Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 276 | Tuesday, March 9. 2021

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VOL.13 ISSUE 276 • TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

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Sara to DCPO: Intensify police visibility following killing of woman, 6-year-old child STORY ON PAGE 2

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A vehicle with stickers bearing the image of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio with the words “Run Sara Run” roams along one of Cagayan de Oro City’s main thoroughfares. Edge Davao

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 276 • TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

DOH 11 increases vaccine allocation for Mati to 600

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he regional office of the Department of Health has increased its allocation of Sinovac for the City of Mati to 600 from an earlier 400.

Roger Palec, Provincial DOH Officer, said that the 600 doses of vaccines will leave the regional office in Davao City at 8am Monday, March 8.

Upon arrival here in the City of Mati, the vaccines will be stored at the cold storage facility of the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center while health authorities decide on the date of the vaccination.

Priority in the list to be vaccinated are the health

care workers in Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center, the St. Camillus Hospital, and the Alternate Care Site in Milagrosa.

The vaccination will be held at the Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology.

The City of Mati Incident Management Team had earlier identified 24,000 Matinians under the “vulnerable sectors” consist of health frontliners, senior citizens, indigents, and uniformed personnel.

Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat however said they target to inoculate a total of 100,000 Matinians by the end of this year. (CIO MATI)

Duterte encourages public to elevate women to their rightful place in society

President Rodrigo Duterte marks International Women’s Day by calling on the public to elevate women to their rightful place in society by empowering every Filipina to break not only the barriers that have long hindered them from reaching their full potential. Edge Davao

TIGHT WATCH

Sara to DCPO: Intensify police visibility following killing of woman, 6-year-old child

By MAYA M. PADILLO ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio instructed Davao City Police Office (DCPO) to intensify police visibility following the recent brutal killings of a 47-year-old woman from Ladislawa in Buhangin and a 6-year old child from Toril.

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The mayor said DCPO already has a person of interest and is currently conducting investigation after discovering the body of the victim, Chris-

tine Corpuz, on March 1, 2021. The victim is believed to have been raped before she was killed.

The city government of Davao has offered a

Over 38K additional doses of AstraZeneca vax arrive in PH

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he Philippines received another 38,400 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines on Sunday night.

The delivery from Amsterdam via a KLM Asia flight arrived around 7 p.m.

National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the deliveries completed the expected 525,600 doses secured by the national government that is part of the first round of allocated doses from the COVAX Facility, a global risk-sharing mechanism for pooled procurement and equitable access to vaccines led by the World Health Organization and Gavi Alliance.

"Sa ngayon meron na po tayong 1.1 million doses para sa ating mga (As of now, we already have 1.1 million doses of vaccines for our) healthcare workers," Galvez said in

an interview at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City.

The vaccine will be immediately deployed to high-risk communities.

The initial 487,200 doses arrived on March 4.

A total of 54,500 AstraZeneca doses have been sent to hospitals in National Capital Region (NCR), Region 4-A (Calabarzon) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

NCR got 1,500, Calabarzon received 13,000, CAR 10,000 doses, and Central Luzon 20,000.

"For this week, to all regions, we will be deploying 240,720 doses," he said.

Based on the resolution submitted by the Department of Health and the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group, the government will prioritize vaccine deployment to

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P300,000 reward to anyone who has information about the rapist-killer.

“Katong kay Christine Corpuz, duna na’y person of interest ang atoang DCPO and kinahanglan nila itahi ug tarong ang evidence nga nakuha nila so that they can finally announce nga aduna na’y suspect,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, suspect for the killing of the 6year-old, Kenjay Jainar Gido, is still wanted by DCPO.

On March 4, 2021, the body of Gido was discovered on the side of the creek at Batulosa, Bangkas Heights in Toril.

Mayor Sara said intensifying police visibility has a double purpose like ensuring the observance of the public minimum health protocols in public.

“It has been proven na kung taas ang atoang police visibility reduced ang atoang criminal incidents,” she said.

Motorcycle riders carefully navigate a road in Barangay San Jose in Koronadal City, with parallel strips of concrete laid as wheel tracks. Motorists have been complaining that this road connecting the city and Columbio,

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resident Rodrigo Duterte on Monday marked International Women’s Day by calling on the public to “elevate women to their rightful place in society.”

“Let us elevate women to their rightful place in society by empowering every Filipina to break not only the barriers that have long hindered them from reaching their full potential, but also the backward mindset that fueled a culture of gender oppression and inequality,” Duterte said in a message to celebrate the occasion.

“I encourage every Filipino to join us in celebrating the indispensable role of women in our nation’s progress by participating in this month-long celebration and supporting advocacies that seek to fight for and acknowledge the inalienable rights of women as equal partners of men,” he added.

The President then cited that international organizations, women’s rights movements, and various governments have worked together and made significant strides in addressing gender inequality by dealing with its cultural, institutional and historical roots,

but stressed that the fight is far from over.

“While there is still much to be done to completely free women from this bondage of inequality, we can nonetheless proudly claim that concrete, sustainable, and inclusive actions have been taken by our government to create an environment where women’s rights are respected and their contributions to society are recognized,” he said.

Duterte has been criticized in the past for his alleged sexist remarks, including his order to the military to shoot female communist rebels in the vagina, and for his rape jokes.

A former Davao City mayor who served for many terms, Duterte is also known for his fierce tirades against his female critics, among them Vice President Leni Robredo, Senator Leila de Lima, and United Nations special rapporteur Agnes Callamard.

He has also discouraged his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, from running for president, saying the presidency is not a job for a woman. Sara Duterte has repeatedly said that she is not interested to run for president in 2022.

Sultan Kudarat is dangerous and prone to accidents. MindaNews photo by BONG S. SARMIENTO

VOL.13 ISSUE 276 • TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

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DITO a gift to frontliners of Davao City: Dennis Uy M

NEWS 3

Murder charges filed vs.

8 NorCot blast suspects

By MAYA M. PADILLO abawenyo business tycoon Dennis Uy told Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte that DITO’s service is a gift to the brave frontliners of Davao City in his message during the commercial launching of DITO services in Davao City and southern parts of the Philippines on March 8, 2021.

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As the newest telecommunications industry player, DITO aims to bring the first world not just 4G, but 5G technology in the Philippines and will start off initially with 4G technology, but it is 4G convertible to 5G. In his message posted on the Facebook Account of DITO Telecommunity, the chairman and chief executive officer of DITO Telecommunity Corporation said that it is his honor to present Dito’s gift to the nine other cities in Visayas and Mindanao.

“As we announce the

commercial launch, it was never about making a fuss. We knew it was a long-term commitment & that if we delivered our promise then the business would flourish,” he said.

“We faced Congress, regulators knowing that a “good number of people were thinking we would eventually fail. They were wrong. Here we are. Nandito na kami, dito na tayo and magkitakita tayo diyan very soon,” Uy said.

