Edge Davao 6 Issue 209 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

Serving a seamless society

DEBUTANT. Newly-installed Davao City Councilor and Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) president January Duterte takes her oath as chairperson of the city council committee on labor and member of the committee on peace and public safety before her husband, Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte, during the City Council’s regular session yesterday at Sangguniang Panlungsod. Lean Daval Jr.

PULONG ON RICE SMUGGLING:

‘THEY CAME BY SHIPLOADS’ By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. abf@edgedavao.net

ICE smuggled into the country through Davao City came by shiploads and not just by container vans.

This was the revelation made by Vice Mayor Paulo Z. Duterte who said that rice smuggling activities in Davao City are nothing new and have been going on for many years. “Dili lang na kay container van ang naga-abot kundi barko jud ang gaabot diri,” Duterte told reporters yesterday in his weekly ‘Pulong-Pulong ni Pulong.’ “Siguro karon lang namatikdan, pero naa na for how many years. Kay ang atong problema diha kay kanang naa

sa sulod sa customs bureau,” he added. The vice mayor said he already heard that news of the big-time rice smuggling syndicate but admitted he cannot act on it as it is the job of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to stop the illegal activity. The rice smuggling activities were reported to have

FPULONG, 10

Malanyaon opens museum

By ANTONIO M. AJERO

B MALANYAON

ajero_antonio@yahoo.com

Y THE time this paper hits the streets today, many media practitioners of Davao City may well be on their way to Mati City to cover the inauguration of the Subangan Museum slated at 3 p.m. “Subangan” is Kagan word for “east,” where the sun and the moon rise to mark the beginning of things. The inauguration of Subangan is undoubtedly the biggest cultural event in the region early in this new year. I am honored to be

one of those invited by Gov. Corazon N. Malanyaon to the unveiling of one of her legacies. Dabawenyos in the know attach a lot of significance to the event considering the continuing role that Davao Oriental plays in the history and socio-cultural development of Davao before it was broken up into four provinces . For instance, it was in Davao Oriental, particularly in the town of Caraga, from where Spanish ex-

FMALANYAON, 10

January debuts in SP M ake way for the new member of the Davao City Council. Yes, new and not so new. January Duterte, president of the Association of Baranggay Captains (ABC) in Davao City, yesterday reported for work for the first time as ex-officio member of the 17th Council. Not much of a stranger though, she is the wife of the man who presides the august chamber—Vice Mayor Paulo Z. Duterte. Mrs. Duterte is the barangay captain of Catalunan Grande. She won the ABC presidency unopposed with the overwhelming support of the majority of baranDUTERTE g a y

captains in the city. The new lady councilor said in her first privilege speech yesterday that she was honored to represent the 182 baranggays in the city. “I don’t see any magnificent power and glory in it. All I see is a huge

FJANUARY, 10

EDGEDAVAO

THE BIG NEWS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

WEATHER FORECAST

AT COAL PLANT

HANDS ON. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte attends to various needs and concerns of his constituents during his first day of office in 2014 at the Davao City Hall Monday evening. Lean Daval Jr.

Chinese engineer killed in accident

Gun-runner nabbed A in buy-bust operation By EMILORD P. CASTROMAYOR

epc@edgedavao.net

HE LEADER of a gun-running syndicate was arrested by agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Region 11 in a buy-bust operation last Monday in San Antonio Village, Matina at about 2:00 p.m. P/Sr. Supt. Joel C. Pernito, regional director of

CIDG 11, said that Willie “Tisoy” Francisco, a gunsmith, has been trading in in unlicensed firearms in Davao City and other areas of the region. Police intelligence said that handguns used in a series shooting incidents in the city allegedly came from the suspect. Francisco was arrest-

Dad pushes for deferment of SSS, PhilHealth premiums increase

ed after being trapped in an operation that resulted in the confiscation several loose firearms , magazines, .45 caliber pistols and gun parts from his possession. Police said they began their surveillance last year after receiving information from community investigative support

(CIS) agents and set up the the buy-bust operation against the suspect. Francisco will be facing separate charges of illegal possession and selling of firearms under Republic Act 10591 or known as comprehensive law on firearms and ammunition act before the city prosecution office.

CHINESE construction engineer was accidentally struck by a threeton pulley winch that resulted to his death while supervising the construction of a coal plant in Lower Binugao, Toril last January 6, Monday afternoon. Chief Inspector Angel Sumagaysay, station commander of the Toril police, said that Hongbing Sha, 38, of the Wan Hong Construction Company that is building the Aboitiz coal plant in Toril, a transient boarder of the Yap apartment in Barangay Binugao Toril, was hit

in the face and body by the pulley resulting to his death at about 4:35 p.m. “He was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician,” Sumagaysay said. Police learned about the incident when Li Shun, 31, an interpreter of Wan Hong Construction Company reported the incident. Sumagaysay said the incident was accidental and no one could be blamed. The body of the victim will be transported to China. [EPC]

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

HE DAVAO City council will request the Social Security System (SSS) and Philppine Health Insurance Coporation to defer the implementation of additional increase on its premiums. Councilor Danilo C. Dayanghirang, chairman of the committee on finance, ways & means and appropriations, filed a resolution requesting the agencies to ‘temporarily suspend’ the increase of contributions saying it is additional burden especially to those who were

hit by recent calamities. “For the past immediate three months, to mention the war at Zamboanga, the earthquake at Visayas and the wrath of Yolanda, could never justify the interest of the national government to improve the services of these two government agencies deriving its sources of revenues from membership fees as this decision rivals the budgeting power of our table against increasing costs of basic necessities like food, shelter, utilities, not

FAREWELL. Former ABC president Edgar Ibuyan Jr. bids goodbye to his colleagues at the City Council, one of them his own father Councilor Edgar Sr., during

FDAD, 10 the City Council’s regular session yesterday at Sangguniang Panlungsod. Lean Daval Jr.

NEWS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

2013 a banner year against illegal drugs

By EMILORD P. CASTROMAYOR

epc@edgedavao.net

UTHORITIES confiscated P25.7 million worth of illegal drugs in 2013 in the Davao region, 79 percent higher than the haul in 2012 that netted only P5.4 million worth. Emerson R. Rosales, regional director of the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 11, said that the amount represented the total value was confiscated by different government law enforcers, including the Police Regional Office. Rosales credited the big difference to the in-

tensified effort of law enforcers last year. “We owe our success to the community for their continuous support and their trust in law enforcement units in the region,”he said. Authorities arrested 798 persons in 2013 and only 546 in 2012, a difference of 32.57 percent and majority of the cases filed before the city prosecution office. Rosales said they are focusing their operations on high value targets (drug personalities) while the

F2013, 10

FATHERLY LOVE. This father doesn’t mind multitasking just to make sure that his son will reach school safely and won’t get drenched in rain water. Lean Daval Jr.

EMPLOYMENT CLIMATE

VM Duterte hits It’s ‘sunny’ in Davao Region late-arriving dads By CHENEEN R. CAPON

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

AVAO CITY Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte yesterday reprimanded some councilors who came late during the first regular session of the year. Arriving half an hour before the official start of the council’s regular session, Duterte told reporters in the weekly “Pulong-Pulong ni Pulong” that he called the attention of councilors during the start of the session which started at 10:05 a.m. He said that the councilors should follow what is provided in the house rules, otherwise they will have to amend it. “Kami ang nagbuhat anang house rule dapat ila ng respetohon . Ug dili nila

masunod atong i-ammend ag house rules. Kay ngano man gyud na mo abot og 10:05 a.m. na 10 a.m. man ang session,” he said. But, he said that councilor Bonifacio Militar told him that they should start at 10 a.m. with or without the other councilors inside the plenary. “Kay kung walay quorum eh, di adjourn. Ana ra man na,” Duterte said. “kaning mga councilor usahay daghag rason – kesyo traffic. Karon na pud nila kay 30 kilometers per hour na lang ang siyudad. Kung Ako man gani na Catalunan Grande na perteng layua man na, nganong maka-abot man gani kog alas 9:00 - 9:30?” Duterte said.

crc@edgedavao.net

HE EMPLOYMENT climate in the Davao region for the year 2014 will be “sunny”, a Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 11 official said. Venerando C. Cebrano, DOLE 11 assistant regional director made the forecast because the region was not spared from the adverse effects of supertyphoon Yolanda. To back up her forecast, some 3,000 job opportunities in the labor-rich business process outsourcing (BPO) sector will be available by the end of March. Cebrano said that this has become a trend in the BPO industry where labor requirement has been remarkably high. He said that the demand for laborers in this sector continues to grow as the

number of BPOs increase in Davao City. The BPO industry, according to DOLE 11, remains the highest job generator in the region and source of in-demand jobs such as technical service and customer service representatives. However, the problem on job mismatch remains a challenge for the department. On their recent data collected from survey of the National Statistics Office (NSO), the rate of underemployment in the region from January to October of last year is 14.8 percent while the employment rate is 6.7 percent. The unemployment rate is 93.3 percent. He said that for this year, they will be intensifying their survey on the real demands of each

key economic generator industries in the region. This will help in lowering the rate of job mismatch in the region. He said that it has been a culture in the region that high school graduates take college courses that will not answer the demand in a given industry. For instance, he said that a lot of students took up nursing course and ended up in the BPO sector. He said that he cannot blame them since they have the skills needed in that industry. The city has been installed as the next Philippine destination for the growing BPO industry. The country’s BPOs are expanding their operations in the region because of the availability of skilled labor force.

