Edge Davao Issue 14 No. 19 / Wednesday, April 7, 2021

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VOL.14 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

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Bayan’s comments not important: Sara STORY ON PAGE 2

The Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) is switched back as the only Covid-19 hospital in Davao City while private hospitals will no longer accept Covid-19 patients in preparation for the possible mega surge. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

INSIGNIFICANT Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio dismisses the claim of leftist Bagong Alyansang Makabayan–Southern Mindanao Region (Bayan-SMR) that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-

ELCAC) budget was a “waste of people’s money” amid Covid-19 pandemic. The mayor said the group’s comments are not important. Edge Davao

Bayan’s comments not important: Sara SPMC reinstated as lone M Covid-19 hospital in Davao

By MAYA M. PADILLO

ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio didn’t budge from the negative opinion of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan–Southern Mindanao Region (Bayan-SMR).

The mayor refused to answer Bayan-SMR’s claim that the P1.6 billion from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) budget was a "waste of people’s money" amid Covid-19 pandemic.

“Dili nako mutubag ana nila uy. Dili importante ang ilahang comments,” Mayor Sara said in a live broadcast interview on Monday.

In a statement on March 31, Bayan-SMR questioned where the budget, which Davao City is set to receive under the agency's Barangay Development Program (BDP), would be spent.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, in a news statement, explained that

Davao City and the rest of Davao region “are qualified” to be given allocations under BDP wherein a hefty portion of the city’s P1.6 billion BDP fund will go to road concreting projects in rural areas Davao City has 82 barangays and will get a share of P20 million each to fund the identified projects.

A flagship project of the national government, the BDP offers to every barangay a package of socio-development programs such as P12 million farm-tomarket roads; P3 million school buildings; P2 million water and sanitation system; P1.5 million health sanitation and P1.5 million livelihood and other projects.

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he Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) is back as the only Covid-19 hospital in Davao City after private hospitals in Davao City said they will no longer accept Covid-19 patients in preparation for the possible mega surge.

“I understand nag-miting ang mga hospitals ug ang ilahang arrangement karon is they will switch back to SPMC as the only Covid-19 hospital in Davao City. Tanan Covid-19 patients will go to SPMC ug ang atoang private hospitals will not accept Covid-19 patients anymore and ang ilahang buhaton is mag-andam sila for a surge and then

that is the only time na ablihan na pud nila ang ilahang mga Covid-19 beds,” said Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in a live broadcast interview on Monday.

It can be recalled that there were a total of 17 identified private hospitals that were ordered to allocate 20 percent of their total bed capacity for Covid-19 patients.

The mayor also said that the city government of Davao has already accommodated the list of equipment requested by Dr. Annabelle Yumang, regional director of the Department of Health 11 (DOH 11), needed by the private hospitals in Davao City.

Meanwhile, SPMC

officer-in-charge Dr. Ricardo Audan assured that the institution is aptly preparing for the possible surge of Covid-19 cases.

“We are ready for that. Ang maganda ngayon ang atong cases medyo mubo for the past three weeks. Ang among ICU beds is only 62 percent occupied.

Probably, this is because ang Dabawenyos seriously followed the protocols implemented. It’s an effort I could say na ang tanan kay nagtinabangay para mapakanaog ang cases,” Audan said.

Audan, however, said he is just anxious as SPMC’s Covid-19 drugs that include Remdesivir and Faviporavir are deplet-

ing. But he also assured that there is still enough drugs available for Covid-19 patients admitted at SPMC. “Nag-advance order na pud mi. The problem with these medicines dili ni sila commercially available because the hospital will apply a permit from the FDA because these drugs are compassionate drugs, meaning a permit is needed stating these drugs will be used as compassionate drugs,” he said.

“Compassionate use”, is the individual patient use of an investigational medicinal product outside of a clinical trial that is intended to treat a serious diseases. Maya Padillo

VOL.14 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

City cops arrest 50 persons in Lenten anti-gambling drive

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Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) officer-in-charge Dr. Ricardo Audan Audan bares that the hospital’s Covid-19 drugs that include Remdesivir and Faviporavir are depleting but assured the public that

there is still enough drugs available for Covid-19 patients admitted at SPMC. Edge Davao

Damosa Land eyes finishing 40 housing units in Agriya

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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“There is a significant amount of work that has been done in Ameria. We started this last 2019 pa.

We’ve completed utilities in some areas, roads concreted in phase 1, guardhouse nearly completed, substantial amount of perimeter fence done and began building hous-

es already,” said Ricardo “Cary” Lagdameo, first vice president of DLI. DLI has partnered with Connovate Philippines (connovate. ph), a provider of highperformance building technology from Denmark that ensures a much higher quality of

homes than what you can find in the market today.

The houses in Ameria will showcase California mission-style architecture and will have bungalows and two-story house models, and amenities such as a village clubhouse, multipurpose hall, swimming pool, open parks, pocket gardens, and playgrounds.

Ameria was also recognized as the Best Housing Development for Metro Davao in the Property Guru Philippines Property

alacañang on Monday urged the public to wait for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to act on an application for the use of Ivermectin as a potential anti-Covid medication.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this statement after rejecting rumors that President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to authorize the use of Ivermectin.

“Hindi po ‘no. Ang nangyari is nag-meeting po noong Sabado ang IATF for almost 10 hours and one of the agenda na na-discuss po iyong Ivermectin (He did not. What happened is the IATF had a meeting on Saturday that lasted for almost 10 hours and one of the agendas we discussed was Ivermectin),” he said

in a Palace press briefing.

Citing FDA Director General Eric Domingo, Roque said a firm has already applied for the compassionate use of Ivermectin.

“Ni-report po ni Usec.

Domingo, iyong Director General ng ating FDA, na mayroon na pong nag-apply ngayon ‘no for compassionate use ng Ivermectin. (Usec. Domingo, Director General of the FDA said that there is an application for the compassionate use of Ivermectin),” he said.

Roque, however, reminded the public to wait for FDA action on the application.

“Puwede na pong i-process iyan ng FDA, hindi gaya dati na wala pong nag-a-apply. So ‘antayin na lang po natin ang aksiyon ng FDA sa mga naisampa nang aplikasyon for Ivermectin

(The FDA can process that application, unlike before when nobody has applied for it yet. So let’s wait for the FDA action on the application for the use of Ivermectin),” he added.

On March 26, the DOH and the FDA warned against the purchase and use of Ivermectin veterinary products to treat Covid-19.

In a joint announcement, the two agencies said the FDA has not received any applications for the use of Ivermectin for Covid-19 treatment under the Compassionate Special Permit.

“At present, Ivermectin veterinary products are only approved for use in the prevention of heartworm disease and treatment of internal and external parasites in certain animal species,” the announcement read.

avao City-based property developer Damosa Land Inc. (DLI) is targeting to complete 40 houses this year for Ameria, the 8.9-hectare residential component of the township project Agriya in Panabo City.

Awards.

Meanwhile, the 88-hectare Agriya, an agropolis with residential, commercial, institutional, and agritourism components that highlights the main backbone of the entire conglomerate which is agriculture. It also highlights sustainability and good agricultural practices.

