Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 161 | Friday, October 16, 2020

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Scientist volunteers needed to help save Davao City’s heritage trees

STORY ON PAGE 2

A porter uses his brute force to pull a wooden cart loaded with merchandise along San Pedro Street in Davao City on Thursday. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 161 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2020

PRRD says 'ideal' for every Filipino to receive vaccine

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he national government has set aside funds to purchase a coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine, but will need more to ensure that every Filipino is vaccinated, President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday night.

In a taped speech, Duterte said he needed more funds because there are now over 113 million Filipinos.

“This I can assure you again na nakahanap na ako ng pera (I have funds). I have the money already for the vaccine but hahanap pa ako ng maraming pera (but I’m looking for more funds) because you know there are now 113 million Filipinos. And to me, ideally, all should have the vaccine without exception,” he said.

Duterte reiterated that the government would prioritize giving vaccines to the poor listed as cash beneficiaries under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps. “Again, ang mauna ang mga mahirap na walang pera, hindi makabayad.

Ang listahan ‘yung doon sa Pantawid(The first to receive the vaccine will be the poor who can’t pay for the vaccine. We’ll get the list from the Pantawid),” he said.

Next, he said, are the police and military as they were among the front-liners in the fight against Covid-19.

“I want my soldiers pati ‘yung security forces ng bayan mauna rin kasabay ng first batch kasi kailangan ko ng mga sundalo at pulis na ready, healthy at walang Covid (I want my soldiers, including security forces of the people to be among the first batch of recipients because the soldiers and police need to be ready, healthy, and Covidfree). And they are really vital to the security of the state for which reason they should be the first also,” he said.

He said civilians can go last, but noted that he was also willing to be among the first to be inoculated with the vaccine from either China or Russia, who have both committed to provide the country with vaccines once developed.

“Pero kung mag-offer… Ako nagahintay ako tawagin ako ng China or Russia (But if somebody offers…I’m just waiting for China and Russia). I’ll be glad to open up my sleeves and, ‘sige,’ kasi may kumpyansa nga ako (‘okay’, because I have confidence),” he said.

Duterte allayed fears over the safety of the Chinese vaccine, saying he trusted their experts.

“So those of you who are asking me kung safe ba itong China (if this vaccine from China is safe)? Well, I can say that China is a modern country and it has all the wherewithal to make its country --- whose integrity is fully protected by its achievement,” he said.

He also bared that he had a talk with outgoing Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev about the Russian vaccine SputnikV. “I just had a talk with the Ambassador of Russia, the outgoing, and we had a serious one-on-one talk and they said that Russia is coming in,” he said.

He said Russia committed to constructing a pharmaceutical plant in the country to produce the vaccines.

If the schedule goes as planned, Duterte said the Philippines could have a vaccine as early as April 2021.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the government can allocate PHP20 billion to buy the vaccine with the help of the Philippine International Trading Corp., the Land Bank of the Philippines, and the Development Bank of the Philippines. (PNA)

President Rodrigo Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on Monday night. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

SAVE THE TREES Scientist volunteers needed to help save Davao City’s heritage trees

By MAYA M. PADILLO avao City is in dire need for citizen scientist volunteers to help save its heritage trees.

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The Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) Inc. are calling 50 citizen scientist volunteers for the program “Save Heritage Trees: Mapping the Urban Heritage Trees in Davao City through Citizen Science” which aims to address the continuing urban deforestation that cut large and old trees to give way to infrastructure development.

“They will be trained to

help implement the project. The citizen scientists will conduct the actual mapping, geo-tagging and measurement of the heritage trees. We need many of them so we can cover the urban areas of Davao City,” said Chinkie Peliño-Golle, IDIS executive director in a Messenger.

This is open to ages 18 and above and open to all students of any course, out of school youth, and profes-

sionals. Volunteers should have android phone for the application, measuring materials such as steel tape, and commitment to the project.

“Also this is a short term project kaya the more volunteers we’ll have, the soonest we can complete the implementation,” Golle said.

In partnership with International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), and Ecowaste Coalition, IDIS will run the project from October to December

danao Field Office; Minister Raissa Jajurie, Ministry of Social Services and Development BARMM; Minister Mohagher Iqbal, Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education BARMM. Photo courtesy of UNICEF

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UK, UNICEF roll out $1M project to fight COVID-19 in BARMM

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UNICEF turns over supplies as part of the UK Government’s assistance to BARMM to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the region. From left: Director Andrew Alonto, Bureau of Public Information BARMM; OIC Minister Ameril Usman, Ministry of Health BARMM; Andrew Morris, Chief, UNICEF Min-

2020.

The project will be implemented in Davao City’s Poblacion, Talomo, Agdao, and Buhangin. The main goal is to generate maps of the remaining heritage trees, analyze carbon sequestration capability, as well assess its condition and issues on ground.

The method is through citizen science survey, geo-tagging of locally found heritage trees in the area.

IDIS will provide capacity building and orientation.

Volunteer citizen scientist will identify the tree (what

he United Kingdom (UK) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) launched Wednesday a $1-million (about P50 million) project to help combat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, British Embassy in the Philippines Deputy Head of Mission Alastair Totty and UNICEF Philippines Representative Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov led the online launch of the project that will benefit tens of thousands of people in the Bangsamoro region.

Last month, UNICEF received the grant from the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office of the United Kingdom Government to support

the COVID-19 response in the Bangsamoro region.

The partnership between the UK and UNICEF will strengthen the capacity in the region to respond to the pandemic.

The grant will be utilized for risk communication and community engagement to reach around three million vulnerable people with important lifesaving COVID-19 messages in their own languages.

It will also be used to continue essential nutrition and vaccination for around 130,000 vulnerable children and 25,000 infants in 20 municipalities in the BARMM as well as provide emergency relief support to Tawi-Tawi, Sulu and Basilan provinces for 5,000 returnees from Sabah, Malaysia.

Ebrahim lauded the UK government and the

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VOL.13 ISSUE 161 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2020

Public utility vehicles (PUVs) wait for their turn at an intersection along Quirino Avenue in Davao City. The city government of Davao has announced that PUVs are exempted from the 7pm to 5am curfew that took effect on Thursday noon.

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Davao de Oro looking for investors in gold processing

By MAYA M. PADILLO old-rich Davao de Oro is looking for investors who will put up facilities for gold processing.

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“We are promoting our province to investors who are willing to invest especially in processing sa mga bulawan such as jewelry or other items na puwede sila mu-station or mutukod ug negosyo dinhi sa atoang lugar para direkta sila sa source sa bulawan,” said Governor Jayvee Ty-

ron Uy of Davao de Oro in a virtual presser.

