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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.

The Dangers of Philippine Birdwatching

by Criselda Yabes


Birds, bandits meet with ominous consequences

On Feb. 1, on the isolated backwater Philippine island of Tawi-Tawi, two European men went hunting for some of the world’s rarest birds. Their passion as birdwatchers got them captured by five gunmen who took them hostage and destroyed their cameras, which contained proof of what only a few people in the world have ever seen.

Some 5,000 Filipino soldiers have been searching the region for the two, 52-year-old Elwold Hom of Holland and Lorenzo Vinciguerra, 47, of Switzerland. The army believes they are somewhere within 2,000 hectares of jungle on Tawi-Tawi. Meantime the kidnapers – or people posing as the kidnapers – have demanded that the police and army pull out of the area, a haven for Islamic separatists. Others suspect the kidnapers could be common bandits who sell their prey to Islamist rebels.

The story thus has several different facets– of the inability of the government to impose law and order on a region with a reputation for kidnaping, piracy and conflict, of the possibility that the Moro National Liberation Front or Abu Sayyaf captured the two as a part of their campaign to drive the government out of Mindanao – or of the foolhardy bravery of birdwatchers the world over who are willing to risk life and limb for their so-called life lists of observed birds.

In the case of Elwold Hom and Lorenzo Vinciguerra, it is the latter that matters. They are among avid birdwatchers who come to the Philippines against the odds, although they appear to be the first to be captured. The Wild Bird Club of the Philippines is considerably more prudent, not allowing its 200-odd members to stray into regions known for having been the site of battles and rebel strongholds.

Their Filipino guide and photographer, Ivan Sarenas, a noted birdwatcher in his own right and a member of the Wild Bird Club, escaped by leaping from the outrigger and swimming to safety where local fishermen rescued him.

“They wanted to see the world’s rarest hornbills before they grow old,” Sarenas said. He is one of two people previously known to have photographed the Sulu Hornbills, luminous black birds that can only be found on the island and are believed to be the last of their kind left on earth.

There are thought to be about 20 pairs of the hornbills left, according to a survey made about 10 years ago. The birds have been exterminated in Sulu, a chain of islands near Borneo – according to the ‘red list’ of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Sulu and Tawi-Tawi supposedly are the only two places on earth to find the hornbills and the stunning Bleeding Heart pigeon as well, which has not been seen or collected since the early 1900s.

Paradoxically, it is these dangerous regions that make areas of the Philippines some of the best birdwatching areas anywhere. It is where less dedicated individuals would never dare set foot. The abduction of the birdwatchers has raised the number of foreigners kidnapped in the region since the beginning of 2011 to 10.

Five, an Australian, two Malaysian traders, an Indian married to a Filipina and a Japanese male, are still in captivity along with three abducted Filipinos.

The abductors of the Australian, 53-year-old Warren Rodwell, are demanding US$2 million for his release.

Such spots actually enhance the chances of survival of rare birds rather than in other open or populated habitats, a place where they are likely to be hunted, poached, captured, displaced from excessive logging and mining, and for reasons that tell the country’s culture of destruction and lack of awareness for the wildlife.

The Mindanao south, of which Tawi-Tawi and Sulu are a part, is host to many of the estimated 200 endemic birds in the country, more than a third out of its total 614 species, comparably bigger than other countries in Southeast Asia. The most famous of its birds is the Philippine Eagle, a magnificent bird that is one of the three largest eagles on earth. It is also known as the Monkey-Eating Eagle because of its hunting prowess. Others in the region include the Cinnamon Ibon, the Red-Eared Parrotfinch, the Black-Headed Tailorbird.

But with the loss of habitat left unchecked, the Philippines has become the zone other migratory birds avoid, judging from the falling numbers of their species over the years – migrants from the Eurasian mainland and some from Siberia.

Anna Gonzales, president of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, offered a striking theory as to why conflict areas are safer for the birds.

“Perhaps the armed rebels will not use their bullets on the birds,” she said. Offbeat as that may sound, it lends some reason as to why the treasures of the Philippine wildlife are forcing the best of the naturalist adventurers to take risks.

