Items filtered by date: March 2023

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (March 7, 2023) – The Provincial Local Government Unit (LGU) of Sarangani, through its Project Implementation and Monitoring Unit (PIMU) for the Saub Watershed Ecosystem Resiliency and Protection, started crafting its Saub Integrated Watershed Management Plan (SIWMP) on February 28.

This is in accordance with the implementation of the Saub Watershed Ecosystem Rehabilitation and Flood Risk Reduction for Increased Resilience project.

This rehabilitation initiative is chaired by Governor Rogelio D. Pacquiao and started during the tenure of Congressman Steve Chiongbian Solon as the governor of the province.

This project targets to develop the Saub Watershed Ecosystem Resiliency and Protection through watershed governance, building the capacities of LGUs to adapt to flood risks and other impacts of climate change variability, alleviating poverty through agro-forestry development, and establishing riverbank protection.

The project costs P103 million, with counterpart fund sharing of about P93.5 million from the People’s Survival Fund and P9.33 million from the province.

Saub River Watershed situated in Maitum covers a total land area of 7,931.48 hectares, covering nine barangays, including Kiayap, Malalag, Old Poblacion, Mabay, and Sison; Zion; Kalaneg and Batian for Sub-Watershed 1; and New La Union for Sub-Watershed 2.

It has a total of 1,747 households living in the area, which encompasses a total length of 24,132.86 kilometers and is placed at high risk of exposure to flooding and other climate hazards.

According to Cornelio Ramirez Jr., Sarangani-based Environmental Conservation and Protection Center Executive Director, "flooding" is the most common hazard experienced in the area.

"Flood susceptibility here is computed to be 10,001 hectares for high, 5,881.65 hectares for moderate, and 2,604.26 hectares for low," Ramirez said.

He added that extreme flooding had caused destruction to agricultural and structural properties, "including loss of lives since 2010".

Through its partner organizations, such as the Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc., Mahintana Foundation, Inc., Department of Environment and Natural Resources Office XII (DENR), DENR-PENRO, CENRO-KIAMBA, Maitum LGU, and Mindanao State University, the following components will be implemented:

(1) Establishment of the Saub Watershed Management Plan and Watershed Management Office;

(2) Capacity-building activities and research on watershed management;

(3) Agroforestry development through deep-rooted fruit trees in the upland to avoid landslides and the establishment of demo farms;

(4) Agroforestry development along riverbanks; and improvement of Communal Irrigation System through spillway to regulate floodwater and avoid river siltation.

During the time of Governor Solon, Sarangani was the first province in the country to access the People's Survival Fund, amounting to P103 million for the flood control and watershed ecosystem rehabilitation project in the Saub River. (Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

Photos by Mosler Paul Lapore

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (March 7, 2023) - Some employees and department heads of the Provincial Capitol took a three-day basic Incident Command System (ICS) training course conducted by the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) XII on February 27 to March 1 at Sun City Suites, General Santos City.

The training was in line with the implementation of the ICS under the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, which focuses on a proactive approach to minimize the risks of calamities not just for the victims but also for the responders.

The training also targets to make every individual "disaster-ready" by expounding important information on how to respond properly in every incident and what to do in times of major disasters like earthquakes, flooding, landslides, and other calamities.

OCD chief for Capacity Building and Training Section Sheila Hallig who opened the training said they train government staff and employees to help them become "force multipliers" in times of need.

"We want to educate these people for them to use this tool in managing emergencies and incidents para kapag may pangangailangan, mas marami na tayong nakakaalam," she said.

Topics comprising the training included the key principles of ICS, composition, functions of each officer, and the purpose of ICS facilities.

Among those who participated in the training were Provincial Information Officer Joana Grace Banting-Lapore, Provincial Treasurer Eliza Cania, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Bernard Cababat, John Oliver Tablazon of the Local Youth Development Unit, Robinson Rivera of the Provincial Budget Office, Melanie Gay Diaz of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and Jemel Panal from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. (Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

Photos by Mosler Paul Lapore

ALABEL, Sarangani (February 27, 2023) - Langoy Pilipinas, a new national swimming competition for children ages six to 17 years old, officially kicked off on Saturday, February 25, at the Sarangani Sports Training Center (SSTC), Capitol Compound.

Through the full support of Governor Rogelio D. Pacquiao, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Sarangani, through its Sports Division, hosted the competition.

Dubbed as "Langoy Pilipinas-1st Governor Rogelio D. Pacquiao Cup," the activity was participated in by 10 LGUs from the key cities of Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The event was conceptualized by swimming coach and Langoy Pilipinas national organizer Darren Evangelista and targets not only school-based teams which established swimming clubs but also less fortunate children and out-of-school youth.

"The tournament is open to all Filipino young swimmers, regardless of their affiliations and religions," said Evangelista.

He added that Langoy Pilipinas is currently in close coordination with partner LGUs to help them identify less fortunate swimmers in the communities to join the event.

Manila, Tarlac, Cavite, and Laguna in Luzon; Bohol, Roxas, and Bacolod in Visayas; and Sarangani Province and Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao, are the partner cities of the program.

