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==Abductions in Mindanao seen to derail Philippine tourism campaign==
*Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=774357&publicationSubCategoryId=200
*February 04, 2012 03:02 PM
:by philstar.com
MANILA, (Xinhua) -- The recent abduction of two Europeans in the island-province of Tawi-Tawi in the southernmost tip of the Philippines and the continued terrorist threat in Mindanao could derail the government's ambitious plan to make the Philippines a top tourist destination in Asia.
After a spike in tourist arrivals last year, the Philippine government is now crafting a long-range program that would make tourism a major engine in the country's economic growth. 
For the first nine months of 2011, visitor arrivals increased by 12 percent to 3.7 million, with South Korea being the country's largest tourism market, followed by the United States, Japan, China and Australia.
Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez said that the Department of Tourism (DOT) is now finalizing the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) that aims to attract 10 million foreign visitors to the country by 2016. The DOT hopes to increase tourist arrivals this year to 4.2 million.
Last year, Malaysia had 32 million tourists while Thailand had 14 million visitors.
The abduction on Feb. 1 of Elwold Horn, a 52- year old Dutch, and Lorenzo Vinciguerra, a 47-year old Swiss, in Parangan, Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi province by armed men, however, could throw a monkey wrench in the government's grandiose tourism plans.
The two foreigners, reportedly wildlife photographers, were seized while on board a pump boat along with a certain Ivan Sarenas, a local guide, who was able to escape.
The kidnapping, which has remained unresolved four days after it happened, has prompted the British embassy in Manila to reissue a travel advisory for its citizens.
"We advise against all travel to southwest Mindanao covering the following areas: Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which includes Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and the islands of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi) plus the provinces of Sarangani, North and South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay," the embassy travel advisory says.
The embassy also advised against "all but essential travel to the remainder of Mindanao because of ongoing terrorist activity." It said there have been a number of attacks against civilian targets in several areas in Mindanao since November 2011 that included at least 10 bombing incidents in North Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sulu, Sultan Kudarat, and Zamboanga killing a total of eight people and wounding of 66 others.
In 2011, some 130,000 British tourists visited the Philippines.
Aside from the Feb. 1 kidnapping of the two Europeans in Tawi- Tawi, an Australian citizen was also kidnapped in Zamboanga Sibubay on Dec. 5, 2011. On July 12, 2011 two American citizens and a Filipino were also kidnapped from a resort on the island of Tictabon near Zamboanga City.
The embassies of the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada have also issued similar advisories to their citizens.
Earlier, the Philippines strongly urged members of the United Nations Security Council to take a "balanced" approach in the international campaign against terrorism and called on governments to "exercise due care and diligence" in issuing travel advisories.
The call, issued during the Security Council meeting in November, said a balance must also be achieved in the issuance of travel advisories, particularly those that relate to "possible terrorist attacks."
"While the Philippines recognized the responsibility of states to protect their citizens, Manila believed that governments must exercise due care and diligence in issuing travel advisories," the government said.
Meanwhile, Malacanang, the seat of the Philippine government, has tried to reassure foreign embassies on the latest kidnapping incident. 
"We condemn the abduction, and the national and local governments, as well as all agencies concerned, are working to ensure the resolution of the situation, the recovery and release of the men who remain in the hands of their captors, and the bringing to justice of the lawless elements involved," Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said.
Valte urged foreign tourists to check with the Department of Foreign Affairs, as well as their own embassies, regarding advisories on conditions that may affect their travel and other arrangements while visiting the Philippines.
The military has suspected rogue members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to be behind the abduction of the two European tourists.
"There was information that rogue elements of the MNLF were involved. But we are verifying the reports," said Armed Forces chief of staff Jessie Dellosa.
Dellosa said government troops and the police have intensified the pursuit operation to locate the victims and their abductors in an area of Tawi-Tawi.
But Dellosa also cited the possibility that the kidnappers might have escaped to nearby Sulu province where military forces have launched intensified operations following the air strike that reportedly killed 15 top-ranking Islamic terrorists with links to Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).
According to the military, among those killed in the air strike in Parang, Sulu last Thursday were three of the most wanted terrorist leaders: Malaysian Zulfikli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, a top JI leader; Abu Sayyaf leader Umbra Jumdail alias Doc Abu; and Singaporean JI leader Abdullah Ali alias Mauwiya.
==British nationals warned: Don’t go to Mindanao==
==British nationals warned: Don’t go to Mindanao==
*Source: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/national/23162-british-nationals-warned-dont-go-to-mindanao
*Source: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/national/23162-british-nationals-warned-dont-go-to-mindanao

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Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

Abductions in Mindanao seen to derail Philippine tourism campaign

by philstar.com


MANILA, (Xinhua) -- The recent abduction of two Europeans in the island-province of Tawi-Tawi in the southernmost tip of the Philippines and the continued terrorist threat in Mindanao could derail the government's ambitious plan to make the Philippines a top tourist destination in Asia.

After a spike in tourist arrivals last year, the Philippine government is now crafting a long-range program that would make tourism a major engine in the country's economic growth.

For the first nine months of 2011, visitor arrivals increased by 12 percent to 3.7 million, with South Korea being the country's largest tourism market, followed by the United States, Japan, China and Australia.

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez said that the Department of Tourism (DOT) is now finalizing the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) that aims to attract 10 million foreign visitors to the country by 2016. The DOT hopes to increase tourist arrivals this year to 4.2 million.

Last year, Malaysia had 32 million tourists while Thailand had 14 million visitors.

The abduction on Feb. 1 of Elwold Horn, a 52- year old Dutch, and Lorenzo Vinciguerra, a 47-year old Swiss, in Parangan, Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi province by armed men, however, could throw a monkey wrench in the government's grandiose tourism plans.

The two foreigners, reportedly wildlife photographers, were seized while on board a pump boat along with a certain Ivan Sarenas, a local guide, who was able to escape.

The kidnapping, which has remained unresolved four days after it happened, has prompted the British embassy in Manila to reissue a travel advisory for its citizens.

"We advise against all travel to southwest Mindanao covering the following areas: Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which includes Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and the islands of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi) plus the provinces of Sarangani, North and South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay," the embassy travel advisory says.

The embassy also advised against "all but essential travel to the remainder of Mindanao because of ongoing terrorist activity." It said there have been a number of attacks against civilian targets in several areas in Mindanao since November 2011 that included at least 10 bombing incidents in North Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sulu, Sultan Kudarat, and Zamboanga killing a total of eight people and wounding of 66 others.

In 2011, some 130,000 British tourists visited the Philippines.

Aside from the Feb. 1 kidnapping of the two Europeans in Tawi- Tawi, an Australian citizen was also kidnapped in Zamboanga Sibubay on Dec. 5, 2011. On July 12, 2011 two American citizens and a Filipino were also kidnapped from a resort on the island of Tictabon near Zamboanga City.

The embassies of the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada have also issued similar advisories to their citizens.

Earlier, the Philippines strongly urged members of the United Nations Security Council to take a "balanced" approach in the international campaign against terrorism and called on governments to "exercise due care and diligence" in issuing travel advisories.

The call, issued during the Security Council meeting in November, said a balance must also be achieved in the issuance of travel advisories, particularly those that relate to "possible terrorist attacks."

"While the Philippines recognized the responsibility of states to protect their citizens, Manila believed that governments must exercise due care and diligence in issuing travel advisories," the government said.

Meanwhile, Malacanang, the seat of the Philippine government, has tried to reassure foreign embassies on the latest kidnapping incident.

"We condemn the abduction, and the national and local governments, as well as all agencies concerned, are working to ensure the resolution of the situation, the recovery and release of the men who remain in the hands of their captors, and the bringing to justice of the lawless elements involved," Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said.

Valte urged foreign tourists to check with the Department of Foreign Affairs, as well as their own embassies, regarding advisories on conditions that may affect their travel and other arrangements while visiting the Philippines.

The military has suspected rogue members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to be behind the abduction of the two European tourists.

"There was information that rogue elements of the MNLF were involved. But we are verifying the reports," said Armed Forces chief of staff Jessie Dellosa.

Dellosa said government troops and the police have intensified the pursuit operation to locate the victims and their abductors in an area of Tawi-Tawi.

But Dellosa also cited the possibility that the kidnappers might have escaped to nearby Sulu province where military forces have launched intensified operations following the air strike that reportedly killed 15 top-ranking Islamic terrorists with links to Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

According to the military, among those killed in the air strike in Parang, Sulu last Thursday were three of the most wanted terrorist leaders: Malaysian Zulfikli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, a top JI leader; Abu Sayyaf leader Umbra Jumdail alias Doc Abu; and Singaporean JI leader Abdullah Ali alias Mauwiya.





British nationals warned: Don’t go to Mindanao

by Jun Pisco


THE British Embassy in Manila yesterday issued a travel advisory warning its nationals about the threat of kidnapping in southern Philippines.

This, following the abduction of two European tourists along with their Filipino guide in Tawi-Tawi on Wednesday.

The embassy cited in its travel advice the February 1 kidnapping of the two foreign nationals from Parangan in the township of Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi island province and the abduction of an Australian citizen in Zamboanga Sibugay on December 5.

“There is also a threat from kidnapping in the Philippines particularly in the southern Philippines. Kidnapping could occur anywhere, including on coastal and island resorts and on dive boats and sites in the Sulu Sea. Foreigners have been targeted in rural, urban and coastal areas in the past,” according to the travel advice.

Abducted were Dutch Ewold Horn and Swiss Lorenzo Vinziguerre, who were snatched with their guide by an armed group in the country’s southernmost Tawi-Tawi island province.

The Dutch Embassy in Manila confirmed the kidnapping and said it was working on the case.

The military said there were reports that the Swiss and Dutch tourists were wildlife photographers.

British nationals, thus, are advised against all travel to south-west Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of on-going terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups.

There have been a number of attacks against civilian targets. Since November 2011, there have been at least 10 bombing incidents in North Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sulu, Sultan Kudarat and Zamboanga, killing a total of eight people and leaving 66 others wounded.






2 wildlife photographers kidnapped in Tawi-Tawi

by ABS-CBNnews.com


MANILA, Philippines – Two foreigners and their Filipino guide were kidnapped in Panglima Sugala town in Tawi-Tawi Tuesday afternoon, a military official said.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Philippine National Police (ARMM-PNP) regional director Chief Superintendent Bienvenido Latag identified the kidnapped victims as Elwold Horn from Holland, Lorenzo Vinciguerra from Switzerland and Ivan Sarenas from Davao City.

Latag said 5 suspects armed with M-203, two M-16 rifles and two .45 caliber pistols aboard a pump boat abducted the victims at Sitio Luuk, Barangay Parangan, Panglima Sugala town.

Tawi-Tawi Vice Governor Ruby Sahali said the municipal councilor of Panglima Sugala, Nestor Cabaluas, was also kidnapped but was able to escape.

Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the military’s Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City, said soldiers have already been dispatched to rescue the kidnapped victims.

“Accordingly, the foreign nationals, together with Nestor Cabaluas, went at said place when the group, armed with M-16 rifles and caliber .45 pistols, grabbed the victims and dragged them to the shorelines where the watercraft was waiting while Cabaluas escaped,” said Cabangbang.

“After said abduction, the abductors fled towards Barangay Lambog, Panglima Sugala, same province. So far, this is the only information we received,” added Cabangbang.

Sahali said the foreigners are wildlife photographers and have been in the island province for about two weeks.

"They are here for bird watching." Sahali said. "They are amazed by the vast bird species that we have in the island."

Sahali said the visitors spent their time in the province searching for birds in the jungles and were set to return to Poblacion Bato-Bato in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, authorities are investigating the possible affiliation of the armed men with the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.

A rescue operation is ongoing.

“We have a Marine battalion there, the 4th Marine Battalion Landing Team. We have dispatched troops from the battalion to rescue the kidnapped foreigners,” said Cabangbang. -- With a report from Queenie Casimiro, ABS-CBN News Zamboanga

Govt on track in zero-rice import goal

by Cai U. Ordinario


THE government remains on track on its “zero rice importation” goal by 2013, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said on Monday.

In a radio interview, he said achieving rice self-sufficiency remained a top priority of the Aquino administration. To achieve this, he said his department was exerting efforts to not only increase palay production but also become self-sufficient in food staples.

These new staples include white corn and root crops such as cassava and kamote, which can be consumed together with rice. It is widely known that in the Visayas, locals consume rice with corn grits; in Mindanao, many consume rice with cassava.

“In order that we will no longer import rice from other countries in 2013, we have intensified our efforts to shift our focus on food staple sufficiency. This includes the promotion and use of the right volume of rice or palay together with other staples like root crops,” Alcala said in the vernacular.

Alcala noted that there are already 14 million Filipinos eating corn grits with their rice while residents of Zamboanga Peninsula, Jolo, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are used to consuming rice with cassava. In Batanes, the known regional food staple is kamote, he said.

Alcala said that to encourage the consumption of these staples, the agency is pushing for the increase in the production of good varieties to be distributed to other places in the country where there is low production and encourage consumption of these staples and reduction of the demand for rice.

“We hope that after 2013 our rice importation will hit zero. We want to spend taxpayer’s money which used to buy farmer’s products from other countries for products produced by Filipino farmers,” Alcala said.

Efforts to attain the government’s rice self-sufficiency goal by 2013 include the restoration, rehabilitation and maintenance of irrigation systems; increasing farmers’ access to inbred and hybrid seeds; and reduction of postharvest losses through mechanization.

Alcala said the government is also looking at reducing rice wastage that was estimated three tablespoons or 14 grams in raw form per person. This would add up to at least 480,000 metric tons (MT) annually, the DA noted.

Assistant Agriculture Secretary and Bureau of Agriculture Statistics (BAS) Director Romeo Recide said the farm sector benefited from the good weather, particularly the first half of 2011. This was able to boost palay production to around 16.68MMT in 2011. --Cai U. Ordinario

Tawi-Tawi Turtles Yield 1.4-M Eggs

by ALI G. MACABALANG


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines – Green turtles abounding in this southernmost province have laid more than 1.4-million eggs on Baguan Island last year, posting an all-time high national record of nesting since 1984, according to the Conservation International Philippines (CIP).

The CIP said it has recorded a total of 14,220 green turtle nests on Baguan in 2011 with a total number of eggs surpassing 1,440,000.

The volume of “1.44-million Green turtle eggs in one year is an astounding number for a nesting beach that’s only a little over one kilometer in length. This definitely presents great hope for boosting green turtle populations,” said CIP Country Executive Director Romeo Trono.

Reports from the DENR show that since the previous high of 12,311 turtle nests recorded in 1995, nesting records in Baguan have been declining and dropped to as low as just over 4,000 nests in 2003.

Authorities attributed the decline to poaching by foreign fishermen, egg harvesting by local communities for food and trade, destruction or disturbance of habitats through illegal fishing methods, and law enforcement ineffectiveness.

“The increasing nest numbers show that when turtles are protected on their nesting beaches and in the water for long enough, they will recover,” said Dr. Bryan Wallace, director of science for Marine Flagship Species Program at CIP.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Turtle Islands’ enforcement team strengthened its marine management by giving training to park wardens, law enforcers, and community volunteers, and deploying officers and personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Marines to the area.






Sea turtles lay over 1.4M eggs in Tawi-tawi

by Jlyne Ubiña


MANILA, Philippines – More than one million green turtle eggs were laid last year on Baguan Island in Tawi-Tawi, achieving an all-time high record of nesting since 1984, the Conservation International Philippines announced today. A total of 14,220 green turtle nests were recorded in Baguan in 2011 with a total number of eggs surpassing 1,440,000. “1.44 million green turtle eggs in one year is an astounding number for a nesting beach that’s only a little over one kilometer in length. This definitely presents great hope for boosting green turtle populations,” said CI Philippines Country Executive Director Romeo Trono. Figures from the DENR show that since the previous high of 12,311 turtle nests recorded in 1995, Baguan’s nesting records have been declining and dropped to as low as just over 4,000 nests in 2003. Poaching by foreign fishermen, egg harvesting by local communities for food and trade, destruction and disturbance of habitats through illegal fishing methods and weak law enforcement were identified as the causes of the decline. “The increasing nest numbers show that when turtles are protected on their nesting beaches and in the water for long enough, they will recover,” said Dr. Bryan Wallace, director of Science for the Marine Flagship Species Program at CI. Meanwhile, The Philippine Turtle Islands’ enforcement team strengthened its marine management by providing trainings to park wardens, law enforcers and community volunteers. It also includes deployment of officers and personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Marines to the area. Bold protection measures such as the establishment of Baguan no-take zone and the complete protection status of the Turtle Islands Park in Sabah had been instrumental in ensuring a safe haven for turtles. Conservation initiatives in Baguan are partially supported by the Global Marine Division of Conservation International and the Coral Triangle Support Partnership funded by the United States Agency for International Development. “The hatchlings that emerge from the Turtle Islands still face great risks throughout their lives as they journey through the ocean, but at least here in the Turtle Islands, we are determined to provide them with a good start,” added Trono.

