentious issues, we cannot help but become cynical with the outcome of the EO and thus be adamant to renew our call to stamp out for good the current law on mining. AMMB is needed now more than ever” Esguerra added.

“We call on PNoy to become real steward of Filipino people and its bountiful and beautiful resources. A true leader and steward wont sell-out its flock in favour of silver and gold. Money, revenue and profit are not the end and be all of development” Sr. Cres Lucero, SFIC, PMPI Co-convenor for Luzon concluded.

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Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc. (PMPI) is a network of around 300 civil society organizations spread across the Philippines and MISEREOR, a germany-based development organization of the German Catholic Church. The network's members composed of non-government organizations, people's organizations, Church-based and church-related organizations are engaged in the advocacy of various development issues and development project implementation in partnership with the communities in the most marginalized and poor areas all over the country.

KIDMADI Bishops Reject the Tampakan Mining Project

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

The Dioceses of Kidapawan, Marbel and Digos (KIDMADI) reiterate their opposition against the Tampakan Copper and Gold Project by the London based XSTRATA/SMI. As pastors of the flock, they are deeply troubled and concerned on the irreversible damage to the environment particularly to the biodiversity and the last remaining forest, livelihood, food security, health and of the poor communities both of the IPs and the down-stream communities. It is the biggest direct foreign investment to the country at present which amounting to $5.6B, but will it augment its critical damage to agriculture and livelihood of the stakeholders and the country's economy.

Bishop Romulo dela Cruz, D.D., the ordinary of the diocese of Kidapawan in his letter addressed to the SMI said, " I have serious reservations about the humongous scale of the project." And after thorough evaluation and assessment of the EIS he further noted that, "it fails to convince me that the good which can be expected of the project will outweigh the harm that it brings to man and nature alike. As it stands, I cannot support the project."

The present mining policies of the Philippines such as Mining Act of 1995 (RA 7942), EO 270 (Revitalization of the Philippine Mining industry) and other statutes are all for the extraction of the countries natural resources. These exploitative and destructive mining activities do not promote neither guarantee Sustainable Development in those communities. Our National Patrimony, our mineral reserves are exploited aggressively favoring the foreign investors, and what would be left to the Filipino people? Hazardous Waste? The 2% excise tax and other local taxes in which the mining companies are boasting are all fictitious because of its very minimal contribution of the mining industry to the Gross National Product (GNP).

The countries metallic minerals will be all gone and our laws only provide pitiful taxes will be provided for but its destruction of the watershed, protected areas and agricultural zones are irreversible. This economic condition pushes the poor to be marginalized. The poor will be the most vulnerable sector. ALL OUR PRECIOUS METALS ARE GONE FOR FREE. The Mining Act of 1995 and the EO 270 are inconsistent to the newly approved National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (NCCAP) 2011-2028 signed by President Benigno C. Aquino III last November 22, 2011. The Tampakan Copper and Gold Project will go against P'noys' seven (7) strategic priorities to combat climate change: 1) food security, 2) water sufficiency, 3) ecosystem and environmental stability, 4) human security, 5) climate smart industries and services, 6) sustainable energy, and 7) knowledge and capacity development.

Above all, it goes against the Philippine Constitution which declares as a state policy "to promote healthy and balanced ecology." (Art 2, Sect. 16). One serious emerging condition of the IP communities defending for their ancestral land is the escalation of violence. According to Fr. Rey Ondap, CP of the Catholic Mission on Indigenous Peoples, "because of strong opposition, tension are prevalent." There was an alleged harassment of the military in the IP communities. Bishop Dinualdo of Marbel has urged the concerned parties that "we must avoid the escalation of violence."

After 17 to 20 years SMI/XSTRATA will approximately mine 6.375 million tonnes of copper (375, 000 tonnes per annum) and 6.120 million ounces of gold (360, 000 ounces per annum of gold) in concentrate, who will manage those huge infrastructures? We call for a moratorium to seriously adhere to the voice of the communities.

Bishop Jimmy Afable of Digos shows similar concern since the facilities like fresh water dam and tailings dam will be constracted at the Mal River Catchment, but these huge storage facilities are directly under criss-crossing faultlines. This apprehension was seconded by the reviewer of the EIS of the company that "The Tampakan mine has a high potential for loss of life and high environmental damage if a failure of Dams or Rock Storage facilities occurs." Even if the company argues that putting this huge structures under international standard.

The $76M Environmental Impact Assessment cost of the XSTRATA/SMI is not enough study the impact of mining on this one of the most bio-diverse area comprehensively. It still leaves five general impacts that are not adequately answered: 1) the displacement and resettlement of onsite households, 2) the loss of onsite forest lands and biodiversity resources, 3) the diversion of surface and groundwater for the use of the mine and the displacement of existing in-stream and off stream users, 4) the acid drainage, spillage, leakages, overflows and the pollution of natural water source; 5) the risks of a tailings dam failure or collapse.

The letter of request for a meeting with the president sent by the 3 bishops, Bp. Dinualdo D. Guttierrez, Bp. Jimmy Afable and Bp. Romulo dela Cruz was received in Malacañang last Nov. 9, 2011 tend to discuss with the president some serious concern on XSTRATA/SMI Copper and Gold Project. It pertains to the open pit mining that is very destructive and the location of the mine is in the heart of Quezon Mountain Range and at the same time, at the heart of our forest and watershed. Up to the present no reply was heard concerning the request.

