Fighting Dengue Filipino Style

Dengue is a real problem in the Philippines. It is a mosquito-borne disease that requires one to be bit in order to get sick. Obviously the best way to eradicate dengue is to reduce the mosquito population. That includes pouring out all standing water and keeping public areas clean. In the Philippines there is the "four o'clock habit" where, at 4 p.m. everyday, people stop what they are doing and clean up.

However there are also other methods to prevent the spread of dengue. One Barangay in Quezon City wants to use frogs to eat the mosquitoes. 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/2/17/qc-barangay-eyes-use-of-frogs-to-catch-and-swallow-dengue-carrying-mosquitoes

Officials of Barangay Matandang Balara, an exclusive and gated subdivision in Quezon City, plan to deploy again an army of frogs to catch and swallow dengue-carrying mosquitoes following a dengue outbreak declaration in the city.

Mayor Joy Belmonte declared a dengue outbreak on Saturday, Feb. 15.

“Because when we did that, we actually saw a decrease in dengue cases,” Barangay Chairman Allan Franza said in an interview.

“Although we still believe that the frogs can still help a lot, especially in vacant lots that the barangay cannot enter to clean," he added.

In 2018 and 2019, the barangay released frogs after recording two deaths and over 200 dengue cases.

However, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Health (DOH) frowned upon this method in reducing dengue cases citing the lack of study to prove that it is an effective solution.

Franza said they will continue to conduct clean-up drives and information dissemination.

“We will follow the 5S strategy of DOH),” he said.

“The release of frogs will be our last option if we cannot stop the spread of dengue,” he added.

Barangay Matandang Balara has recorded 45 dengue cases.

While there is no studies on whether the number of frogs results in a decrease in dengue cases they do have anecdotal evidence that it worked previously. They are also not giving up on conducting clean-up drives.

A village in Mandaluyong is offering bounties for each mosquito brought in dead or alive.  

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/624117/mandaluyong-village-battles-dengue-by-offering-bounties-for-mosquitos-dead-or-alive

A village in the densely populated Philippine capital region launched a battle against dengue Wednesday by offering a token bounty to residents for captured mosquitos — dead or alive.

Mandaluyong village battles dengue by offering bounties for mosquitos — dead or alive

The unusual strategy adopted by the Addition Hills village in Mandaluyong City reflects growing concern after the nearby city of Quezon declared an outbreak of the mosquito-borne illness over the weekend. Eight more areas reported an upsurge in cases of the potentially deadly viral infection.

At least 28,234 dengue cases have been recorded in the Philippines this year up to Feb. 1, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, according to health department statistics. Quezon City declared a dengue outbreak Saturday after deaths this year reached 10 people, mostly children, out of 1,769 residents infected.

A urban village of more than 100,000 residents living in crowded neighborhoods and residential condominium towers, Addition Hills has done clean-ups, canal de-clogging and a hygiene campaign to combat dengue. But when cases spiked to 42 this year and two young students died, village leader Carlito Cernal decided to intensify the battle.

Residents will get a reward of one Philippines peso (just over 1 cent) for every five mosquitos or mosquito larva they turn in, Cernal said.

Critics warned the strategy could backfire if desperate people start breeding mosquitoes for the reward. Cernal said that was unlikely because the campaign would be terminated as soon as the uptick in cases eases.

As the campaign began, about a dozen mosquito hunters showed up at the village office. Miguel Labag, a 64-year-old scavenger, handed a jug with 45 dark mosquito larvas squirming in some water and received a reward of nine pesos (15 cents).

“This is a big help,” Labag said, smiling. “I can buy coffee.”

It's not clear how desperate people, or any people really besides scientists in a lab, would be able to breed mosquitoes. That's a lot of work for such a low reward. It's a very silly idea not unlike cities who offer rewards for rodents caught in markets. It's gross and belies a much larger problem. Rather than focus on invididual mosquitoes, breeding grounds must be destroyed. 

One doctor says to forget all that nonsense and clean up

https://mb.com.ph/2025/2/20/doctors-tell-lg-us

Rather than offering financial rewards for catching mosquitoes, local government units (LGUs) should focus on rigorous environmental cleanup efforts to combat dengue, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) said on Thursday, Feb. 20.

PMA President Dr. Hector Santos Jr. warned that offering cash incentives for catching mosquitoes could lead to unintended consequences rather than effectively controlling the spread of the disease.

“Promote more cleaning the environment and removing or destroying breeding sites of mosquitos. We should focus more on cleaning the environment and removing or destroying mosquito breeding sites,” he told the Manila Bulletin.

His statement comes after a barangay in Mandaluyong City launched a “May Piso sa Mosquito” program, offering cash rewards to residents for every mosquito caught. 

While well-intentioned, Santos warned that such measures could lead to people breeding mosquitoes for profit instead of actually reducing their population—a phenomenon known as the “Cobra Effect.” 

The term “Cobra Effect” originates from a historical incident in British India, where authorities offered a bounty for every dead cobra to control their population.

