The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper (March 6-12, 2023)

Public warned vs. vape waste

VAPING USE has been rising in the Philippines, particularly among teens and with the law allowing the use of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products for 18-year-olds and above, vapes, including disposable or single-use ones, have swamped the market.

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Disposable vapes.

Traditional Filipino medicine: The quest to cure the incurable

Many plants common to the Philippines, such as the langka (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.), have long been staples of traditional Filipino medicine and are currently being investigated for their use in modern medicine. (Photo by Jaikishan Patel / Unsplash.com)

DAVAO CITY - It was in an old university stockroom, with wooden tables salvaged from a junkyard, that Raquel Fortun began to investigate the merciless crackdown launched under the former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Fortun, one of only two forensic pathologists in the country, has now spent more than 18 months examining the exhumed remains of dozens of victims

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Former President Rodrigo Duterte (PCOO)

ICRC, MSU-Sulu launch

Tausug book on intersections between IHL and Shariah

ZAMBOANGA CITY –

The International Humanitarian Law, also known as the Rules of War, aims to protect people from the devastating effects of armed conflict and a 76-page book that was originally written in Arabic and introduces readers to the convergences between IHL and Islamic Shariah is now available in Tausug, Continue on page 2 Continue on page 2

Malaysia rescues 21 Filipino boat passengers off Sabah

TAWI-TAWI – Malaysia has rescued 21 Filipinos from a motor launch off Sabah after the Philippine Navy sought assistance to help secure the passengers of the distressed boat. The boat’s captain, Continue on page 7 Continue on page 7

A photo released by the Western Mindanao Command shows the rescued passengers of the motorlaunch Rihanna.

Pana’ta: Sara Parmanusiyaan Liyubangsa Ha Islam.

Moro Islamic Liberation Front members display their weapons in southern Philippines.

(Photo by Mark Navales)

‘They were shot in the head’: Morgue gives up truth of Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war

MANILA - The United States government provided nearly P3.7 million

gobernador ng BARMM nagsumbong kay Pangulong Marcos’

MILF, dapat disarmahan!

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

Naglabas ng pahayag sina Basilan Gob. Jim Salliman Hataman na kapatid ni Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman; Sulu Gob. Sakur Tan, Tawi-Tawi Gob. Yshmael Sali at Maguindanao Gob. Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu at ibinigay ito kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Ang pahayag ay isinumite matapos na tambangan ng mga armado si Lanao del Sur G0b. Mamintal Adiong Jr sa bayan ng Maguing, na kilalang kuta ng MILF. Sugatan si Adiong sa atake na ikinamatay ng kanyang apat na security escorts at isang aide. Sa naturang bayan rin binihag ng MILF ang 39 na miyembro ng Special Forces ng Philippine Army kamakailan lamang.

Hiniling rin ng mga gobernador kay Marcos na imbestigahan ang naturang ambush kay Adiong na naganap noong Pebrero 17.

Maging ang mga serye ng patayan at karahasan sa North Cotabato, Maguindanao at Cotabato City ay inungkat rin ng mga gobernador dahil sa pangamba ng publiko sa seguridad sa kanilang lugar na nasa ilalim ng pamamahala ni Murad Ebrahim, ang pinuno ng

MILF at ngayon ay gobernador ng BARMM.

Matatandaaan lumagda ng peace agreement ang MILF at pamahalaan noong 2014, subalit hindi naman isinusuko ng mga dating rebelde ang kanilang mga armas at lalo pa umanong dumami ang mga miyembro nito at lumawak rin ang mga kampo.

Sa kabila ng peace agreement, maraming mga grupo ng MILF rin ang naglalaban-laban sa isa’t-isa at patunay lamang ito sa kaguluhan sa BARMM na pinatatakbo ng dating mga rebelde. Hawak rin ng mga lider ng MILF ang iba’tibang posisyon sa mga opisina at departamento ng BARMM.

MILF-Salamat Wing MILF-Salamat Wing Noong nakaraang taon lamang, hiniling ng MILFSalamat wing sa pamahalaang Marcos na magsagawa ng full accounting at audit sa bilyon-bilyong pisong pondo ng BARMM at maglunsad ng lifestyle checks sa mga opisyal nito.

Sa ulat ng Rappler, sinabi ni MILF-Salamat wing chairman Abdulfatah Delna na nasa P75-bilyon ang natatanggap ng BARMM bawat taon at dapat lamang na

magkaroon ng accounting sa nasabing kaban ng bayan.

“BARMM government must publish the whereabouts of public funds it managed from its inception in March 2019…in accordance with the law,” ayon pa sa pahayag ni Delna.

Maging si Eid Kabalu na dating spokesman ng MILF at ngayon ay hepe ng political affairs ng MILF-Salamat wing, ay nagsabi sa Rappler na marami ang dismayado sa pamumuno ni Ebrahim sa BARMM at maging kung paano ginagastos ang pondo ng BARMM.

“There was growing dissatisfaction in the region with the leadership of Ebrahim and his group, and there have been questions about how the regional government spent the funds that it received. People are asking about where the money went,” ani Kabalu sa Rappler.

Nanawagan ito sa pamahalaan ng magsagawa ng lifestyle checks sa mga opisyal ng BARMM at isumite ang sarili sa “official inquiries about their finances.”

