Insurgency: The Right Time

Last week President Marcos formally declared amnesty for the NPA and Islamic terrorist groups. While some people saw this as a betrayal of his office and the people the AFP says amnesty has come at the right time. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/889595/cpp-npa-ndf-amnesty-being-given-at-the-right-time-afp/story/

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) believed that it was the right time for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to grant former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) amnesty.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday, AFP spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar said the CPP-NPA-NDF had only over 1,000 members left, and about 400 of them were facing charges.

Aguilar added that it would greatly help the country attain peace if these rebels availed of the amnesty. 

(This is the only time they've again declared an amnesty for the CPP-NPA-NDF. During the time of former President Duterte, Congress did not concur. So, the previous declaration was not implemented. With Marcos as president, an amnesty for the CPP-NPA-NDF was declared again because it is an opportune time. And at the same time, we see that they are weakening.)

This estimate of "only over 1,000 member left, concurs with the estimate of 1,400 NPA left given a few weeks ago. It is interesting to note that while Duterte declared amnesty Congress did not concur and the amnesty was not implemented. But the NTF-ELCAC has been a de facto amnesty program giving surrendering NPA and Islamic terrorists hundreds of thousands of pesos, free housing, and free job training in a bid to reintegrate them into society. 

The AFP also claims there are no more active NPA guerrilla fronts. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/889809/npa-has-no-more-active-guerilla-front-says-afp/story/

The communist New People's Army no longer has an active guerilla front, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Tuesday.

AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. said that the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines only had 20 "weakened fronts."

"Wala na po tayong active guerrilla fronts,” Brawner told reporters in Malacañang. (There are no more active guerilla fronts.)

“By the end of this year, we are expecting five of these 20 to be finally dissolved. Magiging 15 weakened guerrilla fronts na lang ang matitira,” he said. (There will only be 15 weakened guerilla fronts left.)

If these fronts are "weakened" then that means they are still active. Again we see designations that make no sense. The AFP is still fighting the NPA because they continue to pose a threat. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1865585/no-ceasefire-on-communist-insurgency

Even as amnesty was recently given to rebel returnees, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Saturday said “there would be no ceasefire” in the fight against communist insurgency.

Under Proclamations 403 to 406 released to the media on Friday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gave amnesty to former members of different rebel groups, including the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

“While we are offering this opportunity for them to return to the folds of the law, we will continue to exert pressure,” AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.

“We will continue to conduct security patrol. Kasi ‘yung encounter po, nangyayari naman ito dahil sila ay nandyan at lumalaban,” he added, pertaining to the rebel groups.

(Encounters with rebel groups happen because they are there and fighting.)

No ceasefire because the NPA is still fighting. 

Aside from amnesty President Marcos has also announced the government is exploring restarting peace talks. However, the NDFP's demands to start the talks might hamper that restart. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1867214/cpp-lays-out-demands-to-bolster-peace-negotiations-between-govt-ndfp

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on Tuesday laid out its demands to further bolster the peace negotiations between its political wing, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), and the government.

The NDFP and the Philippine government, through a joint communique, have reached a tentative agreement to seek a peaceful resolution to armed conflict.

“The Oslo Joint Statement is a first half-step in the long march leading to the resumption of formal peace negotiations, and in the even longer road of achieving the people’s aspiration for a just and lasting peace,” CPP spokesperson Marco Valbuena said in a statement.

“To clear the road for peace negotiations, it is the distinct responsibility of Marcos to take the initiative to sweep away the Duterte-period thorns and spikes which litter it,” Valbuena also said.

To allow the negotiations to move forward, Valbuena said the government should release all the NDFP peace consultants and repeal the “terrorist designation” of the NDFP, the CPP, and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).

“These are critical and practical measures, without which it is doubtful that peace negotiations can even proceed,” Valbuena said of this request.

The CPP also urged Marcos to dismantle the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, as well as the release of all political prisoners, which Valbuena said now stands at over 800 people.

Valbuena said the dismantling of NTF-Elcac and the release of political prisoners will make “the march towards peace to move forward quickly.”

