The Palawan Times

By Cheryl A. Galili and Alex J. Villanueva, Jr.

THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) will develop 3,000 hectares of land inside the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) for substantial rice production to alleviate the country’s dwindling rice supply which has apparently resulted to increase of grains prices.

Yap was in Puerto Princesa on April 18 to visit the 26-hectare wide penal farm with New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines David Pine, Bureau of Corrections Director Oscar Calderon, Palawan Governor Joel T. Reyes, 2^nd Palawan District Rep. Abraham Kahlil B. Mitra, who is also chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn, several DA officials and other government representatives.

The penal farm, located south of the city before the town of Aborlan of the second district, is an open prison where rice fields are tended by inmates in the minimum penitentiary.

Yap said 3,000 hectares of land in the IPPF can generate 300,000 metric tons of rice with an average of five tonnages per hectare for two harvests a year. This means the penal farm can supply 20% of Manila’s consumption of rice for almost four days.

Manila is consuming 105,500 bags of rice in a day compared to the province that’s only expending 7,500 sacks per day.

The DA chief said P150 million are needed to expand Iwahig’s irrigation system, purchase seedlings and other farm inputs, post-harvest facilities and other agricultural technologies to carry out the plan. He said this can be possible with financial support from other government agencies.

Aside from Iwahig, the national government is also looking at developing other penal colonies in the country with large parcels of land for rice production, such as Sablayan, Abuyog and Davao. Turning them into rice granaries, Yap said, can be a solution to the rice problems.

Earlier in the month, the Bureau of Corrections in Puerto Princesa and the DA signed an agreement to develop Iwahig as rice-producing area. Under this, the City Government shall provide the logistical requirements and assistance in the propagation of seedlings, while the DA will provide the technical support needed.

The IPP, considered to be the only penal colony that’s “without walls” in the whole country, is a vast farm field that can yield sacks of rice if only utilized properly by the government. Currently, the rice it produces is enough for the need of the inmates there.

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By Alex J. Villanueva

SUPPORT IS pouring in for the Puerto Princesa St. Paul Subterranean River National Park in the search for the “New 7 Wonders of Nature” and Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn is thankful, believing it deserves to be recognized as one of the best natural sites in the world.

One throwing such is non-government organization Haribon-Palawan that declared its full support to the park which houses the 8.2 kilometer “underground river,” considered the be the world’s longest.

Inocencio Magallanes of Haribon-Palawan said his group will inform friends here and abroad to rally behind the subterranean park in the N7W search.

”We will encourage our friends to give their support to Underground River because the park is not only a World Heritage Site but also a God-given wonder for the people of the world,” said Magallanes.

”This is a great challenge for us Puerto Princesans,” he said.

He said Haribon has been a partner in biodiversity conservation and institutional building of the communities.

PPSRNP is currently ranked 270th in the live ranking among the nominees in the world, but city government officials led by Mayor Edward Hagedorn has embarked a campaign to make it in the top 21 finalists before the voting closes on Dec. 31, 2008

The park was declared a premier ecotourism destination and has been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage lists for its outstanding universal value and ecological significance as a natural site of intense beauty.

Filipinos worldwide who want to support Underground River and three other country’s nature sites namely, Tubbataha Reef, Chocolate Hills and Mayon Volcano may cast their vote by logging on to the website www.new7wonders.com.

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By Ines B. Tagacay

A BUS loaded with education officials from the Department of Education (DepEd) in Batangas met an accident early morning of April 22 in Barangay Tinitian, Roxas while on its way to the town of El Nido to attend a Management Committee Meeting (MANCOM).

According to police authorities in Puerto Princesa, Sweety Transport bus with plate number DWV-105 being driven by a certain Roger Padilla came from Puerto Princesa with 45 DepEd-Batangas officials for a MANCOM in El Nido.

Batangas DepEd Supervisor Emma Bautista said the incident happened so fast. The bus skidded towards the left shoulder of the highway, keeled over and fell on a ravine

Four in the party were hurt and were immediately brought to the Cooperative Hospital, while the rest suffered minor injuries, Bautista told reporters in Puerto Princesa.

Although they were not part of the Palarong Pambansa 2008, it was City PNP P/Supt. Enrique Ancheta who immediately went to Tinitian to respond to the incident. He said the driver most likely fell asleep, but investigations are still going to be conducted to find out what really caused the accident.

Meanwhile, Padilla denied he was sleeping when the accident happened. He also said he wasn’t drunk. What happened was also a surprise to him. All he knew was that he was smoking a cigarette, and the next thing was the bus had already fallen on a shallow ravine.

Initial findings by the City Traffic Investigator of the City PNP said the bus engine and brakes were working well before the accident.