Sa ulat ng Rappler, sinabi nito na: “Kabalu said the MILF-Salamat wing enjoys

the support of at least 10,000 people in the BARMM, including MILF members and supporters who wanted those from their ranks to occupy seats in the interim Bangsamoro Transition Authority which runs the BARMM affairs. The MILF-Salamat wing said the

“mainstream MILF” did not want to “share the fruit of the struggle to its comrades and much more the Bangsamoro people.”

Sa nasabing ulat, inalmahan naman ni Ebrahim ang pahayag ni Delna at Kabalu at sinabi na ang MILF-Salamat wing ay “a

misguided group that was out to sow division in the MILF.”

“We are MILF and we are the Salamat wing in respect to the governance in the BARMM… Our loyalty is to the Bangsamoro,” ani Delna. (Mindanao Examiner)

ICRC, MSU-Sulu launch

Tausug book on intersections between IHL and Shariah

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said.

Pana’ta: Sara Parmanusiyaan Liyubangsa Ha Islam (“Introduction to International Humanitarian Law in Islam”) was recently launched in Zamboanga City by the ICRC and the Mindanao State University-Sulu (MSU-Sulu), which partnered together to produce the book’s translation into Tausug, a major language spoken in the Sulu archipelago and Zamboanga.

“By translating this important Arabic reference work into Tausug, we hope that there will be greater discourse surrounding IHL and Islamic law among Tausug speakers. We aim to empower and inform Filipinos about how they can be protected during times of conflict,” said Boris Michel, the ICRC’s Head of Delegation in the Philippines.

He said Pana’ta offers guidance on important topics, such as ways to attend to victims of armed conflict according to Islamic Shariah, the lessons learned from historical battles, and the proper treatment of prisoners of war.

It was translated from the original Arabic text, Muqadima fi ‘l-qanun ad-duwali al-insani fi ‘l-Islam, which was written by Dr. Zaid bin Abdul Karim Al-Zaid of Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in Saudi Arabia.

Michel said partner schools in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Sulu province will receive free hard copies of the book. It is also available for free download on the ICRC’s Religion and Humanitarian Principles website.

The ICRC in the Philippines has already released local translations of two other Arabic reference works to promote aware-

ness about IHL and its convergences with Islamic law. In 2021, the institution supported the translation of an Arabic book into Maguindanaon and the translation of another publication into Meranao. The organization will launch a Yakan translation of one more book later this year.

The ICRC is a neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance, regardless of their political affiliation.

(Mindanao Examiner)

Govt launches ‘BIDA’ program against illegal drugs

ILIGAN CITY - The government has launched the “Buhay Ingatan Droga'y Ayawan” (BIDA) Program in an effort to reduce the demand and supply for illegal drugs and also provide rehabilitation for those who need it.

The program was launched by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of Health, the Iligan City Government, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

DILG-10 Regional Director Wilhelm Suyko has vowed to give his continuous support for the PNP and other government agencies as they advocate for a safer community.

“Asahan ninyo na ang DILG ay palaging narito upang patuloy na palakasin pa ang programang ito. We are here to support our PNP, the PDEA, and we are here to advocate for a safer community,” said Suyko.

PDEA-10 Assistant Regional Director Leslie Sharon Maquilan said that they will keep improving their

operations and programs to get rid of drugs in the barangays and solve the country's drug problem as a whole.

Also, Mayor Frederick Siao said that they help the PDEA, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the PNP with their operations against illegal drugs. He also talked about how the city government's aftercare programs help people who are addicted to drugs get better and adjust to everyday life in the community by teaching them new skills and giving them jobs. (Annalia A. Alikhan)

‘Mga

Boris Michel, ICRC Head of Delegation in the Philippines and Dr. Nagder Abdurahman, Chancellor of Mindanao State University-Sulu sign copies of the book during its launch in Zamboanga City recently.

Proposed Bangsamoro Local Governance Code gets strong public support

build, and support sustainable communities.”

Executive Director of the Moro Women Development and Cultural Center, Inc., Baina Samayatin, also supports the bill’s passage and emphasizes the importance of educating local governments about the importance of CSO participation in achieving transparent and accountable governance.

Party in the BARMM SGA said that after voting to join the BARMM, they had easier access to Bangsamoro government programs. He also lauded the inclusion of women in the provisions of the proposed Code.

er welfare that the LGU can offer. We are very thankful now for what we have in the Special Geographic Area, but with our proposals, we envision more transparent, just, and progressive governance,” Mentoc said.

COTABATO CITY – Local government officials and various civil society organizations here and in the BARMM Special Geographic Area have expressed their full support for the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Local Governance Code, which will establish clear directions between the local government units and the Bangsamoro government.

The Committee on Local Government held simultaneous public consultations for BTA Bill No. 30 in Cotabato City and the BARMM Special Geographic Area. Those who participated in the fourth leg of consultations voiced their

support on the proposed Code.

The proposed 221-page Code is divided into four books, such as general provisions, local taxation and fiscal matters, local government units, and miscellaneous and final provisions.

According to Member of the Parliament Matarul Estino, BTA Bill No. 30 will strengthen the supervisory power of the Bangsamoro government through the Ministry of Interior and Local Government.

The salient features of the code, including devolution, official qualification and disqualification, the distinction between local and regional auton-

omy, and the proportion of regional taxes, fees, and charges collected, were presented to aid stakeholders in understanding the proposed Code.

