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‘Change is a spark’

The world is constantly changing.
Planet Earth undergoes a continuous process of renewal.
Nature’s cycles signify the pre-ordained order of life.
The seasons follow a pattern and rhythm. Birth, growth, death, rebirth.
Summer’s verdant abundance is followed by the gold and copper harvest of autumn. In winter, the earth is dormant. Nothing grows in the temperate regions.
In ancient Greek mythology, the young Persephone, Hades, god of the underworld, kidnapped daughter of the archetypal mother Demeter. Everything started to whither and freeze. This was the start of winter. This became an annual ritual.
In spring, when she resurfaces, every plant, tree and flower reawakens and blooms again.
What was lost is replaced as life begins anew.
Climate change and global warming have to be resolved by all the concerned world leaders.
History teaches us that nothing remains the same.
Wars, time, environmental upheavals, atmospheric conditions are some factors that corrode or ruin structures such as monuments, pyramids, ancient temples and cultural treasures, the Benguet rice terraces, to name a few.
Over the centrism buildings have become casualties of toxic pollution, weapons of aggression and destruction, or the apathy or benign neglect.
The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center destroyed architectural landmarks and symbols of material supremacy. A new center rose like a phoenix from the smoldering ashes. The heroic spirit of the people energized New York and energy radiates from what used to be ground zero. The valiant efforts of restoration changed the look. There is an amazing memorial space with twin beams of light — where the twin towers used to stand. There are new buildings and new people in the regenerated environment.
Life continues in a different form. People are evolving.
One cannot predict how things will turn out. One can plan and strategize for the future but there are no guarantees.
Cautious and prudent individuals prefer security and predictability. They meticulously manage their lives and program their schedules tightly. They tend to resist sudden changes in the rigid structure of their organized lives.
Adventurous free spirits are quite the opposite. They embrace surprises and take interesting risks. Flexible and responsive, they adapt easily to change and flow with the tide.
Outside the sphere of the daily routine, one’s character is tested. When an extreme situation arises, there are diverse reactions. A tremor, hurricane, tidal wave, storm surge and flood trigger fight or flee, panic and freeze. These reactions are determined by the attitude and inner strength of a person. Adrenaline rushes through the system. Instinctively, there is an instant response to external stimuli.
The organized person would be logical, cool and unperturbed. The flexible one would use intuition and gut feel. Both types would switch to survival mode in their individual ways.
How well prepared a person is, timing matters. Luck is also a critical factor. Being at the right place at the right time.
Kismet or destiny plays a significant role.
One may miss an urgent appointment at a particular place due to a seemingly trivial incident. It may not make any logical sense at the moment. One is forced to take a detour or stay home.
Then lightning strikes. Suddenly, the incident makes sense. The split second delay or absence can be attributed to chance. Others call it Divine Providence — when a cosmic force intervenes to save a life.
There are incredible incidents in which fortunate people emerge unscathed from accidents or disaster sites.
Modern day miracles happen. It is difficult to understand why certain random incidents occur. There are unknown reasons and circumstances beyond our control.
Sometimes, it is best to let things happen and to trust fate.
The unseen hand may point us to serendipity — though a detour, one discovers a meadow with flowers or a scenic cliff. An impromptu stop at a distant beach during a thunderstorm could reveal a secret cave with shards of ancient porcelain bowls.
A lost job could start a new independent venture. A chance encounter may kindle a special friendship or a permanent alliance.
An injury and forced confinement could lead to a spiritual voyage to self-discovery. This could inspire one to start a worldwide institution of education.
Change forces one to leave the comfort zone and to take risks. It could be the letting go and shedding the old skin and the baggage of the past. Change could be the spark and the beginning a new life.
 
Maria Victoria Rufino is an artist, writer and businesswoman. She is president and executive producer of Maverick Productions.
mavrufino@gmail.com