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DEFENDING CHAMPION National Capital Region (NCR) its their dominance in the swimming event where the Big City tankers collected 12 golds in the competitions at the 16-hectare Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex here Tuesday.

Winning the gold medals in the individual event are Fahad Alkhadi in the 200-meter freestyle and 100-m backstroke with the time of 2:17.17 and 1:10.72, respectively, Denice Veronica Hong in 100-backstroke and 50-m backstroke marking a time 1:17.27 and 33.39; Dorothy Grace Hong topped in 100-m backstroke (1:08.58), Jose Gio Palencia ruled 50-m butterfly (29.82) and Patricia Yam captured 200-m butterfly (2:30.77).

Vincent Edrick Dee, Kevin Claveria, Jovic and Joseph Ventinilla won the 200-m medley relay 6-12 ages boys category with the clock of 2:12.13; Johansen Aguilar, Gabriel Castelo, Kevin Lua and Timothy Yap settled first place in 200-m medley relay boys 13-17 category with time of 1:54.57; and Dorothy Grace Hong, Hannah Dato, Edlyn Son and Carmina Quilala emerged victorious in 200-m medley relay 13-17 girls registering a mark of 2:09.30.

The 1:54.57 and 2:09.30 established by NCR medley swimmers are new Palaro records.

NCR also garnered golds in the elementary gymnastics led Rizza Corpuz and Ariette Nichole Orella, who teamed-up to win the elementary girls rhythmic gymnatics with a total of 141.50 points.

Meanwhile, Calabarzon backstroker Banjo Borja ruled the secondary boys’ 100-meter backstroke finals for Calabarzon (Region 4A) in one minute and 2.26 seconds, surpassing the 1:02.54 mark set by Bicol’s Jonathan de Guzman in the 1998 Palaro in Bacolod.

Calabarzon’s Jaydee Rose Dalay, also took the gold in the elementary girls’ 200m free 2:24.34.

On the other hand, 13-year-old Maika de Oro of Bacolod City set a new record in discuss throw hurled the disc to 32.62meters to eclipse the eight-year-old mark of 32.45m owned by Central Visayas’ Nina Marie Lumapaz.

De Oro, whose father, Manuel, is a former national pole vault champion and her sister, Mayven, former Palaro secondary and collegiate champion in the same event, also holds the elementary division mark of 33.07m, a record she set last year in Koronadal City

Western Visayas showed its might in athletics by increasing its haul to five golds to keep in step with the Manila athletes

Adding strength to the Western Visayas bid were Ivan Joy Sucaldo, who topped secondary triple jump with a 14.20m leap, and Elena Camiring, the elementary girls’ shot put winner with a 9.61m throw.

Region 6 swept secondary javelin throw last Monday, courtesy of Sharmaine Joy Bucaling and Ralph Gesulgon.

Other gold winners in medal-rich athletics were Irin Balura of Central Visayas in the secondary girls triple jump in 11.78 meters and Aries Camporedondo of Cotabato region, who made 29.53 in the elementary boys discuss throw.

The Cordillera Region also made it to the winning chart by wrapping the gold in the secondary boys individual single weapon complements of Christopher Manuel de Leon.

Central Visayas, whose first gold came courtesy of girls’ high school triple jump winner Irin balura, nailed its first title in swimming courtesy of Cebu’s Loren Dale Echavez, who topped the 400m free in 4:48.20.

Joshua Paracuelles of Central Visayas likewise brought home the gold in arnis’ boys individual double identical weapon.

Central Luzon standout Michael Calayo of Victoria, Tarlac also grabbed the gold by seizing the high school boys’ long jump title with his 6.98-m leap. (PNA)

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TWELVE YEARS old Venjay Lacondazo of Region I bested 33 other contenders to win the gold in the finals of the long jump competition, Elementary Boys Division at the Ramon V. Mitra, Jr. Sports Complex here Tuesday.

Lacondazo and Norman Nano of Calabarzon registered identical distance of 5.36 meters but based on their previous jumps, the officials declared the former the champion.
Richmar Villaluz of Western Visayas settled for third with 5.29 meters.

Meanwhile, Central Luzon’s Michael Calayo was not able to neither surpass nor equal the current record of 7.15 meters during the STRAA in 2002.

But Calayo’s leap of 6.98 meters enabled him to grab the championship in the long jump event, secondary boys division. Ariel Magayon of Calabarzon placed second with 6.65 meters while Davao’s Ramjay Carado was third with 6.47 meters.

