Mayor Celso Lobregat has expressed full support to the proposal of barangay and education officials in the Curuan and Vitali districts for the establishment of the External Studies Unit of the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) undergraduate program in barangay Curuan starting school year 2010-2011.

A staunch education advocate, Mayor Lobregat said he will strongly endorse the proposal to the WMSU Board of Regents (BOR) and do everything possible to ensure that it is granted.

The resolution, signed by all barangay chairmen of Curuan and Vitali districts, the Curuan National High School principal and the Curuan Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) officials, was presented to Mayor Lobregat during a program celebrating Curuan National High School day, yesterday, March 9, at the school’s gymnasium.

Upon receipt of the resolution, Mayor Lobregat immediately signed the documents together with Councilor Rudy Lim, chairman of the Council committee on education signifying strong support to the proposal. At the same time, the chief executive called WMSU President Dr. Grace Rebollos through cellular phone to inform her about the resolution and his strong support to the same.

The mayor was expected to formally endorse the resolution to the WMSU BOR upon his return to City Hall from Curuan yesterday afternoon.

The proposed WMSU ESU in Curuan will cover barangay Curuan and the neighboring villages of Calabasa, Quiniput, Latuan, Panubigan, Muti, Dita, Bolong, Sangali, Sibulao, Limaong, Tagasilay, Licomo, Tictapul, Bungiao, Tigbalabag, Mangusu, Quiniput, Tumitus and Vitali.

Mayor Lobregat, whose administration has been continuously cited for the unceasing support to education, believed that the proposed establishment of WMSU extension services would make tertiary education accessible to youths in the area.

Every year, thousands of high school students graduate from these areas comprising the Vitali and Curuan districts. Most of them have to commute to the city proper to take up tertiary courses. The tertiary school located in the area is the Vitali Technical-Vocational School, an institution operated by the city government.

Curuan National high School Principal Laarni Abad thanked Mayor Lobregat for the continuing support to education and most especially for the positive response to the plea of the barangay and education sector in the area.

The Curuan National High School Day celebration was attended by thousands of students, parents, teachers and barangay officials and folks and was also graced by Councilors Cesar Iturralde, Nonong Guingona, Eddie Saavedra, council aspirants Roseller Natividad, Mike Alavar and VP Elago, City Engineer Luis Despalo and City Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Norma Vecina. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday met with representatives from the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (ZAMCELCO) to determine the possibility of coming up with a fixed load shedding or blackout schedule within the cooperative’s service area.

This, in view of observations of unpredictable blackout schedules being imposed by ZAMCELCO due to the continuing power supply curtailments implemented by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

Many consumers complain of damage to electrical appliances due to the unannounced and unpredictable black out schedules.

Mayor Lobregat has floated the idea of Zamcelco studying the possibility of having scheduled brownouts and yesterday, the cooperative came out with a proposed scheme with a curtailment load of about 44 megawatts.

The meeting attended by Zamcelco load dispatcher Engr. Melad and City Administrator Antonio Orendain Jr. lasted for almost two hours and tackled issues about peak, normal and low power hours to determine the appropriate blackout schedule.

“There should be some improvements on the proposed scheme”, the mayor said, stressing that power interruptions are necessary in view of the curtailment but the blackout schedule should be fixed and should be organized.

Based on the proposed scheme, a 6-hour blackout is expected to be imposed in the city in varying areas.

Because of the dry spell, El Nino, the NGCP was forced to impose power curtailment all over Mindanao. 

Over 50 percent of the 2,000 megawatt power generated in Mindanao comes from hydro power plants which are sourced by the Lanao Lake. The continuing decrease in the water level in Lake Lanao has caused the stop in the operation of a number of hydro power plants.

The Zamcelco is expected to come up with the revised blackout schedule any time soon. (Sheila Covarrubias)

The first and initial cloud seeding sortie Sunday yielded positive results as heavy rains fell in the mountains of Bungiao and Tolosa in the east coast.

The cloud seeding operation is conducted by the Department of Agriculture based on the request of Mayor Celso Lobregat to help boost rainfall and eventually improve water levels in reservoirs and help in irrigation purposes.

