Davao to turn green with USAID’s support
Davao City’s long-term goal of ultimately turning green is expected to become a reality with the help of the United States Agency for International Development.
USAID Office of Energy and Environment Chief Daniel C. Moore recently assured Councilor Rachel Zozobrado that USAID will “continue to support Davao City’s initiatives.” This was in response to resolution No. 01888-09 where the city council requested the National Economic Development Authority to include the city in the projects that will be implemented under the USAID-NEDA Assistance Agreement signed in September last year.
With that resolution, Moore said, the Davao City Sanggunian has reaffirmed its commitment to partner with USAID to continue to tackle the city’s critical environmental concerns.
“Davao City has been a strong lifetime partner of USAID in addressing environmental problems through a number of partnerships,” Moore said.
Among these, he said, is the Philippine Environmental Governance Project specifically aimed for coastal and forest resources management as well as solid waste management. Also included is the Sustainable Energy Development Program for cleaner through alternative fuels promotion and the Energy and Clear Air Project to reduce pollutive emissions.
“Davao City has one of the world’s cleanest drinking water and these environment-focused programs will help us maintain the city’s competitive advantage,” Zozobrado said.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Belgian Business Council In Davao For Business Mission
Councilor Rachel Zozobrado represented Vice Mayor Sara Duterte in welcoming members of a European Trade and Investment Exploratory Mission lead by Ambassador Gregorie Vardakis of the Kingdom of Belgium last May 26, 2009.
Among those who joined the delegation were Daniel Masui-President of the Belgian Filipino Business Club, Helen Grace Baisa-vice president of the Belgian Filipino Business Club, Grace Lacerna-secretary of the Belgian Filipino Business Club and Bernard Popllmont-president of East Asia Puratos Philippines,
Councilor Rachel Zozobrado represented Vice Mayor Sara Duterte in welcoming members of a European Trade and Investment Exploratory Mission lead by Ambassador Gregorie Vardakis of the Kingdom of Belgium last May 26, 2009.
Among those who joined the delegation were Daniel Masui-President of the Belgian Filipino Business Club, Helen Grace Baisa-vice president of the Belgian Filipino Business Club, Grace Lacerna-secretary of the Belgian Filipino Business Club and Bernard Popllmont-president of East Asia Puratos Philippines,
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Zozobrado Turns Over SNNHS Infra Project
3rd District Councilor Rachel Zozobrado formally turned over a concrete pathway to the parents, stud
ents and teach
ers of the Sto. Niño National High School in Barangay Sto. Nino, Tugbok District. The turn-over coincided with the 9th Recognition Day of the school last March 31, 2009.The concrete pathway project worth P150,000 was made possible through Zozobrado’s ADF or Annual Development Funds. The pathway, which spans from the school gate to the academic building passing through the school Gymnasium, will make life easier for students and teachers of the school who are now able to cross the school perimeters sans the mud and the
flood 
usually caused by heavy rains.“We wish to thank Honorable Rachel “Baby” Zozobrado for her generosity in looking into the needs of our school.”, said Leny R. San Gaspar , the Officer In-Charge of SNNHS. (leah p. ibañez)
Conversion of durian waste into charcoal briquettes eyed
The city government of Davao and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources may have finally found a solution to the truckloads of durian waste left behind especially during the durian season. This is through a joint effort to implement a community-based project based on a resolution by councilor Rachel Zozobrado.
“Davao City is world-famous for its agricultural resources particularly durian. However, the demand for durian among locals and tourists is such that the city is left with trucks of durian waste when durian season comes,” Zozobrado said. One remedy to this problem, she said, is the establishment of a community-based project involving charcoal production out of durian waste.
Zozobrado earlier passed a resolution urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as well as the City Environment Office to adopt charcoal briquettes making as a community-based project. Charcoal briquettes production is not only a timely and practical community livelihood project for Dabawenyos but it is also a push for the environment, she said.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources XI regional director Jim O. Sampulna welcomed the resolution saying they are interested in collaborating with the city government in the pursuit of this project considering that “there is a big volume of durian pulp and bukong waste generated everyday.
