Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 191 | Tuesday, October 26, 2021

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

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MARINE TURTLES: WORTH MORE ALIVE THAN DEAD ENVIRONMENT P 9

BOOZE IS BACK

VOL.14 ISSUE 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

Analyn, a sari-sari store owner along Quirino Avenue in Davao City, prepares empty beer bottles after ordering cases of beers from a dealer upon hearing the news that Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio issued an executive order allowing consumption and selling of liquor effective 12:01 am of Tuesday, October 26, 2021. Edge Davao

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Mayor Sara allows consumption of liquor, lifts curfew in Davao City STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio poses for a photo with presidentil aspirant and Senator Ronald Dela Rosa at the City Hall of Davao on Monday. Photo from Sen. Ronald“Bato”Dela Rosa FB page

BOOZE IS BACK T

SEC warns public against Illegal investment firms

Mayor Sara allows consumption of liquor, lifts curfew in Davao City

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio issued on Monday a modified executive order for the guidelines of liquor ban and lifting of curfew hours in Davao City.

Executive Order (EO) No. 59 Series of 2021 or an order providing for the “modified guidelines on liquor ban and the lifting of curfew within the city” stated the liquor ban period wherein the ban in selling liquor shall be from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. every day. As such, no person or entity shall

sell liquor or any alcoholic beverages within this period.

“Mubalik ta didto sa atong naandan that is 1 am to 8 am. So bawal magbaligya ug mga ilimnum na makahubog sugod ala una sa kadlawon hangtod alas 8 sa buntag. Mao gyud na atong standard na liquor

ban kaniadto before the pandemic. Bawal mamaligya sugod ala una sa kadlawon padulong sa alas 8 sa buntag,” the mayor said.

The order does not allow to serve for consumption of liquor in bars, restaurants, sari-sari stores, palengke (wet market), videoke, and other business establishments; and drinking of liquor in all public places including but not limited to streets, alleys, pathways, and outside of gates.

“Alcohol may only be

served and consumed inside a private property.

Kinahanglan mo musulod ug private property to drink liquor,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, the mayor also lifted the curfew in Davao City.

“Wala na po ta’y curfew,” the mayor said.

The order will take effect from 12:01 a.m. on October 26, 2021, to 11:59 p.m. on January 15, 2022.

In August this year, May-

wartime and peacetime doctrines in the conduct of amphibious operations, maritime interdiction operations, surveillance and reconnaissance of the maritime areas, civil-military operations, and a host of other traditional and non-traditional naval op-

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he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued another set of advisories against several entities soliciting investments from the public without the necessary licenses. They are 1. DME Grains Ph / DME Good Grains OPC 2. Cryptoblast Inc./Cryptoblast Philippines Inc. 3. Triple G Business Consultancy Services OPC 4. Hustlin Bullies 5. The Green Shop 6. Praetorian Group International Trading Inc. (PGI) 7. Katuwang Poultry Chicken Egg Producing Co. 8. Ayudaforall Computer Trading 9. EComm Shares/EComm Shares 10. Apollo Drugstore and Diagnostic Center, Inc. (Apollo Drugstore) 11. Pogi Breeds/Pogi Breeds International/Pogi Breeds Int’l/Copartners Pogibreeds

12. BCPay Financial Technology, Inc. (BCPayINC.) 13. WE AL TH ON W E B Company / Wealth on Web Company / WOW Company / WOW Trade’s (“Wow Trade”) 14. Bitrade /Bitrade Administration of Financial Marketing 15. Big Boss Marketing 16. RM Trading 17. MCM Royalty Legacy International Inc./Royalty Legacy International Inc. 18. Royal Q/Royal Q Global/Royal Q Mobile App/ Royal Quantity Investment Management Co., Limited 19. Pancake King Token 20. Digicoin Markets or Digicoin Markets International PH 21. Ascend Intelligent Company/ Ascend Intelligent/ AI Company/Ascend-Intelligence.com.

For the complete list of advisories, you may visit https://www.sec.gov.ph/ investors-education-and-information/advisories/.

old Vincent Maria Palxo Yu. Yu is a resident of Nova Tierra, Lanang, Davao City but hails from Mandaue City, Cebu.

“The suspect took one unit of pick-up owned by a 32-year-old businessman from Davao City on Oct. 21, 2021,” Espinoza stated.

The victim reported the incident to the San Pedro Police Station 2 in Davao City and to the Regional Highway Patrol Group in Davao Region.

The flash alarm also reached the SCPS, Espinoza said.

Naval exercises in Sulu, Davao car theft suspect Basilan set this week nabbed in Surigao City

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aval exercises to “test our existing doctrines in the planning and execution of Seabees operations” are set to begin here on Monday, October 25.

Rear Admiral Toribio Adaci, Jr., commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) in a

telephone interview Sunday said the naval exercises, dubbed “Pagsisikap Exercises 2021,” will open here on October 25, but events are to take place in Basilan and in Sulu where it would close on October 29.

A post-event assessment is set in Zamboanga City.

He was referring to

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carnapping suspect from Davao City was arrested by members of the Surigao City Police Station (SCPS) on Saturday.

In a statement on Sunday, Col. Noel Espinoza, the Surigao del Norte Police Provincial Office director, identified the suspect as 29-year-

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

NEWS

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Davao City “Lingap Para sa Mahirap” opens its 4th satellite office in Paquibato District located beside Paquibato Proper Barangay Hall on Monday. Lingap Paquibato will cater to indigents needing medical and funeral assistance in Paquibato District and its nearby areas. CIO

City prohibits trick or treat, other Halloween gimmicks Mayor Sara shares her own Covid-19 experience

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t started with an itchy throat.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Monday went open on her Covid-19 experience.

“Nagkatol akong tutunlan. In fact, I did not think first it was Covid abi nako’g na irritate sa sige nako ug gargle to protect myself.

The doctor was asking me kung naa ba ko’y gibati, katol lang akong tutunlan kay wala man ni sa listahan sa Covid-19 ang itchy throat but apparently ingon sa doctor some people may have mistaken sore throat as itchy throat. Naay uban na itchy throat ilang mafeel ug katong akoa itchy throat pero wala ko giubo ug gisip-on,” the mayor said.

After three to four days, Mayor Sara lost her sense of smell and taste.

“Pag mawalaan naka ug panimhot feeling nimo wala ka gaginhawa. Murag wala ka gaginhawa kay naanad ta naa’y scent o baho ang mga butang. Ang amoy sa exhaust sa mga sakyanan, amoy sa abog.

We smell that all the time on the air pag mawala na murag ma disorient ta.

Murag wala’y feeling sa atong paghinga,” she said.

Mayor Sara said that from 17 members of her household, 11 were tested positive for Covid-19.

“Ang sa akoa important ang testing because otherwise kung wala mi nagpa-test dili namo makita ang effects or outbreak sa sulod sa balay. Seventeen mi kabuok sa balay, pag-test sa amoang tanan 11 kabuok ang nagpositive. Sa sugod naapil pako sa nag-negative but after three to four days didto nako nagpatest tungod sa itchy throat ug naapil nako sa mga nagpositive,” she said.

The mayor reiterated the importance of testing otherwise in her case, they can’t segregate people inside their household because some of them had no symptoms.

Mayor Sara tested positive for Covid-19 on October 9, 2021. By Maya M. Padillo

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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The city government reminded the public to always observe the minimum public health standards (MPHS) such as wearing of face mask, covering the mouth and nose, staying away from other people, washing hands with soap and water, and getting vaccinated against Covid -19.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio had earlier ad-

vised Dabawenyos to visit their dead loved ones in advanced as cemeteries, memorial parks, and columbariums will be closed from October 24, 2021 to November 7, 2021 in the observance of All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day. She encouraged the public to visit the tombs of their dead loved ones before and after the closure dates to ensure that social distancing is properly observed during the traditional celebration.

