Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 46 | Saturday, May 8, 2021

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An elderly man maneuvers his bicycle installed with dozen of fan blades from broken electric fans along Sales Street in Davao City on Friday. The Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) has issued a warning to motorists of the possible violations they may face for using and blocking designated bike lanes in the city. Edge Davao

Ordinance regulating ‘habal-habal’ expected to pass on final reading

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 46 • SATURDAY, MAY 08, 2021

ALMOST LEGAL

President Rodrigo Duterte discuses matters with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Senator Christopher Lawrence Go at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on Wednesday night. The President said he is willing to hold a formal debate with former Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue.PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Ordinance regulating ‘habal-habal’ expected to pass on final reading

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he ordinance that will legalize the operation of ‘habal-habal’ or motorcycle taxis in Davao City is expected to be approved on third and final reading this coming Tuesday.

Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang said that the proposed ordinance, which was approved during the second reading last Tuesday, was introduced by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

“Theonewhomentioned it was Mayor Sara because if you remember during the pandemic daghan mga areas diri nga wala’y sakyanan.

Tapos inspite sa pandemic

Also known as “The Habal-Habal Ordinance of 2021”, also aims to secure the safety of passengers, especially children, by regulating the operation of motorcycle taxis along roads.

Among regulated acts mentioned in the ordinance is no person shall operate and drive a “habal-habal” or motorcycle taxi within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City unless drivers/ operators are holding current LTO registration and O.R of the “habal-habal” unit, current driver’s license of the driver, and the payment of annual license fee to the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) in the amount of P500.

It is also stated in the ordinance that no “habalhabal” drivers shall be allowed to carry more than two passengers at a time.

The drivers/operators of the motorcycle taxi is required to provide protective motor helmets for riders and passengers prescribed under Section 3 of the Republic Act (RA) 10054 or an act mandating all motorcycle riders to wear standard protective motorcycle helmets while driving.

The ordinance also recommended for a color coded helmet depending on the route which will be determined by the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO).

harmonizing some provisions of the city Bicycle Ordinance and the Traffic Code of Davao.

“Gina-finalize na nato ang penalties sa parking or obstruction sa bike lanes.

Since naa na man ta’y bike lanes, so, mag-implement na pud ta nga dapat walay mo-parking diha (We are finalizing the penalties for

the [illegal] parking on or obstruction of our bike lanes. Since we already have it, so, we will be imposing rules that no one should be parking there),” Abude said in a phone interview.

Currently, Abude said that car drivers who have illegally parked on bike lanes are charged with illegal parking and fined

P500. Aside from this, they may be also facing charges in violation of disregarding traffic signs.

Abude added that the desired time for stopping or dropping in designated bike lanes is 4 minutes. Beyond that, if caught, the violator will be issued a citation ticket.

Abude also said that the CTTMO is prioritizing

ginadakop gihapon sila.

So we want to legalize their operations and to be regulated,” Dayanghirang said in an phone interview.

Police widens search for 8 missing persons in GenSan

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he city police has created a special tracker team to expand the investigation and continuing search for eight persons, including four minors, who have been reported missing since last month.

Maj. Rissa Hernaez, spokesperson of the city police office, said they are currently coordinating with relatives, friends and other concerned persons to establish the possible location of the missing individuals.

She said the creation of the tracker team was ordered

by Col. Gilberto Tuzon, the city police director, in response to requests from concerned local government officials.

“We are trying to gather more information from

the families of the missing persons to determine the circumstances of their disappearance and get potential leads as to their whereabouts,” she said in an interview over local television program “Morning Hataw.”

Of the eight missing persons reported to various city police stations, seven were aged below 20-years-old while one was 46-years-old.

Four of them were minors, with three aged 16-years-old from Barangay Katangawan who reportedly went missing on the same day.

Hernaez said it was possible that three of the four minors knew each other but investigators were still determining their connections.

the establishment of the Bike Management Team to monitor the correct use of bike lanes in the city.

At present, Davao City has 27 roads with new and upgraded bike lanes.

The city government is also collaborating with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) XI to create more dedicated

lanes for bicycle riders along the Carlos P. Garcia Highway (Diversion Road), DavaoBukidnon Highway, Matina Aplaya to Ecoland Drive, C. Bangoy St., Ecowest Drive, and Tulip Drive.

The CCTMO is working on educating more Dabawenyos about the safety and the proper use of bike lanes.

Davao CTTMO warns against motorists blocking bike lanes

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he Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) has warned motorists of the possible violations they may face for using and blocking designated bike lanes in the city.

CTTMO chief Dionisio Abude said that the city government is currently

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 46 • SATURDAY, MAY 08, 2021

NEWS 3

Medical frontliners from the Emergency Operation Center of the local IATF in Iligan City administer Sinovac-made vaccines against COVID-19 for senior citizens at Robinson’s Place onThursday, May 6, 2021. MindaNews photo by RICHELV. UMEL

DILG evaluates unified StaySafe.Ph

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epartment of Interior and Local Government 11 (DILG 11) regional director Alex Roldan on Friday said they are on the stage of evaluating the planned uniformed StaySafe.Ph. To boost the country’s contact tracing program amid the rising number of Covid-19 cases, DILG renewed its call to all local government units (LGUs) and the general public to use and patronize the StaySafe.Ph application for digital contact tracing.

“StaySafe.Ph naa na sa DILG sa pagka-karon. We are now in the process of evaluating it para mahimong uniform pud ang atong QR codes nationwide,” Roldan said in a virtual presser.

StaySafe.Ph app, is the country’s official contact tracing, health condition reporting, and social distancing system.

“Isa pud ni sa atoang problema kay lain-lain ang lugar lain-lain ang QR codes. Gina-evaluate karon kung unsa ang gyud ang dynamics ani ug unsa na IT infrastructure ang required.

We don’t want to be in a

situation na kung i-roll out na nato, pagkahuman muingon ang mga tao ngano dili man mi maka register?” he said.

Roldan said with StaySafe.PH it will be easier and more efficient to contact trace and monitor the movement of the people.

The app engages the public against the spread of Covid-19 and aggregates all reports available in desktop and mobile versions, allowing the government to respond quickly to people’s needs and make informed and timely decisions to keep Filipinos safe during the pandemic.

“It will make people more responsible kay didto sa app mura ka ug naay imong tubagon like how do you feel today? Gi ubo ba ka?

Muabot ang imong data sa Department of Health and then kung mu read didto na basin positive ka puwede ka nila paadtuan ug medical experts para ma check ka dayon. Mas better ni nga system,” he said.

Roldan added that the unified StaySafe.PH is expected to be rolled out in the next few months. By Maya M. Padillo

DepEd early enrollment extended until May 31

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he Department of Education will accept early enrolees for school year 2021-2022 until the end of May, Undersecretary Jesus Mateo said on Thursday.

In a statement, Mateo said the early registration for the the next school year was extended to give parents and students more time to register.

So far, the DepEd said over 4.3 million learners in kindergarten, grade 1, 7, and 11 have registered for SY 2021-2022.

CALABARZON recorded the highest number of registered students at 437,561, followed by Central Visayas with 395,830, and Western Visayas with 365,361.

DLPC’s underground cabling project 97 percent complete

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he underground cabling works of Aboitiz-owned Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) along C.M. Recto Avenue is now 97 percent complete for its Underground Distribution System Project (UDS) in Davao City.

DLPC President and COO Rodger Velasco said all civil works and equipment installation are done while the transfer of customer loads is ongoing.

“Completion will depend on progress of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the road reconstruction of Claveria

St.,” Velasco said.

DLPC has started the civil works and installation of manholes at San Pedro Street in conjunction with the drainage construction project of DWPH. The UDS project aims to get rid of the dangling overhead wires in the city. It also aims to lessen the risks cause of fire and power interruption.

Aside from the DLPC wires, also included in

the UDS project are the cable wires owned by big telecommunication companies such as BayanTel, Globe and the wires for CCTV under the public safety office.

