Car bomb explodes in Basilan, 11 killed

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Eleven people were killed when a car bomb exploded Tuesday morning at a security checkpoint after government militias stopped the suspicious vehicle in Lamitan City in the southern Philippine province of Basilan.

The powerful explosion obliterated the vehicle and left a huge crater and among those killed were a woman and a child. Five soldiers were wounded in the explosion.

The bodies of those killed in the blast were all scattered around the checkpoint in Bulanting village, about 2 kilometers away from downtown Lamitan. Three goats grazing from a nearby field also died from the explosion which can be heard from as far as five kilometers away.

It was unknown how many people were inside the van, but media reports said among the passengers was believed to be a foreign terrorist.

It said the terrorists came from a nearby town and heading to downtown Lamitan when they were stopped at the checkpoint after the passengers could not speak the local dialect or answer questions asked by militias and minutes later the explosion occurred.

Among those killed in the blast was the militia commander whose unit is under the supervision of the Philippine Army. It was not immediately known how many civilians were injured in the explosion.

Governor Mujiv Hataman, of the Muslim autonomous region, has strongly condemned the violence and said authorities were investigating the blast. He said a total of 11 people were killed in the blast.

"We condemn this brazen act of violence against our people, and trust that we will exert every effort to help the families affected by this incident and we will strengthen efforts to secure our region without compromising the rights of the Bangsamoro."

"We mourn the loss of lives in this senseless attack to our safety, and we continue to thank those who have devoted and continue to devote their lives to securing peace in the Bangsamoro. The commitment to rights and safety of our people that we share with them defines our collective efforts, and we continue to stand and work with them as we seek justice for those who have lost their lives to conflict and violence," he said.

The province is a known stronghold of the militant group Abu Sayyaf whose leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Several foreign fighters had been killed in clashes with soldiers in Basilan in recent years.

The Philippine military earlier urged the public to be on alert and stay vigilant at all times following attempts by pro-ISIS militants to bomb civilian targets in the restive southern region.

Just recently, troops and policemen foiled a bombing attempt in the southern Tacurong City after a civilian discovered an improvised explosive along General Lim Street and immediately informed authorities about it.

Security officials have blamed failed attack to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and tagged two fighters Brah Lumambas and Bohari Adam, both bomb-makers under militant leader Gani Saligan, as behind the attempt.

The BIFF, whose members were mostly former Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels, is on a terror campaign following a series of defeat from deadly clashes with military forces in Mindanao in recent months.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, appealed to citizens to immediately report to authorities anything that is suspicious – from people to abandoned baggage in public places and communities.

Sporadic clashes still continue between troops and militants in the South as BIFF stepped up its attacks on military targets.

In June, fighting broke out in Olandang village in North Cotabato’s Midsayap town where troops raided a BIFF hideout and the target of the operation was militant leader Mando Mamalumpong. Soldiers recovered an M16 automatic rifle, ammunition, two grenades and improvised explosive, including military uniform and a binocular, in the area where the gun fight occurred.

The military also launched an offensive in Liguasan marsh in the neighboring province of Maguindanao and claimed to have killed over a dozen militants. It said the strike also destroyed an alleged weapons’ factory of the BIFF in the marsh.

President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly called on militants to talk peace and also promised amnesty and financial aid if they surrender to the government. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Sulat gikan sa Davao: ‘Banagbanag sa bag-ong kabuntagon” ni Jun Ledesma

PWERTENG DIMALASA! Sa talay sa kusgan ug gamhanan ang Speaker sa Camara de Representante di layo sa naglingkod sa Malacanang ug gagunit og dako kaayo nga gahum ug mga katungdanan sama sa pag-atiman sa panudlanan sa nasud ug, sa linggwahe pa mismo ni Rep. Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez, pwedeng mo-impeach og Presidente.

Alang kang Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio kadtong mga pulonga lawom kaayo og dulot ug kun ang iyang amahan wa mointerpriter niini nga insulto, ningsantop ni sa hunahuna sa babaeng Mayor nga dakong insulto. Gipalabay lang una ni sa Mayor. Sa dihang naningamot siya sa pag-organisa sa Hugpong ng Pagbabago, ningbuhi og mga pulong si Speaker Alvarez nga ang HnP usa ka partido sa oposisyon. Kini ang ningbali sa bukobuko sa kamelyo ug nahurot ang pasensya sa Mayor. Di mabangbang ang mga tubag sa anak sa presidente ug giklaro niya nga ang HnP mopadagan og kandidato sa sunod nga piniliay kontra sa Speaker didto sa iyang distrito.

Apan unsa man ang Hugpong ng Pagbabago ug ang tumong niini? Giorganisa ni aron sa pagkonsolida sa liderato politikal sa Rehiyon XI, aron sa pagharmonisa o pag-angay )sa mga plano sa kalamboan sa rehiyon ug pagpakusog sa iyang tingog ug hiniusang pwersa aron kolektibo kining mokabya og mga risorses ug proyekto gikan sa nasudnong kagamhanan padulong sa rehiyon. Usa sa mg katuyoan niini mao ang pag-apud-apud sa mga industriya ngadto sa nagkalainlaing lokalidad sa sulod sa rehiyon gawas sa Davao City aron malikayan ang sobra nga pagpunsisok sa populasyon ug industriya sa usa lang ka lugar. Sa laktod nga pagkasulti, ang mga lideres nga politikal ug mga tighan-ay og mga plano di gustong motagamtam sa urom nga mao ang grabe nga pagpunsisok sa katawhan sa Metro Manila. Ila nga gikuha si Architect Jun Palafox aron modesinyo ug usa ka dakong siyudad nga mosangkad sa entiro Rehiyon XI.

Mga dagkong personaheng politikal sa rehiyon ang mga miyembro sa HnP apan layo ra sa tinuod nga kini katahapan nga usa ka hut-ong sa oposisyong politikal. Kulang og kwentada o korto og utok ang maghunahuna niini. Ang nagpahimugso niini mao ang sunodsunod nga pagtrampas sa mga politikong gikan sa gawas sa rehiyon sa mga teritoryo sa distrito nga ang tuyo mao ang kompletong pagguba sa nagakadako nga industriya sa saging pinaagi sa pagdismantle  sa biosecurity measures nga nagkontrolar sa gikahadlokan nga fusarium wilt.