The government has said there are no plans to abolish the NTF-ELCAC so it appears peace talks are dead in the water. Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. has said suck demands will derail the peace talks.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1869409/demands-by-communist-rebels-may-derail-peace-talks-galvez

Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. called on supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) not to make demands that may thwart the upcoming peace talks between the government and communist rebels to finally put an end to one of the longest insurgencies in the world.

“There should be no preconditions whatsoever, as these can derail future discussions. As we have learned from our past experiences, making such preconditions even before the start of the discussions puts a huge burden on both sides when there is still a need to agree on the parameters and framework of the talks,” Galvez said in a statement on Saturday.

“We respect and appreciate your suggestions. But now is not the time to issue such premature and provocative statements that will compromise the initial ‘goodwill’ that has been painstakingly built in Oslo,” he added.

As with amnesty some people have seen the resumption of peace talks as a betrayal of the people and the nation. But it should be noted peace talks have not been restarted and the government is only looking into the possibility of their resumption. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1867991/no-formal-peace-talks-yet-with-ndfp-just-exploratory-talks-teodoro

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday allayed the suspicion of some military personnel about a softening stance against communist rebels with the ongoing “exploratory talks” between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

Teodoro stressed that there were no formal peace talks yet but only “exploratory talks” that seek to peacefully address the root of the communist armed conflict as stated by their Oslo Joint Communiqué.

“Naturally, there were [reactions] because the headline that came out actually is peace talks. But that is not the correct situation,” Teodoro said on the sidelines of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Leadership Summit held here when asked about the morale of the troops after the move.

“These are exploratory talks. There are no formal peace talks yet and so the people who are reacting are jumping the gun,” he added.

“What is clear here is that the armed forces will continue their law enforcement operations.”

The AFP on Wednesday also backed the exploratory talks being pursued by the government and the NDFP.

“This initiative will save precious lives,” the AFP public affairs chief, Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, said in a statement.

Trinidad also welcomed the NDFP’s “willingness … to pursue peaceful means of effecting societal reforms other than armed struggle.”

“We expect that all members of the underground movement will follow its lead,” Trinidad said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Army, which directly deals with the insurgency, also welcomed the development, saying in a statement: “We view and appreciate the exploratory talks with guarded optimism and welcome this development as it aims to address the issue of peace that shall pave the way to the development of the country.”

The Army also vowed to “neutralize” what was left of the New People’s Army (NPA).

“While there is no final peace framework, the Philippine Army would still continue its efforts to sustain the gains in Internal Security Operations by dismantling the weakened guerilla fronts and neutralizing the remaining armed groups.

It's rather odd that some military personnel would be concerned "about a softening stance against communist rebels" because of the possibility of renewed peace talks and yet have nothing to say about the government's E-CLIP and NTF-ELCAC bribery program. Amnesty, peace talks, and the NTF-ELCAC all are of the same kind. 

Despite the news that the insurgency is waning one Department of Education official claims it is thriving and schools are being targeted. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1867722/deped-exec-says-schools-become-targets-of-propaganda

A Department of Education (DepEd) official said Wednesday that schools “may become targets of propaganda” as “the youth, especially the out-of-school youth, become vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups and government forces.”

During a Senate public hearing, DepEd Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo cited information from years ago which showed “violent incidents, including armed conflicts,” affected more than 10,000 schools in parts of the country where the insurgency was thriving.

The Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs on Tuesday conducted an inquiry into the alleged continuous radicalization and recruitment of students in educational institutions to the local communist organizations. The hearing was led by panel chair Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, a former chief of the Philippine National Police.

“[An] alarming data from Basic Education Information System (BEIS) reveals that from SY 2009-2010 to 2017-2018, 10,883 schools nationwide [have] reported the effects of violent incidents, including armed conflicts,” Escobedo said.

He also noted that the impacts of violent incidents, including armed conflicts, on schools were severe, ranging from damage to facilities and disruptions of classes.

Escobedo did not provide the list of schools in the BEIS data but noted that most violent incidents occurred in Mindanao, Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas.

“Particularly concerning is the consistent presence of all six regions in Mindanao, as well as Regions V and VIII, among the top 10 regions each year with the highest proportion of schools affected by armed conflict,” he explained.

