BusinessWeek M I N DA N A O CREDIBLE
Volume XII, No. 23
Market Indicators
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Time's greatest place SIARGAO Island made it into Time magazine's list of "greatest places" in 2021, which recognizes destinations that were able to adapt and innovate despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic. In a statement, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat hailed Siargao's inclusion as a recognition of the country's continuous efforts to make the country a safe destination once travel resumes. "I am pleased that the country's innate beauty continues to draw attention from travelers all over the world despite the pandemic. We are doubling our efforts to create a future of Philippine travel that is safe, more fun, and provides travelers with an authentic and meaningful experience throughout their journey," she said.
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By BONG S. SARMIENTO, MindaNews
ORONADAL City– Moro civil society organizations (CSOs) were dismayed over the failure of President Rodrigo Duterte to push the extension of the transition period in the Bangsamoro region as a priority legislative measure during his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) last week. In his almost three-hour speech, Duterte cited the signing of Republic Act 11054 or the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (OLBARMM) as one of his administration’s key
milestones, but kept mum over the incessant clamor to extend the life of the B angsamoro Transition Authority (BTA). “We’re disappointed that the President did not mention SKIPPING/PAGE 7
APPLIANCE REPAIRMAN. Damaged rice cookers, fans, and other appliances? Mario Yee, of Sasa, Davao City can fix them all, like he does in this photo taken at GSIS Heights Subdivision in the city's Matina District on July 30, 2021. Yee said his work has sent him to as far as Surigao and Cagayan de Oro City. mindanews photo by gregorio bueno
Mindanao’s population rises from 24M to 26M
BTA extension AS the third regular session of the 18th Congress officially started, a group urged lawmakers to pass the bill extending the transition period of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), based on the provisions of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) which was clearly ratified by the overwhelming majority of the Bangsamoro people. In a statement on Friday, the Bangsamoro People’s Coalition for the BTA Extension said extending the transitional period will show a responsive partnership between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Earlier this week, the group held a peaceful prayer rally in Tandang Sora, Quezon City to ask for divine intervention to enlighten the national leaders on the importance of this call.
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By CAROLYN O. ARGUILLAS, MindaNews
BAKUNA BY THE SEA. A Dabawenya joining the vaccination queue takes advantage of the waiting period to take a photo of the beach at the “Bakuna by the Sea” vaccination site on Saturday (31 July 2021). The cluster vaccination, initiated by the Davao Tourism Association in partnership with the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao, aims to inoculate thousands of tourism personnel under Category A4 on a clustered approach. mindanews photo by yas d . ocampo
DAVAO City – Mindanao’s population rose from 24.14 million in 2015 to 26.25 million as of May 1, 2020, with Davao City and Bukidnon still the most populous among Mindanao’s 27 provinces and 33 cities and
South Cotabato Arts, Culture Tourism and Museum unit, said the province posted a total of 712,053 domestic and foreign visitors from January to June, rebounding from the record slump last year. He said such figure is up by 296.59 percent from the 179,543 visitors recorded in the same period in 2020. Matunding attributed the huge increase in tourist arrivals to the more relaxed C OVID-19 rest r ic t ions
i mp l e m e nt e d b y l o c a l government units based on the guidelines set by the national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. “It allowed tourists to travel and visit various destinations and attractions but with strict adherence to the minimum health protocols, particularly on accommodation capacity,” he said in a report. TOURISM/PAGE 7
the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) posting an annual population growth rate of 3.26 percent, making it the country’s fastest growing region, according to the 2020 Census of Population and
Housing (2020 CPH). The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released early this month the results of the 2020 census showing that the country’s population increased by eight million, from 100,981,437 in 2015 to 109,035,343 in 2020 as of POPULATION/PAGE 7
SoCot tourism bounces back By MINDANEWS
GENERAL Santos City– South Cotabato province’s tourism industry continued to thrive in the first six months of the year as tourist arrivals increased by nearly 300 percent from last year despite the threats posed by the continuing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Richie Matunding, program assistant of the
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Zambo cops, troops seize P4.7-M smuggled cigars ZAMBOANGA City – Military and police seized some P4.7 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in this city and in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, the region's top cop said on Saturday. Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director, said the bulk of the smuggled cigarettes was seized around 6:40 p.m. Friday in Sitio Malasugat, Barangay Sangali. Ylagan said troops of the 74th Infantry Battalion were manning a checkpoint when they flagged down a cargo truck driven by Jay Villarosa, 43, who was traveling with a companion, Abby Jadjail, 31. The truck, when inspected, was found to be loaded with 100 master cases of smuggled cigarettes worth P4.3 million covered by an empty styrofoam
cooler. The confiscated smuggled cigarettes were placed under the custody of the Zamboanga City Police Office’s Station 3 for eventual turnover to the Bureau of Customs. Ylagan said the other smuggled cigarettes were seized around 1 a.m. Saturday in Barangay Baloyboan, Pagadian City. He said the policemen were conducting checkpoint operations when they intercepted a four-wheel vehicle driven by Hermie Ibañez, 34, of Zone 1, Barangay Culianan. He said Ibañez’s vehicle was loaded with 751 reams of undocumented cigarettes consisting of 502 reams of Fort and 249 Famous cigarettes worth P450,600. The suspect, his vehicle, and the confiscated cigarettes were brought to Pagadian City Police Station. (PNA)
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Iligan’s agri program hailed as outstanding
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LIGAN City -- With the city recognizing agriculture as one of the livelihoods of Iliganons, Vice Mayor Jemar Vera Cruz evaluated the local government’s agricultural program as exemplary and very satisfactory. He said the city has been delivering various assistance to its people, especially agriculture services along with its vital components. “Usa sa mga programa nato nga I would rate very high and
