Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 186 | Wednesday, October 20, 2021

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

VOL.14 ISSUE 186 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

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A vendor arranges colorful Christmas lanterns at a makeshift store along Tionko Avenue in Davao City on Tuesday. Christmas lantern vendors said their income is greatly affected by the decreasing demand for their products brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. Edge Davao

HUGPONG LIST HNP to release list of endorsed senatorial bets STORY ON PAGE 2

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 186 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

Davao-based Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) spokesperson Anthony del Rosario bares that the party will soon release its list of senators that it will endorse in the 2022 national elections. Edge Davao

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GenSan LGU employs ‘bakuna bus’ in mobile vax campaign

HNP to release list of endorsed senatorial bets

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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for a coalition with HNP. These are the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), Nacionalista Party, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), People’s Reform Party (PRP), and National Unity Party (NUP).

Under the agreements

with the mentioned national parties, each national party will submit at least one senatorial candidate who will be endorsed by HNP. Meanwhile, the call for Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio continues despite her “no show” last October 8, 2021, at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to withdraw her certificate of candidacy (COC) as mayor of Davao City and her filing

to run for president in the 2022 national and local elections.

Mayor Sara instead announced on her official Facebook Page that she would like to finish her last term as mayor of Davao City before taking another position. She also said she does not need a position or to be a President to help the people. Instead, she urged the people to help each other

nakaambag, nakaambit sa ilang mga grasya nga nahimo siya’g Duterte Legacy (The Duterte legacy campaign, its whole of Government, the entire government. All agency of the Government that contributed and shared their all their benefits they received that makes it the Duterte Legacy],” Sec. Andanar describes the Duterte Legacy communications campaign.

Sec. Andanar said unlike the previous government communication campaigns

the Duterte Legacy is not time- bound and will roll until the end of the President’s term in June 2022.

He cited the legacy will convey the various major accomplishments of the Duterte Legacy. He spoke of the 1.6 milion students that benefited from free tuition, the malasakit centers which benefited 2 million patients, free irrigation for farmers with less than 8 hectares of land, the 5% of the GDP allocated for the Build, Build, Build program among many

other tangible results made by the President during his term.

Sec. Andanar emphasized the role of the Duterte Legacy communications campaign in delivering the accomplishments to the stakeholders, the Filipino people.

He mentioned the importance of communicating the accomplishments of the President to the stakeholders as the government operates based on public trust.

avao-based Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) party will soon release the list of senators it will endorse in the 2022 national elections.

“Yes at some point in the future. (As of now) wala pa po kaming listahan,” Anthony del Rosario, spokesperson of HNP told Edge Davao.

It can be recalled that five national political parties have signified interest

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PCOO chief brings Duterte Legacy to Davao Oriental

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residential Communications Operations Office head Sec. Martin M. Andanar brought forth the core message of the Duterte Legacy to Davao Oriental radio listeners during his guesting , this Saturday (Oct. 16) morning at Radyo Rapido Mati Davao Oriental for Aksyon Barangay with anchor Arnel Malindog.

So ang atong Duterte Legacy campaign its whole of Government, the entire government. Tanan mga ahensya sa Gobyerno nga

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he city government launched over the weekend its mobile vaccination program to capture more residents in the ongoing mass inoculation against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Lawyer Arnel Zapatos, the city administrator, said on Monday they have started the deployment of the local government’s newly converted “bakuna bus” to facilitate the conduct of the mobile vaccination activities.

He said the first stop on Saturday was the city’s central public market in Barangay Dadiangas South that catered to dozens of market vendors and other residents.

“We have scheduled the mobile vaccination every Wednesday and Saturday,” he said in an advisory.

Zapatos said the bus, which has an assigned vaccination team from the City Health Office, will visit var-

ious strategic areas within the city’s 26 barangays in the coming days.

He said the mobile vaccination is supported by various local government offices and support units, and the barangays.

This includes the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Red Cross Sarangani-GenSan chapter, Trace and Protect Action Team, City Planning and Development Office, City Mayor’s Office, and the City Public Information Office.

Rock Eliseo Garay, chairman of Barangay Dadiangas South, said in a report that they requested for the conduct of the mobile vaccination at the city’s main public market as most of the vendors and workers there were not yet inoculated against COVID-19.

He said market stakeholders are willing to get

More institutions are accepting the Philippine Identification (PhilID) card as valid proof of identity while Filipinos continue to register for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys).

In an October 13 post, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced that the National Housing Authority (NHA) will start accepting the PhilID in applications for housing pro-

grams.

The NHA is mandated to provide housing for low-income families but documentary requirements, including a valid identification, prevent applicants from availing of programs.

With its commitment to accept the PhilID in transactions, more low-income families are expected to qualify for NHA benefits.

The Department of

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NHA accepts PhilID as valid proof of identity

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 186 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

NEWS

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Forty beneficiaries of High Priority Bus System Project Livelihood Restoration Program of the city government of Davao receive their livelihood kits worth P10k at Baliok Gym, Barangay Baliok, Talomo-B Davao City on Tuesday. This is the fifth batch of the distribution of kits to affected drivers and operators. Initial distribution were already conducted at Calinan, Tugbok, Toril, and Talomo A. CIO

City allows holding of burial, death anniversary during cemetery closure Coffins sell fast in Zambo

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uneral homes in the city are having a hard time coping with the demand for coffins.

Representatives of local funeral parlors said their carpenters have their hands full as deaths occur more frequently, whether from COVID-19 or not.

Jodex Francisco, of Villa-Arcega Funeral Homes, told MindaNews over telephone that over the past week, their carpenters had to make five caskets in a day.

He said that their coffins for COVID-19 deaths are in short supply. These, Francisco said, are simple but decent, sold at P12,000 each.

The situation is the same at Remedios Memorial Homes & Funeral Service. Nancy Bernabe said they have stocks of coffins for non-COVID deaths.

But relatives of those who died of the virus have to wait a day or two as the funeral parlor’s workers are also working overtime.

“We went around all funeral homes in town but there is no coffin available, because many corpses are in a queue,”

said Rea Monsales Sombe in a Facebook post.

Emmylou Mariano, manager of St. Peter Funeral Homes (SPFH), said Sombe had called her and the staff had allocated one for her grandfather who passed away, but she did not call back anymore.

Sombe apparently got a coffin elsewhere.

“The death rate now in Zamboanga is like what we had in the first wave,” observed Dexter Enriquez, manager of Funeraria La Merced, the city’s biggest funeral parlor. He was referring to the surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths recently.

According to the City Health Office, there were 278 additional new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, 182 new recoveries and 4 new mortalities.

The city now has a total cumulative cases of 19,032, with 2,858 recoveries and 805 deaths.

The city has been placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine until Oct. 31.

SPFH’s caskets, according to sales agent Ivan Espiritu, are built in Oroquieta City in Misamis

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

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leased on Tuesday by the city government of Davao, only scheduled burial, interments, death anniversary, 40th day, and visitation due to the birthday of the deceased will be allowed during the closure but limited to family members only.

Police Assistance Desks are available to assist visitors in cemeteries.

