BusinessWeek Mindanao (October 30, 2020)

BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O

YOUR MINDANAO-WIDE BUSINESS PAPER

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Volume XI, No. 63

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Briefly

MinDA Tienda DAVAO City – After the successful "MinDA Tienda sa Manila" last week, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the City of Baguio have agreed to hold another leg of the event on November 14 to 15.

“I led the MinDA team, which met with Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong yesterday (Tuesday) at the Baguio Country Club, to finalize what we had earlier agreed on by phone. It was agreed yesterday that ‘MinDA Tienda sa Cordillera’ will focus on Mindanao products, which are in great demand in Baguio City and the nearby provinces,” MinDA chief, Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

Sea products from as far as Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, including dried fish from the Zamboanga Peninsula, would be brought to the “MinDA Tienda sa Cordillera”, with the support of the Bangsamoro autonomous government, Piñol said.

IN-DEPTH

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Friday|October 30, 2020

Thank you for trusting us!

By RICHEL V. UMEL, MindaNews

LIGAN City– A power outage hit Marawi City, all 39 towns of Lanao del Sur and three towns of Lanao del Norte for over eight hours on Thursday.

An acacia mangium tree that fell and toppled the 138-kilovolt line inside the Agus 1 hydroelectric power

plant in Marawi City caused the outage, Elizabeth Ladaga, spokesperson of the National ENGULFS/PAGE 7

AirAsia finally flies back to GenSan after 7-mo. delay

By MINDANEWS

GENERAL Santos City – Low-cost airline Philippines AirAsia Inc. finally made its inaugural flight from Manila to this city on Wednesday morning after seven months of delay due to the coronavirus disease

(COVID-19) pandemic.

AirAsia’s maiden flight Z2661 departed from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 7:03 a.m. and arrived at the city international airport at 8:53 AIRASIA/PAGE 7

UNDAS' OVER. A vendor rushes arrangement of flowers near the entrance of the Davao Memorial Park on Wednesday, October 28, the last day allowed for Davao City residents to visit cemeteries. Mayor Sara Duterte has ordered cemeteries closed from October 28 until November 4 to avoid mass gathering as the city grapples with the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. mindanews photo by gg bueno

Jail watch THE Department of Health in Region 10 (DOH-10) on Tuesday emphasized the need for efficient management of detention facilities to prevent a spillover of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections into neighboring communities.

Dr. Adriano Suba-an, DOH10 director, said closed spaces such as detention or jail facilities should be closely monitored because a possible spillover could contribute further to the number of Covid-19 cases in the region.

Suba-an noted that such closed spaces fall under the so-called "three big Cs" that are prone to Covid-19 transmission, the other two being "crowded places" and "close-contact settings".

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RC-CdO turns over global grant to Phil. Red Cross

By MARK FRANCISCO, Reporter

THE Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro turned over a global grant to the Philippine Red Cross CDO-MisOr chapter in ceremonies held Wednesday.

FARM FERTILITY TALISMAN. Among some communities in Maguindanao, this talisman, resembling a male genitalia, is believed to bring bountiful harvest. It is installed visibly on the farm. Farmers believe that talking about a likely bountiful a harvest may negatively reverse the fortune of the farm. Thus, the talisman is displayed so that people will talk about it instead. mindanews photo by jules l. benitez

Gl ob a l g r ant s supp or t l arge international activities with sustainable, measurable outcomes in Rotary’s areas GRANT/PAGE 7

Blood donors still needed amid pandemic: NMMC BLOOD donors are still needed amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, especially for patients with other complications who badly need it.

This was according to Dr. Bernard Julius Rocha, liaison officer of the Northern Mindanao Medical Center DONORS/PAGE 7

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Local

FRIDAY|OCTOBER 30, 2020

BARMM lawmakers approve regional administrative code

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OTABATO City – Lawmakers of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) approved on Wednesday night the region’s administrative

code that would define the fledgling political entity’s structural, functional, procedural principles, and rules of governance.

In a special session, 58 members of the

Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), where 32 of whom participated via zoom teleconference, voted for the passage of Cabinet Bill No. 60 titled “An act providing for the Bangsamoro

Administrative Code and other related purposes”.

None of the members of the parliament voted against nor abstained from the approval of the bill.

“Today, we are writing

Nat’l ID vital to universal health care, says exec DAVAO City– The national ID is a vital component in the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said.

Speaking before the One Davao on Covid-19 virtual presser recently, DOH-11 assistant regional director, Dr. Lenny Joy Rivera, cited the importance of the national ID in registering every Filipino to primary health care or the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) so they can access various health services provided under the UHC. The UHC provides automatic enrollment of all Filipinos to PhilHealth and designates the staterun agency as the national purchaser for health goods and services.

UHC also seeks to improve health facilities especially in underserved communities, respond to the gap in health workers throughout the country, and create and expands new functions in DOH to improve the delivery of health services.

“Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Filipinos are

entitled to other health services. That is the primary aim of DOH and Covid-19 should not hinder this commitment.

The national ID is very important so that all Filipinos could easily avail of the health care services,” Rivera said.

She said when an individual presents his national ID to DOH to access health services, the person could easily avail of the services.

Most of those who are confronted with health problems come from poor communities, making them far from access to much-needed health care.

Covering gov’t, private transactions According to Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Region 11 officer-incharge Pepito Amoyen, said when people seek to avail of health services, hospitals will be looking for their national ID. This will be the same with other government agencies.

“If you ask something from government, they would request for your national ID same also if you transact with the banks like opening a bank account, the bank will also look for your national ID. That’s how important a national ID is,” Amoyen

said.

The pre-registration of PhilSys or the Philippine Identification System nationwide started on Oct. 12.

On Nov. 25, those who were pre-registered will be invited by PSA to the various PhilSys VITAL/PAGE 7

history by providing the form and structure of the Bangsamoro government,” BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim said in his congratulatory address to the BTA parliament members on Thursday.