Hinumdomi nga sila si Rep. Johnny Pimentel sa Surigao, Rep. Rey Umali sa Mindoro ug Deputy Speaker Gwen Garcia sa Cebu ang ningsabat, ningduyog ug ningtsuwariwariwap sa panawagan ni Speaker Alvarez nga idismantle ang mga quarantine station sa Tadeco banana plantation ug pag-imbestiga sa iregularidad kuno sa Joint Venture Agreement tali sa kompaniya sa saging sa mga Floirendo ug sa Bureau of Corrections. Giunhan sila sa Chief of Staff sa speaker, ang usa ka Edwin Hubahib, ug DPWH Engr. Noel Basanes, sa pagpangguba sa mga biosecurity gate nga kuno gimontar sa mga karsadang publiko.

Ang party list Representative nga si Ariel Casilao ningbale-wala sab sa mga warning sa Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association nga ang pagdismantle sa mga quarantine station malagmit maoy kawsa sa pagtakodtakod sa sakit nga Fusarium wilt, di lang sa Tadeco kundili sa tanang plantasyon sa saging sa Rehiyon XI. Ang Fusarium Wilt ginatawag sab og Panama disease, usa ka klase sa makadaut nga fungus nga nagapuyo sa yuta ug ninglampornas sa entiro industriya sa saging sa maong nasud. Ang PBGEA naghimo na og mga lakang nga pang-emergency aron mapugngan ang ataki sa maong sakit tungod kay ning-ataki na ni sa mga plantasyon sa Australia ug ubang silingang nasud ug ningtakod na ni sa kasagingan sa mga independyenteng manananom sa Mindanao.

Ang ekonomiya sa rehiyon sa Davao gibutang sa dakong kakuyaw tungod sa kawalay puangod ug pagka-ignorante sa mga magbabalaod gikan sa ubang probinsya ug ang HnP nahimo na nga gamhanang pwersa politikal aron babagan ang kadudahan nga alyansa politikal sa mga tawong taga gawas nga tuyo sabotahion ang pinakapiskay nga ekonomiya sa rehiyon nga nag-una sa tibuok nasud. “Ayaw kog hagita”, pintok nga pulong ni Mayor Inday Sara, pangulo sa HnP.

Ninglanoglanog ang maong mensahe sa tanang suok ug kanto sa nasud ug ningdasig sa mga lideres nga politikal nga gusto og tininuod nga kausaban ilawom sa gobyerno ni Pres. Rodrigo R. Duterte. Hilom ang mga tunob sa mga lideres sa Luzon ug pipila gikan sa Visayas nga gustong makigkita, makiglambigit ug makighiusa sa mga lideres sa HnP. May gisulat ko bag-o pa lang gyud kaayo nga ang pagsubol sa mga lig-on nga organisasyong politikal sa mga rehiyon nagsugod na og hagit sa liderato sa Camara de Representante. Wa ko magdahom nga ingon niini kadali ug kapaspas.

Sa akong bahin, dako kaayo ang akong kasubo kay akong nakita ang pagkausik ug pagkasayang sa swerte sa duha sa politika. Higala nako kining duha ug saksi ko sa ilang mga saad nga magtinabangay para kang Duterte ug pipila ka kandidatong lokal.  Klaro ang agenda: suportahan si Duterte ug ang iyang administrasyon. Napili nga Presidente si Duterte, si Tonyboy ug Bebot ningdaog pagka deputado sa ilang mga distrito. Ningtabang si Tonyboy kang Bebot panahon sa kampanya hangtud sa pagkapili niini nga speaker. Maong na-shock ko pagkadungog nako nga gipakasad-an ni Bebot ang iyang higala sa JVA sa Tadeco ug BUCOR ug gipasakaan og kaso sa Ombudsman. Kini nga JVA ninglungtad na og halos lima ka dekada ug ningbarog taliwala sa mga paghiling ug pag-ukay sa mga eksperto sa balaod.

Dako ang akong pagsalig sa liderato ni kanhi Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo nga mogiya sa Kongreso aron makasuporta og maayo sa pagkab-ot sa mga tumong ni Presidente Duterte ug motabang sa pagpanday sa agenda sa ekonomiya sa Duterte administration, Apan gimingaw ko sa mga adlaw nga masadya ug mapagarbohon, sa panahon nga ang Presidente sa nasud, Presidente sa Senado ug Speaker sa Camara de Representante puros taga ato sa Mindanao. Sa laing bahin, mao kini ang banagbanag sa bag-ong kabuntagon kay si GMA usa sa mga kasaligan ug lig-on kaayong alyado ni Duterte. Mao ni ang sinugdanan sa Build, Build, Build program sa Presidente. Nagkinahanglan siya og ekonomista ug workaholic nga sama ni Gloria. (Jun Ledesma)

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HOT OFF THE PRESS: The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper July 30-Aug. 5, 2018

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Commies mock military in Duterte hometown

DAVAO CITY – Communist rebels on Monday mocked the military for declaring President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown, Davao, as free from the influence of the New People’s Army and even freed a police officer there after 7 months in captivity.

Rigoberto Sanchez, a rebel spokesman, said Inspector Menardo Cui was released in Salaysay village in Baguio District on humanitarian grounds and handed over to Duterte’s special assistance Christopher Go on July 27.

“Despite the much-ballyhooed declaration of the fascist AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) that Davao City is virtually free of the New People’s Army, the NPA Regional Operations Command, through its custodial force, released NPA Prisoner of War Menardo N. Cui, PNP Badge No. 0-28281, on July 27 in Sitio Indawhong in Barangay Salaysay, Baguio District following his 7-month detention,” he said.

“Special Assistant to the President, Christopher Go was at hand to receive POW Cui, a move that only showed that the US-Duterte regime has failed to obliterate the reality that the NPA continues to be a belligerent force in the country,” he added.

The 48-year old Cui was taken hostage by rebels during a raid on December 28, 2017 in President Roxas town in North Cotabato where he is the deputy police chief, and subsequently declared him a prisoner of war.

