Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 134 | Tuesday, September 15, 2020

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VOL.13 ISSUE 134 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

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Extracting plants from region’s protected areas could get you jail term, fines STORY ON PAGE 2

Drillers conduct drilling works as part of a geo investigation survey for the Davao City-Samal connector located along Lanang, Brgy. Hizon, Davao City on Monday. The project is currently at the soil investigation phase.

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 134 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

DOH: Use of antigen tests up for review after WHO warning

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A public utility vehicle traverses along Quimpo Blvd. in Davao City on Monday.The Inter-AgencyTask Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved the proposal to increase ridership in mass transport vehicles

by reducing the physical distance among commuters, a decision to address the gap brought by the reopening of the economy. Edge Davao

PLANTITAS BEWARE Extracting plants from region’s protected areas could get you jail term, fines

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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Agas said DENR 11 received unverified reports through the Facebook page of DENR 11 of some individuals selling plants allegedly from the forestal areas.

“Naa mi nadawat na report through online FB page of DENR last July this year. Ang iyaha gi-report nga naa siya silingan allegedly naay ginakuha nga tanum sa kabukiran. Ang team sa DENR nag-kontak na didto ug ginapa-aware sila nga naa ta’y species sa mga tanum nga bawal kuhaon sa kabukiran,” she

said.

Some examples of plants considered as critically endangered include Giant Staghorn fern or Capa de Leon (platycerium grande), staghorn fern (platycerium coronarium), and the Waling-waling (vanda sanderiana) while threatened species include green Velvet Alocasia (alocasia micholitziana), Kris plant (alocasia sanderiana) and zebra plant (alocasia zebrina).

Agas said DENR 11 is still finalizing the list of threatened or endangered species of flora for an infographics. She is hopeful that the list will be completed this week.

Plant trading has become a trend in the middle of the pandemic as individuals resort to planting as a hobby and to add some greenery in their homes.

“Although, ang trend sa tanum is urban greening,

pero ang amoa lang not to the point na manguha na gyud sila sa kabukiran most especially kung naa sa protected areas kay bawal gyud na siya and it is a violation of RA 9147.

Dili lang gyud muabot sa point na manguha lang and we are also reminding the public naa pud ta flora species na bawal kuhaon labi na kung threatened or critically endangered na mga tanum,” Agas said.

There are two protected areas in Davao Region: Mt. Apo and Mt. Hamiguitan. Mount Apo was declared a protected area under the category of natural park and its peripheral areas as buffer zones to ensure the protection and conservation of biological resources and those of the indigenous peoples and communities residing therein while Mt. Hamiguitan is protected

sites to be put up or in which camps. Dito Telecommunity, Inc. is yet to submit their proposal for the AFP to vet and concur upon," Arevalo said.

"The intent of the MOA to allow Dito to colocate their facilities in AFP camps is necessarily subject to situations and limitations unique in every military installation," he added.

Arevalo said there is a "tedious process" that is required and the AFP’s concurrence, as the host, would have to be secured first.

Some lawmakers and

groups have opposed the move, saying the cell sites could be used by China for espionage.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier said all Dito equipment and facilities would be placed in locations where local carriers Smart and Globe are also located, based on a similar MOA signed by these telecommunications firms.

Dito was conferred with the status of new major player in the telecommunications industry by the National Telecommunications Commission on November 19, 2018.

Based on the MOA between the AFP and Dito, specific locations with its rental value will be determined for use of the firm in the installation and management of its communications sites without undermining the operations of AFP units.

Dito is also required to “furnish all equipment, labor, and materials necessary to effect the colocation of its facilities and shoulders all expenses in connection with or incidental to the co-location” and payment of all taxes, permits, licenses, and other charges. (PNA)

ere’s a reminder to all ‘plantitos’, ‘plantitas’ or ‘plantliners’: take a good look of the plants in your homes because these might be among the critically endangered foliage from the protected areas in Davao Region. It may cost you penalties of imprisonment and/or fine.

Violation of Republic Act (RA) 9147 or the “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act” is a criminal offense.

Jayvee Jude Agas, chief of the regional public affairs office of the regional office the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR 11), said taking out foliage from the region’s protected areas is a violation of RA 9147 that aims to conserve and protect wildlife species and their habitats to promote ecological balance and enhance biological diversity.

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AFP yet to receive Dito Telecom proposal on cell sites in camps

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n official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Sunday said Dito Telecommunity Corp. has yet to submit a proposal on the building of cell sites in military camps.

AFP spokesperson Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in a statement Sunday the co-location of Dito is still subject to scrutiny and checks even when there is a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed in September last year allowing the firm to put up cell towers in camps.

"No number yet of cell

he rule allowing the use of rapid antigen testing for domestic air travel will be reviewed by the Inter-Agency Task Force following a recommendation from the World Health Organization, a health official said on Monday.

Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said the IATF Resolution No. 69, which allows the use of antigen tests as substitute for the RT-PCR tests for asymptomatic local travelers, was caught in a "bottleneck" following the recent WHO pronouncement.

"Sabi ng WHO recommendation it is not advisable to use it sa borders.

Magkakaroon ng effect sa ginagawang guidelines, we recommended this be used sa borders and incoming tourists," she said in a media forum.

[Translation: In WHO's recommendation, it said it is not advisable to use this test in borders. This will have an effect on our guidelines because we allowed its use in borders and incoming travel.]

She said health experts will review the current IATF rules to ensure that the country's guidelines are aligned with the rec-

ommendation of global health experts.

The IATF on September 7 allowed the use of antigen tests instead of RT-PCR as a pre-boarding requirement for asymptomatic local tourists. It can also be integrated as part of the requirements before a person can enter the destination as long as a confirmatory antigen testing will be done 3 to 5 days after their arrival. COVID-19 task force spokesperson Harry Roque added antigen tests can be used to test domestic tourists who suddenly show flu-like symptoms in instances where there are no available RT-PCR test kits, which remains to be the "gold standard" in detecting the virus.

The antigen test works by looking for a unique part of the novel coronavirus, such as a specific protein in one of its namesake "corona." If that specific protein spikes and is present in detectable quantities, then the test will show a positive result.

The government previously issued a guideline that rapid antibody testing cannot be used to screen the presence of SARS-CoV-2 as it can only detect if the person has developed antibodies against the virus.

Reduced physical distancing in public transport based on science: DOTr exec

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he implementation of reduced physical distancing in public transport amid the COVID-19 pandemic is based on studies of experts in railways and medical fields, according to a Department of Transportation (DOTr) official on Monday.

Reduced physical distancing between passengers in public transportation — from a meter to 0.75 meter — takes effect on Monday amid criticisms including from Vice President Leni Robredo, who questioned its basis.

“Pinagbasehan po namin dito ‘yung pag-aaral ng ibang eksperto, katulad po sa train ‘yung International Union of Railways, na nakikita na hindi naman ganun kailangan talagang kalaki ang distansya,” said DOTr Undersecretary Artemio Tuazon in an interview on Unang Balita.

Citing medical experts, Tuazon pointed out that the transmission rate can still be reduced to 94-95% with the observance of health protocols such as wearing of face mask and face shield, as well as regular disinfection.

“Actually po kung titignan niyo ‘yung mga datos ngayon, ang Pilipinas na lang ang nagpapatupad ng one-meter distancing sa mga railways natin,” he said.

Based on the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO), a distance of at least one meter should be observed to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus.

However, Tuazon said

the one-meter distance was based on a 1980s study.

According to the DOTr, the distance between passengers could be further reduced to 0.5 meter after two weeks and to 0.3 meter after another two weeks. The DOTR said this is to increase ridership in public transportation.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, a member of the government policy-making task force in addressing the pandemic, said he prefers the old one-meter distance between passengers, but added that reducing the distance is a “collective decision.”

“Personally, I would like to abide by the one-meter standard of physical distancing. If we can actually provide more transport to our people rather than reducing the distance,” Año told ANC. Transport group Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO) also slammed the DOTr’s move as it once again urged the government to allow all public transportation modes to resume operations first to accommodate all commuters before resorting to reducing physical distancing standards.

But according to Tuazon, the DOTr is already considering this suggestion. “Nandoon na rin po kami, nakikita po namin ‘yun. Naririnig po namin ‘yun. Ginagawa na po namin ‘yan,” he said.

Tuazon said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board recently allowed additional 1,159 traditional public

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VOL.13 ISSUE 134 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

Geo survey for Davao-Samal bridge construction begins

By MAYA M. PADILLO ong Kong-based consultant Ove Arup and Partners Hong Kong Ltd has commenced geo investigation survey in the Davao City side for the construction of the Davao-Samal connector project.