Davao de Oro, formerly named Compostela Valley (COmVal), is touted as the gold capital in Davao Region and is best known as a mining haven with 10 out of the 11 municipalities hosting mining sites ranging from small

to large-scale operations.

It is also the home to Mt. Diwalwal or Mt. Diwata, an area considered to have the richest gold deposits in the Philippines.

“Kabalo ta na diri sa Davao de Oro, we are touted as “gold capital” of the Davao Region even in Mindanao. We hope to invite investors coming from different areas and even countries that would invest in our province especially in gold processing,”

Uy said.

Uy also announced that the mining industry in the province is doing good as the gold trading price has now reached from P2,900 to P3,000 per gram compared to the trading price of P2,200 during the pre-pandemic times.

“Sa akoang hinabi sa mga minero karon nagpasalamat sila in a way dili man sa Covid of course pero tungod kay ang pre-

syo sa bulawan nitaas man. At least makadungag sa ilang profit ug income ang maong mga paglihok sa presyo at the same time mas dako sila mahatag sa ilang pamilya,” Uy said.

Meanwhile, the province will be holding its first online Bulawan Festival, the province’s annual Festival of Gold celebration, this year on October 19 to 21, 2020. It is being celebrated along with the province’s founding anni-

versary.

“Here we are in the middle of pandemic so we will do the festival online.

Isa pa we are in the period resilience and recovery so we opted to do it online kaysa mag-face-to-face but at the same stile still promoting what we usually celebrates every year at the same time ang purpose now is to honor those people who have great contributions especially the frontliners,” Uy said.

t least 100 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who surrendered to the government received over PHP2.4-million financial aid from the Department of Social and Welfare Development in Davao Region (DSWD-11), the Davao de

Oro provincial government said in a statement on Wednesday.

Each rebel returnee received PHP20,000 under DSWD's Sustainable Livelihood Program’s-Livelihood Settlement Grant (SLP-LSG), including an

wo new ambulances arrived on Thursday, October 15, for the city’s Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Services.

The brand new Nissan Urvan medical ambulances will be assigned to the City Health Office for transporting of patients to hospitals outside of Mati City.

The new ambulances has overall dimensions (mm) 5.230 x 1.880 x 2.265.

With seating capacity of 15.

Engine type GD-FTV 4 cylinders in line type DOHC 16 valve.

The said ambulances amounted to P 5 million in total.

It’s Department of

Health-accredited with Emergency Warning Light and Siren Public Address System. Tempered Glass Division (separating the driver to the body) and Air conditioning system with control.

The purchase of the two ambulances is inclusive of Comprehensive Insurance and LTO Registration.

Just recently, the City Council passed Resolution No. 236 establishing the Prehospital Emergency Medical Services (PEMS). The said resolution was sponsored

by Councilors Rogelio Pabio and Cheeno Miguel Almario.

The PEMS will be under the Health Emergency

P2.4-M financial aid released to ex-rebels in DDO

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FP2.4-M, P9

Mati City acquires 2 new ambulances for medivac

T Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy of Davao de Oro extends invititation to local and foreign investors to invest in the province specially in its gold processing sector.

Edge Davao

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5 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 161 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2020

Oil prices may remain below $50 per barrel until 2023

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il prices may remain below USD50 per barrel until 2023, according to the October report the International Energy Agency (IEA) submitted to TASS. “The uncertain outlook that could see the drawdown of stocks falter is reflected in the fact that physical prices have weakened and this has brought down the front of the forward curve for Brent crude oil. The longer term offers little encouragement for the producers; the curve shows prices not reaching USD50/bbl until 2023,” the agency says.

The IEA said the forecast for a decline in demand by 8.4 million barrels per day (bpd) for this

year to 91.7 million bpd is relevant only if OPEC+ fully complies with the terms of the deal to reduce production, and world reserves decrease by 4 million barrels per day in the fourth quarter.

“With the 1.9 mb/d increase in the OPEC+ production ceiling currently planned for 1 January, there is only limited headroom for the market to absorb extra supply in the next few months. Also, there is a risk that the demand recovery is stalled

by the recent increase in Covid-19 cases in many countries,” the agency says.

According to the estimates of the International Energy Agency, the demand for oil in July 2020 grew by 3.4 million bpd amid an improvement in the epidemiological situation and the lifting of restrictive measures around the world.

However, the second wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and new quarantine measures are slowing down the growth in demand, the report said.

The IEA also maintained its forecast for growth in demand by 5.5 million bpd next year to the level of 2020.(TASS)

Handwashing: A key to prevent COVID-19 infection

NEW OPERATING HOURS. In accordance to Executive Order No. 55 Series of 2020: An Order Enforcing Curfew and Regulating Other Activities Until December 31, 2020, The Lobby Cafe is imposing a new operating schedule beginning Thursday (October 15, 2020):

Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm, Saturday 7:00 am3:00 pm and Sunday (Closed). TLC continues to serve coffee specialty and comfort food through dine-in, takeaway, delivery, and FoodPanda under this new operating schedule.

High time for PH to revive domestic industrialization

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ctober 15 is Global Handwashing Day. This year’s theme: “Hand Hygiene for All”, calls for all of society to achieve universal hand hygiene and reminds us that we must work toward universal access and practice of handwashing with soap for now and for a healthy future. The COVID-19 pandemic provides a stark reminder that one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of a virus is also one of the simplest: hand hygiene. – globalhandwashing.org It calls or a commitment for everyone not only for the government to invest in a culture of hand hygiene by placing handwashing at the heart of strategies and national budgets, and developing country roadmaps where needed, but also for the businesses to promote handwashing through partnerships, cash and in-kind donations, investing in and supporting supply chains for hand hygiene products for low-income communities, and promoting good handwashing practices among your workforce.

A number of infectious diseases can be spread from one person to another by contaminated hands. These diseases include gastrointestinal infections, such as Salmonella, and respiratory infections, such as influenza. Washing your hands properly can help prevent the spread of the germs (like bacteria and viruses) that cause these diseases. Some forms of gastrointestinal and respiratory infections can cause serious complications, especially for young children, the elderly, or those with a weakened immune system. – Better Health Channel To wash your hands thoroughly: • after using the toilet or changing nappies • before,during and after preparing food • between handling raw and cooked or ready-to-eat food • before eating • after using a tissue or handkerchief • before and after attending to sick children or other family members.

• after smoking

• after handling rubbish or working in the garden • after handling animals To wash hands properly: • Wet your hands with clean, running water, turn off the tap.

• Apply soap and lather well for 20 seconds (or longer if the dirt is ingrained).

• Rub hands together rapidly across all surfaces of your hands and wrists.

• Don’t forget the backs of your hands, your wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.

• If possible, remove rings and watches before you wash your hands, or ensure you move the rings to wash under them, as microorganisms can exist under them.