Sanchez said a day after Cui’s safe release, rebel forces killed at least 6 soldiers sent by the military to pursue the NPA in the village of Tambobong also in Baguio District. “AFP troops deployed for combat and pursuit operations against the NPA custodial force were hit by command-detonated explosives in Sitio Kamarag in Barangay Tambobong in Baguio District at around 10:25 am. Initial reports revealed that the enemy sustained at least 6 casualties in the NPA offensive,” he said.

He said while Duterte has declared the NPA and its revolutionary forces as terrorists and criminals, and scuttled the peace talks with the National Democratic Front, the President nevertheless sent Go to fetch the prisoner. “By sending his closest emissary and chief representative, Duterte has unwittingly acknowledged the status of belligerency acquired by the NPA under international laws,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez also rejected Duterte’s proposal for a localized peace talks with rebel forces, saying, this will only serve the pacification and surrender campaign and psychological war operations of the US-Duterte regime. “The NPA is adamant not to be made party to local peace negotiations that reject the masses’ clamour for genuine land reform and national industrialization,” he said.

There was no immediate reaction from the Eastern Mindanao Command and 10^th Infantry Division in Davao City over Sanchez’s claims, but police authorities also launched an operation to arrest four people being linked to the communist group following the recent release of warrants in Nueva Ecija province against former lawmakers Satur Ocampo, Teddy Casiño; and former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano and National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Liza Maza over murder charges filed over a decade ago.

The Communist Party of the Philippines on Monday also denounced the arrest orders and branded the murder charges as trumped-up cases. This is a pointed attack against the broad democratic forces resisting Duterte’s tyrannical rule and moves to establish a dictatorship. It is a portent of a more general crackdown following successive arrests and detention against activists and human rights workers across the country,” it said.

“In just over two years, Duterte’s human rights record has surpassed (President Gloria) Arroyo’s in terms of extrajudicial killings in the drug war. With Arroyo (now House Speaker) by his side, the attacks against the progressive and democratic forces are set to further intensify,” it said. (Mindanao Examiner)

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ARMM-HEART extends quick aid to Jolo fire victims

COTABATO CITY - The government of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), through its flagship program Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team (HEART), has immediately extended initial assistance to families affected by the fire in Jolo town in Sulu province that destroyed some 5,200 homes.

Jo Henry, ARMM-HEART Communications Officer, said the fire started on the afternoon of July 24 and left almost 30,000 people homeless. The affected barangays are Walled City and Busbus. Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman visited the fire scene and immediately ordered the distribution of an initial 25 kilos of rice per family plus cash.

She said as of July 27, ARMM-HEART has also provided fire victims relief goods such as food, clothes, prayer garments, and kitchen essentials amounting to approximately P5 million. Henry described the fire incident as the biggest her office has responded to since its establishment.

“With the help of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, by lending us C130 cargo planes, we have responded within 12 hours since the fire started,” said Henry, adding, teams from the emergency action and response office are continuously being deployed in the area to monitor the situation on the ground.

With rice shortage currently experienced in the province, she said ARMM-HEART is coordinating with other government offices for continuing food assistance. The ARMM Liaison Office in Manila also launched “Tabang Jolo”, a drive aiming at gathering donations from civilians who want to help the victims of the fire. (Bureau of Public Information)

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Intensify awareness, voluntary testing to curb rise of AIDS cases

HEALTH SECRETARY Francisco Duque III has reiterated that intensified public awareness and voluntary testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) would make a difference in preventing the spread of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

"Dapat sila ay magpa-test kasi yun ang pinakamaganda para maibsan ang pagkalat nito (They should be tested because this is the best way to control the spread)," Duque said.

The HIV/AIDS Registry of the Philippines recorded that from 1984-2006, the predominant mode of transmission was male-female sex. However, beginning 2007, the trend spiked to males having sex with males (MSM) as the predominant mode of transmission and has continually increased.

The data also revealed that there were a total of 66 deaths due to HIV/AIDS. The data further showed that sexual contact remains to be the predominant mode of transmission among the 905 cases. Of this figure, a total of 774 individuals or 86 percent were under the MSM category.

Duque said that through counseling, which is being offered in HIV testing hubs and centers, the persons who tested positive can be linked to the medical care and treatment they need. On the other hand, those who were tested negative are given information on the practice of safe sex including the use of condoms.

“We have prevention, treatment care and support interventions. In our prevention program, we have HIV-AIDS education,” he said, adding, that since it is really difficult to prevent sexual contact, the best way to prevent the further spread of HIV/AIDS is by providing protection under the government program.

More than 900 newly-diagnosed cases of HIV were recorded in the month of April alone. “There were 924 new HIV anti-body sero-positive individuals reported to the April 2018 HIV/AIDS Registry of the Philippines (HARP)," according to a data from the Department of Health (DOH) Epidemiology Bureau.

In comparison, the figure is higher than the 628 HIV cases reported in April 2017. Of the total cases for April 2018, some 19 percent or 179 had clinical manifestations of having advanced HIV infection or AIDS. The data also revealed that there were a total of 66 deaths due HIV/AIDS.
The data further showed that sexual contact remains to be the predominant mode of transmission among the 905 cases.

A total of 774 individuals or 86 percent were under the MSM category. Aside from sexual contact, another mode of transmission was needle sharing among injecting drug users, with 13 cases or 1 percent of the total number of cases.

There was also one case of mother-to-child transmission while another five cases had no data on the mode of transmission, the HARP report said. The data also showed that one-third or 30 percent (282 cases) were diagnosed from the National Capital Region. It was followed by Calabarzon (18 percent, 164 cases); Central Luzon (13 percent, 117); Central Visayas (8 percent, 71); Davao Region (5 percent, 50); and Western Visayas (5 percent, 44).

Since 1984 up to the present, the DOH recorded around 54,332 HIV cases. From the figure, around 5,700 progressed into AIDS cases while around 2,598 resulted to deaths. According to DOH, a person may die not because of HIV but due to "opportunistic infections" or complications which can occur to patients as they acquire HIV.

