The Mindanao Cross | December 5, 2020

Vol. LXXII| No. 43 | Cotabato City | Saturday, December 5, 2020 |8 Pages | P10.00

SECOND PAGE CHURCH Firearms of 2 bombers seized/P2

BACK

40 years of valued service: A tribute to Oblate co-worker/P4 Slain bomber is Toraife’s aide, linked to Jolo bombing/P8

“UNBANKED” TOWNS GET ATM BOOTHS Malabang now has an automated teller machine, surprisingly the first ever in the history of the so old municipality for decades locked in underdevelopment due to security woes.

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20 Viva La Immaculada Concepcion !

IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR. Residents of Municipality of Tupi flock to adore the colorful Christmas lights installed at the municipal hall on Tuesday, December 1, in time for the switch-on ceremony amid coronavirus pandemic.

Photo courtesy of RJ Sunga

BIFF attacks Datu Piang

MEMBERS of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters attacked an Army detachment, shot houses and burned a police car in the center of Datu Piang town at midnight Thursday, sending villagers running for their lives.

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry

Division, said Friday responding soldiers, backed by armored combat vehicles, managed to drive the BIFF bandits away after a heavy exchange of gunfire.

“Authorities are on top of the situation. Normalcy in the area was restored after our troops flushed them out,” Uy said Thursday night.

Uy has clarified that the Santa Teresita Church in the town proper of Datu Piang was not burned by BIFF bandits, contrary to initial reports from the municipality.

Datu Piang is the oldest town of the then Cotabato empire.

BIFF gunmen also fired at houses as they

B A N G S A M O R O officials are optimistic of a 3-year extension of the transition from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to the fledgling Bangsamoro autonomous government.

Lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, local

government minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said BARMM leadership is thankful to lawmakers helping workout the extension from 2022 to 2025 of the transition process from

the defunct ARMM to BARMM. Maguindanao 2nd District Rep. Esmael Mangudadatu filed Tuesday House Bill 8117 seeking an extension to 2025 of the transition process for the BARMM government

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Optimism on `transition extension’ high

Tacurong mayor gives wheelchair to PWDs

A 42-YEAR-OLD differently-able person in Tacurong City could hardly find words to describe how happy he was for receiving a wheel chair and cash from City Mayor Angelo Montilla.

“Never in my dream that one day Mayor Montilla will come over to grant me this gift,” Larry Baulite of Barangay Upper Katungal, Tacurong City said in between sobs on Wednesday.

Baulite who is fighting chronic kidney disease received a wheel chair courtesy of the city government of Tacurong through Mayor Montilla.

Baulite told Montilla that he has not undergone a single dialysis due to lack

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GAMBODES FALLS. Despite continuing coronavirus restrictions, Gambodes Falls in Brgy. Gambodes, Arakan, North Cotabato welcomes local tourists from regions with low-level quarantine designations.

Brgy Gambodes, Arakan, North Cotabato

Army, PNP brace for counter attacks after death of 5 NPAs

KORONADAL CITY – Police and military authorities in South Cotabato and nearby provinces are bracing for possible retaliatory attacks by communist rebels following the death of five alleged New Peoples Army guerillas in Lake Sebu town.

In separate statements, Colonel Jemuel Siason, South Cotabato police director and Brig. Gen. Roy Galido, 601st Infantry brigade commander, said the rebels may launch attacks on

soft targets to avenge the death of their comrades.

Sison said that police and Army operatives clashed with the communist rebels in Sitio Kibang, Barangay Ned at 4:35 a.m. that left five NPA rebels killed.

Police, backed by soldiers of the Army’s Special Forces Battalion, were to serve search and arrest warrants against Bernie Canyon alyas Delmar, commander of Ordnance Platoon under Guerilla Front 53 of the

THE Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is gearing towards a shift to e-governance.

Starting with its Ministry of the Interior and Local Governments (MILG), the region will soon help the region’s local government units (LGUs) evolve into state of digital office transactions for its constituents.

BARMM MILG Minister Atty.

Naguib Sinarimbo said efforts towards the development of e-governance in the region are being supported by the United Nations Development

Programme (UNDP).

Sinarimbo said Bangladesh is one Third World Country that made big success in e-governance by the leaps and bounds, from being an impoverished nation in the early through the late 1970’s.

He said Developed Countries like mostly those in the West have had their edge over TWCs in terms of discovery and development of science and technology over the centuries.

Mid-level executives of the MILG-BARMM braved health

BARMM is up for e-governance

P7 A person with disability sits on a wheelchair turned in by Tacurong City Mayor Angelo Montilla (right). He was one of the 12 PWDs who get aid from LGU.

Tacurong PIO

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Firearms of 2 bombers seized

The military seized more than a dozen firearms and components for home-made bombs owned by two elusive bombers who eluded two separate dragnets in two days.

The duo, Edsrafil Manalasal Guiwan and cohort Lakim Esmael of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) are tagged in recent deadly bombings in central Mindanao and implicated in other heinous offenses.

They escaped while personnel of the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion tried to encircle their hideouts in Sultan sa Barongis and, subsequently, in SK Pendatun, both in Maguindanao.

They first eluded arrest on Monday while soldiers were crawling towards their lair in

December 5,2020

THE MINDANAO CROSS

Barangay Langgapanan in Sultan sa Barongis.

Soldiers instead found two B-40 antitank rockets, an Uzi 9 millimeter machine pistol and a gauge 12 shotgun.

Guiwan and Esmael again escaped when they sensed that members of the 40th IB were approaching their hideout in Barangay Bulod in SK Pendatun on Tuesday morning.

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy of the 6th Infantry Division said soldiers seized another antitank rocket, a .50 caliber Barret sniper rifle, seven assault rifles and a 9mm machine pistol hidden

in a shanty in Barangay Bulod.

Three of the firearms left by Guiwan and Esmael in Barangay Bulod were vintage 7.62 Heckler and Koch G-1 assault rifles.

Sultan sa Barongis and SK Pendatun towns situated beside the Liguasan marshland where the BIFF operates.

Uy said the supposed entrapment of Guiwan and Esmael were laid by Brig. Gen. Roy Galido and Lt. Col. Rogelio Gabi, commanders of the 601st Brigade and 40th IB, respectively, after local officials reported their presence first in

d

a

ATTACK IN DATU PIANG. A police car was set on fire in Datu Piang, Maguindanao Thursday night after ISIS-inspired Bangsamoro Freedom Fighters (BIFF) attacked the town center. Armed Forces chief General Gilbert Gapay said the attack was far from what happened during the Marawi siege in 2017.

Sultan sa Barongis and, subsequently, in SK Pendatun.

“We are thankful to those who helped the 40th IB locate their hideouts.

Sooner or later the long hand of law will reach them. For now we are glad that their weapons and materials for improvised explosive devices have been confiscated,” Uy said.

Local courts have earlier issued warrants for the arrest of Guiwan and Esmael for various crimes, including extortion, trafficking of shabu, multiple murder and frustrated murder.

John Felix Unson

Cops kill mall bombing suspect

Police agents killed in a shootout Tuesday the alleged perpetrator of the December 2018 bombing of the Southseas Mall here.

Personnel of the Criminal Investigation and Detection GroupBangsamoro Autonomous Region shot dead Abraham Abad Abdulrahman for resisting arrest.

CIDG-BAR officials said Abdulrahman was also known as “Abu Suffian,” a henchman of the wanted cleric Esmael Abdulmalik, leader of one of three factions in the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

The group, tagged in all deadly bombings in central Mindanao since 2014, uses the flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria as banner.

Police Major Esmail

Madin of CIDG-BAR was quoted in Wednesday’s radio reports as saying that agents were to search for firearms and explosives in the house of Abdulrahman in Barangay Bagua II in Cotabato City but neutralized him instead when he pulled out a pistol and opened fire.

M a d i n s a i d Abdulrahman was one of the perpetrators of the December 2018 bombing of the Southseas Mall in Cotabato City that injured more than a dozen people, among them minors.

Besides his pistol, CIDG-BAR agents also found in Abdulrahman’s hideout a grenade and components for improvised explosive devices. John Felix

from the office of Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año.

The grant of SGLG to deserving municipal, city and provincial governments is a yearly activity of the central office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

It is premised on the performance, sound fiscal management and involvement of local governments in activities meant to provide social, economic and political empowerment of constituent-communities.

“We are thankful to the BARMM local government ministry for this and for its continuing support to all our programs focused on enhancing governance in this part of the Bangsamoro region,” Salliman said.

Salliman said the Lumah Yakan shall be a hub for traditional weaving of the colorful Yakan Tennun fabric, which has good market potentials in Metro Manila and abroad.

The now secondtermer Salliman and senior provincial officials also facilitated the inauguration this week of three classroom buildings in Lamitan City in Basilan.

The school buildings, built by the provincial government, are located in Barangays Sta. Clara, Cabobo and Calugusan, all in Lamitan City. John Felix

Unson

Basilan’s `Lumah Yakan’ project launched

The provincial government of Basilan is now constructing a “Lumah Yakan,” a showcase of local cultures and traditions the local communities want memorialized through such a learning facility.

Lumah means house in the Yakan dialect.

Basilan Gov. Jim Salliman said the Lumah Yakan shall also be called “School of Living Tradition,” where residents in the island province and visitors can learn from the ways of life of ethnic Yakans.

