The Mindanao Cross | August 7, 2021

Vol. LXXIII| No. 26| Cotabato City | Saturday, August 7, 2021 |8 Pages | P10.00

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CHURCH / P4

BIFF strength waning, Army says

Pope Francis asks Catholics to pray in August for Church reform

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High pay lures Region 12 youth to join PNP

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

COTABATO CITY RUNS OUT ST OF VACCINES FOR 1 DOSE

By Edwin Fernandez

RESIDENTS of Cotabato City who are yet to receive first dose of vaccines against the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have to wait for new vaccine supplies from the Department of Health.

The city health office has announced Friay that those who wish to take the first jab of vaccines must pre-register via online list up.

“All those who have pre-registered online under the Priority Groups A1, A2 and A3 will receive text schedule of inoculation once additional supplies arrive,” the city health said in an FB post.

Earlier, in its bid to maintain physical distancing among aspirants for anti-COVID-19 vaccination, the Cotabato City Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19, through the office of the city health services, has launched on-line registration.

“Basically, this is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus,” said Dr. Floyd Caoagdan, city health office spokesperson on anti-COVID-19 vaccination.

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Mayor warns workers who shun vaccination

By Bong Sarmiento

KORONADAL CITY – Mayor Antonio Bendita of Surallah, South Cotabato has vowed to terminate local government employees who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Bendita said the members Interagency Task Force on COVID-19 have agreed that local government unit (LGU) workers must all be vaccinated.

“A great deluge looms large before us in the form of the Delta variant, which is more potent and highly transmissible,” Bendita told town employees during last Monday’s flag raising ceremony.

He stressed that LGU workers "must serve as models for the rest of their constituents."

Unlike the other COVID-19 variants, Bendita noted that Delta variant “can infect others in seconds through airborne transmission.”

STRESS RELIEVER. If you’re a nature lover, this is a must visit place when you’re in South Cotabato.

Photo courtesy of Mindanao Recreational Hub

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Agri-technologist to be ordained as Oblate

By Edwin Fernandez A F T E R r e p e a t e d presider and ordaining delays due to the limited prelate. movement brought about “For the safety of many, by the pandemic, Rev. limited attendance shall be Joseph Castro Nadua, an strictly imposed. For those agricultural technologist, who wish to witness the will be ordained to the event, there will be a live priesthood on Wednesday, broadcast at the FB Page: @ August 11, Wednesday at OMI Philippines-Vocation,” the Archbishop Mongeau Rev. Nadua said.

Chapel at Notre Dame “We ask for your University in Cotabato City. u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d Ordination time is c o n s t a n t p r a y e r s f o r at 9 a.m. with Cotabato everyone,” the Oblates of A r c h b i s h o p A n g e l i t o Mary Immaculate Lampon, OMI, DD as the said in an FB post.

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BARMM rescues IPs duped to join Army

THE Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) office of Indigenous Peoples have rescued eight young IPs who were victims of illegal recruitment and landed in Bulacan province.

Michael Garrigues, head of Ministry of Indigenous Poeples Affairs (MIPA) Ancestral Domain Section, said the eight Teduday youth who were from South Upi, North Upi and in

Datu Odin Sinsuat, all in Maguindanao, were recruited to join the Philippine Army for a fee.

They successfully returned home on Sunday from Bulacan with the help of MIPA. Garrigues said the recruits have traveled to and stayed for five months in Bulacan province awaiting for the training that did not happen.

The recruiter, who was also an IP,

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BARMM has 28 new EOD men

By John Felix Unson

THE Bangsamoro regional police has new 28 personnel trained in detection of improvised explosive devices using bomb-sniffing dogs.

The new members of the expanded ordnance and explosives detection group of the Police Regional OfficeBangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) are to be deployed in areas where there is presence of

the Dawlah Islamiya and the Abu Sayyaf.

The two terror groups have been blamed for bombing commercial establishments, public conveyances and civilian targets if demands for “protection money” are not met, or to avenge deaths of members in clashes with pursuing state security forces.

Brig. Gen. Eden Ugale, director of

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DID YOU KNOW?

BY THE NUMBERS: TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS

19 — A total of 19 athletes across 12 sports make up Team Pilipinas in Tokyo. The delegation is the largest the Philippines has sent to the Olympics in 21 years.

10 — Of the 19 Filipino athletes in Tokyo, 10 are women.

This marks the first time in Philippine Olympic history that there are more Filipino women competing in the Olympiad than men.

97 — It has been 97 years since the Philippines made its Olympic debut in the 1924 Paris Games.

4 — Hidilyn Diaz is the only athlete in the Philippine delegation with multiple Olympic appearances with four - 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, 2016 Rio, and 2021 Tokyo. The other 18 athletes are competing in the Olympics for the first time.

TRAIN TO SAVE. Army trains former rebels for calamity and disaster response to save lives, properties. See story on page 8.

Photo courtesy of BARMM READi

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August 7, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

BIFF strength waning, Army says A military commander here has said that in just a matter of time all the extremist gunmen pursuing violent extremism will realize they were misguided and fighting a lost cause.

“More have expressed to surrender but just waiting for an opportune time,” said Colonel Pedro Balisi, commander of the First Mechanized Infantry Brigade.

Balisi said there are now about 80 to 90 Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) left in the marshland of Maguindanao and will soon surrender too.

Balisi made the statement after the surrender, on separate occasion, of 11 BIFF members with their high powered firearms that included cal. 50 machine guns and sniper rifles.

He said the locals in the communities surrounding the marshland, including their parents, have continue convincing them to surrender peacefully to the government and live normal lives.

“Our focused military operations geared towards them also forced the extremists to surrender,” he added.

Relentless military operations continue for those who refused to surrender but opened its doors to those who wished to be with their families and live peaceful lives,” Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander

of the 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao.

To date, more than 150 BIFF have surrendered to the government since 2020.

The latest surrenderors belonged to the Bungos and Karialan faction of the BIFF. The war materials they turned in include a caliber .50 anti-aircraft machine gun, caliber .30 machine gun, M-203 grenade launchers, a cal. 50 Barret sniper rifle, RPG launcher, Garand rifles, carbines and several ammunitions.

One of the BIFF members who decided to surrender with 10 others said many of their companions really wanted to yield for they were tired of running away from the mightier Philippine military forces.

“In just a matter of time, they too will come out,” said one of the former BIFF member.

The returnees will get financial aid from the Maguindanao provincial government and livelihood package to help them become productive citizens in their communities with their families. Edwin

O. Fernandez

Sobejana lauds Basilan’s peace efforts

THE Armed Forces chief of staff who got a Medal of Valor for gallantry and whose tenure ended Saturday urged southerners to emulate how residents of Basilan have made their province peaceful.

Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana who retired from the Philippine Army on July 31, was still a captain in a Ranger unit when he got maimed in a deadly clash with Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Barangay Kapayawan in Isabela City in Basilan on January 13, 1995.

Sobejana, PMA Class 1987, was replaced by Army Lt. Gen. Faustino, Jr., whose designation President Duterte on July 29.

Basilan, one of the five provinces in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, was birthplace of the Abu Sayyaf.

Its founder, the late Abduradjak Janjalani, was, in fact, born and raised in Isabela City. He was killed by a police team in a gunfight in the seaside Barangay Tumakid in Lamitan City, also in Basilan almost two decades ago.

Sobejana, badly wounded in the Kapayawan encounter, got a Medal of Valor for bravery in action in the incident that left five other rangers and two militiamen dead. Six of his subordinates were wounded in the clash.

“Thanks to the cooperation of local executives, the police and the military, there are barely 20 Abu Sayyaf members still hiding in Basilan now and local authorities have been receiving surrender feelers from them lately,” Sobejana said.

More than 300 Abu Sayyaf members in Basilan

surrendered and returned to the fold of law in batches since 2013 through the joint intercession of provincial and municipal leaders and local executives in its two cities, Isabela and Lamitan.

Sobejana said most of the Abu Sayyaf terrorists who bolted from the group surrendered between 2016 to early this year through a local reconciliation campaign dubbed Program Against Violent Extremism (PAVE).

The PAVE was pioneered by House Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman, who is Basilan’s lone congressional representative, the provincial peace and order council led by Gov. Jim Salliman and the league of mayors in the province.

“Now, Basilan is becoming the new investment hub of the Bangsamoro region.

THE Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has shifted its attention to the less fortunate persons living in the newest political units that joined the autonomous government set up.

In observance of the 43rd National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week, the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD-BARMM) extended cash assistance to 1,240 indigent Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) living the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area (SGA).

The recipients are residents of villages in Kabacan, Aleosan, Carmen, and Pikit, all in North Cotabato. The received PHP6,000 cash aid during distribution period covering August 2 and 3.

Of the 1,240 indigent PWDs, 150 were from Kabacan, 236 were from Carmen, 835 were from Pikit, and 19 were from Aleosan.

