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Zambo creates IACT as response measure to pandemic ZAMBOANGA CITY has formally organized the Inter-Agency Compliance Team (IACT) as a strong response measure to the Covid-19 pandemic. Mayor Beng Climaco has recently signed Executive Order 568-2020 creating the IACT and designated City Administrator Marie Angelique Go as chairperson with 3 focal persons - Benjie Barredo, for Business Establishments; Albert Santa Teresa, for Roving Patrol; and Cesar Raz, for Transport and other concerned agencies as members.
Climaco said the IACT is tasked to periodically assess level of compliance in various establishments and to establish a culture of social distancing, provide a reliable source of regulatory information to the local government, and to ensure that health, hygiene, and Covid-19 prevention measures are complied with. “The police shall apprehend all violators of the order. Violators of the order may be subjected to prosecution under the Covid-19 emergency ordinance of the City of Zamboanga,” Climaco said.
The mayor also reminded local residents to practice social or physical distancing and stay at home if there is no necessity to go out following reports that people were flocking to malls after Zamboanga transitioned from strict enhanced community quarantine or ECQ to more relaxed general community quarantine or GCQ. Climaco told the locals to always maintain cleanliness and wear face mask to avoid getting infected with the deadly coronavirus disease.
Zamboanga now has over 100 positive cases of Covid-19, mostly prisoners and jail guards, and those previously released by court. The spread of the respiratory virus at the local jail broke out after 2 prisoners died one after the other in hospital. Those found positive for the disease have been separated from the others and now under quarantine. She said health authorities are monitoring over 900 suspected Covid-19 cases since the pandemic spread to Zamboanga in March. (Zamboanga Post)
Beng rejects anew proposed ZCWD water rate hike ‘Amid Covid-19 pandemic, Water District passes resolution’
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AYOR BENG Climaco reiterated her strong opposition and rejected anew the proposed water rate increase by the Zamboanga City Water District or ZCWD amid the health crisis. Despite the pan- bers - continues to pursue tration or LWUA. demic and hardships the increase in water tariff The public was caught brought about by the loss and sewer rates adjust- unaware of the ZCWD’s of jobs and work of many ment and even passed an- Board Resolution No. 036 people due to the strict other resolution seeking asking LWUA for a hike in quarantine, the ZCWD - the approval of the Local tariff and sewer rates through its board mem- Water Utilities AdminisContinue on page 3
SM Foundation donates PPEs, medical items to Zambo hospital THE SM Foundation Inc. with the assistance of SM City Mindpro, do-
nated personal protective equipment (PPEs) and medical supplies to the
Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) in Continue on page 2
Joined by SM City Mindpro Mall Manager Engr. Lucino Agraviador and the OIC Medical Chief, and concurrently the Regional Director of Department of Health in Western Mindanao, Dr. Emilia Monicimpo with the signed acknowledgement receipt of the donation.
Mayor Beng Climaco
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The Zamboanga Post
SM Foundation donates PPEs, medical items to Zambo hospital
Zamboanga City Medical Center Logistics Head Violeta Magaso, SM City Mindpro Mall Manager Engr. Lucino Agraviador (center), and Material Management Service Head Luis Fabian (right) during the recent SM Foundation Inc. donation of PPEs and other medical items to the hospital. Continued from page 1 southern Philippines. The ZCMC thanked the SM Foundation and SM City Mindpro for the donation of alcohol, KN95 face masks, protective clothing, face shields, raincoats, medical gloves and shoe covers. “These items are hard to find nowadays and are costly,” said Luis Fabian, Senior Administrative Officer and head of ZCMC Material Management Service. ZCMC’s OIC Medical Chief, who concurrently regional director of the Department of Health, Dr. Emilia Monicimpo, also expressed their heartfelt gratitude to SM Foundation Inc. for the donated
PPEs and medical items. “This is also a great help for our cause to fight the Covid-19 here in Zamboanga. We hope that this engagement is just a start, and more engagement will come in the future,” said Dr. Monicimpo. The timing of this donation was right on time as the covid-19 testing laboratory recently opened its door within the hospital’s purlieu. SM Foundation - the civic arm of SM Group of Companies - donations to over 50 hospitals and health centers nationwide have reached P270 million worth of PPEs and medical supplies. In Mindanao, recipients include the Southern
Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, Northern Mindanao Medical Center in Cagayan de Oro City, Amai Pakpak Hospital in Marawi City, and Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City. The SM Group of Companies - in response to the pandemic – also waived rentals of all tenants of SM Supermalls nationwide and the continued compensation of employees, and the extension of an emergency financial assistance to its front liners, security guards and janitorial staff during the enhanced community quarantine period. (With a report from the Zamboanga Post)
May 25-31, 2020
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The Zamboanga Post
May 25-31, 2020
Beng rejects anew proposed ZCWD water rate hike ‘Amid Covid-19 pandemic, Water District passes resolution’ how it can benefit both areas. The idea, he said, is patterned after Singapore which for years has relied on Malaysia for its water needs. Singapore has been importing water from Johor, under two bilateral agreements. The first agreement was officially signed on October 1961 and expired in August 2011. The second
agreement was signed on September 1962 and will expire in 2061. Apolinario said aside from water interconnection, the Zamboanga City government and the ZCWD are also building on the possibility of developing the 70-hectare Bog Lake in Upper Calarian. He said water samples had been taken for laboratory testing.
