Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 217 | Thursday-Saturday, December 24-26, 2020

PANDEMIC GETS PEOPLE INTERESTED IN GARDENING, FARMING AGRITRENDS P8

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

CHRISTMAS SURGE

VOL.13 ISSUE 217 • THURSDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24-26, 2020

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Over 1,000 more Covid-19 cases in Davao City in the next two weeks STORY ON PAGE 2

A resident hangs Christmas balls and other decorations on a Christmas tree two days before Christmas Day. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 217 • THURSDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24-26, 2020

CHRISTMAS SURGE Over 1,000 more Covid-19 cases in Davao City in the next two weeks

By MAYA M. PADILLO here’s good news and bad about Covid-19 in Davao City.

First the good news that Covid-19 cases in Davao City have dwindled during the first week of December.

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The bad news? A surge is expected to happen in the next two weeks.

Dr. Ashley Lopez, focal person of Davao City Covid-19 Task Force, disclosed during a live broadcast interview on Wednesday that around 1,000 cases or more is expected to happen in the next two weeks if cases will not be controlled during the Christmas holidays.

“We are expecting a surge or Christmas surge ug dili ta puwede mu-kumpyansa,” he said.

Lopez said because of this there is a need to prepare additional Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs) for Covid-19. Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio recently announced that two additional facilities are now being prepared in case there

would be an over spill.

“Hinaut unta dili but we have to be prepared for that because base sa forecast we could add up as much as around 1,000 cases or more in the next two weeks kung dili ma-pugngan ang surge,” he said.

He said they are using a credible forecast tool that is approved by the Department of Health (DOH).

“Credible ni nga forecast and this is good and advantageous to us because we could easily determine kung asa ta padulong next week or month,” he said.

Lopez reported that

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 Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on Monday evening. A political consultancy disclosed that majority of Filipinos have shown appreciation for the

as of December 22, 2020 total cases of Covid-19 since March up to Dec.22 is 8,253 and the numbers also include deaths and recoveries. Of that total number, there are 1,409 active cases adding up the 94 Covid-19 cases last Dec. 22.

“If you compare the data in the previous months when we had a surge in Davao, nag-peak ang cases sometime in November when we reached around 2,000 cases which ang pinakadako nato nga active cases in Davao,” he said.

He said during the first week of December, there

was a drop of the number of active cases and the most credible reason is that more recoveries are recorded.

“We have a total recoveries of more than 6,000 since March which comprise of about 78 percent sa atong mga kaso sa tibuok kaso sa Davao City,” he said.

In terms of facilities, Davao City has 19 hospitals and five of those are tertiary hospitals. Among those hospitals, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) is the biggest with almost 400 beds while the private hospitals have

around seven percent of their bed allocation is already been allocated to Covid-19 patients.

For monitoring facilities that include hotel isolation facilities has a total bed capacity of 432, school isolation facilities have a total of 553 bed capacity.

The quarantine facilities including holding areas for suspects, probables and contacts are around 214 beds and a facility for returning residents with a total capacity of 587 beds.

The city has also established an isolation facility at Malagos and a facility for vagrants.

Office of the President (OP) and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) efforts to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country. Presidential Photo

Most Pinoys satisfied with PRRD office, IATF’s Covid-19 response

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he majority of Filipinos have shown appreciation for the Office of the President (OP) and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) efforts to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the Philippines, a political consultancy firm disclosed.

The PAHAYAG Endof-the-Year survey, conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia, Inc. on December 3-9 and released December 22, found that the OP and IATF-EID topped the list of government agencies that were applauded for their Covid-19 response.

The OP and IATF-EID earned the highest approv-

al scores, which were 67.8 percent and 62.667 percent, respectively.

They were also the only government offices to receive approval ratings beyond 60 percent, according to the poll.

“In the assessment of Covid-19 responses, the Office of the President and the IATF garnered total ap-

proval levels exceeding 60 percent (68 percent and 63 percent, respectively),” the survey read.

Other national agencies with high approval were the departments of science (57.6 percent), social welfare (56.533 percent), health (54.2 percent), labor (54.067 percent), and local government (52.933

percent); the Presidential Communications Operations Office (51.467 percent); and the agriculture department (51.333 percent).

The departments of transportation (50.933 percent), tourism (50.866 percent), and information and communications technology (50.133 percent)

also obtained high approval ratings for their resolve to stop the further spread of Covid-19 in the country, PUBLiCUS noted.

Offices with approval scores below 50 percent were the departments of public works (49.733 percent) and education (48.2 percent); the Sen-

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NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

Mayor Sara issues stern warning after 14 workers defy liqour ban

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Senator Christopher Lawrence Go assures Dabawenyos that Davao City will be among the priority cities that will be given access to Covid-19 vaccine once it is available. Maya Padillo

avao City Mayor Sara Duterte has issued a stern warning against employees of the City Hall who disobey orders on the prohibition on the conduct of Christmas parties and the liquor ban amid the Covid 19 pandemic.

The warning was made following the apprehension of 14 employees of the Davao City City Engineer’s Office while drinking inside the Motor Pool compound in Barangay Maa at 3:45 pm Tuesday.

The ban on the drinking and selling of liquor and other alcoholic beverages was reimposed by Mayor Sara on November 2 and the order will last until December 31.

City Hall has also banned Christmas parties and other non-essential gatherings and activities.

“A stern warning and reminder to all offices not to conduct parties,” said

Mayor Sara Tuesday after receiving the report. “Heads of offices should remind their personnel every day to give honor (by following protocols) to their fellow employees who are hard at work on the Covid-19 frontlines.”