The DOH has been providing anti-retroviral treatment among the patients as well as free testing at its HIV hubs and treatment centers. (Leilani Junio)

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Chief Justice welcomes Duterte’s stance on South China Sea issue

ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE Antonio Carpio welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte's pronouncement that the Philippines will not waver in defending the country's interests in the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea as Manila calls it despite Manila’s strengthened ties with Beijing.

“Well, that's the correct position. We should never give up our rights there. That can be reconciled. We can continue to trade with China while we continue to defend our sovereign rights,” Carpio said.
“There's no incompatibility there because we have other relations with China. We have trade. We have cultural and all other matters. But we should not do anything that will waive our rights to the West Philippine Sea,” he added.

The senior magistrate, however, said it would be better if the President elaborated on how the country will protect its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

Duterte said the Philippines remains firm in its position on the issue. “Our improved relationship with China does not mean that we will waver in our commitment to defend our interest in the West Philippine Sea," Duterte said, adding this reflects in Manila's continued engagement with the Asian giant through multilateral and bilateral channels.

In 2017, the government launched the first bilateral consultative mechanism on South China Sea with Beijing, where all issues concerning the contested area were discussed in a "frank, in-depth, and friendly manner."

The Philippines, together with several Southeast Asian countries, also engaged China towards the drafting of the framework of the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea issue during its chairmanship to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2017.

These efforts paved the way for an opportunity to manage the dispute without further escalating tensions in the strategic waters, Duterte said. “Opening lines of communication and amicably managing differences have led to positive developments that include renewed access of Filipino fishermen in the areas of dispute in the Philippines' West Philippine Sea.”

Despite the issue, Duterte initially cited Manila's re-energized relations with Beijing that led to an unprecedented level of cooperation against transnational crimes. This, according to the President, led to the discovery and dismantling of shabu laboratories in the country and the arrest of Chinese chemists linked to a drug syndicate. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)

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ConCom spells out regions' revenue sources under Federal gov’t

THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE (ConCom) which drafted the proposed Federal Constitution has spelled out the sources of revenues for the federated regions in an effort to educate Filipinos about the draft.

According Ding Generoso, ConCom senior technical assistant and spokesperson, revenues will come from five sources: Regions’ own collection of taxes and fees; share of top revenue sources; share from Equalization Fund; additional funding through the General Appropriations Act; and share of income from natural resources.

Regions’ own taxes, fees Generoso explained that under Section 2 of Article XIII on Fiscal Powers and Financial Administration, federated regions shall have the power to levy and collect the following taxes, licenses and fees: Real Property Tax; Estate Tax; Donor’s Tax; Documentary Stamp Tax; Professional Tax; Franchise Tax; Games and Amusement Tax; Environmental Tax, Pollution Tax, and similar taxes; Road Users Tax; Vehicle Registration Fees; Transport Franchise Fees; and local taxes and other taxes which may be granted by federal law.

He also allayed fears that giving federated regions taxation powers would result in double taxation, noting that Section 3 of the same article clearly states that “No double taxation shall be allowed.”
“We don’t know how clearer and how more explicit we could get with a provision that says no double taxation should be allowed. If a tax is being collected by the federal government, the same tax can no longer be collected by the federated regions,” Generoso said. “Most of these taxes and fees are now being collected by the national government. What ConCom proposes is simply to transfer the collection of these taxes from the national government to the regional government.”

Share of top revenue sources Under Section 4 of the same article, Generoso said that the federated regions shall also be given a share of not less than 50 percent of all the revenues from income tax, excise tax, value added tax, and customs duties, which shall be equally divided among them and automatically released.

“What the ConCom proposes is equal share, 50 percent, of the revenue collected from these sources split halfway between the federal government and the federated region and the 50 percent of the federated regions to be divided equally among them,” Generoso said.

Share from equalization fund Generoso explained that Section 5 of the same article creates an Equalization Fund which shall not be less than three percent of the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).

“If we compute how much tax and fees will be collected and add with the share in the 50 percent of the top four revenue sources we will see disparities--there are regions with a high total and regions with a low total. How do we address the deficit of other regions? We go to the Equalization Fund,” Generoso said, emphasizing that the fund will be distributed based on the need of each region but with priority to those that require support to achieve financial viability and economic sustainability.

The Federal Intergovernmental Commission will be tasked to determine and assess the capabilities of the region and need for it to source from the Equalization Fund, he said. Additional funding through GAA Under Section 6 of the same article, Generoso said that regions can also get their revenue from the annual GAA.

“The Congress, through the annual General Appropriations Act, may provide additional finances for the regions to effectively and efficiently deliver government services to their constituents,” the section reads. Finally, Section 7 states that federated regions are also entitled to 50 percent of all net revenues derived from the exploration, development, and utilization of all natural resources within their territory.

“Whatever revenue the government will get from the utilization of a particular resource in a region, 50 percent will automatically go to the region and it is up to regional government to distribute it to the constituent units,” Generoso said.

He further said that the most important part of federalism is giving power to the regions to appropriate their funds according to their needs and priorities and no longer decided by Congress.

“They will have the power to appropriate--whatever their priorities are whatever city, province they want to give a higher share, it’s all up to the legislative assembly of the region and the regional governor. So there’s no dictation from Manila. You don’t have to go to Manila to lobby for appropriation,” Generoso said.

Generoso said taxation is the most important power of government. “Because without taxation, no government will survive. The first power that government must exercise is the power to tax because with taxation then you can have money, resources to do every other thing,” Generoso said. (Azer Parrocha)

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Palace hails all-time high foreign tourist arrivals

THE PHILIPPINES HAS recorded an all-time high foreign tourist arrivals from January to June this year and Malacañang is happy over this.

“We are pleased to announce that foreign tourists continue to discover that it’s more fun in the Philippines,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

According to the Department of Tourism (DOT), foreign tourist arrivals during the first half of the year had reached 3,706,721, or 10.40 percent higher compared to the 3,357,591 arrivals during the same period in 2017.

Roque also said that the month of June alone marks an 11.35 percent increase to 528,477 arrivals from 474,854 arrivals in June last year. He also announced the significant achievements of 51 out of 77 Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), whose remittances hit P31.297 billion.

