Monday, November 1, 2021

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/

City Health Office nixes lifting of RT-PCR requirement

Posted: 01 Nov 2021 02:59 AM PDT

THE Zamboanga City Health Office (CHO) opposed the move to lift the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) requirement for inbound fully vaccinated travelers.

The CHO cited as reason for its opposition the city's coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) situation, which it said remains volatile amid the continuous rise in cases.

"We, in the medical sector, likewise would very much want to write this off from the requirement list for travelers to ease our burdens and pave way for lesser travel restrictions," said Dr. Dulce Amor Miravite, city health officer.

"However, we take into consideration the general welfare of the people of Zamboanga and that of the neighboring provinces and cities," Miravite added.

The other reasons Miravite cited were: only 25 percent of the targeted eligible population is fully vaccinated; there are vaccine breakthrough infections and there is not enough study to prove that vaccinated individuals are not infectious; and there are concerns about easy-to-tamper vaccination cards.

The City Council, through a resolution unanimously approved on October 26, requested the local Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid-19 to allow entry into the city of fully vaccinated individuals even without the RT-PCR test result.

Councilor John Dalipe, the author of the resolution, said fully vaccinated individuals are considered low risk by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Department of Health (DOH).

But Miravite said the bed occupancy rate for both hospitals and isolation facilities remains at a critical level, and the oxygen supply is depleting, overburdening the stretched healthcare facilities and healthcare workers.

"These are reasons why the city has been reverted to modified enhanced community quarantine since October 16," she said.

"We have to control the situation first before we can withdraw the RT-PCR requirement for fully vaccinated individuals. Otherwise we will risk another surge and another Covid variant coming in through our borders," she said. (SunStar Zamboanga)

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Zambo Sur far-flung village gets P20-M road concreting project

Posted: 01 Nov 2021 02:58 AM PDT

PROGRESS and development will soon be felt by residents of the far-flung village of New Tuburan in Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur.

Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera, 53rd Infantry Battalion commander, said the New Tuburan village has received a P20-million road concreting project through the government's Barangay Development Program (BDP).

The BDP is the flagship program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), which was conceptualized to finally address insurgency by bringing sustainable solutions and basic services to communities in need.

Herrera said Zamboanga del Sur Governor Victor Yu, the Provincial Task Force (PTF)-Elcac chairperson, led Friday, October 29, the groundbreaking ceremony signaling the start of the implementation of the 1.3-kilometer road concreting project in New Tuburan village, Tigbao.

Yu was joined during the ceremony by Herrera, Tigbao Mayor Eleazar Carcallas, the Municipal Task Force (MTF)-Elcac chairperson, and Zamboanga del Sur first district Representative Divina Grace Yu.

The 1.3-kilometer road is from Purok Maragang to Purok Sayote in New Tuburan village.

The New Tuburan village is a previous conflict-affected barangay and was declared "clear" from the communist insurgents influence through the Army's Community Support Program in September 2019. (SunStar Zamboanga)

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Barmm builds another Covid-19 isolation facility in Maguindanao

Posted: 01 Nov 2021 02:57 AM PDT

THE Ministry of Public Works in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MPW-Barmm) is constructing a 100-bed capacity coronavirus disease (Covid-19) isolation facility at the district hospital of Datu Odin Sinsuat municipality in Maguindanao.

The construction of the facility is part of Barmm's continuous effort in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic.

MPW Minister Edward Guerra said Monday, November 1, that the isolation facility will be completed within 70 days.

Guerra described the isolation facility as unique since its design is different from that of the others that were constructed in the country.

"But we have to stick to the policy of the Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim na gawing permanente instead of semi-permanent, at gawin na rin expansion hospital, kung wala na ang Covid-19 pandemic," Guerra added.

Guerra led the groundbreaking ceremony of the project held on Friday, October 29.

He said the isolation center in Datu Odin Sinsuat will be the largest among the nine facilities constructed in the Barmm region.

He said it will also be the fourth Covid-19 facility to be constructed in Maguindanao, apart from Buluan, Sultan Kudarat, and North Upi towns.

Meanwhile, Ebrahim said they are thankful to the good people of Datu Odin Sinsuat for partnering with them in combating Covid-19 through the construction of the isolation facility.

