Cover Story CAMP EVANGELISTA, Patag, Cagayan de Oro City – A total of 3000 pieces of personal messages of love and support coupled with bundles of goods that are packed in boxes were given by elementary and high school students from different schools in Cagayan de Oro City for the soldiers during a simple ceremony at Camp Evangelista, July 21.
The program started with the showcase of talents from the students to include personal messages from student leaders and teachers that are specially dedicated for all soldiers who are fighting terrorism in Marawi City. John Gabriel Suralta, president of the Division Federated Student’s Pupil Government High School, shared his gratitude and message of support for our soldiers. He said when he was in elementary year, he always wanted to
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help the country in his own little way. Opportunity knocks and he became the National Sciences president then eventually occupied some other leadership positions. From that time on he already fell in love with being a nationalistic and patriotic person. “That is why I actively participated in many endeavors that will help our community such as this one, the giving of a very symbolic victory boxes specially made for our hero soldiers.” The activity is their little way of
letting the soldiers know that they care and support on their quest and fight for a peaceful Philippines for which the youth will inherit in their future. “These simple gifts that are specially sealed in boxes, we would like to say Thank You from the bottom of our hearts for standing in front of the enemies so as to ensure that we are all safe and protected. May God bless you always!,” said Suralta. For his part, as president of the Division Federated Student’s Pupil Government in Elementary, Errol Fynn Chester Castrodes said that at this very young age, his parents and teachers taught him that there are people that they don’t know personally but we greatly owe. “Today, it is of great honor for me to personally extend my gratitude to our country’s heroes, my heroes, and every Filipino’s heroes to all soldiers, policemen, and all other great people who sacrificed their lives so that we may live. During the time of adversities, extremisms, terrorisms, and rebellions we depend ourselves to no one else except the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Castrodes said. The rebellion that happened in Marawi strafed fear amongst us. It is just a few kilometers from where we are today and we fear that the fighting might spill over. However, Castrodes said, “I can say that with most determination and confidence that it will never happen for we have the most skilled and trained
armies in Southeast Asia.” “The freedom and liberty that I am enjoying today is the fruit of our soldier’s sacrifices. Therefore, it is right and just for us to give to each and everyone who served the AFP. As token of our profound gratitude, please accept these small but heartily given goods placed in boxes in which we claim a symbol of Victory!” Errol concluded. For the outpouring support of every Filipino especially to these students, MGen Benjamin R Madrigal Jr., 4th Infantry Division (4ID) commander thanked the students who exerted time and effort to show their love and support for the Nation. This is a significant event for all of us because this signifies our unity and the trust and support to the soldiers as we continue to fight for the preservation of our territorial integrity and the safety and freedom of our people and communities. “It really is heartwarming to know that despite your very young age, you already appreciate and understand our efforts in winning the peace here in Mindanao. It is even more touching that you were able to think of giving us these victory boxes out of you meager allowances and that together with these boxes are your letters of support and encouragement for our soldiers. Definitely, this kind of gesture will serve as our inspiration and motivation to do our job even better,” said MGen Madrigal. (4ID/ PA)
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NYC holds pilot testing of SK mandatory training modules in CDO CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To ensure meaningful youth participation in local governance, the National Youth Commission (NYC) held the Pilot Testing of the SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) Mandatory Training Modules for Northeastern Mindanao as part of its program for the SK officials and Local Youth Development Council members based on identified competency requirements on July 25 in Cagayan de Oro City.
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Cynthia Enriquez of the NYC said that such activity is conducted in compliance with the Republic Act 10742 or the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015 to uphold youth
representation by returning to the true spirit of volunteerism and taking youth participation away from the clutches of partisan politics. NYC will present the training
16-31 July 2017 modules to the three chosen areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. “Makikita natin ang necessity na ang mga SK leaders na uupo ay dapat equipped with knowledge and skills kung paano ba sila as leaders in their respective communities. So itong module na ito ang tutulong para bigyan natin ng skills at magandang attitude ang ating mga kabataan,” Enriquez said. (We will see the necessity that the elected SK leaders should be equipped with knowledge and skills on what they will become as leaders in their respective communities. So this module will help them in acquiring skills and good attitude of the youth) The modules, as shared by Enriquez, will focus on decentralization and governance, SK history and its salient features, conduct of meeting and resolution making, planning and budgeting, and the code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials and employees. NYC also stressed that the pilot testing is very significant in enhancing
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the modules before it will be rolled out throughout the country since the elected SK officials will not be able to take oath unless they have undergone the said training. “As the voice and advocate for the youth, we put high premium on youth participation,” Enriquez said and further explained that the youth participation that they are aiming will not focus on inviting the youth to listen to their campaigns but it will be more on putting the youth into position where they can actively participate in the policy and decision making. NYC also urges the youth to take part in the upcoming SK elections on October especially those who have passion and advocacy on youth development. Enriquez also said that by doing so, the elected SK officials will be able to give voice to the youth and provide relevant responses through concrete policies and programs for youth development.(RTP/PIA10)
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Gov’t broadens horizons for PWDs CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To foster beneficial programs for the persons with disabilities (PWDs) and ensure their access to public services, various national line agencies highlighted their programs, projects and services for the sector during the Talakayan sa PIA on July 14.