The launching signals DITO’s start for its commercial operations in 17 cities of the Visayas and

After a drop in new COVID-19 cases, Davao City anticipates ‘surge soon’

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ust as the city has been experiencing a drop in the number of new COVID-19 cases, health authorities here say they anticipate a “surge soon” due to the more infectious South African and UK variants, also known as B.1.351 and B.1.1.7 in the National Capital Region and Central Visayas, Dr. Josephine Villafuerte, head of the city’s COVID-19 vaccination program, said.

“It is also anticipated that Davao (City) will experience a surge soon,” the City Information Office on Saturday quoted Villafuerte as saying.

The recently retired City Health Officer said Dabawenyos must not be complacent in observing the minimum basic health protocols even if the vaccination program has been rolled out in the city.

Heath secretary Francisco Duque III in a press conference at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) after the symbolic vaccination on Friday said 52 additional South African variant, 31 UK variant, and 42 additional cases with mutations of potential clinical significance were detected among the ninth batch of 350 samples processed by University of Philippines-Philippine Genome Center.

The vaccination program in the city for frontline health workers kicked off Friday at the SPMC using the CoronaVac vaccines made by China’s Sinovac Biotech. The Chinese government donated to the Philippines 600,000 doses, inclusive of 100,000 donated by the Chinese military to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“We encourage every-

one to follow safety policies and protocols. And even if you have received your vaccine shots, please continue to be vigilant,” she added.

Out of the 52 additional South African variant cases, the DOH said 41 came from NCR while 11 cases are being verified if they are local or returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs).

One case of this variant has already recovered, according to DOH. It said 28 of the 31 active UK variant cases also came from the NCR while three are being verified if they are local or ROFs. Last month a 10-year old boy in Davao City became its first case of UK variant of COVID-19 but he has since recovered. Two other cases were detected in Davao de Oro but they have also recovered.

SPMC officer-in-charge Ricardo Audan encouraged frontline health workers to be “responsible” by getting themselves vaccinated regardless of the vaccine’s brand.

Davao City has a total of 33,600 vaccines of Sinovac, which can vaccinate 16,800 health care workers.

In a survey conducted by the SPMC on 1,700 workers, Audan said that at least 85% approved of Sinovac. The SPMC has around 5,900 workers, according to him.

“I encourage you to be vaccinated because that’s the only way to be protected from the virus. Forget about the fears, just be vaccinated and you will be a responsible health care worker,” he said.

As of March 6, the Department of Health-Davao reported 59 new cases in the region, bringing the

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Mindanao, and launch later this year in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.

In Davao City, DITO’s store locations are at SM CIty Davao, SM Lanang Premier, Robinsons Cybergate in Buhangin, and Robinsons Place Tagum.

While its partner stores in Davao City and Mindanao are Vivo 2 and Oppo Concept Stores at Gaisano Mall of Davao; Wiltelcom and Rulls at SM City Ecoland; and Audionet at Citimall Ilustre.

DITO also presented the initial list of compatible handsets: MyPhone-MyT6S, MyX1 Plus, MyWX2, MyWx2 Pro, MyX12, MyX11 Plus, MyX1 Pro, and MyX13.

For Huawei- Nova 7, Nova 7 SE, Nova 7i, Mate 20, Mate 30, Mate 30 Pro, Mate 30 Pro 5G, Mate 40, Mate 40 Pro, P30, P30 Pro, P40, P40 Pro, Y7a, Y7p, Y9s, and Y9 Prime 2019.

For Oppo-A12, A31, A52, A53, A53 4GB, A92, Reno 3 Pro, Reno 4, and Reno 4z.

For Samsung- S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra and Plex for TCL. For Cherry Mobile-Aqua S9, Aqua S9 Lite, Aqua S9 Max, Flare S8, Flare S8 Lite, Flare S8 Pro, Flare Y20, and Flare Y5.

For Vivo-NEX3, X50 Pro, S1, S1 Pro, V19 Neo, V11, V11i, V15, V15 Pro, V17 Pro, Y11, Y17, Y19, Y20i, Y30, Y81, Y85, Y91, Y91C, Y91i, Y95, and X21.

DITO chief administrative officer Adel Tamano said they are already planning on the network upgrade by next year.

DITO, formerly known as Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company, Inc., is a joint venture of Davao City-based Udenna Corp., Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp., and China Telecommunications Corp.

Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas announces that the results of the probe conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) led to the filing of murder and frustrated murder complaint

urder charges have been filed against eight identified members of the Al Khobar group allegedly behind the North Cotabato explosion last month, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Sunday.

PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said the results of the probe conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) led to the filing of murder and frustrated murder complaint against Salahudin Hassa, Lutre Aman, Tasly Saligan, Norodrin Haman, Datu Ali Camsa, Sandali Sindatok, Jordan Kamad, and Tahir Abubakar, all residents of Datu Paglas, Maguindanao and members of Dawlah Islamiya-Hassan Group, before the North Cotabato provincial prosecutor on March 5.

“We have ongoing police operations to scour the areas in Mindanao in pursuit of this terrorist group,” Sinas said in a statement.

Al Khobar is an organized crime group formed out of a dismantled group operating under the Special Operations Group of Moro Islamic Liberation Front

(MILF) in the early 2000 and was responsible for extortion and bombing activities in Central Mindanao.

Sinas said the explosion incident happened on Jan. 27, 2021 after a bus of the Yellow Bus Lines was about to drop a passenger along the national highway near an abandoned ticket booth located in Barangay Sibsib, North Cotabato.

Gina Paunon, a 53-year fruit vendor of Purok 1, F. Cajelo, Tulunan, Cotabato succumbed to blast injuries which also hurt Ryan Panibayo and Lorester Hilberto, also both from Tulunan, North Cotabato.

The explosion, according to investigators, was caused by a remotely detonated improvised explosive device.

Sinas said many witnesses gathered through the collective efforts of the intelligence and investigating units from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, North Cotabato Police Provincial Office and other national support units identified the perpetrators through the rouges’ gallery of suspected groups responsible for the explosion. (PNA)

against eight identified members of the Al Khobar group allegedly behind the North Cotabato explosion last month. Edge Davao

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 276 • TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

Gov’t working to ease inflation: Malacañang

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alling the uptrend “temporary,” Malacañang on Saturday said the government is doing its best to ease inflation, which was at a 26-month high in February driven by high meat prices.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said one of the measures in place includes augmenting the country’s meat supply, the cost of which recently soared due

to the outbreak of the African swine fever (ASF) in different provinces, which has affected supply.

“We are intensifying efforts to ease inflation through immediate in-

terventions... We have implemented pro-active measures, which include the President’s signing of Executive Order No. 124,” explained Roque.

The order, signed on Feb. 1, 2021, sets a price ceiling of P270 per kilogram for kasim and pigue, P300 per kilogram for liempo, and P160 per kilogram for dressed chicken in the National Capital Region for 60 days.

The order, which has been criticized by hog raisers, also directed procuring pork products from Visayas and Mindanao, as well as some Luzon provinces that have not recorded any cases of ASF. The EO likewise aided in transporting meat products to major public markets in Metro Manila and providing transport subsidy.

