Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 289 | Saturday, February 26, 2022

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AGGRESSIVE

A resident shows a “Uniteam” identification card, which is being distributed in their community in Taal, Bangkal, Davao City by an organization named Uniteam Multisectoral Alliance Movement. The ID is bearing a logo with images of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and vice presidential aspirant Sara Duterte-Carpio can be obtained upon paying a P30 registration fee. Edge Davao

City strengthens vaccine rollout for 5 to 11 years old STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 289 • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022

Department of Tourism 11 (DOT 11) director Tanya Rabat-Tan says during PEP Talks at The Greenery, SM Lanang Premier on Friday that 2022 is a promising year for the tourism sector of Davao Region due to the return of some air routes. Edge Davao

AGGRESSIVE City strengthens vaccine rollout for 5 to 11 years old

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he city government of Davao is strengthening its pediatric vaccine rollout for 5 to 11 year-old children by opening more vaccination sites.

Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force, said the city is preparing to open three more district sites as well as vaccination hubs at SM City Ecoland,

Gaisano Mall of Toril and F. Dizon Elementary School.

“Even if naay delay sa delivery sa atoang Pfizer vaccines for 5 to 11 years old but we are going to open additional three dis-

trict sites. Hopefully, next week we can open additional sites kay para daghan ang options sa mga parents kung asa nila dalahon ang ilang mga anak para magpabakuna,” she said on Friday.

Schlosser also said that there are initial talks to reopen Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) for

the vaccination of the 5 to 11 years old. SPMC piloted the pediatric vaccination for 5 to 11 years old on February 14, 2022. Then stopped the inoculation of children on February 21, 2022 as the city has opened special vaccination sites for kids at San Roque Elementary School and Hizon Ele-

Interventions for Sustainability Inc. executive director, said on Thursday that they will propose this measure to the local officials to initiate the “long process” of having it declared as a critical habitat pursuant to Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. “The declaration is a

long process. Hence, we are not expecting that this will be achieved within the present council. Although we are hopeful that we will get the endorsement of the Watershed Management Council,” he said.

Launched on Nov. 26, 2021, an online signature campaign calling for the cancellation of the Private

Land Timber Permit and the declaration of MMACA as a critical habitat gathered over 8,400 signatures, he said.

The groups behind the campaign included IDIS, Sustainable Davao Movement (SDM), Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), and Ecoteneo.

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Envi groups want 2 mountains in Davao declared as critical habitat of PH Eagle

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nvironment groups in Davao City are pushing for the declaration of Mounts Makabol and Alikoson Conservation Area (MMACA) as a critical habitat for the critically endangered Philippine Eagle amid threats of deforestation.

Atty. Mark Peñalver, Interfacing Development

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DavSur LGU distributes P3-M livelihood aid to beneficiaries

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he Provincial Government of Davao del Sur has recently turned over more than P3-million worth of livelihood assistance to different associations, barangays and cooperatives in the province.

Governor Marc Cagas personally handed over to each recipient their respective financial aid during the provincial capitol employees convocation program on February 21, 2022.

Under the provincial LGU’s Relocation Site Development Program (RSDP), the Barangay Kinuskusan of Bansalan was provided with P2.1 million for the procurement of a three-hectare land area for the 200 families affected by the 2019 strong earth-

quake.

The Sitio Kalidatal T’ Murok, Purok 4, Barangay Bunot, Purok 1 of Brgy.

Manual in Kiblawan town received 10 rolls of PE pipes worth P43,930.00 and 30 rolls of assorted PE Pipes worth P130,857.89.

Another 10 rolls of PE Pipes worth P99,898.20 and one (1) unit of jetmatic pump worth P3,500.00 were given to Barangay Balasinon and Purok 3, Barangay Poblacion in Sulop town.

The barangay council of Poblacion in Padada town also received one (1) unit of jetmatic pump worth P3,500.00. The said projects are under the Water Resource Development

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DILG says Barangay Dev’t Program free from politics

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he Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Davao Del Norte assures that the identification of Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) recipients is free from political influence.

Guesting over Pakigsayod Radio Program on Feb 23, DILG - Davao Del Norte Cluster Head on SBDP, Jeannette Gania Juntilla - Palmera, explained that the city government, and the provincial government, cannot interfere or even have the chance to identify barangays to avail

of the SBDP projects.

The city government is tasked as the implementing body for SBDP projects in its barangays, while the provincial government acts as the implementing body for SBDP projects of barangays under its municipalities, Juntilla said.

SBDP is rolled out by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) created under the Executive Order No. 70, signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, mandating the Whole-of-the-Nation

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EDGEDAVAO

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NEWS

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The crowd waiting for their turn to enter the South Cotabato South Cotabato Gymnasium and Cultural Center for the public hearing on the lifting of the controversial open-pit mining ban on Thursday, 24 February 2022, in Koronadal City. MindaNews photo by BONG S. SARMIENTO

DOT 11 eyes increase of tourist arrivals by 10% this year Librado-Morata withdraws re-election bid

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ouncilor Pamela Librado-Morata officially withdrew her candidacy as councilor of Davao City’s First District for the upcoming May 9 elections.

“Today, after careful thought and deliberation, I decided to officially withdraw my candidacy as councilor of Davao City’s First District,” she said in a statement.

Librado-Morata stated that her withdrawal paves the way for more opportunities to serve her fellow Dabawenyos through other platforms.

She said along with many people and groups whom she said are working for genuine and lasting social change, she and her family will continue to serve the public outside the City Council.

“We thank the Dabawenyos for the trust and confidence in the brand of politics that the Librado family has espoused for decades -- the kind of politics which has found its mark in the pro-people legislations that we have championed.

Daghang salamat sa pagsalig ug sa suporta,” it said.

Librado-Morata urged Dabawenyos to aspire and work for a peaceful and honest election.

It can be recalled that

Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (HTL), a Davao Citybased political organization founded by then-mayor President Rodrigo Duterte, withdrew the Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) of Librado-Morata on November 16, 2021 thus declaring her as an independent candidate for the upcoming local elections on May 9, 2022.

This was supported

by Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte who confirmed in a statement the removal of Librado-Morata as HTL believes that her ideals are not in line with the party’s vision.

It was also during this time that Librado-Morata indicated that she would withdraw her candidacy due to disappointment.

In her statement issued on November 17, 2021, she expressed disappointment as the withdrawal was reached unilaterally, without any attempt to consult her, and neither was she allowed to defend herself against such baseless and malicious accusations.

Librado-Morata believed that her removal was decided following messages of an assessment purportedly prepared by the National Task Force to End

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

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forum at SM Lanang Premier on Friday.

Tan reported that in 2019 the region recorded 5.2 million tourist arrivals, which was reduced by 70 percent in 2020 with 1.4 million and reduced once again in 2021 with 1.3 million tourist arrivals.

