The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper (May 15-21, 2023)

Israel strikes Gaza killing 13 people

ISRAEL CARRIED out a series of strikes on Gaza, killing at least 13 people, including three members

Continue on page 6 Continue on page 6

A man inspects the damage at a house where senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander Jihad al-Ghannam and his wife Wafa were killed in an Israeli strike in Rafah (Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters via Al Jazeera)

China could be using potent laser weapons to hack American satellites

A MILITARY base deep in Western China is unusually active when foreign satellites are overhead—a sign that Beijing could be using laser weapons to electronically probe them.

The Korla East Test Site, located in Xinjiang province, is believed to Continue on page 2 Continue on page 2

Muslims back Sulu sultan’s heirs

SULU - Muslims in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, the seat of pow-

ULU - Muslims in the southern of the seat of power of the Sultanate of Sulu and Borneo, have assailed Sabah for attacking the er of the Sultanate of Sulu and Borneo, have assailed Sabah for the credibility of the eight descendants of the last sultan of Sulu who secured a of the descendants of the last sultan of Sulu who secured a disputed arbitration award against Malaysia last year arbitration award against last year.

UP physicist co-authors ground-breaking research on mysterious superconductors

MANILA - A team of physicists, including a Filipino researcher, have found

Continue on page 5 Continue on page 5

UPD-CS physicist Dr. Miguel Sulangi (L) beams with pride following his successful PhD defense in 2018 alongside Leiden University’s Dr. Jan Zaanen, his thesis advisor and co-author on the recent groundbreaking Nature Materials paper on overdoped cuprate superconductors. (Photo by Thea Sulangi)

Recall Philippine ambassador to Beijing, solon urges govt.

A Filipino lawmaker Continue on page 7 Continue on page 7 A photo released by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Director-General of the Protocol Department of the Foreign Ministry, Hong Lei, accepting on February 24, 2023, the copy of credentials presented by newly-appointed Ambassador of the Philippines to

up on ‘slime’ toys

harmful chemicals.

“Kami ang tunay na may-ari ng Sabah. Sa amin ang Sabah at ang mga tunay na tagapagmana ng sultan of Sulu ang may karapatan na kunin o bawiin ang para sa aming mga Tausug. Inangkin lamang ng Malaysia ang Sabah mula sa amin. Hindi na maipagkakaila ang nakaraan," said Abdullah Abubakar, who reacted from the banner story of The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper entitled: “Malaysia attacks credibility of Sulu sultan heirs” (April 24-30, 2023 issue).

(We are the rightful owners of Sabah. It belongs to us and the legitimate heirs of the sultan of Sulu are just claiming what belongs to us Tausugs. Malaysia just grabbed Sabah from us. Our historical rights cannot be denied.)

Abubakar claimed

Continue on page 2 Continue on page 2

WHO ends global health emergency declaration for COVID-19

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The World Health Organization (WHO) has lifted the Public Health Emergency of International Concern for COVID-19.

"COVID-19 has been so much more than a health crisis, disrupting economies, travel, shattering businesses and plunging millions into Continue on page 7 Continue on page 7

Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Kiram

A U.S. Air Force photo shows satellites above Earth.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Muslims back Sulu sultan’s heirs

Marcos Jr last year said his administration would not relinquish even a square inch of the country's territory.

“From what I understand, the case is in the nature of a private claim by the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu with Malaysia. Therefore, it is not an issue of sovereignty or of territory at the moment,” said Trixie Angeles, then Press Secretary.

to a statement of Marcos during his first State of the Nation Address. The president said while his administration pursues the “friend to all, enemy to none” stance, it would not relinquish even a square inch of Philippine territory.

and transferred control over the territory to Malaysia after the end of World War II.

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1

many Tausugs are backing the eight descendants of the Sultan Jamalul Kiram II which has been identified by Malaysia as Sultan Muhammad Fuad A. Kiram I, Nurhima Kiram Fornan, Sheramar Kiram, Permaisuli Kiram-Guerzon, Taj-Mahal Kiram-Tarsum Nuqui, Ahmad Nazard Kiram Sampang, Jenny KA Sampang, and Widz-Raunda Kiram Sampang. Award

In February 2022, the descendants of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II received an award of $14.9 billion against the Government

of Malaysia. Over 16% of Malaysia’s yearly budget is now at stake. Malaysia flatly rejected the award and said it does not recognise its legitimacy, and is litigating across Europe to ensure that the award is overturned.

The claimants had previously filed legal action through the Spanish Court to seek compensation for land in Sabah which they claim was leased by their ancestors to a British trading company in 1878. Malaysia has been paying the lease since taking Sabah in 1963.

The descendants were

being supported or assisted by Therium, a leading global provider of legal finance covering all of the major markets, including Europe, North and South America and Asia Pacific. It provides third-party funding for a comprehensive range of cases, including single cases, group litigation and arbitration to corporates, investors and individuals.

