DILG commends Zambo for honest, transparent, accountable and orderly management of public funds TRUE TO her commitment for an honest and transparent governance, Mayor Beng Climaco thanked the Department of the Interior and Local Government for including Zamboanga City to the list of passers to the “2021 Good Financial Housekeeping” in Western Mindanao region and for exhibiting exemplary performance in financial administration. The DILG also congratulated Zamboanga City and other local governments for passing the progressive assessment system that gives distinction to remark-
able local government performance across several areas. “Congratulations to the 2021 Good Financial Housekeeping Passers in Region IX. We commend the LGUs for their invaluable commitment to pursue an honest, transparent, accountable and orderly management of public funds,” the DILG said in a statement. It said the Zamboanga City government exhibited exemplary performance in financial administration which covers the following criteria: Most recent avail-
able COA Audit Opinion is Unqualified or Qualified for CYs 2019 or 2020; and compliance with Full Disclosure Policy-posting of all 14 documents in three conspicuous places and in the FDP portal for all quarters of CY 2020 and first quarter of CY 2021. “We thank the DILG for this and all of this is made possible with the commitment of honesty and transparency in governance. We thanked our department heads, the people working tirelessly at City Hall and Continue on page 7 Picked from the wild, in the highlands of North Cotabato and Bukidnon. Available in 250g packs - roasted whole beans or fine ground. Cup to Go (16 oz.) also available and comes with 2 packets of brown sugar, one plastic stirrer, one drip bag and 12g of Civet coffee powder. Wholesaler, Retailer, Reseller are welcome.
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Zamboanga rises again from Covid pandemic I
t was a difficult time for the Zamboangueños, the Covid-19 pandemic stripped them not only their livelihood, but the city suffered so much losses as businesses closed down and the spread of the deadly respiratory disease threatens the faith of everybody to believe in God, and questioned the government’s resolve to end the health crisis. Since the pandem- their families devastated. when death is at their ic began in 2020, over a Prayers did not help them doorsteps. With more thousand people had died prevent what is inevitable than 22,000 Covid-19 from the disease that left and wealth was uselessContinue on page 2
Historical marker unveiled in Cawit THE NATIONAL Historical Commission of the Philippines unveiled a Continue on page 3
Mayor Beng Climaco (Zamboanga City Government)
PCCI awards Mayor Beng with Special Recognition ZAMBOANGA City Mayor Beng Climaco thanked the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. for the Special Recognition Award she received as a finalist to the “2021 Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit Awards.” Zamboanga City is one of the only 11 finalists to the prestigious competition. Continue on page 3
Mayor Beng Climaco poses with NHIP and DOT officials following the unveiling of a historical marker in Barangay Cawit. (Kathy Wee Sit)
Mayor fears Omicron variant CHIEF COVID frontliner Mayor Beng Climaco warned residents not to be complacent and
to strictly follow public health protocols due to threats posed by the new coronavirus variant called
Soldiers, CAFGUs hail ‘Mother’ Beng SECURITY FORCES across Zamboanga City hailed Mayor Beng Climaco for going out of her way in visiting soldiers and government militias and distributing “Noche Buena” packs and sacks of rice as a token of her appreciation, and at the same time boosting their morale. Climaco, accompanied by City Administrator Mike Saavedra, Continue on page 2
Zambo achieves herd immunity in Covid battle MAYOR BENG Climaco has announced that Zamboanga City has fi-
nally reached herd immunity following a massive vaccination drive against
Zamboanga Peninsula
the deadly Covid-19 respiratory virus. Continue on page 2
Basilan
Omicron. “We need to follow the strict public health Continue on page 7
Sulu
Tawi-tawi
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The Zamboanga Post
January 10-16, 2022
Zamboanga rises again from Covid pandemic
