Edge Davao Volume 12 Issue 5 | Friday-Saturday, March 15-16, 2019

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►CTOO ISSUES REMINDERS TO ‘ARAW’ REVELLERSP2

ARAW NG DAVAO SUPPLEMENT P8 Kaya FC scores huge win vs ASEAN champs

SPORTS P11

JUSTICE ZONE. Supreme Court of the Philippines Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin (right) discusses what seems to be important matters with Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra during the launching of Davao City Justice Zone at the Davao City Hall of Justice on Thursday. The establishment of Davao City as a justice zone was initiated

by Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) with the support from the European Union. Lean Daval Jr

BIGGEST EVER

60,000 people expected at PRRD-led political rally

By ADAM B. MORRELL

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ome 60,000 supporters are expected to attend the massive People’s Grand Rally on Friday afternoon, March 15, at the Davao City Crocodile Park.

No less than President Rodrigo Duterte will be on hand to formally present to Dabawenyos his chosen senatorial candidates in what is seen as the biggest political rally of the administration bets. Arwin

Ardon, head of the Duterte Campaign Team (DCT), said they are expecting the numbers to be at around 60,000 as supporters of the president's anointed ticket will be coming from the entire Davao Region.

Ardon, on Thursday, said the DCT has collaborated with the president's political allies which is spearheaded by the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

"The purpose of this event is just really to have a very formal endorsement (of the president's senatorial bets)," Ardon said, referring to the president's person-

al choice "MABAGOKOTO" composed of Maguindanao Representative Zajid "Dong" Mangundadatu, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, former Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and former political adviser Francis

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Davao lawyer shot dead

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he Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) condemned the treacherous killing of Rex Jasper Lopoz, who was gunned down by skilled assassins late Wednesday, March 13 in front of a shopping mall in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.

A statement released

March 13, signed by IBP National President Abdiel Dan Elijah Fajardo said: "His (Lopoz) death marks the most recent in a quick succession of violent attacks against lawyers, judges and prosecutors. We are almost losing count, but there have been thirty-eight

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 15-16, 2019

CAMPAIGN RALLY. President Rodrigo Duterte greets former Bureau of Corrections Chief and Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa upon his arrival at the F. L. Dy Memorial Coliseum in Cauayan City, Isabela for his attendance to the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) campaign rally on Wednesday night. Also in the photo are former Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and Senator Aquilino Pimentel III. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

CTOO issues reminders to‘Araw’revellers

By ADAM B. MORRELL

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he City Tourism and Operations Office (CTOO) has issued a few reminders for Dabawenyos who will watch the 82nd Araw ng Davao Parada Davaoeño on March 16.

Acting City Agriculturist Leo Brian Leuterio said Davao area is experiencing a dry spell due to the absence of rain in the past few days.

He said it will be a supply-demand issue that will impact on the prices of vegetables.

“ In fact, the mayor has called a meeting through the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to convene all concerned food offices like the City Social Services, City Veterinarian’s Office, City Agriculture, City Disaster Office and the barangay af-

fairs to discuss the possible means to addressed the problem,” Leuterio said.

He said earlier that CAO is working to mitigate this problem through the Gulayan sa Barangay, an urban agriculture activities through container gardening.

Leuterio said they have introduced these serious mitigating activities to the people.

He clarified that Davao City is not directly affected

by the dry spell even with the reports that the dry spell is gradually taking toll on the farms in Barangay Kapatagan, Digos City.

Leuterio expressed hope that the dry spell will not affect Bukidnon which is one source of vegetables in the city.

“Any threat to our production areas will also threaten the city’s demand for fruits and vegetables,” he said. (PIA XI-Joey Sem Dalumpines)

“Agricultural public lands alienated or disposed in favor of qualified public land applicants under Section 44 of Commonwealth Act 141, as amended, shall not be subject to restrictions imposed under Sections 118, 119 and 121 thereof regarding acquisitions, encumbrances, conveyances, transfers, or dispositions,” the new law reads.

“An agricultural free patent shall now be considered as a title in fee simple and shall not be subject to any restriction on encumbrance or alienation,” it added.

This Act which is a con-

solidation of Senate Bill 1454 and House Bill 8078 was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on December 6, 2018, and December 10, 2018, respectively.

Prior to this law, the Public Land Use Act enacted in 1936 entitles any Filipino who has “continuously occupied and cultivated, either by himself or through his predecessors in interest, a tract or tracts of agricultural public lands subject to disposition” to have an agricultural free patent issued to him, for the same land not exceeding 24 hectares.

This act, however,

states that agricultural patent holders are “prohibited from mortgaging or selling their land within five years from the issuance of the patent, and given the right to repurchase the patents within five years from transfer or conveyances’’.

Under the Agricultural Free Patent Act, agricultural free patent “shall now be considered as title in fee simple and shall not be subject to any restriction against encumbrance or alienation”.

Senator Richard Gordon, who authored the law, said in previous reports that the removal of some

Duterte signs law allowing simpler patents for farmers

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resident Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a bill that seeks to ease restrictions on agricultural free patents issued to farmers.

Duterte signed Republic Act 11231 or known as Agricultural Free Patent Reform Act on Feb. 22 making agricultural land titles immediately available for trade to help spur development in the agricultural sector.

The act includes the state “allows the efficient and effective utilization of these lands in order to contribute to wealth creation, entrepreneurship, and economic development”.

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PRRD orders police to hunt for Cebu teen slay suspects

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resident Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Wednesday, March 13, announced that he ordered the police to search for the suspects in the gruesome murder of a 16-year-old high school student in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

“Itong pumatay na ito…’yung babae…sabi kasi ng ano, mga pulis kulto-kulto. Sabi ko, ‘Hanapin ninyo ‘yan. Yung binalatan ‘yung ano, sabi ko drugs [yan],’” President Duterte said in his remarks during the campaign rally of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan in F. L. Dy Memorial Coliseum in Cauayan City.

The victim was identified as Christine Lee Silawan, a student of Maribago High School and was first reported missing by her mother after she failed to return home from serving as a collector in church on Sunday.

On March 11, Monday, her body was found half-naked in a vacant lot in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Bankal in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. The teenager was skinned to the skull and suffered multiple stab wounds. Investigations on Silawan’s case is still ongoing.

Moreover, President Duterte condemned different assault cases, particularly rape incidents where the victims were minors.

“Sa aming panahon, may nire-rape. Eh biro mo — that’s a crime that goes

with humanity. Biology ‘yan eh,” he said.

“Pero ngayon kita mo naman, bata ni-rape… rape-in (rape) ‘yung 5-year-old na bata ng pari. Tapos, kahapon may pinatay, binalatan ‘yung mukha. Tapos, ‘yung iba, four months old. Iyong nag-rape ng four months old, patay na ‘yun. Mauna ka sa impiyerno. Iyong human rights…baka hindi niyo alam. You try to dig into the case and you’d find that my revulsion sa ganun,” he continued.

President Duterte then reiterated his warning to people who commit these crimes and those who are involved in illegal drugs.

“Do not destroy my country, either by drugs or by committing rampant criminality because I will kill you,” President Duterte said.

“And do not feed my children and my neighbors’ children with shabu o kung anong drugs man… ecstasy… because I will kill you. And that is a warning to everybody,” he added.

President Duterte confers Order of Lapu-Lapu on brave soldiers Meanwhile, before the campaign rally, the Commander-in-Chief met with five wounded-in-action soldiers and the family of killed-in-action military personnel at Cauayan Airport.

President Duterte arrived at the airport around

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VOL.12 ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 15-16, 2019

NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

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Duterte signs law allowing simpler patents for farmers

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NEWEST JUSTICE ZONE. Supreme Court of the Philippines Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin (center), Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra (2nd from left), European Union Ambassador Franz Jessen (leftmost), Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año (2nd from right) and Executive Judge Emmanuel Carpio lead the ribbon cutting to mark the launch of Davao City as

Justice Zone held at Davao City Hall of Justice on Thursday. Davao City is the third justice zone in the country to be created under the European Union-supported Justice Sector Coordinating Council after Quezon City in 2014 and Cebu City in 2018. Lean Daval Jr

resident Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a bill that seeks to ease restrictions on agricultural free patents issued to farmers.

