Major developments for April 18
Balita News Group
victims
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
regional office last week reported a 99.2 percent accomplishment in the
rehabilitation and relief program for victims of armed conflict in
Mindanao. Regional Director Parisya Hashim Taradji of DSWD-9 said only 500
families of the total 700,000 affected by the war waged by the government
against insurgents last year remain in evacuation centers in Jolo, Sulu.
The rehabilitation and relief efforts is pursuant to Administrative Order
No.2 issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo upon assumption into
office last January. The order created the Inter-Act Mindanao, a super body
tasked to handle relief, rehabilitation and development of Mindanao
specifically in conflict areas. "Our emergency relief programs and services
are being provided by social workers in the localities with support coming
from the national government and even our partners in the non-government
organizations (NGOs), " Taradji said in an interview. Aside from Sulu,
other areas affected by the armed conflict were Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and some
parts of Zamboanga del Sur like Tungawan.
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GMA endorsement of PPC candidates effective - SWS survey
MANILA - The endorsement of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is
effectively enhancing the chances for election of the senatorial candidates
of the People Power Coalition, according to the latest survey data of the
Social Welfare Stations (SWS). The SWS nationwide survey conducted April 1
to 4 showed that President Arroyo has an "amazing 40 percent political
endorsement efficacy" as this number of the 1,500 respondents said they
would probably vote for whomever she endorses. The survey results were
released this afternoon to media by PPC Media Bureau Chief Dodie Limcaoco,
former head of the government television PTV-4 during the Aquino
administration. The PPC has commissioned the latest SWS survey to assess
the effectiveness of their media campaign. The 40-percent efficacy of the
President's endorsement of PPC candidates is higher than the 33 percent
reported by an earlier survey conducted by Pulse Asia. These figures
clearly show that the President has an immense credibility that can be used
for both the campaign and continued effective governance, Limcaoco said.
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SPORTS: Three masters in traditional karate seminar
MANILA --The Association for the Advancement of Karatedo (AAK) announced
that three karate masters from Okinawa, the origin of karate, will hold
seminars on original, traditional karate at the Baseline Recreation and
Sports Center in Cebu city on April 19-20, at the AAK Fitnesss System Honbu
Dojo at the 5th Flr of SM Megamall on Apr. 21 and at the AAK Fitness System
SM North EDSA branch at the basement of SM North EDSA annex building on
Apr. 22. To handle simultaneous seminars are three Okinawan Karate Masters
9th Dan Yasuhiro Uema and 7th Masahiro Teruya, both of the Okinawa
Shorinryu Karate Association and 8th Dan Kanzo Miyahira of Okinawa Gojuryu
Shoreikai. Master Uena is currently the most outstanding Shorinryu
instructor in Okinawa while Teruya Sensei is well-known among Shorinryu
teachers for his skills in kumite. Master Miyahira is the inheritor of
Toguchi Goju in Okinawa after the master passed away.
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SPORTS: Banawa rules 1st leg of Kiddies Active Open Juniors Tourney
MANILA --San Beda junior chesser Joaquin Carlos Banawa landed on top Monday
night after six-gruelling rounds of the Kiddies (under-14) Active Open
eliminations held at the Grandmasters Cafe in Quezon City. The 14-year old
took an easy ride to the throne with five wins and a fourth-round draw with
his younger brother, Cholo. "I enjoyed the competition mainly because I
just wanted to play and enjoy the game," said Banawa after harvesting 5.5
points. The Red Cubs sophomore mentored by Fr. Paul de Vera emerged as
champion for the first time in the competition regularly hosted by the
Philippine Chess Society. This is another feather added to the cap of the
dusky teener after capturing the NCAA Board 3 gold medal and the MVP award
in the Milo Little Olympics two years ago.
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Missing cargo ship used for crimes found
CEBU CITY - A cargo ship, which has been declared missing since 1999 and
allegedly used in the shipment of prohibited drugs and smuggled goods, has
finally been found in a private dockyard in San Fernando town in southern
Cebu. Mv Ocean, a 1,339-gross-ton vessel owned by Japanese businessman
Shusei Yasuda of Ocean Fleet Navigation Corp. (OFNC), has been undergoing
repairs at Philippine Trigon Shipyard in the coastal barangay of Sangat,
San Fernando town. The disappearance of the Japan-made vessel came a few
months after Yasuda entered into a charter agreement on Aug. 21, 1998 with
Sonny Nava, general manager of SN Marine Transport in Bacolod City. Yasuda
later found out that the Panama-registered cargo ship was sold at public
auction on Sept.30, 1999 without his knowledge by the Department of Labor
and Employment (Dole) Bacolod district office for only P445,837.15.