Edge Davao Vol. 15 Issue 324 | Sunday-Monday, May 7-8, 2023

RIDERS ASSURANCE

Councilor to ensure riders’ business permit application will be easy, affordable

By MAYA M. PADILLO

Davao City Councilor Bernard Al-ag assured that delivery riders’ business permit applications are easy and affordable.

Al-ag, chair of the committee on trade, commerce, and industry of the City Council, said he will be filing for second reading and present a solution to the problem besetting the delivery riders in Davao City.

“Naa pa ta karon sa level sa committee level. Daghan ta mga legal issues na gina-thresh out. Dili pako maka divulge kung unsa ang final recommendation. We will make sure na ang ilahang application will be easy

Some Covid-19 protocols must stay after WHO lifted emergency: expert

and affordable,” Al-ag said in an interview.

In February this year, delivery riders in Davao City appealed for an exemption from paying the business permit fee amounting to around P3,000 mandated by the city government of Davao on delivery riders. They said many of them encountered financial scarcity and their income is based on per delivery.

Some COVID-19 protocols must continue despite the lifting by the World Health Organization of its highest alert regarding the respiratory disease that has claimed nearly 7 million lives globally, an infectious disease expert said Saturday.

According to Dr. Rontgene Solante, chairman of the Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine at the San Lazaro Hospital, the lifting of the global health emergency declaration for COVID-19 does not mean the pandemic has ended.

lines on COVID-19.

The WHO on the same day lifted the global health emergency declaration on COVID-19, citing the increasing population immunity because of vaccination and infection, decreasing mortality and easing of pressure on health systems.

The UN health agency first declared the so-called public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) over the crisis on January 30, 2020.

As of May 3, the WHO has logged more than 765 million COVID-19 cases, of which over 6.9 million resulted in deaths.

LTO

chief: ‘Fixers,’

fake

docs jeopardize public safety

The chief of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Friday said fixers and those selling fake licenses and other documents “jeopardize” public safety.

LTO chief, Assistant Secretary Jose Arturo “Jay Art” Tugade said the agency would continue to work with law enforcement authorities and the public to “eradicate the dishonest activities that have tarnished the agency’s reputation.”

“Fake licenses result in unqualified and hazardous drivers, while counterfeit vehicle regis-

trations indicate vehicles that are not roadworthy,” he said.

Tugade lauded the work of the City Intelligence Unit of the Cagayan de Oro police and the LTO Region 10 in separate operations that led to the arrest of two alleged fixers.

“Our agency strives to maintain the integrity of our processes and ultimately safeguard the public,” Tugade said.

The operations began after an informant notified the police of receiving a counterfeit LTO official receipt for their vehicle from a delivery rider.

“This led to the rider’s arrest and the subsequent apprehension of a woman accused of producing false documents,” he said.

Authorities confiscated fraudulent ORs, certificates of registration, driver’s licenses, and equipment used in creating counterfeit documents during the operations.

“The two detained suspects are in police custody and will face charges for falsifying public documents,” he said.

A third suspect remains atlarge. (PNA)

“May mga protocols tayong kailangan pa rin nating panatilihin. I think kasama diyan yung how we will incorporate yung vaccination sa programa natin, na we need to continue to protect the population, especially yung population at high risk ang mortality, yung vulnerable population,” he said.

“Importante pa rin ‘yan dahil alam natin that the virus continues to mutate, and there are (members of the) population at high risk of getting the infection, that can also get the more severe infection,” he added.

Solante said surveillance of cases and monitoring of the capacity of medical facilities to handle coronavirus infections should also be sustained.

The Department of Health said Friday evening it will convene members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to reassess policies and other guide-

In the Philippines, close to 4.1 million cases have been confirmed as of Friday, including 9,159 that are active and 66,444 deaths.

It is “with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency”, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters on Friday, estimating that the pandemic had killed “at least 20 million” people -- nearly three times the under seven million deaths officially recorded.

But, Tedros warned, the decision did not mean the danger was over, cautioning that the emergency status could be reinstated if the situation changes.

“The worst thing any country could do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that COVID-19 is nothing to worry about,” he said.

A business registration plate is displayed by a delivery rider on a thermal bag attached to his motorcycle. Councilor Bernard Al-ag gave his assured that delivery riders’ business permit application process will be easier and affordable. Lean Daval Jr.

DA 11’s onion derby in Monkayo aims to improve Davao Region’s production

By MAYA M. PADILLO

The regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA 11) staged a novel onion derby in the municipality of Monkayo in Davao de Oro on May 4, 2023 aiming to improve the production of onion in the Davao Region and not depend on the outside sources.

Onion derby targets to identify the best and high-yielding bulb onion seed variety that is suitable to the soil quality and climatic condition of the Davao Region.

The aforementioned showcase of onion varieties, which was held in a 5,000 square meter production space, was participated by four onion seed companies.

“Ang derby mura ni siya ug pa contest kung unsa ang seeds na maayo. Naay upat ka players

ug same area nga magdungan sila ug tanum,” said Abel James Monteagudo, regional director of DA-11, during the Agribiz Media Forum at SM Lanang Premier on Tuesday. Through this onion derby, seed companies can showcase their best variety and technology, and find out what variety can grow in particular climate conditions.

Hydrogène de France Energy Asia expands to Mindanao

Hydrogène de France (HDF) Energy Asia furthers the development of its renewable power plants in Asia by bringing its renewable energy to Mindanao.

On May 5, 2023, HDF inked a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), OLTAMA (Olutanga, Talusan, and Mabuhay) Development Alliance and Pagadian City LGU, and the Zamboanga del Sur II Electric Cooperative at the Acacia Hotel Davao for the development of Olutanga Hydrogen Renewable Power Plant Project in Zamboanga Sibugay.

The municipalities of Olutanga, Talusan, and Mabuhay in Zamboanga Sibugay will serve as pilot areas for the said project, which will be developed in Talusan, Zamboanga Sibugay.

But Mathieu Geze, president and director of HDF Energy Asia, said they will still conduct a study of the project, specially the water source as it will need water to produce energy.

French Ambassador to the Philippines Michéle Boccoz said the power plant is expected to contribute to the development of Zamboanga Sibugay and Mindanao as a whole by providing non-intermittent and clean energy to the area.

“I am sure that this project will pave the way to new partnership opportunities as HDF Energy is currently developing its pipeline of projects across Mindanao. As we must now address major challenges such as climate

FHYDROGÈNE, P6

NPA loses 256 members, 113 firearms to Caraga cops in Q1

At least 256 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels surrendered and 113 firearms were retrieved in a series of anti-insurgency operations launched by the Police Regional Office (PRO) 13 (Caraga) during the first quarter of the year.

In a statement Friday, PRO-13 said 63 rebels were arrested during the conduct of manhunt operations while the 193 other NPA combatants voluntarily surrendered to various PRO-13 field units from January to April.

