Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 68 | Thursday, June 3, 2021

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VOL.14 ISSUE 68 • THURSDAY, JUNE 03, 2021

A police officer orders a public utility jeepney (PUJ) driver to offload some commuters at a police checkpoint along R. Castillo Street on Wednesday after carrying more than the allowed number of passengers based on the guidelines issued by the city government of Davao. Edge Davao

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Gov’t requests IATF-RTF to place Davao City under MECQ STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 68 • THURSDAY, JUNE 03, 2021

RE-INTENSIFYING

Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar reports that the Philippines is now the leader among five of the biggest Asean countries in terms of vaccine throughput per capita with an average daily vaccination rate of 150,000 jabs. Presidential Photo

City gov’t requests IATF-RTF to place city under MECQ

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he city government of Davao has requested the Inter-Agency Task Force-Regional Task Force (IATFRTF) to place Davao City under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from June 5 to 30, 2021, to prevent the surge of patients inside hospitals.

In an advisory, the city states that the request aims to help the city’s frontliners by making sure that the “stay home” campaign will

be strictly observed except for work or business.

All those establishments affected by MECQ’s zero operational capacity under

Department of Trade and Industry Memorandum Circular 21-19 dated May 14, 2021 or “on-site operational capacity of business establishments, persons or activities or activities allowed to operate in areas placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions and other community quarantine classifications,” can coordinate with the Trabaho Dabawenyo

employment assistance at the City Mayor’s Office Special Project Office in Magsaysay Park, Davao City.

While waiting for the approval, the city also urged Dabawenyos to review the regulations for MECQ in: IATF Omnibus Guidelines dated May 20, 2021 - Page 9, Section Link: https:// www. officialgazette. g o v. p h / d o w n l o a d s / 2021/05may/20210520OMNIBUS-RRD.pdf; DTI

the City Information Office (CIO) yesterday afternoon, June 1, that, “our goal is to have more screening and more testing.”

“We are still working on the new swab site supposedly to be set up at Magsaysay Park including logistics and manpower to be deployed there,” Schlosser said.

She said they hope that the new swabbing center will soon materialize.

“Hopefully, this will be put into realization as soon as possible kasi tumataas ang cases natin, tumataas din ang swabees (since our COVID-19 positive cases are increasing so goes the number of our swabees),” Schlosser said.

Once the Magsaysay Park becomes operational, the Sta. Ana swabbing center will only cater to F1 and persons with influenzalike illnesses (ILIs) while the drive-thru swabbing at the Crocodile Park will accommodate surveillance testing, F2 and F3 without ILIs.

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PH leads Asean in daily Covid-19 jabs: Galvez

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he Philippines is now the leader among five of the biggest Asean countries in terms of vaccine throughput per capita with an average daily vaccination rate of 150,000 jabs.

This was reported by Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar, during President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People program on Monday.

“Ibig sabihin po ng throughput, tayo na po ang malakas mag-inject every

day (Throughput means we have been strong in terms of administering vaccines every day),” Galvez said.

He said the country has breached the five million mark in terms of Covid-19 vaccines administered as of May 28.

“Gumaganda na rin po ang ating datos dahil two consecutive weeks na po na one million per week na po tayo (savaccination).

So maganda po ang ating naging pagbabakuna noong nakaraang dalawang linggo (Our data is getting better because for two

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Magsaysay Park swab site eyed to hasten Public warned vs buying “raw lots” in Davao City testing of Davao City’s F2, F3 contacts

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he Davao City COVID-19 Task Force is upbeat about putting up a swabbing area at the Magsaysay Park to help hasten the testing of F2 and F3 contacts and DQR-traced persons in the city.

Davao City COVID-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser, told

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he Office of the City Planning and Development Officer (OCPDC) has warned the public against buying “raw lots” for residential purposes because most of these properties are sold without proper government permits and licenses.

OCPDC reiterated this warning as notices of

violation had been issued by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DSHUD) formerly Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) Region XI against two realty companies for selling “raw lots” in Sitio Tinolang, Bayabas Toril and Barangay Gatungan Davao City.

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NEWS 3

A child holds on tight after she was rescued from her flooded home by one of the residents in Purok 8, Barangay Los Angeles in Butuan City late Tuesday morning (1 June 2021). Continuous rains brought about by Tropical Storm“Dante”have caused flooding in Mindanao and other parts of the country. MindaNews photo by IVY MARIE MANGADLAO

More Covid-19 transmission within City Hall office reported Decreasing CTGs since start of government’s ELCAC

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ismantling four guerilla fronts since 2018 and clearing 53 conflict-affected barangays out of the 80 recorded barangays in 2018 are considered the proof of a weakened communist terror group (CTG) in the region and was attributed to the strengthened whole of nation approach thru

the Executive Order 70 or Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC).

Some of the dismantled guerilla fronts are WGF33, WGF56, and WGF TALA. Besides winning the war thru combat operations, the 1oth Infantry Division thru Assistant Chief of Staff of the Civil Military Operations Lt.

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GenSan docs seek more testing amid Covid surge

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group of doctors here appealed to the city government on Wednesday to further expand its testing capacity for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) to contain the continuing community transmission.

Dr. Jovino Caballero Aquino, president of the Socsargen Internist Society, said the increased testing would help the city capture and immediately isolate

cases, as well as prevent the emergence of more infection clusters in local communities.

“We have to identify possible asymptomatic individuals who are continually moving around and infecting other people,” Aquino told reporters.

As of Tuesday night, the total number of Covid-19 tests conducted in the city since last year has

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

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n official of the City Health Office (CHO) disclosed on Wednesday that majority of the employees of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) building who are tested positive of Covid-19 come from the City Assessor’s Office.

Dr. Ashley Lopez, acting head of CHO, announced the city has already completed the swabbing of the SP workers and that a total of 1,083 workers were swabbed and of this

number, 44 were tested positive of Covid-19.

“Although, gamay ang positivity rate but this is a big number considering kung wala ta nag surveillance swabbing didto sa sulod sa

SP, kaning 44 in a matter of duha ka semana ani madoble or ma-triple ni.

Maayo na lang kay nag surveillance swabbing ta.

Basically, ang naapektuhan na mga opisina katong naa sa silong such as the Local Registry Office and City Assessors Office. We have four cases also from the City Treasurers’ Office, pero kadaghanan na kaso kay sa City Assessors gikan,” he said.

The 44 workers are already in the isolation facilities. The city will be conducting also disinfection of the whole SP building.

It can be recalled that the city government of Davao has ordered for the lockdown of the entire SP building from Monday, May 31, until Sunday, June 6, 2021, due to Covid-19 cases.

The lockdown affects

January this year.

“Sa lima, kasagaran man gud ani nila mga OFWs nga gi-quarantine sa Manila.

