Six people wounded in bus explosion in Mindanao

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 04, 2009) – A powerful explosion on Saturday ripped through a commuter bus in Koronadal City in the restive region of the southern Philippines, wounding at least 6 people, police said.

Police said the explosion damaged the bus owned by Husky Transit while it was picking up passengers at a terminal in Koronadal City in South Cotabato. The bus was enroute to General Santos City when the explosion occurred at around 10.30 a.m.

“Police forces headed by Superintendent Froilan Quidilla have secured the area. Six people are injured in the explosion. Police is still investigating the blast,” said police desk officer John Paul Deliso.

No group or individual claimed responsibility for the explosion, but the attack occurred three days after police announced they captured Manuel Guevarra, a member of the extortion syndicate called the Al-Khobar gang, blamed for the spate of bombings in Mindanao.

It said Guevarra was behind the string of attacks the past years in Mindanao that killed and wounded dozens of civilians, including a bombing last month the left 9 people wounded in Kidapawan City in North Cotabato province.

The Army’s 6th Infantry Division had previously linked the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to the spate of bombings on buses and civilian targets in the troubled region of Mindanao.

Former rebels are also known to work as criminals in large parts of Mindanao, demanding illegal taxation or money from bus operators and other businesses in exchange for protection from bomb and other attacks.

The MILF, which is fighting for independence, denied all allegations and blamed the attacks on other rebel groups such as the Abu Sayyaf and the Al-Khobar. (With a report from Geo Solmerano)

Photo: Philippine President Gloria Arroyo in South Cotabato province

Filipino leader Gloria Arroyo with children during a food feeding program on Wednesday, January 28, 2009 at the Saint Anthony Parish Covered Court in Koronadal City in South Cotabato province. (Photo by Merlyn Acosta)

Mindanao Schools Get 23,000 Books From The Asia Foundation

SOUTH COTABATO, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 06, 2008) – The Asia Foundation donated 18,000 books Thursday to more than 400 schools in Mindanao and pledged to release more in the southern Philippines.

“We will release more books in southern Philippines and we are so happy to help support basic education program in the region,” said Efren Balajadia, director of the Books for Asia Program, of The Asia Foundation.

Balajadia said they distributed books and other reference materials in Koronadal City and in South Cotabato province. He said they will also release 5,000 books Friday in at least 155 schools in General Santos City.

“Today, we released 18,000 books in 440 mostly public schools in Koronadal and South Cotabato province and we will donate 5,000 more books on Friday in schools in General Santos,” he told the Mindanao Examiner.

In December, Balajadia’s group also donated books and reference materials to Gov. Sakur Tan of Sulu province during a two-day peace caravan. Balajadia said they will continue to support the education program in Sulu, one of five provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.

Dr Steven Rood, country representative of The Asia Foundation, said the distribution of the books in Mindanao is made possible through The Asia Foundation’s Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) project with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The provision of books and other educational resources serves as a joint commitment in the campaign for education among communities in South Cotabato and General Santos, he said.

Balajadia also quoted Ky Johnson, the deputy country representative of The Asia Foundation, as saying: “The Asia Foundation is happy to be able to provide educational resources in order to make a difference in the lives of school children in South Cotabato and General Santos.”

“All members of society have to take on the responsibility of mobilizing their resources to create an impact on the performance of their young leaders. With the help of our local governments and private partners, we can help each community as we bring learning to all deserving schools throughout Southern Mindanao and the rest of the Philippines.” Balajadia said.

Since 1954, Books for Asia program has been committed to the belief that knowledge and education are critical for Asian nations to advance their citizens and societies. The program puts nearly one million up-to-date books and resources of the highest quality into the hands of students, teachers, and librarians in 17 Asian countries each year, according to The Asia Foundation.

“Education forms the foundation for all prosperous and democratic societies,” Jon Lindborg, USAID Philippines Mission Director, said in a statement. “The U.S. Government is very proud to support the work of dedicated organizations like The Asia Foundation and committed schools and communities across Mindanao to help improve educational opportunities for school children and young scholars.”

USAID's program in the Philippines, valued at approximately $80 million in 2008, focuses on strengthening peace in conflict-affected Mindanao, promoting good governance, increasing economic opportunities, protecting the environment, strengthening health services, and improving basic education.

Last year, The Asia Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to the development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region, provided more than $68 million in program support and distributed 974,000 books and educational materials valued at $33 million throughout Asia. It depends solely on monetary contributions from donors to accomplish its work.

Reynald Ocampo, Assistant Program Officer-Books for Asia Program, acknowledged the unrelenting support of public and private partners in the endeavor and said U.S. publishers have supplied the books while the Aboitiz2go helped shipped them to Mindanao.