Among the NPA leaders arrested were Remon H. Tumanan, 32; Junie H. Tumanan, 28; and a certain “YangYang,” 31, respectively the top three most-wanted persons in the region.

The three, identified as high-ranking leaders of the NPA Guerrilla Front 4B under the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee, were arrested in Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte on Feb. 28.

Meanwhile, the NPA surrenderers handed over 113 firearms and 73 explosive devices during the period.

“The arrests and surrender will further weaken the NPA group in the region,” PRO-13 Director Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II.

He acknowledged the support of the local government units, communities, and other government agencies in the intensified campaign against the communist rebels. (PNA)

Seasoned comics artist Randy Valiente (left) shares his expertise to students at a workshop held at the La Herencia gallery in Davao City on May 4, 2023. The workshop is part of an ongoing exhibition dubbed “Komiks: Sining Biswal” marking 100 years of Philippine comics. MindaNews Photo

FDA, P6

On Monday Executive Order No. 03 allowing the voluntary wearing of face masks in outdoor settings and reiterating the continued implementation of the Minimum Public Health Standards during the State of Public Health Emergency relative to the Covid-19 pandemic:

“We are trying our best to hit the target of a 50/50 mix of energy up to 2023. So far, we might hit not just 50/50 [more than that] because of this development.”

chairperson Secretary MARIA BELEN ACOSTA

“Init kaayo,” my nephew said recently.

At that time, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the heat index in various parts of the country “may hit 40°C and above.”

“At midday, expect highest air temperatures at 34-35°C in several areas,” the country’s weather bureau said. “But the heat index – or the heat felt by our bodies – may possibly exceed 40°C.”

That’s too hot to handle, indeed!

As warm-blooded beings, we maintain our body temperature with a narrow range (within one or two degrees of 37°C) despite large fluctuations in external temperatures.

“This internal temperature range must be maintained for the body to function normally,” pointed The Merck Manual of Medical Information. “Body temperature that gets too high or too low can result in serious injury to organs or death.”

Heat sickness, health experts tell us, is a fast-acting, dangerous killer. Examples include

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke.

Heat cramps are associated with a lack of fluids, high temperatures and a lack of physical conditions. They can be treated with water, cool air, and rest.

Heat exhaustion, on the other hand, is a serious illness and should be carefully monitored. Cool, shady environments, liquids, cool rags placed on various areas of the body, and replenishment of electrolytes are used to treat this condition.

Heatstroke is the most severe form of heat-induced illness. In fact, it is a medical emergency. The person must be brought to the hospital at once.

“Heatstroke can kill or cause damage to the brain and other internal organs,” says the website, webmd.org. “Although heatstroke mainly affects people over age 50, it also takes a toll on healthy, young athletes.”

Indeed, heat has a profound impact on our health. The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) said that extreme heat is responsible for hundreds or thousands of deaths around the world every year.

“It is also associated with an

TREES VERSUS EXTREME HEAT

increased risk of conditions including heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Heat also exacerbates mental health conditions, hampers cognitive functioning and makes a person more aggressive,” Forbes observed.

One sustainable and less expensive way of beating extreme heat is trees. A study published in the Lancet medical journal said that planting more trees in the cities could cut the number of people dying from high temperatures in summer.

We can add the dry spell and long drought which the forthcoming El Niño brings.

“The cooling effect of trees comes largely from shading and transpiration, which is when water within the tree is released as water vapor through their leaves,” explains New Scientist. “This process takes heat energy from the surrounding environment for evaporation, lowering the surrounding temperature.”

Transpiration, my high school science teacher told us, is “loss of water through small tiny pores of leaves called stomata. When this water comes on the surface of the leaf, the

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

After April 17, 2019, when Republic Act 11326 was approved, Davao City’s Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), at age 102, snared the title as the country’s largest public hospital with a 1,500bed capacity. Before this, the honor belonged to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila, which has a capacity of 1,500 beds, inclusive of the 400 beds clas-sified as private.

SPMC’s provenance dates to December 20, 1917, following the enactment of Act No. 2727. Any mention of ‘hospital in Davao’ in official records prior to this date exclusively re-fers to Davao Mission Hospital (DMH, now Brokenshire), a sectarian sickbay opened in 1908.

It was in 1918 that funds for the acquisition of a property for a public hospital were allot-ted. The Philippine Legislature passed Act No. 2736, on

February 15, 1918, followed by Act No. 2785, approved on December 21, 1918, which budgeted funds for the proposed hospi-tal’s operations and personnel services. The lot bought for the purpose is where the Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine (IPBM) now stands, along Jose P. Laurel Avenue.

The public hospital’s first provisional facility was a sick ward that was turned over by the Bureau of Public Works (BPW) to the Philippine Health Service. Originally, the infirmary was exclusively used by the workers. Outside the military hospital that catered to American ser-vicemen and Filipino conscripts, public health services were wholly handled by the DMH. The public hospital, by now known as Davao Public Hospital, was inaugurated on Novem-ber 28, 1921.

SPMC’s expansions can be

water evaporates thereby causing a cooling effect.”

This is the reason why we feel comfortable when we stand under a tree.

“Trees and other plants help cool the environment, making vegetation a simple and effective way to reduce urban heat islands,” the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said.

Studies have shown that areas shaded by trees may be 11-25°C cooler than the peak temperature of unshaded areas. Evapotranspiration, alone or in combination with shading, can help reduce peak summer temperature by 1-5°C.

But where have all our trees gone?

A few years back, I accompanied an American friend who visited a Bible school somewhere in the outskirts of Davao City. It was too late when we arrived at the place. Since there was no more electricity by 9 pm, I decided to sleep immediately.

When I woke up the following day, I didn’t see my companion in his bed. I was wondering where he went. But since it was too early to wake up, I decided to go back to sleep. It was around 6

in the morning when I heard my friend calling my name.

“What’s up?” I inquired. “I just came from that mountain up there. I went jogging. I saw this sign (showing something written on his palm). Can you read what this means?” he begged. Well, it was written in our vernacular so he didn’t understand what it meant. It said: “Guinadili ang pagpamutol sa mga kahoy!”

When I told him what those words were, he smirked. “Are you kidding me,” he said. “There are no more trees out there!”

Some records showed that 54 years after Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan “rediscovered” the Philippines, ninety-two percent (27.5 million hectares) of the country’s total land area of 30 million hectares was covered with forests. This went down to 70 percent (20.9 million hectares) in 1863, then to 64 percent (18.9 million hectares) in 1920, and 36.3 percent (10.9 million hectares) in 1970.

Despite laws banning cutting of trees, deforestation still continues. So, don’t wonder why it is very hot these days.

PH’S LARGEST PUBLIC SICKBAY

attributed, in part, to several factors: (i) its location in Davao, the most populous region in southern Philippines; (ii) its declaration as the premier public hospital for Mindanao and Sulu; (iii) it’s being the most modern and best-equipped public hospital outside Metro Manila; (iv) it’s being host to a Heart Center and a Burn Center, the only ones outside Metro Manila; and (v) the thriving business, tourism, and healthy envi-ronment of Davao.