“Our economic man-

agers see the upward inflation trend as temporary and concerned agencies in the Executive branch continue to check the prices of basic commodities while ensuring that prevailing rates are likewise fair to suppliers,” the statement read.

Pork accounts for 60 percent of meat consumption in the Philippines, where the swine industry is valued at P260 billion,

the Department of Agriculture had said.

The 4.7 consumer price index was within the 4.3 to 5.1 percent range forecast by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for February.

The Philippines stands out among major Southeast Asian economies for seeing a continued rise in prices of commodities. Other countries are even seeing deflation as the COVID-19 pandemic depressed demand.

for P999 a month.

GOMO launched its promos just as third telco DITO Telecommunity rolls out commercial services on Monday.

DITO said it will "unlimited data, unlimited DITO-to-DITO SMS, unlimited DITO-to-DITO calls" for P199 from March 8 to 31.

GOMO's unlimited data offer, meanwhile, does not cap the number of gigabytes users can download but caps the connection speed at 5 Mbps.

Those who avail of its regular, non-expiry data packages meanwhile can convert their existing data to call and text credits, said GOMO Philippines head Eric Leif Tanbauco.

A 200MB data can be

converted into 30 texts to all networks, 400MB for 6 minutes of calls while 500MB data can be converted into 50 texts and 5 minutes calls to all networks, he said.

“So far, we’re happy with the results of GOMO. We are able to attract the growing base of digitally savvy Filipinos and leverage on the consumer’s heightened need for digital tools,” Tanbauco said.

Both Globe and PLDT have been aggressively expanding their networks to improve connectivity.

Internet speeds in the country, both mobile and broadband, have improved according to the Ookla’s 2021 Speedtest Global Index.

Globe's GOMO takes on DITO, offers no expiry 30GB data package for P299

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ew telco brand GOMO on Friday said it is offering a 'no expiry' data package at P299 for 30GB, which is also convertible to call and text credits.

GOMO, which is a service brand of Globe Telecom and runs on the Globe network, said it would also offer a "regional exclusive" offer in key cities in Visayas and Mindanao on March 15 with unlimited data for 30 days for P199.

The new telco's promos are much cheaper than the most affordable postpaid offering of Globe itself, which is P599 per month for 3GB of data.

Smart's cheapest plan meanwhile is 10GB of data

Oil firms rollback prices of fuel

A DITO Telecommunity Corporation chairman and chief executive officer Dennis Uy says during the commercial launching of DITO services in Davao City and south-

ern parts of the Philippines that DITO’s service is a gift to the brave frontliners of Davao City.

PH in talks with US Dep’t of Agri to secure ASF vaccines

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he Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) is in talks with its US counterpart to secure vaccines against the African swine fever, which decimated much of the local hog population and caused pork prices to jack up.

“Nakikipag-ugnayan na tayo US Department of Agriculture para mabigyan tayo ng sample ng [ASF] vaccine na tini-testing na sa Vietnam,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said.

“Maglalaan ng pondo ang DA para sa posibleng bakuna laban sa ASF,” he said.

The Philippines has been grappling with the ASF problem since 2019.

It is estimated that over four million pigs have disappeared from the country’s overall pig

population due to the disease.

The decimation of hog population caused pork supply constraints, which resulted in higher wholesale and retail prices.

In January, consumers saw meat prices, particularly pork, jack up as much as P400 per kilo in Metro Manila markets due to supply constraints as the African swine fever (ASF) decimated much of the hog population.

To arrest rising prices, which the DA blamed on unscrupulous traders and wholesalers who took advantage of the ASF situation, President Rodrigo Duterte issued an executive order imposing a 60-day price cap on pork and chicken in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Under the EO, the

price of kasim and pigue should not exceed P270 per kilo. The President also fixed the price ceiling for liempo and dressed chicken at P300 and P160, respectively.

Apart from the price ceiling, the DA also subsidized the transportation cost of live pig and pig carcass shipments to Metro Manila from areas with supply surplus.

“Umabot sa 7,000 mahigit ang baboy na naipadala including 1,500 carcasses sa NCR,” Reyes said.

He said the number of pigs shipped to Metro Manila will be “more than enough” to fill the supply gap in the region.

“Bago po nangyari ang price ceiling at ASF, ang kinakatay na baboy sa Metro Manila ay nasa 4,000,” the DA official said.

fter rounds of increases, pump prices of petroleum products are seen to rollback in the coming week, Unioil Petroleum Philippines said.

In its fuel price forecast for March 9 to 15 trading week, Unioil said the price per liter of diesel may go down by P0.40 to P0.50.

Gasoline prices, meanwhile, may decrease by P0.10 per liter.

Oil companies usually announce pump price adjustments every Monday to be implemented on the next day.

On March 2, fuel firms raised the price of gasoline by P1.00 per liter and diesel by P0.85 per liter.

Data from the Department of Energy showed the price per liter of gasoline range between P45.00 and P65.11 while diesel prices range from P34.95 to P48.75 per liter.

Year-to-date adjustments stand at a net increase of P6.20 per liter for gasoline and P5.70 per liter for diesel.

‘Boracay of the South’ in Sarangani reopens

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indanao’s “version of Boracay,” the coastal town of Glan in Sarangani province, has started accepting guests from within and outside Region 12 (Soccsksargen), Glan Mayor Vivien Yap said.

Visitors need to book first with the resorts so they will be allowed entry to the town famous for its fine white sand beaches in Gumasa district, among others.

“Guests shall stay within the resort they’re accommodated as we don’t allow beach hopping,” she said.

A bucolic town at least an hour’s ride away from General Santos City, Glan is considered the top tourism destination in Sarangani and is marketed as the “Boracay of the South.”

For tourists from within Soccsksargen, they need to present the DVY Cares

quick response code that can be accessed at www. glan.ph and the booking confirmation slip from the resort they will be staying in.

For those from other regions, they need to present medical certificates aside from these two requirements.

Yap reminded visitors to always observe proper health protocols such as hand washing or sanitizing, wearing of face mask and social distancing to avoid spreading the dreaded coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

She said resorts are allowed to accommodate only 50 percent of their capacity in line with the directive of the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases .

Glan hosts the annual Sarangani Bay Festival, or simply SarBay Fest for lo-

cals, the biggest beach party in Mindanao launched in 2006.

The SarBay Fest has become the ultimate summer beach party scene in Mindanao, attracting thousands of visitors.

Night-long music by popular bands and water sports-related activities are among the main features of the festival.

In 2016, SarBay Fest organizers recorded 150,000 tourists who joined the event.

Last year, the festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event was also suspended in 2017 due to security concerns following the siege staged by Islamic State-aligned militants in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur. Glan has over two dozen beach resorts catering to different budget needs.

(Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)

VOL.13 ISSUE 276 • TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

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ECONOMY

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View of Koronadal City, formerly town of Marbel, from Lantaw Marbel, a small mountain resort in Barangay Paraiso, two kilometers from downtown. Cottages for overnight stay cost 1,500 pesos. The place has a coffee shop and bar and a restaurant serving Japanese cuisine. Trike ride going up the resort is 50 pesos. MindaNews photo by JULES L. BENITEZ.