ARMM Gov appoints new agriculture chief from Tawi-Tawi

by BPI-ARMM/RVC-PIA9 ZBST


ARMM Regional Governor Mujiv S. Hataman appointed on January 17 former Provincial Agricultural Officer of Tawi-Tawi, Professor Sangkula A. Tindick, as Regional Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

The Bureau of Public Information reveals that the newly appointed secretary immediately held a meeting after taking his oath of office, with OIC Secretary Keise Tan Usman and other senior DAF officials where he was apprised of the status of the office including the preparations for the programs, projects and activities for the first 100 days of the Governor Hataman in office.

The formal turnover was done the next day at the covered court to allow for the attendance of the whole DAF regional manpower as well as those from DAF Maguindanao.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Director Usman bared the steps undertaken during his nearly one month caretaker stint such as facilitating measures for the release of program funds for rice, corn, livestock and high value crops which were not released by the Department of Agriculture Central Office to DAF ARMM since 2011.

The release of said funds would jumpstart projects to enhance agricultural productivity such as those identified for the first 100 days of the present regional leadership. Director Usman assured the full support of the fisheries bureau whose performance as top fisheries producer of the country was acknowledged by Secretary Tindick in his fatherly and jovial talk with the DAF family.

Secretary Tindick bared his marching order from Governor Hataman to institute an array of necessary reforms to make the agriculture and fishery agency more responsive to the developmental needs of the people of ARMM.

An accounting management Professor before becoming part of DAF, he intends to institute a system that would enhance the efficiency of the office in delivering its mandate “to make agriculture and agri-based enterprises profitable and help spread the benefits of development to the poor, particularly in the rural areas”.

The Regional Secretary emphasized the need for unity or teamwork by actually experiencing thru an exercise called “rocking the boat.” In the exercise, done after his acceptance remark, the Secretary proved that without teamwork, the whole agency capacity to deliver its mandate may be jeopardized. The “rocking the boat” showed the chaos, contradictions and danger that awaits an institution when there is poor communication, disunity and command breakdown.

ARMM OIC appoints new agriculture chief

by PIA Press Release


ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Jan 25 (PIA) -– ARMM Acting Governor Mujiv S. Hataman appointed on January 17 former Provincial Agricultural Officer of Tawi-Tawi, Professor Sangkula A. Tindick as Regional Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. The Bureau of Public Information reveals that the newly appointed secretary immediately held a meeting after taking his oath of office, with OIC Secretary Keise Tan Usman and other senior DAF officials where he was apprised of the status of the office including the preparations for the programs, projects and activities for the first 100 days of the Governor Hataman in office. The formal turnover was done the next day at the covered court to allow for the attendance of the whole DAF regional manpower as well as those from DAF Maguindanao. Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Director Usman bared the steps undertaken during his nearly one month caretaker stint such as facilitating measures for the release of program funds for rice, corn, livestock and high value crops which were not released by the Department of Agriculture Central Office to DAF ARMM since 2011. The release of said funds would jumpstart projects to enhance agricultural productivity such as those identified for the first 100 days of the present regional leadership. Director Usman assured the full support of the fisheries bureau whose performance as top fisheries producer of the country was acknowledged by Tindick in his fatherly and jovial talk with the DAF family. Tindick bared his marching order from Governor Hataman to institute an array of necessary reforms to make the agriculture and fishery agency more responsive to the developmental needs of the people of ARMM. An accounting management Professor before becoming part of DAF, he intends to institute a system that would enhance the efficiency of the office in delivering its mandate “to make agriculture and agri-based enterprises profitable and help spread the benefits of development to the poor, particularly in the rural areas”. The Regional Secretary emphasized the need for unity or teamwork by actually experiencing thru an exercise called “rocking the boat.” In the exercise, done after his acceptance remark, the Secretary proved that without teamwork, the whole agency capacity to deliver its mandate may be jeopardized. The “rocking the boat” showed the chaos, contradictions and danger that awaits an institution when there is poor communication, disunity and command breakdown. (JPA/BPI-ARMM/RVC-PIA9 ZBST)

More fun in these Southeast Asian hidden beaches

by HONOR BLANCO CABIE


MANILA — Often described as the Land of the Morning, from the Philippines' English version of its national anthem, this Southeast Asian archipelago takes pride in its paradise of beaches. Given its 7,107 islands from Batanes up north to Tawi Tawi in the far south, approximately the length of China's Great Wall, any tourist, foreign or local, can make a memory in any of its available beaches. And, with Philippine summer 2012 breathing down any tourist's need, the tourism department's "it's more fun in the Philippines" slogan is literally picking up. One can literally have Eden in the country's beaches during summer, when the scorching sun exhales 32 degrees Celsius. Good thing about these available beaches is the convenient proximity of beach resorts and cottages where tourists may stay for a couple of nights or more. Up north, in the northwestern zone of the country's main island of luzon whipped by winds from the Luzon Bay are the beaches of Pagudpud and Currimao towns in Ilocos Norte where the cable link between Luzon and Hawaii begins. In Pagudpud, 10 hours by bus from Manila, one can also have a glimpse of the power generating windmills in the nearby coastal town of Bangui, which also has its own class of resorts in the shadow of the Ilocos Mountain range. Farther south is the Pug-os Beach Resort in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, where one can go surfing in early morning before the tropic sun could breach the crowns of the Ilocos mountain range. There are several cottages on the beach side, with amenities of three-star hotels including convention halls. Only three towns away due north of Cabugao is Pinili, where warriors walked at the turn of the 20th century and during the Japanese occupation of the country in the 1940s. In the 1900s, better armed American troops met machete-wielding guerrillas of Catholic priest Gregorio Aglipat in hand-to-hand combat, spilling blood and chopping bodies along the 3-mile gravel road leading to the forested hill town. One of the best places for snorkeling and kayaking from sunup top sundown is Quezon Island in the locally popular Hundred Islands of Pangasinan. The place is near the Lingayen Gulf where US Gen. Douglas MacArthur and his Allied Liberation Troops landed on Jan. 9, 1945 against Japan's Imperial Forces then occupying the Philippines. While the group has been historically dubbed the Hundred islands, it has in fact 124 at low tide and 123 at high tide. Superstition suggests that first-timers on a boat ride to the islands will be safe if they kiss the stone statue of Princess Urduja, the legendary princess of Pangasinan at the Hundred islands National Park. Farther southwest of the Hundred islands is Nagsasa Cove, home to the Aeta -- sometimes spelled out Ayta -- aborigines of this country discovered for Europe by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. The Aetas have been relocated there after the bloody eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 after more than 600 years of slumber. From the cove, where one may share a meal with the hospitable Aeta community, one can have a side trip to the Camnara island, a white sandbar only seven minutes off Pundaquit shores. The area is not far from what used to be called Subic Naval Base, the erstwhile drydock facility of the giant US Seventh Fleet. There are also the Calaguas Islands in Camarines Norte in the palm-dotted Bicol Region northeast of the national capital of Manila. The group's main island is called Tinaga, which has the longest white sand beach called the Halabang Baybay -- literally long sand zone or long beach. Tourists who have been there, accessible by bus from Manila to the provincial capital of Daet and then a jeep to Calaguas, say there is a platform of orange clay colored rocks which makes the water cascade on their surfaces. In the central Philippine province of Cebu, tourists can have Bantayan island for paradise in Southeast Asia. At D'Jungle for dinner, one can have a taste, at very affordable prices, more than 50 dishes in their buffet spread. The buffet includes a sumptuous variety of seafoods, meat slices and greens cooked in different mouth-watering styles. For culture vultures, the town has old structures that have remained standing in the sun and moon despite a major fire in the 1970s. And the Bantayan Catholic Church has bas reliefs on the exterior and interior described by architects as rather intricate. It was in Cebu province where Magellan was slain by the first native, Lapu Lapu, to defy foreign domination of the islands in 1521. Now, if a tourist's pick is pink sand, he can proceed to Sta. Cruz island in Zamboanga City in Mindanao. The island's distinct pink color comes from the small pink coral fragments mixed with the white sand. There are two islands in the Santa Cruz island: the Little and the Great Island Protected Landscapes and Seascapes, with only 40 families, from the minority Samnal tribe, allowed by the government to stay in the protected area. The tourtist can also have a side trip to Camiguin off northeastern Mindanao. The uninhabited White island is dubbed the "Island Born of Fire" because of its eight volcanoes -- reason for a wealth of hot and cold springs. Any visitor can have a view of the sunken graveyard as well as the volcanoes Hibok Hibok and Vulcan Daan. The area can be reached by a flight to Cagayan de oro, devastated recently by a killer typhoon, then a van to Agora market, a bus ride to Balingoan port, a boat to Mambajao, the provincial capital and then a pump boat to White island. Truly, as tourist-returnees exclaim, it's more fun in the Philippines. (PNA) rsv/hbc/rsm

Human trafficking victims rescued

by Bong Garcia


OPERATIVES of the Maritime Police Command have rescued 36 victims of human trafficking aboard a commercial ferry in the province of Tawi-Tawi, an official said.

Inspector Wilfredo Abellon, operations chief of the Maritime regional office, said the victims were rescued Wednesday in the town of Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi province.

Abellon said the victims were rescued aboard a commercial ferry that came from Zamboanga City and was on its way to Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia.

The vessel was on a stopover when they rescued the victims, Abellon added.

He said the victims were composed of 27 males, nine females and a minor, who come from Maguindanao, Cotabato, Bicol, and other parts of Luzon and the Visayas.

He said the rescued victims were immediately taken to Zamboanga City and are now in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Investigation, aimed unmask the recruiter of the group who was not in the vessel when the victims were rescued, is ongoing, Abellon said.

Bureau of Immigration to deport 2 foreigners

by Helen Flores, Rudy Santos


MANILA, Philippines - Two foreigners are set to be deported by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for allegedly entering the country through the “back door,” an official said yesterday. BI Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said agents separately arrested Steven Nicol Herbert, an Australian, and Gul Hussain, at their residences in Zamboanga City last Dec. 20. The two men are being held at the immigration jail in Bicutan, Taguig City pending deportation proceedings. Herbert arrived at the port of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi from Sampona, Malaysia last Oct. 1. He was able to return to the Philippines despite being blacklisted by the BI in March last year for failing to pay his visa extension fees due to financial distress. Hussain refused to divulge how he entered the country and was not able to produce any travel papers.

Caravan of good governance reaches Eastern Samar, Tawi Tawi

by WENDELL C BALDERAS, Contributor


MANILA, Philippines — Continuing its efforts to promote good governance and ethical leadership among the youth in our country, Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership co-founder Grace Padaca and its champions, former Southern Leyte Governor Rosette Yñiguez Lerias and former Tamparan, Lanao del Sur Mayor Jan Disomimba, visited Eastern Samar and Tawi recently and spoke before 10,000 students from Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) — Salcedo, Maydolong & Borongan Campuses, MSU-Tawi-Tawi, Mahardika Institute of Technology (MIT), and Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College (TRAC).

In her talk, Lerias made a distinction between political families and political dynasties. Lerias herself comes from a political family which is known to have brought honor and have done a lot of good for their province. Being a disaster risk reduction management expert herself, Lerias was able to rebuild their town of St. Bernard after the landslide in 2006 that killed over 1,100 people, with the help of private partners. Lerias has received awards and recognition for effective local governance and participatory governance. In her talk, she encouraged all the students in the three ESSU campuses to take an active role in nation building by educating themselves well so they will be equipped to understand what is happening in our country.

Struggle of a Woman Moslem Leader

Bae Janaree Disomimba, former mayor of Tamparan in Lanao del Sur, also shared her leadership journey as a woman Moslem leader of Tamparan, a male-dominated society.

With deeply rooted values and principles and great influence from her father, Mayor Jan veered away from the traditional politics in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and chose to do what was right no matter how difficult it was. Her leadership style has proven that not all leaders in ARMM are abusive and corrupt. In all the three schools in Tawi-Tawi, Mayor Jan might have awakened every Moslem in the audience by reminding everyone that to be corrupt and selfish is un-Islamic and that what the Quran really says is that to be Islamic is to be honest and truthful.

Her hometown of Tamparan has not seen a municipal hall for the many decades it has existed. But Mayor Jan believed that the municipal hall is an important symbol of governance and a sign that her administration meant business and wanted to truly serve the people. She involved all community stakeholders in the construction of Tamparan’s first municipal hall. By having the political will and the right principles, Mayor Jan was able to transform Tamparan to what it is today and brought back dignity to her people.

In the caravans, KN co-founder Grace Padaca spoke strongly on issues of mining and human trafficking.

Padaca likened the issue of mining to a home that has been robbed. She emphasized to the students that they should not just allow people to rob them of their natural resources and leave them with nothing afterwards.

Dreams and Wishes

Before the forums started in the schools in Tawi-Tawi, all students were asked to write what their dreams and wishes were and what they would do if they were mayors or governors of their areas.

The students’ dreams ranged from having a complete family this Christmas to having their own laptops.

Padaca inspired everyone to dream big and work hard to fulfill their dreams. She said that she never imagined going out of Isabela as a physically handicapped girl. Now, she has been to Tawi-Tawi and has gone to many other places in Europe and the United States.

The students gave impressive answers as to what they would do if they were mayors or governors. One student said that he’d strengthen the fishing industry in Tawi-Tawi to provide livelihood for the people. Another said that he will have a government that is not corrupt and give the people what is due to them.

“Akala ko lahat ng mga politicians dito sa Pilipinas ay corrupt at sarili lang ang iniisip, but upon having a chance to know Gov. Grace, binago nya ang perspektibo ko sa pulitika. Sana lahat ng namamahala sa gobyerno at pamahalaan ay gaya ni Gov Grace at iba pang Kaya Natin champions na nasa puso ang pagiging public servant na transparent at accountable sa pagiging leader,” remarked Abdulkadil Misra, one of the participants of the forum.

The Caravan of Good Governance in Eastern Samar is in partnership with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, PLAN International and the ESSU Federated Student Council Organization, Inc. and the Caravan of Good Governance in Tawi-Tawi is in partnership with Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the Office of Governor Sahali through Mr. Nurjay Sahali.

ARMM gets P49.6-M aid for tree planting program

by Louella D. Desiderio


THE ENVIRONMENT department is providing P49.6 million worth of financial assistance to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to implement a tree planting program in the area under the National Greening Program. In a statement on Monday, the department said Environment Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje had committed P49.6 million to allow the ARMM government to carry out the program in the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

The department said an agreement was signed by Mr. Paje with ARMM Governor Mujiv S. Hataman to reforest 2,500 hectares of denuded forest land in the area under the program.

Mr. Paje said the partnership is in line with the instruction of President Benigno S.C. Aquino III to assist in the management of the region's natural resources.

"This collaboration sets a critical milestone in ecological governance for the region and bodes well for addressing the social and economic challenges which the region undoubtedly faces," he said.

In February last year, Executive Order No. 26 was issued which created the National Greening Program.

The program which seeks to harmonize all the greening efforts in the country aims to plant 1.5 billion tree seedlings in 1.5 million hectares nationwide from last year until 2016.

Last year, some 69.37 million tree seedlings were planted on 117,688 hectares of open and denuded forest land, higher than the 100,000-hectare target.

For this year, the program aims to plant tree seedlings on 200,000 hectares of land.

USAID Provides Holistic Assistance to Remote Tawi-Tawi Islands to Sustain Long-Term Health Interventions

By manilatimes.net


Apart from being remote and difficult to reach, Turtle Islands and Mapun are the second and third poorest municipalities in Tawi-Tawi, with poverty incidences of 49.7 percent and 48.9 percent, respectively (2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates, National Statistical Coordination Board). Realizing the impact of poverty on sustaining health interventions in the long term, USAID partnered with multi-sectoral agencies to provide holistic and integrated assistance to 8,267 people in three most populated villages. Close to a thousand people were provided with preventive and promotive health services by USAID-trained health providers. Of the 120 men and women who participated in Tumpukan Na! group action sessions, 50 were given family planning services while the rest were referred for more counseling. USAID worked with the provincial government to counsel pregnant and lactating mothers, and provide kits containing assorted practical items. With health outcomes directly affected by the islands’ environmental situation and livelihood opportunities, mangrove reforestation in critical areas was held simultaneously with the medical missions to rehabilitate the aquatic habitat and provide healthier food and regular sources of income to the people. School children were fed, counseled on hygiene and family health, and given books and school paraphernalia while repairs were done on their classrooms. With the success of these comprehensive interventions, USAID is set to replicate similar health-environment-education-livelihood packages in distant islands in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to reinforce and coordinate sectoral efforts for greater impact.

P2.4M for marine project to develop Basilan areas

By James Konstantin Galvez



THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) launched the Siasi Mariculture Park and Aqua-Tourism project in Tara Island as part of a comprehensive strategic plan to transform the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (BASULTA) into a progressive area.

Atty. Asis Perez, BFAR director, said the 30-hectare mariculture park is securely located close to the middle of the crescent-shaped cove margined with pinkish white sand and pristine waters teeming with marine life.

“Tara Island is one of the eight island-municipalities in the second district of Sulu Province. The beach alone could easily rival the country’s fine beaches including the world’s favourite Boracay,” Perez said. The project showcases 40 units of fish cages, 32 of which were constructed from the P2.4 million fund provided by the BFAR and with the municipal government providing all other amenities such as the mooring system, the floating multi-purpose hall, fingerlings and service boats.

It would benefit a quarter of the 400 family-residents in the island alone, the BFAR chief said.

