Showing posts with label Rep. Rufus Rodriguez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rep. Rufus Rodriguez. Show all posts

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Normin shippers pushes North to South Mindanao link in logistics confab

CAGAYAN Journal (Ben Balce/Nov 26) - The two-day Mindanao logistics conference started Wednesday pushed the Northern to Southern Mindanao link, which would enable greater mobility of goods and people.


“The main focus on this conference is the logistics infrastructure. Linkages of Northern to Southern Mindanao, a main corridor like a Davao-Cagayan expressway,” said Cagayan de Oro 2ndDistrict Congressman Rufus Rodriguez.


Rodriguez who welcomed hundred participants said several infrastructures were expected to be built in key places in Mindanao to fast track it economic development.


Rodriguez said, like the ongoing infra-projects he started in Cagayan de Oro early this year would now be a big help if the plan fully be materialized.


“The ongoing projects like the Laguindingan Airport, the planning of the Mindanao Railway System which will connect the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro is the start idea of a logistics corridor,” said Rodriguez.


In Cagayan de Oro, he said the approval of an overpass to be built in Barangay Puerto worth P230- million will help the land cargoes from Bukidnon to Cagayan de Oro.


“That overpass will help cargoes from Bukidnon as it will be connecting to the new planned coastal super highway from Puerto to Macabalan port," said Rodriguez.


The conference held at the Phividec Industrial Authority in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.


The Mindanao Federation of Shippers’ Association (MINFESA) Inc. who spearheaded the conference made some proposal as it will presented during the said conference with the theme: "Southern-Northern Mindanao Logistics Corridor: Key to Fast Track its Economic Development."


MINFESA President Vic Lagdamen in a statement said the "expressway" would not necessarily be the one passing through the current national highway, as long as it will "facilitate for a faster movement of goods and people."


He also said while the Northern-Mindanao link is being pushed as a main corridor, the proposed integrated logistics and transportation plan should also include the Zamboanga, Caraga and other regions in Mindanao.


Mindanao is yet to have an integrated logistics and transportation plan, he said.


He said the plan should figure significantly with the recent infrastructure boost in Mindanao, wherein major infrastructure were recently built like the Mindanao Container Terminal, along with the expansion of seaports and airports, and improvement of national roads.


Business Growth Development program manager Renne P. Subido said that the integrated logistic highway or corridor that would connect two big economic centers in the region the Northern and Southern part of Mindanao is planned by Minfesa in cooperation with some groups like Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM).


"The GEM will give some technical assistance and part of the conference' resolution and one of the co-funding groups," said Subido.


The gathered sectoral issues and concerns during consultations in Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga also presented in the conference.


Lagdamen said they will not only forward the conference resolutions to concerned agencies like the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) but to aspiring presidential candidates saying that "the new administration should already have a buy-in into the idea."


Some international players like foreign shipping industries were attended the 200-strong delegation of shippers, shipping lines, cargo forwarders, service providers, and representatives from private sector and government agencies.


The port director of the Muara Port in Brunei Darussalam is also expected to be one of the conference speakers on today's (Nov 26) conference, which would highlight port and infrastructure development thrust in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga) sub-regional cooperation, Lagdamen said.


"Luzon is ahead of us in planning its own integrated logistics corridor and building expressways, interconnecting its ports and airports. It is high time for Mindanao to plan its own future and face the global challenge," a statement from the conference brochure says.


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Saturday, August 22, 2009

Local officials divided on gamblers’ 2010 bid

CAGAYAN de Oro City (Ben Balce /Aug 22) - LOCAL officials offer differing positions on the application of Alyansa ng mga Sabungero as a party-list group.

Mayor Constantino Ja-raula said he could not hide his frustration over the large number of groups seeking seats in the House of Representatives using the party-list system.

‘‘Wala ko’y objection niana. Ang sa ako wala natuman ang batas sa party-list system law,’’ Jaraula said, adding that despite having dubious or scant credentials, Comelec still continuously approves party-list applications.