Duterte signed Republic Act 11231 or known as Agricultural Free Patent Reform Act on Feb. 22 making agricultural land titles immediately available for trade to help spur development in the agricultural sector.

The act includes the state “allows the efficient and effective utilization of these lands in order to contribute to wealth creation, entrepreneurship, and economic development”.

“Agricultural public lands alienated or disposed in favor of qualified public land applicants under Section 44 of Commonwealth Act 141, as amended, shall not be subject to restrictions imposed under Sections 118, 119 and 121 thereof regarding acquisitions, encumbrances, conveyances, transfers, or dispositions,” the new law reads.

“An agricultural free patent shall now be considered as a title in fee simple and shall not be subject to any restriction on encumbrance or alienation,” it added.

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill 1454 and House Bill 8078 was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on December 6, 2018, and December 10, 2018, respectively.

Prior to this law, the Public Land Use Act enacted in 1936 entitles any Filipino who has “continuously occupied and cultivated, either by himself or through his predecessors in interest, a tract or tracts of agricultural public lands subject to disposition” to have an agricultural free patent issued to him, for the same land not exceeding 24 hectares.

This act, however, states that agricultural patent holders are “prohibited from mortgaging or selling their land within five years from the issuance of

f the International Criminal Court (ICC) will declare him guilty of crimes against humanity due to the series of drug3related killings, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would be "glad to go" and will even be the one to put the rope around his neck.

Speaking before Isabela officials and villagers during the campaign rally of PDP-Laban senatorial candidates at the Francisco L. Dy Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday evening here, Duterte said, "For all the things that I have said, ordered and done, I am willing to put (the rope

around) my neck about this".

Duterte, who said last year that he would be ready to die by firing squad, had earlier ordered the withdrawal of the Philippines' membership in the ICC. The withdrawal will take effect on March 17.

Reiterating his stand that the ICC has no jurisdiction over him, Duterte claimed that the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, is not enforceable in the country because it was not published in a government publication or any newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines. (PNA)

Sotto, Lacson told: Duterte dares ICC: Hang me Stop acting as lawyers I

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enior House leaders on Thursday called on Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Panfilo Lacson to stop acting as lawyers and refrain from concocting fabricated charges to put the House of Representatives in a bad light.

In a statement, House Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Anthony Bravo said both Sotto and Lacson are now confused with their roles.

“They have stopped acting as legislators and now want to assume the role of lawyers for the Senate. I am sorry to say this, but they are

poor actors and can hardly pass as legal aides,” he said.

While admitting that he is not a lawyer himself, the COOP-NATCCO party-list lawmaker said he finds it amusing that an actor-comedian and a former police general have the temerity to accuse House leaders who

were in charge of budget legislation of resorting to criminal acts in passing the 2019 General Appropriations Act. "May I remind Sotto and Lacson that the House leaders who steered the approval of the 2019 GAA are mostly lawyers and accountants.

These are all experts in all phases of the budget process -- from budget preparation, authorization, execution, up to budget accountability," Bravo said.

He said Sotto and Lacson should also discuss with their colleagues in the Senate on

what criminal charges they plan to file against Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other House members for itemizing the lump sum allocations in the national budget.

“First, they charge the Speaker with violation of the Constitution. Next, they come up with the charge of falsification of legislative documents. If these two senators will not stop acting as prosecutors, then I will advise the Speaker to stay home after dark lest they decide to

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PRRD approves promotion of ex-PNP spox, 5 others

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ix officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP), including its former spokesperson, were promoted to the next higher rank.

In a letter dated March 13, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the promotion to Major General (twostar rank) of Brigadier Generals Benigno Durana Jr., Mariel Maniego Magaway, Jonas Binamira Calleja, and Reynaldo Guban Biay.

Meanwhile, promoted to Brigadier General (one-star rank) were Colonels Joselito Fernandez Salido and Ronaldo Genardo Evangelista Ylagan.

Durana, who

served as PNP spokesperson, is currently the acting head of the PNP Directorate for Police Community Relations.

Calleja and Biay are acting chiefs of the Directorate for Plans and Civil Security Group, respectively.

Meanwhile, Magaway is the acting head of the Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development.

Salido is currently the acting executive officer of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Western Mindanao while Ylagan is the acting Deputy Regional Director for Operations of the National Capital Region Police Office. (PNA)

SILENT PROTEST. Former workers of Lafarge Holcim stage a protest in front of the Department of Labor and Employment in Davao City on Thursday. The sacked workers of the giant cement company are seeking intervention from DOLE

following their alleged illegal termination from the gian cement firm on March 4. Photo courtesy of Keith Bacongco

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 15-16, 2019

Dominguez cites fast-tracking of Kaliwa Dam construction

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he construction of the New Centennial Water Source - Kaliwa Dam project is expected to be fast-tracked now that the eastern part of Metro Manila is experiencing a water crisis.

“Absolutely. In fact, had this been done before, the water crisis will be much less serious or much less of a threat,” Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in a briefing Wednesday.

Manila Water, which caters to the cities of Pasig and Mandaluyong, among others, earlier said some 52,000 households currently do not have water supply as water level at the La Mesa Dam, an emergency water source, fell due to low supply and increased demand.

Dominguez said the process of bidding

out and awarding the PHP18.724-billion dam in Quezon province “is well on its way.”

“I’m sure the MWSS (Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System) will urge their contractors to move faster than originally planned,” he added.

The Department of Finance (DOF) earlier said officials of the Philippines and China exchanged documents on the USD211.21 million loan and guarantee agreements for the dam project.

According to the MWSS website, the project will be a new water source for Metro Manila’s domestic water supply.

The project will be constructed in the village of Pagsangahan in General Nakar and the village of Magsaysay in Infanta, both in Quezon province. (PNA)

bar them from clearing trees or altering slopes.

Moreover, the councilor said, resort owners within Marilog’s ancestral domain, which belongs to the Matigsalog tribe, must also secure a Free Prior Informed Consent.

A task force was created to conduct an investigation last year after Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre raised concerns that aside from having no business permit, some of the resorts are located outside the tourism development zone and some are within identified landslide-prone areas.

Alejandre noted that many resorts have thriving businesses, yet the city has not earned from their operations. (PNA)

Japanese business federation has invited Filipino companies to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting slated on April 5 in Osaka, Japan, as it intends to benchmark with Philippine economic growth.

This was bared by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Alegria Sibal Limjoco after her meeting with top officials of Kansai Economic Federation (KANKEIREN) in Osaka here.

“They want to know how the Philippines can help them grow in Osaka that is why, they came here to invite us because they said we are amazed at the growth of the Philippines,” she told reporters Tuesday night.

Limjoco said the 30-member Japanese delegation, which is in the

country until Thursday, claimed it “would like to benchmark with the growth of our country.”

For the ASEAN meeting next month, she said KANKEIREN has invited speakers from the Philippines who are coming from human resources, medical, health and wellness, tourism, small and medium enterprises (SME), and agriculture sectors.

“They would like to hear also the other countries --Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, to also for them to share (their economic growth experiences) because they said they are not growing so much,” Limjoco said.

“Asia is growing because this is an Asian century, the growth will really be in our area. Sila naiiwanan daw (they claimed they were left behind) so they are inviting the different countries to share,” she added. (PNA)

ranking official of the Department of Finance (DOF) says reforms should be implemented to encourage more foreign direct investments (FDIs) and improve the country’s investment environment.

In an economic bulletin dated March 13, 2019, Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said 2018 FDIs to the Philippines reached USD9.8 billion, a bit lower than the USD10 billion registered in 2017.