T h e L u m a h Yakan project is to be bankrolled with funds released to the Basilan provincial government by the Bangsamoro local government ministry as incentive for its having won in 2019 a Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG)

The Lumah Yakan project in Barangay Sumagdang in Isabela City was launched November 25 by Salliman, Vice Gov. Yusop Alano and Ra-Diyah Akmad, Basilan acting local government provincial director.

Unson

Photo courtesy of Nhor Gayak

BIFF gunmen attacked Datu...From page 1

fled, according to Uy. Lt. Col. Anhouvic Atilano, spokesperson of 6th ID, said the terrorists behind the attack are followers of a certain Commander Motorola, a henchman of Imam Karialan, leader of one of three factions of the BIFF.

Citing intelligence information, Atilano said, the BIFF were after Police Major Israel Bayona, Datu Piang town police chief, who earlier led a police operation against lawless elements in town.

“The subject of that police operation has

relatives with the BIFF and they wanted to get back at the police chief and his men,” Atilano told DXND Radyo Bida.

He added the BIFF launched the attack to create the impression that it was still a force to reckon with. John Felix Unson

North Cotabato Gov. Nancy A. Catamco said she wanted to hear the side of the transport sector as well as the general public on the proposed operation of Hybrid Electric Road Train (HERT) in the province.

“I want all voices heard on this, there should be feasibility study and series of consultations,” Catamco said during the coordinative meeting of HERT Task Force.

The HERT-TF is composed of representatives from Department of Science and Technology (DOST-XII), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-XII), North Ctoabato Provincial Planning Development and Coordinating Office, Provincial Engineering Office as well as other sectors.

Catamco directed HERT-TF to focus on the financial and technical

requirements, manpower and management, operation and maintenance, road requirement and its effect other players of the transportation sector in the province.

"We will not make other players of the transport sectors insignificant with this development, especially the jeepney and tricycle drivers and operators, we need good planning,” Catamco stressed.

“We need to listen to transportation stakeholders to ensure they will not be severely affected by this project,” she said, adding that a representative from the transportation sector should be a member of HERT Task Force.

“It it is not feasible at this time I will not push for it,” Catamco assured the public.

“That is why we need

further studies, feasibility studies and consultation with those who will benefit from this modern mode of transportation,” Catamco said.

HERT is a hybrid trackless train developed

by DOST purposely for public transport.

The 40 meter (130 feet) long train was designed

by Filipino engineers of Metals Industry Research and Development Center and manufactured by Isuzu. It has a capacity of 240 passengers.

Made with locally available parts, the “trainlike bus” is an alternative means of transportation and is being touted by the DOST as an answer to the mass transportation problem that is reaching crisis levels, especially in big cities.

It can travel at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour.

Catamco on proposed electric train: “Hear all sides”

Edwin O. Fernandez

LUMAH YAKAN. The “Lumah Yakan” project of the Basilan provincial government in Barangay Sumagdang in Isabela City was launched November 25. It shall be called “School of Living Tradition.”

Photo courtesy of Basilan governor’s office

Smuggled cigarettes seized in Lanao del Sur The police foiled last week an attempt by three men to deliver somewhere in Lanao del Sur 68 boxes of imported cigarettes.

Col. Rex Derilo, director of the Lanao del Sur provincial police, told Mindanao Cross Owen Lestojas, Michael Gonzaga and Reyson Ab-a are now detained.

They were together in

a van-type truck carrying the smuggled cigarettes intercepted by policemen at Saguiaran town in Lanao del Sur. Policemen inspected the truck and found its cargo of 68 large boxes, each containing 50 reams of San Marino cigarettes, after the suspects failed to present travel and health permits required by a

provincial anti-COVID-19 task force.

The confiscated cigarettes were said to have come from Malaysia.

Derilo said he has requested the office of the Bureau of Customs in Cagayan de Oro City to help probers build criminal cases against Lestojas, Gonzaga and Aba-a. John Felix Unson

December 5,2020

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THE MINDANAO CROSS

Army, PNP brace for counter attacks after death of 5 NPAs...From page 1

Southern Mindanao Regional Command (SMRC), and his cohorts.

He said suspects resisted by firing at the troops. “The troops retaliated and returned fire, which resulted in the armed encounter,” he said in a text message.

Siason identified the fatalities as Canyon; Rogelio Magsaya alias Sarge and Delio, deputy

commanding officer of the Pulang Bagani Command, SMRC; Romeo Hebron alias Frank and Melvin, head of the regional ordnance of SMRC; Ka Mercy, a member of the SMRC and wife of a certain Dulce; and alias Macoy also of SMRC. No casualty on the government side.

After the encounter, Siason said the troops

recovered one 5.56 M-16 rifle, one Carbine rifle, one caliber 45 pistol, one caliber 40 pistol, improvised explosives and several subversive documents.

Lake Sebu Mayor Floro Gandam said some of those slain rebels were not from Lake Sebu villages but from Davao de Oro, formerly known as Compostela Valley

province.

The skirmishes some families fled to safer grounds to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

Gandam said he has been receiving reports from village officials about the presences of new faces in their community.

“They are recruiting members of the T’boli tribe to become communist rebels,” Gandam said,

Optimism on `transition extension’ high ...From page 1

to fully take off.

Mangudadatu said HB 8117 also aims to reset to 2025 the supposed first ever regional elections in BARMM in 2022 for current caretaker officials to have enough time to forge ahead with the normalization agenda of the charter of the Bangsamoro region, the Bangsamoro Organic Law, or Republic Act 11054.

T h e B A R M M government is presently being managed by 80 members of an interim regional parliament appointed last year

by President Rodrigo Duterte, grouped together as the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

BARMM’s regional charter, RA 11054, was ratified only last January 2019 via a plebiscite in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and in the cities of Marawi and Lamitan.

The peace-building goals of RA 11054 enjoins Malacañang and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to cooperate in restoring normalcy in BARMM’s five provinces by decommissioning former MILF guerillas and by setting up a functional regional government focused on the socioeconomic and political empowerment of local Muslim, Christian and Lumad sectors.

Sinarimbo, concurrent BARMM spokesperson, said Thursday BARMM’s chief minister, Ahod Ebrahim, and his subordinate-officials in the Bangsamoro government were elated with Mangudadatu's initiative.

“The proposed measure to extend the period of transition, to complete important tasks in the transition, has formally moved in the house and in the Senate,”

40 years of valued...From page 4

office with muddy shoes from climbing hills; others looked weary from riding motorcycles over rough roads, while others bustled in with hasty concerns over flight bookings and mission expenses.

Bing did not want to add more to their burdens and tiring trips because she experienced the lasting kindness and goodness of the early Oblate missionaries, Filipino priests and brothers.

As an Oblate mission co-worker, Bing has been molded in St. Eugene’s legacy of practicing charity and zeal for the salvation of souls. She shares her time, skills and talent as an active BEC and parish organization member.

Before COVID-19 struck, she handled Grade III catechism classes in the elementary public school before coming to work. For Bing, her service with the Oblates was a privilege.

She retires with a happy and fulfilled heart, hoping that the Oblates are fully satisfied with her

wholehearted services too.

In return, the Oblates expressed their gratitude for Bing’s valued services and wished her the very best on her retirement from her professional work and more blessings for her missionary coworker journey. God bless your kind heart Bing!

AFFIDAVIT OF SELFADJUDICATION

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

Notice is hereby given that the late Rosalinda M. Dillera who died intestate on November 7, 2020 at Brgy. Midpapan, Pigcawayan, Cotabato, left a Bank Account at BDO Network Bank, Pigcawayan Branch under Account No. 041220037964, is the subject of Affidavit of self-adjudication before Notary Public Atty. Renie Jay A. Soriano as per Doc. No. 433; Page No. 87; Book No.VII; Series of 2020.

MC: Nov. 21, 28 & Dec. 5, 2020

Maria Ofelia S. Silva

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late NARCISO B. CARIÑO who died on May 14, 2010 at Midsayap, Cotabato, left a parcel of land “KOT BLG. P-59853” Lot No. 605-H, Csd-12-005788, situated at Kimagango, Midsayap, Cotabato with an area of 17,477 sq. mts, more or less is the subject of Extrajudicial Settlement of estate with waiver of rights before Notary Public Alberto T. Eramis as per Doc. No. 27; Page No. 6; Book No. CXCVII; Series of 2020.

MC: Nov. 28 , Dec 5 & 12,, 2020

Notice is hereby given that the late BERNABE B. ORO, who died intestate on July 30, 2014, left a parcel of land Lot 22, Sheet 1, Block 16, (LRC) Pcs-7123, covered by TCT No. T-9456 in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, with an area of 350 sq. mts., more or less is the subject of extrajudicial settlement with waiver of rights and simultaneous sale before Notary Public MALEIHA E. USMAN as per Doc. No. 214; Page No. 43; Book No. I, Series of 2020.

MC: Nov. 28, Dec. 5 & 12, 2020

he said.

Sinarimbo, however, did not elaborate on his insinuation that there are members of the Senate supporting efforts to have the supposed pioneering 2022 BARMM elections deferred to 2025 for the transition process to proceed as programmed.

There was a precedent in the defunct ARMM where the legislature extended for three years, on holdover basis, the 1996 to 1999 elective tenure of then Regional Governor Nur Misuari, founder of the Moro National Liberation Front.

Misuari was allowed to stay longer in office with imprimatur from Congress to enable his administration to pursue MNLF’s peace agenda as stated in its September 2, 1996 peace pact with Malacañang.

