Philippine Muslim Today by Philippine Muslim Today

The Halal Legal Framework: How Effective Is It?

Are Muslims in Manila in peril?

Better not google your symptoms and their treatment

What is in a name, “Batanes to Tawi-Tawi”?

Mehol K. Sadain | Page A4

Macabangkit K. Lanto | Page A4

Benj Bangahan | Page A5

Julmunir I. Jannaral | Page A5

Philippine Muslim Today? Bearer of Glad Tidings Email: muslimtoday2020@gmail.com https://philmuslimtoday.wordpress.com Phone: 09152184388 (Administration) 09778430218 (Editorial)

Bearer of Glad Tidings Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 5-11, 1441) | 12 Pages | Metro Manila

No Filipino can perform hajj this year – NCMF By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Metro Manila News Bureau Chief

INSIDE SECTION B

Ecotourism looms in Turtle Islands — B1 Bud Bongao: The Sacred Mountain of Tawi Tawi--Tawi — B2 Tourism industry hikes share in GDP to 13% — B2 World looks to innovation for sustainable oceans — B1 Bangsamoro chief lauds MOTC for handwashing project

he head of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) lauded the accomplishments of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) after the turnover of its two hand washing facilities to the Integrated Public Terminals here.

KAABA: Several millions of pilgrims coming from different countries are going to go on circumambulating or “tawaf” by going around seven times in Kaaba as part of the Hajj ritual. (Contributed Photo)

OLDEN MOSQUE, Quiapo, Manila: “Definitely, there will be no Filipinos who can leave for Saudi Arabia to perform their pilgrimage in Makkah for this year Hajj in conformity with the COVID-19 health protocol of social distancing,” according to the Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (BPE-NCMF). NO FILIPINO | A2

Lanao Sur posts highest Covid cases in the Bangsamoro BANGSAMORO | A2

VIOLENCE

Violence over land intensifies in Bangsamoro amid pandemic CITY: Violent Q UEZON conflict over land erupted across the Bangsamoro while the country grappled with the COVID pandemic, according to a Critical Events Monitoring System (CEMS) bulletin released today. PROBERS | B4

By ROCAYA SUNDAD OTICAL YAHYA MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur: The province of Lanao del Sur of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has recorded to have the highest cases of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) according to the region’s Ministry of health. In its official post on Wednesday, BARMM’s public information bureau said the Health Ministry reported a total of 100 Covid-19 confirmed cases in the region as of June 23, 2020. Of these, 52 are active, with 44 recoveries and 4 deaths. Lanao del Sur province records 70 cases, 21 in Maguindanao, 6 in Basilan, 3 in Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi remains to be Covid-free. Health Minister Dr. Safrullah Dipatuan emphasized that to date, there is no recorded local

transmission in the region. “The rise in numbers is due to returning BARMM residents classified into Locally Stranded Individuals (LSI), Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROF) and those availing of the Hatid Probinsya Program,” Dipatuan said. PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

News

Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 5-11, 1441)

No Filipino can perform hajj this year – NCMF By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Metro Manila News Bureau Chief In an exclusive interview, BPE-NCMF Director Malo Manonggiring told Philippine Muslim Today on Thursday it is official and final that there is no more hope for Filipino Muslims who intend to leave for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in order to perform Hajj this year albeit it is in compliance with their spiritual obligations as one the Five Pillars of Islam. Manonggiring said he based his official announcement after their conference together with NCMF Secretary Saidamen Pangarungan and Saudi Ambassador Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser AlBussairy at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Manila. Ambassador Al-Bussairy relayed to the NCMF officials the directive of King Salman Al-Saud who said the Saudi monarch issued the edict in order to protect the pilgrims from around the world of the menace of COVID-19 that had affected millions of people around the world. As of January 25, reports said the pandemic COVID-19 is affecting 213 countries and territories around the world. There are 9.39 million of people around the world to be

confirmed positively infected by the virus; 4.72 million have recovered; and 481 thousands have died around the world. In the Philippines, 32,295 are confirmed positive of COVID-19; 8,656 have already recovered; and 1,204 deaths. In Saudi Arabia, the latest data reports says there are 167,000 confirmed COVID positive; 113,000 have recovered; and 1,387 deaths. In Makkah Province alone where the Kaaba in Masjidil Haram is located and the center of Hajj ritual, there are 52,563 confirmed positively affected by Coronavirus; 40,332 have recovered; and 872 deaths. Whereas, in Al Madinah Province, the second venue of Hajj ritual where Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is buried and the Prophet’s mosque is located, it has the share also of this COVID-19 pandemic. There are 13,889 confirmed positive of Coronavirus; 11,706 have already recovered; and 86 deaths. Earlier the leadership of BPE-NCMF had expressed optimism that Filipino pilgrims can still go on Hajj to Makkah, when the decision made by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah that only Saudi nationals and other nationalities

Filipino Lady pilgrims from the Philippines. (File) residing there are permitted to go on Hajj. (See: NCMF hopeful Filipinos can go for Hajj this year) Manonggiring said he heard that Philippine Ambassador to Riyadh, Ambassador Adnan Alonto has divulged to some private individuals in Manila regarding the decision of King Salman as implemented by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. But Manonggiring said, “In the absence of official pronouncements, they have to wait for the official statement of the Saudi Hajj ministry before they can make any move or announce any decision to inform Filipino pilgrims that they cannot proceed anymore with their spiritual journey.” Secretary Pangarungan was already designated by President Rodrigo Duterte last January 21 as the Philippine Amirul Hajj or head of Hajj delegation to Saudi Arabia. At the same time, Director

Manonggiring said he had requested the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to allocate the Philippines through the Saudi Embassy in Manila with 9,000 Hajj Visa. However, after the meeting of lawyer Pangarungan as the NCMF head and Manonggiring as the pilgrimage director of the Philippines with the Saudi ambassador to Manila, it has already cleared the doubts as to whether Filipino pilgrims can go on with their journey to the Muslims’ holy land. “We felt sorry that no single Filipino pilgrim can depart or go on Hajj to Makkah this year, but this is good for all of us as we don’t want any of our pilgrims to be infected by Coronavirus,” Manonggiring said. He added that Secretary Pangarungan has told Saudi Ambassador Al-Bussairy that the Muslims in the Philippines with him at the helm of the NCMF are fully supportive of

the decision of King Salman that for this Hajj 2020 only those Muslims residing in the Kingdom meaning the Saudi nationals and Muslims of other nationalities already residing there are permitted to enter Makkah and Al Madinah to perform their Hajj rituals. However, they are still subject to the health protocols of the Saudi Ministry of Health on social distancing. Thus a limited number of pilgrims can perform the ritual around Kaaba in Makkah, as well as the visitation of Prophet Muhammad mosque in Al Madinah. But according to the Philippines pilgrimage director he has informed all the NCMF accredited Sheikhs to inform their “Jama-a” or pilgrims who are supposed to be led by them not to worry since there will be another Hajj next year. Dr. Kaberl “KOH” Hajilan, one of the Sheikhs from Bongao, Tawi-Tawi thanked Pilgrimage Director Manonggiring for informing them of the final decision of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. “It is the will of the Almighty Allah that we cannot proceed with the Hajj this year due to the menace of this COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Hajilan who is at the same time a professor of the Mindanao State University in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

NCMF | A7

Bangsamoro chief lauds MOTC for hand washing project

AVAO CITY, June 19 (PIA) - The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Davao region (DSWD XI) reveaed that the majority of the distribution for the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) will be made through electronic transfer of funds, state-media Philippine Information Agency (PIA) reported recently. This is to efficiently expedite the distribution process

and limit the mobilization of DSWD XI personnel and SAP beneficiaries which will effectively comply with the current public health safety standards under the 'New Normal' due to the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, said the report. DSWD XI Regional Director Grace Subong discussed how the chosen approach for SAP distribution will be beneficial to efficiently deliver the necessary services to benefi-

ciaries who are affected by the pandemic. "We will use the electronic transfer of funds for SAP for a more convenient and easy way of the distribution of funds," Subong said. She reported that preparatory steps had been taken by the regional office to ensure that this mode of SAP distribution will be actualized. "We have already assessed for Region XI the available fund transfer service

providers to ensure that majority of beneficiaries - even in far-flung areas - will have access to the funds," Subong discussed. Eligible beneficiaries were urged to register thru the ReliefAgad application where information is easily enrolled, while fund transfer can be done electronically with partner service providers. As for SAP beneficiaries who do not have access to fund transfer service provid-