However, cemeteries would still be open for burial rites, birthday celebrations, and death anniversaries.

Under Executive Order No. 52 issued last year that regulates the operation of funeral parlors, cemeteries, memorial parks, and columbariums by: implementing a “Family Members Only” policy during wakes and burials.

The family in charge of the wake and burial must ensure that there will be no mass gathering among the family members and health protocols such as wearing face masks, physical distancing is observed, and that they should put in place hand sanitizing or alcohol-based hand rub.

The family members

37; Jerome Delarmente Baysa, 40; and Ian Mark Delarmente Baysa, 35.

All of them are residents of Barangay Fatima, General Santos City.

The suspects who were on board a white Toyota Hi-Ace Van were attempting to enter the city from Tagum City, Davao del

Norte when flagged down with contrabands.

Seized from the suspects were five small heatsealed transparent sachets weighing around 1.48 grams with an estimated street value of P23,680.

Also seized from them were a caliber .45 pistol; caliber 9mm pistol; maga-

zines; and ammunition.

Colonel Darren E. Comia, commander of Task Force Davao, lauded his personnel and members of Bunawan Police Station for the remarkable performance in conducting checkpoint operations as it consistently filters unwelcomed elements in the city.

he city government of Davao strictly prohibits the conduct of trick-or-treat and other Halloween events to prevent mass gathering in relation to the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

The city issued the advisory on Monday prohibiting Dabawenyos from holding parties and attending non-essential or unimportant occasions as these are likely to increase the risk of being diagnosed with Covid-19.

The public is also forbidden to gather and receive guests or people who do not belong to their household.

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3 non-Davao residents arrested for possession of shabu, guns

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hree men were arrested for possession of illegal drugs and firearms in a joint police and military checkpoint at Bunawan, Davao City Saturday afternoon (October 23).

Task Force Davao identified the suspects as Mark John Barrirta Villanueva,

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

Fishermen on motorized boats gather at the beachfront of a resort in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur after a day of fishing. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has agreed to look into the possibility of giving fuel subsidy to fishermen to allow them to expand their fishing activities. Edge Davao

DTI 11’s KMME program accepted in an int’l confab for researchers A initiative like the KMME becomes part of a prestigious research-related event.

The presentation of the program was based on the results of the study “The Kapatid Mentor ME (KMME) Program in Davao City, Philippines: A Case Study.” This is the graduate school thesis of the DTI 11 regional information officer Jenny Grace M. Mendoza.

Her adviser, professor Rey A. Castillo, submitted it to the EATA-NABEA-KITRI panel, and luckily, it was accepted.

DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi shared that with the case study, the office was provided with a picture of how the KMME graduates viewed the program and its set of mentors. Likewise, it gave

the DTI-Davao City office an assessment of how KMME impacted on the lives of its graduates.

Based on the study results, the respondents, who were picked through purposive sampling technique, revealed that with the 10 modules of the KMME program and the expertise of their mentors, they were equipped to become better entrepreneurs. Hence, all of them, who had a capital of not more than Php 100,000 and were operating their food business for five years or less when they participated in KMME, recorded growth.

According to them, they noticed a great improvement in their sales after adopting and implementing what they learned through the program. The 10 modules are the Entrepreneurial Mind-Setting and Values Formation, Marketing Mindset, Business Model Canvas, Operations Management, Digitalization,

Supply and Value Chain Management, Accounting and Finance for Small Businesses, Human Resource Management, Market Driven Innovation 1: Product Development and 2: Market Expansion and Internationalization, and Good Governance and Ethics.

After the two-minute presentation of Castillo during the international conference, the panel suggested to expand the study and include the other groups of KMME 2 | Page beneficiaries. This would give DTI 11 a wider perspective of the program’s success as well as the enhancements it may need to integrate, especially with the pandemic.

Ambi noted that the KMME program has embraced innovation since 2020 after the government imposed restrictions on the movement of people.

“We have started conducting the KMME program

list of the best of the best in the world in terms of hospitality, tourism and travel destinations. According to a Condé Nast article, the 2021 survey was done with more than 20,000 readers, “asking readers to nominate the hotels and spas they escape to … and the islands, cities and countries that spark their curiosity.” This year, Discovery Shores Boracay made it to this prestigious list.

Named as one of the

Top 25 Resorts in Asia, Discovery Shores Boracay continues to bring honor to the country for the various international awards it has received every year.

At the same time, Green Destinations, a non-profit foundation for sustainable tourism that has developed an assessment and reporting system to assess current tourism policy, management and sustainability performance on relevant sus-

tainability themes, has unveiled its Top 100 Sustainable Stories award and Club Paradise Palawan was the only Philippine property that made it to the list.

To describe the Top 100 Sustainable Stories award, “Green Destinations puts in the spotlight local and regional destinations around the world that are taking incremental steps and making promising progress towards

study on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11’s mentorship program implementation in Davao City was accepted in an international conference for researchers.

As part of the 3rd EATANABEA-KITRI (East Asian Trade Association-Northeast Asian Business and Economic Association- Korea International Trade Research Institute) Biannual International Conference and Research Symposium in mid-October, the Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) program of the agency was given an opportunity to be presented to a group of critic consisting of professors and researchers from other countries.

The inclusion of the program in the gathering of research and development experts from China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, the United States of America, and the Philippines can be regarded as a milestone for DTI 11. It is seldom that an

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Discovery World Corp.-owned properties win global awards

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ell-known international award-giving bodies have recently recognized Philippine properties for their worldclass service and facilities and their contributions to the tourism industry.

Condé Nast Traveler, a world-renowned international travel magazine, has recently released the results of its annual tourism survey, the 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards, revealing a

FDISCOVERY, P10

Transport groups delay fare hike petition, citing gov’t fuel subsidy

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ransport groups have agreed to delay their planned fare hike petition, citing fuel subsidies to be given by the government amid the continued increase in pump prices of petroleum products.

According to Pasang Masda national vice president Jojo Martin, transport stakeholders have decided to suspend their fare hike petition as the government is expected to release P5,000 fuel subsidies for jeepney drivers.

“Hinihirit nga din namin ‘dun sa House Transport Committee na aside from the fuel subsidy, bigyan na lang kami ng aming tinatawag na discount lane doon sa mga pumping station,” he said on Sunday.

[We are asking the House Transport Committee that aside from the fuel subsidy, we also be granted a discount lane in pumping stations.]

“Hindi na tayo magkakaroon ng increase of fare kumbaga, i-hold na lang muna ‘yung pag-apruba ng increase ng fare,” he said.

[We will not have a fare hike, as the approval of the fare hike will be on hold.]

This comes as Martin claimed the government will provide P5,000 for jeepney drivers in Metro Manila and Regions 3 and 4, which will be released through the Pantawid Pasada Card

which was rolled out during the fuel subsidy program in 2018.

“Before kasi, meron na tayong existing na Pantawid Pasada Card, i-re-reload na lang po ‘yun, i-a-activate po ‘yun, then ‘yung mga iba naman po nating kapatid sa hanapbuhay na drivers, mga wala pang card, i-a-apply ho ‘yun,” he said.

[We already have the existing Pantawid Pasada Card which will be reloaded and activated. Other drivers who do not have a card will have to apply.]

“We will submit the names of the drivers together with the corresponding requirements,” he added.

