Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 275 | Sunday-Monday, March 7-8. 2021

NEW BEGINNING FOR 2 PBA GIANTS SPORTS P8

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

Serving a seamless society

f

@EdgeDavao

QUICK TARGET

www.edgedavao.net

edgedavao@gmail.com

P 15.00 • 12 PAGES

SPMC aims to inoculate all frontliners in 7 days STORY ON PAGE 2

President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his speech during the meeting of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) in Cagayan de Oro City on Friday afternoon. The President has started the distribution of P20 million worth of projects to barangays which have been rid of New People’s Army presence during the event.

Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

QUICK TARGET Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio talks to one of the survivors of the Sasa Old Airport bombing incident during the 18th year commemoration of the tragic event on Friday. CIO

SPMC aims to inoculate Dads approve ordinance against single-use plastics all frontliners in 7 days M

By MAYA M. PADILLO outhern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) is targeting to immunize all frontliners/employees of the country’s biggest hospital in seven days.

S

“Ongoing karon ang vaccination.

Wala nami nag-rest day pati Sunday naa’y mu-vaccinate namo.

Seven days ang target namo na mahuman ang vaccination sa mga frontliners sa SPMC. Originally two weeks unta mahuman pero we were advised to double time kay basig muabot na pud ang second dose,” said Dr. Ricardo Audan, OIC of SPMC in a text message.

Audan doesn’t have the list yet of the frontliners/employees to be vacci-

nated in one week, but according to him a large number of frontliners already want to be vaccinated.

Audan led the symbolic activity dubbed as the “first shot of hope” using the Sinovac vaccine along with the three doctors namely Dr Marie Yvette Barez, Dr Almera Manan, and Jon Rey Estuya, ICU nurse at the complex of SPMC molecular laboratory on Friday.

He volunteered to be vaccinated first

with Sinovac vaccine to help boost the acceptance level among Dabawenyos and frontliners to the Covid-19 vaccines.

Based on a survey to 1,700 SPMC frontliners, 85.3 percent are willing to be vaccinated with Sinovac vaccines, while 8 percent are uncertain and 6 percent don’t want to get vaccinated.

Dr. Audan also said that from the 5,900 employees of SPMC, close to 4,000 are willing to be vaccinated.

embers of the 19th City Council have approved the ‘Single-use Plastics Regulation Ordinance’ during its third and final reading.

The said ordinance aims to regulate the sale, distribution, and use of single-use plastics in Davao City such

as drinking cups, ice cream cups, condiments or gravy containers, cup lids, stirrers, cutleries, straws, meal boxes, pastry or cake boxes, egg containers or clamshells, balloon sticks, and hand gloves without a special permit.

In a statement, the Interfacing Develop-

ment Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) Inc. lauded the City Council for passing the ordinance. The measures stipulates that one year after the effectivity of the ordinance, selling of the above listed single-use plastics will not be allowed unless with a “special permit to sell”,

FDADS, P6

Duterte gives away P20-million ‘reward’ each to NPA-free brgys

P

resident Rodrigo Duterte has started the distribution of P20 million worth of projects to barangays which have been rid of New People's Army presence.

Duterte flew to Cagayan de Oro City on Friday to attend the meeting of the National Task Force to End Lo-

cal Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which has received P19 billion under the 2021 budget.

Under the allocation, a total of 822 barangays are expected to get P20 million each in development assistance, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said.

“We have 822 barangays under NPA influence cleared from 2016 to 2019. One hundred nineteen of these are in Region 10, iyong mga barangay captain, they are here to symbolically receive," Esperon said.

"These barangays will have P20 million each. This is for

FDUTERTE, P6

NEWS 3 Hainan investors to set up plant to process coco products in Davao

VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

National Policy Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. says the government will prioritize health workers in its vaccination efforts against COVID-19 until two million of them have received shots to protect them from the coronavirus.

Presidential Photo

Galvez: Health workers top priority for vaccines until 2M get shots

T

he Philippines will prioritize health workers in its vaccination efforts against COVID-19 until two million of them have received shots to protect them from the coronavirus, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Friday.

“All vaccine supplies that we have received and will be delivered this month are specifically allocated to all healthcare workers from all regions across the country,” Galvez said in a statement.

“Initial deliveries for April will also follow this allocation until we have completely inoculated nearly two million individuals under this sector,” he added.

Healthcare workers are at the top of the priority list for vaccination against COVID-19, followed by senior citizens and other sectors.

“The succeeding sectors in the priority list, including those who will take part in boosting public trust on the vaccines, will be attended as soon as we receive the supplies for the second and third quarters,” Galvez said.

On Thursday, a total of 487,200 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca arrived in the country.

The World Health Or-

FGALVEZ, P7

EDGEDAVAO

By MAYA M. PADILLO nvestors from the Chinese island province of Hainan are eyeing to set up a plant in Davao City to process coconut products.

I

According to Sebastian “Angie” Angliongto, chairman of the international relations committee of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII), the information was relayed by Jimmy Lim, vice chairman for International Relations Committee, who went to Hainan to personally talk with the officers of the Hainan International

Export Cooperative Association (HIECA).

Angliongto said that the investors, who are members HIECA, are aiming to help the coconut farmers in Davao City by setting up a plant to process charcoal, coconut oil, coconut juices and other coconut products to be exported to China.

“Hainan investors will come to Davao City

to invest the fruit deep processing plant and export the finished products to Hainan,” he added.

Apart from establishing a food processing plant, Angliongto said Hainan investors will invest also in Davao’s agricultural industry.

He said that Chinese investors will also invest in the real estate sector in Davao City such as industry park and condominium projects.

“But all of these will come in later on,” he said in a phone interview.

With this partnership

with Hainan, he said Davao City can export fruits such as bananas, durian, pineapples, dragon fruits, and coconut products to China.

Angliongto said Davao city can also send nurses, English teachers and house helps to Hainan in the future and that Davao City can import technology and some products from Hainan.

He said it was unanimously approved by the board that DCCCII will accept the Letter of Intent from HIECA to

Cualoping III stressed in his recent speech at the ceremonial vaccination of medical frontliners at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) the goal of the PIA to keep each Filipino informed.

‘We will Explain Explain Explain until the majority, if not all of Filipinos, understand that

we all have to get inoculated to be protected from COVID-19,’ Cualoping said.

In coordination with all relevant national government agencies, the PIA is engaging in collaborative work to help disseminate information on a portfolio of COVID-19 vaccines that will ensure the safety

and quality of life for all Filipinos.

‘We benchmark on science and the expertise of our scientists, doctors, and other experts in every field necessary in order to provide safe, effective, and free vaccines for all Filipinos,’ Cuoaloping added.

FHAINAN, P6

Nat’l Gov’t ramps up comms approaches for Covid-19 vaccine demand generation

T

he Philippine Information Agency (PIA), under its mandate to disseminate timely and relevant information, tempered its commitment of ramping up grassroots-level communication on the advantages of getting vaccinated for COVID-19.

