Davao Light's Power Bill Now In Braille

The Davao Light and Power Company has taken their community relations one step forward by making available to their blind power consumers in Cebu and Davao City electric bills in Braille!

Braille is an internationally-accepted system used by visually impaired people for reading and writing. Visually-impaired people can read the bills through their fingers by passing them over the characters which have been embossed from one to six points.

The new Braille bills are expected to empower visually deficient people who can now personally read their power bills. To promote the project, a memorandum of agreement was signed between DLPC and the Resources for the Blind Incorporated. Under the MOA, RBI will provide DLPC with a list of visually-impaired consumers, print and distribute the Braille bills to the blind consumers. DLPC on the other hand will pay for the printing and delivery of the bills.

If you or someone you know is visually impaired then register with the DLPC now to avail of the Braille power bills.

December 5 Deadline For Layag Competition

Creative Dabawenyos who have a way with boats are urged to beat the December 5 deadline for the Layag competition. The boat racing competition will start from the old ferry dock in Barangay Sasa going towards the Sta. Ana wharf.

Layag is a native boat sailing competition which is one of the events lined up to celebrate the 12th Araw ng Sasa on December 13. This is being held in cooperation with SCOOP and E-ORG or Edge Outdoor Recreation Group.

Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines Davao president Leonard Paul Palo said seasoned boatmen who are 18 years old or over can compete in the event after payment of the P1,500 entry fee and accomplishment of the registration form which is available at the Barangay Sasa Hall.

The registration fee, he said, already includes the specially-designed sails prepared by the organizers for the event. Participants will use native bancas with a length of 10 to 12 feet. Only one individual is allowed to man each bancaq and he will be provided with a single wooden paddle to help him steer the boat. Participants have to pass through the way-points or buoys as designated by the organizers or face disqualification.

To ensure their safety all participants are required to wear a personal floatation device or life vest.

No Lavish X'mas Decors For Davao City

Goodbye Santa!

Not the real Santa but the different Santa Claus figures being displayed at the ground of the Davao City Hall annually to signal the Holiday Season.

Davao City will cut back on its Christmas expenses this year not merely because of the financial crisis but because Duterte would rather spend for food to be distributed to the less fortunate instead of the city spending for extravagant Christmas decorations for the city's parks.

Reports show that Duterte asked city tourism officer Giovanni Aportadera to put on hold the preparations for the yearly Paskuhan Festival. It can be recalled that City Hall and the other major parks in the city are already filled with Christmas lights and other decorations even before the start of the season.

Duterte said Dabawenyos should buy the lowly parols beings sold in the sidewalks instead of prioritizing the lighted and very expensive decorations. By doing this, he said, you do not only save on money but you also help the man in the streets earn a living.

Nograles Got P3M From Fertilizer Fund-Duterte

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday said even 1st District Congressman received P3 million from the fertilizer fund of Jocelyn Bolante, former Department of Agriculture undersecretary who is under the hot seat today for the alleged fertilizer scam. Nograles was however quick to defend himself saying they dod not receive money but only fertilizers, which were properly distributed to the recipients.

Duterte, during the Sunday morning program "Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa", said newspaper reports indicate that Nograles got P3 million from the P728 million fertilizer scam. An investigation is being conducted on the alleged scam due to allegations that the funds were used to fund the Presidential campaign of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during last election.

He admitted that the city were offered the fertilizers during that time but he refused saying "wala man kaayo nagatanum diri ug bugas asa ko man gamiton ng fertilizer (no one is really planting rice here so where will I use the fertilizer).

Basi sa mga dalan naadto ang fertilizer ni Nograles kay tambok man ang mga dalan sa first district (maybe Nograles' fertilizers went to the first district roads that's why they are fat) he said. He added Nograles keeps on building road but failed to construct canals thereby causing floods in the city.

Duterte said a quick look at the house of Bolante will reveal how rich he is. He said Bolante resides in the posh Alabang subdivision which only the very rich can afford.

Duterte Warns Balikatan Vs Christmas Foreclosures

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday warned the Balikatan Housing Financial Inc. from foreclosing housing units during the Christmas season if they do not want to face chaos not only from those who will be affected but even from those who will sympathize with them.

"Ayaw na i-foreclose karong December kay gubot na (do not foreclose the houses especially this December because there will be chaos)," Duterte said. He added Balikatan may have a point legally but it is not enough basis to kick the people out of their homes. "Asa man na ninyo sila papuy'on (where will they live if you kick them out from their houses), he added.

If Balikatan insists on foreclosing the houses, he said, the city government will be forced to go to court, sue them and get a restraining order. I have a lot of "fraternity" lawyer brods who can help in evaluating the contracts of these people, he said.

He said when Balikatan assumed the credits of these people from the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. it has also assumed the responsibilities of the housing developers. Most of those whose houses are to be foreclosed did not pay because of some deficiencies on the part of the developers most of whom used substandard materials for the housing units.

This, he said, is not just a legal problem but a social problem which will not be solved by foreclosures. It is best for both parties to renegotiate so they can come up with a win-win solution, he added.

Davao City's Sunstar Super Balita Gets Nationwide Exposure In The Buzz

Davao City's very own Sunstar Super Balita was given a few minutes nationwide exposure in ABS CBN's showbiz Sunday Show "The Buzz".

The Buzz flashed a copy of Sunstar Super Balita, Sunstar's Visayan version, which reported on the pregnancy of moviestar Nancy Castiglione. Castiglione's boyfriend and the father of her "twins" comes from a rich family in Davao City. The Buzz acknowledged Sunstar Super Balita for its news regarding Castiglione's pregnancy when everyone from Manila was still unaware of it.

Sun.Star Davao is a daily newspaper which is published in tabloid form but with broadsheet content and focus. While it now belongs to the Sunstar Publishing Group based in Cebu, its predecessor Ang Peryodiko Dabaw was identified as a homegrown Davao community newspaper.

Davao Police To Get X'mas Bonus From Mayor

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte confirmed this morning that Davao City policemen will get a bonus from the city government. However, the money will not be directly given to the police officers but to their wives or family members.

"Kabalo na man mo unsa ang rason ngano dili nako ihatag sa inyo deretso ang kwarta; kabalo na mo ana (you already know the reason why I will not give the money to you directly)," Duterte said.

If the police officer is married then it is the legal wife who will get the bonus. However, for those who are single, their bonus will go to their parents or other family members. Duterte said the bonus should be spent for food this Christmas and not for anything else.

Teachers under the city government's payroll will also get a P5,000 bonus plus P1,000.