But instead of solving the problem, enterprising individuals began breeding cobras for the reward, ultimately leading to an even larger cobra population when the program was scrapped. 

Santos cautioned that a similar unintended consequence could arise from mosquito-catching incentives. 

“People might turn this into a business, growing mosquitoes and their larvae just to sell them for profit,” he warned.

Also, the Department of Health (DOH) urged local governments to coordinate their anti-dengue programs with them to ensure that they are effective. 

The PMA president urged LGUs to strengthen community-wide cleaning efforts rather than focusing on short-term gimmicks that may not effectively curb the disease’s spread.

"In areas with a surge, people must be extra vigilant. Clean up and kill mosquitoes,” he stressed.

Instead of relying on monetized mosquito collection, he emphasized the importance of fogging operations, larvicide application, and strict monitoring of stagnant water sources, which have proven to be more effective in reducing mosquito populations.

Frogs, monetization, and cleaning-up are three of the ways the Philippines is fighting dengue. Cleaning up is certainly the most effective route. With all the rain it is imperative to make sure there is no standing water in which the mosquitoes can breed.

Insurgency: Reaping Gains

The AFP has released another update about how many NPA fighters have been neutralized since the beginning of the year. But why? The last update was only a few weeks ago. What has changed?

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252299

A total of 871 New People's Army (NPA) insurgents and their supporters were "neutralized" by government troops from Jan. 1 to June 12, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Tuesday.

Of this figure, 776 have surrendered, 44 were arrested and 51 killed in various military operations, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a media briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Neutralized in military parlance refers to the capture, elimination and surrender of enemy troops to government pressure. For the same period, a total of 490 firearms and 257 anti-personnel mines (APMs) were either seized or surrendered.

Padilla also said 80 NPA encampments were also captured by military forces in the same period.

"The numbers do not lie and neither does our resolve. With hundreds neutralized, and dozens of camps dismantled, the enemies' grip is loosening because our presence is tightening," she added.

For the same period, a total of 112 local terrorist group (LTG) members and supporters were neutralized, of which 103 surrendered, two were apprehended, and seven killed in military operations.

Meanwhile, a total of 123 LTG firearms and five APMs were either seized or captured along with five encampments at the same time.

While they do not break the numbers down and reveal how many actual NPA fighters have been neutralized or give a number on how many remain they do give one interesting number. 80 encampments have been destroyed since January, 2025. That would appear the NPA is still strong. How many encampments are left? It's a shame the AFP is not more transparent. 

The NTF-ELCAC says they are reaping big gains. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252475

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Wednesday said the national government’s peace and development efforts are now paying off with the completion of 5,455 barangay infrastructure projects and the reintegration of 1,690 former rebels into peaceful civilian life.

In a statement, the anti-insurgency body said these milestones are a "double victory" as previously underserved communities are finally receiving essential development, while former combatants are embracing a future free from armed violence.

The NTF-ELCAC added that these positive developments are clear proof that the government's whole-of-nation approach in combating insurgency is working.

As of June 13, a total of 5,455 out of 6,045 projects under the Barangay Development Program (BDP) for fiscal years 2021–2024 have been completed, reflecting a 90.2 percent completion rate.

These projects include farm-to-market roads, potable water systems, school buildings, health stations, and rural electrification—basic services that directly address the root causes of insurgency.

“This is not just about building infrastructure; this is about delivering justice,” NTF-ELCAC executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said.

He added that every completed project is a promise fulfilled, which prevents Filipinos from turning to armed resistance.

Meanwhile, under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), 1,690 former rebels—comprising 1,037 ex-New People’s Army (NPA) members and 653 "Militia ng Bayan" members —have received government assistance as of April 30, 2025.

Support includes housing, livelihood training, firearms remuneration, and reintegration services tailored to each beneficiary’s needs.

“Reintegration is a cornerstone of sustainable peace. Through E-CLIP, we help our fellow Filipinos reclaim their dignity, reconnect with their communities, and reject the lies of violent extremism,” Torres emphasized.

The BDP, a flagship initiative of the NTF-ELCAC, provides funding support to each cleared barangay previously affected by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

Torres said these funds empower local governments to implement programs that directly uplift communities long neglected by conflict.

The NTF-ELCAC also assures the public that it remains fully committed to completing the remaining projects and ensuring that all qualified former rebels receive the necessary support.

“Peace is a shared responsibility. Every road paved, every school built, and every life restored brings us closer to our goal of a truly peaceful and developed Philippines,” Torres said.

This is actually a pathetic story. If only the government had been developing the nation since independence in 1946 then there would be no insurgency. As it is good governance has become a counter-insurgency program. Basic services, their words, should have always been provided to every community. Since they call building basic infrastructure "delivering justice," it's only proper to say the denial of those services for so many years was injustice.  

The AFP has been calling for the remaining NPA to surrender saying they do not want to kill them. Yet with the death of a top leader the AFP says justice has been delivered. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252477

The death of a New People’s Army leader and two others tagged as suspects in the murder of civilians in Leyte have given justice to the victims, a Philippine Army official said Thursday.

Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, lauded the successful combat operation of the troops of the 93rd Infantry Battalion on June 18 that led to the death of Juanito Sellesa Jr., alias Tibor, an executive committee member of Island Committee Levox of the NPA Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee.

Also killed during the clashes between government troopers and the rebels in Cogon village, Carigara, Leyte on the same day were Eugene Paclita, alias Dimple, and Lito Laurente, alias Dodong, respectively the leader and member of Squad 2 of the NPA unit.

"The neutralization of these three, especially alias Tibor, served as justice for the family of Jesus Sarcilla, who was mercilessly killed as witnessed by the victim’s daughter. Although he briefly escaped the law and avoided facing justice that the family and children of his victim have been crying out for, our relentless operation led to his death,” Vestuir said.

Sellesa and his group have been tagged as suspects in the murder of Sarcilla on Dec. 7, 2021 in upland Binibihan village in Carigara, Leyte.

Sarcilla was killed in front of his daughter despite the goodwill extended by the victim to rebels by providing them with food and shelter, according to the military.

Apart from murder cases filed at the Regional Trial Court, Sellesa’s group is also facing charges of violating the International Humanitarian Law at Branch 48, Regional Prosecution Office of the Commission on Human Rights’ Eastern Visayas regional office.

After the clash, soldiers recovered from the rebel’s temporary hideout an M16 rifle with two long magazines, a .45 caliber pistol with two magazines, a hand grenade, personal belongings, and subversive documents.

“Our ultimatum for them to abandon the armed struggle is still in effect until the end of the month. That is why we are urging them to never miss this opportunity to be with their families and avail themselves of the programs of the government. But if they will continue to pursue the path of bloody revolution, then they should be prepared to suffer the same bloody end with their comrades in Carigara, Leyte,” Vestuir added.

He again urged the remnants of the NPA to heed the call of their former comrades, families, friends, relatives, and loved ones to abandon the armed struggle and grab the opportunity extended by the government.

How is this person's killing justice while so many NPA fighters who committed egregious crimes are allowed to apply for amnesty? Would that be injustice?

A female NPA medic has ben busted. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252488

Members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested a female medical officer of the New People’s Army (NPA), who is facing a string of charges in the province of Surigao del Norte.

In a statement on Thursday, the CIDG said the suspect "Jane" was nabbed in an operation by its members in Barangay Bunyasan in Malimono town on June 16.

The suspect is wanted by Surigao City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branches 29 and 30 for two counts of attempted murder, violation of Republic Act (RA) 11479 (Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020) and RA 9851 (Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity), murder, and arson.

These charges are linked to ambushes and gun attacks against soldiers and civilians in several areas in Mindanao in 2022.

The CIDG said “Jane” was the platoon medic of Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad (SRC Northland) of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA and is tagged as the No. 1 regional most wanted person in the Caraga region.

Among the attacks carried out by the group of “Jane,” according to CIDG, were the ambush on soldiers in Malimono, Surigao del Norte in 2022 and the burning of a dump truck and payloader after its owner allegedly refused to pay revolutionary tax.

Since she is wanted for serious crimes it is unlikely she will be eligible for amnesty or E-CLIP benefits. 

The same cannot be said for 4 NPA members who surrendered in Bicol. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252396

Four members of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered to authorities during operations in the provinces of Masbate, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon on Tuesday.

In a statement Wednesday, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 5 (Bicol) said an alias "Jay-Jay," affiliated with Sub-Regional Committee 4 (SRC4) of the Bicol Regional Party Committee (BRPC) under the command of Dindo Monsanto, surrendered in Cataingan, Masbate.

He handed over a caliber .38 revolver with a defaced serial number and three live rounds.

Alias “Rob” surrendered in San Jacinto, Masbate. He is connected to the Milisyang Bayan, Milisyang Bayan, Larangan 4, Platoon 2, Komiteng Larangang Guerilla (KLG) North, SRC4, BRPC, under the command of Eliseo Cabarles, also known as "Ka Kiko.”

In Sipocot, Camarines Sur, a member identified as "Jane," who is part of Platoon 3, SRC5, BRPC, surrendered to 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company personnel. She turned over a caliber .45 STI pistol with one magazine and seven rounds of live ammunition.

Meanwhile, in Sorsogon, alias "Nilo," who is part of the Sandataang Yunit Propaganda (SYP) under Larangan Guerilla II, surrendered, turning over a caliber .38 revolver with a defaced serial number and a live round.

PRO-5 said all four former rebels are currently undergoing debriefing and profiling and would be enrolled in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

PRO-5 Director, Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon, urged remaining insurgents to abandon the armed struggle and return to the fold of the law.

“The doors of peace are always open. We urge those still engaged in armed conflict to follow the example of those who surrendered, choose life, choose peace, and return to your families. The government is ready to help," he said.