DENR’s Ecosystems Research and Development Service has spearheaded the green technology of making charcoal briquettes using leaves, twigs, stems and other forest waste materials. The method is also not too complicated considering that it only requires that the forest wastes are carbonized, fed into a grinding machine, mixed with binders like gelatinized starch then compacted in a molder to produce uniform-sized charcoal briquettes.
Zozobrado said the charcoal briquettes are an environment-friendly fuel alternative which can be used by households and even business now that the price of liquefied petroleum gas has once again gone up.
She said the planned partnership between DENR XI and the local government of Davao is an ideal setup since DENR can conduct the training in coordination with the barangays. This community-based project can also provide possible livelihood for the community, she said.
More livelihood opportunities will evolve once the community is properly trained about the process of producing charcoal briquettes using forest waste, she said. This will also ease the pressure off our forests and the environment, she added.
The city government of Davao and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources may have finally found a solution to the truckloads of durian waste left behind especially during the durian season. This is through a joint effort to implement a community-based project based on a resolution by councilor Rachel Zozobrado.
“Davao City is world-famous for its agricultural resources particularly durian. However, the demand for durian among locals and tourists is such that the city is left with trucks of durian waste when durian season comes,” Zozobrado said. One remedy to this problem, she said, is the establishment of a community-based project involving charcoal production out of durian waste.
Zozobrado earlier passed a resolution urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as well as the City Environment Office to adopt charcoal briquettes making as a community-based project. Charcoal briquettes production is not only a timely and practical community livelihood project for Dabawenyos but it is also a push for the environment, she said.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources XI regional director Jim O. Sampulna welcomed the resolution saying they are interested in collaborating with the city government in the pursuit of this project considering that “there is a big volume of durian pulp and bukong waste generated everyday.
DENR’s Ecosystems Research and Development Service has spearheaded the green technology of making charcoal briquettes using leaves, twigs, stems and other forest waste materials. The method is also not too complicated considering that it only requires that the forest wastes are carbonized, fed into a grinding machine, mixed with binders like gelatinized starch then compacted in a molder to produce uniform-sized charcoal briquettes.
Zozobrado said the charcoal briquettes are an environment-friendly fuel alternative which can be used by households and even business now that the price of liquefied petroleum gas has once again gone up.
She said the planned partnership between DENR XI and the local government of Davao is an ideal setup since DENR can conduct the training in coordination with the barangays. This community-based project can also provide possible livelihood for the community, she said.
More livelihood opportunities will evolve once the community is properly trained about the process of producing charcoal briquettes using forest waste, she said. This will also ease the pressure off our forests and the environment, she added.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Davao-Darwin sisterhood to promote tourism in both cities
The forging of a sisterhood agreement between Davao City and Darwin City can be mutually beneficial to the tourism industry of both sectors as this is a complementary resource between the two cities.
“I am hoping to meet with some officials from Darwin City to possibly discuss the proposed sisterhood agreement between the two cities,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said before she left for Darwin, Australia as part of the delegation sent by the city for the Arafura Games. She said while the primary reason for going to Darwin is the Arafura Games she will also try to follow up with the Australian official who met with her in Davao prior to the Darwin trip to discuss the sisterhood agreement.
Zozobrado said Darwin in Northern Territory is known for its mining and tourism industry. But more than anything else, she said, it is the tourism sector which the two cities can explore since it is very feasible. At least 8% of Darwin’s residents are employed by the tourism sector and the city is gearing up for a major tourism boost both for domestic and international tourism.
Like Davao City which is proud of its Kadayawan Festival, she said, Darwin too has its own festival—the Darwin Festival. Tourism is a big thing for both cities and perhaps we can encourage exchange visits among our people to promote the tourism of both cities.
Zozobrado said that like Davao City, Darwin also has lots of beaches that offer unpolluted swimming to both locals and tourists. Sports is also another complementary area among the two cities. Darwin, she said, has been hosting the Arafura Games every two years since 1991 with the exception of the year 2003 when there was a SARS outbreak.
