Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 160 | Thursday, October 15, 2020

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VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

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ROBUST SECURITY City’s security system expected to change after community exercise: TF Davao STORY ON PAGE 2

DAVAO GOLFER SHINES IN CANADA STORY ON PAGE 12

DABAWENYA CHAMP. Alessandra Nagayo won the championship title in the Golf Ontario Provincial Super Camp played at the Black Bear Ridge Golf Course in Belleville, Ontario in Canada. Nagayo is the daughter of former Davao City councilor Rachel Zozobrado-Nagayo, now the Philippines’ Labor Attache in Canada. Story on page 12.

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte meets with Congressman Alan Peter Cayetano and newly-installed House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to discuss the issues that propelled the House of Representatives into the limelight earlier this week.

Also present in the meeting held at the Malacañang Golf (MALAGO), Malacañang Park, Manila on Tuesday are Exec-

utive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, who said that both parties have agreed to work together and pass the 2021 national budget on time. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

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Palace confident House can pass budget by October 16

City’s security system expected to change after community exercise: TF Davao

By MAYA M. PADILLO avao City’s security system is expected to dramatically change after once the ongoing city-wide anti-terror experimental exercise is concluded.

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“Our security system will never be the same after this exercise. We are now having a robust security system in Davao City based on the support and cooperation of Dabawenyos,” said Consolito Yecla, commander of TF Davao in a text message.

Under the exercise, the public is advised to be vigilant and report the presence of persons disguised as terrorists wearing blue t-shirt, maong pants, black face mask, and black ball-

cap with red ribbon who are being deployed in various establishments in the city.

Upon seeing this person, Dabawenyos are advised to report by contacting the following hotline numbers: TFD Smart: 09992271111; TF Globe: 09171314333; DCPO Globe: 09166592576, and/or dial 911.

“The exercise is running smoothly without causing panic and traffic jam. This is the exercise

with the biggest coverage but the most effective one. The exercise is still ongoing. But if may mag pagkuluang, madlaing ma-address ang mga iyon.

Remember that we can learn both from successes and failures,” he said.

This is also the first time that civilians are involved in the exercise that is usually participated only by the security forces.

“Kung may additional factor sa successful conduct of the exercise, this is because we are not afraid of taking risks like accusations of “creating panic and traffic jam” in the process,” Yecla said.

The exercises are being conducted in the five malls, five restaurants, five

avao Light and Power Co., Inc. will conduct two 15-minute power interruptions on October 17, Saturday, affecting customers in Dujali and Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte areas.

This service disruption will be necessary to facilitate pole relocation along Sto. Tomas-Carmen Road from Tanglaw to La Libertad affected by the DPWH

road widening project.

To avoid longer duration of power interruptions, load from the affected lines will be transferred to nearby lines anytime between 4:00 a.m. to 4:30 am.. Normalization or return of load back to its normal set-up will be anytime between 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m..

Specifically affected are customers from Tanglaw

in Braulio E. Dujali going to NAFCO in Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte via Sto. Tomas-Carmen Road, including La Libertad, Casig-Ang, Balisong and neighboring areas.

Davao Light apologizes for the inconvenience brought about by these scheduled power interruptions. But it will exert all efforts to restore electric ser-

churches, five hotels and inns, and five government offices in Davao City. It will also cover the entire city and the public, especially Dabawenyos, are encouraged to participate in this exercise.

During the exercise, 25 actors disguised as ‘terrorists’ will be deployed to various locations within Davao City. The actors are being supervised by personnel from TFD/Davao City Police Office to ensure their own security in case the exercise may trigger negative reaction from the public. Anytime the exercise may also be declared terminated for safety reasons.

Once the “terrorist” is

vice as scheduled or earlier.

However, there may be instances where restoration may extend beyond the schedule due to unavoidable circumstances.

Please contact our 24/7 Customer Contact Service at 229-3572, 0917-8642793 (Globe) or 0920-9701357 (Smart) for any power interruption that will fall outside the given schedule.

FROBUST, P9

Two 15-minute power interruptions on October 17 in Dujali, Sto. Tomas areas

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alacañang is confident that the House of Representatives can pass the General Appropriations Bill (GAB), which contains the proposed PHP4.5 trillion national budget of 2021, by Friday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this remark after the House, led by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, reopened debates on the proposed 2021 budget bill on Tuesday.

Roque, a former lawmaker, acknowledged that reopening debates will result in more discussions, but noted that this would not delay the passage of the GAB as long as discussions are concluded by Friday.

Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte called for a special session of Congress from Oct. 13 to 16 to resume congressional deliberations on the proposed 2021 national budget.

“I’m confident though, that Speaker Velasco, as he promised the President, can pass it on the 16th,” Roque said in an interview on CNN Philippines’ The Source on Wednesday.

He said the President is counting on debates to run smoothly now that the speakership row between Velasco and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano has been resolved.

“We have a supermajority in the House

so I don’t see any problems anymore. Now that there’s no more political maneuverings and bickerings, I think the process can proceed,” he added.

According to Roque, the House needed to pass the third and final reading of the GAB on Friday so the Senate can commence their plenary session.

“The Senate is already deliberating on the budget but on a committee level. They cannot proceed to have a plenary discussion without receipt of the budget approved on third and final reading by the House,” he said.

Should the House fail to pass the GAB by Friday, Roque said the President may call for another week of special sessions.

“If he’s [Velasco] not able to [pass the GAB], then the suggestion made by some senators is to call for special [sessions] in November because there’s going to be another recess in November.

That would be the opportunity for Congress to finish it,” he said.

“But it’s absolutely indispensable of course that it is signed within the month of December and published in the Official Gazette and in two newspapers of general circulation so that it can be effective the first of January,” he added.

‘Very appreciative’ In a meeting with the President on Tuesday, Velasco and Cayetano

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''All is well': Duterte accepts Cayetano apology - Palace

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resident Rodrigo Duterte has accepted the apology of ousted Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano for a protracted leadership battle that threatened to delay the passage of a P4.5 trillion budget vital to rebuilding the country's battered economy, Malacañang said Wednesday.

Cayetano, in a meeting with Duterte on Tuesday, apologized for thinking that he should stay as Speaker until the 2021 national budget is passed, contrary to a term-sharing deal in which he should resign as Speaker this month to give way to Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

Duterte, during the meeting in Malacañang, was "like a father to both" lawmakers, Roque said, quoting Sen. Christopher Bong Go who was there.

"Of course, a father would accept apology from a son. All is well that ends well," Roque said.

Velasco on Tuesday replaced Cayetano as Speaker with support from 186 of the 299-member lower

house, ahead of a 4-day special session that Duterte called to finalize the 2021 budget that included funds for the coronavirus pandemic.

Cayetano and Velasco "agreed to work together" when they faced Duterte, Roque said.

"The President was very appreciative of the cooperation of both parties and he appreciated the fact that Congress is now focusing on the budget because that has been his call from the very beginning," he said.

"There is still one very strong and very big majority party in support of the administration of President Duterte and of course the President is very appreciative of this," he added.

Duterte, 75, faces the enormous task of pulling the Philippine economy, which before the coronavirus pandemic was one of Asia's fastest-growing, out of recession and creating work for millions left jobless.

The Philippines is forecast to see a 6.9 percent

FALL IS WELL, P10

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

Landbank Davao offers funding for Covid-19 related projects

By MAYA M. PADILLO andbank Davao is offering assistance to local government units (LGUs) in the Davao Region to help fund Covid-19 related projects.

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“Alam natin na LGUs are really affected by Covid-19 at ang kanilang kailangan is more on the infrastructure to address their health care. Even yan can be funded by Landbank. If an LGU needs health care facilities like isolation facilities, Landbank can fund it,” said Jose Enedicto “Joen” Faune, vice president for Landbank Davao Lending Center in a Zoom conference.