CITY: Violent Q UEZON conflict over land

Violence over land intensifies in Bangsamoro amid pandemic

erupted across the Bangsamoro while the country grappled with the COVID pandemic, according to a Critical Events Monitoring System (CEMS) bulletin released today. The CEMS is an SMSand high frequency radiobased reporting system run by peacebuilding organization International Alert Philippines that captures conflict incidents and tensions

in communities. It is used by Alert’s Early Response Network (ERN), a group of men and women who share realtime information and work with key stakeholders in coordinating quick and contextspecific responses. According to the CEMS bulletin, the ongoing violence erupted on May 29 in South Upi, where portions of land are occupied by the indigenous Teduray but also

claimed by the Maguindanaon Muslims. The contested land is also being eyed by agribusiness and mining groups. A series of clashes also occurred in Maguindanao and North Cotabato between commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and between MILF groups, including their families and

clans. MILF combatants occupying land surrounding their base camps in Lanao del Sur compounds the conflict, the bulletin revealed. Nikki de la Rosa, International Alert country manager, explained that while these flashpoints are tied to land issues, the groups’ access to weapons and manpower and their links to State apparatus prolong violence.

ers, DSWD XI has already coordinated with the Philippine National Police - Police Regional Office (PNP - PRO XI) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to provide security to areas in need of direct pay-out from DSWD. "We have coordinated with the PNP and AFP to plan and ensure a safe venue for our direct pay-out of SAP beneficiaries," Subong added. PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY “They have access to resources and have political connections, that is why they are able to engage in long-term violence,” she explained. Clashes between MILF and MNLF commanders happened in Pikit over several days in April and in Matalam on April 29. There were also clashes in the towns of Sultan Kudarat and Guindulungan on April 12 and May 14 to 15, reVIOLENCE | A7

News

Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 5-11, 1441)

Justice rolls out for Surigao Sur broadcaster Chris Lozada murder By JULIET SOLIS

ALACANANG PALACE, Manila: Rolly Mahilum (Mahilum), the prime suspect in the brutal murder of Surigao del Sur DXBF Prime Broadcasting Network manager and anchor Christopher Iban “Chris Rapido” Lozada (Lozada) in October 2017 is finally brought to trial. This welcome development was announced Thursday by the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), the lead government agency tasked to investigate violence committed against media workers. Mahilum is facing criminal charges under case nos. 2020-205973 to 74-B for the murder of Lozada and frustrated murder of Honey Faith Toyco (Toyco), Lozada’s common-law-wife and companion at the time of the killing. The hearing was the first time the accused and the victim had a face-to-face encounter since that fateful night when Lozada and Toyco were waylaid by a group of gunmen on board a gray van. The vehicle used was eventually traced by probers to Bislig City hall, where the suspect worked. Toyco sustained serious injuries but survived. She personally identified Mahilum as the one who allegedly killed the broadcaster after browsing through photos in Lozada’s laptop. In a fit of rage, Toyco grabbed and physically confronted Mahilum outside the city Hall of Justice but was pacified by her police escort. Mahilum was identified as

WHEELS OF JUSTICE: Rolly Mahilum (Mahilum), the prime suspect in the brutal murder of Surigao del Sur DXBF Prime Broadcasting Network manager and anchor Christopher Iban “Chris Rapido” Lozada (Lozada) in October 2017 is finally brought to trial at the Hall of Justice in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur. (Contributed Photo) the family driver and close aide of former Bislig City Mayor Librado Navarro (Navarro) who had filed a libel case against Lozada. The case was said to be connected to the alleged involvement of Navarro in a questionable hydraulic excavator deal. In full cooperation with the Philippine National Police (PNP), PTFoMS provided Toyco with police escort and security from the Bislig City Police Station led by CPT ANGEL G CADELIÑA during the hearing and going to and from her residence. Judge Ambrosio N. Moleta of Bislig City Regional Trial Court Branch 46 in Surigao Del Sur presided over the case hearing in the morning of June 24, 2020. Mahilum previously entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment last June 4, 2020. However, the case hearing was rescheduled on July 16, 2020 after the City Prosecutor Ma. Janice C. Torrefranca-Millan of the Department of Justice (DOJ), who is handling the case for the People, informed the court

that she needed sufficient time to confer with the witness. “This is another breakthrough in the government’s efforts to solve the Lozada murder case. Nothing can and will stop us in bringing to justice these perpetrators of violence against media workers, which we strongly condemn,” PTFoMS Co-Chair and Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said. It can be recalled on 23 March 2020, Surigao del Sur Provincial Police Office arrested Mahilum at P-2, Barangay San Vicente 2, Tagbina in a massive manhunt operation headed by Bislig City Police chief, LT/COL Wilson Corpuz, and LT/COL Gil Tiado Torralba of the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG). For his part, PTFoMS Executive Director Undersecretary Jose Joel Sy Egco expressed relief that this trial will finally bring justice to Lozada’s family and friends. “We commend the PNP for doing a great job in appre-

Tawi-Tawi remains Covid-free among BARMM provinces By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL, Managing Editor COTABATO CITY: The Province of Tawi-Tawi has remained to be Covid-free among the five provinces within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), according to the latest report from the region's Ministry of Health (MOH). Dr. Safrullah Dipatuan, minister in BARMM-MOH emphasized that Tawi-Tawi remains to be Covid-free. The rest of the provinces in the Bangsamoro region are no longer Covid-free since based on the latest data the Lanao del Sur province records 70 cases, 21 in Maguindanao, 6 in Basilan, and 3 in Sulu. The MOHBARMM has reported a total of 100 Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) confirmed cases in the region as of June 23, 2020. Of the 100 cases, 52 are active, with 44 recoveries and 4 deaths. However, Health Minister Dipatuan also emphasized that to date, there is no recorded local transmission in the region, adding that the "rise in numbers is due to returning BARMM residents classified into Locally Strand-

ed Individuals (LSI), Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROF) and those availing of the Hatid Probinsya Program." In his privilege speech during the Bangsamoro Transition Authority's session on Tuesday, Dipatuan recalled that as early as January 13, 2020, BARMM has heightened its alert and advisories to the general public. This included continuous advisories on staying home, maintaining proper hygiene, and boosting the immune system to prevent infection by the virus. Dipatuan said that back in March, MOH already activated its Emergency Operation center for COVID-19 in all health facilities all over BARMM, and has identified designated hospitals for severe Persons Under Investigation and confirmed COVID19 cases. "Further, we are continuously providing technical assistance to all of BARMM's Provincial and City Epidemiology and Surveillance Units. This entails assistance in the collection, transportation of specimens, and completion of COVID-19 reporting forms.

hending the suspect. We are very confident those involved will get what is due them. This was not a work of just one man and we hope to get the others also,” Egco said. “Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Task Force is closely monitoring all cases of violence against media workers in the country. In addition, we have requested the Department of Justice for Honey Faith’s inclusion in the Witness Protection Program as

soon as possible,” Egco added. The PTFoMS mandate is to protect the life, liberty and security of media workers, a testament to the Duterte government’s commitment to press freedom and freedom of expression. The Task Force shall continue to monitor and inform the public on the developments of the media killings cases and threats against media workers. PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

TAWI-TAWI | A7

BARMM Drive Through BARMM plants 5,000 trees for environment month

he Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MENRE-BARMM) conducted a simultaneous tree planting activity in all of BARMM provinces on Thursday in line with the celebration of Philippine Environment Month. BARMM Executive Secretary and MENRE Minister Abdulraof Macacua led the planting activity of at least 500 mahogany seedlings at Sitio Paninggusan, Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao. The activity aimed to promote and protect the environment and instill environmental consciousness among constituents.

BARMM’s key strategies in fighting Covid-19 In his 7th Chief Minister Hour’s address on Wednesday, June 24, Ahod ‘Al Haj Murad’ Ebrahim reported the cohesive approach of the Bangsamoro Government, through its Inter-Agency Task Force, in combating the Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19). He said the BARMM’s key strategies in fighting Covid-19 are divided into six components. They are: (1) Support to front liners through augmentation of medical supplies and equipment; (2) Enhancement of the region’s testing capacity for Covid-19; (3) Bangsamoro IATF’s ongoing massive and strategic relief operations; (4) Php155-million augmentation fund as sup-

port to BARMM LGUs; (5) Establishment of isolation center for Covid-19; (6) Implementation of Social Amelioration Program and other key interventions.

BARMM hires workers to man Maguindanao Covid-19 facility BARMM’s Ministry of Health hired 42 health workers and maintenance personnel to man the Covid-19 isolation facility of Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. Health Minister Dr. Saffrullah Dipatuan led the contract signing and oath taking ceremony of 27 nurses, 3 respiratory therapists, 4 maintenance personnel, and 8 security personnel on Friday, June 19, 2020 at the MOH’s Training Hall in Cotabato City.