Escobedo stressed that armed conflict creates “unsafe environments” because learners face the risk of being victims of grave child rights violations.

“The youth, especially out-of-school youths, become vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups and government forces. Schools may also become targets for propaganda and recruitment purposes, endangering the safety of students and compromising the educational environment,” he pointed out.

Dela Rosa, meanwhile, said communist groups are drawing the encounters toward schools to implicate students.

(That’s how shameless these New People’s Army are. They know what they are doing. They want to cook us in our oil – well, if people do not think, the government will again be the bad guy for them. People will say: These soldiers and policemen are waging war on the school – but the NPA is waging war on the school.)

The earliest statistics cited here are from 2009 and the latest are from 2018. They are not current at all. Nor does this assessment line up with the AFP's declarations that there are no more active fronts, the NPA is weak and leaderless, and the insurgency is soon to be defeated. So, why put these statistics out there? Could it be fear mongering to persuade Congress to reinstate the DepEd's confidential funds? 

The National Youth Commission has issued a warning about an NPA recruitment video directed towards students. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1214515

The National Youth Commission (NYC) warned on Wednesday young Filipinos not to be persuaded by a new recruitment campaign video produced and being spread by the New People's Army (NPA) since last week.

During a public hearing by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, NYC Chairperson Ronald Cardema showed the video which he cited to be alarming as it targets to recruit 18 years old and below.

"The youth is being targeted by the NPA nowadays. They made the video very trendy. They put jokes about the recruitment to go with the current trend among Filipino youth," Cardema said.

"If we don't talk about it and stand up, show that we don't care about this video and recruitment, we are passing this recruitment to the next generation of Filipinos. They might be recruited without knowing it," he added.

After watching the video, panel chairperson Senator Ronald dela Rosa immediately requested the Anti-Cybercrime Group of the Philippine National Police to trace the source of the video.

"You saw the video? You direct your Anti-Cybercrime Group to trace the origin of the video because this is punishable under Section 10 of the Anti-Terrorism Act," dela Rosa said, suggesting to include sharers of the video who have the intent to recruit.

The motu propio public hearing and investigation by the panel is in response to Senate Resolution No. 863 which seeks to look into the "continuous radicalization and recruitment of students in educational institutions to the local communist terrorist groups" which dela Rosa also filed.

Filipino youth could be recruited into the NPA without even knowing it? That is absurd. And where is this video being shared online? It was shown to the Senate but Cardema does not say where he got it or where it is being spread. We see here Bato's involvement in stirring up the Senate to investigate alleged radicalization of students. Once again it must be asked if this is all fear mongering and stagecraft in order to have DepEd Secretary Duterte's confidential funds reinstated. It would not be surprising if that is the case. 

Picture of the Week: Don't Dump your Garbage here

"Don't Dump Your Garbage Here," reads the sign. How hard is it to not trash up someone else's property? For Filipinos it is incredibly hard. 

That is only one of the many garbage piles around town. 

No doubt everyone who dumped their garbage here looked at the sign and thought, "You can't tell me what to do."

Retards in the Government 340

It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1214263

A village councilman and a watchman were killed when they were attacked in what police believed was triggered by a long-standing clan war in the town of Midsayap in North Cotabato at 1 a.m. Thursday.

Lt. Col. John Miridel Calinga, Midsayap town police chief, identified the fatalities as Tho Puyo Singh, 73, village council member of Barangay Kudarangan, and Bayao Mohammad Uka, 58, a member of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team and a resident of the same place.

“The houses of the victims in the village were sprayed with bullets,” he said.

Barangay Kudarangan is among the 63 villages in North Cotabato that opted to join the expanded Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The villages are now grouped and named BARMM Special Geographic Area (SGA).

Calinga said the families of Singh, a member of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and that of a certain Sukarno Madidis, also an MNLF member, have been locked in a long-standing “rido” (family feud).

A village councilman has been assassinated. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1864877/retired-policeman-shoots-dead-2-men-in-cervantes-ilocos-sur

Two men were shot dead by a retired policeman in Ilocos Sur on Tuesday afternoon, November 21.