It was also recognized as the Best Residential Green Development and Best Township Development by the same award-giving body.

The DOH earlier warned doctors who prescribe the use of Ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19 that their names will be submitted to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and if found guilty, may have their licenses revoked.

It said the FDA has only evaluated Ivermectin’s safety and efficacy in particular species in its label and that using the product in humans “can cause serious harm”.

On March 30, Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) director-general Jeremiah Belgica said two local pharmaceutical companies namely Lloyd Laboratories Inc. and Pascual Laboratories Inc. have expressed willingness to apply before the FDA an application to produce Ivermectin for human use.

Public urged to await FDA move on application for Ivermectin use

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ome 50 persons were rounded up in Davao City during the anti-illegal gambling drive by the Davao City Police office on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Out of these numbers, 22 suspects were found engaged in illegal cock fighting on Good Friday while 28 other suspects were collared playing deck cards or ‘pyat-pyat’ and billiards.

A total of P5,480 worth of betting money were seized during the two day period campaign.

Meanwhile, the observance of Holy Week in the Davao region was "generally peaceful.” This was the assessment of the Davao Police Regional Office (PRO).

It was a “very peaceful observance of the Holy Week regionwide,” PRO 11 director Brig.

Gen. Filmore Escobal said Monday.

BG Escobal said sufficient police deployment

and visibility contributed to the success of the celebration.

He said the cooperation and discipline of all Dabawenyos significantly contributed to the security, public safety and health protocols being implemented by the Local Government Units (LGUs) and the police.

Escobal also thanked the police counterpart, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), for the support in maintaining peace and order during the Lenten celebration.

The Regional Police office implemented a maximum deployment of personnel during the Lenten season as the entire Philippine National Police (PNP) is still on a high alert status since the onslaught of the pandemic caused by COVID- 19 in 2020.

Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Chief Col. Kirby John Kraft also reported that the church

FCITY, P10

25 vendors receive P375,000 cash assistance from DSWD

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wenty-five members of the Kalingawan sa Plaza Association in the Municipality of Asuncion have received P375,000 cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

DSWD-Field Office Region XI formally turned over to Local Government Unit (LGU) of Asuncion the P375,000 “seed fund” check under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) on March 11, 2021 at Purok 2, Barangay Cambanogoy, Asuncion.

With this, the 25 members of the Kalingawan sa Plaza Association, being the beneficiaries

of SLP, will each receive P15,000.

According to Asuncion Mayor Eufracio Dayaday Jr., this seed fund of the national government will be given to the qualified beneficiaries as identified by the LGU and DSWD. Through the LGU’s “Asikaso sa Negosyo ug Trabaho" program, the members of Kalingawan sa Plaza Association were identified as the qualified beneficiaries.

Dayaday added that this will serve as the beneficiaries’ initial or additional capital for their businesses during the pandemic.

Aside from SLP, DSWD

F25, P10

Nine rescued off Tawi-Tawi as boat catches fire at sea

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ine crewmen of a wooden-hulled vessel that sunk after it caught fire at sea off Tawi-Tawi were rescued by troopers from the Marine Battalion Landing Team-12 (MBLT-12), military officials announced Tuesday.

Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the crew members, including three who were wounded, of M/L Marissa were rescued Sunday near Panguan Island, Sitangkai.

“Based on the report from Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi, the motor launch boat, M/L Ma-

rissa, with nine Filipino crew members on board was loading gasoline from a tanker from Sabah when its generator battery sparked causing its explosion,” Vinluan said.

He said the troopers brought the three wounded crewmen to a hospital in Sibutu after providing them first aid.

Lt. Col. Aladdin Caluza, MBLT-12 commander, said the troops of the 312th Marine Company based in Panguan Island, the farthest island detachment, together with the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office personnel of Sitangkai responded and

FNINE, P10

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

Mall goers browse the menu of different blends of coffee that are being offered by a mobile coffee shop at Abreeza Mall compound along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Davao City on Monday night. Edge Davao

Remittances, improved external demand to buoy PH recovery

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rowth of money being sent home by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and improvement of external demand are expected to boost the domestic economy’s recovery this year.

However, Fitch Solutions Country Risks and Industry Research reduced its growth projection for the country this year from 7.6 percent to 5.8 percent on the expected hit from the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

The ECQ status in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal set from March 29 until April 4 was extended for another week to April 11 amid surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

Fitch Solutions said

another unfavorable factor in the economy’s recovery is the slow vaccination rollout.

In a report released Monday, the unit of Fitch Group cited signs of gradual economic activity such as the above 50 level of the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which was unchanged at 52.5 last February against the previous month “indicating a gradual improvement in activity.”

As of last March, the PMI index stood at 52.2 based on the report of

the IHS Markit.

An index of above 50 indicates expansion while a figure of below 50 shows otherwise.

“Indeed, respondents noted supportive demand dynamics and increased inventory building on a more positive outlook,” Fitch Solutions said.

The report also said external demand has been improving, partially due to the Covid-19 vaccination program in other countries.

Similarly, OFWs remittances continue to remain resilient, it added.

The report said while the January 2021 inflows declined by 1.7 percent year-on-year, it is 1.8 percent higher than the January 2019 pre-pandemic

he Philippines and France will hold the 9th Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting in the second quarter of this year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said in a statement Monday.

DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez and new-

ly-appointed French Ambassador to the Philippines Michèle Boccoz had a meeting on March 31 where they discussed strengthening economic ties between the two countries.

“The two sides talked about further exploring trade and investment deals in aerospace,

electronics, shipbuilding, clean energy, agribusiness, and healthcare, among others.

Possible cooperation on these areas is expected to be discussed in the forthcoming 9th Philippines-France Joint Economic Commission, which is scheduled in the latter part of the

level.

“We believe that overall remittance flows will begin to gradually rebound as growth picks up globally, particularly on the back of a recovery in the US and the Middle East on the back of rising oil prices, which together accounted for 57.4 percent of remittances in 2019,” it said.

It added while lockdowns in Europe and tightening credit growth in China threaten the broader recovery in global demand as vaccination rollouts progress, “we expect growth to prove strong, boosting the outlook for exports which we forecast to grow 9.5 percent, following a 16.7 percent contraction in 2020.” second quarter this year,” the DTI said.

This will be a follow up to the last JEC meeting held here in June 2019.

The Philippines-France JEC was established in 1994.

During the virtual courtesy call of Boccoz

PH, France to hold 9th joint economic meeting in Q2 ‘21

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FPH, P10

NCCC offers more ways to shop online

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ith the still rising cases of Covid19, more and more people are leaning towards online shopping as it is highly advised to stay at home.

Fortunately, NCCC offers a number of ways for a hassle-free shopping and delivery services.

Customers may choose from among these platforms – mynccc.ph, Food Panda, NCCC Malls shopping assistant, and NCCC grocer-ring.

Launched last November 7, 2020, the mynccc.ph shopping website offers a wide range of products from your daily needs at NCCC Supermarket, to home essentials at NCCC Department Store, DIY improvements at NCCC Hardwaremaxx, and basic health requirements from HB1 Pharmacy.