“This is higher by 64 percent compared to last year’s PHP19.1 billion of the same period,” he said. The Department of Finance (DOF) stressed that the collections by mid-July have surpassed the full-year collection of the two previous years.

In 2016, the GOCC’s collections reached P27.35 billion, which increased to P30.45 billion in 2017.

Roque said the top 10 GOCC contributors are the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp., Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Manila International Airport Authority, Food Terminal Inc., Development Bank of the Philippines, and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority. (Jelly Musico)

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Growers, exporters call for zero-tariff on banana exports to Korea

THE PHILIPPINES could end up losing South Korea as its top export destination for locally produced bananas three years from now unless tariffs are removed on this agricultural product.
The proposed move is to enable Philippine bananas to compete with other banana exports entering this lucrative market on a level playing field, according to the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA).

It also pressed the government anew to work out a bilateral agreement with South Korea to remove the 30-percent tariff on Philippine banana exports, saying, losing the Korean market, which is among the top three destinations for Philippine banana exports, would rob 32,000 workers and over 200,000 dependents in the domestic industry of their means of livelihood.

It might also result in estimated annual export revenue losses of close to $300 million and another P6.5 billion in foregone local and national tax revenues, according to PBGEA.

“Cheap banana imports from Central America have started to eat into the share of Philippine bananas in the Korean market and these could totally push us out of the picture by 2022, unless we get the same zero-tariff treatment as they do,” said Stephen Antig, PBGEA executive director.

For his part, Alexander Valoria, the PBGEA president, pointed out that the Central American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama would benefit from zero import tariffs on the bananas they export to South Korea by 2021.

Peru is already enjoying zero tariffs on their banana exports to South Korea, while Colombia will get the same treatment also three years from now. Even Vietnam, a fellow ASEAN economy of the Philippines, will get to sell bananas to South Korea with zero-tariff by 2021, said Valoria, who is also president of Tagum Agricultural Development Corp.

Paul Cuyegkeng, president of Sumifru Philippines Corp., said Filipino banana growers merely want a level playing field in competing with exporters from other countries not only in South Korea, but in Japan and China as well. “We are talking about protecting the banana industry and saving jobs,” Cuyegkeng said.

“It would be highly ironic if we lose jobs in the banana industry, which is mostly based in Mindanao when the main program of our President, who hails from this island, is job creation.” Valoria said while the Central American countries recently signed a free trade accord with Korea as a bloc, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama were also able to forge separate bilateral agreements with Korea in favor of their agricultural exports.

“This is the same level of support and action that we need to ensure that our fruit exports remain competitive in the fast-expanding Asian market,” Antig said. “ASEAN has an existing free trade agreement with Korea, but we should negotiate separate bilateral deals like what the Central American countries did, so that the agreements are country-specific and not regionalized.”

Valoria said while the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) is favorable to Southeast Asian economies in several aspects, it is highly disadvantageous to the Philippines in particular, when it comes to the banana trade because the fruit is included in Korea’s Highly Sensitive List (HSL), which means that banana is exempted from any tariff concessions from reciprocal agreements. “What we can do is to come up with a separate bilateral agreement, with Korea removing the import tariff on Philippine bananas,” Antig said.

Valoria added that countries like Guatemala and Costa Rica currently export a small percentage of bananas to South Korea compared with the Philippines. "But they could easily bump us off from this lucrative export market three years from now because our bananas would be more expensive than those coming from Central America,” he pointed out.

The high import tariff of 30 percent on Philippine bananas is shouldered by the buyer in Korea, Antig explained, so even if the Philippines is geographically nearer, a businessman planning to sell the fruit in that country would prefer to buy from Central America because of the zero tax.

“Without the actual removal of the import tariff, the Philippines will undoubtedly lose the Korean market to Central American competitors,” Antig said. According to PBGEA, South Korea represents a market of 30 million boxes for Philippine bananas from a production area of 8,000 hectares, or the equivalent of 390,000 tons.

Valoria noted that bilateral trade between the Philippines and Korea is heavily lopsided in favor of the latter. South Korean exports to the Philippines reached USD10.6 billion in 2017, while Philippine exports to Korea amounted to only USD3.7 billion.

This trade imbalance can be corrected, Antig said, this is if the Philippines can get more favorable terms for the country’s exports to Korea, particularly agricultural products. “With the widening agricultural trade deficit, we appreciate the call of (Socioeconomic Planning) Secretary (Ernesto) Pernia for increased government support to aid Philippine exports.

But beyond doubling efforts to market the country's export products, the government must assess the benefits and disadvantages of existing free trade agreements to reverse trade imbalances with bilateral or multilateral partners, as in the case of the AKFTA,” Antig said.

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Senate approval of Charter change this year ‘very slim’, says Sotto

SENATE PRESIDENT Vicente Sotto III has virtually shot down proposals to change the Constitution, saying, the chances of it being approved at the Senate this year are “very slim,” given that the proposed shift to federalism is not among the priorities of all senators.

“Let me say that perhaps the chances are very slim,” Sotto said, adding, in last week’s caucus, each senatoe was asked to submit a maximum of three priority bills so that the Senate can sit down with the House and the Executive department to keep it together.

“None of the submissions contained the Cha-cha. You take it from that,” he said. However, he clarified that the Senate is not closing its doors on Charter change, only that the chamber would not be rushing the deliberations on the matter.

“I will speak for the entire Senate. We have agreed to let the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes come up with the committee report and we will discuss it then,” Sotto said. He said the Senate will not be working under any deadline. (Jose Cielito Reganit)

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DepEd to review K-12 program

THE DEPARTMENT OF Education (DepEd) said it will conduct a thorough review of its controversial K to 12 education program, two years after it was implemented in various schools nationwide.

“We are going to have a thorough review of the curriculum of the Department of Education. After all, we have been there for two years already so we have made enough experience,” DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said. “We will review the curriculum from Kindergarten to Grade 12 because we have been getting feedback as well and we are welcoming feedback from the public about curriculum content.”

Briones said DepEd did not elaborate what feedback the agency has been receiving, but stressed the need to keep up with changing times, especially in the age of technological innovations. “Two years have passed. We need to review it because right now, changes are occurring. Many things are happening in this world,” she said.