This drop is in line with the decline in global FDIs during the past two years, he said.

The lower global FDIs last year were traced to US-China trade issues,

Brexit, and slower global growth.

Citing a study by the World Bank (WB), Beltran, who is also the DOF’s chief economist, said “foreign capital should be attracted to enhance more competition and efficiency in the economy.”

He also said that “drop in 2018 FDI is just a temporary phenomenon brought about by the uncertain world economic environment.”

“FDI flows will recover when world conditions are better. Meanwhile, the Philippines should implement reforms for a better investment environment,” he said.

Beltran also brought up

the need to “drastically cut” red tape.

“In this regard, TradeNet.ph, among other digital infrastructure, should already be implemented.

This will facilitate exports of manufactures,” he said.

The Finance department executive also said that restrictions on foreign ownership “should be eased” since the country is among the countries in Asia that has the most restrictive investment regimes.

Among those to be reformed is the Public Service Act (PSA), he said. “(This) should be amended to redefine public utilities and enhance competition to bring down cost,” he added. (PNA)

ANTICIPATION. Pedestrians walk by a vehicle carrying tuna near the fish section of Agdao Public Market on Thursday. Prices of fish and other sea produce are expected to drop as traders anticipate an abundance of supply due to the warmer weather. Lean Daval Jr

18 mountain resorts A told to get biz permit

Osaka firms aim to make PH benchmark for economic growth

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he 18 inland resorts that the local government shut down last year may reopen in time for summer if their owners have already complied with local laws and regulations.

This was according to Councilor Conrado Baluran, chairperson of the City Council’s committee on transportation and communication, as he sees an influx of summer vacationers in the city’s thriving tourism destinations in the upland areas.

Baluran advised the resort owners to work with concerned government agencies so that they may be allowed to reopen and rehire their former employees.

“The owners will have

to talk with the agencies and follow up the requirements so that they would be given business permits.

They have to commit that they will comply with the conditions because we have to legitimize their existence,” he said in an interview Tuesday.

The local government closed down the 18 resorts -- 15 in Marilog and three in Paquibato districts -- because most of them are located in declared national parks, watershed reserves, and recharge areas for wa-

ter. Others were found to be encroaching on tribal lands.

While the city government is keen on allowing the resorts to operate again to stimulate economic activity in the area, Baluran said measures must be implemented to ensure the protection of conservation zones that stretch over 62,469 hectares of land.

Baluran said the conservation zones are meant to preserve existing cultural settlements, improve and maintain waterway easements and reforestation development projects, and protect biodiversity.

City regulations allow resort developers only a maximum of 2 percent concrete construction but

GDP growth targets cut due to budget impasse

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conomic managers on Wednesday cut economic growth targets for 2019-20 due to the projected impact of the re-enacted budget this year.

In a briefing after the meeting of the inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) officer-in-charge Janet Abuel said, with this downward revision, gross domestic product (GDP) target for this year now stands at between six to seven percent, while the 2020 target is now at between 6.5 to7.5 percent.

This represents a retreat from the original target for the same two-year period, which was a flat seven to eight percent growth.

The changes were made since Congress has yet to

submit to the Office of the President a copy of the enrolled PHP3.757 trillion national budget which the Bicameral Committee approved last February.

Members of the House of Representatives reportedly admitted to have changed the ratified version of the budget, resulting in an impasse with the Senate.

To date, the government is operating on a re-enacted budget.

Abuel said economic managers have considered a -0.7 to -0.9 percentage points impact on domestic growth of the re-enacted budget until April this year.

If the government will run on a re-enacted budget until August, the impact on GDP is estimated between -1.4 to -1.9 percentage points while it is between -2.1 to

-2.8 percentage points if on full year.

“We, therefore, urged Congress to transmit the 2019 national budget at the soonest possible time to the Malacanang so the government can sustain its investments on development priorities namely public infrastructure and social services,” Abuel said.

She stressed that “the longer the budget impasse lasts the larger the adverse effect to the Philippine economy and its people.”

“We remain confident of the sound macroeconomic fundamentals and the resilience of the Philippine economy. We assure the Filipino people that the economic managers will continue to monitor developments at home and overseas to secure

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DOF exec cites need for reforms to attract more foreign investors A

ECONOMY

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DA to probe high prices of GMO corn

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ETHNIC PERFORMANCE. A young boy plays the Gimbal’l drum as his group performs to welcome and entertain foreign and domestic guests at the lobby of The Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City on Thursday. Lean Daval Jr

Diokno leads talks on risks to financial market

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Diokno led the assessment on the impact of the slowing global growth on the Philippines, as well as the changing economic landscape in both the US and China.

“Global markets were turbulent when we closed 2018 and there are new developments at the start of 2019 that could affect financial markets,” Diokno said.

He added that “we need to consider the possible scenarios and steer our financial system so that we can effectively manage these possibilities, and continue with our economic growth agenda.”

Local market conditions were likewise reviewed, including the state of the banking industry and the corporate sector. The analysis of the Council is expected to be shared publicly with the release of the 2018 Financial Stability Report in the second quarter of this year.

The Council also discussed the key takeaways from the BSP-IMF Regional

Dialogue on Financial Stability for ASEAN Central Banks held in January 2019.

Among the issues discussed was the need for greater clarity of the scope of financial stability, alongside other policy objectives and advocacies of financial authorities. The FSCC considered a draft and it expects to finalize it soon.

The FSCC is an inter-agency council with the BSP, the Department of Finance, the Insurance Commission, the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Securities and Exchange Commission as member institutions. (BSP/ PR)

David, to allow Manila Water to activate deep wells which can supply 100 MLD to its consumers.

"MWSS (also) requested Maynilad to allocate 50 MLD and share water through cross border flow to ease the problem and augment the water supply needs of Manila Water, including the deployment of water trucks to affected areas that will service or benefit 50,000 households in Quezon City, Paranaque and Taguig," he said.

Velasco said he has also directed Manila Water to activate and operationalize its Cardona, Rizal treatment plant which ceased operations in October 2018, but can potentially provide an additional 100 MLD. "We are happy that by end of March, at least 50 MLD will be available from the Cardona Treatment Plant," he said.

Admittedly, Velasco said,

water concessionaires are on catch up mode as far as water supply source is concerned "since our main source which is the Angat Dam that supplies 96 percent of water to Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal was built in 1967 and no major water source has been built since then except for some water supply projects from Laguna Lake by both Maynilad and Manila Water."

"It’s only over the last two years under the Duterte administration that serious efforts have been put in place to push for major water flagship projects such as the 600 MLD Kaliwa Dam, the 500 MLD from Wawa Dam, the 800 MLD to be sourced from unutilized water from Angat-Norzagaray, the 350 MLD from Bayabas Dam, as well as 500 MLD from Laguna Lake," he said.

MWSS is also studying

a proposal to construct a new treatment plant so as to preserve La Mesa Dam as a water reserve area for the future, which will include a much-needed repair job of conveyance pipes.

With these measures, Velasco said, it is now up to Manila Water to figure out how to fully operationalize additional water supply to ease the burden of consumers.

Meanwhile, Velasco said they are pushing for major water supply projects that will secure present and future needs of Metro Manila and the serviced provinces.

On Kaliwa Dam, he said MWSS is calling on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to fast-track the approval of the environment compliance certificate (ECC) so as to commence the construction of the 600 MLD water project targeted

he Financial Stability Coordination Council (FSCC), in its quarterly meeting, welcomed its new chairman, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno, who replace the late BSP Governor and FSCC Chairman Nestor A. Espenilla Jr., who passed away last month.

The new BSP Governor said in a statement on Thursday that he will continue to build on the progress made by the FSCC as the venue for financial market authorities to identify, monitor, manage, and mitigate the buildup of systemic risk in the Philippine financial system.