DLPC piloted the project at the Sangguniang Panlungsod and the vicinity of City Hall, which was completed in 2015.

The project has a timeframe of completion until 2023.

po ni Presidente iyan (The President welcomes that),” Roque said.

In a taped public address on Wednesday night, Duterte dared Carpio to debate on WPS issue, particularly on the withdrawal of Philippine ships from the Scarborough Shoal in 2012.

Duterte made the challenge, as he insisted that Carpio and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario were involved in the decision to withdraw Philippine vessels from Scarborough Shoal.

Duterte also sought an investigation against Carpio and Del Rosario due to their supposed role in China’s continued presence in WPS. Responding to Duterte’s latest remarks, Carpio accepted Duterte’s challenge and urged the President to resign if his accusations

against the former magistrate are proven false.

Carpio called for Duterte’s resignation, as he stressed that he only had limited knowledge on the withdrawal of Philippine Navy ships from WPS during the 2012 Scarborough standoff with China.

No PH islands lost under Duterte A word war between Duterte, Carpio, and Del Rosario continues to escalate as the two former Philippine officials keep on criticizing the Chief Executive for his supposed decision to set aside the Philippines’ historic win in the petition filed against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands.

Carpio and Del Rosario, who led the filing of a case against China’s extensive claims in WPS, have also

accused Duterte of not prioritizing the Filipinos’ interest in the ongoing sea dispute with China.

Roque turned the tables on the past administration, which he said should be blamed for China’s lingering presence in strategic waters.

He also told Carpio and Del Rosario that the Philippines never lost any islands under Duterte’s watch.

“Ang hindi masagotsagot ni Justice Carpio -ano ang pinamigay niyang teritoryo? Wala (Former Justice Carpio could not even answer what territory was given to China. None),” Roque said. “Wala po ni isang isla na nawala ang ating bayan sa administrasyon ni Presidente Duterte (No island in our country has been lost under President Duterte’s administration).”

PRRD open to formal debate with Carpio

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resident Rodrigo Duterte is willing to hold a formal debate with former Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue, Malacañang said.

This, after Carpio accepted Duterte’s challenge for a debate on the Philippines’ long-standing dispute with China in WPS. In a virtual press conference, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said a formal debate would serve as a proper forum for Duterte and Carpio to ask questions about territorial issues surrounding the highly-contested waters.

“The debate [between Duterte and Carpio] has been ongoing as far as the Filipino is concerned. Pero (But) if he (Carpio) wants a formal debate, kahit kailan po iyan welcome naman

A1 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 46 • SATURDAY, MAY 08, 2021

A woman buys fresh fish at a sidewalk stall along Bolton Street in Davao City on Friday. Some Dabawenyos prefer to buy fish and vegetables at sidewalk makeshift stalls like this one than in crowded public markets. Edge Davao

Jollibee to open Europe T flagship store in London

DICT eyes using ‘untapped funds’ for common towers

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a statement.

“Bringing Jollibee to London’s West End is part of our continued commitment to expand in Europe and bring our

delicious crispy Chickenjoy to more people around the world,” said CEO of Jollibee Group Ernesto Tanmantiong.

Tan said the Jollibee group plans to open 450 restaurants across its brands this year as part of its goal of being one of the world’s top 5 restaurant operators.

JFC is one of Asia’s fastest-growing restaurant

companies.

Jollibee said it has sold over 3 million pieces of chicken to the British people and is set to achieve 15 million by the end of 2022.

By 2025 Jollibee intends to have 50 stores across Europe, including its first in Spain.

JFC operates in 33 countries with over 5,800 stores globally.

he Department of Information and Communications Technology is interested in investing in common towers in commercially unviable areas, a DICT official said Thursday.

“DICT wishes to invest in common towers for missionary sites, complete with radio access network and Internet Protocol backhaul,” DICT Undersecretary for Digital Philippines Emmanuel Rey Caintic said according to the agency’s Telecom Tower Watch post.

Caintic said the agency

While the latest report is a positive development, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said this has yet to reveal the impact of the twoweek ECQ in NCR Plus that started last March 29 and was extended until April 11.

He, however, underscored the differences between the ECQ implementation in 2020 and this year such as on public transportation which was not crippled unlike in 2020 thus, the impact of the strictest movement restrictions last March is not as bad as last

year.

“Thus, further reopening of the economy from lockdowns would provide a more structural and sustainable solution in terms of increased production, sales, incomes/ livelihood that also create/ entail more employment/ jobs and more working hours,” he said.

But even with the lockdowns, Ricafort said higher government spending on infrastructure is expected to support employment.

He said the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, as well as the

record-low interest rates of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), are pluses to the economy since these are seen to encourage more investments that will in turn, result in increased manpower requirements and higher economic activities.

“The unemployment rate could still gradually ease well into single-digit levels in about one to two years, consistent with the possible recovery of the broader economy in time for the 2022 Presidential election year when there would be increased government spending especially on

infrastructure spending and other government projects a few months before the May 2022 elections and increased consumer spending during the campaign period especially in 1Q (first quarter) 2022,” he added.

Meanwhile, economic managers said eased movement restrictions and requiring the public to heed minimum health standards resulted in the drop of employment rate last March.

“Rising labor force participation and falling unemployment have enabled millions of

ollibee Foods Corp said Thursday it would open a Jollibee flagship store in Europe located at the London West End, a short drive from the Buckingham Palace and the London Eye.

The Jollibee store located at London West End’s Leicester Square will open on May 20, the country’s largest restaurant operator said in

is working with the Congress for legislation to use “untapped funds” to build common infrastructure.

Another joint memorandum circular to further hasten the permitting process for cell tower infrastructure is being developed, he said.

The country’s second coronavirus response law or the Bayanihan 2 also has a provision for a streamlined permitting process for tower builds.

DICT reiterated its call to local authorities not to

Filipinos to regain their jobs and incomes in March 2021,” they said in a statement.

Aside from the decline in unemployment rate last March, the PSA said underemployment rate fell to 16.2 percent from 18.2 percent last February, “reflecting the improvement in the quality of jobs.”

Also, the labor force participation rate increased from 63.5 percent to 65 percent last March.

“These resulted in a net job creation of 2.2 million between February 2021 and March 2021, with

FDICT, B1

PSA: Reopening of economy, infra spending to lift employment rate

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eopening of the economy and increased infrastructure spending are expected to further boost the country’s employment figures, which registered better results as of March 2021.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Thursday reported that unemployment rate went down from 8.8 percent last February to 7.1 percent last March, the lowest since the government implemented the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in midMarch 2020 to end-April for Luzon, and end-May 2020 for the National Capital Region.

FPSA, B1

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EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY A2

A shopper browses through the collection of ready-to-wear items at an establishment along Crooked Road in Davao City on Friday. Edge Davao

Sarangani bans non-residents from its top tourist destinations

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arangani province’s top tourist destinations will be off-limits to nonresidents starting Saturday, May 8, as it closes down its borders anew to nonessential travel until the end of the month due to the increasing COVID-19 cases.

Sarangani Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon directed the move through Executive Order (EO) No. 16 released on Wednesday night, which sets the implementation of stricter border control and other vital measures to mitigate the spread of the disease in the province.

He said only essential travels into the province will be allowed, with the movements limited to work-related purposes, accessing goods and services, seeking health care and other essential activities.

The measure applies to

land travel as well as sea transport via the Sarangani Bay and the Celebes Sea, he said. “ T o u r i s m establishments/facilities in Sarangani are closed (to) non-residents (until May 31),” the governor said.

It will mainly affect beach resorts situated in its six coastal municipalities, especially the popular destinations in Glan town, which is dubbed the “Boracay of the South” due to its famed white sand beaches.

Tourism destinations in the province, which were forced to close down due to the lockdowns following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, reopened to residents within Soccsksargen or Region 12 late last year and those from other regions last February.

South Cotabato and this city imposed border restrictions starting last May 1 due to the noted increase in COVID-19 cases.

