Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 255 | Tuesday, January 18, 2022

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Mall goers read the Chinese horoscope installation at the atrium of SM Lanang Premier on Monday to see what’s in store for them this New Year. Edge Davao

INITIAL WIN Sara camp welcomes Comelec decision to confirm BBM’s COC

STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 255 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2022

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte issues Executive Order No. 2 Series of 2022 on Monday extending the removal of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results as a requirement for Davao City-bound land, sea, and air travelers until June 30, 2022. Edge Davao

INITIAL WIN

Sara camp welcomes Comelec decision to confirm BBM’s COC

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he camp of Vice Presidential bet Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio welcomed the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) second division confirming the certificate of candidacy of her running mate, Presidential aspirant Ferdinand ‘Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Liloan Mayor Christina Garcia Frasco, spokesperson of Mayor Sara said on Monday: “We welcome the Comelec decision to

affirm the Certificate of Candidacy of Sen. Bongbong Marcos as an opportunity for the Filipino people to express their

will in fair and free elections.”

Frasco’s statement came at the heels of the Comelec decision ditching the petition to cancel the COC of Marcos which was released on January 17, 2022.

The petition to cancel Marcos’ COC, which was filed by civic leaders, is one among three pending petitions against him.

Two others for disqualification remain.

Meanwhile, in a statement shared to media lawyer Vic Rodriguez, chief of staff and spokesman of Marcos, said the mere actions of the petitioners in writing and seeking the unwritten legal basis for cancellation of Marcos’ candidacy certificate is extremely ir-

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VG Lala echoes call for the revocation of resolution barring Moros to vote for local positions

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ice Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza is supporting the call of the Moros on the revocation of the resolution which bars them from voting for local positions in the Province of Cotabato in the May 9, 2022 national polls.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruled the barring of the 200,000 registered voters from 63 villages in its Special

Geographic Area (SGA) in North Cotabato from exercising their right to vote for local posts through Resolution No. 21-0953 that was released on January 3, 2022.

These are the same barangays that voted yes to be included in the expanded Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2019.

“Bagamat nirerespeto natin ang desisyon ng

Comelec, tayo ay nakikiisa sa panawagan ng ating mga kapatid na Moro na bawiin o ipawalang bisa ang nasabing resolusyon at payagan silang bumoto para sa mga lokal na posisyon sa lalawigan ng Cotabato. Mananatili ang patuloy na suporta na ating pinaninindigan upang ang mga karapatan ng ating mga kapatid na Moro ay mapangalagaan at maipaglaban,” Mendoza said.

On November 20, 2019 the province of North Cotabato turned over 63 barangays from its six towns to BARMM that voted yes to inclusion during a plebiscite held in February 2019.

Through a resolution, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of North Cotabato has adopted a resolution to turn over 63 out of 67 barangays located in the municipal-

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Bus firm lauds Army for arrest of bomb suspects

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he management of the public transport company whose bus was bombed in North Cotabato recently expressed its gratitude to the military Sunday for their efforts in tracking down and neutralizing the suspects.

The bombing of the Mindanao Star bus in Aleosan, North Cotabato on January 11, resulted in the injury of seven passengers.

According to reports, one of the passengers, a five-year-old boy, died while undergoing treatment in a hospital.

“We condemned the attack on one of our buses and hope that the victims will be given justice. At the same time, we extend our sincere gratitude to our soldiers for their efforts in ensuring the safety of our riding public,” said Celer Estologa, Yanson Group of Bus Companies (YGBC) legal and media re-

lations manager for Mindanao, in a statement.

On January 15, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division said the alleged mastermind of the Mindanao Star bus attack, Norodin Hassan alias “Andot,” along with three companions, were killed following a manhunt operation in a remote village in Carmen town, North Cotabato, reports said.

The family-run YGBC, which owns and operates seven bus companies in the country, has three subsidiaries in Mindanao – Mindanao Star Bus Transport Inc. (MSBTI), Bachelor Express Inc., and Rural Transit Mindanao Inc. The news of the suspects’ deaths came as the MSBTI held its annual stockholder’s meeting on January 15 where the incumbent officers have retained their current positions. (PNA)

PUVs and rerouting system, permanent solution to passenger’s woes - CRFRB

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o present the on-going comprehensive transportation plan, the City Transport and Franchising Regulatory Board (CTFRB) on Tuesday, January 11, called a meeting to discuss the said plan that is being drafted years prior to the pandemic that their chair says is “the permanent solution to passenger’s complaints against erring drivers”.

The Local Public Transportation Route Plan (LPTRP) is in accor-

dance to the Joint Memorandum Circular no. 1 series of 2017 of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Transportation (DOTr) that mandates the creation of guidelines for planning and identifying of public road transportation services and franchise issuance. Since 2018, the City Government of Tagum drafted two versions of the plan and both were carefully reviewed by the

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 255 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2022

NEWS

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The public school of Basilisa in Dinagat Islands, which sits on a small hill overlooking the town, bore the brunt of typhoon Odette’s wrath on December 16, 2021. The school was preparing for limited face to face classes in January after more than two years of module-based learning when typhoon Odette tore off the school’s roof and damaged learning materials and classrooms, most of them beyond salvaging. Photo taken 14 January 2022 LEONARD G. REYES

MGB orders stoppage of mining operations in Davao Or town Piñol: Plant trees, protect, PH eagle

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ormer Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol urged the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, an organization with more than six million members, to help in planting and growing three billion trees to protect the Philippine Eagle.

In his recent visit to General Santos City, Piñol said in that way the group, which is composed of professionals, public servants, and leaders of the communities, will be able to protect the remaining habitat of the national bird.

“Then, I asked the National President of the Regional Governors, Eagle Larry Franco, to submit to the fraternity’s national leadership my proposal for the Philippine Eagles to support my Green Philippines Advocacy,” he said in a statement.

Piñol proposed a fiveyear program to be led by the Fraternal Order of the Eagles where every one of the six million members would be obligated to plant 100 bamboo, fruit trees, or native trees every year.

“I said that this would make the Fraternal Order of the Eagles the first organization in the country to lead the Greening of the Philippines. This proposal which I presented during the message I delivered as a guest of honor was received enthusiastically by the Eagles members,” Piñol added.

