Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 151 | Thursday, January 13, 2022

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

VOL.14 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022

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An eatery owner watches as his worker roasts pig belly, locally called lechon belly, along Chavez Street in Davao City on Wednesday afternoon. Edge Davao

BUSINESS CALL Sara leaves it to establishments, offices to implement restrictions to unvaxxed individuals

STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

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President Rodrigo Duterte appoints Maria Belen“Mabel”Sunga Acosta as the new Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chairperson. Acosta, who resigned as Davao City councilor on Tuesday, will serve a term of six years. Edge Davao

BUSINESS CALL P

Davao councilor named as new chair of MinDA

Sara leaves it to establishments, offices to implement restrictions to unvaxxed individuals

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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stablishments and offices in Davao City are given discretion to decide on implementing restrictions such as the “no vaccination card, no entry” policy to unvaccinated Dabawenyos.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Monday said it has not been discussed by the Covid-19 Task Force to implement such policy, which is now being imposed by some local government units (LGUs) and government

agencies to prevent the transmission of Covid-19.

“Sa city government of Davao, wala, we have not discussed that dinha sa atong Covid-19 Task Force. Because ingon ani na siya, ibilin nato to the management sa tag iya sa

mga establishments or offices kung i-implement nila ang restrictions dinha sa mga unvaccinated,” the mayor said.

Mayor Sara explained that the city government did not make vaccination mandatory for the public and that Dabawenyos were given a choice to get vaccinated or not.

“Karon, katong nagpili nga dili sila magpabakuna, they should not be discriminated.

Kay gitagaan man sila’g choice. Unlike kung gihimo natong mandatory ang vaccination that way ang katong mga dili magpa-vaccinate, pwede gyud nato sila i-exclude.

Pero dili pwede kung sa gitagaan og freedom to choose. Why will we make it difficult for people nga nipili nga dili sila magpabakuna nga wala man na mosulti nga mandatory ang bakuna,” the

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Chiz to BSP: Make cash-lite economy Inclusive by standardizing online fees

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o propel the Philippines towards a cash-lite economy, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) should consider standardizing fees for online transactions, senatorial aspirant and Sorsogon Gov. Chiz Escudero said.

Escudero, the former chair of the Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies, said the BSP’s target of converting 50% of the volume

of all retail payments to digital payments by 2023 would not be possible if online transactions are not made affordable and accessible to all Filipinos.

“Digitization should not come at the cost of financial inclusion. As it is, the digital divide isolates certain segments of our population from a digital economy.

Those who do have online access should not have to pay more for convenience,”

Escudero said.

“If the BSP cannot eliminate transaction fees, then it should at least ensure that banks, e-wallets and other financial institutions using online platforms collect a minimal and standardized fee that will not discourage people from being part of the digital ecosystem,” he said.

Some banks charge P25 per online transaction while e-wallets charge at

least P15, regardless of the amount involved. In November 2021, the BSP reported nearly 43 million InstaPay transactions worth P270.2 billion, earning banks over a billion in transaction fees.

In its State of Digital Payments in the Philippines report, the BSP noted that consumer payments accounted for the biggest percentage (78%) of the 4.6

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resident Rodrigo R. Duterte appointed former Davao City First District Councilor Maria Belen “Mabel” Sunga Acosta as the new Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairperson on January 6, 2021 for a term of six years.

Acosta replaced former MinDA chair Secretary Emmanuel Piñol who relinquished his post as he run for Senate on the 2022 national polls.

She is the second female to hold the highest post of the agency with a Cabinet-level rank.

Prior to her appointment, she has a long and notable stint in formulating landmark local legislations as a City Councilor from 2001-2010 and 2013 – 2022.

With vast experience in grassroots community involvement, she spearhead-

ed various initiatives.

She launched different programs to support her cause, making her the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Kabalikat Awardee in 2008.

She was an active partner in promoting and implementing various training programs, which resulted in a better employment opportunity for Filipino skilled workers.

She chaired the Davao City Council’s Committee of Peace & Public Safety and the Committee of Education, Science and Technology, Arts and Culture, which allowed her to advance her community development advocacies. She served as the Chairperson of the Board of Advisers of Bantay Bata 163.

The Philippine Councilors League named her one

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GenSan doctors worried over sudden rise of COVID cases

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he medical sector in General Santos City has raised concern over the rising new cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the area, which reached nearly 300 percent in the last five days.

Dr. Fidel Peñamante, president of the Philippine Medical Association chapter here, said on Tuesday they are closely monitoring the situation in the city in the wake of the continuing build-up of community transmitted infections.

The City Health Office (CHO) reported a total of 123 active COVID-19 cases in the city as of Monday night, a significant increase from just 31 on Jan. 5.

The city has logged 19 or more new daily infections in four of the last five days or from Jan. 6 to 10 after only posting a total of 11 cases from Jan. 1 to 5.

“At this point, it’s not yet alarming but we should consider this as a warning sign,” he said in an interview over

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EDGEDAVAO

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NEWS

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A resident holds her vaccine card after completing her two doses of vaccine shots against Covid-19. Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said management of establishments and offices are given discretion in implementing the“no vaccination card, no entry”policy to unvaccinated Dabawenyos.. Edge Davao

DOH 11 to conduct a dry run for genome sequencing lab No restoration of ‘test before travel’ policy for domestic flights

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ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio reiterated on Wednesday that there will be no reimplementation of the “test before travel” policy to domestic travelers in Davao City as such policy does not outweigh the economic inconvenience it will bring to the passengers, to the airlines, and to the economy of the city.

“Wala ta’y expectation na i-reinstate ang “test before travel” policy in Davao City. Walay decision na ibalik ni. Walay ingon ana na direction ang atoang Covid-19 Task Force because they did not take it up dinha sa atoang TF meeting because, ang basehan nato is ang atoang “test before travel” kaniadto, we still have many cases and we still have a surge,” the mayor said.

On November 16, 2021 the city government of Davao lifted the Reverse transcription-polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) requirement for inbound domestic travelers.

Mayor Sara added that even with the “test before travel” order it will not pre-

vent the entry of Covid-19 and would force people to spend on the test and force other passengers to resort to land travel also.

“Kaniadto ideal ang screening kay wala man tambal, walay bakuna, karon naa na ta’y bakuna.

Whether we have the “test before travel” order or not musulod man gihapon ang virus. Matakdan man gihapon tanan whether you are vaccinated or not vaccinated managlahi na lang sa severity because ang vaccinated mahimo na lang sila ug asymptomatic or mild cases except those who are severe or with comorbidities sila even if vaccinated sila manginahanglan gihapon sila ug hospital,” the mayor said.

“Kaniadto wala ta’y bakuna, wala ta’y tambal angay ra gyud nga heightened ang surveillance, karon wala na ta’y ginahulat for this pandemic tungod kay naa na ang bakuna, booster, and tambal naa na’y available, although, sa karon dili pa siya widely available but I understand from the report of the health group of

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he regional office of the Department of Health (DOH 11), Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), and the University of the Philippines-Mindanao (UP-Mindanao) will be conducting a dry run for the planned whole-genome sequencing (WGS) laboratory in Mindanao according to a regional official.