In a message delivered by City Legal Officer Atty. Sahara Alia Silongan, Cotabato City Mayor Mohammad Ali Matabalao expressed his strong support for the passage of the bill. “For local autonomy to be effective, it must amount to effective authority for local government units to decide matters concerning local affairs,” Mayor Matabalao said. “This public consultation is a proactive measure that will optimize our region’s future—to plan,

MP Abas gives assistance to 350 Maguindanao students

Karunungan program of the Ministry of Social Services and Development, which aims to help financially disadvantaged students in the Bangsamoro region pay for their education.

Mahatma Sangacala, a member of the Local Executive Board of the United Voices for Peace Network, recommends the inclusion of CSOs in the Local Peace and Order Council.

Duma Mascud of the United Bangsamoro Justice

Charima Mentoc, the representative of the Bangsamoro women in the BARMM SGA, is also fully committed to supporting the BLGC. She said that if the BLGC is approved, the constituencies in the BARMM SGA will have more access to the program, services, and other benefits for the Bangsamoro people.

“It will give us opportunities, provide enhanced safety and security, and oth-

BTA Bill No. 30 defines the list of essential services provided by the province, city, municipality, and barangay to avoid overlapping functions and responsibilities.

MP Kelie Antao, CLG vice-chair, said that the committee will start deliberating the proposed code this March. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

Parliament takes up BTA Bill No. 39

IN AN effort to prioritize the establishment of the Bangsamoro Agriculture and Fisheries Training Institute, the Bangsamoro Parliament's Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform discussed the salient features of BTA Bill No. 39.

The proposed training institute will develop a comprehensive information campaign to promote and disseminate modern agricultural and fisheries techniques and innovations. It will also take the lead in formulating and issuing guidelines for planning, monitoring, and evaluating agricul-

ture and fisheries programs.

The committee, chaired by MP Matarul Estino, also amended and adopted the in-

ternal rules and procedures. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

MP Muñoz distributes ducks,

equipment to Bangsamoro farmers

OVER 350 students from Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte provinces received financial assistance from the

Office of Member of the Parliament

Akmad Abas.

The payout is part of the Angat Bangsamoro: Kabataan Tungo sa

The assistance was funded under the Transitional Development Impact Fund (TDIF) of MP Abas. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

Bangsamoro Parliament adopts 3 resolutions

THE BANGSAMORO Parliament adopted three resolutions expressing deepest condolences and sympathy on the death of the Bangsamoro Wali Shiekh Khalipha Usman Nando and former member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission and Philippine Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Akmad Atlah Sakkam.

The resolutions were unanimously adopted following a special session via teleconference.

Lawmakers also expressed their sympathy and solidarity with the victims of the magnitude

7.8 earthquake that struck Türkiye on February 6.

Schedules of the Committee on Rules' deliberations on the proposed Bangsamoro Electoral Code and the Committee on Local Government's public consultations on the proposed Bangsam-

oro Local Governance Code were discussed in the plenary.

Based on the timeline, the Parliament targets enacting the proposed electoral code in March.

(LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

THE OFFICE of Member of the Parliament Hussein Muñoz distributed 100 ducks to Bangsamoro communities outside the region.

Farmers from the Davao region were also given farming equipment to help them maintain their farms.

The project is funded through the Transitional Development Impact Fund of MP Muñoz in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Aquatic Resources. (LTAIS-Public In-

formation, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

MP Ismael provides

financial aid to students

MEMBER OF the Parliament Rasul Ismael distributed financial assistance to students from various Indigenous Peoples communities to provide them access to formal education.

Funded under his Transitional Development Impact Fund (TDIF), the project was implemented by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs.

The recipients of the

said program were selected following a thorough validation process.

(LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

Metrobank’s net income rises 48% to P32.8 billion in 2022

billion, bringing down the cost-to-income ratio to 54% from 59% in 2021. This helped drive the 24% rise in pre-provision operating profit to P52.0 billion in 2022.

Traditional Filipino medicine: The quest to cure the incurable

From page 1 From page 1

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITYTraditional Filipino medicine has endured centuries of colonization. Now, modern science is able to shed a different light on these ancient and oftentimes misunderstood practices, showing us that there are always new things to learn from the old ways.

In the Philippines, there are over 1,500 known medicinal plants, with at least 120 that have been validated for safety and efficacy using modern scientific standards. However, despite the potential value of this pharmaceutical cornucopia, the country still has a long way to go before traditional medicines are openly accepted in a modern setting.

“There are plants that are being used historically but whose potential have been overlooked until now because of our biases, the way we favor or privilege particular forms of healing over others,” said Felipe Jocano Jr., an assistant professor at the University of the Philippines - Diliman Department of Anthropology.

show 19.3 million new cases and 10 million cancer-related deaths in 2020 alone, accounting for nearly one in every six deaths worldwide. In the Philippines, 189 of every 100,000 Filipinos are affected by cancer, and four Filipinos die of cancer every hour, equivalent to 96 cancer patients every day.

UPD-CS Institute of Biology (IB) Science Research Specialist Regina Joyce Ferrer and her team discovered the potential of the Codiaeum luzonicum Merr. plant, known as putak in Filipino, in killing drug-resistant cancer cells without affecting healthy cells. Putak is commonly used by indigenous Filipino communities to treat stomach aches and binat.

from luya-luyahan (Curcuma zedoaria Rosc.) and dapdap (Erythrina variegata var orientalis Linn.); and bark from dapdap, balibago (Hibiscus tiliaceus Linn.), and santol (Sandoricum koetjape Merr).