Gawas atong first two cases nato sauna katong tulo ka bag-o reported atong February ug March ni sila, wala nato ni gi-regard maayo it’s because these are OFWs coming from the Middle East, nangauli, pero gi-hold sa Manila for

quarantine from 14 to 21 days. Sa pag-uli nila ug Davao, fully recovered na sila. Mao ra to ang atong info for our new variants,” he said in a live broadcast with Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR).

Dabawenyos fear that variants of Covid-19 might be in Davao City considering the continuing surge of cases in the city.

“For active wala pa tay’y ingon na variant dinhi sa Davao City sa pagka-karon na panahon. Wala pa ta’y India variant,” Lopez said.

Last May 12, 2021, the Department of Health (DOH) announced that Covid-19 varinat from India is already in the Philippines.

As of May 29, 2021, DOH has detected 246 more

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No active cases of new Covid-19 variants in Davao City: CHO

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r. Ashley Lopez, acting head of the City Health Office (CHO), revealed on Wednesday that there are no active cases of other Covid-19 variants in Davao City.

According to Lopez, the city has recorded five cases of Covid-19 variants and most of them are UK variant and the latest two cases are South African variant since

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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A department store worker buys food for lunch at an eatery selling fried chicken along R. Castillo Street in Davao City on Wednesday. Edge Davao

SEC drafts rules for Asean cross-border investments T

ECC pensioners to receive P20K starting June: DOLE

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the Asean CIS framework.

Established in 2014, the framework allows fund managers operating in a member jurisdiction to offer CIS such as unit trust funds or mutual funds to retail investors in other member jurisdictions under a streamlined authorization process.

The guidelines being finalized by the SEC will

apply to investment companies incorporated in the Philippines who intend to participate in the framework, as well as foreign CIS of member jurisdictions that will offer for sale units in the Philippines or other qualifying CIS as specified under the Asean CIS Framework.

Qualifying CIS Under the draft guidelines, to be authorized as a qualifying CIS, an investment company must first be duly incorporated in the Philippines and authorized under Republic Act No. 2629, or the Investment Company Act (ICA), as well as Republic Act No. 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code (SRC), to issue shares to the public.

Only shares will be al-

lowed to be issued by qualified investment companies from the Philippines.

Those offering both shares and units are still eligible to participate in the framework, but only shares can be offered cross-border.

The investment company must be assessed by the Commission to be compliant with both local regulations and the standards of qualifying CIS, or the set of rules and regulations as agreed and as may be amended from time to time among member jurisdictions.

The SEC will review and assess the application for authorization of an investment company as a qualifying CIS within 21 business days from the submission of complete documents.

he Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Tuesday said that qualified pensioners of the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) will receive one-time P20,000 financial assistance starting June.

“The P20,000 financial assistance from the ECC for private sector EC pensioners will be credited to their accounts starting this month of June,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in a statement.

Bello said the one-time financial assistance will be released in batches to about 32,000 EC pensioners by the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) —the ECC‘s administering agencies for the private and public sector.

For her part, ECC executive director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said that qualified EC pensioners need

Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) president Danilo Fausto on Tuesday said that Indian Ambassador to Philippines Shambhu S. Kumaran brought up the idea during the India-Philippines Virtual Business Conference on Marine Fisheries and Aquaculture (IPBC-MFA) held last week.

“Indian fisheries sector produces over 7 million tons of fish and shellfish from capture fisheries and aquaculture, almost double of that produced by the Phil-

ippines, representing nearly 5 percent of the world’s total fish production,” Fausto said.

Currently, China and Indonesia are dominating the global market by 80 percent.

PCAFI said that both the Philippines and India have a high chance to share the market of seaweed production and its processed form, carrageenan, through business and technical cooperation.

Fausto said both coun-

tries can immensely benefit from the exchange of resources, technology, knowhow as the Philippines also has much to offer noting the country’s vast resources of 338,393 hectares of swampland, 14,531 hectares of freshwater fishponds, and 239,323 hectares of brackish water fishponds.

“The Philippines sits at the heart of the coral triangle, the global center of marine biodiversity. The Verde Island Passage boasts the highest concentration

of marine species with its reefs as home to nearly 60% of the world’s known fishes and 300 species of corals,” the PCAFI chief said.

During the business conference, the general manager for research and development at India’s AquAgri Processing Private Limited and vice president for Aqua Agro Processing Manamaduria (in Tamil Nadu, India) Dr. Munisamy Shanmugham said the time is prime to invest in aquaculture, including seaweeds.

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is finalizing the guidelines that will facilitate the offering of collective investment schemes (CIS) across member jurisdictions of the Asean Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) that are signatory to the Asean CIS Framework, as it moves toward deepening capital market connectivity in the region.

In a statement Tuesday, the SEC said the guidelines will operationalize the supplemental memorandum of understanding signed by the SEC together with the Securities Commission Malaysia, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand on May 11, 2021 for the admission of the Philippines to

not apply for the financial assistance as it will be processed in the same manner as the processing of their EC pensions.

“EC pensioners in the private sector with at least one month of permanent partial disability (PPD), permanent total disability (PTD), or survivorship pension from January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021, will benefit from the one-time financial assistance,” Banawis said.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed Administrative Order No. 39, series of 2021, on April 19, approving the granting of one-time financial assistance of P20,000.00 to EC pensioners in both the public and the private sectors.

EC pensioners are persons with permanent partial disability (PPD) or permanent total disability (PTD) because of their work or their working environment.

Their government has so far allotted budget of INR 640 crore or USD88.34 million to promote the industry and provide subsidies for seaweed cultivation.

“There is huge demand for seaweed hydrocolloids in India, but currently 5090 percent is met through imports,” Shanmughan said.

There are new areas -Gulf of Mannar and Gulf of Kutch -- that may be considered for seaweed cultivation to meet India’s demand.

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PH, India joint venture into $12-B global seaweed market

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he bilateral relation between the Philippines and India is completely taking off as both countries expressed interest in a joint venture on the USD12 billion global market or 32 million metric tons (MT) for seaweeds.

The growing bilateral relation in marine fisheries and aquaculture is brought about by the eagerness of private companies from both countries to invest in each other’s sectors.

Philippine Chamber of

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Motorcycle owners gather at the sidewalk along Dacudao Avenue where street hawkers sell cheap motorcycle accessories. Edge Davao

OMCP backs proposed ban on coastal mining

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he Offshore Mining Chamber of the Philippines (OMCP) is backing the proposed ban on sand mining in some coastal towns in the Ilocos Region to prevent shoreline erosion.

In a statement, OMCP said offshore mining is relatively a new mining concept and needed professional capabilities and expertise.

It said that only those with the expertise and proper technology should be allowed to undertake mining operations in offshore areas, not in shorelines, to prevent further shoreline erosions.

The group issued the statement after Probinsyano Ako party-list Representative Jose “Bonito” Singson Jr. presented his position to ban coastal mining in a congressional hearing.

Singson particularly raised concerns over the practice of some mining firms, especially those

owned by the Chinese, to extract sand from shorelines in Ilocos Region in search of magnetite.

