Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 254 |Thursday, February 11, 2021

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VOL.13 ISSUE 254 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

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Covid-19 protection kits to be distributed by city government, pickup sites identified STORY ON PAGE 2

Judge Ronald Tolentino of Regional Trial Court Branch 52 presides over a virtual hearing behind a plexiglass at Benigno Aquino Hall of Justice in Davao City. In a “new normal” setting, judges and lawyers wear facemask and face shield while conducting virtual trials following the resumption of the courts’ operations in time of the Covid-19 pandemic. Edge Davao

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NEWS

President Rodrigo Duterte gestures during a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park. The Palace said the President has expressed concern over the current state of the country’s economy which was badly hit by Covid-19 pandemic. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

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Covid-19 protection kits to be distributed by city government, pickup sites identified

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he city government of Davao has identified pick up sites for Dabawenyos to get easy access to Covid-19 protection kits for free.

A kit contains three face masks, one face shield, and a fan to be given to each individual.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio announced that Dabawenyos, especially the indigents or those who cannot afford to buy face masks and face shields for daily use, can now avail the protection kits for free at all City Social Welfare and Development (CSWDO) district and barangay offices in Talomo District Hall, Baliok Barangay Hall, Agdao District Hall,

ground floor of Buhangin Proper Brgy. Hall, second floor of Sasa Brgy. Hall, Bunawan District Hall, Lasang Brgy Hall, Toril District Hall, Tugbok District Hall, Calinan District Hall, Baguio District Hall, and Marilog District Hall in Lumondao.

The free face mask and face shield can be accessed also at Metro Circle in Bankerohan, and at Magsaysay Park.

Mayor Sara said that the sites or posts have been established so that people will know where

to go if they don’t have the protective equipment.

She said it is also one of the city government’s ways of strengthening the enforcement of the health measures, particularly the wearing of masks and face shields in all public places, for the safety of the Dabawenyos.

Mayor Sara said the CSWDO district and barangay offices will be a regular station where free masks and face shields will be distributed. She also said the CSWDO barangay and district heads will take charge of the distribution.

“Ang in-charge is atoang social workers because this is for indi-

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MinDA urges nat’l agencies to expedite completion of projects

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ith 16 months left before President Rodrigo Duterte ends his term, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) wants national agencies to expedite completion of the island’s overdue major projects.

Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, chair of MinDA, said there are commitments and projects that need to be done in order for Mindanaoans realize major projects.

“Ito ang ating hinihingi na sana sa last two minutes ng Duterte presidency puro three point shots ang gagawin natin para makahabol. Ito yung

delayed projects. People are asking what happened to the major projects in Mindanao,” said Piñol during the online Mindanao Speaks Up Forum opened on Wednesday.

Topping the list of projects is the Mindanao Railway Project (MRP), which was designed to spur the domestic economy, lower the cost and improve the transportation system in Mindanao.

Currently, only one segment is in the procurement stage, which is the Tagum-Davao-Digos (TDD) segment.

“While this segment has already been ap-

proved meron reklamo ang RDC 11 dito, because the original proposal ng RDC 11 they wanted an electric train two-rail system but what was approved was a locomotive system na monorail.

Andyan na yan aprubado na ng National Economic Development Authority and there’s hardly anything we can do about it.

But this is not what the Mindanaoans are asking for,” Piñol said.

Piñol also mentioned the new Zamboanga International Airport, which spans five administrations, is a monumental testament to a long

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NEWS 3

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Davao City’s barangay leaders launch a campaign dubbed“Run Sara Para sa Bayan 2022”to call for Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s entry into the 2022 presidential elections. CIO

Davao City barangay leaders launch ‘Run, Sara, Run’ drive

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illage leaders here launched Tuesday a campaign to call for Mayor Sara Z. Duterte's entry into the 2022 presidential elections.

Dubbed "Run Sara Para sa Bayan 2022," the campaign is similar to the 2016 grassroots movement that sought to draft President Rodrigo Duterte to run for the country's highest office, said Barangay 23-C chairman Alimoden Usman, the campaign convenor.

“President Duterte ini-

tially refused to run for the presidency but our efforts convinced him to do so. We will show our good mayor the support she needed.

We will tap our friends and relatives in the country for them to support our call,” he said.

Usman said the campaign will later branch out in Mindanao and the rest of the country until the presidential daughter heeds their call.

He said the campaign’s

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Water service interruption in some Toril WSS areas February 13, 2021

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avao City Water District advises of a water service interruption on February 13, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM affecting some areas served by Toril Water Supply System (WSS), particularly, portion of Bayabas-Toril Road (from Venus Street to Bayabas-Eden Road) and Upper Piedad.

DCWD needs to temporarily shut off the water supply in the affected areas to give way to the tapping of the newly installed pipe bridge crossing to DCWD’s pipeline near Piedad Bridge and installation of gate valves and mechanical cap plug at DCWD’s existing pipeline at both sides of Piedad Bridge. Once completed, this project will improve water supply in Toril WSS. On behalf of the DCWD management, General

Manager Edwin V. Regalado asks for the understanding and cooperation of would-be affected customers and advises them to store enough water prior to the schedule.

Water supply may be restored earlier if work goes smoothly or later if unforeseen problems arise.

For more details on this water service interruption and other concerns pertaining to DCWD’s services and operation, the general public may visit DCWD’s website (www.davao-water.gov. ph) and official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ davaowater) or contact its 24/7 call center through the 24-hour hotlines 235-DCWD (3293), 09277988966, 0925-5113293, or 0908-4410653 or chat support in DCWD’s Facebook page or website. (Jason J. Demonteverde)

Resolution to bring down prices of pork approved by City Council

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he City Council has passed a resolution urging government subsidy to bring down prices of pork and other essential goods in Davao City on February 9, 2021.

Proposed by Councilor Pamela Librado-Morata, who is also the chair of Committee on Labor and Employment Opportunities of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the said resolution is urging the city government of Davao to provide subsidies to help small farmers, entrepreneurs, traders, and consumers burdened by the increase in prices of pork

and other meat products.

The resolution proposes for the city government to directly buy the produce of farmers then sell the products to consumers at a subsidized amount.

The resolution also aims to help alleviate the situation of both consumers and vendors amid soaring prices, particularly Davaoeños are still recovering from the

impacts of the pandemic.

In her privilege speech during the last session posted on her Facebook account, Librado-Morata stressed how the rising prices of pork, chicken, vegetables, and other essential goods had forced several families to budget tighter to bring food on the table.

"Nagkagamay ang balor sa kita sa atong mga kaigsoonan karon tungod sa nagmahal ang presyo sa mga palaliton labina sa pagkaon. Importante kini nga solbaron kay gikinahanglan nato ang saktong pagkaon ilabina sa panahon nga naay

pandemya," Librado-Morata said.

Librado-Morata also called the attention of the Department of Trade and Industry 11 (DTI 11) to investigate and regulate the prices of pork and other meat products.

Apart from the produce of farmers, the resolution also seeks to mitigate the situation of hog raisers by providing subsidies to local hog farmers whose livelihood were adversely affected not only by the Covid-19 pandemic but also by the outbreak of the African

ered by the national government by the end of this month.