The Davao City Police Office has identified the 14 employees as: 1. Ferdinand Escandor 2. Rolando Cael 3. Victor Taclob 4. Carpio Ortez 5. Fernando Madrigal 6. Darius Lolito Gragasin 7. Ariel Mabilin 8. Uldarico Villarojo 9. Richard Elorde 10. Manuel Cello 11. Nilo Ramones 12. Laymon Estrobo 13. Arjie Pilapil 14. Evan Castillo Mayor Sara ordered the Davao City Human Resource Management Office to “check other penalties aside from liquor ban cases.” CIO

he City Government of Davao has allowed the use of virgin coconut oil (VCO) for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients who are willing to volunteer in the temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TMMFs).

During her live interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5), Mayor Sara Duterte said that that the use of this food supplement will be on “voluntary” basis after receiving a supply of organic VCO from Cotabato-based TreeLife, owned by businessman Jerry Taray, through William Lima, who is a special envoy to China.

“This is not mandatory… VCO is not endorsed by the City Government of Davao. It is made available by a third party to our patients there in TTMFs. It is accessible to them if they want,” she said.

She said the donor of the VCO was referred to the City Health Office to start the “voluntary use” of the food supplement among the willing COVID-19 patients after the local government was assured that the product has been accredited by the Food and Drug Administration.

Results of a study funded by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) showed that compounds from the VCO, a “potential antiviral agent against COVID-19”, decreased coronavirus count by 6090% at low viral load.

The agency added that VCO reportedly helped reduce the symptoms of probable and suspect COVID-19 cases.

In “The Potential of Coconut Oil and its Deriv-

Davao City among priorities T for Covid-19 vaccine: Go

Davao City allows voluntary use of VCO for COVID-19 patients in TTMFs

By MAYA M. PADILLO enator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go assured that Davao City is among the priority cities that will be given access to Covid-19 vaccine when it is available.

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According to him, Davao City is on the priority list identified by vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. that will be given access to the vaccine. Medical frontliners, indigents, senior citizens, vulnerable sector, teachers, and those individuals who go out everyday to work will be ahead on the order of priority.

“Yung mga mahihirap na walang inaaasahan kumita sa pang araw-araw,” Go said in an interview during the distribution of assistance to 352 vendors

of the Carmen Public Market at Carmen Gymnasium in Davao del Norte on Tuesday.

Go said for indigents, they must be beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“Ang instruction ng Pangulo unahin ang 4Ps beneficiaries,” Go said.

It can be recalled that Malacañang assured that 20 million “poorest of the poor” Filipinos will receive free Covid-19 vaccine. The

first priority are the health workers fighting on the front lines against the virus and these include those working in public and private facilities; other public health workers in rural, city and provincial health offices and contact tracers; barangay health workers and other frontliners in national government agencies.

“Pag meron na pong safe na vaccine mauuna ang pinaka mahirap dito sa atong bansa. Yung mga hindi makabili at walang access. Halimbawa dito sa Mindanao, yung nasa bundok wala silang access kung saan kukunin yung vaccine, at wala rin silang pambili,” he added.

Go reminded officials to ensure first the safety and efficacy of the vaccine

he City Government of Davao Airport Health Monitoring Team has scored a total of 21 persons apprehended for presenting tampered RT-PCR results in five months of community quarantine.

This after five (5) travelers were apprehended on Monday, December 22, after presenting tampered RT-PCR results upon arrival at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport.

City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) and Airport Health Monitoring Team Head Gene Rose Tecson did not divulge the names of the passengers who arrived on the same flight from Manila. They are bound for another ptovince.

“Four (4) of them came with fake Philippine Red Cross RT-PCR test result and one (1) with fake result from Philippine Air-

port Diagnostic Laboratory. All of them are not residents of Davao,” Tecson said.

As per airport protocol, all five (5) immediately underwent swab testing but were.immediately handed over to the Sasa Police Station for investigation.

Tecson said that Airport Health Monitoring Team has apprehended a total of 21 air passengers who presented fake RTPCR test results from July when the city started requiring a negative RT-PCR test result upon arrival in the city. The result must be valid at least 48 to 72 hours.

Tecson still expects more passengers who will do such scheme, especially that more people are coming home for the holidays.

With this, the Airport Health Monitoring Team is strengthening its verifica-

tion process to stop such scheme.

Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has been saying that all Davao City-bound passengers who bear tampered RT-PCR test results are people who do not want to wait for their result and go out of the airport immediately. She said it is very dangerous.

“Kanang mga ingani nga mga tao they are really very dangerous, because the fact nga dili sila mo-submit og testing wala ta kahibalo if they are asymptomatic or kung naa man silay simtomas, ginatago nila. Kani sila will cause or become another community transmission nga hinungdan nato (These type of people are really very dangerous because they do not submit to testing and we do not know whether they are asymptomatic or they are hiding their symptoms.

at Filipinos are now scared to get vaccinated.

“Ang attitude ng mga Filipinos ngayon ay “mauna muna kayo magpaturok at mamaya na kami at segurahin muna namin an effective” which is valid and true. Totoo naman na takot ang mga Filipino na magpaturok kung hindi sila segurado sa safety ng vaccine, Kaya palagi ko pong sinasabi si Sec. Galvez na unahin ang safety at efficacy ng vaccine,” Go said.

He also said that it is only Galvez who has been appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to administer the vaccine.

“Siya lang ang accountable at kung may problema at pagkukulang siya lang ang managot sa Pangulo kung vaccine ang pag-uusapan,” Go said.

They will cause or become reasons for another community transmission),” she said.

The mayor has reiterated her reminder to all Davao-bound travelers that the testing at the Davao airport is free and to plan their travel ahead in order to avoid inconvenience.