The city agriculturist office under Diosdado Palacat is still checking other areas in the city where rain fell following the cloud seeding operation last Sunday.

Mayor Lobregat said strong rains, as attested by people in Bungiao and Tolosa, fell in the areas concerned barely few hours after the cloud seeding operations around 10 a.m. Sunday.

The cloud seeding team composed of personnel from the DA’s Bureau of Soil and Water Management has been on standby at the airport hangar since Saturday awaiting for “seedable” clouds in coordination with the local weather bureau, PAG-ASA. A Cessna plane, PR-9000 was loaded with several sacks of salt for dispersal above seedable clouds.

Based on request of Mayor Lobregat, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap allocated some P2.7 million for cloud seeding operations in Zamboanga and some parts of the region to help cushion the impact of the dry spell, El Nino.

The team, led by Teddy Bersabe, is based in Zamboanga and is expected to conduct about 10 cloud seeding sorties. In every sortie, expenses are expected to reach P30,000.

Mayor Lobregat said cloud seeding is one of the interventions being done by the city government to help alleviate the plight of the local residents amidst the dry spell which has caused water and power shortage and damages to agriculture and fishery products. However, he stressed that the dry spell is not only affecting Zamboanga City but entire Mindanao and country.

Palacat has reported some P400,000 damage to crops and fishery products but stressed that measures are being undertaken to help farmers cushion the impact of the El Nino phenomenon.

In a meeting prior to the cloud seeding operations last week, officials from the Zamboanga City Water District told Mayor Lobregat that would be willing to give a counterpart fund if and when the DA-funded cloud seeding operations turn out to be successful.

Mayor Lobregat it is recalled has also suggested the conduct of cloud seeding operations in the area of Lake Lanao to help improve water level, as these are the main source of hydro power plants in Mindanao.

The cloud seeding in Lake Lanao will have to be undertaken by the Department of Energy, the mayor suggested. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Mayor Celso Lobregat leads city government officials in unveiling the P14 million modern abattoir equipment at the San Roque slaughter house early dawn Saturday, March 5. Also in photo are City Administrator Antonio Orendain Jr., City Councilors Cesar Iturralde, Eddie Saavedra, Luis Biel III, Rudy Lim, Rey Candido and Nonong Guingona, City Veterinarian Mario Ariola and San Roque barangay chair Alene Feliciano. (JOEY BAUTISTA)

In a very unusual occasion, Mayor Celso Lobregat led the inauguration of the city government’s newly upgraded slaughterhouse costing almost P15 million before dawn Saturday in Barangay San Roque, this city.

“We are now using the latest advancements in slaughterhouse operations to ensure a supply of quality, safe and healthy meat for the local markets,” Mayor Lobregat said as he personally ushered government officials and businessmen to a tour of the abattoir’s facilities at 2 o’clock in the morning Saturday.

The chief executive said the project costs the city government more than P11 million for the building alone, and P4.6 million for the equipment including a water treatment plant with a pond, from which the water is recycled for the operation.

For the meantime, he said, the new abattoir is rated “AA” only because it has no refrigeration facility yet. “But once we have it, maybe in our next term, this will become a ‘AAA’ abattoir,” the mayor said, explaining that the inauguration rites had to be conducted before dawn so that the guests can observe the actual operation of the abattoir.

The city officials, some businessmen and other guests arrived at the abattoir in San Roque as early as 1:30 am, and minutes later the program started with Archbishop Romulo Valles and parish priest Rev. Fr. Allain Ruiz leading the prayers and blessing of the facilities.

In his welcome remarks, City Administrator Antonio Orendain Jr. emphasized that the new abattoir ensures healthy meat, where the cattle are slaughtered without the usual protesting sound, similar to what is heard from a swine butchered by bare hands. “In this manner, the meat is healthy and no negative effects on our body, just like eating fish,” he explained.

For his part, Lobregat recalled that the city’s old abattoir located in the same area was razed by fire in 2000. Since then, the operation was scaled down manually with few employees assigned.

“It took us quite sometime to realize this project. With the help of the insurance money paid to the city government plus our new allocations appropriated during our first term in 2004, we were able to finally construct this new abattoir,” he said.