Dr. Rachel Joy Pasion, head of DOH-Davao’s Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit, said the dry run is expected to happen this month or next month.

“We have a scheduled meeting this com-

ing Friday together with UP-Mindanao and SPMC so that we will be updating each one of us regarding sa equipment needed if nakaabot na ba sa UP-Mindanao and also for the human resource if tapos na ba nagtrain-

ing yung pinadala natin for the whole genome sequencing from SPMC,” she said.

Pasion said an update on the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between SPMC, UP-Mindanao, and DOH 11 will be discussed also during the meeting.

To be set up at the University of the Philippines-Mindanao in Davao City, the satellite WGS laboratory will be handled by the UP-Philippine Genome Center.

This is in line with the national government’s

plans to set up genome sequencing labs in the Visayas in central Philippines and Mindanao in the south to expand capacity for the immediate need to detect variants of Covid-19. All genome sequencing is currently done by the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) in Manila.

“DOH 11 continues to send samples to UP-PGC and every week tayo nagpapadala ng specimens and they are sending us the reports on the variant of concerns (VOCs) during sequencing of the specimens,” Pasion said.

said ordinance is to outline the various responsibilities of all offices in the fight against drugs.

“The intensification of the campaign against illegal drugs here in our town. For this reason, I am pushing for the ordinance to make drug testing compulsory for Captains, officers, and employees

of barangay and municipal government units so that we can demonstrate the strict and serious implementation of the program,” Evangelista said in his speech during the session of the Sangguniang Bayan of Santo Tomas on January 10, 2022.

According to Evangelista, there is no reason

to oppose the said bill if the personalities who will be subjected to the mandatory drug test are not hidden.

Through an ordinance, all aspects of the fight against illegal drugs can be addressed from enforcement, advocacy, justice, rehabilitation to reintegration.

Mandatory drug testing ordinance for elected barangay, LGU officials in Sto. Tomas pushed

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o show strong support for the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, Mayor Ernesto Evangelista proposed an ordinance to make drug testing mandatory for elected Barangay and Santo Tomas LGU officials including employees.

The purpose of the

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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Cebu Pacific cancels 24 domestic and international flights on Wednesday, citing workforce shortage due to Covid-19 infections. Edge Davao

PH economy expected to grow 6-7% in 2022 P T

PhilHealth vows to settle P25.4-B hospital claims

he Philippine economy is expected to return to its 6 to 7-percent growth trajectory in 2022 after nearly two years of grappling with the pandemic despite the threat of the Omicron variant, according to the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group.

First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) said this year’s economic growth will be driven by sustained domestic demand, easing inflation, election expenditures, and accelerated government spending on infrastructure projects.

“Notwithstanding the ongoing pandemic, and

Omicron sparking the third wave of infections, we are still optimistic that Philippine growth will further accelerate and get back on its trajectory of 6-7 percent in 2022,” FMIC president Jose Patricio Dumlao said in a virtual briefing Tuesday.

Dumlao said the economy registered a 4.9-percent growth in the first three

quarters of 2021 and the growth momentum likely spilled over in the fourth quarter given further economic reopening and easing mobility restrictions.

He added business and consumer confidence are also cautiously positive given wider availability of vaccines and relaxation of lockdowns, quarantine measures, and mobility restrictions.

University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) economist Dr. Victor Abola said the 6 to 7 percent gross domestic product (GDP) projection this year will be led by the industry sector --both construction and

manufacturing.

Abola said services will still be the lagging sector as the pandemic measures hit hotels and restaurants.

“The Philippine situation is that there is recovery but still on the way to reach the pre-pandemic levels,” he said.

The country’s GDP posted a -9.5 percent fullyear growth rate in 2020 compared to its 5.9 percent pre-pandemic performance in 2019.

Abola said the business process outsourcing (BPO) is a major contributor to the resiliency of the economy amid the pandemic.

bilities to supply fuel to the company. Driven by concerns about the impact to their economies which depend on coalfired power generation, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines called for the measure to be eased.

Late on Monday, Indonesia agreed for 14 coal vessels to depart as soon as they got permits from authorities. To ensure PLN does not run low on coal again, the government is discussing new procurement policies, in-

cluding a levy system for miners.

The ban, which came into force on Jan. 1, triggered a rally in Australian and Chinese coal prices last week. However, Chinese thermal coal futures fell more than 3 percent to 685 yuan ($107.50) on Tuesday in reaction to the relaxation.

“There is still demand for Indonesian coal from Chinese power plants,” said one China-based trader, adding that some may turn to Russian coal

as an alternative.

Shares of top Indonesian coal miners Bumi Resources , Adaro Energy and Indika Energy rose in early Tuesday trading before paring gains.

The transport ministry had not allowed any export-bound ship with coal to leave ports as of Tuesday morning as it awaited a directive from the energy ministry, Mugen Suprihatin Sartoto, the director of sea transportation at the transportation ministry told

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hilippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) president Dante Gierran on Tuesday assured that the current in-process claims amounting to PHP25.45 billion would be paid within six months to private hospitals.

Gierran made the assurance during a virtual meeting of the House Committee on Health on the latest developments regarding the agency’s reimbursements and payments to hospitals based on its various circulars related to coronavirus disease (Covid-19) benefits package claims.

He said the payment shall be made through the Debit-Credit Payment Method (DCPM), which was adopted by PhilHealth to facilitate the settlement of accounts payable to healthcare facilities during the

state of public health emergency due to the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure the continuous delivery of healthcare services.

According to PhilHealth, the DCPM will allow the speedy release of funds to qualified hospitals nationwide that have signified intention to avail of the new payment mechanism while PhilHealth processed their claims.

Gierran said as of Jan. 7, 2022, the agency has released PHP12.05 billion to 444 hospitals via the DCPM. Meanwhile, Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo questioned PhilHealth officials about the average turnaround time it takes to process Covid-19-related claims.

Quimbo said it is “unacceptable” that PhilHealth

Reuters.

There are currently around 120 vessels either loading or waiting to load off Indonesian’s coal ports in Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, according to Refinitiv data.

The Indonesian government will conduct a review on Wednesday and if it fully scraps the ban, it will do so gradually as it considers how the resumption affects compliance with socalled Domestic Market Obligation (DMO) rules,

Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan said on Monday.

Under the DMO, miners are required to sell 25% of output to the local market at a maximum price of $70 per tonne for domestic power plants.

Luhut said the government is mulling a formula that would make miners pay a levy to a government agency, which will use the revenue to help PLN pay for

FPHILHEALTH, P10

Indonesia mulls coal levy as it eases export ban

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hinese thermal coal futures fell on Tuesday after Indonesia, the world’s biggest thermal coal exporter, eased a ban on overseas shipments that surprised buyers at the start of the year, alleviating concerns about supply disruptions.