She said the local government is currently conducting an inventory on available cold storage facilities that can store other COVID-19 vaccines with similar ultra-cold storage requirements as Pfizer’s.

“But for all other vaccines that don’t need similar storage requirements, we can use our regular freezers or chillers,” the mayor said.

She said she has yet to know how many doses of the Pfizer vaccines will be delivered to Davao for this month from the national government. These initial doses will be given to frontline health workers of SPMC, the primary medical institution that caters to COVID-19 patients in the city.

The city has procured AZD1222, the vaccine jointly developed by the British firm AstraZeneca and Oxford University, which will

be delivered by the third quarter of this year, and has initiated talks with Janssen Pharmaceuticals of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to procure additional vaccines.

As of February 8, the Department of Health (DOH)Davao Region reported 75 new cases, bringing the total cases to 18,297, with 2,579 active, 14,974 recoveries, and 744 deaths in the region.

Out of the total, Davao

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SPMC has cold storage facility for Pfizer vaccines

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he Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City has a cold storage facility that can meet the -70 degrees Celsius temperature requirement of the vaccines manufactured by the USbased Pfizer.

Mayor Sara Duterte said in her program over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Monday that the SPMC’s cold storage facility can accommodate the Pfizer vaccines that will be deliv-

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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20 barangays in NorCot mulled for massive hog production program

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t least 20 barangays in the province of North Cotabato are eyed to become pilot areas for a massive hog production program intended to address the current shortage of pork meat production in the country, an official from the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) said on Monday.

Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chair, bares that there are at least “20 secluded villages” which have not been affected by the African swine fever (ASF) identified by the agency and the provincial government of North Cotabato as pilot areas for MinDA’s “Islands of Hope Hogstel Program”initiative. Edge Davao

Paymaya lets online sellers accept payments through chat apps

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ayMaya on Tuesday said it has introduced a new feature on its mobile app that lets online sellers accept cashless payments on Viber, Messenger, Instagram, and other social media and chat apps.

Online sellers can use the Paymaya app's Payment Links and QR Ph features to generate a link or QR code to accept payments, the mobile wallet operator said.

"Sellers only need to generate a Request Money link or get their QR Ph code by going to the PayMaya app, clicking the User Profile icon on the top-left portion, and tapping on the QR code icon next to their name and mobile number," Paymaya said.

They can then send this payment link or the screenshot of their QR Ph code to their customers via social media and chat apps.

"Meanwhile, buyers only

need to tap on the link sent by the seller or scan or upload the seller's QR Ph code through the PayMaya app to make a payment," Paymaya said.

The seller's PayMaya account details will then be automatically filled in the buyer's PayMaya app, and they can just enter the amount or press Pay, the company said.

Paymaya said the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in the number of online and chat sellers using the app.

“Filipinos are adept in using digital tools such as social media and chat apps, and at PayMaya, we are here to make it easier to pay and get paid,” said Paymaya president Shailesh Baidwan.

QR Ph is the national QR code standard launched by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in 2019.

Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, MinDA chair, said that there are at least “20 secluded villages” which have not been affected by the African swine fever (ASF) identified by the agency and the provincial government of North Cotabato as pilot areas for MinDA’s “Islands of Hope Hogstel Program” initiative.

“The ‘Islands of Hope’ strategy will implement a communal hog-raising scheme which I designed previously where a common service hog raising facility called ‘hogstel’ will be used in breeding and raising hogs owned by farmers,” Piñol said in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Monday.

He said that with this strategy, which will identify biosecure communities, the agency will assist the North Cotabato government in availing the hog production loan fund from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

“The barangay government or a farmer’s association will be the beneficiary of the loan fund which had been committed by DBP President Emmanuel G. Herbosa during our meeting in Makati City last week,” Piñol said.

The MinDA chair also disclosed that the identification and validation of the

20 pilot villages for the hogstel program will start this week, noting that the selected areas will raise breeders to produce piglets for fattening in local farms.

“Actual farm production will start in 18 months during which time the provincial government will initiate steps to establish its own feed milling and production facility and abattoir,” Piñol said.

He said that the hogstel concept will “revolutionize the backyard piggery industry,” wherein households feed their hogs with whatever kitchen wastes they could gather. This practice, Piñol noted, has been identified to have caused the spread of ASF that affected the hog raising industry.

Under the hogstel concept, a biosecure facility will be made available to the farmers where they will be allocated pens to raise hogs supervised by animal health experts and veterinarians.

The biosecurity measures will include closing the “Islands of Hope” villages to the entry of processed pork products which had been suspected to causing the spread of ASF in remote areas in the country, Piñol said.

The hog raisers will have to pay fees for the use of the hogstel, which will

then be deducted from the sale of their hogs.

Piñol said that village officials and the farming families who will become beneficiaries of the project will undergo orientation and training on biosecurity which will be supervised by a team from MinDA. There are at least 4,000 breeders intended to be distributed to the 20 ASF-free pilot villages of the Islands of Hope Hogstel Program.

About 200 breeders in each facility will be raised by at least 100 families.

Piñol also said that the Q-Pigs Corporation in the province of South Cotabato has been tapped to supply the breeders needed for the first 20 pilot villages for the hogstel program.

The total budget allocation for the said project, however, has not yet been disclosed by the agency as the technical team of MinDA is still set to meet with Q-Pigs Corporation president Joaquin Lu on Thursday to determine the costing of the project.

“Each farmer will be given a space in the hogstel where he will raise either a breeder or a fattener which he could access by going through the proper sanitary and biosecurity protocols,” he said.

they will also require labeling of outsourced pork as imported to distinguish the SRP for the commodity.

“We are now computing (the SRP) jointly with (the) DA. What is important is that consumers will have options. If they want cheaper meat, they can go to groceries and supermarkets, where there is SRP,” he said, adding they will finalize the price cap on imported pork within this week.

Aside from lower landed cost of imported products, Lopez said groceries and supermarkets have lesser traders in between the supply chain -- a reason for these establishments to implement the SRP for pork.

The official added they have received reports on price manipulation on pork

meat.

The National Bureau of Investigation, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and the National Security Council along with DA and DTI, are verifying these reports, Lopez said.

Meanwhile, Samahan ng Industriya at Agrikultura (SINAG) chairperson Rosendo So said in the same briefing the group welcomes the move to have SRP on imported pork sold in groceries and supermarkets.

So, however, added that the tariff for imported pork should stay at 40 percent as they can still compete in the domestic market even at that tariff rate.

He said at 40 percent tariff, landed cost for imported pork is at PHP117.87 per kilogram.

The retail price for imported prime cut pork in groceries and supermarkets should be around PHP152.87 per kilo, So said.

This is lower than landed prices of pork from local hog raisers as computed by the DA. DA Secretary William Dar said the landed price of pork from Mindanao to Manila is at PHP165 per kilo and PHP170 per kilo for pork coming from Visayas, Region 4-B, and Region 5.

However, So said groceries and supermarkets are selling imported pork at PHP350 to PHP400 per kilo.

