Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 79 | Wednesday, June 16, 2021

THOSE DAMNED YOUNG ONES BIGGER PICTURE P8 VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

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NOT JUST YET Davao City MECQ status extended until June 30

STORY ON PAGE 2

Pedestrians cross the muddy and bumpy San Pedro Street in Davao City on Tuesday. The street, which is one of the main thoroughfares in the city, is under construction since last year. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

President Rodrigo Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on Monday evening. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

NOT JUST YET Davao City MECQ status extended until June 30

By MAYA M. PADILLO

T

he Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) status of Davao City will remain in place until June 30, 2021.

President Rodrigo Duterte approved the extension on June 14, 2021.

It can be recalled that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) gave the approval to a request by the Davao City government to be placed under MECQ beginning June 5 until June

20, 2021. The IATF issued Resolution No. 119 s. 2021, on June 3, 2021, approving the recommendations of the Screening and Validation Committee for the reclassification of Davao City from General Community Quarantine (GCQ) to MECQ.

Under MECQ classification, the city will be guided by the regulations under the IATF Omnibus Guidelines dated May 20, 2021, particularly Page 9, Section 3 and the Department of Trade and Industry Memorandum Circular No. 21-19 dated May 14, 2021.

The salient points of the guidelines include limiting the movement of all persons to accessing goods and

establishments and for work in such establishments (Sec. 3, IATF Omnibus Guidelines dated May 20, 2021). It also states that any person below eighteen (18) years old and over sixty-five (65) years of age and persons with comorbidities, pregnant women shall be required to stay at home, except for obtaining essential goods and services (Sec. 3, IATF Omnibus Guidelines dated

FNOT, P6

Duterte’s health is fine, loss of balance due to ‘simple misstep’

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alacañang on Monday said President Rodrigo Duterte has no health problem, adding the loss of balance during the 123rd Independence Day rites was a “simple misstep”.

P re s i d e n t i a l Spokesperson Harry Roque made this clarification after the 76-year-old Duterte “got a bit out of balance” as he was turning on a podium.

“It was a simple misstep.

Malinaw naman po sa video that the President was turning on a podium, some kind of a podium so medyo na-out of balance lang po. Wala naman pong problema sa kalusugan (It is clear in the video that the President was turning on a podium, so he got a bit out of balance. There is no problem with his health),” Roque said in his regular Palace press briefing.

During the event, Duterte honored as “modern heroes” the Filipino people who continuously battle the

Covid-19 pandemic.

He also recognized the sacrifices made by frontliners at the risk of their lives.

“In the past year, they have risked their own lives and sacrificed their own comfort and security to ensure that our society will continue to function despite this crisis.

Maraming pong salamat sa inyong pagmalasakit at serbisyo(Thank you very much for your compassion and service),” he said.

Duterte said a wall of heroes is now being built at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City where the names of doctors, nurses, and medical personnel who died due to Covid-19 will be inscribed.

The Chief Executive also posthumously conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the rank of Magalong on Generals Gregorio del Pilar and Marcelo H. del Pilar, both Bulacan natives, in recognition of their

disease.

Alejandro said they are currently reinforcing the preventive measures being implemented by the rural health units and barangays as they continue to address the continuing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

He said they already recorded as of June 11 some 427 confirmed cases of dengue, with three related deaths, about 25

percent lower than the 557 cases recorded in the same period last year.

He attributed the decrease to the limited movements by residents due to the Covid-19 community quarantine measures.

“One indication is the fact that no children are in schools. So, there is no high transmission also,” he said in a report.

FDUTERTE’S, P6

DILG warns public against Sarangani raises alert vs. dengue illegal use of DILG seal/logo H

T

he Department of Interior and Local Government has issued a warning against individuals or groups that uses the DILG seal or logo in their promotional materials and/or activities without the permission of the said agency.

In a memo dated June 11,

DILG Sec. Eduardo Año said they received numerous complaint regarding private individuals, organizations or groups that use the DILG seal or logo, or are requesting to use the same.

The secretary said the seal/logo are usually used in identification cards, signages, and/or any

merchandise.

“Worse, a number of said private individuals, organizations, or groups are charging their members, recruits and the public certain fees and are misrepresenting that they are accredited by the Department.

Alarmingly,

FDILG, P6

ealth authorities in Sarangani alerted their residents and communities against the possible increase in dengue cases due to the onset of the rainy season.

Dr. Arvin Alejandro, Sarangani health officer, said Tuesday they are closely monitoring various areas in the province’s seven municipalities to contain the emergence and spread of the deadly

FSARANGANI, P6

NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

3

Davao City remains under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) status until the end of June as announced by President Rodrigo Duterte. Edge Davao

DavOr gov seeks closure of tourismrelated establishments in Mati City 13 IP families get aid from gov’t

A

total 113 families belonging to Indigeneous People’s community of Paquibato District in Davao City received food packages and household supplies from the local government unit and various government agencies last Sunday (June 13.)

According to First Lt. Gen. Adrian Gautane, Civil Military Operations (CMO) officer for the Philippine Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion, the beneficiaries also got hygiene kit, kitchen kit, and slippers apart from the food packages.

The food stuffs and

FFAMILIES, P6

Still no entry for meat products, livestock in Davao Oriental

D

avao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang disclosed that meat products and livestock are still prohibited from entering the province due to the threat of African Swine Fever (ASF).

“Bawal gihapon makasulod ang meat products nga dili produkto sa probinsya,” Dayanghirang said on Monday.

In January this year, the Department of Agriculture in Caraga Region (DA13) sounded the alarm over new cases of (ASF) reported in the Davao Oriental towns of Boston and Baganga.

Dayanghirang said the province continues to monitor and implement preventive measures to address ASF. “Dili pa ta ka-seguro nga wala na’y ASF sa probinsya, although, naimplement na nato ang necessary preventive measures pero dili pa ta ka seguro mao na continues ang atoang monitoring,” he said.

In February last year, the provincial government of Davao Oriental has stepped up its efforts amid the threat of ASF that has already affected some parts of Mindanao and the Davao Region.

FSTILL, P6

By MAYA M. PADILLO

D

avao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang is asking the National Task Force (NTF) to temporarily close all tourism-related establishments in Mati City due to the surge of Covid-19 cases.

Dayanghirang disclosed on Monday via Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) that the said request has not yet been approved by the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF).

“Ang Mati City, duna ta’y request sa NTF nga basig

ma-aprubahan, mahimong temporary close ang tourism tungod taas pud ang Covid sa Mati City. Wala pa’y update, kay so far kinahanglan pa nato ang approval sa RIATF,” Dayanghirang said.

Meanwhile, stricter quarantine protocols were

already implemented in the municipality of Baganga, Davao Oriental following the sudden surge of positive cases specifically in Barangay Kinablangan.

The municipal hall was placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Based on the data, the province recorded one death and 39 active positive cases Covid-19 in the municipal hall in just five days.

The Local Government

Unit (LGU) of Baganga also ordered the closure of the Poo Sandbar, a famous tourism destination that is frequented by tourists and is located in Barangay Kinablangan. Tourists who booked in advance are not allowed to visit the place.