Payment can be through Cash-On-Delivery (COD), Bank Transfers,

FNCCC, P10

ARTA sees improvement in PH’s score in EODB report

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nti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) director general Jeremiah Belgica expects higher scores for the country in the upcoming 2021 Ease of Doing Business (EODB) report of the World Bank.

In a statement Monday, Belgica said efforts to streamline through digitizing processes and fasttracking government processes will drive the country’s score up in this year’s EODB report.

“This year, we are highly confident that our reforms in

four particular Doing Business Indicators namely Trading Across Borders, Protecting Minority Investors, Enforcing Contracts, and Dealing with Construction Permits will be recognized,” he said.

Belgica cited recent developments in Quezon City that will help in improving the country’s EODB score.

These include automation of business permits and construction permits issuance, digitization of land titles,

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VOL.14 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

EDGEDAVAO

Inflation eases to 4.5% in March

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nflation slightly eased in March due to slower price movement of food and non-alcoholic beverages, government data released Tuesday showed.

The consumer price index rose 4.5 percent in March, slightly slower from the 4.7 percent in February, the Philippine Statistics said in a virtual briefing.

March inflation is within the 4.2 percent to 5 percent forecast of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and above the government's 2 to 4 percent range target.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno earlier said inflation is likely to breach the upper band of the government's target range for 2021.

For 2022, inflation forecast was raised to 2.8 percent from 2.7 percent, the central bank said.

Despite the uptick, Diokno said inflation is still "transitory" and manageable.

Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan remain under enhanced community quarantine due to the rising number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, putting a strain on movements and other economic activities.

The BSP still has tools to support the economy.

Key interest rate, used by banks to price loans, were kept at its lowest level of 2 percent in February's Monetary Board meeting.

CREATE responds to investors call for more relaxed measures

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estrictive measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) have affected economies worldwide.

National Economic and Development Authority Acting Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua cited Republic Act 11534, or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, as one of the government’s way of attracting more investments and help recoup losses.

“It is the biggest incentive that will create an estimated 1.6 million jobs,” Chua said in previous statements.

The government through CREATE, Chua said, will be able to provide immediate relief to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and enable the Philippines to attract foreign direct investments (FDI), especially after the pandemic.

CREATE cuts the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) rate from 30 percent to 20 percent for MSMEs and to 25 percent for other corporations with retroactive application to July 1, 2020.

It includes key forms of pandemic relief, such as the lowering of Minimum Corporate Income Tax from 2 per-

cent to 1 percent, effective July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2023.

CREATE may just be the answer to a business group’s suggestion for the country to improve its foreign investment laws.

Ho Ik Lee, Korean Chamber of Commerce Philippines president, told the Philippine News Agency on Monday that of the estimated 88,000 Korean residents here who are also investors, 35,000 went home in 2020.

"They didn't know that the pandemic will be extended by this much. Until now very few of them luckily came back to the Philippines. The retail sector is mostly affected, they needed to let go of the employees and close down their stores. [From talks,] there are no chances for them to come back. Surely, it will affect the market," he said.

“Now that CREATE is enacted into law, we will provide enterprises with the largest economic stimulus package in the country’s history. Immediately, it will support our efforts to restore and create hundreds of thousands of jobs and keep our businesses operating,” Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said in a statement. (PNA)

ECONOMY 5

Hundreds of vendors at Agdao Market in Davao City undergo Covid-19 testing on Monday ( 05 April 2021) as part of the city government’s ‘surveillance swabbing.’ Mindanews Photo

DTI 11 capacitates biz counsellors, entreps T he Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Davao Region has capacitated its business counsellors as well as several local entrepreneurs to help them adapt and thrive under the current circumstances.

Keen on the changes in the business climate and how things are done amid the pandemic, the agency conducted a webinar on business etiquettes and values recently.

The virtual training was not only aimed at equipping them with the necessary skills in doing business in the new normal. Likewise, it was anchored on the need to promote their over-all mental health wellness in order to remain responsive to organizational needs and maintain a high level of productivi-

ty amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affecting some people’s mental health, such as anxiety, stress, fear and worries, DTI 11 thought of an intervention that promotes health and wellness.

Fr. Erwin Rommel C. Torres of the Archdiocese of Davao shared helpful insights as the resource speaker. Being a businessman himself, he provided inputs based on his actual experiences, including his struggles to keep his business going.

“It is important to consider change because change may be detrimental to many, but if you look at it, change also provides opportunities.

And if you are not willing to change, you will be stuck to one form. And if you’re stuck to one form, that will be your death,” he said, adding that if people want to improve themselves, they need to pass through a number of changes. In summary, they have to re-invent themselves for them to realize the change they have been dreaming of.

As for DTI-Davao Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi, being innovative is the kind of change that the agency has been adopting. These changes are crucial to meet the varying needs of both the entrepre-

school-based feeding program under the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Last year, the PCC-assisted dairy cooperatives committed to provide milk to 503,955 children while for 2021 so far, 1,012,840 children are benefiting from carabao milk provided by local dairy cooperatives.

The agreement with SMC, set to start later this month, significantly increases the carabao

milk supplied from local dairy cooperatives to the DepEd and the DSWD under the national feeding program.

“We are very happy that almost one year since we promised to help the carabao cooperatives, we will now see both farmers and our school children benefit from this worthy endeavor. I’m very proud that we at San Miguel were able to use our resources and our expertise to help build the capacities and capabilities of our local farmers at this time of

pandemic,” Ang said in a statement Monday.

With the retort process, carabao’s milk can be preserved up to six months without preservatives, and packaged in aluminum cans.

Previously, carabao in flexible packaging was only good for a maximum of seven days.

“With a longer shelf life, carabao’s milk will now reach more children in need of nutritional support and address nutritional deficiencies that impair their health and learning ability. At

neurs and consumers.

“We want to serve our clients according to their needs; that’s why, we try to be as responsive as we can, especially in crafting our interventions and initiatives. It has always been our mantra to serve beyond what is expected and understand by heart the value of service, which is much needed now that we are facing a pandemic,” Ambi said.

A total of 95 Negosyo Center business counsellors, DTI 11 staff, and micro and small enterprises (MEs) from all over the region attended the oneday training.

“We’re very glad with this training because 100 percent of the participants expressed that they were satisfied with such an intervention.

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SMC’s new tech packs carabao milk for gov’t feeding program

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an Miguel Corporation (SMC) is partnering with carabao cooperatives to boost their incomes by providing milk for the government’s nationwide milk feeding program utilizing its new packaging solution that will prolong the product’s shelf life.

SMC’s packaging unit, San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corp.

(SMYPC), recently signed an agreement with the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), an attached agency of the Depart-

ment of Agriculture, that will see SMYPC packing an initial 4 million cans of sterilized carabao’s milk, to be distributed in Regions 1 to 3 and parts of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang said under the agreement, SMYPC will act as a third-party toll packer utilizing its new retort process to package some 40,000 liters of carabao milk supplied by local farmer’s cooperatives in Nueva Ecija, for the nationwide

the same time, this will boost the livelihood of local dairy farmers who have always been looking for ways to keep carabao’s milk fresh and prevent spoilage,” Ang said.