Langoy Pilipinas is supported by the Swimming League Philippines, Philippine Swimming League, and Congress of Philippine Aquatics, Inc.

Evangelista emphasized that the conceptualization of the activity is based on various important objectives: strengthening grassroots development in swimming, showcasing sports tourism and sports programs, developing competent officials, creating livelihood programs in swimming, providing an avenue for amateur swimmers to show and enhance their skills, and developing positive values of cooperation, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

"We looked for a partner na mahilig talaga sa sports, and knowing the Pacquiaos, they are all sports lovers, which is why hindi na ganon kahirap ibenta ang idea dito sa Sarangani, and it did not take long for Governor Ruel to have us here," Evangelista said on Sarangani being the host of the national competition.

"Sarangani is also fully equipped to host big events because you have a pool na covered, which makes it conducive to cater populated competitions," he added.

The SSTC is a state-of-the-art facility funded through the efforts of former Senator Manny Pacquiao that currently serves as a training ground for student athletes of the Sarangani National Sports Academy.

Aside from the olympic-sized swimming pool where the Langoy Pilipinas is held, SSTC currently has a well-equipped gym for contact sports, an olympic-standard indoor and outdoor track oval, which will soon become fully rubberized, a basketball court, and separate dormitories for male and female athletes.

All participating swimmers competed in their age bracket, which is divided into two categories.

As explained by Evangelista, category A is composed of experts, while category B is composed of beginners.

Speaking on behalf of Governor Pacquiao, Alma Corazon Gabuat, provincial sports coordinator, said, "sports like this develop not only a winning attitude for our Filipino youth, but also the discipline that comes with it, the cooperation an athlete has with his coach, and the dedication to overcome one’s own limitations to achieve greater goals."

Gabuat also expressed the governor’s gratitude to all the organizers, technical officials of Langoy Pillipinas, the participants, and their families.


Based on the combined team scores, Team Iligan Arhangel Swimming Acad from Iligan City dominated the first day with a total of 321 points, followed by Red Sail Arcadia ST from Davao City and Lemmoda Aqua Glidervalencia from Bukidnon on the second and third spots with 266 and 248 points, respectively.

Ten best swimmers in the competition from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao will be selected and will be part of the Philippine team to join the invitational international swimming competition in Guam.

The Langoy Pilipinas 1st Governor Rogelio D. Pacquiao Cup runs from February 25 to 26. (Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

Photos by Jake T. Narte

MAASIM, Sarangani (February 23, 2023) – In line with the 1 Million Trees Project of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Sarangani, the Alsons Power Group (APG) has committed to plant 110,000 indigenous and endangered tree species in parts of the Mt. Busa Key Biodiversity Reserve in the MaKiMa (Maitum, Kiamba, Maasim) area.

On February 22, APG led the launching of the tree planting activity as part of its commitment to the Maasim watershed enhancement project.

Various stakeholders from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Sarangani Provincial Police Office, Philippine Army, communities of Datal Basak, LGUs of Sarangani and Maasim, Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc., National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, and APG convened at the Datal Basak Competence and Convergence Center and took part in the activity.

Ruben Tungpalan, vice president for APG’s Corporate Affairs, recalled the condition of the area, "about five years ago, walang tanim na puno dito, every time na may fogs, hindi nagtatagal dahil nililipad agad ng hangin dahil walang punong pumipigil."

"But now," Tungpalan said, "even tanghaling tapat, punong-puno ng fogs ang paligid, and it stays here for quite some time because of our continued efforts to foster the vegetation."

On APG’s watershed enhancement project for Maasim, Tungpalan said that the undertaking would align with Sarangani’s Reforestation and Development Program and Maasim’s Watershed Rehabilitation and Protection Program.

He further urged all the stakeholders present to take part in the initiative "in making Datal Basak the base of operation for greening the entire Maasim and hopefully connecting it with the bigger forests of Kiamba and Maitum."

Accordingly, around 70,000 tree seedlings were readily available to be planted this year.

Speaking on behalf of Miguel Rene Dominguez, Alsons Development and Investment Corporation director, Jose Luis Angco, vice president and business manager for power business unit generations, encouraged the participants to make the initiative worthwhile by linking into the next activities of the project. Dominguez was governor of Sarangani from 2004 to 2013.

"May the future generation experience the countless benefits that can be obtained from these trees as well as their role in averting the harsh impacts of climate change," Angco said.

Board Members Joseph Calanao, Irish Louie Armado, Benjamin Donato, and Maasim Vice Mayor Visitacion Nambatac, also took part in the activity.

Provincial Administrator Atty. Ryan Jay Ramos, who represented Governor Rogelio D. Pacquiao, expressed his gratitude to the APG and Alcantara Group of companies "for making sure that our environment is protected and for backing up the Governor’s vision in making Sarangani a greener, cleaner, and healthier province."

Ramos considered the initiative a "milestone" in taking sustainable steps to restore and preserve the Mt. Busa Protected Area, which is the "major water source" of the MaKiMa area.

The 110,000 tree seedlings are set to be planted until 2028.

