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Eid’l Fitr marks the end of Ramadhan, the Muslim’s fasting month. Following the lunar calendar, the sighting of the new moon signals the change of month in the Muslim’s Hijrah calendar. For those who feel that they have not fulfilled well this month the 4th pillar of Islam, we still have today and tomorrow to fast, give zakat ‘ul fitra (voluntary material or financial assistance), pray the Salatul Taraweeh (special nightly prayer reciting verses of the Qur’an) and the Salatul Layl or Tahajud Salah (midnight prayer). These are special prayers performed voluntarily in congregational and individual prayers.

A day before the Cotabato City bombing, Sittie Rajabia and her husband, Elson, were joking after hearing a United States government advisory of an Al Qaeda threat.

The other day, more or less 500 Agusanon Manbo from Loreto, Agusan del Sur sought refuge in the City of Davao, not to rejoice for the “good harvests” as the city annually celebrates KADAYAWAN, but to tell their stories of fear, anger and desire for justice, peace, equity and inclusion.

By EARL O. CONDEZA
Davao Today

Two barangay captains from Paquibato told councilors that the MGB tricked them to sign a memorandum of agreement to allow mining operations in their areas. They also said they were given 10,000 to 15,000 pesos each from mining firms.

As Davao launches the Kadayawan Durian Festival from August 10 to 25, durian vendors like Tate at the Magsaysay Park struggle to keep his small business afloat.

“Unsaon namo pag-uli nga naa pa may gyera didto sa amoa?(How are we going home when there’s still a war going on there?)” said Jocely Andaliki “At least diri, safety among paminaw, di pareha didto sa amoa nga giabog mi mismo sa among gobernor, (Here, we feel safe, not like there where our governor drove us out).”

Some 400 Manobos refused an order from Agusan del Sur Governor Edward Plaza to leave the capitol compound and dialog with the Philippine Army’s 26th Infantry Battalion in their villages in Loreto town.

A blind musician, Willie, who was a student of the Davao School for the Blind, visited me the other day. He is a good musician, as he could play the guitar, keyboard and could sing. He played the guitar for the theme song of a film I wrote two years ago, which was beautifully sung by his classmate Gaga.

By DAVAO TODAY

Hanimay Suazo of Karapatan Southern Mindanao who was with the medical team coming from Davao said there was chaos as they wanted to talk to provincial government officials to calm down the situation, especially when the adults were contained later by the police away from the children awaiting them. “They still have not eaten, it was like they were placed in a concentration camp,” exclaimed Suazo.

JOHN RIZLE L. SALIGUMBA
Davao Today

The Agusanons endured a grueling two-day travel circuiting two provinces. Starting Thursday, they walked four hours from their evacuation center in Barangay Kauswagan, Loreto, Agusan del Sur, crossed a river to reach the neighboring Laak, Compostela Valley. Then they took a bus that brought them to Tagum City in Davao del Norte at night. Friday morning they traveled to Prosperidad and held a camp-in until provincial officials responded.The Agusanons took this circuitous route to steer clear of the military.