Atty. Raisa Jajurie, MSSD-BARMM minister, said the cash assistance was lodged under the “Kalinga Para sa May Kapansanan Program,” one of the banner programs of MSSD that recognizes

the social protection and rights of PWDs specially the disadvantaged and underprivileged sectors.

She said the cash assistance is provided to support their daily subsistence, medicines, and other needs thereby uplifting their living conditions.

The Kalinga Para sa May Kapansanan Program is the first in the Philippine government which extends cash subsidy to indigent PWDs where MSSD has pioneered and launched in 2020.

The cash payout will continue in BARMM SGA this week to support the 267 PWDs in Midsayap and 205 PWDs in Pigcawayan.

Aside from cash assistance, MSSDBARMM also turned over assistive devices to some beneficiaries whose cases were managed by the field social workers.

They were given wheelchairs, quadcane, folding cane for blind and crutches.

“MSSD has set up different programs for the PWDs as part of the comprehensive response of the Bangsamoro government to providing them social protection

intervention,” Sandra Macacua, MSSD program specialist for older persons and PWDs. “This will also help intensify the campaign for their health and economic empowerment,” Macacua added.

Some of those MSSD’s programs and interventions Macacua mentioned include provision of monthly stipend through the “Kalinga Para May Kapansanan Program,” capital for livelihood projects through the “Bangsamoro Sagip Kabuhayan Program” and provision of assistive devices to indigent PWDs. One of the recipients, Johnny Uyag, 41, farmer of Pikit, North Cotabato, could hardly find words to describe how grateful he was receiving assistance for the first time for his son who suffers from paralysis and a rare physical condition.

“Malaking tulong po talaga ito sa mga may kapansanan tulad ng anak ko para pambili ng mga gamot at pagkain nila, ngayon lang ito nangyari.

(This is really a big help to those who have disabilities like my son for their medicines and food. It only happened today),” Uyag said. Edwin O. Fernandez

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PWDs in North Cotabato get aid from BARMM

PH, US officials hail Moderna vaccines arrival

THE United States has delivered a total of 3,000,060 doses of Moderna vaccine to the Philippines as part of its worldwide effort to help put an end to COVID19 pandemic.

Philippines and U.S. officials attended arrival ceremonies for the Moderna vaccines at Villamor Airbase in Paranaque—led by President Duterte; U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires John Law, Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, Health Sec. Francisco Duque III, Secretary of Interior and Local Government Eduardo Año, IATF Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

The Moderna vaccines shipped in via Clark,

Pampanga formed part of the U.S. government’s commitment to providing the Philippines among other countries with vaccines supplies through CoiVid19 Global Access (COVAX) facility, a global initiative to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

A U.S. Embassy statement sent to The Mindanao Cross said the August 3 shipment has been the U.S. government’s second bilateral vaccine donation to the Philippines, following its July delivery of 3.2 million one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccines to the country.

“Recent outbreaks in the region remind us all this pandemic is not yet over, but the science is clear – the best way to stay healthy, to keep your loved

ones safe, and to bring this pandemic to an end is to get vaccinated. The United States is working, and will continue to work, with the Philippines to make safe, effective vaccines widely available throughout the country,” the statement said, quoting Chargé d’ Affaires Law. The Philippines has now received more than 13.3 million vaccine doses through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), a global initiative run by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, the statement added.

The United States is the largest monetary contributor to Gavi, having already provided nearly Php100 billion ($2 billion) to the Alliance.

Nash B. Maulana

US welcomes Duterte’s recall of VFA abrogation

THE United States government has said it welcomes President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to recall the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

Philippine Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana announced Friday (July 30) that President Duterte has rescinded a broadly debated issue on an abrogation of the 18-year old PH-U.S. Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) by President Duterte’s unilateral declaration.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III who met President Duterte the following weekend promptly issued a statement saying: “A strong, resilient U.S.-Philippine alliance will remain vital to the security, stability, and prosperity of the Indo- Pacific. A fully restored VFA will help us achieve that goal together.”

The VFA is the latest regional security pact between the U.S. and the Philippines as sovereign allies, forming part of the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951.

In another reciprocating statement on the Philippines Executive reconsideration of the crucial decision on diplomatic and regional security issue, the U.S. Embassy said: “We strongly believe that the VFA, and the broader alliance that the VFA enables,

strengthens not only the security of our two nations, but also the rulesbased order that benefits all nations in the Indo-Pacific.”

Lorenzana made the announcement after the President met with U.S. Defense Secretary Austin, together with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., Lorenzana himself and U.S. Chargé d'Affaires John Law last Friday.

On the sidelight of this diplomaticcum-security issue has been a confluence of events that included a Philippine Supreme Court decision, upholding the political Opposition’s contention that a Senate concurrence to the President’s unilateral cancellation of the agreement was needed.

The other issue raised by Mr. Duterte prior to his meeting with top U.S. and Philippine defence and diplomatic officials, was his disclosure of unnamed parties as being allegedly behind a covertly reported “coup” plot against his administration.

The same Friday, he warned what he said was a “state department” to keep off from getting involved in an alleged domestic “plot” against him.

If he meant the U.S. Department of State, the agency is, simply put, the counterpart of the

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APPRECIATED. All’s well that ends well as Pres. Duterte meets with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III after PH’s VFA abrogation.

Photo courtesy of the Office of the Press Attaché of the U.S. Embassy in Manila

Peddlers of P3.4M worth shabu sued...from P8

of Republic Act 9165, also known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Farhan is an incumbent barangay

councilor in Guinaupan in Tamparan, Lanao del Sur. The PDEA-BARMM also impounded the

vehicle of the two suspects, a white Toyota Revo with license plates WHF 481. John Felix

Unson

August 7, 2021

Cotabato City runs out of vaccines for 1st dose...from P1

Caoagdan said the online list-up is the safest way of applying for vaccination after horde of people simultaneously showing up in five vaccination hub in Cotabato City.

At Lugay-Lugay Elementary School vaccination hub, people were queueing “very close to each other,” disregarding the physical distancing protocols being espoused by the city government.

Starting Monday, August 2, people have been lining up outside the vaccination hub but many have complained.

One health frontliner has said she was surprised people now crowd the vaccination area while two weeks ago the number of people wanting to get vaccinated were only few.

“Mabilang lang sa daliri ang nagpapabakuna (Only few were coming to be inoculated),” she said, asking she remained unidentified.

“Kasi di raw makapasok ng mall o ng restaurant kung walang bakuna at card (Reports have it that no vaccination card, no entry in malls or restaurants),” Alejo Sandig, a resident of Barangay Rosary Heights 3, said as he slipped inside a long queue of applicants.

“I have been here since 5 a.m.,” he said Monday at about 10 a.m. Counting, he said, he was at No. 50 or more.

Actually, Dr. Caoagan said, there’s no need for people to troop to vaccination sites and fight the heat and dangers of contamination due to non-observance of social distancing protocol.

Caoagdan said pre-registration is open to all who wished to receive the first dose of anti-COVID-19 vaccines from Priority Groups A1, A2 and A3.

Applicants for vaccination may visit www.cotabatocity. ph/vaccine then “click to register” button. Fill up the form with correct personal information and wait for SMS confirmation.

The SMS confirmation will give applicants date and venue of first dose vaccination. Follow instructions and

bring identification card.

Earlier, Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi has urged the public to get vaccinated amid the threat of new COVID-19 variant that might reached the city and infect its people.

“Experts say delta variant is the most dangerous variant of COVID-19, it contains thousands of virus particles than the old variant which make it 60 percent more transmissible than the UK variant and three times more contagious than the original SARS-CoV 2,” she said in her video posted on her FB page.

“It affects those even those even with younger ages and people who are infected, developed severe symptoms and get hospitalized quicker,” Mayor Sayadi said. “These make the delta variant deadlier.”

“It’s just a matter of time before this deadly variant enters our city,” she warned.

Because of this threat, she said the city government has been aggressively campaigning for the vaccination against COVID-19. “God willing, we will be able to achieve the so called herd immunity by the end of this year.”

More than 41,000 residents in A1 to A3 groups of Cotabato City have been vaccinated.

“In the coming days, we will open inoculation of A4 group, we are just awaiting additional supplies of vaccines,” Mayor Sayadi said. “More vaccination hubs will be opened, too.”

On Wednesday, the city LGU and city IATF opened the sixth vaccination hub at the Cotabato City National High School main campus.

“Let’s continue wearing face masks, observe minimum health protocols, let’s do our part in preventing the spread of deadly virus,” Mayor Sayadi appealed.

Cotabato City remained in general community quarantine. Mayor Sayadi said it may be raised to stricter Aprotocols when people do not cooperate and the number of infections will spike.

BARMM rescues IPs duped to join Army...from P1 was a former AFP member.

“The recruiter promised us immediate training upon payment of PHP35,000 but once he had the money we never heard from him since,” said one of the victims, Benzar Cornelio, a Teduray from Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

To survive while in Bulacan, they worked as construction workers to provide for their basic needs such as food and accommodation.

