Biden wants lengthy discussion on South China Sea issue

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, Manila Bulletin

NEW YORK, USA — United States President Joseph Biden is seeking a lengthy discussion on the South China Sea dispute and other issues that greatly concern the Philippines.

President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. holds a bilateral meeting with US President Joseph Biden in New York City on September 22, 2022. (Argyll Geducos)

Biden said this during his bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on the sidelines of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday morning (New York time).

In his remarks, President Biden said he has already Chinese President Xi Jinping about the issue.

“I expect we’ll discuss the South China Sea and disputes in critical global throughway,” he said.

I’ve spent a lot of time with not only the President of China but others about the international waters and how they had to be respected. And we should talk about that long,” he added.

Biden said he wanted to strengthen the Philippines and the US alliance.

“One of the things we want to talk about today is how we continue to strengthen it and work together on the things that have the greatest concern to you,” he said.

Among these issues are Covid-19 recovery, energy security, renewable energy, and human rights.

“You and I both think that’s the future we can do a lot — we can do a lot together. I’m desperately interested in making sure we do,” he said.

“I’m interested to know what’s on your mind and how we can continue to strengthen this relationship,” he added.

Meanwhile, President Biden thanked the Philippines for its stand on the war in Ukraine and how it has taken a toll on energy and food prices.

“We are working very hard to be able to do something about that,” he said.

CPP, NPA not terror groups

By Franco Jose C. Baroña , Arlie O. Calalo  and Javier Joe Ismael

(UPDATE) THE Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing the New People's Army (NPA) are not terrorist organizations, a Manila trial court has ruled.

The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 19 handed down the ruling last Wednesday as it dismissed a petition of the Department of Justice (DoJ) on Feb. 21, 2018, to declare the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization.

The DoJ filed the petition under Section 17 of the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007, which requires a ruling by a regional trial court before an organization can be officially labeled as a terrorist.

In her ruling, Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar said that the group's Ten Point Program "readily shows that the CPP-NPA is organized or exists, not for the purpose of engaging in terrorism."

Magdoza-Malagar noted that the Human Security Act defines terrorism as the commission of piracy and mutiny in the high seas; rebellion or insurrection; coup d'etat; murder; kidnapping and serious illegal detention; crimes involving destruction of property "thereby sowing and creating a condition of widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the populace, in order to coerce the government to give in to an unlawful demand."

"It is not difficult to see how the CPP-NPA's resort to 'armed struggle' and the violence that necessarily accompanies the same, as the sanctioned means to achieve its purpose(s) may have earned the CPP-NPA the terrorist label," the judge said.

In determining whether the group committed "terrorist acts," the court looked at nine incidents of atrocities its members allegedly committed as testified by government witnesses. These are:

- The killings in December 2019, March 2020, July 2020, August 2020 and July 2020

- The October 2020 ambush

KUWTT: CPP, NPA not terror groups | Sept. 23, 2022

- The failed attempt to kill a teacher in October 2020

- The burning of a chapel and residential houses in May 2020

- The abduction of seven civilians in May 2019.

Magdoza-Malagar said the eyewitnesses identified the suspects only through the clothes they wore. It takes more than a certain manner or mode of clothing to establish that a person is a CPP-NPA member, she said.

Supreme Court upheld legality of martial law

"In the absence of any evidence that the official uniform of the members of the CPP-NPA consists of an all-black outfit, this court cannot give credence to the witnesses' identification," the judge said.

Magdoza-Malagar said none of the nine incidents caused "widespread and extraordinary fear and panic" among the populace.

She characterized the incidents as "pocket and sporadic occurrences" in Mindanao, specifically in Surigao del Sur, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon and Agusan del Sur, the judge said.

Senator Legarda wrong about Leftist rebels

She also cited the difference between terrorism and rebellion as pointed out in a 2017 Supreme Court ruling, the former being considered as larger in scope.

The Supreme Court stated that if the crime committed is for political purposes, it is rebellion.

If the primary objective is to sow and create widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among populace to coerce the government to give in to an unlawful demand, the crime is terrorism.