The three (3) dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church gathered the strong 108, 424 signatures that signify the validity of the issues and will be submitted to Malacañang on Dec. 14, 2011 through the National Social Action Secretariat (NASSA-CBCP).

PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF GOD'S CREATION!
PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNITIES!
THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE INTEREST OF HER PEOPLE!
RESPECT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO SELF DETERMINATION!

KIDMADI BISHOPS

(Sgd) Most. Rev. Romulo dela Cruz, D.D.
(Diocese of Kidapawan)

(Sgd) Most Rev. Dinualdo D. Gutierrez, D.D.
(Diocese of Marbel)

(Sgd) Most Rev. Jimmy Affable, D.D.
(Diocese of Digos)

AMURT extend aid to 400 families in Cagayan De Oro City

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 11:27:00 +0000

On December 24th, 2011 -- AMURT Philippines Team in Cagayan de Oro distributed 400 packs of assorted goods consisting of rice, milk powder, sugar, noodles, sardines and drinking water to 400 families at Lower Balulang, Cagayan de Oro City.

AMURT (Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team) is one of the few private international voluntary organizations founded in India. Since its inception in 1965 its original objective was to help meet the needs of the affected population after disasters that regularly hit the Indian sub-continent. Over the years AMURT has established teams in thirty-four countries, to create a network that can meet disaster and development needs almost anywhere in the world. In 1985 we broadened our goals to include long-term development. We feel that we can play a useful role in helping vulnerable communities break the cycle of poverty and gain greater control over their lives. For us, development is human exchange: people sharing wisdom, knowledge and experience to build a better world.

Website: http://www.amurt.net

Panaghugpong Mindanaw invites training on Managing Change

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 03:09:00 +0000

At its most basic level, change is a movement out of a current state (how things are today), through a transition state and to a future state (how things will be done). Change happens all around us - at home, in our community and at work. Changes can be internally motivated or externally motivated. The change can be a dramatic departure from what we know, or it can be minor. Changes can be anticipated or unexpected. But in all cases, the fundamental nature of change is a movement from the current state through a transition state to a future state.

This training course has been developed to help individuals and organizations manage change as they seek to become more sustainable through resource efficiency, and as they take corporate social responsibility for the effects of the business on the wider community to fight the current problem on poverty issues.

The PROUT Study Initiative (PSI) seminar workshop on “Managing Change: A Journey to Empowerment from Within” – is a learning program that explains change as a social phenomenon in its various manifestations. Particular focus is placed on the impact of change forces on an individual, organization and community, the pitfalls of resisting change, and the rewards for adapting to them and making them serve the benefits of an endeavor.

The PSI works to develop and promote progressive theories, policies, and practices that empower citizens and communities to envision and implement sustainable and equitable solutions to social, economic, and ecological problems--and realize their potentialities in the process.

The 2-day seminar-workshop which is schedule on October 21 to 22, 2011 is a capacity development programme of PSI-PANAGHUGPONG MINDANAW in partnership with Ang KaSaMa, Inc. to be held at General Santos City.

Only twenty (20) participants will be accepted for this training course.

A registration fee of PhP 600.00 will be collected during registration at 8:00AM of October 21, 2011. The seminar-workshop will start officially at 8:30 AM of the same day.

Applicants are expected to submit their application form on or before the cut-off date: October 14, 2011 to panaghugpongmindanaw@gmail.com. Early confirmations will be highly appreciated for early reservations and arrangements.

<<< CLICK THIS TEXT TO DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION FORM >>>

Group demands clear explanation of NGCP’s power rates hike petition

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 02:18:00 +0000

ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews/09 July) — A consumers group here said the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) should explain clearly the basis of its petition seeking another round of power rates increase.

“We asked the Energy Regulatory Commission copies of all document related to this petition so that we will be able to understand fully why they wanted an increase,” said Norberto Oller, of Lanao Power Consumers Federation (Lapocof).

The NGCP and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corp. have only presented a computation which is too complex for the ordinary layman to understand, he said.

NGCP raised power rates early this year citing insufficient generation capacity which it blamed on critically low water levels in Lake Lanao and Pulangi River caused by the El Nino phenomenon.

Power rates have not gone down even with the onset of the rainy season and the NGCP announced instead it wanted another round of increase — 18.97 centavos per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in Luzon; 38.16 centavos in the Visayas, and 47.16 centavos in Mindanao, under the 17th installment of the Generation Rate Adjustment Mechanism (GRAM).

NGCP also bared an additional 3.83 centavos/kWh in Mindanao for Incremental Currency Exchange Rate Adjustment (Icera) which aims to recover foreign-exchange related expenses.

Oller said the whole country can expect a series of power rates increases as part of these applications.

“They are in fact applying regularly for power rate increases every year,” he said.
Oller refuted NGCP’s claims that Lake Lanao’s low water level caused the power shortages.

He pointed out that the power firm made use of expensive power barges, geothermal and coal plants to compensate for inadequate power from hydroelectric sources.
“That El niño phenomenon is a regular cycle of our climate and is foreseeable and predictable. They did not prepare for that,” he said.

“It is the Napocor’s incompetence that has caused these power shortages. They failed to answer us when asked if there will be no more blackouts when the lake’s normal water level is restored. They can’t truly answer us on that point because we found out that the Agus complexes can only actually produce 780 MW and yet they contracted to produce power supply amounting to 1,363 MW with and for big industries,” he said.

