Philippine Muslim Today

Historical Revisionism on Presidents Marcos and Duterte (1)

Etiquette In Social Media Mehol K. Sadain | A3

Protect your brother Muslims

Homobono A. Adaza | A4

Backyard gardening removes stress, addresses food security

Belching sometimes maybe worrisome

Benj Bangahan | A5

Abdul Hannan M. Tago | A6

Muslim today

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Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9 9--15, 2020 (Safar 22 22--28, 1442 1442) | 12 Pages | Philippines

Inside Stories

Classes opened in BARMM for close to 670K enrollees

By ALI G. MACABALANG

Launch of 'Adopt-a-Tribal Family’ program set for Oct. 12 — Page A10

C

OTABATO CITY: The Bangsamoro region’s Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) officially opened classes for close to 670,000 enrolled constituent-students in conjunction with the national schedule on Oct. 5, a date significantly strategic being the World’s Teachers’ Day.

DBP opening ATM units in 2 oldest, bank-less Lanao towns — Page A8

(Full Story on Page A8)

PRRD to Cayetano, Velasco: Resolve impasse or else

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New Lanao Sur-I Focal Person commends colleagues for contributing in modules Production — Page A6

ANILA: Fed up with intramurals at the House of Representatives, President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night urged speakership rivals House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco to resolve their leadership tussle or else he would fix the problem himself.

(Full Story on Page A11)

Sulu towns declare Abu Sayyaf persona non-grata’

By Muslimedia.PH

Sulu: All 34 barangays J OLO, of the municipality of

"The Best of Home-Cooked Tausug-Filipino Dishes" — Page A12

Indanan in the province of Sulu has declared the Local Terrorist Group (LTG) Abu Sayyaf a ‘Persona Non-Grata’ which means unacceptable or unwelcomed person in their

respective localities.

Chairmen of the 34 barangays have condemned the LTG Abu Sayyaf in a Peace Covenant they called “Perjanjian Indanan” they signed recently here.

(Full Story on Page A7)

EDITORIAL

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Masukat Masaya ka yata ngayon?

DATU YUSOPH B. MAMA Chairman, Board of Trustees AMANODING D. ESMAIL President

Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9-15, 2020 (Safar 22-28, 1442)

ni i sabi s a k , Oo ila, ma Boss n daw sya y mimiga uda sa ng Ay e.. n. Heh Electio

MASIDING NOOR YAHYA Executive Vice President & CEO JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Vice President for Internal Affairs ALI G. MACABALANG Vice President for External Affairs ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL Treasurer MACOD D. RASCAL Secretary CASAN C. CANA Auditor

PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY MASIDING NOOR YAHYA Editor-In-Chief and Publisher

Guest OpEd

And the survey says …

By JUN LEDESMA

JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL Managing Editor ALI G. MACABALANG News Editor PHIL MUSLIM Layout Artist

Mr. Jun Ledesma is a community journalist who writes from Davao City and comments from the perspective of a Mindanaoan.

FATIMA ORTIL-JANNARAL Advertising Sales Director for NCR COLUMNISTS | WRITERS: ATTY. HOMOBONO A. ADAZA DR. BENJ BANGAHAN ATTY. JUAN PONCE ENRILE DR. JOHNNY R. LEE ATTY. NASSER A. MAROHOMSALIC DR. FILEMON G. ROMERO ATTY. MEHOL K. SADAIN DR. ABDUL HANNAN M. TAGO DISCLAIMER: Opinion of the writer expressed herein is not necessarily the opinion of Philippine Muslim Today.

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Front page of PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY previous issue.

I

DON'T know who commissioned Pulse Asia to conduct a survey on the sentiments of the people amidst the pandemic which, like other countries worldwide, shook the foundations of every government and private institution. The Philippines is not spared and considering the density of our population the administration of Pres. Rodrigo R. Duterte faces enormous challenges.

The people are aware of the magnitude of the problems that Covid-19 had impacted on the economy, lifestyle, freedom of movement, education and other radical changes in all facets of normal activities conducts that we all are used to. If there is any sector in our society that seemed to enjoy watching the administration grappling with the enormity and complexity of the problems at hand, it is no other than the political opposition.

I, therefore, entertained the notion that it must have been the opposition who commissioned the survey for what better time and who would think of a wily scheme of having a survey done when everything looks so bleak? On the other hand, Pulse Asia may just have conducted a survey on behalf of its non-political clients who wants to measure the confidence level of the public on the government’s capacity to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic. Let’s face it. While we have a segment in our society that is under the poverty level we have a formidable middle class too which has money to spend.

While the survey focused on Trust and Approval ratings of government institutions, it is also a veritable barometer of how people, by their level of confidence, expect to return to their productive activity and spend their money.

At 91% Trust and Approval ratings from the upper and middle crusts of society, we see unprecedented confidence of the people that the Duterte government can overcome the challenges. With the captains of the industry manifesting the highest degree of positivism we expect a dramatic return of a vibrant economy.

The rating of VP Leni Robredo is irrelevant as far as the people’s hope for a better future is concerned. The Judiciary too will not shine at this point because people are less interested in legal issues especially when it cannot even resolve the electoral protest of Marcos against Robredo. The legislators however are being watched. I am certain that the zarzuela in the Lower House will impact on the trustworthiness of the institution and Senate Pres. Tito Sotto has all the reasons to be disturbed by the misplaced gimmickry of Speaker Allan Cayetano.

On the whole, moreover, Duterte’s unprecedented Trust and Approval ratings eloquently argue against all the magma of criticisms that the cabal of political opposition and leftist organizations are hurling against him. This excludes him from the traditional lame ducks attributed to leaders whose term of office is about to conclude. With the people on his side, he can “dictate” the outcome of the 2022 elections.

Robredo’s performance in Pulse Asia’s rating is so dismal it foretells the fate of the opposition which she leads. Her image-maker blames “fake news” as the reason for the 50% Trust and 57% Approval grades of the Vice President. And I thought all the while it’s President Duterte who has been the subject of the deluge of fake news conjured by his detractors here and abroad. (PNA)

Opinion

Ijtihad WITH MEHOL K. SADAIN

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his is a topic as old as the time human beings socially mingled with each other. Etiquette consists of the set of polite and good behavior among members of a society. It is as simple as smiling at somebody, or greeting and thanking others. It can also be a bit more complex as treating people the way we want to be treated, or speaking with humility and respect.

In matters of etiquette, the word that resonates is RESPECT: One respects other people’s persons, properties, privacy, space and time. The same respect operates even if we are not in each other’s presence, as in the case of interacting through digital social media. In fact, more so in the virtual reality of our current social media, because the handicap of not seeing each other while posting messages renders our messages more prone to misinterpretation. Then social

media turns anti-social.

We therefore, have to be always certain that whatever we say or post in social media must be done with respect. First, because we owe respect to our fellow human beings, just as they also owe us respect; and second, because what we post in social media may be seen and read by the public or the people within our circle of friends, and it is not respectful to downgrade a person in the awareness of others.

What then are some of these rules of etiquette in social media? First, is always to reply to others’ posts with respect. If the words we use appear to be emotionless, we can add an emoji or a sticker that exudes goodwill. Second, we should not reply to argue, but to give additional information, and we should be clear about this. Third, if we have to contradict another person’s post and argue about it, we should

Batanes to Tawi-Tawi

rior to 1972 back in my home province of Sulu, I often heard the name Tawi-Tawi as the farthest islands belonging to Sulu. Hence, even the municipality of Bongao when one writes an address it was written as Bongao, Sulu up to September 26, 1973.

When I was a young kid and we used to play different kinds of games that children in the neighborhood play and when there was disagreement among the playmates we can easily resolve the issue by invoking the name TawiTawi.

That is for example when one has a missing toy and he has a suspect then to erase the suspicion the aggrieved boy will let the suspect swear-in "in

the name of Tampat (shrine of holy men) Tawi-Tawi" that he did not get the toy of his playmate. If the suspect has the courage to swear then he is absolved or set free from an obligation or consequences thereof.

Hence, as a defendant he is absolved of whatever crime he has committed.

That is our belief in TawiTawi that it is enchanted and so powerful.

However, I did not realize that I will be educated in Tawi-Tawi that is when I set foot in the then Bongao, Sulu on June 1972 with my two other siblings after we passed and awarded with the Full Scholarship Grant from the then Mindanao State University-Sulu College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-

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ETIQUETTE IN SOCIAL MEDIA instead post our divergent view on our wall, instead of insisting our ideas on the other person’s wall. We have to remember that interaction in social media is not about who is right in the end, because everybody is entitled to his own ideas and opinions, as well as to his errors and the way he thinks. Interaction in social media is all about relating well with others, and we definitely will not relate well if we keep on arguing among ourselves.

