Dumaguete Metropost, February 12, 2023 pdf version

MDW defers VAT collection

The Metro Dumaguete Water has agreed to defer the collection of the 12 percent Value Added Tax on consumers by one month.

Appearing before the City Council last Tuesday, MDW Chief Operating Officer Angelo David Berba offered to move the VAT collection to March, upon the request of the Dumaguete City Council.

Councilors Antonio Remollo, Joe Kenneth Arbas, and JV Imbo then moved to meet with MDW on the Committee level at a later date to discuss ways to save on local taxes that could mitigate or offset the VAT.

The MDW had earlier announced that while it had been absorbing the VAT of the more than 37,000 water consumers for the past two years, it could no longer sustain absorbing the tax, citing rising costs, and the need for increased spending on the water system upgrades and repairs.

Berba also updated the members of the City Council of the MDW’s achievements for 2022, which was highlighted by increased water pressure and availability.

From an average pressure in 2021 of only 11 PSI (pounds per square inch), the hydraulic pressure is now averaging 17 PSI -- more than enough to reach the second floor of a house.

From only 55 percent of consumers enjoying 24/7 water availability two years ago in 2021, about 95 percent of water consumers now experience round-the-clock water supply, although there may still be problems of water pressure at peak times, Berba said.

Other accomplishments included the digging of two new deep wells to improve water

NS Alcala laid to rest

PBBM lauds his life as ‘great Filipino scientist’

The searing heat on Friday noon that followed a heavy downpour early morning didn’t stop close to a thousand people from attending the funeral of National Scientist Angel Chua Alcala, a renowned expert on marine protection and conservation.

Dr. Alcala was given military honors with a 21-gun salute and the playing of the Taps, as he was laid to rest past noon at Gardens Memorial Park here in Dumaguete.

During the necrological service at the Silliman University Church, and the state funeral organized by the National Academy of Science & Technology, the country’s scientists took turns extolling the virtues and recalling the pioneering accomplishments of Dr. Alcala throughout his professional career, which started when he was a master’s degree and doctoral student at Stanford University in the 1960s.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who was in Japan for a state visit, sent a written message that was read by Undersecretary Maridon Sahagun of the Department of Science & Technology.

In his statement, the President said

CoViD-19 Cases in the Philippines

the Philippines is not only mourning the loss of Dr. Alcala, but also “celebrating his life as a great Filipino scientist, an ardent researcher, a passionate educator, and an effective leader.”

He said Dr. Alcala’s pioneering works are now paving the way for younger generations to have greater awareness of protective environmental practices, marine conservation, and the discovery of new species.

He said because of Dr. Alcala’s works, more Filipinos have “developed a heightened consciousness of sea protection.”

“Dr. Alcala always went beyond what was expected of him,” referring to the inroads he made as well as the first chair of the Commission on Higher Education, where he established centers of excellence and centers of development

HONORED. The flag-draped casket of National Scientist Angel C. Alcala leaves Silliman University Church Friday noon to be taken to his final resting place where he was honored with a 21-gun salute. Beside the casket are some of his children Dr. Ely Alcala, Moses & Mylene Alcala, Dr. Lana & Dr. Angelo Alcala, Mrs. Naomi LusocAlcala, and their eldest Estrilda Cruz-am. Dumaguete Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo was also with the family. (Photo by Irma Faith Pal)

2nd District Cong. Chiquiting Sagarbarria meets with National Irrigation Administration Acting Regional Manager Engr. Reyne Ugay for consultation. With them were (leftmost) Engr. Joseph Naparota, NIA-Negros Oriental head, and Rosemarie Pandan. (Photo by E. Alagao)

Valle water checked for contamination

The Provincial Health Office (PHO) in Negros Oriental province is investigating a possible water source contamination in Vallehermoso town following the deaths of four people recently, an official bared on Wednesday.

Acting PHO chief, Dr. Liland Estacion, told the Philippine News Agency that she has sent sanitary inspectors to Vallehermoso to take water samples from different sources for laboratory testing.

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in universities around the country.

“Dr. Alcala achieved so much in 93 years because of his love of country,” the President added.

Alcala’s legacy, he said, encouraged Filipinos to find sustainable solutions to environmental problems. “Dr. Alcala has brought honor and pride to our country,” President Marcos said.

Members of NAST, who flew in from Manila, called Alcala a “hero of science” as his love for the environment was always reflected in his research works.

Eufemio Rasco Jr., NAST interim president, likened the passing of Alcala at age 93 on Feb. 1 to “losing a rare national treasure.”

But Rasco said there is hope as the genes of Dr. Alcala continue to

CebPac, Robinsons Hotels offer Valentine promo

Cebu Pacific and Robinsons Hotels & Resorts are offering exclusive discounted hotel rates to its passengers this month to make Valentine’s Day celebrations memorable.

From Feb. 6 to 28, CebuPac passengers can avail of discounted rates at Go Hotels in Lanang-Davao, Dumaguete, Iloilo, and Tacloban, as well as at Summit Galleria Cebu. Each passenger can book up to three rooms for a maximum of seven nights, exclusive of breakfast.

To avail of the discounted hotel rates, CebPac passengers must present their valid boarding pass, and governmentissued ID upon booking and check-in at Go Hotel.

So whether you’re planning to satisfy your sweet tooth in Davao, the Chocolate Capital of the Philippines, or spend Valentine’s Day with your loved ones in Cebu, the vibrant Queen City of the South, CebPac and Robinsons Hotels have the perfect destination and accommodation.

CebPac is set to restore 100 percent of its pre-CoViD network and capacity in March this year. It now flies to 34 domestic destinations, and will resume all its 25 international destinations in the first quarter of the year.

Robinsons Hotels & Resorts is the hospitality arm of Robinsons Land Corp. (PR)

Island off the coast of the town of Dauin—a model of which is showcased at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois.

He also urged the country’s educational institutions to include protection and conservation in their courses; and pleaded with academic researchers to direct their efforts to the applied sciences, especially studies on MPAs.

To date, the Philippines has only declared 42 National Scientists. Rasco said Dr. Alcala is a very good argument why this country needs National Scientists.

“Dr. Alcala’s life story is a good example of how a researcher can become a credible scientist and change-maker,” Rasco said.

The NAST head also thanked Silliman

Angel Alcala a hero to Apo Island fisherfolk

On Tuesday last week, fisherfolk from Apo Island took a 45-minute boat ride to Malatapay in Zamboanguita town, and then took a bus to Dumaguete City to join environmentalists, residents, and the academic community in paying their last respects to National Scientist Angel Alcala, whom many in coastal villages in Negros Oriental consider as their “hero.”

In a Facebook post on Feb. 5, former Apo Island village chief Liberty PascobelloRhodes thanked Alcala for sharing his knowledge about marine resources

in the 1980s, said she first heard about the scientist’s work when she was 22.

At that time, she said Alcala went to Barangay Apo Island, off the coast of the southern town of Dauin, to talk to them about their marine resources.

Alcala, she said, had told them they did not have to stay home as housewives all day, as they could take an active role in the fishing industry.

Aldeon, now 64, manages five bancas (small boats with outriggers) that shuttle residents, divers, and other guests between

National Scientists.

Dr. Arvin Diesmos of NAST said he would never forget his mentor Dr. Alcala since the early 90s for his stamina to engage in his prolific research life. He recalled scaling Mt. Banahaw at 1,500 meters above sea level with Dr. Alcala, who was 65 at that time; and catching lizards around 2012 in Siargao, even when Alcala was 82.

Prof. Garry Russ of James Cook University referred to his colleague in coral reef conservation as the “father of communitybased marine resources management in the world”.

“Angel was the foremost authority in Philippine amphibians and reptiles, an achievement that alone defined him as a world renowned scientist,” Russ said in a tribute delivered during the necrological in Dumaguete by Dr. Rene Abesamis of the UP Marine Sciences Institute, a mentee of Professor Russ in Australia, and of Dr. Alcala at the SU Angelo King Center for Research & Environmental Management.

Professor Russ said Alcala “stepped out of the ivory tower of academia to help achieve real-world change” by joining the Cabinet of President Ramos as secretary of the Department of Environment & Natural Resources in 1992. “Angel always had time to listen and pass on his wisdom.”

and their preservation with her fishing community, remembering the scientist’s visits during her teens.

“You are our hero because, with you, people on Apo Island now have better lives and a better future,” said the 62-year-old Rhodes.

Alcala died on Feb. 1 at the age of 93, and was buried Feb. 10, Friday.

As a national scientist, Alcala could have been interred at Libingan ng mga Bayani. However, his family opted to have his remains buried at The Gardens Cemetery here.

Apo Island and its jump-off point at Malatapay.

“We were so innocent when Dr. Alcala first taught us the value of industry in a fishing village, and how to care for our resources,” she said.

The fishcatch was abundant around Apo Island at that time but most fishers were into cyanide fishing and “muro-ami,” the now-illegal fishing technique where even the fishers’ children pound on the coral reefs and drive the fish into the nets.

of their marine area offlimits to fishing activities provided space where the fish could spawn and reproduce and eventually yield more and bigger fish.

Former Environment Undersecretary Ben Malayang III said Alcala was one person who was “not easy to give up on what he saw was the truth.”

Last Wednesday, faculty and students of the SU Institute of Environmental & Marine Sciences took turns extolling the virtues of Alcala, the founder of the University’s research facility.

live in his six children now in their senior years (Estrilda Cruz-am, Angelo, Emily Layos, Moses, Grace Gloria, and Ely), his 17 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. Alcala is survived by his wife of 70 years, Naomi Lusoc-Alcala, and his younger siblings.

Rasco said Dr. Alcala was prolific with his pioneering research studies in marine protection and conservation, but that his work is not complete.

He asked the country’s scientific community to follow in Alcala’s footsteps, and continue his campaign to establish more extensive networks of community-based marine protected areas that he pioneered at Apo

University for the “priceless gift” it gave to nation; he also thanked the coastal town of Dumaguete which was the “proper environment for Alcala to grow, bloom, and bear fruit”.

Dr. Betty CernolMccann, president of Silliman University, said Alcala was a role model for all, “a man of character and faith, the hallmarks of a true Sillimanian”.

Dr. Lourdes Cruz of the Mathematical & Physical Sciences division of the NAST, said she remembers Alcala for being generous in sharing his knowledge with other people, who always took time to talk with high students about conservation. Cruz is now one of only nine living

The eulogies were punctuated with beautiful renditions of songs and hymns by the SU Church Covenant Choir and the SU Campus Choristers conducted by Prof. Elizabeth Susan VistaSuarez.

One local journalist who has covered the work of Alcala the last 37 years said that “various praises and accolades have been said of Dr. Alcala, but none can approximate the real depth and magnitude of his accomplishments” on the lives of the people in the fishing villages, on his students and mentees, and colleagues in the field.

“Papa told me several years ago that it doesn’ t matter how prestigious is the award given to you, as long as the impact of your work is appreciated by the common folk,” said Ely Alcala, youngest son of Angel and Naomi. (Irma

Faith Pal)

Alcala, a Filipino biologist who was named national scientist in 2014, was known for his fieldwork, building sanctuaries and promoting biodiversity in the aquatic ecosystems of the country.

Mary Aldeon, one of the members of the Development Women Active Network which Alcala helped establish

supply, the replacement of over 7,000 old water meters, rehabilitation of more than 4,000 meters of pipelines, the procurement of two brand new water tankers, and the upgrading of four of its pumping stations.

MDW subscribers can also find their water bills online through the customer portal named “MDW My Water Bill” and that MDW is now ISO 9000:2015 certified, to assure the public of proper practices in documentation.

Berba also suggested that to cushion the effects of the VAT in the future, subscribers may save on commuting and driving

At that time, many fishers on Apo Island believed that the scientists from SU’s Marine Laboratory, now the Institute of Environmental & Marine Sciences, led by Alcala and social workers just wanted to buy their island, and make it another Silliman property.

But Alcala persisted despite rumors in the community. He continued to talk to the people, telling them that keeping a quarter

over to their office by paying their bills online.

Online payment options include Gcash, Paymaya, BDO App, and Dragonpay. MDW also has over 1,000 payment centers nationwide, that includes more than 50 sari-sari stores in Dumaguete, as well as banks, convenience stores, and pawnshops.

Last Thursday, MDW, a joint venture company between Metro Pacific Water and DCWD, toured the local media to the various pumping stations in the City to show the improvements that have transpired in the last two years. (PR)

“There is a planet needing to be healed and saved,” said Hilconida Calumpong, former director of the SU Marine Laboratory.

Another faculty member, Aileen Maypa, remembered how Alcala challenged her to take her doctorate.

“Fish is our primary resource; our country needs people who know fish,” said Maypa, recalling Alcala’s words.

Francia Candido remembers Dr. Alcala for encouraging her daughter Analie to enroll in Biology at Silliman University as a scholar, now the only Silliman-educated biologist from Apo Island.

Together with several other Apo Island residents, Francia, now 72, crossed over to the mainland on a 45-minute banca ride to come to Silliman Church to pay their respects to their hero.

Mario Pascobello, 58,

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NS ALCALA....FROM P. 1

MDW....FROM P. 1

Dr. Angel C. Alcala (Photo from his Facebook page)

Motorized bancas parked fronting Apo Island. (Klein Emperado photo)

Chief Operations Officer David Berba informs the media in a news conference of Metro Dumaguete Water’s construction and rehabilitation of four pumping stations, including two deepwells, to support the growing demand for water, and to improve service reliability. He added that the new generator sets will be installed in the areas to ensure continuous water supply for the concessionaires even during power outages.

NegOr poorest in Cental Visayas

The Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2021 full-year official poverty statistics showed that Negros Oriental registered the highest poverty incidence in Central Visayas with 29.3 percent or 414,042 NegOrenses.

PSA Negros Oriental Chief Engr. Ariel Fortuito said this means that in 2021, around 29 in every 100 individuals in the Province belonged to the poor population, whose

income was not sufficient to buy their minimum basic food and non-food needs.

The figure is higher than the 25.5 percent poverty incidence recorded in the 2018 survey, but lower than the 42.6 percent in 2015, as shown in an information dissemination forum in Dumaguete.

It was noted that the poverty rate has increased due to the effects of the coronavirus disease

In Vallehermoso

Gastro kills 5, downs 192

At least 192 people, including young children, suffered from gastroenteritis symptoms while a fifth death has been reported in Vallehermoso, Negros Oriental, a health official said Thursday.

Acting Provincial Health Office Chief, Dr. Liland Estacion, said in an interview that the cases are limited only to Barangay Puan, whose water sources are believed to have been contaminated, causing the viral infections.

Describing the situation as already “alarming,” Estacion said immediate interventions were being carried out while waiting for the laboratory results of water samples taken from the same barangay.

Suspects in killing of Mayor’s brother shot dead

said in mixed English and Cebuano.

They have also handed over hydration salts to the villagers.

