Guadalupe Archives | Cebu Daily News

Michael Gabutan and his common law wife Nora Tanoy are caught with 57 grams of suspected shabu during Wednesday’s buy-bust operation in Banawa, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City. | Benjie B. Talisic

Five days after a million peso worth of suspected shabu was confiscated in Banawa, this time police got a shabu haul of P385,000 still in the same area.

This developed after Guadalupe police arrested common law couple Michael Gabutan and Nora Tanoy during a buy-bust operation in Sitio Kabulakan, Banawa, Barangay Guadalupe at past 11 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24.

Police Captain Dexter Basirgo, Guadalupe Police Precinct chief, said in an interview on Wednesday, April 24, that they confiscated 57 grams of suspected shabu from the suspects.

Basirgo said that the confiscated drugs had an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P387,000.

He said that they conducted the operation against the couple after they received reports of their illegal activities through social media or through the “Itug-an ni CD.”

Aside from that, he said that the illegal activities of the couple had already reached the barangay officials’ attention.

The couple were detained at the Cebu City Police Office detention cell in Gorordo Avenue pending the filing of charges. /dbs

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Cebu City fire investigators continue to determine the cause of the Sunday dawn fire that damaged an apartment unit in Sitio Kawayan, Barangay Guadalupe. /Benjie Talisic

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A Sunday dawn fire damaged an apartment unit that is being leased by a policeman in Sitio Kawayan, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

The first alarm fire was reported at 1:59 a.m. and was totally put out after 32 minutes, said Senior Fire Officer 1 (SFO1) Romeo Birao Jr.

Damage caused by the fire was pegged at P20, 000.

Birao said that the fire that was believed to have been caused by electrical misuse broke at the second floor room of the two-storey apartment unit leased by Police Sergeant Mark Remedio.

Remedio, who is assigned at the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), was on a trip to Leyte province when the fire incident happened.

Quoting accounts from the caretaker of Remedio’s apartment unit, Birao said that an unattended ceiling fan may have caused the fire. But they are yet to continue their investigation to determine the actual cause of the fire alarm.

Birao added that they had difficulty in reaching the fire site because the road that led to the area was undergoing repair. /dcb

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Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña addresses supporters and members of the broadcast media at the Our Lady of Fatima chapel across his home in Barangay Guadalupe. | Photo grabbed from Tommy Osmeña facebook page

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A group of policemen inside a patrol car parking outside the house of Mayor Tomas Osmeña in Barangay Guadalupe, alarmed the supporters of the mayor prompting them to stand guard at the chapel across the mayor’s house.

Nelia Lopez, 51, one of the avid supporters of Osmeña, said that ever since the alleged threats allegedly perpetrated by the police against supporters of the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK), they have been wary of the police.

The first the time a checkpoint was conducted outside the home of Osmeña on Holy Thursday, May 17, Lopez and her neighbors gathered at the chapel to watch over the house of Osmeña.

Lopez said they had been watchful since that day for another checkpoint or police presence in the area.

She said they believed the police wanted to intimidate the mayor and his family to allegedly scare him for the May 13 elections, the way they allegedly did to other BO-PK supporters in the mountain barangays.

Lopez said their presence would serve to be both witnesses and guards to whatever the police might do to the mayor and his family although they did not believe the police would do anything more than scare them.

“Basta naa lang mi diri. Supporta lang gyod ming mayor. Di mi mahadlok kay unsaon man mi nila? Ningtan-aw ra man mi. Di mi nila mahadlok. (We are just here to support the mayor. We will not be scared because what can they do to us? We are just watching. They cannot scare us),” said Lopez.

Osmeña and his supporters were alarmed when seven masked police with military fatigues and long firearms parked outside the mayor’s house at past 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 11.

“Their faces are completely covered with masks, hats, and sunglasses. They refuse to come down or say anything,” said Osmeña on his Facebook page.

Lopez and the other BO-PK supporters immediately crowded at the chapel across Osmeña’s house to wait for the police to leave.

She said that when members of the broadcast media came to the area and tried to interview the police, the police drove off without saying anything.

Lopez said he was convinced that the police were scared to face the media because they could not explain their real purpose of parking outside the mayor’s house.

“Col. Garma, if your goons were outside my house for a ‘legitimate police operation,’ then why did they cover their faces and leave as soon as media arrived?” said Osmeña in another post on his Facebook page.

Consequently, minutes prior to the presence of the police outside Osmeña’s home, Police Colonel Royina Garma, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director, was in the Barangay Guadalupe Elementary School to check the precincts for the upcoming May 13 elections.

The Itug-an ni CD Facebook page of the CCPO conducted a live broadcast on Garma checking the Guadalupe Elementary School for the final preparations of the elections.