Ebrahim said the Bangsamoro Administrative Code (BAC) would boost the region’s pursuit of moral governance and take effective measures against graft and corruption.

The regional bill was filed on July 22 this year, with a panel constituted by the BTA Committee on Rules and headed by parliament member Raissa

Jajurie conducting a series of public consultations thereafter from August 14-26.

Following the BAC’s approval at the BTA level, the bill shall be passed into law 15 days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation or within the BARMM. Other priority legislations such as the local government code, the education code, and the civil service code are already on its second reading in the BTA plenary.

The region’s revenue and electoral codes are yet to be filed. (PNA)

Brigada Eskwela in new normal

By IMELDA N. CABAHUG-BAGUIO, MAEM Principal I Biga Elementary School Biga, Lugait, Misamis Oriental

THE coronavirus pandemic, otherwise known as Covid-19 has greatly impacted on the way our educational system is enforced given the various changes in policies and in the way pedagogies impart the learning processes.

Recognizing the necessity to recalibrate approaches in setting the groundworks before classes started barely a month ago, the Department of Education (DepEd) has reconfigured two of its major annual back-to-school programs simultaneously in June this year.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones, in DepEd memorandum no. 53 s. 2020, issued the joint implementing guidelines on the 2020 Brigada Eskwela (BE) and Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) relative to the COVID-19 situation in the country.

The Secretary noted that as a response to the public health emergency, DepEd has developed its Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) which “lays down the direction for basic education in the coming school year.” The LCP, she explained, will be “operationalized on a rolling basis” through implementing issuances, programs, and activities across all levels of governance in DepEd. As articulated in the BE-LCP, Briones explained that the BE and OBE – which are both annual activities of DepEd to prepare for the school opening – have been “reconfigured to fully assist the preparation of stakeholders” for the current school year.

This year's Brigada was appropriately anchoref on the theme: “Pagpapanatili ng Bayanihan Tungo sa Kalidad na Edukasyon para sa Kabataan,” to underscore the need for collaboration of all stakeholders in ensuring that education is not interrupted despite the coninued threat of Covid-19.

This year’s BE and OBE also featured the slogan “Bayanihan sa Paaralan,” which aims to promote sustainable and safe living through the “application of knowledge and convergence of efforts to address the

required health standards and social issues at home, in school, and in the community” in the context of COVID-19.

The implementation of BE and OBE includes the engagement of stakeholders in addressing problems, queries, and other concerns in the preparation for the start of classes.

Given the current health situation, specific amendments, implementation adjustments and plan of action were issued.

New face of ‘Brigada’ Under this prevailing circumstances, the traditional concept of “Brigada” – which involves cleaning, repainting, and doing minor repairs in public schools – has been preempted.

Briones has issued a memorandum that any BE-related activities may still be done “depending on the prevailing local risk classification and community quarantine guidelines."

The DepEd has been strictly enforcing a policy that all school activities should comply with protocols on social distancing and implementation of precautionary measures provided by the authorities.

With the old concept of bayanihan set aside, the DepEd introduced a new set of programs which focuses on “preparations and strengthening partnership engagement to ensure that learning continues in the time of COVID-19.”

In particular, the activities in the new concept of “Brigada” highlighted partnership initiatives that complement DepEd’s efforts to ensure that quality basic education will continue despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 and the implementation of its LCP. Brigada Eskwela champions the spirit of volunteerism in DepEd. In light of the current COVID-19 situation, this year’s program aims to ensure that “support provision of learning opportunities while ensuring that health, safety, and well-being of personnel are protected.”

CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739 CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011

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FRIDAY|OCTOBER 30, 2020

Agusan Hills Eagles Club welcomes 30 new members

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Feature

By MARK FRANCISCO

HARTERED only this year, Agusan Hills Eagle Club is probably the most prolific club in the New Northern Mindanao Region and arguably in the entire The Fraternal Order of Philippine Eagles (Philippine Eagles) as it welcomed 30 more members into its fold last Saturday (October 23).

Club president Zoe Curiano said he is happy that many professionals have joined the ever growing club since they are needed especially at this time of pandemic.

“This goes to show nga daghan pa

g’yud kaayong mga Kuya diin nagpabilin sa ilaha ang call for civic duty,” he said.

With the entirety of its currently eight months of existence since March under the pandemic, Agusan Hills Eagles Club was able to donate two handwashing stations at Agusan Elementary School and Agusan National High School, portable alcohol dispensers each at Agusan barangay hall and Cagayan de Oro Technical Vocational Institute and ink and bondpaper at Agusan Elementary School and Agusan High School.

The group

also painted the perimeter of the Cagayan de Oro Technical Vocational Institute and initiated a coastal cleanup along the coastline in barangay Agusan.

The Agusan Hills Eagle Club was chartered last March 7 this year when

civic minded citizens from barangay Agusan in Cagayan de Oro City invited their professional colleagues to form the club so it could help provide humanitarian service to the barangay.

Then the pandemic came

If interested, contact:

and the charter members have proven true to their aim.

Curiano’s next project will be to transform the site of the Battle of Agusan Hilll as a historical tourist spot.

“For us, the Battle of Agusan Hill is

DANICA SUDARIA

significant to us Agusanons because this is when we demonstrated our bravery during World War II. And this is worth remembering to our younger generations of Kagay-anons here in our city of golden friendship,” he said.

dannycarosesudaria0512@gmail.com 0936-046-2356

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Opinion

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Member: Philippine Press Institute Oro Chamber

Happiness: mood or mode?

Thin k a minute… The extremely wealthy David Geffen was asked if now that he is a billionaire is he happy?

He laughed and answered: “Anyone who believes money makes you happy does not have money.” Rich people around the world will tell you that just having heaps of money itself cannot make you happy. In fact, it often brings you more worries, problems and stress. It’s a fact of life: “Happiness is not in things, it’s in us.”

