The Mindanao Cross | August 28, 2021

Vol. LXXIII| No. 29| Cotabato City | Saturday, August 28, 2021 |8 Pages | P10.00

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CHURCH / P4

11 more BIFF yield in Maguindanao

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Pope Francis: Do not water down the truth of the Eucharist

Sanduguan Impressions on the Covid program

The Mindanao Cross issuu.com/mindanaocross mindanao.cross@gmail.com

PROUNDLY STANDING. A Qubba of a Masjid in Marawi City remained standing four years after the siege. The government has built another huge Mosque in the city, partly to restore its identity as the country’s “Islamic City.”

Photo courtesy of Valérie Ann P. Lambo

REGION 12 NOW HAS “ALPHA, BETA, DELTA” VARIANTS

By Edwin Fernandez KORONADAL CITY — A 4-year-old body has died due to novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) delta variant that health authorities believed was acquired while the child was hospitalized in Davao City.

Cops join Cotabato City “Brigada Eskwela”

By Edwin Fernandez SCHOOL officials and stakeholders from various sectors today launched National Schools Maintenance Week (Brigada Eskwela) in preparation for the school year 2021-2022.

Dr. Concepcion Balawag, Cotabato City Schools Division Superintendent, led the citywide launching at the Notre Dame Village High School in Barangay Rosary Heights 8 and participated by security sectors.

Although face-to-face (F2F) classes remain elusive to date, the Brigada Eskwela will make a facelift of the school classrooms and surroundings that have been unused for the past school year.

Balawag lauded the parents, who despite uncertainty of F2F classes, for coming over and helping clean and beautify the schools.

She also lauded other stakeholders, like the Philippine National Police, for taking time to help in cleaning school grounds.

“I now appeal to parents to enroll their children as early as

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Lawyer accused trader of falsifying doc’s signature

By Williamor A. Magbanua KIDAPAWAN CITY — A massage parlor owner here is facing complains of 12 counts of falsification of public documents after allegedly forging the signature of a physician in order to avail of anti-COVID-19 jabs for his workers.

Atty. Jose Paolo Evangelista, city legal officer, filed the complaint against Gerard Candelon, proprietor of Endures Massage Parlor, located along Datu Ingkal Street for allegedly falsifying medical clearances of his 12 workers.

On July 31, Candelon engaged in heated arguments with city health frontliners working at a vaccination hub located at the Notre Dame of Kidapawan College compound. The inoculation hub is managed by the city government.

Evangelista said that Candelon insisted that his workers be given anti-COVID jabs because they have medical certificates issued by Dr. Jocelyn Encienzo, city health

DID YOU KNOW? August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month

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Hopes for BTA extension remain high

BARMM’s 60 new emergency responders

By Edwin O. Fernandez THE delivery of basic services for the Bangsamoro must continue whether the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) is extended, as requested, or not, an official of the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) said.

But BARMM officials admitted they remained optimistic calls for the three-year extension will be a “wish come true.”

The welfare of every Bangsamoro is on top of priorities of BARMM Minister Murad Ebrahim, according to Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, BARMM interior minister.

“Whether there is extension or extinction, we will keep on exerting utmost efforts to fulfill our mandates for the welfare of Bangsamoro people,” said Sinarimbo, a lawyer and BARMM spokesperson.

He stressed though that the extension bid will eventually pay off.

He was the guest during the online news conference of the Bangsamoro Press Corps (BPC).

By John Felix Unson

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THE Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (READi) announced Monday the graduation on August 22 of 60 more volunteers from an extensive water search and rescue training handled by military and civilian experts.

It was the second group the READiBangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the Army’s 6th Infantry Division capacitated for offshore water search and rescue in a span of only about 30 days.

The volunteers are to serve in their respective communities in Maguindanao’s Datu Blah Sinsuat, Sultan Mastura and Parang towns and in Cotabato City, which is the capital of the now 28-month BARMM. The READi-BARMM is operating under the direct supervision of Bangsamoro Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo.

It is a contingent of combined Moro and non-Moro workers trained in calamity and disaster

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National Breastfeeding Awareness Month is observed every August by virtue of Republic Act No. 10028 signed in 2009 to raise public awareness of the importance of breastfeeding.

The law aims to guarantee the rightful place of breastfeeding in society as a timehonored tradition and nurturing value as well as a national health policy that must be enforced.

LIVE SAVER. Cotabato City Administrator Dr. Danda Juanday (left) hands over a key of a fire to City Fire Director Chief Inspector Lucilyn M Banac-Jusa as the city’s logistical support to BFP-Cotabato City.

Photo courtesy of City Government of Cotabato

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August 28, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

11 more BIFF yield in Maguindanao

ELEVEN more members of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters surrendered and pledged allegiance to the government Tuesday.

The group belonged to a BIFF faction led by Kagui Karialan who is wanted for more than 30 criminal cases pending in different courts, including deadly bomb attacks in central Mindanao in recent years.

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the 11 BIFF members renounced their membership with the group through the efforts of the 6th and 33rd Infantry Battalions and the 1st Mechanized Brigade.

The group turned in six firearms and a launcher for B40 anti-tank rockets during a simple surrender rite at the headquarters of the 1st Mechanized Brigade in Barangay Kamasi in Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

Uy said the 11 former BIFF members, whose names he declined to reveal pending their relocation to safe areas, shall be reintroduced to mainstream society by the 6th ID and the Bangsamoro government.

“We are thankful to the municipal officials who helped convince them to return to the fold of law,” Uy said.

The BIFF has a reputation for harassing members who have availed of 6th ID’s local reconciliation program for religious extremists.

More than a hundred members of the BIFF, which uses the flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria as its banner, have surrendered to units of the 6th ID since January. John Felix Unson

“Nanlaban” wanted man slain in CIDG operation

POLICE agents shot dead an uncooperative murder suspect whose house they were to inspect for firearms and shabu in Matanog, Maguindanao before dawn Wednesday.

The fatality, Oting Sawal, died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds.

Personnel of the Criminal Investigation and Detection GroupBangsamoro Autonomous Region were to search for firearms and drugs in the house of Sawal in Barangay Kidama, Matanog but neutralized him instead when he pulled out a .30 caliber Carbine and opened

fire.

Sawal was primary suspect in the murder of Christopher Aldamar last June 6, 2021 in nearby Barangay Sapad, Matanog.

Major Esmael Madin, CIDG-BAR’s field officer for Maguindanao province, said it was neighbors of Sawal who provided information about his possession of unlicensed firearms, prompting them and other police and military units to jointly launch the search operation that turned awry when he resisted.

The Matanog municipal police had earlier filed a complaint against Sawal

for the murder of Aldamar at the Maguindanao Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

The operation that resulted in the death of the recalcitrant Sawal was assisted by personnel of the Police Regional OfficeBangsamoro Autonomous Region, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Tactical Operations Group-12 of the Philippine Air Force and the Matanog Municipal Police.

Madin said it was relatives of Sawal who led the raiding team to his house in Barangay Kidama.

John Felix Unson

Security tightened in troubled Pikit

THE police and military have tightened security in Pikit, North Cotabato following a spate of deadly gun attacks in the municipality.

Gunmen shot dead two Moro villagers and wounded five others, three of them children, in an attack in Pikit, North Cotabato on Friday last week.

In a statement Wednesday, the Police Regional Office-12 said the North Cotabato provincial police is enforcing measures meant to prevent a repeat of the incident.

The Pikit PNP identified the fatalities as siblings Jamil Guiamalon and Nurisky Guiamalon.

They both died on the spot from bullet wounds in different parts of their bodies.

They were watching television together in their house in Barangay Inug-ug in Pikit town in North Cotabato when the suspects barged in and opened fire with assault rifles.

Five other members of the Guiamalon family, Raul, Yussef and three children, ages 10, 7 and 3, were wounded in the attack.

Police investigators are still clueless on the identities of the rifle-wielding suspects and their motive for the attack.

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army's 6th Infantry Division, said he has directed the 602nd Brigade covering Pikit and nearby towns to help the police guard the local communities against violent attacks. John Felix Unson

BARMM’s 6 SUCs to get dorms SIX state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will soon have their 3-story dormitory buildings from the region’s education ministry.

On Tuesday, Minister Mohaqher Iqbal of the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) said each of these six SUCs will be built with 3-story buildings with 132-bed capacity amounting to PHP39.14 million.

“In the pursuit of balanced, quality, and inclusive education, we also want to introduce innovative solutions to long-standing problems and explore pioneering approaches to elevate the Bangsamoro educational system while appreciating our rich history, culture and traditions,” Minister

Iqbal said.

He stressed that the construction of the dormitories, “exemplifies the ministry’s commitment to providing the best and safe learning for the students and effectively utilizing public funds.”

I q b a l m a d e the announcement after leading the groundbreaking rites for the construction of the building at Cotabato State University (CSU) in Cotabato City Friday last week.

The other institutions to receive similar building include Mindanao State University (MSU)Maguindanao in Datu Odin Sinsuat, MSUMain Campus in Marawi City, MSU-Sulu in Jolo, MSU-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (TCTO) in Bongao, and Basilan

State College in Jolo.

