This might not be the typical expat blog, written by a German expat, living in the Philippines since 1999. It's different. In English and in German. Check it out! Enjoy reading! Dies mag' nun wirklich nicht der typische Auswandererblog eines Deutschen auf den Philippinen sein. Er soll etwas anders sein. In Englisch und in Deutsch! Viel Spass beim Lesen!
You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?
There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!
Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!
Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Disaster-Proofing Davao Oriental
TO DISASTER-PROOF an entire province, the local government must take the lead in ensuring mitigation and adaptation measures are in place.
Since Davao Oriental can no longer claim to be typhoon-free, the
province has revisited its Provincial Development and Physical Framework
Plan to better equip its municipalities when worse comes to worst.
United Nations Development
Program (UNDP) where both have found a common ground that Disaster Risk
Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (DRRCCA) should be integrated in
the local development planning.
modification and
rezonification so that the areas determined as not so sound for
habitation will be off limits to people.
"And as our firm commitment, the province is helping LGUs (local
government units) to chart out their respective Municipal Comprehensive
Land Use Plan while mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate
Change Adaptation measures in their respective development plans," said
Governor Corazon Malanyaon, in her speech during a recent forum.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) 11 has helped the province
along with Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 11 and Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to map out the
geo-hazard areas, which is now followed in the establishment of
resettlements.
The government is also working on restoring the province's
environmental resources, particularly the programs on mangrove
rehabilitation, coastal cleanup, dumpsite development and watershed
rehabilitation.
When Pablo made landfall, it flattened most of Baganga, Cateel and
Boston municipalities, leaving 457 deaths, 3,020 injured, 64,032
families affected, and P5.846 billion in government infrastructures,
private structures and properties lost on its wake.
Also, the rich agriculture, tourism, trade, and service sectors
incurred P8.5 billion damages while 30 percent of its coral resources
were lost and 132,105 hectares of forest lands were destroyed.
With the plan now in place, at least the province can cushion the
impact of typhoons, the same intensity or even stronger than Typhoon
Pablo that wreaked havoc the province on December 4, 2012.
Rehab on track
With the means of livelihood destroyed, the province sought out the
intervention of Department of Agriculture (DA)-Davao to help affected
families get back on their feet.
The programs that were implemented include extension of 100 percent
rice seed subsidy to more than 8,000 farmers in Baganga, Cateel, and
Boston for a total area of 9,876 hectares, provision of seeds for corn
production benefitting more than 7,000 farmers, and provision of seeds
for vegetable production.
Also, part of the intervention was the distribution of cacao
seedlings in the towns of Boston and Cateel benefiting almost 2,000
farmers, and seedlings for cassava production in affected towns to 5,742
farmers covering a total of 430 hectares.
On the housing, a total of 6,729 families received temporary shelters
and emergency shelter kits containing basic construction tools and
materials.
"These were provided by convergence of various local and
international agencies under the Shelter Cluster. Meanwhile, the DSWD
(Department of Social Welfare and Development), who aside from
constructing bunk houses as temporary shelters also helped bring aid to
families whose houses were partially damaged through the distribution of
Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) in the form of cash," she reported.
The first and second releases amounted to P158.7 million, which benefited around 15,881 households.
Transition shelters were also put in place for a total of 5,359 families.
"These shelters not only provided our people with the most basic
comforts of a home, but mainly protected them especially from health
risks due to poor hygienic conditions in congested emergency shelters,"
she said.
The governor added that there were close to 10,000 permanent homes
completed and undergoing construction under the Modified Shelter
Assistance Program of the provincial government and DSWD.
"No less than 5,000 construction workers, that include masons,
carpenters, painters, plumbers, have been employed in the implementation
of this massive housing project," she said.
Rise of hot chili
Jose P. Calub, officer-in-charge of Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI)-Davao Oriental, during the DTI-Davao Media Interface at the Marco
Polo Hotel Davao on Friday, said they are supporting eight major chili
producers in Davao Oriental.
"Nakita namo na resilient ang (We saw that chili is more resilient) compared to other crops during typhoon," he said.
Right now, they are in the thick of things in helping these producers
comply with the requirements to secure a certification from Food and
Drugs Administration (FDA).
"So that when the Asean Community takes effect, our chili producers are ready," he said.