Initiated by Piñol, the Green Philippines Advocacy program aims to protect the remaining six percent of the country’s forest cover and the planting of bamboo, fruit trees, industrial trees, and endemic trees in the denuded highlands and mountains in the country.

Piñol vowed to provide giant bamboo seedlings to the various provinces of the country for re-greening and reforestation through the said program.

He said growing giant bamboo is easy and economical because it needs no fertilizers and it has high regenerative traits with several shoots continuously growing to replace harvested poles. By Maya M. Padillo

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he Mines and Geosciences Bureau has ordered the immediate stoppage of a mining company’s operation in the municipality of Banaybanay in Davao Oriental.

The firm’s operations allegedly caused the recent siltation incident along the Pintatagan River and Maputi River.

This was evidenced by photos posted by several residents online on January 14, 2022 that showed the Mapagba River in the town of Banaybanay turning red-orange fol-

lowing heavy rains. The discolored water flowed out into coastal areas as the Mapagba River drains into the Davao Gulf.

The heavy siltation also caused deep concern to Davao Oriental residents, especially those living near the area.

The Provincial Government of Davao Orien-

tal Facebook Page posted that Governor Nelson Dayanghirang immediately called the attention of the MGB, disclosed the stoppage of the operation following the confirmation from MGB Undersecretary Atty. Wilfredo Moncano on Monday.

It is also posted that MGB assured Dayanghirang that “the company will not be allowed to resume until corrective measures are done, and the appropriate sanctions are imposed.”

The province also posted that in the incident re-

port, the mining company says that it is “currently working on mitigation measures to control the water discoloration and siltation, as well as to enhance the environmental mitigating measures.”

Dayanghirang said irresponsible mining is unacceptable as it poses serious, long-term threats to communities and waterways.

He added that the preservation and conservation of the environment should come first above everything else.

providing for the removal of the RT-PCR result requirement for travelers entering Davao City via land, sea, and air” until January 15, 2022.

“Gi-extend lang nato ang order (EO No. 66) na dili na mag require ug RT-PCR result requirement hangtod January 15 lang man ni ato gi extend,” Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said on Monday during the Special Hours with Mayor Inday Sara

Duterte via Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR).

Section 3 of the EO states that all passengers by international air travelers arriving in Davao City including those international passengers arriving through connecting domestic flights shall comply with the requirements and guidelines provided by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

Last week, Mayor Sara explained 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 the economy of the city.

“Dili nata magbalik sa “test before travel” kay duna na’y bakuna and booster and tambal,” the mayor said. By Maya M. Padillo

RT-PCR result requirement for entry to Davao City still waived

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he city government of Davao released on Monday Executive Order (EO) No. 2 Series of 2022 extending until June 30, 2022 the removal of the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) result requirement for travelers entering Davao City via land, sea, and air which started on January 16, 2022.

Last year, the city released the EO No. 66 Series of 2021 or “an order

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 255 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2022

A pump attendant refills a vehicle with diesel at a gasoline station in Digos City on Sunday afternoon. Oil firms have announced that the price per liter of diesel will go up by P0.80 and gasoline prices will increase by P0.90 per liter starting today. Edge Davao

Big-time petroleum price hike set today

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il firms are set to implement another big-time hike in pump prices of petroleum products, marking the third straight week of increases.

In separate advisories, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Seaoil Philippines Inc. said they will hike prices per liter of gasoline by P0.90, diesel by P0.80, and

kerosene by P2.30.

Cleanfuel and Petro Gazz will implement the same changes, excluding kerosene which they do not carry.

The changes will take effect at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, January 18, for all the firms except for Cleanfuel which will adjust prices at 4:01 p.m. the same day.

Other firms have yet to make similar announcements for the week.

Latest data from the Department of Energy indicate that year-to-date ad-

justments stand at a total net increase of P2.60 per liter for gasoline, P3.50 per liter for diesel, and P2.74 per liter for kerosene as of January 11, 2022.

This follows a net increase of P17.65 per liter for gasoline, P14.30 per liter for diesel, and P11.54 per liter for kerosene in 2021.

auspices of the World Economic Forum.

A confederation of charities that focus on alleviating global poverty, Oxfam said the billionaires’ wealth rose more during the pandemic more than it did the previous 14 years, when the world economy was suffering the worst recession since the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

It called this inequality “economic violence” and

said inequality is contributing to the death of 21,000 people every day due to a lack of access to healthcare, gender-based violence, hunger and climate change.

The pandemic has plunged 160 million people into poverty, the charity added, with non-white ethnic minorities and women bearing the brunt of the impact as inequality soared.

The report follows a December 2021 study by

the group which found that the share of global wealth of the world’s richest people soared at a record pace during the pandemic.

Oxfam urged tax reforms to fund worldwide vaccine production as well as healthcare, climate adaptation and gender-based violence reduction to help save lives.

The group said it based its wealth calculations on

World’s 10 richest men doubled wealth during COVID-19: report

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he world’s 10 wealthiest men doubled their fortunes during the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic as poverty and inequality soared, a report said on Monday.

Oxfam said the men’s wealth jumped from $700 billion to $1.5 trillion, at an average rate of $1.3 billion per day, in a briefing published before a virtual mini-summit of world leaders being held under the

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Unilab: Not hiking prices of meds, withholding stocks

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ocal pharmaceutical giant United Laboratories Inc. (Unilab) belied “rumors” that the company was withholding stocks in order to hike prices of its popular medicine brands.

Unilab said in a statement that the “rumor” that it was withholding inventories and raising prices of Biogesic, Bioflu, Neozep, Solmux, and Decolgen, causing out-of-stock situations in drugstores, was “not true.”

“Unilab has not increased the prices of these brands,” the drug maker said.

Earlier this month, netizens raised concerns on social media about their difficulties in purchasing paracetamol brands and anti-flu pills as they were out of stock in drug stores.

The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) has admitted that a temporary shortage of certain

paracetamol brands was being experienced in some areas.

Unilab has apologized to its customers, saying the temporary shortage of some medicine brands in selected drugstores was due to “extraordinary demand.”

“The temporary out of stock situation in certain drugstores is due to the extraordinary high demand for products for fever, cough, colds, and flu in certain areas of the country,” the company said.

The pharmaceutical firm said it continues to manufacture and has increased the manufacturing volume of its products.