This after PIA Director-General Usec. Ramon

FNAT’L, P6

A1 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

A Philippine Airline aircraft arrives in Davao International Airport carrying thousands of doses of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine. The flag carrier, together with Cebu Pacific, said their planes were helping transport COVID-19 vaccines to different cities in the country. Edge Davao

Rice import tariff collections post 58% increase, says BOC T

PAL, CebPac help transport COVID-19 vaccines across PH

T

he Bureau of Customs (BOC) has reported collections amounting to PHP2.04 billion in tariffs from rice imports in January, representing a 58-percent increase over the PHP1.29 billion collected during the same period last year amid a further improvement in the bureau’s import valuation system.

Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said preliminary data show that the amount collected in January 2021 were from imports of 287,957 metric tons (MT) of rice, up by 29 percent from the 223,278 MT brought into the country last year.

Guerrero’s report to Secretary Carlos Dominguez III during a recent Department of Finance (DOF) Executive Committee (Execom) meeting was based on customs data as of Feb. 4, 2021.

Based on the BOC’s electronic-to-mobile (e2M) system, Guerrero

said data also show that year-on-year, the average valuation of rice imports improved by 11.5 percent in January 2021.

In January 2020, the average value of rice imports was PHP18,177 per MT, which increased to PHP20,262 per MT in January this year.

Dominguez earlier directed the BOC to check against private traders for possible undervaluation of their rice imports.

Improvements made by the BOC to help ensure the proper classification, quantity, and weight of rice stocks brought into

the country under the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) led to the increase in the average value of imported rice which, in turn, meant higher revenues for the government from the duties collected from these imports.

All import duties collected from rice imports under the RTL go to the annual PHP10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

The RCEF is used to finance programs that will sharpen the competitiveness of palay growers by providing them access to farm machinery and

communities.

“Many new residential seekers met that need by purchasing Casa Mira homes. As demand in other parts of the region continues to be largely unmet, we’ve made it our mission to roll out more Casa Mira projects in more VisMin cities to fill that gap,” he said in a statement Friday.

A study from Leechiu Property Consultants disclosed that the housing backlog is estimated to reach 6.8 million housing units by 2022.

Ten Casa Mira com-

billion and a total of over 10,000 housing units are currently in five VisMin locations: Cebu, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo and Sibulan, Negros Oriental.

New developments will be launched in Dumaguete this month and in other key cities in VisMin in the next few months particularly in Ormoc, Puerto Princesa, and Davao City.

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Vismin residents purchased in record numbers CLI’s Casa Mira housing units

They all together accounted for 69 percent of CLI’s reservation sales of PHP14.23 billion, the firm’s highest to date.

“We believe that an expansive mood and lessons learned from the pandemic–where homes in well-planned communities provided a safe haven–will drive Casa Mira forward for the balance of the year,” Soberano said.

Through Casa Mira, CLI has maintained the largest residential market share in VisWayas

FRICE, PB1

he Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific said their planes were helping transport COVID-19 vaccines to different cities in the country, as government's inoculation drive has begun.

Philippine Airlines spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said Thursday the flag carrier has flown thousands of doses of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine to different parts of the country.

Some 17,400 doses of Sinovac vaccines have been shipped to Cagayan de Oro, 21,600 doses to Davao, 12,000 doses to Legazpi and 4,200 doses to Cotabato City, as of 10:35 a.m. on March 4.

"Philippine Airlines is

proud to be part of this mission of bringing the vaccines to various parts of the country as a first step towards healing and recovery," Villaluna said in a Facebook post.

Cebu Pacific on Friday said its unit CebGo carried doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Zamboanga and Tuguegarao.

Zamboanga received 17 boxes, while 28 boxes were transported to Tuguegarao, the carrier said.

“As a public service with the widest domestic network, we will do all we can to help ensure the timely and successful distribution of vaccines across the country, as we all work together to pave

FPAL, PB1

CLI to launch economic housing brand in VisMin DTI says PH-China trade ebu Landmasters economic housing in se- munities with a develop- priced from PHP1.6 mildialogue eyed this year Inc. (CLI) has an- cure and well-planned ment cost of PHP10.24 lion.

C

nounced the 2021 rollout of its flagship economic housing brand Casa Mira to four more key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao (VIsMin) regions as the response to the massive demand for safe and secure value housing heightened by the pandemic.

CLI chief executive officer Jose Soberano III said the housing backlog in the VisMin region became “very apparent” last year as infections from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) surged highlighting a need for

FCLI, PB1

T

rade Secretary Ramon Lopez said they are hopeful to convene the next trade and investment dialogue with China this year, four years after their last discussion in 2017.

“Even with the pandemic, we’re looking forward to the convening of the 29th Philippines-China Joint Commission on Economic and Technical Cooperation (JCETC) at the soonest possible time this year through videoconference,” Lopez said in his speech at the Association of Philip-

pines-China Understanding forum this week.

Lopez is looking forward to strengthening the economic ties between the Philippines and China as the country recovers from the impacts of the pandemic. “(W)e hope that you will partner with us to build back better towards a better and brighter post-Covid future. And through the jobs and employment generated by the business and investments you bring in, the Filipino people will also

FDTI, PB1

VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY

A2

A market goer buys dressed chicken at Bankerohan Public Market in Davao City on Saturday. The country’s inflation has accelerated to its fastest level in two years due to the faster increase in the prices of food commodities. Edge Davao

Solon urges 20% senior citizen discount for food delivery apps D eputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera is calling for a congressional inquiry into the failure of food delivery applications to honor the 20-percent discount granted by law to senior citizens.

In filing House Resolution No. 1626 on Mar. 3, Herrera cited an increasing number of complaints from senior citizens who could not avail of the 20-percent discount mandated by law for food deliveries using applications like Food Panda and Grab, among others.

Section 3(g) of Republic Act (RA) 9944, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, provides that “for delivery orders, the 20 percent discount shall likewise apply subject to certain conditions, i.e. senior citizen ID card number must be given while making the order over the telephone.”

It also provides that the senior citizen ID card must be presented upon delivery to verify the identity of the senior citizen entitled to the discount.

Herrera said the law covers food deliveries made through Food Panda, Grab, and other similar applications.

However, she said senior citizens are presently unable to avail of the benefit when ordering through food delivery apps.

FSOLON, PB1

PSALM to save P838M from PRRD order reducing, condoning real property taxes

P

ower Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.

(PSALM) lauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s issuance of an executive order reducing and condoning real property taxes and penalties imposed on power-generation facilities of independent power producers (IPPs) which have contracts with state-owned firms

as this will result in millions of pesos in savings for the state-run company.