The realities of life are basically the same for happy and unhappy people. Truly happy people do not have a magic button to get them out of problems and pain.

They just use everything that happens to make themselves and their life better, stronger and more satisfying.

“The happiest people are those who have no particular reason for being happy other than they have simply chosen to be.” They do not wait for events or other people to make them happy. Happiness is not your mood, it’s your mode of operating every day.

Your way of life. Your way of thinking, loving, and giving

THINK A MINUTE

JHAN TIAFAU HURST to others. It’s your way of working, playing, laughing, and enjoying each moment of life that you are given.

In computer language, what is your life’s “operating system?” How do you process and choose to respond to people and experiences that come in to your life each day?

Do you see all the possibilities and purposes for your life?

Do you daily focus on the good or the bad?

To have happiness, you must have the “attitude of gratitude.” A recent study showed that people who write down three good things in their life and why they are good, every day for just one week, are happier and HAPPINESS/PAGE 7

the Malacanang directive, the war against corruption appears like the last hurrah before the 2022 national elections.

Initially listed on the hot seat are agencies deeply involved in corruption — Philhealth and Public Works and Highways, among others.

These lead agencies has been in the take of public funds by the billions of pesos.

The DOJ has been ordered to prosecute and file charges against government officials and employees involved in irregularities.

Again, this remains to be seen.

The bureaucracy is agog

with scandals, allegations of graft, coverups, among others thus an expanded scope of the task force to look into allegations of widespread graft and corruption was created and now in effect.

First to receive the beating are officials of DPWH who are reportedly in cohorts with congressmen asking for kickbacks from contractors.

Their backdoor transactions are open secret.

T hu s t h e ord e r f or t he just ice dep ar t ment to investigate the entire government machinery for corruption covers lawmakers as well.

Malacanang’s order to

UNRUFFLED

RUFFY MAGBANUA strike hard on the corrupt in government is not a walk in the park.

This calls for a strong, unrelenting political will like no other. (ruffy44_ph2000@ yahoo.com)

Government clarifies compulsory insurance for all foreigners entering Thailand

ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI

Layout Artist

THE marching order of Ma l ac anang to r id t he bureaucracy with corruption is a tall order, like fighting the invisible Covid-19 pandemic.

Malacanang has ordered the Department of Justice to take the lead in the government-wide corruption probe following reports of unabated haul of public funds by corrupt government officials and employees.

As to w hat le vel of sincerity the DoJ’s response to Malcanang’s call, this remains to be seen.

With the ‘Mega Task Force’ created by Justice Secretar y Menardo Guevarra to comply with

2f, ICS Building Tel.No.: 881-0176 Tiano cor. Montalvan sts.

Legal Counsel

CLIFFORD SANTILLAN

FRIDAY|OCTOBER 30, 2020

Anti-corruption Mega Task Force

JUN AYENSA

Motoring Editor

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JEROME DE LA FUENTE Are there one or two compulsor y insurance policies in the system?

The Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) has now clarified that the mandatory medical insurance worth at least US$100,000 is for C ovid-19 related issues only and is not required for general medical or accident cover. This will come as a relief to the advanced-elderly wishing to visit Thailand as Covid-19 insurance is widely available for anyone

aged 1-99 years, whereas comprehensive medical insurance is problematical or impossible for those in their late 70s and above.

TAT explains that the insurance is now available online from the Thai General I n s u r a n c e A s s o c i at i o n which incorporates 16 other participating companies.

The website explains that the disease must have been caught in Thailand postregistration only and does not cover any other illnesses or pre-existing condition.

Thai hospital room and board costs must not exceed “standard room charges” except in the intensive care unit where “medical necessity” is the criterion.

Enrollment costs for a full 12 months vary considerably to a maximum of 43,200 baht, but the only factor is the country of origin and not the age of the applicant which is unusual. A person travelling from UK would at present

pay 23,040 baht, those from India much more.

The question now arises whether this coronavirusspecific policy is the only one in play for foreign applicants applying to their local Thai embassy for that vital Certificate of Entry.

Not necessarily. The new Special Tourist Visa (STV), offering stays of between 90 and 270 days, is only available in countries with a low infection rate. But the website of the Thailand Longstay Company, which first confirmed the STV, still refers on its website to the need to have both the US$100,000 Covid-19 insurance and also a separate s e cond p olic y to cover other medical problems/ emergencies to the tune of 400,000 baht inpatient and 40,000 outpatient treatment.

This latter insurance is not available to anyone over 75 years applying for the first time, according to the

websites of the participating Thai companies in that scheme.

Or take the example of t he 1 2 - mont hs O / A retirement visa issued by virtually all Thai embassies w o r l d w i d e . Mo s t T h a i embassies, including the London-based one, refer s olely to t he C ov i d - 1 9 U S $ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 i nsu r an c e, but the Washington DC website specifies (for this visa) “additionally” another policy for 400,000 and 40,000 baht. In other words, the possibility of ne e d i ng t wo i nsur ance policies to cover separately coronavirus infections and other health crises is still afloat. Until the issues are fully sorted, assuming they are, all applicants for the Certificate of Entry should rely only on the appropriate embassy website. There are significant differences internationally.

INSURANCE/PAGE 7

Empty suit, no; empty vessel, yes WE have to be familiar with these two terms that refer to two conditions or states that can characterize our life. One is good which we should try to assume, while the other is bad which, of course, we should avoid at all costs.

To be an empty suit is to be quite impressive and showy on the outside, in appearance, in airs or aura, etc. but rather empty on the inside, that is, in substance, in spirit that animates our life, in real capabilities.

Dictionaries describe an empty suit as “a prominent person regarded as lacking substance, personality or ability.” A number of similar variations can flow from that general description of an empty suit.