• Rinse well under running water and make sure all traces of soap are removed.

• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them • It is best to use paper towels (or single-use cloth towel).

• Dry under any rings, as they can be a source of future contamination if they remain moist.

• Hot air driers can be used.

In a study conducted by International Care Ministries (ICM), a Philippine-based non-governmental organization (NGO) that runs a poverty-alleviation program called Transform targeted towards extreme low-income households, “Knowledge, attitudes and practices of COVID-19 among income-poor households in the Philippines: A cross-sectional study” with 2224 respondents from 166 communities in rural, urban and coastal settings, Handwashing was identified by 82.2% of respondents as a preventive measure against the virus, but social distancing and avoiding crowds were only identified by 32.4% and 40.6%, respectively. Handwashing was the most common preventive practice in response to COVID-19, adopted by 89.9% of respondents. (JWRF/MTLU)

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former dean at the University of the Philippines (UP) on Wednesday backed the move of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to strengthen domestic industries and push for product localization.

At the virtual roundtable @ Lido, former UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations dean Rene Ofreneo said it is a high time for the government to revive domestic industrialization.

“We need to have industrial re-envisioning. I like what (DTI Secretary) Mon Lopez said, ‘let’s look inward’,” Ofreneo said in mixed English and Filipino.

He said the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic provided an opportunity for the country to look

for areas of development, including rebuilding the steel industry.

“Strategizing skills and industrial development was lost in (the) government’s program,” Ofreneo said, adding neighboring countries like China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have synchronized skills upgrading while pushing for industrialization.

Ofreneo said government agencies such as the DTI, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) have to realign programs as these agencies have different industrial priorities.

He said at the onset of the pandemic, local industries have supplied the

domestic demands as lockdown measures became a challenge for imported products to reach the Philippine market.

Ofreneo also highlighted the country’s need to further boost local sectors, particularly in agriculture to supply food for over 100 million population.

But as the government relaxed community quarantine measures, imported products have started to increase their share in the local market while local industries were left behind again, he added.

To boost local industries, Ofreneo said the government has to “climb up the industrial ladder while improving the skills ladder and technology ladder”.

(PNA)

reviewed by DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment),” he added.

In a virtual edition of Wednesday Roundtable @ Lido, both the business and labor groups are “in the same boat” on the matter of the 13th-month pay.

Sonny Matula, chairman of Nagkaisa labor coalition and president of Federation of Free Workers, said trade unions support the proposal of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) for the government to subsidize the 13th-month pay of workers to be given by distressed micro and small enterprises.

“Sa kasalukuyan, mas lalo ngayong kinakailan-

gan ng mga manggagawa ang proteksyon. Kung di talaga kaya magawa ng mga employers ay ang gobyerno ang gumawa ng paraan na matulungan sila (Nowadays, workers need protection even more. If the employers can't really do it, the government should come up with a way to help them),” Matula said.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) chairman emeritus George Barcelon said ECOP’s suggestion is “very appropriate”, adding employers were asking for sources of funds for them to provide the 13th-month pay to their employees.

(PNA)

DTI chief sees no need to defer 13th-month pay

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epartment of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez sees no need to defer the 13th month pay for this year as the government stands ready to support distressed micro and small enterprises amid the pandemic.

“No official discussion on deferment because companies needing funds can possibly source from loans,” Lopez told reporters in a text message Wednesday.

Lopez said the government will provide support, whether through loan or subsidy, to micro and small enterprises and their workers.

“The matter is being

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 161 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2020

On the passage of a measure granting President Rodrigo Duterte the authority to expedite the processing and issuance of national and local permits, licenses, and certifications during national emergencies or the “anti-red tape bill”:

We have to help the President in his campaign to put a stop to deep-rooted, systemic and systematic corruption in government,” Romualdez said. “Tama ang ating Presidente na hindi dapat nahihirapan ang mga tao sa kanilang transaksiyon sa pamahalaan (The President is right that the public should not have difficulties transacting with the government).”

Rep. Martin Romualdez Majority Leader

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ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. DR. MAURO L. PUYOD CHA MONFORTE Cartoonist Correspondent Consultant Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO DAVAL SR.,TRIA • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY Columnists: ANTONIO V.“ADI” FIGUEROA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO •B.JOHN CARLO • MUJAHID NAVARRA ••FRED C. LUMBA • DENNIS R. GORECHO ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO •“GICO” G. S. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER GREGORIO G. DELIGERO VIDA MIA VALVERDE • HAROLD CAVITE M. PEREZ

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VANTAGE POINTS

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ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

DAVAO GULF’S ENDANGERED CETACEANS If you chance upon a pod of lumba swimming side by side with your motorboat, you are witnessing frolicking porpoises contentedly enjoying the gulf of Davao as their home.

At times the bay also hosts whales, which Visayans call balyena.

A tripartite survey done in 2004 labeled the 650,000-hectare gulf as one of the country’s top mammal sanctuary. At least ten whale and dolphin species were recorded in the census, namely: the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima), Fraser’s dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei), Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus), short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus), killer whale (Orcinus orca), long-snouted spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris), Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus), Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), and Indo-Pacific beaked whale (Indopacetus pacificus).

In Visayan dialect, cetaceans are known by different names. Balyena refers to

any whale species, while ambuhutan specifically means sperm whale. Those classified under or having similar appearance to Bryde’s whale are called bongkaras. Dolphins, on the other hand, are generally known as the lumba (in Visayan, to race) because of their behavior of chasing each other. The bottlenose dolphin is popularly known as the lumod while the Irrawaddy dolphin is lampasot.

Except for the 2008 case when the bureau of fisheries charged a Davao fisherman for killing a dolphin and selling its meat, the primary causes of cetacean deaths are chiefly traced to fishing nets, plastics, and man’s lack of appreciation for the role dolphins, porpoises, and whales, play in balancing the world’s maritime ecosystem.

A University of the Philippines-Mindanao study showed that in April-July 2014, two cetaceans were stranded in Davao region. The scientists identified the dead whales as Blainville’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) and dwarf

sperm whale (Kogia sima). The carcasses were subjected to histopathological (diagnosis and study of tissue diseases) and hematological (blood disorders and blood-forming organs) evaluations.

The World Cetacean Alliance describes whales, porpoises, and dolphins as “represent[ing] our best hope for protecting marine species and habitats, as well as the global human community that relies on our oceans for its very survival,” adding: “Cetaceans are ecosystem engineers. They modify habitats in a way that increases species richness and habitat productivity. As a result, cetaceans are important for maintaining the health and stability of the environment they are living in. Whales modify habitats by a simple mechanism called a whale pump. They feed at varying depths, but they generally defecate at the surface.

