Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 161 | Tuesday, September 21, 2021

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VOL.14 ISSUE 161 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

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A physically challenged person writes a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Christopher Lawrence Go to ask for a tablet, which will be used by his child for his online class, during a distribution of assistance in Bunawan District in Davao City over the weekend. Edge Davao

OVERWHELMED

City’s crematorium now fully-booked due to surge of Covid-19 deaths STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 161 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

President Rodrigo Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Malacañang Palace. The President will participate in the high-level general debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Sept. 21 to 27. Presidential Photo

OVERWHELMED U

81 ex-rebs in NorCot pledge support to gov’t

City’s crematorium now fully-booked due to surge of Covid-19 deaths

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio disclosed that the city’s crematorium is currently fully booked due to the rising numbers of Covid-19 deaths in Davao City.

“Fully booked ta pirmi sa atoang cremation as expected because of the surge.

Pag naa’y surge daghan magkasakit and kung daghan magkasakit daghan ma-high risk and these high risk individuals become severe and critical cases who need hospital care and usually pag high risk

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olice authorities in Maguindanao have intensified security measures following the explosion on Saturday (September 18) that left eight individuals injured.

The blast transpired in a covered court in Datu Piang town center on Saturday afternoon. A volleyball game was taking place when the

and unvaccinated they are more likely to succumb to Covid-19. Pag naa’y surge, daghan ang patay,” the mayor said on Monday.

The mayor added that the city’s crematorium can process four cadavers per day. From April last year up to September 20, 2021, the number of the city’s cre-

incident happened.

Fortunately, no one was reported killed in the incident.

Authorities are still validating if the suspects had used a phone-triggered improvised explosive device in the attack.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Guillermo Loren-

mation is at 2,101 and the cadavers schedule for cremation is 22.

Meanwhile, the city government of Davao has prepared a mass grave at the Tagakpan Public Cemetery in Tugbok District in case the number of deaths will rise some more due to the ongoing surge caused by the more infectious variants of the Covid-19.

On the other hand, Mayor Sara announced that the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) has set

zo T Eleazar earlier tasked the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) to conduct a thorough investigation into the explosion in Maguindanao.

Eleazar said the local police are also instructed to coordinate with the military in identifying and ar-

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up a new morgue, which can accommodate 108 cadavers, last week. This is in addition to the existing morgue of SPMC. “So we found a donor, we match it with the requirements of SPMC nga additional morgue, so nakakita ta ug private donor for a 40-ft. refrigerated container van siya. The new morgue has the capacity of 108 cadavers, which is in addition to the existing morgue of SPMC. Kining

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p to 81 members of the underground mass organization (UGMO) of the New People’s Army (NPA) underwent a 3-day Peace Building Seminar on September 17 to 19 at Makilala National High School in Makilala, North Cotabato.

The 39th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army based in Davao del Sur reported the participants from 8 barangays in Makilala were composed of 32 Sangay Sa Partido sa Lokalidad (SPL) and 15 Militia ng Bayan members who recently cut their ties and denounced their affiliation with CPP-NPA-NDF. According to 2nd Lt. Sharmaine dela Rosa, civil military operation head of the 39th IB, the seminar will serve as a reversal mechanism to reorient and redirect the former UGMO members from NPA propa-

ganda.

It includes information awareness on programs and services of the non-government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), and local government agencies (LGAs), and other partner stakeholders which serves as a tool to disprove the issues being exploited by the NPA terror group, she said.

Restituto Macuto, regional director Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XII who graced the culminating activity encouraged every participant to be an advocate of peace.

“The government is always here to help communities with its peace and development programs.

We encourage everyone to embrace peace and let us all support the military and government in ending this

last year.

“The President will speak on the first day of the High-Level General Debate on 21 September 2021 within the 1600H-1800H window, New York time (22 September 2021 between 0400H and 0600H, Philippine Standard Time),” a statement from his office said on Sunday.

The Office of the President said among topics that will be addressed are Philippine positions on global issues of key concern namely universal access to Covid-19 vaccines, climate change, human rights, including the situation of migrant workers and refugees, and international and

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PRRD to participate in the 76th UN General Assembly anew this month

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resident Rodrigo Duterte will participate in the high-level general debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Sept. 21 to 27.

This will be Duterte’s second attendance to the high-level general debate of the international body. He first addressed the UNGA

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 161 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

NEWS

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City Tourism Officer Generose Tecson reminds resorts and party venues operators in Davao City to control their guests as the city is still under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions status. Edge Davao

DepEd assures readiness for pilot testing of the face-to-face classes Over P1.5-M shabu seized in Davao City; 13 nabbed

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ore than P1.5 million worth of illegal drugs were confiscated from 13 suspects, including a minor, during seven consecutive buy-bust operations of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) over the weekend.

The arrested suspects were identified as Joel Saberon, 39, tricycle driver; Joel Turonan, 33, construction worker; Esmani Turonan,30, online seller; Jona-

lyn Turonan,36, and Janinza Pilapil, 27, vendor. They are all residents of Barangay 76A. The suspects were arrested while having a shabu session on Friday evening (September 17).

The raiding team were able to recover a total of 16 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated value of P233,500.

Also recovered were a

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Operators of resorts, party venues in Davao City told to control their guests

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ity Tourism Officer Generose Tecson reminded operators of resorts and party venues in Davao City to control their guests as the city is still under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions.

Tecson announced this following the closure of two resorts in Daliao, Toril on Sunday by the Business Bureau for operating without business permits and accepting social events, which also violates the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) omnibus guidelines for areas under GCQ with heightened restrictions classifications.

“We are in the middle

of a surge, the worst we’ve ever experienced. All protocols are also in place. It is now the responsibility of people to follow. We are all in this together. We have to be responsible for each other. Venues should be the ones to control their guests, that is their responsibility,” Tecson said.

Based on the IATF for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, allowed in areas under GCQ with “heightened restrictions” are essential travel; indoor dine-in services at 20% venue or seating capacity or al fresco dining at 50 percent of the venue or

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

n line with the approval of the pilot testing for the face-to-face classes by President Rodrigo Duterte, Secretary Leonor Briones of the Department of Education (DepEd) assured that the teachers are ready for it.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Monday in a virtual presser that President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the pilot testing of limited face-to-face classes in areas low risk for Covid-19.

“Sa palagay ko handa na sila kasi matagal na at ilang buwan na namin itong

pinag-uusapan kung paano i-implement dahil napaka-sensitive na issue ito dahil ang pinag-uusapan dito health and the economy. Ito pinaghahandaan namin and as soon as we get the full instruction from the president, na susundin naman namin and agree with the conditions that he set up

AUB Vice Chairman Ramon Sy, 91

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sia United Bank (AUB) said it mourns the recent passing of Mr. Ramon Y. Sy, 91.

A pillar in the banking industry, Mr. Sy joined AUB in March 2012 as Director and Vice Chairman. He was instrumental and very much involved in the bank’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) roadshows and public listing in May 2013.

