bobbylagsa

[bobbylagsa]

Bike Touring the Philippines

Bobby Lagsa

For most of his life, Melchizedek "Merky" Aranas Garcia have been dreaming of traveling the entire Philippines-each of the 81 provinces, there is. His dream came true in 2019 when he biked around the country for the first time.

Merky is just one of the growing numbers of Filipinos who are taking the extreme length to pedal their ways around the country, exploring places most Filipinos can only dream of.

On February 24, 2021, Merky, along with fellow adventure bikers, Romeo Llante of Cavite and Valeri de Guzman of Baguio City started their journey to bike tour the archipelago all the way to Davao City where Merkey lives.

Garcia is a seafarer by profession and when he arrived in the country following a 14-months work onboard, he planned that he will bike his way home to Davao City.

Like Garcia, Llante is an engineer working in the Middle East for almost 10 years while de Guzman is a social entrepreneur.

This is not the first time for the trio to bike their way around the Philippines. Garcia did his first in 2019 right after getting off the ship. Llante also did an extended bike tour in 2019, spending six months on the road alone. de Guzman is also a veteran long-distance biker.

They left San Pedro, Laguna on the 24th of February, and for the next 45 days, they would pedal their way to Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Garcia said that bike touring is an entirely different approach than just doing the Philippine Loop. “With bike touring, your aim is to tour the country rather than just passing by, doing the Maharlika Route all the way to Mindanao and taking the RORO (Roll-on, Roll-Off) ship to cross the island,” Garcia said.

"The goal is to tour, not just speed your way around the country, without even stopping to enjoy the destinations," Garcia said.

“When I was growing up, I dream of biking my way around Mindanao. When I had my apprenticeship on board, I saw how beautiful the Philippines is,” Garcia said.

Garcia added that back then, he had no money and thought of just biking his way to get to places.

For Llante, it was an outlet to get away from the hustle of life in Cavite and from working overseas for an extended period.

OPEN TIME, OPEN BUDGET

What open time, open budget means is that they have no formal plans of what route they are going to take. “Anytime we can change our plan, we can change our route, we can change how long we are going to stay in a place,” Garcia said.

The trio agreed to their plan. They can spend as much time on the road as they can. They passed by countless tourism destinations during their 45 days on the road.

“I wanted to climb mountains,” Llante said. In his 2019 tour, he climbed 11 mountains including Mount Apo, Kitanglad in Bukidnon, Hibok-hibok in Camiguin Island.

They have crossed muddy road, climbed mountain roads just to get out-of-the-way waterfalls, rivers, and communities they wanted to explore.

“Our longest stay was in Samar, where we spent 2 weeks exploring the two provinces,” Garcia said.

They camped out in Huplag Adventure Camp in Bantayan Cliff, Ando Island, Borongan City where they get to experience sleeping on a hanging hammock with a 150 meters drop to the seas.

“We waited for the replica of Magellan’s ship the Juan Sebastián Elcano to arrive in Guiuan, Eastern Samar,” Llante said.

When the El Cano arrived in Homonhon Island, they rented an outrigger to get closer to the ship. “Sadly, we were not allowed to go on board because of Covid protocols,” Llante said.

After the El Cano crossing, they spend the next 2 days in Homonhon and Suluan Islands before heading back to the mainland and off their way to Leyte.

Along with their ways, they were met by fellow bikers who are only too eager to host them. “Sometimes, I informed friends who I met during the 2019 tour that I am passing by,” Garcia said.

“Sometimes, when they met us, they would bike with us to destinations, and when we get there, foods are already prepared for us,” Garcia said.

The trio, along with other bike clubs that hosted them, also held community engagement programs like feeding and giving school supplies for children.

LOGISTICS, PREPARATIONS

Biking for an extended period of time can be a difficult task and it takes determination and courage just to conquer steep climbs and muddy roads to get to their next destinations.

“Before I arrived from my work onboard, I already planned my bike tour, told some of my friends I’m doing a bike tour again,” Garcia said.

Garcia wanted to invite friends so that it will be more fun. “It is more fun to share the road with friends who share the same passion as you are,” Garcia said.

Llante and de Guzman rise to the challenge of Garcia.

“My bag only consisted of 3 short pants, shirts,” Garcia said. On his backpack, he carries his drone that would prove to be very useful in getting dramatic, scenic shots.

“You only need to bring light materials, all our clothing are quick-dry,” Llante said.

Their daily budget is only 500 pesos per person per day, except for destinations that they would need to spend more, 500 was their daily budget which include foods, hotels, drinks.

