Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 188 | Friday, October 22, 2021

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LIMIT TO MOBILITY A resident lights a candle and offers a prayer on the tomb of a departed relative at Wireless Cemetery in Davao City on Thursday.

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Minors, senior citizens allowed to go out only when accessing food, essential services: Covid-19 TF STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 188 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

President Rodrigo Duterte listens as Kingdom of Sweden Ambassador-designate to the Philippines Annika Thunborg presents her letter of credence to the President during a courtesy call at the Malacañang Palace on Wednesday night.

PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

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Duterte signs AO adopting National Competition Policy

Minors, senior citizens allowed to go out only when buying food, essential services: Covid-19 TF

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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n official of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force reminded that minors and senior citizens are allowed to leave their residences only when accessing food and essential services despite the improved Alert Level 3 status of Davao City.

Davao City was placed under Alert Level 3 from October 20, 2021 until October 31, 2021. Alert Level 3 refers to areas wherein case counts are high and/ or increasing, with total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate at increasing utilization.

Dr. Michelle Schlosser,

spokesperson of the task force, said that minors and senior citizens can leave their residences but only when accessing food and essential services like medical check-ups or hospitalization and conducting outdoor exercises, otherwise, they will have to stay at home.

“It relies on the essen-

tiality and purpose of the travel,” she said.

Schlosser also said that outdoor exercises and non-contact sports are now allowed for all ages.

“Diri sa atoang guidelines sa Alert Level 3, allowed ang outdoor exercise for all ages. That means even the kids and senior citizens, they can do that since it is within essential activities,” she said.

She also reminded parents to accompany their children when they exercise outside of their homes and to observe the minimum public health standards (MPHS) such as

wearing of face masks and social distancing from their non-family members.

Meanwhile, the city government of Davao has released guidelines to be followed under Alert Level 3 wherein allowed are intrazonal and interzonal travel subject to reasonable restrictions based on age and comorbidities.

Prohibited activities are face to face or in-person classes for basic education, except those previously approved by the IATF and/ or the Office of the President; contact sports, except those conducted under a

lization rate with 86% for the first dose and 63.8% for the second dose.

Davao Oriental has so far utilized the first dose allocation at 95% but needs to catch up for the 2nd dose with 36.1% utilization rate.

Davao del Sur has a first dose utilization rate at 84% and 34.2% for the 2nd dose.

Davao del Norte has uti-

lized 63% of their first dose allocation and 44% of their 2nd dose allocation.

Davao de Oro has so far utilized 47% of their 1st dose allocation and 33.7% of their 2nd dose.

Davao Occidental has a first dose utilization rate of 14% and 15.9% for the 2nd dose.

“We are optimistic that

the region can reach herd immunity by this year but we are emphasizing that a whole of society approach is needed for the country to reach herd immunity.

Even the private sector has an important role to play as we want Davao Region to be safe and healthy,” said Dr. Janis Olavides, DOH 11 Vac-

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DOH 11: Whole of society approach needed to reach herd immunity

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he Department of Health (DOH) XI is optimistic that the region will reach herd immunity this year. The region has a target or ideal jabs of 61,514 a day. The highest number of jabs reached by the region so far is at 47,000 jabs in a day.

As of October 16, Davao City showed the highest uti-

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resident Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday signed an administrative order (AO) directing the adoption and implementation of the National Competition Policy (NCP).

AO 44 is consistent with Republic Act No. (RA) 10667 which provides that the State shall establish a NCP to be implemented by the national government and all of its political agencies.

RA 10667 mandates the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) to assist the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), in consultation with relevant government agencies and sectors, to prepare and formulate and implement a NCP. The NEDA and PCC issued the NCP through NEDA-PCC Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01-2020 (s.

2020).

The NCP is in accordance with the strategic outcomes envisioned under the updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, to create an enabling and supportive economic environment with a strong and credible competition policy that will level the playing field and encourage more investments.

AO 44 recognizes that the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic to the economy require swift and strong government actions to maintain market efficiency and stimulate economic recovery.

“An effective National Competition Policy is key in ensuring that government responses and interventions follow competition princi-

ples in order to address the market failures and distortions that may arise from the Covid-19 crisis,” the AO read.

Under AO 44, all national government agencies (NGAs), including departments, bureaus, offices, and instrumentalities, government-owned or –controlled corporations (GOCCs), as well as local government units (LGU), are directed to adopt and implement, in accordance with their respective mandates, the NCP and its key elements as contained in NEDA-PCC Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01-2020 (s. 2020).

All government policies, rules, regulations, and interventions shall support the objectives of the NCP and foster a culture of competition.

The Inter-Agency Task Force under AO No. 25 (s.

2011) on the Harmonization of National Government Performance Monitoring, Information and Reporting Systems, in coordination with the Civil Service Commission and the Career Executive Service Board, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), as chairperson of the Council of Good Local Governance under RA No. 11292 or “The Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) Act of 2019” are directed to integrate, as far as practicable, the adoption of and compliance with the NCP and its key elements as part of the good governance conditions criteria for the grant of Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) to government

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EDGEDAVAO

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NEWS

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A member of the Davao Auxiliary Police unit scans the QR code of a visitor at the entrance of Wireless Cemetery in Davao City on Thursday. Edge Davao

Singapore Airlines to resume Davao-Singapore route soon City struggling to achieve 15,000 vaccinees per day

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he city government of Davao is struggling to achieve 15,000 vaccinees per day for the first dose of the anti-Covid vaccine.

Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of Davao City Covid-19 Task Force, admitted that the city has yet to achieve 15,000 vaccinees a day, although, looking at the data, 70 percent of Dabawenyos already received the first dose.

“Wala pa gyud nato na achieve ang 15,000 vaccinees a day, although, kung makit-an pud nato ang data, almost naka 70 percent nata sa mga naka-receive ug first dose.

That will be good enough pero if we can achieve 15,000 vaccinees in a day that would be even great,” she said.

This is the reason why the city government is taking different measures to vaccinate 15,000 per day and achieve herd immunity for the first dose.

Among the strategies is incentivizing vaccinees who will enlist themselves for “Bakuna Nights” San Roque Central Elementary School in Barrio Obre-

ro wherein they have the chance to win raffle prizes. Through this, more Dabawenyos will be encouraged to get vaccinated because of the raffle promos.

More “Bakuna Night” hubs will be piloted and these would be located in NCCC Mall Buhangin and SM City Davao to make the vaccination more accessible to the public.

The city government will be boosting its anti-Covid vaccination campaign by conducting a house-to-house (door-todoor) vaccination drive to seek qualified unvaccinated individuals, especially the senior citizens who have mobility challenges to go to different jab sites.