“Please take note these data are being supplied ng provincial, city and municipalities offices,” she explained.

Tan explained that DOT 11 is eyeing to achieve the target tourist arrivals this year through intra-regional

travels and opening of more flights.

“Hopefully more flights will be coming in and I think it could do more,” she said.

Meanwhile, Tan reported that the region recorded a total of 224 foreign tourists who arrived via Davao International Airport (DIA) from the period of February 11 to 23, 2022.

“We do have foreigners coming in already via DIA. We don’t have daily flights yet. We have three times a week via Scoot Davao-Singapore flights and twice a sweek for Dubai. We have yet to seek from the LGU yung data for via domestic na entry na mga foreigners,” Tan said.

On the other hand, Tan

said during the International Travel Festival held in Cebu City on February 18, 2022, she shared that she had a talk with some airlines who are expressing interest to resume flights, however, did not give full details as these are not final yet.

“We talked with some airline executives and we were merely asking them to resume flights within Davao City. Things like that. We emphasized that Davao City is very much open and they are welcome here. May mga information shared with us but its hard to divulge yet because there is no finality yet. But promising naman yung year na ito for some routes but its hard to discuss pa some routes,” she said.

in full force Thursday for the public hearing on the proposal to lift the controversial open-pit mining ban imposed by the provincial government 12 years ago.

Hundreds of people overflowed along the main Alunan Avenue as the South Cotabato Gymnasium and Cultural Center, with the observance of COVID-19 safety protocols, could not accommodate the thousands of pro- and anti-min-

ing supporters who flocked to the event.

Sulit, one of the persons allowed to speak at the public forum, pleaded the provincial legislators to retain the ban on open-pit mining, the method that will be used to extract the massive deposit in the $5.9 billion Tampakan project, the largest untapped copper-gold reserve in Southeast Asia.

Speaking for the

pro-mining advocates, Domingo “Amay” Collado, the indigenous people’s mandatory representative in Tampakan, South Cotabato, urged the board members to lift the open-pit mining ban, noting it contravenes the country’s mining law that does not prohibit such mining method.

“Gusto namon madevelop ang mina nga yara sa amon ancestral domain

he Department of Tourism (DOT 11) bared on Friday the agency is eyeing to increase tourist arrivals by 10 percent this year.

DOT Regional Director Tanya Rabat-Tan told media that DOT 11 is basing its target increase of 10 percent from the 1.3 million arrivals last year.

“Ang magiging base natin ngayon reduced na talaga and based on the 2021 statistics with that ang projected natin will be, nag-revised tayo ng target kasi 2020 bumaba na by 70 percent, and end plan natin for 2022 naga-project tayo ng 10 percent and we really hoping we’ll get more increase,” Tan said during the launch of PEP Talks media

Anti-, pro-mining crowds flock to SoCot public hearing on open-pit mining method

“K

ung magboto kamo sa yes, daw pareho lang nga gintampa ninyo ang katawhan sang South Cotabato (If you vote yes, it’s like you slap the people of South Cotabato).”

Such was the message of farmer Ignacio Sulit, a member of Magsasaka at Siyentipiko Para sa Pag-Unlad ng Agrikultura, to the 14-member Sangguniang Panlalawigan who came

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 289 • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022

The iconic Cloud 9 boardwalk in Siargao Islands, Surigao del Norte during sunrise months before it was washed away by strong waves brought about by Typhoon Odette. The world-class surfing destination in the Philippines and one of the 2021 Times’World Greatest Places is reopening to tourists today (February 25), starting in Del Carmen town. Edge Davao

Gov’t readies P2.5-billion fuel subsidies for affected sectors

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conomic managers have vowed continued measures to help sectors affected by the rising fuel prices, including the PHP2.5-billion fuel subsidy program.

In a statement Thursday, the inter-agency Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC) said the fuel subsidy will be released through the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

“This aims to provide fuel vouchers to over

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espite the pandemic, the government managed to seize record-high value of counterfeit goods amounting to PHP24.9 billion in 2021.

In a press conference Thursday, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Director General Rowel Barba said

377,000 qualified PUV (public utility vehicle) drivers who are operating jeepneys, UV express, taxis, tricycles, and other fulltime ride-hailing and delivery services nationwide,” it said.

Prices of crude oil in the international market have

reached around USD92 per barrel as of this week, thus, the rise in domestic oil prices.

The DBCC said as of February 17, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) forecast Dubai crude oil price for this year to average at USD83.3 per barrel but prices were “expected to decelerate to USD 79.0 by the end of this year based on the latest oil futures.”

The economic managers said the committee “is

closely monitoring the factors affecting the oil prices in the country.”

“Given recent developments, the government remains ready to provide targeted relief assistance and support to address the impact of the oil price hike for affected sectors, especially public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers, farmers, and fisherfolk,” they said.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has allocat-

seized fake goods last year surpassed the PHP23.6-billion confiscated goods in 2018.

Barba said the operation of National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) for seizure efforts returned to normal last year compared to the operations in 2020,

in which the government confiscated only around PHP9.8 billion.

The NCIPR had 324 search warrants in 2021, he said.

Top fake goods that were seized last year were cigarettes and alcohol, followed by counterfeit medicines.

NCIPR is composed of the Department of Trade and Industry as chair and IPOPHL as its co-chair along with the Bureau of Customs, National Bureau of Investigation, Optical Media Board, Philippine National Police, Department of Justice, Food and Drug

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Food makers back SRA’s sugar import plan to ensure supply

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he Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers Inc. (PCFMI) has expressed support to the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) plan to import 200,000 metric tons (MT) of refined sugar given the local shortage.

“Due to the current local shortage of refined sugar that conforms with the quality requirements of food manufacturers, particularly premium and bottler’s grade refined sugar, we join the SRA in its assessment that there is an urgent need for such importation,” the PCFMI told the Philippine News Agency in an email on Thursday.

Members of PCFMI, also known as PH Food Chamber, have reported that their current stock of refined sugar would be exhausted as early as March.

The PCFMI said that of over 20 raw sugar mills in the country, only seven

refineries produce refined sugar. Of this number, only four are able to supply to major food manufacturers.

“These suppliers have informed our members that the destruction to crops caused by Typhoon Odette last December damaged refineries and refined stocks, thus affecting local sugar supply.

Also, affected refineries ceased production for a month until power was restored. Moreover, the lack of available containers and the congestion at the ports of Bacolod and Manila have further aggravated the sugar supply situation,” the group added.

Data from the SRA showed that the average price of refined sugar in the first week of February was PHP3,321.50 per 50-kilogram bag, which was 25 percent higher from previous year’s price of PHP2,664.50.

