Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 110 |Tuesday, August 18, 2020

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VOL.13 ISSUE 110 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020

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Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio bangs the gong to mark the opening of the Kadayawan Week during a brief ceremony at Quezon Park along City Hall Drive in Davao City Monday morning. Edge Davao

Kadayawan sa Davao opens in serene ceremony STORY ON PAGE 2

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VOL.13 ISSUE 110 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020

SUBTLE TONES Kadayawan sa Davao opens

Deputy Mayors of the 11 tribes of Davao City pose for photographs in front of a “Stay Home” campaign streamer at City Hall in Davao City during the Kadawan Week opening. Edge Davao

amid serene ceremony

By MAYA M. PADILLO he usual mammoth crowds, beats and colors of the annual Kadayawan sa Davao are nowhere seen, felt or heard.

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But the spirit of Kadayawan is not lost nor diminished even with subtle tones.

On Monday, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio beat the gong signalling the opening of Kadayawan festivities. In the past, the sound of the gong would easily be drowned by the crowd’s applause and the ear-splitting musical backdrop.

This time, the sound reverberated like a lingering chime.

The solemn ceremony dubbed as ‘Pag-Abli sa Kadayawan” at the Rizal Park was witnessed only by a sparse crowd composed of deputy mayors of the 11 tribes, some city hall department heads, and a few members of this year’s festival committee.

“Mao ni siya ang opening sa Kadayawan karon tuiga ug tanan activities are in digital form so online lang and everyone can participate. We encourage Dabawenyos to celebrate “Kadayawan” inside their homes na magbuhat sila ug activities especially sa mga bata why we celebrate “Kadayawan”,” she said in an interview.

The mayor reminded that since “Kadayawan” is a festival of abundance and good harvest, she urged Dabawenyos to be thankful to the Almighty for the blessings and good harvest.

“Number one, we should be thankful sa mga blessings na gihatag sa Ginoo especially sa good harvest. Number two, ang

pag-paila sa kulturang Lumad and pag-pasabot kung unsa ang ilahang giagian ug mga isyus ug problema sa ilahang tribu,” she said.

Other activities scheduled on August 17 via online were “Hulagway kadayawan” launching, Kadayawan Museonline launching, Kadayawan Music Video competition, and launching of Challenge Accepted Kadayawan (challenge Dabawenyos to be in Kadayawan-inspired outfit and share online).

On the18th, the activities are Kadayawan in Retrospect Part 1 (a special webcast series featuring personalities sharing their memorable Kadayawan experience).

The Best of Sayaw Kadayawan viewing party (featuring the highlights of past Sayaw Kadayawan competitions), and Best of Hiyas Kadayawan viewing party (featuring highlights of past Hiyas Kadayawan

competitions) will be featured on the 19th.

On Aug. 20, the activities will be Kadayawan in Retrospect part 2 and Best of Habi Kadayawan (featuring highlights of past Habi Kadayawan competitions) while on the 21st is the awarding of winners of Tiktok, MKX, and KMV competitions; and Pahalipay sa Kadayawan online: Paglaum Concert Part 2.

The Best of Indak-Indak Kadayawan viewing party, featuring highlights of past Indak Indak sa kadayawan competitions; and Pahalipay sa Kadayawan online: Paglaum Concert Part 2 will be on August 22 while the Best of Pamulak sa Kadayawan and Pitik sa Kadayawan viewing party featuring highlights of past Pamulak and Pitik sa kadayawan competitions will be on the 23rd.

The frontliners will be honored during the “Pasasalamat” on Aug. 24.

1st District Office, Dole-Davao distributes cash aid to over 1K TUPAD beneficiaries

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round 1, 210 marginalized workers from the first district received on Monday, August 17, their cash assistance from the Office of the First District at The People’s Park.

Office of the First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte in collaboration with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) distributed cash assistance to workers affected of the crisis brought about by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

These workers were among the thousand regular beneficiaries who received cash aid from the government’s assistance program Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disad-

vantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), to mitigate the impact of the national health emergency due to coronavirus.

Rep. Duterte’s office said that the beneficiaries were residents of the 54 barangays under the first district. They were earlier assigned with different chores under the 10-day work program.

The registered beneficiaries received P3,960 cash assistance based on the prevailing highest minimum wage in Davao Region as per DOLE. Rep. Duterte’s office has been providing assistance - focusing on the poorest of the poor - to residents/ beneficiaries from 54 barangays in the first district.

Rising number of applicants to help man regional quarantine facilities

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he Department of Health Davao Center for Health Development (DOH DCHD) reports that the number of health professionals applying for needed vacant positions to manage and operate Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs) throughout Region 11 is rising.

This development is because the DOH DCHD has recently documented a total of 535 out of the 720 or 74.3% of the total allotment for the vacant positions under the emergency hiring of personnel

conducted by the DOH. The said personnel will manage and run the 862 TTMFs which have a total bed capacity of 7,470 beds spread throughout all the provinces in Region 11.

DOH DCHD Assistant Regional Director Dr. Lenny Joy Rivera discussed the current status of emergency hiring of personnel in light of DOH Secretary Francisco Duque’s statement on the high rate of emergency hiring in Region 11 during the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Dis-

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 110 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020

Mutated coronavirus strain found in PH

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he new dominant strain of coronavirus — found by international researchers to be more infectious — was recently detected in the country, Filipino researchers have reported.

The new mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus called G614 has almost completely replaced the first version named D614, making it the most dominant coronavirus strain circulating worldwide. The mutation affects the spike protein or the structure that the virus uses to get into the cells it infects.

Researchers at the Philippine Genome Center reported last week that the mutated strain of coronavirus was found in a small sample of positive cases taken from Quezon City.

When COVID-19 started spreading in the country last March, the D614G variant of the virus showed up in the samples collected by Filipino genome researchers. However, when a new set of research was started in June, both the D614 and the G614 have been detected in a small sample of positive cases from the most populous city in the country.

"Although this information confirms the presence of G614 in the Philippines, we note that all the samples tested were from Quezon City and may not represent the mutational landscape

for the whole country," it said in a bulletin released on August 13.

An international team of researchers in July found clear evidence that this new form of the coronavirus is more infectious.

A global study published in the journal Cell said the new version seems to multiply faster in the upper respiratory tract — the nose, sinuses and throat which would explain why it passes around more easily.

But the bright side is that patients infected with the new strain of the coronavirus were not more severely affected, according to the study.

The University of the Philippines-backed genome center highlighted the importance of studying and tracking the mutations of the virus in order to create effective containment, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH allowed the Philippine Genome Center to expand its study to cover a wider area.

The Philippines has a total of 161,253 COVID-19 cases, with 112,586 recoveries and 2,665 deaths. The country has the longest ongoing lockdown worldwide with the entire country's population placed under varying degrees of stay-athome restrictions for 156 days.

TESDA to offer free training program for contact tracers

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he Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) said Sunday it would be offering a free training program on contact tracing starting September as government continued to strengthen its efforts to control the spread of the new coronavirus.

The 15-day program will be administered through blended distance and face-to-face learning, said Aniceto Bertiz III, TESDA deputy director-general for partnerships and linkages.

"We recognize there is an urgent need to train individuals interested in working or volunteering as contact tracers," said Bertiz.

TESDA and the Department of Health worked together to create the core competency standards for the new program, Bertiz added.