Misuari’s having got to the helm of the ARMM, through an uncontested candidacy for ARMM

regional governor in September 1996, was an apparent concession from then President Fidel Ramos.

Ramos brokered, along with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a group of more than 50 Muslim countries, including wealthy petroleum exporting states in the Middle East and North Africa, the final truce between the government and the MNLF. Muslimin Sema, the chairman of the largest and most politically active from among two blocs in the MNLF, urged last week the national government to give the MILF three more years to establish a strong BARMM government based on the RA 11054.

Sema’s group and MILF are helping each other address through the BARMM government the security and socio-

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Call (064) 421-71-61 EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

Notice is hereby given that the late spouses Sancho Arapoc and Gabriela Omotong, who died intestate on August 7, 2008 and February 8, 2002 at Sinawingan, Libungan, Cotabato, respectively left a parcel of land situated in Bo. of Sinawingan, Midasayap(now Libungan),Cotabato covered

by OCT No. P-51658, Lot No. 468, Pls-134 with an area of 57,440 sq. mts. is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with simultaneous waiver of rights with before Notary Public Atty. Alberto T. Eramis as per Doc. No. 318; Page No. 64; Book No.CC; Series of 2020.

MC: Nov. 21,28 & Dec. 5, 2020

AFFIDAVIT OF SELFADJUDICATION Notice is hereby given that the late HELEN A. BOCALA who died intestate in Cotabato City on August 31, 2019, left a Bank Account with Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), Cotabato City under Savings Account No.0000007590309596, is subject of Sole Affidavit of Self-Adjudication by heir before Notary Public Atty.

Agnes P. Paracha-Balleque, as per Doc. No. 413; Page No. 83; Book No. 03; Series of 2020.

MC: Dec. 5, 12 & 19, 2020

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late NARCISO B. CARIÑO who died on May 14, 2010 at Midsayap, Cotabato, left parcels of land Lot No. 3475-A-2, Bsd-11-001710; Lot No. 3475-A-1, Bsd-11-001710 & Lot No. 3475-A-4, Bsd-11-001710 situated at Igpit, Digos, Davao del Sur, with the total area of 24,760 sq. mts., more or less covered by TCT Nos. T-43095, T-43094 & T-43096, respectively, are the subject of Extrajudicial Settlement of estate with simultaneous waiver of rights before Notary Public Alberto T. Eramis as per Doc. No. 96; Page No. 20; Book No. CXC; Series of 2020.

MC: Nov. 28 , Dec 5 & 12,, 2020

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

Notice is hereby given that the late ANTONIO L. PINALVA who died intestate on December 4, 1991, left parcel of land Lot 2, Block 31, Psd-32741, with an area of 411 sq. mts., more or less, covered

by TCT No. T-5478, is the subject of extrajudicial settlement with deed of absolute sale before Notary Public Maleiha E. Usman, as per Doc. No. 217; Page No. 44; Book No. I; Series of 2020.

MC: Dec. 5, 12 & 19, 2020

noting the NPA’s strength in the area "is weakening" with the surrender earlier this year of 36 alleged NPA rebels and supporters.

Gandam said they have been bringing social services and infrastructure projects to Barangay Ned to discourage constituents there from joining antigovernment groups. Bong

S. Sarmiento

economic issues besetting the Muslim, Christian and Lumad communities in the region.

Sinarimbo and Sema are both hopeful the measure introduced by Mangudadatu will get the nod of House members.

“We are optimistic about that. These efforts are all meant to complement the peaceful means of addressing the decades-old Mindanao Moro issue,” Sinarimbo said. John Felix Unson Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 12th JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 13 COTABATO CITY

SPL. PROC. NO. 2017-1272 AKLIMA MALAMBUT DAGALANGIT, Petitioner, -versusTHE CIVIL REGISTRAR OF PARANG, MAGUINDANAO

Respondent. x---------------------------x ORDER A verified petition has been filed with this Court by petitioner AKLIMA MALAMBUT DAGALANGIT through counsel, Atty. Agnes De Castro-Jagunap praying that after due notice, publication and hearing, an Order be issued directing the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Parang, Maguindanao to make the necessary correction in the Certificate of Live Birth of the herein Petitioner.

It appearing that the petition is sufficient in form and substance, let this case be set for hearing before this Court on September 11, 2018 at 8:30 0’clock in the morning, at which place, date and time, all interested parties are required to appear and show cause, if there be any, why the petition should not be granted.

Let this Order be published in a newspaper edited and of general circulation in the City of Cotabato and Province of Maguindanao, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the date of hearing, at the expense of the petitioner.

SO ORDERED. GIVEN in the City of Cotabato, Philippines, this 19th day of July, 2018.

(Sgd)Bansawan Z. Ibrahim, Al Haj Executive Judge

MC: Dec. 5, 12 & 19, 2020

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late Iskak Limba Dianal who died intestate on 19 October, 2020 at Cotabato City, left a Bank Account at Metropolitan Bank Cotabato City Branch with Account No. 406-34-060888-0 and Amanah Islamic Bank Sinsuat Avenue, Cotabato City Branch with Account No. 003-05-07122-4 are the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary Public Atty. Mark Esmael R. Nor, CPA as per Doc. No. 324; Page No. 65; Book No.II; Series of 2020.

MC: Nov. 14, 21 & Dec. 5, 2020

Erratum: The above notice was inadvertently omitted on November 28, 2020 issue of The Mindanao Cross. Our apologies.

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late MANUEL TIO HERRERA, who died on May 16, 2017 at Sta. Cruz, Manila, left real and personal properties: parcels of land in Cotabato City Lot 239-A-5-C3-B-2-D-2-B-2-A, Psd-123804020537; Lot 239-A-5-C-3-B2-D-2-2-A, Psd-12-002175; Lot No. 1991-A-4-A, Psd-12000632; Lot 1, Block 7, Psd12-015726; Lot 2, Block 7, Psd-12-015726 with the total area of 9,209 sq. mts., more of less; Lot 143-B-2, Psd-11045033 at Alabel, Sarangani with an area 50,000 sq.mts, more or less; Lot 3114-0-2, Psd-12-004052 & Lot -1-B-3, Psd-12-000-3347 at Libungan, Cotabato with the total area of 7,874 sq. mts., more or less; Lot 1342-D-3-C-26 (LRC Psd185595) at Lagao, General Santos City with an area of 419 sq. mts. covered by TCT Nos. T-35449, T-18056, T-24447, T-32657, T-32658, T-7352, T-77347, T-98332 & T-75918, respectively; 4 Storey Building on Lot 239-A-5-C-3B-2-A; Shares of Stocks at CSP Digital Image Corporation and Dee Herrera Supreme Foods Corp.; Machineries in Lot 2382 under Tax Declaration Nos. 12-06-1828, 12-06-1866 & 12-06-1867 are subject of Deed of Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate before Notary Public Melquiades E. Cedeño as per Doc. No. 461; Page No. 93; Book No. CCXC; Series of 2020.

MC: Nov. 28 , Dec. 5 & 12, 2020

Republic of the Philippines Supreme Court 5 SHARI’A DISTRICT COURT Cotabato City -o0oth

SDC SPL. PROC. CASE NO. 2020-498 -ForCANCELLATION OF THE FIRST CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH WITH LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY NO. 162-701 AND THE AUTHENTICATION OF THE SECOND CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH WITH LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY NO. 2003-5150.

IN RE: PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF THE FIRST CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH WITH LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY NO. 162-701 AND THE AUTHENTICATION/VALIDATION OF THE SECOND CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH WITH LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY NO. 2003-5150, EFRAIM PASIGAN EBRAHIM, Petitioner, -versusLOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF DATU ODIN SINSUAT MAGUINDANAO Respondent. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x ORDER Before this Court is a petition for cancellation of a Certificate of Live Birth with Registry No. 162-701 and authentication/validation of the second Certificate of Live Birth under Registry No. 2003-5150 alleging inter alia: That petitioner is of age, Muslim Filipino and resident of Crossing Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao; That petitioner is the second son of the spouses Ahmad Bayao Ebrahim and Norsiya Guiamad Pasigan who was born on June 1, 1981 at Dimapatoy, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao; That his school records showed that his name is Efraim Pasigan Ebrahim as appering on his second Certificate of Live Birth and other allied documents sush as his Certificate of Appearance, Diploma, Certificate of Training, Medical Certificate for land based overseas workers, Certificate of Attendance, Certificate of Employment, Philippine Passport, NBI Clearance, Resident Permit at Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Driving License etc. is his true and correct complete name; That lately he unearthed that he has another Certificate of Live Birth issued by the Local Civil Registrar of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao under Registry No. 162-701, containing erroneous entries such as his name, Ifbrain Pasigan Ibrahim; That he is asking for the cancellation of his first Certificate of Live and for the retention of his second Certificate of Live Birth to avoid confusion and straighten his records, and not to conceal his identities or evade criminal, civil and administrative charges.

Finding the petition sufficient in form and substance, let it be heard on January 12, 2021, at 8:30 in the morning.

The petitioner is directed to cause the publication of this Order once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation at his own expense before the said hearing. Anybody whi may be prejudiced therefrom may file his opposition thereto or appear on the hearing and show cause why the petition not be granted.

SO ORDERED

Cotabato City, Phlippines. Nov 17, 2020 (Sgd)Hon. Rasad S. Laguindab Acting Presiding Judge MC: Nov. 21, 28 & Dec. 5, 2020

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December 5, 2020

THE MINDANAO CROSS

40 years of valued service: A tribute to Oblate co-worker Thinking about the most likely job after graduation normally plays around our minds and Elvira “Bing” Estella earlier thought she would work as a civil servant in the city government.

