Edge Davao Volume 14 issue 34 | Saturday, April 24, 2021

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Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio again leads the list of presidential candidates for the 2022 national elections preferred by Filipinos in a latest Pulse Asia survey result. Duterte-Carpio led the 13 “probable presidential candidates” with 27 percent. Edge Davao

Sara shrugs off latest survey showing her as Palace frontrunner STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 34• SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021

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President Rodrigo Duterte calls on Pinoys to join government projects and programs pushing for a greener Philippines to achieve a“climate-smart”country amid the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic. Presidential Photo

Sara shrugs off latest survey showing her as Palace frontrunner

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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espite another survey showing her as the frontrunner among likely candidates for the next presidential elections, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio remains unaffected and snaps her usual “no comment” reaction.

“No comment,” she told Edge Davao when asked for her reaction and comment.

Popular pollster Pulse Asia released on Thursday a list of 13 probable presi-

dential bets.

The presidential daughter led the popularity survey with 27 percent, followed by former senator Bongbong Marcos (13 percent), and Sen. Grace

City’s borders remain under regulation: CHO

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r. Ashley Lopez, head of City Health Office (CHO), disclosed that the three main entry points of Davao City including terminals and checkpoints are still under regulation to prevent the transmission of Covid-19.

Lopez said the people should not be complacent despite the anti-Covid vaccination roll-out and the declining number of cases in the city.

“Basically ang pinaka importante diha ang katong

atong mga border restrictions or regulations nga atong ginabuhat sa atong mga airpot, sea port ug sa land, terminals including mga sa seaport nato. So ato ng gipakusgan pinaagi sa atong enforcement labi na tong requirement sa RTPCR,” he said during the “Covid-19 Alert” program over 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

Lopez reminded the public that the vaccination is not a guarantee that a

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Poe and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno who were tied at the 3rd spot with 12 percent each.

Meanwhile, Sen. Manny Pacquiao placed 4th with 11 percent, followed

by Vice President Leni Robredo (7), Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go (5), former Vice President Jejomar Binay (3), Sen. Panfilo Lacson (2) and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (2).

Mayor Sara also topped the preferred presidential candidates among Class E respondents with 29 percent, followed by Class ABC (28) and Class D (26).

Last year, the mayor also led possible presidential candidates for the upcoming national elections also conducted by Pulse Asia.

Despite consistently topping the list of Pres-

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City puts up drive-through COVID-19 swab testing area

By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV Mindanews

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he City Government of Davao is putting up a drive-through swabbing area at the Davao Crocodile Park to cater to drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) as local health authorities continue to expand testing capacity in the hopes of detecting more actives cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Dr. Ashley Lopez, acting head of the City Health Office (CHO), announced over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) Wednesday that the structural plan of the testing area has been completed while the traffic plan is being threshed out in preparation for the implementation of project.

The proposed testing

area is part of the intensified “community surveillance swabbing” of the local government, Lopez said.

Last March 26, Mayor Sara Duterte issued Executive Order 18, ordering community surveillance swabbing and monitoring of persons suffering from influenza-like illness (ILI) like cough, fever, and colds in the communities.

Under her order, health authorities are directed to make regular schedule of surveillance swabbing in business and commercial establishments; public places, including, among others, wet markets, supermarkets, and stores; government offices; private offices and agencies;

was attended by government agencies yesterday, the Department of Health (DOH), represented by Undersecretary Abdullah Dumama.

The MinDA chief said Dumama reported that new DOH guidelines have allowed the private sector and the local government units to procure vaccines for their employees.

“The massive vaccination campaign, however, has largely been concentrated in Metro Manila where COVID-19 cases have increased over the last few months. With less than one million individuals, including front liners, inoculated by the COVID 19 vaccine in Mindanao, the issue was raised by the

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LGU, private sector to lead Mindanao COVID-19 vax T he Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) will rally local government units (LGUs) and private companies in Mindanao to form a group and launch a regional COVID-19 vaccination program supervised by the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on COVID-19.

Secretary Emmanuel

Piñol bared that the initiative was agreed during the second leg of the Mindanao Economic Recovery Facilitation Forum on Wednesday (April 21).

Sponsored by MinDA, the forum gathered all sectors in the region to address issues and concerns, which could impede the immediate economic recovery of Mindanao. It

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 34• SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021

NEWS 3

Workers prepare the metal foundation for a road concreting project along C.M. Recto Avenue in Davao City on Friday. Edge Davao

All F1 contacts of Covid-19 cases to undergo quarantine

City of Mati joins Earth Day 2021 celebration

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he City of Mati LGU joins the global community in the celebration of the Earth Day 2021 on April 22.

The City Environment and Natural Resources Office, together with the City Tourism and Promotions Office-Events Section is spearheading the Earth Day activities in the city.

Among the lined up activities are simultaneous coastal clean-up and mangrove planting to

be held at the Mangrove Nature Reserve Park in Guang-Guang, Barangay Dahican; distribution of new garbage bins to city government offices; and solid waste management orientation to all utility workers in the city hall.

The Bureau of Fire and Protection, Philippine Coastguard, CiENRO, and City Tourism Office were among the offices that attended the coastal clean-

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By MAYA M. PADILLO ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has ordered all first generation (F1) contacts of RT-PCR confirmed positive Covid-19 cases in Davao City to undergo mandatory quarantine.

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Through an Executive Order (E.O.) No. 20-A, Series of 2021, known as “An Order Providing For Mandatory Swabbing Of All F1, F2, and F3 Contacts Of An RT-PCR Confirmed Positive Case Of COVID-19 In Davao City,” she signed on April 20, 2021, the mayor inserted a new Section 2 in the original E.O., which was issued on April 6, 2021 by

Magsaysay LGU turns over P8M-worth health facility projects to barangays

Rescued Philippine Eagle returns to its home in Bukidnon

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ALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 22 April) – One of the seven Philippine Eagles rescued last year was released back to its habitat in San Fernando, Bukidnon on Thursday, Earth Day, the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) and Australian government said in a press release.

Tagoyaman Fernando flies back to the wild, his home in the forest of San Fernando, Bukidnon.

Named Tagoyaman

Fernando in honor of its rescuer, Datu Tagoyaman Sinangkap, the eagle was retrieved last year in San Fernando after getting accidentally caught in a trap intended for other animals.

It was then brought to the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City for further checkup and rehabilitation.

“Rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing Philippine Eagles in the middle of a pandemic is very challenging. It’s difficult to

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agsaysay LGU turns over P8M-worth health facility projects to barangays The local government of Magsaysay has recently turned over in Barangay Balnate, several completed health facility projects which totaled to P8 million for various barangays.

The projects include the newly-constructed Barangay Health Stations for Barangay Balnate (P2 million), Barangay Tagaytay (P2 million) and Barangay Dalumay (P2 million).

Two repaired BHS were also turned over to Brgy.

