GenSan News Online Mag

On February 20, 2010, a week to the day that she was proclaimed the Big Winner of Pinoy Big Brother Double Up reality show of ABS-CBN, Melissa “Melai” Cantiveros flew in to General Santos City where she hails. From the time she boarded a Cebu Pacific early morning plane from Manila until the time she landed at the General Santos City International Airport, the MSU Education student had no idea that the whole city was waiting for her.

At that time, Bariles was at the airport along with Ms. GenSan 2008 Romarie Cunanan, and some staff of the Mayor’s Office together with members of the Task Force Champ, the team who’s regularly incharged of welcome honors for visiting “generals” or big time guests. ABS-CBN’s local correspondent, Chat Ansagay was also there ready with her crew and anticipating the short interview she was to conduct with Melai.

Melai had no inkling that she will be accorded a hero’s welcome by the city and that all her moves will be filmed and shown on a new REAL-SERYE morning series entitled ” MELASON“.  She had two handlers on her side during her short visit which made her friends and new fans harder to go near her.  Eventually, Bariles came to realize that Melai doesn’t belong to GenSan alone now.  Melai already belongs to ABS-CBN who will dictate all her actions after seeing a “goose that lays the golden eggs” in her.  We just hope they do not over use her and instead guide her carefully to becoming the next comedienne star that she is turning out to be –   shades of what they did to another General, Gerald Anderson.

Here are the pictures of Melai’s arrival at the GenSan International Airport and up to the motorcade to the city until the time she visited GenSan Mayor Jun Acharon, an event which was not part of the original plan but thanks to the insistence of some well-minded individuals, was finally granted by ABS-CBN big bosses in Manila who were directing the whole “homecoming”.

PBB BIG WINNER MELAI RECEIVES FLOWERS FROM MS. GENSAN 2008 ROMARIE CUNANAN AT THE TARMAC OF THE GENSAN INTL AIRPORT

WELCOMING GROUP FROM THE CITY MAYOR'S OFFICE POSE WITH MELAI TOGETHER WITH MS GENSAN 2008, YOUTH LEADER AND MELAI'S FRIEND FLOYD AND BARILES HIMSELF.

"THE CROWD AT THE GENSAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ALL WANTING TO SEE MELAI."

"MELAI ON BOARD THE ABS-CBN RED PICKUP FOR HER CITY MOTORCADE"

"MELAI REACHING OUT TO HER FRIENDS FROM CALUMPANG WHO CHARTERED A BUS TO MEET HER AT THE AIRPORT"

"THE MELAi MOTORCADE PASSING TRHOUGH THE HIGHWAY NEAR THE FATIMA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL."

"MORE PEOPLE LINE UP THE STREETS AT BARANGAY FATIMA TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE NEW PBB BIG WINNER MELAI"

"THE MELAI MOTORCADE IS MET RIGHT AT THE ROASIDE BY OVER-EAGER FANS"

"ENTERING THE GATES OF MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY, BARANGAY TAMBLER, GENSAN"

"WAITING FOR MELAI AT THE MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY-GENSAN GYM"

"MSU SCHOOL BAND WELCOMES THEIR FAMOUS STUDENT MELAI INFRONT OF THE GYM"

"MELAI COULD HARDLY GET INTO THE GYM WITH ALL HER SCHOOLMATES RUSHING TO MEET HER. IT WAS PANDEMONIUM TO SAY THE LEAST."

"MSU STUDENTS FILL THEIR GYM UP TO THE RAFTERS JUST TO GET A GLIMPSE OF THEIR SCHOOLMATE AT THE STAGE"

"MELAI DELIGHTS HER SCHOOLMATES WITH HER RAPID FIRE DELIVERY OF HER THANK YOU SPEECH"

After her MSU visit, the motorcade proceeded to Barangay Calumpang which passed by their Barangay Hall,the Sports Complex and Melay’s residence.

"MELAI'S MOTORCADE PASSES BY BARANGAY CALUMPANG HALL. THIS IS WHERE MELAI RESIDES."

