Mahinog to host 1st triathlon race on March 30

THE  Municipal Tourism Council of Mahinog will host the first off road triathlon race on March 30, 2013, Black Saturday.

Mahinog Tourism Council President Dr. Bernabe Mendoza said the triathlon will consist of 1.5-km swim in the famous serene, clear water of Benoni lagoon, followed by a 18-km off road bike race on the hinterlands of San Miguel, Tacangon, Jang, Puntod, San Jose, Hubangon, Binaliwan, Poblacion,San Roque and back to Benoni and will end with a multi-looping 10-km run around the circumferential road in Benoni lagoon.

“Mahinog is the best place for triathlon because it offers stunning scenery that triathletes can swim, bike and run,” he said.

He said country’s seasoned and fast-rising triathletes are expected to join the race spread in different age categories.

Mahinog Tourism Officer Mercy B. Jajalla said the event could promote Mahinog as the sports tourism site and attract more national or international events like these in Camiguin particularly in the town of Mahinog.

“This is intended to promote the beauty of Camiguin especially the town of Mahinog as tourism destination, especially in the field of sports tourism," she said.

“We should work to make this event a success so that we can also promote sports tourism in Camiguin and attract more tourists to visit the province,” she added.

Mahinog is known for its Mantigue island, Macao cold spring and Benoni lagoon.

At night the event will culminate with the awarding ceremony, fire dance show and live band at Benoni Lagoon. (HRJ)

Further information can be found on http://camiguintriathlon.com/

Public and private sectors meet to improve local economy in Mahinog

Mahinog Mayor Alex R. Jajalla welcomes participants to the LRED workshop

Mahinog, Camiguin (August 9, 2012) -  Local Government officials and leaders of private sectors participated today in the Local and Regional Economic Development (LRED) Sensitizing Workshop conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) at Queobe Eco Park and Training Center.

Camiguin DTI Provincial Director Joselito S. Enot gives the opening remarks during the LRED workshop

The workshop, the first in a series of four different workshops to be facilitated by the DTI, is to identify and implement local projects to boost the local economy, especially those that can be done from 6 months to one year.

DTI Provincial Director Joselito S. Enot said he sees the potential of Mahinog as an emerging growth area in Camiguin.

For one, he said, the presence of the principal port in Benoni gives the municipality a competitive advantage over other towns in the province.

In addition to the port is the presence of tourist destinations like Mantigue island and Zipline in Benoni lagoon, which can be compared to other prime destinations in the country.

These potentials, he said, if fully tapped, can bring in more economic development in the town.

Mahinog Mayor Alex Jajalla praised the DTI for introducing the LRED concept in Mahinog.

LRED is a process by which stakeholders from both public and private sectors are mobilized to become partners in a joint effort to improve the economy of a locality and increase its competitiveness.

“LRED intervention is a big step to create more jobs, small business enterprises and income especially for our residents,” Jajalla said.

To achieve this, he emphasized, both the public and private sectors need to play key roles to do their part to drive the economic development of the town. (Homer R. Jajalla)

Municipal Govt of Mahinog endorses EDC’s Camiguin wind farm project

Reinero Medrano, manager of EDC Corporate Social Responsibility, made presentation on the wind farm project in Camiguin at the municipal council session

Mahinog, Camiguin – The Municipal Council of Mahinog recently endorsed the Lopez-led Energy Development Corp. (EDC) application to put up a wind farm in Camiguin particularly in Lowan hills in barangay Owakan in the town of Mahinog.

In February last year, the Dept. of Energy (DOE) approved a Wind Energy Service Contract (WESC) to the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) for the Camiguin Wind Project.

EDC is Philippine’s leading geothermal energy provider, accounting for 62% of the country’s installed geothermal capacity.

It operates 5 geothermal sites in Leyte, Bicol, Cotabato, Northern Negros and Southern Negros, including the Pantabangan-Masiway hydro power complex in Nueva Ecija.

When completed the wind farm project in Camiguin is expected to generate more than 15 Megawatts of energy, Reinero Medrano, EDC Corporate Social Responsibility Program Officer, said on Monday during the SB session.

It will augment the supply of power in Camiguin, or even sell its power excess to the mainland, he added.

“This project will harness the power of the wind in Camiguin to generate clean and renewable electricity and will establish Camiguin as one of the wind energy sites in the Philippines,” Medrano said.

He added, however, that as of now, an additional wind data gathering must be conducted at the site to validate the wind potential at a height ranging from 60 –84 meters.

A wind mast to be installed is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2012 and is expected to be complete after at least 2 to 4 weeks, Medrano disclosed.

The data gathering phase will begin immediately after the masts are installed, he added.

The project has 3 phases which include: 1) Wind data gathering; 2) Development, construction & installation of wind farm, substation facilities and power transmission line and its associated interconnection facilities; 3) Operations and maintenance of wind farm, substation facilities and power transmission line and its associated interconnection facilities.

To date, the country's first wind project and the biggest wind farm in Southeast Asia is the 33-MW wind farm of NorthWind Power Development Corp. located in Bangui, Ilocos Norte.

Mahinog gets 15 new trash bins from MCC

MAHINOG, Camiguin - More than 15 garbage containers have been received by this municipality from Mambajao Credit Cooperative (MCC) as part of its commitment to provide a greener, healthier, more cost-effective waste management system for the province of Camiguin.

The donation was also in support of the Lex’s Clean Mahinog Program of this municipality.