Estacion said they also took rectal swabs for laboratory testing in Cebu City to determine the presence of cholera.

“Gastroenteritis is just a general term for specific cases like amoebiasis, cholera, and other similar infections, and patients exhibit symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting,” she explained.

Some patients were sent to the hospital while others were recuperating from home, with several testing positive for amoebiasis, she said.

Two of the three suspects in the murder of the brother of the Valencia town Mayor in Negros Oriental, and another individual, were shot dead late Wednesday night, hours after they were released from detention.

Forty-five-year-old Tim Moerch, a Danish citizen living in West Balabag, Valencia, and Myla Ozoa Cagas of barangay Cadawinonan, Dumaguete, were killed minutes apart at about 11:20 p.m. in barangay Balugo, Valencia.

Moerch’s legal wife, Karen Kate Cadiente, who was riding with him on the motorcycle at that time, was also shot dead during the attack.

pandemic and Typhoon Odette.

Among families, the poverty incidence was at 23.6 percent in 2021, which is equivalent to 80,034 poor families.

This is also higher than the 19.4 percent recorded in 2018.

Fortuito said the magnitude of poor families in the Province grew by ration and proportion.

Out of 100 families,

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UCCP officials, Bishops to face perjury charge

Top officials of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines have vowed to face the perjury charge lodged against them by the Mandaluyong Prosecutor’s Office before the Mandaluyong Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 59.

In a statement posted on Feb. 3 on the UCCP social media account, General Secretary Melzar Labuntog and 75 other signatories said they expect to be vindicated by an independent and impartial tribunal after they explain clearly and fully the basis for the filing of the perjury complaint against 12 national leaders, including eight Bishops.

Facing perjury charges are members of the previous UCCP National Executive Council who served from June 2014 to June 2018: Pio Baconga who was chair of the General Assembly, Grace Ty who was vice chair of the General Assembly, Lauro Millan who was national treasurer, Jovito Ganaden who was national auditor, General Sec. Bishop Reuel Norman Marigza, Bishop Elorde Sambat of the North Luzon Jurisdiction, Bishop Emergencio Padillo of the Middle Luzon Jurisdiction, Bishop Hamuel Tequis of

the Southeast Mindanao Jurisdiction, Bishop Joel Tendero of the Southern Luzon Jurisdiction, Bishop Melzar Labuntog of the Northwest Mindanao Jurisdiction (currently the UCCP general-secretary), Bishop Jezer Bertoldo of the West Visayas Jurisdiction, and Bishop Jaime Moriles of the Eastern Visayas Jurisdiction.

The Respondents have posted a bail bond of P18,000 each.

The perjury case was filed after the accused UCCP officials submitted notarized sworn documents with the Securities and Exchange CommissionDavao extension office, claiming that members of the UCCP General Assembly gathered on Jan. 12, 2018 at the UCCP national office along EDSA, Quezon City, where twothirds of those in attendance approved the Amended Articles of Incorporation of the Church.

The investigating prosecutor gave weight to the claim of the Complainants that this Jan. 12, 2018 gathering never took place, and proceeded to file a case against the national leaders and Bishops for lying under oath.

The Amended Articles

of Incorporation became the basis for the alleged illegal Joint Venture agreement entered into by the accused UCCP officials with the Villar-owned Vista Residences, to build a two-tower residential condominium complex on property originally owned by the Ellinwood Malate Church in Malate, Manila.

The Complainants belong to a group of UCCP members who are fighting against what they call the “corporatization” in a virtual sale of UCCP’s prized assets, including mission properties and institutions of healing and teaching. (See statement by Rev. Everett Mendoza on p. 5.)

These claims were brushed off by the UCCP leadership in its statement as “harassment by those sowing discord without qualms of its possible impact”.

“This latest nuisance suit is another vain effort to further their persecution of Church leaders by putting the lives of bishops, church workers, and members in danger by prejudice, misrepresentation, incitement to hatred and filing of baseless charges, coupled with malicious red-tagging,” the statement said.

“We have distributed jerry cans and water filtration tablets to 100 households or families and have asked residents in Barangay Puan who drink from the tap to first boil the water, and we need to contain this outbreak before more people come down with symptoms,” she

Gastro cases are not transmitted between humans but through contaminated food or water, she added.

Reports said four people died in separate incidents in Vallehermoso last week. They were found to be positive for amoebiasis. (Judy

F. Partlow/PNA)

Fish Right foresees increase fish catch

The Fish Right Program of the US Agency for International Development is seen to reverse the depleted fishery resources in southern Negros with partners and stakeholders already empowered for the sustainability of the program, even if it ends next month.

Launched in 2018 in partnership with the Philippine government through the Bureau of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources, the Fish Right Program is implemented in three marine key biodiversity areas, namely, Southern Negros, the Calamianes Islands in Palawan, and the Visayas Seas.

“We are now preparing for the end of the project next month and its subsequent turnover to local partners and stakeholders in our area of coverage, and we are confident that they are now empowered to ensure its sustainability,” Dr. Hilconida Calumpong, Fish RightSouthern Negros project coordinator, told the media Thursday evening.

Calumpong and her team turned over to Gov. Roel Degamo four sets of scuba diving equipment for the Province’s Environment & Natural Resources Division, as part of the program’s capacity-building component.

She said they will facilitate the training and licensing of SCUBA divers from ENRD so they can do regular monitoring of the program in southern Negros in marine protected areas and other coastal areas.

Eleven coastal municipalities and cities are covered by the program: Dumaguete, Bacong, Dauin, Zamboanguita, Siaton, Sta. Catalina, Bayawan City, and Basay in Negros Oriental; and Hinobaan, Sipalay, and Cauayan in Negros Occidental, she said.

Calumpong, a marine biology professor at Silliman University, and who was director of the SU Institute of Environmental & Marine Sciences at the time of the project launch, said beneficiaries have been capacitated in various forms to empower them to sustain fisheries in their communities.

Silliman University, local government units, partner stakeholders, and government agencies, such as the Department of Labor & Employment provide assistance such as training on gender and development, skills, livelihood, and capacity building, she said.

“These sustaining mechanisms will allow the communities to undertake their own monitoring, information management, evaluation, and management of resources,” she added.

She cited as an example groups of fishermen’s wives who produce woven doormats and pot holders that are distributed in department stores in this capital city, for supplemental income during times when the fish catch is minimal due to typhoons and other reasons.

Another project to be turned over next week is the DOLE Palamigan or ice-making project, Calumpong said.

This aims to correct post-harvest losses of the fishers when their fishcatch is spoiled due to lack of ice to preserve them.

Other interventions include the allocation of funds from the Negros Oriental II Electric Cooperative so

Moerch and Cagas, including John Edward Remollo of San Jose town, were the suspects in the killing last Monday of Don Paulo Teves, younger brother of Mayor Edgar Teves Jr., and son of former Mayor Edgar Teves Sr.

Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Florence Ed Obial-Kadusale ordered the release of Moerch and Cagas on Wednesday, citing irregularity in the manner of their arrest. It was not immediately known if Remollo was also released.

Army sees end of insurgency in NegOr

The Philippine Army targets to end the communist insurgency in Negros Oriental as early as the first quarter of this year with sustained operations.

Brig. Gen. Leonardo Peña, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade based in Tanjay City, told the media on Tuesday that continuous combat and non-combat operations in the province and in Negros Occidental will reduce the fighting capabilities of the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“Actually, our objective at the brigade is to completely flush out the ranks of the NPA or reduce it to the lowest, insignificant level, or in a state where they can no longer fight the government forces,” Peña said in mixed English and Filipino.

“That is why we have intensified our combat operations to track these NPA rebels down and ensure that they can no longer regain their strongholds and build up their mass base,” he added.

Peña said the recent encounters between the NPA and government forces on Negros Island are the result of the civilian populace’s cooperation

(Photo by PIA7 NegOr)

EDITORIAL

Outdone by Siquijor

The proposal of Gov. Roel Degamo to create a third province in Negros island as a precondition to the setting up of a Negros Island Region is unlikely to materialize.

First, creating a Province will take years while creating a Negros Island Region will only take an executive order from the President.

Second, our situation as a Province would not be worse off under an Island-Region. Negros Occidental also has seven congressional districts, similar to what we now have in Cebu in the Central Visayas Region, where we belong. We are already outvoted as we are under the present situation.

In fact, Negros Oriental could not be in a worse situation—we are already the poorest province in Central Visayas. That’s right, even our former sub-province of Siquijor has outdone us economically. In fact, Siquijor is the richest province in Central Visayas, with a poverty index of only 3.4 percent, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority in its 2021 census that has recently been made public.

The PSA says one third of the people of Negros Oriental are officially considered poor, which became higher than the 25 percent poverty incidence in 2018. The reason for the increase in the poverty index was the COVID 19 pandemic and Typhoon Odette, which did substantial damage to the residents of Negros Oriental.

We, as a Province, definitely need all the help we can get. We would have to rely on the good intentions of those pushing for the creation of the Negros Island Region from the Negros Occidental side, where they said they are also looking for other means to equalize the opportunities of all provinces under the NIR.

ATTY. WHELMA SITON-YAP

whelmayap@yahoo.com

Every15th of April is a red letter date for Filipinos, the date when taxes are due. Failure to pay taxes in the Philippines is against the law, and can result in serious and costly consequences.

Taxes are the lifeblood of the nation, which provides that the existence of a government is a necessity; that government cannot continue without any means to pay its expenses; and that for these means, it has the right to compel its citizens and properties within its limits to contribute.

Such is the reality of taxes; every citizen bears the burden of supporting the government.

Even if one is poor, and has no visible means of livelihood, taxes are collected from each item he purchases or from each service rendered for him.

Benjamin Franklin had said

that there are only two things certain in life: death and taxes.

Recently, in a move to promote the country’s economic recovery, President Marcos Jr. encouraged the public to “pay the correct amount of taxes”, and to kick-off the national

Internal Revenue was put on the spot by journalists on what she intended to do with the much-ballyhooed tax liability of the estate of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos -- which has allegedly ballooned to over P203 billion from the P23 billion

Taxation concerns

campaign for taxpayers to continue to “cooperate, collaborate, and coordinate with the government” in terms of improving the experience of the country’s collection system.

Most critics, however, say that “encouragement” is more of “Follow what I say, but do not follow what I do!”

Where is leadership by example?

Commissioner Lilia Guillermo of the Bureau of

REV. JONATHAN R. PIA

BREAKING BREAD

piajonathan@yahoo.com

Delivered during the necrological service for Angel C. Alcala on Feb. 10, 2023 at Silliman University Church.

Wecome together to join the Alcala family as we take the body of Angel Chua Alcala to its final resting place.

At the same time, we come to remember his life, and give thanks to God for how Angel Alcala had touched the lives not only of the members of his family but also of the Silliman community, the Silliman Church, our country, and the world.

Losing a loved one, especially one who has done a lot to make our world a better place, is one of the most devastating experiences a person can have. We try to prepare ourselves for it as we get older, but when it comes, we really are not ready.

is brought about by parting with someone who means so much to us, and to the community?

Long ago, the Psalmist who wrote Psalm 121 was certainly one who recognized his need for help in facing the challenges of life. It is evident that like us, the Psalmist went through a challenging time in his life. And he knew he did not have the resources within himself to make his life work on his own.

originally assessed by the BIR.

The investigation disclosed that the Marcoses failed to file a written notice of his death, an Estate Tax Return, and their Income Tax Returns for at least five years from 1982-1986, “all in violation of the National Internal Revenue Code”.

Thus, the BIR issued a deficiency estate tax assessment of over P23 billion. The deficiency tax assessments were not administratively

protested within 30 days from their service, as provided by the NIRC. A public auction of some levied properties “took place on July 5, 1993. There being no bidder, the lots were declared forfeited in favor of the government.” BBM then filed suit in the Court of Appeals on June 25, 1993, contesting the BIR actions. Failing to obtain relief in the CA, he elevated the suit to the Supreme Court.

In part, the Supreme Court (June 5, 1997) dismissed the appeal holding, thus: “Apart from failing to file the required [ETR] within the time required time...Petitioner and the other heirs never questioned the assessments served upon them, allowing the same to lapse into finality, and prompting the BIR to collect the said taxes by levying upon the properties left by President Marcos, assessments of the BIR are presumed correct and made in good faith. The taxpayer has the duty of proving otherwise....The course of action taken by Petitioner reflects his disregard, or even repugnance of the established institutions for governance in the scheme of a wellordered society.”

What happens now?

God will keep my “going out and coming in from this time forth and for evermore.”

For the Silliman community, we share stories about the time when Angel Alcala was teaching, the time when he was working on some research, and the things he accomplished as a scientist. And for many, he was a model that we need to emulate.

For the Alcala family, you may remember the things he did as a father, brother, or uncle, or grandfather. And for Silliman Church, how he was active as an officer, helping

I lift up my eyes

Thus today, we give thanks for the wonderful gift God has given us in Angel Alcala, his life among us, his love, wisdom, and talents that he shared with us. It is just right and proper to express our thanks over and over again to God for this unique person with whom we have had the privilege of knowing, and sharing a part of our life.

According to Alex Pal who had been listening to all the tributes about Angel Alcala the past evenings, “Many words had been said but they just cannot approximate the life of Dr. Alcala.”

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Questions come to our minds, and we don’t have answers to them. At such a time, we need something to hold on to. Or we need someone whom we can look up to for help.

I was talking to one of the members of the Church I had served a while back, and he said, “How good it is that at a time when we lose someone we love, we have the grace of God to rely on.”

How true. How else can we deal with the sadness that

The Psalmist was undoubtedly an individual who was a strong person, which is all the more reason Psalm 121 has incredible meaning for you and for me. Here is an example of a strong person who recognized something beyond himself or someone bigger than himself. And so the Psalmist said, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come?” And then he answered, “My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.” We need to remember that death is always hard, especially the death of one who is very dear to us. We think of all the things we’ve talked about, all the good things we did together, or the plans we had, and of course, we grieve.

make decisions as a good steward of God’s creation, and his special relationship with the Lord.

And for some, as we remember the life of Angel Alcala, and thank God for giving us the opportunity of work with him, this also reminds us of the time when we lost a member of our family or a good friend. And we still feel a deep sense of loss.

For us Christians however, we grieve in the arms of a loving God, the God who assures us that even if we go to the depths of hell, our God will be there with us. And when we put our faith in a God whose love is steadfast, we can say, as does the Psalmist, “My help comes from the Lord ...,” and so I know

Well, what we can do is give thanks to God, and rejoice because the One who made us, who weaved us together in the depths of the earth, fashioning us day by day, will -- after we die and return to the earth -keep working in us, keep fashioning us.

The passage from the New Testament was written by St. Paul to the Christians in Corinth. As he went around preaching and sharing the gospel with others, he, too, had his share of suffering and sadness. Paul talked about his “thorn in the flesh” which bothered him. He prayed several times imploring the Lord to take it away, but the Lord answered him with words that have since given hope and courage to countless Christians who have questioned and struggled with life’s dilemmas.

