Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 151 | Thursday, September 9, 2021

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Surge of cases in Davao City should serve as wake up call to Dabawenyos: TF spox STORY ON PAGE 2 A health worker walks by a streamer placed by Brokenshire Hospital near the entrance of its emergency section informing the public that the hospital’s Covid-19 beds are now full. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 151 • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 09, 2021

President Rodrigo Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the Malacañang Palace on Monday. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

EXTREME WARNING Surge of cases in Davao City should serve A

Jail guards intercept ‘shabu’ in chilli peppers

as wake up call to Dabawenyos: TF spox

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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r. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of Davao City Covid-19 Task Force, hinted that the persistent surge of cases due to Delta variant of Covid-19 in Davao city should serve as wake-up call among Dabawenyos not to be complacent and strictly observe the minimum public health standards.

“Unta wake-up call sa tanan ang atoang persistent na pagtaas sa cases kasi tung una kung mabalikan nato last year, makanapulo (cases) lang gani ta makurat-kuratan nata, karon maskin mag 100, 200, 300, 400 cases murag ang mga tao kalma kaayo,” Schlosser said on

Wednesday via Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR).

Schlosser said Davao City is persistently logging 300 to 400 cases daily of Covid-19 and she noticed that the public is taking the surge of cases too lightly.

“Actually, there was a day na nag 586 ta. Very

stressful to siya sa among taga City Health Office kay we do not want to overwhelm our health system.

Dili nato gusto na mapuno ang atoang hospitals, Temporary Treatment and Monitoring facilities (TTMFs), unya dili nato gusto mapasagdan ang katawhan na dili sila mahatagan ug medical attention,” she said.

She reminded Dabawenyos to always follow health protocols and get vaccinated as protection against Covid-19.

“Ginahangyo namo ang mga tao na ayaw mo pagkumpyansa kay naa gihapon ang Covid. Wala man

masama kung mag protekta ta, magpakabana ta. Murag nahitabo karon murag its okay to live with the virus. Its okay to not fear the virus but what’s not okay is taking it so lightly na murag okay na mag social gathering, maglakaw na wala’y mask, face shield ug social distancing. Ang atoa untang cases magsilbing wake-up call sa mga katawhan nga naa ta gihapon ang virus ug magpadayon gihapon ta sa pagpakabana ug dili mu kumpyansa as well as magpabakuna ta,” she said.

Meanwhile, based on the Regional Situation Up-

tion of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict”, which is seen to help the government in its ongoing anti-insurgency campaign.

“We are confident that the Local Government Unit (LGU) and Government agencies will sustainably address the issues being exploited by the communist terrorist group (CTGs). I believe that the only way we can end local communist armed conflict is through our collective efforts and performing our mandates religiously,” Almerol added.

He said, “We will win the peace together.”

Maj. Gen. Ernesto C

Torres Jr., commander of the 10th Infantry Division based in Mawab, Davao de Oro, on the other hand, remains confident that with the current campaign of the military and with the indication that the top leaders who used to lead the formation and units of NPA are now with the government.

“We need to tell the stories of our friends-rescued to prevent recruitment, because it is happening now.

With our combat operation, which is our core competency with our community support program, it’s just a matter of time,” Torres said.

10th ID covers the area of the whole of Davao Re-

gion, some parts of Region 12, Caraga, and some portions of Region 10.

Torres presented significant numbers recorded in the area of 10th ID wherein operating guerilla fronts are now down to 6 from 2016’s 17 fronts, 193 affected barangays in 2016 down to 12, and 1,150 firearms in 2016 now just 300; and for manpower 900 in 2016 to 270 now.

“We are really confident that with that trend and with the current campaign that we are having, and the indication that those top leaders who used to lead the different formations in

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General vows to end insurgency in June 2022

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astern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) Chief Lieutenant General Greg T Almerol vowed to end the decades-long communist insurgency at least in his area of responsibility before the term of President Rodrigo Duterte ends next year.

Almerol, in a press conference on Tuesday, said that his command will finish neutralizing the remaining members of threat groups in Eastern Mindanao.

He said he hopes to sustain the gains of the command and further improve community engagement through the implementa-

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total of 35 sachets of suspected shabu in chilli peppers mixed in with humba (pork dish) and chicken adobo have been intercepted at the male dormitory of the Davao City Jail On Tuesday afternoon (September 7).

Capt. Edo Lobenia, spokesman of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, said that jail searchers intercepted the contraband during “paabot of food” brought by a male visitor.

It was noticed that a full-sized Siling Labuyo found as an ingredient in the food was tampered with, he said.

Lobenia said some 16 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P256,000.00 were discovered during a thor-

ough search of the items brought in by Richard Caybot, a 40-year-old resident of Calinan District.

The suspect is now detained at Talomo Police Station pending the filing of criminal charges against him.

Davao City Jail Warden Supt. Peter Bongngat Jr. assures the intensified clearing operations inside and outside the jail premises with the help of the PNP-EOD unit.

“All individuals that will be caught trying to sneak any contraband inside the jail facility will be dealt with to the full extent of the law,” Bongngat stressed.

Bongngat vowed to continue to implement strict protocols in searching and entry in all jails regionwide.

Davao manicurists get cash aid from Pulong, Yap, DOLE

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ore than 400 manicurists in 54 barangays of the first district initially received the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) payout on Tuesday, September 7, from the First Congressional District Office in Davao City.

Amidst the ongoing Covid–19 pandemic, the office of the First Congressional District Representative Paolo Duterte, in a joint effort with ACT-CIS Partylist lawmaker Eric Yap, and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), provided aid to this sector.

TUPAD is a community– based package of assistance that offers emergency service for displaced, underem-

ployed, and seasonal workers, for a minimum period of 10 days, not more than 30 days, depending on the nature of work. For this payout, the beneficiaries worked for 15 days.

Duterte’s office said that around 2,000 manicurists are yet to receive TUPAD cash assistance. The payout will be wired through money remittance to ensure a smoother and safer cash distribution to recipients in the next coming days.

The lawmakers expressed hope that the TUPAD program can help the families of the beneficiaries during these challenging times, encouraging them to continually support the government’s efforts in

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EDGEDAVAO

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NEWS

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The city government of Davao conducts a vaccination rollout for Muslim community in Brgy. 23-C, Quezon Blvd., Davao City on Wednesday. The vaccination program aims to vaccinate 500 individuals. CIO

City trains private establishments to create organic contact tracers Davao ideal for advance agri-farm technology, says Japanese investor

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eisuke Nakao, CEO of Nakashin Davao International, Inc., and 5th generation of Nakashin Group of Companies, sees Davao City as one of best locations for advance agri-farm technology in Mindanao.

Nakashin Davao International, Inc. is a manufacturing and exporting company located in Davao City with main business is exporting variety of fresh frozen products such as mangoes, pineapple, banana, and other tropical fruits base value-added products which are distributed in Japan, Europe, and in other countries.