Despite the BPO phenomenon, the DOLE 11 said there is a need for Davao’s labor force to acquire more skills. Laborers who have multiple skills are highly employable. The DOLE 11 likewise identified other key economic generator in the region such as agriculture, wholesale and retail trading, motorcycle and personal household goods, transportation, storage and communication, manufacturing and construction. Cebrano said that in order to solve the problem on unemployment, there should be investments in manufacturing. He said that this industry is in need of more laborers compared to other industries mentioned

FEMPLOYMENT, 10

579 hired on the spot in 2013 DOLE job fairs By CHENEEN R. CAPON

NEW ASSIGNMENT. New 103rd Brigade commander Lt. Col. Harold Cabreros is welcomed by members of the Davao City Council after delivering a speech where he promised to help the city in any way he can during the City Council’s regular session yesterday at Sangguniang Panlungsod. Lean Daval Jr.

crc@edgedavao.net

TOTAL of 579 applicants where hired on the spot (HOTS) during the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 11 Anniversary Job Fairs. The department held the anniversary job fairs two months before year 2013 ended through Philippine Employment Services Office (PESO) in Mati City (November 21, 2013), NCCC Mall-Davao (November 21,2013), NCCC-Tagum City (November 22), and Abreeza

Mall-Davao City (December 4, 2013). A total of 23,746 job vacancies were solicited for this year’s anniversary job fairs where 16, 766 are overseas jobs and 6, 980 are domestic. The job fairs were participated by 158 local companies and 64 overseas. Based on the data officially released by the department, they recorded a total of 4,561 applicants. DOLE 11 assistant regional director Venerando

F579, 10

4 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

LAAK, COMPOSTELA VALLEY

Building better homes, better lives for typhoon survivors A

S YOU enter Barangay Kidawa, Laak, Compostela Valley, you would hardly notice the bumpy ride ahead. What will catch your attention in this once Typhoon Pablo-ravaged village just a year ago are the evidence of recovery from the tragedy. New houses, the rebuilt public market and school, the cheerful disposition of the residents who bore the brunt of ‘Pablo’s’ wrath, are all signs that the town has fully recovered. Victoria B. Gucor, Municipal Administrator, affirming this said, “As of this time, we have fully recovered. Trees and banana plantations decimated by ‘Pablo’ are now bearing fruits, and the people have new homes and sources of livelihood.” “As the local government unit, we continuously deliver basic services to the people, and we are truly grateful to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which continues to assist us in providing livelihood and other assistance to the Pablo victims,” Gucor continued. She added that as of November, family food packs have been distributed to 19,000 families in the munic-

DAVAO DEL NORTE

ipality. “The construction of onsite and cluster shelter units are also ongoing,” Gucor said. Best gift Brgy. Kidawa was the worst-hit barangay in this town. Some 115 families lost their homes to ‘Pablo.’ Today, they are now the proud owners of new and sturdy homes as the DSWD, in partnership with the municipal local government and the provincial government of Compostela Valley, awards their Certificate of Ownership in simple turnover rites. Succeeding turnover of permanent shelter units in similarly ‘Pablo’-stricken towns of Monkayo, Compostela, New Bataan and Montevista will follow suit. Built through the DSWD Modified Shelter Assistance Program (MSAP), the shelter units are constructed on a three-hectare relocation site on higher grounds as approved by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau. Each housing unit measures 24 square meters and stands on a 70-square meter lot. Brgy. Kidawa has 10 puroks with a population of 1,600 consisting of 600 households, 60% of whom belong to the Dibabawon

A new village rises in Barangay Kidawa. tribe. With four DSWD workers in the area, residents have been given access to DSWD programs like Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Supplementary Feeding, Social Pension, and Sustainable Livelihood, and

Day Care Service. Other agencies also provide programs and services to the residents. According to Brgy. Captain Nilo A. Bangonan, the people’s source of livelihood is now stable following the devastation of ‘Pablo’.

“We are currently harvesting palay, banana, corn, peanut, camote, and other crops. As chairman, I wish to thank all agencies especially DSWD which continues to help us until now. We are happy with these shelter units.”

TAGUM CITY

Bangonan outlined his plans for their village including livelihood projects for the women, such as sewing, gardening and food processing. He is also proposing for the construction of a potable water system.

[DSWD]

DavNor PLGU, New Corella town top nutrition awards Tagum is lone Mindanao finalist in eGov awards T HE National Nutrition Council (NNC) conferred the top honors to the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte and the Municipality of New Corella for their significant stride in ending extreme hunger and malnutrition. Dr. Maria Teresa Ungson, Regional Coordinator of the National Nutrition Council (NNC)-XI, and Governor Rodolfo del Rosario led the reenactment of the conferment of the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) award to both the province and the municipality, during Capitol’s first Convocation program in 2014 last Monday. The province of Davao del Norte and New Corella town earlier received the CROWN award during the 2013 National Nutrition Awarding Ceremony held in Manila recently, for having won the Nutrition Green Banner Award (GBA) for three consecutive years. Both local government units clinched the GBA, par-

WINNER. NNC-XI Coordinator Dr. Maria Teresa Ungson confers the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) award to Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario during reenactment ceremony at the Bulwagan. [Noel Baguio] ticularly in 2010, 2011 and ceptional performance of outstanding performance 2012 for their very satisfac- the province, particularly to attain zero malnutrition tory performance in imple- in the micro-nutrient sup- in keeping with the provmenting the government’s plementation, which sig- ince’s commitment to the nutrition program. nificantly cut malnutrition Millennium Development The LGUs also received rate among preschoolers in Goals. a cash prize of P500,000 Davao del Norte from 6.66 “Along with our efforts each, which will be utilized percent in 2011 to 4.6 per- to achieve food sufficiency to boost their respective cent in 2012. is our deep commitment to nutrition programs, projDel Rosario reiterat- engender a well-nourished ects and activities. ed Capitol’s dedication to and productive population,” Ungson lauded the ex- maintain and further its he said. [Noel Baguio]

HE communication and information dissemination strategy of the Local Government of Tagum was shortlisted as one of the national finalists, and the only one hailing from Mindanao, in the 2013 Jesse Robredo Awards for Excellence in ICT for Good Governance. It is an annual search by the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines for the best practices in local government units in utilizing information and communications technology (ICT) to effectively and efficiently deliver its public services directly to its constituents and to its business stakeholders. The eGov Awards is the first and most prestigious recognition to be given by the ICT sector to LGUs with exemplary

performance in empowering its Public Customers and Business LGU Tagum clinched the award under the eGov Customer Empowerment Category, where it presented its official website (www.tagumcity.gov.ph) as the central arsenal of information of the local government that the public can access 24/7. Other information channel of the local government operated by the City Information Office such as the utilization of social media, radio, television and print were also presented. Receiving the award in behalf of Mayor Allan L. Rellon, DPA was City Information Officer Cromwell S. Bonghanoy. The award was presented by DILG Usec. Austere A. Panadero in the DILG Central Office in Quezon City, Metro Manila. [Louie Lapat of CIO Tagum]

5 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

City gov’t asked to require labeling of food products T

HE DAVAO City local government should require food establishments to label their products with the ingredients used to guide consumers suffering from diabetes mellitus and other lifestyle-related diseases, a physician said. Dr. Roy B. Ferrer, past president of Diabetes Philippines-Davao Chapter, said that if the city has been serious in banning smoking in public places it could also impose on food makers to inform customers about the glycemic content of their products, for instance. Ferrer said food products should have government-approved stickers that will guide customers. “This is so that people who have diabetes or people who have problems with their heart and blood pressure can choose and watch what they eat,” he said. Davao City had a mortality rate of 16% from diabetes mellitus in 2010, he said, adding this should make government step up moves to help people avoid the disease.

Buy

The figure came from the City Investment Plan for Health (CIPH), which aims to reduce the existing mortality rate to 14% by 2016. Ferrer added the city should further promote exercises such as walking and biking. “There should be more walking lanes and bike lanes so the public can walk to nearby places. We could encourage walking,” he said. Asked about the city’s existing biking ordinance, Ferrer said he has yet to see it implemented. “Actually, I don’t see any bike lanes, and there are no signages,” he noted. He said the city government should observe how other countries use bike lanes. Ferrer also cited that walking means a reduction in carbon emissions and fuel consumption. He lauded the city’s anti-smoking campaign, citing the correlation between the habit and diabetes, along with other lifestyles that could lead to the disease. [MindaNews]

INVENTIVE. A hawker makes a cartoon character-shaped life buoy as her shield from the rain while peddling her merchandise at Times Beach in Ecoland, Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

and get a chance to win fabulous Prizes!

6 THE ECONOMY Stat Watch Indicator

Latest

1. Gross National Income 1. GrossRate National Income Growth Growth Rate2000 Prices) (At Constant

7.1 1st Qtr 2013 6.8

2.2.Gross GrossDomestic DomesticProduct Growth Rate Product (AtGrowth Constant 2000 Prices) Rate

7.8 1st Qtr 2013 7.5

(At Constant 2000 Prices)

3. Exports 1/ 3. Exports

4. Imports 1/ 4. Imports

5. Trade Balance Trade Balance 6.5.Balance of Payments 2/

7.6.Broad Money Liabilities Balance of Payments

2nd Qtr 2013

USD 3,741 million 5,045 FebUSD 2013 million USD 4,708 Sep 2013 million FebUSD 2013 5,711 USD -967 million million Sep 2013 Feb 2013 USD -665 USD -640 million million Sep 2013 Dec 2012 P 4,964,560 USD 692 million million Feb Jun2013 2013 P2.45,980,938 % million Mar 2013 Aug 2013

8. Interest Rates 4/

7. Broad Money Liabilities

P113,609 2.0 % million Sep2013 2013 Mar P P5,281 127,336 billion million Mar Sep2013 2013