These massive clouds of poop provide a big boost of iron and nitrogen to many ecosystems, directly benefitting the marine food chain and renewing fish

stocks…

“Cetaceans live in complex social societies and have incredible cognitive skills.

Some species have been proven to show an intelligence and self-awareness comparable to those of apes and elephants, and there is evidence that they are more compassionate than humans! Cetaceans also have culture: unique ideas, songs, customs, and social behaviour that are passed from generation to generation within a society. The disappearance of a population of cetaceans therefore takes on extra significance, because we are likely losing unique cultures that have developed over thousands of years!”

In 2019, three cetacean incidents in the gulf of Davao provided a grim picture of the impact of man’s trash and fishing nets in the survival of these huge marine mammals.

Darrell Blatchley, a Davaobased marine mammal expert and curator of D’ Bone Collector Museum, recovered 40 kilos of plastic waste inside the animal’s belly, described

as “hard and compacted as a baseball,” adding that plastic items were bursting out of the animal’s stomach, which when collected reached over 16 jute sacks. The marine mammal was recovered on the shoreline of Davao de Oro. The young male Curvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) was roughly 15 feet long and weighed about 1,100 pounds; it died from starvation and dehydration due to the damming of the plastic waste inside its stomach. With the belly clogged, food intake was impossible.

In another event, a Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus) was recovered but its tail and internal organs were missing. Covered with wounds, the carcass was washed up on the shore of Times Beach, Davao City. The mammal could have been caught in a fisherman’s net and butchered.

In July that same year, a pygmy sperm whale (Kogia sima) was also found along the shoreline of Davao City. Found in its intestines were a plastic cup and some nylon rope.

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

THE ART OF SAYING THANKS “In normal life, we hardly realize how much more we receive than we give, and life cannot be rich without such gratitude. It is so easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements compared with what we owe to the help of others.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Letters and Papers from Prison *** Laughter, says the Reader’s Digest, is “the best medicine.”

Unknowingly, saying thank you may also do the same trick.

I was reading a back issue of Reader’s Digest when I came across a feature written by Fred Bauer. “If you’re feeling left out, unloved or unappreciated, try reaching out to others.

It may be just the medicine you need,” he wrote.

A.J. Cronin was a Scottish novelist who became famous for his literary works which included The Citadel, The Stars Look Down, and The Minstrel Boy. Before he became a bestselling author, he was a medical doctor.

“Once, he told of a colleague who gave an unusual prescription to patients afflicted with worry, fear, discouragement, or self-doubt,” Bauer wrote. “The doctor called it his ‘thank-you cure.’”

“For six weeks, I want you to say thank you whenever anyone does you a favour,” he was told. “And to show you mean it emphasize the words with a smile.” Within six weeks, most of the doctor’s patients reportedly showed great improvement.

There was this young man who told Norman Vincent Peale, one of America’s most beloved inspirational authors, about his secret of having a good life. “Every morning of the world, I give thanks for all the wonderful things in my life,” he said.

“And do you know something?” the young man continued. “It’s strange indeed, but the more I give thanks, the more I have reason to be thankful. For, you see, blessings just pile up on me one after another like nobody’s business.”

In his book of collections of tales of courage and confidence, Peale wrote: “This exultant expression interested me, for I well-remembered this young fellow and the long way he had come in achieving this attitude. In his remarks, he had stated a basic law: the more you practice the art of thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for.”

This, of course, is a fact!

“Thankfulness does tend to reproduce in kind,” Peale wrote.

“It reverses the flow of life’s good away from you and sets flowing in your direction benefits and opportunities.”

Even how busy we are, how hectic our schedules are, there is always a time to say those two words: Thank you.

In his book, Peale quoted a long statement taken from the wisdom of a certain David Dunn: “None of us is ever too busy to pay his way. It takes only a few seconds to say a heart-warming ‘Than you.’

Probably no American of modern times lived a more hurried or hectic life than (President) Theodore Roosevelt. Yet, even on political campaign trips, when in the hustle and bustle, he might have been excused from thinking of other people, it was his custom as he left his private train to stop and thank the engineer and fireman for a safe and comfortable trip. It took but a fraction of a minute of his time, but he had two more friends for the rest of his life. “‘Good politics,’ you may say. But good living too – for, after all, isn’t having friends the basis of happy living, as well as of successful politics?”

Ah, to be grateful. There

is no time nor place where you can say thanks. In his book, Dr. Louis Cady – who was trained in psychiatry at the world-famous Mayo Clinic, made his observation: “Thanks for nothing.

Whether or not one believes in a Supreme Being, the notion that there is nothing to be grateful for outside of the self is, in my professional opinion, the first step down a very slippery slope to nihilism, despair, self-pity, isolation of the self, depression, and death.

“If we have nothing to feel grateful for, let us abandon gratitude for the miracle of new life which emerges every season as the trees and flowers bloom, and the cries of every newborn baby. If we have nothing to feel grateful for, let us abandon all love, respect, admiration and devotion to our parents who did the very best they could for us.

“If we have nothing to feel grateful for, let us state unequivocally that we care nothing for our marvellous bodies which, for most of us, carry us wherever we want to go and are capable of athletic mastery.

Let us forget that with a moderate amount of exercise we can stay in finely-tuned shape and live a minimum of our three-

score and ten years on this planet, enjoying our ‘holiday on earth.’”

American essayist and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson offered this advice: “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”

It’s never too late to give thanks, to appreciate what others have done for you, and to be grateful for the things you have.

“Everyone enjoys being acknowledged and appreciated.

Sometimes even the simple act of gratitude can change someone’s entire day. Take the time to recognize and value the people around you and appreciate those who make a difference in your lives,” suggests Roy T. Bennet, author of The Light in the Heart.

Again, here’s Bauer, who inspired me to write this piece: “Thankfulness sets in motion a chain reaction that transforms people all around us – including ourselves. For no-one ever misunderstands the melody of a grateful heart. Its message is universal; its lyrics transcend all earthy barriers; its music touches the heaven.”

8 EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 161 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2020

Republic of the Philippines Department of Labor and Employment NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS COMMISSION Regional Arbitration Branch No. XI Davao City RAQUEL C. RODA, LEONORA T. CODOY, JOAN D. MAHIPUS, MARILOU A.MALLORCA, and NIECEL A. JANSOL,

Complainant/s - versus - CASE NO. RAB-XI-02-00172-17 MUGAS MADULARA “MM” FARM and EDGAR MUGAS – Banana Grower Respondent/s.