"This program of the government offers livelihood assistance, skills training, and psychosocial support to help former insurgents transition to a peaceful and productive civilian life."

"The doors of peace are always open" yet the killing of a top leader is justice. 

A top NPA leader was apprehended in Agusan Sur. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252162

A top leader of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) was arrested by combined forces of the military and the police in the villages of Bunawan Brooke and San Teodoro in Bunawan, Agusan del Sur on Friday. 

In a statement on Saturday, the Army’s 10th Infantry Division (10ID) identified the arrested NPA leader as Charisse Bernadine Bañez, alias Nikki, the Secretary of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) of the NPA.

Also arrested were Ronnie Igloria, alias Gideon, a vice commanding officer; Louvaine Erika Espina, alias Pam, the unit’s medic; Sinag Lugsi, alias Jomilyn; Larry Montero, alias Laloy; Daryl Man-Inday, alias Tonton; Arjie Guino Dadizon, alias Ronron; and Grace Niknik Man-aning, alias Jelyn.

“This apprehension marks a decisive victory against the remaining elements of the SMRC,” 10ID commander Maj. Gen. Allan Hambala said. 

Hambala also recognized the swift coordination between the Army and the regional police resulting in the successful law enforcement operation.

“The arrests also reflected the unwavering dedication of our troops and our partners in the Philippine National Police to safeguard the peace we have established in our communities,” he said.

The result of the joint operation also delivered a significant blow to the SMRC, disrupting its capacity to carry out further threats within the division’s area of responsibility, which covers parts of the Davao and Caraga regions, he added.

The 10ID said two other SMRC leaders were neutralized by 10ID troops in the past two months. 

They were Elbert Echavez, alias Aldrin, the head of the Regional Sentro De Grabidad Jaguar of SMRC, who was killed in an encounter in Boston, Davao Oriental on April 27; and his vice team leader, Jeffry Casal, alias Lalai, who was killed in a skirmish in Lingig, Surigao del Sur on May 10.

It's another "decisive victory" in a long line of decisive victories. Meanwhile, the NPA plods along causing grief to so many. 

Another NPA leader was killed in Leyte during an encounter with the AFP.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/06/18/npa-leader-killed-in-leyte-clash

A New People’s Army leader and two others were killed in an encounter with soldiers in Barangay Cogon, Carigara, Leyte, on Wednesday, June 18. 

The casualties were identified as Juanito Sellesa Jr., alias Tibor, an executive member of the Island Committee (IC) Levox Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC); Eugene Paclita, leader of Squad 2, IC Levox, and Lito Delante, a member of Squad 2, IC Levox. 

Troops of the 93rd Infantry “Bantay Kapayapaan” Battalion recovered an M16 rifle with two long magazines, one caliber .45 pistol with two magazines, one hand grenade, personal belongings, and subversive documents in the encounter site. 

Sellesa and his group were wanted for the murder of civilian Jesus Sarcilla in Barangay Binibihan, Carigara, on Dec. 7, 2021. 

Sarcilla was killed in front of his daughter despite having offered food and shelter to the communist rebels. 

A case has been filed against Sellesa's group for violating International Humanitarian Law before the Commission on Human Rights-Region 8. 

Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the 802nd Infantry (Peerless) Brigade, lauded the successful operation that gave justice to the death of Sarcilla. 

Major Gen. Adonis Ariel Orio, commander, 8th Infantry Division, condemned NPA atrocities and urged the people to remain firm in their support for the government.

Remember when the AFP said the NPA was leaderless? Yet leaders continue to fall. 

Arms caches continue to be discovered. One was found in South Cotabato. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252260

Government forces discovered high-powered firearms buried by communist rebels in a shallow pit in Tboli, South Cotabato, on Sunday afternoon, a military official reported Monday.

Lt. Col. Christopherson Capuyan, commander of the Philippine Army’s 37th Infantry Battalion (37IB), said the firearms belonged to the communist New People’s Army (NPA) Regional Sentro de Grabidad-Far South Mindanao Region. Soldiers located the cache in Sitios Ellaw and Basag of Barangay Laconon.

The firearms, comprising three M16 rifles, were pinpointed by former NPA rebels who had earlier surrendered to the military.

"This discovery of an arms cache is proof of the dedication of our troops and the effectiveness of our intelligence operations," Capuyan said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Michael Santos, commander of the Army’s 603rd Infantry Brigade, said in a separate statement that every firearm taken out of the hands of communist rebels is a step closer to lasting peace and security for communities in the area.

He urged the people to continue supporting the government’s campaign against the NPA, who prefer to use violence rather than peacefully laying down their guns and rejoining the mainstream.

“Rest assured that your military will continue to perform its mandate of protecting the people and securing the communities,” he said.

Another was discovered in Capiz.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/06/18/army-recovers-npa-stash-in-capiz

The 12th Infantry Battalion, with the 62nd Special Action Company of the 6th Special Action Battalion (SAB), recently recovered a firearm and ammunition in an abandoned camp of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Sitio Naatip, Barangay Lahug, Tapaz town, Capiz province.

