Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 119 | Friday, August 28, 2020

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VOL.13 ISSUE 119 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2020

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COVID COMBATANTS. From left-right (front row): Dr. Gail Zafra- Paquingan (Internal Med), Dr. Janice Bacani- Carandang (Pedia), Dr. Mervat Pasigan (Pedia) and Dr. Ruchiebelle Baunding- Kintanar (Pedia). Back row: Dr. Kris Karen Awit (Fam Med), Dr. Nely Dechaves (Pedia), Dr. Jose Carlo“Dee”Loren (Internal Med) and Dr. Aura Lanaban (Fam Med).

COMBATING COVID-19 IN KADAYAWAN COLORS These bunch of Davao medical doctors are splashing colors of hope

By NEILWIN JOSEPH BRAVO Managing Editor

We are in a pandemic, yes. But it certainly doesn't mean this world is stuck to a somber black and white. It certainly is no reason for people not to splash colors of hope in an otherwise maddening times.

Working in hospitals and their clinics (after the lockdown restrictions) amid the pandemic, doctors Dr. Gail Zafra- Paquingan (Internal Med), Dr. Janice Bacani- Carandang PAGE 2

What Kadayawan means

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ho says frontliners cannot be glamorous in this time of the pandemic? Tell it to these bunch of Davao City medical doctors who fashionably dismantled the chains of the coronavirus instead of the latter dismantling the scaffolding of our daily lives.

(Pedia), Dr. Mervat Pasigan (Pedia) and Dr. Ruchiebelle Baunding-Kintanar (Pedia), Dr. Kris Karen Awit (Fam Med), Dr. Nely Dechaves (Pedia), Dr. Jose Carlo "Dee" Loren (Internal Med) and Dr. Aura Lanaban (Fam Med) have been finding ways to comfort each other as well as their patients.

This group of medical doctors is the original batch of junior consulPAGE 4

The King Durian (still) reigns mighty

tants in Metro Davao Medical and Research Center (MDMRC) when the hospital started operating.

At the beginning of the lockdown, they stayed connected sharing how their lives have been and sharing videos and online shopping finds. Then it shifted to the shopping for the pandemic essentials like alcohol, masks and PPEs.

FCOMBATING, P12

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Davao’s banana exports: Unruffled by the pandemic

Medical doctors from Metro Davao Medical and Research Center burst in vibrant PPEs.

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What Kadayawan means

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO Columnist

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t all started as Apo Duwaling, but when Rodrigo R. Duterte became the mayor, he renamed the festival as “Kadayawan sa Dabaw.”

Kadayawan comes from the Mandaya word, madayaw, which means “good, valuable, superior or beautiful.”

The festival is structured as “the celebration of life, a thanksgiving for the gifts of nature, the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest and serenity of living.”

Now on its 35th year, Kadayawan sa Dabaw will still be celebrated – but without much fanfare and lavishness. According to Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the celebration will push through as a way to thank the Almighty for the blessings the city receives this year.

Here’s what you need to know about this mother of all festivals in Mindanao: K is for the King of Philippine birds Davao is known for Philippine Eagle, an endangered species whose research facility is based in Calinan. Known in the science world as Pitchecophaga jefferyi, it is the second largest eagle in the world (after the Harpy Eagle of Central and South America). It was collected in the country as early as 1703, but it was until in 1896 that Dr. John Whitehead, an English naturalist, “discovered” the splendid raptor on the island of Samar. He called it the “Great Philippine Eagle.”

Formerly known as monkey-eating eagle (its

generic name, Pitchecophaga, comes from the Greek words pithekos or “monkey” and phagein meaning “eater”), the name was changed to Philippine Eagle by a Presidential Decree No. 1732 in 1978 after it was learned that monkeys comprise an insignificant portion of its diet, which consists mainly of flying lemurs, squirrels, snakes, civets, hornbills, rodents, and bats.

“The variety and size differences of prey suggest that the Philippine Eagle is an opportunistic hunter with preference of tree-dwelling species,” according to a study conducted from 1978 to 1983 of the eagle’s food habits.

“Its choice of prey may be related to the relative abundance of species or coincides with the breeding season of the particular prey.”

According to PEF, the Philippine Eagle stands a meter high, weighs anything from four to seven kilograms and has a grip three times the strength of the strongest man on earth.

With a wingspan of nearly seven feet and a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour, it can gracefully swoop down on an unsuspecting monkey and carry it off without

breaking flight.

A is for Apo, the highest peak of the country With an elevation of 2,954 meters (9,692 feet) above sea level, Mount Apo is the country’s highest mountain. The peak overlooks Davao City 45 kilometers to the northeast. It is a protected area and a natural park of the Philippines.

In the beginning, Mount Apo was the first of the three emblems of the festivity, when it was then known as Apo Duwaling.

There’s an interesting story on how the mountain got its name.

“The name of Mount Apo comes from Apo, a title respect meaning ‘revered leader’ in various languages of the surrounding lumad tribes,” the Wikipedia notes. “It is the shortened form of the original Manobo and Kalagan name Apo Sandawa, the name of the spirit of the mountain.

The mountain itself is considered sacred grounds.

Various rituals to Apo Sandawa are conducted by the supreme waylan (shaman) known as the Diwata, who also serves as the medium for Apo Sandawa and the ancestor spirits of the Manobo and Kalagan tribes.”

D is for Davao and du-

rian “Murder City” – that was how the defunct Asiaweek described Davao City in the early 1980s. Each day, some two to three people were killed and thrown in the ditch. Foreigners and even those from nearby provinces shunned this once bustling and promising city. But it changed after the 1988 elections.

The newly-elected mayor, Rodrigo R. Duterte, did an impossible task – that of restoring peace and order of a city that was divided by religion and ideological belief.

Today, Davao City is “one of the most livable cities in the Asia” and “one of the safest cities in the world.”

“Don’t be surprised if you meet someone in this city who tells you that it’s safe to walk around here because ‘Davao is much safer than New York.’ Unlike in the past when cops are easily terrorized by urban guerrillas or criminals with impunity, now it’s the other way around,” wrote veteran journalist Aurelio A. Peña.