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Undersecretary Emil Sadain of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said the geo investigation survey is in aid for the conceptual design that DPWH is currently working for the project.

“Wala pang construction activities sa Davao-Samal bridge. The conceptual design for the project will be completed by end of September,” Sadain said in a text message.

He said that procurement will follow after the completion of the conceptual design.

DPWH has appointed Arup as the lead consultant for the Feasibility Study of the Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) project. Arup is a multinational firm which provides engineering, design, planning, project management, and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment.

Based on the documents shared to Edge

Davao, the proposed bridge has a length of approximately 3 km from Davao to IGaCoS, with a width of 25-30 meters.

The marine portion of the crossing is approximately 1.6 km long with a varying seabed depth up to 40 meters deep.

There will be two bridge navigation bridge types, Extradosed and Suspension, are under study to comply with the navigation clearance requirements of vessels and the airport height limits imposed by the Francisco Bangoy International Airport. Both options will consist of various components, including interchanges with the existing road network, viaducts over sections of land, typical viaducts and approach bridges over marine area, and the main navigation span bridge.

The pre-construction phase involves planning and design, obtaining ROW and necessary permits,

prequalification of contractors and awarding of contracts, and mobilization for construction.

During the pre-constructional phase, the contractor(s) will mobilize equipment and supplies to the project site, erect temporary facilities for workers and field office, storage sheds and workshops required for the management and supervision of the project. Construction management staff and workers, including local labor, will include women.

Casting yard, which will also serve as a dry dock, will be set up where precast concrete and steel segments such as girders, beams and caissons will be casted.

The Road Right-of-Way (ROW) and compensation process will be completed before the start of construction.

During bridge construction, a navigable channel will be maintained, as required, to ensure safe and convenient passage of fishing boats and sea-craft in the vicinity of the project area. The design plans will integrate required clearances for unobstructed passage of vessels under the bridges.

tion would continue if she would run for reelection in 2022.

“Do not read comments like that. The name of this radio station is Davao City Disaster Radio, therefore, what we are going to discuss here is disaster. Is politics a disaster? Well, politics is disastrous,” she said.

The mayor did not say what her plans are in 2022. She asked listeners to “not mind the things that are beyond your control.”

Earlier in the program, the mayor talked about pursuing the expansion plan for the decades-old City Hall complete with an underground parking at the nearby Rizal Park.

“That would remain as a plan. But it depends, well, if you will still re-elect me as mayor of Davao City — as if I would run — that can still happen,” she said.

The mayor is on her second three-year term from 2016 although she had served as mayor from

Workers of billboard company retrieve LED flood lamps as the demolition unit of the City Engineer's Office dismantles the metal structures of the advertising billboards near Generoso Bridge in Matina, Davao City. Edge Davao

Sara on 2022 Presidential polls: ‘politics is disastrous’

“P

olitics is disastrous,” Mayor Sara Duterte said in response to a radio listener’s question on her plans for the 2022 Presidential elections.

In her program over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) last Friday, the mayor cut short the anchor’s reading of a listener’s question on running for President, following her earlier remark that more infrastructure plans of her administra-

2010 to 2013 with her father Rodrigo Duterte as vice mayor, and was vice mayor to her then mayor-father from 2007 to 2010.

Mayor Duterte’s running mate in the 2016 elections was elder brother Paolo who resigned as vice mayor on December 25, 2017. In the 2019 polls, she ran with younger brother Sebastian, a first-timer in politics.

That mayor said she

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PRRD likely to extend state of calamity due to Covid-19 pandemic — Palace

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resident Rodrigo Duterte will likely extend the state of calamity in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Malacañang said Monday.

“Most likely po, dahil habang wala pong bakuna, habang walang gamot sa COVID, patuloy po ang epekto ng pandemya,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a news conference.

Signed by Duterte on March 16, the declaration of state of calamity is effective for six months unless earlier lifted or extended by the President, according to Proclamation 929.

The declaration allowed the national government and the local government units ample latitude to utilize appropriate funds in their di-

saster preparedness and response efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 and to continue to provide basic services to the affected population.

Law enforcement agencies were also directed to implement measures to ensure peace and order in affected areas, as may be necessary.

Duterte had also declared a state of public health emergency throughout the Philippines in order to facilitate measures to address the threat of the virus including mandatory reporting and quarantine as well as disease control and prevention.

The state of public health emergency will remain in effect until lifted or withdrawn by the President.

Easing distancing rule to address gap in public transpo: Nograles

C Workers prepare the cables for the ongoing underground cabling system at the junction of C.M. Recto and Roxas Avenues in Davao City on Monday. Edge Davao

abinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Saturday said the move to adjust physical distancing in public transportation by a few centimeters was a "carefully calibrated" decision to address the gap brought by the reopening of the economy.

"Pinag-aralan ito ng mga eksperto at pinagaralan ito ng DOTr. So kami sa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) ipinaubaya na namin sa DOTr ang responsibility to slowly open up 'yong capacity, pero kailangan evidence-based (Experts have studied this

as well as the Department of Transportation. This is why we at the IATF transferred to DOTr the responsibility to slowly open up the capacity granted that it's evidence-based," he said during a live stream on his Facebook page.

The official, who also co-chairs the IATF, explained that the country is slowly entering phase two of its "national action plan" against Covid-19, which is balancing health and economic aspects amid the new normal.

"Unti-unti binubuksan natin 'yong ekonomiya -nagkakaroon ng economic

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VOL.13 ISSUE 134 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

LandBank now allows students to borrow P150,000 for tuition

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After six months of closure due to the COVID-19 community quarantines, the Roxas Night Market in Davao City reopened Saturday, 12 September 2020 with strict health protocols implemented to prevent the spread of the highly contagious disease. Temperature checks are done and only those with face masks and shields are allowed in but at the entrance, they have

to remove these briefly to show their faces to authorities. A handwashing station has been made available. Twenty-nine stalls have been allowed to operate but only eight stgalls were installed on Saturday. MindaNews photos by GREGORIO C. BUENO

Groups push for urban gardening to fight hunger, climate change

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he Rotary Club of East Davao and the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) have seen the urban container gardening (UCG) as one of the best solutions to address hunger and climate change, especially as the country faces a health crisis.

“Urban gardening is a practical and uncomplicated method of growing plant-based food that doesn’t require wide agricultural lands or even a backyard. You simply need to repurpose or upcycle common household containers and utilize the space in your rooms, rooftops, or balconies. This

method also ensures you that you’re eating clean, fresh, and organic produce,” Rossano Luga, president of Rotary Club of East Davao, said in an interview Sunday.

UCG is a technology of home farming used to grow food in limited spaces in the urban areas to serve as a nutrition garden of the

household.

It is a household activity that utilizes containers in growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs for family consumption; and the cheapest and healthiest way of food production as it utilizes bio-wastes as sources of fertilizers for gardening.

Luga also underscored a need to mitigate the environmental damage that is triggering climate change to overcome the long-term effects of the pandemic.

“Integrating clean and sustainable practices into our daily activities is a crucial step in the right direction as it ensures safe food consumption, promotes a healthy lifestyle, reduces

our waste products, and reduces our individual carbon footprints,” he added.

The Rotary Club of East Davao and the PICPA, with other participating organizations like the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines-Mindanao Chapter, INCOME Davao Credit Cooperative, Rotary Club of Downtown Davao, and Rotary Club of Central Panabo recently conducted a free webinar on UCG. During the webinar, Perfecto Rom, the resource speaker, said UCG is an advocacy to democratize agriculture empowering families to participate in food production and ecological sanitation (ECOSAN) right in their backyards. (PNA)

to help save jobs and revive the economy.

“At this point we are talking about how to get our economy back on its feet; one of the best ways is to buy Filipino,” he added.

Nograles, meanwhile, advised the public to report manufacturers taking advantage of the “buy local” campaign by mislabeling their products and passing them off as Philippine-made to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“DTI knows what it has to do. It is unfortunate that there are those who do this, pero di dapat sila makalusot. Bawal ang mislabeling (but they shouldn’t be allowed to do this. Mislabeling is not allowed), there are laws against that," he said.

He welcomed suggestions to properly identify and label Philippine-made products, including agricultural produce, noting that there have been discussions

in the government's Zero Hunger Task Force to label produce so that buyers are informed what regions they come from.

"When it comes to agricultural products, fresh produce, there has to be a way for us to know which region it is from, paraan na rin yan para ipagmalaki ng mga rehiyon ang mga produkto nila (it’s also a way for the regions to take pride in their products),” he said.

