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May 9-15, 2022

Covid surge posible! N

AIIRITA NA naman ang Pangulong Duterte sa mga balita na posibleng tumaas muli ang kaso ng Covid-19 pagkatapos ng eleksyon. “Bakit naka-ban- where? Why do they have alarming, but almost a ner pa rin ‘yung headline to really come up with source of irritation for all na surge, surge some- something that is not Continue on page 2

Regionalized roll signing for new lawyers set Isang lola ang sumailalim sa Covid testing. (Mindanao Examiner)

Govt. debts now at P12.68-T

President Rodrigo Duterte (PCOO)

THE PHILIPPINES’ debts has reached P12.68 trillion as of March, up by 4.8% or P586.29 billion higher than the P12.09 trillion recorded in February, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr). But acting presidential spokesperson Martin Continue on page 6

15 universities included in 2022 intl. ranking A TOTAL of 15 Philippine universities are now among the best higher education institutions (HEIs) in the world, according to the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2022. The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings is the world’s only rankings measuring universities’ contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) which assess university commitment to sustainability across four broad areas: Research, Stewardship, Outreach and Teaching. Continue on page 3

ARMM

Eastern Mindanao

ALL SUCCESSFUL bar examinees may sign the roll of attorneys regionally instead of just in the Supreme Court (SC) premises in Manila, the Tribunal said, adding a full-fledged lawyer is required to sign the roll of attorneys after passing the bar and taking the oath. The High Court said the roll signing shall be conducted in the Continue on page 2

Image (Patrick Roque)

E-Sabong stopped THE GOVERNMENT has sopped the operations of so-called “e-Sabong” or online cockfighting because of its social cost to Filipinos, particularly after the Interior department made a recommendation to do so. President Duterte Continue on page 2

(Image: IAG)

Student proves paradoxfree time travel possible IN A peer-reviewed paper, an honors undergraduate student says he has mathe-

Western Mindanao

matically proven the physical feasibility of a specific kind of time travel. The pa-

Cebu

per appears in Classical and Quantum Gravity. Continue on page 6

Manila

The Mindanao Examiner

May 9-15, 2022

Covid surge posible!

Continued from page 1 of us? When as a matter of fact, we have the --- well, at least, the accurate. Bakit hindi sila magtanong sa…?” ani Duterte. Ngunit inamin naman ng Department of Health na posibleng magkaroon muli ng surge kung hindi susunod sa health protocols ang publiko. “Qualified naman (ang news report), Sir, if the minimum public health standards are vi-

olated, are not complied with, they project that there will be a surge. Although in the qualifying subsequent statement, it’s very clear ‘no na hindi naman ‘yan absolute na talagang magkaka-surge. But kung hindi susunod ang tao, in fact, the faster modeling group has projected that if the reduction in the minimum compliance to the minimum public health standards, ‘yung 30 percent reduc-

tion will be equivalent to 300,000 active cases by the end of May this month,” ani DOH Sec. Francisco Duque. “So it is also a good reminder. Although it is sometimes a source of irritation for us but it is also good because people are told that if you are careless, if you are reckless with your compliance with wearing of the (face) mask, you’re gonna get sick, you’re gonna

E-Sabong stopped Continued from page 1 issued an order stopping e-Sabong operations in the country after Interior Secretary Eduardo Año recommended it, citing the social impact of gambling on the people. Duterte previously rejected proposals by lawmakers to stop the operation of the e-Sabong considering the huge revenues the government gets from it. Lawmakers wanted operation of e-sabong stopped after dozens of cockfight aficionados were abducted by gun-

men. They remain missing. “The DILG welcomes the President’s decision to stop e-Sabong. Government policies must take heed of the pulse of the people. This decision is rooted in a survey reflecting the sentiment of the people. Hindi ito bara-bara na desisyon,” Año said. “The President’s decision based on public sentiment against on-line gambling is a sign of the responsive governance of his administration. It serves the common good and the preservation of

be hit by this evolving or emerging sub-variants of Omicron. Eh ang problema natin dito, the biggest challenge here, Mr. President, is the virus is so unpredictable. You do not know which bend it’s going to turn. So iyon po ang problema,” dagdag pa ni Duque sa kanyang tugon kay Duterte. Umamin rin si Duque na nitong Enero lamang ay tumaas ang bilang ng Covid cases sa bansa dahil sa mga mutation ng virus. Kung kaya’t muling nanawagan si Duque sa

publiko na magpabakuna kontra Covid. “Nagmu-mutate po siya (Covid-19) but the WHO (World Health Organization) has not recognized them as variants of interest nor as variants of concern. They still are treated as Omicron variant. And luckily, we have had the surge with BA.2.2 in January, predominantly that was the variant that caused our spike in January. And hopefully that with our increasing vaccination coverage, we have a much higher level

of protection. So that we hope that these low numbers are sustained and we will not see any overwhelming of our health systems capacity,” wika pa nito. Pinawi rin ni Duque ang pangamba ng publiko sa muling pagtaas ng Covid cases sa bansa. “Kahit na tumaas, huwag po tayong masyadong magwo-worry kahit na sumipa ang mga kaso basta ‘yung hospitalization rate mababa, okay tayo,” dagdag pa ni Duque. (Mindanao Examiner)

the moral fabric of our society,” he added while clarifying that the traditional physical sabong will continue to operate with compliance to minimum public health standards. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation has approved six companies to engage in e-Sabong last year. e-Sabong is an remote or off-site wagering or betting on live cockfighting matches, events, and activities streamed or broadcasted live from cockpit arenas. (Mindanao Examiner)