Schlosser said the best strategy is to coordinate with the senior citizens’ organizations in the barangay for them to be able to know who has not been vaccinated yet.

Schlosser announced on Wednesday that the city government is also mulling to conduct Saturday vaccination and also establish a drive-thru vaccination at the People’s Park.

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

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ity Tourism Operations officer Generose Tecson affirmed that Singapore Airlines requested for runway and terminal clearance for its planned resumption of the Davao-Singapore route between October 31, 2021 to March 26, 2022.

“They are just requesting for runway and terminal clearance. As to when they will start wala pa, between Oct 31 to March 26 ang indicated,” she said.

Tecson also affirmed that Singapore Airlines will service a “Northern Winter Flight”, however, will not im-

mediately begin the service.

She said, currently, the airline is still complying with the required permits from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and other agencies.

“Yes, but it doesn’t mean na right away they will fly here. No plans pa na

mag-operate ang Singa Air. Parang SOP lang as to not lose the route,” she said.

Singapore Airlines, through its former subsidiary Silk Air, used to have regular weekly flights to Davao City, however, stopped the service since the closure of the Davao International Airport (DIA) to all international flights due to Covid-19.

Under Singapore’s current category as a moderate risk country, or within the yellow list, arriving passengers who are fully vaccinated will have to undergo a

10-day quarantine, and 14 days for the unvaccinated.

Last month, Tecson announced that Scoot TigerAir, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, will be operating its direct inbound-outbound international flight to the city in the last quarter of 2021.

Meanwhile, Tecson said tour operators are now preparing for the reopening of tourism in Davao City. She said hotels will be offering “staycation packages” for the visitors, who will be required to undergo a quarantine period.

Owing to the two busted attempts to bring in shabu inside the prison facility, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-Davao has vowed to intensify security measures to prevent individuals from sneaking illegal drugs into the Davao City Jail in Barangay Ma-a.

The estimated total amount of the combined intercepted illegal drugs was worth P420,000, BJMP-Davao said.

According to a report released by BJMP-Davao, 15 sachets of suspected shabu were intercepted after jail guards inspected the adobo meal during a “paabot” (hand-in) activity at the Davao City Jail-Annex.

The illegal drugs, with an estimated value of P32,000, were inserted in the slabs of meat. The two individuals who brought the items were apprehended.

On the other hand, the BJMP-Davao said that a kagawad (councilor) of Barangay Ma-a reported to the Talomo Police Station 3 that a drone was spotted hovering near the city jail at Purok 25-B, People’s Village, Ma-a.

Authorities recovered from the drone three pieces of heat sealed transparent plastic sachets containing an estimated 25 grams of shabu with a street value

‘Shabu’ flown in by drone, concealed in ‘adobo’ intercepted at Davao City jail

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rug dealers in this city, the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte, are becoming sophisticated after jail authorities busted their attempt on Monday to bring in suspected shabu or crystal meth inside the Davao City Jail using a drone.

The next day, Tuesday, jail personnel intercepted sachets of alleged shabu inserted in a “chicken-pork adobo” meal being sneaked inside the city jail annex.

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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Vendors selling flowers and candles wait for customers in front of Wireless Cemetery in Davao City on Thursday. Edge Davao

Better Christmas ahead as restrictions ease: DTI chief

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epartment of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said Filipinos will have a better Christmas season this year than 2020 with the easing of restrictions and increasing vaccination rate.

In an interview with Radyo Pilipinas Wednesday, Lopez said economic activities are much better this year compared to the country’s first Christmas season in a coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

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epartment of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi said prices of petroleum products are expected to further increase until early next year with the current shortage in oil supply in the world market.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel Wednesday, Cusi attributed the oil price hike for the past eight weeks mainly to developments in the global market.

Global supply is still lacking around 3 million barrels per day (bpd) as oil producers and exporters are only supplying 100 million

He said as more Filipinos get vaccinated against Covid-19, consumer and business confidence also increases.

“Workers are confident, entrepreneurs are confident in reopening their businesses, and

bpd while demand is at 103 millions bpd.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) is sticking with its plan to only increase output by 400,000 bpd until April 2022 despite the rising demand as many countries are recovering from the impacts of the pandemic.

Cusi said although the Philippines is able to get the needed supply of 435,000 bpd, oil prices still depend on trading in the world market.

For the past two months, local prices of diesel have

many are able to go back to their jobs. Since they now have the income, we can see stronger growth ahead,” he added in Filipino.

The DTI chief said economic growth is expected to continue its upward trend for the last two quarters after posting an 11.8-percent growth in the second quarter of the year.

The economy this year may not yet be back at pre-pandemic level, but

gone up by PHP8.65, gasoline by PHP7.20, and kerosene by PHP8.05.

But with all the initiatives that the government is trying to do, the DOE chief is hoping that price hikes in the local market will be tamed.

Subsidy not fare hike As public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers are calling on the government for a fare hike amid the rising fuel cost, Cusi said he is personally against this proposal.

“We (DOE) opposed (the fare hike). Let us find a way like the Pantawid Pasada and all other subsidies that

Lopez said this will be better than last year.

“As long as there is (a) reopening of the economy, jobs, and spending, we can see this growth to continue,” Lopez said.

Starting October 16, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) placed Metro Manila in a less strict alert level system from Alert Level 4 to Level 3.

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we can provide for the public sector,” he said.

Taking into account that dramatic oil price hikes may repeat in the future, Cusi said the DOE has asked lawmakers to amend the oil deregulation law.

“To give DOE more authority in cases like this and to get back (the) government’s participation in oil trading,” he added.

The energy chief said legislative policies are needed to allow DOE to have more authority to intervene when there are big-time oil price hikes for a long period.

DTI chief pushes for at-home Covid-19 testing in ‘new normal’

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apid test kits should be available at home as the country moves toward the ‘new normal’, the top trade official said Wednesday.

“Our SOP -- standard operating procedure -- should be that each person has an antigen test (kits) on your own,” Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said in Filipino during an interview with Radyo Pilipinas.

Lopez said this has been done in countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, so individuals

are able to test themselves if they have a viral infection, especially if they are attending gatherings wherein a number of people could contract the virus.

“But that is going to the new normal, which you can test on your own,” he added.

To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved any self-administered test kits, but the agency has already reached out to the Department of Health (DOH) to get its opinion about at-home test kits.

ehicle importers are becoming more optimistic towards the end of the year as sales of outsourced cars increased in September.

The Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) on Wednesday reported that sales last month grew 26 percent to 4,946 units from 3,919 units sold in August this year.

This, as the government eased community quarantine restrictions after placing Metro Manila under enhanced community quarantine in early August.

Year-to-date sales of the industry group likewise increased by 26 percent to 43,957 units in January to September 2021 from 34,980 unit sales in the same period last year.

“We have weathered the volatile market conditions of the third quarter,” AVID president Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo said in a statement.

Although sales of passenger cars slipped by 1 percent year-to-date to 11,596 units, this was offset by the light commercial vehicle segment selling a total of

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Imported vehicle sales up in Sept

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EDGEDAVAO

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ECONOMY

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A street hawker offers a back scratcher to a motorist at the junction of Jacinto Extension and Quirino Avenue in Davao City on Thursday. Edge Davao

Gov’t eyes closure of all coalfired power plants in Mindanao PH, UK sign deal on recruitment mechanism for health workers

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he Philippines through the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the United Kingdom (UK) have recently signed a memorandum of understanding on the recruitment of healthcare professionals to improve the recruitment mechanisms that would further strengthen the protection of the rights of Filipino healthcare workers.

Bello said the agreement will further enhance the protection mechanisms for

Filipino healthcare professionals in the areas of recruitment, policy development, and education and training, among others, while the British government already extends to Filipino workers in the UK the same employment rights and benefits as the British nationals.

“The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding on the Recruitment of Filipino Healthcare Professionals between the Philippines and

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he government plans to close coalfired power plants in Mindanao once it finds the financing needed to improve the generating capacity of Agus-Pulangi hydropower plant, a move aimed to help address climate change.

In his speech during the virtual launch of the Sustainable Finance Roadmap and its Guiding Principles on Wednesday, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the government is currently looking for a financing mechanism to improve Agus-Pulangi’s generating capacity as part of its commitment to utilize more sustainable energy

sources.

“As we improve our renewable energy sources, we will retire coal-fired plants in the region. This landmark project will be launched at the COP26 (United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties) meeting in Glasgow. This could serve as a model for coal-dependent emerging economies

The program is targeted to ensure that the sector remains resilient to continue to cater to local communities and be among the drivers of growth in rural areas.

Diokno said that while the original five-year program was extended for a year, through an agreement among the BSP, the stateowned Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank), and the Philippine Deposit

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to gradually shift from fossil fuels to more sustainable and greener energy sources,” he said.

Dominguez said a whole-of-nation strategy is needed to achieve the government’s commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent over the next decade.

Thus, the push for the passage of a proposed measure that will ban single-use plastics, he said.

“This is our way of encouraging every Filipino to do his or her part on a daily basis in ending marine pollution and helping save the world’s environment,” he

added.

Dominguez said the government is also in the implementation stage for the solutions targeted to mitigate the impact of global warming on farmers and fisherfolk and those living in coastal communities “who bear the brunt of the consequences of climate change.”

He, however, said all these efforts will result in nothing without the necessary finance policies.

Dominguez said this is the reason for the tie-up with the United Kingdom government to implement

transactions, provides great potential for electronic payments.

He said the bank’s appbased digital prepaid bank account product, Hello Money, will greatly benefit from the QR PH program, especially with the increase in the merchants that account holders can easily do transactions with.

“We really see a lot of potential for these QR payments. We have onboarded a lot of merchants and defi-

nitely, coupled with the QR PH interoperable QR PH QR codes, we definitely see more digital payments.” he added.

QR PH is among the programs of the central bank eyed to increase the share of digital payments in the total financial transactions in the country.

The BSP recently launched the QR PH person-to-merchant (P2M) payment facility, an elec-

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BSP eyes another program QR PH program to further to strengthen coop banks boost digital payments

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nother program aimed to further strengthen cooperative banks (coop banks) is now “under consideration,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said.

During a virtual briefing streamed through BSP’s Facebook page on Wednesday, Diokno said the central bank approved a strengthening program for coop banks in August 2011, referring to the Strengthening

Program for Cooperative Banks (SPCB).

The five-year program, which ended in September 2016 after a one-year extension, aims to improve the sector through mergers and consolidation as well as allowing “white knights” to acquire barely surviving coop banks.

White knights is a third party that will acquire smaller coop banks or those needing capital infusions.

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bank executive has cited the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) payment system using the quick response (QR) code as a catalyst to further boost digital payments in the country.

In a virtual briefing on Wednesday, Asia United Bank (AUB) executive vice president Wilfredo Rodriguez Jr. said the interoperability of the codes under the QR PH program, which uses QR technology in financial

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 188 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

On plans of Singapore Airlines to resume Davao-Singapore route between October 31, 2021 to March 26, 2022:

They are just requesting for runway and terminal clearance. As to when they will start wala pa, between Oct 31 to March 26 ang indicated.”

Generose Tecson

City Tourism Operations Officer

EDITORIAL Goodbye, coal-fired plants Say goodbye to coal-fired power plants in Mindanao. The national government is bent on retiring these carbon-emitting energy dinosaurs as part of its thrust to help address climate change.

It couldn’t get better than that.

The strategy is to improve the renewable energy sources of the country then retire the coal-fired power sources in the island. To do this, it needs financing to improve the generating capacity of Agus-Pulangi hydropower plant.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III spoke on the matter recently and disclosed that the government is currently looking for a financing mechanism to improve Agus-Pulangi’s generating capacity as part of its commitment to utilize more sustainable energy sources.

The landmark project is eyed for a launch at the COP26 (United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties) meeting in Glasgow serving as a model for coal-dependent emerging economies to gradually shift from fossil fuels to more sustainable and greener energy sources.

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However, this ambitious plan can only be achieved by everyone’s cooperation. It’s not going to be the government alone that’s going to do the job. Every Juan has to pitch in and that means creating a culture of environmental awareness.

The government has implemented and is continuing to do solutions targeted to mitigate the impact of global warming on farmers and fisherfolk and those living in coastal communities who bear the brunt of the consequences of climate change. Already notable projects are the Boracay Island cleanup and the Manila Bay makeover.

It’s a massive work to be done and by far, the government is on the right track in working for the development of a green and sustainable economy.

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

The project is also an integral part of the whole-of-nation strategy to achieve the government’s commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent over the next decade. Included in this framework is the passage of a proposed measure that will ban single-use plastics.

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 188 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO FISH SHORTAGE LOOMING We are fishing our waters to the limit. Like the other vital resources we have, our fisheries are soon to collapse – a victim of the almost unabated plunder of the commons. As defined, the “commons” encompasses unoccupied land and all waters which are considered a God-given set of resources for the people to consume as much as needed.

