Coronavirus Lockdown: Over 100 Surgeries, DOH Budget Cuts, and More!

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

The IATF has finally freed the public of mandatory face mask wearing in public places including outdoors. The DOH says the public should continue to wear them anyway.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183230

The Department of Health is urging the public to continue wearing face masks, whether these are required or not, as it is still the best way to protect oneself against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

In a Viber message to reporters, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said Resolution Number 1, series of 2022 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) is only recommendatory and has been submitted for the consideration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“The position of the DOH is for us to continue on masking, but there were several data that were presented also that led to this decision,” she said.

“We needed to balance between the health and economy, and what we have compromised would be, this will be done among low risk individuals and in low risk settings."

Vergeire defined low-risk individuals as persons who are not senior citizens, without comorbidities, not children, and not having symptoms of Covid-19.

Low risk settings are outdoor places that are not crowded and with good ventilation.

Citing the many benefits of such practice, the DOH said the wearing of face masks protects the senior citizens and individuals with comorbidities against Covid-19 and prevents the spread of coughs and colds.

The OCTA has given an ominous warning about the suspension of the face mask mandate.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1660536/voluntary-face-mask-rule-may-not-affect-covid-19-numbers-in-first-few-weeks-octa

The number of Covid-19 cases won’t be affected in the first few weeks should the government make face masks worn outdoors voluntarily, a fellow independent pandemic monitor Octa Research Group said Thursday.

Dr. Butch Ong explained that the transmission risk is relatively lower outdoors. However, preventive measures should still be intensified.

"As long as it is only outdoors. Since the risk of transmission is lower when outdoors," he said in a public briefing when asked what would be the effect if wearing face masks were optional.

(The effect might not be dramatic over the next few weeks, but we still need to look at the data these coming days.)

He said that should the government decide to ease the mask mandate. Then, intensified preventive measures should accompany it.

He added that those who have symptoms should no longer go outside and should be encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

How dramatic. Basicially they are saying COVID-19 cases will increase over time without the mandate. And exactly what "intensified preventative measures" do they wish to enforce? They don't say. Davao City is on the same page as the OCTA saying they will be enforcing the face mask mandate unless it can be proven that there will not be a surge in cases. 

https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/10/mayor-baste-davao-city-holding-on-to-mandatory-face-mask-for-now/

Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte here said the city government would only adopt the optional wearing of face masks outdoors as recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) nationwide if there is data showing that it would not trigger a Covid-19 surge.

Duterte said while he is amenable to easing the strict face mask policy in outdoor spaces, he would still want to see if this would work out in other local government units (LGUs).

He said that City Health Office (CHO) head Dr. Ashley Lopez recommended keeping the existing local policy on the mandatory wearing of face masks in public until the end of the year.

City Ordinance No. 0307-20 passed on July 23, 2020 provides that any person caught not wearing a face mask in public places shall be penalized with a fine of P500 for the first offense; P2,000 for the second offense, and P5,000 or one-month imprisonment for the third offense.

“(In my view, it’s OK if keep it until December. I want to see what will happen to the provinces, municipalities, and cities that will apply the optional wearing of face masks),” Duterte said.

He added that the city government will apply the optional wearing of face masks if it would not endanger the safety of people as the threat of Covid-19 remains.

“(If we see that it turns out OK for them, that’s when we follow. I don’t want us to initiate it first because the problem of Covid is tiresome),” he said.

Duterte said he does not want the city to grapple with another Covid-19 surge which has already encumbered this city for more than two years.

The reality is that what has really encumbered not only Davao City but the entire nation are the restrictive measures which have not stopped the spread of the virus whatsoever. The Governor of Iloilo says he will lift the face mask requirement for the same reason Duterte says he will keep it. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/10/22/iloilo-governor-eases-mask-rule-says-he-trusts-residents

Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. on Friday said he trusts his constituents to protect themselves from COVID-19, prompting him to make the wearing of face masks outdoors optional in the entire province.

He also attributed the change in policy to the province's high vaccination rate and low number of COVID-19 cases.

In a video released by the Provincial Government, Defensor explained his reason he issued an executive order making face masks non-mandatory outdoors.

(Why did we make it optional? Because we trust our residents. After more than two-and-a-half years of facing COVID-19, we know what to do. We know that if you're immunocompromised or a senior citizen, you have to augment your protection.)

What a difference in the thinking between these two men. Duterte says it might cause a surge and he will wait to see what happens elsewhere while Defensor says he trusts the people to protect themselves. 

The DOT is speaking a completely different tune from the OCTA and the DOH.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183304

The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Friday welcomed the recommendation to ease the country's mask mandate, saying it would give the Philippine tourism sector "a better chance to regain its vibrant and booming operations.”

The DOT cited a comparative analysis, saying relaxing mask mandates "did not appear to cause an uptick in Covid-19 cases" in neighboring Asean countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

"The Philippines is currently in a position wherein its existing entry and stay policies for tourists convey only a partial reopening of the country to international travel," Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said.

"For this reason, the Philippines is immediately at a grave disadvantage as a tourism destination vis-à-vis its neighboring Asean member states because the latter, which are the Philippines’ direct tourism competitors, have all lifted their mask mandates either totally or partially,” she added.

Frasco added that aside from Singapore, other Southeast Asian countries saw a general increase in tourist arrivals after mask mandates were liberalized.

“There seems to be no direct correlation between the lifting of mask mandates and the increase in Covid-19 cases, only that the lifting of the mask mandates has served to more than double the tourist arrivals in these countries,” she said.

For good or for bad the mandate on face masks in public places has now been lifted.