Lawyer Lorenzo "Larry" Gadon said on Thursday that the denial of the Manila court to label the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group does not count.

"It does not really matter because it is within the power of the executive branch to declare them as a terrorist group in the exercise of its police powers that is inherent to the State," Gadon told The Manila Times.

He said the President has the authority to declare the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group in exercising police powers to protect the security and integrity of the state.

"The President has access to all information and data to enable him to exercise such power," said Gadon, the lone senatorial candidate of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan which was founded by late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the father of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

"I just don't know why the petition was filed in the first place, which I find it unnecessary," he said.

During a Senate hearing Tuesday, Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said the government should drop the idea of a negotiated peace as a solution to the communist insurgency problem since the CPP-NPA has been deceiving the government all along.

"These people are only fooling us. We've been talking to them for many years and nothing happened out of it. We are sincere, but they're not. Let's not allow them to fool us further, especially now that the CPP-NPA are already on their knees because of the NTF-Elcac (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict)," dela Rosa said.

The former national police chief presided at the hearing of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation, joint with the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, which he leads, as well as the Committee on Finance, to discuss Senate Bill (SB) 200 which seeks to institutionalize the NTF-Elcac by establishing the National Council to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

The NTF-Elcac was created in December 2018 by Executive Order 70 issued by then president Rodrigo Duterte.

"What are they [CPP-NPA] doing while we are talking peace with them? They are there consolidating their people, regrouping, rearming themselves, and recruitment because they're free to go around the communities. You know, enough of this for me," he told government security officials who attended the hearing.

"Let's finish the problem and we have to be serious about it. As I've said, I have retired from the service with all the scars in my body, with all the death that I have seen. Do I have to wait for my son, who just graduated from  academy, to experience the same problem that I faced when I was young, when I was a lieutenant until I retired?... We are not giving a better future for the youth if we do not finish this problem now," dela Rosa said.

Be truly poor to be truly rich

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

WE have to understand this point very well. We need to be truly poor so we can be truly rich in God, attaining the fullness of our dignity as God’s image and likeness, children of his, sharers of his divine life and nature. This is how we can be truly rich.

To be truly poor is to acknowledge that we depend on God for everything. To be truly poor is not about how much one has or does not have. That is a very poor description of what is to be truly poor. And that’s because one can have a lot of things and yet know that everything comes from God and is for God and for everybody else.

A truly poor person knows that he is not the absolute owner of whatever he has, even if he is entitled to the right of private ownership. He is at best only a steward tasked to make use of whatever he has to start building the kingdom of God here on earth. A truly poor person has an abiding awareness that he is only a caretaker of the goods of the earth and that he is answerable to God and to everyone for that duty.

In a certain sense, our earthly life can be described as a matter of emptying and filling. That is, emptying of our own selves, our own egos, so we can be filled with God, with love, which is what is proper to us.

In whatever we do, let’s see to it that this business of emptying and filling is the underlying law and principle that is being followed. Failing in that can only mean failing in our ultimate purpose in life, no matter how successful we may appear to be in our work or social and political life, and in the other aspects of life.

We need to adapt and develop the relevant attitude and skills so we can turn this ideal into a working lifestyle. We should not forget that Christ clearly said: ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Mt 16,24) That, in a nutshell, is the biblical basis for this business of emptying and filling.

Christ himself, our way, truth and life, lived this principle perfectly by emptying himself so he can be filled with the will of his Father. 

St. Paul expressed this fact in this way: “Christ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” (Phil 2,5-8)

Christ’s self-emptying cannot be overemphasized. Being the son of God with whom nothing is impossible, he chose to be born poor in a manger and led an austere life all throughout. Even in his impressive moments of preaching and making miracles, he did not want to be treated as a king or some kind of celebrity.

He preached about meekness and humility and lived what he preached. “Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart,” he said. (Mt 11,29) In the Last Supper, he shocked his apostles when he began to wash their feet and insisted on doing so, despite the protestation of Peter, to give an example for them to follow.

We need to be truly poor to be truly rich in God!