Marcos not relinquishing Marcos not territory

The Philippine government has distanced itself from the Sabah claims being pursued by the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu, but President Ferdinand

“The President’s articulation of his statement about not giving up a square inch of territory will have to be reduced into writing and into specifics, after which, we will announce these to you if they are in any way related to the Sabah claim. At the moment, wala pa pong articulation, so we have to wait,” she added.

Angeles was referring

Marcos said the Philippines will be a good neighbor that will always look for ways to collaborate and cooperate with the end goal of mutually beneficial outcomes. He did not say anything about the historical claims of the Sultanate of Sulu on Sabah.

Sultanate of Sulu

The Sultanate of Sulu, founded in 1457, continues to lay claim to Sabah which it obtained from Brunei as a gift for helping put down a rebellion on Borneo Island. The British leased Sabah

The Sulu Sultanate said it had merely leased North Borneo in 1878 to the British North Borneo Company for an annual payment of 5,000 Malayan dollars then, which was increased to 5,300 Malayan dollars in 1903.

The Sultanate of Sulu is believed to exist as a sovereign nation for at least 442 years. It stretches from a part of the island of Mindanao in the east, to Sabah, in the west and south, and to Palawan, in the north. But North Borneo was illegally annexed by Malaysia in 1963 following a referendum illegally organised by the Cobbold Commission in 1962, the people of Sabah voted overwhelmingly to join Malaysia. (Mindanao Examiner)

China could be using potent laser weapons to hack American satellites

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1

be home to at least two Chinese laser weapons. The U.S. government believes China is practicing to take away its huge advance in satellite technology, damaging or even hijacking military satellites to deny them in wartime.

According to Army Technology, the Korla East Test Site houses two laser weapons, and the weapons are most active at “solar noon,” or the moment the sun is positioned due south of the test-site lasers.

Solar noon is an advantageous time for spy and other imaging satellites in sun-synchronous orbit, an orbital path that runs north-south over the North and South Poles. A spy satellite in sun-synchronous orbit can image the same spot at solar noon, every day, with maximum sunlight over the area on Earth being imaged. This is useful not only for maximum image clarity, but also for observing day-to-day changes.

The laser weapons were originally built as anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. China’s military has studied recent Western military campaigns, particularly American ones, and concluded that military satellites grant a huge advantage in modern war-fighting.

Spy satellites can peer deep into China, while GPS satellites allow Western

forces to easily navigate thousands of miles from home. Military communications satellites allow air, land, and naval forces operating in the most remote corners on Earth to communicate with the Pentagon and other headquarters in real time. Degrading or destroying this capability would hamper the ability of foreign forces to operate in China’s backyard, particularly Taiwan.

A recent report from the Secure World Foundation said that China has been pursuing directed-energy anti-satellite (“counterspace”) weapons since the 1960s. It stated there are three anti-satellite laser facilities spread across the country, including the one at Korla. The ground-based lasers are reportedly part of the People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force, a branch of the Chinese military responsible for “strategic” non-nuclear functions, including military space, cyberspace, electronic warfare, information warfare, and psychological warfare.

The report mentions a series of incidents in 2006 in which Chinese groundbased lasers “dazzled” U.S. satellites, a claim that was later walked back to merely illuminating them with laser energy. At the time, the director of the National Reconnaissance Office stated that the laser firings

“did not materially damage the U.S. satellite’s ability to collect information.” At the same time, however, the laser shots did signal an intent to target American satellites in wartime.

The activity at Korla may be what the U.S. intelligence community was referring to in documents an Air Force National Guardsman recently leaked on Discord. According to the Financial Times, the documents stated China was building the capability to “seize control of a satellite, rendering it ineffective to support communications, weapons, or intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems.”

Seizing control of a satellite would be an action short of war that would not warrant military retaliation, while still rendering the satellite as good as destroyed. China’s development of anti-satellite weapons is aimed, like a laser, at eviscerating the U.S. military’s ability to fight at long ranges.

The Pentagon must ensure that its vast constellation of military satellites can resist a spectrum of negative attention, from tampering to destruction and everything in between. Beijing is confident it can outmaneuver Washington in space, could be enticed into using that capability to make gains on the ground.

(Kyle Mizokami / Popular Mechanics)

Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram II (seated, center), with U.S. Army and other guests. (Library of Congress)

Proposed revolving fund for workers approved

COTABATO CITY –

After almost seven hours of deliberation, the Bangsamoro Parliament's Finance, Budget, and Management Committee approved a

proposed measure which would allot a revolving fund to pay salaries and other benefits to nationally funded workers supervised by BARMM offices.

The BTA Bill No. 41,

or the Bangsamoro Revolving Fund Act of 2023, will set aside a P1-billion revolving fund to ensure that salaries and remunerations are paid on time.

The proposed mea-

Bangsamoro lawmakers to hold parliamentary inquiries

disputes, and the state of peace and order in the provinces of Maguindanao, Basilan, and the BARMM Special Geographic Area.