DILG slams Makabayan Bloc’s criticism of economic cha-cha W

PH employees seen to get 5.6% salary increase in 2021

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he Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Sunday slammed critics of the proposed economic amendments to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, saying their suggestions would lead to more unemployment.

In a statement, DILG slammed the Makabayan Bloc for its criticism of “economic Charter change” that has been proposed in the House of Representative, and said that its opposition is "based on an impractical and outdated economic model" that would lead to higher unemployment.

“They adhere to their own so-called ‘national

industrialization program’ where the electric, water, mining, oil, telecommunications and transportation industries, among others, are to be confiscated from their owners and taken over by the State as dictated by their obsolete ideology,” DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said.

On February 22, the

House started the plenary deliberations on the proposal to amend the "restrictive" economic provisions in the Constitution.

On January 27, the Makabayan Bloc said amending the economic provisions is not the solution to address the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to the country's economy.

"Hindi pwedeng i-Chacha ang pandemya. Constitutional reform will not provide immediate relief to the already struggling Filipinos," Gabriela Women's Party Representative Arlene Brosas said.

Brosas said the liberalization will make the economy more vulnerable to external shocks

Phoenix, Grab celebrate Araw ng Dabaw with another Davao-exclusive promo

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eading independent oil company Phoenix Petroleum will offer another special promo exclusive to first-time Grab app users in Davao City, in time for this year’s celebration of Araw ng Dabaw on March 16.

In support of Grab’s campaign in the city, every Php 200 single minimum fuel purchase from any of the 25 participating Phoenix retail stations entitles customers to a special Grab promo code with a Php

200 discount, giving the customers a chance to get back what they paid for.

The code can be used for a discount of Php 100 on GrabFood with a minimum purchase of Php 200, and two Php 50 discounts on GrabExpress.

“After the successful run of our promo with Grab Philippines in Davao City last month, we decided to treat Davaoenos to another promo in time for the 84th Araw ng Dabaw. We are grateful to partner again

with Grab for this special offering as we celebrate our hometown’s founding anniversary with good food and discounts,” said Phoenix Petroleum President Henry Albert Fadullon.

The discounts can be redeemed by new Grab app users in Davao City who will download the app from March 8 to 21, 2021, and may be redeemed until May 21, 2021.

The Phoenix-Grab promo is applicable to cash,

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amid the global health crisis, and it will just continue if the economic provisions in the Constitution are amended.

"What we need is an alternative path focused on genuine agrarian reform and national industrialization," she said.

Malaya called the suggestion pre-globalization and likened it to communism.

“If we will follow their proposal, we will be bringing back our country to the dark ages and we will be a pariah in the global economy,” he said.

Malaya said that economic cha-cha is necessary for the country to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

orkers in the country are projected to have an average increase of 5.6 percent in their salary this year, the Salary Budget Planning Report of global advisory, broking, and solutions firm Willis Towers Watson (WTW) said.

The average salary increase in the Philippines this year, however, is slightly lower than the 5.7-percent pay rise in 2020.

Aside from the Philippines, the report shows that 12 other markets in the Asia Pacific region have slowed down their 2021 average pay rise forecasts.

These include Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.

Countries with higher pay hike rate in 2021 in-

clude Bangladesh, Myanmar, and New Zealand, while nations such as Australia, China, Taiwan, and Thailand are expected to maintain their salary increase rate this year.

“After a difficult year for employers and employees -- battling lockdowns, employee safety issues, working from home and declining revenues -- many employers are finding ways to handle the crisis better, manage their businesses and help their employees with a more focused work and reward strategy,” WTW Philippines head of talent and rewards Patrick Marquina said.

The report said sectors have different pay hike rates depending on the impact of the pandemic to their industries, but the most optimistic ones are

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 276 • TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

On her order to the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) to intensify police visibility following the recent brutal killings of a 47-year-old woman from Ladislawa in Buhangin and a 6-year old child from Toril:

Katong kay Christine Corpuz, duna na’y person of interest ang atoang DCPO and kinahanglan nila itahi ug tarong ang evidence nga nakuha nila so that they can finally announce nga aduna na’y suspect.”

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

EDITORIAL

Approved at last

Members of the 19th Davao City Council ought to be congratulated for approving at last the “Single-use Plastics Regulation Ordinance” during its third and final reading very recently.

The ordinance aims to regulate or ban 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.

The Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) Inc. has lauded the City Council for passing the measure that stipulates that one year from now selling of the above listed single-use plastics will not be allowed unless with a “special permit to sell”, issued by the City Mayor’s Office. The mayor’s permit will be issued only upon showing that there are no commercially available alternatives.

While the usage, distribution, and selling of sando bags,

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Providing solutions to a seamless global village.

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, whose group helped in the advocacy and crafting of the legislative measure, admitted the ordinance is a step closer to addressing the plastic wastes issue in the city.

The IDIS spokesperson hopes that the ordinance will stir behavioral and attitude change among Dabawenyos, adding that “the business sector should also do its part in impacting that change.”

However, the ordinance’s enforcement will start after its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) shall have been accomplished.

The process is quite long, but this is how it should be.

Our lawmakers are required to be meticulous in crafting ordinances as they affect a large number of people in the community. In lawmaking as in many other vital matters, haste makes waste.

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NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

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

CHRISTIAN JAY H. RAFAL 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

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ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 276 • TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

CAN YOU HEAR THEM?

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xpect more Filipinos to be hard of hearing in the coming years – thanks to the proliferation of gadgets like Ipods and MP3 Players.

“Most of the young people who have them don’t know that improper use of these gadgets can cause deafness,” deplores Dr. Willie T. Ong, an internist/cardiologist and book author.

“If you are sitting next to a friend and you can hear the music through his earphones, then that is already too loud,” informs Dr. Ong, who was given the Outstanding Filipino Physician Award by the Department of Health in 2007.

“The worst damage you can inflict to your ears is to bombard it with loud sounds,” he points out.

“Noise is the biggest threat to your hearing. If you tend to watch too many rock concerts, you will develop mild hearing loss and possibly tinnitus, which is ringing of the ears.”

“Noise damage is caused by both the intensity of the sound and the duration of the exposure,” explains Dr. Charles Kimmelman, professor of otolaryngology at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. “But because the effect of noise damage is cumulative, hearing loss from noise adds to

the hearing loss you’ll get from aging.”

Noise – unwanted or harmful sound – is a pervasive pollution in society. It enters our ears as powerful waves of mechanical energy.

Scientists measure sound intensity in decibels (db), with each doubling of energy adding three decibels.

Ordinary conversation measures about 60 db; a child’s scream hits around 90 db. On this logarithmic scale, the scream is potentially 1000 times more powerful. High-fidelity amplified music – be it rock or classical – from a sound box can pound as high as 110 db.

In the Philippines, the standard threshold of noise allowed is 85 dB for eight working hours.

