Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 214 | Tuesday, November 23, 2021

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VOL.14 ISSUE 214 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021

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A hawker from Leyte checks the colorful native lampshades made from abaca that he is peddling around the downtown area of Davao City over the weekend. Edge Davao

Sara asks ‘protection’ for BBM, explains VP bid decision in Tagum caravan STORY ON PAGE 2

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VOL.14 ISSUE 214 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio receives Japan Ambassador to the Philippines, Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko, at Davao City Hall on Friday afternoon. Mayor Sara and Ambassador Kazuhiko discussed the Capacity Building Project for Davao City or the IM4Davao (Infrastructure Modernization for Davao), its components on Flood Control and the Sewerage and Septage Masterplan. CIO

FIRST SALVO Sara asks ‘protection’ for BBM, explains VP bid decision in Tagum City caravan

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio urged her supporters in Tagum City, Davao del Norte to “protect” her running mate presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. The vice presidential aspirant did not clarify why “protection” is necessary and from whom to protect Marcos. Her father President Rodrigo Duterte has been very vocal in his disapproval of Marcos and even described him as a “weak leader”.

Speaking before the supporters during the BBM-Sara tandem’s first caravan in Davao del Norte on November 21, 2021, Mayor Sara enjoined their supporters not to stop protecting and make sure to vote and protect their votes this coming May 9, 2022, for

them to see a Marcos-Duterte next year.

“Unsay mabuhat ninyo, kitang tanan? Unsay mabuhat nato sa atoang suporta para mapanigurado nato nga makita nato, dili man lang mo suporta lang ta tapos walay mahitabo sa atong damgo. Mosuporta lang ta wala tay makita nga konkreto sa atong pagsuporta. Unsay mabuhat natong tanan? Kinahanglan una, paniguraduhon nato nga maprotektahan nato ang atoang pagsupor-

ta. Protektahan nato ang atoang kandidato. Protektahan nato si BBM,” the mayor said.

Mayor Sara also explained why she chose Marcos as her running mate.

She believed that Marcos’ experience as governor, Congressman, and Senator will help him to do the job as President of the Philippines.

“Nganong si Bongbong Marcos ang akoang gipili na kapares? Unang-una, he’s a

percent of PDLs detained in these jails.

According to Librado, only a few inmates were deferred to receive the vaccine due to medical conditions, but the rest had already received full doses.

Those vaccinated were not only PDLs but also personnel of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and their dependents.

The SP-initiated vaccination drive under the guidance and direction of the City Health Office (CHO) has now contributed to the high vaccination rate among PDLs. Librado said PDLs should not be excluded from the vaccination drive.

“Iapil gyud nato ning mga PDLs or mga inmates nato sa vaccination kay apil

sab sila sa vulnerable sector tungod sa kahimtang nila sa atong mga detention facilities,” she said.

Librado, likewise vows to continue to conduct vaccination campaigns targeting various groups and communities.

She said that these vaccination roll-outs should also include a massive vaccine education initiative.

FFIRST, P10

2,000 inmates in Davao jail given full vaccination

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ver 2,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from Davao City’s three jail facilities received full vaccination on Saturday (November 19).

Through a mobile vaccination roll-out led by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), the Office of Councilor Pamela Librado, was able to vaccinate more than 95

Israeli Ambassador Envisions Expansion of Israel-PH relations

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mbassador Ilan Fluss revealed the flourishing relations between Israel and the Philippines in the fields of economy, agriculture, tourism, defense, among others during the Pandesal Forum held in Kamuning Bakery. The Israeli Ambassador also emphasized that he envisions expanding the cooperation between the two countries focusing on innovation and technology.

“Israel is a global hub of innovation and technology. We want to share our know-how with Filipinos and to work together in maximizing their potential while using smart and innovative Israeli technology adjusted to local conditions,” Ambassador Fluss said.

Israel is known as the start-up nation with leading companies in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, water technology, and more. The embassy plans to feature and introduce more of these in the Philippines.

He specifically mentioned the agriculture sector, which will benefit more in using Israeli innovation.

“I recently visited Tarlac State University and I saw the impressive and successful display of the adoption of Israeli smart technology in the province,” he said.

Israel and the Philippines have existing cooperation in the agriculture field. “Every year, Filipino students train in Israel for 11 months to practice smart agriculture,” Ambassador Fluss said. “Israel offers advanced technologies and innovation in farming that it aims to share with the Philippines to contribute to its goal of attaining sustainability and food sufficiency in the country

while addressing climate change,” he added.

MASHAV is Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.

Filipinos in various fields were trained in Israel to further their skills in the areas of agriculture, water management, public health, entrepreneurship, innovation, among others.

“The historic visit of President Rodrigo Duterte in Israel in 2018 gave a boost to the relations of our countries. He was the first Philippine president to visit our country,” Ambassador Fluss said.

Ambassador Fluss described the relationship of Israel-PH as a multi-layer partnership. “Cultural activities bring people together.

We want to feature and expose more Israeli culture to Filipinos,” he said. He mentioned the first Hebrew to Filipino translation of the Etgar Keret book and the Israeli Film Festival this November as few examples of the embassy’s cultural activities.

“The highlight of the film festival is the documentary of ‘Kuya Noy’ which features the OFW life of a Filipino rock band member Asin. It is important for us to know stories like this since Filipinos are an integral part of our society,” Ambassador Fluss explained.

There are around 30,000 Filipino caregivers in Israel. Their rights are protected with the bilateral labor agreement between the two governments.

They are an integral part of the Israeli society. “My father-in-law has a Filipina caregiver. Our family appreciates her care and dedica-

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NEWS

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Female elders of the Talaandig tribe indulge in an animated conversation in Barangay Kibangay, Lantapan, Bukidnon on Saturday (Nov. 20, 2021). MindaNews photo by H. MARCOS C. MORDENO

Japanese gov’t offers technical expertise in traffic management Another PWS inaugurated in Lawigan, City of Mati

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nother potable water system (PWS) was inaugurated in the City of Mati this week with residents of Barangay Lawigan to benefit from the ₱4 million project.

No less than Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat along with City Councilor Eric Rabat and other city officials attended the inauguration last Wednesday, November 17. The said project is funded thru the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) funds as supported by the World Bank.

The total project cost is ₱4,075,856.97 of which 90% came from the World Bank loan proceeds and 10% from the local government unit as equity or ₱407,585.70.

The said PWS project is a Level 2 type with 1 unit reservoir and 43 tap stands proponent. A total of 215 households would benefit from the said PWS project bringing much safer, cleaner and steady supply of water to the community.

It is estimated that with the PWS project now serving the community, health and living conditions in the area would improve with a 50% cost reduction in medical expenses caused

by water borne diseases; reduction of incidence of morbidity rates of the residents by 80%; and reduction of the time spent in fetching water by 88.93% from 45 minutes to 5 minutes.