Guadalupe has the largest voting population in Cebu City and is considered as the turf of Osmeña.

CDN Digital tried to reach Garma but the colonel did not respond to any of the queries.

As for Lopez, she said that she would watch over the house of Osmeña as long as the police would continue to “scare” the BO-PK leaders and supporters even if it would mean that worse comes to worse, and, perhaps, cost her her life.

“Wa nako mahadlok mamatay, tiguwang nako. Kung mahitabo nga magpinusilay gyod, andam ra ko. (I am not scared to die because I am already old. If it happens that a shooting happens, I am ready),” Lopez told CDN Digital.

In previous statements, Osmeña asked his opponents to spare his supporters, and if they should harm anyone, it should be him instead of them. /dbs

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Volunteers of the Cebu City food for work program conduct a clean-up in the Bulacao River on Tuesday, May 28. | Photo courtesy of Nida Cabrera, head of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The rehabilitation of the five major river systems in Cebu City continues after the massive cleanup last March headed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Office in Central Visayas (DENR-7).

This time, the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) in coordination with the barangays has begun the food for work program where 15 volunteers for each river system will be given 3 sacks of rice and 6 canned goods for cleaning the rivers of Bulacao, Lahug, Guadalupe, Tejero and Tinago.

Nida Cabrera, Cenro head, said the program was aiming to encourage the homeless and the jobless to help clean the rivers in exchange for food.

Cabrera said that this arrangement would also help those people to avoid resorting to crime to feed themselves.

She said the city had prepared 80 sacks of rice, 2,000 canned sardines and 2,000 canned beef loaf for the volunteers, who could register at their barangay halls.

The work starts from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. during the scheduled clean-ups.

On May 25, at least 30 volunteers already became the beneficieries of the program during another clean-up at the Guadalupe River and Lahug River.

Another batch of 30 volunteers received rice and canned goods on Tuesday, May 28, after cleaning the Bulacao River coastal portion.

Meanwhile, the Bulacao River clean-up was joined not by only volunteers for the food for work program but also by the personnel of the Coast Guard personnel and the Cebu City government.

At least three truckloads equal to 10 tons of garbage were collected from the coastal end of the 11-kilometer Bulacao River.

Cabrera said that Bulacao was one of the most polluted rivers in the city as people had been used to throwing their garbage into the river.

After three months since its massive clean-up on February 23, the Bulacao River once again returned to its “filthy” state.

“Hugaw gihapon sa nga tanan. Bisan unsaon natog limpyo manglabay gihapon ang mga tawo. (It is still so dirty. No matter how much we clean, people still throw their garbage into the river),” said Cabrera.

She encouraged the residents near the rivers to stop throwing their garbage into the river or face the penalty of P1,000 if they get would get caught. /dbs

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A firefighter battles the blaze during the dawn fire that hit a house in Barangay Quiot, Cebu City on July 4. | Benjie Talisic

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Be mindful of the electric load in your house that your electric wires or connections can handle.

Fire Chief Inspector Josephus Alburo, Cebu City Fire Marshall, gave this advice to the public after four fires hit Cebu City in just three days.

Alburo said that the public should coordinate with a licensed electrician or if the barangay had one, a barangay electrician, with regard to how much load their electric connections could handle.

He also said that they should also coordinate with licensed electricians on the electric connections in their houses and not just to do it themselves.

He also said that the public should also be conscious in charging gadgets and that they should just always check on it and even not to forget it that they were charging their gadgets.

He also said that also would go with appliances.

He said that these simple things could save your house or yourselves from a possible fire.

Alburo’s advice came after fire investigators believe that a dawn fire on Thursday, July 4, on Barangay Quiot, Cebu City was caused possibly by a faulty electrical wiring or an electrical misuse.

Senior Fire Office 1 (SFO1) Renato Borres, Cebu City fire investigator, estimated the damage to property at P50,000.

The fire destroyed the second floor of the two story house owned by Robert Go.

Go told Borres that at past 2 a.m., they noticed smoke coming the ceiling and then the fire started.

He and his wife managed to escape and call the fire department.

Borres said the fire alarm was reported at 2:06 and it was placed under control at 2:20 a.m.

Fire investigators inspect a dirty kitchen of a house in Barangay San Nicolas where the fire started at past 9 p.m. on July 3. | Benjie Talisic

Five hours earlier or at 9 p.m. of July 3, in Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City, firefighters also responded to a fire alarm.

SFO2 Alexander Laboga, fire investigator, said that the fire was already out when they arrived at the fire scene.

Laboga said a house owned by Helen Vergara was damaged by the fire.

He said that the fire was believed to have started at the dirty kitchen where Vergara would make lumpia wrapper.

