Photo Courtesy of Rencalago.com

Last week, a habal-habal (motrcycle-for-hire) driver from my hometown was reportedly killed by an unidentified man, who also stole the driver’s vehicle. When I heard about it, it was already the third case of the same crime that took place in a span of just one week. The crime was carried out in the outskirts of my hometown.

These people are just so heartless that they simply watch out for motorcycles that the drivers they victimized worked so hard for. Worse, they kill the drivers after getting what they want. What soulless creatures could do this?

What troubles my mother is that I pass by the area on my way to GenSan. I have to go down to GenSan two nights every week for some commitments and I could go home only after 10PM. Here in the province, 10 o’clock is already very late. You could count by your fingers the number vehicles you would meet along  the dark highway.

The local police have already acted on the series of assaults on the roads. On my way home tonight, I passed by two checkpoints–one was newly put up and the other was manned by more men than usual. They check on the registration papers of every motorcycle that passes by. I have also heard that they already have a lead on who the  suspects are.

I really hope and pray that this problem gets solved soon. Being the tyro driver that I am, I already take heed of the possible dangers of mishaps on the road. What more with this thought that someone might just be lurking somewhere along the road ready to assail you anytime? Nobody wants dangerous roads nor lives being put to waste. No one.

A bold move, the ordinance passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is the first local government initiative in the country to ban open pit mining, a method of mineral extraction that the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, a national law, allows.

Image from bworld.com

The Environment Code directly affects the operation of the Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI), which is set to extract copper and gold in the municipality of Tampakan, South Cotabato.

The Tampakan Project is a 2.4 billion metric ton deposit, containing 13.5 million metric tons of copper and 15.8 million ounces of gold at a 0.3% cut-off grade. It is operated by Philippine-based affiliate Sagittarius Mines, Incorporated (SMI), whose 40% controlling equity is a joint venture among Xstrata Copper (62.5%) and Indophil Resources NL (37.5%). The 60% non-controlling equity shareholders of SMI are the Tampakan Mining Corporation and Southcot Mining Corporation (known as the Tampakan Group of Companies). from Tampakan Project Sustainability Report (pdf)

Fuentes appeared on TV Patrol SOCSKSARGEN and said that she made the decision for the good of the locals whose lives depend on the mining site, which is a watershed.

According to the Daily Star, the nature of an open pit mine–being a massive hole dug into the ground–contributes to a disruption of the nature and appearance of the natural environment around it. Deterioration of the quality of ground water is a possible danger. Also, open pit mines strip the topsoil of the land nearby, and unexpected water runoff from these mines–especially those that excavate coal–can be hazardous to life in nearby rivers and streams. from ehow.com

Open-pit mining, also known as open-cast mining and open-cut mining, refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow. from Wikipedia

Open pit mining could turn Tampakan’s mountains from this:

Image from Tampakan Project Sustainability Report 2009 (SMI)

to this:

Image from Wikipedia

Peter Forrestal, president of SMI, expressed his concern on the impact of the Environment Code on the operation of the mining company. He also insists that based on SMI’s pre-feasibility studies, open pit mining in the best method to use in extracting the ore reserves in Tampakan.

These studies identified open pit mining as the safest and only economic extraction method given the configuration of the deposit and the geology of the region. from SMI News Release

The Tampakan Project is one of the largest mining projects in Asia. SMI is reportedly investing over US$5 billion dollars for this project and will employ 9, 000 people for the construction and 2,000 during the actual operation.

For the many years that SMI has existed in Tampakan, it has done several community projects for the indigenous people including scholarships, among others, and continues to stand on its promise of sustainable development.

If this project does not materialize, it would be an opportunity that the province and the surrounding provinces and cities would miss, as the project entails a lot of other developments.

On the other hand, the local government of South Cotabato only wanted to protect the interest of the people it serves and that includes protecting the natural resources of the province from potential exploitation.

Fuentes’ signing of the Environment Code does not put an end to this issue. For as long as the gold and copper reserves remain buried in the mountains of Tampakan, foreign investors with the technical and financial capacity to extract it would always be keeping an eye on this province.

As our country’s new leaders take their oath of office, the challenge of development versus environmental conservation is major issue that they should pay attention to. Let us hope that in their decision-making, they would always think of the people’s welfare and not the personal gains they could get.

According to reports Pacquiao personally requested Judge Jaime Y. Infante to be the inducting officer, so the latter assisted Justice Carpio during Pacquiao’s oath taking.

Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez also took his oath for his last term as the province’s governor.

In his speech, he highlighted how Sarangani has improved from being the fourth poorest province in 2004 to being the 14th after his two terms as governor.