The construction of these dormitories are made possible through the education ministry’s Contingent Funds. The dormitories will have dining halls, study rooms and conference halls.

I q b a l a l s o announced that later this year, MBHTE will also commence the construction of 22 units of two-story with 10-classroom school buildings for the basic and higher education learners across the region with a total amount of PHP471.6 million.

The minister assured the public that funds used here and all other MBHTE projects have conform with the government accounting procedures and are transparent for public scrutiny of they so desire.

BOMB experts promptly deactivated three fragmentation grenades passersby found along a secluded stretch of a highway in Datu Blah Sinsuat town at past noontime Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. Eden Ugale, director of the Police Regional OfficeBangsamoro Autonomous Region, said Wednesday investigators have enlisted the help of barangay officials in trying to determine

who could have left the three live grenades along the route leading to Barangay Pura, seat of the Datu Blah municipal government.

A fragmentation grenade can be converted into a “booby trap” using a trip wire that can set its safety pin off at slightest pressure.

Datu Blah Mayor Marshal Sinsuat urged Wednesday the residents of villages along the Datu Odin Sinsuat-Datu Blah

Sinsuat Highway to help the police and the military guard against saboteurs out to derail peace and security in the municipality.

Dotted with beach resorts frequented by hundreds of local tourists during Saturdays and Sundays, Datu Blah Sinsuat in the western coast of Maguindanao is touted as the most peaceful town in the first district of the province.

Edwin O. Fernandez

Roadside grenades defused in Maguindanao

John Felix Unson

P1.7-M shabu seized in Talayan

STATE Agents seized P1.7 million worth of shabu from a trafficker entrapped in Talayan Maguindanao at noontime Wednesday.

The regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement AgencyBangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said suspect Jimar Vidad Miral, is now clamped down in its detention facility here.

Miral was immediately frisked and cuffed after selling one-fourth kilo of shabu, worth P1.7 million, to non-uniformed PDEABARMM agents during a sting along a highway in the town proper of Talayan.

The entrapment operation that led to his arrest was assisted by personnel of the Talayan municipal police and the Army’s 2nd Mechanized Battalion under the 6th Infantry Division.

Vidal shall be prosecuted for violation of the Republic Act 9165, also known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, using the shabu confiscated from him as evidence.

PDEA-BARMM agents also impounded his black Kawasaki motorcycle without a license plate.

Hours later, PDEA operatives also arrested three alleged drug den

operators in Sultan Mastura, also in Maguindanao.

Alvin Sartin Duron, Edgar Gesulga Catipay, Jr., John Ace Odoc Lizondra voluntarily yielded when they sensed they have sold P102,000 worth of shabu to agents of PDEA in a sting in Barangay Macabiso, Sultan Mastura.

The PDEA-BARMM said the three men operated a clandestine shabu den in Barangay Macabiso.

Duron, Catipay and Lizondra are now locked in the detention facility here of the PDEA-BARMM, awaiting prosecution. John

Felix Unson

DAR to distribute titles in Lanao Sur

ALL is set for the distribution of some 4,800 hectares of agricultural lands for the farmers in the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“This is to empower the agricultural sector in the region,” Minister Mohammad Yacob of the BARMM’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) said.

The distribution will commence in October as announced by Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Brother John Castriciones.

“We would distribute idle government-owned lands (GOLs) in Lanao del Sur, which include 1,300 hectAares in Marawi City, 1,324.27 has. in Piagapo, 1,396.05 has. in Marantao, and 780.02 has. in Saguiran.

As of the moment, these properties are undergoing land survey to process the deed of transfer,” Sec. Castriciones said in a statement.

He recalled that DAR, in cooperation with the Department of National Defense (DND), under the

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ANYTHING POSSIBLE. A creative bamboo product maker, Nestor S. Yuarata in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato shows his “masterpiece,” a tricycle with bamboo side car.

Photo courtesy of Nestor S. Yuarata

August 28, 2021

Strong winds damaged crops in South Cotabato

KORONADAL CITY — Farmers lost P5.8 million worth of crops to strong winds, amid heavy downpours, that pummeled agricultural sites in Tupi, South Cotabato Monday.

In a statement Tuesday, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of the Tupi

local government said worse hit by the strong winds were papaya farms in Barangays Bololmala, Poblacion and Cebuano.

Emil Sumagaysay, who is overseeing the Tupi MDRRMO, separately told reporters LGU agricultural technicians and emergency responders placed at

P5.8 million their initial estimate of the value of the damaged crops.

Some 40 farmers, mostly papaya growers, were badly affected by the incident, according to Sumagaysay.

He said the strong winds that battered the three barangays also flattened two houses made of light materials. John Felix Unson

Region 12 now has “Alpha, Beta, Delta” variants...from P1

“The child was negative of the variant while in Tupi, South Cotabato, he may have acquired the virus in a hospital in Davao where he expired,” Dr. Rogelio Aturdido Jr, South Cotabato chief of Integrated Provicial Health Office (IPHO), said during a virtual news conference.

He said South Cotabato now has 11 COVID-19 cases with the more contagious and dangerous “Alpha, Beta and Delta” variants.

He said South Cotabato has already recorded four cases of the most dangerous delta based on the genome sequencing results released by the Department of Health (DOH).

Aside from four delta variants, the province also recorded fiver persons having Alpha variants and two with Beta variants.

Aturdido said Surallah has two Beta and one Delta variant cases. The towns of Banga, Tupi

and Koronadal City have one each Alpha and Delta. POlomolok has two Alpha variants.

All of them have recovered when the results came out except the child in Tupi who died.

As DOH protocol, all those who have recovered but were found to have the new variants must under another reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) test negative results before they are declared “cleared.”

Most of those who have the new variants have no travel history to areas with high cases of infections.

“We continue our contact tracing and we asked all those who have close contacts with the persons who have had the contagious strain to come forward, including those in the third generation contacts,” Aturdido said.

In Koronadal City, Mayor Eliordo Ogena has reiterated

his calls for all to maintain the observance of health protocols.

“We ask all of you to help so indi na kita mag-abot nga mag=lockdown pa,” he told DXOM-Radyo Bida in Koroandal City. “Para ini sa aton tanan (This is for everybody’s sake), let us do our share.”

In North Cotabato, health authorities in Pres. Roxas have admitted the existence of a UK variant of COVID-19.

The “Beta” variant was detected from a patient in Barangay New Cebu but he unidentified COVID-19 survivor have been fully recovered.

Dr. Dominic Laus, municipal health officer, said the patient, a senior citizen, had just attended a wedding event in nearby Antipas town, also in North Cotabato and suffered a stroke on Aug. 6.

He was confined at Amas provincial hospital where he was tested positive of COVID-19.

P7 NO BOUNDARY. Life-saving recognizes no boundaries as showed by Cotabato City, out to fetch ROFs at General Santos Airport, responded and administered “First Aid” to a motor crash victim in Barangay Apopong, Gen. Santos City.

Photo courtesy of CDRRMO Cotabato

Cops join Cotabato City...from P1 they can to avoid problems in the future,” she said in the vernacular.

Enrolment on line have started on August 13 and is continuing.

To date, more than 33,000 have enrolled so far. The city division eyes 54,000 enrollees this school year, about 2,000 higher as against last year.

Blended learning, radio-based and modular methods of teaching will continue this year.

Each school in the city have received assistance of various sectors, including non-government

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THE MINDANAO CROSS

organizations.

The PC Hill Elementary School was aided by Police Special Action Force 1203rd (Maguindanao) Community Defense Center, Army CMO Battalion, 12th Regional Community Defense Group (ARESCOM), Tau Gamma Phi Kutang Bato Council, Barangay Officials of PC Hill.

Women and men of these groups joined the faculty and staff the school’s "Bayanihan Para Sa Paaralan” with a theme: "Brigada Palista Tara na! Mag enrol na!

Balik Eskwela na!"

Hopes for BTA extension...from P1 S i n a r i m b o said interventions for the welfare of their constituents, especially the poor and underprivileged sectors, regardless of any result of BTA extension bid, must continue.

Congress is yet to decide on the calls for the postponement of 2022 regional elections and extension of BTA for another three years after 2022 to allow the BARMM government to complete and deliver its commitment as stated in the Bangsamoro Organic Law. On Wednesday, the Senate has approved on second reading the proposed measure that seeks to postpone next year's elections in BARMM and extend the transition period in the region until 2025.

During Wednesday’s plenary proceedings, the senators voted 18-1 with two abstentions, in approving on second reading Senate Bill (SB) 2214.

It seeks to amend Republic Act 11054, the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) that created the BARMM, by postponing next year's balloting and extend BTA until 2025. BTA is the region’s interim parliament.

Officials claimed three years were not enough to fulfill its commitment in the BOL due to the pandemic.

BARMM Senior Minister Abdulraof Macacua was not losing hope the proposed extension will be realized.

Senate Bill 2214 was authored by Sen. Francis Tolentino calling for the deferment of the parliament election and extend the BTA lifespan to 2025.

Both Sinarimbo and Macacua agreed that Bangsamoro government services “must continue and must accelerate for the welfare of Bangsamoro people.”