"On the road, you need to eat well and hydrate well," Llante said.

“The plan really is to set-up tents by sunset,” Garcia said.

“We would sleep in barangay halls, beaches, gasoline stations, roads with trees we can hang our hammocks,” Llante added.

But mostly, Filipinos welcomed them to their homes, offering sleeping spaces. Experiencing the hospitality of the Filipino people was a humbling experience. "We are strangers and yet they welcome us, provide us shelter and food as we share our stories with them," Garcia said.

“When there is nowhere else to sleep, we would pay entrance fees to resorts and just camp on the beach,” Llante added.

There were days also that they do really need to take a good sleep to recover physically and had to spend nights in resorts or inns. “We need to rest, but hotels are our last resort,” Garcia said.

They also agreed never to travel during nighttime, except for one instance during the first few days of the tour.  after pedaling for almost 18 hours, they arrived in Naga City around 11 pm raking in almost 200 kilometers.

“We agreed to pedal only during daylight, where sunset catches us up, we would set up camp for the night, we are not in a hurry anyway,” Garcia said.

200 kilometers is the most the pedaled in a single day, after that, their average is just about 80 kilometers per day.

There are times that they would need to rest at noon for an extended time as the heat of the sun becomes almost unbearable. “We rest where we wanted to, we don’t plan of getting to this town or that town, we stop at sunset,” Garcia said.

When they arrived in Davao City where Garcia is from, de Guzman had to make her way to Cagayan de Oro and left the two. De Guzman could be in Cebu as of this writing, doing her Cebu loop on and on her way to Negros Island.

THE PHILIPPINES IS A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY

Garcia and Llante eventually pedaled their way to this city, spending two days along Sayre Highway, exploring Bukidnon. They arrived here on May 1 and spent 4 days here exploring and meeting with fellow Philippine Bike tour loopers.

Words on the biking community here were that de Guzman was met by an all-female bikers group and was given a warm welcome.

Bike touring the Philippines was a humbling experience for Garcia and Llante. They have pedaled almost 3 thousand kilometers and visited most provinces along the Maharlika Highway.

Garcia’s count crossed out 63  out of 81 provinces since he started his bike tour in 2019. Llante crossed out 11 mountains, and almost visited each province in the Philippines.

They have seen most of Filipinos can only dream of- touring the entire Philippines, learning cultures and traditions, meeting people, and experienced  lgendary Filipino hospitality and conquering their own selves.

Garcia and Llante is a testament of achieving dreams even if it means just being armed with just bare necessities.

Garcia and Llante is now planning their next bike tour, hoping that more bikers would join them.

NOTE:

all photographs were provided by Merky Garcia

FOR THEIR 2021 Philippine Bike Tour, Garcia spent 35 thousand while Llante spent 50 thousand.

Since Valerie de Guzman was already in Cebu, she was not around for the interview.

[bobbylagsa]

Bobby Lagsa

Cagayan de Oro City – On March 5, 2021 during a joint meeting of the National Task Force and Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict here, President Rodrigo Duterte issued a verbal directive to Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary John Castriciones to give away public lands to farmers.

“Distribute all the idle government land whether you like it or not," Duterte told a crowd at the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP).

This is not the first time that President Duterte has issued verbal orders for DAR distribute lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and its extension with reforms (CARPer) and on Friday, he included on his verbal order to start working on giving away all idle government-owned lands to the farmers before he steps down in 2022.

The government has a balance of nearly 500 thousand hectares of land to be distributed to the farmers with the DAR aiming to be Land Acquisition and Distributon-free by 2022.

In January 2020, while in North Cotabato, President Duterte reiterated his vow to complete the CARP’s LAD component within his term, adding that he had directed DAR Secretary John Castriciones to fully implement the program, particularly in Negros Occidental, the province with the biggest LAD balance nationwide. 

In April 13, 2019 during his visit in Malaybalay City also said that he will distribute lands to the farmers, “My order to DAR I still have three years (in my term) all government land will be given to the people, that’s what I want to do,” Duterte said.

Duterte even warned multinational corporations that their land lease are considered canceled because it will be put under land reform program and ordered agrarian reform beneficiaries must be installed.

In May 2019, as a response to the chief executive’s directive to complete the distribution of agricultural landholdings to their tillers, the DAR said its target was for CARP to be LAD-free by 2022.

 In August 2020, the DAR shortened the land acquisition process from to 291 to 112 days supposedly to fast-track CARP.