“Naa ta’y mga areas diri sa Baganga, ato sang gi-lockdown. So bawal sa ang mga turista. Nag determine ta ug mga municipalities kung asa naa’y taas na mga kaso,” Dayanghirang said.

Earthquake Information No. 3 on the magnitude 5.7 quake (previously labelled as magnitude 5.9 in the agency’s first dispatch), the epicenter is somewhere in the municipality of Don Carlos (07.70°N, 124.87°E – 012 km N 22° W of Kadingilan), but the closest populated area is the town center of Kadingilan town, 12 km south of the epicenter.

The epicenter is about 14 km west of the poblacion of Don Carlos, and 14 km east of the town center of Kalilangan.

“Many of us cannot sleep because the ground keeps on shaking,” said Kadingilan Disaster Risk Reduction Management officer Sheen Therese Romo.

She said that aside from the aftershocks, the earthquake has damaged several buildings in the town, including the municipal hall and police station.

Romo said, however, there was no casualty recorded because of the quake.

PHIVOLCS, in its latest dispatch, said the earthquake of tectonic origin was recorded at a depth of only three kilometers.

Romo said the quake Monday night was not as strong as the magnitude 5.9 temblor that hit the area in November 2019.

She said some 440 houses were either destroyed or damaged and forced the evacuation of 581 families during the 2019 quake. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)

Aftershocks hit Bukidnon towns after magnitude 5.7 earthquake

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ftershocks, often just minutes apart, shook the towns around the epicenter of the magnitude 5.7 earthquake that hit Bukidnon late Monday night.

As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) listed in its website a total of 71 aftershocks since the major quake documented at 10:38 p.m. the night before.

Based on PHIVOLCS’s

4 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

On the proposed legalization of online sabong: Bago ito mapalabas sa isang lugar, probinsya or city, we need the consent or approval galing sa LGU units from the mayor, governor and all the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and in the case of cities, its Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).”

COUNCILOR DANILO DAYANGHIRANG

EDITORIAL “Where is our bridge”?

The people of the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS), through their leader, City Mayor Al David Uy, have expressed impatience over the perceived delay in the implementation of the construction of the much ballyhooed Samal Island –Davao city (SIDC) Connector Project by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Mayor Uy has asked this question in the vernacular. “ Mangutana ko sa DPWH kung asa na among tulay? Kay hapit na lang ko mamatay, asa naman ang tulay namo? Klaruha ninyo diha.??

In essence the city’s chief executive said “where is our bridge”? , a question that merited a headline material in a local periodical and went viral in social media. He asked the question while being interviewed over the Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) Last Monday.

When he said “kay hapit na lang ko mamatay” ( I almost died), Mayor Uy was referring to a recent bout with Covid 19 which he survived.

However, his beloved mother who was not lucky enough succumbed to the virus. But of course, there are a thousand and one reasons why multi-billion peso project is in our country like the Davao-Samal bridge may be delayed. After hibernating in the drawing board for decades with dozen of politicians paying lip service to

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Edge Davao earlier reported that one thing that is delaying the construction is the loan negotiation between the Department of Finance (DOF) and the China Eximbank. This is not to mention the legal complications expected to arise when the owners of two beach resorts in Samal that would be affected by the project construction will go to court.

The impatience of the people of the island city is understandable.

Talks about the project have started decades ago even before Mayor Uy was born and Samal was not yet a city. The talks have somehow whet the appetite of people not only of island but also of the residents of the “mainland” Davao City. The talks have at least triggered real estate buying binge not only in Samal, but also in the other of Talikud.

The phenomenon has also attracted real estate investors and plain land speculators even from the nation’s capital.

The people’s Impatience, the legal conflicts, the delays, loan negotiations and even the unfolding electoral tussles among political dramatis personae will be part of the bridge’s saga.

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

it,if not just day-dreaming about it, the project is finally in the works.

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)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

NO MORE COAL POWER SOON? During the recent G7 Summit held at Carbis Bay Hotel in the United Kingdom, the member countries agreed to end new government support for coal power “by the end of 2021” and “pledged to rapidly scale up technologies and policies that accelerate the transition away from unabated coal capacity.”

The seven nations – composed of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan – are doing the measures as part of their efforts to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change and “help a move toward cleaner energy.”

“Coal power generation is the single biggest cause of greenhouse gas emissions,” the organization of the world’s seven largest so-called advanced economies was quoted as saying

by Reuters. It added that “continued global investment in unabated coal power generation is incompatible with keeping 1.5⁰C within reach.”

Coal (from the Old English term col, which means “mineral of fossilized carbon”), which is mostly carbon, has variable amounts of other elements such as hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen and nitrogen. It is formed when dead plant matter decays into peat and is converted into coal by the heat and pressure of deep burial over millions of years.

Coal, primarily used as a fuel, is a relatively cheap and more accessible source of power. In fact,

the International Energy Agency reported that as of 2016, coal remains an important fuel as it supplies about a quarter of the world’s primary energy and twofifths of electricity.

The Philippines, which ranked first in the world for countries most affected by climate change in 2013, continues to be heavily dependent on coal energy. As of 2018, “coal is the country’s dominant energy source with a 52% share in gross power generation, followed by renewable energy sources (geothermal, hydro, solar, and wind) with 22% and natural gas at 21%,” reported The ASEAN Post in 2019.

The Philippines imports 75% of its coal supply, most of it from Indonesia and Australia.

Environmentalists are worried that should coal plants continue to be the primary source of power generation, it could harm the ecology and jeopardize the health of the communities where the plant is located.

“Coal is not clean, not cheap, and not sustainable,” declared Khevin Yu, a campaigner at Greenpeace Philippines.

Coal may contain high heat content at economical costs, but many environmental problems are associated with its use. “Coal has long been linked to air pollution and ill effects on health,” pointed out Seth Dunn in a special report published in World Watch.

“Coal is a major public health hazard,” stressed Greenpeace, which published Coal: A Public Health Crisis. “Each stage of the coal life cycle – mining, transportation, washing, combustion, and disposing of post-combustion wastes – carries health risks that lead to lung, heart, and brain diseases, as well as work-related injuries.”

Particulate matter (dust, soot, and other solid air-borne pollutants) and sulfur dioxide are two of the most unhealthy by-products of coal combustion.

“Particulates penetrate deep into lungs,” explained Dunn. “Prolonged inhalation causes a range of respiratory and cardiovascular problems, such as emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, lung cancer, and heart disease. It is also linked to higher infant mortality rates. The smallest particles can stay in an individual’s lungs for a lifetime, potentially increasing the risk of cancer.

Sulfur dioxide is produced when the sulfur in the coal reacts with oxygen. “Sulfur dioxide exposure is associated with increased hospitalization and death from pulmonary and heart disease, particularly among asthmatics and those with existing breathing problems,” Dunn said.

A previous report by Greenpeace estimated that coal plant emissions could kill up to 2,4000 Filipinos per year due to stroke, heart disease and other cardiovascular and respiratory diseas-

es.

Coal smoke contains potent carcinogens. Although there are no studies done on how many people living near the coal power plants develop cancer, a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that more than one billion rural poor rely on the fuel for cooking.

