COVID-19 vaccines reduce risk of infection by 91% for fully vaccinated people A NEW study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) reduce the risk of infection by 91
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percent for fully vaccinated people. This adds to the growing body of real-world evidence of their effectiveness. Importantly, this study also is among the first to show that mRNA vaccination benefits people who get Covid-19 de-
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spite being fully vaccinated (14 or more days after dose 2) or partially vaccinated (14 or more days after dose 1 to 13 days after dose 2). “Covid-19 vaccines are a critical tool in overcoming this pandemic,” said CDC Director Ro-
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chelle P. Walensky. “Findings from the extended timeframe of this study add to accumulating evidence that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are effective and should prevent most infections — but that fully vaccinated Continue on page 2
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June 14-20, 2021
Govt wants more money for vaccines! T
‘Senators demand transparency’
HE DUTERTE government is again asking for an additional P25 billion for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines on top of the existing P82.5-billion appropriations for vaccines this year. Continue on page 2
‘Go Negosyo’ project benefits poor Sulu families SULU - The municipal government of Maimbung in the southern province of Sulu has formally turned over 10 housing units to selected poor families who are beneficiaries of the Go Negosyo Housing Project and the Provincial Continue on page 5
Magpa-bakuna na kayo! ‘Duterte, nanawagan ulit sa publiko; mga Pinoy matigas ang ulo’
The Go Negosyo housing project which is subsidized by the Sulu provincial government is turned over to its 10 recipients June 8, 2021 in Maimbung town. The ceremony was led by Mayor Shihla Hayudini and Governor Sakur Tan. (Handouts from the Maimbung municipal government)
Duterte ready to retire, sees nobody deserving as next president DAVAO CITY - With less than a year to go before the national elections, President Rodrigo Duterte said he still does not see anyone deserving to succeed him, adding, he is ready to retire despite calls from his own allies in Congress to run for vice president. In an interview with
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President Rodrigo Duterte. (PCOO)
Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ on his own SMNI network on June 8, Duterte was asked who he thought could be his potential successor. “None, Pastor. Looking at the political horizon? Even you would know that,” he answered. “Nobody. I see nobody who is deserving.”
Quiboloy then remarked: “So your six years is not enough, isn’t that true? Those six years are really not enough because, you know, the sentiments of the whole Filipino nation is, like what I’m telling you now - it’s not just from me - they saw how the country took Continue on page 9
Eastern Mindanao
DAVAO CITY – Muling nakiusap ang Pangulong Duterte sa mga mamamayan na magpa-bakuna sa lalong madaling panahon at yun mga nakatanggap ng unang dose ng Covid-19 vaccines at dapat maturukan ng pangalawa at huling bakuna. Tinawag naman ni Duterte na “matigas ang ulo” ng maraming mamamayan kung kaya’t patuloy na lumulobo ang bilang ng Covid-19 cases sa bansa. “Mahirapan talaga akong magkumbinse sa Pilipino, lalo na ‘yong matigas ang ulo. Kindly follow instruction. Hindi Continue on page 3
Western Mindanao
Abala ang dalawang healthcare workers sa pagaasikaso sa mga nagpapabakuna sa Barangay Santa Catalina sa Zamboanga City. Muling nanawagan si Pangulong Duterte sa publiko na magpabakuna sa lalong madaling panahon. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Govt wants more money for vaccines! ‘Senators demand transparency’
Senators Risa Hontiveros, Kiko Pangilinan, Leila De Lima, Ralph Recto, Nancy Binay, Panfilo Lacson, and Franklin Drilon. (senate.gov.ph) Continued from page 1 Now, Senator Panfilo Lacson is demanding transparency from the government over the supposed need for an additional P25 billion. He said with so much funds for the procurement of vaccines, it could result in an oversupply or worse, be lost to corruption. “Based on the arithmetic I did, the P107.5 billion is way too much for buying the vaccines needed to achieve herd immunity – unless they know something we don’t. But the bottom line is, it is not their money, it’s the public. I can only hope the excess amount will not go to corruption,” he said. “More importantly, has the government made a commitment to procure the vaccines at such prices? It is important that the officials concerned explain how they will spend the amount. If they have not committed to
buy yet, they should exercise restraint in spending our resources which are severely limited already due to the pandemic,” he added. Lacson explained that if the P107.5 billion were to be used to buy Moderna vaccines at P1,383 per dose, it would buy 83.78 million doses. And if the amount, he added, were to buy the Chinese Sinovac vaccines at P683 per dose, it would be enough for 157 million doses and good for more than 75 million Filipinos which is over the targeted 70 million people to attain herd immunity. “Hindi sa nagbibintang tayo pero nag-iingat tayo. Pera nating lahat yan, hindi nila pera yan,” he said. Senator Francis Pangilinan also questioned the additional funding and wants the Senate to reconvene as a Committee of the Whole to resume its oversight hearings on the gov-
ernment’s vaccination rollout and ascertain the need for the added fund being sought by Budget Secretary Wendell Avisado. “Kailangang busisiin ang mungkahi na ito at nang maliwanagan ang publiko sa dagdag na gastos. Bakit kulang ang kasalukuyang budget? Saan napupunta ang pang-gastos? Maraming mga katanungan kung kaya dapat ay magkaroong muli ng Senate Committee of the Whole hearing tungkol dito,” Pangilinan said. The Senate Committee of the Whole convened early this year to probe the government’s Covid-19 vaccination plan following a privilege speech delivered by Pangilinan in December. He said it is once again time to check on the progress of the vaccine roll out. “We wrote to the Senate President about this matter last March and he said that he is open to reconvening.