outstanding ang grado nato is agriculture, helping out our farmers sa technical and ang farm inputs,” said Vera Cruz. The vice mayor also noted that the city’s agriculture still has needs, specifically roads to connect farms to the market. “Ang ato lang kulang didto is to give them access sa road from their farm up to the market. Hopefully, with the help of the government, national and local, kini matabangan ug matubag kini nga problema,” he
said. As part of their continuing agricultural aid in communities, the City Agriculture Office distributed seedlings to farmers at Sitio Kapisahan in Brgy. Mainit during the City Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s serbisyo caravan Wednesday, July 28. Farmers were also encouraged to register themselves to make farming their profession and avail more benefits intended for them. (CRG/ PIA-ICIC)
Brgy Carmen, CDO SK enlists over 8,000 in youth profiling CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY--Gearing towards implementing timely and responsive programs for the youth, the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) of Barangay Carmen, here, has
BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL National Highway Balingasag, Barangay 4, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental Mobile Number/s: 0933-823-3161, 0933-823-3304 Tel. Number: 333-5161 CAGAYAN DE ORO P&J Lim Building, Tiano Kalambagohan St., Barangay 14, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel No. (08822) 727-829 / 231-6629 Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0933-823-3303 / 0943-708-7065 CAGAYAN DE ORO WAREHOUSE Warehouse 7, Bonbon Road, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Mobile No. 0917-825-4149 / 0943-708-7065 CARMEN, CAGAYAN DE ORO Vamenta Blvd., fronting CEPALCO, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 233-2011 Mobile No. 0933-823-3159 CORRALES, CDO Corrales Ave., Barangay 29, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 231-2055
conducted the 'Youth Profiling' where they were able to enlist over 8,000 youth. Barangay Carmen SK Chair Benjie Mondelo said during the CORDS-X Podcast
DIVISORIA, CDO A. Velez St., Barangay 9, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0917-841-4000 / 0933-823-3164 GINGOOG CITY G/F Wyne Militante Bldg., Lugod St., Barangay 22, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 861-0104 Mobile No. 0933-823-3168 LAPASAN, CDO National Highway (FICCO Bldg.), Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 231-6739 Mobile No. 0933-823-3160 PUERTO, CDO Purok 6, Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 859-0574 Mobile No. 0943-708-7537 CAMIGUIN B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Telefax No. (088) 387-0491 Mobile No. 0943-708-7539
with Communications Sec. Martin Andanar, July 31, that through the profiling, it will be easier for them to determine the needs of the sector as well as identify those who would want to avail the COVID-19 vaccination program of the government. “Naa naman kita’y nakuha nga mga datos gikan sa atong Youth Profiling nga nahuman adtong niagi ug naa na sila'y mga contact numbers. So basin paningkamutan namo nga ma-survey ang mga batan-on ug kinsa gayud ang dili gusto or gusto magpabakuna kay para ma-prioritize pud nato sila," Mondelo said. (We have already obtained some data including the contact
numbers from our Youth Profiling and we have just completed it recently. We will try to determine those who would want or not want to be vaccinated so we can prioritize them) Getting a guide on how they can approach the youth with the profiling, Mondelo said they were able to conduct webinars on entrepreneurship, online tutorial, teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS awareness, and gender equality. Having the biggest population in the city, Mondelo said Barangay Carmen has always been the target of various government interventions. He added that a lot of nongovernment organizations (NGOs) also help the barangay in addressing pressing issues such as teenage pregnancy. Even if they have a good guide in serving the youth, the SK chair said they still find it difficult to conduct various faceto-face activities with the restrictions of the community quarantine status in the city. "Apektado gayud kaayo ang mga activities nato pero wala kita napugngan niana para maghatag sa serbisyo ug mga aktibidades nganha sa atoang mga kabatanonan sa barangay," Mondelo added. (Our activities are really affected but this has not stopped us in providing service and activities to our youth in the barangay) Aside from the webinars, they also hold online game tournaments to still encourage youth participation even in the midst of the pandemic. To further protect the youth, the SK is also targeting to provide prizes or tokens to those who would soon avail the COVID-19 vaccines once their sector is already included in the priority groups. (RTP/PIA-10)
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New school building to further promote access to quality education in Surigao City By PCOO
SURIGAO CITY -- Building facilities that are more conducive to learning is a step in further improving access to quality education in the country, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said on Tuesday. Secretary Andanar was here to attend the blessing and turnover ceremony of a four-storey school building for the Surigao City Pilot School (SCPS), the largest elementary school in Surigao City, where he recognized the school’s
administration and the local government unit for pushing for the project. “This is a remarkable accomplishment in our pursuit to provide a better environment for our children, and also a milestone in promoting quality education in our country,” he said. The said P46-million school building, which was funded under Department of Education's Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF), houses 16 classrooms that will be able to accommodate more students once face-to-face classes resume. The PCOO chief said these
classrooms are part of the 15,000 classrooms that were constructed under the Duterte administration. He hopes that this will inspire more students to continue their education and pursue their passion amid the pandemic. “As the largest public elementary school in the city of Surigao, this additional fourstorey building will breathe life to the dreams and aspirations, likewise create lasting memories for our students here,” he said “Let’s make this an instrument for our students to pursue their passions in whatever field that may be,” he
added. Secretary Andanar also remained optimistic that with the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination program and the declaration of community quarantines to curb the spread of the virus in localities, the country will be able to recover from the pandemic so that children can finally go back to school. “I am optimistic that soon, we will be able to go back to the lives we had pre-pandemic so that our children and our students will be able to truly benefit from this project,” he said.
