Mayor Releases P30M Cash Gifts

CHRISTMAS CASH GIFTS. General Santos City Mayor gives out cash gifts of P10,000 each to the regular employees of the local government unit during their Christmas Party on December 21, 2007 at the KCC Convention Center. Assisting him are (L-R) Councilors Jane Calunsag, Nephthali Natividad, Meggie Santos and First Lady Dr. Rose Acharon. A total of P10million was appropriated by the Sangguniang Panlungsod for the said Christmas gifts.

Land Bank Chief Calls on Mayor

BANK PRESIDENT AT CITY HALL. Land Bank of the Philippines president and chief executive Gilda Pico during her courtesy call on Gen. Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr. on December 20, 2007 to discuss his priority environment-protection related projects. The Land Bank of the Philippines is offering a loan facility of about P300million to the city to finance its Sanitary Landfill Project in Barangay Sinawal .

Bariles Supports AIDS Awareness Month

Beach Volleyball Tourney Starts

BEACH VOLLEYBELLES. SK Federation-Gensan President Jane Calunsag, representing City Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr. gives the thumbs up with volleybelles of Gen. Santos Doctor's Hospital Foundation (left) and Holy Trinity College - Team A at the start of the 2nd Beach Volleyball PBA Jr. Cup Tournament at the Queen Tuna Park (Lion's Beach) on December 19, 2007. Also with her are (extreme left) Rodolfo Yu and Christian Gonzales (extreme right), both from the Sports & Games Development Division of the City Mayor's Office. The Trinitarians won this first fight of the tournament which is an official event of Pasko sa Gensan 2007. (GenSan CMO/avel manansala)

December 19 is Muslim Holiday (Hariraya Hajji)

The Office on Muslim Affairs under the Office of the President of the Philippines has announced on December 14 in a letter addressed to Gen. Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr. that December 19, 2007 is a legal Muslim Holiday.

According to OMA Field Director Guialil R. Kanda, this is in observance of Eid'l Adha - Hariraya Hajji (Feast of Sacrifice) which falls on December 19, 2007 and corresponds to the 10th Jul Hijjah 1428.

Muslim Holidays in the Philippines were created by virtue of P.D. 1083 and the Civil Service Commission Resolution NO. 81-1277 dated November 13, 1981. In view of this, the mayor has ordered all the local government employees not to report for work for that day in deference to this directive.

1st Table Tennis PBA Jr. Cup Tourney Held

TABLE TENNIS PBA CUP. Dr. Arvin Alejandro, Tournament Director of the 1st PBA Jr. Invitational Table Tennis Tournament congratulates the winners during the awarding ceremony on December 16, 2007 at the Oval Plaza Gym while Event Manager Christian Gonzales listens behind him. Players from various high schools of Gensan were pitted against those from Davao, Cotabato City and North Cotabato during the 3-day tourney which was part of the Pasko-sa-Gensan calendar.

The first-ever PBA, Jr. Invitational Table Tennis Tournament finally ended on Sunday, December 16, 2007 at the capacity-filled Oval Plaza gymnasium after a three-day run which pitted the city’s best and upcoming young players from different schools against those from Cotabato City, Midsayap and Davao, among others.

An official event of the Pasko-sa-Gensan 2007, the tournament this year was spearheaded by the Sports & Games Development Division under the City Mayor’s Office under Sports Division Officer Ernesto Nanali in cooperation with TATAP (Table Tennis Association of the Philippines – Gensan).

Dr. Arvin Alejandro was the Tournament Director while Christian Gonzales was the Event Manager.

Here is the complete set of winners who received cash prizes of P3,000 (1st), P2,000 (2nd) and P1,000 (3rd) respectively:

• Boys – 17 Years Under
o Champion – Wilbert Lio
o 2nd Place – Kevin Hilado
o 3rd Place – Carl James Ranoa

• Boys – 13 Years Under
o Champion – Gil Ablanque
o 2nd Place - Ronald Gamaliel Donaire
o 3rd Place – James Philip Ybañez

• Girls – 17 Years Under
o Champion – Mirabel Roferos
o 2nd Place – Princess Laarni Masong
o 3rd Place – Jaren Castro

• Girls – 13 Years Under
o Champion – Lyndel Sellado
o 2nd Place – Ma. Joven Bugnos
o 3rd Place – Roxanette Mae Noriega

The Team Event winners are: Champion – Medatta A of Davao (P5,000); 2nd Place – UM Davao (P3,000); and, 3rd Place – PNP Gensan (P2,000).

BBC Reporter Calls on Mayor

BBC REPORTER. Gen. Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr. orients British Broadcasting Corporation Reporter Andrew Harding and his camera man Darren Conway (2nd & 3rd from left) on the current state of the Tuna Industry in the city during their courtesy call on him last week. The award-winning BBC Asia Correspondent was in town to do a special report about the aforementioned matter and meet up with some of its major stakeholders.

75 City Hall Employees Honored

For serving the city government for 20 years with utmost dedication and good performance, seventy five (75) rank-and-file employees were honored Thursday night at Sydney Hotel.

Mayor Pedro B. Acharon, Jr. personally awarded the employees brand new Nokia cellular phones (colored, polyphonic, with accessories) in recognition of the contributions of these employees in delivering total quality service to the people of Gensan.

This is the second batch of employees who were honored by the city through its “Parangal sa Kawani” program.

This annual program is initiated by the city’s PRAISE committee whose officers include HRMDO Department Head Ms. Sarah t. Sanchez and Mr. Ernesto V. Quisay, chief of staff of the Office of the City Mayor.

In his message, mayor Acharon cited the employees good performance and challenged them to continue working for the betterment of the city’s constituents.

Mr. Quisay, on the other hand, said that they made sure that the awards night this year will be truly memorable. The preparations were made earlier particularly on the venue, food, entertainment plus the token for each of the awardees. (CPIO/ping aponesto)PARANGAL NG KAWANI. Chief of Staff Ernie Quisay of the City Mayor's Office of Gen. Santos is flanked by emcees City Assistant Administrator Glennville Gonzales and City Population Program Officer Judith Janiola while welcoming the 75 honorees from the local government to the Parangal ng Kawani, a tribute-of-sorts for their 20 years of service. Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr. later awarded a Nokia cellphone to each one of them as a token for their longevity and dedication.