Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 90 | Tuesday, June 29, 2021

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Let’s wait for IATF’s decision on Davao City’s new quarantine status: Sara STORY ON PAGE 2

A worker grills dozens of pork barbeque skewers at an eatery along Ponce Street in Davao City in preparation for the in flux of customers during lunch time on Monday. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 90 • TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

President Rodrigo Duterte reiterates that drug problem is a“never-ending one”and if not resolved, can put the country under the control of the narco-politicians. Presidential Photo

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Davao City court closed for 8 days due to COVID-19

Let’s wait for IATF’s decision on Davao City’s new quarantine status: Sara

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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Mayor Inday Sara Duterte via Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Monday.

Mayor Sara reminded that the city only rely to the national government in placing quarantine

classification for the city.

“Diri sa Davao City, wala tay experts like how they do it didto sa IATF or sa national government or sa DOH central. That is the reason why we also rely on the national government unsang klaseng quarantine classification ilang i-impose because ang tanang experts naa didto sa ila na magtan-aw sa data nga nagapanghitabo diri sa atong syudad,” she explained.

It can be recalled that President Rodrigo Duterte approved on June 14, 2021,

the extension of MECQ status of Davao City will remain in place until June 30, 2021.

The 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

practice financially sound strategies to survive or withstand the crippling effects of the pandemic on their daily household life.

The survey was done online since physical contact was not allowed during the time of conduct of the survey. The IPO relied heavily on online targeted survey of Facebook users who are residents of Davao City, at least 20 years old, and are targeted for contact with the defined geographical radius. A total

of 1,200 respondents were contacted in random and systematically targeted.

Included in the survey were 48.2 percent millennials or Generation Y (between 25 and 40 years old), 31.5 percent Generation Z (20 to 24 years old), 14.7 percent Generation X (born from early 1960s to late 1970s), and 5.5 percent baby boomers (5775 years old).

Some of the findings included --8 of 10 respondents

(78.8 percent) claimed that definitely they need additional income; --5 of 10 (56.6 percent) said that the current financial situation is still manageable; --3 of 10 (36.2 percent) admitted it is a struggle from time to time; --5 of 10 respondents (51.9 percent) stated that their household’s financial situation for the next three months is still manageable; --5 of 10 respsondents (55.8 percent) can still

ith the extension of the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) status for Davao City nearing its deadline, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio advised Dabawenyos to wait for the announcement of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the new quarantine status of the city.

”Anytime now or tomorrow mag-announce na ang national IATF ug new quarantine status for all LGUs sa nasud so let us wait for that,” the mayor said during the Special Hours with

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ajority of Dabawenyos in the congressional districts of Davao City feel the need for additional income given their current financial situation affected by the Coronavirus pandemic raging for more than a year now.

This was one of the findings of the University of Mindanao Institute of Popular Opinion (IPO) online survey fromJune15to22. Thesurvey also intended to determine whether Dabawenyos

he Regional Trial Court Brach 8 of Davao City will be closed for eight days from June 28 to July 5 for quarantine of its personnel and disinfection after one of its utility staff tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In a letter dated June 26 addressed to Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez, a copy of which was released on June 27, Judge Glenn DC Aquino of RTC Branch 8 said the court’s utility staff, who last reported for work on June 21, was informed of the positive result of her reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test by phone by personnel of the City Health Office (CHO). “ U n f o r t u n a t e l y, because of the sheer bulk of COVID-19 tests being conducted by the CHO on a daily basis, the official copy of the test result of our utility staff is not yet immediately

available,” he said.

Aquino said the court will be closed to prevent the risk of further exposure by the rest of the staff and to undergo mandatory self-quarantine protocol as additional precautionary measure.

A copy of this letter has been sent to CHO to schedule a swab test for their personnel and conduct disinfection in the court premises in compliance with paragraph 5 of Administrative Circular No. 101-2000.

The circular provides that “once the confirmatory RT-PCR test yields a positive result, the concerned court which was exposed to the confirmed COVID-19 case shall be immediately disinfected.”

As of June 27, DOHDavao reported 40,959 cases with 9,870 active, 29,715 recoveries, and 1,374 deaths.

manage paying bills in the next three months; --3 of 10 (30 percent) admitted having no savings to use; and --3 of 10 respondents (33 percent) have levels of anxiety about their finances.

Dabawenyos were asked about their personal and household economic situation. Notably, 6 of 10 Dabawenyos surveyed were employed at the time of survey while 1 of 10 were selfemployed. In addition, 17.6

percent of the respondents reported unemployment with no income source, while a fair few are either unemployed with income from business and investments or unemployed with monthly pension.

Asked if there is a need for additional income at this time, 78.8 percent (almost 8 of 10) claimed of a definite need, followed by 2 of 10 (16.7 percent) who said otherwise yet stating that having an

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NEWS

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A cyclist traverses along Roxas Avenue in Davao City on Monday. The city government of Davao is planning to collect a bicycle registration fee of P25 renewable after three years. Edge Davao

DOH 11 urges LGUs to boost Covid treatment facilities

Davao City to collect P25 bicycle registration fee

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he local government of Davao will collect a bicycle registration fee of P25 renewable after three years once the City Council of Davao approves the proposed amendments of the 2010 Bicycle Ordinance.

Atty. Mark Peñalver, executive director of Interface Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS), said that Councilor Mabel Acosta, who chairs the Committee on Peace and Public Safety, has completed the draft of

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gents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) backed by police operatives arrested on Friday (June 25) in a buy-bust operation a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman in sitio Centro Barangay Fishing, Malita town in Davao Occidental.

The PDEA regional office identified the suspect as Jeric Jeff Albino Ongayo, 22, of the said barangay.

Seized during the

the proposed ordinance.

He said that the imposition of minimal registration fee was agreed during committee hearings.

He added that it has been transmitted to the office of 3rd District Councilor Conrado Baluran for review and harmonization with the Comprehensive Transport and Traffic Code.

In June 2020, Mayor Sara Duterte ordered the temporary suspension of

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operation were a gram of suspected shabu worth about P14,000, and buy-bust money. Also confiscated from Ongayo’s possession were a unit of .38 revolver and bullets.

Ongayo will be charged with violation of Section 5, Article II of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and Republic Act 10591, or The Comprehensive Firearms

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

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kay aron ang tanan bisan ug asymptomatic sila, naa gihapon sila sa mga isolation facilities. Kini atong ginatanaw ug gina-rekomenda gyud sa LGUs nga dungagan nila ang ilahang isolation and quarantine facilities,” said Dr. Annabelle Yumang, regional director of DOH 11,

during the online “Usapang Pangkalusugan” on Monday.

As of June 27, 2021, there are a total of 40,959 Covid-19 cases in Davao Region and out of this, there are a total of 9,870 active cases and all are admitted. Of the 9,870 active cases, 9,154 or 92.7 percent are asymptomatic; 590 or 6 percent mild cases; 114 are severe, and 12 are critical.