The de facto capital of Mindanao, Davao is one of the largest cities in the world with a total land area of 224,000 hectares.

Its boundaries encompass

commercial areas as well as beaches, mountains, and forests. Approximately, it is 7.8 times the size of Cebu and three times that of the entire Metro Manila.

D stands for durian, another original emblem of the original festivity. Duwaling is actually a combination of durian and waling-waling. A scribe, definitely a foreigner, described durian like this: “It smells like hell but tastes like heaven.”

It’s the smell that makes durian controversial and shunned. The New York Times touted durian as the world’s smelliest fruit.

“Durian stinks so badly that it’s banned from hotels and mass transit in parts of Asia,” it said.

In introducing durian to American readers, Alison Spiegel wrote: “If a fruit smelled like feet, would you eat it? If that fruit smelled like damp feet that had been festering in a soggy boot for hours, could you even bear to look at it?

What if the moisture came not from a puddle or some sort of bad weather, but from dank, dirty sweat?

Would you run away and never speak this fruit’s name again?”

Its potent, lingering smell is the reason why durian fruits are banned on airplanes, trains, vans and buses. It is also banned on many types of public transport across Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand.

The shape of durian fruit ranges from oblong to round, the color of its husk green to brown, and its flesh pale yellow to red, depending on the species.

What makes it distinct is that it is covered in formidable looking spikes that if you hold the fruit with your bare hands, the spikes could potentially pierce the skin.

Y is for yells and young people.

“It’s very beautiful and colorful,” said David, a first-timer in Davao City, of street dancing. “I like the rhythm, the music, the vibrant and the people. We are having too much fun here.”

The street dancing was just one of the highlights of the week-long Kadayawan sa Dabaw. “Indak-Indak is wildly popular because of the distinctively Mindanaoan beat and costumes,” one visitor commented.

“Tourists come to Davao to watch hundreds of people dancing with vigor in the streets, clad in their native attire and carrying extravagant props that would give Hollywood studios a serious run for their money.”

“The Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan is wildly popular because of the distinctively Mindanaoan beat and costumes,” one visitor commented. “Several tourists come to Davao to watch hundreds of people dancing with vigor in the streets, clad in their native attire and carrying extravagant props that would give Hollywood studios a serious run for their money.”

Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic this year, street dancing wouldn’t be stated.

A is for alluring flowers and fruits Pamulak (floral float parade) is the finale of the celebration. It is patterned after the Pasadena Parade of Roses in the United States – where flowers and fruits are set in colorful floats by business establishments, community assemblies and peoples’ organizations as they promenade on the streets symbolizing all the bounty sustainably enjoyed by the city’s residents.

Again, this much-await-

FWHAT KADAYAWAN, P13

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The KING DURIAN

By MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

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or Dabawenyos, Kadayawan sa Davao festival is almost synonymous to Davao's durian.

Tagged the King of Fruits, it is a popular crowd drawer of the festival.

Most local and foreign tourists who come not only during Kadayawan sa Davao bring home the durian, may it fresh, semi-processed, candies, bars, chips, or pastries.

From the usual high income due to popularity of the fruit, durian traders and growers are now struggling to find a market for durian as fewer people are going out and social gatherings are still banned and discouraged while the city is under the so-called period of mourning until 2021.

This is the reason why some durian growers in Davao City are taking their durian harvests elsewhere.

Candelario “Larry” Miculob, former president of Davao City Durian Industry Council (DCDIC), said some growers opted to take the risk of exploring other areas to sell durian because they are concerned that the fruits might just rot.

Although, agricultural products are exempt from quarantine restrictions to mitigate the spread of Covid-19, Miculob said they are limited by available land transport services and flights, which added to the drop of the industry’s sales following the April and May harvest due to the plunge in domestic demand.

Emmanuel Belviz, president of DICDC, said in preparation for the peak season next month and to help the Durian growers, the Durian council through the coordination of the Department of Agriculture 11 (DA 11) has tapped freight forwarding service Cargo King, which provided them with special rates to deliver 15 tons of fresh Durian per day to Manila starting September this year.

“Para hindi mahirapan yung cargo, ang mga traders sila yung mag-collect ng mga durian. Yung mga small farmers wala kasing capacity mag-padala ng fruits,” Belviz said in an interview.

The council has around 50 members and each member is handling small farmers (backyard) wherein some have 10 Durian trees. Members span around Davao City, Toril and Calinan, and other areas in Davao Region.

In terms of volume of harvest, small farmers can generate around seven tons per hectare while big farms yield 15 tons to 20 tons per hectare in Davao City.

“Mas maraming harvest ngayong season kaysa last season. Peak season is around mid-September to late September. Last year medyo maaga ang peak season kaya mga late August last year marami na tayong Durian,” Belviz said.

In Davao Region, Durian growers typically harvest up to 48 metric tons each season.

The future is in export The plunge in domestic demand is among the reasons for the council’s continued push for the government to have Durian included in the bilateral trade deal with China. The growers have been pushing for this since 2016.

The accreditation of the Philippine Durian to China will enable Durian traders and growers to export to China.

“We are advocating of strengthening exportation of Durian,” Belviz said.

Chinese Inspection and Quarantine supposedly will conduct inspection in April this year, however, was not materialized due to the pandemic.

“Nung April sana mag-punta yung mga Chinese to inspect in relation to the bilateral talks. Pero nagka-Covid man sa ilaha, it was move to August. Pero kita na pud nagka-Covid,” Belviz said.

He said in his last communication with the agriculture attache of China, the inspection is re-scheduled next year.

The inspection aims to validate farms in Davao Region as Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certified

farms. It is a certification system for agriculture, specifying procedures that must be implemented to create food for consumers.

Durian growers and exporters have been finding ways to meet Chinese demand for frozen durian after Chinese traders were in town in May 2018 and wanted more frozen durian than what was available.

What is more interesting the Chinese traders did not set a limit for the quantity.

“Before the Covid-19 pandemic, nag-karoon kami ng training with some durian farmers and members of the durian council on the importance of making their farms GAP certified,” Belviz said.

The accreditation will also open the door for foreign investors to set up

more processing plants in Davao Region.

