Tacurong taekwondo jins bag 8 golds in regional tourney

(September 5, 2012) Eight taekwondo jins of Tacurong City won gold medals in the regional tournament dubbed as 14^th Tuna Festival Inter-School Taekwondo Championships held at Robinson’s Mall, General Santos City on September 2, 2012.

                Charles Naecolt Saavedra, the most senior player and also the instructor of Tacurong City Jaguars Central Gym, won his first gold after dominating his division and got a second gold after winning the battle of Best of the Best Players. He represented the Notre Dame of Tacurong College (NDTC).

                Aside from winning gold medals, Angela Jane Segura of NDTC and Jomer Sotto of St. John Learning Center were also declared as the best players in their respective divisions. Other gold medalists included Andrea Camille Origenes (Jean Piaget Learning Center), Mary Angeli Yap (NDTC), Kim Sheena Xyza Iwag (Notre Dame Siena College of Tacurong), and Nikoshi Lapuz (Tacurong Pilot elementary School).

 Tacurong Team also seized seven silver medals in various categories. The medalists were Jeriele Clarito (ND Siena College of Tacurong), John Daniel Espino (St. Benedict Learning Center), Ivann Malicudio (Maria Montilla Elementary School), Zayton Mamasalido (Tacurong Pilot Elementary School), Reanold Navarro (NDTC), Daisy Mae Ortele (TPES), and Earl Tristan Trinidad (NDTC).

                Meanwhile, ten taekwondo jins completed the medal haul for Tacurong by winning bronze medals. They were Renzel Anating (VMC City College), Alexi Bañas (Montessori Learning Center), Jerik Jai Braza (NDTC), Aaliyah Freno (Tacurong Pilot Elementary School), Florence Anne Mogan (ND Siena College of Tacurong), Maxine Jayne Palpalatoc (Tacurong Pilot Elementary School), Jaecinth Salvador (NDTC), Keansean Drew Tasic (Tacurong Pilot Elementary School), Neejamah Jehan Ulangkaya (Tacurong Pilot Elementary School), and Keren Jirah Valdez (ND Siena College of Tacurong).

                Except for Saavedra who bagged two golds, 23 out of the 29 players who competed in the tournament won a medal.

                Tacurong City Councilor and Taekwondo Coordinator Rodrigo Jamorabon conveyed his satisfaction with the overall performance of the taekwondo jins. He was also grateful to the continued support of Region 12-A Taekwondo Regional Director and Chairman Master Robert Joshua Danao who always had been very accommodating to Tacurong Team members.

                Jamorabon said that Taekwondo is one the sports disciplines getting huge support from the city government under Mayor Lina Montilla. “Many taekwondo jins from Tacurong had already availed of scholarship in some universities in Manila, and there was one player who was able to join the Philippine Team and already played in international competitions”, Jamorabon said.

In November of this year, the city government is planning to host a Regional Taekwondo Tournament. (Allan S. Freno; LGU Tacurong Information)

Public servants celebrate 112th CSC anniversary

           The Civil Service Commission (CSC) celebrates its 112^th founding anniversary this month of September with the theme Kawani: Ikaw ay isang Lingkod Bayani. 

           The City Governmment of Tacurong conducted a kickoff motorcade and program on September 3, 2012. The said activity was participated in by employees from NFA XII, DTI XII, SK Water District, BFP, PNP, DepEd, and more.

The awarding of pins and rings to 2012 LGU loyalty awardees was the event’s highlight. This is a yearly recognition for government employees who uphold allegiance in the government for 10, 15, 20-25, 30-35, and 40 years. 

This year, ten employees were awarded for their 10-year service, 6 were awarded for 15 years in service, 3 for their 20-year service, 7 for their 25-year service, and one each for the 30-, 35-, and 40-year service.

 “I believe you all deserve the award. The number of years that you have stayed and served in the government is a testament of your drive to pool your energy and abilities into a more collective effort to effect positive change,” Hon. Lina O. Montilla addressed the awardees. 

Aside from grateful remarks, Mayor Montilla challenged the whole workforce to “always divert [your] efforts into something that will yield positive and beneficial results.”

The City Government of Tacurong will be sponsoring activities throughout the CSC month. These include: Photo Clinic (Sept. 4/9:00AM/Knowledge Center-CPDCO); CSC On-Air Program (Sept. 5/9:00AM/Radyo Natin); Hataw and Walk for a Cause (Sept. 7/5:30AM); and Blood Pressure Taking and Blood Typing (Sept. 12/9:00AM/City Hall Lobby).

                A photography contest dubbed as Litratistang Kawani will also run from Sept. 5-21, 2012. The month-long celebration will culminate on September 28, 2012 with a Family Day Celebration and Closing Program.

Talakudong festivities now set

         (September 3, 2012) Preparations are already being made by Talakudong organizers and competitors assuring tourists and locals of quality entertainment.

Tacurong: Padayon nga Nagahugpong is this year’s theme, emphasizing Tacurongnons pride in its unity. The City Government of Tacurong has set exciting activities for its 12^th Founding Anniversary dubbed as Talakudong Festival.

The Festival highlight, the streetdancing and field demonstration competition, will be staged on September 18, 2012 at 7:00 AM.

Alay sa Barangay ni Mayor Lina O. Montilla runs from August-September 30.

Sports activities include: Friendship Basketball Game (August 23-Sept. 13); Bicycle Tour (Sept. 11); Inter-Agency Volleyball Tournament (Sept. 10-15); Mototrail (Sept. 12); Sepak Takraw (Sept. 12-14); Talakudong BMX Supercross Challenge (Sept. 14); Dart Tournament (Sept. 15); and Lawn Tennis Tournament (Sept. 15-16).