With this, OMCP cited the guidelines issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on May 16, 2016 that no mining within the 500 meters from the shorelines to offshore to prevent possible coastal erosion, and no mining 200 meters from on shoreline to inland areas of any coastal town.

OMCP added that proper and adequately evaluated Environmental Compliance Certificates must be secured first from the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau.

“Dredgers or mining vessels must have an Environmental Impact Assessment from the country of design and/or manufacture,” the group said, citing DENR guidelines.

House passes ‘economic Cha-cha’ on final reading

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oting 251-21-2, the House of Representatives has adopted on third and final reading the Resolution of Both Houses No. 2 (RBH 2), which proposes amendments to the 1987 Constitution’s economic provisions.

The measure proposes amending the 1987 Constitution to empower Congress in passing laws regulating the limits to foreign investments in the country.

The approval met the three-fourths vote requirement of the House.

It will be transmitted to the Senate for its own consideration.

The House has drawn criticism for considering the amendment without physically convening a joint session with the Senate to

form a constituent assembly.

House Committee on Constitutional Amendments chair, AKO Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin had maintained there is no such requirement for the Constitution which allows them to conduct deliberations and vote on the measure and transmit it to the Senate if they approve it.

RBH 2 seeks to add the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” to parts of Articles 12, 14 and 16 of the

Constitution.

That’s sections 2, 3, 7, 10, and 11 or Article 12, Sec 4.2 of Article 14 and Section 11 of Article 16. However, RBH 2 does not empower Congress to regulate the ban on foreign ownership of land in the country.

The House began plenary deliberations on the measure on Feb. 22 and was approved on 2nd reading last week.

Garbin, House Ways and Means Committee Chair Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda, and Senior Deputy Minority Leader, Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo served as plenary sponsors.

House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said the resolution aimed to “purely

help our country rise above this pandemic through liberalizing the restrictive economic provisions in the Constitution.”

Velasco said the said restrictive provisions prevented the Philippines from being “fully competitive” wits its neighbors.

“As global economies slowly bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines must be ready to ride the wave or risk being left behind by its Asian neighbors,” he said.

Salceda hailed the approval on third reading of the proposed charter amendments, believing that there is time to complete the legislative process in the proposal “in time for plebiscite in 2022.”

he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas could achieve its digitalization goals before the end of 2022, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said Tuesday.

In a statement, Diokno “expressed confidence” that the central bank would hit its target of digitalizing at least 50 percent of financial transactions and 70 percent of Filipinos owning financial accounts as early as next year.

“Before the end of 2022,

we will accomplish those goals,” Diokno said during the Institute of International Finance Asia Pacific Summit.

Sustained growth in digital financial transactions, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, will boost BSP’s chances of reaching its goals, he said.

Diokno earlier said the country’s digitalization efforts kept economic gears running last year de-

spite obstructions caused by restrictions imposed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The use of InstaPay and PESONet for online fund transfers surged during the COVID-19 lockdowns as Filipinos shifted to digital platforms for their daily basic and financial needs.

InstaPay and PESONet are part of BSP’s National Retail Payment System (NRPS).

says BSP likely to ‘accomplish’ Globe: On track to install Diokno digitalization goals before end of ‘22 1M fiber lines this year T

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yala-led Globe Telecom Inc. said it is on track with its plan to install an additional one million fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) lines by the end of 2021.

At a virtual press conference, Globe vice president and head of Broadband Business Darius Jose Delgado said, “We are very

much on track towards that end.”

Delgado said the plan to put up one million FTTH lines is part of Globe’s P70-billion capital expenditure program this year.

The deployment of FTTH lines is aimed at meeting the rising demand for faster internet service amid online classes and

work from home arrangements during quarantine.

“They cannot live without the internet for a single moment, a single second, or a single day,” Delgado said.

Globe earlier said that as part of its home broadband modernization drive, all of its remaining copper

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In confirming that that there are no active cases of other Covid-19 variants in Davao City: Sa lima, kasagaran man gud ani nila mga OFWs nga gi-quarantine sa Manila. Gawas atong first two cases nato sauna katong tulo ka bag-o reported atong February ug March ni sila, wala nato ni gi-regard maayo it’s because these are OFWs coming from the Middle East, nangauli, pero gi-hold sa Manila for quarantine from 14 to 21 days. Sa pag-uli nila ug Davao, fully recovered na sila. Mao ra to ang atong info for our new variants.”

DR. ASHLEY LOPEZ, ACTING HEAD OF THE CITY HEALTH OFFICE (CHO)

EDITORIAL

What Dabawenyos think of Covid-19 vaccines

The Pfizer and Sinovac brands of Covid-19 vaccines are the most preferred

by Davao City residents. This was bared in a survey conducted by the University of Mindanao’s Institute of Popular Opinion (IPO) among 1,200 Dabawenyos in the three congressional districts of Davao City.

The survey was conducted among Dabawenyos aged at least 18 years last May 18-27, 2021.

The institute conducted the survey to know the Dabawenyos’ attitude and behavior on vaccination, their perception on how vaccinations are rolled out, and their preferred vaccine brands.

The study was done online as physical contact was not allowed during the time of the survey. IPO relied heavily on Facebook users who are residents of Davao City.

Dabawenyos were asked whether they trust the COVID-19 vaccines available. Results show that Pfizer and Sinovac are the most trusted vaccines with a rating of 66 percent and 63 percent, respectively. The other vaccines have the following ratings: AstraZeneca (59 percent), Moderna (58 percent), COVAX (42 percent), Gamaleya (Sputnik V) (40 percent), and Novavax (35 percent).

When asked which vaccines they would prefer to be inoculated on them,

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Respondents were also asked on how effective they think were vaccines in preventing them from contracting the disease. The survey revealed that three of 10 Dabawenyos are fully confident that the vaccine will work while four of 10 are hopeful that the vaccine would work. On the other hand, almost a quarter or 25 percent of the respondents, expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the vaccine.

Though many are only a little bit worried about the effectiveness of the vaccines, 33.5 percent of the respondents said that they are still very worried that the pandemic would still continue despite the vaccines. In addition, 31.3 percent are also very worried on the possible adverse effect of the vaccine to their body.

The survey also revealed that six out of 10 Dabawenyos trust the vaccine/s provided to them by the government, six out of 10 trust the information they receive from the government about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination. Also, five of 10 said that their indecision to be vaccinated is influenced by media and social media reports. Finally, six of 10 Dabawenyos believe that the government is doing its best to acquire the best vaccine for the people.

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

Pfizer (30.9 percent) and Sinovac (22.2 percent) are the top choices, while 17.7 percent of the respondents said they do not mind what vaccines to be used.

Most of the respondents also supposed that it would still take a while before they can be vaccinated, probably in five months.

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)

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VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

SECOND CHANCE “But second chances aren’t forever Even miracles have an expiration date.” ― Robyn Schneider

*** Some people give others a second chance. This is especially true when it comes to love.

But in Philippine cinema, second chance to be an exception rather than a rule. You hear less about former lovers who are back in other’s arms – except in movies.

