Sunday, June 30, 2008 Nalzaro: Promoting Zanorte By Bobby Nalzaro Saksi
DIPOLOG CITY - We listened to the DYSS Super Radyo Cebu blow by blow coverage of the Pacquiao-Diaz fight inside the hospital room of my mother as she is still confined at the Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Hospital due to diabetes complications. Everybody in the room shouted when we heard that Pacquiao knocked down Diaz in the 9th round.
Pacman’s victory brought another pride for our country. Indeed, Manny is a great fighter. He now holds another world boxing title. Congratulations to the Pacman.
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The province of Zamboanga Del Norte had just celebrated a weeklong festivities dubbed as ‘Hudyaka Zanorte’ that is observed every last week of May and first week of June. Hudyaka (local term for rejoice) is an annual cultural and historical festivity aims at promoting the province’s heritage and tourism. Zanorte is short term for Zamboanga Del Norte.
The Hudyaka festival also showcase the province’s local products and delicacies. It was highlighted by a street dancing presentation of various contingents from the different municipalities of the province. Local and foreign tourists were very much amazed at the affair.
The provincial government headed by Gov. Rolando Yebes also honored residents of the province who excelled in their respective fields. Newly installed Armed Forces Chief of Staff Alexander Yano led the awardees. Yano is a native of Sindangan municipality, which is 90 kilometers away from Dipolog City, the province capital. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, whose wife a native of Dipolog City belonging to the prominent Ramos clan, has been declared as adopted son of the province.
I was also a recipient of the same award in the field of mass media together with Finance Secretary Margarito ‘Gary’ Teves for government service and Court of Appeals Associate Justice Godardo Jacinto for judiciary in 2006. Teves hails from barangay Sangcol, Dipolog City while Jacinto is a native of Dapitan City. The award is equivalent to the Garbo sa Sugbo award.
The province is rich in natural resources especially gromite and a potential tourist destination. Of course, everybody has heard the famous world class Dakak Resort located in the historical Dapitan City. The island of Aligway which is located in between the highseas of Dapitan and Negros Oriental is also one of the most visited place by local and foriegn tourists for leisure. It is located several nautical miles from Apo Island which is already part of Negros Oriental, which is an ideal spot for diving.The province is also developing a big falls in one of the barangays in Manukan town.
Copra, rice and corn are still the top agricultural products in the province. Farming and fishing are still the main livelihood of the ordinary residents. But despite its abundance, rice is still sold at very high prices also like in other areas in Mindanao. First class varieties are sold at P40.00 while NFA rice is sold at its regular price of P18.25. But people had to line up in the various Bigasan ng Bayan before they can bought a maximum of 3 kilos for every person.
My province is very peaceful unlike in other parts of Western Mindanao especially in the muslim dominated areas. Although, there are remnants of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in some parts of the province like in the municipalities of Sibuco, Siraway and Siocon but the group is not doing illegal and criminal activities unlike their counterparts in Sulu and Basilan provinces. There is no Abu Sayyaf operating in the province. There are still insurgents operating in the hinterlands but the group poses no threat to the peace and order unlike in the 70’s and 80’s.
