Edge Davao Vol. 15 Issue 269 | Wednesday, March 1, 2023

SECURITY DETAILS

FPRRD, VP Sara, VIPs to get security packages for Araw ng Davao events

By MAYA M. PADILLO

Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Police Major Catherine dela Rey disclosed on Tuesday that security packages for the VIP guests who are expected to grace the 86th Araw ng Davao celebration including former president Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte.

rity packages giandam ang DCPO para sa ilahang tanan,” said dela Rey over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Tuesday.

In an earlier interview, citizen Rodrigo Duterte said he may be joining the Araw ng Davao celebration this year.

“I would like to thank the people and congratulate the people of Davao for joining us in our jour-

CSWDO continues to validate, assist victims of Saturday’s fire

ney towards governance,” Duterte said.

As to the vice president, no information yet if she will be joining the celebration.

Meanwhile, dela Rey said that it is the marching order of city director Colonel Alberto Lupaz to the police personnel that the celebration of Araw must still be zero incidents.

Sara allows home studying in Pikit as class attendance drops due to ‘climate of fear’

Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte has ordered school officials in Pikit, North Cotabato to implement remote studying after a dramatic drop in class attendance marred some schools due to the spate of violence that lately targeted students there.

Duterte visited on Monday the Pikit National High School (PNHS), where a 65-percent drop in class attendance was recorded due the “climate of fear” sowed by the killing of minors, including the fatal gun attack on 13-yearold Fahad Dianalan Guintawan, a Grade 7 student of PNHS and a resident

of Sitio Tambak Barangay Gli-gli, last February 14.

The two other companions of the victims were wounded in the gun attack.

Two days later, Justine Ababon, 15, a Grade 9 student of Notre Dame of Pikit and a resident of Barangay Fort Pikit, was killed by unidentified suspects

while tending their store.

Ababon was helping that time his parent’s store following the suspension of classes imposed by the local government following the shooting of Guintawan and his companions.

According to reports, the spate of killings was

The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) continues house validation and spot mapping for the families in Barangay 22-C and Barangay 21-C whose houses were razed by the February 25, 2023 fire incident.

CSWDO Emergency Assistance Program Division Head Anabelle Lugo, in an interview with the City Information Office (CIO), said that the validation and spot mapping continue after the fire incident and interviews conducted after the validation will be the basis for the financial assistance.

While the validation is ongoing, CSWDO Administrative Officer IV Julie Dayaday, in a separate interview with CIO Monday, said that ration cards are given to 603 families and 53 individuals from Barangay 21-C and identified 379 families and 66 individuals from Barangay 22-C.

“Kung kinsa tung nahatagan nato ug ration cards sila tung priority nato sa mga goods nga gihatag sa city government of Davao, goods nga gikan sa DSWD,

goods nga gikan sa atong mga partners, and mga donors (Those who are given ration cards are prioritized in the distribution of goods from the City Government of Davao, goods from the DSWD, and goods from our partners, and our donors),” Dayaday said.

She said that immediately after the fire last Saturday, the CSWDO deployed a mobile kitchen and also provided tents and sleeping bags. The evacuation centers also have child-friendly spaces and breastfeeding areas.

City Health Office representatives are also on standby for medical needs.

Psychological first aid is also given by the CHO and a team from the CSWDO to individuals by request.

Public Safety and Security Office head Angel Sumagaysay, in an interview on Monday, also said that their office has provided personnel to secure the evacuation area and the donation centers.

The city according to Dayaday is still receiving donations to be dropped off at the Task Force Davao,

Vice President amd Education Secretary Sara Duterte visits Pikit Central Elementary School and Pikit National High School on Monday to personally check on the students of the said North Cotabato town. The vice president has ordered school officials in Pikit to implement remote studying after a drop in class attendance marred some schools due to the spate of violence that lately targeted students. FB page of Inday Sara Duterte

“Definitely naa sila dinhi sa dakbayan sa Davao si FPRRD ug VP Sara aron makipag celebrate pero as to the other VIPs rest assured nga naay secu-

FSECURITY, P10

Checkpoint ops to be intensified during Araw ng Davao celebration

Davao de Oro eyes for more tourism-related establishments

Davao de Oro Provin-

cial Tourism Officer

Christine Dompor told media on Tuesday that the province is looking for more tourism-related establishments, particularly in the accommodation sector, to cater to the increasing tourist arrivals.

“We are looking for more accommodation facilities para sa overnight stay at para ma lengthen ang stay sa mga guests kay usually sa amoa is more on day tours kay because of the limited accommodation facilities. Naga look forward mi mag increase kay ubay ubay na pud ang nag abri namo nga destinations,” Dompor said during P.E.P Talk media forum at SM Lanang Premier on Tuesday.

Dompor said Davao de Oro is experiencing an increase in tourism receipts and arrivals. In 2020, Davao de Oro placed number 10 in the country, and in 2021 ranked 6 in terms of high tourism receipts because of the local tourism domestic bubble.

“Sa tourist receipts pag

pandemic napalong siya naay 35 percent decrease mao na ang the previous years na wala ta because of the pandemic but when we reopened it nagtaas. Ang trend karon sa atoang mga resorts and accommodation is “exclusive booking.” Aduna tay increase around 40 percent increase from 2021 to 2022. Kaning pagtaas sa atoang gasolina isa sa mga naka hamper karon for travel. Kung long holidays and weekends kay medyo matauhan. Sauna even weekdays dili gyud ma zero sa bookings,” she said.

Dompor attributed the increase to the development of tourism-related establishments in the province. She said there are also community-based eco-tourism (CBET) sites that were opened and managed by the communities or local barangays.