In a report on Thursday, police identified the suspect as Roberto Urbano – a retired member of Philippine National Police (PNP).

He reportedly attacked victims Luthgard Lacaden, 51, and George Guerzon Jr, 38, along Barangay Concepcion in Cervantes town.

Before Urbano fled the scene, he tried to shoot Lucaden’s wife too, but she managed to escape and hide in a nearby home.

Operatives of Cervantes Police Station responded to the crime scene shortly after the shooting.

They brought the Lacaden and Guerzon to Ilocos Sur District Hospital, where the victims were declared dead on arrival.

After authorities made negotiations for the surrender of the suspect, Urbano turned himself in on the same day.

No other details were provided such as why the suspect attacked the men.

Urbano was brought to Ilocos Sur District Hospital as well for physical and medical examination.

He is currently in the custody of police.

A retired cop shot dead two men. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1865012/ampatuan-jr-gets-210-years-in-jail-for-21-graft-cases

Former Maguindanao political magnate Andal Ampatuan Jr., one of the main perpetrators of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, was sentenced to up to 210 years in jail on Thursday after the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division found him guilty of 21 counts of graft for failing to deliver over P44-million worth of fuel to the provincial government in 2008.

Ampatuan, also known as Datu Unsay and former mayor of Ampatuan town in the province, was likewise banned for life from holding public office after it was proven beyond reasonable doubt that he conspired with his coaccused.

On top of these, he was ordered to pay a total of P44.18 million, equivalent to the amount of undelivered fuel, with an annual interest of 6 percent.

The antigraft court handed down its decision exactly 14 years after the Maguindanao massacre that left 58 individuals dead, including 32 journalists and media workers. In 2019, Ampatuan and several other suspects, including family members, were found guilty of multiple counts of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The graft case against him, on the other hand, was based on the Maguindanao provincial government’s purchase of diesel in 2008 from a gasoline station he owned in Shariff Aguak municipality. The fuel was supposedly to be used for road rehabilitation projects in the province which at that time was led by his late father, Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr.

According to the court, the prosecution was able to prove that Ampatuan conspired with his father and other provincial officials to award the fuel purchase contract to his gas station.

Evidence showed that the provincial government released cash advances as payment for the fuel although it was revealed later on that “no complete delivery” was made.

The Sandiganbayan also cited the findings of a team from the Commission on Audit (COA) which said that the gasoline station could not have delivered over 1.14 million liters of diesel to the Maguindanao provincial government. According to the COA team, this was not possible since only 618,000 liters were delivered in 2008 to Ampatuan’s gas station.

“While the Court cannot determine if there was no delivery at all or if there was only partial delivery of the fuel products to the Provincial Government of Maguindanao, the said acts of the accused also undoubtedly caused undue injury to the Provincial Government of Maguindanao because public funds were released as payment for goods not completely delivered,” the court said.

The former Mayor of Ampatuan and architect of the Maguindanao massacre has been convicted of graft. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1214272

Operatives of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) anti-scalawag unit have arrested a dismissed cop and a police officer who were involved in the ransacking of the house of a retired professor in an anti-drug operation in Cavite province.

In a statement Friday, PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) chief Brig. Gen. Warren de Leon said Jenerald Cadiang, a dismissed police corporal, and Senior Master Sgt. Daisy Diones, assigned at the Cavite Provincial Police Office, were arrested in separate operations on Nov. 22.

The two were ordered arrested by the Imus City, Cavite Regional Trial Court on Nov. 21 for robbery charges with a recommended bail of PHP120,000.

The arrest warrant stemmed from the complaint of a relative of the alleged drug suspect, Rebecca Caoile, 67, whose house was forcibly entered by members of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) unit in Barangay Alapan 1-A, Imus City, Cavite on Aug. 2.

In a viral video, Caoile was heard screaming for help during the incident. It also showed that other cops who remained outside of the suspect's house were tinkering with a parked motorcycle and some police officers carrying some items from her house, including a tire and a motorcycle rim.

The police officers, who were then in civilian clothes, also allegedly took cash, a laptop, and other items from the house of Caoile, who was later arrested.