Printed copies of the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner are ready for distribution. The company says the pandemic affected its operation. (Mindanao Examiner) Continued from page 1 cases the last two years, the local government struggled to assure over one million residents that vaccines are coming and they arrived in trickles, in small batches as vote-rich regions get more what others equally deserved. It was a health and political nightmare for Mayor Beng Climaco, who continued appealing to the Department of Health and the National Inter-Agency Task Force to provide Zamboanga with more vaccines, and told residents to join her in prayers that the pandemic would soon end. Many establishments remain closed and Zamboanga was placed under the strict enhanced community quarantine status twice in two years due to the huge number of infections. Hospitals ran out of oxygen and quarantine facilities were full, people were hungry and jobless. By September, the health care was on the brink of collapse as Covid-19 infections shot up to over 2,600 cases despite strict travel restrictions
and public health protocols imposed by Climaco since President Rodrigo declared a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the country on March 8, 2020. The lack of vaccine supplies and the increasing number of Covid-19 cases aggravated the health situation in Zamboanga City with Climaco’s detractors and political opponents taking advantage of the crisis to advance their own interests ahead of the elections next year despite the mayor’s $2 million deal with the British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca for over 80,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines. In October, Climaco asked the Department of Health and the National Inter-Agency Task Force for additional Covid-19 vaccines and critical care supplies, among others as the City Government continues to battle the spread of the deadly respiratory virus. The surge in Covid-19 cases pushed the local healthcare system to the verge of collapse with private and government
hospitals overflowing with patients and medical frontliners overworked. The pandemic also largely affected the hotel and tourism industries as well because of the travel restrictions imposed by the national and local governments. Hotel rooms were empty, employees were either forced to resign or retrenched. One hotel owner almost sold his 80-room establishment as debts and interests on bank loans piled up, but no buyers were willing to pay P60 million to take over the business. Even community newspapers were forced to cut on their manpower and number of circulations because of lack of advertisements. From about a dozen local weeklies and dailies the past years, only one regional weekly - the Mindanao Examiner; and two daily newspapers - Zamboanga Times and Zamboanga Today - are operating in Zamboanga City on limited capacities. The 15-year old Mindanao Examiner now relies more on paid articles or “advertorials” and from revenues on
Zambo achieves herd immunity in Covid battle Continued from page 1 She said over 70% of the nearly 700,000 target population had been fully vaccinated as the local government continued its vaccination program on Monday. The mayor said more than a million doses of Covid-19 vaccines had been administered since the last quarter. “This brings the City's vaccination status to 87% partially vaccinated - as 602,388 of the total 694,696 target population have received their first dose and 70% fully vaccinated with 489,068 of the target population having received their
second jab,” Climaco said. “The City Government continues vaccination rollout for all unvaccinated as well as those partially vaccinated while at the same time pursuing booster shots for the priority groups,” she added. The mayor said more people are now flocking to various vaccination sites across Zamboanga due to the massive government information campaign on Covid-19 and the efficacy of the vaccines against the disease. She also renewed calls for residents in far-flung villages to go to the nearest health centers and get vacci-
nated to protect them from the virus, especially now that there is a new Covid-19 variant called Omicron variant which is more transmissible. “Go and vaccinate and protect yourselves from Covid-19 and strictly follow the public health protocols such as wearing of face masks in crowded areas and to observe physical distance and sanitize or frequently wash your hands with soap and water,” she said in her appeal. The number of active Covid-19 cases in Zamboanga is now down to 90 from over 2,000 in the past months. (Zamboanga Post)