“During the pandemic miraculously nakita nato it’s not a measurement pala ang presence of the foreign groups because FDAVAO, P10

By MAYA M. PADILLO

An official of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) announced on Tuesday that there is no gun ban throughout the celebration of Araw ng Davao but checkpoint operations will be intensified.

“Walay gun ban. I-intensify lang nato ang checkpoints ana and then kung naa mo’y baril kompletoha lang ang inyong papeles,” said Police Major Catherine dela Rey, DCPO spokesperson, over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Tuesday.

Dela Rey said a total of 11,000 security personnel, which will be comprised of various security forces including police personnel, Task Force Davao, the city government of Davao through the Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO),

and force multipliers, that will be deployed for the whole month celebration.

She added that the biggest deployment will be during the Parada Dabawenyo on March 18, which will start along Roxas Avenue.

“Pinakadako nato na deployment kay sa Parada Dabawenyo on March 18 kay mao na ang dagsa sa mga tao sa San Pedro Square,” she said.

Dela Rey also said that

the augmentation that was promised by the Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) is at the DCPO headquarters and ready for deployment.

“Gihatag na sila sa mga police stations ug ang station commanders ang naay discretions kung unsaon sila pag deploy ug kung asa na mga areas,” she said.

The DCPO also conducted a send-off ceremony on Tuesday for the said security forces at the DCPO Parade Ground.

MILF calls on politicians to dismantle private armies before barangay polls

While four provincial governors of the Bangsamoro region are calling to hasten the full decommissioning of members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) before the conduct of barangay elections on October 30, the MILF leadership who now runs the autonomous region has in turn urged politicians

to dismantle their private armies.

Ahod Balawag “Murad”

Ebrahim, the chairman of the MILF and now the chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said he has no problem to fast-track the process of decommissioning.

But he stressed that this

effort should coincide with the eradication of private armies of the politicians, which he said “bolster tension in the region.”

Governors Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu of Maguindanao del Sur, Abdusakur Tan of Sulu, Hadjiman Hataman-Salliman of Basilan, and Yshmael Sali of Tawi-Tawi sent an “urgent appeal” to President Fer-

dinand Marcos Jr. for the immediate decommissioning of MILF forces and the postponement of the barangay elections until the decommissioning is fully implemented.

They said that the presence of MILF base commands is the reason for the “climate of lawlessness” in the region.

Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Major Catherine dela Rey bares that there is no implementation of gun ban throughout the celebration of Araw ng Davao, however, checkpoint operations will be intensified. Lean Daval Jr.

BCDA remits P7.53B to nat’l gov’t in 2022

TheBases Conversion and Development Authority’s (BCDA) remittance to the national government (NG) rose 64 percent to PHP7.53 billion last year from PHP4.59 billion in 2021.

In a press conference Monday, BCDA chief executive officer Aileen Zosa said the nearly PHP3 billion increase in remittance to the NG last year was mainly driven by continuing cash

inflows from its joint ventures, leases and other income-generating activities.

Bulk of BCDA’s remittance to the Bureau of the Treasury will be allotted to the Armed Force of the

Philippines’ (AFP) modernization program. AFP’s share from BCDA proceeds in 2022 increased to PHP7.21 billion from PHP2.64 billion in the previous year.

Under Republic Act 7227, otherwise known as the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992, the BCDA has the authority to develop former military camps and generate funds

for the AFP modernization program.

“This strong financial performance is driven by our commitment to our mandate of improving the quality of lives of those not just in our properties, but also those in the surrounding communities. After a very difficult two years, doing more with less will be the underlying principle

PhilMech to train, fund coops to boost coconut industry

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) on Monday said it will train and fund cooperatives to further boost the coconut industry in the country.

In a statement, Phil-

Mech executive director Dr. Dionisio Alvindia said the agency wants cooperatives to succeed in producing value-added coconut products.

Included in these “value-added products” are crude coconut oil, processed coconut oil, virgin

coconut oil, desiccated coconut, coconut coir and coconut sap, the PhilMech said.

“We will provide three years of coaching and mentoring. We want these cooperatives to be successful,” Alvindia said.

The PhilMech said the

PH’s 1st carrier-neutral reg’l data center eyes expansion

Officials of the country’s largest carrier-neutral and regional data center in the country are already studying options for a second site ahead of the opening of a joint venture firm’s first center, Narra 1, on Tuesday.

In a briefing on Monday, Digital Edge chief product officer Jonathan Chou said they aim to provide a service that will compete with data centers overseas such as those in Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States.

Threadborne Group, target to provide world-class data center services with the likes of Amazon through its 10-megawatt (MW) center at the Laguna Technopark in Binan.

The center offers 2,200 cabinets for colocation site for technology-related firms.

agency will be spearheading the establishment of shared processing facilities (SPFs) for qualified coconut farmer cooperatives which have a PHP500-million budget for the next 12 months.

The initial

Chou said they consider regional players and not local counterparts as their competitors, thus the aim to “really work hard” to ensure their services meet the needs of their clients.

The USD100-joint venture firm between regional player Digital Edge (Singapore) Holdings Pte. Ltd. and local technology and real estate company

Chou said the firm aims to be a carbon-neutral data center by 2030, to source at least 50 percent of power from renewable energy by 2025, and to achieve to have a peak power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.3 or less, among others.

“We have firm conviction on the size and the potential of the market in the Philippines. So, we will continue to invest as long as the growth is there,” he said.

Chou said they still do not have specific details for the second site but he de-

Container vans piled together are seen inside a private port in Sasa, Davao City. Some groups urged the government to rethink the ratification of the country’s participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) due to threats to local industries and potential income losses. Lean Daval Jr.