In many parts of the gun-happy country, it is common to shoot whatever moves, a predatory human predilection carried over from the colonial years and currently ingrained as a disturbing habit in regard to the life of the birds, other conservationists say. In schools, Filipinos were generally taught about the prominent wildlife elsewhere but not of their own. This and poverty have worsened the fate of the Philippine birds.

The Philippine Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act calls for a state policy to guard the wildlife species and their habitats for ecological balance and biodiversity, but little of that has been shown in action. One example is the wetlands of Manila Bay, of which one part had been declared a conservation area for bird-watching and biodiversity until recently, when a ‘master plan’ to reclaim 600 hectares of the bay stretching to both north and south surfaced. Environmentalists, growing in small numbers, are hoping to stop it with protests.

There’s much more of the country’s 7,000 islands to see for birding, but it is largely a struggle for enthusiasts. It means going far and deep into the thickets of the forests, with birds fleeing and hiding out of sight in the open space for fear of being caught or hunted. At best birds frequently seen in the cities are the Eurasian Sparrows, commonly known as the ‘mice with wings’ that are garbage scavengers.

Ornithologists say the Philippines remains ‘under-birded,’ meaning there is more potential to be studied, that birds like hornbills, woodpeckers, and others could be broken down into sub-species endemic to the country.

“Has it been ingrained in the birds that the Philippines is a dangerous place?” asked Michael Lu, a businessman and founding member of the bird club. “You can go anywhere in this country and you will see habitat destruction.” He has plenty examples to cite, including a former paper mill zone where hunters and trespassers used to kill hornbills, filling up sacks with the dead to be consumed as food or sold in markets.

Criselda Yabes is a Philippine journalist and avid birdwatcher. She can be reached at cdyabes@yahoo.com.





Tawi-tawi Tourism

by Nonoy E. Lacson


BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi — Local and foreign tourist arrivals here are continuing in the province and local traders in this capital town are continuing their trade despite the recent kidnapping incident that have shaken the province early this month. Gov. Sadikul Sahali said the provincial tourism department has recorded continued arrivals of local ad foreign tourists in this capital town despite the kidnapping of a Dutch and a Swiss wildlife photographers off the coast of Panglima Sugala in this province. Sahali said the kidnapping of Lorenzo Vinciguerra, 47, Swiss national, and Dutchman Ewold Horn, 52, did not affect so much the tourism industry of the province.

Kidnapping no effect on tourism

by JUN RAMIREZ


Manila, Philippines – The recent abduction of two foreigners in Tawi-Tawi hardly affected the influx of foreign tourists into the country. According to statistics from the Bureau of Immigration (BI), a total of 83,367 foreigners and Balikbayans arrived in the country from Feb. 2 to Feb. 5, a few days after bandits kidnapped Swiss nationals Lorenzo Vinciguerra and Ewold Horn in Tawi-Tawi. BI statistics also showed that a total of 19,505 foreigners and Balikbayans arrived at the Ninoy Aquino Interrnational Airport during the four-day period. On a nationwide scale, the statistics showed that 11,980 Koreans, 9,355 Americans and 5,116 Japanese arrived in the country in the same period. Chinese nationals are next in the list, followed by Australians, Canadians, Taiwanese, and Malaysians. BI officials said the statistics prove that there is a continuing influx of foreigners and Balikbayans into the country despite the string of negative travel advisories from Western countries. They said an average of 10,000 tourists arrived at daily at the NAIA, the country’s premiere port. Department of Tourism (DoT) officials also downplayed the effect of the advisories, citing the 3.9 million tourists who arrived in the country last year compared to the 3.7 million who came in 2010.