"Community isolation center give people, who are experiencing mild to moderate Covid-19 symptoms, a safe place to isolate and can help conserve facility resources," Ebrahim added. (SunStar Zamboanga)

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Navy concludes 5-day Exercise Pagsisikap 2021

Posted: 31 Oct 2021 04:03 AM PDT

THE Philippine Navy, through the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM), concluded the five-day Exercise Pagsisikap 2021 with an Amphibious raid and landing Friday, October 29, at the White Beach of Bulangsi village, a former stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Panamao, Sulu.

Lieutenant Chester Ross Cabaltera, NFWM information officer, said Sunday, October 31, that the amphibious operations utilized two Landing Crafts and four Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs), which were launched from Landing Dock 601 (LD601) off Panamao, Sulu.

Cabaltera said the Landing Crafts and the AAVs carried a battalion of marines from the Marine Amphibious Ready Unit (Maru), who were inserted from the sea to the area to assimilate the retaking of the coastal village from enemy forces.

Cabaltera said before the insertion ashore of the main body, Navy Seals were landed earlier to "clear the area and neutralize prepositioned targets" to mitigate the risk against the arriving Maru.

He said before the Amphibious Landing, troops from the 2nd Naval Mobile Construction Battalion, Marine Battalion Landing Team-8, Naval Reservists, and civilian volunteers undertook Civil-Military Operations (CMO) activities in Bulangsi village through the construction of a flea market, which residents can utilize to sell their produce and the improvement of three deep wells used by the village as sources of freshwater supply.

There was also a medical mission where residents availed themselves of free medical consultation and minor surgery. They also received free eyeglasses, medicines, household supplies and toys for the children, according to Cabaltera.

He said the Naval Information Communications and Technology Station-Zamboanga offered free repair of appliances and film-viewing for the children in Bulangsi village.

Second District Representative Munir Arbison, Luuk Mayor Maryam Arbison, and Panamao Mayor Al-Frazier Abdurajak witnessed the conduct of various activities in Bulangsi, Panamao.

They gave appreciation to NFWM for initiating worthwhile activities for the benefit of the residents in Bulangsi village, which was once a lair and stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf bandits.

Former Abu Sayyaf bandits even volunteered their services during the construction of the flea market and the deep wells. They are also active in the CMO activities.

"The conclusion of the unilateral exercise dubbed as Exercise Pagsisikap 2021 enabled us to identify capability gaps that we should address to address current challenges in the operational area while at the same time strategically posturing us to meet future challenges in this joint area of operation," Major General William Gonzales, Joint Task Force Sulu commander said during the closing ceremony at the 4th Marine Brigade headquarters Tandu Bato village, Luuk, Sulu.

During the exercise critique and hotwash held aboard LD601 in Zamboanga City Saturday, October 30, Rear Admiral Toribio Adaci, Jr., NFWM commander, commended all the participants for exerting their efforts to accomplish all the given scenarios and serials of the exercise including the successful firing of the Spike ER missile.

Adaci lauded the success of the activity and the accomplishment of its objectives to test wartime and peacetime naval operations doctrines, train sailors and marines to keep them operationally ready and project the capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines particularly the Navy's Fleet-Marine forces to protect and secure the country's archipelagic waters and littoral areas. (SunStar Zamboanga)

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314 complete Barangay Defense Force training

Posted: 31 Oct 2021 04:02 AM PDT

A TOTAL of 314 volunteers have completed a five-day Barangay Defense Force (BDF) Training on Friday, October 29, 2021, in Sumisip, Basilan province, officials said.

Lieutenant Colonel Renante Besa, commander of the army's 64th Infantry Battalion, facilitated the conduct of the training, which culminated at the municipal gymnasium in Buli-Buli village, Sumisip.

Sumisip Mayor Jul-Adnan Hataman lauded the efforts and willingness of the new breed of BDF volunteers to maintain and forge peace, security, and development in the municipality and in the province.

Brigadier General Domingo Gobway, Joint Task Force Basilan commander, expressed his gratitude to the civilians who volunteered to be protectors of the state.

In his own words, Gobway interpreted the acronym BDF as B - Bagong mga hukbo na nakahandang ipagtanggol ang bayan; D - Disiplina, bilang isang Barangay Defense Force, dapat dala-dala natin ang ating disiplina sa sarili, sa bawat galaw dapat isipin natin na may katungkulan tayo; and F - Freedom, dapat patuloy nating itaguyod at panatilihin ang kapayapaan dito sa Basilan.

