Film Writing Seminar Held In Zamboanga City

Accomplished Filipino filmmakers Gutierrez Mangansakan II and Sheron Dayoc during the film writing seminar held in Zamboanga City.

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 25, 2007) – The Canadian-funded Local Governance Support Program in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has ended Thursday a three-day film writing seminar in Zamboanga City.

Accomplished Filipino filmmakers, led by Gutierrez Mangansakan II, conducted the seminar which was attended by dozens of participants from Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces. Noted independent film director Sheron Dayoc was one of three who will shoot the films in the provinces.

Also invited in the seminar were Al Jacinto, of the Mindanao Examiner Production and Arthur Sakaluran-Abasolo, one of the company’s video production editors. The Mindanao Examiner has finished its second film Sultan just this year. Last year, it also produced the short film called Pobreza en Zamboanga. It is currently filming a tourism video of the exotic Sulu Island.

The seminar was aimed at developing the writing skills of the participants to tell true stories about their communities and people through short films, which would be shown on November 25 during the Mindanao Film Festival in Davao City.

The participants were chosen from members of the communities in the three provinces.

Mangansakan’s first film House under the Crescent Moon (2000) won Best Video Documentary at the 15th Gawad CCP Para Sa Alternatibong Pelikula At Video. He is a writer, documentary filmmaker and heritage conservationist from Pagalungan town in Maguindanao province.

The LGSPA covers the whole of the ARMM. In the five years of LGSP II support to ARMM were initiatives to improve the delivery of basic services, computerize tax collection, and strengthen community participation in governance.

Highlights include the establishment of several peace zones and community peace radios in conflict-prone areas, assistance to municipalities in village development planning and strengthening of village justice systems using traditional conflict resolution methods.

After the 2004 elections, the program supported LGUs in formulating and implementing their respective Executive and Legislative Agendas (ELAs) through a participatory process. LGSPA officially started in March 2005 and is a five year (2005 - 2010) P821.5 million, capacity development program funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in partnership with the Filipino government through the ARMM Regional Government.

It is managed by Agriteam Canada Consulting Ltd. in association with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). The program works with all ARMM municipalities, Marawi City, and the 6 provinces of Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. It involves different levels of local government units (LGUs), government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), support institutions and peace networks.

To increase effectiveness in local governance, LGSPA focuses on five key areas: leadership and management, service delivery, resource generation and management, participatory governance and peace-building. LGSPA recognizes the importance of strengthening the enabling environment for local governance.

The program works with stakeholders at the regional level to help develop policies and programs that support local governments and local peace building efforts. This will include capacity development assistance to the Autonomous Regional Government (ARG), peace networks and other supporting institutions such as CSOs, academic institutions and LGU leagues.

The program strategy includes mainstreaming four crosscutting themes in order to ensure that these important concerns of poverty reduction, gender equality, cultural integrity and environmental sustainability are considered throughout the implementation of the program and to increase the capacity of the ARG and ARMM LGUs to mainstream these themes within their policies, programs and plans.

LGSPA builds upon the successes of LGSP I and II by furthering the dissemination of information and replicating good practice, promoting the use of knowledge products developed and by drawing on the lessons learned. (Mindanao Examiner)

Bush Seeks To Boost Canada, Mexico Ties: AP

OTTAWA - President Bush, tending to relations with two border nations, will try to give a boost Monday to his partnerships with the like-minded leaders of Canada and Mexico.

Bush's two-day summit with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon is the third of its kind during his presidency.

Each one has been meant to bolster an evolving compact — dubbed the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America — that serves as a way for the nations to team up on health, security and commerce.

Yet for Bush, the event also allows him to show he does not take his neighbors for granted; they are both vital trading partners and energy providers for the U.S.

"The message for Canada and Mexico is that despite the ongoing emphasis on Iraq and terrorism in U.S. foreign policy ... the U.S. is investing time and attention on relationships with our own region," said Chris Sands, a scholar of North American studies and senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The partnership of the countries is a framework for working out problems — not a deal that was ever intended to produce dramatic announcements. None are expected at the summit.

Personally, Bush shares plenty of views with Harper and Calderon, two fellow conservatives and free-market advocates who have come into power during his second term.

It's not all cheery. The summit is drawing protests from critics of Canada's troop presence in Afghanistan and of the partnership among the three countries. Some Canadians see it as an insidious threat to their sovereignty, led by the United States.

Police were out in force Sunday in Ottawa, where protests began even before Bush was to arrive Monday from his ranch in Crawford, Texas. The summit itself will take place about 50 miles to the east at a luxury resort in Montebello, Quebec, where security is even tighter.

The broad theme of the summit is economic prosperity, built around several topics: border security, competitiveness with India and China, product safety and energy solutions.

Bush will also be faced with matters of specific concern to each of the countries.

He will first meet with Harper at Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello, a luxury resort made out of one of the world's largest log cabins.

Bush is sure to thank Harper for Canada's commitment to keeping troops in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Harper is frustrated over a U.S. law that tightened passport rules for Canadians visiting the U.S., although Bush has pledged to enforce it and has little leeway.