FBCDA, P10

Bangsamoro region draws 2 investments worth P130-M

Gov’t urged to rethink RCEP due to threats to industries

Several groups on Monday urged the government to rethink the ratification of the country’s participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) due to threats to local industries and potential income losses.

RCEP is a free trade deal among 14 other nations including ASEAN member states and its partners China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Sonny Africa, the Executive Director of the independent think tank IBON Foundation, said the country has not benefitted on any of the past trade agreements that promised more investments and better jobs for the Filipinos.

He said the government was downplaying the lower tariff revenues and failed to see that the country is poised to lose roughly $58.2 million in revenues due to RCEP concessions, he added.

Twonew businesses worth about P130 million were accredited by the Bangsamoro Board of Investments (BBOI), the agency revealed Tuesday.

structure, energy, tourism and halal industry, among others.

lion for the project seen to generate about 100 jobs.

“Mahaba na ang karanasan natin sa free trade agreements. Maraming marami ang naipangako, pero marami rin ang napako,” he said during a people’s forum organized in UP Diliman.

Some free trade agreements, he said could lead to trade deficit and “worsening” food import dependency.

“Oo lumalaki ang kalakaran ng exports, pero mas malaki ang iniimport natin,” he said.

Former Agrarian Reform Secretary and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMU) Chairman Emeritus Rafael Mariano said Filipino farmers would suffer income losses due to the expected increase in the imports of agricultural products.

He also said local products are not competitive in the bigger export market.

“Hindi na maiiwan ang agrikultura kasi matagal nang naiwan iyan. Wala ring kasiguraduhan na

FGOV’T, P10

Mohammad Pasigan, BBOI chair, identified the newly-approved investments as M & R Layer Poultry Farm in Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao del Norte and the Timako Seafood Resto in Cotabato City.

Pasigan invited more investors to pour capital in the BARMM, which is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur,

Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, the cities of Marawi, Lamitan and Cotabato, and 63 villages in North Cotabato known as the Special Geographic Area.

He said their promotion is anchored on the region’s Strategic Investment Priorities Plan (SIPP), which covers agriculture, fisheries, infra-

“BBOI will exert more efforts in promoting (the region’s) investment (potentials) by conducting BARMM – wide SIPP consultations and will even go out of its way to attract investors through business coaching and investment facilitation,” Pasigan said in a statement.

M & R Layer Poultry Farm, which is engaged in the production of halal eggs in Barangay (village) Buliok, invested P107 mil-

“This is the second approved investment of the BBOI focusing on the halal industry. BARMM is now in the process of developing and promoting halal industries as a mode of achieving equity and justice among our farmers and producers, and increasing employment opportunities for the domestic labor force,” said Trade Minister Abu Amri Taddik, an ex-officio member of the BBOI.

Converge, KT Corp ink deal on possible biz partnership

Converge ICT and South Korea’s KT Corp have agreed to pursue a potential business collaboration and partnership, the broadband service provider disclosed on Tuesday.

Converge said that among the potential deals it eyes with KT Corp, formerly known as Korea Telecom, were a cloud-based

video surveillance solution called Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) and a transportation management technology, Mobility as a Service (MaaS).

The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding at the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Converge said.

“The agreement was signed by Converge President and Co-Founder, Maria Grace Uy, and KT Senior Vice President, Sunguk Moon,” Converge said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

“This potential partnership with KT will allow us to co-innovate and deliver advanced technologies suited

for the needs of Philippine businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs),” Uy added.

Converge has also partnered with Singapore-based Keppel Telecommunications and Transportation Inc to set up a subsea cable system that will include the country to boost connectivity.

Former president Rodrigo Duterte, together with Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. chief executive officer and co-founder Dennis Athony Uy (5th from left) and president and co-founder Marie Grace Uy (4th from left), leads the groundbreaking of the broadband service provider’s Bifrost Davao cable landing station in Bago Gal-

lera, Davao City on February 22, 2023. Converge ICT and South Korea’s KT Corporation have signed an accord to pursue potential strategic partnership to support digital transformation of Philippine enterprises. Lean Daval Jr.

FBANGSAMORO, P10

On the

“I would like to thank the people and congratulate the people of Davao for joining us in our journey towards governance.”

President RODRIGODUTERTE

“If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life.” - PLATO

Philosophical it may be, but the closest we can comprehend the troubles every nation is going through is to be pragmatic about the needs every constituent human being must have.

The approach may emanate from our historical past because the present evolved from yesterday’s experience.

From the relics ot the past, man has been in search of food to survive hunger and live for another day.

It didn’t matter if man had a roof above his head because trees and caves are found to provide shelter from the heat of the sun and the coldness of the rain.

Clothing, after food and shelter, was next, as protection from the cold and the hot rays

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

of the sun.

Man hunted wild animals for their fur and leather.

Today not much differs from our existence in the yonder past because man is intrinsically the same human being since he was created by the divine power of God ages and epochs ago.

The above narrative indicates just what governance must initially tackle because everything boils down to survival.

Some countries use their military and economic power to subjugate neighboring states to satisfy their imperialistic hegemony, enlarge and build their own resources and patromny so that their own people can exploit and survive the global chaos and degenarative decadence.

Third World nations remain fencesitters because they are helpless to withstand the aggression whether it is done in times of peace or in times of war.

They borrow or beg or patiently wait for financial and

UNDERSTANDING OUR ERA

material assistance in times of crises, calamities and catastrophes - a sorry state and ordeal, if you ask me.

The Philippines is a Third World country long aspiring to reach the status of what our neighbors have achieved in governance.

But we have yet to be united as a people.

Because of the polarizing effects of political disagreements and policy-making, Filipinos don’t really know whether they are moving forward or backward.