He said the loan amount will be based on the borrowing capacity of an LGU that will be determined by the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF).

“If how much is the borrowing capacity ng isang municipality, city or province and based on that borrowing capacity, we can provide. We can make

a computation out of their Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) but the final figure should be determine by the BLGF,” Faune said.

For the loan to be approved, an LGU is required to determine its borrowing capacity from BLGF and a borrowing resolution from the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).

Faune said Landbank Davao already sent letters to the LGUs of Davao Occidental and Davao del Sur offering them the said loan service.

“All infrastructure projects nila kasama na ang Covid 19 related project.

We are still awaiting for their replies. Hindi naman natin puwedeng pilitin kasi it is still a collective decision by officials and if they

find it necessary na manghiram or they can fund it by their own fund internally.

Marami na akong nabisitahan sa Davao del Sur ino-offer ko ito. We are stilla waiting for their replies,” he said.

Faune said LGUs are one of the strategic partners of Landbank in providing assistance for the development of their community. He said all infrastructure projects by an LGU can be funded by Landbank to advance the infrastructure requirement of the LGUs such as public market, farm-to-market roads, public terminals, and all other infrastructure including Covid-19 project.

“We can fund it 100 percent. The development of a community must come from the LGU so that the small and medium enterprises will come in and encourage businesses within the sector and increase the purchasing power to buy the produce of our farm-

Go sends aid to Mati City Public Market vendors

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In a recent visit, Senator Christopher“Bong”Go distributed assistance to over 260 beneficiaries in Mati City Public Market.

DCWD ready to receive potable water from bulk supply project

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he Davao City Water District (DCWD) is now ready to receive potable water produced out of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project (DCBWSP) tapping the surface water of Tamugan River here, an official said Tuesday.

In a virtual presser, DCWD spokesperson Jovana Duhaylungsod said most of the critical main pipe projects have been completed.

"We are now ready and we consider this proj-

ect crucial," Duhaylungsod said.

The DCBWSP is a PHP12-billion joint project between Apo Agua Infrastura Inc. and the DCWD that includes the construction of primary transmission or distribution pipes and storage facilities in various parts of the city.

She said of 35 pipe main projects, 27 are critical and of this number, 26 are already completed while the remaining one will be finished by next

year.

Of the eight other projects that will connect all of the 35 projects to comprise the distribution system, she said six are in the pipeline while the two others are contingency projects.

Duhaylungsod said even with the availability of water from underground sources, the need for more supply harvested from the surface water will be pursued to respond to the increasing number of consumers in the next 20

to 30 years.

"The water demand in the city is rapidly increasing due to population growth and urbanization," she said.

She said the DCBWS project will allow some of the production wells to retire as well as help replenish the aquifer where the water cycle remains uninterrupted.

Currently, DCWD has 233,000 service connections with a monthly target of 7,000 new connections. (PNA)

ers. Kasi ang Landbank ay meron pa rin development character, it’s a government bank and has a development character when we see some strategic na mga partners to develop a certain community then we provide financial assistance,” he said.

He said in Mindanao, 50 percent of Landbank Davao’s loan portfolio are from the LGUs for their acquisition of heavy equipment to maintain farmto-market road and as counterpart for the LGUs programs with various government agencies that include the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

“Landbank has the biggest loan exposure to LGUs. Except Davao City na kung mag-loan maliit na lang, but all other lending centers nakita ko sa Mindanao, 50 percent of our loan portfolio are from the LGUs,” Faune said.

enator Christopher “Bong” Go provided assistance to over 260 beneficiaries in Mati City Public Market. In two separate occasions, Go, through his team, distributed aid to 130 beneficiaries on October 9 and another 130 beneficiaries on October 12.

On October 9, Go personally went to the venue and distributed food packs, masks, face shields, and meals under strict health protocols. The Senator also provided medicine packs to the beneficiaries whose livelihood in the market have been heavily affected by the coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) outbreak in the country.

For the second batch of beneficiaries, on October 12, the distribution of assistance was done by his staff in strict compliance with the necessary health protocols.

“Nabalitaan ko itong sa market, alam kong nahihirapan kayo dahil pwedeng magkahawaan diyan dahil sa COVID, ingat po kayo palagi. Sunod lang tayo sa mga patakaran at patuloy tayong magbayanihan at magmalasakit sa kapwa upang maiahon ang ating mga kabuhayan,” Go said.

“May ipinadala ako diyan na mask at face shield.

Gamitin ninyo kapag nagtinda kayo diyan sa market dahil delikado ngayon ang panahon. Magsuot ng face shield, mask, at mag social distancing, maghugas din ng kamay at huwag lumabas ng bahay kung hindi naman kailangan dahil delikado pa ngayon ang panahon,” Go added.

Go also provided bicycles to select recipients. He said that the bicycles will help them get to work amid limited public transporta-

tion due to the pandemic.

He also gave away tablets to selected beneficiaries whose children do not have a gadget to be used for blended learning.

“May pinadala rin po akong tablets para magamit ng inyong mga anak.

Ipagamit ninyo po sa anak ninyo na nag-aaral. Ang pakiusap ko lang sa mga bata na nag-aaral, mag-aral kayo ng mabuti dahil iyon lang ang kasiyahan ng inyong magulang na mapagtapos kayong mga anak. Nagpapakahirap sila para lang mapag-aral lang kayo. Kaya gantihan ninyo sila na matapos ninyo ang inyong pagaaral,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Senator also coordinated with different government agencies to extend more help for the Mati City Public Market vendors. Personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Labor and Employment were present during both distributions to provide immediate aid and assess beneficiaries who may qualify for their various programs.

Beneficiaries received financial assistance from DSWD. Meanwhile, the DA profiled and assessed qualified beneficiaries for the zero-percent loan program under the Agricultural Credit Policy of the department.

They also gave away vegetable seeds to everyone.

“Mayroong ibibigay ang DSWD, programa ito ng national government… para mabigyan tayo kaagad ng tulong. Kasama diyan ang DA na programa ulit ng national government at may ibibigay sila na vegetable seeds at programa na mag-

FGO, P10

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

DOE seeks P2.15-B budget for next year

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A “balut/penoy” vendor waits for customers until wee hours at a sidewalk stall along Doña Pilar Road in Brgy. Sasa, Davao City. Sidewalk stalls like this one will no longer be allowed to operate beyond 7 pm until 5 am on

Thursday as the curfew and liquor ban which will be re-imposed by the city government of Davao takes effect. Edge Davao

Building DITO towers within camps poses ‘very low’ security risk: AFP

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rmed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Gilbert Gapay said DITO Telecommunity’s proposal to build towers within military camps poses “very low” security risk, allaying concerns on espionage.

Having the facilities of the China-affiliated telco inside Philippine military camps could even be an advantage as this gives officials easy access to conduct “unannounced” inspections, Gapay said in an online press briefing organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP).

“Overall, we don’t see any security risk. It’s very low. And we find it better that they are inside because (we) could have un-

announced inspection. We could inspect them midnight, anytime of the night, early morning, wee hours.

We can do that if they are inside. So, there is that full control of their operations,” Gapay said.

“As far as the security aspect is concerned, putting up of towers and communication facilities inside camps pose a low risk, as far as security concern,” he added.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier said

Diokno cites thrift bank industry's performance amid pandemic

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hilippines’ thrift banking industry continues to show resilience from the pandemic as shown by the rise of their assets that allowed them to also help small businesses.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said the thrift banking industry doubled its resources as of end-June this year to PHP1.1 trillion from around PHP566.4 billion last year.