"In fact, we are already developing the online materials to be used for the program," he said.

Bertiz said those who wish to undergo the contact tracing training must

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DOH reminds public that experts recommend wearing face masks

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he Department of Health (DOH) on Monday reminded the public that experts recommend wearing masks as protection against COVID-19.

"This is not a joking matter," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said when asked about a lawyer's statement that he does not believe in wearing masks outdoors.

Lorenzo Gadon was recently seen wearing a face shield with a face mask taped to it. He was quoted in reports as saying that the government has "overreacted" to COVID-19. "''Yung mga ganitong statement is not helping us at all," Vergeire said at a

press briefing, explaining that the public knows that people have been infected, many have died, the economy has suffered, and that healthcare workers are overwhelmed.

She expressed concern that some may follow Gadon's example.

"Sana lahat ng tao naiintindihan nila kung ano po ang implikasyon kapag nagsasalita po sila sa public because people might be following them and this is not the right way to go.

Magkakasakit po ang mga tao," she said.

"We seek the help of everybody in giving the accurate information to our general public," she said.

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NEWS 3

A police officer holding a stick which is being used to measure the distance of bystanders and pedestrians stands guard behind a metal barrier along San Pedro Street in Davao City. Edge Daval Jr

Stay away from Brgy. Kapt.

Tomas Monteverde: City gov’t

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he city government of Davao advised the public to avoid Barangay Kapitan Tomas Monteverde in Davao City after a purok was placed under hard lockdown on Monday, August 17, 2020.

The Davao City Covid-19 Task Force initiated the hard lockdown of Purok 8 of Brgy. Tomas Monteverde after 65 individuals were evacuated and brought to a temporary treatment and monitoring facility (TTMF) following reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test

showed they were positive of Covid-19.

The lockdown aims to preempt possible massive spread of the infection in the area due to confirmed positive cases.

“Under a hard lockdown nobody can go in or go out except atong muadto ug hospital,” Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in a

live interview with Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) 87.5 on Monday.

The mayor assured that grocery items will be distributed by the City Social Services Development Office (CSSDO) to the affected residents. The City Agriculturist Office (CAO) will also provide fresh produce.

Mayor Sara also called out to employers to understand employees residing in areas in the city under lockdown as long as they will provide documents certifying that they are aprt of the lockdown and are require to isolate if he or she is a close contact of

a Covid-19 positive.

The mayor also reminded Dabawenyos to observe the basic health protocols such as wearing of mask or face shield, social distancing, and frequent hand washing to reduce exposure and transmission.

“Just a reminder to everyone, na we want to avoid na mag hard-lockdown ta sa isa ka lugar because hasul kaayo sa mga tao nga nagpuyo and dangerous sa mga tao. Paniguruhon nato sa atoang community gina-praktis nato ni tanan (health protocols) para dili ta muabot sa hard lockdown,” she said.

lay down the facts to the courts involved. You know, when it comes to like that, it is upon the appreciation of the court. Only the court can determine whether it's voluntary surrender, arrest or capture prevailing the circumstances that prevail during the incident," Gamboa added.

Amnesty Gamboa was also asked if Susukan could be granted amnesty once proven that he really surrendered to authorities.

He responded that granting an amnesty is not within the powers of the police force.

"First on the amnesty, it is not within the PNP powers to grant the same.

That's I think purely vested on the executive or I think through a legislation in the legislative branch," Gamboa said.

In 2016, President Ro-

drigo Duterte said he had rejected Misuari's proposal to include the Abu Sayyaf in peace talks and in granting amnesty.

Warrants Authorities peacefully served warrants of arrest for murder, five for kidnapping and serious illegal detention, and six for frustrated murder against Susukan at the residence of Misuari in Yñigue Subdivision, Maa, Davao City last August 13.

At present, Susukan is under the custody of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame. Susukan was subjected to an RT/ PCR test for COVID-19 but its result has yet to be released, Gamboa said.

Armed Forces spokesman Major General Edgard Arevalo said both the police and military would file a motion to have Susukan transferred to AFP

custody.

Arevalo had said Misuari did not inform the military that Susukan was in his custody.

On the part, of the PNP, Gamboa said they are still determining the circumstances on the travel of Susukan from Sulu to Davao City.

"This we will still have to find out although there were different versions that came out in the social media," Gamboa said.

Defense chief Delfin Lorenzana said authorities would investigate if Misuari could be held liable for allegedly harboring the local terrorist leader.

AFP chief Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay already tasked government troops in the Mindanao region to intensify focused military operations to prevent possible retaliation

by Susukan's followers.

It's up to court to determine if Misuari liable for keeping Susukan: Gamboa

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hilippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa on Monday said it is up to the court to determine if Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founder Nur Misuari will be held liable for allegedly keeping Abu Sayyaf leader Anduljihad "Idang" Susukan.

"These are circumstances that will be based upon the appreciation of the court or maybe of the Department of Justice. But on the part of the Philippine National Police, we just cause the arrest... as to the possible accountability, it will be upon the courts to appreciate whether there is a thing or not," Gamboa said at a virtual press briefing.

"As to the appreciation of how he (Susukan) was arrested, did he voluntarily surrender, we will

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 110 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020

DTI appeals for manufacturing sector support in Bayanihan 2

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Jeepney passengers in Davao City wear masks and face shields on the first day of implementation of the mandatory use of face shields on 15 August 2020. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said driv-

ers and operators who violate the policy will face penalties. MindaNews photo by GREGORIO C. BUENO

Gov't encourages to remove taxes on gadgets to be used for online classes

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lawmaker on Saturday appealed to the government to remove taxes imposed on gadgets to be used by teachers and students for online classes.

Computers, mobile phones, tablets and other communication devices to be used for blended learning should not be taxed, Quezon City Representative Precious Hipolito Castelo said.

“Removing taxes will considerably reduce the cost of these devices and gadgets, and make them

affordable to poor learners and teachers,” the lawmaker said.

Castelo said customs and tariff duties plus 12% value added tax are imposed on the products mentioned if these are imported.

The lawmaker also asked telecommunications companies to improve

their Internet and mobile connectivity signals especially in rural areas.

“They can do that if they want to. During the recent lockdown, they offered to boost signals for free. Internet became faster. Now, it’s back to snail pace. Actually, you can have faster Internet if you pay more, which means telcos can do it,” Castelo said.

On Friday, the Department of Education announced it was moving the start of classes for school year 2021 to October 5 instead of August 24 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

IBPAP Appoints New Executive Director

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he IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), the umbrella organization of the IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector, recently announced the appointment of Atty. Luis Enrico “Ricky” E. Salvador as Executive Director for External Affairs and Investor Relations.

In this role, Atty. Salvador will be leading and directing the group’s efforts in building and strengthening relations with partners in the industry, enabling sectors, and partner associations.

As a representative of the industry, he will be working closely with the executive and legislative branches of the government on developing growth strategies, addressing social concerns, and driving investor interest.

He will also be expanding and implementing

membership initiatives to encourage more partnerships and create a more collaborative IT-BPM ecosystem.

His experience as a corporate lawyer spans over 20 years and cuts across multiple sectors. Throughout his career, he continuously refined and demonstrated his expertise in policy shaping, stakeholder management, regulatory affairs, customer care, business continuity, crisis response, and public communications, among others.

