SULU – A new and modern airport may soon rise in Sulu which could further boost trade and commerce, including tourism and put the southern Filipino province as a gateway to BIMP–EAGA or the Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area.
The regional governContinue on page 4 Continue on page 4
Provincial
COTABATO CITY - The Bangsamoro Parliament has approved on its third and final reading the Bangsamoro Electoral
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Bangsamoro lawmakers pose for posterity following the approval of the historical Bangsamoro Electoral Code.
PRESIDENT FERDINAND Marcos Jr has thanked Malaysia for its role in peace
RESIDENT FERDINAND Marcos Jr. has thanked for its role in peace efforts in Mindanao and called on Kuala Lumpur to continue supporting Ma- efforts in Mindanao and called on Kuala Lumpur to continue supporting Manila in sustaining the peace in the troubled region nila in the peace in the troubled region.
Marcos, who recently met with Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Manila, said he invited Malaysia to Continue on page 2 Continue on page 2
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY
- Nagbabala ang BAN
Toxics sa publiko sa patuloy na paglipana sa pamilihan ng laruang ‘water beads’ dahil sa panganib na maaaring idulot sa kalusugan ng mga bata.
Gawa sa polymer chemicals ang makukulay na ‘water beads’ na tinatawag ding ‘jelly beads’, Continue on page 5 Continue on page 5
FRENCH BAILIFFS attempted to enforce a seizure order on three Paris properties owned by the Malaysian government in a case linked to a $15 billion court award to descendants of a former sultan, according to the heirs' lawyers and court documents.
The bailiffs tried to assess the properties recently following a court-issued seizure order in December, but Malaysian officials at the Paris embassy turned them away, the lawyers and the Malaysian Continue on page 2 Continue on page 2
PAGADIAN CITY – The European Union (EU)
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Two young Muslim women pray in a mosque in southern Philippines. The European Union says it is committed to support peace and development efforts, including the welfare of the children, in the South. (Photo by Al Jacinto)
has found a conclusive link between stress, al-
tered light-dark cycles— such as in the cases of Continue on page 5 Continue on page 5
Seri Anwar Ibrahim and I had a cordial and productive discussion on Philippines-Malaysia bilateral cooperation, reaffirming our two countries’ desire to revitalize relations as we traverse past the pandemic then through the years towards a new normal,” Marcos said.
economy.”
Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 continue supporting the Philippine government’s efforts to bring development and enhancement to the livelihood of Mindanaoans.
He commended the progress made towards achieving sustainable and inclusive peace in Mindanao, saying, it is the culmination of years of effort and sincerity among all parties, which will soon realize the dividends of peace.
“We have recognized the great contribution that Malaysia has made to the peace process in the southern Philippines. And we hope that this support that they have shown over the past few years will continue and will continue to contribute to the success of the peace process and the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region,” Marcos said.
He said the two countries, as immediate neighbors, recognize the
importance of maintaining peace and security in the region. “As such, we agreed to continue our cooperation on political and security matters, rekindling the Joint Commission Meetings and joint initiatives to combat transnational crime and terrorism,” Marcos said.
The two leaders also agreed to boost security, trade and investment exchanges during their meeting in Malacañang.
“Prime Minister Dato’
With the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and geopolitical upheavals challenging the Philippines’ and Malaysia’s economies and the prospects of a global recovery, the two leaders agreed to “reinvigorate trade and investment exchanges, with a special focus on the halal industry, agriculture and food security, and the digital
Marcos said the Philippines and Malaysia, as founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, have ASEAN Centrality embedded in their regional outlook.
“We have thus resolved to support development and peace-building initiatives within this group, including the importance of achieving a resolution to the situation in Myanmar,” he said.
Marcos congratulated then-newly sworn-in Anwar in a telephone call last November and expressed hopes to work with the
new Malaysian leader, particularly as the Southeast Asian region tackles various challenges.
Anwar, in a Facebook page, said his visit to Manila brought back memories of when he was a student. “Manila is very special and not a foreign city for me personally,” he said.
Malaysia, along with Libya, played a crucial role in the peace talks between the Filipino government and the Moro National Liberation Front. And Malaysia was among the countries which deployed peace keepers in Mindanao to ensure the 1996 peace accord is holding in the South. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Continued from page 1 government said. The Filipino heirs of the last Sultan of Sulu are seeking to enforce a $14.9-billion award granted to them by a French arbitration court last year to settle a dispute with the Malaysian government over a colonial-era land deal.
Malaysia, which did not participate in the arbitration, maintains the process was illegal and has obtained a stay on the ruling in France.
The Paris properties are only the third set of Malaysian assets that the heirs have publicly acknowledged going after. They have secured a seizure order for Luxembourg units of state oil firm Petronas and have sought permission from a Dutch court to seize assets in the Netherlands.
The award is enforceable globally against most Malaysian assets, aside from diplomatic premises, under a UN convention on arbitration.
Despite the stay, a French judge in December last year granted the heirs' request to seize three Malaysian government properties in Paris to settle a debt of 2.3 million euros ($2.46 million) that they said was owed to them, according to court documents shared by the heirs' lawyers.
The seizure attempt in Paris has not been reported previously.
