Edge Davao Volume 15 Issue 7 | Thursday, April 21, 2022

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VOL.15 ISSUE 7 • THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

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ADVERSE IMPACT

Councilor stresses negative impacts of WTE on health, environment STORY ON PAGE 2

A worker is dwarfed by a huge trailer truck carrying a metal structure for the foundation of a bridge that is being built as part of the Davao Coastal Road project inside Sta. Ana Port in Davao City on Wednesday. Edge Davao

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 7 • THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Consul General Li Lin and Acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte grace the launching ceremony of the Banana Plantation Program for the People in Marilog and Paquibato Districts of Davao City on Tuesday. This program is organized by the Chinese Consulate General in Davao and City Government of Davao. Chinese Consulate General in Davao FB account

ADVERSE IMPACT S

OFWs throw support to Piñol’s candidacy

Councilor stresses negative impacts of WTE on health, environment

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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ouncilor Pamela Librado-Morata reiterated her opposition to the implementation of the Waste-To-Energy (WTE) project and stressed its adverse impacts on the health and environment of the community in Barangay Biao Escuela, Tugbok District where it is proposed to be located.

In her privilege speech to the City Council on April 19, 2022, Librado-Morata emphasized that the proposed incinerator will negatively impact the

health and environment of the residents of 20 barangays in Davao City as based on epidemiological studies in communities near WTE incinerators,

toxic emissions could potentially reach those within the 10-km-radius of the facility.

She cited that the worst-hit barangay will be Brgy. Biao Escuela, an agricultural community with a population of around 3,000.

The proposed WTE will be located 2.2 kilometers from the Biao Elementary School and Biao National High School, and 550 meters away from the relocation site of dis-

placed families in Catalunan Grande.

Other barangays within the 10-kilometer radius of the facility and thus at risk for air pollution are: Angalan, Balengaeng, Biao, Guianga., Callawa, Catalunan Grande, Langub, Los Amigos, Matina Biao, Mintal, New Carmen, New Valencia Riverside, Sto Nino, Tacunan, Tagakpan, Talandang, Tugbok, Ula and Waan.

“Alongside such pos-

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Anti-insurgency body Duterte’s strongest legacy: DavSur mayor

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he mayor of this town said the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) would be President Rodrigo Duterte’s strongest legacy.

In an interview on Tuesday, Mayor Vincent Fernandez said the program has a huge impact on his municipality in terms of peace and

order.

“Since we are promoting this municipality as a tourism destination, peace and order should be a primary concern. Through this program, we are now insurgency-free,” Fernandez said.

NTF-ELCAC, a task force organized by the government to respond to and raise awareness of the com-

munist insurgency in the countryside, was created through Executive Order 70 signed by President Duterte in 2018 institutionalizing the whole-of-nation approach to address the local communist armed conflict.

Fernandez said Matanao’s 33 barangays are all cleared from the presence of the New People’s Army (NPA), with nine villages

having been recipients of the NTF-ELCAC’s Barangay Development Program (BDP).

A hallmark program of the NTF-ELCAC with the end goal of bringing development to former conflict-prone communities, the BDP forms part of the government’s whole-of-nation approach to fighting

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enatorial aspirant Emmanuel Piñol went on to his social media account to thank the outpouring of support of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) who campaigned for him in other countries.

“OFWs in Hong Kong are tireless and continuous in their campaign for Number 52,” he said in a public post on Monday (April 18).

He also said that the OFWs used their own money to provide campaign materials such as tarpaulins and standees which they set up along the route to the Philippine Consulate where Hongkong OFWs queue to cast their votes.

“Thank you so much Hongkong OFWs. I am deeply touched and inspired by what you are doing,” Piñol said.

He cited that such support which is done by ordinary people should definitely be reciprocated with loyal service.

Meanwhile, Alumani

Ike, an OFW from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea also expressed support for Piñol and encouraged fellow Filipinos to support him as well.

Benito Claudio, one of his supporters also said that Piñol is the only national candidate supported all over the world by ordinary citizens with their own money and services.

“This fact speaks for itself. Agriculture and Fisheries in our country have been marginalized for the longest time with mediocre government policies and support,” he said.

Apart from the OFWs, various groups and ordinary citizens also supported his candidacy by providing campaign materials and t-shirts.

“I may not be able to shake your hands and thank all of you but I assure to repay you with a loyal and loving service to the people and our country,” Piñol vowed.

873 Davao City PUV drivers get fuel subsidy

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he City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) has started rolling out the fuel subsidy for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers in Davao City to cushion the effect of surging oil prices.