For his maiden meeting,

MWSS bares measures to address water supply shortage

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he Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) on Wednesday bared measures that would address the on-going water shortage in some parts of Metro Manila, particularly those being serviced by the Manila Water Company.

MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco, in a press conference held at the Makati Diamond Residences, said to address the present water shortage, the MWSS has allocated at least 200 million liters per day (MLD) to be provided for the east zone concessionaire Manila Water to augment its lack of supply caused by El Niño dry spell, coupled with an increase in demand due to population growth.

Velasco said the MWSS has also requested the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), through its Executive Director Virgilio

FMWSS, P9

griculture Secretary Emmanuel "Manny" Piñol has ordered an investigation in the reportedly high prices of hybrid corn seeds in the country.

"I have ordered to investigate on the prices of hybrid corn seeds in other countries because the multi-national companies handling hybrid corn seeds in the Philippines -- particularly the GMO (genetically modified organism) -- are selling it at a very high price right now," Piñol said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

He said these multi-national companies are allegedly selling hybrid corn seeds to farmers who have to shell out PHP12,000 per hectare.

"It seems there is connivance between these multi-national companies on the prices of hybrid corn seeds as they offer the same," Piñol said in Filipino.

"We will check. They (multi-national companies) will hear from me and we will take legal action. The moment we were able to establish that the selling price of high hybrid corn is really high and they monopolized the market, we will file charges against them," he added.

Piñol said the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has the mandate to sanction erring multi-national companies.

The use of hybrid corn seeds is growing fast and has led the country to 100-percent self-sufficiency in corn.

The October-December 2018 corn production at 1.81 million metric tons, was higher by 10.8 percent than the 2017 level of 1.63 million metric tons.

Harvest area increased to 612,000 hectares from previous year’s record of 571,000 hectares. Yield per hectare improved from 2.85 metric tons to 2.95 metric tons or by 3.5 percent.

Production for January-December 2018 at 7.77 million metric tons, decreased by 1.8 percent from the 7.92 million metric tons output in 2017.

Harvest area and yield also declined to 2.51 million hectares and 3.09 metric tons per hectare, respectively, from their levels in the previous year.

Based on standing crop, corn production from January to March 2019 may increase from the previous year’s level of 2.48 million metric tons. (PNA)

NEDA estimates impact of reenacted budget

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ccording to estimates of the National Economic and Development Authority, a reenacted budget until April 2019 will bring down full-year gross domestic product (GDP) growth from 6.1 to 6.3 percent.

“On the other hand, if the budget is passed in August, expect growth to be around only 4.9 to 5.1 percent. Worse, with a full-year reenacted budget, growth can go as low as 4.2 to 4.9 percent,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said in a statement on Wednesday.

Pernia also emphasized that a reenacted budget will create a delay in both new and ongoing infrastructure projects, as well as the implementation of public social services such as the Unconditional Cash Transfer and Pantawid Pasada Programs.

“The government would not be able to quickly execute programs and projects. This means that we will miss the opportunity to create as much as 180,000

to 240,000 more jobs, and fail to lift as much as 400,000 to 550,000 more Filipinos out of poverty this year,” he said.

The Philippine economy recorded a full-year GDP growth rate of 6.2 percent in 2018, lower than government’s revised target of 6.5 to 6.9 percent.

This is also lower than the 6.7 percent and 6.9 percent recorded in 2017 and 2016, respectively, largely due to the spikes in inflation rates in 2018.

“Even with this, the economy has been steadily growing by at least 6.0 percent for seven consecutive years. Also, in the first ten quarters of the administration, the economy has been growing at an average of 6.5 percent. We need to sustain this momentum, or even accelerate it, now with inflation rate down and within our target range,” Pernia said.

“Thus, we call for the immediate passage of the 2019 budget. The longer we wait, the more adverse the effect will be,” he added. (NEDA/PR)

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 15-16, 2019

EDITORIAL

Free tertiary education and TVET

T

he shifting mindset for policies that improve Filipinos’ lives continues to take shape with the signing of a law by President Rodrigo R. Duterte which mandates free access to technical-vocational education.

The wisdom behind Republic Act 11230 otherwise known as the Tulong-Trabaho Act is to address unemployment and job mismatch in the country. It was officially signed into law as of February 22.

The new law reinforces the growing faith in the technical vocational education and training (TVET) as a viable tool in addressing the country’s unemployment and labor mismatch problems and in the general picture, help alleviate people’s lives out of poverty. In the past, the TVET pathway was never given attention because of the predominant culture among Filipinos that success is attained only when one earns a collegiate degree. Anything less than that is failure. This mentality is called ‘academization.’

Times have changed. The TVET pathway has become a viable tool to equip one’s self of the skills training required to work in a particular industry or fields of specialization. It has also been proven to be linked to tertiary courses. Both can be bridged or to use the appropriate term, ladderized.

Nevertheless, while the TVET road has resulted to shifting mindset, the limited funds available in the past as extended by government via the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) was a limiting factor for students to pursue TVET training. The cost of training, minus the subsidization by government remains

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an obstacle for impoverished Filipinos to acquire competencies in various fields of training.

RA 11203 perhaps addresses that vacuum.

The new law reinforces the mandate of the Constitution to encourage nonformal, informal and indigenous learning systems, as well as self-learning, independent, and out-of-school study programs, particularly those that respond to community needs. It orders the creation of a Philippine Labor Force Competencies Competitiveness Program that will assess the prevailing demands of industries, with the help of the Department of Labor and Employment, which generates studies, such as labor market intelligence reports. There will also be a Tulong-Trabaho Fund which will cover the full training fee and other expenses of qualified recipients, such as transportation allowance and laboratory fees. To eliminate antecedent cost, RA 11230 also mandates a free assessment and certification process for those who completed the technical-vocational education and training. The funding scheme will be available to any person aged at least 15 years old, who is not in school, not in training or is unemployed. Employed workers who intend to develop and expand their current skills and training may also avail of Tulong-Trabaho Fund.

With the new law providing free tech-voc courses, the government has struck the two pathways to education and training. Given the free higher education law signed earlier and the signing of RA 11203, Pinoys now get access to both tertiary education and TVET training.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 15-16, 2019

VANTAGE POINTS

7

THINK ON THESE! Henrylito D. Tacio

IN ALL HONESTY “Honesty is the cornerstone of all success, without which confidence and ability to perform shall cease to exist.” – May Kay Ash *** There was this story about Hollywood actor Burt Lancaster (who won a Best Actor Oscar for his performance in 1960’s Elmer Gantry) which I remember fondly. The story, written by Anne Heagney, happened before he was still a little boy.

Burt grew up in East Harlem and spent much of his time on the streets. Since his parents were poor, he had the usual cravings for cream puffs, chocolates, and ice cream. At that time, a quarter looked big to him.

One day, as Burt stood on a corner in front of a bank, he looked down and saw a $20 bill lying in the gutter. It was the largest amount of money he had ever set on and his heart fairly jumped for joy at his great discovery.

He leaned down, picked up the bill and put it in his pocket. He was thinking of the joy it would give his mother when he ran home with his “prize.” As he stood there dreaming of the delicious things he could now buy, an elderly lady approached him.

Burt noticed how worried and upset she looked. “You didn’t see

a $20 bill, did you sonny?” she inquired. And she explained how she had cashed a check for that amount at the bank to buy some articles that were badly needed for her family.

She was in tears when she said, “I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t find it. I must have dropped it near here somewhere…”

Burt’s fingers closed on the bill; a picture flashed through his mind of the good things all that money could buy. He must have been strongly tempted to keep what he’d found even though he knew it would be wrong. Still, he could have said, “Sorry, lady, I didn’t see your money.”

Instead, Burt pulled out the $20 bill. “You did lose it here, Ma’am.

I found it,” he said and then handed over the twenty-dollar bill.

The look of joy on her tired, anxious face sent a warm glow to his heart. She thanked him profusely and went away with a light step.