“Good that these industries do not operate simultaneously because if they do, they cannot supply what is needed [by these industries] and the larger sector of the society will suffer continuous blackouts,” he added.
He said Lapocof is supporting the bill that will stop the outright sale of hydro complexes in Mindanao.

Lapocof also said it supports workers at the NPC whose rights would be affected by “the Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s power sector restructuring and privatization project.”

The residual NPC has been subjected to an Operation and Maintenance Agreement (OMA) with the PSALM Corp. as part of the privatization process.

NGCP is formerly the National Transmission Corporation or Transco, one of the two firms that emerged from the split of the National Power Corporation into the transmission and generation groups at the onset of the privatization program. (Violeta M. Gloria/MindaNews)

Chicken a la Carte: A Winning Film

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:26:00 +0000

Director: Ferdinand Dimadura | Genre: Drama | Produced In: 2005

Synopsis: This film is about the hunger and poverty brought about by Globalization. There are 10,000 people dying everyday due to hunger and malnutrition. This short film shows a forgotten portion of the society. The people who live on the refuse of men to survive. What is inspiring is the hope and spirituality that never left this people.

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

PROUT Global Convention - Denmark

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:02:00 +0000

With special guests and representatives from
PROUT COLLEGE
PROUT INSTITUTE OF VENEZUELA
HAITAN PROUT MOVEMENT
BURKINO FASO COOPERATIVES
ANG KASAMA OF MAHARLIKA
AND OTHERS

Plus…
PROUT workshop/forums
RAWA Cultural Programs
Open Space Technology
And more…

Venue:
ANANDA GAORI is situated in beautiful countryside 50 minutes to the Northwest of Copenhagen. Additional renovations are under way to make it a perfect venue for this convention with beds for everyone. For those who like camping, there is ample space for tents. There is also a beach access campground five minutes drive from MU.

Cost:
In order to give opportunity to the widest possible number of people, the cost of participation will be kept to a minimum. A limited fund will be available, to help defray participation and transportation costs, for people from countries having a disadvantage in exchange rates…

Please register early!

Entire Program:
Danish Kronor 1100
€150 / $200

First three days only:
DKK 550
€75 / $100

To register or for more information:
+45 33256671
proutconvention09@gmail.com

PROUT Global Office
30 Platanvej
Copenhagen, DK

Farmers - The jewels of society

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:53:00 +0000

by Dada Vimaleshananda

One time in my childhood my mother encouraged me to do interviews. She gave me a book of Oriana Fallaci who had the venture to interview several state heads including Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir, Muhammar Geddafi, and others. I accepted her advice and I run three interview with sports trainers in my local town. One of these interview got published on the local newspaper.

I believe in the inherent spiritual gift that people living in the countryside have. It is on that strategically superior perception of the relationship between God and creation that I wish to tap into and bring it in political action. And it is through interviewing local farmers that I wish to bring up their consciousness of the spiritual value of farming life in order to give them the strength to remain struggling and fighting against odd legislations, weather conditions, lack of social recognition and generally ... hardship.

Needless to say in the countryside women are leaders. It is just an observation considering the level of involvement in social affairs and the capacity to tackle difficult situations. They are leaders in the school and in the education, they are leaders in the trade, they are leaders in the social service, wherever I go it is women that I found at the helm of responsibility and responsible choices. If I had to interview them I would ask:

* where is your strength?
* can you tell a story about what happened in a specific incident that required your strength to come in full expression?
* how you felt after?
* how you feel know remembering that incident?

The capacity to nurture our positive sides seems to be the winning element on the path of growth, spiritual as well as social. I do believe that in order to increase the strength of human society we have to emphasize the best of its characteristics and distinctive qualities. The process of integration is very different from the process of homogenization. I stand for integration and understanding, not for blending and making a whole gray color out of the beautiful differences in a rainbow.

Kinaiyahan Unahon knowledge center launched

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 18:24:00 +0000

The Kinaiyahan Unahon Library and Social Centre was finally opened last Sunday January 11, 2009. It was successfully done with the help of friends and visitors from around Davao City. Cultural art groups, academic professors, parents and children from the neighbors, and different NGOʼs all participated in the much awaited event that was doggedly prepared for two weeks. Through donations and gifts given by friends and sympathizers, the collective has managed to provide the necessary things to accomplish the activity: paint, wood, kitchen utensils, food etc...

During this event, different programs have been presented by various art collective and performers. Some of which are poetry reading, acoustic music, children dance and fire dancing. The collective have also given the participants the opportunity to raise questions and concerns about the centre and the punk counterculture. Meaningful conversation between the collective and the participants halted the merry celebration for few minutes and ideas for strategies exchanged. In the end, differences in opinions and lifestyle was openly expressed and accepted.

In this wonderful day that all of us have waited for so many months another opportunity has dawned and opened up for us to continue creating meaningful moments for our lives. With this, we would like to give our greatest gratitude to all of the people who helped us in making these things possible. We all want to build and live in a decent, humane, and compassionate world and we are all desperate to make it happen. Nothing can stop us!!!

Kinaiyahan Unahon Collective

Grassroots people militia revitalized in the south

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:33:00 +0000

Orlando De Guzman reports on the renewed conflict in the island of southern Philippines.

Voices from the heartroots

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:48:00 +0000

Mr. Walter I. Balane is a journalist from Mindanao. He is one of the invited resource speaker of the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit held recently in October 25, 2008 at General Santos City. Here below is the contents of Mr. Balane privilege discourse presented during the summit.