5,000 comb Tawi-Tawi in search of kidnapped Europeans

by: Julie S. Alipala Inquirer Mindanao


ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—Some 5,000 people from security forces and volunteers are now combing the western part of Tawi-Tawi in search of the two European birdwatchers abducted by unidentified gunmen on February 1 as their governments are increasingly worried about their safety, a top provincial official said. “We have more than 3,000 hectares of forest here and the mission of that team is to make sure every part is inspected,” Governor Sadikul Sahali told the Inquirer by telephone on Friday. The province is made up of 300 islands, the major ones of which include Tawi-Tawi, Sanga-Sanga, Bongao, Simunul and Sibutu. Sahali said the authorities were trying their best to locate Dutchman Ewold Horn and Swiss Lorenzo Vinciguerra, and it was hoped that the deployment of more security forces and volunteers would yield positive results. Horn, Vinciguerra and Filipino birdwatcher Ivan Sarenas were returning to Bongao, the provincial capital, from a 14-day sojourn in the municipality of Panglima Sugala on the biggest island in the Tawi-Tawi group when they were abducted at sea. Their escorts, a policeman and a local official, were allowed to leave, along with the boat operator. Sarenas managed to escape by jumping overboard later that night and swam in the darkness toward another island where he was aided by fishermen. “We are hoping there would be positive news in the coming days,” Sahali said. He admitted that authorities in Bern and The Hague, the Swiss and Dutch capitals, respectively, were closely watching the developments in the search and rescue operations. He said officials from the Dutch and the Swiss embassies in Manila have been frequently contacting him for updates. “They keep on calling me every day; they want to know the progress of our efforts, they are very much worried over the safety of the two victims,” Sahali said. Acting Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said also that European diplomats were in close contact with him. He said he would always tell them that the efforts were continuing and that the victims have not been sighted so far. Sahali said they believed that the kidnappers and the victims have not gotten out of Tawi-Tawi yet. He said had they done so, the kidnappers would have made contact by this time. “Probably, they would have made known their demand by now,” Sahali said.

MNLF linked to abduction of 2 foreigners

by Honor Blanco Cabie


ZAMBOANGA, Philippines – Police said they identified a group of young members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) as possible suspects in the abduction of two Europeans in Tawi-Tawi more than a week ago. Police Director Felicisimo Khu, Jr., director of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO), said there are indications that Ewold Horn and Lorenzo Vinciguerra were taken by third generation members of the MNLF in Tawi-Tawi. Khu said a possible motive is jealousy among the locals. "These foreign birdwatchers when they go to the area, hire locals to serve as their guides and security." Khu said. "One group was denied." Khu said they are giving the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi time to negotiate with the abductors, who are said to be still hiding in Panglima Sugala town. "Governor Sahali is sending an emissary," Khu revealed. The police officer also showed to the news team a copy of the email sent by a certain Mustapha Muallam, using Ivan Sarenas' hacked email address, to the group of birdwatchers, where Sarenas is a member. Muallam, who identified himself as one of the abductors, demanded for the pull-out of police and military operatives in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. "But when he was asked to present proof of life of the victims, he was not able to comply." Khu believes Muallam is "someone who is merely trying to confuse things."





Tawi Tawi, on the world’s biggest coral triangle in PHL’s far south, sinking? (Feature)

by Honor Blanco Cabie


MANILA, Feb. 9 -– Leaders of the Philippines’ most southern province of Tawi Tawi have raised an urgent call, which sent disturbing ripples nationwide, on climate change watchers and environmentalists.


The call, in the form of a plea, has been addressed to those who have the political will to save the island World, at the southwestern tip of the country, which has splashes of white sandy beaches and rock-bound coasts.

Not many know that Tawi Tawi, which has 107 islands and islets, sits at the center of the world’s biggest coral triangle. It shares the same seas with disaster-prone states Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomons and Timor Leste.

The area comprises the South Base of the world’s biggest enclave of marine life representing only two per cent of the world’s ocean but contains 76 per cent of the world’s marine biodiversity.

Most of the people in Tawi-Tawi belong to the Sama cultural group, which has sub-groups and named based on the location of the speaker: Sama Sibutu from the Sibutu-Sitangkai Island Group, Sama Simunul from Simunul-Manuk Mangkaw Island Group.

The Jama Mapun are largely found in the Cagayan Mapun and Turtle Island Group. Many of the people from the Turtle Islands and Cagayan Mapun maintain daily commerce with Sabah, since it is only 14 kms away.

The Badjao (also called "Sama Dilaut") are widely dispersed across the country’s southernmost province. It has been observed the Badjao population is diminishing due to diseases and migration to other areas in the Philippines as well as neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia.

