Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 97 | Wednesday, July 07, 2021

SAVING THE COUNTRY’S VANISHING WATERSHEDS ENVIRONMENT P9 VOL.14 ISSUE 97 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 07, 2021

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JABS FOR

LUMADS

City to vaccinate IPs in Marilog under A5 Priority Group STORY ON PAGE 2

President Rodrigo Duterte renders a salute to a fallen hero as he pays tribute to the soldiers who died in the C130 plane mishap in Sulu, during the wake at the Naval Forces for Western Mindanao Covered Court, Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City on Monday. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

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VOL.14 ISSUE 97 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 07, 2021

President Rodrigo Duterte interacts with a wounded soldier who survived during the C-130 mishap in Sulu, prior to the conferment of the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the Rank of Kampilan at the Camp Navarro General Hospital, Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City on Monday. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

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DepEd demands public apology from World Bank

City to vaccinate IPs in Marilog under A5 Priority Group

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he city government of Davao has included the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in Davao City for the Covid-19 vaccine rollout for A5 Priority Group.

“One of the reasons is, they really need to be protected as well. The City Health Office (CHO) wanted to make sure that indigent will also receive the vaccine kaya binigyan ang indigent and we ares prioritizing them based on the guideline

of the Department of Health (DOH),” said Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of Davao City COVID-19 Task Force.

Davao City Covid-19 Vaccine Cluster head Dr. Josephine Villafuerte reported that since last

month, inoculation for A5 group has already started and that as of June 24, 2021, a total of 497 doses were already administered with the first dose.

She also reported that A5 group is prioritized in the allocation of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine.

Meanwhile, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said A5 group includes IPs and the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

(4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“Because A5 is for indigent population. Ang atoang mga IPs kauban sa atoang 4Ps are part of our indigent population,” the mayor said.

On the other hand, the city government has scheduled the Priority Group A4 in different vaccination hubs this month. Some

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Lapeña inaugurates TESDA Center in IGaCoS, visits food hub in Sarangani

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he Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chief Secretary Isidro Lapeña joined the local officials and residents of the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) during the groundbreaking ceremony of the city’s training center on Tuesday, June 29, 2021.

On top of the event is also the launching of various skills training programs to be offered by the TESDA Training Center - IGACOS for its people.

“Despite the pandemic, I am glad that this cooperation has proceeded as planned.

And here we are today, to mark this milestone as a meaningful engagement for the betterment of our community and our kababayans through technical education and skills development programs,” Lapeña said in his speech.

It was October last year when TESDA and the Local Government of IGACOS, headed by Mayor Al David Uy, signed a deed of usufruct to allow the agency in using the one-hectare land where the training center will rise.

The one-storey training facility is now being cons-

tructed through a training cum production scheme participated by the scholars who have undergone various construction training courses conducted by TESDA-XI. With the city relying on its agriculture and tourism industry, TESDA Training Center - IGACOS will be offering trainings like Agri-crop Production NC II, Cookery, Beauty Care, Construction Painting, among other training courses.

Witnessing the empowerment of Sarangani IPs On Thursday, July 1, 2021, Lapeña traveled to Sarangani

Province to witness how the Indigenous People (IPs) in the community of Alegria, one of the villages of Alabel town, spend their market day in Alabel Food Hub - the offshoot of Project IPEACE (Indigenous People Empowered as Agripreneurs towards a Collective End).

Project IPEACE is one of the collaborative initiatives of the TESDA-led Poverty Reduction, Livelihood, and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region.

he Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday demanded a public apology from World Bank following its report that over 80 percent of Filipino students fall below the minimum proficiency levels.

In a Palace briefing, Education Secretary Leonor Briones slammed the World Bank for using old data and outdated assessments as the basis of its report and releasing it without following the country’s protocols.

“Ang World Bank na nagpalabas nitong datos na ito, hindi sumusunod sa protocol. Kasi kung magreport ka about a country, kailangan malaman ng country na iyon kung ano ang sasabihin ninyo;

kailangan nilang ipalabas.

Walang kasabi-sabi, inuna sa media. So malaking kakulangan ito (The World Bank in releasing this data did not follow protocol.

Because if you report about a country, that country needs to know what you are going to say; they need to be released.

Without informing us, they announced first in the media. So, it’s a big shortcoming),” Briones said.

Briones said the World Bank did not take into account DepEd’s initiatives to improve the state of education in the country.

She further noted that the World Bank has been a long-time

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LGU execs, workers in SoCot warned vs. mass gatherings

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he provincial government of South Cotabato warned local government leaders and employees to strictly comply with the restrictions on mass gatherings in the wake of the prevailing general community quarantine (GCQ) or face possible sanctions.

South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. issued the warning on Monday amid reports on gatherings taking place in some areas even as the province continues to grapple with the community transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Under GCQ, Tamayo reiterated that mass gatherings, including those initiated by local government units, are prohibited.

He said some events are allowed but only at 30 percent venue capacity, while weddings and wakes should be limited to 10 persons.

The national InterAgency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases extended last week the province’s GCQ status until July 31 due to the high incidence of Covid-19 in the area.

Rudy Jimenea, head executive assistant of the provincial governor’s office, said one of the events monitored by the provincial government was a recent wedding reception held at the municipal gymnasium of Lake Sebu that was

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NEWS

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Vice Governor Emmylou“Lala”Taliño-Mendoza of North Cotabato calls for a prayer for the well being of the families left by the victims of the C-130 Hercules plane crash in Sulu. Edge Davao

Top resort in Samal reopens under ‘new normal’ standards VGov asks prayers for crash victims’ families C

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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orth Cotabato Vice Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza called out Cotabateños to pray for the well-being of the families left by the casualties of what she describes as a “disturbing” plane crash in the province of Patikul, Sulu on Sunday.

“Isang dagok sa ating mga Pilipino ang pangyayari.

Manalangin tayong lahat para sa kabutihan ng mga pamilya ng mga nasawi sa plane crash na nangyari sa Sulu. Ang mga nasawi ay

mga bayani. Sila ay nasawi `in line of duty’ at naka-suot pa ng unipormeng pang sandahatang lakas. Tayo ay nakikiramay sa pamilya ng mga nasawi at humihiling sa Panginoon ng agarang pag-galing ng mga nasaktan sa naturang aksidente,” Mendoza said.

The ill-fated Philippines Air Force C-130 troop transport plane carrying more than 90 people crashed near Barangay Bangcal in Patikul, Sulu. In a statement,

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Sara sends doctors to Zambo to assist crash survivors

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he city government of Davao has extended help to the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Zamboanga City following the tragic plane crash of a military transport plane last Sunday.

Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio said the city sent six doctors to Zamboanga City to assist medical practitioners there in attending the survivors and the injured after the Philippines Air Force C-130 troop transport plane carrying more than 90 people crashed near

Barangay Bangcal in Patikul, Sulu on Sunday.

“As help nato as Dabawenyos, we sent 6 doctors to Zamboanga City, to assist ilang doctors didto kung unsa ilang mabuhat didto para sa mga survivors and those who are injured,” the mayor said.

The mayor said the doctors from Davao City left Monday morning.

“They are already in Zamboanga and nagdala pud sila ug mga possible na kinahanglananon na

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hemas by the Sea, one of the premier resorts in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS), is reopening to tourists and travelers following ‘new normal’ standards.