“Deposit liabilities and owners’ funds continue to finance asset growth, highly indicative of the public’s continued trust and confidence in the thrift banking industry,” Diokno said in his speech during the opening of the three-day virtual Chamber of Thrift Banks (CTB) convention Tuesday.

Diokno said the sector remains a strong ally of the government in boosting the welfare of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) even during the

pandemic.

As of end-June this year, thrift banks extended about PHP72.3 billion worth of loans to MSMEs and this rose to PHP80 billion as of end-July, he said.

This is on top of the PHP251.2 billion that the industry lent for real estate activities and the PHP302.2 billion extended for consumer finance.

While concerns on the rise of non-performing loans (NPLs) increased during the pandemic, the sector posted an improvement on this area with the figure going down to 5.7 percent as of last June from 5.9 percent in the same period in 2019.

NPL coverage also got better after it rose to 60.4 percent from 46.8 percent in June last year.

“The industry remains highly liquid as more than a quarter of the industry resources are kept as cash

FDIOKNO, P10

he recently approved a Memorandum of Agreement between DITO and the AFP that would allow the telco to put up towers in select military camps despite concerns of spying or espionage.

DITO earlier clarified that it won’t allow its facilities to be used for espionage, saying that the company is Filipino-owned. The consortium is composed of Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corp and Chelsea Logistics, which owns 60 percent, and the staterun China Telecom, which holds the remaining 40 percent.

In a virtual briefing, chief administrative officer Adel Tamano said the MOA could be “immediately terminated” when there is an

attempt to obtain classified information or spying.

There are 22 proposed sites that will be evaluated one by one, Gapay said in the FOCAP briefing, adding that there are 2 or 3 more steps before the telco could put up facilities.

DITO earlier said it could likely build some 2,000 towers this year, or more than its first-year commitment of 1,300.

Globe Telecom and PLDT Inc have similar existing deals with the AFP, the third telco has said.

DITO has also submitted a proposal to build facilities within the Department of Education premises such as public schools.

DepEd said the proposal is currently being “evaluated.”

he Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking a P2.15-billion budget for next year, bulk of which will be used to revamp geothermal development.

In a Senate hearing Tuesday on his agency’s spending proposal for 2021, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said they would scale up exploratory research on geothermal energy to boost power supply and attract potential investors.

“This is an expensive undertaking. We are giving priority to the development of geothermal as a priority renewable source of energy,” he said.

“Us doing already the exploratory work on data, investors will be properly guided.”

The energy chief said the Philippines used to be the top producer of geothermal energy, which is heat generated within the Earth.

“Pagkatapos ng ating success, tumigil po tayo.

This is a real good source of stable power. Gusto natin ma-tap ‘yan,” he said.

(After our success, we stopped. This is a real good source of stable power. We want to tap into this.)

Geothermal accounts for 15.4 percent of the country’s total primary energy supply, data from DOE as of 2019 showed.

Oil ranked first with 32.2 percent, followed by coal with 29.2 percent, other renewable energy sources at 13.8 percent, natural gas at 6.1 percent and hydro at 3.3 percent.

As of December 2019, there are 23.22 million households or 92.96 percent that are connected to electricity suppliers in the country.

Electrification level in Luzon was pegged at 97.78 percent, the Visayas at 93.88 percent while Mindanao at 79.99 percent.

To ensure energy security in the country, more than a dozen projects are in the pipeline, which include the Mindanao 230kV backbone and Cebu-Negros-Panay 230kV backbone.

The DOE earlier requested a 2021 budget of P2.6 billion, but the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) only approved P2.15 billion. This is 8.8 percent lower than 2020’s budget of P2.34 billion.

World GDP to drop 4.4% in 2020, rise 5.2% in 2021: IMF

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lobal growth will collapse 4.4 percent this year, less than previously expected, the IMF said Tuesday, though the outlook is beset by uncertainty amid the ongoing pandemic.

Massive injections of government aid kept economies from plunging further, though growth in 2021 is expected to be slightly slower than forecast in June, according to the Washington-based crisis lender's World Econom-

ic Outlook.

Around $3 trillion in stimulus spending kept the United States from a disastrous contraction and growth is expected to decline just 4.3 percent this year. China will see its economy expand by 1.9 percent.

Even amid the improved news, countries like India, Spain and Italy will see double digit declines, while Britain just misses that threshold with a 9.8 percent contraction, the IMF said.

A food delivery man braves the heavy downpour along Chavez Street in Davao City. The city and other nearby provinces are experiencing rainy and gloomy days due to tropical depression Ofel. Edge Davao

VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY 5 PH pork production seen to recover next year: USDA

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A vendor prepares pork meat at a stall at Agdao Public Market in Davao City. The United States Department of Agriculture is projecting a 6 percent improvement in the Philippines’pork production next year as the country recovers from the adverse effects of African Swine Fever. Edge Davao

he United States Department of Agriculture is projecting a 6 percent improvement in the Philippines’ pork production next year as the country recovers from the adverse effects of African Swine Fever.

“Recovery from ASF is also driving production growth in Vietnam and the Philippines, although outbreaks continue to occur in the latter country which could challenge rebuilding efforts,” USDA said in its latest Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade report.

In terms of volume, the agency said production is seen to increase to 1.35 million metric tons this year from an earlier projected production of 1.275 million MT. However, this is a 15 percent decrease from 2019’s production at 1.585 million MT, it noted.

African Swine Fever has been posing a challenge to the country’s hog industry since July 2019, with the first outbreak reported in Rizal.

The virus, which only affects hogs, has led to

the culling of more than 300,000 pigs to control its spread.

The country’s Department of Agriculture has set aside P400 million to assist hog raisers and help them recover from their losses due to the ASF outbreak.

Meanwhile, USDA said domestic consumption next year is also seen to improve to 1.549 million MT, up 8 percent from 2020.

In terms of trade, the country is seen to import 200,000 MT of pork in 2021, up from this year’s projection at 150,000 MT, the agency said.

Globally, USDA said pork production is seen to increase 4 percent to 102.16 million MT next year “due to rebounding output in countries affected by African swine fever (ASF) and to a lesser extent recovery from COVID-19 impact.”

Global pork demand is also expected to improve by 4 percent to 101.647 million MT as demand drivers, restaurant and food service sectors, recover from the effects of the global health crisis.

sia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies should stay vigilant and proactive to build greater food system resilience and address obstacles in connectivity and supply chains in trading of agricultural products, APEC Policy Support Unit’s new policy report said.

“APEC member economies are already facing challenges to achieving food security owing to shifts in consumer demand and the growing population. The pandemic is adding pressure to food security in the region,” Haslina Abdul Hamid, chair of the APEC Policy Partnership on Food Security, said in a written statement issued by the APEC Secretariat and received here on Tuesday.

“Hence, we must pursue coordinated initiatives to keep food trade open, facilitate connectivity, and expedite customs clearance of food products,” she added.

The policy brief, Food Security Response Measures to Covid-19, evaluates complicated challenges across the food system, right from production to distribution and market access.

It identifies economic issues tied to food security and presents policy recommendations to bolster regional food security.

The report highlighted that the Covid-19 pandemic had majorly disrupted the production of several food products, especially those that require intensive use of labor, such as meat processing facilities and fruit and vegetable packing plants.

Outbreaks among food

production workers and the unavailability of temporary migrant workers can impact the economy’s food production ability.

“Member economies should ensure that reductions in production capacity do not occur in multiple food sectors at the same time that could potentially cause a breakdown in the overall domestic and international food supply chain,” Carlos Kuriyama, senior analyst with the APEC Policy Support Unit, said.