There is little wonder that recently Rep. Nur Jaafar filed House Resolution 1919 which underlines the need to set up Tawi Tawi and its sinking islands and islets as a National Laboratory with Climate Change Commission.

The Resolution identifies the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as lead agencies to undertake systematic monitoring of appropriate parameters.

The parameters must be raised with the use of scientific equipment for continued vulnerability assessment and piloting of mitigation and adaptation measures.

This is, as Rep. Jaafar said in his privileged speech, to check the Philippines “from becoming the next South Pacific archipelagic state to submerge and render its people refugees … not to be in the same fate as the sinking of Carteret Islands, Papua New Guinea and Tuvalu.

Filipinos have taken pride in the fact that Turtle Islands in Tawi Tawi is one of only 16 birth homes of the Green Sea Turtles in the world.

But with the obvious sinking of the smaller islands with high tides reaching even the plateau that hides the nests, experts are concerned there may be little chance for the turtles to hatch which would result in the dwindling of the already endangered species.

Leakage from container vessels and the resulting dumping of toxic waste also pose serious pollution threats to marine biodiversity in Tawi Tawi.

This is similar to the danger level of dying reefs as coastlines recede and warming oceans initiate dreaded diseases in fishes as well as fish mutants.

Migratory paths of large pelagic fishes would change as they look for cooler waters. This broadens the migratory path and eats up the smaller fishes.

While Tawi Tawi has been known to be the seaweeds capital of the Philippines, 10,000 families producing 75 per cent of raw harvests of the country’s carageenan exports may face bleak prospects.

Tawi Tawi also takes pride as being the land below the wind. But that may not be for long since storm surges have destroyed houses and left thousands of people homeless.

There have been storm surges that reduced stilt houses to matchsticks, according to Rep. Jaafar. This means serious repercussions on the already diminished ancestral domain of the Sama, Tausug, Jama Mapun and Badjao tribes.

Jaafar asks, rather pointedly: “Where else could they seek refuge as the sea rises to claim their homes without destroying their traditions and livelihood as seafarers who live close to the sea on stilts?”

What climate change means is that the 307 islands and islets in Tawi Tawi may dwindle and shrink, making the stilt houses unable to survive the sudden rise of the sea.

Climate change observers say Rep. Jaafar is on track in calling for action now, not tomorrow.

According to them, it would be very pathetic indeed if Tawi Tawi, home to almost 500,000 people and an enviable wealth of flora and fauna, would be allowed to sink because there are other concerns, definitely less in urgency, high in the priority list of the authorities. (PNA)

Kidnapped birdwatchers still kept in Tawi-Tawi

by AL JACINTO


ZAMBOANGA CITY: Authorities said gunmen are still holding an abducted Dutch and a Swiss wildlife photographers in Tawi-Tawi.

Authorities said Ewold Horn, 52, from Holland; and Lorenzo Vinciguerre, 47, of Switzerland, are still being held in captivity in one of dozens of islands in the Muslim province.

Five gunmen seized the two photographers along with a Filipino guide, Ivan Sadinas, 35, who managed to escape from the gang in the town of Panglima Sugala. Police said the foreigners, who arrived in the province late last month, were taking photographs of wild birds when gunmen seized them.

There were unconfirmed reports that the duo was brought to Sulu province and that another report claimed one of the hostages was rescued or freed. Police and military denied the reports.

The military’s Western Min-danao Command branded the report as ‘disinformation.’ There was no truth to that report that one of the victims was rescued or freed. It was a disinformation,” said Army Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, a regional military spokesman.

Police in Tawi-Tawi also denied the report.

“They are still here in Tawi-Tawi and the operation is continuing and wanted this problem resolve as soon as possible,” said Senior Superintendent Rodelio Jocson, the provincial police chief.

He said a local gang is holding Horn and Vinciguerre. “They were abducted by locals and not the Abu Sayyaf,” he said when asked by reporters if the al-Qaeda-linked terror group was behind the abduction.

Jocson, accompanied by police commandos, launched a rescue operation on Tuesday, but returned empty handed later in the night. “We just came down from the mountain and there were no traces of the hostages,” he said.