As a member of the Credit Committee and Executive Committee, Mr. Sy’s background and ex-

perience in credit made its mark on both young and experienced account officers of AUB. His wisdom and insights on corporate governance, risk management and people and organization, contributed significantly to the performance of the bank’s Board of Directors.

Considered a legend in Philippine banking for having risen from the rank of a messenger at the former Manila branch of Bank of

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then ipagpatuloy na namin and we will give the exact annoucment,” said Briones in a virtual presser.

Briones, however, said DepEd cannot give the exact date of the implementation of the face-to-face classes because aside from the agency just received the decision of the President, they will also consider the readiness of the schools for the implementation of the face-to-face classes.

Three days ago, DepEd has announced that it is ready to resume face-toface classes in at least 120

schools, 100 public schools, and 20 private schools, nationwide.

“Right now hindi pa kami makabigay ng exact date dahil ngayon pa lang namin nalaman na may desisyon na ang Presidente.

Pero i-implement namin kaagad dahil alam namin yung 100 schools na and we are reviewing the private schools also,” Briones said.

Meanwhile, DepEd 11 announced that nine private schools have expressed intention to temporarily stop operation this School Year

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 161 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

A pedestrian walks by“ukay-ukay”ready-to-wear clothes and stuffed toys along Magallanes Street in Davao City on Monday. Edge Davao

1st Jollibee to open in Spain in September J ollibee Foods Corp said its first Jollibee store in Spain will finally open on Sept.

23.

The new branch is located “at the heart” of Madrid in Calle Arenal in Puerta Del Sol, JFC said in a statement over the weekend.

Opening its first outlet in

Spain is “part of its accelerated global expansion,” the maker of Chickenjoy said.

The first branch in Spain will have a dining capacity of 180 with a brand design

“reimagined for European customers,” JFC said.

Only Jollibee Madrid will have a double-height dining hall with a full-size palm tree inside the restaurant, the company said.

“Opening Jollibee stores in Spain is a milestone that forms part of our vision of

becoming among the top five restaurant companies in the world and part of our commitment to grow in Europe,” Jollibee Group CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong earlier said.

Jollibee earlier said it aims to open 50 stores in Europe in the next 5 years.

tion to its loyal customers. It is inspired by the company’s original and longstanding 917 prefix.

Since its launch, Globe Rewards’ donation platform has raised almost 40 million pesos worth of cash donations and Rewards points that benefited health workers, frontliners, and medical institutions, as well as communities in need -- showing that the Filipino bayanihan spirit lives on amid these trying times.

As the month-long celebration continues, Globe still has several more activities for their customers that will allow them to give back to partner organizations, communities, or groups that they want to help.

For instance, winners of the G Legends Cup amateur mobile gaming tournament, which culminates on September 22, will have the

chance to share their prize with their beneficiary of choice. Music fans can also contribute to the collective support of our partner beneficiaries when they attend the G Music Fest on September 25 and 26.

Likewise, every spend at the first-ever G Super Sale, an exclusive marketplace partnership with Lazada and GLife, from September 15 to 19 will have a corresponding contribution to community-uplifting beneficiaries. All-year round, customers can also donate their excess or unused points on the new GlobeOne app.

Among the different partner beneficiaries include, Ayala Foundation, GMA Kapuso Foundation, Hero Foundation, Hineleban Foundation, Moments with Fr. Jerry Orbos, Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (Hopeline), the Philippine Animal Welfare Society

(PAWS), PGH Medical Foundation, Inc (PGH MFI), Rise Against Hunger, Rotary Foundation, Save Philippine Seas, Teach for the Philippines, Virtualahan, Walang Iwanan Alliance.

The advocacies they aim to reach include health and wellness, education, environment protection, fighting joblessness and hunger, disaster response, and child safety.

This 917, Atin ang kakayahan para tumulong.

Atin ang #GDayEveryday.

This initiative is part of Globe’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG), specifically UN SDG No. 9, which emphasizes the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe upholds the UN Global Compact Principles and contributes to 10 UN SDGs.

Globe empowers over 85M customers nationwide

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lobe is celebrating National G Day or 917 Day a little differently this year. As a way of giving back to the community, Globe is encouraging its customers to support various advocacies and communities.

Together with Globe’s over 85 million customers nationwide, it hopes to pass on the rewards to communities who have been greatly affected by the pandemic.

Bianca Wong, Head of Globe’s Feel Valued Tribe shared, “Every year, we make this celebration meaningful for our customers, but as the local situation progresses, we want to extend the rewards to our communities, as well. By providing unique experiences for our customers, we can help uplift their lives and the wider community we live in.”

September 17 or 917 is the time of the year when Globe shows its apprecia-

Siargao bars parties, opens to tourists from Metro Manila

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he town of General Luna in Siargao has barred parties following complaints from residents as the popular surfing destination opened to tourists, its municipal tourism officer said Monday.

It has allowed entry for travelers from Metro Manila but imposed restrictions such as liquor ban and barring of parties and videoke, said Arcely Gallentes.

The local government also implemented a 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, she added.

“Wala na pong party ngayon dito dahil mahigpit pong ipinagbabawal ito. Ang mga pulis po nagroronda po sila para ma-sure po na walang nagpaparty,” she said.

(There are no more

parties because it’s been strictly prohibited. Policemen make rounds to ensure there are no parties.)

“Minsan may nagparty pero pinaparusahan po sila ng LGU at pinapaclose po ang establishment nila. Dahil nasampol-an na po wala na pong nagpaparty.”

(Establishments that hold parties are penalized and closed down.

Because an example has been set, no one organizes parties anymore.)

Tourists are required to present a negative RTPCR test, valid ID, flight details, and confirmed booking, Gallentes said.

The town has 28 confirmed COVID-19 cases, while 27 are awaiting confirmatory tests, she added.

Pump prices to be hiked for fourth straight week today

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ump prices of petroleum products will be raised anew on Tuesday, marking the fourth straight week of hikes for gasoline, diesel, and kerosene.

In separate advisories, Chevron Philippines Inc. (Caltex), Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. said they will increase prices per liter of gasoline by P0.80, diesel by P0.80, and kerosene by P0.85.

Petro Gazz will implement the same changes, excluding kerosene which it does not carry.

For its part, Cleanfuel will hike prices per liter of gasoline by P0.65 and diesel by P0.70.

The changes will take effect at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, September 21, for all the firms except for Caltex which will implement the changes at 12:01 a.m.. and Cleanfuel at 4:01 p.m. the same day.

EDGEDAVAO

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ECONOMY

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Local surfers on their way to‘Cloud 9,’the most popular surfing spot in Gen. Luna, Siargao Island, for a morning practice. The country’s surfing capital is now allowing entry for travelers from Metro Manila and from other parts of the country but imposed restrictions such as liquor ban and barring of parties and videoke. Edge Davao

Converge stocks to be traded in American markets through ADRs S

tocks of local internet provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. will soon be Pag-IBIG: Penalty condonation appeal traded over-the-counter in Ameripending approval of Board of Trustees can financial markets via unsponsored he appeal of business see that employers need groups for a penalty longer payment plans, we American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), the company announced Monday. condonation for firms will go for it,” Moti said.