Indigenous communities often use these plants to treat ailments such as fever, skin diseases such as boils and wounds, abscesses, dysentery, abdominal pain, cough, kidney stones, hepatic disorders, and ringworms.

THE Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) continued to deliver strong results as it ends 2022 with a 48% year-onyear increase in net income to P32.8 billion on the back of better corporate and consumer lending businesses, healthy fee income, subdued operating expense growth and lower provisions on stable asset quality.

For the October to December period alone, the Bank’s earnings rose to P9.3 billion, a 55% increase from a year ago.

With the Bank’s strong capital base and higher profitability, the Board of Directors approved a total cash dividend of P3.00 per share for the year. The regular dividend of P1.60 per share will be paid out on a semi-annual basis at P0.80 per share. On top of this, a special cash dividend of P1.40 per share was also declared.

“Backed by the strategies we initiated during the pandemic, our solid performance and the recognition we received in 2022 reflect our efforts to support our clients’ growing needs as the economy

reopens. With our strong balance sheet and highly capable team of Metrobankers, we stand ready to continue to be the trusted partner of all our stakeholders for the long term,” said Metrobank President Fabian S. Dee.

The Bank’s net interest income jumped by 14% fueled by higher loan demand and better net interest margin of 3.6%. Gross loans expanded by 14% year-on-year, supported by a 15% growth in corporate and commercial loans as businesses started to build their inventories and resumed their investment spending. Likewise, net credit card loans increased by 29%, leading the recovery in consumer lending.

Total deposits grew by 15% from the previous year to P2.2 trillion with low-cost current and savings accounts stable at P1.5 trillion.

Meanwhile, the Bank’s modest growth in non-interest income was supported by an 11% increase to P23.5 billion in fees and other income. Operating expense growth was controlled at just 3% to P61.0

The Bank’s non-performing loans (NPLs) ratio eased to 1.9% from 2.2% in 2021 and better than the industry’s 3.3%. Moreover, its NPL cover remained substantial at 172.4%, reflecting strong ability to cover any potential risks to portfolio health.

Metrobank ends 2022 with total consolidated assets of P2.8 trillion, maintaining its status as the country’s second largest private universal bank. Total equity stood at P318.5 billion. The Bank’s capital ratios remain to be one of the highest in the industry, with capital adequacy ratio at 17.7% and Common Equity Tier 1 ratio at 16.8%, all well-above the minimum regulatory requirements.

The Bank brought home major accolades from top financial publications in 2022. Metrobank was named as the country’s Bank of the Year by The Banker; received back- to-back awards from the Asian Banker as the Strongest Bank in the Philippines; recognized as the Best Bank in the country by Euromoney; and was awarded Best Corporate Bank and Best Domestic Private Bank by Asiamoney. (Mindanao Examiner)

“We should be looking at our own indigenous knowledge, giving it the value it deserves, seeking ways to build on it to make it fit into what our present [healthcare] systems [need], while giving due respect to the practitioners and perhaps giving them also the respect and the recognition that they deserve,” Jocano expounds.

In 2013 alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that around 60% of the world’s population relies on traditional medicine, with 80% of the population in the Philippines and other developing countries depending almost entirely on traditional medical practices—on plants, in particular—for primary health care.

“Teaching people how to appreciate indigenous medicine is more than just teaching them, ‘okay, ito maganda ang indigenous medicine, ‘wag niyo pagtawanan.’ Mababaw lang ito. You have to address people’s worldviews about other people as well. Not only that, but finding ways to make use of this knowledge to help our people,” Jocano said.

Filipino scientists may be on the right track toward utilizing traditional medicinal plants used to treat diseases. At the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science (UPDCS), researchers have discovered the potential of some medicinal plants as possible cures for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

Putak Cancer is the leading cause of illness and death worldwide. Recent statistics

Ferrer was inspired by our native biodiversity to research putak and its effect on cancer cells. “The Philippines is very biodiverse, ang dami nating endemic and native species. For example, itong putak, endemic siya sa Pilipinas. No one else in the world except us Filipinos will be likely to fully explore the bioactivity and the potentials of this plant,” she said.

She noted the plant’s capability under laboratory conditions to kill cancer cells, even normally drug-resistant ones, while leaving healthy cells alone. “Ang usual approach kasi is may pang-inhibit ng drug resistance tapos may kasabay na chemotherapeutic drug that can kill the cancer cells. But this plant [putak] can do both at the same time,” Ferrer explained, adding that cancer cells’ ability to develop drug resistance is one of the major hurdles to treating all kinds of cancers.

Philippine plants

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), are becoming top public health concerns around the globe. In 2021 alone, the WHO listed 55 million cases of dementia worldwide, with AD comprising up to 70% of those cases. Scientists say that countries such as the Philippines need to implement premediated disease management to avoid the consequences of emerging dementia cases.

A group of scientists from the UPD-CS Institute of Chemistry (IC) led by Dr. Evangeline Amor identified ten plants from Northern Samar that could potentially be used as a treatment for Ad and other neurodegenerative diseases: leaves from the sinta (Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees), atis (Annona squamosa Linn.), langka (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.), dollarweed (Hydrocotyle umbellata Linn.), and sampa-sampalukan (Phyllanthus niruri Linn.); stems

Of the ten plants studied, luya-luyahan and dapdap showed the most medicinal potential, as extracts from their bark and stems were particularly effective at inhibiting an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine (ACh), a brain chemical that plays a major role in memory, learning, attention, and involuntary muscle movement.