“Nakashin mainly process fishily product and seeking candidate location as General Santos and Zamboanga in Mindanao, however there was concerns of security. We finally decided to locate in Davao City,” Nakao shared during the Davao City Online Roadshow to Japan organized by the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC) on Wednesday.

Nakao cited Davao

City’s all year-round stable weather and variation of land that has good potential to grow many types of agricultural products as among the factors that make Davao City an ideal hub for agri-farm technology.

He said Mindanao is not only rich in fish resources but also agri-products such as banana, pineapple, coconuts, mango and pomelo that give their company a lot of alternative raw materials.

“Among all the fruits, we chose mango and restart product development and marketing in area of frozen mango product which none of other major capitals are success to continue the business. During initial marketing period, we counter hard time to accept tasting by client since their image of mango from Philippines was cheap and not tasty. Yes, it was true that what sold in Japan as fresh mango from Philippines is small with smooth skin and uniform size to sale price per piece,” he

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

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Dr. Michelle Schlosser on Wednesday.

In April this year, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio issued an Executive Order (EO) for the mandatory swab testing of all F1, F2, and F3 contacts of Covid-19-infected individuals whose results were confirmed by a reverse tran-

scription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.

F1 contacts are “first-generation contacts of an RT-PCR-confirmed Covid-19-positive case; F2 contacts the second-generation contacts of an RT-PCR-confirmed Covid-19-positive case (close contacts of F1); F3 contacts are third-generation contacts of an RT-PCRconfirmed Covid-19-positive case (close contacts of F2).

Schlosser said one of the ways to immediately cut down infection in a establishment is through proper contact tracing.

She also said that it is easy to get information from the close contacts if the one doing the contact tracing are their colleagues.

“Kay a lot of times mas dali mag-disclose ang mga pasyente kung ilahang friends and colleagues ang magtawag sa ilaha. With

a Marawi compensation bill in both the House and the Senate” since 2018, a year after the Marawi siege.

“We participated in many public hearings as resource persons, have surfaced urgent issues, and lobbied for our people in different fora and platforms. We campaigned hard in the last State of the Nation Address to call on the President to certify the Marawi Compensation Bill as urgent,” the

statement read.

The group acknowledged Rep. Amihilda J. Sangcopan of Anak Mindanao (AMIN) Party-list, Leyte 4th District Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez, Basilan Rep. Mujiv S. Hataman, Lanao del Norte 1st District Representatives Mohamad Khalid Q. Dimaporo and Ansarrudin Abdul Malik A. Adiong, and Lanao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Yasser Alonto Balindong “for consistently

championing the plight of the people of Marawi.”

“And being a strong ally in our collective clamor for the passage of this important legislation to help heal and rebuild the lives of the Marawi siege victims,” it added.

The MRCW said it would remain vigilant and steadfast in lobbying and ensuring that HB 9925 will have its Senate counterpart and

he city government of Davao is conducting training on contact tracing among private establishments to help create organic contact tracers.

“The city conducts training on private establishments how to contact trace.

Kabalo man ta unsa ka importante ang contact tracing so we are teaching these establishments so that they would know better kung kinsa tong i-contact trace sa ilahang close contacts,” said

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he civic group Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch (MRCW) lauded the efforts of legislators in the House of Representatives for passing House Bill (HB) 9925 or the Marawi Compensation Act on its third and final reading.

In a statement coursed through Maureen Anthea T. Lacuesta of International Alert Philippines, the MRCW said the group has been at the “forefront in pushing for

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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A street vendor selling“balut”and“penoy”makes himself busy with his smartphone while waiting for customers at the junction of R. Magsaysay Avenue and Gempesaw Street in Davao City on Wednesday. Edge Davao

DTI invites Japanese firms to invest in PH industries A

PH current account surplus eyed until at least 2022

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epartment of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez has urged Japanese firms to invest in the Philippines as opportunities for manufacturing, construction, and energy remain high despite the pandemic.

In a virtual Philippine economic briefing for Japanese companies Tuesday, Lopez said Japanese investors may look into opportunities in the production of semiconductor and electronic goods, as well as manufacturing of medical devices. “(M)edical devices manufacturing is also a growing industry backed by the presence of supply chain for manufacturing such as tool

A

s more Filipinos are getting vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the Philippine Chamber of Commerce Industry (PCCI) hopes for a full reopening of the economy once the country achieves population protection.

“PCCI wishes for the full opening of the economy even if the herd immunity threshold is unmet due to the moving and elusive target of 50 to 100 percent in-

and die, chemicals, semiconductors, plastics, and metal parts necessary in the production of medical devices and its parts,” he said.

Lopez said as the government aims to build its healthcare facilities, demand for medical devices is expected to increase.

“The local medical device market is projected to have a compound annual growth rate of 8.8 percent and would rise to USD884.3

million by (the) end of 2024,” he said.

The DTI chief said Japanese firms likewise have a big market to tap in the domestic construction sector driven by the government’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, housing backlog, office space requirement, transport sector demand, supply chain industry, power demand, and demand for more healthcare facilities.

Under the “Build, Build, Build” program, the government has a total of 119 infrastructure flagship projects.

Japanese firms were also encouraged to look into opportunities in the residential sector as the housing back-

log is expected to reach 12.4 million units by 2030, while the office market needs nearly 370,000 square meters of office spaces between 2021 and 2025.

Lopez further said there is also growing demand in the transport sector, with transport infrastructure requiring investments amounting to USD100 billion for the next decade.

With the growing economy, demand for power is also expected to increase.

The local supply chain industry, on the other hand, requires investment amounting to PHP14.07 billion in the next 10 years, particularly investments for

oculation of the population,” the country’s largest business group said in statement Tuesday.

PCCI acting president Edgardo Lacson has welcomed the government’s move to implement granular lockdowns in Metro Manila, instead of wider-scope community quarantine measures.

Lacson said the granular lockdown now removes the discrimination between essential and non-essential economic activities.

“It is a tacit admission by authorities that they will henceforth abandon the intermittent and harmful regional lockdown protocol,” he added.

But Lacson said any form of lockdown, whether region-wide or granular, remains disruptive and a disincentive to business operations.

“Many health experts claim it is impossible to achieve herd immunity as the virus keeps mutating

and the vaccine is always behind the curve… (T) he Covid-19 virus and its variants will be here forever but it can be contained by simply observing prescribed health protocols of masking, handwashing, and social distancing,” he said.

The PCCI chief also underscored the need to accelerate vaccination efforts throughout the country to achieve population protec-

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n analyst of S&P Global Ratings forecasts the surplus in the country’s current account to continue at least until 2023, which will back the country’s external setting.

Andrew Wood, director for Asia Pacific Sovereign Ratings and S&P Global Ratings lead analyst for the Philippines, said the country registered a current account surplus even during the pandemic, a turn-around from posting deficit in recent years.

“We do believe that’s going to remain the case for at least one or two more years, which will continue to support the external settings. And we expect this to remain strong over the next few years,” he said during the virtual economic briefing by Philippine economic officials for Japanese investors on Tuesday.