CARP is an counter-insurgency campaign that started with President Corazon Aquino aiming to distribute lands to peasant farmers as an incentive to do away with armed rebellion.

LIP SERVICE ONLY

However, for Task Force Mapalad (TFM), a non-government organization that works with farmers’ organization across the country in legally acquiring land from the government, it is all lip service with the Duterte administration having the lowest number of land distributed compared to other Presidents starting with President Corazon Aquino.

TFM's National Deputy Coordinator Lanie Factor chided Duterte for his lip service saying that Duterte utterly failed the people in his land distribution.

Duterte claimed being the only President who has given the most to people in terms of land distribution “Of all the presidents, I have given the most in terms of land. I am the only President who dislikes publicity,” Duterte told the crowd in USTP.

“It is all lip service as data from DAR itself showed that he has the lowest land distribution output since President Cory Aquino,” Factor said.

LOW AND UNMET LAND DISTRIBUTION TARGET, LOWEST PERFORMANCE IN CARP HISTORY  

According to TFM, it is clear from the records of the DAR itself that there is a big credibility gap between what President Duterte promised and what the department does.   

"While the DAR has been projecting to the media that it is doing its job, the truth is, the current administration does not only have low and unmet land distribution targets. It is also, on record, the worst CARP implementor in terms of LAD since the land-to-the-tiller program started in 1988," says Teresita Tarlac, president of TFM’s Negros-Panay Chapter. 

Data from the DAR shows that in 2020, the department was only able to distribute a total of 18,789 hectares of new agricultural landholdings nationwide or nearly 40 percent short of its 30,154-hectare target for 2020 year. 

“The nationwide LAD balance is still about 500,000 hectares. If the DAR’s LAD target is only over 30,000 hectares yearly, how can the CARP be LAD-free by 2022? At 30,000 hectares yearly, it would take the DAR over 15 years or three more administrations after the Duterte administration before it completes land distribution nationwide,” Tarlac said.

“Worse, missing the target means land distribution will be forever or never,” Tarlac added. 

From 2016 to 2020, or during the last five years under the Duterte administration, its total LAD accomplishment nationwide was only 142,806 hectares, according to TFM's computation based on DAR data. 

Compared to his predecessor President Benigno Aquino, III, from 2010 to 2015, or during the first five years of Aquino III's presidency, the DAR distributed a total of 525,151 hectares of agricultural landholdings under the CARP, or an annual average of 105,030 hectares, based on data from the DAR. 

Arroyo' s first five years in office (2001 to 2005) resulted in the distribution of a total of 548,916 hectares or 109,783 hectares annually.  

Even President Joseph Estrada's short-lived administration had higher land distribution record than that of Duterte government. LAD accomplishment of the Estrada administration totaling 379,905 has. (or 126,635 has. annually) from 1998 to 2000, only lasting for less than three years, was much higher than that of the Duterte administration in its nearly five years in office. 

Meanwhile, President Fidel Ramos' LAD accomplishment during his fist five years in office (1992 to 1997), was the highest among the three as the DAR, under his watch, was able to distribute a total of 1,702,538 has. or an annual average of 340,570 has. 

Also, the four-year LAD accomplishment of the administration of Corazon Aquino from 1988 (the start of the implementation of the CARP) to 1991, was much better than that of the current administration at 745,293 has., equivalent to a yearly average of 186,323 has.

Tarlac said that Duterte’s total LAD performance is just equivalent to a yearly average accomplishment of 28,561 hectares – the lowest ever in the history of CARP.

"We thought President Duterte's predecessor (Aquino, III), who came from a haciendero family, was the worst CARP implementor. But we were proved wrong. How come this happened when our current chief executive issued strong directives to the DAR to complete CARP before he stops down from office?" Factor said.

At the USTP gym, DAR Secretary John Castriciones stood up and then coached Duterte into saying that the DAR has already distributed some 160,000 hectares, and that supposedly, 450,000 hectares more would be given away. He also said DAR has given some 2,100 land ownership titles in Northern Mindanao on Thursday, March 4,2021.

Factor said that Castriciones reasoned that the problems of CARP is the remaining land distribution balance is that these lands are highly problematic facing difficult legal challenges. 

“They are the ones declaring the problems, why they can’t give away these lands, but that’s not what the law says, (to distribute the land despite challenges)” Factor said.

This low land distribution output does not even include the high numbers of Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) holders, farmers who owned the lands who are unable to enter their lands.

These farmers are rightful owners of lands given by government, unable to enter and till their lands because landlords have taken grip on the lands they do not own and yet the government of President Duterte is unable and helpless to uphold the rights of these farmers to till their lands.