At least one driver, however, prefers a fare hike over the subsidy. “Madali lang po maubos ag P5,000, saglit lang ‘yun,” said Rolando Eugenio. “Pwede sana kung kada dalawang buwan bibigyan nila kami ng P5,000.

Pero pag yung P5,000 isang [beses] lang po, hindi po pwede. Kailangan po talagang itaas yung pamasahe.”

[P5,000 is easily used up. If they gave us P5,000 every two months, that’s acceptable. But if it’s just a one-time payment, the fares really need to be increased.]

The LTFRB earlier this month said it is looking into the possibility of a second phase of its cash and fuel subsidy programs for public utility vehicles.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

ECONOMY

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Tourists are back in Britania Islets in San Agustin town, Surigao del Sur on Sunday, October 24, 2021. Tourism workers now earn some income on weekends. MindaNews photo by ROEL N. CATOTO

LandBank provides free ATM card for PhilSys registrants

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here is another reason to register for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) and avail of the Philippine Identification (PhilID) card.

Land Bank of the Philippines will give free automated teller machine (ATM) cards to PhilSys registrants in support of the government’s aim for financial inclusion of Filipinos.

“LandBank continues to widen its Agent Banking Program to reach unbanked and underserved Filipinos,” LBP said in a statement on Oct. 8.

LandBank said its partnership with the Philippine Statistics Authority-PhilSys helps widen its services.

“Those who have registered for a national ID and have not opened a Landbank Agent Banking Card may proceed to the registration center to open an account.

Those who have yet to register for a national ID, the bank is also providing a free

ATM card for you,” Landbank stated.

To avail of the free Landbank ATM card, one should be at least 15 years old, has no existing account with LBP or other banks, did not receive an ATM intended for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program benefits, must have a PhilSys transaction slip (from the Step 2 biometrics registration), and valid proof of identification or document.

The Landbank ATM card can be used for cash-in, cashout, bills payment, and fund transfer transactions.

Signed into law by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in August 2018, Republic Act 11055, or the Philippine Identification System Act, 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 simplify-

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Oil prices up for 9th week

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ump prices of petroleum products will be hiked for the ninth straight week on Tuesday, with year-to-date increases already close to P20.00 per liter.

In separate advisories, Chevron Philippines Inc. (Caltex), Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., and Seaoil Philippines Inc. said they will hike prices per liter of gasoline by P1.15, diesel

by P0.45, and kerosene by P0.55.

Cleanfuel and Petro Gazz will also implement the same changes, excluding kerosene which they do

not carry.

The changes will take effect at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, October 26, for all the firms except for Caltex, which will adjust prices at 12:01 a.m. on the same day.

Other firms have yet to make similar announcements.

Latest data available from the Department of Energy (DOE) show that year-to-date adjustments stand at a total net increase of P19.65 per liter for gasoline, P18.00 per liter for diesel, and P15.49 per liter for kerosene as of October 19, 2021.

DA pushes for P40-B add’l budget for 2022 T he Department of Agriculture (DA) has pushed for a PHP40-billion additional budget for next year to jumpstart and unleash the potential of the sector especially during the time of the pandemic.

The DA is seeking more funds after its proposed budget for 2022 was reduced to PHP91 billion from P231 billion.

“That’s a basic minimum. We can do a lot (projects and programs) if the budget is higher. If they add another PHP40 billion, we

The budget, however, is still 1 percent higher than the department’s 2021 budget of PHP90.06 billion, he said.

Meanwhile, Dar cited measures to be taken to arrest the rising prices of fertilizer and farm inputs which are being asked by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.

“I just want to stress that this is a global phenomenon. All over the world, the price of fertilizer doubles because the big economies are the ones buying more and that’s tightening the supply of fertilizers and increasing the price. The problem in our country is, we do not have a factory of

fertilizers here,” he said.

Dar said DA will have to adopt a balanced fertilization strategy wherein the supply of fertilizers will not only be inorganic but also added with organic inputs.

“There are two sources of organic fertilizer and biofertilizer. There is a formulation that can reduce about 50 percent cost of fertilizer. Organic farming or composting is also one of the measures and part of the whole strategy,” Dar said. (PNA)

gagastos sila ng krudo medyo malayo-layo yung lugar so lugi sa profit. Liliit ang kita nila,” he said.

[Some fishermen hesitate to venture into far-off fishing grounds where fish is abundant because of short fuel supply, limiting profitability.]

“So nakikita ng BFAR na dapat tulungan ang mangingisda na bigyan ng subsidiya ng krudo,” Enriquez pointed out.

(So the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said they are looking at giving crude oil subsidies for fishermen.)

On the rising oil prices,

the Department of Energy last week asked Congress to amend the Oil Deregulation Law to allow the government to intervene.

Aside from the oil subsidy for fishers, Enriquez said they are putting up sheltered ports in the Kalayaan Group of Islands to assist fishermen during inclement weather.

“Nababawasan yung pangamba nila dahil mayroong pwede silungan kung sakaling masama ang panahon,” he explained.

(Sheltered ports will diminish their worries because they a place of refuge during stormy weath-

er.)

will be more than happy,” DA Secretary William Dar said in a press briefing here Saturday.

BFAR agrees to look into possibility of giving fishermen fuel subsidy

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he Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has agreed to look into the possibility of giving fuel subsidy to fishermen to allow them to expand their fishing activities in the West Philippine Sea. Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command (WESCOM) chairman Vice Admiral Ramil Enriquez said Sunday that some fishermen are forced to limit their fishing activities due to short funds for fuel supply.

“Ang ibang fishermen kahit maraming isda medyo alanganin sila dahil

Asked about Chinese ships’ harassment against fishermen, he said they have yet to receive report on the matter.

To date, Enriquez said about 80 to 90% of Filipino fishermen conducting activities off Palawan are from Navotas, Bohol, and Cebu, among others.

Fisherfolk income reduced to P120 In a separate statement, fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said fishermen’s average

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

On issuing a modified liquor ban order:

Alcohol may only be served and consumed inside a private property. Kinahanglan mo musulod ug private property to drink liquor.”

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

EDITORIAL Stubborn abominable crime Despite the controversial war waged relentlessly by the Duterte government from Day 1 in office, drug-trafficking continues to be one of the most stubborn crimes in the country today.

This is evidenced by the almost daily busts made by the military and the Philippine National Police (PNP) aided by the equally-energetic Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), in many places in the country.

Of course, the multi-billion peso smuggling of illegal drugs through the country’s shipping ports have decreased in number and frequency. Coupled with the neutralization of countless drug personalities, including so-called narco politicians, there is no doubt that the war on drugs, despite the controversies attached to the way the war has been implemented

EDGEDAVAO

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PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE

the national association of newspapers

Printed by Zion Accuprint Publishing Inc. Door 14 ALCREJ Building, Quirino Avenue, 8000, Davao City, Philippines Tel: (082) 224-1413 301-6235 Telefax: (082) 221-3601 www.edgedavao.net editorial@edgedavao.net marketing@edgedavao.net edgedavao@gmail.com

But as said earlier, the incorrigibles have persisted in their involvement in the crime.

We think that the 2022 national elections should take up the drug problem as an issue. The people, especially those whose lives have been destroyed by drug addiction, would like to hear the presidential aspirants discuss their plans to check the problem if elected. The candidates should never ignore this isisue Drug trafficking is an abominable crime. It is connected to other crimes listed in our Revised Penal Code, crimes that disrupt the lives of Filipinos as they do in other parts of the world.

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

by some irresponsible enforcers, has achieved a measure of success.