Laboga said that the damage caused by the fire was only minimal and estimated it at P500.

Firefighters get ready to battle the fire which razed a KTV Bar in D. Jakosalem Street at dawn on July 3. | Benjie Talisic

But 19 hours earlier or at past 2 a.m. on July 3, in D. Jakosalem Street in Cebu City, a dawn fire destroyed a KTV Bar.

SFO2 Rafael Basabe, fire investigator, said that they estimated the damage to property at P120,000.

Basabe said that the fire started at KTV Bar’s kitchen.

He said that the fire alarm was received at 2:22 a.m. and this was raised to the second alarm at 2:39 a.m.

The Cebu City Fire Department declared a fire out at 3:38 a.m.

He said that the KTV Bar was owned by Caridad Tumangan, but she was only leasing the place to its owner Rosita Lopez.

Basabe said that they were still investigating the cause of the fire.

A firefighter turns his water hose on a still burning house in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, during the fire on July 2. | Benjie Talisic

The first fire incident of the month happened on July 2 or Tuesday, where a 25-year-old house in Barangay Guadalupe was destroyed by a late afternoon fire.

This happened at least nine hours after the D. Jakosalem St. fire.

The owner of the house, Ruben Yu, told Basabe that the house was worth P5 million.

Basabe said that they received the fire alarm at 5:02 p.m. of July 2 and this was placed under control 5:23 p.m.

He said that the fire started at a storage area inside the garage of the house and it quickly spread throughout the house.

Basabe also said that based on their interview with the owner they were suspecting that the fire started from an unplugged appliance in the house.

However, he said they were still trying to confirm this possibility of the fire’s cause./dbs

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Guadalupe Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan is taking action to address security in schools in the barangay. | CDN file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Barangay Guadalupe captain is organizing a Parent-Teacher Conference and coordinating with police to address the security in schools in the area amid the recent stabbing of a student in the barangay.

Guadalupe Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan said in a July 8 phone interview with CDN Digital that he planned to hold a meeting with teachers and parents of a public national high school in the barangay.

He said he made the decision after the teachers of the victim, a Grade 10 student, visited his office and told him that it might have involved gangs from another area in the city.

“Magpatawag mi og PTC kay para ma-aware ang ginikanan, (We will call for a PTC so the parents would be aware of the situation),” said Gacasan, who would like the parents and teachers to help monitor their students and children.

The attack on Baclayon last July 1 was one of three attacks since the start of the month on students and teacher in Cebu and Lapu-Lapu City and Moalboal town in southwestern Cebu.

In the three attacks, only Baclayon survived. A Grade 10 student in Moalboal was killed on July 4. He was allegedly bashed in the head with a hammer and was believed to have been robbed by unidentified assailants.

On June 5, a 34-year-old public school teacher was killed in front of his boarding house in Barangay Mactan. He had just came from school when he was shot by a motorcycle-riding assailant. He died in the hospital later.

The deadly attack on the teacher also prompted the Mactan police to consider tightening security in schools in the area.

Meanwhile, Barangay Guadalupe Captain Gacasan said that he was verifying reports that the assailants of Baclayon were allegedly from V. Rodriguez Street in Cebu City and were members of a gang.

He also found out that the stabbing victim, Jeremiah Baclayon, was not the target of the assailants.

Gacasan said that Baclayon was trying to help a friend whom he accompanied on his way home from night classes in a national high school in the barangay.

The friend of Baclayon was allegedly the target of the assailants, and Baclayon was stabbed after he tried to defend his friend from the assailants.

Gacasan said that he was also coordinating with police since the attack on Baclayon and his friend happened near the police station.

He said the attack would show that the assailants did not fear the police because they even made their crime near a police station.

He said that fortunately Baclayon survived the stabbing attack, but it had caused him to spend time in a hospital so that his wounds would be treated.

With this, Gacasan said that he was coordinating with police with regard to implementing security measures in schools in the barangay especially security measures against gangs./dbs

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Judy Ann Longgakit, a native of Barangay Poblacion in Digos City, Davao Del Sur, is arrested during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City on July 16. | CDNDigital file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 21-year-old woman arrested last night, July 16, 2019, was the main target of the buy-bust operation in Barangay Duljo Fatima in Cebu City.

Police Colonel Gemma Vinluan, Cebu City Police Office director, said this was to clarify their earlier assessment that Judy Ann Longgakit was not the target of the joint operation of the Mambaling and Guadalupe police precincts.

Vinluan said that it was not the common law husband of Longgakit, Johnrey Jabagat, that they were operating against but Longgakit, herself.

Longgakit, for her part, earlier denied any involvement in the drug trade and had pointed to Jabagat as the owner of the paper bags containing P8.8 million of suspected shabu.