"MELAI'S MOTORCADE SLOWS DOWN ACROSS HER HOME WHERE SHE IS MET BY HER FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS"

"GENERALS RECOGNIZE MELAI AS HER MOTORCADE PASSES THROUGH PIONEER AVENUE"

"STUDENTS FROM GOLDEN STATE COLLEGE AND HOUSEWIVES FROM BARRIO TINAGO AT P. ACHARON CHEER FOR MELAI"

'MELAI GETS A KISS EACH FROM HER PARENTS INSIDE THE KCC MALL PRIVATE MESS HALL WHERE SHE IS TO GUEST IN A SHOW"

"MELAI IN A SOUVENIR SHOT WITH ABS-CBN STAFF"

"THIS TIME, KCC MALL OF GENSAN STAFF WITH MELAI"

"MELAI WITH GENSAN CITY MAYOR JUN ACHARON AND HIS WIFE DR. ROSE DURING HER COURTESY CALL AT THE CITY HALL AT 6:30PM"

"MELAI WITH THE CITY MAYOR'S OFFICE STAFF"

Now we will present to you the You Tube videos of Melai’s homecoming to GenSan.

First is the You Tube video of her arrival at the GenSan airport.

Next is the You Tube video of Melai at the MSU Campus and the continuation of her motorcade which passed Calumpang, her homegrounds.

Here is a You Tube video of her visit to her house in Calumpang, GenSan.

Here is a You Tube video of Melai’s visit to the City Hall of General Santos City.

With the worsening power crisis in this part of Southern Mindanao, comes this peace of news….

In separate news reports today, March 09, 2010, from the online editions of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Standard and other national media outlets, it was gathered that food and beverage behemoth San Miguel Corporation is building a 150-megawatt to 300-MW power plant in General Santos City!

This came about with the acquisition of San Miguel Corporation, of Daguma Agro Minerals Inc., a coal plant based in South Cotabato, of the Guingonas, which has the rights over one of the Philippines’ richest coal deposits.  This one is located at Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu.

According to San Miguel president Ramon Ang, “a switch-on ceremony is being planned for the construction of a mine-mouth power plant”, which will cost from $150 million to $300 million, at a cost of $1 million per megawatt.

He added that initially the coal-fired power plant would generate 150 MW to 300 MW of electricity but could be increased depending on coal production.  His people are now in the process of securing the permits and other requirements needed for both the coal mine and coal plant.

If plans don’t miscarry, construction of the coal plant in General Santos City will start within the year and will be completed by 2012.

The report further revealed that “Another coal mining company, Sultan Energy Philippines Corp., has started test production of its Daguma coal field. Sultan Energy holds a separate coal operating contract in the Daguma coal field covering 7,000 hectares“.

Hydroelectric power plants provide the bulk of Mindanao’s power requirements but they have limited capabilities now due to low water inflow to reservoirs.

The Agus power plant of National Power Corp. have an available capacity of 65 MW out of the total rated output of 727 MW. The Pulangi plant, also owned by Napocor, provides 20 MW out of the total rated capacity of 255 MW.

San Miguel has been intensifying its investments in the power sector. It now owns the 620-MW Limay bunker-fired power plant and trading the 1,000-MW contract of the Sual coal-fired power plant.

San Miguel is also vying for the 246-MW Angat power plant up for bidding next month. – MANILA STANDARD TODAY

If and when San Miguel Corporation complies with all the requirements needed and goes through the necessary processes involved to secure the permits for operation, of this power plant, and armed with the assurance that the environment is protected, we are certain that the GenSan City Council will hold no objection to it this time.

So with the generals.

For the May 10, 2010 local and national election, the Office of the Election Officer in General Santos City of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) recently released the LIST OF DESIGNATED POSTER AREAS in the city.  These places will be the official venues for supporters of the candidates to hang, display, post or set up their merchandising materials.

The local candidates of GenSan may start posting their election campaign materials on March 25, 2010 in these spots.

Here is page one of the list of COMELEC GenSan’s common poster areas signed by Atty. Jose Villanueva, the City Election Officer.