Executive Order 126, signed Thursday, provides that all dues “are hereby reduced to an amount equivalent to the tax due if computed based on an assessment level of 15% of the fair market value of said property, machinery and

equipment depreciated at the rate of 2% per annum, less any amount already paid by the IPPs.” "With the issuance of EO No.126, PSALM's real property tax obligations due for the taxable year 2020 amounting to about P1.038 billion at 80% assessment rate would be reduced to about P200 million at 15% assess-

lands, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company, and Union Bank of the Philippines, Cebu Air said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

"The proceeds of the loan will be used by the Corporation to fund its capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes," the country's largest airline said.

Cebu Pacific earlier said it was looking at "mutiple"

efforts for recapitalization while stimulating air travel demand battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

The airline also aims to raise at least P12.5 billion through a stock rights offer.

Global airlines are grappling with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic that almost shuttered air travel in 2020. Airlines worldwide have had to cut cost, workers and operations to stay afloat.

FPSALM, PB1

Economists forecast steady CebPac signs P16 billion loan policy rate for BSP this year with several domestic banks

E

conomists forecast a steady policy rate for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) this year as inflation remains elevated, which is projected to even rise to around 5 percent level in the coming months.

This, after the domestic inflation rate accelerated to its two-year high in February 2021 when it jumped to 4.7 percent from month-ago’s 4.2 percent.

In a report, ING Bank

Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno has “quelled concerns about a possible policy rate hike in the near term, highlighting the supplyside nature of the recent surge in prices.”

“Diokno, however, did indicate that monetary authorities were on the lookout for signs of second-round effects (wage or transport fare

adjustments) and if the recent spike in prices could affect the inflation outlook over the policy horizon,” he said.

Mapa said the BSP chief is optimistic about easing inflation rate in the second half of the year as measures to address the supply constraints on food items take effect.

“We expect BSP to remain sidelined for

FECONOMISTS, PB1

C

ebu Air Inc said Friday its board has approved a total of P16 billion in 10-year term loans from several domestic banks as it sought to revive the business stricken by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The banks include Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank of the Philippines with Asia United Bank Corporation, Bank of the Philippine Is-

4 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

On the intent of Southern Philippines Medical Center to immunize all of its 5,900 employees in 7 days.

Ongoing karon ang vaccination. Wala nami nagrest day pati Sunday naa’y muvaccinate namo. Seven days ang target namo na mahuman ang vaccination sa mga frontliners sa SPMC.”

Dr. Ricardo R. Audan SPMC OIC

EDITORIAL

Hope in the vaccine

“Hope springs eternal in the human breast” as posited by Alexander Pope’s “An Essay to Man” three centuries ago is playing out in what’s happening in our country’s vaccination program.

Yes, the proverbial expression coined by the famous English poet tells of mankind’s natural optimism. It fits the psyche of the Filipinos in almost always thinking that something better is coming.

With the arrival of the anti-Covid 19 vaccine, there is a clear emerging enthusiasm of Filipinos to volunteer to be injected with the vaccines no matter what the brand is.

We this newly-found collective passion for vaccination and the timely arrival of the vaccines, we can expect our country to

EDGEDAVAO

Providing solutions to a seamless global village.

reach the accomplishment of the herd immunity in the fight to defeat the Coronavirus pandemic in a shorter time.

However, there is a sudden challenge in the way. There is a surge of cases in certain parts of the country suspected to be caused by new variants from United Kingdom, Africa and other areas of the world. These variants are faster in spreading Covid 19 and might cause the number of infected patients to overwhelm our facilities.

The authorities and the health experts need to focus their efforts on checking the spread of the new variants. In doing this, they should just ignore the doomsayers, usual hecklers and misanthropes among Filipinos who get a kick seeing our country suffer.

PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE

the national association of newspapers

Printed by Zion Accuprint Publishing Inc. Door 14 ALCREJ Building, Quirino Avenue, 8000, Davao City, Philippines Tel: (082) 224-1413 301-6235 Telefax: (082) 221-3601 www.edgedavao.net editorial@edgedavao.net marketing@edgedavao.net edgedavao@gmail.com

ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. Correspondent

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

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

CHRISTIAN JAY H. RAFAL GRACE M. BORDIOS Layout

LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. DR. MAURO L. PUYOD Consultant Cartoonist 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. EBONAJASPER OLIVIA D. VELASCO V. BACSAL General Manager PresidentAdvertising Specialist Finance General Manager / VP Operations JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

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)

VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE POINTS

5

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

THE WEIGHT IS OVER Overweight and obesity are not only prevalent in industrialized countries but in developing countries like the Philippines as well.

In fact, overweight and obesity were the top nutrition issues in the 8 cities of Metro Manila, according to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in highly urbanized cities is reportedly higher than the national estimates.

Being overweight and obese is no laughing matter anymore. Recent studies showed that three out of 10 Filipinos are reported to be overweight.

“In 10 years, the prevalence of obesity among Filipino adults almost doubled from 20.2% in 1998 to 37.2% in 2018,” reports The Manila Times. “One out of four Filipino children aged 6-10 years old and one out of every 10 Filipino adolescents are overweight/obese as of 2018.”

Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese.

“Obesity rates have nearly tripled since 1975 and have increased almost five times in children and adolescents, affecting people of all ages from all social groups in both developed and developing countries,” deplored the World Health Organization (WHO).

Every March4, the interna-

tional community observes World Obesity Day as a way of addressing the global obesity epidemic. This year’s theme is: Every Body needs Everybody. To spread the message, the organizers launched a number of hashtags: #WorldObesityDay, #WOD2021, and #EveryBodyNeedsEverybody.

“We need to act together, now,” the worldobesityday.org urges.

“Obesity is a disease that affects more people than most of us realize, and we need the support of everybody to change this.”

About 800 million people around the world are living with obesity. By 2025, the medical consequences of obesity will cost over $1 trillion by 2025. Childhood obesity is expected to increase by 60% over the next decade, reaching 250 million by 2030.

What is even alarming in these days of pandemic is the fact that people living with obesity are twice as likely to be hospitalized if tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

A report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that 48% of people hospitalized with COVID-19 were also affected by obesity. A study in France found that people in critical care with COVID-19 were 1.89 times more likely to have obesity than the general public.

“It is not yet clear why there is a link between COVID-19 and obesity, however, an increased susceptibility to respiratory problems, inflammation, immunological dis-

turbances and altered microbiomes disturbances in people living with obesity may all be contributing factors,” the worldobesity.org explained.

In addition, obesity has a number of non-communicable disease comorbidities such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease which have also been shown to increase risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes.

The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2016, an estimated 2.8 million people died as a result of overweight/obesity.

Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke, which are the leading causes of death worldwide.

In the Philippines, 276 people die from heart attack each day while stroke claims the life of one person every minute.

Being overweight can also lead to diabetes and its associated conditions, including blindness, limb amputations, and the need for dialysis. Based on the 2013 Philippine Health Statistics, diabetes is now the sixth leading cause of death among Filipinos. Over six million Filipinos are diagnosed to have diabetes.

