Lobregat welcomes Canadian envoy
Mayor Celso Lobregat presents a miniature vinta as a token of friendship to Canadian Ambassador Robert Dejardins during the envoy's courtesy visit in City Hall Wednesday afternoon. Also in photo is Laureanne Garneau, Counsellor and Head of Cooperation of the Canadian Embassy. (JOEY BAUTISTA)
Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Robert Desjardins yesterday reassured residents of Zamboanga and Mindanao that the long tradition of generosity and friendship between Canada and this region will continue despite the unfortunate incidents happening here.
The Canadian envoy made this assurance during a courtesy visit on Mayor Celso Lobregat at City Hall yesterday afternoon. He is in Zamboanga to participate in a governance symposium for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) areas, set today at the Garden Orchid Hotel.
Mayor Lobregat warmly welcomed the ambassador and party and even briefed the visitors about Zamboanga and the new branding “Asia’s Latin City”. He likewise discussed with Ambassador Dejardins about the current plans and programs of the city.
The Canadian government has been implementing programs on economic development and local governance through the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Meanwhile, the envoy and the mayor also discussed about unfortunate incidents such as the kidnapping of a Columbian missionary in Zamboanga del Sur which are reported in national dailies and datelined Zamboanga City.
Ambassador Dejardins himself lamented that the wrong dateline attribution affects the image of Zamboanga City and that the same should be corrected immediately.
He stressed that responsible media is essential in the society and democracy and admitted that sometimes errors happen but “certainly these errors have to be communicated to those who make them and they should be corrected”. “I am sure, no member of the media would like to misinform the public.”
He said: “It is not a question of challenging views and opinions, that is entirely a different matter but when factual errors are made it is of everyone’s interest—public and the media to make sure that it is rectified”.
The ambassador was referring to reports about the latest kidnapping in Mindanao datelined Zamboanga City as published in major national dailies. To recall, a group armed men believed to be Islamic militants kidnapped Sunday evening an Irish priest in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.
A military report identified the seized priest as Michael Sinnott, 79 years old, of the Missionaries of St Columbian order of priesthood.
Desjardins said his meeting with Mayor Lobregat was personal and up close for him to know about the state of Zamboanga’s progress. “It is very reassuring to see Zamboanga City is in the good hands of the mayor,” he said, adding that Zamboanga is already doing very well by national standards and certainly the path for which it was planned is very hopeful as well. (Vic Larato)