The country registered

CA deficits in recent years due to stronger growth in imports amid the continued increase in demand in line with the economic expansion.

Wood said S&P analysts forecast that the country’s external settings will continue to support the economy’s credit ratings, which to date stood at BBB+ with stable outlook.

He said economic recovery of the domestic economy “is somewhat delayed”, adding “we do expect for the pace of the recovery and momentum to pick-up steam beginning next year.”

S&P forecasts a below 5-percent growth, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), for the Philippine economy this year.

But it expects a 7.7-percent domestic economic expansion for 2022 as the government achieves vaccination goals.

Senate starts deliberations of proposed P5.024-trillion national budget for 2022

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he Senate on Wednesday started the deliberations of the proposed P5.024-trillion budget for 2022.

Senator Sonny Angara, chair of the Senate finance committee, led the briefing by the Development Budget Coordination Council (DBCC).

The DBCC is composed of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Finance (DOF), National Economic

and Development Authority (NEDA), and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, NEDA Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno, and DBM officer-in-charge Tina Canda are among the officials present at the Senate finance committee hearing.

In the proposed budget, the education sector, which is composed of the Depart-

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A hawker selling portable electric fan and other items offers his merchandise to a motorist in Matina, Davao City on Wednesday. Edge Davao

PH gov’t strengthens interventions to ease food prices, curb inflation

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he government will continue to ensure a stable food supply to ease prices of fish, vegetables, and pork, and address the recent uptick in inflation, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Tuesday.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the headline inflation rate increased to 4.9 percent in August this year from 4.0 percent in July.

This is at the upper-end of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ forecast range of 4.1 to 4.9 percent for August 2021.

Despite this increase, the year-to-date inflation remained at 4.4 percent.

Food inflation continued its uptrend at 6.9 percent in August from 5.1 percent in July.

In particular, fish inflation accelerated to 12.4 percent from 9.3 percent, while vegetable inflation rose to 15.7 percent from 5.0 percent due to the impact of the southwest monsoon and onset of the rainy season.

Meat inflation slightly increased to 16.4 percent in August from 16 percent in July.

However, on a monthon-month basis, meat inflation slowed down to -0.4 percent suggesting some price stabilization.

In particular, retail prices of frozen and fresh pork have fallen by around PHP19 to PHP38 per kilo from their peak, following the issuance of Executive Order Nos. 133 and 134.

Rice inflation also remained negative at -0.4 percent year-on-year following the issuance of EO No. 135.

“We are beginning to see the impact of our proactive interventions to ease food prices, especially pork and rice. The government will continue to adjust and strengthen its policies to ensure that the people have access to affordable food amid the pandemic,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is also intensifying its hog repopulation program to address the supply gap in domestic production and address the elevated pork inflation.

Meanwhile, to ensure stable fish supply, the DA issued Administrative Order No. 22, approving a Certificate of Necessity to Import (CNI) fish of 60,000 metric tons up to Dec. 31, 2021.

The DA is also preparing to increase the CNI should the initial imports not be sufficient to curb fish inflation.

This is part of the government’s proactive monitoring to ensure sufficient supply and stable prices during the closed fishing season.

To support vegetable production, the government will further promote urban agriculture and backyard gardening.

Under these initiatives, the government will provide raw material resources, machinery and equipment, training and technical assistance, resiliency projects, and funding support.

PH’s growth for 2021-22 ‘encouraging,’ says NEDA

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he Philippine economy’s performance this year and next year remains ‘encouraging’, the country’s top economist said on Wednesday in a report to President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Yung ating economic growth sa 2021 and 2022 remain encouraging,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua.

Chua, who also heads the National Economic and Development Authority, said the country can avoid the pandemic’s “long term scarring effects” if the economy grows 4 to 5 percent this year, and 7 to 9 percent in

2022.

He said if the country achieves these growth rates, the economy can return to its pre-pandemic level by 2022 or 2023.

Chua also said that the country was able to create 2.5 million jobs since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic before the virus’ Delta variant hit the country.

Government econom-

ic managers lowered the growth target for the Philippines twice this year. At the start of the year, the government projected that the country would grow between 6.5 to 7.5 percent.

In May, this target was lowered to between 6 to 7 percent, following the lockdowns imposed in late March to April to curb a second wave of COVID-19 infections.

In August, the government further lowered this to 4 to 5 percent following a third surge of cases amid the spread of the Delta variant and another

n economist projects the country’s inflation rate to accelerate in the coming months due to weather-related factors.

“In view of the typhoon season and still relatively lower base/denominator effects, inflation could mathematically reach a peak of about 5 percent by September or October 2021, before easing thereafter back to 3-4 percent by November-December 2021 as the lower base/denominator effects fade by then,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said in a report Tuesday.

Ricafort also forecasts

inflation to average “at a little over 3 percent” in 2022 “as the inflation denominator/ base normalizes.”

The country’s inflation rate accelerated to its fastest since January 2019 last August to 4.9 percent.

The average inflation in January to August stood at 4.4 percent, higher than the government’s 2 percent to 4-percent target band.

Monetary authorities forecast a sustained elevated inflation rate in the next few months before this decelerates to a within-target level by the end of the year.

Ricafort forecasts the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

(BSP) to keep its accommodative stance “as part of the efforts to help stimulate and support recovery prospects in the economy” given the domestic growth, along with demand and consumption, still fragile because of the pandemic.

While Ricafort sees the BSP’s overnight reverse repurchase (RRP) rate to remain at a record-low 2 percent, he projects a possible cut in banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR) “especially if inflation stabilizes further.”

In a separate report, ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa also forecasts monetary officials

lockdown of Metro Manila, the country’s most economically important region.

The Philippines posted its worst economic contraction since World War 2 in 2020 as the government imposed one of the strictest and longest lockdowns in the world to control the virus.

The economy emerged from recession in the second quarter this year, but analysts warn that the country’s slow vaccination effort amid the spread of the Delta variant can significantly impact recovery.

to “likely look past this price spike” since BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno has repeatedly vowed to keep their current stance to support the domestic economy.

“A BSP rate hike will not likely be able to address the current food price spike nor make imported energy cheaper and thus, we fully expect BSP to retain its accommodative stance all the more with the economy still in the midst of a recession,” he said.

Mapa also forecasts the elevated inflation rate and the 6.9 percent unemployment rate “to weigh on the Philippine economic recovery.”

Weather-related factors seen to trigger inflation uptick

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

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In saying that persistent surge of cases due to Delta variant of Covid-19 in Davao city should serve as wake-up call among Dabawenyos:

Unta wake-up call sa tanan ang atoang persistent na pagtaas sa cases kasi tung una kung mabalikan nato last year, makanapulo (cases) lang gani ta makurat-kuratan nata, karon maskin mag 100, 200, 300, 400 cases murag ang mga tao kalma kaayo.”