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affected by the pandemic has been considered and is now up for the board’s approval, Pag-IBIG CEO said Monday.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), and the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc earlier asked Pag-IBIG to extend aid for struggling firms in the form of penalty condonation.

The penalty condonation will cover delinquent employers in the last 2 years. Business groups have also requested for a longer payment plan for those who could not immediately pay within 6 months, Moti said.

“Given the realities of an economic crisis, we have considered their request and our proposal is to extend it up to 1 year, if necessary, subject to approval. So long as we can

“We have incorporated these and we will soon present them to the board of trustees of Pag-IBIG. At the management level, the management committee, we approved it recently just last week. [This is now] for presentation for Board of Trustees,” he added.

With the penalty condonation, the Pag-IBIG fund stands to lose some P868 million in additional income, Moti said, highlighting that in the time of a pandemic the agency is “willing to extend a helping hand.”

Remittance performance has gone down to 81 percent from 91 percent pre-pandemic level.

But Moti said there has been a recovery in payments as more companies are starting to remit.

The year 2021 is also poised to record the “highest ever” housing loan releases due to the rising demand.

Based on the registration statement filed with the US corporate regulator, a total of 50 million American Depositary Shares (ADS) will be issued at a maximum offer price of $5.00 each, or a total aggregate offering of $2.5 million or P125 million.

The ADS will be traded over-the-counter in American markets under the ticket CVGY. Converge did not

provide an expected timeline for the development.

“We welcome this development as it opens up another channel for US investors to invest into Converge shares,” Converge chief executive officer Dennis Anthony Uy said in a regulatory filing.

“This signals the confidence of an increasing number of investors in the

continued strong growth of the company as we continue to reach the unserved areas in the Philippines,” he added.

The ADRs are registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, representing a negotiable security that represents a foreign company.

Being unsponsored, Converge’s ADRs are issued by a depositary bank without the company’s involvement and participation.

“The trust and confidence of our investors in Converge make us work harder towards achieving our goal of providing worldclass fiber broadband con-

nectivity to majority of Filipinos,” Converge president Maria Grace Uy said in the same filing.

“We remain committed to covering 55% of Philippine households by 2025,” she added. The company earlier said it targets between 4 million to 5 million subscribers by then.

The company reported a 158% increase in its firsthalf net income to P3.252 billion, up from P1.259 billion a year ago, driven by the sustained demand for internet connectivity amid the prolonged community quarantines.

panies - Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and. AirAsia - to seek the government’s help to relax mobility restrictions for both international and local travelers.

“We have no choice but to save our airlines sector kasi kung masira ang airlines sector, masisira ang tourism sector natin,” he said.

(If our airline sector crashes, our tourism sector will also nosedive.)

“This is the group that we’re trying to help [because] they’re in danger right now. The way I see it, of business viability,” he said. “[This is] to protect them from bankruptcy and eventually closing the airlines… the airlines have to be via-

ble,” he added.

Early this month, the flag carrier Philippine Airlines announced it filed for bankruptcy in the United States as part of its restructuring plan. The first day of hearings is scheduled for Thursday, September 9.

Under agreements with creditors, PAL will secure

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Concepcion warns airline sector at risk of crashing if mobility restrictions not eased

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residential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion warned that the financial viability of the country’s airline sector was at risk of crashing if stringent travel requirements were not relaxed.

During state-run PTV’s Laging Handa briefing, Concepcion said he had a meeting with local airline com-

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

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On the order for operators of resorts and party venues in Davao City to control the number of guests:

We are in the middle of a surge, the worst we’ve ever experienced. All protocols are also in place. It is now the responsibility of people to follow.

We are all in this together. We have to be responsible for each other. Venues should be the ones to control their guests, that is their responsibility.”

Generose Tecson

City Tourism Officer

EDITORIAL Going face-to-face Around 100 public schools and 20 private schools nationwide are set to open face-to-face classes as stated by the Department of Education following the approval of President Rodrigo Duterte to allow partial re-opening.

The approval is only for areas classified with “minimal risk” for the coronavirus.

Philippines is different. In other countries, children are dropped off at a designated area in schools and picked up after classes in similar fashion. Under this set up, adults were not permitted to step out of cars as part of the restrictions. The system worked for these countries given the culture they are accustomed to and the fact that they drive their kids to school. Our schools are different here as kids mostly commute or come to school on foot.

The move is a step towards the eventual re-opening of schools.

In several countries, schools weren’t disrupted by the pandemic as cases were low among schoolchildren. However, the case of the

If we are thinking to have our children back in face-to-face schooling soon, then it is also every concerned parent’s responsibility to get vaccinated.

The schools which were to be included in the pilot testing weren’t named yet so it is not certain whether it will include some schools in Davao. Given the current surge of cases, it is highly unlikely that Davao schools will be included in the pilot testing unless for those in minimal risk areas in the far-flung barangays.

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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

As we are anticipating that the direction is to open schools soon, everyone must endeavor to get vaccinated. That is the road to normalcy. The fact is that the coronavirus will be in existence like other viruses. The only way to be protected from it is to get vaccinated.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE MANILA MARKETING OFFICE RICHARD C. EBONA LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-YacapinProduct Sts. Development officer Cagayan de Oro City Address: No. 18 Purok 4B, Madelo Street, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City Tel: (088) 852-4894 Mobile number: +63 947 265 2969(smart); +63 916 955 8559(globe)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 161 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO IN ALL HONESTY Three years ago, a pastor from another city accepted a call to a church in Davao. A week after he arrived, he decided to roam around the city. He rode a jeepney and gave the driver a crispy twenty-peso bill. There were so many passengers and it took the driver two minutes before he was able to give the pastor his change.

The pastor counted the change and he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a peso more than what he was to receive. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, “You’d better give the peso back.

It would be wrong to keep it.”

Then he thought, “Oh, forget it, it’s only a peso. Who would worry about this little amount?

Anyway, the driver gets too much fare; he will never miss it. Accept it as a ‘gift from God’ and keep quiet.”

When he was almost at his destination, he went near the driver and handed the peso.

“Here, you gave me too much change,” he said.

The driver, with a smile, replied, “Aren’t you the new pastor near our area? I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I’ll see you at church on Sunday.”

“Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom,” says American president Thomas Jefferson. Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie agrees. In an interview, she was quoted as saying, “I’m

just honest, I like that I don’t have to worry about what I say. I really don’t have the time or energy to pretend and I don’t want to live that way.”

Dr. Madison Sarratt, who taught mathematics at Vanderbilt University for many years, before giving a test, would admonish his class something like this: “Today, I am giving two examinations – one in trigonometry and the other in honesty. I hope you will pass them both. If you must fail one, fail trigonometry. There are many people in the world who can’t pass trigonometry, but there is no one who can’t pass the examination of honesty.”

This brings us to the story shared by Anne Heagney about Oscar-winning actor Burt Lancaster.