“The next step in the study is to establish the safety of the extracts and confirm their activity in a secondary or orthogonal assay,” Dr. Amor said. “After which, the non-toxic active extracts can then proceed to a drug-track wherein the active constituents are isolated and identified or an herbal-track wherein an herbal preparation or drug may be formulated.”

Traditional and modern medicine

Moreover, Jocano called for more public awareness, appreciation, and protection of endemic and native plants. “We should also be on guard about practices such as what has been called ‘biomining,’ in which corporations practically exploit or systematically harvest a particular territory ng mga plants nila, paying only a pittance to the indigenous peoples there, but depriving them of their resources.”

Exploring Philippine plants used in traditional medicine can help advance modern medicine. Treatments for various types of diseases may be just within people’s reach. But as always, we should take responsible advantage of the Philippines’ rich biodiversity, according to Jocano.

“It has to be clear, it has to be ethical, and it has to be protective and promote and advance the indigenous peoples themselves. We have to work alongside the indigenous peoples and traditional healers to address what they feel they need,” Jocano said, adding, traditional and modern medicine are not separate entities; combining both practices might even be the answer to treating some of the world’s most notoriously incurable diseases. (Eunice

Jean Patron, UPD-CS SciComm, Mindanao Examiner)

'High dividend payout sustained on strong capital position'

Senior MILF leader arrested on gun charges

ILIGAN CITY – Security forces arrested a senior Moro Islamic Liberation Front leader for carrying a pistol in the troubled Muslim province of Lanao del Sur, officials said.

Officials said Sambitory Mangigin, commander of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces headquarters and chairman of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party, was apprehended at a checkpoint manned by members of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 2 in the village of Diamaro in Malabang town last week.

Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera, commander of Joint Task Force Central, said Mangigin was driving a pickup truck when he was flagged down at the checkpoint for security inspection.

He said soldiers recovered a .45-caliber pistol with eight ammunition from the MILF leader.

Mangigin’s truck was also impounded, according to Rillera, who said the carrying of firearms was suspended by the national police in the province following the recent ambush of Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr in Maguing town that killed his four police escorts.

“He violated the memorandum from PNP PROBAR on the suspension of PTCFOR posted on February 16,” said Rillera, referring to a gun permit which allows a certified gun owner to carry his firearms outside residence.

“The apprehended personality and confiscated items were turned over to Malabang

Municipal Police Station for proper disposition,” Rillera said.

Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, lauded the soldiers for seizing the weapon of Mangigin. “Your armed forces ensure the effective implementation of the law to maintain peace and order and protect the communities from violence,” he said.

The former rebel group under Murad Ebrahim who is now the regional governor did not issue a statement on the arrest of Mangigin. Many former rebels still carry weapons despite the signing of a peace deal in 2014 and they even maintain many camps in the southern region. (Mindanao Examiner)

‘Filipino Brand of Service Excellence’ program launched

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - The Department of Tourism here recently launched the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) program and training at the Grand Caprice Restaurant and Convention Center to encapsulate the uniqueness of Filipino hospitality among frontliners and service sectors in the tourism industry.

Over 240 participants from various tourism-related sectors from transportation, hospitality and accommodation, security, academia, and the private sector, attended the program in hopes of improving the quality of tourism services in their respective fields.

“We really have that unique Filipino brand of ser-

vice; that is what we are known for, Filipino hospitality. I think years of training have proven that the way we handle our tourists, the way that we welcome them is entirely unique to us, and how we take care of our guests we treat them as family,” said DOT Regional Director Marie Elaine Unchuan.

The FBSE was rooted in the 7 M’s of core values that Filipinos are widely known for: Malikhain, Makatao, Makakalikasan, Makabansa, Masayahin, May Bayanihan, and May Pag-asa.

After the launching ceremony, a training on FBSE was conducted to embed the Mabuhay gesture in all guest-facing workers to make tourists feel

welcome and fuel their desire to return to every destination they visit.

"We all know our reputation for being hospitable and friendly, giving warm smiles. So the objective really is to spread awareness on all of these things and to really raise the hospitality level of the Filipinos even more by training many of our tourism frontliners," said FBSE training resource speaker Maria Theresa Jean Boo.

The FBSE training program targets 100,000 tourism workers by 2024. In Northern Mindanao, 6,250 tourism frontliners are eyed for the training to help upscale the overall tourism experience in the region.

(Glacetene Kayl N. Daba)

Waste segregation is a failure in Zamboanga City

Public warned vs. vape waste

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1

With the rising popularity comes an environmental concern over the disposal of vape waste. Environmental Watchdog BAN Toxics said it conducted monitoring efforts with the assistance of some street sweepers and waste pickers in Metro Manila which aims to determine the improper disposal of discarded vapes.

The group has collected some disposal vapes in waste bins, if not properly managed will end up in landfills, where similar e-wastes end up, dismembered to salvage parts, and discarded as ordinary waste.

The group also managed to monitor the availability of disposal vapes in online shopping sites, selling ranges for as low as P50 pesos to 299 pesos, with 800 to 8,000 puffs.

impacts of e-cigarettes, disposal of vaping devices containing batteries represents yet another environmental concern.

The World Health Organization last year warned against the additional harm to the environment by improper disposal of e-waste from electronic waste from novel and emerging products, which generate toxic emissions and waste products.

leased the implementing rules and regulations of RA 6969.