He’s held various leadership positions in a number of associations similar to IBPAP, including the Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers, Inc. (PCFMI) and the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA). He was also part of the Infant Pediatric Nutrition Association of the Philippines (IPNAP).

Some of his most no-

table achievements are establishing the Legislative Committee of PCFMI in 2016 and leading it as Chair for two years. He was also responsible for setting up the External Affairs Committee of PANA in 2017 and managing it for two years.

A seasoned legal professional, Atty. Salvador began his career at the Roco Buñag Kapunan & Migallos Law Office as an Associate Lawyer before moving on to become Corporate Counsel under the Legal and Corporate Affairs Division of Jollibee Foods Corporation. He also held the position of Corporate Affairs Manager at Fonterra Brands, Inc. and Director of Regulatory Affairs at Mead Johnson Nutrition (Philippines), Inc. Prior to joining IBPAP, he was the Regulatory and Policy Director of Reckitt Benckiser (RB

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Education Secretary Leonor Briones reiterated that there would still be no face-to-face learning to ensure the safety of students and school staff despite the deferment of the school opening.

“There will be no faceto-face sessions and sessions will not be limited to online sessions alone. This is because we have adapted the policy of blended learning wherein various modalities are being recommended depending on the situation at the level of the region and the school,” she said.

he Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) appealed to Congress to provide support for the manufacturing sector under the Bayanihan 2.

As both Senate Bill 1564 and House Bill 6953 excluded the manufacturing sector for government assistance, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez wrote a letter to House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu on August 9 proposing policy interventions for the sector.

Lopez noted that manufacturing and construction sectors accounted for 40 percent of the 16.5-percent gross domestic product decline in the second quarter of the year, adding that manufacturing recorded the largest decline among all economic sectors.

The manufacturing sector is also facing other challenges such as decline in demand, decline in workforce productivity and cost escalation, and foreseen intense competition from imports.

This was also echoed by Semiconductor and Electronics Industry in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) President Dan Lachica in his letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III. “The electronics industry has been significantly crippled by the Covid-19 pandemic. Exporters have not been able to operate at full capacity due to global and local supply chain disruptions, reduced manpower due to concerns with infection and lack of public transportation, as well as the rise of Covid cases, which necessitated tighter quarantine procedures,” Lachica said.

He noted that the electronics industry, which accounts for more than 60 percent of the country’s merchandise export, contracted its revenues by 20 percent from the USD43.3 billion in 2019.

SEIPI also called on

Congress to include DTI’s proposed policy interventions in Bayanihan 2 to prevent companies from shutting down and displacing workers.

Policy proposals Lopez proposed for domestic preference for government purchase including personal protective equipment (PPE) and other health-related products, “Build Build Build” and other infrastructure projects of national and local governments, modernization of public utility vehicles with Covid-19 proofing, and modernizing and expanding telecommunication infrastructure to better support work-fromhome and blended learning arrangements.

“Government expenditure to effectively stimulate the economy should create demand for the domestic manufacturers. We should maximize the use of government funds to save Filipino jobs and not foreign jobs,” Lopez added.

He also sought incentives for those expanding the domestic value chain like adoption of inclusive business models such as, but not limited to, sourcing from micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and marginalized communities.

Lopez urged to enhance perks for businesses locating or relocating outside Metro Manila and one year fiscal incentives for all companies that will not lay off workers or will maintain at least 90 percent of workforce in 2020 and 2021.

He also requested for other support such as facilitating land conversion and liberalizing requirements for export zone proclamations for industrial and service facilities, easing nationality restrictions under Executive Order 226, liberalizing the use of satellite services, and unleashing the employment generation potential of business

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ECONOMY 5

Beach huts – and the beach – in Daku Island, General Luna in Siargao, Surigao del Norte await the arrival of tourists on Saturday, August 15, 2020. Pre-COVID-19 times, this place would have been crowded with tourists every day. Siargao has reopened for tourists but they have to go on quarantine for 14 days at their expense. MindaNews photo by ROEL N. CATOTO

SWS poll: Adult joblessness in PH surged to record-high 45.5% in July

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their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control.

The latest poll indicated an 86.4% Labor Force Participation Rate or the proportion of adults in the labor force, estimated to be worth 60 million adults.

This is an increase from the 68.7% Labor Force Participation Rate recorded in December 2019, estimated to be 45.5 million adults.

Results of the same survey found that one out of every five adult Filipinos or half of the 42% with no job or livelihood said they lost their job during the coronavirus pandemic.

The remaining 21% of the unemployed said they lost their jobs before the coronavirus struck the country.

Respondents were asked: “If does not have a job/livelihood but had one before: When did you lose your job or livelihood? Is this before the Covid-19 crisis or just now while there is Covid-19 crisis?”

The surge in the national rate was reflected in increases in all regions in the country: Visayas by 31 percentage points, Metro

Manila by 29 percentage points, Balance Luzon by 28 percentage points, and Mindanao by 25 percentage points.

Joblessness also rose for men which rose by 28 percentage points to 35.8%, and women which grew by 25 percentage points to 55.8%.

Unemployment likewise rose in urban areas by 29 percentage points to a record high of 43.9%, and in rural areas by 26 percentage points to a record high of 46.0%.

The survey was conducted from July 3 to 6, using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) of 1,555 adult Filipinos across the country.

lion, down 22 percent year-on-year.

“This pandemic has impacted our performance for the first half of the year, both on our leasing and residential businesses, and we still expect the rest of the year to be challenging,” Manuel Villar Jr., Vista Land chairman, said.

In terms of its capital expenditures, the company had spent P9.4 billion during the first six months of the year.

Vista Land said it had adapted to the “new normal mindset” and had aggressively shifted to digital platforms for its marketing initiatives.

“We are seeing some positive signs of recovery especially in our residential business as the economy reopened last June.

In fact, our June sales are already at about 70 percent of pre-COVID level with sales in July tracking better than June,” Villar revealed.

The company’s total consolidated assets stood at P274.8 billion during the period.

“We have launched a total of P1.8 billion in terms of project value for the first half of the year, all of which are located outside Mega Manila to capitalize on the traction we have gained for our housing products in the provincial areas amid this pandemic,” Vista Land President and CEO Manuel Paolo Villar added.

dult joblessness in the Philippines rose to a record-high of 45.5% in July with half of the unemployed saying they lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, a recent poll of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed.

According to the results of the SWS National Mobile Phone Survey, adult joblessness rose by 28 percentage points from 17.5% in December 2019, to overtake the previous record high of 34.4% in March 2012.

The SWS qualified jobless adults as those who voluntarily left their jobs, those seeking jobs for the first time, or those who lost

Vista Land nets P3.5-B in H1, down 39 percent

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illar-led property developer Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. saw a double-digit decline in its net earnings in the first half of 2020 due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business.

In a statement, Vista Land said it posted a consolidated net income of P3.5 billion during the period, down 39 percent from a year earlier.

Its consolidated revenues stood at P18.3 bil-

DTI, DOLE require free swab tests for employees of several sectors

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orkers in the hospitality, tourism, and manufacturing sectors as well as frontliners and economic priority employees should be given free swab tests for the coronavirus disease 2019, the labor department said Sunday.

Under the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 2004, workers in the following sectors are required to under the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test free of charge: • Tourist zones • Local manufacturing companies • Transport and logistics • Food retail • Education • Financial services • Non-food retail • Services • Public market • Construction • Water supply • Sewerage • Waste management • Public sector • Mass media The JMC was in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and took effect Saturday, August 15.