A month before graduation however, she filled in the vacancy left by a lady who was recruited for the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in Tamontaka, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao. Bing was then hired in 1980 by the late Fr. Clarence Bertelsman, OMI, provincial bursar of the missionary congregation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

She began her journey as the cashier and front desk clerk of the OMI Philippine Province at the age of 20 and retained this post for 40 years.

Under nine Provincial Superiors, she got to know and serve Oblates of different nationalities and the growing generation of Filipino

priests; altogether having varied personalities and idiosyncrasies. She saw how the communication system evolved from a 2-way radio system to the present digital mode.

Way back then, codes like 10-1 for “receiving poorly,” 10-2, “receiving well”, etc. and also phonetic alphabets were in great use. There was sometimes a need to spell out messages with phonetic alphabets like Alpha (A). Bravo (B), Charlie (C) and so on, to Oblates in far-flung missions and islands.

“Those were the days,” she said with smiles.

When Bing started her job, there were only two lay staff and saw its expansion to the present six members; a mix of “Generation Y” and

“millennial co-workers.”

In the midst of these changes, Bing remarked that one element remained constant. She shared this insight in the “retirement party” tendered recently at the OMI Provincial House.

It was attended by the Oblate Fathers namely, the Provincial Superior, Fr. Gerry delos Reyes, Fr. Bobby Cahilig, Fr. Rockmoore Saniel, Fr. Monimar Panizales, Fr. Joel Canonizado, Fr. Jay Virador, and Bro. Emilio Ungsod.

A festive atmosphere was provided by the decorations and short program prepared by the office staff. There were video and digitally transmitted messages from Fathers Ross Kapunan (Scholasticate

Superior), Denz Basada, Peding Labaglay, Taddy Castillo and Evelyn of the Our Lady of Grace Shrine, Caloocan City, after the messages of Fathers Joel, Bobby, Gerry and Bro. Emilio were given.

Then, what was the element that remained constant throughout Bing’s service? It was the charism of St. Eugene de Mazenod that is, evangelizing and serving the poor and most abandoned. She witnessed these among the American, European and Filipino Oblates whom she served. So, she always saw to it that she attended to their requests immediately because she knew that they came from difficult far-flung missions. Some of them came into the

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Elvira “Bing” Estella

Bishop Bagaforo calls for ‘peace spaces’ in conflict areas

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo (2nd left) of Kidapawan diocese leads the “Bike for Peace” to mark this year’s Mindanao Peace Week in Kidapawan City on Nov. 30.

Photo courtesy of DIOCESE OF KIDAPAWAN

Waiting in Hope

KIDAPAWAN CITY The head of the Catholic Church’s social action office has called for respect of “peace spaces” in conflict areas in southern Philippines.

Speaking at the observance of Mindanao Peace Week on Monday, Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan said that everyone deserves a “genuine sense of security and safety”.

“I am suggesting … neutral, public places to be declared as peace spaces,” said Bagaforo, who is the national director of Caritas Philippines.

Among these spaces, according to the prelate, include churches, mosques, schools, hospitals, market places and sports centers.

“There must not be

This generation may not wasted time when we think of itself as being regard each day as a gift in the worst of times. of God’s mercy and used in Schools are closed, we God’s service. hardly see children in The holy gospel the streets. Religious introduces us to the man activities are limited of the season, St. John and we cannot travel the Baptist, the one who Rev. Fr. Antonio P. Pueyo, DCC as freely as we used to prepared the way of the tonypoy_dcc0@yahoo.com do. The economy is at a Lord (cf. Mk 1:1-8). He had slowdown due to the lockdowns. Some businesses a very clear message about the coming Messiah, are closing down or downsizing. Our socializing is “one mightier that I is coming after me.” Although limited due to protocols on social gatherings. We John gathered disciples around himself, he was go around with masks and face shields as if we clear about his role of preparing the way by calling are people on the moon. Added to these are the his listeners to repentance for the forgiveness of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and typhoons that sins. John was proclaiming the coming of a new made people’s lives even worse. When will we be age of salvation and liberation in the person of able to resume our former activities? Can we ever Jesus. John prepared the way for Jesus who is the go back to the old normal? Can we hope for better Way to the Father. times?

Indeed Advent is a time of waiting for the Lord’s All our readings in this second Sunday of coming both his second coming as Judge and King as Advent affirm that even in the worst of times there well as the remembrance of his first coming as the is hope. The first reading taken from the book of Word made flesh. Advent is a season of hope. With Isaiah has as its setting the exile of the Jewish the trials brought about by the pandemic and the people into Babylon (cf. Isaiah 40:1-5). This exile calamities this year, we raise our voices in prayer. took about seventy years. They were in a foreign “Maranatha,” come, Lord deliver us. Deliver us from land but still amidst the various pagan religions this pandemic. Deliver us from these calamities. they remained faithful to the one God. Isaiah is a Deliver us from our sense of powerlessness. We are voice of hope in these sad times, assuring them of like the Jewish people in Babylon during their exile, their eventual return to their own land, “In the hoping for God’s deliverance. We are like the people desert, prepare the way of the Lord.” There will be of John’s time, mostly poor seeking liberation from a second Exodus for God’s people and they should their oppression. We are like the disciples of Peter, not lose hope, “Comfort give comfort to my people beseeching the Lord to come sooner. says your God.” Yes we present our petitions to God with faith The second reading taken from the second letter and hope. Even in the midst of trials, the Christian of Peter encourages the Christian community to disciple remains steadfast in faith, hope, and be patient in waiting for Christ’s return (cf. 2 Pet charity. Faith assures us that there is a God who 3:8-14). Rather, while waiting they should conduct listens and cares, hope makes us look forward with themselves “in holiness and devotion.” According to the assurance that all will be well. Charity moves the Lord’s promise we should look forward to “ new us to do whatever practical thing we can to alleviate heavens and a new earth in which righteousness suffering and to bring comfort where needed. Let dwells.” Peter’s community was getting impatient our waiting be fruitful. We look forward to the about the second coming and so Peter told them that new heavens and the new earth while we do the “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a best we can to bring God’s comforting touch thousand years like one day.” The time of waiting is in this “valley of tears.” MC

REFLECTIONS

any incident of violence or disagreement in these areas, that will harm innocent bystanders, ruin public infrastructures, and negatively affect the delivery of basic social services,” he said.

Bagaforo, however, stressed that the realization of peace “must not only be limited to these spaces.”

He called on the people to look at one another with “compassion and kindness” and “to see people from the other side as our brothers and sisters, instead of enemies.”

“So we will see the places we are in as common spaces where respect and trust are paramount, not as battlefields,” he added.

The event was highlighted with a “Bike for Peace” led by the bishop

and joined by around 900 bikers.

The Mindanao Week of Peace is an annual celebration, which started in 2001 through a Proclamation issued by former President Gloria Arroyo.

It aims “to recognize the common aspirations of Mindanaoans to live in peace, unity, and harmony with each other regardless of status in life, religion or culture.”

Bagaforo said that one of Caritas’ agenda is to promote a “culture of respect for life so eventually we will be able to live in peace.”

“Hopefully, with everyone’s help, we will be able to experience this in our lifetime,” he said. CBCP

NEWS

B adaliyya Fr. Jun Mercado, OMI

Short Reflection for the 2nd Sunday of Advent (B) Readings:

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Mark 1:1-8

Selected Gospel Passage: A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’” John (the) Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1: 3-4)

Reflection:

Like John the Baptizer we prepare for the coming of the Lord. He comes in events and moments we least expect. And how do we prepare for his coming into our lives? We celebrate Advent through good deeds and actions on behalf of the poor and the needy. By these good deeds our many sins are forgiven.

DHIKR SIMPLE METHOD Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps: 1. Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2. Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips.

3. Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

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THE MINDANAO CROSS

December 5,2020

EDITORIAL The Colors of the Wind We are now in the last month of 2020 – the year which Filipinos cannot find anything significant to talk about, especially in the development of one’s self.

It is a year of struggle on how to keep the family afloat in the midst of the storms, the earthquake, the fires, and of course, the pandemic caused by the spread of the coronavirus. How could such negative factors appear and cause havoc in a single year?

Only God knows.

The Bible (in Genesis) tells us that Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities of the old testament that were destroyed for their wickedness and sinfulness.

The cities were destroyed by fire in just a single day, but not all died because Abraham bargained with God to give people the chance to survive.

Back to 2020. It is not just the pandemic that brought color to the world, although the color is n December 1, during the annual observance black like the Black Plague in history. We consider of the “Mindanao Week of Peace,” Kidapawan it black because there is so much mourning. The Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo who is also Caritas governments came up with policies against the spread of the disease but sad to say, many of these Philippines national director, called for the creation of protective policies were so stringent that it made “peace spaces” in areas of conflict.

Bishop Bagaforo said public places like churches, life for people more difficult. It became a tug of war between health and the economy – and possibly the mosques, schools, and hospitals can be declared as happiness of the same people which the government “peace spaces” where there should be no violence or disagreement that will harm innocent bystanders, ruin swore to protect from the disease.

For those below the poverty line, it’s a constant public infrastructures, and negatively affect the delivery struggle of working and at the same time protecting of basic social services.