“We urge everyone to refrain from relying upon and passing on false news in order not to cause public panic and anxiety. We will post, from time to time, relevant information through our social media channels,” Unilab said.

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ECONOMY 5

Residents buy medicines at a drug store outside Agdao Public Market in Davao City. Local pharmaceutical manufacturer United Laboratories Inc. (Unilab) belied “rumors” that the company was withholding stocks in order to hike prices of its popular medicine brands. Edge Davao

BSP eyes more incentives for banks to boost sustainable finance shift T

Int’l brands call for global pact to combat plastic production

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nternational brands including Coca Cola and PepsiCo called on Monday for a global pact to combat plastic pollution that includes cuts in plastic production, a key growth area for the oil industry.

World officials will meet at a United Nations Environment Assembly conference (UNEA 5.2) later this year to start negotiations on a treaty to tackle a plastic waste crisis that is choking landfills, despoiling oceans and killing wildlife.

It remains unclear whether any deal will focus on waste management and recycling or take tougher steps such as curbing new plastic production, a move that would likely face resistance from big oil and chemical firms and major plastic-producing countries like the United States.

The more than 70 signatories to Monday’s joint statement include consumer goods companies like Unilever and Nestle, which sell a myriad of products in single-use plastic from shampoo to chocolate bars, as well as retailer Walmart and French bank BNP Paribas.

“We are at a critical point in time to establish an ambitious U.N. treaty,”

the statement said, noting that any deal should “reduce virgin plastic production and use.”

“UNEA 5.2 is the decisive, most auspicious moment to turn the tide on the global plastic pollution crisis. We cannot afford to miss it,” the statement said.

Less than 10 percent of all the plastic ever made has been recycled, and a Reuters investigation last year revealed that new recycling technologies touted by the plastics industry have struggled to combat the problem.

Meanwhile, production of plastic, which is derived from oil and gas, is projected to double within 20 years. This is a key source of future revenue for energy majors, as demand for fossil fuels wanes with the rise of renewable energy and electric vehicles.

While scaling-up global recycling is critical to tackling plastic waste, these efforts will not prevent plastic pollution from continuing to skyrocket without constraints on production, a landmark 2020 study by Pew Charitable Trusts found.

As pressure mounts on firms that sell products in hard-to-recycle plastic

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values are being explored “to enable banks to extend green loans or for sustainable investments.”

“The BSP is carefully evaluating these potential incentives so as not to create any unintended consequences.

Never-

theless, we have initially proposed the inclusion of sustainable finance as a form of compliance with the mandatory credit to the agriculture sector,” he said.

The extension of regulatory incentives is under the third phase of the Sustainable Finance Framework, the BSP said. The first phase was issued in April 2020, it said.

“Under this Framework, we expect banks

to progressively increase their loan allocations for green or sustainable projects as part of their set strategic environmental and social objectives,” Diokno said.

The Philippines, through its Green Force inter-agency technical working group led by the BSP and the Department of Finance, is taking a “well-coordinated policy formulation” to support sustainable finance.

global health crisis began in March 2020.

“We highly advocate digitalization and promoting digital operations in partnering with service providers that are into platforms, so they can continuously operate their businesses and not eventually shut down,” he said in mixed English and Filipino during a recent webinar.

Pasahol said the “DTI Ctrl+Biz Reboot Now!” program offers a series of free webinars that targets MSMEs which need to transform their operations digitally.

“Enablers across the entire e-commerce ecosystem will provide their expertise and experiences on how to take advantage of the digital space.

We are also coordinating and partnering with service providers like Grab, Shopee, and Lazada, the most popular platforms now, so that they will guide our MSMEs on how to partner with them, how to avail of their services, and of course, how to be part of their operations,” he added.

Pasahol said the agency also provides information to MSMEs on the dif-

ferent technology tools, applications, platforms, and resources available to reinvent businesses amid the crisis.

The tools or solutions specified in https:// sites.google.com/view/ tech-resources-for-msmes/home are categorized based on functionality across multiple categories such as e-commerce, e-payment, digital marketing, logistics, work-from-home collaboration tools, productivity tools, webinars, finding an expert, and government resources.

he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Monday said it was eyeing the possibility of extending more regulatory incentives for banks that “embrace” sustainable financing.

Included are banks that mobilize capital to address urgent global challenges, the central bank said in a statement.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said the use of preferential rediscount rates or the provision of higher loan

Gov’t programs assist business startups, MSME digitalization

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he government is offering various programs to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) transform their businesses digitally to sustain operations even during the pandemic and promote youth entrepreneurship development.

Edwin Pasahol, chief of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - Bureau of SME Development Program Development Division, said the agency is promoting an intensive shift to digitalization as physical stores have lost clients since the

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 255 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2022

On the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) second division confirming the certificate of candidacy of her running mate, Presidential aspirant Ferdinand ‘Bongbong” Marcos Jr:

We welcome the Comelec decision to affirm the Certificate of Candidacy of Sen. Bongbong Marcos as an opportunity for the Filipino people to express their will in fair and free elections.”

Liloan Mayor Christina Garcia Frasco Spokesperson of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

EDITORIAL Fighting anti-vaxxers In dodging legal attempts by tennis superstar Novak Djokovic to dismantle its tough stand on Covid-19 vaccination, Australia just proved one thing: it is not dealing softly with those that contradict its health and safety policies.

That is the government speaking and no one, not even a superstar who could potentially achieve a sporting milestone in one of Australia’s biggest sports events--the Australian Open-can dismantle that.

Despite efforts by his team of legal luminaries, Djokovic couldn’t score an ace against the Australian government who is dealing with anti-vaccine groups with gutsy defense.

Australia, while respecting one’s rights to freely exercise freedom to make decisions concerning their own welfare, re-

EDGEDAVAO

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In the end, the unvaccinated Djokovic bowed to the unbending Australia Covid-19 vaccination stand.

This should inspire our government too in its stand against anti-vaxxers. Australia is having tough battles lately with surges in cases particularly in New South Wales and is imposing the vaccination card requirement in most venues. Hiring for jobs have included proof of vaccination, as well as all employees in high risk industries.

It’s tough but that’s the way to go.

If people choose to be unvaccinated like Djokovic, they will have to pay the price. There cannot be equal treatment.

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

mains committed to defend its vaccination policy at all costs.