EDGEDAVAO

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ECONOMY

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PAG-IBIG Fund chairman Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario says the agency has achieved many “highest-ever”records for 2021 despite the pandemic such as reaching a net income of P34.73 billion, which surpassed the previous record of P34.37 billion in 2019. Presidential Photo

Pag-IBIG to defer hike in contribution as fund posts strong performance Siargao town to reopen tourist sites after ‘Odette’ devastation

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ore than two months after Typhoon Odette pummelled Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte, the world-class surfing destination in the Philippines and one of the 2021 Times’ World Greatest Places is reopening to tourists, starting in Del Carmen town.

Lani Lipio of the municipal tourism operations office of Del Carmen told reporters Thursday that the Sugba Lagoon, one of the popular destinations in Siargao, will be open to tourists starting February 25.

“We are open but we are also reminding tourists that not all amenities will be available such as cottages and other services. In Sugba Lagoon, we just set up a tent where tourists can temporarily shelter but we assure that the iconic diving board will be available for the visitors,” Lipio said.

Of more than 120 tourist boats registered at the tourism office of Del Carmen last year, only 50 boats are operational as more than half were damaged during the typhoon.

The 50 boats will be

available on opening day and will cater to tourists going to Sugba Lagoon, Kawhagan Island, and the Sandbar, all in Del Carmen.The rate of the boat trip to Sugba Lagoon-Kawhagan IslandSandbar destination is PHP2,000, while the rate to Sugba Lagoon alone is PHP1,600.

“These rates are only for now as there will be an increase probably next month or a few months from now. Last year, we already proposed an increase effective January 2022, however because of the typhoon, we were not able to implement it,” Lipio said.

On Tuesday, Philippine Airlines resumed its regular commercial flights from Manila to Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte.

Regular commercial flights were stopped after “Odette” devastated the island in December last year.

Sayak Airport is situated in Del Carmen, one of the ravaged towns on the island.

In an earlier interview with reporters here,

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tate-run Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund said Thursday it will defer the monthly contribution increase which was supposed to start this year.

The hike was originally planned for last year but was moved to 2022 because of the pandemic. But as the pandemic persists and because of the good fiscal standing of the mutual fund, Pag-IBIG Chairman Sec. Eduardo del Rosario said they will again postpone the hike.

“We will continue to defer the increase of the monthly contribution of our members. hence this is the 36th year that Pag-IBIG monthly contribution will be the same,” said Del Rosario.

Del Rosario, who also

is the Secretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, said Pag-IBIG has achieved many “highest-ever” records for 2021 despite the pandemic. This is a good indication of a recovering economy, he added.

“I am happy to report that your Pag-IBIG Fund achieved another milestone. Our strong performance last year led us to reach a net income of P34.73 billion! This is our highest net income ever, surpassing by 9.5 percent our P31.71 billion net income in 2020 and top-

ping the previous record of P34.37 billion netted in 2019. I’d also like to note that this is the fifth time that our net income breached the P30-billion mark,” said Del Rosario.

Housing loan takeouts for 2021 reached P97.28 billion--the highest in the agency’s history, del Rosario said. If they add the loans on the reconstruction of houses and others, total housing loan takeout would breach the P100 billion mark for the first time. This means over 94,000 PagIBIG members have a new home in 2021, he said.

Del Rosario added, short term loans also rose in 2021 to P44.3 billion or over 2 million members benefitting from the loan.

The number includes P43 billion for multi-purpose loans and over P1B for calamity loans last year.

Because of the fund’s performance, Del Rosario announced that recommended dividend rate of Pag-IBIG Regular Savings for 2021 is 5.16 percent per year, while for MP2 Savings is 5.66 percent, subject to board approval.

Del Rosario said in contrast, the dividend yield for publicly listed companies only averages 2.58 percent.

The dividend payout ratio has also been increased to 86.56 percent of annual net income, equivalent to P29.86 billion. Under PagIBIG’s charter, dividend would be at least 70 percent of net income.

the RCEF program of the agency.

“These provinces include Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur,” Garces said.

Of the total allocation for this year, PHP38.5 million will go to Agusan del Norte, PHP70.9 million for Agusan del Sur, and PHP102.2 million to Surigao del Sur. “In 2021, a total of PHP200.08 million funding were released for farm mechanization program in Caraga Region,” Garces said.

She added that last year, Agusan del Norte received an allotment of PHP75.29 million; Agusan del Sur (PHP78.01-M); and Surigao del Sur (PHP46.78-M).

The releases to the FCAs were in the form of distribution of farm machinery, including tractors, transplanters, harvesters, and other farm equipment, Garces said.

A total of 77 FCAs directly benefited from the release of farm machinery and equipment through the RCEF last year, she added.

RCEF is a fund created under the Rice Tarrification Law or Republic Act 11203 that lifted the quantitative restrictions on the importation of rice and replaced the same with tariff.

A PHP10-billion fund from the tariffs imposed on rice importation is allocated yearly in RCEF program from 2019 until 2024 or a period of six years.

Of the total yearly allocation, PHP5 billion is set aside for the DA’s farm mechanization program.

(PNA)

P211.6M allotted for farm mechanization in Caraga

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PHP211.6-million fund, through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), is being allocated by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the continuing implementation of the farm mechanization program in the Caraga Region this year.

Marissa Garces, the DA rice focal person in Caraga, told the Philippine News Agency on Thursday that the funding will benefit farmers cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in three provinces of the region that are under

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 289 • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022

On the target of the Department of Tourism (DOT 11) to increase tourist arrivals by 10 percent this year:

Ang magiging base natin ngayon reduced na talaga and based on the 2021 statistics with that ang projected natin will be, nag-revised tayo ng target kasi 2020 bumaba na by 70 percent, and end plan natin for 2022 naga-project tayo ng 10 percent and we really hoping we’ll get more increase.”

Tanya Rabat-Tan DOT Regional Director

EDITORIAL Jerwin’s greatness The legendary Filipino boxing great Flash Elorde once said the yardstick of champions is when he hurdles his first title defense.

The late Elorde, erstwhile longest reigning Filipino world boxing champion until Donnie Nietes set a new mark, once told Rolando Navarrete the exact words when the notorious “Bad Boy from Dadiangas” climbed the ring to defend his World Boxing Council junior lightweight title against South Korean challenger Choi Chung-Il on January 16, 1982 in Manila.

On Sunday (26 February, US Time), it’s the turn of the man from Davao del Norte Jerwin Ancajas to defend his world title against Fernando Martinez for his International Boxing Federation Superflyweight title at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

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This means, Ancajas has proven his worthiness nine times before. If he hurdles Martinez, he could lock up a confrontation with Japanese champion Kazuto Ioka to unify the division belts.