“Nakita gyud na taas kaayo ang pagtaas sa atoang mga kaso. I-compare nato sa miaging bulan, karong bulan sa June niabot nata ug 12,910 cases. Dako gyud ang iyahang pagsaka karong bulana sa

June,” said Yumang.

Yumang reported that the top 10 areas with the high number of active cases in Davao Region as of June 26, 2021 are Tagum City with a total of 1,011 cases; Buhangin District in Davao City with 735 cases; Talomo North, Davao City with 578 cases; Talomo Central, Davao City with 544 cases; Digos City with 523 cases ; Talomo South, Davao City with 518 cases; Bunawan District, Davao City with 409 cases; Sasa District, Davao City with 370 cases; District B in Davao City with 348 cases;

Sotto issued the challenge to Mayor Al David Uy and Governor Edwin Jubahib after learning that the two LCEs were allegedly convincing their constituents to boycott Nordeco.

“Murag kamo ang nahimong mouth piece nila (DLPC) by convincing sa mga tao na mag Davao Light nata,” he said.

Last week, Jubahib, through a video circulating

online first posted by newsline.ph, urged Nordeco to turn over its remaining franchise area in the province to DLPC which has been providing electricity to its three towns and Panabo City since 1976.

The governor was also reported initiating a barangay referendum to call on the residents of the province to appeal to the national government to

terminate the franchise of Nordeco for not improving its services.

Uy posted also posted on his Facebook account on June 26, 2021, asking former officials of Daneco and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) from 2013 to 2018 regarding the P200 million capital expenditures (capex) for the submarine cable project.

n official of the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH 11) urged local government units (LGUs) in Davao Region to augment respective Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs) for Covid-19.

The recommendation was made to address the clustering of cases in the region.

“Sa atoang clustering of cases, giawhag namo ang atoang mga local government units na mag-increase sila sa ilahang temporary treatment and monitoring facilities

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n official of the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Nordeco) challenged local chief executives (LCEs) of the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) and Davao del Norte to urge Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) to come up with an official statement on privatizing Nordeco.

Nordeco General Manager Mario Angelo

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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Department of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III says it is now the task of the Trust Fund Management Committee to properly manage the coconut levy trust fund, which is estimated at P75 billion, so that it serves its strategic development goals. Presidential Photo

Gov’t sets up coco A levy asset registry

PH back in dirty money watchdog’s ‘gray list’

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ursuant to its mandate under Republic Act 11524, the government has set up the coco levy asset registry to monitor the status of the assets, including their fruits, acquired through the multibillion-peso coconut levy fund.

RA 11524 created the Trust Fund Management Committee (TFMC) to oversee the utilization and management of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund (CFITF), and mandated it to draft the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to effectuate the same.

The TFMC eyes the asset registry to serve as the repository of information and records of coconut levy assets.

Based on the IRR published in a newspaper of general circulation, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), as TFMC Secretariat, is required to establish the coco levy asset registry.

The registry is one of the innovations introduced by the government to ensure that the management of the CFITF is “equipped with checks and balances.”

The registry will contain

separate records for both cash and non-cash coco levy assets while further classifying them into those already declared with finality to belong to the government and those continuing to be subject of litigation.

“It is now the task of the Trust Fund Management Committee to properly manage the coconut levy trust fund, which is estimated at PHP75 billion, so that it serves our strategic development goals,” Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said during the recent first meeting of the TFMC, which he chairs.

Required to be regularly updated, the asset registry shall serve as the TFMC’s records of all information re-

lated to the coco levy assets, which shall be based on the initial inventory submitted by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG).

The PCGG, in compliance with RA 11524, has submitted an initial inventory of coco levy assets to the TFMC estimated to be worth PHP113.88 billion consisting of cash, shares of stock, holding and trading companies, as well as their subsidiaries.

In its report to the TFMC, the TFMC Secretariat highlighted that some of the assets in the PCGG inventory are still under dispute in various courts such as the Sandiganbayan, Supreme Court, and the Regional Trial Courts (RTCs).

workers may get SRA not exceeding ₱5,000 per month.

Late last year, Duterte also signed Administrative Order No. 36 to grant health workers directly attending to COVID-19 patients with risk allowance, covering September 15 to December 19, 2020.

“The grant of the COVID-19 special risk allowance shall be prorated based on the number of days that

the public and private health workers physically report for work in a month, as certified by the head of the hospital, laboratory, or medical and quarantine facility, or his/her authorized representative, reckoned from Sept. 15, 2020 until June 30, 2021,” according to the DBM-DOH Joint Circular No.1 issued June 16.

The payment of the risk allowance should be released

“not later than June 30”, the DBM noted.

“The DBM is committed to fulfill its mandate of promoting the efficient and effective management of the national budget to support its budget priorities while also ensuring that the needs of the Filipino people are met, especially of healthcare workers in this time of the pandemic,” it said in the statement.

DBM releases P9B for medical workers’ special risk allowance

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ealth workers who are in direct contact with COVID-19 patients should expect to receive their special risk allowance (SRA) until Wednesday as the government released fresh funds amounting to ₱9 billion to the Department of Health.

In a statement issued over the weekend, the Department of Budget and Management said private and public health

global dirty money watchdog has placed the Philippines anew on its “gray list” or jurisdictions under increased monitoring after failing to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing.

In a report released last week, the Financial Action Task Force also placed Haiti, Malta and South Sudan to the watch list, and removed Ghana after the country had made progress.

“When the FATF places a jurisdiction under increased monitoring, it means the country has committed to resolve swiftly the identified strategic deficiencies within agreed timeframes and is subject to increased monitoring,” the Paris-based watchdog said.

Lawyer Mel Georgie Racela, executive director of Anti-Money Laundering

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he Unioil Petroleum Philippines advised motorists to expect higher fuel prices from Tuesday, June 29 to Monday, July 5.

In its latest fuel forecast, Unioil said the price per liter of diesel will increase by P0.70 to P0.80 next week.

Meanwhile, pump prices for gasoline will increase by P1.00 to P1.10 per liter.

The Department of En-

Council Secretariat, said the FATF noted several deficiencies in the country’s implementation of the anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing efforts.

“The gray listing is the FATF mechanism to institute controls in regard to jurisdictions so that they can monitor the progress being implemented by jurisdictions included in the gray list,” he said on Monday.

This comes even after the Philippines passed Republic Act 10927 or an amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering Act in 2017 and RA 11479 or Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

“Those are taken into consideration in regard to our technical compliance.

But we need to exhibit or demonstrate effective compliance. So, that’s where our deficiencies are because we lack the essential time to demonstrate effective implementation,” Racela noted.

ergy (DOE) said that effective June 22, oil companies implemented a price increase of P0.75 per liter for gasoline and P0.70 per liter for diesel and kerosene.