The export ban was introduced after state power utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) reported critically low coal stockpiles amid complaints miners were not fulfilling their responsi-

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EDGEDAVAO

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ECONOMY 5

The City Government of Davao continues to process renewal of business permits of Davao City businesses. The renewal sites are open Monday to Saturday, from 8am to 5pm, until January 31, 2022. CIO

36 MSMEs gear up for Innovation for Business Recovery amidst pandemic Global growth could slow sharply due to Omicron, World Bank says

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lobal growth will “decelerate markedly” this year, but the Omicron variant of Covid-19 that is spreading rapidly worldwide could make the situation worse and exacerbate labor shortages and supply chain snarls, the World Bank warned Tuesday.

In its latest Global Economic Prospects report, the Washington-based development lender cut its forecast for world economic growth this year to 4.1 percent after the 5.5 percent rebound last year.

The forecasts for growth last year and this year were both 0.2 percent lower than estimates released in June.

However, the bank warned, “Various downside risks cloud the outlook, including simultaneous Omicron-driven economic disruptions, further supply bottlenecks (and) a de-anchoring of inflation expectations,” the report said.

That could further reduce global growth this year to as low as 3.4 percent, a drop of 0.7 percentage points.

World Bank President David Malpass worries about the “huge toll” the pandemic is inflicting on people in poor countries, which could have ramifications for the future.

“We’re seeing troubling reversals in poverty, nutrition and health. The reversal and education or scope from schools closures will have a

permanent impact,” he told reporters. “I’m very worried about the permanent scar on development.”

Ayhan Kose, head of bank’s forecast unit, told AFP the Omicron strain is causing fewer restrictions than the initial outbreak, which means the overall impact could be more benign.

However, he cautioned, “If it stays around much longer, and cases remain elevated and continue pressuring health systems, under that scenario, the global growth will be lower.”

That would exacerbate ongoing struggles with labor shortages and global production and transportation snarls that have fueled a wave of price increases.

“The Omicron variant shows us once again, the pandemic is still with us and we need to learn how to live with the pandemic,” he said.

Faced with inflation at a 40-year high, the US Federal Reserve is expected to begin raising interest rates soon, and perhaps take more aggressive steps, which will raise borrowing costs for developing countries already burdened with record debt.

That, in turn, could erode business and household confidence, lowering consumption and trade flows, a key engine of global growth.

US, CHINA SLOWING Kose stresses that vaccination remains crucial, since

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he Davao Region has continued to promote enterprise-based innovation in a bid to produce more resilient and responsive entrepreneurs.

With the help of the Science, Technology, and Risk-resilient based Initiatives toward Knowledge Economy Davao Regional Inclusive Innovation Center (iSTRIKE Davao RIIC), this goal has been strengthened and reinforced.

The iSTRIKE Davao RIIC is composed of the regional offices of the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Information and Com-

munications Technology, Commission on Higher Education, National Economic Development Authority, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Labor and Employment, Food and Drug Administration, Philippine Information Agency, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, the Davao City Government, the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., the Food

Processors Association of Davao, Inc., higher education institutions, particularly the Ateneo de Davao University, University of the Philippines Mindanao, University of Southeastern Philippines, University of the Immaculate Conception, University of Mindanao, Holy Cross of Davao College, Malayan Colleges Mindanao- A Mapua School, and Philippine Women’s College of Davao, and civil society organization HELP Davao Network.

Since the implementation of iSTRIKE Davao RIIC’s Innovation for Business Recovery (IBR) Plan

project, a total of 36 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region benefitted from it in 2020. They were provided with necessary guidance on how to pivot and improve their operations to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MSME beneficiaries were specifically assisted in coming up with tailored strategic innovation plans to fit their businesses. Some experts from the academe were partnered with them to research on their businesses and give thereafter an analysis, suggest action

“And that’s really the result of our vaccination rate of 50 percent. The economy is able to function,” she said.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday reported 33,169 daily Covid-19 cases.

Daily cases are lower at 28,007 on Tuesday, it said.

Ulang said the utilization rate of hospital intensive care units (ICUs) and non-ICU beds remains at around 50 percent.

“That’s why we’re not yet being raised on Alert Level 4 and that’s the beauty of it. That’s the big difference that we are now

seeing that’s benefiting the economy,” she said, citing that factories remain open and some workers are able to work remotely.

With Covid-19 booster shots now being administered nationwide, Ulang is more optimistic that the economy will be “able to reopen in a bigger way.”

During the same briefing, University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) economist Victor Abola cited medical authorities’ reports of the weaker impact of the Omicron Covid-19 variant to people compared to other variants like Delta.

“I’m actually optimistic that we can open up much faster than our authorities think,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ulang said the contribution of election spending on domestic growth will be lower for this year compared to past election years.

“Lower than 2 percent but there will be an upside,” she said.

The FMIC forecasts the domestic economy to expand by 6-7 percent this year.

Abola said what is important is for the election “to be credible more than

FSMEs, P10

Vaccinatiom program benefit on economy amid Covid surge cited

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he government’s vaccination program against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is helping the economy amidst another surge of infections, an official of First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) said.

In a virtual briefing on Tuesday, FMIC head of research Cristina Ulang said daily Covid-19 cases have reached around 33,000 but the economy remains open, with the movement restriction still at Alert Level 3 instead of Alert Level 4 as some sectors have suggested.

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

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In trying to finally settle the score between the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association and pole vault star Ernest John “EJ” Obiena:

Our terms end on June 30, 2022. We don’t want to leave PSC with these disputes hanging.”

Butch Ramirez

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman

EDITORIAL Freedom vs responsibility With the power to make decisions come the responsibility to make the right ones.

strictions as “no vaccine, no work”, “ no vaccine no entry”, among others.

While we respect those who opt not to be vaccinated in the name of freedom of choice, there is also the natural consequence when choices are made. In the case of vaccination, those who decided to take the vaccination process are qualified to enjoy the benefits of being vaccinated--both legal and natural. When you are vaccinated, it means freedom to go about your lifestyle albeit with precaution.

Most jurisdictions around the world provide mechanisms for those vaccinated individuals to get access to public facilities, transport, employment and other opportunities offered only to the vaccinated.

This puts us in a precarious situation as medical experts have proven that vaccination has helped a lot in containing the spread of the virus. By contrast, those unvaccinated are the most prone to contracting the virus and with more adverse effects than one who is vaccinated.

That’s the guiding principle that comes with the freedom to make choices. We can pretty much relate to that. Most recently with the vaccination debate as a way to achieve herd immunity against the Covid-19 scourge.

On the other hand, several countries have implemented such re-

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Right now, the situation has not forced us to make a defining decision but it is likely that we are heading to that given the example in Metro Manila and in most parts of Luzon.

If that happens, we go back to the reliable saying: With the power to make decisions come the responsibility to make the right ones.

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

In Davao City, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has maintained a non-discriminatory stance and make vaccination as a matter of choice. Hence, non-compliance to the government’s vaccination program is considered an expression of freedom to choose.

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

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VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO SERAFICA J. WEIS THINK ON THESE! IBP DAVAO CORNER

SAVING TAGUM-LIBUGANON RIVER The Tagum-Libuganon River in Davao del Norte is one of the two rivers where an ecosystem-based management will be implemented, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The DENR signed a technical cooperation agreement for the implementation of the Ecosystem-based Adaptation in River Basins (E2RB) project with the Deutsche Geselschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

The other river, Ilog-Hilabangan is located in Negros Island. The aim of the project is to reduce the vulnerability of both rivers to climate change and natural disasters.