We hope we can do so even while in sine die adjournment so we can take necessary steps to further improve our vaccine roll-out,” Pangilinan said. Other signatories to the letter are Senators Franklin Drilon, Ralph Recto, Risa Hontiveros, Leila De Lima, and Nancy Binay. Avisado said President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the release of an additional P2.5 billion from the 2021 contingency fund for the procurement of four million doses of Covid-19 vaccine. The Department of Budget and Management has already released P59.39 billion of the P70-billion budget of the Department of Health for vaccine procurement. “We need to be clarified on the current disbursements and spending that’s why it’s important to convene the Senate Committee
of the Whole. Nag-iisa lang ang layunin natin dito kung paano pa mas mapapabilis ang vaccine roll-out para maabot ang ating mga kababayan,” Pangilinan said. Lacson previously noted the Duterte government’s penchant for borrowing, but not always with the corresponding results. He said that while borrowing may be necessary for the economy, the government has yet to show results of the trillions of pesos it has borrowed over the years. The country continues to sink in debts as the government trumpeted fresh loans running into billions of pesos to fund the purchases of Covid vaccines and other responses to the pandemic. Duterte had already borrowed billions of pesos since 2016 after winning the election, for his ambitious Build, Build, Build infrastructure projects and dole
outs to poor families across the country. Earlier this year, the Duterte administration also borrowed money from Japan further sinking the country in debts. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said this loan support from Japan equivalent to approximately P4.67 billion or US$91.79 million will help cover the funding needed to help families get back on their feet and rebuild communities following the destruction left by typhoons Quinta, Rolly and Ulysses in October and November last year. This recent disbursement brings to 20 billion yen, about P9.33 billion or US$183.58 million, the loans released so far by Japan to the Philippines. The Philippines now has over P10 trillion in debts and the increase in foreign and domestic borrowings heightened the last four years. (Mindanao Examiner)
COVID-19 vaccines reduce risk of infection by 91% for fully vaccinated people Continued from page 1 people who still get Covid-19 are likely to have milder, shorter illness and appear to be less likely to spread the virus to others. These benefits are another important reason to get vaccinated.” The findings come from four weeks of additional data collected in CDC’s HEROES-RECOVER study of health care workers, first responders, frontline workers, and other essential workers. These groups are more likely to be exposed to the
virus that causes Covid-19 because of their occupations. Preliminary results from this study were first announced in March this year. In the new analysis, 3,975 participants completed weekly SARSCoV-2 testing for 17 consecutive weeks (from December 13, 2020 to April 10, 2021) in eight U.S. locations. Participants self-collected nasal swabs that were laboratory tested for SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus that causes Covid-19.