Habib Pagilongon, a CSWDO senior social work associate, said they managed to initially provide PHP3,000 each in subsidy to 873 PUV drivers as of

Tuesday.

“There will be upcoming tranches of distribution.

To avail of this program, the drivers only need to go to the nearest CSWDO from them,” Pagilongon said in an interview.

He said the first batch of recipients were screened and approved as qualified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development

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NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 7 • THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

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China, Davao City launch banana program in Marilog, Paquibato

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he Chinese Consulate General in Davao City and the city government of Davao launched on Tuesday the Banana Plantation Program for the people in Marilog and Paquibato Districts, Davao City.

Under this joint program, the Consulate General would provide seedlings, fertilizers, and pesticides to 100 local banana farmers identified by the City Agriculturist’s Office (CAO).

In his message, Chinese Consul General Li Lin said to help indigenous families in the said districts who need support, the Chinese Consulate General will provide a total grant of P3.5 million to 100 families in Marilog and Paquibato districts to grow banana trees.

Lin added that the grant will enable each family to purchase 1,000 banana seedlings, fertilizers, and pesticides enough for one year.

Lin said the project aims to help indigenous families in need of livelihood support and was estimated to be able to generate an average of P10,000 additional monthly income for each family.

The consulate will also Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Major Ma. Theresita Plaza-Gaspan says during the AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum at The Royal hire Jenson Agriline Corp.

Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday that DCPO is now readying the security plan for the May 9 national and local elections and 80 percent of its personnel will be performing election duties . Edge Davao

DCPO readies security plan for May 9 elections

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he Davao City Police Office (DCPO) is now readying the security plan for the May 9 national and local elections.

Maria Teresita Gaspan, spokesperson of DCPO, told media that 80 percent of DCPO personnel will be performing election duties like enforcing security and convoys.

“Eighty percent na strength ng DCPO will be performing election duties especially on the day kasi nga 100 percent are expected na mag duty during the time at wala tayong leave,” she said.

She also said that DCPO will be deploying a minimum of two PNP personnel in each polling center. There are 263 identified polling centers in Davao City.

“We are around 2,004 and 80 percent will perform election duties while the 20 percent ay maiiwan sa office,” Gaspan said during the AFP-PNP Press Corps me-

dia briefing on Wednesday.

Gaspan added that DCPO will add more personnel for the clustered precincts that include Sta. Ana with 663 voting precincts, San Pedro with 101 voting precincts, and Talomo with 591 voting precincts.

“Ang sa clustered depende na rin kung daghan siya ug polling precinct and we will add ng mga additional idungag nato sa minimum of two PNP personnel,” she said.

Meanwhile, Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) head Angel Sumagaysay said the city government of Davao will be assisting the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in ensuring security against election-related incidents in the upcoming elections.

He said that the enforcement agencies, police, and the military are under the direct supervision of the Comelec during the conduct of elections.

to provide skill training to farmers on how to scientifically grow bananas and purchase the bananas in the end.

“Our appreciation goes to Mr. Nelson Chua and his company for undertaking the program by offering to provide skill training to the farmers to grow bananas, organizing seedlings, fertilizer, pesticide, especially the promise to buy back banana fruits to ensure the farmers’ profits. Last but not least we’d like to congratulate and thank the families and farmers who accept the offer and take part in the program. By hard work and “Bayanihan”, we will make our lives better,” Lin said.

He said the program was conceptualized during a meeting between him and Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on economic recovery cooperation amid the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly the cooperation in

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Poll watchdogs, security forces on alert in BARMM

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he Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Tuesday said election watchdogs and security forces are pre-

pared to ensure the upcoming May 9 national and local elections will be safe and peaceful.

During the “Laging Handa” public briefing, MILG Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said BARMM’s Regional

Commission on Elections, in coordination with the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines, will deploy personnel in hotspots such as Malabang municipality in Lanao del Sur and Maguin-

danao province.

“So far, iyong mga citizens’ movement na watchdog ng Comelec (Commission on Elections) ay active din ho, including the general populace. So, inaasahan

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Commission on Election officials in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao lead a coordinating conference at Alnor Mall in Cotabato City on Tuesday (19 April 2022) as part of the preparation for the upcoming May 9 elections. Participants include the military and the police, power distributors, logistics management companies, election watchdogs and other governmeth partners. MindaNews photo by FERDINANDH B. CABRERA

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 7 • THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Philippine Airlines (PAL) hopes to return to its pre-pandemic capacity within the year. PAL said it now has reached 80 percent capacity in domestic travel and about 60 percent in terms of international flights. Edge Davao

PH, US trade execs meet to cement economic ties

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epartment of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez has met with United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Katherine Tai in Washington D.C. to discuss ways to further cement economic ties between the two countries.