He promised that in three years’ time, Sarangani will no longer be classified a poor province.

In the picture below, he is flanked by his immediate family and a beautiful woman who could easily be identified as his fiance.

Vice-Governor Steve Solon, who is regarded as the governor’s team mate, with their slogan, ka-team-bayayong sa pag-uswag (partners in development) was also installed into office.

After the inauguration the Sarangani News Bureau of Kabataan News Network, composed of students from our school got the chance to interview Pacquiao, who gladly answered the students’ questions.

His first contest is the This-Is-Not-Just-For-Bloggers Contest, which, as the name suggests, is not a blog writing contest. It is open for those who have accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, and other social networking site.

GandaEverSoMuch.com is probably one of the most influential blogs this year. The blog contains a collection of funny and sometimes emo posts about the author’s colorful life. You won’t get disappointed each time you visit the blog because you would always read something new as the author updates his blog everyday, whether he’s happy or sad, his posts won’t fail to make you smile.

One thing more, he’s giving away shirts that I designed. See it here.

THE CHALLENGE with writing this post is how to narrate in a few words a series of fantastic adventures that took place in a weekend everybody wished to have never ended, and great moments spent with people I hoped to have had more time to share with each other. The First Mindanao Food Appreciation Tour and SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari, which gathered bloggers from Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, Kidapawan City in General Santos City to meet the bloggers in the SoCCSKSarGen area and visit places of interest here, have been filled with exciting adventures and memories that will forever be cherished.

The Grand Eyeball at Piyesta KTV and Restobar

I WAS the earliest to arrive at the venue. With that, I don’t need to tell you how excited I was to meet the bloggers–some of whom I’ve met some time ago; others, online friends; while some others, complete strangers. But bloggers who join meet-ups are generally cordial, so it didn’t matter much if they were total strangers.

Fortunately, I had some other friends at Piyesta at that time so I stayed with them while waiting for the bloggers to arrive. I waved at Donna, the dashing owner of Piyesta, who herself is a blogger.

After a little while, SoCCSKSarGen bloggers came one by one. The guest bloggers then arrived later from a dinner sponsored by Le Jardin Arnevel.

Courtesy of Lyle Santos

Piyesta served their signature food items: the spicy kura stick (green chili stuffed with ground beef), tuna buntot (grilled meaty tail part of tuna), and deep-fried tuna maki.  They also served interesting rhum-based drinks. One of which is the Jell-O Shots, served in syringes as containers, which  you could take home with you after drinking. They also served Gayuma in test tubes and graduated cylinders and rhum iced tea in pitchers.

The cozy atmosphere at Piyesta was perfect for bloggers to connect with each other in jovial conversations that are occasionally sprinkled with hearty laughter. It fostered a certain level of closeness that ensured that the adventure the following day will not be stifled by intimidation.

Breakfast and Sightseeing at Dolores Farm

Courtesy of Charles Ortiz

I’VE GOT colds but because I didn’t want to miss the fun and excitement with the bloggers I managed to find a way to join the trip. I took the “Innova Airlines” with Donna the Pilot, Emman, Sheng, Kyawster, and Armand. Off we zoomed to Dolores Farm in Polomolok for our breakfast.

Courtesy of Meiyah Laborte

Aside from the sumptuous meal of tasty bangus and crispy tilapia, Dolores Farm also welcomed us to their zoo. Dolores farm is a perfect getaway if you are planning to unwind but can’t go very far and couldn’t spend much money. It is just a 15-minute drive from GenSan but you can already enjoy great food, cool swimming pool, a walk to their mini zoo, bedrooms with complete amenities, and on Sundays, a magic show. They also have function halls for your events. You may contact them through (083) 500-9362.

Trekking and Zip Lining in Lake Sebu

FOR THE adventure-seeking tourists, zip lining has recently become a must-try. Zip lines are the newest additions to the attractions in Lake Sebu, making your trip to this quaint municipality in South Cotabato a supercharged one.

Lake Sebu boasts of a 1, 040 m-long zip line at a height of over 400 meters from the ground. But the biggest catch is the majestic view of Lake Sebu’s green landscape and a bird’s eye view of the seven falls, while you zoom above them at about 100-120 kph. What could be more exciting than that?

Sadly, I wasn’t able to experience that. There were too many tourist at the Seven Falls when we arrived. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the luxury of time to wait for our turn because on our itinerary several places were yet to be visited. But that fact didn’t make us walk away with drooped shoulders. There was so much to see in Lake Sebu that you can’t experience all of them in just a day.