If the tests came back positive, the specimens were further tested to determine the amount of detectable virus in the nose (i.e., viral load) and the number of days that participants tested positive (i.e., viral shedding). Participants were followed over time and the data were analyzed according to vaccination status. To evaluate vaccine benefits, the study investigators accounted for the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 viruses in the area and how consistently partici-
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pants used personal protective equipment at work and in the community. Once fully vaccinated, participants’ risk of infection was reduced by 91 percent. After partial vaccination, participants’ risk of infection was reduced by 81 percent. These estimates included symptomatic and asymptomatic infections. To determine whether Covid-19 illness was milder, study participants who became infected with SARS-CoV-2 were combined into a single group and compared to unvaccinated, infected participants. Several findings indicated that those who became infected after being fully or partially vaccinated were more likely to have a milder and shorter illness compared to those
who were unvaccinated. For example, fully or partially vaccinated people who developed Covid-19 spent on average six fewer total days sick and two fewer days sick in bed. They also had about a 60 percent lower risk of developing symptoms, like fever or chills, compared to those who were unvaccinated. Some study participants infected with SARS-CoV-2 did not develop symptoms. Other study findings suggest that fully or partially vaccinated people who got Covid-19 might be less likely to spread the virus to others. For example, fully or partially vaccinated study participants had 40 percent less detectable virus in their nose (i.e., a lower viral load), and the virus was detect-
ed for six fewer days (i.e., viral shedding) compared to those who were unvaccinated when infected. In addition, people who were partially or fully vaccinated were 66 percent less likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection for more than one week compared to those who were unvaccinated. While these indicators are not a direct measure of a person’s ability to spread the virus, they have been correlated with reduced spread of other viruses, such as varicella and influenza. Overall, the study findings support CDC’s recommendation to get fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as soon as possible. (With additional reporting from Zamboanga Post, Mindanao Examiner.)
June 14-20, 2021
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More questions about Covid-19 Can the new coronavirus be spread through an open cut, wound or scratch? This is not known to be a way to transmit the virus, said Dr. Michael Ison, an infectious disease physician at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. It’s conceivable, but there’s no data to back it up, added Dr. Joseph Vinetz, an infectious disease doctor at Yale Medicine in Connecticut. “I have seen zero evidence” for bloodborne transmission, Vinetz told TODAY. While it makes sense a pathogen could enter the body through a cut, a virus has to attach to its specific receptor on the surface of a susceptible host cell to start an infection, according to the American Society for Microbiology. In the case of the new coronavirus entering through a cut, “the receptors aren’t there,” Ison said. The most common way the virus spreads is through the respiratory
route — when an infected person coughs or sneezes on someone nearby, or when people touch a contaminated surface and then touch mucous membranes on their face. So if you feel better by wearing a Band-Aid on a cut to keep out this particular virus, it’s fine, but Vinetz had “no rationale to support that.” If an infected person sneezes or coughs on your salad, can you get the virus from eating it? That hasn’t been well studied, but it’s possible, both experts said. “We’re seeing both respiratory as well as gastrointestinal presentations of COVID-19 and we don’t really understand that,” Vinetz noted. “So it’s certainly possible because the receptor for the virus is present on cells in the gastrointestinal tract.” Still, it’s very unlikely to contract the coronavirus from takeout meals, experts have previously told TODAY, and especially when ordering directly from restaurants that you trust have good
food safety protocols in place. Can flushing the toilet spread the virus? A recent report in Forbes warned about the potential of the virus being suspended in a “toilet plume” of aerosols created when a person flushes the toilet with the lid open after using the bathroom. That hasn’t been studied well enough to make an official recommendation, Ison said. It’s not something Vinetz was concerned about when it came to this virus since the vast majority of transmission happens through the respiratory or “touching objects” route, he noted. “The advice is focus on the important things, not on obscurities,” Vinetz said. That means following the advice that’s been repeated many times: Washing hands, staying home, social distancing and wearing a non-medical grade mask when in public. (A. Pawlowski / TODAY)
Magpa-bakuna na kayo! ‘Duterte, nanawagan ulit sa publiko; mga Pinoy matigas ang ulo’
