Eight tribes to join Cadiz Dinagsa 2011 contest

Mayor Patrick Escalante is inviting everyone to come to Cadiz City as it celebrates its 37^th Dinagsa Festival 2011 on January 22-30, with the eight (8) tribes participating in the Dinagsa competition on January 30 where the popular “Lamhitanay Festival” occurs in the whole afternoon.

The tribe contingents are 3 Marias Tribe of Barangays Zone IV, Luna and Sicaba; Bobucad Tribe of Barangays Andres Bonifacio, Burgos and Caduhaan; Bulawanon Tribe of Barangays Tinampaan, Zone III and Mabini; Hitalon Tribe of Barangays Zone VI, Zone I and Cadiz Viejo; Tibanda Tribe of Barangays Tiglawigan, Banquerohan and Daga; Tribu Aeta of Barangay Celestino Villacin; Majeca Tribe of Barangays Cabahug, Magsaysay and Jerusalem; and Tribu Yab-Yab Doongol of Barangays Zone V, Zone II and VF Gustilo.

The week-long festivities will start on January 22 with the DRFGMNHS alumni homecoming, Shoot Fest and SK Day; January 23, Invitational Air Soft, Boxing Tournament, Dog Show, motorcade of Sto. Niño de Cadiz and Battle of the Bands; January 24, Holy Mass and the opening of Cadiz Information Center, Agro-Industrial Fair and Tukib Art Exhibi; January 25, Exhibition Basketball Games and RMN Hip-Hop Dance Contest;

January 26, Concelebrated Mass, Fluvial Parade and Procession and talent competition for Dinagsa Queen 2011 and Ginoong Cadiz 2011; January 27, pageant night for Ginoong Cadiz 2011 and the street party; January 28, Paralympiada, pageant night for Dinagsa Queen 2011 and the street party; January 29, Best of Negros Festival 2011, ABC Night and the street party; and January 30, Holy Mass, Dinagsa Competition, Tribe’s Endurance/ Lamhitanay Festival, awarding ceremony, street party and the fireworks display.

On the other hand, the candidates vying for the Dinagsa Queen 2011 title are Audrey Grace Baruc, candidate number 1; Ira Chris Egca, candidate number 2; Andrea De Guzman, candidate number 3; Stephanie Monserate, candidate number 4; Angela Joy Johns, candidate number 5; Rovelyn Elmission, candidate number 6; Rhonna Mae Yee, candidate number 7; and, Russel Baño, candidate number 8.

Ginoong Cadiz 2011 candidates are Ryan Labrador, candidate number 1; George Kevin Barilea, candidate number 2; Ramon Cesar Mahipus, candidate number 3; Melvan Villa, candidate number 4; Kurt Daren Micabel, candidate number 5; Eduard Joseph Brillantes, candidate number 6; Jeffrey Paglinawan, candidate number 7; and, Keene Castillo, candidate number 8.

Mayor Patrick inducts barangay officials

Hundreds of supporters and spectators witnessed the mass oath taking of more than 350 newly elected Barangay and SK officials led by City Mayor Patrick Escalante and Congressman Alfredo Maranon III, held at Don Bernardo Benedicto Community Center last November 30, 2010.

Mayor Patrick sworn into office the SK kagawad and congratulated the brgy. officers who said “as barangay officials you are the front liners in giving services to your constituents. We, together with Congressman Thirdy, Board Member Bading, Vice Mayor Jongben and the city councilors are here to help and support you for the good and welfare of our city. I am asking your cooperation in making our city a progressive one for in three years time and with our joint efforts and cooperation, we can attain our vision in making Cadiz into a progressive city”.

Provincial Board Member Salvador Escalante, Jr. inducted the SK chairmen and Congressman Alfredo Maranon III sworn into office the newly elected Brgy. Captains and their kagawad.

Board Member Bading in his message said “I know that serving our constituents is not a joke.

All that you do are being questioned by them however remember that the most important thing is that your conscience is clear, at the end of the day, you can say that you have tried your best and have done something good for the public. He added that “serving as public official is one thing and winning in an election is another thing.”

Congressman Maranon urged the elected officials to extend their hands of reconciliation to their political opponents for peace and unity. “The next three years will be very busy for us all, let us work harder for we have a great responsibility in fulfilling our dreams and our promises to our constituents”, he said.