Carrying excess weight can likewise lead to musculoskeletal disorders including osteoarthritis. Obesity is also associated with some cancers, including endometrial, breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney and colon.

On the other hand, obesity in childhood is associated with a wide range of serious health complications and an increased risk of premature onset of related illnesses. Studies have found that without intervention, children and adolescents with obesity will likely to continue to be obese into adulthood.

The worldobesityday.org considered obesity a disease and as such, it must be treated as one.

“There are many factors that can put people at higher risk of developing obesity, including biology, genes, mental health, access to healthcare and exposure to ultra-processed, unhealthy foods,” it said. “Obesity is not due to a lack of will power.”

The website, medicinenet. com, identified nine most common causes of obesity. The first top two causes are overeating and physical inactivity.

“Overeating leads to weight gain, especially if the diet is high in fat,” wrote Dr. Jerry R. Balentine, author of the feature. “Foods high in fat or sugar (for example, fast food, fried food, and sweets) have high energy density (foods that have a lot of calories in a small amount of food).”

Compared with those who exercise regularly, “sedentary people burn fewer calories,” Dr. Balentine stated and cited the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey which showed strong correlations between physical inactivity and weight gain in both sexes.

A diet high in simple carbohydrates and frequency of eating

also play important roles in obesity.

“Carbohydrates increase blood glucose levels, which in turn stimulate insulin release by the pancreas and insulin promotes the growth of fat tissue and can cause weight gain,” Dr. Balentine explained.

Psychological factors and social issues should not be disregarded when it comes to obesity. “Many people eat excessively in response to emotions such as boredom, sadness, stress or anger,” Dr. Balentine said. “There is a link between social issues and obesity. Lack of money to purchase healthy foods or lack of safe places to walk or exercise can increase the risk of obesity.”

Genetics can also be a culprit.

“A person is more likely to develop obesity if one or both parents are obese,” Dr. Balentine said. “Genetics also affect hormones involved in fat regulation.”

Diseases and the medications a person take can also cause a person to be obese. Diseases such as hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, and Cushing’s syndrome are also contributors to obesity.

Medications associated with weight gain include certain antidepressants, anticonvulsants, some diabetes medications, and certain hormones. Some high blood pressure medications and antihistamines also cause weight gain.

“Many of the causes of overweight and obesity are preventable and reversible,” the WHO says.

“However, no country has yet to reverse the growth of this epidemic.”

6 EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

Cebu Pacific transports first COVID vaccine shipment to Zamboanga and Tuguegarao

T

he Philippines’ leading carrier, Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB) carried COVID vaccines to Zamboanga and Tuguegarao today, March 05, 2021. The vaccines are the first to be received by said local destinations.

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Regional Franchising and Regulatory Office No. 11 Libby Road, Bago Gallera, Davao City

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Regional Franchising and Regulatory Office No. 11 Libby Road, Bago Gallera, Davao City

Petition for Extension of Validity of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate a FILCAB Ordinary Regular Services.

Petition for Extension of Validity of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate a PUJ Ordinary Regular Services.

Case No. R11-EV-FC-2021-2-1527 (2016-XI-01527)

Case No. R11-EV-PJ-2021-3-673 (2016-XI-00673)

RENATO M. YAP Petitioner. x----------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF HEARING Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Pubic Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of a FILCAB Ordinary Regular service on the route: MATINA APLAYA with the use of ONE (1) unit, which Certificate will expire on April 6, 2021. In the petition filed February 26, 2021, petitioner requests authority to extend the validity of said certificate to operate along the same route with the use of the same unit previously authorized.

NOTICE is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this Board on APRIL 27, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. at this office at the above address.

At least TEN (10) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a newspaper of local circulation.

Parties opposed to the granting of the petition must file their written opposition supported by documentary evidence on or before the above date furnishing a copy of the same to the petitioner, and may if they so, desire appear on said date and time.

This petition will be noted upon by this Board on the basis of its records and the documentary evidence submitted by the parties, unless the Board deems it necessary to receive additional documentary and/ or oral evidence.

Davao City, Philippines, March 2, 2021.

Dir. NONITO A LLANOS III Regional Director Petitioner, Renato M. Yap Counsel, Atty. Ernesto Raphael V. Robillo

ROLANDO P. ANGOY Petitioner. x----------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF HEARING Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Pubic Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of a PUJ Ordinary Regular service on the route: MA-A - AGDAO with the use of ONE (1) unit, which Certificate will expire on June 20, 2021. In the petition filed March 4, 2021, petitioner requests authority to extend the validity of said certificate to operate along the same route with the use of the same unit previously authorized.

NOTICE is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this Board on APRIL 27, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. at this office at the above address.

At least TEN (10) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a newspaper of local circulation.

Parties opposed to the granting of the petition must file their written opposition supported by documentary evidence on or before the above date furnishing a copy of the same to the petitioner, and may if they so, desire appear on said date and time.

This petition will be noted upon by this Board on the basis of its records and the documentary evidence submitted by the parties, unless the Board deems it necessary to receive additional documentary and/ or oral evidence.

Davao City, Philippines, March 2, 2021.

Dir. NONITO A LLANOS III Regional Director Petitioner, Rolando P. Angoy Counsel, Atty. Napoleon F. Sango

The vaccines arrived at the CEB Cargo warehouse at around 10:30PM on March 04, Thursday. After its standard screening protocols, all 35 boxes (17 for Zamboanga, 18 for Tuguegarao) were stored in a 20-footer refrigerated carrier reefer van, equipped with cooling systems, to preserve the condition of the vaccines. A total of 21,000 doses were carried by CebGo, the operator of Cebu Pacific’s turboprop

fleet.

Upon arrival in Zamboanga this morning, the vaccines were turned over to the local government for proper handling, in preparation for distribution to medical facilities. The shipment for Tuguegarao is estimated to arrive by 3PM this afternoon, to be followed by similar releasing procedures.

“We are happy to support the rollout of the government’s vaccination program. As a

public service with the widest domestic network, we will do all we can to help ensure the timely and successful distribution of vaccines across the country, as we all work together to pave way for the recovery of our economy,” said Alex Reyes, President and CEO of Cebgo.

CEB currently has two ATR freighters in its 73-strong fleet, allowing it to boost inter-island connectivity by flying to and from domestic destinations with shorter runways. It also recently converted one of its A330s into a freighter, enabling it to carry more cargo in its cabin on long-range flights.

DUTERTE... FROM2

DADS... FROM2

farm-to-market roads, classrooms, electricity, health station, water system, irrigation…pag hindi kayo pumalakpak, hindi ko titigilan ito,” he added then prodding the audience to clap.

The armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the NPA rebels have been consistently tagged by Duterte as terrorists.

The government’s petition to declare the communists as terrorists is still pending before the Manila Regional Trial Court.

Esperon said the Department of Budget and Management already had come up with a circular for the release of the budget, and that the Department of Interior and Local Government would submit the requirements as soon as possible.

“We are ready to start on March 15, or upon your orders,” Esperon said.