Aside from the extended shelf-life, the sterilized canned milk can easily be transported, stored under ambient temperature, and delivered in bulk rather than on a daily basis.

“With this technology, we expect that more school children will be

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

On the negative opinion of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan– Southern Mindanao Region (BayanSMR) that the P1.6 billion from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) budget was a “waste of people’s money” amid Covid-19 pandemic:

Dili nako mutubag ana nila uy. Dili importante ang ilahang comments.”

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

VANTAGE POINTS

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FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

ECQS DETRIMENTAL TO PINOY WORKINGMEN “Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.” (Karl Marx) ******* However much I look at it - these critical pandemic times - the lockdowns and the ECQs discriminate against and punish not everyone but the poor, underemployed Pinoy workingman.

Oh, I am not excluding the dirt poor mass who both live in the urban and rural areas. They are fellow sufferers of those who strive to provide food on the table.

What I mean to say is that the Pinoy worker who - like the mother hen who if it does not scratch the ground, cannot catch food for itself and her chicks. So, whether there is a lockdown or not, a pandemic or a fake health crisis, the Pinoy worker ( a daily wage earner) is obliged by force and circumstance to wake up early in the morning to look for work and to find income opportunities for his hungry family.

In a Third World country such as ours, those who have

regular monthly incomes like government workers and secured private employment are not bothered where they will get the food they eat. On-line food orders are now being served and catered to which is flourishing in the metropolis because of the internet service.

Strictly speaking, the A, B and upper C economic classes are not bothered even if the lockdowns last for one, two or three years. Why? Because they have money stashed away in the bank and income from their businesses and employment.

The lower C, D & E brackets which comprise (I would assume for lack of accurate statistical data at the moment) more than 80% of the 110 million Philippine population are practically scrounging for sources of livelihood.

Which is why the government, more than ever, should have realized that continued lockdowns do more harm than good.

The solution to a pandemic that is being orchestrated heavily on the side of fear and health

risks is not to prevent the people from getting infected but to allow them to have food and livelihood while the health protocols are strictly being enforced in areas where the viral infection exists.

Do not put the cart before the horse. This is not the way to run a government that has the resources to combat the “wayward” pathogen.

Prompt self-help medication at home at the first indication of CoVid 19 like cough and colds are usually treated by traditional herbal practices like “suob” - (steam inhalation).

The Chinese have been practicing this for centuries that is why their herbal treatments are resorted to by our fellowmen.

Anyway, I am straying away from our topic.

The IATF seems not confident it can cure or decrease the incidence of CoVid 19 contamination that is why it is resorting to lockdowns. It fails to recognize that they are, in effect, punishing the majority who are marginalized.

Instead of displaying a positive mindset for the populace to follow and practice, the IATF continues to drumbeat the belief that the CoVid19 is wreaking havoc and that the solution is more lockdowns.

It is good that our OFWs continue to contribute to the maintenance of our government operations with their remittances. They are smaller these days compared to previous years before the CoVid19 attacks but they nevertheless help prop up the Philippine economy.

Our OFWs are the Pinoy workingmen who should be held in awe and admiration.

Without them, we should have been wading in the mire a long, long time ago.

Opening up the economy with a positive emphasis that the government is able and ready to manage the risks (instead of underlining the fear that the virus is increasingly infecting more Pinoys) is the REAL solution to a slowly dying economy.

Who is the foreign busi-

nessman to invest in a sick country with its population heavily infected with the Wuhan pathogen? Isn’t this the picture we want to project as the headlines banner them in the print and broadcast media?

Let us lift up the Pinoy working class.

Being ordinary people, they are usually blamed for being undisciplined and “pasaway.” But hey, look - both the Congress and government policy-makers cannot even trim corruption to a minimum. What about smuggling and influence peddling?.

It seems, there is no one in the government bureaucracy who has read Norman Vincent Peale’s “The Power of Positive Thinking.”

Napoleon Hill, author of the best selling book “Think and Grow Rich”, said: “What the mind conceives, the body achieves.”

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Kawawa naman ang Pinoy workingman. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

DENNIS R. GORECHO KUWENTONG KULE

THE GROWING DANGER OF PRACTICING THE LEGAL PROFESSION It was 1:30 a.m. April 6, 1999, a Tuesday, when a friend sent a message via my beeper which read: “Dennis, Congrats! You are now officially Atty. Gorecho.”

I was among the lucky 1, 465 examinees who passed, or 39.63 percent out of the 3,697 examinees of the 1998 bar exams, which is considered as one of the highest in the bar exam history.

The exams are grouped into eight legal areas: political, labor, criminal, commercial, taxation, civil, remedial and legal ethics and forms.

One has to gain an average of seventy five percent with no subject falling below fifty percent otherwise he will be disqualified.

I failed in my Political law but my final grade was pulled up by my score in Remedial law which was my highest.

The bar exams is considered one of the toughest and most difficult among the professional board exams, having one of the highest mortality rate.

Passing is obviously not that easy, The discipline in terms of time management and patience

is crucial during the review period.

It is also a yearly spectacle on the performance of law schools measured on the most number of topnotchers or scoring the highest passing rate.

The 1998 bar topnotchers include one from the Baguio Colleges Foundation ( now University of the Cordilleras) as the first placer, three from my alma mater University of the Philippine (2nd,3rd and ,5th ), University of Sto. Thomas (4th), Ateneo de Manila (6th ,7th ,9th ,10th ) and University of San Carlos (8th ).

I belong to the working student program of UP Law as a reporter for the TODAY broadsheet and other international news agencies. I do my coverage during the day then attend my evening classes. I read my cases in the bus on the way home to Las pinas from Diliman, always looking for the seat with the strongest head light.

Former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay was my bar exam buddy who topped the following year’s bar exam with one of the lowest passing rate of 16.59 percent, with three UP Law

again in the top ten.

I jokingly tell friends that he became a topnotcher because of my reviewers he borrowed.

Ultimately, being a good lawyer is another thing. Passing the bar is not enough.

There were those who joined law offices for private practice while others joined the government, judiciary , politics or the academe.

I am now connected with a law firm specializing in intellectual property law and seafarers’ rights, among others.

And there’s alternative lawyering. It is legal practice either individually or through legal resource organizations that work with the poor and marginalized groups, identities and communities towards their empowerment, greater access to justice, and building peace.

Many alternative lawyers are guided by the words of former President Ramon Magsaysay: “Those who have less in life should have more in law.”

Twenty two year later, the Supreme Court has issued a statement on the killings and threats against judges and law-

yers saying that such actions are “no less than an assault on the Judiciary.”

The statement was released in response to the petition filed by the Free Legal Action Group (FLAG) on the continued attacks on the legal profession citing at least 61 law practitioners killed since 2016 under the Duterte administration.

As the number is higher than all the recorded deadly attacks on lawyers in the last 50 years under six previous presidents, FLAG noted that this is an indicator of the growing danger of practicing the legal profession in the country. I used to be a FLAG volunteer myself.

Many other lawyers have been red-tagged and others surveilled, including some counsels appearing before the Supreme Court in the consolidated cases challenging the Anti-Terror Law of 2020. Some of the human rights advocates and defenders were eventually physically attacked and assaulted.