The resort is one of the top tourist destinations in the island and popular for its accommodation facilities, amenities, landscape and view of the sea.

Resort owner Poseidon Holdings Corp. has partnered with Discovery Hospitality Corp. (DHC) for the group’s allied services and pre-opening requirements.

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angsamoro Government Center, Cotabato City --- The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) commended the Support to Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) for helping to enhance the capacity of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to craft key legislation, as well as improve governance systems and processes in the region in support to its transition process.

A four-day workshop

Through the partnership, DHC will guide the resort in digital marketing, sales and revenue, management operations, using information technology, and adjustments in food and beverage.

DHC’s senior vice president and head of sales and operations Cathy Nepomuceno in a text

message clarified that there is no management take over and the project is just to provide assistance to the new team in terms of reopening.

“There’s no management deal,” said Nepomuceno.

Under the new normal setting, sanitation such as all housekeeping personnel wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while cleaning and disinfecting the rooms will be properly observed in the resort.

For proper ventilation during the cleaning process,

windows and doors are opened to let fresh air in.

Surfaces are also cleaned using disinfectants. These surfaces are doorknobs/ handles, toilet handles, cabinet handles, phone/ call buttons, remote control, switches, sink tops, faucet, flush handle, bidet spray, tables and chairs, and hanger.

Chemas by the Sea will start accepting tourists and guests as soon as restrictions are lifted at IGaCoS, which is currentky under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with operations of resorts still restricted.

spearheaded by the SUBATRA began on Monday, July 5, which aims to develop a common-legislative executive agenda and strategic plan for the BTA. In a videotaped message, Presidential Peace Adviser, Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., urged Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) Members of Parliament to maximize the insights they will gain from the planning session to further enhance their

legislative-making skills.

“It is our hope that through this seminarworkshop, you can further hone your capacities to institute consultative process reform across the three main functions of the parliament, which include representation, legislation or lawmaking, and oversight in governance,” Galvez said.

The Members of the Parliament will craft a common legislativeexecutive agenda during the first two days of the event,

and formulate a strategic plan for the Parliament on the last two days, the BTA announced in a press release.

According to BARMM Deputy Speaker and SUBATRA Focal Person, Atty. Omar Yasser Sema, the activity would enable the Parliament to craft priority codes such as the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, and the Bangsamoro Local Government Code.

“Through strategic planning, the Parliament

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 97 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 07, 2021

Ramon “Shake” Aboitiz Tuason, operational head of Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc, and an official of the Davao City Water District (DCWD) Engineering Department, report that they had completed the Davao Bulk Water Supply Project’s conveyance and penstock pipeline. The pipeline will deliver water from their weir to their Water Treatment Plant. Edge Davao

PH govt’s debt hits D P11.07 trillion in May T

Gokongwei Group boosts gov’t’s Covid vax efforts

he Philippine government’s total outstanding debt stood at P11.071 trillion at the end of May, the Bureau of Treasury said on Monday.

This was higher by P79.81 billion or 0.73 percent compared to total debt at the end of April.

The total debt would have been higher if not for the peso’s performance

from April to May, as the local currency appreciated against the US dollar from P48.156 as of end-April 2021 to P47.723 as of endMay 2021, Treasury said.

Of the total debt stock,

28.5 percent were foreign borrowings while 71.5 percent were domestic borrowings.

The country’s domestic debt reached P7.9 trillion in May, which was P103.37 billion or 1.3 percent higher compared to the end of April.

Foreign debt meanwhile decreased by P23.56 billion to P3.155

trillion due to the P28.58 billion impact of local-currency appreciation against the US Dollar and the net repayment of foreign loans amounting to P0.22 billion.

The Philippines has been borrowing heavily to finance its COVID-19 response as well as the Duterte administration’s ambitious infrastructure program.

iversified conglomerate Gokongwei Group is playing a proactive role in the government’s initiatives against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, particularly in line with disease prevention and achieving population protection target through vaccination.

“Beyond our organization, we have been supporting the national vaccination program through various initiatives of our business units in partnership with the LGUs (local government units). The Gokongwei Group fully supports the national government’s vaccination program to safeguard the health of the Filipinos

and hasten the nation’s economic recovery from this pandemic,” JG Summit president and chief executive officer Lance Gokongwei said in a statement Monday.

The Department of Health (DOH) recently announced that the government vaccination drive has already reached the 10 million mark, with more than 2 million Filipinos already considered fully protected with complete Covid-19 vaccination.

To date, Cebu Pacific has already transported some 9 million Covid-19 vaccine doses from China to Manila as part of the government’s vaccination program.

he Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday said 14 of its 17 ports have recorded a surplus of PHP49.65 billion in the first half of 2021.

It said the ports have collected a total of PHP302.74 billion from January to June this year.

The ports that surpassed their mid-year revenue collection targets are Port of San Fernando with PHP2.39 billion surplus after collecting PHP49 million revenue; Port of Manila, PHP30.86 billion, PHP802 million; Manila International Container Port, PHP76.2 billion, PHP774 mil-

lion; Port of NAIA, PHP18.54 billion, PHP63 million; Port of Batangas, PHP65.08 billion, PHP206 million; Port of Legaspi, PHP188 million, PHP6 million; and Port of Iloilo, PHP1.53 billion, PHP164 million.

Other ports that posted surplus include Port of Tacloban, PHP2.93 billion with a surplus of PHP40 million; Port of Surigao, PHP23.39 million, PHP5 million; Port of Cagayan de Oro, PHP17.12 billion, PHP110 million; Port of Zamboanga, PHP2.98 billion, PHP49 million; Port of Davao, PHP18.65 billion,

Farmers to benefit more from 14 BOC ports post P49.6-B ICTs through infomediaries surplus in first half of 2021 T T he Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) pushes for the mobilization of infomediaries in increasing the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) among rice farmers. This move aligns with the ONE DA framework towards modernization.

In its latest Rice Science for Decision-Makers issue, “Digital agriculture – how do we make it work?”, DA-PhilRice recommends the employment of professional infomediaries in municipal agriculture offices, possibly

from K-to-12 agriculture track graduates, to make digital agriculture more inclusive. Other possible sources of agricultural infomediaries include state universities, colleges, and youth organizations.

Results of the 20162017 Rice-Based Farm Households Survey note that while ICT access of farmers is high at 93%, the percentage of those who use ICTs as tools in their rice cultivation is only 31%. To address this, the DA-PhilRice conducted the Infomediary Campaign from 2012 to 2017 to develop a breed of

infomediaries (which come from the words — information and mediation) to aid rice farmers in optimizing the use of ICT to improve their farm productivity.

The campaign results showed that ICT anxiety among farmers can be reduced by engaging students.

This strategy can also increase the use of existing rice farming technologies.

In the campaign, more than 200 high schools all over the country served as infomediaries for farmers in their respective communities who used the PhilRice Text Center (PTC) and Pi-

noy Rice Knowledge Bank (bit.ly/3PhilRKB) as ICT platforms for extensive rice farming information.

From 2012 to 2016, the project recorded about 20,000 text inquiries sent to PTC from student-infomediaries about rice varieties, general information, and nutrient and pest management.