Troops also found flags of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), backpacks, hammock, medical paraphernalia, and personal items. 

The hierarchy of the 3rd Infantry Division thanked residents for reporting these items. 

“Relentless military operations and the vigilance of the Tapaznons have kept them (NPA) on the run, abandoning the war items they can no longer carry,” said Major Gen. Michael Samson, commander of the 3rd ID. 

“We remain fully committed to neutralizing the remaining NPAs and achieve their complete downfall – a crucial step toward lasting peace and progress in Tapaz and across Western Visayas,” added Samson in a statement on Wednesday, June 18.

Surely there are many more arms caches buried around the country. 

Filipino Toughies

One thing I have learned from reading the news every day is the necessity of an editor. From bad grammar to misspellings bad English abounds. One aspect of bad English is the use of improper words. Here are two examples of the Manila Bulletin inappropriately referring to violent criminals as "toughies."

https://mb.com.ph/2024/9/19/cop-hurt-in-gunfight-with-2-toughies-in-cebu

A policeman was wounded in a shootout with two armed toughies in Barangay Cotcot, Liloan town, Cebu.

Corporal Ian Lagnasan was wounded in the shoulder in the shootout that happened past 9 p.m. on Wednesday, September 18.

Police Master Sgt. Arne Goc-ong, investigator of the Liloan Police Station, said the 30-year-old Lagnasan is already out of danger.

Goc-ong said the two armed men were identified as Fernan Maricuelo and Jason Yrogirog, who both live in the barangay.

A manhunt operation against the suspects is in progress, Goc-ong said.

According to Goc-ong, a woman sought help from the police after the two men were seen brandishing firearms in the neighborhood.

The two men were accused of harassing people while flaunting their firearms.

Five operatives of the Liloan police rushed to the area to check on the report.

Police said that when the five responding police officers arrived in the area, they were met by the two men and fired shots at them.

A gunfight ensued.

While one policeman was wounded, the two men were able to escape  towards a mangrove area.

Police said the two men are known toughies in the area.

Police also learned that Maricuelo was previously jailed due to drug charges.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/9/20/2-men-stabbed-in-pre-dawn-attack-in-cebu-city

Six persons barged into a house and stabbed a toughie and his brother before dawn on Friday, September 20, in Sitio Laguna, Barangay Bulacao, this city.

Police said the attack happened at past 4 a.m. in the house owned by the Cabanes family.

Investigators said the intruders first broke into the room of Nora and started looking for something.

Nora said there were four persons who barged into the house while two others stayed outside and served as lookouts.

Once inside, the intruders looked for Jonathan, son of Nora.

When they spotted Jonathan, the four men took turns stabbing him, police said.

Jonathan’s older brother went down the stairs to check the commotion but was also stabbed by the intruders.

The perpetrators  fled on two motorcycles. The wounded siblings were rushed to the hospital.

Police Major Jeciree Basitao, chief of the Inayawan police station, said the motive of the attack could be personal grudges.

Police said they learned that Jonathan is a known toughie in the barangay and was allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

Basitao added that Jonathan was previously arrested for illegal gambling but was able to post bail.

The second story is particularly interesting. Six armed men barged inside a house looking for a man named Jonathan. They are referred to as "persons" and "intruders." The man they were looking for and who they stabbed is referred to as "a known toughie" who was involved in drugs. So, he is either a user or a dealer. Why not refer to him as such rather than as a "toughie"? Likewise, if anyone in this story is a "toughie" it's the armed men who invaded a home and stabbed a man repeatedly. There are better, more descriptive and precise words to be used yet the editor let these ridiculous choices slide. 

In the first story "two armed toughies" wounded a police officer in a shoot out. They were previously seen brandishing weapons and harassing people. Why not refer to them as armed men or thugs? 

Toughie is simply an inappropriate when describing violent criminals.

a person who is tough, determined, and not easily daunted.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/toughie

The Cambridge Dictionary of the English Language says toughie meaning a violent person is old-fashioned and informal. Nobody, except the Philippine press it seems, uses "toughie" to describe violent criminals. 

When I hear the word toughie I think of the Futurama episode Raging Bender. 

In this episode Bender joins the Ultimate Robot Fighting League. Eventually he is forced to wear a dress and take the name The Gender Bender. Now, imagine a wrestling robot wearing a tutu and a wig calling himself "a real toughie." It's hilarious because the word "toughie" is hilarious and also because of its ironic usage. Bender is in fact not a toughie. 

Armed thug or violent criminal is not hilarious. Those descriptors are deadly serious and match the weight of the thug's actions. Journalists in the Philippines should be more precise with their words and abandon their light and frivolous descriptions of criminals. 