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

𝐇𝐲𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐨 𝐝𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐨

A significant step up in the agriculture sector in Davao de Oro came into light right after the successful harvest of the Community Hybrid Rice Model Farm: a community model of hybrid rice variety established in selected barangays in the municipalities of Compostela and Nabunturan ranging up to 200 hectares of land area.

The model farms are an initiative through the collaboration of the Department of Agriculture Region XI, Provincial Government of Davao de Oro headed by Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga,  Provincial Agriculturist's Office of DdO, Municipal Agriculture Offices of Compostela and Nabuturan, and private seed companies; Syngenta Philippines, Inc., SL Agritech Corporation, and Bayer Crop Science.

The project yields a significant rack-up in the province's rice sector by using four (4) hybrid rice varieties: Bigante Plus, NK5017, SL 20H, and M20. These hybrid rice varieties showed the potential to adapt to climate changes and generate a higher income for the local farmers.

The involved agencies and private partners also pushed for the concept of farm clustering, a method utilizing two cropping seasons, both wet and dry cropping irrigated areas, to fully maximize space, time, and effort. In total, the municipality of Compostela involves Brgy. Gabi, Tamia, Lagab, San, Jose, and Siocon has 100 hectares of rice model farm site with 66 farmer-cooperators, while Brgy. Magading, Libasan (LIPRIMCO), Libasan (PNIA), and Pangutusan comprised Nabunturan with 100 hectares of rice model farm site and 78 farmer-cooperators.

Further, both Compostela and Nabunturan received 25 bags of rice seeds for each hybrid variety of rice for their model farm, including loads of fertilizers (urea, complete, and MOP) per hectare of the model farm.

In partnership with DA and private companies, this initiative of the provincial government is a blueprint for modern, efficient, and effective rice-farming techniques that will soon be adopted by the other farmers province-wide.

PAGRO Head Dr. Jaime Anter, in his message to the farmers during the harvest, conveyed that the government will continue to support them through subsidies, lowering their production costs and increasing their income. 

According to PAGRO-DdO, more or less 400 bags of rice (65 kilograms per bag) were harvested yesterday (September 21, 2022) in two (2) model farms located in Brgy. Magading and Pangutusan. The remaining unharvested hybrid rice model farm sites will follow in the last week of September and the first week of October this year. (J. Abella, PAO-IPRD DdO, photos by J. Cadiz)

Great music, fun memories at GDay festivities

 

Thousands gathered over the weekend for fun and exciting activities Globe held for its highly anticipated "917 #ExtraGDayEveryday," the biggest GDay celebration yet.

Events were held at the Circuit Events Ground Makati and the Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa City on September 17 or "917 day," without adverse incident except for apparent attempts to jam mobile signals at both venues.

"Our 917 GDay this year marked the first time we had many on-ground events, and we are glad that our customers went out to participate in them. We really wanted to pursue face to face events which we have been missing since the pandemic. We are only too happy that our customers found time to enjoy the festivities," said Jerome Patalud, head of Globe Rewards.

The GMusic Fest drew thousands of spectators at Circuit Events Ground Makati for a day of great music and fun at experiential booths, bringing home Globe freebies along with new memories.

Over 6,000 spectators came for the half-day event, staying throughout the show to enjoy the lineup of world-class artists Globe brought together to regale its valued customers.

Enjoying the GMusic Fest was Kathlyn Guinto, a Globe customer for 15 years now. On Twitter, she raved about seeing Thai singer Phum Viphurit and the "queens" from Drag Race Philippines.

"It was my first time watching Phum Viphurit perform live. Finally! WOW. WOW. WOW.... Thank you for bringing them here, Globe!" she said in her post.

G Music Fest also featured K-Pop group bugAboo, whose G Music Fest appearance was their first time performing live in the Philippines, and top Filipino acts such as KAIA, Matthaios, The Juans, Unique Salonga, and I Belong to the Zoo.

Festival goers were also safely ferried in and out of the venue through free rides on GET electric buses deployed for the event.

2-day Tourism Job Fair in Davao City set

By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV, Manila Bulletin

DAVAO CITY – A total of 2,541 vacancies are available to job applicants during the two-day Tourism Job Fair from Sept. 22 to 23 at the Abreeza Mall, an official of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Davao said Wednesday, Sept. 21.