The Infomediary campaign team, led by Dr. Jaime Manalo IV, also noted that mobilizing infomediaries could influence the information-seeking behavior of farmers. Their study report-

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A worker walks by dozens of sacks of rice grains at the dryer of a rice mill in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) pushes for the mobilization of infomediaries in increasing the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) among rice farmers. Edge Davao

SoCot executives to reassess Tampakan copper-gold project Gov’t efforts to boost S e-commerce in PH cited

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n executive of a logistics integrator has recognized the government’s efforts to boost digitalization of processes that spur businesses’ capacities and increase opportunities amidst the pandemic.

Constantin Robertz, Locad chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder, said recognition by both the government and the private sector of the importance of electronic commerce (e-commerce) not only helps revive the economy

post-pandemic but also “create an economy that is structurally more open and has opportunities especially for SMEs (small and medium enterprises).”

“At the same time, the government supports in creating a clear framework, right framework for consumers to build trust and e-commerce framework for businesses to especially digitalize a lot of services like e-invoicing that can go a long way in helping business be efficient and

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outh Cotabato officials will take another look at the delayed USD5.9 billion copper and gold project of Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) in Tampakan town in the wake of the government’s move to accelerate its operations amid the continuing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said they will evaluate anew the proposed mining project even as he reiterated the local government’s stance to only allow “responsible mining” operations in the province.

He confirmed that he met late last week with officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

(DENR) led by Undersecretary Jim Sampulna to discuss the status of the mining project.

“The government wants to push through with the pending mining projects, including the one in Tampakan, to help our economy recover,” he said in his weekly radio program.

Also present in the meeting were Assistant Secretary

Nonita Caguioa, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) acting director Wilfredo Moncano, MGB-Mining Tenements Management Division chief Danilo Deleña, and MGB-Mine Safety, Environment and Social Development Division head Marcial Mateo.

Tamayo said he has no problem with mining as long as it is done responsibly, and that the people and the environment are protected in the process.

He said that has been his long-time stance and those of the previous top officials of the province, which has a standing ban on open-pit mining as set in the Provincial Environment Code approved

in 2010.

But he said SMI officials declared in a recent meeting that they are no longer pursuing the controversial mining method.

Tamayo said he asked them to make another formal presentation to the provincial government, especially to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan or provincial board, regarding their proposed mining operation.

“We want to see all the angles of what they are planning to do in Tampakan,” he said.

The Tampakan project, which started in 1995, failed to take off as planned due to various problems, among them the ban on open-pit mining in the province.

program, LOCAD also got funding from Antler, Febe Ventures, Foxmont, Global Founders Capital, Gokongwei Family, and Hustle Fund.

LOCAD uses cloudbased technology for its logistics solutions that gives big and smaller e-commerce brands access to a distributed warehousing network

not just in the Philippines but also in the wider Asia Pacific region.

With the fresh funds, LOCAD co-founder and chief executive officer Constantin Robertz said they’re poised to further expand their warehouse network in the Philippines while investing

Phoenix partners with JGO PH logistics startup LOCAD for exclusive rewards card secures $4.9 million funding

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xtending exclusive privileges to more delivery riders in the country, Phoenix is launching a new iteration of its loyalty and rewards card exclusive to JGO delivery riders.

The Phoenix Tsuper Card-JGO offers fuel and lubricant discounts for registered members, as well as

earning redeemable points, in exchange for rewards.

Members will also get a Tsuper Hero Advantage—a special inclusion that recognizes the drivers’ outstanding contributions for the betterment of society—and access to special promos and other discounts.

“We welcome the lat-

est addition to our Phoenix Tsuper Card program, JGO Deliveries. In these trying times, we aim to give more value, and deliver added service to our courier service riders who have been providing convenience to communities even before the pandemic. This is our

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hilippine logistics startup LOCAD said Monday it has received $4.9 million (P241.6 million) in seed round funding from venture capital firms led by Sequoia Capital which has invested in successful tech giants like Zoom, YouTube, and Airbnb.

Aside from Sequoia India’s Surge accelerator

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VOL.14 ISSUE 97 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 07, 2021

On his promise to allocate big budget to the families of the soldiers who died in the crash during his visit to the Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City on July 5, 2021:

I have said this before, nasabi ko na ito. We are still working at it. Pero gusto ko lang maiwan --- bago ako maiwan, gusto kong maglagay ng malaking pera para sa Armed Forces of the Philippines. Iyan lang ang mabawi ko sa sundalo ko lalo na ‘yong namatay, that they will --- their families will be protected, that their families will be comfortable at ‘yong daily living and education of the children will be assured.”

Rodrigo Roa Duterte President of the Philippines

EDITORIAL

Manny’s hit and run antics

Those who know Manny Pacquiao, the boxer, knows that fight time is fast approaching when he flies to Los Angeles to begin camp with trainer Freddy Roach.

He is usually found heading to sunny California in the six to eight weeks before the sound of the opening bell in order to begin intensive training and leave behind all tasks and businesses he has back home regardless of the state they are in.

We know Manny. It’s boxing first before anything else. That’s his life. And his bread and butter.

Let’s face it, Manny wouldn’t be a Senator now without boxing’s gift of fame and fortune.

Who knows he would not even make it as a village chieftain without the bounties of prizefighting.

Manny’s world, to say the least, stops when he is preparing for a fight.

So it now comes to pass, Manny just last week hurled serious accusations of massive corruption against the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. He promises to open the proverbial can of worms but before he would even pick up the can, he catches the next flight to start his training. Just like that.

Hit and run.

It is not the first time he did that.

Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon, who heads the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, discosed on Sunday was perplexed by Senator Pacquiao’s penchant for calling for a probe on alleged corruption in the government when he would not be present for the investigation.

Without naming Pacquiao, Gordon said a resolution was filed before the Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate corruption allegations on the Departments of Health (DOH), Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Ener-

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Gordon said Pacquiao cannot just pick up the gauntlet and suddenly leave and ask someone else to wage the fight in his stead.

At the ripe age of 44, Pacquiao resumes his boxing career with a scheduled match against eight-division champion Errol Spence in Las Vegas on August 21.

Everyone knows Pacquiao doesn’t have anything to prove in boxing. He had won eight division world championship belts--the only human being every to achieve that feat. He has enough money in the bank for all his children to live the good life during their lifetime. He has been entrusted by millions of Filipinos to craft laws that will bring even a tiny chunk of the good life that he enjoys.

Like we said, the world stops when Manny wants to fight. Even the many questions and allegations that hunger for an answer. Even the lives of ordinary Pinoys who cheer him on and pray for his success on the ring.

There is no fight out there as important as the one Pacquiao must have started last week.

But he opted to leave in search for more millions and the inflated ego that a 44-year old fighter still has what it takes to reign in the sport.

What do you need the money for, Manny? What do you need the win for?

As President Duterte, whom Pacquiao accused of corruption, said, “Just work, Manny.

Don’t be absent.”

Those who know Manny Pacquiao, knows he doesn’t run away from a fight. It’s time he learns not to run away from a political duty.

Boxing is already in good hands, Manny, Time to redirect your priorities.

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

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gy (DOE). Next thing, he was told the author who filed for the resolution would be out of the country after the filing.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

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VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS “We don’t forgive people because they deserve it. We forgive them because they need it – because we need it.” – Jodi Picoult in The Tenth Circle

*** “When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free,” wrote American minister Catherine Ponder, who founded the Unity Church Worldwide.

