The Zamboanga Post (August 9-15, 2021)

Founded July 2019

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT, PLEASE CALL (062) 9555360 or (0915) 3976197

P10

August 9-15, 2021

Heal the Sick, Feed the Hungry ‘Poor gets aid from Beng’ S

OME 250 cobblers or shoemakers and balut or duck egg vendors, including senior citizens, were the latest beneficiaries of the Climaco administration’s “Heal the Sick and Feed the Hungry” program.

Also dubbed as the program received two “Curada y Comida,” bags of rice each from the Mayor Beng Climaco City Social Welfare and said the recipients of Continue on page 2

Bankers thanked Zambo govt.

THE ZAMBOANGA City Bankers and Financiers Association (ZCBFA), Inc. expressed gratitude to the local government

and thanked Mayor Beng Climaco for exerting efforts to include those working in banks in the Continue on page 2

Mayor Beng Climaco hands out cash aid to a senior citizen. (Bong Serondo)

Bank employees are vaccinated against the deadly Covid-19 respiratory disease. (Image: Mayor Beng Climaco Facebook page)

Climaco praises cops MAYOR BENG Climaco has thanked PNP Chief General Guillermo Eleazar - who was recently in Zamboanga City - for the exemplary performance and dedication of the local

police force in maintaining peace and order here.

While in Zamboanga, Eleazar together with Climaco visited the police headquarters and the mayor

presented rewards to the different police units for a job well-done.

Eleazar praised the Climaco administration for its full support Continue on page 3

FORMER LAWMAKER Celso Lobregat has chosen Councilman BG Guingona over Councilman Mike Alavar to be his vice mayoralty bet in next year’s polls, but the ageing

politician is yet to announce his congressional candidate for the 1st District.

The 73-year old Lobregat, who is running for mayor, announced

this in a news conference at his residence on August 4. Alavar was absent at the press conference, although he phoned Lobregat and Continue on page 3

‘Modelo de inspiracion’ Celso picks Guingona over Alavar as vice mayoralty bet

THE FAMILY of Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz thanked Mayor Beng Climaco for visiting and congratulating them for the pride and glory the 30-year weightlifter has brought Zamboanga City.

They also thanked the mayor and the local government for supporting Diaz, including all those who offered their prayers that led to her victorious feat.

Climaco met with Continue on page 2

Zamboanga Peninsula

Basilan

Sulu

Tawi-tawi

2

The Zamboanga Post

August 9-15, 2021

Heal the Sick, Feed the Hungry ‘Poor gets aid from Beng’

Bankers thanked Zambo govt.

Cobblers and balut vendors receive rice supply from the Climaco administration. (Claudine Uniana) Continued from page 1 Development Office under Socorro Rojas.

“The City Government aggressively pursues its thrust to ‘Heal the Sick and Feed the Hungry’ as Zamboanga City continues to face dangers from the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said, adding, the food aid is part government’s efforts to help alleviate their plight of those affected by the health crisis.

“Hand-in-hand with the provision of food, we are also intensifying the implementation of the Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat, and Reintegrate strategy to slow down the spread of Covid-19 and mitigate its effects which is central to the National Action Plan towards the new normal,” the mayor added.

Aside from the food aid, Climaco also joined Rojas in the distribution of cash aid to 75 senior citizens who are octogenarians and nonagenarians. The granting of incentives is pursuant to a local ordinance and one of the numerous benefit packages for senior citizens unveiled only during the administration of the mayor.

The beneficiaries of the cash aid and their families thanked Climaco and the local government for the incentives.

The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWD) and the City Treasurer’s Office facilitated the distribution of the incentives in coordination with the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), the Federation of Senior Citizens Association.

Climaco said the cash incentives is just one of the numerous benefit packages her administration has for senior citizens.

She said the cash incentive will ensure that senior citizens will have funds to buy basic necessities such as medicines.

The mayor also spoke with the beneficiaries and assured them of her administration’s support and various benevolent programs for the elderly sector.