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MIRASOL M. ONDOY, LUTCHIE C. GABITO,LEONIE C. RODA, BLAS D. AMBATO and HARRY C. RODA, Complainant/s -versusCASE NO. RAB-XI-02-00173-17 MUGAS MADULARA “MM” FARM and EDGAR MUGAS-Banana Grower NOTICE OF SALE WHEREAS, pursuant to the WRIT OF EXECUTION issued in the above-entitled case on 18 JUNE 2018,

by HONORABLE NELIA Q. TANCIO-SEDILLO,National Labor Relations Commission, Regional Arbitration branch No. XI, Davao city, for the recovery of the following amounts , to wit: P968,908.40 – judgment award (BALANCE) 9,622.76 - Execution fee 5,081.38 - deposit fee P983,612.54 - TOTAL LEVY was made upon all the rights, interest,claims and participations of respondent EDGAR MUGAS on the property, including all improvements thereon, covered by: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-116008 Book No. T-581, Page 8 Registry of Deeds for the Province of Davao del Norte (Registered in the name of EDGAR MUGAS) “A parcel of land (Lot 1052-D-2, Pad-112518-035622), being a portion of lot 1052-D(LRC) Pad-145562, situated in the Barrio of Kinamayan Municipality of Sto. Tomas, Province of Davao, Island of Mindanao. Bounded on the E., along lines 5-6 & 6-1 by Lot 450, Kapalong Cadastre; on the S; along line 1-2 by Lot 1052-B, (LRC) Pad 145562; on the W. along line 2-3 by Lot 1052-C; along line 3-4 by lot 1052-E both of (LRC) Pad 145562 ; on the N., along line 4-5 by lot 1052-D-1 of the subdivision plan, beginning at apointmarked”1” on plan being N 17 deg 50’W., 1,595.72 m. from BLLN No. 28, Mp. District of Kapalong. Thence, N. 87deg.17’W,. 128.36m. to point 2; N 03 dg. 24’W., 52.44 m. to point 3; N. 03 deg, 24’W,. 31.60m. to point 4; S.89 deg 25’E., 138.08 m. to point 5; S.03 deg. 29’W 52.36m. to point 6; S. 02 deg. 55’W 36.40m. to point of beginning and.

Containing an area of ELEVEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY (11,470) SQUARE METERS, more or less, Points referred to are indicated on the plan and are marked on the ground as follows: Points 4&5 by PS cyl. cone. Mon, 15 x40 cms and the rest by Old PS & OLD BL. Bearins, true. Date of original survey, August 23, 1939, and that of the subdivision survey May 25, 1993 executed by Geoditic Engineer Leonardo B. Busque, approve May 27, 1993.

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the said Updated Writ of Execution, the undersigned hereby gives NOTICE TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES, AND TO THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL, THAT THE ABOVE DESCREIBED PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD AT PUBLIC AUCTION, TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER, FOR CASH and in Phillipine currency on October 21, 2020 at 9:00 A.M. OR SOON THEREAFTER, at the Entrance of the National Labor Relations Commission Regional Arbitration Branch No. XI, 3rd floor, JLF Parkway Building,Quirino Ave. corner Pichon St.,Davao City to satisfy the judgment award due compainants plus fees and expenses incidental with the execution sale.

Initial bid/s should be submitted in a sealed envelope on or before the date aaaand time of the auction sale with the NLRC Sheriff/Auctioneer.

Interested buyers/bidders/ are enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the said property and its encumbrances thereon, if there be any.

Copies of this notice shall be posted for twenty (20) days at three) 3 conspicuous public places in the City of Davao and at the office of the National Labor Relations Commission, Regional Arbitration Branch No. XI, Davao City and the website of the NLRC. This notice shall be published once a week for two consecutive weeks before the scheduled auction salein a newspaper with publication and circulation in the City of Davao.

Davao City, Philippines, 30 September 2020.

DEXTER O. BURLAZA Sheriff

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 161 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 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.”

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species; native/non-native), measure the trunk, estimate height and age, collect GPS coordinates through geo-tagging, as well as to document the observed issues on the ground.

All data submissions will be online and citizen scientist will use the KoboCollectData as survey tool.

In a statement, IDIS stated, together with other environmental groups in the city, it’s has been campaigning to protect the existing trees which are of social, ecological, and cultural importance. The campaign include stopping the cutting of trees along Dacudao Avenue in 2015, the actual tree-cutting in Clifford Park

in 2019, and campaigning for the preservation of the Molave and Sampalok trees in Chavez Street this year.

There is no enacted local ordinance specifically stating the protection particularly for the remaining old city trees; the group claimed that these trees are continuously threatened by this “Build Build Build” program of the Duterte administration.

“The kind of development direction we have and we need to put a stop on it by lobbying for the passage of policy and full implementation to ensure their protection and conservation,” Golle said.

The project also aims to continue in addressing air

pollution in the urban areas particularly the increasing amount of carbon monoxide, a common air pollutant by generating data to be utilized in pushing for the protection of existing trees that are threatened by the massive urban development in Davao City.

Golle said the research output will be forwarded to the City Council of Davao as input to a policy proposal called Heritage Trees ordinance.

“If we can gather more citizen scientist to participate, yun na din ang contribution nila sa policy advocacy aside of course sa hopefully, appreciation nila sa significance ng heritage trees,” Golle said.

Medical Services of the City Health Office.

PEMS aims at providing access to poor and indi-

gent patients from the City of Mati to emergency and medical transport service.

The said resolution was

additional PHP4,000 for food and assistance as part of the government's Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Programs (ECLIP), during Tuesday's distribution activity.

Kerwin Gabasa, DSWD11 focal person, said the assistance is intended for conflict-affected and vul-

nerable areas, including former rebels.

“This assistance would help them start their livelihood as they start their new life with their families,” Gabasa said.

Davao de Oro Gov. Jayvee Tyron Uy hopes the financial assistance would give former rebels "peace of mind as they intend to

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9

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.

CERTIFIED CORRECT:

ATTESTED:

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

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06 JUL

APPROVED : ________________, 2020

signed and approved by City of Mati Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat on October 5, 2020. (CIO MATI)

UNICEF for their continued assistance to the new Bangsamoro region.

“With the ever-changing realities now, I remain optimistic that not only can we stand again from the public health crisis but ultimately, as the redefined Bangsamoro, [which is] harnessed through the challenges of its decades-long struggle and the birth pains of its bureaucratic transition,” he said.

Ebrahim described the COVID-19 pandemic “as the biggest crisis that humanity is facing this century.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to children and their families in BARMM, according to the event’s press release.

“Even before the pandemic, the region has one of the highest poverty rates in the country, as

well as one of the lowest outcomes in terms of child health, nutrition and education. The pandemic has driven many families deeper into poverty and has overwhelmed an already weak health system,” it added.

“We are delighted to partner with the BARMM Government and UNICEF to help strengthen capacity to deal with the challenges posed by COVID-19. Children are the future of the BARMM and they deserve to be given every chance to help shape its destiny,” Totty said.