According to the man who would later on become one of the biggest stars in the film capital of the world, “it was one of the happiest memories of my life.”

What Burt Lancaster displayed was honesty all the way. And the words of one of the characters in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights come to mind: “Honest people don’t

hide their deeds.”

American president Thomas Jefferson once said: “Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom.”

Humorist novelist Mark Twain gave some thought on how to find an honest person: “There’s one way to find out if a man is honest: ask him; if he says yes, you know he’s crooked.”

Honesty, so goes a popular saying, is the best policy. And Billy Joel sang of honesty as “such a lonely word.” The reason: “everyone is so untrue.” That’s why American billionaire Warren Buffet had said: “Honesty is a very expensive gift.

Don’t expect it from cheap people.”

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie once said in an interview: “I’m just honest, I like that I don’t have to worry about what I say. I really don’t have the time or energy to pretend and I don’t want to live that way.”

It reminds me of Dr. Madison Sarratt, who taught mathematics at Vanderbilt University for many years. Before giving a test, he would admonish his class something like this: “Today, I am giving two examinations – one in trigonometry and the other in honesty. I hope you will pass them both.

“If you must fail one, fail trigonometry,” he suggested. “There are many people in the world who can’t

pass trigonometry, but there is no one who can’t pass the examination of honesty.”

“The truth brings with it a great measure of absolution,” pointed out R.D. Laing, a Scottish psychiatrist.

Three years ago, a pastor from another city accepted a call to a church in Davao. A week after he arrived, he decided to roam around the city. He rode a jeepney and gave the driver a crispy twenty-peso bill.

There were so many passengers and it took the driver two minutes before he was able to give the pastor his change.

The pastor counted the change and he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a peso more than what he was to receive.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, “You’d better give the peso back. It would be wrong to keep it.”

Then he thought, “Oh, forget it, it’s only a peso. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the driver gets too much fare; he will never miss it. Accept it as a ‘gift from God’ and keep quiet.”

Then he was almost at his destination, he went near to the driver and handed the peso. “Here, you gave me too much change,” he said.

The driver, with a smile, replied, “Aren’t you the new pastor

near our area? I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I’ll see you at church on Sunday.”

“There is no well-defined boundary between honesty and dishonesty,” American author O. Henry pointed out. “The frontiers of one blend with the outside limits of the other, and he who attempts to tread this dangerous ground may be sometimes in one domain and sometimes in the other.”

It reminds me of the story of two women riding a bus. One of them realized she hadn’t paid her fare yet. “I’ll go right up and pay it,” she said. “Why bother?” her companion told her. “You got away with it, so what?”

“I’ve found that honesty always pays,” the other said virtuously, and went up to pay the driver. After that, she went back to her place and told her companion. “See, I told you.

Honesty really pays. I handed the driver 20 pesos and he gave me 40 pesos change.”

But that’s not the kind of honesty we want. Just remember the words of William Shakespeare. In All’s Well that Ends Well, the British playwright wrote: “No legacy is so rich as honesty.” – ###

UNDERSTANDING ISLAM Mujahid Navarra

Allah said in the Quran, ‘Indeed, We have created the human in the best form.’ Quran 95:4. Allah has exalted the human being as superior compared to other beings on Earth.

Humans, of all the creations of God, have the most profound influence in our changing world. Humans have also been made by Allah to have freewill which he did not bestow the angels. Humans have been given intellect which Allah did not bestow other living beings such as plants and animals.

And much more, Allah has given humans the chance to be rewarded with Paradise where he may live forever while enjoying everything that he desired.

But this world where we live in, right here, right now, is a world that is full challenges and frustrations and it’s hard to look beyond this material world of ours so how much more about Afterlife. Man as an intellectual being, despite having more intelligence than the animals do not seem to find solutions to his problems, cure for his sickness or satiation of his desires. However successful man may become in this world, he remains wanting. He may get happy for a while after some achievements but he will soon find out that his accom-

THE BANE OF MAN’S EXISTENCE

plishment almost means nothing as it wasn’t perfect or there is much more left to be desired or he finds some other things to be pursued which shall frustrate him anew.

Man could not seem to find absolute contentment and happiness in anything material – this is the bane of man’s existence. The source of our sorrows, frustrations, and disenchantment, especially now that we live in a heavily commercialized and materialistic world.

UNDERSTANDING THE HUMAN AND HIS SURROUNDINGS The human being is an intellectual being that has limitless intellectual and spiritual capacities and desires. And this is something that we try to satisfy in this limited world. To visualize man’s situation, it is like we are big fishes in a fishbowl.

There is only so much that we could accomplish, achieve or acquire in our limited physical abilities and time to be alive in this vast Earth. This physical limitation is directly in conflict with our unlimited intellectual and spiritual characteristic.

This is all because the world was not meant by God to be perfect. One may be the richest person in the world and is married to the most beautiful

woman and living the most beautiful house and yet he may only enjoy it for a few years after which he shall inevitably die. He may have a long life, but he shall no longer have the physical abilities to drive his sports car or take his young beautiful wife out on a date.

This reality causes different reactions from different people. For others, this reality makes them feel like each day of being alive is a triumph against death and should, therefore, be celebrated. Life should be lived to the fullest as they say, as they work the days and drink and dance the nights away. Others tend to be more on the self-preservating mode seeking a higher purpose in life.

If we contemplate deep enough, we could find that these things happen because our current world and our surroundings were meant by Allah to be a testing ground where we do what we could do of the correct things only to be rewarded or punished later on by either passing or failing.

The bane of Man’s existence is that we seek perfection in this imperfect world. We try to satisfy our infinite desires by seeking it in this finite world in our finite physical abilities. The world is just a testing ground.

We are not supposed to live here forever.

THE HIGHER PURPOSE The only way out of this bane is for man to be emancipated from his base instincts or desires by seeking a higher purpose in life. That is why many people seek spirituality in different religions or being beneficial to others by charity and public service whose rewards could never be simply bought by money.

Islam simplifies this search of a higher purpose of our existence by inculcating the Muslims that we have not been created in vain, or that we have not only been created to fulfill our desires for food, affection and other physical needs. We were created to worship God. And by discovering this higher purpose, the believer shall find himself at the front of huge gates of goodness that he could open for himself and for the others.

This discovery makes us sync with the original creation plan of God. In fact, God did not create the universe for nothing and so does the human being.

We are meant to be spiritual and intellectual beings and not simply like the animals that live day to day just to satisfy their basic instincts. As being a spiritual and intellectual being,

humans are supposed to bring about benefit to himself and others by being driven by his belief in Allah that a life lived in worship of Allah and service to fellow humans will make him among those who deserve to be rewarded with the ultimate reward.

THE ONLY PLACE TO FULFILL OUR DESIRES Philosophers believe in the principle of pairs. Plants and animals have been made into male and female. Temperature is either hot or cold. Luminosity is either dark or bright. We could use this same principle in solving the bane of man’s existence. Allah, the most glorious, in His intelligent design of things have this principle at work as we could physically observe.

We’ve talked about the imperfect world that we have today. Where humans are born into, live and die. So, according to the principle of pairs, there must be a perfect world.

A world where deserving humans could truly fulfill their desires. That world is Paradise.

Since this current world is a testing ground and some people are bound to fail. They also have a place where their desire for decadence shall be satisfied by punishment and misery. That world is Hell.

8

EDGEDAVAO

COMPETITIVE EDGE

VOL.12 ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 15-16, 2019

Grid projects until 2040 set through NGCP’s Transmission Development Plan

R

ecognizing the crucial need for reliable power to the economic development of the nation, NGCP again presented its annual Transmission Development Plan (TDP) (2019-2040) to map the company’s short term and long-term objectives in securing the Philippine transmission landscape.