The city also issued

cemetery guidelines before October 24, 2021, and after November 7, 2021, such as observing the minimum public health protocols like implementing body temperature checks, wearing of face masks, social distancing, and handwashing in both private and public cemeteries at all times.

Visitors are only allowed 30 minutes to stay within the premises to allow other visitors time to visit their departed loved ones. Families are only allowed to visit their own deceased. Loitering and visiting to other people’s graves are not allowed.

Any person below 15 years old and above 65 years old are allowed to visit their immediate family members provided that they can present identification of their immediate relationship to the deceased.

Cemeteries shall only allow 10 persons per group to visit or to conduct necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals and shall limit their admission to 30 percent of the venue capacity.

Carrying of backpacks, wearing of jackets, vendors, vagrants, loiterers, and scav-

Davao that implementing the protocols in the demolition site is a challenge, however, assured that these are observed to prevent transmission of Covid-19.

“Oo wala ta’y undang ug sidewalk clearing pati ang other duties and responsibilities sa atoa especially ang drainage clean-

up and every Saturday naa pud ta’y coastline and riverbanks clean up. Observing the public health protocols challenge kaayo na sa amoa,” he said.

Bermejo said to ensure that there will be no transmission among the demolition team, it was divided into two groups with 10 members each group.

“Lain sa buntag, lain sa hapon,” he said.

Bermejo said ASU is averaging 10 demolitions a day of abandoned structures, damaged tricycles, and stalls obstructing the road.

He said confiscated items can be claimed by the claimants/owners ev-

he city government of Davao allowed the holding of burials and commemoration of death anniversaries during the closure of public and private cemeteries for two weeks.

There is a limit on the number of attendees though to immediate family members only.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has ordered the closure of cemeteries for two weeks from October 24 to November 7, 2021, in time for the observance of All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day. In the guidelines re-

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ASU assures health protocols observed during demolition ops

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n official of the Ancillary Service Unit (ASU) disclosed that demolition operations against illegal structures in Davao City continue amidst the pandemic but assured that public health protocols are being implemented.

Paul Previldo Bermejo, head of ASU, told Edge

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 186 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Davao del Sur OIC Provincial Director Maria Victoria Placer (2nd from left) and Consumer Protection Division OIC Chief Ramir Labastida (rightmost) hands over the Safety Seal Certificate to the supervisor of 7/11 Digos Doctors’Hospital branch. DTI

DTI-DavSur issues Safety Seal cert. to Digos City 7/11 outlets

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our 7/11 outlets im Digos City have finally received their Safety Seal certification from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as the latter continues to intensify its promotion of the safety and health protocols.

The DTI-Davao del Sur office has been advocating among the business establishments to secure a Safety Seal that would help them gain their customers’ trust further. While they are not obliged to apply for it, the agency has been staunch in encouraging more business owners to be part of the program.

Since the Safety Seal implementation in June this year, the DTI provincial office has already issued seven Safety Seal certificates within their area of jurisdiction. These include the one grocery store, two hardware stores, and four convenience stores, which

are the 7/11 outlets at the University of Mindanao – Digos College, Digos Bus Terminal, Digos Doctors’ Hospital, and in Balutakay.

DTI-Davao del Sur OIC-Provincial Director, Engr. Maria Victoria R. Placer, said the issuance of Safety Seal certificates to the 7/11 outlets is momentous since it happened during the annual celebration of the Consumer Welfare Month in October.

“Although the Safety Seal is not mandatory, we see the program to be very beneficial for our consumers and the certified establishments. With the Safety Seal, establishments would

increase the confidence if consumers because they would be assured that the store they are visiting is compliant with the minimum public health standards set by the government and has adopted the CCTS or the local digital contact tracing application in the province,” the trade official said.

DTI-Davao del Sur OICchief for consumer protection, Ramir D. Labastida, shared that the application is online. As such, he noted that the process is really convenient for the business establishments that may have difficulty or limitations in moving around because of certain COVID-19 restrictions.

“Apart from being online, it is also for free, so, we highly encourage all our business establishments in the province of Davao del Sur to avail of this program,”

Labastida said.

“Once their online application is sent, we will be prompted by the system with an inspection link and inspection security code.

This will then be our signal to conduct a physical inspection of the store. After careful evaluation of their compliance to minimum public health standards and adoption of CCTS, we will then approve or disapprove their online application.

Once approved, the Safety Seal Certificate will be automatically sent to them via e-mail,” he further explained.

The DTI issues Safety Seal for supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, membership shopping clubs, construction supply/ hardware stores, logistics service providers, barbershops and salons, and service and repair shops.

DTI11

that includes fast-tracking infrastructure next year, increasing food production, a proactive rollback of policy rate reductions early next year, and continued spending on the emergency employment fund to assist displaced workers amid the pandemic.

Salceda said the country’s experience with global systemic risks is that the “earlier it prepares, the better it performs.”

“There are signs that the situation with Evergrande is

systemic. New construction in September slowed down for a sixth straight month in China, that country’s longest period of monthly declines since 2015. There is also another real estate company that defaulted on its debts,” he said in a statement.

Salceda was referring to a liquidity crisis at China Evergrande Group, which has more than USD300 billion in liabilities. The development has rocked global markets.

He said South China-based luxury real estate developer Fantasia Holdings also said it failed to make a $206-million US dollar bond payment two weeks ago.

“So, although the Chinese economic authorities are trying to allay market fears, I would be on high alert, especially since many of our big conglomerates have exposure in the Chinese real estate market,” Salceda said.

Craft contingency plan to insulate PH from spillover of China’s slowdown

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he chair of the House Ways and Means Committee on Monday said the country’s economic managers should prepare a contingency plan to insulate the Philippines from spillover effects as China’s economic growth slowed to 4.9 percent in the third quarter amid the debt crisis surrounding property giant Evergrande’s debt crisis.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said it is best to prepare a “low-hanging package”

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New Zealand joins APEC efforts to undertake business ethics pacts

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he Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) reinforces the importance of ethical business conduct for small businesses in the health sector by expanding implementation of ethics pacts, as New Zealand launches a consensus framework to intensify ethical collaboration in its health system.

The “New Zealand Consensus Framework” was signed last week at the 2021 APEC Business Ethics for Small and Medium Enterprises Forum, according to a release issued by the APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Working Group and received here on Monday.

The framework builds upon nine similar agreements for ethical collaboration that bring together more than 300 health organizations representing thousands of companies and which affect hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals as well as millions of patients.

Consensus frameworks enable relevant stakeholders, including industries, healthcare professionals, patient groups, and governments, to work together by aligning shared principles.

In his opening remarks at the forum, the 2021 APEC Chair of Senior Officials, Vangelis Vitalis, highlighted the strong correlation between business ethics and productivity and how ethical businesses across the region can help drive business productivity by 3 to 6

percent per year.

“At a time when we need to get access to vaccines and related medical equipment, this framework allows policymakers, the private sectors, and others, to work together in finding consensus and supporting the region’s economic recovery,” he said.