This was confirmed by Presiding Chair Deputy Speaker Atty. Lanang Ali Jr. who said that each technical working group is expected to conduct parliamentary inquiries and submit a report to the mother committee.

sure will include a mechanism that requires the funds utilized by the ministry, agency, or office to be reimbursed immediately when the concerned national government agency has transferred or downloaded the national funds.

According to Deputy Floor Leader Atty. Jose Lorena, who presided over the recent meeting, said the Finance, Budget, and Management Committee aims to submit the committee report before the second regular session resumes. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

COTABATO CITY - Members of the Bangsamoro Parliament’s Public Order and Safety Committee are expected to conduct parliamentary inquiries into sev-

eral important resolutions.

Among the proposed resolutions deliberated by the Committee were the alleged killings in North Cotabato’s Pikit town, land

He said three technical working groups were formed to thoroughly investigate the measures. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

Solar street lights for barangay lauded

Committee approves internal rules, procedures

COTABATO CITY - The Bangsamoro Parliament’s Ways and Means Committee (CMW) has approved its internal rules and procedures with CMW Chairman Atty. Paisalin Tago emphasized the importance of the Bangsamoro Revenue Code.

The Bangsamoro Revenue Code is one of the priority legislation that the Parliament should enact during the transition period.

Chairman Tago also urged committee members to look into a version of the law that is consistent with the religious and cultural

standards of the Bangsamoro people.

The CWM shall have jurisdiction on all matters relating to income, revenues, taxes and fees, loans

and borrowings, credit and bonded indebtedness, and their sources and forms of revenues. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

Healthcare workers get incentives

COTABATO CITY - The BARMM’s Public Works Ministry, in partnership with the Office of Member of the Parliament Diamila Disimban-Ramos, completed the installation of solar-powered streetlights in the town of Marantao in Lanao del Sur prov-

ince.

The installation of the streetlights in Barangay Tuca Maul is part of the Bangsamoro Government’s efforts to ensure the safety of Bangsamoro constituents. Residents have lauded the installation of the street lights and thanked

MP Disimban-Ramos and the regional government.

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

Sulu farmers, cooperatives receive tractors, implements

SULU - Selected farmer associations and cooperatives from Sulu province received farm tractors and farm implements from the Office of Member of the Parliament Engr. Don Mustapha Loong.

MP Loong, a native of Sulu, said the agricultural equipment will help farmers improve their efficiency and productivity in farming operations, resulting in higher yields and increased income.

The distribution was supported through the Transitional Development Impact Fund (TDIF) of MP Loong, in partnership with the BARMM’s Ministry of

Member of the Parliament Engr. Don Mustapha Loong (second from left) donated tractors and implements to farmers' associations and cooperatives in Sulu province.

Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform.

Recipients of the TDIF hailed and thanked MP Loong and the Minis-

try of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

COTABATO CITY - Barangay healthcare workers in Cotabato City received cash incentives from the Office of Member of the Parliament Rasul Ismael as a way of motivating and rewarding them for their

hard work.

MP Ismael acknowledges the vital role of frontline workers in delivering fundamental medical services in the barangays.

The initiative was funded under the Transi-

tional Development Impact Fund of MP Ismael, through the Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Cotabato City government. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

Members of the Bangsamoro Parliament’s Public Order and Safety Committee.

Deputy Floor Leader Atty. Jose Lorena

Cotabato City Barangay healthcare workers received cash incentives from Member of the Parliament Rasul Ismael.

The new solar-powered streetlights in Barangay Tuca Maul in Lanao del Sur's Marantao town.

UP physicist co-authors ground-breaking research on mysterious superconductors

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

that existing theories don’t completely account for the mysterious behavior of high-temperature superconducting materials that have left even Nobel laureates stumped for decades.

The team’s discovery, which promises to spark completely new lines of research, was published recently in the prestigious journal, Nature Materials. The team described their findings in a paper entitled, Puddle formation and persistent gaps across the non-mean-field breakdown of superconductivity in overdoped (Pb,Bi)2Sr2CuO6+ Superconducting materials enable electricity to pass through them with no resistance, potentially allowing the creation of everything from magnetic-levitation trains to unprecedentedly powerful supercomputers. For a special kind of materials called high-temperature superconducting cuprates, superconductivity happens when electrons are removed in a process called “doping.”

Exactly how and why this happens is a mystery that has baffled even Nobel laureates. It was commonly thought, however,

that when a large number of electrons are removed—that is, when cuprate superconductors are “overdoped”—they would behave as described by Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) Theory, which was developed in the 1950s and has been used ever since to help explain conventional superconducting materials.

But new experiments by a team of researchers supervised by Dr. Milan P. Allan of Leiden University in the Netherlands has shown that this is not the case. Filipino physicist Dr. Miguel Sulangi from the University of the Philippines - Diliman College of Science National Institute of Physics (UPD-CS NIP) collaborated with Dr. Allan’s team on the theoretical modeling of these materials.

“Our paper poses a challenge to the present understanding of cuprate superconductors at socalled ‘overdoping,’” Dr. Sulangi said. “This is the latest of a fresh round of papers showing that overdoped cuprates are not as conventional or ‘BCS-like’ as everyone previously thought they were.”