Fourth, and we frequently and innocently forget this, if we have to have a private conversation with another person in the comments thread of a post, and the author of the post is not included, we should instead have the private conversation on our wall or the concerned person’s wall, or just message each other privately. It is disrespectful to have a private conversation on the post of someone when he is not even a party to the conversation.

Those are just some of

the cardinal rules of etiquette when interacting in social media. Sometimes we forget these rules and just go on arrogantly and angrily lambasting other people while we are interacting with them. When I encounter such people, I keep in mind a personal response: When deleterious, delete.

Among us Muslims, let us treat our social media interactions the way we treat our da’wah. The first is to find a common basis to relay our message or undertake our discourse, as in the verse of the common word: “Say, O People of the Scripture, come to a common word between us and you: That we shall worship none but GOD, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside GOD. And if they turn away, then say: ‘Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him)’”. [Surah Aal-Imran, 3:64]. If a common understanding is not

possible, then ALLAH in the Qur’an advises us: “Invite to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and good preaching, and argue with them in the best way.”

[Surah An-Nahl, 16:125] The command of ALLAH is clear: When we interact with each other, we must first find common grounds for our understanding. If it is about theological matters, the common ground is the Oneness of GOD. If we are unable to find common ground, and we have to exchange different ideas, we should do so in a manner that is both “hasanah” and “ahsan”: “wa l-maw’izati l-hasanah wa jaadilhum bi l-latii hiya ahsan” which simply translates to “(invite) with good preaching and argue with ways that are best”.

This is a teaching that is more than fourteen hundred years old, but remains relevant today, particularly in our present interactions in social media.

(MKS)

Tawi-Tawi the home of the gentle and peaceful people of the South

WITH JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

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Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9-15, 2020 (Safar 22-28, 1442)

SCTO).

Our elder Sister, now Dr. Radzma JannaralSuhaili was ahead of us by one year. The MSU-SCTO had limited number of courses and the most popular ones were the degrees on Fisheries and Education. Our sister Radzma finished her Bachelor of Science in Education and upon graduation she joined the MSU Community High School in Tampakan, Simunul in Tawi-Tawi.

Since we have no choices, I and my other sibling, Hadja Palma I. Jannaral had no other choices but to enroll in the College of Fisheries. She took up Bachelor of Science in Inland Fisheries, whereas I myself took up Bachelor of Science in Marine Fisheries.

I narrated here in this Column our educational history because we owe it

to Tawi-Tawi where MSUSCTO and now MSU TawiTawi is located. Somehow, I still believe, can attest and corroborate that Tawi-Tawi is indeed the home of the gentle and peaceful Sama people with a number of Tausug residents where some have been in TawiTawi for quite so long before the creation of this province in 1973.

In fact there are 4 Tausug politicians who got elected as Provincial Governors of Tawi-Tawi like Jerry Matba, Sadikul Sahali , Rashidin Matba, and the incumbent Gov. Yshmael "Mang" Sali.

It was on September 27, 1973 when President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed Presidential Decree No. 302 that called for the Creation of the Province of TawiTawi separate and distinct from the Province of Sulu.

Some bright boys of Tawi-Tawi argued that the Province of Tawi-Tawi was created as a result of an "Act of War." From the layman's point of view it appears that the People of Tawi-Tawi waged war or invaded Sulu. As a result of the invasion Tawi-Tawi won the war and consequently established immediately the Province of Tawi-Tawi and already out of the jurisdiction of the Province of Sulu.

However after reading the provisions of the P. D. 302 nowhere in the said decree it is stipulated that the creation of the Province of Tawi-Tawi was by virtue of an "act of war."

On the other hand, P. D. 302 says the fundamental aim of the government is the economic development of the entire country; the islands comprising the Tawi-Tawi JANNARAL | A10

Opinion

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Diliman Way With

Historical Revisionism on Presidents Marcos and Duterte

HOMOBONO A. ADAZA “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.”- George Santayana “He could have made it right with the book. But he hasn’t. He is a revisionist of history. He lied.”

-Monica Lewinsky “History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul.” – Lord Acton

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istory is a record of the past – what happened, who made it happen and how did it happen. It is a narration of facts, not fiction.

History is the truth, revisionism is fiction. In plain and simple language, history is what is true and revisionism is false. It is a plain distinction between the truth and the lie.

Revisionist: Most of history is revisionist. Why? It is written by victors - and winners color their stories, usually by their assigned storytellers, with a touch of fictional narration to make them appear glorious, even if they are not. Many victors paint their sins and errors as gospel truths – just like the Devil quoting the Scriptures.

But historians, the genuine writers, who are objective witnesses to history, are the reliable ones to be credited with writing history. In the many books I have read which document historical events with a high degree of accuracy, the best of the lot are - John Reed’s Ten Days That Shook the World and William Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.

For history to be reliable, it should tell the truth, it should not be a conveyor of the lie or lies.

In the local scene: What passes for history in this country is written by persons who are not witnesses to events as they happened.

They are not historians. They are interpreters of history. So their narrative of history depends on two things – their objectivity and their bias.

Even if they are academicians, they suffer from bias and lack of objectivity.

The test of the truth of a historical narration is to determine the existence of these two elements - whether the narrator is biased and objective. It is not an either or situation as one can be biased but for professional reasons, one can be objective.

Marcos and Duterte: A few days ago, I had a chance of reading a discussion com-

paring Marcos and Duterte in a leading Manila daily. A dean of a law college, who is notorious for defending even the fart of Duterte as beneficial to the country, complained that the judgment on Marcos should be comprehensive and not limited to the issues of human rights violations, graft and corruption, violating the Constitution and dictatorship.

Since the two men are compared on those issues, he has no basis for complaining. It is only on these issues – human rights, Constitution, graft and corruption and dictatorship – where there is sufficient basis for comparison. On other issues and levels, to compare Marcos to Duterte is to insult the memory of Ferdinand and to elevate Rodrigo to a level he does not deserve as it is beyond his reach.

Dictatorship: On the issue of dictatorship, both men are dictators with a difference – Marcos was a constitutional dictator, thus de jure, meaning consistent with the law of his own creation while Duterte is a de facto dictator as his dictatorship is not allowed by the Constitution, in almost every step of the way in the exercise of dictatorial powers.

Graft and Corruption: On graft and corruption of their respective administration, there is both a quantitative and qualitative difference. To borrow the very graphic description of the difference between the Marcos and Cory Aquino administration, by the late Abul Khayr Alonto, who occupied various positions in government including the Chairmanship of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa) under the Duterte administration, “Under the Marcos administration, graft and corruption was under the table.

In the Cory Aquino administration, graft and corruption is including the table.” Using the Alonto standards, I’m afraid that all you need to do to describe the state of graft

Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9-15, 2020 (Safar 22-28, 1442)

and corruption in the Duterte is to substitute the name Rodrigo Duterte for Cory Aquino.

It is that simple and indisputable.

Human rights: On human rights violation, there is also qualitative and quantitative difference. Human rights violations during the time of Marcos was basically directed at the Communist parties, their fellow travelers and human rights activists In the case of Duterte, it is primarily directed at illegal drug users and those involved in the illegal drug trade, those opponents who are treated as its enemies, and a sprinkling of activists here and there..

Both Marcos and Duterte are violators of the Constitution, since in the Constitution of both contain provisions on due process and equal protection of the law – honored by their violation but not by their performance.

Terrorism: As claimed by both Presidents, their respective governments is antiterrorists but by definition under their laws, the Marcos and Duterte governments are terrorists. Their military and police as well as related institutions are the glaring practitioners of terrorism. In the case of Marcos, there is a semblance of observing judicial processes. Marcos declared martial law and suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus. Duterte did not declare martial for the whole country but the murders committed by the Duterte death forces are blatant and scandalous.

Marcos used the AntiSubversion Law as his effective legal instrument in terrorizing the whole country.

Duterte has his AntiTerrorism Act to legalize completely the institution of terrorism of his administration.

Political Opposition: In the case of Marcos, the political Opposition was not terrorized into submission. It mounted battles in all directions – in media, in the parliament of the streets, in elections, in provinces, cities and towns controlled by elected Opposition officials, especially in the Parliament – both in the interim and the regular.

In the Duterte administration, the political Opposition is disorganized without an effective and charismatic national leader. Virtually operating individually, they are easy picking for Duterte – De Lima

is in jail, Trillanes is facing criminal charges, Mar Roxas and Pnoy Aquino are invisible as though they do not exist.

There is no rallying point.