Vitalis is concurrently the deputy secretary of Trade and Economic Affairs of New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Representing the private sector, former chief executive officer of the Medical Technology Association of New Zealand Faye Sumner affirmed that the framework creates a set of ethical standards to guide collaboration among patient organizations, healthcare professionals, and industry players.

“No one group can achieve an ethical environment in these sectors alone,” he said.

A research co-funded by APEC and presented at the forum by Ethisphere and Royal Holloway, University of London found that small businesses in health-related sectors with established ethics and compliance programs had a significantly stronger economic performance during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Ethics and compliance programs include employee training, written standard awareness and communication, anti-corruption policy coverage, and risk assessment.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 186 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

ECONOMY

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Two boys load piglets on a customized tricycle at the livestock area of Agdao Public Market in Davao City. Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar has highlighted the importance of incorporating technological and digital approaches in improving the safety of meat and meat products during the joint celebration of the 49th National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) anniversary and the 28th Meat Safety Consciousness Week. Edge Davao

PH firms seen to raise salary budget by 5.6% next year Meat inspection agency upgrades digital services

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he Department of Agriculture (DA) has highlighted the importance of incorporating technological and digital approaches in improving the safety of meat and meat products.

Modern technologies and strategies will ensure higher productivity of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk, according to Secretary William Dar during his speech at the joint celebra-

tion of the 49th National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) anniversary and the 28th Meat Safety Consciousness Week on Monday.

He also lauded the NMIS for its efforts to digitalize services.

Dar particularly cited the ongoing collaboration among the NMIS, Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council

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hilippine-based companies are optimistic about their businesses next year as employers plan to expand the average salary budget by 5.6 percent by 2022, the latest survey of global advisory, broking, and solutions company Willis Towers Watson said.

The projected salary increase in the country next year is higher than the forecast average increment in the Asia Pacific at 5.3 percent.

The estimated hike rate in the Philippines is higher than the rates of salary increase in Asia Pacific economies such as Japan at 2.5 percent,

Australia at 3.4 percent, Taiwan at 3.5 percent, Hong Kong at 3.6 percent, Singapore at 3.7 percent, South Korea at 4.1 percent, Thailand at 4.6 percent, and Malaysia at 5 percent.

Companies in China are expected to further increase salaries to employees by 5.9 percent,

Indonesia by 6.5 percent, Vietnam by 7.4 percent, and India by 8.8 percent.

“Pay rises are making a comeback. Companies in the Philippines plan to give employees higher increases next year as they recover from the economic fallout of the pandemic and face mounting challenges in attracting and retaining employees,” Willis Towers Watson said in a statement Monday.

The company cited industries that reported the highest average salary budget increments which include medical technolo-

gy, business support services including business process outsourcing, and manufacturing.

“On business outlook, close to 51 percent of companies in the Philippines expect their business performance to be in line with target while 43.8 percent expect it to be ahead of target this year,” it added.

Of the surveyed firms, 65.3 percent said they plan to maintain their headcount for the next 12 months, 25.8 percent said they will add employees, and 8.9 percent will re-

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DTI-12 launches online service system PH to boost irradiation capability

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usiness establishments, consumers, and interested entities may now transact with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - Region 12 (Soccsksargen) through its online service system.

Jude Constantine Jaugan, director of DTI-Region 12, said they have fully rolled out on Monday their newly developed webbased application dubbed DTI-12 Online Services or DOSe through their website

www.r12services.dti.gov. ph.

He said the system allows the public to conduct a range of transactions with the agency online, like applying for various permits and licenses amid the continuing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

The agency pushed for the innovation to cope with the restrictions being implemented by local government units, he said.

“In this time of the pan-

demic, the government has mandated preventive measures such as social distancing, and to minimize faceto-face transactions, which limit us in delivering services to the people. But this very challenge has fueled us to be more innovative and creative hence the birth of our DOSe project,” Jaugan said in a statement.

The official said DOSe provides a more convenient platform for the general

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with new P549 million facility

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he Board of Investments (BOI) has approved the PHP548.7-million project of Irradiation Solutions, Inc. (ISI), the second irradiation facility in the country.

In a statement Monday, BOI said ISI will start commercial operation of the Tanay Multipurpose Irradiation Facility by

June 2023.

ISI will be using electron-beam technology for its irradiation facility in Tanay, Rizal.

According to BOI, the only e-beam irradiation facility in the country is owned and operated by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI),

which has a capacity of 440 metric tons (MT) in a year.

The upcoming irradiation facility will add 25,000 MT of irradiation capacity annually.

Irradiation is a processing and preservation technique for food and non-food products by exposing the goods to ion-

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 186 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

On the candidates Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) party will endorse in the 2022 national elections:

Yes at some point in the future. (As of now) wala pa po kaming listahan.”

Anthony del Rosario HNP spokesperson

EDITORIAL Of decency and performance Show business personalities are using their popularity to push for the candidacy of Vice President Leni Robredo and her runningmate Senator Kiko Pangilinan. The narrative is decency or the lack of it in the present administration.

First and foremost, President Rodrigo Duterte himself is not a candidate here so any reference to him as compared to the Robredo presidential bid is of no moment. So if an actress like Pangilinan’s wife Sharon Cuneta, no matter how popular she is, brings the narrative of decency to the table based on personal judgment is out of the question.

Rodrigo Duterte, the outgoing chief executive, is not the candidate.

The narative of blaming lack of decency to one side of the political fence is also a biased perception it being, again, personal. Decency or the lack of it cannot be subjective. It also is not a monopoly of one side. If perceptions are based on social media, decency or the lack of it is universal. Both sides can go the extremes in the height of arguments. Yes, even show business personalities. Mouthing unprintables

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And while the narrative is drawn towards decency--foul mouthed and all--people should be reminded that politics is not just about decency. Above all, it’s performance. It’s the delivery of services to the people. Now, if one actress will say that this current government is not doing its job, she needs to contradict the dominant numbers based on actual pulse surveys that say otherwise.

Numbers are the hardest to beat. They tell the story.

Performance is about numbers. Roads, bridges, electrification, environment management, criminality, illegal drugs, even corruption, is all about numbers. Whether or not you prove it, numbers will point to one thing--measurable performance outweighs the intangible values like decency.

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

on social media is just as indecent as an actor playing his private on video. Decency? It’s a universal thing. It is not the sole property of a particular class.

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)

VOL.14 ISSUE 186 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO NOT THE ORIGINAL CHOICE For playing the leading man of Jennylyn Mercado in Walang Forever, Jericho Rosales won the Best Actor award in the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). To think, he was not the original choice to portray the character but JM de Guzman.

“I really don’t mind kung second choice or third choice ako,” Rosales said in an interview with ABS-CBN. “As long as the project is fit para sa akin (for me) and I know that I can do a good job in playing a role.”

In another MMFF entry, award-winning actor Cesar Montano also replaced Robin Padilla in the starring role opposite former adult film star Maria Ozawa in Nilalang. According to some reports, Padilla pulled out of the film “in order to take care of his wife Mariel Rodriguez, who was going through a delicate pregnancy, following a miscarriage few months earlier.”