As a poor boy growing up in New York City, Lancaster had the usual boyish cravings for cream puffs, chocolates, and ice cream.

A quarter looked big to him.

One day, he stood on a corner in front of a bank; he looked down and saw a $20 bill lying in the gutter. It was the largest amount of money he had ever set eyes on and his heart fairly jumped for joy at his great discovery.

He leaned down, picked up the bill and put it in his pocket. He was thinking of the joy it would give his mother when he ran home with his prize. As he stood there dreaming of the delicious things he could now buy, an elderly lady approached him. He noticed how worried and upset

she looked.

“You didn’t see a $20 bill, did you sonny?” she asked. And she explained how she had cashed a check for that amount at the bank to buy some articles that were badly needed for her family.

She was in tears when she said, “I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t find it. I must have dropped it near here somewhere…”

Lancaster’s fingers closed on the bill; a picture flashed through his mind of the good things all that money could buy. He must have been strongly tempted to keep what he’d found even though he knew it would be wrong. Still, he could have said, “Sorry, lady, I didn’t see your money.”

Instead, he pulled out the bill, “You did lose it here, Ma’am.

I found it.” And he handed over the twenty-dollar bill.

The look of joy on her tired, anxious face sent a warm glow to his heart. She thanked him and went away with a light step. The actor recalled it as the happiest memory of his life.

American billionaire Warren Buffett said it well: “Honesty is a very expensive gift. Don’t expect it from cheap people.” James E. Faust has this to say: “Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.”

“There is no well-defined boundary between honesty and dishonesty,” American author O. Henry pointed out. “The frontiers of one blend with the outside limits of the other, and he who attempts to tread this

dangerous ground may be sometimes in one domain and sometimes in the other.”

It reminds me of the story of two women riding a bus. One of them realized she hadn’t paid her fare yet. “I’ll go right up and pay it,” she said. “Why bother?” her companion told her. “You got away with it, so what?”

“I’ve found that honesty always pays,” the other said virtuously, and went up to pay the driver. After that, she went back to her place and told her companion. “See, I told you. Honesty really pays. I handed the driver 20 pesos and he gave me 40 pesos change.”

These days, people look at honesty in a different manner.

For instance, ethics is very important to successful businessmen. One executive explains it this way; “For example, an old customer paid his account today with a five hundred peso bill. As he was leaving, I discovered that he had mistakenly given me two five hundred peso bills stuck together. Immediately, a question of ethics arose: should I tell my partner?”

But honesty still abounds here and abroad. A taxi driver who returns the money that was left in the vehicle he was driving. A laundry woman who delivered the diamond ring left in the pocket of the pants she was washing to the owner herself. A high school student who failed his final examination because he didn’t want to cheat, unlike his classmates.

“It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them,” Mark Twain said. In the mid-1980’s researchers at Cleveland State University made a startling discovery. They conducted an experiment by creating two fictitious job candidates David and John.

The candidates had identical resumes and letters of reference.

The only difference was that John’s letter included the sentence “Sometimes, John can be difficult to get along with.” They showed the resumes to a number of personnel directors.

Which candidate did the personnel directors overwhelmingly prefer? Difficult to get along with, John. The researchers concluded the criticism of John made praise of John more believable. Admitting John’s wort actually helped sell John. Admitting flaws gives a person more credibility.

Now, I know a lot of people when they are on the brink of dying, they will be honest to admit and tell the truth, and nothing but the truth. For as Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses, puts it: “With death comes honesty.”

Should you wait for that day to come before you become honest? “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

WHO WINS: Q(UIBOLOY) OR P(ACQUIAO)?

“All major religions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness….the important thing is that they should be part of our daily lives.” - DALAI LAMA “Men are moved by two levers only: fear and self-interest.” - NAPOLEON BONAPARTE *******

Even as the Middle East is slowly becoming an alarming political and military tinderbox, even as three big nations have formed the AUKUS (Australia United Kingdom and United States) to challenge the Chinese hegemonic threat in the Indo-Pacific area vis a viz the South China Sea and even as Iran continues to ignore warning signals from Israel and USA by amassing more nuclear strength, Filipinos in general are fixated on the Quiboloy vs Pacquiao ala-teleserye word war that is now hugging the head-

lines.

The 42-year old senator from Sarangani has filed a P100M anti-cyber libel suit against the Head Pastor and Founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy arising from what the former said were statements uttered by the latter in his broadcast program as “libelous” that tended to smear his integrity and reputation.

Well, these two chaps used to be good friends before the 8-division world boxing champion broke away from being a PRRD ally when he hurled accusations undermining the leadership of Duterte regarding foreign policy towards China and corruption issues.

The 71-year old KJC pastor, whose members account for 2 million nation-wide and 4 million more abroad and who is a very good friend and supporter of the incumbent Malacanang tenant, reacted quickly to the de-

fense of the President.

Without mincing any words, Q questioned the integrity and honesty of P who earlier claimed to have earned an academic degree in political science from the University of Makati in just 3 months.

Q also asked how P graduated from the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU), adding how the boxing champ attended his classes and hurdled his studies when he was busy fighting in the ring in Las Vegas and elsewhere.

How the courts will handle this “glamorous” controversy depends entirely on how the people close around them - the legal teams specifically - will manage the oncoming developments.

The spat unquestionably sprung from a political perspective because the complainant (P) has been perceived to be chasing his presidential dreams in the coming May 2022 national elec-

tions.

As to whether the polemics will positively benefit P’s presidential aspirations or not will be revealed in some future surveys.

Mr. P, to my mind will have everything to lose and nothing to gain.

In the first place, with the slow justice system prevailing, it will take sometime before any judgment can be rendered, assuming the prosecutor finds merit in the libel complaint Q has been unperturbed by the lawsuit and his minions at the broadcast SMNI facility have begun turning out anti-Pacquiao sentiments, painting the Pambansang Kamao as “onion-skinned” (pikon) and reactionary.

Less than a month before the filing of COCs, P has to make the decision to run, or painfully give up his presidential ambitions and just seek re-election or return to private life.

P is either in a quandary or unknowingly treading a crossroads of life.

The opposition is now courting him to join them because obviously he has a commanding following among the masses.

Figure evaluating his psychology as a ring gladiator, you will surprisingly discover the remarkable truth that P never retreats from a good fight.

Meaning, P does not ever regret making hard decisions nor the consequences or repercussions of his actions.

He fought the best of them in all the weight divisions and won a great majority of those that mattered most - the BIG MONEY FIGHTS - walking and laughing his way to the bank.

For one thing, P believes he is a winner and he has done it all.

Take your pick. Q or P? P or Q? (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

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EDGEDAVAO EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 161 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

COMPETITIVE EDGE

Globe ramps up spending efficiency with Cascadeo’s Cloud technology optimization

M

ANILA, Philippines - As part of its mission to drive innovation and enhancing business processes through technology while staying cost-effective as a business, Globe Telecom found ways to effectively optimize its cloud services and cut its annual spending through its collaboration with Cascadeo, its Cloud Professional and Managed Services delivery arm. Cloud enables businesses to manage expenses better, as companies only pay for what they use, as opposed to maintaining physical servers which require additional manpower and larger investments.