Critics argued that with Duterte being so “vocal” in expressing his disdain for human rights, it sends “a chilling

message” that anyone who demands that their rights be protected “is now considered an enemy of the state”.

The Supreme Court stressed that “to assault the Judiciary is to shake the very bedrock on which the rule of law stands. This cannot be allowed in a civilized society like ours.

This cannot go undenounced on the Court’s watch.”

“In this light, the Court condemns in the strongest sense every instance where a lawyer is threatened or killed, and where a judge is threatened and unfairly labeled. We do not and will not tolerate such acts that only perverse justice, defeat the rule of law, undermine the most basic of constitutional principles, and speculate on the worth of human lives,” the Supreme Court said.

Kule is the monicker of Philippine Collegian, the official student publication of UP Diliman. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, email info@sapalovelez. com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

Water service interruption in portion of Barangay Tacunan April 10, 2021

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avao City Water District advises customers of a water service interruption scheduled on Saturday, April 10, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in portion of Brgy. Tacunan specifically Purok 10 including areas from Mintal road going to Purok 10.

DCWD has to temporarily shut off water supply in the affected areas to give way to the tapping of a newly installed pipeline to DCWD’s existing pipeline for the mainline improvement at Purok 10 in Brgy.

Tacunan. Once completed, this project will allow for accommodation of additional service connections and help improve water pressure in the affected areas.

On behalf of the DCWD management, General Manager Edwin V. Regalado asks for the understanding and cooperation of would-be affected customers and advises them to store enough water

prior to the schedule.

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

DCWD conducts flushing after service works are completed. However, once water is restored, customers are advised to open all faucets and allow water to run for at least two minutes. Do not drink tap water immediately but if needed, boil water beforehand as safety precaution.

The general public may visit DCWD website (www. davao-water.gov.ph) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/officialDCWD) and dial telephone voicemail 235-3293 for the latest water service updates.

For queries, customers may also call DCWD’s 24hour Water Patrol Emergency Hotlines 244-6767, 0927-798-8966, 0925511-3293, and 0908-4410653 or send a message to www.facebook.com/officialDCWD. (Camille Margarette U. Solon)

DCWD office operations on April 9, 2021

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CWD’s SM Lanang Premier collection center is open on April 9, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM to accept water bill payments despite that this day is declared as a regular holiday in observance of the Araw ng Kagitingan. Transacting customers are reminded to follow the mall’s entry and safety regulations and bring a copy of their water bill for faster transaction.

Meanwhile, DCWD’s Matina, Bajada, and Toril offices are closed on said holiday and will resume regular operations on April 15, 2021. DCWD’s NCCC-VP Mall and Felcris Centrale collection centers remain closed until further notice.

Further, DCWD advises that no due dates for

water bill payment fall on said holiday.

The DCWD management assures the general public that the operations of its technical departments and 24/7 call center will not be disrupted to ensure continuous water service and offsite customer support. Online water bill payment channels are also available via Landbank iAccess, Link.

Biz Portal, and GCash.

For any water service concern, customers may contact DCWD’s Water Patrol emergency hotlines 244-6767, 0927-7988966, 0925-511-3293 and 0908-441-0653 or chat support in DCWD’s website (www.davao-water.gov.ph) and Facebook page (facebook.com/officialDCWD). (Alexan Lynette L. Cabeguin)

DSWD begins 1st semester social pension payouts

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he Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office XI has already started the payout of the first semester Social Pension cash stipend for the 60,370 indigent senior citizens in Davao City.

The stipend of ₱3,000, covering the months of January to June 2021, is intended for the purchase of food, medicine, and other basic needs of 264,792 listed indigent senior citizens in the region.

The DSWD has coordinated with the dif-

ferent local government units (LGUs) and the assigned field office staff per municipality/city to facilitate the systematic and orderly distribution of the cash stipends, while observing the minimum health protocols and without causing inconvenience to the beneficiaries.

Senior citizens who are immunocompromised and those with co-morbidities are encouraged to send their nearest relative to claim the stipend on their behalf. The relative must

FDSWD, P10

LINKING FARMERS TO BUYERS. A squash farmer asks a question with potential institutional buyer NutriDense Food Manufacturing Corporation during the open forum.

DAR-Pangasinan links squash, camote farmers to sure buyer

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TA. BARBARA, Pangasinan — Squash and Camote farmers from all over Pangasinan attended a virtual meeting with potential institutional buyers who could possibly buy their products and supply them with the said crops.

Under the Linking Smallholder Farmers to Markets and Microfinance (LinkSFarMM) program, the DAR equips the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) with agri-entrepreneurial knowledge and directly connects

them with buyers who are interested to buy their specific products.

The potential buyer, the NutriDense Food Manufacturing Corporation (NFMC), is a research-based food manufacturer which partners

with the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) to help eradicate malnutrition in the area. The company is one of the country's accredited producers of the enhanced nutribun (eNutribun), which contains squash and sweet potato, among others.

DAR Pangasinan LinksFarMM focal person Ben B. Rios said the invited farmers have shown

interest in the possible partnership with NFMC as they actively asked questions during the open forum portion of the marketing meeting.

Earlier in 2020, the DAR already linked an Umingan-based agrarian reform beneficiary organization (ARBO), the Umingan Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative (UFARCO) to NFMC, which allowed the UFARCO to supply 60,000 kilos of squash to the NFMC.

Portal on the SSS website (www.sss.gov.ph), SSS Mobile App, and Text-SSS at 2600.

Members, employers, and the transacting public may visit the information about mandatory online transactions and other online services on its Facebook page at https:// bit.ly/31wTXch and https://bit.ly/3tnW12c. Likewise, they can also check the available SSS payment channels on this link, https://bit.ly/3lpPYaR. With the implementation of curfew hours in the ECQ-covered areas, SSS notified the public that its branches in the NCR Plus bubble would only accept transactions using the no-contact drop box system from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM, from Monday to Friday.

However, the drop box system is only applicable to SSS transactions not available

online. It includes registration and membership transactions like Member or Employer Data Change Request, request for Employer Certificate of Registration, submission of Employment Report for initial, rehired, or separated employee, and submission of Authorized Company Representative (ACR) card or L501.

Members and claimants can also use the drop boxes for benefit claim applications such as ACOP compliance, filing of Employees Compensation, disability, and death; maternity benefit reimbursement for employed member, sickness and maternity claims for self-employed, voluntary, OFW and separated members, and funeral claims for claimants without UMID card.

SSS members may also utilize the drop boxes for other re-

quests like verification of SS number, manual verification or consolidation of contributions, deletion, or correction of entry in the employment history, cancellation of multiple SS number cancellation or replacement of check, and correction, refund, posting, or adjustment of contributions or loan payments.

SSS assures its stakeholders that the pension fund is implementing alternative work arrangements for its employees to ensure the continuous delivery of services as well as minimize the public’s risk and its employees to COVID-19.

For more information, follow the SSS on Facebook and YouTube at “Philippine Social Security System,” Instagram at “mysssph,” and Twitter at “PHLSSS,” or join the SSS Viber Community at “MYSSSPH Updates.”

