Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 104 | Tuesday, August 11, 2020

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GOING DIGITAL

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Kadayawan sa Davao 2020 activities go digital STORY ON PAGE 2

Dancers perform during the previous Kadayawan sa Davao’s Indak-Indak Kadayawan, a street dancing competition which showcases the dances of the indigenous people. This year’s Kadayawan Festival goes digital as Davao City will have an austere celebration while the city is in a period of mourning and vigilance due to the public health crisis. The week-long Kadayawan activities are moved to digital platforms from August 17 to 24, 2020. Edge Davao

A resident move his family’s precious belongings from their house to the street to spare them from the flash flood in Bangkal, Davao City on Tuesday evening, 04 August 2020. MindaNews photo by GREGORIO BUENO

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VOL.13 ISSUE 104 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020

Catholic parishioners attend the first Sunday mass at San Pedro Cathedral along San Pedro Street in Davao City on Sunday. Sunday masses have resumed on August 9, 2020 after Davao City was placed under five-month Covid-19 lockdowns. Edge Davao

GOING DIGITAL T

DOH earmarks initial P2.4B for purchase of vaccine

Kadayawan sa Davao 2020 activities go digital

By MAYA M. PADILLO f there’s a will, there’s a way.

Not even the pandemic can stop Dabawenyos from celebrating this year’s Kadayawan sa Davao as the Davao Tourism Association (DATA) is organizing a Kadayawan Digital Week in commemoration for the 35th Kadayawan Festival.

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On Monday, DATA revealed plans to celebrate Kadayawan full blast by organizing activities and competitions via digital platform beginning on August 17 to 24, 2020.

The activities will be opened with “Ang Pag-abli” on August 17.

The activities set to be mounted online include the innovative ‘Tiktok Indak Indak Kadayawan’ (open to all residents and using official Kadayawan music), Kadayawan Music Video making competition (using past Tunog Kadayawan song entries), MMK-X or the most memorable Kadayawan experience (by posting most memorable photos), #challengeaccepted (in black and white), Best of Hiyas sa

Kadayawan, Hulagway Kadayawan (online photo exhibit), Kadayawan Museonline (paintings and artwork exhibit), Kadayawan in Retrospect webcast series, Best of Sayaw Kadayawan (highlights of past Sayaw), Best of Habi Kadayawan (highlights of past Habi), Best of Bantawan Kadayawan (highlights of past Bantawan), Best of Indak Indak sa Kadayawan (highlights of past Indak Indak), Best of Pamulak and Pitik Kadawayan (highlights of past Pamulak and Pitik), Pahalipay Online Paglaum Concert sa Zoom.

The best of ‘Indak Indak’ will happen on Aug. 22.

“The Kadayawan spirit lives on. Akala ng iba wala

pero meron. We Dabawenyos we have to adopt to change. We have to face the new reality. We have to live the new normal, but we have to do something that is why we collaborated with the City Tourism Office and the city government of Davao to come up with something. Somethirng old and something new. Para dili nato malimtan ang Kadayawan together lets commemorate the essence of Kadayawan as we use technology to launch Kadayawan Digital Week 2020,” said Gatchi Gatchalian, digital director of Kadayawan Digital Week 2020 and president of DATA in a zoom conference on Monday.

Gatchalian said there will be digital prizes and that hundreds of winners in each competition.

“Our festival ground will be online in our official Facebook Kadayawan sa Davao official Facebook page. In our upcoming activities everything we are working with our digital partners through FB online. One of the partners

has committed to give cash and phones by choosing the digital top choice.

Loads, e-cash, gadgets, food vouchers. The digital partners will choose their top choice for each of the competition,” Gatchalian added.

He assured that the 11 tribes, which are among the main highlights of every celebration, can participate digitally.

Generose Tecson, head of the City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO), said deputy mayors of the tribes will participate during the “Pag-abli” (opening) during the flag ceremony in the city hall.

“We are always in contact with them, kahit sila mismo gusto nilang buksan ang kanilang mga tribal houses but because of the pandemic right now we have to tell them that we will celebrate Kadayawan this year in another way,” she said.

Gatchalian said the 11 tribes will get involved in most of the webcast series and how they became inspiration in so many Ka-

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he Department of Health has initially allocated P2.4 billion for the purchase of vaccine against COVID-19 under its proposed budget for 2021, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Monday.

“We allocated P2.4 billion for purchase of COVID-19 vaccine. We don’t know how much we can be able to procure, pero madadagdagan pa naman iyan (P2.4 billion),” Vergeire said.

“Iyan lang ang initial na sinet-aside natin,” Vergeire added.

Last July 31, President Rodrigo Duterte and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said that at least 40 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, mostly from China, will be available

to the Philippines by December this year.

Vergeire said that while the institutions that DOH are working with have indeed offered COVID-19 vaccine for 20 million or 20% of the population, that can still change.

“The vaccine has two doses, that would be 40 million doses. We are still working with DOST, DFA and DOF [on the amount of vaccine we are purchasing], pero we had set aside money and this can be augmented once na dumating na ang vaccine at ang cost nito,” Vergeire added.

The Philippines has recorded 129,913 COVID-19 cases thus far. Of this number, 67,675 have recovered while 2,270 died.

The number of active COVID-19 cases is at 59,968.

Davao de Oro intensifies efforts against ASF

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he provincial government of Davao de Oro is intensifying efforts against African Swine Fever (ASF) starting with the prohibition on the use of swill feeding and installation of foot and wheel bath for motorists and vehicles passing through its provincial boundaries.

“Since February nung nag-erupt ang ASF sa Davao Occidental, we are very vigilant together with our hog raisers here in Davao de Oro. Nag-meet kami on how to combat this virus and isa sa among nasabutan gyud of course iwasan nato ang

paggamit ng mga lamaw, and then isa diha in our provincial boundaries ang mga sasakyan na papasok sa aming probinsya will pass through a foot bath and a wheel bath para ma-disinfect ang mga sasakyan, minimizing the transmission,” said Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy of Davao De Oro in a Network Briefing News on Radyo Pilipinas.

Uy said the province is also coordinating with Davao del Norte because there is an outbreak, which was contained already in Panabo City.

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NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

PRRD OKs add’l P5-B aid for displaced OFWs

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President Rodrigo Duterte approves the release of additional P5 billion for the repatriation and assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced. Presidential Photo

resident Rodrigo Roa Duterte has approved the release of additional PHP5 billion for the repatriation and assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced on Sunday.

DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III said big portion of the fresh funds will be released to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) which undertakes the repatriation of displaced Filipinos due to lockdowns and closure of establishments overseas.

“Because the President love our new modern-day heroes, he is providing them the additional funds for the repatriation and assistance to our OFWs,” he said in a statement.

Aside from repatriation assistance, the OWWA also shoulders the cost of Covid-19 tests of OFWs

upon arrival in the country, their food and accommodation in hotels while awaiting the test results.

It also provides transportation assistance to the OFWs back to their home provinces via land, sea, and air once tested negative of the virus.

The latest batch of 1,185 OFWs took their rides to their home provinces on Saturday, bringing the total number at 129,491 OFWs sent home and given assistance since May 15.