Sinarimbo said under the moral governance the current regional leaders have been espousing calls for relentless governance and continue in carrying out life-enhancing projects and services.

He noted that despite

uncertainty of the calls for extension, his office has dispersed ambulance units, fire trucks and desalination machines in island provinces.

He stressed that construction of school buildings, barangay and municipal hall structures, road concreting, and delivery of health services in the face of the pandemic have accelerated in recent months.

“BARMM government will continue to carry out its mandates,” Sinarimbo said Tolentino, chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government and the principal sponsor of SB 2214, welcomed its approval and lauded his colleagues in the upper chamber.

His bill, Tolentino said, once approved will ensure the complete implementation of the political and normalization tracks which were, somehow delayed due to “pandemic and other intervening events.”

The Commission on Elections said it cannot regional polls next year since redistricting and the passage of its regional electoral code have yet to be finished by the BTA. The poll body in an en banc session on August 11 has approved Resolution 10713 that stressed "the allocation of elective positions for the BARMM parliamentary elections cannot yet be determined at this point due to the unavailability of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code," among others.

During Wednesday’s session, Sen. Panfilo Lacson has voted against the second reading approval while Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and Senator Imee Marcos abstained.

According to Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, the second reading version of Senate Bill 2214 was simpler as it removed provisions that were unnecessary.

“We simplified it as much as we can.

We removed all other provisions that we deemed no longer,” Zubiri said in a statement released by his office.

Q and A on the COVID-19...from P6 considered safe and effective based on the available evidence to date.

13. Are there risks for complications when given the COVID-19 vaccine?

Yes, like all other vaccines, there are risks of complications BUT SEVERE OR LIFE-THREATENING REACTIONS ARE EXTREMELY RARE. The benefit of protection against severe COVID-19 is greater than the risk.

Anyone who will get the vaccine will be properly evaluated and closely

monitored by health professionals to further minimize any risk.

14. What can we do while waiting for the vaccine?

We urge the public to be more vigilant with the information found online.

Let us make it a habit to fact check and verify with reliable sources (DOH Facebook page, DOH website, WHO website, PIA website) regarding new information.

Continue observing the minimum public health standards to prevent further transmission of the virus. MC

Lawyer accused trader of falsifying doc’s signature...from P1 officer that qualify them under category A3 or adult with co-morbidities.

However, Dr. Encienzo vehemently denied giving medical certificates to the group but she admitted issuing a medical certificate to the massage parlor business partner on July 30.

De. Encienzo said her signature was forged in the medical certificates

presented so they can avail of inoculation.

The massage parlor owner allegedly threatened the vaccination team and created a scenario that delayed the vaccination activities when told that his 12 workers were disqualified to avail of the immunization.

To prevent him from disrupting the

immunization activities, police officers had to bring him outside the campus.

Only Candelon was charged. His 12 employees were spared.

"They are not blacklisted but they are not qualified to have the vaccines under the A3 category because their medical certificates are all tampered," Dr. Encienzo said in her sworn

statement.

Included in a 60-page Judicial Affidavit Complaint were evidences about falsification of documents and sworn statement of two witnesses against Candelon.

Candelon refused to issue statement to media but stated he will face the charges in the proper forum.

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August 28, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

Pope Francis: Do not water down the truth of the Eucharist

VATICAN— Pope Francis on Sunday encouraged Catholics to not water down the reality of Jesus Christ’s humanity and his teaching that the Eucharist is his Body and Blood.

“Indeed, Jesus affirms that the true bread of salvation, which transmits eternal life, is His very flesh,” Pope Francis said during his Angelus message at the Vatican Aug. 22.

“To enter into communion with God, before observing the laws or satisfying religious precepts,” he continued, “it is necessary to live out a real and concrete relationship with Him.” Pope Francis, speaking from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, reflected on the day’s Gospel reading from St. John.

The passage follows the story of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, when Jesus invited the crowd “to interpret that sign and believe in Him, who is the true bread come down from heaven, the bread of life; and He revealed that the bread He will give is His body and blood,” Francis said.

“These words,” he stated, “sound harsh and incomprehensible to the ears of the people, so much so that, from that moment, many of His disciples turn back; that is, they stop following the Master.”

“Even today the revelation of Jesus’ humanity, and the

fact that the Eucharist is Jesus’ Body and Blood, can cause scandal, he said. It is something difficult for people to accept, he added, explaining that this is what Saint Paul calls the ‘folly’ of the Gospel in the face of those who seek miracles or worldly wisdom.”

“What sense can there be, in the eyes of the world, in kneeling before a piece of bread? Why on earth should someone be nourished assiduously with this bread?” he said.

According to Pope Francis, we should be surprised if the words of Jesus Christ do not throw us into crisis, “because we might have watered down His message,” he stated.

He also urged Catholics not to seek God in “dreams and in images of grandeur and power,” but to recognize him in the humanity of Jesus and in the humanity of other people.

“God made Himself flesh and blood: He lowered himself to the point of becoming a man like us,” the pope said.

“He humbled Himself to the extent of burdening Himself with our sufferings and sin, and therefore He asks us to not seek Him outside life and

history, but in relationship with Christ and with our brothers and sisters.”

He recalled that Catholics, during the recitation of the Nicene Creed at Mass on Christmas and the Annunciation, kneel during the words stating Jesus was made incarnate and became man.

Pope Francis closed his Sunday message by encouraging Catholics to ask for the grace to be provoked and converted by Jesus’ “words of eternal life.”

“May Mary Most Holy, who bore her Son Jesus in the flesh and joined herself to His sacrifice, help us to always bear witness to our faith in our real lives,” he said.

After praying the Angelus, a traditional Marian prayer, Pope Francis greeted various groups present in St. Peter’s Square, including the priests and seminarians of the Pontifical North American College, a major seminary in Rome for seminarians of the United States and other countries.

A group of new students, the class of 2025, arrived at the college last week. Hannah

Brockhaus/Ca tholic News Agency

Archbishop warns against misinformation on COVID-19 vaccines

As Covid-19 cases are on the rise, a Catholic archbishop urged the public to get inoculated and warned against misinformation about vaccines.

Archbishop Jose Cabantan of Cagayan de Oro urged the people not to believe in hearsays and only listen to health experts.

“May we not be misled by erroneous fears or deceived by the latest misinformation in social media.

Rather, in fidelity to Mother Church may we confidently follow the correct medical and ethical advice,” Cabantan

W

said in a statement released Aug. 23.

The archbishop believes more people still need to be vaccinated to slow the transmission of coronavirus.

“We pray that through vaccination, we can begin to curb the scourge of the pandemic,” he said.

Cabantan said the archdiocese’s stand on vaccination is in accordance with the declarations of ranking church leaders, led by no less than Pope Francis.

In January, the pope said that people have the moral obligation to receive

vaccines as it is a “simple but profound way of promoting the common good and caring for each other”.

Cabantan also noted how the Vatican’s Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, in December 2020, had declared that vaccination is morally acceptable against the Covid-19 as all vaccines are recognized as clinically safe and effective.

The CBCP, in their Pastoral Letter on Covid-19 vaccines in January 2021, welcomed all the efforts to produce vaccines and called for its fair

e respect people who He is not what he claims to honor their word. be. This conflict between They possess the Jesus and the Pharisees quality of “palabra de honor”. is shown in this Sunday’s They fulfill their promises. gospel when these leaders They do what they say and placed more emphasis they only say what they on external observances intend to do. They do not rather than in purity of Rev. Fr. Antonio P. Pueyo, DCC make promises that they do heart and intention. Jesus tonypoy_dcc0@yahoo.com not intend to honor. Such said, “You shallow people…. persons stand on principles. you even put aside the When you are a parent or an older person do not make commandment of God to hold fast to human traditions” promises to a child that you do not intend to fulfill. (James 7:8). It is not what is taken from outside The child will be so disappointed that they lost trust in that makes a man unclean, but what comes out of his others and they will carry this mistrust to their adult heart. This conflict was precipitated by the criticism life. Promises are made to be honored, that Jesus’s disciples were observed not to not to be broken. wash their hands before eating, as tradition Words have power. Once we release dictated. Jesus added, “For evil designs words from our mouth, we cannot recall come out of the heart: theft, murder, them back. We can retract and we can adultery, jealousy, greed, maliciousness, apologize but the words were spoken. I deceit, indecency, slander, pride, and folly. remember our old priest professor in All these evil things come out from within theology. He was giving us practical tips and make a person unclean” (Mk. 7:15). on ministry. He said, “The priest has the What a list of sins. All of these are power of blessing, use God’s word to bless. based on the Ten Commandments, so You also have the power of cursing, do not that the first reading from Deuteronomy curse anyone because you cannot take it reiterates, “Keep the commandments of back. As we say in the dialect, makagaba Yahweh your God, as I command you. ka.” The Christian disciple is a carrier of God’s word. (Deut. 4:2) In another Gospel this week, Jesus had In this Sunday’s second reading St. James advised strong words for those who pretend to keep the his community, “Be doers of the Word and not just commandments but have evil designs, “Woe to you hearers, lest you deceive yourselves” (James 1:22). This hypocrites, You are like whitewashed tombs, beautiful important relationship between faith in God’s Word in appearance but inside there are only dead bones and and action is underlined in the next five Sundays of uncleanness.” God have mercy on us and God forbid the second readings from St. James. Faith and action that the same words will apply to us. go together.