Most food products are shipped via sea. Although most of the region’s major seaports remain open and shipping lines have continued to operate, the analysis indicated substantial delays in shipping times for sea freight owing to reduced container capacity and strict border measures to thwart transmission of the virus.

To address distribution bottlenecks, the report recommends that APEC member economies set out clear guidelines at ports of entry pertaining to the mobility of shipping crew members and other transport workers as well as expedite customs clearance.

Policymakers are also encouraged to accelerate wider applications of digital technology at the border.

Accelerating the adoption of digital tools will also aid in addressing a notable shift in consumer patterns of food products.

For instance, several restaurants have been forced to shut down. However, others are offering delivery service to bring food directly to customers

Gov’t proposes P838-B A for Covid-19 programs P

APEC should enhance resilience in food systems: policy report

rojects related to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) included in the proposed 2021 national budget amount to around PHP838.35 billion, Budget and Management Secretary Wendel Avisado said.

This is nearly 20 percent of the proposed PHP4.5-trillion budget for next year.

During the Palace virtual press briefing Tuesday, Avisado said the budget is not solely for the Department of Health (DOH) but will be allocated across the various government agencies.

He said agencies like the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) have been tasked to have their own programs that will help address the pandemic to lessen the burden of the

DOH. “So sana po tingnan natin sa kabuuan at hindi lang po pinu-focus lang natin sa Department of Health ang usaping Covid-19 po. (I hope we look at the whole picture and not focus Covid-19 issues on DOH alone),” he said.

Avisado said among the Covid-19-related programs that will be funded by next year’s budget are the health insurance premiums for at least 13 million indigent families and seven million senior citizens, PHP71.35 billion; medical assis-

tance for indigent patients, PHP17.31 billion; and hiring and deployment of about 26,035 doctors, nurses and other health care workers, PHP16.58 billion.

Also, PHP51.56 million has been allocated for disease surveillance and monitoring of Covid-19 and other respiratory infections; PHP2.7 billion for the acquisition of more than two million sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) for hospitals, laboratories and regional swab centers; PHP1.03 billion for the acquisition of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) cartridges for fast and accurate testing of Covid-19 cases; PHP2.5 billion for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines; PHP11.6 billion for health facilities enhancement program and

ennis Uy-led Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. has risen to become the third-largest player in the Philippine oil industry in terms fuel market share, data released by the Department of Energy (DOE) has shown.

Data from the DOE showed that Phoenix climbed a notch to the third spot with 6.86% market share in the first half of the year, following Petron Corp. with 24.88% and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. with 18.25%.

Phoenix overtook Chevron Philippines Inc. which slipped to fifth place with 6.13%, while

Unioil Petroleum Philippines rose to the fourth spot with 6.48%.

"Despite the continuing challenges of COVID-19, we are grateful for the continued patronage of our loyal as well as new customers who appreciate the value that we provide through our high-performance and high-quality yet competitively priced products and services," Phoenix president Henry Albert Fadullon said in a separate statement.

"It encourages and inspires us even more to carry out our vision to be an indispensable partner of Filipinos in their daily

journey," he added.

Phoenix reported a P5-million net loss in the second quarter of the year, with sharp year-onyear decline in oil prices and limited inventory replenishment due to credit tightening.

Its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) business, however, outperformed other segments, as an essential product for households amid the community quarantines set in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.

Based on DOE data, Phoenix captured 6.57% of the total LPG market share in the first six

purchase of medical equipment and medical-related motor vehicles like an ambulance.

Some PHP283 million has been allocated for the establishment of the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines, and PHP66 million for the country’s participation in the International Solidarity Clinical Trial for Covid-19 Vaccine to be launched by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Avisado said the Cabinet, during its meeting Monday night, decided to adopt a case management stance instead of risk avoidance set-up in a bid to further open the economy.

This is to ensure the government will have the necessary revenues for its various programs, among others, he added. (PNA) months of 2020, up from 5.61% for the whole year 2019.

Phoenix is presently engaged in the marketing and distribution of petroleum products on a wholesale and retail basis, as well as the operation of gas stations, oil depots, storage facilities, and allied services.

Its subsidiaries include PFL Petroleum Management Inc., Phoenix Global Mercantile Inc., Subic Petroleum Trading and Transport Phils. Inc., PNX Petroleum Singapore Pte. Ltd., Phoenix LPG Philippines, Duta Inc., Philippine FamilyMart

Phoenix Petroleum now among Big Three in PH oil industry

D

FPHOENIX, P9

FAPEC, P9

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

On providing assistance to market vendors and other beneficiaries in Mati City affected by the pandemic: Nabalitaan ko itong sa market, alam kong nahihirapan kayo dahil pwedeng magkahawaan diyan dahil sa COVID, ingat po kayo palagi. Sunod lang tayo sa mga patakaran at patuloy tayong magbayanihan at magmalasakit sa kapwa upang maiahon ang ating mga kabuhayan ... May ipinadala ako diyan na mask at face shield. Gamitin ninyo kapag nagtinda kayo diyan sa market dahil delikado ngayon ang panahon.

Magsuot ng face shield, mask, at mag social distancing, maghugas din ng kamay at huwag lumabas ng bahay kung hindi naman kailangan dahil delikado pa ngayon ang panahon.”

Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go

EDGEDAVAO

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

VANTAGE POINTS

7

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

VELASCO: A DECENT STATESMAN After so much theatrics, hysterics, drama, press releases and all – finally the intramural at the House of Representatives is finally settled.

Marinduque Cong. Lord Allan Velasco was officially installed as Speaker Tuesday in what political analysts describe as a “coup” of sorts because the term-sharing agreement was not respected by his Bible-quoting predecessor.

To refresh, Velasco decently stayed in the background to allow then Speaker APC (Alan Peter Cayetano) to do his thing as leader of the HOR for the agreed 15 months.

That is exactly what a statesman is supposed to do.

LAV (Lord Allan Velasco) did not want to steal the show while APC was conducting business in his own governance style. He did not want to rock the boat even if shenanigans were already perceived to be going on. He kept his mouth shut in willful respect to his counterpart.

From the start, somehow I had this sneaky feel-

ing that APC may not honor the term-sharing pact agreed upon before the presence of the man in Malacanang.

APC had a character streak I don’t seem to like.

During the GMA years, he quarreled with his unpopular ninang and ninong (Gloria and FG Mike Arroyo) that caught national attention.

For his maverick grandstanding, APC was perceived a hero and the electorate gifted him with a senate seat. Like a butterfly, he switched political allegiance when Noynoy and the Liberals were gaining popular support as shown by videos of him declaring in oratorical style the virtues of the former in the 2010 polls.

True enough, when the term-sharing period was just a few weeks away, APC and his (Deputy Speakers) cohorts staged a plot they thought would diminish LAV as a deserving Speaker in waiting.

They pictured him – supported by paid hacks in the mainstream media – as a lazy, good-for nothing, inefficient

successor that will put the HOR in distress.

APC and his PR men wanted him to stay because he was a superman efficiently doing his job and was indispensable.

Really? Boy, oh boy!

Unfortunately, PRRD was not fooled by this chicanery.

The Chief Executive, known for his straight-forward language and style, invoked LAV’s right based on the gentleman’s agreement that the majority coalition in Congress approved.

Not strangely, APC is known to be salivating for the presidency and he was seen to be exploiting his stint as Speaker to achieve his lifelong ambition.

We terribly need statesmen to run this country where thievery, corruption and influence peddling reign.

Statesmen are skilled, experienced and respected political figures who put the people and country’s interest first before their own.

(APC and his deputy Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Vila-

fuerte were reportedly allotted by HOR in the proposed 2021 National Budget (General Appropriations Act) the biggest shares with 21B and 11B, respectively.)