Paul Cruz, chief of technical services and support division of DOLE-Davao, said during an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) that the job fair would be participated by 35 companies, including hotels and other tourism-related establishments.

 The two-day event dubbed “Trabaho, Turismo, Asenso” is a nationwide simultaneous event in Manila, Cebu, and Davao organized by the DOLE, Department of Tourism, and Public Employment Service Office to help workers find employment after being displaced by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Cruz said that all vacancies in the two-day job fair are for local employment, particularly within the region, as the newly-established Department of Migrant Workers will take charge of the recruitment for overseas employment.

 He said job offerings include, among others, housekeepers, butlers, front office personnel, kitchen staff, customer service representatives, planning personnel, and warehouse helpers.

 Cruz said they target at least 10 to 15 percent of the job applicants to be hired on the spot.

 He said onsite pre-registration is available for applicants starting Wednesday, Sept. 21. Online preregistration is also available via the Facebook pages of the regional offices of DOLE and DOT.

Ryan D. Roldan, regional employment focal person of DOLE-Davao, encouraged applicants to avail of the preregistration to preselect the jobs they wish to apply to enable them to skip long queues for walk-in applicants.

 “We have invited a lot of hotels to join the fair because this job fair is all about tourism. The hotels and restaurants were severely affected by the pandemic,” he said.

 He said the event is intended to fill the job losses as a result of permanent and temporary closures due to the pandemic.

LPA east of Central Luzon now tropical depression Karding

Tropical Depression Karding (Photo courtesy of PAGASA)

by Charie Mae F. Abarca, Manila Bulletin

The low pressure area (LPA) east of Central Luzon has developed into tropical depression Karding, the 11th tropical cyclone to enter and form in the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) in 2022.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the weather disturbance developed at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22. Bulletins for this tropical cyclone will be issued beginning Thursday at 11 a.m.

Meanwhile, apart from Karding, the southwest monsoon, locally called “habagat,” is also being monitored. This weather system, according to PAGASA, may bring partly cloudy skies with isolated rain showers in various parts of the country. In a public weather forecast, PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja said that the southwest monsoon will particularly affect the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon in the next 24 hours.

Sara calls for end to 'culture of racism' for lasting peace

By Kaithreen Cruz

September 22, 2022

IN observance of the United Nations International Day of Peace, Vice President Sara Duterte emphasized the need to end the pervading culture of racism for meaningful and lasting peace for all.

She explained that racism "carves painful words that linger through generations — resulting in a cycle of violence inflamed by raging hate of a race against another race."

She pointed out the universality of the fight to be recognized, respected, and accorded equal rights as a nation with diverse cultures, traditions, and religions.

"We have a moral obligation to end racism and address the web of violence interlocking around the culture of hate that threatens to overcome us, injure us, and break us apart as a community," Duterte emphasized in her message.

She said that hate should not be allowed to poison people's differences, nor allow it to overpower unity as a community that respects each other.

Rather, she urged people to tap on those differences to ensure that everyone can freely exercise their cultural and other fundamental rights recognized by international laws.

"May we be unrelenting in our mission of engaging all groups and sectors in all our endeavors — ensuring that we build an inclusive society. I trust that Filipinos will support the campaign against racism in the spirit of unity, peace, and progress for our country," Duterte added.

Christian faith on life and death

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala*

“THE Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” (Lk 9,22)

These words of Christ show us the general trajectory of our life here on earth. Like Christ, we have to expect all sorts of suffering and death. But we should never forget that there is also the resurrection. This is what our Christian faith tells us about our life and death here on earth.

Thus, St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans stressed this truth of our faith by saying, “If we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (6,8) How important, therefore, for us to carve these words of Christ and St. Paul in our mind and heart, so that we can have the proper understanding and appreciation of everything in our life, including our sufferings and death!

In short, as long as we are with Christ, we can expect the resurrection, the victory over sin and death, if we suffer and die also with Christ. We need to do everything to live by this truth of our faith so we can go through the drama of our life in peace, joy and confidence. We can avoid unnecessary worries.