Opinion

Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 5-11, 1441)

Ijtihad MEHOL K. SADAIN

The Halal Legal Framework: How Effective Is It?

ight years ago, Republic Act No. 9997 (February 18, 2012) mandated the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) to “promote and develop the Philippine Halal Industry and accredit halal-certifying entities/bodies for the utmost benefit of Muslim Filipinos and in partnership or cooperation with appropriate agencies, individuals and institutions here and abroad”. Pursuant to this mandate, NCMF approved and issued the criteria and guidelines for the accreditation of Halal Certification bodies/entities in the Philippines, and formed the Halal Promotion, Development and Accreditation Board for the purpose. From 2012 to 2013, the NCMF accredited the following as halal-certifying bodies: 1) Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board, Inc. (MMHCB) based in Cotabato City; 2) Mindanao Halal Authority (MINHA) based in General Santos City, and 3) Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the Philippines, Inc. (HICCIP) based in Greenhills, Metro Manila. These became NCMF’s accredited private partners in the Philippine Halal Industry. Upon their accreditation, the NCMF vouched for their integrity as accredited certifiers and relayed the same to concerned domestic and foreign institutions and stakeholders. Unlike in the past, when government-linked certifiers competed with private halal certifiers, this time the law ensured that halal certification was the sole enclave of the private sector; and the government, through its nationally recognized Office that look after the welfare of Filipino Muslims, focused on the accreditation of halal certifiers, under the inherent police power of the State. Through accreditation, the state assumes part of the responsibility in ensuring the quality and reliability of the work or product of the private halal certifier it accredits. Well and good. The halal mandate of NCMF, however was short-lived. On May 16, 2016, the present halal accreditation law, Republic Act No. 10817 otherwise known as the “Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Act of 2016” was passed. It amended the pertinent provision on halal in R.A. 9997, and created the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Board chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), with the Secretary of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) reduced to a vice chairman. The other members of the new policy-making ‘Halal Board’ are the Secretaries of Agriculture, Health, Tourism, Science and Technology, and Foreign Affairs; the Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Chair of the Mindanao Development Authority, and two Filipino Muslim professionals who have experience in the halal industry. It should be noted that unless the duly designated alternates of the ex oficio members are Muslims, assured Muslim representation will only be up to three. The new law also gave the task of halal accreditation to the Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB), without any provision ensuring that Muslims should be the majority in the body. IJTIHAD | A8

Sorry, no Filipino pilgrims in Hajj 2020. Covid-19 is everywhere.

Are Muslims in Manila in peril? By MACABANGKIT B. LANTO

wo separate incidents have stirred the concern of Filipino Muslims. Both happened in Manila last week. The vigilance of onlookers and neighbors helped unravel many questions about them. They were caught on video that went viral on social media, particularly on Facebook walls and chat rooms of Muslim netizens. As a caveat, this is not being judgmental. The issue is presented here based on facts as culled from evidence publicly exposed, the validity and integrity of which were subjected to vetting. It’s for readers to draw their conclusion. The first incident involved the raid conducted on the house Macabangkit B. Lanto of Muslim traders in San Andres Bukid on 12 June 2020. From the video circulated and accounts of witnesses, the raiding team violated basic principles of rules and laws. The vigilance of their Muslim neighbors helped save the suspects. For a while, the raiding team was held hostage by a group of Muslims sympathetic to the victims, until a reinforcement came to rescue them. Immediately, Muslim congressmen led by Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman and Ansaruddin Adiong, including a non-Muslim, filed a resolution in the House of Representatives to investigate the incident alleging illegal search, seizures and warrantless arrest. The text of the proposed resolution tells it all. It said at around 3 p.m. of 12 June 2020 the raiding team “without properly identifying themselves and absent any search warrant or warrant of arrest allegedly broke the main door of the house” where the suspects reside. The intrusion was without proper and prior coordination with barangay officials, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and police station in the area, in violation of the standard procedure in conducting search or buy-bust operations. It claims several anomalies committed, like the use of a “falsely marked vehicles with tampered plates” and the failure of the police to identify themselves and to call representatives of the barangay, media and the conduct of the search without any witness. As we go to press, we received reports that the suspects were set free. Days after, a Muslim barangay chairman was publicly executed. It happened at the hub of commerce and proximate to the Quiapo mosque. Unlike the first incident, this one didn’t draw much reaction from Muslim leaders. Fortunately, the incident was caught on CCTV camera. From the looks of it, victim chairman Abubakar Sharief was seen talking to a group of policemen when, a few minutes after the mobile patrol left, another group of armed men executed Sharief. What puzzled many was the fact that the camera caught the presence of the group of killers and their getaway vehicle at the time Sharief and the policemen were talking. If the authorities are serious in ferreting out the truth, they could easily enhance digitally the scenes caught on the CCTV camera and identify the killers and vehicle involved in the shooting.

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LANTO | A6

INTERIM EDITORIAL STAFF MASIDING NOOR YAHYA Acting Editor-In-Chief JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Acting Managing Editor & Metro Manila News Bureau Chief ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL Acting Lanao Region Bureau Chief MARK EDRIEL “TWISTER” ORTIL Cartoonist

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Opinion

What is in a name, “Batanes to Tawi-Tawi”?

Batanes to Tawi-Tawi

titled "Maldanas blitzkrieg." It's an island near the border of Tawi-Tawi and Sabah. Maldanas is an atoll just behind the island of Sitangkai (known as the Venice of the South). It was on September 26, 1985 when this island (Maldanas) was attacked by Malaysian forces (Police and Navy). This incident was allegedly result of a bank robbery in Sandakan conducted by some misguided group of Moro brothers wherein some Malaysian policemen were killed while in pursuit. The bank robbers were able to get away but the Malaysian police conducted hot pursuit operations together with its Navy. That’s how they found themselves deep in Philippine territory which was Maldanas. According to witnesses, 4 foreign gunboats and 3 helicopters attacked the Maldanas islet in Sibutu islands. Initially, Malaysia was blamed on it and suggested the attack was in retaliation for a pirate raid on Lahad Datu in Sabah. Our Tawi-Tawi Herald was still new in Circulation and as

JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

ome of our readers are asking why is the title of my column that I chose is “Batanes To TawiTawi." Well the answer is so simple since the title is memorable to me as a Journalist. When I was then a budding Journalist I started writing for a paper as an amateur for the mimeograph in format, the BATAWI or the Balitang Tawi-Tawi that is published weekly in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi in 1985. I was the Editor-inChief until 1986. Then in between or the later part of 1985 my good friend the late Abe Sapal of the Island of Sibutu and who organized the DXRT (Radio Tawi-Tawi) and who was also the Station Manager gave me a break when we organized the tabloid size and already printing press printed the Tawi-Tawi Herald of which I was the Executive Editor but Abe was my Editor -in-Chief. I can recall that the TawiTawi provincial governor at that time was not happy to read the editorial that I wrote

My twocents Rx BENJ S. BANGAHAN, M.D., FPCP, FPCCP

Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 5-11, 1441)

ot bad for a hurriedly done June 19 maiden issue, we agree, but it is normal to reserve a latitude for trivial inconsequential glitches, just in case. Those who sweated it out to beat the deadline have to be tapped on their shoulders for the accomplishment, and for the sweats lost. As Muslims we should feel elated for the first few steps that have shown the direction to the perceived goal. We then must pray that diametric ethos will let us tread our road sans adversarial factors, and pray some more that hopefully this is far from just being a wishful thinking, In Shā Allāh. ***** Practically all branches of science and other apps have been made accessible in the internet, and any problem that cannot be self-resolved

has been made easy by a simple click. What one needs is just adeptness in the operation of a device, and with that, the oldies and the young ones relish clicking the google for inquiries on anything they want to know about, but more often on something that would serve as a cut-corner method to avail themselves and make technical processes like a piece of cake. Most of all, the practice saves time, effort and money, and one field in which it is frequently used is medical science -- people seek the help of google in regard to their symptoms and, of course, what treatment could solve them, about which google provides the basic info, making one and all instant healers of themselves like there is nothing to watch out for. Yes, it can be fun, but