Garrigues said when the incident reached the office of MIPA Minister Melanio Ulama, he formed a team of

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THE MINDANAO CROSS

“rescuers” and sent them to Bulacan to bring the recruits back home.

Through the assistance of San Jose Del Monte City police, MIPA helped the victims in filing a complaint at the city’s Barangay Gaya-Gaya wherein the recruiter, Army reservist Delbert Diwan, also a Teduray, promised to return the fees he collected from the victims.

Garrigues said MIPA also facilitated the victims’ transport from Bulacan to Maguindanao, and provided them with foods and financial assistance.

“We appreciate the efforts of MIPA because through this office our children are now safe,” said Jose Timpadan, one of the victims’ father.

Timpadan said he pawned his farm land to come up with P35,000 so his son can join the Army training.

Despite what happened, the applicants are determined to pursue their desire to become soldiers.

“We ask the Philippine military to give us slots because we believe it will help us get out of poverty at the same time serving our country,” they said. Edwin O. Fernandez

Mayor warns workers...from P1 Bendita, a lawyer, said the dismissal process of disobedient regular employees will be filed before the Civil Service Commission.

For job order employees who will shun COVID-19 inoculation, he noted it’s easy for him to fire them since they were hired at his discretion.

“We already notified the local government workers to get vaccinated.

Now if they refuse and then unfortunately got infected by the virus, I will even file criminal negligence against them,” the mayor said.

“You can go to jail if you communicate or spread a disease to others,” he added.

As a lawyer who has handled labor cases, Bendita stressed that having a communicable or highly-contagious disease is a ground for termination of employment.

For t he m unicip a l government workers who will refuse COVID-19 vaccination because their religion “would not allow it,” Bendita advised them to stop reporting to work until the pandemic is controlled.

The "no work-no pay" policy will be applied to them, he said.

“The local government is trying to prevent the spread of the virus by promoting vaccination among our constituents,” Bendita said.

Arthur Condes, acting information officer of the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Region 12 (DILG-12), said no written formal complaint has been lodged to date at the DILG-12 against Bendita’s policy.

Dr. Neil Crespo, municipal health officer, noted that vaccination is the only solution to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

BARMM has 28 new...from P2 PRO-BAR, said Friday the 28 new K9 handlers finished last Tuesday an extensive training on IED detection using bombsniffing dogs.

“They are prized targets of terrorists. We have to make sure they don’t become easy targets.

With them the capability of terrorists to bomb chosen targets shall get marginalized,” Ugale said.

The 28 new members of PRO-BAR’s bomb detection and disposal contingent were also trained in search of explosives inside vehicles and in luggage of couriers,

according to Ugale.

Some of the new K9 handlers shall be deployed in Maguindanao, where there is presence of Dawlah Islamia’s Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters that uses the flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria as its banner.

It has members who are experts in fabrication of IEDs, some of them trained by Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir, alias Marwan, who was killed in January 2015 by members of the police’s elite Special Action Force in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

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August 7, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

Pope Francis asks Catholics to pray in August for Church reform VATICAN— Pope Francis is inviting Catholics around the world to pray this month that the Church receives the grace “to reform herself in the light of the Gospel.”

He made the appeal in his prayer intention for August.

“Let us pray for the Church, that she may receive from the Holy Spirit the grace and strength to reform herself in the light of the Gospel,” reads the prayer intention, issued Aug. 3 by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.

The network also released an accompanying video, in which Pope Francis explained the rationale for the prayer intention.

Speaking in Spanish, the pope said: “The specific vocation of the Church is evangelization, which isn’t proselytism, no. Its vocation is evangelization; even more, the Church’s identity is evangelization.”

“We can only renew the Church by discerning God’s will in our daily life and embarking on a transformation guided by the Holy Spirit.”

“Our own reform as persons is that transformation. Allowing the Holy Spirit, the gift of God in our hearts, to remind

us what Jesus taught and help us put it into practice.”

He continued: “Let us begin reforming the Church with a reform of ourselves, without prefabricated ideas, without ideological prejudices, without rigidity, but rather by moving forward based on spiritual experience — an experience of prayer, an experience of charity, an experience of service.”

“I dream of an even more missionary option: one that goes out to meet others without proselytism and that transforms all its structures for the evangelization of today’s world.”

At the end of 2020, Pope Francis established the global network that promotes his monthly prayer intentions as a Vatican body.

The pope decreed that the network, founded in France in 1844 and focused on the spirituality of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, would now be a papal institution based at the Vatican. It is now known as the “Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network”

Vatican Foundation.

Commenting on the pope’s August prayer intention, Fr. Fréderic Fornos, S.J., international director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, said: “At the end of last year, a few days before Christmas, Francis had already wanted to delve into the difference between conflict and crisis so as to make clear that the latter can always leave us with something positive.”

“It’s a propitious time for the Gospel and for Church reform. As the Holy Father says, ‘we must have the courage to be completely open. We need to stop seeing the reform of the Church as putting a patch on an old garment.’”

“In the face of a crisis, the first thing we can do is accept it, as a propitious time to seek and recognize God’s will. This means not tiring of prayer, as the Pope insists so much; not tiring of following Jesus’ example of service, of charity, of encounter with others, with those who suffer, with the most vulnerable, and with

those who most need it.”

Concluding his video address, the pope spoke of the challenges facing the Church. While he did not name any specific events, the Vatican is currently struggling with economic difficulties intensified by the pandemic and is conducting a trial of 10 people related to a financial scandal.

Declining the resignation of Cardinal Reinhard Marx in June, Francis wrote that “the whole Church is in crisis because of the abuse issue” and the only fruitful path was “to assume the crisis, personally and communally.”

Speaking in the new video, he said: “Let us remember that the Church always has difficulties, always is in crisis, because she’s alive. Living things go through crises. Only the dead don’t have crises.”

“Let us pray for the Church, that she may receive from the Holy Spirit the grace and strength to reform herself in the light of the Gospel.” Catholic News Agency

Philippine diocese, govt warn against Covid fraudsters PEOPLE buying fake vaccination cards to travel outside Manila during lockdown may put lives at risk.

A Manila diocese has warned unvaccinated people frustrated at being unable to travel to other parts of the Philippines due to antiCovid restrictions not to buy fake vaccination cards in order to leave the capital.

Doing so puts the holder and others at risk of the virus as real cards are only supposed to go to those who have received two vaccine shots, Novaliches Diocese said in an Aug. 2 Facebook post.

Health authorities recently allowed those who had both shots and had received a government-issued card to travel outside the capital.

The card also

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exempts individuals from undergoing quarantine for 14 days in a state facility if they travel to another region.

Counterfeiters looking to profit are making authenticlooking vaccine cards and people may be tempted to buy them, especially during a strict lockdown imposed in and around Manila from Aug. 6-20, Novaliches Diocese said.

“Be wary of individuals selling vaccination cards. Our health is still a priority.

Let us not do something illegal just to travel to see our loved ones.

Let us sacrifice first for the common good,” the diocese’s post said.

Catholic churches are perfect places where criminals can sell the fake cards, it said, adding the diocese had received reports that some people were selling cards at

Novaliches Cathedral.

The diocese also reminded churchgoers that vaccination cards are issued for free and cannot be transferred from one person to another.

G o v e r n m e n t authorities, meanwhile, told Filipinos not to travel to the provinces during the period of tighter restrictions and issued a warning over the fake cards.

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered police to take action against those selling and using fake documents, presidential spokesman Harry Roque told an Aug. 2 news briefing.

"I am directing all police offices and units to be vigilant against those travelers who might use fake documents including vaccination cards to falsely prove that they are fully vaccinated," police chief Guillermo

Incorporated into Christ

Eleazar told ABS-CBN. Police have said the upcoming lockdown

“trapped” in Manila.