Following the implementation measures to revamp its cloud services while improving security, compliance, automation, and governance, Globe saw potential million-dollar savings amid forecasts of skyrocketing cloud bills this year.

“As a cloud pioneer with one of the largest cloud footprints in the Philippines, we continuously assess our cloud investments and our processes to take advantage of Cloud benefits (elasticity, reliability, and costs),“ said Carlo Malana, Chief Information Officer, Globe Telecom.

As Globe’s appetite for the Cloud continued to grow, so did its cloud spending as the largest Amazon Web Services (AWS) user in the Philippines.

Globe’s aggressive drive for innovation continues to inform its strategic and cost-efficient investments

on technologies that will improve its processes and enable the company to better serve its customers.

With cloud computing costs predicted to increase significantly versus the previous year, the telco giant looked to optimize usage and keep its rising costs under control through a more intelligent infrastructure in the Cloud.

Tapping into Cascadeo’s power for a more cost-effective cloud system “Through our partnership with Cascadeo, we were able to assess cloud utilization and better optimize the resources that we

have. This ensures that we obtain a better return on our cloud investments as we continue to drive innovation and digital transformation for other businesses in the country,” he added.

According to Cascadeo’s assessment, Globe’s IT group had difficulties enforcing its existing tagging policy which was designed to reduce costs by efficiently labeling useful information within the cloud infrastructure.

The weak reinforcement of a tagging policy could lead to inaccurate reports and cost implications for Globe.

It also showed gaps in

cloud resource optimization practice which needed to be addressed.

Cascadeo acted on this by creating and deploying a policy focused on tagging compliance, which is an important tool to map cloud spending and for better control over future deployment.

It also developed a customizable, centralized serverless solution for additional optimization policies that could not be integrated into the existing tool used by the team due to its limitations.

Globe’s IT group found the solution cost-efficient,

reliable, and scalable as it employed serverless components, which greatly reduced operational overhead to mostly code maintenance.

Making businesses sustainable through cloud optimization Worldwide cloud spend is expected to increase further as more organizations and businesses accelerate their digital transformation to survive and thrive beyond the pandemic, making cloud adoption the next normal in business operations.

Globe and Cascadeo have been collaborating

closely to help enterprises become competitive and up to speed with the evolving demand of the digital economy. Cascadeo lends Globe its expertise in cloud-based products and provides support through cloud-managed services, which enable companies to take full advantage of the cloud’s agility, security, and scalability.

Accelerate business transformation with the Cloud. Discover more about Cascadeo and Globe Cloud Solutions by contacting your Globe Business Account Manager or visiting our website.

Philippines. With 774% year-over-year increase in enrollments from women learners, the Philippines ranks #1 out of 190 countries for highest increase.

More women are also participating in certificate training programs aimed at entry-level digital jobs.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021 indicates that the pandemic has disproportionately impacted women in the Philippines, with the country ranking lower than in 2020. Despite the country almost bridging the education attainment gap at 99.9%, there

is still a gender disparity in labor force participation, with only 49% of women in the job market today.

“We believe that the new norm of remote work and online learning is setting a solid foundation of a more inclusive recovery.

While women participation in the labor force is low in the Philippines, in the long-term, we may see this rise as the access to equal job-relevant online education leads to equal employment opportunity,” said Raghav Gupta, Managing Director, India and APAC, Coursera. “The encouraging trends from the

report are a testament to the resilience of Philippine women learners and their determination to return to work and advance their careers.”

Philippine insights from the Women and Skills Report include: • The Philippines ranks #1 (774%) worldwide for the highest increase in YoY enrollments from women.

The majority (56%) of new learners in the Philippines today are women, bringing the total number of registered women in the country to 650,000.

• Top skills among the Philippines women show

high investment in business skills.

• Trends among women learners in the Philippines align with global learner trends. Though business skills are the most popular, more women are enrolling in STEM courses.

• Women in the Philippines are enrolling in more courses than pre-pandemic, particularly in certificate training programs aimed at entry-level digital jobs.

Women’s enrollments in entry-level Professional Certificates increased from 33% in 2019 to 47% in 2021.

• Businesses, governments, and campuses will

continue to play a key role in reducing gender gaps in the digital economy.

“I earned my computer science degree with only a handful of women alongside me, and while a great deal has changed since then, we still have important work to do to increase women’s representation in technology and leadership,” said Betty Vandenbosch, Chief Content Officer, Coursera. “Access to flexible, job-relevant education can help women learn the new skills they need to enter high-demand roles and achieve better gender balance in the workforce.”

Coursera bares enrolment increase in online learning platform for women

M

ANILA - Coursera, Inc. (NYSE: COUR), one of the largest online learning platforms in the world, released a new study that examines the pandemic’s impact on skills and learning trends among women. The Women and Skills Report compares pre-pandemic enrollment and performance data with trends observed on the Coursera platform since the onset of the pandemic through June 2021.

The new study highlights an impressive increase in online learning participation among women learners globally, and in the

9 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 161 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR SENSE OF

Smell and taste

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

from vcuhealth.org and Mayo Clinic

I

n the past, when people lost their smell and taste, they were not alarmed. But when coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) came into the medical scene, it’s a different story altogether.

Early in the pandemic, it emerged that those infected with the COVID-19 virus were losing their sense of smell – even without displaying other symptoms.

So much so that a New York Times feature quoted doctors recommending testing and isolation for people who lose their ability to smell and taste – even if they have no other symptoms.

“Loss of smell can occur suddenly in people with COVID-19 and is often accompanied by loss of taste,” explains Dr. Jill Seladi-Schulman in a healthline.com feature. She adds that, with COVID-19, both symptoms may occur without a runny or stuffy nose.

The key word is “suddenly.” Dr. Shima T. Moein, study team leader at the Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences in Tehran, Iran, also used that word. In a Nature report, Moein reported: “Usually, these (COVID-19) patients say they have lost their smell suddenly.”

In the United States, a review of eight studies with a total of 11,054 COVID-19 patients was done. What the reviewers found was that a loss of smell and taste often happened prior to other COVID-19 symptoms.

One good thing about

losing your sense of smell at the start of the disease is that it may not result in severe form. “In particular, a loss of smell may also be a potential indicator of a mild case of COVID-19,” Dr. Seladi-Schulman writes. “A study from earlier in the pandemic found that loss of smell was more closely associated with outpatient care as opposed to hospital admission.”

Before probing deeper, let’s take a closer look as to why people lose their sense of smell and taste. Colds, sinus infections and general congestion are the most common causes of temporary loss of smell.

Other things that can lead to loss of smell or taste include the following: allergies, nasal polyps, certain medications, neurological conditions, aging, smoking, trauma to the head, radiation therapy, over-exposure to certain chemicals, and upper respiratory infection.