Dr. Michelle Schlosser

Spokesperson of Davao City Covid-19 Task Force

EDITORIAL Deadly complacency A high-ranking health official of Davao City has raised alarm over the seeming complacency of Dabawenyo even with continuing surge of Covid-19 cases being experienced in the city and the Davao Region.

Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of Davao City Covid-19 Task Force, said that the persistent surge of cases due to Delta variant of Covid-19 in Davao City should be a wakeup call to Dabawenyos not to be complacent and to strictly observe minimum public health standards at all times. Dr. Schlosser was referring to the protocols of staying at home, frequent washing of hands with soap, physical distancing, avoiding crowds and mass gatherings, and wearing of face masks and face shieds in order to prevent being infected. These do not include being vaccinated, which should be prioritized.

In a briefing last Wednesday’s broadcast over Davao City Disas-

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Actually, there was even a day when Davao City logged a total of 586 cases, she said.

And yet, the public has taken the situation calmly, too calmly for comfort, she complained.

We can empathize with the sentiments of the good doctor. The complacency shown by the public on the surge of Covid-19 cases is really worrisome. It is deadly kind of complacency.

We can only hope the city authorities will quickly find a way to stop this unhealthy attitude of Dabawenyos. The quicker, the better.

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

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

ter Radio (DXDR), the lady physician said that Davao City is persistently logging 300 to 400 Covid-19 cases daily but she noticed that the public is taking the spike lightly.

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!

MINDANAO’S RAMON MAGSAYSAY AWARDEES When Roberto “Ka Dodoy” Ballon, a fisher and community environmentalist, was named as one of the recipients of the 2021 Ramon Magsaysay Awards last August 31, he became the fourth person from Mindanao to be given such honor.

Ka Dodoy is from Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay. He worked with the people in his coastal community in rehabilitating the mangroves, bringing back crabs and fish and providing a spawning ground for oysters.

He is being recognized for “his inspiring determination in leading his fellow fisherfolk to revive a dying fishing industry by creating a sustainable marine environment for this generation and generations to come, and his shining example of how everyday acts of heroism can truly be extraordinary and transformative.”

When he learned that he won the award, Ballon said: “Iniaalay natin sa mga kasama nating mangingisda lalong-lalo na sa mga maliliit na mangingisda sa Pilipinas… Sana sa pamamagitan nito, mas lalong makilala at suportahan ang ating programa bilang maliliit na mangingisda sa Pilipinas.”

Ka Dodoy is not actually from Zamboanga. His Visayan parents migrated to Kabasalan when he was in his teens. Poverty prevented him from going to college so he followed the footsteps of his father, as a fish-

erman.

In 1986, he and thirty other fishermen started an association of small fishermen. But with little help and meager returns, the members dwindled to only three. But Ka Dodoy was not discouraged; he persisted.

Their perseverance attracted government support, reaching a milestone in early 2000, when they were given tenurial rights to the reforested land. “What was once a desert of abandoned fishpond is now an expanse of healthy mangroves forests rich with marine and terrestrial life,” the press statement said.

The most recent recipient of the prestigious RM award was Randy Halasan, who is from Davao City. According to the citation, he received the award for nurturing his Matigsalug students and their community, respecting their uniqueness, and preserving their integrity as indigenous peoples in a modernizing Philippines.

Halasan was a novice teacher who was assigned at Pegalongan Elementary School, which is located in one of the remotest villages in the mountainous hinterland of Davao del Sur. After seeing the place, he thought he would never survive living in such a place. After all, there was no electricity, no cellphone signal and only primitive amenities.

But he did survive. The word Pegalongan, according to

oral tradition, means “the place from which the light shines.”

In its press release, RM Foundation states: “Because of one highly motivated civil servant, the village has truly become what its name suggests.”

Halasan became the voice of the Matigsalug indigenous community to local government offices. He also lobbied strongly for two bridges to be built in the area to help students who have to cross rivers just to reach their school.

Explaining his motivation, Halasay says simply: “No one got rich out of teaching; it’s your legacy that matters.”

In 2018, President Rodrigo R. Duterte appointed Halasan as one of the two commissioners from Mindanao to head the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor; the other one was Normal Brillantes Baloro.

Before Ballon and Halasan, the two other recipients from Mindanao were foreigners, both Americans.

The first one was Fr. William Francis Masterson, a Jesuit priest. He was assigned to the Ateneo de Cagayan de Oro (now called Xavier University), where he headed the English department. In 1953, he founded the College of Agriculture and the Southeast Asia Rural Social Leadership Institute (SEARSOLIN) in 1964. In 1968, he founded the Xavier Science Foundation, a non-government organization separate from the university that supports local

agriculture, development and education.

In 1974, he was conferred the RM’s international understanding award, in recognition of “his multinational education and inspiration of rural leaders prompting their return to and love of the land.”

In receiving the award, Fr. Masterson said: “Vision begets dreams, which no matter how ridiculed, no matter how seemingly impossible from so many angles, human and financial, have ways of coming true.”

In 1985, Harold Ray Watson, an American missionary, became a RM laureate for international understanding.

He was cited “for encouraging international utilization of his sloping agricultural land technology to help the poorest of small farmers.”

Watson is from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He came to the Philippines in the 1960s.

In 1971, he opened the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. It’s a training center for farmers, which integrates agricultural development with Bible teaching. He served as director for the center until his retirement in 1997.

One of the upland schemes he and his co-Filipino workers developed is called Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT). It was developed to arrest soil erosion, one of the biggest problems in farming.

As he pointed out in his speech when he received the award, Watson said: “Soil erosion is an enemy to any nation – far worse than any outside enemy coming into a country and conquering it, because it is an enemy you cannot see vividly. It’s a slow creeping enemy that soon possesses the land.”

The Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s premier prize and highest honor. In fact, it is considered as Asia’s Nobel Prize. In its website, rmaward. asia, it states that the award “celebrates greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia.”

It was established in 1958 to celebrate the memory and leadership example of the seventh Philippine president. “(It) has been bestowed upon over three hundred outstanding individuals and organizations whose selfless service has offered their societies, Asia, and the world successful solutions to some of the most challenging problems of human development,” the website states.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation started giving awards in 1958. But there were three times when it didn’t hand out awards. The first one was in 1970 due to the global financial crisis. The second time was in 1990 due to the Luzon earthquake. Last year, there was no awarding ceremony due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

DEMYTHOLOGIZING DATU BAGO On March 9, 2018, the City Council of Davao, in a first of its kind initiative, declared Datu Bago, the ‘paramount warrior,’ as local hero, the first Filipino to be legislated as such.

Despite this curious development, Datu Bago’s historicity is deficient or lacking in primary accounts. Except for mission chronicles that have become source of the narratives about him, the Muslim sources have provided only faint leads that do not affirm or confirm his exploits.

The academia, on the other hand, has also contributed to the Datu Bago dialogue in the last three decades though the historical inputs are limited to genealogy and Islamic tradition. Even his lineage is obscured by dubious claims, such as the assertion he has a Kalagan pedigree.

Beyond the subject of bloodline, it is interesting to note that sacred belief has always played a key role in the way many historical figures have shaped their governance.