The TDP is NGCP’s roadmap, updated annually, for the continuous expansion of the Philippine Grid, detailing all ongoing and future undertakings of the company, including all ERC-approved projects, affected areas, significant milestones, and expected completion dates.

As the System Operator, NGCP also oversees grid security and reliability, power quality, and power dispatching and scheduling. As such, NGCP designed the TDP to help identify and mitigate causes of power interruptions and transmission-related outages.

Among NGCP’s significant projects in the TDP are the Bataan Grid Reinforcement Project and the Western Luzon 500kV Backbone Project for Luzon, the Visayas Substation Reliability project and Cebu-Negros-Panay Interconnection Project in Visayas, and the Mindanao 230kV Backbone Project for Mindanao. Of course, NGCP is still committed to complete its Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project, which will see the realization of one Philippine grid in 2020.

“As the Philippine economy continues to grow, so must we in the power sector continue to develop our infrastructure in order to cater to an ever-expanding network. As NGCP is in a unique

A

5 pm and was received by Isabela Governor Faustino Dy III, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Director General Captain Jim Sydiongco, and Northern Luzon Command head Lieutenant General Emmanuel Salamat.

The President awarded the Order of Lapu-Lapu, Rank of Kampilan to Sergeant Rafael Camaddu, Staff Sergeant Roderick Austria, Private Murphy Cuntapay, Private Jhoven Gangano, and Private Mark Anthony Cabangbang.

The five awarded soldiers were wounded in separate encounters with the New People’s Army and the Abu Sayyaf Group in Isabela,

Cagayan, and Sulu.

He then posthumously awarded the Order of LapuLapu, Rank of Kalasag to Corporal Albert Maramag who was killed during an encounter with the New People’s Army in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur on March 2.

The award was received by the slain soldier’s mother, Estelita, together with his two brothers, Corporal Jeffrey Maramag and Private Arvin Maramag, and cousin Private Adrian Maramag.

President Duterte offered condolences to the family and told them that the government is willing to help them should they need more assistance. (PND)

charge her next with vagrancy," Bravo said in jest.

Bravo said instead of grandstanding before the media, it would be better for Sotto and Lacson to heed the advice of the chief of the Senate's Legislative Budget Research and Management Office (LBMRO), Director General Yolanda Dublon.

"Ms. Dublon maintains that there is nothing unconstitutional, illegal or irregular in itemizing the lump sum allocations in the national budget even after both chambers ratified the bicameral conference report. She made this position clear in front of President Rodrigo Duterte during his meeting with Senate and House leaders last Tuesday night,” he said.

“That is the reason why the President does not buy Sotto's earlier position that the House leaders committed an unconstitutional act in itemizing the lump sum allocation," Bravo said.

Deputy Speaker Prospero Pichay, meanwhile, told Lacson to stop acting “like a Supreme Court."

“Senator Ping, stop playing the Supreme Court by saying the budget is unconstitutional, because it is only the Supreme Court that can make such pronouncement,” the Surigao del Sur lawmaker said.

“If you believe it is unconstitutional, then file a case and question it. It is only when the Supreme Court declares it to be unconstitutional that it is unconstitutional,” Pichay said.

He also urged Lacson to set aside his “deep-rooted” anger towards Arroyo so that the budget would be passed for the sake of the country.

Pichay noted that the senator's anger toward the former president might have blinded him from the fact that the House of Representatives is a collegial body just like the Senate.

“Any act of the Speaker, especially in the signing of bills and other forms of legislation, is an act of the House of Representatives as a whole. If she is liable, then majority of the members are equally liable because we authorized her to do it,” he said.

“Senator Ping, for the sake of the country, and for the sake of President Duterte, who had called upon Congress to act on it swiftly otherwise the economy and the welfare of the Filipino

people will suffer, set aside mo muna ang rage mo kay Speaker,” Pichay said On the other hand, House Majority Floor Leader Fredenil Castro said the maneuverings of Sotto and Lacson appear like they wanted President Duterte to fail.

“It seems that Senator Ping Lacson is holding President Duterre and the entire Filipino people hostage to his continuing animosity towards our Speaker. He has obviously convinced the Senate leadership to do his bidding,” Castro said.

The Capiz lawmaker pointed out that while the House has itemized the lump sum appropriations in their realignments, the Senate has failed to explain where they put their own realignments.

These include the PHP2.5 billion they took from the National Greening Project; the PHP3 billion they removed from Technical Education and Skills Development Authority scholarships; the PHP11 billion for right of way of projects for the President's "Build, Build, Build" program; and the PHP2.5 billion funding for foreign assisted projects, among others.

“The Senate removed all those allocations and we don't know where they put them. The senators need to explain where they put these allocations,” Castro said.

The House Majority Leader added that the Senate has so far failed to act on other priority legislation that forms part of the President’s agenda.

These include continuing the process of Charter change towards federalism, passing the second tranche of tax reform or TRAIN 2, the traffic emergency bill and creating a new Department of Disaster Management, among others.

“It seems with their maneuverings, they want the President to fail,” Castro said.

He reminded senators that as lawmakers, their foremost responsibility is to serve the people.

“We were elected by our people to pass laws for their benefit, not to indulge in personal vendettas, and least of all to place those vendettas ahead of the job we were elected to do. Let’s heed the President’s call for all of us to do our job and do right by our people,” Castro said. (PNA)

SOTTO... FROM 3

NGCP’s Assistant Vice President and Head of Transmission Planning Department Mr. Redi Allan Remoroza explains the company’s Transmission Development Plan 2019-2040 to Luzon stakeholders during the consultation event held last 24 January in Seda Hotel Quezon City. position to balance the supply and demand, the Transmission Development Plan is imperative in supporting the growth of the entire industry,” stated NGCP. In order to continuously improve its transmission planning process, NGCP also holds public consultations for its TDP. This year’s public consultations were set in January and February for all three regions.

With the public consultations, NGCP hopes to hear ideas, suggestions, concerns, and ultimately integrate critical comments from its stakeholders in the energy industry, industries, businesses, and the public, in order to effectively carry out its strategies and implementation schemes in the TDP. “Through our TDP, we can ensure that we have the necessary infrastructure to

fulfill our vision of a strong, unified electricity transmission network that can meet the country’s increasing power needs until 2040— and beyond,” NGCP said.

NGCP is a Filipino-led, privately-owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s state-owned power grid, and is led by majority shareholders Henry Sy, Jr. and Robert Coyiuto, Jr. ###

AboitizPower utility sees bright prospects in franchise area

boitizPower-led distribution utility Cotabato Light and Power Co. (CLPC) sees rosy prospects in its franchise area in the medium term as robust economic growth continues to spread across the country.

CLPC projects to grow its demand by 8.47 percent this year in anticipation of several big loads soon to be covered by its franchise area. Demand within the Cotabato-based utility grew by 14 percent to 32 MW in 2018 from 28 MW in 2017.

Its customer base grew by a modest 1.3 percent from 41,110 in 2017 to 41,645 in 2018.

“We are very pleased with our growth in 2018 and maintain this trajectory moving forward. We’ve seen impressive economic growth in Cotabato City, driven by the government’s efforts to bring in investors over the past few years,” said Cotabato Light vice president and chief operating officer Ben Caro C. Arkoncel.

These include the facilities and offices of the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, as well as a factory, mall, and

PRRD... FROM 2

hotel, among others.

Cotabato Light showed improvement in reliability, having been able to reduce the average number of interruptions each customer experiences in a year from six in 2017 to 2.5 in 2018.

The utility also reduced the average duration of power interruptions in a year to 122 minutes in 2018 from 811 minutes in 2017.

This can be attributed to the installation of line reclosers and load break switches, intensification of vegetation management, augmentation of line maintenance, putting in place wildlife shields to eliminate or minimize animal intrusion of power lines, improvement of substation maintenance, and upgrading of overloaded distribution transformers, among others.