But in Hollywood, the film capital of the world, it’s another story. In fact, there are movie stars whose love stories are even more interesting than the roles they are playing in the films. There is always that boy meets girl and they get married.

Then, they get divorce, go separate ways, meet again and then marry again. But happy ending is nowhere to be found.

Let’s start with Melanie Griffith (the Oscar-nominated star of Working Girl). She was only 14 when she fell in love with Don Johnson (who once came to the Philippines and made a film, Lollipops and Roses with Nora Aunor). Johnson was older than her; in fact, he was the co-star of her mother in the film Harrad Experiment.

Some people thought what

Melanie felt at that time was just a puppy love but it turned out to be serious. The two tied the nuptial knot in 1976. The marriage, however, was only short-lived; they got divorced six months after they said “I do.”

But old flames couldn’t stay away from one another. In June 1989, Griffith and Johnson got married again. Four months later, Dakota was born. They separated again in March 1994, reconciled later that year, but separated again in May 1995.

Griffith was doing Two Much with Spanish actor Antonio Banderas (of Mark of Zorro distinction); the two stars fell in love while filming. In May 1996, the two got married. In June 2014, the marriage ended when Griffith filed for divorce. On the other hand, Johnson married socialite Kelley Phleger in April 1999.

Natalie Wood admitted that she had a crush on Robert Wagner since she was a child.

So, when was 18, she went on a studio-arranged date with the actor who was then 26 years old.

When you are madly in love with someone, age doesn’t matter at all. On December 28, 1957, they got married, but not without a great protest from Wood’s mother.

In an article, Wagner recalled their early romance: “I saw Natalie around town but she never seemed interested.

She was making Rebel Without a Cause and hanging out with James Dean; I was with an older crowd. The first time I remember really talking to her was at a fashion show in 1956. She was beautiful, but still gave no hint about the mad crush she had on me. I later found out she had signed with my agent simply because he was my agent.

“A month later, I invited Natalie to a premiere on what turned out to be her 18th birthday. At dinner, we both sensed things were different. I sent her flowers and the dates continued. I remember the instant I fell in love with her. One night on board a small boat I owned, she looked at me with love, her dark brown eyes lit by a table lantern. That moment changed my life.”

But that moment didn’t last forever. Four years after they got married, the two separated but it was not until in 1962 that they divorced.

Ten years later, in early 1972, the two met again. The flame was rekindled. They remarried on July 16, 1972, just five months after they encoun-

tered each other. Here’s what Wood’s sister, Lana Wood, said of this period: “Her marriage was considered to be one of the best in Hollywood, and there is no question that she was a devoted, loving—even adoring—mother and stepmother. She and R.J. had begun with love and built from there. They had overcome each other’s problems and had reached an accommodation with time, and the changes time brings. As with anybody else who has settled into making a long marriage work, they were far more determined than most people to make it work…”

The marriage ended on November 28, 1981 when Wood died of drowning.

Finally, there was the royalty couple named Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Just like in the movies, the two met on the set of the 1963 film Cleopatra in Rome, Italy. Although they were both married to different partner, they started to have an affair together. It was a scandal that caused both actors to be condemned for “erotic vagrancy” by the Vatican. There were also calls in the U.S. Congress to bar them from re-entering the country.

In March 1964, they di-

vorced their previous spouses and married each other. Their first marriage ended 10 years later when Burton was dating a young co-star. On separate ways, Burton married another one and so did Taylor.

But still the two could not forget each other. So “they met up in the summer of 1975 to discuss their financial affairs but ended up weeping in each other’s arms.” In October, the couple remarried. Again, it was the same story all over again.

The two started sleeping in separate bedrooms, and Burton soon found seeing another woman. Taylor and Burton divorced for the second and final time in July 1976.

So the question is: Is there really forever?

In It’s Just Love, Jessica E. Larsen has this answer: “Loving for the second time isn’t sweet; it’s bitter, and hurt more than the first.”

And J.M. Barrie wrote in Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: “Ah, Peter, we who have made the great mistake, how differently we should all act at the second chance. But Solomon was right; there is no second chance, not for most of us. When we reach the window it is lock-out time.

The iron bars are up for life.” -

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

CHINESE MURDERS IN MALITA Viewed as passive, shrewd, thrifty, and diligent, the prewar Chinese in Davao were also victims of abuse by wayward elements. Although the migrants and the natives were generally happy about the Chinese presence, atrocities were committed against them.

A case in point was an incident in 1954 in Malita where two Chinese were murdered.

Chinese hemp merchant, Uy Kee Kang, alias Chiquito, lived in a house in Kilian (Calian, Don Marcelino town) that doubled as a store; his companions were wife, Mandolo-on Manoba, their infant child, and Te Chu, alias Tiago, another Chinese. Uy’s residence was a three-hour motor launch ride from the town proper of Malita.

The nearest house to Uy’s was 200-300 meters away where Alod Manobo was residing. Further up the slope was Angoy Manobo’s house, and higher up was the home of Sim-

eon Te and wife, Sadia Manoba, not too far away from the house of barrio lieutenant Mansag Manobo.

In the evening of August 9, 1954, Malompon Manobo reported to the barrio lieutenant about a trouble in Uy’s house, prompting the official to sound his agong to gather the tribesmen. Several persons responded and formed a group before proceeding to Uy’s.

While observing outside, the group did not hear any noise from the inside. This prompted them to enter the house and saw on the floor the dead bodies of Tiago and Uy’s wife; the baby was still alive and nursing the mother’s breast.

The group noticed an open wooden chest but failed to find Uy. A search was made and Uy’s stiff body was found on the bush about a hundred meters from his store, riddled with bullets and soaked in blood. An autopsy made on Uy showed hematoma

and gunshot wounds. Meanwhile, Uy’s wife had a gaping wound on the neck that cut the esophagus and blood vessels. Te Chu also had a wound on the left nipple, another on both chests, and other injuries below the right nipple, abdomen, forearm, knee, and right arm.

The investigators recovered from the crime scene a bronze dagger and an empty .22 caliber shell. They also observed that Uy’s main door was open while the rear door was forcibly unlocked. Blood stain prints were found in one of the windows.

The sum of P4,300 paid by Columbian Rope Company days earlier for Uy’s abaca was also missing.

According to court records, Antonino shot Chiquito, who still managed to run outside but was later killed when the assailant fired more fatal shots. Malompon and Sabonal, meanwhile, knifed Tiago to death while Alod, who confessed to getting the mon-

ey, and discarded Mandoloon.

Alod stated in his testimony that Malompon’s notification of barrio lieutenant about the incident was part of the plan. Alod later surrendered to probers the scythe used in the killing.

In the decision issued by the Court First Instance of Davao, the four plotters were indicted for robbery with triple homicide and sentenced each to suffer the penalty of from 10 years and one day of prision mayor to 17 years, four months and one day of reclusion temporal for the death of Uy and to indemnify his heirs, including another penalty of from 10 years and one day of prision mayor to 17 years, four months and one day of reclusion temporal for the death of Mandoloon-Manoba and to indemnify her heirs. The case was elevated to the Supreme Court.