Joseph Peter Calleja/ UCANews

A health worker administers a dose of the BioNtech Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to a resident at a drive-through vaccination center in Manila on July 31.

e become what we eat, culture at that time a seal or according to some a stamp, and with important nutritionists. We people, a signet ring is incorporate the elements of the used for closing contracts food into our own bodies, and and sealing letters. A seal thus what we eat influence our is a sign of commitment health and dispositions. There and makes the document are some obvious examples, legally binding. A Christian such as eating a lot of meat through baptism is sealed or Rev. Fr. Antonio P. Pueyo, DCC and fats may make us obese marked by Jesus. He belongs tonypoy_dcc0@yahoo.com and prone to heart diseases. to Christ and continues this Incorporating sugary food into our system may make us commitment by incorporating Jesus in his own life diabetic. Too much salt raises our blood pressure. Too through deepening his spiritual life with the Word of much alcohol intake destroys our livers and kidneys. Too Jesus and receiving Jesus as food in the Eucharist. Once much carbohydrates make us fat. Some cultures carry this sealed with Jesus the Christian disciple is exhorted to belief farther such that they prefer to be vegetarians and “Follow the way of love, the example of Christ who loved fruitarians. They eat only the grains and fruits and thus you” (Eph. 5:1-2). In concrete terms it means, “Do away do not cause cruelty to animals. Animal products such as with all quarrelling, rage, anger, insults and every kind milk, butter and cheese are allowed because the animals of malice” (Eph. 4:31). are not killed. In some hunting societies, whenever an To follow Christ seriously is to incorporate Christ in animal is killed in the hunt, the hunter sacralizes the us by obeying his Word and receiving his flesh and blood death of the animal by thanking it for feeding his tribe. in the form of the Eucharist. By incorporating Christ into There is no indiscriminate killing of animals. us we also incorporate ourselves into Christ such that we Food is necessary to make us live. Food does wonders follow His example and we think, speak, and act guided to a hungry man’s disposition as in the case of the prophet by His Spirit which sealed us at baptism. More so the Elijah in the first reading. His life and career as a prophet priests who speak the Word of God and celebrate the was threatened by Queen Jezebel who brought her gods, Eucharist. By being configured into Christ they should and their priests to the Northern kingdom . Elijah had preach with passion and conviction and celebrate the to escape in the desert and sat under the shade of a tree Eucharist with deep devotion, just like their patron St. and was so depressed that he prayed for death ( 1 Kings. John-Marie Vianney.

19 ff.) God sent an angel who fed him and thus refreshed And so we ask ourselves, what do we feed our with food and rest, he resumed his journey and mission as bodies, minds, and souls. Do we feed them with a prophet. In the holy gospel Jesus says, “I am the living healthy food or with filth? Actually most physical food bread which has come down from heaven; whoever eats of are healthy and nourishing when eaten with moderation. this bread will live forever. The bread that I shall give you We also have to feed our minds and hearts with good and is my flesh and will give it for the life of the world” (John noble thoughts because as Jesus said, “Ex abundancia 6:50-51). Jesus Himself will feed us . We incorporate cordis, os loquitur” - from the abundance of the heart, Jesus into our body, mind and soul. the mouth speaks” (Mt. 15:18). Most of all we feed our In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, incorporating souls with the teachings of Christ, with prayer, and with Jesus means being “sealed” or marked by Jesus. In their worthy Holy Communion. MC

REFLECTIONS

has seen many people trying to head back to the provinces to avoid being

Photo courtesy of AFP

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

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings:

1 Kings 19.4-8; Ephesians 4.30 – 5.2; Gospel: John 6.41-51 God, be my path! Salvation has always been the common subject of debate among many religions. Each one presenting its own belief-system, philosophy, or way of life towards that goal – salvation. While many doubts its reality, still, many believes that it’s God’s way of putting things into place. As we venture into this life, may we find Jesus as the true path towards salvation, not what the world offers us. Jesus assures us that He is our path to the Father, to that salvation, healing, forgiveness - to the fullness of life.

Prayer: Lord, guide me in my path. Never abandon me, as I put my hope in you. Amen.

Fr. Peter

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THE MINDANAO CROSS

August 7, 2021 EDITORIAL

How disciplined are we?

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veryone has a theory or explanation on why the COVID-19 Pandemic stayed on. It will be two years since it all began, and we see no end to it. We have the worldwide system (WHO) to combat the spread of the disease, but the invisible enemy seem to have its own life to avoid measures against it.

We have long studied the virus, but like in alien movies, it has a way of preserving its own life. We have medicines to combat its symptoms, and we have developed vaccines to prevent its invading susceptible individuals. And like in alien movies, the world has developed experts who have made it their goal to defeat the alien and protect the world from annihilation. But there are two parties to this story – the virus, and the people. Have we looked thoroughly into how people react to the “invasion”?

Going back to the bible, we see how people respond to warnings of a coming plague, storm, or pestilence. People always believe what their senses tell them, and no amount of warning will make them deviate from what they usually do. In Genesis, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was a result of the sins of the people against their fellowmen, and just like in the story of Noah, no amount of warnings could make them believe of the specter that is due to come.

What could have drove God to make this ugliness exist? No need to explain although there is a straw that connects people all over.

This is the lack of discipline. It seems that areas where there is a breakdown of discipline among people are the most hard hit by the pandemic.

To combat enemies that are invisible like the Corona Virus, there is a need to develop rules or a code of behavior that would help not only one, but all in this kind of war. And discipline is the best weapon, in addition to medicines and vaccines.

A look at the television shows how many people disregard the protocols of wearing masks, washing hands, or keeping social distancing ---which are simple enough for children to follow.

But many lack the discipline to do these simple tasks. Because of this, the local governments have to show an iron fist to make the people follow. Of course, there are complaints that the LGUs are disregarding human rights.

The most important issue that seem to pervade the fight against Covid 19 is the seesaw between lockdowns and the income of people affected by the lockdown. A lot of leaders throw their lot to those under their care, and protest putting their areas under lockdown. Although the government promised to provide compensation ( or subsidy), this isn’t just enough. For a poor country like the Philippines, it is really hard to look for coping mechanisms to stay alive during this Pandemic; and those who are smart or lucky enough should be lauded and branded as heroes. Come to think of it, are these also the people who maintained their discipline during the low times? Really, God helps those who help themselves. Let’s not leave it to government alone and if there is something that could be done, do it. 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 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.

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windfall of incentives awaits the firstever Filipino Olympic gold medal winner, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.

A day before her arrival in the country from the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, the 30-yearold Diaz of Zamboanga City was reported to have earned P40.5 million as cash incentives and reward from the government and public sector for her gold medal performance in women’s weightlifting, which also saw her set two Olympic records. Of that amount, P10 million will be coming from the Philippine Government as mandated by Republic Act 10699, also known as the “National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act”; another P10 million will be from the MVP Sports Foundation of telecommunication mogul Manny V. Pangilinan; P10 million from businessman Ramon S. Ang; P3 million from Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero; P2.5 million from her hometown Zamboanga City as mandated by the law; and P5 million from Phoenix Petroleum plus a lifetime fuel supply. There are more: a house and lot in Tagaytay, a P14-million worth condominium unit in Eastwood City from Megaworld Corporation, and lifetime free airline travel courtesy of Philippine Airlines and AirAsia Philippines.

She deserves it, no doubt, after bringing honor and glory to the Philippines by ending the 97-year drought for an Olympic gold medal. Before this edition of the Summer Games, the Philippines has earned 10 medals. Our participation in the quadrennial world sporting event, which started in 1924 with lone athlete David Nepomuceno competing in the 100- and 200-meter sprints, got us 3 silver medals, 2 in boxing from Anthony Villanueva (Tokyo 1964) and Mansueto Velasco (Atlanta 1996) and 1 in weightlifting from Diaz 5 years ago (2016 Rio de Janeiro). It also earned us 7 bronzes by way of athletics or track and field (2) , swimming (2), and boxing (3).

Following Hidilyn’s gold medal performance, boxer Nesthy Petecio of Davao Del Sur took home silver in the 54-57 kg weight class in women’s boxing. Nesthy will get P17 million in cash incentives for giving the Philippines its second medal in this edition of the games plus other rewards which also include a house and lot and a condominium unit.

This is projected to be the Philippines’ best Olympic performance so far with two other boxers, middleweight Eumir Marcial and flyweight Carlo

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HE seashore-riverside town of Picong in Lanao del Sur is being groomed to become the cultural tourism capital of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

For one, common historical narratives traditionally bind here the tribal diversity of Mainland Mindanao and the Islands.

The municipality of Picong lies along the Lanao del Sur section of the Seaside Road connecting the province to Cotabato City in the south and northward to Lanao Norte and Pagadian City by the east-to-south coastal contour of Illana Bay. Bangsamoro Parliament Speaker Ali Pangalian Balindong says Sultan Gumander, Picong’s former name, had been “gerrymandered” by the Marcos government from the old Malabang trade settlement, along with Balabagan and Kapatagan towns.

Hallowed Ground is the Picong River headwater in Palaw-A-Bukid, majestically overlooking both Lake Dapao and the Illana Bay adjoining the Moro Gulf.

When in Picong an eastward travel to Tanaon towards the Picong River headwater at Palaw-ABukid is heading to the historic Seat of Power of the old Nago Sa Picong, the ancestor of the powerful Balindong clan that rules the adjoining Malabang and Picong towns.

Palaw-a-Bukid is a landscape picturesque of the proverbial bests of both worlds: the scenery of Lake Dapao to the east and overlooking the Illana Bay by the west. It’s like the double-treat that most tourists would prefer in a Turkey-Package for the view of two continents—Asia down south by the Mediterranean Sea, and Europe up north by the Black Sea. Datu Rajiv Balindong Ramos, the municipal planning and development officer, says long before becoming a territorial part of the modern-day Lanao del Sur, Picong significantly situated a home-base defence for the Moro people’s wars against western colonization, after Spain had conquered and colonized most of Las Islas Filipinas.