ISIS recruiter captured DIPOLOG CITY – Security forces captured a local ISIS recruiter who is also behind the smuggling of weapons to Zamboanga del Norte province, police said. Police said Abdul Salikala was captured by police and military forces during a joint counter-terrorism operation recently in the village of Libertad in Zamboanga Sibugay’s Tungawan town. Maj. Shellamie Chang, a regional police spokeswoman, said Salikala is wanted by the police in

Zamboanga City and is facing murder charges. “The arrested person has a standing warrant of arrest with criminal case no. 25665-66 for murder issued by Honorable Peter Eisma, Presiding Judge of RTC9, Branch 15, in Zamboanga City on June 28, 2011,” she said. “He was also monitored recruiting both male and female individuals to be part of the IS/ Daesh in Siocon town (in Zamboanga del Norte) and is now under the custody of the CIDG-ZSFU

(Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Zamboanga Sibugay Field Office) for documentation and proper disposition. No other details were made available by the police on Salikala’s activities or whether he was planning an attack or had been involved in terrorism or a member of the Dawlah Islamiya, the local ISIS group in the South, blamed for the spate of bombings in the restive region. (Mindanao Examiner)

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Regionalized roll signing for new lawyers set Continued from page 1 National Capital Region and Luzon at the Supreme Court compound in Manila from May 4 to 24; and June 6 to 17. In the Visayas, bar passers may sign at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Building in Cebu City from May 30 to June 3. In Mindanao, the signing of the roll will

be held at the Hall of Justice in Cagayan de Oro City from May 26 to 28, As in previous years, successful examinees are allowed to have a maximum of two guests and are required to wear formal attire and face mask inside the venue. Those who opt to wear their national costumes will be permitted. A total of 8,241, or

72.28% of 11,402 examinees passed the bar examination held last February, the first since the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. It was also the first localized bar examination held in various sites, and the first that adopted digital means as examinees brought their own laptops in 29 local testing centers nationwide. (Benjamin Pulta)

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Ukraine urges Filipino firms to stop doing business with Russia UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR to the Philippines Olexander Nechytaylo has asked Filipino companies to stop doing business with Russia, saying President Vladimir Putin’s bloody war in his country has killed thousands of innocent civilians since the invasion began in February. “It is not right to pay taxes in a country that is using that money to continue the bloody war and the war against humanity. Some do it for a very practical reason because the international community imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia. You have to understand that this level of sanctions has never been imposed on any country before,” he said. “My appeal to the Philippine business community, if you compare the potential revenue or potential profit of continuing working with Russia, and if you compare the potential loss, the loss would be much more therefore I call upon the Philippine business community to cease the business operations in Russia,” he added. Nechytaylo said the global economy would remain volatile as long as Russia continues its war on Ukraine. While Ukraine is far from Southeast Asia, he said the war also affects not only the region, but the world as well, and threatens food security. “Wheat constitutes the largest commodity that we sell to the Philippines, so obviously with the war taking place in Ukraine, these kinds of supplies can be disrupted. And it may lead to or have already led, perhaps to the increase of the price for the food,” he said. “Consequence is not just the food security, but also the increase of the global price

The Mindanao Examiner

May 9-15, 2022

or let’s say the volatility of the global economy. You’ve already seen the increase in the price of petroleum and other energy sources so it's going to have a tremendous global impact. That's one of the reasons why we believe the international community should care.” He also urged Filipinos to help fight disinformation about the war. “Propaganda is a very important part of warfare, social media, not just traditional media, but also social media accounts, you know, Twitter, Facebook, Tik Tok-- these are very important and very powerful tools. We don’t have as many resources like Russia to invest in propaganda outlets so what we are trying to do is, we are trying to reach out to the media directly and express our point of view, to deliver our story, our side of the story,” he said. Nechytaylo also said that his family witnessed first-hand how the Russian military strikes pulverized homes and buildings in their community. “My dad refused to leave. Although he's quite an elderly person, he says this is my home, this is my land. Even if they bomb and they do bomb, the last military strike was just the other day, he says, 'I will stay here, no matter what and I will if I cannot carry the gun, I can be a volunteer in the hospital. That's the general sentiment there so when you share those stories no propaganda can beat that because I know this is the truth,” he said. He said his friend’s daughter, a 14-year-old national weightlifting champion, and mother were both killed by Russian forces. "She was killed together with her mother, so these are the stories that no propaganda can beat. The only way to deal

with it is first to deny access to propaganda to the mainstream media. And second, tell the truth,” he said. The envoy noted that since the beginning, the war with Russia was not only a fight between Kyiv and Moscow but a war between autocracy and democracy. “This is the battle of values and we believe those countries who propagate and advocate democratic values should be on the side of international law and on the side of justice,” he said. Putin’s initial aim was to overrun Ukraine and depose its government, ending for good its desire to join the Western defensive alliance NATO. After a month of failures, he abandoned his bid to capture the capital Kyiv and turned his ambitions to Ukraine's east and south, according to a BBC report. Launching the invasion on February 24, Putin told the Russian people his goal was to “demilitarise and de-Nazify Ukraine.” His declared aim was to protect people subjected to what he called eight years of bullying and genocide by Ukraine's government. Another objective was soon added: ensuring Ukraine’s neutral status. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke of freeing Ukraine from oppression while foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin argued “Russia’'s future and its future place in the world are at stake.” Ukraine's democratically elected president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said “the enemy has designated me as target number one; my family is target number two.” His adviser said Russian troops made two attempts to storm the presidential compound. (Joyce Ann L. Rocamora)