In response, Rodolfo Iglesias, local chapter president of the Slaughterhouse Operators Association of the Philippines, lauded Mayor Lobregat for putting up the new abattoir.

“This is a dream come true for our association. We organized ourselves to push the need for a supply of quality meat for domestic and ‘export’ demands,” Iglesias said, citing Zamboanga City as an important supplier of quality meat to other provinces in Mindanao and Luzon, “just as we are exporting vegetables to other parts of the country.”

According to Iglesias, the new abattoir is another monumental testimony of the city government’s sound fiscal management as instituted by the mayor himself. “Ta ase le todo posible para el buen del ciudad,” (The mayor is doing everything possible for the good of the city) he said.

Assistant City Administrator Elmer Apolinario in his closing statement recalled that the old abattoir was constructed in 1992 and started operation a year later. It achieved a “AAA” status in 1995, but what was then awarded as the cleanest abattoir in the region was reduced to ashes following a fire incident in 2000.

The new facilities could slaughter at least 50 cattle every day; it operates from 2 am to 4 am, in time for the delivery of meat fresh to the markets at 5 am. Under the old ordinance, the slaughter fee is pegged at P72 only per head, too low for the present system.

Thus, Lobregat cited the need to amend the ordinance in order to increase the slaughter fee, corresponding to the present operational cost. “But not now, maybe we can do it during our next term,” he clarified.

Present during the pre-dawn inauguration rites were Councilors Cesar Iturralde, Rey Candido, Nonong Guingona, Rudy Lim, Jaime Cabato, Eddie Saavedra, Noning Biel, Ahman and Lilia Nuño, Joe-fel de las Peñas; council aspirants Roseller Natividad, Mayra Valderrosa, VP Elago, Pinpin Apreja; City Engineer Vicente Luis Despalo, City Environment and Natural Resources Officer Rey Gonzales, San Roque barangay officials led Chairwoman Allen Feliciano and other city officials.

The business sector was represented by the Filipino-Chinese Chamber president Richard Chan, Wee Sion Beng, Eddie Chua, Lobregat’s brother, Jomar, Eddie Chiong and the hog raisers. (Vic Larato)

Mayor Celso Lobregat is assisted by City Health Officer Rodel Agbulos, Councilors Rudy Lim, Luis Biel III and Gerky Valesco and Canelar barangay chairman Manuel Sabordo and other officials in the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon during the inauguration of P1.4 Canelar Barangay Health Center Friday afternoon. (JOEY BAUTISTA)

The newly constructed Canelar Health Center, which forms part of the city government’s thrust to accelerate delivery of health services, was inaugurated and blessed Friday, March 5.

Spearheaded by Mayor Celso Lobregat, the unveiling of the P1.4 million Canelar Health Center was the second project to be launched March 5. Earlier in the morning of that day, the chief executive also inaugurated the 2-storey 6 classroom building at the Zamboanga City High School-West in line with the city’s continuing support to education.

The Canelar Health Center is located at the back of the Canelar Barangay Hall. It is more spacious and now independent of the Barangay Hall.

A Philhealth accredited health center, the facility is also a lying in clinic and is intended to serve the needs of Canelar and the neighboring barangays of Sto. Nino, San Jose and even Baliwasan and Canelar.

Mayor Lobregat said the city decided to separate the building for the health center and the barangay hall to further improve the delivery of public service.

City Health Officer Dr. Rodel Agbulos said modernizing and upgrading health centers forms part of the initiative to reduce maternal and infant deaths, which are thrusts of the City Health Office.

Present during the inauguration were Councilors Rudy Lim, Luis Biel III, Jaime Cabato, Nonong Guingona and Gerky Valesco, council aspirants Myra Abubakar, Josephine Pareja and Kaiser Olaso, Canelar Barangay officials led by Chairman Manuel Sabordo, Fr. Max Rodriguez, health workers and nursing students from the Western Mindanao State University.