Waste segregation in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines is not being followed as government garbage collectors tear open trash bags to collect whatever they can sell, and the local government has been tolerating this malpractice for many years now. (Photo by Al Jacinto)

“E-cigarettes and vaping products are in a unique position – although many people believe that they are safer than traditional cigarettes, new research shows that they still impact human health in various ways. Additionally, the growing number of disposable e-cigarettes is alarming due to its contributions to our growing e-waste problems,” said Jam Lorenzo, Policy and Research Specialist of BAN Toxics.

While the world is beginning to understand the health and environmental

“With vaping being a fairly new trend, there is a need for more research on its long-term impacts to human health especially among the youth. Still, there is a wealth of information regarding its potential effects – e-cigarettes may contain volatile organic compounds and heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead. This can lead to increased risk of damage to the lungs and cardiovascular diseases, among others,” Lorenzo said.

While the vaping law RA 11900 enacted in July 2022 is silent on product disposal and no other policy governing end-of-life disposal for vapes or e-cigarettes exists, the regulatory framework for the management of electronic waste or e-waste in the country has long been in place with RA 6969, or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act. DENR Administrative Order 1992-29 re-

Based on these policy guidelines, an electronic product with a battery that has reached its end-of-life is considered e-waste. Vapes are classified as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment because of their electronic components. The majority of plastic liquid cartridges are also not reusable or recyclable. Without proper management, these products can be hazardous. Spent vapes produce new amounts of e-waste, creating a waste problem needing consumer guidance and proper waste management policies.

The environmental watchdog calls the attention of government officials to look into the sound management of vape waste this early in the game. The group further recommends launching a public awareness campaign on the health impacts and disposal problem of vaping devices.

Lorenzo urged vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine manufacturers to implement extended producer responsibility for proper disposal of products, creating sustainable disposal channels, investing in schemes for recycling, and crafting sound policy regulations in place to prevent toxic pollution. (Mindanao Examiner)

‘They were shot in the head’: Morgue gives up truth of Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 of the so-called “war on drugs”, revealing serious irregularities in how their postmortems were performed – including multiple death certificates that wrongly attributed fatalities to natural causes.

Most recently, her findings have raised questions about examinations carried out on the body of Kian delos Santos, a 17-year-old boy whose death at the height of the shootings provoked global outrage.

The Philippines does not automatically provide postmortems in cases of violent death, says Fortun. The standard, where they do occur, is poor, with evidence often missed.

“We have very weak institutions, unqualified people. We have a law that’s so ancient. And here comes a madman, ascending to the top as president, and I think he just took advantage,” she says.

Duterte repeatedly ordered the police to kill drug suspects. “And that’s it – they did,” says Fortun.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) said in January that it would proceed with its investigation into the killings, which it estimates led to between 12,000 and 30,000 deaths. Its work had been suspended while it assessed a claim by the Philippines, which said it had begun its own investigations and therefore the case should be deferred – an argument that was rejected.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr – who took office last year after a joint campaign with Duterte’s daughter, Sara, who is now vice-president – has called the ICC investigation an “intrusion into our internal matters”, saying that the country has a “good” police and judicial system.

For campaigners, however, Fortun’s findings are further proof that the Philippines’ institutions are failing to deliver justice. She is aware of 12 death certificates, including 11 from the 74 remains she has examined, that wrongly attribute deaths to natural causes, such as pneumonia or sepsis. “It would make one wonder, were they involved, were they complicit? Was it just them

making a short cut?” says Fortun.

Dlos Santos was found dead, bent in a foetal position, in a dark alley in Caloocan, Metropolitan Manila, in 2017, with a gun in his left hand. Police argued they killed him in self-defense. Yet his family pointed out that he was right-handed.

CCTV footage showed police dragging a male matching Delos Santos’s description towards the spot where he was killed. His is the only known case where police have been convicted of murder.

Despite intense scrutiny at the time of his death, examinations by both the Philippine National Police and the Public Attorney’s Office failed to spot a bullet that was still lodged in his neck, according to Fortun’s findings. “It’s evidence that has been missed,” she says. Such omissions are not uncommon; Fortun has found at least one bullet left in about 15 other victims’ remains. She also found that only superficial cuts had been made during autopsies on Delos Santos’s body, meaning no internal examination was carried out. This is despite a report, signed by a doctor, referencing Delos Santos’s stomach contents.

Fortun began looking at the remains of exhumed victims in 2021. It was then about five years since Duterte had launched his crackdown, and the families of those killed, who had only been able to pay for short leases on graves, were increasingly facing eviction from cemeteries.

The Catholic priest Father Flaviano Villanueva began offering to help families exhume and cremate their loved one’s remains through an initiative called Project Arise. The option of an examination by Fortun, to document evidence, was also offered to families.

The stockroom Fortun uses has been renovated, but her work is still carried out on a shoestring. She works for free, with a small budget to cover the cost of plastic bags, superglue, a lighter adhesive for teeth and special paper.

Remains are delivered to the hospital for X-ray after midnight because the local hospital is too busy

to handle them during the day. An examination can take weeks as she tries to juggle the process with her university role and handling other cases.

The remains she has seen represent just “a pinch of tens of thousands of those killed”, says Fortun. “But the picture is showing.” The victims are overwhelmingly men, and young. “They’re the poorest of the poor. I see that in their teeth.”

Some are buried with printed tarpaulin images of their faces, clothes, footwear or religious items. In two cases, Fortun has examined victims wearing a Duterte-branded wristband. “There was [a widow] who said the husband actually felt safe with that on his wrist,” says Fortun.