Duterte called on the rebels fighting the government to lay down their arms and abandon their cause.

“You want to fight me, the government? I have plenty of tanks, I have many policemen, and I have many soldiers. You’re just trying to hold on to this war. In one of the encounters, maybe you will get shot and die for nothing,” Duterte said.

The NTF-ELCAC’s mandate is to fight communism through “prioritizing and harmonizing the delivery of basic services and social development packages by the government”.

issued by the City Mayor’s Office and upon showing that there are no commercially available alternatives.

While the usage, distribution, and selling of sando bags, labo bags, and PET bottles are not included, IDIS and other environmental groups will still advocate and call for these single-use plastics to be banned or regulated.

Lawyer Mark Peñalver, executive director of IDIS, said the ordinance is a step closer to addressing the plastic wastes issue in the city.

“We just hope that this ordinance will stir

behavioral and attitude change to Dabawenyos and, also, for the business sectors to also do their part in impacting that change," Peñalver said.

IDIS is also looking forward to helping in drafting the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the ordinance and will monitor closely the implementation of this ordinance.

It can be recalled that Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio certified last month the city council’s “Single-Use Plastic Ban Ordinance” as urgent as this will lessen the volume of waste in the city’s landfill. Maya Padillo

establish a sisterhood between DCCCII and HIECA as among the agenda of the upcoming DCCCII Board of Trustees meeting this coming March 19, 2021.

It can be recalled that a Chinese delegation led

by Mao Wanchun, chairman of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Confer-

ence (CPPCC), met with Davao City officials as well as representatives of the private sector in 2019 to seek cooperation between Davao City in tourism, agriculture and trade.

In agriculture, Mao said both Hainan and Davao City are tropical and can grow similar types of agricultural products.

Cualoping also raised the importance of establishing an efficient and effective communications strategy by the national government which is to course through the needed information to all communities in the Philippines.

‘Currently, we are also producing tool-kits

for our local chief executives, for the local PIOs, for the local city and municipal and provincial officers together with the DOH [Department of Health], and the DILG [Department of the Interior and Local Government] with the office of Usec. Malaya,’ Cualoping said. (PIA XI/KPLCaro)

The NTF-ELCAC’s over P19 billion budget under the 2021 national budget dwarfs the national budget’s allocation for buying COVID-19 vaccines at P2.5 billion.

Critics have vowed to seek an audit of the multi-billion anti-insurgency fund.

"These are very large sums of money that we cannot afford to waste on potentially partisan political spending,” Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite had said.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon during the budget deliberations warned that the funds earmarked for the barangay development program of an anti-insurgency task force may be used to advance political interests in the 2022 elections.

"Next year is an election year and here is a secretariat who would be playing God to the requests of the barangays. I am being candid with you. I am not new in this bureaucracy," Drilon said in a Senate budget hearing.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, the chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense, said the NTF-ELCAC fund was justifiable.

"Sa NTF-ELCAC na pondo, something like P19 billion, hindi ito mapupunta sa military.

Ang pondong ito is for development programs consisting of farm-tomarket roads, livelihood. Ito 'yung confidence-building," Lacson said.

HAINAN... FROM3

NAT’L... FROM3

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

NOTICE OF AUCTION

Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH Judicial Region Branch 12-Family Court Davao city

The VGM Pawnshop, Inc. will hold a Public Auction Sale to all unredeemed and unrenewed items on the following schedule listed below.

IN RE: PETITION TO ADOPT LEONA MARIE SIERDA WITH

R-DVO-20-03397-SP CHANGE OF NAME TO LEONA MARIE MARTINEZ

Ang VGM Pawnshop, Inc. magpahigayon ug subasta sa tanang prenda nga wala nalukat sa maong iskedyul nga nakasulat sa ubos.

X---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------X

BRANCHES

DATE PAWNED

DAVAO: September Sasa Maa 01 - 30, Sandawa 2020 Matina Panabo Main Panabo Branch

DATE & PLACE OF AUCTION March 26, 2021(Fri.) 9:00 AM VGM Pawnshop, Inc, Sandawa Branch VGM BLDG., Sandawa Rd., SIR New Matina, Davao City

MARIA LEONORA BALNEG MARTINEZ Petitioner

ORDER Petitioner filed a verified petition praying that she be allowed to adopt as her own child, LEONA MARIE SIERDA, minor, who was born on March 23, 2017 in Toril, Davao City; That Leona Marie Sierda has been declared as legally available for adoption by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on December 26, 2019; That Leona Marie Sierda be declared legitimate child of petitioner and that the name of the adoptee be changed to LEONA MARIE MARTINEZ; IN THE CASE AND Home Study Report filed by Marylou A. Polancos, Social Welfare Officer ll of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Davao City, which was approved by Racquel E. Nuñez, Regional Director, dated February 3, 2021, she favorably recommended the adoption of the said child by the petitioner.

WHEREFORE, LET THE PETITION BE SET FOR HEARING ON May 10, 2021 at 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon at which date and time, all persons concerned may appear to show cause, if any, why the prayer in the petition shall not be granted.

The Preliminary Conference for he marking of exhibits is on April 27, 2021 at 3:30 in the afternoon before the Branch clerk of Court.

Let this Order be published at the expense of the petitioner, in Edge Davao, a newspaper of general circulation in the City and three (3) provinces of Davao, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks.

The petitioner is further directed to furnish the Solicitor General with a copy of the petition and the latter is directed to appear for the State.

Notify all parties concerned and the Solicitor general through this order

(sgd) DANTE A. BAGUIO Presiding Judge

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH SALE

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH DEED OF DONATION

N o t i c e i s he re by g ive n th a t th e es t a te o f t h e la te MI L L I E CON DEZ CLEMENTE who died on September 21, 2 0 0 9 h a s b e e n th e s u b je ct of EX TR AJ UDI CI AL SETTL EMEN T W I TH SA L E le aving a pa rce l of lan d d e s c r i b e d a s follows : TCT No. 146-2011012675 E xe c u te d a mon g h e r He irs Ven d o rs , p e r D oc. N o 1 1 2 ; Pag e N o . 2 4 ; B o o k No.4 5 Se r ie s o f 2 0 2 0 , o f th e N OTARY PUB L IC ATT Y. J O S E S . BAL IL I

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late FILALOGO FAMADOR, a.k.a FILOLOGO VASQUEZ FAMADOR who died on March 23, 2009 at TORIL Davao city leaving a certain real property situated in the District of Toril, City of Davao containing an area of TWO HUNDRED SIXTEEN (216) square meters with TCT No. 414002 has been the subject of EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH DEED OF DONATION Executed among his heirs, per Doc. No.270; PageNo.55; Book No.CDXV Series of 2020, of the NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY.JOSE DIONISIO N. GUEVARRA JR.

ity, protect the populations most at-risk to the disease, slow down the transmission rate, and minimize social and economic disruptions. We need to preserve our healthcare institution,” he added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the country’s vaccine supply from the COVAX Facility could be jeopardized if the country fails to follow the prioritization list in the rollout.