Neighboring Asian countries like Malaysia has received accreditation for frozen durian to China only last year.

Durian in the USA The difficulty in moving the products due to lockdowns and quarantine protocols implemented has also delayed exportation of frozen Durian to the US. The King of Fruits has also penetrated the United States market since last year through an American blogger who dabbles as food importer, Lindsey Gasik.

Gasik, a blogger from Oregon whose interest is to tour Asia to taste different varieties of durian, has exported an initial 300 kilos of vacuum packed frozen Durian in October last year.

Belviz said in her talk with Gasik, he said the blogger is planning to export durian varieties Puyat, Duyaya, and either GD 69 or Nanam this year.

“Pinag-pipilian pa niya.

Ang last na usapan namin this September mag-padala kami ng fruits to sir Larry (Miculob). Hindi pa ganoon kadami,” he said.

Miculob has a processing plant and has the capacity to make frozen packs from the fresh produce.

Durian growers and traders has the opportunity to expand their market as Gasik is planning to expand her export to Germany and Australia for the frozen durian.

Durian caravan The gloomy industry does not despair the durian traders and growers in Davao Region.

Although, the details are not in yet, but they are full of hope with the program “Tienda” by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).

“Meron din kaming ginagawa in the pipeline yung with MinDA through “Tienda” pero hindi pa final ang details. It is like a durian caravan. The itinerary is not yet final but more or less, parang Mindanao tapos dadaan yung mga trucks in Visayas tapos ihu-

log ang mga durian fruits hanggang Manila” Belviz said.

New normal The wishlist of the farmers and traders this time of pandemic is to move their products and continue generating income especially now that domestic market is not spending too much on Durian for the fear of going out and the city is not accepting tourists yet.

“Sa operation sa farms, hindi masyadong mahirap dahil hindi ganoon ang kadami ng tao pero medyo nagka-karoon kami ng challenge in the marketing because pag Durian tourist ang main market and since walang tourist at walang festival ang strategy namin ngayon ay mapadala namin ang fruits sa Manila,” Belviz said.

Yet, they remain optimistic that all their “want” list such as establishment of more processing plants, cracking the China-market and other international markets, and easing of more restrictions in travels and flights , will be realized to make the Durian industry as pungent as before.

“Hopefully, next year wala na itong Covid at maka continue na tayo at para mas mabilis na ang magpalabas ng Durian,” he said.

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OUR TOP PICKS FROM ALDEVINCO SHOPPING CENTER Dine in style Make home celebrations more special by incorporating these classic brass vases and capiz charger plates to your table setting.

Spruce up your vanity table Keep your jewelry tidy in a miniature Maranao baol or put them on display on a dainty capiz trinket tray.

Deck your bedroom with local weaves Add character to your sleeping quarters by adorning your bed with a comfy woven throw blanket.

Keep it fresh with sustainable pieces Handcrafted accessories like this rattan rope bag bring together style and function when you do your groceries.

AESTHETIC HOME FINDS FROM ALDEVINCO Aldevinco Shopping Center is home to over 100 stores displaying colorful ethnic handicrafts that showcase the distinct identities and incredible talent of Filipinos and artisans from neighboring countries. It draws tens of thousands of visitors annually, making it one of Davao’s top tourist spots.

However, with tourism among the most affected sectors of the pandemic, the situation has drastically changed.

Before the pandemic, Aldevinco tenants enjoyed a steady stream of tourists due to its strategic location just across Marco Polo Davao even with little to no promotions. Today this way of doing business is being challenged. With no tourists and no online presence, sales drastically dropped.

This is why Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev), the developer behind Aldevinco Shopping Center, is spearheading a campaign to promote the businesses in Aldevinco and to help them adjust and adapt to the evolving business environment.

The campaign aims to change the perception that Aldevinco is only for tourists. When stores were reopened after the ECQ, Alsons Dev started promoting Aldevinco through Facebook and local newspapers as a place that is not just for souvenir items, but also offers batik loungewear, home decor, and other items that locals will need or appreciate as they stay at home.

To take that a step further, Alsons Dev collaborated with some of Davao’s most creative talents to showcase Aldevinco products like never seen before.

Home decor and accessories from Aldevinco were personally handpicked by designer and artist Amanda Pantoja and styled with modern rustic flair to create stunning sets that were beautifully captured by the lenses of photographer Kethley Uy. Through these, Alsons Dev hopes to attract and engage locals, especially the aesthetic-obsessed Millennials, and persuade them to patronize the businesses in Aldevinco.

Since being online is the best way to reach out to customers during the pandemic, the campaign also aims to help jumpstart the Aldevinco tenants’ businesses online.

As a way of celebrating Kadayawan digitally, the official Aldevinco Shopping Center Facebook page was launched earlier this week. The page includes a “Shop Now” feature where selected Aldevinco products are on display. The contact details of the store selling the item are also stated so customers can get in touch with the store owner to inquire or buy.

To complete the customers’ convenient shopping experience, Curbside Pick-up was also setup.

Shoppers can pick-up paid orders at a designated spot in front of the Aldevinco Roxas Entrance. Shoppers who prefer cash transactions can also opt for In-store Pick-up.

Aldevinco Shopping Center is open from Monday-Saturday, 9:00 am 5:00 pm. To know more, follow their official page: www.facebook.com/ aldevincoshoppingcenter.

CM Recto St. corner Roxas Ave., Davao City | (082) 282-3322 | 0930 3542 186

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Davao's banana exports: Unruffled by the pandemic

By LADY LESLIE L. FRANCISCO Contributor

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HE coronavirus pandemic has brought down many businesses to their knees that many of them have closed down operations either because of the quarantine protocols that led to their shutdown or that they did not have enough muscle to resume activities.

But one local industry that has continued to exhibit its strength despite the global tragedy is the banana export sector as companies even during the lengthy two month lockdown, companies continued to produce.

For the Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc., the flagship agricultural subsidiary of the Floirendo group, the pandemic has not derailed its production and this has become the boon to its 7,300 employees, which could balloon to 10,300 during production time like this time of the year.

“Our production has not really been impacted (by the virus), although there were some hiccups during the lockdown because of some stringent protocols implemented by some LGUs (local government units),” said Zeus Vadil, human resources head at the company.