So before the shake-up, Cayetano and his agents railroaded plenary proceedings, using the pandemic situation as the principal issue for their actions.

This is how the country is ruined when we install and elect politicians masquerading as patriots and nationalists.

LAV is expected to restore sanity, decency and honor in the HOR, jokingly referred to as the House of “Representa-thieves.”

By his body language and demeanor, I find the new Speaker academically fit and spiritually strong to rule as head honcho of the Lower House.

I don’t think he will destroy the good name his father has bequeath to him, as a retired and respected Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

LAV represent today’s

new breed of leaders who may be good enough – or better – to fit the bill, so to speak.

Let us put an end to traditional politics where patronage and not ability is being appreciated more and employed by selfish corrupt interests.

This biblical verse (Ecclesiastes7:29) I find apt to write for you to ponder: “This only I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes.”

In political circles, it is strongly believed that Mayor Inday Sara had a big hand in the change of command at the HOR. LAV, we hope, will treasure it and respond with an appropriate gesture.

Without Congress assistance and cooperation, the national development agenda of any president will not succeed.

Let us pray that positive advances are achieved in the next 21 months under LAV’s speakership. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo. com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

INCOMPREHENSIBLE VERBIAGE “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ‘tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” – Mark Twain *** During the Fourth State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte to the Congress of the Philippines two years ago, my 10-year-old niece came to me with a list of words she never understood which the president had blurted: catharsis, fiasco, malefactor, quagmire, rapacious and self-purgation.

“What do you mean by these words?” she asked.

She’s not alone. There are many people out there who, after reading or hearing high-sounding words, have a hard time deciphering what those words really mean?

Even professionals have the same dilemma.

We use words to convey a message every now and then.

There are always two actors: the person who delivers the message and the receiver of the message. How you deliver the message matters but how the receiver understands what you mean is the main thing.

The Bible states: “Unless you

speak words easy to understand, how shall it be known what is spoken?” (I Corinthians 14:9).

Most of those who use words are called writers – although they also come in the form of a journalist, reporter, scribe, chronicler, blogger, and fictionist. These are the people who use words as their main tools in writing and speaking.

Again, the Bible states: “In the beginning was the Word…”

It may sound obvious but before you write a word, think of what you want to say. Most people find writing a herculean task because they are confused with what they want to convey in the first place.

Putting all your thoughts into words comes next. When you start scribbling those words, write them as you were speaking out loud. As much as possible, use everyday words that sound natural and familiar. Avoids words and phrases that sound pompous or stiff.

Avoid long, complicated sentences.

When I was still in college, our professor told us: “Write the way you talk.” That statement becomes my motto when it comes to writing. Doing so will not only help you write

plain English but also give your writing vigor and personality.

“Have something to say and say it as clearly as you can,” advices Matthew Arnold, an English poet and cultural critics who worked as an inspector of schools. On how to do this, Russian playwright Anton Chekhov illustrates: “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”

Oftentimes, writers come across some blunders. In some instances, they commit faux pas. “To err is human,” Alexander Pope urged us to believe.

But still, writers have their pitfalls, according to Australia Post (AP).

The mixed metaphor is one of these pitfalls. “We use metaphors all the time, often without realizing it. They cannot only be mixed, but unsustained, overdone, and overused,” AP stated. “(But) they can give life and sense to your writing.”

President Duterte oftentimes uses metaphors. As he himself admitted in his recent speech: “I use similes, metaphors, hyperboles, and other figures of speech every now and then, to prove or stress a point.”

Next is the cliché. “A popular phrase which tends to used indiscriminately, and so becomes worn out and meaningless,” AP says. “Sometimes, a cliché might suit your needs perfectly, but many clichés are just boring.” Examples: play second fiddle, leave no stone unturned.

Jargon – these are specialist words and technical terms from science, art, trade or profession. When used out of context, they are a common source of misunderstanding.

Feedback, interface, parameters, compounding; “whatever the jargon, it is usually ugly sounding and hard to understand,” AP says.

If you don’t know what verbiage is, these are tempting words and phrases that sound important but are just padding. Examples include unduly, respectively, considerable, in connection with, in the first instance. “Cut this kind of language from your writing,” AP advices.

Tete a tete, vice versa, apropos, hoi polloi, bete noire, pro rata, al fresco – all these are foreign words which have become part of English language.

“These are often misused, misunderstood, and misspelt,” AP

notes. “Can you replace these with plain English?”

What about punctuation?

“Rely on common sense, and put in stops to make the reader’s task easier,” AP points out.

“Readers will always struggle on to the full stop before they pause to absorb the material.”

Finally, poor grammar.

“Using the correct grammar will become second nature if you read widely; you know something is right because it sounds right, not just because you know the rule,” AP says.

Would-be writers must read. It is only through reading that you compound your vocabulary by encountering new words. American bestselling author Stephen King has this to say: “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

Nobel laureate and American writer William Faulkner also advises: “Read, read, read.

Read everything – trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.”

8 EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020 VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

EDGEDAVAO UP AND ABOUT

SHOPPING FOR THE TECH SET

MI STORE OPENS

A LOT can be said about the lifestyle of today and the modern home. While there are many essentials that make a comfortable home, today’s modern home is becoming smarter with the use of technology, making life easier, more convenient, and even healthier.

Imagine sleek robot vacuums maintaining spotless floors, smart rice cookers that ensure you get perfectly fluffy rice every time, to motion-activated night lights that lessen the worry of one fumbling about in the dark. All these smart devices and more are now available for Dabawenyos to enjoy at the newly-opened Mi Store located at the Gaisano Mall of Davao.

The first Mi Store in Mindanao opened to the public last September 23 after much anticipation and excitement, and with Xiaomi’s core belief of “Just for Fans”, MI fans and users who attended the event were delighted by the beautifully designed MI Store where they could see and experience innovative Mi products.

Xiaomi, of Mi for short, may be more familiar to Dabawenyos as an innovative smartphone brand. But aside from their smartphone and tech offerings, MI also creates

smart lifestyle products for the home and for the modern lifestyle. I was amazed by beautifully designed products such as the Xiaomi Robot Vacuum Map Pro which not only takes the hassle out of sweeping your floors, it can

also mop your floors to ensure no speck of dust is left. Other home smart gadgets include Xiaomi’s powerful Mi Air

Purifiers sporting true HEPA filters, Xiaomi’s Mi Home Security Camera 360° which offer high-definition video and

all around home protection, Xiaomi Mi Box S which turns any ordinary LED TV into a smart TV, For those who desire personal mobility outdoors, there is the Xiaomi QiCycle Smart Electric Bike which has a pedal assist function and neatly folds away for storage, and the Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter Pro which sports a long-range battery and easily pairs with your Xiaomi smartphone.

The Mi Store even has a wide selection of headphones and speakers, smart watches, LED lights, and even bags and luggage. Everything one needs and more for a modern smart and connected lifestyle.

The Mi Store is located at the third level of Gaisano Mall of Davao.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

Republic of the Philippines City of Davao Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod 19th City Council 21st Regular Session Series of 2019 PRESENT: Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor ABSENT: Councilor Councilor

Edgar R. Ibuyan Jr. - Temporary Presiding Officer Ralph O. Abella Nilo D. Abellera Maria Belen S. Acosta Bai Hundra Cassandra Dominique N. Advincula Wilberto E. Al-ag Dante L. Apostol Sr. Conrado C. Baluran Jessica M. Bonguyan Louie John J. Bonguyan Pilar C. Braga Augusto Javier G. Campos III Danilo C. Dayanghirang Jonard C. Dayap Richlyn N. Justol-Baguilod Pamela A. Librado-Morata Diosdado Angelo Junior R. Mahipus Jaffar U. Marohomsalic Bonifacio E. Militar Myrna G. L’Dalodo-Ortiz Antoinette G. Principe-Castrodes J. Melchor B. Quitain Jr. Alberto T. Ungab Mary Joselle D. Villafuerte Jesus Joseph P. Zozobrado III Sebastian Z. Duterte - On Sick Leave Edgar R. Ibuyan Sr. - OB- Attended the Liga ng mga

Barangay in Boracay

ORDINANCE NO. 0121-19 Series of 2019 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 030-88, SERIES OF 1988, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE REVISED ANTI-NUISANCE ORDINANCE OF DAVAO CITY” 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 AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 030-88, SERIES OF 1988, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE REVISED ANTI-NUISANCE ORDINANCE OF DAVAO CITY”.