In the case of Datu Bago, of Maguindanao-Tausug ancestry, his religion is generally identified as Islam. Whether he was a practicing Muslim or not, that is another matter.

In historical sources, Datu Bago is recognized as the ruler of Davao Gulf, though it does say if he controlled the entire bay or only a portion of it. Based on the dearth of evidence, he was, presumably was one of the more powerful chieftains of the gulf.

In demythologizing Datu Bago, two hypotheses are offered as having influenced the way he managed his domain: first, as an Islamic follower, he

could have imposed tributes on vassal territories under him; and second, he had possibly embraced the mandala political model.

The mandala system is a Hindu political system popular in pre-colonial times and is akin to a centralized governance. Under the setup, power radiates from the center towards the subservient communities that pay taxes in exchange for protection or non-harassment.

This model was first introduced in the Maguindanao sultanate when Qudarat was its chief ruler. Aside from Cotabato, regions south of the sultanate up to the peninsula of Cape San Agustin, in Davao Oriental were placed under the sultan’s rule, suggesting these areas were beholden to him by paying tributes.

In Datu Bago’s case, there are indications his influence was somewhat pervasive and he controlled areas as far as the eastern seaboard of Davao.

According to tradition, the Sigaboy land grabbing perpetrated

by Spanish colonists was the last straw that drove him to order the attack of San Rufo, a trading ship, at Pakiputan Strait, between mainland Davao and Samal.

In the other theory, Datu Bago, as a believer of Islam, could have invoked the tradition of his belief as a key facet of his influence in the same way that the Spaniards exacted tributes from converts in communities the missionaries established.

In Islam, there are at least four kinds of taxation applicable both as political and religious obligations. The jizrah is

imposed on non-Muslim subjects of a state as annual tax for residing in a territory under Islamic law. On the other hand, the kharja is a form of tax enforced on farms and their produced.

The two other Islamic taxes Datu Bago could have levied are the zakat, which is a religious obligation in form of almsgiving to the collective Muslim community, and the ushr, which is more pervasive because it involves taxing harvests of irrigated land, yields from rain-watered land, well-water dependent land, and imported merchandises.

How Islamic taxes and mandala were linked to the way fiefdoms were ruled in the gulf during Datu Bago’s time are exciting subjects that scholars can further investigate with interest.

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

LBC pulls out all the stops to make the workplace COVID-Resilient

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s the Philippines steps up its health protocols to cope with COVID-19 and the surge of Delta variant cases, LBC keeps pace by making sure measures to protect their employees are beyond adequate.

Under strict instructions from LBC’s top officials led by its President Miguel Camahort, LBC applied the gold standard in making sure the offices and branches are safe places to work for its employees.

Beyond the minimum health and safety protocols implemented in its offices and hubs, all vehicles and cargoes are disinfected at source and repeated in LBC’s Central Exchange and provincial hubs before these are sent out for deliveries. To allow for physical distancing, LBC leased additional warehouses in NCR to decongest its facilities and most of its support functions were put

on a work-from-home arrangement through digital enhancements and by providing equipment, apps, and platforms that allow logging in and out remotely, having meetings, and coordinating online. Shuttling services were provided for those who need to physically report to work.

LBC is also one of the first companies that conducted and shouldered Rapid Antibody and Antigen testing for its manpower. So far, LBC has already carried out more than 140,000 Rapid tests around the country.

The company also shoulders quarantine leaves, gives teleconsultations, and provides home care from its in-house medical team.

On top of all these measures is an intensive vaccination program it continues to carry out that targets 100% inoculation among its employees here and around the globe.

According to Jhayner Bufi, LBC’s Chief People Officer, there is no holding back on the protocols they employ to make sure that their people are well protected.

This is in response to marching orders from top leadership to create a safe workplace— even safer than their own homes.

GCash against platform’s use in 2022 vote-buying

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n light of the recent news articles citing the possibility of GCash as a platform for vote-buying, the leading e-wallet app would like to inform the public that it will not condone nor tolerate such illegal acts by any political figure for the upcoming 2022

local and national polls.

As a trusted service provider, GCash has always focused its efforts on nation building and promoting financial inclusion for all Filipinos. As such, the e-wallet app is neutral and will not support any political activity, candidate, or

party. GCash has taken the necessary safeguards in both their system and policies to ensure it will not be used as a tool for vote-buying. GCash has the capability to identify and monitor suspicious transactions and will not hesitate to report these activities to the

authorities as may be required by law.

“We have already reached out to the COMELEC to discuss partnership opportunities to address possible vote buying activities in the country. GCash may detect irregular and suspicious

activities on our platform.

Our team of experts will be on heightened alert during the election period to flag and report these illegal transactions to various relevant authorities,” said Chito Maniago, GCash Vice President for Corporate Communications and Pub-

lic Affairs.

GCash also assures the public that it will work closely with other regulators, and comply with the necessary requirements to ensure that its platform will not be used for vote-buying during the election season.

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E dry.”

nglish author Thomas Fuller once wrote: “We only learn the value of a glass of water when the wells run

Fuller may have written the statement in the 1700s yet but it is still very apt today. This is particularly true in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. “In some areas, water flows only around midnight and this is the time that people – young and old – start storing water, wash their clothes, etc.” Leila Rispens-Noel, who used to live in The Netherlands but opted to retire in her hometown.

According to her, the water crisis in Bansalan has lingers for several years now.

“The impact on the residents who sometimes have no water for several days that they resort to washing their clothes and taking a bath in the irrigation canal,” she says. “In some instances, we have to pray for rain for drinking water.”

In the offing Seventy-five kilometers away from Bansalan is Davao City, the country’s largest city with a total population of 1.8 million. The city is blessed with abundant fresh drinking water, both ground and surface.

But a looming water crisis is in the offing.

The Davao City Water District (DCWD) reported that in 2018, the water demand of the residents already reached to 333 million liters per day but the water district’s water supply was only at 328 million liters per day (mld).

“So, if we look at the trend in terms of water demand, by 2019 it’s gonna be 345 mld, then 362 mld in 2020, 377 mld in 202, 404 mld in 2022, 429 mld by 2023,” DCWD spokesperson Jovana T. Duhaylungsod told SunStar Davao.

“So, kung mag-base lang mi sa among existing nga water sources karon, layo na kaayo ang difference, more

than 100 million liters per day ang among apason,” Duhaylungsod was quoted as saying.

Davao City was one of the nine major cities in the country listed as “water-critical areas” in a study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency some years back. The other eight cities were Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, Baguio, Angeles, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga.

Water shortage Some years back, the Washington, D.C.-based World Resources Institute (WRI) predicts the Philippines will experience a “high” degree of water shortage by 2040. WRI defines water stress as “the ratio between total water withdrawals and available renewable surface water at a sub-catchment level.” A total score of 3 out of 5 was an indication that the country has “high” level of water stress.