The said project also employed 26 skilled and 44 unskilled workers during its construction.

Potable water system projects have been one of the priority projects of the City Government due to the fact that many far-flung areas in the city remain unserviced by the city’s water district.

The administration of Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat have allocated an estimated ₱15,370,000 budget from the Local Government Development Fund and Support Fund for Barangay Development for PWS projects alone.

Mayor Michelle also allocated ₱98,900,000 from the Loan Program of the LandBank of the Philippines; and more than P19 million from the PRDP. For the year 2020 alone, the Rabat administration allocated budget for 23 PWS projects, two installations, one rehabilitation, and two improvement projects related to water supply. (CIO MATI)

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he Japanese government is offering its technical expertise to the city government of Davao particularly in the field of traffic management through the Smart JAMP (Smart City Japan ASEAN Mutual Partnership).

This was discussed during the meeting between Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko at the City Hall on November 19, 2021.

“We have another project with Japan government as well kining

SMART JAMP, this is the assessment and planning for traffic management in Davao City apil na ang mga atoang street lights,” Mayor Sara said.

The city government of Davao posted that also discussed during the meeting was the Capacity Building Project for Davao City or the

IM4Davao (Infrastructure Modernization for Davao), its components on Flood Control, and the Sewerage and Septage Masterplan.

Before the meeting, the Japanese delegation visited the city’s sanitary landfill and noted the importance of the establishment of a Waste to Energy (WTE) facility in the city.

Mayor Sara thanked the Japanese delegation for the technical support provided by the Japanese Government for the implementation of the WTE project of Davao City, which is still

pending at the Senate.

The Japanese government also assisted in the implementation of the Davao Bypass project through visa assistance, road right of way conferences, and vaccination of project workers.

The meeting was attended by City Administrator Atty. Zuleika T. Lopez, Second Secretary for Economic Section of the Japanese Embassy Matsubara Tomohiro, and Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Azukizawa Eigo.

Dili lang ta mu-promise that we are fully confident pero paningkamutan sa city government na ma-hit ang target nga 100 percent herd immunity in Davao City,” said Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Monday during the Special Hour with Mayor Inday Sara Duterte via Davao City Disaster Radio(DCDR).

Mayor Sara said the National Vaccination Days in the Philippines slated on November 29, 2021, to December 1, 2021, will help the city achieve herd immunity.

The three-day event called “Bayanihan, Ba-

kunahan” or simultaneous vaccination drive against Covid-19 aims to administer five million Covid-19 jabs per day.

“Sa karon naa ta sa 1,010,811 first doses ang balanse ana sa atoang number sa herd immunity mao na ang target pero dili lang na sa “Bayanihan” na target but every day that is the target,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, the Davao City Vaccination Cluster also reported as of November 19, 2021, for Priority A1 (health care workers), there were a total of 62,269 were vaccinated with the first

dose and 57,647 for the second dose.

For Priority A2 (senior citizens), there were a total of 100,634 vaccinated with the first dose and 93,671 for the second dose.

For Priority A3 (persons with comorbidities), there were a total of 182,184 vaccinated with the first dose and 93,671 with the second dose while for the pediatric group (Priority A3), there were a total of 2,456 vaccinated with the first dose and 70 for the second dose.

For Priority A4 (es-

Davao City vaccinates 1M with first dose

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he Davao City Vaccination Cluster announced on Monday that the city has already vaccinated 1,010,811 with the first dose of anti-Covid-19 vaccines.

With that, Davao City is closing in on the 1.2 million target herd immunity for the first doses before the end of 2021.

Based on the report of the Davao City Vaccination Cluster as of November 19, 2021, there were a total of 1,010,811 vaccines administered for the first dose and 908,101 for the second dose.

“Are we confident?

FDAVAO, P10

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VOL.14 ISSUE 214 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021

A child runs along the beach at sunrise in San Isidro, Cateel, Davao Oriental on 21 November 2021. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO

Dubai Duty Free rehiring more than 600 OFWs

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mployment opportunities await pandemic-displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and jobseekers amid the reopening of economy at the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Labor department shared in a news release on Sunday.

More than 600 OFWs formerly employed by Dubai Duty Free shops will be rehired, said Labor Attaché John Rio Bautista of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Dubai.

“During the pandemic, Dubai Duty Free needed to lay off some workers.

But with the revival of

the economy here, the management reached out to us and we have a special facilitation for them.

More than 600 Filipino workers will be coming back and their salary is competitive. Every week, we process not less than 100 contracts for OFWs who will be rehired,” Bautista said in a virtual

briefing on Friday.

Aside from opportunities in the retail sector, Bautista said the health sector also expressed interest to hire Filipino professionals.

Meanwhile, over 8,000 job orders for household service workers (HSWs) have been verified by POLO since early April and around 6,000 to 7,000 of them have already arrived in Dubai.

“The initial implementation of the memorandum of understanding between the Philippines and UAE is really fruitful. The benefits for our

HSWs, as instructed by President Duterte, is stated in the comprehensive employment contract. For instance, the provision of the minimum wage amounting to 1,500 dirhams,” Bautista said.

One dirham is about PHP13.75.

Since the implementation of the accord, distressed Filipinos housed at the POLO shelter have also dwindled to an average of 10.

The Labor department reminded overseas jobseekers to go through the proper process and to

through the various platforms of all ACAP members indicate the challenges they face with varied requirements set by the local government units (LGUs),” the group said.

ACAP counts as members Air Philippines Corporation (PAL Express), Cebgo, Inc. (Cebgo), Cebu Air Inc. (Cebu Pacific), Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAL) and Philippines AirAsia Inc. (AirAsia Philippines).

ACAP called on LGUs to

accept vaccination cards, with or without QR codes.

“This will simplify the proof of vaccination requirement regardless of the origin of the vaccine card,” it said.

The local carriers’ group likewise appealed to the government to increase the prevailing cap of 4,000 to 10,000 daily on international arrivals for inbound passengers carried by all international airlines into the country.

“ACAP also shared the view that fully vaccinated inbound travelers from ‘Green List’ countries should no longer form part of, and be excluded from the daily cap on international arrivals, considering that these travelers are no longer undergoing facility-based quarantine upon their arrival,” the organization said.

The local airlines also called for a reduction of quarantine days for fully

FDUBAI, P10

ACAP calls on gov’t for travel policy adjustments as holiday season nears

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he Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP) is calling on the government to make necessary adjustments to travel policies as the demand for flights is picking up as the holiday season nears.

In a statement, ACAP said the country’s airline industry is experiencing high demand for flights based on forward bookings and passenger inquiries.

“However, passenger sentiments expressed

FACAP, P10

Gov’t upgrades support to MSMEs via SETUP

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he government has upgraded services of its program assisting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to enhance competitiveness based on their level of development considering the rapid emergence of Industry 4.0 and the debilitating effects of the pandemic.

Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said that under the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) 4.0, the department’s interventions will now not only benefit the individual firms.

“We will also be providing industry-level interventions, making sure that each industry under our priority sectors is following a set roadmap that is directed towards transitioning to the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” he said during the recent DOST-National Capital Region SETUP e-caravan.

De la Peña said MSMEs will be categorized based on their development level, and the assistance the DOST will provide them will be based on their category.

“The more developed MSMEs will be ushered towards Industry 4.0 while the rest will be assisted such that they will be prepared to transition to the same in the near future,” he added.

DOST-VI Regional Director Engr. Rowen Gelonga said enterprise-level strategies under SETUP 4.0 include providing access to new technologies and innovations; delivering technical, digital and other critical support; and ensuring enterprise resiliency and continuity.

“Our one special focus at the SETUP 4.0 is that irrespective of the level of development of your company, we will try to come up with digitalization or digitization as well as digitalization support. And of course, we are giving special emphasis also in terms of resiliency and continuity and we know how important this is during times not only of pandemic but in times of hazards and other calamities,” he said.

Gelonga said the government will provide assis-

FGOV’T, P10

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ECONOMY

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Petroleum companies will implement another rollback of fuel prices starting Tuesday. Price per liter of diesel is expected to go down by P1.10 to P1.20 while gasoline prices may decrease by P0.90 to P1.00 per liter. Edge Davao

DA seeks P8 to 10 billion increase in 2022 budget ASF-hit barangays down to 60 -- DA

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he Department of Agriculture said Sunday that the country’s fight against the African Swine Fever has continued but is now confined to fewer affected areas compared to ASF’s outbreak in 2019.

DA Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said backyard hog raisers in some 60 barangays still suffer from the highly contagious viral disease among pigs, but this is much smaller than the 3,000 areas during outbreak.

“Ang maganda ay bumababa na ‘yung incidents—below 60 barangays na lang out of a high 3,000 nung 2019. Marami na ‘yung nai-declare nating ASF-free areas. Ang pinagpapatuloy na lang natin ‘yung maigting na pagpapatupad ng biosecurity, ‘yung quarantine protocols,” he said.

(The ASF is still there but the cases are declining—there are less than 60 barangays out of 3,000

in 2019. Several areas have also been declared ASF-free. Now, we are implementing biosecurity, and quarantine protocols.)

Reyes also reminded backyard hog raisers to immediately call the provincial veterinarian when their pigs get sick. If they are ASF-positive, they have to be killed and buried thereafter.

“We’re winning the battle against ASF. The war has not been won yet, but we are getting there,” he added.

Further, Reyes said the Agriculture department is coordinating with the United States in testing two vaccine brands against the ASF. “Sana naman in a few months ay maganda ang resulta. Vaccine din talaga makaka-ano niyan eh, just like the COVID-19, vaccine lang talaga, and proper medical protocols, biosecurity naman tawag

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epartment of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said on Sunday that they were seeking a P8-10 billion increase in the agency’s P91-billion 2022 budget.

In a dzBB interview, it was pointed out that countries such as Thailand and Vietnam were more prosperous when it was the Philippines that taught them how to farm. “‘Yun nga ang nakakalungkot kasi ang laki na kasi ng budget na binibigay nila sa agrikultura. So sa atin, napakaliit. ‘Yun po ang naging presentation ni Secretary William Dar sa Congress ngayon ay sana madagdagan,” Reyes said.

(That’s the sad part because their governments allocate significant

budgets for their agriculture sector. In our case, it is very limited. Secretary William Dar presented this to Congress and asked for an increase in our budget.)

The DA’s proposed P231 billion 2022 budget was cut to P91 billion.

Reyes said they were asking that the department’s budget be increased to 5% of the national budget to finance the agency’s expenses.

“The agriculture sector has been contributing at an average of about 10% to the gross value

product of the country, and yet ang budget niya ay nasa (it’s budget is only at) 1.5-1.8% of the national budget. So sana, i-angat man lang hanggang 5% (We hope that they could still increase it to 5%),” he said.

With the pandemic, Reyes also noted that Filipinos have seen the importance of food security with lots delving into urban agriculture and “plantitos and plantitas”.

“Ngayong pandemic, nakita ng lahat ang kahalagahan ng food security,” he said. “Namulat ang ating mata na talagang kailangan nating mag-invest sa agriculture. Karamihan nga po ng presidentiables ngayon eh at senatoriables

ay puro agriculture, sana naman ay ma-translate into additional budget.”

(This pandemic, we have seen the importance of food security.

Our eyes were opened that we need to invest in agriculture. Most of the 2022 election candidates focus on agriculture, so we hope that this would translate into an additional budget.)

Vice President Leni Robredo vowed to strengthen the agriculture sector in the country and double its budget within six years if elected as president. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, on the other hand, said he would impose a moratorium on the conversion of agricultural lands into other uses.

trading week, Unioil said the price per liter of diesel may go down by P1.10 to P1.20.

Gasoline prices, meanwhile, may decrease by P0.90 to P1.00 per liter.

Oil companies usually

announce fuel price adjustments every Monday, to be implemented on the following day’s morning.

Effective November 16, 2021, fuel firms implemented a price decrease of P0.90 per liter

for gasoline, while no price movement has been effected on diesel.

Year-to-date adjustments to stand at a total net increase of P20.05 per liter for gasoline and P17.50 per liter for diesel.

Fuel prices rollback starting Tuesday

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ump prices of petroleum products are expected to go down starting Tuesday, projections by Unioil Petroleum Philippines showed.

In its fuel price forecast for November 23 to 29

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 214 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021

In urging her supporters to “protect” her running mate presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr:

Kinahanglan una, paniguraduhon nato nga maprotektahan nato ang atoang pagsuporta.

Protektahan nato ang atoang kandidato. Protektahan nato si BBM.” Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

EDITORIAL Hopes for athletic scholars The “We Are Open” sign on sports competitions will soon be out.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has laid down the guidelines for the reopening of collegiate sports.

This will pave the way for athletes to resume training under stringent protocols.

CHED laid down a four-step guidelines which college squads must follow to be able to be allowed to resume their trainings.

School teams must file self-assessment report forms, a letter of intent with attached documents, including a sworn statement from the HEIs adhering to the health regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19; a sample of health declaration forms to be filled up in every scheduled activity by the student-athletes, coaches, trainers, and the like; and a proof of document of the activity with proper clearances from the corresponding local government units (LGUs).

From there, CHED will conduct on-site inspections, taking into account

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Once finished, it’s up to CHED to give the acknowledgment certification which will allow varsity teams to resume their trainings.