I can recall out of the Editorial I wrote titled "The Maldanas Blitzkrieg" one of our Columnists Kee Eng Nee, a Filipino Chinese meztizo based in Sitangkai and near the territorial boundaries between the Philippines and Sabah amplified the Maldanas Incident in his Column. That's how we got a friendly warning from the military in the then SUSEFCOM (Sulu Sea Frontier Command) and LGU (local government unit) because the incident might result in a diplomatic row between Manila and Kuala Lumpur. Finally here comes the People Power EDSA Revolution in February 1986. Then I just happened to be in the right place and at the right time or it could be the other way around. In February 1986, I was among those Journalists who covered the People Power at the corner of EDSA and Ortigas Avenue and it is now the place occupied by Robinsons Galleria. The place was a cogon area and the place where thousands of people

who marched to EDSA blocked the entry of LBT (Landing Barge Tank) and the APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier) of the Philippine Marines dubbed as Marcos Loyalists aimed to crush the RAM (Reform the Armed Forces Movement) led by Colonel Gringo Honasan who were allied with Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile and Chief of Philippine Constabulary General Fidel V. Ramos in nearby Camp Crame also along EDSA in Quezon City. I clicked every interesting incident that I have witnessed with my vintage manual F2 Nikon Camera on the group of military who staged the coup d'etat against the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos as well as the thousands of civilians who marched to EDSA in defense of freedom and democracy. After EDSA I had the chance to hold my One-Man Photo Exhibit in 1987 ti-

tled "EDSA Revolution Goes Down South" so that people in Western Mindanao would have the chance to have a glimpse of what were those incidents that happened in EDSA (E. Delos Santos Avenue). Now here comes the Philippine Daily Inquirer, a daily that used to chronicle the EDSA happenings from Day 1 until the time President Ferdinand E. Marcos left for Hawaii and President Cory Aquino took over the presidency. I contributed one article or news story about Tawi-Tawi to the Region Editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer dubbed as "Aparri To Jolo" edited by Mrs Llita Logarta, the mother of my Inquirer colleague Louie Logarta, who became also the President of the National Press Club (NPC) and the Publisher at present of the Republika Tabloid. WHAT IN A NAME | A6

Better not google your symptoms and their treatment only when the condition is a run of the mill and with the least in potentialilities to generate regrettable spinoffs. Otherwise, it is otherwise, so a piece of advice must be given for them to be circumspect -- the practice must not be done like it were a quick way of looking for some fun to enjoy. There is really nothing simple, to lay patients, about clinical symptoms and how to address them, and must be referred to people who are trained along the medical field. To cite a particular symptom –- a headache may be thought of by a person as something not too concerning. He then googles for headache, and true enough he gets all the information that he needs. The different possible etiologies are there, perhaps including even other important data that the person might be ill-prepared to give the necessary correlation to. From the different possible

causes outlined in the information, he could possibly pick a simple one on account of his lack of technical adeptness, and we can expect that again he would google for the corresponding treatment, which he would subsequent treat himself with, which would perhaps afford temporary but insignificant relief . However, the headache could also be possibly secondary to a dreadful disease, which he has not taken into consideration simply because he is not oriented about it, and the morbid disease would just simply unleash its harsh behavior, causing the demise of the man. If right from the start the headache was well diagnosed by someone technically trained to deal with the condition, the man would not have died, In Shā Allāh. A pain in a big anatomical area like the abdomen can be rather perplexing to give sense to. If a person googles for a symptom of an abdominal pain, a myriad

of possible causes could perhaps easily confuse him. It is understandable if he considers a simple cause, something which he is easily able to correlate more comparatively, like maybe constipation. So he googles for treatment and he buys and takes it, but not only that it does not relieve him, the pain has now become worse and he senses like he is being put to death. Of course, because the pain is due to an acute appendicitis that ruptures. So, you see, it is all due to the absence of the simple diagnosis or knowing the cause of a complaint, which follows that the subsequent therapy, based on the diagnosis, is also wrong. It is therefore advised that we let the chefs do the cooking, the lawyers do court arguing, the engineers do bridge constructing, and the doctors minding about diseases. That is what they are there for. Massalāma.

News

BARMM health ministry spends P14M vs Covid-19 By ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL YAHYA Lanao Region News Bureau Chief

ARAWI CITY: The Ministry of Health of Bangsamoro autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOH-BARMM) has spent an estimated amount of P14-million for the purchase of Personal Protective BARMM’s information bureau reported in its website on Wednesday that Health Minister Saffrullah M. Dipatuan told the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) in a session on Tuesday that as early as January 13, 2020, BARMM has heightened its alert and advisories to the general public which included continuous advisories on staying home, maintaining proper hygiene, and boosting the immune system to prevent infection by the virus. Dipatuan said that back in March, MOH already activated its Emergency Operation center for COVID-19 in all health facilities all over BARMM, and has identified designated hospitals for severe Persons Under Investigation and confirmed COVID19 cases. "Further, we are continuously providing technical assistance to all of BARMM's Provincial and City Epidemiology and Surveillance Units. This entails assistance in the collection, transportation of specimens, and completion of COVID-19 reporting forms. This also includes contact tracing activities in relation to all confirmed cases," Dipatuan said. “We are all aware of the burden of COVID-19 in our health service delivery, we addressed this by allocating financial support to health offices in BARMM,” Dipatuan stated. Dipatuan said the health ministry has given Php50,000.00 to each of the

Equipment (PPE), medical supplies and disinfectants which were distributed to all health facilities in the region, as well as to various ministries and agencies in the BARMM, a regional official said.

BARMM Health Minister Safrullah Dipatuan. (BPI-BARMM) 7 Surveillance Units in BARMM; Php2,000,000.00 to each of the 5 Provincial Health Offices in BARMM; Php500,000.00 to each of the 2 City Health Offices in BARMM; Php500,000.00 to each of the 25 hospitals under BARMM; and Php1,000,000.00 to the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur as augmentation fund for the COVID Isolation Facility in Sagonsongan, Marawi City. In addition, MOH has also distributed RT-PCR kits to its referral hospitals, provincial health offices, and city health offices. "The allocation of P20,000.00 for Rural Health Units will be continued beyond this pandemic, and they shall receive it on a monthly basis. The rationale behind this is the fact that RHUS are the primary caregivers and responders in the grassroots level. Thus, we deem it just, and morally sound that they receive this financial assistance," Dipatuan said. To ensure the safety and

LANTO | from A4

Are Muslims in Manila in peril? The second incident was not covered by the proposed resolution, but there is nothing to prevent the solons from amending it to include the killing in Quiapo. Theories about the incidents abound. The common denominator appears to be illegal drugs, although the killing of the barangay chairman could likewise be due to political rivalry. A number of Muslims have been caught and arrested engaged in ille-

gal trade in the past. And because of these past incidents, they are fair game for arrest and kill. In other words, there is a profiling of Muslims as illegal drug merchants because of past misdeeds of other Muslims. There are lessons learned from these incidents. The people must keep vigilant and courageous to stand up to authorities if they sense any sign of abuse. And their cell phones play vital roles in the

comfort of to-be quarantined or isolated individuals, Dipatuan said MOH has done successive site visits to the various isolation facilities in the mainland provinces Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur. Meanwhile, due to the implemented lockdowns in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, the MOH has relied on the reports from the Provincial Health Officers in the said areas. MOH has also deployed health workers to Sibakil Island in Lantawan, Basilan to closely monitor, and attend to the health needs of the deportees from Sabah, Malaysia who are isolated in the island. Dipatuan said the MOH has spent an estimated amount of Php14-million for the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), medical supplies and disinfectants which were distributed to all health facilities in the region, as well as to various ministries and agencies in the BARMM. PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY solution of crimes that can save the lives of innocent victims. This column commends the vigilance shown by the public. Also, kudos is due to the solons who sponsored the resolution. We condemn illegal trade in any and all form. But the campaign against it should not be carried out at the expense of the elementary rules of law and fair play. And in the process, police enforcers should shy away from profiling certain tribes. MACABANGKIT B. LANTO

Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 5-11, 1441)

NCMF hopeful Filipinos can go on hajj this year MANILA: The government pilgrimage agency is hopeful the Saudi government will still allow pilgrims from the Philippines to take part in this year’s annual pilgrimage to Makkah after the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of the Kingdom has restricted the sojourn to only those nationals who are staying within the Kingdom due to the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. Director Malo Manonggiring, head of the Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (BPE-NCMF) told Philippine Muslim Today in an exclusive phone interview that the pilgrimage bureau has not lose hope that the Saudi government will still allow pilgrims from the Philippines to take part in the annual ritual at Kaaba or Masjidil Haram. “We have made an official request to the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to give us even a few number of Hajj Visas so that at least the Philippines is represented in the annual pilgrimage,” Manonggiring said. To make sure that the pilgrims would have a sure journey to Islam Holy Land in Makkah, “we are expecting that there will be an official reply through official channel or from government to government,” according to the BPE-NCMF director. Manonggiring advised Muslims to beware of news circulating in media platforms which are not officially released by authorities as they may not be reliable. “Communications in order to be official in nature should be transmitted through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). We cannot just rely on

Social Media or Short Messaging System (SMS),” Manonggiring emphasized. He said had it not been due to COVID-19 pandemic the BPE-NCMF has already started preparations in time for the registration of pilgrims. In Bongao, Tawi Tawi, Dr. Kaberl “KOH” Hajilan, a Sheikh who brings a group of pilgrims yearly to Makkah said it is a nice move if the request of Director Manonggiring will be given due course by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. “I think since social distancing is also being sought for by the Saudi government due to this pandemic thus the number of pilgrims for every country has to be reduced which is a nice alternative rather than to have no pilgrims at all who can attend this annual Hajj ritual,” Hajilan told Philippine Muslim Today.