We are carriers of the Word of God. Our life itself Jesus have strong words against those who say one becomes a preaching of God’s commandments. Let us thing and do another as shown in the daily readings be doers of the Word. Let us do what we say, and let this past week. He calls them hypocrites. In Greek, the us only say what we intend to do. Let us also learn to word hypokrites refers to a pretender. He is an actor. keep our promises. No pretenses. MC

Doers of the Word REFLECTIONS

It is not what is taken from outside that makes a man unclean, but what comes out of his heart.

distribution.

While some people refused to be vaccinated, the archbishop stressed the importance of doing everyone’s part to avoid the spread of the virus.

“Of course, some with comorbidities and following the advice of their doctors may not avail of vaccination. To these, and those who for reasons of conscience do not wish to be vaccinated, they must all still do their utmost to avoid becoming vehicles for the transmission of the infectious agent,” he said. Aimee

Yeo/CBCP News

Meditation Fr. Rock Saniel, OMI rocksaniel@gmail.com

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings:

Deuteronomy 4.1-2, 6-8; James 1.17-18, 21-22, 27; Mark 7.1-8, 14-15, 21-23 For some of us, it must be quite easy to notice the mistakes of others, right? For some, that must be their mastered skill – judging others. Remember: when we see the wrongs of other people, it is not good to immediately make any conclusion. Yes, they may have made a mistake or committed the worst sin, but that doesn’t mean that we have the right to judge them. God alone can judge us. And so, it is not so much about the mistakes or wrongs of others that we must focus on but rather on their goodness. We all make mistakes. We all do. So let us stop judging others.

Prayer: Lord, teach me how to be forgiving and patient with others. Amen.

Fr. Peter

5

THE MINDANAO CROSS

August 28, 2021 EDITORIAL

How prepared is DEP-Ed for the New Normal?

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n the interview done by the Mindanao Cross with Cotabato City Superintendent Schools Division Superintendent Concepcion Balawag, she explained that in compliance with the memorandum sent by the DEP-Ed minister of BARMM, they are prepared to start the school year this September. They have been preparing for this opening for the past three months, and hopefully, both teachers and students will be able to face the new challenges.

The challenges she mentioned is not only the usual weather, they still have to see the condition of the buildings, school equipment, and even the students ability to travel to the schools. There is also the need to provide older but poor students cellphones to use. All of these plus the pandemic which the whole world is facing right now.

The Pandemic required that a new pedagogy be used that would lessen the impact of the Covic 19. It would have been quite easy to apply distance learning (also known as on-line learning) for older students who are already familiar with the new technology; but the younger students will have problems adopting. Distance learning have been in use in commonwealth countries, which has its own pedagogy of learning. The teacher in this case is ready to be consulted by students but it lends itself better in a consultative environment. Furthermore, in the on-line learning, the protocol of social distancing is satisfied. But the experiential learning is difficult to assess because the teacher have to rely on what she/he sees on the screen of the computer.

Webster gave a good explanation on how the new pedagogy works. “In the act of teaching there are two parties (the teacher and the student) who work together in some program (the subject matter) designed to modify the learners’ experience and understanding in some way. It is necessary to begin, therefore, with observations about the learner, the teacher, and the subject matter and then to consider the significance of group life and the school. It will then be possible to consider the factors and theories involved in modifying a student’s experience and understanding.

“What is required of teachers is that they enjoy and be capable of sharing with children work programs designed to modify their experience and understanding. That means making relevant experience available to the student at the right time. The teacher must be mature, have humour with a sense of status, be firm yet unruffled, and be sympathetic but not overpersonal. With large classes, the teacher becomes a leader of a group, providing stimulating learning situations.”

As we observe this requirement, the teacher is a very important persona in the new normal. This is especially true if she or he is handling a class where parents are called on to help in the learning process. If the parents are illiterate, the greater the demand for teachers to put in more time in the learning process. We therefore have to ask whether the face-to-face interaction is justified even if there is the risk of catching the disease. We therefore hope that the teachers and administrators be able to face all these challenges; and we call on those with multiple cellphones to please donate to the nearest school in your area. MC +

is published every Saturday by the Mindanao Cross Publishers, Inc., Sinsuat cor Quezon Avenues, Cotabato City. Tel Nos. (064) 4217161 and E-mail Address: mindanao.cross@gmail.com | mincross101@yahoo.com.ph

Fr. Rogelio Tabuada, OMI, Chief-Executive-Officer Eva Kimpo - Tan, Editor-in-Chief Edwin O. Fernandez, News Editor Gemma A. Peñaflor, Administration and Marketing Executive Julito P. Torres, Circulation Officer Karl John B. Daniel, Graphic-Layout Artist COTABATO CITY / ARMM CORRESPONDENTS

John M. Unson Ferdinandh B. Cabrera Charlie C. Señase Nash B. Maulana

NORTH / SOUTH COTABATO CORRESPONDENTS

Williamor Magbanua, Romer “Bong” Sarmiento, Roel Osano, Orlando Dinoy & Drema Quitayen Bravo CARTOONIST Lourd Jim Diazon Member: PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

Entered as Second Class Mail at Cotabato City Post Office under Permit No. 91-01 Dated August 15, 1991.

M

anny Pacquiao’s was a rags to riches story, one that did not rely on charity but was instead built on his honing his skills to the utmost with a warehouse-full of sacrifice and hard work. That inspired and gave hope to not a few Filipinos from the ranks of the poor in the countryside. Many aspiring boxers have looked up to him; we have over the years heard many of them call him their idol, their hero, and hoped to follow in his footsteps. Many still do, no doubt. We believe many still will.

The man’s achievements listed by Wikipedia are monumental: the only eight-division world champion in the history of boxing winning twelve major world titles, the first boxer to win the lineal championship in five different weight classes, the first boxer to win major world titles in four of the eight “glamour divisions” of the sport – flyweight, featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight. Pacquiao is the only boxer to hold world championships across four decades – the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. It would perhaps take another while for anyone else to achieve such a feat.

But Manny Pacquiao’s latest outing against Cuban fighter Yordenis Ugas for the World Boxing Association welterweight title earlier stripped away from Pacquiao ended in defeat. 35-year-old Ugas, banking on his reach advantage, won by unanimous decision over the 42-year-old Filipino who to his credit, despite not having fought in two years, put up a gallant fight. But such is the brutal reality of sport; no champion stays one forever, and that could be very well said as well for the Ugas.

Filipinos’ reactions to Pacquaio’s loss were as varied as bananas. There were a few who speculated that Pacquiao was set up with the withdrawal of southpaw Erroll Spence, Jr. and his replacement by the right-handed Ugas a few weeks into the scheduled bout. Some believed the loss was karma for Pacquaio for standing up politically against their idol in the Palace and his daughter being tossed up for the presidency in 2022. Many more congratulated Pacquiao for standing up to the much taller and younger Ugas, thanking him for all the honor he has given to the country in his years of fighting as the “Pambansang Kamao, ” adding he will forever be their hero and idol.

That is Manny Pacquiao’s enduring legacy, being a living symbol of how a man can rise from simple

I

NDEPENDENCE is the keyword, may be, but is hardly sufficient to describe one’s diverse and fair public engagements in life.

The sense of individual and collective struggles, the Faith broadly studied and applied; nationalism, and objectivity in community life, social views and even on issues contrary to one’s political status, a reality that makes one selfless in the world of more selfish politics: These make the leader’s character that readers will learn from “The Revolutionary Democrat: The Life and Times of Pangalian M. Balindong” written by Professor Edmundo S. Tayao.

Speaker Ali Pangalian Marohom Balindong comes from a family of leaders and politicians, starting with his father Sultan Amer Macaorao Balindong, a mayor of Malabang, Lanao del Sur for many years. Political attempts to replace him by Marcos allies during martial law have resulted to a gerrymandering by which his town had been subdivided into four with Balabagan, Sultan Gumander (later renamed Picong), and Kapatagan partitioned from its original land area . Two of these municipalities have been under the administration of his siblings, succeeding their old man—and Lanao del Sur’s Second Congressional District to which these municipalities geographically belong, is represented by his son, Congressman Yasser Balindong.

Chief Justice Raynato S. Puno (Ret), who wrote the first Foreword of “The Revolutionary Democrat” says the real measure of independence of the 2018 Constitutional Commission formed by President Rodrigo Duterte to review the 1987 Constitution, was on how it voted on the provision of political dynasty.

“The entire nation was watching us for it was the litmus test of our independence from wellentrenched politicians in control of the levers of power in government,” CJ Puno wrote, describing the 2018 ConCom deliberation and vote on the constitutional ban on political dynasty.

But what brought the house down was the speech of Speaker Balindong, Puno adds quoting his colleague in part saying: “I come from Lanao del Sur, the capital of political dynasties in the Philippines. I myself belong to a political dynasty.”