Abducted Dutch, Swiss photographers still in Tawi-Tawi province

by Ely Dumaboc


Police released to the Mindanao Examiner photos of abducted Dutch and a Swiss wildlife photogaphers Ewold Horn, 52, from Holland, and Lorenzo Vinciguerre, 47, of Switzerland. The duo was taken by gunmen on February 1, 2012 in the town of Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi province in the southern Philippines. (Ely Dumaboc)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 8, 2012) – Philippine authorities said gunmen are still holding an abducted Dutch and a Swiss wildlife photographers in the remote southern province of Tawi-Tawi.

Authorities said Ewold Horn, 52, from Holland; and Lorenzo Vinciguerre, 47, of Switzerland, are still being held in captivity in one of dozens of islands in the Muslim province.

Five gunmen seized the two photographers along with a Filipino guide, Ivan Sadinas, 35, who managed to escape from the gang in the town of Panglima Sugala. Police said the foreigners, who arrived in the province late last month, were taking photographs of wild birds when gunmen seized them.

There were unconfirmed reports that the duo was brought to Sulu province and that another report claimed one of the hostages was rescued or freed. Police and military denied the reports.

The military’s Western Mindanao Command branded the report as ‘disinformation.’ There was no truth to that report that one of the victims was rescued or freed. It was a disinformation,” Army Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, a regional military spokesman, told the Mindanao Examiner.

Police in Tawi-Tawi also denied the report.

“They are still here in Tawi-Tawi and the operation is continuing and wanted this problem resolve as soon as possible,” Senior Superintendent Rodelio Jocson, the provincial police chief, said in a separate interview.

He said a local gang is holding Horn and Vinciguerre. “They were abducted by locals and not the Abu Sayyaf,” he said when asked by reporters if the al-Qaeda-linked terror group was behind the abduction.

Jocson, accompanied by police commandos, launched a rescue operation on Tuesday, but returned empty handed later in the night. “We just came down from the mountain and there were no traces of the hostages,” he said.

Manila condemned the abduction of the foreigners and ordered authorities to resolve the crisis immediately.

The Aquino government also urged foreign tourists to coordinate with their own embassies regarding advisories on conditions that may affect their travel and other arrangements while visiting the Philippines.

“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,” said Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte.

No individual or group claimed responsibility for the abduction, but Abu Sayyaf militants are known to operate in the province where they kidnapped a Malaysian fish trader Pang Choon Pong in October last year and is still being held in captivity.

Abu Sayyaf militants also kidnapped two Malaysian seaweed farm workers Vui Chung, 42, and his cousin Lai Wing Chau, 33, in Tawi-Tawi in February 2010 and were freed later in the same year after their families paid some 2 million ringgits.

The group tied to al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiya had also kidnapped 21 mostly Western holidaymakers in Sabah’s resort island of Sipadan in 2001 and brought them by boat to the southern Philippines. The hostages were then ransomed off to Malaysia and Libya - which negotiated for their release - for millions of dollars.

The Abu Sayyaf is still holding two Malaysians, a Japanese man, an Indian national married to a Filipina, an Australian citizen and three Filipinos in the restive southern region.

European tourists' abductors remain unknown

by Bong Garcia


THE government authorities are still clueless who were behind the abduction of two European tourists in Tawi-Tawi, as the search to locate the hostages' whereabouts entered on its fifth day Monday.

The hostages, Ewold Horn, 52, of Holland and Lorenzo Vinciguerre, 47, of Switzerland were seized by five gunmen together with Filipino guide Ivan Sarenas, 35, last February 1.

The tourists were taking photographs of rare bird species off shore Parangan village, Panglima Sugala town, Tawi-Tawi when the gunmen aboard a twin-engine motorized banca arrived and seized them at gunpoint.

Sarenas managed to escape hours later as he jumped from the banca while the gunmen were transporting them.

Tawi-Tawi police director Senior Superintendent Rodelio Jocson said no one has called nor made demands in exchange for the release of the European tourists.

Meanwhile, Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali said they tapped the assistance of all sectors to help them locate the victims.