But Vinluan said that Longgakit had been closely monitored and trailed by the Guadalupe Police for quite a while.

“Matagal na nilang minaman-manan tong tao to, si Judy (They have been following this person, Judy, for a long time),” said Vinluan.

Vinluan said that the surveillance and operation against Longakit was conducted after they previously arrested suspects, who pointed to her as their source.

For his part, Police Major Dindo Juanito Alaras, Guadalupe Police Precinct chief, said they had been monitoring Longgakit for quite a while that there was even a time when they lost track of her.

So when recently got a lead on her whereabouts, they then conducted the buy-bust operation, said Alaras.

Granting that it was her live-in partner, who allegedly owned the paper bags containing the P8.8 million shabu as Longgakit claimed, Alaras said that that would still not get her off the hook.

He said this was because Longgakit was the one who handed over the paper bag containing the suspected shabu to an undercover police officer during the buy-bust operation.

He said this would still make her a cohort if her allegations against Jabagat were true.

However, Alaras said that they could not determine yet if Jabagat was involved in the illegal drug business.

He said they had no proof against him since he was not at the house when the raid was conducted. /dbs

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CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 41-year-old Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City resident died from a cardiac arrest after watching the Manny Pacquiao vs Keith Thurman fight on July 21.

Lorenz Dizon was rushed to the Vicente Sotto Medical Memorial Center (VSMMC) at 1:35 p.m. or a few minutes after he arrived home from watching the Pacquiao fight at the barangay hall, said Guadalupe Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan in a phone interview with CDN Digital.

Gacasan said that it was the barangay’s ambulance who brought the victim to the hospital after receiving a call for assistance of a man having difficulty from breathing.

Unfortunately, Dizon was declared dead 0n arrival by doctors at the VSMMC.

Doctors there said that the victim died of a cardiac arrest. /dbs

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Coach John Philip Dueñas in their last preparation for the Olympics for Special Children, Saturday, August 17, 2019, 6 a.m. at the Cebu City Sports Center. |Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Some 110 Special Education (SPED) athletes will be competing in the Olympics for Special Children, Saturday, August 17, 6 a.m. at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

The event will serve as a culmination and assessment of the special training program initiated by the Quota International of Metro Cebu (QIMC) in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd).

The special training program is spearheaded by John Philip Dueñas, a level 2 International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) coach, and Cebu Olympian Mary Joy Tabal.

Tabal, who is very appreciative of the efforts of the athletes despite their disabilities, will be the torch bearer and will also lead the athletes in their oathtaking.

“Day to day, I hear people or athletes who complain — too early trainings, too much heat and humidity, bad weather conditions, slow finish times and performances, but some of them forgot that being into sports is a privilege, being able to run is a privilege and that has been denied to many,” Tabal said.

“I am here to be an inspiration to these wonderful children who love sports as much as I do. We all know that sports is for everyone and we are different in some aspects in life and seeing these children do the same thing as we are, is so inspiring,” she said.

The 110 SPED athletes will be coming from 12 DepEd SPED Centers—Banawa Elementary School, Bulacao Community School, Cebu City Central School, Don Vicente Rama Memorial Elementary School, Guadalupe Elementary School, Guba Elementary School, Labangon Elementary School, Lahug Elementary School, Pardo Elementary School, San Nicolas Elementary School, Talamban Elementary School and Zapatera National High School.

This one day sporting event will be themed “Empowering Special Children through Sports.” It will have nine running events—100 meter run, 200 meter run, 400 meter run, 800 meter run, 4×100 meter run, 4×400 meter run, shotput, running long jump, standing long jump, and bocce.

There would have been a goal ball event except that organizers had to scrap it for lack of suitable venue.

In the games, the SPED athletes will be classified under those with Intellectual Disability (ID), Visually Impaired (VI) and Low Vision (LV).

There will be two age brackets — 15 years old and below and 16 to 25 years old. Both age brackets will have a boys and girls division.

University of Cebu (UC) coach Elde Banzon will head the technical officials, who are Arvin Loberanis, Ernesto Ybañez Jr. and James Ludweg Geconcillo.

Aside from serving as an assessment, the Olympics for Special Children will also serve as a preparation for the SPED athletes who will be competing in the Central Visayas Regional Athletics Association (CVIRAA) Meet and the Palarong Pambansa./dbs

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Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella pushes for sustained efforts to rid Guadalupe River and other waterways of litter. | Irene R. Sino Cruz

CEBU CITY—Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella is set to meet with barangay captains Tuesday, August 20, to discuss how to stop the dumping of wastes into the city’s creeks and rivers.

On Saturday, August 17, the mayor, together with other city officials and employees, other government agencies and some volunteers, conducted a cleanup of the Guadalupe River.