Participants must undergo an RT-PCR test and net a negative test, or a 14-day isolation period before taking part in the training. The venues must be equipped with screening areas and temperature checks and enforce regular disinfection schedules before and after training.

It has been a while since collegiate athletes played for their schools.

Playing for schools have become the ticket for poor athletes to acquire education.

The resumption of collegiate sports in effect will give fresh hopes to young athletes.

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 engineering control from the inventory of sports facilities and occupancy capacity with respect to physical distancing protocols, the athletes’ dormitory or housing facility, transportation of food, drinks, and mental health services, as well as the study area with proper wi-fi connections; to the health and hygiene protocols to be observed.

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 214 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

HAIL TO QUEEN PINEAPPLE! Unknown to many Filipinos, the Philippines is the second largest producer and exporter of pineapples in the world – after Thailand. Although it is not native to the Philippines, the country’s tropical environment has proven ideal for plantations.

So much so that some of the world’s biggest pineapple plantations – Del Monte and Dole – are found here. Northern Mindanao is the top producing region accounting for an average of 61% of the annual crop, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Other top pineapple growing regions in Mindanao are SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato, Cotabato Province, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City), Davao, Caraga, and Zamboanga Peninsula.

Among the pineapples (and there are several varieties of them), there’s only one queen – and it’s Queen pineapple (also called Formosa pineapple). Its fruit is golden yellow, spiny, and with a sweet aroma. Average weight is 600 to 800 grams. The juice is bright yellow. The total soluble solids of the fruit ranges from 10 to 14 brix, on the basis of the maturity stage and season. Water content is anything

between 80% and 90%.

Queen pineapple has a unique aroma that makes it different from other pineapple varieties. It is considered the country’s sweetest pineapple with a pH between 4.0 to 4.5.

In Luzon, Queen pineapple is mainly grown in the provinces of Camarines Norte. A total of 2,525 hectares of the province is planted to this variety of pineapple; 82% of the total pineapple area can be found in the municipalities of San Lorenzo Ruiz, San Vicente, Basud, Daet and Labo.

“With its production that dates back in the 1950s, it became the most popular cashcrop in the 12 municipalities and 282 barangays of Camarines Norte,” said the Laguna-based Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).

To further boost the production of the country’s sweetest pineapple, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) initiated the Queen Pineapple Research and Development Center (QPRDC) in Camarines Norte.

It’s one of DOST’s niche centers in the region for research and development.

In less than a year after it

was initiated, the QPRDC has “now exceeded more than half of its target in its first year and is moving forward,” Ryan Sebastian Soyosa of the S&T Media Service, reported.

The program is being funded by PCAARRD, which is actually a line agency of the DOST. It focuses more on the development of farm pest detection, general assessment, and mapping of Queen pineapple.

The three-year program, which kicked off early this year, has already accomplished 64% of its work plan including the development of a software phone app for pest detection, classification and crop protection management with farmland pest mapping, and the GPC geo tagging.

The work plan also includes detection of mealybug wilt associated virus on Queen pineapple using real-time PCR Assays that can identify virus pathogens associated with mealybug by molecular method in plant disease in the shortest possible time.

Also, part of the work plan is the transfer of viable Queen pineapple technology and standardization of planting materials that helps enhance high production quality and increase income of farmers as well as

the identification of their roles through gender division of labor among small Queen pineapple farmers.

With these developments toward its first year of implementation, the program is poised on getting the green light for a renewal to continue their projects for 2022.

Riding on the momentum, program leader Dr. Arlene C. Alegre of the Camarines Norte State College also expressed high hopes that they will be able to share these research developments and results to farmers as main beneficiaries from possible study sites among municipalities with widely planted Queen Pineapple in San Lorenzo Ruiz, San Vicente, Basud, Daet and Labo.

Pineapple is actually not native to the Philippines but to tropical and subtropical America. It was the Spaniards who discovered them and introduced them to the rest of the world, including the Philippines.

The first variety grown in the country was Red Spanish pineapple. The Spaniards brought it along with them during their voyages as the fruits can survive long trips and prevent scurvy.

In 1911, the smooth Cayenne pineapple from Hawaii was introduced into the country by the Bureau of Plant Industry. It is grown mainly for its fruits, which can be eaten fresh or made into a juice. This is the main pineapple grown in plantations by Del Monte and Dole Philippines.

As a leading exporter of fresh and processed pineapple products in the world next to Thailand, the country’s export industry is increasing. Japan is the biggest export market for the Philippines, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

In 2011, the huge demand in China and South Korea for fresh pineapple prompted Mindanao-based agribusiness companies to expand their capacities by 10% to 20% that year.

The Queen pineapple generated the interest of buyers overseas and recently, trial shipments were made to South Korea, FAO reported.

Other export markets for fresh Philippine pineapple are the Middle East (Sharjah, Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Kuwait), New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada, Guam, Russia and Germany.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

WAS DATU BAGO A BAGOBO? Although most researchers agree Datu Bago, Davao’s former chieftain, holds a Maguindanao-Tausug lineage, there are breaka-ways that hold the position he is of Bagobo ancestry.

The first to zealously adopt this hypothesis was former Davao city mayor Elias B. Lopez, a pure-blooded Bagobo who estab-lished in 1969 the coveted Datu Bago Awards, which is bestowed on the city’s most illustrious sons and daughters.

But the conundrum remains: Was he really a Bagobo?

Early proponents embraced the Bagobo tradition based on a plain-view reading on the possible provenance of the Davao hero’s most accepted appellation as Datu Bago. In Bagobo, as well as in Maguindanao, ‘datu,’ a Malay-inspired term, is deemed an indig-enous title while ‘bago’ (as in ‘Bago Oshiro’) has the

same mean-ing in other ethnic dialects.

Datu Bago’s affiliation with the Bagobo, though, is not buttressed by extant accounts.

Except for some holdouts who still ad-here to the tradition, the historical narratives are stacked in the Moro chief’s favor; these are well founded even in the presence of his still-contested ancestry.

Jesuit chronicles and American accounts firmly situate the da-tu’s link to the Moros. When he escaped the Spanish-led invasion in 1848, he initially sought refuge in the neighborhoods of Tigatto, Mandug, and Lapanday, mainly Muslim enclaves. In the end, he repaired to Bincungan, in Tagum City, where the Islamized Kalagan, the tribe of his second wife, was rooted.

When news of the Oyanguren conquest reached the

south, the residents of Darong and Inawayan, now barangays of Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, promptly planned to trap the intruders but they were no match to the superiorly equipped invaders. Like the Bin-cungan cohorts, the villagers of the two settlements were charac-terized in Spanish accounts as Moros.

As an assertion, only the Moros from Islamized villages around the gulf tried sending reinforcements to save the beleaguered datu from apparent humiliation. Against a wellequipped enemy, they were no match, though.