Aside from Cadiang, six other police officers who were involved in the incident have already been dismissed from the service in October -- Staff Sergeants Jesus Alday, Julius Barbon, and Emil Buna; Corporal Lew Amando Antonio; and patrol officers Reymel Czar Reyes and Rene Mendoza.

The two accused were brought and detained at Imus City Police Station.

Two cops have been arrested for robbery.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1865322/cops-accused-of-faking-arrest-warrant-to-barge-rob-trader-in-zambo-city

Five police officers had been charged in this city with armed robbery for allegedly robbing the family of a local businessman with over P2 million in cash and other personal items.

Police Colonel Alexander Lorenzo, the city police director, said the policemen faked a warrant of arrest so they can enter the house of businessman Al-Ghabid Umabong Abdul, 27, in Barangay Tetuan at around 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 14.

The warrant was supposedly against Abdul’s father, Abdurajik Abdul.

Citing the account of Abdul, Lorenzo said the armed men presented themselves as members of the police’s Regional Special Operations Group.

They then barged in, with two persons immediately going upstairs to check on the rooms, took away P200,000 cash placed on top of a drawer, emptied two vaults all containing P1.9 million cash, and carted away 8 mobile phones.

They then fled aboard a waiting gray vehicle with plate number NDZ3540.

Abdul’s narration cited six heavily armed men but the Zamboanga City Police Office had filed cases against five men only.

Lorenzo said they have already arrested the five police officers and had also filed complaints against them at the city prosecutor’s office last Tuesday; four charged with armed robbery and one with robbery in band.

A police blotter obtained by the Inquirer identified the suspects as Lt. Ariel Fernandez Jolatoria, 43, Police Staff Master Sergeant Alnajer Abdul Ynawat, 41, Patrolman Ryan Rodriguez Apostol, 31, Police Staff Sgt. Edcel Balaga Nicolas, 42, and PO2 Bobby Buscaino Judan.

Lorenzo said the four police officers were arrested in four different locations in this city, while the other one surrendered in Alicia town, Zamboanga del Sur last November 18.

Five cops have been charged with armed robbery.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/metro/889570/pnp-official-arrested-for-allegedly-firing-gun-outside-qc-restobar/story/

A Philippine National Police (PNP) official who was previously charged for suspected involvement in a hit-and-run incident was rearrested on Sunday morning for allegedly firing a gun outside a restobar in Quezon City.

The suspect was identified as Police Lieutenant Colonel Mark Julio Abong, former chief of the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU), who is now assigned to the PNP headquarters’ legal service department, according to a report by Luisito Santos on Super Radyo dzBB.

QCPD-CIDU said Abong was nabbed after allegedly assaulting a waiter and firing a gun twice outside a bar along Scout Rallos Street in Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City.

The police official was reportedly drunk and had an argument with a fellow customer.

Tension also occurred at the QCPD-CIDU office in Camp Karingal after Abong tried to leave even though a clearance from the PNP was not given yet.

Abong will face multiple complaints such as alarm and scandal, violation of the Omnibus Election Code (gun ban), physical injuries, and slander. The gun ban or the prohibition on the bearing, carrying, or transporting of firearms and other deadly weapons was set from August 28 to November 29 due to the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

The QCPD-CIDU said there is enough evidence against Abong.

A cop has been charged with discharging his gun while drunk at a restaurant. 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/11/28/2314859/fireman-extorting-cash-bfp-applicants-nabbed-zamboanga-del-sur

Police agents arrested a fireman long known for asking money from applicants to the Bureau of Fire Protection during a P400,000 cash payoff by a supposed victim who helped entrap him in Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur on Monday.

Officials of the Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Police Office and the Police Regional Office-9, told reporters on Tuesday that FO3 Jesson Albios Casanes voluntarily turned himself in when policemen frisked and cuffed him after receiving the money in a sting on Monday in Purok Crossing in Barangay Sicade in Kumalarang.

The entrapment operation that resulted in Casanes' arrest was laid together by personnel of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-9 and units under PRO-19 and the Zamboanga del Sur PPO, assisted by officials of  the BFP's regional office in Region 9.

