FROM MATALOM W/ LOVE 2: What’s in a name?

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October 16, 2023

Dear Atty. Golo,

Nag “post” ko sa “facebook” nga mabdos ko unya nangutana ko unsa maayo ingan sa bata nga may labot ang dagat. Gibinuangan ko. Dihay mi “comment” nga ang ngan kono “Serena.” Diha poy miingon “Okoy.” Ngano mag yaga-yaga man? Mag seryoso unta sila kay seryoso baya ko. Diha man go’y nalunod niadtong bagyong Egay. Kon Egay lang kaha ang ako ipangan sa bata. Kanang Egay, babaye na? Kon laki, Egoy? Naa na ko’y nahuna hunaan nga Ninang sila si Odet og si Bising. Ang Ninong lang ang wa pa, pwede ikaw? Kon ikaw pabot-on, unsay maayo ngan?

Excited Mommy,

Salome

Dear Salome,

Kon ako’y imo pabot-on, ikaw og ang amahan sa bata maoy magboot. Ayaw kasoko sa nag “comment” nga di seryoso, kay basin nagtoo sila nga nagyagayaga ka. Kon gusto ka’g seryoso nga tambag, adto pangutana sa imo mga maguwang, o kaha sa Pari kay siya man ang mobunyag. Pwede pod ka mobasa sa almanake kay naa diha ang ngan sa mga Santos nga pwede himoong idolo sa imong bata pohon. Ayawg salig anang dagat. Adto salig sa Guinoo nga mao ang naghimo sa dagat (Gen. 1:10). Bahin sa pagka Ninong, unya na lang ta mag-estorya kon manganak na ka.

Imong Pare pohon,

Manny G. Golo (EV Mail July 24-30, 2023 issue)

Lalaki naghikog gamit ang extension wire

By

Josie Sersena

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October 16, 2023

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ORMOC CITY – Wala nay kinabuhi nga nag bitay dihang nakit-an sa tag tungod ang usa ka lalaki nga giila nga si Debrone Awit, hingkod ang panuigon nga taga Brgy. Salvacion ning syudad.

Pasado alas sais sa gabii niadtong Julyo 25 dihang nadawat ang tahu sa kapolisan sa Police Station 4 kalabot sa insidenti. Sa pagdangat nila sa nahitaboan natangtang na gikan sa pagkabitay ang biktima. Nasayran nga ni gamit kini og extension wire nga gihigot sa iyang liog og sa kurdiso sa may kesami sa balay.

Gitino pa ang tinubdan sa hitabo apan giklaro nga walay “foul play” nga matud pa agi kanhi sa pag gamit sa illegal nga drogas nagka problema na kani, sa wala pa gitutlo ang kaugalingon niining kinabuhi. Ni Josie Sersena (EV Mail July 24-30, 2023 issue)

Hubog gisanggot sa kainum

By

Josie Sersena

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October 16, 2023

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ORMOC CITY – Samaran ang lalaking 57 anyos human gisanggot sa iya rapod nga higala og kainum. Ang biktima giila nga si Eduardo Catapon, usa ka mag uuma og nag poyo sa Sitio Tangnan, Brgy. Boroc ning dakbayan.

Ang suspek mao si Melchor Teves o nailhan sa agnay nga “Choychoy,” hingkod ang edad og molopyo sa nahisgutang barangay. Pagka human sa krimen dali kini nga niikyas palayo sa lugar.

Nahitabo ang pag panigbas niadtong Julyo 25 mga alas 4:00 ang takna sa hapon kapin kon kulang didto sa Sitio Tarangnan, Brgy. Boroc. Ang kapolisan sa Police Station 6 maoy ni respondi og nag imbistigar sa nahitabo.

Matud pa nag inum ang duha ka manag higala ug dihang nanga hubog nag away kini, gihagit sa suspek og sumbagay ang biktima. Nalupig si Teves (suspek) og niuli aron diay magkuha og sanggot; apan nakit-an ni Catapon (biktima) og nailog ang dala nga hinagiban.

Nidagan ang suspek og sa pag balik niini nag bitbit na og mas dako nga sanggot, dayon tigbas sa biktima diin naigo kini partikular sa olo og likod. Nag pa higayon og “hot pursuit” ang autoridad alang sa posibling pagka dakop sa suspitsado aron manubag sa krimen. Ni Josie Sersena (EV Mail July 24-30, 2023 issue)

Ormoc successfully holds first derby on balanced fertilization forum

By

Gwen Maurillo

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October 10, 2023

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ORMOC CITY – The first Regional Derby on Balanced Fertilization Strategy for Vegetables Forum was successfully held in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office (DA RFO) 8 and LGU-Ormoc’s City Agriculture Department, which event took place at the covered court of Brgy. Cabintan, this city, on July 21, 2023.