Puno in sheer reverence noted: “And then he (Balindong) explained in unadorned language that he

A beacon of hope and inspiration

Thinking Aloud Carlos C. Bautista caloyb@gmail.com

and humble beginnings and stand tall. Born to a poor couple in Kibawe, Bukidnon and raised in General Santos, he moved to Manila and lived on the streets, working as a construction worker who had to choose between enduring hunger or sending money to his mother. His maternal uncle introduced him to boxing at the age of 12, training him in a makeshift home gym. By age 15, Pacquiao was considered the best junior boxer in the southern part of the country. He moved to Manila and entered professional boxing as a junior flyweight at the age of 16. The rest, as it is often said, is history.

Beyond boxing, Manny Pacquiao is also a source of inspiration in education. He completed elementary education in General Santos City but dropped out of high school due to extreme poverty. In February 2007, Pacquiao took and passed a high school equivalency exam, and was awarded with a high school diploma by the Department of Education. The man valued education and earned it, never mind that he was way past the high school age at the time. In 2018, Pacquiao enrolled in the College of Continuing, Advanced and Professional Studies program of the University of Makati, a program similar to the Commission on Higher Education’s Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program which allows individuals to attain tertiary education equivalent to their proficiency and knowledge in their current work.

In 16 months, Pacquaio completed the required 10 academic modules for him to be eligible for a degree under the program. He was already a Senator by then.

While many Filipinos do not look kindly on achievements in the field of alternative education, there is no doubt that the boy whose education has been cut short by poverty, as is the case with many young Filipinos to this day, has done well. That is worthy of emulation. MC

Independence of a Revolutionary Democrat

Penlight Nash B. Maulana

nash.penlight@gmail.com

was voting against his self-interest, hence, he favored the ban (on) political dynasties.”

Professor Tayao walks us through world state of affairs during which Pangalian Balindong would lead early life as a college student and as professional—such, as post-World War II developments, the Cold War, the emergence of new nations, and domestically later, the changing socio-political landscape from state policies on integration to growing sentiments for secessionism back in the South.

All these, Prof. Tayao, points out, helped the young Ali Pangalian Balindong make important decisions on his tract to professional preparation as an emerging leader to his people.

The young Balindong was a classroom student of noted nationalist Sen. Lorenzo M. Tanada when he was in school of law at the Manuel L. Quezon University (MLQU) in Manila. It was in his after-class habitual visits to the Session Hall of the Old Congress, along the Orosa-Taft Avenue junction that he saw and probably learned early parliamentary skills from some of the legislative giants of Philippine history—Senator Claro Recto, and later, Senators Jovito Salonga and Jose W. Diokno, among others.

But I wish Prof. Tayao had the events back home to connect such a timely academic influence upon the student Pangalian Balindong in and out of the classroom: the labor and agrarian issues in Malabang and its legal implications that readily illustrate to him topics that Tanada may have raised in board works, and in parliamentary deliberations involving the grand old man of the Philippine Senate, along with Recto, and in later Congress, Salonga and Diokno, among other nationalists at the halls of the pre-martial law Senate.

To be continued MC

6

are now at their disposal.

Even government hospitals’ medical and other emergency needs to combat surging cases of COVID-19 and its variants have been attended too through regional legislative Charlie Señase measures and prompt csenase@yahoo.com executive implementation N these trying times of sorrows and of programs. pitfalls, it’s not what we seem to be but Its lawmaking body, the Bangsamoro what we truly are that is important. Transition Authority, this week approved For the world is in a tug-of-war between procurement of P50 million worth of good and evil or between God and Satan. oxygen tanks intended for COVID patients Our thoughts and deeds are tell-tale of confined at hospitals’ Intensive Care Unit. who our master is that ushers-in blessing The Office of Chief Minister Ahod or curse, life or death.

Al-Haj Murad Ebrahim also allowed the When boxing icon-turned politician disbursement of P471 million fund for the Manny Pacquiao, 42, who bowed-out to construction of six three-story dormitories his much younger Cuban slugger, issued in various state colleges and universities a pre-boxing match statement that his in Muslim Mindanao. countrymen are suffering from “systematic Decommissioning of MILF fighters corruption” in the midst of the pandemic by providing them with cash incentives or has been doped. and livelihood opportunities must also be Senator Pacquiao, who is reportedly extended to members of MNLF its mother groomed to be the opposition’s presidential unit. bet in the 2022 polls, has been politically Because of BARMM’s humanitarian engrossed than his boxing career that concern to former comrades, the Joint catapulted him to world fame and fortune. Task Force Central under the stewardship Things happen for a reason while of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division has wondering what’s up with President reported the voluntary surrender of BIFF Duterte’s affirmation to seek the vice extremists with their assorted firearms. presidential slot in the coming political With the several BARMM-funded exercise. As a lawyer, he opined that the projects that include upgrading of local absence of a law that prohibits such is government structures and facilities therefore legal which runs counter to the in cases of emergency and disaster, we opposition’s contention. have yet to hear and see COA flagging Whatever outcome of the legal tussle, of irregular or misused of public funds in case the issue is formally raised, like “ghost projects and ghost employees” will depend on the Supreme Court’s which were reminiscent of the past “failed verdict, especially so that the formal autonomy” along memory lane of “white filing of certificates of candidacy in the elephants.” simultaneous national and local elections And the official Comelec is just two months away from now. announcement lately that the scheduled With our covered faces all over the 2021 Maguindanao plebiscite on dividing world, callous shamelessness overwhelms the province into two (Maguindanao del to remind us that all visible things Sur and del Norte) has been postponed so are temporal and that change is the the Commission on Elections can prepare only permanent thing and a spiritual for the 2022 national and local polls. awakening to life’s realities.

Proponents to BARMM’s BTA It’s good to know that the Bangsamoro extension are held with fingers-crossed government in Mindanao has been that Congress will not follow suit to the continually reaching out to the dire needs poll body’s recent stand. of its constituents by spending millions if With the country’s economy drained not billions in the realm of strengthening due to surging COVID cases, lawmakers their educational and socio-economic have to choose between expense-free wellbeing. Lately reports of providing extension and the very expensive election potable water where it is scarce and unsafe of new BARMM officials. MC

Wake-Up Call

True to Form

I

of gold selling the Fascinated with heart silver medal she won at the Tokyo Olympics to fund the Olympics lifesaving surgery for a sick Andrejczyk has shown her

The Stuff of Life

baby. The Olympian, a bone cancer survivor, auction Victoria R. Franco, RPh, MS Pharmacy off her medal for $125,000 franco1573victoria@gmail.com US donating the money to help an eight-month-old he Philippines joined the Polish boy Miloszek, with a International Olympic Committee serious heart problem. His heart defect ( I O C ) i n 1 9 1 8 . P r i o r t o t h e causes his blood pressure to skyrocket Philippines’ entry to the IOC, Fortunato damaging the arteries in his lungs and Catalon won four consecutive Far East heart. titles from 1917 to 1923, in the 100 The baby lives with his family in yards (91m) and 220 yards (201.1m) Southern Poland and needs to travel to and in1925 100 m. the US for an operation that will give H i s s u c c e s s o r w a s D a v i d him a chance of survival. He will be Nepomuceno, an enlisted personnel operated on at the Stanford University in the Philippine Scouts. Having Medical Center. defeated Catalon at the 1924 National The medal was bought by a Polish Championships, David Nepomuceno convenience store called Zabka which was selected as the sole representative promptly announced it was letting for the Olympic Games in Paris, France. Andreiczyk keep the medal. “A medal Unfortunately David failed to qualify is only an object but it can be of great past the first round of 100 and 200m, value to others” she said. . It brought but it bolstered the initial entry of the her enormous happiness and that she Philippines to the IOC. In 1925, he ran wanted to pass that happiness on to a 2/5 of a second short of the then world young child who needed it. “My Medal to record. At the 1925 Far East Games, me is a symbol of faith and perseverance he clocked the fastest time of 10.8 . in the face of great obstacles said Filipino sprinters were ranked among Andreiczyk .” After missing out on a the top ten in the world throughout medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics by just the 1920s. To David is given the title 2 cm, she sat out the next two years of first Amazing Filipino Olympian; he with a shoulder injury and was then also served in the US Navy. He died in diagnosed with bone cancer in 2018. action during World War II and several After it won the auction, the little other Filipino athletes on September chain store Zabka announced on social 27, 1939 . media that it would let Andreiczyk After 25 years, Atlanta Olympics keep her medal and make a donation silver medalist Mansueto Onyok Velasco to Miloszek in her name. received his incentives, half a million, Jamaican gold medalist Hanzle and the Order of Lapulapu in a pompous Parchment hunted down the Olympics awarding ceremony in Malacanang. volunteer to offer her a vacationBelated though it may be, it was the late round trip-plane ticket as a gesture of Pres. Benigno Aquino who signed in gratitude. Hanzle took the wrong bus to 2015 the law allocating 5M to athletes the events site and had to get off but did who won silver medals in the Olympics. not know how to go to the real site. He In the same awarding ceremony were was given a cab fare by the volunteer. gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, silver and He would have missed his event had he bronze medalists Nesthy Peticio, Carlo not been guided by her. Having arrived Paalam, and Eumir Marcial who were earlier than scheduled , he had ample all participants in the last Olympics in time to warm up for the gold win. Both Tokyo. posed for a souvenir photo showing the Kindness shone through competition gold medal he just won, because he made in Tokyo. Polish javelin thrower Maria it to the event in the nick of time. MC

T

August 28, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

Q and A on the COVID-19 VACCINES

development) vaccines or drugs during public health emergencies of international concern. It aims to expedite availability of the vaccine or drug to people affected by public health emergency based on essential set of available quality, safety and efficacy performance data.