In a statement Tuesday, the DTI said Lopez is currently leading the Philippine trade delegation to the US to discuss trade and investment issues, sectoral and industry cooperation, and the direction of Philippine-US economic ties in the future.

During the meeting with the USTR official, Lo-

pez expressed the country’s interest to be part of the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) —an initiative of the Biden administration to boost the economic engagement of the US with Indo-Pacific countries.

“In terms of the objectives of the IPEF, advancing resilience, inclusiveness,

and competitiveness are aligned with the Philippines’ offensive interests,” the DTI chief said.

Among the Philippines’ interest in joining the IPEF include trade, promotion and development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), digital economy, supply chain resiliency, environmental sustainability, and investment in infrastructure.

Moreover, with the passage of three key economic bills, Lopez expects that the Philippines can invite more American firms to invest in the country.

“We pursued major economic policy reforms,

such as the amendments to the Retail Trade Law and the Foreign Investment Act, including the Public Service Act that essentially liberalized key sectors to allow greater foreign equity participation and attract more players and create more jobs while enhancing competition that will lead to better services and more affordable costs for the people,” he added.

The Philippine trade chief cited opportunities for US-based companies eyeing to expand in the country.

These include investments in data centers and

of international flights.

The 100-percent capacity could be reached by year-end especially as travel peaks up again during the holidays. No figure has been mentioned, but PAL flew over 16 million passengers in 2019.

So far, the numbers for the first quarter have been encouraging and the Holy

Week break was a good week for PAL, he said.

“Holy Week almost all flights actually were fully booked and it’s good for the airline,” Ng said.

And as the country recovers from COVID-19 and travel restrictions continue to ease in all areas, Ng said they would begin to restore flights that were previously

suspended.

He added that once countries open up, PAL will also respond accordingly to resume or open more flights.

PAL is also set to return leased aircraft next year. The flag carrier will be strategizing this year what new aircraft to purchase or

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PAL eyes resuming 100 percent pre-pandemic capacity this year

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hilippine Airlines hopes to return to its pre-pandemic capacity within the year, its president and CEO Stanley Ng said Tuesday.

In a briefing, Ng said PAL now has reached 80 percent capacity in domestic travel compared to the pre-pandemic level and about 60 percent in terms

FPAL, P10

Palace: DOE seeking reconsideration on joint oil exploration suspension

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he Department of Energy (DOE) has sought the reconsideration of a Cabinet cluster for the resumption of oil exploration in the West Philippine Sea, after a firm engaged in the activity was told to take a pause, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

The DOE last April 6 directed PXP to “put on hold all exploration activities for SC 75 and SC 72 until such time that the [Security, Justice and Peace Coordinating Cluster (‘SJPCC’)] has issued the necessary clearance to proceed”, the private firm said in its disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

“The survey was held in abeyance because of the decision of the [Cabinet] cluster,” acting Palace spokesman Communications Sec. Martin Andanar said in a press briefing.

As a result, the DOE asked the Cabinet’s SJPCC “to reconsider the decision and to immediately allow the survey,” he added.

“The DOE sought reconsideration on the ground that under international law, a geophysical survey is perfectly legitimate activity

in any disputed area,” Andanar said.

The decision on this is still pending, noted the official.

In a statement earlier in the day, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said suspending the exploration activities looked like it “weaken our rights over our country’s own exclusive economic zone.”

“The DOE’s suspension order makes it seem as though we are waiving our exclusive rights to our own waters,” she said.

In October 2020, the DOE issued a “Resume-to-Work” notice to the Service Contractors doing oil exploration in the areas of service contracts (SC) 59, 72, and 75 in the West Philippine Sea, after being approved by President Rodrigo Duterte.

PXP is an operator under SC no. 75 while Forum Energy, where the firm has controlling interest, is an operator under SC no. 72.

This development came over a month after Duterte said commitments must be honored in the joint exploration in Recto Bank with China to avoid any possible conflicts.

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ECONOMY

5

Residents buy medicines from a neighborhood drug store in Brgy. Agdao, Davao City. The Board of Investments (BOI) believed the country’s pharmaceutical industry will grow up to P216 billion by 2024, as it continues to be an attractive market for pharmaceutical firms. Edge Davao

PH pharma industry seen to hit P216-billion in 2024 Napocor posts over sixfold rise in power capacity additions

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he National Power Corp. (Napocor) has increased its capacity additions in missionary or off-grid areas from 13.66 megawatts (MW) in 2016 to 88.53 MW as of December 2021, or more than sixfold in the past five years under the Duterte administration.

