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Habitat mobilizes Oro youth to build permanent shelters

Tuesday, 15 May 2012 00:00

MAY Karren Deutzmann, 20, and her sister Rygina Marie, 18, are looking forward for the next three Saturdays this month of May. The sisters are fi rst time volunteers and they are eager to show that young as they are, they are very much aware of the destruction that happened on December 2011, when tropical storm Sendong destroyed a portion of the city. The sisters are part of the 3,000-strong youth volunteers for the Youth Build 2012 of Habitat for Humanity in this city. The Youth Build is a mobilization to empower the youth and help in the construction for 25 duplex houses in barangay Indahag to house 100 families from different communities destroyed in the fl ood.

According to Jan-Hannah Awitin, marketing coordinator of Oro Habitat, Youth Build is aimed at giving power to the youth to make a difference in the lives of others. "We wanted to send a message that the youth can make a difference and they can change lives by volunteering their time in a worthwhile cause," Awitin said. Under the heat of the sun, 800 youth volunteers all dress up in a Habitat for Humanity white t-shirts brave the searing heat of the sun passing hollow blocks and mixed cements to the experienced masons. Others were fi lling up shallow grounds with soils while others tampered the ground.

To boost the morale, former Miss Universe winner Miriam Quiambao also participated in the build albeit just for an hour. Awitin said that to accommodate the 3,000 thousand volunteers, Habitat scheduled the build for three Saturdays. "We can't accommodate all three thousands in a single day, the overwhelming response from the youth needs to be accommodated in three Saturdays." But for the Deutzmann sisters, they will be present for the three Saturdays, "We really wanted to be part of it and to make a difference, for so long we wanted to be volunteers, and we won't let this chance pass us by," Rygina said. Karren said that they have been blessed, being spared by the fl ood that not only destroyed houses but lives and families as well.

Another volunteer, Daisyville Castro, a college sophomore and a native of Zamboanga del Sur, the chance to be a volunteer for the house build is a chance to show that she too can help change lives. "I don't have money to give, but I can give more than that, I can give my time, and I can lend my hand to build new house for the victims of Sendong," Daisy said. Louella Bout, the president of the Red Cross Youth at Capitol University, said that she took time to volunteer for Youth Build. "I wanted to make use of my free time this summer and as a Red Cross Youth, we live a life in the spirit of volunteerism, we can make things happen," Bout said. Awitin said that the aimed 100 duplex houses will be fi nished on the third Saturday, May 26. Awitin said that the youth volunteers are supervised by experienced construction workers.

At the end of the day, satisfi ed with the result of what they did, Karren said that she is happy and more motivated to see the results of the 1,600 pairs of hands made that day. "We need to start somewhere, and this is where we start, by being volunteers, by being in this moment to start make a change," Karren said. The event was emceed by Mag TV's Bryan Yu and Councilor Sunshine Obsioma. The affair was also attended by director Aracelli Solamillo of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 10, Boy Pagalan of San Miguel Corp., Chemaima Belleza of the McDonalds Mindanao area and the admired Quiambao. Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas, also one of the attendees, gave the volunteers his inspiring talk. Youth volunteers came from different institutions in Cagayan de Oro, who were grouped and had their assigned areas together with the team leaders who pilot in the building of houses.. The beneficiaries of the shelters build are the victims of the typhoon sendong who had lost their homes during the devastation of the catastrophe.

Text and Photos by BOBBY LAGSA, Correspondent PAOLA GAABUCAYAN, Intern

NOW SHOWING IN CAGAYAN DE ORO CINEMAS Bruce Willis returns to form

Monday, 14 May 2012 00:00

THE Cold Light of Day marks Bruce Willis's return to his favourite genre - action - in 2012 via the vehicle The Cold Light of Day. The movie is currently on its first weekrun at SM City Cagayan de Oro, Limketkai Cinema and Gaisano. The Cold Light of Day forces our attention on Spain and an imperilled traveller in the hulking form of Henry Cavi l l . He doesn' t exact ly show up with a copy of Lonely Planet stowed under his arm nor does he stop to ask everyone if they speak English, the usual red flag to Euro gangsters, but then he doesn't have to; his American family are already there: brooding Bruce Willis, a younger, weedier, spectacled brother who's obviously not going to be involved in the action to come; and two ornamental women - a wife who looks motherly, later vulnerable; and brother's girlfriend, who gets a character building bikini sunbathing scene on the deck of the family boat. When Bikini Gi r l f r iend has an accident, thanks to an errant wave and a loose mast, Cavill, being the only family member with the requisite muscle mass required to swim ashore, is promptly dispatched to buy painkillers. When he returns, both boat and family are gone and so begins a faintly Hitchcockian hunt for the missing brood in which pensive Pater familias Willis returns for just long enough to establish his identity as a CIA agent and the Maguffin's as a briefcase that everyone will kill for. Job done, he's murdered, leaving the inexperienced (but psychically well prepared) son to dodge the bullets.