The forging of a sisterhood agreement between Davao City and Darwin City can be mutually beneficial to the tourism industry of both sectors as this is a complementary resource between the two cities.
“I am hoping to meet with some officials from Darwin City to possibly discuss the proposed sisterhood agreement between the two cities,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said before she left for Darwin, Australia as part of the delegation sent by the city for the Arafura Games. She said while the primary reason for going to Darwin is the Arafura Games she will also try to follow up with the Australian official who met with her in Davao prior to the Darwin trip to discuss the sisterhood agreement.
Zozobrado said Darwin in Northern Territory is known for its mining and tourism industry. But more than anything else, she said, it is the tourism sector which the two cities can explore since it is very feasible. At least 8% of Darwin’s residents are employed by the tourism sector and the city is gearing up for a major tourism boost both for domestic and international tourism.
Like Davao City which is proud of its Kadayawan Festival, she said, Darwin too has its own festival—the Darwin Festival. Tourism is a big thing for both cities and perhaps we can encourage exchange visits among our people to promote the tourism of both cities.
Zozobrado said that like Davao City, Darwin also has lots of beaches that offer unpolluted swimming to both locals and tourists. Sports is also another complementary area among the two cities. Darwin, she said, has been hosting the Arafura Games every two years since 1991 with the exception of the year 2003 when there was a SARS outbreak.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Indon Consul gets authority for sisterhood agreements with Davao
The renewal of the sisterhood agreements between Davao City and the cities of Manado and Bitong is expected to be fasttracked with the authority given to Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana by the Indonesia officials.
“We were informed by the office of Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana that he has been given the authority to negotiate with us for the renewal of the sisterhood agreements between the two Indonesian cities and Davao City,” Council Committee on International Relations chairperson councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.
Davao City’s sisterhood agreement with Bitung and Manado has already expired. Zozobrado said while the agreements are automatically renewed after expiration unless revoked by either parties, both Indonesia and and Davao officials would like to introduce new provisions in the sisterhood agreement.
“We have prepared the terms of the new sisterhood agreement but we are still enhancing the provisions so that the resulting agreement would be a dynamic one which would really make a difference in the development of Davao City and the cities of Bitung and Manado,” Zozobrado said.
She said they are eyeing a sisterhood agreement that pave the way for more active economic and social ties with the two cities.
Zozobrado, Indonesia has expressed its desire to renew the sisterhood agreement with Davao along time ago but the officials of both Manado and Bitung have been busy with their own state of affairs so the agreement has been stalled.
The Indonesian 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 and Zozobrado said they have already provided the Consul with said document.
“Finally we have been informed that Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana can negotiate and approve the terms of the sisterhood agreements so we can already fasttrack the signing of the sisterhood agreement,” Zozobrado said.
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.
The renewal of the sisterhood agreements between Davao City and the cities of Manado and Bitong is expected to be fasttracked with the authority given to Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana by the Indonesia officials.
“We were informed by the office of Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana that he has been given the authority to negotiate with us for the renewal of the sisterhood agreements between the two Indonesian cities and Davao City,” Council Committee on International Relations chairperson councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.
Davao City’s sisterhood agreement with Bitung and Manado has already expired. Zozobrado said while the agreements are automatically renewed after expiration unless revoked by either parties, both Indonesia and and Davao officials would like to introduce new provisions in the sisterhood agreement.
“We have prepared the terms of the new sisterhood agreement but we are still enhancing the provisions so that the resulting agreement would be a dynamic one which would really make a difference in the development of Davao City and the cities of Bitung and Manado,” Zozobrado said.
She said they are eyeing a sisterhood agreement that pave the way for more active economic and social ties with the two cities.
Zozobrado, Indonesia has expressed its desire to renew the sisterhood agreement with Davao along time ago but the officials of both Manado and Bitung have been busy with their own state of affairs so the agreement has been stalled.
The Indonesian 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 and Zozobrado said they have already provided the Consul with said document.
“Finally we have been informed that Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana can negotiate and approve the terms of the sisterhood agreements so we can already fasttrack the signing of the sisterhood agreement,” Zozobrado said.
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.
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