Why is the situation like this? They have all been terrorized by Duterte and for lack of a rallying leader the overwhelming majority of the people have been sufficiently terrorized, too – joining the ranks of the embarrassing conspiracy of silence.

Death toll: As recorded by organizations of the victims, Marcos government killed more than three thousand citizens, most of them, as claimed by the Marcos allies, killed in encounters. Of course that is a blatant lie.

Many of them were killed in torture chambers of the military and the police and in raids conducted by both organizations.

That is the death toll for a period of ten years – from 1971 to 1981.

In the case of the government, it has killed more than twenty to almost thirty thousand illegal drug users and pushers with a few major figures involved in the illegal drug war. The standard defense of the killers is that the victims fought the killers and the killers did them in for reason of self-defense. Of course, this claim is a lot of nonsense for in most of the cases witnesses testified that the killers were all telling lies – their acts are plain simple murders. If the late great Filipino comedian, Dolphy, were alive today he would tell the killers straight in their faces in his famous line, “Dassa lot of nonsense!” And that for a period of four years.

Revisionism: Both administrations and their defenders claim there are no extrajudicial killings. That claim is a blatant lie. Why? The extrajudicial killings are well documented. They are facts beyond denial. Denying facts is a lie. Lying is revisionism – trying to lie through their teeth in rewriting history.

Both administrations are rewriting history before us who know the facts. That is insulting and shameless revisionism. That is lying before us and the world.

They also say there is no graft and corruption in their administrations. That is another lie. The graft and corruption are well documented and they are happening before our eyes. That is another

case of pathological revisionism.

They maintain there are no extrajudicial; killings in their administrations.

Both administrations are guilty advocates and practitioners of that criminal theory and practice. That is another case of shameless and arrogant revisionism because they are documented by institutions here and abroad.

Marcos and Duterte historians claim there are no human rights violations in their watch. Documents here and abroad are overwhelming.

They are beyond denial. So they are telling lies. A pack of lies is a bundle of revisionism.

Their claim to exterminate terrorism is enshrined in their laws, words and actions. They are just words, words, and a lot of word. They are the number one terrorist in the country. Both administrations have been terrorizing this country in their respective watch..

In practice, their military and police are the instruments to terrorize the country, especially their perceived critics and enemies - Marcos with martial law and the AntiSubversion Law; Duterte with Anti-Terrorism Act, war against illegal drugs and the China corona virus of President Xi Jinping of Communist China.

So they are the terrorists by their own definitions. This too is undeniable. This too is revisionism at its baldest.

Reckoning: Revisionists always suffer in the end. Truth always prevails over lies. That is the ineluctable lesson of history. The revision may take hold for a time but in the ultimate analysis it is swept away by the tides of history.

I am always enthused by Duterte’s repeated warnings that there is always a time for reckoning. He restated a rule that is applicable to all, including him. That is simply explained by man’s mortality.

Presidents are mortals like all of us and they can never be gods whether in small or capital letters, not even if they live several lifetimes. And so it with us! his is one lesson of history that President Duterte should learn. Prevarication of the truth will not help them. It is also the same rule that holds for the Marcos loyalists who, like the Dutertistas, are the unashamed revisionists and prevaricators of history.

(HAA)

Opinion My two-cents

Rx

WITH BENJ S. BANGAHAN, M.D., FPCP, FPCCP

I

ndeed, belching is normal, but can be burdensome and unpleasant on occasion, and in fact may even indicate as a sign of something to be worried about.

When one complains of belching frequently, one is burping or having eructation so often to the extent that this normal physiologic response becomes irritating, and may even become a good reason for one to think that somehow he may have to pay his doctor friend a visit one time.

Yet, actually, belching is nothing but the voluntary or involuntary physiologic passage of gas through the mouth from way down the stomach, via the gullet or

esophagus. This is most frequently observed after meals, which is associated with the relaxation of the outlet or sphincter of the esophagus as a consequence of the distention of the stomach brought about by the presence of the food.

Under normal circumstances, some patients complain only of the passage of gas without other accompanying symptoms, but there are others who relate some accompanying chest or abdominal discomfort, and even having noticed to have been farting excessive amount of flatus or gas.

Nonetheless, such belching is still considered as normal human reflex and does not need to be suspected as a sign of development of dys-

Punchline ALI G. MACABALANG (NOTE: I opted to republish this article posted two days ago in my Facebook page, where it drew several reactions, mostly if not all expressing sympathy. The same is coupled with a photo of my son-in-law and me taken a few days before he met a fatal road mishap on Oct. 8, 2018, which I repost herein as well. I hope this piece will open politicos’ eyes on the need for honoring covenants.) xactly two years ago today (Oct. 8), the political clans of then Maguindanao Gov. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, Vice Governor Lester Sinsuat and former Sultan Kudarat Mayor Tocao Mastura formalized their pre-2019 elections political alliance in a grand kanduli gathering at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Center in Cotabato City.

Because of the significance of the event in the history of Maguindanao where bloody electoral contests once peaked in the infamous Nov. 23, 2009 massacre of 58 people, 32 of them media workers, my

E

beloved son-in-law Mohammad “Moh” Saaduddin of the Manila Times obliged himself to cover the event.

I went ahead to Cotabato City aboard my Revo car and advised him by phone to stay behind and take care of his family because I would do the coverage of the event. But Moh insisted he would follow us in Cotabato City using his highspeed motorcycle, arguing that the significant event was worth his presence to cover and write about.

While at the event venue, Moh enthusiastically took photos and recorded the proceedings.

“Mahalaga ang okasyong ito, Pang, dahil ang kahulugan ay magiging mapayapa ang darating na 2019 eleksyon sa Maguindanao,” Moh told me in one of the intervals of his photo-taking.

After the event, I asked Moh to join me in our Revo car in our return back to Kidapawan City as one of my buddies offered to drive his motorbike back home.

Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9-15, 2020 (Safar 22-28, 1442)

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Belching sometimes maybe worrisome function. Everyone ingests air about 2-5 mL of air each time he swallows, so belching is a normal physiologic response needed to eliminate the unneeded amount of air accumulated.

There are, however, some factors that are known to enhance excess in the amount of air intake, therefore resulting in abdominal distention due to the development of flatulence or gas in the stomach and the intestines, and may be accompanied with abdominal pain. The factors are more often blamed on patients’ habits or lifestyle. Air swallowing usually increases more in patients who have the habit of eating rapidly, who are fond of chewing gum, who frequently ingest carbonated drinks, and who are smokers.

And still, there are patients who have psychological problems, with some even hospitalized for a long period, who have the habit of forceful air swallowing, called aerophagia medically. Aerophagia is part of the clinical manifestations of their psychological condition, and patients who have this usually suffer the symptom of excessive belching chronically.

The problems described are easily managed by simply basically addressing the personal habits and the psychological manifestations.

Unfortunately, there are occasions when belching can be an actual sign of some organic diseases. For example, if a disease process like stomach ulcer or a cancerous process partially obstructs the outlet of the

stomach, the swallowed air is prevented from passing downward into the intestinal portions, resulting in the accumulation of the air within the stomach area; belching develops and vomiting and abdominal pain may accompany it. Then, it has been observed that for no clear reason, belching may be an accompanying symptom of stones within the gallbladder.

And, when belching is accompanied with foul smell, especially one that approximates the smell of fecal materials, it is time to suspect the presence of complicated cancerous process within the stomach or the nearby large intestine. The possibility of such clinical diagnoses of course necessitates an immediate help of a good doctor.

Māassalām.

Reminiscence of crusading son-in-law He refused the offer, and said he would stay behind in Cotabato City for a couple of hours to transact business at the Regional LTO office.

Around 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 8, 2018, while my buddies and I were inside a videoke pub in our village in Amas, Kidapawan City for refreshment from a day-long and stressful coverage, my daughter called me up and said the Matalam, North Cotabato police station notified her about Moh meeting an accident.

We rushed to Matalam

and some resident told us the motorbike rider died on the spot when his bike rammed a cargo truck behind. They said the cadaver was brought to a funeral parlor in the town.

I sobbed profusely and felt like my heart was exploding when I saw Moh’s body lying lifeless.

In my huddles with my family members and with Moh’s parents via longdistance call, we all settled down to our belief that the tragic accident was qadrullah (willed by God).

While reeling off from

grief, I learned later that two of the three allied political clans defied the covenant and threw support to someone else in the gubernatorial race.

I realized then that indeed in politics, nothing is permanent in a situation where glitters of money are valued more than honor.

May Allah endow His mercy on my son-in-law, whose desire for better political exercises among our Muslim politicians did not gain fulfillment.

Subhanallah.