Dalawang healthcare workers ang naghihintay ng mga magpapabakuna sa Barangay Santa Catalina Health Center sa Zamboanga City. Muling nanawagan si Pangulong Duterte sa publiko na magpabakuna sa lalong madaling panahon. (Mindanao Examiner) Continued from page 1 naman mahirap ‘yan eh. You find time at your convenience na bumalik doon pumila at magpabakuna ng tinatawag nilang second booster.” “Iyon ang magbigay sa inyo ng more or less a good protection. But it does not guarantee that you will not be contaminated unless you observe the protocols of the washing of the hands again and mask and social distancing kasi hindi pa nawala talaga itong Covid-19. I want the authorities and the LGUs
to find out why this is happening,” ani Duterte. Ngunit maging ang lugar ng Pangulo sa Davao City ay patuloy rin sa pagtaas ng bilang mga bagong Covid-19 cases, ayon sa Octa Research. Bukod sa Davao City, ang Quezon City pa rin ang tila epicenter ng Covid-19 sa Metro Manila. Alarmado rin ang Octa Research sa mataas na kaso ng Covid-19 sa Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Koronadal, and Cotabato cities sa Mindanao, gayun rin sa Bacolod, Iloilo City,
Dumaguete sa Visayas, at Tuguegarao sa Luzon. Sinabi ni Duterte na may sapat na umanong supply ng bakuna ang bansa kung kaya’t dapat na itong samantalahin ng mga Pilipino upang mabigyan ng proteksyon ang sarili laban sa Covid-19. “Nandiyan ‘yong medisina. Pinakahintay natin halos isang taon. Kaya lang naman nagkukulangkulang talaga ‘yong supply so it took us time to receive our share. But now eh medyo maluwang na ang mundo, nabakunahan na sa Amerika halos lahat, they can afford now to share the residual supply nila sa vaccine,” wika ng Pangulo. “Itong Covid is a very toxic thing and it can contaminate you again. There is no guarantee, though it would give you a measure of protection, it does not guarantee that you will not get Covid again. So despite or in spite of your vaccines and boosters, please observe the basic protocol: (gumamit ng face) mask, hugas ng kamay at social distancing. Matatapos rin ito, especially with your cooperation, matatapos ito mas madali,” paliwanag pa ni Duterte. (Mindanao Examiner)
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June 14-20, 2021
Sulu Pictures in the News Sulu provincial government at work. This is where your taxes go. (Photos from the Office of the Provincial Governor, Jaques Tutong, Task Force Covid-19, and Jolo Municipal Government, Rep. Shernee Tambut)
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‘Go Negosyo’ project benefits poor Sulu families Continued from page 1 Government. Mayor Shihla Hayudini and Governor Sakur Tan led the June 8 handover of the colorful housing units to the deserving beneficiaries of the benevolent project. Hayudini thanked Ginggay Malvar, the Go Negosyo Senior Adviser for Agripreneurship and Mindanao Development Programs; and Tan for subsidizing the housing program in the historical town, which is also the seat of the Sultanate of Sulu. The mayor also provided one sack of rice and grocery items for each of the beneficiaries of the project. “To start their life in their new homes, the Municipal Government provided them with groceries as housewarming packages to start anew,” she said. Hayudini also thanked the governor for the support of the provincial government on the housing project. “As the father of modern Sulu, his presence is an added inspiration and recognition of his developmental efforts for the sake of province and Maimbung in particular,” she said. The mayor did not say how much was the cost of the project, but
claimed that “a sizable sum of the Go Negosyo construction funds for the housing project were subsidised by Governor Tan” in which she duly acknowledged with “profound appreciation on behalf of the Maimbung LGU and the people.” She repeatedly thanked and praised Go Negosyo and Malvar for keeping “Sulu and
Maimbung in their line of sight for meaningful projects and advocacies.” Go Negosyo is the advocacy of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship, a non-stock, non-profit organization and founded by Joey Concepcion, the Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship. (Mindanao Examiner)
Sulu mayor facilitates peace talks between warring groups
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Maimbung Mayor Shihla Hayudini. (Photo courtesy of the local government) SULU – Despite the pandemic and busy working schedules of Maimbung Mayor Shihla Hayudini, she still managed to facilitate the peace talks between two warring groups and forged an accord, ending violent clashes among the feuding leaders and their followers. The feud was between residents of Tubig Samin village in Maimbung town and those from the vil-
lage of Labanus in Talipao town. The warring groups sought the intercession of Hayudini, knowing her sincerity and being a strong advocate of peace and development not only in her town, but in the province as well. Hayudini said the willingness of warring groups to end hostilities and return to peaceful settlement finally halted the long-running feud for the sake of
peaceful relationships between communities. Police and military officials from both towns witnessed the signing of the peace accord. The leaders of the two groups thanked Hayudini for her support in facilitating the peaceful reconciliation among them. Hayudini is one of the most respected politicians in Sulu. (Mindanao Examiner)
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South African variant of Covid-19 harder to detect, difficult to treat!
