Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 48 |Saturday, June 6, 2020

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VOL.13 ISSUE 48 • SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

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Jail facilities in Davao Region free from COVID-19: BJMP 11

STORY ON PAGE 2

A taxi driver delivers food to a customer along E. Quirino Avenue in Davao City on Friday.

Dabawenyos can now get food and other commodities through Food-to-Go delivery, a collaboration between SM Lanang Premier and Southern Maligaya Taxi, Inc. amid COVID-19 pandemic. Edge Davao

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VOL.13 ISSUE 48 • SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

COVID-19-FREE JAILS

Jail facilities in Davao Region free from COVID-19: BJMP 11

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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ail facilities in Davao Region are free of COVID-19, according to a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology 11 (BJMP 11) official.

Jail Inspector Edo Lobenia, spokesperson of BJMP 11, said jail facilities in the region have zero cases

of COVID-19 including Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL).

As of June 2020, there are 4,427 PDL

jail population in Davao Region: 229 PDL in Montevista District Jail; 332 PDL in Panabo City District Jail; 81 PDL in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) City Jail; 232 PDL in the male dorm and 41 PDL in the female dorm of Tagum

Department of Health (DOH) Under Secretary Abdullah B. Dumama Jr. (second from right), DOH Assitant Secretary Roy Ferrer (rightmost), DOH 11 director Annabelle P. Yumang (second from left), DOH 11 assistant regional director Lenny Joy Rivera (leftmost), Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) chief of hospital Dr. Leopoldo

City Jail; 670 PDL in the male dorm ans 42 PDL in the female dorm of Digos City District Jail; 1,924 PDL in the male dorm and 292 in the female dorm of Davao City Jail (main) ; 528 PDL in Davao City Jail annex; and 56 PDL in Lupon District Jail.

Lobenia said as early as March this year jail facilities are put in a lockdown and visitations are prohibited to prevent contracting the virus.

“Kung bakit wala kaming kaso sa COVID-19 ay dahil sa mga pag-implement ng mga pol-

icies at protocols,” he said in a virtual presser on Thursday.

He also said health screening area is being set up at the gates of the facilities.

“We also monitor the health of the PDL every now and then,” he said.

Vega (third from left) turn over cheques worth P1,000,000 each as cash assistance to the families and loved ones of health workers who succumbed to COVID-19 in Davao Region. Photo courtesy of DOH 11

Foreign investments in R11 down by 97.6%

Additional P201-M US aid to Covid-19 fight in Mindanao A

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he United States embassy in the Philippines said on Friday it will give an additional PHP201 million or USD4 million aid to support the vulnerable population in Mindanao affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

This brings Washington's total assistance to the Philippines to over PHP978 million or approximately USD19.5

million.

The funding, to be implemented by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to reach over 100,000 persons with distributions of essential hygiene supplies, handwashing stations as well as promote hygiene to reduce transmission risk.

The aid agency will also continue providing water supply in transitory sites in Lanao

del Sur for families displaced by the Marawi Siege and in North Cotabato for earthquake-affected communities.

Last Tuesday, Ambassador Sung Kim met virtually with Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) officials led by Chief Minister Ahod ‘Al Haj Murad’ Ebrahim.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the BARMM lead-

ership to discuss challenges and present its Covid-19 contingency plan.

“In these trying times, I am inspired by the resilience and courage of the Filipino people,” said Kim. “The United States and the Philippines have met and overcome many challenges together, and I am confident that working together we will overcome this challenge as well.” (PNA)

pproved foreign investments in Davao Region for the first quarter of 2020 decreased by 97.6% amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, according to the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA).

Based on the data released by the PSA, the region, considered the gateway of Mindanao, reported that fresh foreign investments that entered from January to March 2020 totaled only P4.6 million from P189.5 million recorded in the same period of

2019.

The Davao Region, composed of the provinces of Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental and Davao Oriental and the cities of Davao, Panabo, Samal, Tagum, Digos and Mati, recorded foreign investments of P1.823 billion last year.

Meanwhile, the foreign investments in the Soccsksargen skyrocketed to P3.416 billion in the first quarter this year against P87.3 million in the same period

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NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 48 • SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

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Mati LGU new Covid-19 facility now operational

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ollowing the signing of a memorandum for the free use of the Milagrosa Retreat Center by City of Mati Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat and Mati Clergy, the facility has been serving accommodation to PUM, suspected and probable cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

The blessing ceremony happened Friday, June 5, officiated by Mati Bishop Abel Apigo attended by limited

BARMM receives medical supplies, equipment from NTF

Mati Bishop Abel Apigo officiates the blessing of Mati City’s new Covid facility on Friday. Mati CIO

Probe on 155 village execs over SAP mess ongoing: DILG

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he Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday said it continues to look into the circumstances surrounding the 155 barangay (village) chiefs and officials allegedly involved in irregularities on the distribution of the social amelioration program (SAP).

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said of this number, complaints against three village officials have been referred to the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Tuloy tuloy po Mr. President ‘yung pag-iimbestiga natin at maraming pangalan dumadating sa amin ang sabi ko nga po mga Kapitan mga nilagay kamag-anak o miyem-

bro ng pamilya doon sa listahan ng nakatanggap, pati na rin po mga nadoble, tuloy-tuloy (Mr. President, our investigation is ongoing and we have been getting many names.

These include barangay officials who included their relatives or family members in the list of SAP beneficiaries. Even those who got double, we are looking into

73.5% of LGUs complete 1st tranche of SAP liquidation

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he distribution of the second tranche of the social amelioration program (SAP) will soon start as 944 local government units (LGUs) have liquidated the first tranche, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Thursday.

“257 LGUs are finishing up their liquidation reports so in total we have 73.5 percent,” DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said in a Laging Handa press briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).

He said a total of PHP99.7 billion worth of cash subsidies under SAP first tranche have

been given to 17.64 million low-income households affected by the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

In a DSWD uSAP Tayo program, DSWD Undersecretary Glenn Paje said the department will soon start the second tranche SAP distribution for 17 million beneficiaries.

“Malapit na ang ikalawang bahagi ng social amelioration program (We are close to distributing the second tranche of the SAP),” Paje said.

He urged for the remaining LGUs to finish liquidation reports so the DSWD can move forward to the validation process.

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that),” Año told President Rodrigo Duterte in a televised meeting.

Año said the DILG would continue to run after local officials who are involved in irregularities in handing the emergency cash subsidy to qualified beneficiaries.

“Maganda po rito, marami na ang nagsasalita kasi po lahat ng mga nakatanggap ay ipina-poste namin ‘yung kanilang pangalan sa mga barangay halls para makita noong mga mamamayan kung sino talaga ‘yung mga nakatanggap (The good thing here is that many are speaking up because all those who received aid, we ordered that their names be posted in ba-

LGU staff observing strict physical distancing and wearing facemasks following the minimum health standard protocol.