In Hollywood, the film capital of the world, there are some actors who refused to take roles which became famous after the second took them. Warren Beatty, for instance, balked at three movies that became star vehicles for Robert Redford:

The Way We Were, The Sting, and The Great Gatsby.

Sigourney Weaver had first option on three steamy potboilers: Fatal Attraction (which went to Glenn Close, who received an Oscar nomination for her performance), Body Heat (the film that launched Kathleen Turner), and 9-1/2 Weeks (turning Kim Basinger into a star in her own right).

Fortunately for Jack Nicholson, he managed to stay as one of Hollywood’s most bankable actors despite turning down the leading roles in The Untouchables, The China Syndrome, Apocalypse Now, Coming Home, The Sting, and The Godfather. Asked why he rejected the Michael Corleone role in the latter, he replied: “I thought you had to be Jewish to play him.”

Shirley Temple was originally tapped to play the little girl with red shoes in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Unfortunately, she couldn’t be released from her mother studio for contractual reasons. And so the role went to Judy Garland, who made the song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” phenomenal.

Marlon Brando said no to play the lead role in The Man

With the Golden Arm (1955).

It went to singer Frank Sinatra who revived his flagging career.

The Graduate (1967) made a star out of Dustin Hoffman when Robert Redford refused to play the role.

Film director Paul Thomas Anderson originally wanted Leonardo DiCaprio, after seeing him in The Basketball Diaries, to play the role of Eddie in Boogie Nights. DiCaprio enjoyed the screenplay, but had to turn it down because he signed on to star in Titanic. DiCaprio recommended Mark Wahlberg for the role. Joaquin Phoenix was also offered the role of Eddie, but turned it down due to concerns about playing a porn star.

It was not Tom Cruise who was the original choice to play the role of Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Tony Scott’s Top Gun (1986). It was first offered to Matthew Modine but turned it down because he felt the film’s pro-military stance went against his politics.

James Woods was offered a part in Oliver Stone’s Platoon (1986), which was shot in the Philippines. He turned the role down saying he “couldn’t face going into another jungle with (Stone).” He appeared in

Stone’s previous film, Salvador, which earned him an Oscar nomination.

The role played by Meryl Streep in Kramer vs. Kramer was first offered to Kate Jackson but was forced to turn it down.

At the time, Jackson was appearing in the TV series Charlie’s Angels and producer Aaron Spelling told her that they were unable to rearrange the shooting schedule to give her time off to do the film.

Agents reportedly sent the script of Rain Man (1988) to Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. The producers envisioned Murray to play the leading part with Hoffman in the role eventually portrayed by Tom Cruise.

Mickey Rourke was also offered a role but he turned it down.

From the book, Hollywood Trivia, by Aubrey Malone, here are more famous roles and the original choices: Elvis Presley was tempted to play the Kris Kristofferson role in the remake of A Star is Born (1976) to revive his dying movie career but ultimately decided that the idea of playing a drug-addicted rock star was just that bit too near the truth.

Sharon Stone said no to the

chance of playing opposite Clint Eastwood in In The Line of Fire (1993) because she thought that old Clint was getting past his prime. The movie proved to be a huge hit for him and made a star of Rene Russo.

Michael Caine rejected Women in Love (1970) because he didn’t like the idea of wrestling naked with Alan Bates.

Bastes wasn’t offended and Oliver Reed (a somewhat less inhibited person) stepped in to do the honors.

Richard Dreyfuss refused the lead role in All That Jazz (1979) because he didn’t have enough confidence in Bob Fosse as a director. The role won star status Roy Scheider -- and an Oscar nomination as well.

Sylvester Stallone pulled out of Beverly Hills Cop (1984) because he felt that there weren’t enough action scenes in it! Eddie Murphy took the role and the rest was history.

Let’s end this trivia with Robert De Niro. He considered playing Jesus in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) but turned it down finally, feeling that his concentration would have been diverted by all the actors who had done the part before.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

BRIEF HISTORY OF DAVAO’S CITY STREETS (PT 3) The ‘free for all’ assignment of street names was effectively restricted following the enactment of Republic Act 1059 on June 12, 1954. The law prohibits ‘the naming of sitios, barrios, municipalities, cities, provinces, streets, highways, avenues, bridges, and other public thoroughfares, parks, plazas, public schools, public buildings, piers, government crafts and vessels, and other public institutions after living persons.’

The only exemptions allowed is if the naming of a landmark structure, or road ‘is a condition in a donation in favor of the government.’

The same statute also carries very significant provisos: (i) any ordinance or resolution adopted contrary to the pro-

visions of this Act shall be null and void and (2) places, landmarks, or places named pursuant to existing Acts of Congress are excepted, adding ‘the proper authorities are hereby directed to make the corresponding changes within six months after the approval of this Act.’ Restricted by law, the City Council, except streets, alleys, roads, drives, and streets found in private domains (i.e., subdivisions, personal properties, agricultural estate, etc.) had to use legislation in naming and renaming street names without restriction from any national agency.

Without giving preponderance to historical influences, naming and renaming of city streets by the City Council

became rampant in the 1960s and early 1970s, notably the years between 1963 and 1972 when fourteen city streets, despite their significance, some were renamed after people with very little impact to the city’s progress.

197 1968 Tomas ClauElpidio Quirino 542 1968 L e g a z pi-Camus G a u d e n c i o Antonino 355 1971 Fernando Magallanes Antonio Pichon, Sr. 431 1971 Simon de RESOLUTION YEAR Anda Feliciano Iñigo OLD NAME NEW NAME 503 1971 Miguel Lopez 107 1963 N a r c i s o de Legazpi Pantaleon PeClaveria y Zaldua Claro layo, Sr. M. Recto

Ponciano Reyes C a y 412 1963 Ramon Mag- etano Bangoy saysay (Obrero) Alzate 1 144 9 7 2 413 1965 Jose Oyan- Ponce-Suazo-Artiaga junction guren y Cruz Ramon F. Pag-asa Magsaysay 570 1972 Federico Fed Frank W. Carpenter erico Faura, SJ Fatima Leon Ma. Garcia, Sr. 1205 1964 Padre Going by the list, six SpanFederico Faura, SJ Santi- ish-sounding historical names ago Artiaga (i.e., Claveria, Oyanguren, dio

Faura, Magallanes, Anda, and Legazpi) and an America-era profile (i.e., Carpenter) were changed. In just a matter of three years (1968-71), Legazpi Street was renamed twice.

In the post-1986 period, only a handful streets, chiefly assigned non-living appellations, were given new names: Juan A. Arenas (Circumferential Road), Gregorio Cañeda (Bacaca-Buhangin Road), Francisco Dizon (Bacaca Road), Guillermo E. Torres (Sandawa Street), and Paciano Bangoy (Bolton Street). Today, naming and renaming of streets, landmarks, structures, and places, require the consultation of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) under the agency’s highly restrictive and prohibitive guidelines.