The United Nations health agency said that rural indoor air pollution from such cooking accounts for 1.8 of 2.7 million global annual deaths from air pollution, with women and children most at risk.

“Coal also contains arsenic, lead, mercury, and fluorine – toxic heavy metals that can impair the development of fetuses and infants and cause open soreness and bone decay,” Dunn pointed out.

Burning of coal releases pollutants that help contribute to acid rain. “When fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas are burned, many substances are emitted into the air,” explained H. Steven Dashefsky, author of Environmental Literacy: Everything You Need to Know about Saving Our Planet. “Sulfur dioxide, nitrogen compounds, and particulates are three such substances, and are considered primary pollutants responsible in part for air pollution.

“These substances travel through the air and react with each other in the presence of sunlight to form secondary pol-

lutants, such as sulfuric and nitric acids. When these acids fall to earth with rain, it is called acid rain.”

The most apparent damage caused by acid rain is the destruction of statues that crumble from the acids, but the most serious effects are less noticeable.

Studies show acid rain at levels below 5.1 kill fish and destroy aquatic ecosystems since most organisms have narrow pH tolerance ranges.

Acid rain also weakens and kills trees and stunts the growth of crops and other plants.

In addition, the coal burning may release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere thus causing the climate change phenomenon.

“Ranging from less than 20 to more than 98%t in carbon content, coal is the most carbon-rich fossil fuel,” Dunn informed. “The industrial era’s heavy combustion of these fuels is short-circuiting the global carbon cycle, building up atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to their highest point in 420,000 years.”

Studies have shown that coal-fired electric power generation emits almost 1,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide for every megawatt-hour generated.

This is almost double the approximately 490 kilograms of carbon dioxide released by a natural gas-fired electric plant per megawatt-hour generated.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

EVENINGS AT HARANA Over 50 years in the making, Harana, famous for its fried rice and spareribs, is one of Davao’s oldest barbecue houses. It started in 1966 as a homebased affair operated on a little garden place at the back of former Davao City vice mayor Fermin Abella’s residence at Juna Subdivision at Matina. It got its old-fashioned name from the Pinoy courtship song or serenade, harana.

Initially, the undertaking was set on a rustic setting.

Bamboo tables and rattan chairs were peculiarly lined up with shacks resembling wallless nipa huts sheltering them from the elements. Nearby, a mango tree, with its canopy, provided shed for a small barbecue pit.

During sundown and evening, the glass lamps, purposefully sited, lit the place and provided ambiance that comes with any garden dinner. Against this backdrop and the smoke

from the grills, food assistants, totaling six (most of them are still with the bistro), handled the specialty of the house, an original sparerib recipe created

by Rosario Abella Lizada.

Four years later, the picturesque little garden space had to give way to another project.

As a result, the business had to find a new home. A large area was found along MacArthur Highway and was leased to host Harana I. With its spacious premises, the owners introduced a new approach in resto management, integrating a children’s park, complete with ornamentals and fixtures like wings, slides, and bars, to provide accent to the grounds.

To provide impetus on its opening night, Harana I was launched on June 29, 1970, feast of San Pedro, the city’s patron saint. The inauguration was well attended by guests and the kids enjoyed the treats on the playground. The unveiling

underscored the implication of the family as an integral part of the success of the business.

As patronage expanded, the owners decided to open a second branch, this time north of the city. At a time when food traffic in the bustling cosmopolitan city was starting to pick up, Harana II was set up along Florentino Torres Street, considered as unsafe and remote, which the motorists avoided for safety reasons.

The barbecue house’s location was strictly unsuitable.

There was not a single building nearby; there were only water hyacinths, reeds, thickets, and frayed shrubs. The premises, like an abandoned lot, did not look like a promising area for a new dining destination. But the opening of the second branch, against the odds, would turn out to be a positive decision.

Harana II’s opening, chiefly catering to the demand for good food, would influence the devel-

opment of the place. Instead of darkness, the place started to attract car-riding customers and walk-in patrons from areas far and near.

Like the first branch, the fenced premises were adorned with lights at night, and by day the grounds are drowned by soft music and the laughter of kids playing a part. Soon, the once risky thoroughfare became a culinary hub offering creative cuisines to discriminating palates and getting the appellation as the city’s food street.

The new branch, despite stiff competition from other food hubs, has retained much of the flavor, colors, and ambiance associated with the original Harana in a garden setting.

Especially those who care for family bonding, the bucolic air that pervades the Torres branch irretrievably reflects the establishment’s humble beginnings.

Harana’s food menu, aside

from its heirloom offerings, has expanded to household-inspired dishes, including appetizers, soups, and veggies. To retain the taste of home, servings like banana flower, eggplant, cucumber, green mango, and seaweeds provide mouth-watering treats.

The main course, meanwhile, is a parade of meat and fish recipes that range from stewed grouper, crabs, and seashells, tamarind-infused soup to beef stew, the bulalo, cooked with shank and bone marrow. The vegan offers, on the other hand, is a cavalcade of native dishes, braised and sauteed fresh vegetables, and Chinese-inspired noodle and veggie cuisines.

Still, the smell of grilled spareribs—well seasoned, tender, tasty, and salivating--remains the old favorite and the main attraction among foodies, a recipe worth ‘serenading’ for.

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VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

Republic of the Philippines City of Davao Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod 19th City Council 42nd Regular Session Series of 2020 PRESENT: Councilor Edgar P. Ibuyan - 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

ORDINANCE NO. 0419-20 Series of 2020 AN ORDINANCE REGULATING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT VEHICLES (UAV) REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT UNITS (RPAU), OR ANY REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM (RPAS) IN THE CITY OF DAVAO Be it ordained by the Honorable Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao City, in session assembled, that: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE- This Ordinance shall be known as “DRONE REGULATION ORDINANCE OF DAVAO CITY.” SECTION 2. COVERAGE – This Ordinance shall cover all Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (UAV), Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Units (RPAU),within the territorial jurisdiction and airspace of Davao City SECTION 3. EXEMPTION – The unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (UAV), Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Units (RPAU) of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or those used by other government agencies for the purpose of emergency response, national defense, public safety and public security shall be exempt from the coverage of this Ordinance; provided they made prior coordination with the Davao City Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC).

SECTION 4. DEFINITION OF TERMS – As used in this Ordinance, the following terms shall mean: a. Drone-any powered, Unmanned, Aircraft vehicle (UAV) or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Unit (RPAU) which would be subject to remote control by the controller; b. No-fly zones – are areas within the territorial jurisdiction or airspace of Davao City which have been declared as areas prohibited to drones, Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (UAV) or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Unit (RPAU). For a particular time or event, or in specified areas within the City, in the interest of Public safety and security; c. Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) – a remotely piloted aircraft, its associated remote pilot stations, the required command and control links and any other components as specified in the type design; d. Remotely Piloted Aircraft Controller – means a person who manipulates the flight contrls of a remotely piloted aircraft; e. Recreational/Hobbyist Use – is the use of a drone, Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle ( UAV), Remotely Piloted Aircraft Unit (RPAU) or any component of a Remotely Piloted Aircrft System (RPAS) for recreational puposes where no profits is made from the use thereof; f. Private Persons – shall refer to natural or juridical persons not execising any official governmental function at the time the activity is conducted; g. Controlled Airspace – an airspace of defined dimensions within which air traffic control service is provided in accordance with the airspace classification; h. Prohibited/Restricted Airspace – an airspace of defined dimensions identified by an area on the surface of the earth in which flight of aircraft is prohibited, as published by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) or by other applicable laws and regulations; SECTION 5. REGISTRATION – The Davao city Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) shal manage the periodic registration of all Drones and remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) oerated by private persons, used for non-commercial, hobbyists, recreational and/or sports purposes, within the territorial jurisdiction and airspace of Davao City, with the assistance and coordination of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP)-Davao City Office.