The state of emergency has been extend until the end of the year. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/13/22/state-of-calamity-due-to-covid-stays-until-end-of-2022

The state of calamity in the Philippines due to the COVID-19 pandemic stays until the end of the year, according to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s Proclamation No. 57 signed Monday.

But it may be lifted earlier than Dec. 31, or extended depending on the circumstances, the document showed.

With the extension of the state of calamity, Marcos enjoined all government agencies and local government units to "continue rendering full assistance to and cooperation with each other and mobilize the necessary resources... to curtail and eliminate the threat of COVID-19."

Law enforcement agencies, with the support from the military, are also directed to ensure peace and order.

According to the proclamation, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council recommended the further extension of the state of calamity in the country for the continuous delivery of COVID-19 related interventions, such as the following:

• COVID-19 vaccination program

• utilization of appropriate funds, including the Quick Response Fund

• monitoring and controlling prices of basic necessities and prime commodities; and,

• provision of basic services to affected population

The state of calamity has been extended so the government can continue procuring COVID-19 supplies without having to get Congressional approval. It will likely be extended again. 

Despite the ongoing emergency and the extension of the state of calamity not only has the President failed to appoint a DOH secretary but the DOH budget has been significantly slashed. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/09/13/2209431/doh-budget-cuts-covid-response-health-worker-benefits-cancer-assistance

The Department of Budget and Management slashed the funds for COVID-19 response, benefits for healthcare workers, and support for cancer patients proposed by the Department of Health.

During a budget briefing at the House of Representatives Monday, health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the agency proposed a budget of P95 billion for the government’s COVID-19 response for next year, but only P24.49 billion was approved in the National Expenditure Program for Fiscal Year 2023.

The NEP, which the executive branch submits the Congress, is the basis for the proposed national budget.

Asked by Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay) if the amount proposed was sufficient, Vergeire responded: "Looking at how we’re having this declining number of cases, we think this would be sufficient based on the response that we’re having right now. But if we’re going to prepare to procure the new generation of vaccines, we might be needing additional funds.”

Rep. Janette Garin (Iloilo), a former health secretary, pointed out that the budget for the prevention and control of communicable diseases such as COVID-19, tuberculosis, HIV, and monkeypox was cut.

"If you look at the comparison of the 2022 budget vis-à-vis the 2023 proposed budget, there is a reduction of 71.21%," Garin said.

A reduction of 71%.  That is inexcusable. For now this is only a proposed budget. The amount could change before it becomes law. 

COVID-19 hospitalizations have caused a backlog in surgeries. A group of surgeons came together to fix that problem.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/12/22/pinoy-doctors-perform-free-surgeries-to-ease-covid-backlog

Over 100 Filipino doctors and operating room nurses conducted simultaneous surgical procedures nationwide to reduce a backlog of surgeries due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Dr. Ramon Inso, president of Philippine College of Surgeons, elective operating surgeries were limited during the height of lockdowns.

"The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was really very deep in terms of being unable to do the surgery on patients who really need them," he told ABS-CBN News.

This led the PCS, its various chapters, the Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists, and the Operating Room Nurses Association of the Philippines to collaborate and hold free surgical procedures for indigent patients.

Over 80 private and public hospitals participated in the event dubbed as "National Surgical Outreach Day," which started on Sept. 5. The simultaneous cutting was held through Zoom.

"We want to show to the world that we are doing our part as surgeons, as anesthesiologists, as operating room nurses. We are contributing to help address the unmet or neglected surgeries in the country," Inso said.

Nearly 140 surgical procedures were performed during the event.

"This is the first one that has been done and I'm not aware of any other," he added.

If there are any more backlogs of this kind hopefully they can come together again and fix the problem. 

With no more face mask now being optional outdoors LGU's are being told they must follow the new protocol. Ostensibly these means even Davao will have to allow this policy to ride. But that may not matter because a poll says most Filipinos want to wear face masks outdoors.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183579

A survey by OCTA Research shows that a big chunk of the Filipino population will continue to wear face masks even if the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) will be controlled.

 

OCTA Research fellow Ranjit Rye presented the recent survey of the group following the issuance of Malacañang Palace on the voluntary wearing of face masks in outdoor settings.

 

“(This is) also probably the reason why very few reactions from the people against the new policy of the President, is because 30 percent of the adult population will continue to wear masks six months after Covid-19 is declared controlled,” Rye said during the Pandesal Forum Tuesday.

 

Twenty-eight percent of the respondents said they will continue wearing face masks a year after Covid-19 is declared controlled, 16 percent said they will continue it even after two years, and 18 percent said they will continue wearing face masks five years after the coronavirus is deemed controlled.

 

“These are huge numbers. There seems to be a consensus among adult Filipinos that masks are important and we don’t need to encourage them. They will wear masks because of their belief that it is for their own safety,” Rye added.

 

He said the survey result jives well with the new policy of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on outdoor masking.

 

“We don’t need to mandate it. People will wear it and the big chunk of the population will continue to wear it even after Covid is declared gone,” he said.

"We don't need to mandate it" because people will wear the mask even when COVID is "declared" gone. Isn't that lovely? The people have been trained well. That's what two years of restrictions will do to a population.

Did Ferdinand Marcos Really Order a Media Blackout When He Declared Martial Law?

Is this gossip? Is the media blackout ordered by Ferdinand Marcos after declaring martial law something that never happened?  

Editor and Publisher 1972-09-30: Vol 105 Iss 40

President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who has in the past defended the ideals of a free press, virtually suspended operation of the Philippines news media under martial law last weekend. 

President Marcos, who in 1957 success-fully defended a newspaper reporter arrested by President Carlos P. Garcia for refusing to divulge the source of a news story and who later co-sponsored a bill to protect news sources except in cases of sedition or treason, ordered at least nine prominent Manila newsmen under arrest and shut down all but two of the 15 newspapers.