“We’d like to remind everyone again: there is no need to present a fake RT-PCR result. There is a need to properly plan your travel or your trip so that kung gi-opt ninyo nga diri sa Davao Airport magpatesting and it is free, duna moy saktong oras nga i-allot sa inyohang schedule para sa paghulat sa inyohang test result (so that if you opt to be tested here in Davao Airport and it is free, you have some time to allot the waiting of your result in your schedule),” the mayor said. CIO

Davao City records 21 travelers with fake RT-PCR since August

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Sara to biz owners: implementation of health protocols will be more consistent next year

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o help the business community recover from the onslaught of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic next year, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte assured that the local government of Davao will avoid constantly changing the implementation of health protocols to avoid confusion and disruption of the economy.

During her live interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Monday, she assured local businesses that the enforcement of health regulations will be more stable as changing them arbitrarily could be “disastrous to the businesses.”

Duterte maintained that a city-wide lockdown will be a last-ditch effort to contain the outbreak.

She said the city does not want to keep the city open only to close later on, to stem the spread of the infection.

“We want to make it

stable in a way that protocols are consistent, so that people will not get confused. We want to assure businesses, offices, and establishments that the lockdown will be used only when it is necessary,” the mayor said.

The city reverted to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) from Modified GCQ last November 20 to 30, and has been extended until the end of this year.

To restrict non-essential movements of the locals, the mayor reimposed the 24/7 liquor ban and curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. last October 15. Effective November 20, curfew was revised, from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., while Roxas Night Market was temporarily closed.

Food and medicine pass was restored on November 17, with a subsequent passage of an ordinance at the City Council of Davao last December 15, which sets

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 217 • THURSDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24-26, 2020

SSS contribution rate to increase to 13% of salary in Jan. 2021

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Mati City Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat meets some of the farmers that were affected by the typhoon and El Nino during the 1st and 2nd quarters in the City of Mati this year who were given cash insurance by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC). MATI CIO

Agriculture losses due to ‘Vicky’ totals P111M T he Department of Agriculture said Wednesday Tropical Depression Vicky caused a total of P111.01 million in agricultural damage and losses after it hit parts of Visayas and Mindanao over the weekend, affecting farmlands and fishing areas.

The DA said Wednesday around 15,933 farmers and fisherfolk were affected, covering 19,846 hectares of agricultural areas, while the volume of production loss was at 942 metric tons.

The typhoon affected

farms of rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock and fisheries in the Cagayan Valley, Davao and CARAGA regions, as reported by the regions to the DA. The department is coordinating with agencies,

Globe to speed up cell site works in 24 areas

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lobe Telecom on Tuesday lauded several local government units (LGU) for their one-stop permit shops, allowing the company to fast-track its improvement of services in underserved locations.

In a statement, Globe said these LGUs are in Palawan, Nueva Ecija, Negros Oriental, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Cebu, Quezon, Batangas, Bulacan and Ifugao.

“Palawan has the most LGUs with one-stop shops with five--namely El Nido, Coron, Brooke’s Point, Bataraza and Aborlan-which have made it easier and faster for Globe to process its applications to install new cell sites in their municipalities,” Globe said.

Nueva Ecija and Oriental Mindoro, it said, each have four towns with their own one-stop permit shops—in Licab, Munoz, Cabiao, and Talavera in Nueva Ecija; and in Calapan, Puerto Galera, Bulala-

cao, and Pola in Oriental Mindoro.

“Negros Oriental has two progressive LGUs--Dumaguete City and Tanjay City while Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay; Toledo City in Cebu; Norzagaray in Bulacan; Lucena in Quezon; Balayan in Batangas; Mamburao in Occidental Mindoro; San Juan City in Metro Manila; and Alfonso Luna in Ifugao have also joined the list of LGUs that are very supportive of Globe’s cell tower installations,” Globe said.

Joel Agustin, Globe senior vice president for program delivery, network technical group, thanked these 24 LGUs for “complementing” Globe’s efforts in expanding its mobile network in their respective areas.

“We are hoping that these LGUs will inspire others to support and be with us in bringing better, more enjoyable, and accessible

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local government units and disaster risk reduction and management offices for the needed assistance to communities, and the ongoing monitoring of possible damages in the agri-fisheries sector.

Affected farmers and fishermen will be provided with seed reserves for crops, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry, and fingerlings and equipment for fisheries from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

The DA said those af-

fected could access agricultural loans from the Survival and Recovery (SURE) program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council.

An indemnification fund from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp can also pay for the losses incurred to help farmers and fishermen, it added.

Tropical Depression Vicky claimed at least 8 lives after its onslaught during the weekend, leaving parts of the country flooded and causing landslides.

embers of the Social Security System (SSS) should brace for higher monthly contributions next year from 12% to 13% as the state-run pension fund pushes through with the premium hike effective January 2021.

In a statement on Wednesday, the SSS said the scheduled increase next year in the monthly contribution of its members will ensure the longterm viability of the pension fund and increase the benefits to be enjoyed by them and their beneficiaries.

The pension fund said the full implementation by 2025 of the restructured rates and other reforms set in Republic Act (RA) No. 11199 or the Social Security Act (SSA) of 2018 will offset the financial impact of the P1,000 increase in the monthly pension of all member-pensioners that was implemented in 2017.

The premium hike to 13% from the current 12% of members’ respective salaries, shall not exceed the prescribed maximum monthly salary credit (MSC).

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III expressed hope that SSS members would see their higher monthly contributions as their savings and safety net against the future hazards of sickness, maternity, disability, unemployment, old age, death, and other contingencies resulting to loss of income or financial burden for them and their beneficiaries.

Dominguez pointed out that the restructuring of the SSS contribution rate, along with the minimum and maximum MSCs and the other provisions of RA No. 11199, will “ensure the long-term viabili-

ty of the SSS Fund, expand its coverage and provide more and higher benefits for its current and future members and their beneficiaries.”

The MSC is the determining factor for contributions and benefits, which is based on the member’s monthly earnings.

“Upon full implementation in 2025, the reforms under the SSA of 2018 will offset the adverse financial impact of the P1,000 pension increase granted in 2017,” the Finance chief said.

