Davao City, RP’s No. 3 city, has P3.2 billion budget for 2009

Davao City 2009 budget P3.2 billion
By ROGER M. BALANZA
 
            City Hall has proposed a P3.2 billion annual budget for 2009 for expenditures factoring peace and order as key to economic growth.
            The Davao City Council has accepted the proposal and would be tackling the vital measure spelling out details of expenses for government operations [...]

ComVal gov bares children, women programs

ComVal to ban unlicensed ‘hilot’
 
          Compostela Valley Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy is banning untrained birth attendants or manghihilot as part of comprehensive health care program for children and mothers.
          Uy said he would ask the Provincial Board to pass an ordinance imposing regulations on birth attendants even as infant mortality rate is slight, during his [...]

King David’s penis in safe hands

SP: No demolition for Queensland
By ROGER M. BALANZA
 
          The question of deciding on the illegal reclamation of a foreshore area in Matina Aplaya by Queensland Hotel is a matter that belongs to the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) and not the Davao City government.
          The demolition of structures built by Queensland owner Teodorico Adarna in [...]

Localized peace talks with NPA not getting off

RPOC warns vs. politicians helping NPAs

 
          The Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) in Region Eleven has warned politicians and businessmen against extending assistance to communist rebels.
 
          Davao del Sur Governor Douglas Cagas, RPOC chairman, said stiff sanctions would be slapped on local government officials and businessmen helping the New People’s Army (NPA).
 
          We [...]

Lakas-CMD break-up in Compostela Valley seen

Gentugaya vs. Apsay for Congress in 2010?
 
BY ROGER M. BALANZA
 
Compostela Valley Congressman Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora may find her daughter Board Member Maricar Zamora-Apsay with a contender for the post the last-termer congressman would vacate in 2010.
Worse, Apsay’s rival could come from his party Lakas/CMD headed in the province by Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy, [...]

More miseries for Hedcor hydropower project in Davao City

Hedcor to run afoul
vs. watershed code
By ROGER M. BALANZA
 
After City Hall said the hydropower project of the Aboitiz-owned Hedcor Inc. in Tamugan River in Calinan could adversely affect the city’s aquifer, a Davao City councilor said the power project is also banned under the Watershed Protection, Management and Conservation Ordinance.
Councilor Arnolfo Ricardo Cabling, [...]

Poor drainage system behind floods in Davao City subdivision

Developer washes
hands off Maa floods
By ROGER M. BALANZA
 
Floods in a subdivision in a low-lying area in Maa were self-inflicted caused by a vanished natural waterway and ill-maintained drainage system encroached into by irresponsible residents.
This is the defense put up by a high-end housing developer planning a project in Shrine Hills in Matina, [...]

Durianburgdavao top in news category in Pinoy.blogs.com

PINOY.BLOGS.COM
Durianburgdavao is making miracles with its high ranking in Pinoy.blogs.com which monitors nearly 2000 top blogs by Pinoys.
The past weeks we have been consistently at No. 1 in the News Category.
In the over-all ranking we notched No. 8 last week, slid down to No. 14 today but being in the Top 15 of the [...]

ComVal as ‘NPA country” in Malacanang order slammed

“RUBBING SALT TO INJURY”
By ROGER M. BALANZA
 
An official of Compostela Valley province has scored Malacanang for “rubbing salt to injury” with its mention of the province as rebel-infested in an executive order issued by President Arroyo that reorganized the Peace and Order Council.
Executive Order No. 739 cited Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental and Surigao del Sur [...]

More bad news for Aboitiz-Hedcor hydropower project

Jacinto: Hedcor project to affect aquifer
By ROGER M. BALANZA
City Hall yesterday made life harder for the Aboitiz-owned Hedcor, saying its hydropower project tapping Tamugan and Panigan rivers would “adversely affect” the aquifer where the city draws out its water needs.
There is a 65 percent probability the recharge points for the aquifer would be adversely [...]