But these resources appear to have been abused to the point of exhaustion. If Filipinos don’t watch out, they may no longer have fish to be served at their tables in the coming years.

An archipelagic country, the Philippines has about 7,100 islands; it has more water than it has land. The country’s total territorial water is 2,200,000 square kilometers while it only has 299,735 square kilometers of land area (about 34% or 102,984 square kilometers is considered agricultural).

“The thousands of islands endow the Philippines with a total coastline of 17,460 kilometers,” the Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) points out. “Within its land masses are freshwater and brackishwater swamplands, lakes, rivers and reservoirs.”

It is not surprising therefore why fish, touted to be the “poor man’s source of protein,” is our

other staple (rice is the other one). “Fish and seafood represent an important source of protein for the average Filipino, at around 41%of animal protein intake,” reports the Kuala Lumpur-based World Fish Center.

And so it came to pass that the wealth of oceans, once considered boundless, has proven finite.

Today, fish is a resource coveted – and fought over by countries.

“We are running out of fish and running out of time. For a country known for marine biodiversity, there are very few fish left to catch,” Vince Cinches, Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, was quoted as saying.

Such is the case in Southern Mindanao’s fishing ground – the Davao Gulf.

Since 2000, the volume and quality of the fish in the Davao Gulf have been in constant decline.

These were the findings of the 10year study entitled “Strengthening Governance and Sustainability of Small-scale Fisheries Management in the Philippines: An Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management Approach in Davao Region,” which was undertaken by World Fish Center.

A collaborative effort of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), local government units and the regional of-

fice of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the decade-study looked at the volume and quality of the harvests of 10 commonly fished species in the gulf: matambaka, tamban, moro-moro, caraballas, bilong-bilong, lapu-lapu, danggit, molmol, talakitok, and maya-maya.

Except for maya-maya, the harvest numbers for the species have been falling. At the current rate of decline, the caraballas, bilong-bilong, molmol, and danggit may all disappear completely from Davao Gulf within a decade, the study said.

The matambaka, tamban and moro-moro are more resilient, but even they may disappear within a generation, it added.

“Our fishery resources are beset with problems,” deplores BFAR, a line agency of the Department of Agriculture.

Fishing to the limit has been cited as one of the primary problems. Although fish stocks are a renewable resource, many of them are strained to the limit.

“Over the years, (Filipino fishers) have suffered from a widespread notion that the seas are inexhaustible and economic pressures that have encouraged over-exploitation,” an official of BFAR says.

The destruction of the country’s coastal ecosystem has also taken its toll on the country’s ma-

rine resources. Take the case of mangroves, those communities of trees in the tidal flats in coastal waters. The current rate of mangrove deforestation ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 hectares per year.

“Despite legislation and programs to protect mangroves, the country has lost 75 percent of its mangroves due largely to fishpond development, charcoal production, industrial conversion, reclamation, and pollution,” says Dr. Miguel Fortes, a professor of Marine Science Institute at the College of Science of University of the Philippines in Diliman.

In Davao Gulf, for instance, the conversion of mangrove areas to recreational resorts has likewise affected the fish catch. “Fish use the spaces under the mass of prop roots of mangrove trees as ‘delivery rooms,’ and the offspring of many marine species spend their growing period in the mangrove swamps before moving on to the open sea,” explains Dr. Rafael Guerrero III, former head of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development.

Coral reefs, considered one of the planet’s essential life-support systems, are not spared from destruction. An estimated 10% of the world’s 600,00 square kilometers of reefs has been destroyed during the past 50 years

by myriad causes, including industrial pollution.

The degradation of our coral reefs has been cited as one of the culprits of the low production of fisheries in the country. “Coral reefs are the food basket for the fish,” said Senator Loren Legarda in a press statement. “A square kilometer of healthy coral reef may yield about 30 tons of seafood every year. But 94% of our corals are in fair or poor condition, they will not be able to produce enough fish for our needs.”

Another problem that most likely hit the fisheries of the country soon: climate change. Some studies have shown that global warming will cause changes in ocean temperatures, sea ice extent, salinity, and oxygen levels, among other impacts. A recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports notes how it affects the amount and composition of fish that may lead to decreased catches.

“Warmer temperatures may also lead to decreases in maximum body sizes of marine fishes,” write the authors of the study, a team of scientists from the University of British Columbia (UBC).

They add that “these changes have large implications for people who depend on fish for food and income, and thus the contribution of fisheries to the global economy.”

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

OF PRINCIPLES, POWER AND PROMISES “The superior man thinks only of virtue; the common man thinks only of comfort.” - CONFUCIUS *******

In a country besieged and befuddled by various ethnic, cultural and technological influences - including an unhampered barrage of communication and information flow from the West it is no longer a big surprise why Filipinos are in a state of confusing cultural and ethical mix they are in today.

As it has been in decades past, a year or so before presidential elections, politicians aspiring for higher executive positions begin to navigate their way, hoping and expecting to seal a deal somewhere somehow with a political group or party willing to take him as its standard bearer.

The multi-party system that replaced the old but dependable two-party practice has allowed the emergence and proliferation

of political butterflies who sell their principles to preserve their political careers and establish a dynasty.

Suddenly, these ambitious personalities are transformed into expert public speakers mouthing carefully phrased slogans, expressing their “noble” objectives to uplift the majority who are poor and the marginalized minority cloaked in motherhood statements.

The emergence of such men (and women) is described by Einstein to “characterize our age” saying: “Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems, in my opinion, to characterize our age.”

Indeed, you can find truth in this as several of those running for the highest post of the land in the May 2022 presidential polls sprung up to present and offer themselves as fit and able for the position.

Let’s face it.

The regretful dissolution and replacement of the two-par-

ty system - patterned after the democratically-proven US practice - by the multi-party concept enabled the unqualified to qualify themselves unabashedly as honorable and fitting, much to the consternation and suffering of the electorate.

When a new president is installed, swarms of political butterflies switch sides, take their oaths with the political party of the powers-that-be and voila they now belong to the ruling majority party!

Grandiose promises aimed at securing (or hoodwinking) the support and mandate of the people roll out of their think tanks because they assume the once-bakya crowd of voters will bite their promotional come-ons hook, line and sinker.

Providing every poor his own house and shelter is a great and noble idea. But this falls flat in the face.

Spoon-feeding destroys the virtues of industry, creativity and diligence that are the core values

of the Filipino character.

Why give them fish? So you help them live for a day?

Instead, teach them how to fish so they can live decently and reliably on their own.

