1st Reproductive Health Congress in Lanao del Sur impresses UNFPA country representative

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 29 – United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country representative Ugochi Daniels was impressed by the 1^st Reproductive Health Congress held yesterday at the social hall, new capitol complex, here.

In her keynote address, Daniels said she was really impressed by the support given by the Muslim Religious Leaders (MRLs) to the reproductive health program of the province.

“This is the first time in all my visits in the Philippines that I have seen such an active group of MRLs and I truly acknowledged their good work,” she stressed

She said the success of UNFPA support is due to a large part to the difficult role that the MRLs have played.”

She also cited the issuance of the Fatwa (Islamic Ruling) on Family Planning as one concrete example of the important role that MRLs play in the reproductive health program.

The Fatwa has increased the acceptance of family planning methods among Muslim couples so that they can better manage their resources and take care of their needs, she added.

Daniels also acknowledged the efforts of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong, Jr., the municipal mayors, the health workers, Women Health Teams and other stakeholders for holding the first-ever RH congress that according to her only proves their good understanding of the issue.

She likewise urged everyone to continue their work on improving the lives of every family through the implementation of RH program in the province.

Meanwhile, Dr. Alinader Minalang, head of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) said they will continue to push for the RH program in the province with or without the reproductive health bill.

The 1^st RH Congress was attended by NCMF Commissioner Raida Maglangit, DOH-ARMM Secretary Dr. Kadil Sinolinding, Jr., UNFPA Assistant Country Representative Florence Tayzon, Amai Pakpak Medical Center Chief-of-Hospital Dr. Amer Saber, provincial board members, municipal mayors and other stakeholders. (Bobby Ilupa/DXSO Radyo ng Bayan Marawi)

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Army, police intercept illegal logs in Lanao del Sur

MALABANG, Lanao del Sur, July 29 ---An estimated thirty thousand board feet of assorted illegal logs with an estimated value of P450,000 was intercepted on Monday by the joint elements of the 51^st Infantry Battalion (IB), Philippine Army and Malabang Police Station while they are conducting checkpoint operations along the Narciso-Ramos Highway at Barangay Matling, here.

The said hot logs were loaded in two (2) trucks, a ten-wheeler Mitsubishi and a six-wheeler Izusu driven by Levie Oklos of Dumagok in Pagadian City and Roderick Uy of Poblacion in Linamon, Lanao del Norte, respectively.

The lumbers were supposedly to be transported to Ozamis City and Pagadian City, respectively.

Together with the trucks were crews identified as follows: Victor Permisa, Larry Cabanilla, Roland Tamak, Jurya Catibod, Dolfy Bado, Dennis Lungtad, Frederick E Uy, Michael O Garci, Mala Soctan, Dave S Adolfo, Mike Amatonding, Mamari N Ombag, Ekampong A Mangundatu, Abbas G Basir, Sadeth G Mangundato, Mocks B Ukmad, Diamon D Lukman, Ayo G Saripada, Edwin G Parlingayan and Abdulluhab G Abbas.

The trucks were temporarily impounded at the headquarters of the 51^st IB for safekeeping while the owner, driver and crews were turned-over to Malabang MPS for filling of appropriate charges.

Further, the military and the police have coordinated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Office for the proper disposition of the confiscated lumbers.

It should be noted that the police, military and the DENR had a standing Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) deputizing said organizations to carry out tasks as agents of DENR. (51^st IB)

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Saturation drive nets 45 suspects

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), with the support of the military and police, Friday rounded up some 45 people, including three policemen, during a saturation drive and anti-narcotics operations that resulted in the confiscation of illegal drugs and firearms in Marawi City, an Army official said.

Col. Daniel Lucero, commander of the Philippine Army 103rd Brigade, said the joint operation was conducted at about 1 a.m. at Barangay Lumber in the City. He said elements of the 103rd Brigade, 64IB, and 65IB supported the buy-bust and saturation drive by PDEA in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Lucero said seized during the operation were about 200 sachets of suspected shabu and high-powered firearms, including two M-16 armalite rifles and M-203 grenade launcher.

At least 80 “video karera” machines were likewise confiscated by the authorities.

As of press time, Lucero and other officials who joined the joint operation, including Lt. Col. Edwin Layese of PDEA-ARMM, are still in the area to supervise the investigation of 45 people who were at an eatery, which was the main subject of the operation.