But it’s not only in the Philippines that the problem is hearing loss is prevalent. In fact, the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) reports that nearly 2.5 billion people worldwide ─ or 1 in 4 people ─ will be living with some degree of hearing loss by 2050.

In its first World Report on Hearing, the United Nations health agency said that at least 700 million of these people will require access to ear and hearing

care and other rehabilitation services unless action is taken.

“Our ability to hear is precious. Untreated hearing loss can have a devastating impact on people’s ability to communicate, to study and to earn a living. It can also impact on people’s mental health and their ability to sustain relationships,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This new report outlines the scale of the problem, but also offers solutions in the form of evidence-based interventions that we encourage all countries to integrate into their health systems as part of their journey towards universal health coverage.”

The report underlines the need to rapidly step up efforts to prevent and address hearing loss by investing and expanding access to ear and hearing care services.

Investment in ear and hearing care has been shown to be cost-effective: WHO calculates that governments can expect a return of nearly US$ 16 for every US$ 1 invested.

According to the report, lack of accurate information and stigmatizing attitudes to ear diseases and hearing loss often limit people from accessing care for these conditions. Even among health-care

providers, there’s often a shortage of knowledge about prevention, early identification and management of hearing loss and ear diseases, hampering their ability to provide the care required.

“In most countries, ear and hearing care is still not integrated into national health systems and accessing care services is challenging for those with ear diseases and hearing loss,” the report stated.

In addition, access to ear and hearing care is poorly measured and documented, and relevant indicators are lacking in the health information system.

But the most glaring gap in health system capacity is in human resources. Among low-income countries, about 78% have fewer than one ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist per million population; 93% have fewer than one audiologist per million; only 17% have one or more speech therapists per million; and 50% have one or more teachers for the deaf per million.

“This gap can be closed through integration of ear and hearing care into primary health care through strategies such as task sharing and training,” the report said.

The report said that almost 60% of hearing loss in children can be prevented through measures such as immunization for prevention of rubella and meningitis, improved maternal and neonatal care, and screening for, and early management of, otitis media - inflammatory diseases of the middle ear.

In adults, noise control, safe listening and surveillance of ototoxic medicines together with good ear hygiene can help maintain good hearing and reduce the potential for hearing loss. Identification is the first step in addressing hearing loss and related ear diseases. Clinical screening at strategic points in life ensures that any loss of hearing and ear diseases can be identified as early as possible.

Recent technological advances, including accurate and easyto-use tools, can identify ear disease and hearing loss at any age, in clinical or community settings, and with limited training and resources. Screening can even take place in challenging situations such as those encountered during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and those living in underserved and remote areas of the world. – ###

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

SAVING QUEENS, THE THEATRE One of two movie houses that used to grace Bonifacio Street, Davao City, was Queens.

During its heyday, it was advertised as the largest cinema in the Visayas and Mindanao.

When its popularity grew, establishments started to sprout across, adjacent, or near the theatre.

Queens theatre, opened in the 1970s, was built on a property first owned by the Guinoo family. It was, however, swapped for a Limso property just across the cinema, in a space that is now occupied by eateries.

As was the trend in the 1980s, Queens had ‘double program,’ which means a ticket holder can view two B—rated movies for the price of one.

Most of the films shown then were Hollywood produced flicks. Except in movie houses where X-rated Tagalog flicks or ‘bomba’ films were offered, cinemas in the same category as Queens presented war and love stuffs. Movies at the time was advertised as a form of relaxation.

At a time when families treated movie-viewing as a time for bonding, Queens was

in the company of other cinemas, such as Galaxy, Garnet, Golden, Garmon, Lawaan, Odeon, Eagle, Crest, Tagumpay, New Life, Ideal, Lyric, and Landmark 1 & 2, to name a few.

Historically, the Queen’s lot, prior to its acquisition by the Limso family, hosted a postwar, single-story apartment. Antonio O. Floirendo, the banana mogul, his wife Nenita, and the growing brood occupied a door. One of his neighbors there was Federico Melocoton, who became chief of police of Davao City. Later, when the business flourished, the Floirendo family moved to Juna Subdivision, the city’s first millionaire’s village, in Matina.

The late Floirendo, acknowledged as the country’s top banana exporter, was also known as a political kingmaker in Davao region in the 1970s.

Though he did not run for public office, some members of his family eventually joined the political bandwagon.

After the swap, Ricardo Limso, a Mason, promptly constructed an edifice in the former Guinoo property to house

the cinema, which he called Queens. Accordingly, the name was a takeoff from the trendy British rock group Queen. The theatre, with an upper-section veranda, was famed for its iconic grand staircase and rail pegs that led moviegoers to the loge section.

(As personal hunch, the name Queens could have been inspired by a borough in New York, which shares border with Manhattan and the Bronx. It is also home of the Unisphere, a metal globe replicated outside the Mall of Asia in Manila. It hosts the world’s busiest airports, namely the John F. Kennedy International Airport, and La Guardia Airport, and the area has a diversified economy.)

Limso, a successful logger and landowner, was the same guy who helped build the Masonic Temple outside Santa Ana wharf. He principally donated lumber, nails, and cash to construct the first postwar home of Freemasonry in Davao, which started in 1918.

The structure has since been demolished after a permanent edifice was built along V. Mapa Street. A hospital along Ilustre

Street was named in his memory.

Affected by the entry of Betamax, laser discs, and digital video discs and the opening of cinemas in mall, Limso decided to close the scarlet curtain and thereafter leased the building to a certain Chua who eventually bought the property in the late 1980s.

On the dark side, the cinema was the scene of the January 14, 1992, grenade-throwing that resulted in the death of two moviegoers and the injury to six others due to the stampede that ensued. The incident, according to probers, was predicated by a lovers’ quarrel. The authorities did not say how the bomb was squirreled inside.

For nearly two decades, the curtain fell on the movie house. It was rented by a sect which used the building for its religious activities but had to pack up after the building was sold and set for renovation and retrofitting. After an extended lull, the property opened as a commercial edifice under a new owner and management, the Davao DDBP Resources, Inc.

To the credit of the new owner, the old name Queens was retained for nostalgic reasons, but its structure is now infused with modern layout that stands out among the buildings along the Bonifacio thoroughfare. On July 10, 2016, the renovated edifice was greeted gleefully.

“People cheered with the pulsing music and strobe lights,” local paper Sun-Star Davao reported, “as the three-colored lights go up and nestled in the old Queens marquee, the burst of light brightened one of the city’s bestknown buildings in Davao.

Amid showers of snow-like confetti, joyous energy spread through the crowd, people jumped and cheered as a handful of coins and treats flipped in the air to attract prosperity and good luck.”

Housed there today is Focusinc, a New York-based business process outsourcing (BPO) firm and 7-Eleven, a Japanese-owned, US-based convenience store. The BPO firm introduces itself as “catering to small-scale business owners in the [US] particularly in the New York Tristate area.”

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EDGEDAVAO

LIFESTYLE

THE HEAT of Summer is just around the corner, and while we may still have to wait a little bit longer to get vaccinated, it is still best to stay at home and practice physical distancing and staying within our own social health bubbles.