“For now, I encourage everyone to continue to mask up and follow health protocols for our safety, as we wait for our turn to be vaccinated against COVID-19,” he added. Secretary Andanar was accepted as an alumnus of the school, having attended there during his early education. He further committed to continue to help the school in the remaining months of the administration. According to the chief education supervisor of Surigao City, Dr. Elizabeth Larase, it was Secretary Andanar who helped SCHOOL/PAGE 6
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Happiness: mood or mode? (Pt.2) Think a minute… “Some people cause happiness wherever they go—others whenever they go.” Ask yourself: “Are people happier when they see me coming or going?” The only way to get happiness is to give it to others. “The miracle of love is the more you give, the more you have.” Joy shared really does become joy doubled. It’s like perfume: you can’t pour it on others without getting some of it on yourself. Happiness only comes to those who give themselves to a purpose greater than just their own personal happiness. It’s a fact that we get less and less satisfaction the more we take for ourselves. It’s called the Law of Diminishing Returns. But people who celebrate life each day learn to see and feel joy in the simplest experiences, so their capacity for happiness just keeps growing. Remember: “Happiness in life is made up of small, yet mighty and meaningful moments: the little kindnesses of a smile, a sincere compliment, a tender touch, heartfelt encouragement, or forgiveness to someone who
THINK A MINUTE
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El peregrino, Tomas 'Buddy' Gomez III Tomas “Buddy” Gomez III, was former consul general in Hawaii and former press secretary during the time of President Cory. Prior to that, he held senior executive positions within the Ayala group. My last encounter with Buddy was during a zoom reunion on July 11, of former Ayala executives. During that meeting, Buddy excitedly informed us about his forthcoming Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. Just a week later, friends and colleagues were shocked and saddened to learn that Buddy died more than halfway through what he described as “spiritual adventure of a life time”. He was 86. B u d d y ’s s o n M i t c h described the last few days of his dad. “Our dad was truly on a mission, certainly excited about his “spiritual adventure of a life time”. He planned his camino clearheaded, clear-eyed and was truly deliberate about it. No
one could have convinced him to do otherwise. In his blog “Cyber Buddy”, our dad always expressed himself (regardless of subject matter) with energy and passion and a little bit of drama. The last few weeks of his blogs and FB posts were quite different. They were very spiritual and prayerful. “He started his camino in the town of Sarria in Galicia in northwestern Spain on July 18 ( a Sunday). He was physically alone in his last journey but spiritually accompanied by the prayers and well wishes of family, friends and all the peregrinos who preceded him. “In the morning of Friday (July 23), he was found by workers in the room of the hostel where he was staying. A report from the local civil authorities said that died in his sleep in the afternoon of Thursday (July 22). “At the time of his death, he had already covered 75 kilometers of his 115
kilometer journey. And he was less than 40 kilometers away from Santiago de Compostela. On Wednesday evening, a very tiring day by his own admission, he emailed family about his first real sit-down dinner in three days. It would be his last dinner. One of his last messages to family was: “I will certainly try to keep going. I just woke up and I will be on the road again in an hour. Rising with the dawn.” Approximately 12 hours later, after reaching his hotel in Arzua, he passed away. “His last days were days of introspection, contrition, repentance, atonement. While we were praying for him, he was praying for us. As Father Maury said: His body may not have completed the camino, but his heart certainly did.” Buddy was very first boss when I joined the Ayala group in the mid-70s. He was then head of Ayala’s PR
1844 until 1900. Nietzsche was a German philosopher, essayist, and cultural cr it ic. His wr it ings on truth, morality, language, aesthetics, cultural theory, history, nihilism, power, cons ciousness, and the meaning of existence have exerted an enormous i n f l u e n c e o n We s t e r n philosophy and intellectual history. Nitzsche argued that its corrosive effects would eventually destroy all moral, religious, and metaphysical convictions and precipitate the greatest crisis in human history. Interestingly, Nietzsche himself, a radical skeptic preoccupied with language, k n ow l e d ge , an d t r ut h , anticipated many of the themes of postmodernity. It’s helpful to note, then, that he believed we could–at a terrible price–eventually work through nihilism. If
we survived the process of destroying all interpretations of the world, we could then perhaps discover the correct course for humankind. When I discover traveling around on social networks, the word boredom is being us ed more and more especially by the young generation. "Boredom occurs when our engagement with the framework is suspended, and we notice the change to our experience brought about by our newfound inability to provide different times with different ignificances according to their relevance to a future goal" - so described by German philosopher Martin Heidegger (1889– 1976). Guys, we cannot really “make” our lives meaningful by just ignoring the fact that everything sooner or later vanishes into a deep and dark hole of time? I can't believe
SPEAKING OUT
IGNACIO BUNYE department and concurrently the Executive Director of Filipinas Foundation which is now known as the Ayala Foundation. As t he fou nd at i on’s executive director, Buddy had a direct hand in the setting up Ayala’s flagship project - the Ayala Museum - and engaging in research projects like the Sumilao cattle research project in Xavier University; the Magalang, Pampanga land reform experiment, scholarships in vocational-technical education and various studies GOMEZ/PAGE 7
Everything is meaningless! Especially nowadays we hear this expression more and more often. In a world with more and more natural disasters and never-ending pandemic, it's no wonder. I am sure, my dear readers, that you experience it in your surroundings too. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophia, is a peerreviewed academic resource, where I often find answers to my questions. I quote: "Nihilism is the belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated. It is often associated with extreme pessimism and a radical skepticism that condemns existence. A true nihilist would believe in nothing, have no loyalties, and no purpose other than, perhaps, an impulse to destroy". Nihilism is most often associated with Friedrich Nietzsche, who lived from
HAVE MY SAY
KLAUS DORING it. I’m reslly a huge fan of existing. I love Woody Allen and his comment: “Cloquet hated reality but realized it was still the only place to get a good steak.” I think there’s plenty of fun to be had – at least for those of us not in tragically dire circumstances. Think about yourself. Moreover, siding with thinkers like David Hume, I think there's great contentment in seeing other people being helped, MEANINGLESS/PAGE 6
Again the problem of familiarity JHAN TIAFAU HURST needs it…Duty makes us do things well, but love makes us do them beautifully.” The only way to find real life is to give it away to others. A young man who died tragically in his 20’s after desperately searching for happiness, simply wrote: “Happiness not shared is not real.” But to give yourself you must be yourself, and no one else. After all, everybody else is taken! It’s not possible to be happy until you learn to be who you were made to be. Remember, no one else can be you as well as you can. To be somebody, you must first be yourself. “To find yourself, you must first HAPPINESS/PAGE 6
“A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country.” This is Christ’s indictment against the people of his own place who, instead of being amazed and thankful for having among them not only a very special person but the very son of God, found Christ too much for them, and were in fact scandalized by him. This is what familiarity is all about and what it produces. As an adage would put it, familiarity breeds contempt. It is the state of getting too accustomed to God and to his goodness such that we would not feel the urge anymore to thank and praise him for everything that we have and enjoy, since all these things come from him. It is a ver y common danger to us, and is at bottom a result of letting simply our senses, feelings
and our other ways of purely human estimation to guide us rather than our faith, and its necessary companions of hope and charity. Instead of being amazed and thankful for having among them not only a very special person but the very son of God, Christ’s townmates found him too much for them, and were in fact scandalized by him. That is why Christ refused to do many miracles there. We have to be more aware of this danger of familiarity and install the necessary defenses against it. More than that, we have to aggressively cultivate the art of always being amazed at God and at all his works. That should be the proper state for us to be in. We have to understand, though, that this abiding state of amazement that we should try to develop is not a