Malaysia had been ordered to pay the heirs the
sum under a preliminary arbitration award granted to them in Spain, which was not bound by the stay in France, the lawyers said.
The Malaysian law ministry did not respond to a request for comment on the preliminary award.
The French judge also found that the properties, located in the 16th arrondissement near the Malaysian embassy in Paris, did not qualify as diplomatic premises, according to the court documents.
Unlike the embassy, they bore no official signage and were not subject to French tax exemptions, the judge said.
French bailiffs attempted to evaluate the three properties in preparation of a sale, the lawyers said. The proceeds of the sale would go to the heirs.
A Malaysian law ministry spokesperson said the bailiffs appeared at the Malaysian embassy in Paris but were turned away. They declined to comment further. Malaysia's foreign ministry and its embassy in Paris declined to comment.
Reuters could not establish if the bailiffs attempted to enter all three properties subject to the seizure order.
Paul Cohen, a lawyer for the heirs, said the court order was "unambiguous" in its directive to seize the properties and that it would be up to the court to decide the next steps.
"To the extent that Ma-
laysians blocked entry to the bailiffs, they are in open defiance of a French court order," Cohen said.
The Malaysian government and the French court, the Tribunal Judiciaire de Paris, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Last month, Luxembourg court bailiffs issued fresh seizure orders for two units of Petronas in a similar effort. The company has said the heirs' actions were baseless and that it will continue to defend its legal position.
Malaysia has previously vowed to take all legal measures to protect its assets worldwide.
The dispute stems from a deal signed in 1878 between two European colonists and the Sultan of Sulu for use of his territory in present-day Malaysia – an agreement that independent Malaysia honoured until 2013, paying the monarch's descendants a token sum annually.
Kuala Lumpur stopped the payments after a bloody incursion in 2013 by supporters of the former sultanate who wanted to reclaim land from Malaysia. The heirs of the sultan, who once controlled a territory spanning rainforest-covered islands in the southern Philippines and parts of Borneo Island, say they were not involved in the incursion and sought arbitration over the suspension of payments. (Reuters)
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Continued from page 1 ment through the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) has already approved the conduct of a feasibility study for the proposed airport that straddles Talipao and Maimbung municipalities, according to Gov. Sakur Tan.
Tan said the BPDA has already approved the funding for the conduct of a feasibility study for the new airport. “It is a pragmatic move, due to its location and near proximity to other municipalities being at the center of the Sulu main-
land,” he said.
Members of the BPDA were recently in Sulu and conducted a preliminary aerial survey of the proposed airport site. The officials were led by Director Engr. Kadil Sulaik Jr., and Engineers Esmael Usop and Bernie Taula; and also Yasher Arafat Usman, the project assistant; and planning officer Edenson Magiting.
They were also joined by Engineers Bertrand Chio, head of the Provincial Planning and Development Office, and his assistant Ben Akalal; Abdurasad Baih, the provincial engineer; and Engr.
Aldrin A Juljani, the assistant provincial assessor .
Sulaik said the BPDA would also provide assistance in the power generation requirements of Sulu. “Provide us with the projected yearly power requirements for our reference so we can provide the necessary assistance,” Sulaik told Tan.
Tan thanked the regional government and the BPDA for their infrastructure support. Currently, the capital town of Jolo hosts the lone airport in the province which is also being used by the military. (Mindanao Examiner)
CAGAYAN DE ORO - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said its Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program (CLPEP) has removed a total of 29,697 child laborers in Region 10 from 2018–2022.
With the strong advocacy for upholding children’s rights and strengthening their protection from all forms of abuse, the DOLE, in partnership with World Vision International - an ecumenical Christian humanitarian aid, development, and advocacy organization - continuously increases awareness of their CLPEP.
“Sa CLPEP, adunay mga tawo na gina sweldohan ginatawag na mga community facilitators,” said Glenford Labial, Senior Labor and Employment Officer of DOLE.
He said these community facilitators work to end or stop child labor through strategic directions like knowledge management or information caravans and the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Program (DILEP), which encourages businesses to act in a socially responsible way.
Labial shared that Cagayan de Oro has the highest number of child laborers in the country. Following this, he mentioned the current initiatives and interventions of DOLE in partnership with the local government, World Vision International, Project ACE, and the City Council for the Protection of Children.
He added that DOLE has undertaken a lot of activities to boost the campaign
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against child labor to include coordination meetings with the different line agencies, TV and radio guesting, orientations and seminars, art exhibits, and photo galleries.
They also have the DOLEkula, which shows one-minute films about child labor and is recognized by the International Labor Organization for the initiative.
Chief Labor and Employment Officer of DOLE here, Emmanuel Toledo, said that new ordinances against child labor are in the works, along with their proposal for 100 starter kits or cash aid of P30,000 to the parents of child laborers.
“In 2022, the total number of profiled child laborers in Cagayan de Oro is 3,295 of which 100% are being referred to the different agencies and 3.2% was assisted by DOLE through the DILEP but naa pa'y additional ani, we are processing an additional 100 starter kits for the 100 parents of child laborers for this year.
Naa na sa region, gisubmit na namo ang mga proposals so hopefully by March, maka-turnover mi og additional starter kits or P30,000 to the parents of the child laborer,” he said. (Theresa Arlene A. Gambe)
MANILA - Tiniyak ngayon ni Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. na nakatutok ang Philippine National Police (PNP) sa mga high-profile killing laban sa mga local officials at patuloy ang pagbabantay ng pulisya para siguruhin ang kaligtasan ng mga mamamayan.