Already, Ancajas has earned the distinction of being the longest reigning world champion from Davao. His greatness is sealed. May his reign extend this Sunday as the country is rooting behind this young champion.

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

Ancajas should very well be reminded of the legacy of Flash Elorde. But unlike Navarrete who was then defending his title against Choi after wresting the title from Cornelius Boza-Edwards, the Pretty Boy from Panabo will be defending his title for the 10th time. Yes, 10th time.

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)

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VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

“PAWIKAN” HUNTED TO EXTINCTION ONCE upon a time, there was a sailboat enthusiast who found himself alone, floating in the middle of nowhere after encountering a sudden sea storm.

When his boat capsized, this shipwreck survivor was given a new lease of life by a benevolent marine turtle. A two-day piggyback ride brought this lucky fellow back to land and he lived happily ever after.

But not for the marine turtles, locally called as pawikan. In the Philippines, marine turtles are now facing extinction. They are hunted in the sea or slaughtered on the beach while they lay eggs. The eggs and meat are taken as food while their skins and shells are processed into various by-products. As a result, the local population of marine turtles has dropped to dangerously low levels.

“Unless we seriously take on the task of protecting our much-endangered marine turtles, these ancient creatures will no longer be swimming in our waters,” deplores the Haribon, one of the country’s well-known environmental groups.

According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), marine turtles are large, air-breathing reptiles that persist today in relatively

the same form as their ancestors did 200 million years ago. Curiously enough, they have outlived the dinosaurs.

Marine turtles are well adapted to life at sea. They are powerful swimmers and can remain underwater for long periods of time. They do not have external ears and cannot hear well, but their senses of sight, taste and touch are well developed. Having no teeth, the marine turtle uses its sharp, horny beak and sturdy jaws to tear and bite its food.

There are only eight species of marine turtles in the world and five of them can be found in the Philippines, mostly in seven Turtle Islands (Taganak, Baguan, Lihiman, Boaan, Sibaung, Langaan, and Great Bakkungan) in Tawi-Tawi.

The five species found in the Philippines are Green Sea turtle (scientific name: Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidocheyls olivacea), Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), and Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).

Not found in the Philippines are Kemps’ Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempi), Flatback turtle (Chelonia depressa), and Black Sea turtle (Chelonia agassizi).

The Green Sea turtle is the only marine turtle that lives on plants. They are the most widely distributed species in the country with Turtle Islands as a major nesting ground. The Hawksbill turtle, one of the most beautiful sea turtles, are valued for their shells – the source of the so-called “tortoise shell” for handicrafts and jewelry. This species is the second most widely distributed in the Philippines.

Olive Ridley turtle, one of the smallest marine turtles, is distributed throughout the Philippines with most reports from the coasts of Zambales. Rarely sighted, with documented sightings in Albay, Palawan and Basilan provinces, are the Loggerhead turtles, which hunt near The Leatherback turtle is the largest sea turtle living today, as it grows to 190 centimeters long and weighs 600 kilograms. In recent years, most sightings of this species have been reported in the Central Philippines.

All five species of marine turtles are listed by the World Conservation Union as endangered, which means “their populations are in danger of extinction” and are “unlikely to survive if the causes of their decimation continue.”

“Today, man’s growing need for survival has endangered the very existence of these sea-dwelling creatures,” points out the Cavite-based International Institute of Rural Reconstruction. “All over the world, these reptiles are threatened with extinction by indifferent and relentless commercial exploitation.”

Pollution has been cited as one of the prime factors of their disappearance from the Philippine waters. The rapid development of beach resorts for the tourism industry has also contributed to the destruction of nesting beaches of marine turtles.

So is the use of trawl nets in areas where marine turtles abound. Since these scoops up everything in their paths, the turtles, which are not the active targets, also get caught. The poor marine animals are usually drowned to death.

But one of the main reasons for the decline of marine turtle population is overhunting. Since the dawn of history, meat of marine turtles has supplemented the diet of man. Seventeenth century seafaring men used turtles as ship’s provisions – their ability to stay alive for months without food and water ensured

a steady supply of fresh meat without storage problems.

Marine turtles are also hunted for their commercial value.

In the past, the country was one of the major exporters of turtle by-products, such as turtle wall décor, jewelry pieces, shellbacked guitars, and bags and shoes.

“We can dramatically reduce this demand if we ourselves desist from patronizing these products,” said Haribon. “Put a stop to the massacre by becoming aware of the plight of marine turtles.”

Aside from overhunting, another factor that endangers the survival of marine turtles is the wanton gathering of marine turtle eggs. Mistakenly touted as having aphrodisiac prowess, the eggs taste just like boiled chicken eggs.

“Marine turtles serve as a barometer of our planet’s health,” says the DENR’s Pawikan Conservation Project. “It is possible that in a world in which marine turtles cannot survive may soon become a world in which humans struggle to survive.”

It added that in “saving one of the earth’s most mysterious and time-honored creatures, we might just be saving ourselves, too.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

ST. TERESA OF KOLKATA IN DAVAO In 1984, seven years after her first visit to the Philippines, the petite Albanian nun in white and blue habit in sandals set foot in Davao City. Nine years after she died in 1997, she was canonized saint of the Roman Catholic Church on September 4, 2016.

Born on August 26, 1910 as Gonxha Agnes Bojaxhiu in the Republic of Albania, Saint Teresa of Kolkota (India), known as Mother Teresa, founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950 to assist people dying from HIV-AIDS, leprosy, and tuberculosis. Present in over 130 countries, the congregation supervises mobile clinics, soup kitchens, schools, orphanages, and dispensaries.

St. Teresa’s first and only visit in Davao took place at a time when the country was reeling from the tarmac assassination of Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Turmoil could be felt and political

instability was wracking the entire nation. Next to St. John Paul II who celebrated a Mass at the Davao airport in February 1981, she is the second saint to have physically set foot in the region.

Her Davao visit, though well covered by the press, was short and memorable. With help from the Davao archbishop Antonio Ll. Mabutas, she opened her congregation’s first mission house, the Home of Pag-asa at Fatima, a stone’s throw from a populous slum known as Piapi, where the Sisters started their ministry.

The house, known as the Immaculate Heart of Mary Home for the Sick, the Dying and the Abandoned, is a two-story structure that became the home of sick, dying, and abandoned adults on the ground floor, with the second level for the sick and dying children.

Besides attending the needs of the of the infirm, the nuns did

house chores in the home of the poorest of the poor, visited jails and fed the inmates, and taught children the rudiments of the alphabets.

Two years later, with help from the charitable Santos-Munda family, the sisters used a space which they transformed into what is now the Home for Sick and Malnourished Children at Molave Street, in Juna Subdivision, Matina. On July 21, 2003, the Fatima home was moved to a spacious place in New Salmonan, Agdao, which the sisters christened as the Home for the Abandoned and Dying Destitutes.