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 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

ENDING PLASTIC POLLUTION Plastic pollution in oceans and other bodies of water continues to grow sharply and could more than double by 2030, according to a new report released on October 21 by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

Titled From Pollution to Solution: A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution, it highlights the dire consequences for health, the economy, biodiversity and the climate.

“A drastic reduction in unnecessary, avoidable and problematic plastic, is crucial to addressing the global pollution crisis overall,” the report pointed out.

Just like climate change and water crisis, the problem of plastic pollution is gargantuan.

And there’s no end in hindsight.

According to the report, plastic currently accounts for 85% of all marine litter. By 2040, it will nearly triple, adding 23-37 million metric tons of waste into the ocean per year. “This means about 50 kilograms of plastic per meter of coastline,” the report stated.

“Because of this, all marine life, from plankton and shellfish; to birds, turtles and mammals; faces the grave risk of toxification, behavioral disorder, starvation and suffocation,” the

report stated.

Human beings are not spared. “The human body is similarly vulnerable,” it said.

“Plastics are ingested through seafood, drinks and even common salt. They also penetrate the skin and are inhaled when suspended in the air.”

As most plastic ends up in bodies of water, the problem becomes more complicated. “In water sources,” the report said, “this type of pollution can cause hormonal changes, developmental disorders, reproductive abnormalities and even cancer.”

Plastics come in many forms. But the worst among them all are those single-use plastics (SUPs) like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers and the like. “The greatest environmental challenges facing the world” was how British Prime Minister Theresa May described them, “We have to confront this material and our use of it, because so much of it is single-use disposable plastic and this is a material that doesn’t go away. It doesn’t return to the planet the way other materials do,” Sherri Mason, chair of geology and environmental sciences at the State University of New York at Fredonia, told Associated Press.

What about plastic bags?

Since they were introduced in the 1970s, plastic bags have infiltrated our lives,” wrote Caroline Williams in New Scientist.

“Globally, we carry home between 500 billion and a trillion every year – about 150 bags for every person on earth, or to put it another way, a million every minute and rising.”

In the Philippines, the socalled “sachet economy” has contributed to the proliferation of single-use plastics. “Because they are easy to sell – ribbons of single-use products hang from neighbourhood stores even in the most remote communities – large multinational manufacturing companies continue to market them,” the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) observes.

According to one research group, the Philippines discards 60 billion plastic sachets each year. That’s about one sachet per person per day on a per capita basis.

“The problem with plastics has been escalating for decades, and the Philippines has been identified as the world’s third largest contributor of plastics in the ocean,” WWF said. “Plastic pollution has always been a huge issue in the Philippines with the continuous generation of plastic wastes and poor waste management.”

About 35,800 tons of garbage, which include plastics, are generated each day by Filipinos, according to a position paper written by Alicia Castillo and Suchiro Otoma. “On average, each person in the country produces about 0.5 kilogram and 0.3 kilogram of garbage every day in the urban and rural areas, respectively.”

A news report said SUPs for food and cosmetics are one of the main contributors to plastic waste in landfills and in oceans.

Around 40% of all plastic that is produced is used for packaging, and the World Economic Forum estimates that 95% of this is not recycled after its initial use.

That’s horrendous, indeed.

“Following the trajectory of plastic production and mismanagement, United Nations reports predicted that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than there are fish,” Environment Secretary Roy E. Cimatu said in a press statement.

In the award-winning 1967 movie, The Graduate, the character portrayed by newcomer Dustin Hoffman (who received a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Best Actor) asked some advice on career direction.

“Plastics, my boy. Plastics,” he was told.

Businesses all over the world are heeding the advice.

Plastics “is in our air, our water, our food, our excrement,” Nina Butler, the chief executive officer of More Recycling, a research and consulting company that works with the plastic industry on recycling, was quoted as saying by the media. “It’s very, very pervasive.”

Those SUPs should be banned. Davao City responded. On March 2, the ordinance, “No to Single-Use Plastics Ordinance of 2021,” was enacted.

Three months later, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio signed the ordinance.

“We laud the Davao City Government for enacting this much-needed ordinance which will help address the problem of plastic pollution and chart a more sustainable development path for Davao City,” said Commissioner Rachel Herrera of the Climate Change Commission.

She said Davao City is now of the nearly 500 local government units (LGUs) which have ordinances prohibiting SUPs. “More and more LGUs across the country are taking the initiative to address the problem of plastic pollution, and it is high time for a national law so that action on this front becomes more effective, more impactful, and more sustainable,” she said.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

GULF PIRACY AND THE CLERGY A recurring theme that hounds researchers is the overly-abused argument of piracy being a way of life around the gulf of Davao and that the former Moro chieftain Datu Bago, who escaped Spanish arrest in 1848, was a copycat of Caribbean corsairs or English privateers.

The piracy in the gulf, however, is only slightly given mention in pre-Oyanguren accounts. Even the Recollects, who handled the missions in eastern Mindanao prior to fall of Davao did not cite of big-time slave raids lunched in Surigao and Davao Oriental in the decades leading to the collapse of the Datu Bago polity. This is quite curious given that most local historians banner, at times in pejorative terms, the datu’s supposed association with piracy.

Even in Recollect and Jesuit

letters written in the post-1848 period, there is no big-time slave trade and piracy incidents being recorded. Sporadically, you read in accounts of isolated massacres and raids inflicted by several Moros against enemy tribes but nothing comes close to the incursions launched by the Maguindanao and Sulu sultanates in the Visayas and Luzon regions.

Understanding piracy in comparison to the magnitude of attacks led by the sultanates, the gulf, from 1800 to 1850 (the year Datu Bago died) was not host to any fiefdom with a naval force enough to brave the open seas with non-mechanized, sail-driven boats to conduct long-distance piracy outside the island of Mindanao.

Datu Bago and a handful of other chieftains around the gulf complimentarily ruled their respective turfs. Infor-

mally, these small domains, inferior in terms of naval and army strength, relied on each other for help in case they were threatened by external attacks. This partnership was evident after the fall of Davao when Islamized tribes, chiefly the Kalagans, attempted to ambush Spanish-led contingents as they expanded the conquest to the south.

Linking Datu Bago to piracy is allegorically built on shifting sand. At the least, there are several factors that debunk the supposed involvement of the Moros of the gulf, especially the enclave ruled by Datu Bago, in long-distance slave raids.

First, the region that spanned from Cape San Agustin to Sarangani Islands was not host to any church structures that came close to the cathedrals built by Spanish proselytizers outside Mindanao.

Many of these brick houses of worship hosted gold-laced ornaments, gem-laden icons, and golden church vessels used by the clerics in celebrating the Mass and the sacraments.

Second, all (not just most) of the Moro fiefs around the gulf were either vassals of the Maguindanao sultanate or were dependent for their defense on the help of larger Moro kingdoms adjacent or within the gulf. Always threatened with running conflicts from non-Moro tribes, launching an organized piracy without the support of the sultanate support was susceptible to tribal attacks in territories controlled by the indigenous communities.

Third, Datu Bago’s lack of a naval component limited his contribution to long-distance piracy, if any, to simply giving conscripts to add muscle to the

raiding teams. Still, the sultanates had enough subjects and slaves to accompany their slave trades and marauding activities without seeking help from smaller fiefs or vassal states.

Fourth, the Moro tribes, though controlling most of the littorals of Davao Gulf, were still wary that depleting their security forces in favor of supplying men long-distance raids could provide the troublesome tribal invaders, their direct menaces, reason to bring down their barricades.

And fifth, the recorded Moro attacks in mission accounts are chiefly confined to raiding small organized tribal settlements, attacking Chinese-owned stores, ambushing indigenous fishers in the open sea, vendetta, stealing of farm animals, and the occasional taking of slaves for ransom.