7. Who will get the vaccines first?

Frontline health workers, senior citizens, indigent population, and uniformed personnel are the priority groups to be vaccinated.

8. Why will the prioritized groups get the vaccine first?

With the initial limited supply, frontline health workers and uniformed personnel are prioritized since they have higher risk of exposure while on duty and to allow them to continue fulfilling their duties in both the public and private sectors. Vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the indigent population, are prioritized guided by the principle of equity.

9. Can I purchase the vaccine from private clinics or pharmacies?

No, you cannot purchase COVID-19 vaccines from private clinics or pharmacies. At present, only the government is duly authorized to procure and administer vaccines. Until a full market authorization is issued by the Philippine FDA, any COVID-19 vaccine should not be sold to the public.

10. Is the vaccine free for priority groups?

The cost of vaccines for priority groups will be shouldered by the Philippine government.

11. If I am not part of the priority group, how will I get access to the vaccine?

The government is continuing negotiations to ensure adequate vaccine supply for all Filipinos, including those not in the priority groups.

12. Are the COVID-19 vaccines safe and effective?

COVID-19 vaccines that are granted with Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are

HEALTH CORNER

By DOH-PH 1. How do vaccines prevent disease?

Vaccines mimic the virus or bacteria that causes disease and triggers the body’s creation of antibodies. These antibodies will provide protection once a person is infected with the actual disease-causing virus or bacteria.

2. How do vaccines differ?

Vaccines differ in their composition and how they trigger the immune response to create antibodies. These antibodies protect the body from microorganisms and serve as protection once a person gets infected with disease.

Vaccines can be inactivated, weakened or killed copies of the whole or part of the virus or bacteria, or genetic product (like mRNA vaccines) that creates protein copies without causing disease.

3. What are the possible side effects of vaccination?

The possible side effects of a vaccine include pain, redness, itchiness or swelling at the injection site (which may last a few hours); fever; feeling of weakness or fatigue; headache; dizziness; diarrhea; or nausea. Consult the nearest healthcare professional if you experience any of these.

4. Is vaccination mandatory?

No, vaccination is not mandatory.

But the government highly encourages the public to get vaccinated and be protected against preventable disease.

5. Why do we need to get vaccinated for COVID-19?

With the BIDA steps and observance of minimum public health standards, vaccination is an important way to protect yourself from getting severe COVID-19.

6. What is an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)?

It is an authorization granted through a risk-based procedure for assessing unregistered (under

Organizational Development…

P3

and/or length of working experience.

Developing an organization’s human resources should follow a logical process to obtain the best results.

Danny Buenbrazo The process begins danny_buenbrazo@yahoo.com with an assessment of n the previous article, we attribute the knowledge, skills, the failure of some organizations, and attitude that are needed by the public or private, to how they were various units of the organization and designed, organized, and staffed. We their respective personnel. Thereafter, also discussed the factor that must be the employees should be assessed taken into consideration when designing on their level of knowledge, skills, and building a new organization. and attitude vis-à-vis the ideal state.

These important considerations If it was determined that there is/ include: the purpose or purposes for are gaps between what an employee which the new organization is to be possesses versus what he/she should established, the form or nature of the have ideally, then those will be the areas organization (for government, this would for improvement. refer to whether it would be a regular Improving knowledge, skills, and agency, GOCC, or some other type attitude can be done in a wide variety while for the private sector, the choice of ways though formal training is the has to be made on the new organization most popular. Training can be done by being a sole proprietorship, cooperative, engaging a service provider and having partnership, or corporation). it done exclusively for practically all The various units that would employees or the organization may constitute the new organization should send personnel to seminars that include also be determined: line units (those people from various organizations. that that deal with the main function or When engaging the services of a business of the organization) and staff training institution or individual training or support units (divisions or sections specialists, it is important to consider such as accounting, human resource the appropriate qualification of the management, or planning). Equally service provider. Sometimes the service important is the proper allocation and provider may have high qualifications definition of the functions and authority but they may not be familiar with of every department and personnel of an the nature of the operations of the organization must to avoid confusions organization or the context wherein the and conflicts. organization operates.

After all the above had been decided The abilities of an organization’s upon and implemented, the next crucial personnel can also be improved by having task is to set qualifications and to hire them deployed in another institution personnel that will occupy the various that has more advanced systems and positions in the organization. Ideally, procedures in an arrangement that it is best to recruit people that have is similar to internship or on the job advanced education, necessary training, training. and relevant experience of each position Personnel development should in the organization. However, getting not only be the responsibility of the very highly qualified individuals require organization, the individuals working that the organization would be able to therein may also take the initiative to pay compensation commensurate to develop themselves by going to graduate their qualification which is rarely the school or attending training (classroom case. Thus, the organization may to type or via online platforms). settle enlisting people who may have It is best that both employee and the right education but somehow organization value human resource lack the desired types of training development. MC

Market Driven

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BARMM’s 60 new emergency responders...from P1 response, offshore rescue and humanitarian missions for conflictstricken communities.

READi-BARMM per sonnel, also wellversed in vehicular accidents and collapsed structure rescue, are also in the forefront of

the Bangsamoro regional government’s war on COVID-19.

The BARMM also covers the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and the cities of Marawi and Lamitan.

Advertise with us Call: (064) 421-7161 DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE

DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE

Notice is hereby given t h a t R O D I LY N C .

A R I S TO S A , o f l e g a l age, widow, Filipino and resident of Brgy. Baguer, Libungan, Cotabato is the vendee of a parcel of land Lot 3113-A-1, Psd12-002419, situated in Bo. Baguer, Libungan, Cotabato with an area of 10,000 sq. mts., more or less, covered

by TCT No. T-60348 is the subject of Deed of Absolute Sale of Real Property before Notary Public Renie Jay Abad Soriano as per Doc. No. 378; Page No. 77; Book No. XIV; Series of 2019.

Notice is hereby given t h a t R O D I LY N C .

A R I S TO S A , o f l e g a l age, widow, Filipino and resident of Brgy. Baguer, Libungan, Cotabato is the vendee of a parcel of land Lot 3114-B-3, Psd12-008204, situated in Bo. Baguer, Libungan, Cotabato with an area of 22,000 sq. mts., more or less, covered

by TCT No. T-71810 is the subject of Deed of Absolute Sale of Real Property before Notary Public Renie Jay Abad Soriano as per Doc. No. 315; Page No. 64; Book No. XIII; Series of 2019.

MC: Aug. 28, Sept. 4 & 11, 2021

7

THE MINDANAO CROSS

August 28, 2021

MC: Aug. 28, Sept. 4 & 11, 2021

PMARK PAWNSHOP MAIN, PMARK PAWNSHOP - BRANCH I & PMARK PAWNSHOP BRANCH II Patalastas ng Subasta PMARK Pawnshop Main Branch ng S.K. Pendatun Avenue, Cotabato City, PMARK Branch I - Parang, Maguindanao, at PMARK Branch II - Supermarket Site, Cotabato City ay nagpapatalastas na mayroon silang Subasta ng mga hindi natutubos na mga sangla. Ang mga ito ay yaon pang isinangla magmula pa noong Marso 2020. Ang Subasta ay sa Setyembre 01, 2021 sa ganap na ika 9:00 ng umaga hanggang 4:00 ng hapon sa nasabing lugar.

MC: Aug. 28, 2021

RANEN PAWNSHOP MAIN, BRANCH I, II & III

Don Rufino Alonzo & Don Tomas Martinez Sts, Cot. City

Notice for Auction All unredeemed articles pledged on January 2021 will be auctioned on September 1, 2021 at 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Please come before September 1, 2021 for renewal or redemption.

Patalastas ng Subasta

Lahat ng sangla noong Enero 2021 ay ipagbibili ng Subasta sa Setyembre 1, 2020 sa ganap na ika-8:30 ng umaga hanggang ika-4:30 ng hapon. Kung maari ay pumunta bago ang Setyembre 1, 2021 para sa pagbayad ng tubo o pagtubos.

DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE Notice is hereby given that JANRY CALUBIRAN A R I S TO S A , o f l e g a l age, single, Filipino and resident of Brgy. Baguer, Libungan, Cotabato is the vendee of a parcel of land Lot 3113-A-3, Psd12-002419, situated in Bo. Baguer, Libungan, Cotabato with an area of 10,001 sq. mts., more or less, covered

by TCT No. T-60350 is the subject of Deed of Absolute Sale of Real Property before Notary Public Renie Jay A. Soriano as per Doc. No. 25; Page No. 5; Book No. VI; Series of 2021.