Central to this new ministry are sick children needing treatment, caring for abandoned kids, and sending orphans to study in nearby schools or institutes.

All told, the unsung assistance of archdiocesan clergy, laymen, and kindhearted individ-

uals and institutions have a significant role in the survival of the mission houses. With help from benevolent corporate sponsors and benefactors, more needy and indigents have shared the blessings the Sisters have sustainably received.

In her lifetime, Mother Teresa, dubbed as ‘the saint of the gutters,’ won high-profile honors including the 1962 Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize and the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. Underlining the mission of her nuns are the opening of more centers throughout the archipelago, namely in Manila, Dagupan, Nueva Caceres, Cebu, Davao, Tuguegarao, and Palo, Leyte, to name a few.

An article (‘St. Teresa of Calcutta: God’s gift to Davao’) that appeared in Davao Catholic Herald on September 3, 2017, poignantly details the ministry of the nuns inside a lockup:

“One Wednesday morning, while the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity… were distributing ‘arroz caldo’ to the inmates of a local jail, the Sisters noticed that an elderly inmate had thick rashes all over his body from head to toe. The old man was in great pain and discomfort because of his inflamed skin. He told the Sisters that many of the inmates have been suffering because of the unexplained rashes that their medicines and soaps could not relieve. The following day, the MC Sisters returned to the jail bringing with them a pail of herbal ointment which the Sisters prepared from the roots and barks of pangyawan.

They themselves applied the ointment to the skin of the afflicted inmates. Thus, on that day, another mission was added to the Sisters’ ministry here in Davao City.”

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

Operation Smile Philippines delivers help to communities severely affected by Typhoon Odette Oplan Smile efforts procured, packed, and distributed relief goods to over 1800 families across the Visayas and Mindanao.

Locally known as Odette, Super Typhoon Rai made landfall in the Philippines last December 16, 2021. As the strongest typhoon to hit the country last year, it left a trail of devastation which rendered several communities in the Visayas and Mindanao in great need of food, drinking water and shelter.

In response to the adversity faced by communities residing in those

locations, Operation Smile Philippines (OSP) launched “Oplan Smile” – a series of concentrated calamity relief operations to aid families in need.

Together with Operation Smile Student Programs Philippines in Cebu, Dr. Lilian Arcinas and team in Palawan, HOPE Foundation in Bacolod, and OSP’s Davao team in Surigao, “Oplan Smile” efforts managed to procure, pack, and distribute relief

kits to 1830 families.

In Cebu, a total of 20 tons of water, 3 tons of ready-to-eat food and rice, and 1 ton of first aid and COVID-19 prevention supplies were distributed with donations in kind received from different communities both here and abroad. Alongside the distribution of food, water and other relief goods, “Oplan Smile” initiatives in Palawan involved the participation of several

government units to provide displaced communities with provisions for temporary shelters such as blankets, tarpaulins, and mosquito nets. The team also conducted free blood smearing for malaria detection among recipients.

In Bacolod, relief efforts included the distribution of grocery packs, hygiene kits and tarpaulins for temporary housing cover, while grocer-

ies, rice, and drinking water were given directly to affected families in Surigao.

With the archipelagic nature of the Philippines, the delivery of relief goods from Manila to the Visayas and Mindanao proved to be quite the logistical challenge.

However, through a partnership with Operation Smile Philippines, AirAsia went the extra mile to bring relief to affected communities. With Operation Smile Student Programs Philippines in charge of the packing, pickup, and distribution of relief goods, AirAsia had a hand in the loading and unloading of goods as well as the chartering of mercy flights – allowing for a seamless process that quickly and efficiently brought help to those in need.

As an international medical charity, Operation Smile works with healthcare providers,

governments, and hospitals to improve the health and lives of children from more than 60 countries across the world.

“Operation Smile is committed to transforming the lives of children and families across the world,” said Emiliano Romano, Executive Director of Operation Smile Philippines. “With the severity of the widescale devastation left by Super Typhoon Odette, we concentrated our efforts to deliver relief to affected communities as quickly as possible. Together with the support of our partners and the generous contributions made by Filipinos both here and abroad, guided by the values of civic unity and cooperation that comprise the bayanihan spirit, our Oplan Smile efforts will tirelessly continue alongside our foundation’s purpose of bringing more smiles to Filipinos across the country,” he added.

P933.9-M LANDBANK loans aid farmers, fishers affected by COVID-19

The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) has released P933.9 million in interest-free loans to small farmers and fishers affected by the COVID-19 health pandemic, as of 31 December 2021.

Through the Expanded SURE Aid and Recovery Project (SURE Aid COVID-19), LANDBANK has delivered loan assis-

tance to a total of 37,637 beneficiaries, utilizing 93.4% of the total P1-billion Program fund.

In partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), the Expanded SURE Aid COVID-19 provides an immediate one-time, zero-interest, no collateral loan assistance

of P25,000, payable in 10 years, to eligible small farmers and fishers nationwide.

“Extending timely support to farmers and fishers during the pandemic remains a priority for LANDBANK. We will continue to work closely with DA and ACPC towards building a stronger and more resilient agriculture sector,” said

LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo.

Funded under Republic Act No. 11494 otherwise known as the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act,” SURE Aid COVID-19 aims to finance the emergency and production capital requirements of small farmers and fishers whose livelihood are affected by the pandemic. The Program

supports beneficiaries to allow them to continue their agricultural activities and contribute to sustained food production.

LANDBANK targets to extend the Program loans to as many as 40,000 farmers and fishers included in the validated list of eligible beneficiaries, provided by the DA through its Regional Offices for farmers, and

the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Offices for fishers.

The state-run Bank has released a total of P11.95 billion in loans which benefited 296,636 small farmers under various lending programs managed for the Agriculture Department as of 31 December 2021, which include the SURE Aid COVID-19 facility.

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SAVING PANGOLINS FROM EXTINCTION

PHILIPPINE PANGOLINS (GREGG YAN)

angolins, which are mistaken sometimes as reptiles but are actually scaly-skinned mammals, are in danger of going extinct if they are not protected now, according to an international organization initiated by members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Pangolins are prehistoric animals that have been around for 80 million years.

“There are eight known species of pangolins spread across Asia and Africa,” said the Laguna-based ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the first regional initiative to save ASEAN’s rich but highly threatened biodiversity. “All are listed in the threatened tier of the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).”

Africa has four species and Asia also hosts four species. Southeast Asia is home to two species: the Sunda pangolin (scientific name: Manis javanica) and the Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis).

“Both species are considered critically endan-

ENVIRONMENT

9

gered,” ACB said in a statement. “Due to their elusive nature, these species are hard to find, so there is scant knowledge about their behaviors and few reliable population estimates.”