We walked around under the canopy of rain forest trees, in stead, and took pictures with the first waterfall in the background. I also suggested to my fellow bloggers that we take the 744 steps down to the foot of the second waterfall. The trek was tiring but a breath of fresh air is more than refreshing. And gazing at the grandeur of the second waterfall at the end of the trek is truly a relief.

We then proceeded to Punta Isla Lake Resort for our lunch. The resort gave us a treat of their Tilapia delicacies. The crispy chicharong tilapia is something you would make you want to go back to Lake Sebu.

Be reminded, however, that if you park your car outside, Punta Isla Lake Resort, the locals are going to charge you a parking fee of twenty pesos.

Courtesy of Lyle Santos

My First Zip Line Experience at Merl Garden Resort

IF NOT for Merl Garden Resort, I would not have experienced the thrill of flying. Merl Garden also has its zip line, shorter and lower than the one at Seven Falls. Giving it a try, I learned that you should never underestimate it. If you haven’t tried the zip line at Seven Falls, I suggest that you take the zip line at Merl Garden first.

The zip line at Merl Garden is 200-meter long. You could do it in either superman or sitting position. If you want thrill, try the superman position. I admit, I was very nervous as I was getting ready for the launch. Since it was my first time and my excitement was stronger than my fear, I successfully hurdled the first leg of the zip and I craved for more thrill.

We climbed the monkey ladder to another launching pad  constructed on a very tall tree, 150 feet from the ground. It was a very exhilarating climb. It was a very hard to climb on a bamboo scaffolding.  You can’t look down or you’ll be engulfed by your fear of heights. You can’t look up because you might be afraid you won’t reach the top. You better focus on your grip because if you fall, you will surely be dead. It was really very dangerous.

There is another option, though. If you can’t climb up the bamboo scaffolding, you may try their lift. They will attach your harness to a cable and you will be lifted slowly up the 150-foot loft. But Romarie swears it was torture.

Still catching my breath, I felt a bit dizzy when I reached the top. Fear reigned in me as watched Romarie made the first zip.  But Alexis and I agreed that it was a point of no return. There is no way I’m gonna descend through the monkey ladder again. The only way is to zip the 200-meter distance from a height of 150 feet. That was exactly what we went there for, and I had to face it.

When it was my turn, I kept praying there would be technical failure. The assistant helped me position myself correctly but when it was time for me to launch, I refused to let go. I still held on to one of the bamboo supports. They were cajoling me to let go but I knew I wasn’t ready. I counted one to three and then everything blurred past me.

Courtesy of Rabsky Villanueva

As I approached the end point, it felt like all my burden disappeared. I felt very light. I felt very happy–in fact, proud of myself. It made me want more eager to try zip across the seven falls.

Coffee at Sa Balai Bistro and Dinner at The Red Tent

IF DURING the ride to Lake Sebu, I was very excited, on the trip back, I was equally animated, thanks to my first zip line experience and the 744-step trek. I’m afraid I talked too much as we drove down to the City of Koronadal for some drinks at the homey Sa Balai Bistro.

Having coffee at Sa Balai Bistro made me feel like I have arrived home. Sa Balai Bistro exudes an ambiance that is relaxing and comfortable, which soothed my tired body after a day of adventure in Lake Sebu. A refurbished ancestral home, it is adorned with artistic pieces from different ethic cultures in a mix of European architecture and Asian art.

Courtesy of Lyle Santos

We then traveled back to GenSan, where a scrumptious dinner was set for us by The Red Tent Steakhouse. They served us crabs, beef steak, pork, garlic tuna, among others. The food there is really great, but more than that, the couple that owned the place were there the whole time to give us personalized service.

Then it was time to give parting words. Surely, everyone went home happy and satisfied.

Parting Words

THE BEST things is life are free, and life is quite biased to bloggers as we seem to experience it more often. You better be one of us.

Allow me to thank all our those who helped make the First Mindanao Food Appreciation Tour and the First SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari one huge success:

• Mr. Rey Billena of The Ice Castle Experience
• Piyesta KTV and Restobar
  
• Pacman Sports Bar
• Le Jardin Arnevel
• Dolores Farm Resort
• Francis Sablon of Zion Travel
• Seven Falls Zipline
• Punta Isla Lake Resort
• Merl Garden Resort
• Sa Balai Bistro
• The Red Tent Steakhouse
• Rolee’s Bakeshop
• Coffee Club 101
  
• Kuya Chito’s Takuyaki
• Sir Avel and Sir Orman Manansala

And, of course, thank you to all the bloggers who took part in the event. I really had a great time with you. And oh, thanks Donna for the ride aboard “Innova Airlines”.