“The partnership forged between the BFAR and Siasi LGU is the first of its kind worth emulating. What is more significant is that it involves our Muslim brothers who had long been deprived of benefiting most from the richness that abounds their coastal waters,” he said.

With additional counterpart funds coming from the LGU, Perez told the local officials that BFAR will initially provide 100 sets of ropes and floaters to jumpstart the farming of seaweeds in Tara Island, while local government will provide for the seaweed propagules.

In order to strengthen their coastal protection program, Perez said that BFAR will also provide motor engines for the same number of banca that will be provided by the LGU.

“One unit will be given to each of the coastal Bantay Dagat volunteer group in the 28 coastal barangay of Siasi,” he said.

The BFAR chief noted that ARMM and Mimaropa had consistently been the top 2 fish producing regions in the country. However, the two regions received the least of budgetary support for the past many years.

Perez lamented the fact that many of the expensive fish caught in these areas end up being dried which reduces not only its volume but the prices of the fish as well.

“A kilo of lapu-lapu in Manila is pegged at no less than P250. Here in Siasi, a kilo of dried lapu-lapu sells at only P160/kilo or even less,” he added.

He said that in the meantime that the viability of a cold storage plant is yet to be studied by the agency; a mini-ice maker will be provided by the BFAR to assist local fishermen in keeping the quality of their fresh catch.

Perez also indicated that the present administration is very serious in coming up with a comprehensive strategic plan to transform the BASULTA, which make up the Sulu Archipelago into a progressive area where the locals themselves would directly benefit from its rich resources.

32 persons rescued off Tawi-Tawi

By Bong Garcia


THE Philippine Navy rescued 32 people, including eight Marine soldiers, aboard a fishing boat off Tawi-Tawi, a top Navy official said Monday.

Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) commander Rear Admiral Armando Guzman said the fishing boat, F/B Kent-Ford 2, was rescued around 8 p.m. on New Year's Day.

The boat departed last Wednesday from the port of Mapun, Tawi-Tawi, en route to Zamboanga City. Its engine, however, conked out the next day, causing it to drift at sea.

Guzman said his command has dispatched two vessels backed by an aircraft upon receipt of distress call from the fishing boat to conduct search and rescue operation.

A vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), manned by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel, also joined the search and rescue operation, Guzman said.

He said it took them four days to locate F/B Kent-Ford 2 since the fishing boat's Global Positioning System (GPS) also malfunctioned and “the only means of contact is through radio transceiver.”

Twenty of the 32 people aboard the boat arrived at the NFWM's Majini Pier Monday afternoon aboard a Navy vessel while the fishing boat is being towed by another Navy boat.

F/B Kent-Ford 2, with its seven-man crew and remaining five passengers, who opted to stay aboard the fishing boat, arrived Monday night at the port of Jolo, Sulu.

“The passengers were all exhausted but in high spirits when they were rescued,” Guzman said.

“The personnel aboard the rescuing vessels gave them basic provisions such as food and water. They also tendered medical attention to some passengers who have been ailing,” Guzman added.

Tawi-Tawi hosts 4-day cinematography workshop

By PIA Press Release


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines (PIA) – Students of several schools here have undergone a four-day cinematography convention conducted by a Film Development Council of a Philippines (FDCP) during a review here recently.

Tawi-Tawi provincial information officer Abdel Nasser Tahang disclosed that a Introduction/Refresher to Basic Cinematography training module is directed during inculcating simple believe on a components of cinematography or film-making to a participants.

The convention was attended by about 80 participants entrance from a several colleges and delegate schools in this collateral town, like a Mahardika Institute of Technology (MIT), Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College (TRAC), Mindanao State University (MSU), Abubakar Computer Learning Center Foundation, Incorporated (ACLCFI), Notre Dame of Bongao (NDB), Tawi-Tawi School of Arts and Trade (TTSAT), Tawi-Tawi School of Fisheries (TTSF), and some proffer employees of a provincial supervision of Tawi-Tawi and other internal supervision units (LGUs).

It was schooled that a preference to reason a convention in a range of Tawi-Tawi highlights a oath of a FDCP to teach simple believe and bargain on how a people will commence and grasp cinematography in this southern island range of a archipelago.

Tahang pronounced a convention was a second FDCP activity in a range following a film festival by a Sineng Pambansa final September, wherein about 10 films were shown to a people of Tawi-Tawi, that underscored a joining of a FDCP “to move Filipino films to Filipinos, wherever they might be in a sparse islands of a archipelago, or in their abroad communities,” FDCP pronounced in a statement.

The events were also a initial ever FDCP activities of a kind to be staged in a province, that in a past were not deliberate probable for a far-flung range like Tawi-Tawi.

It was also schooled that a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for these activities was sealed on Jul 19 by Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali and FDCP Chairman Briccio Santos and Executive Director Jose Miguel de la Rosa during a FDCP bureau in Makati City, that includes a control of a cinematography convention for free.

According to Shermalyn Murajil, a stenographer who attended a workshop, a group of trainers include: Napoleon C. Jamir II, director/workshop facilitator, Luis Liwanag, assistant; Roy J. Arabejo, assistant; Maricris de Leon Aquino, coordinator; and Roy R. Llanes, partner coordinator, all from a FDCP.

Tawi-Tawi hosts Cinematography workshop

By PIA Press Release


ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Dec 21 (PIA) -– Students of different schools in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi have undergone a four -day cinematography workshop conducted by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) at the Beachside Inn and Restaurant, which culminated last Dec 12. Tawi-Tawi provincial information officer Abdel Nasser Tahang reported that the Introduction/Refresher to Basic Cinematography training program is aimed to inculcate basic knowledge on the components of cinematography or film making to its participants. The workshop was attended by about 80 participants from the different colleges and secondary schools in the premier town, namely, Mahardika Institute of Technology (MIT), Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College (TRAC), Mindanao State University (MSU), Abubakar Computer Learning Center Foundation Incorporated (ACLCFI), Notre Dame of Bongao (NDB), Tawi-Tawi School of Arts and Trade (TTSAT), Tawi-Tawi School of Fisheries (TTSF), and some volunteer employees of the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi and other LGUs. It was learned that the decision to hold a seminar in Tawi-Tawi highlights the pledge of the FDCP to instill basic knowledge and understanding on how the people will undertake and achieve cinematography in this Southern island province of the archipelago. Tahang said the workshop was the second FDCP activity in the province following its film festival by the Sineng Pambansa last September wherein about 10 films were shown to the people of Tawi-Tawi, which underscored the commitment of the FDCP “to bring Filipino films to Filipinos, wherever they may be in the scattered islands of the archipelago, or in their overseas communities,” FDCP said in a statement. The events were also the first ever FDCP activities of its kind to be staged in the province, which in the past were not considered possible for a far-flung province like Tawi-Tawi. It was learned also that the Memorandum of Agreement for these activities was signed on July 19 by Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali and FDCP Chairman Briccio Santos and Executive Director Jose Miguel de la Rosa at the FDCP office in Makati City, which includes the conduct of a cinematography seminar for free. According to Ms. Shermalyn Murajil, PGO stenographer, who attended the workshop, the team of trainers include: Napoleon C. Jamir II, director/workshop facilitator, Luis Liwanag, assistant, Roy J. Arabejo, assistant, Maricris de Leon Aquino, coordinator, and Roy R. Llanes, assistant Coordinator, all from FDCP. (JPA/ANT/DM-PIA9 ZBST)

Tawi-Tawi gets P48-M housing allocation

By NONOY E. LACSON


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines – The National Housing Authority (NHA) has allotted about P48 million to develop a 13-hectare lot in the municipality of Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi, where some 600 low-cost housing units will be constructed early next year.

Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali said the NHA Central Office in Manila has allotted the amount that will be used for site development, including fencing and road networks of the 13-hectare lot located in Barangay Batu-Bato, for the implementation of at least 600 low-cost housing units.

“The amount will be used for site development of the lot in Batu-Bato Problacion where the provincial government will undertake the construction of some 600 housing units for our people here,” Sahali said.

He said the housing units will be undertaken by administration in order for the provincial government to maximize the full amount of the fund intended for the housing project here.

Sahali said poor residents living along the shoreline of the municipality, and those who have been deported by the Malaysian government as illegal migrants or entrants will be given priority of having a low-cost housing unit from the NHA.

“Those people from other cities or provinces in the country who were deported by the Malaysian government as illegal migrants or entrants, and they are here today, will also be accommodated, if they signify their intentions to stay in this province,” Sahali said.

The provincial governor said his government is expecting the completion of the 600 units of houses during the second quarter of next year.

“We hope that the construction of the 600 low-cost housing units will be completed before the end of the second quarter next year,” Sahali stressed.

He said the housing units given by NHA “would be of great help to our people here particularly to those who do not have their own home and are just staying along the coast of the municipality.”

He said providing them with their own homes is one way of assisting the poor people here improve their lives in this province.

Panglima Sugala is a 3rd class municipality in the province, and has a population of about 33,315 people in 5,406 households.

The town also hosts 17 barangays (villages) – Balimbing Proper, Batu-Bato (Poblacion), Buan, Dungon, Luuk, Buntal, Parangan, Tabunan, Tungbangkaw, Bauno Garing, Belatan Halu, Karaha, Kulape, Liyaburan, Magsaggaw, Malacca, Sumangday, and Tundon.

24 Armm towns to receive incentives

By Bong Garcia


THE top seven cities and one town in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) will receive an additional P1.5 million funding support from the Armm Social Fund Project (ASFP) following a careful and stringent selection process, officials said Sunday.

The top local government units include Upi and Datu Paglas in Maguindanao, Jolo and Indanan in Sulu, Bongao and Sitangkai in Tawi-Tawi, Wao in Lanao del Sur, and the City of Lamitan in Basilan province.

ASFP Institutional Strengthening and Governance (ISG) component head Irene Fernandez said the top towns and cities were selected based on their performance on local governance, implementations of ASFP-supported projects and fiscal handling.

Fernandez said the local governments of the recipients are required to provide a specified counterpart, bringing the total amount of the project that will be implemented to around P2 million.

Fernandez said a total of 24 towns, including the eight, in Armm will be granted by the ASFP with a P1.5-million grant through its newly established municipal block grant (MBG) scheme.

ASFP project manager Nasser Sinarimbo said the MBG is ASFP's way of "recognizing the support and performance of local government units (LGUs) especially in the implementation of ASFP-supported projects in their area."

Sinarimbo said the funding support is an incentive for local governments to undertake participatory and community-driven development projects.

The MBG also scales up the impact of ASFP projects to the municipal level from individual communities, he said.

A total of P36 million has been earmarked by ASFP for the MBG out of the rolled-out P1.4 billion additional financing it secured from the World Bank.

Sinarimbo said the top eight will be the first batch to receive the grant while funds for the remaining 16 municipalities are scheduled for release next year.

ASFP handles the largest and only foreign loan assisted project that is being directly supervised by the Armm government.

It has been cited by the World Bank for its satisfactory performance, giving way to the approval of an additional financing.

The additional loan would allow ASFP to cater to 596 more communities across Armm that were not previously covered by the project.

Close to a thousand communities in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi have already benefitted from life-enhancing projects introduced by ASFP in its seven-year run.

Tawi-Tawi receives stimulus fund

By Bong Garcia


TAWI-TAWI Governor Sadikul Sahali announced they are implementing socio-economic projects aimed to uplift the living conditions of the residents in the province.

Sahali said the funding for the projects will come from the P8.5 billion stimulus fund programmed by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to hasten development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).

Sahali said Tawi-Tawi, which is one of the provinces in Armm, is receiving P1-billion share from the total stimulus fund given to the region.

Aside from Tawi-Tawi, the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Marawi City, are included.

Sahali said among the projects they would implement include construction of additional day care centers and core shelters, supplemental feedings, cash-for-work programs and other infrastructure projects like farm-to-market roads and irrigation systems.

The implementation of development programs would also enable the Provincial Government to provide additional employment opportunities, Sahali added.

Tawi-Tawi gets P1B of P8.5B ARMM stimulus fund

By PIA Press Release


ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Dec 15 (PIA) -- Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali hailed the Aquino administration for allotting P1 billion to the province, out of the P8.5-billion stimulus fund it programmed to hasten development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. “We are very grateful to President Aquino’s administration for providing our province a share of P1-billion from the P8.5-billion stimulus fund for ARMM. The amount will propel our efforts in bringing our province to greater heights,” Sahali said, after learning from officials of the Aquino government about his province’s share. Sahali added that the P8.5 billion stimulus fund allotted for the autonomous region under the “ARMM Transition and Investment Support Plan” is derived from the P72 billion saved by the current national leadership from cancelling project contracts under the past regime. The saving is now termed as a national stimulus package of the Aquino administration, he said. “Thank you, Mr. President, for your concern and kindness to us. The provincial government and the people of Tawi-Tawi is so grateful for the P1 billion allotted to improve our province’s socio-economic condition,” Sahali said. He said that all the projects lined up under the P1 billion stimulus package are geared towards poverty alleviation and improvement of the socio- economic condition of the province, which is known to be the country’s poorest zone. According to him, the provincial offices of DPWH in Tawi-Tawi got P240 million; Department of Health, P140-M; Department of Agriculture, P91-M; Department of Science and Technology, P3.6-M; Department of Interior and Local Government, P80-M; Department of Transportation and Communications, P30-M; Department of Energy, P200-M and their Electric Cooperative, P200-M. Sahali said the projects funded out of P1 billion will greatly help his province and its people, adding that implementation of the development programs will also provide additional employment to his constituents. He said his province’s share from the stimulus fund also includes welfare projects like cash-for-work programs, construction of additional day-care centers and core shelters, supplemental feedings, and various infrastructure projects like irrigations and farm-to-market roads. (JPA/BPI-ARMM/RVC-PIA9 ZBST)

7 rescued from forced labor in Tawi-Tawi province

By mindanaoexaminer.com


ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 14, 2011) – Philippine soldiers rescued 7 people who were allegedly recruited and forced into hard labor in the southern province of Tawi-Tawi, officials said Wednesday.

Officials said the victims were rescued in the village of Tinggusung in Sitangkai town, but details of the operations that led to the recovery of the 7 men were not made public neither their recruiter.

“Accordingly, the victims were subjected to forced labor,” Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, a spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command, told the Mindanao Examiner.

He identified the victims as Raymon Dequin, Renan Manluluyo, Ariel Fernando, Jerubin Daquel, Romnick Bederol and Randy Sumilang.

It was unknown where the victims were recruited or if they paid money in exchange for a job in Tawi-Tawi. “The victims were brought to the Department of Justice for processing, helping them pursue a case against their recruiter,” Cabangbang said.

Tawi-Tawi is a notorious haven for human traffickers who use the province as a jumping board to nearby Sabah, an oil-rich Malaysian state off the southern Filipino border. (Mindanao Examiner)

Group backs clever internal governance

By tawitawi.net


COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Former Isabela Governor and stream “Kaya Natin Movement” convenor Grace Padaca visited a range of Tawi-Tawi on Tuesday to generate her group’s advocacy for clever internal governance and reliable leadership.

Padaca pronounced Filipinos ought not to remove wish as there are still lots of good and honest open servants in a nation notwithstanding a viewed prevalent crime embedded in a system, Tawi-Tawi information officer Babylyn Canu-Omar said.

These unsung heroes are not beheld by a multitude though are still determined in their advocacy, a former Isabela arch executive told Omar in another interview.

Padaca associated a perfected expansion of a “Kaya Natin Movement” starting with customarily 3 members.

But diligence eventually pushed a mutation to a larger tallness with bigger membership now covering all over a nation and responding invitations from several polite multitude and people’s organizations espousing identical supervision ideals, Padaca said.

During her tarry in Tawi-Tawi, Omar said, Padaca rendered talks during a several delegate schools and colleges about their group’s advocacy on reliable leadership, propelling her audiences to convene a stream government’s bureau of “Tuwid na Daan.”

Padaca was a internal broadcaster before she won a gubernatorial choosing final 2007, and degraded her competition who had a 30-year hold on domestic power.

She ran again for a same post on 2010 though lost.

In another development, supervision information officers and communicators have been urged to implement a expedience of new media in their work as agents of change approaching to assistance build a improved design of Mindanao gainful to some-more energetic socio-economic development.

Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairperson Luwalhati Antonino done a call in a debate during a new three-day 9th Mindanao Communicators Network (MindaComNet) Congress hold in General Santos City.

Antonino forked out that with a new media – apparently referring to amicable media – changing a personification margin in communication, use of new collection and media record will give communicators a new precedence in governance communication.

“Your particular roles extend over small beacons of information. New media enables we to turn harbingers of amicable change, development, and open welfare,” Antonino told a 127 purebred participants in a congress, mostly from internal supervision units (LGUs), and several agencies opposite Mindanao.

Antonino’s call stems from a plea of communicating a genuine story of Mindanao in a light of standard news stories on dispute and struggle as reported by inhabitant and general media outfits, portraying Mindanao as perennially tormented by fight and violence.

She urged a association representatives to clean divided this myth and broach stories that bear a good news about Mindanao, by seizing a opportunities afforded to them by new media, such as a Internet, amicable networks like Facebook and Twitter, content messaging, blogs, and others.