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

MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS FROM A DISTANCE “Malaking pagbabago kasi alam namin na may gamit kaming pwedeng pagkatiwalaan. Dun pa lang sa pinapakita na resulta, alam no na kaagad kung anong gagawin mo,” said a public health nurse in Sabtang, Batanes. (“There’s a big change since we know we have a device which we can really trust.

Just in the result alone, we already know of what to do.”)

“Ngayon, ang mga consults kahit mayayaman, pumupunta sila dito,” said a doctor from Tagaro in Villareal, Samar. “Empowered yung staff natin dito, hindi tulad sa ibang RHU (rural health unit) kapag walang doktor, walang konsulta. Dito naman bilib sila sa mga nurses at midwives.” (“Now, even rich people come here for consultation. Members of our staff are empowered, unlike those from other RHU that if there’s no doctor, there’s no consultation. Here, they have high regard of our nurses and midwives.”)

“Kung wala yung kagamitan na yun, hindi ko malalaman kung buhay pa kami ng anak ko ngayon kasi nanganganib na nga yung buhay namin, tapos hindi pa naming alam kung okay yung bata o kung okay yung blood pressure ko. Baka isa sa amin ang nawala ngayon,” a 19-year-old mother in Sabtang, Batanes said. (“If that

device is not around, I don’t know if my child and I are still alive today since our lives were in danger then. We didn’t know if my child was okay or if my blood pressure was okay. Maybe one of us died already.”

All three are talking the same thing: RxBox. Touted to be “one of the most important tools generated by the research community,” it is a multi-component program designed to provide better access to life-saving health care service in isolated and disadvantaged communities in the country. It is among the efforts of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for so-called “Smarter Philippines.”

The RxBox is a game-changer.

Described as the “oldest electronic medical record (EMR) in the Philippines,” the prototype was conceptualized as early as 2007

by Dr. Alvin Marcelo, then National Telehealth Center director, and Dr. Luis Sison of the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Engineering.

RxBox is now available in some remote areas in the country, particularly those without doctors. At the height of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the DOST distributed at least 1,000 units of RxBox.

“This (RxBox) would enable (health workers) to monitor patients without getting near them,” said Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña during the “Laging Handa” public briefing. “They would be able to attend to more patients, check their vital signs, since this is very easy to use.”

Last December 22, three rural health units in Davao Oriental – Tarragona, Manay and San Isidro – received RxBox telehealth devices from the regional office of DOST. Computer peripherals were supplied by the regional office of the Department of Health.

Actually, the RxBox is a product of NTHC’s collaboration with the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Institute of the UP Diliman and the DOST’s Advanced Science and Technology Institute.

Funding for the project came from DOST’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development.

RxBoxes are supplied in areas where doctors are hard to find and traveling to the cities is a big problem.

“The RxBox can reduce the overall cost of healthcare by enabling health workers to diagnose, monitor and treat patients within the rural health facility,

thanks to medical sensors inside the box,” says the website, rxbox. chits.ph.

These are the devices found in an RxBox: blood pressure monitor, pulse oximeter, electrocardiogram (ECG), fetal health monitor, maternal tocometer, and temperature sensor.

The blood pressure monitor measures the patient’s blood pressure to detect cardiovascular problems, especially hypertension, a disease which can also worsen other chronic lifestyle disease conditions.

Pulse oximeter measures the level of oxygen in the patient’s blood and can help detect lung and cardiovascular problems – leading causes of death among Filipinos. ECG monitors the heart’s movement to pump blood throughout the body, helpful for those with acute and chronic heart problems, including pregnant mothers with cardiovascular problems.

The fetal heart monitor measures the baby’s heart rate while in the womb, helping detect fetal distress at critical times of the pregnancy and delivery. Maternal tocometer, on the other hand, measures the strength of a mother’s uterine contractions during labor and delivery, enabling early

detection of distress to the mother and/or the baby.

Finally, the temperature sensor measures a patient’s body temperature. It can help detect fever, a common medical sign of infection and other disease conditions.

Through the Rxbox, patients in far-flung areas may receive advice from doctors and health workers situated elsewhere.

“The RxBox can capture medical signs with its built-in sensors, save the data in an electronic medical record (using the Community Health Information Tracking System or CHITS), and transmit the information via internet to clinical specialists in the Philippine General Hospital,” explained Dr. Kristine Mae P. Magtubo, a health innovation consultant.

According to the health department, RxBox helps address the lack of doctors in the provinces, with 90% of specialists and 60% of tertiary hospitals clustered in urban areas.

RxBox is one of the government’s tools for the Kalusugang Pangkalahatan or Universal Health Care (UHC). “Inspite of the gains of the health sector,” said a statement, “the challenge of delivering improved health care services remains.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

LUPON UNDER REBEL SIEGE November 25, 1984, will always be recalled as the day when Lupon, Davao Oriental, nearly fell into rebel hands. In the ensuing clash between the insurgents and the military, the New People’s Army (NPA), the communists’ armed component, four rebels were killed.

Following insurgent protocol in raiding communities, the rebels took up positions about town early that morning while people were preparing for Sunday church activities.

The raid of the municipal hall, however, happened just before noon break. At 11:45 a.m., the residents heard the first salvo of gunfire emanating from the town hall.

By this time, the police had already been captured and the municipal hall taken over. Armalite rifles and other guns were seized from the police by the guerrillas;

the cops, humiliated and ruffled, were left unharmed. To signal the rebels’ withdrawal, shots were again fired.

After leaving the town proper, the rebels proceeded to attack the Philippine Constabulary barracks. The siege took about an hour but the insurgents failed to bring down the gutsy soldiers. After the smoke had cleared, four rebels were found dead.

As a consequence, Lupon was practically deserted for two hours until the military, with reinforcements from nearby units, had driven the NPAs back to the foothills.

To preempt any retaliatory attacks, the municipal building was heavily guarded by the combined forces from the police and the Integrated Civilian Home Defense Force (ICHDF), a militia force. Similarly, the military bar-

racks were placed on red alert.

Following this jarring experience, news that the public market and buses plying the town would be burned started to circulate. Still, amid the danger, the raid still became a comic source.

“Fr. Medz Salomia, parish priest of Lupon,” in a news dispatch, “jokingly greeted his parishioners with a hearty ‘Merry Tsismas and a Hapa-hapa New Year’ in his homily delivered during the Christmas eve mass.”