Through the SSA of 2018, the SSS last year introduced the Unemployment Benefit for members involuntarily separated from their jobs, and extended the MSC cap for the computation of benefits to P20,000.

The upgrade in the MSC cap, meanwhile, increased the amount of benefits that members and/or their beneficiaries are entitled to receive, such as sickness, maternity, unemployment, retirement, disability, death, and funeral.

“Any drop in collections may lead to cash flow and liquidity issues.

This could endanger the SSS’ ability to provide its members and their beneficiaries with benefits and loan privileges,” Dominguez said.

However, he assured the public that “the SSS’ investments are well-managed and has allowed the pension fund to respond to the needs of members despite the drop in collections during the pandemic.”

From January to October 2020, the SSS disbursed a total of P159.47 billion in social security and employees’ compensation benefits to 3.56

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SIARGAO RAINBOWS. Two rainbows suddenly appear after a squall hits Barangay Caub in Del Carmen town in Siargao Island Tuesday afternoon (22 December 2020). MindaNews photo by ROEL N. CATOTO

VOL.13 ISSUE 217 • THURSDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24-26, 2020

EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY 5

PLDT, Smart secure ‘record’ Aeon Towers welcomes permits in 2nd half of 2020 owners this holiday season P

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omegrown developer Aeon Luxe Properties, Inc. ended the year 2020 with a series of turnover ceremonies for Aeon Towers residential clients.

There were ceremonial events every week this month of December that were held at Club Aeon lounge Area of Aeon Towers. All of the attending condo owners have

officially received their turnover kit including the keys of their units.

The condo owners also had a quick visit to take a look at the final finish of their chosen units

that has the breathtaking views of the city skyline and Samal Island.

Residents were briefed about the house rules and construction guidelines by the Property Manager for a more in-depth discussion and well-coordinated move-in process.

Aeon Towers management is very much excited for the condo owners to

AboitizPower continues to boost support for government hospitals

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s the year draws to a close, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are still felt despite almost a full year of grappling against the virus. The pandemic has brought the world into a new normal where digital interactions become the norm, and where frontliners have been forced into high gear to cope with the ever rising number of confirmed cases.

While circumstances may have forced people to be physically distant, the pandemic has spurred people and organizations to come together and collaborate more closely than ever before. An ex-

ample of this is the public-private partnership between AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc. (TSI), Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. with the Provincial Government of Davao del Sur to improve the facilities of Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital (DSPH).

DSPH, wracked by both strong earthquakes in 2019 and then the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, is one of the largest government hospitals in the area, catering to patients even from outside Davao del Sur. As a part of Year 1 of a 3-year program for the Hospital, TSI donated a semi-permanent

triage, public address system, and voiceover internet phone (VoIP) communication system to help reduce foot traffic within and around the Hospital, thereby minimizing the risks of exposure to communicable diseases.

These projects were identified with the help of the Provincial Health Office headed by Dr. Jonna Masongsong. For the course of three years, TSI will be working together with the Province to identify priority projects to support the improvement of quality healthcare in Davao del Sur. “The Provincial Gov-

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move-in to their units this 2021.

These turnover ceremonies are spearheaded by the Aeon Luxe executives—Vice President for Sales and Marketing Almira Mariano, Vice President for Operations Engr.

Daniel Manalo, Sales Admin Manager Luis Dollesin and Project Development Manager Jester Hospital.

LDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart have secured a record number of permits to build and upgrade cell sites in the second half of 2020 following the signing of the Anti-Red Tape Authority’s (ARTA) Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) on streamlining permits for common towers.

In a statement on Tuesday, PLDT-Smart said over 2,500 permits to build cell sites were secured by Smart alone,

POWER TO RECOVER. AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc. (TSI) and Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. in partnership with the Provincial Government of Davao del Sur recently turned over a semi-permanent triage and installed a communication system for Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital (DSPH). In photo (L-R): DSPH

with an additional 4,000 permits secured by PLDT. “As of November, Smart has also increased the number of its base stations to over 58,000, increasing the number of base stations by 20 percent compared to end-2019. Smart has also rolled out additional 5G sites as it accelerates its 5G commercial services nationwide,” PLDT-Smart said.

Alfredo Panlilio, Smart president, CEO, and

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Chief of Hospital Dr. Boni Vosotros; Provincial Health Officer Dr. Jonna Masongsong; Vice Governor Marc Douglas Cagas; AboitizPower AVP for External Relations Jason Magnaye; Board Member Arvin Malaza; TSI Representative JK Huyatid.

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 217 • THURSDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24-26, 2020

On the forecast supported by the Department of Health (DOH) that around 1,000 cases or more is expected to happen in the next two weeks if cases will not be controlled during the Christmas holidays:

We are expecting a surge or Christmas surge ug dili ta puwede mu-kumpyansa ... Hinaut unta dili but we have to be prepared for that because base sa forecast we could add up as much as around 1,000 cases or more in the next two weeks kung dili ma-pugngan ang surge. Credible ni nga forecast and this is good and advantageous to us because we could easily determine kung asa ta padulong next week or month.”

Dr. Ashley Lopez

Focal person of Davao City Covid-19 Task Force

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VOL.13 ISSUE 217 • THURSDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24-26, 2020

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VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

WHAT CHRISTMAS REALLY MEANS “I do come home at Christmas,” Charles Dickens – the man who wrote A Christmas Carol – once said. “We all do, or we all should. We all come home, or ought to come home, for a short holiday – the longer, the better – from the great boarding school where we are forever working at our arithmetical slates, to take, and give a rest.”

But what do you tell your children about Christmas?

What do you understand about Christmas? Is Christmas all about giving and receiving presents? Or is it about Christmas trees and Santa Claus?

Why am I asking those questions? Well, I received an email from a friend. I am not sure if he wrote it or the story was forwarded to him, but it made me ponder: What is the true meaning of Christmas?