During the war, the hospital, like the DMH, became a Japanese military headquarters. It served as an infirmary for sick and injured soldiers and was also used as an operation center. Within a hundred meters from its location, American structures and Filipino residences were taken over by the Japanese soldiers, both infantry and naval, as quarters.

The present SPMC site,

meanwhile, was a vital Japanese HQ that hosted barracks, a training ground, and a bunker. Situated across what was known as Cabaguio Airfield (the stretch from Palm Drive to the former Lanang golf course), the complex was also a key sup-ply hub.

During the liberation of Davao, the hospital was not spared from the Allied forces’ aerial bombardments while ferreting out Japanese stragglers. As a result, its iconic buildings sus-tained severe damage. For it to reopen, the provincial engineer’s office spearheaded the reha-bilitation while the U.S. Medical Corps assisted in reconstituting the hospital’s medical ser-vices.

The hospital, according to official accounts, started as a 50-bed sickbay and transitioned, after over nine decades of operation, into a 1,200-bed

hospital under RA 9792, approved on November 19, 2009.

A decade later, under RA 11326, signed on April 17, 2019, its bed capac-ity expanded to 1,600, making it the country’s largest tertiary hospital.

Section 2 of RA 11326 states: “The existing hospital facilities and professional health care services of the SPMC are also hereby upgraded and increased to conform with and be com-mensurate to the increase in bed capacity” SPMC’s growth, as shown by the frenzied constructions going on inside its sprawling compound, is palpable. With the old dorms and outpatient clinics giving way to multi-story developments, all open spaces still available are expected, in years to come, to host more medical facilities, making the tertiary hospital as the mecca of medical services south of the country.

Group bats for wage recovery increase as inflation stays high

Amajorlabor group on Friday again called for a legislated “wage recovery increase” following the release of official inflation figures for April.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said that while the inflation rate dipped in April to 6.6 percent from 7.6 percent in March, core inflation hardly budged from 8 percent in March to 7.9 percent in April,

Core inflation strips out food and energy prices which are prone to large fluctuations.

Carlos Miguel Onate, TUCP Legislative officer, cited the high inflation in pitching for TUCP Party List Representative and Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito Mendoza’s House Bill 7871 or the

proposed “Wage Recovery Act of 2023.”

He said the bill intends to recover the lost purchasing power of consumers.

“Yung atin pong concern is that maaaring inflation roller coaster pa rin ito sapagka’t marami kasing factors na kailangan tayong i-consider lalo may paparating na El Niño,” Onate said.

The bill calls for an across-theboard nationwide hike of P150 in the daily salary of workers and employees in the private sector.

Onate said workers can no longer wait for regional wage boards to act on wage hike petitions as well as other proposals to mitigate the plight of consumers.

However, he also said this bill will not preclude the filing of wage hike petitions before wage boards.

“Since ito po ay isang wage recovery effort, yung ating mga legislated wage hike po does not preclude po yung filing ng wage hike petitions through the regional wage boards kung kaya’t muli, yung atin hong urging and we are calling on the regional wage boards to immediately act now on all wage hike petitions,” Onate said.

Pag-IBIG, Singaporean firm eye building ‘net-zero communities’

Marilene Acosta, the CEO of Pag-IBIG Fund, and Prasoon Kumar, the co-founder and CEO of Singapore-based Billion Bricks, met recently to discuss areas of cooperation in building net-zero communities.

The two leaders believe that this innovative business model will benefit the environment and make homeownership more affordable for Pag-IBIG members.

Net-zero communities are those that produce as much energy as they consume, making them

environmentally sustainable.

Billion Bricks plan to build such communities where the income generated from the energy produced will subsidize 20 percent of the monthly amortization of the homebuyers. This will make homeownership more affordable for Filipinos, especially those in lower-income brackets.

Acosta said they are willing to work with Billion Bricks to build net-zero communities in the Philippines as long as it will benefit their members.

Landbank-DBP merger completed by Nov: DOF

The Department of Finance (DOF) on Friday said the final legal merger between the Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) is targeted to be completed by November this year.

“Following the approval of the GCG (Governance Commission for Government Owned or Controlled Corporations), we now await the issuance of an Executive Order sometime this month,” Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said in a briefing.

Cs), government instrumentalities, and local government units (LGUs).

He noted that the merger can generate up to PHP975 million in savings per year through the consolidation of branch operations, on top of the expected reductions in personnel expenses.

The Finance department earlier disclosed that the consolidated bank will have an estimated asset size of about PHP4.18 trillion, and a deposit base amounting to PHP3.59 trillion.

She said this is a unique business model and the first of its kind in the world with the goal of creating sustainable and affordable communities that benefit both the environment and fellow Filipinos.

Kumar said they are excited to partner with Pag-IBIG Fund to bring their expertise as being the premier housing financing institution in the Philippines and their wealth of experience in working to provide decent and affordable housing in the country.

“There will be a joint crafting and approval of the Operational Integration Plan in September, followed by the approval of the Monetary Board in October, before the final legal merger between Landbank and DBP by November,” he said.

Diokno said the consolidated bank will be in the best position to serve as the sole authorized government depository bank for all National Government agencies, Government Owned or Controlled Corporations (GOC-

After the merger, Landbank will be the surviving entity given its higher authorized capital stock of PHP800 billion.

On the issue of retrenchments resulting from the merger, Diokno assured that they will work closely with the two banks “to ensure that personnel decisions are consistent with our objective to enhance the bank’s efficiency and effectiveness.”

“It is important that those who will be separated receive a fair package of benefits in recognition of their valuable service to the government,” he said.

Department of Agriculture 11 (DA 11) director Abel James Monteagudo says during this week’s Agribiz Media Forum at SM Lanang Premier that the goal of the agency’s onion derby is to improve the production of onion in the Davao Region and not depend on the outside sources. Lean Daval Jr.

DOT sees full recovery of domestic tourism this year

Hike in BSP rates still possible despite slower inflation figure

Ahike in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) key rates is still possible despite another deceleration in domestic inflation rate, with economists noting that prices of some commodities remain high and supply issues continue to persist.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported earlier in the day a slower rate of price increases last April to 6.6 percent from the previous month’s 7.6 percent.

However, average inflation in the first four months this year is still above the government’s 2-4 percent target at 7.9 percent.

Core inflation, which excludes volatile oil and food items, also posted slower rate of 7.9 percent from 8 percent last March.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort, in a report on Friday, eyes sustained deceleration of inflation rate after noting the impact of better weather conditions on farmers ability to achieve better harvest.

He, however, noted the risks from higher rice prices due to the same development overseas given the supply issues as well as higher electricity and utility prices, jumps in the price of pork due

Domestictourism in the Philippines is expected to fully recover this year from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco.

to the African swine fever (ASF), and the impact of the looming El Niño.

