Grupo ng NPC sa Zamboanga City malakas; Mannix, Monsi at James patok!

Ang grupo ng abogadong si James Enriquez habang nangangampanya sa Zamboanga City. (Mindanao Examiner Photo - Jung Francisco)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Abril 5, 2010) – Pinagkakaguluhan sa Zamboanga City ang pangangampanya ng grupo ng batikang abogadong si James Enriquez na tumatakbong congressman sa District 1 at ang incumbent na si Bise Alkalde Manuel Dalipe at dating Presidential adviser na si Crisanto dela Cruz dahil sa kanilang inilatag na plataforma de gobyerno.

Si Dalipe ay tumatakbo ngayon bilang alkalde ng Zamboanga City laban sa incumbent rin na si Celso Lobregat. Si Dela Cruz, na mas kilala bilang “Monsi,” ay dati rin Katolikong pari at ngayon ay ang tumatayong katuwang ni Dalipe sa pagka-bise alkalde.

Kilalang mabait at matalino si Enriquez, na dating opisyal ng Bureau of Customs at isa sa mga pinakarespetado sa Zamboanga at ang mga programa nito ang siyang patuloy na nagdadala sa kanya sa kasikatan sa distritong tinatakbuhan.

Nahuli ng tatlo ang kalooban ng publiko dahil sa kanilang magandang programa kung sakaling palarin at magwagi sa halalan sa Mayo 10. Halos pagkaguluhan ang tatlo sa tuwing darayo sa ibat-ibang barangay kasama ang kanilang grupo na binubuo ng mga batikang pulitiko at baguhan, ngunit karapat-dapat na kandidato ng Nationalist People’s Coalition.

Bahay-bahay rin kung suyurin ng grupo nina Dalipe, Dela Cruz at Jimenez ang mga barangay at mainit na mainit ang pagtanggap sa kanila ng publiko. At mistulang mga artista kung sila’y pagkaguluhan at halos hindi na umano makahinga sa higpit ng yakap ng mga supporters sa tuwing mangangampanya.

“Panalo sila, tiyak sila ang mananalo dahil mabubuting tao ang grupo nina Mannix, Monsi at James. Bagong pag-asa sila ng Zamboanga City at kami ay naniniwala sa kanilang kakayahan at sana ay sila na ang mamuno sa Zamboanga upang umunlad naman ang ating lugar,” ani Nelson, isang supporter ng grupong NPC.

Mannix ang palayaw ni Dalipe at kilala naman si Dela Cruz sa Zamboanga bilang Monsi at siyang nasa likod ng tagumpay ng Lantaka Hotel at paaralan nito at gayun rin si Enriquez dahil sa kanyang slogan na “Puede Si Quire” na ang ibig sabihin ay “Kaya kung Gugustuhin” – isang patunay sa Pilipino na kayang maabot ang anumang pagsubok o minimithi kung magsisipag lamang.

Matibay ang pundasyon ng suporta ng tatlo sa Zamboanga City at patunay lamang ito ng malaking pagrespeto at pagmamahal sa kanila ng mga tao.

Naka-angkla sa matibay na pundasyon ang grupo nina Dalipe, Dela Cruz at Jimenez at pagbabago, progreso at kapakanan ng bawat mamamayan sa Zamboanga ang isinusulong ng mga ito.

Sa mga kandidato naman ng tatlo sa pagka-konsehal ay nangunguna rin sa mga paborito sina Allan Cajucom, na isang kilalang journalist sa Zamboanga; Cesar “Jawo” Jimenez; abogadong si Mel Sadain at iba pa.

Bukod sa NPC ay humahakot rin ng suporta ang mga re-electionists na sina Rogelio “Gerky” Valesco, Rodolfo “Rudy” Lim at Luis “Noning” Biel.

Malakas naman ang pangalan ni dating Defense chief Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jnr, na ngayon ay kandidato ng Lakas-Kampi-CMD coalition ng kasalukuyang pamahalaan sa pagka-Pangulo. (Mindanao Examiner)

Irrigation System Inaugurated in Zamboanga Village

Two men get dirty water from the sea at the Cawa-Cawa beach along R.T. Lim Boulevard in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. The sea water contains high pollutants and e-coli bacteria. Government officials led by Secretary Crisanto dela Cruz, the Presidential Assistant for Mindanao, have recently inaugurated a communal irrigation system in Zamboanga's Talisayan village. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 24, 2009) – Philippine officials inaugurated a P8-million communal irrigation system in Zamboanga City in Mindanao, government media said.

It said Secretary Crisanto dela Cruz, the Presidential Assistant for Western Mindanao, led the inauguration Wednesday in the village of Talisayan. The project was funded by the National Irrigation Administration and the Department of Agriculture and would benefit farmers in the area.

The Philippine News Agency said Dela Cruz, an influential former Catholic priest-turned-politician, told farmers to help preserve and maintain the irrigation system so that they will continue to reap the benefits it provides to them.

”The project is part of President Arroyo’s priority to ensure stability of food security in the country. With the irrigation project in place, the farmers can now plant rice twice or even thrice a year as they are ensured of steady water supply,” Dela Cruz, also a hotelier, said. (With a report from Jung Francisco)

President Arroyo inspects Zamboanga reclamation project

President Gloria Arroyo in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. (Photo by Jerry Carual)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / May 29, 2009) – Filipino leader Gloria Arroyo inspected a government project in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines.

Arroyo inspected a 1.8-ha. reclamation project at the port of Zamboanga. The project is worth more than P700 million. If completed, the port would be able to receive more ships plying Mindanao. Arroyo later spoke with reporters. She also met with three kidnapped local teachers recently freed in Basilan province.

Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Affairs Crisanto dela Cruz and Zamboanga City Rep. Maria Isabelle Salazar were among those who welcomed Arroyo at the Philippine Air Force base.

While in Zamboanga, Arroyo spoke about her childhood memory of the city and saw how it transformed to what it is now – a highly urbanized city.

She pledged to provide more development projects. Security was tight during Arroyo’s brief visit.

Arroyo is to step down next year when her term ends, but her allies in Congress, led by House Speaker Prospero Nograles, are campaigning to amend the Constitution and at one point proposed to turn the lower house into a constituent assembly that would tackle changes in the fundamental laws on the land.

Militant groups and political activists said amending the Constitution would eventually prolong Arroyo's stay in power.

Arroyo's allies said the change in the Constitution is needed to introduce reforms in the economy, among others.

Under the presidential form of government, Arroyo is allowed only one six-year term. In the charter change proposal suggested by her political allies who dominate Congress, she can be elected as prime minister should Congress dissolve the Senate and change the system of government to parliamentary and eventually prolong her into power beyond 2010.

Arroyo’s political party Kampi on Thursday merged with the country’s two major parties - Lakas and CMD – and declared that the merger is a strong assurance of to administration's resolve and determination to push through with the national and local elections in 2010.

Arroyo deposed President Joseph Estrada in a people power revolution in 2001, but corruption scandals in her government and allegations of poll fraud has made her extremely unpopular among Filipinos. (Mindanao Examiner)