Measles outbreak widens, DoH steps up monitoring

OFFICIALS ON Wednesday acknowledged the rise in vaccine hesitancy amid a widening measles outbreak in Luzon and parts of the Visayas, as the Department of Health (DoH) assured strict monitoring on the situation.
“With the defaulters adding through the years, tapos biglang nadagdagan nitong (then suddenly there has been a spike in [measles] cases this) 2018, I think it set up the setting of what we’re having now and the Department of Health will be concentrating this 2019 to improve our immunization rates,” Undersecretary Rolando Enrique D. Domingo said in a press conference on Thursday led by Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III .
Mr. Duque for his part said, “(T)here will be a little bit of tweaking in terms of a new approach that we will be adopting. Mas magkakaroon ng house-to-house o susuriin natin ang unvaccinated population.” (There will be a more [vigilant] house-to-house [campaign], or we will monitor the unvaccinated population).
Mr. Duque acknowledged the outbreak but qualified that “(a)n outbreak means it’s a rise in cases but this is not an epidemic.”
For his part, Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año told reporters on Thursday, “Kagabi pinag-usapan ‘yan sa Cabinet at ang reason kung bakit nagkaroon ng measles outbreak (is) because of the issue on Dengvaxia. Natakot magpa-immune ‘yung mga magulang para sa mga anak nila. So ang nangyari ngayon, way below ‘yung ating statistics sa immunization compared to previous years. Bumababa naman sa 20 percent.” (It was discussed last night by the Cabinet that the reason why there was a measles outbreak is because of the issue on Dengvaxia. Parents became reluctant to have their children immunized. So what happened was, the statistics on immunization is way below compared to previous years. It went down 20 percent).
For her part, Mary Jane R. Juanico, medical officer III and Child Health team leader of Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DoH-CHD)-6, said, “The low immunization is because most of our parents and caregiver(s)…are unaware of our supplemental immunization campaign and also most of them are still affected (by) the Dengvaxia scare.”
In a statement on Jan. 31, Mr. Duque III said the DoH reached out to various agencies including the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) in connection with resolving the Dengvaxia cases. But PAO chief Persida V. Rueda-Acosta “refuse(d) to cooperate and continue(d) to attack and throw baseless claims accusations at the Department of Health and myself,” Mr. Duque said.
“As a consequence, we saw a decline in vaccine confidence and a rise in cases of measles and other vaccine-preventable disease,” he said.
Data provided by the Epidemiology Bureau of the DoH showed measles cases rising to as much as a hundredfold in at least four regions in Luzon, including the National Capital Region (NCR) which registered 441 cases as of Jan. 26 this year, as opposed to 36 in a 2018 tally.
Calabarzon (Region 4-A) so far has 575 cases and nine deaths, followed by NCR with 441 cases of measles and five deaths; Central Luzon (Region 3), 192 cases and four deaths; Western Visayas (Region 6), 104 cases and three deaths; Mimaropa (Region 4-B), 70 cases and no death; Ilocos (Region 1), 64 cases and two deaths; Central Visayas (Region 7), 71 cases and one death; and Eastern Visayas (Region 8), 54 cases and one death.
Mr. Duque also cited the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in their efforts in partnership with the agency.
WHO is “helping us manage the measles outbreak,” the DoH chief said. “The PRC is helping us as well in building our capacity….For now, the national medical centers still (have) absorbing capacity.”
WHO has flagged vaccine hesitancy as among the leading health concerns this year. In a tweet on Thursday, WHO Regional Director Takeshi Kasai said, “I have seen so much tragedy caused by measles. No parent should have to see their child suffer and die. Vaccination can prevent measles. Please, vaccinate your children.”
For his part, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said in a text message to reporters, “PAO Chief Acosta is just doing her job and certainly does not intend to scare the public about the possible negative effects of vaccination in general.”
“That’s why the DoH, with the president’s support, will launch a vigorous campaign to inform the people about the necessity of vaccination to prevent common illnesses such as flu and measles,” he added. —reports by Gillian M. Cortez, Vince Angelo C. Ferreras, Emme Rose S. Santiagudo and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