They can’t even determnine what system of government is best for the country as myriad efforts to introduce beneficial amendments to the loopholes the 1986 constitution has bred remain a contentious issue that has led to unsettled debate and argumentation.

The Philippines, after gaining indpendence in 1946 arising out of the ruins of the Sec-

ond World War, has remained intolerably fractious in many aspects of Philippine social life.

Because hunger and poverty have been haunting and hounding us for decades, should not the government then - as elementary as it it (as Sherlock Holmes use to tell his pal Dr. Watson) - focus its efforts toward attaining suffiency in food security ahead of the other concerns?

Everybody works first for food on the table, right?

Even if one earns monery and has income to buy food but there is inadequate supply and the prices of commodities are soaring, how can a family survive?

These are hard times.

This is happening in many parts of the world - in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Lebanon, elsewhere in Africa, Eastern Europe, South America and in Asia.

At the risk of blabbering our

explanations, unlike the many countries who are suffering a lack, the Philippines has so much arable lands, extensive marine, oil and mining resources to get its work done.

Praise the Pinoys for their innate resiliency because they continue to endure the lack of jobs and income opportunities by resourcefully finding work overseas as a temporary though palliative solution.

(Perhaps we can attribute this quality and virtue to the centuries of slave-like and robotic subjugation under Spain, the US and Japan.)

So I pop this query: Do Pinoys, as a people, understand the situation the country and government are in today?

Indeed, as Plato warns us, education must equip us to achieve our collective ends or forever “walk lame to the end of his life”. (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

FIRES HIT SANTA ANA WATERFRONT

The elevation of Davao into a city during the Commonwealth greatly increased the activi-ties at Santa Ana wharf whose premises and adjacent areas hosted the biggest number of warehouses anywhere in the region, mainly hemp bodegas stacked with abaca for export.

On April 26, 1938, a fire that struck at 5:30 PM destroyed the International Harvester Company (IHC) warehouse though its true cause was unclear. Over 15.000 bales of abaca were burned and damage reached P360,000, including the value of machinery and equipment incinerated.

Davao City mayor Santiago Artiaga immediately wired Elpidio R. Quirino, the interior secretary, on the status of the incident, telling him that no relief was needed momen-

tarily.

The initial inquiry conducted by the Philippine Army and the Davao City police indicated the accident could have been caused by a faulty electrical installation or intentionally started by a laborer. Witnesses said the flames commenced from the upper floor of the building, while others claimed it started in the bodega which was at the time already closed.

It was, according to the accounts of the day, one of the biggest to hit the city in decades.

The Tribune, national broadsheet, reported a day later: “BLAZE SWEEPS DAVAO PIER.”

“Hundreds of thousands of pesos went up in smoke late yesterday afternoon when a fire of unknown origin broke out in the Dort area

of Davao, Davao, occupied by large ware-houses of leading Manila business houses.

“The bodega of the International Harvester Company of the Philippines, one of the larg-est in the district, was razed to the ground. Reports of the conflagration were received by the main office here of the company and the bureau of posts.

“The Pacific Commercial Company bodega, which is nearest to the Internation-al Harvester warehouse, and those of Hanson. Orth and Stevenson, incorporated, the Mitsui

“Bussan Kaisha, Columbia Rope, and the bureau of public works, were threatened by the flames at 7 o’clock last night, when the last word was received by the bureau of posts from the Davao postmaster.

“Strong winds blowing at

7:30 last night aided the rapid spread of the flames. The Davao City fire fighting apparatus purchased since the inauguration of Mayor Santiago Artiaga as put to a rigid test. “Policemen performing the extra work of foremen battled to combat flames.”

Two and a half years later, another big fire hit the port area, this time burning the bodega of Hanson, Orth and Stevenson, Inc., a hemp-exporting company, with property damage es-timated at about P200,000.

The fire, which endangered the entire waterfront, was relayed to Manila at 6:30 PM on November 11, 1940, through the postmaster in Davao whose office was around a kilometer away from the port area, stating:

“At 6 p.m. we began evacuating the receiving station in

Santa Ana due to the big fire in the International Harvester bodega which was totally burned now. The adjoining buildings are still in danger due to changes in the course of the strong winds at 7:30 p.m. Our files, rec-ords and cash are safe as well as other articles. Office still safe.”

Fortunately, the incident was shortly placed under control with help from the heavy rain.

F. L. Laurence, vice-president and manager of the firm, who received the report of the fire, said the company’s stock of fiber in the warehouse was not very big.

An account carried by The Tribune, a national broadsheet, reported that abaca worth Pl50,000 in 4,156 bales and in loose fiber was burned, excluding the value of the recently built building.

SOCIAL MEDIA, GEN Z FUEL COCKTAILS’ RISING POPULARITY

beneficial for Tanduay whose award-winning rums are staples in cocktail bars. This has also been a way for the brand to introduce itself to the international market.

“Serving Tanduay-infused cocktails is a way of acquainting people with the brand,” Gironella said.

Tanduay’s premium rum products like the award-winning Tanduay Rum Gold, Tanduay Double Gold, Tanduay Rum Silver, and Boracay Rum product line are now available in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Tanduay Head for Research and Development

Janno Gironella said that today’s consumers have become more open to trying new drinks because of the influence of social media. At the same time, they want their drinking experience to be more personalized.

“These have made a great impact on why Filipinos are now embracing cocktails,” Gironella pointed out.

Introducing Philippine Rum to Other Markets

The renewed interest in cocktails has been

In 2022, the brand’s international business grew by 16 percent. Its U.S. business also increased by 16 percent and its Asia-Pacific/Middle East markets by 293 percent.

To give international consumers ideas on how they can incorporate these products to their cocktails, Tanduay came out with a Cocktail Culture book. Working with professional mixologists, they came up with recipes that one can make at home.

