House committees express support to Bangsamoro transition extension bills

The key officials of the Bangsamoro Government and national agencies, and members of the House of Representatives during a focus group discussion and consultation on the proposed extension of the Bangsamoro transition period from 2022-2025 in Makati City. (J. Cabig, Jr.)

MAKATI CITY – A focus group discussion (FGD) with the House of Representatives and some officials from national agencies was held Tuesday, January 12, to tackle Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao's (BARMM) push for transition extension from 2022-2025.

Among the agenda discussed include the status of the interim government, challenges and opportunities during the transition period, navigating the realizations of key provisions of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, and harmonizing the bills filed for the BTA extension.

Possible collaborations between the Bangsamoro Government, the legislative and executive wings of the national government to assure the fulfilment of the GPH-MILF Peace Process were considered during the FGD.

Cops put up more checkpoints amid string of road attacks

 AMBUSHED. Police investigators check on the vehicle of Apinton Ibrahim (ID shown in inset photo), an engineering assistant at DPWH-12, after he was tailed and shot dead by a motorcycle riding-in-tandem along the highway in Barangay Pinguiaman, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao on Monday, January 11, 2021. Police have yet to identify the perpetrators and the motive of the killing. (PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIGADA NEWS FM COTABATO, MINDANAO EXPOSE’) 

COTABATO CITY – More police checkpoints were set up around Maguindanao following the ambush-slay of an employee of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Region 12 in Datu Odin Sinsuat town on Monday, January 11.

“This is to put an end to the rash of highway shooting incidents in the province recently,” Col. Donald Madamba, Maguindanao police director, said in a media interview here on Tuesday, January 12.

Gunmen onboard a motorbike trailed and fired on Apinton Ibrahim, an engineering assistant in DPWH-12, while the latter was driving his red Toyota Innova vehicle (ZTK-5591) along Barangay Pinguiaman around 11 a.m. Monday.

“The victim died on the spot,” Maj. Rommel dela Vega, Datu Odin Sinsuat town police chief, said

Witnesses said the gunmen sped off toward an unknown direction following the shooting.

"We have yet to establish the motive of the killing and the people behind it,” dela Vega said.

On January 6, motorcycle riding-in-tandem suspects also shot dead in Barangay Simuay, Sultan Kudarat town Police Cpl. Mark Tendero, 24, while he was on his way home to Libungan town in North Cotabato.

On December 29 last year, riding-in-tandem gunmen also fired upon Army Cpl. Rosendo Oplino of the 37th Infantry Battalion as he was passing through Barangay Gang, also of Sultan Kudarat town, on board his motorcycle, going to this city from his home in Alamada, North Cotabato.

Oplino died while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Madamba said the additional checkpoints, most of which are established along the national highway traversing the province, will stay until the string of road shootings stop.

“The checkpoints will keep on even at night,” he said. (NOEL PUNZALAN, PNA, MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

DA to give P14.9-M cash aid to ASF-affected NoCot hog raisers

(Image courtesy of the Department of Agriculture) 

KIDAPAWAN CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to release some P14.9-million cash assistance to hog raisers affected by the African swine fever (ASF) infestation in North Cotabato. 

Provincial veterinarian Dr. Rufino Sorupia said Tuesday, January 12, the disbursement will begin next week and would be done per municipality.

Seven hundred thirty-six hog raisers will receive assistance on January 18 in Arakan; Kidapawan City and Makilala (January 19-20); President Roxas (January 21); and Magpet (January 22).

Each depopulated hog has an equivalent value of P5,000.

“The total amount depends on the number of hogs that they owned and have been culled during our intense drive to stop the infestation,” Sorupia said, adding that all affected local government units have earlier provided assistance to hog raisers in their respective towns.

“Also, the provincial government gave interventions through livelihood programs,” Sorupia said.

The ASF infestation, which hit North Cotabato in August last year, has brought an estimated P16- million loss to the province's hog industry.

More than 3,000 hogs were so far depopulated in ASF-affected areas of the province.

“Yet, no additional cases were reported during the past one month since the last case was recorded, particularly in Kidapawan City,” Sorupia said. (JOHN ANDREW TABUGOC, PNA, MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

DPWH completes construction of COVID-19 facility in Marawi City

MARAWI CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed the construction of a new healthcare facility in Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur.

DPWH Secretary and Chief Isolation Czar Mark A. Villar said the Sagonsongan Multipurpose Building situated at Barangay Sagonsongan Relocation Site, Marawi City has been temporarily transformed into quarantine quarters for COVID-19 cases.

"It has a 40-bed capacity and will cater to individuals tested positive for COVID-19 but classified as asymptomatic to mild cases," added Villar.