During the press conference held shortly before noon Monday, August 19, Labella said that he had received information that there were some litter thrown somewhere in Pahina San Nicolas and other areas, which had yet to be identified as to what barangay these belonged to.

“It is very encouraging that we were able to collect 70 tons of garbage (from Guadalupe River). It has to be sustained,” the mayor said. “We tasked CCenro (Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office) to monitor because we were able to receive information that somewhere in Pahina San Nicolas some litter, some garbage were thrown.”

Labella said that once he would get the information, he would issue reminders to the barangay captains in these areas that they would have to do their share.

“We will issue reminders first and warnings second,” the mayor said, adding that the third time that a barangay captain would fail in this task, he would face administrative sanctions.

During the meeting with the barangay captains, Labella said they would discuss the need to sustain the massive cleanup of the city’s waterways as well as the city’s garbage problem.

Labella appealed to residents along the city’s waterways to avoid throwing their litter there.

He also called on the barangay captains to set aside partisan posturing and be united in solving the garbage problem.

The Guadalupe River traverses several Cebu City barangays including Guadalupe, Capitol Site and Pahina Central. /dbs

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The proposed diversion road of the Department of Public Works and Highways at Barangay Guadalupe to Barangay Lahug in Cebu City. | Photo courtesy of Councilor Jerry Guardo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has finished the feasibility study of a 4-lane diversion road proposed to link Barangays Guadalupe and Lahug in Cebu City.

Councilor Jerry Guardo, council’s committee chairman for infrastructure, presented the proposal on Thursday, November 14, 2019, for the planned diversion road.

Guardo said the estimated P2.4 billion worth of road was necessary to divert the traffic along M. Velez Street and Escario Street to higher grounds.

The diversion road will pass from the Guadalupe Barangay Hall, then across the Guadalupe River and the Lahug River, and will exit at the Lahug Elementary School.

A short underpass will also be constructed in an intersection in Barangay Lahug in order to connect the final portion of the diversion road.

As of now, Guardo said the project was still in its early stages as the DPWH had yet to complete the Detailed Engineering Design (DED) that would identify the actual cost of the project and the number of structures that would be affected.

It may take at least two years before construction can begin as the acquisition of the Road Right of Way (RROW) may take a long time especially that many structures are estimated to affected.

“Importante kaayo unta nga masugdan ni kay ang traffic diri sa uptown, labi na Capitol, mahuwasan. Dili na moagi sa Escario (Street) ang mga gikan sa Lahug padung sa Guadalupe and vice versa,” said Guardo.

(It is important that the project will be started so that traffic in the uptown area, especially at the Capitol, will be lessened. Those coming from Barangay Lahug will no longer pass through Escario Street to reach Barangay Guadalupe and vice versa.)

Guardo said that the construction of the diversion road could be a good solution to alleviate the traffic in the uptown area./dbs

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CEBU CITY, Philippines— Adorno.

A word that best describes Christmas lanterns.

But have you ever wondered how these lanterns are made? How long one is made and who makes them?

This holiday season, let’s get to know one man who has been making Christmas lanterns for decades.

Meet Dario Caballes, a 57-year-old carpenter and parol maker from Sitio Panaghi-usa, Guadalupe, Cebu City.

Watch video: Faces of Cebu: OnRecord — Parol Maker

How he started

Dario, who has been making parol or Christmas lanterns for more than 20 years, shared with CDN Digital how he fell in love in making these beautiful Christmas decor.

“Ulitawo pa ko, naghimo na kog parol kay among silingan kani-adto mao ang nag ingganyo nako sa paghimo, sa una nakalarga na kog Manila, Cagayan de Oro para lang mohimog parol,” says Dario.

(I was still single at that time when our neighbor convinced me to make lanterns. I have since travelled to Manila and Cagayan de Oro to make lanterns.)

He also recalled back in the day what materials they used to make parols, and how it slowly changed over the years.

“Sa una nagsugod mis paghimo gamit ang papel de hapon, (laughs), sos, dali kaayo to mawala ang color labi na mauwanan, unya naghinay-hinay na mig gamit og charol para mas mohayag ang color,” he adds.

(At first, we used Japanese paper for our lanterns, but when it would get wet when it would rain the color would fade. Then we slowly used charol so that the color of our lanterns would be brighter.)

Charol is a kind of plastic thicker than the ordinary colored plastic to make Christmas lanterns.

Going into the business

As time passed, Dario was confident with his talent in making parols and decided to start his own business in 2004.

“Sa una akong labing dako nga parol mabaligya ra nakog P65. Grabe ang paghinay-hinay sa saka sa presyo, pero mas nagkadaghan sab ang gusto magpahimo,” says Dario.