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EDGEDAVAO

EDGEDAVAO Life & Leisure

GRAND SUMMIT HOTELS SOFT OPENS IN GENSAN

Set in the bustling city of General Santos City, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts’ newest and very first 4-star local brand Grand Summit Hotels held its soft opening last October 13, 2021. The intimate event was attended by Robinsons Land Corporation’s (“RLC”) President and CEO, Mr. Frederick D. Go, Robinsons Hotels and Resort’s (“RHR”) Senior Vice President and Business Unit General Manager, Mr. Arthur Gindap, Group General Manager, Ms. Annalyn Yap, Group Director of Sales and Marketing, Ms. Joy de Mesa, and government officials, South Cotabato 1st District Representative Congresswoman Shirlyn Bañas – Nograles, General Santos City Mayor Ronnel Rivera and First Lady Mrs. Jane Rivera. Adhering to the safety and security protocols set by the city, only the hotel and casino’s employees, and PAGCOR officials were present during the ceremony. A simple luncheon took place at the hotel’s all-day restaurant, Café Summit, right after the blessing presided by Fr. Ricky Legario.

Grand Summit Hotel is the smart choice for travelers who are looking for more than just a place to stay. More than a destination, Grand Summit Hotel offers an experience. With its distinctly “Filipino” warmth and flair coupled with intuitive and personalized service, the hotel aims to build meaningful connections with its guests.

Every touchpoint of your stay is as unforgettable as the beauty and warmth of GenSan and its people.

Arthur Gindap, Senior Vice President and Business Unit General Manager of Robinsons Hotels

and Resorts said, “We, at Robinsons Hotels and Resorts, remain steadfast in our vision of extending our brand of hospitality and service all throughout the country and beyond.

Ours is a vision built on a tradition of solidarity and perseverance, and this is what the Grand Summit stands for - a brand that can withstand the weathers of the highs and lows of economies - always at the forefront of what hotel service ought to be.”

Grand Summit Hotel puts premium hospitality within reach. An exquisite balance of style and

comfort awaits the guests of Grand Summit Hotel.

Equipped with world-class facilities and premium amenities, all 102 rooms and suites at the hotel are carefully-designed to meet the evolving needs of its guests.

Dine in style every day at the Grand Summit Hotel, and enjoy a wide range of cuisines at Café Summit. The all-day dining restaurant brings the best of the region to give you a dining experience unlike any other. Situated in the Tuna Capital of the Philippines – General Santos City, Café Summit does not only offer this local favorite but provides a variety of choices from regional delicacies to international cuisines, catering to the different tastes and preferences of its guests. Apart from the exquisite dishes, they also boast of its signature drinks such as Whisper of the Hill, Summit Lady and Mango de Papa. For intimate gatherings, business luncheons or any exclusive dining, private dining is available for the guests’ convenience.

With multiple function rooms and a ballroom, Grand Summit Hotel is the ideal venue for business meetings, exhibits, training and social gatherings. Function rooms can

(L-R) Grand Summit Hotel General Manager, Jesse Chua; RHR SVP and BUGM Arthur Gindap; First Lady Mrs. Jane Rivera; Mayor Ronnel C. Rivera; Congresswoman Shirlyn Bañas – Nograles; RLC President and CEO Frederick D. Go; Summit and Go Hotels Group General Manager Annalyn Yap

The Lobby Lounge exudes welcoming elegance with its plush furnishings and cozy ambience conveniently accommodate up to 30 guests while the spacious, pillarless and elegantly-designed Grand Summit Ballroom can comfortably fit up to 500 guests (banquet set-up) and 700 guests (theatre set-up).

Each room are equipped with top-of-the-line audiovisual and technical facilities to make your event a success.

Grand Summit Hotel also puts convenience and leisure at its priority. The hotel offers leisure facilities including a spa, gym, and a swimming pool. Guests can enjoy the pool and suite facilities by December 2021 while the Grand Summit Ballroom, spa, and fitness center are scheduled to be open by 2nd quarter of 2022.

How safe is it to travel in the time of the pandemic? Robinsons Hotel and Resorts and Grand Summit Hotel understand the concerns of its guests when traveling in the new normal. Robinsons Hotel and Resorts implement safety protocols in every touch point from pre-arrival to post-departure to ensure a worry-free and safe experience for all guests.

Grand Summit Hotel General Santos follows the Circle of Clean (COC) protocol, which is modeled after the World Health

Congresswoman Shirlyn Bañas – Nograles and Grand Summit Hotel General Santos General Manager Jesse Chua

Fr. Ricky Legario led the blessing of the hotel Organization’s hygiene and cleanliness standards as well as the Department of Health New Normal protocol. Aside from common precautions seen in almost every establishment today, the COC has extra safety measures including a seamless online checkin, luggage disinfection upon check-in and checkout, COC ambassadors stationed in common

areas ready to assist, and also rigorously conducts effective food handling hygiene.

“This is not a mere hotel opening for us and the residents of General Santos, but a testament of the wonderful things to expect in the coming days here in our beloved city.” states Annalyn Yap, Group General Manager of Summit and Go Hotels

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VOL.14 ISSUE 186 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

COMPETITIVE EDGE

9

SMALL TALK WITH

SMALL LAUDE AND SM

A

lthough her name is Small, Filipina socialite, entrepreneur, and celebrity vlogger Small Laude knows what it is to live large. Funny, exuberant, and down to earth, her effortless humor has gained her 350K subscribers and followers who love her videos on fashion, lifestyle and her own shopping adventures in her YouTube channel. She also stars in her own 4-part TV special, It’s a Small World on Metro Channel.

Her latest shopping adventure takes her to SM, as host of Shop All You Can with Small Laude, where she highlights SM’s Call to Deliver service from October 15 to November 15, 2021 at The SM Store’s Facebook page facebook.com/thesmstore.

As someone who has traveled and lived abroad extensively, Small admits “I didn’t shop a lot in Manila

before.” She was therefore amazed when she started shopping at SM and discovered the store’s extensive offerings.

“SM has everything,” she enthuses. “Even some of the items I have from abroad, SM has them! So many nice things. I enjoy shopping at SM now, the experience is exciting!”

She has been especially delighted with SM’s Call to Deliver service, which she calls “a great and modern experience.”

Small describes the Call to Deliver service as “quite easy and convenient! The personal shoppers are competent and very accommodating. They will find and source all your needs.”

She was impressed with the service “because of the vast merchandise that’s available to choose from.

Being able to get everything in one place and the convenience of having the person-

al shopper complete all you need and deliver it right to your door was fun and exhilarating!”

Her personal picks from her Call to Deliver shopping adventure? “Of course my Kitchen Aid!” she quickly answers. “I never knew The SM Store has it. I love the clothes and shoes, and perfumes that I selected.

The scent collection of SM can compare those of other stores abroad! Too many to mention, really.”

Small’s shopping tips for the new normal” “Everything SM because they’ve got it all for you!”

Watch Small Laude’s Shop All You Can video, and use her promo code to avail of FREE Delivery, with a minimum P1,000 The SM Store Call To Deliver purchase.

As SM continues to celebrate the birth month of its founder Henry Sy Sr. this October with Super Month,

Well-known socialite, entrepreneur, and celebrity vlogger Small Laude chronicles her latest shopping adventures with SM Call to Deliver in Shop All You Can with Small Laude from October 15 to November 15, 2021.