The new wing has a 16-bed capacity with aircondition units, beds, wifi, television and cable, health care kits, and other amenities.

This is to ensure that every patient isolated in the facility stays comfortable. Mati City CIO

rangay halls so that the people can see them),” he added.

Año said over four million families who were left out in the first wave of SAP distribution will be prioritized in the aid’s second tranche.

“Sa unang tranche po halos kumpleto na almost 99 percent na yung ating na-distribute at na-prepare po ng DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) ‘yung pangalawang tranche. Sa huling ulat po ay 4,094,311 names na nai-submit ng LGUs (local government units), sila po yung bibigyan ng priority at nakahanda po sa second tranche. Tutulong ang AFP (Armed Forces of

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Holding her grandchild, Emmy Limbo, 57, demonstrates how the strong winds lifted the roof of their small eatery business at around 1:45am on June 4 2020 in Barangay Bula, General Santos City, toppling electric

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he Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) received Thursday boxes of medical supplies and equipment from the National Task Force (TF) on coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The turnover ceremony took place following a meeting by the National Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) with their counterparts at the headquarters of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID) in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

Included in the medical supplies and equipment are 1,000 KN95 face masks and 10,000 personal protective equipment.

The National IATF, through Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, has procured a total of 23,000 rapid test kits for BARMM. Delfin said the rapid test kits would be equally distributed to all the five BARMM provinces, as well as Cotabato City and the

6ID. National TF chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. noted that they have coordinated with the local government of Zamboanga City in licensing three testing facilities that can be used by the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

“We will have [testing centers] in Zamboanga City with more or less 1,200 to 2,000 capacity. It is intended for the three island provinces,” he said.

Galvez said plans are also underway to develop a Covid-19 testing center in the heart of Sulu.

To date, the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) here is the only certified testing facility in BARMM and Region 12 that can test up to 72 samples daily via the Gene Xpert machine.

The National TF is also looking forward to providing reverse tran-

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poles and trees, destroying houses and vehicles. No one was reported injured. MindaNews photo by ROMMEL G. REBOLLIDO.

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 48 • SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

Unemployment soared record-high with 7.3M jobless last April - PSA

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he number of jobless Filipinos hit record-high in April as the economic impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused the displacement of millions of workers, results of the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) latest Labor Force Survey showed Friday.

“Unemployment rate rose to 17.7%, equivalent to 7.3 million unemployed Filipinos in the labor force in April 2020,” National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said.

“This is a record high in the unemployment rate reflecting the effects of economic shutdown to the Philippine labor market, due to COVID-19,” Mapa said.

Unemployment rate last April was way too high compared with the 5.3% in the January 2020 survey, and 5.1% in April 2019.

“In terms of magnitude, the number of unemployed persons increased by five million from 2.3 million in April 2019 to 7.3 million in April 2020,” Mapa said.

Inflation slows down further to 2.1% in May

Fresh pineapples are displayed at a roadside stall in Bukidnon in this undated photo. The Philippines remained the world’s second-largest exporter of fresh pineapples in 2019, with total shipments of over 600,000

metric tons (MT), according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Edge Davao

Ford PH to engage customers digitally G

By MAYA M. PADILLO

iven the coronavirus safety protocol of social distancing, Ford Philippines is engaging its customers digitally.

Ryan Lorenzo, marketing director of Ford Philippines, said in the Zoom digital launch of new Ford Everest Sport that the company has recognized the shift in selling and buying of vehicles amid the pan-

demic and among the steps that Ford Philippines is undergoing right now is strengthening its digital presence in terms of consumer engagement.

“We do recognize that we have to recalibrate giv-

GSIS adopts contactless filing of claims, benefits

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o help curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), state pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is now adopting contactless methods of accepting application for claims and benefits after successfully shifting to online loan application in March this year.

“We are moving to new methods of transaction to provide our members and pensioners the same quality service, without needlessly exposing them to health risks and viral infection,” GSIS president and general manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said in a statement Thursday.

He said government employees, retirees, and beneficiaries may submit their application forms and requirements to GSIS, which may be through either postal mail or delivery courier, drop boxes located in the lobbies of all GSIS

branch offices nationwide, or electronically through email.

The contactless transactions will apply to the filing of claims and benefits including retirement, life insurance (maturity or cash surrender regular or optional policies), survivorship, death, funeral, employees compensation, pre-need, and request for pension accrual.

“Claimants must download the pertinent application forms, which may be accessed in the GSIS website (via https://www. gsis.gov.ph/downloadable-forms/). Then, they may either choose to print the form and send it manually to GSIS either by drop box or by snail mail, or they may opt to send their application electronically via email through an email address designated by GSIS for a particular area,” Macasaet said.

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en the social distancing terms and we will take that into account in all activities that we do. During this time we would have to have a more targeted experience for our customers through online channels,” Lorenzo said.

He said most of Ford’s dealers are now doing virtual walkaround (tour) to the customers. He added that company’s dealers

will also have virtual showrooms to let consumers experience the vehicles digitally.

“What is happening right now is, we are transitioning in the new normal on engaging customers digitally. As we speak during lockdown period, the sales consultants are already uploading the vehicle for a walkaround to the

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A woman picks from a stack of eggplants at Bankerohan Public Market’s vegetable ‘bagsakan’ area along Magallanes Street in Davao City on Friday. The country’s inflation rate has continued its downtrend in May on

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nflation continued its downtrend in May on the back of lower transportation prices during the month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Friday.

Data released by the PSA showed inflation rate clocked in at 2.1% last month. This is slower than the 2.2% recorded in April and 3.2% in May 2019.

This is also the slowest in six months since inflation was recorded at 1.3% in November 2019.

The May inflation figures brought the year-todate rate for 2020 at 2.5%.

“Contributing the the downtrend in the headline inflation in May 2020 was the annual decrease of the Transport index,” the PSA said.

The slower annual rate in the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages index also pushed down the overall inflation in May, it added.

In a separate statement, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said the May 2020 inflation of 2.1% was within its forecast range of 1.9 – 2.7%.

The latest inflation outturn is consistent with the BSP’s prevailing assessment that inflation is

expected to remain benign over the policy horizon due largely to the potential adverse impact of COVID-19 on the domestic and global economic environment, according to the central bank.

“Contributing the the downtrend in the headline inflation in May 2020 was the annual decrease of the Transport index,” the PSA said.

The Transport index registered a 5.6% annual drop.

To recall, the government’s imposition strict quarantine measures from March 17 to May 31 to contain the spread of COVID-19 restricted movement of people and banned public transportation.

The slower annual rate in the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages index at 2.9% also pushed down the overall inflation in May, it added.