Tanduay has also

opened bars in the home arenas of its partner-teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Tanduay bars that serve cocktails infused with the brands different rums are now open at the Fiserv Forum, the home of the Milwaukee Bucks; Target Center of the Minnesota Timberwolves; and Footprint Center of the Phoenix Suns.

With the growth of the cocktail segment, Gironella shared that they are also developing their cordials.

“We are looking at growing our Jamaica Lime brand and introduce new flavors to address consumers’ prefer-

ence for customization,” he said.

RTD Cocktails on the Rise

Ready-to-drink (RTD) products are likewise experiencing a surge in sales as a result of cocktails’ popularity.

“There are consumers who are looking for easy and convenient ways to enjoy cocktails. Prior to the pandemic, we already saw the potential of the RTD segment, so we invested in research and development to create RTD cocktails. We wanted them to be delicious, affordable, and convenient,” Gironella said.

The brand’s RTD

products include the Tanduay Cocktails and the Barman Cocktail Concentrate.

The former comes in three-liter bags and boxes and are perfect for big parties. They are also for consumers who don’t have the time to buy ingredients for their cocktails. The Tanduay Cocktails are available in Strawberry Daiquiri, Piña Colada, and Green Margarita flavors.

The latter, meanwhile, comes in a concentrated format. Its flavors include Black Russian, Dark and Stormy, and Amaretto Sour.

“All they need to do is add water and adjust it according to their alco-

hol strength, sweetness, and intensity preferences. There are consumers who want their cocktails to be low in alcohol content,” Gironella said. The demand for both its RTD and nonRTD rum products also brought about the expansion of Tanduay’s distribution channels, he further shared.

What’s Next for the Rum Market?

Gironella noted that coming out of the pandemic, consumers are also looking for new experiences.

“So, we might see more pop-up bars and tasting events, where people can socialize,” he said.

Exploring interesting flavors and valuing individuality has played a role in cocktails’ rising demand in the Philippines.

Two days before Christmas in 2017, a fire broke out at the New City Commercial Center (NCCC) Mall in Davao City. The fire raged for 31 hours; it started at 9:35 in the morning of December 23 and was declared under control at 5:15 in the morning the following day.

The fire happened in broad daylight. Was there a way some deaths could have been avoided?

It’s possible, according to the information posted by my friend, Dr. Teofredo “Ted” R. Esguerra, on his Facebook. The only flight surgeon in Southeast Asia, he has been lecturing and sharing his expertise on disaster management.

The information, taken from the website of the Tufts University in the United States, gives some basics about fire safety. First and foremost, you need to familiarize yourself with “where you are” (inside a mall, for instance). Be sure to know

how to reach the two (yes, not just one!) nearest exits. Bear this in mind, too: In a fire situation, smoke is blinding and will bank down in the rooms and hallways. To escape to safety in a situation where there is already smoke, you have to crouch or crawl.

“By always being aware of your surroundings, your knowledge of the nearest two exits, and having a plan will greatly increase your ability to deal with sudden emergencies,” the information said.

By virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 115-A, March was declared as Fire Prevention Month because

WHEN THERE’S SMOKE, THERE’S FIRE

BY HENRYLITO D. TACIO

of the alarming increase of fire incidents happening across the country during this time of the year. Imagine hearing an announcement of fire or discovering yourself a fire, what are the things you must do? Tufts University instructed: Move quickly to the nearest accessible exit (which you have already known in the beginning). If you have discovered a fire, notify and assist others to

evacuate along the way. If the building fire alarm is not yet sounding, manually activate the alarm pull station located near the exit.

After doing that, get out of the building as quickly as possible. Don’t worry about some of the valuables you have left; life is more important than those materials.

More often than not, there are fire extinguishers all over the building. When should these be used and is it alright to use it in case of fire? The information offers these tips: Only if you are trained and confident in fire extinguisher use. Only if the fire is small in size (no larger than a small trash can). If you do fight the fire, use only one extinguisher and then evacuate the building.

By the way, you are not obligated to fight fires of any size. If you have any doubt, do not attempt to fight the fire.

Just remember this: Total and immediate evacuation is the safest.

Now, what if you are caught in the middle of a smoke, what should you do? Drop to hands and knees and crawl towards the nearest exit. Stay low, smoke will rise to ceiling level first. Hold your breath as much as possible. Breathe through your nose and use a filter (such

as a shirt, towel or handkerchief).

During a fire incident, the number one enemy is not the fire but the smoke you get inhaled. “People are scared of the flames and think it is the main killer,” Daniel D. Solana, a Davao firefighter said. “It’s actually the lack of oxygen that will kill a person faster.”

The Merck Manual of Medical Information explains: “Inhalation of chemicals released in the smoke, such as hydrogen chloride, phosgene, sulfur dioxide, and ammonia, can swell and damage the lungs and trachea. Eventually, the small airways leading to the lung narrow, further obstructing airflow.”

Smoke can also contain chemicals that poison the body’s cells, such as carbon monoxide and cyanide. “High levels of carbon monoxide in the blood may cause confusion or disorientation or may even be fatal,” the Merck manual said.

If ever you are trapped in a room due to fire or smoke, call 911 or the emergency line in your area to report your location and conditions. Close as many doors as possible between you and the fire. Wet and place cloth material around or under the door to help prevent smoke from entering. If the room has an

outside window, be prepared to signal to someone outside.

Fire, science tells us, is the visible effect of the process of combustion – a special type of chemical reaction. It occurs between oxygen in the air and some sort of fuel. The products from the chemical reaction are completely different from the starting material.

