Saturday, August 26, 2006

Emano issues gag order

CAGAYAN de Oro Mayor Vicente Emano has issued an order that prevents city hall’s department heads or employees from attending official meetings intended for investigation without his go-ahead, shows a document uncovered by Councilor Zaldy Ocon.

The document, Memorandum no. 374-06, reads: "xxx any communication to summon any department head, chief of office or employee of the city government... to attend meetings shall be forwarded to the office of the city mayor for approval."

The memo also reads: "xxx any invitation for attendance to meetings or investigation must be forwarded to the office of the city mayor at least three days before the scheduled date...’’

Supposedly, the policy is aimed at giving Emano enought time ‘‘to act on the said invitation."

Emano issued the memorandum last Aug. 22 to ‘‘remind’’ the offices of the vice mayor and the city council not to send summons or invitations to department heads in regard to official matters, ‘‘except [to] the undersigned (Emano).’’

The Mindanao Gold Star Daily

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Sabotage, says Transco of B'non power outage

THE National Transmission Corp. (Transco) yesterday said the power outage in Bukidnon the other day was a result of sabotage.

Officials said the power transmission lines of five steel towers of Transco in Bukidnon were loosened. The towers are located within the Montalvan Farm in Barangay Botong, Quezon town, a place where the New People’s Army is known to be active.

Transco officials declined to point to any group responsible for the alleged sabotage.

As a result, over half of Bukidnon, including Malay-balay and Valencia cities, were left without electricity. In some areas, the Transco service resumed at dawn.

"In some areas, the outage lasted 20 hours," said Rufino Magbanua, a Transco spokesperson.

Based on Transco’s investigation, the culprits loosened the volts and clamps connecting the transmission lines to the towers.

The task was difficult, said Magbanua, adding the group responsible for the sabotage had enough men and were well-equipped.

It took five Tranco teams to repair the damage. Each team, called ‘‘line gangs,’’ is composed of seven people.

The Mindanao Gold Star Daily

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Laguindingan Airport Update: Bidding Process for Access Road Starts, Construction slated for January 2007

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MIKE BAÑOS / Aug 19) No less than ten companies have signified their intention to participate in the bidding for the access road to the soon-to-be constructed Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental.

Engr. Della P. Capicenio, manager of the Laguindingan Airport Development Project (LAPD) said the invitation to bid has already been published as mandated by law, and the evaluation and actual bidding set for the next 60 days.

The 4.3 kilometer access road's entry point will be the Bgy. Poblacion in Laguindingan with its exit point in Bgy. Kibaghot, also in the same municipality.

"Since it is a national road, it will be a four-lane highway which shall form part of the airport complex and will be constructed and maintained by the Dept. of Transportation and Communication's Air Transportation Office (ATO)," Capicenio said.

The budget for the P188-million project is already part of the line item included by the DOTC for the duration of the construction phase of the LAPD from 2007-2010, she added.

"So far, President Arroyo has already released P530-million to the LAPD for this year," Capicenio said.

At present, the LAPD project office is focusing on land acquisition, specifically the administrative and judicial titling of lots which have already been acquired and still to be acquired under the project.

"We have already completed acquisition of 90% of the 265 hectares (has.) needed for the project," Capicenio said. "The balance to be acquired consists mostly of lots belonging to Ayala Corporation."

Although they have asked Ayala Corp. to donate the additional 94 has. for the airport and 1.7 has for the access road to the government, the Ayala Board of Directors has reportedly expressed its preference to have the DOTC secure it by expropriation, Capicenio said.

The company has previously donated 88 hectares to the LAPD but the additional 96.7 has. of its property which covers Laguindingan and Alubijid municipalities are now needed after the total area for the LAPD was expanded from the previous 167 hectares.


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