US envoy open to review of Mutual Defense Treaty

By Camille A. Aguinaldo, Reporter
THE UNITED STATES welcomes the Philippine government’s plan to review the 67-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the two countries, US Ambassador Sung Y. Kim said on Thursday.
“I think as (Defense) Undersecretary (Cardozo M.) Luna made it very clear, any document, especially an agreement that important and that complicated, always needs to be looked at very closely as the circumstances surrounding the agreement or the alliance evolves,” Mr. Kim told reporters on the sidelines of a foreign policy forum in Makati City.
“So we would welcome taking a close look at the treaty to see whether we can make any adjustments to make it even better than what it is now,” he added.
Mr. Kim said the two countries already have an ongoing dialogue “into various mechanisms and frameworks” of US-Philippines relations. He added that the US Embassy is in contact with the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on how to move forward on any discussion about the two countries’ relations, including the MDT.
“I think we will just continue to stay closely engaged and to talk to each other and if there are any adjustments that would be useful, certainly we would welcome an opportunity to make adjustments,” he said.
The 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty mandates both the Philippines and the US to support each other in case either country is under attack in the Pacific region. This agreement has been cited in the South China Sea issue as to whether it will be enforced in the scenario that Philippine troops or vessels are attacked in the disputed waters.
Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana earlier said he wanted to review the US-Philippines defense agreement to determine whether it was still relevant to the country.
In his speech at the forum, Mr. Luna said the MDT has been the basis of the US-Philippines security alliance. He reiterated Mr. Lorenzana’s concerns that the Philippines wants to ensure that the frameworks in the treaty “continue to serve the mutual interest of both parties.”
“The MDT has been the basis of our alliance in our continuing joint defense capability programs. However, as with all other defense agreements, reviewing agreements is a normal course of action, especially since the MDT has been enforced for over 60 years,” Mr. Luna said.
“As we look back in the history of the alliance, it is evident that the MDT has been able to withstand the passage of time because both sides continue to work together in ensuring the partnership to adopt with the changes of security environment, while the alliance is considered ironclad as pronounced by our US counterparts in various fora. Our two sides remain flexible in finding ways to address contemporary security challenges,” he added.
For his part, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Enrique A. Manalo said, “US remains our only treaty ally. The Philippines and the United States, along with other defense partners of the region, share common security interests. And this is especially so with the dynamic geopolitical conditions in the Asia-Pacific region. Maintaining security and stability in the region is in the best interest of both our countries.”

House bill tweaks capital punishment provision in Dangerous Drugs Act

By Charmaine A. Tadalan, Reporter
THE HOUSE of Representatives on Thursday approved a second time the bill amending Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, to remove on second reading provisions imposing capital punishment on certain drug offenses.
The chamber had approved House Bill No. 8909 last Monday with 172 affirmative and zero negative votes, but moved to reconsider its second and third reading approval on Wednesday.
In particular, the deleted provision imposed the death penalty on any person in possession of dangerous drugs during parties, social gatherings or meetings.
As stated under Section 11 of the bill, any person found guilty of violating the said provision will “suffer the penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine of P500,000 to P10 million.”
Among the amendments the bill retained was introduction of penalties against negligent owners or lessors of properties used in the illegal drug trade.
It will subject a negligent owner or lessor of a property used as a laboratory for drug purposes be sentenced to 6 to 12 years of imprisonment and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P1 million.
The measure will also subject Filipino professional and non-professional athletes to mandatory drug testing twice a year.
Moreover, it proposed that the validity of drug test certificates be reduced to three months from the original one year period.

Amendments to terror law in Senate plenary

By Camille A. Aguinaldo, Reporter
SENATOR Panfilo M. Lacson on Wednesday presented to the plenary the bill seeking to strengthen the country’s terrorism laws.
Senate Bill No. 2204 seeks to address the infirmities of Republic Act No. 9372 or the Human Security Act by redefining and providing additional penalties to terrorist acts as well as removing some of the limitations of law enforcement agencies to prevent and address terrorism.
In his sponsorship speech, Mr. Lacson, chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, said the present Human Security Act was a “dead letter law” which had not given law enforcers and prosecutors “a firm foothold to pursue terrorism cases.” He added that the law only produced one conviction from terrorism charges and a court declaration branding the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist group, which took five years of proceedings.
“This has to stop, Mr. President. We do not need to wait for another Marawi siege, or another suicide bombing of the Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu, to happen before we act on this. The danger is here, present in our midst,” he said.
He also noted that a vote into the bill would lead to the lifting of martial law in Mindanao.
“As per consultation with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense during the briefing for the extension of Martial Law for another year, a statement was made that the Martial law in Mindanao will be lifted once an effective Anti-Terrorism Law is passed by Congress,” he said.
“We have already tried various approaches such as peace talks, peace agreements, and even the grant of autonomy. Yet just a few days ago, we had bombing accidents and armed conflict in Mindanao,” Mr. Lacson said.
“On the part of the legislature, numerous resolutions were filed condemning such acts of terrorism….Why condemn if we could act? Let us combat terrorism and pass the Anti-Terror Act to ensure freedom not only from acts of terrorism but also from threats of terrorism.”
Terrorist acts under the bill include:
• attacks that cause deaths or serious injuries
• attacks that cause extensive damage to a government facility, critical infrastructure, and public or private property, and likely to endanger human life or result in major economic loss
• the manufacture, acquisition, transport, supply or use of explosive, biological or chemical weapons as well as research into development of such weapons
• release of dangerous substances causing fires, floods, explosions
The bill also changed the title of the law to Anti-Terrorism Act of 2019 from Human Security Act of 2007.
It extends the period of detention on a suspected terrorist without judicial warrant of arrest to 14 working days from the present three days with no extension. Mr. Lacson clarified that under the bill, the judge of the court nearest to the place of arrest must be notified of the situation.
“The proposed extended period of detention shall only be allowed when necessity has been established. Further, we also made sure that the judiciary plays a role in the event of detention,” he said.
The proposed measure also removed the P500,000 per day penalty to law enforcement authorities for detaining a suspect later acquitted of terrorism charges.
“It does not mean however that by deleting this provision, those unlawfully charged with violation of this law will not have any recourse in case he or she will be acquitted. In the event of an acquittal, the person illegally charged can always sue for damages under existing laws,” he said.
It also provides new penalties to acts related to the initial stages of plotting to commit terroristic acts, such as recruitment of members to join or support terrorist acts.
The proposed measure also allows for authorization to conduct surveillance to be filed before a regional trial court (RTC). Under the present law, such applications could only be filed at the Court of Appeals (CA).
“This amendment is made for the purpose of convenience and expediency granting that time is of the essence when it comes to impending threats of terrorism,” Mr. Lacson said.
It also authorizes the Anti-Terrorism Council to file an ex-parte application before the RTC for an order to compel telecommunications and internet service providers to produce all customer information and cellular records of persons suspected of committing an actual or imminent attack. The bill mandates the council to inform the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) of such applications.