its website to run the family-owned company, but the publisher is now thinking of selling the newspaper for only P5 million to venture into a new business. With the massive vaccination campaign, the mayor said Covid-19 cases are also going down and is expected to fall further to a few dozen. Climaco, who is running for congresswoman in Zamboanga City’s 1st District, said she has prayed to God for the pandemic to end soon and wishes only good for Zamboangueños. The mayor, now on her third and last term, said she prays to God and asks nothing for herself, but the safety and welfare of her people and all the good things for Zamboanga City. “I pray to God for our people to be able to be safe, healthy and happy. With God’s grace we become resilient learning from the struggles we have. Amidst the pandemic, we rely on God’s providence to win over all of life’s struggles,” she said. “Curada, Comida, Busca Vida y Vacuna (Cure, Food, Livelihood and Vaccines). We look forward to 2022 to bring our beloved children back to school, families safely outdoors, and in prayer with the Holy Family, find hope, have faith in Love. We also pray for our country, for the people
to choose the next leaders whom God will direct for us. And a world humble, grateful and good stewards of environment versus Climate Change,” Climaco said. When asked about her wishes for those who continue to hurl black propaganda against her, and for her detractors and political trolls, the mayor replied: “I pray for all…for them to be happy and healthy. God watches over everyone.” Climaco said Zamboanga has reached its herd immunity after inoculating at least 70% of the targeted 700,000 population against the Covid-19. She said the mass vaccination continues as more medicines are now made available by the national government. With the mass vaccination going on and the steady decline in the number of
Covid-19 cases, Climaco said more residents, including children, now have access to parks and shopping malls, among other public venues. Hotels are also picking up with tourists and businessmen flocking Zamboanga following the lifting of the strict travel requirements. Although economic data is not readily made available by the local government due to the Yuletide holidays, Climaco said: “Business is now very good and we have many new establishments, and we are slowly and steadily rising up again and we shall win this battle against Covid-19 as long as there are vaccines and everybody strictly follow the public health protocols and never forget to pray to God and give thanks for everything, for all the blessings we are receiving.” (Zamboanga Post)
Shoppers wear face masks at KCC Mall de Zamboanga. (Al Jacinto)
Soldiers, CAFGUs hail ‘Mother’ Beng Continued from page 1 lauded and thanked security forces for their hard work in preserving peace and protecting residents amid the Covid-19 pandemic. It has been the mayor’s Yuletide tradition to visit soldiers and CAFGU or Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit members and distribute food packs to them. Even troops in far-flung areas, including the Santa Cruz Island, were visited by Climaco to personally thank them. Soldiers and CAFGU members likened the mayor’s visit to a “mother who always looked at their children.” CAFGU members said it was only at the time of Climaco that they got to be visited by a mayor. Climaco has largely supported the police and military forces here and donated various equipment and vehicles as part of her priorities on security, health and education. (Zamboanga Post)
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The Zamboanga Post
January 10-16, 2022
PCCI awards Mayor Beng with Special Recognition
Historical marker unveiled in Cawit Continued from page 1 historical marker in Zamboanga City documenting the passage of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 in the coastal village of Cawit. Magellan led a voyage in 1519 and was concluded by a Spanish navigator Juan Sebastian Elcano in 1522. The Magellan-Elcano expedition was the earliest known to circumnavigate the globe and this expedition reached the Philippines in 1521. NHCP OIC Executive Director Carmanda Arevalo and Mayor Beng Climaco, together with Tourism Undersecretary Myra Abubakar and Councilor Josephine Pareja led the unveiling of the marker at the Cawit Elementary School before the New Year celebration. The marker, depicting the arrival of Magellan, was one of three historical markers the NHCP has for Zamboanga City. Two other sites Subanin, a noted Subanen territory, and Manalipa Island will also have its own markers, according to Climaco. She said the markers are part of the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines, a series of observances organized to mark the 500th anniversary of various events in the country, notably the introduction of Christianity in the Philippines, the role of the country in the Magellan–Elcano circumnavigation, and the victory of Lapulapu in the Battle of Mactan. When the NHCP traced this voyage in the Philippines, they found out that, it traveled to Zamboanga City, specifically in Cawit, Subanin and Manalipa and based on the chronicles of Italian scholar and explorer Antonio Pigafetta, they traded Cinnamon with the locals in Cawit. Pigafetta joined the expedition to the Spice Islands led by Magellan under the flag of the emperor Charles