Please read the story below before answering the question: Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my

surprise, Santa himself stepped out next to the fireplace.

“What are you doing?” I inquired. The words choked up in my throat and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement: “Teach the children…”

I was puzzled. What did Santa Claus mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said again, “Teach the children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas, the meaning that modern Christmas has forgotten.”

Santa Claus then reached in his bag and pulled out a fir tree and placed it before the mantle.

He explained, “Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man’s thoughts turning toward heaven.”

Father Christmas again reached into his bag and pulled

out a brilliant star. “Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago,” he said. “God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise.”

Then Santa Claus reached into his bag once more and pulled out a candle. “Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness,” he said.

Once again Santa Claus reached into his bag and removed a wreath and placed it on the tree. “Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love,” he said.

“Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection.”

Santa Claus then pulled from his bag an ornament of himself. “Teach the children that I, Santa Claus, symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December,” he pointed out.

He then brought out a holly leaf and then explained, “Teach the children that the holly plant represents immor-

tality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent the blood shed by Him.” Next Santa Claus pulled from his bag a gift and said, “Teach the children that God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son.” (Please read John 3:16.)

Santa Claus then reached in his bag and pulled out a candy cane and hung it on the tree. “Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds’ crook,” he said.

“The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother’s keeper.”

Father Christmas reached in again and pulled out an angel: “Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior’s birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men.”

Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a bell. “Teach the children,” he said, “that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring

mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.”

Santa Claus looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He reminded, “Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship him, our Lord, our God.” This reminds me of the words of Frank McKibben.

“This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols,” he wrote.

“But the humble heart that receives a new wondrous gift – the Christ.”

To end this piece, allow me to quote the words of an author: “Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display-so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn’t the holly, it isn’t the snow. It isn’t the tree, not the firelight’s glow. It’s the warmth that comes to the hearts of men when the Christmas spirit returns again.”

Merry Christmas to everyone!

DENNIS R. GORECHO PINOY MARINO RIGHTS

STARRY, STARRY NIGHT Astronomy fans eagerly waited for the appearance of the so-called Christmas Star or Star of Bethlehem on December 21, 2020, which coincidentally is my natal day.

On this day, Jupiter and Saturn appeared closer to each other.

It is called a “great conjunction” because Jupiter and Saturn are the two largest planets in the Solar System, and to the naked eye they will look like a single bright star during this “celestial summit meeting.”

One of the more popular theories for the “Christmas Star” was that it was part of a series of conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn in 7 BC wherein these planets met not once but three times that year (in May, September and December).

In Christian belief, the Christmas star is found within the New Testament only in the Gospel of Matthew.

The Christmas Star led the three wise men (Magi) to Jesus’ home in the town in Bethlehem where they worshiped him and gave him gifts.

The wise men were then given a divine warning not to return to Herod, so they travelled back home by a different route.

For seafarers, stars also played special roles in their profession through the socalled celestial navigation.

Considered as one of the oldest practices in human history, celestial navigation is the art and science of finding one’s way by the celestial bodies of the sun, moon, stars, and planets.

Hundreds of years ago, early mariners traversed the open sea using only their eyes and the stars.

They tracked the movement of stars across the night sky and knew the positions of constellations during every season.

Their extensive knowledge of celestial bodies allowed them to cross large spans of open water with confidence.

It is the use of angular measurements (sights) between celestial bodies and the visible horizon to locate one’s position in the world, on land

as well as at sea.

At a given time, any celestial body is located directly over one point on the earth’s surface.

Knowing the position of the star in the sky, the measure of the angle between the horizon of the observer and the star, using a sextant, is enough to determine the observer’s position in latitude and longitude.

For thousands of years, brave sailors and explorers relied on Polaris, or the North Star, as an excellent fixed point for navigation, especially during turbulent times and rough seas.

The North Star is located almost directly above the North Pole and does not change position in the sky.

In the Northern Hemisphere, mariners could determine the latitude by measuring the altitude of the North Star above the horizon.

Depending on which constellations are visible in the sky Seafarers can easily find true north by locating the North Star.

Balangay is one of the

most ancient boats in the Philippines that used celestial navigation.

It is a type of lashed-lug boat built by joining planks edge-to-edge using pins, dowels, and fiber lashings.

The Filipino balangay was used largely as trading ships up until the colonial era.

It was navigated by the old method used by the ancient mariners – steering by the sun, the stars, the wind, cloud formations, wave patterns and bird migrations.

If my natal day December 21 this year is associated with the Christmas star, on the other hand , it was considered as the doomsday in 2012, or eight years ago, when believers expected that cataclysmic or transformative events would occur.

An ancient Mayan prophecy associated the doomsday to a mysterious planet on a collision course with Earth, or a reverse in Earth’s rotation.

It was linked to the end of one of the cycles in the ancient Mayan calendar at the winter solstice in 2012 - hence the

predicted doomsday date of December 21, 2012.

It is said that a person’s destiny is written in the stars.

I was born under the zodiac sign Sagittarius (November 23 and December 21) which is the ninth astrological sign associated with the constellation Sagittarius.

Greek mythology associates Sagittarius with the centaur Chiron, who mentored Achilles, a Greek hero of the Trojan War, in archery.

Also known as the Archer, Sagittarius is represented by the symbol of a bow and arrow.

Half human and half horse, Sagittarius is the centaur of mythology, the learned healer whose higher intelligence forms a bridge between Earth and Heaven.

May the guiding stars keep the voyages of our brave Filipino seafarers safe.

Atty. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez. com or call 09175025808 or 09088665786

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VOL.13 ISSUE 217 • THURSDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24-26, 2020

Pandemic gets people interested in gardening, farming

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO t all started in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. By January 22, the novel coronavirus was already reported in the Philippines. But what Filipinos thought to be another Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) – that it would just dissipate in time – it never happened. Instead, 633 cases were already reported by March 1.

