President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, also the AFP Commander-in-Chief, recently appointed Lt. General Alexander B. Yano as the 49th Commanding General of the 80,000-strong Philippine Army. He assumed Command of the premier armed service in ceremonies in Fort Bonifacio on August 24 presided by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro. Yano replaced Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolen-tino who have reached the mandatory retirement age. Yano is taking the top army post at a crucial time when the AFP (specifically the Philippine Army and Philippine Marines) is faced with a perilous threat from the Abu Sayyaf Group while trying to save and revive the peace initiatives with the MILF.

Before becoming the new Army Chief, Yano served as Southern Luzon Command Chief whose jurisdiction covers the national priority area for counterinsurgency operations of the government comprising Regions 4A (CALABARZON), 4B (MIMAROPA except Palawan) and 5 (Bicol Region). He also served as Army Chief of Staff, Commanding General of the Civil Relations Service, Assistant Division Commander of the 9th Infantry Division (Bicol), Commanding General of 601st Infantry Brigade (SOCSARGEN) and Commanding Officer of Task Force Zamboanga (Zamboanga City). He had a successful stint curbing terrorism in Mindanao when he became commander of Task Force Zamboanga in 2001 coinciding with the infamous Lamitan incident that followed the Dos Palmas kidnapping.  Various terrorist threats from ASG and MNLF breakaway groups have marked Zamboanga City during his tour.  He spearheaded a public information advocacy drive among various sectors of the community in Zamboanga to make the public aware of the nature and characteristics of terrorism and what the citizens can do to help address the problem.

It was during his watch when the Cabatangan crisis erupted where around 300 fully armed MNLF breakaway elements held up in that former MNLF enclave more than a hundred hostages.  The 2-day operations which involved political negotiations, along with military actions ended with the safe release of all hostages and the eviction of the rogue MNLF elements from Cabatangan - an area that they occupied since the forging of GRP-MNLF agreement in 1996.  As a testament to this accomplishment, the late Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat aptly referred Yano as the "Liberator of Cabatangan". General Yano is a true native of Zamboanga del Norte, having been born and raised in Sindangan. Alex or Boy, as he is fondly called by friends, is the eldest of 5 children. His parents, Inigo and Gloria Badong were both public school teachers in his hometown. His father became councilor after his retirement and served undefeated for three successive terms. His brother, Engr. Inigo Yano Jr., is now serving his last term as town Councilor. Another brother, Cesar is a Colonel in the Army who graduated from PMA in 1980.

Yano completed his elementary studies in Sindangan Central School and graduated in 1965 as salutatorian. He graduated high school from St. Vincent's College, Dipolog City in 1969 as 1st Honorable Mention. His ambition was to become an engineer and enrolled at the famous Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT) in Cebu City to take up Civil Engineering. While in CIT, he became very much involved in student activism which was at its height in the early 70s. Taking an abrupt turn in life, he decided to take the PMA entrance exams in Cebu in 1971 and placed among the top 10 successful examinees that year. He entered Asia's premier military institution in 1972. He was a plebe (1st year cadet) when martial law was declared in September 1972.

As a PMA cadet, he excelled in extra-curricular activities, particularly in athletics. In 1975, he established 2 PMA athletic records - in high jump and 400 meter hurdles. To date, his academy record in hurdles remains unbroken. He was also a boxing and karate champion in PMA during his cadet days. At one time, then Cadet Yano also served as Associate Editor of "The Corps", the cadets' regular magazine publication. During his final year in PMA, he acted as the Regimental Adjutant, a coveted position in the hierarchy of the PMA's Cadet Corps. He served at one time as Operations Officer (S3) of the 101st Infantry Brigade in Piñan in 1988 under then Col. Cesar Fortuno as Brigade Commander. He was part of the original members of the Brigade when it transferred from Sicayab to its present base in Piñan.

In 1991, he served briefly as Operations Officer (G3) of the 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division in Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga Del Sur. The following year, he commanded the 44th Infantry Battalion, then based in Oroquieta, with jurisdiction over the whole province of Misamis Occidental. He succeeded then Major Romeo Tolentino as head of that battalion. (Reference:  Mike Malacca -212-9161) (The New Nandau, Vol. XVII No.7)

Credits: Mindanao Star is published once a week and is circulated to the 25 Municipalities and 2 Cities of the province of Zamboanga del Norte. Mindanao Star can be reached through the following contact info: #096 C.M. Montaño Building, Gen. Luna Street, Dipolog City; Phone/Fax No. (065) 212-7472; Mobile No.: 0919 735 6967

Naangkon sa usa ka 21 anyos nga dalaga ang korona sa Miss Dapitan 2007 nga si Kristina Junio nga nagrepresentar sa Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Hospital atol sa Coronation night  didto sa Multi-Purpose Cultural and Sports Center sa dakbayan sa Dapitan. Nakuha ni Junio ang