In Davao Oriental, most of the focus is centered on the three towns hit by Pablo -- Cateel, Baganga, and Boston.
The agency is also set to construct three facilities through the
Shared Service Facilities (SSF) that are compliant with the regulations
of the FDA.
With this initiative, a total of 1,000 families have benefited from the "Hot Pablo' Livelihood Project covering 100 hectares.
The beneficiaries, comprised of farmers and processors, were assisted
in terms of production, skills development, product development
marketing and branding.
The trade office has also observed a high local demand for chili, as
evident on the sales generated from the trade fairs where processors
have actively been participating in.
Last year, chili processors generated P6 million from joining trade fairs.
To address the immediate need of farmers to earn a living, Malanyaon
added that livestock and draft animals such as carabao, cattle, goat and
chicken were distributed to families.
There were also a series of skills, productivity and entrepreneurial
trainings to strengthen livelihood projects such as bamboo (furniture,
construction materials and baskets) processing, coco-bead and
coco-furniture processing, driftwood furniture and novelties processing,
bead making, rubber nursery and hot chili production and processing.
These initiatives were facilitated through the support of some
government agencies and Rural Entrepreneurship Advocacy for Change
(Reach) program of the Provincial Government.
Other livelihood programs that are currently being pushed are;
Driftwood Processing (Boston, Baganga, Cateel); Rosary-making out of
coco-beads (Cateel); Carpentry Workshop and Material Recovery Facility
(Cateel and Baganga); and Fiber-board Processing Facility (Baganga).
"These livelihood projects under the Debris Management supported more than 11,000 beneficiaries," Malanyaon added.
Given the intensity of damages caused by Pablo in the province, it will take a while before it can get back on its feet.
"Our 'Building-Back-Better' agenda is still a long way to go. But
having a solid support from the national government and other
development collaborators, and having put in place operational
mechanisms, we are positive that we can harness more resources and
partners... we can do more... and we can do better in the coming
years... Always with that undaunted spirit 'to Move on and to Move up'
as our mantra goes," she added.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Monday, December 1, 2014
Cyclone May Enter the Philippines This Week
By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)
State meteorologists are keeping a close eye on a
developing storm off the Pacific Ocean that could enter the Philippine
area of responsibility (PAR) later this week.
Jori Loiz, senior weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said the
looming cyclone was located some 1,500 kilometers east of the PAR as of
yesterday afternoon.
He warned the developing weather disturbance is likely to reach the
typhoon category as it hovers over the Pacific Ocean in the next few
days.
Loiz told The STAR of two scenarios for the cyclone. The most likely
is that the storm could intensify further but will veer north towards
Japan. The second scenario is the cyclone will intensity into a typhoon
and enter the PAR on Friday.
“The movement of the developing cyclone will depend on the
high-pressure area northeast of the Philippines,” Loiz said, noting that
the HPA has not moved in the past days.
“The most possible scenario is it will enter the PAR but will recurve
toward east of Japan… But if the HPA will not move, the cyclone, which
could be a strong one, could make landfall in the Philippines,” he
added.
He noted that the location of the looming cyclone is also the place where Super Typhoon Yolanda formed last year.
“Hopefully, the HPA will move, because we expect this to be really
strong. It is still far and could gain more strength while over the
sea,” Loiz said.
He said one or two cyclones are likely to enter the Philippines this
month, warning that cyclones during this time of the year usually make
landfall.
The usual track of the cyclones during the latter part of the year is Visayas and Mindanao.
On Nov. 8 last year, Yolanda slammed the Visayas, leaving more than
6,000 people dead and 1,700 missing. Strong storms Pablo and Sendong hit
Mindanao in December.
Meanwhile, Loiz said fair weather is expected in most parts of the
country in the next three days, apart from isolated rain showers and
thunderstorms.
He said a low-pressure area (LPA) that dumped rains in Mindanao and
parts of Visayas and Luzon over the weekend was spotted at 75 km west
southwest of Romblon, Romblon as of 10 a.m. yesterday.
The LPA was likely to dissipate or continue to cross Southern Luzon
towards the West Philippine Sea, where it could regain strength, he
said.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Philippines to Simplify Weather Warnings to Reduce Loss of Lives
The Philippines will simplify its weather warnings
to make them easier to understand in order to prevent the annual loss of
hundreds of lives from natural calamities, officials said Wednesday.