15 universities included in 2022 intl. ranking Continued from page 1 A record 1,524 institutions from 110 countries and regions participated across the rankings this year. Australia’s Western Sydney University claims the top spot in the overall ranking, which includes 1,406 institutions, after topping the table for SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and coming second in SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production). The Philippine HEIs that made it on the list are Ateneo De Manila University, De La Salle University, Mariano Marcos State University, Central Luzon State University, Mapua University, University of Santo Tomas, Tarlac Agricultural University, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, San Beda University, Visayas State University, University of Asia and the Pacific, Cebu Technological University, St. Paul University Philippines and Tarlac State University. This year’s ranking shows a 300% increase in the number of ranked Philippine universities, from only five last year to 15 this year. “I am happy that the efforts and initiatives of Philippine Universities to contribute to the attainment of the SDGs are now being recognized internationally. Their inclusion among the world's best universities is an incentive to the HEIs efforts of improving their faculty profile, research, student and faculty exchanges, and degree offerings. More importantly, by integrating the SDGs into their curriculum and strategic internationalization plans, HEIs are in tune with the global commitments to achieve the SDGs,” said J. Prospero de Vera, Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education. Ateneo de Manila University is the top-ranked Philippine HEI with its in-

clusion in the top 200. This is the highest-ranking received by any Philippine university since the ranking’s inception in 2019. The most notable improvement in this international ranking is the entry of eight State Universities and Colleges - Mariano Marcos State University in Ilocos Norte, Central Luzon State University in Nueva Ecija, Tarlac Agricultural University in Tarlac, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology in Iligan, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology in Nueva Ecija, Visayas State University in Leyte, Cebu Technological University in Cebu and Tarlac State University in Tarlac. The number of Philippine universities in this ranking has consistently increased since its launching in 2019. This is an indication of the growing internationalization campaign of Philippine HEIs and their desire to benchmark and compete with the best universities all over the world. CHED has assisted in this effort by holding master classes, workshops, and orientations on international assessments so HEIs will understand the process of and metrics used by various ranking organizations. It continues to assist HEIs that are interested in joining the global rankings. De Vera recently led a delegation of public and private universities that visited Canada and signed agreements with the Colleges and Institutes in Canada, Universities in Canada, and several colleges in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. The participating universities in the last Canada education mission, such as West Visayas State University, Southern Leyte State University, Iloilo Science and Technology University, and World City Colleges are expected to soon join the other globally ranked HEIs. (Mindanao Examiner)

Davao to put up rice processing center DAVAO CITY – The City Council approved the Rice Processing Center Ordinance aimed at improving the production of palay, as well as in milling and marketing milled rice. Councilor Ralph Abella, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and author of the ordinance, said the measure also covers post-harvest facilities, provision of incentives and subsidies, and other support for rice farmers. “I thank all of my colleagues as well as the line agencies who took part in crafting this ordinance,” Abella said. Abella said the ordinance is also aimed at reducing the importation of rice from local and foreign producers, provide incentives and support to rice farmers, and ensure a fair buying price for farmers on their palay. He said the ordinance will largely contribute to food sustainability and

security in the city, and reduce the price of rice. Incentives and support will include assistance for expansion of existing areas planted with palay as well as new areas for palay production, Abella said, adding the local government will provide the necessary tools and equipment in the cultivation of the land and providing good seedlings of rice varieties. Also, farmers or entities who are into palay production will be provided farm inputs such as chemical and fertilizers, granted real property tax reduction, and access to credit or grants. As to palay production and establishment of a rice mill, the ordinance mandates the City Agriculturist Office (CAO) in coordination with the City Planning Office to identify new areas in the lowlands and uplands for palay production. (Che Palicte) CAO, in coordination

with the City Cooperative Office, is mandated to organize palay farmers into associations or cooperatives while the rice mill and other facilities to be established will be managed and operated by the City Economic Enterprise (CEE). “Farmers’ palay produce will be picked up by either the CAO or CEE and shall be paid based on the agreed farm-gate contract price between the city government and the farmers,” Abella said. He said the milled rice will be sold to the barangays, and will serve in part as buffer stock for the city’s staple food requirement during calamities or disasters that may occur. “Revenues from the rice mill operations shall form part of the general fund and an annual budget shall be included in the CEE budget for its operation,” he said. (Che Palicte)

The Mindanao Examiner

May 9-15, 2022

Sulu Pictures in the News Sulu provincial government at work. This is where your taxes go. (Photos from the Office of the Provincial Governor, Jaques Tutong, Maimbung Municipal Government, Rep. Shernee Tambut, Noenyrie Asiri, and Aziz Salapuddin)