matter simply of sensations. Of course, it would be good if we can always feel amazed and in awe. But given the limitations of our bodily organism, we cannot expect that to happen all the time. For this to happen, we should always feel the need to renew and purify our love for God and others. That’s simply because of the tension between our nature and our supernatural goal, not to mention our present wounded human condition that is prone to temptation and sin and to all kinds of weaknesses. We unavoidably have to contend with these conditions in our earthly life. We can always start with good intentions and the best of our efforts in anything that we do. But if we do not constantly renew and purify our love for God and neighbour that should
HINTS AND TRACES
ROY CIMAGALA inspire all our actions, we simply cannot go the distance. Somewhere along the way, our energy will weaken, our motives will get warped, our obj e c t ives wi l l get displaced. We should be realistic and humble enough to acknowledge this fact of life and do something about it. In this life, the law that we ought to follow is to always renew and purify our love for God and neighbour. PROBLEM/PAGE 6
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Disruption in cash flow, ‘real challenge’ for MSMEs S MALL business owners know they need to digitalize their processes and innovate to face current challenges, but some find it hard to do it due to lack of information where to tap these innovations. In a virtual briefing on Friday, Union Bank of the Philippines (Unionbank) vice president and SME (small, medium enterprises) segment head Jaypee Soliman said sources of these innovations are also too fragmented, which makes it hard for small businesses to adapt to it. There are currently separate venues for e-commerce, payment, and logistics partners, he said. “And that is why, Unionbank has been championing platforms and we are championing hubs,” he said during the launch of UPAY, an allin-one payment acceptance hub.
BAP urges public to be more vigilant vs. cybercriminals THE Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) has urged the public to heed financial institutions’ advice regarding best practices on how to protect themselves against cybercriminals. In a statement on Thursday, the BAP cited the rising online fraud like phishing and other cybercrimes, especially since the pandemic hit in 2020. “We ask the public to remain vigilant against these schemes. Today, cybercriminals are creating more methods to defraud the public. We would like to remind the customers that banks regularly communicate the best practices that the public can utilize to ensure their cyber safety. VIGILANT/PAGE 6
The bank also launched the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) business banking app last January. Soliman said access to finance is the primary challenge that is always cited in the case of MSMEs. He, however, said the real challenge is not the financing per se but “because the cash flow has been disrupted.” “People cannot collect on time but people need to pay things on time,” he said, citing that UPAY addresses this by allowing business owners to digitize the way to collect payments. With UPAY, business owners need to simply send a link that contains the amount that the customers need to pay. Unionbank officials said the bank has also partnered with
several payment channels that have branches in more than 50,000 locations nationwide to lessen the need for business owners to give out their bank account details to collect payments. Unionbank executive vice president and chief customer experience officer Ana AboitizDelgado said they are also conducting training and mentoring, with the help of various government agencies and private entities, to help MSMEs. She said one-on-one mentorships have also been given to select MSMEs that are having a hard time finalizing their business models. “We’re finding this to be very effective and value-adding, I guess, you can say service or advocacy to help them out in these difficult times,” she added. (PNA)
Digitalization, financial inclusion back ‘New Economy’ DIGITALIZATION and financial inclusion are the foundations of the “New Economy”, Bangko Sentral ng Plipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said, citing their benefits to more Filipinos. “Why finance digitalization? Financial technology makes transactions easier and faster, which in turn, speeds up income. It also makes financial products and services accessible to a greater number of people, which in turn, enhances financial inclusion,” Diokno said Friday in his speech during the 2021 Outstanding BSP Stakeholders Appreciation virtual ceremony. Diokno said the central bank has been pushing for digitalization of financial transactions even before the pandemic, with the
goal to have at least half of these transactions done digitally. He said BSP also aims to have about 70 percent of Filipino adults have their own financial accounts by 2023. During the pandemic, digital payment transactions using electronic fund transfers facilities like InstaPay and PesoNet surged following the lockdown measures implemented by the government. Diokno said InstaPay transactions increased by 155.4 percent year-on-year in May 2021 while PesoNet transactions rose by 22 percent. These facilities are the two real-time electronic payment systems under the central bank’s National Retail Payments System (NRPS).
Diokno said more than 8 million electronic accounts were created last year and monetary authorities expect more to be opened this year as more players enter the market. “The establishment of digital banks will bring about greater efficiency and extend the reach of financial products and services among the unbanked, including MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises),” he said. The use of QR codes have also been boosted after the central bank launched its person-tomerchant (P2M) program, he added. “Compared with using point-of-sales terminals, QR technology presents small merchants INCLUSION/PAGE 6
“BE TOGETHER by “Not Being Together” SESYL D. PINATIL, PhD Teacher III City Central School
We live in a time where COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide. Many countries were faced with an unprecedented challenge to public health, food systems and employment and labor issues. Here in the Philippines, our front liners, together with the government exerted all of their efforts to warn us. Many cities have declared a lock down, physical gatherings were prohibited and health protocols were reiterated from time to time. Walking outside is now different than before.Faces are now covered with mask, well, not the mask we see during halloweens, But face masks same as what doctors and nurses wear in hospitals, with faceshields that looks like an over sized eye glasses to keep us safe from the virus. Whether we like it or not, this is now mandatory or part of the NEW NORMAL as we call it, to help lessen the spread of the virus. With all of these guidelines and protocols to keep us safe during this pandemic, there is one that has caught my attention. "SOCIAL DISTANCING". What is Social Distancing? here's
one definition I found online. "Social distancing, also called “physical distancing,” means keeping a safe space between yourself and other people who are not from your household". This is one of the preventive actions suggested to help reduce the spread of covid 19. As a result, the word virtual was suddenly recognized. Virtual Meetings at work, virtual classes for students, virtual church services, virtual get together with friends, virtual wedding ceremonies, even hugs and kisses are now being sent virtually just to follow this rule. Nowadays, I see Social Distancing happening also at home. It is not intentionally observed but it happens in most households. Even before the word " Social Distancing" became popular because of the pandemic, a lot of us are already distancing ourselves from our loved ones by spending too much of our time with social media, games, watching movies and many other things that looks entertaining to us. Too often, we find ourselves in the same room with our family but are busily communicating with someone not present, or indulging ourselves through social media contents,
thereby missing an opportunity to laugh, to bond and even uplift a family member who might need our help. Smartphones and other digital devices are both a blessing and a curse. They connect us to an amazing world of information. They help us with our jobs, at school, and speak with family or friends across vast distances. But when not managed properly, digital devices can also disrupt family relationships. It creates a barrier between us and our loved ones. It is like living with them but we seem to be far away from them. While the pandemic continues to threaten us, It also has given us an opportunity to stay at home with our families. Let us not waste our time instead treat it as a blessing, while it is available to spend with people who deserved it. Let us not practice Social Distancing at home and start living a meaningful life with our family. Let us learn to always value our TIME with our Family....."For Family time is a Sacred Time" Also, remember, don’t be afraid to disconnect from technology for a bit. The great thing about technology is that you can turn it off.