Barayong and Brgy. Poblacion. The project amounted

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then Acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, making quarantine mandatory for F1 contacts. The original Section 2, which detailed penalties, has now become Section 3 of E.O. 20-A. The Section 2 now states, “All F1 contacts should undergo quarantine while waiting for their test result. F2 and F3 contacts do not need to undergo

quarantine while waiting for their test result.”

F1 contacts are defined as first-generation contacts of an RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 positive case while F2 contacts are close contacts of F1 and F3 are close contacts of F2.

All F1, F2, and F3 contacts of an RT-PCR confirmed positive case are all mandated to undergo swab testing. The Contact Tracing Team or the District Health Office will determine the testing date.

The E.O. also cited the need to expand the testing of contacts beyond the F1

category as an attempt to control the transmission of the virus and to recalibrate strategies to prevent and control COVID-19 transmission in Davao City amid the surge of cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) and other areas of the country and also the emergence of new COVID-19 variants.

Earlier this month, the vice mayor has issued an EO ordering the mandatory swabbing of persons in close contact with confirmed Covid-19 positive.

The mandatory swabbing will last until December 31, 2021.

Sara leads anew preferred ‘22 presidential candidates

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avao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio again led the list of presidential candidates for the 2022 national elections preferred by Filipinos, a Pulse Asia survey released Thursday showed.

Duterte-Carpio, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, led the 13 “probable presidential candidates” with 27 percent, followed by the namesake son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, former senator Bongbong Marcos, with 13 percent, and Sen. Grace Poe and

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno who were tied at the 3rd spot with 12 percent each, according to the pollster.

Sen. Manny Pacquiao earned the 4th spot with 11 percent, followed by Vice President Leni Robredo (7), Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go (5), former Vice President Jejomar Binay (3), Sen. Panfilo Lacson (2) and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (2).

Among those least preferred by survey respondents for president were Sen. Richard Gordon (1), former defense chief

Gilbert Teodoro (0.5), and retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio (0.5). Both Gordon and Teodoro ran for the presidency in 2010 but lost to Benigno Aquino III. Duterte was the most preferred presidential candidate in her home region Mindanao with a whopping 60 percent, followed by those in the Visayas with 21 percent, and Balance Luzon with 17 percent.

The Davao City mayor was least preferred among respondents in Metro Ma-

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 34• SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021

Fishermen prepare to sail out to sea near a coastal community in Isla Verde, Davao City. Farmers and fisherfolk are advised by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to join cooperatives to benefit from various assistance programs of the agency. Edge Davao

EO on pork imports tariff cut T to help ease inflation rate

BPI eyes to half coal-fired power project financing by end of 2026

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he domestic inflation rate this year is seen to decelerate by 0.3 percentage points with the help of Executive Order (EO) 128, which modifies for a certain period the tariff on pork imports within the minimum access volume (MAV).

Monetary authorities forecast inflation this year to average at 4.2 percent, higher than the government’s 2-4 percent target band.

“If importation is done in a timely manner it (EO) can help reduce the average inflation probably by almost 3 percentage points,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)

Department of Economic Research (DER) Managing Director Zeno Ronald R. Abenoja said in briefing streamed through the central bank’s Facebook page Thursday.

EO 128 was signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte last April 7 and it cuts pork import tariff within MAV from 30 percent to 5 percent

for the first three months upon the effectivity of the EO and 10 percent in the succeeding three months.

It also slashed the tariff on pork imports that do not qualify for MAV from 40 percent to 15 percent for the first three months and 20 percent for the following nine months.

Abenoja said the BSP supports all measures targeted to address supply constraints on some commodities, which is among the main reasons for the elevated inflation rate since the last quarter of 2020.

DA-PhilMech distributes P15-B farm machinery to rice farmers

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bout one million farmers nationwide will be recipients of the PHP15 billion worth of farm machinery and equipment of the Department of Agriculture (DA) under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) mechanization program.

“The continued implementation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund as provided under RTL (Rice Tariffication Law) is paving the way to this favorable development onto making Filipino rice farmers globally competitive,” DA Secretary William Dar said on Thursday.

The PHP15 billion worth

of farm machinery and equipment represents the PHP5 billion yearly allocation from 2019 to 2021.

From 2019 to 2024, the RTL or Republic Act 11203 allots PHP10 billion yearly from tariffs on imported rice for six years for the RCEF program. It is aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the Philippine rice industry.

Of the total, one-half or PHP5 billion of RCEF is allotted for farm mechanization, PHP3 billion for rice seeds, and PHP1 billion each for credit, and PHP1 billion for training and extension.

During the first two years of implementation, the DA

through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) has procured 15,918 units of various farm machinery and equipment, of which 55 percent or 8,702 have already been distributed to 679,486 farmers, belonging to 3,804 farmers cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in 57 rice-producing provinces, where the RCEF program is implemented.

This year, PhilMech said, it will procure 5,098 units, and distribute these to 1,600 FCAs with 284,800 farmer-members. Of the total farm machinery and equipment, 2,574 units are for land

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He said EO 128, for one, “is a calibrated response” eyed to address supply constraints as a result of the African swine fever.

He said there are also moves to check administrative constraints or non-tariff barriers to trade.

“Again, this will help temper volatility in the domestic prices. So, we support efforts of concerned agencies to conduct stricter market surveillance that are expected to ease pressures on retail prices coming from both tariff and non-tariff measures,” he added. (PNA)

he Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) bids to reduce by half the amount of its financing for coal power-fired plants in the next five years.

Outgoing BPI president and CEO Cezar P. Consing, during the bank’s virtual annual stockholders meeting on Thursday, said: “It is our intent to achieve zero coal in line with the Paris Agreement target of 2037 for nonOECD Asia.”

“In fact, we believe that we will be able to half the amount of our outstanding coal loans by the end of 2026,” he added.

Under the Paris Agreement, an international treaty aimed to address climate change, the use of coal for

power generation should peak by 2020 and significantly cut in the succeeding years.

It bids to cut by 80 percent below 2010 levels coalfired power generation by 2030 and phase this out by 2040.

For Asian countries that are not members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the phase-out date is 2037.

Coal-fired power plants account for around 58 percent of the Philippines’ power source, followed by renewal energy (RE) and gas-fired power plants, both at 21 percent.

In terms of BPI’s loan

One such program is eKadiwa, an online marketing platform that directly links producers and agripreneurs to consumers.

DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista, who leads the e-Kadiwa program, said more than 16,000 producers have been assisted to boost their income through the online marketplace.

Including the mobile Kadiwa initiative, the program has generated PHP875,764,798 in sales from March 17, 2020 to March 27, 2021.

DA’s assistance for

high-value crop farmers ranges from seed distribution to hosting a storage facility for their produce.

The DA can also offer financial assistance, Laviña said.