I am not sure if Bob Hoover, a famous test pilot and frequent performer at air shows in the United States, heard of the statement but he surely lived up to it.

In his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, author Dale Carnegie shared this story: “Bob Hoover was returning to his home in Los Angeles from an air show in San Diego. As described in the magazine Flight Operations, at 300 feet in the air, both engines suddenly stopped.

By deft manoeuvring, he managed to land the plane, but it was badly damaged although nobody was hurt.

“Hoover’s first act after the emergency landing was to inspect the aeroplane’s fuel. Just as he suspected, the World War II propeller plane he had been flying had been fuelled with jet fuel rather than gasoline.

“Upon returning to the airport, he asked to see the mechanic who had serviced his aeroplane. The young man was sick with the agony of his mistake. Tears streamed down his face as Hoover approached. He had just caused the loss of a very expensive plane and could have caused the loss of three lives as well.

“You can imagine Hoover’s anger. One could anticipate the tongue-lashing that this proud and precise pilot would unleash for that carelessness.

But Hoover didn’t scold the mechanic; he didn’t even criticise him. Instead, he put his big arm around the man’s shoulder and said, ‘To show you I’m sure that you’ll never do this again, I want you to service my F-51 tomorrow.”

After reading this incident, I was reminded of the words of Robert Muller, an international civil servant with the United Nations. “To forgive,” he said, “is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.”

Forgiveness and peace seem to go together – like cart and carriage. “Let us forgive each other,” urged Leo Tolstoy, a Russian writer who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time, “only then will we live in peace.”

Hollywood actor and rapper Will Smith agrees. “Throughout

life will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you badly,” said the actor who had been nominated twice for the Best Actor Oscar (2002’s Ali and 2007’s The Pursuit of Happyness). “Let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you, too.”

It is only those who are weak who could never forgive the wrongdoings of other people. “Forgiveness,” said Mahatma Gandhi, “is the attribute of the strong.” And “true forgiveness,” said American television host Oprah Winfrey, “is when you can say, ‘Thank you for that experience.’”

If you have read the information about her posted in Wikipedia, you know she’s talking from experience. Born into poverty in rural Mississippi, she was molested by her cousin, uncle, and a family friend when she was nine years old. At 13, after suffering what she described as years of abuse, she ran away from home. When she was 14, she became pregnant but her son was born prematurely and he died shortly after birth. She reportedly “felt betrayed” by the family member who had sold the story of her son to the National Enquirer in 1990.

Looking back on these ordeals, she could say now, “Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different, it’s accepting the

past for what it was, and using this moment and this time to help yourself move forward.”

This must be the reason why she is so blessed. With a net worth of $800 million, Winfrey is believed to be the richest African American of the 20th century. In 2006, she was the highest paid TV entertainer in the United States, earning an estimated $260 million during the year.

Winfrey was able to forgive her family. Here’s another story on family forgiveness, which was written by a certain Robert C. Tuttle: In his night prayer, the six-year-old stopped before his brother’s name and said to his mother, “I don’t think I’ll ask God to bless Joe. He gave me an awful punch in the nose today.”

“But you’ve got to forgive your enemies,” the mother reminded him. “But,” countered the little boy, “that’s just the trouble: he’s NOT my enemy. And that’s why I can’t forgive him.”

How true it is that it is harder to forgive one’s friends than one’s enemies. Or as Sir Francis Bacon once said, “We read that we ought to forgive our enemies; but we do not read that we ought to forgive our friends.”

A similar case happened in another family. The three children had gotten into a loud disagreement just before they went off to bed. They were aroused at two in the morning by a terrible thunderstorm.

Hearing an unusual noise from the bedroom, the mother went up to see what was going on. All the children were out of bed and hidden in the dark clothes closet. And from the inside, a little voice told her, “We’re all afraid, and we’re hidden here in the dark, forgiving each other.”

Perhaps one of the worst things a man or woman can do to himself or herself is not forgiving oneself. “To me, one of the saddest mistakes we make is a lack of forgiveness, especially to ourselves,” wrote Richard Carlson in his book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work.

“We constantly remind ourselves of our flaws and previous mistakes,” Carlson continued.

“We anticipate future mistakes.

We’re highly critical of ourselves, frequently disappointed, and ruthless in our self-judgement. We badger and blame ourselves, and often we’re our own worst enemy.”

American moral and social philosopher Eric Hoffer said it well: “The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbour as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves.

We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

LT. ROBERT A. GILLMORE, TOWN BUILDER Born on May 1, 1879, in California, U.S.A., Maj. Robert Addison Gillmore started serving the U.S. Army with a rank of private before rising to corporal, sergeant, first sergeant under Company I, 21st Infantry, and post quartermaster sergeant (1899-1908). He made a lateral entry as second lieutenant in the Philippine Scouts (1908) and later promoted to first lieutenant (1911).

For exemplary performance, Lt. Gillmore was reappointed first lieutenant (1915), promoted to captain (1918) and major (1920) before retiring in August 1930. He was a lieutenant when he joined the Civil Service on June 16, 1910; he later became secretary of Maj. Henry Gilheuser, then district governor of Davao.

His first major assignment was the establishment of a station in Compostela, Davao de Oro. He was given a retinue of 20 Scouts who helped him transfer the old pueblo from the confluence of Manat and

Agusan rivers to a downstream area, roughly 300 meters from the original site. The move was designed to contain tribal incursions and slave-raiding by untamed tribes in the upper section of the Agusan river and to prevent disturbances that threatened peace in the area.

To his credit, Lt. Gillmore introduced town planning and carved out area along Agusan River, transforming them into well-planned villages. Aside from the streets that defined where houses were built, he also introduced sanitation, which was compulsorily.

Prior to volunteering for the U.S. Army for the Philippines, Lt. Gillmore was a porter at a Kalamazoo Hotel, in the state of Michigan. While assigned in the South, his exploits included appointments as justice of the peace and deputy governor.

In 1912, while on a fourmonth furlough in the U.S., the Kansas-based The Topeka State Daily Journal, in its May 25, 1912 issue, came out with an

interesting article (‘Lived With Wild Men’) about his Philippine experiences, described as “remarkable.”: To have spent two years in the wilds of Mindanao, [Lt. Gillmore was] the only white man in the district to have worked among the wild men and the cannibals of the mountains who never before had seen a white man and as a result to have organized 40 towns and villages into practically self-governing districts; to have abolished slavery and tribal warfare…

Less than 14 years ago, Gillmore was a porter in a Kalamazoo hotel. Today, he is a first lieutenant of the Philippine Scouts, and deputy governor and tribal justice of the district of Davao, in Mindanao. He is the first white man ever to have remained among the wild men in that district, one other who preceded him having gone violently insane because of isolation and harrowing experiences.

He speaks eight different Filipino dialects and Spanish.

Leaving friends, family, and comrades, Gillmore, two years ago, left the headquarters at Davao, and with a band of fourteen native scouts started for the interior, tramping two hundred miles through the dense tropical jungle where never white men had been before. It took fourteen days to make the trip, and even then, not all of his band of scouts could follow him, and he found it necessary to go back into the jungle, a two-day journey, to bring them with their bleeding, swollen feet, into camp which he established 200 miles from the mouth of the Agusan river.