All owners of drones and Remotely iloted Aircraft System (RPAS) already registered with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP)-Davao City Office shall also present their registration with the Davao City Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) for the purpose of documentation.

SECTION 6. PROHIBITED ACTS 1. No person shall be allowed to operate a drone, at any time, within the territorial jurisdiction or airspace of Davao City without compliance with registration or obtaining a special permit; 2. No person shall falsify, forge, or in any manner misrepresent compliance with the registration requirements; 3. No person shall transfer, alter, tamper with or modify in any manner a registration already granted; 4. No person shall operate a drone, whether registered or unregistered, in prohibited or restricted airspace, no-fly zones, or other areas prohibited by law or regulation, unless specifically permitted by the proper government authority exercising control or jurisdiction in the area.

SECTION 7. CREATION OF THE TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP (TWG) Chairperson: City Mayor’s Office Secretariat: Davao City Public Safely and Security Command Center (PSSC) Members: 1. Chairperson of the City Council Committee on Peace and Public Safety 2. Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines-Davao 3. Davao International Airport Representative 4. Philippine Air Force Tactical Operations Group Davao 5. Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, J2, of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 6. Task Force Davao 7. Davao City Police Office 8. City Tourism Operations Office 9. Department of Tourism 10. Private Sector Representative from Commercial Drone Users 11. Priivate Sector representative from Hobbyist Drone Users SECTION 8. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS –The technical Working Group shall,within thirty (30) days after the Ordinance has been approved, draft the necessary Implementing Rules And Regulations for the approval of the City SECTION 9. PENALTY – Any violation of the provisions of this Ordinance shall be punished as follows: a. For Non-registration, or transfer, falsification or alteration of issued registration: 1st Offense 2nd Offense

- a fine of P3,000 - Confiscation of Drone and a fine of P 5,000

b. For Operating in No-fly zones or prohibited or Restricted Airspaces: Immediate confiscation of Drone and a fine of P 5,000 Provided, that the operation of a non-registered drone over prohibited/restricted airspace or a no-fly zone, shall constitute two separate offenses under this Ordinance.

Provided that the PSSCC, DCPO, TFD or any law enforcement agency shall be allowed to use any reasonable means necessary to obtain possession of, or confiscate any drone found within the prohibited/restricted areas or no-fly zones.

Provided further, that prosecution under this Ordinance for non-registration of the drone or the operation of drones in prohibited/restricted areas or no-fly zones, shall not be a bar to further prosecution for other offenses under Philippine laws.

SECTION 10. REPEALING CLAUSE –Any Ordinance, local issuances or rules inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed or modified, accordingly.

SECTION 11. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE – If for any reason, any section of this Ordinance is declared unconstitutional or invalid,the other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby, shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 12. EFFECTIVITY – This ordinance shall take effect fifteen (15) days upon approval, posting and publication in newspaper of local circulation.

ENACTED, on the 24th day of November 2020, by a unanimous vote of all the Members of the Sanggunian, there being a quorum.

CERTIFIED CORRECT:

ATTESTED:

EDGAR P. IBUYAN JR. President Pro Tempore Temporary Presiding Officer cns/kjtq

February 11 APPROVED : ________________, 2021

AN ORDINANCE REGULATING UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES (UAV), REMOTELY PILOTED AERIAL UNITS (RPAU), OR ANY REMOTELY PILOTED AERIAL SYSTEM (RPAS) IN THE CITY OF DAVAO

NOT... FROMP2

May 20, 2021).

Meanwhile, other areas placed under the MECQ from June 16 to June 30, 2021 are the City of Santiago and Cagayan in Region 2; Apayao and Ifugao in the Cordillera

Administrative Region; Bataan in Region 3; Lucena City in Region4-A; Puerto Princesa in Region 4-B; Naga City in Region 5; Iloilo City and Iloilo in Region 6; Negros Oriental in Region 7; Zamboanga

City, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga del Norte in Region 9; Cagayan de Oro City in Region 10; and Butuan City, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Sur in CARAGA.

“extraordinary acts of heroism that served as the foundation of this nation”.

The decoration was received by Marita del

Pilar Villatema-Santos, the grandniece of Gregorio.

He urged the public to honor their legacies through small acts of

heroism, especially during this time when the country is still grappling with the effects of the pandemic.

(PNA)

reports also indicate that a number of these organizations or groups are sanctioned by some DILG officials,” Año said in his memo.

Año reiterated that the

DILG has not issued any authority to any individual, organization, or group to utilize the DILG seal in any of their materials or undertaking.

For this, Año directed all

agencies under the DILG to take appropriate actions to prevent the unauthorized use of the DILG seal or logo and to deal with the violators accordingly. (CIO MATI)

Alejandro said the local government has distributed some 2,000 sachets of larvicidal or noninsecticidal solution, which is used to treat mosquito nets to help control the population of denguecarrying mosquitoes.

He urged residents to follow the preventive measures against dengue set by the Department of Health under the Aksyon

Barangay Kontra Dengue or ABKD campaign in the barangays.

The intervention includes the conduct of regular community cleanup drives, and search and destroy activities targeting possible mosquito breeding sites.

Citing previous cases, he said mosquito-breeding places were also found inside households.

Alejandro said residents should be vigilant with both the dengue threat and the Covid-19 situation.

He added that testing is currently done in the province for both diseases, through the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method for Covid-19 and rapid screening for dengue.

(PNA)

household items was distributed house-tohouse, done by following by social distancing and wearing of face masks.

Gautane said this program is a joint effort of the LGU, Department of Social and Welfare and Development (DSWD) 11, and in partnership with various private companies.

“The event is part of ongoing efforts

of government in partnership with different stakeholders in reaching out to communities in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAS) and Conflict Affected Areas (ConAAs) as initiative under Executive Order 70 through the delivery of programs and services,” Gutane said.

27th IB commander Lt. Col. Victorino

Seño thanked the city government through Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio, government agencies, and private stakeholders for providing additional support through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program and the community for being on board in finally ending local communist armed conflict in Paquibato District.

Dayanghirang has directed concerned offices and agencies to tighten security measures, especially at the province’s

borders to ensure that swine and meat products from the affected areas will not reach the province.

“Dako ang epekto sa

ASF sa mga ginagmay nato na babuyan sa Davao Oriental diin naapektuhan ug naigo sa ASF,” he said.

By Maya M. Padillo

struction update.

Asked for some more details, the German businessman currently based in Dubai bared to the Philippine News Agency that the stadium will be built just near the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.