The churchgoers were unsure how to react, whether to laugh or keep quiet, but they still chuckled despite the fear obtaining in town.

(Hapa, a Visayan term, means ‘; to lie on one’s stomach; to crawl on one’s belly out of fear.’)

Christmas for Lupon residents that year was the saddest

in history. Residents and traders stayed away from the town proper and the public market was nothing but a shell of its once-lively and dynamic self.

Fear was still written all over the town and business was not as usual.

Weeks after the siege, letters threatening to burn down the town, presumed to emanate from the rebels, started to circulate. There was reason to believe this was part of a plan to avenge the loss the insurgents suffered in the siege.

Others, however, suspected the letters were from the Bangsa Moro Army (BMA), a secessionist movement operating in several east coast municipalities, with the predictable plan to extort. On the part of the rebels, this form of coercion is known as ‘revolutionary tax.’

In a December 29, 1984 in-

terview (‘Davao Oriental town caught between NPA, BMA, others’), Eduardo R. Fernandez of People’s Daily Forum quoted a source saying the letter-senders were from the BMA ranks while others suspected the warnings to burn Lupon were maneuvers attributed to people with ‘vested interests in the political life of Lupon and the entire Davao Oriental.’

But there was another angle to the destabilization. Most townsfolk feared the proliferation of private armies in their vicinities, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire. While the police and constabulary forces were always on guard, the private armies, described as inviting more chaos and violence in the province, were the focus of condemnation of the Mati-based Davao Oriental Human Rights Movement.

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Tower 3 will be built beside the water spray pool park.

LEGACY LEISURE RISING HIGHER IN 2022 Legacy Leisure Residences has every reason to be optimistic this 2022. CrisRon Holiday Builders, Inc.’s maiden project hurdled challenges that came up since its official launching in January of 2020.

“When we launched Legacy Leisure in 2020, the pandemic lockdown was declared two months later. It was an unforeseen snag but it didn’t stop nor slowed us down. We kept our hopes high and goals in sight,” said Wesley Bangayan, VP for sales and marketing.

Business changed and the company had to adapt quickly.

The sales and marketing plan is also in digital format and this proved highly beneficial for CrisRon. Priorities were realigned, sales team and advertising and promotions were given the boost.

In 2021, the construction of Tower 2, the first of four residential towers rising, completed its initial stages of construction on time. Before the year ended, the Tower 2

Selling soon. Tower 3 of Legacy Leisure Residences. and the clubhouse’s construction were simultaneously rising above ground.

Trust and sales.

“It was also an opportune time for the project to gain the trust of current and future

investors because we kept the development on schedule and shared updates on all platforms,” said Bangayan.

Legacy Leisure is a worldclass project. It’s a resort living in the city boasting of impressive amenities. The unique de-

velopment enticed the market.

“We have built market trust in the past two years and we would like to see this as an advantage.”

Bullish in 2022.

CrisRon Legacy Leisure

Residences will keep the ball rolling. This year, the company will continue with the plan they have been successful with in the past two years.

“We are soon going to open Tower 3 for sale this 2022.

We are positive on the investment scene in Davao and we’re looking to surpass the 2021 record of selling 80% of the tower in 11 months. However, that number has the pandemic factored in. With the business landscape foreseen as brighter in 2022, then we are determined to outdo ourselves,” bared Bangayan.

“When the situation permits, we will be adding the out-of-Davao sales blitz to the year’s plan. This was put on hold during the pandemic and we’re giving it the green light this year. Our team will bring Legacy Leisure Residences closer to the nonlocals who wish to invest in real estate in Davao City. We will target investors from the neighboring cities, and include Visayas and Luzon as well.”

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B

y now, you probably heard of ecotourism.

The Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as “purposeful travel to natural areas to understand the culture and natural history of the environment, taking care not to alter the integrity of the ecosystem while producing economic opportunities that make the conservation of natural resources beneficial to local people.”

In a workshop conducted at Los Baños, Laguna some years back, ecotourism is defined as “an environmentally sound tourism activity in a given ecosystem yielding socio-economic benefits and enhancing natural and cultural diversity conservation.”

Actually, ecotourism refers to the business of nature travel. Among its main focus are the following: environmental awareness and activities range from purely educational (such as studying ecosystems), hobby-oriented (like photo expeditions into exotic habitats), or thrill-seeking (mountain climbing comes to mind).

In time, community-based ecotourism (CBET) came into existence. CBET is a program where operation and management of ecotourism sites are handled, undertaken and controlled by the community where those sites are located.

If you happen to come

to Santa Cruz in Davao del Sur, you can visit seven prevailing sites as CBET attractions, according to Julius R. Paner, the town municipal tourism officer.

“The community came to us and suggested these sites,” he explained. “Our office validates these sites by actual visit site, exploration and documentation.”

The seven ecotourism sites are: the Mount Apo Trail and Tomari Waterfalls, both in barangay Sibulan; the Bagobo Cultural Village in barangay Tibolo, the Sinoron Ecotourism Park in barangay Sinoron, Mount Loay in barangay Zone 2, the Bamboo Peak in barangay Jose Rizal, and the Saliducon Cave in barangay Saliducon.

According to Paner, the community operates the site. “That means they do everything from tourist registration, collection of fees, orientation, deployment of tour guides, monitoring of visitors and maintaining cleanliness of

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SITES OF STA. CRUZ

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the sites,” he explains.

In every site or attraction, there is a corresponding legitimate Peoples Organization (PO).

“The PO is the main actor of the show, which in our case belong mostly to Indigenous Peoples (IPs) because almost all of these sites are located within the Bagobo-Tagabawa Ancestral Domain,” Paner says.

The government, which is represented by barangay officials, only provides minimal assistance like traffic control and peace and order maintenance. These barangay officials see to it that the operation is smooth.

Unlike those in the beaches, where people enjoy swimming, ecotourism caters to a different kind of attraction. What the sites offer are their natural beauty which cannot be seen in urban settings.

“Ecotourism means enjoying what is available on the site,” Paner says.

“This also means that aside from the tourism activities, the community will also integrate conservation and preservation of the environment by making sure that no flora and fauna will be taken out from the areas.”

Not only that. The community will also religiously implement solid

waste management. Regular tree growing is also part of their responsibility.