The elected barangay captains for 2010-2013 are as follows: Juvy Becaro of Brgy. Zone I, Macario Barroba of Bgry. Zone II, Philmore Bacharo- Brgy. Zone III, Ma. Zenaida Po - Brgy. Zone IV, Warren Batiles- Brgy. Zone V, Jose Dino Hautea- Brgy. Zone VI, Nyorlito Jubay- Andres Bonifacio, Guillermo Cabahug of Banquerohan, Rodel Evidente- Brgy.Burgos, Rey Yee-Brgy. Cabahug, Dionesio Villaruz-Brgy. Cadiz Viejo, Eduardo Javier of Brgy. Caduhaan and Manuel Verbo of Brgy. Celestino Villacin.

Brgy. Captain Jay Ramos of Brgy. Daga, Anna Liza Legaspi of V.F.Gustilo, Jimmy Diosanna - Brgy. Jerusalem, Lanie Galleron - Brgy. Luna, Warren Zaragoza - Brgy. Mabini, Arthur Lamis - Brgy. Magsaysay, Helen Doza - Brgy. Sicaba, Manuel Escala - Brgy.Tiglawigan, and Brgy. Capt. Manuel Villacin of Brgy. Tinampaan.

On the other hand, elected SK chairmen in the 22 barangays were Marsha Arroyo, Rex Macote, Cedric John Olvido, Pee Jay Curativo, Rez John Batiles, Princess Kuan, Pia Mocon, Clarmaine Torrecarion, Paul Bryan Grave, Mark Gie Metoda, Alfie Villaruz, Cherry Mae Javier, Alejandro Sabolbora, Vincent Vasquez, Arlene Legaspi, Dean Ramos, Ma. Laurence Carmel Jaropillo, Junna Rose Villarin, Lalen Lamis, Mario dela Pena, Ma. Salvacion Degayo and John Rey Estos.

Present during the occasion were councilors Vicente William Tabanao, Dr. Lilia Decolongon, Wilfredo Cervantes, Antonio Lacson III, Dr. Abiezer Bacomo and Marcelo Metuda, City Administrator Atty. Michael Angelo Borromeo, City Secretary Melvin Bacomo, Dep-Ed officials, press people, senior citizens and government employees./*

City launches Project LOU

CITY MAYOR PATRICK G. ESCALANTE launches anew a call center training program called Project LOU, a livelihood of the underserved. A brainchild of the mayor, the project desires to uphold the objectives of the city government to help the city residents who aspire to become call center agents enhance their English communication skills in preparation for future employment in the call center industry.

The project’s jumpstart on November 3 was graced by no less than the mayor’s wife Marilou. On day one, applicants were screened by the communications specialists who oriented them that the training herein is designed to ensure that Cadiznons will successfully go through their call center applications and give them the edge over other applicants.

Mayor Escalante, aware of the wider range of job opportunities waiting, hopes to customize the training for beginners; provide intensive training to enhance their major English communication skills such as: grammar, pronunciation focusing primarily on American accent, and thought organization by honing their reasoning skills.

The lead trainer said in an interview that Project LOU aims to provide personal coaching and conduct feed backing in order to increase the learning portfolio of the trainees; expose them to call center fundamentals in basic technical support, basic customer services, and basic sales skills; basic call center rules and regulations, one-on–one English conversation sessions, regional accent reduction, character building and values formation, goal setting, and provide an overview how to hurdle interviews and call simulations after the training curriculum has completed.

Apparently, call centers are gaining upward spate in the global market and therefore have obviously offset the traditional mode of transacting business and other negotiations. The latest trend now which is via online is spawning fast that online shopping, online banking and even online real estate deals are today’s “word of mouth”.

Looking into this transition, the Cadiz City Call Center Training and Employment Program, equipped with the latest PC sets with internet connection, projector and projectors screen, microphones, communications experts and other essential devices, is raring to face the challenge. Besides training for call center employment, the computer hands-on experience will definitely open doors of opportunities until one suitably finds his niche in his chosen field. The city training center aspires to potentially become one of the major sources of call center recruitment in the province. /*

LCR chief gets award

Local Civil Registar Mary Jean Gumban was awarded by Regional Director of National Statistics Office (NSO) Norman Julag-ay and Provincial Statistics Officer Fred Sollesta for getting into the top 5 as Best Performing Local Civil Registry Office for 2009.

Among the top 5 best performing cities were Silay City, La Carlota City, San Carlos City, Talisay City and Cadiz City.

The award is based on the 2009 province-wide evaluation and ranking of submission of mandatory reports and conduct of over and above civil registration related activities. It was given at San Antonio Resort, Roxas City, Capiz last November 24, 2010.

According to their reports submitted to the NSO, the LCR has registered 4,679 live births, 898 death, 695 marriage and issued 488 marriage licensed.