The operation was launched after a number of parents whose sons and daughters were duped by Casanes reported to the police his illegal activities.

Casenas is assigned at the BFP’s station in Isabela City in Basilan, a component-province of the Bangsamoro region.

His companions reportedly helped clamp him down by providing the police with information about his mulcting of money from young men and women who want to join the BFP.

Casenas is now detained, awaiting prosecution, according to officials of PRO-9. The regional office of BFP-9 had said in a statement that an administrative case shall be filed against him for serious infraction of the bureau’s code of conduct for its organic personnel.

A fireman has been arrested for extorintg BFP applicants. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1867105/walang-kaibi-kaibigan-dito-vico-sotto-slams-city-hall-worker-who-took-bribe

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto disclosed on Tuesday that he had directed the apprehension of a city hall employee, someone he personally recommended for employment and considered a friend, for allegedly soliciting and accepting a bribe during a transaction.

According to Sotto, the employee initially asked for P15,000 in exchange for a signature from the Office of the Building Official but eventually agreed with P10,000.

(The person is my friend. I recommended him to be hired in the city hall, but we proved and showed everyone that there are no friends here. If you commit a crime, I’m sorry.)

Sotto said that the employee was entrapped and arrested but was unsure whether the complainant would proceed with filing a case.

He noted this kind of bribery scheme among city hall employees has been happening for a while. However, he said that he feels proud as the majority of the employees seem to not engage in such acts anymore.

(I’m proud of our staff; most of them are probably doing the same [in not accepting bribes].

The Pasig mayor also reminded the employees to help in changing the bribery “culture,” starting within the city hall.

(That’s why I ran for a second term as mayor; it’s my dream that after my term if I get three terms, it’s up to God, I’ll leave the LGU better.)

(Even if you change the mayor, even if all the councilors are doing their jobs… the truth is that corruption is in the culture. Let’s do our part to push back on our culture, those bad habits.)

A Quezon City employee has been busted for bribery. The Mayor says he was a friend and that corruption is part of the culture. 

Coronavirus Lockdown: Silent Struggle, Mask Up, and More!

More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government. 

Suicide cases are on the rise in Davao and the pandemic is directly to blame.  

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/davaos-silent-struggleunderstanding-the-surge-in-suicide-cases

Davao City has been witness to a troubling surge in documented suicide cases recently. 

While the factual details of these tragedies — how lives are lost — are known, the haunting question of "why" continues to elude our grasp.

Recent incidents in Davao further underscore this grim reality. 

A call center agent tragically jumped off a bridge in Bankerohan on November 15, while just days earlier, an 18-year-old was rescued by the Ecoland Police Station-PS15 at Bolton Bridge due to family problems.

The Philippine Mental Health Association's (PHMA) Davao Chapter has noticed a steady rise in suicide cases from 2016 to 2022, mirroring similar trends in neighboring provinces of the Davao Region. 

One individual, identified as "Payton," not his real name as he requested anonymity, navigated the tumultuous waves of isolation during the peak of the pandemic in 2020. 

Isolated in a Davao City boarding house for four months during the start of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in March 2020, Payton found himself wrestling with the weight of contemplating an end to his life. 

He recalled calling his friends, classmates, and family, but there came a time when no one was contactable for “straight six weeks”.

Cut off from his family, his solitude deepened, exacerbated by the fear of stepping outside and falling ill amid the pandemic. These overwhelming circumstances pushed him to contemplate drastic measures. 

“Being alone, I have nothing to talk to, mura ko'g tala kay pandemic, hadlok kaayo mogawas and hadlok pod ko masakit (I feel insane during the pandemic, I am afraid to go out and get sick),” Payton said through Facebook Messenger when asked of his experiences back then.

He eventually discovered mental health hotlines that guided him toward seeking professional help.

Experts attribute the surge in suicide cases to the recent pandemic, exacerbating underlying mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. 

Societal factors such as lack of social support, economic hardships, peer pressure, and bullying also contribute significantly.

Understanding the nuanced motivations behind these suicidal thoughts poses a significant challenge.