Dr. Maria Ivy Rozeth Iturralde (PIA) THE SOUTH AFRICAN variant of the deadly Covid-19 respiratory disease in Zamboanga City is harder to detect and more difficult to treat, and there are still other strains of the virus in the community – the U.K. and Philippines variants. With these new Covid-19 strains, Dr. Ivy Iturralde who heads the Zamboanga City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, underscored the need for public support in stemming community transmission, especially the South African variant which is more contagious and easier to spread due to its mutation. “Mas mabilis po yung pagkalat ng virus, mas dadami ang mao-ospital
o mapupunta sa health facilities and, most probably, mas marami po ang mamamatay. This (South African) variant is harder to detect and more difficult to treat.” “Itong variant of concern po natin, meron siyang impact sa ating testing and even sa ating mga gamot na kasalukuyang ibinibigay sa ating mga Covid-19 patients. Pwedeng hindi na ito ma-detect gamit ang ating testing kits dahil sa mutation nito at pwede rin hindi na magre-respond sa mga gamot na binibigay sa kanila,” Iturralde explained. She urged residents to strictly comply with the health protocols by wearing face masks and
face shields and observe physical distancing and washing or sanitizing hands more often. “Zamboangueños can contribute to fight against Covid-19 by complying with the minimum public health standards to avoid a mirroring of the experiences in other countries. Ayaw nating matulad sa ibang lugar o ibang bansa na kung saan hindi na nakakayanan ng healthcare workers, nagkakaroon na ng burnout among medical professionals so eventually nagco-collapse ang health system. Mas mahihirapan po tayo sa pagsugpo nitong pandemya” Iturralde said. (Zamboanga Post, Claudine Uniana)
Mayor, pumanaw dahil sa Covid-19; isa pa may sakit rin! KIDAPAWAN CITY Pumanaw sa edad na 62-anyos ang alkalde ng lungsod ng Tacurong dahil sa Covid-19 habang nasa pagamutan ito sa General Santos City. Kinumpirma ito ni Tacurong City spokesman Allan Freno at sinabing nasawi sa sakit si Mayor Angelo Montilla. Sa Facebook page ng Tacurong City government, ito ang ang nakasulat: “It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the unexpected and sudden passing of Mayor Angelo ‘Roncal’ Ortizo Montilla.” “Mayor Roncal will be remembered as a tireless leader who sacrificed his life in the name of public service. He is a true son of Tacurong. His legacy will
live on,” ayon pa sa pahayag. Uupo naman bilang acting Mayor ang nakababatang kapatid nito na si Vice Mayor Lino Montilla. Bumuhos naman ang pakikiramay ng taong bayan sa social media, kabilang na ang mga kasamahan ng yumaong mayor sa trabaho at mga kawani ng lokal na pamahalaan. Sa North Cotabato, nag-positibo rin sa Covid-19 si Tulunan Mayor Reuel Limbungan, ngunit nananatiling asymptomatic ito at kasalukuyang nasa isolation area. Mabilis namang nagsagawa ng contact tracing ang mga tauhan ng Municipal Health Office lalo na sa mga nakasalamuhang kawani ng alkalde sa
munisipyo. Sa isinagawang rapid test ay nag negatibo naman ang 23 mga empleyado na parating nakasalamuha ni Limbungan habang ginagampanan nito ang kanyang trabaho. Hinikayat naman ng alkalde ang iba pang nakasalamuha nito mag self-isolate na rin sabay rin ang paalala sa publiko na laging sundin ang minimum health protocols. Si Limbungan ang pangatlong Mayor sa North Cotabato na naiulat na nag-positibo sa Covid-19 - ang una ay si Alamada Mayor Jesus Sacdalan at ang pinakahuli ay si Makilala Mayor Armando Quibod, kung saan nag-positibo rin sa sakit si Vice Mayor Ryan Tabanay. (Rhoderick Beñez)
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Sulu Pictures in the News
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Duterte ready to retire, sees nobody deserving as next president Continued from page 1 off in your administration. That cannot be erased.” “We know that your term is almost over, but it’s like we are holding back the time: Not yet, because there has to be continuity,” he added. Duterte, a former mayor here, was elected in June 2016, and under the law, a president can only be elected for a single six-year term. However, his political party, the PDP-Laban, passed a resolution on May 31 during a meeting in Cebu province, enjoining him to choose a presidential candidate, and also urged him to run for vice-president. “The situation is difficult because I will retire and I will choose the candidate for president, but if any of them wins, they will say it’s only a way to perpetuate (my) yourself in power - so I resisted it,” Duterte told Quiboloy. “I am ready to re-
tire. We have Davao. I’ll just be a boarder there at your prayer mountain. It’s beautiful there.” Duterte’s remarks were contrary to a recent statement made by his spokesman Harry Roque, who said that the President had already named 5 individuals whom he might endorse for the next elections and they are Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Carpio; Manila Mayor Isko Moreno; Senators Manny Pacquiao, Bong Go, and former senator Bongbong Marcos, who is the second child and only son of former strongman Ferdinand Marcos. On the opposition side, there is Vice President Leni Robredo, whom supporters have been urging to run for the presidency. In terms of continuity, Quiboloy also raised the possibility of a Duterte father-and-daughter teamup. But the president told
Quiboloy he was against her daughter running. “Last night, when I arrived, I talked with Inday (Sara Carpio). I really talked with her last night (and told her) do not run. Do not ever, ever commit the mistake of running for the presidency.” In the end, Duterte said that he could either remain neutral or endorse someone who would be running for 2022 polls. He also contradicted his earlier statement - saying that there might be someone who could continue what he had started. “I may publicly name them when the time comes. I do not mean to insult anybody, but it takes more than just what you show today. Whatever you may be able to do now, much more than that, the presidency is more than that.” (PDI, Asia News Network, The Strait Times. With additional reporting from Malou Cablinda, Mindanao Examiner.)