Good morning!

I would like to thank the organizers for inviting me to speak today on the topic: Voices from the Heartroots: Notes on Life and Living in communities.

My sharing is largely about my personal experience and reflections as a “journalist who blogs”.

Yes, a journalist who blogs, that’s how I call my self now. It sounds remarkable. But there’s an anomaly in the phrase because journalists are supposed to be busy with reportage. How come they have time to blog?

Actually, when I opened an account with blogspot in mid-2004, I only meant to “go with the uso”.

Parang hi-tech kasi pakinggan. May blog ako! (kahit hindi naman alam ng mga kaibigan ko dati ano yang blog.) I bragged about it!

Sa tingin ko since my email address naman ako at natuto ng magchat, mag google, baka its time to go “next level”.

So the blogger in me was born.

This was also the time when I was already serious about crossing over from print to online media. I joined MindaNews in 2002 and moved to its Davao office in 2004.

Then, the reason why I blogged was because I wanted to see my articles online.

I thought of putting up an archive of my stories from MindaNews.com and from the local newspaper in Bukidnon that I was editing.

Since most of my stories were about my coverage of Bukidnon and Mindanao as a whole, I thought of calling it ISTAMBAY SA MINDANAO (Standing by in Mindanao).

Like any beginner, my early experience in blogging was about experimentation and adventurism. Sa time na yon, hindi ko pa kilala sina Blogie Robillo, Avel, at iba pang bloggers.

Ang alam ko blogger ako at reporter ako. Ako si Istambay sa Mindanao. Nasisiyahan akong mabasa ang mga naisulat ko. Feeling ko meron ding mga tao na nagbabasa ng mga post ko. Feeling lang.

Kasama sa naging experiment ko ang pagmigrate galing blogspot papuntang wordpress noong 2006.

Slowly, I got hits and there were those who were kind enough to post comments.

Mukhang masaya.

Ngunit magulo din.

Ilang beses din akong na reprimand ng editor ko dahil na nauna kong napost sa blog ko and isang istorya bago ko na ifile sa desk.

At sa isa pang araw, merong nag post ng comment na violent reaction doon sa sinulat ko sa blog.

At sumunod pa ang isang comment na “paki ko sa opinion mo” “ano ba ang alam mo sa sitwasyon” .

Hindi ko rin pweding kalimutan ang mga spam message na kong pumasok akalo mo na marami nang nagreact sa post mo.

Napag-isipan ko na parang hindi ko pa na harmonize ang pagiging blogger at reporter ko at saka naging self-publisher na ako na parang “the world revolves around me” as if the world cares about my news, my aspirations, dreams, reactions, pains, and victories.

These and other factors made me reflect on why I blog and why I should continue blogging.

The responsibility is doubled with me as a journalist who should keep his credibility, focus, and relevance intact.

It is trippled with the fact that my setting is Mindanao where there are a lot of stories, good or bad, which are left untold.

I decided to be a journalist first as it should be.

But I also decided to continue blogging. I can’t imagine myself “not blogging”. In fact I learned to tweak on my header, sidebar and other stuff on my dashboard.

With the focus on my job as a journalist, I became more conscious about reporting (and blogging) accurately, about using more point of views, about ground-truthing, and about fairness, balance, and timeliness.

I learned that if my voice should count it will only count so much.

I have to use my platform as a journalist to cover the different and diverse voices around me.

I cannot just rely on the opinion or statements of the usual and official sources.

I have to be on the ground to get the facts right and fast.

I learned most of these things when I joined a team formed by MindaNews to do grassroots reporting and documentation training engagements in communities around Mindanao.

In Caraga, Davao Oriental; Tandag, Surigao del Sur; in Upi, Maguindanao; in Bagra, Cotabato City; In Midsayap, North Cotabato; In Iligan City, In Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur and in other commuities I learned that the people there have stories to tell and yet we don’t hear them at all.

Most of these peoples and communities battle hunger, fear, ignorance, and isolation everyday.

They seek peace, justice, hope, life, victories,even the most basic --- food.

The mainstream media cannot cover everything. Sometimes they choose not to cover it at all or cover it smacked with generalizations, misrepresentations, and angles taken out of context, among other concerns.

This is a challenge for journalists and an opportunity for bloggers.

Already, Mindanao bloggers are known as organized and ahead of other blogging communities in the country.

Blogging has already occupied a level of command in the information highway.

That is why I believe this could be handy.

Blogging the Mindanawon consciousness could be blogging more about these peoples, issues, events, concerns, dreams.

We are ought to give them the chance because opportunities for them to express themselves and be heard are scarce.

This is especially true in a time when Mindanao continues to experience unpeace and is misunderstood in many ways.

Mindanawons blogging about Mindanao is a natural course and is the perfect energy needed.

It might not be enough, however, that there are Mindanao bloggers who discuss on Mindanao from their online platforms.

We, Mindanawon bloggers can only do so much. We can speak only for ourselves, our work, our views on Mindanao, our feelings, reactions, victories, pains, excitements, plans, dreams, and aspirations.

We have to gather more voices and flood the information superhighway with solutions, too, not just problems.

But a bigger part of Mindanao’s people is still “offline”. They are not yet connected to many things linked in Mindanao, enjoyed in Mindanao.

Ang kadaghanan wala pa makasakay sa sakyanan nga gigamit sa uban.

Apparently, there is a big gap between the volume of the voices of Mindanao’s bloggers and those of the “offline Mindanawons” in expressing their humanity.