“There is also a provision for them to transport their goods. It is handled by the DA-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service,” she added.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that banana, calamansi, mango, and pineapple are the four major fruit crops produced from October to December 2020. (PNA)

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Avail aid via coops, DA urges farmers, fisherfolk

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armers and fisherfolk must join cooperatives to benefit from various assistance programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Undersecretary for High-Value Crops and Rural Credit Evelyn Laviña said benefits cannot be disbursed individually.

“Dapat ang farmer or fisherman ay parte ng isang grupo upang maka-benepisyo sa mga program ng ating ahensya (Farmers and fisherfolk have to be a part of cooperatives or associations),” she said in a virtual press briefing on Thursday.

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A delivery rider braves the heavy downpour along Chavez Street in Davao City. The deliver services industry is among sectors recommended by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to be included in the A4 priority group for COVID-19 vaccinations. Edge Davao

DOE assures enough power supply during dry months T

Dragon fruit farm eyed as agri-tourism site in Matanao

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s power demand peaks during the dry season, the Department of Energy (DOE) does not foresee rotational brownouts as long as there will be no further shutdown of power plants that could substantially impact the Luzon grid.

DOE Assistant Secretary Redentor Delola said in a press briefing Thurs-

day that the current power supply can cater to the peak demand of 11,841

megawatts (MW), which is expected mid-May, even if seven power generation companies are offline from April to June.

Firms that have been on outage since last month are Asia Pacific Energy Corporation, Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan Power Company Ltd, Luzon Hy-

dro Corporation, First Gas Power Corporation, GN Power Mariveles Center Ltd. Co., Petron Corp., and Sem Calaca Power Corporation.

Some of the outage will extend until July and August.

Delola previously said

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he Municipal Agriculture Office of Matanao viewed the PCA Dragon fruit farm located in Barangay Bangkal to soon become an agri-tourism site in the municipality.

The Matanao MAO based this expectation from the owner’s plans on improving the farm and intent to apply with the Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) to be a Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA).

The family is also planning to have their own vermicast production for farm use.

More than 500 hills of dragon fruits are organically grown in the farm, some of which are bearing fruits already, according to the owner.

As of last week, the dragon fruits are sold at P180.00 per kilogram, but due to limited harvest, they cannot meet the demand. (PIA-XI/Carina L. Cayon)

mantra on being ‘Your Responsible Partner’ not just when it comes to being behind the wheel but also in giving back to the community,” said Hajime Koso, IPC President.

“We stand by our pledge to help Filipinos in need during these tough times where the country is still combating the pandemic,” he adds. IPC first forged a partnership with GMAKF back in 2018 with the commitment of pro-

viding transportation aid to the television network’s socio civic arm’s relief and emergency operations.

“The Isuzu D-MAX is known to be tough inside and out. Known for its off-road capabilities and loading capacity, we hope that our volunteer aids will gain added confidence and be able to move easily and comfortably to reach those who are residing in remote, mountainous areas,” Koso added.

DOLE-11 to hold Isuzu Philippines supports GMA Kapuso Foundation in fight against COVID-19 virtual job fairs

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n partnership with the local Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) Davao, the Department of Labor and Employment in Region 11 (DOLE-11) will hold two virtual job fairs slated on April 23 and on Labor Day (May 1).

In a statement Thursday, DOLE-11 said the April 23 virtual job fair would bring together 17 employers in Davao while 40 employers are expected to participate in the May 1 event offering 1,773 job vacancies.

At least 6,625 applicants pre-registered for the event, who will be screened by employers before the job fair.

The annual nationwide Labor Day Job Fair will also

be held virtually, DOLE-11 said.

“For both job fairs, employers will be gathered and provided with a common station. However, interviews with shortlisted candidates will be done virtually and over the phone, as mass gatherings remain prohibited in order to avoid the spread of the Covid-19 virus,” the agency said in a statement.

Job seekers are advised to regularly visit DOLE 11 Facebook page for announcements and advisories on the events, it added.

“Separate virtual coordination meetings with employers and job seekers will be held prior to the event,” DOLE-11 said.

DOLE-11 Director Ofelia Domingo emphasized

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suzu Philippines Corporation (IPC), the exclusive assembler, importer and distributor of Isuzu commercial and light commercial vehicles in the Philippines, turned over an Isuzu D-MAX LS A/T to one of its trusted partners the GMA Kapuso Foundation (GMAKF) last April 16, 2021.

The donation will primarily be utilized in the foundation’s ongoing “Labanan Natin ang

COVID-19” nationwide campaign wherein foundation provides Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to public hospital health workers and border frontliners as well as grocery packs to indigent quarantined families.

“We are delighted again to extend our support to GMA’s public service endeavors. Their philosophy of ‘Serbisyong Totoo’ closely resonates with our own corporate values and

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VOL.14 ISSUE 34• SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021

In explaining why an RT-PCR result is still required upon entry from a vaccinated traveler especially from Luzon or Visayas: Receiving a vaccine first dose or second dose is not a guarantee na dili naka magka COVID infection.

Remember, ang indication sa vaccine is to lower down the morbidity. Ilang likayan ang severity sa infection,” said.

Dr. Ashley Lopez City Health Officer (CHO)

EDGEDAVAO

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VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

CANCER ON THE RISE The headline says it all: “Cancer cases on the rise.”

A news dispatch, released by the Agence France Presse (AFP), said that while cancer treatment improves and survival rates go up, “so too does the number of people afflicted with the deadly disease.”

“The 14 million new cancer cases worldwide recorded in 2012 will balloon to 24 million within two decades, outstripping the increase in global population,” the AFP report said, quoting the Geneva-based World Health Organization.

In 2015, all forms of cancer combined claimed 8.8 million lives throughout the world. This made cancer the second leading cause of death after heart disease.

“We know how to help avoid it, and to detect it. We’re getting better at treating it. But overall, we’re not making real heady in the fight against cancer,” deplored Christopher Leroux, head of communications for France’s League Against Cancer.

The AFP report cited several reasons why cancer cases throughout the world are in-

creasing. Ageing population has been singled out as one cause.

The older a person, the most likely he or she gets the disease.

“Cancer risk increases with age,” the report pointed out.

Another reason: unhealthy lifestyle. These include smoking, eating poorly, lack of exercise, drinking alcohol and obesity.

Then, there’s that risk of being exposed to carcinogenic industrial pollutants (asbestos to name one) and organic pollutants (dioxin, heavy metals and small air particles that lodge in the lungs).

In 1998, WHO in its report, Life in the 21st Century: A Vision for All, warned: “Cancer will remain one of the leading causes of death worldwide.”

In the Philippines, cancer ranks third in leading causes of morbidity and mortality, based on the statistics compiled by the Department of Health. In the top list are communicable diseases and cardiovascular.

For every 1,000 Filipinos living today, one gets cancer.

And the incidence is higher among females than males, according to the Philippine Cancer Society, Inc. (PCSI). Ninety-one

percent occur between the ages of 35 and above.