“The resources of information presented in this association affords everybody a improved bargain of a energy of new media and how all of we can gain on this height to trigger change and transformation,” pronounced Antonino.

Meanwhile, another speaker, Jay Jaboneta, owner of Philippine Fund for Little Kids and former conduct of a new media group during a Office of a President, also spoke of how new media has altered a approach information is widespread and a interactive forms.

His topic, “Social Media for Social Change,” associated how a singular post on his Facebook page led to a origination of a substructure that helps immature children in Zamboanga City.

This highlighted a new media as a diversion changer permitting Mindanao communicators to paint a some-more certain design of a island formed on stories of good news that normal media customarily do not use.

The three-day association finished with a choosing of a new set of a 15-member Board of Directors, who were sworn to bureau by Antonino.

The MindaComNet was orderly in 2001 predominantly by officials of a Philippine Information Agency (PIA) from 5 regions in Mindanao, who have been advocating for “One Mindanao, One Concern.”

During open forums of a congress, meanwhile, Raymundo Pelaez, information officer III of a Bureau of Public Information (BPI) of a Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), assailed a miss of perceptible illustration of his segment to a sign and other signs of MindaComNet.

The outspoken Pelaez quite lamented a disaster of a inhabitant supervision to emanate a PIA informal bureau in a ARMM, a opening aggravating other viewed mistrust of a “Imperial Manila” to a unconstrained region.

Health package

By Nonoy Lacson


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines – The office of the Department of Health (DoH) here launched on Tuesday its health program rebranded as Complete Treatment Pack Program (ComPack) aimed at providing affordable medicines to the Filipino people.

Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali said the program is part of the DoH’s commitment to provide basic services like health and cheaper medicines, and to assure its sustainable access by the marginalized sectors of the society. Sahali said the poor people of the province will directly benefit from the ComPack like the beneficiaries of DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program who will be given free medicines for their illnesses.

Tawi-Tawi gets P1-B dev't fund

By ALI G. MACABALANG


COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali has hailed the Aquino administration for allotting to his province P1 billion out of the P8.5 billion stimulus fund it programmed to hasten development in the 22-year-old Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“We are very grateful to President Aquino’s administration for providing our province a share of P1 billion from the P8.5 billion stimulus fund for ARMM. The amount will propel our efforts in bringing our province to greater heights,” Sahali said after learning from officials of the Aquino government about his province’s share.

Sahali said the P8.5 billion stimulus fund allotted for the autonomous region under the “ARMM Transition and Investment Support Plan” is derived from the P72 billion saved by the current national leadership from cancelling project contracts under the past regime.

The saving is now termed as a national stimulus package of the Aquino administration, he said.

“Thank you, Mr. President, for your concern and kindness to us. The provincial government and the people of Tawi-Tawi is so grateful for the P1 billion allotted to improve our province’s socio-economic condition,” Sahali said.

He said that all the projects lined-up under the P1 billion stimulus package are geared towards poverty alleviation and improvement of the socio-economic condition of the province, which is known to be the country’s poorest zone.

According to Sahali, the provincial offices of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Tawi-Tawi got P240 million, Department of Health – P140 million, Department of Agriculture with P91 million, Department of Science and Technology – P3.6 million, Department of the Interior and Local Government – P80 million, Department of Transportation and Communications – P30 million, Department of Energy – P200 million, and their Electric Cooperative got P200 million.

Sahali said the projects funded out of the P1 billion will greatly help his province and its people, adding that implementation of the development programs will also provide additional employment to his constituents.

He said his province’s share from the stimulus fund also includes welfare projects like cash-for-work programs, construction of additional day-care centers and core shelters, supplemental feedings, and various infrastructure projects like irrigations and farm-to-market roads.

In another development, the Regional Police Office of Central Mindanao has welcomed to its fold of law enforcement the 276 new enlisted cops, urging them to “wear badge with honor” in carrying out their mandate to protect civilians and their properties in pursuit of building law and order.

Chief Superintendent Lester Camba, deputy Region 12 police director, led a formal ceremony recently, and honored the awarding of badges to the 276 fresh police personnel recruited lately to beef up police operations in Central Mindanao.

“You are now police officers…wear your badge with honor,” Camba fervently told the fresh cops lined up during the ceremony attended by jubilant parents of the recruits.

Camba also urged the police old timers to help their new comrades carry out their mandate in the full spirit and meaning of their oath to “maintain, uphold and hold dear to (our hearts) the badge of honor of PNP (Philippine National Police).”

Noting lingering negative perception about some street police operatives allegedly involved in misdemeanors, the Central Mindanao police leadership pointed out that the “PNP badge is not a simple paraphernalia we usually wear (as) it carries a lot of significance and responsibilities.”

“Philippine Monkey-Eating Eagle, the National Bird, featured in the badge symbolizes swiftness, ferocity, power, courage and immortality, while the Shield means the protection of all citizens,” the police command said.

The badge’s three stars stand for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao comprising one Republic with territorial integrity for which the PNP “must enforce the law and maintain peace and order with professionalism, zeal and dedication in keeping the highest ideals and traditions of service to God, country and people,” the field police office said.

The image of Lapu-Lapu in the badge “symbolizes the bravery of the Philippine National Police,” it added.

Tawi-Tawi lauds CSC training program

By NONOY E. LACSON


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines – The provincial government of Tawi-Tawi has lauded the Civil Service Institute (CSI) for holding a five-day seminar and training for about 90 government employees in the province.

Governor Sadikul Sahali Tuesday said the CSI, the training institute of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), started the seminar/workshop in this capital town on Monday and will culminate on Friday, December 9.

Sahali said that training program involving “values and accountabilities” of government workers would help enhance the performance and efficiency of the provincial government employees of Tawi-Tawi.

The governor also stressed that the provincial government is grateful with the objectives of the CSI to update the provincial government employees, and prepare them to provide better service to the constituents.

In illustrating his support to the seminar, Sahali has directed the personnel and administrative offices of the provincial government to participate and assist in the training program in order to attain a higher level of target output of the employees in achieving the objectives of the workshop.

He admitted that “the training is very vital in the transformation of the attitude of employees to achieve a better accomplishment that are inherent in their positions and as expected from them.”

“I commend the CSC and its training institute – the CSI, which is in charge of training for the civil servants aimed at giving and maintaining laudable degree of performance that will fully serve and impress the people,” Sahali stressed.

For its part, the CSC said the training program under the CSI is intended to enrich the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of state workers in line with the agency’s mandate in transforming every civil servant into a “Lingkod-Bayani” or servant hero.

Sahali said the CSI will explain to the provincial government employees here the CSC’s flagship programs on values and governance, like Public Service Ethics and Accountability, Values Orientation Workshop, Basic Customer Service Skills, and Service Excellence Delivery Program.

Meanwhile, CSC Tawi-Tawi Field Office chief Shastri Buddin affirms that the CSC flagship program, now being conducted in the province, is an acceleration effort to improve the worthiness of the employees in terms of their efficiency and dealings with their clientele.

Buddin stressed that the CSC’s human resource intervention is to enhance the delivery of public services by the public servants, and ensure that they (employees) are competent in performing and delivering their mandates inherent to their positions.

For his part, Provincial Administrator Kadirie Sahali led about 100 provincial government employees here in the training.

Some Tawi-Tawi islands sinking, lawmaker says

By tawitawi.net


MANILA, Philippines – Tawi-Tawi Rep. Nur Jaafar on Monday called open courtesy to falling islands in his home district since of meridian change.

In a payoff speech, Jaafar talked about a sum of an comment his bureau instituted to countenance reports that a islands of Tawi-Tawi are sinking.

The assement showed that a island-province has been falling for years, with several circuitously islands that were on 2008 maps now missing.

According to Jaafar, Bancuruan Island, that used to be 5 hectares is now down to 3 hectares, while some-more than 50 families on Turtle Island have been relocated to aloft belligerent due to critical erosion and rising sea level.

The comment also finished a following discoveries:

- Manuc-Manucan Island is now totally submerged

- Mapun Central School is flooded

- Only 5 hectares of Sitangkai are left from a strange area of some-more than 8 hectares. Its graveyards have been mislaid to a sea.

- Flooring of stilt houses in coastal communities are now next sea level

- Storm surges broken seashore communities in South Ubian, Tandubas, and Bongao

- Coral and seaweed splotch in waters off Tawi-Tawi

Jaafar pronounced a commentary endorse a inclusion of a Philippines in a World Risk Index as third among tip 10 countries many exposed to disaster risk and healthy hazards.

He claimed that range is during a core of a world’s biggest coral triangle and is also many exposed to meridian change.

Jaafar pronounced a other effects of meridian change presumably embody a detriment of a land area where immature sea turtles lay and induce their eggs, a genocide of corals, and a detriment of people’s homes since of sea turn rise.

The investigate on Tawi-Tawi was finished by a Climate Change Commission, a University of a Philippines Philippine Marine Institute, a Initiative for Tawi-Tawi Area Development Foundation, Conservation International, and a agriculture, environment, and scholarship and record departments.

Marines rescue 13 probable victims of tellurian trafficking in Tawi-Tawi

By tawitawi.net


ZAMBOANGA CITY — Troops from a Marine Battalion Landing Team-12 (MBLT-12) have discovered 13 “possible victims” of tellurian trafficking and apprehended a suspected monitor in a range of Tawi-Tawi, a Marine orator said.


Naval Public Affairs executive Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay pronounced a victims were intercepted and discovered around 5 p.m. Tuesday north of Mangsee Island in a range of Tawi-Tawi.

Tonsay pronounced authorities perceived information that a organisation of women were in North Mangsee and “awaiting to be ecstatic to Malaysia by a country’s southern backdoor.”

Rescued were Ruby Ann Dela Cruz, 25, of Tibag, Tarlac City; Angeline Villanueva, 20, of Mexico, Pampanga; Sarah Tarayo, 27, of Kalayaan, Pasig City; Marilyn Dela Cruz, 21, from Cabanatuan City; Julie Mateo, 24, from San Antonio, Nueva Ecija; Jennifer Paernia, 26, from South Comembo, Makati City; Princess Doce, 20, from Sucat, Muntinlupa City; Nerissa Castro, 25, from Angeles City; Dernalisa Castro, 26, from Fairview, Quezon City; Liza Balceda, 24, from Angeles City; Mary Jane Cortez, 31, from Arayat, Pampanga; Lady Lee Buan, 20, from Cutcut, Angeles City; and Beverly Miclat, 24, of Angeles City.

Authorities also arrested a suspected monitor and a group’s guide, Mattarasak Gani, from Brooke’s Point, Palawan.

Tonsay pronounced those discovered were taken to a Camp Navarro General Hospital for medical hearing and debriefing and were after incited over to a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). (PNA)

RMA/LAM/TPGarcia/rsm

Marines rescue ‘possible’ human trafficking victims

By Bong Garcia


TROOPS from the Marine Battalion Landing Team-Soccksargen (MBLT-12) foiled a human trafficking and rescued 13 “possible victims” in the province of Tawi-Tawi.

Naval Public Affairs director Lieutenant Colonel Omar Tonsay said the victims were intercepted and rescued around 5 p.m. Tuesday north of Mangsee Island in the province of Tawi-Tawi.

The troops also arrested Mattarasak Gani of Brooke’s Point, Palawan, who was the alleged facilitator and the group's guide.

Tonsay said the rescue came after they were alerted that a group of women was in North Mangsee and “awaiting to be transported to Malaysia through the country's southern backdoor.”

Rescued were Ruby Ann Dela Cruz, 25, Tibag, Tarlac City; Angeline Villanueva, 20, Mexico, Pampanga; Sarah Tarayo, 27, Kalayaan, Pasig City; Marilyn Dela Cruz, 21, Cabanatuan City; Julie Mateo, 24, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija; Jennifer Paernia, 26, South Comembo, Makati City; Princess Doce, 20, Sucat, Muntinlupa City; Nerissa Castro, 25, Angeles City; Dernalisa Castro, 26, Fairview, Quezon City; Liza Balceda, 24, Angeles City; Mary Jane Cortez, 31, Arayat, Pampanga; Lady Lee Buan, 20, Cut-Cut, Angeles City; and Beverly Miclat, 24, Angeles City.

The rescued victims were taken to the Camp Navarro General Hospital for medical examination and debriefing and were later turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Tonsay said.

Tawi-Tawi gets P1-B assist fund

By tawitawi.net


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines – The inhabitant supervision has allotted some P1 billion from a impulse account of President Aquino to financial several growth and provision programs for Tawi-Tawi, in an bid to rise a socio-economic condition of a province, and propel a internal residents from poverty.

Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali pronounced a allotted volume was postulated by a Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“The provincial supervision here is so most beholden that President Aquino extended us about P1 billion to urge a province’s socio-economic condition. Thank we Mr. President for your regard and affability to us,” Sahali said.

According to Sahali, a volume is partial of a P8.5 billion account appropriated for a ARMM by a inhabitant government, and taken from a P72 billion impulse account of a Aquino administration.

Of a P1 billion budget, a Department of Public Works and Highways in a range got an allocation amounting to P240 million, Department of Health with P140 million, Department of Agriculture – P91 million, Department of Science and Technology with P3.6 million, Department of a Interior and Local Government got P80 million, a Electric Cooperative got P200 million, Department of Transportation and Communications with P30 Million, and a Department of Energy got P200 million.

The administrator here pronounced a volume extended them underneath a impulse account would be of good assistance for a range and to a people here.

Sahali pronounced all a projects lined-up underneath a programs of any of a line agencies are all geared towards misery alleviation and alleviation of a socio-economic condition of a province.

Adding that once a growth module will be implemented, there will be a large employing of manpower to commence a projects in many tools of a province.

The impulse account that is termed as a ARMM Transition and Investment Support Plan will embody gratification projects covering cash-for-work-programs, construction of day-care centers, supplemental feeding, and core preserve assistance.

The impulse account will also financial a doing of several infrastructure projects like irrigation and farm-to-market roads.

Last Saturday, a Office of a Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) has also allotted some P36 million to former combatants of a Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in this range to financial several provision projects and support programs to serve urge their vital conditions.

OPAPP pronounced a volume will be used to financial several provision programs for a former combatants vital in during slightest 12 villages located in a municipalities of Bongao, Languyan, Sapa-Sapa, Simunul, and Panglima Sugala.

OPAPP Director Susan Marcaida disclosed that a volume of P3 million will be allotted to any of a 12 villages by a Peace and Development Council Program (PDCP) that was tasked to lift out a community-driven projects that are approaching to residence a needs of a beneficiaries, Sahali said.

Tawi-Tawi gets P1-B aid fund

By NONOY E. LACSON


To finance development, livelihood programs

BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines – The national government has allotted some P1 billion from the stimulus fund of President Aquino to finance various development and livelihood programs for Tawi-Tawi, in an effort to develop the socio-economic condition of the province, and propel the local residents from poverty.

Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali said the allotted amount was granted through the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“The provincial government here is so much grateful that President Aquino extended us about P1 billion to improve the province's socio-economic condition. Thank you Mr. President for your concern and kindness to us,” Sahali said.

According to Sahali, the amount is part of the P8.5 billion fund appropriated for the ARMM by the national government, and taken from the P72 billion stimulus fund of the Aquino administration.

Of the P1 billion budget, the Department of Public Works and Highways in the province got an allocation amounting to P240 million, Department of Health with P140 million, Department of Agriculture – P91 million, Department of Science and Technology with P3.6 million, Department of the Interior and Local Government got P80 million, the Electric Cooperative got P200 million, Department of Transportation and Communications with P30 Million, and the Department of Energy got P200 million.

The governor here said the amount extended them under the stimulus fund would be of great help for the province and to the people here.

Sahali said all the projects lined-up under the programs of each of the line agencies are all geared towards poverty alleviation and improvement of the socio-economic condition of the province.

Adding that once the development program will be implemented, there will be a massive hiring of manpower to undertake the projects in many parts of the province.

The stimulus fund that is termed as the ARMM Transition and Investment Support Plan will include welfare projects covering cash-for-work-programs, construction of day-care centers, supplemental feeding, and core shelter assistance.

The stimulus fund will also finance the implementation of various infrastructure projects like irrigation and farm-to-market roads.

Last Saturday, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) has also allotted some P36 million to former combatants of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in this province to finance various livelihood projects and support programs to further improve their living conditions.

OPAPP said the amount will be used to finance various livelihood programs for the former combatants living in at least 12 villages located in the municipalities of Bongao, Languyan, Sapa-Sapa, Simunul, and Panglima Sugala.

OPAPP Director Susan Marcaida disclosed that the amount of P3 million will be allotted to each of the 12 villages through the Peace and Development Council Program (PDCP) that was tasked to carry out the community-driven projects that are expected to address the needs of the beneficiaries, Sahali said.

P36-M allotted for Tawi-Tawi projects

By tawitawi.net


BONGAO, Philippines – The Office of a Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) has allotted some P36 million for Tawi-Tawi to financial several provision projects and support programs for an identified zone in a province.

Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali pronounced that OPAPP sensitive a provincial supervision about extend during a unchanging assembly of a Provincial Peace and Order (PPOC) to urge a vital condition of former combatants of a Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) here.