For its part, the DOLE has been providing a onetime USD200 (PHP10,000) cash aid under Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) to OFWS both on-site and those stranded in the country affected by the pandemic.

It reported that the PHP2.5 billion AKAP funds is almost completely depleted with assistance already provided to more

he Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is promoting the use of handmade bamboo face shield as an added layer of protection against the coronavirus.

In a statement on Sunday, Mindanao Development Authority chief Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said a group of Cotabato farmers and members of the Central Mindanao Green Workers Association sell the protective gear for PHP80 per piece.

The face shield is designed by Junroe Barrios, a young agricultural engineer from M'lang, North Cotabato.

“Since the group is just starting the enterprise, they have divided the phases of the work, from the stripping of the bamboo slats to the curing, attaching of the plas-

tic shield, disinfecting and packaging,” Piñol said.

He said the makers of the face shield work from their homes and need support to establish a formal and orderly manufacturing area complete with working tables, stripping equipment, and sanitary equipment.

“Let us support this group of farmers so that they could survive through the economic crisis while providing readily available and locally made face shields,” Piñol said.

For inquiries about the face shield, Piñol said the public may contact Nonoy Jayme through mobile phone numbers 09658873930 or 0951-4131970.

They can also order online through www.bambuhay.com and Bambuhayph on Facebook. (PNA)

Vulnerable sector still barred outdoors: Sara T

By MAYA M. PADILLO ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio reiterated that the vulnerable sector — persons age 60 years old and above and 21 years old and below — are still not allowed to go out and go to the malls even if the food and medicine pass (FM Pass) was already lifted.

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Last August 3, 2020, the city government of Davao lifted the implementation of FM pass while remain under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) status.

“Daghan na-confuse kay abi nila tungod walay FM pass puwede pud ang vulnerable sector but no.

Naa gihapon ta’y quaran-

tine, naa gihapon stay at home because mao na ang purpose sa quarantine.

Dapat magpondo ka sa balay and naa gihapon strict na quarantine for the vulnerable sector,” the mayor reiterated in a live interview with Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) 87.5 on Monday.

The mayor reminded

MECQ is one step backward, two steps forward: Sen. Go

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enator Christopher “Bong” Go said the government is taking one step backward and two steps forward in its decision to revert Metro Manila and nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in order to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 and, at the same time, strengthen testing, tracing and treating capabilities of the health sector.

"Ang thrust po dito one step backward, two steps forward. Bahagi ito ng recalibration ng strategies.

Maliban sa pagbibigay ng time out [para sa mga frontliners], ito ay para ma-intensify pa ang testing capacity natin and tracing capability and isolation capacity,” the Senator said during an interview given

on Saturday, August 8.

Go, who serves as Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, expressed concern at the rising number of COVID-19 infections which he attributed to increased testing. On August 6, the Philippines overtook Indonesia and emerged as Southeast Asia’s new coronavirus hot spot. There are 122,754 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 infection in the country, as of August 7.

However, Go noted that the Philippines also takes the top spot in terms of testing capacity in the region, having conducted a total of 1,643,539 tests with an average of 28,938 tests per day within the last seven days, as of August 4.

By comparison, Indonesia conducted an estimated 908,000 tests with an av-

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that the vulnerable sector is only allowed if the purpose of going out are to work, to access essential goods and services, for exercise and for non-contact sports.

“Ang mga vulnerable sector, ages 60 and above and 21 years old and below, and those with comorbidities and immuno-suppressed or other health risks, and pregnant women-kana sila strictly stay at home. Dili na sila puwede mugawas ug muadto ug mall gi-klaro na sa Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) guidelines except when accessing essential goods and services nga naa sa sulod sa mall,” she said.

Mayor Sara added that pregnant women are allowed to go to the malls only to access essential goods related to maternity care.

“Kung muadto ka didto, mamalit ka unya muhapit pa gyud anang milk tea dinha, I dont think na essential goods and services ang milk tea para sa buntis especially buntis ka kinahanglan magbantay ka sa imong sugar,” she said.

She also reiterated that babies, who belongs to the vulnerable sector, are not allowed to attend gatherings.

“In our executive order katong private event in

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Sen. Bong Go urged the public to continue adhering to the health and safety guidelines, such face mask-wearing and social distancing, in order to prevent more infections and avoid possible extension of strict community quarantine measures.

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VOL.13 ISSUE 104 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020

A sidewalk vendor selling "ukay-ukay" decides to gather her merchandise after experiencing slow business on Sunday, the first Sunday that Dabawenyos are allowed to go out without Food and Medicine pass. Edge Davao

Gov’t spending prevented 11.5% economic contraction in H1: DOF T

NEDA task force to formulate govt's economic recovery plan

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inance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Saturday the economic contraction posted in the first six months of the year could have been worse if the government did not increase government spending.

The Philippine economy as measured by gross domestic product (GDP) shrunk 16.5 percent in the second quarter, its worst performance on record since 1981. This brought the first half contraction to nine percent.

In a statement, Dominguez said Metro Manila and other urban centers were on strict lockdown in the three months leading to June to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which has unleashed an unprecedented health and economic crisis across the globe.

The Finance chief said, “Without continued and increased public-sector spending, especially on infrastructure, public health and social protection, the first-semester GDP would have shrunk by a total of 11.5 percent, 2.5 percentage points more than the actual 9 percent.”

Government expenditures during the first semester of 2020 were up by 27 percent year-on-year, increasing to P2.01 trillion compared to P1.59 trillion during the same period last year.

“We are not alone in

our struggles, although the unique fiscal and macroeconomic strengths with which we entered 2020 will continue to provide us with solid footing as we confront our economic challenges,” Dominguez said.

The Finance Secretary added that the government’s three-pronged strategy against COVID-19 involves a fiscal stimulus package, a recalibrated national budget for 2021, and continued massive investment in infrastructure.

“The Congress' Bayanihan to Recover as One measure or Bayanihan 2, which includes targeted support for unemployed individuals and the hardest-hit strategic industries, hurdled second reading in the House of Representatives this week,” he said.

“The proposed P4.506-trillion ‘Reset, Rebound and Recover’ budget for 2021, as briefly presented by Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado during the [Development Budget Coordination Committee] briefing, focuses on priority spending areas that will strengthen the economy’s

recovery from the pandemic,” he added.

The budget also includes further buttressing of the healthcare system, ensuring food security, enabling a digital government and economy, and helping communities cope and prevail in these challenging times.

Fiscal stamina Dominguez, however, emphasized the need to ensure that the country has enough fiscal resources for a protracted fight against COVID-19.

“When Senator Pacquiao trains for a fight, he prepares for 12 grueling rounds. As there can be no knock-out punch that cuts our fight short before a vaccine is developed, the government’s ability to sustain the fight depends on our fiscal stamina. We have the resources necessary to endure this challenge, but we must also conserve our resources for succeeding rounds of this fight,” he said.

The Finance chief said the economic recovery in the third quarter following the calibrated reopening of businesses since the end of May is expected to proceed at a “steady, yet moderate phase,” more so after President Duterte made the tough, but necessary decision this week to reimpose a two-week moderate ECQ (MECQ) to further boost our healthcare capacity

amid a virus resurge.