I

Because of this, President Rodrigo R. Duterte placed Luzon in a lockdown by March 12.

Airports were closed.

Shopping malls likewise stopped doing business.

Only very few offices were in operation.

Thereafter, the whole country was under enhanced community quarantine. Among the measures employed were checkpoints for checking the motivation for travel, banning of public events, closure of commercial and retail businesses, and closure of schools and universities.

Unheard words like contact tracing, swab test, and food pass became the norm. Health protocols – hand washing, wearing of face mask and face shield, and physical distancing – were imposed. It was as if the country stood still.

Everyone was completely caught by surprise.

After all, the last time the world experienced a pandemic was in 1918 when 500 million people – about one-third of the world’s population then – were infected with a flu virus (H1N1 with genes of avian origin). People thought it would never happen again as medical science has completely advanced and become modernized.

In the beginning, Filipinos didn’t know what to do. But in due time, some

were already something worthwhile like cooking.

Ornamentals To beat boredom and depression, there were others who tried their hands on collecting and growing ornamentals.

Studies have shown that flowers and ornamentals increase levels of positive energy and help people feel secure and relaxed.

“I don’t have work anymore. Instead of doing nothing, I turn to growing flowers and ornamentals in our homeyard,” says Jeannyline T. Arriaga, a mother of two who used to work in an office. But due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), she was among those who lost their jobs.

The blooming flowers gave her something to look forward to every time she wakes up every morning.

“Those colorful flowers in different shapes are the perfect morning pick-meup for me.”

As ornamental growing became popular, there are those who ventured into ornamental business.

In fact, some women go to other areas just to buy ornamentals which they don’t have. Prices range from P100 to 10,000. Rare species are even more expensive – from P20,000 to P50,000.

There are those who think that growing ornamentals is a wrong move.

“Instead, why don’t they grow crops?” they suggested.

Their reason: more people are getting hungry. Pandemic brings hard times, worsening hunger, they pointed out.

So much so that some Filipinos pursued vegetable gardening.

“More than a month after growing, I was able

harvest vegetables from my garden,” says Generoso T. Dangalio, a retired chief mechanic who grows tomato, eggplant, ampalaya, alugbati, and kangkong in his backyard.

Instead of going to the public market to buy vegetables, his 60-year-old wife can now get vegetables when she needs them.

Aside from saving money,

it spares her from mingling with people (thus avoid contracting the dreaded virus).

Dangalio is not alone.

Some of his neighbors are doing the same thing.

“We don’t know when this pandemic will end,” says Marcelo B. Madera, a 35-year-old bank executive who reports for work only three times a week.

“It’s better to grow vegetables in our home yard.”

Urban agriculture Most people grow vegetables in the rural areas.

But even people living in the cities are growing vegetables and fruits.

“Vegetables and fruits are more nutritious,” explains Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar when asked about the relevance of urban agriculture in the times of pandemic. As such, they help “build up the immune systems of individuals.”

The Department of Agriculture promoted urban agriculture, particularly in Metro Manila, to ensure household food security. “We need to promote proper implementation of urban agriculture in the metropolis so that when there is tightening of food supply from the provinces there will be enough in the urban as well,” pointed out Dr. Dar, who has been

advocating the importance of urban agriculture even before the COVID-19 happened.

This was also true in other cities in the country which rely much of their supplies of vegetables and fruits from neighboring provinces and towns. “We need to explore all strategies to ensure that food productivity, availability and sufficiency is attained, particularly in this challenging time,” said the agriculture chief.

While most establishments were closed, farming continues. The Philippines is an agricultural country and farmers continue tilling their farms.

Farming is among the most viable livelihoods in the time of pandemic.

“The Philippines’ agriculture sector has shown some resilience in the face of COVID-19,” observes Ndiame Diop, the World Bank’s country director for the Philippines. “Despite the difficulties brought about by the pandemic, the agriculture and fisheries sector grew by 1.6 percent in the second quarter of the year. It’s the only sector to grow during the period.”

“Farming didn’t stop when pandemic struck the country,” agrees Jethro P. Adang, the director of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation, Inc. based in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. Goat raising MBRLC, originator of some sustainable farming systems, trains people who come to the center. “Even during the pandemic, we continue our training programs for farmers,” says Adang.

One of those which sent trainees to MBRLC was the National Dairy Authority, which wants to upgrade the goat raising system in the Southern Mindanao. MBRLC is touted to be Davao del Sur’s goat center.

Instead of the usual 30

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ate (47.933 percent), the Commission on Higher Education (47.4 percent); the Supreme Court (46.8 percent), the National Economic and Development Authority (46.2 percent), the budget department (44.867 percent), and the House of Representatives (43.066 percent).

The Office of the Vice President obtained the lowest total approval score of 41 percent, based on the survey.

“Most of the agencies that scored approval levels below 50 percent can be viewed to be policy centric,” PUBLiCUS said.

About 1,500 respondents were interviewed for the independent and non-commissioned poll conducted by PUBLiCUS. Covid still a ‘very dangerous threat’ The same survey found that respondents still considered Covid-19 as a “very dangerous” threat.

Thus, they believed that they should continue observing the Covid-19 health safety protocols imposed by the government despite the easing of nationwide community quarantine.

Respondents said they were willing to keep practicing the frequent use

of alcohol or sanitizers (99.172 percent), frequent hand washing (99.021 percent), physical distancing (97.59 percent), and use of face masks and shields in public spaces (96.988 percent).

They also agreed to limit physical contact (96.084 percent), the time spent in malls and grocery stores (92.395 percent), the time spent in restaurants (92.319 percent), and faceto-face meetings (89.533 percent) amid the pandemic.