Vadil said among the key adjustments that the company had to contend

with during the lockdown was the LGUs did not have uniformed protocols that it was difficult for workers to cross borders.

“So we needed to adjust our system that work will not be imperiled,” he explained with some adjustments including securing documentations so that it would become easier for them to go to the farms. “Everyday was a negotiation day between us and the LGUs,” he added.

The impact of the virus to the company is not only minimal, it has started again its production phase and this has signalled the return of the seasonal employees, about 30% of the total number of employees who tend to about 6,000 hectares of farms operated by the company, who usually get a respite when the production starts to slow down.

And unlike in the previous production cycle when it was slower because of the absence of rain, Vadil is hopeful that

the production activities will improve because the rainy days have started.

Vadil is also hopeful that the new production area of another subsidiary, the Anflocor Banana Corp., in Cateel, Davao Oriental will also be better. “This is our newest production area,” he said of the company which also has production areas in Lupon, Davao Oriental; Pantukan, Davao de Oro; and, Don

Marcelino, Davao Occidental.

The newest member of the Floirendo group operates about 1,500 hectares in the four farms and employees about 1,500 regular employees and another 30% during production period.

The industry association, the Pilipino Growers and Exporters Association, confirmed that the pandemic has not caused

a major problem to the industry as the key challenge has remained to be the Panama disease, also known as Fusarium Wilt, which has rendered some farms useless.

“We thought the pandemic, at the start, would cause us major problem.

Fortunately it did not,” said Stephen A. Antig, executive director of the association.

Antig also confirmed

that the LGU policies were also a challenge during a lockdown period owing to the different policies of each LGUs. “But we were able to pull it off,” he said.

Right now, Antig said, the industry hopes that even with the pandemic, the industry will be able to sustain the environment.

This is good because this will continue to put food on the workers' table, above all else, he said.

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Republic of the Philippines HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Office of the 1st Congressional District Davao City

Message

A

tong nasaksihan dili lamang ang pag-antos sa mga Dabawenyo karon nga kita nakasinati og kalisod nga dala sa pandemya kundili pati na sab ang pagtinabangay sa usag-usa.

Ato sab nga nakita nga dili makambyuhan ang atong kultura sa disiplina, pagtahod, ug pagsunod sa mga balaud nga gipanday para sa atong kaayuhan.

Ako gapasalamat kaninyong tanan, sa mga kaigsuonan natong lumad muslim ug kristyano, sa padayon ninyo pagsuporta sa lokal nga gobyerno ug sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

Dungan kita sa pag-ampo sa kaayuhan sa matag-usa kanato.

Happy Kadayawan sa tanan.

DEPUTY SPEAKER PAOLO "PULONG" DUTERTE CONGRESSMAN 1ST DISTRICT DAVAO CITY 18TH CONGRESS

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On the loss of durian market during this year’s pandemic-hit Kadayawan:

Hopefully, next year wala na itong Covid at maka continue na tayo at para mas mabilis na ang magpalabas ng Durian.”

Durian growers

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Legacy Leisure Residences leisure & recreation areas will be a showcase

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eal estate projects require 30% of its development to open space. This is intended for a green space, common facilities (or amenity areas) as well as roads and drainage facilities. The remaining 70% is for the structures.

It will come as a surprise to anyone that one developer goes the opposite direction. Home-grown CrisRon Holiday Builders, Inc. will build its condominium project, Legacy Leisure Residences, and allot almost 70% of the land area for open space. They are doing so to achieve a theme— a resort-like living space in a rapidly developing city.

“Davao is rapidly becoming highly urbanized.

Soon enough, vast green and open spaces will be at a premium. The span of Ma-a Road is already an address to many villages and is a fast-growing commercial stretch. At Legacy Leisure Residences, we want to provide a large inner-urban natural patch for the residents to enjoy daily, a green space they can call their own,” said Wesley Bangayan, VP for Marketing for Legacy Leisure Residences.

Legacy Leisure Residences is a mixed-use condominium development

on a 2.8-hectare property along Ma-a Road. The resort-themed complex will have four 15-storey buildings, a large area for amenities and a commercial strip at the development’s frontage.

“We could easily build nine buildings in the property instead of four. Businesswise, utilizing the most from a space is ideal, and generate more income. But we want to present a different experience. Instead of using the 70% of the space for the buildings, we will go the other way and create a sweeping recreation and leisure area for a diverse range of outdoor activities. We are taking into consideration the quality of life of the residents. It's a wellness-focused development,” said Clark Yap, VP of CrisRon Holiday Builders, Inc. How will the developer put the “wow” in an expansive space that’s almost two hectares?

The Legacy Leisure Residences recreation area will be impressive. All within the complex will be a garden, water park and sports complex that every nature lover, sportsman, child and resident of any age can revel in.

The water feature will be grand. It will highlight

an Olympic-size pool, a water theme park and a spray park for kids. For the sports oriented, there will be a tennis court, basketball court, jogging track, and golf pitch and putt green for avid golfers. A well-equipped gym will lure in the health and body conscious residents. A barbecue area by a small park with benches is designed for residents to gather and interact. Completing the list is a function hall for socials and a commercial area to service the homeowners’ basic needs.

“Essentially, there is is no need for residents to step out of the property. All these is right in their own backyard. It's something they can boast of as their own,” said the developer.

On the design process, Legacy Leisure Residences addressed the basic yet vital components of a resort-themed condominium project—privacy; roomy residential units, from 37sqm for a one-bedroom unit, 77sqm for a 2-bedroom unit and 135sqm for a 3-bedroom unit; 24-hour security system; spacious, themed amenity area, and structurally-sound buildings.

The design presented itself like a forecast which proved most beneficial for

Legacy Leisure Residences.

The series of earthquakes that struck the city in the last quarter of 2019 and the 2020 pandemic that made a lockdown necessary were incidents that showed the condominium is well-designed. It is ready for these circumstances.

Earthquakes and lockdowns can cause anxiety.

What can help ease the worry is knowing that the Legacy Leisure Residences buildings are structurally sound and built to withstand an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 to 8.40; spacious units for residents to create and enjoy their personal space; stores in the commercial spaces for residents to procure essential items like food and medicine; and a large recreation area for homeowners to comfortably and safely move about.