The stadium is expected to be opened before the end of 2023.

In the meantime, the club will use the New Clark City Athletic Stadium in Ca-

pas, Tarlac as its temporary home.

“Our inaugural friendly match [is] planned for early August,” Gottschalk bared, barring new developments while under the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

The friendly match, pending approval from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Philippine Football Federation, could serve as Unit-

ed Clark’s main preseason clash before its upcoming PFL title defense later this year.

On the other hand, Gottschalk revealed that the United Clark’s football academy is scheduled to be finished before 2021 ends.

United Clark will first see action in the AFC Champions League group stages later this month.

(PNA)

women’s race after clocking in at 1:11:11.44.

Both Gaerlan and Magpantay also captured the 15-16 age group titles.

The other age group winners were Julius Raphael Cabatingin (11-12), Jhon Andry Labuga (1314).

The national trials were the first cycling rac-

es that took place amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the first since the completion of the 2020 Ronda Pilipinas season.

“Cycling is back,” PhilCycling head Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said on Monday.

Meanwhile, Danao City Sports Commission

chairman Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez, also cycling’s vice chairman, lauded the cyclists for keeping a competitive form as if there is no pandemic at all.

“The results showed our cyclists stayed in competitive form even during the pandemic. Everyone wanted to return to action,” Rodriguez said. (PNA)

DUTERTE’S... FROMP2

DILG... FROMP2

SARANGANI... FROMP2

FAMILIES... FROMP3

STILL... FROMP3

UNITED... FROMP7

SURBAN... FROMP7

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

BIGGER PICTURE

THOSE DAMNED YOUNG ONES

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“C

hildren around the world are routinely engaged in paid and unpaid forms of work that are not harmful to them,” the United Nations said in its website. “However, they are classified as child laborers when they are either too young to work or are involved in hazardous activities that may compromise their physical, mental, social or educational development.”

Child labor is unthinkable but it happens. “There is no place for child labor in society,” said Guy Ryder, director-general of the International Labor Organization (ILO). “It robs children of their future and keeps families in poverty.”

According to ILO, about 70% of the child laborers work in agriculture – mainly in subsistence and commercial farming and livestock herding – and almost half in occupations or situations considered hazardous to their health and lives.

The Philippine experiences The Philippines is not an exemption. The 2011 survey done by the Philippine Statistics Authority said there are around 2.1 million child workers in the country, most of them in hazardous and exploitative work conditions.

“About 95% of (Filipino child laborers) are in hazardous work,” the ILO-Philippines reports. “Sixty-nine percent of these are aged 15 to 17 years old, beyond the minimum allowable age for work but still exposed to haz-

ardous work.”

Most of these children work in farms and plantations, in dangerous mines, on streets, in factories, and in private homes as child domestic workers. “Agriculture remains to be the sector where most child laborers can be found at 58 percent,” ILO says.

In Davao City, for instance, most of the child laborers are working in durian and banana plantations. These children are exposed to harmful pesticides and chemicals making them vulnerable to diseases.

But it is in the mining industry that most child laborers are in great danger.

“Young boys and teenagers are often forced to descend into watery pits in a process known as compression mining,” ChildFund Philippines reports. “With only a tube to allow them to breathe underwater, they fill bags with ore before returning to the surface.

“Aside from the obvious physical dangers of this type of work,” ChildFund Philippines continues, “children

and teenagers face other risks when working in the mining industry, such as exposure to mercury, which is used to leach gold from rock.”

COVID-19 pandemic The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has considerably exacerbated the situation by rendering everyone more vulnerable to exploitation, including the children. School closures have pushed millions more children into the labor market, so they can contribute to the family income.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) called these children who are forced to work as “collateral damage from the pandemic.”

ILO’s Ryder explains it this way: “As the pandemic wreak havoc on family incomes, without support, many could resort to child labor.”

If that’s bad news, there are more contained in the new report, Child Labor: Global Estimates 2020, Trends and the Road Forward. It said the progress to end child labor has stalled for the first time in 20 years, reversing the previous downward trend that saw the number put to work fall by 94 million between 2000 and 2016.

The report, published by ILO an the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and launched during this year’s World Day Against Child Labor, points to a significant rise of children working between the ages of 5 and 11, which accounts for just over half of the total global figure.

And those between five and 17 in hazardous work,

which is likely to harm their health, safety or moral well-being, has risen by 6.5 million since 2016, to 79 million.

Report findings Here are more findings from the report: · The agriculture sector accounts for 70% of children in child labor, followed by 20% in services and 10% in industry. · Nearly 28% of 5 to 10-year-olds and 35% of those aged 12 to 14 in child labor, are out of school. · Child labor is more prevalent among boys than girls at every age but when 21 hours per week of household chores are taken into account, the gender gap in child labor narrows. · Child labor in rural areas stands at 14%, nearly three times higher than the 5% in urban areas.

“The new estimates are a wake-up call,” Ryder pointed out. “We cannot stand by while a new generation of children is put at risk.”

Save the Children Philippines thinks the figure of 2.1 million child workers in the country may have gone up as well as a result of the pandemic. “The adverse impact of COVID-19 will push thousands of children into poverty, and forced labor as parents and guardians face loss of income and livelihood opportunities,” it said in a press statement.

The UN report warns that globally, nine million additional children are at risk of being pushed into child labor by the end of 2022 as a result of the

pandemic, which could rise to 46 million without access to critical social protection coverage.

“We are losing ground in the fight against child labor, and the last year has not made that fight any easier,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF executive director. “Now, well into a second year of global lockdowns, school closures, economic disruptions and shrinking national budgets, families are forced to make heart-breaking choices.”

Already a big problem Even before the pandemic, child labor was already a big problem in the Philippines. “Millions of (Filipino) children are forced to work at young ages,” ChildFund Philippines states. “Child labor is one of the country’s most urgent problems and stems from a range of social factors.

Unless something is done to stop child labor, the issue will continue to affect the lives of many families across the country.”

As stated earlier, most child laborers work under exploitative conditions. Wages of child laborers are often below adult rates, even if they work adult hours, usually six days a week and even doing overtime. Children do not get the benefits guaranteed by law to regular workers.

One author wrote: “Some children are hired because they can be paid a lot less than the minimum wage, they require less food intake, tire less easily and they have no need to apply for such things as medical plans, SSS (Social Security System) or retirement.

Tasks like carrying heavy cement bags are assigned to these children because they are said to be stronger anyway.”

As stated earlier, most child laborers work under exploitative conditions. Wages of child laborers are often below adult rates, even if they work adult hours, usually six days a week and even doing overtime. Children do not get the benefits guaranteed by law to regular workers.

One author wrote: “Some

A1

children are hired because they can be paid a lot less than the minimum wage, they require less food intake, tire less easily and they have no need to apply for such things as medical plans, SSS (Social Security System) or retirement.

Tasks like carrying heavy cement bags are assigned to these children because they are said to be stronger anyway.”

Causes Poverty has been cited as the main culprit of child labor in the country. “As with many threats to children’s development and well-being, poverty is a root cause of child labor,” ChildFund explains. “Families struggle to make ends meet and face hard decisions when it comes to sending their children to work. Without immediate action, the problem will continue to grow.”