“The beauty of CBET is that the community, particularly the locals, will be able to control everything, thus, everything becomes sustainable,” he points out.

“Since they are gaining income out of its beautiful natural attractions, they will exert all-out efforts to maintain its natural state and protect it.”

After all, people come to visit these sites because of the natural beauty of the areas.

“Conservation should

be over and above everything in terms of ecotourism, which is why everybody have stake of this one, including visitors and guests,” Paner urges. “They should follow guidelines and policies such the mandatory hiring of guides, make sure that not a single trash is left in the sites and should follow the ‘Leave No Trace’ principles.”

Recently, Sta. Cruz has been gaining so much popularity because of its natural attractions which can be considered as world-class.

Banking on these sites, the local government facilitates training such as tourism awareness, tour guiding, tour packaging and other capability-building activities among stakeholders.

“We also do marketing and promotions, as well as consolidating statistics reports, which are submitted to the Department of Tourism,” he says.

As a result, Sta. Cruz became a popular destination when it comes to ecotourism. “We are successful in packaging the place

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relevant and unworthy to override the basic rules of the Constitution.

“Atong pasalamatan ang Commission on Elections sa pagsuporta sa balaod ug katungod sa matag tinuod nga kandidato sama ni Bongbong Marcos nga modagan sa katungdanan sa publiko nga walay bisan unsang matang sa pagpanghasi ug diskriminasyon,” it said.

Rodriguez stated that after according to the petitioners ’right to be given time in court to fully hear and disclose their case, the Comelec unanimously - the petition to cancel

Marcos’ COC was ruled “denied” if denied by the court.

“Atong gipaabot ang atong mga kamot sa panaghiusa bisan ngadto sa labing bangis nga mga kaaway ug nagdapit kanila sa pagtinabangay sa pagsiguro sa usa ka limpyo, patas ug kasaligan nga eleksyon isip atong inisyal nga hiniusang kontribusyon ngadto sa pagtukod sa nasud alang sa kaugmaon sa atong katawhan, sa kabataang Pilipino ug sa kabatan-onan, ug para sa atong pinalangga nga Pilipinas nga mupadayon nga molihok sa unahan,” it said.

ities of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pigcawayan, and Pikit.

These are: Dunguan and Tapodoc in Aleosan; Kibayao, Kitulaan, Langogan, Manarapan, Nasapian, Pebpoloan and Tupig in Carmen; Buluan, Nanga-an, Pedtad, Sanggadong, Simbuhay, Simone and Tamped in Kabacan; Damatulan, Kadigasan, Kadingilan, Kapinpilan, Kudarangan, Central Labas, Malingao, Mudseng, Nabalawag, Olandang, Sambulawan, Tugal and Tumbras in Midsayap; Lower Baguer, Balacayon,

Buricain, Datu Binasing, Datu Mantil, Kadingilan, LibunganTorreta, Matilac, Lower Pangangkalan, Upper Pangangkalan, Patot and Simsiman in Pigcawayan; and Bagoinged, S. Balong, S. Balongis, Batulawan, Buliok, Gokotan, Kabasalan, Lagunde, Macabual, Macasendeg, Barungis, Bualan, Bulol, Fort Pikit, Gli-gli, Manaulanan, Nabundas, Nalapaan, Nunguan, Pamalian, Panicupan and Rajah Muda in Pikit.

Meanwhile, BARMM is appealing to the Comelec to reconsider its ruling.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board XI (LTFRB).

The plan includes 8 routes of which some existing routes are realigned; developmental route that covers six barangays, Lib o ga n o n - Cu a m b o ga n , Madaum-Public Market, Pagsabangan-Lower Apokon, San Miguel-San Agustin, La Filipina-Magugpo East, Apokon-Visayan, and Mankilam-San Miguel.

This breakthrough initiative is under the EAGLE WINGS development agenda of the Rellon administration -- Infrastructure, Transportation, and Communication Development.

The CTFRB and the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) reiterate that tricycle drivers will not be displaced but some will migrate to the new public vehicle called FilCab. After the approval of the final draft, there will be 6 months of bidding and procurement of units.

In an interview, Ley Meynard Opeña, the Information Systems Analyst III of CPDO assured that the routing system will be based on scientific approach so that the passengers will only have to pay minimum fare but at the same time, drivers will earn enough. He also added that some factors such as the pandemic and inclu-

sions of flyover and other newly-opened roads and tourist spots will affect the progress of the plan.

CTFRB chair, Atty. Randy De Gala on the other hand reminded the citizens to lodge official complaint via the google form link available at the City Government of Tagum Facebook page or through a form available at their office. They can also go to the Traffic Management Office and The Tagum Philippine National Police personally to record their complaint.

He reminded the people that the hearing can be done through phone calls if the complainant is not available during the scheduled date and time.

Mr. Benjamin De Guzman, the president of the association of tricycle drivers in the city, asks for understanding from the riding public adding, that not all drivers are members of the association. However, he promises to make sure that those members will abide by the law and will put public service above profit.

The LPTRP has a long way to go but Mr. Opeña is positive that once approved, the plan will change the transportation landscape in the city for future generation to benefit from. “We are not looking at short-term but long-term solution”. Ziyarah Manalo/CIO Tagum

to tackle the resulting waste, some have teamed up with cement makers to burn plastic waste as

a cheap fuel in the developing world, a Reuters investigation found last year.

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with Bornea’s solid blows.

Then Bornea connected a ferocious left uppercut to Obbadi’s torso in the third round that caused him to fall down on his knees.

Obbadi tried to recover and beat the referee’s count, but he was suffering from the grimacing pain caused by the solid punch that targeted his liver. The referee waived to stop the bout with 35 seconds left in the third round.

With the victory, the 26year old Bornea preserved his immaculate record and raised it to 17 wins with 11 knockouts. Obbadi who was ranked No. 3 in the IBF

super flyweight division before the fight dipped his slate to 22 wins with 2 losses and 13 knockouts. Bornea was ranked No. 7 and is expected to surge in the IBF rankings.

That was Bornea’s second fight abroad. His first was against American Ernesto Delgadillo whom he defeated by split decision on January 30, 2020 in a showdown of undefeated junior bantamweights in Toppenish, Washington to win the vacant WBC-NABF super-flyweight title. His all other 14 bouts before the one in Washington were fought in the Philippines.

while COVID-19 positive -was evidence enough of his anti-vaccine views.