An empty vessel, while literally meaning a container with nothing inside, is a biblical term first referred to in 2 Kings 4,1-6 where a woman, troubled by the creditors of her dead husband,

was asked to get as many empty vessels so that oil can be poured into them to pay for her husband’s debt.

That term has come to mean our need to empty ourselves so that the oil of God can fill us, which is the condition or state that is proper to us. We have to empty ourselves of our own selves, so to speak, so that the spirit of God, the spirit that is proper to us since we are God’s image and likeness, can fill us.

This ne e d has b e en referred to several times in the New Testament, in particular in the Second Letter of St. Paul to Timothy: “If anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” (2,21) We have to be wary of our tendency to become an empty suit rather than an empty vessel. We cannot deny

that the prevalent culture nowadays pressure us to live some kind of hypocrisy, since we are made to worry more about our public image, our appearance than about what really matters in our life, and that is, to be truly identified with Christ, who is the pattern of our humanity, the redeemer of our damaged humanity.

This does not mean that we should not worry about our public image. We should!

But it should be a public image that is solidly supported by the real substance, that is, the spirit of God animating in us.

We should worry less about our public image or our public packaging than about our quest to have God in us, since the former would just come as a consequence of the latter.

Besides nowadays, more and more people already have the skill to discern which one is just an empty suit and which one is a real

HINTS AND TRACES

ROY CIMAGALA man of God. Sooner or later, the real character of a person can be known by the fruit that they bear, so to speak. They are known by their deeds and the effects of their behavior.

As Christ said: “A good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit…A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and en evil man out of the evil treasure of his brings forth evil.” (Lk 6,43-45)

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FRIDAY|OCTOBER 30, 2020

Teaching in the ‘New Normal’ Times By: HAYLEE P. JAYOMA Teacher-III Alubijid Central School

Famed Sulu coffee joint branches out in CDO DENNIS Coffee has been closely synonymous with one of the best Robusta harvests in the region--- Sulu Coffee or what is popularty known

as Kahawa Sug. The colorful history of this modest café reflects the vibrant coffee couture of the region and it can be traced as far back as 1962 to Hubbaisa Ahalu,

Staycation during time of pandemic

By BEVERLY M. TAGARDA

For many of us, 2020 will not be known for road trips and grand travel plans here and abroad.

At this time of the pandemic, staycation seems to be the best way to get out of the house after being on quarantine for what feels like years.

Even if one doesn't feel comfortable traveling far during the pandemic, it is still important for families to do something together.

However, a staycation in 2020 is unlike what it used to be, with the continuous threat of the coronavirus.

Activities are limited, tests are even required in some areas, and most of all, there's the anxiety and risk of getting infected once you

step outside your home.

But it can be doable and safe as long as the health protocols are followed by would-be staycationers.

Book in advance. Take the antigen test on the same day of check-in (for GCQ areas).Follow the rules and regulation of the hotel/resort. Make sure that you wash your hands all the time.

Wear your mask. Hotels accredited to operate in all community quarantine classifications most certainly have standards for clean facilities, but do spray disinfectant around your room just to be sure.

Observe physical distancing and avoid mingling with the crowd.

the family matriarch who established the coffeehouse.

Five decades and several branches later. the eldest of Hubbaisa grandchildren, Imelda AhalulDagus, embarked on a mission to champion this family tradition that is deeply rooted in culture. community. passion and advocacy.

Imelda opened her first upscale café, Dennis Coffee Garden, in Zamboanga City in 2015. The success of Dennis Coffee Carden has enabled her to establish another branch in KCC Mall de Zamboanga in 2016, and open the flagship concept store,

Dennis Coffee Express or DCE at Yubenco Tetuan, Zamboanga City in 2018.

This year, DCE will continue the tradition of brewing Kahawa Sug but this time in Cagayan de Oro. Besidos Kahawa Sug, DCE also aims to promote the best Robusta coffee of Region 10. Together, we can provide a different experience to coffee champloning the rich coffee culture of Mindanao to the global community that transcends beyond our tagline "Masarap Magkape".

DCE Coffee is at the third level of SM CDO Downtown Premier in Cagayan de Oro City.

Learners' welfare

By GERALDINE Y. BACONGUIS Tagoloan Central School

Educators find meaning in their being teachers when they are surrounded by their learners.

As the world celebrated Teachers’ Day earlier this month, educators marked the occasion preparing modules and thinking how their valued learners could cope with the challenges brought by the pandemic.

Far f rom pre v i ou s celebrations when teachers get tributes, surprises, flowers, and gifts from their students, this year it was simpler.

No footsteps of children running to meet their teachers, no hugs, no gifts – perhaps a text message would suffice.

Celebrating Teachers’ Day with the learners is more meaningful compared

to this year's celebration.

Spending this special day outside the four walls of the classroom with the learners will create beautiful memories that would last a lifetime. We have to admit the fact that teachers are nothing without the pupils. But whether we like it or not, this is already the new normal in education. The safety of our learners is our utmost priority.

Be open-minded.

Continue dreaming and a s pi r i ng for a b e tt e r future. Your success is not measured through the learning modality, may it be face-to-face, modular, online, offline, or blended. It all depends on your determination and perseverance to learn.

Wit h t h e C ov i d - 1 9 pandemic making revisions as to how we run our days in limitations and restrictions amidst the threatening idea that we be claimed as victims of this unforgiving virus should we not discipline ourselves and diligently observe the health protocols, education in itself is no exception to have undergone these major revisions and changes. The once normal we’re used to in teaching is now revising its approach to suit the ‘new normal’ times. The unprecedented effect of this plague has terribly and horribly modified everything to a not-socomforting end, especially about our dealings with providing education in the country. Both private and public schools alike have adapted to the changes demanded by this ‘new normal’ setting.