Nonagenarians or those whose ages are from 90-99 years old received P20,000 each, and P10,000 each was also given to octogenarians who are 8089 years old. Centenarians or those 100 years old or more will also receive P50,000.

Discontinued Senior citizens could have received more had not the opposition councilors trashed the Vida programs of the Climaco administration. Beneficiaries of the

Vida programs blamed opposition councilors for “killing” the assistance intended for senior citizens and the disadvantaged sector of the community.

The opposition councilors, who are allies of former Congressman Celso Lobregat and incumbent Congressman Mannix Dalipe, removed the Vida program’s vital funding in the P4.38 billion 2021 Executive Budget.

One such program is the Largo Vida, an initiative that Climaco started in 2018 and which she had intended to expand to over 60,000 beneficiaries this year.

Climaco identified the opposition councilors as Monsi dela Cruz, who is now dead; John Dalipe, BG Guingona, Mike Alavar, Litlit Macrohon, Khymer Olaso, Lilibeth Nuño, Cary John Pioc, VP Elago, Gerky Valesco and Jerry Perez.

Dela Cruz and the younger Dalipe ran under Climaco’s political party, but eventually broke off ties after winning the 2019 polls and aligned themselves with Lobregat’s Team Colorao. Climaco defeated Lobregat in the election after winning a landslide victory over the veteran politician.

Climaco vowed to provide more assistance to tens of thousands of beneficiaries of her various pro-poor Vida programs, especially the elderly and the poor, and the disadvantage sector, including people with disabilities, among others.

The mayor said the Vida programs really aimed to create a more lasting and meaningful impact on the lives of all its beneficiaries. “We need to empower our people and create a more lasting and meaningful impact on their lives, their families and communities. Deseo de atun todo dale mas largo y buen vida na de atun maga abuelo y abuela na Ciudad de Zamboanga,” she said.

“It is with deep regret that the (opposition) majority of the members of the City Council resolutely removed vital appropriations in the FY (Fiscal Year) 2021 Executive Budget of the City Government of Zamboanga. Very important social services programs such as the Largo Vida, Salva Vida and Cuida Vida, which could have benefited senior citizens, low income families, disadvantaged communities, marginalized sectors, most affected families of the Covid-19 pandemic and other vulnerable members of society, were unfoundedly scrapped,” she added.

Climaco said the actions of the Lobregat and Dalipe allies in the City Council have affected some 17,000 senior citizens and all 400 “Vida lifeliners,” including women and those who are out-ofschool and mostly breadwinners of their families, who were tapped to tirelessly deliver health assistance door-to-door to every elderly beneficiaries of the Largo Vida.

“These (Vida) programs were carefully planned by the Executive Department to be sustainable and to introduce a trailblazing brand of service to our constituents that is projected to have a significant impact in the lives of the target beneficiaries. These programs cannot be replaced by mere dole-outs and cash donations that were not studied and haphazardly thought-out.

Those (opposition council) members who voted to remove funding for such vital programs must face the people of Zamboanga City and must be held responsible and accountable for such irrepressible action,” she said.

“It is not just cash that is needed, we need a more comprehensive program that will genuinely and sustainably empower our people through medicines, access to critical social services and livelihood to make our people resilient and survive the day to day challenges while we are under a pandemic. Necesita kita dale servicio de calidad because our people deserve only the best,” the mayor added.

It is only during the time of Climaco that such programs and social services benefitted thousands of senior citizens and the vulnerable sector. “It is only during our administration that we were able to introduce a widerange of social services to our senior citizens – birthday cash incentives, free maintenance medicines, free movie screening and other key forms of assistance.”

“We intend to expand these to a more comprehensive package, not only for our senior citizens, but also social packages for other vulnerable sectors especially for our society’s patriarchs and matriarchs, PWDs (persons with disabilities) and other vulnerable sectors, the marginalized, low-income families in disadvantaged rural and urban communities and most affected families of the Covid-19 pandemic, who are in need of these social protection programs, now more than ever,” Climaco said. (Zamboanga Post)

Continued from page 1 mass vaccination program.