8

EDGEDAVAO EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

COMPETITIVE EDGE

Israeli Ambassador presents credentials to President Duterte A mbassador-designate Ilan Fluss presented to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte his credentials as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Israel to the Republic of the Philippines at Malacañang Palace on 20 October 2021.

Ambassador Fluss formerly served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in Manila from 1995 to 1998.

“I am honored to be back in the Philippines, this time as the Ambassador of the State of Israel. I am excited to take on this new role in the Philippines as my first assignment in this capacity,” Ambassador Fluss shared.

Ambassador Fluss noted the very warm and friendly relations between Israel and the Philippines, which was strengthened further by the historic vis-

it of President Duterte to Israel in 2018. Since then, significant developments have been achieved in the fields of economy, agriculture, tourism, among others.

“Mr. President, innovation and technologies are not the future – they are the present – and the development of more cooperation in this field is one of my main goals for the years ahead. The goal of our partnership is to create sustainable development, improve lives, create jobs, generate income, and enable the transfer of

relevant know-how and technologies,” Ambassador Fluss said during his speech.

Ambassador Fluss hopes to make substantial contributions to the furthering of the countries’ friendship and partnership, and to the continued work towards the prosperity of ‫שגרירות ישראל‬ ‫שגרירות ישראל‬ ‫ פיליפינים‬,‫מנילה‬ ‫ פיליפינים‬,‫מנילה‬

EMBASSY OF ISRAEL MANILA

ILAN FLUSS

Ambassador-Designate Embassy of Israel in Manila Born on December 1965 in Haifa, Israel.

He served in the Israeli navy for five years.

Ambassador-Designate Ilan Fluss graduated from the University of Haifa with a degree in psychology and Israel studies, and an MBA from the University of Derby.

He joined the foreign service in 1994 where, since then, he represented Israel in a variety of capacities.

He served successively as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Israel in the Philippines (1995 - 1998), Spokesperson and Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of Israel in the Hague, Netherlands (1998 – 2000), served in the Ministry’s Asian Division (2000 – 2004), Acting Ambassador and later on, as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Israel in Pretoria, South Africa, (while in South Africa he was also responsible for Israel’s diplomatic relations with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Swaziland), Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN (2006), Director for Policy Planning and External Relations and later on as Deputy Head of MASHAV (2009 – 2016), special envoy for the Bureau of the Director General (2016 – 2018), and eventually as the Deputy Head of the Economic Division at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2018 – 2021).

He was appointed as the Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines on October 2021.

He is married to his wife, Gila, and has four children.

10 & 11/F Avecshares Center, 1132 University Parkway, North Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City 1634 Telephone No. 883-9500 ● Fax No. 883-9555 ● E-mail Address: info@manila.mfa.gov.il

Israel and the Philippines.

Ambassador Fluss was born on December 1965 in Haifa, Israel. He served in the Israeli navy for five years. He graduated from the University of Haifa with a degree in psychology and Israel studies, and an MBA from the University of Derby. He joined the foreign service in 1994 where, since then, he represented Israel in a variety of capacities.

He served successively as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of

Israel in the Philippines (1995 – 1998), Spokesperson and Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of Israel in the Hague, Netherlands (1998 – 2000), served in the Ministry’s Asian Division (2000 – 2004), Acting Ambassador and later on, as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Israel in Pretoria, South Africa, (while in South Africa he was also responsible for Israel’s diplomatic relations with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Swaziland), Counsellor at

the Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN (2006), Director for Policy Planning and External Relations and later on as Deputy Head of MASHAV (2009 – 2016), special envoy for the Bureau of the Director General (2016 – 2018), and eventually as the Deputy Head of the Economic Division at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2018 – 2021). He was appointed as the Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines in October 2021. He is married to his wife, Gila, and has four children.

SKYCABLE BRINGS THE BIGGEST AND MUST-WATCH SPORTING EVENTS THIS OCTOBER

S

KYcable continues to give die-hard sports fans a front row seat to the biggest sporting events in the world this October, allowing them to enjoy world class football, motorsports, and mixed martial arts action in the comfort of their homes.

The football action never stops with the showdown between storied rivals Real Madrid and FC Barcelona in their first “El Clasico” matchup of the season in La Liga live this October 24, 10:10 PM on beIN Sports 1.

For American football fans, they can get the feel of the gridiron with intense grit-and-grind battles midway the season in the NFL. Watch its Week 7 games, including Denver Broncos vs. Cleveland Browns (October 22, 8 AM), Indianapolis Colts vs. San Francisco 49ers (October 25, 8 AM), and New Orleans Saints vs. Seattle Seahawks (October 26, 8 AM) on Premier Sports.

Speed junkies will enjoy the heart-pounding high-stakes races from the world’s most competitive competitions in the world, the MotoGP and the Formula 1 on SKYcable. Find out if Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez can bring his winning momentum in MotoGP’s upcoming Italian GP event, airing on

SPOTV from October 23 to 24. Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen looks to keep hold of his name on top of the F1 leaderboard in the US Grand Prix, airing live on Premier Sports from October 24 to 25.

Finally, living room couches will turn into ringside seats as SKYcable brings non-stop combat entertainment in the world of boxing and mixed martial arts straight to homes. Catch prizefighters Jamel Herring and Shakur Stevenson slug it out for the WBO junior lightweight title in Herring vs. Stevenson airing on Fight Sports October 24 starting at 9 AM; plus, the ground-and-pound action returns to Abu Dhabi for a light heavyweight title showdown between Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira in the main event of UFC 267 this Halloween, October 31, beginning at 2 AM on Premier Sports.

Don’t miss all of these exciting sport-

i n g events this October on SKYcable, best enjoyed in high-definition through SKYcable’s new HD Plans.

To subscribe to any SKYcable HD Plan (HD500, HD1000, and HD1500), visit mysky.com.ph or text SKY <space> AP-

PLY <space> <NAME> to 23662 free on all networks.

For other updates on SKYcable’s programming and other cable plans, follow SKY on Facebook (fb.com/myskyupdates), Twitter, and Instagram (@myskyupdates).

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

ENVIRONMENT

9

MARINE TURTLES: WORTH MORE ALIVE THAN DEAD Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

E

ndangered marine turtles are worth more when they are alive than dead.

Such was the finding of a study conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) under the Asian Development Bank/Global Environment Facility (ADB/GEF) project on Combating Environmental Organized Crime in the Philippines.

If only a marine turtle is allowed to live up to 57 years, an estimated whooping P4.80 million can be derived from the endangered species, said the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), a DENR line agency which conducted the study.

The estimation was based on the marine turtle’s ecological role in coastal and marine ecosystems and on the tourism value it generates: P900,000 and P3.90 million, respectively.

“The annual use value of the entire population of the Philippine marine turtle, which is conservatively estimated at 7,294 individuals, ranged between P2.89 billion and P3.19 billion (US$57.88-63.85 million) per year,” the study said.

The study confirms what most environmentalists are saying all these years – marine turtles are worth more alive than dead.

“Developers, politicians, and community leaders should start to see marine turtles as a valuable asset,

generating revenue and jobs,” says the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

“Tourism and turtle protection may in fact increase their economic value.”

There are only eight species of marine turtles known. Five of them can be found in the Philippines, mostly in the Turtle Islands (located along the boundary of Malaysia and the Philippines). These are the Green Sea (scientific name: Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), Loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), and Leatherback (Dermocheyls coriacea).

The three other species, not found in the Philippines, are the Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempi), Flatback (Chelonia depressa), and Black Sea (Chelonia agassizi).