During the activity, APG also turned over some farming tools to the Datal Basak Farmer’s Association.

The activity was part of the commemoration of Alcantara Group founder Conrado C. Alcantara’s 110th birth anniversary.

The Alsons Power Group is Mindanao’s first and most experienced private-sector power generator, with Alsons Power as its umbrella brand that groups together all the power business affiliates of the Alcantara Group and Alsons Consolidated Resources, Inc.

Alsons Power has a portfolio of four power facilities with an aggregate capacity of 468 megawatts (MW) serving over eight million people in 14 cities and 11 provinces in Mindanao: the 103 MW Mapalad Power Corporation diesel plant in Iligan City;  Southern Philippines Power Corporation’s 55 MW diesel plant in Alabel, Sarangani; the Western Mindanao Power Corporation’s 100 MW diesel plant in Zamboanga City; and the 210 MW Sarangani Energy Corporation baseload coal-fired power plant in Maasim, Sarangani.

For the long term, the company is slated to focus on renewables with the company’s first renewable energy facility, the P4.5 billion 14.5 MW hydroelectric power plant currently under construction at the Siguil River basin in Maasim, Sarangani, which will be the first of eight hydropower facilities that Alsons Power plans to develop. (Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

MAASIM, Sarangani (February 23, 2023) – In line with the 1 Million Trees Project of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Sarangani, the Alsons Power Group (APG) has committed to plant 110,000 indigenous and endangered tree species in parts of the Mt. Busa Key Biodiversity Reserve in the MaKiMa (Maitum, Kiamba, Maasim) area.

On February 22, APG led the launching of the tree planting activity as part of its commitment to the Maasim watershed enhancement project.

Various stakeholders from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Sarangani Provincial Police Office, Philippine Army, communities of Datal Basak, LGUs of Sarangani and Maasim, Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc., National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, and APG convened at the Datal Basak Competence and Convergence Center and took part in the activity.

Ruben Tungpalan, vice president for APG’s Corporate Affairs, recalled the condition of the area, "about five years ago, walang tanim na puno dito, every time na may fogs, hindi nagtatagal dahil nililipad agad ng hangin dahil walang punong pumipigil."

"But now," Tungpalan said, "even tanghaling tapat, punong-puno ng fogs ang paligid, and it stays here for quite some time because of our continued efforts to foster the vegetation."

On APG’s watershed enhancement project for Maasim, Tungpalan said that the undertaking would align with Sarangani’s Reforestation and Development Program and Maasim’s Watershed Rehabilitation and Protection Program.

He further urged all the stakeholders present to take part in the initiative "in making Datal Basak the base of operation for greening the entire Maasim and hopefully connecting it with the bigger forests of Kiamba and Maitum."

Accordingly, around 70,000 tree seedlings were readily available to be planted this year.

Speaking on behalf of Miguel Rene Dominguez, Alsons Development and Investment Corporation director, Jose Luis Angco, vice president and business manager for power business unit generations, encouraged the participants to make the initiative worthwhile by linking into the next activities of the project. Dominguez was governor of Sarangani from 2004 to 2013.

"May the future generation experience the countless benefits that can be obtained from these trees as well as their role in averting the harsh impacts of climate change," Angco said.

Board Members Joseph Calanao, Irish Louie Armado, Benjamin Donato, and Maasim Vice Mayor Visitacion Nambatac, also took part in the activity.

Provincial Administrator Atty. Ryan Jay Ramos, who represented Governor Rogelio D. Pacquiao, expressed his gratitude to the APG and Alcantara Group of companies "for making sure that our environment is protected and for backing up the Governor’s vision in making Sarangani a greener, cleaner, and healthier province."

Ramos considered the initiative a "milestone" in taking sustainable steps to restore and preserve the Mt. Busa Protected Area, which is the "major water source" of the MaKiMa area.

The 110,000 tree seedlings are set to be planted until 2028.

During the activity, APG also turned over some farming tools to the Datal Basak Farmer’s Association.

The activity was part of the commemoration of Alcantara Group founder Conrado C. Alcantara’s 110th birth anniversary.

The Alsons Power Group is Mindanao’s first and most experienced private-sector power generator, with Alsons Power as its umbrella brand that groups together all the power business affiliates of the Alcantara Group and Alsons Consolidated Resources, Inc.

Alsons Power has a portfolio of four power facilities with an aggregate capacity of 468 megawatts (MW) serving over eight million people in 14 cities and 11 provinces in Mindanao: the 103 MW Mapalad Power Corporation diesel plant in Iligan City;  Southern Philippines Power Corporation’s 55 MW diesel plant in Alabel, Sarangani; the Western Mindanao Power Corporation’s 100 MW diesel plant in Zamboanga City; and the 210 MW Sarangani Energy Corporation baseload coal-fired power plant in Maasim, Sarangani.

For the long term, the company is slated to focus on renewables with the company’s first renewable energy facility, the P4.5 billion 14.5 MW hydroelectric power plant currently under construction at the Siguil River basin in Maasim, Sarangani, which will be the first of eight hydropower facilities that Alsons Power plans to develop. (Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)