Water is life, so goes a saying. Without it, death is just around the corner. A press release issued by the United Nations disclosed these startling facts and figures: “Every 8 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease; 50% of people in developing countries suffer from one or more water-related diseases; 80% of diseases in developing world are caused by contaminated water; and 50% of people on earth lack adequate sanitation.”

Next to air, water is the element most necessary for man’s survival. “A person can survive only three to five days without water, in some cases people have survived for an average of one week,” says thewaterpage.com.

“Once the body is deprived of fluids the cells and organs

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in the body begin to deteriorate. The presence of water in the body could mean the difference between life and death.”

Sandra Postel, director of the Massachusetts-based Global Water Policy Project, agrees. “Water isn’t just a commodity. It is a source of life,” she said.

Basic water needs Ideally, a person should have at least 50 liters of water each day to meet basic needs – for drinking, food preparation, cooking and cleaning up, washing and personal hygiene, laundry, house cleaning.

In the 1950s, the Philippines had as much as 9,600 cubic meters of clean water per person, according to Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III, an academician with the National Academy of Science and Technology. Four decades later, Filipinos has to contend with little more than a third for that volume – 3,300 cubic meters per capita.

Postel believes water problems will trail climate change as a threat to the human future. “Although the two are related, water has no substitutes,” she explains.

“We can transition away

from coal and oil to solar, wind and other renewable energy sources. But there is no transitioning away from water to something else.”

Food production It’s lack of water – and not land – that will cause food production to drop.

“The main constraint in agricultural production in many areas in the near future will be the availability of water, not land,” points out the United Nations.

After all, water is most critical in food production.

“The link between water and food is strong,” says Lester R. Brown, president of Washington, D.C.-based Earth Policy Institute.

Take the case of rice, the country’s staple food.

“We need 4,000 liters or 20 drums of water to produce 1 kilogram of rice,” says Kristine S. Pascual, senior science research specialist of the Philippine Rice Research Institute. “Studies show that by 2025, it is estimated that 15-20 million hectares of irrigated rice fields in the world will experience water shortage.”

COVID-19 pandemic Water is very much needed as the world grap-

ples with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. According to latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), three in 10 people worldwide could not wash their hands with soap and water at home.

UNICEF said that 40% of the world’s population – or 3 billion people – do not have a handwashing facility with water and soap at home.

The number is much higher in least developed countries, where nearly three-quarters go without water.

The water crisis is no longer shocking. It has already been predicted. The Nobel-prize winning United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated that by 2080 nearly half the world’s population will be without clean water.

“The necessary sense of urgency is lacking,” said the New York-based United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in a statement. “The facts have been staring us in the face for years.

Beyond scarcity Water is also very important in environmental

protection. “As water is an absolutely vital resource, at the center of life itself, it is a key integrating factor in the environment,” said Dr. Klaus Toepfer, during his term as executive director of the Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Program. “Without sustainable water management to ensure that there are sufficient supplies of clean, safe water, the health of ecosystems and those who depend on them, especially people, suffer.”

Today’s “crisis in water and sanitation is – above all – a crisis of the poor,” observed the United Nations Development Program study, Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Water Crisis.

Experts are urging to solve this forthcoming water crisis soon. “We have to stop living as if we had unlimited water supplies and start recognizing that we must deal with serious water constraints,” Falkenmark urged.

Possible solutions Are there some solutions on sight?

Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, undersecretary

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date on Covid-19 in Davao Region as of September 07, 2021, the Department of Health-Davao Center for Health Development reported 669 new cases of Covid-19 in the region bringing the total number of active

cases to 15,054.

Of these new cases, 327 are from Davao City, 20 from Davao de Oro, 149 from Davao del Norte, 16 from Davao del Sur, 76 from Davao Occidental, and 81 from Davao Oriental.

alleviating the impact of the pandemic to every household.

Rep. Duterte earlier said that the office prioritizes assistance to marginalized/displaced workers and frontliners in response to the pandemic’s public health emergency. Also, he

said that his staff is continuously going around the areas under his jurisdiction to check whether other sectors have yet to receive assistance from the government, which aims to provide programs for disadvantaged community members.

the officer of each of the establishment magtabangay sila with the contact tracers para naa ta direct access sa ilahang organic contact tracers tapos ma-notify nato ang atong mga F1, F2, F3 ug easier ang atong communication with them,” Schlosser said.

She added that establishments will be trained on how to do the proper tracing.

“Ginatudluan nato sila kung unsa ang proper contact tracing. kabalo man ta na one of the ways of cutting the infection is to stop

the spread of infection is to identify our close contacts at the same time ma-prevent nato ang pagpa-lockdown sa atong private sector,” Schlosser said.

The first recipients of the contact tracing orientation are the BPO companies.

“Because there was a time na daghan ta ug cases among the BPOs. Fortunately, nagbaba ang cases among these establishments and they are very cooperative. Private establishments are open in helping the city government of Davao,” she said.

said.

Nakao said their product does not require smoothness on skin and size of fruits, only require good matured fruits with following good agricultural practices such as holding several learning classes with the farmers, growers and traders to make good fruits on tree.

“Mango is fruits require ripening process after harvest from tree and challenge was how to uniform the taste of mango.

Consumer could accept taste difference of fruits by season or as uniqueness of individual fruits.

However, when it serves as frozen fruits, require or expect same taste all the

time as ice-cream. Finally, when we solve the issue, slowly gained market acceptance and application, and now we are supplying to not only cooperative, also major supermarket and convenience store in Japan,” he added.

Nakao also mentioned other factors that make Davao City an ideal agrifarm hub these include good public order, port facility, and good infrastructures.

“I live in this city past 18 years and never counter robbery, holdup and/or kidnapping even extortion in small scale.

Therefore, could say, safer to live than other place in Philippines,” Nakao said.

Maya M. Padillo

ment of Education, state universities and colleges, and the Commission on Higher Education, is allocated with the biggest chunk of the budget, with a total of P773.6 billion.

Next in line is the Department of Public Works and Highways with P686.1 billion, followed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government with P250.4 billion.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, the Department of Health and the Philippine Health Insurance Corpora-

tion only comes fourth, with P242.0 billion.

Other agencies that are proposed to have huge budget allocations include the Department of National Defense (P222.0 billion), Department of Social Welfare and Development (P191.4 billion), Department of Transportation (P151.3 billion), the Department of Agriculture and National Irrigation Administration (P103.5 billion), the Judiciary with P45.0 billion, and the Department of Labor and Employment (P44.9 billion).

tion and avoid further lockdowns in the future.

“We must remove our overblown fear of this virus and the even greater fear of

another lockdown,” he said.

As of Sept. 5, the country administered over 35.8 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine. (PNA)

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units of NPA in our area of responsibilities are now with us. That is the key. Side by side our Local Chief Executives (LCEs). We are really very fortunate that they are taking the lead.

Torres said they will remain committed to continue to deliver peace and development efforts in its area of responsibility to sustain the gains from the 15 years of “Agila Division’s” excel-

lence leading the way to achieve insurgency-free communities.