In its decision, the high court argued that there was no adequate proof to charge the appellants of robbery but sid-

ed with the trial court that the crimes committed were “considered as triple murder, qualified by treachery, and aggravated by the circumstance of having been perpetrated in the dwelling of the victims.”

The penalty for the murders would have been death, the high court said, but “for lack of a sufficient number of votes, the sentence is reduced to reclusion perpetua,” adding that ”[t]he sentence being appealed from is modified by increasing the penalty, from that imposed by the court below, to reclusion perpetua.”

Additionally, the high court called on the authorities that the detention of the appellants for days while under investigation violated Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code and ordered that a full probe about the illegal detention be made “so that if the charge is substantiated the persons responsible may undergo condign punishment.”

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EDGEDAVAO

LIFESTYLE

PAYMAYA USERS GET FREE COVID-19 INSURANCE

STAYING SAFE and healthy is everyone’s top priority especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and having an insurance coverage provides an important layer of protection for many Filipinos and their families. Through a tie-up with Pioneer Insurance, PayMaya is giving its users FREE COVID-19 plus Personal Accident insurance coverage for 1-month worth P150,000 when they use their PayMaya account for safe cashless transactions from May 5 until June 30, 2021.

During the promo period, PayMaya users with an upgraded account who spend at least P500 in single or accumulated transactions at PayMaya’s in-app shop, Pay Bills feature, pay via PayMaya QR or using their PayMaya mobile number, will get this free insurance coverage from Pioneer Insurance.

“We encourage PayMaya users to avail of this special offer, especially during this critical time when COVID-19 cases in the country are still high.

By protecting ourselves, we are also protecting our loved ones and our communities.

With this new offer, Filipinos will not only get to enjoy safer and more convenient payment transactions, they also get additional peace of mind amidst the pandemic.” said Paolo Azzola, Chief Operating Officer of PayMaya Philippines.

Qualified users will receive a text notification to claim their free insurance voucher in the PayMaya app. After claiming their voucher, Pioneer Insurance will provide them with a

link to their Insurance Policy via SMS. Qualified PayMaya customers aged 18 to 60 years old can avail of this promo when they redeem and claim the voucher.

With this offer, PayMaya makes the protection against COVID and other unforeseen incidents of its users top priority as the company continues to provide more reliable, more convenient, and safer payments through everyday cashless

transaction.

Aside from this protection reward, Filipinos can maximize PayMaya for safer cashless and contactless transactions such as sending money to loved ones, paying online, scanning to pay via PayMaya QR, paying bills, buying airtime and gaming load, and donating to causes.

Enjoy this exclusive reward as well as safer and more convenient cashless transactions by downloading the PayMa-

ya app using this link: https:// official.paymaya.com/ CAK1/425eb133. Don’t forget to upgrade your PayMaya account and use it for everyday cashless transactions to avail of this promo. Check out https:// www.paymaya.com/quickguide/upgrade for details.

PayMaya is the only end-toend digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, communities, and government.

Through its enterprise business, it is the largest digital payments processor for key industries in the country including “everyday” merchants such as the largest retail, food, gas, and eCommerce merchants, as well as government agencies and units.

PayMaya provides more than 35 million Filipinos with access to financial services through its consumer platforms. Customers can conveniently pay, add money, cash out, or remit through its over 250,000 digital touchpoints nationwide. Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of over 39,000 partner agent touchpoints nationwide serves as last-mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved with access to digital services.

WORLD BICYCLE DAY AT SM SUPERMALLS

IN CELEBRATION of World Bicycle Day on June 3, bike enthusiasts and advocates got together at the iconic SM Mall of Asia globe to highlight the bicycle as a simple, affordable, reliable, and sustainable means of transportation.

These included SM Engineering Design and Development president Hans Sy Jr., Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines Ambassador Luc Veron, Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor, and members of the Firefly Brigade led by trustee Jack Yabut and chairperson Roselle Leah Rivera. The event also served as a send-off for Salubungan sa

Left: SM Engineering Design and Development president Hans Sy Jr. (third from right), Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines Ambassador Luc Veron (third from left), Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor (second from left), and members of the Firefly Brigade led by trustee Jack Yabut (second from right) and chairperson Roselle Leah Rivera (left) launched World Bike Day at the Mall of Asia globe. Right: Free and safe bicycle parking at SM Lanang Premier.

SM: Sama-Sama sa Bike Safety, a 1,300-kilometer bike packing tour across Luzon with safety clinics at select SM malls. The SM

Mall of Asia was recently cited as Most Bike-Friendly Commercial Establishment in the 2020 Mobility Awards, together with SM

City Marikina.

World Bicycle Day celebrations also extend to Davao City where the first 500 bikers in SM City

Davao and SM Lanang Premier will be given with B’lue Drink in time for World Bicycle Day tomorrow.

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GOLDEN RICE MAY BE AVAILABLE BY 2023 YET

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

A

“rice that could save a million lives a year,” so said Swiss plant researcher Ingo Potrykus said of golden rice in 2000. Two decades later, golden rice is still out of reach for most people who would benefit from it.

Although golden rice was approved for direct use as food, feed or for processing in December last year, it may take at least three more years before it can be available in the food tables of Filipinos.

It’s still a long way to go, according to Dr. Reynante Ordonio, the senior science research specialist of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture.

In an exclusive interview with Dr. Ordonio in 2018, he said that golden rice will be made available for commercial production “after it has received all the necessary permits.”

Last May 13, he said in a virtual briefing during the start of the 16th National Biotechnology Week, “It really depends on the approval process, it can take more than a year. 2023 is our estimate.

Personally, I’ve learned not to expect much but we remain hopeful.”

In a press statement released to the media, PhilRice said that golden rice “is now in the final stage of biosafety regulatory assessments. Once it gets the permit for commercial propagation anytime soon, we will be preparing for its deployment initially on a pilot scale in areas where malnutrition is high.”

Golden rice is a product

of biotechnology, defined as “any technique that uses living organisms to make or modify a product, to improve plants or animals or to develop microorganisms for specific uses.”

The methodology seems like a work of fiction.

“Traditional methods of crop improvement require the mixing of genes by making specific crosses, observing and selecting for specific phenotypes [traits] in the offspring,” explains Dr. Frank A. Shotkoski, an adjunct professor at the Cornell University in the College of Life Science Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics.

“This has been a very effective tool for crop improvement, and our ancestors have been quite successful in using these techniques to develop the productive, tasty and nutritious crops that we have today.”

But modern biotechnology completely changes that. “Biotechnology allows us to introduce genes into crops that could never be achieved using traditional or conventional methods, because the gene tied to a specific trait (that is, insect resistance, disease resistance, herbicide tolerance, etc.) doesn’t exist in species,” Dr. Shotkoski points out.