(At first, the biggest Christmas lantern I made was sold at P65. The price of a lantern eventually went up but it took quite a while. However, I got more clients who wanted me to make them Christmas lanterns.)

In his home in Guadalupe in Cebu City, he has a small work area where he makes these Christmas lanterns.

First, Dario has to cut one whole bamboo into small pieces to turn them into tiny bamboo sticks for him to form into a star.

Next, he connects the bamboo sticks and locks it with the use of metal wire.

After, it is time to paste the charol around the figure of the star lantern and then after that the designs are added.

Price and size

Dario sells his lanterns according to size.

For his 12 inches, Christmas lanterns he sell it for P30, for 24 inches P 120 and his 30-inched lantern for P300.

Dario can finish making 50 to 60 pieces of parol with the help of his children.

“Pito na akong mga anak, usa ray babae ug ang uban motabang sab nako sa paghimo,” he says.

(I have seven children and one of them is a girl and some of them will help me make Christmas lanterns.)

In a week, Dario earns at least P10,000 where he sets aside P8,000 to buy the materials for his lanterns. The remaining money is what he uses for the needs of his family.

Dario, who is also a carpenter, tells CDN Digital that he starts making these Christmas lanterns as early as June and accepts orders on the month of September.

“Hulmahon na lang nako daan ang mga parol sa Hunyo para sa September taptap nalang og deretso-deretso na sa pagbaligya,” says Dario.

(I form the bamboo structure of the lantern in June so that in September all that I will have to do is to attach the charol and sell it immediately.)

This Christmas season, we asked him what he wishes for, and he just smiled and replied, “Basta magkauban lang mi sa akong pamilya ug naay makaon sa among lamisa sa Noche Buena, sakto na (As long as the family stays together and we will have food to eat during the Noche Buena. That is enough for me).”

Dario is one of the many men behind these Christmas lanterns we often adorn our houses, streets, offices, and schools with.

It is through his creativity and passion to make these Christmas lanterns that we still get to live this tradition of hanging these traditional colorful lanterns over the years.

Christmas lanterns are among the many symbols of the merriest season of all— Christmas. /dbs

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The Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7) has put up a notice of approved tree-cutting permit along Don Gil Garcia Street last September 21, 2019. | Delta Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Another 71 trees will have to go to pave way for development, but in this case, the trees will find new homes in the Cebu City parks.

Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairperson for the committee on the infrastructure of the City Council, said this after the council’s approval for the earth balling of the trees.

The lot in Barangay Guadalupe will be the site of a new building in the compound of the Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas that has been approved for construction.

Guardo said the 71 trees would be directly affected, but the city encouraged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), to earthball the trees instead of cutting them because the trees were young and could still be transferred.

Since the trees were fruit trees, Guardo said the city was planning to place them in some of the parks in the city so they could have the chance to grow.

“We are not going to cut the trees. There is no need because they can be transferred to our parks. This will actually benefit the city,” said Guardo.

Guardo said that the city would try to save as many trees as it could through earth balling, although some trees would also need to be cut because they were too big or too brittle to be transferred.

The councilor said that they would try to hit a balance between development and preserving nature and assured the public that the trees in the city would always be given a chance to grow.

The 71 trees will join the 19 trees from N. Bacalso Highway that will also be earth balled and transferred in either the parks of the mountain barangays in the city.

Only three trees will be cut from N. Bacalso Highway to pave way for the road-widening projects. /dbs

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CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police officers of the Guadalupe Police Station are conducting a hot pursuit operation to bring back at least six minors — children in conflict with the law (CICL) — who escaped from the Operation Second Chance in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City, this evening, December 22, 2019.

According to Police Corporal Glenn Gabucan, of Guadalupe police, they received a call about a riot inside the center at past 8 p.m. but as of this time, the responding officers are still determining what caused the riot.

This is already the second time this year, that the minors, who are children in conflict with the law, escaped from the Operation Second Chance.

The first one happened last October 4, 2019 where at least 11 minors escaped from the facility./dbs

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Cebu City Police Office confiscates P5.7 million worth of suspected drugs from Jhonrey Balolong, 36, of Sitio Kilawan, Barangay Tangke, Talisay, Cebu during a buy-bust operation at past 8 p.m. on January 4, 2019. | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A total of P6.3 million worth of suspected shabu was confiscated in three separate anti-illegal drug operations in Cebu City on January 4, 2020.

The Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, buy-bust operation along the South Road Properties (SRP) yielded the biggest drug haul for the day with P5.7 million worth of suspected shabu and the arrest of a regional high value target.