Malo Manonggiring Hajilan said roughly around 70% of the pilgrims under his care have begun to refund their air fare after feeling hopeless. With this new development, he said he is hoping again that at least to some extent there will be Hajj 2020 Philippine Delegation. NCMF | A7

WHAT IN A NAME | from A5

“Batanes to Tawi-Tawi” That's how I ended up writing instead for "Batanes To Tawi -Tawi" when Editor Llita Logarta asked me who wrote the article I submitted as mere contributed article, and I said "I wrote it." She followed up with a question if I wanted to join them as News Correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Upon hearing my affirmative reply, she finally said, "Welcome to the Inquirer, you are now hired starting today and you can write everyday for "BATANES TO TAWI-TAWI." The next day I saw the Inquirer Issue with a boxed announcement that the "Aparri To Jolo" is now permanently changed to "BATANES TO TAWI -TAWI" since there is now a News Correspondent assigned to cover Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost Province of the Philippines. ***** TRIVIA: Dr. Safrullah Dipatuan, minister in BARMM-MOH emphasized that Tawi-Tawi remains to be Covid-free. The rest of the provinces in the Bangsamoro region are no longer Covid-free since based on the latest data the Lanao del Sur province records 70 cases, 21 in Maguindanao, 6 in Basilan, and 3 in Sulu.

News NCMF | from A5

No Filipino can perform hajj this year... In a statement earlier received by the Philippine Muslim Today, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah confirmed that hajj is going to take place this year 2020 (1441 H) but for limited number of pilgrims and only for nationalities already residing within the Kingdom. The statement issued from Riyadh on Monday said limiting the number of pilgrims was because the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread to more than 180 countries around the world, and that deaths related to

COVID-19 have reached almost half a million and over 7 million cases have been confirmed globally. It is “Likewise in accordance with what has been stressed by the Saudi Ministry of Health regarding the continued risks stemming from this pandemic and the lack of available vaccinations and a cure for those who have been infected by COVID-19 around the world,” said the statement. The statement added this is also to preserve the security of global public health especially in light of the increase

Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 5-11, 1441)

in the number of cases in most countries according to reports issued by global health organizations and institutions, and considering the risks of the disease and infections spreading in crowded gatherings where it is difficult to maintain safe social distancing among the individuals gathered. The Ministry also advised pilgrims to take all necessary precautionary measures to protect pilgrims, including by suspending the entry of Umrah pilgrims while ensuring the safety of the pilgrims already present at the holy sites. The Saudi decision has

VIOLENCE | from A2

Violence over land intensifies in Bangsamoro... spectively. Firefight erupted again in the boundary of Pikit and in Pagalungan from May 7 to 10. Recurring conflict played out between two MILF commanders in Pikit from April to May. De la Rosa said the clashes show an important sign of polarization of communities around land and other natural resource issues, coupled with identity and political issues. “Polarization is a state of increased attitudinal divergence between groups of either side of a social boundary, whether ethnic identity, clans, cultures, and beliefs. High levels of polarization indicate looming violence between two parties that have taken extreme positions,” explained de la Rosa. These shooting wars that have killed many and forced

the evacuation of thousands of families actually mimic the armed conflict between Christian paramilitary groups and ally indigenous peoples groups versus Moro tribes and their armed fronts in the 1960s and 1970s, de la Rosa added. “We see that violence activated by land disputes and deepened by religious divides half a century ago, resulting from government’s resettlement of hordes of Christian Filipinos from Luzon and Visayas to Mindanao, has held its grip on the region and will continue to affect generations to come,” de la Rosa explained. Francisco Lara, Jr., International Alert Senior Peace and Conflict Adviser pointed out that the failure to end violent land conflict proves the

remaining massive weaponry still in the hands of rebel commanders and combatants and the pervasive use and trade of illicit weapons. The MILF-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces has kicked off phase two of its normalization process in September 2019 as part of its peace deal with the government in 2014, targeting to decommission 30 percent of its 40,000 members until March 2020. This while there has been an increase in the purchase of small arms and light weapons across the region, the NGO reported. According to the CEMS bulletin, this was enabled by people’s access to subsidies during the pandemic and points to people’s anxiety amidst loss of livelihood and unresolved clan

TAWI-TAWI | from A3

Tawi-Tawi remains Covid-free among BARMM provinces This also includes contact tracing activities in relation to all confirmed cases," Dipatuan said. “We are all aware of the burden of COVID-19 in our health service delivery, we addressed this by allocating financial support to health offices in BARMM,” Dipatuan stated. Dipatuan said the health ministry has given P50,000.00 to each of the 7 Surveillance Units in BARMM; P2,000,000.00 to

each of the 5 Provincial Health Offices in BARMM; P500,000.00 to each of the 2 City Health Offices in BARMM; P500,000.00 to each of the 25 hospitals under BARMM; and P1,000,000.00 to the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur as augmentation fund for the COVID Isolation Facility in Sagonsongan, Marawi City. In addition, MOH has also distributed RT-PCR kits to its referral hospitals, provincial

health offices, and city health offices. "The allocation of 20,000.00 Pesos for Rural Health Units will be continued beyond this pandemic, and they shall receive it on a monthly basis. The rationale behind this is the fact that RHUS are the primary caregivers and responders in the grassroots level. Thus, we deem it just, and morally sound that they receive this financial assistance," Dipatuan said.

NCMF | from A3

NCMF hopeful Filipinos can go on hajj However, Hajilan admitted that with few number of pilgrims or jamaa for every Sheikh, these will incur a lot of expenses for them to shoulder some of the miscellaneous expenses of the pilgrims. Hajilan as the Sheikh from Tawi-Tawi has even proposed that all the Sheikhs

who were affected by this pandemic should be given the so-called “Sheikh Amelioration Fund (SAF) in order for them to have enough budgets to defray the miscellaneous expenses of the pilgrims. In Marawi City, Sheik Abdurrahman Noor said almost all of his jama members are still intact. Noor told Philip-

pine Muslim Today almost all their fees for the hajj are already transmitted. This year'S Hajj, NCMF Secretary Saidamen Pangarungan has been designated by President Rodrigo Duterte as the Amirul Hajj or hajj head of delegation. MARIA FHEBIE ORTIL, Metro Manila Correspondent

received much approbation from Islamic and international organizations in recognition of its wide contribution to fighting the virus globally and supporting the efforts of health organizations in limiting the spread of the deadly disease. This decision is taken to ensure Hajj is performed in a safe manner from a public health perspective while observing all preventative measures and the necessary social distancing protocols to protect human beings from the risks associated with this pandemic and in accordance with the teachings of Islam in preserving the lives of hu-

man beings. The government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques is honored to serve millions of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims annually and it confirms that this decision stems from the top priority it accords maintaining the safety of pilgrims on its land until they depart to their home countries. “We ask Allah the Almighty to protect all countries from this pandemic and keep all humans protected and safe,” the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said. With MARIA FHEBIE ORTIL, Metro Manila Correspondent

wars. “There has been less focus at the regional level to establish formal rules to prevent land conflict. Priority should be given to establish an institutional framework for resource use management, agrarian reform, and the protection of indigenous rights over land as soon as possible,” Lara explained. Other types of violent polarization The CEMS bulletin reported other types of tensions occurring in the Bangsamoro aside from disputes over land and natural resources. “We monitored polarization between the BARMM government and local leaders, between ideological groups, and between ethnic affiliations especially during the government’s hard approach in response to COVID-19,” de la Rosa

shared. The CEMS bulletin reported on the assassination on May 25 of Aniceto Rasalan, executive secretary of Cotabato City mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, clashes between the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and a joint military-MILF group in parts of Maguindanao, and tensions among ethnic groups amidst government distribution of health services and relief. “The next 18 months will be critical in the Bangsamoro because it can motivate warring groups to arrive into a political settlement to end longstanding conflict, or provoke more community-level violence magnified by the loss of livelihood on the one hand, and a scramble for resources for the 2022 national elections on the other,” de la Rosa explained. PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

To ensure the safety and comfort of to-be quarantined or isolated individuals, Dipatuan said MOH has done successive site visits to the various isolation facilities in the mainland provinces Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur. Meanwhile, due to the implemented lockdowns in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, the MOH has relied on the reports from the Provincial Health Officers in the said areas. MOH has also deployed health workers to Sibakil Island in Lantawan, Basilan to

closely monitor, and attend to the health needs of the deportees from Sabah, Malaysia who are isolated in the island. Dipatuan said the MOH has spent an estimated amount of P14-million for the purchase of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs), medical supplies and disinfectants which were distributed to all health facilities in the region, as well as to various ministries and agencies in the BARMM. PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