Moreover, face-to-face classes are now discouraged by the government as this would breach the health protocol prescribed by the authorities in-charged in combatting the Corona virus plague. With no cure nor vaccine for it yet, the birth of online classes and modular learning styles became the new trends out from this awkward adjustments the nation has been going through, if not the whole planet itself. The new normal has brought up a lot of things new to us teachers just to assure that there be continuity of providing education to students and learners. For one, teachers embrace the idea of teaching without face-to-face instruction.

Second, teachers exhaust the utility of printed modules thereby forcibly adapting to modular teaching delivery mode. Third, teachers adapt the skeleton scheme in reporting to school to prevent crowd gathering and risking their own safeties.

The skeleton scheme of reporting makes use of the work-from-home style when fulfilling the teacher’s duty during the weekdays.

Teachers may just report to school physically for about twice or thrice a week and may render the remaining days just at home but still does school-related works

during this time. Another is that, teachers must make it a habit to themselves to wear masks or face shields all the time when strolling around in public places like school campus, especially during around physical reporting to their respective stations. This has been part of the procedure this ‘new normal’ period as we’re still adjusting to the grave threat of the pandemic.

And last, teachers had gone through series of we bi n ars an d v i r tu a l trainings like ‘Learning Delivery Modalities Course’ just to prepare and equip themselves the right mindset and sufficient knowledge to this new approach in teaching that’s never been quite done before.

Prior to opening of classes last October 5th of this year, teachers went through the trouble of printing voluminous copies of self-learning modules, the main tool for the modular style of teaching.

In it, there includes the learning competency that a learner must achieve and master. The modules also provide sets of activities and assessments which are commonly found after every discussion in the module.

For this modular approach in teaching to really work, teachers had oriented the parents of the learners to really must work alongside with them as they’re going to be the person to guide their kids during their handling and answering of the modules at home.

While, yes, this pandemic may have caused great changes to how teachers normally do their jobs in the previous years, but the fact remains that despite the wrath of this pandemic, our educational system is still willing to push boundaries and willing to bend their standards just to make education available to all.

6 BIR-RR16, CDOC destroys aggregated P1.2-B untaxed cigarette products Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776

FRIDAY|OCTOBER 30, 2020

Role of Parents in the New Normal Deped Order No. 30 s 2020 MARICEL C. NALE Teacher 1 MOGCHS

Department of Education is committed to ensure educational continuity in this time of crisis while looking after the health, safety and wellbeing of all its learners, teachers and personnel.

Schools must adopt assessment and grading practices that can most me an i ng f u l ly supp or t student development and respond to varied context at this time.

Parents have the crucial role in facilitating learning of their s on/ daughter because assessment is a shared responsibility among teachers, learners and families. Parents have significant role and responsibilities. Parents and guardians will play a crucial role in guiding their children in adapting to t he changes i n t he distance learning process.

Parents and guardians will assist in the a ss e ss me nt pro c e ss i f

necessary. It can be done by the following: First, communicating with the teacher to give updates on their child’s situation, progress and challenges e n c ou nte re d. S e c on d, guiding their children i n a c c omp l i s h i n g t h e assessment task and or monitoring tools designed by their teachers. Third, parents must always impart good values at home which reflects students’ performance.

Parents must monitor their students’ readiness during classes especially basic needs such food and amenities which is observable in online classes at home. Fourth, to a lw ay s e nsu re t hat everyone in the house is free from COVID 19. To always remind learners to always observe social distancing, wear mask at all times and face shield when necessar y and follow health protocols set by IATF.

New Normal in Education MICHAEL A. LUMAJANG Head Teacher-I

Life nowadays has never been more dynamic.

The complexity of how an individual is living in today’s generation is w it hout a doubt ver y stressing. Despite that, one must need to get up and live to the new normal amidst the pandemic.

The health crisis has brought profound effects on every sectors of humankind while the impact of it is so strong that it is even evident on learning and teaching.

Education in this most trying time should not be halted. In spite the need for social distancing, education remains relentless in its goal to ensure learner’s access to education. Teachers are doing everything they can to keep up with the pandemic and to bring the classroom instructions into the homes of the learners. All of us may fear for the uncertainty but we have to educate ourselves because when all of the horror happenings are gone at least we are totally

prepared and are ready to fight for our dreams.

COVID-19 continues to reshape the way we communicate with each other. We are no longer allowed to teach and learn face-to-face but within us, there is a growing optimism that one day we will and can sur vive the virus.

Nonetheless, let us follow the protocols as one nation and constantly remind ourselves that nothing is more important than the health of everyone.

Times are indeed changing; however, the kindness within us should remain. Let us grab this chance to cheer and to hold on to one another, to support our learners and to trust each other. Only in this way that we can show our warmth and love to everybody. Remember that after the pandemic things will be brighter.

We will be physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually whole as well as conditioned to stand up and re-imagine the future through education.

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)–Revenue Region No. 16 (RR-16) Cagayan de Oro City destroyed a total of 7,219 master cases and 232 reams of seized cigarette products with aggregate unpaid Excise Tax of about P1.2 billion from five separate joint enforcement operations done by the BIR RR-16 Cagayan De Oro City.

Led by its Regional Investigation Division, in cooperation with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) North Eastern Mindanao Regional Office, the disposal was done at the DiGaMa Waste Management Facility in Barangay Bayabas, here.

“We are gathered here today for the destruction and disposal of counterfeit and untaxed cigarette products with the help of the DiGaMa Waste

A total of 7,219 master cases and 232 reams of cigarette products were confiscated and in accordance with the government pursuant Revenue Regulation No. 7-2014, with an aggregate unpaid Excise Tax of about P1.2 Billion. (VPSB/PIA10)

Management Facility,” said BIR Revenue Region No. 16 Chief Legal Division Lawyer Johaira B SaidBadron.