BARMM

A6 Backyard gardening removes stress, addresses food security

Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9-15, 2020 (Safar 22-28, 1442)

DILG deploys 1.5K contact tracers in Soccsksargen

BY Abdul Hannan Magarang Tago

Covid-19 teaches us many lessons; among others, how to be a self-reliant and productive individual.

The pandemic made Filipinos more realistic contrary to our typical mindset that we seek knowledge for the sake of employment making us rely on others.

Yet, writing too much and dealing with this pandemic making you sick yourself.

Volumes of books could be produced since the appearance of Covid-19 that ended up our country ranked among top 20 in term of the increasing number of its infected population while Lanao Del Sur (LDS) remained the only province in the Philippines being placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for nearly two months.

I am fed up tackling further on such issue especially in our case here in LDS where controversy and uncertainty in handling the issue are the trends here while people almost lost trust and confidence.

Many personalities both in government and private sectors opted to make use of their nearly a year quarantine time to make themselves busy in planting and gardening out doors and indoors of their residences.

I do myself cultivate my backyard for the first time since I returned to my residence at the Most Affected Areas (MAA) in Marawi City.

To clear and clean my backyard especially empty area of my backdoor was not so easy task. It was vacated for more than three years since the so called Marawi siege in May 2017.

I visited it in the same year after liberating it. I found it under occupancy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

We were the first residents to return this year. My house and all residential area almost became jungle.

Wild grass and trees grow everywhere inside my compound.

Thanks to some friends and relatives who helped me clear and clean it. It is now becoming beautiful garden where I enjoy and exercise myself daily from early morning and take rest only during prayers time.

I spent my 35 years abroad as Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) and never had experience in gardening except during elementary school life.

I start planting some typical local vegetables and spices and indeed felt it very interesting while cultivating the soil. I see the hope in every seed and felt what agriculturists say that plants need human being as we do need them.

Planting made me more focused mentally. It really relieves stress. Physically I lost some kilos and regulated my blood sugar as a result of body excessive movements and physical efforts.

This is now the trends that really help to stay healthy and boost immune system. This also answers to the scarcity of food while making us productive.

It has been proven that gardening is effective to fight the pandemic and make gardeners stay home.

(AHMT)

LASURECO Additional Paying Center near Awar Street, Marawi City

N

ais naming ipagbigay alam sa lahat ng ating Myembro-Konsyumer sa Lanao del Sur na para po mabigyan namin kayo ng mabilis at epektibong serbisyo sa pagbayad ng ating Kuryente kami po ay nag dagdag ng PAYING CENTER or BAYAD SENTRAL ng LASURECO. Ang lokasyon po ay sa Brgy. Poblacion malapit sa Awar St. at Capitol Complex.

By Muslimedia.PH GENERAL SANTOS CITY: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) deployed Wednesday a total of 1,501 contact tracers in parts of Region 12 (Soccsksargen) to assist in the tracking of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

DILG-Region 12 Director Josephine Leysa said Thursday the contact tracers were received by their assigned local government units (LGUs) and given initial instructions in simple ceremonies facilitated by the agency’s field offices.

Leysa said all of the contact tracers have already undergone the pre-deployment process, including the mandatory orientation-seminar, spearheaded by the regional office.

Last week, the office of deputy speaker for Mindanao and South Cotabato 2nd District Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez provided some 1,515 sets of hygiene kits for the contact tracers.

Based on the slots endorsed by DILG-12, a total of 480 contact tracers were deployed in South Cotabato, 401 in North Cotabato, 231 in Sultan Kudarat, 201 in Sarangani, 136 in this city and 52 in Cotabato City.

Soccsksargen was initially given 1,451 slots but it was expanded to 50 more due to the confirmed local transmission of Covid-19 in parts of the region.

In a statement, Leysa urged the contact tracers to take their assignments as an opportunity to learn, share their experiences and expertise, and at the same serve their communities.

“Do your jobs really well, put your heart into it for the benefit of our communities in Region 12,” she said.

A DILG briefer said those

CONTACT TRACERS. South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. (3rd from right) receives from Department of the Interior and Local Government provincial director Rochelle Sero the assignment documents of the 480 contact tracers who were formally deployed in the province on Wednesday (Oct. 7, 2020). The agency hired and deployed a total of 1,501 contact tracers in four provinces and two cities in the region. (Photo courtesy of the provincial government) hired will be integrated and assigned in the contact-tracing teams of LGUs for four months and will receive a monthly salary of PHP18,784 or equivalent to Salary Grade 9.

The agency was authorized under Republic Act 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) to hire at least 50,000 contact tracers nationwide to ramp up the government’s contact tracing program.

South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr., who graced the deployment ceremony held at the South Co-

tabato Sports Complex in Koronadal City, lauded the DILG for responding to the need of the LGUs in the region for additional Covid-19 contact tracers.

Tamayo said the move provided an opportunity for residents of South Cotabato who had lost their jobs in other cities like Manila and Cebu due to the Covid-19 crisis.

The governor assured that the local government will provide them with the necessary support as they perform their assigned duties.

“They are considered as front -liners who have been sacrificing themselves for the safety and protection of every Filipino,” he said. (PNA)

New Lanao Sur-I Focal Person commends colleagues for contributing in modules production

By ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL YAHYA MARAWI CITY: The new focal person of the Division of Lanao del Sur-I has expressed her commendation to her fellow workers, saying, “This Division commends all the teachers who have been doing their best to give a better future to our children.”

Mombao B. Abdul, Focal Person of the Division of Lanao del Sur I, Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) expressed her commendation in a message on the occasion of the World Teachers’ Day. Abdul said every October 5 the World Teachers’ Day is celebrated as a special day to thank and pay tribute to the contributions of teachers who have shaped the children.

“We salute all the teachers

out there. This academic year is one of the toughest we have ever had. But we will overcome this, as always,” she added.

Part of Abdul’s message follows: “We are grateful that we are one in achieving our goal in providing quality education and making it accessible to all despite this health crisis. I commend the dedication and passion our teachers in the field give in making sure that no child will be left behind.

“Today is also our School Opening Kick-Off Ceremony.

This entails our teachers’ different interventions in their respective schools. Before this day, we have witnessed during the Supervisory Monitoring what you have invested to ensure that the opening of

classes will be a success.

“This pandemic made us more of a hero. It required us to do more of what we were doing in the past. Digital transformation is now part of the new normal. “Teachers and students are both struggling with the digital demand. But this does not stop us.

“We are confident that the “heart and soul” of a teacher remains with us even with this health crisis. No pandemic can stop a teacher to teach his/her children. You worked hard for the designing of contextualized modules for the type of learners we have in the province.

Most of you suffered from the slow and even lack of internet connectivity during webinars.

Most of you have contributed a part of your salary just to make sure that your learners have modules.” (RSOY)

BARMM

Sulu towns declare Abu Sayyaf ‘persona non-grata’

By Muslimedia.PH JOLO, Sulu: The municipality of Indanan in the province of Sulu has declared the Local Terrorist Group (LTG) Abu Say-

Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan. (File) All the 34 barangays of Indanan condemned the LTG and signed a Peace Covenant called “Perjanjian Indanan” with the presence of top provincial officials, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), among others, proclaiming Abu Sayyaf a ‘Persona NonGrata’.

Earlier, on August 27, Patikul Mayor Kabir Hayudini started the bold move where the people declared the LTG as Persona Non-Grata in his municipality Sulu provincial Governor

yaf a ‘Persona Non-Grata’ which means unacceptable or unwelcomed person in the locality.

Sakur Tan was delighted to finally see everyone unites through the peace covenant.

“Hopefully, through this peace covenant, we will soon see the light here in Sulu,” Tan said.

“We need to gain the people’s support because in unity there is strength. Let us take what President Carter once said: With the people, you can never lose; without the people you can never win,” Gov. Tan said.

“This peace covenant is for us all, for “Lupah Sug”, and for the “Bangsa Sug”.

Never did we have this kind of peace covenant signing in the past. Now is the time for us to unite. We, leaders, elders, barangay officials, local government units, the AFP, the PNP, religious leaders, and the people must all unite,” Gov. Tan emphasized.

Joint Task Force (JTF) Sulu Commander Brig. Gen. William Gonzales, who is

concurrently the commanding general of the 11th Infantry (Alakdan) Division said, “This gesture of support from the local government unit of Indanan headed by Mayor Jikiri will enhance cooperation between the security sector and the people thereby accelerating our campaign against terrorism in the area.”

“We could attain peace if we will let synergy work out and bring forth significant breakthroughs,” said Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) “I would like to extend my appreciation to our committed partners for your trust and support to the military and other security agencies.