Under EO 16, all

FSARANGANI, B1

E-governance to lift PH score in Doing Business report: ARTA

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he Anti-Red Tape Authority expects that the automation of services and processes in government agencies will help the country to achieve a higher score in this year’s Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Report of the World Bank.

In a Palace briefing Thursday, ARTA director

general Jeremiah Belgica said the rollout of the TradeNet platform, the Central Business Portal (CBP), and setting up electronic business onestop shop (e-BOSS) in local government units (LGUs) will significantly lift the country’s performance in Starting a Business and

does not cover those disqualified to work on banks alone.

With the issuance of Circular No. 1112, or the k n o w- yo u r - e m p l oye e (KYE) rules, he said it will be hard to predict if there will be 100-percent compliance on the circular, adding “if there continues to be some bad behavior on the part of the workers, it (the list) will continue to increase.”

He said the regulator “subscribes to the principle

that the ‘tone of good corporate governance should come from the top’ thus, the KYE rule will not only address fraud and irregularities due to weak operational risk management but also foster confidence in the banking system.

“People are the very heart of every institution, especially in banking which is built on trust. Robust k n o w- yo u r - e m p l oye e procedures foster a

FE-GOVERNANCE, B1

PH calls for public-private ties BSP tightens rules on recruitment, selection process of banking sector on vax, other medical needs

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inance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has underscored the need for public-private partnerships in the development and mass production of vaccines and other medical requirements to help end the prolonged coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

This kind of partnership will ensure that such initiatives are efficiently implemented by bringing in the expertise and best practices of

the private sector into the picture, while the government takes on the role of regulator and guide to “moderate” corporate greed, Dominguez said.

“The private sector brings in efficiency, and frankly in my experience as a government minister, efficiency is not number one in (the government’s) DNA. So I think it should be a partnership, where the goals and the profits --the return on investment-- are very,

very clearly defined,” said Dominguez, the governor for the Philippines in the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board.

He said this in response to a query during the ADB’s Governors seminar on Monday on how to ensure that support by governments on Covid-19 response would prioritize people in lieu of profit-driven corporate initiatives.

The governor for India

FPH CALLS, B1

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he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has adopted a more stringent and risk-focused screening policy for BSP supervised financial institutions (BSFIs) to ensure the banking sector’s integrity and improve operational risk management.

In a virtual briefing Thursday, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said around 7,500 names are currently in the watchlist of dismissed BSFI employees but clarified that the list

FBSP, B1

4 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 46 • SATURDAY, MAY 08, 2021

Responding to President Rodrigo Duterte in challenging him to a debate on the 2016 arbitral award which upheld Philippine sovereign rights and invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea:

I gladly accept the challenge anytime at the President’s convenience.”

RETIRED SUPREME COURT SENIOR ASSOCIATE JUSTICE ANTONIO CARPIO

EDITORIAL A landmark ordinance A real landmark piece of local.legislation approved by the Davao City Council early this week is the ordinance authorizing the construction of a tertiary general hospital within the campus of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao (UP-Min) in barangsy Bago Oshiro.

Authored by Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, a medical practitioner herself, the structure will cost hundreds of thousands of pesos.

It is the very first attempt of the city government to build its own public hospital during its mire eight decades of existence as a local government unit.

Based on the facts and data mentioned during the discussions of the measure, it appears that this public hospital will be jointly owned and operated by the city government and the UP System, very much like the UP-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) in Manila. The proposed table of organization shows that the positions from chairman, vice chairman to members of the board of directors will mostly be occupied from the UP System.

The rising institution will be a teaching hospital.wherein UPMin’s students of medicine, dental medicine, nurrsing and other related sciences will be trained.

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Of course, there is no denying the fact that a hospital of this nature.maintained by the local government will help a lot in providing the desired level of health care needed by the ballooning population of mostly people battling poverty. It will.likewise give ready work to the thousands of medical, dental, nursing and other health professionals to be turned out by our fast growing number of medicals in Davao City and neighboring areas. In addition to the Davao Medical School Foundation, the pioneering school, Brokenshire Colleges , Jose Maria College, the University of Southeastern Philippines, and of course. UP-Min have recently opened their medical schools.

Now, what remains to be clarified in this challenging move of the city government under Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is how strongly committed is the UP System, the Department of Health and other concerned government agencies .to support it. It is time these institutions hold a press conference to jointly announced their participation in this gargantuan project.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

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

CHRISTIAN JAY H. RAFAL ANA MARIE G. SILPAO Layout

LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. Consultant Correspondent Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO DAVAL SR.,TRIA • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY Columnists: ANTONIO V.“ADI” FIGUEROA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO •B.JOHN CARLO • MUJAHID NAVARRA ••FRED C. LUMBA • DENNIS R. GORECHO ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO •“GICO” G. S. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER GREGORIO G. DELIGERO VIDA MIA VALVERDE • HAROLD CAVITE M. PEREZ

OLIVIA D. VELASCO SOLANI D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONAJASPER OLIVIA D. VELASCO V. BACSAL General Manager PresidentAdvertising Specialist Finance General Manager / VP Operations JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

This is really a game-changing measure considering that no proposal of this kind in the past has ever reached first base in the City Council. It was held then that the budgetary requirements of city hospital, much more a third level or tertiary hospital were simply beyond the financial capability of the city government.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE MANILA MARKETING OFFICE RICHARD C. EBONA LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-YacapinProduct Sts. Development officer Cagayan de Oro City Address: No. 18 Purok 4B, Madelo Street, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City Tel: (088) 852-4894 Mobile number: +63 947 265 2969(smart); +63 916 955 8559(globe)

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT Today, we live in a world where everything seems to be larger than life. People don’t pay attention anymore to things that are trivial. Most people don’t say, “Thank you,” anymore. If you do, the recipient won’t reply, “You’re welcome.”

But are there really small things? “Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things – a chance word, a tap on the shoulder, or a penny dropped on a news stand – I am tempted to think… there are no little things,” Bruce Barton commented.

We think so, too. In 1776, one vote gave America the English language instead of German. In 1800, one vote in the Electoral College gave Thomas Jefferson the Presidency over Aaron Burr. In 1868, only one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment.

In 1876, one vote gave Rutherford D. Hayes the Presidency of the United States.

David used a small stone to kill the giant named Goli-

ath. Three simple words – “I love you” – can start a lifetime commitment. Only one fling can destroy a relationship.

And, yes, it only takes a spark to start a fire. “Men trip not on mountains; they stumble on stones,” goes a Chinese saying.

Great men and women from the past – such as Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mother Teresa – changed the course of history by performing a series of little things.

Benjamin Franklin points out how important the little things are if we wish to reach our goals: “For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost; being overtaken and slain by the enemy, all for the want of care about a horseshoe nail.”

Henri Frederic Amiel reminds, “What we call little things are merely the causes of great things; they are the beginning, the embryo, and it is the point of departure which, generally speaking, decides the whole future of an existence.

One single black speck may be

the beginning of a gangrene, of a storm, of a revolution.”

“It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen,” John Wooden reminds.

Laurie Beth Jones, author of The Power of Positive Prophecy, related her own story about a former boss who didn’t want her to spend so much time with clients. “Go after the big clients,” she was told. “Leave the peanuts to the others.”

But still she did what she wanted to do. “When the numbers were totaled,” she wrote, “my combination of small sales out-totaled his few big ones.”

Jones resigned from her job and started her own company. “Dinosaurs became extinct yet rabbits still abound,” she pointed out.

Now, let me tell you a story that was featured in 365 Moments to Cherish by Robert Strand: At age 21, Jacques Lafitte, a son of a very poor carpenter from a small city, set out to seek his fortune and future life’s work in Paris. He had no

references from influential people with no brilliant academic career behind him, but he was young and full of hope. With his usual thoroughness, he started looking for a job. Days became weeks, and still he had no job or income. But he kept at it. Nobody in Paris noticed this determined young man.

One morning, he applied at the office of a famous Swiss banker, Monsieur Perregaux.