Here is the second page of the list of COMELEC GenSan’s common poster areas.

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Now if you see election campaign materials like posters, streamers, tarpaulins, stickers in areas outside these official designated places, you have all the right to report them to the local COMELEC office by calling them at telephone #s (083) 554-1881.  Or if you can’t wait for them, why not tear down the illegally-posted campaign paraphenalia yourself?

That will make you a hero in the eyes of every law abiding citizen of GenSan!  Go for it!

Are you sick and tired of all the unannounced power brownouts in Soccsksargen which have been happening at least four times daily, sometimes lasting for an hour or even up to 15 hours?

Have you ever wondered by SOCOTECO II has not come up with a pronouncement aside from the usual “EL NINO” excuse and a solution to all these since for sure, they saw this coming years back?

Anyway, for all that it is worth, we are publishing verbatim SOCOTECO II’s latest Power Advisory sent out to the city’s media outlets and the City Mayor’ Office.

This notice was signed by SOCOTECO II’s Institutional Services Depatment Manager Geronimo C. Desesto.

POWER ADVISORY

EL NIÑO WORSENS POWER SITUATION IN MINDANAO, HOURS OF ROTATING BROWN-OUT INCREASE

The El Niño phenomenon worsens the already fragile power situation in Mindanao, as water level drops at faster rate than expected.

Over the week, SOCOTECOII customers experienced two to three times two-hour brown-out to meet National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ (NGCP) load curtailment requirements. Power supply curtailment has been imposed by NGCP in Southern Mindanao since August 2009 due to power generation deficiency, ranging from 20 MW to as high as 40 MW, daily.

As per recent NGCP advice, water elevation at hydroelectric power plants reaches below critical level. Power crisis is expected to continue until rainy season arrives or until power generation deficiency is addressed.

SOCOTECOII management implores for public’s understanding since this power crisis is beyond its control and is experienced by Mindanao and the Philippines, as a whole. The management also finds difficulty in coming up with load shedding schedule due to the erratic curtailment demands required by NGCP from SOCOTECOII, which varies at hourly basis.

Energy conservation activities are requested from all electricity users, especially during 5PM to 9PM, through the following:

1. 1. No ironing of clothes on above-mentioned time;
2. 2. Limited use of air-conditioner and other electrical appliances;
3. 3. Unplugging of refrigerators/freezers from 6PM to 8PM;
4. 4. Use one television set only for the whole family;
5. 5. Sensible use of lighting facilities at home

Thank you.

# # # # #

Approved for Release:

GERONIMO C. DESESTO

Manager, Institutional Services Department

MARCH 1, 2010

ISD/MPR-Information

HOTLINE:  Telephone #s553-5848 to 50 local 133

And now for your rants and raves, complaints, whatever, you may write them down here. We’re sure SOCOTECO II will read them.

Two weeks ago, a fleet of seven orange multi-cabs can be seen plying the streets of General Santos City with eye-catching streamers hanging on their sides.  Curiouser than a cat, Bariles immediately took pictures of one with his NOKIA E63 phone cam as soon as he saw it parked at the rear car lot of Robinsons Place-GenSan.

Wow!  That was all Bariles could say after finding out that the vehicles are all commissioned by Robinsons. This particular one he saw ferries customers and shoppers to and from the mall to Susana Homes and Dona Soledad Subdivision.

Upon further investigation, Bariles also found out that other routes included in this LIBRENG SAKAY offer of Robinsons Place GenSan are Barangay Calumpang, Barangay Apopong and even as far as the municipality of Alabel in Sarangani Province!   He hopes that this won’t be just a temporary thing but will make it a regular promotion in General Santos City.

One thing for sure is that this move is very commendable on the part of the management of Robinsons and will not only increase foot traffic inside the mall from these far-flung areas of GenSan and Sarangani but will also endear them more to the hearts of the locals.

Talaga ngang MAS MAGANDA DITO!!!

A few weeks back, a Google Mapping Party (GenSan Mapping Party)  was conducted in General Santos City with the Tuna Capital’s very active bloggers in attendance for an afternoon of fun, learning and advocacy.