On the other hand, Aries Camporondo of the Cotabato Region failed to even equal the meet record of 36.12 but he still managed to snatch the gold in the discus throw, elementary boy’s division

Western Visayas Region’s Richee Joy Cabanyog and Gilbert Dave Pamplona who registered 28.75 meters and 26.97m finished second and third respectively. (PNA)

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The Palawan Times News Team

Athletes in their colorful uniforms at the 16-hectare RVMJr Sports Complex.

CONTRARY TO earlier reports that more than 10,000 athletes, coaches and sports officials are arriving in Puerto Princesa to participate in the Palarong Pambansa 2008, only more than 8,300 were present late afternoon last Sunday to celebrate the colorful and cheerful opening of the country’s biggest sports event at the 16-hectare Ramon V. Mitra, Jr. Sports Complex.

Hosted by the City Government of Puerto Princesa and organized by the Department of Education (DepEd), the country’s 17 regions were well-represented in the opening that was marked by cultural and contemporary dance performances and a fireworks display that lit up the early night sky.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn of Puerto Princesa, Commissioner Eric Loretizo of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), top officials of the city and provincial governments in the country and other ranking sports officials were present to applaud the opening with the athletes.

Hagedorn unfurls the Palarong Pambansa flag with DepEd officials

No more controversies

Lapus said the DepEd is guaranteeing that problems in the eligibilities of participating elementary and secondary level athletes which hunted the previous Palaro are now a “thing of the past.”

As an avoidance measure, the DepEd has required them to submit notarized documents several days in advance as proofs to qualify in the games. Their coaches and school officials were made in charge of making sure this was followed to avoid controversies during and after the staging of the Palaro.

Lapus reminded the athletes to participate in the Palaro not just to excel in their sports but to show the highest quality of sportsmanship which is very important as they shift in their young ages to prosper in their individual sports expertise.

Hagedorn, on the other hand, assured a “trouble-free Palaro” in Puerto Princesa, now considered to be the country’s “Sports Capital.”

In his speech during the opening, he thanked DepEd for giving the city a chance to show its warmth and kindness through the Palaro. He said it wasn’t easy for Puerto Princesa, but when it is determined to contribute to sports excellence in the country, anything is possible.

Reyes and Hagedorn lead city and provincial government, DepEd officials in the parade during the opening of Palarong Pambansa.

Competing regions

Last year’s Palaro champion in the elementary and secondary divisions, the National Capital Region (NCR), is highly hopeful that it will retain its championship this year. It will defend its crown in athletics, where six gold medals are up for grabs out of 35.

Western Visayas and Ilocos regions are those expected to play well to steal the crown from the NCR that has maintained its supremacy despite the changes in the manner of scoring the medals gathered by a delegation.

Preliminary sequences in the ball games have started Monday, while swimming competitions started on Tuesday. A total of 56 gold medals are up for the taking in both divisions for the rest of the duration of the Palaro.

Three years ago, a new point system was adopted in Iloilo to stop sports that give the most number of medals from determining the Palaro’s overall standings. In the new format, each event and athletics and swimming will have a certain number of points which are added together to determine which of the participating regions will be held supreme in both sports.

The champion in each sport will get 30 points with runners up getting 20 and 10 respectively.

Traffic, businesses at RVMJr Sports Complex

Traffic leading to the RVMJr Sports Complex began as early as noontime as droves upon droves of people hurry to the venue to place themselves in the best spots to watch the opening.

Police and military authorities were highly visible in the venue as earlier agreed to keep the Palaro free from any untoward incidents. Last week, the Western Command (WESCOM) assured that it is working hand in hand with the city and provincial PNP to make sure that the Palaro will be smooth and peaceful.

Police assistance centers were set up at the RVMJr, including scheduled roving patrol teams in different billeting areas to avoid looters from taking advantage of the situation. Security personnel were also stationed in each, according to City PNP Chief Supt. Enrique Ancheta as part of the security plan for the whole week of the national games.

On Sunday, not only were the playing venues at the RVMJr filled with people. Even what used to be empty vacant lots adjacent have been satiated with thatched-roofed food stalls and souvenir shops, creating business opportunities not only for Puerto residents but from other provinces as well.

From marble statues to t-shirts with Palawan prints, bags and other souvenirs, name them, are being sold at the Palaro venue. In food, cold soft drinks and other non-carbonated drinks are those that sell the most due to the oppressing heat of the summer season.

Hagedorn said that with the income generated by the stalls from the last MIMAROPA RAA, profit has come in to Puerto Princesa.

“The people of Puerto Princesa should be proud that it is able to host big events like the MIMAROPA RAA and the Palaro which have also brought opportunities for many of us here,” he said in an interview.

For the Palaro, President Arroyo has given P50 million in aid, according to Hagedorn, including financial support also from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

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