MALAYBALAY CITY, Philippines — The 24-day annual “Kaamulan Festival 2012” will start on Friday in this agricultural rich province in northern Mindanao. It is a festival that every family here and even tourists, both foreign and domestic, are looking forward to. “Kaamulan Festival” is the annual gathering of Bukidnon’s seven hill tribes, the Talaandig, Manobo, Higaonon, Matigsalug, Tiguahanon, Umayamnon and Bukidnon. “Kaamulan” is from the Binukid (the mountain) word “amul” which means “to gather.” It is a gathering of Bukidnon tribes people for a purpose. It can mean a datuship ritual, a wedding ceremony, a thanksgiving festival during harvest time and a peace pact. (Mike U. Crismundo)

GenSan Flood

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) — Hundreds of houses in two villages here were submerged in floodwaters as another major waterway swelled anew over the weekend due to heavy rains in the area during the last two days. Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio said Monday significant portions of Barangays Lagao and Baluan here remained flooded due to the huge volume of floodwaters that came from the nearby Kalaja River. Citing their initial assessment, she said the floods already affected 630 families situated in low-lying areas of the two villages.

‘Kabataan Hotline'

DAVAO CITY (PNA) — The Kabataan party-list has launched the "Kabataan Hotline" to gather complaints from parents and students regarding school violations on tuition and other school fee increases in the Davao Region. Ronnie Clarion, regional spokesperson for Kabataan party-list in Davao, said they launched the “Kabataan Hotline” in order to reach out to parents and students from all over the region and to gather reports about Higher Educational Institutions’ (HEIs) violation with regard to the collection of fees. “We now have an initial report of private HEIs that violated the tuition consultation policy. We will definitely file complaints against these schools this month,” he said.

Legal Adoption

DAVAO CITY (PIA) — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio vowed support to the advocacy endeavors on legal adoption being spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region. Duterte-Carpio declared her intention to become a supporter of DSWD’s campaign in providing good life to abandoned children through legal adoption. The mayor said in her message during an adoption forum on Friday that she is an adoptive mother herself. She called on the public to understand and be open-minded to legal adoption, urging people to grab any opportunity of adopting a child. The life of a child would greatly improve because you are there.

Wescom Visit

ISABELA CITY, Basilan (PIA) — The new Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force (CGPAF), Major Gen. Lauro Catalino dela Cruz made his first official visit to the Western Command (WESCOM) in Palawan on Feb. 1, 2012. In his speech, Dela Cruz stressed the importance of discipline to the soldiers. He wants everybody to go back to basics when it comes to “discipline in their actions, their time, the way they dress, and others that pertain to the good projection of a soldier.”