But first, what is a Mapping Party?

A Mapping Party is a gathering where you invite your friends who have laptops to a venue with fast internet connection, and together, with the use of Google Map Maker  and aided by an instructor, map out and name your locality’s streets, roads, highways, establishments, housing, etc.

In this case, Bariles, through his network of online journalists, the Soccsksargen Bloggers group, gathered  20 of the best ones from General Santos City at one of GenSan’s newer coffee shops, Cafe Amoree.  Lending his expertise to the exercise if GenSan Blogger and UP Diliman student, Mikko Gozalo.

The Mapping Party lived up to its slogan “Mapping GenSan for the world: Now no one gets lost in General Santos City again!” by being able to insert more than a thousand names for the the map of the Tuna Capital collectively.  It was one notable project of the Soccsksargen Bloggers and hopefully, will not be the last of its kind for their beloved locality.

Here are more photos to show for it.

"BLOGGER MIKO GOZALO EXPLAINING THE GOOGLE MAPPING PROCEDURES TO THE SOCCSKSARGEN BLOGGERS AT CAFE AMOREE'S FUNCTION ROOM"

"A CAMERAMAN OF ABS-CBN FILMS THE SOCCSKSARGEN BLOGGERS AT WORK. THIS ACTIVITY WAS FEATURED ON THE LOCAL KAPAMILYA NEWS PROGRAM."

"THE SOX BLOGGERS AT WORK DILIGENTLY ON THEIR MAPS"

"THE SOCCSKSARGEN BLOGGERS AT THE MAIN DINING AREA OF CAFE AMOREE AFTER THE GOOGLE MAPPING PARTY"

The attendees, by the way are the following bloggers:  Orman Manansala, Ariel Lalisan, Mark Aethen Agana, Gilbert Tan, Mikko Gozalo, Donna Mae Congson, Emman, Mandi Nicolas, Rain Cindy and her friend, Hannah Espinosa, Rabsky Villanueva,  Arnel and Rosilie Lim, Gay Carillo, www and her husband and yours truly, Bariles.

A million thanks goes out to the owners of Cafe Amoree, especially our good friend Ricky and his lovely wife and to Orman for facilitating their hosting of this first ever and historical GenSan Mapping Party.

Shout outs of gratitude to Ate Aileen Apolo-De Jesus for the Google shwags, to K101’s Kabayan Joe for the mousepads with wristrests and Mr. Mandi Nicolas for the Adobe Photoshop freebies.

And to the people of GenSan who are into mapping the city, and making it easier to circumnavigate, thank you for sharing our very own home with the rest of the world.

Friday, February 26, 2010 is a Muslim Holiday, in observance of Maulidin Nabi or birthday of Proplet Mohammad (Peace be upon him), corresponding to the 12th day of Rab’ ul Awwal, 1430 Hijra.

This, according to Memorandum No. OMMA2010-FEB-IGST-0020 to the City Government Employees of General Santos City, signed by Mayor Pedro B. Acharon, Jr.

The letter states that “Per Presidential Decree No. 1083 and Section 4 of the Civil Service Commission Resolution No. 81-1277, in Regions 9 and 12, offices and agencies of the national and local government are closed, therefore, Muslims and non-Muslims are all excused from work.”

The Memo is dated February 19, 2010 and was released after a letter from the Office Of Muslim Affairs Field Director Guialil R. Kanda informing the Mayor of the holiday.

This then gives everyone an excuse to go out and party on Friday, February 26 which incidentally is the eve of the Kalilangan 2010 Festival.

Last week’s State of the City Address (SOCA) is the 9^th and the last delivery of the Honorable PEDRO B. ACHARON, JR. as City Mayor of General Santos City.

The SOCA was delivered at the SP Session Hall of the New Legislative Building.  Two days prior to that, at the inauguration of the new building, he remarked that the state of the city for the Year of Legacy will occur at the building which is testament to the stability of the local government of General Santos City.

Here is a short synopsis of the State of the City Address (SOCA) of the Mayor for GenSan.  Thanks to Millette Kaindoy, Goddess of Milk Maidens.