Among the medications associated with an altered or loss of taste include allergy medicines, antibiotics, antipsychotics, asthma medications, cholesterol medicines, blood thinners, and seizure medications.

“Since our smell and taste buds are so closely linked, any conditions or

irritants that cause swelling in the nasal passages can lead to a loss of smell and therefore taste,” explains Dr. Michael Menachof, a well-recognized American physician who specializes in conditions around the head, throat, ear, nose, neck and face for over 20 years.

“While typically just a temporary nuisance, loss of smell can also pose a dangerous threat, as your sense of smell is responsible for alerting you to dangers like gas leaks, rotten food, or fire. And because it affects your sense of taste, it can also lead to loss of interest in eating that results in unwanted weight loss and malnutrition.”

The nerves responsible for detecting smell (olfactory nerves) are located high and deep inside the nose.

“When you have cold or sinusitis, your nose fills with mucus and causes swelling,” Dr. Menachof states. “Because of this mucus and inflammation, the smell can’t reach the top of the nasal cavity – this results in a total or a partial loss of smell.”

Are you losing your sense of smell and taste?

Take this test and find out: Smell: Find something that has a strong, characteristic smell. Foods may be a good option here, such as coffee beans, cinnamon, or fresh garlic. You can also choose to use non-food items like baby powder or a scented candle.

Taste: Locate food with different taste characteristics. Some good examples

include things like chocolate (sweet), citrus (sour), ampalaya (bitter) and patis (salty).

If you find that you have trouble picking up on the scents or tastes of your selected items, you may be experiencing a loss of smell or taste.

According to Dr. Bobby Tajudeen, director of rhinology, sinus surgery and skull base surgery at Rush University Medical Center, a sudden loss of smell can mean a viral condition is at play.

“Usually, when people have a cold, they have congestion and a runny nose, and they can’t breathe through their nose,” Dr. Tajudeen explains. “At the base level that usually causes a temporary reduction in smell. However, once the congestion resolves, in patients with viral induced smell loss, their smell does not recover.”

Now, how will you know that your smell loss is related to COVID-19?

Dr. Tajudeen says that instead of attacking the olfactory sensory neurons, COVID-19 affects the neurons’ supporting cells. Most ordinary people don’t know how this happens, of course.

The telltale sign is when the smell loss occurs.

“With most viral infections, smell loss will occur after the other viral symptoms – the nasal congestions and runny nose – have come and gone. With COVID-19, smell loss is one of the first signs of infec-

tion,” Dr. Tajudeen says.

The question is: How can COVID-19 cause you to lose your sense of smell or taste? Until now, no one can answer this question but there are several theories forwarded.

“SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, binds to a protein called ACE2 that’s found on the surface of potential host cells,” Dr. Seladi-Schulman says. “ACE2 is abundant in cells found in your nose and mouth.

“It’s possible that the virus could directly invade the nerve cells associated with your senses of smell and taste. However, a recent study in the journal Science Advances has cast doubt on this idea.

“Researchers failed to find ACE2 on nerve cells that detect scents. Instead, they found ACE2 on cells that surround and support these nerve cells. It’s possible that infection of these surrounding cells could lead to levels of inflammation or damage that impact your ability to smell.

Less research has been done on how COVID-19 specifically affects taste.

Since loss of smell and loss of taste often occur together, it’s currently believed that people with COVID-19 likely experience loss of taste as a consequence of loss of smell.

Now, if loss of smell and taste is the first symptom you experience, it’s a good indicator to get tested and quarantined. “Patients with

smell loss are normally at home recovering and not admitted into the hospital or on a ventilator,” Dr. Tajudeen says.

Another major difference is the length of smell recovery. “With other viruses, recovery could take months and sometimes even years,” Dr. Tajudeen says.

The earliest is about four weeks. “During a recent study, we looked at about 1,000 COVID-19 patients.

Based on their own symptom reporting, about 78% of those with total smell loss had completely recovered their smell at around the four-week mark.”

About 20% of those patients did not recover their smell after four weeks.

The Mayo Clinic calls those who lose their sense of smell as having smell dysfunction. “In most cases, smell dysfunction recovers quickly,” explains Dr. David Valencia, an otorhinolaryngologist. “However, it can take months. In a minority of cases, recovery can be incomplete with lasting impairment.

“While no proven treatment is available, olfactory training is recommended,” Dr. Valencia continues. “Topical corticosteroid sprays also are often used in shortterm treatment, but they are unlikely to help outside of the acute illness period.

Clearly, the best treatment is prevention, such as wearing a mask, practicing social distancing and getting vaccinated for COVID-19.”

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atoang gi-match na private donor to SPMC, his donation expanded the morgue to an additional of 108 capacity/cadavers,” she said.

Furthermore, Mayor Sara announced that as of September 19, 2021, the utilization rate of the city’s isolation facilities is 33 percent. Currently, the city has 2,829-bed spaces for the city’s Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs) plus a 200bed space still pending.

“And we have 200 pending. So far naa nata sa duha nalang kabuok standby facilities nga ginaprepare nato to be added sa atong TTMFs. Last week that was three and nasulod na ang isa to active facility.

Are we looking for more?

Wala na na siya nadiscuss at the Covid-19 TF level,” she said.

Mayor Sara also explained that the occupancy rate of TTMFs depends on the discharges on a certain day.

“Once naa’y mga discharge and naay time sa paglimpyo ug pagdisinfect and then maready napud balik ang isa ka space. Since daghan man ang asymptomatic and mild, example 300 (cases) ta karon, example lang, ingnon nalang nato 280 ang asymptomatic and mild, so 14 days from now supposedly cleared nana sila sa data and discharge na sila sa TTMF kung naka-admit sila. So ingon ana pud kadako every day ang supposedly dapat cleared, tagged as recovered and discharged dinha sa atong TTMF. So, dili nato masulti kay every day dunay discharge of patients,” the mayor said.

local communist armed conflict,” Macuto said.

Highlighted during the activity was the peace rally where participants affirmed their allegiance to the government while denouncing the CPP-NPA deceptive propaganda and armed struggle.

During the culmination, participants submitted a project proposals to the LGU which mostly involves livelihood enhancement.

They also expressed their support to the Barangay Development Programs (BDP) after learning the purpose of contributing to the peace and development of communities.

One of the participants, Arnold Sarvida, who was once a chairman of the Komiteng Rebolusyonaryo sa Barrio (KRB), expressed

his appreciation to the activity.

“I thanked the LGU of North Cotabato and other agencies for conducting this PBS and continuously reaching out for communities to achieve lasting peace.

This helped us understand the true color of the CPP-NPA,”Sarvida said.

Brig. Gen. Potenciano Camba, commander of the 1002nd Infantry Brigade, meanwhile commended the participants effort, dedication and wholehearted support for the completion of the seminar.

“We encourage everyone to continue supporting the government in all its peace and development programs because Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict is the fight of our nation,” Camba said.

resting the perpetrators of the attack.