In 2009, the city government constructed and inaugurated the health centers in Guisao, Sta. Maria and Vitali which carries new architecture designs as part of the modernization plan. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Mayor Celso Lobregat leads the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon during the inaguration of the 2-storey 6 classroom building at the ZCHS-West in Baliwasan Friday. Assisting the mayor are Councilors Rudy Lim and Jaime Cabato, School principal Ramon Ongchua, City Schools OIC Supt. Norma Vecina and council aspirants Ller Natividad and Josephine Pareja and PTA officials. (JOEY BAUTISTA)

Continuously fulfilling his commitment to education, Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday turned over to the administration of the Zamboanga City High School (ZCHS)-West, a new two-storey 6 classroom building, the second school building to be unveiled this year.

Amounting to P2.9 million, the project is considered part of the city’s youth development program for it aims to ensure improved quality of education and eventually better future for the young students.

Mayor Lobregat has gained the reputation of being one of the only few mayors who have been undertaking massive school building programs in the country. In 2009, the city through his initiative completed the construction of 20 school buildings with 113 classrooms worth P100. 02 million while 42 classrooms were repaired/rehabilitated costing P7.59 million.

Mayor Lobregat has continuously assured that his administration’s support to education will be endless and unbending for it not only promotes youth development but also helps reduce poverty.

Last February 3, the mayor turned over 3 rehabilitated school buildings to the administration of the Mercedes National High School. What used to be a bodega of junks and decaying buildings at Mercedes National High School in the east coast now look so brand new after a rehabilitation cost of about P3 million by the city government under the present administration of Mayor Celso Lobregat.

The newly rehabilitated buildings with a total of 14 classrooms are more than enough to accommodate the growing student population of Mercedes NHS.

During the Mercedes inauguration, Lobregat said the project forms part of the so many great and relevant things that his administration has been doing for the city, especially for the public education sector. Lobregat stressed that the rehabilitation of the three buildings proved that “we spent money prudently.” “Many people thought the buildings were better if demolished, but our policy is to save, repair, restore and rehab old buildings whenever we can and they came as good as new.”

The mayor and education officials are expected to be back at the ZCHS-West for another inauguration of project in the days to come, as the construction of a 3-storey 15 classroom building worth P13.48 million is ongoing.

The city has ventured into the construction of 3-storey school buildings because of the limited space and high student classroom ratio in some schools such as the ZCHS-West.

There are a total of 15 new buildings with 134 Classrooms that are undergoing construction worth P112.00 million. Aside from the project at the ZCHS-West, the other new buildings are the 3-storey 23 classroom building in Tugbungan Elementary School and the 3-storey 21 classroom in Talon-talon Elementary School.

Meanwhile, popular ABS-CBN Broadcaster Korina Sanchez, wife of Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Sen. Mar Roxas, graced the turn over ceremony at the ZCHS-West yesterday morning after she keynoted the Marcha Para Las Mujeres, a fund raising campaign initiated by the Gender and Development (GAD) focal group for marginalized women sector.

Also present during the turn over rites were Councilors Rudy Lim and Jimmy Cabato,
City Schools Supt. OIC Dr. Norma Vecina, ZCHS-West Principal Ramon Ongchua, the parent-teacher association and council aspirants Ller Natividad and Josephine Pareja. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Mayor Celso Lobregat assisted by District I Cong. Beng Climaco presents a token of appreciation to broadcaster Korina Sanchez, guest speaker in the Marcha Para Las Mujeres, a fund raising campaign initiated by the city's GAD in coordination with the Local Council of Women. Looking on are Councilor Luis Biel III, Dr. Mila Fernandez and Josephine Pareja. (JOEY BAUTISTA)

Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday highly praised the women sector for its crucial role in nation building, as he reaffirmed his support to all women-related plans and programs.

In a message before thousands of participants in the Marcha de Las Mujeres, a fund raising drive aimed to support marginalized women groups, Lobregat said the city government has been and will continue to consider the women welfare and protection programs implemented by the Gender and Development (GAD) as a priority thrust.

Lobregat, who is the GAD Honorary Chairman said the women play a very important role in the development and progress of the city, thus, their protection and welfare should be one of the primordial concerns of the local government.

Themed “Mujer, tu el buen exito del Pais”, the Marcha de las Mujeres had popular broadcaster Korina Sanchez, wife of Liberal Party Vice Presidential candidate and Sen. Mar Roxas as the guest of honor during the program held at the Joaquin Enriquez grandstand in Baliwasan.

