Beginner’s Random thoughts on running in Malaybalay City

1. Come to the race to compete only with yourself.
2. Expect to be laughed at; laugh with them, it’s another exercise.
3. Stretch your body before running and your limits, too; but do not be suicidal
4. Prepare for the race and your needs after it, including one more item at the drug store: muscle pain ointment.
5. Listen to encouragements from friends, ignore negative remarks from ‘friends’
6. Use water and food to keep you going, not to slow you down
7. If you can’t run faster, go slow, or walk; but don’t stop.
8. Dress light and feel light.
9. Smile, don’t talk, to an acquaintance while running to save breath
10. Thank God, family, friends before and after running, it counts to be grateful of the gift of the human life.
11. Run even if there is no race or competition; if you feel good about stepping on the finish line; be aware that the best is yet to come.
12. Help keep our community peaceful and free so we still have fields, trails, and streets where we can still run.

I made it!

I got these points printed in my mind from the starting line of the 4.2 km. Panahik night run on January 22 up to dinner tonight.

Finally, I was able to write it down.

I’m sure there will be more I can remember later on.

To those who have other thoughts to add, please key it in as a comment. (or make your own list.)

We don’t know, maybe in the future we can write a book about the gift of running in the free streets of our communities!

Cheers!

Released Philippine eagle killed in Mt. Kitanglad

Three-year-old Philippine Eagle “Kagsabua” was killed by a local airgun shooter near the village where
he was released just four months ago inside the Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park, an environment official said.

Felix Mirasol, community environment and natural resource officer, confirmed to MindaNews Wednesday that witnesses have identified the culprit described as a young man who failed to attend information
drive on the Philippine Eagle (pithecophaga jefferyi).

Mirasol is the Mt. Kitanglad Protected Area superintendent.

Kagsabua was last sighted on July 7 and was known to be missing between July 8 and 10, Mirasol said. He said a search operation was immediately launched.

PAL says lower airfare got the firm more passengers

The Philippine Airlines’ decision to lower the fare for travel to and from Mindanao has actually earned their firm more passengers as those who used to travel by land and sea could now afford to fly.“We got a portion of that market because our airfare is now almost equal to that of surface travel,” Philippine Airlines’ vice president for Mindanao Dominguo Duerme said. Read the rest of the report on MindaNews.com.

Resource projects dominate EAGA biz matching

Business interests mainly on biodiesel, palm oil plantations, and mining dominate projects eyed for business matching at the first ever BIMP-East ASEAN Growth Area investment conference here.

About 28 of the 39 projects were clustered under the natural resource development sector, according to a list provided by the conference secretariat to reporters.

Only 11 were classified under tourism development, transport, infrastructure and communication. Four of the projects are into mining, including another mining project in Zamboanga Sibugay, two in Compostela Valley under the Philippine Mining Development Corporation, and another one on coal in West Kalimantan in Indonesia.  Read the rest of the report on MindaNews.com.

Participatory tourism

I coined the title just to strike a point.

While waiting for a ride out from SM City Davao last Wednesday, I sat in in one of the meetings held at the mall’s Entertainment Plaza in time for the tourism week celebration.

That’s when I heard an officer of the Filipino Communities Association of Australia addressing the general assembly of the Davao City Tourism Council.

He spoke of involving the communities in tourism planning so they will not be left out and be out of synch in attending to tourists coming their way. Read this report on MindaNews.com for more details.

Another way of looking at it, however, is to engage the communities as partners and not just as sit-in guests in meetings just to receive tourism briefings.

ARMM traders: immediate peace agreement, please

The business community in conflict-affected areas are sounding off their stand: enough to conflicts, sign the peace agreement and start developing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Datu Haron Bandila, chair of the ARMM Business Council, said the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) must stay focused on the peace process for an immediate signing of the peace agreement.

He told MindaNews Thursday the biggest concern of the business community in the ARMM is the ongoing conflict.

He said they are calling on the government and the MILF to stick to the peace process and never to allow any more delays. Read the rest of the report on MindaNews.com.

Traders as peacemakers in Mindanao

Business that is more responsive to the peace process in Mindanao is among the key issues to be discussed in the 6th Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Business Congress next month, an ARMM Business Council official said.

Bai Sandra Basar, president of the Muslim Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kutawato (Cotabato), told MindaNews Tuesday afternoon that they are batting for the business sector to play a bigger role in achieving and eventually sustaining peace in Mindanao.

Basar is a board member of the ARMM Business Council composed of at least 10 business chambers and industry associations in the provinces of Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi and Lanao del Sur and the cities of Cotabato and Marawi.

Read the rest of the report on MindaNews.com.

In the drawing board: Shanghai– Davao flights

After the launching of the four arches to the city’s Chinatown weeks ago, and the call of Councilor Pete Laviña for the opening of a consular office of the Chinese embassy, here’s more.
Talks are underway for the opening of hartered flights between this city and the bustling Chinese city of Shanghai, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano told MindaNews Thursday.

DOT puts up visitors’ lounge at Eagle camp

DAVAO CITY (MIndaNews / August 10) – A new, more visitor-friendly lounge will rise at the Philippine Eagle Center this year, to help attract more visitors and raise consciousness on the conservation effort to save the Philippine Eagle.

The Department of Tourism has promised P5 million to construct it and Secretary Joseph Ace Durano has urged tourism operators attending the opening ceremonies of the Second Mindanao Travel Exposition Thursday to include the eagle conservation camp among their destinations.    

The Philippine Eagle Foundation will be the second institution to receive a DOT infrastructure funding, Durano told MindaNews. 

Durano said the eight-month construction will start by September. PEC volunteer architect Francis Hidalgo designed the new lounge that Durano described as “modern and close to nature.” Read the rest of the report on MindaNews.com.

KADAYAWAN 2007: Calendar of Activities

All roads lead to Davao City for this year’s Kadayawan Festival. The whole month of August is festival fever in the city. Visitors from other places in Mindanao, the country and the world are expected to troop to Dabaw.

Organizers speak of this year’s focus on returning to the city’s indigenous ancestry. Will it bring in new energy for the booming city? Or it will hurt the tourism sector as some people feared?

Take Davao by yourself. Experience the festival to find out the excitement with this guide:

Davao can do even better!

From Ferdie Ciento: “… I enjoy learning things about Davao and Mindanao. Suggestion lang, kung sana may picture tour din sa famous ninyong Davao International Airport na ma-ifeature dito sa site mo, kita ko kasi ang exploreiloilo.com at maganda ang presentation nila lalo na sa updates about their place including business and tourism prospects. Sana lumago pa ang Istambay sa Mindanao…mabuhay kayo!”

Big Thanks to Ferdie C!

Honestly, I hopped by www.exploreiloilo.com and I liked the site. It’s maintained by a 19-year old nursing student. It contains beautiful images of Iloilo City, including old churches, malls and their new “airport of international standard.”

Even if, however, I find Iloilo City via exploreiloilo’s appeal surprisingly attractive and also memorable since it was my city from 1994 to 2000, I still think Davao City, can do far better.

NEDA regrets Neri’s exit but “all is well”

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/1 Aug) – The National Economic Development Authority would have wanted Secretary Romulo Neri to stay on in the agency but a NEDA official said there is nothing they can do about his transfer to the Department of Education in a string of cabinet revamp during the last two months.

Nicasio Angelo Agustin, NEDA Southern Mindanao regional director, told reporters in an interview Wednesday Neri’s transfer was a great loss to the government’s development agency.

But he expressed confidence NEDA will overcome the loss with the appointment of Neri’s deputy, Augusto B. Santos, as replacement.

Read the rest of the report on MindaNews.com.