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Notorious Sayyaf kidnapper captured PAGADIAN CITY – Police have captured a notorious Abu Sayyaf fighter being linked to the spate of ransom kidnappings in Zamboanga del Norte province following a raid on his hideout in Zamboanga City. Police said Jasmin Amil was captured on June 9 in the village of Divisoria where he was tracked down. This was also confirmed by Major Shellamie Chang, the regional police spokeswoman, who said the operation that led to Amil’s arrest was “intelligence driven” and involved several units. She said the police
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forces that captured Amil had arrest warrants issued by Judge Anthony Isaw, of Regional Trial Court’s Branch 27 in Sirawai town. “He was arrested by virtue of warrants of arrest for four counts of kidnapping charges and serious illegal detention,” Chang said. Among the victims of Amil’s group were Filipino farmer Rex Triplet, who was kidnapped Sirawai town on September 16, 2020; business couple Helen and Rufo Roda, also kidnapped in the same town on August 31, 2018; farm caretakers Elsa and Feli-
ciano Javier and their baby, Vincent; and couple Junior and Rica Javier, and their five-year old boy, Val in Sirawai town on June 28, 2018; and four other men - Jemar Duque, Roger Jung-an, Jojo Mantangan and Raymond Purisima in the same town on March 4, 2018. It was unknown whether Amil was planning another kidnapping or how long he had been hiding in Zamboanga City. He is currently under interrogation and police would not release further details of the investigation. (Mindanao Examiner)
HEALTH
MADALAS BANG MASAKIT ANG TUHOD MO? Ni Dr. Willie T. Ong at Doc Liza Ong
A
NG SAKIT sa tuhod ay nararamdaman ng maraming tao. Kadalasan ito ay nag-uumpisa sa edad 40 pataas. Ang pangunahing dahilan ng pagsakit ng tuhod ay ang arthritis, isang sakit ng pag-edad. Kung ika’y sobra sa timbang, mas maagang sasakit ang tuhod mo. Kung sobra ka rin sa ehersisyo, tulad ng mga runner, kickboxer o basketball player, puwedeng mapuwersa ang iyong tuhod. Ano Ang Dapat Iwasan? • Huwag mag-buhat ng mabibigat. Kung mayroon kang bubuhatin, magpatulong sa isang kasama para kalahati lang ang bigat. • Huwag palaging umakyat at bumaba sa hagdanan. Malaki ang stress sa tuhod ng paggamit ng hagdan. • Huwag tumayo o mag-lakad ng matagal. Umupo paminsan-minsan at magpahinga. Mas relaks ang tuhod kapag tayo’y nakaupo. • Huwag mag-high heels. Alam kong mas sexy ang babae kapag
naka-high heels, pero malaki din ang stress nito sa ating tuhod. • Huwag lumuhod sa sahig. Nakasisira ito ng tuhod. Kapag ika’y nasa simbahan, gamitin ang malambot na kutson para sa iyong tuhod. Ano Ang Dapat Gawin? • Kung ika’y sobra sa timbang, kailangan magpapayat. Hindi kasi kaya ng tuhod ang bigat ng iyong tiyan! • Bumili ng rubber shoes o malambot na sapatos. Mag-tsinelas ng makapal ang swelas. Makatutulong ito para hindi matagtag ang tuhod. • Palakasin ang masel sa ating hita. May mga ehersisyo para dito. Puwede ang stationary bike o magbending exercise ng bahagya lang (Half squat at hindi full squat.). Masama ang sobrang pagbaluktot ng tuhod lampas sa 90 degrees. • Kapag umiinit ang tuhod sa matagalang paglalakad, puwedeng lagyan ng malamig na bag o cold compress. • Palakasin ang buto. Uminom ng skim milk (gatas) na may maraming calcium. Para sa mga
kababaihan, uminom din ng calcium supplements. • Kapag hindi nawala ang sakit sa tuhod, magpa-konsulta sa isang orthopedic surgeon o rheumatologist. • Hindi pa tiyak ang benepisyo ng Glucosamine at chondroitin tablets. Ang supplement na ito ay posibleng makabawas sa sakit ng ating tuhod at kasu-kasuan (joints). Magtanong sa inyong doktor. • Tandaan: Ingatan at alagaan ang tuhod. Huwag puwersahin at tagtagin sa trabaho. Ipahinga ang tuhod para humaba ang gamit natin nito. GATAS Para sa Buto, Lumakas, Iwas Stress at Gumanda 1. Mayaman sa Calcium para sa buto. May protina para lumakas ang katawan. 2. Iwas stress sa pag-inom ng gatas dahil may vitamin B, potassium at magnesium. 3. Pwede uminom ng isang basong gatas araw-araw. 4. Sa nagtatae sa gatas, subukan ang soy milk at almond milk.