What ifs Thinking Aloud Carlos C. Bautista caloyb@gmail.com

Paalam, also both from Mindanao, already assured of bronze medals as we write this. 4 Olympic medals, better by one from the 3 our athletes took home from the 1932 Summer Games in Los Angeles, and this time with the much sought-after gold. For this our Olympic medalists do deserve recognition and the incentives and rewards that go with it.

But wouldn’t it be better if Filipino athletes also get as much support even before they win medals?

On several instances Diaz, Petecio, and Marcial have all decried the limited support that they were getting as national athletes. While many now shower them with praise for the glory they have brought the country, not as many, have cared to back them up in their build up to the games.

Dan Gable, an American former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler and coach, and considered to be one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, once said: “Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-tofind alloy called guts.” These are things that any athlete worth his salt develops tirelessly through training and competition. And more than after they have brought home medals – be it bronze, silver, or gold - this is where moral and financial support is needed.

What if we had more groups like MVP Sports Foundation, companies like San Miguel, Milo, and others that have devoted time, effort, and more importantly money to help develop young athletes into future Olympians? What if we had more public funds funneled into a grassroots sports development program focused on sports where we have the potential of victory as seen in past Olympic performances – boxing, swimming, athletics and many others that do not require height or heft over which other nations have genetic advantage over us?

What if? Could our athletes bring home more medals? It is not a remote possibility, we believe. MC

Historic Lanao town groomed as BARMM’s Cultural Tourism Capital

Penlight Nash B. Maulana

nash.penlight@gmail.com

Efforts to preserve structural landmarks of the beginnings of the Moro Revolution here in 1969, start with a day-long tour-cum-dialogue between Ramos and a team sent in by BARMM Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, composed of Architect Gloryrose Metilla, and Engineer Abibazar Sali, MILG project development officer. Tourism sites in erstwhile battleground are popularized in Vietnam—in places like the War Remnants Museum and the Khe Sanh Combat Base. Museum, among others, The municipal local government unit of Picong is also currently developing the coastal village of Ramitan where exactly Philippine Muslim Hero Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat landed in April 1639 from Bangingi, a Sulu island near Basilan. The west side of Basilan became the first-line of defence of Sulu under Kudarat’s father in-law, Sultan Mawallil Wassit Bungsu in the expedition of Governor General Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera from 1637 to 1638.

Datu Ramos shares that the historical facts of Kudarat’s landing here and his delivery of his famous Lake Speech at Dapao, will make for interesting cultural tourism development in annual festival rites and re-enactment of historic events.

He said the municipal LGU with the support of potential development partners like BARMM, will build a platform symbolic of the traditional stage where Kudarat spoke to incite his Maranao kindred to put up a stronger resistance against colonial aggression. MC

6

The Great Beyond

hungry, feed them and if thirsty, give him a drink for such kind gesture will heap coals of fire on their heads (Romans 12:20-21).

Patience, hard-work and endurance will Charlie Señase surely merit success csenase@yahoo.com as shown by our four ONDERING about the whys Tokyo Olympic medalists and wherefores of life that all from Mindanao: Hidilyn Diaz of worldly things have to end. Zamboanga City with gold, Nesthy Yet most aspire for public adulation Petecio of Davao del Sur with silver and material accumulation only to and assured bronze awardees Eumir end in oblivion.

Marcial of Zamboanga City and Carlo I f G o d i s p e a c e , j o y a n d Paalam of Cagayan de Oro City. contentment, what more can we ask Amid negative stereotyping of if not schemes in discontentment their past, each one has proven their sourced out from pride, envy and love of the sport and faith in God as greed? Getting to know God, the turning point of their hope to prove Creator of all things visible and other people wrong. For with God, invisible, is good enough not to go nothing is impossible except one – We beyond our mortal limits. And with have a God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2). caution, He said: “My thoughts are In the name of peace, progress not your thoughts nor your ways My and harmonious coexistence, let’s ways” (Isaiah 55:8). chart our course but always allow Head of states, rulers, and world God to direct our steps. For Christ, leaders are God’s appointed, that the Savior has always underscored law-abiding citizens must subject the importance of life; that man shall themselves to authorities regardless not live by bread alone, but by every of political alliances and religious Word that proceeds from the mouth affiliations. A timely reminder to of God (Matthew 4:4). armed militant groups wanting to Surely, the Word of God will come topple or overthrow government to pass and will not return empty. institutions: “Render to Caesar the “For as the rain comes down and as things that are Caesar’s and to God the snow from heaven don’t return the things that are God” (Matthew but water the earth that it may 22:21). give seed to the sower and bread to And other similar biblical passages the eater, so shall My Word be that were raised to instill obedience among goes forth from My mouth. It shall God-fearing and law-abiding citizens not return to Me void, but it shall as shown in Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter accomplish what I please and shall 2:13-17). prosper in the thing for which I sent F o r a r r o g a n t a n d a b u s i v e it” (Isaiah 55:10-11). authorities that oppress and suppress And to the God-fearing and the the constitutional rights and dignities obedient who died is this scriptural of the governed, don’t retaliate assurance, “Yes, says the Spirit, that instead continue doing what’s good they may rest from their labors and and pleasing to God and fellowmen. their works follow them” (Revelation For the LORD vowed to take the 14:13). As it is appointed for men to cudgel, saying: “Vengeance is Mine” die once but after this the judgment (Deuteronomy 32:35). that Christ was offered once to bear W i t h G o d , w e h a v e t o p r o v e the sins of many who eagerly wait them wrong. But how? Let’s not for Him, for He will appear a second be overcome by evil, but overcome time, apart from sin but for salvation evil with good; that if our enemy is (Hebrews 9:27:28). MC

True to Form

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modern games in 1900 in his native Paris, but delegates from 34 countries were so enthralled with the concept that they convinced him to move the games up,to 1896!and have Athens serve Victoria R. Franco, RPh, MS Pharmacy as the first host. The idea of franco1573victoria@gmail.com the Olympic torch or Flame was first inaugurated in the s sure as the sun rises in the east, our 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. The athletes in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics modern Olympic torch relay was first have one gold medal from Hidilyn instituted at the 1936 Olympic Games in Diaz, a couple from our boxers and perhaps Berlin. The Olympic Oath was introduced some surprises as the competition heads in 1920.

The interlocking rings of the Olympic for the finish.

Every reputable athlete have goals flag was created by Baron Pierre de to achieve in their lifetime. These are those Couvertin, the co-founder of the modern who dream big, willing to give up time, Olympic games. The five rings represented family , studies and devote themselves the five participating continents of the to the preparation needed to make that time: Africa, Asia, America, Europe and first leap, the first failure , the first medal Oceania. While the dolors of the five rings regardless of whether it is gold or bronze. blue, yellow, black green and red together It took Hidilyn at least two decades, from with the white background compose the the young age of eleven to 30 years old colors of every nation ‘s flag at the time of when finally she stood at the podium for its inception as the official Olympic symbol in 1915. This was first presented at the her historic win in weightlifting.

Successful athletes 1) choose and Summer Olympics. in Antwerp, Belgium; maintain positive attitude 2) maintain was lost and replaced a 1924 Summer a high level of self motivation 3) set high, Olympics in 1924, and that same flag flew realistic goals 4) deal effectively with over the Summer Olympic games until people 5) use positive self-talk 6) use 1988 when it was retired. In 1997, the positive mental imagery 7) manage anxiety original “Antwerp Flag” was discovered in effectively 8) manage their emotions HalPrieste’s suitcase and returned to the effectively 9) maintain concentration. They IOC in a ceremony at 2000 Sydney The Olympic games are considered make great role models for young people the world’s foremost sports competition not necessarily in the field of sports.

The ancient Olympic games began in which thousands of athletes from around the year 776 BC when Koroibos, a cook the world participate in a variety of from nearby city of Elis, won the stadion competitions.

The evolution of the Olympic movement race, a race 600 feet long. This is noted as the first Olympic Sport in the world, and in the 20th and 21st centuries has resulted remained the sole event at the games until in several changes to the Olympic games.

724 BC From 776 BC, the games were held Some of these adjustments include the in Olympia every four years for almost 12 creation of the Winter Olympics for snow centuries. Both literary and archaeology and ice sports, the Paralympic games suggests that the games may have existed for athletes with disabilities, the Youth earlier, perhaps as early as 10th or 9th Olympic Games for athletes aged 14 to 18, the continental games (Pan American, century BC. Although the ancient games were African, Asian, European and Pacific) and staged in Olympia Greece, from 776BC the world games. for sports that are not through 393 AD, it took 1503 years for contested in the Olympic Games.

World wars led to the cancellation the Olympics to return. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in of 1916, 1940, and 1944 Olympics; large 1896. The man responsible for its rebirth scale boycotts during the Cold war limited was a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de the participation in the 1980 and 1984 Couvertin, who presented the idea in 1894. Olympics. And the 2020 Olympics were His original thought was to unveil the postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19. MC

The Quest for Gold

The Stuff of Life

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August 7, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

work and determination can beat the odds. However, their Well-informed and responsible points of view on vital issues triumph also awakened a Smart and honest opinions from young generation Filipinos. passionate call among older and younger millennials.