Dr. Sulangi expressed hope that these new findings would not just rewrite

textbooks but also spark new research interest in overdoped cuprates, which have largely been overlooked—particularly by scientists who believed that the materials’ superconductivity could simply be explained by traditional BCS theory.

“We hope to convince experimentalists and theorists that these materials are anomalous and worthy of intense study. We want to provoke further research into this,” he explained.

"What makes this study important is that it not only clarifies the nature of overdoped cuprate superconductivity, but it also reveals that the mystery surrounding cuprate superconductors is deeper than we originally thought, " said UPD-CS NIP associate professor Dr. Kristian Hauser Villegas, who was not involved with the study. "It's good to see more Filipino researchers working at the forefront of physics and other fields, shoulder to shoulder with international colleagues. Hopefully, this encourages more Filipino kids to pursue science and add to our collective contributions to the growth of human knowledge.” (Mindanao Examiner)

Warning up on ‘slime’ toys

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

“High levels of borax, a crystalline substance commonly found in cosmetics, detergent, and ceramic products pose a high risk of poisoning. Children are at high risk of poisoning if harmful chemicals are transmitted to their skin and ingested,” the group said. "Excessive doses of the harmful chemicals may cause fever, headaches, vomiting, nausea, kidney malfunction, anemia, hair loss, blisters, diarrhea, low blood pressure, and even lead to comas."

It raised concerns about the proliferation of slime toys in the country - often not carrying warning labels - after a recent study revealed that many slime toys available from major Chinese e-commerce markets have failed to pass the European Union’s standards for borax.

The group urged concerned government agencies to check the safety of these imported toys that are easily sold online and made available on the market. All imported, distributed, and manufactured toys in the Phil-

ippines must comply with the Philippine National Standards for the Safety of Toys and its amendments.

Local manufacturers, distributors, and importers of toys are required to comply with regulations under the Consumer Act of the Philippines.

“These products should have warning labels to alert consumers of the presence of toxic substances in them. We urge the government to implement regulations for the full disclosure of information on chemicals used in toys and other children’s products. Consumers have the right to know about product chemical

Pure Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce and Chili Powder

safety,” said BAN Toxics campaigner Thony Dizon.

He said there is an urgent need for an effective regulatory system including transparency standards for hazardous chemicals that would make toy manufacturers responsible for product quality and safety.

“We know for a fact that even unregistered and unlabeled products continue to remain available for sale in the market and in e-commerce sites.

It is urgent to increase efforts to raise consumer awareness of toy safety risks and keep our children safe,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)

Cheaper than known imported hot sauce brands, but is way ho er!

Carolina Reaper ‘ho est’ sauce

P750/bo le (500ml)

Wholesale:

P650 (MOQ 3 bo les)

Carolina Reaper powder

P450/pack (50g)

Wholesale:

P400/pack (MOQ 3 packs)

P900/ pack (100g)

Wholesale:

P800/pack (MOQ 3 packs)

We ship nationwide. Zamboanga City 0917-7103642

Also available at LM Metro Hotel Zamboanga City.

Philippines, Indonesia conclude joint maritime exercises

Affairs, Bureau of Quarantine, Philippine Statistics Authority and observers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations.

Through the joint efforts and assistance of the respective governments, the PHBC and IDBC also facilitated the repatriation of six Filipino fishermen from Indonesia.

DAVAO CITY – The Philippines and Indonesia have closed a four-day annual joint maritime exercises held in Manado City.

The 37th Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) started on May 3 and ended on May 7, according to the Eastern Mindanao Command, adding, the bilateral patrol between the Philippine and Indonesian Navies, carried out four times a year through Harbor and Sea Phases to foster interoperability and secure the maritime borders of both countries against piracy, smuggling, illegal crossing, and other criminal activities.

The 35-man Philippine Border Committee (PHBC) members led by Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol, chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command and also PHBC Chairman; and Commodore Carlos Sabarre, commander of Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao who is also the PHBC Vice-Chairman.

The exercised were also participated by the Tactical Operations Wing-Eastern Mindanao, the Coast Guard District South Eastern Mindanao, Bureau of Immigration, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, the Department of Foreign

Almerol expressed the willingness of the PHBC to revise and improve the provisions of the 1975 Border Patrol and Border Crossing agreement to keep up with the complexities and evolving nature of the current security and defense landscape.

“We welcome endeavors to explore new opportunities for joint development, including countering terrorism and violent extremism, maritime security, and defense industry. The entire Armed Forces of the Philippines commit to strengthen our partnership in all joint endeavors and exert our best efforts to safeguard the maritime borders and best interest of our respective countries,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)

Zambo Sur under tight security after killing of village chief

PAGADIAN CITY – Police tightened security in the southern Philippine province of Zamboanga del Sur following the killing of a village chieftain in a daring broad daylight attack in Tambulig town ahead of the October Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan elections.