Police Major Randy Caballes, Cebu City Police Office-City Intelligence Branch (CCPO-CIB) chief, said that they arrested Jhonrey Balolong, 36, of Sitio Kilawan, Barangay Tangke, Talisay City, Cebu at past 8 p.m. during a buy-bust operation.

Balolong was caught with 850 grams of suspected shabu.

Caballes said Balolong was on their regional list of high value targets and he could dispose at least one to two kilos of suspected shabu in a week in Cebu.

He also said that they placed Balolong under surveillance for a week after they received reports about his alleged illegal activities before they conducted the buy-bust operation against him.

Caballes also said they were investigating if Caballes was a member of a bigger drug group and they were also trying to find out who his supplier was.

The other two buy-bust operations happened at dawn in Barangay Guadalupe. First to fall were cousins Jeffrey Paloma, 24, and Irene Cabornay, 19, of Sitio Capaculan, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City.

Paloma and Cabornay were caught with 50 grams of suspected shabu with a Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of P340,000, said Police Captain Janelito Marquez, Guadalupe Police Station chief.

Marquez said that Paloma and Irene Cabornay were a nephew and niece respectively of a drug suspect, who was arrested with P13.8 million worth of suspected shabu during a January 3, 2020 buy-bust operation in the barangay.

Paloma was allegedly the target of that operation but he managed to escape then.

Marquez said that Paloma was also in the list of the regional high value targets and he was believed to dispose from 200 grams to 300 grams of shabu in a week.

Next to fall was Rodel Panuncialman, 19, in a followup operation along R. Duterte Street, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

Panuncialman was caught with 50 grams of suspected shabu, which has an estimated DDB value of P340,000.

Balolong was detained at the Mambaling Police Station detention cell while the three others were detained at the Guadalupe Police Station detention cell pending the filing of charges. | dbs

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This photo courtesy of the Cebu City Fire Station shows a burning school building along V. Rama Avenue in Cebu City. | contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines—A fire broke out inside a faculty room of a school building along V. Rama Avenue in Barangay Guadalupe here on Friday dawn, January 17, 2020.

The Cebu City Fire Department said the fire started at the faculty room on the third floor of the Golden Success College building at around 1:33 a.m.

No one was reported injured during the fire.

Fire Officer 2 Fulbert Navarro, a fire investigator, told CDN Digital that the fire was raised to second alarm at 1:40 a.m. and was put under control at 2 a.m. It was declared “fire out” four minutes later.

Fire officials are still working to determine exactly caused the fire.

As of this posting, fire officers have yet to inspect affected third floor of the building.

“Wala pa gyud tay cause ani. Atoa pa ni i-invetsigate,” said Navarro.

(We still know the cause of the fire. We will still investigate this incident.)

Navarro estimated the cost of damages at P50,000. /bmjo

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CEBU CITY, Philippines – Policemen in Cebu City are looking for the man, who shot a welder, who was on his way to work Tuesday morning, February 4, 2020.

Dionisio Mahinay, 61, sustained a bullet wound on the right side of his chest and is now undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Cebu City.

Police Captain Janelito Marquez, chief of Guadalupe Police Station, said they are looking for Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) recordings in the area, where Mahinay was shot, to identify his attacker.

Marquez said that Mahinay, a welder, has just left his home located at Singson Village in Barangay Guadalupe when the still unidentified suspect blocked his way, pulled a gun and fired a shot hitting the victim on his chest.

Witnesses in the area said that the suspect, who was wearing a black ball cap, immediately fled on foot towards the direction of Abellana Extension.

He said that Mahinay would normally take his bicycle on his way to work every morning.

Marquez said they are looking at personal grudge as possible motive in Mahinay’s shooting. He said that Mahinay’s wife had told the police that her husband was recently involved in a “work-related conflict.” / dcb

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CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Guadalupe police have encouraged the barangay officials in their area of responsibility to check the background of their volunteer frontline workers after one was caught with five sachets of suspected shabu in a control point or checkpoint in Harlemermer Bridge, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, at around 2:30 on Sunday, May 3, 2020.

Police Captain Janelito Marquez, Guadalupe Police Station commander, told CDN Digital that he asked the barangay officials to carefully check the background of those volunteer frontliners assigned to guard their sitios as there might be drug personalities who were taking advantage so that they could be able to go around despite the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) restrictions.

“Ang uban nagpa-pretend lang nga volunteer para makapalit gihapon sa ilang drugs (Others will pretend that they are volunteers so that they can buy their illegal drugs),” said Marquez.

According to Marquez, they recently arrested Rico Gabato Lazarte, 22, from Sitio Sandayong, Barangay Guadalupe, who was caught with five sachets of suspected shabu worth P6,800, when he was asked to show his identification card and quarantine passes after coming from Barangay Kalunasan.