Tomorrow ( er, that’s later today I forgot it’s a few minutes after midnight already) at 8PM, bloggers will converge at Piyesta KTV Bar in Robinson’s Place GenSan for the SoCCSKSarGen Grand Eyeball. Here’s the poster designed by Rabsky:

I wish I could join them in the Summer Safari as well, wherein the bloggers will visit several places of interests and restaurants in the SoCCSKSarGen area.  I wish I wouldn’t be busy in the next three days.

Good luck to all the bloggers! Hope to meet you all!

When they were approaching the store, I was eager to see them perform, er, curious about how the improvised fiddle would sound. The other man played the guitar while the blind fiddled his improvised musical instrument, which was made from scrap wood, an empty can, nylon strings, and an old comb to adjust the pitch.

They played Julie Rogers’ Ave Maria and you wouldn’t believe that such music could come from that funny contraption that resembles a fiddle.

I asked them to play it again so I could take a video of it. Unfortunately, in my rush, I forgot that the camera was positioned incorrectly. My bad. Here’s the video:

When they left, I felt something different. I don’t know what it was but I knew I’ve become brave to face all the adversities in my life.

I had my first 3D Cinema experience yesterday at Robinson’s Place Gensan’s Movieworld, where we watched Shrek Forever After and it proved to be one great movie to watch in 3D. I have seen all the Shrek movies but this one is the most memorable for me, thanks to an upgraded visual experience.

First times are always exciting. I felt like a 10-year old yesterday when the Movieworld staff ushered us to the seats reserved for us. The 3D glasses I was given,of course, didn’t escape inspection. I expected them to be made from cardboard and had blue-and-red tinted plastic eyepieces like those you use to view images on 3D books. But the ones they use at Movieworld was far from my expectations. They looked like real eyeglasses and were made by Dolby. Just like everyone else, I wanted to take it home.

From the start of the movie until its end, oohs, aahhs, and wows filled the air. Everyone was clearly amazed by the visuals. I even moved away by reflex when objects appeared to come out of the screen.

Now, the formula for my first 3D movie experience: excellent visuals and sound, comfortable seats, and great movies like Shrek. They have all these at Robinson’s Movieworld.

Overall, my first 3D Cinema experience was a blast. For sure, I would be watching more 3D movies in the future. Can’t wait for Toy Story 3.

*Photos are from Robinson’s Place Gensan Media Lauch Kit and Sir Orman.

With a wide margin of over 11, 000 votes and getting the trust of about two-thirds of the voting population, Emmanuel “Manny/Pacman” Pacquiao knocked out the champion of a 17-year dynasty, Roy Chiongbian.

It took the COMELEC three days after the election before finally proclaiming the new set of provincial government officials due to delays in the transmission of election returns.

VICTORIOUS: (From L-R) Gov. Migz Dominguez, Cong. Manny Pacquaio, Election Officer Atty. Michael Abas, and V-Gov. Steve Solon

Just before midnight of May 13, Pacquiao was finally proclaimed a winner, together with re-elected Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez and Vice-Gov. Steve Solon.

Dominguez and Solon and the only Lakas-SARRO candidates elected into provincial government posts; the rest are all from the People’s Champ Movement.

Following are the Final and Official Results of the Election in Sarangani Province:

Congressman of Sarangani

Governor

Vice Governor

Board Members – District 1

Top 3 Only

Board Members – District 2

Top 6 Only

*Photo from Sarangani Province Updates

Following are the Final Official Results of the Local Election in Alabel, Sarangani Province:

Mayor

Re-electionist Corazon Grafilo of People’s Champ Movement won by a margin of 831 votes. It had been a close fight with Ronnel Español of Lakas, who the led the poll for a number of times during the canvassing, leaving the watchers gasping for breath.

Vice Mayor

It’s almost a 60-40 share in favor of PCM’s Vic Paul Salarda in the Mayoralty race, beating then Mayor Hernando Sibugan of Lakas..

Councilors

The Municipal Council of eight members was split equally between PCM and Lakas, with young engineer and re-electionist Mark Senit on the lead.

The council is also a mix of the young, newbies, and seasoned politicians. Marivic Flores, Menandro Dambong, and Moises Alaba are all experienced in the field of politics. Businesswoman Lotis Villarico and engineer Joel Aton of the Southern Philippine Power Corporation are new to public office. Meanwhile, Paul Villamora (son of a former councilor) and Irish Louie Arnado are the youngest ones. Arnado is only 22.

May this new set of public officials bring about change in my beloved hometown.

Visit this link for other election results.

*Provincial officials have not yet been declared because as of this posting, canvassing is still going on in the municipality of Glan. One thing is sure, Manny Pacquiao is really going to be our new congressman, given the wide margin between his and contender Roy Chiongbian’s votes.