During the holiday season, respondents also opted to simplify gather-

ings with the family (63.47 percent), cancel Christmas parties with friends (62.2 percent), cancel Christmas reunions with family (57.4 percent), reduce their budget for firecrackers (49.13 percent), reduce their budget for Christmas gifts (44.87 percent), and avoid going to church for Simbang Gabi (42.6 percent).

They also sought to reduce their budget for Noche Buena (38.73 percent), reduce their budget for the New Year’s Eve celebration (37.73 percent), and avoid going to church for Christmas Mass (63.53). (PNA)

atives as Effective and Safe Antiviral Agents Against the Novel Coronavirus (nCoV-2019)” published on ADMU’s website, Dr. Fabian Antonio Dayrit, a chemistry professor, and Dr. Mary T. Newport, a neonatologist from Florida, explained “that lauric and monolaurin, its derivative, have been known for many years to have significant

antiviral activity.”

“Lauric acid is a medium-chain fatty acid which makes up about 50% of coconut oil; monolaurin is a metabolite that is naturally produced by the body’s own enzymes upon ingestion of coconut oil and is also available in pure form as a supplement. Sodium lauryl sulfate, a common surfactant that is made

from lauric acid, has been shown to have potent antiviral properties. Lauric acid, monolaurin, and sodium lauryl sulfate (which is also known as sodium dodecyl sulfate) are used in a wide range of products for their antiviral properties,” the study reads.

As of December 21, Department of Health-Davao reported a total of 11,592

COVID-19 cases in the region, with 1,915 active, 9,219 recoveries, and 458 deaths.

Of the total cases, Davao City reported 8,159, Davao de Oro with 575, Davao del Norte with 1,391, Davao del Sur with 832, Davao Occidental with 122, and Davao Oriental with 513.

(Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

million members and beneficiaries, representing a decrease of 2.6 and 4.8%, respectively, from the benefits released in the same period last year.

This decline is a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the number of benefit disbursements from late March to May. However, benefit disbursements to SSS members and their beneficiaries started to slowly recover or increase in the following months with the easing of quarantine restrictions and continuous digitization of the SSS system.

SSS member loan releases from January to November 2020 totaled P58.03 billion for 3.20 million members, a respective increase of 54.5% from P20.48 billion and 76.7% from 1.39 million members in the same period last year.

Pension loan releases from January to Novem-

ber 2020 reached P3.17 billion combined for 69,813 retiree-pensioners, an increase of 61% or P1.20 billion and 11.5% or7,210 pensioners, respectively.

With many workers being unemployed as a result of the no-workno-pay policy or the reduced working arrangements arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the SSS said contribution collections from January to October 2020 totaled only P169.73 billion, or a decrease of 5.4% from the P179.34 billion collected in the same period last year.

For employed members, land-based OFW members in countries with Bilateral Labor Agreements with the Philippines, and sea-based OFW members, the additional one percent will be divided equally between them and their employers, bringing the contribution rate breakdown to 8.5%

for their employers and 4.5% for them, according to the pension fund.

The SSS said the minimum MSC will be raised to P3,000 from P2,000 except for Kasambahay and OFW members whose minimum MSC will remain at P1,000 and P8,000, respectively, while the maximum MSC will be at P25,000 from P20,000.

The SSS said it will also open a Worker’s Investment and Savings Program (WISP) for the portion of member contributions in excess of the P20,000 MSC up to the prescribed maximum MSC of P25,000.

For example, under the P25,000 MSC, a member who will be paying the new monthly contribution of 13% rate will actually shell out P3,250, of which P2,600 will go to the Regular Social Security Fund (RSSF) and the remaining P650 to the WISP, it said.

The WISP will mean additional pension in-

come to members contributing under it.

The pension fund noted its total portfolio was designed to be ready for certain liquidity challenges such as the current decline in collections resulting from COVID-19 or the higher demand for calamity loans from natural disasters.

In the third quarter, for instance, the SSS said it accessed its investments in government securities for the higher liquidity needs to fund calamity loans of its members.

SSS calamity loans accounted for 52.3% of the total amount of member loan releases from January to November 2020.

“The SSS expects to further improve its financial performance and have better collections in the years ahead as the economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic and regains its pre-COVID growth momentum,” Dominguez said.

ernment of Davao del Sur extends our gratitude to Therma South and Aboitiz Foundation because in the course of this 3-year program, Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital will receive six million worth of projects from them. That is already a big help to the hospital and the Province of Davao del Sur,” said Vice Governor Marc Douglas

Cagas during the turnover ceremony last December 9, 2020.

In Davao City, AboitizPower also recently turned over 13 air-conditioned tents to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), which can accommodate 52 persons as a holding facility for COVID-19 patients. The project aimed to help

address the congestion of COVID-19 patients in SPMC. 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 Manage-

ment (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.

participants per training group, only10 people were able to attend the hand-on training at the center. “Prior to training, the participants are required to submit the COVID-19 health checklist form,” says Janoz S. Laquihon, the team leader and community organizer of the NDA program.

MBRLC is one of the

top agritourism destinations in Davao Region. Despite the pandemic, people still come to the center.

“Most of those who come are farmers,” Adang says.

“They buy assorted vegetable seeds which they plant in their farms.”

Non-farmers come to the center to buy goat’s milk. “Before the pandem-

ic, we had a hard time selling our milk. We were surprised that after a month since the pandemic started, we were running out of milk. The reason, we found, is that more people were drinking fresh milk to boost their immune system.”

While COVID-19 brought many miseries

to people, it has in a way also brought out the best in some by thriving during the hard times.

“More than just a buffer, agriculture can clearly play an important role in the economic recovery in the Philippines as it works to gain back the ground it lost during the pandemic,” said Diop in a statement.