If you have unpublished stories about Muslims Filipinos, their history, culture or way of life, please send it to us: muslimtoday2020@gmail.com PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

Foreign News

Beijing officials declare COVID-19 outbreak 'under control' By MASIDING NOOR YAHYA

EIJING: The new coronavirus outbreak that has infected 256 people in Beijing since early June is "under control", officials in the Chinese capital said on Wednesday (Jun 24), but fears still remain over the risk of community transmission. Authorities have raced to contain the outbreak linked to the largest wholesale food market in Beijing after the first case was announced on Jun 11, leading to a partial lockdown of the city. "The Beijing epidemic directly linked to Xinfadi (market) is basically under control, but at the same time we have discovered household and workplace cluster infections and cases of community transmission," said Beijing municipal government spokesman Xu Hejian at a briefing. "The prevention and control situation remains complicated, we cannot lower our guard in the slightest." Officials found that 253 out of 256 Beijing cases were linked to Xinfadi in the south

of the city, while contact tracing for the remaining three was still ongoing. The city announced seven new cases on Wednesday, with the rate of infection slowing since the start of this week. "This sends a very positive signal, and proves that the prevention and control measures taken lately, as well as lockdown of residential compounds, are effective," said Lei Haichao, head of the Beijing health commission. "The combination of fever clinics, discovering (cases) from close contacts, and mass nucleic acid testing have played an important role in early detection." The city increased its daily nucleic acid sample testing capacity to 300,000 from

100,000 per day in early June, said Lei, adding that 137 cases - just over half - were found through screening. Nearly three million people have been tested. Many cases have been low -income migrant workers at Xinfadi and nearby restaurants. The market and dozens of residential compounds have been under lockdown since Jun 13. Beijing has mass-tested wholesale market workers, restaurant workers, residents of medium and high-risk neighborhoods and delivery couriers over the past week. The cities of Wuhan, where the initial COVID outbreak emerged late last year, and Mudanjiang have also seen similar mass testing campaigns to root out undis-

Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (DhuĘťl-QiĘťdah 5-11, 1441)

Ijtihad | from page A4

The Halal Legal Framework... The insistence on predominant Muslim presence in the Halal Board and the PAB is not ethnocentricity. This is merely being true to the origin and goal of halal, which is primarily spiritual, and only secondarily, health- and financially-related. Integrity based on Islamic requirements is the essence of halal. Once spiritual integrity is achieved, the dietary and financial aspects follow. In the halal industry, the best people to ensure halal integrity are the Muslims themselves, in the same manner the Jews ensure the kosher quality of their food. Unavoidably, the determination of what is halal anywhere in the world, is an Islamic task of complying with Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;anic, Sunnah and other fiqh requirements on the halal condition of products, and hence, should be provided by Muslim religious scholars who are trained on the requisites

of halal. Our present halal legal framework is now based on R.A. 10817. How successful will this legal framework be in promoting the Philippine halal industry here and abroad? My humble opinion is the halal industry in the Philippines will not rise on the basis of its present legal framework. The focus of the new law on commercializing halal certification and product generation without the corresponding emphasis on its religious requirements will render our halal products uncompetitive in the global halal market. The saying that the spring does not rise higher than its source is applicable to our fledgling halal industry. If we want it to grow and prosper, we should strengthen it at its source. [Next in Ijtihad: Strengthening our Halal Industry]

covered asymptomatic cases. Experts warned that smaller, recurrent outbreaks were likely in future. "There may be an increase in cases in the winter or next spring, but I don't think the

outbreak will be as big as the first wave of the pandemic," said Zhong Nanshan, a leading respiratory expert who spearheaded China's response to the SARS pandemic, on Wednesday. PMT

Section 2 Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 5-11, 1441)

Peoples, Places and Events

Ecotourism looms in Turtle Islands By FILEMON ROMERO, PhD.

ONGGAO, Tawi-Tawi: Ecotourism in farther southern Philippines will boom once tourism facilities are established in the Turtle Islands of Tawi Tawi, the fifth province of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and which is near Sabah. Ecotourism facilities that include a hotel, a restaurant and four cottages will soon rise in the Turtles Islands Wildlife Sanctuary. This is funded by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) of the Department of Tourism and supported by Governor Hadji Yshmael “Mang” Sali and Congressman Rashidin H. Matba. These facilities are part of the implementation of the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary Ecotourism Development Framework Plan which was approved by the Protected Area Management Board of the Turtles Islands. As shown in the reduction of turtle egg production through the years, the DENR identified the biggest threat to the turtle population is the

dependence of the natives on turtle egg gathering for food and source of income. Despite the organization of the Protected Area Management Board and the interventions from DENR and LGU and livelihood assistance from NGOs, the tenured migrants

have not been weaned away from the turtle egg collection

for food and source of income. But when the Wildlife Act

DENR documents 8.9K waterbird species in S. Kudarat wetland By JOYCE ANN L. ROCAMORA COTABATO CITY -- Environment officials have monitored thousands of waterbird species freely moving around the wetlands of Sultan Kudarat province. Dr. Sabdullah C. Abubacar, executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 12 (Soccsksargen), said the high number of water birds were found in the marshland and inland waters of Sultan Kudarat during the census of waterbirds in the region that began on January 23. The birds were monitored and sighted in the 6,300hectare Lake Buluan in Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat, Abubacar said in a statement on Wednesday. During the conduct of the annual Asian Waterbird Census (AWC), personnel of the environment offices of Tacurong City and Sultan Kudarat

WATERBIRD. A rare Purple Heron sighted by personnel of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 12 (Soccsksargen) at Buluan Lake in Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat. The DENR-12 said thousands of waterbird species were monitored roaming freely in the adjoining wetlands of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao provinces since Jan. 23, 2020 following the conduct of a census. (Photo courtesy of DENR-12) documented some 8,928 species in the lake and its environs. Among the documented waterbird species, also known as “aquatic birds”, were the Great Bittern, Cinnamon Bittern, Black Crown Night Heron, Rufous NH, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Intermediate Egret, Great Egret, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Javan

Pond Heron, White-Breasted Waterhen, Barred Rail, Banded Rail, Water Rail, Common Crane, Philippine Duck, Lesser Whishing Duck, Serpent Eagle, Brahminy Kite, and Wandering Duck. The census was conducted by personnel of Tacurong’s Community Environment and Natural Resources WORLD | B4

was enacted, the permit system was discontinued by the DENR and taken over by the LGU. Most of the eggs end up being trafficked to nearby Sabah. Enforcement of the law from the Philippine Turtle Islands end is weak or no enforcement at all. The common aspiration as to explore ecotourism is one way by which the tenured migrants are given a nonextractive and sustainable source of livelihood. A strategic ecotourism framework

plan was formulated through a writeshop with the participants from the DENR, LGU and other stakeholders and defined the vision which is to be a regionally competitive Ecotourism Destination, within the Islamic context, in preserving its natural beauty and cultural richness, conscious of the need to conserve, enhance, sustain and develop these assets and ensure equitable sharing of benefits among its people. It also defined its mission and strategies for ecotourism based on the guidelines set by DENR. In addition, all these are guided by conservation based on the fatwa on environmental management and that eco-tourism should be practiced based on Islamic values and also respecting the culture and traditions of the people of the community. The assumption is that if a community managed ecotourism would succeed; the communities will eventually have a sustainable source of income in ECOTOURISM | B4

World looks to innovation for sustainable oceans Last Part Importance of coastal ecosystems Speaking to Anadolu Agency on the occasion of World Ocean Day, Jerwin Baure, a Filipino environmentalist and chairperson of the Advocates of Science and Technology for the People, stressed the significant role of oceans via coastal ecosystems, the region where land and oceans meet. "Oceans, particularly coastal ecosystems like mangroves and seagrass meadows, are capable of absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and trapping them in the sediments," he said, referring to carbon sequestration. As he mentioned during the third webinar of the Talks for Future series organized by the Fridays for Future movement on April 10, Baure said coastal ecosystems serve as habitats and nursery grounds for many commercially important species and also provide protection by buffering storm surges and waves. Touching on his experiences with environmental activities for the protection of the climate and oceans, he mentioned the campaign against the Manila Bay reclamation, "which could potentially destroy mangrove ecosystems and ultimately affect food production and coastal protection," he said. He said the project poses a threat to mangroves, which are seen as significant ecosystems for climate change adaptation and mitigation, already violating many environmental laws. Calcifying organisms like shells of many species will dissolve, corals and clams will bleach, seagrasses will die due to excessive warming, and thus these coastal ecosystems will be destroyed," he highlighted, referring to one possible worst-case scenario that people may face if they fail to eliminate the threats. WORLD | B4