Lucero said among those taken in by the authorities for questioning were three policemen assigned in Marawi.

"The saturation drive was made possible through information relayed to the 103rd Brigade by concerned citizens in Marawi," said Lucero. (Elena L. Aben/mb.com.ph)

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20 MILF fighters surrender to the Army’s 51IB

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Soldiers confiscate hot logs in Lanao del Sur

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 19 - Members of the 103^rd Infantry (Haribon) Brigade, 1^st Infantry Division of the Philippine Army have confiscated illegally cut logs and lumber in the province, last week.

This was bared by Colonel Daniel Lucero, Haribon Brigade commander during a meeting with officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and members of the media at Kampo Ranao, here.

He said the Php 1-million worth of hot logs were confiscated in Batu-bato in Maguing town.

“When we arrived at the area, dozens and dozens of illegally cut logs lay on the cemented road and others were tied with cables ready to be transported through a nearby creek,” Lucero said.

He said they also confiscated tools and equipment used in four (4) sawmills in the said area.

“While we, here, are planting trees, others are cutting them down and raking millions of pesos from the illegal activity,” he added.

Lucero said no one in the area would squeal as to the names of the owners of the sawmills and the confiscated logs and lumber.

He also emphasized that their operation will not end with the confiscation of the hot items stressing that appropriate charges will be files against the illegal loggers.

Meanwhile, Malik Pangandaman , head of DENR in the province, said that there are legal procedures that must be taken for the case to prosper.

He also stressed that their office has not issued any logging permit to anybody in the province.

“Cutting of trees planted even in a private land still needs a permit from the DENR,” he added.

Pangandaman also gave assurance that the DENR will support whatever legal action the military will be undertaking against the illegal loggers.

As of press time, the confiscated hot items are in Kampo Ranao as they are being inventoried and scaled by DENR officials in the province. (Bobby Ilupa/ Radyo ng Bayan Marawi)

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6 victims of child labor in Lanao rescued

MARAWI CITY – Six minors who were illegally employed in Lanao del Sur were rescued by elements of the 65th Infantry Battalion, authorities said.

The minors said they were recruited by a relative from Marawi City in June. However, they had no idea they would be hired as porters for a beverage retailer.

They said they were paid a monthly salary of a little more than P1,000.

In just 3 weeks in service, the minors said the employer’s relative have been abusing them.

“Kung walang kita, hindi kami pakakainin. Kapag umalis daw kami papatayin nila kami,” said one of the victims.

“Sabi ko masakit ang aking tiyan, sabi niya umaarte lang daw ako. Kaya tinutukan niya ako,” said another.

The victims’ families sought help from soldiers of the 65th Infantry Battalion who immediately took action.

“Iligal ‘yung pagpasok nila sa pagiging helper kaya nagkakaroon ng pag-abuso,” said Capt. Orlando Gil Marquez Jr., public affairs officer of the 65th Infantry Battalion.

The employer denied the accusations of abuse but agreed to release the children.

Authorities urged the victims’ families to file charges against the employer. -- Report from Roxanne Arevalo, ABS-CBN Iligan

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Restoration of power supply sought

As the Islamic fasting month of Ramadhan approaches, thousands of residents in many towns of Lanao del Sur, including their local government officials, are making an appeal to their electric cooperative to restore power supply, which they claimed had been out for more than a month now.

Masiding Yahya, a coordinator for Lanao del Sur of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (ARMM’s) Bureau of Public Information (BPI), described “some local government chief executives” as “beginning to get furious” because “the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (Lasureco) is still unable to energize their towns for more than a month now.”

“In fact, a week ago, it was reported that irate residents of some barangays (villages) in Marantao municipality had cut some electric posts and destroyed electric cables to show their dismay on the inconvenience of the power outage,” Yahya said.

Concerns about the power outage ran high in the coming fasting month of Ramadhan, during which Muslims spend most of the time praying during night time, Yahya said.

Yahya added that “as of press time of Tuesday, village chieftains in Ditsaan Ramain municipality are meeting to do some stern action, too, should Lasureco fail to provide them electricity especially during Ramadhan.”