The DOE said this caused year-to-date adjustments to stand at a total net increase of P10.75 per liter for gasoline, P9.25 per liter for diesel, and P7.70 per liter for kerosene.

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Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, chair of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), discloses that he was instructed by President Rodrigo Duterte to settle the problem involving the closure of La Frutera, Inc. in Datu Paglas, which displaced 2,000 workers. Edge Davao

Datu Paglas banana plantation gets a new lease on life: Piñol BPOs to continue driving T demand for office spaces

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emand for office spaces is expected to remain stable and resilient, with the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector leading the growth in the Philippines amid global uncertainty brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, according to Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).

“The information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) industry may continue to spearhead demand for office spaces and this potential new trend of setting up satellite offices would be a strategic fit for the industry considering the significant number of employees in the sector,” the global real estate services firm said in an Office Market Study of Metro Manila and Metro Cebu prepared for Filinvest Land, Inc. (FLI).

JLL’s findings are positive for FLI subsidiary Cyberzone Properties, Inc. (CPI), which continues to derive steady cash flow from its office leasing business due to the resil-

ience of the BPO sector even amidst the Covid-19 global pandemic.

“Our office leasing business is heavily supported by the BPO sector.

In ‘Recalibration of the Philippine IT-BPM Industry Growth Forecasts for 2020-2022,’ an Everest Group study prepared for the IT & Business Process Association Philippines, the industry is expected to grow by 5.5 percent per annum for the next two years, with a 5-percent growth of employment per year, despite the pandemic. The outlook should significantly show an increase in growth once the health crisis improves,” CPI president and chief executive officer Maricel Brion-Lirio said in a statement Sunday.

CPI filed a Registration Statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last March 25, 2021 and an application to change its name to Filinvest REIT Corp. (FILRT), which are subject to regulatory approval.

The plantation is “set to start rehabilitation soon,” Piñol announced in a statement last week, a little over a month after Duterte issued the order.

In a special report published on May 24, MindaNews reported that, unknown to the public, La Frutera had stopped oper-

ations for almost two years already. Since the firm started operations in 1997, at least 1,200 hectares of land had been developed for the production of table-dish Cavendish bananas for the export market.

Haji Mohamad “Tong” Paglas, Sr., chair of Paglas Corp., La Frutera’s ancillary service provider and local partner, confirmed the closure in an exclusive interview at his office at the municipal hall on May 19.

Paglas is also the vice mayor of Datu Paglas town.

Paglas said La Frutera stopped operations due to its failure to access a bank loan to finance its operations and expansion plans.

He expressed concern over a possible return of the bloody past if the problem of unemployment is not addressed. On May 8, some 100 armed members of the Islamic State-aligned Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) briefly occupied the Datu Paglas public market.

Before La Frutera started operations in 1997 in Datu Paglas and nearby Buluan, the capital of Maguindanao, travelers would dread pass the highway due to security issues. The Moro rebellion was raging, unemployment was on the rise and poverty forced many to go into banditry. Ambush incidents were common.

es to Bacolod and Roxas, and 14,480 Sinovac doses to Tuguegarao the following day.

Yesterday, CEB transported more than 30,400 doses to Cagayan de Oro. Earlier today, over 125,000 doses were safely shipped to Cebu, Cotabato, Dumaguete, Legazpi, and Zamboanga.

“We are happy to have reached another milestone in such a short period of time, which reflects significant progress in the Philippines’ vaccine distribu-

tion efforts outside NCR. We are keen to keep supporting our government through the safe and timely distribution of life-saving vaccines from abroad and across our Philippine network,” said Alex Reyes, Chief Strategy Officer at Cebu Pacific.

The transported vaccines were subject to strict handling guidelines which entail storing them in temperature-specific refrigerated containers to maintain potency and efficacy up un-

til arrival at their designated stations.

To date, CEB has flown six (6) million vaccine doses from China, on top of more than 1.78 million doses transported across the Philippines. It has now safely delivered to 15 domestic destinations from Manila namely Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi, Masbate, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, Tacloban, Tuguegarao, Virac, and Zamboanga.

he total closure of the banana industry in Datu Paglas town, Maguindanao — the Philippines’ “arms-to-farms” success story in the late 1990s showcased locally and abroad – has been averted with the parties reaching an agreement to revive the venture, Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, chair of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), said.

Piñol said he was instructed by President Rodrigo Duterte to settle the problem involving the closure of La Frutera, Inc, which displaced 2,000 workers, mostly former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

CebPac carries over 1.78M vaccine doses across PH

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ebu Pacific, the Philippines’ leading carrier, has already flown over 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccines to now 15 key domestic provinces since March 2021, with Cebu and Roxas as new destinations.

This is in line with the airline’s continuous efforts to support our country’s goal to inoculate 58 to 70 million people to achieve herd immunity by the end of 2021.

On June 17, CEB carried a total of 14,040 Pfizer dos-

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 90 • TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

In reminding policemen that anyone who is under arrest and “begging for his life” must be spared from getting killed:

You are not supposed to kill a person when he is down, crying, kneeling, begging for his life. That is the essence of the arrest. If he goes voluntarily with you, good.

That would be the ideal arrest. But if they resist arrest violently, then you have every right also to do your thing, commensurate.”

PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE

EDITORIAL Leave it to the IATF The choice of a locality’s quarantine status is all dependent on the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), not with any other body or expert.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio made it very clear. The city government is only at the receiving end of the declaration of quarantine status placed upon the city, so whatever the IATF says, it is the final decision. Not even the local government or its own experts can refute or reverse that. As it stands, that responsibility falls under the jurisdiction of the IATF.

There had been some suggestions made by private entities saying Davao City should be reverted to ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) because of the current surge in Covid-19 cases. At this point where the IATF has already set the standards for quarantine status based on relevant recent data, any recommendation of a third party would not hold water.

And as we await for the expiration of the extended Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) status for Davao City, Mayor

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The fact remains that only the IATF has the experts to make the analysis of data even if they are not situated in the city during the period of coverage.

President Rodrigo Duterte approved the extension of MECQ status of Davao City on June 14 until June 30, 2021.

Prior to that, the city government asked the IATF to place the city 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. So now, it’s a waiting game. Whether it’s a return to ECQ or staying within MECQ, the IATF knows best. Let’s leave it to them.

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

Sara can only ask Dabawenyos to wait for the announcement of a new classification.

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!

MUCH ADO ABOUT DELTA VARIANT In a Philippine Star report, Father Nicanor Austriaco, a biological sciences professor from the University of Sto. Tomas, says the Philippines will be back to normal again “only if the Delta COVID-19 variant is contained.”

In June 21, a press release from the Department of Health gave some status on the Delta variant cases in the country: “Three of the four additional Delta variant cases are returning overseas Filipino (ROF) from the MV Eastern Hope, a ship currently docked in South Korea.”

According to the report, the three Filipinos were repatriated back to the Philippines on June 3, “upon detection of the PCR-positive Filipino crew in South Korea.”