Endangered species Unfortunately, all eight species are listed under the Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade

of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which means the trade of these species and subspecies is strictly “prohibited except for educational, scientific or research and study purposes.”

“All of the species found in our country are endangered except for the Hawksbill which is critically endangered,” said Dr. Arnel “AA” Yaptinchay, founder and director of the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines. “The only sure thing is that marine turtle populations are under tremendous threats and if these are not stopped, extinction is imminent.”

Marine turtles, known locally as pawikan, are hunted for meat and leather; their eggs are consumed because people think they are good aphrodisiacs.

Most of their nesting sites are vanishing in the name of development. They are ground up by dredges, run over by pleasure boats, poisoned by pollution, strangled by trash, and drowned by fishline and net.

Despite sincere efforts by the government and environmentalists to prevent the further decimation of the marine turtle population, the gathering of turtle eggs and trading of stuffed turtles in souvenir shops remain unabated.

“If you have bought a stuffed turtle in one of those

souvenir shops, you have unwittingly contributed to the extermination of an endangered Philippine wildlife species,” said Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, an environmental group.

“Conservation of marine turtles should be the concern of all Filipinos. As a citizen, you can do your part in discouraging the sale collection, or the killing of sea turtles by not buying these or products from turtles.”

Davao case This happened four years ago.

Among those living in barangay Daliao in Toril, it was just another day. People were no longer surprised to see marine turtles being sold in the public market.

“Although local fishermen are very much aware that selling endangered sea creatures is illegal and prohibited by the government, they are still doing it,” reported Truman Phillip Calipes, who conducted research for his investigative report for a school paper.

A local resident, who refused to be identified, told him: “These fishermen would walk around our purok, selling the pawikans that they caught from one house to another.”

According to her, most of these fishermen caught these marine turtles by accident. When they are pulling out their fishnets out of

the water, there are instances where pawikans are included together with the fish. But instead of returning these marine creatures back into the water, the fishermen would just put them in a different barrel and hide them in their fishing boats to elude detection from the local authorities when they arrived at the fish port for inspection.

“The place where they usually catch fishes might probably be a suitable habitat for the pawikans,” the local resident surmised. “Perhaps it is where they swim to after they are released to the ocean from a pawikan sanctuary in a coastal area in the city, which is more or less 10 kilometers from here.”

Mysterious Human beings hardly know about marine turtles.

All they understand is that marine turtles belong to the order Chelonia, an order of reptiles that has existed and flour­ished since prehistoric times. Marine turtles can be differentiated from their terres­ trial and freshwater relatives by their flattened forelimbs.

Fresh­water turtles have five claws on each forelimb with easily distinguish­able individual digits. In comparison, marine turtles have flattened foreflippers with obscured individ­ual digits.

According to scientists, marine turtles are

air-breathing reptiles that live their long legendary lives mostly in the sea. But they do spend a critically important part of their life stages in sandy beaches.

Most female marine turtles come ashore several times every two or three years to nest. Yet scientists know little about how they navigate, where they grow up, or how long they live.

Why is it so difficult to study marine turtles?

“They’re a mystery,” said Dr. Archie Carr, a visionary herpetolo­ gist who earned the moniker ‘Father of Marine Turtle Research’ when he set up camp on the beach at Tortuguero, Costa Rica.

Several others followed suit. But despite this explosion of research, scientists are frustrated. “I don’t know any branch of science where we have applied so much effort and learned so little,” complained Dr. Richard Byles of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

But there are signs of progress. Each marine turtle species exhibits a distinctive behavior, habitat preferences and diet requirements. But in terms of reproduction, they share some behavioral similarities.

“Under this particular life stage of marine turtle is critical to marine turtle conservation and management since it is during this period

FMARINE, P10

10

EDGEDAVAO

BOOZE... FROM 2

or Sara has ordered the 24/7 liquor ban and curfew hours from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. until the end of the year.

Through Executive Order 37, the mayor extended the

curfew and liquor ban “to regulate some activities that can contribute to local transmission” amid the surge of cases and threats of new variants of Covid-19.

erations that need to be tested whether they will be retained or amended.

“There will be events launched from the sea using amphibious assault vehicles traveling from the sea to the shoreline, carrying the Marine forces,” Adaci said, adding that there will be firing of naval guns, and Spike Extended Range (ER) missile, with all targets positioned at sea.

Adaci said the Pagsisikap Naval Exercises 2021 will be participated in by131 officers, 748 enlisted personnel, 24 reservists, and 42 Navy Seals, or 945 men in the Philippine Navy, involving the Fleet units or those nine naval ships deployed in Western Mindanao, Marine Amphibious Ready Unit (MARU) aboard the Navy’s biggest ship Landing Dock BRP Tarlac (LD601), one helicopter, and a civilian-owned ship.

Navy Captain Alan Javier, Director of Exercise Pagsisikap 2021 and concurrent commander of Naval Task Force 62, said, the Philippine Navy through NFWM “will showcase the capability of the Fleet-Marine concept in the planning and execution of naval and amphibious operations in the littoral battle space.”

He said the exercise will also include activities that will highlight the integral role of inter-agency collaboration in the

conduct of maritime and naval operations.

Lt. Senior Grade Chester Ross Cabaltera, NFWM Acting Public Affairs Office spokesperson, shared that as prelude, the NFWM’s Fleet-Marine forces aboard Landing Dock BRP Tarlac and its attached Marine Amphibious Ready Unit from the Philippine Marines, and Navy Seals from the Naval Special Operations Unit 6, conducted rehearsals on Amphibious Operations last October 21 at sea adjacent to Naval Station Romulo Espaldon (NSRE) in Zamboanga City.

The rehearsals, he said, were intended to prepare the sailors and marines for the week-long Exercise Pagsisikap 2021 covering NFWM’s areas of operations particularly in the littoral areas and seawaters off Basilan and Sulu. The amphibious operations rehearsals simulated a mock raid at the NSRE Beach area.

Adaci said the at-sea events will test the mettle of the Philippine Navy’s warships and crew.

He explained that a civilian boat, acting as a critical contact of interest, will pose as a target vessel in interdiction operations during this week’s Naval Exercises.

Compliance with health protocols are strictly to be observed during the During the exercises, he said. (Frencie Carreon / MindaNews)

“The SCPS immediately launched an intensified operation, considering the possibility that the suspect might exit through boat via the Lipata Port in Surigao City to the Visayas area given that the suspect is also a native of Mandaue City,” Espinoza said.

SCPS personnel spotted the subject car parked outside a traveler’s inn along San Nicolas

St., Barangay Taft, Surigao City, where the suspect was arrested.

“The successful execution of the manhunt operation is attributed to the partnership of the operatives and the responsive community. We will continue to pursue all criminals sought by law,” Espinoza said.

The suspect is under the custody of SCPS. (PNA)

present should not exceed 50 percent of the room where the casket is located, and the family must also keep a re-

cord of the date and time of the visit of all family members for contact tracing.

online, while making sure that each of the participants is continuously given proper guidance and appropriate interventions. Moreover, we have been strict in choosing our mentors. We have made sure that they are industry experts and adept in their respective fields, who are willing to share their expertise with

our mentees,” the local trade official said.

As mentors, they are expected to nurture the mentees assigned to them. They are considered as “angel-preneurs” as they guide the startups and micro-entrepreneurs in every step towards becoming successful business people like them.

ing public and private transactions, enrollment in schools, and the opening of bank accounts.

It also seeks to boost effi-

ciency, especially in dealing with government services where people will only need to present one ID during transactions.

(PNA)

income has been reduced to P120 per fishing trip from P300 due to rising oil prices.