“He has now become an icon for the anti-vaccination groups,” Lloyd said. “Rightly or wrongly he is perceived to endorse an anti-vaccination view and his presence here is seen to contribute to that.”

In a written submission the government also pointed out that Djokovic chose not to give evidence at the hearing.

“He could set the record straight if it needed correcting. He has not -- that has important consequences.”

- ‘We stand by you’ Because of the format of the court, the justices’ decision will be extremely difficult to appeal by either side.

Besides immediate deportation, the Serbian star also faces a three-year ban from Australia.

Scott Morrison’s government had tried and failed to remove Djokovic once before -- on the grounds he was unvaccinated and that a recent Covid infection was not sufficient for a medical exemption.

A lower circuit court judge ruled that officials at Melbourne airport made procedural errors when cancelling his visa.

For a few days, Djokovic was free to train before a second visa revocation and a return to a notorious Melbourne immigration detention facility.

Many Australians --

who have suffered prolonged lockdowns and border restrictions -- believe the player gamed the system to dodge vaccine entry requirements.

The case has been seized on by culture warriors in the roiling debate over vaccines and how to handle the pandemic.

Australia’s immigration minister has admitted that Djokovic is at “negligible” risk of infecting Australians, but argued his past “disregard” for Covid-19 regulations may pose a risk to public health and encourage people to ignore pandemic rules.

The tennis ace contracted Covid-19 in mid-December and, according to his own account, failed to isolate despite knowing he was positive.

Public records show he attended a stamp unveiling, a youth tennis event, and granted a media interview around the time he got tested and his latest infection was confirmed.

Djokovic is tied with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal with 20 Grand Slam titles each.

Spanish great Nadal took a swipe at his rival on Saturday as players complained the scandal was overshadowing the opening Grand Slam of the year.

“The Australian Open is much more important than any player,” Nadal told reporters at Melbourne Park.

the most up-to-date and comprehensive data sources available and used the 2021 Billionaires List compiled by the US business magazine Forbes.

Forbes listed the world’s 10 richest men as: Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos,

Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, former Microsoft CEOs Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, former Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, US investor Warren Buffet and the head of the French luxury group LVMH, Bernard Arnault.

“(We) combine or consolidate different technology tools, application platforms, and resources so that they can cope with the challenges of community quarantine,” he said.

Apart from programs assisting the MSMEs, Pasahol said the government has come up with the Youth Entrepreneurship Program to support the business ideas of the

younger set and help them become productive.

“It will help young Filipinos develop their entrepreneurial skills by offering them a comprehensive package of interventions and efficient initiatives intended to harness public and private resources and direct these resources to the development of youth entrepreneurship,” Pasahol said.

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for practically all audiences and millennials by selling experience more than just the site,” Paner says.

This led to the creation of the tagline: “Spectacular Sta. Cruz.”

Other reasons for the popularity of Sta. Cruz as top ecotourism destination in Davao del Sur: Geographically, Sta. Cruz is the closest town to Mindanao’s main gateway, Davao City. More importantly, it has established a good partnership with the media who have been helping the municipality create good stories about the place.

Before the pandemic happened, around 130,000 tourists – on the average – came to visit the town every year. “Sixty percent of our visitors and guests were domestic tourists, 38% locals and close to 2% foreigners,” Paner admits.

Paner considers 2022 as a “horrible year.” Only 11,000 tourists came, as per record showed, as Sta. Cruz – like other towns in the region – was under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

Last year, tourism regained momentum.

“We have catered close to 100,000 arrivals,” he says. “This is a good number already considering that there were months in 2021 declared under MECQ.” Aside from visiting those ecotourism destinations, there are other activities visitors can do. “We have created a venue for a wider range of markets, which means anything you want to do outdoors, you can do it all in Sta. Cruz,” Paner says. “Biking, trail running, camping, rappelling, hiking, caving, swimming, snorkeling, diving, bird watching, beach frolicking, river tubing, educational tours, cultural immersion, team building, forest bathing; name it and we can cater it all here.”

Sta. Cruz has indeed come a long, long way as far as ecotourism is con-

cerned. Looking back, it wasn’t that easy. “CBET is actually not very easy to start with as a tourism program,” Paner says. “A lot of coordination has to be undertaken and there are national government agencies to be considered like the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). It is a tedious process, in which the majority of the tasks should be exerted by our level in the tourism office. Thankfully we have overcome all them.”

Among the challenges they encountered, they addressed them collaboratively by involving all parties in laying out practical solutions. “For example, if the issue is about solid waste management and biodiversity related,” he says, “we always tap the expertise of the DENR people to help us resolve the matter.”

The result of these collaborations and hard work can now be seen. “Personally,” Paner says, “I consider this program a success and sustainable because we involve the community in the implementation and we integrate environmental conservation. That is the most important component of CBET – community and environment.”

Right now, Paner and his team are focusing their energy in developing the so-called Cruise Tourism in three barangays: Bato, Tuban and Tagabuli. “We are about to launch this by opening our Floating Restaurant and Offshore Tour,” he says.

Another tourism plan is “to intensify visibility and accessibility of all our attractions through infrastructure support and directional signage to make it more tourist-friendly.”

Sta. Cruz, founded on October 5, 1884, is the second oldest municipality in Davao Region. The record goes to Caraga, in Davao Oriental, which was officially founded as a town in 1861.

Coby White said. “But I knew we’d be good from training camp. We’ve got a team full of winning players and hungry players that want to win. It’s definitely been dope. It’s definitely been super fun.”

And welcomed by Chicago sports fans.

The NFL’s Bears stumbled through a 6-11 season, then fired general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy. The NHL’s Blackhawks are struggling on the ice and still reeling in the wake of allegations that a former video coordinator sexually assaulted an ex-player during the 2010 Stanley Cup run.

Baseball’s Cubs are retooling. The White Sox were unable to advance in the playoffs.

But the Bulls are trying to change the narrative a franchise that has endured

four straight losing seasons.

They are in line for their first playoff appearance since the 2016-17 team bowed out in the first round after going 41-41. The last time they finished above .500 was the 2015-16 season when Chicago finished 42-40.

The league is taking notice.

“When they’re successful, I think it helps the league,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Same thing with the Celtics and Knicks and Lakers. Hopefully, we’re getting to that point, too, with the Warriors. But no question, when flagship franchises are good, it’s better for the league.”