The banker asked him a few questions about himself. Then, he slowly shook his head and said there would be no job offered at the moment.

Sadly, and more discouraged than ever, Jacques left the bank and walked slowly across the courtyard. As he did so, he paused, stopped, and picked something up. Then, he continued into the busy street, wondering if perhaps it wasn’t time to return home.

At about that moment, he was overtaken by a man who tapped him on the shoulder.

“Excuse me, sir,” he said, “I’m an employee at the bank. Monsieur Perregaux wishes to see you again.”

For the second time that morning, Jacques faced the famous banker. “Pardon me,” the banker said, “but I happened to be watching you as you crossed the courtyard of the bank. You stopped and picked something up. Would you mind telling me what it was?”

“Only this,” the young man replied, wonderingly, as he took a bright new straight pin from the underside of the lapel of his coat. “Aaah,” the banker exclaimed. “That changes everything. We always have room here for anyone who is careful about little things. You may start at once.”

Sweat that small stuff! Julia A. Fletcher Carney wrote this short poem as a reminder: “Little drops of water, little grains of sand, make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land. Thus the little minutes, humble though they be, make the mighty ages of eternity.”

An unknown author penned these words: “Little dreams can lead to greatness, little victories to success. It’s the little things in life that brings the greatest happiness.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

HELEN’S HOTEL One of the places for social gathering and billeting in Davao town during the American period was Helen’s Hotel.

Though it did not survive the war, it once occupied the area at corner Bolton (Paciano Bangoy) and Magallanes (Antonio Pichon, Sr.) Streets that is popular to Davao residents and transients for its barbecue stalls.

Its chosen location was significant given its proximity to prewar San Pedro Church, Awad building, Philippine National Bank, municipal hall, Philippine Constabulary barracks, Capitol building, governor’s residence, Davao Garden (now Osmeña Park), puericulture center, Rizal monument, and a couple of popular sites like the defunct Ideal Theatre at the junction of Claveria (C.M. Recto) and Magallanes Streets.

Helen’s Hotel, American-sounding and presumably inspired by a (saintly) woman’s name, was a

two-story structure, square in shape, chiefly built from good lumber, and a mix of concrete for flooring and iron for grill and kitchen appurtenances. Surrounding the building were ornamentals and thorny bramble-like plants that flourished and without prune.

The upper section had a veranda, which held the upper end of the stairway and secured by a line of balustrades occupying half of the floor’s width. The sliding windows surrounding the upper deck were decorated with kapis shells that provided ambiance and airy atmosphere when pulled apart. The hotel’s exterior walls or sidings were elegantly composed from good lumbers that were horizontally piled one over the other.

The section on the second floor connecting the eaves to the exterior walls was interspersed and punctuated with wooden strips, allowing the heat from the rooftop

to escape, thus allowing a controlled ventilation inside the building during summer months.

The hotel’s topmost part, typical of Spanish-inspired houses, hosted a triangular gable with lower section securing the upper end of the roof. Attached to the rooftop’s lower part was the rain gutter, which drained water through downspouts on four corners of the structure.

On the other hand, the ground floor was a two-way, swing-type door reminiscent of aluminum-framed glass doors in today’s banks, and was dotted with simple sliding windows that transformed the area into a cool and snug cafeteria.

The windows, meanwhile, had distinct yet modest rectangular designs on the lower section, which stood out from a distance. This geometric layout occupied a fifth of the entire window frame, which looked elegant due to the pro-

fuse opaque shell decorations that controlled the entry of light. Traditionally, the hotel rooms were lit by glass kerosene-fed table lamps.

The two-layered staircase connecting the ground floor to the balcony had handrails on both sides. Its lower section, which was about five treads, had a landing area supported by four newels, two on each side, that were connected to the upper level. The external features, particularly the main posts and the fascia aligned with the second-story flooring, were painted dark, exuding a contrast that added homey tone to the entire structure.

In terms of functions, the hotel’s second floor, which entranced from the veranda, hosted the bedrooms or living quarters. See-through blinds to keep the sun rays and rain from getting into the veranda were hung from the eaves down to the handrail. On the

other hand, the ground floor housed the reception, main receiving room, dining area, kitchen, and pantry.

Nothing much can be found in prewar accounts that satisfactorily describe Helen’s Hotel, including the date of its inauguration, the total number of rooms, the tariffs, menu and other amenities, and the proprietor’s name. An image found in the Commercial and Industrial Manual of 1937-38 suggests that the guesthouse looked more like the traditional Filipino home if not for the sign announcing it was, in fact, a hotel.

Helen’s Hotel was one of the numerous lodgings that sprouted in Davao when the town had booming hemp economy. Although not as impressive as postwar guesthouses, it could have been in the league of other thriving hotels such as Kashiwabara, Uehara, Sun-Yat Sen, Tom’s, and the clubhouses catering mainly to expatriates.

6 EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 46 • SATURDAY, MAY 08, 2021

After the expiration of the Six (6) years lease period, the remains shall be exhumed and transferred to an Ossuary under a new yearly contract which will have an Imposition Fee of Two Hundred Twenty Pesos (P220.00) and an annual renewal fee payable every January.

Republic of the Philippines City of Davao Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod

Failure to do so will cause the exhumation of the remains and moved to a common grave.

19 th City Council 46 th Regular Session Series of 2020

No physical improvement shall be allowed on the lots, niches and ossuaries. xxx xxx xxx To: Section 317. Imposition of Fees. – There shall be collected the following rental fees for a period of six (6) years for the rental of City cemetery lots:

PRESENT: Councilor Edgar P. Ibuyan Jr. – Temporary Presiding Officer Vice Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte Councilor Ralph O. Abella Councilor Nilo D. Abellera Councilor Maria Belen S. Acosta Councilor Bai Hundra Cassandra Dominique N. Advincula Councilor Wilberto E. Al-ag Councilor Dante L. Apostol Sr. Councilor Conrado C. Baluran Councilor Jessica M. Bonguyan Councilor Louie John J. Bonguyan Councilor Pilar C. Braga Councilor Augusto Javier G. Campos III Councilor Danilo C. Dayanghirang Councilor Jonard C. Dayap Councilor Edgar R. Ibuyan Sr. Councilor Richlyn N. Justol-Baguilod Councilor Pamela A. Librado-Morata Councilor Diosdado Angelo Junior R. Mahipus Councilor Jaffar U. Marohomsalic Councilor Bonifacio E. Militar Councilor Myrna G. L’Dalodo-Ortiz Councilor Antoinette G. Principe-Castrodes Councilor J. Melchor B. Quitain Jr. Councilor Alberto T. Ungab Councilor Mary Joselle D. Villafuerte Councilor Jesus Joseph P. Zozobrado III

A. Rehabilitated and Newly Established Public Cemetery

a) Rental fee for Grave lots

Adult section

Children section

b) Compartmentalized Niches Rental Fee

Ground Level

Second Level

Third Level

Fourth Level

Failure to do so will cause the exhumation of the remains and moved to a common grave.

No physical improvements shall be allowed on the lots, niches and ossuaries.

c) Rates for the use of Multi-Purpose Building for wake purposes are as follows:

• Rental Fee for Space Php 1,500.00 per day

• Table 15.00 each/day

• Chairs 5.00 each/day

• Electricity 300.00 per day

xxx

xxx

Article Sixteen. Sta. Ana Port (New Article)

Be it ordained by the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao City in session assembled, that: SECTION 1. TITLE - This Ordinance shall be known as “AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2017 REVENUE CODE OF DAVAO CITY TO INCLUDE THE IMPOSITION OF ADDITIONAL FEES AND CHARGES, PARTICULARLY SECTION 256 FOR THE CITY LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CENTER AND SECTION 317 FOR THE MULTIPURPOSE BUILDING FOR WAKE PURPOSES IN CITY-OWNED/OPERATED PUBLIC CEMETERIES, AND INSERTING ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS IN CHAPTER FIVE, NAMELY, ARTICLE 16, SECTION 392, FOR STA. ANA PORT FEES, AND ARTICLE 17, SECTIONS 393 AND 394,FOR MAGSAYSAY PARK AND OTHER SIMILAR CITY- OWNED REAL PROPERTIES”.