Cotabato Light’s franchise area covers the city of Cotabato as well as portions of the municipalities of Datu Odin Sinsuat and Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao.

To keep up with the development within the respective franchise areas of its utilities, AboitizPower has set aside P3.1 billion to modernize its existing distribution assets across the country.

OSAKA... FROM 11

were so many fans, I think that that's part of the experience. Yeah, I think I did well for my first time."

She said she could see a change in herself since she arrived unheralded at Indian Wells last year and walked away with a victory that sparked a stellar 2018 campaign that included a win over Serena Williams in the US Open final.

"One of the biggest things is I wanted to be more mature," she said when asked how she had changed.

"I feel like this is something I'm still working on, on and off the court. It's one of the biggest goals that I have had my entire life.

"Because I might have thrown a few tantrums last year and this year it's something I'm working on improving and I feel like it's going well.

"I think I'm just more confident in myself."

She's also confident

that her decision to bring American coach Jermaine Jenkins into her team is working out.

Osaka surprised the tennis world when she parted with coach Sascha Bajin shortly after winning the Australian Open and moving to number one in the world.

"I think it's always a bit tricky whenever you change someone in the team, but I feel like for a first tournament we did really well," she said of her partnership with Jenkins, a former US collegiate star who served as a hitting partner to Venus Williams from 2015 until the end of last season.

"We communicate well. So I think that's a really big plus. I don't think it's going to be difficult. I think that we are all sort of on the same page, and we are all looking forward to Miami," she said.

"Yeah, I think it should be good."

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 15-16, 2019

BIGGEST... FROM 1

Tolentino among others.

Ardon also said President Duterte's other anointed candidates Senator Cynthia Villar, Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara, Ilocs Norte Governor Imee Marcos, Senator JV Ejercito, Taguig City Representative Pia Cayetano, music icon Freddie Aguilar and former cabinet secretary Raffy Alunan will also be attending.

Anticipating a mammoth crowd, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Police Senior Superintendent Alexander Tagum assured to cover all possible contingencies and ensure the security and safety of all participants through the support of the Task Force Davao, Police Regional Office-11 and the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group to assure the safety.

Tagum said they will be putting check points to in-

spect bypassers and deploy traffic enforcements for possible traffic violators.

City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) head Dionisio Abude, meanwhile, said there will be no closure of roads at the Diversion Road but they will be putting exit points leading to the bypass road going to the exit in San Rafael.

Abude, however, said they already identified three parking areas that will accommodate two parking spaces for VIPs and one for general parking.

"If ever mapuno na ang VIP and general parking areas, we will be using the bypass road instead," Abude said.

CTTMO will also deploy traffic personnel in nearby areas like Maa, Garcia Heights, Milan and Jade Valley to direct vehicles passing through Diversion Road.

DUTERTE... FROM 3

the patent, and given the right to repurchase the patents within five years from transfer or conveyances’’.

Under the Agricultural Free Patent Act, agricultural free patent “shall now be considered as title in fee simple and shall not be subject to any restriction against encumbrance or alienation”.

Senator Richard Gordon, who authored the law, said in previous reports that the removal of some restrictions will unleash

the power of freer land markets.

“It will make agricultural patents bankable to improve the economy because right now, nobody will want to buy it because of the restrictions,” he said.

“We will empower the farmer. We will give him options about what he can do with the land -- options such as borrowing against the land to develop it, or selling the land to a more productive farmer,” he added. (PNA)

DAVAO... FROM 1

(38) such reported killings since Atty. Rogelio Bato, Jr. was killed by unidentified gunmen in Tacloban, Leyte on August 23, 2016."

IBP calls on the police and investigative authorities to solve these cases with real sense of duty and dispatch.

"Lawyers, prosecutors, and judges are being targeted with surging frequency and impunity. Atty Lopoz's killing closely follows the assassination of Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro in Cebu City last January 17, 2019, and the abduction of lawyer Alwyn Mendoza in Nueva Ecija last February 23, 2019" “This series of unsolved crimes against lawyers has germinated a dark halo of fear that has paralyzed the most important pillars of the justice system,” said Fajardo,

adding “Murder and other forms of mindless violence have no place in civilized society.”

Lopoz, dead at 42, is a member of IBP Davao del Norte Chapter.

Sources said Lopoz died upon arrival in the nearest hospital due to bullet wound in the back.

Rex's older brother Dexter, a former legislator in Compostela Valley, changed his profile picture in Facebook shortly after the gunning incident with a caption: "Just an hour ago, they killed my younger brother. Gunshots to his back. Dead on arrival at the hospital.”

The late lawyer's remains lie in state in their home in Purok 9, Poblacion, Nabunturan, Compostela Valley. Adam B. Morrell and Leebai Sinsuat Ambolodto

for completion in 2023.

"The initial agreement on the water allocation once Kaliwa Dam is completed is 350 MLD for Manila Water and 250 for Maynilad. This is one project started since the time of President Ferdinand Marcos and it’s only after 30 years that we are finally implementing it under the Duterte administration," he said.

Velasco said the present low water level at La Mesa precipitated by El Niño poses big challenge to the government to produce water immediately needed.

As such, he urged Manila Water and the proponent of the Wawa water source development Prime Infra to immediately finalize their cooperative agreement that could produce additional 500 MLD for East side consumers of Metro Manila.

"I wish to assure the public that there will be enough and sufficient water to supply the future needs of the 20 million residents in (the) metropolis and nearby provinces serviced by its these concessionaires in the next 10 to 15 years," he said. (PNA)

MWSS... FROM 5

9

DUTERTE... FROM 2

restrictions will unleash the power of freer land markets.

“It will make agricultural patents bankable to improve the economy because right now, nobody will want to buy it because of the restrictions,” he said.

“We will empower the farmer. We will give him options about what he can do with the land -- options such as borrowing against the land to develop it, or selling the land to a more productive farmer,” he added. (PNA)

the sustained growth and development of the country,” she added.

Relatively, Socio-Planning Secretary and National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Ernesto Pernia, during the same briefing at the Department of Finance (DOF), noted that impact of the mild dry spell is not expected to have a big dent on domestic growth.

“At the back of our minds there is this El Nino phenomenon. Although it is expected to be a mild and so it should not really matter that much,” he said.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, during the same briefing, said unresolved trade issues between US and China, among others, “is a source of concern” vis-àvis the growth of the domestic economy.

“We also know very, very well that any slowdown in growth of our trading partners will definitely negatively affect our own growth possibilities,” he added.

Relatively, DBCC’s latest revenue target for this year is PHP3.15 trillion, or about 16.9 percent of GDP.

This is lower than the previous target of PHP3.208 trillion, which Dominguez said was made after economic managers realized that the target is “too high” when compared to the actual 2018 revenues, which amounted to PHP2.85 trillion.

Inflation is still projected to average between three to four percent this year while the figures for the succeeding two years is between two to three percent, the lower end of the target band of two to four percent until 2022.

Dubai crude oil is seen to go down to USD60-75 per barrel for 2019-22 from USD75-USD85 per barrel during the DBCC meeting in October 2018.

The peso is seen to average between 52-55 to a greenback from this year until 2022 and the one-year Treasury bill (T-bill) rate at 5.5-6.5 percent this year and five to six percent from 2020-22.

Exports of goods is seen to grow by six percent from this year until 2022 while imports by nine percent this year and eight percent from 2020-22. (PNA)

GDP... FROM 4

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VOL.12 ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 15-16, 2019

11 SPORTS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 5 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH 15-16, 2019

MDI Carwash, Lorejo Farms score wins

By ADAM B. MORRELL

T Kaya FC-Iloilo forward Darryl Roberts (30) scored a brace to lead his team to a 5-0 win against ASEAN Zone champions Home United of Singapore at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City Wednesday (March 13, 2019) afternoon. AFC photo

Kaya FC scores huge win vs ASEAN champs

B

ACOLOD CITY -- The emphatic 5-0 victory of the Philippines’ Kaya FC-Iloilo over reigning ASEAN Zone champions, Home United of Singapore, is a testament to the team’s hard work, head coach Noel Marcaida said.