“Sa ating mga kababayan, huwag po kayong mag-aalala at nakatutok ang kapulisan sa mga
kasong ito. The PNP exhausts all its resources in the fulfillment of its mandate to serve and protect the citizens, whether they are local officials or not,” ani Abalos.
Nakipagpulong rin si Abalos kay House of Representative Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez upang talakayin ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng PNP para maresolba ang mga high-profile killings at hingin ang suporta ng Kongreso para sa karagda-
gang pondo para sa pagpapalakas ng hanay ng pulisya.
Sinabi ni Abalos na kabilang sa mga hakbangin na inilatag ng DILG at PNP sa nasabing pakikipagpulong ang pagpapaiigting ng paggamit sa teknolohiya sa paglaban sa kriminalidad; pag-review sa batas sa pagbebenta ng mga sasakyan; at pag-recruit ng mas maraming pulis sa mga darating na taon.
“Napag-usapan din kung ano ang mga bagay na puwede nating gawin upang malabanan ang ganitong uri ng krimen. We were able to discuss among others the usage of technology in the fight against criminality, and maximum police visibility,” ani Abalos.
Nagpapasalamat din si Abalos sa suporta ni Romualdez at ng Kongreso sa mga hakbangin ng DILG at PNP sa paglaban sa kriminalidad at sa sunud-sunod na pagpaslang sa mga lokal na opisyal sa bansa. Ayon kay Abalos, malaking bagay na katuwang ng DILG ang Kongreso sa pagtupad nito sa kanyang tungkulin. (Mindanao Examiner)
PRESIDENT FERDINAND
Marcos Jr. praised Filipino air force pilots as he underscored the importance of increasing the country’s defense capabilities to effectively guard its maritime territory, especially in the South China Sea.
“Ang gagaling talaga ng piloto natin. That’s why we have to continue to encourage the modernization of our Armed Forces para ‘yung capabilities natin ay mas tumi-
bay pa. And we saw some of the capabilities that were demonstrated to me during the flight and we can see how important this increase in our capabilities is going to be, especially in the defense of our maritime territory,” Marcos said.
Marcos also flew onboard the Philippine Air Force’s FA-50PH fighter jet to witness its capability in a flight demonstration at the Clark Air Base in Pam-
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‘hydro orbs’, ‘crystal soil’, at ‘gel beads’. Kapag inilagay sa tubig ang mga maliliit at matigas na butil ng plastik, lumolobo ito hanggang 1,500 beses sa original na laki.
Kadalasang matingkad ang kulay at mistulang kendi and ‘water beads’ na binebenta bilang laruan. Ang mga katangiang ito ang nakakaakit sa mga bata at maaari nila itong malunok or maipasok sa tenga, ilong, o iba pang butas ng katawan.
panga province recently.
He described his fighter jet experience as fantastic and very interesting. He said flying aboard a fighter jet was something he has been wanting to do.
Marcos expressed confidence that the acquisition of modern aircraft by the Philippine Air Force will ultimately improve the country’s defense systems. (Mindanao Examiner)
Mabibili umano ang mga ito sa halagang P80 sa mga palengkes at iba pang tindahan sa bansa at sinubukan din ng BAN Toxics ang laruan at inilagay ang makukulay na butil sa tubig upang malaman ang aktwal na laki at oras para lumobo.
“Nakakabahala na nagpapatuloy ang pagbebenta ng mga laruang water beads sa mga pampublikong palengke kahit naglabas na ng babala dito dahil sa panganib na maaaring idulot sa kalusugan ng mga bata,” ayon kay Thony Dizon, Toxics Campaigner ng BAN Toxics.
Noong 2009, naglabas ang Department of Health ng pabatid kaugnay sa pagbebenta ng Seven Color Crystal Balls at inabisuhan ang publiko na ilayo ang mga laruan sa mga bata dahil hindi dapat ito ginagawang laruan. Inilalagay nito sa panganib ang mga bata kapag aksidenteng nakain. Mabibili rin ang mg aprodukto sa mga tindahan malapit sa mga
eskwelahan at ginagawang laruan ng mga estudyante dahil sa kaaya-aya nitong mga kulay at itsurang gel.
Ayon sa HealthChildren.org, maaaring malunok ng mga maliliit na bata ang mga butil dahil mukha itong kendi. Nailalagay ng mga bata ito sa kanilang mga tenga at nasisinghot. Maaaring lumaki ang mga butil sa loob ng katawan na magdudulot ng pagbara at nakamamatay na epekto.
Mga palatandaang nakalunok ng water beads ang isang bata:
1. kawalan ng ganang kumain
2. pagkaantukin
3. paglalaway
4. pagsusuka
5. hika
6. dinadaing na bara sa lalamunan o dibdib
7. pananakit ng tiyan
8. kahirapan sa pagdumi o constipation
9. paglaki at pamamaga ng tiyan
Kamakailan lamang, inilabas ng TODAY.com ang balita sa isang batang nakalunok ng water beads
sa San Antonio, Texas sa Amerika. Dinala sa ospital ang sampung buwang bata dahil sa pagsusuka. Pinakita ng doktor ang mga larawan ng nakita nitong water beads sa loob ng bituka ng bata.