She said she had observed, for instance, how the demand to teach students on “speaking beautiful English” to be able to compete in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry was problematic.

“There was a demand before that we should teach our children more English so they could compete in the BPO, the call center. But call centers are now replaced with robots in other countries. So if we are preparing our children to speak beautiful English for call centers, then perhaps we will truly be left behind,” Briones said.

“We have to teach our children to be the ones to make the robots. This is why we are teaching robotics in high schools. This is why we are sending teams, public school, high school kids to other countries and they are winning in robotics contests,” she added.

Briones said what’s more important than memorization is for students to be taught how to analyze and solve problems.

“What we want our children to learn, which probably my generation did not learn, is not memory work, we teach them how to analyze, how to solve problems, how to respond to change and to accept change because by the time they graduate, whatever we have taught them, not all of them will be applicable. They will not be able to recognize the world they are going to enter. Change is happening so fast but it is in dealing with the change that we want our children to gain more life skills,” she said.

The K to 12 Program covers 13 years of basic education from Kindergarten to Grade 3, Grades 4 to 6, Grades 7 to 10 (Junior High School), and Grades 11 and 12 (Senior High School). Briones said her agency is also set to rationalize its budget.

“My priority is our financial management system. We have to review and we have to reformulate our accounting, our disbursement, our accountability systems because of the hugeness of the department itself,” Briones said.

Under the proposed P3.757 trillion national budget for 2019, the DepEd gets the highest cut at P659.3 billion which will also include funding for free tuition in state universities and colleges. (Azer Parrocha)

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'Botika ng Bayan' launched in Cebu

CEBU - The Department of Health (DOH) launched its first "Botika ng Bayan" (BNB) San Remigio town in Cebu which is aimed at helping poor families avail of essential medicines for free.

DOH Assistant Secretary Maria Francia Laxamana congratulated the San Remigio Municipal Health Office for meeting the requirements set for the establishment of a Botika ng Bayan.

“We would like to commend our municipal health officer Dr. (Urleta) Ursal and her team, the Cebu province, and the municipality of San Remigio for really making BNB a success. You were the first to comply with all the standard requirements set by our Pharmacy Division in Central Visayas for creating BNB,” she said.

Laxamana said the Botika ng Bayan in San Remegio is the third to be established in the country when the DOH revived the BNB program. The first BNB in Luzon was launched in San Mariano town in Isabela province on July 13, while the second was launched in Davao City for Mindanao. San Mariano town in Davao, and San Remigio which are the three pilot sites for the revival of the program.

The BNB will provide access to free essential medicines for common diseases in the community, such as infections, skin ailments, asthma, and chronic non-communicable diseases - targeting indigents and the marginalized sectors of the population.

Formerly Botika ng Barangay, BNB was temporarily stopped in 2011 because of insufficient supplies of medicine and lack of supervising pharmacists. Laxamana assured that the revived BNB will provide free medicines to the public.

“Every month, we will have an inventory, which Rural Health Units will forward to the regional offices. We will ensure that there will always be sufficient supply of medicines in the BNB. I assure you that free medicines will be available anytime of the day, 24/7,” she said.

According to the DOH, the new BNB will not just provide medicines but there will also be licensed pharmacists and trained pharmacy assistants who will educate and counsel the patients about their medications.

Patients who wish to avail of the free medicines from BNB must first consult with the RHU or a private doctor and bring their prescription to the BNB. San Remigio Mayor Mariano Martinez, meanwhile, clarified that the BNB is for residents of the town only, and encouraged other local governments to comply with the requirements and put up their own BNBs.

To create their own BNBs, a local government should have a license to run a pharmacy, sufficient and air-conditioned space for the medicines, and a licensed pharmacist. (Luel Galarpe and Bebie Jane Casipong)

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Direct flights between Laoag, Cebu mulled

AS AIR TRAVEL demand continues to increase, the Philippine Airlines said it might consider opening direct flights connecting Laoag, the northern gateway of Luzon, to the central Visayas region.

Xavier Ruiz, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Tourism Office, said talks are underway for the proposed direct flights from Cebu to Laoag and vice versa.

“Since we are participating in international travel marts, we are constantly receiving a number of inquiries should airlines consider adding new flights and we are glad about it,” said Ruiz following Ilocos Norte’s latest participation in the International Travel Festival held recently in Cebu City.

In 2011, Ilocos Norte and Cebu signed a pact for a sister-province ties and both local governments envisioned to promote big opportunities on economic investment, tourism, agriculture as well as the passion for culture and heritage, among other things.

Ruiz said the first step to maximize the sisterhood agreement is to open direct flights from Cebu to Laoag and vice-versa. To date, there are two options in going to Ilocos Norte from Cebu – and that is for Cebuanos and visitors may fly to Manila then take a connecting flight to Laoag or take a flight from Cebu to Clark in Pampanga and then ride a bus going to Laoag. (Leilanie Adriano)

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'Build, Build, Build' program for 2019 has P909 billion funds

A TOTAL OF P909.7 billion out of the proposed p3.757 trillion national budget for 2019 will be allotted for the construction of the flagship projects under the "Build, Build, Build" program.
The funding for infrastructure projects represents 24.2 percent of the cash budget for 2019 or 4.6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

“Investments in sufficient and quality infrastructure will increase economic activity through improved mobility, connectivity and sustainability across the country,” President Rodrigo Duterte emphasized, adding, public infrastructure spending in 2019 is estimated to generate 1.1 million jobs.
The Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH) will get the bulk of the 2019 infrastructure budget amounting to P555.7 billion while the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will take P76.1 billion.

Duterte said the two departments will use the amount to provide connectivity for all Filipinos and to implement major infrastructure projects. Of the DPWH budget, P113.29 billion will be used for the network development including widening of 778.822-kilometer roads with P35.93 billion budget and construction of by-pass and diversion roads and new roads with P63.77 billion.

The DPWH has also P29.66 billion for the widening, replacement, retrofitting, repair and rehabilitation and construction of new bridges next year. “Bridges remain an important backbone of our infrastructure investments,” Duterte said.

A total of P56.65 billion is allocated for asset preservation program to keep the roads in good condition while P101.91 billion will be spent for flood management program including the P72.74-billion drainage systems.