Lawrence Jeff Johnson, director of ILO-Philippines, thinks so, too. “We have to get the root of child labor which is linked with poverty and lack of decent and productive work,” he said. “While we strive to keep children in school and away from child labor, we need to ensure decent and productive work for parents and basic social protection for families.”

Apart from poverty, there are other contributing factors, according to UNICEF. These are: increasing pattern of family breakdown and weakening of the extended family system and other support groups; high population growth and changing family values and lifestyles which may lead to unwanted children, promiscuity and solo parenthood; poor enforcement of laws due to ignorance of the law, corruption or apathy; socialization of children into work; and support for children’s work in formal education.

In the Gospel of Matthew (chapter 19, verse 14), Jesus rebuked his disciples for turning away a group of children.

He told them, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

A2 EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021 VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

EDGEDAVAO

LIFESTYLE

A UNIQUE FILIPINO HEROINE IN A UNIQUE FANTASY WORLD

JUNE 12 is a memorable date. Memorable because it is the 123rd celebration of Philippine independence. But for Filipino comic book and anime fans, June 12, 2021 also signaled the premier of a landmark Filipino anime, “Trese”, on Netflix.

Based on the 2005 graphic novel of the same name. Trese the graphic novel is the brainchild of Budjette Tan and KaJO Baldisimo. Tapping into the rich tapestry of Filipino ghost stories, urban legends, and folklore, Trese gave readers a fresh new take with a detective and police procedural perspective.

“When I read Budjette and KaJO’s work almost 11 years ago now, I could immediately see that it was special. Executive Producer, Shanty Harmayn and I shared that belief that it would make a great story to watch, both for a Philippine audience and a wider one,” shared series Writer and Executive Producer Tanya Yuson. “It’s taken a lot of time and hard work for us and our company BASE Entertainment, but we’re so excited to finally be able to share the Trese series with the world.”

While we may be familiar to Japanese ghost stories, the story of Trese is set in Manila where the mythical creatures of Philippine folklore live in hiding amongst humans, giving Netflix viewers in the Philippines and internationally a fresh new world to learn and discover.

As a paranormal detective, the main character Alexandra Trese also breaks the mold of a typical Filipino hero, going head to head with a criminal underworld composed of malevolent supernatural beings.

“This series Trese is really a love letter to the traditions, heritage and culture of the Philippines,” shared Director and Showrunner Jay Oliva “While I didn’t actually grow up in the

Trese co-creators, KaJO Baldisimo and Budjette Tan.

Philippines, I did grow up with those values, and I knew that this would be one of the first projects in my career that my parents would actually be able to understand and relate to. They know I’ve worked on DC & Marvel, but they have no real connection to those characters. These stories have relevance and meaning to them, and I know they will feel a sense of pride – and entertainment – watching a series that shows them that my culture is what identifies me. And, in a very personal manner, this series helps connect me to the life I might have had.”

Maliksi the tikbalang.

TOP: Alexandra Trese with the twins, Crispin and Basilio.

LEFT: Executive producer Tanya Yuson (center) with writers Zig Marasigan and Mihk Vergara.

Director and Showrunner Jay Oliva.

From the start through to the end of the series, the anime resonates with everything Filipino and gives a glimpse of Filipino life in the big city of Manila. The series also gives a crash course on the may different paranormal beings that populate the Philippines. From the ever present aswang, the creepy tiyanak, the fast tikbalag, and even the free-spirited diwatas, there is always something that is sure to pique one’s attention. It also helps that the animation style of Trese also brings back some of the look and feel of the old colored komiks one could buy or rent at the corner sari-sari

store in the mid-1980s.

“For the longest time, we’ve seen the Trese world in blackand-white. And even when we made a full-color version, KaJO painted it with a muted, monotone palette. So, seeing Trese animated in this style is mindblowing for me! It’s great how Jay and the team captured the look and feel of Manila for the show.” said Trese co-creator Budjette Tan. Trese also signals the arrival of Filipino creativity and sto-

rytelling to Netflix, a truly international platform. “The Netflix animation is a giant deal to me as it opens up more possibilities for me, Budjette and all the other Filipino storytellers to present their creativity to a global audience.” shared Trese co-creator KaJO Baldisimo “I’m very thankful to Netflix and Base Entertainment for this opportunity to make more stories.”

Personally, I finished all six exciting episodes of Trese in one sitting and really wished there were more. The story telling was fast paced and I only wish more time can be spent on the many fabulous mythical beings and their worlds in Trese’s Manila. I cannot wait for a second season where more fantastic stories and adventures can be told. Catch Trese, now streaming on Netflix.

A3 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

Agriculture Secretary William Dar discloses that the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of South Korea and the Department of Agriculture (DA) are collaborating on a study to improve the Philippines’swine industry through a USD1.2-million project. Edge Davao

Local auto industry continues to recover in May, CAMPI says

T

he country’s automotive industry has continued to recover as sales in May 2021 increased compared to the previous month and May 2020, the joint report of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed.

The industry groups’ sales last month reached 22,062 units, which are 23.6 percent higher than sales in April 2021 and 360.8 percent higher than May 2020.

In a statement Monday, CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez attributed the increase in sales to the easing of quarantine measures in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus --Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.

Month-on-month, passenger car sales rose by

36.43 percent to 7,599 units in May 2021 from 5,570 units in April this year.

Commercial vehicle sales also posted an increment of 17.8 percent with sales of 14,463 units last month from 12,273 units in April.

Meanwhile, five-month sales of the industry jumped by 58.7 percent to 110,217 units this year from 69,463 units in the same period in 2020.

Sales of passenger car and commercial vehicle segments registered double-digit growth during the period.

The passenger car segment sold a total of 35,024 units in the first five months of the year, 82.4 percent higher than the 19,201 unit sales in the same period in 2020.

Commercial vehicle sales increased by 49.6 percent to 75,193 units in the January to May period from 50,262 units in 2020.

House panel OKs bill letting workers choose bank account for payroll

A

panel of House lawmakers on Monday approved a bill seeking to allow private sector employees to choose the bank account where their wages may be deposited.

The House Committee on Labor and Employment approved, subject to style and amendments, House Bill 7619 or the “Bank Account Portability for Workers Act” saying this lets workers weigh the attractiveness of financial products, interest rates, as well as the accessibility of banks.

The Bill’s author, Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz

Quimbo said the proposed “Bank Account Portability for Workers Act” would amend for Presidential Decree Mo. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines.

The Department of Labor and Employment Undersecretary Ana Dione, endorsed the bill.

Alan Tanjusay, spokesman of the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) also expressed support for the bill especially since workers usually do not have bank accounts and bank savings.

DA forges deal with SoKor to upgrade swine industry

T

he Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of South Korea and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have collaborated on a study to improve the Philippines’ swine industry through a USD1.2-million project.

The “Feasibility Study on Enhancing Meat Safety and Quality through Establishment of Modern Livestock Infrastructure and Inspection Facilities with Traceability Systems” is “important, critical, urgent, timely and high impact that if successfully implemented will benefit livestock industry,” DA Secretary William Dar said in a statement on Monday.