SECTION 2. AMENDMENTS – Section 2 (b) of Ordinance No. 030-88, Series of 1988, is hereby amended to read as follows: “Section 2. – Nuisance defined – For purposes of this Ordinance, the following are considered nuisances: b) The making of loud and unnecessary or annoying and irritating noises through juke boxes, loudspeakers, radio, videoke machines and/or any sound system, except those that are made pursuant to permits given by authorities, provided that in case of bars, hotels, refreshment parlors or other amusement centers, loud sounds emanating from any sound system are allowed as long as the area is enclosed and confined within the premises of said establishment, provided further that the same establishments with sufficient enclosures should limit the volume of their videoke machines so as not to cause disturbance or excessive noise.

Section 2 (d) of Ordinance No. 030-88, Series of 1988, is hereby deleted, in view of the provisions of Ordinance No. 078-00, Series of 2000, or the Environmental Health and Sanitation Ordinance of Davao City and Ordinance No. 0361-10, Series of 2010, or the Davao City Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance of 2009.”

ROBUST... FROM2

SECTION 3. Section 3 of Ordinance No. 030-88, as cited in Ordinance No. 0420-10, Series of 2010, shall read as follows: That the allowable noise level in general areas are as follows: Category Daytime Area Nightime Morning and Evening AA 50dB 40dB 45dB A 55dB 45dB 50dB B 65dB 55dB 60dB C 70dB 60dB 65dB D 75dB 65dB 70dB SECTION 4. Section 4 of Ordinance No. 030-88, as cited in Ordinance No. 0420-10, Series of 2010, shall read as follows: That the qualification of the General Areas are as follows: Class AA – a section or contiguous area which requires quietness such as areas within 100 meters from school sites, nursery schools, hospitals, special homes for the aged and other health care institutions and place of worship; Class A – a section or contiguous area that is primarily used for residential purposes; Class B – a section or contiguous area that is primarily a commercial area; Class C – a section that is primarily reserved as a light industrial area; Class D – a section that is primarily reserved as a heavy industrial area.

SECTION 5. A new Section 5 of Ordinance No. 030-88, as cited in Ordinance No. 0420-10, Series of 2010, shall read as follows: That the division of the 24-hour period shall be as follows: Morning 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Day Time 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Evening 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Night Time 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

SECTION 6. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons, whether natural or juridical, to produce, make and/or cause any or all the nuisance defined in this Ordinance.

SECTION 7. Section 4 of Ordinance No. 0030-88, Series of 1988, is hereby designated as Section 7, in view of the amendments cited in Ordinance No. 0420-10, Series of 2010, and shall be further amended as follows: “Section 7. – Any person, company, corporation or establishment violating this Ordinance shall be punished as follows: a) For the first offense, by a fine of not less than Php3,000.00 or by imprisonment of not less three (3) months or both, at the discretion of the court; b) For the second offense, by a fine of not less than Php4,000.00 or by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months or both, at the discretion of the court; c) For the third and subsequent offenses, by a fine of not less than Php5,000.00 or by imprisonment of not less than one (1) year or both, at the discretion of the court. Business permits issued by the City Government shall be deemed revoked.

In any case, the materials or instruments used in producing or making the prohibited acts shall be confiscated or forfeited in favor of the City Government.

In case the violation has been committed by a juridical entity, the person in-charge of the management and who has knowledge thereof, shall be responsible therefor.”

SECTION 8. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE – If, for any reason, any section or provision of this Ordinance is declared unconstitutional or invalid, other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby, shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 9. EFFECTIVITY – This Ordinance shall take effect immediately after posting in two (2) conspicuous public places and publication for three (3) consecutive days in a local newspaper of general circulation in Davao City.

ENACTED, December 3, 2019, by a unanimous vote of all the Members of the Sanggunian, there being a quorum.

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

by testing how Dabawenyos cooperate with authorities and react to reports of terrorist presence in this upcoming exercise.

Culture of Security

Campaign, which was launched in July this year, is a people-centered campaign that encourages Dabawenyos to adopt vigilance as their way of

life. The campaign “May Nakita? Dapat Magsalita!” is an order encouraging Dabawenyos to adopt the Culture of Security as part of their way of life.

vowed to “work together” as one majority to ensure the timely passage of the proposed 2021 national budget.

The meeting took place after the House ratified Velasco’s speakership election in Tuesday’s session, essentially ousting Cayetano from his post.

Roque said Duterte was “very appreciative” that budget debates could resume without disrup-

tions.

“The President, of course, was very appreciative of both parties and he appreciated the fact that Congress is now focusing on the budget because that has been his call from the very beginning to pass the 2021 budget,” he said.

He also bared that Cayetano apologized for “misunderstanding” Duterte’s intention that the term-sharing agree-

ment between him and Velasco would be effective after the passage of the proposed 2021 national budget.

It was Duterte who brokered a term-sharing agreement in 2019 where Cayetano would serve as the Speaker until October 2020 while Velasco would take over and assume the position until the 18th Congress ends in 2022.

Roque, meanwhile,

warned that a reenacted budget would spell “disaster” for the government’s coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response.

“A reenacted budget would be a disaster of sorts because there was no Covid when the 2020 budget was deliberated on and passed as law. The reenacted budget would not have any provision for Covid-19 response,” he said. (PNA)

CVS Inc., PNX Energy International Holdings Pte. Ltd., and Phoenix Pilipi-

nas Gas and Power Inc. The company ended 2019 with 655 completed

operating retail stations nationwide, and 11 service stations under con-

struction. It also operates a network of 72 convenience stores.

through digital platforms.

The report highlights the case of small-scale farmers and fishermen in the region that have adopted a similar approach and turned to e-commerce and mobile money for the foremost instant to connect with buyers and suppliers.

The report further suggests APEC economies to view food trade as a vital component of food security and to steer clear of protectionist measures, including export restrictions and policies, which are not based on evidence and scientific risk assessment.

Senior agriculture and food industry officials as well as private sector representatives will convene virtually later this week for further deliberations on strategic measures to tackle the challenges posed by the Covid-19 crisis and to boost resiliency in food systems.

After the meeting, agriculture and food ministers as well as senior representatives will also meet virtually at the Ministerial Policy Dialogue on Food Security on October 27, chaired by Malaysia’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries, Ronald Kiandee. (ANTARA)

PHOENIX... FROM5 APEC... FROM5

CERTIFIED CORRECT:

ATTESTED:

reported, it will be counted as “neutralized” by the sector.

The said exercise is part of Davao City’s Culture of Security campaign

PALACE... FROM2

9

06 JUL

APPROVED : ________________, 2020

71% of Pinoys received gov't financial aid in Sept: SWS

S

ome 71 percent of Filipinos have said their families received financial aid from the government since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed Tuesday night.

The figure hardly changed from the 72 percent recorded in July, implying there has been no increase in the recipients of government cash subsidy between July and September.

The survey also showed that 67 percent of Filipinos said their families received financial aid once, and 29 percent received it twice.