Annual decreases were noted in the indices of rice at 2.7%; corn, 0.7%; and sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery, 0.8%.

The indices of other food groups also exhibited slower annual increments during the month, except for the indices of other ce-

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the back of lower transportation prices during the month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Friday. Edge Davao

VOL.13 ISSUE 48 • SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY 5

Phoenix Petroleum is launching the Bangon Tsuper program that gives special rewards items to PUV and TNVS drivers who lost their source of income during the community quarantine.

Phoenix launches Bangon Tsuper program for PUVs T

PH, WB sign $500-M loan pact on COVID-19 relief

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special rewards redemption program awaits public utility vehicle (PUV) and Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) drivers as Phoenix Petroleum, the country’s fastest-growing oil company, launches Bangon Tsuper program in a bid to bring help to those who have been greatly affected by the CoViD-19 pandemic.

Starting June 5, 2020, drivers who are active Phoenix Tsuper Club (PTC) members can use their earned points to redeem exclusive Phoenix products such as a POSIBLE digital transaction services device (20,000 points), 11kg Phoenix SUPER LPG (1,625 points), 1L Phoenix Zoelo Extreme lubricant

(88 points), 1L Phoenix Accelerate Fully Synthetic lubricant (82 points), 1L Phoenix Cyclomax Racing 4T lubricant (75 points), Php 50 worth of Phoenix Petroleum gift certificate (125 points), and Php 100 worth of FamilyMart gift certificate (250 points).

“As the country prepares for the eventual re-

turn of mass transportation, we at Phoenix Petroleum recognize the plight of our Filipino drivers who have lost their source of income for the past three months. The Bangon Tsuper program aims to provide assistance to them by giving access to reward items that may help ease their expenses at home and on their livelihood, or provide additional earning opportunity,” Phoenix Petroleum President and COO Henry Albert Fadullon said.

The Bangon Tsuper program runs until August 5, 2020 at over 50 participating stations in Luzon.

Only PTC card members who have at least one transaction using their PTC card as of January 1, 2020

can avail of the exclusive offer. Visit Phoenix Petroleum’s official Facebook page at www.facebook. com/phoenixfuels.ph or at https://bit.ly/2WQFYNc for the full mechanics of the Bangon Tsuper program.

Phoenix Tsuper Club is the company’s loyalty and rewards membership program for PUV drivers. It grants members redeemable reward points for every purchase of Phoenix fuels. The card also gives drivers Tsuper Advantage, a special inclusion that recognizes drivers’ outstanding contribution for the betterment of society.

For membership inquiries, visit any nearby Phoenix station or go to www.phoenixfuels.ph.

Inflation rate sustains downtrend: Diokno

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he rate of price increases in the Philippines continues to decelerate, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said.

“Inflation continues on its downward path,” Diokno told journalists in a Viber message Thursday.

He, however, did not

elaborate.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is scheduled to report the May 2020 inflation figure on Friday.

Last April, inflation posted a slower rate of 2.2 percent from the previous month’s 2.5 percent, bringing the year-to-date average to 2.6 percent.

BSP forecasts May 2020 inflation rate to range between 1.9 to 2.7 percent, with the midpoint at 2.3 percent.

The central bank’s Department of Economic Research (DER) said higher domestic oil prices and the uptick in the prices of some agricultural products due to Typhoon Ambo last May

are expected to be countered by the lower power rates in areas being serviced by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco).

The government’s inflation target for this year until 2022 ranges between 2 to 4 percent, with the projected average rate for this year at 2 percent. (PNA)

he Philippines has signed a USD500-million loan accord with the World Bank that aims to support the government’s ongoing efforts to ease the social and economic impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak on poor households and workers of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the swift approval of this agreement for the Philippines’ Emergency Covid-19 Response Development Policy Loan (ECRDPL) "underlines the strong confidence of the international community in the government’s capability to meet the massive funding needed to save lives and provide immediate relief to Filipinos most affected by the coronavirus-induced global health crisis."

“This is the third loan accord that we have signed with the World Bank that is designed to assist us in swiftly responding to the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 emergency. The World Bank has always been our reliable partner in strengthening our country’s economic resilience,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez and Achim Fock, the World Bank acting country director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand, signed

the agreement on Wednesday for this new development policy loan.

“We once again thank the World Bank for its prompt action on this financial support package that will help us to promptly provide relief to poor and low-income households and employees of MSMEs who lack the means to fend for themselves during the lockdowns implemented nationwide to contain the spread of Covid-19,” he added.

Following the World Bank’s approval of the loan, Fock said “this new financing can help ensure the timely delivery of financial support for struggling families and communities while the country ramps up efforts to contain the pandemic and reduce its economic impact.”

Dominguez said the ECRDPL replaced the earlier proposed additional financing for a project that aims to support the government’s goals of promoting competitiveness, enhancing fiscal sustainability, and strengthening financial resilience to natural disasters and climate change.

The ECRDPL will have the same terms and conditions as the initially proposed Promoting Competitiveness and Enhancing Resilience to Natural Disasters Subprogram 1,

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 48 • SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

ON SLASHING THE ALLOWANCES OF ATHLETES AND COACHES TO 50% AMID THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS: It breaks our hearts. Pero kapag bumalik yan (National Sports Development Fund), we are committed to spend it for the athletes. The purpose of that funding is to spend it.

WILLIAM “BUTCH” RAMIREZ Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman

EDITORIAL Athletes take hit positively The coronavirus pandemic has cut through practically all sectors of society in a manner everyone never expected to come and make a massive impact.

Among the non-essential sectors to take a huge hit are the country’s national athletes and coaches. While they are nonessential, they do a lot to boost this country’s morale especially when they emerge victorious in international competitions.

They don’t bring in revenues to the country’s coffers, but they pump up the spirits of their countrymen to work hard amidst dire situations.

The Philippines’ athletes and their coaches will be receiving half of their allowances after the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) made the hard decision since it has not received the remittance of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) which is the primary source of their budget for allowances. The PSC decided to make the cut

EDGEDAVAO

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NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN MEGHANN STA. INES FERINA SANTOS Lifestyle

CHRISTIAN JAY H. RAFAL Layout/Cartoons

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

OLIVIA D. VELASCO D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONA OLIVIA D. VELASCO JASPERSOLANI V. BACSAL General Manager Finance Advertising Specialist VP Operations General Manager JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

as slashing the monthly allowances was the best option with PAGCOR’s usual P150 million remittance in the past three to four years dropping to only P9 million in April amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The PSC gets the main bulk of its budget PAGCOR thru its monthly casino earnings. PSC chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez could only hope that the 50 percent budget cut on the allowances will only be temporary. Elite athletes receive P45,000 a month from the PSC, and P10,000 for those in the training pool.