Perseverance, hard work, and determination alone will not make someone an Olympian or spur them forward on the road to success. These platitudes

BY VALÉRIE LAMBO are useless without “support.”

Our country, over the years, u, the symbol of the chemical element Gold, is currently the has produced promising athletes but the matter of the moment. Be it for politics and lack of financial support made millennials investing their money into their efforts futile.

As of this writing, right after winning, purchasing gold, Philippines being the second largest gold deposit in the world, Hidilyn will reportedly receive at least and a Filipina winning our first Olympic P33 million while Petecio secured a total gold medal in almost a century drought. of P17 million cash rewards and perks from different foundation, politicians, Gold definitely deserves the spotlight.

Among 19-strong athlete delegation, companies and donors.

Both athletes were recognized for two Filipina leads the country’s gold hunting at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Amid their hard work. But before getting in this place, both faced financial pandemic and the difficulties, bashing, and threat of new variants even demonized as the of COVID-19, Hidilyn President’s destabilizer.

Diaz and Nesthy Indeed, people’s Petecio brought home admiration only comes the long-awaited gold out once you succeed. and silver medals.

They stake a claim in These wins will your achievements but historically change not in your struggles. the landscape of Everyone will rejoice in Philippine sports the positive result but not as women are everyone will be there in the country’s new the process. frontliners in major In this country international of dreamers, what the competitions.

Filipino youth can get Hidilyn, 30, competing in her fourth Olympics, won from our Olympian athletes is a glimmer the women’s 55-kilogramme (121-pound) hope — hope that one day our great nation category for weightlifting becoming the will rise from the ashes like a phoenix, that country’s first Olympic gold medalist. many younger athletes will bring home While Nesthy, 29, made history as the more gold, and the current pandemic to first Filipina to win an Olympic boxing end.

Afterall, “Di tayo pinalaki ng sexbomb medal as she matched the silver won by Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco in the 1996 para bumawi, kaya laban Pilipino!” Get, get Au! Atlanta Games.

Valérie Lambo, 28, is a Mass By winning the gold, Hidilyn also ended the Philippines’s 97-year quest for Communication and Juris Doctor gold at the Olympics. It first participated degree holder. She is a former in the Games in 1924 and has previously journalist and government media won three silvers and seven bronze medals. c o n s u l t a n t . C u r r e n t l y , s h e i s Hidilyn and Nesthy’s victory galvanizes unemployed and taking the time to the virtue that perseverance plus hard bond with her two dogs. MC

TWO O CENTS Get, get, Au!

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Afterall, “Di tayo pinalaki ng sexbomb para bumawi, kaya laban Pilipino!”

Strategic Development Planning…

The implementation of development plans could lead to failure due to errors committed in the preparation plans. These planning mistakes include program or projects Danny Buenbrazo activities cannot be danny_buenbrazo@yahoo.com carried out in the planned rganization of all kinds and duration; program or persuasions may be engaged in project components do not address the development planning as a regular main problem/concern; other entities practice or for a particular occasion expected to provide contribution fail to or purpose. Development planning deliver; resistance or lack of cooperation of is, of course, a regular exercise in all beneficiaries and/or stakeholders because levels (national, regional, provincial, social preparation was not done properly; and municipal) and agencies of the and lack of funds or personnel. government.

Thus, to heighten the success rate The cycle of development planning for the realization of development plans, in the Philippine Government coincides it should be strategic to ensure having with the term of office of national and local the right scope, duration, and resources. officials. Thus, the national medium-term Scope includes, among others, key development has a span of six years while project objectives, major deliverables, local development plans usually have and milestones. Duration or Time refers lengths of three (3) years. to the required number of months or years While, officially, the country has to start and complete the implementation longer-term national development (programs or projects) of a development plans, these are usually revised by the plan. Resources are key to success incoming administration that could lead implementation of a development plan to the abandonment of previously decided and planners should look beyond the programs and projects. This is the same budget and also consider manpower that situation in many local government units would be engaged. which poses greater challenge because of In determining project scope, planners the three-year term given to officials. may succumb to the temptation of having I n t e r n a t i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t large geographic coverage or to address all organizations and non-government the major problems identified in the area organizations (NGOs) that work with sought to be developed. This is especially them have different timelines with their challenging when the development plan program or project implementation. This is inter-LGU as everyone town would like is usually dependent on the approved to be included. Ultimately, the planners duration for their program or project . need to decide how large is the project area Thus, they can prepare development plans and what concerns to address within the that usually coincides with the lifespan of project duration and available resources. their program or project.

Implementing development plans D e v e l o p m e n t p l a n s c a n b e require time for projects preparation, geographical, sectoral, or both. Geographic implementation, and closure. Adequate plans are development plans prepared time should be provided for the various for different territorial levels such as phases of the program or project regional, provincial, or municipal. It can implementation. also be for municipalities a contiguous The resources needed to carry out area belonging to the same or different the various components of a development provinces. Sectoral development plans plan should be sufficient, of good quality, are those that seek to develop specific and available when needed. Many plans sector or sectors of a defined area which were not carried out successfully because could be broad (entire economy: industry, some stakeholders failed to provide the agriculture, and services)) or more focused counterpart they pledged on time or in (agricultural sector development only). its entirety. MC

Market Driven

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Agri-technologist to be ordained as Oblate...from P1 The 39-year-old Rev. Nadua is the elder brother of Fr. Jefferson Nadua, OMI. Rev. Joseph as he is more known among Oblates was born on March 25, 1982 in Barangay Kilada, Matalam, North Cotabato.

His parents, Pepito and Sonia, are both active in Catholic Church in Matalam and they have great influence on Rev. Joseph’s vocation.

Rev. Joseph was already an agriculturist working at the Rizal Provincial Government before joining the Oblates. He also worked at a food chain and a Gasoline station when he realized his calling. That was in 2011.

He then earned his Bachelor in Sacred Theology at Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City.

He joined the OMI postulancy in Tamontaka, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao in 2012 and the following year

at the OMI Novitiate, also in Tamontaka.

In 2014 to 2020, he was at the OMI Scholasticate in Our Lady of Assumption Scholasticate (OLAS) in Loyola Heights, Quezon City.

He received his first vowns on May 9, 2014 at Tamotaka while his Perpetual Vows on August 15, 2019 in Our Lady of Assumption Scholasticate, QC. His Deaconal Ordination was on February 14, 2020 at OLAS, Loyola Heights, QC. As deacon, he was assigned as “socius” (companion) at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Barangay Masiag, Sen. Ninoy Aquino (Kulaman), Sultan Kudarat from June 2020 to March 2021.

From April 2021 to date, Rev. Nadua is assigned as “socius” at San Carlos Borromeo Parish in Broce, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao and resides at OMI pre-Novitiate in Barangay Tamontaka.

US welcomes Duterte’s...from P2 Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs which

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late JOSE M. EDUARTE, who died on June 4, 2003 at Quezon City, left a parcel of land Lot-1-B-1, Psd-12015351 at Bo. Sarmiento, Parang, Maguindanao with an area of 10,000 sq. mts., more or less, covered by TCT No. T-17181 is the subject of addendum to the deed of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary Public Atty. Portia D. Flores Diesta as per Doc. No. 344; Page No. 70; Book No. CLXXV; Series of 2021.

MC: Aug. 7, 14 & 21, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late HILARIO GERODIAS and ULPIANA MANOS, who died on July 27, 1997 and March 26, 1993, respectively, both at Villarica, Midsayap, Cotabato, left two parcel of land Lot No. 2454-F-3-C, Psd-12-010755 at Villarica, Midsayap, Cotabato with an area of 408 sq. mts., more or less, covered by TCT No. T-77944 is the subject of extrajudicial settlement with simultaneous waiver of rightst before Notary Public Teresita Carreon Llaban as per Doc. No. 430; Page No. 40; Book No. XL; Series of 2021.

MC: Jul. 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2021

AFFIDAVIT

Notice is hereby given that the late BAI NAZRIA K. DIBARATUN, who died intestate in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 19, 2021, left a bank account with Banco de Oro (BDO), Cotabato City under Savings Account No. 002540062942 is the subject of sole affidavit of self-adjudication before Notary Public Atty. Agnes P. Paracha-Balleque as per Doc. No. 335; Page No. 67; Book No. 06; Series of 2021.

MC: Jul. 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late ZACARIA M A L A N AT G U M A , who died intestate on November 5, 2020, left a bank account with Philippine National Bank under Savings Account No. 405210025724, is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with waiver of rights before Notary Public Atty. Gapor G. Quituar, as per Doc. No. 35; Page No. 07; Book No. LXIV; Series of 2021.

July 24, 31 & Aug. 7, 2021

7

THE MINDANAO CROSS

August 7, 2021

has the state mandate of establishing and sustaining foreign and diplomatic relations with other sovereign nations and nation-states.