Nograles earlier urged the public to patronize local food and other products when going to the markets and groceries.

Not only would they support local farmers and businesses, he said they are also less expensive and would help consumers save money.

The Department of Trade and Industry is also urging institutions to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) gears and other medical items from

local manufacturers.

Local manufacturers are now able to produce 60 million face masks and 3.2 million pieces of medical-grade coveralls, 6,050 pieces of ventilators, and 60,000 pieces of infrared thermometers per month.

Earlier, the DTI launched the Buy Local, Go Lokal campaign to promote patronizing Filipino products and services.

On Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the Bayanihan 2 which provides for a PHP165.5-billion fund to finance the country's response and recovery interventions intended to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Bayanihan 2 is the second installment of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 1), which gave Duterte emergency powers to address the Covid-19 crisis in the country. (PNA)

Locally-made products will be prioritized under Bayanihan 2

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ocally-made products will be prioritized in the government’s procurement to help local industries severely affected by the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Saturday night.

Nograles gave this assurance noting that the recently-signed “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act” or “Bayanihan 2” includes procurement provisions that give preference to locally-made products, including construction materials for government infrastructure projects.

"Our call is buy local, buy Filipino -- suportahan natin ang sariling atin (support our own)," he said over a Facebook live session.

He emphasized the importance of supporting Filipino businesses, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)

tate-owned Land Bank of the Philippines has rolled out an educational loan program, allowing students — through their parents or guardians — to borrow as much as P150,000 to finance their enrollment.

Dubbed as the Interim Students’ Loan for Tuition toward Upliftment of Education for the Development of the Youth (i-STUDY), the program allows borrowers to loan an amount equivalent to one school year or two semesters.

“This program will not only help families who have kids they want to send to school, but will also assist private schools and downstream industries to sustain and continue their operations,” said LandBank president and chief executive officer Cecilia Borromeo.

According to LandBank, the maximum loan amount will be P150,000 per student, and not more than P300,00 per borrower, based on the school-issued Enrollment Assessment Form with the schedule of assessment fees.

The loan will come with a 5% interest rate per annum, fixed for the entire term. Penalties will be at 24% per annum.

For the loan tenors, the LandBank allows a shortterm loan payable within a year through a 360-day promissory note. It will also allow a term loan payable up to a maximum of three-years, inclusive of a one-year grace period on the principal.

The loans will then be released lump sum and will be credited directly to the account of the school.

Among those qualified to avail are parents, guardians, or benefactors of students, and must have

a combined net take-home pay after loan amortization of P20,000 per enrolled student.

To be eligible, students must not be over 30 years, an incoming student qualified under the admission and retention requirements, and under schools or technical vocational institutions recognized by CHED or TESDA or DepEd. They must also not be a current beneficiary of the Universal Access for Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017, or any scholarship or program with free tuition fees as honor student.

Aside from this, the LandBank also allotted P3 billion for its “study now, pay later” scheme under its Academic Development to Empower the Masses towards Endless Opportunities (ACADEME) program.

The Department of Education (DepEd) earlier moved the opening of the school year 2020-2021 to October 5 from August 24, amid the difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data from DepEd said that there have been over 24 million students that have enrolled for the upcoming school year.

However, those from the poor and marginalized sectors have expressed concern over the shift to blended learning, given the difficulty to afford a stable internet connection and the lack of the necessary gadgets.

The DepEd has since rolled out television programs for students, with 27 professional teachers hired to serve as broadcasters.

Last month, one of the segments of the English lessons — particularly for the eighth grade — went viral after netizens pointed out a grammatical error.

National Food Policy release target on track for October

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he government would be rolling out its National Food Policy (NFP) by October as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Saturday said.

Nograles, chair of the government's Zero Hunger Task Force, said the NFP should be ready by World Food Day, which is commemorated every year on October 16.

He said the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgency of coming out with the NFP rather than being a cause for delay.

"It is even more important because we face a pandemic. Experts point out that after the world deals with Covid-19, hunger will be the next problem, as well as poverty," Nograles said.

Nograles, who is also co-Chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), said the pandemic has contributed to hunger after initial-

ly disrupting transportation and the movement of cargo, affecting the supply of food in the market.

The NFP would still aim to meet Sustainable Development Goal 2, or zero hunger by 2030, he added.

"With hunger experienced by many and possibly becoming worse... all the more we have to do it [zero hunger] by 2030,” he said.

On January, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order 101 creating an Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger tasked to formulate the NFP; coordinate and rationalize government agencies and instrumentalities to ensure a whole-of-government approach in attaining zero hunger; and monitor and evaluate the government’s progress in ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.

Per the EO, the NFP "shall outline national priorities based on a comprehensive understanding of

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5 AGRITRENDS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 134 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

Malunggay:

Highly-nutritious vegetable

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

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wo leading United Nations agencies -- the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) -- have identified food fortification as one of the strategies in decreasing the incidence of nutrient deficiencies at the global level.

Actually, food fortification is the process of adding micronutrients (essential trace elements and vitamins) to food. Oftentimes, diets that lack variety can be deficient in certain nutrients. In some instances, the staple foods of a province can lack particular nutrients, due to the soil of the region or because of the inherent inadequacy of the normal diet.

While it is true that fortification refers to the addition of nutrients to food, the true definitions do slightly vary. The WHO and FAO define fortification as “the practice of deliberately increasing the content of an essential micronutrient, that is, vitamins and minerals (including trace elements) in a food irrespective of whether the nutrients were originally in the food before processing or not, so as to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and to provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to health.”

The most common fortified foods are, according to FAO, are cereals and cereal-based products, milk and milk products, fats and oils, accessory food items, tea and other beverages,

and infant formulas.

Calcium, for instance, is added to some fruit juices, carbonated beverages and rice. White rice is frequently enriched to replace lost nutrients during milling or adding extras in. Amylase rich flour is utilized for food making to increase dietary consumption.

Not too many know it, but in Bicol, there was a project funded by the Bureau of Agricultural Research which adds malunggay in various preparations as well as package it into different product lines.

These include malunggay tea, instant juice, and malunggay powder.

Malunggay leaves are separated from the stalks and are either oven dried or sun dried. The dried leaves become malunggay tea. The pounded dried leaves are turned into malunggay powder which can be mixed into common Filipino delicacies such as soups, sauces, instant noodles, cookies, and chocolates as an added ingredient.

“In this way, Filipino children who are not very fond of vegetables get to eat essential nutrients present in malunggay without

knowing it,” the Bicol researchers say. The newly developed products have shelf lives of six months at the most, depending on the packaging materials used.

In Bansalan, Davao del Sur, Benjamin Lao -- a twotime Outstanding Farmer awardee by the Department of Agriculture -- adds malunggay in the pan de sal and other breads he is selling in his stores.

Touted by scientists as a “miracle vegetable,” malunggay (scientifically known as Moringa oelifera) has been promoted by the United Nations health agency “as a lowcost health enhancer in poor countries around the globe.” The “natural nutrition for the tropics” is how the Florida-based Education Concerns for Hunger Organization described malunggay.

If apple is the food that keeps Americans from doctors away, it should be malunggay in the Philippines. It may sound like magic, but nutritionists aver that 100 grams of malunggay leaves yield the following: 75 calories of energy (higher than ampalaya, squash, tomatoes, or carrots), 5.9 grams protein (higher than cauliflower, lettuce, or mustard), 12.8 grams carbohydrate (higher than okra, papaya, or watermelon), 353 milligrams calcium (higher than gabi leaves, mung beans, squash, and camote tops), 3.7 milligrams niacin (higher than other vegetables analyzed). And for

thiamin, phosphorus, and ascorbic acid, malunggay is at the top of the list.

That’s just for starters.

According to the Biotechnology Program Office of the Department of Agriculture, the malunggay has been found by biochemists and molecular anthropologists to be rich in vitamins C and A, iron, and high density lipoprotein or good cholesterol.

Because of its high calcium content (four times the calcium in milk), lactating mothers in the Philippines are often advised to consume malunggay leaves to produce more milk for their babies. The young malunggay leaves are being boiled and drunk as tea.

Malunggay leaves are loaded with nutrients.

Gram for gram, malunggay leaves also contain two times the protein in milk.

Likewise, it contains three times the potassium in bananas and four times the vitamin A in carrots.

Health nutritionists claim that an ounce of malunggay has the same Vitamin C content as seven oranges. An important function of vitamin C not known to many is its being an antioxidant. In fact, it has been recognized and accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration as one of the four dietary antioxidants, the others being vitamin E, beta-carotene and selenium.