The remaining 2 percent received it thrice, 1 percent received it four times, and 0.21 percent received it five times.

Meanwhile, the 71 percent whose families received financial assistance said they received an average total of PHP7,531 since the start of the Covid-19 crisis.

The survey also found out financial aid distribution was most widespread and frequent in Metro Manila compared to other areas.

"The proportion of

those whose families received money-help from (the) government was highest in Metro Manila (82 percent), followed by the Visayas (73 percent), Balance Luzon (70 percent), and Mindanao (64 percent)," it read.

By frequency of receiving financial aid, the majority of families that received government cash assistance received it only once in all areas, except in Metro Manila where the majority received it twice.

As for the average amount received, the survey showed that Metro Manila families received the highest average amount compared to those in Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

“In particular, since the start of the crisis, families in Metro Manila received an average amount of PHP11,024 (median PHP10,000), followed

by Balance Luzon with an average of PHP7,481 (median PHP6,000), the Visayas with an average of PHP6,833 (median PHP6,000), and Mindanao with an average of PHP5,664 (median PHP5,000),” the survey read.

10 EDGEDAVAO

ALL IS WELL... FROM3

economic contraction this year, the World Bank has said, the biggest since the 1980s and worse than the government's projected 5.5 percent decline.

Its recovery has been constrained by an unrelent-

ing first wave of infections since March, with more than 340,000 cases, Southeast Asia's highest number, limiting its ability to fully reopen businesses, internal travel and restart domestic and international tourism.

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF Davao City

SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM (SSS),

Mortgagee,

- versus - PAQUITO R. ADAZA Mortgagor/s.

EJF-REM CASE NO. 17,767-20

X---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------X

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the mortgagee Social Security System against PAQUITO RADAZA with postal address at Lot 26, blk. 12, DOÑA ROSA HOMES, DALIAON , TORIL 8000 DAVAO CITY, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of AUGUST 1, 2020 amounted to EIGHT HUNDRED SIXTY NINETY ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED THREE PESOS & 20/100 ( Php=891,503.20), Philippine Currency, including interest thereon, penalties and other charges and plus other legal expenses incident of foreclosure and sale, the undersigned Sheriff IV of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on NOVEMBER 5, 2020 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder to CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the following real property/ies mentioned and described below together with all its improvements found thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-99357 “A parcel of land (Lot 26, Block 12 , Psd-11-012768,being a portion of Lot 1335, Cad -102 Davao Cadastre), situated in the District of Toril , City of Davao, Island of Mindanao. xxx Containing an area of TWO HUNDRED (200) SQUARE METERS, more or less xxx.”

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the abovestated time and date.

That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on December 3, 2020 without further notice.

Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the above-described real property and encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Davao City, Philippines, September 30, 2020.

For ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER – the OIC Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Prov’l Sheriff (sgd.) JAY C. ESPERANZA Sheriff IV

VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

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bibigay sa inyo ng pautang,” the Senator explained.

The DTI also assessed and profiled potential beneficiaries who will receive the livelihood package through the Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa program of the government.

This livelihood package will give recipients an opportunity to start a new livelihood business that can be more sustainable especially in these trying times.

DOLE also profiled and assessed beneficiaries who may qualify under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program of the department.

Go also encouraged the beneficiaries to visit the nearest Malasakit Center in the city which was newly opened last October 9 in Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center.

The one-stop shop houses all four government agencies, namely the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and PhilHealth. With these four under one roof, process is now streamlined

and Filipinos will only need to fill up the unified Malasakit Form.

“Inyo ito, para lang sa inyo, para sa mga Pilipino.

Puntahan ninyo lang ang Malasakit Center, lalo na sa mga poor and indigent patients. ‘Yan ang unang sinabi ko noong naging senador ako, na maging batas itong Malasakit Center para matulungan ang mga Pilipino na maging maayos ang kanilang kalusugan,” the Senator said.

The Senator also mentioned that once the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, they will be prioritized along with the rest of the poor and the marginalized.

“Kapag mayroon nang vaccine, uunahin namin ni Presidente Duterte ang mahihirap. Kayong mga nasa market, uunahin namin kayo, para makabalik na sa normal ang pamumuhay natin, basta ingat lang po kayo. Iwasan ninyo po ang magkasakit dahil delikado po ang panahon, ang importante buhay tayo at patuloy lang tayong magtulungan,” he ended.

SWINGDERELLA... FROM12

with a two-day golf competition,” Lawyer Rachel said.

After the testing, Ella and her partner Emily McKee won the Girls Short Course Competition with a 2 under par score before she made it a double with the conquest of the 36-hole girls competition.

Heading into the

off-season, Nagayo is looking to improve her strength to drive the ball further.

The tournament followed strict golf protocols including no caddies, no spectators including coaches and media with the exception for players 18 and Under to have one accompanying adult.

DIOKNO... FROM4

or financial assets with the liquid assets-to-deposits ratio improved to 30.9 percent as of end-June 2020 from 24.9 percent a year ago,” Diokno said.

Capital adequacy ratio (CAR), a gauge of a bank’s

financial health, also improved from 16 percent in end-June 2019 to 17.5 percent at the end of the first half this year.

“Amid the pandemic, these are no small feat,” Diokno added. (PNA)

a rebounding collision with Samboy de Leon midway in

the opening quarter, lessening some of his edge.

Games and Amusements Board.

The WNBL moved to have all who played last season to undergo the draft.

The 177 players were chosen from a whopping 702 ballers who declared for the inaugural draft.

"We filtered the players by the years they played on, their character reference, and also social media," WNBL commissioner Bujoy Magno said Tuesday night on how the league trimmed the pool.

Edward Aquino, the NBL's head of basketball

operations, later said age also became a huge factor.

"Maraming underaged (Many were underaged)," said Aquino, a former referee in the Philippine Basketball Association, baring that there was a draft applicant who is taller than Deacon at six-foot-one but is just 17 years old.

The 177 players will undergo a draft combine, which will take place right after the NBL finishes its third season inside a bubble at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando City, Pampanga.

(PNA)

deficit towards the end of the third, the Beermen got into the game at the finish, coming within one at 82-81 on a trey by Terrence Romeo with 27.3 ticks to go.

Romeo was 0-of-8 from the arc before knocking in his lone three-point conversion on a catch-and-shoot play with Chris Ross.

But the E-Painters won’t

be denied.

Kris Rosales was a key factor in a solid off-thebench outing he laced with 15 markers and six rebounds.

Beau Belga was a third ROS player who hit in double figures with 12 points that went with six rebounds and two assists against five turnovers.

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177... FROM11

SMB... FROM11

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

PSC to host financial literacy webinar for Team Philippines

A

fter leading Team Philippines to the 2019 Southeast Asian Games Championship, next comes bridging the gap between their sports life and comfortable future by teaching them to take care of their hard-earned peso.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) shall be conducting a two-day financial literacy online seminar and workshop exclusively for national athletes and coaches on October 29 and 30 with renowned Registered Financial Planner (RFP) and journalist Salve Duplito.

“We believe this financial literacy webinar is very timely in this time of COVID-19 pandemic. We want to encourage all our national athletes, coaches and our employees to start their journey to financial wellness while they are young.” said PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, adding he has seen so many former athletes squander away winnings and end up in a sorry state in their old age. “It pains me to even imagine any

of our athletes like that,” remarked the sports chief who remains a teacher and coach by heart.

Duplito is one of the prime movers of financial literacy in the country.

She co-anchored the ANC “On the Money” show and now actively continues to teach different sectors of society in her Youtube channel, SalveSays.

In partnership with the PSC, she aims to impart her skills and expertise to provide the national team with a solid understanding of the basics of financial management and create an awareness of good stewardship of money.