DENR’s River Basin Control Office (RBCO), implementation partner of the project, initiated some activities last year despite challenges brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“A Project Management Committee has already been created,” said RBCO Executive Director Nelson V, Gorospe. “We can start implementation this year after some delays due to Covid 19.”

According to the press statement released last January 7, the

Philippine government received a E4.6 million grant from the German government for the ER2B. The German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety through the International Climate Initiative has commissioned GIZ to implement the project.

The project, it is said, “will strengthen the river basins’ ecosystem services, protect their biodiversity, and importantly, reduce their vulnerability to climate change as destructive flooding has been experienced in the river basins.”

Gorospe said that “one of the basis for the choice of the site is perennial flooding.”

E2RB is in line with DENR’s program on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction Roadmap 2018-2022. It also aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, and enhanced National Greening Program (NGP).

“The effective protection of forests in river basins supports the objectives of the Philippine intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) in the area of mit-

igation through the contribution of the forest sector to the planned total greenhouse gas reduction of 70% in 2030,” stated the DENRGIZ implementation agreement.

The Tagum-Libuganon River basin has a total area of 3,119 square kilometers and it traverses two regions: Region 11 (Davao del Norte) and Region 13 (Agusan del Sur). About 209 barangays from 19 towns and cities are directly involved with the river, whose outlet is the Davao Gulf. Its estimated terrain elevation above sea level is 13 meters.

The river basin covers 1,776.06 square kilometers of forest land and 1,365.27 square kilometers classified as alienable and disposable. As of October 2015, the NGP area is 130.50 square kilometers.

Most of the length of the river can be found in Davao del Norte.

With a total length of 95 kilometers, it is the longest among the major rivers in the province and has a total watershed area of 247,500 hectares.

According to the Tagum-Libuganon River Basin Management Council, the environmental issues and problems the river con-

fronts are as follows: insufficient water supply, deforestation and watershed degradation, illegal extraction of mineral resources, and frequent flooding.

Other problems include soil erosion and siltation, improper waste disposal, water pollution, and informal settlers in easement areas.

Among the strategies identified are: integrated watershed management, biodiversity conservation, water resources management, river and river delta management, and flood control, disaster risk reduction and hazard management.

The following strategies have also been identified: climate change adaptation and mitigation, coastal and aquatic resources management, mineral resources management, and community participation.

Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) cited climate change as the primary culprit of the sudden surge of stronger floods brought in recent years.

“Climate change is one of the reasons why floods have become intense and consistent these days,”

he said.

Other causes of the recent flooding include garbage thrown anywhere thereby locking the waterways, constructing buildings in areas where waters used to drain before, cutting of trees, and some government policies.

Of all these causes, according to Dela Pena, the climate-change typhoons remain as the harbinger of floods. From 1990 to 2006, the Philippines reportedly experienced record weather-related disasters, including the strongest typhoon, the most destructive typhoons, the deadliest storm, and the typhoon with the highest 24hour rainfall on record.

“These events are projected to continue to intensity, requiring the Philippines to improve its climate resilience and develop its adaptive capacity to alleviate the risk of catastrophic economic and humanitarian impacts,” the World Bank report suggests.

One government official puts it: “There is no better way of protecting our people from floods, slides and other hazards brought by typhoons than making them aware and ready on what to do when these situations arise.”

DENNIS R. GORECHO KUWENTONG PEYUPS

HOMAGE TO THE ACACIA TREES The acacia trees of the academic oval are silent witnesses to the travails of the denizens of the Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines.

As a homage to my second home for a decade, I ran 10 kilometers (five rounds of the 2.2 kilometer loop) to cap my golden year last December.

The ten-kilometer run symbolizes ten years, or one fifth of my fifty years of existence, as one of the Iskolar ng Bayan.

Canopied by over a hundred old, sturdy Acacia trees, the Diliman academic oval is a pollution-free haven not just for runners, but also bikers.

A favorite photo backdrop is the scenic view of the way the branches of the trees from the left side of the street meet with those from the right side, forming some kind of archway. They are now part of UP culture and heritage.

Most of the trees are as old as the campus itself that offer much needed shade and bring in a relieving breeze even in the scorching heat.

The Acacias, botanically known as Albizia saman, were the first trees planted after the transfer of UP to Diliman in the late 1940s.

The hard adobe grounds had to be blasted to allow them to take root.

Since then, says the UP website, the trees have spoken elo-

quently of UP Diliman’s fast and robust growth. Now larger-thanlife, acacias hold sway at the academic center, providing shade where there was once only grassland.

Like UP and the country’s colonial past, the UP website added they are also “ dominant and lingering, roots long and winding, beautiful and scary at the same time; and as an exotic species, forever imposed, a stranger to the land”.

A UP alumna once wrote: “The way the branches completely extend out from the tree’s trunk, like arms stretching out from the body, portrays how the students are pushed to their limits, especially academically. Yet despite that, the Acacia trees and the students alike, remain standing strong amidst all of that expanding, growing even more used to it as the years go by.”

For the Hebrews, Acacia is believed to be the wood that Moses was instructed to use when building the Ark of the Covenant that encased the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, Before the pandemic, the oval is divided into three lanes—with the outermost part dedicated to motorists and the innermost for joggers and bikers. Motorists are now prohibited to traverse major portions of the oval.

The loop has seen many events including rallies, UP Fair

and lantern parades I was born in the same period when the First Quarter Storm (FQS) was associated with anti-Martial Law protests, mostly led

by UP students and faculty.

I was barely two months old when the nine-day uprising called “Diliman Commune” from February 1 to 9, 1971 became an evidence of UP’s role as the “bastion of activism” since the early days of the Marcos dictatorship.

The academic oval was my solace as a student at the UP School of Economics from 1987 to 1991 and later at the UP College of Law from 1992 to 1998.

After engaging in graphs, formulas and laws of supply and demand as an Economics major, I crossed the street to pursue my law degree.

Traversing the path of legal education was hard to the exponential power. I was a working student then as a newspaper reporter by day before rushing to my evening classes.

“Serve the people. Do not betray your humanity” says my professor and Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.

It was also in UP that I became roommates with Buddy Zabala and Raymund Marasigan of Eraserheads for two years (1989 to 1991) at the Molave dorm.

Because the band members often used our room to play their instruments and practice, I often

ended up going out to study somewhere else as I could not take the “noise.” As a supportive roommate, I watched them perform during the annual UP Fair at the Sunken Garden at a time they were just starting to make waves inside the campus.

It was beyond my comprehension that the ‘noise’ that I tried to avoid made them known as one of the most successful, critically acclaimed, and significant bands in OPM history.

The oval is also home to the annual Lantern Parade which was inspired by the folk practice of carrying lanterns of various shapes and sizes to light the way to the early morning December masses or misa de gallo during the Spanish period.

Ten years inside the university makes one cherish the concept of academic freedom.

The campus molded us to fight for the causes we believe in; trained us for the skills we need to communicate ideas and rally others to effect changes in society.