He said a hike in the central bank’s key policy rates, which have been increased by a total of 425 basis points since May 2022 is still possible given the expectations that inflation would remain elevated in most of this year.

He noted, on the other hand, the possibility of a cut in the BSP’s key rates, as recently signaled by monetary authorities.

He said this is possible “if inflation eases further for four to five straight months, at least; or around June 2023, at the earliest; especially if Fed (Federal Reserve) rate cuts are not yet possible by then.”

“But future Fed rate decisions would still be an important consideration in view of the need to maintain comfortable interest rate differentials to help stabilize the peso exchange rate (if the peso becomes volatile), import costs/prices, and overall inflation,” he said.

Relatively, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), in a report, forecasts sustained deceleration of domestic inflation rate if decline in the prices of commodities in the global markets continues.

However, it may take until 2024 before international tourism in the country fully recovers, she added.

Last year, the Philippines generated P1.7 trillion in visitor receipts from international and domestic tourist spending, the DOT said.

Frasco said it is focusing on promoting the Philippines and strengthening tourism from the ground up.

“The Philippines continues to grapple with challenges in terms of infrastructure and connectivity, which is precisely the reason why the President

has identified tourism as a priority and directed that there be a whole of government approach towards tourism development,” she said.

Compared to other countries in ASEAN, the country still lacks a well-developed infrastructure and connectivity.

To help boost foreign tourist arrivals in the Philippines, the DOT is aiming to market the country as a medical and wellness tourism destination in Asia.

On Friday, the DOT signed a memorandum of agreement to be a title sponsor and par-

ticipate in the International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress in Dusseldorf, Germany next month.

Frasco said the event will expose the country to at least a hundred buyers that have the potential to invest in the Philippines’ medical, health and wellness services. The DOT hopes to also tap the Middle East market.

“The strategic advantage that we have in the Philippines is that our OFWs, having introduced that level of compassionate care, now have brought attention to the Philippines as a destination, where you don’t only receive medical attention, but you can also enjoy the host of other destinations that we offer,” Frasco said.

DOE: Oil prices expected to drop by more than P2/liter on Tuesday

Motorists may expect lower fuel pump prices in the coming week, according to the Department of Energy (DOE) on Friday.

DOE-Oil Industry Management Bureau Director Rino

Abad said that prices of diesel and kerosene are expected to go down by more than P2 per liter. However, adjustments to gasoline prices are still not certain.

If adjusted, the agency said

there would only be minor increases or decreases in the prices of gasoline products.

Pump prices for petroleum products rolled back on Tuesday, marking the second straight week of downward adjustments.

Tomi Adrias, Xiaomi Philippines’ head of marketing, says during Xiaomi Philippines’ first-ever Davao roadshow of the Redmi Note in Davao City on Friday that the company’s mission has always been to be a brand that equips young people with the latest technology available. Lean Daval Jr.

IS WASTE-TO-ENERGY A WASTE OF ENERGY?

SECOND OF THREE PARTS

Editor’s Note: This featured study is prepared by Green Juris Organization of the Ateneo de Davao College of Law. We are publishing the entire study in a series showing this independent study on the Davao City Waste-To-Energy incineration project.

DISADVANTAGES OF WTE FACILITIES INCINERATION IS EXPENSIVE

While Waste-to-energy facilities seem ideal, it does come with serious drawbacks: they are expensive. Incinerating waste requires costly infrastructure and highly trained staff to operate it, entailing significant financial outlay. In Davao City alone, the proposed WTE facility costs P6 Billion and calls for at least P3.5 billion counterpart from the government for its implementation.

According to GAIA (2021), building a waste-to-energy incineration is the most expensive in capital expenditure and operational expenditure compared to other waste management options such as composting, anaerobic digestion, and landfills. It provides that the operational costs is are generally comprised of the manual labor of the skilled workers, fuel, and equipment maintenance which also includes the Environmental Compliance Certifications (EECs) with respect to air emissions, wastewater treatments, and ash disposal.

Incineration facilities, by burning solid waste, constantly need to improve their pollution control equipment to comply with differing and changing emission regulations. In some countries, more waste-to-energy facilities have shut down and are starting to shut down due to costly upgrades and changing emission regulations, as the revenues from energy are not sufficient to cover the operational expenditures. In the United States, thirty-one (31) municipal solid waste incinerators closed between the years 2000, and 2020, due to financial burden caused by costly upgrades and maintenance to comply with pollution control requirements.

Operational expenditure of different waste management options (USD/Tonne)

Studies show that WTE incineration costs more than natural gas, solar and wind energy. Another point of contention is that Waste-to-energy incineration is an inefficient way to generate energy. Burning waste for energy costs more than most existing energy sources per same unit of energy. It costs 4 (four) times more than solar power and wind energy, and costs twice as much as natural gas. Waste-to-energy incineration is even more expensive than coal power by 25%.

ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS OF WTE

The lingering concerns raised by the implementation of a WTE facility in Davao City spring further than the financial costs it would entail for its completion as it posits environmental hazards in the caused by emissions. ClientEarth Communications (2021) posits that “electricity generation at incinerators will soon become closer in carbon intensity to coal and gas than to wind and solar. This is because increasing the proportion of hard-to-recycle plastic waste sent to incinerators will increase the carbon impacts of incineration. Plastic is derived from crude oil and the carbon is released when burnt. So, while the electricity grid should be decarbonizing as a result of more renewable energy sources coming online, electricity produced at the incinerator will become a major climate issue”.

According to the study conducted by Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (2019), each phase of the process of incineration, it results in pollution.

Most heavy metals cause environmental and atmospheric pollution and may be lethal to humans. Heavy metals can become strongly toxic by mixing with different environmental elements, such as water, soil, and air, and humans and other living organisms can be exposed to them through the food chain.

Even with modern particle filtering of the flue gases, a small part of fine particles are emitted to the atmosphere. These heavy metals and fine particles have been repeatedly correlated spatially to infant mortality in the United Kingdom.

HEALTH IMPACTS OF INCINERATION

There are many ways people may ingest or come in contact to airborne pollutants. Those that are present in air emissions, water and residues may enter our system through simply breathing the harmful air, consuming the contaminated water, eating the by-products of contaminated land and vegetation, and cooking fish, meat or other food products that were exposed to the pollutants.

While it is true that the WTE is not yet implemented, nor is it approved by the National Economic and Development Authority but there are data sources and existing epidemiological studies which provide sufficient evidence of the direct health impacts of incinerators. According to Rosenberg (2021), regardless of what is being burned (mixed municipal solid waste, plastic, outputs from “chemical recycling”), waste incineration creates and/or releases harmful chemicals and pollutants, including:

(1) air pollutants such as particulate matter, which cause lung and heart diseases; (2) heavy metals such as lead and mercury, which cause neurological diseases; and (3) Toxic chemicals, such as PFAS and dioxins, which cause cancer and other health problems.