Her examinations add to evidence contradicting police narratives that officers acted in self-defense.

“They were shot not to immobilise them or render them safer for police to apprehend – they were shot multiple times in the chest, in the head,” she says.

According to government figures, officers killed 6,252 people during anti-drug operations from July 1, 2016 to May 31, 2022. Fortun wonders if it will ever be possible to accurately calculate how many were killed. “Who is keeping count?” she asks. “What about the [victims] who were never recovered? Bodies thrown into rivers, buried in some clandestine grave?” Even less is known about killings outside Metro Manila.

Known for taking on politically sensitive cases, Fortun is aware that her work brings risks. She has worked abroad previously, but the temptation to do so again has long passed.

“I feel: OK, this is the reason why I stayed. I needed to. What if I left?”

When she meets families, Fortun makes no promises that the examinations will bring justice.

“But at least I tell them: thank you for giving us the chance to document the findings. I don’t know if at some point it is going to court, but at least we tried.” (Rebecca RatcliffeThe Guardian)

Malaysia rescues 21 Filipino boat passengers off Sabah

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1

Abdulmar Maik, radioed the Philippine Navy station in southern Filipino province of Tawi-Tawi to say that they suffered engine trouble while sailing to Taganak Island from Sabah on Friday, February 24.

This was confirmed by the Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City, saying all 15 passengers and six crewmen, including the boat’s captain, were recovered by the Philippine Navy and brought to Tawi-Tawi’s capital town of Bongao on Sunday, February 26.

It said the Philippine Navy dispatched BRP Florencio Iñigo (PC 393) to rescue the boat’s passengers and had coordinated with its Malaysian counterparts

to monitor the distressed vessel. “The Royal Malaysian Navy assisted the passengers of M/L Rihanna, and towed the distressed vessel to the nearest anchorage area in Tanjung Labian, Malaysia, to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew while waiting for the Philippine Navy vessel,” the Western Mindanao Command said.

“The PC393 then towed M/L Rihanna to Lamion Wharf in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. Upon disembarkation on Sunday, February 26) all passengers were immediately given medical attention to ensure that they were in the best health condition,” it added.

The rescued Filipinos were handed over to the Provincial Disaster Risk

Reduction Management Office and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, commended the navy and marine troops of Naval Forces Western Mindanao and Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi for the quick response that saved the crew and passengers of M/L Rihanna from harm.

“This exemplifies our commitment to serve and protect our fellow Filipinos, especially in times of adversity. Rest assured that we will remain steadfast in providing humanitarian assistance whenever necessary,” Galido said. (Mindanao Examiner)

U.S. releases P3.7-M to help promote family planning

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 planning and address teenage pregnancies in the Philippines.

As part of its ReachHealth program, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) formally introduced the four platforms during the Innovation Accelerator Impact Showcase held recently.

These innovators are: CareGo EMR, which developed an SMS communication system to notify the public about free and available family planning, reproductive, and maternal health services; Edukasyon.ph, which developed Turn You On 2.0, a one-stop shop for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education for Filipino Gen Z youth; FriendlyCare Foundation, which developed the e-Plano App to provide easy access to family planning methods through digital booking, education, and consultation; and Yaka. ph, a digital baby book and online community for mothers and families seeking more information on pregnancy and postpartum family planning.

With the assistance of Villgro Philippines and the Duke University Global Health Innovation Center, the four developers received

six months of intensive support that prepared their respective applications for market release.

Following their formal launch, these platforms may be used by local governments and government health agencies to promote family planning resources and services for the public.

Each platform is aligned with the priorities of the Department of Health (DOH), the Commission on Population and Development, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation to provide more reliable, affordable, and accessible family planning commodities and services.

“We are happy to see the innovation ecosystem in the Philippines starting to engage in family planning

and adolescent reproductive health issues. USAID is committed to helping countries meet the family planning and reproductive health needs of their people,“ said USAID Philippines Office of Health Director Michelle Lang-Alli.

For her part, DOH Assistant Secretary Dr. Beverly Ho encouraged innovators to bravely pursue and scale up their family planning solutions. “We are talking about 60 percent of 110 million Filipinos who are not able to pay for services on their own, so we have to find ways to work on that. This is why it is important for us to come together and build connections so that we can know who is doing what and support each other,” she said. (Mindanao Examiner)

USAID Philippines Office of Health Director Michelle Lang-Alli (second from left) joins representatives of Edukasyon.ph, an ed-tech platform that will provide sexual and reproductive health education for Gen Z youth.

Photo released by the Western Mindanao Command shows the rescued passengers of the motor launch Rihanna.

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CEBU CITY – Some 30,000poor families here will benefit from the government’s

EBU CITY – Some 30,000poor families here will benefit from the “Pambansang Pabahay Parasa Pilipino Program” or 4PH after President Ferdi- Parasa or 4PH after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr led the groundbreaking recently of his flagship project nand Marcos Jr. led the of his project.

The South Coastal Urban Development Housing Project, Marcos said, is under the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DSHUD). Marcos said it would be a big challenge for the DSHUD to build around a million housing unit seach year during his term of office.

“Sa tulong ng mga masisipag na kawani ng DHSUD, na pinangungunahan ni Secretary Jerry Acuzar, naniniwala akong kayang-kaya natin itong makamit sa ilalim ng aking panunungkulan. Kaya naman hinahamon ko ang DHSUD na manatili kayong matatag upang matupad ang ating pangakong mura at maayos na pabahay para sa mga kababayan nating nangangailangan,” he said.