S

KY continues to bring world-class shows to its valued subscribers for their allaround entertainment as it premieres the third season of the award-winning HBO Or ginal drama series “Succession,” with new episodes airing every Monday, starting October 18 at 9 AM, the same time as the U.S., exclusively on HBO GO and HBO, with a same day encore at 10 PM on HBO. The Emmy winner for Outstanding Drama Series, created by Jesse Armstrong, picks up from where it left off in its second season, resuming the gut-wrenching drama surrounding wealth, power, and the ruthless world of the uber-rich society.

Following the ambush by his rebellious son Kendall (Jeremy Strong) on who should take the blame for the company’s crimes, billionaire and media mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox) is now fighting for his reputation as he scrambles to secure familial, political, and financial alliances after an infa-

Small gets her essentials on the comforts of her home thru SM Call to Deliver.

Play SM Call to Deliver’s Scratch & Win from October 15, 2021 – January 15, 2022 and get a chance to win exclusive vouchers and freebies. you can get a chance to win exclusive vouchers and freebies from The SM Store Call to Deliver Scratch & Win promotion starting October 15, 2021 to January 15, 2022. Play Scratch & Win by registering a Philippine-issued mobile number using mobile phones or tablets at rewards.thesmstore. com.

Celebrate Super Month

Small excitedly talks to SM Call to Deliver personal shopper assigned to her.

“The whole process was fun and exhilarating,” says Small Laude. “Being able to get everything in one place and the convenience of having the personal shopper complete all you need, and deliver it right to your door! with The SM Store Call to Deliver! Order from the comforts of your home and we will shop for you.

Chat with us now via The SM Store’s Facebook Messenger bit.ly/CTD-Mes-

senger and Viber comm: bit.ly/JoinSMViber Viber admin: thesmstore.hiallie.com. Check out The SM Store’s facebook page facebook.com/thesmstore Call #143SM

SM Call to Deliver’s personal shopper looks for the items of Small. “The personal shoppers are competent and very accommodating. They will find and source all your needs,”says Small.

Subscribe to HBO GO on SKY for as low as P99 a month

THIRD SEASON OF AWARD-WINNING DRAMA SERIES ‘SUCCESSION’ STREAMING ON HBO AND HBO GO VIA SKY mous exposé. Tensions then arise as the looming threat of a bitter corporate battle lurks to be an intense family civil war among them.

Also starring alongside Strong and Cox in the award-winning HBO Original are Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, Nicho-

las Braun, Matthew Macfadyen, Peter Friedman, J. Smith-Cameron, Dagmara Dominczyk, Justine Lupe, David Rasche, Fisher Ste-

vens, Hiam Abbass, Arian Moayed, Harriet Walter, James Cromwell, Natalie Gold, Juliana Canfield, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Zoë Winters, Jeannie Berlin, Alexander Skarsgård, Sanaa Lathan, Linda Emond, Jihae, Adrien Brody, Hope Davis, and Dasha Nekrasova.

Find out if Logan and the rest of his family would make it out alive in the harsh reality of the corporate world as “Succession” kicks off its nine-episode third season run

on HBO GO and HBO every Monday, beginning October 18 at 9 AM. SKY subscribers can catch its previous and new episodes on the go via an HBO GO subscription for as low as P99 a month.

HBO GO also comes free when they subscribe to HBO PAK for only P149 a month via SKYcable Select and comes with access to other HBO channels, including HBO, HBO Hits, HBO Signature, HBO Family, and Cinemax. Visit mysky.com.ph/hbogo to learn more.

For more news and promo updates, follow SKYcable on Facebook (fb.com/myskyupdates), Twitter, and Instagram (@ myskyupdates).

10

EDGEDAVAO

HUGPONG... FROM 2

every day.

The Inday Sara Duterte Ako (ISDA) volunteers continue to pray that Mayor Sara would consider running for president and vowed to continue to support the mayor whether she runs for president or not.

On the other hand, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go recently announced that he is 100 percent positive to run for vice president in the 2022 national elections.

“Tungkol sa aking candidacy ay 100 percent na po ito. Tuloy tuloy na po ang aking kandidatura bilang vice president at gagawin ko ang lahat ng aking makakaya na maipagpapatuloy ang mga program ana naumpisahan ni Pangulong Duterte na makakatulong

sa mga kababayan natin gaya ng “Build Build Build”, libreng pagpapagamot, libreng edukasyon, kampanya laban sa corruption, krimenalidad, at illegal na droga,” Go said.

Go assured that PDP Laban’s senatorial slate will be completed soon.

“Maraming gustong sumali noon, eh yung iba nag-aalanganin dahil hindi nila alam kung sino talaga ang magiging ulo, ulo at pangalawang pangulo.

Ngayon pag dumating yung punto na andiyan na yung final list of presidentiables and vice presidentiables doon natin makikita kung sino rin yung senatoriables.

Hindi nalalayo na magiging kompleto yun (list) soon.

Kung ano ang desisyon ng partido ay suportado ko po ito,” Go said.

vaccinated but don’t have the spare time to go to the fixed facilities.

“With the visit of the bakuna bus, they did not have a reason anymore for not getting the vaccine,” he said.

Barangay City Heights councilor Richard John Casabuena, who assisted the information campaign, urged residents to take advantage of the services of the “bakuna bus” once it visits their areas.

Although the inoculation is voluntary, he said it is important for residents to get vaccinated as it is the only way to help end the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re supporting this

initiative to ensure that more lives will be saved [from severe COVID-19],” he said.

Zapatos said they are planning to deploy more mobile facilities in the coming days to further expand the vaccination coverage in the city.

He said they are considering tapping ambulances for the program and deploy them to the unreached areas in the barangays.

“We’re doing everything to bring the vaccines closer to you. We hope for your cooperation so this will become successful and we eventually reach our goal to achieve herd immunity,” he added. (MindaNews)

“That public trust comes from the trustors’. Who are the trustors’, the trustors’ are the people. Kamo ang trustors’, kamo ang stakehold-

ers, kamo ang shareholders, kamo ang stockholders sa atong nasud,”Sec. Andanar said during his radio guesting. (PIA XI/RG Alama)

He said China’s economic condition could also be “an opportunity in disguise” for the Philippines to open up its economy and welcome more investments from companies seeking to diversify supply chains.

He added that while the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act is the greatest tool in this regard, the enactment of amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act,

the Public Service Act, and the Foreign Investments Act would also be beneficial.

“If some sort of capital flight happens in China, it will all have to go somewhere. If our economy is not open enough, it will be like catching rainwater with a thimble. Let’s open some of our archaic restrictions, so that when it rains, we have something bigger to catch water with,” Salceda said. (PNA)

public to process permits and licenses, make payments, and claim corresponding certificates and related documents.

He said the regional office developed the system to allow their clients to make the transactions on one website, and provide a convenient, fast, transparent, and efficient government service.