Tourism

Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 5-11, 1441)

Bud Bongao: The Sacred Mountain of Tawi-Tawi By JOHNNY R. LEE, PhD.

cloche is often heard that you’re not from Bongao or a Tawi-Tawians if you haven’t gone to Bud Bongao. And much more when an outsider or guests visit Tawi-Tawi Province, it won’t complete their journey lest they have set foot and reached the top of this mountain. Bud Bongao is believed to be sacred and has a healing power to cure illnesses both physical and spiritual. People from all walks of life scale this mountain for various purposes – to fulfill promises, to pray for success in their undertakings like passing the board exam, asking favors to grant them the right partner for life, luck in doing business, good health, long life and safety while on travel. Bud Bongao epitomizes the splendour of Tawi-Tawi. It’s not like any other mountain or peak. Aside from its imposing and spectacular view, both from below and above, it is filled with history and legends. Atop the 422-meter (above sea level) peak are found the burial site or graves of earlier inhabitants of the place which is believed to be persons with mystic power ‘clothed with authority and extraordinary influences’. Ponder on this: To carry and bury the remains of a person all the way to the topmost part is puzzling and unimaginable even in today’s semi-paved route. Old folks used to tell a story that this mountain hosts the famous tree called ‘Lagundih’ (not the shrub/herb that is commercially sold to cure colds & respiratory illness) believed to be the ‘Tree of Youth’. It says that the tree bears edible fruit (though the shape and size has not been described) and if consumed by anyone who finds it - can make him/her ‘young forever’. True or not this story has been told repeatedly and well-circulated even among the present generation. The mountain is inhabited by hundreds of monkeys of the Macaque species. These are also prevalent in other parts of the

BUD BONGAO. The majestic Bud Bongao viewed from Sanga Sanga Bridge. (Dr. Johnny Lee)

FATHER & SON: A father who is a pilgrim to the mountain top of Bud Bongao is descending with his child from the sacred mountain of Bongao peak after fulfilling his oath and asked for blessings for his family. (Photo by JOHNNY R, LEE)

province and in Asian countries. A story has been told that a long time ago there was a huge ‘white’ monkey that roamed the mountain and acted as a ‘chieftain’ of the ape colony. It says that this over-sized monkey used to be the front ‘man’ that ‘meet and welcome’ visitors and ‘pilgrims’ to the sacred mountain. It even has a moniker and they call him ‘Domingo’. Another interesting story is that the mountain has a hidden treasure believed to be part of the famous Yamashita’s gold. Treasure hunting and expedition had been done in the area although none came out to tell if they were able to find the ‘buried treasures’. One person involved in the hunting narrated that the mid-section of the ‘rocky’ mountain is found to have a huge hollowed space be-

lieved to be a ‘habitat’ of Japanese Army manning their communication headquarter and at the same time occupying the top of the mountain as a strategic 'observatory' area to spot potential enemies during the war. It was told that there are still remnants of Japanese war gears like helmets and cooking utensils. here are numerous stories and myths attached to this majestic mountain. I am inviting readers to give their comments and share other tales and significant stories about Bud Bongao. PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

Tourism industry hikes share in GDP to 13% MANILA: The tourism industry increased its contribution to the country's economy to almost 13 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) last year, according to government statistics. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said this confirms the industry’s vital role in the country’s recovery from the adverse effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Puyat expressed optimism that the industry, virtually crippled by the disruption of international and domestic travel, would recover and emerge stronger "with the strong support of our stakeholders and partners." The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported recently that tourism’s contribution to the country’s GDP grew from 12.3 percent in 2018 to12.7 percent in 2019.

Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan (File photo)

"Coming at a time when the country is grappling with the most devastating impact of this pandemic, we are inspired by this report as it affirms the vital role of our tourism sector in contributing to the economic recovery of our nation," Puyat said. She added that the PSA report validates the tourism industry’s crucial contribution to the economy in terms of productivity and employment generation. The report also showed that 14 out of 100 employed Filipinos were in tourismrelated industries in 2019. The report noted that employment in the tourism industry increased from 5.36 to 5.71 million in 2019. This translates to about 350,000 additional tourism-related jobs. Tourism’s contribution to the country’s economy is defined as the Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (TDGVA),

the gross value added generated by tourism industries and other industries of the economy that directly serve visitors. "The substantial growth in our TDGVA, inbound, and outbound tourism expenditure, and employment in tourism demonstrates the value of the collective effort of our tourism stakeholders. I have high hopes that the Philippine tourism industry will recover, and we will come out better from the current challenges that we face with the strong support from our stakeholders and partners," Puyat said.

The TDGVA amounted to PHP2.48 trillion in 2019, higher by 10.8 percent compared to the PHP2.24 trillion in 2018. Inbound tourism expenditure, or the amount spent by foreign visitors and Filipino residents of other countries, posted the highest growth in 2019 at 23.2 percent to a total of PHP548.76 billion from PHP445.58 billion in 2018. Domestic tourism expenditures also grew by 10.4 percent, from PHP2.85 trillion in 2018 to PHP3.14 trillion in 2019. (DOT PR)

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DAR Chief to ARBs:

Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 5-11, 1441)

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL, Managing Editor

‘Do not sell your farmlots’ CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro: Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) warned all farmer-beneficiaries not to sell their farmlots or they would be stripped off their right to their farmlots and will be confiscated and redistributed to another qualified farmer-beneficiary. Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, welcomed the men and women to the WestMinCom headquarters here in this camp composed of the incoming cadets of PMA Class 2024.

DAR Secretary John R. Castriciones hands over to an Agrarian Reform Beneficiary in Oriental Mindoro his Certificate of Land Ownership Award. (DAR Photo) DAR Secretary John R. Castriciones expressed the warning as he handed to each of the 55 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) here their respective individu-

al Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) recently. A total of 93 hectares of agricultural lands, located in in this city, and the towns of

San Teodoro and Naujan, all in Oriental Mindoro, were distributed during the awarding ceremonies held at the Gov. Alfonso Umali Sr. Gymnasium here. Castriciones urged the farmer-beneficiaries to do their part by maximizing the potential of their farmlots and be the heroes that they are “for ensuring the availability of food on the table and helping the government attain food security for the country.” Some P2,200 worth of farm inputs were also distributed to a handful of representatives of agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs), while practicing the DAR “new normal” conducted now in any DAR activities in compliance with the government’s directive on antiCOVID-19 health protocols – such as the wearing of face masks and social distancing. Some P2,200 worth of farm inputs were also distrib-

uted to a handful of representatives of agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs), while practicing the DAR “new normal” conducted now in any DAR activities in compliance with the government’s directive on antiCOVID-19 health protocols – such as the wearing of face masks and social distancing. The farm inputs distributed included 30 bags of organic fertilizer, 30 bags of 25 -kilogram complete fertilizer, 60 sachet of Bio-N, 150 sachets of okra seeds, 330 sachets of bean straw seeds, 60 sachets of tomato seeds and 60 sachets of eggplant seeds. DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Office (SSO), Atty. Emily O. Padilla, said the provision of farm inputs is carried out under the DAR’s productivity assistance program dubbed: “The PaSSOver ARBold Move to Heal as One, Deliverance of

our ARBs from the COVID 19 Pandemic.” “The assistance is intended to vulnerable ARBs who had received their land titles from 2010 up to 2019,” Padilla said. DAR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Research Office (PPRO) Virginia N. Orogo said the agency is in the process of collating data to determine the country’s agrarian reform beneficiaries, their current condition, and who among them are in need of assistance for the much-needed support services. Also gracing the simple rites were DAR Assistant Secretary Ubaldo Sadiarin, DAR-Southern Tagalog (Region 4B) regional director Lilibeth Lee, Oriental Mindoro agrarian reform officer Isagani Placido, and some staff. (PR) PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