But of course staying within our social bubbles does not mean we cannot go out safely for a change of scenery, especially with Park Inn’s online GC sale, back just in time for our summer.

With e-commerce continuously rising in the time of pandemic, SM Hotels Conventions & Corporation in partnership with WhyQueue offers a wide array of online discounted vouchers that are ideal for a gift or a treat.

Along with other SMHCC properties, Park Inn by Radisson Davao prepared four vouchers for room and food & drinks promotions.

Park Inn by Radisson Davao offers the Seize the Day Room Package. A quick escape from your daily environs, the package includes breakfast for two, complimentary wifi access, parking slot and 20% discount on food and drinks.

For a change in your work from home environment check out the Bleisure Weekend Getaway Package.

PARK INN BY RADISSON DAVAO HOLDS ONLINE SALE OFFERS VOUCHERS WITH GREAT DEALS AND DISCOUNTS

A three-day-two-night escape which comes with signature drinks, breakfast for two, your choice of plated lunch or dinner for two, complimentary wifi access and parking slot.

For those who miss a proper breakfast spread, Park Inn by Radisson Davao offers great breakfast value with their Breakfast Voucher for Two for Php999. Not a fan of breakfasts? Devour a thousand Pesos worth of food and drinks for only Php700 for lunch and

dinner at RBG Bar & Grill, Park Inn will throw in a pair of their signature drinks for you to pair with your meal.

The Seize the Day Room Package is priced at Php3,188 nett per room night, giving you a whopping 65% savings from the original rate of Php9,500. The Bleisure Weekend Getaway Package is at Php8,000 nett, saving you Php9,000 from the original rate of Php17,000.

Park Inn by Radisson

Davao’s online GC sale runs up to March 22, 2021. The voucher may be used until December 31, 2021. You

man view and purchase your vouchers through: https:// whyqueue.shop/PARKINNRADDVAO.

9 ENVIRONMENT EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 276 • TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

Protecting forests by finding innovative uses

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO nce upon a time, the Philippines was totally covered by forest.

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Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan, a noted environmentalist and wildlife photographer, wrote in an article that forest covered 70% of the Philippines in the 1900s.

By the mid-1960s, only 13.5 million remained, of which barely 6.3 million hectares were considered primary forest.

During the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, forests were decimated at an astonishing rate of 300,000 hectares per year.

“As the timber boom gained momentum, the government was unable to supervise concessions effectively or enforce logging regulations,” wrote Robert Repetto, author of The Forest for the Trees?

Government Policies and the Misuse of Forest Resources. “Links between timber companies and politicians further eroded government control.”

The most recent data, from the Global Forest Resources Assessment report of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), showed the country has a total forest cover of 1,014,156 hectares based on the land cover data in 2015. That means only 23.4% of the country’s total land area of 30 million hectares.

The extensive loss of forest means catastrophic for a country with a population of more than 96 million. “Failure to protect our remaining forest would mean a great loss of the country’s rich repository of biodiversity of all time,” said Fulgencio Factoran when he was still the head of the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Filipino environmentalists urged government agencies to do something to save the vanishing forests. Aside from DENR, another agency in the forefront of saving the country’s ecologically-fragile natural resources is the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

But one of DOST’s line agencies has been misunderstood as being anti-environment due to its name: Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI).

“Some people think that the agency’s mandate promotes deforestation, the alleged culprit behind the devastating floods that hit the country in 2020,” wrote Rizalina K. Araral of Science and Technology Media Service. “It is not true, of course, that the institute endorses deforestation.”

While FPRDI did study premium timber and catered to the needs of the forest-using industries during its earlier years, it branched out to study other related natural products way back in the 1980s.

“As the country’s wood supply began to dwindle due to reckless logging, the agency had to look for substitute raw materials for its clients in the housing, pulp and paper, handicrafts and furniture sectors,” Araral wrote.

Over the next decades, the FPRDI researchers have probed all kinds of possible replacement to forest timber. These include bamboo; industrial tree plantation species

(ITPS); senile coconut wood and rubber wood; abaca; and agricultural residues such as coconut coir, tobacco stalks, tea leaves, corn stalk and rice straw.

They have also studied fiber plants, dye plants, forest woody vines, as well as tree gums, resins, oils and exudates, among others.

“Because of our name, our work has sometimes been misunderstood by the public, and even by policy makers,” says Romulo T. Aggangan, the institute’s director. “During Senate Budget Hearings, some lawmakers would ask about the relevance of what we do, considering that the country has very little forest cover left, and these have already been

made off-limits to all kinds of logging. We then have to explain to them what we do and what we have done so far.”

Over the years, wood anatomists, chemists, and forest products engineers of FPRDI have studied the properties and uses of 15 kinds of industrial tree plantation species like falcata and yemane.

Falcata (scientific name: Falcataria moluccana) is commonly grown in tree plantations across the country. It gained popularity due to its suitability in the intercropping of coffee, cacao, abaca and root crops.

Yemane (Gmelina arborea) is a fast-growing plantation wood species

and matures 12 years after planting compared to Philippine mahogany which matures in about 30 years.

It is considered as one of the most promising raw materials for furniture.

As a result of the studies done by FPRDI, many managers in the woodbased industries now understand how to saw, machine, dry, finish, and treat these non-forest raw materials. Fast-cycle trees grown in plantations are good substitutes to forest timber for construction and many other industrial uses.

The FPRDI is also behind the furnace-type lumber dryer. “This is like a big oven which can dry natural raw materials fast and

right, resulting in quality wooden furniture which don’t shrink or crack, and handicrafts which are not attacked by molds,” Aggangan explained.

The Connor Group, one of the world’s top merchandise-sourcing firms, hailed in 2018 the institute for its role in raising the quality of Philippine handicraft exports through the furnace-type lumber dryer.

“Another helpful technology is the low-cost wood moisture meter which helps our clients know how much water a piece of wood contains.

This is important to ensure the quality finished product,” Aggangan said.

It’s not only the wood

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Covid-19 high risks areas such as NCR, Central Visayas, Calabarzon, Region 11 (Davao) and other areas in CAR. "With the arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccines in the country — all 525,600 doses — there is no doubt that the WHO-led COVAX is committed to carry out its crucial role of ensuring that less-developed nations have equitable access to life-saving vaccines," Galvez said.

He cited the recommendations made by the vaccine expert panel and

President Rodrigo Duterte's directive to allocate all the vaccines arriving this month to healthcare workers.

"The Duterte administration is doing its best to secure the vaccine doses it would need to inoculate all medical front-liners and healthcare workers in the country within this month," he said.

The government is targeting to complete the inoculation of healthcare workers within March and start with other priority sectors by April.

total cases to 20,245, with 1,242 classified active, 18,146 recoveries, and 857 deaths in the region.

Of the total, Davao City, which holds the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Mindanao, recorded 13,201 cases, 619 of these

active, 11,941 recoveries, and 641 deaths.