The Lord assured Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you,

CECILIA HOFMANN

GENDER BENDER

h.cecilia7@gmail.com

from Switzerland unexpectedly called a few weeks ago to say he was in Dumaguete accompanying his daughter on her holiday. Both were in the Philippines for the first time, staying with their old Swiss friend who had retired here.

Would they go diving?, I asked, probably the most enjoyable thing to do in these parts? But no, neither was fond of beaches or marine sports. They would explore the City and environs.

Afriendand asked two friends to join me for a longish walk around the boulevard, and a nice lunch somewhere, to get a sense of what a tourist would experience.

The City’s best asset is, of course, the boulevard, with its view of the sea, and nearby islands.

But let’s be honest, the acacia trees, once magnificent, are now fewer,

Angel Alcala: Loving God’s creatures

Angel Chua Alcala, 93, died on Feb. 1, 2023, in Dumaguete City, mourned by scientific, academic, and multiple communities, here and abroad.

And by the way, when we leaned over the water, at the edge of the Pantawan, quite a large swirl of trash floated there.

Now that should be easy enough to collect daily, if there are persons tasked to do so, for it’s surely no pretty sight for tourists.

It seems that the Pantawan, according to my occasional neighbor

A tourist in Dumaguete

and not in the best of health, as Portia Lapitan of UPLB, PhD and tree physiologist, pointed out some years ago.

The day before they returned to Switzerland, he called again to say they would be leaving. They had gone to the Twin Lakes, the Valencia Sunday market, a hot spring pool, the National Museum, but implied that the City itself was a disappointment.

I felt bad about that,

A small attempt was made to plant a row of trees that normally thrive by the sea. A few have survived, if barely, a few others are standing quite dead, mainly of neglect, it appears.

No other attempt, it seems, has been made to envision an attractive boulevard walk, unlike such cities as Iloilo with its Esplanade.

in this paper, is “the best venue for outdoor exercises, entertainment, sports, picnics, rest and recreation” not to mention the favorite Filipino shibboleth of “family bonding.”

But as we walked the length and breadth of it that morning, it was a rather uninviting dull and arid field, its name of Pantawan People’s Park a misnomer.

A park generally refers to green natural or planted public spaces for recreation,

TO PAGE 10

PEOPLE’S CORNER

Perjury is both a legal and an ethical offense. For a church, the legal aspect of perjury is of secondary concern. Of course, the State has the right to prosecute and punish those convicted of crimes according to the laws of the land. But sending our Bishops and other national officers to jail is not our reason for suing them in a government court.

The perjury suit is but a means to enable the church to redeem its integrity, and recover its original purpose and mission as a church.

Church members must be wondering why it took us five years before filing the case. We had tried to exhaust all means

But they would rather treat the whole issue as an entirely legal matter.

This approach is indicative of the national leadership’s frame of mind, which is apparent in its shadowy joint venture negotiations and agreements with Vistaland, and Apple One business companies.

Subsequently, we filed a case at the UCCP’s National Commission on Dispute & Conflict Resolution for the nullification of the National Executive Committee’s order of closure and demolition of Bethany Hospital in Tacloban, as well as for a temporary restraining order of Vistaland’s twin-tower condominium

has remained a promise, a fading promise.

After a series of consultations and personal conversations, we are convinced that the UCCP system of governance has been so thoroughly corrupted that there’s no way for local churches to gain a fair hearing from the top leadership.

The National Executive Committee is in firm control of the Church’s administrative chain of command from top to bottom, as well as of the national leaders and the general assembly, while the judiciary is totally ignorant of and indifferent to Christian theology and ethics.

It was then that a door

Why UCCP leaders are sued with perjury

within the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) to resolve the twin issues of recovering its mission properties and institutions, and restoring the rights and prerogatives of local churches under the principle of local church autonomy in the Constitution & By-Laws.

Early on, we sent letters of appeal to the national leadership. After a series of meetings, the Faith & Order Commission (chaired by Rev. Noriel Capulong) wrote a policy statement, The End does not Justify the Means, and held a dialogue with the Council of Bishops on the matter in June 2017. The Council of Bishops promised to respond to the issues.

Five years have passed, and we are still waiting for its promised response. Instead, the national leadership dared us to go to the National Commission on Dispute & Conflict Resolution which they say is the highest venue for resolving conflicts.

The Council of Bishops ignored the fact that the Faith & Order Commission is a co-equal body with National Commission on Dispute & Conflict Resolution, tasked with the biblical, theological, and ethical concerns of the Church.

project on the Mission property in Malate, Metro Manila, thereby, demolishing the historic Union High School.

We cited the illegal, unethical, and secretive processes with which the contracts were made.

To date, the lease contract with Gaisano Malls remains undisclosed to the national leadership and the general assembly, while the signed contract with Vistaland was produced by order of the Manila Regional Trial Court during a hearing with the Ellinwood Malate Church.

After a mediation process and four years of protracted hearings, the National Commission on Dispute & Conflict Resolution curtly dismissed the case, true to their dare that we didn’t have a whisper of a chance of winning.

It has dawned upon us that UCCP’S legislative and judicial branches have connived with the executive branch to convert the Church’s Mission properties and institutions into cash cows in the hands of private business companies.

The national leadership’s justification, which they continue to tout today, is that all of it is done to save the poorly-compensated pastors and retired church workers from poverty. Their salvation

Alcala stands tall— primus inter pares , first among equals—for his three decades of service as biologist, university professor and president (Silliman University), Cabinet secretary, marine scientist—the list goes on and on, as do the accolades and awards he has garnered: Outstanding Sillimanian (1988), Ramon Magsaysay awardee for public service (1992), National Scientist (2014), Asean Biodiversity Hero (2017), Pew Fellowship in marine conservation, and a host of other awards.

Hailing from a coastal village in Negros Occidental, the young Alcala and his brother helped their father breed milkfish (bangus) in ponds for sale locally, on occasion catching crabs and shrimp for a family feast.

Living close to sea and shore, it is no wonder Alcala would eventually make their protection his life’s calling.

Graduating from Silliman University in 1951, magna cum laude in BS Biology, Alcala later proceeded to Stanford University for his master’s and doctorate degrees in biology studies, supported by scholarship grants.

Alcala’s numerous awards are mere shorthand for his enduring contributions to science and society: identification of 50 new species of amphibians and reptilians, setting up

a marine protected area in 1974, which is a no-take zone that bans fishing, mining, drilling, and extractive activities, pioneering artificial coral reefs in the ’70s as Department of Environment & Natural Resources secretary -- which now number over 1,000 throughout the country -- a best practice adopted in the Southeast Asian region.

His work has also informed the inclusion of MPAs in both the Local Government Code and the Fisheries Code.

Alcala founded two research institutions: the Silliman Marine Laboratory (now the Institute of Environmental & Marine Sciences), and the Angelo King Center for Research & Environmental Management.

Undergirding all this was his “deep faith in God and the traditions and teachings of the church,” according to Rev. Noriel Capulong. The latter speaks of Alcala’s “unwavering and active involvement” in the life and ministry of the SU church as elder and council member, and as a preacher on numerous occasions.

More recently, Reverend Capulong notes, Dr. Alcala, as a member of the Silliman University Board of Trustees, “expressed deep concern on the leadership crisis” besetting the United Church of Christ in the Philippines for many years.

In 2018, some UCCP members filed charges against its national leadership for illegally leasing land in Tacloban City to the Gaisano conglomerate. Dr. Alcala was involved in mediation

DR. ENRIQUE G. ORACION

proceedings, which failed when the leadership refused to submit basic documents.

We pay tribute to Dr. Alcala for the MPAs that ensure that our coasts and seas heal from overfishing, thus, restoring sustainable livelihoods to impoverished fishing communities.

His healing formula is called the “25 percent solution” based on years of research: If an MPA rehabilitates 25 percent of coral reefs in that area, this will protect 25 percent of fishery species in the same area, and “the spillover effects of...no-take rehabilitation will enable an ecosystem to thrive long enough to protect itself.”

We also thank Dr. Alcala for the countless learning modules, drawing on outputs of the research institutes, and on the books, and over 160 scientific papers he has written.

Angel Alcala has preached -- in action -- the gospel of life abundant for the fisherfolk of Negros (and elsewhere) from whence he came.

A man of few words, his deeds and advocacies now serve to heal the earth, and to teach young and old alike that all creatures that creep and crawl and fly and swim are part of God’s creation -- by naming and providing them sanctuary.

Rest in peace, Dr. Alcala.

Jurgette Honculada

Jurgette Honculada is in her mid-70s. She is from Zamboanga City. She is a member of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, and the advocacy group Pagmata. She also notes that Dr. Alcala is a Freemason.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

enriquegoracion@su.edu.ph

Ihadearlier thought of “quitting” writing about older persons. I may have burned-out readers who find no sense to worry about aging which is an inevitable process in life.

waiting for them to avail of earlier.

But this is not true for many of the government workers with lower ranks and most likely saddled with so many loans to pay.

opened for us to the courts of the government. The national leadership has clearly and definitely violated the laws of both the church and the state when they submitted to the Securities & Exchange Commission an illegallycomposed amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the UCCP, claiming under oath that such amendments were approved by the general assembly of the church on Jan 12, 2018 when in fact, it never happened.

This may serve as a key to undo their illegal, unethical, and unjust actions against UCCP as a religious institution, which is protected by the laws of the land.

A government with a democratic constitution that does not persecute religious freedom is not an enemy of the church. It can be a venue for the church to seek redress of the grievances committed by its own leaders.

We have no reason to shut the government out when it has the means and resources to serve the kind of justice that the church itself has denied its members. Hence, the perjury suit.

Rev. Everett Mendoza Former member, UCCP Faith & Order Commission

But the recent discussion of House Bill No. 206 about lowering the optional retirement age from 60 to 56 years among government workers get me thinking. Would this excite the majority of these workers at this time of economic uncertainties?

Perhaps, only those

More so, among those who are still supporting their children, even married, without a stable occupation and living with them. Some are also sending grandchildren to school and yet far from getting degrees.

This reality must be similar to the private sector where the

The strategies include moving to other offices, if they have experienced burnout, where they could impact more the lives of others until they reach the mandatory retirement age.

Not retiring early despite the monetary benefits could be aptly called quite quitting. I apply this term coined by Brian Creely (https://greekreporter. com/2022/11/21/rise-quietquitting/) because they stay but work only within the descriptions of the job within a prescribed schedule. They are

Quite quitting, but not retiring

government workers of retirement age who are already free of financial obligations like housing loans, car loans, hospital bills, educational loans, and so on may opt for early retirement and enjoy life when the same benefits are extended when one reaches the mandatory retirement age. This is primarily the intention of the bill—to enhance their well-being without workrelated stress.

The authors of the bill believe that government workers need more rest to live longer based on the premise that Filipinos compared to other nationals have a shorter life expectancy. There is no more reason to work harder and wait until they reach 65 years old, particularly when they already served for at least 15 years. A good pension package is

monthly pay and retirement pension of workers are much lower than in the government.

So why do workers opt for the mandatory retirement?

They have the urgency for regular source of income amid the fear of miserable retirement for lack of savings and meager monthly pension.

However, they have reduced their passion for the job compared to in the past. There is no aspiration to move up the rank but to earn and still enjoy work-related benefits. The meaning of work is lost because the worker either experienced burnout and unhappy but refused to retire early.

Nevertheless, those who enjoy their works and confident of wonderful retirement still enthusiastically perform their tasks and look for ways they could sustain their relevance.

unwilling to go beyond work expectations as long as they receive the corresponding pay.

It is not being lazy, but avoiding work-related stress to enjoy life even before retirement. Their colleagues explain this behavior: hapit na man gud siya mo-retire (He is almost retiring). If a random survey would be conducted now, I hypothesized that not so many government workers may take the 56 years optional retirement age because of economic reasons. But they may be exerting less effort in work avoiding work-related stress, which is not good for the health of older persons.

Quit quitting could be a coping behavior to some retiring workers, but this is contagious in a workplace if the symptoms are not being attended to by the management or administration.

WILLIAM E. ABLONG

wea_129@yahoo.com

Whenpeople mention the phrase “naturebased solutions,” usually, they are talking about fighting/mitigating climate change, reducing flood risk, improving water quality, and/or protecting coastal property.

Similarly, they could be discussing how to restore and protect wetlands, how to stabilize shorelines, reduce urban heat, or how to add a recreational space that will not destroy the immediate environs.

It basically talks about sustainable planning, design,

be able to see our solutions through.

For instance, the problem of garbage and proper waste disposal. If only we, the residents of this City, can take the time to make our own compost pit then we wouldn’t have tons and tons of garbage every day.

In making a compost pit, we don’t even need a college degree or sufficient knowledge of science. All we need is our set of arms/ hands and a shovel. If we have this compost pit, we are assured that our wastes are appropriately disposed

since we have them right on our doorstep.

What about health problems? Well, we wouldn’t have high blood pressure and cardiac issues if we had been prudent in our lifestyles before when we were still younger. If we had daily exercise before, then we wouldn’t have all these ailments that we have now.

What about losing our forests? If I’m not mistaken, in Thailand and Vietnam, they have this campaign wherein people are told that after they have eaten fruit, they shouldn’t throw the

Nature-based simple solutions

environmental management, and engineering practices that weave natural features or processes into the built environment to promote adaptation and resilience.

But what about us?

Those of us who are not engineers or scientists, can’t we provide solutions? While we may not have so much knowledge about naturebased answers, however, as ordinary citizens, I think we are capable of handing out solutions to everyday problems that aren’t complicated, simple solutions and solutions that don’t need expensive machinery or expertise.

It means we don’t need to have a Ph.D. to be able to solve a certain problem. All we need is a little common sense, some effort, and adequate commitment to

and what’s more, we have enriched the soil in our backyards because the waste buried in there will become a natural fertilizer for the plants in the vicinity.

The problem of traffic. If only the Sidewalk Ordinance is implemented properly that would help a lot. As citizens, we can help ease traffic by not parking our cars wherever we want to. By doing this, we can decongest the streets. If we own two or three vehicles, we shouldn’t use all of them, that way, we can help reduce pollution.

The issue of food shortage. We all know that even onions are very expensive, so how much more the basic staple? So, why don’t we grow our own food? If we have vegetables and spices in our backyard, we won’t have to worry about buying these

Republic of the Philippines Regional Trial Court of Negros Oriental Branch 43 7th Judicial Region Tanjay City (Stationed in San Jose, Negros Oriental)

Email. rtc2tnj043@judiciary.gov.ph/ Contact No. 0932-4164165

In Re: Petition for Commission as Notary Notarial Commission No. 2023-01 Public for the City of Tanjay and Municipalities of San Jose, Amlan, and Pamplona under the Territorial Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, Josef James T. Gara, Petitioner x-----------------------------------------/ ORDER

Before this Court is a Petition for Appointment as Notary Public of Atty. Josef James T. Gara for the City of Tanjay and the Municipalities of Pamplona, Amlan, and San Jose, all of the province of Negros Oriental and within the jurisdiction of this Court.