Under the guidelines, workers in the hospitality and tourism sectors in Boracay, Coron, El Nido, Panglao, Siargao, and other tourist zones identified by the Department of Tourism should undergo the test every four weeks.

Those involved in manufacturing companies and public service providers in economic zones located within Special Concern Areas should be tested every quarter.

The same is mandated for frontline and economic priority workers, or those who work in high priority sectors, both public and private.

Employees who have high interaction with and exposure to the public and live or work in special concern areas, must also be tested once every quarter.

“Sick leave benefits, medical insurance coverage, including supplemental pay allowance, for COVID 19 RT-PCR test-confirmed employees or close contacts made to undergo a 14-day quarantine must also be provided to workers,” the DOLE said.

The People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) in May already appealed for the government to consider providing free testing to private sector employees, especially those working for the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

However, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. said the government will not shoulder the cost of mass testing of employees returning to work.

According to the DOLE, the JMC covers all establishments, projects, sites,

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 110 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020

On this year’s toned down Kadayawan sa Davao celebration:

Number one, we should be thankful sa mga blessings na gihatag sa Ginoo especially sa good harvest. Number two, ang pag-paila sa kulturang Lumad and pag-pasabot kung unsa ang ilahang giagian ug mga isyus ug problema sa ilahang tribu.”

MAYOR SARA DUTERTE-CARPIO

EDGEDAVAO

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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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EDGEDAVAO LIVING

‘KAPUSO BARANGAYAN ON WHEELS’ BENEFITS THOUSANDS NATIONWIDE As the country continues to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, GMA Regional TV (RTV) remains committed to aid Kapuso in the regions through its “Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels”—with the first wave benefiting more than 2,000 families and the second phase set to begin this August.

Launched last May, “Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels” is a mobile version of GMA RTV’s “Kapuso Barangayan”, originally a community activity held in key barangays across the regions. As various provinces and GMA RTV continues to strictly observe all preventive measures in conducting its outreach project in coordination with the LGUs, cities have been placed under government agencies and other partners. community quarantine, GMA veggies and poultry to more RTV modified it to Kapuso than 200 families during the Barangayan on Wheels to reach first wave of the activity. more communities and directly In Western Visayas, some provide its residents essential 940 families received breakfast items they urgently need. food packs via the various “KaFor the first wave, the Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels” puso Barangayan on Wheels held in different barangays. focused on North Central GMA RTV also activated its Luzon; Central and Eastern teams in North, Central, and Visayas; Western Visayas; and Southern Mindanao to reach North, Central and Southern more than 400 families who Mindanao. received grocery packs.

In North Central Luzon, To further instill hope in the more than 400 Kapuso families hearts of the beneficiaries, each One Mindanao anchor Tek Ocampo pens messages of hope for the beneficiaries of from various barangays were pack of “Kapuso Barangayan on Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels. given food and grocery packs Wheels” items included notes

by GMA Dagupan. with messages of encourageLive!,’ and ‘At Home with GMA Vice President and Head Oliver Amoroso. “We wish to extend While the “Kapuso Baranment from the anchors and Regional TV.’ “Through the ‘Kapuso Baour heartfelt thanks to all our gayan on Wheels” has been hosts of GMA Regional TV’s rangayan on Wheels’, GMA partners across the Philippines. temporarily discontinued in newscasts and morning proRegional TV aims to not just We also commend our regional Cebu following the declaration grams: ‘Balitang Amianan,’ provide essential items but events teams whose dedicaof the Enhanced Community ‘Balitang Bisdak,’ ‘One Westinstill hope as well to all our tion allowed us to realize every Quarantine in the province, ern Visayas,’ ‘One Mindanao,’ Kapuso in the regions,” said Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels GMA Central and Eastern Vi‘GMA Regional Weekend GMA Regional TV and Synergy activity. We will roll out the sayas was able to provide fresh News,’ ‘GMA Regional TV

One Mindanao co-anchor Real Soroche gives his own message of inspiration to the beneficiaries of Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels. second wave of Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels with the hope that we can help more communities and families in these very challenging times,” he added.

“Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels” is scheduled to begin this month with the aim of reaching more communities with around 4,200 familybeneficiaries. Ensuring the safety and welfare of everyone involved in “Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels,” GMA RTV continues to strictly observe all preventive measures in conducting its outreach project in coordination with the LGUs, government agencies and other partners.

Get updates about Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels and other GMA RTV shows and projects by visiting www.gmaregionaltv.com. Follow GMA Regional TV on www.facebook. com/GMARegionalTV and on Twitter and Instagram via @ GMARegionalTV.

STAR MUSIC LAUNCHES ONLINE KIDS CHANNEL ‘TUTUBEE’ INIGO PASCUAL AND MOOPHS COLLAB ANEW FOR FUNKY POP SINGLE “LOST” ABS-CBN gears up for another digital venture as its premier record label, Star Music, introduces its YouTube channel for children’s learning called TuTuBee. Star Music seeks to provide educational yet fun content in the new channel intended for young viewers and help fill in their learning needs now that they should remain in the safety of their homes due to the risks of the global pandemic.

TuTuBee is one of ABS-CBN’s latest ventures to strengthen its digital presence and reach more audiences, following the successful introduction of the Kapamilya Online Live early this month, which livestreams ABS-CBN programs on YouTube and Facebook throughout the day.

Together with TuTuBee mascots, Aspin and Mimi, the virtual channel seeks to engage Pinoy kids with videos that will nurture their mental, physical and emotional growth using music as the main tool. Children can sing, dance, and

learn nursery rhymes and other sounds in English or Filipino that INIGO PASCUAL sings about a will foster recall and understandride-or-die invitation for a night ing of important lessons and of endless possibilities in his new impart values important for their international single “Lost,” a funky development. pop track produced by Moophs It will also feature life skills and under Tarsier Records. teaching tools for parents to aid “I wanted to make a track that them in integrating play-based was very chill, laidback and just learning activities for their kids. lyrics that talk about a love that The Kapamilya network has the can’t be described: not sure where most followed local accounts on it’s going, not sure what is going on YouTube, with ABS-CBN Enterexactly but certain about having tainment having 28.7 million subeach other,” Inigo explained about scribers and ABS-CBN Star Music the song which he penned with having 5.4 million subscribers Moophs while on his first internawho enjoy streaming the channel’s tional promo tour in Los Angeles comprehensive collection of songs last year. from rising artists and OPM icons. The singer-songwriter also Let the children enjoy music revealed that the vibe he was going and learning on TuTuBee channel for was that of Asian hip-hop with on YouTube. a mix of RnB. Moophs helped him

achieve just that as “Lost” includes a concoction of guitar and synths.

“This song exemplifies a side of Inigo that his fans haven’t seen yet. It’s accessible pop music with a slightly more mature vibe injection,” Moophs shared.

Inigo and Moophs last collaborated for “Catching Feelings,” their most successful team-up to date.

Follow along in Inigo’s journey of love by listening to “Lost” on major digital streaming platforms.

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BACKING UP THE FRONTLINERS. AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc., Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., and the Province of Davao del Sur recently inked a tripartite memorandum of agreement for Year 1 of the company’s support to the Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital. In photo (L-R): Davao del Sur Provincial Health Officer Dr. Jonna Masong-

song; Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. Advisor for Mindanao Affairs Arturo Milan; Provincial Board Member Fely Latasa; Governor Douglas RA Cagas; AboitizPower Assistant Vice President for External Relations Jason Magnaye.