“Nananawagan kami sa Food and Drug Administration na maglabas ng babala sa publiko, muling ilabas ang 14-taong health advisory ni dating Secretary Duque III, at magsagawa ng kagyat na kumpiskasyon ng mga produkto upang maiwasan ang panganib sa buhay ng mga bata,” ani Dizon.
Hindi rin pumasa ang produkto sa labeling requirements sa ilalim ng RA 10620 o Toy and Game Safety Labeling Law. Sa ilalim ng Seksyon 10, sinumang lumabag sa probisyon ng batas ay magbabayad ng hindi bababa sa P10,000 hanggang P50,000, o pagkabilanggo ng tatlong buwan hanggang dalawang taon, o parehas ayon sa kautusan ng korte. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Code which will ensurethat regional elections are honest, credible, just, and free.
Voting 64-0-0, members of the Parliament unanimously passed the measure that will provide the structural, functional, and procedural principles for conducting elections, plebiscites, initiatives, referenda, and recall proceedings in the Bangsamoro region.
BARMM Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim said that the enactment of the electoral law is a "significant step towards more peaceful and democratic elections in the region, participated in by genuinely principled political parties."
After the approval in the plenary, Chief Minister Ebrahim and BTA Speaker Atty. Pangalian
Balindong led the ceremonial signing of the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 35, or the Bangsamoro Electoral Code of 2023. The electoral code is one of the priority measures that the Parliament must enact during the transition period. The Parliament has also passed administrative,
education, and civil service codes.
The first regular election for the Bangsamoro Government will be held and synchronized with the 2025 national elections, as stipulated in the Bangsamoro Organic Law. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)
Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 night shift workers and frequent international travelers—and breast cancer.
Molecular biologist Dr. Pia Bagamasbad and her student, Weand Ybañez, at the UPD-National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB), discovered a gene called Krüppel-like factor 9 (KLF9) that suppresses tumor growth and links the effects of stress, regulation of the light-dark cycle, and breast cancer.
In their study, the researchers found that KLF9 is suppressed in breast tumors compared to normal breast tissue, and that KLF9 is affected by stress hormones and changes in a person’s exposure to light and dark.
Normal body function involves a regular 24-hour pattern of biological activity, called the “circadi-
an cycle,” which is mainly controlled by the 12-hour light-dark cycle that, in turn, regulates several bodily functions such as sleeping and waking, digestion, and the action of various hormones at different times of the day.
In normal breast tissue, the researchers found that KLF9 exhibits a cyclical pattern as part of a healthy circadian cycle. However, this regular pattern is lost in highly-aggressive breast cancer. Since KLF9 suppresses the growth and spread of breast cancer cells, these research findings show a direct link between stress hormones and changes in the circadian cycle—such as lack of sleep—on breast cancer risk and development.
The NIMBB research team underscored the value of maintaining a regular circadian cycle in their study, warning of the neg-
ative effects of disruptions in the regularity of the circadian cycle: “Circadian disruption is an emerging driver of breast cancer , with epidemiological studies linking shift work and chronic jet lag to increased breast cancer risk,” they noted in their research paper, which was published just last February 23 in the journal, Cancer Cell International.
“These findings have potential far-reaching implications not just on our understanding of how cancer develops and spreads and how it can be effectively managed, but more importantly emphasize the need for policies and interventions that can safeguard the overall health and wellness of women working in industries involving disruption in the regular circadian cycle”, Dr. Bagamasbad said. (Mindanao Examiner)
SULU – Authorities have intensified its anti-smuggling campaign in the southern Philippine province of Sulu following the seizure of some P1.4 billion worth of smuggled cigarettes in the town of Indanan.
The military’s Joint Task Force Sulu said soldiers and members of the Bureau of Customs confiscated at least 19,000 boxes of assorted cigarettes and have tagged Faidasil Sakandal as the owner of the warehouse.
It was unclear whether Sakandal was also the owner of the contraband or if there were any arrests made.
Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, the task force commander, said Thursday’s operation involved the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion; the 35th, 21st, 45th, 41st, and 100th Infantry Battalions; 111th Division Reconnaissance Company; Naval Special Operations Unit-6; and the intelligence units.
“The operation targeted smuggled contrabands kept inside an identified warehouse owned by a certain Faidasil Sakandal. The operation resulted in the confiscation of 19,000 boxes of assorted brands of smuggled cigarettes with an estimated value of P1.425 billion,” he
said.
Patrimonio said the contraband was transported and handed over to the Bureau of Customs in Zamboanga City.
Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, lauded the security forces for the seizure of the contraband.
“Rest assured that we will continue to support the law
enforcement operations of our partners from the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Customs, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and other agencies to curb smuggling and other illegal activities in our area of operation,” he said.
The haul was the biggest in the South where smuggling is rampant. (Mindanao Examiner)
Zamboanga City | 0917-7103642
COFFEE LOVERS in the Philippines may now enjoy the best and the most expensive coffee in the world - Kopi Luwakbut not as pricey as every connoisseur thinks.