It was unthinkable, but the athletes are taking the hit in stride.

Mostly from the provinces who pin their hopes for a better life through their athletic skills, these athletes are living through the hard times like real gladiators.

Their supreme sacrifice is already worth a priceless gold medal in any field of sporting battle.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE MANILA MARKETING OFFICE RICHARD C. EBONA LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-YacapinProduct Sts. Development officer Cagayan de Oro City Address: No. 18 Purok 4B, Madelo Street, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City Tel: (088) 852-4894 Mobile number: +63 947 265 2969(smart); +63 916 955 8559(globe)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 48 • SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

VANTAGE POINTS

7

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

TRUMP’S ANT-CHINA RANTS If you had seen the YouTube video of POTUS (President of the United States) Donald Trump blasting away at China for the latter’s deception and chicanery in hiding the truth about the Wuhan virus, you would probably assume that a military war is ready to break out.

At the same time, DT finally withdrew the USA from membership in the UN World Health Organization whose Director General Tedros is an Ethiopian communist who has displayed too much closeness with Chinese President Xi Jin Ping.

I urge everybody to pray that sobriety and sanity would continue to rule this world of humans despite explosive differences.

I am sure the US will not take this sitting down, considering that the US economy has collapse literally despite the trillions of dollars Trump poured into a stimulus package to bail out, though temporarily, the hardships American families were going through.

The Trump administra-

tion is likewise facing massive protests, lootings included, in several major cities on account of the brutal killing of African-American Gerald Floyd, in the hands of arresting white police officers.

Trump has accused China of hiding the real truth about the CoVid 19, enumerating, among others, why Beijing, Shanghai, Macao, Guandong and other bigger cities than Wuhan (from where the virus leaked out) were not as seriously infected as faraway countries like the Italy, UK, Spain, France and the rest of the EU, USA, North and South America, the Middle East, the ASEAN and African regions, and virtually the entire world.

Trump has previously instructed his people to mount an extensive intelligence probe and has most probably received fearful data that China, in a conspiracy with WHO, downplayed the effects of the contagion until widespread infection has been felt in targeted European Union member-countries, the UK, USA, etc., etc.

And as has been reported much earlier in the international media, the former mayor of Wuhan disclosed that two days prior to the lockdown, FIVE million residents of Wuhan stormed out of China and flew to foreign destinations in a purported celebration of the Chinese New Year last January 25.

Or course, Trump would not have blasted China and severed US ties with WHO without concrete bases.

I foresee an intensification of the trade war between US and China inasmuch as the former had been exasperated in maintaining a peaceful balance in the West Philippine Sea especially the matter of freedom of navigation.

US Navy vessels and aircraft have been visibly patrolling this area because the Chinese have not ceased claiming islands supposed to be within the nine dash line drawn by the PROC and continued building air strips, despite diplomatic protests from nearby countries like the Philippines, Vietnam and Indone-

sia.

In the light of these very disturbing developments, the Philippines is in a quandary.

Unless the Duterte government makes itself clear on the matter of its decision to wait for the vaccine that is being fast tracked in China for the CoVid 19, the accusations that Trump has lodged against China’s deceptive actions put a big question mark on the efficacy of the vaccine itself.

For sure, I and my family will not have ourselves vaccinated.

The Dengvaxia deaths are too recent to be forgotten.

Relevant information I have gathered told me that the experimental drug was clinically tested in Third World countries (Tanzania, Philippines, among others) like guinea pigs and were gullible enough to accept it.

Though the DOH statistics don’t look reliable because of the purported hoax being spread around about the deadly effects of CoVid 19, the number of recoveries indicate in no small matter that the

medicines are locally available.

Aside from the not-so-flattering wide-spread information about the participation of Bill Gates (thru the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that sunk in a reported $10Billion) in the search for the CoVid 19 vaccine, this development adds more anxiety than anything else.

My wish is that Trump’s blasts against China might produce the correct information about how the entire human civilization has been deceived and held hostage, so that we can be forewarned against future tricks by evil schemers and advocates of the New World Order.

As I always encourage my dear readers, reading the Bible everyday is a wise choice that will complement our lives physically, mentally and spiritually.

I quote Henry Ford: “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

PHILIPPINE EAGLE WEEK Every June, at this time of the year, the Philippines celebrates Philippine Eagle Week, in honor of the country’s bird icon.

The Philippine eagle is second only to the Madagascar sea eagle in rarity. In size, it beats the American bald eagle; it is the world’s second largest – after the Harpy eagle of Central and South America.

In the past, Philippine eagles abound in the forests of Mount Apo and other parts of Mindanao. They can also be seen flying over in the forests of Sierra Madre in Luzon and Samar and Leyte in the Visayas.

Today, Philippine eagles inhabit those places but their number has dwindled. In fact, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has declared the Philippine eagle as an endangered species.

Joining the Philippine Eagle Week celebration every year is the AboitizPower, the holding company for the Aboitiz Group’s investments in power generation, distribution, and retail electricity services.

“For the past 10 years,” said its press release which

this columnist obtained, “AboitizPower has adopted and sponsored a particular eagle, Pangarap, who serves as a beacon of hope for the conservation of the Philippine bird of prey. Pangarap is one of the few females left of her species who is eligible for breeding, now through artificial insemination.”

Over the past decade, AboitizPower has donated around P1.5 million to the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) for Pangarap’s needs (necessary medication and care) and for proper dieting and preparation for breeding.

Last February 24, Pangrap celebrated her 21st hatchday. To make it memorable, the AboitizPower, in partnership with PEF, held a hatchday event for over 50 students and guests to witness and learn about the majestic species housed at the center in Malagos.

According to the press release, sprig offering is set to commence in the coming month to begin stimulating Pangarap and other mal-imprint eagles to prepare them for the incoming breeding season in July.

Sprig offering is done by

the PEF team to simulate a courtship ritual among eagles, which is especially important for mal-imprint eagles who need to establish a rapport with the animal keepers to prepare for insemination.

The PEF breeding team is committed to improving the productivity of the male mal-imprints. PEF hopes that in time, the center’s female eagles, including Pangarap, can all undergo successful conjugal artificial insemination and lay the foundation for a new generation of majestic raptors.

“Our support for the Philippine Eagle Foundation is a testament to AboitizPower’s commitment to conserving biodiversity and wildlife. At AboitizPower, we strive to live by our core value of responsibility -- responsibility to our customers, responsibility to our communities, and responsibility to our environment,” said Emmanuel V. Rubio, president and chief executive officer of AboitizPower.

“The Philippine eagle is the largest predator we have,” says Dr. Dennis Joseph I. Salvador, the executive director of the Philippine Eagle Center Foundation. “By using the Philippine eagle as the focal

point of conservation, we are, in the process, saving wildlife and their habitat.”