Police said Edgardo Estrebor Surigao was driving his motorcycle in the village of Gabunon when shot by the gunmen, believed to be hired killers. The 57-year old Surigao, the village chieftain of Upper Liason, was shot

several times by the gunmen on May 8, according to Maj. Shellamie Chang, a regional police spokesperson.

Chang said the gunmen, all clad in black jackets and both wearing black helmets, were already tailing Surigao who was heading to downtown Tambulig. The attacker shot Surigao in the back and leg and falling off from his motorcycle, but the gunmen finished him off with two more fatal shots in the body.

“The victim sustained two gunshot wounds in

Israel strikes Gaza killing 13 people

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, with Palestinian authorities saying women and four children were among the dead.

Al Jazeera’s Youmna El Sayed, reporting from Gaza, said the Ministry of Health declared that at least 20 others were injured in the pre-dawn strikes recently in which more than 40 Israeli warplanes carried out attacks for nearly two hours.

Explosions targeting residential apartments were heard in different parts of Gaza, El Sayed said, adding that most of the civilian victims were family members of the PIJ commanders. She said civilians around the apartments were also targeted.

The Israeli army said the air attacks, codenamed “Operation Shield and Arrow”, targeted three PIJ members who it claimed were responsible for recent rockets fired towards Israel.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement that “assassinating the leadership in a treacherous operation will not bring security to the occupier, but instead greater resistance”.

The Gaza-based group’s spokesman, Hazem Qassem, warned that Israel “bears responsibility for the repercussions of this escalation”.

according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society.

The Israeli bombardment damaged multiple areas in Gaza, including al-Safina, al-Baydar and near al-Zaytoun neighbourhood, Al Jazeera’s Maram Humaid reported.

Hashel Mubarak al-Swerki, a 58-year-old father of 11, died after being severely injured by shrapnel from the Israeli attack northwest of Gaza City. Five other people were also wounded by Israeli missiles east of Beit Hanoun, in the north of the besieged strip.

the back portion of his body and one gunshot wound on his right leg that caused him to fall onto the road, and allegedly the suspects fired the two more times at their victim and then fled the scene,” she said, adding, the police were investigating the motive of the murder and the identities of the killers.

It was not immediately known whether the killing was politically motivated or not. Surigao’s family did not release any statement. (Mindanao Examiner)

PIJ said three of its commanders were killed in the air attacks and pledged to “avenge” the deaths. The deceased were identified as Jihad al-Ghannam, Khalil al-Bahtini, and Tariq Izz al-Deen.

The three were killed along with their wives and several children, the group said in a statement which did not give details on the number of women and children killed or their ages.

Witnesses said an explosion hit the top floor of an apartment building in Gaza City and a house in the southern city of Rafah, the Reuters news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said its medics treated 145 injuries in Nablus after an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank town. A dozen people were shot with live fire and many others suffered tear gas inhalation, according to the Red Crescent Society.

Also two weeks ago, Israeli missiles pounded the densely-populated Gaza Strip following rockets fired towards Israeli territory in the aftermath of the death in an Israeli prison of well-known Palestinian hunger striker Khader Adnan.

Adnan, an activist affiliated with the PIJ, died after nearly three months on hunger strike. Protesting against his arrest without charge, Adnan had refused to eat for 87 days,

Calm was restored after Qatari, Egyptian and United Nations officials intervened to broker a ceasefire agreement between Israel and armed Palestinian factions, officials said.

In anticipation of Palestinian rockets being launched in response to the air attacks, Israel’s military issued instructions advising Israeli residents of communities within 40km (25 miles) of Gaza to stay close to designated bomb shelters, The Associated Press news agency reported.

COGAT, a unit in the Israeli defence ministry that coordinates civilian affairs with Palestinian authorities, said two crossings with Gaza have been closed for entry and exit of people and goods until further notice, Reuters reported. (Al Jazeera)

Photo released by the Eastern Mindanao Command to the regional newspaper The Mindanao Examiner shows the culmination of the four-day joint maritime exercises between the Philippines and Indonesia.

MYAAA Construction & Development

Your one-stop solution for all your commercial building and house construction needs! We are a trusted and reliable construction company that provides top-notch construction and civil engineering services in Zamboanga City.

We take pride in our ability to offer a wide range of services at affordable prices. Whether you are looking to build a new home or renovate your existing one, our team of experts can handle everything from start to finish.

Contact us today at 0917-7103642 and 0620555360 to learn more about our services and how we can help you bring your vision to life.

WHO ends global health emergency declaration for COVID-19

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 poverty," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news conference recently.

Then he made the pronouncement: “Therefore, with great hope, I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency.”

He went on to say that for more than a year the pandemic has been on a downward trend and “this trend has allowed most countries to return to life as we knew it before COVID-19.”

He also spoke of “the painful lessons we have learned,” emphasizing that “the investments we have made and the capacities we have built must not go to waste. We owe it to those we have lost. To leverage those investments, to build on those capacities, to learn those lessons and to transform that suffering into meaningful and lasting change. One of the greatest tragedies of COVID-19 is that it didn't have to be this way.”