“Inatasan ko na ang Regional Director RD, PRO BAR na makipag-tulungan sa local military forces, hindi lamang sa pagsasagawa ng manhunt sa mga taong responsible dito, kundi pati na rin sa pagpapa-igting ng seguridad sa Maguindanao at ilang mga lugar kung saan maaring mangyari ang ganitong klaseng karahasan,” Eleazar said.

Eleazar, also called on residents in the area to immediately report to au-

thorities if they noticed any actions that could pose threats in the community, noting that information from citizens has been helpful for the police in preventing atrocities.

“Nanawagan din tayo sa ating mga kababayan na patuloy na makipag-tulungan sa inyong kapulisan dahil ang inyong pakikiisa ay isang mabisang sandata upang hindi mabigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga tao at grupo na maghasik ng karahasan sa ating bayan,” he said.

regional security developments.

The High-Level General Debate will be presided over by H.E. Abdulla Shahid of Maldives, the incoming President of the 76th UNGA. It will follow a hybrid format of in-person and virtual attendance of delegates, in view of the evolving situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UNGA is the main deliberating organ of the UN where all the 193 Member States are represented.

The session’s theme this year is: “Building resilience through hope – to recover from Covid-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and re-

vitalize the United Nations.”

During the 75th session of the UNGA in September 2020, Duterte stressed that access to safe and effective vaccines should be made available to all, “rich and poor nations alike”.

He said the Covid-19 vaccine “must be considered a global public good” in joining the collective voice of partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the NonAligned Movement (NAM).

Duterte raised the 2016 arbitral decision against China’s extensive claim in the South China Sea before the UN for the first time since he assumed office more than four years ago.

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(SY) 2021-2022 due to very low enrolment turnout.

DepEd 11 spokesperson Jenielito Atillo said that Deped 11 has already received the formal letter from the said elementary and secondary schools.

On the other hand, Atillo said DepEd 11 is close to

reaching the 100 percent target number of students following the opening of classes last Monday for the School Year 2021-2022.

He said the status concerning the enrolment has already reached 1,285,891 (99.7 percent) enrollees in the entire region.

unit of .38 revolver, bullets, cellular phone, and other drug paraphernalia.

Also arrested in another buy-bust operation in separate areas in the city were a 25-year old Mary Chris Limbadan, of Baguio District; Felvin Resma, 38, tricycle driver of Dumoy Toril; Mojahid Landas,32, Fahadz Campilo, 32; John Petalcorin ,24, Ric Confino, 34; and Joshua Rivera, 21.

Confino and Rivera who reside in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao was arrested in a joint police and military checkpoint at Barangay Sirawan, Toril District.

Talomo Police Station, meanwhile, arrested on Friday afternoon in Barangay Talomo 25-year -old painter Rizalde Hernane in possession of 22 sachets of shabu worth about P1.280 million.

According to Talomo chief of Police Major Sean Logronio, Hernane is a bigtime drug pusher who was under surveillance for three

weeks after they received reports about his illegal activities.

“Matagal-tagal na din namin itong minamanmanan at mailap po. Luckily, this time, he fell into our trap.

Right now, we will be investigating the large amount of evidence we have obtained to determine the source of his illegal drugs,” Logronio said.

Logronio vows to never rest until all these criminals will be put behind bars, despite the obstacles and challenges encountered brought by the threat of COVI-19.

He said safeguarding communities by removing illegal and harmful drugs from neighborhoods remains his top priority.

About 101 grams or more than P1.5 million worth of shabu were seized in the 7 operations.  Police operatives documents the recovered pieces of evidence from a painter, Rizalde Hernane who was considered as a bigtime drug pusher in the city.

seating capacity; outdoor tourist attractions may reopen at 30% with strict adherence to minimum public health standards.

Religious gatherings and gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 at 10 percent of the venue capacity; non-contact sports, games scrimmages held outdoors; personal care services not requiring mask removal such as salons, parlors beauty clinics at 30% capacity; and individuals aged 18 to 65 going out of their residences.

Entertainment venues (bars, concert halls, theaters, etc.), recreational venues

(internet cafés, billiard halls, arcades, etc.), amusement parks, fairs, playgrounds, kiddie rides, indoor sports courts and venues, and indoor tourist attractions, and venues for meetings, conferences, and exhibitions will not be allowed in GCQ areas with “heightened restrictions”.

The city government of Davao is reminding Dabawenyos to stop attending social gatherings and vigils in fear of bringing home the virus because the majority of the Covid-19 cases in Davao City are due to the household transmission after a family member attended a gathering. By Maya M. Padillo

this time in which you can just send your letters and files through e-mail or chatting apps.

“In this time of social media and the internet, I hope we still have the space and connection similar to writing using stamps or seals,” she said. “During this time of the pandemic, even if we don’t see each other, let’s continue to inspire and give hope and heroism to others. We need to discover a way to make our commu-

nication creative and deeper like what PHLPost is doing. Thank you so much for this honor. This has become part of history, not only for me or for the athletes here, but for all of us Filipinos.”

The Tokyo Olympic commemorative stamps were not the only ones unveiled on Saturday as a series of stamps encouraging everyone to get vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 has been debuted too. (PNA)

being slowed down by a minor hamstring injury earlier in Magnolia’s campaign.

“Gusto ko lang mabalik yung tamang kundisyon ko, simula kasi nung na-injury ako, parang naging

roller-coaster yung laro ko. May araw na sobrang bigat ng pakiramdam ko,” he said.

“Kumapit lang ako. I continued to work hard para mabalik ko yung kundisyon ko talaga.”

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America, Mr. Sy was a paragon of professionalism, commitment and integrity.

“More importantly, he was known for his genuine concern and care for people.

A true gentleman, indeed,” said AUB president Manuel A. Gomez.

“Mr. Sy, the AUB family is grateful for the years you have dedicated and shared with us. We have nothing but respect and admiration for you, and we will always be grateful for your mentoring and inspiration,” he added.

Shares in the company are down 4 centavos or

1.16% to P34.10 apiece as of 10:49 a.m. Monday.

some $505 million for its recovery plan upon its exit from the process — the first tranche will be a $250-million facility debt to be pared down in the next five years, and the second tranche worth $255 million will be converted into equity.

Concepcion said that stringent travel requirements and mobility restrictions imposed by both national and local governments amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic could lead to the eventual crash of the local aviation industry.

“If the airlines do not become viable and they close masisira ang ibang sector natin like tourism. Malaking damay ang mangyayari dito,” he said.

(Other sectors like tourism will be badly hit. This will trickle down to other sectors as well.)

The presidential adviser said airlines are proposing to reduce the 10-day quarantine period for incoming travelers to seven days as this has been financially burdensome for them.

In a separate statement, Concepcion said airlines are also asking to allow increased mobility of vaccinated Filipinos to allow them to sustain the recovery of some of the billions of pesos in revenue lost since the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020.

Among the rules that they hope can be done away with were the multiple requirements for traveling, especially for domestic destinations, and expensive testing as most destinations require an RTPCR test, and the long quarantines for arriving passengers from international flights.