The God Culture: Nine 'n Twenty - From Abraham Tabilog To Timothy Jay Schwab

It is an indisputable fact that J.G. Cheock falsely attributed the nonsense coordinate of 9N20 to Fernando Pinto as his location of the Lequios Islands. Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture has done his level best to explain 9N20 away as 9 and 20 meaning a range of latitudes. He also claims that Cheock's original meaning of 9N20 is a range of latitudes between 9 and 20. "The Smoking Quill writes again," says Tim. 

Let's take a look at what he writes. 

5. Claim: "Cheock Never Said 9N20 Meant a Latitude Range" (Section 5 Revised April 30 after reviewing Cheock's video again where she further explains what is written in her book and why)

False and Ignorantly Misleading.  J.G. Cheock’s phrase “nine ‘n twenty” is best understood as shorthand for “nine and twenty” — a phrasing consistent with early modern navigation and also common in Southeast Asian English, where “’n” is a colloquial abbreviation for “and.” This does not indicate a fixed coordinate such as 9°20′ N, but rather a latitude range between 9° and 20° North. In fact in her video explaining her view on Pinto, which TGC watched years ago and understood, Cheock contextualizes this range geographically — stretching from North Mindanao through Luzon — which aligns precisely with the Philippine archipelago between nine and twenty degrees as must be the case, as 29 is contrary to the rest of the account as we have proven.

✅ Clarification: Our interpretation was clear, marked, and labeled as such. This was not fabrication but contextual analysis of her ambiguous phrasing. Cheock’s prose leaves room for range-based interpretation. Our assessment proves accurate.

Her expression matches both local linguistic habits and Renaissance-era navigational styles, reinforcing the interpretation that Pinto referred to a broad region, not a pinpoint coordinate. If the blogger would have watched her video which breaks this down in an entire section on Pinto, he would have known there is nothing strange about the shorthand, as she reads it "nine and twenty" as Pinto did. Since he hates Filipinos and only desires to spew defamation and racism it appears seeking an excuse to do so, no wonder this would not matter to this blogger. Once again, the ignorance is bad enough, but using such ignorance to commit cyber libel is criminal, and this criminal will be dealt with. 

https://thegodculturephilippines.com/testing-pinto-s-accuracy-a-further-geographic-reassessment-of-lequios-lucones-and-latitude-drift/

Tim claims J.G. Cheock clarifed 9N20 as being 9 'n 20 "a phrasing consistent with early modern navigation and also common in Southeast Asian English, where “’n” is a colloquial abbreviation for “and.” He mentions that this colloquialism is explained in an older video. He does not give the title of the video or provide a link to the video making it impossible for anyone to verify his claim. 

The only video on J.G. Cheock's YouTube channel referencing Pinto is titled "5 Things Give Directions to the Lands of Gold," suggesting this is the source to which Tim alludes.

5 Things Give Directions to the Lands of Gold

5:58 The voyages and adventures of Ferdinand Mendez Pinto. Traveling in the service of the Portuguese crown, Ferdinand Mendez Pinto wrote in his journal of a shipwreck on the island of Lucoes while passing through Malay Archipelago. He described Lucoes as belonging to a large group of islands that had abundant resources of gold and silver. In his journal he had the audacity to give specific details on the location of the gold island putting it in a latitude 9N20 on a Meridian similar to that of Japan. Directions that lead us to the very heart of the Philippines, the northern shores of Mindanao near Butuan in Agusan. the Meridian is slightly off. Japan is around 135 degrees while Philippines is at 125 degrees but the Meridian was not officially set until 1851. so for someone living in the 1500s he did very well. 

The story of his shipwreck was deemed so outrageous that it was omitted from his book when it was first published. this did not stop Pinto from campaigning to the Portuguese crown who had established colonies conquered all along the southern coast as Malacca, Bauda, Maluco Sunda, Borneo and Timor to conquer the lands to the north. "And northwards China, Japan and Lucoes. someone must have believed him for a remarkable map by Abraham Ortelius the Maris Pacifici, the first printed map of the pacific and the first map of the Americas shows the Philippine Islands with both its old and new names Islas de Lucois and Philipinas.

Yet, this section about Pinto from her video doesn't say anything close to what Tim is claiming. At no point does she say 9N20 is 9 and 20 and means a range of latitudes. She says Pinto's directions lead specifically to Butuan. She also repeatedly mispronounces Lequios as Luçoes. She is conflating two regions, Lequios and Luzon, which Fernando Pinto clearly differentiates in his journal. 

Nor does Cheock say any such thing as 9N20 is a range of latitudes in her book. 

Explorer and writer Ferdinand Mendes Pinto who travelled in service to the Portugese crown and in association with the Jesuit Missionaries, recounted in his journal, how he had been shipwrecked on the island of Lequois while passing through the Malay Archipelago. He described the Lequios as a land belonging to a large group of islands that had abundant resources of gold and silver. In his journal he had the audacity to give details on Lequois, putting it in the latitude of 9N20 on a meridian similar to that of Japan. Given these directions, Lequois would be at the very heart of the Philippines. The story of his shipwreck on Lequios was deemed so outrageous that it was omitted from his book when it was first published.