He urged the government to strengthen its monitoring of prices of pork in groceries and supermarkets. (PNA)

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Lower SRP for imported pork in groceries, supermarkets eyed

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epartment of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said his office and the Department of Agriculture (DA) are now working out the suggested retail price (SRP) for imported pork in groceries and supermarkets.

In a Palace briefing Tuesday, Lopez said the SRP of imported pork in groceries and supermarkets will be lower than the price ceiling set for locally sourced pork in wet markets.

“Knowing that the landed cost for imported pork is lower than farm-gate price here, our suggestion is lower SRP or price ceiling for imported pork that will be sold in the supermarkets,” he said in Filipino.

The Trade chief said

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ECONOMY 5

AirAsia Philippines is securing approval from the government to handle shipments of COVID-19 vaccines nationwide. Edge Davao

AirAsia seeks gov’t approval to handle vaccine shipments

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irAsia is securing approval from the Philippine government to handle shipments of COVID-19 vaccines nationwide, the company said Tuesday.

AirAsia said it recently applied to be a "Dangerous Goods carrier", and is now in the process of getting authorization from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to participate in the rollout of vaccines in far-flung provinces.

“Aside from our existing route network, we are committed to mount charter flights to provincial airports which can accommodate wide-body aircrafts such as the Airbus 320 to fast track vaccine distribution efforts," AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla said.

AirAsia said its personnel have undergone technical training to properly han-

dle temperature-sensitive vaccines in cargo.

The company also said it will ensure vaccines remain in sub-zero temperatures during flights to maintain their condition.

AirAsia will also use Teleport, its new door-todoor delivery for distribution.

Teleport covers delivery to 12 cities, namely: Bacolod, Cebu, General Santos, Iloilo, Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga.

Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the country will get around 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines under the global alliance COVAX Facility in the first quarter, including 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine expected to arrive by the third week of February.

Customs processes modernization to help economic recovery efforts

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nstituting additional technological innovations into the Bureau of Customs (BOC) processes will increase the agency’s capacity to help boost the economy’s recovery this year.

In his speech during the BOC’s 119th founding anniversary livestreamed over PTV on Tuesday, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said continued modernization of BOC processes allowed the agency to meet the challenges brought about by the pandemic and enabled it to exceed its 2020 collection goal by 6 percent.

Last year, the agency’s revenues reached

PHP533.88 billion, 6.49 percent higher than its revised goal of PHP501.33 billion.

This year, the agency has been tasked to collect PHP616.7 billion.

Dominguez said the pandemic resulted in the decline of trade volume, which negatively impacted BOC’s revenue generation.

He, however, said the agency, which is one of the two major revenue-generating offices of the government along with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), “stepped up to the plate and minimized losses by continuing its modernization initiatives to achieve a more

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DTI sees better consumer, biz confidence with vaccine rollout

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he rollout of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine program in the country is expected to have a positive impact on the economy aside from protecting Filipinos from the infectious disease.

In a Palace briefing Thursday, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said the vaccine rollout will help in regaining the consumer confidence that was lost amid the pandemic.

Lopez said once consumers are more confident to go out, business confidence is also expected to improve.

“But even without the vaccine, we are proposing

also --even earlier-- that if (Covid-19) cases continue to decline, we can consider continuing the gradual, calibrated, and safe easing (of restrictions) or reopening (of economic activities),” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

He added the economic team targets to further relax restrictions, either easing the community quarantine status in Metro Manila or easing age limitations, by

next month.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has already approved to widen the allowed age group that can go outside their residences from 15 to 65 years to 10 to 65 years old.

However, President Rodrigo Duterte retracted the easing of age restriction due to the new Covid-19 variant.

“We paused because of the new variant,” Lopez said. “But if we see that the trend is stable, then we will continue the gradual easing of restrictions.”

The DTI chief said these efforts to bring back more economic activities aim to revive the economy to its

pre-pandemic level.

Although there are already signs of recovery, economic indicators are still far from where it is before the pandemic, he added.

Economic output in the last quarter of 2020 posted an 8.3-percent decline from a 16.9-percent drop in the second quarter, which was the height of lockdowns.

However, this is far from the above 6-percent growth rate before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Unemployment rate also eased in October 2020 to 8.7 percent from a record-high of 17.6 percent in April 2020.

But this is still far from the 5-percent pre-pandemic level. (PNA)

turned to online platforms for their daily needs, entertainment, and interaction.

The previous year also transformed e-commerce as online shopping evolved from a purely transactional experience to a more social experience.

“With advancements in technology, increasing internet penetration, and a fast-growing population of young, tech-savvy youths and middle-income families, we expect e-commerce to play an integral role in the way we live, connect, and do business,” Yu said.

For this year, Shopee ex-

pects increased adoption of digital payments among Filipino consumers.

As digital payment is the preferred mode of payment for online transactions, people are expected to become more accustomed to e-payment systems and this will also drive cashless payment offline.

For Shopee, orders completed by using mobile wallets improved by four times.

“In line with movement restrictions and continued social distancing efforts, consumers and businesses have increasingly embraced digital payments for greater

convenience and security,” it said.

The growth of e-commerce also drives the development of the logistics sector, Shopee said.

“Logistics will become even more important as consumers continue to rely on e-commerce platforms and develop greater expectations for efficient deliveries. The increase in demand is particularly significant for daily necessities and household essentials. In the Philippines, Shopee saw an 8.5 times increase specifically in food-related items

Shopee expects digital payment adoption rise as e-comm grows

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nline shopping platform Shopee expects increased digital payment adoption, growth in the logistics industry, and implementation of innovative retail strategies from brands and sellers in the Philippine e-commerce market this year.

In a statement Tuesday, Shopee said the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has accelerated growth in the e-commerce industry.

Shopee Philippines director Martin Yu said with the community quarantine measures, consumers have

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VOL.13 ISSUE 254 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

On the distribution of free Covid-19 protection kits to Dabawenyos and identifying the barangay sites as pickup points: Ang in-charge is atoang social workers because this is for indigents or kung dili man indigent (In-charge for the distribution are the social workers because these are for indigents or for those who are not indigents), people with no income who cannot afford to buy new face masks and face shields.”

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

EDITORIAL

Of rights and freedoms

In order for government to be able to minimize if not totally stop the spread of Covid 19 pandemic, certain freedoms of the people have to be curtailed.

Examples of these curtailments come in the form of what we call health protocols like regular washing of hands with water and soap, wearing of face masks and face shields, practicing of social distancing, ban on mass gatherings, suspension of face-to-face conduct of classes in schools and other restrictions in free movement and even pursuit of happiness.

Lately, it is reported that the authorities in Davao City are considering the lifting of curfew imposition and the liquor ban whose extension until March 31, 2021 has created quite a stir among drinkers and those in the business of selling intoxicating spirits. Netizens including owners and operators of bars and restaurants which are selling drinks and making a lot of money from it have opposed the extension.

No less than Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has disclosed the possibility of easing the above restrictions,

EDGEDAVAO

Providing solutions to a seamless global village.

once experts and decision-makers of the city come to a conclusion that it is now safe to lift such health protocols.

Although drinking liquor is not an ideal hobby with not a few calling a it ruinous vice, it is admittedly a multi-billion peso industry which contributes a big amount to government coffers in the form of “sin taxes”, aside from the employment and business that it generates among a big number of Filipinos. Indeed, if the authorities now think that it’s time to ease restrictions in its sale, so be it.

As to the curfew hours, many Dabawenyos think that the lifting should be selective. Working people and those who have to go out of their abodes because the nature of their business requires them ought to be exempted from curfew. But people who fail to show legitimate purpose should be accosted and investigated.

The possibility of their being thieves and felons could be strong and the police should know what to do with them.

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VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

GOODBYE, MR. PLUMMER Christopher Plummer, the Canadian-born actor known to most Filipinos as the man who played the Austrian naval officer George von Trapp in The Sound of Music (1965), is dead at the age of 91. He died peacefully, news reports stated, and Elaine Taylor, his wife and true best friend for 53 years, was by his side.

“Chris was an extraordinary man who deeply loved and respected his profession with great old fashion manners, self-deprecating humor and the music of words,” Lou Pitt, the actor’s longtime friend and manager of 46 years, was quoted as saying by Hollywood scribe Mike Fleming, Jr. “He was a national treasure who deeply relished his Canadian roots. Through his art and humanity, he touched all of our hearts and his legendary life will endure for all generations to come.”

Although Julie Andrews received an Oscar for her role in The Sound of Music, Plummer wasn’t even considered. It was not until in 2009 that he was finally recognized with a nomination for his supporting role as great novelist Leo Tolstoy in The Last Station.

Two years later, he snatched another nomination for the same category. It was for his performance in Mike Mills’ Beginners

and finally he won the prestigious award. He was 82 when he won the award, making him the oldest person ever to win an Oscar.

In 2018, he received another nomination for his supporting role as J. Paul Getty in All the Money in the World. Kevin Spacey played the role but due to numerous sexual harassment and sexual assault allegations against the award-winning actor, he was replaced by Plummer.

For his stage performances, Plummer received two Tony Awards: for Cyrano (1974) and Barrymore (1997). In addition, he got five more nominations: J.B. (1959), Othello (1982), No Man’s Land (1994), King Lear (2004), and Inherit the Wind (2007).

He also won three Drama Desk Awards for Cyrano, Othello and Barrymore.

For television appearances, Plummer also managed to get two awards: Outstanding Actor – Limited Series or a Movie for Arthur Hailey’s the Moneychangers (1977) and for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for Madeline (1994).

His other Emmy nominations were for Little Moon of Alban (1959), Hamlet at Elsinore (1966), The Thorn Birds (1983), Our Fathers (2005), and Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Holly-

wood (2011).

As a recording artist, Plummer won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children for 1986’s E.T.A Hoffman/Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker.

Being a Canadian-born actor, he received several recognitions from the government and various award-giving bodies. In 1968, he was invested as Companion of the Order of Canada, at the time among Canada’s highest civilian honors. In 2011, he received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada’s highest honor in the performing arts.

Plummer was made an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts at New York’s Juilliard School and has received honorary doctorates from the University of Toronto, Ryerson University, McGill University, the University of Western Ontario, the University of Ottawa, and the University of Guelph.

Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer was born in Toronto, the great-grandson of John Abbott, Canada’s third prime minister. He grew up in Senneville, Quebec. He was already appearing on stage playing Shakespearean roles when Sidney Lumet asked him to appear in Stage Struck (1958), which became his film debut.

It wasn’t until he played opposite Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music that he became a bankable actor. Most people don’t know that he disparaged the move as “saccharine claptrap” despite the fact that it won Best Picture Oscar over David Lean’s Doctor Zhivago.

“That sentimental stuff is the most difficult for me to play, especially because I’m trained vocally and physically for Shakespeare,” he told People magazine in 1982. “To do a lousy part like von Trapp, you have to use every trick you know to fill the empty carcass of the role. That damn movie follows me around like an albatross.”

Since then, he appeared in some high-profiled movies like The Battle of Britain (1969), Return of the Pink Panther (1975), and The Man Who Would Be King (1979), and Murder by Decree (1979).

In the 1980s, he appeared mostly on stage (Othello and Macbeth) and television. In films, he was in Eyewitness (1981), Dragnet (1987), and Shadow Dancing (1988).

The 1990s saw him appearing in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), Malcolm X (1992), Wolf (1994), Dolores Clairborne (1995), 12 Monkeys,

and The Insider, which earned him some acting nominations.

In the 2000s, he did some very important movies like A Beautiful Mind, Inside Man, Alexander, National Treasure, Syriana, Must Love Dogs, The New World, and The Lake House.

Following the announcement of his death, Julie Andrews said: “The world has lost a consummate actor today and I have lost a cherished friend. I treasure the memories of our work together and all the humor and fun we shared through the years.”

Film director Ridley Scott also said: “What a guy. What a talent. What a life. And I was fortunate enough to work with him less than two years ago and had a wonderful experience… He will be really missed.”

Helen Mirren, who costarred with him The Last Station, shared this thought: “He was a mighty force both as man and actor. He was an actor in the 19th century meaning of the word – his commitment to his profession.

His art was total, theatre being a constant and the most important part of the totality of his drive to engage with storytelling. He was fearless, energetic, courageous, knowledgeable, professional and a monument to what an actor can be. A great actor in the truest sense.”

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

IS MANNY PACQUIAO SERIOUSLY RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT? (“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” Abraham Lincoln.)

For quite some time now, we have been hearing whispers that the Sarangani senator has sounded off some of his select friends that he is setting his eyes on the presidency in the 2022 national polls.

Today, these whispers have become “noises”, giving credence to an off-the-cuff remark of Bob Arm many moons back when the Top Rank executive prematurely blurted from out-of-nowhere that the 8-division world titleholder would be throwing his hat into the presidential derby.

In fact, a video clip - an interview of sorts - has been going the rounds in the SOCMED showing the man’s executive understanding of issues affecting the country.

Let us cut short the background stories and dig deeper.

Unlike when he prepares for a title match where he knows the ABCs of his training regimen even

with his hands tied behind his back, Manny Pacquiao, this time, would be better advised to check carefully the political terrain.

While he has undoubtedly the resources to fund an expensive nation-wide campaign, Pacquiao must consider foremost his winning chances or “winnability.”

He has to analytically quiz himself that he will be up against the titans of Philippine politics.

Old established family dynasties like the Marcoses, the Aquinos and their Yellow army, Mayor Sara of the incumbent Duterte clan, the Roxas-Araneta family and several other regional political warlords who have very deep political roots of legendary proportions are standing on the way.

No, we are not underestimating Pacquiao’s capability and intelligence. We are telling him that his immense popularity with the masses as an iconic world boxing champion may win votes (through name recall) but it will not help him snatch the presidency.

This is going to be a difficult

uphill climb. The Pacman must recognize and accept this reality.

Even as he is now the president of the administration PDP Laban party, his group is not united because of internal leadership issues.

PDP needs to build a coalition. But with whom will Pacquiao coalesce, organize a legit national machinery and get grassroots support?

Who will be his VP and senatorial ticket?

Will he be better off running alone, like an independent?

Maybe, sliding down to the vice-presidency is the much better option. After all, the senator will only be 44 next year.

He could also run for re-election.

I tell you, Pacquiao will top the senatorial race.

Then, he could make this as his springboard to Malacanang in 2028, by which time he would have acquired more political wisdom, maturity and astuteness.

Presently, who, like Manny

Pacquiao, are reportedly in the running?

Grace Poe will definitely make a comeback attempt under the NPC banner. (Perhaps in tandem with Tito Sotto).

The LPs may or may not field Robredo ( she is lagging last in the surveys). They might convince retired SC justice Antonio Carpio with Robredo running for re-election.

Or Kris Aquino (although my knowledgeable friends in Tarlac tell me she is going to run for governor). Kris partnering with Kiko Pangilinan is an excellent mix because it will actually be Sharon who will be extensively campaigning. And all the stars of ABS CBN (I guess).

Mayor Sara may be playing “patay malisya” now but political observers believe she will take the challenge because she is much ahead in the surveys. Pity if she does not.

Sens. Ping Lacson and Richard Gordon are dark horses.

But we know that there will

be plenty of horse trading prior to the filing of COCs (certificates of candidacies) in October.

By that time, every aspirant for the presidency might have already gauged their chances and by all probability may accede to juicy and tempting offers to slide down.

The truth is that this is the period for the so-called pre-positioning.

Guest appearances in media forums (fora), live radio interviews and TV guestings, tons of press and photo releases will be the order of the day.

If Manny Pacquiao plays his cards right, a partnership with Isko Moreno may just come into the mix. Isko-Pacman or Pacman-Isko could be a formidable team.. (Although, we think the Yorme is enjoying his Manila empire and will consider 2028 as the right time.)

Well, think it over ten times, Sen, Manny. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

8

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

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LIFESTYLE

T

Going wild for wild birds

here’s some capturing of birds going on out there in Malagos Garden Resort (MGR).

Before you react in dismay, the capturing is not with nets or traps, but with cameras.

The Big Year Davao, a group composed of avian photographers or “birders” from all over Davao Region, recently inked partnership with MGR, which is engaged lately into wildlife preservation within its resort premises through regular bird watching and birding activity.

The partnership is cemented with a recent signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for it to become sustainable.

Bird-watching has surged in popularity during the pandemic. With Covid-19 restrictions continue, bored enthusiasts noticed a fascinating world just outside their windows, the world of birds.

Now the chirps and coos once ignored as background noise, have become clues to understanding an entire ecosystem.

Currently, MGR has 65 bird species that include Southern Silvery Kingfisher, Rufous-crowned Bee-eater, Philippine Hawk Cuckoo, Brown Tit-Babbler, Purple-throated Sunbird among others.

The Big Year Davao and MGR vow to work together in identifying and documentation of wild birds in MGR, train MGR core team on introduction to bird watching and mentor members of the core group on how to guide in house guests for bird watching inside the resort for overnight guests.

It is also the goal of MGR to conduct monthly bird watching sessions with the resort core group and may invite guests set every first Saturday of the month, advice on how both will be able to use knowledge on bird watching to translate it to preservation and conservation as well as identification of host and nectar plants for subsequent planting and birdbaths so guests can possibly recreate the environment in their own backyards.

“This initiative of MGR is very commendable as it yield positive long term result towards biodiversity conservation,” said Julius Paner, spokesperson of The Big Year Davao.

Apart from being partners for sustainability, Paner said MGR also provides the group regular

venue of the thing they love doing, which is birding.

“Previously kasi, we spent money and other resources to do this stuff, now we have sort of, shall we say, partner who can help us provide that resources, plus the luxury of staying in a very relaxing and high-end resort,” he said.

Paner, who is also the tourism officer of Sta. Cruz in Davao del Sur, started birding in 2018, since then he’s hooked to this kind of activity.

It fascinates him to see birds in their natural habitat because it explains the richness of Mother Nature.

“Birds are obvious indicator of a healthy environment. Birds are also very colorful. I love them because they represent the soul and the spirit. They represent freedom.

Seeing them in the wild matters the

most, taking pictures of them is secondary,” Paner said.

Paner admitted there is always a challenge in taking photos of birds because by nature they are hyper and don’t stay long in a specific location. Second, his camera has limitations also as it does not perform well in lowlighted areas such as closed-canopy forests.

His ultimate dream is to see and photograph the Philippine Eagle. Of all the bird list he already has, the top 5 birds he considered favorites are Comb-crested Jacana, Mindanao Jungle Flycatcher, Philippine Cockatoo, Japanese Night Heron and Southern Silvery Kingfisher.

The group got its name The Big Year Davao from the movie released in 2011 starring Jack Black, Owen Wilson and Steve Martin. It was based on the 2004 nonfiction book The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik.

Meanwhile, MGR is a reputable agri-ecotourism resort in Davao City where families can discover experiences refined by nature. It is a 12 hectare inland nature theme resort located in Bgy. Malagos, Calinan, Davao City. It is home to the Philippine Orchid, Vanda Sanderiana, commonly referred to as the Waling Waling, the international award-winning, single-origin Malagos Chocolates, indigenous birds and other wildlife species.

(Thank you Ian Garcia and Paner for the photos.)

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C

ontrary to what most people may think, irradiated foods are safe to eat! This assurance came from Luvimina G. Lanuza, head of the Irradiation Services Section of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), a line agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

“Irradiated foods are not radioactive and are therefore safe to eat,” said Lanuza during a techno forum held last year at SMX Convention Center. She explained that food items are subjected to gamma irradiation technology, whose energies used in irradiation don’t make the foods radioactive.

“Irradiated food has been exposed to radioactivity but does not become radioactive itself,” pointed out the Food Standards Agency (FSA) of the United Kingdom. Irradiating food is similar to that of pasteurization, cooking or other forms of heat treatment.

The most common techniques of food irradiation, aside from gamma rays, are X-rays and electron beams.

Gamma radiation is used routinely to sterilize medical, dental and household products. In addition, it is used for the radiation treatment of cancer. X-rays, produced by reflecting a high-energy stream of electrons off a target substance into food, are also widely used in medicine and industry to produce images of internal structures. Gamma rays and X-rays share some characteristics with microwaves, but with much higher energy and penetration.

Electron beam, which is similar to X-rays, is a stream of high-energy electrons propelled from an electron accelerator into food.

“Food absorbs energy when it is exposed to ionizing radiation,” the FSA said.

“The amount of energy absorbed is called ‘absorbed dose,’ which is measured in units called grays (Gy) or kilograys (kGy), where 1kGy is equal to 1,000Gy. The energy absorbed by the food causes the formation of short-lived molecules known as free radicals, which kill bacteria that cause food poisoning.”

A joint expert committee on food irradiation concluded that “the irradiation of food up to an average

IRRADIATED FOOD: TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT

close to 10 kGy causes no health hazards and guarantees no nutritional or microbial problems.”

Food poisoning is one of the main reasons why astronauts and cosmonauts generally bring irradiated foods when traveling to outer space. With so many things to worry about, the space travelers try to eliminate fear of possible food poisoning from their list of problems.

Several studies show irradiation can effectively eliminate organisms that cause foodborne illness, such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria and Escherichia coli.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved irradiation of meat (beef, pork and lamb) and poultry (chicken) and allows its use for a variety of other foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables and spices.

Some foods, such as dairy foods and eggs, cannot be irradiated because it causes changes in flavor or texture.

While irradiation cannot make food radioactive,

it does reduce the nutritionText and photos by al and change HENRYLITO D. TACIO the flavor, just like cooking.

“Irradiation causes a multitude of chem- “Neither irradiation nor any ical changes,” notes Wikipe- other food treatment can redia, the free encyclopedia. verse the spoilage process “A few of these products are and make bad food good. If unique but not considered food already looks, taste or dangerous. Cooking, smok- smells bad (signs of spoiling, salting and other less age), it cannot be ‘saved.’” novel techniques cause the The first definite work food to be altered so drasti- with radiation preservation cally that its original nature was carried out on hamis almost unrecognizable.” burgers at the MassachuBut irradiated foods are setts Institute of Technolostill nutritious. “All known gy in 1943. It showed that methods of food processing hamburgers could be steril-- even storing food -- can ized by high doses of X-rays. lower the content of some Considerable scientific nutrients, such as vitamins,” research over the past five says a brochure, Preserving decades indicates that food Food and Agricultural Prod- irradiation is a safe and efucts by Radiation, published fective form of processing.

by DOST-PNRI. “At low doses In fact, it has been approved of radiation, nutrient losses in 50 countries including are not significant. Even at Australia, the United States, higher doses, irradiation Japan, China, France and does not adversely affect the Holland. nutritional quality of food.”

At least three internaHowever, irradiation tionally recognized bodies cannot be used to make support food irradiation: spoiled food good or to the World Health Organizaclean up “dirty foods.” The tion (WHO), the American brochure pointed this out: Dietetic Association and the Scientific Committee of the European Union.

But despite this, food irradiation has not gained popularity among food consumers. Until now, people are extremely reluctant to accept the irradiation process for the preservation of foods.

“The reluctance of consumers in some countries to accept irradiated food arises from the fact that anything associated with nuclear energy is considered by many people to involve danger and radioactivity,” said an article which appeared in World Health, a WHO publication.

The article said most consumer resistance to the irradiation process has been based more on emo-

tional rather than technical factors.

“The general public should come to terms with irradiation and accept it as another important method of food preservation,” it pinpointed.

Aside f r o m fo o d preserva-

tion, irradiation can also control pests. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, about 25% of all food production around the world is lost after harvesting to insects, bacteria and spoilage.

“Food irradiation can help reduce losses and can also reduce dependence on chemical pesticides, some of which are extremely harmful to the environment,” said a brochure prepared by the Food Irradiation Education Group of the University of Wisconsin (UW).

Irradiation can also be used to sterilize foods, “which can then be stored for years without refrigeration.” Sterilized foods are useful in hospitals for patients with severely impaired immune systems, such as patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or undergoing chemotherapy.

In Australia and New Zealand, only herbs and

spices, herbal infusions and some tropical fruits are approved for irradiation. In Europe, no foods other than dried aromatic herbs, spices and vegetable seasonings are permitted for the application of irradiation.

In the Philippines, the Bureau of Food and Drugs has issued conditiona l

cleara n c e for the irradiation of onions, garlic (for sprout inhibition) and spices (for microbial decontamination).

“Food irradiation is still in the pilot stage in this country, but fruit irradiation for quarantine processing to export to the US is expected to take place in the near future,” said a news report.

Again, here’s Lanuza: “The irradiation of food is justified when it fulfils technological requirements and if it is beneficial for the protection of consumer health.”

Just a reminder: “Irradiation is not a replacement for proper food-handling.

Irradiated foods need to be stored, handled and cooked in the same way as non-irradiated foods, because they could still become contaminated with disease-causing organisms after irradiation if the rules of basic food safety are not followed.”

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gents or kung dili man indigent (In-charge for the distribution are the social workers because these are for indigents or for those who are not

indigents), people with no income who cannot afford to buy new face masks and face shields,” Mayor Sara said in a live broadcast on Monday.

delayed project due to the inability of the proponents to get this enrolled as a national priority.

“This is something that we have to work on really,” he said.

He also cited the Laguindingan and the Davao airports that already have unsolicited proposals submitted to NEDA- Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC).

“It is still awaiting the approval of NEDA Board so that the Department of Transportation can initiate the Swiss Challenge to move the project,” he said.

In terms of budget sharing in the context of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) sharing (including population and land area), Piñol said Mindanao should be getting P1.25 trillion spread in five years to achieve inclusive development of the island.

“How much fund does Mindanao need to achieve President Duterte’s promise? If we compute the just and equitable share of Mindanao at 25 percent, Mindanao should be getting P1.25 trillion spread in five years to achieve inclusive development of the island,” he said.

The said amount would help the Department Regional Offices in Mindanao submitted proposal of P64.15 billion for 2022 to fund agriculture, investments, flood control, environment management, transportation, information, communication and tourism.

It will also help fund Mindanao’s agriculture that would need P8.10 billion investment fund required for the production support, hunger, poverty and ensure that no one is left behind.

He said another P2.68 billion is needed for post-harvest facilities especially in the area of fisheries; P23 billion for the needed connectivity through farm-to-market roads; watershed and flood management would need P10.91 billion; connectivity projects and processing sites would need P11.10 billion; and connecting the gulf center and gateways would need P8 billion.

Piñol also said that Mindanao also needs information communication technology infrastructure to boost Mindanao’s tourism estimated at P120 million for the establishment of various tourism infrastructure.

Maya Padillo

efficient customs administration.”

“In preparation for our rapid transition to the New Economy, I urge Commissioner (Rey Leonardo) Guerrero to continue improving the Bureau’s services and incorporating more digital technologies into our processes. The more efficient the Bureau of Customs becomes, the more effective the government will be in charting the course to a strong and rapid recovery beginning this year,” he said.

Dominguez said, “the whole nation relies on the men and women of the Bureau of Customs.”

“All of you are in the frontline of our effort to

build back the best possible future for the Filipino people. I trust that everyone will do their job to the greatest of their ability to achieve this goal,” he added.

Last year, BOC fully automated its frontline transactions and modernized its risk management processes despite the challenges of the virus-induced pandemic.

The agency can now fully accept online submissions through its customer care portal system, has upgraded its electronic-to-mobile (E2M) system to computerized manual processes, and now accepts online payment through PayMaya, among others. (PNA)

world from Asia to (the) Middle East to Africa. But on the other hand, I’m grateful because I know and believe that some doors close for another much greater opportunities to open,” he said.

Pacatiw expressed hope that ONE would

pick him up from free agency as well.

"If God permits, I dream to join and be a part of the ONE Championship family. I’m really wanting to join my brothers there even if I’ll start from baby steps at bantamweight," he said.

(PNA)

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Swine Flu (ASF).