V and after Magellan’s death in the Battle of Mactan, the subsequent voyage around the world. Climaco thanked the NHIP for including Zamboanga City in the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines. “We have a long and colorful history and Zamboanga and its people are proud to be part of this historical commemorations,” she said. Zamboanga was chosen in 1569 as the site of the Spanish settlement and garrison on La Caldera (now part of Barangay Recodo). Zamboanga City was one of the main strongholds in Mindanao, supporting colonizing efforts in the south of the island and making way for Christian settlements. It also served as a military outpost, protecting the island against foreign invaders and pirates. In 1599, the Zamboanga fort was closed and transferred to Cebu due to great concerns about an attack by the English on that island, which did not occur. After having abandoned the city, the Spaniards as well as some Latin-American mercenaries from Peru and Mexico, joined forces with troops from Pampanga and Visayan soldiers from Bohol, Cebu and Iloilo, and reached the shore of Zamboanga to bring peace to
the island against pirates. In 1635, Spanish officers and soldiers, along with Visayan laborers, settled in the area and construction began on Fort San Jose or what is now known as Fort Pilar to protect the inhabitants of the area from piracy. Zamboanga became the main headquarters of the Spaniards on June 23, 1635, upon approval of King Philip IV of Spain, and the Spanish officially founded the city. Thousands of Spanish troops, headed by a governor general from Spain, took the approval to build the first Zamboanga fortress or Fort Pilar to forestall enemies in Mindanao. There were also a hundred Spanish troops sent to fortify the nearby Presidio of Iligan. The Zamboanga fortress became the main focus of a number of battles between Moros and Spaniards during Spanish rule in the region from the 16th century to the 18th. Spain was forced to abandon Zamboanga temporarily and withdraw its soldiers to Manila in 1662 after the Chinese under Koxinga threatened to invade the Spanish Philippines. Zamboanga became a chartered city under Commonwealth Act No. 39 and it was inaugurated on February 26, 1937. (Zamboanga Post)
Continued from page 1 PCCI in recognizing Zamboanga’s efforts said: “The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry presents this Special Recognition to Hon. Maria Isabelle G. Climaco-Salazar (of) Zamboanga City for being adjudged as one of the Finalists of the 2021 Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit Awards City Level 1B exemplifying commendable initiatives towards good governance reforms that promote trade and investments and significantly contribute to local economic development.” The award was signed by Amb. Benedicto Yujuico, PCCI president; Amb. Francis Chua, chairman of the 47th PBC Awards; Jeffrey Ng, chairman of the 47th PBC&E; and Roberto Amores, c0-chairman of the LGU Awards. The 2021 Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit Awards is an annual competition initiated by the PCCI, the country’s largest business organization. This year’s LGU awards initiative was aimed at highlighting local government success stories and best practices that go beyond mere compliance to address the overwhelming negative impacts of the current pandemic to the business community. “We want to thank PCCI for the award and making it to the final judging is already a big success for us and let me take this opportunity to also commend and thank our civil employees, the medical frontliners, our hardworking barangay officials, the business sector and everybody who played a key role in this endeavor,” Climaco told the Zamboanga Post in a phone interview. The local business sector continues to rally behind the Climaco administration and even nominated the local government for the “2021 Most Business-Friendly LGU Award.” Both the Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. (ZCCIFI) and the Southern Philippines Deep Sea Fishing Association Inc. (SOPHIL) nominated the City Government for the prestigious event held annually. The nomination shows the strong partnership between the business sector and the local government. The ZCCIFI is headed by its president, Pedro Rufo Soliven; and the SOPHIL, by its president Jaydrick Johnson Yap. Soliven and Yap have cited the Climaco administration’s business-friendly efforts, especially during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic, in nominating the local government.
