Here’s good news for jobseekers and upcoming graduates.

The City’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO) will conduct a day-long job fair Friday, March 19 as a gift to jobseekers and upcoming graduates in celebration of the 62nd birthday of Mayor Celso Lobregat the following day.

A total of 15 overseas recruitment agencies and some 10 local companies are expected to participate in the job fair that will be opened 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Philippine National Red Cross campus.

Francisco Barredo, City Social Welfare and Development Officer and concurrent PESO manager said some 3,500 job orders will be available for both skilled and unskilled labor. Of the total number 3,500 are for overseas placements while some 200 are local placements.

The job fair Friday will be PESO’s second undertaking for this year. The first was conducted last January in partnership with the ABS-CBN in celebration of the Chabacano TV patrol’s anniversary.

In 2009, the PESO conducted a total of 8 job fairs resulting to the hiring of 1,142 workers for both local and overseas placement.

The city’s PESO has been adjudged as the top regional performer in 2009 because of the number of fairs conducted and the number of hired workers.

Barredo said the job fair is Mayor Lobregat’s gift to the people of Zamboanga on his birthday, set on March 20, Saturday. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Mayor Celso Lobregat tackles with barangay chairmen, the use of calamity funds to mitigate the power crisis during a meeting of the City Disaster Coordinating Council Tuesday at the City Health Office Conference room. City Police OIC Director Col. Edwin de Ocampo listens intently. (JOEY BAUTISTA)

Barangay officials yesterday expressed support to the move to allow private investors to set up modular power generating sets to Zamboanga City to help ease the power shortage.

In a meeting presided over by Mayor Celso Lobregat and attended by members of the City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC), the barangay chairmen approved a resolution encouraging the entry of the power investors with negotiations to be undertaken by the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (ZAMCELCO).

The other day, the CDCC also resolved to support and encourage the entry of private investors to install generators for additional power capacity, negotiations of which to be undertaken by ZAMCELCO.

Yesterday, Mayor Lobregat and the CDCC convened village chiefs from the city’s 98 barangays to tackle mitigating measures as well as issues concerning the use of barangay calamity funds to ease the effects of the power crisis.

Mayor Lobregat, who chairs the CDCC, explained that the investors are willing to operate a 30-megawatt generator to augment the present 44MW being supplied to the city by the National Grid Corporation (NGC) through the ZAMCELCO.

Lobregat said the city’s peak demand is 85mw, of which only 44mw is currently being supplied by NGC, thus a shortfall of about 41mw, due to the hydro plants’ incapacity to generate the needed electricity for the entire Mindanao as a result of the El Niño weather phenomenon. The situation has prompted Zamcelco to impose rotating blackouts in 23 feeders.

ZAMCELCO under general manager Rey Ramos together with the business sector and other groups was expected to meet with private investors proposing the setting up of modular generator sets in the city.

“This is the situation which we hope to address in the coming days. We invited you, to inform you about the issues and concerns arising from this situation,” Lobregat told the barangay captains present at the CDCC meeting, adding that members of the local disaster council had so far met three times since the president issued Proclamation 2022 last Thursday, placing the entire Mindanao under a state of calamity.

An immediate solution to the rotating blackouts, according to the chief executive, is to invite independent power producers to invest in the city.

The mayor during the meeting yesterday also invited the representative from the Commission on Audit to explain to the barangay officials the appropriate manner in spending calamity funds. “We not want a misuse of the calamity fund”.

The COA representative discussed about budgeting, accounting and auditing rules in connection with the use of calamity funds.

Meanwhile, the body also yesterday approved to allocate portion of the city’s calamity funds for the purchase of handheld radios for distribution to the different fire sub-stations.

It has been noted that because of the dry spell, fire incidents have become rampant in the different barangays. The availability of communication sets would ensure swift response to fire calls.

The CDCC last Friday approved at least 8 resolutions aimed to ease Zamboanguenos from the effects of the power crisis which is brought about by the dry spell El Nino. The measures approved were based on the Malacanang order placing the entire Mindanao under a state of calamity.