“There is no better time to emphasize the importance of a well-appointed amenity area, a livable and stress-free environment to future homeowners than today. Green spaces and outdoor activities can influence positivity. That’s what we can offer and aim for at Legacy Leisure Residences.

Moreover, we would like to add ‘fun’ in the list of condo living experiences,” said Bangayan.

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Kadayawan:

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO Columnist

This year, don’t expect it will be pompous and lavish compared to the previous celebrations. No thanks to the pandemic called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which affects almost all parts of the world.

But people can still enjoy the awaited festivity by eating fruits, which still abound. By eating fruits, people can boost their immune systems against the SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 as it is a distant cousin of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

“How do I love, thee?” wrote Elizabeth Barrett Browning to her husband, Robert. “Let me count the ways…” In like manner, “What kind of fruits should you eat? Let me cite some of those…”

Durian Leading the pack of fruits abound this month is the controversial durian. Remember, some people call Davao City as Durian Republic because of this fruit. Unfortunately, this exotic fruit is not endemic in the city nor in the region. In fact, the place in which it is indigenous has not been determined with certainty. The species is generally believed to be native to Borneo and other islands of the Malay Archipelago.

Durian is perhaps one of the most controversial fruits in this part of the world. You either love it or abhor it – the smell that is. Most people, particularly the foreigners, say the fruit stinks, but to some, specifically the locals, its fragrance can be compared to a perfume.

English writer William Somerset Maugham once compared durian to “a combination of cornflower, rotten cheese, nectarines, crushed filbert (hazel

nuts), a dash of pineapple, a spoonful of old dry sherry, thick cream, apricot pulp and soup corn of garlic, all reduced to the consistency of a thick custard.”

Durian is a seasonal fruit and generally it is eaten fresh. When ripe, the aril (usually referred to as the “flesh” or “pulp" and only accounts for about 15-30% of the mass of the entire fruit) is usually eaten fresh. The ripe pulp can also be made into jam, preserve (often packed like long sausages), candies, and other sweets.

The durian seeds can be roasted, cut into slices and fried in spiced coconut oil to be eaten with rice or covered with sugar and consumed as a sweetmeat as practiced in Indonesia.

Here’s a timely tip to people visiting Davao and who would like to eat durian. After eating, put some water into the empty durian shell and wash your hands in it. This technique reportedly removes the smell of the durian in your fingers.

Try anything else – detergents, deodorants or whatever, but all these will be useless – the smell will remain just as pungent.

By the way, don’t eat durian with alcoholic drinks. Scientists believe that sulfur-like compounds in durian may prevent certain enzymes from breaking down alcohol, causing increased alcohol levels in your blood.

This could lead to symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and heart palpitations.

Mangosteen If durian is the king of tropical fruits, mangosteen is its queen. The dark-purple roundshaped fruit is believed to have “cooling” effects that counteract the “intense heat” emitted by

K

adayawan sa Dabaw is considered the mother of all festivals in Mindanao. It is one of the most anticipated events to happen in Davao City, the country’s largest urban center in terms of land area (at 244,000 hectares, it is 7.8 times the size of Cebu and three times that of entire Metro Manila).

durian. The fact that the fruiting season of these two fruits coincide makes their titles particularly apt.

Unlike other tropical fruits like banana and mango, nothing much has been written about mangosteen.

Unknowingly, mangosteen is one of the mostsought after fruits. In fact, there was a legend about Queen Victoria offering a reward to anyone who could deliver to her the fabled fruit.

Mangosteen is endemic to Sunda Islands and the Moluccas of Indonesia. However, it has been cultivated in Java, Sumatra, and in most parts of Southeast Asia since ancient times. In the Philippines, it is grown mostly in the southern part of the country (particularly Davao region).

In Hortus Veitchii, James Herbert Veitch wrote that he visited Java (Indonesia) in 1892 “to eat the mangosteen.” His reason: “It is necessary to eat the fruit grown within three or four degrees of latitude of the equator to realize all the attractive and curious properties of this fruit.”

British-born Malaysian author Desmond Tate has written these words in Tropical Fruit: “By popular acclaim, the mangosteen is held to be the most delectable of all the tropical fruits, and it has been proclaimed their queen. There is no doubt about the luxury of its taste. It has won unstinted praise down the ages from all who have encountered it.”

Pomelo Pomelo is actually one of the top “pasalubong” items from Davao to Cebu, Manila and other parts of the country. Evident of this is the continued existence of at least 10 fruit stands along

Ponciano Street.

The pomelo is native to Southeast Asia. In Thailand, the fruit is called som-o, and is eaten raw, usually dipped into a salt, sugar and chili pepper mixture.

In some parts of the region, it is a popular after lunch snack once it is sprinkled with salt and sliced hot pepper. In rural areas, children often use it as a football.

Pomelo is one fruit which has a lot of uses from the outside to the inside. While the fruit pulp is the main reason why people buy pomelo, the peel is also very useful and can be turned into marmalade. The peel can also be used as flavoring.

Pomelo has actually found more uses in the Dabawenyo cuisine than what was traditionally practiced. Aside from being consumed raw, the fruits are now used in the preparation of juices and salads.

Pomelo tastes similar to grapefruit but it’s sweeter. “One fruit packs several days’ worth of vitamin C, a powerful immune-boosting antioxidant that helps prevent cellular damage from harmful compounds called free radicals,” writes SaVanna Shoemaker for the website, healthline.com.

Pomelo is also rich in other vitamins and minerals, including riboflavin, thiamine, copper, and potassium. The latter helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure.

Rambutan This fruit got its name from the Malay word for hair because the gold-ball-sized fruit has a hair red and green shell. Its unmistakable appearance is often compared to that of a sea urchin.

Recently, however, it earned the moniker as COVID-19 fruit as it

resembles the coronavirus.

The rambutan is rich in many vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds. Like pomelo, it is rich in vitamin C, a nutrient that helps your body absorb dietary iron more easily.

Eating 5-6 fruits meets the 50% of your daily vitamin C needs.