‘‘Some organizations were apparently just out to abuse the party-list law,’’ said Jaraula adding: ‘‘Hasta na ang mga mangunguot mag-apply na niana.’’

Jaraula said the party-list law is enshrined in the 1987 Constitution to give important yet voiceless sectors a say in policy-making.

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has a different view.

Rodriguez said the group and its members could be considered marginalized because ‘‘they live a hand-to-mouth existence, earnings.”

‘‘If the group met all the requirements of the Comelec, why can’t they join as party-list,’’ said Rodriguez, adding that is part in a democratic country.

‘‘I’m in favor... especially if they help the employees and kristos,” said Rodriguez.

A former House member, however, expressed her disapproval.

“It is a bastardization of the law on party list if we allow the Samahan ng Sabungero in Congress,’’ said former party-list representative Loretta Ann Rosales of Akbayan said in an interview.

Rosales said to allow the group would open the floodgates to other groups that are not marginalized to ask for accredition.

She said, “We will then have the jueteng lords, casino players, mga babaero to ask to be accredited also.”

Rosales said there is no need for these groups to be accredited since some of them are in the Palace or Congress already.

“This is sacred,’’ she added, ‘‘itong gusto sa mga sabungero is a kalokohan.’’

For his part, city elections officer Stalin Baguio belittled the Alyansa ng Sabungero.

‘‘A group of cockfighters want to enter party list? But for me they are not [considered] marginalized,’’ said Baguio.

‘‘This group of sabongeros nga gusto magpa-party list, kinahanglan nga i-verify muna kini kung nag-exist ba o dili, naghatag ba kini ng kaayohan sa miyembro? Kung ma-meet nila ang tanan nga requirements, maka-apil sila,’’ said Baguio.

‘‘They just formed a group pero lahi ang katuyoan. For me, they (Sabungeros) are not considered a marginalized sector. Mga sugarol man na. How about the pork barrel para sa unsa ang ilang katuyoan ug unsaon nila na?’’ asked Baguio. (with a report from SUSAN PALMES)


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Saturday, July 18, 2009

Only court-named doc should see if Legacy’s owner is fit or not: Rufus

CAGAYAN de Oro City (BONG FABE / Cagayan Journal /July 18, 2009) - ONLY a doctor appointed by a court where he is facing charges should determine whether Legacy Group’s Celso delos Angeles is fit to stand trial.

Nobody else––not the police or even his doctor––should determine whether he is healthy enough to face his accusers, said Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro.

Rodriguez, however, said if the court-appointed doctor finds that delos Angeles is not fit enough to stand trial, then “we should not drag him down to Cagayan de Oro for humanitarian reasons.”

“Let him stay and recuperate in the hospital. And when he is fit and has recovered from his sickness, then that’s the time he should face his accusers in a trial. But for now, the RTC in Cagayan de Oro should appoint a doctor to really see to it that he really is sick and cannot stand trial at this time,” said Rodriguez.

Delos Angeles was arrested Monday afternoon at the St. Luke’s Hospital by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) over a charge of syndicated estafa filed by Legacy Group customers here.


Delos Angeles, the mayor of
Santo Domingo, Albay, is the owner of Legacy, which authorities said was behind one of the country’s biggest pyramiding scams that victimized thousands of people.

His arrest came just hours after the RTC Branch 17, 24 and 41 here issued the warrants for the arrest of delos Angeles and other local respondents last Monday.

The courts also recommended no bail for delos Angeles.

Legacy reportedly owes customers at least P14.4 billion, half of which is due to customers who have pre-need claims that amounted to P7 billion.


As of December 2008, Legacy sold 14,579 policies––3,585 for pension; 2,292 for education; and 3,702 for memorial.

Delos Angeles and other suspects are facing at least 31 cases of estafa here.


Of the 31 cases, 26 cases have already been resolved by the City Prosecutor’s Office, which issued the resolution for the issuance of arrest warrants against the accused.


Of the 26 cases resolved, three have already been issued warrants of arrest while the rest could not move on because of the failure of the complainants to pay the docket fee.


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