The declaration allows the national and local governments to access calamity funds and quickly procure generators as well as undertake other measures to ease the power shortage. (Vic Larato/Sheila Covarrubias)

Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday afternoon convened different stakeholders in the city to discuss about Zamboanga’s participation in the observance of Earth Hour 2010, a worldwide campaign to promote energy efficiency, conservation and to address climate change, set on March 27 at 8:30 in the evening.

Last year, Zamboanga also actively participated in the same event by switching off lights in all buildings in the city proper and the barangays from 8:30-9:30.

The Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (ZAMCELCO) has devised a blackout schedule for the different feeders with a 20 minute interval each for the duration of the Earth Hour.

The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (OCENR) is organizing the event in coordination with the City Administrator’s Office and the different agencies concerned.

A program is set at the ZAMCELCO covered court in Putik on March 27 starting at 7 p.m. Mayor Lobregat will lead the switching off of lights at 8:30.

Earth Hour 2010 is spearheaded by the Department of Energy (DOE) and Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) in collaboration with the Green Army and the SWITCH Movement.

Zamboanga City’s participation in Earth Hour activity is borne out of the fact that global warming is the greatest threat besetting the world, where among others, continued reliance on electricity is causing dramatic increase in the earth’s temperature.

On March 27, numerous cities and towns across the world will turn off their lights for an hour, known as Earth Hour that would send a power message that it is possible to take action on global warming.

Zamboanga has experienced the effects of global warming, one of which was the storm surge incidents in 2007 that brought devastating effects to the environment and the people.

Present during the meeting at City Hall yesterday afternoon were representatives from the different national offices, agencies, institutions of the government, the military, police, utilities, business sector and civic organizations. (Sheila Covarrubias)

After resolving issues concerning power crisis in vital installations last week, Mayor Celso Lobregat will tackle the effects of the aggravating power situation in the barangays in a meeting with village chiefs today.

Mayor Lobregat together with members of the City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) will convene officials from the 98 barangays this morning at the City Health Office Conference room to discuss measures to mitigate the power crisis based on the Malacanang executive order placing the entire Mindanao area under a state of calamity.

The mayor said the meeting will discuss measures on how to cushion the effects of the power crisis in the barangays and matters concerning the use of barangay calamity funds in a bid to prevent misuse of the same.

The Malacanang order, issued by President Gloria Arroyo Friday, March 12, allows the national and local governments to access calamity funds and quickly procure generators as well as undertake other measures to ease the power shortage.

“The City Disaster Coordinating Council meet tomorrow (today, March 16) together with the barangay chairmen so that before they will start using the calamity funds they will be following the budgeting, accounting and auditing rules. We do not want a misuse of the calamity fund”, the mayor said.

Last Friday afternoon, Mayor Lobregat convened the CDCC to tackle solutions based on the Malacanang declaration. The Council approved 8 resolutions aimed to relieve Zamboanguenos from the effects of the power crisis.

The CDCC approved the use of the city’s calamity funds for the purchase of generating sets for vital institutions and to extend cloud seeding operations to help boost rainfall.

Aside from allowing the use of the city’s calamity funds, the CDCC also resolved to support and encourage the entry of private investors to install generators for additional power capacity, negotiations of which to be undertaken by the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative.

To help boost rainfall, the CDCC approved to appropriate P2.7 million out of the calamity funds for a 30-day extension of the cloud seeding operations being undertaken at present by the Department of Agriculture. Numerous cloud seeding sorties have been conducted by the DA, through Lobregat’s request, since March 7and rains fell in the far flung barangays such as Bungiao, Tolosa, Latap, La Paz and Vitali areas.

The CDCC believed that extending the cloud seeding operations would help induce rain and eventually help improve water levels in reservoirs and help farmers.

Other equally important measures approved by the Lobregat-led CDCC were the purchase of a 24 horse power generator set for the City Reformatory Center; purchase of a 12 KVA generator set for the City Fire Station; purchase of 10 units of 5.5 KVA generator sets for Vitali Lying in Clinic, Ayala Lying in Clinic, City agriculturist Office, Division of City Schools, General Services Office and other important agencies and the request for Zamcelco together with the City Engineer’s Office, General Services Office and the Commission on Audit to determine the generator set capacity needed in the Pettit Barracks area to ensure continuous power supply to the offices under City Health, City Social Welfare, Housing and Land Management Division, Civil Registrar and part of the City Treasurer’s office.