“Rambutan also contains a good amount of copper, which plays a role in the proper growth and maintenance of various cells, including those of your bones, brain and heart,” writes Alina Petre for healthline.com.

Not only that, rambutan also contains – although in smaller amounts – manganese, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Eating four fruits can meet the 20% of your daily copper needs and 2-6% of the daily recommended amount of the other nutrients.

Marang Compared to breadfruit, jackfruit, and durian, marang is one of the most-liked fruits during this season. “Aside from its delightful taste, marang is also good for your body,” the ethnicgroupsphilippines.com reports. “Studies show that it is loaded with nutritional value, containing calcium, protein, vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, crude fiber, retinol, and iron, among others.”

In addition, marang “is packed with carbohydrates, making it a good alternative fuel source for athletes who need to replenish energy levels and fight fatigue. In addition, it is an effective natural treatment for those suffering from constipation, as it triggers regular bowel movement.”

Now, you know why you need to eat fruits? Take your pick.

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COMBATING... FROM1

The group would later showcase their colorful PPEs inspired by the pandemic vibe on social media attracting not just massive like clicks and shares but even a special feature on local television news program. And because it's Kadayawan month, their latest finds are in festive Kadayawan hues.

For them, the coronavirus pandemic is not an excuse for a fashion show, but they are in the right mindset that as most of us lose our ability to communicate through smiles and visual cues with most of our face covered up, we have to come up with alternative ways of making a first impression. And yes, rightly so, fashion has always been a platform for self-expression. As face masks and face shields are quickly becoming a part of our daily routine, many of us are choosing to show-

case our individual style through them.

This isn’t to trivialize the global pandemic. It’s one thing dressing for frivolity, but another thing entirely to be frivolous. For these doctors, dressing in vibrant colors is not frivolity nor plain fashion, it is a message that fighting a formidable foe doesn't mean being lame. The colors are an expression of hope and precious lives.

"Actually these are PPEs we just bought online because we were looking for ways na makapangarte kasi bawal na mag-accessorize, mag-shoes and bags na sosyal coz you have to continuously disinfect. And being girls and kikay, this is our way of keeping our sanity," Dr. Janice Bacani-Carandang told this writer in an online interview.

What used to be fashion defined by season and cycles of capital, culture and

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commerce, the pandemic has interrupted that, leading to a shift in clothing that is driven by circumstance, not trend.

"Naa mi barkada GC. All throughtout the lockdown, we kept each other sane and we comforted each other. First kabuang project we did together was kadtong "pass the steth", tapos we would source out our materials together, mga alcohol, gloves, mask, etc. kung asa ang reliable sources, even our PPEs. Until when we resumed clinic and gakita na mi in person, nahilig ra mi mag- document sa among mga bonding," Bacani-Carandang said. "It keeps on levelling up each time we meet, until the group became bigger.

Naa na pud mi extended friends nga ma- recruit namo sa among concepts.

All for fun ra. Something to look forward to after clinics."

All for fun, as they'd insist. However, the truth is, these fun-loving and fashionable frontliners have inspired many Dabawenyos.

For frontliners like Dr. Bacani-Carandang and her fellow medical doctors, there may be a reduced compulsion – one that is generally felt unconsciously – to dress a particular way, especially in the workplace.

That vibrant Kadayawan-during-the-pandemic culture will be part of a wider, restriction-adjacent moment, in which we seek new ways to look good yet comfortable, without betraying the greater concerns for safety that the pandemic has supposedly laid out.

Notwithstanding the limitations we have to live with in this crazy covid times, clothing has the power to define something, and shape it.

DR. JANICE BACANI-CARANDANG (red): You don’t need a Corona to be a queen. CoViD is not an excuse to be drab and dull, it is up to you to color your world with 50 shades of fab!

DR. DEE LOREN (white): When you reduce life to black and white, you never see rainbows.

DR. GAIL ZAFRA-PAQUINGAN (gray): The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.

DR. RUCHIE BAUNDING-KINTANAR (pink): Walking through darkness with thoughts full of colorsPrajakta Mhadnak

DR. NELY DECHAVES (violet): Color is power which directly influences the soul- Wassily Kandinsky

DR. KAI AWIT (dark gray): Life is Art. Live yours in color.

DR. AURA LANABAN (maroon): Life is a train of moods like a string of beads.

DR. MERVAT PASIGAN (maroon): You can't buy happiness, but you can buy rainbow colors of PPEs and that's basically the same thing in this pandemic.

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ed parade won’t be observed this year due to the pandemic.

W is for waling-waling Orchids are one of the flowers Davao City is known for. The most famous of them all is the exotic waling-waling, which used to abound in the forests of Mount Apo. “The waling-waling’s beauty adorns our treetops, especially in Davao, Cotabato, and Zamboanga where it is endemic. But there are threats to its survival, as the flowers that grow and thrive in the wild are harvested for commercial and decorative purposes, and their habitat is destroyed by deforestation,” said Loren Legarda who pushed for making the orchid the country’s second flower icon (after sampaguita) when she was still with the Senate.

Waling-waling “is one of the finest orchid species endemic to the Philippines, desired by orchid growers and breeders alike for its showy and attractive flowers and ability to impart its vigor and floral characteristics to its progeny,” wrote Dr. Helen Valmayor in her book, Orchidiana Philippiniana.

The waling-waling, named in “allusion to a moth in flight,” was discovered on Mindanao in 1882.

It used to grow on tree trunks in the rainforests of Davao, Sultan Kudarat and other parts of the island.

It is worshipped as diwata (fairy) by the native Bagobos.

A is for arresting colors of the celebration In explaining the popularity of the festival, Rikki Enriquez, the director of the senior high school of Ateneo de Davao University, said: “Kadayawan tries to showcase and celebrate to the world the best of Davao arts and culture. It recognized our very rich tribes and heritage. In addition, it contributes to the city's economic prosperity via economic activities and provides good deals in tourism.”

“I consider Kadayawan as the festival of festivals since it has the most number of cultural activities compared to other festivals in the country,” commented Serapion Metilla, the father of bonsai in the country. “For example, there’s dancing in the streets, the floral float parade, horse

fight, durian festival, cultural minorities encounter, flower and garden shows, and many other activities which other parts of the country could not show.”