After their arrival in the country, “two cases have completed the 10-day isolation” and “were discharged upon certification of recovery.” As for the remaining one, he was “still admitted in a hospital in Metro Manila.”

The fourth case was also a ROF who arrived from Saudi Arabia on May 24. “The case has completed the mandated isolation, tagged as recovered on June 10, discharged thereafter from the isolation facility, and is

now under strict home quarantine as per protocols of the LGU of destination.”

All in all, the number of Delta cases in the country was 17.

All came from other countries.

“There is still no community transmission of the Delta variant (in the country),” Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana posted in his Facebook account.

Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was first detected in India in late 2020. It got its current name in May this year from the World Health Organization (WHO), which names notable variants after letters of the Greek alphabet.

Dr. Salvana, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the National Institute of Health at the University of the Philippines, said that “(delta variant) likely drove the Indian surge in April, sickening more than 300,000 per day and killing over 4,000 per day,” Dr. Salvana reported.

“It is 60% more transmissible indoors, and up to 40% more transmissible outdoors.”

The Delta variant is causing surges in the United States, United Kingdom, China, and Indonesia. “In the United Kingdom, the variant is now responsible

for 90% of all new infections,” Associated Press science writer Aniruddha Ghosal reported. “In the US, it represents 20% of infections, and health officials say it could become the country’s dominant type as well.”

The United Nations health agency is very much concerned with this latest development.

In a regular briefing recently at the Geneva office, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists that the Delta variant has been identified in at least 85 countries and is “spreading rapidly among unvaccinated populations.”

“As some countries ease public health and social measures, we are starting to see increases in transmission around the world,” he was quoted as saying.

A surge in cases translates to more hospitalizations, which continue to stretch healthcare workers and health systems while putting more at risk of death, according to the WHO chief.

He acknowledged that new variants are expected, saying “that’s what viruses do, they evolve” and stressed that “by preventing transmission, we can stem the emergence of variants.

“It’s quite simple: more transmission, more variants.

Less transmission, less variants,” Tedros spelled out, upholding that it is even more urgent today to prevent transmission by consistently using public health and social measures along with vaccines.

“This is why WHO has been saying for at least a year that vaccines must be distributed equitably, to protect health workers and the most vulnerable,” he said.

In the same press briefing, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on COVID-19, said, “the world situation is very fragile” and “countries must be cautious.”

Noting that the Delta variant has proved “extremely contagious in any country it reaches,” she cautioned that it is being transmitted among unvaccinated people, “even in countries with high percentages of immunization.”

“The delta variant can make the epidemic curve exponentially,” added Dr. Van Kerkhove. But the Delta variant is not the only worrying mutation. “There is a constellation of variants circulating,” including sub-variants, four of which are very worry-

ing,” the WHO expert said.

“Vaccines and treatments work, but these viruses can evolve” she said, and the existing shots “may not work” over time, emphasizing again that to minimize outbreaks, everyone must continue to maintain public health measures.

Dr. Salvana said that the biggest risk for entry for variants is poor border control.

“When Taiwan decreased their quarantine protocols for unvaccinated pilots to three days with testing, they ended up with a large surge,” he said, adding that a recent Delta case in Australia has been linked to a driver who interacted with international flight crews.

“Public health measures including face masks and face shields, strict border quarantine, and vaccination policies are anchored on real science and will save lives,” pointed out Dr. Salvana, who was trained in infectious diseases and tropical medicine at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. “This is not a popularity contest. The virus doesn’t care if it’s election season. It will kill people regardless of who you support. Let’s all protect each other.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

CATS IN TRIBAL FOLKLORE Before restrictions were strictly imposed in domesticating wild animals, the only animals sharing shelter with human beings in Filipino homes were cats, dogs, and monkeys.

Other live animals were kept in the yard with the birds in an aviary, butterflies in gardens, fishes in ponds, and selected four-legged mammals in minizoos.

Beyond keeping them as pets, cats also play mythical roles in various tribal traditions. Henry Otley, father of Philippine anthropology, wrote about their place in legend and folklore in Origin Myths Among the Mountain Peoples of the Philippines (1913). Among the Bagobos and the Manobos, for instance, it is a taboo to ridicule, mock, or laugh at cats, monkeys, and frogs.

Mocking animals associated with beliefs and superstitions was often punished because such jokiness was connected to thunder, believed

to break one’s neck. In Manobo tradition mocking cats could earn the offender the penalty of being stoned.

American anthropologist Laura Estelle Watson Benedict, in A Study of Bagobo Ceremonial, Magic and Myth (1916), wrote that the Bagobos were also taught numerous taboos.

It is tabu to continue a journey if an animal belonging to any member of the party dies on the road, or if any animal dies at a house where the party is stopping or waiting on the road. It is forbidden to laugh at one’s reflection in the water. It is tabu to laugh at small animals. Whoever laughs at a mouse or a monkey or a lizard or a fly, or at any other little creature, will have his head turned round by the Thunder-god, so that he will face backward. To kill a cat is tabu because, according to the myths, the cat on two or three occasions gave timely warning to the Bagobo when they

were in danger. The killing of a snake, though perhaps not carrying a direct prohibition, is regarded as unwise, in view of the attitude which the snake community might assume toward the offender.

Although the Philippines is hoste to many land animals, it is only home to two wild cats: the Palawan leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) and the Visayan leopard cat (Prionailurus javanensis)t. A subspecies of the Palawan leopard cat is the Maral (Felis minuta Temminck).

In archaeology, scientists have found bones and teeth belonging to tigers, leopards, and tigers in many parts of the archipelago, suggesting big cats, tenths of thousands of years ago, once populated the islands.

A leopard cat, the size of a home cat, only slender, has longer legs and nicely defined webs between its toes. It has a small head with two visible dark stripes and a short and

narrow white nose; it also has two dark stripes from the eyes to the ears and smaller white streaks from the eyes to the nose. Moreover, the “backs of its moderately long and rounded ears are black with central white spots… and has “body and limbs that are marked with black spots of varying size and color, and along its back are two to four rows of elongated spots.”

On the other hand, the Visayan leopard cat has fur that “is dark ochre to buffy fawn with large and dark spots. Its skull is a little narrower than [that] of [the] Sumatran leopard cat and [the] Bornean leopard cat. [It] is endemic to the Philippine islands of Panay and Negros where it inhabits remnant forest fragments.”

The country is also home to other animals that carry English appellation of cat though not classified as members of the feline family. The Malay civet cat (Viverra tangalunga), source of the world’s most ex-

pensive coffee and known in Visayan as milo, is related to the mongoose while the Palawan bearcat (Arctictis binturong whitei) is a subspecies of the binturong.

In Philippine folklore, cats, particularly black ones, are associated with bad omen. Villages believe that when a black cat crosses one’s path, something evil or bad will happen to the person. This superstition cuts across all regions and are often used by folks as a sign to discourage anybody from leaving the house when the dark animal shows up at night in the yard.