9. National Government 8. Revenues Interest Rate 9. National Government 10.Revenues National government

outstanding debt

P 5,609 P 41.14 Aprbillion 2013

11.Stocks Peso per US $ 12. Composite Index 6/

6,847.5 P 43.83 Mar Sep2013 2013

12. Stocks Composite

6,191.8 132.8 Sep2013 2013 Apr

13. Consumer Price Index

135.2 Oct2.62013

10.Peso National government 11. per US $ 5/

Sep 2013

13. Consumer Index Price Index 2006=100

2006=100 14. Headline Inflation Rate 14. 2006=100 Headline Inflation

Apr 2013

2.9 Oct3.12013

Rate 15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

Apr 2013

2006=100

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100 16. Visitor Arrivals

2.5

418,108 Oct 2013 Feb 2013

382,022 Aug 2013 20.9%

16. Visitor Arrivals

17. Underemployment 7/ 17. Rate Underemploymen

Jan 2013 19.2%

18. 18.Unemployment UnemploymentRate Rate7/

7.1% Jan 2013 7.3%

Rate

Jul 2013 Jul 2013

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2011-September 2013) Month Average December November October September August July June May April March February January

2013

2012

2011

43.83 43.86 43.35 42.91 41.30 41.14 40.71 40.67 40.73

42.23 41.01 41.12 41.45 41.75 42.04 41.91 42.78 42.85 42.70 42.86 42.66 43.62

43.31 43.64 43.27 43.45 43.02 42.42 42.81 43.37 43.13 43.24 43.52 43.70 44.17

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Boeing delivers record 648 commercial aircraft in 2013 B

OEING said it ended 2013 setting company records for deliveries and unfilled orders for commercial aircraft as it ramps up production to meet demand. Boeing said it delivered 648 commercial airplanes last year, an increase of 7.8% from 2012. Its backlog of orders stood at 5,080, a new high in the Chicago-based company’s history. After booking a record 1,531 gross commercial orders, Boeing ended the year with 1,355 net commercial orders, the second-largest in its history. “With solid execution on our numerous production rate increases, the Boeing team performed extremely well in 2013,” Ray Conner, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive, said in a statement. “We delivered more advanced, fuel-efficient airplanes to our customers than ever before.” In the fourth quarter alone, Boeing delivered 172 commercial aircraft. According to Boeing, three programs set records for deliveries in a single year. The company delivered 440 of the latest

model of its popular 737 medium-haul jetliner, the Next-Generation 737. Customers also received 98 long-haul 777s and 65 new 787 Dreamliners. During the year Boeing launched two new airplane programs in the twin-aisle market: the 777X and the 787-10 Dreamliner, a larger version of the cutting-edge plane. The company said its higher rates of production yielded a record number of airplanes delivered from its main production site in Everett, Washington state, and sites in Renton, Washington, and North Charleston, South Carolina. The company’s banner-year report came days after a key Boeing labor union narrowly approved an eight-year contract that keeps production of the 777X in Washington state in exchange for cuts in benefits. As a result of the union vote Friday, Boeing will end its search for alternate production sites for the more fuel-efficient version of its best-selling widebody jet. Shares in Dow mem-

ber Boeing were up 0.5% in midday trade Monday. The aerospace company was the biggest gainer on the blue-chip index in 2013, ending the year up a solid 80.6%.

Boeing plans to publish its 2013 fourth-quarter financial results on January 29. Boeing’s arch-rival, European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, has

not yet announced its 2013 aircraft report. In mid-October, Airbus chief Fabrice Bregiere said the company will deliver more than 600 aircraft in 2013. [AFP]

percent in the previous month. This was due to price increases of rice (9.2% from 8.1%), vegetables (9.8% from 5.4%), meat (2.3% from 2.2%), fish (3.3% from 3.1%), and fruits (4.3% from 3.9%), among others. “Some food items even reached double-digit inflation in the areas hardest hit by the typhoon,” he added. In Eastern Visayas (Region VIII), prices of vegetables went up by 11.3 percent in December 2013 from 5.8 percent of November 2013. While in Central Visayas (Region VII), prices of rice increased by 12.2 percent from 9.4 percent, 11.2

percent from 7.8 percent for fruits, and 11.3 percent from 6.6 percent for vegetables. Also, in Western Visayas (Region VI), vegetable prices surged by 11.8 percent from 2.3 percent in November 2013. “This is the highest inflation recorded since December 2011,” Balisacan said, who is also NEDA Director-General. However, full-year 2013’s inflation averaged at 3.0 percent, at the lowend of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC)’s inflation target of 3.0 to 5.0 percent for the year. “Moreover, relative to the previous months,

food prices are usually higher in December due to the festive season.,” the Cabinet official said. Also, power hikes contributed significantly to the acceleration of overall inflation in December 2013. The Manila Electric Company’s (Meralco) generation charge significantly rose by 40 percent, or PhP2.19/kWh, yearon-year in December 2013 due to the scheduled and unscheduled power outages in major power plants. However, the power distributor deferred to further implement the electricity rate increase following a 60day temporary restrain-

ing order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court. Furthermore, domestic prices of petroleum products rose as world oil prices jumped (1.4% year-on-year from -1.2% in November for Dubai crude oil). “This is while the peso depreciated further by 7.6 percent in December 2013 from 5.9 percent in the previous month,” said Balisacan. Overall, among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-5 countries, headline inflation in December 2013 picked up in the Philippines and Indonesia, except for Thailand.

BY THE NUMBERS

Government’s elect

ricity bill increased to

P19.54 billion in 2012, up by abou

P2 billion

from the year befor

SOURCE: COA ANNUAL FINA NCIAL

REPORTS.

Typhoon Yolanda propels inflation to 2-year high T

YPHOON Yolanda’s devastation and power hikes raised prices of basic commodities, pushing headline inflation to 4.1 percent in December 2013, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). “Almost all food items in the average consumer basket increased, which can be mainly attributed to the impact of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) that hit the central Philippines in November 2013,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan. Food prices went up by 5.0 percent in December 2013 from 4.0

as of May 2013 Cebu Pacific Daily Zest Air Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri/Sun Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Thu

5J961 / 5J962 Z2390 / Z2390 5J593 / 5J348 PR809 / PR810 PR819 / PR820 5J394 / 5J393 5J599 / 5J594 5J347 / 5J596 5J963 / 5J964 PR811 / PR812 5J595 / 5J966 5J965 / 5J968

5:45 5:45 6:00 6:10 7:50 7:50 8:00 9:10 9:40 11:30 12:00 12:55

Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Cebu-Davao-Iloilo Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Zamboanga-Davao-Zamboanga Cebu-Davao-Cebu Iloilo-Davao-Cebu Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Cebu-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila

6:15 6:25 6:30 7:00 8:50 8:10 8:30 9:40 10:10 12:20 12:30 13:25

Cebu Pacific Tue/Wed//Sat 5J965 / 5J968 13:35 Silk Air Mon/Sat MI588 / MI588 13:35 Silk Air Wed/Sun MI566 / MI566 15:20 Silk Air Thurs MI551 / MI551 12:05 Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri 5J507 / 5J598 15:00 Philippine Airlines August 15:55 Mani2Mani 16:50 Zest Air Daily Z2524 / Z2525 16:05

Manila-Davao-Manila Davao-Singapore Davao-Singapore Davao-Singapore Cebu-Davao-Cebu

14:05 18:55 18:55 15:45 15:30

Cebu-Davao-Cebu

16:45

7 COMMUNITY SENSE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Y’s Men in Davao revived; Valenzuela heads chapter

AVAO’S chapter of Y’s Men International, an independent organization affiliated with the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), has been revived in the region. It is now headed by Jose N. Valenzuela Jr., a mechanical engineer, BSBA Commerce, professional electrical engineer and entrepreneur who has been very active in Rotary, Jaycee Senate, Ambassador Club and the current grand knight of the Knights of Columbus of the St. Jude Parish. Valenzuela and other officers of the Y’s Men were recently sworn into office in an elaborate induction ceremony performed by former Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza as chief inducting officer, with Y’s Men pillars Geoffrey L. Rodriguez, Paciencio M. Rosalem Jr., Jose C. Sevilla and Ricardo V. Villegas Jr. as first, second third and fourth inducting officers. Inducted with Joe

Valenzuela were the following officers: Jose B. Custodio, president-elect; Fernando S. Ongkingco Jr., vice president; Charmaine Y. Quiambao, secretary; Ulysses Y. Solis, treasurer; Leslie Ann N. Cruz, auditor; and Antonio M. Ajero, public relations officer. Also inducted as members of the board of directors are Leoncio P. Villa-Abrille, Vicente R. Banes., Wendell B. Udan, Welehito N. Pepito and Reynaldo B. Sazon. Efren J. Veneracion Sr., Y’s Men International regional director for 19992000, and Paciencio M. Rosalem Jr., current lieutenant regional director for Visayas and Mindanao for Philippine Region are the group’s advisers. Secretary Dureza, currently the chair of the Philippine Press Institute, was also the guest of honor and speaker. Introduced by “Nonoy” Villa-Abrille, Dureza delved on the prospects of the Mindanao Peace Process.

Y’s MEN. Jose N. Valenzuela Jr. is being congratulated by former Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza as new leader of Y’s Men Club Davao. Lean Daval Jr. Valenzuela and the Y’s Men is a 93-year old adult service organization in partnership with the YMCA with programs focusing on fellowship and the spiritual

and mental improvements of its members. Y’s Men has its beginnings in 1920 when a men’s luncheon club, led by Judge Paul Alexander, was estab-

lished in support of the Ohio YMCA. The opportunity to combine community service with fellowship proved attractive. The concept later spread to other parts of

the USA and Canada. The first club outside North America was formed in Shanghai, China in 1924, in Australia in 1926, and Japan in 1928.