The result of the study was released by the EDCF, a subsidiary of the Export-Im-

port Bank of Korea (KEXIM Bank) which is the official export credit agency of South Korea.

The EDCF feasibility study was based on five components: installation of new inspection equipment; establishment of modern livestock facilities with global standard meat complex in Regions 3 (Central Luzon) or 4-A (Calabarzon); development and implementation of information and communications technology sys-

tem; capacity-building; and policy recommendation.

Under the project, a meat enhancement facility is eyed to rise in 2023 in Calabarzon, one of the regions where structures for the improvement of the swine industry will be constructed.

In a recent regional briefing, Jonathan Sabiniano Sr. Technical and Planning Officer of the Office of the Undersecretary for Livestock, shared that the facility will have a slaughterhouse, storage facility, meat cutting, and packaging facilities, carcass auction market wholesaling space, and chilling and freezing warehouses.

The study will also pave the way for the construction of a Meat Academy, a Philippine training center for meat slaughtering and pro-

cessing; a 50-ton capacity feed mill; and the upgrade of the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and National Meat Inspection System (NMIS) laboratory.

Sabiniano said Calabarzon, particularly Batangas, National Capital Region, and Regions 3, 7, and 11 are prospect sites for developments.

KEXIM-EDCF will donate seaport container scanners with interpretation room for the international container terminals in Batangas.

In 2018, the DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and NMIS also signed a deal with KEXIM Bank to strengthen the livestock industry with the vision of food security and possible export potential. (PNA)

es (IATF) to allow gyms and fitness clubs to restart their operation at 20-percent capacity even without the safety seal.

He said this request aims to help gym operators to immediately bring back their economic activities and some 22,000 jobs in the sector.

Last week, the IATF allowed gyms and fitness clubs to reopen as long as they have secured the safety seal, a good housekeeping badge

issued by the government that serves as a proof that the establishment complies with the minimum health protocols.

“We shall be requesting that this will be voluntary also,” Lopez said.

Lopez proposes that prior to securing the safety seal, all gyms and fitness clubs can operate at 20-percent capacity.

If these establishments already secured the good housekeeping seal, they will

be allowed to expand their capacity up to 30 percent, or an additional 10 percentage points, he said.

The local government unit is the approving government body for gym and fitness clubs under the safety seal certification program.

Lopez said allowing the immediate resumption of gyms and fitness centers also reduces the bureaucracy by making the safety seal application voluntary.

DTI encourages IATF to allow gyms to reopen even without safety seal

T

he safety seal should work as an option for gym operators to expand their capacity rather than a requirement for fitness centers to reopen their business, the top trade official said Monday.

In a Palace briefing, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said he will appeal to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseas-

A4 ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III urges businesses to invest heavily in digitalization and innovation to stay competitive as the world rapidly transitions to a new post-pandemic global economy driven by abrupt and disruptive changes in technology. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Dominguez: PH debt D level still manageable

DITO warns public vs bogus pocket WiFi, overpriced SIM

F

inance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the country’s debt level is currently “high,” but assured that this is still sustainable and can be managed in the future.

During the televised Cabinet meeting Monday, Dominguez explained that the country’s budget deficit surged from 2019, the “last normal year,” with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He noted that from a deficit of ₱666 billion in 2019, this has ballooned to ₱1.37 trillion in 2020 and is estimated to reach ₱1.86 trillion this year.

This, as revenues are seen to remain low because of a restricted economy, and expenditures increasing due to programs needed to address the health crisis. For this year, Dominguez said revenues are seen to reach ₱2.88 trillion, slightly higher than last year’s ₱2.86 trillion, but still lower than 2019’s ₱3.14 trillion. Expenditures are estimated to total ₱4.7

trillion, higher than 2020’s ₱4.23 trillion and 2019’s ₱3.8 trillion.

“We had to borrow money because humina nga ang economy tapos bumaba pa ang collections (the economy slowed dow and collections declined),” Dominguez noted.

For 2021, the finance chief said borrowings may reach ₱3.1 trillion, up from 2020’s ₱2.7 trillion and 2019’s ₱1 trillion. In terms of percentage of gross domestic product, 2021’s estimate would be 58.7%, compared to 2020’s and 2019’s 54.5% and 30.96%, respectively.

Dominguez said this situation is only temporary and that the economy will revert

to normal again by 2022 or 2023 once it reopens and the coronavirus is eliminated. He added the country’s credit ratings have not been downgraded despite current fiscal situation.

“We think that the debt level of our country is high, but it is sustainable, and we can manage to handle this debt in the coming years,” he said.

Dominguez also assured that the government has enough funds to purchase all COVID-19 vaccine doses needed. He noted that the ₱85 billion budget is enough to purchase 140 million doses for 70 million Filipinos, which is the entire adult population.

ITO Telecommunity on Monday said users should refrain from purchasing overpriced SIM cards and tampered pocket WiFis which are being sold as DITO-branded devices.

In a statement, DITO said a number of overpriced and authorized SIM cards and DITO-branded modems proliferated online since its launch last March 8.

DITO chief administrative officer Adel Tamano said the telco has not launched any pocket WiFi or devices as of this time. He added that all DITO SIM cards have the same price regardless of what the mobile number is.

“There are no official DITO modems or pocket WIFI devices that have been launched at this time. DITO cannot and will not guarantee the performance and service should our SIM cards be

used in these unauthorized devices in the market today,” Tamano said.

“It has come to our attention that there are so-called DITO-branded modems that are being sold online.

Let me take this opportunity to assure the public that the unauthorized use of the DITO branding in any form shall result in the possibility of prosecution for intellectual property infringement,” he added.

Globe Telecom earlier warned that it was prepared to take “legal action” against resellers and individuals who are tampering with its WiFi modem to sell them as DITO devices.

Vanity number SIM cards or those with special numerical characters will also be available “in the near future” but there are none as of this time, Tamano said.

he National Grid Corporation of the Philippines will comply with the Department of Energy’s instruction to enter into firm contracts with backup power providers, a spokesperson said Tuesday.

NGCP, the privately owned operator of the country’s power grid, believes, however, that this will not solve electricity problems but will instead increase power rates, said lawyer Cynthia Alabanza.

“We will follow, but we ask that the ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission) be given an opportunity to really see the impact of this,” she said.

“If it’s something that will lead to higher rates for the consumers and no better services, then I think that’s something that the DOE should consider, as well as the ERC,” she said.

Alabanza said the NGCP “sources everything from the same pot and if that pot doesn’t hold enough to meet both needs, then you’re still going to have the same problem.”

“Signing a firm agreement will not give you additional power. It will just give you bigger bills, larger bills to pay...

There won’t be a power plant that will magically turn up when we sign the firm contracts,” she said.

NGCP to follow DOE order to sign firm contracts for backup power

Businesses urged to spend big T on innovation, digitalization F inance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III underscored Monday the need for Philippine businesses to invest heavily in digitalization and innovation to stay competitive as the world rapidly transitions to a new post-pandemic global economy driven by abrupt and disruptive changes in technology.

At a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) event, Dominguez said the country, as a whole, must

also evolve and take advantage of these fast-changing technological innovations so it can better respond and adapt to the demands and challenges of the new global economy.

