Hi there! Sorry to miss you for quite sometime (four weeks to be exact). My last column came out in the June 8, 2009 edition of this paper. So what do we have? I missed discussing my usual Independence Day topic which is about “in-dependence”. And yes, I missed the circus that was the Senate inquiry on the Hayden Kho videos (yum-yum), forget that there were only three senators present in that hearing. And the political circus that’s the con-ass and the advocacy ADs? Well, I rest my case. But please, let’s take time to pray for tita Cory.
So what’s with today’s title? That’s to give focus on the recent events in Calbayog especially during the month of June. The title takes cue from that movie which launched Hugh Grant’s career (whew, he’s gorgeous), it’s the one entitled “Four Weddings and A Funeral”. Today’s title is not exactly about love stories abound in the marry(ing) month of June. There were a lot of weddings held in Calbayog last month (I did 3 weddings which explains the number 3 in the title); and there was a good number of funerals held for persons killed in (the streets of) Calbayog. Please don’t get me wrong, Calbayog is not a killing field, it’s just that the rate (or is it frequency) got so alarming it made the Bishop issue a “Statement of Condemnation on the series of killings in the City of Calbayog and in the Municipality of Gandara”. The said statement was read in the Masses last Sunday; and before that (statement) the issue was part of his homily during the feast day celebration at the Consolatirx monastery in San Policarpo. (I’ll feature the text of that Statement in my next column)
I called up some of my friends (okey sources) from the local PNP. I was informed that the number of those killed has risen to more than 20 as of last night (July 8, 2009). Surely Calbayog PNP is not happy about it. As to the update on the investigations, though I was not given the exact figures, it was learned that generally the killings were results of personal grudges. Some of these already have the suspects identified, witnesses came forward and cases have been filed. However, a good number of these cases remained “unsolved”. Meaning, no witnesses were willing to cooperate; and in some cases, there were witnesses, the suspects identified, still the victims’ kin were not interested in filing the appropriate cases.
So, what does the local PNP intend to do to prevent the killings from happening again? One solution that they see is to request the higher office to augment the local PNP force which numbers only around 40 police officers.
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Local events. The Official Presentation of Project Proposal of the Bangon Falls Power Generation Project will be done at 8:30 a.m. today. Mayor Mel Sarmiento will lead the City Officials and Department Managers during the program at I’s Plant Conference Hall. Engr. Jose Ocampo Ilagan, President and CEO of Clean and Green Energy Solutions, Inc., the project proponent will do the presentation.
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The SK Summit on Education. The City Government of Calbayog in coordination with the DILG and DepEd conducted the 1st SK Summit of Education. The said activity was held on June 30, 2009 at the DepEd Conference Hall. 110 out of the 157 SK Chairpersons of Calbayog attended the event.
The following topics were presented in the summit:
- State of Education in Calbayog City by Mrs. Edita Paculan (Calbayog City Schools Division Superintendent)
- Updates on the current performance of the City Government in addressing the areas of Governance and Administration, Economic Development, Environmental Management and Social Services including the Education Sector by DILG City Director Valente Bajet.
- SK support to Education by Mr. Ubaldo Diomangay (DepEd ES 1 - PESS)
- Keynote Speech on Education as a Top Priority in Calbayog City by Mayor Mel Sarmiento
The SK Federation President Charlie Boy Coñejos delivered the welcome speech while DILG City Director Valente Bajet presented the activity's rationale.
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On June 26, 2009, the city government of Calbayog co-hosted the PCSO Charity Caravan. The activity which was held at the Jogger's Court was in line with PCSO's 75th anniversary celebration.
PCSO provided the medicines while the LGU provided the medical personnel who extended medical and dental services to more than 1,000 patients.
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The 3rd Ecological Solid Waste Management Technical Workshop / Seminar was held at the Marju Krisel Function Hall on June 23, 2009.
Around 70 barangays officials and community stakeholders were on hand for the activity. Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino, in his capacity as Chair of the City Solid Waste Management Board delivered the welcome address. Mayor Mel Sarmiento was also on hand to deliver a message.
Discussed in the workshop were the following:
- 3rd Year Activities of the Project (by Mr. Takashi Goto. JICA SWM expert)
- City Solid Waste Management Plan (by Engr. Danilo Mado, Ass't CSWM Officer)
- Operation / Maintenance of the Pilot Material Recovery Facility (by Mr. Ishmael Susmena, CSWMO TEAM Division Head)
- IEC Campaigns for 2009 (by Ms. Anabelle Yangzon, DepEd Rep for Environmental Education)
- Financial Evaluation / Waste Charge (by Councilor Julius Mancol, Chair of SP Committee on Finance)
- Operation / Maintenance of Sanitary Landfill / Video Lecture (by JICA experts)
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This is it for now. Let me leave you with this line from the Statement of Condemnation on the series of killings in the City of Calbayog and in the Municipality of Gandara issued by the Bishop of Calbayog: “… we therefore call on the proper authorities to conduct a thorough and speedy investigation on the series of killings and bring into the bar of justice the ones responsible.”
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Have a nice weekend everyone! Ciao!
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