That Cavill doesn't know anymore than we do works to Day's advantage because this makes its ramshackle, sometimes chaotic construction of an extension of the leading man's bl indsided understanding of events. Director Mabrouk El Mechri doesn't think we should be any clearer about the line of incident than Cavill. Consequently, his zealous editor judiciously subdivides each slice of action. I f there's an awkward disconnect between some performances and the emotional register of early scenes ( format ive exchanges between Cavill and Willis look as though their lines have been dubbed onto footage from a different movie), it's not the end of the world; ...Day soon settles down, becoming an occasionally involving, always brusque chase movie that doubles as a whirlwind tour of Madrid. Minor visual flourishes from Mechri aside, this is mostly routine stuff, (though Cavi l l 's feminoid is reassuringly not a lover plucked in extremis but something more interesting) begging the question, why did the likes of Willis and Sigourney Weaver sign up? A free holiday in Spain is a tempting answer; this alone, surely, explains the blink-and-you've-alreadymissed- it performance from Colm Meaney as the government agent with two lines. Of course, 38 seconds with Meaney is a thing of beauty, and he certainly gilds those fleeting pronouncements (it's all in the intonation) but was it really worth the great man's time?

Domestic air travels grows to 13 percent

Monday, 14 May 2012 00:00

THE country's local air travel grew by 13 percent to 5.17 million in the January to March period from 16.56 million in 2010, according to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). The country's five major carriers' seat capacity jumped 18.8 percent to 6.94 million in the fi rst quarter from 5.84 million in the same period last year. Cebu Pacifi c remained the leading domestic carrier with 2.37 million passengers carried, up by 21.9 percent from 1.95 million in the same period last year. The Gokongwei-led airline's load factor, however, fell to 76 percent from 81 percent. PAL, on the other hand, recorded a 7.2-percent decline in passengers to 1.09 million in the fi rst quarter from 1.17 million in the same period in 2011. The Lucio Tan airline's load factor also dropped to 74 percent from 77 percent.

AirPhil Express flew 1.07 million passengers in the fi rst three months, higher than the 890,384 passengers in 2011. Zest Airways recorded a 21.05-percent increase in domestic passengers to 626,952 from 517,939 last year. Southeast Asian Airlines posted a drop in passengers to 46,879 passengers from 10,037 passengers in 2011. The industry's total cargo rose to 45.74 million kilograms in the fi rst quarter compared to 39.81 million kgs in the previous year. PAL carried 12.51 million kgs; Cebu Pacifi c, 22.08 million kgs; AirPhil Express, 6.09 million kgs; Seair, 54,618 kgs; and Zest Air, 2.99 million kgs. PNA

Talakag hosts full moon fest

Monday, 14 May 2012 00:00

IT was a night that will always be remembered. A full moon, the biggest of 2012 and up in the healthy jungle of the Ki Bathala Gardens in sitio Balaon, barangay San Isidro in Talakag, Bukidnon approximately 400 people came to attend the Luna Musikalawaig festival on the 5th of May. The venue was fi lled with art installations from some of the countries best such as internationally renowned sculptor Agnes Arellano, Cagayan de Oro's Ryan Carreon and the Talaandig artists from the mountains of Mindanao. The day was filled with activities which included, tree planting by the riverside, kayaking by Bugsay, live art workshops by the Talaandig, a blessing of the spring by Billy Bonnevie, shopping at the Luna Market and exploring the garden which has been working on reforestation and green architecture for almost two decades.

Music electrifi ed the night as bands from Luzon (Nyko Maca, Brisom and Nanay Mo), Visayas (Shuffled, The Line Divides and Foc Fashion), Mindanao (Tabularaza, Gasulina, Wiz, Power Monkeys, Superfl irts, Grupong Laya and Waway Saway) and Barcelona (The Mush Project) did not let anyone stop the dancing. The project is a tribute to the river which has been abused through the years. Reforestation will go on as long as people support the cause and Luna Musikalawaig is just the beginning for the fi ght for what is left of nature to save must go on. The Ki Bathala Gardens which has been continuing its efforts on its own initiative is proof that change is possible even on the smallest level and the festival validated exactly that.

The message the festival has been trying to make is clear: Mindanao has art and music, Mindanao is about more than pineapple and terrorism and more importantly; nature still has its champions and therefore still has a chance. In light of its success, the festival might see a sequel and until then. The project continues. Follow the cause on facebook/Luna Musikalawaig Full Moon Festival or Facebook/ Ki Bathala Gardens.

By RAPHAEL KIEFER Contributor