Sahali pronounced OPAPP Director Susan Marcaida disclosed that a volume of P36 million has been earmarked from a supports of a Payapa during Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) for a former MNLF combatants vital in during slightest 12 villages located in a towns of Bongao, Languyan, Sapa-Sapa, Simunul, and Panglima Sugala, all in Tawi-Tawi.

Sahali pronounced that Marcaida explained to a provincial supervision that a volume of P3 million will be allotted to any of a 12 villages by a Peace and Development Council Program (PDCP) that is tasked to lift out a community-driven projects to residence a people’s needs.

PAMANA is a government’s assent and growth module that seeks to revoke poverty, urge governance, and commission communities by community-driven projects, while compelling peace.

For her part, Tawi-Tawi Vice Governor Ruby Sahali-Tan has reminded OPAPP to delicately brand a projects that will be implemented in a identified areas to equivocate duplication with existent projects being saved from other supervision sources.

As this developed, Sahali has tasked a mayors of a pronounced 5 municipalities to rush their consultations with a beneficiaries of a program, and contention them a soonest probable time to his office.

He also tasked a mayors to immediately ready a programs of work for a projects, observant “in this manner, we are positive of a clarity on a partial of a internal supervision units (LGUs).”

He pronounced a PAMANA program’s categorical plan is to move behind a supervision in aim communities by ensuring that they advantage from softened smoothness of simple amicable services, and are served by responsive, pure and accountable governments.

It also aims to minister to attaining durability assent by achieving a rebate of misery and disadvantage by village infrastructure, and a smoothness of amicable services, Sahali stressed.

Sabah-bound boat intercepted off Tawi-Tawi

By JOHN CARLO M. CAHINHINAN


MANILA, Philippines — Combined teams from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) rescued about 300 persons believed to be victims of human trafficking in the waters off Tawi-Tawi last Sunday.

Lieutenant Commander Algier Ricafrente said the victims were on a motor launch, the ML Wendelene, which was spotted by elements of Coast Guard District South Western Mindanao and two PCG-BFAR Mon-itoring and Control Vessels.

The joint team was on routine patrol off Taganak Island at around 2:30 p.m. when they spotted the Wen-delene overloaded with passengers.

Ricafrente said that the motor launch, which has an authorized capacity of 58 passengers, was sailing towards the direction of Sabah, Malaysia.

The Wendelene was then escorted by the patrol vessels to Zamboanga City.

It was learned that the motor launch was skippered by Captain Rogello Anas and operated by Bernalda Julwadi of Canelar in Zamboanga City.

The rescued victims will be turned over Wednesday to the Visayan Forum Foundation which has been providing support, education, housing and legal advice to women and children trafficked into prostitution.

Over 200 suspected trafficked victims rescued in Tawi-Tawi

By Queenie Casimiro, ABS CBN News Zamboanga


ZAMBOANGA, Philippines – Authorities in Western Mindanao intercepted a vessel loaded with over 200 suspected victims of human trafficking.

Reports from the Coast Guard Zamboanga Station revealed two monitoring and control vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources were on routing patrol operations with joint elements from the Coast Guard District South Western Mindanao on Saturday when they spotted and intercepted Motorlaunch Wendelene at the vicinity of Taganak Island in Tawi-Tawi.

The vessel was proceeding towards the direction of Sabah, Malaysia.

Upon inspection, authorities discovered that the ferry was carrying over 200 passengers, way above its capacity of 58 passengers.

The vessel is said to be owned by a certain Bernaida Julwadi of Canelar, Zamboanga City, while the ferry captain was identified as Rogelio Anas.

Coast Guard Zamboanga Station Commander Perfecto Eden said ML Wendelene is now being escorted by authorities to Zamboanga City while the rescued victims are set to be turned over to the NGO Visayan Forum Foundation.

Under Republic Act 9993, otherwise known as the Philippine Coast Guard Act of 2009, the Coast Guard is mandated to assist in the enforcement of laws on human smuggling, among others.

Tawi-Tawi agenda

By tawitawi.net


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi (PIA) – The range of Tawi-Tawi continues to propel a healthy resources supervision (NRM) module on Mapun and Turtle Islands, dual far-flung municipalities of this southernmost province.

Provincial Information Officer Abdel Nasser Tahang pronounced in a formulation assembly during a Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall that Vice Governor Ruby Sahali discussed a bulletin with a endangered agencies participating in a doing of a module that includes mangrove planting in partnership with a Department of Environment and Natural Resources, fruit-bearing tree planting, dive exploration, and coastal apparatus supervision and meridian change.

Suspect in slay of Tawi-Tawi deputy police chief killed in shootout

By Karen Boncocan

INQUIRER.net


MANILA, Philippines—Authorities shot dead a suspect who killed a deputy police chief in Tawi-Tawi province Monday night. Inspector Erick Fregillana, Bongao town deputy police chief died after being shot by Abdul Sabdani at 8:38 p.m. in Pahut village, Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said. Police said that Fregillana was trying to wrestle an M16 rifle from Sabdani when he was shot. The suspect was under investigation for a traffic incident at that time, said Cruz. Bongao town police tried to shoot at the suspect but it took three hours and several more officers from the Tawi-Tawi police to fight off Sabdani who was killed in the shootout. Recovered from Sabdani were an M16 rifle, an M14 rifle, a caliber .45 pistol, a caliber .38 revolver, a rifle grenade and a homemade airgun.

Tawi-Tawi agenda

By mb.com.ph


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi (PIA) – The province of Tawi-Tawi continues to propel its natural resources management (NRM) program on Mapun and Turtle Islands, two far-flung municipalities of this southernmost province.

Provincial Information Officer Abdel Nasser Tahang said in a planning meeting at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall that Vice Governor Ruby Sahali discussed the agenda with the concerned agencies participating in the implementation of the program that includes mangrove planting in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, fruit-bearing tree planting, dive exploration, and coastal resource management and climate change.

9th PNP Maritime to build gunboat unit in Tawi-Tawi

By Allen Abastillas


The 9th Maritime Mobile Unit will soon construct a special gunboat unit in Bongao and Mapun Tawi-Tawi.

Newly assumed 9th MMU chief Sr. Supt. Agustin Derio Molina said the construction of the special gunboat unit in Bongao and Mapun is in partnership with the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi under Gov. Sadikul Sahali.

The special gunboat unit includes a wharf and a building that will house a gunboat.

Molina said the Philippine National Police Maritime national headquarters is expected to receive a gunboat that will be donated by the US- Department of Justice.It will be detailed in Bongao and Mapun to combat piracy and lawlessness in the high seas.

Molina said his office is waiting for the formal donation of the 2,500 square meters coastal area in Bongao and Mapun from the provincial government.

According to Molina, the 9th MMU has a big command group of area of jurisdiction because it has a two regions — 9th MMU and Maritime Mobile Unit of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for Basilan ,Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

At present, the gunboat donated by the US Department of Justice is now detailed in Balabak Palawan.

Malaysia is also speeding up the construction of a special gun boat unit because they also want to receive similar donation from the US government, Molina revealed..

Before assuming command last November 3, Molina was assigned in Palawan. He graduated from the Philippine National Police Academy in 1985.

Former 9th MMU chief Sr. Supt. Eduardo Serapio Garado is now the new assigned in Cebu City (Region 7).

Tawi-Tawi to propel environment program in Mapun, Turtle Island

By Zamboanga Times


The Province of Tawi-Tawi is on another leg next week of propelling its Natural Resources Management (NRM) program in Mapun and Turtle Island, two far-flung municipalities of this southern province.

Provincial Information Officer Abdel Nasser Tahang reported that in a planning meeting at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall Tuesday, Vice Governor Ruby Sahali discussed the agenda with the concerned agencies participating in the implementation of the program.

The NRM activities include mangrove planting in partnership with the DENR, fruit-bearing tree planting with the DA, dive exploration with WWF, and Coastal Resource Management and Climate Change with WWF and DA.

Tahang added that social services that will be included are Brigada Iskwela, maternal and child care, 4P’s beneficiary assessment, Islamic lectures, assistance to Mother’s Club of Turtle Island, operation gupit, and medical/dental services.

Sahali said these are the programs and activities that the provincial government is undertaking since 2010 in line with its implementation of the province’s NRM program. She said that after Mapun and Turtle Island, she has eyed for Sapa-Sapa municipality as the next recipient.

“We are doing this public service for the benefits of the people and we have set aside politics here,” she said.

Meanwhile, Task Force 62 commander, Captain Renato Yongque, PN, GSC, has assured the availability of a navy boat to ferry the Mapun and Turtle Island-bound group this week end. — RVC/PIA

Basic services

By Nonoy Lacson


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi – National and provincial government agencies here will conduct on Monday an evaluation on the basic and social services that the provincial government is extending to the municipalities of Mapun and Turtle Islands. Vice Governor Ruby Sahali-Tan said the evaluation aims to further improve the basic and social services that the province is extending to the people of the province.

Tan said senior officials of the province, including officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, and World Wide Fund for Nature will compose the group in the conduct of the evaluation.

Cops still seeking info on blank fish breeder and his Filipino abductor

By THE TAWI-TAWI JOURNAL


KOTA KINABALU: There has been no word from Malaysian fish breeder Pang Chong Pong a month after he was abducted during Sitangkai Island in a uneasy southern Philippines region.

Philippine military in a Tawi Tawi range pronounced conjunction Pang, 47, nor his purported abductor Merham Maraji, a former business partner of Pang, could be traced.

“We have filed a rapist box for abduction and so far, no release direct has been made,” Tawi Tawi provincial military director Senior Supt Rodeleo Jocson pronounced Sunday.

He pronounced a military had checked with family members of Maraji and also his neighbours in Sitangkai though they pronounced they had not seen him or any Chinese man.

“Maraji seems to have left but a trace,” he said, adding that he had not been seen during his home encampment in Panglima Segala either, that is partial of a Tawi Tawi sequence of islands.

Pang, a father of 3 children from Sarawak, operated a fish-breeding plantation in Semporna and had entered Philippines illegally with 3 Filipino workers to buy uninformed fish shrimp.

Maraji, a former workman of Pang, who after became a business associate, was purported to have forced Pang during gunpoint into his vessel on Oct 5. Pang’s workers were not harmed.

Supt Jocson pronounced formed on declare statements, military trust there was a disagreement between a two.

Maraji had no famous links to kidnap syndicates or belligerent groups, he said.

He combined that Pang had entered Sitangkai in an unregistered speedboat.

Sitangkai is about a 30-minute vessel float from Sabah’s Semporna.

Pang’s family members pronounced Sunday they had not listened anything given a kidnapping.

‘Surgical strike’ backed

By Ryan Ponce Pacpaco


MUSLIM lawmakers yesterday strongly endorsed surgical strike against perpetrators of the series of fatal attacks on government forces, but rejected all-out war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as this would endanger the lives of innocent people.

In a press conference, Tawi-Tawi Rep. Nur Jaafar said “a surgical operation should be adopted against the perpetrators of this heinous crime. We have to unleash the full might of our law.”

Jaafar stressed that a surgical operation “can be done with good intelligence report with the cooperation of the local authorities. In this way, civilians won’t suffer. We don’t want an all-out war because we know the collateral damage – non-combatants and civilians.”

He sought the review of the existing ceasefire agreement with the MILF which he said is “duty-bound to police their ranks so that these untoward incidents won’t happen again.”

“The provisions on disciplining their (MILF) ranks must be included in the ceasefire agreement, so that other groups won’t be able to use them (as shields from liability),” he said.

In the same press conference, Basilan Rep. Jim Hataman urged the MILF leadership to turn over the violators of the ceasefire agreement “to complement the efforts of the government.”

“The GPH and the MILF should discuss how to deal with these perpetrators,” he said. “Such provisions should be in the ceasefire agreement.”

House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman urged President Benigno Aquino III to “convene soonest the National Security Council (NSC) to rationally and effectively address the escalating carnage being repeatedly committed by MILF rebels against government soldiers and civilians.”

“The President must not rely on the bungling assessment of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and the amateurish pronouncements of Presidential spokespersons,” said Lagman.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez filed House Resolution No. 1841 calling on the House Committee on National Defense and Security to investigate the effects of Al-Barka incident to the peace negotiations between the government and MILF.

Mindanao lawmakers call for review of ceasefire agreement

By Kathrina Alvarez/Jonathan de Santos/SDF/Sunnex


(UPDATED) The ceasefire agreement with Moro rebels must be reviewed if the government wants to bring long-awaited peace in Mindanao, Muslim lawmakers said Monday.

“We have to review the existing ceasefire agreement. The MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) is duty bound to police their ranks so that these untoward incidents won’t happen again,” Tawi-Tawi Representative Nur Jaafar said in a press briefing.

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"The provisions on disciplining their (MILF) ranks must be included in the ceasefire agreement, so that other groups won’t be able to use them," said the lawmaker adding that some lawless elements or other rebel groups use the MILF to shield themselves from any liability.

The MILF claimed responsibility for last week’s bloody ambush attack, which claimed the lives of 19 Special Forces soldiers. They were also responsible for the twin attacks in Zamboanga Sibugay on October 20.

On Sunday, four civilians were included in the eight recorded fatalities out of two separate attacks believed to be committed also by the MILF.

In its official website, the MILF claimed that it was the military which violated the ceasefire agreement after the latter attacked an area “where innocent civilians are being caught in the middle of the ferocious artillery strike”.

“This attack of the government forces blatantly violated the existing ceasefire accord between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and MILF, which only overstates the insincerity of the government and its armed forces with the ongoing peace process and ceasefire,” the group said referring to the incident in Basilan.

Meanwhile, Muslim legislators urged the public to respect the decision of Aquino to continue the government’s pursuit of peace as a declaration of an all-out war against the rebel group may harm hundreds of civilians.

Jaafar, together with Representatives Jim Hataman-Saliman (Basilan), Bai Sandra Sema (Maguindanao and Cotabato City), Pangalian Balindong (Lanao del Sur) and Nur-ana Sahidulla (Sulu) expressed this position considering their constituents which may greatly be affected by such move.

"Once (the) President declares war, it is not only Mindanao but the whole Philippines (that) will be affected," Sema noted.

Like President Aquino, they said an investigation should first be conducted if there were lapses on the side of the government troops.

Balindong, for his part, noted that the public should remain vigilant against anyone or any group who would take advantage of the situation to sow more fear and disorder.

"We must support pursuit operations against lawless elements, but not against the MILF. The just response to aggression must be discriminate; it must be directed only against unjust aggressors, not against innocent people caught up in a war not of their making,” he said in a press statement.

Senators call for end to ceasefire, direct action

Calls for suspension of the ceasefire agreement resounded in the halls of the Senate as well. Senator Francis Pangilinan, a member of President Benigno Aquino III's Liberal Party, said the ceasefire should be lifted after reports of continued MILF attacks that have killed seven more, five of whom were civilians.

"We also urge the President to suspend peace talks with the MILF temporarily. The GPH (Philippine government) and the MILF must first strengthen the mechanisms of the peace talks, specifically the provisions on ceasefire violations,” he said.

"Ceasefire violations are a hindrance to genuine peace talks. The strengthening of mechanisms against such violations is crucial to both parties moving forward with the peace negotiations. This must include provisions on bringing to justice those perpetrators who, with their actions—regardless of their motives—have resulted in the loss of lives,” he added.

In a separate statement released Monday morning, Pangilinan said rogue elements of the rebel group should be met with "the full force of the law."

“We cannot simply turn a blind eye to the murderous and lawless armed elements in the area, who, with treachery, take advantage of the restraint exercised by our men in uniform out of respect for the peace process,” he said in a press statement.

In a text message to Sun.Star, the senator made clear that he was not blaming a clash in Basilan that left 19 soldiers dead on MILF "lost commands," or MILF members who have gone rogue. He said he meant rogue members of the group in general.

"We should continue to talk peace with the MILF but we should show no mercy for the murderous lost commands. We trust that the MILF will agree that these lost commands should be dealt with the full force of the law," he said. He changed his stance on peace talks Monday afternoon.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, on Monday, also said Philippine security forces should be allowed to enter MILF "areas of temporary stay" to go after lawless elements.

She said pursuit operations against criminals fall under "military necessity" as defined under the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, which was passed in 2009.

The law defines military necessity as "necessity of employing measures, which are indispensable to achieve a legitimate aim of the conflict and are not otherwise prohibited by International Humanitarian Law."

She said military necessity "trumps any ceasefire agreement." She said this in reaction to recent MILF attacks in Basilan that left soldiers and plantation workers dead.

The senator added the MILF should be made accountable for the attacks because of command responsibility. She said if the MILF cannot rein its forces in, "there would be no point continuing peace talks with them.”

With plantation workers among the casualties in an ambush in Lanao Del Norte, Santiago said "the rebels are guilty of war crimes.”

"We don’t have to wait for the next round of peace talks in Kuala Lumpur. Great necessity requires great action to defend the state. We do not need the approval of the International Monitoring Team or the MILF,” she said.

She warned that if the government continues to stay out of these areas of temporary stay, the military will be “so severely hampered in its law enforcement functions that the Philippines would be flirting with the status of a failed state.”

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, from Cagayan de Oro, menwhile said that although he understands the sentiments of people, including fellow lawmakers, calling for a military assault on the MILF, "we should look at the over-all picture and seek lasting peace even as we demand that the perpetrators be brought to justice."