The state weather service of one of the world’s most
disaster-prone nations is working with linguists to ensure that the
threat posed by typhoons, floods and other events would be fully
understood by people, they said.
“People need to be told in a language they can understand the dangers that they face,” said Roberto Añonuevo, executive director of the government’s Filipino Language Commission.
“Typhoons and storms are a common occurrence, so they become complacent. This will help them to respond. This is potentially life-saving,” he told AFP.
Giant walls of seawater, called “storm surges” generated by Haiyan, the
strongest ever typhoon to hit land, were blamed for most of the 7,350
lives lost in the central Philippines a year ago.
Even though the hardest-hit areas were warned beforehand, the weather service and other officials later admitted that the victims were unfamiliar with the term “storm surge”, which they said failed to adequately convey the deadly threat.
President Benigno S. C. Aquino III has been among the weather service’s most severe critics, often lecturing its forecasters publicly to use layman’s terms in its bulletins.
About 20 typhoons and storms hit the country each year, triggering floods and landslides that kill hundreds.
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are also an ever-present threat in the Asian archipelago that forms part of a “Ring of Fire” of Pacific islands formed by volcanic activity.
“People with lower levels of education at times have trouble understanding technical terms,” conceded Lani Aquino, a public relations officer for the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration.
“So what happens is they do not make the necessary precautions for certain meteorological events,” Ms. Aquino, no relation to the President, told AFP.
The weather service spokeswoman said it was reviewing a 300-word glossary of more easily understood weather terms prepared by the language commission, including the words for storm surges in the country’s major dialects. -- AFP
Even though the hardest-hit areas were warned beforehand, the weather service and other officials later admitted that the victims were unfamiliar with the term “storm surge”, which they said failed to adequately convey the deadly threat.
President Benigno S. C. Aquino III has been among the weather service’s most severe critics, often lecturing its forecasters publicly to use layman’s terms in its bulletins.
About 20 typhoons and storms hit the country each year, triggering floods and landslides that kill hundreds.
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are also an ever-present threat in the Asian archipelago that forms part of a “Ring of Fire” of Pacific islands formed by volcanic activity.
“People with lower levels of education at times have trouble understanding technical terms,” conceded Lani Aquino, a public relations officer for the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration.
“So what happens is they do not make the necessary precautions for certain meteorological events,” Ms. Aquino, no relation to the President, told AFP.
The weather service spokeswoman said it was reviewing a 300-word glossary of more easily understood weather terms prepared by the language commission, including the words for storm surges in the country’s major dialects. -- AFP
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Metro Manila Pollution Worse Than Ever
By Babe G. Romualdez (The Philippine Star)
Traffic
in Metro Manila is usually the heaviest on Fridays and weekends
especially now with the approaching holiday season as people from the
provinces start trooping to Metro Manila to shop for Christmas gifts.
For sure, this will be exacerbated by the spike in the number of
arriving balikbayans who are not only spending the holidays here, but
also to wait for the arrival of Pope Francis in January next year.
Exhaust from idling vehicles stuck in traffic make it difficult to
breathe, and the condition is made worse by the cool weather since the
dense air cannot circulate upward – trapping carbon particles that make
the ground level atmosphere thick and heavy with pollutants. Respiratory
ailments have increased by 30 percent since last year, according to
records from Metro Manila hospitals.
We received photos taken on Saturday morning and yesterday at noon,
and as one can readily see the pollution has become worse than ever –
with a grayish shadow covering the metropolis like an ominous shroud.
The air quality has become so bad that a multisector group calling
itself the Coalition of Clean Air Advocates (Philippines), composed of
health professionals, business leaders, the religious sector and civil
society organizations came out with a full page ad in the Sunday edition
of this paper, making an urgent appeal for the president to fully
implement Republic Act 8749, otherwise known as the Clean Air Act of
1999.