It has also added 321.5 circuit kilometers (ckt. km) of transmission lines in missionary areas from the 776.03 ckt. km in 2016, bringing the total existing transmission lines as of December 2021 to 1,097.6 ckt.km, Napocor officer-in-charge (OIC) senior vice president and chief operating officer Melchor Ridulme said.

In its report to Finance Secretary and Napocor Board chairman Carlos Dominguez III, Napocor said it has also increased the transformer capacity of its substations serving missionary areas from 170 megavolt amperes (MVA) in 2016 215 MVA as of December 2021.

“The Napocor plans to expand capacity additions in missionary areas

to 106.58 megawatts and its transmission lines to 1,125.46 circuit kilometers, along with increasing substation capacity to 225 megawatts by June 2022,” Ridulme said in his report.

Ridulme said the Napocor currently operates 285 Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) plants in 229 missionary areas in the country.

The Napocor is targeting to increase the number of its SPUG plants to 296 and expand its coverage to 240 missionary areas by June this year, he added.

From 41 SPUG plants operating 24 hours in 2016, Napocor now has 82 SPUG plants operating round the clock, Ridulme said.

The Napocor is also active in the reforestation of watershed open areas to support sustainable hydro and geothermal plant operations in the main grids.

From 1,881 hectares (has.) in 2016, Napocor has expanded its reforestation in watershed open areas to 4,419 has. as of December last year, he said.

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rade Undersecretary and Board of Investments (BOI) Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo said the country’s pharmaceutical industry is expected to grow up to PHP216 billion by 2024, as it

“The Philippine health expenditure is on the rise, with consumer health expenditure growing with double-digit growth in the last three years with an average growth of 11 percent,” Rodolfo said in a statement Tuesday.

He said the BOI, as the country’s lead investment promotion agency, vows to support the roadmap of the

Philippine Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) to strengthen the local sector and increase the country’s pharmaceutical exports.

Multinational companies currently share over half of pharmaceutical sales in the country at 56.5 percent.

Rodolfo added the country is making sig-

nificant developments in herbal medicine, which is expected to support the growth of the local pharmaceutical sector.

With the availability of nature-based active pharmaceutical ingredients, such as lagundi and sambong, the industry is now developing herbal drugs for Covid-19 and dengue. “(T)he BOI wants to home in on the research and development and supply chain development of the priority herbal plants as well as establish and maintain a cohesive policy environment for the devel-

opment of the industry,” the agency said.

The BOI added the growth of local manufacturing of herbal drugs will also generate income and job opportunities for Filipinos.

Moreover, the BOI is actively promoting the Philippines as a manufacturing hub for pharmaceutical companies to produce Covid-19 medicines and vaccines here.

Last January, BOI approved the PHP24-million project of Lloyd Laboratories, Inc. to produce

said during the launch of the electronic ARTA complaints management system (CMS) in Pasay City.

He said national government agencies and local government units should simplify their processes for the transacting public and adopt digitization.

“We cannot automate unless we streamline our services,” he added.

In a video message,

Civil Service Commission chair Karlo Nograles said the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has underscored the need for government offices to digitize their services and provide an integrated, automated, government-wide mechanism, and real-time government-public engagement.

In line with this, ARTA launched the e-ARTA CMS,

an online platform where the public can file complaints against too much bureaucracy and inefficient government services.

The public can file a complaint through e-reklamo.com.

The e-ARTA CMS is also an integrated platform between ARTA and government agencies to monitor and immediately act on the complaints of the public. (PNA)

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ARTA reminds government offices to streamline, re-engineer services

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nti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Director General Jeremiah Belgica on Tuesday reminded all government offices to streamline and re-engineers services for faster transactions with the public.

“Re-engineering of processes and streamlining of processes are no longer optional activities for government agencies but they are actually mandatory,” Belgica

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 7 • THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

On the banana farm project launched by the Chinese Consulate and the city government:

We’d like to congratulate and thank the families and farmers who accept the offer and take part in the program. By hard work and “Bayanihan”, we will make our lives better. “ Chinese Consul General Li Lin

EDGEDAVAO

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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

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EDGEDAVAO

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VANTAGE POINTS

7

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

WATCH OUT FOR DENGUE! The Philippines has only two seasons: dry and wet. The months of March to May are supposed to be part of the dry season. But due to some unknown reasons (some environmentalists blame climate change for this phenomenon), it keeps on raining. In fact, the first two typhoons (Agaton and Basyang) that hit the country happened as Holy Week was fast approaching.