The Philippine president also issued a set of tight news reporting guidelines that must be followed or else violators will face arrest. 

Those newsmen detained include Joaquin P. Roces, publisher of the Manila Times, an independent English language daily with a morning circulation of 186,- 147, and Maxime Soliven, a columnist for the Times, who has been one of the President's principal critics; Rosalinda Galang, a Times reporter; Luis Mauricie, editor of Graphic, an English-language weekly magazine; and Teodore Locsin Sr., editor of Philippines Free Press.

Also taken into custody was Veronica Yuyitung, wife of Rizal Yuyitung, editor of the Chinese Commercial News, who was deported last year to Taiwan. 

Arrests were continuing and a new list released on Tuesday showed that Amando Doronilla, editor of the Manila Chronicle, and one of the paper's columnists, Ernesto Granada had been detained in the sweep against persons said to be subversives by the government's information secretary Francisco Tatad. 

On Tuesday (September 26), the government said it was allowing the Philippines Herald, an English-language na-tional daily, to resume publication. Up to that point, Marcos has permitted the continued operation of the Philippines Daily Express; one television network station; the Government-owned Voice of the Philippines radio station; and the Far East Broadcasting Company, a Philippine-owned radio station serving both domestic and overseas listeners. 

Publication of the remaining seven English-language and three vernacular dailies remain suspended. 

In an interview with newsmen, Marcos charged that the press and radio have been infiltrated by Communist propagandists and have been guilty of distortions, tendentious reporting, speculation and criticism that have damaged society and weakened resistance to Communism. 

Under the regulations, news media are ordered "to print and broadcast accurate, objective, straight news reports of positive national value consistent with the efforts of the government to meet the dangers and threat that occasioned the proclamation of martial law and the efforts to achieve a new society as set forth by the president." 

Coming under the ban are materials that "tend to incite or otherwise inflame people or individuals against the government" and items that "downgrade or jeopardize" the military of law authorities or glorify or sensationalize crime.

The guidelines also state: "Informative foreign news items may be printed or broadcast by the local media but in no case must any foreign news be printed or broadcast which puts it in the same cate-gory as any of the prohibited materials ennumerated above. Similarly, no news material or opinions emanating from abroad may be disseminated by any wire agency through any Philippines recipient which is of the same type as any of the prohibited materials enumerated above 

"The same rules apply to foreign correspondents whether based in the Philippines or not. No foreign dispatch will be filed from the Philippines which impugns, discredits, questions or criticizes any positive effort of the government, the government itself or any of its duly constituted authorities. Nor will any dispatch be filed which speaks unfairly or inaccurately of the Philippines or Filipinos ..." 

The regulations also censor all photographs.

The guidelines state that photographers can only take pictures of "normal city life and of interviews with authorized officials and offices." 

Forbidden are photographs of military installations and Malacanang, the pres-idential palace. Pictures of airports and seaports also are banned. 

News dispatches coming into the Philippines from abroad are being censored along with news stories written by Filipinos for home consumption or by foreign correspondents to be sent to other countries. 

According to indirect word received by the Associated Press in New York from Manila, even society news has been banned from Filipino newspapers and broadcast media. 

Dispatches that question or criticize any effort of the government are banned. Editorials and commentary are prohibited along with gossip columns. 

Night editor George Reyes at the Associated Press said he received the first tip at 1:25 a.m. Saturday from an anonymous woman caller that martial law—rumored for months but not expected—had been declared in the Philippines. Minutes later, office messenger Leonardo Mangulabnan and operator Pepito Mallare summoned Reyes to the office window. The three AP staffers saw troops gathered at the front door of the Manila Times building in which the AP office is located. 

Within minutes, a combat-clad national policeman walked into the AP office and told Reyes "please vacate the office and go home." Reyes protested. "What is this, has martial law been declared?" The trooper just smiled and replied: "Well, something like that, we are just following orders. You may go now, please." 

Office secretary Coring Campos, news editor Gil Santos and Lynn Newland quickly gathered at Santos Home, which served as a temporary office, where they were joined by former Manila bureau chief John Nance. The bureau then moved to the ITT building in downtown Manila, but was asked to leave several hours later for "security reasons." The bureau then moved hack to Santos' house, where operations continued until permission to reenter the office was received 30 hours later. The Times building remains off limits to all but AP staffers, who daily show their identity cards to Marine guards outside the building. 

Staffers quickly learned to ignore this routine and the daily visits of rifle-carrying national policemen. Other results of the newly imposed martial law are not as easily ignored, however, particularly censorship and a midnight to 4 a.m. cur-few. Censorship Filipino style is chaotic at best. "guidelines" detailing what can and cannot be written and photographed are vague. A typical regulation reads: "No foreign dispatch will be filed from the Philippines which impugns, discredits, questions or criticizes any positive effort of the government . . . nor will any dispatch be filed which speaks unfairly or inaccurately of the Philippines or Filipinos." If all else fails, the censors can rely on the following regulation: "These rules may be amended or modified without prior notice." 

That is an article from Editor and Publisher which is an industry magazine about the media published a week after Ferdinand Marcos had declared martial law. Immediately upon making the declaration the media was shut down and many newspaper men were imprisoned. Among them was  Eugenio Lopez Jr.

Editor and Publisher 1975-01-25: Vol 108 Iss 4

The Philippines, which once boasted of having a completely free press and observance of civil liberties, has suffered a complete about-face under the dictatorial regime of President Marcos. Freedom of the press has disappeared and once-free newspapers have been confiscated or closed.