Did you know, too, that the Sultanate of Sulu once minted its own currency? The Sulu coins are now very rare. There are a few surviving specimens coming from the reign of Sultan Alimud-din (1735-48 and 1764-73). It is said that the Sultanate used its own currency even earlier but I have not seen specimens before 1735. The picture above shows a Sulu coin used during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Sharaf al-Din (1789-1808). It is a coin made of tin weighing 5.43 grams. On the obverse side is an illustration of a mosque and under it is the Islamic year 1206, equivalent to 1789 AD. On the reverse side is an Arabic script in three lines which is transcribed as “al-sultan/muhammad sharaf/al-din”. One such coin was sold in an auction for $375 or P 17,900. (From Stephen Album Rare Coins via Prof. Nestor Castro, PhD)
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June 14-20, 2021
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Duterte warns violators of health protocols C
While President Duterte strongly warns violators of health protocols, himself also violates the government guidelines for not wearing face mask or face shield during his weekly presser. (Presidential photo)
Liloan town gets highest COA audit rating anew
Liloan town Mayor Christina Frasco. (Photo and article from the Mayor’s social media page.) CEBU - In this time of pandemic when the need for good governance is more critical than ever to the country’s economic recovery, the municipality of Liloan here has shown that a local government’s Covid-19 response and governance functions can be innovative and effective while still meeting the stringent standards of transparency and accountability in the handling of public funds. For the third time, the municipal government has earned the highest audit rating from the Commission on Audit (COA) which granted an “unqualified opinion” per its examination of the municipal government’s 2020 Financial Statements. COA has given Liloan its highest audit rating for two straight years since 2019, after it first granted the much coveted rating in 2017. An unqualified or unmodified opinion is issued by an auditor upon a conclusion that that financial statements, as a whole, are free from material misstatements, which could arise from either fraud or error.
ARMM
In a letter addressed to Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco signed by State Auditor Maria Daisy Bercede dated May 31, “COA expressed an unqualified opinion on the fairness of the presentation of the financial statements of the Municipality of Liloan, Cebu”, noting in its Independent Auditor’s Report that: “In our opinion, the combined financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Municipality of Liloan as at December 31, 2020, and its financial performance, its cash flows, and its comparison of budget and actual amounts for the year then ended in accordance with Philippine Public Sector Accounting Standards (PPSASs).” Frasco, who received the COA letter on June 1, thanked the agency. “Receiving COA’s highest audit rating for the second year in a row amidst the pandemic, and for the third time since 2017, reflects our local government’s consistency and dedication to serving the people of Liloan with integrity and accountability, delivering meaningful programs and projects that meet COA’s most stringent standards, free from graft and corruption.” “It has been an incredibly tough year for everyone. In this time of crisis, our good governance efforts will continue to ensure our recovery as we rebuild towards the new normal. I thank the people of Liloan for their continued support, and I once again proudly share this achievement with our team of hardworking municipal officials and employees,” she said. Just recently, Liloan was awarded the “Most Resilient Municipality in the Philippines” by the Department of Trade and Industry for the second year in a row, adding to the roster of national and local good governance awards received under Frasco’s administration.