“Technological innovations will build new industries and create many employment and investment opportunities. These will allow us to bounce back stronger from the pandemic and help ensure the long-term recovery of our

economy,” Dominguez said in his pre-recorded keynote speech at the inauguration of the DOST’s Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCen) in Bicutan, Taguig City.

Dominguez said the AMCen, which aims to be the technological hub and research center for additive manufacturing in the Philippines, will help transition the country’s manufacturing sector to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe).

A DOST initiative under

Secretary Fortunato dela Peña, the AMCen is home to the Philippines’ first 3D printing research and development (R&D) institution.

“Again, let me congratulate the Department of Science and Technology for making this Advanced Manufacturing Center a reality. I expect the inauguration of more forward-looking projects to bring the Philippines closer to our goal of becoming a major player in the digital economy,” Dominguez said.

VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS

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Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) shoots past Philadelphia 76ers guard Shake Milton (18) in the third quarter during game four in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Reuters.

United City renamed to United Clark : PFL

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nited City, the reigning Philippines Football League (PFL) champion, announced on Monday that it will now be known as United Clark for the upcoming season after sealing an agreement with the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) to have the Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles as the site of its new stadium.

“This is a historic day for all of us within the organization as we are finally able to announce Clark as our permanent home. This has been in the works for several months, and we would like to thank Vivencio B. Dizon, president and CEO (chief executive officer) of BCDA, and his team for their support in bringing professional football to Clark,” club owner Eric Gottschalk said.

Formerly known as Ceres Negros before a group of

investors led by Gottschalk bought the club from the Yanson Family last year, United Clark will be Pampanga’s third active regional sports team after the Pampanga Giant Lanterns of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, another team based in Angeles, and the Pampanga Delta of the National Basketball League.

“Our move to Pampanga has a lot to do with the already existing sports mentality within the community, especially the love for football,” Gottschalk said.

Currently, plans are now underway about the construction of the stadium that United Clark will call home.

“We have already identified a prime location, and we are just waiting to complete the paperwork before the plot will also be announced,” Gottschalk said on the con-

FUNITED, P6

Hawks rally past Sixers to level series T rae Young collected 25 points and a career-high-tying 18 assists to fuel the host Atlanta Hawks to a 103100 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

The Hawks overcame an 18-point, second-quarter deficit and evened the best-of-seven series at two wins apiece. Game 5 is Wednesday in Philadelphia.

With Atlanta nursing a 101-100 lead, Philadelphia forced the Hawks into a turnover before taking a timeout with 16.6 seconds to play. Joel Embiid, however, failed to convert on a drive to the basket with 8.8

Surban rules national MTB trials

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ino Surban showed why he is a Southeast Asian (SEA) Games silver medalist after winning the men’s elite gold in the national trials for mountain bikes of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling) in Danao City over the weekend.

Surban, who captured a silver in the men’s cross-country event during the 2019 SEA Games in Tagaytay, just needed one hour, 22 minutes and 11.21 seconds to

clear a six-lap course of three kilometers each lap over the hills of Sitio Bugho in Barangay Sandayong Sur to take the win.

Jericho Rivera captured the silver after finishing the race a shade under one hour and 25 minutes, while Mark Valderama came in third at a little under one hour and 26 minutes for the bronze.

In the women’s side, Ariana Dormitorio won the gold after crossing the finish line at 1:29:50.75.

Nicole Quinones, daughter of 2003 SEA

Games gold medalist Eusebio, got the silver medal in her women’s elite debut with a 1:42:12.89 clocking.

Pamela Jane Ruiz clinched bronze in 1:48:25.24.

The women’s elite trial was raced in a five-lap course also of three kilometers per lap.

Meanwhile, Gart Gaerlan won the men’s junior race after finishing a fourlap race of 12.4 kilometers in total in 1:03.27.73.

Athena Magpantay, on the other hand, won the

FSURBAN, P6

seconds remaining to fall to 0-for-12 from the floor in the second half.

Young subsequently made two free throws to give the Hawks a threepoint cushion with 6.6 seconds left. Seth Curry’s off-balance, 3-point attempt caromed off the back of the rim to end the game.

Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 22 points for the fifth-seeded Hawks. At-

lanta’s John Collins (14 points, 12 rebounds) and Clint Capela (12 points, 13 boards) each posted double-doubles.

Tobias Harris had 20 points and Embiid recorded 17 points and 21 rebounds for the top-seeded 76ers, who were outscored 54-38 in the second half.

Ben Simmons had 11 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and two blocks on the same day that he was named to the 2020-21 NBA All-Defensive First Team.

Embiid made a pair of foul shots to give Philadelphia a 95-94 lead with 3:23 remaining in the fourth quarter before Furkan

Korkmaz extended the advantage by draining a deep 3-pointer.

Collins converted from beyond the arc on the next possession, and Young sank a floater with 1:17 left to regain the lead for Atlanta.

The Hawks chipped away at their early deficit before Bogdanovic drained a 3-pointer to give them an 83-82 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Shake Milton scored all eight of his points in a 77-second span to hand the 76ers a 92-88 advantage, but Young’s floater, a defensive goaltending call and Capela’s alley-oop dunk regained the lead for Atlanta.

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VOL.14 ISSUE 79 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021

Ernie Gawilan is eagerly waiting for the World Para Swimming World Series to unfold on June 17-20 where his classification will be finalized.

File photo

DABAWENYO PRIDE Davao’s Ernie Gawilan banner PH Paralympic team

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abawenyo paralympic pride Ernie Gawilan will headline a lean 10-man Philippine contingent who will vie for medals in the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics.

Gawilan, Asian Para Games triple gold medalist and the first Filipino to capture a gold in the Asian Para Games, is currently in Berlin, Germany, eagerly waiting for the World Para Swimming World Series to unfold on June 17-20 where his classification will be finalized.

“This will be a good tuneup for the Paralympics. I will also get to compete with the best para swimmers in the world,’’ Gawilan was quoted as saying in a report bjy the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The gifted swimmer who was born with underdeveloped extremities and orphaned at a young age also brought home two silvers during the 2018 Asian Para Games besides the three golds. He was classified S7 in the freestyle and backstroke events during the Asian Para Games.

Paralympics bronze medalist Josephine Medina of table tennis will also be a part of the team.

Taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin already got a bi-partite invite to see action while Medina, who saved the Team Philippines campaign in the

2016 Rio De Janeiro Paralympics with a bronze, is patiently expecting a communication for her official qualification.

“I’m in good shape. As of now, I’m just praying that I can make it to the final selection for the Paralympics,’’ said Medina.

Wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan is likewise anticipating his formal entry after reaching the high-performance standard in the 400m during Para Athletics Grand Prix last month in Nottwill, Switzerland.

“We are just waiting for an official announcement with respect to their qualifications. As for Ernie (Gawilan), we will know his classification in Berlin,’’ said Philippine Paralympic Committee president Michael Barredo, the new vice president of the Asian Paralympic Committee.

The International Paralympic Committee identified 10 different sport classes for athletes with physical impairment. The lower the number, the more severe the activity limitation.