It was in 1896 when the bird of prey was first discovered by English naturalist John Whitehead in Samar. At first, it was called “monkey-eating eagle” because he thought it fed primarily on monkeys. So, he gave it the scientific name, “Pithecophaga jefferyi.” The scientific name came from two Greek words: “pitekos” (monkey) and “phagien” (to eat).

Jefferyi was the discoverer’s tribute to his father, Jeffrey, who funded his expedition.

In 1978, the old name was dropped and given its present name through Presidential Decree No. 1732 after it was learned that monkeys comprise an insignificant portion of the bird’s diet, which consists mostly of flying lemurs, civet cats, bats, rodents, and snakes.

A majestic bird, Philippine eagle stands a meter high, weighs anywhere from four to seven kilograms and has a grip three times the strength of the strongest man on earth, according to PEF. With a wing span of nearly seven feet and a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour, the

Philippine eagle can gracefully swoop down on an unsuspecting prey and carry it off without breaking flight.

The Philippine Eagle Center is located in a far-flung area in Malagos of Calinan District in Davao City. It takes almost an hour to travel from the heart of the city to the center where you get to encounter Philippine eagles placed in cages.

Efforts to save the Philippine eagle was started way back 1965 by Jesus A. Alvarez, then director of the autonomous Parks and Wildlife Office, and Dioscoro S. Rabor, another founding father of Philippine conservation effort.

From 1969 to 1972, America’s famed aviator Charles Lindbergh spearheaded a drive to save the bird, which he called as the “noblest flier.”

Within this time frame, several helpful laws were passed.

Primarily a research facility, the Philippine Eagle Center is nestled at the rolling foothills of Mount Apo, the country’s highest peak. More than two dozen of Philippine eagles have been raised as part of foundation’s breeding program. Most of them are being induced to breed in captivity.

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VOL.13 ISSUE 48 • SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

Raising income from rice by increasing yields

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

W

hen someone tells you of frontliners in the fight against the dreaded coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), those that come into your mind are doctors, nurses, policemen and military personnels. However, also included in the list are the farmers, fishers and other workers in the food value chain.

“Now, more than ever, our food security frontliners play a crucial part in our fight against COVID-19,” said Dr. William D. Dar in a statement. Thus, he said, it is important to empower the country’s frontliners in agriculture and fisheries to ensure continuous and unhindered food production.

This is particularly true in the case of rice farmers. One of those that deserved attention is Edgar Romupal of barangay Ligaya in General Santos City. He is not just a rice farmer but a rice farmer extraordinaire. From his 1.7-hectare farm, he was able to harvest 313 cavans.

In a press release by Growth Publishing, Romupal was recognized by the government in Region 12 for such feat. His secret was planting the farm with Arize Bigante Plus hybrid rice.

Thanks to the Department of Agriculture (DA), which launched the 2019 Arize Mindanao 10K Project in partnership with Bayer Crop Science to encourage farmers to plant hybrid rice and earn higher. The agriculture department generates information on the best crop management using this technology.

The Arize 10K program enables rice farmers to upgrade to higher living levels, thus overcoming poverty. It was conducted in the provinces of North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat, targeting 10,000 hectares.

Romupal, now in his 50s, is a former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) military man. He felt encouraged and happy for having turned to farming, the livelihood of his parents. Leveling up this

time, he adopted hybrid rice technology to increase his yield and income.

His gamble paid off. He demonstrated that even those new to hybrid rice farming can successfully attain high yields. But this was not the first time he did it. In fact, this was his second opportunity to plant hybrids. His first one didn’t go as planned but served as a learning expe-

rience proving the saying that “experience is the best teacher.”

He also acquaired valauble lessons from his parents. “My parents have long been rice farmers,” Romupal was quoted as saying. “So, farming was first in my mind as I was able to save a little after retiring from military service.”

When a 1.7-hectare rice land was offered to him as mortgage, he took it using his small capital from AFP benefits and learned the ropes of farming. His entry to the Arize Mindanao 10K recorded a harvest of 204 cavans in 1 hectare, with 63 kilos per cavan. That was quite a record!

Traditionally, inbred rice just produces around 100 cavans per hectare. With 303 cavans, Romupal’s yield is nearly double or a whopping 100% growth. He earned a gross income of P250,000, which is more than double the traditional P100,000 from inbreds.

A good development this year is the increase in the farm gate price of palay (unmilled rice) which is reaching close to P20 per kilo. It bounced back from a depressed price of P12 per kilo or less in the previous year, which Romupal and other farmers pointed to the Rice Tarrification Act as the cause of this drop.

There were imports of around 2.5 million metric tons during this period.

Even then, at 63 kilos per cavan, totaling 19,719 kilos (at 313 cavans), price per kilo for his produce was P12.68 per kilo at

the trading time. It is still a low price for palay at farmgate compared to P17 to P20 per kilo in the previous years.

With a combination of technical assistance from the regional office of the agriculture department and Bayer Crop Science in the 10K program, Romupal and many farmers enjoyed a yield boost the last season.

Both institutions deployed field technicians to give enough time and attention to the farmers participating in the program, with Bayer implementing a season-long training program through its Bayer Agricademy. This included topics on pest and disease management and recommended irrigation practices.

After a successful season, Romupal plans to continue using Arize hybrid rice even if the local government decides to remove its seed subsidy program. He feels it as an easy decision after doubling his yields versus inbred rice varieties.

Aside from rice, he separately grows corn and selected vegetables.

Romupal has set an example as a model farmer for other farmers to follow crop diversification. That enables them to earn higher from higher value crops and escape poverty.

“Given the increasing population and the ongoing pandemic that is slowing down food supply chains, farmers remain as the main contributors in food production and should be given the right level of support to sustain our food requirements,” the press release ended.

“Rice is the principal food for over 60% of mankind,” pointed out the Laguna-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). In the Philippines, rice is the staple food, together with fish. “If we did not have rice, our deepest comfort food, we would probably feel less Filipino,” the late food columnist Doreen Fernandez once said.

“One more rice, please!” This call, which rings at dinner time in all restaurants and small eateries, best sums up the eating habits of the typical Filipino to whom

FRAISING, P10

9 COMPETITIVE COMPETITIVEEDGE EDGE DAVAO DAVAO EDGE EDGE

VOL.13 ISSUE 48 • SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2020

An immersive opportunity:

MCM launches Digital Learning Bootcamp 2020

M

alayan Colleges Mindanao, a Mapúa School announced its first Digital Learning Bootcamp 2020, inviting all SHS and College students in Mindanao to experience the first fully integrated online learning system in the region — MCM Digital — and get the opportunity to use MCM’s powerful online learning tools for FREE! This Digital Learning Bootcamp will be held on June 1 to 13, 2020 and is described as an immersive experience inside MCM’s Online Learning System, aiming to demonstrate and give participants an opportunity to immerse

themselves in the first fully integrated online learning system in Mindanao.