Both foreign affairs agencies have since 1950 opened for their citizens the tradition of diplomatic ties

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late BAI NAZRIA K. DIBARATUN, who died intestate on May 19, 2021, left a parcel of land Lot No. 24437, CAD. 369-D (Lot No. 18, CCS-10-003915-D) situated at Agusan, Cagayan d e O r o C i t y, M i s a m i s Oriental with an area of 191 sq. mts., more or less, covered by TCT No. 1372018001150 is the subject of extrajudicial settlement before Notary Public Atty.

Agnes P. Paracha-Balleque as per Doc. No. 339; Page No. 68; Book No. 06; Series of 2021.

MC: Jul. 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

in a people-to-people level of working and development relations, particularly in such areas as education, as well as scholarship programs in professional tours, and on the development of arts in bridging peoples of diverse cultures. Nash

B. Maulana

AFFIDAVIT

Notice is hereby given that the late BAI NAZRIA K. DIBARATUN, who died intestate in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 19, 2021, left a bank account with Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Cotabato City under Savings Account No. 4559072503 is the subject of sole affidavit of self-adjudication before Notary Public Atty. Agnes P. Paracha-Balleque as per Doc. No. 338; Page No. 68; Book No. 06; Series of 2021.

MC: Jul. 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2021

Republic of the Philippines Midsayap, Cotabato LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY OFFICE

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

Notice is hereby given that the late FORTUNATO CALUNSAG, who died on May 29, 2017 at Libungan, Cotabato, left parcels of land Lot G-3, Psd124709-017555, with an area of 500 sq. mts., more or less, and Lot G-4, Psd124709-017555 with an area of 500 sq. mts., more or less, both situated at Sadaan, Midsayap, Cotabato and covered by TCT Nos. T-86798 and T-86799, respectively, are the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary Public Atty. Agnes R. De Castro-Jagunap, as per Doc. No. 3876; Page No. 3876; Book No. XXVII; Series of 2021.

In compliance with the publication requirement and pursuant to OCRG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1, Guidelines in the implementation of the Administrative Order No. 1 Series of 2012 (IRR on R.A. 10172), notice is hereby served to the public that Gedeon Magalso Silvano has filed with this office a petition for change of date of birth from 17 October 1974 to 01 September 1974 and first name from Gedeon to Gideon in the Certificate of Live Birth of Gedeon Magalso Silvano who was born on October 17, 1974 at Midsayap, Cotabato and whose parents are Leonides A. Silvano and Conchita V. Magalso.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file a written opposition with this office of Municipal Civil Registrar, Midsayap, Cotabato.

MC: July 24, 31 & Aug. 7, 2021

MC: July 31 & Aug. 7, 2021

Republic of the Philippines Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY OFFICE

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC In compliance with the publication requirement and pursuant to OCRG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1, Guidelines in the implementation of the Administrative Order No. 1 Series of 2012 (IRR on R.A. 10172), a notice is hereby served to the public that Juhaira Abubakar Abutazil has filed with this office a correction of entry in sex/gender from Male to Female in the Certificate of Live Birth of Juhaira Abubakar Abutazil who was born on July 23, 2002 at Semba, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao and whose parents are Ebrahim Malik Abutazil and Noraida Mantikayan Abubakar.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file a written opposition with this office.

(Sgd)PRINCESS ESNAIRA M. NUR Municipal Civil Registrar

MC: July 31 & Aug. 7, 2021

(Sgd.) NORAH B. CABUGWASON Municipal Civil Registrar

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late JUANITO TAN BO, who died on February 5, 2016, left parcels of land Lot 232-New-B-2-B-C, Psd-13854 and standing on this lot are 2 residential buildings covered by TCT No. T-13884, situated at Kakar, Cotabato City with an area of 1,011 sq. mts., more or less and Lot No. 2, Plan (V111-4) 2682 Amd., covered by TCT No. T-39403 of the Registry of Deeds of General Santos City, containing an area of 25,060 sq. mts., more or less are the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary Public Rodolfo A. Esparagoza, as per Doc. No. 414; Page No. 83; Book No. II; Series of 2021.

MC: July 24, 31 & Aug. 7, 2021

Sobejana lauds Basilan’s...from P2 Peace is easier achieved if different sectors are to cooperate in securing the return to society of violent religious extremists,” Sobejana said.

Gerry Salapuddin, administrator of the Southern Philippines Development Authority, said Sunday he was grateful to Sobejana for not harboring any grudge against Muslims in Basilan despite wounds he sustained in an encounter with Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Isabela City that permanently maimed his right arm.

“He is an example of a fine officer and a gentleman.

He could have perpetrated revenge when he became commander of the Western Mindanao Command that has jurisdiction over Basilan but he did not,” Salapuddin, a Yakan from Tuburan town in the island province, said.

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late CATALINA DE CASTRO PEREA, who died on June 25, 2001, left a parcel of land Lot 7-G-5-D-4, Psd-12-006495 at Bo. Fatima, Cotabato City with an area of 89 sq. mts., more or less, covered by TCT No. T-22082 is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with waiver of rights before Notary Public Atty. Agnes R. de CastroJagunap as per Doc. No. 4124; Page No. 4124; Book No. XXVII; Series of 2021.

MC: Aug. 7, 14 & 21, 2021

Sobejana visited last July 28 the scene of the encounter where he almost got killed and lit a candle on a memorial marker built by local executives and military officials led by Brig.

Gen. Domingo Gobway, commander of the Army’s 101st Brigade.

In a statement, Sobejana said he has no bitter feelings against Muslims in Basilan.

He urged Muslim and Christian residents of Basilan to continue fostering peace in their once hostile province, whose picturesque beaches that were former enclaves of the Abu Sayyaf are now frequented by local tourists and residents of Zamboanga City. John Felix

Unson

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

Notice is hereby given that the late BEATRIZ AMANDO TRECERO and REYMUNDO PALAYAN TRECERO, who died on August 26, 2012 and April 22, 1973, respectively, left a parcel of land Lot No. 1-B1, CSD-(ARMM)-000286, consisting of two separate l o t s s i t u a t e d i n B r g y.

Lomboy, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao with the total area of 6,250 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. 4021; Page No. 4021; Book No. XXVII; Series of 2021.

MC: Aug. 7, 14 & 21, 2021

AFFIDAVIT

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

Notice is hereby given that the late GUIADZURI D. MIDTIMBANG SR. who died on May 18, 2021, left bank deposit with Philippine National Bank (PNB) under Account No. 014052600000-1562 is the subject of affidavit of self-adjudication before Notary Public Atty. Agnes R. de Castro-Jagunap as per Doc. No. 4014; Page No. 4014; Book No. XXVII; Series of 2021.

Notice is hereby given that the late CIPRIANO DELA CRUZ, who died intestate on March 04, 2018, left a parcel of land Lot -182-B-2H-2-B-14-C-2, Psd-12034374, situated in Bo. Colina, Cotabato City with an area of 78 sq. mts., more or less, covered by TCT No. T- 41634 is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate with simultaneous sale before Notary Public Atty. Agnes P. ParachaBalleque, as per Doc. No. 228; Page No. 46; Book No. 02; Series of 2020.

MC: Jul. 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2021

MC: July 24, 31 & Aug. 7, 2021

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC We would like to inform the public that World Interplacement Agency Inc. Has moved its Cotabato Office from Door 9&10,2/F Star Building, Sinsuat Avenue Corner Roales Street, Cotabato City to 2nd Floor G. Jarabelo St., Barangay Rosary Heights 10 Cotabato City.

For Inquiries please call: 09162424598

Jul. 31 & Aug. 7, 2021

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late JUDITH C. BAES, who died on October 2, 2020, left bank accounts with Metropolitan Bank & Tr u s t C o m p a n y (METROBANK), Midsayap Branch under Account Nos. 3347334506491 and 3343334070868 are the subject of deed of extrajudicial settlement before Notary Public Alberto T. Eramis as per Doc. No. 463; Page No. 93; Book No. CCXLI; Series of 2021.

MC: Jul. 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2021

THE MANAGEMENT

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that the late BENIGNO ERAMIS and DIONISIA CAMPOSO, who died on January 20, 1995 and October 16, 2001,respectively at Midsayap, Cotabato, left a parcel of land HV22872, Lot No. 738, Pls134, situated at Bulanan, Midsayap, Cotabato with an area of 68,068 sq. mts., more or less, covered by OCT-V-2459 is the subject of extrajudicial settlement of estate before Notary Public John Haye C. Deluvio as per Doc. No. 421; Page No. 85; Book No. LXXXIX; Series of 2021.

MC: Jul. 31, Aug. 7 & 14, 2021

Republic of the Philippines Province of Cotabato Kidapawan City LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY OFFICE

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION In compliance with R.A. No. 10172, a notice is hereby served to the public that Jovelina M. Ragual has filed with this office a petition for change of sex from Female to Male in the birth certificate of Shane M. Ragual who was born on 16 August 2007 at Kidapawan City, Cotabato and whose parents are Reynaldo C. Ragual and Jovelina C. Mon. Any person adversely affected by the said petition may file his written opposition with this office.