Inocente Locson, the ZCBFA president, said at least 50% of the local bankers had been vaccinated against the Covid-19. He thanked Climaco for prioritizing those working in banks since they are exposed to people and money, and could potentially infect or expose them to the deadly respiratory virus.

There had been a number of bank employees who were infected with the Covid-19 which forced some of the commercial banks to temporarily close during the duration of the quarantine period of those who got the virus.

Even security guards and messengers and janitors from the different banks were also vaccinated.

“Mayor Beng, on behalf of the Zamboanga Bankers and Financiers Association, Inc., muchisimas gracias gayot kay ta pwede ya man vaccine el banking commu-

nity. God bless you always,” Locson said in his text message to the mayor.

Climaco said the local government is exerting all efforts to get more vaccines to be able to vaccinate at least 70% of the population to achieve herd immunity.

Last month, some 11,800 doses of Covid-19 vaccines purchased by the Climaco administration from the British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca arrived in Zamboanga City and benefited thousands of residents.

Climaco signed a $2 million (or roughly P100 million) deal with AstraZeneca early this year. The initial P200 million for the purchase of the vaccines are included in the P4.38-billion 2021 Executive Budget of the local government, according to Climaco, who is also a member of the Committee on Vaccine Availment of the League of Cities of the Philippines.

Zamboanga is one of

the first cities that entered into a multilateral agreement for the purchase of vaccines through the League of Cities.

Climaco said the local government’s vaccination program will cover almost 700,000 residents or 70% of the nearly 1 million inhabitants. Tens of thousands of residents had been inoculated with Covid-19 vaccines the past months based on the Department of Health’s (DOH) prioritization - A1 (Medical frontliners), A2 (Senior citizens) and A3 (People with comorbidity) and recently the A4 (Frontliner personnel in essential sector).

The mayor has repeatedly urged residents - especially the elderly sector and those with comorbidity - to register online. She said residents who are 18-years old and above are also encouraged to register online - www. zambocovax.com or by visiting the nearest health center. (Zamboanga Post)

‘Modelo de inspiracion’ Continued from page 1 Diaz’s parents Emelita and Eduardo in Barangay Mampang to personally congratulate them, a day after the Zamboangueña weightlifter walked away with her gold medal – the country’s first in Olympic history.

The mayor was all praises to Diaz’s parents for their unrelenting support to their daughter and for bringing her up the way she is – “a great person who overcame poverty through hard work, sacrifice, discipline, using God-given strength and maximizing capabilities.”

She said Diaz is an inspiration not only to the locals, but for the others who continue to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals.

“Si Hidilyn es un modelo de inspiracion,” the mayor said, adding, a hero’s welcome

Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz’s parents Emelita and Eduardo with Mayor Beng Climaco who visited their home in Barangay Mampang to personally congratulate the family for the pride and honor their daughter has brought to the country. (Bong Serondo) awaits Diaz when she returns home.

Zamboanga’s sister city and its mayor, Sara Carpio, also congratulated Diaz. She said: “Enhorabuena, Hidilyn! Enhorabuena, Ciudad de Zamboanga! The City Gov-

ernment of Davao congratulates Hidilyn Diaz and our sister city, Zamboanga, for her historic win at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Hidilyn’s gold medal victory is a tribute to the indestructible soul of a city and its people, who never bowed to adversities and difficult times.”

“Her Olympic story inspires Filipinos as it showed why we should never cease chasing our dreams.

Dabawenyos are one with you in celebrating this milestone with a great sense of honor and pride. Thank you!” (Zamboanga Post, Malou Cablinda)

3

The Zamboanga Post

August 9-15, 2021

Celso picks Guingona Climaco praises cops over Alavar as vice mayoralty bet Continued from page 1 said he is supporting the “Team Colorao,” and would like to include his daughter in the group’s candidates for the City Council.