He said that as a lawmaker from Mindanao, he "knows first-hand" that Mindanao's peace and order problem is rooted in poverty. He said the solution lies not in military action but in going back to the negotiating table. “All-out war against the MILF will only exacerbate the socio-economic conditions in Muslim Mindanao," he warned.

The senator, who joined the Senate majority bloc when he took office in August, said he will support President Benigno Aquino III's decision to push through with peace talks with the MILF.

For its part, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued a pastoral letter on Monday, appealing to its followers to continue pushing for peace, which it says is the best way to end the conflict in Mindanao.

"Nobody wins in a war; let us renounce violence’ let us not allow these violent acts of lawless elements to provoke us to further violence," CBCP president Nereo Odchimar said in a pastoral letter.

The series of violent events, including the killing of an Italian priest, has prompted a "reflex reaction" among other sectors who are in favor of an all-out war against the MILF.

"The reactions are valid, and the perpetrators of these dastardly acts must indeed be pursued relentlessly and brought to justice," he reiterated, adding that time, energy and resources have also been invested for peace-building.

Bangun Ra'ayat expands to other Tawi-tawi towns

By Bernie Concepcion


The Tawi-Tawi-based newly recognized Non-government organization has organized its various local chapters in the different towns of the island province in order to further expand its membership to be able to better serve its constituents and spread its principles of unity and peace. Bangun Raa’yat, Inc Sec. Gen Sonardy Jayari said the organization, which was formed recently has set up its municipal chapters in the towns of Mapun, Turtle Island, Tandubas, Sapa-Sapa, Simunul, Sibutu, Sitangkai, Languyan, Panglima Sugala, and the capital town of Bongao. “There is a need for us to expand our area of coverage in order we could deliver our services and spread to the different islands our advocacy, said Jayari. Supported by other pioneering members, Jayari said the organization would be embarking on various programs and projects envisioned in our constitution and by-laws which we wanted to attain in the next few months. This pledging NGO has the following objectives; To support the government and non-government programs on peace and development efforts: To be responsible and productive citizens in the community; To promote human dignity and social justice in the community; To advocate and promote preservation and respect for human right;. To promote social awareness among the members and the constituents in the community; To coordinate with the different government agencies, on matters that will enhance the morale and welfare of the constituents; To assist and engage on livelihood programs and projects to help alleviate the living condition of the people;. To secure assistance/aid from various government and non-government institutions both local and foreign entities for the benefit of the community; and To initiate and conduct other legitimate activities as necessary. Each town had started to form its own chapter and enlisted new members after undergoing the basic screening and orientation workshops, Oath-taking rites will be officially administered by the provincial chapter which will be scheduled later. Some hundred of members are already bonafide members of the NGO representing the cross-section of the communities of the island province, particularly in the town of South Ubian. Considering the distance of every municipality and geographical setting of the island province, it is imperative and practical for the individual chapter to exist, said the official. “As much as possible , we wanted to reach all sectors in order to involve everyone in our advocacy,” he said. He added that Zamboanga Peninsula, Sulu and Basilan will soon have their separate chapters and will be appropriately recognized. Bangun Ra’ayat was given a tremendous boost following its official registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) just recently.(faber_concepcion2004@yahoo.com)

Upgraded Tawi-Tawi airport draws commercial airlines and interest from investors

By BusinessWorld Online


BONGAO, TAWI-TAWI — Once considered one of the most inaccessible provinces in the country, Tawi-Tawi is experiencing a surge in business activity and investor interest. Through a partnership between the Philippine and US governments, the Tawi-Tawi airport runway was upgraded.

This month, Cebu-Pacific begins new commercial flight routes daily from Zamboanga City to Sanga-Sanga airport in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, using an Airbus A319.

Earlier, Airphil Express began flying a 77-seater along the same route, with connecting flights to Manila and Davao.

“The presence of two commercial airlines means more competitive transport rates, which is good for business,” said a local entrepreneur.

The Department of Transportation and Communications, the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program implemented the runway project.

“Linking Tawi-Tawi to the rest of the country and the world is in line with the Philippine Government’s efforts to ensure the physical integration of Mindanao through major transport infrastructure,” said Secretary Luwalhati Antonino, chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority, which oversees implementation of USAID’s GEM Program.

The Tawi-Tawi runway was extended by USAID from 1,608 to 1,920 meters, and widened from 18 to 30 meters. It is now all-concrete, and able to accommodate larger aircraft such as Boeing 737s and Airbus 320s.

“The A319 has a large cargo hold, which is convenient for shipping live fish to buyers in Manila, Hong Kong and other destinations, without having to repack the cargo,” said Nazrullah Masahud, vice-president of the Tawi-Tawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He added that the air links would support the expansion of the mariculture industry in Tawi-Tawi, home to the Sulu Archipelago’s only multi-species hatchery.

The chamber and the provincial government worked with the airlines and the CAAP to expedite the establishment of the new flights

Previously, travelers going from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi had to endure a 17-hour ferry ride.

The easy access by air has drawn investors and domestic tourists to the island-province, where in recent months two small beachside hotels have opened, in addition to the expansion of existing resorts.

Redentor Lauddin, director of the Tawi-Tawi Board of Investments-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said that Malaysian investors have expressed interest in linking Tawi-Tawi with the thriving tourism industry in nearby Sabah.

In addition to resort development, there are investment opportunities in power generation, cold storage, and housing development which are opening up in the wake of the new flight routes, said Mr. Lauddin.

Tawi-Tawi turns into busy hub after airport upgrade

By The Daily Tribune


Once considered one of the most inaccessible provinces in the country, Tawi-Tawi is experiencing a surge in business activity and investor interest. Through a partnership between the Philippines and US governments, the Tawi-Tawi airport runway was upgraded.

This month, Cebu-Pacific begins new commercial flight routes daily from Zamboanga City to Sanga-Sanga airport in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, using an Airbus A319.

Earlier, Airphil Express began flying a 77-seater along the same route, with connecting flights to Manila and Davao.

“The presence of two commercial airlines means more competitive transport rates, which is good for business,” said a local entrepreneur.

The Department of Transportation and Communications, the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program implemented the runway project.

“Linking Tawi-Tawi to the rest of the country and the world is in line with the Philippine Government’s efforts to ensure the physical integration of Mindanao through major transport infrastructure,” said Secretary Luwalhati Antonino, chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority, which oversees implementation of USAID’s GEM Program.

The Tawi-Tawi runway was extended by USAID from 1,608 to 1,920 meters, and widened from 18 to 30 meters. It is now all-concrete, and able to accommodate larger aircraft such as Boeing 737s and Airbus 320s.

“The A319 has a large cargo hold, which is convenient for shipping live fish to buyers in Manila, Hong Kong and other destinations, without having to repack the cargo,” said Nazrullah Masahud, vice president of the Tawi-Tawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He added that the air links would support the expansion of the mariculture industry in Tawi-Tawi, which is home to the Sulu Archipelago’s only multi-species hatchery, which was established with assistance from USAID.

The chamber and the provincial government worked with the airlines and the CAAP to expedite the establishment of the new flights.

Previously, most travelers going from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi had no choice but to endure a seventeen-hour ferry ride.

The easy access by air has drawn investors and domestic tourists to the picturesque island-province, where in recent months two small beachside hotels have opened, in addition to the expansion of existing resorts.

“The number of rooms is still limited, but already one group is proposing to hold a small convention here,” said Masahud.

“The diving association has had so many inquiries, it’s now working to mark key dive sites, from sunken vessels to coral walls,” he added.

Redentor Lauddin, director of the Tawi-Tawi Board of Investments-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said that Malaysian investors had expressed interest in linking Tawi-Tawi with the thriving tourism industry in nearby Sabah.

“Tourism links are part of our development strategy under the Mindanao 2020 plan, which aims to establish seamless connections for trade and tourism,” said Antonino.

Upgraded Tawi-Tawi airport draws commercial airlines and investor interest

By .mb.com.ph


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines – Once considered one of the most inaccessible provinces in the country, Tawi-Tawi is experiencing a surge in business activity and investor interest. Through a partnership between the Philippines and US Governments, the Tawi-Tawi airport runway was upgraded.

This month, Cebu-Pacific begins new commercial flight routes daily from Zamboanga City to Sanga-Sanga airport in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, using an Airbus A319.

Earlier, Airphil Express began flying a 77-seater along the same route, with connecting flights to Manila and Davao.

“The presence of two commercial airlines means more competitive transport rates, which is good for business,” said a local entrepreneur.

The Department of Transportation and Communications, the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program implemented the runway project.

“Linking Tawi-Tawi to the rest of the country and the world is in line with the Philippine Government’s efforts to ensure the physical integration of Mindanao through major transport infrastructure,” said Secretary Luwalhati Antonino, chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority, which oversees implementation of USAID’s GEM Program.

The Tawi-Tawi runway was extended by USAID from 1,608 to 1,920 meters, and widened from 18 to 30 meters. It is now all-concrete, and able to accommodate larger aircraft such as Boeing 737s and Airbus 320s.

“The A319 has a large cargo hold, which is convenient for shipping live fish to buyers in Manila, Hongkong and other destinations, without having to repack the cargo,” said Nazrullah Masahud, vice president of the Tawi-Tawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He added that the air links would support the expansion of the mariculture industry in Tawi-Tawi, which is home to the Sulu Archipelago’s only multi-species hatchery, which was established with assistance from USAID.

The chamber and the provincial government worked with the airlines and the CAAP to expedite the establishment of the new flights.

Previously, most travelers going from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi had no choice but to endure a seventeen-hour ferry ride.

The easy access by air has drawn investors and domestic tourists to the picturesque island-province, where in recent months two small beachside hotels have opened, in addition to the expansion of existing resorts.

“The number of rooms is still limited, but already one group is proposing to hold a small convention here,” said Masahud.

“The diving association has had so many inquiries, it’s now working to mark key dive sites, from sunken vessels to coral walls,” he added.

Redentor Lauddin, director of the Tawi-Tawi Board of Investments-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said that Malaysian investors had expressed interest in linking Tawi-Tawi with the thriving tourism industry in nearby Sabah.

“Tourism links are part of our development strategy under the Mindanao 2020 plan, which aims to establish seamless connections for trade and tourism,” said Secretary Antonino.

In addition to resort development, there are investment opportunities in power generation, cold storage, and housing development which are opening up in the wake of the new flight routes, said Lauddin.

No word on blank S’wakian: Anifah

By Tawi-Tawi Journal


BONGAWAN: The Foreign Ministry has nonetheless to accept any information on a news about a disappearance of a 47-year-old Sarawakian, Pang Chong Pong, in Tawi-Tawi, Southern Philippines.

Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Anifah Aman pronounced they are capricious either Pang has left blank or kidnapped by several Filipinos as reported by an general handle agency.

“So far, there is no recover concerned in a box (to recover a victim).

However, we will liaise with a Philippine Government,” he said.

Anifah, who is also Kimanis MP, pronounced this to Daily Express after presenting contributions to 46 people from a Bongawan and Membakut constituencies, who will shortly be behaving a Haj in Mecca, during Nurul Hidayah Mosque in a township, Saturday.

They will be withdrawal Sabah to perform a event on Oct. 20 and 27.

According to an AP report, Pang, a businessman, was believed kidnapped by 4 Filipinos while shopping live fish during Pondohan Lok Anki, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi.

Pang, who hailed from Kuching, Sarawak, was believed to be with 3 of his Filipino workers in dual boats when he was kidnapped.

The news settled 3 of Pang’s workers were believed to have been incarcerated by a Philippine military for investigation.

Pang is a second Malaysian still being hold somewhere in southern Philippine waters. The other is a male from Selangor who went to Tawi-Tawi to buy geckos late final year.

On Thursday, State Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib reliable Sabah military had perceived a news about a disappearance of Pang in Tawi-Tawi from his relative. However, Hamza pronounced they are not certain either Pang went blank or was kidnapped.

Meanwhile on a Indonesian situation, Anifah pronounced a series of protestors who staged bootleg demonstrations outward a Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta, recently, were being paid to do so by unethical people in Indonesian internal politics.

“The demonstrators are there since they have been hired to do so and a scripts are supposing by those people who sinecure them.

They will stay for an hour and get a tasks finished only for money.

“In fact, all of them do not know what is function outward É Indonesian officials have accurate that a nation has not mislaid any of a territories in Camar Bulan and Tanjung Datu, in West Kalimantan, to Malaysia,” he said.

He pronounced a proof does not offer a purpose of any antithesis members when Malaysia and Indonesia are operative tighten together.

Anifah also voiced his thankfulness to a Indonesian Government for providing some-more than 300 policemen to sunder a bootleg demonstrations outward a embassy.

“These insane people are only ludicrous and formulating something that we call ‘cheap politics’ in a region. We have zero to worry about.

“It is fine to revisit IndonesiaÉin fact, we will be going to Indonesia really soon.

But my recommendation is that visitors including Malaysians who are staying and operative in Indonesia should equivocate going to areas that poise risk to their lives,” he said.

No word on blank S’wakian: Anifah

By Tawi-Tawi Journal


BONGAO, Philippines – Top officials of the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi foresee a major boost to their socio-economic development, including BONGAWAN: The Foreign Ministry has nonetheless to accept any information on a news about a disappearance of a 47-year-old Sarawakian, Pang Chong Pong, in Tawi-Tawi, Southern Philippines.

Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Anifah Aman pronounced they are capricious either Pang has left blank or kidnapped by several Filipinos as reported by an general handle agency.

“So far, there is no recover concerned in a box (to recover a victim).

However, we will liaise with a Philippine Government,” he said.

Anifah, who is also Kimanis MP, pronounced this to Daily Express after presenting contributions to 46 people from a Bongawan and Membakut constituencies, who will shortly be behaving a Haj in Mecca, during Nurul Hidayah Mosque in a township, Saturday.

They will be withdrawal Sabah to perform a event on Oct. 20 and 27.

According to an AP report, Pang, a businessman, was believed kidnapped by 4 Filipinos while shopping live fish during Pondohan Lok Anki, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi.

Pang, who hailed from Kuching, Sarawak, was believed to be with 3 of his Filipino workers in dual boats when he was kidnapped.

The news settled 3 of Pang’s workers were believed to have been incarcerated by a Philippine military for investigation.

Pang is a second Malaysian still being hold somewhere in southern Philippine waters. The other is a male from Selangor who went to Tawi-Tawi to buy geckos late final year.

On Thursday, State Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib reliable Sabah military had perceived a news about a disappearance of Pang in Tawi-Tawi from his relative. However, Hamza pronounced they are not certain either Pang went blank or was kidnapped.

Meanwhile on a Indonesian situation, Anifah pronounced a series of protestors who staged bootleg demonstrations outward a Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta, recently, were being paid to do so by unethical people in Indonesian internal politics.

“The demonstrators are there since they have been hired to do so and a scripts are supposing by those people who sinecure them.

They will stay for an hour and get a tasks finished only for money.

“In fact, all of them do not know what is function outward É Indonesian officials have accurate that a nation has not mislaid any of a territories in Camar Bulan and Tanjung Datu, in West Kalimantan, to Malaysia,” he said.

He pronounced a proof does not offer a purpose of any antithesis members when Malaysia and Indonesia are operative tighten together.

Anifah also voiced his thankfulness to a Indonesian Government for providing some-more than 300 policemen to sunder a bootleg demonstrations outward a embassy.

“These insane people are only ludicrous and formulating something that we call ‘cheap politics’ in a region. We have zero to worry about.

“It is fine to revisit IndonesiaÉin fact, we will be going to Indonesia really soon.

But my recommendation is that visitors including Malaysians who are staying and operative in Indonesia should equivocate going to areas that poise risk to their lives,” he said.

Economic boost

By Nonoy Lacson


BONGAO, Philippines – Top officials of the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi foresee a major boost to their socio-economic development, including the expected easier mobility of people and goods to and from the province, with the entry of a leading commercial airline here.

Governor Sadikul Sahali said the entry of a new commercial airline here will further enhance the eco-tourism industry, and socio-economic activities in the province.

“We expect a new beginning in the tourism and economic activities in the province because domestic and foreign tourists can now visit the province anytime, likewise, businessmen can easily engage in business activities,” Sahali said. (Nonoy Lacson)

products in Tawi-Tawi

By Philippine News Agency


ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Philippine Navy operatives have intercepted a boat loaded with illegally cut forest products estimated to be worth millions of pesos off Tawi-Tawi province, a Navy official announced Monday.

Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) commander Rear Admiral Armando Guzman said the boatload of illegally cut forest products was confiscated around 2 p.m. Saturday in the vicinity of Lamion Point, Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi province.

Guzman said the confiscated shipment consisted of 10,000 board feet of undocumented assorted good lumber and 69 round logs.

Guzman said troops from the Naval Special Operations Unit-1 (NAVSOU-1) under the operational control of Naval Task Force 62 were conducting Maritime Interdiction Operation and Maritime Security Patrol when they spotted M/L Sulna sailing towards the port of Bongao municipality.

Guzman said the skipper and crew of M/L Sulna failed to present documents to show the legality of the shipment of the forest products when the troops inspected the wooden-hulled ferry.