In recent years, modern biotechnology – through genetic engineering – has

been used to increase plant and animal food production, to diagnose disease, improve medical treatment, produce vaccines and other useful drugs and to help dispose of industrial wastes. This paved way to the buzzword, genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

In the case of golden rice, respected scientists Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer first used a gene from daffodil and an ordinary microbe and introduced it to rice through genetic engineering. Using the same microbe and another gene from yellow corn, the second version of golden rice came into existence. The new form has been found to contain 20 times more beta carotene than the original one.

The development would have been welcome with much fanfare. But such is not the case. “GMOs worldwide are governed by a stringent biosafety regulatory process starting from their development to commercialization,” says Dr. Ordonio. “The biosafety procedure involves a series of checkpoints to ensure that GMOs or their by-products will meet the expected level of safety to health and the environment.

“Going through this procedure doesn’t mean that GMOs have higher risks as even ordinary foods such as peanuts, milks, melons, breads, and shrimps can cause harm as sources of allergens,” Dr. Ordonio continues. “In fact, GMOs can even be a lot safer because of this strict biosafety process.”

Take the case of golden

rice, which had to go through a series of rigorous testing and regulatory procedures.

To ensure that golden rice is safe for the environment and health, the planting materials used were subjected to confined field-testing in fenced and isolated areas for at least 2 cropping seasons in 3 different locations in the country.

“During the tests, any discrepancy or variation from the original variety in terms of appearance, and any unusual disease, pest, or weed incidence at the sites were carefully assessed,” Dr. Ordonio reports.

The Biosafety Committee of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) that provides overall supervision along with scientist representatives and members of the local community who jointly form the Institutional Biosafety Committee of each site, see to it that biosafety guidelines are strictly followed. Among these guidelines is preventing the intentional or unintentional release of viable seeds or plants from the site, and the proper disposal or transport of transgenic materials.

Once the 5 bestperforming lines of the planting materials are identified, these are to be forwarded to a season of field trials under the supervision of the Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture (DA) as stated in the Joint Department Circular No. 1 Series of 2016 pertaining to the handling and use, transboundary movement, release, and management of GMOs.

Aside from the two government agencies, other departments involved are the Departments of Health, Environment and Natural Resources, and Interior and Local Government. This collaborative assessment further ensures the safety of golden rice.

Now, the big question is: Is golden rice effective?

“To measure the potential nutritional impact of golden rice, let’s keep in mind these three Bs: betacarotene, bioavailability, and bioconversion,” states PhilRice, which collaborates with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the possible production of golden rice in the country.

“The yellow grains of golden rice demonstrate the presence of beta-carotene, which is only available in the leaves and stems of ordinary rice plants. Adding genes from corn and a common soil microorganism enables the plant to produce betacarotene in the rice grain, while maintaining all other characteristics of ordinary rice.”

Beta-carotene, science says, is an ideal source of vitamin A because the human body only converts as much as it needs.

“Rice has a simple and easily digestible food matrix, which allows for a high bioavailability and bioconversion of betacarotene into vitamin A,” PhilRice explains. “Put simply, bioavailability is the total amount of the nutrients available in the rice grain — in this case, beta-carotene and other useful carotenoids —

that can be digested, stored, and converted by the human body.”

Because beta-carotene has a natural tendency to degrade over time, the PhilRice project team monitors beta-carotene content at various stages of the project, from harvest to storage to cooking: estimating from 100 grams of milled golden rice stored for two months in normal conditions, with 30% cooking losses in its calculations.

“Measurements at this stage show that there is sufficient beta-carotene in Golden Rice to meet the 30-50% estimated average requirement (EAR) of vitamin A for young children and mothers or lactating women.”

PhilRice reports.

Once bioavailability of beta-carotene is estimated, the next factor to consider when calculating the potential vitamin A contribution of golden rice is the bioconversion rate, or the percentage of the absorbed carotenoids that is converted by the human body. This is measured in terms of retinol activity equivalents (RAE).

Studies show that betacarotene bioconversion varies significantly across different plant food sources. Staple crops and other foods with simple food matrices show a more efficient bioconversion rate than fruit or vegetable sources of beta-carotene.

PhilRice says golden rice has a bioconversion rate of 3.8:1 — this means that the human body only needs 3.8 micrograms of beta-carotene from golden rice to convert

FGOLDEN, P10

10

EDGEDAVAO

RE-INTENSIFYING... FROMP2 Memorandum Circular 21-19 dated May 14, 2021; and Trabaho Dabawenyo: w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / workfordavao for guidance.

All public transportation shall be permitted to operate under MECQ. Meanwhile, Davao City has recorded 338 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 on June 1, 2021.

Dr. Ashley Lopez, acting head of the City Health Office (CHO), said this is an accumulated number of cases from May 28 to 31, 2021.

“Tungod sa atong heightened surveillance and expanded contact tracing, naga-average ta ug 2,000 swabbing per day usahay sobra pa. As of May 31, ang recorded swabbed was 3,360 and out of this 338 came out positive,” he explained.

On the other hand, Based on the omnibus guidelines of IATF on the implementation of community quarantine with amendments as of May 6, 2021, areas placed under MECQ shall observe the protocols that include the movement of all persons shall be limited to accessing goods and services from permitted establishments, for work in such establishments.

All establishments, persons, or activities not permitted to operate, work, or be under takenduring ECQ shall be allowed to operate at 50 percent on-site capacity while encouraging work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements, where applicable.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, and without prejudice to the authority of DTI to issue a negative list of industries which shall

remain prohibited even in areas under MECQ, the establishments, persons, or activities shall not be permitted to operate, work, or be undertaken during MECQ that include: entertainment venues with live performers such as karaoke bars, bars, clubs, concert halls, theaters, and cinemas.

Also prohibited are recreational venues such as internet cafes, billiard halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, and similar venues; amusement parks or theme parks, fairs/peryas, kid amusement industries such as playgrounds, playroom, and kiddie rides; outdoor sports courts or venues for contact sports, scrimmages, games, or activities; indoor sports courts or venues, fitness studios, gyms, spas or other indoor leisure centers or facilities, and swimming pools; casinos, horse racing, cockfighting and operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming establishments except for the draws conducted by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office; indoor visitor or tourist attractions and cultural shows and exhibits; outdoor tourist attractions; venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions; personal care services which include beauty salons, beauty parlors, medical aesthetic clinics, cosmetic or derma clinics, make-up salons, and wellness.

Home service for these activities are likewise not permitted; and indoor dine-in services of food preparation establishments such as commissaries, restaurants, and eateries.

Raw lots are agricultural lots being sold for “residential subdivisions” but without proper government permits and licenses. The selling of raw lots is illegal because it is done without a license to sell, no registration of the project, and no development permit.

Engr. Ivan Cortez, the Coordinator of OCPD, said that buying raw lots, though affordable, may cause future problems because there is an absence of approved subdivision plans that cover the drainage plan and accessibility plan.