Due to increasing quantities of waste sent to incineration, incinerators will emit more toxins and pollutants that harm the local air quality. In this regard, WTE facilities will have a more significant negative contribution to air pollution as compared to sanitary landfills. Gaseous emissions from burning solid wastes are one of the major concerns with waste-to-energy incineration facilities. Gaseous emissions include nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, heavy metals, and fine particles. Furthermore, “nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), dioxins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are all considered air pollutants that are harmful to humans. Carbon monoxide can even provoke direct poisoning when breathed in at high levels. Heavy metals such as lead, when absorbed into the human body, can lead to direct poisoning or chronic intoxication, depending on exposure. Diseases occurring from the said substances include principally respiratory problems such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, bronchiolitis, and also lung cancer, cardiovascular events, central nervous system dysfunctions, and cutaneous diseases”.

Moreover, Tait et al (2019) identified 61 (66%) papers that demonstrated a significant adverse outcome in relation to waste incineration. Of these, 34 (37%) showed exposure to elevated levels of known pollutants, nine (10%) identified an increased risk of developing some neoplasia, nine (10%) found a correlation with adverse reproductive outcomes, and nine (10%) found a link to other diseases such as hypertension or reduced lung function.

INCINERATION UNDERMINES ZERO

WASTE OBJECTIVES WTE undermines zero waste objec-

tives, and the presence of incineration facilities encourages the production of more waste products within the city. For incineration facilities to operate effectively, it requires a constant supply of waste to burn. Thus, it diminishes the motivations of local or national governments to reduce waste at the source, because more solid waste means that the incineration facility can keep operating.

It is important to note that the onset of incineration will lead to a reduction in recycling efforts by the general populace as they become more aware of the fact that garbage and waste can be easily disposed of by burning rather than going through the effort of recycling.

THE WTE PROJECT IS IN CONTRAVENTION OF EXISTING LAWS.

Planned incinerator project would go against national laws such as the Philippine Clean Air Act, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and the Renewable Energy Act.

Republic Act No. 8749, otherwise known as the Philippine Clean Air Act, is a comprehensive air quality management policy and program which aims to achieve and maintain healthy air for all Filipinos.

Philippine Clean Air Act has an explicit ban on Incineration, thereby defined as the burning of municipal, biomedical and hazardous waste, which process emits poisonous and toxic fumes is hereby prohibited. The exceptions merely included traditional small-scale method of community/neighborhood sanitation “siga”, traditional, agricultural, cultural, health, and food preparation and crematoria. The same section also outlines the mandate of local government units to promote, encourage and implement in their respective jurisdiction a comprehensive ecological waste management that includes waste segregation, recycling and composting. Finally, the same section emphasizes the promotion of the use of state-of-the-art, environmentally sound and safe non-burn technologies for the handling, treatment, thermal destruction, utilization, and disposal of sorted, unrecycled, uncomposted, biomedical and hazardous wastes.

On the other hand, Republic Act No. 9003, also known as Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, has as one of its policies the utilization of environmentally-sound methods that maximize the utilization of valuable resources and encourage resource conservation and recovery. In addition, it makes express mention of the exclusion of incineration to the solutions to be implemented. To quote, “ It is hereby declared the policy of the State to adopt a systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste management program which shall ensure the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of solid waste through the formulation and adoption of the best environmental practice in ecological waste management excluding incineration.” As if it wasn’t more obvious, the Act further defines “resource recovery” to refer to the collection, extraction or recovery of recyclable materials from the waste stream for the purpose of recycling, generating energy or producing a product suitable for beneficial use with the explicit exclusion that such resource recovery facilities exclude incineration.

Finally, Republic Act No. 9513, or the Renewable Energy Act, while it indeed mentioned the exploration and adoption of waste-to-energy solutions, it made no mention of the use of non-recyclable and non-biodegradable waste as sources of energy. Said act clarifies what waste-to-energy

ALTERNATIVES TO WTE UPSCALING SEGREGATION, RECYCLING EFFORTS AND FUNDING OF MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITIES IN THE BARANGAY AND PUROK LEVELS

An alternative to the waste-to-energy incinerator is to upscale recycling efforts at a local level. This prevents the introduction of harmful pollutants into the air and food chain starting with the individual consumer. It is clear that not all waste can be recycled; however, if recycling efforts are a success, it will likely result in a reduction in the amount of waste needed to be disposed of.

MRFs reduce the garbage streams from the households by simply segregating the recyclable materials such as glass, metals and plastics from the biodegradable materials. In an article by Colina IV (2023), it was mentioned that under Republic Act 9003 or Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, barangays need to establish materials recovery facilities (MRF) to receive, sort, process, and store compostable and recyclable materials. Out of 182 barangays in the city, only Barangays Tacunan, Mintal, Mahayag, Gumalang, Lapu-Lapu, Hizon, and Catalunan Grande have functioning MRFs.

If we exploited every available opportunity to recycle the plastic, metal, glass, rubber and other non-organic waste that gets discarded, and if we composted as much of our excess organic matter as we conceivably could, zero waste supporters say we could cut our garbage production by as much as 80 percent . Through reuse and repurposing, and detailed planning to reduce our creation of waste from the getgo, we could get rid of most of the rest, they argue—and for the most part they do so persuasively.

II. APPROACH POLICY-MAKING DIRECTIVES THROUGH WASTE HIERARCHY

Waste Hierarchy Diagram: Mildred Williams

The Amended Waste Framework Directive of the EU (2018) ranks waste management options according to what has the best outcome for the environment. The waste hierarchy is a pivotal tool for policy making as it provides viable solutions on waste management. This is a tool for the framers of the law, national or local, to look into greener alternatives in the waste disposal.

First, prevention also includes reduction as it encompasses the utilization of less material. It technically entails not using anything at all which can contribute to the wastage. Thus, streamlining the design and manufacturing process and preventing large surplus or scraps and as a result excess waste. This stage includes the promotion of research and development into a cleaner, less wasteful products and technologies.

Second, on the reusing stage, it involves cleaning, repairing, repainting, refurbishing, and prolonging the use of the items in whole or in part.

Third, recycling. This is a very common term and the most popular among the stages. This involves the re-creation of solid waste materials into new substances or products.

Fourth, whenever waste backfills or replaces another material, this is recovery. This includes energy generation such as gasification and pyrolysis. Acid or base regeneration and reclaiming metals for reuse.

Finally, the disposal stage which comprises anything that could no longer be reused, recycled or recovered. This is where the landfills and incineration facilities fall.

USE PLASTICS

BAN ON SINGLE

Single use plastics are amongst the major culprits of the mass production of municipal wastes. A move from the local government banning the use of single use plastics for household, commercial and

industrial use may reduce garbage in our locality.

The ban on single-use plastics has been implemented by several countries around the globe to reduce environmental pollution and promote sustainable practices. Single-use plastics include commonly used items such as plastic bags, straws, fast food cutlery, and packaging materials, designed to be thrown away after its first use.