Arguably, Datu Bago was the ruler of the channel (i.e., Davao River) that links the gulf to the inner waterways where the Bago-bos had built settlements. For decades, he ruled but was at odds with the na-

tives who accused his men of pillaging and stealing their farm produce. At the time, the datu’s neighbors in the bay were small enclaves ruled by fiefs who were also Islamized.

Affirming this hiatus was the absence of any form of barter trade between the Bagobos and the Moros in extant chronicles. The animosity between the Moros of the gulf and the natives is palpa-ble in numerous missionary accounts.

Datu Bago’s Moro heritage is best explained by the claim he was involved in piracy.

Among the ethnic tribes, piracy was never part of their tradition simply because the coastlines belonged to the Moros and only the Moros were involved in raiding the littoral communities and riverway settlements.

While the indigenous peoples also fished in municipal waters

though rarely, they pre-ferred catching fish in safer watercourses adjacent to their riverbank villages.

Another exciting aspect that strongly places Datu Bago’s Moro tradition accurately is religious association. The natives, as was the practice since precolonial times, were largely animists; on the other hand, the Moros, as believers of Islam, adhere to a kind of mono-theistic belief.

Given these conditions, the Datu Bago Awards is actually an oddity of sort. The prize carries the name of a Moro hero while the advocate was a Bagobo. This peculiarity notwithstanding, the es-tablishment of the award and the eventual declaration of Datu Ba-go as a legislated hero affirms the indelible significance of the Mo-ro contribution to the history of the region.

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Japan envoy visits

Aeon Towers Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines HE Kazuhiko Koshikawa was welcomed by Aeon Luxe Properties Inc. President and CEO Ian Y. Cruz and ALPI Vice President for Sales and Marketing Almira Mariano.

J

apanese Ambassador to the Philippines HE Kazuhiko Koshikawa visited Davao City’s primer skyscraper Aeon Towers on Friday (19 November) and was amazed at what he saw.

Ambassador Koshikawa was officially welcomed by Aeon Luxe Properties Inc. President and CEO Ian Y. Cruz to the first tallest building in Mindanao.

“It is our distinct honor to be visited by no less than the Ambassador of Japan and showcase to him what we have here in Davao City, specifically Aeon Towers,” Cruz said.

Ambassador Koshika-

wa’s entourage included Consul General for Davao Yoshiaki Miwa, Vice Consul Rie Mitsuhashi, 3rd Secretary for the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines Tomohiro Matsubara and officers from Japan Consulate of Davao and JICA Philippines.

Joining Cruz in the reception were ALPI Vice President for Sales and Marketing Almira Mariano along with ALPI executives.

Ambassador Koshikawa toured the 33-level building and was hosted to a refreshing Pinoy-style snacks at the Skydeck of Aeon Towers.

Ambasador Koshikawa was awed to see the breathtaking view of the Davao City skyline and discussed their future plans with the city.

“We share the same vision in creating a progressive Davao with remarkable infrastructures and part of the contributors in its growth. We are happy to know the projects benefiting the Dabawenyos from their initiatives,” Cruz said.

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GAME CHANGER

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CONQUERING MOUNT APO AFTER SURVIVING FROM COVID-19

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

W

courtesy of Dr. Roy Ferrer

hen coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported in Wuhan, China, the Philippines never thought it would experience what China had gone through.

But due to international travel, and because of the influx of visitors from other countries, the Philippines was not spared. By March of 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was reported.

Since the number of those infected with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes the disease, increased.

While most of the infected recovered, there were those who did not survive the ordeal. Among those who perished from the disease were fashion designer Ito Curata (60), former Cebu congressman Antonio Cuenco (84), ex-Senator Alfredo Lim (90), ex-Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman Sixto Brillantes (80), bishop Oscar Cruz (85), vlogger Lloyd Cadena (26), screenwriter Nestor Torre, Jr. (92), singer Victor Wood (75), Davao del Sur governor Douglas Cagas (77), former Senator Heherson Alvarez (80) and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Manuel Morato (87).

Even doctors were not spared: Dr. Greg Macasaet and his wife Evalyn, both anesthesiologists at the

Manila Doctors Hospital; Dr. Raul Jara, former president of the Philippine Heart Association; Dr. Leandro Resurrecion III, of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center; Dr. Kharen AbatSenen, lone neonatologist in Valenzuela City; and Dr. Sally Gatchalian, head of the Philippine Pediatric Society.

But there were some who survived. One of those who was lucky to come out alive after fighting the dreaded disease is Dr. Teodofredo Esguerra, whose story I wrote for EDGE Davao. Another one is Dr. Rafael R. Castillo, who shared his bout in his column in Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Then, there’s Dr. Roy B. Ferrer, who is currently an assistant secretary of health. He was formerly the acting president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

Dr. Ferrer was infected with the COVID-19 virus at the height of the pandemic in November last year. He was admitted to the intensive care unit at the Southern Philippine Medical Center (SPMC) for two weeks

as he suffered from severe form (“critical stage”) of pneumonia caused by COVID-19.

“I was admitted right away because of persistent cough and oxygen desaturation,” Dr. Ferrer recalled.

“I was closely monitored

and as the days passed by, my oxygen desaturation became low. My coughing was so intense that breathing became difficult. My doctor advised that I had to be intubated. My daughter Carmelle, who was a first-year

FCONQUERING, P10

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former governor. Walay makiglalis sa iyang experience as governor, murag ako –mayor, local chief executive. Ikaduha duna sya’y experience sa House of Representatives.

Nahimo siyang Congressman. Ikatulo, nahimo siyang Senador, gipili ninyo, giboto Ninyo,” the mayor said.

The mayor also explained why she ran for Vice President even though other supporters, especially in Davao City, were not satisfied with her decision.

“Daghan sa inyoha especially dinhi sa Davao Region noh ang wala nalipay sa akong desisyon nga dili modagan ug president. Duna ko’y mga rason, dili na nato na esturyahan karon. Pagkahuman sa deadline October 8, ang mga tao wala gihapon nihunong ug panawagan. Naguol nako kay dunay nihilak atong October 8, di nako gusto nga duna pa’y mohilak pag-abot sa November 15. Pag-offer sa akoa nga modagan ug Vice President, didto nako nakita nga pwede

nako tubagon ang mga tao sa ilang panawagan nga dinha ko sa taas, dinha ko sa national motrabaho para kaninyong tanan,” she said.

Mayor Sara ended her speech by leaving a message for her supporters, especially those who still call her President.

“Katapusan, ibilin nako sa inyoha ang mensahe sa mga nagtawag gihapon sa akoa ug President, ang akoang gidaganan Vice President. Ngano man? Because oftentimes in life, we find ourselves to be a leader. Kita ang manguna. Pero sometimes, in our lives, we need to stand behind another leader,” she said.

The caravan, which was participated by supporters donned in red shirts, was the team’s first public appearance in Davao del Norte and cemented the alliance between Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP).

sential workers), there were a total of 493,711 vaccinated with the first dose and 500,120 for the second dose.

For the Priority A5 (poor population), there were a total of 118,298 vaccinated with the first dose and 91,733 with the second dose while there was a total of

14,210 vaccinated with the first dose of the rest of the adult population and 1,024 for the second dose.

There was a total of 37,049 vaccinated with the first dose and zero for the second dose of the rest of the pediatric population. By Maya M. Padillo

tion,” he shared.

In the middle of the pandemic, Israel assisted the Philippines by bringing two delegations of medical experts to the Philippines. The first group shared the Israeli experience in vaccination drive campaigns and the other one shared their knowledge on efficient infection control protocols and hospital management.

Ambassador Ilan Fluss considers himself as a “diplomat balikbayan.” “I was fortunate enough to experience this great and beautiful country, its culture, and its people as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in Manila in 1995. I am delighted to be back to close the circle, this time as the Israeli Ambassador,” he said.

Ambassador Fluss encouraged Filipinos to come visit Israel. “Vaccinated Filipinos can now visit the Holy Land, Old City Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Beit Shemesh,” he recommended.

Philippine Airlines is aiming to start direct flights to Israel by April next year. This is

expected to boost the tourism, economy, and people-to-people relations between Israel and the Philippines. Filipinos are entitled to free visa access to Israel for 90 days.

“Israeli backpackers are excited to visit the Philippines.

We are optimistic of the signs of your country opening up and recovering from the economic crisis due to the pandemic. We hope that the tourism industry will bounce back stronger soon,” he said.

Ambassador Fluss also wished good luck to Miss Universe Philippines Beatrice Gomez as she competed in the Miss Universe pageant to be held in December in Eilat, Israel.

The Pandesal Forum was moderated by Mr. Wilson Lee Flores at Kamuning Bakery, an 82-year-old bakery. The famous Filipino pandesal and Israeli challah breads were featured during the forum held on November 18 to signify the friendly relations of Israel and the Philippines.

tance based on the category of the MSMEs which include developing enterprise (stage 1), growing enterprise (stage 2), and expanding and innovating enterprise (stage 3).

“Because before, it was like ‘one size fits all’. The tool in assisting MSMEs, like for food safety compliance, that will be used for a micro enterprise employing two to three employees will also be the same tool for medium-sized enterprises employing 170 employees. So the strategy now of DOST is to calibrate the response according to the level of growth,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

Gelonga said the majority of micro and medium enterprises are at the levels of stages 1 and 2.

“However, we also have enterprises particularly in the more developed regions and parts of the country that can be considered already under expanding and innovating enterprises. We will give them focus so that they can really move up higher in the value

chain by adopting higher level technologies,” he added.

Gelonga said industry-level strategies, on the other hand, include pivoting MSMEs towards supporting sustainable economy, strengthening market competence and participation in supply chains, upskilling competency of human capital, and providing needed innovation infrastructure to foster industry development.

“Under the SETUP 4.0 is the recalibration in terms of the prioritization of our focused sectors. So because of the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, among the sectors that we are now giving a lot of attention is the health and wellness sector,” he said.

Gelonga added that specialized centers, strategic roadmapping activities, and other industry level science and technology and innovation assistance will “allow us to build a very robust industry where the individual MSMEs are part of.”

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internal medicine resident physician at that time, gave consent. She was so worried and was always crying at that time.”

But Dr. Ferrer survived the ordeal. When he was getting better, he was transferred to another room where he stayed for a week.

His wife, Lalaine, was also infected but she only experienced the moderate form of the disease. Her complaints were throat itchiness and joint pains. She was admitted to the COVID ward to monitor her heart because she has skipped beats. After 10 days, she was finally released.

Dr. Ferrer, on the other hand, went home after his 21st day of treatment with a negative repeat swab. “My stay at the ICU for two weeks made me closer to my Creator as I was always praying day and night to spare not only me but other afflicted frontliners as well from this ordeal,” Dr. Ferrer said.

It wasn’t until six months later after the horrible ordeal that the couple finally had control over their lives again.

“After going through all that, we started to do moderate exercises to regain our usual strength,” Dr. Ferrer said.

Then, they decided to climb Mount Apo, the country’s highest peak (whose elevation is 2,954 meters above sea level).

“I love to go biking and getting the glimpse of Mount Apo on the road is an additional bonus,” he said. His wife was cautious at first but knowing that her husband will be with her, she finally relented.

So, on the eve of Mother’s Day (May 9, 2021), the couple jumped off via the Maag trail – after passing through all the requirements needed to scale Mount Apo, including medical clearance of course.

After taking the orientation at the Kidapawan Tourism Office, the couple were ready for the adventure.

“The first day of our climb was really tough,” recalled Dr. Ferrer, now in his late 50s.

“The slowly ascending terrain, the climbing and jumping and going through rough trails was really challenging and exhausting.”

The climb would not be possible without their guide and porters: Ver, Michael, and Joel. “They made our climb ‘lighter’ for us,” he said. “During the course of the trail, I experienced leg cramps. We had to stop for a while to take the much-needed rest.”

Although scaling Mount

Apo was challenging for the couple, the sights they encountered along the way were worth it.

“Along the way, despite being exhausted, we were refreshed by the beauty of the endemic flora and the fauna of the Davao icon,” he said. “Definitely breathtaking scenes captured our eyes; they were no longer imagined. We took the hike and climbed at a stride – at our own pace.

Once he gasped for breath, Dr. Ferrer tapped his guide asking him to take a rest and enjoy the sight.

“We had our lunch at the first watering hole,” he said.

“We had fresh spring water and a tasty meal cooked by our guide Ver. Indeed, it was cool and refreshing. The water was better than the bottled water I was carrying.”

His wife Lalaine was more relaxed than him on the climb.

“I would say, it’s with my weight I think. But seriously, it’s me who was on the critical stage, right? Well, so much for excuses. She’s really ‘stronger’ than me on the climb,” he admitted.

They reached the Maag bunk house at four in the afternoon. But they set up a tent not so far from a beautiful lake on the site.

“We rested after eating our dinner,” he said. “We slept like babies. The exhaustion left the rain and very cold foggy night almost unnoticed. My thermal pants and jacket, socks, and malong seemed useless as the coldness of the night still managed to penetrate our skin.”

They were so tired that they never noticed the rain soaked some of the clothes they brought with them.

They woke up at 4 am the following day. After taking coffee and sandwiches and saying the morning prayer, they jumped off to the summit.

“Behold the view of Mount Apo Summit on a clear sky when the sun rose at 5 in the morning,” he wrote later. “The trek ahead was winding with shrubs and short grasses on the way up. We ate our breakfast at 9000 feet above sea level. We can see a sea of clouds beneath us and the camp site view and the geothermal plant were so minute.”