Caloy Bautista Since its inception in 1999 through Proclamation oneself and family. This new normal has really caloyb@gmail.com affected the working group and brought the families Order No. 207 issued by former President Joseph Estrada, the Mindanao Week of peace has highlighted deeper below poverty.

Much has happened over the 22 years of the Another color that stood prominently is the color “the common aspirations of Mindanaoans to live in peace, Mindanao Week of Peace. Estrada launched his “allred. With the implementation of the Anti-terror unity and harmony with each other regardless of status in out war” against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Law, the term “red-tagging” became anathema life, religion or culture.” For 2020, the annual celebration March 2000, four months after issuing Proclamation 207, to Filipinos who took it upon themselves to call is bannered by the theme “Dialogue Towards Harmony.” displacing nearly a million residents. Following Estrada’s A Mindanews report says Archbishop Fernando R. impeachment, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the attention to the defects they see in government.

With the new anti-terror law, everyone who Capalla, Archbishop Emeritus of Davao and chair of the presidency in January 2001 and revived the peace process talks against the government become suspected Bishops-Ulama Conference cites the reason why he and with a unilateral declaration of ceasefire on the part of terrorists or enemies of the state. Those belonging co-convenors Judge Abu Cali of the Ulama League of the government. During the administration President to organizations actively criticizing the government the Philippines and Bishop Hilario Gomez of the United Benigno Aquino III, the government and the MILF are not only red-tagged, but are now described as Church of Christ in the Philippines, chose the theme: to signed on October 25, 2012 the Framework Agreement legal fronts of subversive groups. Nevertheless, “promote the culture of peace and bring about peaceful on the Bangsamoro providing for a general framework these groups are legally recognized and have been relationships among individuals and communities, for the actual peace negotiations, and two months later, accredited in the party list. What color would fit among families and associations in business, government, on March 27, 2014, the Comprehensive Agreement schools, churches and society in general.” them - bloody red? on the Bangsamoro which would pave the way for the “Harmony and peace are achieved when the following creation of the new Muslim autonomous entity called With all of nature’s wrath inflicted these past two months, the color green serves to remind all that simple principles of authentic, human and fraternal “Bangsamoro.” The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region the world should be kept green. Greening against dialogue are followed,” Mindanews cites Capalla as in Muslim Mindanao was formed with the passage and forest denudation, against mining, and destruction saying in his written and videotaped message. “The first subsequent ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law of our mangroves. These are our only protection is humility, that is, no air of superiority; the second is no in a two-part plebiscite on January 21 and February 6, monologue but listening with the two ears and with the 2019. from flooding, storm surge, and soil erosion.

Turning to the color yellow, does it signify heart the third ear because God created us with two ears But peace remains a constant call, a constant dream, the administration’s closeness to our Chinese and only one mouth in order to listen twice as much as we a constant prayer in Mindanao. The threat of extremism neighbors? I have a lot of Chinese friends (including speak; the third principle is openness to all ideas without remains real as evidenced by the five-month-long Marawi my husband who is of Chinese ancestry), I see such accepting or rejecting any.”

Siege and the bombings in Jolo, Sulu. In a number of Bishop Bagaforo says it in a slightly different way: indigenous people’s communities in Maguindanao, the negativity in the way the president makes decision with regards to his mainland Chinese friends. He everyone must learn to “respect each other, to give each Teduray and Lambangian continue to live in fear of has been criticized for the way he handles the one a genuine sense of security and safety” in order for armed attacks from groups of individuals after their West Philippine Sea issue, the POGO or Offshore peace to triumph and prevail. He says “we must strive ancestral lands. Many of their leaders have lost their lives Gambling and the in migration of mainland Chinese to look at one another with compassion and kindness,” in these attacks. Elsewhere in Mindanao, many Lumad and “to see people from the other side as our brothers and communities are still caught in the crossfire between workers. He seem to love the color yellow.

Let us hope that the color blue will not reign sisters, instead of enemies.” government troops which have intensified its campaign “Hopefully, with everyone’s help, we will be able to against the communist New People’s Army. supreme this Christmas. With the pandemic and the sluggish economy resulting, we are facing a experience this in our lifetime,” he adds.

For how much longer? MC bleak and blue Christmas. Maybe this is Gods way of reminding us that we have to focus on the birth of HERE’s so much work left undone. Some agencies Christ and nothing else. Let us not allow the colors of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim black, red, blue, and yellow to influence our lives as Mindanao (BARMM) are barely organized such we move on to a new year of peace and prosperity. as the Energy Sector of the MENRE (Ministry of the Environment, Natural Resources and Energy). Some have gone far ahead like the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) which is now up for + an e-governance in working on the development of the region’s local government units (LGUs) in the Age of Information Technology.

Offhand, I do not find any difficulty agreeing with Nash B. Maulana the Mindanao People’s Caucus (MPC) that the actual nash.penlight@gmail.com three-year count on the period of BARMM Transition should exclude 2019, because funds appropriations for claim their cash prizes for winning certain categories is published every Saturday by the Mindanao Cross Publishers, that Fiscal year had been programmed, and was, in fact, of the Galing Pook Award like Child-Friendly Local Inc., Sinsuat cor Quezon Avenues, Cotabato City. Tel Nos. (064) partly implemented and spent by ARMM—even if we say Governance (CFLG), because the MDS-AA had been 4217161 and E-mail Address: mindanao.cross@gmail.com | that it had a huge leftover in terms of financial resources reverted to Manila, not having been forwarded to the mincross101@yahoo.com.ph for BARMM. But still it’s a leftover, meaning RA 11054 MILG on-time and thus, had remained unobligated in Fr. Rogelio Tabuada, OMI, Chief-Executive-Officer was not the basis of the formulation of the FY 2019 ARMM one-month period. That fund has not been re-allocated Budget or REP (Regional Expenditure Program). In that back to BARMM since January 2020, and its not the Eva Kimpo - Tan, Editor-in-Chief sense, BARMM is getting to be in its 1+1+1-1 years of twelfth and last month of the year.

Edwin O. Fernandez, News Editor The usual procedure during ARMM years was that official operations, pursuant to RA 11054 from February all national funds were downloaded (sub-allotted in Gemma A. Peñaflor, Administration and Marketing Executive 2019 to May 2022.

The development of e-Governance, although the language of old technocrats) to the region via the Valérie Ann P. Lambo, Reporter quite expensive to sustain for a fledgling autonomous ORG which would, in turn, forward the MDS (Modified Julito P. Torres, Circulation Officer administration, would help improve on the otherwise Disbursement System) to the RBMO (Regional Budget slow administrative and fiscal functions of some offices and Management Office) which had the mandate of Karl John B. Daniel, Graphic-Layout Artist receiving, managing, filing, recording and forwarding in BARMM. A full computerized system would provide a clearer all MDS Allotment Advices of national funds to ARMM COTABATO CITY / ARMM CORRESPONDENTS outline of traces of the flow of transactions. Executives agencies concerned.

John M. Unson Ferdinandh B. Cabrera Charlie C. Señase Nash Experiences of clients varied. If the MDS AA would have a clearer picture of where documents had B. Maulana slowed down or had ended up “pending”—until essential pertained to individual retirees’ gratuity and leave credits NORTH / SOUTH COTABATO CORRESPONDENTS fiscal documents from Manila (like the Modified claims from different offices, expect two possibilities: 1) Williamor Magbanua Romer “Bong” Sarmiento Disbursement System or MDS-Advice of Allotments) an expeditious processing; or 2) if the retiree was not that quite familiar, chances are that a clerk would recommend Roel Osano Orlando Dinoy have lapsed in time.

MILG-BARMM Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, a a longer procedure to her boss i.e. to forward the retiree’s CARTOONIST lawyer, says there should be no room for obstacles to claims documents to the Office of the Attorney-General for Lourd Jim Diazon development. There are criminal laws worth-testing in legal review of the claimant’s documents. Unfortunately such cases as employees that may be found deliberately for the retiree if the review would take long, because after Member: PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE and covertly causing delays in the flow of official one-month the MDS AA would lapse in time, and would The National Association of Philippine Newspapers documents and thereby wittingly or unwittingly hinder be reverted back to the national government. To request that back would entail a longer process and would, indeed, the region’s development in general.

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

Up to now, some BARMM LGUs were unable to take a longer period of waiting MC

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The continuing call for peace Thinking Aloud

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Some fast, others slow; review paper trails

PENLIGHT

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Turn the hands of time

ter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24).

And sp eaking of corruption, President Duterte announced this week the dismissal from public service of 64 government officials guilty of graft and other frauduCharlie Señase lent activities before the csenase@yahoo.com Ombudsman and Sandiganbayan. Most felons HOSE Were the Days is a musibelong to the country’s cal favorite to remind us of the local government units while others from good old days of merrymaking as various departments and agencies like if endless. But life’s reality is a time for the PNP. every purpose - A time to be born and a Naming names may sound embartime to die. rassing as what the President did in his The Yuletide month ushers in mourn- public address on Tuesday but that was ful sorrows to those whose loved ones based on official court documents. It was perished from natural and man-made meant to warn others not to emulate but causes. We grieve the loss and as always, pursue anything lawful and pleasing to we invoke Rest in Peace even in death. God and country.