Due to successive rains – some places were even flooded – water-borne diseases like dengue became prevalent. So much so that the headline of the April 19 issue of Edge Davao was: “Dengue alert.”

Roving reporter Maya M. Padillo penned: “The regional office of the Department of Health (DOH 11) issued a dengue alert after seeing a 4-percent increase in cases this year.”

Dr. Gerna Manatad, assistant regional director of DOH- Davao Region, said that there are 1,308 dengue cases as of April 12, 2022. Davao City topped the list with 449 cases, followed by Davao del Sur (284), then Davao del Norte (281), Davao Oriental (149), Davao de Oro (125), and finally Davao Occidental (20).

“We are monitoring the dengue cases because it has the potential to cause an outbreak and

if left unmanaged will also have severe form and even have mortality out of dengue cases,” Dr. Manatad was quoted as saying.

The symptoms of dengue fever are now familiar to most people situated in areas where the disease is most common.

Those who are afflicted by dengue fever experience a flu-like illness. It is followed by high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, and rashes.

A more lethal complication, called dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), may ensue. First recognized during the 1950s, DHF is today a leading cause of childhood deaths in many countries.

“Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, hemorrhagic phenomena – often with enlargement of the liver – and in severe cases, circulatory failure,” explains the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO).

Generally, dengue fever starts with a sudden rise in temperature and is accompanied by facial flush and other nonspecific constitutional symptoms of dengue fever. The fever usually continues for two to seven days and can be as high as 40-41 degrees Centigrade, possibly with febrile convulsions and hemor-

rhagic phenomena.

In moderate dengue fever cases, all signs and symptoms abate after the fever subsides.

In severe cases, however, the patient’s condition may suddenly deteriorate after a few days of fever; the temperature drops, followed by signs of circulatory failure, and the patient may rapidly go into a critical state of shock and die within 12-24 hours, or quickly recover following appropriate volume replacement therapy.

Dengue viruses are transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Also known as tiger mosquito, because of its peculiar white stripes, this species is quite small, measuring only five millimeters. It is attracted to the odor and sweat of human beings and bites only during daytime.

However, its peak biting time is after sunrise and at dusk – especially one hour before sunset.

As adults, the mosquitoes prefer warm weather. Mosquitoes, in general, are active in areas with temperatures ranging from 25 to 40 degrees Celsius and with moderate to high humidity. They cease to function at temperatures below 14 degrees Celsius.

Temperature, clearly, is important: for the mosquito as well as the virus it carries. In Ae-

des, slight changes in temperature can mean a lot in terms of transmission potentials. “At high temperatures, it takes the virus faster to develop in a mosquito,” explained a government health official. “This means there is a faster potential for dengue transmission.”

Like all other mosquitoes, only the female bites. The adult female Aedes mates and takes its first blood meal about 48 hours after coming off its pupa stage. It can bite several people, depending on how much blood it sucks.

To lay eggs, it has to be engorged with blood, which may take two to five days. Each Aedes female can lay up to four batches of eggs – at least 40 eggs per batch – during its life cycles.

The eggs hatch into “wrigglers” in two days, and after four days become “tumblers.”

Scientists have discovered that the eggs of Aedes mosquitoes can survive up to six months – even when their breeding grounds go dry under natural conditions. Some of the remaining eggs can still go on when the breeding sites become filled with water again.

The breeding sites are never far from human habitation.

They live in such “places” as tree holes, bamboo stumps, earthen

jars for water storage, discarded bottles and tins, old rubber tires, rain barrels for collecting rainwater, clogged roof gutters, coconut shells and husks, and canoes and small fishing boats.

Inside the house or office buildings, the potential sites for the mosquito larvae are “any container that can accumulate water for up to seven days,” according to the health department. These include uncovered water storage tanks, flower vases, saucers for ornamental plants, soft drink bottles, and metal and plastic pails for water storage.

Dr. Michael MacDonald, an American entomologist from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said that only the tiger mosquitoes, which have bitten a person infected with dengue fever, are carriers of the dengue virus. And it is not directly transmitted from one person to person.

In some adults, dengue is not generally fatal. After contracting the virus from infected mosquitoes, some people develop a silent infection, exhibiting few - if any - symptoms. Their immune systems are able to fight off the disease. Others develop symptoms that are like the flu’s: fever and fatigue that disappear in two weeks.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

ALEX ORCULLO’S ASSASSINATION The first half of the 1980s was a time of bloodshed in Davao re-gion. Davao City, the center of progress, became the New People’s Army laboratory of murders, and this spelled disorder and may-hem in the streets. Almost on a daily basis, reports of ambushes and killings were reported.