All educational institutions, including UP, must be maintained as safe havens for civilized and intelligent discourse of all beliefs and forms of democratic expression, where students and teachers can discuss freely without fear of censorship or retaliation.

The acacia trees will continue to be witnesses to UP’s existence as an institution with a critical eye on social and historical issues. ( Peyups is the monicker of University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez. com, or call 0917-5025808 or 09088665786.)

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CDA grants special type of cooperative license to DigiCOOP, the first technology service cooperative in the Philippines January 10, 2022Philippines – Aiming to accelerate tech transformation and provide web and mobile banking capability to its members, DigiCOOP Technology Service Cooperative (DTSC) has secured its special type of cooperative license from the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), achieving the milestone of becoming the very first technology service cooperative in the Philippines.

Prompted by the need for cooperatives

to be able to develop and provide a complete technology platform and transaction apps for their members, CDA issued Memorandum 202114 on November 2021, which includes guidelines for the registration of a Technology Service Cooperative (TSC), a special type of cooperative organized among registered cooperatives of all types and categories.

Under CDA’s TSC memorandum, DTSC is expected to pool its resources to introduce

technological innovations, particularly in supporting members of its cooperative through e-commerce, portals, and innovative ways of bridging the gap in market access.

“We are honored to be the first to organize and apply for registration under this special type of cooperative. With this, DTSC envisions to offer e-commerce-related products to accelerate the digitization of cooperative operations among our members,”

said Ann Cuisia, founding president and CEO of DTSC. Assistant Secretary Vidal Villanueva III, Head of the CDA’s Credit and Financial Services, Banking, Insurance, and Credit Surety Fund Cooperatives Cluster, said that this step is a response to the changing needs of the cooperatives sector and community in general.

“While some cooperatives—particularly the bigger ones—have already started their own digital systems, there

is still room to improve their smaller counterparts’ access to online services. The special type of cooperative will give us the opportunity to build the digital infrastructure for our movement,” Villanueva shared.

The DTSC leaders include Fr. Anton Pascual, executive director of Caritas Manila; MGEN Gilbert Llanto (Ret.), chairperson of the ACDI Multipurpose Cooperative; Roy S. Miclat, president of 1 Cooperative

Insurance System of the Philippines (1CISP); Isagani Daba, First Community Cooperative (FICCO) representative; and Traxion Technology Services Cooperative’s Ann Cuisia, visionary and proponent of the digiCOOP platform of DTSC. “As the first technology service cooperative in the country, DTSC aims to be a model cooperative federation for similar endeavors in the Philippines as well as in Asia and beyond,” Cuisia added.

GCash hits 1 million virtual trees planted in GForest The Philippines’ leading digital mobile wallet company GCash announced it has virtually planted 1 million trees through GForest, the environmental sustainability feature on the GCash app. As of December 19, 2021, a total of 1,060,000 trees have been planted virtually by GForest users.

The virtual trees are planted by GCash users via the GForest on the app, and GCash in turn plants the real trees on their behalf. Since GForest’s launch in 2019, it now has 9 million users. The users can earn green energy points by using the various cashless services of GCash, such as Send Money, Pay Bills, or Bank Transfer on the app – digital financial services that also lessen their carbon footprint, in addition to planting trees. GForest users can also collect green energy every time they walk if they enable GCash to access their health app or fitness tracker. These

green energy points can be used to plant virtual trees. As of November 2021, more than 133 million digital, paperless transactions have been made in GCash to earn green energy points for GForest users. This is in line with the mission of GCash to support environmental sustainability by keeping individual carbon footprint low and helping fight climate change.

“With the impacts of climate change, GCash capitalizes on technology in contributing and raising awareness to environmental conservation and sustainability. We hope that through GForest, we are able to empower more Filipinos to help in protecting the environment,” said Martha Sazon, President and CEO of GCash.

GCash executed several GForest joint projects, including tree-planting partnerships with World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines, Aya-

la Land Inc., Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI), HOPE and Century Pacific Food, Inc, in areas such as the Ipo Watershed, Alaminos Carbon Forest, Luyang Watershed and South Cotabato and Sarangani Provinces. Trees with diverse species like Narra, Yakal, Molave, Guyabano and Coconut have been planted in these vulnerable locations nationwide, through GForest and its partners. Aside from these designated areas, GCash is also identifying new sites that it can reforest as it scales up its sustainability program.

Through GForest, GCash was also able to support and empower local farming communities. With the tree-planting activities of GCash, HOPE and Century Pacific Inc., more than 2,000 coconut farmers received coconut seedlings which can help them have more produce and in turn, increase their revenue. With GCash, RAFI also conduct-

ed tree growing orientations and planting trainings for 150 farmers in order to guide them on tree-planting projects. The initiative aims to achieve 1.3 million trees planted by 2022.

GCash is the only fintech company in the Philippines to have a sustainability feature integrated within its app, and has been recognized by global sustainability organizations.

Recently, WWF Philippines conferred the Conservation Innovation Award to GCash.

The leading mobile wallet company was also recognized

by Miss Earth ECO Awards 2021 and UNDP Biodiversity Finance Initiative (UNDP BIOFIN) as well for the environmental impact the campaign has created.

“The GForest program proves that marrying new technologies with creative sustainability solutions are something organizations can achieve. We thank our partners and users for making

this milestone possible. We are looking forward to being more “One with the Nation” with our social responsibility initiatives in the years to come”, said Chito Maniago, Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs Officer of GCash.

“One with the Nation” is GCash’s corporate social responsibility program employing various initiatives including NGO partnerships, programs on disaster response and environmental stewardship, as well as grassroots finlit education campaigns nationwide.

Aside from GForest, GCash’s various digital products and services enable users to go cashless for various transactions, which helps keep their carbon footprint low and fight climate change.

Continue to use GCash and become a “green hero” today!

For more information, visit www.gcash.com

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day after Christmas, someone posted a picture of a dead dugong, which was found in Dahican Beach in Mati City, Davao Oriental. Based on body weight and status of teeth, the dead marine mammal was estimated to be between one to three months old.

+As of the post, no cause of death has been reported yet. “Fresh carcass (less than 24 hours) scratches are shallow, indicating (it was) not the primary reason for the death,” the post stated.

Most likely, the dugong was separated from its mother, Amy Guanco Ponce surmised in her post. “Calf this young cannot survive without nursing from its mother, not only to feed but also to guide them to the surface to breathe,” she wrote.

Dahican Beach, where the dead dugong was found, is part of the Davao Gulf, an area of 308,000 hectares. It is surrounded by all four provinces in the Davao Region and six cities. Samal Island is the largest island located in the gulf while Davao City, on the gulf’s west coast, has the largest and busiest port.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) considers Davao Gulf as one of the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world.

Multifarious coral reefs, different mangrove species, cetaceans and a host of invertebrates contribute to the natural diversity of the gulf.

Along the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Eco-region, Davao Gulf ranks as one of the priority areas in terms of conservation, according to WWF-Philippines Vice-Chair and CEO Lorenzo “Lory” Tan. Davao Gulf, he said, is the second most densely populated marine habitat in the Philippines where

the only remaining species of dugong and five of seven species of turtles can be found.