“Due to its high vitamins A, C, and E, which are very potent antioxidants,

malunggay is a very good quencher of unstable free radicals that can react with and damage molecules that cause aging,” says the Food and Nutrition Research Institute. “Antioxidants reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. They also prevent the onset of various chronic diseases like arthritis, cancer, and heart and kidney diseases.”

There are more health benefits you can get from malunggay.

Vivencio Mamaril, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, told a national daily that in India, malunggay is used in treating various ailments.

A 2001 study in India has found that the fresh root of the young tree can be used to treat fever. Asthmatics are advised to drink the infusion from the roots of the plant.

Tender malunggay leaves also reduce phlegm and are administered internally for scurvy and catarrhal conditions, while the flowers are used to heal inflammation of the tendons and abscesses. Unripe pods of malunggay are also reported to prevent intestinal worms, while the fruit also prevents eye disorders.

Here's good news for men who are having problems in siring children.

They can now count on the malunggay to cork its magic on them. Research at the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) found that a steady consumption of its fruit

“helps to raise sperm count and mobility, which both translate to increased opportunity for the sperm to fertilize an egg.”

Because of its nutritional content, malunggay strengthens the immune system, restores skin condition, controls blood pressure, relieves headaches and migraines, manages the sugar level thereby preventing diabetes, reduces inflammation and arthritis pains, restricts the growth of tumors, and heals ulcers. This information comes from Dr. Kumar Pati, an Indian doctor who is an expert in natural medicine.

Here’s another interesting tip, particularly those living in rural areas: malunggay can make dirty water drinkable.

“The crushed moringa seeds can clear very turbid water,” said Dr. John Sutherland, of Leicester University’s Department of Environmental Technology. He added that powdered malunggay seeds are appropriate for water purification in rural areas of tropical countries.

Planting malunggay trees would also help stabilize soil and contribute to fight against deforestation.

The malunggay tree is highly resistant to drought and needs little care. It is fast-growing and lives for an average of 50 years.

Each tree can produce approximately 10,000 seeds a year. It also makes an excellent fuel and fertilizer.

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 134 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

On violation of Republic Act (RA) 9147 or the “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act” or extracting of plants from endangered areas in the region: Although, ang trend sa tanum is urban greening, pero ang amoa lang not to the point na manguha na gyud sila sa kabukiran most especially kung naa sa protected areas kay bawal gyud na siya and it is a violation of RA 9147. Dili lang gyud muabot sa point na manguha lang and we are also reminding the public naa pud ta flora species na bawal kuhaon labi na kung threatened or critically

endangered na mga tanum.”

Jayvee Jude Agas

Chief, Regional public affairs office, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR 11)

EDGEDAVAO

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 134 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

VANTAGE POINTS

7

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

DURIAN HOTEL: RISING FROM THE PAST In 2001, due to a series of crisis, Durian Hotel, one of the impressive structures to grace Davao City’s landscape towards the end of the millennium, was forced to fold up after its lender bank, the Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., foreclosed its property due to unpaid commitments.

But there were also other factors that brought the hotel down. There was a rise in insurgent conflicts, the Asian financial crisis, and the abductions by the Abu Sayyaf group. Collectively, these spelled drastic decline in tourist arrivals and severe reduction in economic opportunities.

When hard times overwhelmed the city, Durian Hotel was in familiar company. The mammoth P3-billion, Malaysian-owned Samal Island Casino Resort shut down due to low occupancy. Even the iconic Davao Insular Hotel had to temporarily close its doors to find remedy on how to resolve and underwrite its heavy losses.

On the other hand, oth-

er local hotels opted to severe ties with global managing firms which failed to bring in the desired guests and became liabilities. For one, Mercure Grand Hotel, now Davao Regal Hotel, seceded from the arrangement, followed by Royal Mandaya Hotel, which was handled by Barcelo Hotel Group of Spain.

On the side, skeptics attributed the closure to claims the hotel was built on a weak foundation, susceptible to earthquakes, the groundwork sank, and structural engineers were not amenable in terms of safety to high-rise buildings due to a fault line discovered in Davao City. Overtime, these led to the reduction in the number of potential occupants and guests.

In its heyday, Durian Hotel, with an area of 16,500 square meters, was famous for its Heroes Bar, a saloon overlooking Victoria Plaza and was a strategic hangout for those who wanted to appreciate the city by night. It sat on a property that comprised 15 adjoining lots.

The hotel’s original building had only a total floor area of 1,762 square meters. The ground floor accommodated the lobby and the reception hall, excluding two business stalls.

On the second story was the executive offices, while the third and fourth stories hosted guestrooms.

Due to rising patronage and better than usual occupancy record, the family of Bayani Escora, original owners of the hotel, decided to build a six-story annex building with a total floor area of 4,566 square meters. Thevedifice consisted of a basement, ground floor, and a parking lot on the second floor, enough for around 60 cars. The next two stories were dedicated as functions rooms, and the fifth story was the Grand Ballroom, a theater-type function hall.

On the other hand, the 12-story main hotel, with a floor area of 10,172 square meters, has a basement that housed the water boiler, exhaust fans, and parking area, while the ground

floor hosted a restaurant, main kitchen, two picturesque elevators, and a service elevator. Going up, the second floor was home to a cornucopia of rooms and cubicles, including the lunchroom of employees, medical clinic, stockroom, locker room, food and beverage office, employees’ comfort rooms, male-female quarters, and two medium function rooms.

Meanwhile, the third to eleventh stories were used for guestrooms; the twelfth housed the Heroes Bar, the Concorde, a function room with a mezzanine, swimming pool, and a mini gym. At the roof deck were the cell site, water tank, and elevator motors.

In terms of breakdown of guest rooms, the original building housed 22 lodgings while the main edifice hosted 126 accommodations.

In 2015, news that the mothballed Durian Hotel, rumored as a haunted structure, was bought by a new investor became hot item. Accordingly, the erection

of a new edifice to replace the structure was planned to start in the middle of that year. The 600room hotel project would cost P400 million, making it the biggest in Mindanao. The proposed hotel, under a progressive plan, would comprise three buildings with 9,000 rooms. The fantastic yarn was even verified by the regional tourism office.

After surviving numerous economic crises, years of inactivity, stories of paranormal manifestations, and challenges of earth-shaking tremors that struck the Davao region, the hotel, almost unscathed structurally, is rising from the past.

In early 2020, after the foreclosed hotel was acquired earlier by Armando Quibod, owner of Montana Community Finance Corp. and Armando Financing Corp., rehabilitation and renovation promptly started. For a change, Durian Hotel, when it reopens under a new management, will be known as Davao Persimmon Suites, a premier boutique hotel.

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

SIMPLE IS BEAUTIFUL “Happiness,” said British fiction writer Rosamunde Pilcher, “is making the most of what you have.”

When people start to want those things which they cannot have, complications arise. A wife wants a new house while the husband desires to have a new car. The daughter looks forward to having a two-week vacation in another country while the son yearns for a new computer with the latest gadgets.

If these longings can be met, then tears and sadness ensue. A fight is bound to happen along the way. Can a person live a simple life and live happily? “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated,” Confucius stated. “As you simplify your life,” Henry David Thoreau explained, “the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.”

So why make such a big fuss on making simple things complicated? “One reason why people have difficulty in getting across their idea is because they use more words than needed,” says a sage. “I know. I have done so too many times to count. I keep babbling on and on about something for far too long and fill the air with too many words.”

In some instances, that can be a good and enjoyable thing.

But more often than not, talking about things which most people

will have a hard time understanding what you are talking about is just a way to feed your own ego and keep the spotlight on yourself for as long as possible. “A lot of the time I think it can be useful to simplify and try to use fewer words,” the sage finally admits.

Keep it short and simple.

That was also the advice of Rev. Harold R. Watson, the former director of the Davao-based Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) and recipient of the 1985 Ramon Magsaysay Award for peace and international understanding. He is a believer of E.F. Schumacher, the man behind the bestselling, Small is Beautiful. “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent,” Schumacher said. “It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move in the opposite direction.”

Coming from the United States, Watson introduced modern technologies in a 19-hectare farm in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. But small-scale farmers don’t know how to use those tractors, drip irrigations, and artificial insemination, among others. Watson changed his strategy. He talked with the farmers and learned what they already knew. And from there, he developed what can be done to help them. “It takes technical people to make things complicated but a wise man to make

complicated things simple and workable,” he said.