In one tribe of these wild people were baganis who must have killed and eaten the livers of half a hundred men before they could claim the title.

Lieutenant Gillmore had seventy-five baganis in his district, all of whom have been disarmed.

Four times a year he made trips on foot accompanied by a band of wild people two hundred miles into headquarters

for supplies and more than once he has reached the town with his feet torn and bleeding by the rough road, his shoes completely worn off his feet.

He is now in the United States on a four-months’ furlough, the first vacation in six years. He will return to his wild people in September.

Gen. John Pershing, then Moro Province governor, attributed Lt. Gillmore’s success as town planner and administrator to embracing “the virtues of system, diligence, and infinite listening” and teaching his men to do “model duty.” The general recalled the lieutenant’s assiduousness when he “collected 7,000 of the 30,000 residents of the [Davao] district into 30 villages and with tilled fields,” which could be replicated elsewhere.

Gillmore left the military service after the war as a lieutenant colonel. He died on June 10, 1956. His remains are buried at San Francisco National Cemetery, in San Francisco, California.

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INSULAR HOTEL DAVAO CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF HEARTFELT SERVICE

IF anyone was to ask me about how Davao City’s tourism grew through the years, I would say that a big part of Durianburg’s tourism development was thanks to the opening of the Insular Hotel Davao in 1961.

Who can forget riding on the hotel’s iconic kalesa topiary, or spending afternoons with your family strolling by the hotel’s beach?

For six decades, the hotel has become a hub for major events in the metro and generations of guests who stayed have come to consider Insular Hotel as one of Davao’s best-known landmark as it offered a pocket of tranquillity in a rapidly growing city while highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the Dabawenyos.

Fast forward to today. In the midst of a global health crisis and a time where businesses are faced with the tempting option to close down, the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao is one of the few hotels in Durianburg which remain open, not only for the sole purpose of providing unparalleled service to its guests, but to also bring job security and financial stability for its employees.

A landmark event for a landmark year 2021 is a landmark year for Davao’s Grand Dame by the Sea, with the Insular Hotel celebrating its 60th founding year.

Going beyond providing safe accommodation to both nonquarantine and quarantine guests through its Multi-use Accreditation status, the Waterfront Davao became more than just a beachfront gateway as it partnered with the City Government of Davao, Davao Tourism Association (DATA), private sector volunteers and other organizations to suc-

cessfully transform the hotel’s Garden Pavilion as a site for the ‘Bakuna by the Sea’, a special vaccination roll-out which aims to inoculate 7,000 people under the tourism sector.

“I am very very happey that Waterfront Davao on its 60th anniversary, they volunteered to sponsor the logistics for this activity. This is really private sector led,” City Tourism Operations Office head Generose Tecson said.

“This vaccination program

goes to show that in Davao City, we have a beautiful working relationship between the private sector and the city government,” Tecson added.

Also in attendance on the launch and first day of vaccination were Jennifer Romero, OIC For Hotel Operations of Waterfront Insular Hotel, Tanya Rabat-Tan, Department of Tourism XI Regional Director, Dr. Ashley Lopez, OIC-City Health Office, Dr. Josephine Villafuerte, City Health Office Vaccination Cluster Head, Cherry Faye Al-ag, DATA President-elect, Elenor Marcelino, Vaccination Site Team Leader, Anna Q. Magnaye and Candice R. Protacio from ZEGEN Management Co. Kenneth T. Gatchalian, President of Waterfront Philip-

pines Incorporated expressed his words of support and gratitude towards the Local Government Unit and its partners for enacting this initiative and allowing Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao to give back to the community.

“We believe that the vaccination effort constitutes a critical point to economic recovery and by supporting this endeavour, we ensure that all shall rise from this pandemic,” he said.

The vaccination program aims to pave the way for new developments in the easement of restrictions and guidelines which would help the tourism industry and other communities rebound. And while there is still a long way to go, I am glad that there are vaccination efforts like this happening all

over Davao City, showing the harmonious working relationship between private individuals and the government, all towards one common goal.

My heart also goes out to the untiring volunteer nurses, doctors and personnel who manned the site’s stations and made the event safe and orderly.

Congratulations and happy 60th anniversary to the Waterfront Insular Davao Hotel, and thank you for a unique and inspiring birthday bash, allowing everyone in the tourism industry a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel.

For queries on how to avail of the vaccination, the tourism sector workers are advised to email the secretariat at davaotourismvax@gmail.com.

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ENVIRONMENT

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SAVING THE COUNTRY’S VANISHING WATERSHEDS Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

W

hat has been lost can never be restored but what remains can still be saved, managed and enhanced. Such is the case of watershed, defined as an area of land that drains all the streams and rainfall to a common outlet.

“A watershed is a watershed is a watershed,” said the late Paz L. Lopez when she was the head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Most of the country’s watersheds are located in uplands where forests used to abound. These uplands – which constitute at least 60% of the country’s total land area of 30 million hectares – are now devoid of forest cover. “Where have all our forests gone?” asked environmentalists.

“A watershed needs trees in order to absorb rainwater when it channels into streams, rivers and eventually dams where human communities source fresh water,” Rappler’s Pia Ranada wrote.

“A typical tree breathes out 250 to 400 gallons of water per day through its leaves, humidifying the air,” Ranada explained. “This process, called evapotranspiration, is responsible for most of the rain that falls inland, far from oceans. Thus, without trees, there is no rain and it is rain that supplies much of the freshwater

humans need to live.”

Dr. Patrick Durst, former regional forestry officer of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said the main benefit trees provide is helping to intercept precipitation and facilitate its infiltration into the soil and ground water storage areas.

The tree also helps reduce erosion of soil by “breaking the fall” (that is, the impact) of rainfall that might otherwise dislodge soil particles upon harsh impact, Durst added.

“Trees, through their leaves and branches, intercept rainfall,” the former FAO official explained. “But more importantly, healthy forests’ ground cover – organic litter, twigs, small plants and fallen leaves, among others – help trap water and hold it until it has an opportunity to soak into the ground soil.”

In addition, roots – whether alive or decaying – provide additional pore space above that of normal soil texture for water to infiltrate into the ground.

“This is the reason why local springs and streams maintain a healthy flow when surrounded by protected

micro-watersheds,” Durst pointed out.

Father Pedro Walpole, of the Environment Science for Social Change, Inc., said that in a watershed, there is the interrelation of many resources. “There are (also) ecological services that a watershed provides such as delivery of water as part of the water cycle, stable land-water dynamics, nutrient cycles, a diversity of life forms,” he explained.

As such, “watershed management is not just a matter of managing water but of managing the land that delivers the water and coordinating the people in that management,” Fr. Walpole urged.

Not all watersheds in the country are in pristine status, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) discloses. “Some are already affected by deforestation, pollution, and other unsustainable practices of humans, who are oblivious of the potential adverse effects,” it admits. “Climate change, ballooning population, and industrialization exacerbated the hazards to the sustainability of watersheds.”

For these reasons, an executive order (EO) prioritizing watershed rescue is being pushed for urgent passage by forest experts in order to counter effects of climate-linked calamities and ensure replenishment

of irrigation and hydro-electric or geothermal energy sources.