“My players accepted the challenge. They’re very hungry to play in this level. They worked hard to be back in the AFC Cup, and it showed in this game,” Marcaida said after the match at the Panaad Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

The first win at home in the AFC Cup 2019 earned the Filipino squad, which last played in the tournament in 2016, three points to top Group H with four points

D

and a goal difference of five.

Darryl Roberts struck the opening goal in the second minute and delivered another in the 37th, only four minutes after Jovin Bedic scored. Alfred Osei hit the back of the net in the 49th and 55th to complete his own brace.

Roberts, who was named “Man of the Match”, said his first goal was a result of the team’s focus on training, “especially on set pieces.”

“We executed what was taught on the training pitch and for the first one, it worked out well,” the forward from Trinidad and Tobago said.

Marcaida lauded his players for accepting the challenge to take on the ASE-

AN champions.

“We created opportunities, and we scored goals,” he said. “Coming from two weeks of preparation, we were able to get the formula.

I commend the players, for whatever role I gave them.

They really performed.”

Home United head coach Saswadimata Dasuki said his players created chances, but had difficulties in converting those opportunities.

“After the second goal, we tried to control the game (but) whenever Kaya attacked, (make a) shot or hit, it turned into a goal. It was very, very tough for the boys,” he said.

Dasuki said the heat also affected the performance of his team.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 54 points on 20-of-43 shooting, with Thompson tallying 30 and five 3-pointers.

READ: Warriors rule out Durant versus Rockets The Rockets sliced what was a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit to 104-103 on a three-point play by Chris Paul with 10.8 seconds remaining.

But Curry sank two free throws with eight seconds left and, after James Harden missed the second of two free throws with 6.4 seconds left, Andre Iguodala tracked down the loose ball in the backcourt for Golden State to seal the victory.

Thompson, Cousins and Curry (24 points) were the only Warriors to score in double figures.

Golden State shot 49.4 percent from the floor and finished 10-for-10 from the free-throw line.

Paul finished with 24 points and was instrumental in engineering the rally down the stretch of the second quarter. While the Rockets pulled even at 5252 on a Harden 3-pointer with 32.5 seconds left, it was Paul who scored seven points in succession to help erase a 49-42 deficit.

Harden paired 29 points with 10 assists but continued his recent struggles from deep, missing 10 of 12 3s. Clint Capela posted a double-double (13 points, 13 rebounds) but struggled to defend Cousins on the block.

Eric Gordon added 17 points while the Houston bench, which played a significant role in the victory over Charlotte on Monday, produced just 18 points.

The Warriors turned seven offensive rebounds into six second-chance points in the third period.

Cousins recorded six assists in the first half.

“It’s the first time for the boys to play at 3 p.m.

The heat, maybe they are not used to it. In Singapore, we played mostly at 5 p.m., which is cooler,” he said.

Dasuki remained optimistic that Home United would be able to bounce back.

“This is only our second game. We still have four games. Definitely, we want to win. We don’t give up, we will keep going,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kaya FC will play next against PSM Makassar of Indonesia at the Pakansari Stadium in Bogor on April 2. They will be back at the Panaad Stadium to face the same team on April 17. (PNA)

he MDI Carwash finally slayed the jinx while Lorejo Farms extended their own run as both teams exacted sweet wins in the ongoing Uraya Fortys Ballers Club (UFBC) regular season at the Elenita Heights court in Barangay Catalunan Grande on Sunday.

MDI Carwash redeemed themselves from a painful loss against Caltex on March 3 as they manhandled San Mig Light 71-65, to end a three game skid.

Dominic Recto led the team's balanced scoring with 15 points, giving MDI Carwash its first W in the double-round robin format hoopfest for 40 years old and above.

Recto, meanwhile, dedicated his spectacular performance to teammate Boy Rudy Coquilla whose birthday was spoiled by a stinging 80-88 loss to Caltex two weekends ago.

Lorejo Farms notched its second-straight win after wrecking DC Construction 65-57, in a nip and tuck ballgame that saw many lead changes and deadlocks.

The game was a matter of 'who will rise up at the payoff period' and Noli Auman ended the discussion scored game-high 16 points for Lorejo Farms.

Mike Ravelo, on the other hand, gave his best and scored 14 in a losing cause.

Osaka thinking positive despite fourth round loss

I

NDIAN WELLS -- World number one Naomi Osaka was trying to find the positives after her Indian Wells WTA title defense went up in smoke on Tuesday.

The US and Australian Open champion found at least one.

"I didn't lose in the first round. That's a plus," Osaka said after falling in the fourth round 6-3, 6-1 in just 66 minutes to red-hot Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.

Osaka conceded she didn't play well, but she didn't find the lopsided scoreline depressing be-

cause "I tried my best and I don't really have any regrets."

Osaka had won nine straight games at Indian Wells, but Martina Navratilova in 1990-91 remains the only women's repeat winner in the event.

Osaka said the first title defense of her career had brought different challenges, and she thought she handled them well.

"I think I did well," she said. "It's just really exciting to come out here every day and for everyone to be so kind. There

FOSAKA, P8

Warriors snap Rockets’9-game win streak

eMarcus Cousins served as a facilitator before thriving as a battering ram, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 106-104 victory over the host Houston Rockets on Wednesday at Toyota Center.

Cousins posted season-highs in points (27) and assists (seven) to help the Warriors avert a four-game, season-series sweep by the Rockets.

Golden State played without All-Star forward Kevin Durant (ankle), yet controlled the action for much of the first half before reasserting control with a series of offensive rebounds and second-chance baskets in the third quarter.

The Warriors, 4-6 over their previous 10 games, snapped the Rockets' season-best, nine-game winning streak by striking an effective inside-out balance.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul (3) react after a play during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Reuters

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VOL.12 VOL.12 ISSUE ISSUE 55 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MARCH MARCH 15-16, 15-16, 2019 2019

BOUNCING BACK Davao’s Moralde fights Mexican Mayweather protege in Las Vegas April 5

By NEILWIN JOSEPH BRAVO

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abawenyo super featherweight “Mulawin” John Vincent Moralde will be back in the United States for anApril 5 assignment against unbeaten Mexican 130-pounder prospect Xavier Martinez.

Moralde, who totes an impressive ring record of 21 wins and 2 losses with 11 knockouts, will headline the Showtime card in Las Vegas, Nevada according to his promotional company which announced the fight on Tuesday. It will be the Dabawenyo’s fourth fight in the United States.

“The Moralde vs Martínez fight will be the card’s main event of Showtime’s ShoBox: The New Generation TV series,” promoter JC Manangquil, director of Sanman Boxing, said in a press release posted on Philboxing.com.

Moralde, 24, is fresh from a TKO win over unheralded journeyman Elmer Colve last December in Zamboanga Sibugay. The win avenged

a landslide 10-round decision to 33-year-old American Jamel Herring (19-2, 10 KO’s) last September in Fresno, California. Moralde was also stopped in seven rounds by Toka Kahn Clary in December 1, 2017 for his only other loss.

In contrast, the 21-year-old Martínez, handled by Mayweather Promotions, has performed much better after scoring stoppage wins in all his last five battles. His most recent win was an impressive demolition work of rugged Colombian veteran Deivi Julio Bassa last month in Carson, California.

Against the Mayweather protege, Moralde will try to duplicate the swashbuckling performance of stablemate Reymart Gaballo who scored a big win last year in Hollywood, California.

Martínez is notorious for his speed and proven destructive power which he will try to use in full throttle against the tough-as-nails Filipino warrior.

MORALDE ON SHOWTIME. John Vincent "Mulawin" Moralde of Davao City will headline a Showtime card in Las Vegas on April 5.