“The UK Government will continue to be a committed partner in achieving lasting peace and prosperity in Mindanao for the benefit of all its citizens, but especially the most vulnerable children and families,” he added.

The support bol-

sters UNICEF’s response, through its Mindanao Field Office, providing supplies, training and technical support to the Bangsamoro government, Dendevnorov said.

Supplies procured by UNICEF include tents for hospitals, personal protective equipment for health and cleaning staff, and handwashing stations, she said.

UNICEF also trained health workers in infection and prevention control, translated and disseminated health messages to various dialects, and engaged children and youth to share their experiences of the pandemic as a way to inform future action, Dendevnorov said.

Working with religious leaders, UNICEF helped incorporate COVID-19 messages in their sermons, she said. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)

live a normal life in the mainstream society".

Tatay Boby, one of the former rebels who received the aid, expressed gratitude to the government for the financial assistance, even as he urged his fellow returnees to be prudent in spending the money they received from the government. (PNA)

Summoning his last ounces of strength, Ravena and rookie Mike Ayonayon managed to wrest the lead back for the Road Warriors, 100-97.

Then came Lee's fourpoint play that put Magnolia back on top and Barroca's charities made it a three-point game

that stood when Ravena missed his triple try just before the final buzzer. (pba.ph) The scores: Magnolia 103 - Jalalon 19, Banchero 19, Lee 18, Barroca 13, Corpuz 9, Sangalan 9, Dionisio 8, Reavis 4, Dela Rosa 4, Melton 0, Calisaan 0, Abundo 0, Pas-

cual 0, Saitanan 0.

NLEX100 - Ravena 27, Alas 18, Cruz 17, Quinahan 16, Porter 5, Ayonayon 5, Semerad 5, Soyud 4, Ighalo 3, Miranda 0, Paniamogan 0, Varila 0, McAloney 0, Galanza 0, Taulava 0.

Quarters: 23-23, 3950, 70-78, 103-100

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10 ENVIRONMENT EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 161 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2020

Restoring mangroves in peril

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

F

rom its original area of approximately 450,000 hectares in 1918, the mangrove areas went down to 140,000 hectares in 1991.

It decreased further in 1994 to 120,000 hectares, according to Dr. Carmelita I. Villamor, of the Ecosystems Research and Development (ERDB).

In a position paper, she summarized the culprits of mangrove denudation in the country, among which were logging for firewood, harvesting for tanbarks, and the conversion of mangroves to fishponds for milkfish and prawn culture.

“In the 1950s, mangrove firewood was the preferred fuel source in coastal villages and most bakeries because of its high heating value,” Villamor reported. “But a greater volume was exported to Japan as firewood, which reportedly became the source of rayon.”

Large tracks of mangrove forests were lost and degraded when the government encouraged development of aquaculture to increase food production

in the 1960s. Around half of the 279,000 hectares disappeared between 1961 and 1988 due to conversion into milkfish or shrimp ponds, according to other reports.

Mangroves grow well in tropical countries, including the Philippines. But most Filipinos don’t consider mangroves – touted to be the forests in the coastal areas – as important as those located in the uplands.

“Coastal forests…. are not familiar to the average Filipino due to their early loss,” wrote Jurgenne Primavera and Resurreccion Sadaba in the book, Beach Forest Species and Mangrove Associates in the Philippines. “They’ve long gone unreported in the yearly Philippine

Forestry Statistics.”

Actually, mangroves are communities of trees in the tidal flats in coastal waters, extending inland along rivers where the water is tidal, saline, or brackish. “There are 25 to 30 species of true mangrove trees and an equal number of associated species,” says Dr. Miguel Fortes, one of the county’s experts on mangroves and seagrasses.

Dr. Theresa Mundita Lim, when she was still director of the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), says BMB has identified 42 species of mangroves in the country. None of them are facing extinction yet.

But the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is considering putting 11 out of 70 mangrove species assessed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Mangroves are very important to marine life, says Dr. Rafael Guerrero III, former director of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development. They serve as sanctuaries and feeding grounds for

fish that nibble on detritus (fallen and decaying leaves) trapped in the vegetation, and on the bark and leaves of living trees. “(Mangroves) are important feeding sites for many commercially important fish species, shrimps, prawns, mollusks, crabs, and sea cucumbers,” adds a World Bank report on the environment. “Fry that gather in mangrove areas are very important for aquaculture.”

A study done by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has found out that mangroves are home to 68 species of fish (bangus, mullet, kitan, to name a few), 54 species of crustaceans and 56 species of gastropods.

Mangroves also help in arresting global warming. Mangroves, along with tidal marshes and seagrass meadows sequester and store substantial amounts of coastal blue carbon from the atmosphere and ocean.

As such, they “are now recognized for their role in mitigating climate change,” said Ma. Josella Pangilinan of Conservation International-Philippines.

“If rainforests can store a ton of carbon per hectare, mangrove forests can store up to four times more acting as effective carbon sinks deterring global warming,” says a feature published in Manila Times.

The Science Daily further explained the role of mangroves in carbon sequestration: “The mangrove forest’s ability to store such large amounts of carbon can be attributed, in part, to the deep organic-rich soils in which it thrives.

Mangrove-sediment carbon stores were on average five times larger than those typically observed in temperate, boreal and tropical terrestrial forests, on a perunit-area basis.”

Now, let’s talk about economics.

“Across the Philippines, mangroves reduce flooding to 613,000 people annually, 23% of whom live below the poverty line,” said a study funded by the World Bank. “Mangroves also avert more than US$1 billion in damages to residential and industrial property.”

As a matter of fact, mangroves also help protect people and even properties from destruction brought about by typhoons.

Moises Neil V. Seriño, assistant professor of the Department of Economics at the Visayas State University, found this out after he and co-researchers conducted a

study on the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) in 2013.

“Our study shows that mangrove vegetation reduced the number of deaths and damaged houses during the Yolanda incident,” Seriño said. “This property and lifesaving effects of mangrove are robust. Mangroves can protect us (our lives, livelihood and properties) from damaging effects of typhoons.”

The Conversion International and Turing Foundation agree.

In their message in the proceedings of State of Mangrove Summit, the two organizations noted: “These natural buffers (referring to mangroves) are even more important now considering how the super typhoon Haiyan wreaked havoc, claiming over 6,000 lives in the Philippines. Haiyan will always serve important lessons on our climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

“We need to protect and rehabilitate our mangrove ecosystems,” they added.

One of those who heeded this call is Boris Herrmann, a world-class German yachtsman. He has been involved in the field of environmental and marine protection for years.

