Monday, November 24, 2008

3rd Elimination Round
2nd Jesus A. Zozobrado Oratorical Contest
Lower Tamugan National High School






















Thursday, November 20, 2008

Development costly for Dabawenyos

Development may have pushed Davao City to a world-class city status but it has taken its toll on the city's environment which is evident in the flooding, pollution and other problems the city is faced with.

"There is no denying the fact that we need development to further the city's growth but it should not be made at the risk of destroying our natural resources including our environment," said councilor Rachel Zozobrado when she welcomed the participants to the elimination of the 2nd Jesus A. Zozobrado oratorical contest which started last Friday.

Zozobrado said Davao City was already a picture of a fully developed city and most people thought that it had already maximized its growth in 1997. In a span of four years, she said, this was proven wrong because commercial establishments started to locate in the city like there was not tomorrow.

She said housing developments in the city also started to mushroom leaving no place unturned. Even the most rural areas were a target for development both for commercial, housing and industrial purposes.

"While this is definitely a move towards the right direction for the city, it took a toll on the city's environment," she said. The recent flooding problems being experienced by Maa resident as well as residents of other subdivisions should be a concern for everyone, she added.

Our environment is clearly the recipient of a heavy burden while we the people of Davao are enjoying these developments, she said. "Dabawenyos should realize that while we are enjoying these developments we also set to lose with the environmental problems faced by the city," she added.

Zozobrado said there are reports that the city's once-clean beaches have been monitored with coliform and other pollutive substances that are bound to affect our water resources including our fish which we brag about in the export market. A recently concluded report by several agencies indicated that even our aquifers are already polluted and this should start to worry us, she said.

Zozobrado said the city is faced with environmental issues which clash with development issues. While we need these developments to veer us to the next century and to make us more competitive, she added, we also need to preserve our environment to have a more sustainable existence.

She challenged the students to be in the forefront of environmental protection even while still in school.

While our generation is faced with the task of finding a solution for our development and our environmental problems, she said, it is today's youth who would be inheriting these problems and these choices in a few years.

Zozobrado told the participants of the oratorical contest to become aware of the challenges faced by our environment today "so that you will be able to make the right choices when your time comes."

Friday, November 7, 2008

2nd Jesus Zozobrado Jr. Oratorical Contest Slated This Month

If you have strong sentiments on the environment and you are a student of any of the public secondary schools in the third district then this is your chance to express your sentiments and win cash prizes for you and your school as well.

“Eliminations for the 2nd Jesus A. Zozobrado Jr. Oratorical Contest will start on November 10 so we are inviting qualified third district students to sign up for the eliminations,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. The oratorical contest, which is now on its second year, is being held annually in honor of the late councilor Jesus A. Zozobrado Jr.

Students who want to join the sub district eliminations should prepare an original oratorical piece revolving around the theme “The Role of the Youth in Preserving the Environment”.

All entries should be original and must be delivered within six minutes. All the entries (three copies each) must be submitted before the start of the contest. The contestants and their coaches are required to bring their respective school ID during the contest proper.

Winners in the sub district elimination will have a chance to represent their schools during the Grand Finals on December this year. The first three winners in the elimination round will also get trophies and certificates but only the first two winners will get a slot for the grand finals.

The first elimination round will be held on November 10, 2008, 4PM at the Doña Carmen National High School covered court in Toril District, The next rounds will be held on: November 13, 4PM at the Sto. Niño High School covered court Tugbok District; November 17, 4PM at the Calinan National High School in Calinan and Baguio Districts and on November 20, 4PM at the Lower Tamugan National High School covered court in Marilog District.

For more information please call the office of Councilor Rachel Zozobrado at Tel No. 2220855 local 426 and look for Gerry Soriano. You can also check the details at http://rachelzozobrado.blogspot.com/.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Davao City to renew sisterhood ties with Manado, Bitong

Davao City can look forward to a more vibrant relationship with Indonesia in the future after the renewal of the sisterhood agreements between Davao and the cities of Manado and Bitung in Indonesia.

This was bared by councilor Rachel Zozobrado who said that they are presently preparing a better agreement with the two cities in Indonesia to pave the way for more active economic and social ties with the two cities.

“Our sisterhood agreements with these cities have expired and we are trying to formulate a new agreement that will benefit both Davao and the two Indonesian cities,” Zozobrado said. As per the terms of Davao City’s sisterhood agreements with the two cities, the agreements are automatically renewed after expiration unless expressly revoked by either of the parties. In this case, she said, both parties are trying to create an agreement that will be a step forward from the original one.

Zozobrado, who is the chairperson of the committee on international relations, said Indonesia has expressed its desire to renew the sisterhood agreement with Davao. However, she added, the Indonesia consul has requested a more detailed document that will feature the benefits that can be derived by Davao, Manado and Bitung from the sisterhood agreement.

Davao has lots of similarities with the two Indonesia cities aside from their common membership in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area or BIMP-EAGA.

Bitung in North Sulawesi is popular for its colorful and healthy marine life while Manado in North Sulawesi is a growing city much like Davao.