N is for the natives, the lumads, and the tribals Although Kadayawan is distinctly Davao, it’s more than just a Davao festivity.

As Arturo “Art” Boncato, Jr., who was then the assistant secretary of the Department of Tourism, told The Mindanao Daily Mirror: “This is not only Davao.

Kadayawan brings the real message that this is a festival of the people – the indigenous people (IP).”

Through the festival, Boncato believed Davao has placed the IPs into the mainstream of the celebration. “We have so much pride in our indigenous people that (it) is the biggest achievement of Kadayawan,” he was quoted as saying.

The celebration is also in line with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which was adopted during the 61st session of the United Nations at the UN Headquarters in New York in September 2007.

The Declaration, for one, “emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions, and to pursue their development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations.”

At one time, the festival’s theme was “Ten Tribes, One Vibe.” But it was found out there were actually 11 tribes living in the city: Ata, Bagobo-Klata, Bagobo-Tagabawa, Iranun, Kagan, Maguindanaon, Maranao, Matigsalog, Ovu Manubo, Sama and Tausug.

In the beginning, ethnic tribes lived together harmoniously, in peace and friendship. They were the ones who gave the province a name; Davao came from the word daba-daba, which means “fire.”

Indeed, Kadayawan sa Dabaw has gone a long, long way. “As the longest-running community festival in Mindanao, Kadayawan has metamorphosed into a grand celebration that honors Davao’s rich cultural heritage and the many blessings bestowed on the city,” commented the Davao Tourism office. “Kadayawan’s sights and sounds remain unparalleled.”

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sprawling in the 12.8 hectares hospital property.

Established in 1917, SPMC is being considered the biggest public tertiary hospital in the Philippines in terms of bed capacity.

It is a 1,500-bed hospital with almost 3,600 personnel.

Through Republic Act No 11326, SPMC was authorized to increase its bed capacity to 1,500 surpassing that of the Philippine General Hospital’s (PGH’s) 1,200 beds-this is based on the research of Audan.

SPMC (formerly Davao Public Hospital), is not a rundown institution serving the poor as its main clientele.

The humble hospital boasts of its several integrated specialty buildings which are stand-alone like the Heart Institute, Institute for Women and Newborn Care, Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Institute, Cancer Institute, Intensive Care Complex, main hospital for general medicine and surgery.

SPMC also has the biggest hemodialysis capacity with 65 dialysis chairs.

The other buildings are Main Building (three floors), Medical Arts Building (seven floors), Central ICU Building (five floors) Children Institute (five floors), Kidney Trans-

plant Institute (five floors), Trauma Complex (four floors), Institute for Women’s Health and Newborn (four floors), Orthopedic and Rehab Institute (four floors), OPD Building (four floors), Mindanao Heart Center (three floors), Cancer Institute (main three floors) and (two floors extension), and Isolation Facility Building (two floors).

In 2019 SPMC opened the heart surgery facility and now caters patients coming from the National Capital Region (NCR), Quezon Province, Iloilo City, Bohol, Leyte, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga City, Pagadian City, Iligan City, Camiguin, Bukidnon, and Cagayan de Oro City.

For the kidney transplant, SPMC caters to patients even from Manila, Cebu City, Agusan, and Bukidnon.

Covid-19 facility in Mindanao SPMC is the first hospital allowed to accept Covid-19 patients in Davao City as the main receiving center for confirmed patients in the entire Mindanao. It is also the first Covid-19 laboratory performing confirmatory tests for the entire Mindanao.

Davao Region’s first case of Covid-19 was confirmed by the regional office of the Department of

COVID... FROM15

Montenegro said the result of the evaluation may be used to provide interventions to the ECs and other key policies necessary to make the industry resilient. This is very important especially to these entities as Mindanao is the only place in the country that is not yet connected to the grid, although the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines has started the interconnection project.

He said: “To take a look at how power industry in Mindanao is keeping up with the current situation, noting the island’s distinct

Health (DOH 11) on March 15, 2020. It was a 21-yearold female resident of Pantukan, Davao de Oro who had a travel history to the United Kingdom and Manila. The patient arrived in Davao City on February 29, 2020 and was placed in isolation at a health facility on March 9, 2020 after undergoing consultation for a cough.

By March 31, 2020, SPMC has been certified by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) to independently conduct COVID-19 confirmatory tests. The hospital was identified as Covid-19 dedicated health facility to help relieve private hospitals in the region so that they could still cater to patients with non-Covid-19 concerns.

House of Hope SPMC is also wellloved because of House of Hope, which houses children with cancer.

It is a temporary home for children with cancer through a project of the Rotary Club of Waling-Waling Davao and in coordination with the Davao Children’s Cancer Fund Inc. It has served about 5,000 children and caregivers since its inauguration in August 2007.

House of Hope decreased treatment abandonment and provided a clean and

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healing environment for children with cancer.

Training ground Because of the volume of patients and the services and specialties it provides, SPMC has become the training ground for medical practitioners.

Aside from improving profession, one could also test his/her patience and humility as SPMC is a microcosm of different kinds of people from all walks of life.

SPMC also recruits dedicated and highly qualified personnel in the topmost positions who are able to take charge and steer the hospital in the right direction.

SMPC gets highly qualified and experienced doctors and medical staff that ensure patients receive the best care and treatment. Before the demand for top-notch healthcare facilities started rising, SPMC was already ahead of them. It is the largest hospital in the country that offers high-quality healthcare services embodying its purpose of improving the health care of Davao and Mindanao.

Having ticked all the boxes on why it deserves a generous share of funding, SPMC should by now be properly introduced especially to those who didn’t know.

Notice to the Public

This is to inform the public that Mr. Raymond Suscano is no longer connected with BonLim Consumer Goods Trading. Any transaction entered into with Mr. Suscano representing BonLim Consumer Goods Trading shall not be recognized by the latter. power structure which is slightly different from the interconnected network of Visayas and Luzon.”

One key issue here is whether the ECs have been able to fulfill their financial obligations as some of them even before

the pandemic have been saddled with debts.