[bobbylagsa]

Bobby Lagsa

Rappler Correspondent

Cagayan de Oro City – Philippine Veterans Investment Development Corporation –Industrial Authority Misamis Oriental (Phividec/PIA-MO) Administrator and Chief Executive Office Jose Gabriel la Viña On February 22, 2021 ordered the closure of all quarry operations along Tagoloan River that is within the land of PHIVIDEC in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

Slapped with closure order are quarry operators Manuel Sukarno Alvarez operating in Lot No. 767, Pls-799 operating in Sitio Bontong, Santa Ana, Tagoloan.

Chique V. Cosin operating in Lot. No 404 and 1202, Pls-799, Sitio Mohon, Santa Ana, Tagoloan.

Nicomedes Achas of ORO NQA enterprises operating in Lot No. 598, 599 and 765, Pls-799, Sitio Bontong, Santa Ana, Tagoloan.

Salvador Fernandez operating in Lot 394,397, 398, 1196, 1195, 1194, 1193 Pls-799 Santa Ana, Tagoloan.

A 5th quarry operator is yet to be named as it is operating outside PIA land but uses its road network and the PIA legal team is still studying its legal remedies.

La Viña, a close ally of President Rodrigo Duterte said that the quarry operations within the PHIVIDEC land started in the 1990 and have since eats up 70 hectares of land of the 3 thousand hectares that PHIVIDEC owned.

PHIVIDEC is an industrial authority that promotes industrial lands and providing tax incentives to investors and operates between the towns of Tagoloan and Villanueva, Misamis Oriental.

La Viña said that based on the mandate of PHIVIDEC under Presidential Decree 538, PIA has the sole right to PIA lands.

La Viña said that the local government unit of Tagoloan have been issuing quarry permits to operators but the same operators are not registered with PIA thus their operations are legal as PIA-MO have not issued any business permits to these operators.

Atty Princess Ayoma, Legal Officer 3 of PIA said that the quarry operation is illegal because there is no permit from PIA for them to operate and only PIA has the sole police power to exercise over its land, “Under PD 538, PHIVIDEC has the sole authority and police power to exercise over its industrial estate,” Ayoma said.

Ayoma added that quarry operators needs to secure an area clearance from the landowner, “Definitely, these quarry operators did not secure an area clearance from PIA making this quarry operations illegal,” Ayoma said.

La Viña added that quarry operators have established their bunkhouses, operations center, equipment and stockpile inside PIA lands without permission.

La Viña also added that environmental degradation due to quarry jeopardizes the safety of the people and locators living inside PIA lands. “If there is flood, the safety of people and locators are in danger, thousands of people will lose their jobs. The locators are rich, they will not be affected, it is the people that will suffer for job losses,” La Viña said.

NO POWER

Tagoloan Mayor Gomer Sabio did not took the Cease and Desist Order by la Viña easily arguing that Phividec has no power over Tagoloan River.

“I don’t have copy of his Cease and Desist Order, and all of these quarry operations have permits,” Sabio said.

Sabio said that since he was elected as mayor of Tagoloan, a first class industrial and port municipality, he ordered closure to at least 10 illegal quarry operations.

The remaining five operators that la Viña ordered closed have quarry permits from the Misamis Oriental Provincial government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources –Mines and Geoscience Bureau and Environmental Management Bureau.

“These permits went through the process from DENR to Provincial environment and Natural Resources to Municipal environment and Natural Resources,” Sabio said.

Sabio added that on their Local government level, they issued business permit to quarry operators and their trucking services partners.

“Besides, Phividec has no power over the rivers, these quarry operations are providing (aggregates) supplies to the Build, Build, Build program of the national government,” Sabio said.

Sabio however agreed that Phividec have power over the lands where these quarry operators’ stockpiles and motorpool are located. “If the stockpiles and their equipment are located over their land, that they can order the removal but not the power to issue a Cease and Desist,” Sabio said.

Sabio also revealed that Phividec did not reached out to the LGU and neither do they have any plans to meet la Viña and passing the decision to the quarry operators if they will follow the Phividec order.

la Viña said that he will not allow any trucks from quarry operations to pass through Phividec roads.

Sabio for his part said that only the local government unit has the power to stop any quarry operations.

[bobbylagsa]

Bobby Lagsa

Rappler Correspondent

Cagayan de Oro City – Senator Manny Pacquiao on Friday night said that there is much to be desired in the Philippine’s acquisition of Covid-19 vaccine.