Eastern Mindanao
EBU – President Duterte warned Filipinos that the government may carry out stricter measures against those disregarding health protocols and quarantine restrictions aimed at containing the spread of the deadly Covid-19 disease. The national govern- ment reported filing casDuterte did not specify what measures might ment placed Metro Manila es against six village offibe tweaked, pointing out, and its adjacent provinces cials who failed to prevent however, of seeing people of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, mass gatherings or “super not following government and Rizal under enhanced spreader” events in their quarantine jurisdictions. rules, especially in the Vi- community Interior Secretary (ECQ) and modified ECQ sayas and Mindanao. “We might calibrate in March to mid-May due Eduardo Año said those our response to the intran- to increasing number of facing charges were vilsigence that you will show. Covid-19 cases. The restric- lage chieftains from Cebu Depende sa ano ninyo. tions were eventually down- City, Caloocan City, NavoKung talagang ayaw nin- graded to a general commu- tas City, Tondo, Manila, yong sumunod, then we nity quarantine (GCQ) after Norzagaray, Bulacan, Macan go into marami, mara- National Capital Region lay and Aklan. He did not mi. I could, ayaw ko lang saw drop in Covid-19 cases. identify any of the officials, Despite the decrease but Duterte previously orsabihin but we have the power to control it actually in the number of cases, the dered the arrest of village kung ginusto lang namin country continues to re- chieftains in case mass pahirapan ang tao,” he said. cord new infections of up to gatherings happened in For as long as Filipinos 7,000, with health officials their jurisdictions, saying do not honor the protocols attributing the spike to the it is dereliction of their prescribed by the govern- higher cases logged in the duty. (With additional reporting from Malou ment, many people will Visayas and Mindanao. The Department of the Cablinda and Rhoderick continue to get infected Interior and Local Govern- Beñez.) with Covid-19, he said.
Property demand seen to boost jobs in Cebu’s ‘call center hub’ CEBU CITY – Cebu has sustained its spot as one of the promising real estate markets in the Visayas, with economic recovery expected to generate more jobs as it drives up property demand moving forward, an industry official said. “The Cebu property market remains to be one of the bright spots in the region with sustained demand and highly resilient property values,” Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) Chief Operating Officer Franco Soberano said during last week’s virtual topping off of the firm’s P3.5-billion high-end tower, 38 Park Avenue, located at the heart of the Cebu I.T. Park. He said the property sector in general here anticipates the quick recovery of Cebu and the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao regions with the return of greater global mobility, which is expected to boost employment. “Covid cases in Cebu have been relatively well managed with medical facilities able to accommodate patients affected by the pandemic,” Soberano said. He said demand for res-
Western Mindanao
idential properties within the Cebu I.T. Park, deemed to be the highest valued location in Metro Cebu and among the most preferred residential locations here, continues to be resilient despite the pandemic. Soberano said premium residential offerings in Cebu’s highly active business district have also been in demand. Joey Bondoc, associate director for research at Colliers International Philippines, also said Metro Cebu continues to be the largest residential hub outside of Metro Manila. “Covid has disputed the region’s economy and property market and we continue to see subdued take-up and completion in the region,” he said. Bondoc said completion of residential units is likely to pick up this year, as developers brace for pent-up demand beyond 2021. The Cebu I.T. Park vibrantly rises over the former Lahug Airport, now one of the most prime areas in Cebu. A pioneer in Cebu’s I.T. industry, the integrated, mixed-use development
Cebu
obtained PEZA accreditation as an I.T. Park in 2000—the first in the Visayas and Mindanao. The Cebu I.T. Park website describes the 27-hectare global gateway is home to a diverse mix of international and local software research and development companies, BPOs, and contact centers, which bring in millions of pesos in investments and employment to thousands of people. “Complemented with a wide selection of 24/7 dining, shopping, and leisure facilities, Cebu I.T. Park has also grown into a bustling lifestyle destination within the city, integrating innovative lifestyle and retail concepts amidst a burgeoning regional hub,” it said. Cebu I.T. Park is one of the two unique districts of Cebu Park District. Along with Cebu Business Park, it is the address of choice for multinationals and industry leaders open to prime residential, business and commercial spaces of mixed-use hub. (Carlo Lorenciana, Cebu Examiner)
Manila