Representing Villar in the recent turnover ceremony is DPWH Undersecretary and Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of National and Local Health Facilities Head Emil K. Sadain.

The provisional COVID-19 patient care center will be managed by the provincial government of Lanao del Sur under the leadership of Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr.

“The newly turned-over facility will provide the much-needed boost to the health care capacity of Lanao Del Sur. With the new facility, those who will be infected with the virus will be isolated away from their communities and further halt the spread of the disease," said Undesecretary Sadain.

Despite the decrease in the number of new cases, the DPWH Task Force continues to thrive in doing its job in the service of the Filipino people by supporting the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) efforts to enhance the local government’s capacity in the fight against COVID-19 

"With about 509 completed facilities nationwide which account to 19,083 beds capacity, the government is not lowering guards to address the pandemic with interventions of prevention, detection, and expedite soonest completion of additional 211 facilities with 7,135 beds for isolation in different locations that will back our health care system," added Sadain. (DPWH, MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

MAFAR all set for BARMM founding anniversary

The Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) participated in the technical secretariat meeting in preparation for the upcoming founding anniversary celebration of the Bangsamoro Government slated January 21.

MAFAR's Chief of Staff Arphia Ebus and ICTS Chief Engr. Musrifa Mago attended the said meeting, in behalf of the said ministry. 

The meeting was held at the Bajau Hall,OCM Building inside the Bangsamoro Government Center, Cotabato City on Friday, January 8.

The upcoming Bangsamoro Foundation Day will be a one-week celebration from January 18-21, 2021.

The celebration is expected to be one of the biggest events of the Bangsamoro Region. One of the featured activities is the launching of the BARMM hymn and raising of the Bangsamoro flag on January 18. The culmination program will be celebrated during the last day of the event.

MAFAR prepared series of activities during the long week celebration that include MAFARlengke, agri-fisheries exhibit, and agri-fisheries competition. 

Each municipality is divided into clusters which will form as teams during the competition. Prizes are prepared for the victors. (MAFAR-LGU, MINDANAO EXPOSE’) 

MAFAR grants 0% interest cash loan to 97 small farmers and fisherfolks

 Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) Head Dr. Mohammad S. Yacob  (2nd from Right) led the loan distribution on Tuesday, January 12, in the Municipality of Carmen. (BIO-BARMM, MINDANAO EXPOSE’) 

COTABATO CITY – Ninety-seven marginalized small farmers and fisherfolks from the 63 barangays in North Cotabato individually received P25,000.00 zero interest cash loan from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR).

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) Head Dr. Mohammad S. Yacob led the loan distribution on Tuesday, January 12, in the Municipality of Carmen. He said the loan aims to help the beneficiaries recover from their loss brought about by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

“Karamihan sa mga magsasaka ay nahihirapan sa kanilang pamumuhay dahil sa kawalan ng kita at kapital upang muling makapagsaka. Ang programang ito ay isa sa nakikita nating makakatulong sa mga farmers and fisherfolks na naapektuhan ng pandemic,” said Yacob.

“Gamitin po natin ng tama ang loan na ito upang makabayad at patuloy na makatanggap ng suporta mula sa BARMM, at sa bandang huli ay kayo naman ang makapaghandog ng tulong sa kapwa,” he told the beneficiaries.

The loan was granted through the MAFAR’s expanded Sure Aid and Recovery Project in partnership with Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Farra Penas, project assistant IV of ACPC, explained that the loan assistance is payable in 10 years with no interest and no collateral. ACPC is an attached agency to the DA that reviews and evaluates all agriculture and fisheries credit policies and programs.

Carmen Agricultural Resources and Development Multipurpose Cooperative (CARD-MPC) served as MAFAR and DA-ACPC’s partner loaning channel for North Cotabato beneficiaries.

Barangay Chairman Gil Dondonayos, representing the local government of Carmen, CARD-MPC Manager Nasser Ali, Director Macmod Mamalangkap of MAFAR-Fisheries Services, and other MAFAR officials witnessed Tuesday’s activity. (BANGSAMORO INFORMATION OFFICE, MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

Maguindanao exec to yield more loose guns from civilians

 SURRENDERED GUNS. The loose firearms turned over on Sunday, January 10, 2021, by local officials and residents of Talitay, Maguindanao in support of the government’s campaign against illegal possession of guns. The town officials vowed to surrender more loose firearms from illegal gun holders in the coming days. (PHOTO COURTESY OF 6ID, MINDANAO EXPOSE’) 

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – More guns from civilians would be turned over to the military soon following the surrender of eight assorted high-powered guns over the weekend, Mayor Montasir Sabal of Talitay, Maguindanao said Monday, January 11.

Sabal said civilians in his town of about 15,000 have already expressed their desire to support the Army’s disarmament program in the province.