Accordingly, the forum served as a balanced fertilization strategy of field advisories, mentoring, and partnership project in response to City Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez’s aspiration to turn Brgy. Cabintan into the capital for organic vegetables in the region.

According to Maria Rufelia S. Gula, former National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program (NUPAP) focal person, now Rice Progam focal person, this was the mayor’s statement during their BP2P Team courtesy visit on September 28, 2022.

On the said occasion, local farmers were urged to adopt a balanced fertilization strategy (BFS) to address the high cost of imported synthetic fertilizers and low soil fertility.

Rufelia also emphasized to the participants that organic vegetable farming is safe and healthy, environmentally safe and sustainable, helps combat climate change, and reduces production costs, among other things.

On the other hand, Leo P. Caneda, Visayas cluster consultant, congratulated the farmers of Cabintan for the local government unit’s move towards organic farming.

“Nasa bucketlist pala ni Mayor Lucy, especially ang Cabintan, from a conventional to an organic farming area, beautiful,” he said.

During the said event, biofertilizer companies such as Unigrow, Vitalgro Carrageenan, AHCIL Laboratories, Inc., CHC Agritech, AIC Agrigrowth International Corporation, Enviro, East-West Seed, and SEED WORKS presented their products to the farmers who participated in the said activity.

Accordingly, the BFS applies the concept of the 4 Rs in fertilization: right source, right placement, right amount, and right rate to help enhance soil health and productivity, prevent the decline in soil fertility, and improve fertilizer availability and decrease cost.

The objective of balanced fertilization is to ensure that the plant has access to an adequate supply of each nutrient at every growth stage in order to avoid any over- or under-supply.

The use of organic fertilizers has the advantage of being cheap, improving soil structure, texture, and aeration, increasing the soil’s water retention abilities, and stimulating healthy root development. By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail July 17-23, 2023 issue)

COVID-19 public health emergency is over

By

Elmer Recuerdo

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October 10, 2023

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THE PUBLIC health emergency brought about by the COVID-19 is officially over all throughout the country.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. issued Proclamation No. 297 on Friday, July 21, lifting the State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines due to COVID-19.

“All prior orders, memoranda, and issuances that are effective only during the State of Public Health Emergency shall be deemed withdrawn, revoked or canceled and shall no longer be in effect,” the proclamation reads.

“All EUA (emergency use authorization) issued by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) pursuant to Executive Order (EO) No. 121 (s. 2020) shall remain valid for a period of one year from the date of lifting of the State of Public Health Emergency for the sole purposes of exhausting the remaining vaccines.”

The order also enjoined all agencies to ensure that their policies, rules and regulations shall take into consideration the lifting of the State of Public Health Emergency and to amend existing or promulgate new issuances, as may be appropriate.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation No. 922 in March 2020, declaring a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Succeeding EO No. 121 (s. 2020) authorized the FDA to issue EUAs for COVID-19 vaccines, which shall be valid only within the duration of the declared public health emergency.

The proclamation also states that although COVID-19 remains to be a serious concern for certain subpopulation and requires continued public health response, the country has maintained sufficient healthcare system capacity and low hospital bed utilization rates even after the liberalization of COVID-19 health protocols.

Last May, the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the decreasing trend in COVID-19 deaths, decline in COVID-19-related hospitalizations and intensive care unit admission, and the high levels of population immunity to SARS-CoV-2.

The committee determined that COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue, which no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, and advised the transition to long-term management of the COVID-19 pandemic. By Elmer Recuerdo (EV Mail July 17-23, 2023 issue)

Leyte prosecutor dismisses murder raps against Mayor Veloso

By

Elmer Recuerdo

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October 10, 2023

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TACLOBAN CITY – The Leyte Provincial Prosecutor dismissed two murder complaints filed against San Isidro, Leyte Mayor Remedio Veloso, his brother Emmanuel, and several others for lack of probable cause and insufficiency of evidence.

In separate resolutions promulgated last June 27, the prosecutor’s office dismissed the case filed by officers of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group regional office (CIDG-8) in relation to the killing of former municipal administrative officer Levi Mabini and another murder complaint for the death of a certain Audie Jesus De Veyra.

The CIDG Regional Field Unit filed the murder case against the town mayor and his brother last March 21 based on the result of their investigation gathered from witnesses pointing to the respondents as the mastermind of the killing of the former town employee.

Mabini was shot to death last May 8, 2019 as he was getting off a motorcycle outside a gas station in Capiñahan village where Mayor Susan Ang resides. He was about to meet the mayor when gunmen attacked him.