It seems like every day we learn more about how the lockdowns did more to make people unhealthy. Of course those paying attention knew they were no good from day one. 

Duterte retained a high popularity rating during the pandmeic. One research firm says it was all fake.

https://fulcrum.sg/the-puzzle-of-rodrigo-dutertes-popularity-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

Rodrigo Duterte stands out as one of the most popular presidents in the history of the Philippines, but some initial studies show that all that glitters might not be political gold. If this is indeed true, it may have a bearing on other populist politicians, particularly his daughter Sara Duterte, who is said to be eyeing the country’s top job.

Various explanations for Duterte’s popularity have been put forward to make sense of this puzzle, including his charismatic personality, straightforward leadership style, non-Tagalog-speaking ethnic ties, and a sense of disillusionment with traditional elites. However, our recent research proposes an alternative explanation that hinges on the possibility of survey respondents “pretending to support” Duterte when confronted by canvassers.

This alternative perspective was hinted at by several analysts when Duterte scored a remarkably high approval rating during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite a lacklustre performance in controlling the virus’s spread, his approval rating soared to 91 per cent in the survey conducted in September 2020. Political commentators suggested that respondents might have provided “safe answers” to canvassers, hinting at the potential for preference falsification or social desirability bias (SDB). Preference falsification refers to the act of concealing one’s true preferences due to fear or shame, and SDB is an equivalent term specifically used in survey research.

To investigate this, we conducted a survey experiment employing the list experiment (also known as an item count experiment), a methodology often used to probe politically or socially sensitive topics. We conducted face-to-face surveys with 1,200 respondents and an online survey with 4,000 respondents between 22 February and 3 March 2021.

Our primary finding indicates that Duterte’s high approval rating was significantly inflated due to preference falsification. Specifically, SDB-induced over-reporting amounted to about 39.5 percentage points in face-to-face surveys and 28.3 percentage points in online surveys. To put it differently, in face-to-face surveys, when respondents were directly asked if they approved of President Duterte’s performance, approximately 89.7 per cent expressed support, but the list experiment revealed that respondents who genuinely supported him were about 50.2 per cent. In the case of online surveys, the figures were 80.8 per cent and 52.5 per cent, respectively. While some may perceive our SDB detection as unusually high, it is worth noting that a comparable list experiment conducted in late 2021 among Metro Manila respondents (N = 300) yielded a similar level of SDB.

These results challenge the conventional understanding of Duterte’s popularity and should be interpreted with certain caveats. They provide only a snapshot of voter sentiments during a specific time when the Covid-19 pandemic exerted substantial influence on society and the economy. It is plausible that Duterte was genuinely popular when he began his presidency in 2016. Further, even with a 50 per cent approval rating as of early 2021 (the time of our survey), he could still be considered a popular president. 

Overall, however, our study questions the dominant narrative that Rodrigo Duterte enjoyed unwavering popularity as suggested by polls.  This study also challenges the stereotype of Filipino voters as uninformed or unintelligent voters. In reality, many voters may be sophisticated strategists. Rather than being delusional, they may be intentionally deceiving the interviewers.

Perhaps those results were falsified but he retains a high rating to this day. 

The pandemic hampered one lady's agricultural plans but the government came through to help her. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1214299

After working for nine years in a microfinance company in the Philippines and as a financial expat in Myanmar, 37-year-old Macon Marcelino Dawey decided to quit her job to become her own boss and prove to naysayers that, indeed, there’s money in agriculture.

True enough, Dawey is starting to reap the fruits of her labor one day at a time as she is now being sought by farmers and plant enthusiasts for her fruits and vegetable seedlings, using a customized three-wheeled vehicle to reach out to more clients.

However, the lady farmer said being successful in agribusiness was not as easy as one would imagine.

She set up Dawey Integrated Farm in Barangay Maan-anteng, Solsona, Ilocos Norte with the support of her former co-worker, Juna Pearl Samar from Leyte.

"Through research, we started in hog breeding but we lost a lot due to the African swine fever. We also tried vegetable production but we are hard up in marketing our products,” she narrated.

Then the pandemic came.