Davao de Oro reported 1,178 cases, Davao del Norte 3,029, Davao del Sur 1,369, Davao Occidental 211, and Davao Oriental 1,257. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

the sectors of pharmaceutical and health sciences, high-technology electronics manufacturing, and business support services include business process outsourcing.

Aside from pay rise, these sectors are expected to employ more this year as these industries prepare for growth and development opportunities this year.

“While there is certainly more optimism this year in both employers and employees alike, the recovery for many hard-impacted businesses would not be smooth sailing. Companies will continue to experience smaller salary budgets

this year. Therefore, it is important for employers to differentiate their allocation of pay rises so that they can provide meaningful salary increases for their best and most valuable talent, and prioritize spending on jobs that are likely to contribute the most to the success or survival of their businesses” Marquina added.

Meanwhile, the report said 13 percent of surveyed Philippine employers are expected to freeze pay rise this year.

This is lower than the 28 percent of companies that did not implement salary increases last year.

(PNA)

card, Phoenix fuel gift certificates, and contactless transactions. Participating stations include: Phoenix Bacaca, Phoenix Cabaguio, Phoenix Cabantian 1, Phoenix Catalunan Grande, Phoenix Dacudao, Phoenix Dumoy 2, Phoenix F. Torres, Phoenix Lanang Mega Station, Phoenix Lanang Premier, Phoenix Ma-a, Phoenix Matina, Phoenix Mintal 2, Phoenix Panorama, Phoenix Quimpo Blvd., Phoenix R. Castillo, Phoenix Terraces, Phoenix Tierra Verde, Phoenix Toril Bayabas, Phoenix Sasa

2, Phoenix Acacia, Phoenix Ponciano, Phoenix Mintal 1, Phoenix Toril (Gaisano), Phoenix Lizada, and Phoenix Boulevard.

Aside from the promo, Grab partner-drivers in Davao will also get exclusive treats from Phoenix through the Phoenix Tsuper Club-Grab program, which will be made available in the city this month.

With the PTC-Grab card, registered drivers can enjoy fuel discounts, special rewards, free insurance, and other privileges from Phoenix.

Team LeBron took command of the game with a 27-8 flurry over the final 3:54 of the second quarter.

Damian Lillard contributed 11 points, Curry seven, Antetokounmpo five and Chris Paul four to go with five assists as they did all the scoring in a burst that turned a one-point lead into a 100-80 halftime advantage.

Antetokounmpo’s 16for-16 game doubled the previous All-Star record of the Philadelphia 76ers’ Hal Greer, who made all eight of his shots in the 1968 in-season classic.

For his effort, Antetokounmpo, who was 3-for-3 on 3-pointers, was selected

as the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Lillard finished with 32 points, Jaylen Brown 22 and Paul George 17 for Team LeBron. Paul added teamhighs in assists with 16 and rebounds with eight.

Bradley Beal had 26 points to pace Team Durant.

Kyrie Irving had 24 points and 12 assists in the losing effort, while James Harden and Jayson Tatum chipped in with 21 points, Donovan Mitchell 15 and Zach LaVine 13.

Kawhi Leonard was Team Durant’s leading rebounder with nine to complement eight points and eight assists.

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AboitizPower backs PH grid with battery

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midst the increasing demand for a reliable supply of electricity in the country, AboitizPower is adding to its portfolio battery energy storage system (BESS) projects that will help ensure grid stability through sufficient ancillary services.

BESS is a type of energy storage system that is capable of storing energy electrochemically. It can be connected to the grid, small grid, distribution system, or end-user facility to deliver the energy demand when needed.

“Our foray into battery technology is a key component of our 10-year growth strategy, which ultimately aims to address the energy trilemma of energy security, energy equity, and environmental sustainability,” AboitizPower President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel V. Rubio said.

The company, in partnership with Wartsila and Aboitiz Construction, recently started the installation of its first BESS project in its Therma Marine, Inc. (TMI) facility with a capacity of 49 megawatts (MW) in Maco, Davao de Oro. This

will fortify TMI’s capability to support the Mindanao grid, especially during the summer months when there is a limited supply of energy generated by hydropower plants due to lower water levels.

TMI BESS is the first of its kind in the Philippines in terms of the hybrid concept, putting together two complementing technologies to ensure a fast and sustained energy delivery. This is one of the 12 projects with a total capacity of 248 MW for regulating and contingency reserves that AboitizPower is targeting to develop in the next 10 years. It will serve as AboitizPower’s model for its future battery investments, as well as hybrid renewable energy projects.

“The battery technology presents a great opportunity for AboitizPower to address concerns on the reliability, affordability, and sustainability of energy supply. By ensuring the stability of our grid, we are responding to the needs of our customers and communities, as well as supporting economic growth,” Rubio added.

The Department of Energy (DOE), as shared in the 2021-2040 Transmission Development Plan of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), projected that the system peak demand will reach 53,679 MW by 2040. With this forecasted demand growth, it is necessary to ensure the grid’s stability to provide consumers with a reliable supply of electricity.

One of the requirements for maintaining grid stability is Ancillary Services.

In order to maintain the load-generation balance of the system, the grid will require sufficient Ancillary Services. These are support services that are necessary to sustain the transmission capacity and energy that are essential in maintaining the power quality, reliability, and security of the grid.

Adopting the recommendation of the Grid Management Committee (GMC), the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) recognized BESS as a source of Frequency Control Ancillary Services (FCAs). FCAs are necessary to ensure a balance between supply

and demand in the power system.

AboitizPower, one of the largest energy companies in the Philippines, is also the largest provider of Ancillary Services in the country, thus well-positioned to support its continued growth moving forward.

In addition to its entry into the battery market, AboitizPower’s growth strategy in the next decade will also be significantly driven by renewable energy.

Currently, AboitizPower, together with its partners, is the largest owner and operator of renewable energy in the Philippines based on installed capacity.

It has been leading in the renewable energy space since the 1970s, beginning with hydro then later on expanding to also add geothermal and solar to its Cleanergy portfolio.

In the next 10 years, AboitizPower will further grow its Cleanergy portfolio, both domestically and internationally, in an effort to help build the country’s renewable energy market and contribute to the global renewable energy goals.

industry that is being helped by the institute.

In fact, it has also trained countless aspiring business people on handmade papermaking, innovated wine barrels from tree plantation species, and developed machines for making engineered bamboo, one of the promising housing materials in the country today.

In Zamboanga Sibugay, the FPRDI has also set up a state-of-the-art processing plant for converting old and unproductive rubberwood into quality furniture – a big help to rubber farmers.

But those innovations are just among the many the agency has done through the years. Right now, the FPRDI is studying the how-to’s of the following: optimization of the abaca fiber for making

high-end industrial products, upgrading bamboo musical instruments, and making the most of forest woody vines as handicraft raw materials, among others. It is trying to develop fragrances and flavors from forest products.

The FPRDI is also running world class testing laboratories for furniture, plywood, pulp and paper, and also conducts wood identification, physical and mechanical properties, and biomass energy tests on forest-based and related products.