The fuel must be heated to its ignition temperature for combustion to occur. However, three things must be present in order for a fire to exist: heat, fuel and oxygen. This is known as the fire triangle, according to Sheffar S. Lajarani, who was the officer-in-charge of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Bansalan, Davao del Sur, when we interviewed her.

“Combustion is when fuel reacts with oxygen to release heat energy,” explained the website of Science Learning Hub. “Combustion can be slow or fast depending on the amount of oxygen available. Combustion that results in a flame is very fast and is called burning. Combustion can only occur between gases.”

Fuels come in three forms: solids, liquids and gases, Lajarani pointed out. Examples of solid are wood, dried leaves, clothing mateFWHEN, P10

Fire is common during the month of March (Blatchley)

SECURITY...

FROM 2 CSWDO... FROM 2

“Ug mag inampingay kitang tanan aron maachieve nato ni ug aron ma engganyo ang ubang bisita nga musuroy ug mu-enjoy sa dakbayan sa Davao kay labi na ang atoang tagline na “Life is Here” tinuod gyud kaayo na,” she said.

An annual event, Araw ng Davao is celebrated to honor the city’s beginning. The celebration includes numerous parades, live concerts, and cultural, athletic, and culinary events.

Dela Rey said a total of

SARA... FROM 2

allegedly triggered by vengeance among warring groups.

During her closeddoor meeting with PNHS principal Abdulkadir Buda, Duterte was informed that the killing of students resulted in the dramatic decline in class attendance, apparently out of fear for their lives. Duterte was accompanied by Education Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo.

Owing to this, Duterte directed school officials to implement the Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) or remote learning instructions for children still afraid to go to school.

“Ang trabaho natin is lahat ng mga takot, patuloy pa rin silang mag-aral sa bahay. So dapat hanapin ninyo yan sila lahat. Sabihan sila mag ADM sila (We must let those cowering in fear to continue studying at their homes. You must look for them and tell them to study under the ADM scheme),” she told PNHS officials.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) had expressed concern over the violence inflicted against children in Pikit town.

UNICEF said the Philippines is legally obligated to protect the rights of children under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Special Protection of Children against Abuse,

BCDA... FROM 4

of all our efforts in BCDA as the national government copes with tightening budgets. Now more than ever,

11,000 security personnel, which will be comprised of various security forces including police personnel, Task Force Davao, the city government of Davao through the Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO), and force multipliers, that will be deployed for the whole month celebration.

She added that the biggest deployment will be during the Parada Dabawenyo on March 18, which will start along Roxas Avenue.

Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

It pointed out that violence and conflict often have devastating consequences for children.

During her visit, Duterte introduced the PagbaBaGo program of the Office of the Vice President, an advocacy campaign that centers on the importance of education in breaking the cycle of poverty and underscoring the significance of responsible parenthood to ensure that children’s basic needs like education are met.

The Vice President also visited the neighboring Pikit Central Elementary School, where she emphasized the importance of education and hard work as vehicles for achieving their dreams in life.

A few hours after Duterte left the town center, another shooting incident that injured a farmer took place in the Poblacion area, a resident who requested anonymity said.

Two days before the visit of Duterte, a person was killed and another one was wounded when feuding families reportedly clashed in the town’s interior villages.

Recently, additional police and military troops were deployed to augment local security forces amid the violence that rocked the town.

(Ferdinandh B. Cabrera / MindaNews)

we will be very conscious in generating revenues for the modernization of the AFP,” Zosa said. (PNA)

PHILMECH... FROM 4

PHP500-million budget shall be divided into several regions, with CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) having the highest allocation with PHP58.61 million; followed by Northern Mindanao with PHP 53.84 million; Zamboanga Peninsula with PHP52.66 million; Davao region with PHP51.74 million; and Eastern Visayas with PHP50.15 million.

Other regions with below PHP50-million allocation include Bicol Region with PHP43.65 million; Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) with

near Magsaysay Park

She also urged those who will donate clothing to ensure that their donated cloth is the type that can be used by the fire victims.

“Amo lang gyud gihangyo nga kadtong mudonar ug sinina kung pwde lang gyud kana gyud nga magamit ug gina-discourage gyud namo ang mga used nga underwear, kung pwede kanang bag-o gyud, ug kadtong mga sinina nga dili gyud murag trapo kay tabangunon man gyud sila tinuuron pud ang atong pagtabang pud sa atong kaigsuunan diri sa Davao (We are asking those who are willing to donate clothes, if possible that they should donate those that can really be used by fire victims. We are discouraging those who donate used underwear, if possible, it should be new. They should also donate clothes that do not look like rags,

DAVAO... FROM 3

our local domestic bubble sila ang nagbuhi sa amoa during the pandemic. We just closed in six months and all our neighboring provinces are closed while kami buhi kaayo. Makita nato nagka-anam anam na ang circuit development in one day you can visit as many as five tourism sites,” she said.

Gold-rich Davao de Oro is currently frequented by tourists and adven-

MILF... FROM 3

“In these areas, LGUs (local government units), PNP (Philippine National Police) and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) are severely restrained from enforcing law and order by the ‘peace process mechanisms’ that bar entry of law enforcement agencies in the so-called ‘MILF territories’,” the appeal said.

They mentioned the case of the 39 Special Forces soldiers who were held overnight by the MILF earlier this month in Maguing, Lanao del Sur “on the pretext that their movement and operations were not coordinated with the MILF” and the ambush of Lan-

PHP40.84 million; SOCCKSARGEN with PHP32.51 million; Caraga with PHP29.74 million; Western Visayas with PHP27.13 million; MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) with PHP25.49 million; and Central Visayas with PHP25.01 million.

For Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon, the DA-PhilMech has allocated an initial fund of PHP8.63 million.