Citing data from the DENR, the group stressed that the air quality in
Metro Manila and other urban centers has reached internationally
unacceptable levels that pose a “clear and present danger to human
health.” Data shows that 80 percent of air pollution is caused by motor
vehicle emissions, yet a lot of carbon-spewing vehicles still manage to
pass the mandatory emission test prior to registration – due to the
unfortunate practice of “non-appearance” that some corrupt DOTC-LTO
employees have allowed to proliferate.
It’s been 15 years since the passage of the Clean Air Act law yet to
this day, it hasn’t really done much to combat pollution or improve air
quality. Corruption in both the public and private sector has been
identified by the Clean Air advocacy group as critical in the
implementation of the Clean Air Act, and among their proposals is to
impose stiffer penalties for those that take part in “non-appearance”
testing plus the automation of emission testing protocols – which might
entail changes in DENR specifications with regard to equipment and test
data gathering.
The group is also advocating the development of more mass transport
system and the designation of more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly lanes
to lessen he use of motor vehicles when commuting, and the
introduction/commercialization of clean fuels or other fuels that will
lessen carbon and particulate emission. While Metro Manila is not in
The Blacksmith Institute and Green Cross Switzerland’s list of the 10
most polluted cities in 2013, an expert from the World Health
Organization told us we will soon have the dubious honor of joining that
list if the quality of air continues to deteriorate. Clearly, we all
have to do our part in improving the air quality in Metro Manila.
SM Prime(s) up for solar energy use
The use of renewable energy like solar is now a major factor being
considered by planners and designers who advocate “clean cities,” saying
that electricity from coal and fossil fuel account for much of the
carbon dioxide emissions that are responsible for pollution. In Germany
for instance, the government has passed legislation encouraging the use
of solar energy by providing incentives for homes that invest in solar
or wind energy to generate their own electricity. This has resulted in a
major shift towards solar energy that has not only resulted in lesser
electric consumption but has contributed in reducing pollution.
In the Philippines, retail and property giant SM Prime Holdings has
marked another milestone in its commitment to achieve sustainability in
its operations as seen in the activation of the solar powered rooftop at
its SM City North Edsa Mall. SM Prime president Hans Sy led the
switch-on ceremony yesterday with President Noynoy Aquino as guest of
honor, with the event witnessed by environment champion Loren Legarda,
Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, DENR Secretary Mon Paje and Speaker
Sonny Belmonte.
SM Prime worked closely with Solar Philippines to put up over 5,700
solar panels that have the capacity to generate up to 1.5 megawatts (MW)
of energy – enough to power 1,000 homes or charge over 200,000 cellular
phones. The power generated by the solar panels could offset 1,200 tons
of carbon dioxide – almost like planting 6,000 trees per year. The
solar panels installed at the rooftop can power up the lighting fixtures
and elevators at the mall.
Time and time again, the SM Group has displayed its commitment in
making its operations sustainable and environment friendly especially
now that the country faces a power shortage next year. With the solar
rooftop project, the mall developer has shown it walks the talk – doing
what it can to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing the
consumption of electricity. Hopefully, other groups will also follow
suit not only to make business sustainable but to help ensure a cleaner,
greener environment for the future.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Nine Sentenced in Philippines Over Deadly 1996 Disco Fire
A Philippine court on Thursday sentenced nine people to jail for a
fire that killed 162 people at a disco in 1996, in a decision that
highlighted the country's painfully slow justice system.
Survivors and anti-crime groups welcomed the ruling, but were
anguished that it had taken so long and expressed fears that some of
those found guilty had fled the country, with a court official admitting
the whereabouts of the nine were unknown.
In one of the Philippines' deadliest fires, 162 people were killed
and 94 others injured after becoming trapped when the Ozone Disco in a
commercial district of northern Manila went up in flames.
In Thursday's ruling, seven city engineers were sentenced to up to 10
years in jail for allowing the nightclub to operate without adequate
safety precautions, court administrator Teresa Pabulayan told AFP.
The Ozone Disco's owner and treasurer were given the same sentences,
according to Pabulayan, but she would not specify the exact number of
years given, saying only it was between six and 10.
"The engineers gave unwarranted and preferential advantage to the
Ozone disco owners. They failed to detect structural and fire safety
deficiencies," she said, summarising the Manila anti-graft court's
ruling.
The nine will not be immediately arrested as they have 15 days to
appeal the ruling, Pabulayan said, adding she did not know where they
were.