Last month, Lobregat chose Councilman Jerry Perez as his congressional bet for the 2nd District. Perez is a long-time ally of Lobregat and president of the local chapter of the Association of Barangay Captains.

Lobregat’s allies in the City Council continue to support him, despite his terrible loss to Mayor Beng Climaco in the 2019 local elections. Climaco won by a landslide against Lobregat.

Lobregat’s recent announcement has left Rep. Mannix Dalipe, who is reportedly aspiring to become the next mayor, without a viable line up except for his younger brother Councilman John Dalipe, who is believed running for a congressional seat in District 2. It also opens the door now for both sides to publicly criticize or challenge each other in an effort to bolster their own political interest.

The elder Dalipe, who served as vice mayor, was a staunch critic of Lobregat.

With the brothers Dalipe challenging Lobregat and his group, it would likely to break up the ma-

jority block which has opposed Climaco’s pro-poor projects, among them the Vida programs, which greatly helped the indigents and the elderly sector, including those with disabilities. Among them were Lobregat’s allies Litlit Macrohon, Gerky Valesco, Cary John Pioc, VP Elago, Khymer Olaso and Lilibeth Nuño.

Macrohon, Alavar, Guingona, Dalipe and Nuño are all fiercest critics of Climaco who opposed and disapproved the P1.368-billion Supplemental Budget requested by the local government in June.

Climaco said the bulk of the budget will be utilized for the Covid-19 response, such as the procurement of equipment, medicines and social assistance to be given to affected families. “Este para asegura el curada y comida que ay puede ayuda alivia vida na tiempo de pandemia,” the mayor said, referring to the Supplemental Budget.

The 54-year old mayor thanked the 13 council members, including political allies of Lobregat, for approving the budget.

Climaco’s allies in the City Council - Bong Atilano, Jihan Edding, Kim Elago, Cesar Jimenez, El King Omaga, Pinpin Pareja, and Jimmy Villaflores voted for the approval of the bud-

get; and so was Tungkuh Hanapi, the representative of the Indigenous People in the City Council.

“We thank the move of the majority of the Sangguniang Panlungsod members who went beyond party lines and treated the approval of the Supplemental Budget No.1 amounting to P1.368 Billion with a sense of urgency - this is a clear indication that in a period of financial challenges and public health crisis, we, as servants of the people, can unite over common goals and respond to a more genuine conscience call to heal the sick, feed the hungry and promote the general health and welfare of all our people,” Climaco said.

“We thank our SP members for showing unity and a whole-of-society approach for our Covid-19 response and capacity management.

With God’s grace, hay puede kita dale curada y comida para ayuda alivia el vida del diatun maga vivientes na este tiempo de pandemia. Muchas gracias,” she added.

Politicians running for the polls are set to file their certificate of candidacy in October and Climaco continues to enjoy the strong support of her constituents. (Zamboanga Post)

PAHATI PA RAHYAT: GCQ ZAMBOANGA CITY masi siya ha babaan sin General Community Quarantine (GCQ) daing ha August 1 sambil pa 31 2021, biyah na sin kiyabayta sin national government’s Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases.

Sabab sambil pa byaon landu makabuga in paglamin sin Delta Variant sin sakit Covid, In mga undang-undang ini amun ipa bantang ha babaan in GCQ: • Balikun in pag lockdown sin adlaw ahad daing ha August 1, 8 iban 15 2021 • Amura in tyugutan gumuwah amun mga tao harap papag ibadatan iban sin health, DRRM, Security frontliners iban sin mga sila lamud ha emergency amura in manjari gumuwa. In way naka lamud ha mga nasabbot ha taas in sila sarang tumutog na ha pamaybay nila.

• In mga kabataan ummol 17 pa baba di manjari gumuwa daing ha bay.

• In parkala pa agama tubtub 30% in taud makahadir tao.