In 2019, the PCCI also cited the City Government and recognized its efforts in streamlining business processes. PCCI awarded the local government with a “special citation” during the 45th Philippine Business Conference and Expo held at the Manila Hotel. Zamboanga City was also a finalist in the “2020 Business-Friendly LGU Award.” Then City Administrator Apple Go who represented the local government during the awarding ceremony said the special recognition exemplifies the commendable initiatives of the Climaco administration towards good governance reforms that promote trade and investments and significantly contribute to local economic development. The PCCI, whose president is Ambassador Benedicto Yujuico, also noted the efforts of the local government which resulted in a significant increase in new business enterprises in Zamboanga. From 20182019, Zamboanga City posted a 74% increase in the number of approved business permits for new business applications and also recorded a 182% increase in the number of approved business renewals. Climaco said the local government is pursuing business-friendly strategies aimed at further improving business sector confidence. Even Commissioner Aileen Lourdes Lizada, of the Civil Service Commission, also praised the Climaco administration during an unannounced inspection in 2019 to check on compliance of civil service rules in government offices. Lizada, who also visited other regions in the country, noted a number of “best practices” at Zamboanga City Hall during her group’s inspection. One of them is the wearing of identification cards by civil workers with Climaco as the best example. She also said the Public Assistance Desk at the main entrance of City Hall is very responsive to the public and the presence of an institutionalized human resource department at City Hall, among others. Prior to the pandemic, Zamboanga City enjoyed a strong economy as influx of trade and investments add to the already robust business climate in the area. Proof of this is the steady flow of investors to Zamboanga, a major trading hub in southern Philippines, owing to the efforts of the local government in making this southern port city business-friendly. The ease of making
business here — compared to the previous decades — is far better, according to traders, who cited the local government’s efforts in attracting investors not only from other parts of the country, but overseas as well. But even during the pandemic, SM opened its shopping mall in Zamboanga City which is the first in the western Mindanao region. Climaco personally thanked Hans Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime, for investing in Zamboanga City. AirAsia Philippines also opened its maiden flight from Manila to Zamboanga City last year. Climaco said amid the health crisis, AirAsia fulfilled its promise to serve Zamboangueños because of the City's potential and strong governance. It also cemented Climaco’s efforts in attracting traders and businessmen to put up investments in Zamboanga City despite the pandemic. The mayor praised AirAsia Philippines Chairman of the Board, lawyer Jomar Castillo; and AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla, who thanked Climaco, saying “all of this would not have been possible without the initiatives of the Zamboanga City Government, who took on a decisive role in discussions with us to establish this route. For this, we are truly grateful.” And in October 2018, a prominent lawyer, Linda Lim, who is also chief executive officer and president of the oldest and largest universities in Mindanao — the Universidad de Zamboanga — also cited the vigorous business climate and the leadership of Climaco that played a key role in the huge improvement and development of Zamboanga as a city. In a speech during the 70th founding celebration of the university which coincided with the Parade of Lights during the Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival, Lim said: “We will carry on, continue to move on and continue to serve our community, especially under the leadership of Mayor Beng.” “It is only under her leadership that Zamboanga saw a flux of investments, we can see all investments coming in, we can feel it, not only see it. As of now, Zamboanga City ranks among the top cities with the largest accumulation of wealth in the whole Philippines and that can only happen under the leadership of Mayor Beng… it is only under this kind of leadership that Zamboanga can continue to move on,” she said. (Zamboanga Post)
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The Zamboanga Post
January 10-16, 2022
Zamboanga Pictures in the News Local government of Zamboanga City at work. This is where your taxes go. Photos by : Bong Serondo, Kathy Wee Sit , CHO, Giana Andrion and ZCPO.
January 10-16, 2022
The Zamboanga Post Exclusive
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‘Congresswoman’ Beng prays for pandemic to end, love for all ‘Last Yuletide Celebration As Local Chief Executive’
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pray to God for our people to be able to be safe, healthy and happy. With God’s grace we become resilient learning from the struggles we have. Amidst the pandemic, we rely on God’s providence to win over all of life’s struggles,” she told the Zamboanga Post in an interview. “Curada, Comida, choose the next leaders ganda against her, and for Busca Vida y Vacuna. We whom God will direct for her detractors and political look forward to 2022 to us. And a world humble, trolls, the mayor replied: “I bring our beloved children grateful and good stewards pray for all…for them to be back to school, families of environment versus Cli- happy and healthy.” safely outdoors, and in mate Change,” the mayor During the course of prayer with the Holy Fam- added. the 10-minute phone conily, find hope, have faith in When asked about her versation, the 55-year old Love. We also pray for our wishes for those who con- Climaco, who is a devout country, for the people to tinue to hurl black propa- Catholic, mentioned the name of God seven times and spoke nothing ill against those who talked evil against her, but only praises to the Lord, saying “God watches over everyone.” Incidentally, the Roman Catholic Church has seven holy sacraments that are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ. Each is celebrated with a visible rite, which reflects the invisible, spiritual essence of the sacrament. Whereas some sacraments are received only once, others require active and ongoing participation to foster the “living faith” of the celebrant. C l i m a c o , a multi-awarded politician, remains popular among residents and is seen to win in next year’s polls. In 2018, Climaco was chosen as among “Top 5 World’s Best Mayors” by the prestigious City Mayors Foundation. She was named along with Valeria Mancinelli, Mayor of Ancona, Italy who is the Winner of the 2018 World Mayor Prize; Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, UK; Nathalie Appéré, Mayor of Rennes, France; and Charlotte Britz, Mayor of Saarbrücken, Germany. In awarding Climaco, the City Mayors Foundation said it heavily cited the mayor for her commit-
ment to offer Zamboanga harmony, security and prosperity. The City Mayors Foundation said “The World Mayor Prize and Commendations” awards are given every two years to mayors who have made outstanding contributions to their communities and have developed a vision for urban living and working that is relevant to towns and cities across the world. It noted that shortly after being elected in 2013, Climaco was confronted with an armed uprising by Moro rebels that left parts of Zamboanga City under siege for 19 days and by the time government forces had defeated the rebels, 183 people had died and more than 120,000 residents were displaced. “During her first term in office, Climaco made it her priority for the victims of the attack to receive justice and compensation. She has also been determined to heal any divisions between the city’s Christian and Muslim communities. The Inter-Religious Dialogue Council she convened has been successful in promoting peace. In a city, which was often perceived as violent, there have been no bombings or kidnapping incidents since 2016 when she won the mayoralty seat. And in 2017, Mayor Climaco’s administration won the award for the most improved local government,” said the philanthropic international research think tank. It said that in a series of personal essays, the finalists for the 2018 World Mayor Prize described the reasons that motivated them to enter politics, the challenges they face as mayors and how they envisage their towns and cities to develop and prosper in the future. They stressed the importance of women in politics and urged young women to always aim high. In her essay, Climaco describes how the values of family members formed her political and social beliefs. “My grandmother was a champion of Filipino women’s right to vote and it was from her, we all learned the value of community service,” she said. She also wrote that in times of crisis her faith in God sustained her. Climaco was also recognized as
“Most Outstanding Mayor” by the Federation of Local Councils of Women in the Philippines in 2017. These awards and rankings were based on indicators and measurements
such as economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure and resiliency. These recognitions are feats never before achieved by any administration. (Zamboanga Post)
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The Zamboanga Post
January 10-16, 2022
Across : 1. House additions 5. Pear type 9. Heavy weight 12. Winter garment 13. Lingerie edging 14. Meadow mama 15. Housewife 17. Grant’s opponent 18. Wagner works 19. Resound 21. Wind dir. 22. Plaid 28. Liberate 29. Brewery product 30. Leading actors 32. Little white ___ 33. Soft drink (2 wds.) 35. Lobe locale 36. Paring tool 37. Tennis unit 40. Strike 41. Wrinkle 45. Filbert, e.g. 47. Practice session 49. Physicians’ group (abbr.) 50. Eve’s garden 51. Rocker ___ Young 52. Buddy 53. Round roof 54. Shopper’s delight
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OPINION
Sunday Reflection by Mayor Beng Climaco
‘Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph’ “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man. The feast of the Holy Family and it is from their love our families are nurtured. It has been since 2020 that the family spent Christmas together. Covid Pandemic restricted travel. Last year I had to forgo my trip to bury my 95-year old aunt on her birthday. This year upon my husband's request, I went to Manila and was met by the twins
who were so happy I flew in. By afternoon, the children arrived and the grandchildren were tall since the time I met them. We shared meals in gratitude to God. Then we attended Simbang Gabi virtually through Radio Katipunan. There were no live masses available. It was my first time to be with the family and each took on the seat of small chairs for the little ones, sofa and lounge chair for the adults. We participated intently despite the limited volume because we had to use laptops and our phones. It was wonderful to join hands in the Lord's Prayer and later give the sign of peace. This is the new normal worship which I had to adopt from the past traditions we held. We taught them to also recall victims of typhoon Odette and was thankful Ate Tania, the eldest, contributed just like her