The local government is also pursuing the completion of the Lapakan Water System project amounting to P3 million and the Cahumban Water System project worth P76 million and awarded to the ZCWD. Plans for the construction of small impounding dams are already being finalized, according to Apolinario. (Zamboanga Post)
Mayor Beng Climaco with LWUA Administrator Jeci Lapus and other officials. Continued from page 1 adjustment. The resolution comes “like a thief in the night” virtually taking advantage of the Covid-19 crisis in the middle of the suffering of the people. Siding with the poor water consumers and different sectors also opposed to the water rate hike, Climaco stood firm on her decision and wrote LWUA Acting Administrator Jeci Lapus a letter telling him of the people’s objection to the insistence of ZCWD to increase utility fees. “Our people need economic support at this time for them to be able to get back on their feet. Increasing the minimum water rate at P278.00 is heavy burden to the consumers,” she said. Climaco said the novel coronavirus pandemic has tremendously affected Zamboanga as the rest of the country. The local government, she said, is exerting all efforts to mitigate its effects and impact to the communities and economy. “Our constituents feel the socio-economic brunt of this contagion. We have allocated an appropriation in our Supplemental Budget No. 2 and will enter into a memorandum of agreement with the Zamboanga City Water District relative to the one-time grant of P500 water bill subsidy as assistance to water consumers.” “It is for these reasons that the City Government of Zamboanga strongly opposes favorable action by LWUA on ZCWD’s Board Resolution No. 036. Thank you for taking into consideration the welfare and interest of our water consumers, especially in this trying times,” Climaco told Lapus.
Poor services In March this year, Climaco also rejected ZCWD’s insistence for a water hike, saying, it has to first improve utility services and ensure clean supply of potable water to residents, among other woes locals have raised against the ZCWD – a Government Owned and Controlled Corporation. ZCWD executives wanted to raise water rates to improve its services. But residents have long complained of inefficient services and yearly water rationing, and wasted water from broken or leaking pipes in different barangay that largely contributed to the non-revenue water or losses to the ZCWD. “As mayor of Zamboanga City, I cannot allow the water rates increase at this moment, considering the city is experiencing water rationing,” Climaco said, adding, the local government is willing to help ZCWD, “but at this very moment, since we do not have water and there is scarcity of it, it is not proper to increase the rates of water.” “One of the causes of the ZCWD’s financial burden is its system’s loss or the non-revenue water being not fully maximized. So much water is wasted and this is compounded by climate change resulting in water rationing. To be efficient and sufficient, the ZCWD should and must always be at the helm of providing water,” she said. Also in March, the local government held a water summit aimed at finding solutions to the water shortage without increasing the rates. Lapus and ZCWD executives, including representatives from Prime Water, Manila Wa-
ter and other stake holders attended the summit. P73 million funds The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said it earlier awarded over P57 million for the conduct of a feasibility study of the Zamboanga impounding dam project on top of a P16 million grant from the Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig Para sa Lahat (Salintubig) program on the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). The NEDA fund will be used for aerial surveys, firming up of dam locations, identification of borehole locations and subsurface geotechnical investigations which were already done to explore the viability of the project that will help ensure water security in the coming decades. While the Salintubig program is for water system projects in eight barangays with ZCWD as the servicing entity together with the City Planning and the City Engineer’s Office. With the perennial shortage of water supply in Zamboanga, the local government and the ZCWD held talks with municipal officials of Sibuco in the neighboring province of Zamboanga del Norte for possible water interconnection, according to Elmeir Apolinario, head of the Zamboanga City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. Apolinario said Barangay Malayal in Sibuco has a very good source of water supply that can be tapped and interconnected into Zamboanga’s water system. A group of city officials already visited the area and met with Sibuco municipal officials to discuss the possibility of water interconnection and
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May 25-31, 2020
Zamboanga Pictures in the News Local government of Zamboanga City at work. This is where your taxes go. (Photos by Bong Serondo)