But rather than going under, Dawey said it opened up a novel opportunity for their budding agribusiness -- catering to the needs of so-called plantitos and plantitas (plant enthusiasts) by producing quality seedlings for them.

An unexpected boost also came from the local government, which suggested that they should be producing more seedlings to cater to the needs of farmers.

“At first, sales were low in the local market, but with the help of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and other support agencies of the government in the production and marketing of our products, we were able to establish links to bigger markets that prefer to buy from us because of the quality of our seedlings,” Dawey said.

“We are very thankful to the local government, the DA and the government agencies for their encouragement, and invaluable inputs and support,” Dawey said,

Strange that the DA is looking to this lady to produce seedlings for farmers. Why are they unable to do this themsleves? 

The Commission on Population and Development says the pandemic lowered the population. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1865780/projected-ph-population-lowered-due-to-pandemic-deaths-dip-in-births

A drop in the number of births and an increase in fatalities due to the pandemic have resulted in a lower projected population for the country in 2023, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) said.

Instead of its earlier projection of 115 million people for 2023, the agency has adjusted the figure to 112 million.

“The lower projection … takes into account the drop in the number of births and high mortality rates in 2021 and 2022 — the period covering the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the CPD said in a statement on Saturday. “CPD thus acknowledges that the projected population it earlier stated was an overestimate.” The CPD was formerly known as the Commission on Population, or PopCom, before its mandate was expanded to include population and development under the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

Based on the latest figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released last year, the country logged a total of 1,528,684 live births in 2020, which is equivalent to a crude birth rate of 14.1. This translates to 14 births per 1,000 population.

According to the PSA, the country has been seeing a “generally decreasing trend” in the number of live births in the past eight years, from 1,790,367 births in 2012 to 1,528,684 births in 2020.

The biggest plunge was in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, when there was about a 9-percent decline in registered live births, compared to the previous year.

Reported deaths, on the other hand, have been on a slow upward trajectory since 2011, except in 2017 and 2020, available data from the PSA indicated.

“The increase during the ten-year period was 23.2 percent, from 498,486 in 2011 to 613,936 in 2020,” the agency noted.

Meanwhile, records showed that more than 4.1 million Filipinos fell ill to the novel coronavirus, while at least 66,755 died of the contagious disease.

On Nov. 14, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the Philippine Population and Development Plan of Action 2023-2028 to address the country’s slowing population growth and other population issues. The CPD has been tasked to lead the plan’s implementation.

I clearly remember a predicted pandemic baby boom because everyone was locked inside with nothing to do but bonk. It appears that is not the case though. 

China is experiencing a spike in respritory illnesses and Filipinos are being told to mask up. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/11/26/23/dont-panic-but-mask-up-as-respiratory-cases-spike-in-china-expert

The public should stay vigilant and keep their guard up as cases of respiratory illness spike in China, an infectious diseases expert said on Sunday.

Speaking on TeleRadyo, Dr. Rontgene Solante — Philippine College of Physicians president — said the public should also observe health precautions such as masking and keeping vaccinations up to date while health authorities keep an eye on the situation.

"Hindi tayo magpa-panic na baka sasabihin na naman nating another COVID or a novel pathogen na hindi natin alam," Solante said. 

"But it is also important while monitoring mag-iingat rin tayo dahil alam mo naman ang sakit ngayon mabilis nang mag-travel between country to another country dahil nga sa wala nang restrictions."

An increase in "influenza-like illness" has been recorded in northern China since mid-October when compared to the same period in the previous three years, according to the World Health Organization.

China has reported no "unusual or novel pathogens" in respiratory illnesses spreading in the north of the country, the WHO said.

Solante said that vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly should take extra precautions as they could be easily infected with respiratory illnesses.

"Importante na paalalahan natin ang population, particularly 'yung mga vulnerable population, na 'yung face mask natin isa sa mga layers of protection," he said.

"Sana hindi natin makakalimutan any time pupunta ka sa mga lugar na mga high risk, maraming tao, 'di mo alam sino doon ang nagkakasakit, it's important for this population na mag-mask pa rin atsaka maghugas ng kamay."

Don't worry but act worried by wearing a mask.