“We already have received words from them. They will voluntarily surrender unlicensed guns,” Sabal said. “This is a good development.”

On Sunday, January 10, the mayor led the turnover of guns to the Army’s 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion as part of the town’s contributions to the government.

Illegal gun possession in Talitay was among the reasons for violence and criminalities in the town.

Lt. Colonel Omar Orozco, 2nd Mechanized IB commander, lauded Talitay local officials for the support and urged them to gather more loose firearms to help bring about peace in the troubled town.

Among the surrendered firearms were two .50-caliber sniper rifles, an M16 rifle, homemade firearms, and ammunition.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, Army's 6th Infantry Division commander, urged other local government executives in Maguindanao to continue supporting the campaign against loose firearms in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s desire for peace in Maguindanao. (EDWIN FERNANDEZ, PNA, MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

Modern skills training center to rise in GenSan

             Rafael Abrogar II, director of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-Region 12 (PHOTO COURTESY OF TESDA-12, MINDANAO EXPOSE’) 

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has begun preparations for the construction this year of a modern technical-vocational (tech-voc) skills training center here. 

Rafael Abrogar II, director of TESDA 12 (Soccsksargen), said Tuesday, January 12, the modern training facility would be established in a government-owned property in Barangay Tinagacan, in partnership with the South Cotabato first district congressional office and the city government.

Abrogar said the congressional office, as committed earlier by Rep. Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles, has allotted an initial P10 million to start the project’s implementation.

The city government, through Mayor Ronnel Rivera, had donated a one-hectare lot in Barangay Tinagacan as the site of the training center, which has a funding requirement of about P45 million, he said.

Abrogar said they pushed for the development of a skills training center to expand the rollout of its scholarship programs, especially for the poor and marginalized residents.

He said Nograles, a former vice mayor of General Santos City, gave her full support to the project when she won and assumed last year as representative of South Cotabato’s first district, which includes this city.

Abrogar said they are targeting to complete the initial phase of the facility before the end of the year

“(Rep. Nograles) vowed to help us start with the implementation of the training programs while the construction of the facility is ongoing,” he said in a statement.

The planned training center here is the seventh in the region in the past two years.

Two other facilities broke ground late last year in Surallah town, South Cotabato, and Pigcawayan, North Cotabato.

Abrogar said the training centers were designed to offer four to eight skills training programs focusing on the needs of local industries and companies, especially those engaged in construction.

These include driving, cookery, shielded metal arc welding, automotive repair, electrical installation maintenance, tile setting, carpentry, masonry, and electronic product assembly and servicing. (RICHELYN GUBALANI, PNA, MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

MSU GenSan gets P37-M more for College of Medicine buildings

 The main gate of the Mindanao State University General Santos City campus

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The national government has allocated an additional P37 million for the construction of additional buildings this year for the newly-established College of Medicine of the Mindanao State University (MSU) here. 

South Cotabato 1st District Rep. Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles said Monday, January 11, the funds would be utilized for the development of the laboratory/infirmary and library of the new college, which is situated within the university’s extension campus in the city proper.

She said some P20 million was set aside for the laboratory/infirmary building and P17 million for the library.

The funding for the two buildings, which was earlier pushed by Nograles, is included in the 2021 General Appropriations Act or national budget.

“For the delivery of better quality of education, we need to equip the school with the needed facilities,” she said in a statement.

Nograles said the construction of the additional buildings is part of the development plan of the MSU General Santos campus’ College of Medicine and the continuing preparations for its formal opening in August.

The college was supposed to open its doors to the first batch of students in August last year but was deferred due to the coronavirus disease 2019 or Covid-19 pandemic.

“Chancellor (Anshari) Ali and (his) team are doing their best to comply with all the CHED (Commission on Higher Education) requirements so it could start this year,” she said.

The construction of the College of Medicine’s four-level main building, which cost around P162 million, is currently ongoing and targeted for completion before August.

The national government, through the efforts of Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao and Nograles, had released an initial P117 million for the project while the university contributed around P46 million.

The MSU system’s Board of Regents issued early last year Resolution No. 507, series of 2020, approving the establishment of the new college here as an extension of the MSU Marawi College of Medicine.

Nograles and Sarangani Rep. Rogelio Pacquiao filed House Bill No. 7809 on October 1 last year for the conversion of the College of Medicine extension program here into a “full-fledged and autonomous” unit.

The measure was approved and endorsed for plenary deliberation late last year by the House Committee on Higher Education. (ALLEN ESTABILLO, PNA, MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

NoCot town mayor, driver shot dead

 SHOT DEAD. Residents and town employees cover the remains of Libungan Mayor Christopher Cuan, who was shot dead on Monday, January 11, 2021. His driver (inset) also died in the incident. (PHOTO COURTESY OF NOCOT BOARD MEMBER ROLLY SACDALAN, MINDANAO EXPOSE’) 

LIBUNGAN, North Cotabato – An unidentified gunman shot dead a town mayor and his driver in North Cotabato Monday morning, January 11.