May 25-31, 2020
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Across : 1. Cobbler’s concern 5. Watering place 8. Manner of walking 12. Identical sibling 13. Beach color 14. Paddy product 15. Prince Charles’s sister 16. Involved 18. ___ Ryan of “You’ve Got Mail” 19. Felt dizzy 20. Airplane feature 22. Atlas chart 25. ___ League 26. Actor ___ De Niro 28. Test for flavor 31. Christmas visitor 32. Communion tables 34. Deep 35. Pod vegetable 36. Baby carriages 41. Pester 42. Perjure oneself 43. Out-of-date 46. Icicle’s spot 47. Color changer 48. Man’s title 49. Tread 50. School official 51. Rescue me! 52. Cherished animals
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May 25-31, 2020
Office of BARMM Chief Minister gets huge chunk of Covid funds THE BANGSAMORO Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM said it released over P1.9 billion in response to the novel coronavirus or Covid-19 pandemic, and the Office of Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim got a huge chunk of the funds. According to the BARMM Bureau of Public Information or BPI, the funds - released on April 30 by the Ministry of Finance, and Budget and Management which Ebrahim also heads –were distributed to his own office and also the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government or MILG under Naguib Sinarimbo, and the Ministry of Social Services and Development or MSSD headed by Raissa Jajurie. But only on May 7, BARMM Cabinet Secretary and Bangsamoro Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid-19 spokesperson, Mohd Asnin Pendatun, said the P1.9 billion is a combination of the regular and quick response funds. He further clarified that “it does not entail that these funds have already been completely disbursed or utilized.” “Gusto lamang po nating i-emphasize na ‘yong P1.9B fund, hindi lahat ay na-disburse o nagamit na. Ibig sabihin lamang
po nito ay maaaring gamitin ang funds na ito for Covid-19 related activities or programs,” Pendatun stressed. The breakdown of the P1,918,782,295 were as follows: For Ebrahim’s office alone – TABANG Program P1 billion, Fund Augmentation for Social Services P200 million, Fund Augmentation to provincial and municipal governments P155 million, Procurement for Covid-19 related health supplies and material requirement P100 million, AMBAG Program P50 million, Isolation Buildings P50 million. And for the MILG, P116.3 million for its READi (Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence) Program; and for MSSD another P116.3 million for its Emergency Assistance Program and P113.6 million for Welfare Goods. It was not immediately known how much assistance really went to the provinces under BARMM – Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao – as there are no records on the BARMM portal or social media accounts. But in Sulu, the provincial government only received P5 million and P1 million for each of 19
municipalities there – and this is part of the P155 million allocated for all 5 provinces and their municipal governments. And BARMM has nearly 4 million population and the funding released by Ebrahim was not even enough, according to local officials. Despite the meager resources it got from BARMM, Sulu officials - from the provincial government down to the municipal executives – managed to feed nearly all residents since the health crisis began in March. Social media accounts of provincial and municipal governments showed a unified efforts in the distribution of relief assistance to over 900,000 populations in Sulu. Each household were provided multiple times with a sack of 50-kilo rice, canned goods and other grocery items while officials were busy fighting the spread of the deadly respiratory disease. Sulu only recorded one positive Covid-19 case because of its strict implementation of the quarantine guidelines in preventing the spread of the virus in the province. However, the BARMMBPI on May 14 quoted Sinarimbo as saying that based on the monitoring
SEC reminds financing firms to grant grace period to borrowers ZAMBOANGA CITY - The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reminded all financing and lending companies to provide borrowers more time to settle loans falling due within the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) period. In an advisory issued on May 20, SEC ordered financing and lending companies to strictly comply with the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, its IRR, and other applicable laws, rules and regulations. Under the Bayanihan Act, refusal to provide 30day grace period shall be punishable with imprisonment of two months or a fine of not less than P10,000 but not more than P1 million or both, at the discretion of the court. “Any violation or noncompliance shall be dealt with to the full extent of the law,” the SEC warned, noting that it is currently investigating financing and lending companies