Convergence will continue to substantiate our peace efforts and lead to a brighter future for the Suluanons,” Vinluan added.

(Muslimedia.PH)

Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9-15, 2020 (Safar 22-28, 1442)

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1,000 pounds vintage bomb found in Basilan ZAMBOANGA CITY: “A 1,000-pound vintage bomb was accidentally discovered by a civilian back hoe operator along Legaspi Street in Basilan’s Isabela City on Saturday (October 3),” said Col. Domingo Gobway, Joint Task Force (JTF) Ba- VINTAGE BOMB: A 1,000-pound vintage bomb that was accidentally silan Commander.

Gobway said the troops found by a backhoe operator in Isabela City, Basilan is being reof the 16th Special Forces trieved by the Army Explosive OrdCompany and the Philippine nance Disposal (EOD) Team for National Police Explosive proper disposal. (Photo by WestOrdnance Disposal (PNP MinCom) EOD) Team immediately responded and cordoned the area in Barangay Isabela Proper for the safe recovery of the said bomb.

He added the EOD teams of the military and the police conducted proper evaluation and assessment of the vintage bomb after which it was brought to the 4th Special Forces Battalion headquarters in Barangay Cabunbata while waiting for the approval for proper disposal.

“We are still waiting for the report from the EOD team as to the classification of the vintage bomb,” said Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., WestMinCom Commander.

“Nevertheless, let us practice alertness and vigilance at all times,” the commander added.

JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

Tawi-Tawi receives a patient transport vehicle from PCSO

Sulu barangay chief vows to maintain peace and order in Indanan

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL, Managing Editor INDANAN, Sulu: The barangay chairman of Jati Tunggal in Indanan, Sulu has fully committed to uphold full security of peace by combatting all sources of evils not only in his barangay but in the entire municipality of Indanan to include the Province of Sulu.

Barangay Chairman Sahabil Israel expressed his commitment during the signing of a peace covenant called “Indanan Parjanjian” (Indanan Covenant) which was signed by the town’s 34 barangays held in Pasil Indanan, Sulu recently.

Barangay Jati Tunggal is one of the 34 barangays of Indanan that actively participated in the peace covenant which was initiated by Indanan Mayor Hermot Jikiri.

Although Jati Tunggal is a peaceful barangay and there is no ASG roaming around this barangay unlike in other municipality like Patikul, Israel emphasized that they could not be complacent with the situation.

“We should be on guard 24/7and we have let our Barangay Peacekeeping Action

CENTER OF POWER: Jati Tunggal Barangay Chairman Sahabil J. Israel is at the center of military power with (left) Brig. Gen. William Gonzales, Commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu and concurrent Commander of 11th Infantry (Alakdan) Division. and (right) is Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan,Jr., Commander of the Western Mindanao Command based in Calarian, Zamboanga City. (JIJ) Team (BPAT) on alert always,” added Israel.

In the covenant, the 34 barangays denounced the local terrorist group (LTG) specifically the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu by declaring them Persona NonGrata, meaning an unacceptable or unwelcome person in their localities.

“We are declaring these

terrorists as Persona NonGrata here in Indanan and we vow to support the military, police, and other security agencies in bringing lasting peace and progress in our beloved municipality,” said Jikiri.

The occasion was also attended by Sulu Governor Abdusakur M. Tan, Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) and Joint Task Force (JTF) Sulu Commander Brig. Gen. William Gonzales, who is concurrently the commanding general of the 11th Infantry (Alakdan) Division.

Police Regional OfficeBangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR) Director Police Brig. Gen. Samuel Rodriguez, PNP SAF Director Police Brig. Gen. Bernabe Balba, other AFP and PNP officers, peace-inclined groups, representatives from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and other stakeholders also attended the “Parjanjian.” (JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL)

MANILA: The province of Tawi-Tawi recently received from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) the one of the four Patient Transport Vehicles (PTVs) -- fully-fitted Nissan ambulance vans -- for use in the different parts of the Province.

In a statement, Tawi-Tawi Sangguniang Panlalawigan sectoral member John Anthony L. Lim, al haj, received in behalf of the province the first PTV at Nissaan Balintawak, North EDSA, Quezon City on Tuesday, October 6.

It said, “The donation was made possible by the untiring leadership of Governor Yshmael I. Sali, PCSO General Manager Hon. Royina M. Garma and assistance by Tawi-Tawi's adopted daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte, to improve delivery of healthcare services in the Province.”

Muslimedia.PH

Read Philippine Muslim Today Https://philmuslim.today Email:

muslimtoday2020@gmail.com

BARMM

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DBP opening ATM units in 2 oldest, bank-less Lanao towns

Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9-15, 2020 (Safar 22-28, 1442)

Classes opened in BARMM for close to 670K enrollees

By ALI G. MACABALANG

MinDA and DBP officials in a coordination meeting on Wednesday with Mayor Tomas Macapodi of Malabang on the upcoming opening of ATM kiosks in his town. (DBP supplied photo)

COTABATO CITY: The Bangsamoro region’s Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) officially opened classes for close to 670,000 enrolled constituent-students in conjunction with the national schedule on Oct. 5, a date significantly strategic being the World’s Teachers’ Day. MBHTE officials led by Minister Mohagher Iqbal staged the ceremonial flagraising rite, highlighted by his sounding of a gong to signal the formal opening of classes.

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ALABANG, Lanao del Sur: This town and adjacent Balabagan municipality, both oldest local government units in this province existing ever since without banks, will be installed this year with three automated teller machine units, courtesy of collaboration between the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).

The ATM units will serve the two communities and people in three other nearby towns, especially cassava farmers, who face for decades difficulties in traveling to Cotabato and Pagadian cities for bank transactions, Dr. Adrian Tamayo, director of MinDA corporate communications office, said.

Dr. Tamayo was referring to the adjacent towns of Picong, Calanugas and Kapatagan, which are equally bank-less since their creation.

In statement posted online on Thursday, MinDA Chairman Manny Piñol said the three ATM kiosks will be opened “before the end of this year” at the town centers of Malabang and Balabagan at the compound of the cassava starch manufacturing company, Matling Industrial Commercial Corporation (MICC) here.

DBP President Emmanuel Herbosa and Sec. Piñol dispatched their field workers in a joint team early this week for an ocular inspection on strategic sites for the three ATM units. DBP Branch Manager Wilfredo Kaamino, who led the site inspections, expressed confidence over the viability of the ATM units in such locations, Dr. Tamayo said.

On Wednesday, Kaamino and Sec. Piñol met the MICC officials as well as Mayors Tomas Macapodi of Malabang and Edna Ogca-Benito of Balabagan, and received plaudits from the hosts for their initiatives in breaking a lull in the absence of bank services across the second Congressional District of Lanao del Sur, Dr. Tamayo said.

In a meeting with a MinDA team led by Sec. Piñol two months earlier, MICC officials had brought up the problem of the lack of banking facilities for encashment of their checks without risks and difficulty of travels.

Ace Gaccad, chief operations officer of MICC, said that farmers had to go to Pagadian City or Cotabato City to encase their checks or the money exchange outlets in the town which charge very high service fees, Piñol said.

Citing feedback from civilian and security authorities, MinDA officials said banks had been hesitant to open facilities in the Congressional district due to perceived security risks.

MinDA and DBP officials believed the security concern would be addressed squarely after proper coordination with the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the local police to provide sufficient security to bank armored cars required to supply the ATMs with cash.

ALI G. MACABALANG

HURRY!

Bangsamoro Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal, assisted by stakeholders, sounds the gong to signal school classes in BARMM at a symbolic rite in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao on Oct. 5.

(Photo supplied) The ceremony was held at Sitio Tenorio in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, which the MBHTE and stakeholders undertook with the theme: “Maging Ligtas, Magaral! Tuloy ang Pag-aaral kahit nasa bahay.”

“As a response to the (COVID-19) pandemic, we resorted to alternative, homebased learning modalities where the parents or guardians shall also educate their children,” Minister Iqbal said in his ceremonial message.

Iqbal explained that the ‘new normal’ is a challenge to everyone especially to the teachers who are at the forefront of delivering education services to the people.

He said the ministry will overcome the demands of the new normal with “combination of grit, the resources available to us, the principle of Moral Governance as the driving force, and

the cooperation of stakeholders.”

Fernando Landol, a security guard and a father of a Grade 10 and a college student, witnessed the ceremony to say that amidst the Covid-19 crisis, “he still decided to send his children to school because he worries about their future,” the Bangsamoro’s Bureau of Public Information (BPI) said in a statement.