"After 18 years, finally justice is served," Stephen Santos,
president of a group that represents the survivors, told local
television channel ANC.
However Santos voiced concern about the time it took for the verdict
to be delivered, and said he feared those convicted had left the
country.
Dante Jimenez, founder of an anti-crime advocacy group that helped
the survivors with court cases, said some of the survivors had died
before justice was served.
"This reflects how rotten the justice system is," Jimenez told AFP.
Court cases in the Philippines typically take many years to complete.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said last month she
was hiring more judges and finding ways to hasten legal procedures to
clear massive backlogs that burden judges with as many as 4,000 cases at
a time.
"We want to say that in the Philippines, it's no longer justice delayed and therefore justice denied," she said.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Bohol - one year later!
By MST Lifestyle
Virgelio and
Maria Crieta's family is closer than any family can get. While most of
their children are married and have families of their own, Virgelio and
Maria make it a point to spend time together at least once a week like
most Filipino families.
On October 15, 2013, a national holiday, Virgelio and Maria found
another opportunity to gather the whole family at one of their
children’s homes in Poblacion, in the town of Loon, Bohol. However, the
family revelry was interrupted by a violent shaking – a 7.2-magnitude
quake had struck the island of Bohol with a force so great, it left
thousands of families homeless and fearful for their lives.
As the tremors stopped, the Crietas were terrified. They thought it
was the end of the world. Virgelio and Maria had to stay at their
child’s house for a week before they finally had the courage to go back
to their home in the village of Catagbacan Norte, which was also
terribly damaged.It was painful to discover that their home, which was
built through years of hard labour, fell apart in just minutes.
Moving on from such a tragedy was not easy for the Crietas. But what
kept them going was their family: that unshakeable bond that no
earthquake could ever shatter. That, for them,was more than enough
reason to move on.
Virgelio and Maria stayed in a temporary shelter made out of salvaged
plywood, metal sheets and a tarpaulin before they were gifted with a
brand new home from Habitat for Humanity and its partner, UnionBank, who
was among the first to come to Bohol’s aid.
The Crieta family is just one of some 6,000 families who will benefit
from the new homes with a unique bamboo design provided by Habitat for
Humanity. The design makes use of a special technology involving
chemically treated bamboo strips woven between concrete-reinforced steel
frames, giving the structure more flexiblity. This design was a result
of Habitat for Humanity’s scouring its global database; and which
UnionBank readily supported.
Volunteers helped build the structure that could withstand
earthquakes – the interwoven bamboo slats plastered with concrete, a
representation of that same tight, resilient bond their family held on
to during the tragedy.
After months of enduring the stuffiness of their improvised shelter,
the Crieta family finally moved into their new brighter home,where they
can start making new memories and strengthen even more the ties that
bind their family together.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Tubbataha Reefs Hamiguitan Forest Named Asean Treasures
26
By Dona Z. Pazzibugan, Philippine Daily Inquirer
The world-renowned Tubbataha Reefs diving
site off Palawan and the Mt. Hamiguitan forest in Davao Oriental have
been officially recognized as among Southeast Asia’s most treasured
parks.
During their meeting in Vientiane, Laos, last month, environment
ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean) approved the inclusion of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and
the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary among the Asean Heritage
Parks.
The approval brings to 35 the number of Asean Heritage Parks, seven of which are in the Philippines.
Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said the designation of the
Tubbataha and Mt. Hamiguitan national protected areas as regional
heritage parks was long overdue since the two had been recognized as
Unesco World Heritage Sites.
The five other Asean Heritage Parks in the country are Mt. Apo
Natural Park, Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park and Mt. Malindang Range
Natural Park—all in Mindanao; Mt. Iglit-Baco National Park in Occidental
Mindoro; and Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve in Laguna.
“This latest recognition indicates that the natural characteristics
of both Tubbataha and Mt. Hamiguitan are so exceptional that they
deserve to be protected for the benefit of everyone in Southeast Asia,”
Paje said in a statement.
Asean Heritage Parks are marked off as areas “of high conservation importance” as key biodiversity areas.
Located 181 kilometers southeast of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan,
the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is at the very center of the Sulu Sea.