• In mga Groceries/ taboh dakula amo ra in dagangan nila amora in health, DRRM iban sin Security Front liners.

• In mga tabuh dakula iban na sin tabuh-tabuh iban mga pagdarangagan ha barangay sarang tambul.

• In mga Kadday iban maglilito pagkaun in ka aunan nila ipahatud sadja ha mga maghahatud pagkaun iban take out. Di manjari kumaun ha laum sin kadday biyah sin kiyabiyaksahan.

• Way daing ha mga sasakatan pasahero in manjari maparagan sin sasakatan nila ha adlaw ahad.

• In quarantine checkpoint iban sin Baranagay Sita Task Force iban sin mga pulis iban kaibanan parinta sarang tuyun in strict enforcement sin Undang undang sin GCQ iban Minimum health standard.

• In pagpapayguan public and private resort sambil in mga river resorts di manjari mag ukab sin mga pagpapayguan nila Sabto iban

Ahad daing ha July 31, August 1, 7, 8, 14 and 15.

• In Inland iban Mountain resort iban sin kaibanan sibu business di tugutan mag okab sin resort nila ha Sabto iban Ahad daing ha August 1, 7, 8, 14 and 15. Amura in Inland and Mountain resort awn business permit amo ra in tugutan mag ukab sin reaort nila ha Sabto ( July 31 ) sah sarang awn advance booking.

• Awn da iguwa executive order pasal sin mga undang undang ini iban ipamahalayak da ha different media flatform.

• In kahalan sin Covid 19 masi siya makabuga luba labi na in bahgo variant, mas makusug in paglamin ha Delta Variant. Sarang di ta gaan gaanun iban haman hamanun in mga undang undang sin quarantine iban sin minimum health standards. Bang dumatung in wakto niyo magpa vaccine kadto kamo bat kamo ma vaccine. (Translation: Jojo Abdusalam)

PNP Chief Guillermo Eleazar with Mayor Beng Climaco and other officials. (Giana Andrion) Continued from page 1 to the police – from logistics to infrastructure projects, and various equipment, including weapons and ammunition, safety gears and allowances among others that greatly helped the police force in achieving its mission.

He also awarded the “Medalya ng Kagalingan” to deserving policemen and led in recognizing the Zamboanga City Police Kabalikat Awardees and the oath-taking of Lingkod Bayan Advocacy Support Groups and other force multipliers, and the Barangayanihan Help and Food Bank.

Eleazar and Climaco were accompanied by PNP Director for Logistics Major General Angelito Casimiro, Brigadier General Ronaldo Ylagan, the regional police chief; and Colonel Rexmel Reyes, the city police chief. He also inaugurated various facilities at the regional headquarters and the ground-breaking ceremony of the phase 1 of the circumferential road project, including the turnover of a speedboat to the Regional Mobile Force Battalion and other logistical equipment to the regional police headquarters.

The 55-year old Eleazar is highly respected in the police force, but he will serve only for six months and is set to retire in November following his assumption in May this year. But despite Eleazar’s short stint as PNP Chief, he managed to introduce reforms and discipline that brought back public trust to the police force, and tremendously boosted the morale of the 220,000-strong policemen.

Eleazar, who studied in public schools and graduated Cum Laude (Class 1987) at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), is a native of Tagkawayan town in Quezon province, whose father was a veteran fighter during World War 2.

Upon graduation from the PMA, Eleazar - at the height of the communist insurgency - was assigned to the intelligence and combat operations of the Philippine Constabulary Companies in Laguna and Cavite provinces, and commander of the Special Action Company in Southern

Tagalog Region.

And he later joined an international peace-keeping mission as a civilian police under the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia, and returned home after his stint and assigned as an intelligence and operations officer of the 4th Regional Office of the Highway Patrol Group, where he was instrumental in the neutralization of notorious carjacking and highway robbery groups in Southern Tagalog Region.

