#174-hectare reclamation project

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BALITANG LOKAL: Authorities probe foreign involvement in Dumaguete's 174-hectare Reclamation Plan, leading to arrest 5 Chinese nationals says the NBI [#OnlyOnOneNETnews]

(Written by Anya Forger / Editorial Intern of TXN News)

DUMAGUETE, NEGROS ORIENTAL -- In the late-January 2025, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested five (5) Chinese nationals on charges of espionage. The male suspects were named Cai Shaohuang (also known as 'Richard Tan Chua'), who recently reported to be the group's field commander are 'Cheng Hai Tao', 'Wu Cheng Ting', 'Wang Yong Yi', and 'Wu Chin Ren'.

The male suspect individuals were previously under surveillance following the mid-January 2025 arrest of another Chinese national "Deng Yuanqing" and his local cohorts for violations of the Espionage Act. Intelligence reports advised that the group was involved in the aerial surveillance of the Philippines using illegal drones for the surveillance of Philippine navy assets.

The project alarmed some, as it is hypothesized to be a controversial 174-hectare reclamation in 'Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental'. As recalled in 2021, the local government units (LGUs) experienced disapproving stakeholders opposing the proposed reclamation for a planned "Smart City".

The project was to be done through a joint venture with 'E.M. Cuerpo, Inc.' which signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Poly Changda Overseas Engineering Company (PCOEC), a Chinese state-owned company as a subcontractor for the reclamation component. Proponents of the project called for criticism over its environmental impact and involvement of the alleged foreign partner.

Atty. Eduardo Sedillo, who is a constitutional law professor at Silliman University in Hibbard Avenue said there are legal flaws in the proposed reclamation and can harm marine ecosystems and local fisheries. The recent arrests have raised speculation that there is a connection between the espionage activities and the reclamation project.

The involvement of PCOEC, a state-Chinese firm in this said the controversial project was so deadly terrible, that soon-to-be outgoing Dumaguete Mayor and retired politician 'Mr. Ipe Antonio Buscato Remollo' unaware the local issues that waste taxpayer Philippine pesos, with groups raising concerns over foreign intrusion and national security. The authorities, though no official allegation has been announced connecting the activity to the arrests for espionage, it was a little too close of a chronological proximity for citizen and government calls for a complete and proper investigation.

The public is urging the government to scrutinize foreign involvement in critical infrastructure projects and not to compromise national security. As the situation develops, it will be seen if these arrested individuals have a direct connection to the controversial reclamation project, or if, their suspicious activities at large, are part of a bigger intelligence-gathering operation.

Investigations are now ongoing and more details will soon be available from the NBI and police officials to the national press media. This case shows the importance of vigilance in protecting national interests, especially in foreign participation in big projects. The government will review existing protocols and partnerships to prevent future security breaches in our nation.

SCREENGRAB COURTESY: Avito Dalan via Philippine News Agency BACKGROUND PROVIDED BY: Tegna

SOURCE: *https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1243005 *https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/01/31/2418084/nbi-arrests-5-chinese-nationals-espionage *https://www.facebook.com/100083255232996/posts/599301839521652 *https://www.facebook.com/61563839249938/posts/122143679642461308 *https://mb.com.ph/2021/7/14/fishers-group-urges-denr-to-reject-dumaguete-reclamation-project *https://www.getrealphilippines.com/2021/07/dumaguete-city-government-to-sign-joint-venture-for-174-hectare-reclamation-amidst-raging-protests/ *https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1461167/china-firm-tapped-in-dumaguete-project *https://su.edu.ph/su-law-professor-explains-legal-flaws-of-proposed-174-ha-reclamation-project/ and *https://rpnradio.com/group-sees-china-intrusion-in-implementation-of-dumaguete-city-land-reclamation-project/

-- OneNETnews Online Publication Team

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FLASH REPORT: News Director of Yes! The Best FM Network in Dumaguete City is Stepping Down and Reducing his own Radio Newscast in the Morning [#OnlyOnOneNETnews]

DUMAGUETE, NEGROS ORIENTAL -- An official press release statement of the Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC)-affiliate Yes! The Best FM network in Dumaguete City as announced Saturday night (January 8th, 2022 -- Dumaguete local time).

News Director and a former male Editor named Raffy Iphraim Cabristante known for his several roles of Photo Journalism, Online Journalist for News, Radio News Reporter & Anchor of "Yes! The Best: Balita sa Buntag" at 7am and 8am every weekday mornings and a News Print for Inquirer Visayas in Negros Oriental.

His final news article as Cabristante told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) at the end of September 2021, some local and regional board members of Negros Oriental in backlash have issued to plan a newest 174-hectare Reclamation Project will not happen this time, which is lacking of its Government and Mayor's power. Dumagueteños and Negrosanons are much happier with the results, which is after a Negros Oriental-wide silent protest. The reclamation project in Dumaguete City is subject to a corrupted allegation of law at the Rizal Boulevard due to several cases of Coronavirus Disease-19 (CoViD-19) in this central region.