Found in Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, the Sunda pangolin covers the most geographic range in the region. The Philippine pangolin is endemic in the country, inhabiting four islands including Palawan and Culion.

“The Philippine pangolin was only recently described as a species distinct from the Sunda pangolin,” the IUCN said. “It has the greatest number of scale

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

by Gregg Yan

rows across its back of all Asian pangolins. It can be distinguished from the Sunda pangolin by its smaller scales and a shorter head and body to tail length ratio.”

Information about the reproduction of the Philippine pangolin is still few though it is understood to be similar to that of Sunda pangolin, with one offspring born after a gestation period of between 3 and 4 months. The females reach maturity in their first

TIME TO WAKE UP, MOM! (GREGG YAN)

year.

“Like their pangolin siblings across the world, the Sunda and Philippine pangolins have long snouts and tongues, which they use to eat ants and termites,” the ACB said. “They are mostly covered in protective scales made of keratin, the same substance that makes up hair, fingernails, and horn.

These scales, unfortunately, are highly sought by poachers due to cultural beliefs that they possess medicinal properties.”

During the early months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, pangolins were in the limelight following suspicions that they are among the intermediate hosts for the 2019 novel coronavirus.

Although the exact origins of the pandemic still remain a mystery, studies have already determined that pangolins and bats harbor viruses related to the causative agent of COVID-19.

The word “pangolin” comes from the Malay word penggulung, which means “roller” – a characteristic of how pangolins behave when they feel threatened – rolling up into a ball. “Against poachers and hunters, this defense mech-

anism has unfortunately become the species’ vulnerability, as they become easy to pick up once they roll up into balls,” ACB lamented.

In fact, pangolins are considered as the world’s most trafficked mammals.

“More than one million pangolins were brutally murdered for black-market trade in the past 10 years: that is, 11 pangolins every hour,” says The Nature Conservancy.

“Every part of the pangolin has some value in trade: its meat consumed and its scales used in traditional medicine,” said Nosrat Ravichandran, a protected area specialist of the ACB. Despite a lack of evidence suggesting they’re effective, pangolin scales are used as an ingredient in traditional Asian medicine to cure ailments ranging from asthma and psoriasis to cancer, and to improve blood circulation. “(Pangolins) are also threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, which causes them to be easily accessible to poachers,” Ravichandran said.

In the Philippines, forests comprised more than half (54%) of the country’s total land area of 30 million

hectares in 1934. In 2010, the forest cover had gone down to 23% or about 6.8 million hectares, according to a report compiled by the Senate Economic Planning Office (SEPO).

Some available records showed that at least 895,000 pangolins from Asia and Africa have been trafficked internationally from the beginning of the millennium up to 2020.

“The ASEAN region continues to be a critical hotspot for pangolins, being reported as a source, transit and destination of its trafficking,” ACB Executive Director Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim deplored.

An estimated equivalent of 7,634 Philippine pangolins was documented to have been seized from illegal trade and trafficking between 2000 to 2019, according to TRAFFIC, an organization established in 1976 as a wildlife trade monitoring network to undertake data collection, analysis and provision of recommendations to inform decision making on wildlife trade.

Aside from these confiscations, 2,870 frozen Sunda pangolins, weighing over 10 tons, were discovered in

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10 EDGEDAVAO AGGRESSIVE... FROM2

mentary School.

“We will be opening SPMC again, hopefully karon umaabot na week ma-set up nato sa SPMC para naa na pud ta hospital rollout for 5 to 11 years old. We are reminding the parents as we are strengthening our rollout for 5 to 11 years old please

i-condition na inyong mga anak and have them vaccinated. Dili lang ikahadlok ang pagbabakuna because just like any other vaccines it is effective and proven safe. It has undergone several trials so dapat dili mahadlok ang mga inahan, guardians and parents,” she said.

In a press release issued by the SDM, Peñalver said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Davao did not technically cancel the permit to cut century-old trees granted to a certain Ling-Ling Wu Lee, but it expired after the lapse of 120 days from issuance.

The permit, issued last August 18, 2021, allowed Lee to cut 121 trees within a 12.2-hectare area within MMACA, which is classified as conservation area under the city’s Watershed Code.

The trees included in the permit were 22 Agoho, four Bagtikan, 15 Lauan, 44 Tanguile, and 36 Ulian with diameters ranging from 40 cm to 85 cm and an estimated harvestable volume of 131.06 cubic meters.

“The expiration of the said permit does not give the MMACA immunity from timber cutting, agricultural use, and any other form of development that is inconsistent with its classification as an Environmentally Critical Area and Conserva-

tion Zone under the Davao City Watershed Code,” Peñalver said.

Dr. Jayson Ibañez, PEF research and conservation director added that “humans have the gift of wisdom to know in our hearts what is right from wrong, and I believe that protecting MMACA for people, forests, and the eagle is the right choice.”

“I believe that the eagles and all animals on the planet are innocent. They don’t know the danger that our kind can bring upon them,” he said.

Carmela Santos, Ecoteneo director, emphasized the need to protect the forests saying that in a time of climate crisis “we need trees in the city, and we need our forests intact if we are to survive 2030 and 2050. Makabol is Our Common Home with the Philippine eagle and wildlife, and our Obo Manobo sisters and brothers. Let us unite in protecting and caring for it.” (Antonio L. Colina IV/ MindaNews)

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Program.

A total of P710,000 of livelihood assistance were also given to different associations and barangays in the province.

Purok Rose Kabuhayan Association (PUROKA) and Mabuhay Pigraiser Association (MAPIGRAS) of Digos City received P200,000.00 each, which will be used as an additional capital for their micro-enterprise projects.

The Inyam Pintuan Asbang Multi-Purpose Cooperative (IPAMCO) of Matanao

town received P200,000.00 which will be maximized for their agricultural inputs and goat raising project.

In the municipality of Bansalan, the New Clarin Pedicabers Association was provided a total of P110,000.00 for the purchase of motorcycle spare parts and merchandising.

The beneficiaries extended their gratitude to the provincial government for the continuous distribution of livelihood assistance in the midst of pandemic.

(PIA XI/Franchette Delfin)

ed PHP500 million for fuel discounts for “farmers and fisherfolk who either individually own and operate agricultural and fishery machinery or operate through a farmers organization or cooperative.”

“This will help mitigate the impact of elevated fuel prices on production and transport costs of farm and fishery products,” the statement said.

The DBCC said the government is also pursuing a “holistic value chain approach” to ensure an adequate and affordable food supply amidst the rising oil prices.

This includes DA’s sup-

port to various proposed measures in Congress, such as Senate Bill No. 139 or the Philippine Livestock Development Industry Act, and Senate Bill No. 2176 or the Affordable Pork Act to “help ease possible domestic supply constraints and prevent second-round effects on prices.”