But October 19, 1984, will always be a time for remembrance. That day, Abubakar Barsolo alias Kapitan Inggo, a notorious Mus-lim separatist supposedly belonging to the Bangsa Moro Army (BMA) of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), flagged down opposition leader and journalist Orcullo, on his way home and defenselessly assassinated him.

He was editor of Mindaweek newsmagazine and Mandug barangay captain at the time of his demise.

Prior to this, news circulated in Mandug that Kapitan Inggo was out to execute Orcullo’s followers and sympathizers for his sup-posed rebel links. Mandug residents, however, believed the recent killing of two Muslims in the area was the cause for the unex-pected presence of the BMA, which suspected the fallen village chieftain of having prior knowledge of the slays.

When the band of 200 armed men identified with Kapitan Inggo surfaced in the village in the first week of August 1984, they were promptly pushed back across Davao River by a detachment of military.

From the other side of riverbank, they shouted: ‘Tell Alex we’ll skin him alive!’

Hunting down the insurgents, of which Orcullo was suspected as part, was supposedly the assignment given to Kapitan

Inggo by authorities after he was reported to have returned to the fold of the law. A plot to snare the village chief’s head; it ended brutally.

Upon seeing from a distance that a group of twelve armed men was stopping his car at Tigatto, Orcullo tried eluding by steeping on the gas and drover uphill on the side of Lapanday plantation. Unfortunately, he was blocked by another band at the top of the hill. He was ordered to step out of his car. His hands raised in sur-render, he moved away from his ride but on close contact with the pursuers, he was shot point blank in full view of his wife and child.

The repercussion of the assassination resulted in the mass evac-uation of the village. Aurelio A. Peña, in a special report (‘Who Is Kapitan Inggo? Who Are Behind Him?’) dated No-

vember 23, 1984, that appeared in People’s Daily Forum, wrote: “Thousands of terrified barrio residents who had evacuated these past few days from Mandug have refused to return to their homes, despite repeated assurances by military and government authorities that the beleaguered barrio is now secured by soldiers.

“Mandug evacuees have put up huge tents on the place in front of the city’s legislative building facing the San Pedro Cathedral church. The government building itself is overflowing with fami-lies who occupied the spacious hallway beside the session hall on the second floor.

“Other evacuees are housed at the Redemptorist Church con-vent at Bajada, others are situated at Alcantara Plywood com-pound at Lanang, while still hundreds of other families

have moved in with their relatives in different parts of the city.

“Out of the estimated 30,000 people who lived in Mandug, only around 300 to 400 are left, turning the once lively barrio into a ghost village.”

Col. Rodolfo Biazon, chief of the 3rd Philippine Marine Brigade, assured evacuees that security would be provided at Mandug and other sitios if they went back. They resisted but promised to return if Kapitan Inggo was captured. Before the Rotary Club of Davao, the officer expressed suspicion the evacuation was influenced because the affected could not decide on their own.

(Source: Aurelio A. Peña, “Who Is Kapitan Inggo? Who Are Be-hind Him?” People’s Daily Forum, November 23, 1984, 1 & 6.)

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

DOLE Davao extends TUPAD aid in the new normal

As Davao Region adopts to the new normal, the Department of Labor and Employment XI (DOLE) ensures that the informal sector workers are still given the necessary assistance to address the impact of the pandemic especially to their livelihood.

Through its Davao del Sur Field Office (DOLEDSFO), a total of 1,076 beneficiaries in the province received their wages under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program in several payout activities on April 5-7, 2022. Most of the beneficiaries were farmers, fisherfolk, tricycle drivers, and ambulant vendors.

Out of the total number, 792 beneficiaries have incurred 15 days of community work from March 1630, 2022 and each received a salary of Php 5,940.00.

Others worked for 10 days from March 21-30, 2022 and each received a salary of Php 396.00.00.

Meanwhile, DOLE-IGaCoS Satellite Office facilitated the release of Php 1,191,960.00 TUPAD wages to 301 beneficiaries.

Some 1,245 informal sector workers in Brgy. Baliok, Toril, Davao City also received their salary amounting to a total of Php 4,930,000.00 on April 1, 2022. The payout activities were led by Assistant Regional Director Atty. Jason P. Balais and

Technical Services and Support Division Chief Paul V. Cruz.

In a press conference in Davao City on April 7, 2022, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III assured the public that the incoming national elections will not hamper the operations of TUPAD Program in delivering assistance to the informal sector and marginalized workers.