The Department of Health will investigate the inoculation of some individuals who are not medical frontliners, in disregard the prioritization of healthcare workers in the vaccination rollout.

"Aalamin natin, papa-invesigate natin, 'yun

EJF-REM CASE NO. 17,867-21

BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK, INC, Mortgagee, - versus -

SPS. EDWIN MACA GUPID and MAILYN EMBANG GUPID

Mortgagor/s.

X---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------X

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH TRANSFER OF RIGHTS Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late LORETA LUMONTOD AGRAVANTE who died on November 9, 2007 at Carmen, Davao del Norte, leaving a parcel of land described as Lot 18, Block 110, PSD13-002057,IGPSA NO. 007607-14136 consisting an area of One hundred Sixty Five (165) square meters situated in Brgy. North Signal Village, Taguig City has been the subject of EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH TRANSFER OF RIGHTS Executed among her heirs, per Doc. No.529; PageNo.102; Book No.VI Series of 2021, of the NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY. JOCELYN ARRO-VALENCIA ang gagawin natin to find out kasi nga lagi ko namang sinasabi na ang bakuna nga natin para sa healthcare workers,

Upon extra-judicial petition for fo sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed the above mentioned mortgagee against SPS. EDWIN MACA GUPID AND MAILYN EMBANG GUPID, all Filipino citizen, of legal age, with residence and postal address at Fernandez Bldg., Barangay 31-D ,Roxas Extension, DAVAO CITY, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of January 26, 2021 the unpaid indebtedness of the mortgagors , which is to be satisfied out of the proceeds of the foreclosure sale consists of the outstanding obligation in the amount of ONE MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED TWO THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED FIFTY EIGHT PESOS & 35/100 (P1,802,258.35), Philippine Currency, which amount includes interest , late payment charges, attorneys’s fees and liquidated damages plus other interests and charges thereon from October 4, 2017 to the date of foreclosure sale, plus cost of publication of the Notice of Sale and expenses of the foreclosure proceedings, the undersigned Sheriff IV of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on April 8, 2021 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the following real property mentioned and described below together with all its improvements found thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO.146-2011013856 “A parcel of land ( Lot 1273-C-2-B-3-B-2-C-2-B-2-C-2-K-9-A-2, PSD11-073756) , being a portion of lot 1273-C-2-B-3-B-2_C-2-B-2-C-2-K-9-A, PSD -11-069294, situated in the Barangay of Talomo;, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao. xxx Containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY (150) SQUARE METERS, more or less registered in the name of EDWIN M. GUPID, married to MAILYN EMBANG - GUPID All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on April 29, 2021 without further notice.

Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the above-described real property/ies and encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Davao City, Philippines. February 22, 2021

SO ORDERED

THE MANAGEMENT

ganization said that 4.5 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine would arrive in the country batches before the end of May. Galvez has said that the government would conduct a major rollout of vaccines against the COVID-19 in the third and fourth quarters of the year.

“We remind our countrymen especially our co-workers in government that in these trying times, it is our moral obligation to ensure that our healthcare system is protected and will be able to withstand possible spikes in COVID 19 cases,” Galvez said.

“By respecting and following the priority framework, we will be able to reduce COVID-19 morbidity and mortal-

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF Davao City

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE

FOR ADOPTION

Davao City Philippines, February 5, 2021.

GALVEZ... FROM3

7

kinakailangan 3.4 million doses eh 600,000 lang yung dumating, so 17% lang, so kulang," said DOH Secretary Francisco

FOR THE EX-OFFICIO PROV’L SHERIFF: ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER Clerk of Court Ex-officio Provincial Sheriff

(sgd.) SERGIO LEONARDO J. TUPAS Sheriff IV

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late NOEL E. KINAMOT who died on October 22, 2020 at TORIL, Davao City left the two types pf properties namely as follows: Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-317148 and Bank deposit with Savings Account No. 003800070884 has been the subject of EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE Executed among his heirs, per Doc. No.432; PageNo.69; Book No.III Series of 2020, of the NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY. PERCIVAL M. BALUGO

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS N o t i c e i s h e re by g ive n t h a t t h e e s t a te o f t h e l a te F R A N C I S CO A .

L A ROA wh o d i e d o n Au g u s t 1 8 , 2 0 1 5 , l e av i n g a c e r t a i n re a l p ro p e rt y s i t u a te d i n B a r r i o o f B i a o G u i a n ga , Ci t y o f D ava o c o n t a i n i n g a n a re a o f T HR E E T HO U SA N D O N E H U N D R E D T W E N T Y FO U R ( 3 , 1 2 4 ) s q u a re m e te rs w i t h TCT No. 394516 has been the subject of E X T R AJ U D I C I A L S E T T L E M E N T W I T H WA I V E R O F R I G H TS E xe c u te d a m o n g h i s h e i r s , p e r D o c .

N o . 9 8 9 ; Pa g e N o . 9 8 ; B o o k N o . l l S e r i e s o f 2 0 2 1 , o f t h e N OTA RY P U B L I C AT T Y. E M M A N U E L A . M A HI P U S , M N SA Duque III in a report on Dobol B TV. A total of 487,200 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by

Oxford University and British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca have arrived in the Philippines on Thursday.

B1 EDGEDAVAO GenSan to start vaccination of 3K health care workers

L

ocal health authorities are targeting to start within the next two to three days the inoculation of over 3,000 priority health care workers in the city with the Sinovac vaccines.

Dr. Ryan Aplicador, deputy incident commander of the City Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, said Friday they are all set for the rollout of the vaccination, which will be conducted in six referral hospitals in the area for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients.

He said they expect the delivery of the vaccines anytime on Saturday based on an advisory from

the Department of Health (DOH)-Region 12.

A total of 17,940 vials of Sinovac vaccines for Region 12 (Soccsksargen) arrived before noon Friday at the Awang airport in Maguindanao and were brought to the cold storage facility of the DOH-12 in Cotabato City.

“We will start the vaccination either on Sunday or Monday, depending on the availability of the recipients,” Aplicador told reporters.

The City Health Office, in coordination with DOH12, conducted on Friday a series of simulation exercises in preparation for the vaccination activities. (MindaNews)

equipment, high-yield seeds, cheap credit, and skills training programs on farm mechanization and modern farming techniques.

Annual tariff revenues from rice imports in excess of PHP10 billion shall be earmarked

by the Congress —and included in the national budget of the following year— for financial assistance to palay farmers, titling of agricultural lands, an expanded crop insurance program on rice, and crop diversification. (PR)

way for the recovery of our economy,” said CEBGo president and CEO Alex Reyes.

Cebu Pacific said it has flown a total 21,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Private firms have been instrumental in increasing the testing and isolation capacity of the country when the pandemic started last year.