While eating their breakfast at the top of Mount Apo, Dr. Ferrer and his wife sat beside each other and took time to have a glimpse of the sea of clouds beneath them.

“When we were small kids, we were told heaven is where you are in the clouds,”

he penned. “I felt heaven at this very moment, when I sat beside my wife Lalaine watching the sea of clouds beneath us.”

After that magical moment, they continued their trek going up by passing through caves of cogon grasses. “It was our first time to see cogon grass taller than sugar cane,” he said. “Passing through, we have to protect our eyes not to be hit by cogon grasses or they would cause injury or harm our eyes.”

The thinning of air at this stage of the ascent was already obvious. They crossed big stones, shrubs and wild berries on the trail. It was a big help that they have trekking poles for fifty something folks.

But the most challenging part was when they were nearer the top, which is almost a vertical climb. “You have to have good grips and shoes when climbing at this stage,” he said. “My very good guide and porter buddies were very attentive to us. Lalaine and I reached the summit at 12 noon in a clear sky.”

Now, it was time to thank God for their second lives. “We thanked the Almighty for keeping us safe, for healing us, for all the blessings, and for the clear sky,” Dr. Ferrer said. “We ask the Lord to continue to bless us, our family and friends!”

They stayed at the summit for an hour.

Then, it was time for them to go down. On descent, still on the uppermost level, there were boulders to conquer.

They took their lunch in a cave. “It was the most delicious lunch (bulalo) we had on the trail,” he said.

After the sumptuous lunch, they rested for a while.

“The place was so clean,” he observed. “No vandals. We carried all our garbage with us.”

They continued their descent as the weather started to become gloomy. Then winds and light rain came. About a third on the way to descent, Dr. Ferrer requested a coffee break. But since there was no coffee at all, the guide offered him noodles.

But he turned down the offer since the noodles would make them heavier on descent. no, it will make us heavier on descent. So, they continued their descent but the trail was becoming slippery because of the rain. The cold wind started to penetrate their jackets.

They decided to cover their jackets with garbage plastic bags to serve as rain and wind protectors. He slipped and went down on a

watery trail, and lo and behold! beside him was a coffee candy still wrapped. “Hulog ng langit. Salamat Lord sa kape,” he quipped.

Continuing on descent, Lalaine told him to be careful and to get hold on a cogon grass. Then, he lost his balance and fell while the cogon grass he held got entwined at his right arm. The porter at his back tried to grab him but went down with him. The weight he carried turned upside down.

“The cogon grass held us,” he recalled. “If not for the cogon grass, we could have fallen down below and could have sustained serious injuries,” Dr. Ferrer said. Lalaine and the group were shocked by what had happened.

It was almost dark when they reached the watering hole. “We ate the noodles and had some sandwiches,” he said.

“We were soaked wet and rested for a while inside the ‘cave’ of cogon grasses.”

Then, darkness completely engulfed the place but they continued their trekking.

What happened next was like a script from a movie. “Our headlamps were working,” he recalled. “The rain was on and off. There were times the clear sky would light our path; there were times it was dark and drizzling. We ate candy bars while walking.”

Based on the said experience, Dr. Ferrer now believes that it was harder going down than going up. When the rain stopped, they could see the stars up in the sky. But what the doctor didn’t notice were the fireflies on the trees.

They reached the bunk house soaked, exhausted and hungry at 9 pm. “We were so dead tired,” he said. After changing clothes and sipping hot coffee, they were defeated by sleep.

They woke up at six in the morning and had an early breakfast, which had vegetables as viand. Of course, there was coffee to beat the cold weather. They left Camp Maag at 7 in the morning to go to the pick-up site. It was a 5-hour hike “on our pace.”

At five pm, the group was already in the hotel. “We were so thankful,” Dr. Ferrer said. “We never thought that COVID-19 survivors like us – at ages 57 and 54 – could scale Mount Apo on Mother’s Day.” If the Ferrer couple could conquer the dreaded COVID-19, then there’s no way they cannot conquer Mount Apo.

visit the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration’s website to verify the legitimacy of job offers.

POLO also processes documents of around 200 OFWs daily who are going home as UAE is in the green list, which won’t require quarantine for fully inoculated inbound Filipinos and tourists as long as there is a vaccination card and negative reverse tran-

scription polymerase chain reaction Covid-19 test result taken at least 72 hours prior to arrival.

“This is aside from the Balik Manggagawa or those who will come back to the same employer. They do not need to go personally to the POLO for contract verification. They only need to visit the POEA online portal,” Bautista said. (PR)

second consecutive game due to a sprained wrist, cut the gap to nine points midway through the third quarter.

Phoenix responded with a 17-4 run to close out the period. The Suns extended their advantage to as many as 30

points behind a balanced scoring effort.

The Suns scored as many field goals off assists (33) as total field goals they yielded to Denver. The Nuggets shot just 33 of 90, while Phoenix went 46 of 87.

doon sa animal sector,” he said.

(We hope to get good results in a few months. Like in COVID-19, only vaccines can eradicate the ASF, and maintaining proper medical protocols or biosecurity for animals.)

On Saturday, the DA announced that they will pay in full all farmers whose hogs were culled due to the ASF. Since the outbreak, the department has been paying P5,000 for every culled pig of backyard raisers in

ASF-infected areas.

So far, the DA has received a total of P2.158-billion request to indemnify affected backyard hog raisers, of which P1.697 billion has already been paid to 48,530 farmer-beneficiaries who owned 379,420 culled hogs.

The Agriculture department has also provided ASF-affected farmers financial and technical assistance through its twin program called “Bantay ASF sa Barangay” and Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives.

vaccinated passengers from “yellow list” countries, from the current five days to just two days.

“These recommendations, if considered and adopted by the government, will enable travelers, especially overseas Filipino workers and Balikbayans who have long been wanting to return to the Philippines for Christmas, to enjoy seamless, convenient and hassle-free travel across all touchpoints of their journey,” ACAP said.

“Further, these measures, once implemented will be a huge boost to a recovering aviation and tourism industry, both of which were badly hit

by the pandemic,” it added.

The group, meanwhile, reassured the government that its multi-layered approaches to safety are in place, and that it will continue to espouse its responsibilities as a prime partner to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

“Lowered alert levels have led air carriers to ramp up international and domestic flights, subject to prevailing travel restrictions. The travel peak month of December is expected to be marked by improved passenger arrivals as airline companies restore a significant segment of their flight route network,” ACAP said.

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SPORTS

11

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (22) dribbles the basketball against Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) during the third quarter at Chase Center. Reuters.

Suns bury Nuggets for 12th straight win

T

he Phoenix Suns never trailed en route to their 12th consecutive win, a 126-97 blowout of the Denver Nuggets, on Sunday in Phoenix.