The park contains roughly 10,000 hectares of coral reefs and more
than 86,000 hectares of surrounding waters, lying at the heart of the
Coral Triangle, the center of global marine biodiversity.
The Tubbataha marine sanctuary is home to diverse marine life,
including at least half of all coral species in the world and about 80
percent of all coral species in the Philippines.
Green sea and hawksbill turtles, as well as rays and sharks, are
common in the reefs. Pelagics such as tuna, mackerel, jacks and
barracuda are observed in schools near the reef crests.
The Tubbataha marine sanctuary was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1993.
Established in 2004, the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary
covers 6,834 hectares of seven barangays (villages) in Davao Oriental.
Standing at 1,637 meters, Mt. Hamiguitan is surrounded by forest
land, including a bonsai field or “pygmy” forest of 100-year-old trees
on ultramafic soil.
The trees within the mossy pygmy forest stand an average of only 1.4
meters, with a diameter of eight centimeters. One of the dominant
species that can be found only in this forest type is the tinikaran or
red fig tree (scientific name Wendlandia nervosa).
Other rare plant species found on Mt. Hamiguitan include the slipper
orchid, nepenthes, staghorn fern, rhododendrons and Philippine
hardwoods, such as yakal and tangile.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Basilan Mayors Targets of Sayyaf 'Extortion'
Officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM) have been recent targets of extortion activities of the extremist
Abu Sayyaf group, the governor said.
ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman told reporters Friday that he and all 13 mayors of Basilan province signed a manifesto supporting an intensified military campaign as incidents of extortion by the extremist rebels have increased.
"All those who refused to heed payment are threatened to be bombed," Hataman said.
Even vendors and drivers were not spared from the extortion activities of Abu Sayyaf members who allegedly cite the practice of as "jakat," a Muslim term of monetary gift, as excuse, he said.
Each of the Basilan mayors has received text messages from alleged Abu Sayyaf members demanding for their monthly contribution, Hataman added.
"I was even called up the other day and identified himself as spokesman of (Abu Sayyaf leader) Isnilon Hapilon and I dropped the call. I waited if he [would] text but nothing came," Hataman said.
He said his district engineer also received messages believed to be
from the group's Basilan leader, Furuji Indama, and demanded P200,000
monthly.
Hataman said the engineer's house was lobbed with bomb a week after he refused to pay the amount.
He also noted that children are the most vulnerable victims of incidents as they develop traumas from the bombing attempts.
Local officials' call for an all-out offensive launched Friday against the armed militants was meant to mobilize government units not only the military and police, Hataman said.
"Precisely, these Abu Sayyaf bandits were freely extorting because we are not running after them," he added. "That’s the proposal of the mayors because the Abu Sayyaf group committed crimes against the people and the country."
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang directed Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero and coordinated with the police in the region to secure the mayors.
Catapang anticipated the possible backlash of the support laid out by the town mayors against the Abu Sayyaf group.
ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman told reporters Friday that he and all 13 mayors of Basilan province signed a manifesto supporting an intensified military campaign as incidents of extortion by the extremist rebels have increased.
"All those who refused to heed payment are threatened to be bombed," Hataman said.
Even vendors and drivers were not spared from the extortion activities of Abu Sayyaf members who allegedly cite the practice of as "jakat," a Muslim term of monetary gift, as excuse, he said.
Each of the Basilan mayors has received text messages from alleged Abu Sayyaf members demanding for their monthly contribution, Hataman added.
"I was even called up the other day and identified himself as spokesman of (Abu Sayyaf leader) Isnilon Hapilon and I dropped the call. I waited if he [would] text but nothing came," Hataman said.
Hataman said the engineer's house was lobbed with bomb a week after he refused to pay the amount.
He also noted that children are the most vulnerable victims of incidents as they develop traumas from the bombing attempts.
Local officials' call for an all-out offensive launched Friday against the armed militants was meant to mobilize government units not only the military and police, Hataman said.
"Precisely, these Abu Sayyaf bandits were freely extorting because we are not running after them," he added. "That’s the proposal of the mayors because the Abu Sayyaf group committed crimes against the people and the country."
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang directed Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero and coordinated with the police in the region to secure the mayors.
Catapang anticipated the possible backlash of the support laid out by the town mayors against the Abu Sayyaf group.
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