Therma South to provide 3-year support for Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital

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s the COVID-19 pandemic sends hospitals across the country battening down the hatches, AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc. (TSI) and Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. recently extended a 3-year partnership with the Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital (DSPH) to help upgrade the hospital’s facilities.

The Provincial Government of Davao del Sur, through Governor Douglas RA Cagas, inked a tripartite memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Therma South and Aboitiz

Foundation last August 5, 2020 for Year 1 of the company’s support to the provincial hospital.

Under this partnership, DSPH will be receiving P2 million worth of

corporate social responsibility projects for the first year. The main priority projects that have been identified were the installation of a public address system and voice over IP (VoIP) phones across the hospital, the construction of a semi-permanent triage area, and the provision of hospital mattresses.

“This support from Therma South and Aboitiz Foundation, especially the public address system and VoIP phones, came at an opportune time. This will greatly reduce foot traffic, which is crucial in limiting

contact and risk of exposure, especially during a pandemic like the one we’re facing,” said Davao del Sur Provincial Health Officer Dr. Jonna Masongsong.

In attendance during the MOA signing were Provincial Board Member Fely Latasa, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. Advisor for Mindanao Affairs Arturo Milan, AboitizPower Assistant Vice President for External Relations Jason Magnaye, and Therma South representatives Lou Jason Deligencia and Jean Karl Huyatid.

UnionBank, CitySavings back online capability building project for over 800,000 teachers

U

nion Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) and its thrift subsidiary, City Savings Bank (CitySavings), are pitching their support to a program that pursues to build the capability of educators to teach online.

UnionBank, through its Xcellerator Program, and CitySavings donated P660,000 and P330,000, respectively, for the Help Educators Rise to Online Education for SY 20202021 or HEROES 2021 project of Thames International School.

A pioneer in online education since 2018, Thames is now sharing its expertise via HEROES 2021 - an intensive nationwide program that aims to train over 800,000 Department of Education (DepEd)

teachers on effective online teaching. Thames is embarking on this endeavor together with its learning partners Edurescue (Philippines) and AKADASIA (Singapore).

With the shift to digital and contactless models, educational institutions need to propel the skills of educators to provide effective digital learning due to the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Through its corporate social responsibility program, UnionBank will support the education drive, which aligns with its PeopleTech initiative to build the skills and capabilities of the future.

City Savings Bank, on the other hand, continues to strengthen its partnership engagement with

DepEd by supporting its Learning Continuity Plan (LCP). The LCP aims to ensure students’ learning progresses in this new normal outside the classroom walls.

Under HEROES 2021, the DepEd teachers will be given access to learning programs on emerging technologies, to keep up with the changing education landscape.

"We thank our partners Thames, UnionBank and CitySavings for the Heroes 2021 teacher training project. We all know that the use of printed modules for learning delivery is not sustainable in the long run given the costs and impact on the environment. Online learning is one of the solutions and now is the time to train our teachers.

We are excited that since the launch, we already have more than 11,000 DepEd NCR teachers trained," said DepEd NCR Regional Director Malcolm Garma.

According to Joel Santos, president and co-founder of Thames International Business School, the biggest challenge to digital transformation in any organization is the change in mindset.

“We now have Gen Z learners, but education delivery has remained the same,” he said, highlighting the need to pivot to online education.

“Online learning is like learning how to swim we’re helping teachers how to float. But we need to fast-track everything,” Santos added.

Beyond the support for the DSPH, Therma South has actively dispatched P3 million worth of COVID-19 relief response to Davao City, the municipality of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, and its host communities of Barangay Binugao and Barangay Inawayan. The generation unit has also remitted P65 million in Energy Regulations 1-94 (ER 1-94) funds to the same beneficiaries to help augment their COVID-19 response efforts.

Wholly-owned AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc. (TSI) is

the owner and operator of the 300-Megawatt Davao Baseload Power Plant located in Binugao, Toril, Davao City. TSI is certified in four ISO standards, namely Quality Management (ISO 9001:2015), Environmental Management (ISO 14001:2015), Occupational Health and Safety Management (ISO 45001:2018), and Asset Management System (ISO 55001:2014). Along with Therma Luzon, Inc. and Therma Visayas, Inc., the three primarily compose the Coal Business Unit of AboitizPower.

he recent announcement for the postponement of the opening of classes by the Department of Education (DepEd) is a public admission of their unpreparedness, contrary to their claims the past two months. This is also a vindication for groups such as Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK) who have belied their claims after consistently receiving reports the past months from both students and school personnel all over the country.

It is our belief that the one month and a half postponement shall only strengthen the facade of their unpreparedness and further give the impression that the DepEd stands correct that the nation is ready for their untested and haphazard blended learning schemes.

Up to the DepEd's last public statement and despite the extension, Sec-

retary Liling Briones has failed to guarantee quality education as they impose unfamiliar modalities on us.

The extension also does not address the pertinent issues of accessibility for a great majority of students who lack gadgets and the obvious backwardness and gaping cavities of the country's telecommunication technology for blended learning to succeed.

Other than these, the DepEd postponement miserably failed to guarantee no new contaminations of COVID and improved conditions and welfare for teachers, parents and students under the twin menaces of a global pandemic and an economic recession.

We reiterate the call for an academic freeze and for schools to open on January next year as the most considerate and apt course of action under these unfortunate circumstances.

Postponement is not enough

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NUCLEAR ENERGY FOR MORE POWER GENERATION

Nuclear power in Slovakia (Photo from Wikipedia)

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

W

ith the continuous increase of power bills, the chaotic brownouts every now and then, and the booming population, it is high time for the Philippines to be engaged in nuclear energy. This is the best option for the country’s long-term plans for more affordable power generation.

“Ask anyone who has relatives abroad, and they will tell you the stark difference between their electricity rates and ours,” said Dr. Carlo Arcilla, director of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), a line agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). “That’s how the Philippines lags behind other countries in terms of power cost.”

“Nuclear is simply the cleanest, cheapest and most efficient means of producing electricity,” said Dr. Arcilla, who strongly advocates for the Philippines to finally establish its own nuclear power program. “Nuclear power will especially spare the poorest among the Filipinos who are the ones actually allotting the lion’s share of their income just for electric bills.”

The problem of power generation has been with the Philippines since the 1970s. “Our shortage of electricity is a real, serious problem that we cannot downplay. But if we focus exclusively on it, we run the risk of seeing just the trees and not the forest,” said Rufino Bomasang, then energy undersecretary, in the late 1980s.

Today, the same scenario is happening. In fact, as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, increasing electricity rates and occasional power outages only worsen the national mood.

Nuclear energy has the capacity to produce baseload power for a continuous supply of electricity 24 hours a day, seven times a week, Dr. Arcilla pointed out. He added that conventional sources such as coal and natural gas also have similar capacity, but nuclear does not entail the high cost

of refueling fossil fuels or the carbon emissions that are the bane of a world ravaged by climate change.

In a press release obtained by EDGE Davao, it is said that a single pellet of uranium fuel almost the size of a pencil eraser contains as much energy as a ton of coal (907 kilograms), three barrels of oil (149 gallons), or as much as 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas.