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Happiness...
School...
find the One Who created you.” The great news is He’s as close as a prayer away. He’s just been waiting for you to come home to Him, and let Him take charge of the life He gave you. Remember, living your own way will only end up breaking your heart and destroying your happiness. That is why Jesus desperately wants to enable you to become all He designed and made you to be. Won’t you ask Him to forgive you for your sinful, self-centered living, and to take control of your heart so you can start living His way? Only then can you start enjoying real, lasting happiness that becomes your daily mode of living—and not just a passing mood or moment. Just think a minute..
in following up the funding and the completion of the school building. A ls o pre s e nt at t he inaugural ceremony was Surigao del Norte 2nd district Congressman Robert Ace Barbers. The SCPS is also known as the site for a building structure built during the American occupation in the country, the Gabaldon school building. It is part of the cultural properties under the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009. President Rodrigo Duterte signed on Jan. 18, 2019 Republic Act 11194 or the Gabaldon School Buildings Conser vation Act, which seeks to preserve the architectural, historical, and social significance of Gabaldon school buildings, heritage school houses built in the Philippines from 1907 to 1946. (PCOO)
from page 4
Meaningless... from page 4
and great joy in behaving like a decent human being. Generally regarded as one of t he most imp or t ant philosophers to write in English, David Hume (1711– 1776) was also well known in his own time as an historian and essayist. I would even call myself an optimist. If you take time and check my previous columns at this corner, you will agree with me. +++ Email me: doringklaus@ gmail.com or follow me on Facebook, Twitter and/or Linkedin or visit my www. germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www. klausdoringsclassicalmusic. blogspot.com.
Problem... from page 4
O u r att itu d e s h ou l d b e that we just have to b eg in and b eg in again. We have to learn how to renew ourselves, or how to have another conversion since conversion is going to be a lifelong necessity for us. This is how we can distance ourselves from the constant threat of familiarity and c omp l a c e n c y. Wh at we need to do is to continue, without let up, having to b eg in and b eg in again. This is a practical law of life that we should apply in our daily affairs. Email: roycimagala@ gmail.com
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Inclusion... from page 5
with a simple and more affordable payment facility,” Diokno said. The Philippine Identif ication System (Philsys) is also a plus to the financial inclusion bid since “this will address the lack of identity documents which is among the most common barriers to account opening,” he said. T he s e me a su re s are e x p e c te d to b o o st t h e economy’s recover y and ensure the achievement of the central bank’s financial inclusion and digitalization bid. The pandemic resulted in the negative output of the economy last year but Diokno said green shoots have started to come out since the third quarter of 2020. “It has been more than a year since the pandemic began, and, with cautious optimism, we can say that the worst is over,” he added. S i g n e d i nt o l aw by President Rodrigo Duterte in August 2018, Republic Act 11055, or the PhilSys 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,
DILG-10: Beefed up measures, apt aid needed in ECQ areas
C
AGAYAN DE ORO CITY--Noting the adverse effects of the Delta variant present in Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog City, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)10 calls for a stricter implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), and speedy distribution of relief goods and financial aid. "We have been coordinating closely with Director Gen. Rolando Anduyan ang atoang Police Regional Office 10 just to ensure nga ang atoang mga kapulisan kini sila nahatagan gihapon ug kaangay nga direktiba ug kini sila gatabang sa atong mga local government units sa atong istrikto nga pagpatuman sa atoang minimum health standards," DILG-10 Regional Director Arnel Agabe said. (our Police Regional Office 10 just to ensure that our police personnel are given the right directives and for them to help our local government units to strictly implement the minimum health standards) During the CORDS-X Podcast with Communications Sec. Martin Andanar, July 31, Agabe said the Philippine National Police (PNP)10 established border
controls between Cagayan de Oro and nearby towns citing that the existence of Delta variant in the two cities is very alarming. For her part, PNP-10 Spokesperson Michelle Olaivar said they have established 12 checkpoints within Cagayan de Oro City and they also issue Ordinance Violation Receipt (OVR) to those who defies the protocol. As of July 1-29, 2021, the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) has recorded 2,643 violators of the minimum protocol health standards where 1,156 came from violation on not wearing a face mask, improper wearing of face mask (102), not wearing of face shield (549), improper wearing of face shield (12), and violation of rule on social or physical distancing (823). In Gingoog City, 99 violators were recorded, July 29, where 12 come from violation on not wearing a face mask, improper wearing of face mask (28), violation of rule on social or physical distancing (26), and curfew violation (31). Relief and financial assistance "We’re able to closely coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, sa DSWD. Kita nangutana kung unsa ang pwede nila nga ikahatag nga tabang
especially in dealing with government services where people will only need to pres ent one ID during transactions. (PNA)
i nve st m e nt s re l ate d to cybersecurity to protect clients’ personal data at all times. “Ensuring ever yone’s security in cyberspace must be a joint effort between banks and their clients. We would like to reiterate the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ call for collaboration among stakeholders such as law enforcement agencies, regulators, the banking industry, and the public at large to gather and share knowledge about c y ber threats. This will allow for swift creation of measures that would prevent these t h r e at s f r o m h a r m i n g Filipinos,” it added. (PNA)