Zamcelco together with the CEO, GSO and COA are also tasked to make a study and determine the generator capacity needed for the City Police office and the Task Force Zamboanga command.

Emergency lights will also be purchased for the use of police and Task Force Zamboanga personnel. (Sheila Covarrubias)

To drum up awareness on the effects of rabies as well as the responsibilities of pet owners, the city government through the City Veterinarian Office on March 8, spearheaded activities kicking off the observance of Rabies Awareness Month.

The activity was launched with a motorcade from the downtown area that ended in the Curuan Elementary School. Participants included members of the Anti-Rabies committee such as the City Schools Division Office, Department of Health, Zamboanga City Medical Center, Department of Interior and Local Government City Office, Liga ng mga Barangay, City Health Office and other agencies.

City Veterinarian Dr. Mario Ariola said barangay Curuan was chosen to be the kick off ground for the month long observance of rabies awareness month, as the area registered one of the fatalities in rabies cases last year.

The city recorded a total of four fatalities or casualties due to rabies last year.

This year, Ariola said, dog bite cases are increasing and of the total reported, 20 cases have been found positive of rabies.

“We have increasing cases, a manifestation that many people report dog bite cases due to awareness”, the city veterinarian said.

The launching program in Curuan was highlighted by the free dog vaccination, film showing on responsible pet ownership and the things to do if one is a victim of dog bites, distribution of flyers and public information.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ariola advised the public anew to immediately report dog bite incidents to the nearest health center for proper attention.
Delayed medical attention may cause aggravate the situation of a dog bite victim, he added. (Sheila Covarrubias)

The City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) led by Mayor Celso Lobregat has approved the use of the city’s calamity funds to mitigate the power crisis through the purchase of generating sets for vital institutions and to extend cloud seeding operations to help boost rainfall.

This, based on Malacanang’s executive order declaring a state of calamity in Mindanao to help solve the worsening power situation. The declaration allows the national and local governments to access calamity funds and quickly procure generators to ease the power shortage.

Mayor Lobregat Friday afternoon convened the CDCC to tackle solutions based on the Malacanang declaration. The Council approved 8 resolutions aimed to relieve Zamboanguenos from the effects of the power crisis.

Aside from allowing the use of the city’s calamity funds, the CDCC also resolved to support and encourage the entry of private investors to install generators for additional power capacity, negotiations of which to be undertaken by the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative.

To help boost rainfall, the CDCC approved to appropriate P2.7 million out of the calamity funds for a 30-day extension of the cloud seeding operations being undertaken at present by the Department of Agriculture.

Numerous cloud seeding sorties have been conducted by the DA, through Lobregat’s request, since March 7and rains fell in the far flung barangays such as Bungiao, Tolosa, Latap, La Paz and Vitali areas.

The CDCC believed that extending the cloud seeding operations would help induce rain and eventually help improve water levels in reservoirs and help farmers.

Other equally important measures approved by the Lobregat-led CDCC were the purchase of a 24 horse power generator set for the City Reformatory Center; purchase of a 12 KVA generator set for the City Fire Station; purchase of 10 units of 5.5 KVA generator sets for Vitali Lying in Clinic, Ayala Lying in Clinic, City agriculturist Office, Division of City Schools, General Services Office and other important agencies and the request for Zamcelco together with the City Engineer’s Office, General Services Office and the Commission on Audit to determine the generator set capacity needed in the Pettit Barracks area to ensure continuous power supply to the offices under City Health, City Social Welfare, Housing and Land Management Division, Civil Registrar and part of the City Treasurer’s office.

Zamcelco together with the CEO, GSO and COA are also tasked to make a study and determine the generator capacity needed for the City Police office and the Task Force Zamboanga command.

Emergency lights will also be purchased for the use of police and Task Force zamboanga personnel.

In an interview, Mayor Lobregat said the calamity funds of the city and other local government units comprise 5 percent of the total budget. The city’s calamity fund could reach about P70 million this year.