The PNRI is the country’s lead agency in atomic research and development.

It is a member of the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee (NEPIAC) created by Executive Order 116. NEPIAC, whose main task is to study the adoption of a national position on nuclear power, is chaired by the Department of Energy (DOE) with the DOST as vice chair.

The PNRI in a statement believes that adding nuclear to the current energy mix will pave the way for more efficient and less costly power cost. In fact, it throws support for the renewed efforts to engage in a nuclear power program as it also pushes for an independent regulatory body through a pending bill in Congress.

The advantages of nuclear energy have been acknowledged by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), the country’s leading advisory and scientific recognition body which is also under the DOST. “Nuclear fuel can be a viable solution to mitigate the effects of climate change,” NAST said in a statement issued last year. It further stated that nuclear serves as an alternative to fossil fuels not only in terms of environmental impact, but also in terms of its economic feasibility. “(T)he dependence on

imported fossil fuels makes the country vulnerable to world energy price volatility. By comparison, the cost of generating nuclear energy is less sensitive to nuclear fuel price due to the larger component contributed by its capital cost,” NAST said.

“We have met the enemy; and he is us,” so goes a popular statement from Walt Kelly. This is particularly true in the case of climate change. There is “95 percent likelihood” that human activity is the cause of climate change, according to the findings of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The 5th IPCC Report said that human activity released 545 gigatons of carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas – from 1750 to 2011. It is projected that if 1,000 gigatons of carbon dioxide is emitted, which at current rates will likely occur between 2040 and 2050, there is a one-inthree possibility that the 2 degrees Celsius limit above the pre-industrial level will be exceeded.

“We need to take action now because a warmer earth threatens food security and public health,” said Loren Legarda, the United Nations Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific.

“The time has come,” said a joint letter released to the media by world’s top climate scientists, “for those who take the threat of global warming seriously to embrace the development and deployment of safer nuclear power systems” as part of efforts to build a new global energy supply.

The letter signatories were Dr. James Hansen, a former top scientist at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Dr. Ken Caldeira, of the Carnegie Institution; Dr. Kerry Emanuel, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Dr. Tom Wigley, of the University of Adelaide in Australia.

At the time when Jericho L. Petilla was energy secretary, the country was looking at nuclear power

Nuclear power plant (Photo from Wikipedia) as a possible source of energy for the country. “We’re looking at it on a long-term basis,” he was quoted as saying. “At the same time, we have to look at the technical side, and then recommend later on if studies show that it’s good for the country.”

According to Petilla, social dimension – or the possible non-acceptance of nuclear energy by the public – is the limiting factor why the government is excluding it from its energy mix. In addition, under the Philippine Constitution, nuclear power plants are prohibited.

The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNNP) is the country’s first and only nuclear power. The Westinghouse Electric built it during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos at a cost of US$2.2 billion.

For “safety concerns,” the BNNP It was mothballed in 1986 – even before it could begin operations.

During the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, proponents wanted the BNPP rehabilitated but it would cost a whooping US$1 billion to do so.

Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 5.7% of the world’s energy and 13% of the world’s electricity, according to Nobel Prize winner Gore.

In an interview with Philippine News Agency, Dr.

Bruce Nuclear generating plant (Photo from Wikipedia) Arcilla said the world is now home to 450 nuclear power plants. About 100 of them are located in the United States. “If it is unsafe, why would Americans have 100 nuclear power plants?” he said.

Aside from advocating nuclear science and technology, the PNRI also continues to push for the enactment of the Comprehensive Atomic Regulatory Act which will create an independent nuclear regulatory body in the Philippines. International standards prescribe a separate agency that will handle the regulation of all activities and facilities involving sources of ionizing radiation.

“While we are waiting for a law creating an independent body, Republic Act 5207 is still a basis for pursuing nuclear power as it was when the BNPP was being licensed in the 70s and

80s,” says Dr. Carlito Aleta, a scientist specializing on nuclear engineering, and consultant of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

“Let’s hope a new bill will be passed by Congress creating a new regulatory body.”

RA 5207 is the Atomic Energy Regulatory and Liability Act of 1968. The said Act “encourages, promotes, and assists the development and use of atomic energy for all peaceful purposes, including the production and use of atomic energy facilities and atomic energy materials, subject to regulations.”

The regulations will cover matters involving nuclear power, nuclear and radioactive materials, facilities and radiation-generating equipment used for diagnosis and treatment of diseases in hospitals and medical centers, and other industrial activities in the country.

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eases meeting.

“As mentioned by Sec [Duque] that if we will be compared to the hiring rate nationwide, we have hired a lot when it comes to our allotment [of personnel],”Rivera said.

Rivera also mentioned that despite the current hiring rate that the DOH is experiencing in Region 11, they are still aiming to

complete the full allocation of 720 personnel to effectively manage and run the TTMFs in the region.

“There is still 26% remaining out of the total allocation [of personnel] … but still, 26% is a considerable number and we still need to hire more personnel to run our different TTMFs,” Rivera said. (PIA XI/ KPLCaro)

have completed at least 10 years of basic education or its equivalent and have good communication skills.

Aspiring contact tracers may enlist for the program by getting in touch with TESDA's regional and provincial officers, accord-

ing to Maria Gerty Paragan, chief of TESDA's public information division.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines reached 161,253 on Sunday after the health department reported 3,420 new infections.

In the same way, she said the public should only listen to "accurate information."

The health official said scientific studies say that wearing a mask protects a person from being infected by 85%, and that wear-

ing a mask and face shield and observing physical distancing prevents infection by 99%.

As of Sunday, there were 161,253 COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, including 112,586 recoveries and 2,665 deaths.

process outsourcing (BPO) sector under work-fromhome arrangements.

He urged Congress to allocate a “modest budget” of PHP50 million for efforts enabling industrial sectors to better respond and adapt to Covid-19.

With the PHP50 million budget, Lopez eyes PHP15 million for the establishment of testing laboratory for PPE. “This is to assist domestic manufacturing firms in acquiring the required certifications to produce and market PPEs and, equally important, to ensure the quality of imported PPEs used by our medical frontliners and enforcers of health protocol procedures,” he explained.

The PHP30 million

will be allotted as subsidy for MSME construction companies to finance polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.

DTI also eyes PHP5 million for Board of Investments (BOI) to offer free PCR testing and sponsor two-day hotel quarantine while waiting for test results to top-level executives and technical officials of prospective foreign investors. “[T]here is an urgent need to include the abovementioned proposed provisions in Bayanihan 2 given the immediate objective of arresting economic recession and reinvigorate the economy through revitalizing consumption and enhancing production capacity,” he said. (PNA)

Health) Philippines where he helped shape the regulatory environment for an extensive portfolio of brands in what’s considered as one of the most complex markets in the world for hygiene, health, and nutrition.

Atty. Salvador graduated with a Business Management degree from Ateneo de Manila and a Law degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law. “We are very excited

to welcome Atty. Salvador onboard,” said Rey E. Untal, President and CEO of IBPAP. “I personally look forward to seeing him work alongside the stalwarts of the Philippine IT-BPM industry and offer a fresh perspective on matters of investor relations and policy. With his wealth of expertise and unceasing dedication, I am confident in his ability to facilitate the sustained growth of the sector.”

and all other places where work is being undertaken in branches of economic activity except in the public sector.