“We teach them the values of discipline and dedication in sports.

These are the same values they can apply on how they handle their finances. I really wish that they all exit from being athletes with a comfortable life,” said Ramirez.

In 2015, the PSC also conducted a free financial literacy seminar for Team Philippines, with Duplito also teaching both regular and para athletes.

total of 177 female basketball players made the cut in the official Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) pool on Tuesday.

Some former national team players were included in the final pool that will get a chance to play in the WNBL's second season, its first as an officially recognized professional league.

Headlining the former Nationals is Gemma Miranda, who was part of the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s team that played in the FIBA Women's Asia Cup. The 25-year-old forward was included in the Gilas Women's roster in last year's Southeast Asian Games but was eventually ruled out due to an anterior

cruciate ligament injury.

Also joining the former Philippine squad members are shooting guard Raiza Dy, point guard Angelie Gloriani, center April Lualhati, and forwards Camille Sambile, Mary Joy Galicia, and Marites Gadian, among the oldest players in the pool at age 38.

Fille Claudine Cainglet, the younger sister of volleyball star Fille Saint Merced Cainglet-Cayetano, also cracked the final draft pool.

Former Ateneo center Tina Deacon is the tallest in the pool being the only six-footer.

Deacon played in the inaugural staging of the WNBL last year before it was sanctioned by the

TNT Tropang Giga’s Bobby Ray Parks takes a fallaway jumper over Columbian Dyip’s Roosevelt Adams. PBA Images

Tropang Giga stalls Dyip

B 177 players in WNBL pool

A

F177, P10

ROS guard James Yap slices the middle against five Beermen.

11

obby Ray Parks was eager to make up for lost time and showed it.

Parks scored a career-high 40 points to power TNT to a 112-101 victory over Terrafirma Tuesday and into the top of the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart 5G-powered Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center.

Troy Rosario, Jayson Castro, Poy Erram and Roger Pogoy also played big roles for the Tropang Giga as they fashioned a more comfortable win than in a 100-95 decision over Alaska at the start of the league bubble last Sunday.

Rosario notched his own first double-double of the tournament with 20 points and 15 rebounds, Castro came off the bench for 15 points while Erram and Pogoy combined for 25 points.

Parks shone the bright-

est, however, winning his shootout with CJ Perez and notching his best output in a TNT uniform while eclipsing his previous career-best of 39 set while he was still with Blackwater last year.

There was no visible ill effects of the calf strain that sidelined Parks in the Alaska game as he went a very efficient 13-of-18 from the field. He also tallied 11 rebounds and five assists while taking over the scoring chores from Pogoy, who scored a career-best 45 versus the Aces.

“Kailangan talaga mayroong mag-fill ng role sa contribution. Kapag off ‘yung isa, kailangan mayroon talaga na may magstep up. Kailangan namin iyan habang maaga pa” said TNT coach Bong Ravena.

His team being the early leader is also a sort of a bonus for Ravena.

“Ang importante sa amin makaipon kami ng panalo every game as much as possible early on,” said Ravena.

“We’re just happy, we started well, started strong and finished the game well.”

Perez finished with 30 points, but only Glenn Khobuntin, JP Calvo and Rashawn McCarthy were able to provide key support.

Typifying the Dyip’s struggles in its first game was top rookie pick Roosevelt Adams, who hit his first shot of the game -- a triple -- but struggled the rest of the way. He did finish with 10 rebounds, but only seven points on a pedestrian 3-for-11 field shooting.

There was simply no denying TNT this one and that resolve was readily

shown by Parks, who scattered 12 points in the second quarter to stretch the Tropang Giga’s lead to as much as 51-31.

Rosario chipped in 12 points in the first half and Erram, eager to atone for his early ejection last Monday, started redeeming himself with 10 as TNT sat on a comfortable 56-43 lead at the turn.

With the Tropang Giga continuing to hit at a scorching rate from afar with seven of their tournament-best 17 triples in the third period, Ravena’s charges maintained a 9075 spread going to the fourth.

Perez also had the same number of points as Parks in the second quarter and a total of 13 at the half, but carrying the load practically alone proved futile.

Veteran Aldrech Ramos suffered a bloodied nose in

FTROPANG, P10

SMB bows to Rain Or Shine

R

ey Nambatac didn’t stop fighting, though, firing blanks through the first 47 minutes of play.

He was rewarded in the end as he drained his lone basket - a three-pointer at that - from a broken play in the closing seconds, allowing Rain or Shine to escape with an 87-83 win over San Miguel Beer in the PBA Philippine Cup bubble play at the AUF Gym powered

by Smart 5G in Angeles City, Pampanga Wednesday.

“Coming into the game without tune-up matches, we knew it’s gonna be a game of adjustments.

We started well but knowing San Miguel, they would fight to the end.

Good thing we got that big shot from Rey (Nambatac),” said Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia.

The Elasto Painters opened the game with a 16-0 tear and dictated the pace most of the way but needed Nambatac’s three-pointer in the last 12 seconds to fend off the late-

charging Beermen.

Rain or Shine got off to a winning start while foiling San Miguel’s bid at a follow-up to its win over Magnolia in the season inaugurals versus Magnolia last March 8.

Sophomore Javee Mocon starred in Rain or Shine’s swashbuckling start, had crucial free throws at the finish and wound up with a solid all-around game with 25 points, six rebounds, two assists and one block against one turnover.

Mocon, however, deflected the credit.

“Siguro it’s the composition of the team; the mix of young players and the veterans. We all played to win,” said Mocon on their stirring bubble debut.

“The young ones were there at the start; at the end, the veterans were there,” Mocon added.

Playing catch-up basketball almost all throughout and staring at a 14-point

FSMB, P10

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 160 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020

SWINGDERELLA SHINES Ella Nagayo back with a bang in Canada

By NEILWIN JOSEPH BRAVO

J

ust as golf competitions are back, ‘Swingderella’ is too.

Bucking windy conditions, Alessandra “Ella” Nagayo fired five birdies as she blew away the field in the girls 17 years old division to win the Golf Ontario Provincial Super Camp at the scenic Black Bear Ridge Golf Course in Ontario, Canada.

The cool winds may have given the participants an additional challenge on the course with scores soaring in the final round.

Everyone but the 16-year old Nagayo.

The golf prodigy from Davao, daughter of former city councilor and now Philippine Labor Attache to Canada Rachel Zozobrado-Nagayo, torched the field with a blistering round of one under par 71--the only sub-par round for the day. Along with a two-over par 74 in the first round, the Don Valley Golf Club standout finished with a one over par 145 and a nine-stroke lead over the silver medalist Alissa Xu of Station Creek GC – North who scored two birdies to score ten over par overall (154).

Tied for the bronze medal were Sarah Gallagher (Blue Springs GC) and Rozlyn Rooke (Blue Springs GC) with 156.

Following her win, Nagayo said “it’s a great way to end the season. It was quite a tough course but it was a really fun event, and this was the first time I’ve complete the National Testing Protocols so it was a great experience. Coach Reggie and all the volunteers were really nice to work with as well”. Reflecting on her highlight of the Provincial Super Camp, Nagayo commented “the Short Course Competition was really fun as Emily McKee (Rattlesnake Point GC) and I won for the Junior Girls.”

According to her mother Rachel, Ella was invited to the first Golf Ontario Super Camp, a tournament for the top 30 Junior Golfers in boys and girls division.

“It was a 4 day event which started with testing the golfers on their drive, pitching, putting, rules, bunker, etc, a short course competition and it ended

FSWINGDERELLA, P10

Dabawenya golf phenom Alessandra Nagayo hits her drive at the Black Bear Ridge Golf Course in Ontario, Canada.