The Forest Management Bureau (FMB), a line agency of the DENR, is currently drafting an EO that will elevate to national strategy status its “Save Our Watershed” (SOW) movement, according to a press release.

“This will pave the way for the establishment of institutional mechanisms for collaborative or whole-of-society efforts in conserving our watersheds,” said Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu at a launch of the SOW campaign recently.

According to Energy Development Corp. (EDC) Assistant Vice President Allan Barcena, it is extremely important for watersheds – which he described as “forests that are sources of water that are ‘shed’ into rivers, lakes, and seas – to be protected.

“Protecting watersheds is not only a corporate social responsibility program for us. It is part of our business strategy. When we’re protecting the watershed, it means our geothermal resource is sustained. If we don’t protect our watershed, our geothermal steam is not sustained. So for us it’s both a commitment and a business strategy and mission.”

Most of the country’s geothermal plants are located in forested areas.

The EDC runs 12 geother-

mal-powered power plants in Leyte, Bicol, Southern Negros, and North Cotabato with an installed capacity of 1,179 megawatt.

The press release said FMB Director Marcial is expecting the EO to be filed with Malacanang before the end of the year. The DENR’s Forestland Management Project (FMP) is supporting the SOW campaign.

The FMP is being co-financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, a governmental agency that delivers bulk of official development assistance for Japan.

JICA chief Eigo Azukizawa said the SOW campaign hopes to avert destructive effects of calamities. The Typhoon Ulysses in November last year, he said, affected three million people in Cagayan Valley who suffered from flooding.

“To see people on top of their houses submerged in flood is heart-breaking,” he deplored.

The SOW-FMP has targeted to protect 71,300 hectares of forests within the critical watershed areas of Upper Magat and Cagayan, Upper Pampanga, and Jalaur (in Panay Island).

Based on the 2019 data, the Philippines has 131 critical priority watersheds that support water facilities,

hydroelectric power plants, and irrigation systems.

For instance, the Cagayan River Basin – home to the country’s largest river with a drainage area of 27,280 square kilometers at its mouth in Aparri – irrigates around 300,000 hectares of rice fields.

The Jalaur River Basin in Iloilo, with an area of 1,503 square kilometers, can supply 90,611 million cubic meters of water. The river is Panay’s second largest by drainage basin – after Panay River.

“Every day we use water in our homes for drinking, washing, and watering our plants. We ensure the constant supply of water to our homes by taking part in saving the watersheds,” states the SaveOurWatershedPH. The Magat Hydroelectric Power Plant, one of the largest hydro facilities in Luzon which was constructed in the 1980s under the Magat River Multi-Purpose Project, produces a maximum output of 388 megawatts and draws water from the Magat River (whose basin size is 1,970 square kilometers and discharges 9,808 million cubic meters of water annually).

“The water that runs through Magat River comes from the Magat Watershed

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2,459 doses are available for the Tourism Sector and Philippine Coast Guard at Waterfront Insular Hotel; 2,000 doses for Boysen at Sasa Warehouse; 3,000 doses for Davao Colleges and Universities Network; 3000 doses for Philippine Women’s College and University of Mindanao Bolton Campus; 1,300 doses for the Davao Association of College Schools; 1,300 doses for Ateneo de Davao

University (ADDU); 1,500 doses for San Miguel Brewery (SMB) workers at Davao Doctors Hospital (DDH); 4,000 doses for the Department of Education at various schools jab sites; 800 for the transport Group at Agro-Industrial Foundation College; 1,000 for the Chinatown Development Council at Chong Hua School; and, 4,000 for workers of Abreeza Mall, Gaisano Mall, SM, and NCCC Malls.

partner of the DepEd in its bid for education reform, highlighting that around USD300 million worth of loans have been granted to the country since the 1980s.

“Matagal na partner na ang World Bank since 1981.

Marami na tayong inutang sa World Bank para magimprovesa edukasyon. So, partner sila, kasali sila dito sa sitwasyon sa Pilipinas (The World Bank has been a partner for a long time since 1981. We have owed a lot to the World Bank to improve education. So, they are partners, they are part of the situation in the Philippines),” Briones said. “And since the country was insulted, was shamed and so on, we expect and look forward to a public apology lalo na iyong hindi pagsabi sa amin na naglabas sila ng ganoong klaseng datos na lumang-luma na datos (especially when they did not tell us that they released that kind of data that is very old).”

The report was based on the three assessments the Philippines participated in -- the Program for International Student (Pisa) in 2018, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2019, and the first cycle of the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEAPLM) in 2019.

The World Bank said there is a “crisis” in Philippine education “which started pre-Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019)” and “have been made worse” by the coronavirus pandemic.

It said more than 80 percent of children in the Philippines “do not know what they should know in school.”

Across the three global assessments, the World Bank said, only 10 to 22 percent of Grade 4, 5, and 9 students in the Philippines posted scores “at or above minimum proficiency.”

supplies to treat the injured,” she said.

Mayor Sara said these doctors, who are from the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), volunteered on behalf of Davao City to help the situation.

On Monday, the city government issued a statement offered its deepest condolences to

the families of those who perished in the plane crash.

The city also offered prayers to the survivors and hoped that they find strength and comfort in the millions of Filipinos who shared their grief and pain.

Davao City is flying the flag at half-mast from July 5 to July 9, 2021 in honor of those who died in the tragedy. By Maya M. Padillo

With its widest domestic network in the country covering 32 destinations, the airline has already ferried more than 1.8 million vaccine doses distributed to various cities, municipal-

ities and provinces, such as Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Davao, Legazpi, Masbate, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Tuguegarao, Virac, Zamboanga and Dipolog, among others.

ed an increase in text messages sent by farmers from Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat when they discovered the PTC from student-infomediaries.

Currently, youth-infomediaries still send inquiries to the PTC. Through lessons taught

and information gathered from the Pinoy Rice Knowledge Bank, student-infomediaries shared their learnings on climate change to their farmer-parents. In turn, the farmer-parents also shared this information to their co-farmers.

PHP269 million; Port of Subic, PHP19.09 billion, PHP337 million; Port of Clark, PHP892 million, PHP101 million and Port of Aparri, PHP240 million, PHP19 million.

The three other ports were Batangas, Limay, and Cebu.

Meanwhile, the Port of NAIA on Monday reported that it also surpassed its revenue target for the month of June after it posted a surplus of PHP224.886 million after collecting PHP3.037 billion against its target of PHP2.812 billion.

digitalize their processes,” he said in a virtual briefing on Monday.

Digitalization processes

surged during the pandemic after the government implemented movement restrictions.

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reportedly joined by some local officials.

He said the incident had been reported by concerned citizens to the national government’s 8888 complaint hotline.

The official said the event happened as locally transmitted infections in Lake Sebu continued to increase, and with its community hospital closing down temporarily due to the situation.

Tamayosaidtheholdingof such gatherings is prohibited since the minimum health protocols and safe physical distancing measures are not usually observed properly.

“Government officials and employees are not exempt from these regulations and should follow them strictly to set an example to the public,” he said in his weekly radio program “Ang Gobernador kag ang Katawhan (the governor and the people).”

He said erring officials could face sanctions from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

As of Sunday night, the active Covid-19 cases in the province dropped to 1,184 after only recording two new infections and 100 recoveries.