Their health, financial or otherwise, will determine whether the pandemic would bring them down to their knees or they can continue cope with the challenges.

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COVID-19: SPECIAL

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Impacting Mindanao's power supply

By LADY LESLIE L. FRANCISCO Contributor

O

ne key challenge to the power industry in Mindanao during this challenging period is the performance of the electric cooperatives as in the Mindanao setting, 33 of them provide power to households especially those in the rural areas.

This has pushed the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) to secure the help of the United States Agency for International Development in evaluating the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the industry in Mindanao.

Assistant Secretary Romeo M. Montenegro, MinDA deputy executive director, said it is important to evaluate the impact of the virus on the industry because the shift of the usage of power to the homes especially during the lockdown period as about 60% of the island’s consumers are residential.

Montenegro, who sits as technical head of the Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC), said among the key factors that need to be assessed are the fuel type, technol-

ogy, volume of power used and the volume of of electricity used by customer classes, the fluctuating cost of power and the purchase agreements, the impact to the employees among other issues.

Many of these key factors impact the ECs, considered the main industry stakeholder that is vulnerable to the impact of the virus because of their structure as they are the only ones that do not have enough financial muscle.

The ECs were established to provide power to end-consumers particularly in most rural areas and are under the regulatory guidance both of the Energy department, National Electrification Administration and Energy Regulation Commission.

The MPMC, formed a decade ago by the MinDA

in coordination with the Mindanao Business Council, has been in the thick of things in monitoring the industry and has worked with the US agency particularly in pushing for the establishment of more renewable energy sources as the fuel usage has been tilted in favor of the fossil fuels.

Between 1980s until 2015, the main power provider of power in Mindanao were the two government-run hydroelectric complexes in Pulangi, Bukidnon and Agus in Lanao area.

These two assets are among the few government power assets that have yet to be privatized as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act mandates the government to privatize its power assets.

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SPMC:

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The Philippines' Mega-Hospital

By MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

It all started with a social media post by controversial journalist Maria Ressa of Rappler hinting a Davao hospital is getting more from PhilHealth than the UP-Philippine General Hospital in Manila.

That smoke Ressa tried to fan became a fire she cannot put out.

The reference of a Davao hospital compared to Manila’s PGH opened a virtual floodgate to an avalanche of information about the “Davao hospital” which turned out to be Southern Philip-

T

here’s a saying that goes: “Never light a fire you cannot put out.”

pines Medical Center (SPMC), the hospital with the biggest bed capacity in the country and serves a clientele embracing the islands of Mindanao and even some from the Visayas and Luzon.

Call it providential. The torrent of SPMC filled everyone’s curiosity more than one can ever get from Google. The trivialities of “a Davao hospital” must have sunk Ressa and her ilk to some r u d e

awakening.

And so we take a close look at the Davao hospital which turns out to be in all modesty, the “Mega Hospital of the Philippines.”

Located in one of the largest cities in the world, SPMC serves not only millions of Mindanaoans but also patients from Visayas and Luzon.

Based on the volume of patients being treated per day -- admission, outpatient (OPD), and emergency -- SPMC truly deserves to be called the “mega hospital in the Philippines.”

Let us count the ways.

According to Dr. Ricardo Audan, chief of clinics and Health Emergency Management Bureau (HEMB) of SPMC, the annual admission per year per day at SPMC: 65,892 patients admitted in 2014; 67,845 patients in 2015; 75,004 patients in 2016; 76,343 patients in 2017; 76,462 patients in 2018; and 76,561 patients admitted in 2019.

For OPD, a total of 261,516 patients with an average of 1,063 patients were seen per day in 2014; 315, 480 with an average of 1,298 per day in 2015 ; 376, 435 with an average of 1,549 per day in 2016; 445, 000 with an average of 1,700

per day in 2017; 497, 948 with an average of 2,058 per day in 2018; and 585, 912 with an average of 2,491 patients were seen per day in 2019.

For emergency, a total of 117,707 patients with an average of 322 were seen per day in 2014; 126,872 patients with an average of 348 per day in 2015; 150,019 with an average of 412 per day in 2016 ; 159, 528 with an average of 437 per day in 2017; 160,000 with an average of 440 per day in 2018; and 167, 683 with an average of 459 patients were seen per day in 2019.

Mega hospital SPMC did not earn the name “mega hospital in the Philippines” if it’s not a damn good tertiary hospital. People from all walks of life come to SPMC to seek medical treatment.

“Ginapag-hambog gyud nato nga ang SPMC is for Davao City and entire Mindanao. But surprisingly naa mi mga pasyente gikan sa Visayas even Luzon and this has something to do with our heart operation and kidney transplant services,” Audan said.

SPMC houses modern and stateof-the-art 13 medical structures

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sang mainit na pagbati po sa lahat ng mga kababayan kong Dabawenyo sa ating selebrasyon ng KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL! Hindi lamang ipinagdiriwang ng Kadayawan ang makulay at sari-saring kultura ng buong Davao, ipinagbubunyi din natin sa pistang ito ang natatanging pagkakaisa nating mga Dabawenyo.

Sa kabila ng pandemyang kinakaharap ng ating siyudad at buong bansa ngayon, kailanman ay hindi nagsawa ang mga Dabawenyo na ipakita ang kanilang suporta sa gobyerno at pagmamahal sa kapwa.

Saludo po ako sa inyong kooperasyon, na tunay na napakalaki ang naitutulong sa laban kontra COVID-19. Sana ay patuloy tayong sumunod sa mga health protocols ng gobyerno upang tuluyan nating masugpo ang sakit na ito.

May pandemya man po ngayon, isa-isip at isa-puso pa rin po natin ang diwa ng Kadayawan sa loob ng ating mga tahanan kasama ang ating mga mahal sa buhay.

Makakaasa po kayo na patuloy na ginagawa ng gobyerno ang lahat upang matapos na ang ating mga sakripisyo at maipagpatuloy na ang pamumuhay nating lahat.

Muli, hangad ko po ang isang masaya at makabuluhang Kadayawan para sa ating lahat.

Mahal na mahal po namin kayo ni Tatay Digong!

CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE

‘BONG’ GO SENATOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES