Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 63 | Wednesday, June 24, 2020

EDGEDAVAO

SEAWEEDS: NATURAL ALLY AGAINST CANCER

Serving a seamless society

VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

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A worker arranges 11-kilogram cylinders of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) along R. Castillo Street in Davao City on Tuesday. Petroleum companies in the country are bracing for the looming worldwide LPG availability crisis. Edge Davao

FOOD FIRST NCIP 11 bolsters food security in IP communities amid COVID-19

By MAYA M. PADILLO he regional office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP 11) has strengthened food security to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 to Indigenous People (IP) communities in Davao Region.

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WORLDWIDE COVID-19 NUMBERS BOARD

“Dako ang epekto sa atong community labi na nga naay limitation sa ilang movement, pero resilient man pud ning IP communities kay naa man sila sa ilang domain ug dunay pud sila’y mga uma mao to isa sa gitutukan sa NCIP ang food security in

partnership with the Department of Agriculture,” said Gerry Aguio, regional director of NCIP 11 in a virtual presser.

Aguio said NCIP and DA signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the food

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

PHILIPPINES

WORLDWIDE

CONFIRMED: 9,194,445 • DEATHS: 474,503 • RECOVERED: 4,941,653

CONFIRMED: 30,682 • DEATHS: 1,177 • RECOVERED: 8,143

As of June 20, 2020, here’s the Top 5 list of countries with most number of COVID-19 cases 1. U.S.A CONFIRMED: 2,388,225 DEATHS: 122,611 RECOVERED: 1,003,062

2. BRAZIL CONFIRMED: 1,111,348 DEATHS: 51,407 RECOVERED: 594,104

3. RUSSIA CONFIRMED: 592,280 DEATHS: 8,206 RECOVERED: 344,416

4. INDIA CONFIRMED: 440,685 DEATHS: 14,015 RECOVERED: 248,190

5. GREAT BRITAIN CONFIRMED: 305,289 DEATHS: 42,647 RECOVERED: --

SOURCE: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

PRRD 'happy' over progress of Covid-19 vaccine dev't

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President Rodrigo Duterte reviews a document during a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on Monday night. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Legal team still reviewing anti-terror bill, PRRD says

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resident Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said his legal advisers are still reviewing the bill that aims to strengthen the country’s law against terrorism.

In a public address, Duterte said he has yet to receive a copy of feedback from his legal team on the anti-terrorism bill’s provisions.

“My legal is still reviewing it. My legal team sa Malacañan. There’s only --- hindi ko pa natanggap (I haven’t received it yet),” he said.

He said that once the legislation reaches his desk, it should already have the

recommendation to sign or veto it.

“It’s always --- automatic ‘yan (it’s automatic).

‘Pag daan sa akin (when it reaches me), I endorse it to legal. Without even reading it actually, if you --- if you want really to know. It’s legal who will return it to me with a recommendation whether I will approve it or not,” he added.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque

said that the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and the Department of Justice have already submitted their feedback on the proposed law.

Roque said the Office of the Executive Secretary, particularly the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs is still finalizing their inputs.

He, however, noted that the President, a lawyer himself, would not just rely on the recommendations but read the provisions of the bill himself.

“Let’s not forget, that the President was also a criminal lawyer, a public prosecutor. He will read the bill himself and he will him-

63% of employed Pinoys returned to work following eased restrictions

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ix out of 10 employed Filipinos reported for work from June 1 to 15 after the Philippines eased COVID-19 restrictions to give way to the gradual reopening of the economy, President Rodrigo Duterte told Congress on Monday.

In his weekly report, Duterte said 63.1% of employees/workers in the country were working from June 1 to 15, which was 10% higher than the number of employees allowed to work from May

1 to 15.

Nearly 98% of establishments were allowed to operate from June 1 to 15.

Metro Manila was under the less stringent general community quarantine (GCQ) during the said period. Several regions were under modified GCQ, the least restrictive form of community quarantine aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.

“As more regions and provinces begin to ease on their lockdown, employment and economic

activities are also gradually improving,” Duterte said.

Duterte extended the GCQ in Metro Manila until June 30 but reimposed the strict enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Cebu City due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

The Philippines posted a record-high unemployment rate of 17.7% (equivalent to 7.3 million unemployed Filipinos) in April, which Malacañang

t least 6,000 jobs in business process outsourcing (BPO) companies will put a “silver lining on job opportunities” amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) health crisis affecting the country's workforce, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

Bello told the Philippine News Agency in an ex-

clusive interview at his residence in Baligatan village here on Sunday that the global economic downturn caused by the pandemic has, on the other hand, brought the resurgence of the BPO industry with many companies abroad eyeing offices in Metro Manila, Clark, and Cebu areas.

“BPO companies had notified us in posting thou-

sands of additional seats to fill up their manpower requirements and we hope that this will fill-in the void caused by the temporary displacement of at least two million private workers due to the pandemic,” he said.

Bello also rued the Philippine Statistics Authority survey report of a

self make a determination if there’s any provision that is contrary to the bill of rights and the Constitution,” he said in a virtual presser on June 17.

Meanwhile, Duterte also stressed that besides the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), terrorism is still the top threat to the country’s security.

“Terrorism is number one on our list. Actually the number one threat to the country hindi (it’s not) Abu Sayyaf, hindi ‘yung mga terorista (it’s not terrorists) of no value. Itong high-value targets ito ‘yung mga komunista (The high-value targets are communists),”

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resident Rodrigo Duterte is happy to learn that many countries have made significant progress in the development of a coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine.

“Ang masabi ko sa inyo na good news (The good news I have to share) is that we believe and I believe too that many countries has now perfected some vaccine. Maybe some are haphazard kasi madalian eh (because they need to rush it). The quest for vaccine takes time, years. Dito nagmamadalian (Here, they’re hurrying) at least we have a medicine that would fight Covid,” Duterte said in a public address late Monday night.

Earlier, Malacañang welcomed the result of a UK clinical trial on dexamethasone which was found to have reduced deaths among severely ill Covid-19 patients by 30 percent.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque acknowledged that the steroid has been hailed as a “major breakthrough”, but pointed out that the findings showed that it could only reduce deaths by about 30 percent in critical Covid-19 patients.

“We definitely welcome it. Although we don’t think it’s a miracle pill, kasi ang findings po (because the findings show), it can save about 30 percent of seriously ill patients. We want a cure that will save 100 percent, if not a majority of those who fall seriously ill,” he said.

In his 13th report to Congress on the government’s Covid-19 response efforts, Duterte said that 288 patients have enrolled in the Solidarity Trials of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The “Solidarity Trial” is an international clinical trial launched by WHO and its partners to test the safety and effectiveness of possible vaccines against Covid-19.

“This is more than half of the targeted 500 patients in the Philippines, with a total global target of about 5,000 patients,” the report read.

The report also showed that there is an ongoing discussion with international partners on Covid-19 vaccines.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) technical working group on vaccine clinical trials meets every Thursday to discuss concerns regarding vaccine collaborations.

Since its launch, over 100 countries have joined the Solidarity Trial to evaluate the effectiveness of four drugs and drug combinations.

Four possible drugs and drug combinations that have been tested in the trial include chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, lopinavir or ritonavir, and lopinavir or ritonavir with interferon beta-1a.

On June 17, WHO announced that the hydroxychloroquine arm of the Solidarity Trial to find an effective Covid-19 treatment was being stopped following findings that it does not result in the reduction of mortality of hospitalized Covid-19 patients.

WHO, however, clarified that the decision is only applicable to the conduct of the Solidarity Trial and not to the use or evaluation of hydroxychloroquine in pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis in patients exposed to Covid-19. (PNA)

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6K BPO jobs to cut down unemployment: Bello

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Livestock handlers preparek pigs which will be picked up at the livestock area at Agdao Public Market in Brgy.

Agdao, Davao City by a customer who’s into lechon business on Tuesday. Edge Davao

VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

Davao City needs more flights: Sara

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ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio bared that based on the latest assessment with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the cases of COVID-19 due to the arrivals of overseas foreign workers and stranded persons in the city remain manageable that necessitate the need to add more domestic flights.

She said based on the first week of the resumption of flights in June 8, the impact of the COVID-19 cases from other areas of the country was minimal.

Duterte-Carpio suggested to add more flights from Manila to Davao Route and vice versa.

“We can add more do-

mestic flights, possibly on the Manila-Davao-Manila route because of its strong demand,” she said.

Duterte-Carpio revealed that the Cebu Pacific-International, Cathay Pacific, and Silk Air have cancelled their respective flights up to the end of July, 2020.

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from sexual abuses and rape.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the child protection modules were developed by the Department of Education and the City Government to protect children from rape and sexual abuse.

She said it is a unilateral declaration that the three airlines have cancelled their flights towards the Davao International Airport.

Duterte-Carpio recalled that the domestic flights would resume on June 8 while the international flights resume on June 22.

“But the three airlines have cancelled their international flights and gave the notice that they would no longer fly to the city until the end of July, 2020,” she said.

Duterte-Carpio said the three airlines did not give the reason for the cancellation of flights. (PIA XI-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)

Davao City, DepEd to launch Child Protection Policy he City Government of Davao and the Department of Education Davao City Division will launch tomorrow afternoon the Child Protection Policy which aims to heighten the child’s awareness on malicious touch and eventually protect her

She recalled a Matina-Pangi incident where the child was raped and died in the incident.

“Many children could hardly distinguish touching from safe to bad and are not aware of what is right and wrong when it comes

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Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio says there’s a need to add more domestic flights based on the latest assessment with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philip-

pines (CAAP), the cases of COVID-19 due to the arrivals of overseas foreign workers and stranded persons in the Davao City remain manageable. Edge Davao

Go urges thorough review of Hatid Tulong initiatives

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enator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Monday urged for a “thorough review” of the implementation of Hatid Tulong initiatives amid calls from various sectors following an increasing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the provinces reportedly attributed to the program.

“I am urging the Executive branch to conduct a thorough review of the implementation of Hatid Tulong initiatives aimed at helping stranded Filipinos who wish to return to their provinces,” Go said in a statement.

Since Hatid Tulong is a directive from President Rodrigo Duterte, Go said it is important to make sure that proper health and safety protocols are in place in order to avoid the spread of Covid-19.

“Proper coordination must also be conducted to make sure that receiving local government units (LGUs) are willing and ready to accept their constituents,” he added.

To further stem the spread of the dreaded disease, the chair of the Senate Committee on Health also urged the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) to look into unauthorized travels and unsanctioned

initiatives reportedly conducted by various LGUs and groups that do not comply with health protocols.

"Kahit niluwagan na ang community quarantine measures sa iilang lugar, higpitan pa rin po natin ang mga patakaran na kaugnay ng pagbyahe patungo sa mga probinsya para maiwasan ang lalong pagkalat ng sakit (Even if quarantine measures in several areas have been relaxed, policies on travel to provinces should continuously be strictly enforced to prevent the spread of the disease),” he said.

Likewise, Go said he also welcomes calls to review the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) Program, or any government program for that matter, since the “collective goal” of government and stakeholders “is to make the whole government more responsive to the rapidly changing concerns brought by the global health crisis”.

Go, proponent of the BP2 program, however, stressed that Balik Probinsya should not be confused with Hatid Tulong initiatives.

He reiterated that the BP2 Program, which was institutionalized by Duterte through Executive Order No. 114, is a long-term, whole-of-nation approach aimed at decongesting

Metro Manila and spurring rural development at the same time.

“Ang BP2 Program ay para sa mga taga Metro Manila na gustong mag-relocate sa kanilang probinsya pagkatapos ng krisis (The BP2 is for families residing in Metro Manila who wish to relocate in the provinces after the crisis),” Go said.

On the other hand, Go pointed out that Hatid Tulong initiatives are meant to help locally stranded individuals (LSIs), repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and other affected Filipinos return to their home provinces.

But despite the differences, Go urged implementing agencies of various Hatid Tulong programs to enforce the “single dispatch” system adopted

by BP2 implementers in sending beneficiaries to the provinces to better control and prevent exposure from Covid-19.

He also urged executive agencies mandated to implement the BP2 program to conduct a thorough review, taking into consideration the health and safety measures that should be implemented.

He said the temporary suspension of the program will also give more time for receiving LGUs to prepare their communities for the

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

SG-based BPO firm looking to hire 2K WFH staff in PH

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ingapore-based business process outsourcing (BPO) firm Everise Holdings on Monday said it was looking to hire some 2,000 work-from-home employees in the Philippines to boost its Manila operations.

In a statement, Everise cited the need to boost its Manila headcount which currently stands at 3,000, and the global headcount at 12,000.

The additional manpower will help cater to new customers of the company, as well as extended agreements with previous customers.

"We are a people-first company who has entrepreneurship and innovation in our DNA," said Everise founder and chief executive officer Sudhir Agarwal.

"It is critical that we live these values during a crisis

to offer a superior brand experience," he added.

Over the weekend, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said there could be some 6,000 job openings in the BPO industry due to the resurgence of the sector amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Data released by Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC) last week showed that the BPO sector accounted for 37% of office space demand from January to May this year, even with the quarantines.

According to Everise, it has invested millions of dollars to develop talents, tools, and infrastructure and security practices over the past two years to enable staff to work from home.

"We engineered homebased operations such as remote recruiting, virtual

lessly combine the style and energy of condo living with all the convenient amenities of home. (Condo + Home = COHO).

The COHO properties in Davao City are The Norpthpoint in Bajada, The Terraces in Ma-a, The Acropolis in Lanang, The Frontera in Buhangin, and The Evora in Communal, Buhangin.

Meanwhile, for Ricardo “Cary” Lagdameo, first vice-president and chief development officer of Damosa Land Inc., (DLI), construction works need to continue, whether it’s for private or public projects as construction workers have been one of the most affected during the lockdown.

“Not only will construction activity help to

restore jobs, it will help to restore a very damaged economy,” he said.

Lagdameo believes that most construction companies and development companies will be responsible enough to instill safety measures in the workplace.

“The economy needs to move along. I believe lives and health are top priority but without livelihood, we will have bigger problems in trying to determine how to feed the millions of people without jobs,” he said.

Lagdameo said it is expected that there was a slowdown during the lockdown in terms of constructions due to work and travel restrictions.

“Sales also dropped significantly but there

were still some sales,” he said.

He is optimistic that the residential properties will be resilient for several reasons such as real estate has proven to be a good investment overall, lockdown showed how important it is to have one’s own home, and from a buyer’s perspective, now is a good time to take advantage of good deals.

DLI is has an office building with about 20,000 square meters of leasable space with construction ongoing and is targeted to open in either August or September.

The company is also building two residential projects that is expected to finish in the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of next year.

affects consumers’ ability to pay upfront,” FDFC president and co-founder Georg Steiger said in a statement.

BillEase allows users with no bank account or credit card to purchase online and provides payment terms of three, six, and 12 months with an interest rate between zero to 2.49 percent.

Merchants using Dragonpay can also activate their system to provide this buy now, pay later solution.

“Dragonpay has currently over 1,500 merchants that are fully integrated with their payment system. However, for this partnership, Dragonpay needs to let its merchants know about the service

and still sign an addendum since this is a new payment category for merchants. Dragonpay is doing a soft launch of installment payments to a number of merchants around 40 as of date,” Dragonpay President Robertson Chiang told the Philippine News Agency in an e-mail.

Chiang said Dragonpay has seen significant growth in purchases of groceries and essential items during the lockdown.

Buyers also adapt to contactless shopping during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) health crisis.

“With this, we’re expecting that the trend will continue even after the

coronavirus pandemic ends,” he added.

Moreover, Steiger said while the fintech company is prioritizing to tap the e-commerce industry, it also eyes to partner with education and healthcare sectors for the installment payment solutions.

“At the end of the day, we want every Filipino to have fast access to credit and address the low credit card and bank penetration in the country,” Steiger told PNA in an e-mail.

He said BillEase works like a credit card with no physical card, but an app or account that works on a dedicated checkout.

“Customers can se-

Damosa Land, Inc. vice president Ricardo “Cary” Lagdameo and VisMin head of COHO by VistaLand Marlon Escalicas.

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Davao's real estate sector welcomes resumption of construction activities

By MAYA M. PADILLO he real estate sector in Davao City sees the need for the resumption of the construction activities in Davao Region to restore the economy and generate jobs lost during the lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Marlon Escalicas, VisMin head of COHO by VistaLand, said he is in favor of the resumption of the construction and engineering projects that have been delayed and disrupted due to the pandemic.

“The challenge lies more on the implementation considering the protocols and the limitations due to the social distancing,” he said through Facebook messenger.

Escalicas said developers must plan this

carefully before resuming operations to ensure the safety of the health of the workers.

He said COHO is already preparing to start construction but not full blast because of the protocols. Presently, the company is still complying with the requirements of the Department of Public Works and Highways 11 (DPWH 11) for the resumption of construction works.

Escalicas added that

E-channels boost tax revenues, economic recovery: DOF chief

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inance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the strong take-up on Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) electronic processes allows for a more efficient tax collection needed to raise revenues for government programs.

In his speech during the virtual awarding ceremony for the Hack-A-Tax Innovation on Monday, Dominguez said BIR’s move to use electronic channels for tax payments benefited both the agency and the taxpayers.

He cited that in 2019, tax payments made through electronic channels totaled to PHP1.8 trillion, about 84 percent of the agency’s total collections last year.

Those collected from small businesses and in-

dividual taxpayers alone amounted to PHP1.2 billion, a 94-percent hike year-on-year.

“Thanks in large part to our strong revenue performance in the preceding year, we were in a very good fiscal position by the time the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic hit us. The experience of dealing with this contagion will definitely hasten our digitalization in many aspects of our national life. The Philippine government is gearing up for this,” he added.

Dominguez said that while authorities expect lower revenue collections this year because of the pandemic’s economic impact, “we are supported by strong macroeconomic

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the unstable economic condition somehow resulted to a “wait and see” attitude of the company’s prospective buyers.

He said developers are also adjusting to the “new normal” in selling specifically digital.

“A lot of our sellers are still struggling to learn digital selling and the internet connection is still a challenge. But I think the industry is adapting to this and buyers are also slowly gaining confidence in doing online transactions,” Escalicas said.

COHO by Vista Land is the latest integrated property development concept from Vista Land and Lifescapes, Inc. The brainchild of its visionary founder, Manny B. Villar, COHO by Vista Land aims to seam-

Firms launch installment payment solution for online merchants

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ith the increasing number of entrepreneurs using online platforms amid the pandemic, Dragonpay and financial technology firm FDFC have partnered to create a joint payment solution for online merchants.

FDFC, through its digital credit app BillEase, and Dragonpay launched their buy now, pay later payment solutions where online merchants can provide their customers installment payment solutions for their purchases.

“Our joint payment offering will enhance both the merchant and end-customer experiences especially during this difficult period as the pandemic

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VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

EDGEDAVAO

Autoworx Plus launches AntiBac car care service

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ar-servicing and maintenance chain Autoworx Plus is now offering special disinfection and antibacterial car treatments for motorists in the metro.

Using a Technical Inspection Association or a TUV Nord-certified antibacterial treatment integrated to a German-made car revitalizer machine, Autoworx Plus can disinfect a car’s interior, eradicate 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, and help improve the car’s air conditioning system.

The new service is introduced in response to the need for safer and cleaner spaces to help stop the spread of

COVID-19 in the country.

It is tested and approved by the US-based organization Environmental Protection Agency and is proven to be non-hazardous to motorists.

“At Autoworx Plus, we recognize the importance of having a clean and safe drive. To ensure that our customers’ cars are given proper care and sanitation during this pandemic, we launched the antibacterial car care service. Through this, we

hope that as an essential business for transportation, we will be able to ensure that motorists and commuters alike will have peace of mind while driving and riding these professionally sanitized cars on the road,” Autoworx Plus official representative Jay Mujar said.

The antibacterial car care service is available at Autoworx Plus shops in West Service Road in Muntinlupa City, Timog Avenue in Quezon City, and Naga Road in Las Pinas City. Other car cleaning products, such as wiper blades, oil system cleaner, fuel system cleaner, and contact cleaner are also available in the shops.

for PHP1,000,000 and increments of PHP100,000 thereafter.

SECB will list the Bonds on the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. on July 24, 2020, to provide secondary market liquidity to investors who would like to trade the instruments.

The Bonds will be issued out of the Bank’s PHP100bn Peso Bond and Commercial Paper Program (Program). The

Program was initially established in December 2018 with an aggregate amount totaling PHP50bn and had been subsequently increased to PHP100bn as approved by the Bank’s Board of Directors.

SECB has mandated Philippine Commercial Capital, Inc. (PCCI) as Sole Bookrunner, and PCCI and SB Capital Investment Corporation as Joint Lead Arrangers and Selling Agents for this issuance.

ECONOMY 5

Security Bank offers Peso Bonds

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ecurity Bank (PSE: SECB) is offering PHP5bn worth of fixed rate bonds (Bonds) and may upsize the transaction depending on demand.

The Bonds will have a tenor of 2 years and will be marketed at a fixed rate of 3.125% per annum. The public offer period will run from June 23, 2020 to July 15, 2020*. Minimum denominations have been set

Amid the threat of COVID-19, car care shop Autoworx Plus, launched antibacterial car treatment that can disinfect the car’s interior without posing health hazard to motorists.

Gains in 2019 keep Shell strong in 2020

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ilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (Shell) had reassuring news for its shareholders during its Annual General Meeting held virtually on June 16.

The company closed the year 2019 strong with P5.6 billion in net income, a hefty 11 percent increase from P5.1 billion in 2018.

“We started 2020 with a very healthy balance sheet, which puts us in a better position to handle the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID -19) situation,” says Pilipinas Shell CEO and Country Chairman Cesar Romero.

“I am proud that Pilipinas Shell has continued to provide vital energy products to our customers and communities, even during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) period,” he adds.

Romero is optimistic that with Pilipinas Shell’s sufficient retained earnings and reasonable gearing level, the company can maintain financial resilience and survive the drastic reduction in domestic demand as a series of quarantines were implemented to help the country stem the COVID-19 pandemic since March.

“Now, more than ever, Pilipinas Shell draws from its 106 years of experience doing business in the Philippines. We’ve had our share of regional and global economic crises, socio-political disruptions, and in-

dustrial shifts. We know what levers we can pull in downturns, even dramatic ones like this, and we are in control. We have the will, people and resources, as well as our core values to get us through this particularly challenging time,” he says.

In January, for instance, Shell’s supply chain and distribution network was affected when ashfall from the Taal Volcano eruption caused the cancellation of flights, displaced residents and disrupted the movement of people, goods and services to and from the company’s Refinery in Batangas.

Pilipinas Shell also had to deal with plummeting global oil prices resulting from the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia in the first quarter of the year.

Pilipinas Shell Chairman of the Board Min Yih Tan, who was also virtually present during the meeting, expressed confidence that the company’s recovery strategies are in place.

“We are in a robust position not only to deal with market volatility, but also to support the country’s growth as it enters the ‘new normal’, he said.

Romero says that even as Pilipinas Shell enhances its cash conservation measures by generating revenues, reducing cost, capex and manage working capital, the company continues to fulfill its role

as the country’s partner in nation-building.

“We have reached more than half a million Filipinos through our COVID-19 response activities,” he says.

Pilipinas Shell provided free fuel to 23 key hospitals around the country, as well as fuel subsidies for hospital shuttle services and a fuel discount program for frontliners.

Under Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc.’s (PSFI) Para sa Bayani program, several initiatives are being implemented. Ani Para sa Bayani, which bridges farmers to kitchens and delivers food to frontliners, served almost 500,000 meals to Filipino modern-day heroes nationwide. Under Proteksyon Para sa Bayani, PSFI tapped various sectors to source and create over 8,000 PPE sets for everyday frontliners, including deliverymen and other local partners.

Tulong Para sa Bayani ensured that almost 12,000 households in Shell communities received relief packs and essential goods during the ECQ. “While we are seeing initial signs of economic recovery, it is not clear how long it will take the country to bounce back, and in what shape or form the new normal will be like.

What is clear, though, is that we must show leadership and take early and decisive action to stay resilient as a company,” says Romero.

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

On the need to resume construction activities: Not only will construction activity help to restore jobs, it will help to restore a very damaged economy. The economy needs to move along. I believe lives and health are top priority but without livelihood, we will have bigger problems in trying to determine how to feed the millions of people without jobs.

Ricardo “Cary” Lagdameo First Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Damosa Land Inc., (DLI)

EDITORIAL

PM is not the key

There is a culture in online commerce that uses the phrase “PM is the key” as the take off point for sales transactions.

It’s a strategy online sellers are using. They conceal the price tag and lead consumers to a conversation where they will do their sales talk. It is also a ploy from getting flagged by authorities for exorbitant pricing.

While online sellers themselves reason out they need to personally talk to their customers privately to pitch their products, such a reason is not enough to circumvent what the law says.

Thus, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has thumbed down this phraseology as violative of the law, particularly the Consumer Act of the Philippines or RA 7394 which provides for orices of goods and services sold online to be revealed publicly. Hence, this familiar selling line by online sellers to would-be buyers is plain and simple contrary to law and could get the messenger appropriate penalties.

The DTI said: Under the law, PM is not the key.

According to DTI, online sellers communicating prices of merchandise sold online with the customary confidential lines “PM is the key or PM sent” to customers are violating the Consumer Act of the Philippines, according to the regional office of the DTI in amplifying an earlier pronouncement of

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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 SOLANI D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONA JASPER V. BACSAL OLIVIA D. VELASCO General ManagerPresident Advertising Specialist General Manager/Finance VP-Operations JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

the DTI national office. There is an existing joint DTI-Department of Health (DOH)-Department of Agriculture (DA) Administrative Order (JAO) No. 1 Series of 2008, which provide the “rules and regulations for consumer protection in a transaction covered by the Consumer Act of the Philippines (RA 7394) through electronic means under the E-Commerce Act (RA 8792)” which states that the price tag, as well as the other terms of the transaction such as the delivery fees, packaging fees must be indicated.

In internet lingo, PM is a social media abbreviation for “private message.”

It is commonly used by online sellers to conceal the prices of goods by sending it on a private conversation. This will conceal the content of the message from other persons online. It will also prevent authorities from monitoring the price of the goods or services sold online.

So if one thinks selling online with the tagride “PM is the key” cool, it actually is not. It could get the seller into trouble.

However, even the DTI admits that there is no specific law on online selling and it could well be timely to craft one because of the emergence of online commerce due to the coronavirus lockdowns.

Consumer Act of the Philippines or RA 7394 was passed way back in 1992 and may need some revision to be more applicable in the modern age.

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 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

VANTAGE POINTS

COMPETITIVE EDGE

7

7

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

CONVICTION OF LUDDAY, A BAGOBO In pre-Commonwealth Davao, there occurred a grisly crime that for some petty reason resulted in the death of a six-year-old Japanese boy who was the focus of a vendetta of a Bagobo hemp stripper who had an altercation with the child’s father.

In the charge sheet that was filed before the Court of First Instance of Davao, Ludday, a Bagobo, was sued for the crime of murder that took place on November 15, 1933, at the municipal district of Guianga. The victim of the heinous crime was Kyoyasu Nagamine, a six-yearold boy.

The defendant pleaded innocent, but the court found guilty or murder; he was sentenced from ten years and a day of prison mayor to seventeen years, four months, and one day of reclusion temporal, and ordered to indemnify the victim the sum of P500, without subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency, and pay the cost of litigation.

Ludday appealed his case to the higher court despite the

position of his de oficio lawyer that there was enough evidence to prove the CFI did not err in its decision. Docketed in the Supreme Court as case G.R. No. L-41486, it was finally resolved on March 7, 1935.

A review of the crime showed that on the day of the incident, Kyoyasu Nagamine, who was playing near a hemp stripper operated by Seriko Takara, was on his way home when he was followed. Ludday, according to witnesses, was wearing white undershirt and short khaki trousers, and was carrying a bolo, a big knife for chopping down abaca trunks.

Court records stated Ludday overtook the boy, put his arm around his shoulder, brought the child to the hemp farm, and were later lost from Takara’s sight. Over half an hour later, Ludday showed up at his workplace but was now wearing a striped short.

Later, Kameji Nagamine, the father of the child, showed up at the shop and inquired from Takara if he saw the child.

He responded by saying Kyo-

yasu had already gone home with Ludday. He went home to see if indeed the child had gone home but failed to find him. He returned to Takara’s workshop and asked Ludday about the child’s whereabout but denied knowing where he was. The court narrative continued: “Takara stopped work and requested some Japanese to help him look for the child, but they were unable to find the little boy that evening. The next morning Kameji Nagamine and two young Bagobos named Serra and Ende found the dead body of Kyoyasu in the hemp plantation of Tanaguchi in Tibuloy 100 meters from the road and 150 meters from the hemp stripping machine. The place where the body was found was near the trail leading from the public road to Baracatan. It was concealed by the hemp plants.

The deceased had four mortal wounds on the head and neck caused by a cutting instrument.”

After being notified of the incident, Philippine Constabulary operatives searched Ludday’s house and found a

bolo with stains of blood and a bloodstained undershirt under the roof. His rubber shoes, covered with mud, were also located. Adding more woes to Ludday’s predicament were the testimonies of two other Bagobos, Owe and Bansilan, who confirmed: “{T]hat between five and six o’clock in the afternoon of November 15th, when they and another Bagobo named Balawag were returning home from work, they saw the defendant running towards the hemp plantation of Tanaguchi; that he indicated to them that they were not to tell anybody that they had seen him; that at that time the defendant had a bolo hanging from his belt and was wearing short khaki trousers and a white undershirt. Owe testified that when they met the defendant, he told them not to tell anybody that they had met him in that place. Bansilan testified that when the defendant saw Balawag, he raised his hand and told them not to say anything; that at that time the defendant was carrying a bolo in

An immersive opportunity:

his belt and wearing short khaki trousers and a dirty white undershirt.”

Another Japanese, Shiney Kakasu, also testified that while crossing the hemp field of Tanaguchi that late afternoon he met Ludday and spoke to the suspect who looked pale and was running towards Baracatan. The lower court later found the defendant guilty of murder, declaring the qualifying circumstances pointed to the fact that Ludday took advantage of his superior strength in committing the crime. The defendant appealed his case.

In deciding the appealed case, the Supreme Court declared that “there is no controversy as to the corpus delicti or the fact of the crime,” adding the “only question in whether the circumstantial evidence is enough to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it was the defendant that killed the child.”

It also affirmed the verdict of the lower court was affirmed and ordered that the indemnification of P500 imposed on Ludday be doubled.

MCM launches Digital Learning Bootcamp 2020

M

HENRYLITO D. TACIO

ON THESE! MCM’s online ed by MCM. matics, Business, may proceed to alayan Colleges Mind-THINK anao, a Mapúa School learning tools In order for Humanities and this link: https:// as Black- participants to Social BUT… Sciences, bit.ly/MCMDIGIannounced its first Dig- such DENGUE CASES DOWN Learn, maximize the and Basic Ed- TALBOOTCAMP ital Learning Bootcamp 2020, board Col- online learning ucation for in- and follow the inviting all SHS and College Blackboard laborate, Mic- experience, they coming Grade 11 subsequent inRainy seasonin is here.

And public’s increased awareness dark and damp areas. So, if your leave the house and go into mosquitoes. You can wipe it on students Mindanao to expethere’s likelihood that dengue brought about by the COVID-19 littered with need boxes a the desunlight.

“But my advice selected areas of the clothing rosoft garage 365, isMiwill students; Basic structions and will strike again asfirst the mospandemic.” and assorted garbage, clean is to keep your doors shut at like collars, sleeves and pants. rience the fully integratcrosoft Teams, vice astimes,” a heAlgebra, to the quito eggs that were hidden “Ito ay posibleng epekto ng them up or throw them such away. all advises. If it’sGenertoo Avoidlink applying lotion“MCM on the somewhere will belearning hatched – ating increased in awareness na Don’t let them become mosquistuffy, then place a screen door eyes, mouth or hands. ed online system Zoom, Panopto, computer unit, al Physics, BusiDigital” account and once they become adults, dala ng pandemic situation,” Dr. to havens. Schedule a weekend that keeps the flies and mosqui8. Kill those mosquitoes. laptop or atoestabwill be sent the region —again!

MCMEvangelista Digital they’re ready to attack was— quotedWiley as say- Plus, clean-upand day. outside.ness and ManWhenthat it comes to dengue, it’s eiBut the good news is: den- ing.

2.

Empty containers with 5.

Spray insecticide reguther kill or be killed.

Instruct evCengage Learn- let; and internet agement, and through the and getarethe opportunity to use gue cases on the decline!

But despite the fact that the stagnant water. The den- larly. To rid your house of mos- eryone to kill as many mosquiData from thepowerful World Health Or-online number of dengue cases breed quitoes, and g cockroaches, flies as they can. Once ingis deto gue-carrying completemosquitoes connectivity of at fliesP ro ra m m i ntoes g and email address MCM’s learnganization (WHO) said a total of creasing, Filipinos should not in stagnant water. This means spray insecticides every few you’ve got them trapped in your learning tasks Mbps andyouCoding provided upon 210 dengue cases were report- be complacent as the rainy sea- that flower pots, least garbage1cans, days.for Make sure spray those for bathroom, show no mercy.

Mosing tools for FREE! ed from the Philippines – with son has just started. aquariums, unused swimming dark corners, crevices, and quitoes belong to the forest, not zero deaths! – as of May 2.

“This is 92% lower compared to the same period in 2019 (which had 2,471 cases),” the data said. “A cumulative total of 48,194 dengue cases has been reported from January 1 to May 2, 2020. The cumulative figure as of week 18 is 40% lower compared to the 80,444 cases reported in the same period in 2019.”

This is quite good as the country is still experiencing the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Last June 15, the CNN reported that “a significant decrease” has continued. Quoting Dr. Norielyn M. Evangelista, program manager of the Dengue Prevention and Control Program of the Department of Health (DOH), said the decline “can be attributed to the

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

designed for in- asynchronous incoming college your registrapools, tires and other piles are cabinets. You’ll be amazed at in your home. coming potential Grade breeding 11 sessions at students.

A full 9.tion. grounds for and the number of pests you’ll find Involve the whole commosquitoes.

So, after the rains dead in the morning.

Just make munity. way toaddidefeat and 1stfill Year Col- least 2 Mbps for course on Math, The Forbestany them with water, throw the sure that household members dengue is if the whole commuwater away. Next to the insecti-and nity istional aware of the threat. Ask lege students. s ytime, n c hkeep r o nareo not u sexposed Humanities, inquiries these containers closed and up- cide as they are not the target. your community leaders to Theseside down. tasks Socialrooms Science about the day.

MCM Flowersessions. vases should Just spray selected when schedule a clean-up The also be replaced weekly. people are not around. danger is in those empty houswill be 3.delivFamiliarizawill also be made Digital Learning Check your surroundings 6. Wear pants, pajamas, es and lots, which are excellent ered in eitherwater. tion with available Bootcamp 2020, for stagnant Some orna- the longonsleeves, and socks. Mos- for breeding places for mosquitoes. mental plant leaves have this quitoes are attracted to your Become a volunteer to synchronous or line system and demonstration please feel monitor free “whorl” or cup-like shape that breath as you exhale so they and clean up your surroundcan hold water. Beautiful to be- initiate know how to reach youthe even bootin ings. to email at adasynchronous tools will during hold but deadly in design. Turn the dark. “I guess they love bare, 10. Spread the word: Denlearningthem over sesthetheprogram, af-skin,camp period. missions@mcm. and throw water plump especially the kids gue fever is here. You’ll never away.

Upturned coconut shells who don’t shoo them away and know where dengue strike sions toare allow for ter which, parTo register edu.ph orwillconalso notorious for holding let them suck as much blood as next so better be prepared. Inparticipants to ticipants activity tactneighborhood. +63918 918 water. Non-moving rivers, espe- will they be want,” for Dr. Ongthis believes. form your cially in squatter areas, are full 7.

Apply insect-repellants “We already our eneget a feel for the allowed toor use se-mosquito and get a chance 1626, know +63999 of mosquito eggs. nets. If your my and all we have to do is fol4. Close your doors and learnkids are going low what the experts have been different modallect short to hiking, win camping amazing 227 7493, or windows. Some people open or off to school, you can apply telling us,” Dr. Garcia points out. ities oftheirremote ing modules on prizes, 831 doors in the morning for insect-repellants like interestOff-Lo- “If we+63917 will do it now, thousands a whiff of fresh air.

They also tion.

Kids like to play outdoors of people will be saved from learningbelieve providGeneral Mathe- ed participants 8048. that mosquitoes would and are prime targets of these death.”

“Although dengue is rarely lethal, its contribution to disease and ill health, especially among young children, should make dengue control a primary public health concern,” says Dr. Dominic L. Garcia, an infectious disease specialist.

The best protection against dengue is not to be bitten by the mosquito carrying the virus.

According to Dr. Willie T. Ong, who has authored several books, there are several things you can do in order for you not to be bitten.

“There’s no need to panic (when it comes to dengue) because we have 10 ways to beat dengue,” says the 2007 recipient of the Outstanding Filipino Physician award from the Department of Health.

1. Clean up your backyard.

Mosquitoes love to stay in the

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

8 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

Seaweeds: Natural ally against cancer

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

C

ancers are among the leading causes of deaths around the world. In 2012 alone, approximately 14 million new cases with 8.2 million deaths related to cancer were reported, according to the World Health Organization. Africa, Asia, and Central and South America accounted for 70% of the world’s cancer deaths.

In the next two decades, cancer cases are expected to significantly increase – from 14 million in 2012. In fact, cancer has been identified as one of the four epidemic non-communicable diseases which include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and chronic respiratory diseases.

“Cancer remains a national health priority in the country with significant implications for individuals, families, communities and the health system,” said the Philippine Cancer Control Program of the Department of Health.

In its figures released in late 2017, the Cancer Coalition Philippines said 11 new cancer cases are reported each day. Every hour, seven adults and eight children die of cancer, the coalition claims.

One out of every 10 deaths in the country is caused by cancer, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

The Philippine Cancer Society Inc. (PCSI) reported that 91% of cancers occur between the ages of 35 and above. Threefourths of all cancer cases in the country emerge among those between the ages 60 and above. Among Filipino men, the six most common sites of cancer are lung, liver, colon/rectum, prostate, stomach and leukemia. Among Filipino women, the six most common sites are breast, cervix, lung, colon/rectum, ovary and liver.

“Cancer may be present in very many ways: as a lump, some change in body function, bleeding, anemia or weight loss – occasionally the first symptoms being from a metastasis,” explains The

New American Desk Encyclopedia. “Less often tumors produce substances mimicking the action of hormones or producing remote effects, such as neuritis.” Neuritis is any disorder of the peripheral nervous system, which interferes with sensation,

the nerve control of muscle or both.

Now, the good news: Perhaps not too many Filipinos know that certain species of seaweed thriving in the country’s water may have anti-cancer benefits. That’s according to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

“Researchers from the University of Santo Tomas found that polysaccharides extracted from Codium species, locally known as ‘pukpuklo’ (a seasonally-available seaweed), are effective against cancer cells and destructive enzymes associated with cancer metastasis,” said a press statement released

by DOST. The researchers, headed by Dr. Ross Dizon Vasquez, evaluated the inhibitory potential of the polysaccharide fractions isolated from Codium species. They found that “the seaweed fights destructive enzymes that aid metastasis or spread of cancer to different parts of the body.”

The research was conducted in October 2016 and ended in October 2018. The initial one-year research was funded by National Research Council of the Philippines of the DOST. His graduate school advisees funded the extended one-year to repeat and include some tests for verification of the results.

The Codium species used in the study were collected in Ilocos Norte, Aklan, Iloilo, and Cagayan province; they were available seasonally from November to March.

“Seaweeds are potential sources of bioactive/phar-

macological compound, but studies on Philippine seaweeds as source of bioactive hit molecules for treatment of diseases are very few and limited,” explained Dr. Vasquez, who is with the mammalian tissue culture lab and pharmacology section of the Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences of UST. On why pukpuklo was singled out, he said, “We chose it because there is no study yet on the polysaccharide content of this alga, even though it is very popular delicacy in the northern parts of the country. It is an edible one, so there is no or lesser issue regarding the toxicity of the isolated compound.”

The polysaccharides (carbohydrates) were extracted using standard protocol for isolation of algal polysaccharides.

That was the easier part.

“The hardest part was the collection of Codium on their sites,” Dr. Vasquez recalled. “There were times that our search was futile because of their seasonality and location. The transport from the place where we collected the seaweeds to Manila was one of the biggest problems due to permit issues and policies in local airports.”

All those were part of the challenges the research team – which also include Ariane Marie G. Bayro and Mary Jho-Anne T. Corpuz – had to hurdle.

What matters most was the result. “We are happy that we found something useful and relevant,” he said. “We are grateful that most people find the results interesting.”

Aside from being a potent neutralizer of cancer, pukpuklo has other potential medicinal and healing properties. In a press statement, he said that “it induced healthy skin growth and promoted faster healing of the skin.” This led the team to look at its bio-active ingredients that have medical benefits and possible cosmetic application as an anti-aging compound.

Seaweed, a marine alga, seems to produce products most people need for life like food, energy, pharmaceuticals, and oxygen, to name a few.

As food, seaweeds are very popular in Asia, particularly Japan, Korea, China and the Philippines.

For cancer patients, the research conducted by Dr. Velasquez and his team has yet a long way to go.

“But our study is a scientific proof of the safety and medical potential of this alga,” he admitted.

Like taxes and death, cancer is no respecter.

It strikes anyone—rich and poor, unknown and famous. Corazon Aquino (colon cancer), Redford White (brain cancer), Francis Magalona (leukemia), Rudy Fernandez (periampullary cancer), Marilou Diaz-Abaya (breast cancer), Charlie Davao (colon cancer), Susan Fuentes (colon cancer), June Keithley (breast cancer), Mario O’Hara (leukemia), Angelo Castro Jr. (lung cancer), Mark Gil (liver cancer), Johnny Delgado (prostate cancer) and Rio Diaz (colon cancer). These were some of the famous personalities who succumbed to cancer.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

FOOD... FROM1

security program to sustain food availability in the IP domains as well as the entire country. Under the said program the ancestral domains will be planted with agricultural crops.

“Duna na gi-pirmahan ang NCIP ug DA Secretary Dar on food security. Ang arrangement ini ang atoang mga municipal agriculturist ug ang mga NCIP mag-coordinate sa mga areas na suitable para sa program,” he said.

According to Aguio, more than 50 percent of the land area in Davao Region is ancestral domain and he said they already identified areas to be tapped for the program.

“Ang mechanism kay ipanaog pa gikan sa central office thru joint special order nga maglihok ang NCIP ug ang municipal agriculture para maabot ni nga mga interventions kay duna daw pondo ang DA para ani nga program. Hopefully, ma-determine nato ang mga actual sites kay tan-awon pud ang suitability sa yuta and there will be analysis to be conducted by DA,” he said.

Aguio said they already have initial sites for the program, which is 10 hectares per domain. There are 43

ancestral domains in the region.

“Ug kung ma-pondohan ni tanan, muabot ni ug 430.

Pero dili lang mi mag-limit sa 10 hectares kay naa man domain nga naay unom ka munisipyo ug pila ka barangay,” he said.

Aguio is hopeful that the program will be implemented in all barangays in the IP communities.

IADA site Aguio said it is the goal of NCIP 11 to establish an Integrated Ancestral Domain Development Approach (IADA) site in every barangay where availability of food for the table starts.

The IADA aims to address the economic issues of the indigenous groups through culturally-sensitive programs.

“Ug sunod ani dunay mga high-value crops, then mag-expand into food security in the community then in the whole municipality then in the whole region. Ang IADA i-manage sa community, to make it more sustaining ug dili na sila mag-sige ug pangayo ug tabang kay ma- self -sustaining naman sila,” he said.

The establishment of an IADA site has a capital-

ization of P2million per 10 hectare and can develop a farm house, goat barn, chicken house, plant root crops and high value crops.

“IADA mura ni siya ug training ground sa community para mag-manage sa agricultural and financial activities nila hangtod mahasa sila ug ma- endorse na sila sa large scale development,” he said.

IADA sites in Davao Region are in Paquibato, Malita, Davao del Norte, Davao City, and Davao Oriental.

ADDA The next phase of IADA is the Ancestral Domain Development Areas (ADDA), which aims to address the IPs’ heavy dependence on raw forest resources, both timber and non-timber, by providing technical assistance, packaging and social marketing, and developing ancestral domain products following the principles of value chain.

Under ADDA it requires 500 hectares of land to be developed into a large scale investment for interested investors.

“Ang large scale ani after IADA is ADDA nga open sa mga investors nga mahimong partner ang IP community sa pag-develop

sa land into large scale production,” Aguio said.

ADDA was piloted in the municipality of Boston in Davao Oriental in 2018.

“Duna na’y gi-provide na technical description kung unsay puwede itanum didto such as abaca ug upland rice. Naa na pud ni Feasibility Study ug nag-meeting nami with international investors last year ug nakabisita na pud sila didto sa site. Karon unta na year mao na continuation sa mga nasabutan with the investors,” Aguio said.

He said NCIP is looking at producing finish products and not just raw products in this program. This is the reason why NCIP is tapping the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to train the IP communities.

“Ang pinaka-plano namo ang mugawas na produkto sa ancestral domain dili lang raw but finis product also. NCIP will also provide wealth management in the ancestral domain kay kung walay wealth management mahimo ning sinugdan sa away,” Aguio said.

Aguio is hopeful that the programs will push through after the pandemic.

said was expected given the closure of most businesses due to the implementation of the ECQ. Duterte said the industries with the most employees affected by the

pandemic include retail trade (except motor vehicles and motorcycles), crop and animal production, hunting and related services, and construction of buildings.

“With more than half of the labor force working in areas still under GCQ, conservative assumptions indicate that labor productivity and employment rate will still suffer

a significant decline, especially when industries are not operating at full capacity,” he said.

The country has a labor force of more than 40 million people.

63%... FROM2

DAVAO... FROM3

9

to rape and sexual act,” Duterte-Carpio said.

She said the Department of Education was asked to integrate in teaching the students, awareness in the touch either by a familiar person or a stranger.

Duterte-Carpio said the child must be aware that the touch is wrong and would prompt her to report the incident to her parents, teachers or to local authorities, in order to solve the

incident promptly.

“It will be launched online, where the program can be seen through the Zoom and hopefully this will be carried on air,” she said.

Duterte-Carpio explained the activity is a joint effort by the Department of Education and the City’s Integrated Gender and Development Division.

(PIA XI-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)

return of BP2 beneficiaries.

“We have enough time to polish, study and review the necessary guidelines

and seek wisdom from other LGUs prior to implementing the BP2 program,” Go said. (PNA)

GO... FROM3

NOTICE OF LOSS/THEFT/DESTRUCTION/ MUTILATION/DEFACEMENT

Notice is hereby given of the loss/theft/destruction/ mutilation/defacement of the following AGRARIAN REFORM/ LANDBANK BONDS on (date) __________.

Registered Owner ANTONIO L. LABAD ANTONIO L. LABAD

Serial No. AR-0018205 AR-0018206

Face Value 344,734.60 32,862.78

Any person/entity other than the registered owner who has claim/ interest on the above Bond/s is requested to notify immediately the BOND SERVICING DEPARTMENT, Land Bank of the Philippines, 26th Floor, Land Bank Plaza, M.H. Del Pilar cor Dr. Quintos St., Malate, Manila. Any such claim presented on this/these bond/s after the period of two (2) years counting from the date of the fourth publication of this Notice shall no longer be entertained. NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY. FATIMA IRENE T. ADIN. March 06,2020 *First, Second, Third or Fourth, as the case may be.

Doc. No.253; PageNo.152; Book No.184; Series of 2020.

10 EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

6K... FROM2

seven-million job displacement as “mere estimates”, saying only 2.7 million laid off workers were officially reported to the department.

He cautioned employ-

ers against “haphazard” dismissal of workers, adding that those who are laid off should receive a separation pay of one month for every year of service.

(PNA)

training and on-boarding, and business intelligence," said Agarwal.

"As a result, all of our solutions, including omnichannel customer service, tech support, fraud detection, and community moderation, chatbots and natural language interactive voice response systems, can be delivered from home," he added.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) earlier this month reported an unemployment rate of 17.7%

in April, reflecting an increase of 5 million jobless Filipinos to 7.3 million.

Bello countered the PSA's numbers, claiming there were only 69,000 unemployed Filipinos during the period.

Bello's claims were refuted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country’s largest business organization, which said that its members alone reported a total of 3.5 million unemployed Filipinos.

cure a line of credit from as low as PHP1,000 up to PHP10,000 initially and this can grow up to PHP40,000 which they can use for online payments.

We use proprietary decisioning technology or machine learning models to instantly issue credit lines to customers either prior to checkout or at the point of sale,” he added.

Steigr said foot traffic for brick and mortar stores has significantly declined

due to Covid-19 despite the reopening of businesses as quarantine measures eased.

This would result in more stores and consumers tapping the online market, he said.

“A lot of online consumers are economically affected by this crisis and this is where BillEase as a fintech company comes in to provide consumers a solution to even out income or cash flow,” he added. (PNA)

comfortable position wide of the centre.

Juve got the breakthrough when Stefano Denswil grabbed Matthijs de Ligt's shirt at a corner and Ronaldo drilled home his 22nd league goal of the season from the spot.

A clever backheel by Federico Bernardeschi set up the second for Dybala who curled an unstoppable shot beyond goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski.

Bernardeschi crashed a shot against the crossbar

and Ronaldo had another goal disallowed for offside in the second half.

The only disappointment for Juve was an injury to defender Mattia De Sciglio and a red card for his replacement Danilo after he was booked twice in quick succession near the end.

"We knew Juve would be angry," said Bologna coach Sinisa Mihajlovic.

"It's almost impossible for them to slip up three games in a row."

weight hope to the canvas in rounds 1 and 6 with a swinging left hook to the jaw. Both punches were so similar it looks like it was Photoshopped. Nonetheless, Greer blinked in both occasions and did not see the clip arts.

I swear when Greer came down crushing to the canvas, he saw emojis flying.

Plania was uncharacteristically calm and composed throughout the fight.

He didn't look like a Guinea pig that night. After the first knockdown, he methodically stayed calm and did not rush for the kill like most upstarts. He chased Greer around the ring, the latter thinking he is the top favorite and is entitled to be moving around enjoying an advantage.

After the second knockdown in the sixth, it was only then that Greer realized time is not on his side.

He switched his attack at close range opting to take on Plania to the telephone booth. Plania clearly strug-

gled and it showed his chink in the armour. If Plania wants to soar higher, he would need to learn how to fight from close range.

As Greer pressed on in the last three rounds, it also exposed Plania's fuel tank. Perhaps it was the short notice to the fight that his physical conditioning didn't reach peak. But yes, this is another aspect in Plania's arsenal that his camp needs to work on.

I talked about Plania's win on my sports podcast "Let's Get It On With Neil Bravo" (the link is https:// youtu.be/LohhXFaW5f4), and I asked whether or not boxing fans think he is for real or just a flash in the pan.

Plania took a big gamble when he accepted the Greer fight on short notice and had to lose extra pounds to meet the limit.

Now it's payoff time.

Plania's magical hands could lead him to bigger fights. But first, he needs to fine tune some unsavory notes.

SG... FROM4

Kids receive their brand new school kits from SM Stationery as they wait for school opening and alternative programs. Photo courtesy of SM

Globe Telecom eyes cell cites in public schools FIRMS... FROM 4

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elecommunications giant Globe Telecom, Inc. (Globe) has agreed with Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian’s suggestion to build cell towers in every public school to extend the availability of mobile services to the farthest reaches of the country.

In a Laging Handa briefing recently, Yolanda “Yoly” Crisanto, Globe senior vice president, said installing

cell sites in public schools is needed for blended learning, or using traditional and new media such as the internet and radio on education, to be viable in remote areas of the country.

“Our problem is having a permit. If we will be allowed, we will build,” Crisanto said.

Globe, she said, has been working with the Department of Education

(DepEd) even before the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, noting that its joint projects include Text2Teach, internet in schools, the annual Balik Eskwela Program, and Global Filipino Schools Program.

While Globe has been working with DepEd on the realization of blended learning in the midst of the pandemic, she said public

and private schools currently face different challenges, especially with the limited resources of public schools.

Currently, she said Globe provides free access to the DepEd Commons website -- a source of online learning materials for both students and teachers -- for its subscribers while providing training for teachers on online teaching.

he said.

He urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines to strike the communist rebels first before they launched attacks.

“Kaya ang utos ko talaga sa Armed Forces, sa sundalo, upakan mo, upakan mo.

Kasi ‘pag ikaw ang inabot (That’s why my order to the Armed Forces, the soldiers

is to strike first before the NPA gets them),” he said.

He also appealed to the communist rebels not to harm soldiers escorting the field officers of the Department of Social Welfare and Development distributing cash aid under the social amelioration program.

The anti-terrorism bill seeks to amend and give

more teeth to the provisions of the Human Security Act of 2007.

Under the proposed measure, the detention of suspected terrorists for up to 24 days sans a warrant of arrest will be permitted.

It also allows a 60-day surveillance with an allowable 30-day extension that can be conducted by the police

or the military against the suspected terrorists.

A person who voluntarily or knowingly joins a terrorist organization will also face 12 years of imprisonment.

Some lawmakers and human rights groups have opposed the measure, saying it would allow violation of human rights. (PNA)

fundamentals and we look forward to returning to the path of high growth when this emergency is over.”

“The increased use of digital technologies will

help us bounce back faster and stronger. The BIR is well prepared for the new normal. The digital transformation process the BIR has set into motion serves

as a standard for all other agencies in government to emulate,” he added.

Economic managers expect the domestic economy to contract by 2 per-

cent to 3.4 percent this year as a result of the pandemic, but it is seen to recover with a growth of 7.1 percent to 8.1 percent next year. (PNA)

Sunday’s final between Djokovic, who is president of the ATP Player Council, and Russia’s Andrey Rublev was immediately cancelled as a precaution.

Australian star Nick Kyrgios pulled no punches in his reaction to Coric’s tweet.

- ‘Not a joke’ “Boneheaded decision to go ahead with the ‘exhibition’,” Kyrgios wrote on social media.

“Speedy recovery fellas, but that’s what happens when you disregard all protocols. This IS NOT A JOKE.” Britain’s Andy Murray called it “a lesson for all of us”.

“Once you start having mass gatherings with people coming in from all sorts of countries, it’s a recipe for it to kick off,” Murray said.

Also playing in the tournament were world number three Dominic Thiem, former US Open winner Marin Cilic, seventh-ranked Alexander Zverev and Filip

Krajinovic.

Both Zverev and Cilic later took to Twitter to say they their tests had returned negative for the virus which has killed over 465,000 people.

“I have just received the news that my team and I have tested negative for COVID-19,” Germany’s Zverev wrote.

“I deeply apologize to anyone that I have potentially put at risk by playing this tour.”

He said he would now be following “self-isolating guidelines” whilst Cilic announced his intention to quarantine for 14 days.

Djokovic will reportedly speak to the public on Tuesday after receiving the results of his test.

His brother, the tournament’s director Djordje Djokovic, said the 17-time Grand Slam winner had taken the news of Dimitrov’s result “very hard”.

Details of Coric’s positive test emerged as Ser-

bian football league champions Red Star Belgrade reported that five of their players had gone down with coronavirus just 12 days after their derby clash with Partizan Belgrade.

The game was watched by 16,000 fans, the largest sporting gathering seen in Europe since the continent went into lockdown in March.

The Adria Tour had been organised to fill the gap in the virus-hit tennis calendar which has been on ice since mid-March and was played out to a daily crowd of 4,000 fans at Djokovic’s tennis centre on the banks of the Danube in Belgrade last week.

Dimitrov, Djokovic and Thiem, as well as the other players, were then seen partying at a packed Belgrade night spot.

Thiem has since travelled to the south of France to play in another exhibition tournament in Nice.

The Adria Tour had al-

ready suffered an embarrassing setback when the planned Montenegro leg of the four-nation tournament was cancelled when it became apparent Serbia’s health requirements did not match up to those of Montenegro.

Commenting on social distancing measures during the Belgrade leg, Djokovic argued that both Serbia and the region had been relatively successful in containing the virus.

“Of course you can criticise, you can also say this is dangerous or not, but it’s not up to me to make the calls what is health-wise right or wrong,” he stated.

Last week, the ATP and WTA said they were restarting their tours in August.

However, the US Open in New York will be played behind closed doors and under strict health protocols which Djokovic has described as “extreme” and “impossible”.

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E-CHANNELS... FROM4 VIRUS... FROM11

RONALDO... FROM11

MIKE... FROM12

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

Ronaldo penalty sets up Juve win

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OLOGNA, Italy -- Cristiano Ronaldo converted a first-half penalty as leaders Juventus resumed their Serie A campaign with a 2-0 win at Bologna on Monday, lifting some of the pressure off coach Maurizio Sarri.

After missing a spot kick in a Coppa Italia match against AC Milan 10 days ago, Ronaldo made no mistake in the 23rd minute and Paulo Dybala curled in a brilliant second before halftime to give the Turin side a comfortable win.

Juventus, with 66 points from 27 games and chasing a ninth successive title, extended their lead to four points over Lazio, who visit Atalanta on Wednesday. Bologna are 10th.

Juve's failure to score in two Coppa Italia games following the end of the new coronavirus stoppage,

coupled with their defeat on penalties to Napoli in Wednesday's final, raised questions over Sarri, who has struggled to impose his style of play in his first season at the club.

There were no questions about the Juventus defence, however, which kept a fourth straight clean sheet in all competitions.

"I think there's been too much talk, we have to square up and respond with facts like tonight," said defender Leonardo Bonucci.

"It's normal to talk about what happened after defeat, especially in a final. We had a discussion and traced a plan, which has been seen today."

After fielding Ronaldo in an unfamiliar centre-forward role against Napoli, Sarri returned the Portuguese to his more

FRONALDO , P10

PGA Championship to go ahead without fans in SF

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EW YORK -- This year's PGA Championship, scheduled to be played in early August at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, will be conducted without fans because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the PGA of America said on Monday.

The Aug. 6-9 event, one of golf's four majors, was previously postponed from its originally scheduled May date because of the scale of the outbreak in San Francisco.

The par-72 Tournament Players Club layout, a municipal course owned by the city and county of San Francisco, has never hosted a major championship and grandstand construction had begun at the course earlier this year.

The PGA Tour, a separate body which runs the game's biggest weekly circuit, resumed competi-

tion two weeks ago after a three-month COVID-19 hiatus with the first of five tournaments that are closed to the general public.

Brooks Koepka, whose four major titles include victories at the PGA Championship in the last two years, said he would obviously have liked to have fans on site to cheer on his chase for a threepeat but respects the decision.

"We got to do whatever we got to do to make us safe, keep the fans safe," Koepka said last week in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina where he played in the PGA Tour's RBC Heritage.

"Whatever it's going to be, it's going to be. Obviously, you'd like to have fans, but I understand with what's going on, it might not be possible."

11

Toronto Raptors guard Terence Davis II (0) celebrates with guard Fred VanVleet (23) after scoring a basket against Chicago Bulls in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Dan Hamilton, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

Raptors preparing to resume season in Florida

T day.

he defending champion Toronto Raptors began preparations to resume the 2019-20 season on Mon-

Select players and staff members are headed to Fort Myers, Fla., where they will remain until the NBA campus in Orlando opens in early July.

“In keeping with NBA and team safety protocols, there will be no group workouts during this phase of return to play, and strict protocols have been designed to ensure this initial level of access will take place in a safe, controlled, and healthy way,” the team said in a press release.

Group workouts will not begin until the Raptors report to the Disney World facility for the league’s 22-

team restart.

The organization also said there will be no in-person media availabilities during this stage.

Access to team hotels and voluntary individual workout facilities will be limited to essential team personnel.

Toronto compiled a 4618 record and ranked second in the Eastern Conference, 6.5 games behind the Milwaukee Bucks, when the season was suspended in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meantime, Portland Trail Blazers forward Trevor Ariza reportedly will opt

out of the NBA’s restart in Orlando, Fla., next month in order to make himself available for a one-month visitation window with his 12-year-old son.

According to ESPN, Ariza and his son’s mother are involved in a “custody case,” and the one-month visitation period fell during the 22-team NBA restart, which is set to begin July 30.

Ariza, who has started all 21 games with the Trail Blazers after his trade from the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 21, will miss out on at least $1 million in salary by skipping the end of the regular season. He could miss out on as much as $1.8 million depending on how far Portland advances in the playoffs.

At 29-37, the Trail Blaz-

Virus cases raise questions over Djokovic tournament

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Serbia’s Novak Djokovic with Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov during their doubles match during Adria Tour at Novak Tennis Centre in Belgrade, Serbia, June 12, 2020.

ers are 3 1/2 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Ninth-place teams that finish within four games of the No. 8 spot in their conference will be eligible for a play-in tournament for the final playoff spot.

Ariza, who will turn 35 on June 30, is his 16th season out of UCLA and has averaged 11 points and 4.8 rebounds since joining the Trail Blazers this season.

In 1,064 career games (731 starts), he has averaged 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists for the New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, then-New Orleans Hornets, Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns, Kings and Blazers.

ARIS, France -- Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki have all tested positive for coronavirus after taking part in an exhibition tennis tournament in the Balkans featuring world number one Novak Djokovic, raising questions over the sport’s planned return in August.

Croatia’s Coric, ranked 33rd in the world, revealed Monday he had tested positive for COVID-19, with Troicki confirmed to have contracted the virus several hours later.

It follows Sunday’s announcement by Dimitrov that he had also tested positive after pulling out of the exhibition event in Croatia, one of the biggest since the tennis season was halted because of the pandemic.

Coric tweeted: “I want to make sure anyone who

has been in contact with me during the last few days gets tested!

“I am really sorry for any harm I might have caused! I’m feeling well and don’t have any simptoms (sic). Please stay safe and healthy!”

One of Djokovic’s coaches and another member of Dimitrov’s entourage have also reportedly tested positive for the virus, according to Croatia’s N1 television channel. Troicki, meanwhile, played Djokovic last week in Belgrade.

Coric had beaten Bulgaria’s Dimitrov in the second leg of the Adria Tour in Zadar on Croatia’s Adriatic coast on Saturday.

Dimitrov withdrew from the Balkans tournament following that match, complaining of feeling unwell.

FVIRUS , P10

12 SPORTS

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hen I read about colleague Lito delos Reyes' story in the Philippine News Agency of a boy from Gen. Santos City arriving in Las Vegas to become the first Filipino professional athlete to see action in the Covid-19 era, it quickly sent me to those thoughts again of Guinea pigs in the laboratory.

EDGEDAVAO

I thought here comes another Pinoy fighter being fed to the lion. Worse, at the time of a pandemic.

He could be in for a double whammy. To get beat and to get the virus.

Either way, my evil mind told me this boy is going to lose.

Heck, I was wrong.

My bad.

This boy nicknamed

after a Karaoke microphone didn't only sing, he made soundwaves that broke decibels meter.

Michael "Magic Mike" Plania shocked the world last June 16 with an earth-shaking majority points win of American top bantamweight prospect Joshua "Don't Blink" Greer, Jr. in Las Vegas' MGM Grand.

VOL.13 ISSUE 63 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

Few gave Plania a chance to beat Top Rank prospect Joshua Greer, Jr (22-2, 12 KOs), an opponent who entered the ring with a 19-fight win streak and was ranked as the No.1 bantamweight contender by the WBO and No.2 by the IBF. Although the odds against him went down to plus 275 at fight night, Plania

(24-1, 12 KOs) was a plus 500 underdog when the bout was first announced.

That meant putting a $100 bet on the GenSan native would yield a $500 dividend.

The planet saw Plania, a virtual unknown with a respectable record of 23-1 going into the fight, send the American bantam-

FMIKE, P10