Another cat tale is the belief that killing a black cat on a Good Friday provides magical, or special, power to the transgressor if the animal was buried on a specific day and time and exhumed exactly on the day and time the following day.

Today’s domesticated cats are fondly called puspins, short for pusang Pinoy.

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EDGEDAVAO LIFESTYLE

SOFA DESIGN INSTITUTE: UNLEASHING THE CREATIVE POTENTIAL OF DABAWENYOS’

CREATIVITY adds color in our lives and transforms us into better human beings.

It is also about bringing together ideas and presenting them in a way people have never seen.

It goes without saying that by improving our creativity, we also improve the things around us.

This is the reason why SoFA Design Institute recently opened the very first satellite admissions office in Mindanao to harness creativity and unleash the creative potential of Dabawenyos and Mindanaoans with the guidance of some creative minds.

SoFA Design Institute is the Philippine’s first specialized design college. Founded

by Amina Aranaz-Alunan and Loralee Baron-Soong,

it is a community dedicated to the creative learner with Interior Design, Lighting Design, Furniture Design, which are just a few of the increasing number of subjects available within design-focused approach to education.

With the opportunities presented by remote learning, the institute is now more than ever able to open its doors to creative talents from the rest of the Philippines. Not only that,

with a dedicated team at the helm of Mindanao Admission’s Office, SoFA Design Institute is now all the more poised to champion local design education.

The mother-daughter tandem of Mary Ann Montemayor and Marga Nograles (Mindanao Creative Team) were appointed as agents in Mindanao.

“It really is online for now so there’s no physical school yet. It is remote learning while this pandemic is still raging,” said Montemayor.

Montemayor said through SoFA, they are making this new opportunity for growth available to all Mindanaoan talents.

“We have a wealth of amazing artists and creatives in our island. Mindanao is a beautiful island of art, culture and rich heritage.

We desire the entire country and the world to see more of the talents that make it so,” she said.

It has been the commitment of SoFA Design Institute to revolutionize Design Education in the Philippines in order to produce globally competitive creative professionals.

Mindanaoans may inquire and gain access to our extensive range of creative programs in Interior Design, Fashion, and the Arts through Mindanao Admissions Office.

9 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

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TB KILLS 74 FILIPINOS DAILY Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

R

ight now, the Philippines – just like the rest of the world – is focusing on its fight against the dreaded coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has snatched the lives of almost 25,000 people already.

But there’s another disease that has been taking a toll among Filipinos since the time of President Manuel L. Quezon – who died from it. More deadlier than COVID-19, it’s tuberculosis (TB).

“Approximately, 74 Filipinos die of TB every year and is among the top 10 causes of death in the country,” says the Department of Health (DOH) in its website.

About one million Filipinos have active TB disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

“This is the third highest prevalence rate in the world, after South Africa and Lesotho,” said Dr. Gundo Aurel Weiler, director of the WHO Western Pacific.

The WHO envisions to end TB from the world by 2030. “Yet, the Philippines is among the few countries where the number of people with TB continues to increase every year,” the Dr. Weiler deplored.

The current pandemic is fueling the disease.

Today, many TB-affected individuals in the country dismiss getting checked due to the fear of contracting COVID-19. There is also a lack of education towards treatment.

In addition, many Filipinos perceive TB as a low-risk disease.

Last year, the health department recorded a decline in TB cases. “We see this as a direct effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on a critical disease prevention and control program like TB,” said Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III. “The quarantine has extremely affected and limited the health seeking behaviors of our fellow Filipinos.”

Dr. Duque said that unlike other health programs, having fewer cases is not an indicator of success for the country’s TB program. “Our goal for our TB program is to find and treat as many TB cases as possible,” he said.

“Only by finding and treating these cases can we limit its spread and achieve our dream of a TB-free Philippines.”

Despite advanced knowledge in science and recent discovery of sophisticated drug regimes, the disease has continued its deadly progression. “Tuberculosis is perhaps the greatest killer of all time,” wrote Dr. Frank Ryan, author of Tuberculosis: The Greatest Story Never Told. “Tuberculosis rose slowly, silently, seeping into the homes of millions, like an ageless miasma.

Once arrived, TB stayed (and become) a stealthy predator.”

The tenacious TB bacillus has preyed on people since antiquity. TB-induced skeletal deformities point to the disease’s existence as early as 8000 BC. Unmistakable signs of tubercular bone decay were found in the skeletons of Egyptian mummies as long ago as 2400 BC. “Year after year, century after century, it tightened its relentless grip, worsening with wars and famines that reduced people’s resistance, infecting virtually everyone but inexplicably sparing some while destroying others,” wrote Dr. Frank in his book.

Dr. Willie T. Ong, who co-authored the book with his wife, Dr. Liza Ong, Doctors’ Health Tips and Home Remedies, defines TB as “an infection caused by bacteria that usually affects the lungs.” These bacteria, called Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), can transfer to another person through tiny droplets spread by coughing and sneezing.

This is how the TB attacks the lungs: Airborne TB bacteria (bacilli) are inhaled into lungs’ small tubes.

Macrophages, a kind of defensive cell, attack the particles, killing or surrounding them. Other immune cells surround particles in hard lumps called tubercles, making bacilli harmless.

If the body’s immune system weakens, bacilli can escape from the tubercle.

Weakened immune system can’t neutralize the bacilli.

They multiply and penetrate blood vessels, spreading dis-

eases throughout the body.

TB generally affects all age groups, especially children and adults with underlying conditions such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), malnutrition, or diabetes. Adults who smoke tobacco also have a higher risk of contracting the disease.

Fever, dry cough and tiredness are the three most common symptoms of COVID-19. But TB is more than those symptoms. The cough is chronic and lasts more than two weeks. The person may also experience weight loss, fever, and night sweats.

“If you ever experience these symptoms, it is best to visit the nearest health center or TB clinic right away to get checked up,” the health department urged. If you are unsure of their location, you can use the online self-assessment tool – https://assessment.tbfree.ph – to find the nearest health center or TB clinic in your area.

Actually, TB has two types of infections: active TB and latent TB. “In the case of active TB, the individual who is carrying the organism has active symptoms and can transmit the infection to other people,” the DOH explained. “On the other hand, those who have latent TB do not exhibit any of the symptoms since their immunity is able to fight off the infection. However, at some point in their life, the bacteria can reactivate and become an active TB case.”

According to the health

department, TB can directly affect different parts of your body. For instance, the most common form of TB is pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) which primarily affects a patient’s lungs. Another is extra pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB), a form of TB that affects other parts of your organs and body including lymphatic, pleural, and bone or joint disease which are the most common.

The three remaining forms of TB – pericardial, meningeal and miliary – are “more likely to result in a fatal outcome.”

Tuberculosis pericarditis, a rare disease, is an infection of the pericardium with tubercle bacilli. On the other hand, tuberculosis meningitis is a form of meningitis characterized by inflammation of the membranes around the brain or spinal cord and caused by MTB. Meanwhile, miliary tuberculosis is characterized by a wide dissemination into the human body and by the tiny size of the lesions.

In the past, TB was considered the world’s deadliest disease. Then, in 1944, 21-year-old “Patricia” with progressive, far-advanced pulmonary TB received the first injection of streptomycin. She improved dramatically during the ensuing five months and was discharged in 1947. She was evaluated in 1954 and found to be healthy and the happy mother of three children.

“This injection began the age of modern anti-TB treatment and led - until recently - to dramatic reduc-

tions in TB in industrialized countries,” the United Nations health agency pointed out.

Despite being infectious and potentially fatal, TB can be cured with proper treatment and early detection.

“The first thing people with presumptive TB need to do is schedule a chest x-ray test. If it is detected as possible TB, ask your doctor for a TB sputum diagnostic test to confirm if it is really TB,” the DOH states.

“It is best advised to take the sample in the morning right before eating. Patients must then gargle water and take their sputum samples outdoors or in an open and airy place away from other people.”

If results come back positive, the patient must return to their doctor to begin treatment. TB medicine is free at the nearest health center or TB clinic in your area.

“There are no ifs and buts,” Dr. Ong says. “It’s for your own good and for the good of the people around you. If you don’t take the medications, then you will be infecting an average of 10 persons in a year, including your loved ones and children.”

According to Dr. Ong, the treatment for TB is a bit more complicated compared to ordinary infections “since it will take approximately 6 months to completely eradicate the bacteria.” In cases where the infection is serious, it may take about 9 months of

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Out of the total cases, Davao City, the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mindanao, logged 23,646 cases with 5,285 active, 17,504 recoveries and 857 deaths.

Davao de Oro tallied 3,067 cases, Davao del Norte with 7,851, Davao del Sur with 3,162, Davao Occidental with 581 and Davao Oriental with 2,652. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

additional income is not a bad idea.

On the other hand, 56.5 percent of the Dabawenyos reported that their and their household’s current financial situation is still manageable and 4.2 percent declared no difficulty, yet 36.2 percent percent remarked that it a struggle from time to time.

Additionally, 51.9 percent (or 5 of 10 Dabawenyos) stated that their households’ financial situation for the next three months is still manageable, 55.8 percent can still manage meeting bills and credit card commitments, and 51.7 percent can still manage to settle their bills in the next three months given their current financial situation.

Meanwhile, 3 of 10 Dabawenyos see their households to struggle financially from time to time to meet their obligations, bills, and daily necessities.

This is further reinforced by the finding that nearly 5 of 10 (46.5 percent) Dabawenyos ended using their personal or household savings to meet both ends, and nearly 3 of 10 admitted having no savings to use.

Finally, respondents were asked about their behavior about their economic and financial situation at this time. Results revealed that 3 of 10 (33.2 percent) have fair levels of

anxiety brought about by their finances, while a lot of Dabawenyos have mixed opinion when asked if they are on track to retire with an ideal retirement lifestyle.

Likewise, 25.6 percent reported that they do not have any trouble paying off loans and 27 percent do not prefer paying minimum amount for their loans. What is more, nearly half of the respondents prefer not to spend beyond their means to keep up with their peers (47.6 percent) or borrow money from friends and relatives (46.6 percent).

However, 3 of 10 (30.7 percent) found difficulty to save at least 10 percent of their income as savings, 3 of 10 (34.6 percent) do not have enough funds to sustain themselves financially if they go jobless, and nearly the same number (34.2 percent) have not accumulated funds for their dependents that could be used for 12 months if they pass on. A further crosstabulation of these measures revealed that millennials (born 1981 to 1996 and the most predominant in the survey) are the most anxious in terms of their financial standing, with only a fair level of preparedness to retirement, and lesser propensity to save for future needs. By Antonio M. Ajero

and Ammunition Regulation Act of 2013.

Under the law, if the suspect is found guilty of such an act, the maximum penalty shall be imposed, in addition to absolute

perpetual disqualification from any public office as stated in Article II, Section 28 (Criminal Liability of Government Officials and Employees) of Republic Act 9165.

“My challenge is this, pasuwata daw na ang Davao Light kung talagang totoo sila and let them come up with an official statement that they are really interested on Nordeco or Daneco then after that mag-istorya ta ug asa nato puwede makitaan ug paagi na muagi ta ug proseso.

Lisod na ipatuo na you are bringing the people, unya gipaisog ang mga tao. Wala man mo’y basis kay ang tanan ninyo gipagawas sa inyong Facebook, puro man dili tinuod,” Sotto said.

Sotto said Nordeco is open for privatization, however, must undergo proper procedure.

“Kung inyuha gyud gusto ma-privatize ang Samal ug ang Davao del Norte, ngano dili ta muagi ug proseso?

Among i-welcome na nga process kung unsa ang inyong buhaton. Dili man puwede na i-automatic nato ang inyuhang gusto, mu-take over mo sa operation sa Nordeco.

That is very impossible. Mga professional man ta. Kasabot man ta unsay balaod,” he added.

He said instead of Uy and

Jubahib going to the people and giving them wrong information, they should sit down and discuss about it.

“We will welcome kung gusto gyud ninyo magprivatize but my only advise is go through the process. Di man ingon anang i-adto ninyo sa barangay and giving the people wrong information.

Ako ipaabot sa atong Gov. Kuya Edwin Jubahib ug sa atoang Mayor Al David Uy, I do not know kung unsa hinungdan ngano naabot mo sa ingon ani na kamo gyud mismo nangunay didto sa barangay convincing the people, functionaries, barangay officials na magno to Nordeco. I do not remember that you invited me to sit down and talk about this problem,” Sotto said.

Sotto said since there is no official statement yet from DLPC, Nordeco will continue to improve power lines, line rehabilitation, and other services for its consumers.

“On the side of Nordeco, nagsige ra mi paghimo sa amoang trabaho, nag-sige ta ayo sa mga daut, improve sa mga linya,” he said. By Maya M. Padillo

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school sports directors, specially members of the PRISAA-XI. For one, we cannot just tell those outstanding athletes to come and play for the city in the national games, and not worry because we’ll provide you the transportation, food allowance and uniforms. Dili ana ka dali. Mananghid pa tas mga otoridad sa eskwelahan, because they are the ones supporting these athletes whole-year-round and responsible for their recruitment in the first place. And if there’s no pananghid, you’ll get a mouthful rant from the likes of Col.Ondo Petalcorin.

Lisod na, hehehe. And UM would not invite me to cover their games anymore, hahaha.

Anyway. The reason I wrote about this is to remind ourselves that sports development is a private-public partnership, always. Truth is, the private sector plays a big, big role in the development of student-athletes.