Last year, he sailed climate activist Greta Thunberg from Plymouth to New York City on his emission-free racing yacht Malizia II. Also last year, Herrmann actively planted trees and mangroves. For the latter, he is involved in a cooperation with the Mama Earth Foundation (MEF), which is based in Davao City. Since its inception 15 years ago, MEF has planted about 1.45 million mangroves in Davao Gulf, particularly in the Island Garden City of Samal. (from Mabini to Sta. Cruz and around Samal Island).

“A lot of shore zones have once more become breeding grounds for fish, and are now the new homes to birds and reptiles,” says Ulrich Kronberg, the foundation’s president. The said mangrove reforestation was done in coordination with the government, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

“The success of the project was attributed to the involvement of the local community.

“The concept is simple: the seeds (of mangroves) are collected by fishermen and their families, then put into simple plant pots that are filled with mud to allow the seedlings to grow,” Kronberg says. “They are ready for planting five to six months later. To avoid transportation costs and stress for the seedlings, we let the inhabitants who live in the

vicinity of the planting location grow them.”

Last year, the MEF planted 24,000 mangroves in Mindanao last year; another 20,000 mangroves have been added this year.

On the other hand, Herrmann will go for his thirteenth world record when he becomes the first German to take on the Vendée Globe, a solo, 75-day race around the Southern Ocean before the end of this year.

“To mark the start of the Vendée Globe, a much more far-reaching project is being launched: the Malizia Mangrove Park,” Kronberg told EDGE Davao. “The Mama Earth Foundation will plant one million more mangroves in Mati, Davao Oriental, where the first 69,650 mangroves have already been planted. The mangroves existing in the area will be combined in a protected park.”

The mangrove planting is in coordination with the Davao Oriental State University, under the leadership of Dr. Lea Ang Sinco-Jiminec and Dr. Johnglen Seniel. About 9,000 students worked together in planting the mangroves.

Almost 100,000 mangrove seedlings are growing in backyard nurseries to bring income to the members of the Women’s Association Mati. The extensive planting can start soon. The adjacent communities along the coast are involved and actively participate in this project.

Schools in the surrounding area will work on the subject of mangroves and pupils will help with the plantations.

“The aim is to generate enough donations during the regatta and in the post-race period to enable the planting of one million mangroves in Malizia Mangrove Park in the end,” Kronberg said.

Kronberg used to be an active sailor. Like Herrmann, he is also from Hamburg. That’s how the two met. “He is more on racing while I am more for cruising,” he says. And their love for the environment have brought them together to join forces.

Although Herrmann has been supporting some environmental programs before, he now focuses on mangroves these days.

His motto is: “A race we must win.” His yacht is reportedly equipped with sensors and collects data on the high seas, which are transmitted to the Max Planck Institute for Marine Research in Hamburg and to Geomar in Kiel. These institutes make this data available to research institutions around the world. The aim is to better monitor and understand the effects of climate change on the oceans.

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VOL.13 ISSUE 161 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2020

11

LaMelo signs with Puma

P

otential No. 1 pick LaMelo Ball has officially signed a multi-year shoe deal with Puma ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft.

“I am really excited to be joining the Puma family,” Ball said, per ESPN’s Nick DePaula.

“I believe the brand is the perfect partner for me because Puma will allow me to just be myself. I want to be 100% authentic, whether that’s playing basketball or showing off my personal style, and that’s what I want to do with Puma.”

The 19-year-old joins Puma’s growing stable of NBA players, including R.J. Barrett, Michael Porter Jr., Kyle Kuzma, Marvin Bagley III, and Marcus Smart, with the youngest Ball brother immediately becoming one of the

key faces of the brand, which has made a splash in basketball in recent years.

By signing with Puma, Ball has moved on from the Big Baller Brand, the apparel company launched by his father LaVar. His older brother, New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball, who recently switched representation to Klutch Sports, has also opted to move on and is currently a sneaker free agent.

Ball impressed in his lone season in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL), averaging 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.7 steals with the Illawarra Hawks, going on to be named Rookie of the Year.

The 2020 NBA Draft is scheduled to take place on November 18.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING AND REGULATORY BOARD Regional Franchising and Regulatory Office No. XI Balusong Ave., McArthur Highway, Matina, Davao City Petition for Extension of Validity of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate a PUJ DUAL ORDINARY REGULAR Service.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING AND REGULATORY BOARD Regional Franchising and Regulatory Office No. XI Balusong Ave., McArthur Highway, Matina, Davao City Petition for Extension of Validity of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate an AIRCONDITIONED UV EXPRESS Service.

Case No. R11-EV-PJ-2020-10-281 (2016-XI-00281) MANUELITO S. TUBIO, Petitioner.

Case No. R11-EV-UV-2020-10-240 (2016-XI-00240) ALMA B. BACALSO, Petitioner.

NOTICE OF HEARING

NOTICE OF HEARING

Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Public Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of a PUJ Dual Ordinary Regular service on the route: ECOLAND SUBDIVISION (SM CITY OF DAVAO) with the use of ONE (1) unit, which Certificate will expire on April 25, 2021. In the petition filed on October 6, 2020, petitioner requests authority to extend the validity of said Certificate to operate along the same route with the use of the same unit previously authorized.

NOTICE, is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this Board on OCTOBER 27, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. at this office at the above address.

At least TEN (10) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in Mindanao.

Parties opposed to the granting of the petition must file their written opposition supported by documentary evidence on or before the above date furnishing a copy of the same to the petitioner, and may if they so, desire appear on said date and time.

This petition will be acted upon by this Board on the basis of its records and the documentary evidence submitted by the parties, unless the Board deems it necessary to receive additional documentary and/or oral evidence.

Witness Atty.

ARMAND B. DIOSO, Regional Director, this 7th day of September 2020 at Davao City, Philippines.

Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Public Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of an AIRCONDITIONED UV EXPRESS service on the route: DAVAO CITY BANSALAN (DAVAO DEL SUR) AND VICE VERSA with the use of ONE (1) unit, which Certificate will expire on April 25, 2021. In the petition filed on October 8, 2020, petitioner requests authority to extend the validity of said Certificate to operate along the same route with the use of the same unit previously authorized.

NOTICE, is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this Board on OCTOBER 28, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. at this office at the above address.

At least TEN (10) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in Mindanao.

Parties opposed to the granting of the petition must file their written opposition supported by documentary evidence on or before the above date furnishing a copy of the same to the petitioner, and may if they so, desire appear on said date and time.

This petition will be acted upon by this Board on the basis of its records and the documentary evidence submitted by the parties, unless the Board deems it necessary to receive additional documentary and/or oral evidence.