As to cases filed, Badron said criminal cases have been filed against all perpetrators involved

Teacher’s Reflection By: LOURIE LAE PAZ Z. IMBONG T-I/Tugasnon Elem. School

“There is no more satisfying to the soul than to gaze upon the eyes of those children whose visions were once clouded with ignorance and now slowly seeing the world like rational individuals do, which became possible because of you as their teacher,” this is the thought that hit me when trying to come-up with a satisfying answer to my self-imposed query as to why I chose teaching as the road I must track.

Most often, I heard the line that teaching is a great privilege given to man, and indeed this proved to be true as I quite thought about it. Not everyone in this world is given the chance to be like a guiding star to a wandering man losing his track in the midst of his journey, nor to be like that of a lighthouse in a misty cold dark night offering a guide to a lost ship on the course of its voyage, nor to be able to cast a favorable ripple effect in the future generation.

What becomes of the youth in the future, teacher has its big share of responsibility in it.

Probably, much bigger than we imagined. In a teacher’s perspective, how we filled the empty vessels of the children today and how we prudently hone their fragile minds reflect the kind of people who will do the thinking in running our country and the world in the years to follow. It is only rightful to say that teaching is not merely a job but a crucial and significant profession

in the manufacturing or selling of the seized cigarettes without BIR Stamps or with counterfeit stamps.

“As of press time, we are awaiting resolution from the Department of Justice (DOJ),” she added.

A total of 7,219 master cases and 232 reams

of cigarette products were confiscated and in accordance with the government pursuant Revenue Regulation No. 7-2014, with an aggregate unpaid Excise Tax of about P1.2 Billion.

“We are strictly enforcing the seizure of DESTROYS/PAGE 7

Why I Chose Teaching?

By: MARILYN E. JANSON Teacher-I Tugasnon Elementary School

one must exercise properly with full commitment and nobility because through it we are somehow developing the next generation’s future, and so is this planet we’re living in.

Teaching, as I deemed it now, is not so much of a job like I first thought that just need to be fulfilled just to make ends meet, but it’s more of a privilege given to few people who’s willing to carry out change and development all for the greater good. It is like a gift clothed in a profession.

It is an opportunity to contribute positive change in the already existing reality that surrounds us. As the teacher, this, of course, begins by planting the seeds of knowledge and virtue to the minds of the learners who will soon be the one to carry out this mission.

The youth of today will be the potential pawns of change who’ll bring out this task to satisfaction should we, teachers, make the necessary preparations today for them to fulfill this responsibility to make the world a better place.

To top it all, I was lucky to earn me this job. With it, I am somehow touching the future. And with that, I’m glad to be a teacher.

I somewhat consider myself to be one of those lucky people in the world because I happened to own one of the most noble professions ---that being a teacher. Not to give high praises nor lift high my own chair about this job, but I felt teaching as one of the jobs I have the so much high regards to.

Not because I am a teacher myself but it’s because not everyone is given the chance to make a difference in the world.

In teaching, it feels like I am somehow touching the lives of today’s younger generation whom I know in turn would be the people who run the world someday.

What I do or don’t do today might affect those people I touch this present time whilst fulfilling the job I was entailed to do. My few years of rendering service as an elementary public school teacher in the department has inspired me more each day to do better in my profession for reasons that I know how valuable my worth is in the lives of the children I’ve handled; and more importantly, because I know how crucial the role I play in the future of these kids.

Teaching may not be for everyone, as not all have been blessed enough to be given with this privilege.

Perhaps to most people, teaching is a profession by choice, and I seem to fall in that category myself. Hence, I would say that teaching is my calling because I

wasn’t regretting the day that I decide to walk on this path. As matter of fact, I could never think of any profession that suits me better than teaching.

The only joy I get from my job apart from the monetary compensation offered by this job is the idea that I get to see my kids gradually morphing into a learned individual because of the time I had poured and shared with them. Morphing a kid from a non-reader to becoming a reader by the end of the school-year is already big accomplishment alone, and the joys I earned from it is beyond imaginable.

Thus, I always consider myself as lucky to have been chosen to carry out this noble job. And perhaps they were right when they used to coin the phrase to describe teachers as the “unsung heroes” of today’s generation. Many might not have seen directly the noble acts we’re doing inside the domain of our classroom as we kept on doing our tricks and noblest of magic with our pedagogical touch, but I’m certain that our k i d s s o m e d ay w o u l d look back on us and still remember us for how we made a difference in their lives. Maybe they’re not realizing it now, but I’m fairly sure they’d never forget us somehow. So, that said, I never felt a tiny bit of regret of opting to choose this job when I decided all those years ago.

7

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FRIDAY|OCTOBER 30, 2020

Insurance...

AirAsia...

T h e lu r k i n g s e c on d insurance was introduced in 2018 – long before the pandemic arrived – to cover specifically retirees applying for an O/A visa at an embassy and also renewing it at a Thai immigration office.

Its current status, in view of the TAT announcement about Covid-19 being the only necessary cover, is in need of clarification. Unless, of course, some websites out there haven’t been updated yet.

a.m., seven minutes ahead of its scheduled 9 a.m. arrival.

The airline utilized an Airbus A320 aircraft for the flight, which catered locally stranded individuals (LSI), authorized persons outside res i denc e (AP OR ) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROF) from this city and the neighboring areas.

Ricardo Isla, Philippines AirAsia chief executive officer, said the inaugural flight of the Manila-General Santos route was initially scheduled in late March but was shelved due to the pandemic.

He said it was targeted to open last August but was rescheduled again and eventually made it official Wednesday.

“Finally, we are in General Santos and we are so happy that we even arrived earlier than our expected arrival,” he said during the inaugural ceremony.

The event was joined by Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao, South Cotabato first district Rep. Shirlyn Nograles, city officials and other AirAsia executives.