Meanwhile, cooperatives should be registered at the Cooperative Development Authority with over 100 members and 5,000 coconuts daily production to qualify as beneficiaries. (PNA)

these people are really in need of help so we must also render genuine help to our brothers and sisters here in Davao,” Dayaday said.

Dayaday also urged affected communities to cooperate with the validation conducted by the CSWDO and follow the rules of the evacuation center.

“Mag-cooperate lang gyud ta and then kung naay mga pahibalo palihug lang pud nga ato lang pud gyud nga tumanon and then bantayan ang atong mga bata dili nato pasagdan ang atong mga kabataan (Should there be instructions we should really follow, and always mind our children and look after them),” Dayaday.

Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte, with DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, visited the evacuees and assured them of a joint effort to provide assistance. CIO

ture seekers because of its sights and destinations which include Bilawa Mainit Hot Waterfalls, New Barili Heights and Sights, Lake Leonard in Maco, Tagbibinta Falls, and Ayuste Nature Park in Maragusan and Salvosa Falls in Pantukan.

The province will be celebrating the Bulawan festival and 25th Founding anniversary on March 6 to 8, 2023. By Maya M. Padillo

ao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr., also in the same municipality, on Feb. 17 as among the reasons for their request to hasten the decommissioning of the MILF forces.

Mohagher Iqbal, Peace Implementing Panel Chair of the MILF, commented that “the irony of all is that the MILF has engaged in decommissioning and we have no doubt that we will undergo on this part of the agreement. It is our commitment. But how about those private armed groups, including the firearms of the politicians? So what will happen now that they have firearms and we don’t have?”

BANGSAMORO... FROM 5

The Bangsamoro region must make its halal industry more competitive through, among others, research and product development, quality assurance measures and value-adding mechanisms for BARMM to carve a name in the regional and international halal markets, he added.

On the other hand, the

GOV’T... FROM 5

mas maraming papasok na investments,” he added.

What the government should do, he said, is to increase the productivity

WHEN... FROM 9

rials and books. Gasoline and kerosene are examples of liquids while gases refer to liquified petroleum gas and methane.

Fire incidents happen all the time. Oftentimes, there are victims and those who are directly hit are most likely to experience a fate worse than death –that of undergoing agonizing pain or burns. About 120,000 people – many of them children under five –die from fire-related burns each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Burns are classified as minor, moderate, or severe. “The severity determines how they are predicted to heal and whether complications are likely,” the Merck manual notes. “Doctors determine the severity of the burn by estimating the percentage of the body surface that has been burned.”

A burn that involves only the top layer of skin is the least severe. “The skin is red and dry and the burn hurts,” explained the book, Community First Aid and Safety. “These burns usually heal in 5-6 days and don’t leave scars.”

Deeper burns, like those experienced by my sister, are also red. “They have blisters that may open and weep clear fluid,” the book said. “The burned skin may look blotchy. These burns are usually painful and the area often swells.”

Some burns destroy all the layers of the skin and the tissues underneath. They can even destroy bones. These burns look brown or blackish. The tissues underneath may appear white. These burns can sometimes be surprisingly pain-free because nerve endings have been destroyed. These burns, however, are critical.

“A critical burn needs immediate medical attention,” the book said. “Critical burns can be life-threatening. It isn’t always easy to tell how severe a burn is right after it has happened.”

In case of fire, what can you do to save a person?

The first minutes of an emergency can be critical, to say the least. Experts estimate that once the heart stops, there is a window of four to six minutes to restore circulation before brain cells begin to die.

Timako Bay Seafood Resto is investing P22.5 million for a tourism-related facility and attraction located in Barangay Kalanganan II, Cotabato City. The proponent aims to come up with a halal restaurant by the beach, with a function hall that can accommodate a maximum of 200 persons.

burns:

Running cool water over a burn may alleviate some of the pain. Mild burns may be treated with burn creams – never use butter. Any burn that encircles a body part (such as a wrist or finger), or any significant burn to the face, should be evaluated by a physician.

Cover burns with sterile bandage to keep them clean and dry. If blisters form, don’t open them.

For third-degree burn, which leave skin charred and turn it white or cream-colored, take the following steps:

Call the emergency medical services in the area. Do not move the victim unless he’s still in danger. Don’t try to remove the victim’s clothing. Cover the burns by laying a clean sheet or blanket over the burned area. Protect the victim from draughts and keep him dry.

Raised burned areas above the level of the heart if possible. Monitor the victim and proceed with steps for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if needed.

CPR is the cornerstone of emergency medicine. There are a lot of reasons why someone’s breathing or heartbeat might stop and burn is one of them. The required action is this: Put oxygen into the victim’s lungs by performing rescue breathing, and circulate it through the body by doing chest compression.

Dehydration develops in people with third-degree burns, because fluid seeps from the blood to the burned tissues. “Shock develops if dehydration is severe,” the Merck manual says. Dehydration is treated with large amounts of fluids given intravenously.

“A person who has gone into shock as a result of dehydration is also given oxygen through a face mask,” the Merck manual points out.

According to the Merck manual, first- and second-degree burns heal in days to weeks without scarring. Deep second-degree and small (less than one inch) third-degree burns take weeks to heal and usually cause scarring.

First aid depends on the severity of the burn. A feature which appeared in Reader’s Digest, shared the following rules that can be applied to mild to moderate

PH’S... FROM 4

scribed “it will be bigger” than their first branch and will materialize within five years.

Digital Edge Philippines Counter Manager Victor Barrios said they aim to be the “shining gold standard” for the industry for being the first regional data center in the country.

“Larger third-degree burns require skin grafting,” the Merck manual explains. “Burns that involve more than 90% of the body surface, or more than 60% in an older person, usually are fatal.” – (Additional photo by Darrell Blatchley)

ations, especially since the pandemic hit.

and quality of our local produce, and implement measures to attain food self-sufficiency instead of opening the local market to more imports.