The participants will be given access to MCM’s online learning portal, “MCM Digital” where they can explore and get hands-on experience utilizing

MCM’s online learning tools such as Blackboard Learn, Blackboard Collaborate, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Panopto, Wiley Plus, and Cengage Learning to complete learning tasks designed for incoming Grade 11 and 1st Year College students.

These tasks will be delivered in either synchronous or asynchronous learning sessions to allow for participants to get a feel for the different modalities of remote learning provid-

ed by MCM. In order for participants to maximize the online learning experience, they will need a device such as a computer unit, laptop or a tablet; and internet connectivity of at least 1 Mbps for asynchronous sessions and at least 2 Mbps for synchronous sessions.

Familiarization with the online system and tools will initiate the program, after which, participants will be allowed to select short learning modules on General Mathe-

matics, Business, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Basic Education for incoming Grade 11 students; Basic Algebra, General Physics, Business and Management, and P ro g ra m m i n g and Coding for incoming college students. A full course on Math, Humanities, and Social Science will also be made available for demonstration during the bootcamp period.

To register for this activity and get a chance to win amazing prizes, interested participants

may proceed to this link: https:// bit.ly/MCMDIGITALBOOTCAMP and follow the subsequent instructions and link to the “MCM Digital” account that will be sent through the email address provided upon your registration.

For any additional inquiries about the MCM Digital Learning Bootcamp 2020, please feel free to email at admissions@mcm. edu.ph or contact +63918 918 1626, +63999 227 7493, or +63917 831 8048.

10 EDGEDAVAO FOREIGN... FROM2

in 2019.

Overall foreign investments approved in the country for the first quarter of 2020 reached P29.4 billion, 36.2 percent lower compared with P46.0 billion in the same period in 2019.

Records o the foreign investments were culled from the reports of the Board of Investments, Clark Develop-

ment Corporation, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan, and Cagayan Economic Zone Authority.

There was no data provided for Northern Mindanao and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

scription-polymerase chain reaction machines for CRMC that

could test up to 1,000 samples, Galvez said.

(PNA)

customers,” said PK Umashankar, president and managing director of Ford Philippines.

Meanwhile, the new Ford Everest Sport is the latest addition to Ford’s growing SUV lineup, supporting the Everest’s position as one of the safest and most capable SUVs in the segment. The newest variant is powered by a 2.0L Turbo Diesel Engine mated with a 10-speed Automatic Transmission with Select Shift, delivering 180PS of power and 420Nm of torque and has features a bold look and design, refined interiors, and driver-assist smart and safe features, making it the perfect SUV for the family.

Umashankar said the

new Everest Sport supports the Everest’s position as one of the safest and most capable SUVs in the market today. He added that Ford Philippines is optimistic that the new Ford Everest Sport will set another standard for mid-size SUVs in the market with its design and technology that match various needs and lifestyles.

It comes in four colors: Absolute Black, Aluminum Metallic, Arctic White, and Deep Crystal Blue, a new color variant available to the Ford Everest and is exclusive to the new Everest Sport.

The new Everest Sport will be available in Ford dealerships in Visayas and Mindanao this month.

allowed in players' rooms and hallways will be "carefully managed to avoid crowding."

The NBA's campus is a microcosm of life during a pandemic, in which money is in conflict with safety and ordinary freedoms must be sacrificed for the public good. How much freedom does daily testing buy? How much risk does everyone implicitly accept by showing up? If you're wondering why the league went with such a complicated format instead of simply starting the playoffs with the top 16, consider that ESPN reported the 22team plan would be worth hundreds of millions more dollars.

It's fine to be excited about watching NBA games again, but if you care about the people involved, you should also think about the downside. The season stopped because continuing as things were would have led to people getting sick and dying; if it is going to resume, the public should know the full plan to prevent that. This is not even an argument that the NBA and its team owners are being reckless, only that the onus is on them to prove otherwise. No business, let alone those worth billions of dollars, should be blindly trusted when it comes to the safety of its employees. (James Herbert @outsidethenba)

eating is a matter of filling up. Studies show one-half cup of rice can furnish 82 calories of energy, enough to give someone energy to walk 26 minutes.

On the average, Filipino consume 114-120 kilograms of rice per capita per year. That’s almost double of the world average of 65 kilograms per capita per year, according to Dr. Eufemio Rasco, Jr., former director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

Rice production is among the most perceptible source of income of Filipino farmers. In fact, one-

third of the arable land – that’s about 10 million hectares – is planted to rice, Dr. Rasco said. About 2.5 million families – that’s 40% of the country’s labor force – depend on rice farming and related activities for their livelihood.

Sad to note though that not all rice produced are eaten by Filipinos. Dr. Flordeliza Bordey, PhilRice program leader for Impact Assessment Policy Research and Advocacy reported that that every Filipino waste 14 grams of milled rice per day, which is equivalent to about 3 tablespoons per person per

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the Philippines) at PNP (Philippine National Police) sa pagdi-distribute at gagamitin karamihan dito, ATM payment scheme kaya baka mas madali ang pagpapatupad sa (The first tranche of SAP distribution is 99 percent completed and the

73.5%... FROM3

“Nais po ng pamahalaan na kung ano man ang pondo na nalikom at inilaan para sa SAP, ito sana ay maibahagi sa mas maraming pamilyang benepisyaryo ([The deduplication process

DSWD has prepared the second tranche.

Our latest report contains 4,094,311 names submitted by the LGUs and will be prioritized for the second tranche.

The AFP and PNP will help in the distribution and most of them will use the ATM payment is necessary] so the government can provide aid to more families instead of having one family receive two subsidies),” he said.

The DSWD will implement for cashless

INFLATION... FROM4

scheme so we see that there will be an easier distribution of the) second tranche,” he said.

The DSWD will implement cashless transactions for the second tranche as advised by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infec-

tious Diseases.

The department tapped PayMaya as one of the featured payment methods in the ReliefAgad app.

SAP beneficiaries may choose to receive their cash aid through their respective PayMaya accounts. (PNA)

transactions for the second tranche as advised by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Contagious Disease (IATF).

The department tapped PayMaya as one

of the featured payment methods in the ReliefAgad app. SAP beneficiaries may choose to receive their cash aid through their respective PayMaya accounts.

(PNA)

reals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products; and oils and fats, whose annual growth rates were higher at 2.7% and 2.1%, respectively, according to the PSA. The downtrend in inflation was also brought about by the deceleration in the annual increments recorded in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month: Clothing and footwear, 2.4% Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 4.1%

Recreation and culture, 1.4% Inflation in the National Capital Region (NCR), meanwhile, was higher at 1.4% in May than in the previous month which posted at 1.2%.