Three-fourths of all cancer cases in the country emerge among those between the ages 60 and above. The leading cancer sites/types are lung, breast, cervix, liver, colon and rectum, prostate, stomach, oral cavity, ovary and leukemia.

Cancer is not a pleasant experience. Symptoms include loss of appetite, the slow wasting of the body, fatigue, stupor, bleeding, loss of motor functions, dementia, paralysis, or even a state of coma.

“I now understand why Jose Rizal made Noli Me Tangere the title for his novel about the cancer of Filipino society. I know – I have cancer. I can’t bear even the slightest touch for it is so painful,” a cancer patient revealed.

Cancer comes from the Greek word karnikos, which means “the crab.” It is not a modern disease. Some of our apelike ancestors undoubtedly suffered from it, so did the dinosaurs. In fact, says Dr. Robert Weinberg, a molecular biologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “it is a risk that all multicellular organisms run.”

Each time a human cell divides, it must replicate its DNA, a biochemical manuscript some 3 billion characters long. In the course of transcribing such a lengthy document, even a skilled typist could be expected to make mistakes, and cells, like typists, occasionally err.

More often than not, the mistakes they make are minor and quickly repaired by proteins that serve as miniature mechanics. Occasionally though, cells with defects in their DNA will continue to divide, eventually forming small growths. That’s the time trouble starts.

“The more cell-division cycles an organism undergoes, the more likely it is to accumulate colonies of abnormal cells, each of the offspring of a single progenitor,” wrote “Time” science writer J. Madeleine Nash. “By the time humans reach middle adulthood, then their bodies contain millions of cells that have taken at least one step toward cancer.”

“Cancer may be present in very many ways: as a lump, some change in body function, bleeding, anemia or weight loss – occasionally the first symp-

toms being from a metastasis,” explains The New American Desk Encyclopedia. “Less often tumors produce substances mimicking the action of hormones or producing remote effects such as neuritis.” Neuritis is any disorder of the peripheral nervous system, which interferes with sensation, the nerve control of muscle, or both.

Like taxes and death, cancer is no respecter. It strikes anyone – rich and poor, unknown and famous. Filipino president Corazon Aquino, American actors John Wayne and Chadwick Boseman, and Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman all died of cancer.

“People in urban areas have higher risk of getting cancer,” the PCSI informs. “Whether or not there are fewer cases in rural areas is hard to tell. Generally, cancer cases in remote barrios are not reported.”

In the Philippines, the PCSI says 80% of all cancers can be attributed to environmental influences, particularly those related to lifestyle practices, especially eating. “About one-third of all cancer deaths may be related to what we eat,” it points out.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

CONSTANCIO B. MAGLANA, LAWMAKER A native of Panaon, San Francisco, Southern Leyte, Constancio B. Maglana, a logger, was often associated with the defunct Lawaan theatre in Davao City, which, early in its operation, earned good reviews due to its iconic escalator and the cavalcade of trendy stalls occupying the multi-storied structure.

Maglana was Davao Oriental’s first and last congressman before Martial Law was declared in 1972. Two of his indelible marks as lawmaker were his March 27, 1968 privilege speech titled ‘Sabah is Philippines,’ which defended the country’s claim of North Borneo and the enactment of Republic Act 5747, signed on June 21, 1969, creating the town of Banaybanay, Davao Oriental.

In his Sabah defense, Rep. Maglana, following the Jabidah massacre debacle, criticized

Malaysia for subjecting the Filipinos in Sabah to indignities, arresting them for immigration violations, treating them like criminals, arrested and quarantined, and were not fed well, adding: “Malaysia is again resorting to psychological warfare. This time it has become presumptuous to use the Philippines as a tool in making the world believe that there is some form of democracy in that oppressed colonial state by putting words in our mouths conveying the meaning that there is an opposition in Sabah. The accusation is most welcomed because it gives us the opportunity to announce to the world that there is no such thing as an opposition in Sabah, neither in Brunei or Sarawak, hence the administration, even if it is the last thing it will do on earth, will not waste one centavo for an opposition that does not exist.”

Rep. Maglana was also an entrepreneur. He and wife Leodigaria co-owned Eastcoast Development Enterprises, which operated a logging concession at Kinablangan, Baganga, Davao Oriental. The firm, as a partnership between the Maglanas and Eufracio D. Rojas under an Articles of Co-Partnership, was listed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Jan. 21, 1955.

The co-owners also filed a timber application in Cateel and Baganga, Davao Oriental.

The Bureau of Forestry approved the application after complying with the documentary requirements and issued Timber License No. 35-56 as basis of the partnership.

Under the co-operation, Maglana managed the business, conducted marketing, handled cash, and signed all papers and instruments, while Rojas acted as logging superin-

tendent and operations manager. Both shared in all company losses and profits.

Although the company experienced success for years, it was later sued for illegal dismissal case, which led to the decision to sell it. On Jan. 5, 1978, EDE’s shareholdings were sold to George Q. Choy, who renamed the company Eastcoast Development Enterprises, Inc. Under the new owner, the employees were given their unpaid wages, living allowances, overtime pay, and all other benefits, including termination pay, on Jan. 21, 1978.

Least known among Maglana’s engagements was his investment in Southern Air Lines, a single proprietorship owned by Jacob S. Lim. On May 17, 1965, Lim entered a sales contract for the purchase of two DC-3A Type aircrafts and a set of necessary spare parts with Japan Domestic

Airlines (JDA) for the price of $109,000. Both aircrafts were separately delivered ino Manila within two months after the consummation of the deal.

Prior to the deliveries, Lim secured a surety bond from Pioneer Insurance and Surety Corp. on May 22, 1965 in favor of JDA, which covered the balance of payment for the aircrafts and spare parts. Earlier, he proposed to Border Machinery and Heavy Equipment Co., Inc., Francisco, and Modesto Cervantes and Maglana to contribute funds for the purchase of the aircrafts and spare parts and for the new corporation Lim planned to organize as an expansion.

The agreement, however, went haywire and was litigated. Lim lost in the final ruling while the insurance firm, due to Lim’s default in paying his obligations, had to shell out close to P300,000 to the JDA.

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VOL.14 ISSUE 34 • SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021 VOL.14 ISSUE 34• SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021

EDGEDAVAO LIFESTYLE

BRIGADA PHARMACIES AND GROCERIES NOW ON FOODPANDA

COMMUNITIES in General Santos City, Soccsksargen can now experience the convenience of shopping for their medicines and other necessities from Bridaga Pharmacies and Groceries through the foodpanda app.

A total of seven Brigada pharmacy and grocery branches will be available for delivery starting April 15, with six branches from Gensan and one branch from Koronadal.

With just a few taps on foodpanda shops, customers can order over-the-counter medicines, food, affordable groceries, Brigada fresh items, and basic essentials at affordable prices. These will be brought safely to their doorstep by the friendly pink-clad riders who take every precaution to

protect their customers and themselves.

Inside Brigada Pharmacy.