"Recently, nagkataas ang inflation rate sa tibuok nasud. Buot pasabot, isa ka epekto ani kay nagkaubos sab ang kapasidad sa mga tawo nga magpalit og mga produkto. Labing apektado

niini ang mga mamumuo ug kasagarang mga inahan nga nagabadyet sa mga panginahanglan sa pamilya," Librado-Morata said.

Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte certified the resolution as urgent.

City, which reported the highest COVID-19 cases in Mindanao, tallied 12,109 cases, with 1,353 active, 10,181 recoveries, and 575 deaths. Davao de Oro reported 1,013 cases, Davao

del Norte with 2,617, Davao del Sur with 1,268, Davao Occidental with 211, and Davao Oriental with 1,079.

(Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

organizers believe that Mayor Sara is the best person for the programs and reforms started by the President, particularly in the aspects of peace and order and the war on drugs.

“We will explain to our fellow Filipinos that it should be continued by Mayor Inday. If it's not her, there is a tendency that these campaigns will not prosper and drugs will once again proliferate in the country,” he said.

While the younger Duterte remains undecided on the possibility of entering next year's presidential derby, Usman said this could change if she sees the overwhelming public support behind her.

Meanwhile, Usman made it clear that his group will not solicit money from fellow supporters or any

group in support of their advocacy.

The campaign to draft Mayor Sara for president, he said, will be funded from their own pockets.

Earlier, Mayor Sara warned the public of individuals asking or soliciting money as "campaign funds" for her potential candidacy in the 2022 presidential elections.

Duterte made it clear that she did not permit anyone to raise funds for any reason and that the public is advised not to believe or contribute any amount to these unscrupulous individuals.

Usman said another citywide caravan will be held on February 14 to gather support among Dabawenyos for the “Run Sara Para Sa Bayan 2022,” campaign. (PNA)

Once implemented in the 20 pilot villages, the beneficiary backyard hog raisers will raise the same breed and feed the hogs with locally processed feeds “or at least a specific brand and follow quarantine protocols set by animal health experts who will manage

the facilities.”

“The ‘hogstel’ concept will totally erase that familiar sight of hogs with leash around the neck tied to a tree or kept in the decrepit ‘tangkal’,” Piñol said. (Warren Elijah E. Valdez / MindaNews)

shipped from the Shopee warehouse,” it added.

The online shopping firm said brands and sellers should make effective use of technology to deliver parcels in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Shopee expects brands and sellers to implement innovative retail strategies to continue reaching customers amid community quarantine restrictions.

“At Shopee, we are committed to improving the lives of people in the region using technology. I truly believe that our region has the potential to chart a new path forward in influencing the way businesses

and consumers connect. We will continue to innovate to stay ahead of these evolving trends, and to drive the growth of e-commerce in 2021 and beyond,” Yu said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry targets the e-commerce industry to be a PHP850-billion industry by end-2021 under its e-commerce roadmap.

The roadmap also aims to increase e-commerce’s share to the economy from 3.4 percent in 2020 to 4.3 percent this year and adding 250,000 e-commerce enterprises from 2020’s half a million online businesses.

(PNA)

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Duterte concerned over state of PH economy, says Palace

P

resident Rodrigo Duterte has expressed concern over the current state of the Philippine economy which was badly hit by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

In a virtual press conference, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte is aware that his administration needs to pursue more economic stimulus measures to revive the country’s economy.

“Talagang nababahala na rin po ang ating Presidente na kinakailangang makabangon na tayo sa lalong mabilis na panahon (The President is really concerned and he knows that we need to recover in soonest time possible),” Roque said.

The Philippine economy shrank a record 9.5 percent in 2020, the worst economic performance since after World War II, based on the data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority last month.

Due to the economic crash triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, Duterte held an “unscheduled” meeting with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Roque said.

Duterte and Dominguez, he said, discussed ways on how to reboot the Philippine economy.

“He (Duterte) just wanted further briefings on the economy and ano yung mga hakbang na gagawin para nga tayo po ay makabangon dito (what needed measures for our recovery),” Roque said.

On Feb. 1, Duterte assured Filipinos that his administration is doing its best to keep the Philippine economy afloat after it contracted by a record 9.5 percent in 2020.

Duterte made the vow as he admitted that the country’s economy is “sinking deeper and deeper” into re-

cession amid the strict quarantine and health protocols due to the pandemic.

Duterte’s economic managers have expressed optimism that the Philippine economy will recover this year as the country aims to start its mass vaccination program this month.

‘About time’ to relax quarantine status Earlier, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved the proposal to allow people as young as 10 years old to go out to avoid economic deterioration.

Duterte, however, overturned the IATF-EID’s decision, saying children aged 10 and below must stay home as the new Covid-19 variant reached the country.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, who joined Roque’s press briefing said, the economic team would propose to Duterte the further reopening of the economy.

Lopez believed it is “about time” to relax the quarantine measures imposed in the country.

“We will make the proposal to deescalate, to relax [quarantine status]. It’s about time,” he said.

Lopez was also confident that easing restrictions by March would be considered, given that the situation in the country is already “stable.” “‘Yung pagpapaluwag, I think it’s something we can really consider even next month kung kakayaning magtuluy-tuloy pababa. Remember, kaya lang po tayo nag-pause sandali, dahil nga dito sa new variant na pumasok (On the relaxation of community quarantine, I think it’s something we can really consider even next month if the number of Covid-19 cases in the country will decline. Remember, we just paused because of the new variant),” he said.

(PNA)

Transpo dept. admits lack of info dissemination on child car seat law

A

n official from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Tuesday admitted that the agency failed to effectively educate the public about the child car seat law.

Speaking before members of the Senate Public Services Committee, Transportation Assistant Sec. Mark Steven Pastor said despite efforts to launch an information drive on Republic Act 11229 or the “Child Safety In Motor Vehicles Act” through print and broadcast media, his agency failed to do so as COVID-19 lockdowns were imposed beginning March last year.

“Yes, we recognize po that we could have done more," Pastor said when asked by Sen. Joel Villanueva, one of the law’s co-authors.

Under the law, children 12 years and below are disallowed in the front seat of a private vehicle and must be secured by a restraint system, unless they are at least 4.92 feet tall and can be properly secured by a regular belt.

Violators can face fines up to P5,000 and suspension of driver's license for

a year.

CONFUSION, CONTROVERSY ON THE LAW Former senator JV Ejercito, the law’s principal author, also took note of the government’s failure to effectively educate the public about the measure, even as he reiterated the importance of the safety of children when riding a vehicle.

Ejercito agreed though that implementing the law under the current situation is ill-timed.

“The law has all the good intentions. But its implementation has been untimely and illogical. Bakit ngayong panahon pa ng pandemya kung kailan halos sa lahat ng lugar sa bansa ay hindi naman pinapayagang lumabas at bumiyahe ang mga bata?” he said.

(Why does it have to be implemented during the height of the pandemic when children are prohibited from going out and traveling in most parts of the country?)

There is also confusion about the law as people lacked the right information as regards riding public utility vehicles (PUVs).

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Andreescu looks ahead with hope after early exit M

ELBOURNE (Reuters) - Bianca Andreescu’s comeback after a 15-month absence ended abruptly in the Australian Open second round on Wednesday with a 6-3 6-2 defeat to the wily Hsieh Su-wei but the Canadian leaves Melbourne Park glad her “fighting spirit” is alive.