The new witnesses presented, namely Zello Veloso, Edgar Dela Rosa and Jed Granados. Veloso and Granados were both nephews of Mayor Veloso while Dela Rosa is a close friend of Granados.

Mayor Veloso said Zello was motivated by hatred and wanted revenge after he was relieved from his assignment as police officer at the municipal police station. He added that Granados, likewise, wanted to become the municipal administrator and at the same time the sole contractor of municipal projects, which he rejected. Dela Rosa and Granados wanted to secure the franchise to operate the municipal cockpit arena, a request that he also denied.

On the complaint for the murder of De Veyra last April 21, 2021, the complainant Lorraine, who is also a sister of the victim, executed an affidavit of desistance and recantation last May 11, 2023 claiming that the witnesses’ testimony against the mayor was false, malicious and baseless.

In a statement sent to his lead counsel Attorney Jay Viajero on Monday, Mayor Veloso said that from the beginning he was already expecting that the cases would be dismissed for lack of probable cause and basis as they were fabricated and politically motivated.

“For this, we are grateful to the Provincial Prosecutor for having uphold truth and justice in the face of unfounded and malicious claims. The now dismissed cases are proven to be a mere falsehood and are solely driven by the desire to tarnish the reputation and standing of the respondents,” he said.

“The saddest part of this political circus and power tripping is that it took away the attention from the inhuman, senseless, and cowardly killing of our sister, (Juanita B. Veloso), last December 21, 2022. That murderous and bestial act is clearly motivated by a lust for political clout and power,” he added.

Juanita Veloso, 77, a former municipal government administrator, suffered five gunshot wounds and died at the scene when the assailants open-fired at their vehicle in Kananga town. Investigators found 40 bullet shells for guns of still unknown calibers at the scene.

“Instead of focusing on the investigation, the prosecution of the assailants and the people behind it, and the prompt resolution of the case, efforts were wrongly invested on unrelated and senseless matters such as the police raid conducted at the Veloso residence in Brgy. Linao, and Brgy. Matungao, San Isidro, Leyte, and the filing of the above-mentioned baseless cases,” the mayor stated. Mayor Veloso said the filing of cases against him and his brother “were done in order to divert the attention and derail the process of attaining justice for the victim and for the bereaved family.” By Elmer Recuerdo (EV Mail July 17-23, 2023 issue)

By

Gwen Maurillo

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October 10, 2023

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WINNING SIGLARO ELITES IN THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED EVRAA 2023 have received their cash incentives from LGU-Ormoc. The distribution was held at the Ormoc City fencing hall on Monday, July 17, 2023.

During the activity, city government officials thanked the athletes for the victory achieved by the city in the said athletic competition.

Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez expressed her gratitude to the athletes for their hard work and their parents who supported their children, saying, “These athletes are heroes and deserve to be honored.”

To recall, the Ormoc Siglaro Elites became EVRAA overall champion – for the third time. (By Gwen Maurillo / EV Mail July 17-23, 2023 issue)

FROM MATALOM W/ LOVE 2: Gilas Pilipinas

By

Atty. Manny Golo

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October 10, 2023

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Dear Atty. Golo,

Looya sa Gilas oi, napildi sa tune up game didto sa Europa. Unsaon pagdaog sa FIBA? Sunod buwan na ra ba. Maayo unta makaduwa si Kai Sotto og Jordan Clarkson. Kon di sila kaduwa, samot way dag-anan. Lupig diay ang player sa politico. Ang politico way pildi-pildi. Kay paliton man ang botante. Madayon ang eleksyon sa kapitan? Nus-a gani to? Modagan unta ko kay ang amo kapitan sige og “travel.” Kon may seminar, adto sa Boracay kay di kono masabtan ang “module” kon anhi ra sa ato. Kon mga politico ang atong paduwaon, seguro daog kay ilang paliton ang referee, he..he..

Umaabot Kapitan,

Tristan

Dear Tristan,

Segun sa balaod (RA11935 ), ang Brgy. og SK elections ipahigayon sa katapusang Lunes sa Oktobre karong tuiga, o inig ka Oct. 30, pohon, kon di ma postpone. Sa basketball, lingin ang bola. Kon ang Gilas pildi karon, aron modaog, ang ila practice angay doblehon. Lahi ang sports sa politika. Ang atong piniliay gihimong pinalitay. Kay ganahan man ka mo molakaw, ang angay nimo apilan, “walkathon.” Maayo kay gusto ka modaog ang Gilas-Pilipinas. Ang mga politico, sila ra juy modaog. Kon ang atong player mga politico, di papuli, di mopasa, pildi gihapon ta kay buaya, ha..ha..