Barrios said the digital transformation in the country is key in their operations as more companies and the government tap technology to run their daily oper-

He identified the young population, which is second in South East Asia; the Philippines’ ranking as the third in the world in terms of daily time spent on the internet; the push for digitalization among enterprises; government support towards digital infrastructure initiatives; and the forecasts for a 27-percent growth of the data center market in the next five years as among the drivers of their optimism.

Unofficially labeled as the national team championship, PAL choose the queen city of the south as its host for the 74th edition of the annual tournament. With this year’s theme “Back to Ignite” indeed it lit up the burning desires of every media golfers for a reunion and renewal once again the camaraderie among media practitioners. What else can be more fitting than bonding and fellowship through golf.

Led by the ageless Jake Ayson as tournament director and ably supported by chief rulesman, kumpadre Al “Almen” Mendoza, media golfers from print and the newly created division broadcast media converged in Cebu for the two day tournament in Mactan Island Golf and the Alta Vista Golf from February 26 and 27, 2023. Spin.com.ph editor Dodo Catacutan topped the field with his two-day of net 147

CHITO MALABANAN JABONG!

AFTER A TWO YEAR HIATUS, THE PAL INTERCLUB GOLF IS BACK ONCE AGAIN

(74, 73) beating two former winners Rey Bancod (154) and Musong Castillo (156) who tied for third with Vancouver-based Olympian Rey Fortaleza (156).

GMA 7’s Arnold “Igan” Clavio took the plum for broadcast with his 151 ,winning over Ely Saludar (157) and Conrad Banal (160).

This writer, a first-timer representing Edge Davao, had to play without handicap or scratch as part of the tradition being a newbie or baptism of fire of sort, managed to squeeze an 88 and 85 or a total gross of 173.Unofficially the lowest gross overall.

But in this competition, golf scores don’t matter that much since winning is only an added bonus after three days of golf, food, laughter, and recollection of stories after everyone had their share of drinks. Did I say drinks? You bet. It’s limitless and bottoms up.

The biggest smiles however among the golfers belong to the Dabawenyos Jon Develos of Sports Digest and Aljo Bendijo of PTV 4. The duo got the luck of the draw to win grand prize, a round trip regional tickets Economy class from PAL (Asia and Australia).

Senior VP and PAL general counsel Atty Carlos Fernandez graced the occasion and mingled with the golfers during the awarding ceremonies.

The indefatigable Cielo Villaluna supported by Nanette Versoza, Tolits, Ian and Ella made sure the golfers are well fed, alcohol powered (beers and red wine) and had a comfortable stay at the Quincen-

tennial hotel.

Charlie “Davao” Erojo regaled the crowd with his husky voice ala-Rod Stewart-Louie Armstrong songs while acting also as the chief musical director/ technician at the San Pedro function room of the Radisson Blue Cebu Hotel during the awards night.

Al Mendoza, wearing his Beatles shirt belted the classic Come Together and the immortal Lennon song “Imagine”. And again as part of the tradition, Jake Ayson serenated the ladies with his “Mona Lisa” and the last song of the night, “My Way.”

See you again fellas in the 75th edition of PAL Interclub golf.

BATTLE OF CEBU

Davao teams all set for 74th PAL Men’s Interclub

BY CHITO MALABANAN

As action and hostilities continue in the 74th PAL Interclub golf tournament, the battle for supremacy in the unofficial national team championship will shift now to the Men’s Regular Division.

Two courses with entirely different character will stand in the way of the teams and the prestigious trophies. There’s the relatively flat Cebu Country Club in downtown Cebu City and the rolling and treacherous Club Filipino de Cebu in Danao City.

Davao City will be represented by seven (7) club teams competing in different Divisions namely, Apo Golf Club (Founder’s division), Rancho Palos Verdes Team 1 (Aviator), Davao City Golf Club, South Pacific Davao and Lanang Golf (Sportswriter), and the Davao City Golf Team B and Apo Golf Oro Gold Club (Friendship Division).

The South Pacific Team will be led by veteran Ludwig Van Ledesma and supported by Randy Ceniza, Eugene Chiong, Elvie Naranjo, Wendel Adlao, Ace Salazar, Robert Lim, Alejandro So, Jeffrey Ramirez and lawyer Alro Paglinawan. The team is composed mainly of the Team Recovery 5:30 group.

Team Captain Paul Dacudao will lead the Lanang Golf Club to be supported by Danny Nagayo, Danny Gotera, Bok Mata, Abu Mata, Luis Balajadia, Henry Evan-

gelista, Mikey Dizon, Pogs Cabreros and Mark Villorente.

Rancho Palos Verdes General Manager Tommy Inigo bared the line up for the RPVGCC team 2 led by Ninot Galicia with supporting cast in Roderick Lo, Tope Tan, EJ Casintahan, Leo Yap, Jorge Martinez, Enzo Magno, James Morente, Vince Arcenas and Mikey Hao.

“This young team placed 3rd in the last edition of PAL Interclub in Bacolod city and they’re raring to slug it out for the podium finish with the favorites. The team is composed mostly of the young guns of Davao city” says Inigo.

Youthfull Galicia in a team up with Starbucks executive Junjun Lopez, won the overall title in the recently concluded won 25th Sta. Elena Cup member-guest tournament.

A strong tournament where practically the big guns of the country participated in preparation for the PAL Interclub tournament in Cebu.

The Men’s Regular tournament will be held in Cebu Golf and Country Club and Club Filipino de Cebu from March 1 to 4, 2023.

Team Rancho Palos Verdes.