The Bulls had recently won nine in a row, their longest run since they took the final nine to finish the 201011 regular season.

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Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic departs from the Park Hotel government detention facility before attending a court hearing at his lawyers office in Melbourne, Australia, January 16, 2022. James Ross, AAP Image via Reuters.

Djokovic loses fight vs Australia deportation

M

ELBOURNE, Australia -- Novak Djokovic lost his final bid to avoid deportation from Australia on Sunday, ending a sensational 11-day battle over his COVID-19 vaccination status and dashing his dream of a record 21st Grand Slam.

In a few dry words, the chief justice of Australia’s Federal Court, James Allsop, Sunday dispensed with the unvaccinated tennis superstar’s attempt to reinstate his cancelled visa.

“The orders of the court

are that the amended application be dismissed with costs”, Allsop said announcing the unanimous decision, on the eve of the first matches at the Australian Open.

The 34-year-old de-

fending champion and first seed had been scheduled to play in the evening of the first day. If he had retained the title he would become the first men’s tennis player in history to win 21 Grand Slams.

Instead, the openly anti-COVID vaccine tennis superstar is now set to be kept in detention pending a quick flight out of Australia.

Three Federal Court justices had listened to a half-day of feisty legal backand-forth about Djokovic’s

alleged risk to public order in Australia.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said Djokovic’s stance may inspire anti-vaccine sentiment, leading some people to face the pandemic without vaccination and inspiring anti-vaxxer activists to gather in protests and rallies.

The player’s high-powered legal team had painted Australia’s effort to deport him as “irrational” and “unreasonable”, but at times they faced pointed

questions from the panel of three justices who will now decide the case.

His lawyer Nick Wood sought to systematically dismantle the government’s central argument.

Despite the Serbian star being unvaccinated, Wood insisted his client had not courted anti-vaxxer support and was not associated with the movement.

The government “doesn’t know what Mr Djokovic’s current views are”, Wood insisted.

Djokovic has spent much of the last week in immigration detention, with his visa twice being revoked by the government over his refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine before arrival -- a requirement for most visitors.

Government lawyer Stephen Lloyd said the fact Djokovic was not vaccinated two years into the pandemic and had repeatedly ignored safety measures -- including failing to isolate

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HICAGO — The “MVP! MVP!” chants are ringing out in Chicago once again, this time for Bulls star DeMar DeRozan as fans have something to cheer about in the Windy City.

The resurgent Bulls (27-14) are one of the surprising stories in the NBA, opening eyes sitting atop the Eastern Conference with DeRozan and Zach LaVine leading the way.

They will be looking to end a three-game losing streak on Monday (Tuesday, Manila time) when they visit Memphis (30-15) as part of the league’s MLK Day lineup.

The soaring Grizzlies are also raising more than a few eyebrows around the league. Memphis is currently third in the Western Conference and have won 11 of its last 12 games behind their own MVP candidate, Ja Morant.

Chicago is still in first despite being blown out by the Brooklyn Nets in a matchup between the top teams in the East. After being dominated by the Nets, the Bulls were pounded at home by a season-high 42 points by Golden State before a tight loss at Boston on Saturday.

“It’s been a great group to work with,” coach Bil-

ly Donovan said. “We just have to keep getting better.

I know I’ve talked about that, I know it’s a broad term, but the reality is we have to keep getting better.

There are areas we have to keep getting better at.”

While the Bulls are establishing themselves as a serious threat for the first time since Derrick Rose elicited MVP chants from his hometown fans, not many could have predicted they would be sitting atop the East.

“I’m not gonna lie and sit here and be like at the beginning of the year we’d be No. 1 in the East,” guard

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DeMar DeRozan has earned MVP chants by averaging 25.7 points a game. PHOTO: AP

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Jade Bornea earned a possible all-Filipino world title fight against the reigning IBF world super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas.

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Ancajas could face up and coming Pinoy fighter Bornea

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anabo City-born and raised world champion Jerwin Ancajas could face yet another Filipino fighter.

His name is Jade “Hurricane” Bornea.

Like Supertyphoon Odette which brought devastation to the country, true to his moniker the “Hurricane” Jade destroyed Italian-Moroccan Mohammed Obbadi and made a superb showing in the super flyweight division when he stopped his opponent with a third round knockout in their IBF world super flyweight title eliminator duel in Monterrey, Mexico.

With the impressive stoppage win, he earned a possible all-Filipino world title fight against the reigning IBF world super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas.

But the long-reigning titlist still has to defend his title in February against Argentinean challenger Fernando Daniel Martinez.

Bornea is also the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super flyweight champion, and is managed by Sanman Promotions of General Santos City.

The victory places Bornea in line as mandatory challenger for the IBF super flyweight world title of Ancajas who has been its title holder since 2016.

The victory was a good timing for the Cotabato-born boxer who just signed a promotional contract with the now globally popular boxing outfit Probellum, just a few days before his encounter with Obbadi.

“Jade has always been an underrated boxer ever since his amateur days. Not many fans were aware that he has beaten current IBF/WBA junior featherweight

titlist Murodjon Akhmadaliev and multi-division champion Kosei Tanaka,” his manager Jim Claude Manangquil said as quoted by Inquirer Sports.

“Now he has the chance to show the boxing world what he is made of and I believe that he has what it takes to be a world champion boxer someday,” he added.

Bornea is not keen on facing a countryman in Ancajas for the world championship. But if the times call it and he is obliged to, then he will fight any boxer pitted against him.

“I am not eager to fight a fellow Filipino in Ancajas but when boxing leaves no choice for me then I will face whoever is placed in front of me,” the General Santos City based fighter said.

Earlier, Manangquil says they want to face another opponent for the title other than Ancajas. He added they could wait for Ancajas to move up to the next higher bantamweight division rather than fight a fellow Filipino for the IBF belt.

During the tussle, Bornea patiently studied Obbadi’s moves in the first two rounds as the Moroccan fought aggressively. The Filipino boxer kept his self-control while analyzing Obbadi’s fighting style. In the second round Bornea connected a solid left straight that wobbled Obbadi.

Obbadi’s jabs and punch combinations were mostly cleverly blocked by Bornea. The left eye of Obbadi swelled being hit

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