Hearing Watson talk, I was reminded of the words of American industrialist Lee Iacocca: “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.”

Well, look at those technical papers and reports. Do people read them? Most of them are in university or public libraries gathering dust. Indeed, what a waste of valuable information.

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak,” master painter and pioneering educator Hans Hofmann reminds. To which the great novelist Ernest Hemingway adds, “My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.”

If these famous people can do things in a simple manner, why can’t we? “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” Italian painter Leonardo Da Vinci once said. “Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” That’s what Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said.

Know who you are and your standing in life. “Knowing your purpose simplifies your life,” wrote Rick Warren, the author of the bestselling The Purpose-Driven Life. “It defines

what you do and what you don’t do. Your purpose becomes the standard you use to evaluate which activities are essential and which aren’t.”

More often than not, all of us want to be a star, to be the center of attraction. But only few people can become an overnight star. So, if you can’t be a star, then be a tree. But be a tree that bears fruit. And if you cannot be a tree, then be content with being a grass. Don’t settle, however, of being just a grass. If possible, be the best grass of all grasses. Simple enough, isn’t it?

Why make things so complicated? Karen Jogerst, author of If I Could Just Get Organized!, suggests, “Take a few things off your plate and take a vacation, get some sleep, eat better, drink less coffee, resolve any conflicts weighing on your mind, get some exercise, get away by yourself once in a while, take off a few pounds, read a good book, and stop and smell the roses.”

Now, let’s go back to words.

Simpler words are easier to understand: use flood instead of inundate, kiss instead of osculate, woman instead of dowager.

Write to express not to impress, my editor thundered. “In the beginning was the word,” John 1:1 stated.

It came to pass that the heart, the brain and the tongue agreed that they would not make any more simple words.

“Those simple words only weigh

me down and make me soft,” the heart said. “Today, everyone must use complex words.”

The brain added, “Great ideas, formulas, speculation – these are the things that produce results. Simple words are only a waste of time.”

The tongue agreed: “I specialize in technical terms, foreign words, and great speeches.

I can’t be bothered any longer with simple words.”

So the heart began to send only complex and harsh words to the tongue. The brain produced only learned words and the tongue made great speeches. No more simple words came from the lips. After that decision, the world became empty, cold, and hopeless.

But there were some people who remembered the simple words. They started to search for them in past history.

At first, they were afraid of being laughed at. But interestingly, the simple words, with their built-in joy, began to pass from mouth to mouth, from head to head, from heart to heart, and in no time they won wide circulation. And the world became a friendlier place to live again.

Do you want to know what those simple words are? Among them are: Thanks! Welcome!

Please! Keep up the good work!

May I help you? Don’t quit! I’m sorry! Take care! That’s excellent! I miss you! I love you! God bless you!

8 EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 134 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

Republic of the Philippines City of Davao Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod 19th City Council 12th Regular Session Series of 2020 PRESENT:

Councilor Vice Mayor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor

Edgar P. Ibuyan Jr. -Temporary Presiding Officer Sebastian Z. Duterte Nilo D. Abellera Maria Belen S. Acosta Bai Hundra Cassandra Dominique N. Advincula Dante L. Apostol Sr. Jessica M. Bonguyan Louie John J. Bonguyan Augusto Javier G. Campos III Danilo C. Dayanghirang Jonard C. Dayap Diosdado Angelo Junior R. Mahipus Jaffar U. Marohomsalic Myrna G. L’Dalodo-Ortiz Antoinette G. Principe-Castrodes J. Melchor B. Quitain Jr. Alberto T. Ungab Jesus Joseph P. Zozobrado III

ABSENT:

Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor

Ralph O. Abella

Wilberto E. Al-ag Conrado C. Baluran Pilar C. Braga Edgar R. Ibuyan Sr.

Richlyn N. Justol-Baguilod

Pamela A. Librado-Morata Bonifacio E. Militar Mary Joselle D. Villafuerte

- On Domestic Emergency Leave - On Domestic Emergency Leave - On Domestic Emergency Leave - OB- Attended to an important matter in the barangay - On Domestic Emergency Leave - On Sick Leave - On Domestic Emergency Leave

ORDINANCE NO. 0247-20 Series of 2020 AN ORDINANCE INSTITUTING THE DAVAO CITY COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE POLICIES Be it ordained by the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao City in session assembled, that:

SECTION 1. TITLE – This Ordinance shall be known as “AN ORDINANCE INSTITUTING THE DAVAO CITY COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE POLICIES.” SECTION 2. COVERAGE – This Ordinance shall be imposed upon all persons, entities and establishments within the City of Davao, until the existing Community Quarantine or State of Public Health Emergency is lifted, or unless any part therein is earlier modified, withdrawn or extended.

SECTION 3. COMMUNITY QUARANTINE – The entire City of Davao is placed under Community Quarantine which shall have the following effects: 1. No person can go out of their residence, dwelling, and its immediate surroundings except those who will buy food or medicine, go to the hospital or in an emergency situation, and except as herein provided; 2. Imposing a social distancing measure of at least two meters between all persons in public areas; 3. Face masks are mandatory when going out in public; 4. Suspension of all mass gatherings including those which are religious, educational, or recreational in nature; 5. The implementation of a flexible work plan or a work from home system for all public and private employment; 6. All public and private educational institutions should prepare for online enrollment procedures and the possibility of online classes for the months of April to July 2020; 7. All private hospitals in Davao City are not allowed to admit Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) and COVID-19 positive patients. The Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) shall be the primary hospital for severe and critical COVID-19 PUI and positive patients.

Other centers available for mild PUIs shall receive patients referred to them by SPMC. SECTION 4. LAND TRAVEL – A. Non-essential travel – All non-essential travel to, from and in Davao City is suspended.

Travel into, out of and within Davao City is allowed only for the following: 1. Going to and from work; 2. Delivery of essential goods and services; 3. Buying food, medicines and other essential goods, or availing of essential services; 4. Going to the hospital, dentist, pharmacy or for medical emergencies; 5. Law enforcement officers and those officially assisting in the fight against Covid 19; 6. Other analogous humanitarian considerations.

Anyone can leave the city at any time but cannot come back during the quarantine period.

B. Public Transportation – 1. Jeepney drivers shall continue to work for the government by providing public transportation service, sanitation of jeepney units, implementation of social distancing and wearing of masks in public; 2. Taxis shall accommodate a maximum of two (2) passengers only per trip. Tricycles and trisikads shall carry one (1) passenger only per trip; 3. There shall be a “no-mask, no ride” policy in the use of all kinds of public transportation; C. Truck Ban – The schedule of the ban of trucks along the highways is hereby lifted, until later restored.

D. Cargo – No person or vehicle shall be allowed to enter Davao City except for vehicles with cargo and one (1) driver with no assistant. “Cargo” shall include animals, vegetables, and all other non-living things but not dead human bodies. The following are additional rules for cargoes: 1. The driver cannot disembark from the truck; 2. Cargo vehicles assistants may disembark at the checkpoint and wait for the truck to come back and leave Davao City; 3. Cargo vehicle final destination must be within Davao City;

4. Empty cargo vehicles may come in to pick up cargo inside Davao City with one (1) driver only and no assistant.

SECTION 5. SEA TRAVEL – All sea travel into Davao City is hereby suspended, except for sea cargo and government vessels. Vessels can unload cargo in any port in the City but all personnel and crew of the vessels are prohibited from disembarking from the vessels.

SECTION 6. AIR TRAVEL – Domestic and Foreign Air travel to and from Davao City at the Davao International Airport shall be suspended until the same is lifted by the City Government.