The Mindanao Examiner

May 9-15, 2022

Fuel subsidy program mapahimuslan sa mga motorcab drivers DIPOLOG CITY Nanawagan karon ang buhatan sa Permits and License Division ning siyudad ilawom sa pagdumala ni License Chief Viola Pino ngadto sa tanang mga “motorcab drivers” nga kasamtangan karong nagmaneho og mga motorcab units dinhi nga nagbaton sa prankisa, sa pagbisita sa buhatan sa Permits and License Division. Sumala pa ni Pino, nga kining maong katuyuan ang adunay kalambigitan sa paglugway sa “Fuel Subsidy Program” sa

atong nasudnong kagamhanan pinaagi na sa Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) dinhi sa nasud. Dugang pa ni Pino, nga ang iyang buhatan ang nakadawat og sulat gikan sa kaulohang buhatan sa Department of the Interior and Local Government nga nangayo sa listahan sa mga motorcab drivers dinhi sa siyudad alang sa nasangpit nga katuyu-an. Gawas niini, gipaklaro usab ni Pino, nga kining nasangpit nga Fuel Subsidy Program maoy

iya sa nasudnong kagamhanan pinaagi sa LTFRB, ug ang pondo alang niini ang magagikan sa nahisgotang buhatan sa kaulohan, samtang ang kagamhanang lokal ning siyudad ang igo lamang nagpadagan alang sa pagpanglista aron kini mahimong magmalampson. Subay niini, gi-awhagan kadtong mga motorcab drivers nga kasamtangan karong nagmaneho sa mga units nga adunay prankisa sa pagbisita lang sa buhatan sa Permits and License Division. (AFB)

Funding for family planning important ALMOST NINE in 10 Filipino adults believe that it is important for the government to allocate adequate public funding for modern methods of family planning. In a March 2022 Pulse Asia Survey, at least 88% of respondents said that it is important that the government “allocates funds for modern methods of family planning, such as pills, IUD, ligation, condom, and vasectomy.” Majority of respondents across geographic areas and socio-economic classes, particularly in Metro Manila (60%), Visayas (55%), Mindanao (63%), and across different socioeconomic classes (53% to 61%) consider funding for family planning to be “very important.” Public sentiment on the allocation of government funds for modern methods of family planning remain basically unchanged between February 2016 and March 2022, both at the national level and in the various survey subgroupings. In the latest survey, almost all or 97-99 percent of respondents from the Cordillera Administrative Region, Eastern Visayas (Region , Davao Region (Region 11), and Caraga Region (Region 13) find

public funding for family planning to be important. “The results of this survey confirm our call on the government for adequate funding for modern family planning should be among the top priorities when it comes to crafting the national budget. We need to ensure that the government is able to support the choices of Filipino women and couples, particularly during the pandemic, when many are choosing to delay childbearing because of uncertainties in our current situation,” said Romeo Dongeto, executive director of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development. The survey also revealed that a large majority of Filipino adults agree with the statement that men and women are equally capable of taking leadership roles such as leading organizations, government agencies, and the country. Large majorities across the four main geographic areas and socioeconomic classes hold this view. For 84 percent of Filipino adults, men and women are equally capable of taking on leadership roles. This view is upheld across geographical areas and classes (80%

to 86% and 77% to 85%, respectively). In particular, those from Mindanao (53%) and those belonging to Class C (60%) strongly agree with this view. Only 8 percent of Filipino adults either disagree with this opinion (8%) or are undecided on the matter (8%). Additionally, disagreement is more manifest in Class E than Class C (14% versus 3%). “The Filipino nation has gone through great strides in ensuring the equal status of women with that of men in leadership. Through landmark laws and programs such as the Magna Carta of Women and the Reproductive Health Law, we have managed to close gender gaps in various areas, such as in education. But we know more needs to be done,” Dongeto stressed. “Our call in this election is for Filipinos to elect leaders who will act decisively ensuring women’s access to healthcare, particularly reproductive health and act with urgency on top concerns such as adolescent pregnancy. Addressing this and empowering young people will help us to close the still existing gaps,” he added. (Mindanao Examiner)

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The Mindanao Examiner

May 9-15, 2022

Govt. debts now at P12.68-T Continued from page 1 Andanar was quick to say that all of the country’s borrowings are put to good use, particularly to fund the country’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. “We assure our people that the country’s borrowings, which put the county’s outstanding debt to more than P12 trillion as of March 2022, shall be put into good use and utilized effectively and efficiently. Recent borrowings would be for our Covid-19 response and recovery and resiliency efforts. We need to sustain our country’s long-term socioeconomic growth and development,” Andanar said. Last month, Duterte justified the country’s debt increase noting that the government has been forced to borrow money due to a lack of fund sources. He said there was nothing wrong with borrowing money, so long as there are no irregularities in government spending. Duterte even enjoined local governments to borrow money, but reminded them to make sure that would

not be used for corrupt activities. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the volume of borrowings accumulated due to the pandemic is understandable given the need to boost financing amidst the drop in revenues because of the lockdowns. He said the next administration will have to design policies and stick to very strict fiscal discipline to grow out of debt. Data from the BTr showed that the government’s running debt was 69.9% sourced locally and 30.1% from foreigner sources.The BTr said the significant jump in total debt portfolio was primarily driven by higher borrowings, through the sale of government securities, to both local and foreign creditors. Domestic debt reached P8.87 trillion, higher by P455.45 billion or 5.4% higher compared to February. The external debt was at P3.81 trillion, higher by P130.84 billion or 3.6% higher compared to the previous month, the BTr said. The country’s foreign and domestic borrowings heightened under

the Duterte administration. Senator Panfilo Lacson has scored the Duterte government’s penchant for borrowing, but not always with the corresponding results. Lacson said that while borrowing may be necessary for the economy, the government has yet to show results of the trillions of pesos it has borrowed over the years. “When I first became a senator in 2001, our national government’s outstanding debt was P2.88 trillion. Over the Arroyo, Aquino and Duterte administrations, it has ballooned,” he said. Duterte had already borrowed billions of pesos since 2016 after winning the election, for his ambitious Build, Build, Build infrastructure projects and dole outs to poor families across the country. Aside from massive borrowings, Duterte also hiked taxes despite public outcry, saying he needed it to fund government more projects. The country’s inflation also rose in April which stands at 4.9%. (Mindanao Examiner and Azer Parrocha)