The municipal council on Monday passed a resolution to express the municipality’s appreciation and gratitude to Mambajao Credit Cooperative (MCC) for such donation.

The donation does not only help produce a clean environment, it also establishes a sense of civic mindedness towards environment, Councilor Liberato E. Babanto, the resolution's principal author, said.

It also raises people’s awareness to keep our town clean and pleasant place to live in, the resolution added.

The council said MCC definitely deserves commendation and appreciation for their concern to care for and protect our environment.

OceanJet New Ferry Schedule

THE Ocean Fast Ferries Inc. a Cebu based shipping company that operates OceanJet 7 announces to the public of their new ferry schedule between Jagna, Bohol and Benoni, Camiguin and Balingoan, Misamis Oriental routes. The new time schedules are as follows:

Jagna to Camiguin (direct) 6:00 AM

Jagna to Balingoan (via Camiguin) 6:00 AM

Jagna to Balingoan (direct) 1:00 PM

Jagna to Camiguin (via Balingoan) 1:00 PM

Balingoan to Jagna (direct) 9:30 AM

Balingoan to Jagna (via Camiguin) 4:30 PM

Balingoan to Camiguin (direct) 4:30 PM

Camiguin to Balingoan (direct) 8:30 AM

Camiguin to Jagna (via Balingoan) 8:30 AM

Camiguin to Jagna (direct) 5:30 PM

Libre Balik Promo

Jagna-Balingoan-Jagna

One (1) day advance purchase libre balik promo 1,100 php

One (1) day advance purchase one –way 700.00 php

On date purchase libre balik promo 1,300 php

On date purchase one way 750 php

Jagna-Camiguin-Jagna

One (1) day advance purchase libre balik promo 700 php

One (1) day advance purchase one –way 500.00 php

On date purchase libre balik promo 900 php

On date purchase one way 550 php

Camiguin-Balingoan-Camiguin

One (1) day advance purchase one –way 200 php

On date purchase one way 250 php

For more inquiries, contact these hotline numbers:

Globe 09176380000

Smart 09188982188

Sun 09228575900

Ocean Jet to serve Jagna-Benoni-Balingoan daily

MV Oceanjet 7

THE Municipal Council of Mahinog today approved a resolution interposing no objection for Ocean Jet of Ocean Fast Ferries, Inc. (OFFI) to operate fast ferries between Benoni and Balingoan and Jagna routes.

OFFI, a domestic shipping company based in Cebu City and operates several fast ferries in Central Visayas, is applying with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) for a special permit to operate in Jagna, Bohol-Benoni, Mahinog, Camiguin-Balingoan, Misamis Oriental routes.

MV Ocean Jet 7 is expected to start operating daily before holy week, according to Mr. Peter Randy Gaquit, Balingoan-Benoni Operations.

According to the resolution of the municipal council, the economic growth in Camiguin as a tourist island province requires an efficient water transport industry to ferry passengers and cargo at reasonable and competitive rates.

The entry of new operators into these routes should be encouraged as it will enhance the level of competition and bring about reasonable rates and improved quality of fast craft and ferry services, it added.

Ocean Fast Ferries, Inc. (OFFI) entry to this island province is a welcome development taking into consideration the economic and beneficial effect which the service will bring to the province and neighboring islands or region, the resolution said.

There is only one fast ferry that operates Cagayan de Oro-Benoni-Jagna connection which is currently served by Paras Sea Cat.

With Ocean Jet, this is the first and only fast craft that serves Jagna-Benoni-Balingoan routes.

Mahinog Response 143 chosen as official entry to Doon Po Sa Amin Learning Challenge

THE Camiguin National High School (CNHS) has chosen 

Mahinog Response 143 as its official entry to this year's Doon Po Sa Amin Learning Challenge under emergency response and disaster preparedness category.

Doon Po Sa Amin (DPSA) is a project initiated by Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) under its corporate social responsibility program Kabalikat, and is aimed at encouraging teachers and students to use computer and Internet technologies to generate web-based information and educational materials about their respective communities. This project is in line with Smart’s thrust to promote information and communications technology (ICT) integration in basic education.

One of the end goals of the project is to generate and consolidate rich local content for the promotion and development of communities. A rich local content defines the community, and its people, culture, and society – thus the name "Doon Po Sa Amin," which literally means "in our place".

Mahinog Response 143 was chosen due to its efforts to promote local volunteerism including their role in mitigating disaster in the community over the past 8 years. (HRJ)

The entry entitled "Heroes of Our time" is now published on the web. Click this link: http://www.mysmartschools.ph/web/response143/index.html

CCRBI closed down, placed under PDIC receivership

Mahinog, Camiguin – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has closed down the Camiguin Cooperative Rural Bank, Inc. (CCRBI) and placed the said financially troubled bank under the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp.’s (PDIC) receivership.

In a letter sent to Mahinog Mayor Alex R. Jajalla, the PDIC through its First Vice President Elizabeth E. Oller informed the public that PDIC will conduct claims receiving operations to the depositors of the closed CCRBI.

“Our representatives will be at the premises of the said bank from December 9 to 15, 2009 during office hours to accept claims and entertain queries of depositors,” the PDIC vice president said in her letter.

The receivership status allows the PDIC to take over the bank’s assets to protect clients and return depositors’ money.

Oller also said that pursuant to Republic Act No. 9576, the last day of filing of claims for insured deposits in the closed CCRBI will be on December 5, 2011.

“After December 5, 2011, PDIC, as insurer, shall no longer accept any claim for insured deposits maintained with the said bank,” she said.