The following are exempted from suspension: 1. Cargo flights 2. Medical Evacuations 3. Weather Mitigation flights 4. Maintenance flights 5. Government and Military flights 6. Flights specifically allowed by the City Government; 7. Emergency landings: a. As much as possible, no crew or passenger may disembark without prior notice; b. Passengers or crew who disembark must be placed under isolation upon landing; 8. Recovery flights for expatriates, subject to prior clearance with the City Government; SECTION 7. CLOSURE OF ESTABLISHMENTS – All establishments and offices must be closed for the duration of the Community Quarantine; 1. Exemptions: The following are allowed to remain open, but, whenever possible, a skeletal workforce arrangement must be implemented to create distancing between employees: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. o. p.

government offices, groceries, supermarkets, and wet markets/palengkes, food commissaries, food manufacturing and food delivery services, wholesale stores, convenience stores and sari-sari stores, hospitals, medical laboratories, and the like pharmacies, drugstores, and the like banks and ATMs, savings and credit cooperatives, money-transfer services and bayad centers, courier services, other delivery services, manufacturing, fabrication, construction companies and hardware stores, doctors and dentists’ clinics, gas stations, water refilling stations, LPG stations, and business process outsourcing/call centers

provided that: a. All open business establishments and private offices should hire augmentation security personnel for their facilities; b. All restaurants, cafes, bakeries and other similar food establishments should close down their dining area and open only for take-out, in-house delivery or food delivery services; c. All wet markets/palengkes must have an entrance, exit and one way direction for people to go through. People cannot turn around and go back and cannot roam around the wet markets/palengkes; d. Sari-sari stores must not allow people to stay and loiter, and must be closed during the curfew hours of 9:00 P.M. to 5:00 A.M. of the next day; e. Ambulant food and non-food vendors are prohibited from selling anywhere; f. Manufacturing, fabrication, construction, agri-business and other similar sectors should reduce workload and extend their deadlines to significantly reduce laborers in the job site and to create a two meter distance between laborers; g. All backyard cockfighting/sabong shall be prosecuted under pertinent laws and regulations; 2. All other business establishments and private offices not mentioned are required to close, shift to online work and implement a work at home scheme.

SECTION 8. BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING (BPO) OFFICES – BPOs/Call Centers, per mandate of Department of Trade and Industry Memorandum Circular No. 20-08, Series 2020, have two (2) options only: 1. Skeleton workforce with social distancing and appropriate temporary accommodation arrangements within the vicinity and with shuttle service; 2. Work from home arrangements; If BPOs/Call Centers cannot comply with either of the two options, it shall be closed down immediately.

SECTION 9. CURFEW – A daily curfew from 9:00 P.M. to 5:00 A.M. of the next day shall be imposed upon all persons within the City of Davao, until the existing Community Quarantine is lifted.

Exemptions from the curfew are: 1. Employees of establishments providing basic necessities, i.e. those employed in: a. public markets, supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, b. hospitals, medical and dental clinics, pharmacies and drug stores, c. food preparation and delivery services, water-refilling stations, manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products and medicines, d. banks, couriers, money transfer services, e. power, energy, water and telecommunications supplies; f. media personnel; g. public transportation or the transportation of goods and services; h. persons transiting to and from work; provided those persons enumerated above shall present their necessary identification and certificate of employment; 2. Persons accessing basic necessities and emergency services such as: a. Those buying food or medicines; b. Those requiring immediate health services; c. Those doing other essential activities covered by analogous medical and humanitarian reasons.

3. Authorized government officials and personnel of law enforcement agencies; 4. Persons officially assisting in the fight against COVID-19.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 134 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

Any person not covered by the exemption who are outside their residences during the curfew hours are in violation of this Ordinance and shall be reprimanded and sanctioned accordingly.

SECTION 10. SPECIAL CURFEW FOR VULNERABLE SECTORS – All senior citizens, minors, pregnant women, sick and immune-compromised individuals within the City of Davao are mandated to remain in their homes under a twenty-four (24) hour curfew or home quarantine.

Those covered under this Ordinance may leave their households in case they are the sole head of the family capable of accessing necessary goods and services, to answer to medical emergencies, or to undergo routine medical procedures for chronic illnesses.

SECTION 11. LIQUOR BAN – A liquor ban from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 A.M. of the next day shall be imposed upon all persons within the City of Davao, until the existing Community Quarantine is lifted.

No person or entity shall sell or serve liquor, alcoholic beverages, coconut wine and other nature wines and the like that causes intoxication within the period provided.

SECTION 12. FUNERALS – Funeral parlors and private and public cemeteries are mandated to impose a “family members only” wake and burial and at all times demand compliance and observance of two (2) meter distance between family members and frequent handwashing with soap and water.

SECTION 13. PATIENT UNDER MONITORING (PUMs) – Asymptomatic patients who within 14 days prior, have recent travel history to identified areas with local Covid-19 transmissions, or have been exposed to other PUMs, must be quarantined at home or at barangay isolation units for 14 days to monitor the development of symptoms.

Any PUM who: 1. Refuses to comply with the home quarantine or isolation; 2. Fails to fully comply with the terms of the home quarantine or isolation; 3. Escapes or avoids home quarantine or isolation after being defined as a PUM; shall be in violation of this Ordinance and shall be subject to government intervention, without prejudice to other criminal actions.

SECTION 14. PATIENT UNDER INVESTIGATION (PUIs) – Patients who are exhibiting symptoms and who within 14 days prior, have recent travel history to identified areas with local COVID-19 transmissions or have been in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, or have been in close contact with other PUIs must refer themselves or the affected patient to the proper authorities.

Any PUI who: 1.

2.

3.

Refuses to comply with the home quarantine or isolation; Fails to fully comply with the terms of the home quarantine or isolation; Escapes or avoids home quarantine or isolation after being defined as a PUI;

shall be in violation of this Ordinance and shall be subject to government intervention, without prejudice to other criminal actions.

SECTION 15. FAILURE TO DISCLOSE – Any person, who fails to immediately disclose the fact of their recent travel history to Covid-19 areas with local transmission, or exposure to known PUMs or PUIs, shall be in violation of this ordinance and shall be subject to government intervention, without prejudice to other criminal actions.

SECTION 16. PENALTY CLAUSE – A. Any violation of Sections 2 to 12 of this Ordinance shall be punished by: • 1st Offense – a Fine of P3,000 • 2nd Offense – a Fine of P5,000 and/or imprisonment of not more than 1 year, at the discretion of the court without prejudice to the prosecution of other criminal actions.

B. Any violation of Sections 13, 14 and 15 of this Ordinance shall be punished by a Fine of P5,000 and imprisonment of not more than 1 year, at the discretion of the court, without prejudice to the prosecution of other criminal actions.

Provided, that if the offender is a minor, the laws and regulations of the Philippines concerning minors shall apply, but the parent or guardian of such minor shall pay the stated fines.

SECTION 17. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE – If, for any reason, any Section of this Ordinance is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby, shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 18. REPEALING CLAUSE – Any Ordinance, local issuances or rules inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed or modified, accordingly.

SECTION 19. EFFECTIVITY — This Ordinance shall take effect 15 days upon approval and publication in a newspaper of local circulation in the City of Davao.

ENACTED, March 24, 2020, by a unanimous vote of all Members of the Sanggunian, there being a quorum.

CERTIFIED CORRECT: ATTESTED:

EDGAR P. IBUYAN JR. President Pro Tempore Temporary Presiding Officer cns/ray

06 APR APPROVED : ________________, 2020

9

Experts: Oil price remains low in September but will rise again

T

he price of oil in September will remain low, perhaps even with a slight decrease from the current levels below USD40 per barrel, experts told TASS. In October, the downward trend is likely to be interrupted and a gradual growth will begin, which will accelerate in November and December, they said.

“There will not be a serious decline in the oil price in September -- it is unlikely to fall closer to USD35 per barrel.

Now there is a revision, according to the forecast, for practically all agencies with a drawdown (oil

prices) in September and October. In November, we will enter a further growth trend,” Andrei Polishchuk, an analyst at Raiffeisen Bank, said on Friday.

He added that as early as the fourth quarter of 2020, the price of oil may rise to USD47 per barrel.

The research director of VYGON Consulting Maria Belova does not see any grounds for a further decrease in oil prices in the current conditions.

She believes that in today’s conditions, the equilibrium oil price is in the range of USD40-42 per barrel.

The head of the ana-

lytical department of AMarkets Artem Deev added that by the end of 2020, the average oil price will be from USD40 to USD50 per barrel, but it will not exceed this level.

Dmitry Marinchenko, director of the Fitch group for natural resources and commodities, is less optimistic.

He estimates the oil price will be higher than the current one but on average in 2020, it will be about USD41 per barrel and next year, it will rise to USD45, but on condition that the general trend towards opening up the world economy will continue. (TASS)

activities, bumabalik na sa trabaho ang ating mga kababayan, ang mga industriya mas nagiging less restrictive na tayo... pero habang ginagawa natin ito, nakikita natin na 'yong mga kababayan natin na kailangan magtrabaho nahihirapan tumungo sa kanilang workplace dahil may gap sa transportation (We are slowly reopening our economy -- economic activities are resuming, the public are getting back to work, and the industries are getting less restrictive... but while we are doing this, we saw that the riding public is having a problem due to the gap in transportation)," he said.

Nograles assured that the government would not sacrifice the country's health policy nor risk possible Covid-19 exposures with the new measure.