Pagadian awards cleanest, greenest barangays at 51st founding day

AGADIAN CITY: The city government of Pagadian awarded the winners of the 2020 Search for Cleanest and Greenest Barangays with cash prizes and plaques of commendation during the 51st founding anniversary program on June 21 at the Executive Function Hall here. Part of the annual celebration of the city’s founding anniversary, the city tourism office spearheaded the activity that seeks to recognize and reward barangays for successfully implementing ecological solid waste management. In this year’s contest, the Covid-19 health protocols to prevent the spread of the pandemic comprise 35% of the criteria. The other criteria include the following: the presence of isolation units, availability of beddings, electric fans, water supply, and electricity; the conduct of barangay-wide information dissemination like posting of billboards and distribution of leaflets in meetings; presence of barangay COVID-19 Task Force and organizations’ structure; crafting of ordinance and resolution mandating the wearing of face mask and observing social distancing; creation of functional Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT; and COVID-19 initiative. In the urban barangay category, Barangay Lenienza won the first place and received P100,000 cash and plaque of commendation, Barangay Dao got the second place and received 75,000 and plaque of commendation, and Barangay Tuburan is thrid place with P50,00 and plaque of commendation. While in the rural barangay category, barangays Debor-

ok, Datagan, Kagawasan, won the first, second and third placers with P100K, P75K and P50K cash prizes and each received a plaque of commendation, respectively. Each of the non-winning barangay LGUs received 5 sacks of rice, one carton of sardines, and one box of instant noodles. Mayor Samuel Co said the contest will also influence and inspire other LGUs to adopt best practices of solid waste management and COVID-19 health protocols. Co urged the barangay officials and residents to maintain and sustain cleanliness in their respective barangays to stop the spread of dengue and the virus as well. (RVC/GCC/PIA-Zamboanga del Sur) Gideon C. Corgue/PIA

For fair and impartial reports, read Philippine Muslim Today Your friendly paper. Asma Allah Al-Husna: The best book companion of a Muslim Written in Maranao and in English, this short pamphlet called “Asma Allah Al-Husna go so Ped a Kipantagiyan (Lagido Manga Kibolong Iyan)” can serve as a good companion book of a Muslim for if properly recited and applied in life, it will be of great benefit to him or to her, In sha Allah. Always remember the powers and secrets in the Heavens and the Earth are all embodied in the Beautiful and Magnanimous Names of His Most Exalted Name. You may write to us for a copy or two. – Editor.

Tourism

Vol. I, No. 02 | June 26-July 2, 2020 (Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 5-11, 1441)

Electronic fund transfer eyed for 2nd tranche of SAP

which will effectively comply with the current public health safety standards under the 'New Normal' due to the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, said the report. DSWD XI Regional Director Grace Subong discussed how the chosen approach for SAP distribution will be beneficial to efficiently deliver the necessary services to beneficiaries who are affected by the pandemic. "We will use the electronic transfer of funds for SAP for a more convenient and easy way

ECOTOURISM | from page B1

Ecotourism looms in Turtle Islands addition to their traditional sources like fishing and farming and therefore would reduce the threat to the marine turtle population. Turtle Islands ASEAN’s remaining green turtle rookery The Turtle Islands is the ASEAN region’s only remaining major green turtle (Chelonia mydas) rookery and high density nesting aggregation of hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelis imbricata). The first is classified as Endangered and the second one is Critically Endangered based on IUCN classification and these are protected by law. The Turtle Islands harbors 80% of green turtle nesting population of the Philippines. It has served as a natural laboratory for sea turtle scientists and has been a model site for transborder conservation of migratory marine wildlife and for tourism. It has been part of the First Transboundary Protected Area for

Marine Turtles as embodied in the bilateral agreement between the Philippines and Malaysia known as the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area. The whole sanctuary has a high economic potential because of its rich fisheries resources and also high potential for ecotourism. It is rich in biodiversity especially its excellent coral reef cover for SCUBA diving, snorkeling and other water sports. The highest potential however for ecotourism is Turtle Watching like in the island of Selingan where tourists have to book at least one year earlier to be accommodated. Another attraction is the Island of Lihiman which has the only mud volcano in the country. On the cultural aspect is the visit to the shrine of the Pitu Alim, the grave of what is believed to be one of the 7 makdumins who joined Sheik Makdum in propagating Islam

in the Philippines. His grave is found in Baugan Island. Also the Adlaw sin Payjan which happens every May 23, the day the Turtle islands was proclaimed y Presidential Proclamation 171, Series of 1999 as Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary is celebrated with a Cultural extravaganza of naïve music and dances which includes the Lunsay, the traditional dance of the Jama Mapun. As soon as the Environmental Impacts Assessment would be approved and the Environmental Compliance Certificate would be given by the DENR, the funding of 24 Million pesos would be released to the Provincial Government of Tawi-Tawi which has been given the authority to implement the project through a Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution. Mayor Hadji Mohammad Faizal Jamalul, mayor of the Turtle Islands said that his municipality welcomes this ecotourism project and would give it the full support of his administration. PMT

WORLD | from page B2

World looks to innovation... Habitat destruction of the ocean ecosystems will not be limited to the oceans, but "will ultimately affect many ecosystem services," he said. "Climate change would have minimal impacts on our oceans and coastal ecosystems if we keep these ecosystems healthy," Baure said, adding the world "must" stop development projects that destroy ocean ecosystems. He concluded that stepping up conservation efforts and addressing carbon emissions are a must for keeping oceans

safe. In its statement on World Oceans Day, the UN highlighted that some organisms that were discovered at extreme depths are being used to speed up the detection of Covid-19, which is an example of how the environment could provide solutions for humankind. The novel coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 403,100 people worldwide with over 7 million confirmed cases and over 3.14 million recoveries, according to figures compiled by USbased Johns Hopkins University. ANADOLU

DENR | from B1

DENR documents ... Office (CENRO), Sultan Kudarat’s Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), Tacurong City’s Protected and Wildlife Section (PAWS), and the local government of Lutayan. “We are conducting this activity every year so that we can compare the current condition and population of various waterbirds to our data in the previous years,” said Mama Mulimpay, chief of Tacurong’s CENRO - Protected

Area and Wildlife Section (PAWS). Forester Sainoding Hadjimanan of PENROSultan Kudarat said aside from bird counting, the AWC also helps the DENR in monitoring possible illegal activities, such as bird-hunting, in the marshland. “The DENR, in cooperation with the local government units of Lutayan and Buluan, Maguindanao conducts regular monitoring in the area not

only during the celebration of AWC. We are doing this to protect and preserve the various species of waterbirds in the lake,” Hadjimanan said. Mulimpay said the DENR has embarked on massive information dissemination around Lake Buluan to increase public awareness of the importance of these water birds. Abubacar again reminded the public and the locals living near the wetlands not to harm and capture these birds “because they contribute a lot to a balanced ecosystem.”

of the distribution of funds," Subong said. She reported that preparatory steps had been taken by the regional office to ensure that this mode of SAP distribution will be actualized. "We have already assessed for Region XI the available fund transfer service providers to ensure that majority of beneficiaries - even in far-flung areas - will have access to the funds," Subong discussed. Eligible beneficiaries were urged to register thru the ReliefAgad application where information is easily enrolled, while fund transfer can be

done electronically with partner service providers. As for SAP beneficiaries who do not have access to fund transfer service providers, DSWD XI has already coordinated with the Philippine National Police - Police Regional Office (PNP - PRO XI) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to provide security to areas in need of direct pay-out from DSWD. "We have coordinated with the PNP and AFP to plan and ensure a safe venue for our direct pay-out of SAP beneficiaries," Subong added. PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY

DENR-10 celebrates environment month via photo, video contests CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, June 24 (PIA)--With the theme, "Protect Nature, Sustain Our Future," the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-10 celebrates the Philippine Environment Month with a region-wide photography contest and an internal video documentary competition. DENR-10 Regional Executive Director Arleigh J. Adorable said, “DENR hopes to promote the protection, enhancement and development of our environment even as we are facing the COVID-19 pandemic. All sectors of society are enjoined to support and actively participate in the celebration of Philippine Environment Month.” The contest received a total of 18 entries, 10 of which were shortlisted and judged according to content and relevance to the theme, artistic value and communication potential of the image and technical excellence and quality. Submissions came from northern Mindanao residents, however, professional photographers, employees of DENR-10 including their relatives up to the second degree of affinity or consanguinity were not qualified to join the contest. The top 10 entries are posted on the DENR-10 official facebook page @DENR10Official for viewing and voting for the voter’s choice award. The winner for the voter’s choice award will be the photograph with the most number of positive reactions. Cash prizes of P3,000, P2,000 and P1,000 for the 1st to 3rd places, respectively, are at stake for this competition, and monetary prizes also await the people’s choice. DENR-10 believes that photography is an effective communication tool that shows, tells, and inspires people to take care of the environment and be responsible for the consequences of their actions for the future generations. Moreover, DENR-10 held an internal video documentary competition for the various divisions of the regional office and provincial offices showcasing one successful Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) project implemented in a locality within the region. A total of six entries of documentaries were in competition and are currently streaming on the official YouTube channel of DENR-10 at DENR Northern Mindanao. With the launching of the activities this June, Adorable said the office will still strictly observe the guidelines and policies set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. The Philippine Environment Month is celebrated in the country through Presidential Proclamation No.237 signed in 1988 by then President Corazon C. Aquino which focuses on the people’s attention, initiatives and innovations in protecting and conserving the country’s natural resources. (SAYU/PIA10) Soccsksargen comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani

and the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal, and General Santos. (PNA)