Kopi Luwak is a coffee that consists of partially digested coffee cherries, which have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. The cherries are fermented as they pass through a civet’s intestines, and after being defecated with other fecal matter, they are collected.
In Manila, a kilogram of Civet coffee sells for as high as P15,000 and over $500 dollars abroad.
But Kopi Luwak can now be enjoyed by every coffee lover for as low as P150 for a 16 oz. cup that comes with a drip bag, ground organic Civet coffee beans, two packets of brown sugar and a stirrer in a beautiful Kraft paper bag – thanks to the Mindanao Civet Coffee seller in Zamboanga City.
The new market player in the coffee business, although small, is now offering affordable organic Kopi Luwak – sourced and picked by farmers from the highlands of Mindanao, cleaned and dried and roasted to perfection to give coffee lovers that distinct aroma of Civet coffee berries – chocolaty and nutty and smooth bodied brewed drink.
Mindanao Civet Coffee, which started as a backyard reseller of coffee beans, now offers organic Kopi Luwak in 250 grams ground Civet coffee and 250 grams Civet coffee beans – all medium roasted to perfection.
Kopi Luwak is also available now in 3rd Cup Café at LM Metro Hotel in Zamboanga City, and resellers in Luzon, Cebu and other parts of Mindanao.
The Mindanao Civet Coffee is a favorite among travellers and tourists and coffee connoisseurs. And for those who want the perfect gift for all occasions, Kopi Luwak is the best choice.
And those who are interested to resell or perhaps enjoy a daily hot cup or cold brew of Kopi Luwak may call the Mindanao Civet Coffee at this mobile number 0915-3976197. (AJC)
THE REASON can be found in that parable Christ told his disciples about the rich man, dressed in purple, and the poor man, Lazarus, who was lying at the rich man’s door, covered with sores and waiting to get even the scraps of food that fell from the rich man’s table. (cfr. Lk 16,19-31)
As the parable unfolded, both of them died. The poor man was carried by angels to the bosom of Abraham, while the rich man was buried in the netherworld. While at first sight, the parable might strike us to be unfair, since if God is a God of love and mercy, he should therefore be willing to save both of them. But I suppose that without detracting from the universal love and mercy God has for everyone, the purpose of the parable is simply to teach us about the deadly danger of worldly wealth and the great redeeming value of Christian poverty and austerity.
Wealth in itself is not evil as long as we do not allow it to corrupt us. In fact, poverty and austerity can be bad if they are lived in bitterness and anger, if not hatred against God. For wealth to be a good thing, it has to be lived with the Christian spirit of poverty and austerity. That means that wealth is used to give glory to God and to serve everybody else. It is not meant to be used for self-indulgence.
Money and richness can become a problem when we are led to get attached to them such that we cannot anymore give ourselves fully to God. They can blind us with respect to our duty to God and to everybody else. We may give the appearance that we are giving a lot, but if it is not the whole of
ourselves, then it is not the total self-giving which God deserves and expects from each one of us. Let us always remember that God wants the whole of ourselves. He wants our entire heart, not a divided heart. He wants to be everything to us, the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega. He wants to be given priority over everything else, including our own life.
Especially these days when we are practically bombarded with so many tempting things, we should really be guarded, otherwise we end up completely materialistic and consumeristic, completely dead and numb to the spiritual and supernatural dimensions of our life as children of God. We need to regularly check on what we have at the moment, what our real desires of our heart are, to see if indeed we are living the proper spirit of poverty and austerity that Christ himself lived. We know how easy it is for us to lapse into the opposite of poverty and austerity, like greed, envy, etc. With the way the world is developing these days, this practice of checking is very important.
Poverty and austerity allow us to love God and others properly. They clean our hearts of any trace of selfishness and self-indulgence. They make us simple, enabling us to develop many other virtues with ease. They rid us of unnecessary burdens in our life. Poverty and austerity actually enrich us with a richness that is proper to us. It is the richness of being with God and in communion with everybody else. They enrich us with the love that channels the very love of God for us.
FRATERNAL CORRECTION is an act of charity of pointing out to others their fault which could harm themselves and others. The Catechism of the Catholic Church specifically includes fraternal correction as one of the proofs of our love for others. “The fruits of charity are joy, peace, and mercy; charity demands beneficence and fraternal correction.” (CCC 1829) We live in a very imperfect world inhabited by very imperfect people. It’s unavoidable that we would offend others or at the receiving end of an offense whether intentional or not, thus we need to correct one another.
Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us how to correct one another in the following passage of St. Matthew’s Gospel. “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the Church; and if he refuses to listen even to the Church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” (Matthew 18:15-17)
The first criteria our Lord is giving us in correcting others is to do it in private. We should not embarrass people by correcting them in public. The goal is to point out their mistakes and help them do the right thing and not to humiliate them in the open. Thus, we should not resort to correcting people in social media, but try approaching them privately.
Christ’s second advice means if he or she acknowledges his or her fault well and good and rejoices for having helped a brother or sister, but if not, try to get the help of others in making the person see his or her mistake. The others could be the parents of this person, older relatives, his or her close friend, office boss, etc. If he or she would still not listen, Christ recommends telling it to the Church which means trying to get the help of a parish priest, or an elder religious person who could talk to him or her in a spiritual sense. Lastly, if it still does not work, our Lord advises us to treat him or her as a Gentile or a tax collector which does not mean to totally give up on this person but leave him alone for a while, hoping that he will come to his senses but at the same time praying for him.