“Pinagsisikapan ko na makapag-aral sila at makapatapos dahil nagbabakasakali ako na makakuha sila ng maayos na trabaho,” Landol was quoted as saying, with optimism for the MBHTE to provide quality education amid challenges in the pandemic Minister Iqbal assured that his ministry has been exerting appropriate steps to “safeguard our teachers, parents, and students’ welfare in

these trying times.”

Iqbal also announced that the MBHTE was given a sum of P189-million, earmarked for the expenses of its various projects.

He said that the fund came from the transition development impact fund of several Members of the Parliament.

“Each MP is required to choose from among the ministries where to put that money for the benefit of the constituents of the BARMM, and Alhamdulillah, many of the MP have put up their money to fund the various projects in MBHTE,” Iqbal said in the BPI statement.

Citing data from the MBHTE, the BPI said the education ministry had enrolled as of the end of September a total of 666,856 broken down at 611,347 in public schools and 55,509 in private institutions. (AGM)

This is the last call for those interested to become incorporators of “Muslimedia.PH,” the owner and publisher of Philippine Muslim Today. You may call 09152184388 or write to: muslimtoday2020@gmail.com

News

Davao City to distribute 300 more laptops for ‘sibling students’

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AVAO CITY: The city government here is set to turn over 300 laptops to indigent students under its “Student Siblings Laptop Sharing Project” on Oct. 16, an official said Thursday.

Norman Baloro, the spokesperson for the project, said the laptops will be given out to students enrolled in junior and senior public high schools here.

“This is very useful since most of the students were enrolled in online classes,” Baloro told Philippine News Agency.

The “Student Siblings’ Laptop Sharing Project” is initiated by Mayor Sara Z. Duterte and sponsored by the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Davao City.

Baloro said the distribution of the gadgets will be headed

by Acting Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte and Chinese Consul General Li Lin at People's Park here.

Beneficiaries include high school learners from lowincome families, or those with solo parents or living with lowincome guardians. They must also have two or more sib-

lings who are enrolled in schools so that they can share the laptop among themselves.

“Priority is given to those residing in Toril Proper, Buhangin Proper, Bunawan Proper, and barangays under Poblacion and Agdao District since these are urban poor areas with stable electricity and internet connections,” Baloro said.

He said students who are already enrolled in other scholarship programs and assistance offered by the city government are not qualified for the project. (Che Palicte/ PNA)

Pusher killed, 4 others nabbed in GenSan drug busts

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ENERAL SANTOS CITY: An employee of the Department of Health (DOH) in Sarangani province, who allegedly doubled as a drug pusher, was killed while four others were arrested in separate law enforcement operations here on Thursday.

Col. Gilbert Tuzon, acting city police director, identified the slain suspect as Irish Lee Escario Palabria, 30, who was tagged as a level 1 highvalue target of the Police Regional Office-12’s drug enforcement unit.

Tuzon said Palabria, a resident of Doña Soledad subdivision in Barangay Labangal, reportedly resisted arrest during a buy-bust operation along Espina Road around 8 a.m.

During the transaction, he said the suspect sold a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 to a police officer who posed as a buyer.

Tuzon said the latter, who was aboard a motorcycle, suddenly drew a .45 caliber handgun and opened fire after noticing the presence of other operatives. He said the suspect was fatally wounded in the ensuing firefight and declared dead upon arrival at the Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital.

Recovered from the suspect were 21 sachets of suspected shabu, PHP500 marked bill, and the .45 caliber pistol with three live ammunition, the official said.

“He is considered a top drug pusher and had been under surveillance by our operatives,” Tuzon said in a report.

An employee of the DOHrun Regional Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center based in Barangay Kawas, Alabel town in Sarangani confirmed on the phone that Palabria was a staff of the facility.

But the source said he was not aware of the suspect’s current employment status and involvement in illegal drug activities.

In Barangay Bula, meanwhile, two alleged drug pushers were arrested by police personnel in separate entrapment operations around 1:30 a.m.

Lt. Omar Baret

said they arrested suspect Antonio Gutang, 39, along Ariola Street after selling a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 to an undercover operative.

He said they later arrested the suspect’s cohort, identified as Nerio Cabradilla, 40, and a member of the village’s Barangay Covid-19 Control Force.

Recovered from Cabradilla were seven more sachets of suspected shabu while Gutang yielded two sachets.

On the other hand, the Makar police station arrested suspects Michael Pagabangan, 36, and Norsalam Gabriel, 36, in two other buybust operations.

Maj. Ananias Vasquez, Makar police station chief, said Pagabangan was arrested around 6:30 a.m. at the vicinity of EMB Homes, Barangay Labangal after selling a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 to a police officer who posed as a buyer.

Gabriel, meanwhile, was cornered around 7:30 a.m. after also selling a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 during an entrapment operation in Purok 7Lanton, Barangay Apopong.

Tuzon said the recovered pieces of evidence were submitted by the city police to the regional crime laboratory for examination and valuation.

The four arrested pushers will be charged with violation of Sections 5 and 11 or selling and possession of dangerous drugs, under Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)

Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9-15, 2020 (Safar 22-28, 1442)

A9

Bill addressing Badjaos plight mulled in BARMM parliament

Some Badjao tribe children practice to row in the Sulu Sea. (Photo culled from an online published report) COTABATO CITY: Lack of state efforts for the welfare of Badjaos and other marginal tribes has gained the attention of the governance of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), notably its parliament.

Reports reaching the Philippine Muslim Today newspaper said BARMM Parliament Member Maisara C. Dandamun-Latiph, a lawyer, has taken the cudgel to sponsor an enabling bill to help address the concern.

Salman Ali, a key worker of a group looking into the plight of Bangsamoro people outside BARMM, said they already have started drafting the bill titled “An Act extending assistance and services to the Badjao and other poorest tribes, establishing mechanism of actions, providing funds therefor and for other purposes.”

The proposal will flesh out Sections 9 and 10, Article II of the Constitution and relevant provisions of R.A. 11054 or BARMM Charter by adopting measures and policies to address the plight of the Badjao and other Bangsamoro poorest tribes of the Philippines, said Ali, more known in social media as “Salman Ranaw.”

He said the proposed bill would seek the creation of a regional council tasked to provide focal attention to the plight of Badjaos and other Bangsamoro marginalized tribes.

The council shall be composed of 13 line ministries in BARMM to provide convergent interventions for the Badjaos and other underprivileged minority Bangsamoro tribes in and outside the autonomous region, he said.

The Badjao is a nomadic seafaring tribe. The men of the tribe are skilled fishermen specifically the art of pantana fishing (spear fishing). They traditionally lived on house boats moving through the sea wherever was needed, to fulfill their fishing requirements.

According to a legend, these boat dwellers came from the shores of Johore in Indonesia. Princess Ayesha of Johore was betrothed to a Sulu Sultan but she really wanted to marry the Sultan from Brunei. One day, a large fleet of war boats escorted the Princess to Sulu, the fleet was intercepted by the man she really loved, the Sultan from Brunei, who kidnapped her and set sail back to Brunei.

The escorting fleet could not return without the Princess and kept on sailing the seas, only mooring at uninhabited islands; some of them turned to piracy and roamed the seas to search for fortune and glory. Others only searched for food and became fishermen. They inhabited parts of the Sulu Sea for its abundance of fish that helped sustain their livelihood.

Most of the daily catch was bartered with other tribes that lived along the shores and beaches.

The Badjao still live in houseboats, clustered near the coastline of Southern Mindanao. But they also built stilt houses near fertile fishing grounds; these houses are a temporary refuge during times that these boathouses needed repairs.

These wanderers of the Southern seas are born on the water, live on their boats and say they will only set foot on land only to die.

For varied reasons, many members of the Badjao tribe have migrated to urban centers like Metropolitans of Manila, Cebu and Davao, and figured in awkward state of mendicancy in the streets.

ALI G. MACABALANG

News

A10

Launch of 'Adopt-a-Tribal Family’ program set for Oct. 12

By ALI G. MACABALANG

WestMinCom, PIA to strengthen cooperation on info campaign

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AVAO CITY: The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), along with three national government agencies and the local government of Davao del Norte, will lead the launching of the "Adopt-a-Tribal Family" Program in the hilly village of Gupitan, Kapalong town on Monday, Oct. 12.

At least 150 families from the isolated tribal village of Sitio Tapayanon in Barangay Gupitan stand to benefit first from the program designed to provide them decent homes, sustainable livelihood projects, education for their children, and basic services which they never received from government since birth.

The Oct. 12 event comes less than a month after the first engagement between MinDA officials and members of the Ata-Manobo community that was never served by government and thus called the "Lost Tribe," Agency Chair Manny Piñol said in an online post.