As alleged in his petition and as shown in the attached documentary evidence, Atty. Gara appears to possess all of the qualifications and none of the disqualifications as a notary public. Hence, set the summary hearing on the petition for notarial commission of Atty. Gara on 01 March 2023 at 1:30 in the afternoon at the session hall of this Court. Any person who has any cause or reason to object to the grant of the petition may file a verified written opposition thereto prior to the date of the hearing.

Let this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Tanjay, Municipalities of Amlan, Pamplona and San Jose, Negros Oriental at least one week before said hearing, and posted in a conspicuous place in this Court for five (5) days before the date of hearing.

SO ORDERED.

Given. in this 24th day of January 2023 in the Municipality of San Jose, Negros Oriental, Philippines.

CHRISTINE MTABASUARES-ABA

Presiding Judge MetroPost 2023 February 12

seeds or whatever is left of the fruit in the trash can. They are told to find idle lots or land spaces and throw their seeds or the leftover fruit because with the passage of time, whatever was thrown will become a tree. It’s like making a new forest without any effort.

As to old age, that is not a problem, so I won’t talk about that. That is a natural process in life that we all need to accept.

My point is that the most “complicated” problems in the world actually have simple solutions. The problem is, we don’t want those solutions. We always want the ones that call for machines, for higher learning, or people with expertise.

Perhaps, we should go back to being simple. Let us not complicate life too much.

ARMY....FROM P.

3

with their anti-insurgency efforts.

The clashes in Barangay Oringao, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, which is near the boundary of Negros Oriental, over the weekend forced 800 individuals to leave their homes and seek safety.

Peña said Executive Order No. 70 of former President Duterte is now seeing gains in this Central Visayas province, the only one among four provinces in Region 7 that is still dealing with insurgency.

EO No. 70, signed in December 2018, created the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict that employs a whole-of-nation approach to end communism and institute peace-building initiatives.

“We intend to make Negros Oriental insurgency-free, just like Bohol, and we need the cooperation of government agencies, local government units, local chief executives, and various stakeholders for us to achieve this goal,” he added. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)

NEGOR....FROM P. 3

there are 24 with incomes below the amount needed to buy their basic food and non-food needs in 2021.

“So these figures show that an agency or the Department of Social Welfare & Development wants to target it, that’s their benchmark or challenge to look for these poor families to provide [them] assistance,” Fortuito added.

Poverty incidence has been defined as “the proportion of families or individuals with per capita income less than the per capita poverty threshold to the total number of families or individuals.”

The PSA Provincial Head urged local government units to implement the communitybased monitoring system, a tool to fight poverty. It will serve as a basis in targeting households for government programs geared towards poverty alleviation and economic development.

Data that will be generated by CBMS are the compendium of localized facts, figures, and maps on the different dimensions of poverty such as health, nutrition, water, sanitation, shelter, education, income, employment, security, and participation.

Fortuito pushed the LGUs to implement the CBMS to assess poverty that can be used for evidence-based planning and budgeting.

In Central Visayas, Negros Oriental logged the highest poverty rate, followed by Cebu (with highly urbanized cities) with 28.6 percent, Bohol with 23.8 percent, and Siquijor with 3.4 percent. (JCT/PIA7 NegOr)

Regional Trial Court of Negros Oriental 7th Judicial Region Branch 63 Bayawan City, Negros Oriental Tel. (035)480-0281 loc. 1097

Email: rtc2byn063@judiciary.gov.ph

Office of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff

Cooperative Bank of Negros Oriental Foreclosure No: EJF-005-2022

Inc. (CoopBank), mortgagee

-versus- For: Extrajudicial Foreclosure

Spouses Alex D. Tizon & of Real Estate Mortgage Maria Luciana T. Tizon, mortgagors (Under Act. No. 3135, as amended)

x----------------------------------------------/

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SALE

Upon Extrajudicial Petition/Application for Sale under Act No. 1508 filed by Cooperative Bank of Negros Oriental against spouses Alex D. Tizon & Maria Luciana T. Tizon, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which, as of Nov. 24, 2006, amounted to P4,407,813.48 only. The undersigned, or his duly-authorized deputy, will sell at public auction on March 16, 2023 at 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon at the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court Branch 63, Bayawan City to the highest bidder, for cash or manager’s check, and in Philippines currency, the following real properties: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE F TITLE NO. FT-7497 (Lot No. 13-C, Psd-07-040918)

A parcel of land (Lot 13-C, of the subdivision plan, Psd-07-040918, being a portion of Lot 13, Pls-764-D), situated in barangay Villareal, municipality of Bayawan, province of Negros Oriental, island of Negros. Bounded on the SE., along line 2-3 by Lot 289, Pls-764-D; on the SW., along line 3-4 by Lot 13-E; on the NW., along line 4-1 by Lot 13-D, both of the subdivision plan; and on the NE., along line 1-2 by Road (to Bayawan and Sta. Catalina). Beginning at a point marked “1” on plan, being S. 66 degrees 15’E., 3065.97 meters from BLLM No. 1, Pls-764-D, municipality of Bayawan, Negros Oriental, thence S. 70 degrees 11’E., 21.68 meters to point 2; S. 39 degrees 37’W., 75.00 meters to point 3; N. 60 degrees 30’W., 19.60 meters to point 4; N. 38 degrees 44’E., 71.10 meter to point of beginning; containing an area of 1,453 square meters, more or less. All points referred to are indicated on the plan, and marked on the ground as follows: corners 1, 3 & 4 by-P.S. are cyl. conc. mons. 15 x 40 cms. and corners not otherwise described are PLS cyl. conc. mons. 15 x 60 cms.; Bearing true; date of original survey Aug. 26, 1961, and that of the subdivision survey was executed by Engr. Marcelino G. Toralde on June 11, 1997, and approved on Nov. 21, 1997.

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE No. FT-7499 (Lot No. 13-E, Psd-07-040918)

A parcel of land (Lot No. 13-E, of the subdivision plan, Psd-07040918, being a portion of Lot 13, Pls-764-D), situated in Barangay Villareal, municipality of Bayawan, province of Negros Oriental, island of Negros. Bounded on the W., along line 1-2 by Lot 289, Pls764-D; on the N., along line 2-3 by Lot 13-D; on the E., along line 3-4 by Lot 13-C, both of the subdivision plan; on the S., along line 4-1 by Lot 14, Pls-764-D. Beginning at a point marked “1” on plan being S. 63 degrees 26’E., 3048.19 meters from BLLM No. 1, Pls-764-D, municipality of Bayawan, Negros Oriental, thence S. 39 degrees 06’W., 13.70 meters to point 2; S. 35 degrees 14’E., 76.69 meter to point 3; S. 60 degrees 30’W 19.60 meters to point 4; S. 39 degrees 37’W., 82.59 meters to point of beginning; containing an area of 1,303 square meters, more or less. All points referred to are indicated on the plan and marked on the ground by P.S. are cyl. conc. mons. 15 x 60 cms. Bearing true; date of original survey, Aug. 26, 1961 and that of the subdivision survey was executed by Engr. Marcelino G. Toralde on June 11, 1997, and approved on Nov. 21, 1997.

DECLARATION OF REAL PROPERTY No. 99-14-0009-R

A parcel of residential land, with all its improvements existing thereon. Cadastral Lot No. 343, Pls-244, located in barangay Kalumboyan, city of Bayawan, province of Negros Oriental, island of Negros, Philippines. Bounded on the N; by Lot No. 346, on the S., by Lot No. 342, on the E., by Road Lot; and on the W; by Lot No. 344, containing an area of 600 square meters, more or less.

DECLARATION OF REAL PROPERTY No. 99-27-0008-RBI

This residential building was constructed on the land of spouses Alex & Ma. Luciana Tizon, covered by TD No. 94-27-1263-R, located at barangay Villareal, Bayawan, Negros Oriental, and used as a family residence of the herein Declarant.

This Notice of Extrajudicial Sale shall be posted in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental in four conspicuous places where the above-mentioned properties are situated, one copy shall be posted at the Office of the Clerk of the Regional Trial Court-Branch 63, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental where the public auction shall be conducted, and another copy shall be published in a local newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Negros Oriental and its five components cities.

Prospective bidders/buyers may investigate for themselves the titles and the tax declarations of the above-described properties, and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the abovestated time and date.

In the event the public auction should not take place, it shall be held on March 30, 2023 at 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon without further notice.

Bayawan City, Negros Oriental this 16th day of December, 2022.

Copy furnished: GLENN L. NAMOL

QIC-Clerk of Court VI and Ex-Officio Sheriff MetroPost 2023 Jan. 29 • Feb. 5 • Feb. 12

Leo Mamicpic and Gary & Cheryl Rosales mark PH Zero Waste Month by treating the Bantayan Zero-Waste Workers to dinner and dessert in appreciation of their tireless dedication in handling the solid waste program in Brgy Bantayan. (Contributed photo)

BOW & ARROW

pligutom@yahoo.com

The other week, Juleebee Ransa, a Filipina Overseas Foreign Worker who was raped, impregnated, murdered, burned and thrown in the midst of the Kuwait dessert allegedly by the young son of her employer, was laid to rest in her Philippine hometown as her relatives, neighbors and friends cried out for justice over her gruesome death.

This is nothing new for Kuwait. The body of another OFW, 29-year-old Joanna Demafelis, was found inside a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait in February 2018, prompting a deployment ban to that country.

to the guard. Ashamed and afraid that the humiliating experience would be known to the public, she just asked to be sent home and the case be kept secret from her husband and family. We requested the recruitment agency that she be escorted.

She was met at the airport by her husband and when I saw a picture of the couple hugging each other, which was sent to me by FB messenger by the escort, my heart bled and I cried for the innocent husband of what her wife had gone through and

the Isumbong Mo Kay Tulfo program or the Secretary of Labor may mean a recall from the foreign service.

Worst were the guilt feelings for unheard calls from or about distressed workers who are in “between life and death” situations.

Like Fatima, I know the journey of OFWs. I feel their struggles and fears. I share their hopes and dreams. I was with them in their victories, fellowships and parties, sports games, camping, outreach services, etc.

OFW tragedies

Not all unfortunate and tragic OFW stories, however, ended in death but may even be as painful as losing one’s life.

On the same day of Juleebee’s death, another OFW in Kuwait (given the pseudonym “Mary” for security reasons) escaped physical abuse from her employer by jumping from the third floor and ended in a hospital with a fractured spine, broken legs and became paralyzed from the waist down.

One of the more remarkable cases in my overseas assignment as Labor Attache was of a young lady who ran away from her employer, assisted by another OFW.

However, instead of taking her to the Philippine Embassy, she was brought to a “brothel” where she was sold to other Asian expats, who were forced to serve about ten men a day for ten days. She escaped by giving herself

also of the haunted conscience of the wife if the incident would continue to remain in sealed lips.

During my stint in Oman, I met Fatima, an OFW who wrote and gave me a copy of her book, Finish Strong: Go Home for Good, OFW I can relate much to Fatima’s story because as an Officer of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office for about four years (Embassies of Rome and Muscat), I was an OFW myself, although in different circumstances.

I also left my family in Dumaguete, lived alone in an unfamiliar environment and worked 24/7 (OFWs especially those working in the homes of their employers would call for advice and assistance late during their free time, evenings or very early morning).

Most of us at the POLO were always on our toes as distress calls may come like a “thief in the night”. Unanswered calls from anybody including those from

Republic of the Philippines 7th Judicial Region Regional Trial Court of Negros Oriental Branch 63 Bayawan City, Negros Oriental Office of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff DCCCO Multipurpose Cooperative, EJF-2019-006

mortgagee - versus - For: Extrajudicial Foreclosure of Spouses Ma. Jenevie Malones & Real Estate Mortgage Teodulfo Malones, mortgagors (Under Act No. 3135, as amended) x----------------------------------------------/ NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SALE

Upon Extrajudicial Petition/Application for Sale under Act No. 3135 filed by DCCCO Multipurpose Cooperative, a cooperative duly-organized and existing by virtue of the laws of the Philippines, with principal office business address at Sta. Rosa St., Dumaguete City, against spouses Ma. Jenevie Malones & Teodulfo Malones, with residence and postal address at Barangay Kalumboyan, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which, as of July 19, 2019, amounted to Two Hundred Twelve Thousand Nine Hundred Eighteen Pesos and Seventy Six Hundreths (P212,918.76) Philippine currency, inclusive of interest and penalty but excluding attorney’s fees and other legal fees thereon. The undersigned, or his duly-authorized deputy, will sell at public auction on March 23, 2023 at 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon at the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Branch 63, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, to the highest bidder, for cash or manager’s check and in Philippine currency, the following real property :

Katibayan ng Orihinal na Titulo No. FV-44980 (Lot No. 20, Pls-1072, Case No. 1) “A parcel of land, Lot No. 20, Pls-1072, Case No. 1 situated at barangay Kalumboyan, City of Bayawan, Province of Negros Oriental, Island of Negros. Bounded on the N.E. along. line 1-2 by Lot No. 463, Pls-1072; on the E. along line 2-3 by Lot No. 522, Pls-244; on the S.E. along line 3-4 by Lot No. 21, Pls-1072; on corner 4 by Lot No. 409, Pls-1072 and Lot No. 466, Pls-1072; on the N.W. along line 4-1 by Lot No. 464, Pls1072; on corner 1 by Lot No. 17, Pls-1072. Beginning at a point marked “1” on plan being S. 69 degress 59; E. 3660. 95 meters from BLLM No. 1, Pls- 1072 of Bayawan City, Negros Oriental;

thence S. 88 degress E. 236.60 meters to point 2;

thense S. 4 degrees E. 174.98 meters to point 3;

thence N. 79 degrees W. 372.82 meters to point 4;

thence N. 25 degrees E. 274.20 meters to point of beginning.

Containing an area of Sixty Two Thousand One Hundred Thirty Five (62,135) square meters, more or less. All points are marked on the ground by “S.L.” cyl. conc. mons. 15160 cms. Bearings Grid. Date of survey was on Oct. 21, 1979 to July 27, 1961 executed by the Survey Party No. 13-A, and approved by the Regional Director, Bureau of Lands, Cebu City on June 1, 1983.

Note: This lot is covered by F.P.A.No. 074606-201”

This Notice of Extrajudicial Sale shall be posted in Kalumboyan, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental in four conspicuous places where the abovementioned property is situated; one copy shall be posted in the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Branch 63, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental where the public auction shall be conducted; and another copy shall be published in a local newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Negros Oriental and its five component cities.

Prospective bidders/buyers may investigate for themselves the title or tax declaration of the above-described property and the encumbrance thereon, if any there be.

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the abovestated time and date.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on April 13, 2023 at 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon without further notice. Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, Jan. 12, 2023.