“But it is not that we are going to use the entire calamity fund. It has to be specific and related to the calamity, we cannot purchase something that is not related to disaster preparedness”, the mayor explained to media men covering City Hall.

It is recalled that Mayor Lobregat during the Mindanao Power Stakeholders’ Meeting presided by Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes at the Garden Orchid Hotel last February 17 floated the idea about the president’s emergency powers as provided for in Section 71 of the EPIRA law.

The law grants the president emergency powers in cases of worsening power situation but this particular provision requires a joint resolution from Congress. Without the session in the House of Congress, the option done was the declaration of a state of calamity in Mindanao which does not require a congressional approval. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Very much aware about the power situation in MIndanao, Mayor Celso Lobregat briefs the City Disaster Coordinating Council which he convened in City Hall Friday to tackle issues concerning the Malacañang declaration of a state of calamity in MIndanao due to power crisis. (JOEY BAUTISTA)

Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday convened the City Disaster Coordinating Council to discuss plans and measures following the issuance of a presidential executive order placing the entire Mindanao under a state of calamity.

Immediate solutions to the present rotating blackouts were discussed after Mayor Lobregat briefed the members on the present power situation in Mindanao and other details that he discussed with Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes during the Mindanao Power Stakeholders Meeting held in the city recently.

“With the President’s declaration of a state of calamity in Mindanao, the city government can now use its calamity fund to mitigate the effects of the power shortage, and to provide at least temporary solutions to the rotating blackouts in the city,” Lobregat said, adding that the city’s calamity fund is about P70 million or 5% of its annual budget last year.

Lobregat explained that short-term solutions are needed to end the rotating blackouts in the city, while hoping for the rains to come sometime in June. He stressed that 50% of the power in Mindanao comes from the hydro plants which are severely affected by the spell.

“The Agus is only generating about 20% of its capacity, while the Pulangi Plant operates at 10% only, thus the power deficiency of about 600 megawatt,” he said during the CDCC meeting.

As this developed, the CDCC members have approved a resolution, supporting the bid of the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) to invite investors to install and operate modular generators exclusively for the city. Provided, however, the consumers are willing to pay higher rates.

This, after Zamcelco General Manager Reinerio Ramos informed the august body that a group of investors is intending to put up bunker-fueled generators in the city. Ramos said he will be meeting with the investors on Tuesday to finalize the plan. It is expected to be realized in a month’s time.

Meanwhile, several other resolutions were approved by the disaster council one of which was the recommendation to extend the cloud seeding operation to induce rain in the amount of P2.7 million to be charged against the city’s calamity fund.

The council has also approved the purchase of standby power generating sets and emergency lights for vital installations like the Red Cross for its blood bank facility, City Health Office for its X-ray machines, the city jail, the fire station and the Patrol 117.

Meanwhile, the council has deferred action on Zamcelco’s plan to negotiate a coal-fired power plant with Conal Holdings Inc., pending feasibility study and clearance on environmental hazards as feared by some sectors.

Off hand, the chief executive favors the plan provided it will comply with the existing environmental laws. He suggested sectoral representatives be given a tour of the existing coal-fired plants in Luzon, for them to see the actual operations. (PIO)

City Health Officer Rodel Agbulos has cautioned people against the potential health risks brought by the onset of the dry spell, El Niño, as he reported increase in cases related to dehydration and viral and bacterial infections.

Dr. Agbulos said cases of diarrhea and skin diseases including upper respiratory tract infection have soared the past weeks due to the sweltering heat caused by the El Niño phenomenon hitting the entire country.

Through Agbulos’ initiative, the CHO came up with advisories warning people of the possible health hazards posed by the dry spell.

One advisory, published in local papers and distributed to the public cites the potential health risks as follows: diarrhea, cholera and skin diseases (due to water scarcity or shortage); paralytic shellfish poisoning (due to red tide blooms); heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke (due to high temperatures) and sunburn, sore eyes, flu, chickenpox, measles and hypertension.

The advisory also provides for precautions to be done during the El Nino and these include—conserve water and protect it from contamination, drink more fluids, avoid strenuous physical activities, wear light clothing and listen to health updates.