It was learned that Lasureco linemen cut connections in more than 20 towns of Lanao del Sur because of resident-consumers’ alleged failure to pay their accumulated arrears in power bills last May.

But in his report to the BPI-ARMM, Yahya qouted many village chieftains as claiming to have been “paying what Lasureco demanded from us?”

On the other hand, Lasureco officials retorted that the consumers’ pay-outs were “not proportionate to their electric consumption.”

At their meeting Tuesday, Ditsaan Ramain Municipal Mayor Actar Marmar suggested to his counterparts in other affected areas that each municipality town “pay a flat-rate bill.” (Ali G. Macabalang)

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ARMM declares July 15 a special Muslim holiday

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) declared July 15, Friday, a special Muslim non-working holiday in the entire region in observance of Nisfu Sha’ban.

According to the Bureau of Public Information, the memorandum declaring it a special holiday was based on the Muslim Mindanao Act No. 17.

All government officials, employees and constituents of the autonomous region are enjoined to make the observance of Nisfu Sha’ban meaningful.

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OCD in Lanao del Sur to conduct Disaster Management Orientation seminar

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, July 13 - The Office of Civil Defense (OCD), here, is preparing to conduct a Disaster Management Orientation seminar to be held at the Social Hall of the new provincial capitol complex on July 21-23.

In an interview with Radyo ng Bayan, Tatar M. Boriongan, designated provincial civil defense Officer, said the orientation seminar aims to orient the local officials of their duties and responsibilities in as far as disaster management is concerned.

“I am hoping that after the seminar, each of the 39 municipalities will be able to come up with its disaster risk reduction and management plan as mandated under RA 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010,” Boriongan stressed.

He said they are targeting seven (7) participants from each municipality, including their municipal secretary, municipal development officer, municipal social welfare and development officer, municipal health officer and their municipal environment officer,

Among the invited lecturers in the said orientation seminar include the director of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Lorito Rirao, Professor Danilo Mero of the College of Forestry and Environmental Studies Mindanao State University (MSU), Professor Pedro Escudero of MSU-College of Fisheries, and a representative from the ARMM-Regional Development Council, Boriongan said.

Meanwhile, Boriongan expressed gratitude to the Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP), an international non-government organization, for committing to reproduce copies of the provincial manual on disaster management. (Bobby Ilupa/Radyo ng Bayan Marawi)

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87 Lanao Sur farmers benefits from aerobic rice techno seminar

Malabang, Lanao del Sur --- At least 87 farmers in the province benefited from the Aerobic Rice Technology and White Corn Planting seminar conducted recently by the 51^st Infantry Battalion, 1^st Infantry (TABAK) Division of the Philippine Army in partnership with the College of Agriculture of the Mindanao State University (MSU), here.

The seminar was aimed at increasing the knowledge of farmers on how to properly plant and protect their corn against pest as well as how to use organic fertilizer to be able to produce abundant products that will augment their income and sustain their daily expenses, said Lieutenant Colonel Ceasar Marlon Yadao, 51^st IB commander.

The province is one of the abundant places in the country with a fertile land that is very useful for agricultural products, however, farmers here produce only fewer farm products due to inadequate knowledge in farming, he noted.

During the seminar, MSU director for Research and Extension Services Celeste N. Querijero, discussed to the participants the proper way of cleaning the farm using plow prior to planting the corn.

She also tackled the preventive measures to protect the corn plants against pest so as not to hinder their growth.

Furthermore, Querijero talked about the importance of organic fertilizer to plants and to the environment as well.

After the seminar, the participants expressed their outmost gratitude not only to the speaker but also to the members of 51IB in initiating such activity that will greatly help them in producing eminence corn during harvest. (51^st Infantry Battalion)

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Indigent Senior Citizens ng Lanao del Sur, nakatanggap ng Social Pension

MARAWI CITY - Nakatanggap na ng Social Pension ang may 139 Indigent Senior Citizens mula sa anim (6) na bayan ng lalawigan ng Lanao del Sur noong araw ng lunes, July 11.

Ayon kay DSWD-ARMM Acting Secretary Hadja Pombaen Karon Kader nagsimula na ang kanyang tanggapan sa pamamahagi ng Social Pension mula sa mga bayan ng Ditsaan-Ramain, Duadiposo-Buntong, Piagapo, Maranatao, Balindong at Taraka.