A clear manifestation that earthly peace For God commanded us to subject is temporal unless we have in us God’s ourselves to governing authorities, for peace that surpasses all understanding. there’s no authority except from God and For with Him there’s joy and con- the authorities that exist are appointed tentment amid sorrow and pain in these by God (Matthew 13:1-2). trying times knowing that diligence and Law-abiding citizens can only be posgood work is God’s delight to sustain the sible to those who fear God who exhorted needs of those who fear Him. us to obey authorities and always ready The world is in a never-ending tur- to render good work (Titus 3:1-2). moil because of the Satanic influence to And here’s a similar appeal from the induce people to believe that peace is Most High to submit ourselves to every anchored in covetousness, pride, envy ordinance of man for God-sake whether to and greed. the king being supreme or to governors as Often people are misled and brain- to those who are sent by him for the punwashed that money and earthly posses- ishment of evildoers and for the praise of sions are everything in life that they can’t those who do good (1 Peter 2:13-17). live without. But we’ve been forewarned: Anyone or group, armed or armless “Whoever desires to save his life will lose that want to topple or overthrow existing it, but he who loses his life for God-sake government by force or through chaos will find it. For what does it profit a man and violence are answerable to God the if he gains the whole world and loses his Creator of all things. soul” (Matthew 16:25-26).

Obedience is the key to salvation Enough with our popular saying: when the LORD said: “Do not be over“Pera-pera and Buhay-buhay lang” come by evil, but overcome evil with in order to survive even if it’s sourced good.” out from graft and corruption, illegal So much so that we should owe no one drugs, extortion, gun-for-hire and other anything except to love one another, for demonic activities to gain instant fame by so doing we have fulfilled God’s law in and fortune. faith, hope and love, that of these three, Life here is not the end but a train- love is the greatest. ing ground for the hereafter with this With caution though that our love reminder from the Savior Jesus Christ: must be without hypocrisy by having to “It is easier for a camel to go through the abhor what is evil and cling to what is eye of a needle than for a rich man to en- good at all times. MC At the webinar topics were discussed on pharmacy -based immunization, supply chain management-access to essential medicines, antimicrobial stewardshipimprove appropriate use of microbial, reduction of microbial resistance and decrease the spread of infections, State of Phil.

Mental Health- development Victoria R. Franco, RPh, MS Pharmacy for the knowledge of franco1573victoria@gmail.com psychotropic medications, Medication adherence-help undays should have been our repose day, yes, rest from nothing else to empower patients in adherence to medication do. Instead, I joined the annual therapy, Disaster Management, smoking continuing education webinar conducted by cessation and wellness and self-care. In the Philippine Pharmacists Association Inc. summary, pharmacist have holistic role in in cooperation with Unilab, the largest drug promotion—both for disease treatment and manufacturing company in the Philippines. prevention.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the The Philippine Pharmacists Association Inc. logged 100 years of its founding in August PPhA, Inc. decided to include in its advocacy 2019, it is one of the oldest professional the Pharmacy based immunization, of which organization in the country. Currently I hold many objected. I for one cannot stand the the honor of a lifetime membership for my site of a needle punched into the muscle. A continued membership since I graduated training shall ensue prior to its institution.

Large pharmaceutical companies in from college. I was in turn recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award for the many the US-Pfizer , Astra Seneca and Moderna, professional, civic, social activities I have are in a rush to roll out their vaccines, the engaged in over the past 67 years, that set a benefits of which will be too long to discuss benchmark of the practice of the profession here. However, the CEO of Merck and Co., the world’s leading vaccine in the US , Ken nationwide.

Contrary to the misconception that we Frazier recalled in an interview with Prof. are glorified salesclerks, it is not known to Tsedal Newley, from Harvard Business many that we are under the strict supervision School recalled that “the fastest vaccine of the Food and Drug Administration, ever brought to market was medicine. a government regulating body that has Merck’s vaccine Ebola took five and a half passed ISO standards , about which we years and was only approved in Europe participate in the keeping with the standards this month. Frazier explained that the set by the organization. Thus, there are 11 vaccine development process takes a long requirements we need to comply with such time because it requires rigorous scientific as Management of Merchandise disposal- evaluation. “In the case of COVID-19, we those that are expired, those that did not don’t even understand the virus itself or how pass evaluation and testing of the drug; the virus affects the immune system.”

What is worrisome for him most is that hazards in the workplace, and so on. That’s why sometimes, we see drugstores being the public is so eager, so desperate to get padlocked, probably due to some violations back to normal that they are pushing the pharmaceutical industry to move things incurred.

To others, the drugstore is a lucrative faster. *** business because many people are seen Congratulations to Dr. Cecilia C. lining up in the drugstore. In fact, drugstore were one of those allowed to serve the public Barroga for her re-appointment to the during lockdowns. We are counted among August body of the Cotabato City Water the frontliners, a thankless job but for we are District. Also reappointed was Atty. Gene here not only for the return on investments Soyao, both to the Board that oversees the but rather we are building our careers as management of our water system, one of the best in the country. MC professionals.

TRUE TO FORM

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Pharmacists for Better Health Outcomes THE STUFF OF LIFE

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December 5, 2020

THE MINDANAO CROSS

First be in the moment when meal time comes. Try to eat slowly with fewer distractions. Pay attention to your hunger cues and eat only until you are full. Learn to distinguish between truehunger and non-hunger triggers for eating. While you are on it, engage your senses to observe the colors, Cheridine P. Oro- Josef, smell, sound, texture and M.D., DFM, FPAFP, FPCGM flavor of the food that you cheridinemd@gmail.com will eat. Learn to cope with guilt and anxiety about food.

Always remind yourself he season of Christmas is truly a festive feast where food and wine abound. It is a that you are eating to maintain overall health challenge to stick to a healthy diet. Many and well being. Each day appreciate the effects times Christmas becomes an excuse to binge of food on your feelings as well as your figure. and savor every bit of tasty meal and every Basically, appreciate that which is served to drop of wine. This becomes difficult especially you.

Today’s fast paced lives have shifted for those who are diabetics, hypertensives or those suffering from kidney diseases. Letting our attention away from the act of eating our guards down will find us having high sugar towards televisions, gadgets, computers and and high cholesterol levels when the New Year smart phones. Many times eating becomes a mindless act and done quickly. Physiologically, comes then that guilt feeling sets in.

While doctors prescribe specific diet we should allow our brain to digest and realize depending on your illness, it is still best to follow that we are full and this takes around 20 the basic rule: eat balance food in moderation. minutes. Eating too fast will make you eat What is a healthy balanced diet? The Food and too much until the ‘fullness’ signal arrives.

Nutrition Research Institute of the Philippines This is very common in binge eating. When shared the “Pinggang Pinoy” which consists of you practice Mindful Eating, you restore your a fistful of carbohydrates, protein portion the attention and you slow down, making eating size of the palm of your hand, thumb size oil, an intentional act rather than an automatic and two handful of vegetables. This together one. The practice of mindfulness in the way with drinking 8-10 glasses a day and control we relate to food leads to change in eating of salt intake. It is also advised to adhere to behavior and thus reduce the stress associated small but frequent food intake instead of eating with it. Advocating mindful eating has also all you can. For those who have diabetes, it been shown to reduce emotional eating (eating is best to avoid simple sugar sources such as in response to certain emotions) and external cakes, chocolates, sweets, ice cream and to eating ( eating in response to sight or smell choose complex carbohydrates such as rice of food).

How do we start? You may follow the and grains instead but at proper portions. For hypertensives, cutting down on salty food is a following steps by doing mindfulness in just one meal of the day: must and to lessen high fat foods.

- Eat more slowly and do not rush Aside from these basic recommendations, - Chew thoroughly advocating ‘Mindful Eating’ has been proven - Put down your gadgets and turn off the to help promote weight loss, reduce binge eating and help you feel better. Mindful eating television - Try to eat in silence is a technique that helps you gain control - Appreciate the food and focus on how the over your eating habits. Mindfulness is a form of meditation, a relaxation technique to food makes you feel - Stop eating when you are full declutter one’s mind by paying attention in - Constantly ask yourself why you are a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally (Jon Kabat eating, whether you are truly hungry and Zinn). Mindfulness has been used to treat whether the food you chose is healthy The key here is to do this regularly until it many conditions including eating disorders, anxiety, depression and various food-related becomes a habit. Remember a good habit done behaviors. Mindful eating is making use of daily becomes a virtue. It is never too late to try mindfulness to reach a state of full attention to on a new skill to enhance both our emotional your experiences, cravings and physical desires and physical wellness.

A very merry and healthy Christmas to when you eat.

How do you practice Mindful Eating? everyone! MC

Mindful Eating During the Christmas Season

GOLDEN THREADS

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My Ideal Project Manager…

Team Leader.

How would I describe the head of a project that I would like to work with ?

First, the person must be capable of understanding the project: its objectives, Danny Buenbrazo scope, and the rules danny_buenbrazo@yahoo.com o f t h e g a m e ( s u c h as regulations on t is natural for anyone who gets finance, procurement, involved in programs and projects to stakeholders’ roles) among others. dream of holding positions of higher A leader who knows by heart the responsibilities and compensation. project scope and the parameters for Such aspiration not only motivate implementing it has established a newbies to perform well but also pushes good head start. Often, projects start them to learn more about projects and on the wrong foot when the head does the work of various positions in the not take time to read and understand team. A project would normally have the documents serving as the bible for a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, the project. When the team misses an Procurement Officer, Administrative important step or process, that would or Human Resources Officer, Finance translate to a delay equal to a number Officer, Communications Officer, and the of weeks or months.

Project Manager.