Noel M. Legazpi alias Jeffrey, a former first deputy secretary of NPA Far South Mindanao Region, meanwhile believed that the intensity from local and national politicians must be sustained in harmony with peace and development plans of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

just keep it throughout the match.”

It’s working.

Another Canadian moved into the semifinals when 21-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime’s opponent, 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, stopped playing in the second set shortly after a visit from a trainer.

Auger-Aliassime was coming off two five-set wins in a row and conceded this match while trailing 6-3, 3-1.

No. 12 seed Auger-Aliassime will play No. 2 Daniil Medvedev next.

Medvedev, a 25-year-old from Russia, earned a spot in the final four at Flushing Meadows for the third consecutive year by stopping the surprising run of Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5.

With no players from the US left to pull for, US Open fans are adopting their neighbors from the North — although the 73rd-ranked Fernandez actually is based in Florida after being born in Montreal to a Filipino Canadian

mother and an Ecuadorian father.

Fernandez’s father is also her coach but isn’t in New York; he stayed home for what Fernandez called “personal reasons” and is offering tips in daily phone conversations.

“I called him right after the match, when I went to the locker room,” she said.

“He honestly told me that I put him through hell and back with this match.”

And the spectators loved every minute of it.

“Thanks to you, I was able to push through today,” she told the crowd after edging Svitolina, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist who’s been to two Grand Slam semifinals, including at the 2019 US Open.

Truth is, Fernandez likes the spotlight.

Asked whether she’s more nervous against a top player in a big arena or a lower-ranked player at a smaller site, her reply was simple: “There’s no difference.”

Hard to argue that right now.

see its eventual passage.

“We call on the support of the Senate, especially Senators Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, Francis N. Tolentino, Ronald M. dela Rosa, Christopher Lawrence T. Go, and Imee R. Marcos, who filed the draft Marawi Compensation Bill submitted by MRCW in December 2019 as Senate Bill 1395 in March 2020. We also look forward to working closely with Senator Risa Hontiveros, who will file a similar Marawi compensation bill in the Senate,” it said.

Cash-for-work IDP recipients Meanwhile, about 100 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who benefitted from the cash-for-work program of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) - Philippines conveyed their gratitude for the significant aid the international organization and its project have contributed to their dwelling in Bahay Pagasa I in Barangay Bito Buadi Itowa in Marawi City.

Engineer Ismael Ali, the camp manager of the temporary shelter, said seeing the situation of their houses deteriorate over time by the weather condition in the city, he asked the ICRC for tarpaulins that would at least cover the holes for them to be habitable even during rainy moments, but the organization went beyond their request as much more were provided to them.

“The help they gave was big because what I asked for was just tarpaulins. They did not just give tarpaulin.

They also gave nipa, bamboo, hammer, bolo, and nails. They also paid those who live in the house,” he said in the vernacular.

Ali said two of their representatives per household were compensated by the ICRC for repairing their own homes within 10 days with the rate of PHP4,000 for the skilled worker or main carpenter and PHP3,000 for the unskilled worker or the helper.

He thanked the ICRC for establishing the water supply in the area.

Ali said since October 2017, the ICRC has already reached out to the IDPs. “They already gave help through water supply and until now, they are still here.

The ICRC is helping us. Of all that helped us, only ICRC did not leave us… I cannot pay (what they have done).

Thank you so much to the ICRC. That is really the NGO that I am (most thankful for),” he said.

Maimona Ali, a resident of Bahay Pag-asa I, cited the longtime help of the ICRC. Another resident, Ashira Palawan, expressed her satisfaction with the assistance provided by the ICRC, considering the hardship they went through after the siege and the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

(PNA)

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for research and development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), reported that the science department has initiated some programs and projects related to water resources management.

For instance, the DOST deployed technologies that address water concerns in areas with high socio-economic importance. She cited the integrated system for monitoring water quality of Manila Bay as an example.

In Laguna Lake, the researchers are optimizing methodologies to determine organic compounds and heavy metals for better water quality management particularly in the aquaculture sector. In Boracay, a science-based guideline for water resource assessment in a tourist island was also developed.

There are also DOST-supported research and development projects that focus on the development of water technologies to improve crop, animal, and fisheries production, according to Dr. Guevara.

Among the initiatives is the drift irrigation technology for onion, peanut, garlic, and sugarcane.

Minute water Only 2.5 percent of the

water that covers over 70 percent of the earth’s surface is considered fresh water. And only 1.3 percent is available for human use since most of the freshwater is trapped in glaciers, ice sheets, and mountainous areas. Fresh water is drawn either from wells (tapping underground sources called aquifers) or from surface flows (like lakes, rivers, and manmade reservoirs).

“There is no more water on earth now than there was 2,000 years ago,” states the US National Wildlife Federation, which has been working for years to protect water resources not only in the United States but throughout the world as well. “This limited supply of freshwater must meet the needs of a human population that has tripled in the last century and continues to grow at almost 80 million people per year.”

“Whiskey’s for drinkin’,” American author Mark Twain once wrote. “But water is for fightin’ over.”

Sir Crispin Tickell, one of the organizers of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, agreed: “The world has got a very big water problem. It will be the progenitor of more wars than oil.”

points from winning but failed to collect the next point. Finally, at 5-all in the tiebreaker, she moved to match point when she smacked a down-the-line passing shot that got past Svitolina with the help of a bounce off the net tape.

Fernandez put up both palms, as if to say, “Sorry about that bit of luck,” while Svitolina put a hand to her mouth in dismay.

Svitolina’s backhand contributed to her undoing late, and when a return from that side landed long, it was over. Fernandez dropped to her knees at the baseline and covered her face; Svitolina walked around the net to come over for a hug.

Next on this magical ride for Fernandez will come yet another test against a player who is ranked higher and has more experience success on the sport’s biggest stages. On Thursday, she will play either No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who reached the Wimbledon semifinals in July, or No. 8 Barbora Krejcikova, who won the French Open in June and was the only woman in the round of eight at the U.S. Open with a Grand Slam title.

Sabalenka and Krejcikova’s night match was to be

followed by the men’s quarterfinal between another young Canadian, 21-yearold Felix Auger-Aliassime, and 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz of Spain. The winner of that will face No. 2 seed Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals.

Medvedev, a 25-year-old from Russia, earned a spot in the final four at Flushing Meadows for the third consecutive year by stopping the surprising run of Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5.

As in the women’s draw, only one man in the quarterfinals already owns a major trophy: Novak Djokovic, who not only is seeking a record-breaking 21st but also trying to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win a calendar-year Grand Slam.

Medvedev has come close. He lost to Djokovic in this year’s Australian Open final and to Rafael Nadal in the 2019 US Open final.

The only way he could meet Djokovic this time would be in the title match on Sunday. But first things first.

“I don’t think about him, because as we saw, anybody can beat anybody,” Medvedev said. “If he’s in the final, and if I’m there, I’m happy.

He’s also happy, I guess.”

warehouses, cold storage facilities, container yards, and integrated logistics depots.