He cited Presidential Decree No. 1016 Section 1, which stated that subject to the approval of the Secretary of National Defense, an Integrated Civilian Home Defense Force may be organized in such provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays that are threatened by insurgency, rebellion, subversion, criminality, and/or disorder, for the purpose of defending the community against the violence and lawlessness and of assisting law enforcement agencies in the maintenance of peace and order.

Major General Alfredo Rosario, Jr., Western Mindanao Command chief, extended his felicitations to the BDF graduates.

"Let us work together to sustain the peace and security in your respective communities," Rosario said. (SunStar Zamboanga)

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Cenro-Manukan plants tree around Agustin Cave

Posted: 31 Oct 2021 04:01 AM PDT

THE Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) of Manukan, Zamboanga del Norte conducted a tree planting activity in Lipakan village, Rozas, Zamboanga del Norte.

George Laolao, Cenro-Manukan chief, said the tree planting activity was held Wednesday, October 27, along with the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign relative to the implementation of the Agustin Cave Management Plan in Lipakan.

Laolao said the tree-planting activity was participated by the representatives of the municipal government, police, village officials and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries.

They planted a total of 100 narra and 200 coffee seedlings within the 500-meter radius from the opening of the Agustin Cave.

Laolao said the IEC campaign on Republic Act (RA) 9072 or otherwise known as the National Cave and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act and RA 9147 or Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act was conducted to raise community awareness on the importance of protecting and conserving the cave and wildlife resources in Lipakan village.

He said that RA 9072 defines Caves as any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess or system of interconnected passages beneath the surface of the earth or within a cliff or ledge and which is large enough to permit an individual to enter, whether or not the entrance, located either on private or public land, is naturally formed or man-made.

It shall include any natural pit, sinkhole, or other feature that is an extension of the entrance. The term also includes cave resources but not any vug, mine tunnel, aqueduct or other man-made excavation.

A day before the tree planting and IEC on RA 9072, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) inked a partnership with the municipal government or Roxas and Agustin cave landowner, Nicholas Duhig, to implement the management plan of Agustin cave in Lipakan village.

DENR Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services Ronald Gadot, who chairs the Regional Cave Committee, said the partnership will open more opportunities in agriculture and eco-tourism, which will help to increase financial stability of the community.

The municipality is rich in biodiversity having a number of natural caves waiting to be assessed and classified, which is the reason why they were able to host the National Cave Congress way back in 2017 wherein delegates from all over the country attended. (SunStar Zamboanga)

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Barmm education ministry hires over 2,000 new asatidz

Posted: 31 Oct 2021 03:29 AM PDT

THE Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE), through its Directorate General for Madaris Education, hired 2,374 new Islamic Studies and Arabic Language (Isal) teachers or asatidz for the 11 school divisions in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm).

Professor Tahir Nalg, MBHTE director-general for Madaris Education, said that 241 asatidz from Barmm's Special Geographical Area (SGA) and 245 from Cotabato City signed their contracts of service in a ceremony Friday, October 29, at the Barmm Government Center in Cotabato City.

Nalg said the contract signing for the divisions of Lanao del Sur I and II, and Marawi City were held on October 20 to 21, while those for the Maguindanao I and II, Basilan, and Lamitan City on October 28 to 29.

Meanwhile, Nalg said the new asatidz from Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces are scheduled to sign their contracts anytime this week.

He said the main objective of the program was not only to hire more Isal teachers but to have a balanced and quality education for the young learners.

"We will teach them to improve their Islamic studies and to also ensure they will get quality education," he said.

He said each of the teachers will receive a monthly salary of P16,200 until March 2022. Their contracts are renewable every six months while they wait for the ministry's special eligibility exams for permanent positions for Madaris teachers.

He said of the 2,374 new asatidz, 639 and 307 are from Maguindanao I and II, respectively, 83 from Basilan, 40 from Lamitan City, 48 from Sulu, 14 from Tawi-Tawi, 115 from Marawi City, and 505 and 137 from Lanao Sur I and II, respectively. (SunStar Zamboanga)

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