“Blogging the Mindanawon Consciousness” might mean bridging this gap.

Mindanao bloggers might consider helping enable other key sectors and peoples in their communities to blog about themselves.

Blogging might not only be limited to blogging about Mindanao and its peoples but also helping the “voiceless” learn to blog so they, too, can blog about themselves.

Of course it would be extremely difficult for existing Mindanao bloggers to acess many of the areas safely and for the people in communities to appraoch which local bloggers can help them.

But bloggers must continue to try linking them and engaging them for mutual respect and understanding in an effort to connect more and more people.

Many of us who are already blogging about the voiceless must continue doing it and infect others to do the same.

We can focus on a Mindanao consciousness that is more inclusive, not exclusive.

Let us blog about how we can build the “we” among Mindanawons and not on “us” and “them”.

On the other hand, many of us might be turned-off by this kind of appeal.

Sometimes we have the impression that blogging about the conflict is flooding the information highway with bad news about Mindanao, when bloggers wanted to change the image to “good”.

But how can we have good news if we continue to blur and ignore the not-good news.

Mind you, there are also good stories that come out from the evacuation sites: there are stories of resilience, stories of hope, stories of dreams, stories of humanity.

There are many opportunities to give voice and attention to people in the communities, like helping explain (of course to understand it first) the peace process in general and the MOA-AD in particular.

My editor Carol Arguillas told me earlier that she commends our fellow blogger Sarah Matalam for what she is doing and blogging about: connecting people who have something to share to the bakwits in Pikit and neighboring areas.

It is not as easy as I say it here.

But we are not only bloggers. We are Mindanawon bloggers.

Altogether in our own communities cities and circles of influence we can collectively promote the Mindanawon consciousness.

Indeed it will not be easy.

I liken it to our trip yesterday from Iligan-CDO-Bukidnon in Bobby Timonera’s Mitsubishi Adventure.

Along the way, there were good and picture perfect sights, an early lunch, fresh air and fruits, lively chats, and good music.

But there were also spoilers like a heavy rain in Malaybalay, more expensive unleaded gas in Maramag, a busted tire in Damulog, Bukidnon, chargers left at home, and endless detours over long and winding routes.

But we made it here. We all made it here.

Yes, Mindanao bloggers can make it.

Thank you and once again good morning!

The Human Cost of Economic Meltdown and Its Alternatives

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 01:52:00 +0000

by Dada Maheshvarananda

The New York Times editorial calls this "the scariest economic free fall the world has seen since 1929," referring to the Great Depression that caused great suffering to millions. The sentiment is echoed by hundreds of leading economists, bankers and traders whose opinions are quoted daily, as they struggle to explain the economic fallout to the general public. Yet no one is able to confidently predict our economic future.

The US government first bailed out and then, following the lead set by Britain, France, Italy and Spain, began taking over some of the largest financial institutions. How many billions and trillions do they have? Of course the answer is that they already have more than 10 trillion dollars in national debt!

The Human Costs

The human costs of this economic meltdown are only beginning to be felt. More than a million citizens have lost their homes in the past two years, and a million more are expected to lose their homes in the coming12 months. Yet the United States government continues to pay more of the mortgage costs of rich homeowners, through larger tax deductions, than of poorer homeowners.

United States citizens have lost two trillion dollars in retirement funds, representing about 20 percent of their value since last year, reducing the income of everyone and forcing many older working citizens to continue working even into their late sixties. Countless small investors are losing their savings.

The frozen credit market, which is much more serious than the severe stock market declines, will cause companies around the world, unable to borrow, to layoff workers and unemployment will rise.

The Russian stock market fell by about two-thirds since May. Thus, the global financial crisis has wiped out roughly a trillion dollars in wealth across the country.

The country of Iceland itself is failing. Prime Minister Geir Haarde warned of the threat of "national bankruptcy." The government seized its three largest banks to prevent their failure, and the currency had already lost half its value before its trade was halted. The country is desperately seeking an emergency loan from Russia or from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However accepting the IMF harsh structural adjustment policies to restore fiscal and monetary stability will hurt everyone, an extraordinary reversal for the island's economy, which has been quite affluent for the last decade.

Consumerism and Greed

Greed is the excessive and selfish pursuit of wealth or other material things, without concern whether one's actions deprive others of necessities. Rather than controlling this instinct, unregulated capitalism encourages it. Some proponents of free market capitalism even go so far as to argue that greed should be considered a positive trait because the race to maximize profits propels the global economy. As the character Gordon Gekko in the film Wall Street said, "Greed... is good!"

The meltdown has been caused in large part by corporations that spend hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising campaigns to make debt sound desirable and risk-free. Their sophisticated ad campaigns and direct mail programs are aimed at every age group, from young teenagers to the elderly. The largest credit card company launched a campaign "Life Takes Visa," MasterCard did "Priceless" and Citibank taught "Live Richly." The insidious goal of each of these campaigns was to eliminate negative feelings about going into debt. The creative director of MasterCard's campaign, Jonathan B. Cranin, explained, "One of the tricks in the credit card business is that people have an inherent guilt with spending. What you want is to have people feel good about their purchases."

It gets nastier, because lenders prey on people who urgently need loans to pay for health care and other necessities. To squeeze more profit from borrowers, US credit card companies have increased interest rates from 17.7 percent in 2005 to 19.1 percent last year, a difference that gives them billions of dollars in extra profits. Average late fees rose from less than $13 in 1994 to $35 in 2007, and fees charged when customers exceed their credit limits more than doubled to from $11 to $26 a month.