Since Metro Manila contributes at least 35 percent to the Philippine economy, DPWH has allotted P25.2 billion for the construction of 35-km Metro Manila subway project while P2 billion will be used to build 17 more stations of Pasig River Ferry Convergence Program.

Duterte also emphasized the need to build more infrastructure projects outside Metro Manila to spur economic activities in the rural areas.

For Luzon area, the projects include the 56-km P4.6-billion Philippine National Railways (PNR) South Commuter project from Solis, Tondo to Los Banos in Laguna; the 38-km P14.04-billion PNR North 1 Project that will have 10 stations from Tutuban in Manila to Malolos, Bulacan; the P17-billion Chico River Pump Irrigation System; P875-million Lower Agno River Irrigation System Extension Project in Pangasinan; and P311-million Bongabong River Irrigation Project in Oriental Mindoro.

The listed projects for Visayas, on the other hand, are the P754 million that will go to New Bohol (Panglao) International Airport; P450 million for Catbalogan airport in Samar; P50 million for Tacloban airport in Leyte; P282 million for New Cebu International Container Port Project; P75 million for rehabilitation and improvement of various ports and wharves.

Mindanao also stands to receive P2.9 billion for construction of Mindanao Railway Project; P500 million for the Siargao Airport; P315 million for the Davao International Airport; P400 million for Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project Phase II in North Cotabato; P300 million Sapalan River Irrigation Project in Maguindanao; and, P92 million for the Central Mindanao (M’lang) airport. The bulk of the allocation for the DOTr, P24.6 billion will fund its various railway projects.

DOTr has also allotted P2.2 billion for improvement of airports and P627 million for sea transport primarily for implementation of Phase 2 of the P330-million Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project.

In a bid to make 145 cities throughout the country liveable, sustainable and inclusive, Duterte said his administration will continue investing in the infrastructure development outside Metro Manila. He said some P11.7 billion will be provided for the Assistance to Municipalities, basically to fund local access roads, local bridges, sanitation and health facilities, and potable water system projects, among others.

Likewise, some P8.2 billion will be set aside for Conditional Matching Grant to Provinces to pave, repair, and improve around 500km of provincial roads. With number of Filipino internet users to hit 70 million in 2018, the Duterte administration also continued to invest in information technology infrastructure projects.

A total of P1.2 billion and P280 million have been allotted for free internet Wi-Fi access in public places and state universities and colleges, respectively, while P177 million for National Government Data Center and P43 million for National Broadband Plan in 2019. (Jelly Musico)

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Stay alert and vigilant: Pro-ISIS militants out to sow terror, chaos

THE PHILIPPINE military has urged the public to be on alert and stay vigilant at all times following attempts by pro-ISIS militants to bomb civilian targets in the restive southern region.

Just recently, troops and policemen foiled a bombing attempt in Tacurong City after a civilian discovered an improvised explosive along General Lim Street and immediately informed authorities about it.

Security officials have blamed failed attack to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and tagged two fighters Brah Lumambas and Bohari Adam, both bomb-makers under militant leader Gani Saligan, as behind the attempt.

The BIFF, whose members were mostly former Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels, is on a terror campaign following a series of defeat from deadly clashes with military forces in Mindanao in recent months.

“This is the second attempt of the BIFF terror group to create chaos in Tacurong City, but was successfully pre-empted through the help of our concerned civilians in the community,” said Col. Robert Dauz, commander of the 1st Infantry Mechanized Brigade.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, said: “The bombing attempt was clearly meant to create atrocities and terror attack in the peace-loving and progressive city of Tacurong.”

He also appealed to citizens to immediately report to authorities anything that is suspicious – from people to abandoned baggage in public places and communities.

Last May 27, security forces also foiled a bombing attempt by militants to sow terror after an improvised explosive was found planted near a school in Tacurong City.

Sporadic clashes still continue between troops and militants in North Cotabato and Maguindanao provinces and in nearby areas as BIFF stepped up its attacks on military targets.

In June, fighting broke out in Olandang village in North Cotabato’s Midsayap town where troops raided a BIFF hideout and the target of the operation was militant leader Mando Mamalumpong. Soldiers recovered an M16 automatic rifle, ammunition, two grenades and improvised explosive, including military uniform and a binocular, in the area where the gun fight occurred.

The military also launched an offensive in Liguasan marsh in the neighboring province of Maguindanao and claimed to have killed over a dozen militants. It said the strike also destroyed an alleged weapons’ factory of the BIFF in the marsh.

The offensive forced thousands of villagers to flee their homes for fear they would be caught in the crossfire. The military assault also forced the Department of Education to suspend classes in four towns of General Salipada Pendatun, Pagalungan, Rajah Buayan and Montawal. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Duterte urged to revoke licenses of erring mining firms

PAGADIAN CITY - An infrastructure-oriented think tank has urged President Rodrigo Duterte to decisively clamp down on erring mining firms which had destroyed the environment and compromised resources.

“The President need not look too far, as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources already has a standing list of erring mining companies which, according to the President’s State of the Nation Address destroyed the environment and compromise our resources,” said Terry Ridon, convenor of Infrawatch PH and former urban poor chief of Duterte.

Ridon said the President only needs to revisit the listed created by former DENR Secretary Gina Lopez and determine whether the mining companies in the list had already undertaken measures to protect the environment and contribute to what the President has said “as what needs to be given to my countrymen.”

“It should be made clear that the President made no distinction on which irresponsible miners are - whether large-scale or small-scale mining, the policy direction of the President is to preserve the environment and contribute to what the people truly deserve. Anyone operating less than this standard should be shut down and have its licenses revoked,” Ridon said.

He said more than the payment of taxes, mining companies should also determine whether their activities are truly acceptable to communities within their mining areas.

“We have heard many times over the repeated complaints indigenous communities being displaced from their homes and farms in order to accommodate mining concessions. Consistent with the President’s pronouncements, the people’s lives should be front and center in any policy related to mining activities,” Ridon said.

Duterte also warned mining companies engaged in open-pit mining activities in the country. Lopez had ordered an extensive review of mining firms in Mindanao following many complaints from the indigenous people.