He said that homes established in previous raw lots could reek of the canal because greywater will accumulate around their homes.

Cortez added that people who want to buy affordable lots get victimized by this scheme where they are just told to develop drainage on their own.

According to Cortez, sellers of raw lots could also face administrative charges before DHSUD for not adhering to the requirements on selling raw lots.

reached 13,675, with 3,824 individuals confirmed as positive.

The City Health Office (CHO) said the average testing positivity rate in the area is currently at 23.39 percent, way higher than the 5 percent threshold set by the World Health Organization.

The active cases in

the city stand at 703, the second-highest in Region 12 (Soccsksargen). It has the highest cumulative deaths in the region at 126 while some 2,995 patients have already recovered.

Aquino said the high positivity rate indicates the extent of Covid-19 infection in the city, especially at the community level.

lines will be upgraded to fiber to ensure better data experience and stable connection.

A fiber connection can provide a maximum speed of 1 Gbps compared to a copper ADSL’s maximum speed of 15 Mbps.

The telco said a higher bandwidth translates to more capacity to download or upload large files faster, stream high-definition videos and webinars, and run multiple online programs simultaneously, among other benefits.

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consecutive weeks now, we have been administering one million vaccines per week. Our vaccination is good in the past two weeks),” Galvez said.

LGUs, businesses stepping up He said local government units (LGUs) and business owners across the country have been ramping up their vaccination efforts.

Quezon City, for example, has surpassed its previous record of 8,000 jabs a day, and has now reached 16,000 to 19,000 inoculations a day, Galvez said.

“Ang mga mayors ay nagpupunyagi na nakikita po natin na kayang-kaya i-break ‘yung 120,000 (jabs) a month (We can see that the LGUs can break the 120,000 jabs a month),” he added.

Large business establishments, such as malls, have converted their

areas into vaccination sites and have given LGUs more space to conduct inoculations there.

“Ginagamit na po ang mga malls – Ayala Malls, SM Malls, Robinsons, at saka po ‘yong atin pong mga different hotels, mga function rooms ay ginagamit na rin po nila.

Iyon po ay napakagandang halimbawa na talagang tumutulong po ang ating private sector (They are using malls and the function rooms of different hotels. That’s one of the best examples of how the private sector is helping),” Galvez said.

Equitable distribution To further expand the coverage of the vaccination program, Duterte has tasked Galvez to come up with a vaccine distribution plan for areas that have been identified as “centers of gravity,” or those experiencing surges in Covid-19 cases.

B.League team.

Ravena was drafted second overall by the Road Warriors in 2017, but never got to play a full season for NLEX. His rookie and sophomore years were hampered by a FIBA-imposed sanction after he tested positive for banned substances.

In 2020, the PBA season

was shortened to just one conference because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ravena and the Road Warriors finished 5-6 in the elimination round in the PBA’s bubble, and missed the playoffs.

In May, Ravena became the first Filipino athlete to sign with Nike’s Jordan Brand.

30 feet away put the Trail Blazers ahead 140-138 with 3:47 left in the second overtime. Jokic tied it with a layup and after misses by both teams Porter broke the tie with a corner 3-pointer with 1:33 left off a long skip pass from Jokic.

Both teams missed two shots and McCollum turned it over with 10.2 seconds left.

Morris hit two free throws and the Nuggets closed it out.

Morris hit two 3-pointers and Rivers another to put

Denver ahead 132-123 with 2:14 left in the first overtime.

Lillard converted a threepoint play but Jokic hit a soft jumper in the lane to make it 134-126 with 1:52 remaining.

Lillard hit another 3-pointer from deep, Morris missed a layup and Lillard drained a 28-footer with 22.9 seconds left to make it 134132. Morris split two free throws and Lillard sent it to a second overtime with another 3-pointer.

However, she said only those with vehicles will avail of the drive-thru swab testing as they don’t want people to suffer from the scorching heat of the sun while queueing.

F1 contacts are firstgeneration 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.

Schlosser also bared that each swabbing center tests 700 to 800 persons daily although the target

was only 500 everyday. At times, she said they tested about 2,000 individuals a day.

She said, “With our heightened surveillance, we are all trying to cater surveillance swabbing, expanded contact tracing and DQR.” Meanwhile, she added that individuals may also opt to avail of the reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing in private laboratories, which charge a fee of P4,500 or more.CIO

The Suns took advantage of Davis’ absence early in Game 5, repeatedly getting into the lane for shots or kickouts for open looks.

Booker was the biggest beneficiary.

He had been relatively quiet the previous two games — at least for one

of the league’s top scorers — scoring a combined 36 points on 11-of-24 shooting. Phoenix’s young All-Star came out firing in the pivotal game of the series, scoring 18 points in the first quarter and hitting a corner jumper to put the Suns up 18 early in the second.

the City Treasurer’s Office, City Assessor’s Office, Business Bureau, and City Civil Registrar’s Office.

Mayor Sara Dutertecarpio has instructed

the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) to implement work-from-home (WFH) for an incubation period for 14 days.

cases of Covid-19 variants in the country.

The DOH has also confirmed the detection of 104 additional cases

of the United Kingdom or B.1.1.7 variant and 137 cases of the South Africa or B.1.351 variant. By Maya M. Padillo

Col. Louie Dema-ala bared in an interview over One Davao Virtual Presser that much of the efforts now of the military group is focused on community support programs.

“Aside from the red area or where the CTGs are usually situated, we also focus on the white area. There is a symbiotic relationship between the red and the white areas. Ang

white area ang nagbibigay ng financial support para sa mga CTGs na nasa red area.

Dito rin sa white ginagawa ang pagrerecruit para sumali sa armadong grupo,” Dema-ala explained.

He cited some gains of the military in weakening the CTG’s strength in the white area along with the initiative and support of the Regional and Provincial Task Force ELCAC.

They can also be the beneficiaries of the employees who died due to work-related contingencies.

In case of the death of the eligible EC pensioner during the prescribed period of January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021, the one-time financial assistance will be released to his or her beneficiary.

“The EC pensioners have suffered work-related

disability and the COVID-19 pandemic compounded their vulnerability as they dealt with undue financial hardships,” Banawis said.

“We hope that the onetime financial assistance can ease the financial burdens of our EC pensioners during this trying time. Rest assured that ECC is tirelessly working to provide more assistance to our workers,” she said.

into one micrograms RAE (vitamin A). This is equivalent to one cup of cooked golden rice to provide 30-50% EAR of vitamin A for pre-school children and two cups for school children and adults.

In comparison, 21 micrograms of beta-carotene from cooked and pureed spinach and 15 micrograms from cooked and pureed carrot are needed by the body to convert into 1 microgram RAE. “The efficient bioconversion rate of Golden Rice is promising from a dietary perspective, given rising food costs and the persistent inadequacy of Filipino diets in terms of providing macro- and micronutrients,” PhilRice says.