Student proves paradox- Organic Kopi Luwak or Civet free time travel possible coffee isn’t really pricey

Continued from page 1 University of Queensland student Germain Tobar, who the university’s press release calls “prodigious,” worked with UQ physics professor Fabio Costa on this paper. In “Reversible dynamics with closed time-like curves and freedom of choice,” Tobar and Costa say they’ve found a middle ground in mathematics that solves a major logical paradox in one model of time travel. The math itself is complex, but it boils down to something fairly simple. Time travel discussion focuses on closed time-like curves (CTCs), something Albert Einstein first posited. And Tobar and Costa say that as long as just two pieces of an entire scenario within a CTC are still in “causal order” when you leave, the rest is subject to local free will. “Our results show that CTCs are not only compatible with determinism and with the local 'free choice' of operations, but also with a rich and diverse range of scenarios and dynamical processes,” their paper concludes.

In a university statement, Costa illustrates the science with an analogy: “Say you travelled in time, in an attempt to stop COVID-19's patient zero from being exposed to the virus. However if you stopped that individual from becoming infected, that would eliminate the motivation for you to go back and stop the pandemic in the first place. This is a paradox, an inconsistency that often leads people to think that time travel cannot occur in our universe. [L] ogically it's hard to accept because that would affect our freedom to make any arbitrary action. It would mean you can time travel, but you cannot do anything that would cause a paradox to occur." Some outcomes of this are grouped as the “butterfly effect,” which refers to unintended large consequences of small actions. But the real truth, in terms of the mathematical outcomes, is more like another classic parable: the monkey’s paw. Be careful what you wish for, and be careful what you time travel for. Tobar explains in the

statement: “In the coronavirus patient zero example, you might try and stop patient zero from becoming infected, but in doing so you would catch the virus and become patient zero, or someone else would. No matter what you did, the salient events would just recalibrate around you. Try as you might to create a paradox, the events will always adjust themselves, to avoid any inconsistency.” While that sounds frustrating for the person trying to prevent a pandemic or kill Hitler, for mathematicians, it helps to smooth a fundamental speed bump in the way we think about time. It also fits with quantum findings from Los Alamos, for example, and the way random walk mathematics behave in one and two dimensions. At the very least, this research suggests that anyone eventually designing a way to meaningfully travel in time could do so and experiment without an underlying fear of ruining the world—at least not right away. (Caroline Delbert / Popular Mechanics)

KIDAPAWAN CITY Coffee lovers in the Philippines may now enjoy the best and the most expensive coffee in the world - Kopi Luwak - but not as pricey as every connoisseurs think. Kopi Luwak is a coffee that consists of partially digested coffee cherries, which have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. The cherries are fermented as they pass through a civet’s intestines, and after being defecated

with other fecal matter, they are collected. In Manila, a kilogram of Civet coffee sells for as high as P15,000 and over $500 dollars abroad. But Kopi Luwak can now be enjoyed by every coffee lovers for as low as P150 for a 16 oz. cup that comes with a drip bag, ground organic Civet coffee beans, two packets of brown sugar and a stirrer in a beautiful Kraft paper bag – thanks to the Mindanao Civet Coffee

seller in Zamboanga City. The new market player in the coffee business, although small, is now offering affordable organic Kopi Luwak – sourced and picked by farmers from the highlands of Mindanao, cleaned and dried and roasted to perfection to give coffee lovers that distinct aroma of Civet coffee berries – chocolaty and nutty and smooth bodied brewed drink. Mindanao Civet Coffee, which started as a home reseller of coffee beans, now offers organic Kopi Luwak in 250 grams ground Civet coffee and 250 grams Civet coffee beans – all medium roasted to perfection. Kopi Luwak is also available now in 3rd Cup Café at LM Metro Hotel in Zamboanga City, and resellers in Luzon, Cebu and other parts of Mindanao. The Mindanao Civet Coffee is a favorite among travellers and tourists and coffee connoisseurs. And for those who wanted the perfect gift for all occasions, Kopi Luwak is the best choice. And those who are interested to resell or perhaps enjoy a daily hot cup or cold brew of Kopi Luwak may call the Mindanao Civet Coffee at this mobile number 09153976197. (AJC)

May 9-15, 2022

The Mindanao Examiner

May 9-15, 2022

Across : 1. Command to Fido 4. ___ Cruces 7. Finnish bath 12. WSW’s opposite 13. Outback bird 14. Metal suit 15. Summer cooler 16. Block off 18. Singer ___ Ronstadt 20. Snaky fishes 21. Goodbye, in Tokyo 23. Famed boxer 26. Butterfly catcher 27. Storage area 30. Nearly 33. Verb forms 34. Pointed beard 35. Hole in ___ 36. Not in 37. Mexican music type 42. Klutz’s exclamation 44. Comic ___ DeGeneres 45. Surgical procedure 49. House annex 50. Tier 51. Winter mo. 52. Pub offering 53. Attire 54. Before, in poems 55. Decay

Answer to last week’s crossword:

Down : 1. Embossed emblems 2. Calcutta’s country 3. Very small 4. Beirut native 5. Physicians’ gp. 6. More confident 7. Travel by water 8. Circle parts 9. Actress ___ Thurman 10. Indicate agreement 11. “We ___ Family” 17. Nuclear ___ 19. “___ disturb” (2 wds.) 22. Try 23. Mule’s father 24. Director Spike ___ 25. That thing’s 28. Indulgence