Vigilant... from page 5
We call on everyone to be aware of these reminders and apply them so that cybercriminals will fail in their attacks,” it said. The BAP also assured the public that all banks have rigorous protocols when it comes to investigating cybercrimes for these criminals to be apprehended and penalized. It s aid t he indust r y also continues to make
sa atong mga (We asked on what they can give to our) local government units and we have also facilitated ang atoang mga (our) local government units so they should be able to give their requests sa (to) DSWD," Agabe said. The regional director also lauded DSWD-10 Regional Director MariFlor Dollaga-Libang for taking the initiative in submitting a proposal for special financial assistance for the affected individuals of Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog. Any time soon, Agabe said the DILG, DSWD, PNP, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will have a memorandum of agreement (MOA) in the provision of the special financial assistance. This is to ensure that the assistance will be properly distributed. He added that the special financial assistance comes from the national government as President Rodrigo Duterte mandated the concerned agencies to provide speedy assistance to the affected residents of Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog. Also, during the Normin COVID-19 Response Task Force press conference, July 30, Agabe said, "Every individual would receive P1,000 but the maximum
is P4,000 per family nga (who is) affected sa (in the) declaration sa (of the) Enhanced Community Quarantine." He added that Gingoog LGU was already able to submit their distribution plan and DILG is still waiting for the distribution plan of Cagayan de Oro City. After more than a year of battling against the adverse effects of COVID-19, Agabe hopes that the LGUs as well as the residents have learned a lot from the experience, and would be able to improve on their COVID-19 response to eventually prevent and contain the spread of the virus. (RTP/PIA-10) DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AND PARTITION OF THE ESTATE OF IRENEO S. BINOLHAY (With Confirmation of Deeds of Sale) With Waiver and Assignment of Rights KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
That the late MARCELO C. SONZA who died intestate on October 1, 2013 at Capitol University Medical City, San Pedro, Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental; that the deceased at the time of her death left three (3) Parcels of land with Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-116355 situated at Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City, containing an area of ONE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED EIGHTY (1,480) Square meters, more or less, Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-46611 situated at Maanas, Medina, Misamis Oriental, containing an area of THREE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FOURTEEN (3,314) Square Meters, more or less, Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-119126 situated at Balulang, Cagayan de Oro City, containing an area of FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY EIGHT (558) square meters, more or less, and has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE AMONG THE HEIRS OF MARCELO C. SONZA, filed by the heirs of MARCELO C. SONZA, per DOC #439; PAGE #89; BOOK #13; Series of 2021 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. KAROL CHAIM P. BARTOLOME.
That the late IRENEO S. BINOLHAY died intestate on April 6, 2020 with no will and upon his death left no payable debts; acquired a parcel of land with Transfer Certificate of Title No. ET-6841 with an area of Thirty Eight Thousand Three Hundred Sixty Six (38,366) square meters and located at Mampayag, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon; during his lifetime, IRENEO S. BINOLHAY, has ceded, transferred, conveyed a portion of such property, with an area of TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED SIXTY SIX (25,166) square meters more or less to ALEXANDER U. PINEDA by way of Deed of Absolute Sale under DOC No. 169; Page No. 34, Book No. 42, Series of 2014 executed and acknowledged before Notary Public Atty, Juvy Ind V. Arubio on October 24, 2014, to ROSALINDA G. BINOLHAY, adjudicated unto her is Lot 393-E-8-G, with an area of TWO THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED NINETY-SEVEN (2,197) square meters; to LUZMINDA G. BINOLHAY, adjudicated unto her is Lot 393-E-8-H, with an area of ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY TWO (1,552) square meters; to EDGAR G. BINOLHAY, adjudicated unto him is Lot 393-E-8-A, with an area of ONE HUNDRED TWENTY EIGHT (128) square meters & Lot 393-E-8-C, with an area of ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE (175) square meters; to JASMINO G. BINOLHAY, adjudicated unto him is Lot 393-E-8-D, with an area of THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY EIGHT (378) square meters & Lot-E-3-B with an area of TWO HUNDRED NINE (209) square meters, to ROMEO G. BINOLHAY, adjudicated unto him is Lot 393-E-8-E, with an area of FOUR HUNDRED THIRTY (430) square meters; and to ELEAZAR G. BINOLHAY, adjudicated unto him is Lot 393-E-8-B with an area of TWO HUNDRED TWENTY EIGHT (228) square meters; REMEDIOS GUIHAYON BINOLHAY, RUEL G. BINOLHAY, JASEL G. BINOLHAY, NORMA G. LUGSANAY, ROSALINDA G. BINOLHAY, LUZMINDA G. BINOLHAY, EDGAR G. BINOLHAY, JASMINO G. BINOLHAY, ROMEO G. BINOLHAY, and ELEAZAR G. BINOLHAY, adjudicated unto them is Lot 393-E-10 with an area of ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FORTY (1,540) square meters, and has been the subject of an DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AND PARTITION OF THE ESTATE OF IRENEO S. BINOLHAY (With Confirmation of Deeds of Sale) With Waiver and Assignment of Rights, filed by the heirs of IRENEO S. BINOLHAY, in favor of ALEXANDER U. PINEDA, per DOC #339; PAGE #68; BOOK #03; Series of 2021 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. DELBERT JOHN Z. BARSAGA.