SECTION 2. AMENDMENTS. There shall be an amendment to some provisions of Ordinance No. 0291-17, to wit: 1. Chapter 5, Article Three, Section 256 shall be amended and shall read as follows: From:

Article Three. – Fees for Library Services Section 256. Imposition of Fees. There shall be collected for services rendered by the Davao City Library and Information Center, the following fees: -

P 30.00/annum

-

P 30.00/annum

- -

P 1.00/page 1.50/page

- - -

3.00/page 8.00/page 10.00/hour

Section 392. Rates for Imposition at Sta. Ana Port.- The following rates shall be imposed to any individual, group, association, NGOs or government entity or office who shall utilize the tents, facilities, and parking space at Sta. Ana Port: a. Rental Fee for Tensile Tents

1. Large Tents

(Night Time rate)

2. Kiosks b. Rental Fee for Facilities

1. Tables

2. Chairs

3. Electricity

Php 1,250.00 per hour 10.00/sq.m./day Php 15.00 each/day 5.00 each/day 200.00 per hour

c. Parking Fee (for the first 3 hours):

1. Day Time Rates

2. Overnight

Php 40.00/vehicle 60.00/vehicle

Php 15.00/succeeding hour

Excess (after 3 hours)

d. Vehicle Entry

1. 4-wheeled vehicle

2. Tri-sikad

Php 15.00/vehicle 10.00/tri-sikad

Article Seventeen. Magsaysay Park and Other Similar City-Owned Real Properties (New Article) Section 393. Rates for Imposition at Magsaysay Park and Other Similar City-Owned Real Properties.The following rates shall be imposed to any individual, group, association, NGOs or government entity or office who shall utilize the parking space at Magsaysay Park and Other Similar City-Owned Real Properties: a. Parking Fees (for the first 3 hours):

1. Day Time Rates

2. Overnight

Php 40.00/vehicle 60.00/vehicle

Php 15.00/succeeding hour

Excess (after 3 hours)

Section 394. Exemption. – Any government entity or office occupying a space in Magsaysay Park shall be exempt from paying parking fees therein, provided the following requisites are met: 1. Only those government-issued vehicles may be subjected to exemption; 2. The office must inform the Park’s Board or the City Economic Enterprise of the details pertaining to the vehicle to be exempted.

SECTION 4. RE-NUMBERING. – All succeeding sections shall be re-numbered accordingly.

To:

Article Three.- Fees for Library and Information Center Section 256. Imposition of Fees.- There shall be collected the following fees for the Davao City Library and Information Center: a. Library Fee (library card for in-house users) - P 30.00/annum b. Additional Fees:

1. Special Access Card - P 100.00/annum

2. Overdue Book - 1.00/day

3. Conference Room - 2,000.00/day

4. Machine Copy (short) - P 1.00/page

(long) - 1.50/page c. Internet Services:

1. Printing Services – black (short & long) - P 3.00/page colored

(short & long) - 8.00/page

2. Internet Fee - 10.00/hour

A discount of Twenty Percent (20%) for internet fee shall be given to students. d. Rental Fee for Use of Space in the City Library Building:

1. Airconditioned - Php 25.00/sq.m./day

2. Non-airconditioned - 16.50/sq.m./day e. Advertisements

1. National Advertisers - Php 40.00/sq.m./day

2. Local Advertisers - 16.00/sq.m./day 2. Chapter 5. Article Seven, Section 317 shall be amended and shall read as follows: From: Section 317. Imposition of Fees. – There shall be collected the following rental fees for a period of six (6) years for the rental of City cemetery lots: A. Rehabilitated and Newly Established Public Cemetery

a) Rental fee for Grave Lots

Adult Section

Children Section

b) Compartmentalized Niches Rental Fee

Ground Level

Second Level

Third Level

Fourth Level

xxx

SECTION 3. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS. The following impositions shall be included in the 2017 Revenue Code of Davao City:

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2017 REVENUE CODE OF DAVAO CITY TO INCLUDE THE IMPOSITION OF ADDITIONAL FEES AND CHARGES, PARTICULARLY SECTION 256 FOR THE CITY LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CENTER AND SECTION 317 FOR THE MULTIPURPOSE BUILDING FOR WAKE PURPOSES IN CITY-OWNED/OPERATED PUBLIC CEMETERIES, AND INSERTING ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS IN CHAPTER FIVE, NAMELY, ARTICLE 16, SECTION 392, FOR STA. ANA PORT FEES, AND ARTICLE 17, SECTIONS 393 AND 394, FOR MAGSAYSAY PARK AND OTHER SIMILAR CITY- OWNED REAL PROPERTIES

Internet Services:

1. Hard Copy - black (short & long)

- colored (short & long)

2. Internet Fee

7,040.00 8,800.00 7,920.00 6,160.00

After the expiration of the Six (6) years lease period, the remains shall be exhumed and transferred to an Ossuary under a new yearly contract which will have an Imposition Fee of Two Hundred Twenty Pesos (P220.00) and an annual renewal fee payable every January.

ORDINANCE NO. 0433-20 Series of 2020

a. Library Fee (library card for in-house users) b. Additional Fees:

1. Borrower’s Card (books for take out)

Overdue Book 1.00/day

2. Machine Copy - (short)

- (long)

P 13,200.00 5,500.00

P 13,200.00 5,500.00 7,040.00 8,800.00 7,920.00 6,160.00

SECTION 5. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE – If, for any reason, any section or provision of this Ordinance is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected by such declaration shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. EFFECTIVITY – This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon approval.

ENACTED, December 10, 2020, by a unanimous vote of all the Members of the Sanggunian present, there being a quorum.

CERTIFIED CORRECT:

CHARITO N. SANTOS Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Government Department Head II)

ATTESTED: EDGAR P. IBUYAN JR. President Pro Tempore Temporary Presiding Officer cns/ray

APPROVED : ________________,

SARA Z. DUTERTE City Mayor

ATTESTED:

An Ordinance amending the 2017 Revenue Code of Davao City to include the imposition of additional fees and charges, particularly Section 256 for the City Library and Information Center and Section 317 for the Multi-Purpose Building for the wake purposes in City-Owned Operated public cemeteries, and inserting additional provisions in Chapter Five, namely, Article 16, Section 392, for Sta. Ana Port fees, and Article 17, Sections 393 and 394, for Magsaysay Park and other similar CityOwned Real Properties

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 46 • SATURDAY, MAY 08, 2021

AGRITRENDS

7

WINNING THE FOOD RACE WITH ORGANIC AGRICULTURE I

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

n many developing countries, rapid population growth makes it difficult for food production to keep up with the demand.

Two-thirds of the world’s population live in low-income food-deficit countries, according to the award-winning American journalist Don Hinrichsen. “In these countries, millions know hunger, malnutrition, and even starvation when harvests fail, unless other countries provide emergency food aid in time.”

The Philippines and 15 other countries in Asia were among those classified under this category. Low-income food-deficit countries are those that “are not self-sufficient in food production and do not have the financial resources needed to fill the gap with imports.”

“Many of these countries have among the world’s highest population growth rates,” Hinrichsen pointed out in his in-depth report, Population and the Environment: The Global Challenge.

The Philippines, for instance, is home to almost 109 million people. In the 2020 Global Hunger Index, the Philippines ranks 69th out of the 107 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2020 global hunger index (GHI) scores.

With a score of 19.0, the Philippines has a level of hunger that is moderate.

“In many low-income food-deficit countries… food production capacities are deteriorating,” Hinrichsen deplores, adding that these countries face a number of serious constraints to achieving food security.

From the beginning of agriculture until the middle of the 20th century, increases in world food production have come largely from expanding agricultural land. Today, most fertile land is already under cultivation. Most uncultivated land is marginal, with poor soils and either too little rain-

fall or too much.