RE-ENGINEERING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT

The SOCA first reported on the efforts of re-engineering the local government organization that made its personnel customer focused through the Total Quality Service of the Organizational Development Program.

The result of the redesigning has reaped tremendous positive gains for the city quantified according to the City Development Strategies of Good Governance, Competitiveness, Bankability and Livability.

INVESTMENTS SOARED

The city has become more competitive as manifested in the number of new investments registered, tourist arrivals, employment generated, money in circulation, infrastructure development, agricultural sustainability and food security.

Total amount of investments for 2009 soared high with new businesses registering 1.397 Billion pesos capitalization. Weighing high on the investment scale is the wholesale and retail trade, which registered 577 new firms.

Hotel and restaurant industry came by leaps and bounds with 83% growth from last year’s 73 to 143 new firms this year. Community, social and personal services listed 261 new businesses. Total number of new businesses for 2009 is 1,259 indicating a 126% accomplishment vis-à-vis the 1,000 yearly target.

These new business registrants paid a total amount of 3.121 Million for taxes and fees and generated employment of about 3, 765 jobs.

Tourism investments posted more than 100% increase compared to 2008. Based on approved capitalization, new investments of 615 tourism-related establishments registered 274 Million pesos as compared to 137 Million pesos of 2008. These investments generated 1,084 jobs for the generals.

MORE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED

Most noted among its various achievements for 2009 are infrastructure project implementation by the government and the private sectors.

68 projects were implemented with a total contract cost of 240 million pesos of which 56 projects were completed. Most of the projects fall under Buildings and Other Structures, which account for about 52% of the total number of projects and 46% of the total contract costs.

Roads and Bridges represent about 35% of the total number of projects but 41% of the total project costs. By the year-end, an aggregate of 3.1 kilometers of roads were concrete-paved, 1 bridge was completed, 6.6 kilometers of farm-to-market road were improved and opened, a total of 1.4 lineal meters of sidewalk were constructed, 2 intersections were improved and traffic signal systems were installed.

Lastly, comprising the remaining 13% in the number of projects and in project costs are the construction of gabion dikes at Barangays Fatima, Mabuhay and San Jose amounting to 24.56 million pesos under our disaster preparedness and prevention projects charged to calamity fund.

BOOST IN AGRICULTURE SECTOR

Increased certified palay seed producers from 8 in 2008 to 17 in 2009 or an increase of 210%, thus ensuring continuous supply of certified seeds for our local rice producers.  Area of seed production likewise increased 137% from 16 hectares in 2008 to 22.00 hectares in 2009. Average yield per hectare increased by 124% from 6.30 metric tons per hectare in 2008 to 7.82 metric tons per hectare in 2009.

Under the animal health and disease control program, there were 32,395 vaccinations undertaken, 15,401 animals treated against different animal diseases, 33,051 given Vitamin Supplementation, 16,026 animals dewormed.

STATE OF EDUCATION STRENTHTENED

The city becomes increasingly livable as more Generals and their families enjoy a healthier and safer environment.  More Generals have access to health and medical services, more are able to send their children to school, more are able to live decently in homes within a secure community.

There was a 100% participation rate in our public early childhood education program. Participation rates for public elementary and secondary levels are at 93% and 80% respectively.

Two new schools were opened,  Dadiangas North High School that decongested Ireneo National High School, and Samboang-Ngilay High School at Barangay Batomelong.  These  were made possible through our local Special Education Fund and through the generosity of the Honorable Congresswoman Darlene Antonino-Custodio.

HEALTH MAINTENANCE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND KIDS

6,749 pregnant women have been provided with pre-natal care at our public health facilities.  According to the 2007 NSO census, there are 65,506 children who are five years old and below; among these 58,774 or 90% of this age group are well nourished.   Of the 507 TB smear positive detected among the Generals, 411 have already been cured; thus reducing tuberculosis mortality rate in the city.

