Who is the Dipolognon ?

Residents and natives of Dipolog City are considered Dipolognons as well as to those people who made the City their home and decide in their heart to make the city the home of their choice for numerous reasons. What makes a Dipolognon unique from the rest of the Filipino? Do we need to conduct a research study on this to vouch whatever claim or conclusion we will have?  Or we can ask people living the city to get information, gain an insight for better understanding and appreciation of the City and the people as a whole making things more comfortable and enjoyable not only to the residents themselves but the visitors, both local and foreign. 

Majority of the Dipolognons traced their ancestry from the Cebuanos, Subanen, and Kalibugan tribes.  But later migrants from the other cities and places of the different cities of the Philippine Archipelago who flocked to the famously known as the Orchids City.   But nowadays, a Dipolognon face is a happy blend of several places basically Malay with Chinese, Spanish, Indian, American admixtures.

Since the Spaniards colonized the country for 333 years and another several years by the Americans, the typical Dipolognon has heterogeneously developed its own unique blend of beauty and culture that is distinguishably its own.

The Foreigner and the Dipolognon

Though there are innumerable differences between a non-native and a Filipino, the best thing for the foreigner can do is to simply adjust to the attitudes and understanding the culture and values of the locals. No matter how superior he may feel towards his culture he must not look down on the culture of the natives of the Orchid City for they are very sensitive, as one can obviously see. Respect is what he expects from the visitor. He has to study without pre-judgments on his part the inner logic and coherence of the Dipolognon culture not only to appreciate it but to comprehend it as well. A Dipolognon needs not only sympathy but also empathy, interest form his uniqueness not judgment and acceptance of his culture no matter how absurd or uncivilized the Westerner might feel. He must learn to understand and eager to learn the ABC’s of a natives’ culture.

  Dipolognon Beliefs and Superstitions

The following are some superstitious beliefs that a typical Dipolognon believes in:

·         If a person bites his tongue, it means somebody is thinking of him.

·         A girl with white spots on her fingernails is currently in love.

·         It is bad to sweep the floor at six o’clock in the evening for it means driving away good fortune and graces.

·         It is bad to sweep the floor when there are people playing cards or gambling because luck is being kept away.

·         One should not open an umbrella while inside the house; a centipede is likely to fall from the ceiling and he will be bitten by it.

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The World Bank (WB) late this week disclosed it approved a $83.752-million loan sought by the Philippine government to finance the second phase of a four-part program aimed at improving food security in Mindanao through the development of its agriculture.

In a statement released to the media, the international lender said its board of directors approved Phase 2 of the Mindanao Rural Development Project which will benefit 225 municipalities in the 27 provinces of Mindanao. The World Bank said the second phase of the project will improve the delivery of services to the agriculture and fisheries sector, making sure that production increases to ensure food security

The programs will also pilot-test a performance-based grant scheme aimed at spurring local government units into developing infrastructure in their areas. “MRDP2 encompasses strong approaches related to community-driven development which will help promote the active and continued participation of indigenous peoples and other disadvantaged groups in the development process,” World Bank Country Director for the Philippines Joachim von Amsberg said in the statement.

“Almost a third of the country’s poor live in Mindanao. We hope that through this project the Mindanaoans will experience greater economic and integration opportunities, particularly to indigenous communities and other disadvantaged groups,” Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said. The agriculture department is the overall executing agency of the development program while the local government units (LGUs) are the implementers of subprojects identified and prioritized by targeted communities.

The first phase of the development project was completed in 2004. It covered five provinces and 32 municipalities in Mindanao. Its third phase, which has yet to receive funding, aims to deepen the program by making sure that all eligible municipalities in Mindanao will be covered. The fourth phase intends to secure the sustainability of the development initiatives.

(PIA-ZN)

ARE you tired of getting sick? The amazing features of Pi Π Water can heal even cancer. You may not believe this at first. Patients have proven that drinking Pi Π Water can heal any disease. Pi Π Water is a Greek word which means life. In mathematics, Π is a symbol which conveys that the pi-water is a strange, mysterious water as proven by its “healing” properties. Do you know that 880 liters of water are being processed and circulated in our body? The polluted environment affects the quality of water and the need for clean water led to the discovery of Pi Π Water by a Japanese scientist, Dr. Shoji Yamashita in 1964.

Pi Π Water has a mysterious way of turning ordinary water into a mysterious “Living Water”. Fruits and vegetable watered by Pi Π Water grow fast and maintain long lasting freshness even after harvest. Pi Π Water protects the plants from the attacks of bacteria and toxins.  It was discovered later to have maximum health benefits as drinking water. What is Pi Π Water and why is it called the “Living Water”? Any “Living Water” that is within the living body is called Pi Π Water. “Living Water” controls the Ph balance and the functions of every organ in the living body.

Pi Π Water contains 1.2 to 1.5 times more oxygen than that of tap, purified and distilled water which are needed by our body. Cancer is anaerobic. Anaerobic microbes cannot be active in oxygen rich Pi Π Water. Pi Π Water provides bio-energy to allow gold fish to live in an airtight container without food for 216 days. Mosquitoes cannot survive in Pi Π water. The growth of cancer cells may be prevented in oxygen-rich conditions. According to the Natural Science Research Institute in UP, Pi Π Water is the only water they examined that has good minerals which are of acceptable level and has the ideal Ph level for drinking water.

On the 21^st of September 2005, Pi Π Water earned the National Product Quality Excellence Award. It was awarded the Seal of Product Quality by the National Council for Product and Service Quality (NCPSO).

(Mindanao Star, Vol.III No.10)