“The deteriorating condition of the environment has contributed to the increasing vulnerability of the agriculture sector particularly to extreme weather events,” said the Department of Agriculture in a statement. “Predominance of chemical-intensive farming has contributed to at least 33% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.”

It is on this premise that the department aims to promote organic agriculture. Environment-friendly, natural, not using pesticides and other chemicals, sustainable, regenerative, and healthy – these are the words use to describe this method of farming.

When Republic Act No. 10068 – known as the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 – the Philippines institutionalized organic farming. Recently, the law was amended by Republic Act No. 11511.

The agriculture’s organic farming program has five objectives. One is better farm incomes and sustainable livelihood for Filipino farmers: “Increased farm productivity, reduced expenses on external farm inputs, better incomes for farmers and reduction of poverty in the rural sector.”

Environmental protection is another reason: “Enhanced soil fertility and farm biodiversity, reduced pollution and destruction of the environment as well as prevention of further depletion of natural resources.”

Still another: improved health. By adopting organic farming, the health of farmers, consumers and the public in general are protected.

Another one: disaster risk reduction and resilience to climate change: “Improved resiliency to disaster risks and climate change vulnerabilities caused by human interven-

tions and naturally induced hazards.”

Final objective: social justice. “Meeting the basic needs and improving standard of living for all, upholding human rights, gender equality, labor standards and the right to self-determination,” the agriculture department explains.

“Organic farming means going back to the basics,” says Jethro P. Adang, the new director of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC), a non-government organization based in barangay Kinuskusan in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. The center has been promoting organic farming since the 1970s. “We want people who come to the center that once they return to their respective places,” Adang points out, “they have learned something which they could use in their own farms.”

“Organic agriculture is the answer,” pointed out Jessica Reyes-Cantos of the Manila-based Rice Watch and Action Network. “It won’t only retain soil productivity but it can make farming viable. If farmers will have additional income from their lands, they will continue to plant rice.”

Organic farming, according to Laura Reynolds, of Worldwatch Institute, has the potential to contribute to sustainable food security by improving nutrition intake and sustaining livelihoods in rural areas, while simultaneously reducing vulnerability to climate change and enhancing biodiversity.

Another benefit of organic agriculture is that it uses up to 50% less fossil fuel energy than conventional farming, and common organic practices – including rotating crops, applying mulch to empty fields, and maintaining perennial shrubs and trees on farms – also stabilize soils and improve water retention, thus reducing vulnerability to harsh weather patterns.

“On average, organic farms have 30% higher biodiversity, including birds, insects, and plants, than conventional farms do,” pointed out Catherine Ward, Reynolds’ co-author

of the Worldwatch report, “Organic Agriculture Contributes to Sustainable Food Security.”

Benefits like these are what inspired Benjamin R. Lao, of barangay Eman in Bansalan, Davao del Sur, to adopt organic farming. His endeavor paid off when the Department of Agriculture named him as an outstanding organic farmer in 2012.

“We want to teach Filipino farmers the right way of farming through the natural method, without using commercial fertilizer or pesticides,” he said of those people who come to Lao Integrated Farm.

The farm is teeming with coconut (his primary source of income as he produces coco sugar) and various fruits like lanzones (more than a thousand trees), durian (700 trees), mangosteen, and rambutan.

In his farm, you won’t see his farm workers using chemical pesticides. “I had a tragic experience with chemical pesticides when I was still a teenager while cultivating rice in our farm located in the neighboring barangay,” he revealed.

Instead, Lao recommends using Eman, which stands for “epektibo, mura, at natural” (effective, cheap, and natural). “This is a concoction composed of fresh goats’ manure, kakawate, makabuhay, and hot pepper,” he informed.

“These are soaked together for 48 hours and after that the concoction is ready for application.”

According to him, Eman is effective in repelling plant pests and diseases. In addition, it is also a good course of foliar fertilizer. “We are committed to help preserve our environment. We want to teach Filipino farmers the right way of farming through natural methods and that is by not using commercial fertilizer or pesticides,” he said.

People who have been to the farm described it as a haven. You don’t see only livestock and crops but ornamentals as well. “It’s nice to see beautiful flowers underneath the trees,” he explained. “Also, the flowers serve as breeding areas for beneficial insects like spiders

and dragonflies.”

Meanwhile, Professor Ivette Perfecto of the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment Prof. Perfecto said the idea that people would go hungry if farming went organic is “ridiculous.”

In an article which appeared in People and the Planet, she was quoted as saying: “Corporate interest in agriculture and the way agriculture research has been conducted in land grant institutions, with a lot of influence by the chemical companies and pesticide companies as well as fertilizer companies-all have been playing an important role in convincing the public that you need to have these inputs to produce food.”

The outcomes of their study seemed to jibe with the earlier findings by a British team, which reported in 1999 that organic farming could produce enough food to feed large populations. In fact, the said study concluded that it could be viable even in developing countries if the political climate is favorable.

Farms could be economically viable on a much larger scale, even in developing countries with large populations, said Dr. Liz Stockdale, of the Institute of Arable Crop Research in England.

“In less developed countries, countries where the conventional agricultural systems aren’t that intensive to start with, we can see that conventional systems and organic systems actually can match yields very closely,” she added.

It has been 11 years since the Organic Agriculture Act was signed but despite the benefits it brings to the country and the people, farmers are still not adopting the various systems. What went wrong?

“There is currently no clear program and funding for the transition to organic agriculture,” said the Philippine Daily Inquirer in its recent report. “Transition is necessary because if all farmers suddenly adopt zero chemical use, yields may drop to 50%-60%.

As a result, food supply could

be at risk unless the country imports 5 to 6 million tons of well-milled rice.

“An effective organic farming program must recognize actual conditions in the field and support a movement to shift from chemical-based production to organic and ecological farming methods and value chain,” noted the report, which was culled from papers prepared by Leonardo Montemayor, Teodoro Mendoza and Pablito Villegas which were submitted as inputs in the DA and private sector-led round table online discussion on organic agriculture recently.

In like manner, the government must also provide farmers organic inputs like seeds and planting materials to facilitate the transition process. “For sustainability, farmers must be trained to produce and save their own seeds,” the report stated.

In addition, the report urges local government units to “devote at least 10% of their increased Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) to agriculture and fisheries, including the devolved extension services, with at least one-fourth of the IRA earmarked for organic agriculture.”

More suggestion: “Motivating farmers to shift to organic agriculture requires not only science-based technology and meaningful funding support, but also an educational and awareness campaign among consumers on the health and ecological benefits of consuming organic products.”

The consumers must also be involved. “There should be ‘direct consumer-organic farmer partnership’ through links between producers and consumers,” the report stated. “This will ensure income beyond the poverty threshold of P12,000 to P15,000 per month for the family farm subsector.”

One way to achieve this is for direct product users – restaurants, hotels, caterers, processors and other institutional consumers – to “buy their daily and weekly produce or raw material requirements from organic producers at a fair price.”

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EDGEDAVAO

BARMM extends Ramadan aid to 12K Cotabato City residents

A

t least 12,895 families from seven villages here received the Ramadan humanitarian aid extended by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“We will continue with our humanitarian aid until the end of the fasting month of Ramadan slated either on the 12th or 13th of this month,” said Ministry of the Interior and Local Government– BARMM Minister Naguib Sinarimbo on Thursday.

He identified the seven village-recipients as Barangays Bagua 1, Poblacion 2, Poblacion 3, Poblacion 7, Poblacion 9, Rosary Heights 1, and Rosary Heights 7.

“Rest assured, we will be giving more to poor residents of the city,” said Sinarimbo, concurrent head of BARMM’s Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (READi).

This city now forms part of the BARMM after its residents opted to join the fledgling political entity during the plebiscite held on January 21, 2019.

Personnel of READiBARMM, with the help of volunteers, facilitated the Ramadan outreach missions that started on April 13, Sinarimbo added.