Jaugan said among those that would greatly benefit from the system are establishments that need to secure sales promotion permits as provided for in Article 116 of Republic Act 7394 or the Consumer Act

of the Philippines.

Jaugan said DTI-12 is considered a pioneer among the other regions in terms of offering online applications for DTI’s services with the pilot provision of sales promotion permit applications.

The other online transactions available are applications for accreditation of service and repair enterprises, accreditation of private emission testing center, fire extinguisher business license, certificate of accreditation for truck rebuilding center, and the filing of consumer complaint. (PNA)

GENSAN... FROM 2

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VOL.14 ISSUE 186 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

NHA... FROM 2

Foreign Affairs accepts the PhilID for passport transactions while the Department of Social Welfare and Development database will also rely on the national ID of beneficiaries.

More than five million PhilID cards were released for delivery last month.

The PSA continues to call on government agencies and private entities to accept the PhilID as stipulated under Republic Act No. 11055 or the Philippine Identification System Act. Signed by President Ro-

drigo R. Duterte in August 2018, the law aims to establish a single national ID for all Filipinos and resident aliens.

The national ID shall be a valid proof of identity that shall be a means of simplifying public and private transactions, enrollment in schools, and the opening of bank accounts.

It also seeks to boost efficiency, especially in dealing with government services where people will only need to present one ID during transactions. (PNA)

engers; tents and overnight stays; loud music, gambling, videoke, alcoholic drinks, illegal drugs, pointed objects, and tricycles are strictly prohibited in the cemeteries.

Cemetery gates will be opened at 8 a.m. and will close at 5 p.m. the cut-off time for waitlisted visitors shall be at 4:30 p.m

Occidental and are transported by big trucks to Zamboanga.

Mariano, the manager, said that before the pandemic, 24 units of caskets would sell out in 2-3 days.

But with COVID-19, the same number would be gone in just 1-2 days.

“While we have the supply replenishment delivered by truck from Oroquieta, we also have to wait for the permit, and the driver has to take the antigen test and we have to wait for the results,” Mariano said.

She stressed that their priority are the plan holders but “we receive walkins whenever there are available stocks.”

The company has re-

cently agreed with the local Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) that the truck carrying the caskets may be allowed to get through without the driver’s antigen test result for as long as the driver does not alight from the cargo transport and only those from Zamboanga would bring down the caskets.

Mariano recalled that there was a time when there was no casket production because three of their personnel in Oroquieta were infected with the virus. “The company maintains quality control in casket production and delivery of services,” she emphasized. (Frencie Carreon / MindaNews)

duce the number of their employees due to the impacts of the pandemic on their businesses.

The survey showed that firms are likely to create more jobs in functions such as sales, information technology, and engineering in the next 12 months.

“Companies recognize the need to boost compensation, especially in sectors where there may be a manpower crunch.

This situation has driven organizations to explore alternative options to fixed pay increases, including sign-on, retention bonuses, functional and skill premiums, mid-

year adjustments or pay increases,” Willis Towers Watson Philippines Rewards, Data & Software Practice Leader Chantal Querubin said.

Querubin said the work condition amid the pandemic pushes employers to deliver “a sound employee value proposition” and provide a total rewards program.

“Beyond competitive salaries, which are table stakes at the moment, companies also need to focus their spending on a diverse set of benefits, wellbeing, and upskilling programs to drive employee engagement,” she said. (PNA)

izing radiation, such as gamma rays, x-rays, and e-beam machines.

Products that undergo irradiation do not become radioactive.

“The project is aligned with the government’s Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) response in building food resilience through the adoption of innovative technologies to reduce post-harvest losses and increase shelf-life of agri-fisheries products and food commodities,” Trade Undersecretary

and BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo said.

Target customers of ISI’s facility in Tanay, Rizal will include importers, exporters, and traders.

“It will also promote much needed additional economic activity throughout the agriculture value chain through increased quality of production as well as enabling local products to be of export quality and thus be able to access wider international markets,” Rodolfo added. (PNA)

CITY... FROM 3

COFFINS... FROM 3

FIRMS... FROM 5

PH... FROM 5

MAGNOLIA... FROM 11

this championship, but Reyes isn’t buying into it.

“There’s a reason they’re in the finals,” said Reyes.

Stats-wise, they’re about even, although the Tropang Giga topped the Hotshots, 83-76, in a low-scoring duel in the elims.

It’s no surprise since they’re the top two defensive teams in the tourney after Rain or Shine. The Hotshots are allowing just 83.8 points per game while the Tropang Giga yield 84.8 an outing.

And there are the in-

teresting matchups pitting Paul Lee versus Jayson Castro, Mark Barroca against Mikey Williams, Ian Sangalang versus Poy Erram, Rafi Reavis against Kelly Williams and Abueva either against RR Pogoy or Troy Rosario.

Abueva could well be Magnolia’s trump card especially as the 6-foot3 work horse could be a matchup problem for TNT. “Depende sa offensive or defensive schemes, pwedeng maglaro si Calvin ng two, three or four,” said Victolero. (PBA)

at an earlier date, which posed a problem during the federation meeting since the May 2022 start to the Vietnam games has

been set too.

“Initially, they wanted the opening ceremony to be on May 5 or earlier,” Tolentino said. (PNA)

ery Wednesday. Confiscated items were deposited in the ASU office in Ma-a.

“Nag set ta ug adlaw in a week to release confiscated items sa claimants labi na tong mga baligya (perishable items). We discourage them na magkarga ug mga baligya kay usahay kung dili na ma-claim mangalata lang man diri.

Kung perishable gyud gina-donate nato na sa mga government accredited institutions. On non-perishable items like guba na mga stalls, STL booths, ginatanggal pud na nato kay ginahimo naman na ug basurahan sa mga tao nga naa sa palibot,” he explained.

ASU is a division under City Mayor’s Office (CMO) which is responsible for addressing the problems and concerns arising from the illegal occupants, structures, and vendors from sidewalks to ensure its use for the pedestrian as well as in maintaining the cleanliness of the drainage networks of the city.

The unit was created on February 15, 2017, through Executive Order No. 05, Series of 2017 to manage and supervise the Roxas Night Market including the safety, operations, regulations, and the implementation of sanita-

tion in the area. ASU was established to lessen the problems of flooding, traffic congestion, and the proliferation of illegal vendors occupying the sidewalks and major streets.

“Based on EO No. 5 Series of 2017, ASU is allowed to summarily removed obstructions on sidewalks, roads, road right of way (ROW), pedestrian lane, pedestrian overpass.

When you say summarily removed, bisag wala na’y due process na ginatawag wala na puwede na namo na isya i-clear ang sidewalk kung wala na gyud agianan ang pedestrian,. However, bisag allowed mi to summarily removed obstructions on sidewalks and roads, gina-proseso giapon na namo. Amos a sila ng ginawanringan ug hangyo na sila na magtanggal. Kung mahimo i-self demolish na nila ilang structures.

Pero kung pagbalik namo naa lang gihpoan ang ilang structures, ginatabnagan namo na sila sa pag selfdemolish,” Bermejo said.