Fraternal correction is practicing tough love. Tough love means because I love you, I don’t want
you to continue living with that character defect because it could eventually harm you seriously. It’s like telling an unaware car driver that he has a flat tire. Fraternal correction is sacrificing short-term inconvenience for a long-term benefit. It’s saying no to temporary happiness and saying yes, to a lasting joy for others. True friends would correct each other. If you really are a friend to your friend who is into drugs for example, you just can’t say, “We’ll, that’s his way of making himself happy. I’ll leave him alone.”
On the contrary you bravely tell him, “It pains me to see you destroying your life and your future. I’ll have to point this out to you because you’re my friend.” Phil Stutz, author of the best-selling book, “Crazy Good” compares correcting or helping others as the difference between “Serving vs. Pleasing”. Here’s how he puts it in his great book: “When I was a desperate, suicidal alcoholic and I came to your home and you made me a strong drink, you were pleasing me. If, instead, you took me to a Twelve-Step meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous (a rehab program for alcoholics) you were serving me. There’s a big difference between pleasing and serving.”
The late Pope Benedict XVI talked about fraternal correction in one of his public Sunday Angelus back in 2011, “Brotherly love involves a sense of mutual responsibility. So, if my brother sins against me, I must use love towards him and, first of all, speak to him personally, pointing out that what he has said or done is not good.” The Pope quoted St. Augustine of Hippo, who said Christians cannot be indifferent to the “severe wound” a fellow believer may have inflicted upon themselves through sin. And that fraternal correction should be animated by love and not revenge insisting “you have to forget the hurt you have received but not the wound of your brother.”
Pope Benedict continues, “All this indicates that there is a shared responsibility in the way of Christian life. Everyone, aware of their limitations and defects, is called to welcome fraternal correction and help others with this particular service. He concluded, through communal prayer and fraternal correction “which requires a lot of humility and simplicity of heart” we can journey together towards God as “a community truly united in Christ.” There is a lot of wisdom in acknowledging that we are not always right and that we need others to help us see our mistakes.
Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 continues to support the government’s peace and development efforts in the southern Philippines, especially the welfare of children.
It also supported the nongovernmental organization Save the Children Philippines in the launching recently of SENANG of the “Supporting an Enabling Atmosphere for children and youth Network for peacebuilding Goals.”
The project will be implemented within the next three years in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, including urban and rural areas from Muslim dominant conflict-affected communities in the country.
SENANG’s primary objective is to ensure that 80,000 children and youth in Mindanao will live in a peaceful environment. To do this, the project will
contribute in preventing human-induced conflicts, respond to crises, foster children and youth’s meaningful participation on social cohesion, provide opportunities for intergenerational, intercultural, and interreligious dialogues, create safe and neutral spaces, and promotion of peace and tolerance through arts and culture.
“The EU is a reliable, trusted and neutral partner supporting peace and development in Mindanao,” said Frederic Grillet, First Secretary, Political, Press and Information section of the EU Delegation to the Philippines.
“This meaningful project aligns and supports the existing peace efforts and initiatives of the government and other relevant agencies whose aims are to prevent conflict, respond to crisis and build peace, reflecting how the key roles of
children and young people play in the achievement of a peaceful society,” he added.
Lawyer Alberto Muyot, CEO of Save the Children Philippines, thanked the EU for its continued support and commitment in peace building.
“We continue our commitment to seek durable solutions and bridge the humanitarian-peace-justice and development nexus. Peace education and inclusive spaces of children and youth participation are our key approaches that will drive our goal to provide a fair and equal world for and with children,” Muyot said.
“We enjoin everyone to journey with us in positively transforming the lives of children and youth in Mindanao, including their families and communities, and help build a sustainable future for the next generation.” (Mindanao Examiner)
PARENTS OFTEN talk, even boast, about how much they love their children. “I would do anything for my children.” “I would give my life for my children.” “I love my children more than anything else in the world.” These are just some of the most hackneyed expressions floating about. But wait a moment... if they claim to love their children, why are they sending them to schools, madrassas and other environments where they know corporal punishment is prevalent?
The greatest trick the devil ever played on mankind was convincing the world he didn’t exist. Those of us who have had some education, however, know that corporal punishment is the manifestation of the devil on earth. It couldn’t be from Heaven, because there isn’t a single religion in the world that condones corporal punishment.
Bangladesh Supreme Court Justices Md. Imman Ali and Md. Sheikh Hasan Arif had this to say about corporal punishment. They said it was “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and a clear violation of a child’s fundamental right to life, liberty and freedom”.
No law should be necessary to protect children. It should come from God as a built-in paternal/maternal instinct and, thankfully, in many cases it is. Protection of those whom you love should come naturally and fearlessly, as a God-given right. It doesn’t matter who the offending party is. The parents’ duty is only to the child. Whether the offender is a teacher, priest, imam or whoever, it should not matter. The protection of the child must always come first. Corporal punishment in schools, madrassas or wherever can be ended overnight, if people were to speak out and act against it.
Irish statesman Edmund Burke (1729-1797) once said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”.