The most celebrated case is that of Eugenio Lopez, Jr. and Sergio Osmona who were imprisoned two years ago for allegedly being involved in a plot to assassinate the president. They were never formally charged and only because of a hunger strike started last October has their case become prominent. 

The press and information officer of the Philippine Consulate in New York stated last Christmas that Lopez and Osmona were among 1.076 political detainees re-leased at that time by the government "under the president's policy of national reconciliation, solidarity and brotherhood announced last Dec. 11, 1974."

The fact of the matter is that the two men have not been released, are under heavy military guard in a military hospital. and as yet have not been charged with any crime. 

It is perhaps not well known that the Lopez family, once wealthy, gave up their properties in the Philippines for the safety and release of members of the family. Eugenio Lopez. Sr., now living in San Francisco gave this brief version in an interview recently with the Philippines News. published in that city: 

"When President Marcos declared Martial Law in September 1972, all of our family's major business enterprises were either taken over or ordered closed by the Philippine government. 

"The Manila Electric Company, (MECO) which supplies electricity to Manila and suburban areas continued to operate un-der the 'supervision' of appointed military personnel. The ABS-CBN corporation, the largest 'a-oadcasting company in the Philippines owning and operating 6 television stations and 21 radio stations was ordered to close all of its facilities. The Manila Chronicle daily newspaper, one of the most widely read newspapers in the country was also ordered closed. 

"The total assets of these three companies are in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

"In the course of the past two years, all these corporations have fallen into the hands of private individuals, individuals who are known to be close associates of Mr. and Mrs. Marcos and who have been branded by more knowledgeable persons as their 'front men', that is to say, individuals who are holding in their names properties on behalf of the Marcos family. 

"Most of the uninformed public assumed that 'the wealthy Lopez family sold their multimillion dollar business enterprises to the Philippine Government in order to liquidate their assets and get their cash out of the Philippines.' This impression was strengthened by the publicity given by the Philippine government to the 'sale' of the Manila Electric Company. 

"It is time now for the public to learn the truth. The Lopez family's properties were not sold to the Philippine government; in fact they have not been sold to anyone. Our properties were given to the Marcos family through its 'front men' in exchange for the release of my son and for the safety of our family. Some of our properties are now owned and/or oper-ated by the 'front men' through some `artificial agreements' and some of them have been taken over without any type of agreement, legal or illegal." 

The Lopez family has maintained its silence for two years in exchange for the life and freedom of Lopez, Jr., and the safety of other members of the family, according to Lopez, Sr. He has just recently started to speak out and tell the family's side of the dispute. 

He believes that only "pressure from the free world" can bring justice back to the Philippines, and we have to agree.

So, did this happen? Did the Lopez family give their properties to Marcos in order to free his son? Did Marcos shut down ABS-CBN as well as the Manila Chronicle? Ask anyone who voted for Bongbong Marcos and they might say no. They might say the above news reports are all lies. But are they? Can they really prove that the above news stories are all lies? 

Of course they cannot prove this never happened because it did happen. And it could happen again. That's why the truth about the Marcos dictatorship should never be forgotten. 

Insurgency: AFP Accountable for 2 Missing Activists

Sara Duterte thinks she is in the Cobra Kai dojo and wants to strike first, strike hard, and show no mercy to terrorists.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/05/vp-duterte-gathers-security-officials-seeks-hardline-stance-vs-criminals-terrorists/

The Marcos administration will show “no mercy” to criminals and terrorists who want to derail the country’s progress, Vice President Sara Duterte reiterated to the heads of major command services on Monday, Sept. 5.

Duterte, who is now government caretaker while President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is on his first state visit to Indonesia and Singapore this week, hosted a lunch meeting with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and its major services—the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force (PAF), and the Philippine Navy—at the Department of Education (DepEd) central office in Pasig City.

She also met with the chiefs and official representatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and officials from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the DepEd.

“As the caretaker, may I reiterate the Marcos administration’s direction towards aggressively pursuing programs and projects that will address social inequities and further propel the country’s progress post-pandemic,” she said in her press message after the meeting.

“Our policy against criminals and terrorists and those that support and espouse their ideologies of violence should be hardline. We should show no mercy to criminals and terrorists,” she added.

Duterte lamented that the “realization of our national aspirations” could be “slowed down, held up, or hostaged” by forces that aim to derail the progress.

“The Philippines will only be able to truly recover and rebuild post-pandemic and meaningfully stand with honor and pride as a nation if we successfully address threats to our security,” the Vice President and concurrent Education chief said.

First of all, government caretaker? What is she, the Steward of Gondor? Second of all a hardline stance with no mercy? Is she unaware that the government has a massive bribery program whereby any terrorist who surrenders gets free money, housing, cash, education, and job training?

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183000

Twenty-eight former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Davao Oriental province have received PHP644,000 worth of livelihood aid from the government.

In a statement Tuesday, the provincial government said each former rebel received PHP23,000 financial aid.

Of the amount, PHP20,000 came from the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Davao Region (DSWD-11) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), while PHP3,000 was sourced from the fund of the government's whole-of-nation approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC).

Through the SLP, DSWD provided livelihood settlement grants to ex-NPA rebels, which the recipients should use as seed capital to fund  proposed livelihood projects.

Governor Corazon Malanyaon urged the surrenderers to use the funds properly by investing them to uplift their quality of life and succeed to entice more insurgents to surrender to the government.

“I encourage all of you to become responsible citizens by maximizing what is being provided to you and the government will acknowledge those efforts you put in and ensure to help you in growing further as your success will also benefit others in your community,” she said.

Aside from the cash assistance, the former rebels, who are graduates of the provincial government’s Happy Home and deradicalization program, also took part in interventions from government agencies that include technical training, education, practical skills, and other services.