With the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, Lopez said there is an urgency to build more healthcare facilities in the country.

“The Philippine health system is limited to cope with the

growing number of confirmed and suspected cases. The current hospital bed-to-population ratio is at 1:984,” the top trade official said.

In the first quarter of the year, Japan was the top source of investment pledges in investment promotion agencies amounting to USD215.36 million. (PNA)

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NLEX guard Kevin Alas slips past Calvin Abueva and Jackson Corpuz of Magnolia in the PBA Philippine Cup collision Wednesday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

NBA thrilled with PH continuous growth

T

he NBA on Wednesday announced that the league had another landmark season in the Philippines, with continued growth across broadcast viewership, social media, and even merchandise sales during the 2020-21 season.

The significant growth in engagement comes ahead of the NBA’s 75th anniversary season in 2021-22, which will be commemorated as “NBA 75,” and feature the unveiling of the 75 greatest players in the history of the league.

The NBA noted that in the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines ranked second in NBA League Pass subscribers. The NBA’s YouTube channel also featured three locally-produced shows that are geo-targeted to fans in the Philippines, and these generated 4.4 million views.

Followers of the NBA Philippines Facebook page also increased by 18%, and it is now the largest regional NBA Facebook page with more than 4.9 million fans. Through August 2021, the NBA’s Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts have an estimated 24 million combined followers from the Philippines -the most of any country outside of the United States.

Moreover, viewers from the Philippines watched more than 37 million hours of content

on the NBA’s YouTube channel, which represents approximately one-third of the channel’s total viewership through July 2021.

Despite the pandemic, the NBA and its partners still held basketball clinics virtually for young Filipino players.

They held two free virtual clinics on May 29 and June 12, which were attended by current and former NBA and WNBA players including Filipino-Americans Jordan Clarkson and Jalen Green, and WNBA legend Ticha Penicheiro.

NBAStore.com.ph, the official online NBA Store in the Philippines, celebrated its first anniversary on August 6. As of July 2021, it has delivered product orders to 215 cities and provinces in the country.

“Filipinos are among the most dedicated NBA fans in the world, and their continued engagement across TV, social media and retail has contributed to the league’s incredible growth in the Philippines,” said NBA Asia Managing Director Scott Levy.

“As we embark on our 75th Anniversary Season, we look forward to working with our partners to build on this momentum by providing fans in the Philippines with new and exciting ways to experience the NBA through digital innovations and customized content,” he added.

Thirdy clears quarrantine, joins San-En in practice

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Ravena blazed a trail for Filipino players in 2020 when he signed as an Asian import with San-En. His first season didn’t quite go as planned, however, as a bout with COVID-19 as well as injuries limited him to 18 games.

He averaged 9.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists

per game for San-En, with the team compiling a 12-47 record in his first season.

He re-upped with the NeoPhoenix in May, saying he has some “unfinished business” with the club.

Several other Filipino players have since signed with B.League teams as well, including Thirdy’s older brother Kiefer who inked a contract with the Shiga Lakestars.

Also set to play in the B.League this season are:

Juan Gomez de Liano (Earthfriends Tokyo Z), Bobby Ray Parks Jr. (Nagoya Diamond Dolphins), Javi Gomez de Liano (Ibaraki Robots), Kemark Carino (Aomori Wat’s), and Kobe Paras (Niigata Albirex).

Juan Gomez de Liano is also out of quarantine and has been practicing with Earthfriends Tokyo Z, a team in the second division of the B.League.

The B.League season opens on September 30.

— the teenager with the exciting game and enthusiasm to match raises her right fist or windmills her arms, firing up herself and the crowd.

What often happens next, after good points or bad, is just as important to

the success of the unseeded Canadian left-hander with the quick reflexes: She’ll turn her back to the court and her opponent, face the wall behind the baseline for a few moments, gather herself and repeat whatever that

day’s mantra of choice is.

During Tuesday’s 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory against No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina in Arthur Ashe Stadium (Wednesday, Manila time), which followed wins over past US Open champions and former No. 1s Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber, Fernandez focused on self-belief.

“I was only thinking of trusting myself, trusting my game. After every point, win or lose, I would always tell myself, ‘Trust my game. Go for my shots. Just see where the ball goes,’” said Fernandez, who turned 19 on Monday and had never been past the third round in her previous half-dozen major appearances. “I see what I’m feeling. I see if there’s one phrase that really catches me or that makes me more motivated than the others. I

hirdy Ravena has cleared quarantine in Japan and joined the San-En NeoPhoenix in practice on Wednesday.

Ravena, who signed a contract extension with San-En in May, revealed on social media that he was “finally out” of quarantine and later shared a video of his photo shoot with the team.

The NeoPhoenix also showed a snippet of Ravena in practice.

Up next for Leylah is No. 2 Sabalenka

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EW YORK — When Leylah Fernandez wins a pivotal point at the US Open — and she’s won enough of them to become the tournament’s youngest semifinalist since Maria Sharapova in 2005

Leylah Fernandez celebrates after her quarterfinals win.

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12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 151 • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 09, 2021

Leylah Fernandez whips a backhand return.

CINDERELLA RUN Leylah continues Cinderella run in US Open

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EW YORK — With no players from the United States left to pull for in the US Open, the fans are adopting a neighbor from the North to treat as one of their own: Leylah Fernandez, an unseeded Canadian teenager with an exciting game and enthusiasm to match.

A day after turning 19, Fernandez reached her first Grand Slam semifinal — and became the youngest player to get that far in the women’s bracket at Flushing Meadows since Maria Sharapova in 2005 — by adding a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory against No. 5 Elina Svitolina on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time) to earlier wins over past US Open champions Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber.

“I obviously have no idea what I’m feeling right now,” said Fernandez, a left-hander with quick baseline reflexes who is ranked 73rd and participating in only the seventh major tournament of her nascent career. “I was so nervous. I was trying to do what my coach told me to do.”

That coach is her father, who isn’t in New York; he stayed home and is offering tips in daily phone conversations. That helps, certainly, as does the loud backing she’s been receiving from the spectators, who rose and cheered wildly each time Fernandez raised a fist high above her head or wind-milled both arms

after winning a key point in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Read more “Thanks to you, I was able to push through today,” she told the crowd after edging Svitolina, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist whose two Grand Slam semifinal runs include at the 2019 US Open.

Not requiting any encouragement to get out of his seat was Fernandez’s fitness coach, who would leap and shout, pointing fingers or waving clenched fists. Svitolina’s husband, two-time major semifinalist Gael Monfils, offered similar support from Ashe’s other guest box.

Irene Exevea (second from left) mother of Leylah Fernandez, and fitness coach Duglas Cordero at the stands.It was touch-and-go down the stretch — even after Fernandez grabbed the opening set, even after she led 5-2 in the third. One way in which she held a clear advantage: Of points that lasted more than eight shots, Fernandez won 26, Svitolina 16.

Five times, Fernandez was two

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