Phoenicians in the Lands of Gold, pg. 11

J.G. Cheock might have offered such a clarification elsewhere but Tim deliberately chose not to name or provide a link to the video. That's because Tim has decided to stop sharing his methodology. 

Full testing methodology is available to qualified academics who engage with us directly—not to bloggers who fail to read the criteria, ridicule the Philippines (which matches all 15), and defend Ryukyu (which matches none).

https://thegodculturephilippines.com/lequios-was-never-ryukyu-15-tests.-15-failures./

Even if she did make the clarification in a different video that would not change the fact that J.G. Cheock is wrong. Pinto said the Lequios Islands were located specifically at 29°N. Pinto also says he could see Japan from the Lequios Islands which is not possible from any point in the Philippines. Not only does a colloquial pronunciation not explain why she replaced  29° with 9N20 or 9 'N 20 but it also contradicts the totality of what Pinto has to say about the Lequios Islands. 

In Pinto's plain and unambiguous words the Lequios Islands are situated at 29°N.

this Island of Lequios, scituated in nine and twenty degrees, is two hundred leagues in circuit, threescore in length, and thirty in bredth.

Pinto, pg. 188

The Portuguese says:

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.a0005237771&seq=264&q1=lequia

Esta ilha léquia jaz situada em vinte & nove graos

Vinte & nove graos means 29 degrees. There is no room for interpreting this as a place between 20 and 9 degrees. Here is a modern Portuguese version:

Essa ilha léquia jaz situada em vinte e nove graus

https://fundar.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/peregrinacao-vol-ii.pdf pg. 53

Rebecca Catz, whom Checok lists as her source for Pinto's coordinate, writes:

This Ryukyu island is situated at twenty-nine degrees latitude.

pg. 300

It is only after posting those facts multiple times that Tim decided to respond by saying 9N20 means a range of degrees and Pinto's "vinte e nove" is ambiguous. If that is true why has he neglected this information until now? Why did he not make it clear in his early videos and book The Search For King Solomon's Treasure that 9N20 means a range of latitudes? Was it not important?

Tim was either familiar with this information and refused to discuss it or he is making it all up as he goes. Both possibilities cast serious doubt on Tim's reliability. Tim might counter by saying he has grown in understanding but that is not the case. For years he said nothing about 9N20 meaning a range of latitudes. Instead he said 9N20 points to Luzon specifically. This shift has come all of a sudden and has no historical or linguistic justification. It is purely a reaction against the many articles I have written proving beyond all doubt Pinto situated the Lequios Islands at 29°N.

The first time Tim mentioned the Lequios Islands and Ferdinand Pinto, which was in 2017, he did not cite any coordinates. 

Solomon's Gold Series - Part 6: Little Known History of Ophir. Philippines History 

8:25 Ferdinand Pinto's Journal describes Lequios Islands as "belonging to a large group of islands many of which were rich in gold and silver." Pinto even goes as far as to give the exact latitude of the main Lequios Island as modern day Luzon Philippines multitude of islands rich in Gold no need to guess though because he gives the actual exact location of Lequios which is Ophir and Tarshish and Sheba as Luzon, Philippines.

The lack of any coordinates is odd because Tim is cribbing from ancientphilippines.blogspot.com though instead of acknowledging that fact on his slide he makes it appear he is citing from Fernando Pinto's journal. 

Pinto was traveling through the Malay Archipelago at the time and he describes the Lequios islands as belonging to large group of islands many of which were rich in gold and silver. He mentions that at that time the Portugese were familiar with Japan and China, and also with the island of "Mindanaus" or Mindanao, so the Lequois islands must have been somewhere between these two areas. Furthermore, Pinto even goes as far as to give the exact latitude of the main Lequios island. He states that is was situated at 9N20 latitude and that the island was on a meridian similar to that of Japan.

http://ancientphilippines.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-lost-tribe-of-israel-is-found.html

This blog from AncientPhilippines was written in 2013 and is quoting verbatim a book written in 2004 by Abraham Tabilog. 

Pinto was traveling through the Malay Archipelago at the time and he describes the Lequios islands as belonging to large group of islands many of which were rich in gold and silver. He mentions that at that time the Portugese were familiar with Japan and China, and also with the island of "Mindanaus" or Mindanao, so the Lequois islands must have been somewhere between these two areas. Furthermore, Pinto even goes as far as to give the exact latitude of the main Lequios island. He states that is was situated at 9N20 latitude and that the island was on a merdian similar to that of Japan.

Pilipinas Ay Nasa Biblia, pg. 57

That is actually the 2010 version as the link I have for the 2004 edition is no longer working. However there does exist both a 2004 and 2008 edition of that book. This passage appears in all of them. 

In 2005 on the Quests of the Dragon and Bird Clan Blog, Paul Kekai Manansala mentions Pinto's alleged coordinate of 9N20 for the Lequios Islands.