The lucrative lending practices of these merchants of debt have led millions of North Americans — young and old, rich and poor — to the brink. However in 2005 the bankruptcy laws were changed. This legislation, proposed by President Bush and driven through Congress by financial services firms, makes it much harder for consumers with modest incomes to escape from under their debt by filing for bankruptcy. The new laws encouraged more reckless lending on the part of lenders, because they could more easily force poor borrowers to repay.

Practices such as these that produced record profits for many banks have shaken the world's financial system to its foundation. As a growing number of people default on payments, banks are recording hundreds of billions in losses, devastating their shareholders. As each bank is realizing that it is holding many bad debts, an increasing distrust is taking place between the institutions, afraid of how many bad debts the other banks are holding.

Global economy vs. Local economy

The solution to the global economic meltdown should be the formation of local economies. The first crucial step of any humane economy is to provide the basic necessities of life to all: food and pure water, clothing, housing, education and medical care. Human beings require these in order to realize their individual potentialities, to develop culturally, to achieve inner fulfillment and self-realization, which many now consider as higher goals of life. What a wonderful world it will be when no one on the planet will have to worry about getting enough money to buy the food, clothes, housing, education and medical care needed for his or her family!

Second, the current centralized economies should be decentralized into economically self-reliant regions. The regions would be defined by geographic conditions, and by the inhabitants' cultural legacy, language, economic problems and interests. These bioregions would decide their economic future from below, with planning emerging from the communities and supported by central government policies.

Third, each economic region should also be divided into smaller "blocks" or counties, which would provide the basic level of grassroots economic planning. The area of a county is small enough for the planners to understand all the problems of the area; local leaders would be able to solve the problems according to local priorities; planning would be more practical and effective and give quick, positive results.

Fourth, breaking the dependence on petroleum by rejuvenating local agriculture and achieving self-reliance in food, medicines and energy. The importance of rural employment and an adequate standard of living to reduce internal and external migrations is also important.

Each of these solutions is part of the Progressive Utilization Theory or PROUT, which proposes a dynamic economy of the people, by the people and for the people. Rejecting profit making as the goal of the economy, PROUT bases its economic policy on consumption; that is, on meeting the actual needs of people. PROUT proposes a three-tiered economic system to realize this.

To preserve the creative, innovative spirit of capitalism, but to avoid the destructive, exploiting impact of capital which disregards social costs and environmental degradation, private enterprises should be of small-scale.

The second tier of the PROUT economy is formed by cooperatives. This guarantees economic democracy, a decrease in alienation and a more just distribution of wealth. The goal of cooperatives is not profit at any cost, but satisfying the real needs of the community and achieving everyone's well-being. Members participate in decision-making and determine their community's economic future.

The final tier is industries which have strategic importance and which are too big or too complex to be efficiently managed by a cooperative. For example energy, steel, telecommunications, airlines, etc., should be state-owned and managed by elected boards in the public interest at the national or state levels. These key industries should be run on a no profit, no loss basis, serving all the people of the country.

The Central Bank of each country is such a key industry. However all the other banks should be cooperative credit unions, loaning savings to local businesses, cooperatives and homeowners.

A local economy organized in this way would be human-based, resilient to global market fluctuations and inflation, and able to achieve full employment. Isn't this the type of economy we want?

**********

Dada Maheshvarananda is a yoga monk, activist and writer. He is author of After Capitalism: Prout's Vision for a New World with preface by Noam Chomsky, translated into 10 languages. He is director of the Prout Research Institute of Venezuela. See www.priven.org or write him at maheshvarananda@prout.org

2nd MBS: Initiatives for Social Media Cultural Dialogue

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:41:00 +0000

Who are we to define this Mindanawon Consciousness?

In this process, we could be haunted by doubt. Who are we to define Mindanawon consciousness? Isn't this an exercise of power and domination? In reality, that is not what we want to do. We want to look forward a way of speaking about Mindanao, a set of social images that can give us some control on how Mindanao can nurture multicultural understanding, peace, development, and a sense of meaning and identity. We want to generate new collective energies.

Objectives of the Summit

To strengthen the unity among bloggers in their drive to accentuate the untapped potentialities of Mindanao,

To encourage bloggers to become more enthusiastic about the Mindanao consciousness,

To utilize maximum potential of new social media, and

To foster the entrepreneurial spirit of Mindanawans through blogging.

The Panel Discussion Resource Speakers

Looking South: An Outsider Pundits about Mindanao Politics, History and Commentary	Manuel L. Quezon, III http://www.quezon.ph
Voices from Mindanao Heartroots: Notes on Life & Living in the Communitiests:	Walter I. Balane http://istambay.wordpress.com
“Mindanawon Consciousness” Reshaping Social Outlook & Identity	Hector P. Miñoza http://www.writingedge.co.cc
Tips and New Media for Mindanao Bloggers	Aileen Apolo http://www.aileenapolo.com
Blogging the Entrepreneurial Way of Life	Ria A. Jose http://www.riajose.com
Images of Mindanao from the perspective of a Mindanaoan	Bobby A. Timonera http://www.thelandofpromise.com

The Ferment of Change: A Case for Maharlika

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:08:00 +0000

By Eddie U. Ilarde

Astonishment and wonder were the unfavorable reactions of our peers in the Interim Batasang Pambansa when we filed Parliamentary Bill 195 on August 14, 1978 seeking to change the name Philippines to Maharlika. It was as if to say “some members have lost their marbles to even contemplate such a thing”, as if they didn’t know that Article XVI, Section 2 of the constitution says that “The Congress, may by law, adopt a new name for the country x x x x which shall be truly reflective and symbolic of the ideals, history, and traditions of the people x x x such law shall take effect only upon ratification by the people min a national referendum.”