The march, participated by thousands of women and some men coming from the different government and non-government agencies and multi-sectoral groups of the city, kicked off at Valderozza Street and culminated at the grandstand where the program was held.

The activity was organized by the city government through the GAD in coordination with the Local Council of Women Zamboanga City Chapter.

The fund raising campaign was intended to help support the needs of the women inmates at the City Reformatory Center, the clients at the Women Crisis Center and the clients of Ward 9 at the Zamboanga City Medical Center.

Councilor Lilia Nuno, GAD Vice Chair thanked the different agencies that participated in the march and for contribution their resources for the benefit of the women in crisis situations.

Congresspersons Beng Climaco of District I and Erbie Fabian of District II also lauded the women sector for its contribution to society and cited some of the measures they initiated for the benefit of the sector in the House of Congress.

The funds collected during the march were formally turned over to the Local Council of Women Zamboanga Chapter led by Dr. Milagros Fernandez. (Sheila Covarrubias)

Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Mayor Celso Lobregat lead other officials in the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon during the inauguration of the P1.9 million Recodo fire sub-station, one of the numerous city-funded projects unveiled Thursday. (JOEY BAUTISTA)

Zamboanga is not the richest city, but it is one of the best run local government units in the country.

Thus, declared Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno yesterday, as he inaugurated over P8 million worth of infrastructure projects undertaken by the city government under the administration of Mayor Celso Lobregat in Boalan, Recodo and Ayala.

“Mayor Celso Lobregat has the best record of inauguration of barangay halls, fire stations, police stations and other projects for public safety in the country,” Sec. Puno said as he continuously praised the city government for its unceasing support to the police, fire and jail bureaus and other agencies under the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Upon arrival from Manila yesterday, Sec. Puno motored together with Mayor Lobregat to Boalan in the east coast where he unveiled some P2.7 million projects that include the new fire station (P1.9 million) and the renovated and improved barangay hall and health center (P834,000).

“It is only in Zamboanga City where we find hard time keeping up with your mayor in the implementation of projects for public safety,” the secretary declared citing the many other projects that the Lobregat administration undertook in support to public safety.

He was referring to the 10 pumpboats donated by the city government to the local police, the newly renovated and restored Central Police Station worth P1.6 million, the newly constructed P4.6 million two-storey 4 cell building at the City Reformatory Center and the P4.1 million newly constructed Sinunuc Police Station which he inaugurated together with undersecretary Marius Corpus and PNP Chief Jesus Versoza last June 23, 2009 and the P3.8 million repair and restoration of the heritage Central Fire station which he also inaugurated last November 14, 2009.

From Boalan, Sec. Puno together with Mayor Lobregat and other officials proceeded to barangay Recodo in the west coast for the inauguration of the P1.9 million new fire station constructed in a compound where city is also constructing a barangay hall and office for the community police action team and school buildings for the Recodo National High School. The site in Recodo was donated by the Consunji family through representations made by Mayor Lobregat.

Aside from the police office, the mayor also presented to Sec. Puno the two fire trucks that the city government acquired for the Fire Bureau and another firetruck which was allocated by the DILG as a show of gratitude to the city’s all out support to the DILG family and formally turned over to the Bureau of Fire last February 11.

The inauguration of the Ayala Police Sub-station worth P3.4 million was the last activity that the secretary graced where he also witnessed the turn-over of four motorcycles and 2 multicab vehicles purchased by the city for the local police.

“Mayor Lobregat is the symbol of what a local chief executive could become”, the secretary emphasized as he ordered Bureau of Fire Director Rolando Bandilla to ensure the allocation of another fire truck for Zamboanga City to reciprocate the uninterrupted support of the local government to the DILG family.

He also said that the barangay halls, fire stations and health centers constructed in the city can be models that other local government units can look at. “These projects are a product not only of leadership but of teamwork in Zamboanga City”.

For his part, Mayor Lobregat assured that the city government support to the DILG family will never cease but will always continue for as long as he is mayor of the city.