29. Shaquille ___ 30. In the past 31. Yankee ___ Gehrig 32. Bathroom rug 38. Stage whisper 39. Cloudless 40. Greeting word 41. Narrow channel 42. Mineral deposits 43. Boat paddles 45. ___ Glory 46. Golf norm 47. Needle feature 48. Above, poetically

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The Mindanao Examiner

May 9-15, 2022

OPINION

HEALTH

Arthritis at Tamang Pagkain

The World as Pathway to Heaven by Fr. Roy Cimagala (Cebu) WE SHOULD be very clear about this basic truth about the world in general or about the whole of nature that has been created by God. We need to realize that as God’s creation, the whole world of nature has been imprinted with God’s laws that are meant to give glory to God and to lead us also to him, giving him glory as well. In other words, depending on how we see the world, it is actually a pathway to heaven, to God. Everything that we discover and make use of in the world should lead us to ask ourselves whether what we are discovering are truly in accordance to God’s will, to his true designs of the world, and whether we can discern how they can be used to give glory to God, which is a matter of loving him and serving the whole of humanity. We have to be wary of the danger of discovering and using things simply in accordance to our own understanding of them and also to our own interest only. This is a common and abiding danger that we have to be most wary about. We have to do everything to avoid and overcome that danger. Thus, we have to develop that strong and deep attitude of always referring things to God before we put our hands on them. That way, we would be putting ourselves on the right track that hopefully will lead us to God and to see and use things the way they should be seen and used. This attitude, of course, would require us to always be guided by our Christian faith, instead of just being guided by our human estimation of things. And for that faith to be effective

in us, we obviously need to be humble. Without humility, there is no way faith can have any effect on us. We should be looking for God always in everything that we get involved in. In all the things that we do or handle, we should be asking what is there in those things that are for God, rather than being interested only in what is there in those things that are for us. Let’s always remember what Christ himself said: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Mt 6,33) We should not worry if we put our attention first on God and on our duties toward him, since he will take care of everything else that we need, especially the most important thing, which is our own salvation. Thus, Christ also said that “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Mt 19,29) If we give God priority always by always looking for him, obeying him and being generous with him, he will take care of everything. He cannot be outdone in generosity. As much as possible, we should be conscious on a daily basis that everything that we do, that we get involved in, that happens to us, etc., should give us the sensation that we are approaching God and heaven. To be sure, this could not be regarded as some kind presumption on our part. This is actually what is meant for us. Yes, we have to be most aware that the world in general is a pathway to heaven, to God.

OPINION

Great Wisdom: Know Thyself by Engr. Carlos V. Cornejo (Cebu) THE CHINESE Philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.” The Greek Philosopher Socrates says the same thing, “Know thyself.” But theologians would also say that man is a mystery to himself. Therefore, knowing oneself is not an easy task. Dr. Peter Kreeft would even say that this is one of the biggest jokes in life that the astronomer knows more about astronomy than the astronomer himself. This is the ultimate so near and yet so far. We have eyes to know everything about the universe but we can’t even get to know ourselves fully. The reason why it’s harder to know ourselves than things outside ourselves is simply because we are subjects and not objects. Objects have some parts to it that behave in a predictable way through the so-called laws of nature. But men cannot be subjected to these laws because we have intelligence and will. Our behavior cannot be accurately predicted. We even get to ask ourselves sometimes “Why the heck did I do that?” or “Why am I doing this to myself?”, to illustrate that we can’t even predict what we would do at times. “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure (by itself). Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) We can partially know ourselves but not fully know ourselves. So, how can we at least approach that full knowledge of ourselves? The answer of course will not come from ourselves but outside of us, from Someone who authored us and created us. The consequent advice to Socrates’ suggestion therefore of “know thyself”

is “know thy God”. St. John Paul II would often say the key to the mystery of man is the God-Man Jesus Christ. Thus, knowing Christ and His teachings will make us know more about ourselves. Only Christ can unlock the nature and purpose of man because that is one of the reasons why He became man, to restore the lost true identity of man brought about by the sin of our first parents. The original sin in us would tell us that the purpose of man is to have as much wealth, money, pleasure and fame. But Christ would correct that by telling us our purpose is to be “partakers of the Divine Nature” (2 Peter 1:4) meaning we are to live the life of God. It’s like God telling us why settle for the crumbs of created things when I am giving you the full meal of the Divine Life. Bishop Robert Barron would say that this is the summary and goal of the Christian religion: to live God’s life as St. Athanasius of Alexandria had said, “God became man, that man might become God”. If someone were to ask you, “What is the Christian life all about?” You should answer, “It’s all about living God’s life, seeing the world as God would see it and loving others as God would love them.” Therefore, all of Scripture, the Sacraments and the teachings of the Church is geared to one and the same goal: to live God’s life. And how do we achieve this? By following the invitation of God, “Be Holy for I am Holy” (1 Peter 1:16) Only when we strive to become saints will we live God’s life and will eventually fully know ourselves because God will reveal to us our ultimate purpose.