Unfortunately, the Davao Gulf is being threatened by the very economic activities it supports.

“Environmental exploitation by humans is a consequence of growing poverty,” Tan deplored. “Fish yields have decreased, leading many to adopt destructive fishing methods in order to survive.

Dugong populations have dwindled due to boat propeller accidents and fishnet-caused drowning.”

Dugong (known in the science world as Dugong dugon) is locally called “baboy-dagat” (pig of the sea). It is one of the only four living members of the obscure mammalian Sirenia or sea cows. Marine experts, however, claim dugong is more closely related to elephants than to other marine mammals such as dolphins and whales.

Like most marine mammals, dugong is an endangered species. It is listed under such a category under the Endangered Species Act of the United States. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classified it as “vulnerable to extinction” under the 2009 World Conservation Union Red List of Threatened Species.

The Dugong (Dugong dugon): Status Report and Action Plans for Countries and Territo-

ENVIRONMENT

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SAVING DUGONGS FROM EXTINCTION

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO courtesy of George Plaza

ries in its Range reported that the slow-moving mammal “appear to have disappeared” or “already become extinct” in some places, particularly “the waters off Mauritius, the Seychelles, western Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Japan’s Sakishima Shoto Islands, Hong Kong’s Pearl River estuary, several islands in the Philippines including Zambales and Cebu, and parts of Cambodia and Vietnam.”

A report on dugongs made at the Third IUCN Conservation Congress held at Bangkok, Thailand in 2004 stated that the dugong may have been present around almost all of the islands of the Philippines in the early 1900s.

There was a time that occurrences of dugongs have been reported in Isabela and Quezon provinces, southern Mindoro and Palawan, Guimaras Strait and Panay Gulf, northeastern Mindanao, and southern Mindanao including the Sulu Archipelago, Sarangani Bay and Pujada Bay. In recent years, their population has dwindled considerably. “As of 1997, they have been confirmed in only a few places: Pala-

wan, Romblon, Guimaras, and Pujada Bay, Davao Oriental (with only one specimen from the last three areas),” Ocean Ambassadors reports.

Since time immemorial, the dugong has been hunted throughout its traditional range for its meat, hide, oil and bones.

In some parts of the country, there are still people who believe that parts of dugongs can be used for medical purposes or as amulets to protect against evil spirits.

The slow movement and inability to take long dives make dugongs easy prey for hunters. “Dugong tends to move relatively slowly, with an average swimming speed of 10 kilometers per hour, although it can double this speed if necessary,” a marine mammal expert says.

“Unlike other marine mammals, it cannot hold its breath underwater for long periods of time, so dives last only from one to three minutes.”

Dugongs are also highly susceptible to being entangled in fishing nets or hit by boat propellers, which can lead to death or serious injury. “Most dugong deaths are a result of incidental catches

in gill nets, use of dynamite fishing, trawling, baynets and fish corrals (locally known as baklad),” states dugongseagrass.org. “There have been more recent reports of dugongs being trapped by the ropes used by seaweed farms in Busuanga, Palawan.”

Dugongs have a slow reproduction rate. “Population growth is so slow that even without exploitation, in ideal conditions, the dugong population can only grow by as much as 5% a year,” Ocean Ambassadors claims.

“Adults become sexually active when they are at least 9 years old and female give birth to calves only once every 3-7 years,” Ocean Ambassadors says in its website, oneocean.org. “Thirteen months after mating, a single calf is born.”

All these factors have contributed to the decimation of their population.

“Dugongs are on the verge of extinction,” deplored the Pawikan Conservation Project (PCP), an implementing arm of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB).

PCP manages and coordinates both the “pawikan”

(marine turtles) and dugong conservation efforts of the government and private sector.

In the Philippines, the dugong has been listed as “vulnerable to extinction” since 1982. However, it took nine years for the government to issue Administrative Order No. 55, declaring dugong “a protected marine mammal in the Philippines.”

“The killing or taking of dugong for whatever purposes, except for scientific research is now prohibited,” the administrative order said in part.

“Any person who shall hunt, kill, wound, or take away, possess, transport, or dispose of the dugong, dead or alive, or its meat and any of its by-products, shall be punished.”

The order also stipulated that vessels or carriers, gears, tools, equipment and other paraphernalia used in the commission of the prohibited acts and offenses including the catch, as instrument and proceeds of the offenses, shall be confiscated in favor of the government.

Today, the dugong is listed as “critically endangered” in the Administra-

FDUGONGS, P10

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mayor said.

Mayo Sara reiterated she does not agree with imposing restrictions on the unvaccinated.

“I am pro-vaccination gyud, and boosters. Pero in this case, dili gyud ko maka-agree with the exclusion or restriction with the unvaccinated. Tungod

kay they were given the freedom to choose. Kung wala to sila gitagaan sa freedom nga mopili nga dili magpabakuna, then pwede ra gyud nato na sila ikulong diha sa ilang balay. But gitagaan man nato sila og freedom, so ngano sila palisdan pud,” the mayor said.

of The Outstanding Councilors of the Philippines (TOCP) for 2009 during the Philippine Councilors League 2010 End-Term National Assembly.

Secretary Acosta is also a prominent radio and TV anchor and a dedicated advocate of community sustainable development, good governance, and equitable access to education, children welfare, peace and security, active youth involvement through sports, women empowerment, and environmental protection among others.

As a dynamic mainstream media personality, she hosted the public affairs TV program in TV 4 Davao called “Gikan Sa Masa, Para sa Masa” with then Davao City Mayor and now Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

She also had a radio segment on DXAB 1296 dubbed as “Mabel At Your Service,” which aired from 2001-2009.

She optimized the use of these media platforms for meaningful interactions in public service being a bona fide graduate of AB Communication Major in Broadcast Communication and a Master’s Degree in Development Management.

Secretary Acosta is known for her pursuit of professional advancement and leadership skills development.

She was an alumna of the International Visitor Leadership Program of the United States, which provided an avenue to discuss global and local issues and build cooperation and goodwill with other counterparts. She also served as the national leader of the Philippine Delegation at 39th Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) 2012, which was part of the cooperation between Japan and the ASEAN countries to foster diplomatic and cultural understanding.

billion monthly payments done in 2019, followed by corporate payments (21%), and government payments (1%).

By 2020, 20.1% of the volume of all monthly payments were done online, driven by health protocols that prevented people from transacting face-to-face.

The volume represented a 26.8% increase in terms of value from 2019 figures.

“A digital and cash-lite economy must include and prioritize traditionally underserved or unbanked groups, such as sellers in the informal sector, lower income households, and micro and small enterprises, but if we charge them

fees that continually increase, how will they benefit, given the little that they earn?” Escudero said.

He urged the Monetary Board of the BSP, which recently extended a moratorium on fee hikes for InstaPay and PESONet transactions, to review the current fees imposed by banks, e-wallets and other financial companies on digital transactions, and to come up with a uniform set of fees that will be reasonable for all users.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that digital is the way to go, but to be sustainable, a digital economy must serve all sectors,” Escudero said.

dxMD-Radio Mindanao Network.

Peñamante said they already anticipated such a situation following the increased movements and the “high-risk behavior” of residents during the recent Christmas season.