Cabristante recently worked as News Editor, followed by a News Director in November 2017 until today, under a news radio affiliation of MBC after he was graduated from the Silliman University (SU) in 2014 and Ateneo de Manila University (AMU) in 2018. He is also a former Radio Announcer of DYSR-FM's Killer Bee 95.1mhz (which is now SR95: Sure Hits Dumaguete) for 5 years between June 2009 & April 2014 and his own Voice-Over during the Sign-On & Sign-Off of Yes! The Best: Dumaguete before it goes dead air'd every late night. Most of the TV networks between DYCB-TV 3's ABS-CBN Cebu for the News Intern and a Senior Multimedia News Producer of GMA News have later added in a previous decade of 2010s.

DYYD-FM 106.3mhz's Yes! The Best: Dumaguete had sadly announced effectively starting January 2022, all of the Radio Newscast including the updates over the official Social Media itself had been reduced and embargo'd. However, he'll remain as a Radio Disc Jockey (DJ) under "Frankie Labot" in regular if he is willing to go on duty Monday morning or in later days next week.

In a full statement via it's Facebook post to DYYD-FM 106.3mhz's Yes! The Best: Dumaguete, "To realign our station with the original vision and mission of the nationwide Yes The Best FM network, our news department will streamline operations effective January 2022. The management has decided to refocus our On-Air and Online Properties to music, entertainment and lifestyle content, which Yes! The Best 106.3 has always been known for since we started broadcasting in 1992 (under Cebu Broadcasting Company or CBC for MBC)".

Expecting more on music with its radio commercials to advertise and assuring all the listeners and communities in Dumaguete and Negros Oriental with the best radio DJs and personalities possible. The Music and News radio format is over for now: "Thank you for the trust you have given Yes! The Best 106.3 as your primary source of online local news over the past 4 years. Rest assured that we will still be a part of the Dumaguete community by playing you the best quality music served by our top-caliber radio personalities and DJs. Padayon ta, beshie (says in Cebuano dialect). We will remain your favorite station -- the Millennials' Choice in Dumaguete City".

Just a few hours after its said announcement, his Facebook profile and a Fan Page of "Frankie Labot" under Cabristante himself have been taken down the same night on Saturday. His own Twitter account remains untouched with his old and a current new username (@RaffyBee951 & @RafCabristante).

We contacted to Cabristante a.k.a. Frankie Labot via Facebook Messenger for the questioning if its suggestively planned to transfer him to DYGB-FM (Power91FM Dumaguete) or DWFH-FM (Radyo Bandera: Sweet FM Dumaguete) for his next journey of Music and News but... he declined our exclusive comment to our news team.

MBC and DZRH-AM (a mother station of DWYS-FM 101.1mhz's Yes! The Best: Manila) calls for the attention in radio management changes to reduce all the local radio newscast per station exclusively for Yes! The Best nationwide listeners (excluding Radyo Natin FM network in Bais, Negros Oriental via DYBR-FM 105.5mhz for example). His own future career in radio broadcasting of "Frankie Labot" will soon happen every morning for what it comes next.

Yes! The Best FM network is a parent firm of the Manila-Cebu Broadcasting Company (MBC-CBC).

PHOTO COURTESY: Rhayniel Calimpong

SPECIAL THANKS to a former Sparta Remixer on YouTube named "nalapof" (which is now named as Matthew Fopalan) for contributing our news tip.

SOURCE: *https://linkedin.com/in/raffy-cabristante-a8135ba5 [Referenced Biography of Raffy Cabristante via LinkedIn] *https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1494902/negros-oriental-board-blocks-projects-in-protected-areas [Referenced News Article from the Philippine Daily Inquirer] *https://www.facebook.com/427020384041436/posts/340620277794296 [Reference FB Short Video from Yes! The Best: Dumaguete] *https://raffycabristante.blogspot.com/2010/05/real-sillimanian.html [Referenced Editorial Post via Google's blogspot site] and *https://www.facebook.com/427020384041436/posts/4701344816608950 [Referenced FB Post from Yes! The Best: Dumaguete]

IMPORTANT HONEST DISCLAIMER: The readers and opinions expressed from this Flash Report are not necessarily those from the Manila Broadcasting Company. Furthermore, the assumptions of this Flash Report will NOT state, intervene or reflect those of our Radyo Patrol reporters. The show, the station, the management, interwebs, and the network. Thanks for reading and have a great evening mga ka-Bandera! Stay safe and may the Celestia blesses you. Later!

-- OneNETnews Team

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Dumaguete bishop raises environment concerns over reclamation project

xxxDumaguete Bishop Julito Cortes asks the City Council not to push through with the 174-hectare reclamation project as this will result to damage to the marine environment.   (GMA News) from GMA News Online / News via IFTTT