This foodpanda partnership From L-R are foodpanda GenSan and Koronadal city manager Michael Carbon with with Brigada Pharmacies and Brigada Pharmacies representatives Daryll Paquit and IT specialist Carlo Eisbon Moran.

Groceries is part of the company’s commitment to providing Groceries is a great addition to to be able to deliver more of its customers in neighborhoods their roster of Shops partners. our products to GenSan resiall over the country with a “From their product range dents who are looking for the wide variety of choices for their that includes over the counter combination of affordability essentials on its shops page. medicines and wellness items and quality that we offer,” says With the foodpanda shops to organic Brigada fresh meats, Ymeir Shann Catulpos, Presiservice, more Filipinos can stay we can now be sure to offer dent of Brigada Pharmacies. safely at home while enjoying more options for our customTo start your convenient the convenience of the fooders who want to avoid going delivery journey on foodpanda panda online experience. out, especially during these and to find more shops, visit Ezra Espina, Cluster Head times.” www.foodpanda.ph or downof foodpanda Mindanao “We are very happy to be load foodpanda on Google play says Brigada Pharmacies and partnering with foodpanda and the app store.

BETTERING FILIPINO HOMES AMIDST ADVERSITIES WITH GLOBE AT HOME IT is not uncommon knowledge that the internet has become more central in every Filipino household since the country went into lockdown more than a year ago.

From work and school to doctor consultations and the way movies are premiered these days—everything has gone digital in the name of keeping everyone safe from the deadly virus that has so far taken almost 3 million lives worldwide.

Needless to say, the need for faster and more reliable connection in every home has never been more essential, and as a response to this, Globe At Home has, for months now, been working on providing Filipinos just this. The company recently announced the launch of UNLI FIBER UP, its enhanced postpaid broadband plans. Each plan under this new line has, of course, upgraded speed. But more than that, what’s really fascinating are the freebies

that come with it.

Frontlining the free modern essentials that come with every new UNLI FIBER UP plan is a medical insurance for Covid-19

and Dengue via GInsure. Fulfilled in partnership with digital life insurer, Singlife, the added perk provides subscribers with GCash assistance medical coverage of up

to PhP140,500 for three months.

In addition to this, UNLI FIBER UP plans also gives subscribers access to 24/7 online doctor consultation via KonsultaMD, as well as 3-month subscription to streaming services, Viu Premium, HBO Go, and Amazon Prime Video.

“UNLI FIBER UP represents Globe At Home’s leveled-up commitment to help the nation win against Covid-19 and its ripple effects,” shares Barbie Dapul, VP for Marketing of Globe At Home.

“We continue to reinvent not just our offerings, but also how we operate in order to effectively respond to new challenges. I am proud to say that now—more than ever—Globe at Home is Powered

by Care. And we shall continue to move towards that direction in the days to come.”

The telco provider believes that in the case of the new reality we

live in, winning starts at home, so they designed the new UNLI FIBER UP postpaid plans to make it easier for everyone to power through despite all the odds.

“We understand the worries of our customers as they go through the new normal. That’s why our efforts have been geared towards levelling up customer experience with proactive care at the core of everything we do. More than connectivity, we aim for reliability and consistency in our services— from application to retention—to give them the best care they deserve,” says Darius Delgado, Globe VP and Head of Broadband Business.

To learn more about Globe At Home’s new UNLI FIBER UP plans, you may visit https://www. globe.com.ph/broadband. You can also download the Globe At Home app and follow Globe At Home on Facebook.

DON’T GET DROWNED WHEN SWIMMING I

9 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 34• SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

t was a warm Sunday morning and most of the families were out in Coaco Beach in Davao City. Five-year-old Jane was swimming along with other kids.

No adult was looking after them. Jane’s mother, Charlene, was busy preparing their food for lunch while the father, Jonathan, was buying soft drinks in the nearby store.

Suddenly, three consecutive big waves hit the kids.

Jane was carried away into the deeper part and seconds after, she was already gasping and drinking a lot of water. The other kids could not help her since they, too, didn’t know how to swim. It was just a matter of a minute and Jane went down to the water. It was at this moment that Aida, a neighbor who was also on the beach, came and immediately rescued Jane.

But it seemed it was already late. Jane was already pale and was not moving anymore. “Will somebody help us,” Aida shouted.

Everyone who heard the shout came running. “What happened?” Charlene inquired and when she saw it was her daughter she was shocked.

Fortunately, Ferdinand, Aida’s son, and his friend, Renato, were around. Both had attended a first aid workshop conducted by the Philippine National Red Cross a couple of weeks ago.

Sensing that Jane was no longer breathing, the two immediately did mouthto-mouth resuscitation.

First, it was Ferdinand who breathed into Jane’s mouth.

Afterwards, Renato took over. Three minutes later, Jane vomited some water and started breathing again.

Charlene was crying

and smiling when she saw her daughter had been brought back to life. They immediately brought her to the hospital.

“Thank you very much,” she told Ferdinand and Renato. “You have saved the life of my daughter just on time.”

More often than not, people generally call the emergency hotline: 911.

But “ambulances take too long to get to places where they are needed most because of horrendous traffic and other conditions they have to get through,” says Dr. Siang Hiong Goh, head of emergency medicine at the Changi General Hospital in Singapore.

In most parts of Asia, including the Philippines, the response time for emergency ambulance calls is between 10 and 20 minutes. That’s beyond the six-minute mark. Experts estimate that once the heart stops, there is a crucial window of four to six minutes to restore circulation.

“The universal final step to dying is when the heart stops to beat or pump so that circulation of blood and distribution of oxygen to every part of the body cease,” explains Dr. Roberto A. Raymundo, the chairman of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) of the Philippine Heart Association. “Our cells in the body

cannot survive without oxygen. Brain cells, in particular, begin to die in four to six minutes in the absence of oxygen supply.”

So, when a rescuer breathes air into the victim's lungs, oxygen is provided into the blood.

Or when a rescuer compresses on the chest, the oxygen-carrying blood is moved or circulated through the body of the victim.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR is considered the cornerstone of emergency medicine. “When done properly, CPR can help preserve the brain and heart functions until the actual cause of the arrest can be addressed,” says Dr. Raymundo.

There are lots of reasons why someone’s breathing or heartbeat might stop – heart attack, stroke, drowning, electrocution, vehicular accidents, overdose and many others.

According to Dr. Raymundo, many untimely deaths can be prevented if only bystanders know and can do CPR until the emergency response team in ambulances arrives. A warning though: If you are not trained in CPR, do not attempt to resuscitate.

Experts share the following instructions you need to do in case of an emergency. Take note, however, that these are for use on unresponsive victims age 8 and older.

1. Have someone call 911 or the number for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in your area.

2. With the victim lying face-up, tilt the head back by lifting the chin up with

one hand, pushing down on the forehead with the other hand, to open the airway.

3. Look, listen and feel for signs of normal breathing (chest rising and falling, breath on your face or ear) for about five seconds.