The Philippine government is lagging behind other South East Asian nations in the purchase of the Covid vaccine, which is seen to provide hope in opening the country’s economy but is bugged by technicalities.

The country is yet to receive a single vial of the much desired vaccine and it is facing challenges in stocking enough vaccines even as it targets to acquire 148 million doses of vaccine. On paper, the country has “locked in” on 108 million doses but this is only on term paper with at least seven drug manufacturers.

The 148 million doses will cover 70 to 80 percent of the Philippine’s 100 million population. Citizens are anxious over the delivery of the vaccine even though surveys from the Octa Research group showed that 46% percent of adult Filipinos are hesitant to get the jab and only 19% percent of adults are willing to be vaccinated.

The Philippine senate last week questions the why the country has no time frame for the delivery of the vaccine and it is unclear why the government has no signed supply agreement.

“We need to improve, when it comes to actions, we are too slow, maybe it is slow because there are too many government agencies that the papers needs to go through,” Pacquiao said.

“[There are] too many approvals that is required, perhaps we can shorten the processing of the papers especially the permits so that we can expedite programs like vaccinations,” Pacquiao added.

Pacquiao also said that he is willing to be vaccinated with any Covid vaccine brand for as long as the Foods and Drugs Administration (FDA) approve it.

Pacquiao also encourages people to be vaccinated and that people should be made to understand that importance of the vaccine and people should not be afraid of the vaccine.

[bobbylagsa]

Biking with Westwoods Bikers. #CamarahanRidge #cagayandeoro https://www.instagram.com/p/CDcVX9oJXYo/?igshid=eagqffeluet1

[bobbylagsa]

Banisilan-Alamada, Cotabato Road. The #heartland of #Mindanao #everydaymindanao #everydayphilippines #photojournalism #saferroads https://www.instagram.com/p/B4cOFiXpP49/?igshid=1gjmi4dmyrvow

[bobbylagsa]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bobby Espinosa Lagsa (@bobbylagsa)

[bobbylagsa]

Camiguin  Island - All road and ferries leads to Camiguin Island for one of Mindanao's grandest festivals - the 40th Lanzones Festivals from October 20-27, 2019. Lanzones or Buwahan as called here is the staple fruit produce of this pearl-shaped island blessed with cold, hot, and soda spring, waterfalls, white sand beaches and peace loving people. Camiguin, situated between Bohol in the north and Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental on the south is one of the Philippines' most visited Island and bank on green tourism industry. The festivals is more meaningful this year as the province of Camiguin won the National Competitive Council's 4th Most Competitive province and Mambajao, the island capital won as the Most Competitive Town for 6th-3rd class town last October 24, 2019. The Department of Trade and Industry-led NCC celebrates the national award for local government units with best practices. The distinction, now its seventh year, was bestowed on deserving LGUs by the Department of Trade and Industry through its Competitiveness Bureau. Governor Jurdin Jesus Romualdo said that they always bank on the province's tourism appeal that is unique from amongst other provinces. Romualdo said that they are expecting tourist arrivals here to exceed 1 million tourists, surpassing the 800 thousand last year. "We want tourists to come here to relax and enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer," Romualdo said. "We always envision to develop the island-province with sustainability and environmental consciousness in mind," Romualdo said. in 2018, the island produced 810 tons of Lanzones which was exported across the country and  judging from the harvest this early, the province is expected to surpass the 810 metric tons. MORE DEVELOPMENT On October25, at the Mutya sa Buwahanan, Romualdo said that the province is set to embarked on water district development across the province. As a town blessed with bountiful water supply, Romualdo said that a businessman was surprised that water just flowed freely here. Taking steps to conserve water, the Provincial government will establish a water district that would serve the town, delivering safe, potable water to households. Taking cue from https://www.instagram.com/p/B4FWakOJX0Q/?igshid=lne784fsd2qg

[bobbylagsa]

Stifled Voices on President Rodrigo Duterte's 4th State of the Nation Address

STIFLED VOICES- Rallyists walks through historic plaza divisoria in Cagayan de Oro City on July 22, 2019 during the 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte. (bobby lagsa)

Bobby Lagsa

the rallyists were also prevented from staging their rally at the usual spot in Ramon Magsaysay Park in Divisoria as  the 4th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army set-up tents for the different government offices to hold public event services. 

Correspondent -

Cagayan de Oro City - There were more flags that rallyists who showed up at the anti-State of the Nation Address (SONA) here as multiple checkpoints blocks the entry of participants into this city to rally against President Rodrigo Duterte on his 3rd SONA in Manila.