A staunch advocate of renewable energy, Lopez said she had talks with some of the indigenous tribes in the region and heard their sentiments. Many of them wanted to put a halt on large-scale mining in their ancestral domain in the provinces. Tribal groups had asked Lopez to ban open-pit mining due to the hazards it posed to the environment.

She ordered an official audit of all operating mines and the moratorium on the approval of new mining projects, according to reports. During her stint, Lopez ordered the cancellation of Oceana Gold Philippines Incorporated’s (OGPI) permit for exploration and expansion. And leaders of Didipio Earth Savers Multi-Purpose Association, SALAKNIB, Alyansa ng Mangagawa at Magsasaka ng Kasibu, Alyansa Tigil Mina, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines said they were pleased with Lopez’s order.

Lopez said she will cancel the extension of exploration permit issued to OGPI, an Australian owned mining company, and instructed the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to issue the cancellation immediately.

She previously said that DENR will also come up with a memorandum that any exploration permit will not be issued without the consent of the community, not only the local government’s endorsement. Lopez’s appointment was rejected several times by the Commission on Appointments after alleged lobbying by mining companies which are affected by her strict implementation of environmental laws.

She has been replaced by Roy Cimatu, a former military general. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Duterte vows to continue drug war

PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE has vowed to continue his war on drugs, saying “it will be as relentless and chilling as on the day it began.”

Speaking before members of the Senate and House of Representatives for his third State of the Nation Address, Duterte also accused the country’s human rights advocates of failing to criticize “drug-lordism, drug dealing and drug pushing.”

“Let me begin by putting it bluntly: The war against illegal drugs is far from over,” Duterte said two minutes into his 48-minute speech. He noted how drug trafficking had become rampant. “That is why the illegal drugs war will not be sidelined,” he said.

Since Duterte’s first day as president on June 30, 2016, up to June 30, 2018, more than 4,500 people have been killed in what the Philippine National Police calls lawful anti-drug operations, alleging that the suspects fought back during raids.

Thousands more have been killed by unidentified assailants throughout the country. The Human Rights Watch said Duterte’s attack on human rights advocates for being silent on drug dealers is merely an attempt to deflect their criticism of his abusive campaign.

It said Duterte’s promise to relentlessly pursue the war on drugs can only mean more suffering for poor urban Filipinos who account for most of the campaign’s victims. “It can only mean the perpetuation of impunity and zero accountability,”

Carlos Conde, of the Human Rights Watch, said. He said the President thumbed his nose at the International Criminal Court, which has launched a preliminary examination on the complaints filed against Duterte in relation to the killings.

“The ICC, as well as the United Nations Human Rights Council should take this open challenge and ensure that the president and his chief subordinates in the drug war are held to account,” Conde said. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Categories Supply of rice, basic commodities running low in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The prices of rice have gone up in Sulu after the provincial government virtually purchased thousands of bags in the market to provide food for over 5,000 families displaced by a massive fire in the capital town of Jolo.

“Prices or rice have gone up from about P750 a bag to nearly a thousand pesos because of artificial shortage of supply,” said villager Mirah Abubakar.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office in a report to Sulu Governor Toto Tan said some 5,200 families were affected by the huge fire in Busbus and Walled City.

A bulletin by the Provincial Government said: “As of date, a total of 5,200 families are fire victims, per PDRRMO report. The Office of the Governor Committed to provide a bag of rice to every affected family at thru every possible means as there is no supply of NFA rice for the purpose, leaving no option but to secure commercial rice.”

The Local Price Coordinating Council has confirmed the sudden hike in prices of rice due to the shortage of supply. Malaysian goods from nearby Sabah such as noodles and other basic commodities also increases because of a trading ban by the government since June which resulted to the scarcity of cheap products from Malaysia.

Tan has ordered the purchase of noodles and necessities from supermarkets in Zamboanga City to help feed the victims. He dispatched social workers and hundreds vollunteers to ensure the safety of the fire victims, who are now in several temporary shelters in Jolo. A medical mission was also launched Friday and is continuing in the shelters.

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) also sent relief goods to the displaced villagers with Governor Mujiv Hataman leading the humanitarian mission following the conflagration on July 24. Hataman distributed rice and other basic necessities and pledged to send more aid.

President Rodrigo Duterte flew to Jolo on July 27 and was welcomed by Tan and they led the government’s relief operation there and promised fire victims more aid to come. He said families left homeless by the conflagration will also receive at least P15,000 and materials to rebuild their homes.

Duterte was also in Zamboanga on July 26 where he visited hundreds of fire victims too and pledged to rebuilt the homes of those displaced by conflagration July 24 in Labuan village.

Former Sulu Governor Sakur Tan also sent out thousands of food packs for fire victims as civil groups and civilians called for more donations. Even the LM Metro Hotel in Zamboanga City has begun a drive and asked residents here for donations for the victims.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in ARMM said it began releasing Friday cash grants to some 1,600 fire victims who are beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

Lawyer Laisa Alamia, ARMM Executive Secretary and concurrent DSWD Regional Secretary, said some 1,325 beneficiaries from Busbus; and 290 from Walled City will receive a total of P16,484,400 in cash grants. Day-care and elementary school children will receive P300 each while P500 will be given to every high school student displaced by the fire. Pregnant women who have to undergo prenatal check-ups will also be given P500 each for health allowance.

“What little we can do to alleviate their suffering should be of top most priority now. The extra amount will go a long way for the fire victims,” she said.

The Department of Education (DepEd) in ARMM is also providing psychological first aid to students adversely affected by the huge fire. Lawyer Rasol Mitmug, DepEd Regional Secretary, said they initially conducted psychological first aid to students in Grades one to six to help them cope with psychological trauma in the aftermath of the disaster.

Mitmug said they have yet to verify the total number of students affected by the fire, but initial report shows there were 92 students from Jolo National High School; over 200 students from Sulu National High School; 100 pupils from Mohammad Tulawie Central Elementary School, and 9 pupils in Asturias Elementary School. The Bureau of Fire Protection has begun an investigation into the fire as ordered by Tan to determine its cause and total damage to property. (Mindanao Examiner)

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