4. If the victim is not breathing, pinch the nostrils shut and give two slow full mouth-to-mouth breaths, making sure a good seal is formed and making sure you see the chest rise.

5. Check for normal breathing, moving and coughing – signs of circulation.

6. If the victim begins regular breathing and regains consciousness, monitor until help comes. If he is breathing but unconscious, turn him onto his side and monitor until help arrives.

7. If the victim is still not breathing, moving or coughing within 5 to 10 seconds, give 15 chest compressions at a steady rhythm of about 2 per second: Place the heel of one hand with the other atop it at the center of the breastbone directly between the nipples. Lock your elbows and align your shoulders directly above your hands.

Push down just enough to move the breastbone about one and a half to two inches.

8.

Repeat rescue breaths and chest compressions. After four cycles, check for signs of breathing and circulation.

9. Until circulation and breathing return or help arrives, continue compressions and rescue breaths at a ratio of 15 to 2. Check for signs of circulation and breathing every few minutes.

Drowning

Death by drowning is one of the most common causes among accidental deaths. Drowning doesn’t just happen in the beaches and rivers. You can drown in a wading pool – or even in a bathtub.

“A cry, a splash by the arms and legs, and a period of immersion when the drowning victim disappears from sight are all the signs that a person in the water may be drowning,” says Dr. Stephen J. Rosenberg, an American neurologist and expert in geriatric emergencies.

A word of advice: Never let a drowning person grab onto you in deep water.

There’s a possibility that you will go under as well.

So, if you’re out of shape, don’t even attempt to save a drowning person. Call for help instead.

“Rescue is only half the job,” says Dr. Rosenberg.

“Reviving someone who has drowned or swallowed water is the other half, and it’s equally important when it comes to saving a life.”

Here’s what you need to do to revive someone who has drowned: 1. Call EMS. 2. Turn the victim’s head to the side, allowing any water to drain from the person’s mouth and nose.

3. Begin CPR on land.

Strongly breathe four times into the mouth of the victim as you pinch the nose. This helps air get past any water that is clogging the breathing passageways and the lungs.

4. After four breaths, put your ear near the mouth and watch the chest for any breathing movement.

Check the pulse for signs of life. Repeat the cycle.

5. Once the victim has regained consciousness and breathing again, keep him still and quiet while waiting for the medical help to arrive.

Prevention tips Recent studies have shown that children drown in pools, spas, buckets, toilets and bathtubs. A child can drown in as little as two inches of water and in less time than it takes to answer the telephone.

Here are some drowning prevention tips: • There is no substitute for adequate supervision. Children need to be watched. Never leave children unattended in or around pools or spas - not even for a second.

• Access to the pool or spa area should be limited by locked doors, windows and self-closing, self-latching gates on fences surrounding the pool. Latches should be above the reach of children.

• Do not allow children to play in pool areas. Keep toys out of the area.

• Keep rescue equipment such as a long handled hook and a ring buoy with a rope hanging near the pool.

• Always keep chairs, tables, or toys away from the pool or spa fence to keep children from using them to climb over.

• Do not allow anyone of any age to swim alone.

Drowning happens to adults too. When you are entertaining a group of children or adults, have a designated pool watcher who is responsible for keeping track of everyone. Examples of safe water behavior by adults are important for young children.

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VOL.14 ISSUE 34• SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021

UNSTIRRED... FROM2

idential candidates for 2022 elections, the mayor continue to shrugged off the discussion as she expressed no interest to run for President.

She even asked survey groups to remove her name from “presidentiable” list.

In February this year, Mayor Sara affirmed ‘nothing’ will change her

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mind about not running for the country’s top post in the 2022 elections.

She made the statement in reaction to the display of tarpaulins printed with “Run Sara Run” in Metro Manila and some areas in the Davao Region.

The mayor also asked that the tarpaulins and other similar signages be taken down.

closed facilities such as Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bahay Pag-asa, Home for the Aged, and orphanage; and other barangays and areas deemed high risk by the CHO. After the PUV drivers, Lopez said that riders of food delivery companies would also be asked to undergo mandatory swabbing.

He added that the local government would also open more swabbing areas at the Magsaysay Park and People’s Park.

Mayor Sara Duterte is expected to issue an executive order for the mandatory swab testing of all PUV drivers in coordination with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), according to Lopez.

He added that surveillance swabbing would also cover business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, banks, government institutions, and churches and seminaries.

Under Executive Order 20, the local government

ordered “mandatory swab testing” of all close contacts, including the second and third generation contacts, of an index case.

Individuals are considered “first generation” close contacts or F1 when they come in direct contact with an active case, “second generation” or F2 are the persons who have direct contact with F1, and “third generation” or F3 are the close contacts of F2.

As of April 20, the Department of Health (DOH)-Davao Region reported 38 new cases, bringing the total cases to 22,810, with 890 active, 20,949 recoveries, and 971 deaths in the region.

Out of the total, Davao City, which reported the highest COVID-19 cases in Mindanao, tallied 14,284 cases, with 400 active, 13,200 recoveries, and 684 deaths. Davao de Oro reported 1,470 cases, Davao del Norte with 3,899, Davao del Sur with 1,528, Davao Occidental with 224, and Davao Oriental with 1,405.

private sector during the first leg of the forum,” he said.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, during the first leg of the Mindanao Economic Recovery Forum on April 7, asked the government for guidelines on how to initiate a COVID vaccination program involving the LGUs and the private sector so that economic activities could be restarted.

“Usec. Dumama said the new guidelines now would allow LGU and private sector procurement of the vaccine but this initiative was impeded by the need to consolidate the volume of the vaccines to be imported. He said the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City has the capability of storing the vaccines, which would be

imported,” Piñol disclosed.

Among the agreed points on the Mindanao COVID 19 vaccination initiative were; the Mindanao Vaccination Program will be supervised by the DOH and the IATF, MinDA will serve as the lead convenor for LGUs and private companies that will participate in the program, and the procurement of the vaccines will be funded fully by the LGUs and the private companies.

Also, MinDA will act as the consolidator and facilitator of the vaccine importation to ensure that the volume required by the exporters would be met and will also provide assistance to LGUs, which are not financially capable to procure the vaccines to avail of loan funds from financing institutions.

person cannot be infected with the virus that is why an RT-PCR result is still required upon entry from a vaccinated traveler especially from Luzon or Visayas.

“Receiving a vaccine first dose or second dose is not a guarantee na dili naka magka COVID infection. Remember, ang indication sa vaccine is to lower down the morbidity. Ilang likayan ang severity sa infection,” said.

The city has implemented other measures in all

entry points such as clinical screening, body temperature, and social distancing for all international and inbound passengers.

Lopez said the Covid-19 task force is also looking into those who present fake RT-PCR results and these incidents are being dealt with accordingly.