Ni Dr. Willie Ong

A ARTHRITIS, nasisira ang cartilage sa araw-araw na paggamit. Ayon sa pag-aaral, ang free radicals ay maaaring atakihin ang selula, tumaas ang pamamaga, at mapabilis ang proseso ng pagtanda, kabilang ang pagkasira ng joints at cartilage. Kaya naman maganda na i-dagdag sa iyong lutuin ang maraming anti-oxidants na makukuha sa prutas, gulay at green tea. Kainin Ito: 1. Ang madahong gulay at citrus fruits ay mayaman sa antioxidant na nilalabanan ang mga free radicals at tumutulong para protektahan ang

joints. Ang taong mayroong arthritis ay kinakailangan makakuha ng mas maraming antioxidants, lalo na ang vitamin C at beta-carotene mula sa pagkain. Ang vitamin C sa citrus na prutas katulad dalandan, suha, calamansi, lemon at orange. May antioxidant na matatagpuan sa madadahong gulay, na nagpapababa rin ng panganib sa arthritis. 2. Ang pinya ay may bromelain, isang protein-digesting enzyme at lumalaban sa pamamaga. Ayon sa pag-aaral, mabisa ito para mabawasan ang pananakit dulot ng osteoarthritis, katulad ng rin sa pag-inom ng gamot sa kirot. Wala pang side effect ang pinya. 3. Ang matatabang isda

tulad ng sardinas, mackerel, salmon, tuna at tamban ay mayaman sa omega-3 fatty acids. Ito’y nagpapalakas ng produksyon sa anti-inflammatory fats na tinatawag na resolvins, na kumokontra sa pamamaga. 4. Ang curry, turmeric, luya at ibang spices ay lumalaban sa pamamaga sa arthritis. Ang luya, turmeric at curry ay may sangkap na curcumin, na pumipigil sa enzymes at protina na isinusulong ang pamamaga. 5. Ang green tea, sibuyas, strawberry, kamatis at citrus fruits ay naglalaman ng quercetin. Ang pag-aaral sa laboratory, ang quercetin ay isang anti-oxidant at anti-inflammatory.

OPINION

The Praises of Womanhood by Lance Enad (Maasin City) DIETRICH VON Hildebrand, a christian philosopher, once explained that by nature women are superior to men. They are more gentle, they are more sweet, they are more beautiful, they have more charm etc. The only area perhaps in which men are more right than women is that men love women while women love men. Such praises to women have been sung by the wise, since philosophy has begun. Admittedly, there are those who degrade womanhood. Nonetheless, it is interesting to note that virtues - the paragon of moral perfection - are portrayed by women. The four cardinal virtues of Prudence, Temperance, Justice, and Fortitude are portrayed by women. Even Severinus Boethius expresses most eloquently his adoration to wisdom in person: Lady Philosophy. The wise have always adored women. And if women are indeed better, the failure to adore them would be unwise. After all, who else can be mothers but women? Who else can be wives but women? Who else can be daughters but women? Whose was the face that could launch a thousand ships but that of a woman? Who else can have men at their fingertips but women? Who else did God choose to be his Mother but a woman. Edith Stein, a Philosopher, Student of Edmund Husserl, and contemporary of Hildebrand explained that the Woman is better. “Women,” she said, “understand not only with the intellect but also with the heart.” “Women naturally seek,” she continues, “to embrace what is living, personal, integral.” Most beautifully, she explains that “To heal, watchover, protect, nourish, and favor growth is her natural maternal desire” because “The soul of a woman is fashioned as a shelter in which other souls may unfold.” It seems, therefore, to be a great absurdity for some who pose under the guise of pseudo-intellectualism to hiss at women who prefer to be mothers, who prefer to be a wife, who prefer to perfect their womanhood in such a noble state. Women, they say, must have a career, must have glittering achievements. Women must not only be housewives, must not only be mothers, must not be homemakers because these, they say, degrade her womanhood. In short, to them, unless a

woman is like a man, she does not have a life worth living. This is tragic considering how they think that to be fulfilled a woman must be like a man. It is interesting to note that the same pseudo-intellectuals hold it as an unquestionable and absolute dogmatic truth that all the evils of the world are caused by the patriarchy. They further say that all evil actions are in substance misogyny. This they hold with religious assent and unquestioning faith. How can it be, as these insist, that having a full time career, no time for family, no time to personally raise their children be more ontologically valuable for a woman than being a mother who raises and looks after the children -the future citizens of the earth and of heaven-? How is the task of raising up great men and women of virtue so demeaning and so worthless compared to working for a company, to working for some corporation? How can one say that being a mother and wife is so demeaning when studies have shown that a great majority of those who have problems in adulthood are those who did not have good family lives as children? How can these be demeaning when these are the most perfect exercise of the characteristics endowed on a woman’s soul? “Woman,” says Edith Stein “naturally seeks to embrace that which is living, personal, and whole. To cherish, guard, protect, nourish and advance growth is her natural, maternal yearning.” And that Women in top positions is not an issue here. One cannot but admire Margaret Thatcher who stirred Britain so well, or Catherine, The Great, who reformed Russia, or Olga of Kiev who ruled a kingdom, or Teresa of Avila or Catherine of Sienna who reformed the Church. But let no one tell mothers, wives, and daughters that they do not have a life worth living simply because they chose a more domestic life. Thus, Edith Stein beautifully puts it: “Each woman who lives in the light of eternity can fulfill her vocation, no matter if it is in marriage, in a religious order, or in a worldly profession.” Let us keep these in our minds in this month of May, the month of the greatest woman who ever lived and will ever live.