Cameron Johnson led all scorers with 22 points coming off the Suns’ bench.

Deandre Ayton led the Phoenix starters with 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting to go with eight rebounds and two blocked shots.

Devin Booker added 17 points and seven assists, Jae Crowder scored 15 points, and Chris Paul finished with nine points and 10 assists. Cameron Payne and JaVale McGee scored 10 points each.

The Suns pushed the longest winning streak in the NBA and the franchise’s best run since winning 17 straight in 2006-07 to 12 games.

The loss marked four straight for the Nuggets, and the third during the skid by a double-digit-point margin.

Jeff Green led Denver with 19 points. Aaron Gordon posted a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, JaMychal Green added 14 points and eight rebounds. Will Barton, Monte Morris and Austin Rivers each scored 10 points.

The Suns set the tone early, closing out a 48-point first quarter on a 15-3 run.

Phoenix’s burst to close the opening period extended its lead to 20 points. The Suns held a double-digit-point cushion for most of the rest of the game.

Denver, playing without reigning Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic for the

FSUNS, P10

Poole, Wiggins combine for 65 in Warriors’ win

C

anadian-born Andrew Wiggins caught fire against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night, scorching the net for six 3-pointers in a 32-point performance that propelled the Golden State Warriors to a 119-104 home victory in a rematch of the 2019 Finals.

Jordan Poole went one better than Wiggins with 33 points for the Warriors, who won a fourth straight despite getting just 12 points on 2-for-10 shooting from Stephen Curry.

Pascal Siakam had 21 points for the Raptors, who lost for the seventh time in their last nine games.

Wiggins, who was born in Toronto and has gone on

to become the NBA’s leading scorer from Canada in his first eight NBA seasons, propelled Golden State to a lead it would never relinquish with two 3-pointers, a three-point play and a dunk in a 16-5 game-opening flurry.

The third-year Warrior wound up 6-for-8 on 3-pointers and 12-for-20 overall en route to his sec-

D

LeBron James walks out of the court after being ejected.

ETROIT — LeBron James was ejected early in the third quarter after drawing blood by hitting Isaiah Stewart in the face, leaving Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook to rally the Los Angeles Lakers to a 121-116 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night (Monday, Manila time).

Davis had 30 points, 10 rebounds and two big blocked shots late on Pistons 20-year-old rookie Cade Cunningham. Westbrook contributed 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, had 13 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to become the youngest player in

ond 30-point outing of the season.

The Warriors led by as many as 20 in the first quarter and retained at least a nine-point advantage the rest of the way on the way to an eighth straight home win.

The Raptors, who beat Golden State in six games for the 2019 title, managed to hang within 103-93 after a Fred VanVleet 3-pointer with 7:16 to play. But Poole nailed his seventh 3-pointer of the night and Otto Porter added another from beyond the arc, allowing the Western Conference front-runner to pull away.

Poole finished 8-for-11

on 3-pointers, a career-high number that made him just the seventh in Warriors history to make eight or more in a game. Curry has done it 66 times, Klay Thompson 13.

The Warriors finished 22-for-45 from deep, outscoring the Raptors 66-45 on threes.

Draymond Green chipped in with a gamehigh 14 rebounds, eight assists and four points for the Warriors, while Kevon Looney also reached double figures in boards with 10 to complement seven points. Curry tied Green for game-high assist honors with eight.

franchise history with a triple-double.

James was sent to the locker room after his left elbow and hand appeared to make contact with Stewart’s face when they were tangled up while boxing out for a rebound. Detroit’s center had to be held back more than once, keeping him separated from the NBA superstar, and he was also ejected.

Westbrook was assessed a technical after the officials reviewed the play and the fallout from it.

All parties were relieved that an all-out melee wasn’t witnessed as it was on Nov. 19, 2004, when the Pistons and Indiana Pacers had a brawl that spilled into the stands.

After calm was restored on Sunday night, Detroit closed the third quarter strong and led 99-84 entering the fourth.

Westbrook and Davis both scored in double figures in the final quarter, leading a rally that gave the Lakers a win to reach .500 this season.

Detroit had the ball with 5.9 seconds left with the chance to potentially tie the game, but Hamidou Diallo turned the ball over and Davis made free throws to seal the victory.

James had 10 points and five assists in his second game back in the lineup.

After missing eight games with an abdominal strain, he played Friday night in a 130-108 loss at Boston.

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FIRST LEG WINNERS. The TNT Giga players with their winning check after copping the first leg of the PBA 3x3 tournament.

Carlsen vs Nepomniatchi Chess will take center stage when Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi duel for the title in the World Chess Championship in Dubai this week (Nov.24).

With a $2M prize fund, the money will be split 60 for the winner and 40 for the loser.

Not bad. The prize is getting bigger every time.

The opening rites are slated Wednesday and the first official tussle on Friday. If the competition ends in a deadlock at 7-7, rapid/ speed tiebreak games will ensue to settle it.

Carlsen, the defending and reigning title holder from Norway and favored (4-1) to retain his crown, has been unceasingly honing his preparation by actively participating in scheduled elite chess tournaments, copping three legs of the the 2021 Champions Chess Tour enroute to running away with the championship trophy.

Carlsen is reported to have a prominent crew of seconds to review and assist him. Since 2013 after defeating Viswanathan Anand in a monumental upset of sorts held in Anand’s homecourt, Chennai, India, he has maintained his rating as world number one.

Nepo or Ian as his chess colleagues call him, is a two-time Russian champion who cannot be dismissed easily.

He topped the Candidates Matches held early this year to earn the challenger’s right.

A contemporary of Carlsen in the European circuit, Nepo’s distinctive style of play may puzzle the former as proven by their head to head encounters.

The two have been rivals since they first competed in under 12 tournaments.

Elite super GMs interviewed could not make a pick although many quietly agree that the Norwegian champ has the edge.

Nepo will want to prove everybody wrong. He is a year older at 31. Carlsen reaches 31 summers at November’s end.

Nepo is of Jewish Russian descent (full name: Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi).

I am rooting for the underdog, Nepo, that is, who has an unorthodox and aggressive style. He has the fearsome reputation of putting unlikely pressure on his opponents regardless of the risks.

He wears a bun on his head and a beard that makes him look like a Hollywood action star.

Well, actually both of them are good looking.

Anyway, Carlsen, for all the 8 consecutive years as king of world chess, is not totally invincible and unbeatable.

FIl-Am super GM Wesley So, who is also being touted as a serious contender for the world title, has defeated him several times.

Carlsen’s edge is that everybody recognizes his innate talent in standard classical games. He is very creative even when on the retreat.

Should Nepo emerge victorious, he will be joining the elite list of Jewish world champions that includes Mikhail Tal, Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!