“The COVID-19 testing must be at no cost to the employees,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in an emailed statement.

“This is so far the most comprehensive set of guidelines for the safety and protection of workers and employees in work-

places. The strict observance of these health protocols will make a big difference in our long-drawn battle to defeat COVID-19 and ensure the productivity of the Filipino workforce,” he added.

Employers classified as large and medium-sized private establishments, or those with total assets above P15 million are also required to provide shuttle services for employees.

Damosa Land redefines TESDA... real estate experience

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amosa Land introduces Damosa Land 360 - the newest feature in the company’s website (www.damosaland.com) that serves as an online platform for brand new experience of doing real estate.

Damosa Land 360 offers various features that allow users to touch base with one of Mindanao’s premiere property developers even in a virtual space.

“We have always been an advocate for innovation and excellence. So we want to translate that into how we engage with our clients.

We want them to experience a whole new level of doing real estate anywhere they may be in the world,” said Damosa Land Head, Ricardo Floirendo Lagdameo.

Making it online, thus, accessible anytime and anywhere, Damosa Land

360 allows anyone to explore Damosa Land’s projects in different perspectives and frames.

Damosa Land 360 banners the company’s very first Virtual Reality (VR) tours. This interactive feature enables the user to see a full 360° view of each of the projects right in their own gadget. Users can navigate through the streets and buildings of properties as well as the interiors of houses or warehouses to be able to fully appreciate each project.

Project updates will also be a main stay in the page as Damosa Land provides still images to reflect

progress of each of its properties in varying levels of development. These images include renders and artist’s perspectives as well as actual construction updates.

Another feature is the Guided Tour, which presents a different frame to the users where it showcases what Damosa Land properties offer. Hosted by its in-house project officers, Damosa Land gives a sneak peek to its residential communities, office space, mixed-use and even industrial developments.

A host of lifestyle videos that showcase Damosa Land in various angles are also available for the audience. The selection ranges from CNN Philippines’ The Final Pitch Season 5, which features Damosa Land and Lagdameo as one of the panel of investors, to a collaboration with Davao’s homegrown chef Patrick

three seasons, are the little engine that could.

Butler’s emergence in his first year in Miami has had a spectacular effect. Butler said last week Miami can win it all.

If Butler’s young Minnesota teammates had listened and learned from this winner, Tom Thibodeau would still be Wolves coach/president.

The 4-5 battle against Indiana becomes a simpler task for Miami with the Pacers missing arguably the NBA’s most underrated player in Domantas Sabonis, who is out with a foot injury.

Then again, Butler may be the NBA’s most underrated star.

What about the playoff debut of The Luka-Kristaps Show?

Knicks fans will take special notice in No. 7 Dallas facing No. 2 Clippers.

And it’s not to watch how ex-Knick Marcus Morris fits in with Los Angeles.

The 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis will make his playoff debut after a sensational bubble showing — his best stretch as a Maverick.

Last week, the once-disgruntled Latvian romped for 36 points in 36 minutes (12 of 17 with seven 3-pointers) against the Blazers.

But KP6 and superstar Luka Doncic must play off each other to stand a chance against the Clippers.

This is Mavs owner Mark Cuban’s first playoff appearance since 2016.

That’s a lot of “Shark

Tank” episodes in between.

The Dallas Morning News recently published a story on whether Doncic is the greatest 21-year-old in NBA history as Dallas set the league’s all-time record for best offensive rating in a season.

Still Doncic/Porzingis must also play winning D for Big D. Can D’Antoni weather the Westbrook storm?

This might be coach Mike D’Antoni’s swan song as he seeks his first NBA title.

He’s a free agent and sources believe GM Daryl Morey will look elsewhere.

Now the pioneer of paceand-space has to enter the series against the Thunder with Russell Westbrook (quadriceps) on the shelf indefinitely.

The Rockets’ whole idea of going center-less with the Clint Capela trade was to highlight Westbrook’s unique triple-double skill set.

Houston, we got a problem.

Do Masai Ujiri’s Raptors still have it post-Kawhi?

Knicks owner James Dolan jumped at hiring an agent (Leon Rose) instead of waiting for Ujiri to become a free agent after the 2020-21 season.

Ujiri is the best executive in the business, his Raptors still lethal even after losing Leonard and having six of the team’s top seven players miss 11 games or more.

Even without Kawhi Leonard, the foursome of

Kyle Lowry-Fred VanVleet-Pascal Siakam-Marc Gasol is battle-tested.

The Raptors have a new defensive whiz in another unsung piece, small forward OG Anunoby, who, like Ujiri, is a 2021 free agent.

Will the real Clippers stand up?

Like LeBron, Leonard also is trying to win a title with his third team after hoisting the trophy with San Antonio and Toronto.

The Leonard-Paul George Clippers have experienced a bumpy journey with the mysterious disappearance of late-arriving Montrezl Harrell, who hasn’t played a game, and injuries to Landry Shamet and Patrick Beverley.

They all should be ready for Game 1.

Sixth Man sniper Lou Williams is also over his trip to a strip club for chicken wings that banished him to quarantine.

With the amazing Lillard and a reborn Melo, will Portland’s vault to the eighth seed scare the Lakers?

Charles Barkley keeps predicting the Blazers will beat the Lakers even if they don’t play any defense. Barkley clearly is trying to trump up flagging TNT ratings.

The Blazers captured the play-in game over Memphis to earn the right to play James, Carmelo Anthony’s buddy.

Damian Lillard has been scary great with games of 51, 61 and 42 entering Saturday’s play-in game triumph

‘BUBBLE-WRAPPED’... FROM11

Co, which shows how to prepare a healthy dish with ingredients picked fresh from Agriya’s urban garden. And with local festivities such as Kadayawan coming up, the audience need to watch out for online activities that resemble the vibrant events which Damosa Land is known for.

“We want to make it exciting for our potential buyers and investors to explore our projects even before we formally engage in business with them. We will break through barriers so we can connect with them anytime,” added Lagdameo.

On top of its social media assets, Damosa Land’s website will also serve as channel for interested property seekers to explore opportunities on how to invest in the company through its dedicated chat support.

over Memphis.

Lillard finished the season at 40.1 percent from 3-point range on 10.1 3-point attempts per game.

He’s the second player in league history to post that high an efficiency.

A slimmed-down Anthony mostly has been a force.

He might have been the goat against the Nets on Friday if Caris LeVert sank that last-second shot, but bounced back to drill a game-sealing 3-pointer to oust Memphis on Saturday.

And for the first-ever bubble playoff game?

An intriguing 3-6 matchup, the Jazz/Nuggets tip it off at 1:30 p.m.

The Jazz will try to make up for the loss of 20 points a game from Bojan Bogdanovic, who is out with a wrist injury, and point guard Mike Conley, who is out at least two games after leaving the bubble for the birth of his child.

At least Utah avoided facing Houston for a third straight playoff.

Knicks fans should be fixed on how Donovan Mitchell-Rudy Gobert get along.

If the Jazz crumble, Mitchell, the Westchester product, could become one of those “disgruntled stars’’ demanding a trade. Mitchell is a former Leon Rose client.

There also could be pain watching Michael Porter Jr.’s rise for Denver — the exciting prospect the Knicks passed on for Kevin Knox in 2018 because of a sketchy medical report on his back.

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‘Bubble-wrapped’ Playoffs: who can flip the switch?