Colonel Henry Villar, North Cotabato police director, said Mayor Christopher “Amping” Cuan of Libungan, North Cotabato, was shot dead together with his driver while inspecting the construction of a cockfighting arena in Barangay Cabaruyan, also in Libungan, a few meters from his home. 

“The shooting occurred shortly before 11 a.m.,” Villar said.

Witnesses said the killers were on board a blue sports utility vehicle which sped off towards an unknown direction after the incident. Both the mayor and his driver, identified as Edwin Navarro Ihaw, died on the spot.

"A manhunt is ongoing as of this time against the killers,” Villar said.

Cuan, who was included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s 2016 drug suspects, survived an assassin’s bullet on January 8 last year after being shot in front of the town hall.

He strongly denied involvement in illegal drugs and even went to see then-Philippine National Police Director Gen. Ronaldo Dela Rosa in Camp Crame to clear his name.

His name had since been delisted.

North Cotabato Gov. Nancy Catamco condemned the incident "in the highest degree".

"I have instructed the Cotabato Provincial PNP Director to immediately conduct a thorough investigation on this violent incident to achieve full justice to the victim,” she said.

Aside from being a town mayor, Cuan was also chair of an alliance of municipalities in North Cotabato that advocates for infrastructure development in its member-towns. (EDWIN FERNANDEZ, PNA, MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

P6-M worth of shabu seized in Maguindanao

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao – The combined forces of Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT-2), under the Joint Task Force Central and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), seized some P6-million worth of illegal drugs in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao on Wednesday, January 6.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax R. Uy, commander of JTF Central and 6th Infantry Division, said the joint buy-bust operation was conducted in Sitio Gulf, Brgy Dalumangcob, in the said municipality, which resulted to the confiscation of one kilogram of suspected shabu placed in a heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet.

“The contraband was placed inside a green tea bag with Chinese markings with estimated value of P6 million” according to Maj. Gen. Uy.

The pursuit has targeted the suspected drug personality identified as Saddam, but he managed to escape after sensing the vehicles of the PDEA approaching their hideout.

Uy lauded the swift response of the troops and vowed to commit to the mandate of the President to end drug and criminality in the country.

“The troops from JTFC are in full support to the PDEA, the government's lead agency on its war on drugs, upon the directive of President Duterte to end the drug problem in the country”, Uy said. (DPAO, MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

Editorial

The need for a future-proof workforce

As the society transitions towards the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), there is a need for a change in the approach of preparing the future workforce. Based on the data from the Education Commission, it is predicted that by 2030, “more than half of the nearly 2 billion youth worldwide will not have the skills or qualifications necessary to participate in the emerging global workforce.” Given this, institutions responsible for the education and preparation of the future workforce have to be more adaptive and responsive to the skills and qualifications that are deemed necessary as businesses and markets align their practices with new approaches. 

As defined by Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, the 4IR is “a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres; a progress defined by velocity, scope, and systems impact.” In simpler terms, the use emergence of robotics, artificial intelligence, internet, digitalization, and automation is manifested in various industries. In the Philippines, there are institutions that provide skills-based trainings such as TESDA and other technical-vocational schools. However, many of the courses offered by these institutions still focus on human services that do not necessarily teach students how to deal with the utilization of robots and artificial intelligence and coursing through the digital and fully-automated world.

It was accounted that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, about 10.9 million Filipinos have lost their jobs. Also, business establishments have closed due to the lockdown. Of course, there are many factors that contributed to this economic turmoil. But people can learn from this period of time about skills improvement and development. Many of the businesses such as the BPO industry, media and telecommunication, and other automated services are thriving amidst global pandemic – industries that are already prepared for the 4IR. According to a framework created by Deloitte Global and Global Business Coalition for Education, a revolutionized workforce requires skills categorized as: workforce readiness (digital literacy, professionalism, etiquette, social norms), soft skills (communication, critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, adaptability, initiative, leadership), technical skills (computer programming, coding, project management, financial management, mechanical functions, scientific tasks, technology-based skills), and entrepreneurship (initiative, innovation, creativity, industriousness, resourcefulness, resilience, ingenuity, curiosity, optimism, risk-taking, courage, business acumen, business execution).

For academic institutions, maybe it is high time to maximize education by introducing the aforementioned skills into the mainstream curriculum. The arrival of the 4IR is inevitable; industries and institutions are adapting.

Thus, the only way to survive the future is to adapt and strategically equip oneself with skills and qualifications necessary to navigate into the fourth industrial revolution.