We, individually and collectively, are responsible for allowing it to happen, whether we have children of our own or not. Corporal punishment is a blight on society that affects all of us and brings shame upon us. What we allow to happen helps mould us into what we become. Whatever twisted sense of good intent one gives corporal punishment there is no escaping the fact corporal punishment is child abuse, evil, cruel and wrong. Wrap it up in pretty gold foil, tie it in colourful ribbons, label it as discipline, and it’s still child abuse.
The one ingredient to success that’s missing in most homes, schools, and madrassas is ENCOURAGEMENT. There seems to be a worldwide shortage. If children fail to get something right in schools, madrassas and homes, they’re beaten as if they had committed hor-
rific crimes. Yet we all know none of us is perfect (with the exception of this writer!)
We all make mistakes (with the exception of this writer!) and even our beloved Prime Minister makes mistakes without being beaten (to the best of my knowledge, anyway!). Flippancy aside, it’s obvious to all that corporal punishment is wrong and totally unnecessary. Honey catches more flies than vinegar. Besides, Niceness is Priceless and we should be nice to people anyway; especially the young, vulnerable and defenceless and teach by example.
If a child gets something wrong, is this justification for beating them? Surely this is where God puts us on trial and judges our reaction. He observes if we deal with the situation intelligently, with understanding and compassion, or if we act like uncivilized morons and reach for the nearest stick.
We reap what we sow. In the eyes of God, the child isn’t the one on trial, but the adult. After all, the child is a child... novices in the world of learning. One cannot expect too much. They need to be shown what‘s right and proper and it’s our duty to God and society at large to show them. Violence resolves nothing.
We all know how exasperating children can be at times. No one questions how difficult it is to raise them. The majority of children will drive you up the wall and many will measure how high they get you to go (!) but that’s no reason for beating them. The moment you hit a child you lose part of yourself. ‘This is going to hurt me more than it’s going to hurt you,’ parents are heard to say. So why make two mistakes?
Smart wives inject confidence and encourage their husbands to succeed in business because they, too, reap the benefits. Like I said, they’re smart! Encouragement is the key. Implant the seeds of encouragement in the mind and just stand back and watch it grow. God planted the seeds of success in all for encouragement to germinate. From time to time you may need to sprinkle it with a tiny booster of faith and belief, but the chances are it will perform brilliantly on its own.
There is no need for a teacher, parent or Imam to hit or even scold children. They come fully equipped with implants from God that only requires human compassion and encouragement. Encouragement produces amazing, if not totally incredible, results. It beats corporal punishment every time (no pun intended!). Encouragement is an immeasurable superpower. Make no mistake; the greatest gift any teacher, Imam, parent or friend can give anyone (male, female, young or old) is ENCOURAGEMENT – not an iPhone!
March 13-19, 2023
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CEBU CITY – The provincial government of Cebu has banned the entry of live
EBU CITY – The government of Cebu has banned the entry of live hogs, sows or adult female pigs, piglets, boar semen, pork, and pork products sows or adult female boar semen, and from Negros Island after authorities have detected the African swine fever from Island after authorities have detected the African swine fever (ASF) virus in Carcar City (ASF) virus in Carcar City.
Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy, provincial veterinarian, has confirmed this and said Governor Gwendolyn Garcia issued Executive Order (EO) 9 implementing a temporary ban on pigs from neighboring provinces to protect Cebu’s P11-billion hog industry, the largest in Central Visayas.
Vincoy said the order became effective upon its issuance and will last for a month or until April 5. She said authorities detected the presence of the ASF virus - which is fa-
tal to pigs - in blood samples of hogs taken in Carcar City on March 1. “In our investigation, the blood samples were found to have come from pigs that mingled with other pigs from Negros while being kept in stockyards,” she said.
She said the provincial government also required all local governments to conduct regular surveillance to detect the presence of ASF and other viral infections in hog farms.
The local government of Carcar has sealed the slaughter-
house where the virus was detected. Despite the presence of ASF in Carcar City, the provincial veterinarian assured Cebuanos of enough pork supply in the province.
Garcia also ordered biosecurity measures in seaports and airports by establishing strict border control and veterinary quarantine efforts, as well as cargo and passenger inspections in all ports of entry within the province.
“All livestock transport passes issued for livestock transport vehicles and refer vans from the Island of Negros are hereby revoked and canceled until further notice,” she said in her order.
Harris to Palawan in November last year where she underscored the importance of the U.S.-Philippines partnership in creating economic opportunities and protecting coastal ecosystems throughout the region.
any other food products that are mixed with pork meat.
CEBU – Washington convened the first-ever CSO Summit in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan province to coordinate action for marine biodiversity conservation and protection in the coastal areas of Northern Luzon, Mindoro, and Palawan that face the South China Sea.
Ryan Washburn, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director, led the CSO Summit during his recent visit to Palawan. This visit highlighted the U.S. government’s continued commitment to supporting local stakeholders in conserving biodiversity and protecting marine resources from illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities of domestic and foreign fleets.
“As an enduring friend, partner, and ally, the United States will continue to collaborate with local stakeholders in the western Philippines to support sustainable fishing practices, strengthen food security, and advance the conservation of marine ecosystems as we work toward achieving our shared goal of inclusive growth
and a free, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific region,” Washburn said.