"I will not let you go back to the old ways that led you in the wrong direction. The insurgent group only brings misery to your lives," Malanyaon assured.

There is nothing hardline or unmerciful in that. 

Why is she meeting with all these security people as soon as Marcos left the country? He's coming back and it's doubtful any major security threat will occur in that time. When her father left the country to visit Russia he snubbed VP Robredo and appointed DOJ Secretary Gueverra as the government caretaker. 

Both Marcos and the AFP have reassured the nation that the modernization program will continue. The say this will lead to a credible defense.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1182999

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro on Tuesday said the country would maintain its goal of having a credible defense posture despite an ongoing review of the military's modernization program.

"(Well as of now the study is still ongoing, I cannot state what will be prioritized and what will be removed, but one thing is definite, we are making sure that our defense posture will be credible, so that's what we are looking at right now)," he said on the sidelines of the christening rites for the Philippine Navy's first two fast-attack interdiction craft-missiles, (FAIC-Ms) BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901) and BRP Lolinato To-Ong (PG-802), at the Navy headquarters at Naval Station Jose Andrada, Manila.

These two ships are the first to arrive in the Philippines out of a batch of nine acquired from Israel Shipyards Limited for PHP10 billion. Bacarro said the AFP modernization program is now on Horizon 2 which is slated for 2018 to 2022.

The military's modernization program is divided into three tranches with Horizon 1 taking place from 2013 to 2018 and Horizon 3 from 2023 to 2028. The review was brought by budgetary constraints, he said.

"So (it is) very true there are some budgetary constraints so right now we are reviewing the modernization plan prioritizing it, actually dun sa number of projects na nakatalaga (of the planned projects), we would just like to identify which are the requirements of the AFP so that's what we are doing right now," Bacarro said.

Is he insinuating that the Philippines defense posture is not currently credible? Since this was said during christening rites for the nation's first two fast-attack interdiction craft-missiles this might be about defense against China rather than internal threats like the NPA.

The AFP continues the fight against the NPA. Recently they unearthed one of the largest arms caches in Caraga.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1182456

Government troops unearthed the largest arms cache of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the hinterlands of the Caraga Region, the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) said Tuesday.

In a statement, the Eastmincom said former members of Guerilla Front 16 under the NPA's North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee led government troops to 31 high-powered firearms and other war matériel in different areas of the region.

Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol, Eastmincom commander, said they uncovered the arms caches following the mass surrender of the NPA members earlier this month.

The high-powered firearms consisted of M4 rifles with nine units, M16 rifles (8), AK-47 rifles (6), M79 grenade launchers (3), M14 rifle (1), Galil rifle (1), Carbine rifle (1), R4 rifle (1), Pistol Grand Master (1), an improvised explosive device, several assorted magazines, 2,010 rounds of various ammunition, four bandoliers, and other war matériel.

Of the 31 firearms, 16 were divulged by nine members of the Sentro Degrabidad (SDG) and Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda 16B (SYP16B) in Barangay Mahanub, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte, on August 12.

The other 15 firearms were revealed by four other comrades from the same unit on August 22 and 25.

Almerol lauded the troops for their "relentless efforts that further weakened the capability of the NPA in Eastern Mindanao."

He is also optimistic that with the series of surrenders, Caraga will be declared "Insurgency-free" before the end of the year.

"With our intensified military operations and aid from former rebels, it is only a matter of time before we declare them dismantled and the rest of Caraga Region free from insurgency this year," Almerol said.

Another prediction that a region will be insurgency free is both a good sign that operations are going well and a bad sign that someone is counting their chickens before they have been hatched. Whether it happens or not remains to be seen.

The AFP has reduced their presence in Sulu because of the improved security status.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1657869/afp-reduces-troop-presence-in-sulu-improved-security-status-cited

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has reduced its troop presence in Sulu after threats from extremist groups like the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf has gone down.

Given the relative peace in Sulu, Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of the Army’s Joint Task Force Sulu, said they are reducing their strength from four to only three brigades.

A brigade consists of three battalions that, in turn, has 300 to 500 soldiers each.  

“The threat level in Sulu has gone down radically. We are sustaining this momentum through focused operations and so far, the communities continue to experience a better security climate,” Patrimonio said.

He cited the continued stream of Abu Sayyaf members who have surrendered to the military to avail of various government assistance packages and return to mainstream society.

A total of 983 bandits have surrendered from 2017 to August this year, military records showed.

Patrimonio, however, stressed that the military is not taking chances because two top bandit leaders, Mundi Sawadjaan and Radullan Sahiron, are still at large although they have been suffering from lack of community support hand are unable to launch attacks.

“We see that there is already relative peace in these areas, especially Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Zamboanga Peninsula,” Faustino said.

Another factor for the troop cutback is the number of Tausug soldiers in the Army’s ranks.

Patrimonio said there are almost 2,000 young Tausug soldiers who were recruited into the regular force, equivalent to a brigade.

“This is a major development. They know the people, they know the terrain and culture. This really helps in sustaining peace on this island,” Patrimonio explained.

That is a major development but at the same time the AFP says they aren't taking chances becasue two top ASG leaders are still at large. So, why reduce the troops? Why say out of one side their mouth there is peace while out the other side they say we aren't taking chances? It's better they keep the fight up rather than rest on their laurels. 

A major ASG terrorist has been apprehended. 

https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/08/abu-sayyaf-sub-leader-caught-in-sulu/

Police arrested a sub-leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group during a law enforcement operation in Barangay San Raymundo, Jolo, Sulu on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

Col. John Francis Encinareal, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-9 chief, identified the suspect as Abubakar Abdulkadil, alias “Basaron Arok,” 35, of Patikul, Sulu.