Isla said the airline pushed to continue with its expansion here despite the pandemic to mainly accommodate residents who were stranded in Manila and other areas in Luzon in the last eight months.

He said most of the passengers of the inaugural flight were stranded for a long time in Metro Manila and will just be seeing their families for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

The move also embodies their resolve to remain resilient amidst the crisis and help sustain the economic activities, he said.

He said this includes bringing the city’s tuna products to Manila, Clark in Pampanga and “all over the world.”

“We think the best place to open immediately even amidst this pandemic is no less than General Santos City,” Isla said.

C i t y May o r R o n n e l Rivera lauded the expansion of AirAsia to the city and hopes that it will be enhanced further once the COVID-19 situation eases.

He said it complements with the city government’s continuing effort to attract more investments and sustain the area’s economic growth.

from page 4

Happiness... from page 4

healthier for 6 months to a year! Just by daily counting your blessings one-by-one.

Victor Frankl survived Auschwitz, the horrifying Nazi death camp where h is pre g nant w i fe w as murdered. He said: “Nazis can take everything from me, including my life. But they can never take away my choice to be happy.”

Won’t you make that lifechanging choice to be a happy person today and every day of your life? Ask the Giver of life and happiness to take charge of your heart and way of living? Only God the Son can guarantee your lasting satisfaction and peace that no one can take away from you. Just think a minute…

Engulfs... from page 1

Grid Corporation of the Philippines Mindanao Office said in a phone interview.

The incident occurred at 6:28 a.m. and affected the substation of Agus 1 and Agus 2 in Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur, Ladaga said.

Aside from Marawi and Lanao del Sur, the outage also hit Pantar, Balo-i and Pantao Ragat towns in Lanao del Norte, which relies on power from the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative.

Ladaga said the NGCP had reenergized the substation’s VTie line at 2:45 p.m. after the National Power Corp. replaced the damaged equipment inside the Agus 1 switchyard in Marawi.

The NGCP engineering team also performed ride-on corrective works at Agus 1 substation, she added.

Lieutenant Michael Kent Go, officer-in-charge of the police office of Pantao Ragat said in a phone call that power was restored in the town at 2:51 p.m.

Thursday.

Dr. Shalimar R akiin, c h i e f o f A m a i Pa k p a k Medical Center (APMC) in Marawi City in a phone interview said the outage did not affect them as they have three 500-KVA power generators and another one with a 750-KVA capacity. “ We h a v e p r e p a r e d additional 800 liters of fuel in case the power outage will last 24 hours,” she said.

She added the hospital needs a stable power supply because it is attending to COVID-19 patients. (Richel Umel/MindaNews)

from page 1

“We are looking forward to enhance this new connection and eventually promote more routes,” he said.

AirAsia will have two return flights every week from Manila to this city scheduled every Wednesday and Friday.

Due to the prevailing restrictions on domestic travel, only LSIs, APORs and ROFs will be allowed to travel and should present negative R e vers e Trans cr ipt ionPolymerase Chain Reaction test result for COVID-19 and authority to travel.

Once the regular commercial flights resume, Isla said they will offer “twoin-one” discounts of at least 50 percent for airfare and hotel accommodations in partnership with at least eight hotels here.

He said the offer, which is on top of t he P511 promotional fare for the route, will be extended until June 2021. (MindaNews)

Grant...

from page 1 of focus. By working together to respond to real community needs, clubs and districts strengthen their global partnerships.

Global grants have a minimum budget of $30,000 and a maximum World Fund award of $400,000.

Grant sponsors can use a combination of District Designated Funds (DDF), cash, and/or directed gifts and endowment earnings to fund a global grant. The Foundation will provide a 100 percent World Fund match for all DDF contributions.

In this case, the global grant was applied during the time of immediate past president Julino Dulfo in 2019.

Past RI District 3870 governor and district Rotary Foundation chair Manuel Along recalled that it was during a training among fellow Rotary Foundation district chairs in Clark last March 2019 that they were encouraged to apply for the global grant.

Along, who is organic to the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro, then met with Dulfo so they could apply for a global grant.

It s o happ ened that Philippine Red Cross CDOMisOr chapter chair Antonio Soriano also happened to be a member of the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro. And so it was decided that the global grant, once approved, will be turned over

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to the Philippine Red Cross CDO-MisOr chapter.

The global grant that they applied for was to be used to install a blood bank refrigerator, a plasma freezer, an incubated platelet agitator, a tube sealer and a T-seal mobile. These are equipment that will increase capacity to store blood at the blood center and replace antiquated equipment.

Soriano is grateful to the Rotarians, saying the global grant is timely in the light of COVID-19.

Mindanao’s biggest club, also recognized as The Mother Club, was organized on April 22, 1948. From a small group 17 charter members, it has constantly grown over the years.

The Rot ar y C lub of Cagayan de Oro is made up of distinguished professionals, business and community l e a d e rs w ho share t he common passion of serving the community selflessly. It is a non-religious, culturally diverse and non-political club that strives to promote equality and high ethical s t a n d a rd s a m on g m e n through project and activities that cater to various sectors of society advocating the importance of education, health improvement, and p over ty alle viation are prioritized and regularly carried out by the club and its members.

Donors...

from page 1 (NMMC), who noted on Wednesday the decline of blood supply in the region in recent months.

Although he did not provide specific figures, Ro cha s aid admissions related to Covid-19 are a primary factor in the decline of blood supply in Northern Mindanao.

This was the reason, he said, that the Philippine Red Cross has been holding blood donation drives and constantly calling on the public to donate blood.

At NMMC alone, Rocha said the current blood supply is no longer sufficient for emergency cases.