In May 2019, inflation in NCR was at 3.4%.

“The transport index registered a slower annual decline of 1.8% in May 2020 than its annual drop in the previous month of 6.5%,” the PSA said.

“On the other hand, annual gains decelerated for food and non-alcoholic beverages at 2.7%; alco-

holic beverages and tobacco,13.8%; and recreation and culture, 0.6%,” it said.

In areas outside NCR (AONCR), inflation eased further to 2.2% in May. Inflation in AONCR was recorded at 2.5 percent in the previous month and 3.1 percent in May 2019.

Contributing to the downtrend in the inflation in the area during the month was the 6.8% annual drop in the transport index.

In addition, annual hikes decelerated in the indices of the following commodity groups:

Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 3.1% Clothing and footwear, 2.8% Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 0.9% Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 3.6% Recreation and culture, 1.6% The BSP said that inflation for the whole of 2020 and 2020 will likely settle below the mid-point of the government’s target range of 3.0 percent ± 1.0 percentage point.

Members who opt to file their application through email may file it through their agency authorized officer or liaison officer; or submit it using their personal email, preferably the email address that was originally recorded in their GSIS files.

They must also attach the required documents for the particular claim that they are applying for.

In addition to the requirements, they must submit a clear photo of the claimant holding the duly accomplished application form and Unified

Multi-purpose ID (UMID) card or two valid IDs in the absence of a UMID card.

Claims filed through email will be processed upon verification that documents submitted are complete and with no deficiency; and submission of the original copies of the

documents through dropbox, within 10 work days, from sending the email application.

“Once received, the proceeds of their claim will be released and/or credited to their respective bank accounts,” Macasaet added.

(PR)

which it replaced.

“The change is in view of World Bank’s advice to specifically come up with a new development policy loan on the country’s Covid-19 response instead of a supplemental financing package for the Promoting Competitiveness and Enhancing Resilience to Natural Disasters project,” Dominguez said.

The agreement for the ECRDPL will bank on the policy actions accom-

plished by the government in providing emergency subsidies to poor and other vulnerable households, and wage subsidies to workers in MSMEs affected by the strict quarantine measures imposed by the national and local governments to prevent Covid-19 spread, he said.

Dominguez added the USD500-million loan covers a maturity period of 29 years, inclusive of a grace period of 10.5 years, and

is targeted for accelerated disbursement by the third week of June.

Last April 28, the Philippines and World Bank signed a separate USD100-million loan agreement for the Covid-19 Emergency Response Project (ERP) that aims to strengthen the country’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to the threat posed by the pandemic and boost its national systems for public

health preparedness.

The USD100-million accord follows an earlier agreement signed between the Philippines and the Washington-based multilateral lender for the USD500-million Third Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Loan (DRM DPL3) that aims to augment the Philippine government’s urgent financing requirements in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis. (PR)

day.

To think, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics reports that Filipinos spend more on rice than any other food. A survey conducted by the line agency of the Department of Agriculture showed that Filipinos, especially those from low-income households, are depending solely on rice more than ever for their daily dietary energy supply and dietary protein because it remains the most affordable food in the country.

Filipinos eating rice is as old as rice cultivation itself. “The history of rice

cultivation in the country dates back at least 3,000 years,” wrote Dr. Gelia T. Castillo, an academician and national scientist.

“The building of rice terraces came a bit later.”

However, it was in 1576 that an account of rice cultivation was recorded. By 1668, someone wrote that “rice usually does not last longer than the time it takes to harvest, since the rest they pay in tribute or sell to get the cash to pay the tribute.”

But rice is not originally from the Philippines.

Until now, it is still being debated where rice orig-

inally comes from. D.H. Grist, in his book Rice, pointed this out: “We do not know the country of origin of rice, but the weight of evidence points out to the conclusion that the center of origin of rice is southeast Asia, particularly India and Indo-China, where the richest diversity of cultivated forms has been recorded.”

Cultivation of rice dates to the earliest age of man. Carbonized paddy grains and husks, estimated to date 1000 to 800 B.C. have been found in excavations at Hastinapur in Uttar Pradesh, India. Speci-

mens of rice have been discovered in China dating from the third millennium B.C. and the Chinese term for rice appears in inscriptions during from the second millennium B.C. Paddy cultivation is of great antiquity in the Philippines. It is thought that immigrant people from south China in the second millennium B.C. constructed the wonderful system of terraces on the mountainsides of Banaue and its neighboring areas.

These people were reportedly driven into the hills by subsequent invasions of Malays.

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11

There are all sorts of questions the league needs to answer, from what kind of testing it will use to what happens if multiple players on the same team get COVID-19.

NBA must explain why it is safe to return to play

B The NLEX Road Warriors, led by Kiefer Ravena, recently underwent Covid-19 testing.

PBA’s NLEX undergo coronavirus testing A dhering to the protocols set by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) for possibly resuming practice, the NLEX Road Warriors underwent testing for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

On Thursday at the North Luzon Expressway office in Quezon City, the entire squad from the players to the coaching staff led

by Head Coach Yeng Guiao

and the rest of the team staff took the Covid-19 test to ensure that they are free from the deadly virus.

The testing was also part of the MVP Group

chairman Manny Pangilinan's call to all his three PBA clubs to undergo Covid-19 testing soon enough.

The Meralco Bolts were already done with the testing on Monday, while the TNT KaTropa will take their own testing next week.

On Wednesday, the PBA board of governors resolved that only those who tested negative for

Covid-19 will be cleared for the resumption of practices once the protocols it set gets the approval from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Earlier in the week, the San Miguel Corporation announced that all its three PBA representatives are now cleared to train again as the players tested negative for Covid-19. (PNA)

asketball is coming back, but at what cost? On Wednesday, the Florida Department of Health announced 1,317 new cases of COVID-19, the largest surge in six weeks.

On Thursday, the NBA will reportedly approve a plan to resume play on July 31, with 22 teams competing at Disney World.

The league has yet to officially announce its plan, nor the logistics of how it intends to keep players, coaches, training staff and everyone else in the bubble healthy. The NBA and the NBPA are negotiating those details, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, and the plan will include daily testing. In the event that a player tests positive, he will be isolated from the team and treated, but the team would continue playing.

There are all sorts of questions the league needs to answer, from what kind of testing it will use to what happens if multiple players on the same team get COVID-19. The fundamental question is simple: What conditions have changed to make the league comfortable with this? A tougher question is: Can it make a case for this without mentioning money?

Since shutting down the 2019-20 season on March 11, NBA commissioner Adam Silver has

maintained that the top priority is the health, safety and well-being of players and staff (even though the league allowed games to continue after San Francisco had banned large gatherings and the governor of Ohio had announced his intentions to do the same).