BWM: July 26, Aug. 2 & 9, 2021
BWM: July 26, Aug. 2 & 9, 2021
EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE AMONG THE HEIRS OF MARCELO C. SONZA KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
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Skipping... from page 1
the extension of the transition period in the Bangsamoro as a priority bill. Nevertheless, we will not stop appealing to him and lobbying before Congress to pass a law extending the transition period in the Bangsamoro region,” Samsodin Amella, coconvenor of the Civil Society Organizations Movement for Mor a l G ove r n an c e (CSOMMG). The Bangsamoro regionbased CSOMMG has been strongly pushing for the extension of the BTA for three years until 2025. T h e C ompre h e ns ive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the peace agreement signed by government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), provides that during the transition period, the BARMM will be governed by the BTA, an 80-member body composed of 41 members nominated by the MILF and 39 nominated by the government. If the transition period is not extended, the mandate of the MILF-led BTA will end on June 30, 2022 when the first set of elected officials shall have taken their oaths of office. Duterte previously vowed support for the extension of the transition period but a month before the SONA, expressed a “neutral stance” and left the matter in the hands of Congress. In March, at least one million signatures were submitted to Malacañang petitioning the President to certify the bills extending the transition period in the Bangsamoro region as a priority legislative measure of the Duterte administration. Amella noted that if Congress will not pass a law postponing the BARMM elections that will effectively extend the transition period, politicians who will not support it “might lose the Bangsamoro vote.” He told MindaNews on the phone that they will campaign against the national and local politicians who will not support the extension of the transition period. During Monday’s SONA, Moro and non-Moro indigenous peoples in and EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late SALVADOR LOPEZ, who died intestate in Alubijid, Misamis Oriental, Philippines, on April 22, 1990 and JULIA LOPEZ, who died intestate on Alubijid, Misamis Oriental, Philippines, on March 23, 1999 that the deceased died intestate, without will or testament, and without any outstanding debts in favor of any person or entity; that the deceased left parcel of land with OCT-P-18868 Tax Declaration No. 08-17-0009-05567 situated in the Lumba, Alubijid, Misamis Oriental, containing an area of FIFTEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED THIRTY THREE (15,933) square meters, more or less, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT, filed by the heirs of SALVADOR LOPEZ and JULIA LOPEZ, per DOC #463; BOOK #93; BOOK #83; Series of 2017 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. QUINTILIANITO S. BABARIN, JR. BWM: Aug. 2, 9 & 16, 2021
outside the Bangsamoro region joined a motorcade of over 100 cars and motorcycles in Metro Manila to press anew the extension of the transition period in the BARMM. The One Bangsamoro Movement, Inc. (1Bangsa), which counts at least 60 Moro groups as members, also expressed frustration that Duterte failed to ask Congress during the SONA to prioritize the extension of the transition period in the BARMM. A l an B a l ang i - A m e r, 1Bangsa president, said that if the Bangsamoro transition period will not be extended, correcting the historical injustices against the Bangsamoro people “could become a failure as BARMM is just in its infancy.” Correcting the historical injustices against the Bangsamoro people is just starting and it needs more time to fully achieve that, he said, adding that in other parts of the world with armed conflicts that have been settled, the transition period usually lasts from six to 15 years. “I was expecting the President to proclaim strong and loud support for the BTA extension during the SONA, and more importantly to declare it as an urgent bill. I was dismayed that he did not mention it during his speech,” Balangi-Amer said. The cre at ion of t he Bangsamoro region is the key component of the CAB, the final peace agreement between the government and the MILF signed in 2014 after 17 years of negotiations. The CAB also provides for the decommissioning of MILF fighters and their weapons. Officials from both sides admitted the deactivation process has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and that extending the transition period will help allow for its full implementation as well as the other obligations of the parties to the peace agreement. In S e pte mb e r 2 0 1 9 , the Phase 2 of the decommissioning process was launched in Sultan Ku d ar at , Mag u i nd ana o with Duterte as the main guest. It involved 12,000 MILF members and at least 2,100 assorted weapons “in a process that was completed in March 2020,” according to the foreign-led Independent Decommissioning B ody (IDB). Each deactivated MILF fighter was promised a
million-peso package of assistance, which includes livelihood and shelter, and 100,000 pesos. The 12,000 decommissioned fighters have received only the cash component and are still waiting for the rest of the package. Phase 3 was scheduled to start this August. The list of 14,000 MILF fighters with their 2,450 weapons had been submitted to the IDB last December. Phase 3 involves 35 percent of the 40,000-strong MILF, which waged a decades-old war with the government in an initial bid for Moro self-rule in Mindanao that eventually concluded in negotiated autonomy.
Population... from page 1
May 1, 2020. Mindanao’s 26.25 million accounts for 24.1% of the nationwide population. President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation 1179 on July 6 declaring as official the population count of the Philippines by province, city, municipality and barangay based on the 2020 CPH. According to the 2020 CPH, Cotabato City has a population of 325,079. MindaNe ws tallied the population in the 63 villages of North Cotabato at 215,433. 9 with a million count Nine areas in Mindanao have populations of over a million with Davao City as the most populous at 1.78 million while the eight are all provinces: Bukidnon (1.54M), North Cotabato (1.5M), Maguindanao (1.34M), Lanao del Sur (1.2M), Davao del Norte (1.12M), Zamboanga del Sur (1.1M), Zamboanga del Norte (1M) and Sulu (1M). Among the eight provinces, seven already had populations of over a million in the 2015 census. Sulu’s population in the 2015 census was 824,731. Two other provinces made it to the Top Ten list: South Cotabato (975,476) and Misamis Oriental (956,900). The least populous provinces are island provinces: Dinagat Islands with 128,117 and Camiguin with 92,808. Top 10 cities The 10 most populous cities in Mindanao are spread across its six regions and have populations ranging from 210,000 to 1.78 million. Davao City (1.78M), located in Region 11, is the most populous city and most
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populous area in Mindanao. Among 33 highly urbanized cities nationwide, Davao City is the third most populous after Quezon City (3M) and Manila (1.8M). Six of the Top Ten cities are highly urbanized cities: Davao, Zamboanga, Cagayan, General Santos, Butuan and Iligan. Lamitan in Basilan breached 100,000 in the 2020 census, with 100,150, up from 74,782 in the 2015 census. From Region 12 to BARMM The 2020 CPH posted a population of 4.90 million for Region 12 and 4.40 million for the BARMM. At the time of the census in May 2020, Cotabato City, which voted for inclusion in the BARMM during the Januar y 2019 plebiscite had not been turned over to the BARMM. Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia GuianiSayadi, who campaigned against ratification, appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte in February 2020 to exclude the city from the BARMM until end of the three-year transition period on June 30, 2022. The app e a l was not granted. On Decemb er 15, 2020, supervision over Cotabato City and the 63 villages in six North Cotabato towns was formally turned over by the Department o f Int e r i o r a n d L o c a l Government to the BARMM’s Ministry of Interior and local Governments. Deducting 540,512 votes from Region 12’s 4,901,486 as posted in the 2020 CPH, reduces the regional total to 4,360,974.