Eleazar also served as police chief of San Pedro town in Laguna province and became provincial officer of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Batangas and Laguna; and chief investigator of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response, the forerunner of the Anti-Kidnapping Group where he figured prominently in the neutralization of various kidnap-for-ransom groups.

He was eventually designated as the CIDG regional chief in Central Luzon and Central Visayas, where he waged a relentless campaign against organized crime groups and other threat groups.

At the PNP national headquarters, Eleazar was assigned to various administrative positions in the Directorate for Logistics and Directorate for Comptrollership. He would later take command of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and led

the PNP’s campaign against online sexual exploitation of children, and internet-based fraud and criminal activities.

In 2016, he took the helm of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) where he waged relentless anti-crime and anti-narcotics operations that led to the arrest of notorious criminals; dismantling of notorious robbery and holdup groups; and capture and neutralization of drug suspects, including rogue policemen involved in various crimes.

Under his leadership, the QCPD was recognized in an independent survey authorized by the National Police Commission as the “Most Trusted Police District in the National Capital Region Police Office” and Eleazar became the PNP regional director for CALABARZON and Metro Manila. CALABARZON is an administrative region comprising the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Rizal.

Eleazar also served with distinction as the Deputy Chief for Operations, where he concurrently headed the Joint Task Force COVID Shield as the law enforcement and public safety arm of the national government’s Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases. And later on as Deputy Chief for Administration he led the Administrative Support to Covid-19 Operations Task Force. (Zamboanga Post)

4

The Zamboanga Post

August 9-15, 2021

Zamboanga Pictures in the News Local government of Zamboanga City at work. This is where your taxes go.

August 9-15, 2021

The Zamboanga Post

5

Zamboanga Pictures in the News Photos by : Giana Andrion, ZCPO, 74th IB, Bong Serondo, Christine Lim, and Julmuna Alain.

6

The Zamboanga Post

August 9-15, 2021

Across : 1. ___ Alamos 4. Pasture sound 7. Broad tie 12. Detroit time zone (abbr.)

13. Hooting bird 14. Setting 15. Warned 17. Trimmed 18. Juliet’s beloved 19. Desperate 20. Robin Hood, e.g.

23. Vampire ___ 26. Bound 29. Investigation 31. Toledo’s waterfront 32. Common verb 33. Undiluted 34. Storyteller 36. Portent 37. Chef’s measure (abbr.)

38. Soup bean 40. Fox’s home 42. Informal speech 46. Maxim 48. Dieter’s unit 50. Flax product 51. Summer cooler 52. Tavern 53. Plant beginnings 54. Negative word 55. Sandra ___ (“Gidget”) Down : 1. Tragic king 2. Norway’s capital 3. Flower stalk 4. Engine 5. Have creditors 6. ___ Glory 7. Be ambitious 8. “The Lion King” villain 9. Brain part 10. First in a series 11. Koppel or Kennedy 16. The Grim ___ 19. Gobi, for one 21. Moon feature 22. Wading bird 24. Land unit

The Zamboanga Post

An Edition of the Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper

Maritess Fernandez

Publisher/Executive Producer

Al Jacinto

Editor-in-Chief

Reynold Toribio Graphics/Video Editor

Mindanao Examiner Productions Web Master

REGIONAL PARTNERS Mindanao Daily Business Week Mindanao Star

ADVERTISING Jeng Fernandez (0917) 7930652 Zamboanga Peninsula

Answer to last week’s crossword:

25. Now and ___ 26. Fasting period 27. Notable periods 28. Pilot’s craft 30. NASA program 35. Foreigners 39. Small landmass 41. Old 43. Moistureless 44. IX 45. Dance ___ Kelly 46. Capone and Gore 47. Expire 48. Tuna cantainer 49. Hubbub

Weekly Sudoku:

Richard Suarez

(0910) 7348600 Kismet Cable TV, Aquino cor. Cabrera sts., Gatas District, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur

The Zamboanga Post

is published weekly in Mindanao, Philippines.