Meanwhile, scheduled socio-cultural activities are: Kantahan ng Kabataan (Sept. 12); Kumpas sa Syudad Folk Dance Competition (Sept. 13); Mindanao-Wide Dance Sport and Hip-Hop Competition (Sept. 14); and On-the-spot Inter-School Talakudong Painting Contest and Talakudong Decorating Contest (Sept. 11). Musikahan 2012 will be on Sept. 18, 7:00 PM at the city ground.

The Tiangge, Food Fair, and Ornamental Plants Show are set on Sept. 3-20; Producer’s Fair is scheduled on Sept. 14-18; and the Diskwento Fair will be on Sept. 17-18. Jobs fair will also run from Sept. 14-15. People can also go to the city hall ground for free haircut on Sept. 14. Moreover, Touch Mobile Network will be sponsoring an evening activity with fun, games, and music on Sept. 15.

Photo enthusiasts are encouraged to join the annual Igpat sang Kamera Photography contest which has two categories. Discover Tacurong category is exclusive to Tacurong photo enthusiasts who must submit their entries on or before Sept. 6. Talakudong Festival category is open to all and deadline of submission of entries is on Sept. 20. To add, a feature writing contest is also up for those who want to show their writing prowess. Entries must be submitted on or before Sept. 21. Guidelines can be viewed on talakudong2012.wordpress.com.

Mutya ng Tacurong 2012 Pageant Night will be on Sept. 16, 6:00PM at the NDTC Gymnasium.

The Festival will officially open on September 10 with an interfaith mass at 6:30AM, followed by a motorcade at 8:30AM. The opening program will start at 9:00AM. Malacanang had already declared September 18 as special non-working holiday in the City. (Jezereel Louise C. Billano)

Regional communicators to simplify weather reports

            AUGUST 30, 2012--President Aquino had recently asked the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and PAG-ASA to formulate simpler ways of communicating weather reports. The President had been concerned about weather reports not being understood by the general public.

In response to this call, the Philippine Information Agency XII and the Office of the Civil Defense conducted a two-day seminar and workshop on laymanizing environment climate and weather reports on August 28-29, 2012 in Sarangani Highlands, General Santos City. 

The activity, which is the first of its kind in Mindanao, was participated in by at least 20 media practitioners and information officers of national line agencies and local government units. During the opening program, PIA XII Regional Director Olivia Sudaria emphasized the participants’ role in people’s disaster preparedness. “As communicators, we can only be effective, when we are understood,” said Sudaria.

Speakers during the activity were PAG-ASA Senior Weather Specialist Anianita Fortich, Liza Socorro Manzano of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Luisito Salugsugan and Milo Cabiguin of PHIVOLCS. The activity also briefed participants on disaster risk reduction management.

“In terms of disasters, the Philippines got it all. Yet we have learned to adapt with hazards given our past experience and knowledge generated by scientific studies. Everything will go to waste if we are not able to laymanize these for the benefit of the vulnerable population,” Manzano said.

              Workshop sessions allowed media practitioners and information officers to localize and contextualize technical information on typhoons, tsunami warning signals, earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. Speakers also shared online sources and hotlines by which participants can access reliable information on disasters and even geohazard and flood maps. 

              “We acknowledge the importance of this activity especially in our line of work. Right now, we can be more confident in giving understandable reports,” an ABS-CBN correspondent said on behalf of the media sector. (JLCBillano-LGU)

‘Project pagsulong’ calls for new business ideas

A humanitarian project enjoins young entrepreneurs to transform their business ideas into reality and at the same time help in addressing social problems.

Organized by PLDT KaAsenso, PLDT-Smart Foundation, The Outstanding Students of the Philippines Alumni Community, and RFM Foundation, Project Pagsulong is a youth challenge that will award cash grants, mentorship, and training programs to the business ideas that will alleviate poverty or solve a social issue in the Philippines.

One of Project Pagsulong’s faces is Tacurong City’s Elma Alboleras whose invention, the intelligent bus utility system or iBus, won a gold medal for the consumer category of the British Invention Show.

By supporting dynamic youth like Elma, the Project aims to help reduce poverty in the country, to provide a concrete avenue for the youth to be enabler of social change, and to promote the use of innovative ICT solutions for young and budding Filipino social entrepreneurs.

In her message through Facebook, Ms. Arboleras enjoins Tacurong’s youth entrepreneurs to answer the challenge.

The Project accepts business proposals from a group with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 members who are Filipino citizens, 18-30 years old. Each team can only submit one proposal that must be operated independently on its own, and not as a sub-project or operation of a non-profit organization (international or local), a private company or a subsidiary. Existing start-ups may be considered, provided that these have not participated and won monetary prizes from similar grants or competitions.

Proposals will be selected according to Social Impact, Innovation/Invention, Feasibility, and Team Leadership/Management and Community Participation.

Winners will be awarded with the following to aid the implementation of their business idea: Php 500,000.00 for the first prize, and Php 300,000.00 and Php 200,000.00 for the second and third prize, respectively. People’s Choice award will be given Php 100,000.00.

            Submission of project concepts is until August 31, 2012. For the mechanics, visit www.projectpagsulong.ph. Follow the Project on /projectpagsulong on Facebook, or follow @projpagsulong on Twitter.

Jezereel Louise C. Billano

City launches Kantahan ng Kabataan 2012

Palace declares Sept 18 as special non-working holiday in Tacurong