“The DBCC remains committed to taking decisive action to ensure the unhampered supply of goods and services despite the rising oil prices amid the pandemic. These will support our full recovery and sustained growth in 2022 and beyond,” it added. (PNA)

Mayor Proserfina Matugas-Coro of Del Carmen also confirmed the opening of tourism activities in the town.

“Some have already

started opening up. Some are still closed as their establishments were damaged. Our tourism is already open, gradually,” Coro said. (PNA)

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Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) identifying her as a GABRIELA personality and that she participated in the elections to support the establishment of migrant desks in

Davao City’s first district purportedly used as front organizations.

Librado-Morata is a staunch supporter of the progressive groups in Davao City. By Maya M. Padillo

(We want the development of the mines inside our ancestral domain),” he said.

“Please respect our decision, don’t undermine us, don’t discriminate us,” he added.

Vice Gov. Vicente de Jesus, Sangguniang Panlalawigan presiding officer, told the crowd that all 14 members of the legislative body were present during the public hearing.

“This is how important this occasion is, this will determine the future of South Cotabato,” de Jesus said.

This is the second public hearing called by the collegial body outside its legislative hall. The first was in the Tampakan municipal gymnasium.

At the center of the controversy is the prohibition on open-pit mining method, which was contained in the province’s landmark Environment Code approved on June 9, 2010.

In 2015, the provincial board unanimously affirmed the open-pit mining ban in South Cotabato.

In March 2021, representatives of indigenous

people in the province petitioned the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to review the Environment Code and amend the ban on open-pit mining method.

De Jesus said the petition was referred to the joint committees on environment and Muslim Affairs and Indigenous Peoples, which recommended amending the ban on open-pit mining method.

He said the collegial body will conduct a nominal voting whether to retain to lift the prohibition on open-pit mining method in the province.

“Wag kayo mag-alala, di kami hihinto, makikinig kami (Don’t worry, we will not stop. We will listen),” the vice governor said.

Acting Environment Secretary Jim Sampulna, who once served as director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Region 12 based in this city, attended the public hearing.

Sampulna claimed “he did not come to influence the decision of the provincial board members.”

Approach to end local communist armed conflict Palmera’s statement was in response to a query whether local government units, as implementors of the SBDP could identify or recommend any barangay for them to avail of the funds under SBDP. “Wala gyud silay (SBDP-implementing bodies) mahimo kay naka-identify sila daan. Sa ako ng gisulti naka -GAA na sya, dili man ta senado o kongreso nga maka-ammendar sa GAA. Naka general Appropriations Act man sya, naka-identify man sya, inag-abot ana didto sa listahan diri sa ubos, kung unsa ang naa didto mao gyud toy maimplementahan,” (They cannot do anything because these recipients are already identified by the national government.

They are already appropriated under the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Only the Congress can amend the GAA. When this list reaches us, what’s on the list are the only recipients), she explained.

Palmera emphasized that only the national gov-

ernment could identify the recipient barangays based on the clearing operations report of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“So sa akoa ng gikaingon, the identification comes from the national government as well as the funding,” (As I have said, it is the national government that identifies the recipient barangays and releases the funds), she added.

In explaining the process, Juntilla said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines takes charge of certifying barangays as “cleared from insurgency” while identifying the actual recipient goes through a separate process of validation before a recipient barangay gets on the final list.

“Kani nga mga barangay kay mao ang mga cleared barangays certified by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and has been validated and revalidated,” (These identified barangays have undergone certification from AFP and revalidation from DILG), Palmera stated.

Administration, National Book Development Board, Office of the Special Envoy for Transnational Crime, National Telecommunication Commission, and Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Barba added the increase in fake goods in the market was observed amid

the booming e-commerce in the country during the pandemic.

“We attribute our record seizure to increased efforts and better strategy of our NCIPR members. We will continue to intensify our enforcement efforts, from our borders to our online markets,” he said. (PNA)

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a Chinese boat that crashed into a protected coral reef at the Tubbataha national marine park in 2013.

“All trade in the four Asian species of pangolin has been illegal since 2002 but the appetite of Chinese consumers for its meat, prized as a delicacy, and its scales, believed to benefit breast-feeding mothers, has virtually wiped out the creatures in China, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia,” wrote The Guardian’s Damian Carrington. “Pangolin traders, who use dogs or traps to capture the wild animals, have since moved into their last habitats in Java, Sumatra and the Malaysian peninsula, driving populations down but prices up.”

The ACB described pangolins as “little guardians of forests.” It added: “Shy, slow-moving, and mainly nocturnal. They live in forests and grasslands, finding tree hollows or digging deep burrows to sleep and rest in.”

“Pangolins are very important in the whole ecosystem that we have,” tweeted Sir David Attenborough during the World Pangolin Day 2022. “If you lose pangolins, you upset all sorts of things but the sheer humanity of not looking after such a beautiful gentle animal as a pangolin breaks my heart.”

Pangolins can eat more than 70 million insects a year. “As predators of ants and termites, pangolins

perform an important ecosystem service by contributing to the regulation of insect populations,” states the book, Biodiversity of World: Conservation from Genes to Landscapes.

“An adult pangolin weighing 3 kilograms can consume more than 3 grams of termites in one meal,” says The Nature Conservancy. “Thanks to their big appetite, one pangolin can protect an area as large as 31 football fields from termite destruction.”

Researchers at Ohio State University claim billions of dollars are spent annually on repairing termite damage and treating and preventing infestations.

By excavating burrows, pangolins likely affect soil processes, including turnover of organic matter and aeration. “This improves the nutrient quality of the soil and aids the decomposition cycle, providing a healthy substrate for lush vegetation to grow from,” pangolins.org’s Sarah Pappin wrote.

When abandoned, the underground burrows also provide habitat for other animals.

Pangolins are prey for threatened species like tigers, lions, and chimpanzees.

Despite all these importance, pangolins are being threatened. “Daily, we are inching closer and closer to losing pangolins forever,” Pappin reminds.

it,” he said. “Of course, you don’t want to be down and have that pressure on yourself to try to pull out a game.

But when you’re in those moments, you’ve got to take it on. I love the moments, I love the challenge, I love the opportunity.”

DeRozan also made it nine games in a row with 30 points or more, the longest such streak by a Bulls player since Michael Jordan did it in 10 straight from Dec. 25, 1990, to Jan. 14, 1991.

DEROZAN PROVIDES PUSH The Bulls trailed 108105 when Atlanta got called for a shot-clock violation with 58 seconds remaining.

But with DeRozan leading the way, they pulled out the tight win.