ZAMBOANGA CITY OFFICE:

3rd Floor, JLC Building, Don Alfaro St., Tetuan, Zamboanga City Phone & Fax: (062) 9555360 Mobile: (0915) 3976197 URL: mindanaoexaminer.com E-mail: mindanaoexaminer@gmail.com

Answer to last week:

CEBU CITY G/F Dreamfield bldg, Sanciangko Street, Kamagayan (0923) 1670009

Rodil P. Ybañez

DAVAO CITY Door 2, 402 Nidea Street, Barrio Obrero, Davao City, Philippines (082) 2841859 / (0932) 4323301 / (0997) 3172021

Marilou Cablinda

NORTH COTABATO KIDAPAWAN CITY CENTRAL MINDANAO COTABATO CITY Rhoderick Beñez (0927) 4757936

PAGADIAN CITY

Kismet Cable TV, Aquino cor. Cabrera st., Gatas District, Pagadian City, Zamboanga Del Sur (0910) 7348600

Richard Suarez

ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA BASILAN, SULU, TAWIͳTAWI ΈBARMMΉ

3rd Floor, JLC Building, Don Alfaro Street, Zamboanga City (062) 9555360 / (0915) 3976197 / (0917) 7930652

Jeng Fernandez mindanaoexaminer.com mindanaoexaminer@gmail.com

August 9-15, 2021

7

The Zamboanga Post

Mayor signs ‘kasambahay’ law MAYOR BENG Climaco has signed Ordinance 568, the law that institutes policies for the protection and welfare of domestic workers in Zamboanga City.

Climaco, a known advocate of women’s rights, said the passing and approval of the ordinance is “a show of gratitude and concern for our partners and allies in homemaking.”

The ordinance was approved by the City Council on July 26 and was immediately signed by Climaco as soon as the transmittal from the Sangguniang Panlungsod reached her on August 4.

“Muchisimas gracias por el de ustedes amor y compasion, y esfuerzo para asistir y asegura que en buenamente ta funciona el familia y la casa,” the mayor said.

The principal authors of the ordinance were Bong Atilano, BG Guingona, Meng Agan, Cary John Pioc, Jimmy Villaflores, Pinpin Pareja, John Dalipe, Cesar Jimenez, Gerky Valesco, El King Omaga, Mike Alavar, Kim Elago, Litlit Macrohon, VP Elago, Tungkuh Hanapi, Jihan Edding, Lilibeth Nuño and Khymer Olazo. (Zamboanga Post)

8

The Zamboanga Post

August 9-15, 2021

August 9-15, 2021

The Zamboanga Post

9

Founded July 2019

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT, PLEASE CALL (062) 9555360 or (0915) 3976197

P10

August 9-15, 2021

Sacol inhabitants vaccinated H UNDREDS OF residents from Landang Gua, Pasilmanta, Landang Laum and Busay had been vaccinated against Covid-19 after Mayor Beng Climaco dispatched a team of medical frontliners from the City Health Office (CHO) to Sacol Island off Zamboanga to ensure the inhabitants are also protected from the deadly disease.

The information drive Over 400 people were that vaccines are harmful to inoculated by the CHO after human health. “It is not true was in collaboration with the the local government held a that we will lose our sanity Office of the Barangay Afvaccine information cam- and our lives will be limited fairs, the Integrated Resource paign on the island and ex- to two years after we are vac- Development for Tri-People, the Philippine Navy and plained the importance of cinated,” he said.

One of Climaco’s Ex- Marines and the Barangay the medicine in fighting the ecutive Assistants, Jojo Ab- Councils on Sacol Island. The spread of the virus.

The campaign, spear- dusalam, also helped in con- Communication and Deheaded by the local gov- vincing islanders in getting mand Generation Team was ernment’s Communication themselves vaccinated. He also joined by Vilmar Marand Demand Generation said the local government is quez, also an executive assisTeam, effectively addressed working hard to fight disin- tant of Climaco; Joan Saure disinformation and fake formation and conspiracy of the Manicahan Health news about Covid-19 on the theories surrounding the ef- District, Nicole Iturralde of ficacy of the vaccines by en- CHO, Mark Demirin and Alisland.