"It's about the data and not the date," Silver said in a conference call on April 17, borrowing the line from Disney chairman Bob Iger.

In determining an appropriate time to return, the league would look at the number of new infections, the availability of testing, the path to a vaccine and the development of antivirals, Silver said.

Since then testing has become more widely available, but that's about it.

The league must now explain how it came to its decision and how its bubble will work.

So far, we know that players and coaches in Orlando will be allowed to golf and eat at restaurants, but will be required to maintain physical distancing, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. In addition, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania, players will shower at the hotel rather than the arena, spread out on the bench and be prohibited from having visitors until the playoffs. Shelburne reported that hotel staff won't be

FNBA, P10

FRED C. LUMBA SPORTS KEN

PE, PBA SKED IN LIMBO & KAI SOTTO Nowhere in the educational institutional has physical education been more threatened than now as the menacing CoVid 19 infections dominate the news atmosphere here and abroad.

PE, as it is more commonly uttered among pupils, students and instructors involved in it, was a mandatory subject during the fifties because it was where potential national athletes usually were identified, coming from the ranks of the public schools, who proceeded to take part in the Public Schools Interscholastic Athletic Association, the forerunner of the now inschool Palarong Pambansa national student sports festival.

Anyway, the Philippine Sports Commission and the Dep-Ed, worried that the nonface-to-face contact of students

might derail the sports calendar, have arranged to ensure that the teaching of PE in the elementary and secondary levels be structurally organized in deference to the safeguards issued by the IATF. During our era, we had one hour of great fun playing football, sipa, baseball, volleyball and basketball which was the time devoted to PE activities per week. Today, I think it has been reduced to just half an hour.

After the CoVid fears subside, I suppose there should be a much more robust PE program that the two agencies can agree on. The suspension and deferment of the 2020 Palaro and the Batang Pinoy sidetracked the goals of the national sports objectives and goals. Well… *****

Meanwhile, there’s also this discouraging development in the PBA where members of the board are unsure whether the IATF will approve the pro league’s resumption of its discontinued conference last March.

Com. Willie Marcial hopes proposals for team practice sessions could be given the green light so that the month long scrimmages for all ball clubs could physically prepare their players for the resumption of activities.

Otherwise, the PBA may have to cancel the 2020 conference and might just as well look forward to the 2021 season to make sure the safety and welfare of the players, coaching staff and the spectators are given primary attention.

If this is so, the unsolicited suggestion from many is that the PBA decision-makers might as well agree to prepare for the 2021 edition instead of resuming its cancelled 2020 program under a cloud of great fear and apprehension.

After all, even PBA fanatics may not come out of their homes to personally watch the ballgames even if social distancing rules will be strictly enforced.

So, shifting to news developments on Kai Sotto…the lanky 7’2” Center has already given up thoughts of continuing his college career. He has signed up with the Select team in the NBA G League alongside some of his peers, including Jaylen Green, a Fil-Am high school standout.

We can only wish Kai the

best as he enters a new episode in his young, promising basketball career.

However, I hear some alternative comments that perhaps Kai should have opted to further his basketball potential by engaging – and growing up – in the tough NCAA where most NBA greats came from.

NBA legends and superstars like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michel Jordan, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Larry Bird, among many others went through fouryear college scholarships, ripened their individual outlook and academic maturity before plunging into the pro circuit.

Lebron James and Kobe Bryant are exemptions, of course.

(Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.)

GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES.

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IT’S A GO! The Pelicans will be among six teams who will be joining the 16 playoffs-ranked teams when the NBA returns on July 31 at the Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

NBA Board of Governors approves 22-team plan to finish the 2019-20 season at Disney World

A

fter several months on hiatus, the NBA made significant headway in returning to play. On Thursday's board of governors call with league commissioner Adam Silver, the owners approved a plan to finish out the remainder of the 201920 season at Disney World in Orlando, where eventually, a champion will be crowned, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. The vote required three-fourths support to pass, and it received a 29-1 vote from owners on the call, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The owners now need formal approval from the National Basketball Players Association before the league can move forward.

The NBPA is expected to hold a virtual call on Friday to approve the plan that the owners just voted on, according to the New York Times' Marc Stein.

In a statement addressing the plan to resume the season, Silver said: "The Board's approval of the restart format is a necessary step toward resuming the NBA season. While the COVID-19 pandemic presents formidable challenges, we are

hopeful of finishing the season in a safe and responsible manner based on strict protocols now being finalized with public health officials and medical experts. We also recognize that as we prepare to resume play, our society is reeling from recent tragedies of racial violence and injustice, and we will continue to work closely with our teams and players to use our collective resources and influence to address these issues in very real and concrete ways."

The league is targeting a start date of July 31, where 22 of the 30 NBA teams are expected to participate in Orlando. That will include the 16 current playoff teams as well as the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards.

Teams will play an abbreviated version of the regular season that will consist

of eight games, as well as a play-in tournament for the eighth seed in both conferences. The tournament will only happen if the No. 9 seed finishes within four games of the No. 8 seed, in which case the No. 9 seed will have to beat the No. 8 seed twice to earn the final playoff spot in their conference. The playoffs will be a best-of-seven series in each round, with the NBA Finals concluding no later than October 12.

While NBA seasons had previously been shortened by labor disputes, never has the league halted operations so abruptly only to pick them back up months down the line.

That creates a number of questions leading into the resumed season, including how teams will prepare after so much idle time.

The current schedule for the rest of the NBA season is as follows, per Charania: June 15: Players currently outside the United States return to home

market June 21: All players return to home market June 22: Testing for COVID-19 begins June 30: Training camp begins July 7: All teams travel to Orlando July 31: Season resumes While most teams have already reopened their practice facilities to allow players to do individual workouts, the San Antonio Spurs remain the only team in the league who have not. As one of the 22 teams competing in Orlando, though, that will surely happen soon so players can prepare for the remainder of the season.

In addition to voting on the resumption of the season, the call was also used to move the 2020 NBA Draft Lottery to Aug. 25 and NBA Draft to Oct. 15, which would come three days after the potential Game 7 of the NBA

Finals. The league also informed the board of governors that free agency would start on October 18.

The NBA suspended its season on March 11 after two members of the Utah Jazz, later revealed to be Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, a number of players and league figures have tested positive, including Kevin Durant, Marcus Smart and New York Knicks owner James Dolan. Those who did test positive have since recovered, and no new positive tests have been made public since.

When the season was suspended in March, there was a legitimate fear that it wouldn't come back.

There are still hurdles left to clear, and the threat of coronavirus still looms over basketball as it does the rest of society. But today's news is the greatest indication yet that the 2019-20 season will have a champion.