M/L Sulna, which is owned by Hadja Darmina Sandangan, is skippered by a certain Amirjakka with six crew and was also carrying five passengers when it was intercepted, Guzman said.

He said the vessel and the apprehended illegally cut forest products were turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) official in Tawi-Tawi for proper disposition.

He said the apprehension of M/L Sulna is part of their continuing effort to help curb illegal cutting of trees not only in Tawi-Tawi but also in the entire Western Mindanao region.

Last month, an estimated of 28,000 board feet of illegally cut forest products from Tawi-Tawi were apprehended at Sulu Sea.

“The Naval Forces Western Mindanao will continue and intensify their naval operations in their areas of responsibility to prevent lawlessness at sea, including the transport of illegal logs in all parts of Western Mindanao particularly in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces where rampant incidents of this activity were recorded and monitored,” Guzman added.

Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi get possess military office

By The Tawi-Tawi Journal


MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Interior and Local Government non-stop a new police regional bureau catering to a conflict-ridden island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-tawi, or Basulta for short.

DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo pronounced a opening of a Basulta police office in Sulu as a sub-post of a Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Police Regional Office (PRO) would raise assent and order in these 3 provinces, that are deemed too distant from Maguindanao where a informal military headquarter is.

Sulu Governor Sakur Tan pronounced a pierce will also dive a processing of papers in a removed provinces of ARMM, adding, “It is really hard for us to go to Maguindanao as it needs a lot of money, time, and effort to routine some paper works.”

“This new prolongation of a informal military bureau here will also help a lot in nutritious a assent and sequence conditions here in Sulu,” he added.

An estimated 500 policemen will be deployed to male a Basulta police office and will be headed by Chief Superintendent Raul Boac and Senior Superintendent Eric Vahn Dela Rama.

Chinese fish trader snatched

By Al Jacinto


ZAMBOANGA CITY: A Chinese fish merchant was kidnapped in the remote town of Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, officials said on Thursday. Officials initially identified the foreigner only as Pang, who was seized by four gunmen on Wednesday near the village of Larap. The gunmen escaped with the hostage aboard a speedboat, said Army Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, a spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command.

He said the boat has markings “AKP” and “AKRHO.” One of the gunmen was identified as Mirham, but it was not immediately known whether he is a member of the Abu Sayyaf which has been tagged as behind the spate of kidnappings of foreigners in the southern Philippines.

“The Philippine National Police in (the capital town of) Bonggao coordinated with the Naval Intelligence Security Group-Western Mindanao and (Naval Patrol) Task Force 62 personnel. The TF62 is currently taking appropriate action,” Cabangbang told reporters.

US-funded overpass plan to couple Tawi-Tawi islands

By Julmunir I. Jannaral

ISABELA CITY, Basilan — A United States-funded highway and overpass plan will shortly bond a dual vital islands of Tawi-Tawi and is approaching to coax growth and significantly boost a province’s economy.


The bridge-road plan is being finished here by inhabitant and informal agencies, with assistance from a U.S. government, and will directly couple Sanga-Sanga Island, where a internal airfield is located, with a mainland of Tawi-Tawi.

The plan is a partnership involving a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), a Tawi-Tawi Provincial Government, and a Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program of a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali pronounced a bridge-road tie will capacitate internal growers to ride their crops and other products some-more well and during reduce cost to a collateral city of Bongao, that is located on Sanga-Sanga Island and is a core of blurb activity in a province.

“This will severely urge a provision of farmers, quite in a municipalities on Tawi-Tawi Island, such as Panglima Sugala, Sapa-Sapa and Languyan,” Governor Sahali said.

“Upland growers will have an easier time removing their harvests to markets,” he added.

“This has been a longtime dream here, to have a land tie between a dual largest islands,” pronounced Nazrullah Masahud, clamp boss of a Tawi-Tawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Masahud pronounced he approaching growers to start expanding prolongation and diversifying their crops, following a infrastructure improvements.

“Previously, farmers had told me that they hesitated to rivet in new ventures since ride was undependable,” Masahud also said.

He combined that a bridge-road connectors would also promote a designation of H2O pipelines and electric energy connectors to offer fast flourishing communities between a city of Bongao and Panglima Sugala municipality.

Through a GEM Program, USAID has helped to urge a island-province’s economy by 51 barangay infrastructure projects, including a construction of 26 vessel landings.

Six incomparable infrastructure projects finished by GEM in Tawi-Tawi embody a prolongation and widening of a Bongao airfield runway, that enabled Airphil Express to settle a Zamboanga-Bongao route, now plying 4 times weekly by a 77-seater Bombardier Q400.

Tawi-Tawi cops seize suspected tellurian trafficker; rescue 4 victims

By PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian


Tawi-Tawi military executive Supt. Rodelio Jocson pronounced a 4 victims of tellurian trafficking were discovered around 3 p.m. Thursday in Barangay Basyagan, Bongao, a collateral of Tawi-Tawi province.

Jocson funded a victims’ identities solely in observant they were aged 16s and 17s and all from Sindangan municipality, Zamboanga del Norte.

Jocson pronounced a victims were discovered by policemen led by Insp. Jeseryl Dela Cruz aboard a motorized banca that was about to skip Bongao en track to Sandakan.

Jocson pronounced Dela Cruz and his crew unsuccessful to detain a suspect, who unexpected left on saying a participation of policemen during a time a victims were rescued.

However, he pronounced a suspect, who carried 3 opposite names, was arrested shortly after 7 a.m. Friday aboard a vessel that was scheduled to leave Bongao to Zamboanga City.

The think was arrested nearby a boat’s canteen when one of a victims, who was during that time were eating their breakfast, famous him, he said.

The think was usually identified by a dual newcomer tickets he carried as he was not bringing any other marker papers when arrested by a police, Jocson said.

One of a newcomer tickets seized from a suspect’s possession bears a name of Ian Reyes while Ian Balmendras on a other ticket, Joscon said.

Jocson pronounced they were sensitive by a victims that a think had introduced himself as Rey Garcia when he recently recruited them in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte.

The think is a proprietor of Liloy municipality, Zamboanga del Norte, Jocson said.

The victims pronounced that a think hired them to work to a Chinese employer in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia though it was not transparent what would be their work “as they were told that they will know what are their jobs on arrival,” Jocson disclosed.

The discovered victims were incited over to a control of a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) while a think was incarcerated and charges were being readied for filing in court, Jocson said.

Tawi-Tawi cops nab suspected human trafficker; rescue 4 victims

By (PNA) RMA/Teofilo P. Garcia/utb


ZAMBOANGA CITY, Sept. 30 (PNA)) – Police arrested Friday the suspected illegal recruiter of four underage women who were rescued a day earlier in Tawi-Tawi.

Tawi-Tawi police director Supt. Rodelio Jocson said the four victims of human trafficking were rescued around 3 p.m. Thursday in Barangay Basyagan, Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi province.

Jocson withheld the victims' identities except in saying they were aged 16s and 17s and all from Sindangan municipality, Zamboanga del Norte.

Jocson said the victims were rescued by policemen led by Insp. Jeseryl Dela Cruz aboard a motorized banca that was about to depart Bongao en route to Sandakan.

Jocson said Dela Cruz and his personnel failed to arrest the suspect, who suddenly disappeared upon seeing the presence of policemen at the time the victims were rescued.

However, he said the suspect, who carried three different names, was arrested shortly after 7 a.m. Friday aboard a vessel that was scheduled to leave Bongao to Zamboanga City.

The suspect was arrested near the boat's canteen when one of the victims, who was at that time were eating their breakfast, recognized him, he said.

The suspect was only identified through the two passenger tickets he carried as he was not bringing any other identification papers when arrested by the police, Jocson said.

One of the passenger tickets seized from the suspect's possession bears the name of Ian Reyes while Ian Balmendras on the other ticket, Joscon said.

Jocson said they were informed by the victims that the suspect had introduced himself as Rey Garcia when he recently recruited them in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte.

The suspect is a resident of Liloy municipality, Zamboanga del Norte, Jocson said.

The victims said that the suspect hired them to work to a Chinese employer in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia but it was not clear what would be their work “as they were told that they will know what are their jobs upon arrival,” Jocson disclosed.

The rescued victims were turned over to the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) while the suspect was detained and charges were being readied for filing in court, Jocson said.

Tawi-Tawi hosts local film festival

By PhilStar.com


ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The Sineng Pambansa opened Wednesday a three-day film festival in Tawi-Tawi as part of its commitment to bring local films to Filipinos.

The Sineng Pambansa is a program of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

“The decision to hold a Filipino film festival in Tawi-Tawi underscores the commitment of the FDCP to bring Filipino films to Filipinos, wherever they may be in the scattered islands of the archipelago, or in their overseas communities,” FDCP said in a statement.

The event is also the first ever cultural activity of its kind to be staged in the province, which in the past was considered a remote outpost.

It said the Memorandum of Agreement for the festival was signed on July 19 by Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali and FDCP Chairman Briccio Santos and Executive Director Jose Miguel de la Rosa at the FDCP office in Makati City.

The film festival in Bongao town, which ends on Friday, is the third location site of Sineng Pambansa in Mindanao. The first was in Zamboanga City on February and the third location would e in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur province on June 28 next year.

The list of films included in the festival were Limbunan (Teng Mangansakan, 2011), Hospital Boat (Arnel Mardoquio, 2009), Last Journey of Ninoy (Jun Reyes, 2010), Alab ng Lahi (Robin Padilla, 2003), Bagong Buwan (Marilou Diaz-Abaya, 2001), Ang Panday (Fernando Poe Jr., 1980) and Tum (My Pledge of Love, 2010).

The Sine ng Masa (mobile People’s Cinema) will feature Badjao (Lamberto Avellana, 1957), Emir (Chito Roño, 2010), Perlas ng Silangan (Fernando Poe Jr., 1969), Home Along da Riles I and II (Efren Jarlego, 1993 and 1997).

The three winning films of the Lanao del Sur film festival’s short film competition on the theme of Peace - Margas (Najib Alyhar Benito Zacaria, 2011), Renek (Doss Lucman Pacasum, 2011), and Pagari (Sittie Ayeesha Dicali, 2011). (Mindanao Examiner )

Greece envoy lauds peace situation in Tawi-Tawi

By Becky De Asis


TAWI-TAWI, Philippines – Ambassador Xenia Stefanidou, Greece envoy to the Philippines, commended the peace and order situation of this province as compare to its neighboring areas, saying she can “walk around it without the hesitation of being kidnapped.”

The Greece envoy issued the statement after her weeklong visit here as she graced the 38th Kamahardikaan Day, or founding anniversary, of the province this week.


Greece envoy lauds peace situation in Tawi-Tawi By Becky de Asis Home Updated September 28, 2011 10:00 AM 0 comment to this post TAWI-TAWI, Philippines – Ambassador Xenia Stefanidou, Greece envoy to the Philippines, commended the peace and order situation of this province as compare to its neighboring areas, saying she can “walk around it without the hesitation of being kidnapped.”

The Greece envoy issued the statement after her weeklong visit here as she graced the 38th Kamahardikaan Day, or founding anniversary, of the province this week.


Stefanidou also disclosed her positive impressions on the province’s richness of natural resources, saying “the good ambiance and the sparkling seawaters of the province added flavor to the hospitalities of the islanders.”

“My whole family in Greece is all islanders and I love islands like Tawi – Tawi because this province is just like my home,” she said after an inter-island tour in various municipalities here.

She also lauded the development of the islands here especially on its peace and order situation, saying “I can walk around Tawi Tawi without hesitations of being kidnap because I smell a good peace and order here unlike the other provinces in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.”

Meantime, the celebration of the annual seaweed festivities here has started last week with Governor Sadikul Sahali headed the showcasing of the province’s cultural heritage and natural resources.

The four-day celebration kicked-off with a colorful fluvial parade from different island-municipalities, displaying the colorful attires that boosted the uniqueness of the province’s multi-culture society.

“I am very thankful to the people here on their dedications and support to the provincial government in uplifting their living conditions by respecting the cultures and rights of every resident here,” said Sahali.

The various activities lining-up for the yearly event are different sports competitions, search from Miss Budjang or Tawi-Tawi 2011, fluvial parade, and Agar–Agar festivals, among others.

The famous seaweed festivals also coincided on the province’s 38th Kamahardikaan or founding anniversary celebrations, which honored the leading source of livelihood here - the Agar–Agar.

Sahali noted that the event also renewed the people’s reflection to their culture.

The province is one of the top producers of seaweeds in the country, citing that the area produced thousands of tons of Agar-agar every week to cater to the demand in the Philippines and other countries.

‘Agar-Agar’ draws thousands of visitors

By BLOGTOPIA


BONGAO, Philippines – The “Agar-Agar Festival” and a “Kamahardikaan Tawi-Tawi,” a annual festival imprinting a 38th initial anniversary of a range rigourously non-stop here over a weekend with a colorful march showcasing a several informative and racial groups of people entrance from a 11 municipalities in a province.

With a really colorful pageantry, signaling a wish for a improved tomorrow, this year’s celebration, that captivated thousands of visitors and commission members, carries a thesis “Sustaining Peace and Responsive Local Governance: Paving a Way to a Progressive Tawi-Tawi.”

Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul A. Sahali pronounced a jubilee will be featuring a ecotourism potentials, abounding resources, and informative birthright of this colourful range in a southern-most partial of a country.

The prominence in this year’s initial anniversary is a Agar-Agar Festival that non-stop yesterday morning, followed by a informative display during a Datu Amilbahar Cultural Center Gym here.

This will be followed currently by a Fluvial Parade and a Search for a Budjang Tawi-Tawi 2011 or a celebration’s beauty pageant, and a Grand Anniversary Parade will be hold on Tuesday.

The administrator pronounced that as a assimilated and brotherly people of Tawi-Tawi, they also wanted to uncover to a universe a province’s potentials and a people’s genuine end and zeal to be during standard with other provinces and cities in a nation in terms of tellurian growth and advancement.

Sahali pronounced Greece Ambassador to a Philippines Stefanidou Polyxeni is also here to declare a anniversary, and to revisit a turtle sanctuaries and other sea stable areas during a Turtle organisation of islands.

As partial of a celebration, stalls offered outlandish fruits and savoury seafood have assigned a vast space in a bustling blurb areas of this town, where vital streets have been embellished with inland decorations regulating colorful panoply done of racial materials.

Meanwhile, Sahali started to accept delegations from a 11 island municipalities given Thursday, where he awarded a P100,000 inducement to Sibutu city for nearing initial in this collateral municipality and has a many series of commission members.

Also, Simunul city was adjudged as a many colorful delegation, while Sitangkai was named as a many behaved and trained delegation.

Simunul and Sitangkai was awarded P50,000 any by a administrator while a remaining 8 other towns were given P10,000 each.

Kamahardikaan Tawi-Tawi is an annual eventuality that brings together Tawi-Tawians to this city to applaud and commemorate a origination of a province, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 302 antiquated Sep 11, 1973.

The jubilee is approaching to pull thousands of internal and unfamiliar tourists to declare a colorful Muslim presentations and attires during a grand parade, that will be assimilated by a member of a 11 municipalities.

Hja. Juana Sahali, a province’s initial lady and chairperson of both a Provincial Tourism Council and a Search for Budjang Tawi-Tawi 2011, pronounced a manifestation participants wish to infer that a ladies of Tawi-Tawi also posses beauty and talent, like their counterparts in other vital cities in a country, including a civic areas.

“We have so many pleasing and gifted immature ladies in a province, and this is what we are exploring now,” Hja. Sahali said.

The contestants together with Mrs. Sahali paid a pleasantness call on a administrator Friday morning during a Provincial Capitol building.

They will strive for a pretension of Budjang Tawi-Tawi 2011 currently during a Department of Education Gymnasium here.

Seaweed festivities in Tawi-tawi start

By Becky De Asis


TAWI-TAWI, Philippines – The celebration of the annual seaweed festivities here has started today in Bongao town with Governor Sadikul Sahali headed the showcasing of the province’s cultural heritage and natural resources.

The eight-day celebration kicked-off with a colorful fluvial parade from different island-municipalities, displaying the colorful attires that boosted the uniqueness of the province’s multi-culture society.

“I am very thankful to the people here on their dedications and support to the provincial government in uplifting their living conditions by respecting the cultures and rights of every resident here,” said Sahali.

The various activities lining-up for the yearly event are different sports competitions, search from Miss Budjang or Tawi-Tawi 2011, fluvial parade, and Agar–Agar festivals, among others.

The famous seaweed festivals also coincided on the province’s 38th Kamahardikaan or founding anniversary celebrations, which honored the leading source of livelihood here - the Agar–Agar.

Sahali noted that the event also renewed the people’s reflection to their culture.

“I am also thankful to Ligaya Amilbangsa, the mentor of this very prestigious festival, who studied and teach the Agar–Agar dance to the young generation,” he said, while lauding the support of the 11 mayors here.

Professor Felimon Romero, festival chairman, said the province is one of the top producers of seaweeds in the country, citing that the area produced thousands of tons of Agar-agar every week to cater to the demand in the Philippines and other countries.

Seaweed seminar

By BLOGTOPIA


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi (PNA) – The Philippine and United States (US) Navies conducted a two-day Seaweed Industry Innovation Seminar in Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi, a tip Navy central said. Naval Forces Western Mindanao’s Task Force 62 commander Captain Renato Yongque pronounced a convention was conducted recently during a Naval Station Juan Magluyan.