GLENN L. NAMOL

Acting Clerk of Court and Ex-Officio Sheriff

I was also with them when times were bad, when they were worried due to physical, mental and sexual harassments, inhuman work conditions, incarcerations for crimes they did not commit, unfulfilled labor contracts, hospitalization for accidents without insurance.

And they also had to contend with news of unfaithful spouses from home, while some undocumented victims of illegal recruitment and human trafficking “kapit sa patalim” practices for the undocumented victims of illegal recruitment and human trafficking, resorted to selling themselves just to survive and worst, were sometimes raped and imprisoned for illegal pregnancies.

There are many horror stories not written, not printed nor posted on social media from thousands of runaway and rescued OFWs in the Bahay Kalinga of our government in the different POLOs, mostly in the Middle East.

Yes, it is painful to leave our families. Children

TO PAGE 12

Iwatchedrepeatedly the interview of Ipe Remollo gave on Jan. 31, presumably in response to the recent protest rally against the pyrolysis gasification machine, and the radio interviews the past few days.

I watched it repeatedly because I did not want to miss anything, and especially, I did not want to misinterpret anything. Was this ever an exercise in spin, if I ever saw one?

Spin is the term used when someone, usually politicians, informs his constituents about an occurrence, or a series of events, that is unpleasant.

Leo Mamicpic, one of the environment advocates, was eventually informed an hour before the rescheduled meeting. Needless to say, no environmental representative could attend because of the short notice, and their prior commitments.

No one, and I mean no one, calls a meeting an hour before it is to start -- unless it’s an emergency. And this wasn’t one!

If this wasn’t a manipulation of the situation, I don’t know what is. The City didn’t want the environment advocates there -- it strikes me, pure and simple.

Seriously? You ask the fox to give you advice on how to keep the hens in the henhouse safe?

Now for more spin. We’re here now, Ipe said, and that the City is waiting for an alternative to the pyrolysis machine. In the meantime, with pride in his voice, he indicated that with this machine, we now have abo (ash) residuals mixed with crushed glass and sand to make hollow blocks. Inexpensive hollow blocks. The ash is a result of burning unsegregated waste that includes plastics, organics, and materials containing heavy metals. Heavy metals end up in the

I know spin when I see it

Partial truths are given out, no outright lies, but not the whole truth either.

Very much like Ipe saying in the interview, “Dili nako sala! DENR approved the pyrolysis solution, and there is even an ECC [environmental compliance certificate for it.” Partial truth.

What he did not say is that environment advocates and an international expert in pyrolysis gasification technology had asked the City Council to join an open session on July 29, 2020 to educate them on the dangers of such a technology.

The expert, Dr. Jorge Emmanuel, and representatives showed up at the appointed time, but after half an hour, they were told the meeting had been postponed. They asked to be notified about the rescheduled meeting.

Republic of the Philippines 7th Judicial Region Regional Trial Court of Negros Oriental Branch 63 Bayawan City, Negros Oriental Office of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff 1st Valley Bank Inc.-Bayawan Branch, EJF-002-2022 a development bank, mortgagee For: Extrajudicial Foreclosure of - versus - Real Estate Mortgage Minbanegro Tinapao Chiefe, mortgagor (Under Act No. 3135, as amended) x--------------------------------------------------/ NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SALE

Upon Extrajudicial Petition/Application for Sale under Act No. 3135 filed by 1st Valley Bank Inc.-Bayawan Branch, a development bank, with office address at G/F LCJ Bldg., National Highway, Poblacion, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental against Minbanegro Tinapao Chiefe of Purok 1. Barangay Banga, Bayawan City Negros Oriental, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which, as of June 30, 2022, amounted to Two Hundred Fourteen Thousand Three Hundred Ninety Four Pesos and Eighty Five Centavos (P214,394.85) Philippine currency, including interest and penalty thereon. The undersigned, or his duly-authorized deputy, will sell at public auction on March 9, 2023 at 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon at the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court Branch 63, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, to the highest bidder, for cash or manager’s check and in Philippine currency; the following real property: Original Certificate of Title No. HV-3384 (Lot No. 305, Pls-1072)

“Beginning at a point marked “1” of Lot No. 305, Pls-1072, being S. 1-42 W. 2385.71 meters from BLLM #1, Pls-1072, Bayawan, Negros Oriental, thence N. 3-42 E., 97.03 meters to point 2; N. 1-45 E., 106.95 meters to point 3: S. 87-57 E., 220.20 meters to point 4; S. 0-08 E, 220.07 meters to point 5; N. 83-59 W., 231.39 meters to point 1; point of beginning. Containing an area of Forty Seven Thousand Five Hundred Ninety Three (47,593) square meters more or less. All points marked on the ground are as follows: Point 1 by B.L. Cyl. Conc. Mons. and all the rest by P.L.S. Cyl. Conc. Mons. Bounded on the W. along line 1-2 by Lot 281, Pls-1072; along line 2-3 by Lot 282, Pls-1072; on the N. on point 3 by Lot 283, Pls-1072 and Lot 289, Pls-1072; along line 3-4 by Lot 304, Pls-1072; on point 4 by Lot 303, Pls-1072; on the E., along line 4-5 by Lot 306, Pls-1072; on point 5 by Lot 307, Pls-1072; on the S. along line 5-1 by Lot 308, Pls-1072; on point 1 by Lot 278, Pls-1072. Bearings true.

This lot was surveyed in accordance with law and existing regulations, promulgated thereunder by Geodetic Engr. Jesus Rodriguez on Dec. 15, 1980, approved on June 1, 1983.

NOTE: This lot is covered by: H.A. (VII-2)1305 (E-VII-2)1015.”

This Notice of Extrajudicial Sale shall be posted in the City of Bayawan, Negros Oriental in four conspicuous places where the above-mentioned property is situated; one copy shall be posted in the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Branch 63, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental where the public auction shall be conducted; and another copy shall be published in a local newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Negros Oriental and its five component cities.

Prospective bidders/buyers may investigate for themselves the title or tax declaration of the above-described property, and the encumbrance thereon, if any there be. All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the abovestated time and date.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on March 23, 2023 at 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon without further notice.

Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, Jan. 8, 2023.

GLENN NAMOL Acting Clerk of Court and Ex-Officio-Sheriff

The environment advocates later learned that the barangay captains were there, and had endorsed the pyrolysis gasification technology without the benefit of listening to the environmental and health consequences.

So were the barangay executives just sitting around, and could show up for a critical meeting one hour before start time? When I grow up, I’d like that kind of a job – to just sit around, and wait to be called by the boss to a crucial meeting!

And so a decision was made. And Suki Trading Corp. of Cebu was awarded the contract.

The local government of Dumaguete got the information they needed to make the major decision from none other than Suki Trading Corp. of Cebu.

VALLE....FROM P. 2

Reports said four people died in separate incidents in Vallehermoso last week. They were found to be positive for amoebiasis. However, Estacion said it was not immediately clear if the parasitic infection had caused their deaths.

She ordered sanitary inspectors to probe further the circumstances surrounding the deaths

ash, making it toxic. Toxic ash = toxic hollow blocks. He also needed to say that dioxin is a byproduct of the burning process, and is being dispersed into the air, day in-day out, for around 18 months now? Sorry, I need to correct myself: They don’t burn on Fridays. It’s maintenance day.

Cancers, miscarriages, birth defects, and other health problems linked to the toxic pollutants -- interesting that a discussion of these negative consequences were left out. Plastics are shredded, we now have plastic armchairs which will be donated to the schools. Ipe segued into this topic without explaining that we are burning a lot of plastic that don’t necessarily end up becoming chairs. We’re not only producing plastic

TO PAGE 8

of the four individuals as they shared the same water source.

She is still awaiting the report from the sanitary inspectors regarding the water sampling. Meanwhile, Estacion appealed to the people to be mindful of their water sources, especially leakages during rainy season. (Judy F. Partlow/ PNA)

that qualified fishers who belong to registered people’s organizations can become members of the Dumaguete Cathedral Credit Cooperative, Calumpong said.

As DCCCO members, they can avail of short-term loans, and also participate in skills training. About 300 fishers have since signed up as DCCCO members.

The Fish Right program has also adopted a policy to reduce Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing activities, especially in municipal waters in south Negros, Calumpong said.

Municipal and commercial fishers have been organized to police their own areas as law enforcement by the police and Bantay Dagat is just a “band-aid” solution as they cannot be everywhere, she added.

Calumpong said one of the objectives of the program is for coastal communities in Marine Key Biodiversity Areas to have a “sense of ownership” so they can actively participate in conservation and protection, while sustainably managing their fisheries resources which can be handed down to the next generations. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)

FISH RIGHT....FROM P. 3

I KNOW SPIN WHEN I SEE IT....FROM P. 7

armchairs but toxic hollow blocks and dioxin, dioxin, dioxin. More spin. More partial truth.

And I understand the plastic armchairs look dirty because the source is dirty, i.e., unwashed plastic raw materials.

“Solid waste, organic malata na, [ma]convert napod. We have a composter, and making organic fertilizer!” Yeh! But I understand the farmers do not like the quality of the fertilizer. Why is that?

I was glad to hear he is prepared to experiment, and yet, he doesn’t believe there is a better alternative.

To quote Ipe: “Endorsing zero-waste -- it’s impossible! Where are we going to

throw our paper? Our palot sa saging? Elubong ba sa tugkaran? Not everyone has a tugkaran.”

By spinning it that way, the unknowing public could be left feeling so grateful that the City has a pyrolysis machine so that we would not have to be bothered into digging up our tugkaran to bury our malata . Did the City administration think we would not see through this subterfuge? Have we not heard that paper is recycled to make new paper? Even toilet paper comes from recycled paper. So please, let us not allow ourselves to be misled into believing there is a huge problem about where to throw our paper or palot

sa saging. We recycle!

It appears that people who have alternative solutions are regarded as naysayers, mga “nega” and perhaps may have gotten under his skin. Here’s why I think this is, to quote Ipe again: “Let’s see if they are practicing zero-waste! Are they segregating? I challenge the media to see if they are observing zero-waste; take videos!”

And so we take up that challenge! You can show up tomorrow so this way, no one will be able to say the environment advocates rushed to stage their seriousness in zerowaste efforts.

“Where were they when there was the order to close the

dumpsite?,” Ipe asked. “Ga buta-buta ra sila; sayon ra ang esturya!” And continued to rant: “ Nganong ga samoksamok sila sa Dumaguete? Adtoa ang ubang lungsod! Show it to us if there is one barangay in the whole country th at practices zero-waste. Show it to us!” It appears that Ipe has not heard of San Fernando in Pampanga, or Siquijor that is working toward zero-waste.

“They cannot do it [zerowaste] without the support of the government. Kita man po’y diktahan!” Clearly, his disdain for concerned citizens, who are taxpayers (read: who pay their salaries), showed.

“Instead of devoting your time criticizing, stopping what

we are doing now, [when] it [pyrolysis] is the best solution.”

Translated to something we can understand - voila! The mountain of yuck disappears. Hello dioxin molecules swaying in the breeze. Now you see it, now you don’t. But our cells will eventually let us know they’ve been touched by these angels of death.

“We are all in this together. Dili tanan tawo mosunod sa gobyerno,” Ipe further said. And to quote his closing statement, “Segregation has always been there for the longest time. Nalibug na ang mga barangays!”

But of course, nalibug na ang mga barangay because what may have been

segregated at source, in our homes, are all thrown back together into one garbage truck anyway. What does ENRO say about this inconsistent method? Or is this the City’s way of demonstrating its attention to job-creation? Combine segregated materials with the unsegregated waste so we can hire a hundred more people – who could eventually be a source of votes.

Great example of make-work projects! Great example of this local government wasting its resources. Great example of an administration that does not consider science in its policy-making.

EULOGIES

ToGod, praise, glory and honor for the life of Dr. Angel Chua Alcala.

Dr. Alcala, a Filipino scientist, par excellence, spent his life to serve the Philippines and the world by sharing his passion for the environment. His contribution to ecology and biodiversity are beyond measurable terms. Dr. Alcala’s knowledge of the environment was recognized when he was appointed Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources by then President Ramos and subsequently bestowed the Order of National Scientists of the Philippines in 2014 by

Honoring the Life and Work of Angel Chua Alcala

President Benigno Aquino. He also was a Magsaysay awardee for pioneering leadership in restoring and protecting coral reefs in the Philippines.

In the field of education, Dr. Alcala dedicated himself to teaching and mentoring students. Dr. Alcala is an icon in Silliman University as a teacher, administrator (President) and a policy advocate. In 1999, Dr. Alcala was appointed Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education and remained as a consultant up to the end of his life.

Close to home, Dr. Alcala represented Silliman

University in the Board of SUMCFI. He was chairman of the Human Resource Committee. We, members of the SUMCFI Board of Trustees are very proud to be colleagues of this admirable, unassuming figure of great eminence and will surely miss him.

To Dr. Alcala’s family, Mrs.Noemi Alcala, children and grandchildren, we are deeply saddened of his passage to eternal rest, but we are certain that God welcomes him to His eternal kingdom.

Wegrieve the loss of renowned scientist and beloved former DENR Secretary Dr. Angel C. Alcala.

Dr. Alcala was instrumental in turning over the Underground River management to the local government of Puerto Princesa City during our term.

When we presented him with all the signed waivers in 1992, he was supportive and looked forward to the commencement of preparations for the turnover.

Allowme to borrow a quote which tells us how much our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Angel Alcala, meant to all of us.

“Your life was a blessing; your memory a treasure; You are loved beyond words, and missed beyond measure.”

Much has been said about the legacies left by Dr. Alcala. Yes, he was very fulfilled in all aspects of his life, but knowing the minds of scientists, there is no such thing as “the end”. There still so much to be done. There is no end to exploring the unknown. Thus, I will not dwell anymore on all the achievements of Dr. Alcala, but instead focus on something which I was able to discern from most of our personal face-to-face conversations.

To most, my relationship with Dr. Alcala has been long enough for me to be able to discern some of his professional longings, the so-called “if only I still have time”. This is something I will have to share with you to give substance to one of his longings.

Inthe environment and academic circles, Dr. Angel Chua Alcala was a giant of a man.

I am sure much has been said about the legacies Dr. Alcala left behind in the field of environmental management and academic excellence. For many, Dr. Alcala was larger than life.

Although I am no longer with the SU Medical Center Foundation Inc., having retired as president/ administrator a little over a month ago, I was asked to share what I remember of Dr. Alcala since, according to the current SUMC leadership team and Director Juanita Amatong, I had the most dealings with him.