that allegedly refuse to comply with the Bayanihan Act, its IRR and other applicable laws, rules and regulations. The Department of Finance previously issued the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) directing all lenders, including those under the supervision of the SEC, to apply an initial 30-day grace period to all loans with principal and, or interest falling due during the ECQ period. The initial 30-day grace period shall automatically be extended if the ECQ period is extended by the President pursuant to his emergency powers. All financing companies, lending companies and microfinance nongovernmental organizations shall apply the mandatory grace period to all loans with principal and, or interest falling due between March 17 and May 31. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Man-
agement of Emerging Infectious Diseases also issued Resolution No. 33 directing all banks, quasi-banks, financing companies, lending companies, and other financial institutions to count the grace period from the respective due dates of qualified loans or until such time that the community quarantine is lifted, whichever is longer. Under the IRR, all covered institutions shall not impose interest on interest, fees and other charges to future payments or amortizations. Borrowers may also pay the interest accrued during the grace period on a staggered basis over the remaining life of the loan. All covered institutions are further prohibited from requiring their borrowers to waive the application of the mandatory grace period. Nonetheless, borrowers may still choose to pay their obligations during the ECQ. (With a report from the Zamboanga Post)
conducted by the MILG, the local governments in the Muslim region complied with their respective tasks upon receiving the augmentation fund from Ebrahim’s office. Sinarimbo said the funds can only be used for the purchase of medical supplies and equipment, relief goods, and assistance for front liners and daily wage earners. He said all Covid-19 task forces of the 123 local governments in BARMM have been activated and that 2,590 Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams are functional, adding a total of 90 quarantine facilities are now available across the region. BARMM-BPI also quoted Jajurie’s report that over 50% of the 505, 954 targeted beneficiaries in the region have already received their Social
Amelioration Program or SAP. (Mindanao Examin-
er. With a report from the Zamboanga Post.)
Chief Minister Ahod ‘Murad’ Ebrahim
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Zambo Task Force Covid-19 praised!
Z
AMBOANGA CITY – The local task force on Covid-19 continuous to draw praises for its quick response and action, and assistance from residents who need health information and urgent medical services 24/7. The task force, dito sa Santa Catalina wala rescued by the Task Force chaired by Mayor Beng na silang magagawa kung Covid-19 and brought him Climaco, has a pool of kakalat pa itong sakit na ito to hospital after neighbors personnel taking tens of at saka sila matatakot. Sana sought help from the local dozens of phone calls ev- magbigay aral po ito sa government. The septuagenarian ery hour from residents. bawat tao dito sa amin pati It has 18 telephone and na rin sa lahat, stay home was initially aided by a cell phone Covid-19 ho- po, stay safe, please pray po nurse assigned at the Batline numbers manned by natin yun mga nakakaran- rangay Rural Health Center professional staffs. These dam ng ganitong sakit,” he on April 21 after receiving hotlines can also be found said, ending the video with information about the man also suffering from emphyon the official Facebook a prayer. The task force learned sema. pages of the City GovernThe task force received ment of Zamboanga and of the man’s appeal and quickly ordered the baran- the report and immediMayor Beng Climaco. Just early this month, gay officials to find Munap ately coordinated with the the task force responded so he can be brought im- City Health Office and the to an emergency after a mediately to the hospital Zamboanga City Medical man posted a video on and undergo laboratory Center and brought the paFacebook appealing for tests and provide him the tient to hospital. Neighbors were not able to help the help to bring him to hos- needed medical care. In April, a sickly old old man for fear he could pital on suspicion he has contracted the deadly man living alone in Baran- be infected with Covid-19. coronavirus respiratory gay Santa Maria was also (Zamboanga Post) disease. Ahmad Hassan Munap, who resides in Barangay Santa Catalina, said he went to seek help with the local barangay leaders, but was only dropped near the Zamboanga City ZAMBOANGA CITY - Two Health (ASH Philippines) and Medical Center. health and environmental or- the EcoWaste Coalition pointIn his 2-minute ap- ganizations appealed to all lo- ed to the vital need to reinpeal, Munap said: “Pu- cal governments to strengthen vigorate existing programs munta po ako sa barangay their tobacco prevention and as experts