The confirmed cases in the area since March last year already reached a total of 7,357, the highest in Region 12 (Soccsksargen), with 182 related deaths and 5,991 recoveries.

The governor said residents should not be complacent with the huge drop in active cases in the past several days after previously peaking at over 1,600.

He clarified that the decrease was not due to the improving Covid-19 situation but the lack of testing since last week after the local government’s co-managed laboratory ran out of test cartridges.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that 52 individuals have died, he considered it the country’s deadliest military air disaster in the last four decades.

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte promised to allocate big budget to the families of the soldiers who died in the crash during his visit to the Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City on July 5, 2021.

“I have said this before, nasabi ko na ito. We are still working at it. Pero gusto ko lang maiwan --- bago ako maiwan, gusto kong maglagay ng malaking pera para sa Armed Forces of the Philippines. Iyan lang ang mabawi ko sa sundalo ko lalo na ‘yong namatay, that they will --- their families will be protected, that their families will be comfortable at ‘yong daily living and education of

the children will be assured,” the President said in his message during his visit to the Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City on July 5, 2021 to give honor to the soldiers.

The President emphasized that it is very important that the family of the soldiers will have the same privileges such as education.

“And importante diyan ang eskwela, which we have set up a foundation for that to see them through to college. Makaabot naman ng kurso sa kolehiyo. And this I promise you, soldiers.

Again, I commiserate with you. I am as sorrowful as you. And as Commander-inChief, ako ‘yong pinaka --pinakanasasaktan sa buhay na nawala. I am at a loss of words so that I will end up here, or else I will end up crying also like you,” he said.

By Maya M. Padillo

can map out and plan for the successful crafting of the said codes,” Sema said.

Meanwhile, BARMM Chief Minister Al Haj Murad Ebrahim expressed the SUBATRA’s efforts in supporting the ongoing transition of the Bangsamoro government.

According to him, Bangsamoro’s Parliamentary system of government promotes inclusivity and encourages participation of all sectors within the region.

“It is along these lines where this workshop is of high importance to determine our shared steps ahead and fulfil our meaningful journey as a transition authority,” Ebrahim said.

On June 15, 2021, BARMM Chief Minister Al Haj Murad Ebrahim highlighted the Government of the Day’s legislative agenda during the opening of the third regular session of the BTA Parliament which includes completion of the remaining codes on local government, electoral, and revenue, as well as Indigenous Peoples (IPs), children, and labor.

The SUBATRA Programme, which will be implemented until July

2025, seeks to contribute to a peaceful, cohesive, secure and inclusive Bangsamoro.

It was established to enhance the capacities on democratic governance of the Bangsamorro Government, particularly its executive branch, Parliament, and justice system mechanisms towards the smooth transition of the BARMM. The programme is supported by the European Union (EU) and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), which contributed EUR 26 million to the initiative.

The SUBATRA Programme will be under the oversight of the Project Steering Committee (PSC), cochaired by OPAPP Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., and Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim.

The PSC is composed of the speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) secretary, director-general of the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority, chair of the Bangsamoro Women’s Commission, and representatives from EU and AECID.

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located in Ifugao, Isabela, and Nueva Vizcaya. This means part of the electricity that powers our homes comes from water. When water becomes scarce, the electricity generated is less and can cause power outages in Luzon,” the environment department said.

“The Philippines has a lot of hydropower potential, but it is up to us to harness this potential,” DENR said.

According to the Department of Energy, the total untapped hydropower resource potential of the country is estimated at 13,097 megawatts, of which 85% are considered large and small hydros.

But the country’s watersheds are beset with problems. Most rivers are now silted with soil as a result of erosion from the uplands.

The Washington-based Worldwatch Institute considers soil erosion as “a silent crisis.”

Rev. Harold R. Watson, who received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for international understanding in 1985, said, “(Soil erosion) is a slow creeping enemy that soon possesses the land.”

While some sceptics believe climate change is a hoax, soil erosion is a reality. “Land is not being remade,” said Watson, who once served as the director of the Davaobased Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC).

“Soil is made by God and put here for man to use, not for one generation but forever.

It takes thousands of years to build one-inch of topsoil but only one good strong rain to remove one inch from unprotected soil on the slopes of mountains.”

The problem is getting nastier. “Soil loss is when the top layer of fertile soil is removed and goes to rivers and other places,” the environment department explained.

“It results in loss of nutrients for the trees.

“Another serious consequence of continued soil loss is landslides. Trees and other plants are important in conserving soil and water resources. These help hold the fertile top layer of soil to prevent landslides and flooding,” the DENR added.

Based on studies, 24

sub-watersheds covered by Upper Magat-Cagayan, Upper Pampanga and Jalaur River Basins lose around 1 million tons of soil amounting to P140 million per year.

Siltation and sedimentation have been caused by deforestation in the uplands.

When Watson came to the Philippines in the 1960s, he was already sounding the alarm of deforestation and soil erosion. But people only laughed at him. They told him, “We’re never going to run out of trees!”

They were completely wrong. A DENR study indicated a total of 14.375 million hectares of forestland in the county remains as of 2015, but these only have a forest cover of 18%.

Priority watersheds include 3.004 million hectares in Region 3; 1.76 million hectares in Region 11; 1.637 million hectares in Region 2; and 1.573 million hectares in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

It’s no wonder why soil erosion is now one of the country’s environmental problems. “Soil erosion is considered as one of the worst problems of most watersheds in the country, with estimates of between 74 and 81 million tons of soil being lost annually. Between 63% and 77% of the country’s total land area are affected,” the DENR study highlighted.

“Thirteen of the country’s 73 provinces have over half of their land area affected by moderate to severe erosion.

Sedimentation has reduced the storage capacity of the country’s major reservoirs affecting water supplies for domestic, industrial, irrigation, and power generation,” the study added.

Ironically, the same people who need water for their many purposes contribute largely to watershed destruction. In 2000, some 20 million Filipinos – about 26% of the national population – lived in the uplands.

“The population that relies on the goods and services watersheds provide steadily grows, creating more pressure for the already overburdened natural resources in the watersheds,” the DENR said.

ing the playoffs since 2010.

They were 19-63 just two seasons ago, tying for the second-worst record in the league.

But an undefeated run in their eight restart games in the Walt Disney World bubble last summer sent them into this season with momentum, and they entered it with a new leader when they acquired Paul from Oklahoma City.

Besides Paul’s All-Star

play, the Suns needed the right veteran to bring out the best in young stars Devin Booker and Ayton.

Phoenix finished with the second-best record in the league, knocked out the defending champion Lakers in the first round, swept MVP Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets and then shook off the absence of Paul for two games to beat the Clippers in the Western Conference finals.

way of rewarding them for their sacrifices, and our way of helping augment their usual fuel costs,” Phoenix Vice President for Integrated Marketing and Strategies

Celina Matias said.

Registration and availment of the benefits of PTCJGO card will start in July 2021 at 25 participating stations in Metro Manila.

on their regional expansion.

From five warehouses across the greater Metro Manila area, Cebu, and Davao,

LOCAD aims to reach other major cities which are also in need of logistics services, the company said.

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 97 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 07, 2021

SPORTS 11

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status remains unknown, with Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer saying he had no update on the injured superstar’s knee.