Tycoon Manny Pangilinan earlier said Metro Pacific Investment Corp through its logistics arm has "taken the initiative" to store batches of China's COVID-19 vaccine Sinovac in its facility.

This year, private firms have committed to help in procuring, transporting and storing the vaccines.

and Mindanao by upgrading the lifestyle of its residents with generous community amenities

usually packaged with higher-priced developments. (PR)

gain a more comfortable and higher quality of life as promised by our President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” he added.

For the past two years, China has been the second largest investment partner of the country.

Citing data from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, Lopez said project contracts signed

by Chinese enterprises in the Philippines rose 27.9 percent over the last three years.

In 2019, newly-signed contracts surged by 102 percent to USD6.4 billion, and reached USD9.59 billion last year.

Meanwhile, Lopez has yet to provide more information on the next

JCETC. Governments of the two countries resumed the JCETC in March 2017 after about five years of hiatus.

During the 28th JCETC held here, Lopez and his Chinese counterpart Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan agreed on a six-year development program for economic and trade cooperation, which served as the framework of economic relations between Manila and Beijing until 2022.

Letters of intent from Chinese investors were also submitted to the DTI during the last joint commission trade dialogue.

(PNA)

RICE... FROMA1

PAL... FROMA1

CLI... FROMA1

DTI... FROMA1

VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

SOLON... FROMA2

Herrera proposed that food delivery service providers incorporate the appropriate discounts into the account holder’s profile to allow senior citizens to avail of their discount.

She underscored the need to extend assistance to senior citizens by providing discounts to this

sector given their limited income due to restrictions in movement.

“The money equivalent to the 20 percent discount of the senior citizens may be utilized for the medicine and other maintenance expenses as well as other necessities,” she said in her resolution. (PNA)

ment rate. This would translate to an estimated savings of P838 million for PSALM, which amount can therefore be utilized by PSALM for the payment of other maturing obligations assumed from NPC,” PSALM president and CEO Irene Besido Garcia said in a statement.

“This EO No. 126 reduces the 2020 real property tax (RPT) due on property, machinery and equipment used for production of electricity by independent power producers (IPPs) covered by build-operate-transfer contracts (BOTs) with government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs),” she said.

PSALM is a counterparty to several of such BOTs with IPPs and is thus responsible for the payment of the real property tax obligations on property, machinery, and equipment.

The state-run firm became a counterparty when Republic Act No. 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) transferred to PSALM

the BOT contracts from the National Power Corp.

(NPC), including the responsibility to pay the RPT obligations.

Contracts of PSALM with IPPs covered by EO No. 126 include contracts on Ilijan Natural Gas Power Plant, the Pagbilao Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant, the Sual Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant, the San Roque Hydro-Electric Power Plant and the Mindanao Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant.

With the EO No. 126, the real property tax to be paid by PSALM for 2020 is reduced to an amount equivalent to an assessment level of 15% of the fair market value of such property, machinery and equipment, depreciated at a rate of 2% per year, less any amount already paid.

All interests and penalties on such deficiency in real property tax are condoned.

Real property tax payments already made over and above the reduced rate shall be applied for the succeeding years.

livered a remark that is sure be remembered should the Lakers and Jazz meet in the postseason this year.

"There is no slander to the Utah Jazz," James said. "You guys have to understand just like in video games growing up, we never played with Utah. Even with as great as Karl Malone and John Stockton were, we would never pick those guys in video games. Ever."

The rest of the draft was far less dramatic than the ending.

James selected Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic to start alongside himself and Antetokounmpo.

Joining Irving in Team Durant's starting lineup are Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Boston Celtics forward Jayson

Tatum.

NBA: Julius Randle, Knicks knock off Pistons Tatum is the replacement in the starting lineup for Durant, who is out due to a hamstring injury.

Durant had the first pick of the reserves and selected Nets teammate James Harden. James was just fine with that, as he wanted Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard. He pointed at this watch and said, "I'm going to go with Dame Time."

The other reserves on Team LeBron are Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons, Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George, Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis and Gobert.

The other backups for Team Durant are Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, New York Knicks

PSALM... FROMA2

JAZZ... FROMB2

ECONOMIST... FROMA2

2021 while inflation will likely remain elevated in the near term before gradually decelerating by the 3Q (third quarter),” he said, adding “the PHP (Philippine peso) will likely move sideways as Diokno suggest that a rate hike is not on the table for now.”

Last year, monetary authorities reduced the BSP’s key policy rates by a total of 200 basis points to help address the economic impact of the pandemic.

HSBC economist Noelan Arbis said supplyside factors remain the main driver of upticks in the domestic inflation rate but “the sequential pace of price increases appears to be normalizing.”

“We expect the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep its policy rate on hold at 2.00 percent in 2021 and to begin tightening in 2022,” he said.

He forecasts average inflation this year to be around 4.7 percent while he projects next year’s average inflation rate at 2.6 percent.

Although “BSP officials appear to remain unperturbed” by the upside risks to the domestic inflation rate and discount any need to hike key policy rates, Arbis said “we believe the outlook for inflation remains highly uncertain” since prices of some commodities continue to rise in the international market.

“We expect the BSP to keep its policy rate on

hold this year. We believe any additional rate cuts at this juncture would continue to build unwanted inflationary pressures.

We also forecast 75bp of rate hikes in 2022 (to 2.75 percent), as long periods of negative interest rates pose inflationary and financial stability risks,” he added.

In a report, BPI projects the rise of the inflation rate to the 5 percent-level starting in April and this is expected to last until around the third quarter of the year.

It forecasts inflation to average at 4.3 percent this year, higher than the government’s 2-4 percent target band until 2023.

“Inflationary pressures will likely prevent the BSP from cutting its policy rate further,” the report said, citing that “expanding the negative spread between the interest rate and inflation may harm the economy in the long run and exacerbate portfolio outflows that could drive volatility in the currency market.”

However, the report said while chances of a BSP rate cut this year are small because of the economic situation “we are not discounting this especially if inflation becomes unmanageable.”

“The BSP might justify its current policy stance by citing the supply-side nature of the inflation problem and the limitation of monetary policy in address(ing) this,” it said.

(PNA)

public Act No. 8757 or the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame Act, the highest sports award-giving body has enshrined Filipino athletes, coaches, and trainers who made a valuable contribution in Philippine sports since its first induction in 2010.

Among the past recip-

ients of the award were Asia’s First Chess Grandmaster Eugene Torre, Asia’s Fastest Woman Lydia de Vega, Bowling World champions Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno and Olivia “Bong” Coo, and Filipino Boxing legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde.

PH SPORTS... FROMB2

forward Julius Randle, Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic and Mitchell.

Booker was added to the team as a replacement for Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, who is sidelined due to Achilles and calf injuries.