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On upholding the rights of PWDs on transportation, Land Transportation Office (LTO) Regional Director Oscar Salcedo said that they are constantly monitoring the compliance of drivers
and passengers on reserving one space or seat for PWDs. “The moment nga naa’y pasahero nga PWD (when there is a PWD passenger), one has to give up (the
16-31 July 2017 seat reserved for the PWD),” Salcedo stressed. He also said that they are penalizing those drivers who do not give priority to PWDs. As for expanding the opportunities of the sector to secure a living, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) shared that they have a specialized program that capacitates PWDs through the Digital Literacy Training which they have just recently conducted in the city. Melagros Maquiling, head of Persons with Disability Affairs Office in Cagayan de Oro city, said that she is one of the 15 participants of the training and saw the training as a good opportunity for the sector to have a decent living without experiencing the hassle of commuting to and fro an office since they can just work at home as long as there is a computer set and a stable internet connection. “We are so thankful for this training and I hope that we can be aided with the needed computer sets and internet connection so we can start any available job online,” Maquiling said. The five-day training conducted by the DICT does not only aim to equip PWDs with technological and computer application skills since they are also providing knowledge on how the members of the sector can obtain online work. The department also stressed that such program is not limited to
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PWDs as it is also geared towards people of the disadvantaged sector including the drug-dependents and families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Aside from digital literacy, various skills of the PWDs are targeted to be honed through the programs offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) that include skills training and scholarships. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also provides opportunities for the PWDs by creating a regional committee that will tackle and act on the sector’s concerns and issues, and continuously implementing livelihood programs that would benefit the PWDs and their families. These efforts and more are among the manifestations of the government to fully realize and pursue the rights and privileges of the PWDs, and highlight the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation week celebration for this year with the theme, “Karapatan at Pribilehiyo ng Maykapansanan: Isakatuparan at Ipaglaban.”(RTP/PIA10)
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Villanueva lass is Miss Philippines Fire VILLANUEVA, Misamis Oriental – Nellza Mortola Bautista of Villanueva, Misamis Oriental was crowned Miss Philippines Fire in the Miss Philippines Earth 2017 pageant held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
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“This is our first beauty queen to win in a national pageant. The local government and the people of Villanueva are very proud of strongwilled wonder woman Nellza Bautista. Our utmost congratulations to her,” said Mayor Jennie Rosalie Uy, who has extended her all-out support to Bautista in all the pageants that she has joined. Karen Ibasco of Manila was
crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2017. Her “elemental court” is composed of winners Bautista, Jessica Marasigan (Caloocan City) as Miss Philippines Water, Kim de Guzman (Olongapo City) as Miss Philippines Air, and Vanessa Mae Castillo (Lobo, Batangas) as Miss Eco-tourism. Bautista was the only candidate from Mindanao who made it to the Top 10 and the final five winners of this
16-31 July 2017 year’s Miss Philippines Earth pageant. She also placed in the Top 15 in the Beauty of Figure and Form and Poise categories. In the pageant’s final question and answer portion, Bautista and her fellow candidates in the Top 5 were what change she wants to see in national environmental policies. “I want to change the discipline here in our country. I know nothing is constant in this world but change. It’s not too late for us Filipino people to change our attitude and our minds for us to help preserve our environment for the next generation,” Bautista answered. Other Mindanaoan candidates
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who figured in various categories and special awards are the following: Elizabeth Amahan of El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental (Best in Cultural Costume); Celine Mae Pangan of Ozamiz City (Top 15 in Environment Awareness); Danna Rose Socaoco of Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental (Top 15 in the Beauty of Face); and Sherlyn Doloriel of Cagayan de Oro City (Top 15 in the Beauty of Figure and Form). Bautista’s pageant team is composed of Dennis Almazan (coach), Amy Padilla (producer), Juniel Doring (designer), John Lee Amance Iligan (fashion stylist), and Phillip Vallespin (photographer). (Vince Borneo/PIO)
Diaper donation drive for babies in evac centers continues MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur – About 80,000 cloth and disposable diapers have been distributed to lactating mothers in evacuation centers and those staying in their relatives’ houses as part of the continuing humanitarian assistance to affected residents in Marawi City. Various line agencies in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the Philippine Business for Social Progress, and private donors outside the ARMM donated the diapers.