“Most if not all of the health cases registered are related to dehydration and because of the intense heat, our body resistance becomes lower,” Dr. Agbulos said.

Aside from the health advisories, the CHO has also strengthened information dissemination in health centers to sustain public health amid the dry spell.

“We advise people to drink a lot of water and keep ourselves hydrated, do not stay under direct sunlight because heat will reduce body resistance,” Dr. Agbulos said. (PIO)

Mayor Celso Lobregat Thursday afternoon hands over cash aid to mother, whose house was affected by a fire incident recently. The distribution of the financial assistance forms part of the city's accelerated social services. Assisting the mayor is City Social Welfare Francisco Barredo. (JOEY BAUTISTA)

Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday afternoon gave out financial assistance totaling P77,000 to 19 families whose houses and properties went up in smoke in different fire incidents that hit some parts of the city last month.

At least 19 families with more or less 95 dependents benefited from the city government’s cash assistance to help them alleviate their plight.

Of the total, 10 families, whose houses were totally destroyed by fire, received P5,000 each, while nine families, whose houses were partially destroyed, received P3,000 cash each.

The fire incidents were reported at Maestra Vicenta Extension in Sta. Maria where one house was totally destroyed on Feb. 4 at 6:30 p.m., and Corote, Malagutay with also one house totally destroyed February 5.

On February 6 at 6:10 p.m., another fire broke out Riverside, San Roque where eight houses were totally destroyed, three partially damaged with three boarders, who also received P3,000 each.

Assisting the mayor in the cash distribution held at City Hall conference room were City Social Welfare and Development Officer Francisco Barredo, his assistant, Evelyn Las Marias, and staff together with Councilor Jaime Cabato.

It can be recalled, that the city government under Lobregat’s administration had released millions of pesos in cash assistance to hundreds of fire and calamity victims in recent years.

The city government also provides emergency relief assistance in the form of food, clothing, and even temporary shelter to disaster victims. (Vic Larato)

Zamboanga City remains to be free from the avian influenza or bird flu strain based on results of the Avian Influenza Surveillance conducted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in cooperation with the City Veterinarian Office.

In a report submitted to Mayor Celso Lobregat, City Veterinarian Mario Ariola said serological tests conducted on fowls and other animals in identified vulnerable barangays yielded negative results of avian influenza virus.

Ariola said the surveillance covered the monitoring and observation of the fowls such as chicken, turkey, guinea fowl, geese and ducks. The tests were done through blood sampling and cloacal swab collection.
The DA gathered blood samples from a total of 187 fowls to test against antibodies avian influenza virus.

The surveillance covered from January 15, 2010 to February 5, 2010.

The conduct of the Avian Influenza Surveillance is one of the programs initiated by the City Veterinarian office in collaboration with the DA to ensure that the city remains free from the bird flu.

In 2009, Zamboanga City has been cited as the country’s first city to develop a City Avian Influenza Contingency Plan , a program aimed to protect Zamboanga from avian flu commonly known as bird flu and caused by viruses adapted to birds.

“The City Veterinarian office and the DA worked hand in hand to monitor and observe the different animals in the identified barangays that are highly vulnerable to avian influenza”, Dr. Ariola said.

Meanwhile, Ariola said surveillance activities will continue to ensure that the avian-influenza free record of Zamboanga will be sustained. The next blood sample collection will be between the months of March and May and the third will be from October to December this year.

Last year, it is recalled, the DA through Regional Executive Director Oscar Parawan conferred the plaque of recognition to Mayor Celso Lobregat for his “invaluable support in the implementation of Avian Influenza Protection Program as the first city in the country to develop a City Avian Influenza Contingency Plan.”

The city government, through the City Veterinarian Office under Dr. Mario Ariola, in cooperation with other concerned agencies developed a contingency plan to prevent and control the spread of the bird flu virus in the city as soon as the threat loomed in other parts of the country and the world.

On instructions of Mayor Lobregat, the contingency plan has been developed and executed that makes Zamboanga an avian flu free city. Zamboanga City is clinically ready and capable of detecting and controlling the dreaded Avian Influenza with the operation of the Regional Avian Influenza Diagnostic Laboratory, a project of the DA regional office. (Sheila Covarrubias)