Witness Atty. ARMAND B. DIOSO, Regional Director, this 9th day of October 2020 at Davao City, Philippines.

x----------------------------------------------------x

Atty. CATTLEYA B. ACAYLAR

Acting Chief Transportation Development Officer

Petitioner, Manuelito S. Tubio Counsel, Atty. Raul C. Espina

x----------------------------------------------------x

Atty. CATTLEYA B. ACAYLAR

Acting Chief Transportation Development Officer

Petitioner, Alma B. Bacalso Counsel, Atty. Placido A. Garde

Giannis Antetokounmpo will become an unrestricted free agent in 2021. Picture: Getty

Terrifying trio in the works

D

on’t expect the Dallas Mavericks to be very active in free agency this off-season.

That’s because, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Mavs are going to be the leading contender for reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Greek Freak’s contract runs out in a year and at that point he will become an unrestricted agent and the most in-demand names in the league.

The Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors have all been floated as potential suitors.

Windhorst, however, reports Dallas will be ahead of all of them.

“We talked a few minutes ago about how the Miami Heat are a team that a lot of people look at as trying to get Giannis Antetokounmpo out of Milwaukee,” Windhorst said on ESPN’s The Jump.

“Well, I’m telling you here, the Dallas Mavericks, to me, are going to be really at the front of that line.

The big factor is that any free agent, whether it’s Giannis or anybody else, they want to have a third star. So, [Kristaps] Porzingis has to prove he can be healthy to be that third star.”

It is quite the scary prospect for the rest of the NBA - the idea of Antetokounmpo joining Luka Doncic and Porzingis would see them surge to title favouritism.

Giannis has spoken in the past about his desire to remain at Milwaukee and the Bucks have already started moving towards convincing him to stay.

“It’s not happening.

That’s not happening,” he told Yahoo Sports after their season-ending loss to

the Heat.

“Some see a wall and go in [another direction].

I plow through it. We just have to get better as a team, individually and get right back at it next season.”

He was saying everything that a Bucks fan would want to hear but talk about his future is bound to continue regardless.

Milwaukee have already tried to get on the frontfoot too to stave off any potential competitors.

One of the key ways to convince him to stay, if there is any doubts, is to make it clear that the Bucks are committed to giving him the help he needs so that their success does not rest so heavily on his shoulders.

Co-owner Marc Lasry held a three-hour lunch meeting with him during September where he reportedly told Antetokounmpo that he would spend money to surround him with big-name pieces that

can help take the Bucks to a championship.

ESPN reported that in addition to this, Milwaukee will offer him a “supermax deal” worth 35 per cent of the Bucks’ cap, expected to sit around a figure of $220 million ($A307m) to $250 million ($A350m) over five years.

The Mavericks, on the other hand, are expected to only be able to offer between $150 million ($A210m) and $170 million ($A237m) over four years.

It would have a flowon effect on the rest of the roster with Porzingis, who is currently on a five-year, $158 million ($A220m) deal while Doncic earns $8 million ($A11.2m) for the 2020-21 season.

That figure increases to $10.2 million ($A14.2m) the following year and a qualifying offer of $13.3 million ($A18.6m) the year after to stop him becoming a free agent.

Magnolia wipes out 22-pt deficit to turn back NLEX

O

ne big concern came true and another shrugged off Wednesday when Magnolia Ang Pambansang Manok pulled off a 103-100 cliffhanger of a win over NLEX in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart 5G-powered Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center.

The guards Road Warriors coach Yeng Guiao pinpointed as likely keys indeed proved to be the difference for the Hotshots as they sparked and completed their fightback from a 22-point deficit in the third quarter.

Relievers Chris Banchero and Jio Jalalon each finished with 19 points while starters Paul Lee and Mark Barroca combined for 31 points.

Even Ian Sangalang and foul-plagued Jackson Corpuz contributed a combined 18 points and 19 rebounds as Magnolia negated its 78-94 loss to San Miguel Beer on opening day on March 8 while dropping NLEX to a 0-2 card.

"It was a total team

Jericho Cruz of NLEX passes off to a teammate. PBA IMAGES effort, the energy, the aggressiveness," said Victolero, who was admittedly anxious when his squad started out listless and seemingly out of sync -just as he had feared.

"At halftime, I told them na kung hindi nila lalaruin ang game namin malamang aabutin ng 40 ang lamang," added Victolero.

Good thing 'yung mga

guards namin nag-step up, mga big men nag-step up. Kaya naman I'm very proud of my players."

The loss should be a very bitter one to swallow for NLEX, which seemed well on its way to victory after posting as much as a 70-48 lead, only to see it start to vanish in the face of Magnolia's spirited rally.

For naught went Kiefer Ravena's game-high 27

points as the much-needed support from JR Quinahan, Jericho Cruz and Kevin Alas vanish.

Quinahan and Alas fouled out just three minutes apart in the fourth quarter while Cruz exited the game due to a sprained right ankle, less than three minutes left in the game and Magnolia ahead 9793.

FMAGNOLIA, P9

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

ATHLETES’ PERKS

VOL.13 ISSUE 161 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2020

ATHLETE’S DISCOUNT. Eza Rai Yalong, a member of the Philippine Arnis team, shows the National Sports Association (NSA)-issued booklet and identification card which entitles her and all other national athletes and coaches to a 20 percent discount on purchase of goods and availing services. The discount is provided for under Republic Act 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act of 2015. (Photo taken from Eza Rai Yalong’s Facebook page)

PH athletes now enjoying 20% discount on purchases, services

A

thletes who are members of the Philippine team have started enjoying their 20 percent discount on purchases and services thanks to the National Sports Associations (NSA)-issued booklet.

NSA started distributing discount booklets to their athletes this October.

The discount booklets and identification cards are similar to the booklets and IDs used by senior citizens which entitle them to a 20 percent discount when they purchase goods or avail of services.

Birthday treat Eza Rai Yalong, who won a bronze in the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, treated her teammates in the Philippine Eskrima Arnis Association for lunch on Tuesday (Oct. 13) to celebrate her 21st birthday.

Yalong paid a lower bill on their meal when she treated Abegail Abad, Elmer Manlapas, Billy Joel Valenzuela, and Donlee Alaga, all medal haulers during the 2019 SEAG, who all have their discount booklets.

“Ang laki ng discount (the discount was big),” said Yalong.

“Mahal kami ng aming NSA, lalo na si president Sen. Mike Zubiri (Our NSA loves us, especially our president Sen. Mike Zubiri),” said the hotel and tourism student from the University of Baguio.

Jenelyn Olsim, a silver medalist in Muay Thai during the 2019 SEA Games who is also based in Baguio, posted in social media that her booklet arrived via courier at their house.

“We will make full use of it,” she said, as the booklet will expire at the end of the year.

Last July 13, the Baguio City council passed a resolution urging all business establishments, hotels and transport sector to grant 20 percent discount for national athletes and coaches.

The same resolution has urged “all government agencies concerned to issue necessary circulars or directives to ensure compliance”. (PNA)