As of April 17, 2021, a total of 79 people were apprehended for presenting a tampered or fake RT-PCR results at the Davao International Airport (DIA). By Maya M. Padillo

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up and mangrove planting earlier this morning.

A total of 1,200 mangroves were planted, 600 propagules and 600 seedlings.

A total of 312 garbage bins were also distributed to 78 offices inside the City Hall. Each offices were given 4 bins.

31 offices were invit-

ed to participate with the solid waste management orientation for each of their utility workers.

Earth Day is a global celebration to create awareness anout pollution and celebrate the environment.

This year, Earth Day is alcelebrated with the theme: “Restore Our Earth”. (CIO MATI)

nila with 12 percent in the survey conducted between Feb. 22 and March 3.

She also topped the preferred presidential candidates among Class E respondents with 29 percent, followed by Class ABC (28) and Class D (26).

For the survey, Pulse Asia asked the question: “Of the people on this list, whom would you vote for as president of the Philippines if the May 2022 elections were held today and they were candidates? You may mention others not included in this list.”

Late last year, the President’s daughter also led possible presidential candidates for the upcoming

national elections also conducted by Pulse Asia.

She has repeatedly denied being interested to run for the country’s top post, but this did not deter her loyal supporters to set up banners across the nation asking her to run.

Pulse Asia president Prof. Ronald Holmes had earlier explained that the Davao mayor’s surname may have something to do with her popularity rating.

Her father, the President, has said he has told his daughter not to run for the presidency.

The survey involved 2,400 adult respondents who were interviewed face-to-face.

to P500,000 for each barangay.

Also part of the turnover was the improved birthing facility, halfway house and health facilities, of which project was worth P1 million.

Mayor Arthur Davin expressed his thanks to the Department of Health Region XI for downloading funds for the construction and improvement of health facilities in the municipal-

ity.

mobilize field operations when travel restrictions are imposed and sources of funds are shut down. Still, we are able to persevere, thanks to the support of the Australian Government and other conservation partners,” said Dennis Salvador, executive director of PEF. “We hope to see Tagoyaman successfully breed and contribute to his species’ wild population in the future. His release on Earth Day is also our resounding call for long-term solutions to our problematic relationship with nature and wildlife. We believe that by conserving the Philippine Eagle and the biodiversity it represents, we can avoid another disease outbreak,” Salvador said.

Tagoyaman was the first Philippine Eagle to be released back to the wild this year.

“The Australian Embassy is proud to continue our support to the Philippine Eagle Foundation for the protection and preservation of the Philippine Eagle.

I travelled to Bukidnon to witness Tagoyaman’s release because it is an important milestone in the Philippines’ efforts in conserving local wildlife biodiversity,” Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven J. Robinson said.

Tagoyaman Fernando is estimated to be four years old. Photo courtesy of PEF “Australia stands with our friends in the Philippines as they protect their natural resources, in their lands or seas. This onitiative reinforces our deep and expanding relationship as we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries,” Robinson added.

The PEF said it has taken measures for Tagoyaman’s survival in the wild through the support of its conservation partners.

An education campaign targeting communities surrounding the release site was conducted and Lumad forest guards were trained to perform voluntary forest patrols and monitor Tagoyaman’s movements

the department’s commitment to help and mitigate the labor market’s recovery from the global health crisis, which affected both the formal and informal sectors.

“These events are in line with DOLE’s mandate to promote gainful employment opportunities, especially in these trying times,” Domingo added. (PNA)

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MAGSAYSAY... FROM3

Davin hoped that more projects will be extended to barangays that also need repairs of their facilities like Malawanit and Maibo.

Punong Barangay Exequiel Elentorio of Brgy.

Barayong thanked the local government of Magsaysay and DOH-XI for extending assistance and service to the barangays despite the current crisis. (PIA-XI/Carina L. Cayon)

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portfolio for sustainable development projects, coal and diesel-fired power projects account for 45 percent, similar to the level extended for RE projects. The balance of 10 percent is accounted for by gas-fired power projects.

BPI, on its 2020 Integrated Report, said sustainable development finance (SDF) for energy efficiency projects amounted to PHP835 million last year while it amounted to PHP47.8 million for RE projects and PHP6.9 billion for climate resilience projects.

It said the share of largescale renewable projects handled by SFD account for the bulk of the bank’s clean energy financing portfolio.

“BPI aims to continue to respond to the energy needs of the country enriching its energy portfolio with more renewable energy projects.

While we cannot yet fully abandon coal and non-renewable energy, because of the deficit in energy supply versus demand, we support the shift to renewable energy resources and energy efficiency,” it added. (PNA)

preparation like four-wheel and one-hand tractors, and attachments like tillers, totaling PHP1.7 billion; 496 units for crop establishment like transplanters and seeders, worth PHP500 million; and 2,028 units of post-harvest equipment like mechanical harvesters, threshers and milling machines, worth PHP2.8 billion.

PhilMech studies show that mechanizing rice production operations, from land preparation to harvest, can reduce the production cost of palay (paddy rice) by

PHP2 to PHP3 per kilogram (kg).

In a data provided by the DA’s Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), the current cost of producing palay in the Philippines is at PHP12.72 per kilo, while it is PHP6.22 in Vietnam and PHP8.86 in Thailand.

DA-PhilMech director Baldwin Jallorina assured that the distribution of farm machinery and equipment to rice farmers’ groups will continue despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

the DOE is already looking into shutdowns that are caused by scheduled maintenance and technical glitches, among others.

“Given these extended outages, what we are seeing in our profile is there is a possibility of yellow alerts during week 15 to week 18. That’s the second week of April and the first week of May. We expect another round of yellow alerts during week 21 to week 25,” he said.

DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella

said consumers need not worry about yellow alert status as this would not lead to power interruption.

“Huwag tayong mangamba dahil meron pa tayong supisyente na kuryente.

Hindi s’ya nagreresulta sa power interruption. Pero ‘pag nag-red alert na po ‘yan, ‘yon ang nagkakaroon ng mga rotating brownout (Let’s not worry because we have sufficient power. It won’t result in a power interruption. But if it’s a red alert, that’s when we will have rotating brownouts),” he said.

stands at 7-foot-3, but Sotto is the first to admit that he needs to put on more muscle on his frame. RealGM lists Sotto’s weight at 95kg.

His coach in the 36ers, Conner Henry, has warned that Sotto will be playing against “grown men” in the NBL, and thus he needs to be prepared for the physicality of the league.

It’s a challenge that Sotto is aware of and readily welcomes. “’Yun talaga ‘yung para sa akin, ‘yung No. 1 na thing na nagpapahirap sa akin, para makalaro sa higher level. Kailangan ko pang maging mas malakas, and to be more athletic, to play more athletic,” said Sotto in an interview with news portal ABS CBN Sports.

“Ayun nga, once na nakuha ko na ‘yung tamang lakas, tamang bilis, sa tingin ko mas madali na lalo ‘yung magiging, parang pakiramdam ko kapag naglaro na ako sa higher level,” he said.