He said the food provisions included rice, canned goods, and coffee packs. (PNA)

Fishermen in a mining community harvest 12,000 kilos of bangus

G

AMAWA is a 21-strong fishermen’s cooperative in a mining community in Surigao del Norte.

Republic Act 11535, declaring the position of a Cooperatives Development Officer (CDO) mandatory in all local government units (LGUs), was signed into law last April 9. This directs the LGUs – from the municipal, city, and provincial levels – to appoint its own CDO. In Taganito Mining Corp.

(TMC), a CDO is a regular job description – someone in charge of identifying promising groups in different sectors in the communities to guide and assist them in organizing their own cooperatives.

Edelina E. Peraz is the Community Development Coordinator at TMC and she says “as a mining company, TMC is tasked by law to ensure social and economic development of the communities and we have long acknowledged the significance of a successful cooperative to achieve this.”

One of the organizations that Peraz has been assisting since its inception is the Gagmay’ng Mananagat sa Wangke (GAMAWA), a cooperative of small fishermen in barangay Wangke, in Claver, Surigao del Norte.

In April, GAMAWA recorded another big harvest – a total of 4,270 kilos of bangus that converted a total sale of P480,238.00 pesos. But their biggest record was last December when they harvested 7,928 kilos of bangus that sold for a whopping P889,292.00.

GAMAWA President, Felix Saranza’s leadership style is key to the success of the organization.

CDOs Urbiztondo (right) and Peraz (left) express that his success is TMC’s success as well.

The success of GAMAWA also showcases the effective leadership of its president, Felix Saranza.

“It is important to understand the interests of the individual member and of the whole group, to keep the organization intact,

until everyone gets the taste of the fruits of everyone’s labor,” says Saranza.

“It is a democracy, I cannot decide until everyone involved agrees, so it can be very hard sometime, but in the end, it is all worth it because members actively participate when they know they have a say in decision making,” Saranza adds.

“We owe all our accomplishments to the support of TMC,” Saranza declares.

“In a cooperative where you have members with different personal quirks, different economic challenges and demands, different issues, you need a strong leader who is respected by everyone to keep things together, and Mr. Saranza is perfect for the role” explains another CDO, Judy B. Urbiztondo, Senior Community Development Specialist for TMC. Urbiztondo says the Coop of GAMAWA has gone through a lot of challenges and sacrifices that taught the members valuable life lessons that got them to what they enjoy today – a strong cooperative and a sustainable livelihood.

But success, according to the TMC CDOs, means the cooperative to be able to grow the fish farm bigger to better the lives of its 21 members for years and years to come.

Since 2017, TMC has inputted an accumulated fund of some P5.5 million pesos from the mining company’s Social Development Management Program to help GAMAWA build state-of-the-art fish cages in a 450-square meter area with 3 chambers that can handle 30,000 bangus fingerlings in a single cropping.

“Taganito Mining’s partnership with GAMAWA aims to prove the strength of a collaborative effort between the mining company and its communities toward a shared goal of empowering cooperatives,” explains Engr. Artemio E. Valeroso, Resident Mine Manager at TMC.

VOL.14 ISSUE 46 • SATURDAY, MAY 08, 2021

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delay ongoing construction projects which have already been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Common towers are expected to allow competing telecommunications

providers to offer services to more areas in the country.

Former DICT officerin-charge Eliseo Rio said the country wants some 50,000 towers built in the next 5 years.

the number of employed Filipinos increasing from 43.2 million to 45.3 million,” the statement said.

Economic managers forecast an uptick in unemployment rate in April following the implementation of the ECQ

in the latter part of March and the MECQ thereafter.

“However, the impact is expected to be less severe compared to April 2020 given our more riskmanaged approach to the present quarantines,” the statement added. (PNA)

travelers from areas with active community transmission will be required to present negative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) results for Covid-19 taken 72 hours prior in accredited laboratories.

No mass gatherings will be allowed during the period, except those for health, social services, safety and security purposes but should follow the 50 percent capacity limit for venues.

Religious activities may continue at 30 percent capacity while weddings, baptisms and necrological services will be limited to 25 persons and should obtain approval from concerned municipal governments.

B u s i n e s s establishments as well as private and public utility vehicles may continue to operate in specified areas within the province at 50 percent capacity.

The selling of liquor will be regulated and drinking

intoxicating beverages in public are prohibited, especially during the curfew hours adopted by its municipalities.

Solon said the intensified surveillance against COVID-19 will continue in their seven municipalities through increased testing activities.

He said random antigen and RT-PCR testing will be conducted among individuals with Influenzalike illnesses and without known exposures to the disease.

They will also monitor establishments with high risks of transmission like markets and companies or industries, he said.

The active COVID-19 cases in Sarangani have increased to 71 as of 6 p.m.

Wednesday following the emergence of new clusters in various municipalities.

Since last year, the confirmed infections in the province reached a total of 729, the lowest in Region 12, with 18 related deaths and 640 recovered patients. (MindaNews)

and the alternate governor for China in the ADB Board supported Dominguez’s statements.

Citing India as an example, Dominguez said while the country’s large vaccine manufacturers are privately owned, they closely cooperate with government regulators, not only to guarantee the public that their products are safe and effective, but also to ensure that they “have a social conscience.”

Dominguez said his earlier statement on the need for ADB and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to jointly build the region’s capacity to produce vaccines should involve the private sector.

Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of India’s Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Corporate Affairs agreed with Dominguez, saying that in the case of India, the private sector has been an effective partner of the government not only on vaccine production, but also in beefing up the country’s healthcare capacity against Covid-19 while foregoing large profit margins.

She said “rightly, the Governor from the Philippines highlighted the

fact that Indian vaccine developers, particularly those in the private sector … have definitely worked together with the government and checked their profit concentrations aside and given (the vaccines) at an affordable price for (the) government to distribute freely for all citizens.”

Vice Minister Jiayi Zou of China’s Ministry of Finance also said Dominguez has correctly stated the importance of public-private partnerships in undertaking measures to defeat the pandemic.

These partnerships should take into consideration that private companies cannot absorb economic losses as they are “the main forces of the market economy,” but they should be guided into fulfilling their social responsibilities, which is the government’s job, Vice Minister Zou said.

“China is pursuing a people-centered modality of development. So I think I would agree with the Filipino Minister that the partnership between the government and private sector is very, very important,” Vice Minister Zou said. (PR)

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TOKYO... FROMB2

“will also be subject to a nofly zone.”

Organizers have announced strict measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infections among athletes, officials, and locals.

On their first three days in Japan, all visiting officials will be tested daily, and for their first two weeks, they are not allowed to eat with other game officials.

The athletes and coaches will undergo sali-

va-based tests every day.

Limits have also been put on means of transportation for the visiting officials.

Additionally, all the overseas participants have been asked to monitor their health 14 days before traveling to Japan.

Japan has reported 609,603 Covid-19 cases, including 10,466 deaths, since the outbreak, according to official figures.

(Anadolu)

It was a miserable night for Hornets rookie LaMelo Ball, who was 1 of 10 from the field and finished with four points.

LaVine averaged more than 30 points in his five previous games before be-

ing sidelined, but mostly deferred to his teammates in the first three quarters, attempting six shots. But he began to show his scoring ability with back-to-back jump shots to start the fourth quarter.

Trading Across Borders indices of the EODB Report.

“We ramp up compliance with the National Single Window, where we also have (an) automation program. We already have 80 regulatory government agencies that can use and enter this automated platform,” Belgica said.

Through TradeNet. gov.ph, importers and exporters can apply for their licensing, permits, and clearance online as government regulators are already linked to the system.

The ARTA and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) also launched the CBP which reduces the processing time for business registration to three to four days from over 10 days.

The first phase of CBP features a unified application form for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), PhilHealth, PagIBIG, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA); online registration with SEC and BIR; online generation of certificate of registration for SEC and BIR; and online payment for BIR filing and

registration fees.