Even Dr. Mamat Cham, gaging different sectors and Guin Ajijul, and Landang a World Health Organiza- communities and helping Gua Barangay Chairman Ben tion (WHO) Public Health residents come up with in- Insani, among others. (Zamboanga Post) Consultant, allayed fears formed decisions.

Residents of Sacol Island are vaccinated against the deadly Covid-19 respiratory disease. (Christine Lim and Juluna Alain)

Sunday Reflection

by Mayor Beng Climaco

Mayor Beng Climaco with Dr. Abelle Cajita in this photo taken on March 22, 2018 during the USAID-SURGE meeting at Zamboanga City Hall.

Zambo mourns death of USAID official THE CITY Government mourned the death of Dr. Abelle Cajita, a USAID-SURGE Program Coordinator for Zamboanga City, and was instrumental in the implementation of various projects here.

Mayor Beng Climaco, who condoled with Cajita’s family, said the well-respected official died on July 28 in Cagayan de Oro City, her hometown where she was assigned after her stint in Zamboanga.

“Through her guidance, the USAID-SURGE provided technical expertise in urban planning and development for the formulation of the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan, Zoning Ordinance and the Comprehensive Development Plan and the Executive-Legislative Agenda of Zamboanga,” Climaco said.

“It was also through the USAID-SURGE that Zamboanga City accomplished the Geoportal Project and achieved DILG’s 2017 Seal

Zamboanga Peninsula

of Good Local Governance.

The long list of innovations in various fields that USAID-SURGE introduced is proof of Dr. Cajita’s tireless efforts to help Zamboanga; and the City Government is forever grateful.

Mam Abelle, muchisimas gracias por tu asistencia y ayuda na desarollo del Ciudad de Zamboanga! Paz eterno na mano de Dios y La Virgen Maria y San Jose!,” the mayor said. (Zamboanga Post)

Basilan

18th Sunday Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 Psalm 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54 Ephesians 4:17, 20-24 and John 6:24-35 WE LIFT up prayers for the Eternal Rest of PNoy on his 40th day and the 12th Death Anniversary of President Cory Aquino. In the words of Fr. Karel San Juan, S.J., they showed selflessness, sacrifice and servant leadership in values they fought for, lived for and died for to be God’s bread and light, they offered their life and love for our country.

Paz eterno Ninoy, Cory y Noy Aquino.

Eph 4:17, 20-24 Brothers and sisters: I declare and testify in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; that is not how you learned Christ, assuming that you have heard of him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.

The Second Reading calls us to renew our lives from the futility of our old self. There is so much hunger from food and the thirsts of our human selves. We pursue pleasure that fails to satisfy. I remember when I was still single, a group of friends

Sulu

took me to Embassy, a club in The Fort. It was a sought after place with lights, loud music and the “place to be” at that time. To be “in the scene” was quite an experience and we were given a soothing cool drink with lemons that turned my face “red and hot” until I literally threw-up and felt drunk, dizzy and had a “hangover” sleeping almost 3 a.m.

This experience at the Embassy taught me hard lessons in life. Not all good things last and we pay for temporary pleasure. Because of our hunger and thirst today, we seek satisfaction from gambling, social media, pornography, sex, illegal drugs, and vices, we aspire for power, popularity and the peso which will make us worst and not satisfy our Hunger and Thirst.

Jesus in the Gospel teaches us that He is the True Bread. “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”

Experience will teach us important lessons in life and we learn from our mistakes.

Our ambitions are purified and corrected.

What we pursue, what we think is important and valuable might not give us true meaning and satisfaction. Our pleasures are temporary.

We are called to believe in Jesus who was sent by the Father. May we hunger and thirst for Jesus alone, who will satisfy us eternally. Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (MBC)

Tawi-tawi