The end of the emergency declaration comes more than three years after Tedros announced it on January 30, 2020. At the time, there were fewer than 10,000 cases of the virus, most of them in China.

Nearly seven million deaths from COVID-19 have been reported to WHO, Tedros said, adding, more than one million of the deaths were in the United States alone. But Tedros emphasized that “we know the (death) total is several times higher, at least 20 million.”

During that time, “the disease turned our world upside down,” he said. But the landscape has changed dramatically. While new variants may still pose a threat, vaccines and boosters have helped reduce the death rate, according to Tedros.

WHO has issued the public health emergency declaration seven times since 2005. The designation triggers a series of rules that guide response to threatening disease outbreaks, including the fast-tracking of tests and medicines.

The declaration for COVID-19 was the first time the WHO announced an international health emergency since an Ebola outbreak in the Demo-

Savoring Filipino cuisine at Isla 9100

cratic Republic of Congo in 2019.

Ramp up vaccination

Just recently, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered health authorities to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination efforts, especially for young people, following a spike in new cases.

“We will have to conduct again, especially for young people, we’ll have to conduct again a vaccination push para mabawasan na ‘yan, especially with people being a little bit, shall we say, nahihirapan na nga eh dahil sa init, that brings down…humihina ang katawan and that will make them more vulnerable to COVID again,” Marcos said.

But he was quick to allay fears about the rising numbers of new COVID-19 cases and expressed confidence that government instrumentalities will be able to manage the issue immediately.

“We might have to think about it…ako ang tinitingnan ko is because although ‘yung rate of increase lumalaki, ang baseline natin na sinimulan eh maliit lang so hopefully we’re still ano… we’re still going to be able to do it,” Marcos said.

Department of Health (DOH) Officer-in-charge Dr Maria Rosario Vergeire said the spike in the positivity rate is due to several factors, which include the mobility of the population on holidays as well as the number of people taking COVID-19 test.

From January 2020 to April 2023, there have been 4,087,964 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the country with 66,444 deaths. As of March 8, a total of 170,690,206 vaccine doses have been administered, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The world health body is also keeping an eye on a new COVID-19 variant - the omicron subvariant XBB.1.16, known as “Arcturus,” has been listed by the WHO as a variant under monitoring since March 22.

This was also reported by Mayo Clinic which quoted experts as saying that this variant has a higher transmissibility rate than previous strains but doesn't appear to be more dangerous. “It is causing increasing case counts in certain parts of

CAMIGUIN - Trips to nature in Camiguin – an island province located in the Bohol Sea off the northern coast of Mindanaoare now made more enjoyable as food businesses bloom to match the breath-taking views and the mouth-watering dishes from Isla 9100 Restobar in Mambajao town.

Isla, and 9100 is the zip code of Mambajao town.

the world, including India. We're not seeing high rates of XBB.1.16 yet in the United States, but it may become more prominent in coming weeks,” said Dr. Matthew Binnicker, director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic.

He said experts are seeing new symptoms with the new variant. “One new feature of cases caused by this variant is that it seems to be causing conjunctivitis, or red and itchy eyes, in young patients. This is not something that we've seen with prior strains of the virus,” Binnicker said.

Respiratory rates declining rates

Binnicker said respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 infections, influenza, and RSV have declined in the U.S. in recent weeks. “The case counts of respiratory infections have begun to drop as we're entering into the spring months in the Northern Hemisphere with warmer temperatures and people getting outdoors,” he said. “Respiratory viruses, like SARSCoV-2, tend to decline in the spring and summer months, and that is what we're seeing in most parts of the U.S. right now.”

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, keeps emerging because the virus mutates and copies itself as it spreads from person to person, creating new variants.

“New variants come and go. We're seeing increased transmission rates, so higher levels of infectivity with recent COVID-19 variants, but in general, they tend to be causing less severe disease in individuals, which is good news,” Binnicker explained. “This is likely due to a combination of factors, including higher vaccination rates, higher rates of immunity from prior infection, and lower pathogenicity of recent variants.”

Although COVID-19 rates in the U.S. are relatively low, health experts recommend people remain vigilant in using these preventive measures: Wash your hands frequently, avoid close contact with people who are sick, and stay home if you feel sick or have any symptoms of Covid-19. (Giulia Heyward and Marc Silver / NPR, Mindanao Examiner)

Noting the great need of tourists and locals to feed their appetites while and after enjoying the different activities on the island, Isla 9100 opened on June 25, 2022 to offer delectable Filipino cuisine.

The owners, Melanie Sabacajan and Sean Sabacajan, said they wanted to highlight the island province, hence the name

“Primary nga target customers are local and foreign tourists alike. We wanted it to be a purely Filipino nga restaurant nga even the foreigners could enjoy being on the island, nga mas they will have a holistic experience of the Filipino dishes,” Melanie said.

With 20–25 minutes of serving time, customers can dig into the sumptuous Sisig, Bulalo, Lechon Kawali, Bicol Express, Bistek Tagalog, among other dishes. The owners said they personally handpicked the dishes on the menu.