The CIDG, Special Action Force, and Jolo police arrested Abdulkadil after serving warrants of arrest for multiple murder, frustrated murder, and kidnapping with ransom.

Encinareal identified the suspect as an Abu Sayyaf sub-leader under the group of Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan in Patikul.

He was also identified as a member of the Daulah Islamiya involved in a series of kidnapping and bombing incidents with multiple arrest warrants.

Abdulkadil was linked as a suspect in the bombing of the Jolo Cathedral in Jolo in 2019 and twin explosions also in Jolo the following year.

Just imagine if this man had surrendered. He would have been given cash, housing, and job training. What a joke. Thankfully he did not surrender and was instead captured.

The fight against the insurgency continues as ever. 113 CPP-NPA members in Mimaropa have surrendered since January. Weapons continue be recovered as the AFP clashes with the NPA. But let's end with two stories that are a bit more offbeat those still related to the fight against the insurgency. Remember the fight is against communism and the AFP goes around talking about the evils of communist. So, why was a communist nominated for the annual Ramon Magsaysay award? 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1661899/indian-politician-declines-ramon-magsaysay-award-2

A Marxist politician from India declined her nomination for the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award after her party reportedly dissuaded her from accepting it.

In its September 4 report, The Statesman, an English-Indian broadsheet quoted a report saying that K. K. Shailaja, declined to accept the 64th Ramon Magsaysay Award after her party, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), did not permit her to receive it.

The report said Shailaja declined the award because her party believed that she was only doing her job as the former health minister of the Indian state of Kerala, for which she was being nominated. Shailaja was nominated for her contributions to the management of the COVID-19 and Nipah virus outbreaks in Kerala.

“When examined, it has been found that such awards were never received by politicians,” Shailaja was quoted by The Statesman as saying.

“The award was declined after discussing with the CPI-M Central Committee,” she added.

Established in 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate the example of integrity in governance, courageous public service, and idealism of former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay. The award is considered as Asia’s version of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Why was a known communist nominated for this prize? Did the nominating committee know she was a Marxist? It is a bid odd.  The next story is not odd but is in fact a low mark for the AFP.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/10/22/afp-security-agencies-found-accountable-for-2-missing-activists

The Court of Appeals has found the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other security agencies “accountable” for the disappearance of 2 labor activists.

This, as heads of different government bodies insist they have no knowledge of the whereabouts of the two.

The CA Fifth Division on Friday issued a privilege of the writ of amparo in favor of activists Elizabeth "Loi" Magbanua and Alipio "Ador" Juat, members of Kilusang Mayo Uno who went missing shortly after attending a meeting in Valenzuela on May 3.

It also issued a permanent protective order in favor of the 2 and their families, which would prevent security and intelligence forces from conducting surveillance or going near them.

“Without any specific pronouncement on exact authorship and responsibility, declaring the respondents accountable for the enforced disappearance and continued disappearance of Elizabeth ‘Loi’ Magbanua and Alipio ‘Ador’ Juat,” the appellate court said in a 40-page ruling.

It also ordered them to hold “a comprehensive and exhaustive investigation” on the disappearance of the activists and to use “all technical and modern technological resources at its disposal to assist in locating their whereabouts and once and for all determine the truth behind their continued disappearance,” it added.

Family members of Loi and Ador sought the help of the high court in August to compel respondents -- the heads of the AFP, the Department of National Defense, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and the Philippine Army, as well as the heads of the intelligence and civil-military operations units of the AFP — to surface the two.

They claimed that Ador was able to tell his daughters that he is being detained at Camp Aguinaldo while there was no information as to the where Loi was taken.

All the respondents denied having personal knowledge as to the abduction. Some claimed they were holding different positions at the time of the disappearance and that they inquired with their respective agencies about the case but received negative responses.

But for the CA, the respondents’ “sweeping denials” failed to show who and when the searches were made and how comprehensive and thorough these were to satisfy their obligation under the Rule on the Writ of Amparo.

Under the rule, state agents are required to exercise “extraordinary diligence” in the performance of their duties and cannot hide in the presumption of regularity in the performance of their functions.

“[R]espondents are public officials tasked with the specific duty to provide protection for all citizens. Hence, extraordinary diligence is required in the performance of their duties, and are forbidden from seeking refuge in the presumption of regularity in the performance of their official duties,” the CA said.

“Evidently, respondents failed to show the concrete steps they ostensibly took to locate Loi and Ador if only to refute respondent’s probable culpability which inaction borders on a dereliction of positive duty. Respondents likewise failed to dutifully ascertain who are responsible for the disappearance of Loi and Ador if only to free themselves from the frightening inference that State Forces have played a hand in their continued disappearance,” it added.

The CA has ruled that the heads of the AFP, DND, Philippine Army, and NICA are all responsible for the disappearance of two people. They deny all knowledge and responsibility but the CA is not buying it and neither are the families of the two people who have disappeared. One of them was able to relay to his family that he is being held at Camp Aguinaldo. If he is still there then he should be easy to find. 

The God Culture: Testing the Resources of Ophir and Tarshish, Part 2

In the previous article reviewing Timothy Jay Schwab's testing of the resources of Ophir and Tarshish I covered gold, ivory, apes, and peacocks. The Bible says those items came from Tarshish but Tim says they came from Ophir because he conflates the two places. In this article I will be looking at the "resources of Tarshsish." Remember, we are looking not at Tim's videos but at his book Solomon's Treasure which he claims is "the monumental case for the Philippines no one can dispute."