The Green Juris class of Ateneo de Davao College of Law. technologies are covered: As used in this Act, waste-to-energy technologies shall refer to systems which convert to biodegradable materials such as, but not limited to, animal manure or agricultural waste, into useful energy through processes such as anaerobic digestion, fermentation and gasification, among others, subject to the provisions and intent of Republic Act No. 8749 (Clean Air Act of 1999) and Republic Act No. 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000).

Over 100 countries now have a full or partial ban on single-use plastic bags. Between 2010 and 2019, the number of public policies intended to phase out plastic carryout bags tripled. In Europe, 18 countries have imposed bans on thin plastic bags - including France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, and Albania.

With the proper utilization of the policy-making powers of the government and dealing with the violations with severity and imposition of penalties and taxes, businesses and individuals can help reduce plastic waste by embracing more sustainable options such as using reusable bags, bottles, and containers as well as proper disposal of reusable materials.

CONCLUSION

This paper is submitted as a reiteration of the Green Juris’ call for the protection, preservation, and conservation of our environment. The Organization believes that there is a need to divest and reject the option of putting up a WTE facility in Davao City as its negative impacts would far outweigh the positive.

There are already many environmental groups, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Farmers’ Groups and Academic Societies that are vocal about the proposed WTE facilities. We, at Green Juris also echo their sentiments. It is important to reinforce the notion that the environmental and health consequence we are yet to experience will not become mere isolated incidents by reason of underestimation. We highlight the probable impacts as we will not confront them only at one instance but in years and years to come and from generation to generation.

We believe that bringing about WTE technologies and facilities within our midst only present a band-aid solution as there have been studies already conducted that such post health and environmental risks. It also undermines community efforts on waste reduction, recycling, and recovery efforts. The support we need should be geared towards actual, sustainable solutions.

With these, we respectfully present our alternatives in place of the said project:

1. Upscaling segregation, recycling efforts and funding of material recovery facilities in the barangay and purok levels;

2. Approach policy-making directives through waste hierarchy; and

3. Ban on single use plastics.

Furthermore, we urge our Davao City Council to conduct thorough scientific an public consultations that would provide the citizens, stakeholders, interest groups, organizations and academic societies to raise their concerns, provide feedbacks and suggestions which will contribute to the decision-making process. The consideration of the diverse opinions as well as the technical and scientific schools of thought would be a great leap forward in taking into account the possible consequences of today’s actions.

To this end, we cite the landmark case of Oposa vs. Factoran, 224 SCRA 792, which stressed the right of the Filipinos to a balanced and healthful ecology which is associated with the twin concepts of “inter-generational responsibility” and “inter-generational justice”. We owe it to the future generations to act in a responsible and sustainable manner by way of preserving natural resources, protecting the environment, and on the fair distribution of benefits and burdens.

Green Juris, as an environmental arm of the Ateneo de Davao University Law Students, bears the intention of imparting to you our common yolk of inter-generational responsibility and inter-generational justice. It is our common duty to promote sustainability and equity across time, and we must acknowledge the interconnectedness and interdependence of generations.

NGCP energizes MindanaoVisayas Interconnection

NGCP successfully energized the PhP52-Billion Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP), a landmark undertaking that will improve power stability and reliability across the country.

An initial load of 22.5 MegaWatts (MW) was carried by the high voltage submarine and overhead lines from Mindanao to Visayas during its energization on 30 April 2023.

“We expect to gradually increase the MVIP’s transfer capacity to 50MW by mid-May, and 112MW by the end of the month, before energizing to its full transfer capacity of 450MW by the third quarter of this year,” the company explained.

The MVIP is comprised of a 184 circuit-kilometer (ckm) High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) submarine transmission line connecting the power grids of Mindanao and Visayas with a transfer capacity of 450MW expandable to as much as 900MW. The project also includes converter stations in both regions and more than 500ckm of overhead lines to facilitate the flow of electricity.

The MVIP will benefit consumers by providing them a more reliable

and sustainable power transmission service that will lessen the instances of power interruptions. It will also promote energy resource sharing, as excess power generated in one region can now be transmitted to the other.

“The completion of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project is a significant achievement for us and for the Philippines as a whole. This will not only improve the reliability of our transmission services but will lead to efficient energy utilization as one Philippine grid,” said NGCP.

Parts of the MVIP were completed in 2022, such as the Lala-Aurora 138kV Transmission Line, the 350kV Submarine Cable, and Cable Terminal Stations in Santander, Cebu, and Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. NGCP expects to complete the remaining components of the project and ramp up the transfer capacity of the facility in the coming months.

“NGCP is committed to providing the Filipino people with a reliable transmission network which is the backbone of the nation’s development. The completion of the MVIP is a significant step towards achieving that goal,” NGCP stated.

Realme deals to look out for at Shopee, Lazada 5.5 sale

Grab your very own realme products and save up to 58% OFF on realme Official Shopee Store or up to 75% OFF on realme Official Lazada Store!

Manila, Philippines - realme Philippines, the two-year consecutive champion according to Canalys and IDC sell-in reports published 2021 & 2022, kicks off the month by joining the 5.5 sale campaigns via Shopee and Lazada. From smartphones, audio, wearables, to accessories, realme is offering irresistible discounts all while bundling additional freebies!

Fans are in for a treat as realme products can be scored at the Shopee 5.5 Brands Festival with up to 58% OFF from May 5 to 7. To make things even more fun during the first selling on May 5, realme will be giving away an additional 15% OFF vouchers to all customers that are redeemable upon checkout. On top of this, fans should also watch out for surprise voucher drops on selected realme products during the day!

This could also be the per-

Airbnb 2023 Summer Release: Introducing Airbnb Rooms, an all-new take on the original Airbnb

fect time for those looking to get themselves (or their loved ones!) a new smartphone, because the realme C30s (4GB+64GB), realme C35 (4GB+64GB), and realme C33 (4GB+64GB) are up for grabs at a discounted price!

Meanwhile on the Lazada 5.5 Brand Savers Sale, fans can score up to 75% OFF on selected realme products from May 5 to 9. Exclusive cashbacks and free shipping vouchers are also available for claiming! See below for the voucher guide to help you make the most out of the sale!

Make sure to add to cart via realme’s flagship stores on Shopee and Lazada.

• realme Shopee Official Store: https://shopee.ph/realmeofficialstore • realme Lazada Official Store: https://www.lazada.com.ph/ shop/realme

To learn more about realme Philippines and get updated on the latest deals this coming 5.5 Sale, check out the official realme Facebook page or visit the official realme website.

Plus over 50 new features and upgrades based on feedback from our community, including total price display, transparent checkout instructions, improved maps, redesigned wishlists, and more

Manila, Philippines. – With the pandemic finally over, this year we’re expecting 300 million people to travel and host on Airbnb. To prepare, we’re making the most extensive set of improvements to Airbnb ever, starting with the introduction of Airbnb Rooms, an all-new take on the original Airbnb. We’re also launching over 50 new features and upgrades that address top feedback from our guests and Hosts across the end-to-end Airbnb experience.