Second, the project manager recruits Before one becomes a Project people with the necessary knowledge Manager, he or she would normally and skill to get the job done within gain experience by performing two or the prescribed time and budget. If the more of the positions typically present manager is able to recruit two or three in a project. He or she should familiarize very seasoned people then he or she himself or herself with what are the basic can afford to engage younger and less functions that team members need to experienced project staff as the more do in a project. Sometimes projects are senior members can mentor the ones large that there would be a wider number with shorter work experience. of positions and several people could Third, my ideal project manager be performing similar functions (e.g. is one that does not complicate the capacity development or procurement). project at the onset or along the way.

On the other hand, projects may have To ingratiate themselves with project small scope or funding that the team stakeholders and/or funders, some members are limited, in this instance, project heads would agree to demands the Project Manager should be able to or even just suggestions that muddle assign multiple assignments to a team project implementation. The best member. managers stick to the basics and keep Having joined a good number of things simple to ensure successful projects while working in the public implementation. sector and at least a decade in the Finally, the effective Project Manager development and humanitarian arenas, should be able to hurdle challenges that I am comfortable (perhaps even more could hound project implementation comfortable) serving as just one of the such as delays, lack of resources, and specialists or Assistant Project Manager other difficulties. Much better if he or Assistant Team Leader than being the or she could foresee future problems head of the project. While it is alright as things unfold along the course of for me to be just one of the supporting implementation. To be able to do this, specialists in a project team, it is best to the project manager should be able to be lead by a capable Project Manager or seek help when necessary. MC

MARKET DRIVEN

I

Blended learning is a combination of learning at a distance and the traditional oncampus learning (in a classroom). Basically, you will have a (more or less) fixed schedule where you will have to attend a part of the classes on campus.

However, most courses will still be online, allowing you do coursework and assignments online.

What is distance learning?

Distance learning is understood and is often used as a synonym with online learning. Why the different wording? It’s because it was initially introduced to attract students from all over the world. This is how it became possible for students from Europe for instance, to easily attend an American college and become an international student without needing to travel.

Choose the learning style that really suits you. The success of your online studies depends a lot on the teaching environment. That’s why the teaching methods developed or used by universities play a key role in your development.

Both online and blended learning programs are designed to make better use of the real potential of digital technology and enhance your learning experiences through innovative approaches.

The decision between one types or the other depends on your learning style, availability for travelling and overall professional interests and commitments. (Reference: Alexandru Pop) MC

Distance & Online Education

MATH &SCIENCE

D

Prof. Marino Ridao

ridaomarino@yahoo.com.sg

istance and online education is no longer new. It is as popular as on-campus learning. But as distance learning has become a more established pathway to a degree, a variety of terms connected to it have also evolved, describing the different ways in which you can pursue a degree remotely: distance learning, e-learning, online learning, blended learning.

If one is considering to study that is off-campus, you must understand what each type of learning offers.

In online learning, the key element is the use of internet.

Online learning refers to the idea of using online tools for learning.

Basically, an online course implies a distance between you and your teachers. Lectures, assignments, tests are all enabled by virtual platforms. A fully online university degree means you will not have to travel at all for your studies.

Some examples of universities that provide exclusive online programmes are: London School of Planning and Management, London School International Business, The Open University of UK and Nottingham University Online.

What is blended learning?

Tacurong mayor donates...From page 1 of money. This prompted the mayor to shell out some funds out of his own pocket for the initial dialysis of Baulite.

He was one of the 12 persons with disabilities, 10 of whom were senior citizens and two were children with special needs, who received food packs, wheelchairs and financial aid from Mayor Montilla.

They were residents of Barangays New Isabela, Upper Katungal, Lancheta, Baras, Rajah Muda and New Passi.

Montilla said as long as there PWDs who need help, the city government will not stop from extending help in whatever way it can.

To date, a total of 50 wheelchairs have been turned over to 50 recipients

BARMM is up for...From page 1 hazards along the way to attend a three-day workshop on e-governance in Davao City from December 1-3.

Sinarimbo also disclosed that the old DILG-ARMM Building that currently houses MILG office at the Bangsamoro Government Centerm would be renovated to better cater to the ministry’s 41 programs for LGUs and local communities.

He said as soon as it is turned over

to the MILG-BARMM, the old DILG 12 Building near the REALC Building will be redesigned into a training center for the proposed Bangsamoro Local Government Academy (BLGA).

Sinarimbo said he sees in retirees and former executives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government a potential development of a pool of experts for the BLGA. Nash

B. Maulana

shall also provide another ATM for the Matling agricultural plantation also in Malabang.

According to its website, the DBP’s “primary objective is to provide banking services principally to cater to the medium and long-term needs of agricultural and industrial enterprises with emphasis on small and medium-scale industries.”

Officials of the Malabang business community had told reporters via online messenger that they were elated with the setting up of a DBP teller machine in their town hall.

M a c a p o d i ’ s administration had, in recent months, established a good waste management system, provided street lights that illuminate thoroughfares at night and security cameras to

BARMM cites Muslim kid chess wizard, offers support

The Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) through the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) has cited a 10-year-old Maranaw boy for bringing in honors to the country through sports, chess in particular.

In a resolution filed by lawyer Rasol Mitmug Jr, a member of parliament, also offered aid to enhance the capability of Al-Basher “Basty” Buto.

Mitmug filed BTA Resolution No. 356 to recognize the prospected youngest Filipino Master in the Meranao tribe.

Buto is set to represent the Philippines to a 140-nation tourney in Georgia, USA on Dec. 11.

MP Mitmug said Buto’s feats in local and international chess championships competitions are one thing

that he cannot just pass unnoticed.

As early as five years old, Buto had been joining chess tournaments, including the 13th Asian Schools Chess Championship in China winning gold and capturing three individual and two team gold medals for the overall crown in the 8th Asean Age Group Chess Championship in Malaysia in 2017.

Buto is one of three children of Jamellah and Bong Buto, a Meranao couple that hailed from the war-torn Marawi City and nearby DitsaanRamain town in Lanao del Sur. The family is composed of chess enthusiast members who used the games as primary sports and to spend the family together.

The couple owns a small business in Quiapo, Manila while they lived in nearby Rizal town.

Buto has no formal chess training. He started playing along the sidewalks of Quiapo, beating elders and veteran chess players.

On many occasion, he was seen offering chezz puzzles to pedestrians for a fee for those who can solve his “problem.” At the same time, he was making money out of it.

Ali Macabalang, veteran journalist and Buto’s provincemate, said the young chess player was heralded by the Philippines Sports Writers Association (PSWA), coming up with stories titled “Greatness from Quiapo sidewalk t o C h i n a . ” E d w i n O.

GEN. SANTOS CITY — The city government has lifted the movement restrictions here every Sunday and shortened the curfew hours amid the improving situation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections in the area.

City Mayor Ronnel Rivera on Wednesday said the City Inter-Agency Task Force (CIATF) for the Management of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases decided to recall the lockdown or “no

movement” every Sunday and adjusted the nightly curfew for the upcoming “Simbang Gabi” and other traditional Christmasrelated activities.

As decided by the task force in a meeting on Tuesday, the lifting of the Sunday lockdown will start on Dec. 6.

The curfew will remain in effect from 12 p.m. to 4 a.m. but will be trimmed until 2 a.m. for the start of the “Simbang Gabi” or dawn masses on Dec. 16.

The observance of the

curfew will be suspended on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31).

“This is to give our residents enough time to prepare for the Christmas celebration and participate in the traditional activities,” Rivera told reporters.

He said another executive order will be issued within the week to formalize the lifting of the Sunday lockdown and the adjustment of the curfew hours. PNA

Fernandez

GenSan lifts more restrictions ahead of Christmas holidays

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY The Bidding Committee (BC) of OND HESED Foundation, Inc is inviting potential Contractors to submit their pre-qualification documents and if found eligible can join for: Name of Project:

Lanao del Sur’s “unbanked”... From page 1

Malabang is a large historic town in the second district of Lanao del Sur, gripped for so long by underdevelopment due to deadly clan wars and shabby governance.

M i n d a n a o Development Authority (MinDA) chair Sec. Emmanuel Piñol and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) president Emmanuel Herboso led the inauguration of the mahine along with Malabang Mayor Tomas Macapodi.

Macapodi said Monday he is grateful to Piñol and Herboso for responding to clamors for them to have an ATM facility.

Piñol is helping push the socio-economic programs of Macapodi, who was elected mayor of Malabang town in Lanao del Sur only last year.

Piñol said the DBP

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THE MINDANAO CROSS

December 5,2020

deter crimes in the town proper of Malabang.

Piñol said there are simple problems affecting the lives of people that can easily be solved if only these are brought to the attention of the country;s decision makers.

Balabagan Mayor Edna Benito also thanked DBP and MinDA for working on the establishment of the ATMs in their towns.

Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, including the Philippine Marines, vowed to help secure the teller machines.

W i t h t h e establishment of the ATMs, residents of the two towns, especially cassava farmers will be saved from the trouble of travelling about 100 kilometers to Corabato City and Pagadian City or Marawi City just to transact with the banks.