The restobar opens daily from 3:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.;

and up to 2:00 a.m. on weekends. Music lovers will surely be delighted to visit the restobar, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, when live bands fill the air with good music, and on Sundays, with live acoustic music. With free WiFi access and a spacious parking lot, Isla 9100 can also accommodate events like weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries.

Inviting locals and tourists to visit their restobar, Melanie said: “We don’t only offer great food and great ambience, but we also offer entertainment that will really make your stay here in Camiguin worthwhile and for the books.” (Recthie Paculba)

Recall Philippine ambassador to Beijing, solon urges govt.

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1

Rufus Rodriguez has urged Manila to recall the country's ambassador to Beijing, Jaime A. FlorCruz, after the recent near-collision of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel BRP Malapascua and the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG), which was witnessed by Filipino and foreign journalists aboard the BRP Malabrigo.

According to reports, a CCG vessel cut off BRP Malapascua which was patrolling near Ayungin Shoal together with BRP Malabrigo. “We would have collided on the bow had I not cut the engine and thrown it in reverse," BRP Malapascua Commanding Officer Rodel Hernandez was quoted as satng.

Hernandez described the encounter as one between the biblical characters “David and Goliath” since the CCG vessel was more than twice the size of the 144-foot BRP Malapascua.

Rodriguez said the Philippines had filed hundreds of protest notes with Beijing regarding China's aggressive behavior and bullying in the West Philippine Sea. He said in 2022 alone, 193 protest notes were already served in Beijing, including the 65 protest notes issued by the Marcos administration.

But the solon said China has turned a deaf ear to the protests, thus

the continued bullying and harassment of the Coast Guard patrols and fishermen from the northern part of the country, particularly in Pangasinan and Zambales provinces, until the south in Palawan province.

“Aside from the usual filing of a diplomatic note, we should order our principal representative in China to return home. He should not go back to Beijing until we receive a response from the Chinese government apologizing for their harassment and bullying tactics in the West Philippine Sea and committing to rectify their misconduct,” Rodriguez said.

The Philippine government has denounced the CCG’s provocative actions, while Beijing tossed the accusation at the PCG. “It’s unthinkable for a tiny craft like BRP Malapascua to provoke a huge ship like a Chinese Coast Guard patrol vessel. It defies logic," the lawmaker said in disbelief.

According to reports, the CCG has routinely harassed and bullied PCG ships and civilian boats resupplying Filipino soldiers stationed in Ayungin Shoal off Palawan, including the fishermen in Scarborough Shoal.

Rodriguez also lauded the reaction of the United States, showing support for the country after Washington warned Beijing against continued

harassment in the South China Sea, saying an armed attack on Filipino armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft, including those of the Coast Guard, would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S. Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

“The United States stands with the Philippines in the face of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Coast Guard’s continued infringement upon freedom of navigation in the South China Sea,” the State Department said, adding, imagery and video recently published in the media is a stark reminder of PRC harassment and intimidation of Philippine vessels as they undertake routine patrols within their exclusive economic zone.

“We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct. The United States continues to track and monitor these interactions closely. The United States stands with our Philippine allies in upholding the rulesbased international maritime order,” it added.

Rodriguez said he welcomes the unequivocal, clear commitment made by the Biden administration, stressing that the reiteration of U.S. obligations under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty is reassuring to all Filipinos.

(Jan Albert K. Araña, Mindanao Examiner)

Pictures in the News

Photos from the Office of the Sulu Provincial Governor, Jaques Tutong, Maimbung Municipal Government, Rep. Shernee Tambut, Radyo Pilipinas Jolo, Noenyrie Asiri, and Aziz Salapuddin

Across

Down

Answer to last week’s crossword:

Weekly Sudoku:Answer to last week:

ADVERTISE WITH US

Cotabato Newspaper Dealer Cebu Newspaper Dealer

The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper is available in Cotabato City’s lone newspaper dealer Bernadette Guotana at “Goutana Copy Center” at Stall 5. For subscription, please call 0997-5412615. And for all your publications, please call BARMM Bureau Chief Mark Navales at 0916-6885389

Zamboanga Newspaper Dealer

Villamero’s Enterprises

For all your newspaper publications or subscription to The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper, please call or text Villamero’s Enterprises at these numbers (062) 955-8677 and 0917-1223496. Located at Campaner Street, Zamboanga City and serving Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

For all your newspaper publications or subscription to The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper, please call or text Rodil Ybañez at these numbers (0923) 1670009. Located at G/F Dreamfield bldg, Sanciangko Street, Kamagayan Cebu City

Maritess Fernandez

Publisher/Executive Producer

Al Jacinto

Editor-in-Chief Reynold Toribio Graphics/Video Editor

MANILA

No. 18 Purok 4B Madelo Street, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City, 1632 chardee.mindanaoexaminer@gmail.com (0916) 9558559, (0915) 0070927, (0947) 2652969

Richard C. Ebona

CEBU CITY

G/F Dreamfield bldg, Sanciangko Street, Kamagayan (0923)