Airbnb Rooms category Redesigned filters Host Passport Introducing Airbnb Rooms

Airbnb began as a way to stay in a room in someone else’s home. This original idea of sharing a home offers two unique benefits. First, it’s more affordable for guests. More than 80% of private rooms are under $100/night, with an average rate of $67/night. Second, staying with a Host is a great way to meet someone new and experience the city like a local.

We think this idea is more important than ever. In the current economic environment, people want to travel affordably. And after years of being isolated during the pandemic, they’re looking for ways to connect with people and have authentic experiences. Now is the perfect time to stay in a room in someone else’s home. But for even more people to try it, they have to feel comfortable staying with a Host.

Today, we’re introducing Airbnb Rooms, an all-new take on the original Airbnb. Guests have told us that they want to know more about who they’re staying with. Every Airbnb Room features a Host Passport, which helps guests get to know their Host before booking their stay. We’ve also created a Rooms category with over 1 million listings, redesigned filters and added new privacy features.

“With Airbnb Rooms, we’re getting back to the idea that started it all - back to our founding ethos of sharing,” said Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO. “Airbnb Rooms are often more affordable than hotels, and they’re the most authentic way to experience a city. This is the soul of Airbnb.”

• Host Passport - We want every

do for work, a fun fact about themselves, and much more.

• Airbnb Rooms category - Airbnb Rooms are easy to discover, with a new category featuring a curated set of 1 million private bedrooms. Listings include access to shared spaces, like the kitchen, living room, or backyard.

• Redesigned filters - We’ve redesigned the “type of place” filter to make it easy to switch between Airbnb Rooms, entire homes, or all types of places. It’s simple to view the average price for each type of place with an enhanced price filter that updates based on your choice.

• New privacy features - We know that when you’re sharing a home, privacy is important.

All Airbnb Rooms will clearly indicate if the bedroom door has a lock. The listing page also shows whether the bathrooms are shared or private, and whether people other than the Host will be in the home during your stay.

Total price display Transparent check out Improved maps instructions 50+ new features and upgrades based on your feedback

In preparation for an anticipated record-setting travel season, we’re improving nearly every aspect of the Airbnb service - and we’re doing it based on feedback from our community.

guest to feel comfortable staying with a Host. Exclusive to Airbnb Rooms, the Host Passport helps you get to know your Host before booking your stay.

Simply tap the Host Passport to view a larger photo and details Hosts have shared about themselves, including where they went to school, what they

To improve our service, we took a design-driven approach. We started by storyboarding the guest and Host journey - from sign up to checking out, and every step in between. We created a blueprint of the experience - every screen, every policy, and every interaction with customer support mapped out. Then, we analyzed millions of customer service tickets and mapped them across the journey. We also reviewed thousands of social media posts and spoke with hundreds of thousands of guests and Hosts about how to improve Airbnb.

DA... FROM 3

The said program will provide farmers with a platform to become knowledgeable about new technology and effective agricultural techniques to boost the land productivity of onions, which will help the production output in the Davao Region.

Monteagudo said they are expecting to harvest the onions in the next few months.

He also requested SM Lanang Premier for cooperation by buying the harvested onions or provide farmers space to display their onions.

“Maskin sa gawas lang ug magbutang ug tent. With that action coming from DA Field Office we would assume probably we will be able to solve a little the problem of supply and demand of onions in the coming days and months,” Monteagudo said.

Meanwhile, according to the combined 2022 Quarterly Report, in the towns of Magsaysay and Matanao, a total of 1,190 sqm of red bulb onions were planted.

HYDROGÈNE... FROM 3

change thus it is particularly adequate to suit the needs and the geography of Southern Philippines,” she said in her message.

The facility, which has an estimated cost of $50 million, is planned to be built on a 50-hectare property in Talusan, Zamboanga Sibugay.

MinDA chair Secretary Maria Belen Acosta said the signing of the MOC signals the strengthened commitment of the local government to ensure the success of the said energy project for the OLTAMA Development Alliance and the rest of the Zam-

“Actually, na discover namo nga naa gyud diay nagatanum ug sibuyas sa Magsaysay, Davao del Sur. Kato nga area is malampuson sila sa pagproduce ug sibuyas sa tinuod lang. Guwapo, nindot, ug daghan ang ilang na harvest,” Monteagudo said.

Republic of the Philippines

Local Civil Registry Office

Province of Davao Oriental Municipality of Governor Generoso

Publication Notice

R.A. 10172

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

CCE-0004-2023

Date: April 24, 2023

In compliance with the publication requirement and pursuant to OCRG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1, Guidelines in the Implementation of the Administrative Order No. 1 Series of 2012 (IRR on R.A. 10172), Notice is hereby served to the public that VENIE JOY CAMPO AVERGONZADO has filed with this Office, a petition for correction of entry in child’s sex from “Female” to “MALE” in the Certificate of Live Birth of VENIE JOY CAMPO AVERGONZADO at Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental and whose parents are JOY M. AVERGONZADO and AMALIA C. CAMPO.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office not later than two weeks (14 days) after the last publication.

(Sgd.) CRISANTA T. CRODUA

Municipal Civil Registrar

of the mortgagor with the mortgagee amounts to EIGHT HUNDRED FORTY FIVE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED NINETY SEVEN PESOS AND 72/100 (₱845,897.72) Philippine Currency, inclusive of interest and other charges as of February 10, 2023; the undersigned Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on June 1, 2023 at 10:00

A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of the Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the following real property/ies with all the improvements found thereon particularly described below, to wit:

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 146-2021007504

“A PARCEL OF LAND (LOT 4, BLOCK 23 OF THE SUBDIVISION PLAN PCS-11-005085, BEING A PORTION OF CONSOLIDATION-SUBDIVISION OF LOT 1061. CAD-174. LOT 1063. CAD-174. LOT 1. PSD-31479. LOT 35. PCS-3076AMD. LOT 46. PCS-3076 AMD. AND LOT 51. PCS-3076 AMD.) SITUATED IN THE BARANGAY OF TACUNAN, CITY OF DAVAO, ISLAND OF MINDANAO. XXX CONTAINING AN AREA OF ONE HUNDRED (100) SQUARE METERS, MORE OR LESS. XXX.

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on July 16, 2023, without further notice.

Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the herein- above described real property/ies and encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Davao City, Philippines, April 24, 2023, 2023.

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER The OIC Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Prov’l Sheriff (SGD.) BRIX IAN J. NARBASA

boanga Sibugay.

“Aside from this project, there are more coming for LGUs in Mindanao. Umpisahan na-

tin and later on all these areas in Mindanao that really need power will be connected and will have their own and hindi na

tayo kailangan na kumonek pa sa major grid because you will have your source of power,” she said.