Solomon's Treasure, pg. 106

Tarshish is a place next to Ophir. They are in the same direction and region in destination. Now, we have yet more resources we can test and narrow this down beginning with silver as promised. Tarshish is the Biblical land of silver equated to the Greek Argyre which we saw is mapped by Pomponius Mela, Dionysius The Tourist and Behaim as Mindanao, Philippines. By rare occurrence, it just happens that Mindanao is the only place in the Philippines which can fully fit this part of the list for Tarshish especially tin.

According to Tim, Mindanao is Tarshish and the "Biblical land of silver." What? I never knew there was a "biblical land of silver." Let's see what the Bible has to say.

There is no "land of silver" mentioned in the Bible. Did Abraham get his silver from Mindanao?

Genesis 13:2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

Obviously not. 

Silver was first mined around 3,000 BCE in Anatolia, now located in modern-day Turkey. The precious metal helped early civilizations in the Near East, Ancient Greece to flourish.

In about 1,200 BCE the center of silver production shifted to Greece’s Laurium mines, where it continued to feed the region’s growing empires, even providing currency for ancient Athens. By about 100 CE, the center of silver mining moved to Spain, where the mines became a major supplier for the Roman Empire and an essential trading component along the Asian spice routes.

https://www.silverinstitute.org/silver-mining-history/

Look at that. The Greek's source of silver was....GREECE!!! Not some mythical island near India called Argyre.

Nevertheless let us continue. According to Tim the resources we will be discussing in this article all must necessarily come from Mindanao.  That includes silver, iron, tin, and lead.

Silver

“Nickel mines are located in Zambales, Palawan, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur, while the gold with silver mines are in Benguet, Masbate, Camarines Norte, Davao del Norte and Agusan del Sur. The copper with gold and silver mines are located in Benguet, Cebu and Zamboanga del Norte. The copper mine with gold, silver and zinc is in Albay...” –Philippine Daily Inquirer 

Notice some attempt to hyper-focus on King Solomon’s copper mines yet no Biblical narrative mentions copper but there is also copper in the Philippines. It even fits narratives outside the Bible. Much of this silver is found with gold thus it has always been abundant in the Philippines and all over the archipelago.

“Of the total of sixteen lode and placer mines which were producing gold and silver bullion in appreciable quantities at the close of 1935, nine are situated in the Benguet mining district.”

–Port of Manila and Other Philippine Ports Year Book. (1936)

Solomon's Treasure, pg. 106-107

This is Tim's entire argument that the silver brought back from Tarshish comes from Mindanao. Can you see what is wrong here? There is no argument! There is no proof. In the second quote we are told that nine out of sixteen placer mines producing gold and silver are in Benguet which is Luzon and not Mindanao which undercuts Tim's case that Mindanao is argyre, the land of silver. What was he thinking?? This is stupid. It's not a case, it's not an argument, it's nothing. 

Much of this silver is found with gold thus it has always been abundant in the Philippines and all over the archipelago.

Silver is abundant all over the Philippine archipelago? What happened to Mindanao being "the Biblical land of silver?" Let's move on.

Iron

Peruse the many mining reports and you will find the Philippines is not mining iron at present. Does this mean they do not qualify? Iron is one of the largest mineral deposits in the Philippines, even gifted to President Quirino, and the government has shut down the last operation due to environmental infractions. Therefore, you will not see it on reports but it is definitely there and in abundance though few seem to have ever researched.

“Iron ore, one of the Philippines’ largest mineral deposits, is not being extracted at present.” –Philippine Statistics Authority

“The Philippines has suspended the operations of the country’s only iron ore miner due to environmental infractions.” –ABS-CBN, Reuters 2016

Iron ore is found all over the archipelago as well and was referenced in the early 1900s by an American scientist as well as history to 200 A.D.

“There are numerous veins of iron that will well repay working.” – James Walsh, Ih.D, M.D. 1865-1942

“Even as early as the third century, the Chinese reported that gold was mined in Luzon, and it was a principal medium of exchange with Chinese traders. Iron, copper, coal and other minerals were also discovered, but little effort was made to mine them.” –Port of Manila and Other Philippine Ports Year Book. (1936) 

Solomon's Treasure, pg. 107-108

Is Tim for real? Is he kidding? This is the entire section on iron and there is no argument. There is no attempt to prove there was an ancient iron trade between the Philippines and Israel. He is citing ABS-CBN and fails to give any ancient witness to a trade in iron. There is no argument here so I am moving on.

Tin

This is one of the largest assumptions that we often see. Some will claim Tin does not originate in the Philippines. However, once again, this thinking is based on distribution maps out there for countries who are mining tin and the Philippines has not been friendly for mining companies who do not take care of their environment. Having said that, even in our travels around the Philippines, in Mindanao, we have had active miners confirm there is definitely tin in Mindanao. However, remember in ancient times, tin mining was akin to gold mining in process.

“Tin is an essential metal in the creation of tin bronzes, and its acquisition was an important part of ancient cultures from the Bronze Age onward. Its use began in the Middle East and the Balkans around 3000 BC. Ancient sources of tin were therefore rare, and the metal usually had to be traded over very long distances to meet demand in areas which lacked tin deposits. It is likely that the earliest deposits were alluvial and perhaps exploited by the same methods used for panning gold in placer deposits.”

Many of the modern sources of tin would not even qualify in ancient times but the Philippines had gold panning operations since the most ancient of times. However, we do not need to rely on just that logic as the Philippines has tin indisputably.

“The economy is primarily agricultural. Tin mining takes place around Mindanao.”

–World Encyclopedia 2005 by Oxford University Press

“Tin is not so abundant.”

–James J. Walsh, , Ih.D., M.D. 1865-1942.