DAVAO CITY Kamya Alley, Dagaang Compound, San Pedro Extension (082) 2447681 / (0997) 3172021 Marilou Cablinda

ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA BASILAN, SULU, TAWI TAWI BARMM

3/F, JLC Building, Don Alfaro Street, Tetuan

Zamboanga City (062) 9555360 (0915) 3976197 / (0935) 6123587 Maritess Fernandez

Malampaya gas fi eld is ours: Marcos

Marcos said Beijing is claiming particular areas where the Malampaya fields are located and even the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) recognized it as part of the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

China’s so-called “nine-dash line,” a set of line segments on various maps that accompanied its claims in the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea, includes the Malampaya natural gas fields.

“The nine dash line covers just about the entire West Philippine Sea. We, on the other hand, have established our baselines which have been recognized and accredited by UNCLOS and therefore there is that conflict and so what happens now especially when it comes to explo-

ration in — for energy — for our energy needs are which law will apply because we say this is part of Philippine territory and therefore Philippine law should apply,” Marcos said.

He said the only way to resolve the issues is to come to a consensus.

“It is not an easy process but the Malampaya fields, natural gas fields that lie in our, within our baselines and within our exclusive economic zone and that again is being questioned in certain cases, in certain areas by China and we continue to negotiate with them. We continue to find a way — the essential problem, the essential roadblock to that whole process has been very simple,” Marcos said.

However, the President pointed out that both parties are “slowly inching towards a resolution” re-

garding their claims on the Malampaya fields.

“It may have to come down to a compromise that will just limit that application, the application of laws maybe to the vessels that are involved in this exploration and exploitation of whatever natural gas fields we can access,” Marcos said, noting that it is just one of the suggestions both parties are looking into to resolve the issue.

“There is no silver bullet where you say, we’ll do this and it’s done. As I said, we are inching slowly towards the resolution and that’s why we must be constant, we must be transparent and we must be accountable for all that we do. And I cannot see any other way to handle the problem other than that,” he said.

The project The

The Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power began its commercial operations in January 2002 and has contributed over $12 billion in revenues to the Philippine government while powering up to 20% of Luzon’s electricity requirement. It is one of the largest and most significant industrial endeavors in Philippine history and a joint undertaking of the national government and the private sector.

The project is spearheaded by the Department of Energy, and developed and operated by Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) on behalf of joint venture partners Udenna Corporation and the Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation.

Since it began operations, the Malampaya project has produced cleaner-burning natural gas which supplies four power plants in Luzon, the country’s largest is-

land, with a combined capacity of 3,200 megawatts. Malampaya is benefiting the country in countless ways, including reducing oil imports, ensuring a more stable supply of cleaner energy from an indigenous resource and meeting up to 20% of the country’s energy requirements.

In 2013, the company embarked on Malampaya

Phases 2 and 3, which aimed to maintain the level of gas production to fulfill commitments under existing gas sales agreements, thus ensuring the steady supply of natural gas to power the Luzon electricity grid.

Two additional production wells were successfully installed in 2013 to signify the completion of Malampaya Phase 2.

In 2015, Malampaya Phase 3, which involved the design, fabrication and installation of a new Depletion Compression Platform was completed. This is the first offshore platform to be fully built in the Philippines, thus enhancing local employment opportunities and bringing technical expertise into the country.

(Cebu Examiner)

Cebu school heads may suspend classes due to hot weather

CEBU CITY – The Department of Education (DepEd) in Central Visayas urged school administrators to look after the welfare of schoolchildren by exercising discretion to suspend classes during extremely hot weather.

Lawyer Fiel Almendra, DepEd Assistant Regional Director, said there is no policy of outright suspension if an area registers a heat index of 42° Celsius or above, emphasizing the need to assess whether the learners and the teachers would be exposed to extreme heat.

Almendra said teachers should shift from in-person classes to blended learning modalities such as online or modular so as not to sacrifice the required number of days that schoolchildren should be in their classroom.

“They should shift at once to alternative learning methods so that the 203 days in school should be completed,” Almendra told reporters.

He said DepEd would usually depend on the opinion of the Department of Health on whether to suspend classes, especially in cases where a hot environment would expose learners and teachers to the risk of getting heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

His statement came following reports that many schools in Cebu continue to hold ground activities that exposed schoolchildren to the scorching heat of the sun. He said there were reported

incidents during the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association where athletes suffered minor injuries due to hot weather, but were addressed right away.

Last month, DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said school heads have the authority and responsibility to suspend face-to-face classes and switch to alternative delivery modes if the hot season already affects the health of the learners and school personnel.

(John Rey Saavedra)

EBU

CPresident Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the Malampaya natural gas fields, EBU – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the natural gas fields, just 50 kilometers offshore Northwest Palawan, belongs to the Philippines just 50 kilometers offshore Northwest Palawan, to the and not China not China.

The Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power project.

The Department of Health has warned the public against heat stroke this dry season. (Photo by Al Jacinto)