That brings me to Yuka Saso, winner of the U.S. Women’s Open golf. That historic win earned her $1 million U.S. and a spot to the major tournaments.

If you notice her golf cap, you’ll see the ICTSI logo, not the popular commercial sports brands that you usually see. ICTSI stands for International Container Terminal Services Inc., a company owned by the Razons, that has been supporting golf tournaments in the Philippines. ICTSI for many years have been backing our golf stars with regular competitions, prizes at stake, to keep them going. Yuka Saso also played for the Philippine Team in international tournaments and representing the country is with the support of the NSA, the PSC and the private sponsors. Tinabangay ba.

So, many of our athletes will eventually become stars because of the foundation of support from their local coaches, sports clubs, sports associations, the national sports agency and sponsors like ICTSI. I never had the opportunity to talk or interview Yuka, so I asked Ella Nagayo, one of Davao City’s outstanding golfer and granddaughter of one of my favorite City Councilors, Atty.Jess “Baby” Zozobrado and daughter of former City Councilor, Atty.

Rachel, who is now serving as Labor Attache in POLO-Toronto.

If you are a subscriber of Edge Davao, you’ve read for sure the sports stories of our managing editor Neil Bravo about Ella.

So, I requested Ella to give me a statement after Yuka’s victory in the U.S. Open, to give you a glimpse of who Yuka is and why we should keep on supporting her. So, here it is: “I met Yuka in Melbourne, Australia, I used to live there. She went there 3 times I think and she played a couple of tournaments.

When she was in Melbourne, we spent a lot of time together. I played golf with her a lot of times, I caddied her once and she also caddied me, and we went to several places together. Somehow we became close. She is an amazing and wonderful person. She has a pure soul. Yuka is a respectful, funny, very kind, and sweet person. On and off the golf course she is the same person. People may see her just as a good golf player, but she is more than that. If you get to know her more, you’re definitely gonna love her. She is fun to be with and she’s a go-to person.

Yuka is very talented and she’s always committed to what she does. She really loves golf. She is definitely a hard worker. She trains all the time like every single day from early in the morning to late at night. Yuka would do everything that it takes to become the best in the world. She is inspiring. Yuka inspired me to become better in golf and without her I wouldn’t be where I am today. She helped me get up my feet. Yuka is actually my favorite golf player. I would definitely want to be like her someday. I believe she is going to encourage young golf players to become the best the way she did to me.

It is very hard to describe what she is like, she’s just beautiful inside and out.

When I first met Yuka, I knew she was gonna make history in women’s golf. I knew she was gonna become the best golf player in the world; and I knew she was gonna make the Philippines shine and make us Filipinos proud.

That’s how good Yuka is.

Winning the 2021 U.S Women’s Open was only the beginning. We all must keep an eye on her.”

YouTube is a rich resource to see how Yuka played. Boy oh boy, it wasn’t an easy win.

If you notice too, Yuka played wonderfully despite hitting the shots from the rough to the green.

That victory was her destiny.

And I hope and pray she’ll stay in the U.S. and play more in major tournaments.

Let’s get it on! (To borrow Neil Bravo’s favorite line).

bicycle registration and collection of fees due to the conflicting provisions in the existing Bicycle Ordinance and the Traffic Code of this city.

Registration fee is one of the conflicting provisions because the Traffic Code requires bicycle owners to pay an annual fee of 150 pesos while under the ordinance it is only 20 pesos a year.

The requirements in the Traffic Code that have been suspended are the

license required, registration, and attachment of license plate; and under the Bicycle Ordinance, the registration.

Peñalver said that his group is happy seeing development in the bicycle infrastructure after lobbying with the city government to provide safe spaces for bikers and pedestrians.

He said the existing bike lanes are a “good start” but he hopes the city government “maintains this momentum in order to develop more streets and roads with bicycle lanes.”

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treatment.

Only a doctor can give you a correct treatment so you better see one. “Never self-medicate,” Dr. Ong urges.

“This is the worst thing you can do. It will only strengthen the bacteria inside you and make you resistant in one tablet.”

For the six-month treatment, 3 to 4 drugs are required, usually Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Ethambutol and Pyrazinamide. There are some preparations that have 3 or 4 drugs combined in one tablet.

“The usual TB treatment regimen is to take the four drug combinations (such as Myrin P forte) for 2 months, then followed by 2 or 3 drug combinations (such as Myrin P) for 4 months,” Dr. Ong informs.

Approximately, 3-5 tablets of the medicines are taken every day – depending on the person’s body weight.

Dr. Ong suggests that those who are undergoing treatment stay at home during the first 3 weeks of treatment. “Don’t go to school, work or come in close contact with people,” he says.

“Your saliva and phlegm can infect others.”

He also recommends that they wear a face mask during the first 3 weeks of treatment. “Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough, sneeze or laugh too hard,” Dr. Ong urges.

“Then throw the tissue away in a sealed container.”

It is recommended that all TB medications be taken one hour before meals. “It is ideal not to break the dose of the drug,” Dr. Ong reminds.

The patient needs to see his doctor to undergo blood tests to check for possible liver side effects of the drugs taken.

Side effects aren’t common but some TB medicines can occasionally be harmful

to the liver, he says. In addition, the color of the urine will change from yellow to orange. But don’t worry; the change of color is “a normal reaction to the treatment course.”

Dr. Ong suggests that you need to consult your doctor once you experience any of the following: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetites, yellowing of the skin, or fever of more than three days.

The most important thing: “Complete the 6 to 9-month course of your medicines,” Dr. Ong declares.

“Do not stop your medicines without your doctor’s permission.”

Doing so will cause the TB bacteria to be resistant to the TB drugs and may become a drug-resistant TB. If a person is classified under multidrug-resistantTB(MDRTB), then the TB bacteria is resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin, the two most potent TB drugs. Patients who fall under MDR-TB undergo a different type of treatment.

Meanwhile, to help solve this public health issue, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the USAID TB Innovations Project, in partnership with the health department. Through this project, the #TBFreePH campaign was initiated. #TBFreePH is the national strategy to achieve a TB-free Philippines by the year 2035. It is aligned with the Philippine (PhilSTEP) vision of a TB-free Philippines.

Through a collaborative, cohesive and comprehensive communication approach, the strategy envisions heightened attention to TB, promotes people-centered care, and reduces stigma. The mission is to elevate discourse about TB and get many more stakeholders to talk about TB. – (Photos from Wikipedia)

countries did not participate in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles in retaliation for the previous boycott by the US. Phelps clinches most Olympic medals American Michael Phelps holds the record for the most medals won by any athlete at 28, including 23 gold medals and 13 individ-

ual gold.

The 35-year-old competed in his first Olympics at the age of 15, as part of the swimming team.

He was the first American male swimmer to earn a spot on five Olympic teams and made history as the oldest individual gold medalist in Olympic swimming history at 28.