Even more hostile was the accusation that the bill was drawn-up by President Ferdinand Marcos himself, "Maharlika" having been associated with him during the war when he named his guerrilla unit to fight the Japanese invaders “Maharlika.” If true, the bill would have passed without question in that “rubber stamp congress.” But the measure did not even merit a committee hearing. The consoling thought however is, the bill was ahead of its time in a country long indoctrinated to accept blindly historical inaccuracies and Western hegemony and culture—the people made averse to resisting a deeply rooted conservative status quo as a consequence.

“The times are changing” is an affirmation of present circumstances. Today we see encouraging developments in favor of our proposal, but only after 27 years. Opposition has started to give way to an open mind by the same people who yesterday sneered at it.

Recently we have been receiving letters mostly from Filipinos abroad asking if our proposal to rename the country is still alive, realizing the relevance today. This country’s image in the eyes of the world today is at its worst, tarnished by such epithets as “the most corrupt country in the world,” a nation of cheats and thieves,” “a country of slums and hungry children,” “the dirtiest country in the world,” and other negative exaggerations. Heir common complaint: “We are constantly humiliated as “Filipinos’ in our host countries with insults like ‘the Philippines is a country of prostitutes, maids, thieves,’ and other indignitaries we cannot swallow any longer.” The shared optimism is “if we become Maharlikans this Filipino identity shall be erased forever and the world shall take notice and stop insulting our country as we create a new image and rebuild our reputation.

Great thinkers and visionaries have some time derived their thoughts and judgment from the common people. We must take our cue from this urgent call. If we don’ move this country shall be left behind by then winds of progress. In this country the wheels of change are heavy and slow. Our people are averse to change and are easily disinclined to anything outside the scope of easy comprehension. It is time to find the psychological why and wherefore and from there we must find the catharsis to expel this negative nature. Simple experiment al applications of new ways to improve existing conditions are always met with contempt, which lead to protracted squabbling and to miscarriage of good intentions. “Let us keep what we have; the known evil is best,” describes us best.

Our people's character of easily accepting “what is there and what is given” is so ingrained; what were imposed upon us in 1543 have coarsely acquired lasting currency through the centuries. The “ferment of change” addressed by other counties in Asia, Africa, Europe, and in other regions, we have ignored. Formosa, Siam, Dutch East Indies, French Indochina, Malaya, Ceylon, Burma, Khmer/Kampuchea, Persia, Bombay, Calcutta, to name only a few have all changed their names. We have remained as is even as we behold the phenomenal economic growth of these neighbors brought about by a compulsion for change back to the reassured ethos of their past which served as the touchstone for their quest for progress and prosperity.

Our penchant for change is so trivial, proven by changing only the names of streets and other minor things and places. Dewey Blvd. is changed to Roxas Blvd. because Dewey was American; Azcarraga to Recto because Azcarraga was Spaniard, etc. The country is named after King Philip II of Spain. Have we ever asked ourselves what kind of a man we were named after?

Philip was only ¼ Spaniard, his father Charles V was Hapsburg and did not even speak a word in Spanish when he became a king. Philip was as some historians call “a monster of bigotry, ambition, lust and cruelty.” His own official court historian described him as a man whose “smile and dagger were very close.” He was the son of fist cousins. His grandmother Juana died of insanity. Even today she is known in Spain as “Juana la loca.” His “auto-da-fe” after being sworn in as king was the burning in the stake alive of thousands of Muslims in Spain. Protestants in Europe, then under Spain were beheaded as heretics. He was ex-communicated as a Catholic by the pope for looting Rome. He died of what historians evasively described as a very communicable social disease (syphilis) that had affected his mind. Before he died thousands of insects festered his whole body which was covered with ulcers dripping with puss and reeking with unbearable smell. His name is better forgotten whose unpleasant memory we still honor today by identifying ourselves as Filipinos, carrying his name with pride.

Maharlika is our ancient heritage and has been with us long before Western colonialists set foot on our shoes. Maha is Sanskrit for noble, great, as in Taj Mahal. Mahatma (a great soul); the moon that supports all the planets and celestial bodies,” “The food that nourishes vital forces in everyone, “chanting Maha is to be one with the Lord,” “Maha is God Himself.” The inflectional ending of Maharlika, Likha is our own word for create, make, cause, design, breed, conceived, Maharlika therefore means “nobly created,” “God’s creation,” “the self personified,” etc. The great philosopher-philologist-spiritual master P.R. Sarkar said, “Maharlika means a small container (country) containing great things (people).” Maharlika is a spiritual mantra, a divine name.

The name “Filipino” has obscenely outlasted is purpose and has become malapropos. We only need it as much as we need a tragic memory. Our people must hear from our leaders in government, business, the academe, and from our opinion makers. Maharlika shall be the precursor of the great transformation of this country; it shall inspire a romantic tale, nay, a great national epic which is absent in our present annals. Maharlika shall discover our true identity, then beginning of our renaissance, our rebirth to greatness.