The "Adopt-a-Tribal Family" Program was conceptualized and designed by MinDA shortly after Sec. Piñol visited the village last September and discovered a number on inadequacies ranging from past improper logging operations to lack of national government interventions, Dr. Adrian Tamayo, MinDA communications director, said.

The Ata-Manobo families were discovered by a Long Range Patrol team of the Philippine Army in 2019 deep in the forests in the tribal-boundaries of Davao del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Bukidnon while pursuing communist rebels belonging to the New People's Army, Sec. Piñol earlier said.

“Only able-bodied men of the village served the community's link to the outside world and this happened only when they sold fibers of Abaca which grew wild in the forests to the nearest population centers in San Fernando, Bukidnon or Kapalong, Davao del Norte,” Piñol said.

Physically-fit male Ata-Manobo men had to walk through the forests for two days carrying 15 to 30 kilos of Abaca fiber on their backs and coming back with salt, sugar, tobacco and rice, he recalled.

When found by the Army troopers in February 2019, the community was controlled by the NPAs. Many of the houses were made of round timber and tree barks and there was no symbol of government in the area, not even a school, he said.

Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista, TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña, Indigenous People's Commission head Sec. Allen Capuyan and Sec. Piñol will represent the national government in the program launch.

Davao Norte Gov. Edwin Jubahib, Vice Gov. Rey Uy, and Kapalong Mayor Tess Timbol as well as members of the provincial board will join the ceremony, Dr. Tamayo said.

He said the province's two Congressmen, former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Alan Dujali are also expected to witness the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement among the agencies involved in the program.

Initial assistance which will include farm tools and seeds, along with food supplies and clothes, will be turned over during the ceremonial launching.

The program of reaching out and caring for marginalized and neglected tribal families will be replicated in other areas in Mindanao, Tamayo said Private sector support In another online post, Sec. Piñol said the private sector, including big corporations, is expected to join the program by adopting tribal families.

A California-based Fil-Am Supermarket chain has signified support for the venture by buying “Ube,” "Saba" bananas and aromatic coconut produced by the tribal communities in Mindanao, he said.

Piñol said Island Pacific Supermarket Chain Founder and COO Niño Lim told him via Facebook messenger message that Island Pacific, which has about 16 outlets in Eastern America, has been looking for suppliers of "Ube," "Saba," and aromatic coconut from the Philippines.

When informed that such products could be sourced from tribal communities now being assisted by MinDA and three government agencies, Lim said his company would find it more interesting to rally the convergent program, he said.

Ali G. Macabalang)

Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9-15, 2020 (Safar 22-28, 1442)

By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL, Managing Editor

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AMBOANGA CITY: Top-ranking regional officials of Philippine Information Agency (PIA) visited the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) on Tuesday morning, October 6 for a courtesy call on Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., WestMinCom commander.

PIA-AFP JOINT INFO: The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) led by Regional Director Noemie Edaga of Region 9 (the only female here in the photo) spearheads a courtesy visit to Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., (sitting in front) commander of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) in Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City. (WestMinCom Photo) Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. welcomed the visitors at the Commander’s Office in Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City.

“This is a great venue for us to strengthen our cooperation and discuss matters on how to incorporate our respective objectives for the common good,” said Vinluan.

“As much as we want to win the hearts of the people, on behalf of the entire Armed Forces of the Philippines, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to the Philippine Information Agency for extending your supportive hands to us,” the commander

added.

PIA is an attached agency of the Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) which is the information and communications arm of the national government that assist government agencies and local government units in communicating with the public, particularly regarding developmental programs and services with the hope of reaching as many audiences as possible.

“One of our present mandates is to see to it that the developmental information of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed

JANNARAL | From page A3

Tawi-Tawi the home of the gentle... group are so distant from the seat of the provincial government of Sulu and communication facilities so inadequate that it is extremely difficult to set and administer the government affairs in the area; and it is the avowed policy of the government to uplift the socio-economic well-being of the inhabitants in the area that is generally known as the Tawi-Tawi group.

Likewise, the following municipalities in the TawiTawi group are as follows: South Ubian; Tandubas; Simunul; Sitangkai; Balimbing; Bongao; Cagayan de Sulu; and Turtle Island.

Thus originally the Province of Tawi-Tawi was composed only of 8 municipalities and the Provincial Capital of the Province of Tawi-Tawi was originally Bato-Bato, Balimbing, and now known as Panglima Sugala. In a nutshell, it was Admiral Romulo Mercader Espaldon, who was then the Commander of the Southern Command (Southcom) based in Calarian, Zamboanga City who recommended to the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos the creation of Tawi-Tawi.

Admiral Espaldon was the first military Governor of TawiTawi. Upon the creation of the

Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) and the RTF-ELAC reach the grassroots to counter false ideologies of communiststerrorist groups and violent extremists, respectively.” said Noemie Edaga, PIA Regional Director.

“Further, we realized that we will be more effective in our tasks if we work closely together,” Ms. Edaga added.

Edaga was accompanied

by Rene Carbayas, the Assistant Regional Director, and Dominic Sanchez, the Zamboanga City info center Manager of the agency.

(JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL)

province, he emphasized that "it is the province for all." As long as there is harmonious coexistence among its people (Sama and Tausug), I am happy our province is moving forward."

Be that as it may, in celebrating the annual anniversary of the Province of TawiTawi, I would like to ask my readers, is it appropriate to call the celebration as "Kamahardikaan sin TawiTawi (Freedom or Liberation of Tawi-Tawi) or just a mere " Tawi-Tawi Provincial Day"?

Tawi-Tawi the home of the gentle and peaceful people of the South.

JANNARAL | A12

News

PRRD to Cayetano, Velasco: Resolve impasse or else

Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9-15, 2020 (Safar 22-28, 1442)

A11

BARMM extends relief assistance to tricycle drivers in Marawi

By BPI-BARMM

By AZER PARROCHA

M

ANILA: Fed up with intramurals at the House of Representatives, President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night urged speakership rivals House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco to resolve their leadership tussle or else he would fix the problem himself.

C

PASS BUDGET LEGALLY. President Rodrigo R. Duterte addresses the nation at the Malacañang Golf (MALAGO) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on Thursday (Oct. 08, 2020). Duterte told members of the House of Representatives to resolve their issue and pass the 2019 national budget “legally and constitutionally.” (Screenshot) “Either you resolve the issue sa impasse ninyo diyan (on your impasse) and pass the budget legally and constitutionally. Pag hindi ninyo ginawa, ako ang gagawa para sa inyo (If you fail to do it, I’ll do it for you),” Duterte said in a taped speech.

Duterte’s threat came after senators warned that the move of Cayetano and his allies to abruptly suspend its session at the House of Representatives would guarantee a reenacted national budget for 2021, which would be a blow to the government’s financial capacity to address the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Panfilo Lacson said the sudden suspension of sessions in the House is related to the speakership row between Cayetano and Velasco as it preempts any attempt to snatch away the leadership from the former at least until sessions resume on Nov. 16.

Duterte brokered a termsharing agreement in 2019 where Cayetano would serve as the Speaker until October 2020 while Velasco would supposedly take over and assume the position until 18th Congress ends in 2022.

However, Duterte said he no longer wanted to be in between the tug-of-war taking place between his two allies if would not mean putting the proposed 2021 budget in jeopardy.

“Huwag naman sana

ninyo sobrahan ang laro sa Congress na yung budget mismo ang nalagay sa alanganin (Don’t play too much in Congress to the point that the budget is at risk),” he said.

Duterte said he would not give them a deadline, but would step in once he sees the possibility of the proposed 2021 budget being delayed.

“I am not going to give a timeline. Mga diktador lang gumagawa ng ganun. Gusto ko na ayusin ninyo (Only dictators do that. I want you to resolve the problem). If and when I see that there will be a delay and it will result in the derailment of government service I will, I said, solve the problem for you,” he said.

He said he was not scaring them, pointing out that there were more important concerns that needed to be addressed rather than the issue of who gets to be the House Speaker.

“We always forget that there is something more, higher than just the delaying or maneuvering in Congress because everybody wants to be Speaker,” he said.

Think about the sick, the dying Duterte appealed to the speakership rivals to consider Filipinos who were suffering and dying from Covid-19.

“Ang pakiusap ko, ayusin ninyo at isipin ninyo ang Pilipino na nasa ospital ngayon na kailangan ng medisina at yung mga Pilipinong mamatay ngayon (My appeal is, resolve it and think about Fili-

pinos in the hospital who need medicine and Filipinos who are dying),” he said.

He said the government already had enough problems dealing with the health crisis, especially since a vaccine has yet to be developed.