Human RIghts lawyer Beverly Ann Musni laments the use of state forces in stiffling the voices of the people by disallowing and preventing the people in letting their voices heard.

Gone are the days when rallyists from nearby provinces of Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin were freely able to let their voices be heard, held programs and speeches from various left-leaning and rights organizations.

This time, only priest from Iglesia Filipina Independente (IFI), a militant church that brought social issues to the streets, front and center of the consciousness of the Filipino masses.

the rallyists' sound system was already positioned at the Ramon Magsaysay Park but was forced to transfer it to Rizal Park, 3 blocks away. There, under the shadow of the monument of national hero Jose Rizal, the rallyists were limited in movement and in letting their voices heard.

gone are the interpretative dances of the marginalized sectors of society on the brink of holding up against the government for its incapabilities to bring social justice to their communities.

The rallyists started their walk from the Press Freedom Monument, outside the building of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club near the Misamis Oriental Provincial Capitol compound and walks through Apolinar Velez Street towards the historic Plaza Divisoria.

When the rallyists pass by the Kiosko Kagawasan stage, Regional police band played "price tag" a popular song by Jessie J and an insinuation that rallyists are paid to attend.

Militant voices were drowned by sound of the military and police bands playing a block behind them and a rented jeepney with blaring sound just merely 20 meters away.

The sound system of the militant rallyists were rendered useless as they have no access to power and the speakers were spoke through a megaphone that was drowned by the noises around them.

Musni said that this is a violation of the right of the people to assembly and freedom of speech to redress the government for grievances.

IFI priest Allan Khen Apus said that the song was intended to debase and over simplify rallyist as attending rally because their is a "price tag" for each rallyist, "Which is not true," Fr. Apus said.

"They are blocking and holding people from traveling to join us here, people are being prevented to let their voices be heard, this government uses all state forces instrumentalities to stiffle our voice," Musni said.

Musni said that the consitution of the Republic guarantees rights to be heard but said Duterte's government have been silencing critics and dissents by cutting them down from the roots.

CALL FOR REMOVAL OF DUTERTE FROM PRESIDENCY

Fr. Apus read a statement during the rally and said that the people must work to and act for the immediate ouster of President Rodrigo Duterte. 

"The true State of the Nation under his administration is one of decay in economy, chaos in politics, and decay in human rights. For three years in power, President Duterte has proven time and again that he is an anti-people leader who rules with the iron fist to quell all forms of dissent," Apus said.

Three years is enough! It is time for President Duterte to step down or be removed from power. 

Apus added that the continuing Decay of the Economy, total sell-out to China of our Patrimony and the Duterte government has connived with the Chinese government in its economic programs at the expense of our patrimony. 

"In exchange for Chinese loans, President Duterte has given up our rights over the West Philippine Sea. While China plunders our resources, the President defends the Chinese government over our own fishermen in West Philippine Sea and our peasants and indigenous peoples affected by the Duterte-China development aggression including the Kaliwa Dam Project and the Pulangi Dam Project," Apus said.

Apus also called in on the breakdown of human rights and the overwhelming cases of extrajudicial killings of Duterte’s drug war has prompted international human rights mechanisms and states to call for probe on the country. 

"The shrinking democratic spaces for progressive organizations and civil society groups has pushed for human rights bodies and individuals to directly condemn the government’s approach towards its critics," Apus said.

Apus added that the on-going martial law in Mindanao has emboldened the state armed forces to attack legitimate dissent under the guise of counter-insurgency and uses taxpayers money to silence critics.

"The systematic red-tagging of red-tagging of progressive organizations to justify attacks on human rights, hit lists, posters, flyers and tarpaulins to vilify progressive leaders and organizations was employed as tactic to send a chilling effect on the populace," Apus added.

"ACTIVISM and LEGITIMATE DISSENT is not a crime but the political right of the people to organize and seek redress of grievances including the lack of genuine agrarian reform, land-grabbing of Lumad ancestral domains, lack of just wages  and just working conditions and other economic problems," Apus said.

The New People's Army, in a statement sent to Rappler said that Duterte's "War on Terror" is a smokescreen of the Duterte's notorious attacks against mass organizations pushing for their legitimate rights. 

"Duterte's desperation became more obvious  repressing even the people's legal struggles by red-tagging them as supporters of the communist movement," Ka Norsen Manggubat of Communist Party of the Philippines, North Central Mindanao Region (NCMR) said.