Other officials present during the inauguration of the different projects were DIPO Director Sr. Supt. Felizardo Serapio, Police Regional Director Sr. Supt. Angel Sunglao, Bureau of Fire Protection Regional Director Sr. Supt. Leonardo Prades, City Fire Marshall Col. James Ramirez, City Police OIC Director Col. Edwin De Ocampo, members of the City Council and some council aspirants belonging to the red team, barangay and school officials from areas that will benefit from the city funded projects. (Sheila Covarrubias)

The newly-constructed Boalan Fire station, one of the five projects funded by the city government under the administration of Mayor Celso Lobregat that will be inaugurated today with Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno as guest. (JOEY BAUTISTA)

Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno arrives in Zamboanga City this morning to grace the inauguration of over P8 million worth of city funded projects in barangays Boalan, Recodo and Ayala.

The projects to be unveiled include the new fire station in Boalan worth P1.919 million, rehabilitated Boalan barangay hall and health center worth P839, 000 and the road widening project also in Boalan; the P1.917 million new fire station in Recodo and P3.445 million two-storey police station in Ayala.

The fire and police station projects are part of Mayor Celso Lobregat’s massive infrastructure program and are in line with the city’s all out support to the police, fire and other law enforcement agencies.

The renovated Boalan barangay hall which houses the health center as well as the road widening project form part of Mayor Lobregat’s program to disperse trade and commerce as well as improve public service.

Sec. Puno and Mayor Lobregat are expected to enplane in from Manila this morning afterwhich they will proceed to Boalan for the inauguration of the 3 projects at 10:30a.m.

At 2 p.m., the secretary and the mayor will lead the group to Recodo in the west coast for the inauguration of the fire station and later at 3 p.m. they will motor to Ayala for the inauguration of the police station.

Sec. Puno has time and again expressed his all out appreciation to Mayor Lobregat and the city government for the many projects implemented for public safety.

Last June 23, 2009, Sec. Puno came to Zamboanga with Chief PNP Jesus Versoza and Undersecretary Marius Corpus to inaugurate the 10 pumpboats donated by the city government to the local police, the newly renovated and restored Central Police Station worth P1.6 million, the newly constructed P4.6 million two-storey 4 cell building at the City Reformatory Center and the P4.1 million newly constructed Sinunuc Police Station.

He came back to the city last November 14, 2009 to inaugurate the P3.8 million repair and restoration of the heritage Central Fire station. (Sheila Covarrubias) 

To help improve the water level in Lake Lanao, which is Mindanao’s main source of power, Mayor Celso Lobregat has suggested that the Department of Energy (DOE) consider the conduct of cloud seeding activities in the area to induce rainfall.

Lobregat made this suggestion during the recent Mindanao Power Stakeholders Meeting held in the city with DOE Secretary Angelo Reyes and reiterated the same during a meeting with multi-agencies in City Hall Tuesday.

Mayor Lobregat said the conduct of cloud seeding in the areas near Lake Lanao would help boost rainfall and in effect improve the water level and in a way help reduce power shortage in Mindanao.

Over 50 percent of Mindanao’s power supply is dependent on hydro generating plants which are powered by the Lanao Lake.

Mayor Lobregat explained that the generating capacity of the different Mindanao power plants is about 2,000 megawatts, out of which 1,039 megawatts come from hydro plants which are dependent on the water level in Lake Lanao.

He said 614 megawatts come from diesel plants located in Davao, General Santos, Cotabato and Zamboanga’s Western Mindanao Power Corporation plant in Sangali; the power generation is also contributed by the coal plant existing in Cagayan that produces 132 megawatt and the geothermal in Mt. Apo in Kidapawan which contributes 108 megawatts.

“When the water level of Lake Lanao reduces, you will have less and less power generated from hydro,” he said stressing “the estimated peak demand of power is 1,400 mw and now the reliable power is only 1,300 so right off you have a 100 megawatts less.”

And so, he said, as the water in Lake Lanao decreases then the energy crisis becomes more and more evident and which is why Zamboanga City and all other parts of Mindanao are having consistent brownouts.

Cloud seeding activities are set to be conducted in the city this week by the Department of Agriculture based on the request of Mayor Lobregat.

Some P3 million has been allocated by the DA for the operation that will also include other parts of Region 9. The cloud seeding team, led by Teddy Bersabe of the DA’s Bureau of Soil and Water Management is based in Zamboanga City. (Sheila Covarrubias)