SSS tells members, employers, pensioners: use online facilities, drop box system as NCR Plus remains on ECQ

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he Social Security System (SSS) continues to urge members, employers, and the public to transact with its branches using SSS online services and the drop box system as the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble remains under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) starting today, April 5 until April 11, 2021.

President Rodrigo Duterte approved the Inter-Agency Task Force’s recommendation on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to maintain the current community quarantine status in the NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal due to the recent spike of CoVID-19 cases in the said areas.

Further, SSS encourages members, employers, and pensioners to utilize its online and mobile platforms in their SSS transactions through the My.SSS

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LIFESTYLE

SM SUPERMALLS LAUNCHES MY CITY, MY SM, MY ART BOOK

MY CITY, My SM, My Art, which recently launched its book just in time for the National Arts Month, is the latest edition in the My City, My SM series, which celebrates the beauty, culture, traditions, and great people in cities around the Philippines where SM has malls.

This comes after My City, My SM, which promotes tourism; My City, My SM, My Cuisine, which highlights heirloom recipes from prominent families in the different regions; and My City, My SM, My Crafts, which showcases traditional arts and modern Philippine design.

My City, My SM, My Art celebrates Philippine visual arts – painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and filmmaking. It aims to bring people and art together in a roadshow featuring the works of masters, modernists, and millennials around the SM Supermalls.

Our cultural journey began on March 2016 at SM Seaside City in Cebu with an exhibit featuring artists from the Queen City of the South including maestro Romulo Galicano; and concluded on March 2019 at SM City Cebu with the masterpieces of Manuel Rodriguez, Sr., the Father of Philippine Printmaking leading the way.

In between, our search for art and artists brought us as far north as the Baguio and the Cordilleras and as far south as General Santos in Mindanao. During those three years, we advocated art for all by working closely with communities, schools, and the public to mount exhibits, workshops, and contests in key cities around the Philippines. These were featured in the Philippine Star, our project partner, as well as in local media, and a cultural series in regional cable channels.

To make all these possible, we collaborated with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, and the Shell Companies of the Philippines; as well as the Philippine Star, Center Stage Productions, and Finale Art File.

Just in time for National Arts Month, SM launches My City, My SM, My Art, which chronicles the project’s three- year cultural journey around the SM Supermalls. A celebration of Philippine visual arts – painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and filmmaking – it brings art and people together through exhibits, workshops, and contests.

Along the way, we were able to have a glimpse of what makes Philippine art unique, and how close family ties, ingenuity, and a sense of community have played key roles in its development.

We have seen how Filipino art has flourished through families like the Abellanas of Cebu; as well as those of masters Mauro Malang Santos, Jose Pitok Blanco, and Eduardo Castrillo whose children – and in some cases grandchildren – now represent a new generation visual artists. There are also wonderful examples of how art ties fathers and sons together – National Artist Abdulmari Imao and Toym, National Living Treasure Eduardo Mutuc and Eduardo, Jr., Ricarte Puruganan and

Victor, Manuel Baldemor and Monnar, Romulo Olazo and Jonathan.

The book features masters from each region whose works were exhibited in SM’s malls like Davao City’s Ang Kiukok.

Family members have also played significant roles in preserving the artistic legacies of their loved ones: Josie Baldovino for her brother National Artist Jose Joya, Daisy Tolentino-Mendez for her father National Artist Guillermo Tolentino, and Totong Francisco II for his grandfather National Artist Carlos Botong Francisco. We were both honored and touched when the family of Manuel Rodriguez, Sr. flew The book also features modernists like Davao’s Kent Medenilla and Alynnah Bacalso Macla bring a new energy and vitality to contemporary Philippine art.

all the way from the US and the Bahamas to join us in the tribute to their father at SM City Cebu.

We were also amazed at how Filipino artists created groundbreaking works from non-traditional materials.

With art supplies either too costly or simply unavailable, Baguio’s Jordan Mang-osan and Patric Palasi found their niche in solar and coffee art, respectively; while Palawan’s Elordie Mesac crafted his pieces from rubber slippers. When his materials were washed away by super-typhoon Yolanda, Tacloban-born Dante Enage began using tuba, a local wine made from coconut juice, as his medium.

The rise of regional Fine Arts schools like the Philippine High School for the Arts in Laguna, the University of Mindanao, the University of Rizal System, La Consolacion College in Bacolod, Ateneo de Naga, and the Adventist University of the Philippines in Cavite have likewise been vital to the growth of the arts around the country.

We also saw how art thrived when artists got together in collectives like the Tam-Awan Village in Baguio, the Artist’s Village in Baler, and Pinto Art Museum in Rizal.

Now, after three years, more than 30 stops, hundreds of artworks, and a myriad of memorable experiences, we have compiled our exciting cultural journey in a book. Join us as we unravel the exquisite tapestry of Philippine art through the lives and works of some of the country’s most fascinating visual artists.

Join in our cultural adventure at our microsite https:// mystorymysm.com/mycitymysmmyart/ and our YouTube Channel at https:// www.youtube.com/mycitymysmmyart. Please also watch out for our television series over SkyCable at Channel 50.

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CITY... FROM3 management and the police security cluster have cooperated with each other in the implementation of the minimum health standard protocols.

Kraft said there was no report of violation in the Executive Order Number 19 issued

by Mayor Sara Duter-

te-Carpio mandating the closure of beaches and inland water resorts in this city from April 1-4.

These establishments have been prohibited from operating and catering to tourists from 12:01 a.m. of April 1 until 11:59 p.m. of April 4 to prevent mass gatherings in these places.

said that there is also the Livelihood Assistance Grants (LAG), which is a recovery and rehabilitation program for families whose livelihood

have been affected by the quarantine measures brought by the pandemic. (Jan Vincent Leuterio/ PIA-XI and Asuncion FB Page)

found another vessel, M/L Hasana, at the site of the incident.

Caluza said Abi Usman, the skipper of M/L Hasana, told the MBLT-12 troops that there were three vessels in the area, including his, at the time of the incident.

Quoting Usman, Caluza said the other two vessels include a gasoline tanker from Sabah and the M/L Marissa that caught fire and sank in an area that is the meeting point of fuel traders from Malaysia and the Philippines.

The rescued crewmen were turned over to the

municipal government of Sitangkai.

“We are happy to be able to assist our countrymen in this part of the country. I commend our Marines for their untiring dedication and unyielding commitment to serving the people and the state. They risked their own lives and safety by utilizing a small boat to respond to the sea mishap. We are glad that all went well and all the crew members were safe,” said Brig. Gen. Arturo Rojas, Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi commander. (PNA)

and Paymaya.

Shoppers may also opt to order their groceries through Food Panda Shops as Choice Mart by NCCC is already available beginning January of this year.

Meanwhile, necessities may be purchased via NCCC grocer-ring through text, call, pickup, and deliver with branches including Centerpoint, Panacan, and Mall Buhangin. Ordering may also be done by sending a message at facebook.com/ncccgrocerring.

Additionally, NCCC

Malls offer shopping assistant wherein customers can order food or items from their favorite shops inside the mall simple by messaging facebook.com/ncccmallshoppingassistant.