We belong to a generation of Sillimanians whose parents worked as faculty and staff at a time when meticulouslytrimmed gumamela hedges delineated certain areas of the campus. Later on, these hedges were transformed into barbwire fences when Martial Law was imposed. Today, they are interlink fences that surround the

University. Because Silliman University was a residential campus, the families of faculty and staff became a close-knit community. Children of these Silliman employees were sometimes referred to as BRatS (Born and Raised at Silliman). Children went to school together, and parents worked together. In my and Ana’s case, Emily Layos was a classmate since kindergarten (or even nursery school) until high school. Angelo was a classmate and schoolmate of my brother Riodil from nursery school until college. And if I remember right, they were competing for highest honors in elementary school. Moses was two years ahead of me, although we stayed in the same dorm at UP Diliman where I would spend some nights studying in his room. Eli or “Popoy” was a classmate of Ana’s younger brother, Gary. Popoy would then stay in the Ceniza house in Karuhatan in Bulacan when he was pursuing his Veterinary

Juanita

Dy-Amatong Director, SU Medical Center Foundation Inc.

Close encounters with a giant

Medicine degree. Grace Gloria became a neighbor at Silliman Village where we live across each other. I remember having lunch several times with Estrilda Cruz-am at the Silliman Manila Office with Dolly Felicitas and Linda Flores.

My parents worked closely with Dr. Alcala at Silliman. My mother, Virginia, was the administrative secretary of the College of Arts & Sciences when Dr. Alcala was dean.

Dr. Alcala also worked closely with my father, Jose, who was the University Personnel director, especially when Dr. Alcala took top administrative positions of Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs, and VP for Research, Extension & Development. Both of them were part of the University President’s Cabinet.

As a community, Ana and her family were neighbors with the Alcalas at Silliman Park. In fact, the house assigned to the Cenizas later became the

TO PAGE 11

Alcala’s scientific achievements

By Garry Russ

Thirty years later, we’ve proven worthy of his trust, and received the distinction of being the first national park devolved and successfully managed by a local government unit.

The Underground River park is a model for effective protected area management and sustainable tourism in the Philippines. It has also been included in the World Heritage list, and later on, declared one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

We will forever remember Dr. Alcala for his trust, remarkable life and unwavering commitment to protecting the environment.

Our heartfelt condolences to the family of Dr. Angel C. Alcala

Cong. Edward Hagedorn 3rd District Puerto Princesa, Palawan

We were together as both members and directors of the Silliman University Foundation Inc. (SUFI), long before I was exposed to Trusteeship service for Silliman. My involvement in both SUFI and the Board of Trustees exposed me to the so-called Silliman elders, the likes of Mr. Julio Sy, Dr. Roman Yap; of course, Dr. Angel Alcala, Gen. Mamerto Bocanegra, former Finance Sec. Juanita Amatong, former National Treasurer and former Education Sec. Liling Briones, former Silliman President Gus Pulido, and many other distinguished active members of various Silliman bodies and organizations.

Observing the elders discussing the needs of Silliman, I felt small in relation to the passionate Silliman spirit displayed by these indefatigable seniors. Some focused on building the endowment funds, while the others, most especially Dr. Alcala, focused on where these limited funds should be prioritized -- research, scholarship, and faculty development.

You see, when these ideas are thrown into the table in any discussion, they may look like simple ideas which need simple decision-making on the prioritization of funds. But to me, ideas coming from the Silliman elders always deserve discernment, or the need to read between the lines. Otherwise, we miss the very essence and substance of the idea.

Even at the Silliman Board of Trustees, Dr. Alcala kept on harping on this, despite the existence of faculty development programs and scholarship supports. It was only through our personal chats that I have been able to clearly see where Dr. Alcala is coming from, the essence. I had been debating these thoughts for some time now, whether I should share this with the academic community, but to give respect and justice to this “longing”, I venture to use this moment.

Dr. Alcala was very concerned about the diminishing appetite of the academic community for Research.

For so many years, Dr. Alcala had observed this not only in Silliman University but in the whole academic industry in the country.

Ihadthe privilege of being in exclusive meetings with two intellectual and philanthropic giants: Dr. Rolando del Carmen and Dr. Angel Chua Alcala, mostly about Silliman University, the institution they both loved most.

Several institutions could hardly even cope with the requirement of the Commission on Higher Education for faculty to have PhDs, as minimum entry requirement for professorial positions -- posted apparently to arrest this diminishing interest on Research, and to give a stronger credibility to the title of Professor.

That is why there is rampant piracy of PhD holders in the academe throughout the country. Even here at Silliman, we could only count with our fingers those with PhD degrees.

Angel

Alcala was born within sight of pristine tropical seas in Cauayan, Negros Occidental, on March 1, 1929.

As a boy, he caught fishes and shrimp with a dip net to help feed the family. He swam regularly at a beach in Barangay Caililing. When he was 10, he swam on a coral reef, close to his home.

I remember him describing to me his memories of Philippine tropical seas in the 1930’s. He spoke of vibrant, colourful coral reefs, teeming with fish and turtles.

Little did he know as a boy that in his life, he would do more, than probably any other Filipino, to preserve these coral reefs for fisheries and conservation, for future generations of Filipinos.

Thus, his calling in life was to study animals.

He did a B.S. Biology (magna cum laude) at Silliman University, Dumaguete City in 1951, an M.A. Biological Sciences at Stanford University, California, USA in 1960, and a Ph.D.

in Biological Sciences at Stanford University in 1966.

The legendary herpetologist, Walter Brown, supervised Angel’s PhD.

Angel became the foremost authority on Philippine amphibians and reptiles, an achievement that alone defined him as a world-renowned scientist. He discovered 50 species of frogs and lizards new to science. He published over 115 scientific papers in herpetology. Angel was the recognized expert on Philippine frogs, lizards, snakes and crocodiles.

In 1973, his career shifted direction substantially. Inspired by programs of communitybased management of agricultural resources in the Philippines in the 1950s-1970s, Angel decided to try such approaches to manage marine resources, particularly reef fisheries.

He arranged the first meeting on communitybased management of marine resources in the Philippines at Sumilon Island in December 1973,

50 years ago.

The meeting was run in such a way that the fishing community themselves felt that they came up with the ideas of a marine management plan, including a municipal legislation to bring the plan into law.

This approach led to a sense of ownership of the management plan by the fishing community, and ownership results in a commitment to succeed.

As part of this management plan at Sumilon, Angel was the first biologist to establish an experimental marineprotected area in the Philippines, aimed at increasing the fish catch of small-scale fishers.

This occurred at a time when reef fisheries resources were declining due to unsustainable fishing practices, and increasing human pressures.

This marine management approach was applied also at Apo Island, and other Visayan islands, and became the template for

TO PAGE 11

The late Dr. del Carmen periodically gave thousands of dollars to the Dr. Jovito R. Salonga Center for Law and Development, and the SU Angelo King Center for Research & Environmental Management, which Dr Alcala then directed.

Dr. del Carmen would meet us everytime he visited Silliman. Dr. Alcala and I would talk about our respective programs, especially about research. He would express his pleasure about the Silliman Law Journal which the SU College of Law revived during my terms as dean.

Dr. Alcala was also pleased with the research grants the Salonga Law Center received from the USAID and the GIZ. Under the auspices of the German GIZ grant, the Salonga Law Center facilitated the enactment of the Southern Leyte Provincial Environmental Code, and the Leyte Provincial Environmental Code. The Salonga Law Center then had a team of brilliant consultants — Dr. Alcala, Atty. Marcelino Chua Maxino, and Dr. Ben Malayang III.

TO PAGE 11

In the words of Dr. Alcala, any academic institution not known for creating and enhancing knowledge through research would have no way to gain global recognition and accreditation.

Like a father talking to a son, Dr. Alcala would say to me -- looking at Research as the ultimate academic challenge -- to know more or something about the unknown, to look for, enhance, and impart new knowledge as a way of life of a teacher.

A faculty without research work in his sleeve is insufficient. We often hear these statements, and we know it’s not a myth, as Dr. Alcala was the living example of several research-based honor and recognition, eventually the much-coveted stature as the country’s National Scientist.

If Dr. Alcala had more time here on earth, he would probably make sure that the appetite of the academic community for Research would not only be re-ignited but made robust. “If only I have more time.”

Rest in peace, Dr. Alcala. You have done so much; you have given so much of your time; you have shared so much of your life to make our world a better place to live in. Rest, my dear friend, and let this longing be our challenge.

Let’s not make this as just another longing, but for all of us at Silliman to re-ignite this passion for Research, and be the salt of the academic community and the earth.

Ricardo Balbido Jr. Chairperson, Board of Trustees Silliman University

ACA lives on in the hearts of many

SUSPECTS IN KILLING....FROM P. 3

Moerch and Cagas were taken into police custody Monday after the body of the young Teves with a single gunshot wound in his head was found wrapped in a blanket and plastic at a dumpster in Valencia.

Remollo, on the other

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF NEGROS ORIENTAL

7th Judicial Region Branch 32 Dumaguete City

Margiolina De Mira-Hough

Representated by her AIF, Dr. Onesimo

P. De Mira, Jr., Plaintiff - versus - Civil Case No. 2022-15954

Cyd Charis Sarap O. Tecson, For: Revival of Judgment Gaudencia Ybañez-Villegas, and Perla C. Brodersen, Defendants.

x--------------------------------------------/ ORDER

For the court’s resolution is the Ex-Parte Manifestation filed by plaintiff to cause the petition to be published at the last known address of defendants Cyd Charis Sarap O. Tecson and Gaudencia Ybañez-Villegas, for it’s hard to locate the said defendants who left their residence without leaving a forwarding address. Finding the same to be with merit, plaintiff thru counsel, is directed to cause the publication of the petition in a newspaper of general circulation for three consecutive weeks in Cebu City and in some other places where the other defendants resides and are known to be residing in their last known address. Immediately after the publication, the plaintiff is directed to present to court proof of the publication of the petition.

The OIC Clerk of Court of this court is directed to immediately set this case upon receipt of the manifestation from the plaintiff’s counsel regarding the pending incident.

SO ORDERED. Given in open court this 20th day of October 2022 at Dumaguete City, Philippines.

RODERICK A. MAXINO Judge

Republic of the Philippines 7th Judicial Region IN THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF NEGROS ORIENAL Branch ___________ Dumaguete City

Margiolina P. De Mira - Hough, Civil Case No. 2022-15954

Represented by her Attorney-in-Fact, Dr. Onesimo P. De Mira Jr., Plaintiff For: Revival of Judgment - versus Cyd Charis Sarap O. Tecson, Gaudencia Ybañez - Villegas, and Perla C. Brodersen, Defendants.

PETITION

UNTO THIS HONORABLE COURT, the Plaintiff, through the undersigned counsel, most respectfully states that:

THE PARTIES

1. The Plaintiff, Margiolina P. De Mira - Hough, is of legal age, American citizen (formerly Filipino), married, and currently a resident of St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America.

2. She is represented by her brother, Dr. Onesimo P. De Mira Jr., who is likewise of legal age, Filipino, married, and a resident of Pulantubig, Dumaguete City. Hereto attached as Annex “A,” and made an integral part hereof, is an original duplicate copy of the Special Power of Attorney, executed by Ms. Hough in favor of Dr. de Mira.

3. The Plaintiff may be served with legal processes of this Honorable Court, through the undersigned counsel at her office address indicated below.

4. The Defendant, Cyd Charis Sarap O. Tecson, is of legal age, Filipino, and a resident of No. 5 Freedom Street, Peace Valley, Lahug, Cebu City where she may be served with summons and other legal processes of this Honorable Court.

5. The Defendant, Gaudencia Ybañez Villegas, is of legal age, Filipino, and a resident of Agan-an, Sibulan, Negros Oriental, where she may be served with summons and other legal processes of this Honorable Court.

6. Finally, the Defendant, Perla C. Brodersen, is likewise of legal age, Filipino, and a resident of Agan-an, Sibulan, Negros Oriental, where she may be served with summons and other legal processes of this Honorable Court.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

7. This is a Petition for the Revival of Judgment, filed by the Plaintiff, Margiolina P. de Mira - Hough, pursuant to Section 6 of Rule 39 of the Rules of Court, which provides thus: SEC. 6. Execution by motion or by independent action

A final and executory judgment or order may be executed on motion within five (5) years from the date of its entry. After the lapse of such time, and before it is barred by the statute of limitations, a judgment may be enforced by action. The revived judgment may also be enforced by motion within five (5) years from the date of its entry and thereafter by action before it is barred by the statute of limitations.” (emphasis ours)

STATEMENT OF FACTS

8. Sometime in 2007, Defendant, Cyd Charis Sarap O. Tecson, filed a case for Judicial Partition of TCT No. T- 11500, before the Negros Oriental Regional Trial Court. The Plaintiff was impleaded as Defendant, together with Gaudencia Ybañez Villegas. While Defendant, Perla C. Brodersen, entered as Movant - Intervenor.

9. The case was then docketed as Civil Case No. 2007-14129, and assigned to the Regional Trial Court, Branch 44, Dumaguete City.

10. The property subject of the case (covered by TCT No. T- 11500) is known as Lot No. 6283-B-4, located in Barangay Maslog, Sibulan, Negros Oriental and containing an area of Twenty Three Thousand Three Hundred Forty

Six (23,346) square meters, more or less. It is registered in the name of Gaudencia Ybañez Villegas

11. A certified true copy of TCT No. T- 11500 is hereto attached as Annex “B,” and made an integral part hereof.

12. Subsequently, on November 05, 2015, the above - named parties submitted a Compromise Agreement (with Joint Manifestation), which was later approved by the Honorable Court through a “Judgment Based on Compromise Agreement,” it rendered on December 08, 2015

13. A certified true copy of the same Judgment based on Compromise Agreement [December 08, 2015], is hereto attached as Annex “C,” and made an integral part hereof.

14. For convenience, the terms and conditions made by the parties in the subject Compromise Agreement, are reproduced below:

i. “The parties recognize that Movant - Intervenor, Perla C. Brodersen, was able to have the portion of the property she purchased, with an area of 4,072 square meters, registered in her name. As such, she has acquired valid title thereto and the parties have agreed not to disturb the same;

ii. The parties have agreed that the remaining portion, with an area of 19,274 square meters, be divided between Plaintiff Tecson and Defendant de Mira - Hough pro rata. Plaintiff Tecson who purchased 15,509.50 square meters shall be assigned 73% while Defendant de Mira - Hough who purchased 5,836.50 square meters shall be assigned 27% of said leftover property;

iii. The parties likewise recognize that some portions of the left over property comprise the road lot while some have been occupied by squatters hence, the remaining portion that can be assigned to them is actually only 13,005 square meters - 9,754 for Tecson and 3,251 for de Mira - Hough;

iv. The parties agree to conform to the proposal of the Commissioner as to the partition of the property as shown in his Commissioner’s Report with annexes attached hereto for reference:

Lots A, B, and C shall pertain to Plaintiff Tecson

Lots D, E, and F shall pertain to Defendant de Mira - Hough

v. The parties agree that if they decide to eventually file ejectment cases against the squatters who are occupying about 2,862 square meters (Lots 1, 2, 3, 4 as shown in Commissioner’s Proposal) they would do so jointly and thereafter, divide whatever shall be recovered in the same pro rata sharing.”