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

EDITORIAL

Rice smuggling in Davao

HE NATION is again agog over news about big-time rice smuggling wherein billions of pesos in unpaid taxes and corruption money go down the drain, instead of going to the government coffers. No less than Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte is in the news for doing his share in the current campaign after his assistance was sought by Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares herself. The mayor has publicly warned local traders against rice smuggling saying that his office would be harsh against those who’ be found guilty, like cancelling their business permits, placing them under investigation and prosecuting them. Now it has been exposed by national media that the biggest suspected smuggler is a businessman from Davao City. One of yesterday’s headlines identified the alleged bigtime smuggler as one Davidson Tan Bangayan. Whether he is related to the prominent and reputable Bangayan family whose members are friends of Mayor Duterte, we will soon know. The news report said that Mayor Duterte himself has been looking for this guy, who is apparently based in Manila now. The current raucous over the matter proves once again that indeed rice smuggling is thriving in Davao under the

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very noses or in connivance with authorities in the local Bureau of Customs. Remember the case of businessman Rodolfo Reta, whose contracted Designation Examination Area (DEA), was suddenly padlocked by the Customs, after his lawyer reported to former Customs Collector Anjo Castigador that his DEA x-ray machine found smuggled rice from Thailand. Instead of acting on the lawyer’s report, Castigador closed the DEA, thereby illegally terminating the Customs’ contract with Reta. Castigador’s act cost him his position after he was fired in a decision by the Ombudsman. Reta has won all the cases filed against him and those he filed against Castigador and some Customs personnel, including the listed customs broker, and yet his DEA remains padlocked for three years now. Reta suspects some unseen hands connected with rice smuggling are behind the continued closure of the DEA, resulting in the non-use of its x-ray machine worth some P250 million bought from government funds. On the other hand, Mayor Duterte himself is expected to make some decisive moves in the involvement of a Dabawenyo as alleged rice smuggling lord. Big-time smuggling is economic sabotage, which Duterte will not

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So much different when you were younger

MIDST the flurry of parties, events and activities of the Yuletide season, most specially the day before and after Christmas day, I was crouching over my old reliable laptop, editing, writing, re-writing, polishing new stories for a national industry publication that need to come out by the end of December, but missed this deadline because of the prevailing holiday mood all around us. It’s a bit fortunate that the foreign agency funding this bi-monthly paper for Philippine industries, doesn’t really mind the delay because it takes some time for them to go over the page proofs and validate every news item before translating it into their language. After this process, it’s good as a green light to go to the final step--- which is the printing step, a much faster process than the correction step. These publishing steps occupied my mind during the long holiday last December with parties cropping up all around us. I wasn’t really keen on showing up at Christmas parties and family reunions of the better-half, even if I was left all alone at the apartment. My two sisters are all in the US while my brother is over at Bangkal busy with the church choir and reunion activities with his new family.

NE WAY OF LOOKING AT THE LAMENTABLE SITUATION – I think people will agree that we have more than enough laws against smuggling. What it needs is a strict and no-nonsense enforcement. The country is overwhelmed with laws against hoarding, profiteering and smuggling and we are talking here of a law enforcement pockmarked with incompetence and inefficiency. High officials and police top brass keep on talking about the need to implement the full force of the law against well-entrenched and strongly connected smuggling syndicates, yet it seems, with little thought as to whether it is really strictly carried out the letter. There is no way to get an economy moving while officials from top to bottom are content with imparting rhetoric. It is time the Aquino administration with its much-vaunted reformist policies issued a strict, precise guidelines and regulations on what can be done against widespread smuggling of basic commodities specifically rice. The absurd is well known: For months a name of a certain big-time rice smuggler believed to be operating a smuggling syndicate with connections in big urban communities all over the country is being rattled by authorities, yet nothing is being done about it. Why, it might be asked? The premise is that rice smuggling syndicates are conducting their illegal trade with impunity and right under the very noses of authorities. According to reports the Manila-based group is so powerful and daring that it allegedly control and protect the interests of their cohorts in every locality where it has a business base and operating clandestinely. In practice, for example in Davao

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

On top of that, my own little family spent Noche Buena with the families of sisters who came all the way from Butuan to spend Christmas day with their parents at Magsaysay in Davao del Sur province. But it was a lonely Christmas holiday for me. Perhaps the only consolation I had was my own mindset about the real meaning of what we’re all celebrating about and how shopping malls and department stores had looked forward to this season to make a lot of profits from people’s desire to buy gifts for loved ones. At most family reunions, it has becomes a “luto, kaon, inom” (cook, eat, drink) affair with family members or friends hardly talking about the “birthday celebrant” of Christmas day, except about the cooking, the food, the eating, the kind of drinks served---whether its cold beer, hard liquor, wine, etc.

This isn’t my kind of day to remember the Lord’s day, so I don’t show up on Christmas parties--- I’d rather be alone. Maybe I could blame this feeling of avoiding Christmas parties to the six years I spent organizing Christmas parties for employees and workers of a big multinational fruit export company in the 70’s--- it really made me sick and tired of this type of parties. Even workers of this company whispered to me how they hated this kind of parties, they told me it’s much better to give them cash than attend company Christmas parties where the food, the drinks, the parlor games, the group singing, etc, etc are all the same, year after year, it bores them to death. I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with getting old. It was much different then when you’re younger and the world was brighter with so much promise of better things to come. Things were so exciting then, meeting new friends, traveling to new places, working at a new job, trying new adventures, etc ---- yes, it was so much different then when you were younger …. (Comments? Email me at> tradingpost_davao@yahoo.com)

City, the local group is nominally part of the nationwide rice smuggling syndicate, but they operate under the parallel clout of the core group that has the influence to regulate the flow of smuggled rice without being hampered or questioned by authorities. The main challenge right now for the local government units (LGUs) is how to stamp out rice smuggling in their respective turfs. Let’s think about that for a moment. Have you heard Mayor Rodrigo Duterte recently issued a stern warning against local traders and businessmen who are in cahoots with rice smuggling groups operating in Davao City? A fuming Mayor Rody warned unscrupulous businessmen in the city to immediately stop their illicit activities otherwise they would have to bear with the consequences. He cautioned that he have no qualms to arrest any businessmen found to be sustaining a stealthy connection with the big-time Manila-based rice smuggling syndicate. Mayor Duterte’s harsh warning is clear enough that he himself would lead in the conduct of massive inspections of all business establishments in the city dealing in the distribution of rice and other basic commodities. The move is to prevent local traders from hoarding, and afterwards distributing smuggled rice in the locality which could badly affect the legitimate rice dealers. Undoubtedly, the

government incurred billions worth of losses annually in the form of revenues due to unabated smuggling. Unscrupulous and greedy traders avoid paying appropriate taxes to amass enormous profit therefore the consequences of their highly illegal activities, particularly for the government and the masses of our people are forbidding. No matter how we look at it smuggling activities on a larger scale is even worse than the communist rebels and secessionist groups combined altogether. It is economic sabotage - plain and simple. Simply put, smuggling operations would not thrive without the connivance and protection of corrupt officials. That’s one way of looking at it. The dominant question is: “Why were the smuggled rice believed to have originated in neighboring countries gained smooth entries into our seaports without getting detected by authorities notably the Bureau of Customs (BoC)?” Simple logic dictates that an “unholy alliance” had long existed in the country’s sea fronts, a reason for a perceived failure to stem the tide of widespread corruption in the bureau. To the people’s surprise, and of course consternation, the Aquino administration has not dared launch a sustained and comprehensive campaign to crush the rampant smuggling activities happening on its own backyard. Many firmly believe it is perhaps a testimony to the incompetence and inefficiency of trusted government officials who are given the task to deal with the disgraceful situation, which is slowly and steadily becoming a backlash to the present dispensation.

Economic sabotage

Good governance is citizen power WORM’S EYEVIEW BY MANNY VALDEHUESA

(Conclusion)

NVOLVED in corrupt activities; in which case, one causes collateral damage or moral decay at the grassroots. This weakens the foundation of society and government by that much. Many Filipinos are doing this even now—like the officials misusing or stealing funds meant for local development. Examples: pilfering pork barrel funds (PDAF) or internal revenue allotment shares (IRA) of the barangay, municipality, city, or province. Another Example: powerful officials (cabinet secretaries, senators, congressmen, governors, mayors) who implant their relatives or cronies in choice government positions. They impair the wellbeing of government and society at large as they deepen the penetration of corruption and impunity into the bureaucracy and political system. Moreover, these political predators threaten the entire body politic with a more virulent strain of social contamination, namely: dynastic succession. Political dynasties are today’s greatest threat to our social and political development as a nation. The fact that more than 90% of our provinces and cities, even barangays, are ruled by patriarchs, matriarchs, or scions of political dynasties manifest the seriousness and gravity of the problem. Thoughtlessly they turn our fledgling democracy into a howling oligarchy, clamping a ruthless hammerlock on our politics and economics Selfishly they exploit our society’s weaknesses and indulge their insatiable ambition to satisfy their lust for power and fame. Shamelessly they betray an attitude of social irresponsibility, unmindful of the consequences of their vanity and greed as they aggrandize literal and virtual wealth. Tragic What is tragic in all this is how little most of us realize how this dynasty-building binge across our archipelago reverses our people’s gains from a century of heroic striving and development. Political dynasties, redolent of the doctrine of Divine Right of Kings, roll back society’s political maturity, stunt the growth of a fledgling democracy, and hold back the progress of human rights. Hypocritical, thinking themselves indispensable, bereft of statesmanship, political dynasties are the major barriers in our march towards a finer, nobler civilization. [MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Manny Valdehuesa writes from Cagayan de Oro and is the president and national convenor of Gising Barangay Movement Inc. He can be reached at valdehuesa@gmail.com.]