It was schooled that seaweed tillage is one of a categorical sources of provision among a people of Panglima Sugala. Yongque pronounced they instituted a convention intentionally to assistance a internal proletariat to make a living, raise their believe in this kind of aquaculture project, and minister in boosting Tawi-Tawi’s economy.

Navy conducts Seaweeds Industry Innovation Seminar in Tawi-Tawi

By LTJG Ian Sagge, Public Affairs Officer, Naval Forces Western


Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi – In coordination with a internal supervision officials of Panglima, Sugala, a Naval Forces Western Mindanao thru a Naval Task Force 62 ordered by Capt Renato B Yongque conducted Seaweed Industry Innovation Seminar aboard Naval Station Juan Magluyan final Sep 14-15, 2011


Panglima Sugala is a fourth category municipality in that seaweed tillage is one of a categorical sources of provision among a people. Given this aspect, a navy instituted a control of a convention intentionally to assistance a internal proletariat to make a living, raise their believe in this kind of aquaculture plan and eventually contributes to boosting of Tawi-Tawi’s economy.

Part of this initiative, a Navy together with a US Navy member from LCE TYPHOON collected and distributed dull bottles to a participants of a convention for their use in tangible tillage of seaweed.

A sum of 143 internal residents from 13 barangays of Panglima Sugala benefitted in this Navy’s program.

Radm Armando L Guzman, a Commander of Naval Forces Western Mindanao has presided a shutting ceremony. He speedy all a participants to put into actions what they have gained from a convention and to share a believe they have schooled with their kin and friends in sequence for seaweed tillage in Tawi-Tawi will continue to flourish.

Governor Sahali, who is also benefaction in a shutting ceremony, extended his intense appreciation to a Philippine Navy for initiating a control of a convention in his area of concern.

Tawi-Tawi gears for 'Seaweeds Festival

By Nonoy Lacson


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines – The provincial government of Tawi-Tawi expressed its readiness to host the 10th Seaweeds Festival this year, as it assured visiting local and foreign tourists that the celebration would be better and more exciting than the previous years.

Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali Monday said the provincial government has undertaken an extensive preparation for this year’s festival.

The Seaweeds Festival has been integrated the 38th founding anniversary of the province that is scheduled to kick off on Saturday, September 24.

Dubbed “Kamahardikaan Tawi-Tawi,” this year’s four-day celebration carries the theme “Sustaining Peace and Responsive Local Governance: Paving the Way to a Progressive Tawi-Tawi.”

According to Sahali, he expects a bigger number of domestic and foreign tourists to witness the festival, as seaweed farmers from the municipalities of Sitangkai, and the nearby Sibutu committed to participate and grace the twin celebration.

Sahali said Sitangkai accounts for about 70 percent of the country’s seaweed output, producing at least 4,000 metric tons of dried seaweed monthly.

Seaweed farming in the island-town covers about 15,000 hectares, with 60,000 more hectares are being readied for high-quality seaweeds, Sahali said.

In an effort to boost the seaweed industry in the province, Sahali said the provincial government has already drafted a scientific scheme in planting seaweeds, which they intend to implement next year – aimed at increasing the production and income of farmers in their respective localities.

The new method, Sahali said, will provide farmers a projected average income of between P40,000 to P60,000 per hectare per year.

With good farming methods and infusion of new technology to produce good quality seaweed, local farmers will now have a better chance of selling their produce at a higher price, the governor said.

Sahali said the global prices of seaweed continue to remain high, but seaweed farmers here are still trapped in poverty despite the strong demand for their product in the global market.

Roughly about 80 percent of the population or about 20,000 individuals in Sitangkai rely on seaweed farming for their living, and while the resources are there, this has not translated into an uptrend economic development for the marginal sectors,” according to the governor.

But with an aim to develop the industry and improve the life of the seaweed farmers, Sahali had adopted a new system in the planting of seaweeds in Tawi-Tawi to overcome the farmers’ fear that the local production may be overtaken by other major seaweed exporting countries like Indonesia and Malaysia.

Tawi-Tawi produced an estimated 500,000 metric tons of dried seaweed, supplying close to 60 percent of the world market, making the Philippines one of the world’s top seaweed producer, and world’s top carageenan producer.

Tawi-Tawi to celebrate 'Kamahardikaan' Festival

By Nonoy Lacson


Tawi-Tawi – The capital town of Bongao is now in a festive mood after the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi declared on Tuesday that “all systems are go” for the holding of the “Kamahardikaan sin Tawi-Tawi” festival as part of the celebration of its 38th founding anniversary.

Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali said the celebration, which will start from September 24 and ends on September 27, will feature a colorful parade showcasing various ethnic groups and tribes in the province.

Various kinds of exotic fruits and colorful hand-woven materials are expected to flood Bongao's busy commercial district.

With the theme “Sustaining Peace and Responsive Local Governance: Paving the Way to a Progressive Tawi-Tawi,” Sahali said the annual event would bring together the people of the province to commemorate its creation, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 302, dated September 11, 1973.

Sahali said this year’s celebration will be simple yet meaningful, and full of entertainment for the local and foreign visitors.

The provincial government also lined up several interesting activities for this year, like the most awaited beauty pageant, sports competition, Qur’an reading competition, and cultural shows that will feature the colorful ethnic cultures of the Sama, Badjao, Jama Mapun, and the Tausug tribes.

Sahali said that most of the activities are centered on the eco-tourism program of the provincial government, including environmental protection, and health agenda, aimed at attracting local and national investors to venture in the province.

Another highlight of the celebration is the “Agar-Agar Festival” that gives emphasis on the number one product of the province – seaweeds.

The province is located in the southernmost of the country, sharing sea borders with the Malaysian State of Sabah, and the Indonesian Kalimantan province.

To the northeast lies the province of Sulu, and to the west is Sabah.

ARMM’s public forum on RLA enunciates nominees’ plans, programs

  • Source: hhttp://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=r09&id=54053
  • Wednesday, September 14, 2011
  • by Gideon C. Corgue


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi, September 14 (PIA) -– The public forum on the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (ARMM) Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) thru the National Screening Committee has offered opportunity for the candidates to present their respective plans, programs and positions to the stakeholders, the ultimate beneficiary of their agenda, as well as to help generate meaningful discussion and possible solutions to different issues and concerns of ARMM, among others. Provincial Director Julgabir I. Sappayan in his message said the forum has provided stakeholders the opportunity to assess strengths and capabilities of RLA candidates. Citizens Coalition in ARMM for Electoral Reform (CICARE) provincial coordinator Cynthia Hassan said “we were grateful that a public forum like this was conducted for the public to know the best candidates to represent Tawi-Tawi in RLA.” The CICARE is a local organization formed and created in 2005 primarily to monitor the conduct of electoral process to include election monitoring, voter’s education and meeting with stakeholders in Tawi-Tawi. Youth panelist, Kamila Masahud, a senior student of Mindanao State University- Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography said she praised the nominees for giving their respective agenda and at the same time, giving good answers raised by the panelists and the audience. “We hope that whoever will be appointed to the RLA will fulfill their promise and represent the voice and true sentiments of the people of Tawi-Tawi,” Masahud added. After the eight (8) nominees were given the time to introduce themselves and their platforms as well, they were asked by the panelists to demonstrate their competence and worth as candidates to the RLA. The panelists were composed of the following: chairman, Prof. Felimon Romero (academe), Bongao Mayor Jasper Que (LGU), Engr. Rolando Lim (business), Babelyn Keno Omar (media), and Kamila Masahud (youth). (ALT/GCC/PIA9-Pagadian)

Nominees for ARRM’s regional legislative assembly sign covenant for good governance

by Gideon C. Corgue

BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi, Sept. 13 (PIA) -– To show support to President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III’s good governance program, nominees for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) on Monday signed a covenant during the public forum conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), provincial office at Beachside Inn here. The eight (8) nominees who willfully signed the covenant were Rodolfo A. Bawasanta, Ismael B. Abubakar Jr., Dayang Carlsum S. Jumaide, Nurjay M. Sujali, Hamid K. Ladjakahal, Abdelnooh Hadjirul, Syed R. Bederi, and Eddie M. Alih. ARMM Provincial Director Julgabir I. Sappayan said the covenant is a roadmap of national government that will ensure the introduction and sustenance of needed reforms in the ARMM. This roadmap, Sappayan said being pursued relentlessly and vigorously, a package of strategic key action that includes cleaning up of electoral process, strengthening bureaucratic reforms , accelerating service, delivery and implementation of development projects, ensuring good governance benchmark in ARMM , and fully engaging civil society and people’s organizations in government, and maximizing the potential of the government. “This roadmap for good governance shall be carried out in a manner in which the voice, sentiments and concerns of the people of ARMM , the stakeholders, local officials and even our foreign and local development partners are upheld and respected which are complete expression our strict adherence to the principles of democracy and making it in the region and for the people of ARMM,” Sappayan opined. The covenant signing concluded the 4-hours public forum with the stakeholders from local officials, people’s organization, civil society, academe, etc Among those who attended the public forum were Philippine Information Agency (PIA-9) regional director Noemi B. Edaga, Zamboanga City DILG director Taha Arakama, and Bongao Mayor Jasper Que. (JPA/GCC/PIA9-Pagadian)

Suspected drug pushers nabbed

by Gold Star Daily

COTABATO City-- Three persons were arrested when elements of Bongao Municipal Police Station (MPS) conducted recently an illegal drug operation at Maharlika Institute of Technology, Barangay Lamion1,Bongao Tawi-Tawi. The suspects identified as Muhajir Muddasil, Najir Jamali and Almida Wadud, owner of a shanty, while they were in the act of sniffing white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride also known as "Shabu".

Confiscated in the possession of the suspects were twenty one (21) pieces of transparent plastic straws, and other shabu paraphernalia.

The illegal drugs that were confiscated from the suspects were brought to Tawi-Tawi Crime Laboratory while the arrested suspects are under the custody of Bongao MPS for filing appropriate charges in court.

US-funded bridge project to link Tawi-Tawi islands

by Julmunir I. Jannaral


ISABELA CITY, Basilan — A United States-funded road and bridge project will soon connect the two major islands of Tawi-Tawi and is expected to spur development and significantly boost the province’s economy. The bridge-road project is being completed here by national and regional agencies, with assistance from the U.S. government, and will directly link Sanga-Sanga Island, where the local airport is located, with the mainland of Tawi-Tawi. The project is a partnership involving the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the Tawi-Tawi Provincial Government, and the Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali said the bridge-road connection will enable local growers to transport their crops and other products more efficiently and at lower cost to the capital town of Bongao, which is located on Sanga-Sanga Island and is the center of commercial activity in the province. “This will greatly improve the livelihood of farmers, particularly in the municipalities on Tawi-Tawi Island, such as Panglima Sugala, Sapa-Sapa and Languyan,” Governor Sahali said. “Upland growers will have an easier time getting their harvests to markets,” he added. “This has been a longtime dream here, to have a land connection between the two largest islands,” said Nazrullah Masahud, vice president of the Tawi-Tawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Masahud said he expected growers to begin expanding production and diversifying their crops, following the infrastructure improvements. “Previously, farmers had told me that they hesitated to engage in new ventures because transport was undependable,” Masahud also said. He added that the bridge-road connections would also facilitate the installation of water pipelines and electric power connections to serve rapidly growing communities between the town of Bongao and Panglima Sugala municipality. Through the GEM Program, USAID has helped to improve the island-province’s economy through 51 barangay infrastructure projects, including the construction of 26 boat landings. Six larger infrastructure projects completed by GEM in Tawi-Tawi include the extension and widening of the Bongao airport runway, which enabled Airphil Express to establish a Zamboanga-Bongao route, now plying four times weekly by a 77-seater Bombardier Q400.

Tawi-Tawi to symbol 38th anniversary

NEWS


BONGAO, Philippines – The provincial supervision of Tawi-Tawi has urged a 11 city mayors to showcase their municipality’s particular ecotourism potentials and destinations, products and furnish during a jubilee of a province’s 38th initial anniversary from Sep 24 to 27.

Dubbed “38th Kamahardikaan impiety Tawi-Tawi,” Governor Sadikul Sahali pronounced a provincial supervision will core a jubilee on a graduation of a province’s eco-tourism potentials and destinations, products and produce.

Sahali pronounced this year’s jubilee can be deliberate one of a best, and an suitable time for a city officials to showcase their particular eco-tourism potentials, and products.

Sahali cited this collateral city as a microcosm of eremite and informative diversity. He pronounced this town’s Bongao Peak offers a monumental perspective of circuitously Sabah in Malaysia, while a Bolobok Cave is one of a oldest caves – given 800 A.D. – that is located in Barangay Lakit-Lakit, and deliberate to be a strange allotment of a early inhabitants.

The city of Simunul, he said, is a site of a oldest Mosque in a Philippines, and home of a worshiped Sheikh Makdum – a colonize for a widespread of a Islamic sacrament in a country.

It was during Tubig-Indangan in Simunul where a initial Muslim companion Sheik Karimul Makdum set feet to build a initial mosque in a nation in 1380 A.D.

Sahali pronounced that a city of Sapa-Sapa is also a good traveller end given it is famous as a home of descendants of a Malay kingship of a Federal State of Borneo.

Adding that a island-town of Sitangkai is famous as a “Venice of a South.”

Sahali positive a visitors that Tawi-Tawi is a pacific and protected province, citing troops and troops statistics and reports.

First-class fish and crustaceans, like lobsters and coconut crabs, are abounding in a range of Tawi-Tawi due to a satisfactory pleasant climate, a administrator said.

Sahali confirmed that staying in Tawi-Tawi is not a problem given this collateral city hosts several hotels, inns, beach cottages, and restaurants to support a needs of internal and unfamiliar tourists.

US-funded bridge project to link Tawi-Tawi islands

by Julmunir I. Jannaral


ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Sept 6 (PIA) -– A United States-funded road and bridge project will soon connect the two major islands of Tawi-Tawi and is expected to spur development and significantly boost the province’s economy. The bridge-road project is being completed here by national and regional agencies, with assistance from the U.S. government, and will directly link Sanga-Sanga Island, where the local airport is located, with the mainland of Tawi-Tawi. The project is a partnership involving the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the Tawi-Tawi Provincial Government, and the Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali said the bridge-road connection will enable local growers to transport their crops and other products more efficiently and at lower cost to the capital town of Bongao, which is located on Sanga-Sanga Island and is the center of commercial activity in the province. “This will greatly improve the livelihood of farmers, particularly in the municipalities on Tawi-Tawi Island, such as Panglima Sugala, Sapa-Sapa and Languyan,” Governor Sahali said. “Upland growers will have an easier time getting their harvests to markets,” he added. “This has been a longtime dream here, to have a land connection between the two largest islands,” said Nazrullah Masahud, vice president of the Tawi-Tawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Masahud said he expected growers to begin expanding production and diversifying their crops, following the infrastructure improvements. “Previously, farmers had told me that they hesitated to engage in new ventures because transport was undependable,” Masahud also said. He added that the bridge-road connections would also facilitate the installation of water pipelines and electric power connections to serve rapidly growing communities between the town of Bongao and Panglima Sugala municipality. Through the GEM Program, USAID has helped to improve the island-province’s economy through 51 barangay infrastructure projects, including the construction of 26 boat landings. Six larger infrastructure projects completed by GEM in Tawi-Tawi include the extension and widening of the Bongao airport runway, which enabled Airphil Express to establish a Zamboanga-Bongao route, now plying four times weekly by a 77-seater Bombardier Q400. (BPI-ARMM/ALT/RVC-PIA9 BaSulTa)

Navy rescues vessel in distress off Tawi-Tawi

Mindanews

ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/30 August) – Task Force 62 of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) has rescued a wooden-hull vessel in distress in the province of Tawi-Tawi, belated reports from the Philippine Navy said. Commodore Armando Guzman, NFWM commander, said the vessel loaded with 67 people, including the seven crew, was rescued Thursday 4.8 nautical miles off Pagasinan, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi. Of the 60 passengers, 12 were children, he added.

Guzman said M/L Virginia departed Sipangkot Island and bound for Lamion Pier in Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi, “when it incurred derangement on her main propulsion.”

The NFWM’s Naval Task Force 62, which is based in Panglima Sugala town, upon receiving a distress call from the M/L Virginia, directed the Patrol Ship-19 (PS-19) to conduct search and rescue operation for the distressed vessel amidst rough seas and strong winds prevailing in the area, Guzman said.

Battered by big waves, he said the vessel was listing on its port side while its crew members were “bailing out” water using pails in attempt to trim the vessel when the task force personnel aboard PS-19 arrived.

He added that the hapless passengers, some throwing up over the sides because of the violent rolling and pitching, were anxiously waiting for help.

Interviewed by the PS-19 personnel, M/L Virginia’s crew confirmed that their main engine incurred technical problem and “that they were already more than four hours dead-on-water,” he said.

Guzman said the PS-19 personnel led by Commander Ernesto Baldovino immediately rendered necessary assistance to the vessel. The PS-19 towed M/L Virginia, which arrived safely at Lamion Pier in Bongao.

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