MC: Aug. 28, Sept. 4 & 11, 2021

Republic of the Philippines Region XII Pikit, Cotabato OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL REGISTRAR

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC In compliance with the publication requirement and pursuant to OCRG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1 Guidelines in the Implementation of Administrative Order No. 1 series of 2012(IRR on R.A. 10172), notice is hereby served to the public that Lilibeth E. Ong has filed with this office a petition for change of first name from Lilibeth Maria Teresa to Lilibeth in the certificate of live birth of Lilibeth Maria Teresa Ellica Ong, who was born at Ginatilan, Pikit, Cotabato on December 17, 1960 and whose parents are Vicente M. Ong and Cresencia C. Elliaca.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this office not later than September 1, 2021.

(Sgd.) EDITHA I. MONTERDE, MAEd Municipal Civil Registrar

MC: Aug. 21 & 28, 2021

DAR to distribute titles in Lanao Sur...from P2 leadership of Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, had entered into an agreement with BARMM to distribute the lands.

“The basis for distributing the GOLs is Executive Order (EO) No. 75, Series of 2019, which was signed by the DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE Notice is hereby given that JANRY CALUBIRAN A R I S TO S A , o f l e g a l age, single, Filipino and resident of Brgy. Baguer, Libungan, Cotabato is the vendee of a parcel of land Lot 3113-A-4, Psd12-002412, situated in Bo. Baguer, Libungan, Cotabato with an area of 10,001 sq. mts., more or less, covered by TCT No. T-60351 is the subject of Deed of Absolute Sale of Real Property before Notary Public Renie Jay A. Soriano as per Doc. No. 175; Page No. 35; Book No. V; Series of 2021.

MC: Aug. 28, Sept. 4 & 11, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late GENDI BEDO, who died on March 29, 2015 at Tamontaka, D.O.S, Maguindanao, left a parcel of land Lot. 56, Pcs-(ARMM)0 0 0 0 4 3 ( A R ) O . L . T. a t Capiton, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, covered

by TCT No. EP-09527 is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with simultaneous sale of a portion before Notary Public Atty.

Abbyr Ahmad Nul, as per Doc. No. 465; Page No. 97; Book No. XXV; Series of 2021.

MC: Aug. 14, 21 & 28, 2021

SULTAN PAWNSHOP

corner Bonifacio and Don Rufino Alonzo Sts., Cotabato City

Ang Sultan Pawnshop ay nagpapatalastas na mayroon silang Subasta ng mga hindi natutubos na mga sangla. Ang mga ito ay isinangla noong Enero 2021. Ang subasta ay sa Setyembre 01, 2021 sa ganap na ika-8:00 ng umaga hanggang ika-4:30 ng hapon sa nasabing lugar.

MC: Aug 21 & 28, 2021

CONLUCK PAWNSHOP MAIN CONLUCK DON RUFINO BRANCH & CONLUCK PAWNSHOP BRANCH 4 ng Cotabato City ay nagpapatalastas na mayroon silang Subasta ng mga hindi natutubos na mga sanla. Ang mga ito ay isinangla magmula Hulyo 2020 hanggang Agosto 2020. Ang Subasta ay sa Agosto 31, 2021 sa ganap na ika 8:00 ng umaga hanggang ika 4:00 ng hapon sa nasabing lugar.

MC: Aug 21 & 28, 2021

MC: Aug 21 & 28, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

Notice is hereby given that the late PORFERIA S. ACASO, who died on July 30, 2018 in Davao City, left parcels of land Lot 2470-A-2, Psd-12036843, under TCT No. 152-2016000392, and Lot 2470-A-5, Psd-12036843, under TCT No.110782, situated at Katingawan, Midsayap, Cotabato, with the total area of 19,182 sq. mts., more or less, are the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with simultaneous deed of sale before Notary Public Alberto T. Eramis, as per Doc. No. 12; Page No. 3; Book No. CCXXXII; Series of 2021. MC: Aug. 14, 21 & 28, 2021

Notice is hereby given that the late EDUARDO B. DIAZ and EVELYN B. DIAZ, who died on July 10, 2017 and June 7, 2012, respectively in Kidapawan City, left parcels of land Lot No. E-2-C-6, Psd-12-003040, under TCT No. T-76586, and Lot No. E-2-C-7, Psd12-003040, under TCT No.T-76587, situated at Sayugan, Kabacan, Cotabato, with the total area of 1,384 sq. mts., more or less, are the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with sale before Notary Public Joseph N. Madriaga, as per Doc. No. 351; Page No. 71; Book No. 12; Series of 2021.

Notice is hereby given that the late ELPIDIO ABIL, who died on October 26, 2010 at Sarmiento, Parang, Maguindanao, left parcels of land Lot 11, Block 6, (LRA) Pcs10918 and Lot 54-Q-5, portion of Lot 51-Q-5, Psd-12-002288, covered

by TCT Nos. T-488 and T-3914, respectively, both situated in Sarmiento, Parang, Maguindanao with the total area of 495 sq. mts., more or less are the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with deed of donation before Notary Public Denise Alexandra P. Olaguer, as per Doc. No. 33; Page No. 8; Book No. I; Series of 2021.

Notice is hereby given that the late MARY NGINGIT VEGAFRIA and CRESENCIANO FORTOS VEGAFRIA, who died on March 27, 2018 and August 14, 2009 in Davao City and Midsayap, Cotabato, respectively left parcels of land Lot No. 2979-C-10, Psd-12-040253, under TCT No. 106455, and Lot No. 2979-C-4, Psd-12-040253, under TCT No.106449, situated at Katingawan, Midsayap, Cotabato, with the total area of 822 sq. mts., more or less, are the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with simultaneous deed of sale before Notary Public Alberto T. Eramis, as per Doc. No. 69; Page No. 14; Book No. CCXL; Series of 2021.

MC: Aug. 14, 21 & 28, 2021

MC: Aug. 21, 28 & Sept. 4, 2021

MC: Aug. 14, 21 & 28, 2021

President in February of 2019, subjecting all public lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

This Executive Order enabled us to provide more lands to our farmers who are still landless,” Castriciones said.

The Secretary emphasized that GOLs awarded to the farmers are free because these properties are owned by the government.

Part of the lands will go to internally displaced persons in Marawi City following the siege in EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late EVELYN S. WEE, who died on February 24, 2021, left a Savings Account with Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (METROBANK)-Cotabato Main Branch under Account No. 3-074-238050 is the subject of deed of extrajudicial settlement before Notary Public Renato M. Eugenio, as per Doc. No. 494; Page No. 101; Book No. 210; Series of 2021.

2017 that also rendered many people homeless and no more lands to rebuild their homes and lives.

Yacob said his office is busy now preparing for other documentary requirements ahead of the land title distribution.

DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

Notice is hereby given that JANRY CALUBIRAN A R I S TO S A , o f l e g a l age, single, Filipino and resident of Brgy. Baguer, Libungan, Cotabato is the vendee of a parcel of land Lot 3113-A-2, Psd12-002419, situated in Bo. Baguer, Libungan, Cotabato with an area of 10,000 sq. mts., more or less, covered by TCT No. T-60349 is the subject of Deed of Absolute Sale of Real Property before Notary Public Renie Jay A. Soriano as per Doc. No. 390; Page No. 80; Book No. VII; Series of 2021.

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late MALANO P. GUGO and ZANGKALA ACOB who died on May 4, 2014 and May 20, 2010 in Datu Hofer, Ampatuan, Maguindanao, respectively left a parcel of land Lot No. 321-A, Psd(ARMM) 001422, situated at Labu-labu, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, with an area of 33,392 sq. mts., more or less, covered by TCT No. T-29539 is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary P u b l i c A t t y. A g n e s P. Paracha-Balleque as per Doc. No. 462; Page No. 93; Book No. 06; Series of 2021.

MC: Aug. 21, 28 & Sept. 4, 2021

MC: Aug. 28, Sept. 4 & 11, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late SANTOS T. GUTIERREZ, who died on October 12, 1985, left a parcel of land Lot 1, Block 13, (LRC) Psd-7123 in Awang, Dinaig, Cotabato (now Maguindanao), covered

by TCT No. T-4549 with an area of 803 sq. mts., more or less is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary Public Atty. Agnes R. De CastroJagunap, as per Doc. No. 4624; Page No. 4624; Book No. XXVII; Series of 2021.