Palawan 3rd District Representative Edward Hagedorn, USAID Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Senior Adviser Kathryn Booker-Veloz, and representatives from academia, women’s groups, and indigenous peoples living along the seaboard also attended the Summit.
"We know that the protection and preservation of the West Philippine Sea is a herculean task that requires collective, whole-of-nation action.
We thank the USAID Fish Right Program for leading this summit and bringing together representatives from universities, NGOs, municipal fisherfolk peoples’ organizations, commercial fishers' associations, the private sector, co-ops, and alliances to prepare a common agenda and action plan protecting West Philippine Sea resources and addressing food security and livelihood issues,” Hagedorn said.
The CSO Summit was organized as a follow-up to the visit of U.S. Vice President Kamala
While in Puerto Princesa City, Washburn and Booker-Veloz handed over freezers and other fish drying materials valued at P300,000 ($5,460) to women associations in the fishing village of Tagburos. This donation will help the local fishing community reduce post-harvest losses.
The two USAID officials also joined partners from the Gerry Roxas Foundation to award environment grants valued at P64 million ($1.2 million) to four local organizations: Nagkakaisang Tribu ng Palawan, Palawan Biodiversity Conservation Advocates, World Wide Fund for Nature, and Community-Centered Conservation. Through these grants, the CSOs will implement Palawan-based projects on biodiversity conservation, wildlife protection, natural resource management, and local climate actions.
Currently, USAID is implementing three biodiversity conservation projects covering the Philippine waters in the South China Sea: Fish Right; the Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans and Landscapes, and Investing in Sustainability and Partnerships for Inclusive Growth and Regenerative Ecosystems.
These three projects have a combined value of P4.3 billion ($78.2 million) in development assistance from the U.S. government.
Examiner)
She also ordered the mayors, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Cebu Port Authority, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority, as well as airline companies and shipping lines to implement the executive order.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama also ordered the adoption of Bantay ASF in 80 villages here to strictly prohibit the entry of live hogs, pork, and pork products and by-products whether raw, processed or cooked, and all other meat, chicken, fish, or
Dr. Jessica Maribujoc, head of the Cebu City Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries, said their team is conducting an information drive in the villages. She said traders, producers, and importers need to secure documents of their live hogs, pork, and pork products.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson prevously vowed to sustain the fight against the ASF and Bird Flu in an effort to protect the province’s multi-billion swine and poultry industry, and the livelihood of Negrenses.
“We’re very serious (with bird flu) as serious as we are with
ASF. Anything that will threaten our livelihood, especially livestock. Whether it’s pork or chicken, we will continue to protect it. You must remember that losing this industry could have a very long-term effect on the province that we cannot afford,” Lacson said.
This was Lacson’s assurance after veterinary quarantine personnel disposed of some P1.4 million worth of undocumented eggs that entered Bredco port in Negros last month. The seized shipment of 240,000 pieces or 8,000 trays of eggs arrived on a delivery truck en route to Iloilo. (John Rey Saavedra and Nanette Guadalquiver)
CEBU - Plantation Bay Holdings Corporation (PBHC) has filed a criminal complaint against Standard Insurance, alleging 12 counts of estafa after the latter purportedly ignored the former’s insurance claim for 14 months following the extensive damage caused by Typhoon Odette.
In a statement, the complaint, filed at the Office of the City Prosecutor in Makati, also named insurance broker Philinsure as a co-conspirator to estafa, while the Philippine office of USbased claims adjuster Crawford & Company was named as an accessory and Co-Conspirator.
It can be recalled that, last December 16, 2021, Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) brought catastrophic devastation to some parts of Visayas and Mindanao.
Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, PBHC’s 5-star resort property in Mactan, Cebu, suffered massive destruction. Given that PBHC had an active insurance policy with Standard Insurance,
specifically one with an “All-Risk, Replacement Value, and Instant Payment” clause, the company filed a claim for P550 million to help recover from the damage.
The insurance claim was filed in March 2022, but Standard Insurance and Crawford & Company allegedly ignored the claim for five months before making an offer to settle for only P108 million – less than 20% of what PHBC felt was owed to them. This was later raised – in November, 11 months after the typhoon – to P174 Million, which was still short of PBHC’s claim.
PHBC also stated in their complaint that Standard failed to deliver on the Instant Payment stipulation of their policy, which they believe entitled them to an immediate payment of P300 million. To date, now 15 months after the typhoon, Standard has only paid P80 million as an “instant payment” of the PHBC claim.
According to the Insurance Code, all reasonable claims are
supposed to be fully settled within three months. Four days after Typhoon Odette, the Insurance Commission (IC) likewise issued a directive to all insurance companies that payments to victims were to be prioritized and expedited. Despite the IC order, Standard Insurance has yet to settle, more than a year after the incident.
Standard is also accused of violating the Philippine Insurance Code by demanding that PBHC sign an Absolute Release of Claim before any funds would be released, even those that Standard already acknowledged it owed.
Plantation Bay, like many other resorts, was already struggling due to the impact of COVID-19. According to PBHC, it has restored 80% of the guest rooms and most facilities of the resort, but full rebuilding, especially of back-of-house structures, may take another two years, due to the non-payment of its insurance claim.