“We’re witnessing history,” rookie Ayo Dosunmu said. “What we are witnessing right now is something that people are gonna remember for a long time.

And it’s one of those things where it’s gonna be a record for a pretty long time.”

DeRozan hit a pull-up jumper. Dosunmu blocked Young’s driving layup as the crowd chanted “De-fense!

De-fense!”

DeRozan then got fouled

by Bogdanovic as he nailed a turnaround, fallaway jumper. He hit the free throw to complete the three-point play, putting Chicago on top 110-108 with 15.1 seconds remaining.

Bogdanovic missed a 3, and Javonte Green hit two

free throws for the Bulls to make it a four-point game with 4.5 seconds remaining.

“Too much DeRozan,” Hawks coach Nate McMillan said.

Zach LaVine scored 20 points after missing the final three games prior to the All-Star break because of his ailing left knee. The high-flying guard had platelet-rich plasma therapy, a cortisone injection and fluid drained in Los Angeles last week, hoping the treatment will help him get through the remainder of the season.

Nikola Vucevic added 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Tristan Thompson provided a lift off the bench, with 11 points and six rebounds in his Bulls debut. And Chicago moved a half-game ahead of idle Miami in the East.

BOGDANOVIC, GALLINARI SHINE Atlanta’s Bogdan Bogdanovic set a season high with 27 points and matched one with five 3-pointers.

Danilo Gallinari scored 26 points, and Clint Capela finished with 14 points and 17 rebounds.

Trae Young had a rough game, making just 3 of 17 shots while missing all five 3-pointers. The two-time All-Star finished with 14 points and 10 assists.

“I just felt like I couldn’t get a shot to go and I was pressing it,” Young said. “Every shot, I was really thinking about it and just not shooting it.”

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SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

11

Steph Curry goes 5 for 11 in 27 minutes of action. PHOTO: AP

Curry makes 14 of Warriors’ 36 assists in rout of Blazers

P ‘Too much DeRozan,’ rues Hawks coach

ORTLAND, Oregon — Stephen Curry had 18 points and 14 assists and the Golden State Warriors returned from the All-Star break to rout the Portland Trail Blazers, 132-95, on Thursday night (Friday, Manila time).

C

HICAGO — DeMar DeRozan made enough big shots down the stretch to keep his record run going and Chicago’s winning streak intact.

DeRozan scored 37 points while extending an NBA-record streak and the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls squeezed by the Atlanta Hawks 112-108 on Thursday night (Friday, Ma-

DeMar DeRozan hit the game-winner again for the Bulls.

nila time).

DeRozan pushed his league mark of scoring at least 35 points while shooting 50% or better to eight consecutive games. The five-time All-Star made 15

of 21 shots and had five points in the final minute, helping the Bulls rally from three down to win for their sixth straight victory.

“You love it and you hate

FTOO, P10

Klay Thompson also had 18 points for the Warriors. They lost four of their last five before the break.

The Warriors led by 37 points in the second half and rested their starters in the fourth quarter.

Anfernee Simons had 24 points for Portland.

The Trail Blazers had won four in a row.

Gary Payton II started for Golden State although he was questionable going into the game because of a shin injury. Like his dad, Payton played at Oregon State and received a warm ovation from Portland fans during introductions.

Portland announced a day earlier that center Jusuf Nurkic would be out for at least the next four weeks because of plantar fasciitis. The injury was the latest blow to the Blazers, who are short-handed without star Damian Lillard following an abdominal procedure.

Portland coach Chauncey Billups start-

ed Drew Eubanks — who also played at Oregon State — at center.

Eubanks, in his fourth NBA season, went to Toronto as part of the Goran Dragic trade with San Antonio at the deadline and was later waived. He signed a 10-day contract with Portland on Tuesday.

Portland jumped out to a 29-19 lead in the opening quarter but it didn’t last. The Warriors capped a 15-3 run with Jordan Poole’s 3-pointer to go up 50-38.

Golden State pushed the lead to 20 points and went into the break ahead 70-57. Curry had 18 points and 13 assists for his sixth career double-double before halftime, and first since December 2017.

TIES THAT BIND In addition to the Oregon State ties on both sides, there was also a Washington State connection between Thompson and Portland’s CJ Elleby — and former Cougars quarterback Gardner Minshew, who was among the fans at the game

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Dabawenyo world champion Jerwin Ancajas will battle Fernando Martinez at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

PERFECT 10

Jerwin goes for 10th title defense vs Martinez in Las Vegas

D

abawenyo Jerwin Ancajas, (33-1-2, 22 KO’s) in his 6th year as the IBF Super Flyweight champion will hit Sin City for the first time in his career on Saturday, February 26 when he looks to make a (remarkable) 10th title defense.

The Panabo City native, one of boxing’s most exciting fighters, will battle Fernando Martinez at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Martinez, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, while undefeated at 13-0 (8 KO’s), will be making a serious step up in class against champion Ancajas. Martinez, who has fought in Dubai, London and Argentina, will be stepping into the ring for the first time in the United States.

After turning pro in 2009, Ancajas worked his way to an impressive 24-1-1, under the direction of coach and manager Joven Jiminez, and advisor Sean Gibbons, who heads up Manny Pacquiao’s “MP Promotions”. Ancajas earned a title shot at Puerto Rico’s McJoe Arroya, in 2016, for the IBF world Super Flyweight title. Ancajas picked up the title with a UD 12 over Arroyo and has now gone on to make 9 impressive title defenses over the last 5 1/2 years.

Ancajas was scheduled to meet Japan’s Kazuto Ioka (28–2, 15 KO’s) in December but Covid shelved that bout. But, according to advisor Sean Gibbons, if Ancajas gets by Martinez, the Ioka bout is the fight they will look to lock up.

“Jerwin is excited to get back

in the ring for his first bout of the year”, said Vegas-based Gibbons.

“Covid has been tough on boxing and after only fighting once last year, Jerwin is very pumped up to make his 10th title defense. After he beats Martinez, we will look to get the Ioka fight. Jerwin wants to fight the best in his division and show everyone he is the best 115-pound fighter in boxing,” said Gibbons.

The only fighter who currently has held his world title longer than Ancajas is Thailand’s minimumweight Thammanoon Niyomtrong who won his WBA title just a couple of months before Ancajas won his IBF strap back in 2016.

“Jerwin is such an exciting fighter,” said Gibbons. “He really wants to unify the belts and confirm what everyone knows - that he is indeed the best fighter at 115-pounds. He has 6 stoppages in his 9 title defenses, and he will have 7 stoppages, and an incredible 10 title defenses under his belt after the 26th,” he continued. “Jerwin can box, he can bang, he can do it all. WBO, WBA, WBC. Line ‘em all up, because Jerwin is taking names and collecting belts,” said Gibbons.