Also, Pamalakaya lamented that the cost of production for small fisherfolk have also swelled to P180 per fishing operation, or a total of P720 additional fuel cost for a week of four fishing trips.

“Sa loob ng isang linggo, P480 o katumbas ng P120 kada araw na lamang ang kinikita ng isang maliit na

mangingisda dahil sa tuluy-tuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng langis. Abot langit ang pagsirit ng gastos namin sa produksyon habang ang kita ay patuloy ang pagdausdos,” Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya National Chairperson said.

(In a week, a fisherman has an income of P470 or P120 per day because of the continued increase of oil prices. The cost of production is too high while profit remains low.)

NAVAL... FROM 2

DAVAO... FROM 2

CITY... FROM 3 DTI... FROM 4

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VOL.14 ISSUE 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

MARINE... FROM 9

that they are most vulnerable to the adverse effects of human activities,” wrote DENR’s Marizal Calpito and Lourdes P. Calacal in an article published in Canopy International.

Mating and courtship The two authors cited the Green turtle as a case in point. Mating, they said, starts with courtship. “Green turtles’ courtship behavior is a highly-charged activity punctuated by rivalry among courting males,” the two authors wrote.

“A male communicates his intentions to a female by caressing the female’s head and by raining her heck and rear flippers with gentle bites. The courted female may indicate her refusal by facing the male in a vertical position, limbs widespread, as if emphatically declaring her rejection of the male. Or she may seek refuge in ‘no male turtles allowed’ area or simply the areas that males apparently avoid.”

If the female is receptive to the male, the male proceeds to embrace the female by anchoring his long front claws on the uppermost portion of the female’s carapace while his rear flippers secure the lower portion of his mate’s shell.

This, however, does not guarantee that mating will proceed unevent­fully. The drama heightens with other ardent males aggressively attacking the successful male in a bid to dislodge him from the female.

The injuries are often extensive.

“Upon completion of the mating stage, nesting occurs in sandy beaches about a month after mating,” Calpito and Calacal wrote.

Nesting season The turtle nesting season varies with location. In the Philippines, it starts in October, peaks in December and ends in March. For some unknown reason, turtles choose a favorite nesting site. Every time they nest, they always return to the place even if they are thousands of miles away from this area.

“Females would drag their bulky frame into the sand and build a nest and to eventually lay eggs,” Calpito and Calacal wrote. “Their nests are flaskshaped cavities dug in the sand by the shoveling motions of the nesting turtle’s hind limbs.

Nests are built in areas that are not inundated by tides, rain, or groundwater. The sand is loose enough for gas diffusion but moist enough to keep the nest walls from collaps­ing.”

One nest may contain as many as 100 eggs. These are usually laid at night except for Kemp’s Ridley and Olive Ridley eggs, which are laid at day-

time. “Nesting is an individual activity but undertaken simultaneously with other nesting females,” Calpito and Calacal wrote. “An individual Ridley can delay nesting in order to wait for other nesting female Ridleys.”

During the nesting season, some turtles may nest 2-11 times depending on the species and populations. The Green turtle continually nests every year for 10 solid years.

Others nest every two to four years.

“If the nesting is successfully completed, the mother turtle covers and disguises the nest - apparently the only ‘maternal care’ exhibited by the mother,” wrote Calpito and Calacal. “Afterwards, she scampers toward the sea, leaving the eggs for future hatchlings to find the sea and to fend for themselves.”

After two months of being cocooned in their sandy niche, the papery eggshells erupt one after another or almost simultaneously. With vigorous trashing here and there, the hatchlings are fed from their eggshells. From a moment, trashings will come to a halt as if the hatchlings would charge into the sea, scurrying like an army seeking cover in the darkness of the night.

“This nocturnal trek to the sea can be a critical event in the lives of young hatchlings,” Calpito and Calacal wrote. “Hatchlings exhibit photo-attraction. Their complex reaction to light can be a fatal attraction because strong lights such as beach lights may lure them away from the sea.

Hence, hatchlings fail to make their rendezvous with their aquatic home and they die.”

Most abundant species Of the five marine turtles found in the Philippines, the Green Sea turtle is the most abundant. They have been sighted as far north as the Fuga Islands in Cagayan, and in the Southwest in Bancuran, Palawan. Because of its tasty meat, it is also the most threatened.

The Hawksbill turtle is considered the most beautiful of all sea turtles. It differs from other species by the overlap­ ping scales on its top shell. Its color varies from brown to yellow-brown, with the bottom shell (plastron) in shades of yellow or white. This species inhabits the Celebes Sea, the Cuyo island group of Palawan, neighboring towns of Jolo, Cotabato, and Sitangkai in Tawi-Tawi, as well as in Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro and the open waters of Sulu Sea. Although rarely seen in the country, the Leatherback turtle is the largest of all the ma-

a more sustainable tourism industry. More than ever this year, the goal is to share these destinations’ innovative and effective sustainability tourism stories and good management practices as inspiring examples to others…”

“We are deeply grateful for these international recognitions for both resorts. Our dedication for service and our commitment to our guests, the environment and the community where we belong have been our driving force, especially during this very challenging time. We proudly carry the Philippine flag in all our wins and we are extreme-

ly delighted to be have been able to put the Philippines on the map of world-class tourism,” shares Jun Parreño, the President of Discovery World Corporation.

These Discovery World Corporation-owned resorts, Discovery Shores Boracay and Club Paradise Palawan, are managed by Discovery Hospitality Corporation (DHC), a proudly homegrown Filipino hospitality group that has emerged as pioneers in the Philippine hospitality industry – owning and operating a diverse and vibrant collection of properties in the Philippines’ most celebrated destinations.

ter to make it 100-96.

Buddy Hield made consecutive 3s for Sacramento to cut it to 107-104, but Poole made two free throws and Green scored down low.

Curry missed his first

two attempts against the Kings before making one in the first quarter, extending his current streak to 128 games. He set the record of 157 from November 2014 to November 2016.

DISCOVERY... FROM 4

DISCOVERY... FROM 4

rine turtles. It may grow up to more than two and a half meters long and weigh as much as 800 kilograms. Instead of a shell, a thick skin with seven long ridges or keels serves as the turtle’s protection. Its leathery back gave it its name.

Leatherback turtles are generally black with white spots. Muslim fishermen consider the appearance of this turtle as a bad omen. Others hunt it for the pearl found on the pouch of its lower jaw. This turtle feeds primarily on jellyfish and roams the open seas.

The Olive Ridley turtle or so-called lambanagan can be distinguished from the other species by five or more scales on its back. It has a distinct olive-brown color. These turtles have been seen by fishermen in the shallow coastal waters of Paluan, Occidental Mindoro.

The Loggerhead turtle is a big-headed turtle, weighing up to 200 kilograms. It feeds primarily in estuaries and along the continental shelf, using the jaw muscles that make up most of its oversize head to crush mollusks and crustaceans.

Importance of marine turtles Since the dawn of history, meat of marine turtles has supplemented the diet of man and its shell has gratified his sense of beauty in more ways than one. Seventeenth century seafaring men used turtles as ship’s provisions - their ability to stay alive for months without food and water ensured a steady supply of fresh meat without storage problems.

Aside from their meat, marine turtles are also valued for their eggs, which look like ping-pong balls and rounder than chicken eggs. The yellow or yolk of turtle eggs is considered medicinal by some people.

When hard-boiled, the white or albumin does not congeal like that of the eggs of fowls. Many consumers dry turtle eggs under the heat of the sun before eating them, supposedly to give the eggs better flavor. In some parts of the country, eggs of Green Sea turtles are gathered and sold in the market for at least P5 a piece.