NEWS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

January...FFROM 1 responsibility of holding pure public trust and service,” Duterte expressed. Upon her assumption, she also became the new member of the committee of peace and order and public safety and the chair of labor and employment committee. If Councilor Duterte was rather calm, her husband, vice mayor Duterte,

was not. The vice mayor said in his weekly “Pulong-Pulong ni Pulong” yesterday that he really felt nervous when he was with his wife inside the plenary. Vice Mayor Duterte said that the council will try its best to help his wife perform well on his duties as the new member of the city council. [ABF]

plorer Jose Oyanguren launched an expedition in 1848 to what is today Davao City. That year was the official start of the colonization-cum-Christianization of the region, radiating from Davao City. “What I would like to see there are showcases of our pre-colonial artworks and exemplary modern ones,” said Mike Dakudao, architect, artist, writer and critic. Mike recently did the impressive sculptural metal rendition of the Dr. & Mrs. Santiago Pamplona Dakudao Sr. Origami Rotunda at the back of SM Lanang, and the Paper Clips at the entrance of the Dakudao Loop leading to the rotunda. Mike congratulated the people behind the establishment of the Subangan Museum “which serves as a window to see our past.” “It’s a lot of hard work involved in professionally maintaining one, not to mention the much needed funds,” Dakudao said. “A museum is the soul of the people of the entire province of Davao Oriental and its visitors will definitely learn and appreciate more its historical and cultural heritage,” according to Orly Escarilla, who oversees Museo Dabawenyo, the Davao City-owned museum fronting the A. Bonifacio Rotunda. “A museum is a learning institution for the young and old alike,” says a lady involved in museums, but who requested anonymity. “Exhibitions held in a museum teach the viewers historical events and their relevance to the

future,” she said, adding that “museums are repositories of knowledge and objects of the communities they serve, thus identifying their uniqueness from other communities.” One proof of the socio-political umbilical cord that connects Davao City and Davao Oriental is that both places at one time or another were served by the same political personas. Two Davao Oriental provincial governors, –the late Teodoro “Doding” Palma Gil Jr. and the current governor, Cora Malanyaon-- were once elected Davao City councilors. Former city vice mayor and later mayor Benjamin de Guzman comes from Caraga. In a way, I have my own sentimental reason to attend this afternoon’s inauguration of Subangan Davao Oriental Provincial Museum (at the Provincial Tourism Complex ). Mati was the first land in Mindanao where my five-year old feet stepped on 62 years ago. Mati appeared to be already a booming town at the time when our small interisland ship, M/V Governor Smith, berthed at the municipal wharf. It was in 1952, when a series of strong typhoons devastated my birthplace, Calbayog City in Samar, prompting my parents to decide to relocate to Mindanao, the so-called “Land of Promise” (now being fulfilled grandly in a number of ways, in a number of places, Mati City among them).

Malanyaon...FFROM 1

Pulong...FFROM 1

caused the government some P7 billion in lost revenues. A certain Davidson Tan Bangayan, identified as a rice trader from Davao City, is reported to be behind the alleged smuggling. Earlier, Davao City mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte urged the BOC, National Bureau of Investigation, Highway Patrol Group Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Philippine Coast Guard, to work hand in hand to eliminate the smuggling activity in the seaport. The mayor vowed to track and prosecute Bangayan, a former trader of scrap-metal in the city be-

fore he entered into a rice trading business. There were reports that Bangayan was among the big-time traders doing business with the customs. He was also identified as the focal person of the smugglers after the illegal importation of the rice was consolidated into an operation on the first half of the term of President Benigno S. Aquino. Reports also said that the suspected smuggler was one of the financiers of the fake farmer’s cooperatives which hindered the large numbers of rice imports of National Food Authority.

EKING OUT A LIVING. Plastic bottles are being sorted out by a young scavenger from the other collected scrap items at a junk shop in Sasa, Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

More shooting Incidents in city`

By EMILORD P. CASTROMAYOR

epc@edgedavao.net

MAN was killed while a public utility driver is in critical condition after separate shooting incidents last Sunday in the city. Emedio Bacitez, 30, died on the spot after he was shot by one Jommel Dalit with a .38 caliber pistol at about 2:45 p.m resident of Purok

9 South Bay Barangay Lapu-lapu, Agdao where the victim’s lived. SPO2 Restie Tan, investigator of the Sta. Ana police station, said that a witness saw Dalit fleeing after shooting the victim. Meanwhile, at about 1:00 a.m. in Sitio Bula, Catalunan Grande, one Edgar Rosima, 47, sus-

tained gunshot wounds when two unidentified assassins shot him inside his house. Police said the victim and his wife, Marcelina. were awakened when they heard a noise in their kitchen and one of the attackers opened the door and fired at Rosima. The suspects fled

after the incident. The wife immediately brought her husband to the Seventh Day Adventist hospital, however, doctors there had him transferred to the Southern Philippines Medical Center for an operation. Police found empty shells of a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene.

to mention education,” Dayanghirang said. Dayanghirang added that the increasing government contributions

must be equated first by increasing the salaries and wages of the employees as the other regions are still reeling from the

adverse economic effects of the calamities. Dayanghirang said that the additional SSS and PhilHealth premium increase

of 0.6 percent has been viewed by the employees and employers of the city, as “undemocratic, unjust and dictatorial in nature.”

Cebrano said that this is part of their effort to provide jobs to Dabawenyos. Meanwhile, he said that the data recorded in these job fairs will be added to their yearend report to be released by this month. He

said that a slight increase will be observed in the employment rate of the region because of multiple job fairs they held before the year ended. From January to October last year, records of

DOLE 11 bared that the region has a 93.6 employment rate. He noted that region was able to recover from the 92 percent employment rate recorded by the end of 2012. Employment,

underemployment and employment rates in the city were heavily affected by the aftermath of typhoon Pablo which caused massive damage especially in the agriculture sector in the region. [CRC]

police are responsible for street level activities since they are the primary agency in the campaign against illegal drugs as part of the peace and order process with police helping to lessen the number of suppliers, pushers and sources of illegal drugs. High value targets include operators of ‘shabu’ laboratories, drug

dens, marijuana plantations, and neutralization of drug groups, including foreigners. Rosales said, the major entry points or illegal drugs here are along the coastline, like Quezon Boulevard and Toril where drug activities are rampant while the source of drugs is Cotabato City and carriers who are not residents of the city.

“It’s difficult to monitor drug personalities and ‘dayos’ (outsiders),”Rosales said. He added that the police can conduct immediate action if they receive reports, unlike PDEA which needs to verify and investigate first before conducting any operation. Rosales said confiscated drugs will be destroyed

upon order of the court. The PDEA is the only authority allowed to destroy illegal drugs by means of burning. “It destroys an average of P5-million worth of drugs per year,” Rosales said. The vigilance of the public by giving information to the authorities is the major reason for this accomplishment, authorities said.

above. He mentioned that only a few manufacturing companies operates in the city or in the region because

most are into agri-business like production of banana, mango, and coconut. The DOLE cited inclusive growth in manufacturing because it

will help in the development of other allied industries. Cebrano said that he is confident that the region will be able to achieve the

96.8 employment rate in 2016. The employment rate target was based on the regional development plan 2013 – 2016.

Dad...FFROM 2 579... FFROM 3

2013...FFROM 3

Employment...FFROM 3

11 COMPETITIVE EDGE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

5 top dance crews to represent Mindanao in HHI National Finals By ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO

IVE of the best dance er Fernand Ralf Tadle said crews all over Mind- after the competitions. “We always have this anao impressed judges of the Hip Hop International in mind as what our leadPhilippines for the first time er taught us “sacrifices and as they executed their sick- problems are part of our est routines at the event area daily lives. It is up to us how of SM Annex on January 5, to handle it.”as we are one of the top crews who will 2014. Crossover dance be advancing to the national crew was crowned champi- finals and represent Mindon in the Mindanao leg adult anao most especially Davao category followed by Bandi- we will try our best not just la Fusion and Groove Unlim- to win but spread peace, ited who were also finalists love, unity and having fun in the World Supremacy in what we do. And this is what hiphop is all about,” Battlegrounds last year. Distinct Feature, one of dancer- founder Gianne the upcoming youth-laden Carlo Chua added. Crossover, Bandila Fudance crew in Davao, will be representing the region sion, Groove Unlimited, Offor the varsity division. They will be competing against highly-regarded varsity crews in NCR. In the megacrew category, Offlimitz rocked the weekend crowd with their heart-stopping stunts and awesome routines proving to everyone they deserve to represent the region in the HHI national finals on May 4, 2014 in Manila. These dance squads DISTINCT FEATURE proved not only to the country but also to the world that flimitz and Distinct Feature there are a lot of great danc- will be competing with the ers in Mindanao with the po- rest of the country’s dance tential to compete with the crews in the search for the country’s representative in world’s best. “It was such an ambiv- the World Hip Hop Dance alent feeling that we could Championship set on Auput it into words but most gust 5-10, 2014 in Las Veof us are greatful for the out- gas, USA. Hip Hop International pouring support that we’ve received all throughout the is recognized in more than competition. We owe every- 100 countries by its broadthing to those who believed casts on MTV and other in us”, Crossover crew lead- international networks. It

CROSSOVER

is represented by official licensees throughout the world who respect the origins of hip hop and who conduct their events and competitions under the auspices of Hip Hop International and who qualify street dancers and dance crews to represent their country in Hip Hop International’s World Hip Hop Dance Championship and World Battles: Bboy, Popping, Locking and All Styles.

OFFLIMITZ

PINOY PRIDE. Groove Unlimited with their nationalistic dance outfit during the World Supremacy Battlegrounds 2013.

BANDILA FUSION

Maasim power plant construction score historic safety feat S

ARANGANI Energy Corporation (SEC) developer of a 210 - Megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Barangay Kamanga this town and Daelim Industrial Co. Ltd. (Daelim) its Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor have marked a significant milestone after recording one million safe man-hours without a single reportable accident or Lost Time Incident (LTI). “This is a re-assurance of our commitment to safety by

further strengthening safety culture among our workers until we complete the project,” said Daelim Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) officer Annamalai Subbiah. The safety accomplishment was marked by a short program Monday, January 6, where five workers and five supervisors were given “safety award,” recognizing their “outstanding effort and commitment in achieving remarkable joint HSE milestone in the project.” “Safety is the most im-

portant thing because it maintains continuity in business. If there are accidents in work, the business stops. If business stops, work also stops,” Subbiah added. “Quality is the bottom line,” Joel Aton, SEC Community Relations and Development Project head has said in a radio interview. “This demonstrates our professional attitude to Health and Safety. We assure you that SEC and Daelim will continue adhering to our comprehensive HSE man-

agement system and will keep implementing the system to ensure the well-being of all workers.” “We shall uphold and improve this exceptional record. We will complete this project on time because it is our commitment to provide the region and the rest of Mindanao sufficient, economical and reliable supply of power come 2015,” Aton concluded. First phase of SEC’s 210 MW power plant encompassing 105 – MW

capacity is expected to become commercially operational in September 2015 and has been booked to various electric cooperatives such as the South Cotabato 2 Electric Cooperative Inc. (Socoteco II), Agusan Del Norte Electric Cooperative (Aneco), the Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Aselco) and the Davao Del Norte Electric Cooperative Inc. (Daneco). Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc. (ACR), the

publicly-listed company of the Alcantara Group, holds 75 percent equity at SEC. Meanwhile, Japan’s Toyota Tsusho Corporation owns the remaining 25 percent. EPC contractor Daelim, one of the biggest construction and engineering firms in South Korea has assumed full responsibility in ensuring that the project is completed on time when SEC officially turned over the 23-hectare site on February 2012.

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1) 1-hectare commercial lot at P10,000/sq m, along National Highway, facing east, beside NCCC Panacan, Davao City. 2) 17,940sq m commercial lot at P2,500/sq m, along Matina Diversion Road. 3) 3,831 sq m lot along Matina Diversion Road. 4) 41,408 sq m commercial/ industrial lot at P800/sq m along the National Highway, Bunawan. 5) 7,056 sq m at P1,200/sq m commercial/residential lot along Indangan Road, Buhangin District. 6) 27,411 sq m commercial/ industrial lot along the National Highway in Bincungan, Tagum City. 7) 116.15 to 245.92 sq meters , at P5.5M to P12.3M commercial/ office condo units in Bajada, Davao City. 8) 699 to 1,117 sq m at P4,100/sq m commercial lots at Josefina Town Center, along the National Highway, Dumoy, Toril. 9) Ready-for-Occupancy Residential Properties: 4BR/3T&B in a 240 sq m lot with 177.31sqm floor area (2-storey) at P4.8M in an exclusive beachfront community in Dumoy, Toril.; 3BR 2-storey in a 71.25 sq m 2-storey in a 143sq m lot in an exclusive flower village in Maa, Davao City; 180 sq m lots with 71.25sqm to 126.42 sq m floor areas, priced at P3.751M to P5.773M in an exclusive mountain resort community along Matina, Diversion Road. 10) 1BR/2BR residential condo units located in Bolton, Maa, Obrero, Davao City. 11) FOR ASSUME (RUSH): 1BR res’l condo unit in Palmetto, Maa. P600K negotiable. Note: Items 1-9 can be paid in cash, in-house or bank financing. If interested, please call Jay (PRC REB Lic. 8237) at 0922-851-5337 (Sun), 0908-883-8832 (Smart) or send email to propertiesindavao@yahoo.com.

General Santos Drive, Koronadal City, South Cotabato 9506

Tel. No. 083-228-2511 ; Fax No. 083-228-2654

General Santos Drive, Koronadal City, South Cotabato 9506 Tel. No. 083-228-2511 ; Fax No. 083-228-2654

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BUS DRIVER

Qualifications: Qualifications:

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Male, 28 – 40 years old 1. least Male, high 28 – school 40 years old At graduate 2. At least high school graduate With 5 years driving experience (bus, trucks) 3. With 5 years driving experience (bus, trucks)

Requirements: Requirements: 1. Driver’s License with Official Receipt 1.x Driver’s License (2 with Official Receipt 2. 2 2 I.D. picture pcs.) 2. 2 x 2 I.D. (2 pcs.) or clearance from 3. Certificate of picture Employment 3. Certificate of Employment or clearance from

May previous apply in employment person at Human Resource Department, YBLI in Office, General Santos Resource Drive, May apply person at Human Koronadal City. YBLI Office, General Santos Drive, Department, Koronadal City.

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VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

CLASSIFIEDS 13

EDGEDAVAO WANTS YOU! Serving a seamless society

Account Executives (3)

Male / Female, not more than 30 years old Candidate must posses a Bachelor/ College Degree in any Business field. Willing to work under pressure, flexible, persuasive, can speak fluently and computer literate A team player With Basic Salary, Transportation, Communication, allowance + Commission

For interested applicants, you may send your resume to: HR Department EDGEDavao

Doors 13 & 14 Alcrej B;dg., Quirino Ave., Davao City Tel. No. (082) 221-3601 Email: edgedavao@gmail.com

14 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

READY TO ROAR VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Tiger ready to launch 2014 campaign at Torrey Pines W ORLD number one Tiger Woods will

launch his 2014 campaign at one of his favourite venues, having

committed on Monday to play in this month’s Farmers Insurance Open

ROARING YEAR? Tiger Woods hopes to break out to a big year ahead and with his grifriend world champion skier Lindsey Vonn beside him (right photo), there could be more happy days on red.

Pacquiao lawyer: Arum should give in for mega-fight

HE ANGLING for a mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao has no end in sight. After the Filipino puncher defeated Brandon Rios and was named as the WBC’s mandatory challenger for the welterweight title, Mayweather-Pacquiao talks have remained in the headlines of all boxing conversations. Franklin Gacal, Pacquiao’s long time lawyer, is the latest to chime in. In an interview with Edwin Espejo of Asian Correspondent, Gacal opined that Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum should

step aside and allow Pacquiao to fight Mayweather. This opinion stemmed from statements made by the undefeated American champion that he will not fight Pacquiao as long as he is under the Top Rank banner. Mayweather was also promoted by Arum early in his career but the two had a bitter falling out. “If that is Floyd’s condition and if Manny agrees – and it looks like Manny will agree to fight Floyd - the only way is not to renew his contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank,” Gacal told Espejo. “Manny

should be a freelancer for the fight to happen.” The lawyer has been apart from Pacquiao in the past several months as he is currently recovering from a stroke suffered in November. Gacal however clarified that he doesn’t know when Pacquiao’s current contract with Top Rank will expire as the lawyer was not able to see it before it was signed. Still, because of the magnitude of the fight, Gacal feels that Arum should simply step aside. “History is waiting and Bob should free Manny,” the lawyer said. “That would be Bob’s greatest contribution to boxing history.”

at Torrey Pines, tournament organisers said. Woods won the event there for a record seventh time last year, ending a week of mainly dominant golf by clinching his 75th PGA Tour title by four shots. It was the third different PGA Tour event where he has achieved the feat, having previously piled up seven wins apiece at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Woods had been widely expected to officially commit to his title defence at the January 23-26 Farmers Insurance Open after being asked by reporters last month whether he expected to start the new season with more or less confidence than before. “Well, I’ve done well at Torrey Pines,” he replied, after losing a play-

off to fellow American Zach Johnson for the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge which he hosts. “I’ve done pretty good. That’s my first tournament back.” Pressed on whether he ever experienced doubts heading into a fresh campaign, Woods replied: “Of course. I mean I’ve come off of long breaks. “I’ve come off of surgeries, you know, whatever it may be. I’ve had my share of off-seasons, and I can tell you one thing, I’m looking forward to this one.” Woods comes off a highly successful 2013 campaign, having won a season-high five times on the PGA Tour and earning the circuit Player of the Year accolade, as voted upon by his peers. The only blemish on an otherwise impressive

resume was his failure to add another major title to his career tally of 14, which has stalled since his remarkable playoff victory for the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. “Pretty damn good year,” Woods said of his 2013 season. “Five wins, and you know, on some pretty good venues, so very pleased with the year. I’m really excited about the major championships (in 2014). “I’ve won at three of the four venues - Augusta National, Valhalla Golf Club (PGA Championship) and Royal Liverpool (British Open) - and on Pinehurst No. 2 (U.S. Open), I’m trending the right way, having finished third and second. “But I still need to practise, work, grind and prepare, and have my game come together those four times a year. And I hope that will happen.”

Nuggets rout Lakers by 22 T

Y LAWSON had 20 points and 12 assists and Timofey Mozgov scored 20 points off the bench as visiting Denver knocked off struggling Los Angeles. Nate Robinson scored a team-high 21 points, Kenneth Faried had 17 points and 13 rebounds and Wilson Chandler also scored 17 points for the Nuggets. Randy Foye added 14 points as Denver won its second straight con-

test following an eightgame skid. Pau Gasol had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Jodie Meeks scored 23 points for the Lakers, who have dropped seven of their last eight contests. Nick Young scored 21 points and Kendall Marshall had a career-best 17 assists. Robinson scored five points during a 7-0 surge to open the fourth quarter as Denver boosted its lead to 17. The advantage reached

20 on two free throws by Mozgov with 8:15 left and the Nuggets poured it on to conclude with 44 fourth-quarter points. Los Angeles led 6160 at halftime before Denver dominated the second half with 77 points. Chandler scored eight points during a 17-2 third-quarter run that saw the Nuggets take a 12-point advantage and they entered the final quarter with a 93-83 lead.

INdulge!

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

WOMEN

Homecoming

Queen

LET’S first take it from where I ended my interview with Nikita Pia McElroy, who at that time was just launched in a controversial clothing ad campaign. The Dabawenya model spoke about her wishful thinkings. “I hope for bigger things. Ten years from now, I’d probably have found my courage to take my chances in other fields such as hosting, or join the academe. Who knows? I may end up as a teacher here or abroad. The thought of going international, in terms of modeling, won’t hurt either. After all, nothing is impossible. Everyone has to do their own part to realize their goals. You just really gotta have a brave heart, and I never give up even when challenges try to hinder my path. It helps that I went through an unhappy time earlier in my life, because now I get to appreciate my assets and blessings, and know what it is I really want to do in life. I put my heart and soul in everything I do, no matter how big or small.” The story was published in August 2012. Fast forward to year 2013, we saw Nikita in series of fashion editorials. Cosmopolitan magazine even named her as one of the 8 sexiest female models. It was also in this year that she won the title of Miss Resorts World - Manila. Judging from last year’s highlights, one can really proudly say that this feisty model of African-Filipino descent will soon be the next BIG thing to happen in the modeling industry. I took a chance to see

Nikita during her homecoming shoot at LeadFoto Studios last weekend. It was one of those spur of the moment randomness where we didn’t have pegs and just played around with available fabric. Between flashes of light, Ni-

kita twirled, laughed, and posed en vogue. She was in her element and, clearly, she enjoyed this so-called downtime at the studio with one of her most trusted photographers, Paul Borromeo (who was also instrumental in Nikita’s success during her first few years in modeling). I wondered if the dogeat-dog world in the metro ever made a diva out of Nikita. She laughed when the question was popped by our friend. She quipped, “Jusmiyo! Never. Not me.” She smiled mischievously, flipped her hair, and

FHOMECOMING, A4

Photographer: Paul Borromeo HMUA: Glenn de Guzman

A2 INdulge! UP AND ABOUT

Warm is the new cool Warm up your style with Bauhaus’ leather jacket collection

LIVING UP to its role of being the bearer of good fashion and a bastion of style, Bauhaus ushers in the new year by letting out good tidings in the form of a special leather jacket promotion on January 25. City slickers can get 40% off on any regular-priced Tough Jeansmith or Salad leather jackets at Bauhaus. A multi-brand concept store dedicated in opening up the market’s style perspective with its fashion-forward and high-quality street style labels, Bauhaus contains a carefully-curated selection of fresh and unique brands that are all for edge, innovation, and ingenuity. Though constantly revising its brands to keep things progressive and inclined with the times, Bauhaus treads along the territories of street wear fashion and is particularly recognized for its superbly crafted denim and leather. This somber season of cool, Bauhaus has set its focus on gearing up individuals with the essentials to weather out the cold and consequently face new advents. Headlining the concept store’s cherry-picked selections for its leather jacket collection are Tough and Salad. Hong Kong founded label Salad is all about infusing innovation with imperfections – all done in refinement and deliberate executions. Defined by key details, Salad meticulously creates pieces that are rich in character as seen in the general theme of each collection all the way to minute details such as stitching, needlework, sewing, trims, thread variations, and even its label stitching. Bauhaus’ first-ever private label, Tough Jeansmith was launched in 1994 with the promise of design innovation and technical construction that result in impeccably-rugged industrial pieces. Drawing inspiration from diverse cultures and the structured silhouettes of the future, Tough Jeansmith is all about craftsmanship and structure encapsulated in industrial street wear forms. With two provocative labels leading the collection, fashionphiles can expect a leather jacket selection that is edgy and offthe-beaten-path yet robust and casual. Characterized by a strong military and street style design direction, the collection features leather jackets that are made to withstand the most erratic and harshest of weather, but comfortable and cozy enough to warm its wearer up. This makes it perfect for urban jetsetters who are out to take a breather this festive season in far off lands. Stepping away from tradition, one can expect these leather jackets to come alive in vibrant but deep jewel shades of purple, crimson, and sapphire. Built to resist tough weather, the aesthetics of each piece make it versatile enough to be sported all year round – proving the pieces to be a wise retail investment. Indeed, what better way is there to usher in the new beginnings than with a tough new outerwear to amp up one’s confidence – a symbolic piece of protection that gives one the feeling of strength, command, and authority. Bauhaus is located at the second level of the Abreeza Mall besides Columbia.

Booksale at SM City Davao THE country’s biggest source of low-priced unused, as well as previously-owned books and bargain publications, BOOKSALE, has opened its doors at SM City Davao. Catering to the individual lifestyle of each member of the book-loving family, kids, fathers and mothers will feel at home with the myriad of book assortment at Booksale. Collections at all the Booksale shops nationwide is regularly changed so one is sure to find something new every visit. Items at Booksale are from the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K. Feel the excitement of a treasure book hunt! Visit Booksale at the second floor SM City Davao main building.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Skechers opens SM City Davao concept store SKECHERS, world-renowned f a sh i on - at h l e t i c footwear brand, expands anew with the opening of its newest store in Davao located at the ground floor of SM City Ecoland.

The new store offers Davaoenos Skechers’ latest footwear designs for men, women and kids that are great to wear this holiday season and beyond. The Skechers collection includes the uber stylish Skch + 3 sneaker wedge, trendsetting men’s relaxed-fit shoes and performance frontrunner, Skechers GOrun2. The Skechers Skch + 3 sneaker wedge has been on every style-conscious woman’s radar, especially during this season of dressing up. It steps up one’s fashion style with its versatile look that can be worn from high-fashion catwalks to the urban streets to the posh clubs for a ladies’ party night out. Skch + 3 gives that added fashion flair to your favorite jeans and crop top ensemble, printed skirts and dresses. With its range of designs and styles that suits one’s mood, personality and fancy, the Skch + 3 has become every woman’s latest shoe staple. Skechers’ men’s relaxed-fit shoes are the new breed of shoes for today’s trendsetters. From

Skechers, world-renowned fashion-athletic footwear brand, expands anew with the opening of its latest concept shop in Davao located at the ground floor of SM City Ecoland. The new store offers Dabawenos Skechers’ latest footwear designs for men, women and kids that are great to wear this holiday season and beyond. street sneakers to dressier kicks and loafers, Skechers has the right kind of shoes for men of style. What’s more, this everyday footwear scream comfort with its relaxed fit technology featuring a memory foam for added cushioning – great to wear during your hectic schedule of holiday parties and get-togethers. With the many festivities lined-up for the Yuletide season, keeping fit should also be on everyone’s mind. For those

who are into running or hitting the gym, check out Skechers GOrun2, the sequel of the successful GOrun performance shoe. This updated shoe helps runners run faster with a mid-foot strike, allowing users to achieve their personal best time. Choose from the bright color combinations to spruce up your active wear. In Davao, Skechers’ other stores are located in Abreeza Mall and Gaisano Mall.

Skechers also has branches in Glorietta 2, Trinoma, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Galleria, SM North Edsa – The Annex, Robinsons Place Manila, Lucky Chinatown Mall, Market! Market!, Festival Mall, SM Fairview, SM Dasmariñas, Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Cebu, Abreeza Mall Davao, Gaisano Mall of Davao, SM Davao, Centrio Mall Cagayan de Oro, and LimKetKai Mall CDO. SUBANGAN: DAVOR’S NEW HOME. Truly an animal of extremes, this cetacean has the largest brain and the longest intestine on the planet. DAVOR, the sperm whale that first beached on the shores of Gov. Generoso on June 2010 was approximately 53 feet in length, the 7th in terms of size in the World List (the largest on record is 59 feet and died in 1937). This gentle giant’s remains which took years to assemble and transport, finally found a resting place in a new state of the art museum built under the administration of Davao Oriental Provincial Governor Cora Malanyaon (who also coined its name). Serving as a memorial and a symbol of the rich biodiversity, DAVOR’s immense skeletal display (almost complete except for the teeth, one fin and an eardrum) will be open to the public on January 8, 2014 in Subangan Davao Oriental Provincial Museum in Mati City. Contributed photos

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

ENTERTAINMENT

Fashion forecast and charity closet in Fashbook this Wednesday THIS Wednesday, GMA News TV’s Fashbook serves the fast-trending styles this 2014. Among the predicted fashion that will take hold in the months to come are spruced up sportswear, embellished sweatshirts, silk shorts, and sports jackets in satin. Also slated to make a big splash this year is the Midi Length Skirt, which falls between the knees and the ankle, a skirt that is perfect not just for the ladies but also for the young fashionistas as well. Lace, on the other hand, is making a comeback in the fashion scene. However, lace will have a bolder new look with neon designs. But apparently blue might just be the color of the year. Apart from the fashion forecast, host Solenn Heussaff reveals one of the deepest and darkest secrets of some fashionistas--- the cluttered closet. And this Wednesday, Solenn per-

sonally helps a fellow fashionista in clearing up her messy closet. Find out how the style diva keeps hers clutter-free as she dispenses valuable tips on how to have a glamorous and organized closet. Fashbook also helps a displaced family from Tacloban. The family was relocated in Cavite after Typhoon Yolanda left their city in ruins. With the help of Fashb o o k ’s celebrity friends, the family will be given a big gift this New Year --- a new closet and new clothes to help them jumpstart their life here in Luzon. Fashbook airs every Wednesday, 10pm, after SONA on GMA News TV.

“My Puhunan” shares success story of shoemaker who earns P50,000 a day BROADCAST journalist Karen Davila details the success story of an ordinary shoemaker who used his creativity to pioneer innovative footwear designs that became a hit in Laguna this Wednesday (Jan 8) in “My Puhunan.” Badong Monteiro was 15 years old when he worked at a footwear factory and decided to put up his own business after his self-designed floral flipflops sold well. Fifty years after, Badong’s now produces 2,000 pieces of slippers every month and brings in P50,000 a day on weekends, with its bakya and sandals with woodwork its signature products. In “My Puhunan,” Badong teaches Victor Ancheta, a

shoe repairman, how to make slippers so Victor can earn twice or thrice as how much he currently earns. Diros Bigornia, meanwhile, gives a source of livelihood to two families that can barely make ends meet in “Mutya ng Masa” tomorrow (Jan 7).

Don’t miss “My Puhunan” this Wednesday (Jan 8), and “Mutya ng Masa” tomorrow (Jan 7), 4:45PM on ABS-CBN. For updates, follow @mypuhunan and @MutyaNgMasa on Twitter or like www. facebook.com/MyPuhunan and www.facebook.com/ MutyaNgMasa.

“BLADE” ALL SET TO ELIMINATE VAMPIRES IN NEW TEAM MARVEL. Team Marvel keeps you safe from vampires with “Blade,” the vampire hunter every Sunday at 9 AM on ABS-CBN. Blade is no ordinary man -- he was born with human and vampire blood in his veins becoming the only vampire able to roam in daylight. He travels to Japan on a mission to bring down a vampire organization in Asia known as the “Existence” and its leader Deacon Frost, the vampire who killed his mother. Will Blade get his revenge on the bloodsucking monsters? Don’t miss “Blade” as he joins Team Marvel on Sunday, 9 AM, on ABS-CBN.

INdulge! A3

A4 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

WOMEN

EDGEDavao Davao Partners

Homecoming...FFROM A1 danced around the studio like a little girl. Looking at the tall and voluptuous Nikita, whose unassuming air and perky mood could easily draw attention from any spectator, I realized that nothing much has changed. Even after she bagged enough bragging rights (the beauty title, magazine features, print ads, etc), Nikita remained down to earth and humble. Her training at PMAP (Professional Models Association of the Philippines) served its purpose in making a vamp out of the innocent Davaoena. By this, I mean her projection in front of the lens, her intuition and maturity. Paul and I were just beaming with pride as we watched Nikita doodle and scribble her message on the dressing room wall right after the shoot. The message “Punks not dead” was already running in

my head as Nikita started to write. Then again, that would be so “yo-mahhomies” for her. Instead, in her true character, she wrote in local lingo and spelled out her gratitude to Paul for the countless of photo sessions which, she joked, were sometimes “pinakalit at pinaabtik” (unplanned and rushed). “This girl will go a long way. The people here may not realize that now. But look, one day they will take notice and recognize her face and talent --- and the rest of the country will as well,” Paul beams. I have to agree with Paul. Nikita’s star will continue to shine, especially with her carefree and fun character, an attitude of gratitude, and determination. Sharing with everyone some snaps from the homecoming shoot, all taken by Paul Borromeo.

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS 15 2014 AUSTRALIAN OPEN PREVIEW

VOL. 6 ISSUE 209 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

Wozniacki opens year with a win in Sydney

ORMER world number one Caroline Wozniacki opened her season with a win over German Julia Goerges in the first round of the Sydney International on Monday. Danish sixth seed Wozniacki, who became engaged to golf star Rory McIlroy on New Year’s Eve, lost the first set to Goerges but rallied to come through 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. The 23-year-old, who withdrew from a WTA event in Brisbane last weekend due to a shoulder injury, was making her sixth straight appearance at the Sydney tournament as she prepares for the Australian Open. But fourth-seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic’s preparations for Melbourne hit a hurdle on Monday when she was beaten by world number 23 Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. Jankovic, who is ranked eighth in the world, was 3-1 down in the second set and was never back in the game as Makarova held her nerve to serve out for the match, winning with

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI. An engagement and a fresh start for 2014.

an ace. “I tried to be aggressive and not let her attack, because she’s really good playing down the line from the backhand,” Makarova said. “So I tried to let her move her to the backhand, not to stand and hit it. I was moving quite good (too)… today was a good match.” Earlier United States qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands beat Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard 6-4, 6-3 while Czech Lucie Safarova bundled out Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-4. Mattek-Sands will now face defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska who, fresh from the final of the Hopman Cup in Perth, said she was expecting a tough match. “I think Bethanie is playing well. I definitely have to play good tennis,” she said. Radwanska, the topseed at the Sydney International and world number 5, played a thrilling final for Poland at the Hopman Cup with Grzegorz Panfil on Saturday, but lost to France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and

Alize Cornet. But Cornet could not continue her run on Monday and lost to American Christina McHale who took the match 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 7-5. German fifth seed Angelique Kerber beat last year’s runner-up Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 while qualifier Lauren Davis from the United States took on Australian wildcard Jarmila Gajdosova, winning 6-4, 7-6 (10/8). Romania’s Sorana Cirstea went down to Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4, 6-1 and American Victoria Duval lost to Kaia Kanepi from Estonia 6-1, 6-3. Fellow American Varvara Lepchenko -- a late edition after the US’s Sloane Stephens pulled out with injury -- beat Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. In the men’s singles, French sixth seed Julien Benneteau beat Australian Matthew Ebden 6-2, 6-2 and Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin won over Spaniard Pablo Andujar 6-1, 6-2.

It was the first time the women’s champion had been defeated in her opening match at the tournament since 1990. Radwanska had a poor end to the season in 2013, losing all three round robin matches at the WTA championships though she won all three matches at the Hopman Cup in Perth last week to give her some impetus heading into Melbourne Park. The Pole was given a bye in the first round. Mattek-Sands will now face with either fel-

low American Madison Keys or Croatian wildcard Ajla Tomljanovic in the quarter-finals. Danish sixth seed Caroline Wozniacki, who has emerged as a potential title favourite after the in-form Jelena Jankovic lost in the first round on Monday, plays Lucie Safarova later on Tuesday. The winner of that clash will face either Christina McHale or former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals.

Radwanska suffers defeat S

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA. She needs to negate the big-hitters.

YDNEY (Reuters) Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska’s title defence at the Sydney International lasted just 92 minutes when she was dumped out of the second round by Bethanie Mattek-Sands on Tuesday. The world number five, who had won the Sydney title last year as part of a 13-match unbeaten streak that ended in the Australian Open quarter-finals, was upset 7-5 6-2 by the American qualifier in the first match on the main court.

Fake Mexico boxing card exposed

NOTHER scandal in boxing has been unearthed in which photos of ALA fighters WBO light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes, former WBO/WBA flyweight challenger Milan Melindo and retired fighter Reman Salem were falsely used in place of Filipino boxers scheduled to figure in a boxing promotion in Mexico on January 11 titled

Mexico vs Philippines. The fight card promoted by Reginaldo and Oswaldo Kuchile Promociones del Pueblo is set to take place at the Auditorium Benito Juarez in Vera Cruz, Mexico. Respected ALA Promotions patron Tony Aldeguer wants Games and Amusements Board chairman Ramon Guanzon to conduct an imme-

diate investigation into the “irregular usage of the photos” and insisted that “this gross misrepresentation should not be left unheeded especially since it concern a Filipino World Champion whose photo shows him wearing a Filipino head band and a championship belt obviously to mislead the public into believing that this could be a Championship

fight since it is scheduled for 12 rounds as reflected in the boxrec.com.” Aldeguer disclosed that the photo of Donnie Nietes was used for Filipino light flyweight Mark Duran while the photo of Milan Melindo was used for bantamweight super featherweight Vergel Nebram and the photo of retired boxer Reman Salem was used for Adones Aguelo.

Rodman, ex-NBA players arrive in North Korea P YONGYANG, North Korea (AP) -- Dennis Rodman said Monday that a game he and other former National Basketball Association players are planning in North Korea will be a ‘’birthday present’’ for one of their most unlikely fans: leader Kim Jong Un. Rodman reportedly to lead team with Kenny Anderson, Vin Baker to North Korea for exhibition NBC Sports Rodman’s squad - featur-

ing ex-All Stars Kenny Anderson, Cliff Robinson and Vin Baker - will play against a team of North Koreans on Wednesday, which is believed to be Kim’s birthday. The former NBA players, who arrived in Pyongyang on Monday, also include Eric ‘’Sleepy’’ Floyd, guard Doug Christie and Charles D. Smith, who played for the New York Knicks. Four streetball players also are on the squad.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. VOL.66ISSUE ISSUE209 209••WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY,JANUARY JANUARY8,8,2014 2014

WHO WOULD GIVE MANNY PACQUIAO A BETTER FIGHT?

Bradley or Provodnikov?

By KELSEY MCCARSON

OMING back to the ring after a yearlong layoff following a Round 6 knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez on December 8, 2012, the Pacman, against a tough but overmatched Rios, was once again everything fight fans want him to be—blindingly fast, deadly accurate and absurdly powerful. Now that he’s back in the win column, Pacquiao seems to have set his sights on fighting either Timothy Bradley or Ruslan Provodnikov next. According to Bad Left Hook’s Scott Christ, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum and manager Michael Koncz were hammering out a decision and a deal earlier this week:

It’s down to two: Timothy Bradley or Ruslan Provodnikov will be the opponent for Manny Pacquiao on April 12, when Manny returns to the ring on HBO pay-per-view and comes back to Las Vegas most likely. Promoter Bob Arum will meet in Los Angeles with Pacquiao’s chief adviser Michael Koncz tomorrow, and the two hope to finalize a deal. While a deal hasn’t yet been announced, it seems very likely Pacquiao will indeed pick either Bradley or Provodnikov for his next bout. Both potential matchups would garner immense interest. Bradley defeated Pacquiao in a heavily disputed 2012 fight most everyone else in the world saw as a clear Pacquiao victory. Could Pacquiao get his revenge over a Bradley who seems to have improved even more as a

fighter since the two last met? Or would Bradley once again appear unwilling or unable to trade with the faster and more powerful Pacquiao? Meanwhile, Provodnikov is a former Pacquiao sparring partner who’s now made a name for himself as a brutalizing brawler. He was edged out by Bradley in a Fight of the Year contender in 2012 and has the ability to knock a man out with a single blow. Provodnikov knocked out tough guy Mike Alvarado last year in front of the Coloradoan’s home crowd. But could Provodnikov outslug the preeminent offensive fighter in the game? Or would Pacquiao annihilate him the way he has just about every other brawler he’s ever faced? Both narratives are easy sells to the boxing public and would be slam-dunk promotions for Top Rank. But which

fighter would actually give Pacquiao a better fight? While Provodnikov might offer a more scintillating showcase of two fighters with great offenses who absolutely love to fight, the truth of the matter is that he would fair quite poorly against Pacquiao on fight night. Despite the adage, one does not actually fight fire with fire, trying to outslug Pacquiao while standing in his punching range is a fool’s errand. Sure, the rounds would be fun for however long they lasted, but Pacquiao is just too fast, too strong and too skilled for a fighter like Provodnikov. He’d cut Provodnikov into pieces and stop him, or he’d dominate almost every round on his way to a one-sided 12-round decision win. But Bradley offers so much more.