It also processes online generation of tax identification number, employer numbers for Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth, and PagIBIG; unified employee reporting module for SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG; issuance of secondary license featuring FDA’s License to Operate for Center for Drugs; and online application for mayor’s permit with the local government of Quezon City and 17 other LGUs. A Joint Memorandum Circular was also issued last month by ARTA, directing all LGUs to establish the e-BOSS before June 17 this year.

Belgica said 446 LGUs have already set up their e-BOSS. Meanwhile, due to the pandemic, this year’s EODB Report by the World Bank will focus on EODB score instead of country ranking.

In the 2020 EODB Report, the Philippine score improved to 62.8 from 57.68 in the 2019 report, while the overall ranking jumped by 29 notches to rank 95 from 124th in Doing Business ranking. (PNA)

stable banking system by weeding out unprincipled personnel who may cause reputational risk to a bank and the financial system,” he said.

Lawyer Florabelle Santos-Madrid, BSP Financial System Integrity Department director, said the central bank’s watchlist database is updated every time the central bank receives new information from banks regarding disqualification of certain individuals.

She said reports of bank

employees’ participation in financial system-related crimes is among the red flags for the issuance of KYE rules.

“One of the primary reasons that we are tightening the rules on KYE is to prevent these cases from happening. So definitely, if there will be bank personnel involved in money laundering cases, that will be a red flag in terms of the robustness of their KYE processes,” she added during the same briefing. (PNA)

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Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao could be fighting American star Mikey Garcia.

Tokyo Olympics venues declared no-fly zones

T

okyo Olympics venues will be marked no-fly zones this summer to help protect against terrorism, Japan announced on Thursday.

The country’s Transport Ministry said in a statement the no-fly zone will be enforced from July 21 to Sept. 5 “as part of measures to prevent terrorism.”

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics, postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, are scheduled to be held between July 23 and Aug. 8.

The Paralympics will follow from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5, local

Kyodo News reported.

“Regular flights departing from or arriving at Tokyo’s Haneda airport will not be subject to the restriction,” the ministry said.

“The no-fly zone will be in place from two hours before the start of competitions to an hour after they finish, covering flights of all altitudes,” it added.

The games’ opening and closing ceremonies will also be protected.

It said Olympic events outside of the capital, such as the marathons in Sapporo,

FTOKYO, B1

Manny vs Mikey Garcia in final stages of talks

P

hilippine boxing great Manny Pacquiao is in the “final stages” of talks for a bout against American star Mikey Garcia, an aide to the Filipino fighter said Thursday.

The date and venue for a Pacquiao-Garcia matchup could be announced as early as next week, Jayke Joson, special assistant to the former eight-weight world champion, told AFP. Local media reports said

a July fight in Dubai was on the cards.

Pacquiao, 42, has not fought since claiming the World Boxing Association’s welterweight “super” world title with a stunning victory over Keith Thurman in Las

Vegas in July 2019.

Former four-division world champion Garcia, who is nine years younger, has also been idle since early 2020 when he beat Jessie Vargas on points.

Pacquiao, an elected senator in his country, said last year he wanted to fight Irish mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor in 2021, but the talks went nowhere.

Garcia, beaten only once and with 30 of his 40 professional wins ending in knockouts, would pose a formidable challenge to Pacquiao, who has a 62-7 win-loss record with two draws over a 26-year boxing career.

A return to the ring would give Pacquiao the chance for another lucrative payday as he nears the end of an illustrious boxing career.

Bulls derail Hornets’ play-in spot bid C

Returning Zach Lavine tries to drive past Jalen McDaniels.

HARLOTTE, N.C. — Nikola Vucevic had 29 points and 14 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls breezed past the Charlotte Hornets 120-99 on Thursday night (Friday, Manila time) with Zach LaVine back on the floor.

LaVine returned from an 11-game absence due to the league’s health and safety protocols and scored 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting for the Bulls, who swept the season series against the Hornets by a combined 52 points.

Chicago entered the night 3 1/2 games behind Washington for the final spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.

P.J. Washington, who missed Charlotte’s last game for the birth of his child, led the Hornets with 24 points on six 3-pointers. Malik Monk added 20 points off the bench for the Hornets, who played without Gordon

Hayward, Miles Bridges and Devonte Graham.

Charlotte (32-34) had a chance to clinch a spot in the play-in tournament with a win combined with a loss by the Toronto Raptors.

But Vucevic would have none of it. He returned after missing two games with right abductor tightness and dominated Charlotte. He made 12 of 24 shots from the field and helped spread the floor by shooting 5 of 7 from 3-point range. He also pushed the Bulls to a 56-45 edge on the glass.

The Bulls beat the Hornets by 13 and 18 points earlier this season and jumped out to a 48-33 lead.

It appeared Charlotte might make a game of it after hitting 8 of 13 3-point attempts in the second quarter to cut the lead to five, but the Bulls extended their lead to 22 entering the fourth quarter.

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Nesthy could get a bye in Round of 32

D

abawenya Olympic medal hope Nesthy Petecio will get the country’s campaign in Tokyo going when she competes on July 24.

The AIBA world featherweight champion from Davao del Sur could see action in the Round of 32 at the Tokyo Summer Games on July 24. That is, if the world no. 5 doesn’t get a bye in the round of 32.

According to the report by veteran boxing journalist Joaquin Henson wrote on Philboxing.com, there are 20 fighters in the women’s 57-kilogram division and while no pairings will be announced until the draw on the day before the competitions begin, Petecio may be given a bye for a free ride to the Round of 16.

According to ABAP secretary-general Ed Picson, there will be four fights involving eight fighters in the Round of 32 in Petecio’s class, meaning 12 byes.

The four winners in the Round of 32 will join the 12 bye fighters in the Round of 16.

The ABAP head said the byes may be awarded by seeding. In the latest AIBA rankings, Petecio is No. 5. Of the 20 women’s featherweight fighters, only four are Asians----top-ranked Lin Yuting

of Chinese Taipei, No. 4 Sena Irie of Japan, Petecio and No. 11 Im Ae-ji of Korea. Petecio, 29, won the gold medal in her division at the 2019 SEA Games.

The Round of 32 will be on July 25 in the men’s middleweight and women’s flyweight classes. Zamboanga City’s Eumir Marcial, 25, is ranked No. 1 so he’ll likely be awarded a bye in the Round of 32 with 24 fighters in the 75-kilogram division.

The next highest ranked Asian is No. 3 Abilkhan Amankul of Kazakhstan. Iloilo flyweight Irish Magno, 29, battles in the 51-kilogram division where there are 26 fighters. China’s Chang Yuan is ranked No. 1 and decisioned Magno, 4-1, at the 2018 AIBA World Championships. Magno is No. 19. Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong took a slot via the world allocation route. Magno beat Jitpong, 4-1, in the semifinals at the 2019 SEA Games on the way to settling for the silver medal.

Cagayan de Oro’s Carlo Paalam, 22, will enter the ring in the Round of 32 of the men’s flyweight division on July 28.

India’s Amit Panghal is ranked No. 1 in the 52-kilogram class and holds a 3-2 win over Paalam at the 2018 Asian Games semifinals. Paalam got his Olympic ticket as a world allocation entry.

Seven Asians are in Paalam’s division with Panghal, No. 4 Shekhobin Zoirov of Uzbekistan, No. 5 Thitisan Panmit of Thailand and No. 6 Hu Jianguan of China among the medal prospects.

Picson said Petecio, Magno and Paalam will stay at the Muaklek training camp in Thailand until about a week before the start of the Olympics. They’ll travel straight to Tokyo. Muaklek is a district about a two-hour drive from Bangkok. It’s safe as only one COVID case has been reported in Saraburi province where Muaklek is located. Marcial is now in Zamboanga City with ABAP coach Jerson Nietes and plans to fly to Dubai on May 21 to compete in the Asian Elite Championships on May 23-June 1. From Dubai, Marcial will join the other Olympic qualifiers in Muaklek then travel all together to Tokyo.