Harper is also expected to assert his nation's claim to the fabled Northwest Passage through the resource-rich Arctic. Competition to control the Arctic has intensified with global warming; Russia sent two small submarines to plant a tiny national flag under the North Pole this month. The U.S. and Norway also have claims.

Bush and Calderon will have their own one-on-one session later Monday.

With them, the messy issue of immigration looms large. The last time these two leaders met, in March in Mexico, Bush was optimistic about getting a new immigration law.

Since then, his plan died in Congress.

So Bush recently issued an executive order meant to tighten border security, streamline guest-worker programs and pressure employers to fire illegal immigrant workers.

The U.S. government has been working on a major aid package to help Calderon fight drug trafficking in Mexico. The deal may be announced in part or in whole at the summit.

The three leaders will join at day's end for dinner, then resume talks Tuesday.(AP)

Internet Service To Boost RP-Canada Export Business

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Filipino companies interested to market and export their products to Canada can now avail of the online services of the Trade Facilitation Office of Canada (TFOC).

Ambassador to Canada, Jose S. Brilliantes, said the TFOC’s online services are a web-based mechanism for exporters and potential buyers to do business.

Interested Philippine exporters registering at www.tfoc.ca could upload basic information of its company profile and products, including uploading of photos of products, price list and factory site of vital interest to over 1,000 Canadian importers in TFOC’s database, according to the Philippine Information Agency in Zamboanga City.

Basically, the database is designed to connect locally interested exporters with their prospective Canadian in buyers.

With this tool, Philippine export companies are strongly encouraged by Ambassador Brilliantes to take advantage and use this export diagnostic tool provided free by TFOC.

Somehow, for a more realistic trade possibility, Ambassador Brilliantes cautions local companies to have at least one-year exporting experience considering that Canada is a sophisticated market.

The Trade Facilitation Office of Canada is a non-profit corporation with an ongoing mandate to provide trade related technical assistance to developing countries and countries in transaction, the Department of Trade and Industry said. (Mimi Bern-Edaga)

Mindanao Gets Peace Aid From Canada

DAVAO CITY —Driven by it's commitment to support peace and development efforts in Mindanao, the Canadian government, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has recently provided an additional P40 million to the Mindanao Trust Fund (MTF), further boosting the implementation of community-driven development for the conflict-affected and vulnerable areas.

Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Sutherland led the ceremonial signing of a grant agreement here last week for Canada's additional support for the Phase I the Mindanao Trust Fund for Reconstruction and Development Program (MTF-RDP), along with Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza, World Bank Mindanao coordinator Mary Judd, Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) executive director and MTF-RDP1 Project Manager, Dr. Danda N. Juanday, according to ReliefWeb.

Ambassador Sutherland emphasized that Canada's contribution to the MTF is anchored on its country strategy to facilitate development and establish a stronger constituency for peace, while working with local governments and small businesses. Over 60 percent of Canada's country targets are directed to Mindanao, Sutherland noted.

"With development aid, we can show what can happen when peace starts to unfold. And right now, more and more (people) look at projects that support an environment conducive for peace," Sutherland said, adding that, "it is important to work with people in Mindanao, so that they can promote their own development."

Last year, Canada made an initial contribution of P30 million during the launch of the MTF in Cotabato City. Other bilateral donors to the fund include Australia, New Zealand and Sweden.
At present, the MTF provides funding support to the capacity-building of the BDA, the development arm of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and tasked to determine, lead and manage relief, reconstruction and development projects in conflict-affected areas. The BDA also receives assistance and admits new elements in the first phase, such as mainstreaming gender in peace-building work, community-level emergency response, advocacy campaigns, and enhanced coordination with other projects in the conflict areas, ReliefWeb said.

"This event highlights the quiet and more sustainable part of peace building. While this (added support of CIDA to the MTF) is certainly not as dramatic as the ceasefire agreement, this is good news that we should focus on," Sec. Dureza said.

At the signing ceremony, Dr. Juanday presented recent updates on activities undertaken by the BDA, particularly on MTF-RDP1 implementation, which mostly involve the construction of projects such as the Community Hall & Training Center, Coco Pugon, Warehouse, Tire Path and Solar Drier (2 units), in pilot areas like Pacalundo, Baloi, Lanao Del Norte; Sungayan, Dinas, Zamboanga Del Norte; Baguindan, Tipo-Tipo, Basilan; Sapad, Matanog, Maguindanao; Lucatan, Tarragona, Davao Oriental; and Malisbong, Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.

RP Police Foils Bomb Attack In Troubled South

COTABATO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 29 Apr) – Philippine soldiers detonated a homemade bomb Sunday in the restive North Cotabato province, south of Manila, officials said.

Officials said the bomb was left near a police post in Tacurong City, but had been discovered before it was to explode. “Soldiers detonated the bomb after police manning the post discovered the explosive,” Maj. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, told the independent regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner.

No group claimed responsibility for the foiled attack, said Col. Danny Garcia, the local army commander.

“We are still investigating who is behind this failed bombing attempt,” Garcia said in a separate interview. “At this point, we cannot pinpoint to any group, but we have tightened security around Tacurong.”