He added that in the short run, the two-week MECQ in Metro Manila and most of Calabarzon this August would negatively affect livelihoods, production, and household consumption.

But if the government and its private sector partners manage to use the two-week timeout to beef up healthcare resources and prevent further COVID-19 spread, the return of the more stringent lockdown measures this month would be positive for the long-term goal of beating the pandemic.

“As I have said earlier, the whole world is learning how to dance with this lethal virus: two steps forward and one step back,” he said.

“The economy is in good shape to mount a strong recovery soon enough, given the positive metrics such as benign inflation, a peso that is the strongest currency in Asia, and high-investment grade credit profile that has enabled us to borrow money here and abroad—at relatively lower cost—to fund our programs for COVID-19 response and other requirements.”

The Finance chief also cited the improvements seen in the manufacturing sector as the economy began to gradually reopen.

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he National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is creating a task group to formulate a plan towards the country’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The government needs the utmost cooperation of the public, the business sector, and civil society in restarting socioeconomic activities while preventing the spread of the virus, and mitigating the ill-effects of this pandemic,” Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA chief Karl Kendrick Chua said.

The NEDA-led Task Group on Recovery is leading the formulation and monitoring of the government’s action towards recovery dubbed as the “Recharge PH” program.

The state planning agency said Recharge PH

seeks to refocus, sharpen the design and accelerate the implementation of programs under the 2020 General Appropriations Act to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and help get the Philippine economy recover from the sharp decline in the second quarter of the year.

It said the Recharge PH builds on the work of the IATF Technical Working Group for Anticipatory and Forward Planning, also led

by NEDA, which produced the We Recover as One report containing the initial assessment of the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19.

The report was submitted to the IATF in May. “Three sub-task groups (sTGs) led by the Department of Trade and Industry (Economic Recovery), De-

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Zuckerberg's wealth exceeds $100B —Bloomberg report

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ocial media giant Facebook Inc.’s co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s wealth surpassed $100 billion, a report by business publication Bloomberg said.

According to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, Zuckerberg’s net worth is now at $102 billion after Facebook’s shares hit a record high due to optimism on the release of Reels, which will be TikTok’s competition.

The tech billionaire

joins the ranks of Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Microsoft’s Bill Gates, who are the only people in the world with a fortune worth at least $100 billion.

Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook in 2002 from his dorm room in Harvard University.

Bloomberg said majority of Zuckerberg’s fortune is derived from his 13% stake in Facebook. He has said that he plans to give away 99% of his Facebook shares over his lifetime.

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ECONOMY 5

EDGEDAVAO

Coronavirus to cut remittances to Asia-Pacific by $54.3B: ADB

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emittance receipts in Asia and the Pacific will fall by as much as $54.3 billion in 2020 due to large-scale unemployment and wage reduction among migrant workers hit by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a study by the Asian Development Bank.

The margin of fall would be equivalent to 19.8 percent of remittance flows in the region in 2018, the Manila-based lender said.

Migrants from the Asia-Pacific accounted for 33 percent of migrant workers worldwide in 2019, the largest global

Vendors enjoy brisk business selling fresh bangus fish at the public market in Barangay Luyong Bonbon in Opol town, Misamis Oriental on Sunday, August 9, 2020, with buyers and sellers wearing masks and observing physical distancing. The province is under the less restrictive

Modified General Community Quarantine, allowing consumers easier access to the market even as the Philippine economy shrunk 16.5% in the second quarter of 2020 because of the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MindaNews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO

PH readies P180-B economic stimulus T he Philippines is ready to spend P140 billion for an economic stimulus plan this year, which the Department of Finance (DOF) said could be increased to P180 billion should the pending tax reform package be enacted into law.

In a statement on Sunday, the DOF said the latest figure covers the funding for both the response to the coronavirus pandemic and the economic recovery program, sufficient for both 2020 and 2021.

According to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, the government is ready to spend P140 billion, while another P40 billion in tax credits will come

from the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) bill.

“This number was arrived at to keep our fiscal deficit in a manageable zone,” he said.

The CREATE bill is the recalibrated version of the government’s comprehensive tax reform program (CTRP), in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously known as

the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Reform Act (CITIRA), the measure aims to immediately impose a 5 percentage point cut in the corporate income tax (CIT) rate.

The P180-billion stimulus also includes injecting P50 billion into the banking system, which the DOF said will have a multiplier effect of between 8 to 10 times, or about P400-billion worth of economic activity.

Some P5 billion will also go to a credit guarantee program for distressed businesses, which has a multiplier effect of around 20 times, or about P100-billion worth of economic activity generated by the private sector.

Continued recovery a must as country’s GDP shrinks 16.5%

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undits in the business and economic field has said that recovery efforts and moves to restore confidence in the economy must continue as a way to cushion the impact of the 16.5 % contraction of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter of 2020.

The global economic impact is very clear, what matters more at this point is that we continue to recover and restore confidence as more areas are opening up,” Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) president John Carlo B. Tria said.

Tria noted that even with ECQ some sectors continued operating such as fruit exports and business process outsourcing (BPOs). And when GCQ (General Community

Quarantine) was declared in May many sectors like public transportation started to open up.

He added the gradual opening up during GCQ allowed many to not just recover and innovate under new protocols but also give businesses to adapt by accelerating their online migrations.

Meanwhile economist Ever Abasolo said that the negative growth was the effect of the lockdown, the subsequent decline in private consumption, government and private investment and external trade.

“The key here is implement the P1.3-trillion stimulus plan,” Abasolo said.

Last June, the House of Representatives approved a P1.3-trillion stimulus billed called the ARISE (Accelerated Recovery

and Investments Stimulus for the Economy) that seeks to rejuvenate the economy which before the COVID19 pandemic was one of the fastest growing in Asia.

Abasolo said the stimulus offers support to displaced local workers, and OFWs by providing them unemployment benefits.

The Davao City-based economist said with the increased borrowings for the stimulus he predicts a Debt-to-GDP ratio of 52 to 54% which before the pandemic reached a low of 39.6% in 2019. But the figures is much lower than the 74.4% in 2004.

While Tria said that stimulus measures focusing on agriculture particularly that Mindanao is the food basket of the country is a wise move. The measures will expand agricul-

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“As we said, whatever stimulus package we have, it has to be affordable and it has to recognize the fact that this [novel coronavirus] may not be defeated by the end of this year,” said Dominguez.

Dominguez said last week the Philippines will sustain its P3-trillion borrowing program next year, the bulk of which will be financed from local sources.

“So we have to keep, as they say, we have to keep our powder dry for next year as well,” he said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) earlier in the day reported the second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) at -16.5 percent, the worst on re-

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share, and remittances to the region -- amounting to $315 billion in 2019 -- are a lifeline for many poor and vulnerable families left behind, according to the ADB. "This pandemic threatens to severely set back economic, social and development gains in Asia and the Pacific, reverse progress on poverty reduction, and throw economies into recession," said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa.

Nations in particular where remittance shares to gross domestic product and per capita remittanc-

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Be your own barista with FamilyMart’s Coffee Creations

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s Metro Manila and nearby provinces go back to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in the country, FamilyMart Philippines is introducing a new way to enjoy its best-selling coffee line by letting its customers make their own Coffee Creations at home.