Dr. Walsh notes tin is not so abundant in the early 1900s yet it is there but we only affirm Mindanao. In 2005, World Encyclopedia by Oxford University Press and The American Desk Encyclopedia thought it noteworthy enough to mention that Mindanao was mining tin. Although we do not find it on modern mining lists for the Philippines which is no surprise, we have had first hand accounts from miners especially on Mindanao who note that tin is still there though not a focus.

Solomon's Treasure, pg. 108-109

This is awful. This is plain awful. Again, no argument. Just an assertion that tin exists in the Philippines. But so what? Where is the proof that the Philippines was mining tin and trading tin with Israel in the time of King Solomon? The first quote comes from a Wikipedia article about the ancient sources of tin. Here is the map from that article.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_sources_and_trade_in_ancient_times

Here is an interesting fact from this article that Tim ignores completely.

Evidence of direct tin trade between Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean has been demonstrated through the analysis of tin ingots dated to the 13th-12th centuries BC from sites in Israel, Turkey and modern-day Greece; tin ingots from Israel, for example, have been found to share chemical composition with tin from Cornwall and Devon (Great Britain).(Pernicka et al. 2019)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_sources_and_trade_in_ancient_times

Tin ingots found in Israel which date to the 13th-12th centuries BC are from Cornwall and Devon. Amazing. Nothing about the Philippines whatsoever in this article. Why? Because there was no tin trade between Europe and the Philippines. If there was Tim does not even remotely try to prove it. He simply asserts that there is currently tin in the Philippines and then moves on. So shall I.

Lead

lead: `owphereth עפרת

Before we delve into lead, take a look at the Hebrew name for lead, owphereth. Is it possible this element may come from Ophir? The Philippines also has lead.

“Although the Philippines is rich in mineral resources, mining activities constitute only a small portion of GDP and employ an even smaller fraction of the population. Most of the country’s metallic minerals, including gold, iron ore, lead, zinc, chromite, and copper, are drawn from major deposits on the islands of Luzon and Mindanao.” –Encyclopaedia Britannica 2019

“An FTAA may be entered into for the exploration, development and utilization of gold, copper, nickel, chromite, lead, zinc and other minerals.” –Primer on the Philippine Minerals Industry

Once again, you will not find this resource on mining lists because it is not currently being mined but that does not mean it is not there. In fact, Encyclopaedia Britannica which updated this reference recently, affirms both lead and even iron ore again on Luzon and Mindanao. The resources of Tarshish are all found natively in the Philippines and specifically on Mindanao as Tarshish. This is after we already found all the Biblical resources of Ophir. Ethiopia and Yemen are already out of the running. Britain is not East of the Red Sea and does not have native peacocks nor almug wood. Spain is also not East and does not have indigenous ivory, apes, peacocks nor almug trees. Even Peru cannot fit the journey timewise and is missing ivory, peacocks and almug wood natively. These aren’t mere misses, they are ludicrous propositions and anyone calling themselves a scholar who did not begin with a resource test, is no scholar on this topic. The only other coherent claim as far as resources are concerned is India yet it’s own history says it had a source of ancient gold and silver, isles to the East thus none of these make any sense except the Philippines. Chapter 3 addressed Malaysia. However, we have one more list to test for the gifts of Sheba and Solomon’s navy.

Solomon's Treasure, pg. 109-110

Once more there is no argument here. There is no proof that there was a robust trade in lead between the Philippines and Israel. There is no proof that the Philippines was mining silver, lead, iron, or tin in the time of Solomon. Remember Tim admits that mining equipment during the time of Solomon was minimal.

This actually fits what would have to be the case in the ancient land of gold from at least 1000 B.C. as there was no major mining equipment in that era

Solomon's Treasure, pg. 96

Silver, tin, lead, and iron ore were all being mined elsewhere and traded within the Mediterranean basin. So, how were these minerals mined in the Philippines? Where is there proof that Filipinos had the technology to mine for these minerals? Tim offers ZERO proof for his assertions.

If there is an argument it is that the Hebrew word for lead sounds like Ophir therefore maybe the lead came from Ophir. But he is testing the resources of Tarshish not Ophir. Once again he is conflating the two regions and basing his theory on shaky linguistic grounds.

Here are some verses from Numbers which Tim does not discuss in this book.

Numbers 31:21 And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle,This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses; 

22: Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 

23: Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water. 

24: And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean,and afterward ye shall come into the camp.

Where did the Israelites get this silver, iron, tin, and lead while wandering in the wilderness? From Mindanao? Of course not. They got them from Egypt. That means there was trade in these metals within the Mediterranean basin. Why then would they look to Mindanao for these metals? They wouldn't. It doesn't make any sense.

Tim's goal here is to prove that the Philippines has the resources ascribed to Tarshish. But that is not enough. He has to prove that these resources were brought to Israel from the Philippines and he has not done this. He has not offered any proof for his assertions. He might counter with, "I have already proved that Tarshish is the Philippines therefore these resources were brought back from the Philippines." This is wrong. He has not proven that Tarshish is the Philippines. He has asserted it via a twisted logic that he cannot prove from history or the Bible. There is no proof that Tarshish built ships for Ophir and Havilah and was given Mindanao as his wages. That comes from Tim's head and has no foundation in reality.

He has also lied about the ivory said to be fetched from Tarshish. There are no elephants in the Philippines. Pigafetta does not record their existence in the Philippines. The same goes for peacocks. There are no true peacocks in the Philippines and Pigafetta does not record seeing any though Tim claims he does. 

It is mind boggling that this is supposed to be "the monumental case for the Philippines no one can dispute" when there is no case being made. There is assertion after assertion with no proof proffered. In the next article I will look at the gifts of the Queen of Sheba.