(Sgd.) RAUL A. MALALUAN City Registrar MC: Aug. 7 & 14, 2021

Republic of the Philippines Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Parang, Maguindanao OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL REGISTRAR

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In compliance with Section 5 of R.A. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that Reynaldo Jr. Q. Maghanoy has filed with this office a petition for change of first name from Reynaldo to Reynaldo Jr. in the birth certificate of Reynaldo Quimque Maghanoy who was born on 14 September 1999 at Parang, Maguindanao and whose parents are Reynaldo Silot Maghanoy and Leonita Rodrigo Quimque.

Any person adversely affected by the said petition may file his written opposition with this office not later than August 23, 2021.

(Sgd.)KARIM O. OMAR, MPA Municipal Civil Registrar MC: Aug. 7 & 14, 2021

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 12th Judicial Region BRANCH 27 Cotabato City

Special Proceeding No. 2021-1514

IN THE MATTER OF PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRY IN THE CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH OF CAROLYN MAY NARCISO UNDER REGISTRY NO. 2009-2395.

LEAH MAE GASPAR NARCISO, Petitioner,

-versusTHE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF COTABATO CITY, AND OFFICE OF THE SCHOOL REGISTRAR OF FERNANDA B O R B O N E L E M E N TA R Y SCHOOL, COTABATO CITY, Repondents. x------------------------------------------x ORDER A verified petition was filed by petitioner, assisted by counsel, praying that after due notice, publication and hearing, an order be issued directing the Local Civil Registrar of Cotabato City, to make the necessary correction of entry in the Certificate of Live Birth of the Petitioner’s minor child from Carolyn May Gaspar to Carolyn May Narciso under Registry No. 2009-2395.

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, let this case be set for hearing on September 5, 2021 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning, at which place, date and time, any person who may have interest, if any, may show cause 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, one a week for three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the date of hearing at the expense of the petitioner.

SO ORDERED. Cotabato City, Philippines, this 2nd day of July, 2021.

(Sgd.)KASAN K. ABDULRAKMAN

Presiding Judge

MC: July 24, 31 & Aug. 7, 2021

8

August 7, 2021

THE MINDANAO CROSS

High pay lures Region 12 youth to join PNP

KORONADAL CITY – Apart from serving and protecting the people, higher pay in police service lured at least 700 young women and men in Region 12 to join Philippine National Police, an official of the National Police Commission said.

Enduring long queue, the police aspirants took the entrance test at a public school here Saturday to realize their dreams. At least 625 other lower rank PNP members took the promotional examinations the following day.

“The conduct of the examinations has been generally peaceful and orderly,” Rodel Calo, Napolcom-12 director, said.

He said that the police aspirants were required to present medical certificates from a licensed government physician or health center from where the examinees reside before being allowed to take the

examination.

Bryan Bingil, Napolcom-12 acting information officer, said the agency noted the high number of police aspirants after President Duterte raised the salaries of soldiers and police officers.

“It appears that many young Filipinos wanted to join the police force because of the high starting salary," Bingil told The Mindanao Cross on Monday.

The 100 percent increase in the salary of entry level PNP members (Patrolman or Patrolwoman, previously Police Officer 1) took effect on January 1, 2018. Bong S. Sarmiento

HUGE TAKE HOME PAY. Aspiring cops queue under the heat during PNP entrance test in Koronadal City on Saturday, 31 July 2021. Big pay lures them to join the ranks.

Bong S. Sarmiento

BARMM neophyte cops off to 6-month training in Basulta

A total of 194 police trainees of Public Safety Field Training Program (PSFTP) are now on their way to Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (Basulta) to their 6-month On the Job Training (OJT) in various police units.

Brig. Gen. Eden Ugale, police director for the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), graced today the send off ceremonies held at the camp Grandstand, Camp Brig. Gen. SK Pendatun, Parang, Maguindanao.

The newly appointed Police Non Commissioned Officers (PNCOs) who will undergo field training exercises are graduates of PSFPTP 2020-04 “MALANTAS” class.

Brig. Gen. Ugale said the program aims to provide comprehensive guidelines and structures learning content to facilitate the new police officers transitioning from an academic setting to field training where they will learn hands-on experience in the field.

“They are expected to gain essential knowledge and skills in the administrative, technical, and operational fields of police

service and learn to apply classroom principles to actual scenarios,” Ugale said.

It was also designed to ensure the effective and efficient discharge of their duties and responsibilities as members of the organization and help instill discipline, integrity, and proper work ethics required to be professional police public servants.

Brig. Gen Ugale reiterated to the participants that they have to perform their mandated task properly and to be responsible and accountable police officers.

He also encouraged them to put into practice the lessons gained during their academic schooling at PRO BAR Training Center.

“Show to the communities the disciplined you earned while inside the training center and do what is right all the time to serve and protect our people in the Bangsamoro,” Brig. Gen. Ugale told the officers.

“I hope you are fully dedicated public servants when you complete the 6-month integration program and hands on training,” he added. Edwin O. Fernandez

Sulu seawaterto-drinking water project on

REPORTERS and state auditors together tasted and found alright the desalinated seawater produced by new machines bound for island towns in Sulu during trials last week.

The desalination machines, procured by the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao from the Water Equipment Technology Industries, Inc. (WetII), are for island municipalities where drinking water is so scarce.

The MILG-BARMM and the WetII are to deliver starting next week the desalination machines to four Sulu island towns - Pata, Panglima Tahil, Pandami and Pangutaran.

T h e M I L G BARMM and the office of Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim shall also provide selected areas in Tawi-Tawi with desalination machines, according to Regional Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo.

The P114 million worth water supply project for Sulu and Tawi-Tawi is something officials of the now defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, that operated for 29 years until its replacement in 2019

Mindanao Cross Thursday by senior officials of the PDEABangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

PDEA-BARMM agents seized P3.4 million worth of shabu from suspects who fell

Felix Unson

BARMM now has 59 more `WASAR’ experts

FIVE former members of a local terror group and 54 others finished Monday a week-long training on water search and rescue maneuvers essential to emergency and disaster response operations.

Five of the 59 graduates of the water search and rescue (WASAR) training facilitated by the Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence, or READi, and the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, are erstwhile members of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

They bolted from the BIFF and returned to mainstream society more than a year ago through the intercession of the 6th ID and the regional government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BIFF).

The Bangsamoro READi, operating under the supervision of Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, is composed of teams well-versed in offshore and collapsed structure rescue, flood and road accident

response and relief interventions for conflict-hit communities.

The 59 volunteers from Maguindanao and Cotabato City studied basic calamity and disaster response for seven days at 6th ID’s Division Training School in Barangay Semba in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

They underwent a series of WASAR workshops in seaside barangays in Datu Odin Sinsuat, handled by Army instructors from the 6th ID’s training school.

The commander of 6th ID, Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, is a staunch supporter of the capability-building programs of the BARMM government, according to Sinarimbo.

“The regional government, the READi and the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government are thankful to the 6th ID and the training staff of the Division Training School for helping us in capability-building this program,” Sinarimbo, also regional spokesperson, said Tuesday. John Felix Unson

Peddlers of P3.4M worth shabu sued

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has filed criminal charges against two drug peddlers, one of them a barangay official in Lanao del Sur, for possession of P3.4 worth million of shabu.

This was confirmed to the

by BARMM, never ever ventured on.

Sinarimbo, Ebrahim and Donna Paiso, a representative of WetII, together showed on Friday (July 30) to reporters and a team led by Auditor Bernard Sero from the Commission on Audit how the machines work while still at the Polloc Sea Port in Parang, Maguindanao.

BARMM officials, Paiso and reporters invited to witness the event took turns tasting the desalinated water siphoned from the sea at one side of the port, about 15 kilometers from the Bangsamoro capitol in Cotabato City.

“This project was launched to address the longtime scarcity of safe drinking in island towns in Sulu and in certain areas in Tawi-Tawi,” Murad said in a brief talk during the activity.

The BARMM government launched just two weeks ago a P400 million worth water supply project for half of the more than 90 barangays in Marawi City.

Many of the barangays in Marawi City have not even reeled off from the devastation wrought by the May 23 to October 16, 2017 deadly conflict there that the Maute terror group instigated. John

in an entrapment operation Friday last week in Sultan Mastura town in the first district of Maguindanao.

The cohorts Ibra Farhan and Alinor Manggis Taurac are now clamped down in a detention facility in Cotabato

City of the PDEA-BARMM. The duo were frisked and cuffed by PDEA-BARMM personnel after selling half a kilo of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) to nonuniformed agents disguised as drug dependents in a tradeoff

along a highway in Barangay Tambo in Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao.

Anthony Naive, PDEABARMM’s provincial officer for Maguindanao, said Farhan Taurac have been charged with violation

P2