Fire Hits Bansalan

March is considered as the Fire Prevention Month. However, firefighters from Bansalan, Magsaysay, Digos and Matanao had joined forces in saving the whole Old Iglesia ni Cristo Compound from turning into ashes on the morning of March 21, 2009. Residents of Lily St. corner Rose St. of our beloved town Bansalan were shocked after seeing flames coming from the place where the old Iglesia ni Cristo church was built. At 9:00 in the morning of the same date, the civilian and Bureau of Fire Protection volunteers from our town were first rescuers in the scene.Later the fire rescue team from the neighboring towns came to penetrate the area. After a few minutes, the situation was placed in control of the authorities. The houses owned by Gloria Tolang, Domingo Corillo and Andresa Otero were totally turned into debris and ashes. Investigation of the cause of the said tragedy is still ongoing. Estimated damage reaches up to 2million pesos.

Bansalan welcomes Foreign and Local Investors.

Central Warehouse club Inc. had recently acquired the property of Dra. Sherlina Manos-Hao located at Ramon de los Cientos St., National Highway Bansalan Davao del Sur. The company will invest in Bansalan by way of putting up a supermarket. This will eventually bring a positive impact in the local economy. It will create employment opportunities as well. The place was used to be a business center of the FACOMA; Rented by Davao Metro Shuttle for a couple of years and finally acquired by the Central Warehouse Club. A couple of weeks ago the CJF Construction INC. had started building the edifice.

It is evident that Bansalan is already opening its gateway for investors. Last November 2008, two big companies opened their ventures namely the MC Square and the Taiwanese Firm LCE. Just last week, a business firm from Kidapawan opened another store in Bansalan bearing trade name, Bansalan Tiles Center located at the National Highway fronting shell station . De Luna’ s Aluminun and Glass from Digos had also established their branch at the Poblacion Uno fronting the Immaculate Conception Parish Church. Motostar will also establish their display and service center at Sta. Cruz St. by next quarter of this year. The coming of these investors are positive signs that Bansalan will attain economic progress and development in the coming days.

The leadership of Mayor Edwin Reyes, being a businessman by profession, is significant in the advent of these investors. He’s the one inviting them to invest in Bansalan making our town be upgraded from purely agricultural to agro-industrial. It should be noted that Bansalan is recently proclaimed by the Department finance as first class municipality. It was upgraded from second class municipality to first class municipality after raising its income and revenue. Data from Economic Enterprise Management Office reveals that for January to March 2009 an amount of TWO MILLION was collected from the delinquent stall owners in the public market. For the past years, some of the occupants of the public stalls were not paying their rentals to the Local Government. However, the present administration’s political will had prompted them to abide with laws and orders. A couple of business firms were padlocked by the authorities in view of the delinquency.

The brighter economic future is not far from the reach of our people in Bansalan. We may continue to work hand in hand to achieve social and economic progress.