Sotto already gained more weight and muscle during the time he spent with the NBA G League’s Ig-

nite program, and upon his exit from the team, has continued to work out in Miami. Currently, Sotto works with noted trainer Stanley Remy, who also trains Los Angeles Lakers center Andre Drummond.

“I have really, really good basketball and fitness trainers,” said Sotto. “Nagko-continue pa rin ako na tulungan ‘yung sarili ko na mag-improve and magpalakas pa lalo.”

His new team is also ready to help him in that aspect. According to Jeff Van Groningen, the general manager of the 36ers, they plan to appoint a personal development coach for Sotto as well as a strength and conditioning coach.

Henry, the Adelaide coach, has already tapped the team’s strength and conditioning trainer Nick Richardson to aid Sotto in his quest to become stronger.

“Nick Richardson, our strength and conditioning coach, who we feel is elite, will help him get stronger and faster and more athletic,” Henry assured.

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VOL.14 ISSUE 34• SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021

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Gilas Pilipinas will face Korea on June 16, Indonesia on June 19, and Korea again on June 20.

Olympic torch relay runner tests positive for Covid-19

T

okyo Olympics organizers have confirmed the first Covid-19 case from the nationwide Olympic torch relay, local media reported on Thursday.

The coronavirus patient is a police officer who engaged in traffic control duties in the western Kagawa prefecture last Saturday, according to the Kyodo news agency.

The organizers said the officer, who is in his 30s, took a test on Sunday after feeling unwell, adding they believe no one came in close contact with him.

Japan is preparing to host the delayed Olympic Games that will begin on July 23. No international spectators will be allowed to attend the games due to the pandemic.

The country of 127 million people has reported a total of 541,496 Covid-19 cases, including 9,710 deaths. It started a vaccination campaign early last month.

The traditional Olympic torch relay, which has been scaled back, start-

ed on March 25 in the Fukushima prefecture.

Due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases, Japan is mulling to impose a third state of emergency in at last four prefectures, including the capital Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo.

Japan’s plans to impose a state of emergency have received support from International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, who said the decision is “unrelated to the approaching games.”

Speaking at a news conference in Geneva on Wednesday, Bach said: “If this measure would be taken, I think it would be absolutely in line with the very diligent approach we see being taken by the Japanese government, the Tokyo metropolitan government and all of the Japanese authorities.”

“It is a preventative measure, and for this limited time. This is absolutely in line with the overall policy of the government, but it is not related to the Olympic Games,” he added.

(Anadolu)

Anthony Davis tries to get a shot up over Dorian Finney-Smith. PHOTO: AP

Gilas’ FIBA ACQ sked bared

N

ine nations will take part in the third window of the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers to be held from June 16 to 20 inside the Clark bubble.

Host Gilas Pilipinas will face Korea on June 16, Indonesia on June 19, and Korea again on June 20 under the schedule released by Fiba for the tournament, which represents the teams’ last chance to make it to the Asian showpiece.

Other Group A fixtures include the game between

Korea and Indonesia on June 17, Thailand against Korea on June 19, and Indonesia against Thailand on June 20.

Japan and China will open Group B hostilities on June 16. China and Chinese Taipei face off on June 17, Japan battles Chinese Taipei on June 18, China and Japan face off anew on June 19,

and China faces Chinese Taipei again on June 20.

Guam and Hong Kong will lock horns in a Group C showdown on June 16 and will battle in the second fixture on June 18.

Fiba has not yet to schedule the remaining games of Group B team Malaysia and Group C squads Australia and New Zealand as there’s no word yet on why they won’t be participating in the third window.

Aside from the Clark bubble, Fiba has also re-

leased the schedule for the Amman bubble in Jordan from June 12 to 14, where Group E, consisting of Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and Group F, which has Kazakhstan, Palestine, and Jordan, are set to play.

Also yet to be scheduled are the remaining games for Sri Lanka, which also won’t be going to Amman.

Only three nations have booked spots in the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup so far, namely Lebanon, Bahrain, and hosts Indonesia.

tive games against the Lakers when Kristaps Porzingis sprained his left ankle and was ruled out for the rest of the game.

With Davis on the bench for the rest of the game and fellow star LeBron James also watching from there with his sprained right ankle, the Lakers erased an 11-point halftime deficit and were within four with three minutes remaining but Dallas held on.

The teams play another national TV game in Dallas on Saturday night.

Davis, who had four rebounds, also missed two free throws while settling for jumpers but also failing to convert at the rim. Coach Frank Vogel said the plan was to play Davis about 15 minutes, all in the first half.

Davis was shut down after a 122-105 loss at Denver on Feb. 14, when the 28-year-old in his ninth season played just 14 minutes to start an LA slide of five losses in six games.

With James expected to miss at least two more weeks, the Lakers dropped to 7-10 since his injury. The defending NBA champs are

fifth in the Western Conference, one spot out of homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Porzingis, playing a back-to-back for just the third time this season as the Mavericks try to protect him after offseason knee surgery, scored 19 points before limping to the bench and eventually off the court after his latest injury.

The 7-foot-3 Latvian missed the first nine games after the procedure on his right knee. He was out another three in a row with back tightness and has missed 19 games this season.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored a season-high 29 points, Dennis Schroder had 25 and 13 assists and Andre Drummond had 14 points and 19 rebounds for the Lakers.

After Caldwell-Pope pulled LA within 110106 with a 3, Dorian Finney-Smith answered with one after the teams traded misses. The Mavericks won their second straight at home after four consecutive losses at American Airlines Center.

Mavs down Lakers in Davis return

D

ALLAS — Luka Doncic scored 30 points, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 115-110 victory over the Lakers on Thursday night (Friday, Manila time) in the return of Los Angeles star Anthony Davis from a 30-game injury absence.

Davis was rusty in his

first game since Feb. 14 because of right calf and heel issues, scoring four points on 2-of-10 shooting while limited to 17 minutes in the first half only. The absence was the longest of the eighttime All-Star’s career.

The Mavericks lost their big man in the third quarter of the first of two consecu-

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

BIG, BAD HOOPS

VOL.13 ISSUE 262 • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2021 VOL.14 ISSUE 34• SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021

Aussie’s physical basketball will toughen Kai

K

ai Sotto will be introduced to a very physical Aussie-brand basketball when he struts his wares in the National Basketball League (NBL) for the Adelaide 36ers.

The 7-3 beanpole is aiming to elevate his game to a new level and boost his stock for a future NBA draft.

“I really have to get stronger,” Sotto told reporters in a media roundtable on Wednesday, after he announced that he is headed to Australia to play for the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League (NBL).

File photo Pia Cayetano Height is notshows an Senator issue for the Filipino during cereteenager whoa now FBIG, P10 monial kickoff

Kai Sotto competes against Argentina during the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Greece.

File photo. FIBA.basketbal

FHAIL, P10