MC: Aug. 21, 28 & Sept. 4, 2021

Edwin O. Fernandez

Republic of the Philippines Region XII Pikit, Cotabato OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL REGISTRAR

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC In compliance with the publication requirement and pursuant to OCRG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1 Guidelines in the Implementation of Administrative Order No. 1 series of 2012(IRR on R.A. 10172), notice is hereby served to the public that Gea R. Asis has filed with this office a petition for correction of clerical error in gender from Male to Female in the certificate of live birth of Xian Rufano Timtim, who was born at RHU, Pikit, Cotabato on 19 March 2019 and whose parents are Ricky M. Timtim and Gea D. Rufano.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this office not later than September 1, 2021

(Sgd.) EDITHA I. MONTERDE, MAEd Municipal Civil Registrar MC: Aug. 21 & 28, 2021

MC: Aug. 28, Sept. 4 & 11, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late JESUS AUJERO CERBOLLES, who died on February 12, 2021 at Midsayap, Cotabato, left a savings bank account with BDO-One Network under Account No. 040350023506 is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with waiver of rights before Notary Public Alberto T. Eramis, as per Doc. No. 242; Page No. 49; Book No. CCXLIV; Series of 2021. MC: Aug. 14, 21 & 28, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

Notice is hereby given that the late SEMA KALANTUNGAN, who died on September 25, 1995 in Cotabato City, left parcels of land Lot 643-I-9-A-3-H-5, Psd-12036640 and Lot 643-I-9A-3-H-6, Psd-12-036640, covered by TCT Nos. T-42507 and T-42508, respectively, situated in Bo. Kakar, Cotabato City, with the total area of 480 sq. mts., more or less, are the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with simultaneous sale before Notary Public Atty. Omar Yasser C. Sema, as per Doc. No. 134; Page No. 27; Book No. XXII; Series of 2021.

Notice is hereby given that the late FORTUNATO CALUNSAG, who died on May 29, 2017 in Libungan, North Cotabato, left a parcel of land Lot G-1-B, Psd -12024932 situated in Bario Sadaan, Midsayap, Cotabato covered by T C T N o . T- 9 0 4 9 6 , containing an area of 22,302 sq. mts., more or less is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary Public Atty. Agnes R. De Castro-Jagunap, as per Doc. No. 4613; Page No. 4613; Book No. XXVII; Series of 2021.

MC: Aug. 14, 21 & 28, 2021

MC: Aug. 21, 28 & Sept. 4, 2021

8

August 28, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

Sanduguan Mindanaw is the public journalism page of The Mindanao Cross. It comes out every last Saturday of the month. The stories covered in Sanduguan are selected by the staff based on the criteria that these are the issues that matter most to the communities in the ARMM and Central Mindanao; that these stories educate, explain, empower, and help readers understand what is happening around them; and at the same time enabling them to be advocates for change. The name of the section connotes ONE BLOOD for peace.

SANDUGUAN Sanduguan Mindanao MINDANAW MINDANAW

The recent surge in the COVID-19 Pandemic in the BARMM and Central Mindanao may have caught many by surprise especially the National Government and the Local Governments (LGUs) although this region is not identified as an ECQ area. Those who fell victim and their families, plus the communities they came from will have something to say about the services they received. The Mindanao Cross (NDBC’s official publication) is gathering opinions about the implementation of COVID-19 program in this area.

Questions: 1. What features do you like most about the COVID program?

2. Do you find lapses/ missing points in this program?

3. Where or to whom do you attribute these negative features or implementation?

4. What recommendations can you give too improve the program as it is currently being implemented?

RELMIE, 41, SULTAN KUDARAT, MAGUINDANAO The implementation of Zoning Containment Strategy to areas with confirmed COVID 19 patients in our locality is really effective. However, BLGUs are containing areas with cases but failed to provide strict perimeter inspections to ensure that affected residents will not be able to roam around. No support is also provided for affected families such as food ration and assigned personnel to run errands. Poor mobilization of barangay officials, employees and their volunteers. Higher LGUs should collaborate with component LGUs. Strong prevent and detect strategies should be enforced while the LGU is yet to achieve herd immunity. Well, for me, no need of higher classification of CQ status. Instead, LGUs should ensure that their prevention and strategies are implemented. Barangays as frontline LGUs should be mobilized and involved. Concept of cost sharing should also be considered in providing rations and assistance.

We cannot afford to implement entire lockdown. Dapat na i-allow ang economic activities. Kag isa pa, dasigan ang vaccination campaign while nagadetect and prevent sang transmission.

JOHN, Upi, Maguindanao Sa amin kasi marami ang takot sa bakuna at hindi pa talaga handa kasi may hesitation pa rin sa magiging dulot ng bakuna sa kanilang katawan. Para sa akin, siguro kailangan lang i-educate ang mga tao kasi marami pa rin ang misinformed about sa vaccine. Mas marami kasi ang naniniwala sa mga sabi-sabi at fake news. Siguro may pagkukulang din yung mga tao kasi yung iba ayaw pa rin maniwala sa mga health authorities. Madali rin sila maniwala sa mga sabi-sabi lang kesa magresearch or magtanong. Sana palakasin yung kampanya kontra fake news at hikayatin yung mga tao na huwag silang mahiyang magtanong o kumonsulta sa mga health authorities. Sana rin, yung mga nasa vaccination hub, magbigay rin ng malinaw na information tungkol sa iba’t-ibang bakuna para hindi sila matakot. Kasi marami pa rin sa mga kakilala ko na hanggang ngayon ay takot pa rin magpabakuna.

DOMINIC, 33, PHILIPPINE ARMY Iyong Vaccination Roll-out sa amin, napapansin ko maganda ang pagka arrange. Although kaunti lang yung vaccination hubs pero organized naman sila.

In terms naman sa COVID program, ang hindi ko gusto ay hinahaluan nila ng politika. As much as possible, wala muna kasing political agenda. Magtulungan nalang. Kaya sana yung LGU at mga tao magkaisa rin. Focus on one goal.

Isantabe ang politika. Wala sanang corruption din.

TWITAMS, 58, Online Seller

The vaccination campaign (RESBAKUNA) is very extensive and informative to the general public. The Government’s program against Covid is good, however, there are still areas to improve. For instance, the organization or the sequence of the vaccination under different groupings must be followed. Iwasan kung maaari ang favoritism or palakasan-system. Usually nasa pagpapa-implement yan ng LGU/RHU. So I suggest, to strictly impose the schedule of the vaccination in each group. Do not tolerate palakasan system.

VINCENT, 54, Vendor

Ang strict border control ug pag require sa RT-PCR test ang gusto nako.

Siyempre ang local nga panggamhanan man gyud ang dunay pagbuot niana tungod sila dunay kasayuran sa ilahang ginsakpan. Sa amoa, pasalamat mi gamay among kaso tungod strikto sa checkpoint palang. Pero ang problema, wala man gina monitor ang sabong sa mga lagyo nga lugar.

Unta ang mga barangay officials, manduan gyud ang mga BPAT or CAFGU nga tan-awon ilang mga AOR. Ug unta, dunay ngipon ang balaud. Dili kay igo raman mangasaba si mayor, wa’ may aksyon.

PAULY, TEACHER MLANG COTABATO The Strict implementation of the protocols such as wearing of mask and face shield, washing of hands and social distancing are what I like most in my town. In a local radio, I heard advertisements or infomercials reminding people about it which is an effective strategy of the local health authorities. While this could be of help, however, there are a lot of lapses in this program. Those are: inconsistent implementation of rules, selective enforcing and ‘Palakasan’ system. These concerns must be attributed by the persons in authority who are authorised in imposing discipline. I recommend these people in authority to please be consistent in implementing the law.

Because as I have observed, there are still those who play soccer, basketball or tennis without any mask, faceshield or even distancing. Now, how can we convince people to follow protocol if there is not even one of those individuals being captured because of their violations.

ANGELA, 19, Senior High School Student North Cotabato I really like the curfew implementation imposed by the mayor through an executive order. It has been observed that most of the people are following it. Our mayor is so serious about it. Anyone who will be caught drinking outside homes during curfew will be quarantined. But, in terms of information dissemination, not everyone is informed because they have no access to local radio and even on social media.To the leaders of the community, they should find ways to inform people especially in the far-flung areas. I recommend that there should be a regular recorida to be done in every purok or sitios. There must be also an orientation regarding these guidelines. The posters must not be only written in English, instead it should be in the local parlance, because some have poor reading comprehension.

Lastly, the ‘no-read, no-write’ must be also considered, since they are having a hard time to comprehend those rules. Rules that will help us battle the pandemic.

ANA MARIE, 26, Private Employee Makilala, Cotabato Government was able to provide free vaccination to the people. They also provide instruction for minimum health protocols that everyone should need to follow.

But the authorities should keep reminding people to observe minimum health protocol, social distancing even gatherings of events but we can’t even follow the simple instructions. There are still a lot of them go outside home without facemask.

The society should think that Covid 19 is just a joke and they took it for granted.

That is why, the vaccination roll-out should work fast. Many of us are not vaccinated yet even with first shot. I hope the government can accommodate as many and as fast as they can.

CHEN, 27, BARMM Gov’t Employee Cotabato City The free vaccination by the Rural Health Units is really good. It is by far the best thing our LGU has done since the hit of COVID; especially that they give priority to the senior citizens. My grandma is fully vaxxed now. But on the other side, there is missing in the COVID program of our local government. I guess, lack of urgency in such emergency cases e.g. delays in budget approval and release of funds. I don’t know why.

I think, the national level should have planned better, like how to contain new variants because it has affected the areas with low COVID-cases. As citizens, we should do our part like getting vaccinated and follow the health protocols.

Interview by Drema Quitayen Bravo