The 2018 FNRI Expanded National Nutrition (ENNS) Survey shows that rice continues to be a top source of energy across all Filipino households regardless of socio-economic status. While consumption of animal-based food increases with income, consumption of fruits and vegetables is consistently low across all households.

While the 2018 ENNS shows a slight decline in Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) among young children, this continues to be a severe problem among children aged 12-23 months, as well as in children belonging to the poorest households.

Data also shows the chronic inadequacy of Vitamin A intake in the Filipino diet and the lower prevalence of the recommended twice-yearly Vitamin A supplementation even among non-VAD children.

Young children are disproportionately affected

by VAD because proper nutrition during the first 1000 days of life directly affects physical and cognitive development. “The prevalence of undernutrition, stunting, wasting, and anemia is higher among VAD children, which — if left untreated — will have lasting effects on their future productivity and quality of life,” PhilRice points out. “This underscores the need for a consistent supply of Vitamin A-rich food sources.”

A simulated analysis conducted shows that even substituting small amounts of ordinary rice with Golden Rice can produce a meaningful improvement in vitamin A intake among target populations. This demonstrates its potential as an affordable and sustainable means of providing needed micronutrients in the daily diet of Filipinos, supplementing other plant and animal food sources of vitamin A. The agriculture sector has a key role to play in improving the quality of Filipino diets, through nutrition sensitive practices that improve affordability and accessibility to a diverse range of foods, and by increasing the nutrient content of already accessible and affordable staple crops like rice.

“By working to bring golden rice to the tables of those who need it the most, PhilRice is fulfilling its mandate to provide safe and nutritious rice, and paves the way for agriculture and nutrition sectors to work closely together to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life of all Filipinos,” PhilRice concludes.

Additional Photo from IRRI

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SPORTS 11

Kiefer Ravena has signed up with the Shiga Lakestars as an Asian import.

Nuggets outlast Blazers in 2OT

N

ikola Jokic had 38 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, and the host Denver Nuggets overcame a playoff-record 12 3-pointers from Damian Lillard to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 147-140 in double overtime in Game 5 on Tuesday night.

Lillard finished with 55 points and 10 assists and twice sent the game to extra periods. It was the first 55-point, 10-assist game in NBA playoff history.

Monte Morris scored 28 points, Michael Porter Jr. had 26 points and 12 rebounds,

Austin Rivers had 18 points and seven assists and Aaron Gordon 14 points and 10 rebounds for Denver, which took a 3-2 lead in the firstround series.

Robert Covington had 19 points and 11 rebounds, CJ McCollum scored 18, Jusuf Nurkic finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out and Norman Powell also had 13 points for the Trail Blazers.

Game 6 is Thursday night in Portland.

Lillard’s record-setting 3-pointer off the glass from

HOENIX — Devin Booker scored 30 points after two quiet games and the Phoenix Suns sent LeBron James to the locker room early, dismantling the Los Angeles Lakers, 115-85, on Tuesday night (Wednesday, Manila time) to take a 3-2 first-round series lead.

The Suns won in Los Angeles on Sunday to tie the series and went right at the Anthony Davis-less Lakers in front of a revved-up crowd in Game Five.

Davis was out after suffering a groin injury in Game Four and the Suns took advantage by attacking every chance they had. The Lakers put up little resistance, allowing Phoenix to score nearly at will while building a 30-point halftime lead — Los Angeles’ largest halftime deficit in 25 years.

The Suns made 14 3-pointers and had just four turnovers against the NBA’s

regular-season defensive efficiency leader.

The only bad news: point guard Chris Paul took a shot to his injured right shoulder in the third quarter and did not return.

James scored 17 of his 24 points in the third quarter, but couldn’t rally the listless Lakers. The four-time league MVP sat at the end of the bench by himself in the fourth quarter before heading to the locker room with about five minutes left.

Game Six is on Thursday in Los Angeles.

The series between onetime rivals has been shaped by injuries.

The Suns won the first game in the desert despite Paul injuring his shoulder.

Los Angeles won the next two with Paul ailing, then Phoenix took Game 4 102-94 in Los Angeles after Davis went down with a groin injury.

FNUGGETS, P10

Kiefer joins bro Thirdy to Japan’s B League

L

ooks like the Ravena household is invading Japan’s B.League.

Kiefer Ravena has reportedly signed a contract with the Shiga Lakestars for the 2021-22 season joining his brother Thirdy in the Land of the Rising Sun The Lakestars club announced on Wednesday that the elder Ravena will be registered as an Asian import, similar to his younger broth-

er Thirdy’s situation with the San-En NeoPhoenix.

He will be formally introduced next Monday along with Shiga’s new head coach, Luis Guil Torres.

In its statement, Shiga noted that Ravena is “an extremely popular athlete,” with over a million followers on various social media ac-

counts. They also lauded the player for his participation in the FIBA World Cup 2019 with Gilas Pilipinas.

Ravena is joining a Shiga Lakestars team that went 2336 in the B.League’s West region last season, and missed the playoffs.

He will play in the same region as Thirdy and the NeoPhoenix. The younger Ravena recently signed a contract extension with SanEn after an injury-riddled

campaign last year.

The B.League season starts in October, with teams playing 60 games -- 30 at home and 30 on the road.

In March, NLEX Road Warriors coach Yeng Guiao revealed that Ravena had gotten a “really good offer” to play in Japan. At the time, Guiao noted that there were certain hurdles that Ravena had to overcome in order to sign a contract with a

FKIEFER, P10

Humiliated in Game 5, Lakers are on the brink P

FHUMILIATED, P10

Devin Booker scored 30 to lead the Suns.

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 68 • THURSDAY, JUNE 03, 2021

Retired PBA player Marc Pingris.

PROUD PING

Pingris honoured by PRRD in video message

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etired PBA player Marc Pingris received a message of gratitude and good luck from the Office of the President a week after he announced his retirement from basketball.

“I express my most heartfelt solicitations to Mr. Jean Marc Pingris Jr, on the occasion of your retirement.

You have inspired millions of Filipinos to excellent dedication and love of sports,” Rodrigo Duterte said in a presidential message addressed to the Magnolia Hotshots veteran.

Aside from gracing the PBA stage for 16 seasons, Pingris also served in the national team countless times.

For many fans, he embodied Gilas Pilipinas’ battlecry of “Puso.”

The 39-year-old shared the special video message from the president on Tuesday night, uploading it on his Instagram account and airing his gratitude to the president.

“Isang malaking karangalan po ang mapansin ninyo ako. It was my pleasure and an absolute honor to have served our country through Gilas Pilipinas program,” he wrote.

Duterte added: “You have truly made our country proud. May you remain an inspiration not only to your

family and friends but to all our kababayans who look up to you with high regard and admiration.”

The president wrapped up his message with, “Mabuhay ka and maraming salamat to our Pinoy Sakuragi.”

Yesterday, the president’s party, PDP-Laban, signed a resolution urging Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 elections. Among those not present in the meeting was the political party’s president, athlete-politician Manny Pacquiao.