“If these practices (of gathering eggs) continue, the Green Sea turtles would permanently vanish from the face of the earth,” said an environment and natural resources officer.

Rural fisherfolk have been using marine turtle blood, hatchlings, and liver as a cure for asthma. Others gather the turtle’s tail for its aphrodisiac properties. The bone gives an excellent soup, which the Chinese consider as a delicacy.

Marine turtles are also hunted to make different products. The Hawksbill’s carapace is used to make combs, brush handles, eyeglass frames, but-

tons, hairclips, and jewelry.

Immature Hawksbill and Green Sea turtles are killed and stuffed for ornamental purposes like home decor.

Causes Pollution has also been cited as one of the prime factors why the population of marine turtles is dwindling rapidly.

Marine turtles were once seen in abundance in the shallow waters of Manila. But toxic wastes flowing from the Pasig River, ocean-going vessels plying the bay, and the government’s recla­mation projects had long ago driven the marine turtles away.

Many marine turtles die after eating discarded plastic bags.

These beautiful, migratory reptiles face danger from the day they are born (they are hunted by monitor lizards or bayawak, dogs, and ghost crabs). Hatchlings being inexperienced feeders ingest plastic waste around them. They become so buoyant by consuming plastics that, unable to dive for food, they starve.

Dynamite fishing and the use of trawl nets where turtles abound have also threatened the marine turtles. Ditto for the rapid development of beach resorts for the tourism industry as these destroy the nesting beaches of marine turtles.

Good news But there is good news.

In Turtle Islands, at least 2,000 marine turtles swim to the sanctuary to lay their eggs annually. During peak season (from May to July), 80-150 turtles lay eggs every night.

In 1996, the islands were declared as Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area by both governments of Malaysia and the Philippines as the only way to guarantee the continued existence of the endangered marine turtles and their nesting sites.

In 1999, through presidential proclamation, the six islands were declared a wildlife sanctuary. In 2001, Republic Act 9147 was signed, paving for the prohibition of the collection of threatened wildlife (including marine turtles) and its derivatives for non-scientific and breeding purposes.

Last May, the regional office of DENR officially turned over the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARRM).

“Rest assured that our mission now includes the protection and conservation of the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary, its biodiversity, flora and fauna, and the habitat that’s inseparable from the survival of the species relying on the beauty of the islands,” BARMM Senior Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua

Leyte was coming off a twomonth stay in the country following his last title fight against Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba.

Right off the bat, Casimero plunged into work and did gym work at the House of Boxing and City Boxing, both located in San Diego, California. He worked the mitts with Jayson while cut man and friend Stephen Lunas observed on the side.

Lunas, cousin of former Oriental bantamweight champion Rolly Lunas, hosted the Casimero brothers in Los Angeles, and later accompanied them to Las Vegas along with the rest of his family.

Casimero made no mention of the reported rift between him and MP Promotions, but said the fight with Butler must push through despite an obvious reduction in the prize money he will receive since

fledgling promotional outfit Probellum was the only one which bid to stage the fight either in Dubai or in the UK. “Tuloy lang natin yung laban,” said Casimero as he addressed the close to 300,000 subscribers of his ‘Quado Alas It’s My Boy’ account.

“Kapag walang trabaho, labas muna pampawala sa stress natin.”

Casimero, who is coming off a split decision against Rigondeaux last August 14 in Carson, California, begins his Vegas training camp on Monday amid the uncertainty brought about by the gap he has with his promoter.

“Ganito talaga. Kailangan i-enjoy mo yung life mo kahit ano pang pagsubok ang nangyari,” said the champion.

“Walang makakapigil sa atin dahil tayo yung boxer. Tayo yung lumalaban.”

CASIMERO... FROM 11

VOL.14 ISSUE 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

11

Anthony Davis went 8 for 15, while Carmelo Anthony was 10 for 15.

LA hurdles Morant’s 40-pt outburst to nail first win

L

OS ANGELES — Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points, Anthony Davis had 22 points and four blocks, and LeBron James scored 19 as the Los Angeles Lakers overcame Ja Morant’s 40-point game and beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 121-118, on Sunday night (Monday, Manila time) for their first win of the season.

There was plenty of drama in the final

minute as Morant was fouled by Kent Baze-

more on a 3-point attempt with 2.5 seconds left and Memphis trailing by three. Morant had a chance to tie the game, but missed the third and final free throw and the Lakers escaped with the win.

Anthony moved into ninth on the NBA’s alltime scoring list with 27,423 career points.

The Lakers snapped a season-opening twogame losing streak. The Grizzlies lost for the first time after consecutive wins to open the season.

Morant added 10 assists and made a career-best five 3-pointers By halftime, Morant had 17 points, including four 3-pointers.

Curry reaches 5K assists as Warriors defeat Kings

S

ACRAMENTO — Stephen Curry scored 27 points and became the first player in Warriors franchise history to reach 5,000 assists, helping Gold-

Casimero, MP Promotions at odds?

T

John Riel Casimero trains with Dabawenyo Nonoy Neri.

hings are reportedly not going well with Johnriel Casimero and Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions.

The flamboyant Casimero is stepping up training for the coming defense of his WBO bantamweight crown.

Just three days after arriving in the US, the 31-year-old Filipino world champion proceeded to Las Vegas where he will set up his training camp for the Dec. 11 title fight against British challenger Paul Butler.

Casimero uploaded his Las Vegas arrival on Youtube where he was shown with brother Jayson walking down the Strip on Saturday night on what they called a ‘chillin night.’

The native of Merida,

FCASIMERO, P10

en State improve to 3-0 with a 119-107 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night (Monday, Manila time).

Curry had 10 assists and seven rebounds. The two-time MVP had at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in each of the Warriors’ first two games.

Jordan Poole added 22 points, and Draymond Green had 14 points, six rebounds and seven assists.

Harrison Barnes scored 24 points for the Kings, and Richaun Holmes had 16 points and 11 rebounds.

They are 1-2.

Playing in front of a Golden 1 Center crowd heavily mixed with Golden State fans, the Warriors came out cold and were shooting less than 36 percent midway through the second quarter before turning it around in the second half.

Golden State closed the third quarter on a 7-2 run, then pulled away for good early in the fourth. Otto Porter Jr.’s 3-pointer put the Warriors ahead, and Andrew Wiggins followed with one from the perime-

FCURRY, P10

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 191 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

The Philippines’Caloy Yulo scored an average of 14.916 points in the vault final, enough to rule the eight-man field and take home the championship.

GOLDEN BOY

Yulo bags gold in World Championships

C

aloy Yulo became the new champion in the vault competition of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championship after his near-flawless routines in the final on Sunday in Kitakyushu, Japan won him the gold.

Bouncing back from a fifth-place finish in his pet event, the floor exercise final, on Saturday, Yulo scored an average of 14.916 points in the vault final, enough to rule the eight-man field and take home the championship.

In his first vault, he went for a Kasamatsu routine, which earned him a 14.8.

He then performed a Dragulescu routine on his second try, which he landed almost perfectly, meriting him a 15.033 for the aforementioned average.

Hidenobu Yonekura of Japan took home the silver after averaging 14.866 points in his

two jumps, while Andrey Medvedev of Israel won the bronze with an average of 14.649.

Ukraine’s Nazar Cherpunyi, who topped the qualifying phase on Wednesday, made a huge threat to Yulo’s bid as his first attempt gave him a 14.866.

However, he failed to land properly on his own Kasamatsu stunt and settled for a 13.433 in his second vault for an average of 14.149, dropping him to seventh.

Yulo is eyeing a second gold for the day as he is competing in the parallel bars final as of posting.

(PNA)