Pacquiao starts training

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anny Pacquiao evidently hit the ground running in his first day of training for his fight against Errol Spence July 20 in Las Vegas.

The welterweight titleholder arrived today at his gym-away-from-home Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif., a day after leaving his home in the Philippines. And, according to longtime trainer Freddie Roach, he arrived in shape.

He began the day with a five-mile run and 1,000 sit-ups before an afternoon session at the iconic gym, according to a news release. He then worked out for nearly three hours, with nine rounds on the mitts.

Roach was impressed.

“If this is how Manny hits with jet lag, I may need to get new gloves with thicker padding for our next sessions,” Roach said. “He was incredible sharp for his first day. He hit hard with good power. After all these years, I’m still amazed at the great condition he’s in when he comes to training camp.

After traveling around the world yesterday, he put in a full day here – mitts, speed bag, shadow boxing – the works.

“The best part was at the end when he lifted his shirt to show me his six pack and said, ‘Freddie, I’m still here.’”

Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) knows the challenges he faces against Spence (270, 21 KOs).

Spence, ranked No. 4 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-forpound list, is 31 years old and his prime. No. 15 Pacquiao is coming off a sensational victory over Keith Thurman but that fight took place more than two years ago and he’s 42.

Spence is about a 2½-1 favorite in the fight.

“Errol Spence is a very difficult fight for me, perhaps the most difficult of my career,” Pacquiao said. “But I have been an underdog my whole life. I am used to that.

It is why I work so hard. But the love and the prayers of my fellow Philippine citizens and Filipinos around the world sustain and inspire me.

Suns vs Bucks: Unlikely finalists

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HOENIX — Chris Paul walked up the stairs and took a seat in front of the NBA Finals logo, a climb that took him 16 years to complete.

The Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks are used to enduring long waits.

They came into the NBA together in 1968 and between them have managed to win one championship.

They’ve combined for only one trip to the finals since the mid-1970s.

Now here they both are, a couple of unfamiliar contestants to finish off a most unusual season.

“Walking into here, seeing Mr. Larry on every poster,” Suns center Deandre Ayton said, referring to the

Larry O’Brien Trophy, “it gave me goosebumps.”

Imagine the feeling if he’s on the first Suns team to win an NBA championship.

Game One is on Tuesday night in Phoenix (Wednesday, Manila time), which hasn’t hosted an NBA Finals game since Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls completed their first three-peat here in 1993. The Suns’ only other chance was in 1976, when they lost to Boston.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status remains unknown, with Bucks coach

P United City has lost to the Kawasaki side for the second consecutive time in Group I.

hilippine club United City FC suffered its third straight loss on Monday night after taking a 2-nil beating at the hands of reigning J1 champion Kawasaki Frontale, in the 2021 AFC Champions League at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

United City lost to the Kawasaki side for the second consecutive time in Group I, but was a relatively better result than the 8-0 defeat last Friday.

Kei Shinen took ad-

Mike Budenholzer saying he had no update on the injured superstar’s knee.

“Without him, we have to do it by committee,” Bucks guard Khris Middleton said.

It’s a whole new setting for the 36-year-old Paul, who acknowledged one of the differences. Home teams usually practice at their training facility, but the workout on the eve of the NBA Finals is in the arena.

“It’s still basketball,” the point guard said. “I think we’re all locked in to the goal at hand.”

Milwaukee won a championship in 1971, so long ago that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was still known as Lew Alcindor when he and Oscar Robertson were perhaps the top tandem in the league.

The Bucks had drafted Alcindor with the No. 1 pick in 1969 after winning a coin flip against the Suns.

The Bucks got back in 1974 but haven’t been seen in the finals since.

They have been closing in over the last few years.

Milwaukee had the best record in the NBA in both 2018-19 and 2019-20 and was two games away from the NBA Finals in that first season. They came back better after acquiring guard Jrue Holiday before this season.

“To get these four wins is going to be difficult but really excited for it,” Holiday said.

The Suns had been going nowhere, not even mak-

vantage of a United City miscue at the back to score in the 18th minute, and a close range shot by Tatsuya Hasegawa in the 78th brought the lead to two goals for the Japanese side.

United City goalkeeper Anthony Pinthus though made a good account of himself with several saves to prevent another lopsided result for the Filipino team.

UCFC coach Jason Withe was a bit disappointed with the result of

the match, but was glad that several players were also able to play. The team didn’t field top striker Bienve Maranon, while missing Stephan Schrock due to accumulated yellow cards.

United City FC faces Beijing FC “We made a lot of changes today. I said to the squad, it’s not about 11 players,” said Withe.

On Thursday, United City will face Beijing FC. Their previous match-up saw both teams ending with a 1-1 draw.

FSUNS, P10

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 97 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 07, 2021

GREAT START Eala off to an impressive debut in Wimbledon

Alex Eala celebrates after her first round win. Alex Eala photo

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halk one in for Alex Eala’s Wimbledon journey.

The teen Filipino ace launched her debut at the grass courts of the fabled All England Lawn Tennis Club

with an impressive win on Monday.

The 16-year-old easily won her girls’ singles first round match at The Championships playing as the tournament second seed.

Eala, No. 3 in the world, ousted 17-year-old juniors No. 38 Solana Sierra of Argentina, 6-2, 6-4, at Court 6.

She will face another 17-year-old, juniors No. 30 Ane Mintegi Del Olmo of Spain, in the second round.

Eala surged to a 3-1 lead in the first set with a service break before holding her own and breaking her opponent again to go up 5-1. As she was serving for the set, Sierra broke serve with a forehand winner. In the 8th game, a backhand winner from Eala gave her a 40-15 edge with Sierra on serve, and a forehand unforced error from Sierra handed over the first set to Eala, 6-2, in 23 minutes.

In the second set, Eala took a 3-1 lead again.

The hotly contested 5th game went to Sierra via a break of serve, and Eala was able to reply with a break at deuce due to a double fault from the Argentine.

With Eala serving for the match at 5-3, they reached deuce where a double fault from the Filipino gave the Argentine the opportunity to break, and she did with a backhand winner to trail at 5-4.

Eala managed to lead, 40-0, in the 10th game with Sierra on serve. A backhand forced error from Eala allowed Sierra to save one match point, but Eala made sure to clinch her first Wimbledon win on her second match point with a clean forehand winner, taking the second set, 6-4, in 41 minutes.

Prior to her maiden Junior Wimbledon stint, Eala made her debut in a grass tournament last week at the Junior International Roehampton where she was the No. 2 seed in the singles and doubles draws.

She posted a quarterfinal finish in the singles after losing to No. 8 seed Linda Fruhvirtova of Czech Republic while in the doubles, she and Indonesian Priska Madelyn Nugroho were upset in the second round by Barbora Palicova of Czech Republic and Radka Zelnickova of Slovakia.

In 2020, Eala and Nugroho won the Australian Open junior girls’ doubles championship while in June, Eala claimed the Roland Garros junior girls’ doubles championship with Russian Oksana Selekhmeteva.

There is no prize money at junior grand slam events, but Eala and her fellow rising tennis stars stand to receive ranking points to improve their international junior ranking.

Eala is currently the Asian female junior No. 1 while in the WTA, the 2021 W15 Manacor champion and Rafa Nadal Academy scholar is the World No. 629.