DISASTER PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS AND CRIME PREVENTION

All of our 26 barangays have disaster prevention and disaster preparedness plans.  THE PNP reported that of the 126 Index crimes committed, 117 have been solved, and of the 124 non-index crimes that occurred, 121 have been solved, giving a 93% and 98% crime solution efficiency, respectively.  This makes General Santos City a very livable city.

BILLIONAIRES CLUB

The city is in a healthy financial condition.  It is bankable.  Local revenue collection is at its highest which says much about the trustworthiness of the local government.  Thus, people are more willing to pay taxes and fees.

Year 2009 was when General Santos City hit the billion level in its revenue collection, a total of 1.238 billion pesos.  The first time in the history of the Local government unit, which include the share for the special education fund of 69.1 million pesos and 30.6 million pesos for the baragnay.

The net revenue of 1.138 billion pesos is 24.93% over our estimate, the highest ever.

The aggregate expenditure (2001-2009) was 6.259 billion pesos, of which:

• 36.89% or 2.309 billion pesos was used for general public services,
• 32% or 2.003 billion pesos for economic services, particularly on infrastructures;
• 23.52% or  1.472 for social services that include health and education programs;
• Finally 7.58% or half a billion pesos were used as statutory accounts such as calamity fund and interest payments.

According to the latest report from the City Bankers Association of General Santos (cbags), total money in circulation in 2007 reached 14.1 billion pesos and it increased to 16.9 billion pesos in 2008.  This is the combined total of peso and dollar deposits in the 45 banks operating in General Santos City.

In 2002, volume of deposit was only around 7 billion pesos.  we have doubled the volume of money in circulation in the city within 6-year’s time.

CLEARER PERSPECTIVE

In conclusion, there was also a short reiteration of the accomplishment highlights of the entire nine-year term GenSan Mayor Acharon.  This hindsight provides a clearer perspective in the continuity of programs and projects and its significance in the future development of General Santos City.

For the whole copy of the Mayor’s State of the City Address (SOCA) for 2010, scroll down…

SOCA 2010

In retaliation to Robinsons Place GenSan’s month-long promotion for their Movieworld, “Barkada Treat” which gives away a FREE EXTRA MOVIE PASS for every 3 movie tickets purchased, KCC Mall of GenSan has also come up with theirs.

This puts KCC Mall of GenSan at par with Robinsons GenSan’s Movieworld’s Valentine Month’s gimmick.

Now if they could only do something about their steep steps inside the moviehouses and their defective guide lights on the floors plus their opposition to allow food bought outside to be brought inside, then that would mean  that they really put the customer’s comfort, convenience and safety first and foremost on their minds.

Bariles hopes that this promotion won’t stop in February 29, 2010 for both KCC and Robinsons but will be a regular thing from that time on.

What do you think, dear readers?

For the interest of our South Central Mindanao OR SOCCSKSARGEN readers who have yet to make up their minds on whom to vote among their local candidates, we are releasing to you their names.

Thanks to Blogger Lyle Santos for the help in embedding the list of 2010 Soccsksargen Local Candidates here.

First table below is the list of South Cotabato’s local candidates, including General Santos City’s at page 4 and that of Koronadal’s.

SOUTHCOTABATOMUN

Next below is Sarangani Province’s Municipal Candidates…

SARANGANIMUN

The list of Municipal Candidates of North Cotabato plus those of Cotabato City local candidates and Kidapawan City local candidates follows below…

NORTHCOTABATOMUN

Finally the list of municipal candidates of the Province of Sultan Kudarat..

SULTANKUDARATMUN

Below are the Provincial and Congressional Candidates of Soccsksargen (1st & 2nd Districts of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani).

Remember to start writing down your preferences from this list of 2010 Soccsksargen Local Candidates, which includes the GenSan local candidates, in a paper so you do not have to cram during the day of elections.   Vote for the local 2010 candidates who have done much positive impact in your community, whether it’s in South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sarangani, Koronadal, Kidapawan, Cotabato or General Santos City.

Now if you want to find out who Bariles is voting for in General Santos City, all he could say is,  “Your guess is as good as mine’”.

Cheers!!! VOTE WISELY guys!!!