Nagpaabot ng pasasalamat si Lanao del Sur governor Mamintal Alonto-Adiong Jr na napili ang kanyang lalawigan na maging launching ng nasabing programa para sa rehiyon.

Ang Indigent Senior Citizens Social Pension ay napapaloob sa Republic Act No. 9994 o ang Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 kung saan ito ay isang programa ng pamahalaan na tutulong sa mga pangangailangan ng mga senior citizens.

Sinabi ni Kader umabot sa 417 thousand pesos (P417,000) na cash ang ibinigay nilang Social pension sa mga beneficiaries sa anim na bayan sa Lanao del Sur. Tatanggap ng tig limang daang piso (P500.00) kada buwan ang bawat beneficiary.

Sa nasabing distribution, ani Kader nakatanggap ng tig tatlong libong piso (P3,000) ang bawat beneficiary para sa buwan simula Enero hanggang Hunyo ng taong kasalukuyan.

Sinabi ni Kader may direktiba si Acting ARMM Governor Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong na gawin sa susunod na linggo ang pamamahagi ng social pension sa mga lalawigan ng Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi at Basilan. (BPI-ARMM)

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Maranao filmmakers have many stories to tell about Mindanao

MARAWI—For the first time, Sineng Pambansa included a short film competition in its program. It was propitious that the inaugural tilt (with the theme “Peace Is…”) was held in this Lanao del Sur city, home of Mindanao State University (MSU), last week.

Three young Maranaos, all from MSU and all in their 20s, competed: Doss Lucman Pacasum (with “Renek” or “To Be at Peace”), Najib Alyhar Benito Zacaria (“Margas” or “Rice”) and Sittie Ayeesha Dicali (“Pagari” or “Brothers”). “Margas” emerged as winner; “Renek” and “Pagari” sharing second honors.

They are the future, not only of regional cinema, but of indie filmmaking, declared Briccio Santos, head of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

The jury, led by Venice film fest consultant Paolo Bertolin, hailed “Margas” for its “immediacy and straightforwardness.” “Renek” and “Pagari” were commended for “technical achievement” and “thematic development,” respectively.

Cultural counselor Christian Merer of the French embassy, also a jury member, lauded the winners: “They all have something to say … they are passionate about the craft.”

The governor’s wife, Raifa R. Adiong “encouraged and challenged” the youth to come up with more films.

In an interview with Inquirer Entertainment, Zacaria, Pacasum and Dicali said they had no formal training in filmmaking. Zacaria is a management graduate; Pacasum is on his third year in international relations; Dicali is on her fourth year in zoology.

Pacasum’s producer and scriptwriter Abdul Ghaffur Mitmug is taking his master’s in nursing, also at MSU.

It was the filmmakers’ first time to watch the indies shown at Sineng Pambansa’s Lanao leg. Mitmug said “it was cool to watch films with different concepts.”

Dicali noted, “There are no movie houses in Marawi. We can watch only mainstream movies on DVD or download clips from YouTube.” She learned editing online, she said.

Zacaria was an activist in school—a member of the Free the Bangsamoro Movement. “I want to show to the whole world what’s happening in Mindanao,” he said.

Misconceptions

There are a lot of misconceptions about the region in mainstream media, the three agreed. “In the past, the Mindanao story was told by outsiders,” Dicali said. “It’s about time we told our stories.”

A movie buff and bassist of the local band OC, Pacasum has done music videos. “But making films is serious business,” he said, adding that he was hesitant to approach relatives for financial aid, because “they might laugh at me.” A few helped out, nonetheless.

The three winners valued their interactions with Manila-based filmmakers led by Cannes winner Brillante Mendoza, who flew in for the fest. They attended a lecture of young indie director Sherad Anthony Sanchez, who discussed the appropriation of Mindanao culture in cinema.

“This is only the beginning,” said Santos. “We plan to bring more workshops to the provinces.”

In his acceptance speech at the awards ceremony in Marawi Resorts Hotel, Zacaria revealed that he and his family had just fallen victim again to “criminality,” the main issue tackled in his film. As Bertolin pointed out, these young filmmakers know only too well the “harsh realities” depicted in their works. (Bayani San Diego Jr. /Phil. Daily Inquirer)

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