CAUSE OF ACTION

15. The last portion of the December 08, 2015 Judgment states that it is “immediately final and executory.”

16. Unfortunately, none of the parties to Civil Case No. 2007-14129 were able to move for the issuance of a Writ of Execution, within five (5) years from the date the Judgment was rendered on December 08, 2015

hand, was nabbed the following day.

Personal grudge was being eyed as the motive in Teves’ killing, as investigators noted a previous conflict between the victim and the Danish national, which was recorded in a police blotter.

Valencia Police Chief

Maj. Roger Quijano had declined to be interviewed pending an ongoing investigation into the incident.

Police officials at the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office have also not yet released other details on the crime. (Judy F. Partlow/ PNA)

17. Thus, to date, or over six years later, the subject Judgment based on Compromise Agreement, remains to be executed. Hence, the Plaintiff is constrained to file this Petition for the Issuance of a Writ of Execution

18. The Court - appointed Commissioner in Civil Case No. 2007-14129, was the late Engr. Constancio Silva

19. During the pendency of the case, on October 19, 2015, Engr. Silva prepared a Commissioner’s Report, in relation to the survey and partition of the subject property. A certified true copy of the same Report with attachments, are hereto attached as Annex “D,” and its submarkings, and made integral parts hereof.

20. In the Report, Engr. Silva made the undertaking: “Monuments shall be established along the correct boundary lines as soon as the Compromise Agreement shall be approved by the Honorable Court.” Unfortunately, he died before he could fulfill this.

21. While Engr. Silva drafted a sketch plan for the partition of Lot No. 6283 - B4, he did not make the corresponding technical descriptions for its sub lots, 6283-B-4-A, 6283-B-4-B, 6283-B-4-C, 6283-B-4-D, 6283-B-4-E, 6283-B-4-F, and the portions occupied by squatters, which have been designated as Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4.

22. The specifications of each sub lot are likewise not indicated on the sketch plan. Engr. Silva merely wrote down their areas.

23. Furthermore, the respective positions of the property’s sub lots, as shown on the said sketch plan (Annex “C-1”), do not coincide with the guide (Annex “C-2”) drawn by Engr. Silva, to indicate where each portion is supposed to be situated.

24. Finally, to date, no subdivision plan for the subject lot has been made, based on the December 08, 2015 Judgment Based on Compromise Agreement This subdivision plan should have been submitted to the Bureau of Lands in Cebu City, for approval.

25. Once approved, the subdivision plan must be submitted to the Negros Oriental Register of Deeds. The approved subdivision plan is an indispensable requirement for the issuance of separate titles for the portions of the property, in the name of Margiolina de Mira - Hough, and the other respective owners.

26. These circumstances have created an ambiguity, that the owners of the sub lots cannot determine where their specific portions are located. The subdivision plan and technical descriptions would have resolved this issue.

27. Hence, the Plaintiff comes before this Honorable Court, and respectfully prays that:

a. The instant Petition for Revival of Judgment be granted;

b. A Writ of Execution be issued, to enforce the December 08, 2015Judgment Based on Compromise Agreement; and

c. A new commissioner be appointed by this Honorable Court, directing the same to resurvey the property, and prepare subdivision plan, together with the corresponding technical descriptions of the sub lots.

PRAYER

WHEREFORE, FOREGOING PREMISES CONSIDERED, the Plaintiff most respectfully prays that the instant Petition for Revival of Judgment be granted, and a Writ of Execution be issued to enforce the Judgment based on the Compromise agreement dated December 08, 2015.

The Plaintiff further respectfully prays that this Honorable Court appoint a new commissioner for this case, and order the same to resurvey the subject property and make the subdivision plan, along with the proper technical descriptions of the respective sub lots of Lot 6283-B-4.

Other relief, just and equitable, are also prayed for.

List Of Witnesses and Summary of their Intended Testimonies (now required under Section 6, Rule 7 of A.M. No. 19-10-20-SC)

The Plaintiff intends to present at least five witnesses, who will be testifying for a minimum of one hour each. These witnesses include:

1. The Plaintiff himself, Dr. Onesimo P. De Mira Jr., who will testify about the facts and circumstances surrounding this case;

2. A Representative from the Register of Deeds for the Province of Negros Oriental, who will testify about the registration of the subject property, and other relevant details;

3. With reservations. List of Documentary Evidence (now required under Section 6, Rule 7 of A.M. No. 19-10-20-SC)

Annex Title/Description of Document

“A” Special Power of Attorney executed by Margiolina P. de Mira - Hough, on February 10, 2022;

“B” Certified true copy of Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. T-11500;

“C” October 19, 2015 Commissioner’s Report submitted by Engr. Constancio Silva;

“D” Certified true copy of the Judgment based on Compromise Agreement, rendered by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 44, Dumaguete City on December 08, 2015; With reservations.

Respectfully submitted, this March 22, 2022 at, Dumaguete City. (Sgd.) ATTY. PERSEPHONE D.C. EVANGELISTA Counsel for the Plaintiff PTR No. 3083067/01-03-2022 / Dumaguete City IBP O.R. No. 155764/01-29-2021/ Pasig City (2022 IBP dues paid on January 03, 2022; waiting for issuance of Official Receipt from IBP - Pasig City) Attorneys Roll No. 51543 MCLE Compliance No. VI-0009195, Valid until April 14, 2022 MCLE Certificate of Compliance issued on: June 05, 2018, at MCLE Office, Pasig City The Law Office of: Persephone T. del Callar - Evangelista 499 Batinguel, 6200 Dumaguete City E-mail address: epersephone12@yahoo.com

Republic of the Philippines) Dumaguete City ) Sc.

VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION OF NON-FORUM SHOPPING

I, Dr. Onesimo P. De Mira, Jr., Filipino, of legal age, married, and a resident of Pulantubig, Dumaguete City, under oath, hereby state that:

1. I am the representative of the Plaintiff, Margiolina P. de Mira - Hough in the above - entitled case. The Special Power of Attorney, which she executed, is already attached to the Petition as Annex “A”;

2. I have caused the preparation of the foregoing Petition;

3. I have read and fully understood the allegations thereof, which are true and correct to the best of my personal knowledge, and are based on authentic documents and records;

4. The Petition is not filed to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase the cost of litigation;

5. The factual allegations therein have evidentiary support or, if specifically so identified, will likewise have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for discovery; and

6. I further certify that no other actions or proceedings involving the same issues have been commenced or are pending in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the regular courts, or any other tribunal or agency, and if I should learn that a similar action is pending before any of the same, I hereby undertake to report such act to this Honorable Court within five (5) days therefrom.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed my signature this March 18, 2022 at Dumaguete City.

(Sgd.) DR. ONESIMO P. DE MIRA, JR. Affiant / Plaintiff OSCA ID No. 4907 Issued on 10-30-08

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me, by the Affiant with his identification details indicated below his name, this March 18, 2022 at Dumaguete City.

GENDER

BENDER....FROM P.

5 which can, of course, include sports and other activity areas.

But the scraggly palm trees there now are merely exemplars of what could be lush tropical greenness. Why is it that landscaping seems such an alien concept to public officials, as also to be seen in the other City “parks?”

A main reason could be that “parks” in their thinking apparently don’t need the complement of nature to the more important opportunities for fun and business.

Note that the weighty environmental concerns around the Pantawan should remind us of Kofi Annan’s warning: “Prosperity built

on the despoliation of the natural environment is no prosperity at all, only a temporary reprieve from future disaster.”

To get back to my tourist friends, escaping winter was one point of their visit, and they imagined an exotic tropical city would be enjoyable to explore. Couldn’t even a small tree park or botanical garden, and maybe a butterfly enclosure be imagined as a tourist balm for the dirty, noisy streets of the Dity?

That would provide a real tourism plus for Dumaguete itself that, for now, is mostly billed as a gateway to sites outside the City.

Republic of the Philippines Regional Trial Court 7th Judicial Region Branch 42 Dumaguete City email: rtc1dum042@judiciary.gov.ph

In Re: Petition for the Issuance of a New

Owner’s Original Duplicate Copy of Katibayan ng Orihinal na Titulo Blg. Carp-2017000366 in Lieu of the Lost One Cadastral Case No. 2022-5279 Lot No. 626-B

Archer D. Cafino, Petitioner versus -

The Registrar of Deeds of Negros Oriental, Respondent x------------------------------------------/

ORDER

A verified petition was filed by the petitioner praying this Court that after due notice and hearing an order be issued declaring as null and void the lost original owner’s duplicate copy of Katibayan ng Orihinal na Titulo Blg. CARP-2017000366 and directing the Register of Deeds of Negros Oriental to issue a new owner’s duplicate copy of the said title, which shall in all respects be entitled to like faith and credit as the original duplicate.

Petitioner is the brother of the registered owner, Manolita C. Dales, of a parcel of land situated at Poblacion, Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental, known as Lot No. 626-B, Csd-07-020378, covered by Katibayan ng Orihinal na Titulo (KOT) Blg. CARP-2017000366 and declared under Tax Declaration No. 20190-20-000104177. He represents his sister in this petition in virtue of a Special Power of Attorney.

After the arrival of her sister from abroad, she went to their house in Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental, to retrieve the owner’s original duplicate copy of KOT Blg. CARP-2017000366. However, she discovered that said title, together with another title, was eaten by termites and was totally destroyed.

Petitioner’s sister then executed an Affidavit of Loss and filed it with theRegistry of Deeds of Negros Oriental.

Petitioner assures the Court that the title subject of this petition has not been delivered to any person or entity to secure an obligation or conveyed for value. Thereafter, petitioner filed this petition.

WHEREFORE, finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, it is hereby ordered and notice is hereby given that said petition shall be heard on 23 February 2023 at 9:00 o’clock in the morning at the Session Hall of RTC, Branch 42, 3rd Floor, Hall of Justice Building, E.J. Blanco Drive, Piapi, Dumaguete City.

Let a copy of this order be published once in a newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Negros Oriental and its five (5) component cities, at the expense of the petitioner.

At least fifteen (15) days prior of the date of hearing, let a copy of this order and the petition be posted in the bulletin boards of the Office of the Clerk of Court, RTC, Dumaguete City; Municipal Hall of Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental, and in the Barangay Hall of the place where the property is located, at the expense of the petitioner, to be undertaken by the Sheriff of this Court. At the date of hearing of this petition, petitioner is directed to submit the Affidavit of Publication, as well as the issue of the newspaper where this order is published, and the certifications of posting from the offices abovementioned.

Petitioner is directed to furnish copies of his petition to the offices mentioned under the Copy furnished portion of his petition, as there are no proofs of service attached to the petition. SO ORDERED. Dumaguete City, Philippines, 12 January 2023.

MARIE ROSE G. INOCANDO-PARAS Judge MetroPost

2023 February 5

Republic of the Philippines Regional Trial Court 7th Judicial Region Dumaguete City Office of the Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Sheriff BDO Unibank Inc., mortgagee EJFREM No. 2022-3595 -versusRecy S. Balderian, mortgagor x----------------------------------------------/

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SALE

Upon Extrajudicial Petition for Sale under Act No. 3135 filed by BDO Unibank Inc. against Recy S. Balderian to satisfy the indebtedness which, as of Aug. 15, 2022, amounts to P6,571,141.55 inclusive of attorney’s fees and other necessary expenses of foreclosure, the undersigned, or her duly authorized deputy, will sell at public auction on Feb. 22, 2023 at 9:00 in the morning to 4:00 in the afternoon at the Office of the Clerk of Court, ground floor, Hall of Justice, Piapi, Dumaguete City to the highest bidder, for cash or manager’s check and in Philippine currency, the following property, to wit;

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE

109-2020001579

NO.

A parcel of land (Lot 3, Block 6, of the Consolidation-Subdivision

Plan Pcs- 07-006065, being a portion of the consolidation of Lots 5869 and 4756 both of Dumaguete Cadastre (Cad 96) and 6104-B, Psd-07081233, LRC Record No. 142) situated in barrio Candau-ay, City of Dumaguete, Island of Negros.

Bounded on the SE along Line 1-2 by Lot 4, Block 6, on the SW along Line 2-3 by Lot 5, Block 6; along Line 3-4 by Lot 6, Block 6; on the NW along Line 4- 5 by Lot 2, Block 6; and on the NE along Line 5-1 by Road Lot 2 (8 meters wide), all of the Subdivision Plan. Beginning at a point marked “1” on plan, being S. 70 degrees 39’ E., 388.71 meters from MBM No. 7, Dumaguete Cadastre (Cad 96); thence S. 71 degrees 27’ W., 11 meters to point 2; thence N. 18 degrees 37’ W., 1 meter to point 3; thence N. 18 degrees 33’ W., 10 meters to point 4; thence N. 71 degrees 27’ E., 11 meters to point 5; thence S. 18 degrees 33’ E., 11 meters to point of beginning; containing an area of 121 square meters, more or less. All points referred to are indicated on the plan, and marked on the ground as follows: points 1,2,3,4,5 by PS.Cyl. Conc. Mons. 15X40 cm.; Bearings true; Date of original survey, January-August 1916, and that of the subdivision survey executed by Rilt Renart G. Dorado, geodetic engineer, on Sept. 17, 2011, approved on April 10, 2012.

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated time and date.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on March 3, 2023 without further notice.

Dumaguete City, Philippines, Nov. 29, 2022.

By: ROMULO M. DINEROS JR. Sheriff

IV & Executing Sheriff

ATTY. MARIA ANTONIA L. BULADO Clerk of Court VI & Ex-Officio Sheriff

MetroPost

It was in one of our Leyte visits that we bonded and spent quality time together. Dr. Alcala told me about his successional plans for SUAKREM, and his disappointments with some aspects at Silliman University. He challenged me to continue research endeavors at the College of Law, and in the Salonga Law Center.

Another bonding moment, much earlier, was the time we resisted the Philippine Port Authority’s plan to reclaim the sea fronting Silliman University to accommodate a passenger terminal and container vans.

With the blessings of Dr. Alcala, I filed a Petition for Injunction directly with the Supreme Court. That was a risk we took just to call wide and urgent public attention to the concern.

As we had expected, the Petition was eventually dismissed for failure to observe the hierarchy of courts, but our objective was achieved. The Petition was brought to the attention of national officialdom, and President Arroyo, with valuable help from Silliman honorary alumnus and good friend, the late President Ramos, put an immediate stop to the PPA reclamation plan.

What distinguishes Dr. Alcala from other intellectual giants was his remarkable humility. He would never make another feel inferior or lesser than him. He would pat my shoulder and endearingly call me “Do” which is equivalent to Bai or Pare (the affectionate terms reserved for good friends). He called many others “Do”, including janitors, security guards, drivers, and employees.

Dr. Alcala refused being treated special during our visitations to Leyte. He ate what we ate, and where we ate; he slept where we slept; he rode what we rode.