Aside from their regular functions, the LCR has conducted over and above civil registry related activities such as facilitated marriages solemnized by the city mayor at the city hall, conducted Mobile Registration in various barangays, facilitated the mass wedding officiated by the city mayor in Barangays Caduhaan, Luna, Burgos and Sicaba, conducted free registration on the last working day of February 2009, facilitated request for SECPA of Civil registry documents through BREQs, attendance to all City Civil Registrars meetings, support to all NSO programs, information and dissemination activities, office lay out and speed in retrieval of records and personnel attitude towards serving the clients./*

CASAMA elects new officers

A new set of officers of the board was elected by CASAMA Inter -local Health Zone on August 10, 2010 at Balay Kauswagan, Sagay City. The board convened and elected Manapla Mayor Lourdes Socorro L. Escalante as Chairman and Cadiz City Mayor Dr. Patrick G. Escalante as Vice-chairman.

The CASAMA Inter-local Health Zone is a district health system composed of the second district cities of Cadiz and Sagay and the municipality of Manapla and two district hospitals, the Cadiz District Hospital and Alfredo Maranon, Sr. Memorial District Hospital. Other officers are: Mae D. Barco of Cadiz City Health Office as Secretary; Cadiz SP Member/Chairman, Committee on Health Abiezer Bacomo, Sr. as Treasurer; Sagay City Health Officer Dr. Manuel A. Bersales as Auditor; Chief of Hospital-Alfredo Maranon, Sr. Memorial District Hospital Dr. Juanito Abastillas as Business Manager and Chief of Hospital, Cadiz District Hospital Dr. Ma. Girlie H. Pinongan, as Zonal Action Officer.

For six years, the CASAMA Inter–local Health Zone has continued to serve the constituents of the district through resource sharing among the three local government units, manpower augmentation, medical, surgical and dental outreach programs, advocacy campaign on sexually-transmitted illnesses (STI), HIV/AIDS, emerging diseases, lifestyle-related diseases, and rainy season diseases among the targeted areas within the three LGUs. It has also programmed Adopt-a-Barangay project to a group of indigenous people residing at Brgy. Puey, Sagay City./*

Dynamic MPC steadfast in operations, opens more windows

The Cadiz City Government Employees Dynamic Multi-Purpose Cooperative is presently riding high in accomplishments for the year under review. Visualizing a 30 million pesos capitalization target in 2014, the CCGEDMPC, a government employees ‘association composed of eighty eight percent (88%) city hall employees, has broadened its business opportunities when the Board of Directors, chaired by Gerardo Batislaon, Assistant Budget Officer of the City Budget Office, approved the passage of Board Resolution No. 2009-026 or the Hospitalization Loan to a maximum of Ten Thousand Pesos (P 10,000.00) with an interest rate of one percent payable within one year. The hospitalization loan is available to a coop member or his immediate family member who is confined to a hospital.

Next year’s expansion of the present close type cooperative to open type will optimistically mark a turnaround of its operations. The proposition looks very promising to the present standards, hence, would be a picture of “right-on-the-track” development in all its probability. An open type cooperative accepts as members, small entrepreneurs, private individuals and private entities, casual and contractual employees in city hall. They will qualify for the same loan windows as the regular members who were government employees.

The CCGEDMPC, through its seventeen years of existence, had been a “consoling hand”, alleviating the aches of cash-strapped members and having the perceptivity to have stood in the forefront by addressing the basic needs of its cooperators. The collaborative efforts by the organization had answered the dreams in realizing each respective goals by reaching out, assisting, pursuing, and nurturing with perseverance, be it in business, education, health and other financial obligations, thus, standing as guardian of the members’ assets and shielding arm from usurious loan transactions that the members were inclined to enter with a compromise.

Moreover, coop members get to enjoy reasonable prices for each grocery item that the cooperative store offers. According to Mr. Batislaon, it has gained an estimated ten percent (10%) contribution to the profit.

Consequently, an increased loan ceiling for Productive Loan, the cooperative’s highest loan grant of Eighty Thousand pesos (P 80,000.00) in previous years will increase to as much as One Hundred Twenty Thousand Pesos (120,000.00) or more, implementation of which shall take effect soon after the guidelines were out. The increased loan ceiling aims to meet the up scaling of prices on all basic commodities, fuel, and school fees. Other loan windows available are: Educational Loan, Commodity Loan, Trading and Special Loans.

Regularly, the Education Committee, chaired by Ma. Daisy G. Revalez, Assistant City Treasurer of the City Treasurer’s Office, conducts membership campaign through Pre-Membership Seminar (PMS) to obtain a hundred percent membership on all employees in city hall./*

Terrace Garden reaps regional award

Department of Health Regional Director Dr. Sofia Pulmones has awarded the city’s Terrace Garden Restaurant as the Healthy Eating Place for 2010 in Punta Villa Resort, Manduriao, Iloilo City last December 6, 2010.