Why not teach, provide and promote livelihood and income-earning opportunities like the voluntary, self-help cooperative movement that has successfully transformed the once-poor and desolate Israel into the eighth richest country in the world?

Every barangay, for that matter, must have its own multi-purpose cooperative. Why is it a must?

Because cooperatives help increase the GDP - the consumption of goods and services Correcting the faults and failures of the 1987 Constitution and instituting pro-people driven initiatives to prepare them for unexpected tragedies such as the pandemic Covid19 is preferable to maintaining the status quo.

Candidates for the presidency must cease wooing the Filipi-

no voters with mouth-watering promises that are the hallmark of fake leaders.

A candidate who espouses a national mindset that is intolerant of the progressive truth is a traditional self-proclaimed “messiah” undeserving of the support of the electorate.

There is such a candidate in our midst.

Make no mistake about it.

Talks of unification benefit only ONE person because that person wants to elevate himself as the personification of the political opposition.

If a candidate possesses these three qualities of an ideal leader - integrity, moral honesty and executive leadership - there would not be any need to exert efforts at unification.

Everyone gravitates to the leader who has these virtues.

BEWARE OF CANDIDATES WHO MAKE HUGE PROMISES. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

Second multi-purpose compound, Phoenix Block, opens in Makati

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he second Phoenix Block opened in Bangkal, Makati, offering one-stopshop convenience through Phoenix’s portfolio of brands.

Phoenix has opened a second site for its onestop-shop retail model in Makati city, offering not just fuel, but also LPG, lubricants, digital payments, convenience store goods, and car care services in one commercial compound.

Called Phoenix Block, the 778-square meter area gathers all Phoenix

brands in one location for convenient and safer transactions amid the pandemic. It also reinforces Phoenix’s pursuit to become a multi-industry brand that offers complementary and related products and services to its customers.

“The Phoenix Block is the embodiment of our

pursuit to fulfill our vision of becoming an indispensable partner to the lives of the people we serve,” Phoenix Petroleum President Henry Albert Fadullon said. “Through the opening of Phoenix Block Evangelista, we will be able to provide surrounding communities with a complete line of Phoenix products and services so customers can address more of their daily needs in one site. ” Located on the corner of Estrella and Evangelista streets in Bangkal, Makati

City, the new Phoenix Block has a Phoenix fuel station, a Phoenix SUPER LPG Hub, a FamilyMart store, a Phoenix lubricants shop, and an Autoworx Plus automotive care shop, while transactions on lifestyle rewards app LIMITLESS are accepted.

Earlier this year, the first-ever Phoenix Block was opened in a 3,000-square meter site along Sucat Skyway. It features all Phoenix brands, as well as a Wendy’s take-out and drive-thru counter.

For its opening, Phoe-

nix Block Evangelista is giving away free FamilyMart goodies for at least two transactions made on the site from October 20 to 24. Valid transactions for the grand opening promo include single or accumulated Phoenix fuel gas-ups worth Php 500, purchase of any type of Phoenix SUPER LPG 11kg, single or accumulated purchases of FamilyMart products worth Php 250, and any Autoworx Plus service.

“Our first Phoenix Block has been a hit, so

we hope that this new one will be similarly enjoyed by the community. We believe in the value it offers to the customers, so we hope to open more of this onestop-shop retail site soon,“ Fadullon added.

To commemorate the opening, customers who visited the site on its launch received a free Phoenix PULSE sticker, FamilyMart coffee, and a Phoenix SUPER LPG loot bag. A LIMITLESS sign-up booth was also stationed during the opening day.

MEs Through the Kabuhayan Loan of BDO Network Bank (BDONB), small business owners can sustain their business operations. MSMEs which have been operating for three years are qualified to apply for a loan amount between PHP 30,000 to PHP1 million, which they can use to increase their inventory of stocks, purchase the needed equipment or assets, or expand the business with another branch in other location.

Ernesto Abad, a micro enterprise owner from Los Baños, Laguna, was among the thousands who benefited from the Kabuhayan

Loan. Through the help of BDONB, he was able to increase his inventory of stocks.

“I did not expect that even during the pandemic, BDONB would offer to lend me the fund I need to buy additional poultry feeds.

Closing the store temporarily crossed my mind but I was hesitant to do it since it is my only source of income. The monthly remittance from my wife in Dubai was also affected due to lockdown,” he narrated. Fortunately, he found a partner bank that helped him keep his business running and enabled him to serve the customers in his community who are into

poultry farming.

Apart from increasing the inventory of stocks, ensuring accessibility of goods is another concern for small business owners.

For Lulu Saquing of Cagayan Valley Region, finding ways to reach her customers is important in this time of pandemic. With the help of the Kabuhayan Loan, she was able to buy a van that enabled her to deliver goods to wholesalers.

It also served as a rolling store in her community to reach people with limited mobility.

Adjusting to the new norm In response to the

BDO’s sustainability efforts include support to MSMEs M icro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are the hardest hit sector in the country even as they account for more than 90% of enterprises. Called as the backbone of the economy, MSMEs provide employment to more than 5.3M Filipinos.

Fully aware of the MSMEs role in the economy, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno has stressed the urgency to help MSMEs sustain their businesses so they can continue to provide the essential products and services people use every day.

Opportunities for MS-

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T

he regional office of the Department of Science and Technology in Davao region is trying to help solve the problem of food insecurity and malnutrition by promoting the propagation of starchy breadfruit.

Malnutrition affects mostly children. In 2019, Davao Occidental recorded the highest incidence of undernourished children, based on the previous year’s Operation Timbang conducted by the National Nutrition Council (NNC) during the months of January to March.

Davao Occidental posted the highest rate of undernutrition among children with 10.34%, which is nearly three times higher than other provinces such as Davao del Sur (4.7%), Davao Oriental (3.31%), Davao del Norte (3.10%) and Davao de Oro (2.9%).

Last October, DOST’s Provincial Science and Technology Center in Davao Oriental conducted a training on breadfruit propagation at the municipal hall in Tarragona. Among those who attended were key personnel from the municipal agriculture office, the municipal mayor’s office and the municipal environment and natural resources.

Aside from addressing the malnutrition problem, the training also served as a way of strengthening the disaster preparedness efforts of the people in Davao region. This is especially true as the country is facing the consequences of climate change.

Breadfruit, a resilient crop locally known as rimas or kulo, is “a good source of food especially during natural calamities since it is easily accessible,” said a

statement from the Davao DOST regional office.

In a country where tropical fruits like mangoes, pineapple, papaya, and banana are in abundance, breadfruit is hardly known to many people. It is known in some provinces like Laguna, Cavite, Leyte, and Bicol, where it is cooked as vegetable (with coconut milk) and sometimes processed as candy.