Winchell Campos -- instead “veered Pacquiao back to powerful boxing manager Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions.”

Thus, Pacquiao agreed to a fight against Spence.

Paradigm Sports claimed in its lawsuit that the situation affected them financially while their reputa-

tion as a sports agency also took a hit.

“Just when Paradigm was at the cusp of establishing itself as a major player in professional boxing, Pacquiao has left its reputation as a boxing representative in tatters,” Paradigm Sports lawyer Judd Burnstein said.

and Agdao District, Davao City with 329 cases.

For the critical utilization rate of all designated Covid-19 beds as of June 26, 2021, Yumang reported that out of 188 ICU (intensive care unit) beds, only 10 are available; out of 710 isolation beds, 254 are available; out of 665 beds, 139 are available; and out of 54 mechanical ventilators, 16 are available.

Yumang also urged the LGUs to strengthen contact tracing efforts to contain transmission of the virus.

“I-strengthen nila (LGUs) ang ilahang contact tracing, paspasan nila na within 24 hours macontact trace ang usa ka positive na Covid patients para matagaan dayon ug action ug ma- isolate dayon,” she said.

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A protester puts a sign in objection of the holding of the Olympics amid the pandemic in Tokyo.

Pacquiao to face Paradigm lawsuit

B

oxing icon Manny Pacquiao has vowed to fight the lawsuit filed against him by sports agency Paradigm Sports which seeks to stop his upcoming bout against American Errol Spence Jr. The lawsuit filed by Audie Attar seeks to “recoup a $3.3 million advance” as well as injunction against Pacquiao’s August 21 bout against Spence.

In a statement provided to ABS-CBN News, Pacquiao’s lawyer Dale Kinsella said that the complaint filed

by Paradigm Sports “is a frivolous effort to interfere with Manny Pacquiao’s upcoming mega fight.”

“It can and will fail for numerous reasons,” Kinsella said.

“Moreover, had Manny

T

he Philippines’ United Clark and Kaya Iloilo could not walk away with wins on Saturday night as they began their respective campaigns in the group stages of the AFC Champions League (ACL).

United Clark, however, was on track for the victory only that a free kick conversion from Beijing eventually forced a 1-1 draw in Group I action at the Milliy Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Stephan Schrock struck first for United Clark in the 28th minute with a long range shot from a tough angle at the left side of the goal.

Pacquiao known that Paradigm Sports appears to have had no intention of fulfilling its contractual obligations, he never would have entered into any relationship with them,” he added.

Pacquiao signed with Paradigm Sports in February 2020, a move that put him in a position to face UFC superstar Conor McGregor in a mega-bout, as the Irish fighter is also represented by the agency. However, plans for that fight fizzled out when McGregor lost to Dustin Poirier last February.

The lawsuit by Paradigm Sports alleges that they were negotiating with the camp of Mikey Garcia for a bout with Pacquiao.

But Pacquiao’s associates -- namely Sean Gibbons and

FPACQUIAO, P10

Despite seemingly the favorite to win with the opposition bringing in most of its reserves, United Clark could not close out Beijing.

The club from the Chinese capital made the Angeles-based team pay in the 73rd minute when Liang Shaowen converted on a free kick to eventually force the stalemate.

United Clark still had some chances in the endgame, but the club could not clinch the win in the end.

The closest was an attempt from Mark Hartmann just before added time that only hit the top post.

On the other hand, in a

In the shadow of the pandemic

T

he long-delayed 2020 Summer Olympics will take place in Tokyo from July 23 to Aug. 8 in the shadow of coronavirus, without international spectators.

More than 11,000 athletes from 205 nations will compete at the games, which were postponed for one year due to the pandemic. It was canceled three times in the past because of wars.

The 1916 Olympics during World War I and

Group F action, Kaya Iloilo faltered to BG Pathum United and dropped a 1-4 decision at the Leo Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand.

In a battle pitting first time ACL clubs, the Group F bubble host quickly went on the offensive that even forced Mike Casas to show why he is among the top Filipino goalkeepers right now with an emphatic save in the seventh minute.

BG Pathum’s game plan was rewarded in the 23rd minute when Thailand’s Teerasil Dangda scored on a follow-up after his first try was deflected only for the ball to go back to him.

the 1940 and 1944 Games during World War II were canceled.

On April 6, 1896, the inaugural Games kicked off in Athens.

For the next nine days, a total of 241 competitors from 14 countries will compete in events from running

to rope-climbing.

The US has hosted the Summer Games four times -- 1904 St. Louis, 1932 and 1984 Los Angeles and 1996 Atlanta. Great Britain has been the host three times -1908, 1948, and 2012 London).

The Games have been held twice each in Greece -- 1896 and 2004 (Athens); France -- 1900 and 1924 (Paris); Germany -- 1936 Berlin and 1972 Munich; and Australia -- 1956 Melbourne and 2000 Sydney.

Two Games took place

DRAW. Beijing’s Chen Yanpu tries to elude the defense of the Philippines’ United Clark’s Sean Kane in Group I action of AFC Champions League (ACL) at the Milliy

under the shadow of political tensions where countries did not send athletes for political reasons.

Moscow hosted the 1980 Olympics shortly after the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

The US led the largest boycott in the history of the Games with more than 60 countries protesting the invasion. But that triggered a boycott during the next tournament.

Athletes from the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc

FSHADOW, P10

Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Saturday night (June 26, 2021). The match ended in 1-1 draw. (Photo courtesy of AFC)

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 90 • TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021

Yuka Saso (middle) with Dabawenya golfer Alessandra Nagayo, who is now based in Canada, with brother Daniel (right).

PPP IS THE KEY

Private-public partnership, a key to success of RP athletes

B

ack in the day of fax machines and manual typewriters, I used to hang out at the office of sports director Joaquin “Coach Boy” Sarabia at the University of Mindanao-Bolton Campus.

Attorney Guillermo Iroy Jr. was then UM football coach, ‘nong Mario Babao coached the basketball squad, track and field stars Nixon Mas and Harrish Ratag sometimes would be in the office and a bunch of other athletes. On a few occasions, head coach Atty.Manny Nitorreda will also be around for a chat.

From there, coach Boy would bring me to the office of UM executive vice-president Col. Saturnino “Ondo” Petalcorin, who was then president of the Private Schools Athletic Association-XI. And there I’ll be able to get information for my stories.

The good Colonel, one afternoon, told me about UM’s contribution to the City of Davao by loaning their golf players for the Philippine National Games.

Frankly, sports development, training and support are normally done by private schools whose

players are all in the scholarship program. If there are national games organized by the DILG or the PSC inviting LGUs to participate, the city would seek the assistance of public and private school sports directors. Where can we find the athletes to represent the city? Eh di sa mga eskwelahan.

That’s the reason why when Butch Ramirez was city sports chief, he directed me to closely work with local National Sports Association leaders and the

FPPP, P10