Tourism...
from page 1 Matunding said Lake Sebu town, the province’s summer and ecotourism capital, posted the most number of tourist arrivals with 256,814, followed by Norala with 148,243, Tupi with 132,210, Banga with 73,023, Koronadal City with 54,053, Tboli with 19,029, Surallah with 13,351, Tampakan with 9,202, Tantangan with 4,027, Polomolok with 1,770, and Sto. Nino with 213. These were based on the number of visitors who visited for at least one day in various tourist destinations and stayed overnight in
tourism establishments. He s a i d 6 8 f ore i g n visitors came to the province, comprising 23 from the United States, 20 from South Korea, seven from China, five from Australia, four each from India and Scotland, three from New Zealand, and one from Russia. A total of 121,634 tourists visited in January, 146,325 in February, 166,727 in March, 177,865 in April, 63,212 in May, and 36,270 in June, he said. The famed seven falls ecotourism site in Lake Sebu was the top tourist destination during the period, followed by the Strawberry and Guyabano or SG Farm, and the newly opened nature and farm resort in Sitio Glandang, Barangay Kablon, both in Tupi town. The other popular attractions are the Necitas Lagoon in Norala, Sunrise Garden Lake Resort in Lake Sebu, Mambukal Hot Spring Resort in Koronadal City, Our Lady of Divine Mercy Shrine in Lake Sebu, Lantaw Garrido in Norala, The Dreamweavers Hill in Lake Sebu, Punta Isla Lake Resort in Lake Sebu, and RMM Zipline and EcoTourism Park in Koronadal City.
Gomez... from page 4
(eg. An Anatomy of Muslim Affairs in the Philippines.) One of Buddy’s most striking qualities, to me, was his ability to converse on or discuss anything under the sun – be it politics, business, arts, or history. This extraordinary ability no doubt was developed thru his extensive reading habits. I understand that he would finish at least one book every two weeks. While discussing a proposed project of the Ayala Museum involving t he photog raphing of Philippine birds, Buddy gave us an impromptu lecture on Sinibaldo de Mas – the 19th century Spanish diplomat, adventurer and poet, who introduced photography in
the Philippines in 1841. I remember Buddy for his unabashed self-confidence which he tried to pass on to those who worked with him. Once he told me, “Toting, dapat malaki ang bilib mo sa sarili. Kasi kung hindi ka bilib sa sarili mo e sino ang bibilib sa iyo?” This is one life lesson which I have learned by heart and have since tried to pass on to others. Buddy’s advice is now a standard topic which I repeat every opportunity I have – be it a leadership forum or a school graduation. Incidentally, another standard fare in my graduation speeches is Buddy’s advice “to read, read and read”. I met Buddy again years later, when Buddy was appointed Press Secretary of President Cory. I was then Mayor of Muntinlupa. In addition to his Press Sec duties, President Cory also appointed Buddy as Cabinet Officer for Regional Development or CORD for Metro Manila. Buddy suggested that we would make a good team with him as CORD for Metro Manila and I as Chair of the Metro Manila Authority. At that time, the Chairman was elected by the Mayors from among themselves. Taking the cue from Buddy, I ran and was elected as Chairman of MMA for three consecutive terms. Thank you Buddy - my boss, my mentor and my friend. I and fellow Ayala colleagues of our generation – including Merle EstebanVillacorta (your ever loyal secretary), Melvyn Martin, Charisse Garcia Chuidian, Malou Camesa Mariano, Katy Dizon Jacinto, Jovy Cinco, Edith Nolledo, Mau Blardony, Toto Cruz, Francis Sebastian, Boyboy Reyes, Bebs Inocencio and Rene Montemayor will definitely miss you. Note: You may wish to share this article via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Viber.
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On and Offline: Globe takes lead in ensuring child safety
C
hildren’s rights should be fought for and upheld both offline and online. As a strong advocate of child safety, Globe continues to spread the message about children’s rights in cyberspace, especially the increasing roles that the Internet and technology play in children’s lives. Globe joined a panel of speakers for Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBP) Online Training Seminar organized by the Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC) last May, which aimed to build the capacity of top management on CRBP and deepen their knowledge on its relevance to their sector’s operations, and the use of online digital business platforms. At the session, Miguel Bermundo, Globe Senior Manager for Sustainability Integration discussed the
company's various programs and initiatives that help make information technology safe (#MakeITSafePH) for children, parents and caregivers who were impacted by changes in workplace policies during the pandemic, and its best practices to successfully adjust and pivot. One of these efforts is the Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP) which teaches the youth about good digital citizenship and responsible online behavior. From a series of offline workshops touching on Digital Insight, Digital Impact, Digital Ambition, and Digital Discernment, DTP is now being shared to the public through webinars and e-modules. It is also integrated into the Department of Education’s K-12 curriculum. The company also joined the UNICEF-led SaferKidsPH
initiative and Safer Internet Day which both raise awareness on pressing and emerging online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) cases. The 18th edition of Safer Internet Day called upon all stakeholders to join hands in making the internet a safer and better place for all, especially for children. Likewise, Globe supports the ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.’s Bantay Bata #163 Helpline which is free for all Globe and TM mobile phone users to make it easier for anyone to report child abuse during this quarantine period when children are at home most of the time. “Internet connectivity has become increasingly accessible to minors. Globe endeavors to make the Internet safer for children, starting with digital awareness. As a company whose business is connecting
many Filipinos to the internet, it is imperative to keep our customers, particularly children, safe online,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications at Globe.” Globe and AHRC have
previously worked together in the fight against child exploitation in cyberspace. Back in 2016, Globe was invited by UNICEF and AHRC to be its ally in building a child-friendly cyberspace together. The partnership led to a
study that helped determine how the principles of child rights can be integrated in the business principles of Globe to ensure that the company complies with international standards on online child protection and that its employees are informed properly about the laws related to this. These initiatives by Globe represent its commitment to supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals including UN SDG No. 4 to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, and UN SDG No. 9 to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. To know more about Globe’s sustainability initiatives, visit https://www. globe.com.ph/about-us/ sustainability.html.