Scientifically known as Artocarpus altilis, it resembles jackfruit in appearance. Because of its beauty that stands out in any garden, grove or yard, it is often mistaken as an ornamental tree.

Dino M. Gulane, a resource person from the Green Landscape Care and Maintenance Services, demonstrated several techniques of cloning for more efficient propagation such as marcotting, grafting, and root cutting.

“Young breadfruit trees should be planted in well-enriched holes 15 inches deep and three feet wide,” wrote Mary Charlotte Fresco for BAR Chronicle, a publication of the Bureau of Agricultural Research. “The recommended distance between trees is 25 to 45 feet.

Breadfruit starts bearing fruits in five years and will be productive for 50 years.”

On harvesting, Fresco wrote: “Breadfruits are considered mature enough for harvesting if small drops of latex start to ooze on the fruit’s surface. Matured

AGRITRENDS

9

BREADFRUIT:

EMERGENCY FOOD SOURCE

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO Wikipedia and flicker fruits are picked using a fruit stalk with a forked stick. You should take extra care in picking the fruit to avoid bruising or splitting that could affect the fruits’ market quality and value.”

Right after the training, some 50 breadfruit seedlings were distributed to the local government of Tarragona as part of the interventions under the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) Program of the Davao regional office of DOST. According to Gulane, breadfruit is rich in carbohydrates and a good source of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. As such, breadfruit is a good answer to the malnutrition problem and hunger. “(Breadfruit) can help undernourished children gain weight, as well as improve health conditions of pregnant women and adults in impoverished families because it is carbohydrate-rich and has the macronutrients for our basic daily needs,” nutritionist-dietitian Chi Borromeo was quoted as saying by Rappler.

Breadfruit can serve as a rice alternative. One good thing about breadfruit is that it has a lower glycemic index (GI). GI is a system of assigning a number to carbohydrate-containing foods according to how much each food increases blood

sugar.

“Compared to rice and other crops and commodities, breadfruit has a lower glycemic index,” said researcher Arlene de Asis of the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Bicol.

This means breadfruit is good for those with diabetes. Breadfruit is a nonsugar-based food source that can make a person feel full after eating, de Asis said.

What’s in a breadfruit?

Malia Frey, writing for verywellfit.com, said one cup of raw breadfruit (220 grams) contains 227 calories, 2.4 grams of protein, 60 grams of carbohydrates, 10.8 grams of fiber, 24.2 grams of sugar, and 0.5 gram of fat.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, breadfruit is a great source of potassium (108 milligrams), vitamin C (63.8 milligrams), and calcium (34.4 milligrams). Its sodium content is 4.4 milligrams.

When people hear the word “fat,” they are wary about it. “There is less than one gram of fat in a cup of raw breadfruit, making this a low-fat food,” Frey explains. “The very small amount of fat it does contain is polyunsaturated fat.

This is the fat known to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, which reduces heart disease risk.”

Aside from the low-fat content, breadfruit is also good for those with heart

problems because it contains fiber.

Matthew Kadey, in a feature which appeared in runnersworld.com, wrote: “A large review conducted by British researchers determined that greater intakes of dietary fiber are associated with a big drop in the risk for heart disease – better control over blood sugar and cholesterol numbers are likely two big reasons for the heart-healthy benefit. Plus, fiber fills you up, so you’re less likely to overeat throughout the day.”

Let’s talk about the protein it contains. Proteins are made up of chemical “building blocks” called amino acids. Your body uses amino

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bubble-type setup as provided for under relevant guidelines adopted by the IATF, Games and Amusement Board, and Philippine Sports Commission, and approved by the LGU; funfairs/peryas and kid amusement industries such as playgrounds, playroom, and kiddie rides; venues with live voice or wind-instrument performers and audiences such as in karaoke bars, clubs, concert halls, and theaters; casinos, horse racing, cockfighting and operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming establishments except as may be authorized by the IATF or the Office of the President; and gatherings in residences with individuals not belonging to the same household.

On the other hand, establishments shall be allowed to operate or be undertaken at a maximum of 30 percent indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals only and 50 percent outdoor venue capacity for activities that include meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE); social events such as parties, wedding receptions, engagement parties, wedding anniversaries, debut and birthday parties, family reunions, and bridal or baby showers; recreations such as internet

cafes, billiard halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, skating rinks, archery halls, swimming pools, and similar venues; cinemas and movie houses; in-person religious gatherings; gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 and for the cremains of the COVID-19 deceased; licensure or entrance/qualifying examinations administered by their respective government agency, and specialty examinations authorized by the IATF subject to the health and safety guidelines as approved by the IATF; dine-in services in food preparation establishments such as kiosks, commissaries, restaurants, and eateries, subject to DTI sector-specific protocols; fitness studios, gyms, and venues for non-contact exercise and sports, subject to DTI sector-specific protocols.

Patrons/clients and workers/employees wear face masks at all times and that no group activities are conducted.

Agencies and instrumentalities of the government shall remain to be fully operational and shall adhere to at least 30 percent on-site capacity while applying work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements.

personnel, and the conferment of the SGLG on LGUs, respectively.

AO No. 25 Task Force

and the DILG shall prescribe the corresponding conditions for eligibility for said benefits. (PNA)

cination Program Focal.

She stressed that the DOH has also called on the help of local government units in coming up with strategies to speed up the vaccination and focus the allocation of vaccines in areas with low utilization rate.

She said one of the strategies used in Davao City is the Night Vaccination that may also be applied in other areas to capture those working class who can hardly skip work to get vaccinated.

The City of Davao and the Municipality of Boston in Davao Oriental Province also used incentive vaccination to further encourage more individuals to get jabbed. A “Roleta sa Bakuna” was first initiated in Boston town seeing that coming up with prizes is an effective way in motivating residents go to

the vaccination site and to get vaccinated. This was followed in Davao City where prizes were also at stake for those who had themselves vaccinated at the schedule set by the LGU. Dr. Olavides further emphasized in the virtual presser that LGUs are also called on to improve the ways in reaching the target population of senior citizens.

As of October 16, the region had vaccinated 175,629 senior citizens for the first dose and 168,362 for the second dose. The masterlisted eligible population for the A2 is at 373,036.

“We still need to think of better ways to reach and convince our senior citizens.

A massive information drive is currently being done for this,” Dr. Olavides said. (PIA XI/Frances Mae Macapagat)

the Asean Low Carbon Energy Program through the establishment of an intergovernmental body that will support the development of a green and sustainable economy.