Ordering from multiple shops in one delivery is allowed, fee starts at P59 for the first four (4) kilometers. Pick up at curbside parking is also available.

Through these various e-commerce servicing, NCCC aims to bring better and safer options for its customers during this pandemic.

to Lopez, the trade chief urged French companies to continue exploring trade and investment opportunities in the country under the Make It Happen in the Philippines campaign.

Under this campaign, the DTI is promoting investments in aerospace, automotive, copper, information technology and business process management, and electronics sectors.

Lopez also encouraged France to take advantage of the coun-

try’s free trade agreement (FTA) network such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

He added that the Philippines also aims to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) deal and is also working on an FTA with the European Union.

France is one of the top European investors in the Philippines in 2020. (PNA)

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reduction of cost and number of days for the filing and service, and trial and judgment phase on breach of contractual obligations of the procedure for small claims cases before the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Courts.

Quezon City is the country’s benchmark for the EODB report as the city has the highest number of business registrations nationwide.

“Despite this, we worry that not all our efforts for Starting a Business, Dealing with Construction Permits, Registering Property,

and Enforcing Contracts will be acknowledged as we have seen some Doing Business survey methodology concerns that need to be further assessed and improved,” Belgica said.

He said the Philippines has appealed anew to the World Bank to revisit and amend its methodology for EODB survey to ensure selection of appropriate respondents.

In the Doing Business 2020 Report, the Philippines ranked 95 out of 190 economies, with a score of 62.8.

(PNA)

When we reviewed their feedback after the training, all of them said that they learned a lot from it,” the DTI 11 top official noted.

DTI 11 has been ex-

tending tailor-fit package of assistance to its clients. In 2020, it assisted a total of 23,627 MSMEs throughout the region.

DTI11

able to drink nutritious carabao’s milk, particularly those who reside in far-flung, mountainous and hard-to-reach areas, and those with no electricity or limited storage facilities,” he added.

The DepEd and DSWD’s feeding program, mandated by Republic Act 11037 or the “Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act”, aims to address the nutritional needs of undernourished children to combat hunger and malnutrition.

It serves the undernourished children in public day care kindergarten and elementary schools from kindergarten up to Grade 6.

With the funding provided by the DepEd and DSWD, PCC will consolidate carabao’s milk from local dairy farmer cooperatives in Nueva Ecija, and deliver these to the San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corp. facility in San Fernando, Pampanga for sterilization and packaging.

From the SMC plant in Pampanga, the sterilized carabao’s milk will then be delivered to schools division offices (SDOs) for distribution to the undernourished children.

Ang said the compa-

ny’s new equipment for the new retort process can also be used for a variety of beverage products, including teas, coffee, soya, and other milkbased products.

Last year, SMC had helped the farmers by buying up thousands of liters of excess carabao milk for donation to poor communities at the height of pandemic restrictions.

It also promised to help make carabao milk more marketable by developing a packaging format for the farmer cooperatives for free.

“It is through meaningful and sustainable programs like this that we will empower various sectors to not just weather the impacts of the pandemic, but have more opportunities to grow in the future. Apart from supplying the needs of our school children, our cooperatives and farmers can even think about creating their own brands and competing in the market. Carabao milk is very nutritious and is loved by many Filipinos.

This can only serve to grow their market and reach and boost the industry overall,” Ang added. (PR)

present an authorization letter from the beneficiary, as well as the identification cards of both the beneficiary and the representative during the scheduled payout.

The DSWD targets to finish the payouts in Davao Region for the first semester by end of June.

The social pension

cash grant is mandated under Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, which provides for a ₱500 a month stipend for indigent senior citizens.

Seniors qualified to receive the monthly stipend are those who do not have a permanent source of income or financial assistance, no

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‘Run, Sara, Run’ convenors negative for Covid-19: Sara

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ayor Sara Duterte said Monday the local convenors of the "Run, Sara, Run" campaign who underwent a 14-day quarantine tested negative for Covid-19.

“Yes, they have arrived, quarantined, and followed the quarantine protocol set by the Department of Health (DOH) for asymptomatic. They all tested negative for Covid-19,” Mayor Sara said of the group.

Consisting mostly of this city's barangay officials who traveled on March 17 to 21, the group participated in the "Run, Sara, Run" grand caravan in Manila in a bid to ramp up public support to convince the mayor to run in the next year's Presidential race.

Mayor Sara said another batch of "Run, Sara, Run" organizers are undergoing quarantine and have also tested negative for the infection.

“They will be discharged, I think, Thursday or Friday (this week). We assumed that despite their negative result, they were asymptomatic,” she added.

She also cautioned other government and barangay officials not to get involved in political activities, especially on the "Run, Sara, Run" campaign.

“Hopefully, it won’t happen again in the future. We should be aware

that political activities will gather people, and if it happens again, we will catch them and put them in isolation,” Mayor Sara warned.

Last week, Duterte prohibited all city government personnel, including barangay officials, from joining any activity affiliated with the "Run, Sara, Run" campaign outside this city.

She said all government workers must focus on the "response, vaccination, and recovery action plan" of the local government against the pandemic.

In an executive order, Duterte warned government workers that traveling for non-essential reasons "is a cause for caution".

“Political activities include caravan, meeting, rally, parade, program and all other forms of gathering. If they go to areas with high cases of Covid-19, there is a great possibility that they might get infected,” Mayor Sara said.

However, she clarified that city government workers are free to join any other activities "totally unrelated" to the "Run, Sara, Run" campaign.

Mayor Sara has repeatedly doused cold water on the prospect of running for the highest position in the land in the 2022 elections.

(PNA)

Soccsksargen gets 1,285 Australian-bred milking goats

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ENERAL SANTOS CITY – The thriving dairy industry in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) has received a major boost with the delivery here on Monday night of some 1,285 dairy goats from Australia.

Arlan Mangelen, Department of Agriculture-Region 12 (DA-12) executive director, said Tuesday the milking goats are part of a grant from the National Dairy Authority (NDA) to help further expand the region’s community-based dairy enterprises.

He said the animals, which arrived around 8 p.m. aboard a Malaysia Airlines cargo aircraft from Australia, will be raised in production and multiplier farms operated by three cooperatives and a goat raisers association in the region.

The goats were immediately brought to a quarantine facility in Alabel, Sarangani, where they will stay for 30 days prior to their distribu-

regular support from family or relatives for his/her basic needs, frail, sickly or with disability, and without any pension from Government Service Insurance

tion.

The recipients are the Cabu-ay Pioneers Multipurpose Cooperative here; Sta. Cruz Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) of Maasim, Sarangani; Backyard Goat Raisers Association of Banga, South Cotabato; and, Mua-an Farmers’ MPC of Kidapawan City.

Mangelen said the dairy animals were acquired by NDA under the expanded Intensified Community Based Dairy Enterprise Development project supported by the United States (US) Department of Agriculture.

The dairy project is funded by the US Public Law 480 or USPL480 program, also known as the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act, he said.

“It aims to develop the local dairy goat industry and boost local milk production to achieve significant milk sufficiency level,” he said in a statement. (PNA)

System, Social Security System, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, Armed Forces and Police Mutual Benefit Association Inc. or any other insurance company.