China sent paramilitary force as PHL builds on Pagasa Island

THE CHINESE government deployed a paramilitary force in December last year in response to the ongoing construction by the Philippine government of a beaching ramp on Pagasa Island, also known as Thitu, according to American-based think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI). “China has responded to this new construction by deploying a large fleet of ships from Subi Reef, just over 12 nautical miles southwest of Thitu. These include several People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) and China Coast Guard (CCG) ships, along with dozens of fishing vessels ranging in size from 30 to 70 meters,” said AMTI in its report on Feb. 6. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana said last Feb. 4 that the rehabilitation of Pagasa Island and the construction of a beaching ramp there is continuing. The Philippines, which won an arbitral ruling in an international court on the disputed waters, claims Pagasa in the Spratlys group of islands as part of the West Philippine Sea. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

108 local government heads ordered to explain absence of waste management plan

THE DEPARTMENT of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued show cause orders to 108 local government unit (LGU) leaders for failure to submit a 10-year solid waste management plan as required under Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. “We don’t want another case of Manila Bay. These LGUs have, unfortunately, been accustomed to leniency. The Solid Waste Management Plan is a requirement of law, yet for many years they ignored it,” said DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año in a statement on Feb. 7. Most of the LGUs involved are in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with 78. Of this number, 31 are from Lanao Del Sur;18, Sulu; 11, Maguindanao; and 9, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi. The others are: 5 in MIMAROPA (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan); 8, Bicol; 1, Western Visayas; and 4 each in Central Luzon, CALABARZON (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon), Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

CA denies teachers’ group’s petition vs alleged police profiling

THE COURT of Appeals (CA), citing technical issues, has denied the January petition of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) over the alleged profiling of its members by the Philippine National Police (PNP). In a four-page resolution dated Feb.4, the CA 11th division said ACT failed to provide the certified copy of the assailed PNP memoranda, which supposedly ordered the profiling of its members. The party-list also did not indicate the material dates when it received the various assailed PNP memoranda, which violates a provision in the Rules of Court requiring the submission of true copies of contested documents. ACT, on Jan. 17, asked the CA to issue a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction against the PNP directive on the profiling of its members. The CA also cited that the petition did not indicate the current date of the issuance of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines membership number and Professional Tax Number of the group’s legal counsel. The resolution was penned by Associate Justice Nina G. Antonio-Valenzuela and concurred in by Associate Justices Ricardo R. Rosario and Perpetua T. Atal-Paño. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Dagupan water distributor’s expansion project to improve supply pressure, serve island villages