Manggubat said that since 2016, 29 civilians in the region became victims of EJK and enforced disappearance.

Most recent cases were the killings of farmers in Bukidnon including Tata Abayon, Loloy Santerna, Joel Anino and Datu Mario Agsab on June and July 2019. 61 individuals were also illegaly arrested in NCMR since 2016.

Virus-free. www.avast.com

[bobbylagsa]

Lala, Lanao del Norte – If there’s one thing that travels  bring us humans is that it can enlighten us on places and its people to a much better understanding.

Travels makes us understand and help spread that understanding and perhaps, bring people together.

When I took the assignment to attend and write about the First International Conference on the Sama Dilaut (The Badjao) in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, many people thought that I am going to a really dangerous place and that I am out of my mind.

I’ve seen and been to some conflict areas in Mindanao and for most of us Filipino, we painted the areas of Muslim Mindanao as really bad.

When I landed in Bongao, Tawi-tawi, the southernmost province in the country and just 5 hours by boat from Malaysia, I thought that the place is far from what we imagine it to be.

My mom’s cousins Auntie Zenny Delfinado met me at the airport and drove me to their home and there met my Lola Gating and I feel right at home.

By the afternoon, I was driving myself around Bongao Island, and visited their public market.

The Tawi-tawi main land is composed of three islands – Bongao, Sanga-Sanga and Tawi-tawi where the provincial capital town of Panglima Sugala is located.

Bongao, Sanga- sanga and Tawi-tawi was recently connected by bridge, allowing people to travel by land.

Truth to tell: Bongao and Tawi-tawi is far from what we Filipinos imagined it to be.

It is peaceful there, so quiet and so metropolitan that it does not deserve its reputation as dangerous, it is even unfair to imagine it as dangerous.

Bongao, Panglima Sugala and Simunul, the island municipality that I have visited during my 10 days visit there is beautiful, rich in history and culture.

Its pristine beaches, crystal clear waters and warm, peace loving people is a wonder to behold, far from who we imagined them to be.

The Tausog, Sama Dilaut, Yakan and the settlers here have existed in harmony, working together for the peace and homogeneity of the province.

The cheap and abundant seafood here are also worth noting. At the Tabuan, the absence of a weighing scale is hard to ignore.

Fish are sold by group or by piece at a very affordable price. On early mornings, the wives of fishermen near Baywalk would sell fish at an even cheaper price.

Sunrise and Sunsets are always beautiful here, as the fair weather here is all year round.

BEING A MINORITY, A MUSLIM AND GAY

One of the most surprising things about being here is that how gays are being accepted here, despite it being a Muslim dominated area.

At the Baywalk, I’ve meet some university students hanging out. Among them are a group of openly gay Tausog men and at the Badjao village, there are several transgender.

For the likes of Rhieyan, Barbie, Abby and Brihyan, residents of the island of Sibutu, being gay is accepted and on occasions, celebrated.

Rhieyan is the most outspoken of the group and shared that being gay is being accepted but still there are limitations set by their communities.

“We can go to Friday prayers and we don’t feel discriminated, the Imam would tell us that we have our parents that could guide us,” Rhieyan said.

Their being openly gay is refreshing owing to the idea that Muslims are not allowed to be one.

Brihyan revealed that there are others in Bongao and the outlying municipal islands that are openly gay and that are others too who cannot come out because of their families.

For Abby, all of his family except his father knew of his sexuality, “Perhaps he already knew but I don’t know, I don’t want to disappoint him,” Abby said.

Abby is also the only one in the family that is able to reach college, and will be graduating next year.

Barbie shared that on some occasions the gay community in Bongao would get together and celebrate their sexuality.

Asked what they would do, Barbie said that they would hang out and do videoke at the baywalk.

“We can also beat the guys with the dance battles; we do break dance and modern dance you know?” Barbie said.

When asked for what they cannot do as gay, “We cannot dress as women, we are forbidden to dress as one and that’s ok. Some of us cannot even come out and express our sexuality because of customs, traditions and religion, but in general, we here, are accepted,” Rhieyan said.

When sought what do those that cannot express openly does to come out, the groups’ common answer would be fight or flight.

“Go somewhere else, far from here, from their islands, where no one knows and express there,” Abby said.

MODERN WOMEN, LIKE THE REST

What also we thought of women here was that they are stiff and tied to culture traditions.

It is the farthest from the truth. Sure Tausog women do wear veils while some don’t. And yes, they do listen to Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and sings Sia’s Chandelier with much conviction and yes, they know how to dance.