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9

PH suspends flights from UK Dec. 24-31

T

he Philippines is temporarily banning flights from the United Kingdom from December 24 to 31 due to concerns over the spread of a new variant of SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), emerging in the UK. President Rodrigo Duterte approved the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution 90 as part of efforts to prevent the entry of a new variant of SARS-COV-2 in the country.

“The implementation of proactive measures is necessary to ensure the utmost protection of the health of the Filipino people,” the resolution read.

Under the resolution, all passengers who have been to the UK within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, including those merely in transit, are also temporarily restricted from entering the country in the same period.

Passengers already in transit from the UK and all those who have been to the UK within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, who arrive before 12:01 a.m. of December 24, will not be subject to entry restriction but will be required to undergo stricter quarantine and testing protocols.

Such protocols include the observation of an absolute 14-day quarantine period at the Athlete’s Village in the New Clark City, notwithstanding a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) test result.

Outbound travel to the UK will likewise be subject

to the exit protocols of the Philippines and the UK. Last December 22, the Department of Health (DOH) Technical Advisory Group, the Philippine Genome Center, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office convened to discuss the reported new variant of coronavirus and later submitted recommendations to the DOH. More than 40 countries have shut their borders to the UK due to fears over the new coronavirus strain spreading 70 percent faster than others.

UK researchers discovered the variant after collecting samples from infected people in southeastern England.

Large parts of southeast England, including London, are under a new, stricter level of restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus.

Australia, Denmark, and the Netherlands have identified cases of the variant in their countries.

On Monday, BioNTech Chief Executive Ugur Sahin said he was confident a Covid-19 vaccine co-developed by his company would be effective against a variant of the coronavirus that has emerged in the UK. According to the WHO, laboratory studies are ongoing to determine whether these variant viruses have different biological properties or alter vaccine efficacy.

It said there is not enough information at present to determine if this variant is associated with any change in the severity of the clinical disease, antibody response, or vaccine efficacy. (PNA)

guidelines of its implementation and prescribes penalties against violators.

As of December 21, Department of Health-Davao reported a total of 11,592 COVID-19 cases in the region, with 1,915 active, 9,219 recoveries, and 458

deaths.

Of the total cases, Davao City reported 8,159, Davao de Oro with 575, Davao del Norte with 1,391, Davao del Sur with 832, Davao Occidental with 122, and Davao Oriental with 513. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

talk, SMS, and data services to more Filipinos in 2021,” Agustin said.

Earlier in December, Globe said Makati, Manila, Marikina, Calamba City in Laguna, Tagaytay City in Cavite, and Legazpi City in Albay were the first LGUs to

set up their one-stop-shop for permitting requirements of telecommunication companies.

If more LGUs ease up on their permitting requirements, Globe hopes to install 2,000 cell towers in 2021. (PNA)

PLDT chief revenue officer, thanked the government for “making it easier” for the company to expand its reach and build out its network.

"Despite the challenges of Covid-19 and the lockdowns, we managed to ramp up our network rollout, with the help of government,” Panlilio said.

To date, it said Smart has over 10,000 cell sites in the country, 700 of which were installed by the end of 2020 despite the restrictions and

challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, PLDT’s fiber infrastructure now spans 422,000 kilometers and is projected to reach 48 percent of the country’s cities and municipalities by the end of the year.

From 2015 to 2019, PLDT’s investments in capital expenditures (CAPEX) has reached PHP 260 billion, with the company’s CAPEX for 2020 alone projected to reach at least PHP70 billion. (PNA)

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10 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO VOL.13 ISSUE 217 • THURSDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24-26, 2020

(Left to right) Heleina So, Liam Lin and Robert Dayanan Jr. (AAK Davao photo)

SMASHING PERFORMANCE

AAK Davao karatekas deliver 7 golds in E-Kata tilt

A

ssociation for the Advancement of Karatedo (AAK) Davao City Chapter delivered another coup d'grace during the pandemic era after winning second place overall in the recent 2020 Karate Pilipinas E-Kata Championships.

Karate Pilipinas Region XI director Rommel Tan, AAK-Davao recently announced that AAK Davao garnered a total of seven gold medals on top of three silvers and five bronze medals to place a close second behind overall champion SKO-Cebu City (Sports Karate Organization) which raked in eight golds, one silver and one bronze.

Seven-year-old prodigy Heleina So of Davao Christian High School led AAK Davao medalists after she ruled the 7 years-old and under girls division. The gold mesal was So’s second straight gilt after capping the same feat last month in the 3rd Annual Karate Hakuakai Philippines Championship Online Karate E-Kata International tournament.

“We are proud of Heleina’s performance in both tournaments, scoring back-to-back gold medals. She only started for almost a year and yet prove she has the potential at her age,” Tan said.

Heleina's father, Dexter So, the president of the Davao City Sports Council Inc. said: “She diligently practices at home with the online kata classes of AAK Davao under coach Rommel, her performance in

both tournaments makes us proud of her."

The other gold medalists were Robert Dayanan Jr. (8-9 years-old intermediate boys) and Liam Japheth Lim (10-11 novice boys) of Davao Christian High, Vryzse Krebs (7 years-old and under intermediate girls), Julius Ilava (14-15 years-old novice boys), national training pool member Aldren Solon (14-15 intermediate boys) and Christopher Cagandahan (14-15 advance boys).

Contributing the silver medals were John Philip Cagandahan (16-17 advance kata boys), Freya Davis (1415 intermediate girls) and Mariette Gubantes (12-13 girls novice kata) while Eaia Ching (8-9 years-old intermediate girls), Jamie Danielle Nirza (14-15 intermediate girls), Jared Dale Nirza (16-17 intermediate kata), Zacchary Subang (8-9 novice kata boys) and national training pool member Stephen James Cartagena (16-17 intermediate kata boys) delivered the bronze medals.

“I thank the parents for the support for our on-line training. We have to adjust to the new normal until we are allowed for the face to face classes,” Tan said.