By Maya M. Padillo

EXTRA JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE WITH SALE

The public is hereby notified that the intestate estate of the late NERIO S. CRISANTO, SR. who died on May 14, 2017 at Davao City, which estate consists of one (1) parcel of land situated in the Barrio of Cabantian, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, containing area of ONE HUNDRED NINETY (190) SQ.M. more or less, embraced in and covered by Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-195990 has been the subject of an Extrajudicial Settlement with Sale, by and among his heirs, as duly ratified, acknowledged, and entered as Doc. No. 90; Page No. 19; Book No. I, Series of 2023; in the notarial registry of Atty. JONI S. PURAY, a duly-commissioned Notary Public in Philippines.

EXTRA JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF THE LATE LEE KHEN TAY WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS

The public is hereby notified that the intestate estate of the late LEE KHENG TAY who died on February 21, 2010 at West Windsor Township, Mercer Country, New Jersey, which estate consists of three (3) parcels of land to wit:

1) TCT No. T-35766 consisting of an area of One Hundred Seventy-seven (177) square meters, located at Woodridge Subd., Ma-a, Davao City

2) TCT No. 35767 consisting an area of One Hundred Seventy-eight (178) square meters located at Woodridge Subd., Ma-a, Dvao City

3) TCT No. T-350837 consisting of an area of Thirty Thousand (30,000) square meters, located at Catigan, Davao City.

That the above-mentioned properties have been the subject of an Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver of Rights, by and among his heirs, as duly ratified, acknowledged, and entered as Doc. No. 103; Page No. 22; Book No. VIII, Series of 2023; in the notarial registry of Atty. JOCELYN ARRO-VALENCIA, a duly-commissioned Notary Public in Philippines.

EXTRA JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF THE LATE ALIPIO S. SOYLON AND JEORGITA R. SOYLON WITH SALE

The public is hereby notified that the intestate estate of the late ALIPIO S. SOYLON and JEORGITA R. SOYLON who died on December 2, 2015 and August 12, 2012 respectively, which estate consists of one (1) parcel of land situated in the Sitio of Basak, Barangay of Mintal, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of SIX HUNDRED (600) SQ.M. more or less, embraced in and covered by Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-213223 has been the subject of an Extrajudicial Settlement with Sale, by and among their heirs, as duly ratified, acknowledged, and entered as Doc. No. 37; Page No. 9; Book No. X, Series of 2023; in the notarial registry of Atty. KARL MAX LU LABANON, RN, a duly-commissioned Notary Public in Philippines.

AFFIDAVIT OF SELFADJUDICATION

The public is hereby notified that the intestate estate of the late RHODORA FAUNI FEROLIN who died on April 14, 2023 at Davao City, which estate consists of the following bank accounts to wit:

1) ATM Savings Account No. 3-040-26964-0 with deposit amounting Eight thousand six hundred four and 32/100 (₱ 8,604.32), and

2) Metrobank, Davao Toril Branch with Passbook Savings Account with Account Numbers:

a. 040-3-04006353-7 with deposit amounting ₱1,000,171.52

b. 040-3-04009809-8 with deposit amounting ₱20,061.06

c. 040-3-04029090-8 with deposit amounting ₱4,570.35

That the above-mentioned properties have been the subject of a Deed of Self-Adjudication, by her sole heir, JULES TYRELL JABONERO FEROLIN, as duly ratified, acknowledged, and entered as Doc. No. 306; Page No. 63; Book No. CDLXXVII, Series of 2023; in the notarial registry of Atty. JOSE DIONISIO N. GUEVARRA, a duly-commissioned Notary Public in Philippines.

Celtics down 76ers in Philly, Embiid winless since being named MVP

PHILADELPHIA — Jayson Tatum scored 27 points, Jaylen Brown had 23 and the Boston Celtics spoiled Joel Embiid’s MVP coronation, beating the Philadelphia 76ers, 114-102, Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Game Four is on Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid had 30 points and 13 rebounds in his second game back from a sprained right knee after receiving his MVP trophy in a pregame ceremony.

Boston gave 76ers fans little reason to cheer again.

The Sixers pulled within five on De’Anthony Melton’s 3-pointer to get the crowd back into the game for all of 20 seconds before Malcolm Brogdon countered with a 3 to give Boston a 100-92 lead. Al Horford crushed the Sixers again — as he has most of his career — when he buried a 3 for a seven-point lead.

Embiid, forced to try and win it alone without any serious offensive help, missed a pull-up 18-footer and Tatum drained a jumper that all but put the game away. Tatum hit one more 3 for good measure and the Celtics seized control of the series.

Embiid was flanked by his

parents and teammates as he received the MVP trophy from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver before Game 3. Sixers fans roared as Embiid hoisted the trophy high over his head. Then the moment turned touching. Embiid’s young son, Arthur, ran onto the court and into the arms of his father.

Embiid held his son, who wore a “My dad is the MVP” T-shirt, and wiped tears from his eyes as fans chanted “MVP! MVP!”

“Honestly, he’s the main reason why I’m really here,” Embiid said. “Becoming a father really changed my whole life. I just wanted to show him a good example.”

The good times didn’t last long.

Boston spiked any emotional carryover from the ceremony and raced to a quick 10-point lead.

The Sixers spent the rest of the game playing catch-up. All the energy spent to come back and take brief leads quickly evaporat-

ed and the Celtics snagged them right back.

Embiid gamely tried to carry the Sixers on one good knee, but got almost no help from James

Harden and Tyrese Maxey. Harden’s 45-point effort in a Game 1 upset in Boston seemed more an aberration than a sign of things to come. Harden followed his 2 of

14 in a Game 2 loss with 3-for-13 shooting for 16 points. Harden failed to pick up the Sixers in the third, when he could have changed the game.

The Boston Celtics spoiled Joel Embiid’s MVP coronation, beating the Philadelphia 76ers, 114-102.

SHINES LIKE GOLD

Davao’s Arbois wins marathon silver in SEA Games

Mindanao athletes Arlan Arbois of Davao City and Christine Hallasgo of Bukidnon finished on the podium of the men’s and women’s marathon race of the ongoing 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia on Saturday.

Arbois, a standout of Rizal Memorial Colleges in Davao City, settled for the silver medal in the men’s marathon with the majestic Angkor Wat as backdrop in Siem Reap on Saturday at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.

Arbois completed the 42-kilometer course under sunny skies in two hours and 33:27 minutes to reach the podium behind Indonesia’s Agus Prayogo, who claimed the gold medal in 2:32:59.

In the women’s side, Milo ambassador Hallasgo registered 2:50:27 to finish third behind Indonesia’s Odekta Naibaho (2:48:14) and Vietnam’s Thi Tuyet Le (2:49:21) to claim bronze.

Over in Aquathlon, Andrew Kim Remolino logged 15 minutes and seven seconds to claim silver behind Indonesia’s Rashif Yaqin who clocked 14:28. Singapore’s Bryce Sheng Cher Chong had 15:39.

Overall, the Philippines has four golds, six silvers, and four bronze medals in the ongoing biennial meet.