Regional Director Atty.

Randolf C. Pensoy added that the Office is expediting its assistance through TUPAD as the program has been made one of the Department’s post-COVID intervention measures to help the informal sector workers recover from loss of income.

rainy days while the happy-go-lucky grasshopper danced the day away. Unlike the frugal and industrious langgam, the tipaklong suffered when the rains came.

The question now is this: do we want to become ants or grasshoppers?

These uncertain times demand that we prepare for the rainy days. We need to be like the ant and allocate a portion of our present income for future needs, like the education of our children, sickness or emergencies, and even retirement, as there will definitely come a time that we will grow old and can no longer work.

Aside from savings, we can also make sound investments. While many Filipinos believe that the only way to make money is by working for it (either by being paid for one’s labors or by running a business),

there is another way: by making your money work for you. This entails investing your money so that it earns more money.

Investments, Benefits and Risks According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) 2019 financial inclusion survey, only 25% of Filipinos have some sort of investment. An investment is an asset purchased with the hope that it will generate income or appreciate in the future. You invest when you buy an asset and sell it later, when its value has increased. You also invest when you put your money in ventures that earn interest over time. There are two key factors: time and appreciation. When you invest, you open up multiple income streams. You get something extra, aside from what you earn from work or business. It allows you to meet your financial

INVESTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The annual inflation rate in the Philippines rose to 4.0% in March from 3.0% in February. The increase in the prices of goods is at an all-time high as Russia’s attack on Ukraine sent oil and commodity prices soaring worldwide. In an environment where inflation risks are high, oil prices are surging and current macroeconomic forecasts paint a challenging picture, there is a popular Filipino proverb or salawikain that comes to mind: “Kapag may itinanim, may aanihin.”

This gem of folk wisdom literally translates to “if you plant, you will harvest something,” but it actually means “your future will be the result of the effort you put in today.” Its message is the same as that of the classic Filipino tale, Si Langgam at Si Tipaklong, where the ant stacked up grains in anticipation of the

goals faster. It also helps build wealth, because over time, you accumulate assets that increase your net worth.

Risk, of course, is part of investing. There is the risk of capital loss. There is also the risk of not meeting your expected returns. Knowing that there are risks should not stop you from looking into investment opportunities. Instead, you should learn and find the best ways to manage them.

Investment for Beginners There is a wide range of investment opportunities available for beginners.

Investment decisions are based on one’s goals (short, medium, or long-term) or risk appetite (conservative or aggressive). There are many options, but a beginning investor may look into: • PAG-IBIG and SSS Investment Programs

- The BSP financial inclusion survey shows that SSS (88%) and Pag-IBIG Fund (52%) are the most common types of investments for Filipinos. The SSS PESO Fund starts for as low as P1,000, while the Modified Pag-IBIG II starts for as low as P500, making them one of the cheapest investments for beginners.

• Stock Market – When you buy stocks, you buy shares in a company, giving you the right to a portion of the company’s value and income. Stock investments have high income potential. They are also considered to be the riskiest, thus, suited for aggressive investors. One needs to monitor business developments to invest and learn when is the best time to buy and sell stocks.

• Bonds and Mutual Funds – The risk-averse can try investing in bonds, which are debt obliga-

tions issued by companies.

Bonds are low-risk but low-profit investments, paying a set amount over a certain period of time. Mutual funds are pooled from different investors and invested in various assets by professional fund managers.

• Variable Life Insurance - These are combined life insurance and investment products that are ideal for first-time investors.

Investing for Social Inclusion The options above are commercial investment opportunities. There is another path which a beginning investor may consider.

It is called microfinance, which is distinguished from traditional finance because of its social dimension. Microfinance is a form of impact investing. It caters to the poor and mar-

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TRAVEL

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Beach front: People can enjoy swimming at its fine white sand and crystal clear waters.

N

A TASTE OF PARADISE IN

ow that people are already traveling and some tourist spots are open, people are starting to venture out from their homes.

People in Davao City who are longing to swim in the beach can always go to the Island Garden City of Samal of Davao del Norte. In just a matter of a few minutes, you can have fun in the water already.

Last March 1, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease granted the local government of Samal authority for tourism to operate. Since then, the island has been deluged with guests and visitors. So much so that it may take an hour or so waiting for your turn to go into the island through the Sasa ferry wharf.

If you don’t want that kind of hassle, why don’t you go to the Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort, located in Caliclic, Babak? If you have a car, you can always leave it at its private parking area for free. Aside from being secured and

accessible, reservation for parking is not needed. It is located in Paradise Road, Km. 9 in Sasa.