He cited the parties and reunions “here and there” and the presence of children as well as unvaccinated persons in shopping malls and public places during the period.

The sudden rise of COVID-19 infections came about two weeks after the Christmas celebrations or within the 14-day incubation period of the disease, he noted.

Peñamante, a former CHO chief, said they expect the cases to still increase as he cited that “most proba-

bly” those who have turned positive were infected by asymptomatic carriers.

He urged residents to be vigilant and take the necessary precautions to prevent another surge of the deadly disease in the city.

“The compliance to the minimum health protocols should be to the letter and mass gatherings should be avoided,” he said.

The city last experienced a surge of Covid-19 cases in September last year, with the active infections reaching over 1,100 and the new daily cases peaking at 191.

The number of new daily infections started to decrease by October, eventually leading to the downgrading of the city’s status to the low-risk level and the easing of the community quarantine restrictions.

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Covid-19 cluster that DOH is making arrangement for the medicine,” the mayor said.

Mayor Sara is referring

to the antiviral drugs that the city government of Davao is eyeing to procure to fight Covid-19. By Maya M. Padillo

“And it’s not the same as usual call centers, etc.

You can see there are new, emerging segments and that is what companies are focusing on,” he said, citing insurance, life sciences, healthcare, and data analytics, among others.

Aside from BPO revenues, FMIC chairman Fran-

cisco Sebastian said the overseas Filipino workers (OFW) remittances are boosting the economy.

“These two things are not as sexy as other things like technology and telecoms… This is what is holding us up. OFW remittances continue to grow,” he said. (PNA)

can only process 21 percent within two years and that the agency lacks the complete data on the average number of days it takes to process unpaid claims.

Meanwhile, PHAPI president Dr. Jaime Almora said the planned “disengagement” of hospitals from PhilHealth over billions of pesos worth of unpaid claims means

that private health care providers will no longer lend money to PhilHealth for the payment of medical expenses by the Filipinos.

Almora, however, said PHAPI was willing to assist PhilHealth members who will directly shoulder the expenses for the reimbursement of claims from the agency. (PNA)

its coal needs at market prices.

Under one possible scenario, miners would pay a levy based on output that would be evaluated periodically depending on the gap between market prices and the $70 threshold, according to an official document reviewed by Reuters.

The document puts the potential levy at $3.87 a tonne, which could provide an estimated $2.5

billion to help PLN procure coal over a year.

The government also planned to dissolve PLN’s coal procurement unit, PLN Batubara, so PLN can deal directly with miners and not go through traders, Luhut said.

(Reporting by Bernadette Christina in Jakarta; Additional reporting

by Aizu Chen; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo Editing by Ed Davies and Christian Schmollinger)

steps, and assess the plans’ feasibility.

“Business owners should realize that introducing innovation needs to be well-planned and data-driven to maximize chances of success, considering that resources are limited. This is where the academic expertise is most beneficial as it provides crucial insights for MSMEs on what particular operational areas need to be prioritized,” DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Ambi said.

The IBR Project was borne out of the need for an immediate intervention for MSMEs grappling with the sudden economic shift at the onset of the COVID-19

pandemic in early 2020.

“We need to come up with a swift response so that businesses stay afloat and not close down. We cannot afford losing too many MSMEs, or else, our economy will bleed out given that they comprise more than 99% of businesses in the Philippines,” Ambi added.

The University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao School of Management and Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) Centre for Business Research Extension prepared the first two batches of IBR plans. This team of reputable universities has since grown to include five more higher educational institutions, to wit: Holy

the threat of new, more transmissible or more virulent variants will persist until a substantial part of the world’s population is vaccinated.

“The share of vaccinated population in many economies is expected to surpass 70 percent by mid-2022, but the prospects for vaccination progress remain uncertain in some countries,” especially in the poorest nations, the report said.

“At recent vaccination rates, only about a third

of the LIC (low income countries) population will have received even one vaccine dose by the end of 2023.”

The world’s biggest economic powers, the United States and China, have not been spared from the economic impact of Omicron.

In its report, the bank sharply lowered its forecast for US growth this year to 3.7 percent, 0.5 points lower than its previous estimate, following the country’s 5.6 percent expansion in 2021.

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tive Order No. 2004-14 dated May 22, 2004 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). By virtue of Executive Order 192, DENR is the government agency mandated to formulate and implement plans and programs for the conservation, protection, development and management of the country’s wildlife resources, including the dugong.

In 2007, the Philippine National Seagrass Conservation Strategy and Action Plan, which included maps of significant areas for seagrass conservation, was developed.

So far, 123 marine areas have been identified as priorities for conservation action in the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (20152028). The plan also includes a target of no net loss in the presence or distribution of live coral, mangroves and seagrasses by 2028. Dugongs are included in the Preventing Species Extinction Plan as a priority species for protection and monitoring.

The dugongs, however, can’t be saved and protected should the government do it alone, PCP says. Thus, it urges Filipinos to help save the dugongs from extinction by reporting any illegal fishing activities to DENR, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources or even to local government

units in the area.

Dugongs are called sea cows because they graze on seagrasses. An adult dugong can consume more than 30 kilograms of seagrass a day. The Philippines has 18 species along its coasts, making the country the second highest (after Western Australia’s more than 30 species) in terms of the number of seagrasses in the world. The area covered by seagrasses in the country is 27,282 square kilometers.

“Dugongs and sea turtles serve as lawn mowers of the seagrass beds and they are necessary to maintain a healthy marine ecosystem. If you have clean seagrass habitats, more fishes will thrive in the area and that means a sustainable food supply,” said Gregg Yan, information officer of WWF Philippines.

The PCP appeals to all Filipinos to help protect the habitats of dugongs.

They can do so by not polluting the water and by being environmentally-conscious.

“Losses of marine mammals constitute only a tiny portion of the overall devastation, but have caused particular concern because they serve as highly visible indicators of the difficulties other species, including humans, face,” reminds Ed Ayres, a researcher of the Washington, D.C.-based Worldwatch Institute.

watched the Christmas Day doubleheader which had the Magnolia-Barangay Ginebra showdown as its main game.

Two weeks after, games had to be shut down again as COVID-19 active cases in the country reached alarming rates, including a record single-day high of 26,458 registered last Jan. 8.

“Sayang nandun na yung momentum, e.

Dire-diretso na sana tayo,” said Commissioner Willie Marcial in his guest appearance in the weekly sports show The Chasedown.

But consistent with his belief, the PBA chief said he can’t compromise the safe-

ty of everyone, from players to the fans.

“Hindi ako manghihinayang kung makakaligtas naman ang lahat. Para sa atin naman ito,” added Marcial.

Nonetheless, the commissioner is begging for the understanding of PBA fans and team owners as well that another possible long break in the conference had to be taken as a precautionary measure.

“Hindi ko isusugal yung safety ng mga tao para lang makalaro. Kaya humingi ako ng pasensiya sa team owners at sa governors na sana maintindihin nila,” said Marcial.

Anunoby cut it to one with a driving basket, but Booker restored the threepoint cushion with a pair of free throws.