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Mavs end losing skid to Jazz Fil-Am Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz goes up for a putback.

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ALLAS — Luka Doncic scored 31 points and Dorian Finney-Smith added a season-high 23 as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz, 111-103, on Monday night (Tuesday, Manila time) for their season-best fifth straight win.

The NBA-leading Jazz had their ninegame winning streak halted.

Jalen Brunson scored 20 points, Josh Richardson 17 and Tim Hardaway Jr. 16 as Dal-

Pinoy windsurfers still in hunt for Olympic slots

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he Philippines remain in contention for spots in the Tokyo Olympics sailing event as they compete in the Mussanah Open Championship at the Millenium Resort in Oman.

The event serves as an Asia and Africa Olympic qualifier for sailing competitions in the Tokyo Games.

In the RS:X Women Class, Charizanne Napa is clinging to a slim lead over Singapore's Amanda Ng Ling Kai and India's Ishwariya Ganesh after Monday's races.

Napa came in first in the sixth race but fell to second and third in the next two. She currently has 9.0 net points, two ahead of her Singaporean rival.

Meanwhile, Yancy Kaibigan is trying to keep in pace in the RS:X Men Class after coming in second place in yesterday's three races. He currently has 17.0 net points, still behind Thailand's Natthapong Phonoppharat who has 8.0.

Two-time world champion Geylord Coveta fell to fifth place with

37.0 net points, followed by fellow Filipino Renz Angelo Amboy with 42.0.

"The weather was good today, with a strong wind for the first two races but it suddenly dropped in the third race which made the conditions challenging, but I managed three second placed finishes today," Kaibigan said, as quoted

by Asian Sailing.

"We had to prepare at home for this event because of the cancellation of scheduled events, so I am pleased with my performance. I hope for good wind tomorrow and to continue performing well," he added.

According to Asian Sailing, the Mussanah Open is being held "under strict regulations to ensure all equipment adheres to World Sailing specifications and the rules of each class."

All of the boats and equipment were strictly inspected ahead of the competition by an official appointed by World Sailing.

There are still three days of racing left in the qualifiers.

las won for the first time in three games versus Utah this season. Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas' No. 2 scorer and leading rebounder, sat out with a sprained right wrist.

Mike Conley scored 28 points to lead the Jazz, who trailed by as many as 18 points.

Donovan Mitchell, Bo-

jan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson scored 16 each, and Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 15 rebounds.

Dallas beat Utah at its long-range game.

The Mavericks were 23 for 49 from behind the arc, while the Jazz, leading the NBA averaging 17.1 3-pointers per

game and ranked second hitting 39.8% from long range, were 12 for 44 for 27.3%. They were 9 for 23 in the first half.

TIP-INS It was Mitchell's first road game since he declined to remain with the team last Tuesday when its initial charter flight to a game in Mem-

phis returned to Salt Lake City after striking a block of birds during takeoff, damaging the plane and its left engine. … Porzingis was activated on Jan. 13 following offseason knee surgery and has missed nine games, the Mavericks going 4-5 in those games.

the defense gave me," Booker said. "I got a couple of quick easy 3s and was just trying to win the game.

That's a hard-fighting team over there. A couple of times, we had the opportunity to put them away, but they didn't go anywhere. We wanted to get this one bad."

Phoenix led 101-92 after three quarters, but Houston opened the fourth with a 9-0 run. Houston trailed by nine again with a minute left, but Jae'Sean Tate and Kelly Olynyk made

back-to-back 3-pointers for the Rockets.

Christian Wood made two free throws to cut the Suns' lead to one with 3.5 seconds remaining. Booker hit two free throws, and Houston's inbounds pass was deflected to end the game.

"It wasn't as pretty as you would like it to be, but at the end of the day, we beat a team that's playing a lot better on the road, and it's a big win for us," Suns coach Monty Williams said.

Phoenix has now won three straight against Houston following a 13-game skid in the series.

Ayton added 11 rebounds for his 25th double-double of the season.

"He just dominated in the paint," Williams said.

"That's the way that he can play. We were trying to go to him tonight. I thought he had a pretty dominant night, scoring the ball. I thought his poise was at a high level when he got the ball in the post."

Suns hold off Rockets

H

OUSTON — Devin Booker scored 18 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Houston Rockets, 133-130, on Monday night (Tuesday, Manila time) for their sixth straight win.

Deandre Ayton matched a season high with 27 points as Phoenix won for the ninth time in 10 games overall.

Mikal Bridges had 20 points, and Chris Paul finished with 19 points and 11 assists.

"I was just taking what

Devin Booker topscored for the Suns with 36 points.

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

Taking inspiration from eight-division boxing world champion, Senator Manny “Pacman”Pacquiao, Pinoy MMA fighter Lito Adiwang wants to make quick work of Brooks and dispatch him in the early rounds.

END IT FAST

Inspired by Pacquiao, Adiwang wants to finish Brooks as quick as possible

T

op ONE Championship strawweight Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang is gunning for a lightning-quick end to his next bout.

Adiwang is set to lock horns with American veteran, Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks at “ONE on TNT II,” the second of a four-part event series that broadcasts on Wed., April 14 (Thu., April 15 in Asia).

Taking inspiration from eight-division boxing world champion, Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, Adiwang wants to make quick work of Brooks and dispatch him in the early rounds.

“Ideally, I want to finish every opponent that I enter the Circle with,” said Adiwang.

“My childhood hero growing up was the legendary Manny Pacquiao.

Pacquiao in his prime had no hesitation. When he saw an opponent hurt, he would go after the finish until he got it. He is my idol. He motivated me to start this career.”

Brooks is a well-traveled veteran, having competed for promotions such as the UFC, Bellator, and Rizin. A winner of three of his

last five, Brooks comes to ONE Championship with a lot of confidence.

Adiwang wants to spoil Brooks’ welcome party, and add another highlight-reel victory to his collection.

“I really believe that I can finish him. Everytime I enter the Circle, that has always been my mindset.

I want to finish my opponent in any way that I can, in the most decisive way that I can, as quick as I can. It’s in and then I’m out,” said Adiwang.

“That’s the ideal scenario. That’s what I’m working towards.”

“ONE on TNT II” features a main event showdown between ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee and #3-ranked lightweight contender, Timofey Nastyukhin. Also on the card is a showdown between #1-ranked featherweight and former two-division ONE World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen, and challenger, #5-ranked contender

“The Fighting God” Kim Jae Woong.

Adiwang vows to make his Filipino fans proud, and derail the Brooks hype train before it gains any traction off the ground.

“All I have to do is stick to the game plan, and fight to the best of my abilities,” said Adiwang.

“I know what he’s about, his strengths and weaknesses. He’s a good fighter. But I don’t think he’s met a fighter quite like me in the cage.”

The “ONE on TNT” series will air every Wednesday in the United States from April 7 for four weeks. Each week will include a preliminary card digitally streamed exclusively on the Bleacher Report App and B/R Live from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET, followed by three main card fights televised exclusively on TNT in the U.S. at 10 p.m.

ET. It will be available in Asia via the usual channels.