GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – President Aquino’s State-of-the-Nation Address (SoNA) Monday became a focus of debate among his supporters and critics in Mindanao, even as groups of indigenous peoples (IPs) and Moro youth organizations held their own versions of the national address to sound off their concerns and aspirations.

Hundreds of leaders and key members of the Manobo, Mamanwa, T’boli, B’laan, Subanen, Teduray, Higaonon, Talaandig, and Mandaya tribes from all over Mindanao, and counterparts from Luzon and Palawan held their State-of-the-Indigenous People Address (SIPA) and demanded an increase in the budget of the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP). (Joseph Jubelag)

Davao flyovers

DAVAO CITY (PNA) – The city government here is eyeing the construction of three flyovers in the city’s national roads in the next several years to decongest traffic problems.

Roberto Alabado III, acting chief of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), said the construction of these infrastructure projects are badly needed for the transportation sector to ease the congested streets in the urban areas passing through the intersections in Matina Pangi to Matina Aplaya and Ulas-Toril-Mintal in the southern part, while another one in Angliongto to J.P. Laurel Avenue in the northern part of the city.

Moro thanksgiving

Over 1,000 Muslims in Metro Manila joined Moro civil society organizations (CSOs) in offering a “kanduli” or a Moro thanksgiving feast for President Aquino for signing Republic Act (RA) 10153, which postpones the August 8 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The “kanduli” in Maguindanaon and “kandori” in Maranao tongue was hosted by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), also in recognition of President Aquino’s second State-of-the-Nation Address (SoNA). NCMF Secretary Bai Omera D. Dianalan Lucman said that Monday was an auspicious day because of the President’s SoNA. (Edd Usman)

Butuan festival

BUTUAN CITY – The weeklong activity of the “61st Adlaw Hong Butuan” started on Monday with several activities already been lined up. In the initial salvo of the festivities, an opening ceremony for the “Barangay Best” exhibits took place where some 86 villages participated at the City Hall grounds here.

Also lined up in the weeklong activity is the launching of the “Fit for School” and search for “2011 Little Miss Butuan.” Other activities include a “2011 Quiz Bee,” a “Nutri-Egg Fair,” Butuan Night Café, Battle of the Bands, and the Grand Butuan Cultural Show with the theme “Butuan Balangay, Tulay ng Buhay.” (Mike Crismundo)

Mindanao products

DAVAO CITY – Mindanao takes pride as the country’s premier food source as it generated some P7.5 million in sales of food products during the recent 8th International Food Exhibition (IFEX) in Manila.

The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) that organized the annual event reported here recently that Mindanao exhibitors generated a total of P4.2 million worth of domestic sales and P3.3 million worth of international sales from their recent participation in this year’s 8th IFEX Philippines.

This year’s expo paid tribute to Mindanao as its first-ever partner featured in a major sub-event dubbed “Mindanao: Best of the Islands Food Show.” (Mick Basa)