Bianca Andreescu has been pusted from the Australian Open second round on Wednesday with a 6-3 6-2 defeat to Hsieh Su-wei.

Former U.S. Open champion Andreescu savoured an emotional first-up win against lucky loser Mihaela Buzarnescu on Monday but hit a brick wall in the form of Taiwanese giantkiller Hsieh in the early match at Rod Laver Arena.

"I got off the court and I was looking at my coach, and I said I'm just disappointed that today that was my all because I know I gave my all today and to me I think that was the most disappointing part," 20-year-old Andreescu told reporters.

I didn't put expectations on myself. There's always

unconscious expectations for sure, but verbal expectations, not really.

"So I'm just going to take this as a learning curve and bounce back for the next tournament."

Andreescu, who stunned the tennis world by beating Serena Williams for the 2019 title at Flushing Meadows, attacked Hsieh with her usual gusto but the Taiwanese, double-handed on both side, was brilliant in defence and confounded the Canadian with an array of drop-shots and angled winners.

ter. They opened the second quarter with an 11-3 spurt to stretch their lead to 20 points. Jackson scored six of those points.

The Nets then chipped away and got their deficit down to nine, 63-54, by halftime. Irving and Harden combined for 26 first-half points, while Grant led Detroit with 17 points.

The Pistons' lead was still nine, 79-70, midway through the third quarter after Grant knocked down a 3-pointer.

A 7-0 spurt pulled Brooklyn, capped by an Irving 3-pointer, cut its deficit

to two points.

Detroit refused to give up the lead and another Grant 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining in the quarter made it 94-86.

The Pistons nudged the advantage into double digits once again at 101-89 on a Bey 3-pointer.

When Green drained a 3-pointer with under five minutes remaining, the Nets pulled within nine again at 108-99.

The Pistons scored the next five points and Bey knocked down a couple more long balls in the final 1:11 to seal their victory.

Stephen Loman joins Grant powers Pistons over Nets 122-111 ONE Championship J

S

tephen Loman, the longest-reigning champion of Brave Combat Federation, has signed up with ONE Championship.

Loman himself confirmed the development on Tuesday night.

"It's an overwhelming opportunity but I'm excited to join my Team Lakay brothers in the biggest martial arts organization in the world," he said.

Loman is well known for his stellar stint with Brave, holding the promotion's bantamweight championship for three years.

However, he dropped a bombshell last month when he implied that he had just left Brave.

Loman bared on Tuesday night that he gave up his title belt, which means he would have to climb the championship ladder from scratch again.

He, however, is unfazed about it.

"I'm excited to enhance my skills on this platform and showcase my style to millions of viewers across the globe.

Of course, fighting in a new promotion and a new environment will be a challenge but it's one I'm more than willing to face. I'm ready to show ONE Championship fans the best of Stephen Lo-

man," he said.

Team Lakay coach Mark Sangiao affirmed Loman's newfound motivation.

"I spoke to Stephen and he's highly motivated right now. He can't wait to get in the Circle and put on a show. Of course, I'll be there for him, as well as all of his teammates at Team Lakay, every step of the way," Sangiao said.

Due to the significant difference in the weight limits between ONE and Brave, ONE has yet to determine on which division Loman would fight.

He is expected to stay at the bantamweights, although he may slide down to the flyweight class, which in ONE standards is its 135-pound division.

Pacatiw wants in too Loman is not the only Team Lakay fighter who bolted from Brave as Jeremy Pacatiw disclosed that he too had left the promotion.

It was later disclosed that Pacatiw's contract with Brave expired last October and he was not renewed.

“I feel sad because Brave CF was the first international fighting stage where I showcased my skills for the past four years. It gave me the ticket to travel around the

FSTEPHEN, P10

erami Grant tied his career high with 32 points and the host Detroit Pistons snapped a four-game losing streak with a 122111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.

Delon Wright had 22 points and nine assists and Saddiq Bey made all six of his field-goal attempts while scoring 15 points for Detroit. Mason Plumlee supplied 14 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks and Josh Jackson added 13 points in the victory.

Kyrie Irving, who missed Brooklyn's previous game

with a sprained finger, led his club with 27 points and seven assists. James Harden contributed 24 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks.

Jeff Green and Landry Shamet chipped in 10 points apiece for Brooklyn, which dropped its third straight.

Nets forward Kevin Durant missed his second consecutive game due to the league's health and safety protocols.

Detroit, which led most of the way, shot 56 percent from the field while the Nets shot 50 percent.

The Pistons led 38-26 at the end of the first quar-

Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant (9) and Brooklyn Nets guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (9) shake hands after the game at Little Caesars Arena.

Reuters

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

GREEN LIGHT

VOL.13 ISSUE 254 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021

SBP OK with Gilas Men in PBA PH Cup

T

he Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has expressed openness to having the Gilas Pilipinas Men playing in the PBA Philippine Cup this season.

“We’re definitely open to the idea of playing in the PBA,” SBP president Al Panlilio said on Tuesday.

The PBA board of governors agreed Monday to invite the Gilas Men to the season-opening conference, which will begin on April 9.

Panlilio, who is also Meralco's representative to the PBA board, expressed his gratitude for the invite.

“The SBP is thankful to PBA commissioner Willie Marcial and the board of governors for extending an invitation to Gilas Pilipinas to join their competitions this season,” he said. “The PBA has been a valuable partner to the SBP and this invitation-only reasserts the league’s commitment to helping our Gilas Pilipinas program in whatever way they can.”

However, the final backbone of how the Gilas Men will play in the PBA Philippine Cup will only be discussed right after the team is done playing in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.

“Once the team arrives from Doha, we will sit down with the PBA to discuss this matter further,” Panlilio said.

The setup is not new in the PBA. The idea of having the national team playing in the PBA as a guest team began during the mid-'80s when the Danding Cojuangco-backed Nationals joined the league under the Northern Consolidated Cement (NCC) banner, eventually winning the 1985 Reinforced Conference championship.

The NCC remains the only all-amateur team to capture a title in Asia's premier professional basketball league.

The SBP also did the trick in 2011 when it brought in the original Gilas Men squad as a temporary replacement to the Red Bull franchise, which took a leave of absence that time, for the said conference, which has since been renamed the Commissioner's Cup. While a six-foot-four height limit was set for imports then, the PBA allowed 6-foot-11 naturalized player Marcus Douthit to reinforce Gilas Men. The team booked an outright semifinal seat in the Commissioner's Cup but was knocked out by Ginebra, featuring eventual Best

NBA G League player Kai Sotto will be suiting up for Gilas Men in the next FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers window.

Import winner Nate Brumfield, in the round.

Panlilio said having the national team as a guest squad in the PBA is beneficial for the players' chemis-

try.

“We know the value of being able to play games against PBA teams on a regular basis as evidenced by the exploits of Smart-Gilas

1 back in 2011,” he said.

“Training is important for any team but you learn a lot about your teammates when you go up against strong opposition.” (PNA)