Mayor Jaraula urged Kagay-anons to plant trees

City Mayor Constantino G. Jaraula urged all Kagay-anons to plant trees in support to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) -10 “Green Philippines Program, Trees for Life: 20M seedlings for planting and nurturing” which made its last stop at Sitio Taguanao in Barangay Indahag, this city.

Mayor Jaraula stressed the importance of the government’s massive reforestation program to the participants in the tree planting activity during its launching held recently at the Kagay-an Resort.

He cited that tree planting is the best way to protect the environment even as he urged participants to take good care of the planted tree seedlings.

In fact, the city government is keen in developing a 10-hectare area of the Kagay-an Resort as a nature park where eight hectares will be planted with fruit- bearing trees while the remaining two hectares will be planted with flowers, Jaraula said.

He added that the local government units must be at the frontline in efforts along environmental protection and that the city government of Cagayan de Oro is rallying behind the agency’s call to save Mother Earth.

The project was launched in the middle of October this year at Mapawa Nature Park in Barangay Cugman, this city, where a total of 50,000 forest seedlings were planted. (City Information Office)

Mayor Jaraula, Oro business tycoons join hands to promote CdeO

The city’s top businessmen vowed to pool their resources for the common cause of promoting Cagayan de Oro City as a globally-competitive and investment-conducive city.

This after local business bigwigs Ruben Vegafria, Elpie Paras, Albino Limketkai, See Hong, Frank Rolida, Alarico Lim and Noel Nalzaro met recently with City Mayor Constantino G. Jaraula to discuss plans that will further boost the city’s business competitive edge and potentials.

Vegafria said the roundtable discussion basically aims to help the administration of Mayor Jaraula in crafting a support system that will enhance local governance and help the city achieve greater heights of progress and development.

"We are not an advisory group but rather a "feedback mechanism" group that intends to support Mayor Jaraula in making the city a more conducive place for investment and living," explained Vegafria.

During the meeting, the group agreed in principle to acquire a tourist bus; organize a trade mission to China; assist schools to design globally-competitive education programs; hold a water summit in December and an environmental summit in January next year.

Pitch in your views on the issue at ‘My Voices. BLOG’

The mayor also asked the influential group of businessmen to assist the city government in putting-up a City Hall-wide computerized system and help design a promotional strategy that will make Cagayan de Oro easily accessible to potential investors.

Mayor Jaraula thanked the local businessmen for their strong support and cooperation to his administration citing the crucial role played by the private sector along sustainable business promotion and investment strategies.

"I want to reach out to the business community because they are the ones who keep our city alive," the city chief executive pointed out.

He added that the city government wants to know the issues and concerns of the local business sector, in the same manner that the city sought support from the business sector in areas of cooperation where they are needed.

The meeting is a precursor to a series of regular meetings that Mayor Jaraula intended to establish with the local business sector on a monthly basis. (City Information Office)

City holds public forum on Talakag hydro power project

The city government is calling on all sectors in Cagayan de Oro to share their technical expertise and views in a bid to come out with a firm decision as to whether endorse or oppose the construction of the proposed 132-megawatt Bulanog-Batang hydro power plant in nearby Talakag, Bukidnon.

City Councilor President Elipe, chairman of the city council’s committee on energy, made the call during Monday’s second round of public hearing on the proposed hydro power plant which was attended by the city’s multi-sectoral groups and representatives from project proponent NORMECA Hydro Power Corporation.

"We are trying to solicit facts and opinions from the different sectors or groups in our society so that the city government could come up with a solid basis for our stand," Councilor Elipe told participants in the forum.

"We need more concrete grounds as to why we should object or support this project," the councilor said, adding that the body welcomes any position paper from all sectors reflecting their sentiments on the socio-economic and environmental impact of the proposed hydro power project.

Pitch in your views on the issue at ‘My Voices. BLOG’

Councilor Elipe issued the call to the different sectors to make their independent stand after Monday’s public hearing drew fears and apprehensions from a group of tour operators in the city’s river rafting industry.

The group, Oro Rafters Association, voiced their concerns that the construction of the proposed hydro power plant might adversely affect the operation of such popularly and world-class adventure activities at the Cagayan de Oro River as river rafting, kayaking, tubing, among others.

Whitewater rafting is identified by the Department of Trade and Industry as Cagayan de Oro’s One Town One Product (OTOP) identity.

As the site of Bulanog-Batang power plant in Barangay Sto. Nino, Talakag, Bukidnon is located upstream, the river rafting tour operators feared that the project’s dam operation might result in the reduction of the volume of water flowing into the Cagayan de Oro River, especially during summer which is considered as the industry’s peak season.

The city government is also concerned with the fate of the river rafting industry considering that it brought Cagayan de Oro City to the worldwide tourism map.

The energy committee hoped to get as many opinions and views as it can before the city government can make an official stand even as the city officials lead by City Mayor Constantino G. Jaraula, Vice Mayor Vicente Y. Emano and members of the City Council are now seriously discussing the matter. (City Information Office)

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