“We are happy to help and look forward to providing more books to other areas in Mindanao,” Ocampo said in a separate interview. (With a report from Mark Navales)

The Asia Foundation Distributes Books In Southern Philippines

Efren Balajadia, the Director of the Books for Asia Program, of The Asia Foundation, hands over books and reference materials to Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan and Vice Gov. Lady Anne Sahidullah and other provincial officials headed by Patikul town Mayor Kabir Hayudini during a two-day peace caravan in Sulu province. The Asia Foundation will distribute 20,000 books on Thursday and Friday, March 6-7, 2008 in South Cotabato province and General Santos City in southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo/Nickee Butlangan)

KORONADAL CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 05, 2008) – The Asia Foundation will release some 20,000 children’s books and reference materials to 560 schools in the southern Philippines.

Steven Rood, Country Representative of The Asia Foundation, said they will distribute the books at separate ceremonies on Thursday and Friday in South Cotabato province and General Santos City.

The donations, he said, are part of The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program. The distribution of the books in Mindanao is made possible through The Asia Foundation’s Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) project with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Among key people who are invited to grace the occasion in South Cotabato are Koronadal City Mayor Fernando Miguel, South Cotabato Governor Daisy Fuentes and other government and education officials.

Mayor Pedro Acharon and Congresswoman Darlene Custodio will also lead the ceremony in General Santos City.

The provision of books and other educational resources serves as a joint commitment in the campaign for education among communities in South Cotabato and General Santos.

“The Asia Foundation is happy to be able to provide educational resources in order to make a difference in the lives of school children in South Cotabato and General Santos.”

“All members of society have to take on the responsibility of mobilizing their resources to create an impact on the performance of their young leaders. With the help of our local governments and private partners, we can help each community as we bring learning to all deserving schools throughout Southern Mindanao and the rest of the Philippines,” said Ky Johnson, Deputy Country Representative of The Asia Foundation.

Since 1954, Books for Asia program has been committed to the belief that knowledge and education are critical for Asian nations to advance their citizens and societies. The program puts nearly one million up-to-date books and resources of the highest quality into the hands of students, teachers, and librarians in 17 Asian countries each year, according to The Asia Foundation.

“Education forms the foundation for all prosperous and democratic societies,” Jon Lindborg, USAID Philippines Mission Director, said. “The U.S. Government is very proud to support the work of dedicated organizations like The Asia Foundation and committed schools and communities across Mindanao to help improve educational opportunities for school children and young scholars.”

USAID's program in the Philippines, valued at approximately $80 million in 2008, focuses on strengthening peace in conflict-affected Mindanao, promoting good governance, increasing economic opportunities, protecting the environment, strengthening health services, and improving basic education.

Last year, The Asia Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to the development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region, provided more than $68 million in program support and distributed 974,000 books and educational materials valued at $33 million throughout Asia. It depends solely on monetary contributions from donors to accomplish its work.

Reynald Ocampo, Assistant Program Officer-Books for Asia Program, acknowledged the unrelenting support of public and private partners in the endeavor and said U.S. publishers have supplied the books while the Aboitiz2go helped shipped them to Mindanao.

“We are happy to help and look forward to providing more books to other areas in Mindanao,” Ocampo told the Mindanao Examiner.

In December, the Asia Foundation led by Efren Balajadia, the Books for Asia Program Director, also donated books and reference materials to Sulu province during a two-day peace caravan. Balajadia said they will continue to support basic education program in Sulu. (With reports from Mark Navales and Nickee Butlangan)

Commuter Bus Bombed In Southern Philippines

COTABATO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 07 Jul) – A powerful bomb explosion ripped through a commuter bus Saturday in the southern Philippines, police and military authorities said.

The blast damaged a bus owned by YBL in Koronadal City in South Cotabato province, but there were no reports of casualties. The bus came from Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat province.

Authorities said the explosive was planted at the rear of the bus and detonated at around 5.35 p.m. when all the passengers had disembarked at a transport depot.

No group or individual claimed responsibility for the blast. Police and military would not say whether the latest attack was connected to the terror groups Abu Sayyaf or Jemaah Islamiya.

The bus was bombed at a time the firm’s transport workers were threatening to stage a strike because of labor dispute.

Last month, a commuter bus owned by Weena Bus Lines was also bombed at a transport terminal in Bansalan town in Davao del Sur province.

Foreign embassies have warned their citizens against traveling in the southern Philippines because of threats of terror attacks and kidnappings for ransom. Filipino troops are battling Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya militants in the volatile region.

Security forces are also pursuing rogue members of the country’s largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, who are holding an Italian Roman Catholic priest Giancarlo Bossi kidnapped June 10 in Zamboanga Sibugay province. (Juan Magtanggol)