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he NBA’s bubble playoffs begin Monday (Tuesday PH Time) — 16 Disney World survivors starting a journey that will last into mid-October for some.

Russell Westbrook will miss the opening game of the playoff series.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP

Four first-rounders are on tap Monday — late-summer matinee basketball at the Magic Kingdom starting at 1:30 p.m. and lasting until midnight.

Yes, it’s an ESPN Christmas in the dog days of August.

Here are 10 storylines from the imperfect bubble playoffs.

Can LeBron lead a third team to a championship and win it for Kobe?

The “Last Dance’’ documentary and Michael Jordan dominated the spring.

Now LeBron James gets the

chance to move up on Jordan as “The GOAT.’’ Winning a title with a third team — the Lakers — is an achievement Jordan never could have dreamed about.

And for the 35-year-old James — with Anthony Davis riding shotgun — to lift the No. 1-seeded Lakers to the title the year of Kobe Bryant’s death would be epic.

Jordan retired from the Bulls for the second time at 35.

James’ speech at the Bryant memorial has not been forgotten.

“I want to continue along with my teammates, to continue his legacy, not only for this year, but for as long as we can play the game of basketball that we love because that’s what Kobe

Bryant would want,” James told the Staples Center audience.

It’s kind of early for Boston-Philly. Or is it?

The first-round series between longtime northeast rivals will take place in Florida and be a dogfight.

Yes, this might go the distance even if Sixers point guard Ben Simmons is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery last week.

Sixers center Joel Embiid will need to be a 30-point monster for No. 6 Philly to stage the upset over No. 3 Boston, drawing double-teams and opening it up for Tobias Harris and Al Horford.

Brett Brown’s job could depend on it, though the pandemic-induced economic uncertainty could save him.

This is an intriguing battle of an old-school big team like Philly against the small-ball Celtics, whose young gun Jayson Tatum has looked marvellous.

The Celtics look too athletic for the Sixers’ defense to keep in front of them.

What will it mean that Giannis, Bucks got

roughed up in the restart?

The bubble loss to the Nets, who were without Caris LeVert, Joe Harris and Jarett Allen along with other no-shows, illustrated the Bucks’ Disney woes, though they rested Giannis Antetokounmpo for the second half.

The league’s hottest team cooled off in Disney with a 3-5 record but finished with a league-best 5617 clip.

The frustration boiled over for Antetokounmpo, the MVP favorite who got suspended for a head-butting incident.

The Lopez brothers are manning the defensive interior well, but Milwaukee is allowing a ton of 3-pointers.

On the other end, The Greek Freak better shoot respectively from deep or the title drought will extend and his future becomes cast in doubt.

The Bucks’ (1971) dry spell is already longer than the Knicks.

Can Jimmy Butler make good on his Miami title prediction?

The Heat, who missed the playoffs two of the last

F‘BUBBLEWRAPPED’, P10

Luka Doncic drives past Mikal Bridges.. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/ Getty Images)

FRED C. LUMBA SPORTS KEN

DOES AGE MATTER? In sports (and in life), age (and inactivity) matter.

So much more in the brutal contact sport of boxing.

It’s been more than a year that our hero, Manny Pacquiao, since last fought. Against Keith Thurman, if my memory serves me right, in July last year when the senator took away the former’s WBA world welterweight crown in a convincing UD in Las Vegas.

Today, rumors again are flying that the only 8-division world kingpin is looking at a possible confrontation with retired UFC lightweight king Connor McGregor for his farewell (?) match.

If true, the anticipated ring fireworks could happen late this year or early 2021.

McGregor gave a sample of his boxing skills against undefeated welterweight king Floyd Mayweather, Jr some years back. Although losing by KO, the mixed martial arts gladiator gave the latter something to worry about in the early stretches of the 12-round encounter.

Manny will be 42 summers next December.

I am hinting at retirement actually because he is not growing any younger.

Recall that Roberto Duran, during his prime as world lightweight champion, challenged the popular Sugar Ray Leonard, then the reigning welterweight titleholder.

The Panamanian brawler surprised the boxing world with a decision victory.

However, in a rematch held a couple of years later, Duran quit in the middle of the round making his “No mas, no mas,” surrender remarks as the most famous quip of the boxing decade.

I learned from Pinoy friends working as waiters in Las Vegas that they were not surprised that Duran lost the grudge fight against the American.

They narrated that after his victory over Leonard, Duran and his team painted the town red by celebrating as if the world was ending the next day.

My Las Vegas friends said Duran tossed $100 bills as “balato” to many of the service crews at the casino, majority of them Pinoys.

“Galante siya…malakas uminom parang Pinoy din, eh,” they

related.

In the second confrontation, Duran was visibly not physically prepared. He was under-trained because he was too confident he would make a repeat victory.

Unfortunately, Duran was already aging at the time and age finally caught up on him.

Leonard, younger and quicker, had long prepared for the rematch by securing hard wins against highly-revered former titlist Thomas Hearns (KO) and Marvelous Marvin Hagler (UD) before the grudge rematch.

I am narrating this episode just as a parallel reminder to the next fight date of Pacquiao. We don’t want him to end his brilliant career like Duran.

I feel that he should consciously prepare for his immi-

nent retirement from the cruel sport. Although this has brought him fame, fortune, political success and influence, he must now devote his focus on his present position, his future plans and foremost on his family who dotes on him so much.

So, the bottom line is: ONE LAST RING ASSIGNMENT FOR A FAREWELL PERFORMANCE. Against anybody among his peers in the welter division – Errol Spence, Jr, Mikey Garcia, Danny Garcia or Terence Crawford.

Or versus McGregor.

A resounding triumph could concretely help propel his political visions for a higher public office. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 110 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020

This year’s Kadayawan will have no physical sports competitions like the traditional Kadayawan Invitational Basketball Tournament. De La Salle University, shown here after practicing at the Arcadia Basketball Center and doing weight training at the Arcadia Fitness Gym, finished second to the National University Bulldogs.

Sports events going virtual

I

n the absence of the Covid-19 pandemic, athletes always look forward to the month of August because of the Kadayawan sports festival.

Aside from the regular sports events, I remember then Davao City sports chief William “Butch” Ramirez included Indigenous Games that put more meaning to sports development in the city.

The private sector has been very supportive as they opened their sports facilities to host some events, specially schools with top-notch facilities like the University of Mindanao. It was not actually hard to secure the venues by requesting UM president Willie Torres, way, way ahead of time.

The month of March is a regular sports month because of the Araw ng Dabaw festivities, then by April and May, many of our athletes compete in national events. June and July are training months, then they start showing their wares in August.

But things have changed due to the pandemic.

I just saw the FB post of marathon organizer Kenneth Sai that there’s a Virtual Run

event and even jokingly commented to him to include a 2-Kilometer Media Category, which has been done in previous years.

Race organizers then have included the 2K run for the media to make sure that the sportswriters will wake up early and will be at the venue to cover the event because it’s normal for us then to never wake up early in the morning.

Kenneth’s event going virtual is the new normal these days.

For how long we are going to deal with the pandemic, we really don’t know.

The beauty with going virtual is that this will give some “normalcy” to the sports community.

At least, dunay event ba bahalag virtual una, kay sa wala gyud. Or else, we end up being “eathletes” and not athletes.

That brings me to the next question, will our internet connectivity be reliable when the virtual sports events are organized?