The government’s Sustainable Finance Roadmap is an output of the said body, which is led by the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Dominguez is hopeful that the roadmap “will inspire other countries towards adopting the appropriate finance policies that will help in the reduction of

carbon emissions.”

“Even as the Philippines transitions to a more sustainable economic activity domestically, our own efforts may not be enough. No country can solve the problem of climate change alone.

This can only be addressed through orchestrated actions by all nations. It can only be solved if the industrialized economies that have contributed and continue to contribute the most to greenhouse gas emissions stay true to their commitments of bringing in urgent financing support to climate-vulnerable countries,” he added.

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“Aside from the Saturday vaccination, we were also talking about drive-thru vaccination at People’s Park. Hopefully, ma-realize na nato dayon this week or early next week but we are trying to implement it this week para mas paspas, again we are beating the time, supposedly we wanted to achieve herd immunity by November, hopefully,

ma-achieve nato,” she said.

Schlosser clarified that the city is still in the planning stage for the conduct of drive-thru vaccination.

“No concrete plan on this yet kay on the process of planning pa. Drive-thru vaccination is not yet in place but what is clear or for implementation is vaccination on Saturdays,” she said. By Maya M. Padillo

of P400,000.

“The BJMP will continue to be vigilant in securing our facilities to assure that all persons deprived of liberty under our care will be detained according to the standards set about by the law,” the BJMP-Davao said in a statement.

Davao City is the home-

town of President Duterte, who waged a nationwide “all-out war” against illegal drugs after assuming power in 2016.

Duterte served as Davao City mayor for 22 years. His daughter, Sara, is currently the city mayor and is seeking reelection. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

The IATF rolled out the system in 14 and five cities country.

has also alert level provinces across the

Lopez said the agency and the private sector are hoping for more reopening of sectors as Christmas season approaches. (PNA)

needs of their MSME clients, BDONB, the community bank of BDO Unibank, quickly implemented COVID-19 related safety protocols and periodic antigen tests in the corporate offices and branches to ensure the safety of employees.

Clients were assured of continuous financial assistance amid the pandemic.

Account officers met borrowers at checkpoints, towns, or stores to pick-up loan document requirements in areas where strict quarantine measures were imposed. Though branches remained open, BDONB

team found ways to adapt to the situation and serve clients who cannot go to banks due to travel restrictions.

BDONB remains committed in providing financial assistance to micro entrepreneurs and help MSMEs overcome the effects of pandemic. For those who are interested in applying for Kabuhayan Loan, the list of requirements are listed on their website (https:// www.bdonetworkbank. com.ph/ ) and on their official FB page (https://www. facebook.com/BDONetworkBankPH).

Individuals have to go to clinics or testing centers for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) screening through reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, which is the gold standard for diagnosing coronavirus.

Early this month, DFA director general Eric Domingo said his office is waiting for the response from the DOH if they think that self-administered testing will be useful to the government’s strategies to fight Covid-19. (PNA)

31,444 units in the first nine months of the year.

Commercial vehicle sales also rose 311 percent to 917 units this year from 223 units in 2020.

“With improving health conditions and a more stable outlook, AVID is opti-

mistic and driven to wind up this last quarter on a strong note,” Perez-Agudo added.

The local automotive industry aims to sell 295,000 units this year, comprising sales of local assemblers and importers. (PNA)

the United Kingdom comes at a very crucial time,” Bello said in a statement on Wednesday.

“We have concluded this undertaking at a time the whole world is struggling to manage and cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, bringing about a global need for healthcare workers whose contributions to the pandemic battle has been undeniably crucial and immeasurable,” he added.

He said the MOU also provides the general rule on the promotion of their welfare in accordance with Phil-

ippine and British laws and regulations.

“Also important is that the signing of this agreement will further bolster the good ties between the two governments,” he said.

He said the country is ready to deploy Filipino healthcare workers to other nations just like the UK. “With the British government’s request for exemption from the deployment quota, the Philippine government assessed its own need for healthcare workers vis a vis the need of other countries,” he said.

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acids to build and repair muscles and bones and to make hormones and enzymes. They can also be used as an energy source.

“Breadfruit is a source of high-quality protein since it contains all the essential amino acids, including leucine, isoleucine, and valine – the three branchedchain amino acids that are especially important in repairing and building lean body mass,” Kadey wrote.

“The protein in breadfruit has also been shown to be easier to digest than wheat protein.”

Another good thing about breadfruit is its potassium content. “Each cup of breadfruit offers up to about 30% of the daily requirement for this electrolyte,” Kadey wrote.

“You can eat breadfruit at any stage,” ethnobotanist Diane Ragone, head of the US National Tropical Botanical Garden’s Breadfruit Institute, told journalist Liza Gross. “When it’s small and green, it tastes like an artichoke.

When it’s starchy and ma-

ture, it’s the equivalent of a potato. When it’s soft and ripe, it’s desert.”

Because breadfruit trees usually produce large crops at certain times of the year, preservation of harvested fruit is an issue.

“One traditional preservation technique is to bury peeled and washed fruits in a leaf-lined pit where they ferment over several weeks and produce a sour, sticky paste. So stored, the product may endure a year or more, and some pits are reported to have produced edible contents more than 20 years later,” Wikipedia reports.

In 2013, the agriculture department and its high value crops development program funded research and development on breadfruit as well as propagation of its trees as part of the government’s good security program.

Long ignored, breadfruit may well become a popular fare in Filipino tables – especially during the time of calamities like floods and typhoons.

It was a wire-to-wire victory, with the Tropang Giga not needing much from RR Pogoy (with only seven points) and Jayson Castro (one).

The downside for TNT was Kelly Williams being carried to the dugout in a stretcher.

“He might have strained his back. It doesn’t look good for now,” said Reyes.

Williams put in his share before his exit, contributing 10 points, six rebounds and three assists.

The Tropang Giga sat on a 53-34 cushion at the half behind a torrid shooting marked by 9-of-22 clip from the arc as against the Hotshots’ horrible 0-of-8.

Mikey Williams led the way in their show of offensive might in the first half with 4-of-5 three-pointers.

The Fil-Am rookie guard tallied 14 points with Poy Erram adding 10 off the bench.

Not a single Magnolia player scored more than seven in the first 24 minutes of play.

state’s vaccine mandate.

Irving will not be paid for games missed in New York — 41 at Brooklyn’s home at the Barclays Center and two at Madison Square Garden — due to the city’s Covid-19 mandate.

The All-Start guard will, however, be paid for away games, as it is the Nets’ decision to sideline him.