Sahali said he also tapped the assistance of Moro National Liberation Front members in the province.

Jocson said the Naval Forces Western Mindanao command has deployed three gunboats around the area where the search is focused.

Jocson added that the twin-engine motorized banca used by the suspects were recovered in the shore of Languyan town.

DOT weighs in on abducted European tourists, says "The Tawi-Tawi incident could have been avoided had the visitors taken necessary precautions"

by spot.ph


Interaksyon.com reports that in a press statement issued late Friday (February 3), the Department of Tourism (DOT) stressed: "The issuance of travel advisories is part of the regular functions of embassies in line with ensuring the safety and security of their citizens in a foreign country. For the Philippines, advice against travel to some parts of Mindanao has been constant and common."

According to the report, the DOT also added: "The Tawi-Tawi incident is considered unfortunate and could have been avoided had the visitors taken necessary precautions many European tourists usually take in heed of these advisories."

The "Tawi-Tawi incident" cited in the DOT statement refers to the case of kidnap victims as Elwold Horn, 52, of Holland; and Lorenzo Vinciguerra, 47, of Switzerland.They were abducted by "unidentified elements" on February 1, "while riding a boat back to the capital of Bongao, after a bird-watching trip."

According to the report, "the DOT expressed confidence that tourists would continue to flock to the country despite a new travel advisory issued by the United Kingdom."

Philippines: No ransom demand yet for 2 Europeans

by AP News


MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Police said Friday that local thugs, not al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf militants, were likely to have abducted two European tourists this week in the southern Philippines.

Police Director Felicisimo Khu said the kidnappers had not contacted authorities or made any ransom demand.

Ewold Horn of the Netherlands, Lorenzo Vinciguerra of Switzerland and their Filipino guide, Ivan Sarenas, were abducted Wednesday during a bird-watching trip to Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines’ southernmost province. They were the latest kidnap victims in an impoverished region infested with al-Qaida-linked militants and criminal gangs that often seek ransom for their foreign hostages.

Sarenas escaped hours later by jumping off their captors’ boat after he saw some fishermen, who rescued him.

Khu said he doubts the gunmen were Abu Sayyaf members because there is no known Abu Sayyaf presence in the province. But Tawi-Tawi is home to rebels from the Moro National Liberation Front, which signed a peace pact with the government in 1996.

“There are no indications that they are Abu Sayyaf,” Khu said in a telephone interview, adding that the abductors were likely local thugs.

He said the kidnappers freed unharmed an unarmed policeman, a town councilor and a boat skipper who were accompanying the bird watchers, and did not shoot Sarenas when he jumped out of the boat to make his escape — uncharacteristic of the brutal Abu Sayyaf militants, who are notorious for kidnappings and beheadings.

The abductors also appeared to be have bungled in failing to take Vinciguerra’s bag, which contained more than $1,000 worth of foreign currencies, and Sarenas’ bag, which had expensive cameras.

Police recovered the belongings from the motorized outrigger from which the victims were seized.

Sarenas said the victims were transferred to another boat, then a third boat. He said he escaped when he realized the boat was speeding toward Jolo island, a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf.

But Khu said that the boat was small and that there was no extra fuel on board for the 12-hour trip to Jolo.

Police said the kidnappers landed in Tawi-Tawi’s Languyan township and burned their boat in a bid to hide its owner.

Sarenas said he, Horn and Vinciguerra arrived in Tawi-Tawi on Sunday in search of the Sulu hornbill, said to be the most endangered hornbill in the world.

Tawi-Tawi is famed for virgin beaches surrounded by crystal blue waters. But like most areas in the restive southern Philippines, it is undeveloped because of years of violence, including ransom kidnappings, bomb attacks and fighting between troops and Muslim rebels.

After spending three days in a mountain forest, the three were heading back to the provincial capital of Bongao by boat Wednesday when five rifle-toting gunmen on another boat fired warning shots and intercepted them, Sarenas said.

Muslim insurgents have been fighting for minority self-rule in the predominantly Christian nation’s south, and the Abu Sayyaf is the most violent group. The militants have been holding an Australian man abducted in December, as well as a Japanese and a Malaysian.

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.


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