Marcos said the proj-

ect is an excellent example of the whole-of-government approach, with all sectors of society contributing for the betterment of the people. “Kagaya nito, hindi magiging matagumpay ang programang ito kung hindi tayo nag-uugnayan at nagsasamahan at nagsasanib puwersa ng national at saka ng mga local government.

Kaya’t ang lahat ng departamento na kailangan na makilahok doon sa lahat ng program, hindi lamang ang housing, hindi lamang ang mga LGU, kung hindi lahat. Kasama natin dyan ang House of Representatives, kasama natin ang mga senador, kasama natin siyempre ang ating private sector na tumutulong sa atin,” he said.

The initial phase of the project, comprising 10, 20-story buildings within the 25-hectare

development site, is expected to benefit about 8,000 informal settler families(ISFs) and low income earners in the city. The entire South Coastal Urban Development Project is composed of three phases in different areas in Cebu City, covering a total of 60 hectares.

Under the 4PH project, Marcos said his administration starts with identifying and preparing the parcel of land where the housing units would be built.“Ang proyektong ito at iba pang mga pabahay ng 4PH ay para sa mga minimum wage earners, informal settlers, mga nakatira sa danger zones, at sa mga kababayan nating naghahangad ng mura, simple, at komportableng bahay. Sisiguruhin din natin mananatiling abot-kaya ang buwanang hulog at bayad para sa mga

Kadiwa stores now in Cebu

a farm-to-consumer market chain that eliminates intermediaries, allowing local producers to generate higher income by selling their produce directly to consumers.

Marcos, who also serves as Department of Agriculture secretary, earlier vowed to extend the Kadiwa program beyond the Christmas season to continue to help Filipinos amid the rising cost of basic commodities due to inflation.

CEBU - Following the success of the “Kadiwa ng Pasko” during the Christmas season, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. launched the “Kadiwa ng Pangulo” in Cebu City to provide consumers with fresh and affordable agricultural and fishery products.

Marcos, who was here last week, said he is happy over the expansion of Kadiwa caravan, noting that it would not only help Filipinos cope with the effects of rising food prices but also increase the income of local farmers, fisherfolk and small enterprises.

“Dati ang nagsimula nito ay ‘yung Kadiwa ng Pasko. Gumawa ng Kadiwa para noong Christmas season. Iyon lamang ay napuna namin ay napaka popular at gustong-gusto ng tao dahil nga naman ay may bilihin na mas mura kaysa sa makukuha sa labas,” Marcos said.

“Kaya’t habang tumagal ang panahon tapos na ang Pasko ay sabi ko dapat naman siguro ay ipatuloy na natin kaya’t naging Kadiwa ng Pangulo na ngayon ay simulan natin dito sa Cebu,” he added.

The Kadiwa program is

ito kaya patuloy po ang ating pakikipag-ugnayan sa Kongreso upang maging matagumpayang programang ito,” he said.

Aside from the housing units, Marcos said the government will also build other infrastructures in the area such as

schools, markets, health centers and other business establishments to sustain the community. (Cebu Examiner)

Philippines, Cebu, Intramuros nominated in 2023 world travel awards

CEBU - The Philippines and two of its leading destinations - Cebu and Intramuros - have been nominated for major awards under the Asia category of the 30th World Travel Awards (WTA), the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced.

It said the Philippines is running as Asia’s Leading Beach Destination after winning in the same category during the last WTA in September last year. The country is also vying for Asia’s Leading Dive Destination award, a title it held for four years straight from 2019 to 2022.

He said there are more than 500 Kadiwa stores throughout the country, adding that the government’s plan to launch Kadiwa para sa Manggagawa will be led by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

“Patuloy po naming gagawin ito, padadamihin natin, palalakihin natin at pararamihin natin mas importante ay paramihin lalo na sa mga lugar na talagang hirap ang tao at hindi pa kaya ang mga presyuhan kung nasa palengkes. Kaya’t ito na ang aming sagot doon sa nagiging krisis dito sa ating pagkain sa ating pagtaas ng presyo,” he said. (Cebu Examiner)

“We are extremely elated upon receiving the news on these nominations at the landmark 30th anniversary of the World Travel Awards. These recurring nominations clearly manifest the growing global travel demand into the Philippines, one that we aim to sustain in the coming days through the initiatives we have laid out for the tourism industry’s recovery and transformation post pandemic,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said.

She said Cebu is nominated as Asia’s Leading Wedding Destination while Intramuros is once again running as Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction after bagging the same award last year, adding, the DOT is also nominated as Asia’s Leading Tourism Board at the 2023 WTA. “I invite my fellow Filipinos as well as our foreign friends to show some love and help keep the travel momentum for the Philippines. Sign up and cast your votes now,” Frasco said. Open to travel professionals, media, and tour-

ism consumers, voting for the 2023 WTA’s various categories (including Asia) officially opened on Feb. 20, 2023 and will be open until midnight of March 19, 2023 at https://www.worldtravelawards.com/ vote. (Joyce Ann L. Rocamora)

bahay na

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says some 30,000 housing units are to be built in Cebu City as part of the government's flagship project called “Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program.” (PNA Photo by Rey S. Baniquet)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr reads the label of a food product being sold at a Kadiwa store in Cebu City.