In one of our meetings, Dr. del Carmen suggested the special dormitory for Silliman’s honor students, and the honors program to especially manage the Dr. del Carmen funds and scholarships, to be named after Dr. Angel C. Alcala.

Dr. Alcala smilingly refused. He just said he does not deserve such an honor. Such a humble man!

Even from his sickbed, Dr. del Carmen urged me and Dr. Alcala to convince the University to establish the Dr. Alcala Honors Program which could focus on managing not only the scholarship funds and resources of the Dr. del Carmen Scholarship but also establish a special program for the scholars and the honor students to better provide them with the appropriate academic preparation and training.

Dr. Alcala simply suggested to name the program after the donor.

Dr Angel Chua Alcala has touched so many lives and hearts. You live on in the hearts of many.

Atty. Mikhail Lee Maxino Director, SU Jovito R. Salonga Center for Law and Development

Australian House, which became the house of Dr. Alcala and his wife, Naomi.

As a teacher, I am sure Ma’am Naomi was one of our teachers in Sunday school which used to have its classes at the T-rooms between Hibbard Hall and the Church’s CE building.

I cannot forget that when my father passed in October 1996, Dr. Alcala, who was then the Secretary of the Department of Environment &Natural Resources, came down to Dumaguete to pay his last respects despite his very busy schedule. It is remarkable that the day [Feb. 1st] Dr. Alcala passed away is also the birthdate of my father.

When the University was an open campus, I remember there were those who would go around shooting birds and even bats especially at night with either their tirador (slingshots) or pellet guns or air rifles. But after a while, there were signs all over the campus declaring Silliman University as a “bird sanctuary”. I am pretty sure Dr. Alcala was instrumental in having the University administration make the whole campus as a haven for birds and bats to preserve and protect them.

Another experience which left an indelible mark on my appreciation of the beauty of this earth was having a chance to snorkel at Sumilon Island. As we know, this was the first marine conservation program that Dr. Alcala initiated and spearheaded. It was exhilarating to see a vibrant and colorful underwater garden teeming likewise with colorful fishes.

Without having been directly lectured or instructed by Dr. Alcala, these were instances when his advocacies helped, in an experiential way, develop and form my impressionable mind towards a better appreciation of God’s creation.

During the controversy with the Philippine Ports Authority where more than a hectare of the sea fronting Silliman University was proposed to be reclaimed to expand the Dumaguete port, Moses Alcala and I were closely communicating with each other exchanging notes on how best we can help with the effort to oppose the project. In the aftermath of that controversy, Dr. Alcala suggested that I pursue a Ph.D. in environmental or natural resource economics since it is a field that Silliman should be beefed up with. My career had

veered towards healthcare, but through the SU Marine Laboratory (now the Institute of Environmental & Marine Sciences), I got to be involved in projects dealing with coastal resource economics.

I am glad, though, that when I was VP for Development, Planning & Enterprise Management of Silliman University, I was involved as project administrator with the Center of Excellence in Coastal Resources Management project funded by the USAID. This was a project that made possible the construction of the two-storey building that now houses IEMS and the Angelo King Center for Research & Environmental Management.

As a professional, I had the privilege to work for Dr. Alcala when he was President of Silliman University, serving as Human Resources Development manager. I also had the opportunity to work with him when Dr. Alcala was chairperson of the Silliman Church Council, and I as chair of the Personnel Committee, and at another time, chair of the Finance Committee.

The latest professional interaction I had with Dr. Alcala was when he sat as a member of the Board of Directors of the SUMC Foundation Inc.

In my dealings with Dr. Alcala, it was clear that he would respect others for their expertise and specialization. He would never pretend he was better than you in your own field. He was, however, uncompromising when it came to his area of environmental management and research development.

Board discussions became interesting when the topic was on the impact of the state of the environment, like climate change, on health. These discussions, of course, were instigated by Dr. Alcala. He would always remind us that we in the Hospital should meet all environmental standards, and that we should transition from a fossil-based fuel source to renewable energy.

The Hospital is now moving towards a portion of its energy requirements to be provided by solar panels, and its base load from geothermal power.

During the pandemic, Dr. Alcala was persistent on researches that would study the behavior of the virus. About six research proposals were submitted by staff of the Hospital,

which were approved for funding by the Board of Directors. I would wish to enjoin the leadership team of the Hospital to have the research studies completed so we can include this as a legacy of Dr. Alcala.

All these were close encounters with a giant. Although Dr. Alcala was a giant of a man, he was also very human. I remember he would refer to me as ‘Do’. “ Kumusta ka, Do ?” “ Okay na, Do!”

I asked an Ilonggo friend what ‘Do’ means. I had thought it was the equivalent of ‘Dodong’ which, to me, sounded good because my aunties, uncles, cousins and even my parents would call me ‘Dodong Berto’.

My Ilonggo friend, however, said that ‘Do’ is the equivalent of Bai in Cebuano, or Pare in Tagalog. If my friend is correct, I am quite flattered as Dr. Alcala considered me -- and many others he called ‘Do’ -- his equal.

To me, Dr. Alcala has achieved immortality both in heaven and on earth for all that he has done. For living the life of a true Christian when there was always the temptation to boast, yet he remained humble.

God is surely welcoming him with His warm embrace, and ushering Dr. Alcala into His appointed mansion in heaven.

Dr. Alcala’s immortality here on earth is etched in the hearts and minds of those who are furthering his advocacies of marine and terrestrial conservation and sustainable fisheries management. His legacies are far-reaching and intergenerational.

We thank the Lord for having been given the opportunity to walk with a giant in our midst. By Dr. Alcala’s life, we should be reminded to continue to be humble, to be simple, to be human, no matter what great accomplishments we have achieved. And to be reminded as well that no matter how small, we should try to create our own legacies to make this God-given world a better place to live in not only for ourselves, but especially for the next generations to come.

Roberto D. Montebon Former President SU Medical Center Foundation Inc.

an extraordinary expansion of MPAs all over the Philippines (1,600 today).

The communitybased marine resource management templates at Sumilon and Apo also served as the models for the Local Government Code (1991) and the Fisheries Code (1998), giving comanagement responsibility of marine resources to national and municipal governments.

Under these legislations, management of marine resources devolved from a centralized government bureaucracy to municipal governments and local communities. The fishing communities finally had some say in the management of their marine resources.

I believe that this was one of Angel’s greatest achievements. Angel is now recognized as the father of community-based marine resource management globally.

Angel published over 80

room. The caller said, “Sir, the President would like to speak to you”. Angel told me that at first he thought someone was playing a joke on him. However, it was no joke. The President of the Philippines, Fidel Ramos, wanted Angel to be the Secretary for the Department of Environment & Natural Resources, a position Angel held from 1992 to 1995.

As Secretary of DENR, he had substantial influence on the passing of the Local Government Code (1991) and Fisheries Code (1998). Angel would remain in government service from 1995 to 1999, serving as the first chairman of the Commission on Higher Education.

Angel Alcala became a National Scientist of the Republic of the Philippines in 2014. This is why we honour him with a state funeral.

On a personal note, I want to express my deepest

papers in marine sciences. His 1981 paper, arising from the 1973 community-based management meeting at Sumilon, was a watershed paper, one of the first attempts in the world to relate MPAs to local fish catch.

He demonstrated that as long as the MPA (25 percent of total reef area) was protected from fishing, fishers had sustainable fish yields outside the MPA (75 percent of total reef area).

His research at Sumilon and Apo showed that no-take MPAs, protected and managed by local communities, can play a key role in restoring biodiversity, and enhancing depleted fisheries.

As a measure of his global impact, I note that on Feb. 5, 2023, the world’s foremost fisheries scientist, Dr. Daniel Pauly, in his keynote address at the International Marine Protected Areas Congress in Vancouver, paid tribute to Angel‘s pioneering research on how MPAs may enhance fishery catches.

Of course, to achieve real-world change, one usually has to step out of the ivory tower of academia.

After a distinguished scientific career at Silliman University, which included establishing the Silliman Marine Laboratory in 1974, Angel entered science management in 1989 as director of the Philippine Council for Aquatic & Marine Research and Development.

However, it was in 1992 that his service in government blossomed. Angel told me that whilst he was on a trip to the USA in 1992, he received a phone call in his hotel

gratitude to Angel for everything he did for me. He helped define me as a scientist. He was my dear friend and colleague for over 40 years.

In particular, I am so grateful to him and to Silliman University for awarding me a Doctor of Science honoris causa in 2018. I told him it was the highlight of my academic career. He was delighted to hear that.

One cannot honour the scientist and public servant without also honouring the man. Despite his fame and success, Angel remained a humble, approachable person. He always had time to listen and pass on his wisdom.

In addition, he was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and greatgrandfather. My condolences to all of Angel’s family, and his countless friends.

We bid farewell to our dear friend and mentor within sight of tropical seas not far from the seas of his childhood. These seas are not so pristine now, but because of Angel’s life, future generations of Filipinos might glimpse what he saw as a child. Future generations will have fish to eat, and have the chance to marvel at coral reefs.

Through my tears, I can smile at the privilege and joy of having known Angel C. Alcala. His extraordinary life-time achievements in science and public service inspired me and so many others, and he will continue to inspire countless people in the future.

Rest in peace, my dear friend.

ACA LIVES....FROM P. 9

& ARROW....FROM P. 7

growing up without mothers and/or fathers, or worse, growing up without both their parents not being able to witness their first steps nor hear the first spoken word/s. These conditions leave deep wounds in the hearts of the OFWs that dollars cannot offset.

While the decision to work overseas was mainly for the brighter future of the family, some children go astray, coupled with sad stories about spouses passing away without being able to say goodbye. In Tagalog, they say sumakabilang buhay

There is also another Tagalog expression for erring spouses, sumakabilang bahay Broken homes, dysfunctional families… Damn if we do, damn if we don’t! It has become a life between the “devil and the deep blue sea” for unfortunate OFWs.

Fatima discovered, as I did, that some of us went home old and tired, broke

and with shattered dreams. Some went home to restore marriages, a number feeling alone and had to start all over again.

These unhappy and sorrowful stories are coupled with uncertainties for OFWs who were not able to save, invest nor were able to prepare for emergencies, unfinished contracts and retirement. The pandemic gave us a vivid overview of the real situations of most OFWs when thousands were repatriated.

Yet, there are also many good and excellent experiences of OFWs who, in fact, are sending annual remittances in the trillions of pesos to our country. But when compared with the social costs including broken homes, shattered dreams, parentless children and mental anguish of many OFWs, one wonders if the cost was worth it.

village chief of Apo Island, said he was only seven years old when he met Alcala in their community.

“He was a very simple man. He would just sleep on the beach or inside the old chapel when it rained,” he said. At night, Alcala would set up a black-andwhite television attached to a small power generator set.

“It was our first time watching television. Sir Alcala would show movies about fishes, corals, and the life of fishermen in the Philippines. Afterward, he would explain to us what we had just watched,” Pascobello said.

“His advocacy for the marine environment transformed me and my family from being reef destroyers to reef rangers,” Pascobello added. (Irma Faith Pal)

for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Grace is God’s answer to many of our questions, and it is the only answer I know of at this time of grief. How good it is that at a time when we have to walk through the valleys of deep shadows, we have the grace of God to rely on. God’s Spirit intercedes for us with sighs that are too deep for words.

The One whom we think is up there, is also down here with us in our journey through valleys of deep shadows holding us up, and guiding us.

In times when we don’t know which way to turn or what to do, it is then that God is holding us in his hand. “He will keep our going out and our coming in.”

Sometimes death seems so final. But Jesus assures us, “I am the Resurrection and the Life; he who believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.”

James Moore tells of a boy named Paul who lived in a small town. Paul was a little boy when his family became the proud owners of one of the first telephones in the neighborhood. It was one of those wooden boxes attached to the wall, with the shiny receiver hanging on the side of the box...and the mouthpiece attached to the front.

Young Paul listened with fascination as his mom and dad used the phone...and he discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device called a telephone lived an amazing person.

Her name was “Information Please”...and there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could supply anybody’s number...and the correct time!

Paul’s first personal experience with “Information Please” came one day when he was home alone, and he whacked his finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible, and he didn’t know what to do...and then he thought of the telephone. Quickly, he pulled a footstool up to the phone, climbed up, unhooked the receiver, and said: “Information Please” into the mouthpiece.

Then a small clear voice spoke: “Information.”

“I hurt my finger,” Paul wailed into the phone. “Nobody’s home but me,” Paul cried. “I hit my finger with the hammer, and it hurts.”

“Can you open your icebox?”

“Yes.”

“Then go get some ice, and hold it to your finger.”

Paul did and it helped a lot.

After that, Paul called “Information Please” for everything. She helped him with his geography and his math. She taught him how to spell the word “fix.” And when Paul’s pet canary died, Information Please listened to his grief tenderly, and said, “Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in.” Somehow that helped and Paul felt better.

Then Paul moved with his family. Some years later, as he was on his way west to go to college, his plane landed near where he grew up. He dialed his hometown operator, and said, “Information Please.”

Miraculously, he heard that same small clear voice he knew so well.

“Information.”

Paul hadn’t planned this, but suddenly he blurted out: “Could you please tell me how to spell the word “fix?”

There was a long pause. Then came the soft answer: “I guess your finger must be all healed by now.”

Paul laughed. “Do you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time when I was a little boy?”

“I wonder,” she said, “I never had any children, and I used to look forward to your calls so much.”

Paul asked her if he could call her again when he was back in the area.

“Please do,” she said, “just ask for Sally.”

Three months later, Paul was back in Seattle. This time, a different voice answered. He asked for Sally.

“Are you a friend?” the operator asked.

“Yes, a very old friend,” Paul answered.

“Well, I’m sorry to have to tell you this,” she said. “Sally died five weeks ago.” Before Paul could hang up, the operator said: “Wait a minute....did you say your name was Paul?”

“Yes.”

“Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you: ‘When Paul calls, tell him that I still say: There are other worlds to sing in.’ He will know what I mean.”

There are other worlds to sing in. Isn’t that a beautiful and powerful thought? There are other worlds to sing in...in this life and, yes, even beyond this life.

And most likely, Angel Alcala, together with the angels, will have other worlds to do their research, and share their gifts. “The Lord will keep our going out and coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” Thanks be to God.

Members of the Dumaguete media get a better understanding of the water situation in Dumaguete during a tour the pumping stations and other facilities of the Metro Dumaguete Water, led by MDW PR and Communications Head Kate Young Ricardo, 8th from left. (contributed photo)

(Top photo) Members of the Apo Island Barangay Council, led by Brgy. Capt. Mario Pascobello (rightmost), pay their respects to National Scientist Angel C. Alcala who was buried Feb. 10 (photo below) after a necrological service and state funeral at Silliman Church. The Apo residents consider Alcala their hero for teaching them about conservation efforts since the early 80s — when they were in their teens and early 20s.

ANGEL ALCALA....FROM P. 2

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