ALL-STAR GAME ROSTERS (* -- denotes starters) TEAM LeBRON *LeBron James, Lakers *Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks *Stephen Curry, Warriors *Luka Doncic, Mavericks *Nikola Jokic, Nuggets Damian Lillard, Trail

Blazers Ben Simmons, 76ers Chris Paul, Suns Jaylen Brown, Celtics Paul George, Clippers Domantas Sabonis, Pacers Rudy Gobert, Jazz TEAM DURANT *Kyrie Irving, Nets *Joel Embiid, 76ers *Kawhi Leonard, Clippers *Bradley Beal, Wizards *Jayson Tatum, Celtics James Harden, Nets Devin Booker, Suns Zion Williamson, Pelicans Zach LaVine, Bulls Julius Randle, Knicks Nikola Vucevic, Magic Donovan Mitchell, Jazz

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

B2

South Korean heavyweight“Mighty Warrior”Kang Ji Won shocked the world with a first-round destruction of highly regarded Greco-Roman Wrestling World Champion Amir Aliakbari.

Kang Ji Won stuns Aliakbari with one-punch KO victory

T

he largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), returned Friday with ONE: FISTS OF FURY II. The explosive card featured five mixed martial arts fights, one Muay Thai bout, and a plethora of exciting finishes.

In the main event, undefeated South Korean heavyweight “Mighty Warrior” Kang Ji Won shocked the world with a first-round destruc-

tion of highly regarded Greco-Roman Wrestling World Champion Amir Aliakbari, spoiling the latter’s ONE Championship debut.

he Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is one step closer in naming the fourth batch of enshrinees for the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame after the review committee met with the selection committee Friday to present their shortlist.

Henson of Philippine Star, Eduardo Andaya of Peoples Tonight, Lorenzo Lomibao Jr. of Business Mirror, Eriberto Talao of Manila Bulletin, Eduardo Catacutan Jr. of Spin.ph, Jose Antonio of People's Journal, Reynaldo Bancod of Daily Tribune, and Prof. Theresa Jazmines of UP College of Mass Communication, took thorough deliberations on the accomplishments and credentials of the 44 nominees and screened it to come up with a shortlist.

Among the criteria for nomination followed was that nominees should be a gold medalist in any Southeast Asian Games, or at least a silver medalist in any Asian Games or Asian Cup, or regional games or at least a bronze medalist in any Olympic or World Games;

Aliakbari was aggressive early, stalking Kang along the Circle Wall. The heavy-handed Iranian then hurt Kang with a pair of monstrous right hands, which created damage around the left eye. As Aliakbari pressed forward, however, the South Korean avoided a strike and connected with a short left hook to the jaw, which dropped the Iranian and instantly finished the fight.

PH Sports Hall of Fame awardees finalized soon

T

“We asked the expertise of our notable sports media friends and form the review and evaluation committee, for they are the timekeepers of the sports scene and have covered the great achievements of our Filipino athletes,” said PSHOF 2020 Selection Committee chairperson and PSC chairman William Ramirez.

In a series of virtual meetings, the Review and Evaluation Committee comprised of Joaquin

or a titleholder or World Champion in any professional or amateur sports competition.

Athletic performance should have a wide, historic and unprecedented global impact, should have unquestionable integrity either local or abroad, before and after the event, and non-conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude.

“We also consider not only the accolades, but also the timeless inspiration and stories behind every nominee. At the end of the day, we want our future generation to live by the stories of our inductees,” explained Ramirez.

Nominees who did not make the top 10 will automatically qualify for the next enshrinement.

By virtue of the Re-

FPHSPORTS, PB1

Jazz stars selected last in NBA All-Star draft

D

onovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert of the NBA-leading Utah Jazz were the last two players selected in the draft for Sunday's All-Star Game, and their availability led to an odd sequence near the end of the telecast that aired Thursday night on TNT. The actual draft was conducted Wednesday with captain LeBron James picking for Team LeBron and captain Kevin Durant selecting for Team Durant to fill the rosters for the Sunday contest in Atlanta.

James of the Los An-

geles Lakers had the first overall pick due to receiving the most All-Star Game votes (roughly 5.9 million), and he selected two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Durant (5.6 million votes), who is injured and won't play in the game, tabbed Brooklyn Nets teammate Kyrie Irving with his first choice.

The draft continued and each team had 11 players on the roster when TNT studio analyst Charles Barkley chimed in about the Jazz (27-9), and the festivities took

an odd twist.

"They have the best record in the NBA and their best two players are the last two standing," Barkley said. "This is slander, this is slander America."

NBA: Jimmy Butler's return sparks Heat's win over Pelicans The next choice belonged to Durant, and he chose Mitchell, Utah's high-scoring guard. That left James with two-time Defensive Player of the Year Gobert to fill out the roster.

Suddenly, James de-

FJAZZ, PB1

Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert of the NBA-leading Utah Jazz were the last two players selected in the draft for Sunday’s All-Star Game.

8 SPORTS

VOL.13 ISSUE 262 • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2021 VOL.13 ISSUE 275 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 7-8, 2021

GIANT LEAP EDGEDAVAO

New beginning for 2 PBA giants

Christian Standhardinger was dealt to Ginebra from NorthPort for Greg Slaughter.

T

he Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) trade committee has approved a blockbuster trade sending Christian Standhardinger to Ginebra from NorthPort for Greg Slaughter.

The committee announced the swap on Friday, although the group actually gave the go signal to the deal on Thursday.

Standhardinger will bolster a solid Barangay frontline led by Japeth Aguilar and Most Improved Player Prince Caperal.

Slaughter, on the other hand, will reunite with former Ginebra players Jervy Cruz and Kevin Ferrer, among others, at the Batang Pier camp.

The trade, however, was somehow a long time coming.

Rumors regarding the Slaughter-Standhardinger swap have spread among PBA fans since last year.

Many believed the said rumors led to Slaughter's shock decision not to join Ginebra last season.

Slaughter, however, was hardly missed as the Barangay cap-

tured the 2020 PBA title even if there were concerns on the health condition of LA Tenorio and Japeth Aguilar prior to the start of the bubble.

And it seemed like Slaughter is ready to return as he apologized to Ginebra's team management which they accepted to the point that Coach Tim Cone said that the team just resigned the center to a new contract.

But the swap happened.

"It has been a tremendous six years with Barangay Ginebra. Although I am saddened to know that my journey with them has officially come to an end, from the first pick in the draft to all star and multiple championships, I will always look back fondly at the time I spent there," Slaughter said

in an Instagram post later in the day.

Regarding his new stint with NorthPort, he said, "I am truly excited for this new adventure and for the next chapter in my story to begin. I still have my best basketball ahead of me. I have so much left to give the game and just as blessed as ever to play the game I love in front of all the fans who have been with me through it all, no matter what jersey I wear."

Slaughter then thanked the San Miguel Corporation's higher-ups, president Ramon Ang, sports director and Ginebra governor Alfrancis Chua, his Ginebra coaches and teammates, and the fans for the support during his time with the team that drafted him first overall in 2013. (PNA)