Along with the adjustment would be additional health and safety protocols, he added.

"Ang importante dito, binabantayan natin 'yong safety ng lahat because nobody wants transportation to be the cause of Covid's further spread (What's important here is that we are monitoring the safety of everyone because nobody wants transportation to be the cause of Covid's further spread)," he said.

In the eased rule, physical distancing between commuters inside public transportation would be reduced from one-meter to 0.75 meter (approximately 2.5 feet) starting Sept. 14, provided that the “No Face Mask, No Face Shield, No Entry” policy, as well as the “No Talking and No Answering Calls” would be observed.

The distancing would then be reduced to 0.5 meters (approximately 1.8 feet) on Sept. 28 and 0.3 meters starting October 12. The said protocol is subject to changes should there be any concern after the implementation, according to DOTr. (PNA)

member is allowed to enter Arcadia 10 minutes before the session. There will be no walk-ins and use of the gym will be exclusively for members at this time. New members are encouraged to sign up online and gym visits/tours are temporarily suspended.

Upon entry, temperature checks shall be conducted at the front doors.

Members who are unwell or with temperature of 37.8C or higher shall be restricted from entering.

Members are obliged to provide contact tracing information upon their first

visit for record keeping.

This will be done via paperless forms and are initiated at Front Desk or via phone prior to visit.

Sanitized mats are placed outside the access doors from the gym area and everyone is required to sanitize their hands prior to entry. Disinfectant sprays are provided for members inside the gym area. However, members are advised to bring their own to avoid communal items inside the gym as much as possible.

During workout, members must bring his/her

own towels every visit--one for wiping down equipment before and after use and another for personal use. Wearing of face mask at all times is mandatory and members are advised to adjust face masks from time to time for comfortable breathing.

Wearing of face shield for additional protection and gym gloves to avoid direct contact to equipment are advised but not mandatory.

Physical distancing is required at all times and gym users must follow appropriate markings.

EASING... FROM3

NEW GYM... FROM2

WE ARE HIRING!!!

Motormall Davao Corporation (HINO Davao), a leading Dealer of Brand new Trucks and Buses here in Mindanao needs a qualified candidate for HR and Admin Head position.

Minimum experience required: 1. Must be a graduate in Business Administration major in Human Resource Management.

2. At least three (3) years Supervisory experience.

3. With knowledge of Administrative practices and interpersonal relations techniques necessary in the discharge of functions; and 4. With knowledge on laws, rules and principles governing Human Resource and Administrative management.

Interested individuals should send their updated resumes to mncmalaki@hinodavao.ph

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VOL.13 ISSUE 134 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

through several protected area regulations and is a component of the Philippines’ National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).

“Mt. Hamiguitan is very rich when it comes to biodiversity so tanan flora na makita nimo diha and most of them are threatened and critically endangered that is why intensified ang among monitoring karon, although, wala pa nauso ang pag-tanum ug pagbaligya ug mga plants

naa nata’y monitoring na ginahimo sa atong protected areas most especially karon na nauso na karon.

Naa pud uban nga reports na kanang muadto na gyud sila sa kabukiran tapos ila lang ibuton ug ibaligya.

Ang stand sa DENR 11, dili lang pasobrahan kaayo kay ang mga plants part na sa atoang biodiversity most especially in the protected areas, so naa na sila’y significant role dinha kung imo nang ibuton tanan or dili man nato

ma-assure na isa lang ang muibot ana bsin daghan na pud kaayo so diha nami mu-enter ug i-remind ang mga tao nga naa’y species na dili or bawal siya kuhaon,” she said.

She said DENR 11 has not yet caught individuals or plant traders, all information are based on reports only.

“Wala pa man gyud mi nasakpan nga nanguha, naa lang mga reports. Ang isa nag-report sa amoa kay naa siya feeling nga katong

plants nga iyang nakit-an threatened or endangered, that is why iyang gipaabot sa amoa,” she said.

Agas said individuals caught taking out endangered plants from the protected areas will be penalized.

“Ang penalty mag-depend sa species na imong nakuha kung very critically endangered mas dako ilang penalty. Lahi pud ang penalty sa poaching ug pag-transport sa tanum,” she said.

would focus on her current work of addressing issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic such as generating more jobs, getting the businesses operational at 100-percent capacity, reviving the economy, and

ensuring there is money circulating in the city.

She said her administration would focus on completing the new buildings of the City Library, Museo Dabawenyo, City Engineer’s Office, and City

Health Office.

“But, of course, at the end of every term, we will always endorse everything to the new administration. Usually, the existing plans are always laid down, those that have

been accomplished, those that are ongoing, and those that have yet to be accomplished, so that the next administration can do it, and there is continuity,” she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

the problem of hunger and related issues, and shall provide a roadmap for achieving zero hunger, taking into consideration existing laws and issuances."

The NFP seeks to ad-

dress food production, food accessibility and availability, nutrition and food resiliency.

Apart from the NFP, a memorandum of understanding on the imple-

mentation of the Enhanced Partnership against Hunger and Poverty (EPAPH) program was also signed in December 2019.

The EPAPH includes provisions for the institu-

tional feeding programs; credit support to community-based organizations; and capacity-building and productivity improvement for community-based organizations. (PNA)

series, getting down by 16 before coming back to save the season again.

On Sunday, it was more of the same.

George hit a 3-pointer shortly after halftime for a 19-point lead and Leonard made a pair of free throws with 8:27 left in the third

quarter to put the Clippers up 73-55. That’s apparently when the Nuggets decided it was time to get going.

Over the next 10 minutes, the Nuggets outscored the Clippers 30-8.

Denver had eight different players score in that

stretch, Murray and Morris scoring seven apiece, and the big deficit became an 85-81 lead with 10:16 left.

“It’s not that we don’t respect them,” George said.

“We respect the opponent.

They got this far for a reason. They’ve been togeth-

er for a while so they’re a connected group. They’ve been here. They’ve been a part of a lot of Game 7s.”

Another one awaits.

“It’s going to sound weird or funny or whatever, but we don’t care,” Jokic said. “We’re just going to go there and have fun.”

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REDUCED... FROM2

utility jeepneys to ply 28 routes in the National Capital Region.

ACTO president Efren de Luna noted that only 30% of the additional jeepneys allowed can operate because most drivers already went back to provinces due to the financial impact of the suspension of operations.

Aside from jeepneys, De Luna said all UV Express units should be allowed to return to operation, pointing out that 90% of them are still suspended amid

the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tuazon said the resumption of public transportation is being done in phases.

Meanwhile, on the first day of implementation of reduced physical distancing protocol, some buses and jeepneys still observed the one-meter physical distancing between passengers as drivers and conductors did not know how to measure the 0.75 meter new physical distancing standard.

prepared at all times, because that call can come at any time,” Zamboanga concluded.

“There are a lot of great talents in the flyweight division, many of them are my fellow Filipino fighters.

I don’t see any issues facing

my countrymen, it’s natural in combat sports. This is sports entertainment, and our job is to put on a show for the people. It’s a sport, so we go into the Circle to showcase our martial arts skills, simple as that. We can still be friends after.”

said in commentary for ESPN. “I don’t think it would be possible to have a tougher loss the rest of (Zverev’s) career than what he just had to endure.”

Second seed Thiem came into the match with a 7-2 head-to-head record against Zverev, who had to come back from two sets down for the first time in his career to overcome Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta to reach his maiden grand slam final.

Zverev made an incredible start in his bid to become Germany’s first men’s major champion since Boris Becker at the 1996 Australian Open.

The German won 16 of 19 points on his serve in the first set, which reached 222 km/h. He also broke Thiem’s serve twice.

“Thiem’s tight right now. He’s got to start taking a little off his first serve and get his percentage up,” McEnroe said on ESPN.

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11

Zamboanga can’t wait to return home

F Jamal Murray scored 21 for Denver

Nuggets force Game 7

L

AKE BUENA VISTA, Florida — Flights home from the NBA’s bubble are planned whenever a team is on the cusp of elimination, just in case they’re needed.

Denver is in no hurry to board that plane.

The never-say-die Nuggets pulled off another season-saving comeback — and, after rallying from 19 points down with 22 minutes remaining, they’ll see the Los Angeles Clippers in Game Seven for a berth in the Western Conference finals.

Nikola Jokic had 34 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, and the Nuggets topped the Clippers, 111-98, on Sunday (Monday, Manila time) to even their West semifinal series at three games apiece. The Nuggets will try to become

the first team in NBA history to rally from a pair of 3-1 deficits in the same postseason, after doing so against Utah in the West first round.