fundraising with her barkadas at the start of Covid. We need to teach children to be thankful to God and pray for those in need. After mass, came the sharing of gifts. Each child was happy and excited to open their presents. Since Tania was small, we held the baby Jesus as center and made sure we had a Belen. Prayers were said by Nikki and we all shouted Happy Birthday Jesus. Tania then invited me to make the cheese board which everyone enjoyed. We did our traditional toast and Lolo TP offered the cheers. For me to be blessed to see the family is indeed a blessing, especially since I wanted to carry Nike who was only a baby since I last saw her. Jesus Mary and Joseph we offer our families to you to be one in obedience to God our Father with the Holy Spirit! Amen. (MBC)
DILG commends Zambo for honest, transparent, accountable and orderly management of public funds Continued from page 1 everyone who contributed in one or the other in making this a reality. My commitment remains for the Zamboangueño people even beyond City Hall,” Climaco told the Zamboanga Post in an interview. Climaco, now on her third and last term, is running for congresswoman in District 1 and remains largely popular in Zamboanga mainly due to her pro-poor programs and honest-to-goodness governance the past three terms, and even when she was a congresswoman and House Deputy Speaker for Mindanao from 2007 to 2013. The following local governments in the region also passed the 2021 Good Financial Housekeeping: Dapitan City, Pagadian City, Isabela City and Dipolog City; the municipalities of La Libertad 10 Baliguian, Labason, Godod, Piñan, Kalawit, Manuel Roxas, Sibuco, Sindangan, Sirawai, Tampilisan and Jose Dalman. The DILG said the award is an integral component of
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The Zamboanga Post
January 10-16, 2022
the Seal of Good Local Governance which puts primacy to integrity and good performance as pillars of meaningful local autonomy and development. As part of the whole-of-government commitment in bringing about meaningful and lasting reforms, the Seal of Good Local Governance has been instrumental in increasing transparency and accountability, promoting proactive actions to prepare for challenges posed by disasters and influencing local governments’ behavior that is supportive of both national and international developmental goals, among others. With the enactment of Republic Act No. 11292, the Seal of Good Local Governance is now an institutionalized award, incentive, honor and recognition-based program that encourages local governments’ commitment to continuously progress and improve their performance along various governance areas. The Seal of Good Local
Governance Act features four components: Expansion of assessment criteria from seven to ten; creation of the Council of Good Local Governance; provision of the Seal of Good Local Governance Incentive Fund; and development of more responsive capacity building intervention packages, which are likewise gradually integrated in this year’s implementation cycle. However, with the unprecedented challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic experienced in early last year, the CY 2020 Seal of Good Local Governance assessment activities were suspended. But this year, the Seal of Good Local Governance celebrates the gains of the past years, and reaffirms its foundational goal of inculcating a culture of performance among local governments nationwide. It continues to be a significant platform where both national and local level work together in bringing about the vision of inclusive growth and development. (Zamboanga Post)
Mayor fears Omicron variant Continued from page 1 protocols and always wear face masks and even face shields in crowded areas to protect us from the virus, and to frequently wash hands with soap and water or sanitize them with alcohol or disinfectant,” she told the Zamboanga Post by phone when asked for comment on possible spread of the Omicron variant here due to the rising Covid-19 infections in the National Capital Region which is now under Alert Level 3. Climaco said although the number of Covid-19 cases in Zamboanga City is declining, residents must take extreme precautions because of the Omicron variant which is more transmissible than the Delta variant. “At present, there is no report that Omicron variant has reached Zamboanga, but we continue to strictly enforce health and quarantine protocols in the border and we are asking the public to cooperate with us because this is all for the welfare and safety of everybody,” the mayor said. Zamboanga City’s active Covid-19 is now under 100 from nearly 2,000 the past two months. The strict health protocols imposed by Climaco largely helped in preventing the spread of the deadly respiratory virus in the community and allowed businesses to reopen during the Yuletide holidays. The World Health Organization designated the Omicron (variant B.1.1.529), a variant of concern, following advice from the WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution. Omicron is a highly divergent variant with a high number of mutations, including 26-32 mutations in the spike protein, some of which may be associated with humoral immune escape potential and higher transmissibility. As of December 2021, the Omicron variant had been identified in 110 countries across all six WHO Regions. Current understanding of the Omicron variant continues to evolve as more data become available.