Mendes Pinto, writing about a decade earlier, tells of the kingdom of the Lequios, the Liu-Kiu of the Chinese, located between the coast of China and Mindanao to the south. He gives a latitude of 9N20 for this kingdom and strongly suggests that the kings of Europe make an expedition there.

Paul Kekai Manansala, February 12th, 2005

Given the timeline it appears that Abraham Tabilog was the first to transform Pinto's coordinate of 29° into 9N20. The trail does not appear to go back farther, though it very well could. Tabilog also gives no reason why he has 9N20 instead of 29. He does not indicate 9N20 is a range of latitudes. Searching Google for "Furthermore, Pinto even goes as far as to give the exact latitude of the main Lequios island. He states that is was situated at 9N20" reveals Tabilog's writing has spread to a number of websites without being checked for its accuracy. 

Timothy Jay Schwab published The Search for King Solomon's Treasure in 2020. J.G. Cheock's book Phonecians In the Land Of Gold was published in 2017. AncientPhilippines published their blog in 2013. Paul Kekai Manansala published his blog in 2005. Abraham Tabilog published his book in 2004. They all have the same fallacious coordinate of 9N20. This a decades long game of telephone which did not begin with J.G. Cheock. Like everyone else she ultimately borrowed it from Abraham Tabilog even if she took it from elsewhere. That means Timothy Jay Schwab is citing Abraham Tabilog's fabricated coordinate of 9N20 entirely unaware of its origin and not having verified it. 

Or maybe he does know. After all, Tim's first citation about Pinto, which was in 2017, was from AncientPhilippines which mentions 9N20 and was published four years before J.G. Cheock's book Phoenicians in the Land of Gold. AncientPhilippines extensively cites Abraham Tabilog. A Google search of the information on AncientPhilippines leads directly to Tabilog. Did Tim think to conduct such a search or did he take that blog at face value? Again, it's another either/or situation that undermines Tim's credibility.

It appears Tim's first citation of the coordinate 9N20 was in a 2020 video which is attributed to AncientPhilippines.

Clue#25: Philippines is Ophir: Magellan, Pinto, Barbosa, King of Spain, Cabot KNEW - Ophir, Tarshish

6:15 Pinto even goes as far as to give the exact location latitude of the main Lequios Island as modern-day Luzon Philippines in fact if you follow his directions exactly and we'll do that later you will end up in Northwest Luzon or Ilocos specifically

Ancientphilippines.blogspot.com is acknowledged on this slide in a tiny, almost illegible, font underneath the words "that of Japan." Tim also includes a very long source citation at the bottom of the slide which makes it appear as if he were actually citing page 262 of the 1663 English translation of Pinto's Travels but he is definitely not citing it. The words on the slide come directly from AncientPhilippines who is citing Abraham Tabilog, not Pinto. The citation giving the coordinate of 29° is to be found on page 188. 9N20 appears nowhere in any translation of Pinto's travels. Tim also says nothing in this video about 9N20 being a range of latitudes.

Just a few months after uploading this video Tim changed the source for 9N20 to J.G. Cheock when he published his book The Search for King Solomon's Treasure. He completely eighty-sixed AncientPhilippines despite having relied on that website heavily for many of his early videos. 

The Lequios of Luzon: Key to Finding Ophir and Chryse. Clue #52

21:19 For a while now we have used definition for the Hebrew for this word from ancient Philippines blogspot. We, in the beginning in fact, we tried to quote local sources and you'll see in the description box we mentioned those guys. We also mentioned Bob's blog as well. It's all there. It's been there for three years. We've always, you know, given them some credit and those are worth reading because really that's where we started with the history portion. We started reading their stuff and then we started branching out from there. Yes, we verified everything that we could and if there was something that we couldn't verify such as the gold found in first century Egypt as easily we took it from numerous sources so we felt pretty good with it and went with it and turns out it's proving to be fine as a reference. So far our sources by the way check out to be very good.

Thus, the real source for Tim's claim that Pinto located the Lequios Islands at 9N20 is Abraham Tabilog by way of AncientPhilippines, not J.G. Cheock. It just so happened that Cheock had written a book using the 9N20 coordinate, lending it a thin veneer of academic authenticity that made it ripe for Tim's use. 

This consequential blunder highlights the necessity of citing primary sources. But Tim didn't want to quote a dead white man.  

As we wanted to shout out with a plug to a local Filipino author, we maintained the secondary source, because it remained accurate.

The local author was preferred by our authors because she uncovered that truth, and deserved credit, which we continue to acknowledge.

https://thegodculturephilippines.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-god-culture-understanding-pintos.html

And now, too proud to admit both he and Cheock are wrong, Tim is saddled with the bugbear of 9N20 that he must reinterpret any way he can in order to save face. This could all have been prevented had he consulted Fernando Pinto's journal in the first place. Whether out of ignorance or deception, Schwab’s redefinition of 29° first as 9N20 and then as a range of latitudes contradicts both Pinto’s original testimony and Cheock’s own published material. No amount of retroactive spin or alleged growth in understanding can reconcile this blatant distortion.