Irving will still be paid approximately $23 million.

Barkley went on to quote NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who appeared on Inside the NBA earlier in the show to discuss the situation with Irving.

“First of all, you don’t

get the vaccine for yourself, you get it for other people.

I got vaccinated, I can’t wait to get the booster,” Barkley said.

“You don’t get vaccinated just for yourself. Like Adam (Silver) said, you get vaccinated for your family first, you get vaccinated for your teammates second. That’s what bothers me about this whole thing.”

Barkley also dismissed the public comparisons between Irving and Muhammad Ali. The late boxing legend put his fight career on hold to not fight in the Vietnam War, and instead protest racism at home.

tronic payment system that allows buyers to pay even small value transactions such as jeepney or tricycle fares and payments of goods and services to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) at no cost to the buyer.

This payment system works with the buyer scanning the QR code of the

seller or service provider to pay for an item or a service.

The central bank aims to increase the share of digital payments to about 20 percent of total financial transactions in the country by 2020, which the BSP said has been slightly exceeded and to account for around 50 percent of the total by 2023.

Insurance Corp. (PDIC), only three agreements materialized.

“Nonetheless, we continuously coordinate with the cooperative banking in-

dustry through the existing tripartite technical working group and regular meetings with banks to identify issues and challenges to the cooperative banks,” he added. (PNA)

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Kelly Williams drives past Ian Sangalang. PBA

GMs blast league on Simmons situation

R

ival General Managers of other NBA franchises have had their say on the Ben Simmons situation, after his refusal to participate in a practice drill saw him kicked out of Philadelphia training and suspended for the Sixers’ season opener.

Joel Embiid then didn’t mince his words with what he thought of the Aussie as Simmons’ mission to get out of Philly stepped up a notch.

ESPN’s Tim Leger said the “tipping point” had arrived and described the current environment with Simmons present as “toxic”.

Simmons reportedly

hasn’t earned any money since his surprise return to the team, such is the number of fines he has received already, and is apparently now willing to do whatever it takes to convince the Sixers front office that his is a toxicity they can do without.

But his latest act of defiance could have just seen him shoot himself in the foot with regards to his trade value, which is now sure to plummet even lower than it already was with any interested teams now withholding their best offers in the knowledge that Philadelphia is in the weakest position it could be in at the trade table.

SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 188 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

TNT blows Magnolia away in Game 1

T

NT took the opener of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals in lopsided fashion, starting with a 20-2 tear and sustaining the momentum en route to an 88-70 blowout of a stunned Magnolia side Wednesday night at the DHVSU Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Even with a two-day breather after their semifinal disposal of San Miguel Beer, the Tropang Giga played with much energy and intensity, romping past the Hotshots that came out flat from a four-day respite.

It was practically all over

by the third quarter with the pumped-up Tropang Giga stretching their lead to over 30 points.

“This is already our ninth game in the playoffs, and we’ve been in playoff mode since the Ginebra game in the quarters. Today

E

Anti-vaxxer Kyrie still gets paid $23M.

11

was no different, we wanted our focus, our energy, our preparation to be according to the rhythm we’ve established,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes.

“Our concern now is to be better. We wanted to be better in the finals than in the semis. I thought if we came into the finals and just put the same game we put in the semis, we would be in trouble,” Reyes added.

Practically each and every member of the TNT crew responded well, tearing apart the Magnolia with their boundless energy and

ven though Kyrie Irving’s career has been put on hold, one of America’s most infamous anti-vaxxers is still going to get paid.

Basketball legend Charles Barkley is annoyed with NBA star Kyrie Irving’s decision to remain unvaccinated – but especially one specific aspect of it.

Barkley — during TNT’s Inside the NBA tip-off show on Wednesday — took issue with the fact the Brooklyn Nets star will still earn millions of dollars this season, despite not playing due to his unvaccinated status under New York’s Covid-19 mandate.

Because of the ongoing pandemic, New York has implemented new health and safety regulations which do not allow unvaccinated athletes to take

relentless effort on both ends.

Mikey Williams was the lead crew, erupting for a game-high 21 points with 5-of-6 treys that went with 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals against four turnovers in 28 minutes of play.

“We came in prepared well and determined to execute and get things done. We did it as a team,” said Williams, who is in the running for the Best Player of the Conference award against Magnolia’s Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang.

FTNT, P10

part in practices and games.

It meant Irving would not be allowed to play home games in the Big Apple and last week the Nets went further by declaring he was barred from all practices and games because of his refusal to be vaccinated.

But Barkley is upset Irving will still be getting paid.

“The only thing that bugs me is he’s still going to make $US17 million ($AUD23 million) sitting at home,” Barkley said.

“I really am proud of the Nets for putting their foot down — for saying, ‘No, we’re not going to deal with this half on, half off (situation)’,” the Hall of Famer added about Brooklyn’s decision to ban Irving from the team until he complies with the

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Caloy Yulo of the Philippines in file photo.

IMPRESSIVE

Caloy Yulo tops qualifying in floor exercise, parallel bars at worlds

T

he Philippines’ Caloy Yulo was brilliant in his routines as he easily advanced to the finals of all three of his events at the 50th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan.

Yulo, as expected, submitted the best score in his pet floor exercise event of 15.166 and similarly put on a good showing in the parallel bars by placing first in the qualifiers with a score of 15.566 on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old Yulo also placed third in the vault with scores of 14.733 and 14.833 for an average of 14.808 in his first world competition since the Tokyo Olympics, where he fell short of a medal.

Yulo title defense Yulo is looking to defend his floor exercise world title he won in 2018 on Saturday, but also put himself in position to win in the two other apparatus.

The finals of the parallel bars and the vault will be held on Sunday.

Yulo will be fighting it out for the gold in the floor

against Bartoli Nicola of Italy, Minami Kazuki of Japan, Karimi Milad of Kazakhstan, Hashimoto Daiki of Japan, Ryu Sunghyun of Korea, Kaya Kazuma of Japan, and Skinner Hayden of Great Britain.

Making it to the finals of the parallel bars aside from Yulo were Zhang Boheng of China, Hu Xuwei of China, Shi Cong of China, Daiki, Yul Moldauer of the US, Christian Baumann of Switzerland, and Kazuma.

Nazar Chepurnyi of Ukraine took first place in the vault qualifiers with a score of 14.833 followed by Yang Hakseon of Korea with the same score. They are joined by Hidenobu Yonekura of Japan, Andrey Medvedev of Israel, Thomas Grasso of Italy, Courtney Tulloch of Great Britain, and William Emard of Canada.