"We urge the public to visit our hospital facility EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE OF DECEASED PERSON WITH SALE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That late SAMSON PAGAOA died on July 6, 1991 at Mindanao Sanitarium Hospital, Tibanga, iligan City, died intestate leaving parcel of land more particularly bounded and described, to wit; A parcel of land with TCT No. T-6278, situated in the District of San Miguel, City of Iligan, containing an area of THREE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE (325) SQUARE METERS, more or less and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE OF DECEASED PERSON WITH SALE, filed by the heirs of SAMSON PAGAOA, per DOC #33; PAGE #14; BOOK #31; Series of 2020 under the Notarial registry of ATTY. ROWELL B. VALLEDOR. BWM: Oct. 23, 30 & Nov. 6, 2020

(and donate blood). By November, we will come out with an announcement for the bloodletting schedule," he said.

R o c h a a s s u re d t h at blood donors are safe from possible infection because the hospital's bloodletting facility is located in a separate facility far from where Covid-19 patients are being housed.

(PNA)

Vital... from page 2

Registration Centers for the registration proper.

After getting the registrant’s biometrics in the registration proper, all the encoded information of each registrant will be revalidated.

If all the entries are successfully authenticated, the system will generate the registrant’s PhilSys Number or PSN. After that, a Philippine ID will be printed and will be issued to the registrant for his or her personal use.

Reg ist rat ion for t he general public will continue until 2022.

The PhilSys registration centers include, among others, regional and provincial offices of PSA, local civil registrar’s office, Government Service Insurance System, and Social Security System.

S i g n e d i nt o l aw by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in August 2018, Republic Act 11055, or the Philippine Identification System Act, aims to establish a single national ID for all Filipinos and resident aliens.

The national ID shall be a valid proof of identity that shall be a means of simplifying public and private transactions, enrollment in schools, and the opening of bank accounts.

It will also boost efficiency, especially in dealing with

government services where people will only need to pres ent one ID during transactions. (PNA)

Destroys... from page 6

cigarette products without the BIR stamps and with counterfeit BIR Stamps because, outside from the foregone revenue for the government, we are also trying to protect the businesses of legitimate manufacturers who are paying their taxes dutifully,” Badron added.

Appropriate criminal charges have been filed against the perpetrators for the violations of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

I n t h e e v e n t , B I RRR 16 Regional Director Florante Aninag, Assistant Regional Director Emir Abutazil, BIR RR-16 officials, Commission on Audit (COA) re pre s e nt at ive s , P h i l ip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation (PMFTC) and Intellectual Property officials of Philip Morris Philippine Manufacturing Inc (PMPMI), TriMedia and NBI operatives witnessed the destruction of the illicit products while adhering to minimum health standards. (VPSB/PIA10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739 CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011

IT education in the time of pandemic ETHEL C. BANGUIS Secondary school Teacher III Ozamiz City National High School, Ozamiz City

As d i s t a n c e l e a r n i n g becomes more mainstream, dig it a l resi lienc y wi l l b e c o m e e s s e nt i a l f o r schools. The global p and e mi c accele r ate d K–12 education’s digital transformation.

Wi t h r e m o t e a n d hybrid learning turning m a i n s t r e a m , t o d a y ’s teachers and students are increasingly reliant on mobile devices and digital tools. Efforts to close the homework gap are more urgent than ever, and cyberthreats — particularly ransomware attacks — are only intensifying.

These unprecedented changes also make it clear that IT teams must be equipped with the right tools to support the success of students and educators in this new learning environment, according to a report by Absolute,

an e n dp oi nt s e c u r it y solutions company.

Operational agility is the new critical capability for all IT teams to be able to respond to changing conditions and seamlessly transition between models.

IT teams are doing more with less. They are facing significant challenges with tracking and managing de vices, s of tware and applications remotely.

Remote learning has created new tech support challenges, taking away valuable instr uctional time and causing teacher frustration.

Network-based security controls aren’t enough to protect end users in remote environments.

2020 signals a new chapter in education. The challenges we are seeing are not a minor blip — there will be no return to the pre-virus status quo.

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Friday|October 30, 2020

8

Restoring Nature:

A GREEN ADVOCACY

I

F YOU’VE ever been on vacation by the beach somewhere tropical, you’ve probably encountered mangroves, but did you know that they are in fact trees and are crucial for helping the environment and protecting the world’s coastlines?

The Philippine Air Force’s Tactical Operations Group-10 (PAF TOG-10) has been Italpinas Development Corp (IDC)’s long time partner in serving Kagayanons through community service responsibility (CSR).

IDC has been partnering with PAF-TOG 10 since it developed its first project, Primavera Residences in the city of Golden Friendship.

PAF-TOG led community events like Mangrove Planting and Brigada Eskwela, to name a few.

The most recent community effort was held at Punta Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro where IDC and PAF-TOG 10 conducted a mangrove planting activity.

“IDC is fortunate to team up with PAF-TOG 10 as one of it’s CSR partners for many years now.

IDC’s CSRs are all about giving back

to the community and to our environment.

We are beyond grateful to have PAF-TOG 10 supporting us with our goals on building a better community for Cagayan de Oro. We share a commitment to the City of Cagayan de Oro to continuously foster and promote green advocacy” said Frances Mae R. Galvez, IDC

Brand Manager.

Why do we Choose to Plant Mangroves?

Mangroves are halophytes (or salt-tolerant trees) and can be found in what’s known as the intertidal zone - the area where the coastlines meet land in tropical and subtropical locations such as Cagayan de Oro. What’s remarkable about them is that

despite being trees they have adapted to living in salty water, the shifting sands of the world’s oceans, and the low-oxygen environment of mud. Their twisted roots and branches jut up from the sand and water like long, slender stilts and help secure the trees against the battering of the sea and changing tide, and their thick waxy leaves

filter and excrete the salt from the water.

Aside from their incredible adaptation to an environment considered unfit for trees of any kind, mangroves are a critical species for protecting coastlines, endangered and threatened species, people’s livelihoods, and even helping combat climate change!