Panabo City - Residents and taxpayers of this bustling city will once again see another landmark project to be realized this month of March as the city inaugurates the new BIR Satellite Office this coming March 30, 2013.
The project is worth 8 Million and is funded under the Priority Development Assistance Fund of Cong. Anton F. Lagdameo, Jr.
The finishing of the new edifice is just timely as the city celebrates its 12th Founding Anniversary this 31st of March. Many pundits have observed that the city has leaped a lot in terms of development in the past few years under the Silvosa-Gamao administration.
Adding to its list of major investments, is the multi-billion pesos mega-project of the business giant ANFLOCOR, the Davao International Container Terminal, which was seen by many to further boost the city’s internal revenue and employment opportunities.
Local BIR personnel are enthusiastic of Cong. Lagdameo’s efforts and that of the city government in building their new office as this would mean an improvement also in its services as they aim to increase also their tax collection efficiency in the city.
Taxes accumulated from businesses, employments and properties are the government’s main source of revenue which goes back to the city as funds to finance various social projects that help directly its constituents especially the poor.
The Barangay Una Boxing Team once again showed class and supremacy as they romped away with majority of the medals at stake in the recently concluded 2013 ABAP National Amateur Boxing Championship held in Maasin City, Southern Leyte last February 19-22, 2013 participated by 173 boxers representing various cities and provinces nationwide.
All in all, the Panabo City, Davao del Norte-based team snatched 7 golds and 2 silver medals out of 14 participating boxers who were sponsored and managed by the Office of Cong. Anton F. Lagdameo, Jr. with solid support from team founder and Mindanao’s rising business mogul Tonyboy Floirendo.
Former Asian Games Bronze medalist Victorio Saludar III led the onslaught as he clobbered his hometown-bet foe Michael Kaibigan in a Referee-Stopped Contest (RSC) due to outclass in the Elite Class Boys Light Flyweight Category.
The Barangay Una boxers reigned most in the Elite Boys Class as they took away 5 out 5 golds available. Aside from Saludar, also showing excellent performances inside the ring were Flyweight Jolan Bonghanoy who defeated Genesis Libranza of Cabadbaran City; Bantamweight Quirino Mellejor, Jr. over Cebu’s Reoxyl Tabogon; Lightweight Risty Apas outclassing Daryl Ramos of Maasin City; and Welterweight Jay-ar Inson trouncing Richard Bacala also of Maasin.
Also contributing golds were Youth Boys Campaigner Gabriel Rabicycle (Pinweight-46 kg.) and Jr. Boys Flyweight (50 kg.) campaigner Michael John Bahena were they defeated their
respective final opponents from Misamis Oriental and Tagbilaran City. Maruelo Aballe and John Patrick Dinolan settled for silver medals.
Other Barangay Una participants who were not as lucky and lost during eliminations were Jomarie Rubin, Mark Andy Austria, Jobel Araneta, Philip Jay Virador, Marvilo Aballe and Nelia Uba, the team’s lone girl campaigner.
Team Manager Gene-rose Tecson was very much satisfied with the results and said “the team’s dominance in the national amateur boxing scene typifies the solid and unwavering commitment of our patrons Tonyboy Floirendo and Cong. Anton Lagdameo, in supporting not only the year-round training of the boxers but most especially, the schooling and other personal requirements of the children. Tecson also thanked the moral support of the boxer’s parents.
The Barangay Una delegation was headed by its Programs Director Edwin Pardillo and Trainor/Coaches Lelios Siodina, Jeffrey Laurente and Sgt. Dick Varon, the latter, a guest trainor from the Philippine Air Force.
Barangay Una Boxing Team has been adjudged as one of the finest grassroots sports programs in the country having topped numerous local and national tournaments since its founding in 2003 by then Congressman Tonyboy Floirendo. The program was designed to counter drug addiction among youth and promote discipline and education. It has since produced the likes of London Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga of Panabo, Asian Games medalist brothers Rey and Victorio Saludar of Kapalong as well as World Series of Boxing campaigner Charly Suarez who hails from Sawata, San Isidro.
The program currently houses over 80 boxer/scholars under its care stationed at its state-of-the-art boxing/training facility in Panabo City.
MANILA, Philippines - The printing of more than 52 million official ballots to be used in the May 13 elections was completed in “record time” yesterday or in less than two months, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes.
Brillantes performed a symbolic switch-on of the printing machine that churned out 712 ballots comprising the last batch of 52,333,801 printed by the National Printing Office (NPO) in Quezon City. The last batch was for Barangay 186 of Pasay City.
“It seems like only yesterday when we were here to start the printing. Now, we are here again to see the last of the
ballots being printed. This is really surprising for us that in just 57 days or less than two months, we finished printing all the ballots. Kudos will principally go to the NPO,” Brillantes said in a speech.
NPO completed the printing 21 days before the April 25 deadline set by the Comelec. NPO director Emmanuel Andaya called it a “record breaking accomplishment.”
With Brillantes at the NPO yesterday were Comelec commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting chair Henrietta de Villa, and Presidential Communications Operations office head Herminio Coloma.
MANILA, Philippines - Rebel soldier turned senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan grabbed the attention of onlookers when he went around campaigning on a motorcycle.
The 65-year-old lawmaker, usually in a dark blue shirt, was accompanied by motorcycle-riding supporters, conjuring images of biker gangs that value freedom from convention.
Honasan and his companions were not wearing helmets despite a law requiring it. The senator, however, said the law’s implementing rules allow riders not to wear helmets if cruising at less than 10 miles per hour.
Asked why he chose the motorcycle gimmick, Honasan said: “(So that I can) go directly to the people, so that I can touch them and interact with them.”
From a swaggering officer who led uprisings to call for reforms, Honasan now projects himself as a politician who values independence and public welfare.
Honasan emphasizes the importance of an independent Senate that would advocate development.
MANILA, Philippines - Student groups yesterday urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) not to rush into granting petitions filed by over 400 higher education institutions (HEIs) to increase tuition and other fees that might have been filed without proper consultation with students.
Members of the Kabataan party-list group and the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) staged a protest rally in front of the CHED head office in Quezon City on the last day of filing proposals for tuition increase and complaints yesterday.
Pursuant to CHED Memorandum Order No. 3, series of 2012, all HEIs that plan to increase tuition and other fees for the next academic year should submit a proposal alongside pertinent documents to CHED regional offices on or before April 1.
Prior to the April 1 deadline, it was reported that some 451 colleges and universities nationwide have submitted tuition and other fee hike proposals for school year 2013-2014, including 95 proposals in the National Capital Region and 38 proposals in Western Visayas.
CMO 3 mandates schools planning to increase tuition to conduct consultations with students and other constituents until Feb. 28.
Article VI of the memorandum also states that within 30 days after the consultation period, students can file complaints and grievances for proposed fee increases that did not undergo proper consultation.