PAL, in particular, proposed piloting a new protocol to reduce risk and cost to passengers of international flights.

Under the proposal, passengers will be tested 72 hours before departure and will undergo quarantine upon arrival, and take an RT-PCR test on the third day. If the result is negative, they can leave the quarantine facility on the fifth day and continue with a home quarantine.

Based on the data presented, testing before departure helps reduce positivity rate and risk, according to Concepcion.

The proposal would also enable passengers to save as much as P25,000 aside from enjoying a more comfortable quarantine in the comfort of their own home, he said.

The airlines also requested the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to consider placing North America on the list of green countries as this is the biggest market for local airlines.

or later. I’m praying we can meet in the near future and settle the matter in the Circle.”

Competitive jawing on the side, Adiwang acknowledges that Brooks represents one of his toughest foes to date, and really wants to test himself against the American should he get the chance.

“Honestly, I think he’s a really strong opponent. I know he was very confident that he could beat me. But I was also very confident I could beat him. It goes both ways. Nevertheless, I knew I was the underdog in that fight. I could only prove I was better than him by fighting him in the cage,” Adiwang said.

“I really prepared well for that fight. We studied him, discovered his strengths and weaknesses,

and we identified a few areas where I could dominate him. I think his game plan would have been to take me down to the ground and try to control me there to get that submission. But I had a few surprise submissions of my own that I wanted to do.”

As for Rodtang, Adiwang has long clamored for a Muay Thai showdown with the Thai superstar.

He’s called the “Iron Man” out for some time now.

With Rodtang also expressing his interest in facing the Filipino firecracker, the bout is very much a possibility.

“One hundred percent.

That fight is still on my radar. I would never call anyone out without the intention of fully pushing through with it. I said that because I wanted that fight to happen,” Adiwang said.

of Japan, 11-9, in a thrilling semifinal match, leaving him to carry the Philippine flag after Dennis Orcollo was eliminated earlier in the day.

Biado scored 10 consecutive racks on his way to the crown.

He started with two break and runs but found himself down as Yapp quickly answered back with an 8-3 lead. The Singaporean though missed the nine in the 12th rack, and Yapp didn’t win a rack again.

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VOL.14 ISSUE 161 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

SPORTS

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Paul Lee erupted for 18 big points in the fourth quarter in spearheading Magnolia’s huge 100-90 win over San Miguel Beer that gave the Hotshots a crack at clinching the remaining twice-to-beat advantage at stake in the coming playoffs.

Biado wins US Open Pool title T he Philippines’ Carlo Biado ruled the US Open Pool Championship, beating Aloysius Yapp, 13-8, on Saturday at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey (Sunday, Manila time).

Biado is the first Filipino since Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes to win the US Open, one of the most prestigious tour-

naments in billiards, bagging the $50,000 top prize (around P2.5 million).

It was a fine finish after a tough road for Biado, climbing to the top after being relegated the losers’ bracket and overcoming two hill-hill matches during the knockout phase.

Biado beat Naoyuki Oi

Lee named PBA Player of the Week

T

he swagger in Paul Lee that earned him the moniker ‘Angas ng Tondo’ was in full display again in a PBA Philippine Cup game Sunday where the stakes were high between two title FBIADO, P10 contending teams.

FLAKERS, P10

Carlo Biado is the first Filipino since Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes to win the US Open, one of the most prestigious tournaments in billiards, bagging the $50,000 top prize (around P2.5 million).

The Tondo-born guard erupted for 18 big points in the fourth quarter in spearheading Magnolia’s huge 100-90 win over San Miguel Beer that gave the Hotshots a crack at clinching the remaining twiceto-beat advantage at stake in the coming playoffs.

In all, the 32-year-old Lee torched the Beermen

T

eam Lakay’s “Thunder Kid” Lito Adiwang is being extra careful not to look past his next opponent, Hexigetu. But already, the 28-year-old from Baguio City has his sights set on some important fights for him down the road.

Adiwang meets Hexigetu at ONE: REVOLUTION, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Sta-

for 32 points, spiked by a 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, four rebounds, and five assists to help his team end its elimination round campaign on a high note after winning back-to-back games at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym.

Magnolia finished the eliminations with an 8-3

record, currently in solo third place, but currently in a good position to notch the no. 2 seeding entering the quarterfinals.

The output is the fifth career 30-point game of Lee as per PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, while the 18 points in the fourth period is the most scored in a quarter by a player this season.

Lee answering the call for Magnolia earned him the nod as the Cignal-Play PBA Press Corps Player of the Week honor for the period Sept. 15 to 19.

The Magnolia guard

out of University of the East edged TnT Tropang Giga rookie Mikey Williams in a close voting for the weekly award handed out by the men and women regularly covering the PBA beat.

Others who were considered for the honor include the Meralco trio of Allein Maliksi, Raymond Almazan and Bong Quinto, Lee’s Magnolia teammate Ian Sangalang, and veteran NLEX big man JR Quinahan.

Lee said he’s just getting started again after

dium on Friday, September 24.

If and when he beats Hexigetu, Adiwang wants fights with former UFC standout Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks, and reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “Iron Man” Jitmuangnon.

Adiwang and Brooks were set to lock horns ear-

lier this year, before the Filipino tested positive for COVID-19 which forced the cancellation of the highly anticipated bout. Prior to that, the two men traded barbs on social media, and general interest in the fight was building rapidly.

“Thunder Kid” has no doubt he will meet Brooks in the Circle sooner or later.

“I was a little bit disap-

pointed that the fight fell through. I was really looking forward to fighting him.

We had some good banter through the media, and fans were really excited for that one. But I’m sure we will meet again in the future,” Adiwang said.

“We’re both rising to the top, and I have no doubt our paths will cross sooner

FLEE, P10

FADIWANG, P10

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 161 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

STAMPED

The Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz unveils the newly released Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) stamp celebrating her historic Olympic triumph on Saturday (Sept. 18, 2021). PHLPost photo

4 Olympic heroes honored with commemorative stamps

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he Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) has honored the four Filipino athletes who led the country’s most successful Summer Olympic stint ever earlier this year in Tokyo by having commemorative stamps for them.

The PHLPost on Saturday unveiled the new stamps with no less than gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio, and bronze medalist Eumir Marcial witnessing the event at the Manila Central Post Office.

“It feels great that some of our countrymen have brought home honor and given inspiration to our nation. This is what led us here at the Philippine Post Office to issue postage stamps or seals that feature the images of the winning moments of our countrymen during the Tokyo Olympic Games,” Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio said.

“The stamps featuring the winning moments of our very own first Olympic gold medalist Ms. Hidilyn Diaz and her fellow Team Pilipinas Olympic medalist and boxing champions Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio, and Eumir Marcial remind us how important they are to be recognized properly in what they are doing to keep our Philippine flag high and shining in the world of sports. The glory they have given to our nation and to the Filipino people is priceless,” he added.

For her part, Diaz stressed the importance of sending the so-called “snail mails” even at

FSTAMPED, P10