“Ang gobyerno natin maraming problema. ‘Yang Covid na ‘yan, hindi ‘yan umaalis ng Pilipinas matagal na (The government has a lot of problems.

Covid has been here for a long time). So people are dying, people are sick, people need medicines at marami pang ibang sabihin ko sainyo, alam ninyo ‘yan. I will not enumerate kasi alam ninyo, kayo ang nagprepare ng budget nga diyan e (and there are more problems. You know them all. I will not enumerate because you know you prepared the budget),” he said.

Duterte noted that he could not understand why he would still hear reports about patients dying because they are unable to pay for medicines despite being admitted in government hospitals.

“Hindi ko talaga maintindihan isa pa ito na may mamatay sa ospital ng gobyerno dahil walang medisina. Huwag na huwag akong makarinig ng ganun sa totoo lang. Ang Kongreso must be generous enough to give us the Bayanihan Act to Heal as One lahat ng pera nandiyan. Wala pa naman akong kalokohan akong nakita (I really don’t understand how

OTABATO CITY: At least 3,000 tricycle and pedicab drivers each received 25-kilo sack of rice on Tuesday, October 5, in Marawi City.

This is to continually address the needs of the residents of the city who are currently affected by Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) brought about by Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19).

This initiative of Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) is in partnership with the Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC), Office of Deputy Chief Minister Ali B. Solaiman, and Members of Parliament from Lanao del Sur. Social Services Minister Raissa Jajurie said that MSSD has been providing relief assistance to poor and vulnerable families affected by Covid-19 across the region since the pandamic started.

“We hope that with this humble relief assistance, MSSD can help ease the daily burden of our tricycle and pedicab drivers who have been affected by the MECQ in Marawi City,” Jajurie said.

The activity is one of the mandates of MSSD to help the region cope during these trying times.

Meanwhile, MP Marjanie S. M Macasalong said, “the main source of income of these drivers are reduced to none, that is why delivering goods to them is one of our priorities.”

(Bureau of Public Information) people die in government hospitals because there’s no medicine. I really hate hearing about them to be honest. The Congress must be generous enough to give us the Bayanihan Act where all the money is),” he said.

No apologies Duterte said people will not remember the players involved in causing a government to go “haywire” but they will always remember the President under whose term it happened.

“Dito sa ating bayan na kung magka letse letse, hindi sila magtanong kung sino ang may kagagawan o (In our country, when things go haywire, they won’t ask who did it or who is) responsible for the mess that we are in right now. Ang maalaala lang nila, ‘panahon ni Duterte napakabaho’, kita mo kung ganun.

They do not mention ah yung si Alan sa Congress o si Lord sa ano, wala. Ang sabihin administrasyon ni Duterte (What they’ll remember is ‘during the time of the President was stinky.’ They do not mention oh it’s Alan in Congress or Lord. They’ll say it happened during the Duterte administration),” he said.

He said he did not want to be take part in a squabble only to have to take the blame when he is no longer in office.

“Huwag ninyo ako idamay sa away ninyo at tapos (Don’t get me involved in your fight and then) in the future people will be asking what happened to the administration of Duterte or the administration of Arroyo or of Aquino or of Ramos. Hindi man sila magtanong kung sino yung mga tao doon responsible for the haywire administration of a certain period gaya ko sa panahon ko (They won’t ask who were responsible for causing the administration to go haywire during my term),” he said.

Duterte, meanwhile, said he would not apologize for reprimanding his allies in Congress.

“I will not apologize for saying this because indeed we are all of the same dream and that is really by itself and alone it is already an honor, it is a dream fulfilled for any lawyer, for any Filipino for that matter to serve his country,” he said.

(PNA)

Feature

A12

Sports in Tawi-Tawi

Vol. I, No. 17 | October 9-15, 2020 (Safar 22-28, 1442)

TINUANAN/SAWSAWAN "The Best of Home-Cooked Halal Tausug-Filipino Dishes"

By JOHNNY R. LEE, Ph.D.

U

nbeknownst to many especially our younger generations and to those outside of this province, Tawi-Tawi youngsters, then and now, have been excelling in the game of volleyball.

These particular sports have been considered as the ‘bread & butter’ of it’s people likened to Filipinos’ avid affection for basketball.

The game or sports in volleyball was easily adopted since it was brought and introduced by the American soldiers during their occupation in World War II. Because this sport requires very minimal equipment or materials ( a net and volleyball balls) to stage a game, it became so popular to the natives. Practically all the 11 municipalities in the province equally produced quality ballers. The game transcends all ages, men and women, adults and kids who are hands-on playing the game. The long coastal area of every municipality did become a playing field attesting to the rich talents who are skillful in playing the game.

The skills are translated into enormous benefits for the youths of Tawi-Tawi who gained ‘passports’ via sports scholarships to attain educational degrees in several schools and universities in the country.

The name ‘Tawi-Tawi’ has become a by-word and is synonymous to volleyball. It became a notion in most school campuses outside the province that when one is a ‘Tawi-Tawian’ he or she must be a good volleyball player! In other words the name Tawi-Tawi had become a ‘trademark’ or a passport to gain entry and easy access to join varsity teams in any schools around the country.

This ‘generalization’ came to be because of the tremendous impact that our past and current crop of players who had been ‘outstanding’ in the national level.

For instance, Circa 60’s saw the prominence of TawiTawians in the National Team line-up in the persons of the late Mandotong Jumianjang, Abdulgafar Hamdan and Nurbahasa Gadja to name a few.

Lately, a native youngster from Bakong, Simunul named Madzlan Gampong is today’s number one spiker of UAAP Men’s Volleyball title-holder National University in Metro

With MARIA FHEBIE ORTIL

W

E have featured already all the main Tausug dishes as discussed by a native Tausug Chef who grew up in the Middle East particularly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, although living abroad, he did not forget the native delicacies of his Province of Sulu particularly his hometown of Jolo.

He is Chef Abdulaziz H. Hamsain who has the culinary mastery of the delicacies of Sulu. In the recent issue of Philippine Muslim Today we thoroughly discussed the Tausug Kiylaw, which is the mouth-watering appetizer prepared in Sulu.

And so here in this 17th issue of this Digital Online newspaper, I would like to present to the mothers who regularly cook at home the simple instruction on how to prepare the best Tinuanan or Sawsawan that can add more flavor to the main course like fried fish..

Tinuanan/Sawsawan Serves 3-5 Ingredients -1 green mango chopped (long cut sliced) -½ cup soy sauce (Ta'yu) (add according to taste) -½ kilo seaweeds -2 medium size tomatoes -1 medium size onion -Bubuk (refer to bubuk recipe) -7 pcs calamansi -Chili chop Procedure: Mix all the ingredients together, except for, calamansi and soy sauce, which should be added at the end depending on taste. ** Best served with fried fish or any fried seafood (lunch and dinner).

MARIA FHEBIE ORTIL

TINUANAN: Photo of well-prepared Tinuanan/Sawsawan that is mixed with Agal-Agal or Seaweeds and with Calamansi juice. (Photo by Abdulaziz H. Hamsain) JANNARAL | From page A8

Tawi-Tawi the home of the gentle...

Manila. His predecessor AlNakran ‘Ran-Ran’ Abdilla of De La Salle Dasmarinas is now ranked No. 1 in the Philippines and a regular member of Philippines Men’s Volleyball Team. He saw action during the recent SEA Games held in Manila. Abdilla is a homegrown lad from Barangay Suankagang of Bongao.

From the 60’s till today numerous names of native Tawi-Tawianshave cropped up from the lists of volleyball

varsities from around the country’s top universities.

Many still have been readily absorbed or enlisted in four branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines mainly for their skills in volleyball. In other words, skilled volleyball players have so much room for productive endeavors and employment even after they had passed their playing tenure as collegiate players.

(To be continued in the next issue…) (DR. JOHNNY R. LEE)

Are the Sama of Tawi-Tawi the most deprived among the tribes under the BARMM? I got this question from my former MSU-TCTO Professor, the former DILG Assistant Secretary Hamid Ladjakahal posted in his Facebook Account: Hams Ladjakahal Tanjong Awal, which he said, and I quote: "Of all the tribes in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the most deprived in terms of opportunities are the Sama." ASec Ladjakahal outrightly answered his question by saying, "Because Sama are the most peaceful."

This Batanes To Tawi-Tawi Columnist has agreed with the observation of my former Professor at MSU-TCTO. Is there anyone from Tawi-Tawi now occupying a post as a Minister in one of the Ministries under BARMM? If none, I hope Chief Minister Ahod "Al Haj Murad" Ebrahim will be fair and invoke an equal representation to his Sama brothers from Tawi-Tawi. (JIJ)