[Eddie Ilarde is a former councilor, congressman, senator, and assemblyman. He is a Lifetime Achievement Awardee for radio and television having pioneered many programs of lasting value to the country. He is the founder of Maharlika Foundation for National Transformation and Golden Eagles Society International, a movement to benefit the older people of the world. Kuya Eddie, as he is fondly called is semi-retired author and free-lance writer and spends his time in his small arm in the province].

The Modernization of Islam and the Creation of a Multipolar World Order

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:04:00 +0000

NEW BOOK

Dr. Susmit Kumar's fascinating work on the modernization of Islam and the creation of
a multipolar world order is out.

Dr. Kumar writes engagingly and with easy authority on the causes of Islamic fundamentalism, the collapse of American economy, and demonstrates the excellent prospects of PROUT in the later part of the book. This comprehensive work succeeds
in placing the idea of PROUT in a temporary political framework underscoring an
upcoming basic shift in values.

Read more the synopsis here »»

The Modernization of Islam is a provocative analysis of the present global Islamic militancy, based on the author’s 1995 article published in Global Times (Copenhagen, Denmark). The 2001 attack on the US and subsequent Western-led attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq have led political scientists to believe in Samuel Huntington’s theory of a "clash of civilizations." The world’s civilizations -Western, Islamic, Chinese, Japanese, Orthodox/Russian, Hindu, African, and Latin - will, according to this theory, align and engage in war on a civilizational basis. Although experts predict that Islamic militancy will last three to four decades, they are unable to predict its final outcome. Until 1900 no one was predicting that democracy would replace kingdoms in most European countries, or that Asian and African countries would gain independence within five to six decades. But, because of World Wars I and II, most European kingdoms were replaced by vibrant democracies, and colonial rulers had to leave most of Asia and Africa due to the destruction wrought on their economies during these wars. In order to give birth to a beautiful child, a woman has to go through the pains of labor. Europe had some of its labor pains in the last century, when World Wars I and II were necessary to change the global socio-economic and political environments of those times. Had those wars not occurred, much of Europe might still be ruled by monarchs, and most Asian and African countries might still be awaiting independence from their colonial masters. Islam is the only major religion imposed by government fiat anywhere in the world. Today Islamic civilization is going through what Europe went through between World Wars I and II. At the end of this crisis, the majority of Islamic nations will become secular and democratic, like Turkey: the world seat of the Islamic Caliphate since 1517, Turkey shed its fundamentalist rule in 1923 and has remained free ever since.

Main chapters include:

Causes and Consequences of World Wars I and II
Victims of the Cold War and the Rise of a Fundamentalist Islamic Frankenstein
The History of Islam and The Islamic Empires
Islamic Civilization in Turmoil
The Collapse of the American Economy
The Modernization of Islam
Capitalism, PROUT and Deficiencies of Democracy

You may check out the book here, and purchase the book at Amazon

Necessity for economic democracy

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:26:00 +0000

By P.R. Sarkar

The first requirement for economic democracy is that the minimum requirements of a particular age -- including food, clothing, housing, education and medical treatment -- must be guaranteed to all. Not only is this an individual right, it is also a collective necessity, because the easy availability of the minimum requirements will increase the all-round welfare of society.

The second requirement for economic democracy is that increasing purchasing capacity must be guaranteed to each and every individual. In economic democracy local people will hold economic power. Consequently, local raw materials will be used to promote the economic prosperity of the local people. That is to say, the raw materials of one socio-economic unit should not be exported to another unit. Instead, industrial centres should be built up wherever raw materials are available. This will create industries based on locally available raw materials and ensure full employment for all local people.

The third requirement for economic democracy is that the power to make all economic decisions must be placed in the hands of the local people. Economic liberation is the birthright of every individual. To achieve it, economic power must be vested in the local people. In economic democracy the local people will have the power to make all economic decisions, to produce commodities on the basis of collective necessity, and to distribute all agricultural and industrial commodities.

The fourth requirement for economic democracy is that outsiders must be strictly prevented from interfering in the local economy. The outflow of local capital must be stopped by strictly preventing outsiders or a floating population from participating in any type of economic activity in the local area. For the success of economic democracy, Prout must be implemented and the economic welfare of all people must be enhanced step by step. This in turn will lead to greater opportunities for the spiritual emancipation of human beings.

Finally, it should be remembered that economic democracy is essential not only for the economic liberation of human beings, but for the universal well-being of all -- including plants and animals. Economic democracy will devise ways and means to effect the smooth progress of society by recognizing the unique value of both humans and non-humans alike.

June 1986, Calcutta
Prout in a nutshell 21

What is PROUT?

noreply@blogger.com (Mindanao Kini) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:58:00 +0000

PROUT is a complete socio-economic theory based on an integrated view of life and comprising a wide spectrum of human activity, propounded by Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar (1921-1990) in 1959. At the time it presented an undeniable challenge to the outdated Marxist and capitalist theories whose falls it predicts. Based on practical observances rather than theoretical assumptions, PROUT remains very much a vibrant rational ideological alternative today.

The name PROUT is an acronym of PROgressive Utilization Theory. For the first time human goals and aspirations on any level of existence have been brought within the compass of a comprehensive socio-economic theory. Earlier socio-economic thought could not comprehend a synthetic approach to human physical, mental and spiritual requirements. Hence they could provide neither for the integrated development of individuals nor the wholesome adjustment with others and the environment.

Visit ProutWorld at www.proutworld.org