Toronto’s Khem Birch and Paul each converted a pair of free throws and the Suns sent VanVleet to the line with four seconds left. He made the first and missed the second,

but Phoenix’s Jalen Smith grabbed the rebound and Ayton pushed the lead to four with a pair of free throws.

VanVleet scored 10 points in the first as Toronto led 31-23 after one, but Crowder answered with 13 points in the second as the Suns cut the deficit to 48-46 at halftime.

anything.”

“It doesn’t matter who is elected,” he said, adding “People know that the candidates will spend a lot of money.”

“It’s more whether the votes are counted prop-

erly and all of that,” he added.

Abola said this issue is being addressed with the help of civic groups.

“Credibility of the election is the one at stake,” he said. (PNA)

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Amir Coffey led the Cliplers with 18 points.

Clippers wipe out 25 points deficit to beat Nuggets COVID-19 surge dampens PBA momentum

T

he spike in COVID-19 cases proved to be another dampener in the PBA 46th season.

The league was forced to postpone games of the Governors’ Cup as cases of the Omicron variant mount within the metropolis after the holiday season.

Unfortunately, it couldn’t have come at a

time when the season-ending meet is beginning to gain momentum.

Just a week after the opener, the league began to bring back fans live in the games at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, eventually reaching a peak of close to a crowd of 5,000 who

FCOVID-19, P10

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OS ANGELES — Amir Coffey had 18 points, Reggie Jackson scored 11 of his 13 in the fourth quarter and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from a 25-point deficit in the second half for a stunning, 87-85, victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night (Wednesday, Manila time).

Terance Mann scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter for Los Angeles, which won for the fourth time in 10 games since Paul George joined Kawhi Leonard on

Suns rally late to end Raptors win streak at six

T

ORONTO — Devin Booker scored 16 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:02 remaining, and Chris Paul had 15 points and 12 assists as the Phoenix Suns beat Toronto, 99-95, on Tuesday night (Wednesday, Manila time) to snap the Raptors’ longest winning streak of the season at six games.

Jae Crowder scored 19 points, Deandre Ayton had 16 and Mikal Bridges added 12 as the Suns improved to 31-9, matching the franchise’s best record through 40 games.

OG Anunoby scored 25 points, Pascal Siakam had 22 and Fred VanVleet add-

ed 21 for the Raptors, who lost for the first time since Dec. 28 against Philadelphia.

Chris Boucher had 13 points and 16 rebounds for the Raptors, who played without injured starters Scottie Barnes and Gary Trent Jr. Trent missed his second straight game because of a sore left ankle, while Barnes sat out with a sore right knee.

The Raptors led 8381 after Boucher made a pair of free throws with 6:19 left, but Crowder and Bridges each hit a 3-pointer before Ayton capped an 8-0 run as

Phoenix opened an 89-83 lead with 4:13 to go, its biggest of the game.

Siakam stopped the run with a basket and Anunoby added a 3 to make it 89-88 with 2:36 to play.

Booker fouled Anunoby as they scrambled after a loose ball with 1:41 left, and the Toronto forward made both to put the Raptors up 90-89.

After three missed 3-pointers by the Suns, Booker hit a go-ahead jumper with 62 seconds left and, after Siakam missed, Paul’s pull-up jumper made it 93-90 with 32 seconds remaining.

FSUNS, P10

its lengthy injured list. The Clippers won despite managing a meager 28 points in the lowest-scoring first half in the NBA this season and then falling behind 59-34 midway through the third

period.

Denver scored just seven points in the next 10 minutes, allowing the Clippers to mount their improbable comeback. Los Angeles tied it on Jackson’s jumper with 7:03 to play and went ahead on Jackson’s 3-pointer moments later.

Nikola Jokic got back-toback buckets to put Denver back on top, but Coffey’s 3-pointer with 2:30 left pushed the Clippers ahead for good. Nicolas Batum hit a 3 on the next possession,

and Jokic missed a long 3-pointer right before the buzzer.

Aaron Gordon scored a season-high 30 points and Jokic had 21 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Nuggets, who couldn’t overcome a long stretch of ineptitude spanning the final two quarters. Gordon made 11 of his 16 shots in his highest-scoring performance since joining the Nuggets last March, but Jokic hit only three shots in the fourth quarter.

Phoenix guard Devin Booker scored 16 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:02 remaining.

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022

NO TRAINING YET PSC awaits lower alert level before resuming training

T

he Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is now in waiting mode on when the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) will lower the alert level status in Metro Manila amid a spike in the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

The PSC was supposed to clear the national athletes of training inside its facilities beginning Monday.

But training has been deferred with the so-called NCR Plus area, composed of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite, currently under Alert Level 3.

“With the present situation, we are evaluating that most probably when the IATF lowers the alert level that allows us to resume practice, then we can practice in PhilSports [Arena], where there are eight venues and more or less 10-12 in Rizal [Memorial Sports Complex],” PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.

Ramirez recently talked to PSC Medical and Scientific Athlete Service chief Randy Molo, executive director Guillermo Iroy, and chief of staff Marc Velasco before arriving at the decision.

“For us to start here, we will not risk the lives,” Ramirez added. “I know the coaches are worried about the athletes kasi kung matutuloy [ang Southeast Asian Games] sa May, halos tatlong buwan [lang sila magte-train], pero reality yun (because if the SEA Games push through in May, they only have almost three months to train, but that’s the reality). We have to live with it.”

He also confirmed that the said venues remain as quarantine facilities now following the Covid-19 spike.

Under Alert Level 3, contact sports events including practices are not allowed unless conducted inside PSC or Games and Amusements Board-approved bubbles, while non-contact sports practices are allowed on a 50-percent capacity limit in the training centers.

Meanwhile, sports practices are allowed in areas under

Alert Level 2 without the need to form a training bubble.

Ramirez said the PSC has allowed some athletes to undergo bubble training in other provinces even as it keeps on monitoring the training on gymnast Caloy Yulo and pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena overseas.

The Alert Level 3 status in NCR Plus will end on Saturday, but the possibility of it being extended is looming as cases continue to go up at a fast pace.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque even floated the idea of Metro Manila being placed under the more stringent Alert Level 4, although some experts later said that there is no need for now.

The three-day streak of posting record-high new Covid-19 cases was snapped on Tuesday when the Department of Health reported 28,007 new active cases, lower than the highest single-day 33,169 infections reported on Monday.

The positivity rate is also lower at 44.5 percent, although it can be noted that the lower numbers are due to the lower number of tests done over the weekend.

The 28,007 new cases are the third most reported amid the pandemic even as the number of confirmed cases has moved up to a little more than 3 million in total.

Meanwhile, OCTA Research fellow Guido David said despite Metro Manila being in a “severe outbreak” level in terms of the average daily attack rate, the reproduction rate slowed from 5.65 two weeks ago to 5.22 last week, a potential sign that the active cases might begin to dwindle very soon.

Ramirez hopes that the IATF will place Metro Manila back to Alert Level 2 by next month so that the athletes based in the province can finally train again. (PNA)

A female fitness enthusiast works out with the weights wearing mask at the Arcadia Fitness Gym.