ARMM’s Cabinet Secretary Khal Mambuay-Campong said the drive started since the first day of the Marawi siege to help parents provide diapers for their babies. “As part of the ARMM’s Crisis Management
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Committee, and as a mother, ito yung naisip namin na ibigay dahil gusto namin matulungan yung mga parents na hirap maghanap ng diapers for their babies dahil walang mabilihan,” Campong said. The fifth batch of diapers was distributed on July 10, in evacuation centers in Lanao del Sur. She also reiterated how important the diapers are to keep the babies clean, dry and healthy. “Kailangan talaga namin ng diaper para sa baby ko; wala kaming pambili kaya naghihintay na lang kami na may pupunta dito sa amin at magbibigay ng diaper,” said Kuray Datu Ma-as, one of the thousands of displaced Marawi residents staying at the evacuation center in Saguriaran municipality. Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr., ARMM’s
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Health department secretary said “diapers in difficult situations, such as the unexpected displacement of families, give parents a sigh of relief on easier management of their children’s wastes when the water supply is scarce and sanitary disposal poses a challenge.” “For the Health department, it is a better alternative that allows parents to focus on more important things while sanitary disposal is afforded for their children,” Dr. Sinolinding added. Unsanitary practices, he said, could even lead to serious infections among babies. The ARMM government continues to send relief packs, hygiene kits and medical services to the affected residents of Marawi. (Bureau of Public Information/PIA-10)
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Toilet, communal kitchen constructed at Bito Buadi Itowa evac center
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A team from Xavier Ateneo left Cagayan de Oro City on the morning of July 9 to deliver 50 sacks of relief goods and materials for the construction of a communal kitchen and toilet at the Bito Buadi Itowa evacuation center in Marawi. The group arrived in Iligan City, the closest city to Marawi, at 11:00 a.m., and was guided by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Office of Civil Defense on their way to the municipality of Saguiaran. Abubakar de Juan Basman, a Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) representative and an alumnus of XU Sira’j Muslim Religious Organization, had earlier secured clearance from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Marawi Command Center for the XU group to visit the war-torn capital of Lanao del Sur. After disembarking the loads from the cargo truck, volunteers at the evacuation center worked together to construct their communal kitchen and toilet. Around 4:00 p.m., the relief goods were distributed to the evacuees. Nineteen sacks were also set aside for the nearby barangay, Buadi Parba, and to be allocated with the assistance of PDRRMO. The construction of their communal kitchen and toilet finished around 6:30 in the evening.
The Marawi crisis Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesperson of the Marawi Crisis Committee, was grateful for XU’s relief efforts, collectively known as #TabangMarawi, for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) fleeing the war in their hometown that erupted on May 23. He said, he is open to engaging in a dialogue forum at Xavier Ateneo should an opportunity present, to raise awareness of the context of the Marawi crisis. Similar expression of gratitude was said by Brigadier General Ramiro Manuel Rey, commanding officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Marawi crisis, as he welcomed the XU team in Bito. Rey, whose wife is an XU alumna, encouraged the team to extend their assistance to several underserved communities inside Marawi City, particularly in the areas of Districts 1 and 2, on the western side of Lake Lanao. He also asked donors to consider giving other relief items. The evacuees need kitchenwares and dining utensils so they can cook, rather than rely on canned and instant goods.
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The number of evacuees in Bito had increased from 78 families to 113 since the last XU visit, on June 26. For safekeeping, the barangay was advised to set up a mechanism for an orderly and fair distribution of relief goods. Red Cross has started constructing two communal kitchens and concrete toilets and bathrooms for the community. The structures are expected for completion in eight days. Rain catchment serves as the water source of the community and vast idle lands ideal for vegetable farming surround Bito. Improving relief efforts The Austrian Catholic Agency (ACA), one of the active partners of the team, recommended a number of strategies to improve the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the evacuation centers. “There is greater value in the construction of basic infrastructures such as communal kitchens to ease crowding and additional toilets to keep the environment clean and healthy,” an ACA report said. “Distribute and install water filter systems to several evacuation centers immediately. Seek training on its functionality and installation procedure,” it added. It was also suggested to solicit for clothes through donation drive in schools, parishes, and other organizations, instead of purchasing them. ACA also pointed out that there is a need to explore partnerships with pharmaceutical companies to donate
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basic medicines for diarrhea, fever, cough, and colds, among others. Psychosocial interventions and livelihood activities were also pushed in the evacuation centers while the internally displaced persons (IDPs) wait for the national rehabilitation program to take off. Xavier Ateneo now prepares to respond in the recovery and rehabilitation phase, with the targets of hosting peacebuilding dialogues, conducting social thermal mapping, counseling, formation, and process documentation. Bloody clashes between the extremist Maute Group and the government forces jolted the capital of the province of Lanao del Sur — Marawi City — leaving in its wake curtailment of lives, destruction of public and private establishments, and displacement of thousands of civilians. These challenging circumstances have called for synergy, unity, and compassion to which Xavier Ateneo responded with the #TabangMarawi relief operation, involving her community members as organizers and volunteers. Xavier Ateneo’s Social Development Office and XU Central Student Government are manning the relief operation at the XU Peace Park. As of this report, Tabang Marawi has already received more than P4M worth of cash and in-kind donations. (XU)