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May 9-15, 2022

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May 9-15, 2022

SMC to build power plant on Mactan Island

EBU CITY – Mactan Island will soon become home to Cebu’s biggest power plant after the SMC Global Power Holdings signified its intention to invest in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant in Lapu-Lapu City to provide base load power to the grid. The power plant will be built ation Corporation (CPGC) said in its P60 billion for the construction in a leased 26-hectare area leased filing with the Department of Envi- of the 600-megawatt power plant from Keppel Cebu Shipyard Land, ronment and Natural Resources. which will help solve the electric Data from the Department of power supply woes not only in MacInc. and the National Development Company. SMC Global Pow- Energy’s (DOE) Power Development tan Island, but the entire province. er Holdings is the power arm of San Plan shows that the country’s power Chan said it will give jobs demand will grow five percent a year to the residents of Mactan Island. Miguel Corporation (SMC). This was also reported by and will reach 49,287MW by 2040. “Dili na usab makasinati puhon ang Power Philippines which said the “The 600 MW additional capacity mga Oponganon og problema sa construction of the plant would will support the program of the DOE kuryente lakip na ang silinganang take around five years beginning in ensuring stable power supply for mga dakbayan,” he said, referring to in the third quarter of this year the Philippines,” CPGC said. the island’s inhabitants. Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard while testing and commissioning The mayor said the local govis scheduled for the fourth quarter Chan thanked SMC for investing ernment’s effort to tap investors is of 2023. Commercial operations in Mactan, a densely populated bearing fruit now that the SMC, the are slated for the second quarter island which is part of Cebu prov- country’s largest and most diversiof 2024. ince. “Dako nakong pasalamat nga fied conglomerates, showed interest “The project aims to help aduna na poy laing kadaugan nga in investing in a business venture in augment demand for reliable and makab-ot ang atong syudad nga the city. “Nagpasabot lang kini nga affordable power supply. Other mao ang intensyon sa San Miguel ang atong administrasyon karon than being able to provide electric- Corporation nga mo-invest og usa duolonon gayud sa mga investors o ity to households and businesses, sa pinakadakong power plant diri sa dagkong mga mamuhonan kay dako it will be contributing to national Cebu gamit ang LNG kon liquified ang ilang pagsalig sa atong pagdumdevelopment,” SMC Global Power natural gas,” Chan said. ala ug pagpangga sa mga katawhang He said SMC will invest some Oponganon,” he said. subsidiary Converge Power Gener-

CCLEX releases toll rates CEBU CITY – Motorists using the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) will have to pay toll fees which were authorized by the Local Toll Regulatory Council. The approved rates for the CCLEX are the following: • P90 for Class I vehicles such as cars, jeepneys, pick-ups, vans, and motorcycles. • P180 for Class I vehicles above 7ft in height (except when the top loads are recreational equipment such as bikes, surfboards, and the like which must be securely fastened and not intended for commercial use). • P180 for Class II vehicles such as light trucks, tourist/school and public utility buses. • P270 for Class III vehicles such as heavy and multi-axle trucks and trailers. The CCLEX has a separate lane for bicycle riders and pedestrians and is free to use. The bridge is expected to contribute to the socio-economic development not only of the municipality of Cordova and Cebu City, but also the adjacent cities of Lapu-lapu and Mandaue, as well as cities and municipalities in the southern part of the province, according to a study by the Center for Social Research and Education of

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the University of San Carlos. The study also said that CCLEX will decongest Cebu City and Mandaue City and have positive implications in the movement of products from the various factories in these cities. “The CCLEX will be a catalyst to bring about socio-economic development in their municipality as they would already be accessible without having to pass through Lapu-lapu City and Mandaue City. In fact, land values in their municipality have already started to increase. An updated land use plan has already been approved,” the study noted, adding the bridge will also benefit the tourism industry. Inaugurated only last month, the 8.5km CCLEX is now the country’s longest and tallest bridge and cuts travel time between Mactan and Cebu International Airport by 40 minutes. Operated as a toll expressway, the artistically designed CCLEX has two lanes in each direction and 51-meter navigational clearance for shipping traffic. CCLEX is expected to serve at least 50,000 vehicles daily. Project developer Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC), a subsidiary company of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), said the CCLEX will not

SMC Global Power Holdings is investing in a 600-megawatt (MW) liquefied natural gas power plant on Mactan Island. Located specifically in Lapu-Lapu City, the project will cost between $1.5 and $1.7 million per MW, for a total of $900 million to $1.2 billion (P47.2-P63 billion). Lapu-Lapu City, including the island villages of Olango, and the municipality of Cordova, is under the distribution franchise area of Mactan Electric Company. SMC Global Power is also

working on a 300MW LNG combined cycle power plant in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, which is currently facing environmental and economic concerns from local stakeholders and energy advocacy

groups. The diversified conglomerate is also working on another 600MW LNG plant project in Tabango, Leyte worth P41.5 billion. (Cebu Examiner and John Rey Saavedra)

only decongest traffic in the two existing bridges, but also increase economic activities in Cebu and throughout the Visayas Region. Work on the CCLEX started on July 5, 2018, with ceremonies marking the beginning of civil works. It is MPTC’s first toll road project outside Luzon. CCLEX has a design speed of 60 to 80 kilometers per hour (kph) and a navigational clearance or height of 52 meters to allow large vessels to pass underneath the bridge. CCLEX uses an all-electronic toll collection system and to give more time to motorists to have the RFID sticker installed on their vehicles, cash payments will be accepted in the meantime. The full electronic toll collection will be implemented by June. CCLEC President and General Manager Allan Alfon said that motorcycles below 400cc will be allowed on the CCLEX. “This is to make this facility more inclusive and accessible to residents and answer a strong clamor from motorcycle users. We encourage motorists to have the CCLEX RFID installed on their vehicles, including motorcycles, in preparation for the electronic and automated toll collection by June,” he said. (Cebu Examiner and Carlo Lorenciana)

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