John Felix Unson

1.Construction of 1 unit water system Location: Barangay Bayabas, Upi, Maguindanao The following qualification documents must be submitted by the interested contractors together with the Letter of Intent to BC for pre-qualification review (two sets: original and photocopy – original copies will be returned after the review): 1. Unexpired business license; 2. Updated contractor’s license (PCAB) for the year/certificate of registration and classification; 3. Valid Mayor’s Permit/ Municipal License; 4. Organizational chart; 5. Affidavit of Disclosure of No Relationship; 6. Complete qualification and experience data sheet of key personnel; 7. Statement of the Bidder that it is not Blacklisted or included in the GOP Blacklisting Report; 8. List of on-going and completed projects in line with proposed project, duly notarized. The statement shall include the nature and value of the project, original and actual project schedule, percentage of physical accomplishment and schedule date of completion, location of the project, name and address of the owner; 9. List of Tools and Equipment to be used for the contract; 10. Audited financial statements, stamped “received” by the BIR for the previous 3 years; 11. Updated certificate of credit line with a reputable bank equivalent to 10% of Contractor’s category or Cash Deposit Certificate; 12. Attached updated license of Project Engineer/Sustaining Technical Employee and affix dry seal; 13. Certificate of Authenticity of Submitted Documents; 14. Authority to Validate Submitted Documents.

The Committee will use non-Discretionary pass/fail criteria in the Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examination of Bids and it will conduct post evaluation of bids.

Schedule

Place

Submission of pre-Qualification documents

December 15, 2020

OND HESED Grotto, Tamontaka DOS, Maguindanao

Review and examination of Prequalification documents

December 16, 2020

Same as above

Send letter to Qualified Contractors

January 7, 2021

Same as above

Pre-bid confrence/Issuance of Tender Documents

January 12, 2021

Same as above

Submission and opening of Bids

January 14, 2021

Same as above

BC Activities

Prospective bidders shall submit the Eligibility Requirements together with the Letter of Intent to the Committee at the said address.

No Sub-Contracting/subletting.

The BC assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify contractors/bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of the said documents.

OND HESED Foundation reserves the right to accept or reject any bids and to cancel the bidding at any time prior to award of the contract, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders or any obligations to inform the affected bidders of the reasons for employer’s action For further details please refer to: Sr. ERLEEN L. CARCILLAR, OND Noted by: Bidding Committee Chairperson OND HESED Foundation Inc. Tamontaka, DOS Maguindanao Sr. JO-ANNE C. LORILLA, OND ondhesedfoundation@yahoo.com Executive Director Phone: + 64 83 425 5958 OND HESED Foundation Inc.

8

December 5, 2020

THE MINDANAO CROSS

Slain bomber is Toraife’s aide, linked to Jolo, Sulu bombing

THE bomb-courier killed by policemen in Tacurong City last week was a henchman of Abu Toraife who is wanted for deadly bombings in central Mindanao, the police said.

The Tacurong City police, in a report to the director of the Sultan Kudarat provincial police, Col. Noel Kinazo, said the slain bomber, Abdul Rashid Soledad Lamala, was a member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, also known as the Dawlah Islamiya.

Army and police intelligence sources said Lamalan was a close aide of Abu Toraife, whose real name is Ustadz Esmael Abdulmalik.

Abu Toraife is an Islamic theologian and leader of the most notorious among three factions in the BIFF. Police investigators in Tacurong revealed that Lamalan was one of the bombers of Jolo Cathedral in January 2018 and participated in the Marawi seige.

He managed to escape and fled to Jolo.

An Army intelligence agent said he was to set off an improvised bomb in Tacurong City where a gathering was slated that day he was neutralized.

Policemen were forced to neutralize the motorcycle-riding Lamalan when he tried to evade a team that attempted to stop him for inspection in Barangay Montilla in Tacurong City.

Instead of submitting himself for inspection, Lamalan, who hailed from Pagagawan, Maguindanao, pulled out a gun and opened fire, provoking a shootout that resulted in his death.

Found beside him was a cal. 45 pistol, a fragmentation grenade, two rifle grenades and bomb components placed inside a plastic laminated sack with rice. John Felix Unson

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS. Notre Dame University continues to bring joy and hope with their Festival of Lights launched on Thursday, November 3, carrying the theme “FIRES: Giving Light, Birthing Hope in Christ”.

Residents in remote villages trained on agro-technology TULUNAN, North Cotabato — At least 50 residents from eight far-flung villages here are set to complete an agriculture technology training initiated by the military in partnership with the Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA).

Participants in the agro-technology training are from the villages of Batang, Bacung, Bituan, Banayal, Nabundasan, Daig, Tuburan, and Magbok, all former communist-influenced areas in the municipality, according to the military.

1Lt. Walter Jhun Orille, the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion (IB) civil-military operations officer, said that the agriculture program forms part of the government’s Enhanced Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) that aims to improve the villagers’ agricultural output.

“This peacebuilding effort would really change their lives developing their potentials with the available resources,” Orille told reporters here Wednesday.

Recipients include members of an association allegedly organized by the Communist Party of the PhilippinesNational Democratic

Front-New People’s Army, particularly the Batang Tulunan Farmers Association, which voluntarily joined the program, he added.

The program is currently implemented in three designated demo-farms under the 39IB here, the 72IB in Magpet, and 16IB in Arakan town.

The program will run for 29 days, and each beneficiary is entitled to a PHP160 allowance per session, a onetime PHP500 internet allowance, and a PHP500 book allowance.

Graduates will be given a certificate and TESDA National Certificate (NC-II) a valuable credential needed for technical, technological, and vocational career for employment. “This intervention is a way better to instill partnership and alliance towards conflict-affected communities through consolidated efforts of government agencies,” he said.

Meanwhile, the 39IB said it is also in t he process of completing the last phase of the community integration program in the eight identified conflictaffected villages by next week. PNA

Tacurong City centenarian Ex-Army, 3 others nabbed gets P200-K cash gift in Maguindanao drug sting Photo courtesy of NDU

TACURONG CITY — A woman who recently turned 100 years old received a total of P200,000 in cash assistance from the local government of Tacurong City and the Department of Social welfare and Development (DSWD) on Tuesday.

Tacurong Mayor Angelo Montilla personally handed over a P100,000 cash gift to Soledad Nono Libo-on during ceremonies

honoring the centenarian at the city gymnasium.

Libo-on’s birth records indicated that she was born on Nov. 28, 1920.

Montilla said the cash gift from the city government was an incentive counterpart of the LGU to what the national government has given her through the DSWD. Under Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarian

Act of 2016, Libo-on, a resident of Barangay ECJ Montilla, was also qualified to receive PHP100,000 from the national government.

Libo-on said she would use part of the money to buy her 58-year-old son Rodrigo a tricycle.

“Here’s a centenarian who, in her twilight years, still looks after the welfare of her children,” Montilla said. PNA

Mangudadatu files bill resetting BARMM elections to 2025

MAGUINDANAO Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu has filed a bill in the House postponing the elections in the Bangsamoro Region from 2022 to 2025.

In the process, the transition period for the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) set by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) from 2019 to 2022, will be extended for another three years.

“My House Bill 8117 was a product of committee hearings conducted and consultations,” Mangudadatu, chair of House Special Committee on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, said in a statement.

“There are a lot of things that need to be done, there are commitments that need to be acted upon,” he said, citing the provisions of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) about normalization and

Political tracks.

Mangudadatu said the current BARMM and the national government are yet to fully deliver the goods as provided for in the CAB and organic law.

T h e f o r m e r Maguindanao governor believed that had it not for the Covid-19 pandemic, the foundation of BARMM shall have been laid down perfectly.

“The BARMM leadership was met by constraints and difficulties, with the pandemic as the major obstacle,” he said.

Mangudadatu said three years of transition was not a easy task for current leaders due to pandemic.

“The decommissioning and reintegration process take time and efforts,” Mangudadatu said. “It should be implemented perfectly because the government and the Bangsamoro people cannot afford to see BARMM fail.”

“Through my bill I am praying we can come up with a responsive, well functioning bureaucracy anchored on moral governance,” he said.

He said his committee, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and the government and Bangsamoro Transition AuthorityIntergovernmental Relations Board (BTAIGRB) vow “to unite our efforts to make the Mindanao peace process succeed as expected by the Bangsamoro people.”

“The National Government and the Bangsamoro Regional Government remain as steadfast partners as they go about to finding for lasting resolutions to the past, present and future concerns of our Bangsamoro brethren and the Filipino nation as a whole,” Mangudadatu said

Edwin O. Fernandez

ANTI-NARCOTICS agents have arrested four suspects, including three females, and seized some P102,000 worth of shabu during a drug sting operation in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao on Wednesday night.

Nabbed were Merlyn Bonea Alam, Sharon Pascual Ansaw, Jocelyn Bangkulit Casada, and Lucky Love “Nasser” Cantiver, a dismissed Army soldier.

The main target, identified as Boy Alam,

the husband of Merlyn, eluded arrest.

“The operation also led to the dismantling of a drug den in the area,” said Anthony Naive, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency – Maguindanao officer.

Naïve said the operation was carried out around 9 p.m. in Sitio Tinago, Barangay Tamontaka following month-long surveillance.

“The suspects were surprised that they were immediately surrounded by lawmen following their

deal with an undercover agent,” Naive said.

Seized from the suspects were some 15 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P102,000; disposable lighters; glass tubes; an improvised bamboo sealer; mobile phones, and the PHP500 marked money.

Charges in violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002) were filed against the suspects. PNA

MAFARLENGKE. Maricel Santos, 30, a Teduray from Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao is among the beneficiaries of the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer for Indigenous People under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program who participated in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform’s Local Exchange and Network of Goods in any Kind of Emergency (MAFARLENGKE) at the Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City.

Photo courtesy of Bangsamoro Government