WHO said there is consistent evidence that Omicron has a substantial growth advantage over Delta variant. It is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant in countries with documented community transmission, with a doubling time of 2-3 days. Omicron was first detected by scientists in Botswana in South Africa in November last year, but according to WHO the growth rate estimates in South Africa are now decreasing, driven largely by the declining rates in Gauteng province. “It remains uncertain to what extent the observed rapid growth rate since November 2021 can be attributed to immune evasion or intrinsic increased transmissibility, but is likely a combination of both,” WHO said. It added that data on clinical severity of patients infected with Omicron is growing but is still limited. Early data from South Africa, the United Kingdom and Denmark suggest a reduced risk of hospitalization for Omicron compared to Delta. However, the risk of hospitalization is only one aspect of severity, which may be altered by admission practices. “More data across different countries are needed to understand how clinical markers of severity–such as the use of oxygen, mechanical ventilation and deaths–are associated with Omicron. At the present time, it is still unclear to what extent the observed reduction in risk of hospitalization can be attributed to immunity from previous infections or vaccination and to what extent Omicron may be less virulent,” WHO said. It said preliminary data from several non-peer reviewed studies suggest that there is a
reduction in neutralizing titers against Omicron in individuals who have received a primary vaccination series or in those who have had prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, the increased risk of reinfection reported in England, UK, as well as a growing trend of reinfection cases in Denmark and Israel, can be potentially attributed to immune evasion against Omicron. To date, there is still limited available data, and no peer-reviewed evidence, on vaccine efficacy or effectiveness for Omicron. WHO said preliminary findings of vaccine effectiveness studies (test-negative design) have been released from South Africa and the United Kingdom. Available preliminary data should be interpreted with caution because the designs may be subject to selection bias and the results are based on relatively small numbers. Results from the UK indicate a significant reduction in vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease for Omicron compared to Delta after two vaccine doses of either Pfizer BioNTech-Comirnaty or AstraZeneca-Vaxzevria vaccines. There was, however, higher effectiveness two weeks after a Pfizer BioNTech-Comirnaty booster, which was slightly lower or comparable to that against Delta. “A non-peer-reviewed study by South African researchers using private health insurance data reported reductions in vaccine effectiveness of the Pfizer BioNTech-Comirnaty vaccine against infection, and to a lesser degree against hospitalization. Details about the methods or results were not available at the time of writing,” WHO said. (Zamboanga Post)
LSAP benefits thousands more THOUSANDS OF Zamboangueños continue to benefit from the Local Special Amelioration Program as Mayor Beng Climaco distributed cash aid to the beneficiaries of the Covid-19 recovery and rehabilitation plan. Climaco, now in her third and last term, said the financial aid to sectors severely affected by the health crisis is intended to help alleviate their plight amid the challenges posed by the pandemic. “The financial aid we are giving to the people is also the people’s money, thus it should go back to the people in the form of financial assistance and projects and programs aimed at improving their welfare, their lives,” Climaco, who is running for congresswoman in District 1 in next year’s polls. Also included in the LSAP are those who survived the dead-
LSAP distribution for Covid-19 survivors. (Bong Serondo) ly Covid-19 respiratory disease, receiving as much as P5,000 each. The cash aid covers only those who were infected with the virus starting June 1, 2021, as the 2021 Supplemental Budget 1, where the funds are taken, was approved only last June. The LSAP rollout for Covid-19 survi-
vors started in August. The distribution of cash aid is being facilitated by the City Social Welfare and Development Office with paymasters from the City Treasurer’s Office. LSAP covers different sectors affected by the pandemic. (Zamboanga Post)
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The Zamboanga Post
January 10-16, 2022
January 10-16, 2022
The Zamboanga Post
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January 10-16, 2022
‘Last Yuletide Celebration As Local Chief Executive’
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