“Come to think of it, our name is a misnomer,” Aggangan clarified. “It doesn’t exactly reflect who we are, because we do so much more than study ‘forest products’. We do not study forest timber anymore, but instead look for ways to wisely use many native

plants and related natural materials to meet our clients’ needs. Much of what we do shows our aim to help protect – and not destroy – the planet.”

Take the case of bamboo. In its bamboo projects, he stressed, the institute not only supports the bamboo-based industry, but it also promotes bamboo farming.

“Putting up more plantations worldwide can help stabilize the earth’s climate by limiting the effects of global warming,” Aggangan said. “More than any other plant, it can absorb massive amounts of carbon from the atmosphere which is a major cause of global warming.

“The same is true with tree plantation species,” he added. “As we do more studies on them, we promote the setting up of

more tree farms and the use of products harvested from them, which are known to be effective carbon absorbers.”

In their current projects, Aggangan adds, FPRDI researchers are looking for more earth-friendly ways of doing things – for example, more energy-efficient sawmilling, drying and machining methods, and less toxic methods of preserving wood.

“In the coming years, we will continue to work towards the competitiveness of our client industries while promoting sustainability,” he concluded.

“These two things – competitiveness and sustainability – should always go together. No matter how fantastic, scientific innovations will mean nothing if they damage the environment.”

ment units, in this area (sports science) where we have a lot to develop as a sporting nation,” expressed PSC Chairman

William Ramirez.

The second batch of the National Sports Summit 2021 focuses on sports science-related

topics with more than 900 confirmed registrants joining the 5th session last March 4 which tackled clean and fair play

efforts in the country by Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PHINADO) President Dr. Alejandro Pineda.

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Filipina-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso (File photo)

Saso named PSA Athlete of the Year

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ilipina-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso will headline this year’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards.

The country’s oldest media organization announced on Sunday that Saso, who quickly made waves in her rookie season as a pro last year, has been named the Athlete of the Year.

“The 19-year-old

Saso was a bundle of hope and inspiration for the more than 100 million Filipinos at a time when local sports took a severe beating as the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak cast its huge shadows

Giannis fires up Team LeBron in All-Star win

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iannis Antetokounmpo made all 16 of his shots in a historic 35-point performance Sunday night that propelled Team LeBron to a 170-150 victory over Team Durant in the NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta.

After earlier capturing the NBA 3-Point Contest, Stephen Curry bombed in six 3-pointers in the first half and eight in all, totaling 28 points for Team LeBron, which won each of the first three quarters en route to a 146-125 lead that it massaged into the winning margin.

Each team lost a player when it was announced earlier in the day that Philadelphia 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons would not be allowed to play due to COVID tracing.

Each had gotten a haircut

Saturday from a barber who subsequently tested positive. × 20-year-old Zion Williamson replaced Embiid in the Team Durant starting lineup, becoming the fourth-youngest starter in NBA history.

The win was the fourth in a row for the team selected by LeBron James under a revised roster dispersal that started in 2018. James played just 13 minutes in the first half before sitting out the entire second half with the game relatively in hand.

Down 146-125 after three periods, the closest Team Durant got in the fourth quarter was 15.

Durant did not play in the game because of a hamstring injury.

FGIANNIS, P10

not only in the country but globally as well,” the PSA said in a statement.

Saso won two Ladies Professional Golf Association titles in Japan while displaying some brilliance in the US Open by finishing 13th overall.

She ended the year at No. 45 in the world rankings with PHP50 million earnings.

This will be Saso’s

second Athlete of the Year award in a span of three years, having won the 2019 edition alongside fellow golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go and weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz for their 2018 Asian Games golds.

The PSA Awards will be done virtually on March 27 with the physical aspect happening at the TV5 Media Center in Mandaluyong. (PNA)

Canlas on sports science and success

T

he Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) highlights sports science as the key to sports success in session 6 of the National Sports Summit 2021 with sole Filipino member of the International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) Medical Commission, Dr. Jose Raul Canlas on Thursday.

The top-notch surgeon, who has been a part of FIBA since 1998, leads the 6th session of the online sports conference tackling the fundamental role of sports science in harnessing

elite talent and potential of the athletes.

Dr. Canlas is a decorated doctor in the field of orthopedics who served for consecutive editions of the World Cup as part of its medical team. He also currently heads the United Philippine Surfing Association, the national sporting body for surfing.

“We are very honored to have a worldclass Filipino doctor impart knowledge to our participating athletes, coaches, sports educators, and local govern-

FCANLAS, P10

Team LeBron forward Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks (34) dunks the ball against Team Durant forward Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics (0) during the 2021 NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena. Reuters

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 262 • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2021 VOL.13 ISSUE 276 • TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

GM Wesley So, now a US citizen Tzaddy Rangle said he is now ready to compete in the buildup for the Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Yes, finally, super chess Grandmaster Wesley So has been granted American citizenship.

The United States Chess Federation officially made the announcement Friday after So received his documents last February 26 from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

The Bacoor City, Cavite native moved to the US in 2014 to seek “greener” pasture which he was unable to find in the Philippines.

Now 27, the two-time US Open titleholder said his major reason for becoming an American citizen was to secure a better future for himself, because there were far more opportunities in the US. In an interview released by the USCF, So explained: “I love that anyone can strive to succeed. You are not held back by your color, lack of connections, or the amount of money you have. If you work hard, you hve a better chance of making it here than anywhere else in the world. I came here ready to

work hard and it turned out just as I dreamed.”

So first came to the US in 2012 as a recruit for Webster University college chess squad. He returned two years later and is now presently residing in Minnesota with his foster family, Lotis Key Kabigting.

A former mainstay of the Philippine team to many international jousts including the Olympiad, the chinky-eyed bachelor was treated shabbily by sports authorities, including the suspension and withdrawal of his monthly stipend from the Philippine Sports Commission in 2014.

So was ranked number two in the world in 2017 with an ELO rating of 2822, next to then reigning world champ Magnus Carlsen of Norway.

He has won several prestigious tournaments such as the Tata Steel Masters at Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands, the Capablanca Memorial in Havana, Cuba, the first Fischer Random Chess Championship and the

US Open last year, his second.

He was also the Philippine representative to the First World Universiade where he took the gold.

For this accomplishment, he never received any monetary award he thought he deserved.

Lately, So, displaying solid positional play and ingenuity, has been dominating the 2021 Champions Chess Tour, winning two out of its first three legs, where he crushed Carlsen in the finals of the Skillings and the Opera Euro editions, respectively.

He said his being an American citizen now does not diminish his love for his former country.

“That does not mean, I don’t love the Philippines. I have good memories from there,” So stated in his interview with the USCF.

You know, we lost a gem of an athlete, a real diamond in the rough.

Philippine sports officials “mishandled” him and underestimated his potential as had been the case with other promising Filipino athletes.

By transferring to the USCF, he was asked by FIDE to pay the National Chess Federation of the Philippines 50,000 Euros (roughly P3M) or go through a waiting period of two years imposed by FIDE. Personally, I am very happy for Wesley. Had he stayed here where would he be right now?

He made the right move at the right time. God bless him more and more. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!