THE DAGUPAN City Water District (DCWD) is embarking on an expansion project that will deliver supply to island villages and improve the water pressure in such areas as Lucao and Tapuac. “This project aims to address the needs of our constituents and concessionaires that have low water pressure or have no service lines,” Rizaldy T. Mandap, manager of DCWD’s Construction and Maintenance Division, said in a statement released by the city government. The first phase of the project, with an estimated cost of P60 million, will involve the laying of a steel pipe bridge crossing and transmission mains that will be interconnected to the water district’s existing 250 transmission mains. For the second phase, to be funded through a loan from the Local Water Utilities Administration, covers the construction of a fiberglass-type ground reservoir in Sitio Maligaya of Bonuan Gueset, which will be filled by six pumping stations in Bonuan. Mr. Mandap said with the expansion project, DCWD hopes to reach 90% of its coverage in the city. DCWD Chairman Liberato C. Reyna, Jr. said the expansion will cater to the needs of the city’s three growth centers identified under the city’s Comprehensive Land-Use Plan.

Village plans to build statue of dead whale as reminder of marine resource protection

BARANGAY GABI, where the body of a dead Sei whale species (Balaenoptera borealis) was spotted near the shore, plans to build a statue of the creature to serve as a constant reminder of the importance of marine resource protection. The 10.48-meter male whale was found floating off the village located in Gigantes Sur Island, which is part of the municipality of Carles. According to the report submitted by the town’s Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Office, the animal is likely to have been “in pursuit of target food” and got strangled by a rope of a moored boat’s anchor. “It was suspected that incident was a result of the animal’s pursuit of target food which presumed to be abundant in the near-shore areas or Gigantes Islands due to the implementation of the marine protected area and the continuous campaign against illegal fishing,” the report said. To prevent possible health hazards from the leakage of the whale’s decomposing body, barangay officials wrapped it in concrete mixture instead of burying it on the ground. The concrete will be used as a foundation for the planned monument. — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

NBI nabs 2 Abu Sayyaf members

THE NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested in Zamboanga City on Feb. 3 two suspected members of the militant Abu Sayyaf Group who are wanted for kidnapping in Basilan in 2001. The suspects were identified as Habur Jaljalis, also known as Indal, and Pinky Ani Jadjinulla, who were positively identified by the victims in the Golden Harvest Kidnapping in 2001. A joint team from the NBI-Counter Terrorism Division (CTD), Western Mindanao Regional Office, police, and the military arrested Mr. Jaljalis in a canteen in Barangay Sta. Catalina, while Mr. Jadjinulla was arrested in Southway Mall. Mr. Jaljalis is believed to be a bomb-maker for the Radullan Sahiron faction of the Abu Sayyaf and one of the few operatives who received bomb-making training from visiting Indonesian and Middle Eastern jihadists. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Davao City to release new investment code within 1st half of 2019

THE DAVAO city government is aiming to release a new Investment Incentive Code within the first semester of the year, with the draft now under review for approval by the Investment Promotions Center’s board.
“Our target is for the (new code) to be approved before the new set of officials take over,” said Investment Promotions Center head Lemuel G. Ortonio, referring to the midterm elections in May.
Mr. Ortonio, in an interview, said the company contracted to study the amendments to the Code has submitted its draft and this is now being evaluated.
After the investment promotion board’s consent, the new code will be subject to assessment and approval by the city council.
Mr. Ortonio said among the salient points of the draft are the streamlining of the 10 priority areas of investments.
Under the current Investment Incentive Code, the preferred areas of investments are agri-business, tourism and recreational facilities, light manufacturing and assembly, property development, health and wellness including educational and sports facilities, environmental protection or green projects, information and communications technology, generation of new sources of energy, transportation and infrastructure, and public private partnership projects.
Under the new proposal, incentives for some areas of investments will be enhanced and merged, others split, and some eliminated.
“We have trimmed down the number of activities in some investment areas,” Mr. Ortonio said.
He cited as an example that in the case of agri-business, instead of focusing on increasing production, the proposal is to prioritize the setting up of post-harvest facilities so that value can be added to the raw materials.
While the city has a lot of products, “we lack post-production facilities to ensure that these products will have higher values,” he added.
Another key point in the proposed new code is an adjustment on the period for fiscal incentives, including exemptions in payment of real property and business taxes, but the city official declined to give further details.
At present, new investments in the preferred areas are given a three-year exemption, and this period is doubled for those set up outside the central business districts.
Mr. Ortonio also said that the city government is establishing a system that will provide linkages between new investors and national government agencies to improve the level of ease of doing business.
“We will have added services when they (new investors) come to our offices,” he said. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

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