Marquez said that before the arrest, Lazarte headed towards the boundary between Barangay Guadalupe and Kalunasan and told the security in the control point of Harlemermer Bridge that he would be going to his wife who lived not far from the area to ask for some money.

However, when he returned moments later, Marquez said Lazarte was acting “indifferent and suspicious” which alerted the police guarding the area.

“Gipangayoan siya ID, quarantine pass unya kanang paghatag niya sa iyang pass na piit man ang sachet,” said Marquez.

(He was asked for his ID and quarantine pass but then when he gave his pass, the policemen found a sachet of suspected shabu tucked in his folded quarantine pass.)

As of this time, Lazarte is detained in Guadalupe Police station pending the filing of charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Marquez said they would be conducting a follow-up investigation to trace the person whom Lazarte might have brought the drugs from./dbs

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Two men are caught with P816,000 worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City at past 4 p.m. today, June 5. | PDEA-7 photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two young men were caught with P816,000 worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation at 4 p.m. today, June 5, 2020 along J. Labra Street, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

Dither Gonzaga, 18, and Gino Señires, 20, who are both from Barangay Kalunasan, were caught with 120 grams of suspected shabu during the operation conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7), said PDEA-7 spokesperson Leia Albiar, during a phone interview with CDN Digital.

Albiar said that the illegal drugs in the possession of the suspects had an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P816,000

Albiar said that the operation against the two men were conducted after they received reports about the two men’s illegal activities and they were placed under surveillance for a week.

Albiar described the two men as new drug dealers who could dispose at least 2 kilos of suspected shabu in a week in Cebu City.

She said that initial investigation showed that Gonzaga was a construction worker while Señires was a jobless man, who had spent time in jail and was released after posting bail.

The two suspects are currently detained in the PDEA-7 detention facility in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City pending the filing of charges./dbs

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Uniformed policemen were deployed in uptown Cebu City shortly before midnight on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, to make sure that Cebuanos stay at home. | Photo courtesy of Chito Aragon

CEBU CITY, Philippines –Police barricades were set up in at least three major thoroughfares that provide access to barangay Guadalupe, one of the biggest barangays in Cebu City.

Uniformed military and police personnel that man these barricade demand for valid documentation before vehicles and even residents are allowed to enter or leave the barangay.

Checkpoints in this southern barangay are located along V. Rama Avenue, M. Velez Street, and Salvador Street.

Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan said that the presence of law enforcers may have caused a chilling effect on his constituents, the reason why most of them opted to stay at home today.

However, he approved of the ‘heavy’ lockdown that was implemented in his barangay, a means to deter the spread of the coronavirus disease that has already inflicted 4,479 individuals in the city as of June 23, 2020. There are now a total of 2,213 active cases of the infection here.

Read: Cebu City residents told: Stay within respective barangays until distribution of new quarantine passes

“May ra sad ni oi, kay naglisod gyod mig kontrolar sa mga tawo sa una. May nalang ni kay nakwakwaan among trabaho kay kapoy na gyod,” he told CDN Digital.

(I prefer to have it done this way because we have been having difficulty in controlling the movement of our people. [With the presence of law enforcers] this is already one task off our shoulders because we are also beginning to get tired.)

Gacasan is asking his constituents to cooperate with law enforcers and ‘patiently’ for the release of new guidelines and probably new quarantine passes from City Hall.

Read: Labella to Cebu City residents: Stay calm, follow ECQ guidelines

In the coastal barangay of Suba that is also located in Cebu City’s south district, residents have opted to stay at home even if there are no police checkpoints in their area.

Barangay Captain Joel Sable said that people only go out of their homes to buy food, water and other essentials.

Sable said that since Suba shares the entrance of the neighboring barangay Pasil, police checkpoints are located on the streets of Pasil. However, uniformed policemen were seen roving their barangay this morning, June 24, 2020.

Uncertain of the extent of the city’s lockdown policy, Sable said, he wanted to reserve his comments on the matter unless a guideline for its implementation is released by City Hall.

For now, Sable said he is more concerned about his barnagay’s inclusion in the list of top 10 barangays with the most number of COVID-19 cases in the city.

Barangay Suba, he said, is only left with 10 active cases of the infection from having 184 cases and eight deaths last month.

“Wala mi kasabot ngano padayon pa mi nga naa sa top ten. Gamay naman lang mig kaso diri nya nakontrolar naman ang pagsaka sa mga kaso. Ngano nasentro gihapon mi?” said barangay captain Joel Sable.

(I don’t understand why we are still included in the top 10 list. We are left with few very cases now and cases of the infection in our barangay were already placed under control. Why are we still included as among the focus of attention [in the city’s anti-COVID fight]?) / dcb

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