Let us also remember that the best condition we can enjoy in our earthly life is when we are with Christ. We would know how to handle any situation properly. And as St. Paul again said it in his Letter to the Romans, “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8,28)

This should strongly motivate us to know, love and serve God who has revealed himself fully in Christ. And as far as Christ is concerned, he has left us with the beautiful story of his life, his teaching, his Church and the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist where he makes himself entirely available to us, even making himself the Bread of Life for us to eat and achieve the highest communion we can have with him here on earth.

We really do not have any excuse why we cannot go through our life, with all its ups and down, in a manner that would always be marked by joy, peace and hope. We should try our best to be always guided by our Christian faith in our general attitude toward life and death.

With this Christian faith, we will always feel reassured and can echo what St. Paul once said: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?...But thanks to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 15,55.57)

We should spread this Good News about our Christian faith on life and death. We know that many of us are still ignorant about it, or worse, not convinced by it, and thus we unnecessarily suffer the consequences. Where there is supposed to be only joy and peace, we are often hounded by fear, worries, sadness and the like.

Let us always strengthen the conviction that the best condition for us to be in 

*Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

GMA Pinoy TV mounts major US concert

(Left) Bea Alonzo and Dingdong Dantes

This September 24 and 25, GMA Pinoy TV — GMA's flagship international channel — brings its biggest 17th-anniversary treat via "Together Again: A GMA Pinoy TV @ 17 Concert."

The two-night concert features a powerhouse cast headlined by multi-awarded actress and box office icon Bea Alonzo, Kapuso Comedy Concert Queen Aiai Delas Alas, Asia's Nightingale Lani Misalucha, Asia's Limitless Star Julie Anne San Jose, Kapuso Total Heartthrob Rayver Cruz, and Kapuso Primetime King Dingdong Dantes.

The two consecutive nights will be filled with vibrant musical performances sprinkled with laughter and games for the Filipino Kapuso abroad. The first show is booked at the Pechanga Theater, Pechanga Resort Casino, in Temecula, California.

The show starts at 6 p.m. with doors opening at 5 p.m. Alonzo, who gladly celebrates many firsts as a Kapuso, shared how excited she is to join the concert. "I will be on the GMA Pinoy TV with my fellow Kapuso stars, and excited ako kasi I want to give the Pinoys abroad the entertainment and the joy that they so deserve dahil ang dami nating pinagdaanan this past year."

"Mga Kapuso abroad, ito na po ang hinihintay ninyo na concert. Malapit na malapit na po at sana'y manood kayo," delas Alas, who is now waiting for the rest of the Philippine contingent, added.

"I am overjoyed because GMA Pinoy TV is going to have a concert once again here in the US," said Misalucha, who is also residing in the States right now.

"I am going to be performing with my kumare and my co-judge in 'The Clash,' Ms. Aiai delas Alas. Not only that, I will also be performing with this very adorable couple, Rayver Cruz and Julie Anne San Jose.

Kasama rin po natin dito sa GMA Pinoy TV concert in the US ang napakaguwapong si Dingdong Dantes at ang very beautiful na si Bea Alonzo."

San Jose is sure to give her limitless talent in performing for her kababayan, saying, "We're very excited to show to everyone kung ano 'yung mga inihinanda naming prod numbers. It's also a great opportunity for all of us kasi makikita namin ulit 'yung mga Kapuso natin abroad after a very long time."

"Sobrang excited kasi ang tagal na nga na panahon after New York, ilang years ago 'yun, so excited na kami makita 'yung mga Kapuso namin d'yan sa Amerika," Cruz added.

Dantes, who was last in the US in 2018 with GMA Pinoy TV, says he is looking forward to be together again with the Kapuso abroad. "Ang saya kasi iba talaga 'yung pakiramdam na makita mo at makausap mo sila nang harapan. Iba rin kasi kapag online."

Together Again: A GMA Pinoy TV @ 17 Concert is presented by Pechanga Resort Casino in association with GMA Pinoy TV, Starmedia Entertainment, and GMA Synergy. Tickets are on sale now at the following websites: www.pechanga.com, www.ticketmaster.com, and www.starmediaentertainment.com.