Young women here hangout at the Baywalk, swim with their boyfriends at the pristine waters and walk with friends at Sun Kiss Beach and do stargazing at the Bongao Airport Runway with their crews.

Muslim women here are allowed to have Christian boyfriends, in the same manner that Christian women date Muslim guys.

The airport runway used to be where the daredevils would try their need for speed, drag racing their modified motorcycle until the airport authority deemed it dangerous and hence, installed barbed wires at night.

At the Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography, the conversation is as true as other young university students- they talk about everyday life, facebook and other social media site.

The women would giggle at the thought of Korean superstars and they profess their devotion to them by wearing it proudly through their shirts, books, ID bands. They sing Super Junior too with such language proficiency.

PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE

The Tausog, Sama Dilaut, Jamah Mapun and the settlers have co-existed here with peace and respect.

My aunt Zenny provided an insight: “When Christmas comes, the Muslims celebrate with us, the same way when Eidul Fitr, the breaking of the fast, we would celebrate with them,” Zenny Delfinado said.

After I left Tawi-tawi, I feel that we, as a nation, should celebrate our difference through unity and a culture of understanding.

What we knew of the Tawi-tawi, the Tausog, the Badjao, through years of misinformation may be wrong, and that is why it is important for us to travel, to make us better understand our culture and traditions.

We need to travel celebrate our uniqueness and differences and when we do, perhaps, we would have a become a better nation, living in peaceful coexistence.

[bobbylagsa]

For a few coins more...

[bobbylagsa]

Miss Earth International 2017 Karen Ibasco backs closure of Boracay Island

Miss earth International  2017 Karen Ibasco (center) says she agrees on the closure of Boracay Island, once dubbed as one of the most beautiful Island is now under environmental threat as 1.7 million tourists visits the island annually. with Ibasco is  Miss Philippines Fire Nellza Bautista (left) and  Miss Philippines Water Jessica Marasigan (right). (Bobby Lagsa)

Bobby Lagsa

Correspondent

Cagayan de Oro City – Reigning Miss Earth International 2017 Karen Ibasco on Monday, February 19, says Boracay may needed to be shutdown if it is the only way to give the paradise island a chance for recovery and rehabilitation.

Ibasco and her court, Miss Philippines Air Kim de Guzman, Miss Philippines Water Jessica Marasigan, Miss Philippines Fire Nellza Bautista and  Miss Philippines Eco-tourism Vanessa Mae Castillo were in Villanueva town in Misamis Oriental in a campaign to boost environmental education in children.

Villanueva is the hometown of Miss Philippines Fire Nellza Bautista.

Ibasco believes that Boracay is not a part of ecotourism anymore because of the damage of the environment it sustained over the years.

Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to shut down  Boracay and gave  Department of Environment and Natural Resources  Secretary Roy Cimatu six months to clean up the once paradise island.

Environmental experts say the presence of Algae in Boracay beach is a sign of human waste. Close to 300 establishments in the island is subject to closure for environmental violations.

“I know that there will be a lot of businesses that will be affected but it is very important for us to take up a balance of the businesses and of the economy and the environment this time, not just for businesses,” Ibasco said.

Ibasco added that the environment in Boracay starting to be deteriorate slowly and there are a lot of rules and laws in Boracay that are not followed.

Miss Earth Philippines Ecotourism Vanessa Mae Castillo said people should be aware of the impact they have on the environment and ecotourism sites.

Castillo said that in her hometown of Loboc, Bohol, their ecotourism sites are opened on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday while closed on Tuesday and Thursdays for upkeep and maintenance.

“Before going to ecotourism sites, we briefed the people of the do’s and don’ts, that is one good start so that the people can help preserve ecotourism spots, we are very lucky to have very floras and faunas and beaches and mountains, we should learn to protect them and love our environment,” Castillo said.

Philippines Water Jessica Marasigan said that there is a need to spread awareness about our ecotourism spots, “If we take care of our environment and protect them I think that would show our people that closing down some of our ecotourism location may not so bad of an idea just to help the environment,” Marasigan said.

2016 Data from the the Malay Municipal Tourism Office showed that Boracay drew 1,725,483 tourist arrivals in 2016 compared to 1,560,106 in 2015 – a 10.6% increase.

Foreign arrivals in Boracay surged to 868,765, up by 12.89% from 2015, while domestic tourists registered 813,302 arrivals, up by 8.7%.

Ibasco added that closing down Boracay will not only benefits the island, “It is also for the benefits of not just for the Filipinos but for the whole world,” Ibasco said.