Imong amigo,

Manny G. Golo (EV Mail July 17-23, 2023 issue)

THE PASSERBY: The proper attitude towards laws

By

Fr. Roy Cimagala

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October 10, 2023

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IT’S OBVIOUS that we need laws. We should respect and follow them as faithfully as possible as long as they are just laws. But we have to understand that laws, which in the end come from God, are formulated and articulated by us and therefore are subject to varying human conditions, such as the prevailing culture at the time the laws were made, etc. It’s for this reason why some exceptions can be made in obeying these laws.

We are reminded of this fact of life in that gospel episode where some leading Jews complained to Christ about his disciples doing something unlawful during the Sabbath. That unlawful thing was nothing other than that these disciples picked grains in the field to eat because they were hungry. (cfr. Mt 12,1-8)

That was when Christ clarified to them what the real intent of the Sabbath law was. He explained that exceptions can be made. “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry,” he said, “when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat?”

Still more: “Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?”

Then he explained why such exceptions can be made. “I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

It is quite clear that laws are made to serve our ultimate end, and that can only be that we be led to God, our original source and ultimate end. Our laws should be such that they should not negate nor even undermine the achievement of this fundamental purpose of the laws. Even our traffic laws, so insignificant if impacted with our ultimate end, should respect this fundamental purpose.

But what do we have? We sometimes absolutize our laws as if they are the ultimate purpose in our life. They can be so rigidly and indiscriminatingly applied to all cases when there can be exceptions or even exemptions that can be made. We fall into some kind of legalism.

And nowadays, there are even laws that undermine the ultimate purpose of our life, that is, our proper relation with God. Christ himself complained about this. “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” (Mk 7,8) We are now making ourselves as the ultimate lawgiver, as if we are the creator of the universe.

We have to be careful with our tendency to fall into what is called as legalism, which is a way of making our human laws so absolute as to regulate even matters of conscience that they become the end in themselves. Legalism is when we make our human laws so absolute that they cannot stand any more improvement, enrichment, or even revision and revocation.

Legalism is when we get too obsessed with following the letter of the law at the expense of recognizing the true spirit of the law. It is usually characterized by rigidity and heartless treatment of people, especially those disadvantaged by a given law. This is not to say that our laws are useless. No. Laws are always necessary and very useful. But they should be treated as means only, not as ends. As such, they cannot be treated as if these laws are the only laws that have to be followed. In a given situation or case, other laws may be followed. By Fr. Roy Cimagala (EV Mail July 17-23, 2023 issue)

R&D BUZZ AND BYTES: Call to Earth Day

By

Manny Palomar, PhD

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October 10, 2023

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HUMANS ARE CAUSING alarming changes to the planet. Collectively, we are destroying ecosystems, polluting the ocean and altering our climate. As individuals, we can all play a role in making things better.

The third annual Call to Earth Day is on November 8, 2023. Call to Earth is a CNN initiative dedicated to conservation, environmentalism, and sustainability. Across TV, our website and social media, we tell stories about our incredible planet and the remarkable people who are protecting it.

The majority of the world’s population live in urban areas, and for many people exactly how our actions impact remote and wild areas can be difficult to see. For this year’s Call to Earth Day, we want to focus on the crucial connection between cities and wilderness.

CNN will be featuring stories from around the world, from the inner city, the suburbs, the plains, the mountains, the jungle, and more to show how people living in urban areas can still have a huge impact on both wild environments around the world and the hidden wilderness within our cities.

Across the globe, incredible individuals and groups are working to reverse the damage to nature from the wilderness to the city.

Your participation is key to a successful Call to Earth Day. Planning an event can be daunting, so here are our top tips on how to embark on your Call to Earth Day preparations:

Identify your goals

Whether you live in the wilderness and have firsthand experience of the dangers to the Earth’s natural spaces, or whether you can effect change at the source by altering your habits and educating others, you can help us to protect Our Shared Home.

To get started, it’s important to figure out what you hope to achieve with your event. It could focus on reducing plastic pollution, tackling deforestation, protecting biodiversity, or a different environmental issue that is close to your heart. (Shout out to: VSU Environmental Awareness Movement.)

Decide what to do

Last year, groups around the world carried out beach and river cleans, held tree-planting sessions, and crafted ambitious art projects. For inspiration, you can check out a selection of last year’s amazing events.

Decide which environmental issue you want to take action on and try to figure out how your group can help. Your event could fall under one of these categories or it could be something else entirely.

Spread the word

When the day comes, make sure to let the world know about your event. Please be sure to take pictures and videos of what you get up to and post them on social media.

Please use the hashtag #CallToEarth or #CallToEarthDay so CNN can find the posts and potentially feature them in a coverage of the day. By Manny Palomar, PhD (EV Mail July 17-23, 2023 issue)