Terrace Garden Restaurant was adjudged for the third time as the Healthy Eating Place in the provincial and regional level for their exemplary performance in delivering eatery services to its clients. The award was accepted by its proprietor Caroline Ronquillo Deldig, together with the City Health representative Erna Locsin, Provincial Health Advocacy and Promotion Head Helen Rivera and Provincial Health Education and Promotion Officer Jenny Saron.

As Hall of Famer, Terrace Garden was consistent awardee for three consecutive years from 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Provincial evaluator Helen Rivera congratulated the City of Cadiz for a nice ambience and for reaping the award. The basis for the evaluation dwells on food protection -10 pts, wholesomeness of food - 5 pts., personnel - 5 pts, construction and maintenance of premises - 15 pts, sanitary facilities - 20 points, waste management - 10 points, cleanliness, tidiness, housekeeping and management -10 points, sanitation of equipment & utensils - 15 points and miscellaneous - 5 points.

The teams of provincial evaluators were: Dr. Elvie Villalobos, Section Head, Environmental and Occupational Health Section; Dr. Clodualdo Divinagracia, Oral Health Coordinator; Health Evaluation and Promotion Officer Mary Yvette Ganancial; Helen Rivera, cluster head for Health Advocacy and Promotion; and Jenny Saron, Health Education and Promotion Officer./*

Candidates for Dinagsa Queen 2011, Ginoong Cadiz 2011, schedule of activities announced

The Cadiz City Government announced the list of official candidates for Dinagsa Queen 2011 and Ginoong Cadiz 2011, the two main events on the 37^th Dinagsa Festival 2011 on January 22-30, 2011.

Vying for the Dinagsa Queen 2011 title are Audrey Grace Baruc, candidate number 1; Ira Chris Egca, candidate number 2; Andrea De Guzman, candidate number 3; Stephanie Monserate, candidate number 4;

Angela Joy Johns, candidate number 5; Rovelyn Elmission, candidate number 6; Rhonna Mae Yee, candidate number 7; and, Russel Baño, candidate number 8.

Ginoong Cadiz 2011 candidates are Ryan Labrador, candidate number 1; George Kevin Barilea, candidate number 2; Ramon Cesar Mahipus, candidate number 3; Melvan Villa, candidate number 4;

Kurt Daren Micabel, candidate number 5; Eduard Joseph Brillantes, candidate number 6; Jeffrey Paglinawan candidate number 7; and, Keene Castillo, candidate number 8.

The search for Ginoong Cadiz and Dinagsa Queen will be on January 27 and 28, respectively, at the Don Bernardo Benedicto Community Center in Cadiz City. While the talent competition for the two events will be jointly held on January 26, 7PM, also at the DBBCC.

On the other hand, Mayor Patrick Escalante has employed several modifications on the annual festival to make it a truly national and global interest. This, the Mayor hopes, will attract an influx of both local and international tourists.

Among the many artistic and creative revisions for the 37^th Dinagsa Festival 2011 include the conduct of the Dinagsa Faces 2010 Photo Contest. This activity is aimed at collecting old photos from any local and international tourists and guests who once revered the festival. The winning entries will be used for the promotional materials of the Festival on January 22-30, 2011.

Other positive innovation that will surely draw more crowds will be the “Lamhitanay Festival”. This will happen during the ati-atihan street dance competition on January 30 where warriors and revelers alike smudge themselves with paint. The “lamhitanay” refers to the artistic and creative smudging with colorful paint on body parts, particularly on faces.

The festivities will start on January 22 with DRVFGMNHS alumni homecoming, Shoot Fest and Battle of the Bands; January 23, SK Day, an Invitational Airsoft Competition and Dog Show; January 24, Holy Mass, opening of the Cadiz Information Center, Agro-Industrial Fair and the Tukib Art Exhibit, and the motorcade of Sto. Nino de Cadiz; January 25, the RMN Hip-Hop Dance Contest; January 26, Concelebrated Mass, Fluvial Parade and Procession;

January 27, street party; January 28, Paralympiada and street party; January 29, Best of Negros Festival, ABC Night and the street party; and, January 30, Holy Mass, Ati-Atihan Street Dance Competition, Tribe’s Endurance Competition and “Lamhitanay Festival”, street party and fireworks display.

The Cadiz City’s Dinagsa Festival won the national award as the country’s 2010 Best Tourism Event First Runner Up on the 11^th National Convention of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) last October 3-6, 2010 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center in Olongapo City./*