He said the bomb was made from C4 explosive and rigged to a timer. “It had steel pellets and some components taken from a mortar rocket that would trigger detonation,” Garcia said.

The discovery of the bomb came just a day after the United States warned its citizens against traveling to Mindanao island and the Sulu Archipelago in the southern Philippines because of heightened terror activities.

Aside from the United States, Canada an Australia also told their citizens not to travel to the troubled region, where security forces are battling members of the al-Qaeda affiliate Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya and Moro National Liberation Front rebels.

A grenade attack last week in North Cotabato’s Pikit town injured three people working for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Unidentified men tossed two grenades on the USAID field office and fled. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Another bomb attack last week in Midsayap town also in North Cotabato also injured one civilian. A man was also killed after a bomb he was transporting exploded in Cotabato City in Maguindanao province near North Cotabto.

Abu Sayyaf militants also beheaded six construction workers and a fisherman they kidnapped in Parang town in Jolo island in the Sulu Archipelago two weeks ago. (With a report from Mark Navales and Juan Magtanggol)

Pinas, Tumanggap Ng CBRN Protective Suits Mula Sa Canada

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 21 Mar) – Tatlong daang protective suits laban sa chemical, biological, radiological, at nuclear (CBRN) attacks na nagkakahalagang halos tatlong-daang Canadian dollars ang ibinigay ng dayuhang bansa sa mga awtoridad ng Pilipinas.

Gayunman, nilinaw ni Defense Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., na walang maituturing na banta ng pag-atakeng nukleyar bagamat ang pinakahuling nuclear tests sa North Korea at Pakistan ay dapat magsilbing wake-up call sa lahat ng bansa upang maghanda.

Nilagdaan na ang isang memorandum of agreement sa pagitan ng Tanggulang Pambansa at ni Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Sutherland kaakibat ng turn-over ng mga protective suit na C$274,000.

Sasanayin rin ng Canadian authorities ang mga sundalong pinoy, pulis buhat sa Special Action Force (SAF) at mga bumbero sa paggamit ng nasabing CBRN equipment. Katwiran ni Ebdane, mas makabubuti na aniyang may nakaimbak na gamit panlaban sa nuclear attack ang bansa kaysa sa wala.

"It's ironic, we are turning this over to you but we sincerely hope you never have to use it. It's like an insurance policy," hirit naman ni Sutherland.

Ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na nakatanggap ang Pilipinas ng nuclear protective suits na mag-e-expire sa loob ng limang taon. (Juley Reyes)

Six Ambassadors Pledge Support To Peace, Development In Mindanao

The ambassadors of Japan Ryuichiro Yamazaki; Peter Sutherland, of Canada; Kristie Kenney, of the United States, Peter Beckingham, of the United Kingdom; Tony Hely, of Australia; and David Pine, of New Zealand, visited the southern Philippine port city of Zamboanga and Basilan island on Monday 13 Nov 2006 and pledged support to the peace talks between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front which is fighting for a separate Islamic state in the strife-torn region. The 6 countries are staunch allies of the Philippines in the fight against homegrown terrorism.(Mindanao Examiner)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 13 Nov) - Six ambassadors have pledged support to the Philippine peace efforts in Mindanao and renewed commitments to help develop the troubled island, south of Manila.

The ambassadors -- Ryuichiro Yamazaki, of Japan; Peter Sutherland, of Canada; Kristie Kenney, of the United States, Peter Beckingham, of the United Kingdom; Tony Hely, of Australia; and David Pine, of New Zealand arrived here together and met with senior military commanders and government officials.

"These six countries all support myriad development projects in Mindanao, focusing on education and job skills training, small business development, local governance, improved healthcare, agricultural sustainability, poverty alleviation, peace building and counter-terrorism," a joint statement released by the US Embassy said.

The ambassadors met with Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, commander of the Armed Forces' Western Mindanao Command and were briefed about the security situation in Mindanao.

They later met with the local mayor Celso Lobregat, who also briefed them about the city's tourism and investment program, before proceeding to the Islamic Institute of the Philippines in the Muslim enclave of Rio Hondo where they mingled with students and teachers.

Kenney also led the turnover ceremony of computers and Internet connections to the school under the program called Computer Literacy and Internet Connection or CLIC.Sutherland said Canada is supporting the peace process and development efforts in Mindanao.

"Our objective in visiting Zamboanga and Basilan is to demonstrate our support to the peace process and development in Mindanao," he said. "We have a collective interest in Mindanao to bring peace and development."

And Japan has also committed to support the peace talks, saying, it already sent a representative to Mindanao to join an international group of cease-fire observers.

"We are also supporting the peace process. We hope to help in the development of Mindanao," said Yamazaki in Zamboanga City.

The group also flew by helicopters to Lamitan town in Basilan island to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a community learning center donated by Australia under the so-called Basic Assistance for Mindanao program.

The 6 countries are staunch allies of the Philippines have provided funds to help the government fight homegrown terrorism. Manila is currently negotiating peace with the MILF, the country's largest Muslim rebel group. (Mindanao Examiner)