Bermejo has called on the public not to set up structures in danger zones, avoid double siding as they will choke the sidewalk, and not go up to the overpass to sell to avoid getting demolished or removed.

By Maya M. Padillo

for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, University of the Philippines Los Baños, and the Bureau of Animal Industry to develop a digital traceability system for meat products.

Following the OneDA Reform Agenda, Dar shared three key policy objectives for the NMIS over the medium-term: updated food safety action plan with stronger enforcement, improving the policy environment for food and nutrition security through more rational food policies, and setting up laboratories to optimal work to “weed out the bad apples denigrating the harvests of farmers and fishers”.

NMIS Officer-in-Charge and Executive Director

Jocelyn Salvador is proud that her office is no longer just confined to conducting meat inspections.

“We now take advantage of modern technology to conduct not just our training courses, but also to deliver some of our basic functions except the actual meat inspection,” Salvador said during the same event.

To date, the NMIS has established 487 accredited meat establishments, inclusive of slaughterhouses, poultry dressing plants, and cold storage warehouses.

It also has a total of 174 active meat inspectors and veterinarians, and has trained 295 meat inspectors in all regional offices.

(PNA)

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SPORTS

11

Troy Rosario will play a big factor for TNT in the Finals. (PBA)

Hanoi SEA Games set for mid-May start

V

ietnam is looking to begin the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games by the middle of May next year.

This was confirmed during the SEA Games Federation meeting on Monday.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino proposed during the online meeting for the event to formally open by May 12.

“As the debate went on, I suggested for a May 12 opening ceremony, a Monday,” Tolentino said. “The Vietnamese organizers will confirm the specific dates soon.”

Originally scheduled from November 21 to December 2 this year, the SEA Games, still set to take place in Hanoi, was moved

to May due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Traditionally being done every odd-numbered year ever since its first staging in 1959, the 31st edition would mark the first time the event will happen in an even-numbered year.

A total of 520 events from 40 sports will take place in Hanoi with the Philippine team participating in 39 of the sports.

However, it is expected that the SEA Games will return to its usual every odd-numbered year schedule by the 32nd edition with Cambodia finally getting a chance to host the biennial meet.

But the 2023 host is set to hold the SEA Games

FHANOI, P10

Magnolia, TNT begin Finals series M

agnolia and TNT begin their PBA Finals showdown on Wednesday, the first one after seven years.

The Hotshots are in the running for a crown in their very first tourney with prized trade recruit Calvin Abueva while the Tropang Giga are contending for a championship in the return of multi-titled coach Chot Reyes.

And there’s a lot more about the Hotshots-Tropang Giga finale that kicks off at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Don Honorio Ventu-

ra State U Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Both have lethal offensive weapons, both are defensive demons and both operate as cohesive units.

And all these hint at a fierce showdown in a dispute for the throne vacated by the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

Both are determined to end a long drought and both have a deep desire to pound the opportunity before them. And these could well make for a hotly contested, grind-out series.

“Mabigat na laban, but

whether it’s a short or long series, we’ll be ready for it,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.

Reyes said he’s thankful for the opportunity to fight for the crown in his PBA return.

“I came into this with just one thought for the team - to get better,” he said. “I spoke to the players about this and they bought into it. I told the vets you don’t have anything to prove, just improve.”

And after a second-place finish behind the Gin Kings in the last Clark bubble, the Tropang Giga are raring to finally go to the top - an achievement

TNT hasn’t achieved since its 2014-15 Commissioner’s Cup title run under coach Jong Uichico.

The previous Commissioner’s Cup, Magnolia (then flying the banner of San Mig Coffee) and TNT had their last of two title confrontations, with the former winning it as part of its season grand slam under coach Tim Cone.

Magnolia is 2-0 versus TNT in title showdowns since Cone and his troops also beat their TNT counterparts in the 2011-12 Commissioner’s Cup. Victolero believes they’re the underdog in

a championship ring, averaged 8.6 points and shot 44.4 percent from 3-point range that season as a useful role player and willing defender alongside superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Bradley is the third contributor from the Lakers’ title team to be brought back this offseason, joining guard Rajon Rondo and center Dwight Howard.

Avery BradleyAvery Bradley is the third contributor from the Lakers’ title

team to be brought back this offseason.

Bradley, 30, spent last season with Miami and Houston, averaging 6.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 27 games. He signed with Golden State as a free agent in September after the Rockets declined his $5.9 million team option.

A first-round pick from Texas in 2010, Bradley has averaged 11.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 11 NBA seasons.

FMAGNOLIA, P10

Lakers claim Bradley off waivers

L Avery Bradley played for the Lakers in 2019-20, but opted out prior to the NBA restart in the bubble in Orlando, Florida.

OS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers claimed veteran guard Avery Bradley Jr. off waivers on Monday (Tuesday, Manila time).

Bradley played for the Lakers in 2019-20, but opted out prior to the NBA restart in the bubble in Orlando, Florida, because of health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic and did not participate in the run to the franchise’s 17th championship.

Bradley, who received

12 SPORTS

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UPBEAT

VOL.14 ISSUE 186 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021

The Philippine team expects to make a splash, especially after their superb performance in the recent 2021 Para Dance Sport Polish Open in Łomianki last October 9-10.

PH para dancers confident ahead of world championships

T

he Philippine Para Dance Sports delegation is in an upbeat mode ahead of the World Para Dance Sport Championships, set for November 26-28 in Ulsan, South Korea.

“We still have one month to prepare and we will do our best in training,” said head coach Genice Bong Marquez during the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.

As many as 40 countries will compete in the world championships, including representatives from favorites Russia, Ukraine, and the United States.

But the Philippine team expects to make a splash, especially after their superb performance in the recent 2021 Para Dance Sport Polish Open in Łomianki last October 9-10.

The Philippines brought home seven gold, four silver, and eight bronze medals from the Poland meet, which served as the final qualifier for the world championships. A total of 16 countries competed in the event.

Evelyn de Asis was the breakout star for Team Philippines, winning four gold medals in the women’s single freestyle 2, single conventional 2, duo freestyle 2 with partner Julius Obrero, and junior competition.

The other gold medalists were Obrero (combi Latin class 2 and freestyle combi class 2 with partner

Rhea Marquez) and the pair of Jhona Pena and Joey Maglasang (duo standard class 2).

Winning silver medals were: De Asis and Shaquile Hanze Basan, Christian Apolinario, Jhistine Glyde Baguio, Filemon Baguio II, Obero, and Pena. The bronze medalists were Anne Charlaine Santos with four, Jed Villaruel, Christian Apolinario, and Joey Maglasang.

The medalists last week paid a courtesy call on the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw, where they were congratulated by Philippine Ambassador to Poland Leah Basinang-Ruiz.

All of the medalists from the Poland tilt will compete in South Korea next month, according to Marquez.

Obero and Rhea Marquez also graced the forum, saying they are working very hard in bubble training in Novaliches to make sure the Philippines is represented well in Ulsan.

“We train from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. with solo practices in between and we found that very effective,” said Marquez.

“Bubble training was difficult at the start but we adjusted well to it,” added Obero, a prosthetics technician at UERM.