“I’m running out of adjectives, superlatives, whatever you want to call it to speak on our team,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “That is a tough, resilient group of you-know-whats. I love our team. I love our team.

I love our toughness.”

Jamal Murray scored 21 for Denver, which got 16 from Gary Harris, 13 from Michael Porter Jr. and 10 from Monte Morris.

Thiem comes back 2 sets down to win US Open

D

ominic Thiem has come from two sets down to win his first major title at the US Open.

The Austrian second seed outlasted Alexander Zverev in a five-set grind on Sunday that neither man looked like they wanted to win.

Thiem came into the US Open final as the redhot favourite, but the way he played in the opening stages made him look like he didn’t even deserve to be there.

Zverev took total control of the first two sets in Sunday’s final, shocking Thiem and the tennis world to lead 6-2, 6-4.

Playing in his fourth grand slam final and not having to worry about the likes of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, many thought Thiem would blitz his German opponent.

But the Austrian was a shadow of the player who dominated Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals.

“Thiem playing shockingly bad. Almost tough to watch,” tennis writer Jose Morgado wrote on Twit-

ter.

British journalist George Bellshaw wrote: “Hard to believe how bad Dominic Thiem has been tonight given the level he’s shown this tournament.”

But in astonishing scenes, Thiem completely righted the ship and won the match in five sets.

Battling injury and down a break in the final set, Thiem pulled off the astonishing comeback to win 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6.

It is the first time someone has won the US Open after losing the first two sets in the Open era.

A nervy Zverev served for the championship at 5-3 in the final set, but hit four unforced errors to allow Thiem back into it.

Tennis fans and commentators were in disbelief as both players attempted to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, with many describing the match as ‘tough to watch’.

“Can you believe we’re watching this right now, what they’re going through?” John McEnroe

FTHIEM, P10

The Nuggets outscored the Clippers 62-27 over a dizzying 20-minute stretch of the second half, turning everything around.

“I don’t know how we did it, to be honest,” Jokic said. “That’s an amazing team. They are really talented, well-coached.

They’re really scary.”

Paul George had 33 points, Kawhi Leonard scored 25 and Lou Williams had 14 for the Clippers, who are now 0-7 in games where they could clinch a trip to the conference finals.

The Clippers were outscored by 29 after halftime, their worst such deficit of the season.

“It’s frustrating,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “Listen, when you decide to be a coach it’s not going to be roses every day. We clearly have the

right formula as far as how we’re playing and then we keep losing it.”

The Nuggets were down 16 at the half — the fourth time out of six games in the series when they trailed by at least that many in a game — and eventually fell behind by as many as 19 in the third quarter.

“I just think we’re a really good team,” Murray said. “It shouldn’t get to this point.”

Of course, the Nuggets flourish when they’re in trouble.

They saved their season in Game Five of the opening round by rallying from 15 points down in the third quarter against Utah to set the tone for a rally from a 3-1 series deficit. They saved themselves again in Game Five of this

FNUGGETS, P10

resh off a resounding victory and a successful ONE Championship debut at ONE: A NEW BREED a couple of weeks ago, 31-year-old veteran Drex “T-Rex” Zamboanga is with younger sister Denice, and together, they remain in Bangkok, Thailand to ride out the Covid-19 situation.

The Zamboanga siblings traveled to Thailand earlier in the year to train at various Thai gyms. But when national borders closed due to the pandemic, they found themselves marooned in the ‘Land of a Thousand Smiles.’

Nevertheless, Zamboanga says they are doing well now, and that it’s business as usual for them after a successful event.

“We’re all doing great here. We’ve had one full week of rest now, and it’s almost time to get back to our daily training routine.

Time to get back to work,” said Zamboanga.

Zamboanga reveals that they are currently working on their extended visitor permit in Thailand, so they can continue training, but plan on returning home to the Philippines as soon as border restrictions begin to relax, presumably before the end of the year.

“Right now, we’re working on our long term visas so that in the future, we won’t have any issues going in and out of Thailand. The plan is to go back to the Philippines before December to celebrate Christmas with our family and to continue training with our boxing coach there. We can’t wait to

spend time with our family, maybe go on a little vacation,” said Zamboanga.

Every martial arts athlete devotes a level of sacrifice so they can focus on training. For some, it’s giving up their favorite foods in order to make weight.

For others, it’s spending time away from their loved ones.

For the Zamboanga’s right now, it’s a combination of everything.

“It has been hard being away from home. But I used that sadness to motivate me to continue training here in Thailand. Me and my sister dream of becoming World Champions.

This has fueled our drive to continue working hard.

I miss my mom’s cooking, especially paksiw na bangus and nilagang baka. I miss riding my motorcycle,” said Zamboanga.

“Don’t lose hope. I know that one day we will overcome this. God is in control and I hope our prayers will be answered, and this will all end soon.”

While both Drex and Denice have no imminent bout assignments anytime soon, the siblings are staying sharp and ready for any call that might come their way.

As a flyweight, Zamboanga is in a deep tank filled with sharks. Nevertheless, he is willing to face any challenge in the Circle, even if that is against a fellow Filipino athlete.

“We don’t have any fights lined up at the moment. But even then, we can’t take our foot off the pedal. We should still be

important) especially they're the ones going to play and entertain the PBA fans," Marcial said.

Marcial may present the players' cases to the PBA board in its Thursday meeting to further build up the bubble.

The PBA board is expected to decide on which type of bubble will

be used and where it will commence.

During its last meeting on Friday, the board trimmed down the choices of the possible bubble locations to three, although Marcial did not disclose the shortlist.

The PBA is planning to resume its season the soonest by Oct. 9. (PNA)

FZAMBOANGA, P10

PBA meets for planned 'bubble' P hilippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Willie Marcial will meet with selected players and the board of governors separately this week to discuss the planned "bubble".

The professional basketball league is eyeing a bubble just for its 45th

season to resume, and the two meetings will be important in shaping it up.

Marcial on Sunday said the players' meeting would give the PBA stars an avenue to share their thoughts and suggestions on the bubble.

"Mahalaga ang input nila (Their input is

Dominic Thiem reacts to winning the 2020 US Open Men’s Singles title. (Photo by Pete Staples/USTA)

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NEW GYM LIFESTYLE

Dabawenyos getting used to ‘new normal’ gym rules

M

ore Dabawenyos are getting used to the fitness life under the new normal.

At Arcadia Fitness Gym, members have adapted to the new lifestyle -- temperature checks, face masks, and solo workouts. Arcadia Fitness Gym opened its doors anew to members on Wednesday, July 8, laying out the new normal safety protocols for all gym users.

The gym management released the Member Safety Guidelines along with the new gym schedules on its social media page.

To get more of its members and lure new ones, Arcadia made a bold move by slashing down its membership rates under a new offering Comeback Rates promo.

The new pitch is aimed at luring back fitness enthusiasts to Davao City’s fitness mecca after a 70-day hiatus brought t fore by the coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

The comeback rates are P2,400 for monthly membership down from P3,000, P6,700 for quarterly membership down from P7,650 and P24,000 for annual membership down from P27,540.

Located inside the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center and operated by the Escandor Development Corporation (Esdevco), Arcadia Fitness Gym is the premier fitness hub in the city equipped with state-of-the-art gym equipment and parading a battery of

experienced trainers.

Davao City government allowed fitness gyms to operate after it was declared under an improved Moderate General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) status last July 1. To be able to operate anew, fitness gyms underwent inspections conducted by the City Sports Development Office.

Arcadia’s new gym schedules are as follows: Mondays-Fridays 9am-7pm -- First Session 9-10:30 am; 2nd Session 11 am-12:30 pm; 3rd Session 1-2:30 pm; 4th Session 3-4:30 pm; and 5th Session 5-7 pm.

Saturdays 7am-3pm -- 1st Session 7-8:30 am; 2nd Session 9-10:30 am; 3rd Session 11 am-12:30 pm; and 4th Session 1-3 pm.

Disinfections are made for 30 minutes in between sessions.

The new rules include: Members must reserve a schedule prior to gym visit by calling through the Front Office for immediate confirmation at 0917 1042585. Only those with text confirmation will be allowed entry.

For online payment transaction, members and interested parties may contact (0917) 146 4304 or (082) 327 8471 for more details.

Before a member visits, they must reserve a schedule via Front Office and get a confirmation sent through SMS. Only 20 members are allowed per gym schedule which will be for 90 minutes per session. A

FNEW GYM, P9

The new normal practice of wearing face masks has been adopted as a new habit among fitness enthusiasts.