Made from medium to dark roast beans specially blended by UCC, Coffee Creations At Home is the convenience store’s own ground coffee that will be available at all FamilyMart stores for take-out and delivery and thru GrabMart starting August 10, 2020.

The package can make 1517 cups of quality coffee very much like those offered in stores.

“Since the start of the pandemic and quarantine period, we at FamilyMart, have been consistently introducing new innovations to bring our products to the public and improve our services to address the shift to online purchasing,” FamilyMart Philippines General Manager Bernard Suiza said. “Coffee Creations At Home is another product offering that we innovated

to suit the current situation in the country and upgrade our customer experience.

Many of our coffee-loving customers are working at home where they’re safer from health threats, so we made a way for them to enjoy our well-loved coffee even without them going out.”

With Coffee Creations At Home, FamilyMart encourages coffee lovers to join their #BeYourOwnBarista campaign and recreate FamilyMart’s famous hot brewed and iced coffee or try out new and other variations of coffee, including Vietnamese and Kori Kohi, depending on the preference, mood, taste, and lifestyle of the coffee drinker.

FamilyMart’s Coffee Creations At Home is available at all FamilyMart stores, and can be ordered online for delivery via GrabMart and FamilyMart’s official Facebook Messenger at m.me/familymartph, email at delivery@familymart.com.ph, call, SMS, Viber, WhatsApp, and Telegram at 09176216758, or by visiting the online store at familymartph.company. site.

No need to go out to get your Coffee Creations caffeine fix, FamilyMart now offers its special ground coffee for DIY brews in the comfort of your own home.

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

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On celebrating Kadayawan 2020 via digital platform: The Kadayawan spirit lives on. Akala ng iba wala pero meron. We Dabawenyos we have to adopt to change.

We have to face the new reality. We have to live the new normal, but we have to do something that is why we collaborated with the City Tourism Office and the city government of Davao to come up with something. Somethirng old and something new. Para dili nato malimtan ang Kadayawan together lets commemorate the essence of Kadayawan as we use technology to launch Kadayawan Digital Week 2020.”

Gatchi Gatchalian

Digital Director, Kadayawan Digital Week 2020 and DATA President

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EDGEDAVAO LIVING

Members of Mindanao Garden Club Inc. offers wide array of plant varieties

SM CITY DAVAO creates a calming atmosphere with the opening of The Greenery Plant Center (TGPC) that house over 100 sellers of different garden and indoor favorites at the mall’s open parking area.

In partnership with Mindanao Garden Club Inc. (MGCI) and Pepsi Cola, the month-long fair features extensive range of ornamental plants including natural air purifiers like Snake plants, Philodendron, and Rubber plants.

The center has also succulents, herbs, fruit trees, perennials, fresh fruits, wooden furniture and other garden essentials like sacks of soil, clay pots, pebbles, white stones, and macramé plant hangers.

Organizers assure that TGPC is covered with strict health protocols including the installation of yellow-colored directional marks to maintain one-way flow and establishment of sanitation stations as everyone’s safety matters.

Plant shoppers are required to observe a meter-wide physical distance, wear face masks, and fill-up the logbook for easy contact tracing. There is also only one entrance and exit point, equipped with thermal scanners, foot bath, and hand sanitizers.

Refresh your homes with ornamental plants.

SM CITY DAVAO’S PARKING LOT TRANSFORMS INTO PLANT PARENTS’ HAVEN

“We want the people to know that we are putting the

that this is now the ‘new normal’ kind of plant shopping.

Unlike before when it is mainly in celebration for Kadayawan Festival, she says that the main goal of TGPC this time is to have a venue where there is a wide array of plant selections that could help reduce stress and anxieties amidst the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

“Because of this Covid-19 crisis, one way of distressing nowadays is to collect plants,” Jimenez shares.

The TGPC, which runs until September 1, is open to the public daily from 10AM to 8PM. For more updates, Safety reminders welcome plant shoppers in The Greenery Plant Center. visit SM City Davao’s official right order here as per health ment,” says MGCI vice presiFacebook page at https://www. protocols set by the governdent Vicky C. Jimenez, sharing facebook.com/smcitydavao.

THE WORLD OF 5G IS WITHIN YOUR REACH WITH GLOBE’S 5G-READY SIMS As more Filipinos embrace fully the fast-paced digital life, Globe continues to introduce breakthrough innovations to impact the lives of its customers In 2019, Globe was the first to launch 5G for broadband in South East Asia. This also positioned the Philippines as the third country in Asia to offer 5G connectivity, after South Korea and Japan.

With broadband Airfiber, Globe at Home customers stay connected with the world right at home, with lightning-fast internet connection.

In February 2020, Globe unveiled the first 5G service for mobile and introduced the first 5G device in the country, followed by more affordable 5G-capable smartphones.

Globe is yet again making another stride to make 5G more accessible to Filipinos by making its current LTE SIM cards futureproof to automatically work with 5G and receive 5G signal. Globe and TM customers won’t have to pay any additional fees or go to a Globe Store and change their SIM cards to enjoy lightning-fast con-

nections.

To make the most of this cutting-edge and highly-anticipated technology, subscribers must upgrade to a 5G capable device. Globe is offering a suite of 5G-ready

devices bundled with a postpaid plan at different price points, so everyone can enjoy the benefits of this upgraded connection.

Customers can experience the future of mobile technology in select locations. Now, faster and more reliable speeds can be enjoyed in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Valero Street in Makati, Rockwell Center, and Gen. Malvar in Ortigas. It will then be progressively rolled out to more areas in the country and to Prepaid customers.

5G is the next generation of

wireless internet connectivity. With the technology, users can stream movies and TV shows with fewer lags, play immersive online games at the highest-quality, and provide the clearest resolution for video chats.

The new 5G SIMs will replace the LTE SIMs that are available across all Globe stores, the online shop, and official dealers and resellers.

For more information, visit the website at https://www.globe.com. ph/5g.

8 ENVIRONMENT EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 104 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020

ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE RAMPANT IN THE PHILIPPINES

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

T

hey all came from Indonesia: palm cockatoo, sulphur-crested cockatoo, lory, northern cassowary, wallaby, papuan hornbill, skink, and eclectus parrot. Fortunately, they were seized by a joint operation of the Davao regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other enforcement agencies last year at barangay Dahican in Mati City, Davao Oriental.

In a news report by EDGE Davao roving reporter Maya Padillo, the endangered wildlife species were in custody at the Davao Crocodile Park for more than a year. “These animals were smuggled through sea,” Consul General Dicky Fabrian of the Indonesia Consulate General of Davao was quoted as saying.

According to Fabrian, wildlife smuggling is rampant in Indonesia due to the high price these endangered species command. A palm cockatoo, for instance, is being sold at US$65,000.

“This will definitely lure such people to do smuggling,” he pointed out.

Mati City has been identified by the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) as one of the 12 transhipment points of wildlife in the country. “The Philippines is a consumer, source, and transit point for international wildlife trade, threatening endemic species populations, economic development, and biodiversity,” it said.

The Philippine Operations Group on Ivory and Illegal Wildlife Trade and Biodiversity Management Bureau said the main entry point of wildlife from Indonesia is Balut Island in Davao Occidental. This was based on confiscation date and information from the DENR from 2010-2018.

Aside from Mati, the other transhipment points

of wildlife were Cavite (Tanza, Rosario, Bacoor), Batangas (Balayan, Calatagan), Lucena Port, Quezon; San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Matnog, Sorsogon; Allen Port, Samar; Madellin, Cebu; Liloan Port, Southern Leyte; Lipata Port, Surigao del Norte; Bacolod; and Dingalan, Aurora.

Davao City was listed as one of the 12 major confiscation sites of wild fauna.

The other 11 were Metro Manila, Zambales, Batangas, Cavite, Palawan, Cebu City, Surigao City, Cagayan de Oro, Pagadian City, Zamboanga City, and Bulacan.

The two major confiscation sites of wild flora were General Nakar in Quezon and Cabadbaran in Agusan del Norte.

There were also 12 major poaching sites, namely: Palawan, Aurora, Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Agusan del Norte, Bukidnon, Mapun Island, Turtle Islands, and Pampanga.

“The value of illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is estimated at US$10 billion to US$23 billion per year, making wildlife crime the fourth most lucrative illegal business after narcotics, human trafficking and arms,” said ADB in its publication, Addressing the Illegal Wildlife Trade in the Philippines.

The Philippines – the second-largest archipelago in the world as it has

7,641 islands – has been a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) since 1992. “The value of IWT in the Philippines is estimated at P50 billion a year (roughly equivalent to US$1 billion), which includes the market value of wildlife and its resources, their ecological role and value, damage to habitats incurred during poaching, and loss in potential ecotourism revenues,” the ADB states.

Respected scientists from all over the world considered the Philippines as one of the countries with the highest degree of biodiversity in the world.

“The Philippines is one of the 18 mega-biodiverse countries of the world, containing two-thirds of the earth’s biodiversity and between 70% and 80% of the world’s plant and animal species,” said the CBD of the country profile of the Philippines.

“The Philippines ranks

fifth in the number of plant species and maintains 5% of the world’s flora,” the CBD added. “Species endemism is very high, covering at least 25 genera of plants and 49% of terrestrial wildlife, while the country ranks fourth in bird endemism.”

When it comes to biodiversity and conservation, most people think of eastern Africa, the Amazonian rainforest or Madagascar.

But “on a per unit area basis, the Philippines probably harbors more diversity of life than any other country on the planet,” the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) said in its website.

Unfortunately, the Philippines is also considered as “one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.” In fact, some environmentalists have listed the entire Philippine archipelago as among the world’s “hottest of hotspots.”

“This is because the Philippines continues to experience an alarming rate of destruction of these important resources brought about by overexploitation, deforestation, land degradation, climate change, and pollution, among others,” deplored the BMB. Of the 207 identified species of terrestrial mammals, 42 species are considered threatened. At least 29 threatened species have been reported of the 419 reptiles found in the country. About 14 species of the 120 amphibians identified are also reported to be threatened.

Some 984 species of wild flora are threatened: 179 are critically endangered, 254 endangered, and 406 vulnerable. There are about 145 other threatened species.

A species is considered extinct when it is no longer found in the past 50 years.

Endangered species are those that have been reduced in number to a critical level or whose habitats have been damaged or altered or reduced.

Threatened is a general term used to describe the animal or plant species which could be in the status of “endangered” and “insufficiently known.” In the Philippines, among those listed as endangered as the Philippine eagle, Philippine tarsier, tamaraw and waling-waling.

With 700 threatened species, the Philippines also makes it as “one of the top global conservation areas,” according to CBD. It added that the threats to

biodiversity in the country “differ from one ecosystem to another.”

The most traded species in the Philippines, according to the ADB publication, were Philippine forest turtle, Hawksbill turtle, Southeast Asian box turtle, Asian leaf turtle, Palawan pangolin, blue-naped parrot, Palawan hill mynah, and tokay gecko. The latter suffered from a frenzy of over-collection because of rumors that they cure HIV/ AIDS and could be sold for thousands of pesos.

Also traded and/or threatened were the following: Philippine slow loris, Philippine cockatoo, giant golden-crowned flying fox, Mindanao water monitor, Luzon or marbled wa-

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Parishioners observe social distancing and other health protocols as they wait to enter San Pedro Cathedral to attend Sunday mass. Edge Davao

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dayawan events.

“We are trying to reach out to them to see how they are doing also. Definitely we are also taking care of our 11 tribes. Talking about Kadayawan, they will always be a source of inspiration as they have always been,” he said.

Gatchalian said through webcast series and the Kadayawan in retrospect, the tribes can share their experiences through zoom.

“Kadayawan in retrospect two part series wherein we get to hear them their past experiences and their message to us. The challenge now is technology and we have to interview them through

zoom but definitely the 11 tribes will be very much involved in Kadayawan Digital Week,” he said.

He added that they are also discussing with CTOO to conduct virtual tours highlighting the different attractions in Davao City since tourists are not allowed in this year’s celebration .

Gatchalian also said that this year’s celebration is zero budget from the city government of Davao.

“Walang budget ang city government nito. Ang ginawa nami nangayo mi ug tabang sa atong digital partners. We are doing this because we want to make sure na hindi nila maaka-

kalimutan ang Kadayawan.

Remember when the pandemic started ano nga ba daw ang unang gagawin natin kapag nagging normal na, Ang sabi ko we will not wait for the normal we will do something now and keep on promoting Davao City. Nobody should stop us in promoting Davao City and even Kadayawan ayaw nating makalimutan even our guests abroad,” he said.

This year’s celebration is a way different from the previous years that attracted tourists and visitors. In Kadawayan 2019, the city managed to attract more than 235,094 visitors and the estimated tourism re-

ceipts for August 2019 was P1.92 billion and estimated economic benefits was P4.23 billion during the monthlong celebration of 2019.

“It’s a very new experience but at the same time, ayaw naming palampasin din itong Kadayawan month ng hindi man lang natin na-commemorate ang ating mga activities. We really wanted to happen things this year but its not to be. I think this will also be a precursor to all the other things that we are going to do in the future and I’m very sure that with the private sector and the media we will succeed in the new normal,” Tecson said.

“Isa pud sa ginahimay namo sa hog raisers especially backyard raisers to really be careful in purchasing canned goods from different sources kasi itong ASF virus, present sa mga canned goods. Hindi naman nakakahawa sa humans; it can only pass from animal to animal,” Uy said.

The governor added that the provincial veterinary’s monitoring continues.

The provincial government of Davao del Norte has ordered the lockdown of a barangay in Panabo City on July 22, 2020, following confirmation of 12 cases of the African swine

fever (ASF) infections in the area.

In a statement issued by Governor Edwin Jubahib, the Davao del Norte provincial government explained that the lockdown aims to implement “no pig or pork products” to enter or leave Barangay Cagangohan. All pigs in the area were culled

to prevent the infection from further spreading.

Also in February this year, the provincial government implemented a temporary ban on entry of live hogs and pork products following confirmed cases as well as Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental provinces. By Maya M. Padillo

For instance, the value of the production index for the month of June showed a slower annual decline of 22.5 percent compared to the 31.2 percent decrease in May and 41.2 percent in April.

While the volume of production index in June shrank by 19.3 percent year-on-year, the decline

was slower compared to May’s drop of 28.5 percent and 38.8 percent in April.

Meanwhile, the overall manufacturing capacity reached 73 percent in June, up from 72.4 percent in May and 70.5 percent in April.

The country’s total merchandise trade further eased its negative trajecto-

ry in June with a slower decline of 19.9 percent, after a steep 35.3 percent contraction in May and 59.5 percent in April.

This slower decline in the country’s trade performance signals the resumption of economic activities, according to Dominguez.

“These improvements are reflected in increases

in tax collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC). The BOC was able to surpass its July collection target by 5 percent due to higher import volumes, while the BIR also reported above-target performance in June, which signals rising economic activity,” he said.

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public places that celebrate personal or family milestones ang gina-suggest nato up to 25 people lang para kung dunay magpositive sa inyuha dili kaayo lisod pangitaon ang mga tao. Sa question kung puwede ang baby, no dili siya puwede,” she said.

Mayor Sara also noticed a lot of violations on dis-

tancing among Dabawenyos.

“Daghan gihapon ko nakita nga dunay violations sa distancing. Karon okay na natabunan na ang ilong ug baba, karon ang distancing na pud. Ang mask is useless kung nag nose to nose mo sa imohang kauban. Importante gihapon ang distancing,” she said.

than 233,000 land-based and sea-based workers, with disbursed amount of PHP2.388 billion as of August 8.

DOLE’s Philippine Overseas Labor Offices and OWWA had processed and approved the applications of 267,584 OFWs under the program meant to benefit only 250,000.

Bello had requested a PHP2.5 billion additional fund to augment the requirements of about

597,469 OFWs seeking government assistance.

He added that with additional funding, more OFWs will benefit from the AKAP program and even more overseas workers will be repatriated.

“I have directed our POLOs to accelerate the processing of the assistance so that a greater number of our OFWs will benefit soonest from the aid coming from our government,” he said. (PNA)

ter monitor, Visayan tarictic hornbill, Philippine serpent eagle, Brahminy kite, Luzon lowland scops owl, and Philippine hanging parrot (locally known as kulasisi).

Here are more: Visayan spotted deer, Calamian deer, Philippine deer, pitcher plants, bantigue, leopard cat, rufous hornbill, tarsier, Philippine sailfin dragon, Philippine flying dragon, Philippine pit viper, Luzon red-tailed rat stake, Luzon bronzeback snake, and orchids.

“We need to take greater action to protect the del-

icate ecological balance,” said Loren Legarda when she was still with the Senate. “It is incumbent upon us humans, who are the stewards of the Earth, to be more responsible as most of our actions are the very threats to other species.

“There needs to be stronger convergence among government agencies and local government units and collaboration with the private sector, civil society and all our citizens, to protect our species and conserve our biodiversity,” she added.

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Go renews call to strictly obey protocols to contain Covid-19 A larmed by the rising cases of the coronavirus diseases 2019 (Covid-19) in the country, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go renewed his plea to the public to strictly follow the health and safety protocols particularly wearing of face masks, physical distancing and washing of hands.

Go made his appeal as he commended the government for including the giving of 20 million free face masks for the poor in its new strict guidelines for the return of the second most strict modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.

He noted that this initiative can create jobs for local makers of washable face masks and, at the same time, can save lives by distributing these free face masks to those who cannot afford to buy their own, particularly the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and other poor Filipinos.

“Sabi ko sa kanila [the

government], unahin nila ang mga mahihirap. ‘Yung 4Ps members kasi sinasabi natinwear mask, eh sabihin ng mga kababayan natin, wala naman kayong binibigay na mask kaya dapat lang na magkaroon po ng libreng face mask (I told them, give the poor first, 4Ps members because we said wear face mask but they said you don’t provide masks. So there should be free face masks),” Go said in an interview on Saturday.

According to health experts, proper wearing of the right kind of mask decreases the risk of catching the virus by 85 percent. With physical distancing and the use of face shields, this risk may be reduced by more than 90 percent.

Go, chairman of the Senate committee on health and demography, expressed concern at the rising number of Covid-19 infections which he attributed to increased testing.

On Aug. 8, the Philippine health authorities logged 4,226 new Covid-19 cases, raising the total to 126,885, with 67,117 recoveries and

2,209 deaths.

While the country has now the highest number of infections in Southeast Asia, Go noted that the Philippines has the biggest number of Covid-19 tests with 1,643,539 compared to Indonesia’s 908,000 tests.

“Hindi naman ito parang contest na padamihan ng medalya tulad ng SEA Games na nag-uunahan tayong makakuha ng gold medal. Siyempre, nalulungkot po ako na tumataas ang cases sa ngayon (It’s not like a contest with the most won medals like in Southeast Asian Games. But of course, I am sad that Covid-19 cases is increasing now),” he said.

He said strict adherence to the health and safety guidelines will prevent more infections and possible extension of MECQ beyond Aug. 18.

Go said the government is taking one step backward and two steps forward in its decision to revert Metro Manila and nearby four provinces to MECQ to prevent further spread of Covid-19 and strengthen the testing, tracing and treating capa-

bilities of the health sector.

"Ang thrust po dito (here) one step backward, two steps forward. Bahagi ito ng recalibration ng strategies. Maliban sa pagbibigay ng time out [para sa mga front-liners], ito ay para ma-intensify pa ang testing capacity natin and tracing capability and isolation capacity (This is part of recalibration of strategies.

Aside from giving timeout for our front-liners, it will further intensify our testing, tracing and isolation capacity),” he said.

When asked about quarantine measures and procedures for Covid-19 cases, he said people with mild cases or are asymptomatic can be quarantined in their homes, provided they comply with the National Task Force (NTF) on Covid-19’s three new isolation requirements: (1) they must have a separate bedroom for the patient’s exclusive use throughout the isolation period, (2) a separate bathroom, and (3) they must not be living with people at risk of severe illness from the virus.

erage of 4,291 tests per day during the same period.

“Hindi naman ito parang contest na padamihan ng medalya tulad ng SEA Games na nag-uunahan tayong makakuha ng gold medal. Siyempre, nalulungkot po ako na tumataas ang cases sa ngayon,” he said.

Go urged the public to continue adhering to the health and safety guidelines, such face mask-wearing and social distancing, in order to prevent more infections and avoid possible extension of strict community quarantine measures.

According to health experts, properly wearing the right kind of mask decreases the risk of catching the virus by 85%. With social distancing and the use of face shields, this risk may be reduced by more than 90%.

Go commended the government for initiating the provision of free face masks to the poor, following his appeal for a stronger mask-wearing policy.

He noted that this initiative can create jobs for local makers of face masks and, at the same time, can save lives by distributing these free face masks to those who cannot afford to buy their own, particularly the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and other poor Filipinos.

“Next week po, magkakaroon ng programa na (pamimigay ng) free masks. At the same time, makakapagbigay ito ng trabaho o livelihood sa mga gumagawa ng mask, local lang po ito, ‘yung washable mask. Sabi ko sa kanila, unahin nila ang mga mahihirap. ‘Yung 4Ps members kasi sinasabi natin wear mask, eh sabihin ng mga kababayan natin, wala naman kayong binibigay na mask kaya dapat lang na magkaroon po ng libreng face,” shared Go. When asked about quarantine measures and procedures for COVID-19 cases, the Senator clari-

fied that people with mild cases or are asymptomatic can be quarantined in their homes, provided they comply with the National Task Force on COVID-19’s three new isolation requirements: (1) they must have a separate bedroom for the patient’s exclusive use throughout the isolation period, (2) a separate bathroom, and (3) they must not be living with people at risk of severe illness from the virus.

According to the NTF, if COVID-19 patients cannot fulfill any of the requirements, they will be transferred to a government quarantine facility with the assistance of local health workers.

Meanwhile, Go also expressed his support for the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act and the Financial Institution Strategic Transfer (FIST) Act which will complement the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One bill. Also

called as Bayanihan 2 bill, it is the enhanced successor of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and will include measures to aid economic and social recovery of the country.

Likewise, Go also vowed that the poorest and most vulnerable sectors who have been struggling most under the quarantine measures should be the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once it is available.

“Ako naman, siguraduhin natin once available ang vaccine, unahin natin ang mahihirap, ‘yung vulnerable. Sila po ang pinipilit nating manatili sa bahay. Ang problema, ito ang mga kailangang lumabas para magtrabaho. Vulnerable sila sa sakit dahil sila ang mahihirap nating kababayan. So unahin natin sila, tulungan natin sila.

‘Wag kayong mag-aalala….

Kayo ang uunahin kapag may vaccine na, ‘yun po ang sisiguraduhin ni Pangulong Duterte,” said Go.

partment of Social Welfare and Development (Social Recovery), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (Governance) have also been formed to assist government in the development of programs and projects that will contribute to the fight against COVID-19 and in the creation of innovative delivery mechanisms in consideration of the new normal,” according to the NEDA.

The sTGs, it said, will play a crucial role in the identification, monitoring, and evaluation of the programs and projects that will address and mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

Also, the sTGs will ensure the complementation and convergence of efforts of national government agencies and other Task Groups, and provide recommendations to the National Task Force on COVID-19, according to the

NEDA. “As we build a healthier and more resilient Philippines, there are three areas to focus on: expanding economic opportunities, improving the capability of Filipinos to adapt under the new normal, and ensuring people-centered, clean, technology-enabled, and responsive governance amid the pandemic,” Chua said.

The NEDA said the Task Force on Recovery also

aims to strengthen consumer protection and develop policy interventions to address stigma, discrimination, and human rights violations towards health workers and people with COVID-19, including those who have recovered from the virus.

Recharge PH is to be implemented within 2020 and into 2021 and will be incorporated in the Updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022.

Tobias Harris, PHI: 16 points, seven rebounds.

Carmelo Anthony, POR: 20 points, seven re-

bounds.

Al Horford, PHI: 15

points, six rebounds, five assists.

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es are high, such as Tonga, Samoa, and other Pacific states, are likely to face severer effects from the decline in remittance inflows induced by the pandemic, the regional lender said.

The envisaged decline in remittance flows to the region is mainly attributable to a $22.5 billion fall in remittances from the Middle East, which accounts for 41.4 percent of the total remittance loss in the region.

This is followed by a $20.5 percent contraction in remittances from the United States, or a 37.9 percent of the total loss.

By percentage, the Middle East and Russia experienced the sharpest decline

-- over a third -- primarily reflecting the effects of low demand and oil prices on remittances.

To ensure the flow of remittances to the Asia-Pacific, the ADB has suggested temporarily exempting remittance service providers from various regulations such as disclosure requirements, and give tax incentives for service providers that reduce remittance fees.

In the wake of the pandemic, the lender tripled the size of its response package to the novel coronavirus disease known as COVID-19 to $20 billion in April, aiming for quicker and more flexible delivery of assistance in the region.

ture’s growth and cushion the impact of the pandemic on the most vulnerable by providing livelihood for displaced workers of affected sectors like tourism where former workers can shift to fishing or farming.

“Agri posted a quick rebound so i think programs to expand production and improve logistics from farms to markets and consumers need to be strengthened further. Agri will be a resilient part of the economy since it provides basic needs,” Tria said.

Aside from agriculture, Tria also noted the importance of continuing the Duterte administration’s

Build, Build, Build program to help the country move forward.

“In the long-term better infrastructure will improve connectivity, better internet service, port handling systems and road networks to really give our local businesses access a boost,” Tria said.

The economic impact of the pandemic and recovery efforts will be tackled in the coming Mindanao Business Conference on September 10-11 and the launch of the first ever virtual Davao Agri-Trade Expo (DATE) which will be on the end of September. (PIA/RG Alama)

cord, bringing the country to a technical recession.

Economic managers said, however, that the worst is now over for the

Philippines as recovery is likely in the succeeding quarters following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Morant wasn't interested in discussing a potential play-in series.

“I'm not worried about no play-in game right now," Morant said, via ESPN. "Our focus now is learning from our mistakes from this game against the Raptors and try to fix them when we go out and play Boston."

The NBA's seeding slate runs through Friday, Aug. 14. The Western Conference play-in game is sched-

uled for Saturday, Aug. 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET. Should the ninth seed win that game, the two teams would play again on Sunday, Aug. 16 at 4:30 p.m. ET. Both of those games would be broadcasted on ABC. Whichever team ultimately ends up clinching the final spot in the West will face off against LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers, who secured the top overall seed in the conference last week.

me and said, 'You're right in it,'" Kang said afterwards. "I looked at him and said, 'I'm five down with six holes to go.' I kind of liked that mentality, made some good birdies coming in and kept it together."

Kang finished with a three-under-par 68 for a 15 under aggregate 269.

Ko, meanwhile, posted a two-over-par 73 to finish tied for second alongside England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff on 14 under.

It was cruel finale for Ko, who had started steadily with two birdies and seven pars to reach the turn at two under for the day.

Ko then looked to have taken a stranglehold on

the contest when Kang bogeyed the 12th to fall five shots behind.

But Kang responded with back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th, and when Ko bogeyed the 14th after failing to reach the green in two, the fiveshot deficit had been cut to just two strokes with four holes remaining.

After both players parred the 15th, Kang closed to within one on the 16th when Ko was left with a long putt to save par that lipped out.

Kang's chances of at least forcing a playoff looked to have gone when she missed a golden birdie chance on the 17th to leave Ko one clear heading to 18.

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PH golfer Ardina finishes 20th in Ohio tournament

D

anielle Kang completed back-to-back LPGA Tour triumphs with a one-shot victory at the Marathon Classic on Sunday (US time) after former world No.1 Lydia Ko suffered a dramatic late collapse.

Meanwhile, Dottie Ardina of the Philippines finished with a 4-under 67 to end up with a 278 and tied for 20th with four others at Highland Meadows in Sylvania, Ohio.

A bogey on No.5 was the only blemish in Ardina's round, her best of the tournament.

Her finish, the best so far in 5 active years on the women's tour, tied her result at ISPS Handa Vic Open in Geelong, Australia in February.

Fellow Filipina Bianca Pagdanganan (71) settled

for an aggregate even par and a 6-way tie at 59th place.

Ko, who had started the final round four shots clear, looked to be cruising to victory after opening up a five-shot lead with six holes to play.

But the 23-year-old New Zealander, chasing a first win in two years, endured a nightmare finish down the stretch that included bogeys on the 14th and 16th before a disastrous double-bogey seven on the 18th.

Ko's stumble allowed Kang to sneak in and claim victory by one shot only a week after her win at last week's Drive On Championship in Toledo, the first LPGA event after a fivemonth COVID-19 hiatus.

"My caddie looked at

FPH GOLFER, P10

Dottie Ardina of the Philippines watches her tee shot during the LPGA Q-Series in Pinehurst, North Carolina in October 2019. On Sunday (US time), Ardina landed in the top 20 at the Marathon Classic in Ohio. Matt Sullivan, Getty Images via AFP/ file

Damian Lillard hit 51 points for the Blazers.

Lillard drops 51 as Blazers drop 76ers

N

ormally a monster game from Damian Lillard—the day after some major postgame trash talk— would be the main story from the Portland Trail Blazers’ crucial 124-121 win on Sunday over the Philadelphia 76ers.

And it was a major talking point, no doubt.

But stealing

the headlines instead was

Joel Embiid, who left the game with a left ankle injury. That is a far more important story in Philadelphia—and perhaps around the NBA—than the loss, which left the Sixers (42-28) a game be-

hind both the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers for the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds in the Eastern Conference.

The Blazers, meanwhile, moved to 33-39 on the season and just half a game behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed. Just as importantly, they moved a halfgame ahead of the San Antonio Spurs and a full game ahead of the surging Phoenix Suns for the No. 9 seed and a shot to reach the postseason through a play-in series.

Play-in series sealed in West after Memphis loss

F

ans who were hoping for a play-in series for the final postseason spot in the Western Conference are in luck. The Memphis Grizzlies were in the driver's seat for the spot at the onset of the Orlando restart, but the Grizzlies have struggled immensely in the bubble and dropped five of their first six seeding games. With their 108-99 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, the Grizzlies

guaranteed that a play-in series would take place. In order to trigger such a series, the ninth-seeded team in the conference needs to finish within four games of the eighth seed when the seeding slate is complete.

That's mathematically guaranteed to happen now.

The idea of a play-in series for the final spot in a conference was added by the NBA prior to the restart of the season. The idea be-

hind the series was to give teams in the hunt a fair opportunity to compete for the spot even though they wouldn't have the full 82-game slate to do so. In the series, the eighth-seeded team will only need to win once in order to claim the final playoff spot in the conference, while the ninth-seeded team would need to win two in a row before the eighth-seeded team wins once.

The Grizzlies still hold a slim lead in the race for eighth, but the Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Suns are all within two games of Memphis with a couple of games remaining for each team. According to ESPN, the Grizzlies have a 62 percent chance of securing the final seed in the playoff picture. After the Grizzlies loss to the Raptors on Sunday, rookie point guard Ja

FPLAY-IN, P10

FLILLARD, P10

Morikawa wins PGA Championship title

C The Grizzlies were forced to a play-in series after a loss to the Raptors on Monday.

Portland’s win also eliminated the New Orleans Pelicans from playoff consideration.

It was a big day for both the Blazers and Sixers. But ultimately, Sunday could be far more consequential for Philly.

Key Stats Damian Lillard, POR: 51 points, seven assists.

Josh Richardson, PHI: 34 points, 6-of-10 from three.

CJ McCollum, POR: 16 points, seven rebounds.

ollin Morikawa hit the shot of a lifetime, strode purposefully after the ball and must have been wondering what the rest of the world was thinking. If he had hit it on a Friday afternoon down at his local, there might have been more fanfare.

Golf's new age star celebrated a shot which wowed the world – catapulting him to a first win in a major – by later pulling out of a hug with his girlfriend Katherine Zhu. It just didn't feel right at the time, just like it didn't feel right one of the PGA Championship's greatest ever shots was seen live by just a handful of media representatives and volunteers.

Morikawa's miracle drive, which set up eagle on the 294-yard 16th hole, trickled seven feet from the hole.

"This is the one time I really wish there were crowds right there," Morikawa said. "I was just praying for a straight bounce short of the green on to the green, and then after it bounced, it kind

of got behind a tree that we couldn't see around the corner. So once it bounced, I was like, 'OK, I will take it anywhere it is because it is on the green, whether it's short, long,' and I peeked around right at the tee and looked around the tree, and it looked really, really good.

"So I heard some claps but not a ton. They could mean I was on the green and 50 feet."

It wasn't.

Morikawa's miracle shot catapulted the 23-year-old American to a slice of PGA Championship history he shares with Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who all won the event for the first time at the same age.

He ended up winning by two shots, seeing off Englishman Paul Casey, 20 years his senior and chasing his first major, and serial runner-up Dustin Johnson, who has finished second in five of the last eight majors and has now blown four 54hole leads in golf's elite events.

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 104 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020

GIVE WHAT’S DUE

Bong Go calls on PSC to release athletes’ allowance

S

enator Bong Go urged the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to speed up the release of the allowances of the national athletes amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Go, chairman of the Senate committee on sports, made his call after he received queries from some national athletes who have yet to receive allowances since June.

“Ngayon ay Agosto na.

Tinatawagan ko ng pansin ang pamunuan ng PSC kung maaaring tingnan ang reklamong ito. Ayusin ang dapat ayusin at ibigay ang dapat ibigay (It is already August. I am calling the at-

tention of the PSC leadership to take a look at these complaints. They should fix what needs to be fixed and give what needs to be given),” Go said on Saturday night. “We are in the middle of a pandemic and everyone is having difficulty. Our athletes and coaches who bring honor to our country are no exception.”

While he understands the PSC’s financial status, Go hopes that the agency

should still provide the athletes the allowances without delay.

“Bilang [chairman] ng Senate Committee on Sports, magtulungan tayo para sa kapakanan ng ating mga atletang nangangailangan ngayon (As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, we should work together for the welfare of our athletes who are in need right now),” he said.

In response, the PSC said on Sunday that the delay in the release of allowances is due to “the overhaul of our payroll administration system.”

The agency’s statement added, “This was a painful but necessary action to en-

sure that no underhanded schemes are ever done in this service aspect again.”

The major makeover within the PSC’s payroll system was a result of the revelation about a corrupt practice by one of its employees last month that “rocked [the agency] to its core.”

The PSC then made a commitment that the allowances “will be released by early this week,” even citing Executive Director Guillermo Iroy saying that it may be done by Monday.

However, Iroy clarified that the PSC has to scrutinize everything first this time.

“We had to go through the details one by one to check,” Iroy said. (PNA)

Tiger Woods wore a sweater all day to fight the cold. He was also hot all day in the first round.