have warned that namin at naghanap ng control programs to protect smokers are likely to develop medic, ako po ay fasting their constituents from the severe coronavirus disease pa, nakakaramdam po lingering threat of novel coro- compared to non-smokers. ako kasi ng simtomas po navirus disease (COVID-19) “We urge lawmakers ng pesteng virus na ito. even after the quarantine re- to pass or reinforce a comPero hindi po ako inasi- strictions are lifted. prehensive tobacco control kaso doon, hinatid po Action on Smoking and policy to protect the people ako hanggang labas pero (Debora Strunk) malayo pa at dalawang checkpoint po ang pagitan, pero taga-barangay rin naman po ako.” Despite having difficulty in breathing and pausing several times to cough, Munap continued: “Nakakalungkot mang isipin pero umuwi na lang ako ulit, sana hindi na lang ako kunin, pero ang kinakatakutan ko lang dito ay kung totoo man akong natamaan… ikinakatakot ko lang dito yun mga bata dito sa amin po at baka makahawa ako. Sana maaksyunan itong barangay dito sa amin, kilala nila ako.” He also appealed to those who will watch the video to share it so that authorities can take action on his complaints. “Sana ipasa po ninyo itong video sana matauhan yun mga taong nangangailangan kung ako ay makakahawa
Chief front-liner Mayor Beng Climaco helps a barangay official carry relief aid in this library photo of City Hall. Climaco is at the forefront of the local government’s effort in combating the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Health advocates call on local governments to intensify anti-smoking drive from the lingering threat of Covid-19 even after the quarantine has been lifted,” said pulmonologist Dr. Maricar Limpin, Executive Director, ASH Philippines Intensified programs to combat tobacco consumption and addiction will help local governments in accomplishing their health and environmental objectives, the groups emphasized ahead of the observance of the World No Tobacco Day on May 31. Such programs may include mass-reach communications drive, population-specific interventions, action against illegal trade of tobacco products, anti-butt littering campaigns, and the active enforcement of related laws such as President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order 26 providing for the establishment of smoke-free environments in public and enclosed places. “Smoking compromises the immune system making it harder to fight infection. Therefore, smokers are more likely to contract the virus compared to non-smokers, and they are more vulnerable to developing severe symptoms when exposed to the disease. We also need to urge people to quit smoking during times like this as we cannot afford to have more people getting sick,” Limpin said.
For his part, Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner of EcoWaste Coalition, said “the energetic conduct of tobacco control programs by the local governments will contribute to protecting human health and the environment from cigarette butts, the most visible toxic litter in our surroundings,” adding “we can curb the disposal of these small but hazardous pollutants on our streets, beaches and dumps by helping citizens to quit or not to start smoking.” In Zamboanga City, the local government has effectively banned cigarette smoking in public places and violators face a hefty penalty. Mayor Beng Climaco, a strong health advocate, has repeatedly warned residents of the ill effects of cigarette smoking and the risk of secondhand smoke to health. The World Health Organization (WHO) earlier warned that smoking may increase the risk of getting a severe case of Covid-19 due to compromised lung health. Tobacco weakens the respiratory system and destroys some of the lung’s natural defense mechanisms making smokers more vulnerable to contagious diseases. According to WHO, smokers are likely to be more vulnerable to Covid-19 as the act of smoking means that fingers
(and possibly contaminated cigarettes) are in contact with lips which increases the possibility of transmission of virus from hand to mouth. Smokers may also already have lung disease or reduced lung capacity which would greatly increase risk of serious illness. As explained by WHO, the COVID-19 is an infectious disease that primarily attacks the lungs. Smoking impairs lung function making it harder for the body to fight off coronaviruses and other diseases. Tobacco is also a major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease and diabetes which put people with these conditions at higher risk for developing severe illness when affected by Covid-19. Available research suggests that smokers are at higher risk of developing severe disease and death, the WHO said. Based on information from WHO, tobacco kills more than 8 million people globally every year. And more than 7 million of these deaths are from direct tobacco use and around 1.2 million are due to non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. (With a report from Zamboanga Post)