From the parking area, you have to walk about 500 meters going to its private boat terminal. It is open from 5:30 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon.

The trip is about 10 minutes or so. Once you get to the resort, you have to show your identification card and pay the entrance fee.

“We are still following the health protocols recommended by the Department of Health (DOH),” says Julian “Julie” Rodriguez III, the resort’s administrative officer.

Although wearing a face shield is no longer recommended, visitors and guests are still required to wear face masks, whenever they roam around the resort.

Face masks can only be taken from your face if you are eating or swimming at the

SAMAL Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

beach.

“We are not very strict,” Rodriguez explained.

“What we are implementing is what the Department of Tourism tells us what to do. All our staff are also required to wear face masks.”

Signage of health protocols are scattered all over the resort. There are also areas where you can wash your hands. There are also alcohol sprays in some areas. If you don’t have a face

mask, someone can provide it for you.

If you want to stay for a night or so at the resort, you can always do so. It has 82 air-conditioned rooms.

It also has several function rooms, where people can have meetings or conferences.

One guest who had stayed at the resort commented: “Worth every penny. You get your own hut/ room containing a king size

Julian Rodriguez III: Here, the resort administrative officer showed the activities visitors can have while at Paradise Island.

Live acoustic band: While eating your meal, you can enjoy hearing those songs from the past.

bed and a large bathroom with hot/cold water. Rooms are very spacious and very clean.”

The resort’s lay-out includes gardens, covered cemented walkways, foot baths before entering your room, and sports facilities. There is also an aviary where people can enjoy looking at the birds of various colors and shapes.

With a 24-hour front desk, you can always rely on some staff who can assist with your baggage, currency exchange and laundry services. WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge.

You don’t need to bring your food and beverages. Everything is available there. Kananan Restaurant, located by the beach, serves Asian, American, European and local cuisines. For those who are staying at the resort, room service is available for them.

During our brief tour

around the resort, Rodriguez shared some stories on how the resort came to be. For the uninformed, the resort was named after Spanish friends who called the place as “isla paraiso.”

But that’s going ahead of the story. It was in the 1970s when the Rodriguez family started using the place as a weekend destination. Some friends and relatives and their families would also come to join the fun.

And it came to pass that the beach front of Davao Insular Hotel (now Waterfront) was destroyed as a result of a typhoon that hit the city. The hotel decided to rent the resort as an alternative for its visitors.

That was for a year.

When the hotel returned the resort to the Rodriguez family, they decided to open it to the public and continue what the hotel had already started. Before they knew

FA TASTE, P10

10 EDGEDAVAO ADVERSE... FROM2 sible adverse impacts on the environment and people’s health, WTE also violates the Clean Air Act, Renewable Energy Act, and Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. In addition, the Philippines has limited technical and financial capacity to regularly monitor emissions such as dioxin, furan, and other toxic WTE by-products. This lack of strict environmental standards and regulations covering air pollution, ash disposal, and water pollution could lead to unmonitored environmental damage and adverse effects on the public’s health,” she said.

In December last year, Librado-Morata manifested her opposition to the approval of the WTE facilities in Davao City due to the reasons that include WTE is known to cause health and environmental problems to surround communities. Incineration (or burning waste) produces pollutants that persist in waterways, air, and surrounding farms for decades; WTE worsens the climate crisis, and WTE is expensive yet produces minimal energy compared to genuine renewable energy resources.

“Instead of reducing waste at the source, it encourages the production of more waste to feed the facility. Likewise, this disincentivizes recycling and other sustainable waste

management methods,” she said.

Librado-Morata also stressed that the project should wait for the Supreme Court decision regarding the WTE guidelines of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

She also cited a group of law students from the Ateneo De Davao University, Green Juris, that submitted their position paper against WTE emphasizing that the issue is inevitably connected with the need to uphold the right to a balanced and healthful ecology.

“More viable and sustainable alternatives are already ongoing in Davao City. Thus, we should continue towards implementing zero waste management as this is more healthy and environment-friendly and can generate more sustainable livelihood for our workers,” she said.

Meanwhile, in her recent State of the City Address (SOCA), Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the city government of Davao is now partnering with the DENR to secure P740 million out of the P3.5 billion needed to implement the project.

The city government of Davao started exploring WTE as a waste management option about four years ago as the existing sanitary landfill nears full capacity.

the communist insurgency.

This year, the BDP targeted the rehabilitation and development of more than 1,000 Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas formerly established, influenced by the Communist Party of the Philippines–NPA–National Democratic Front (CPPNPA-NDF).

“I am happy with the efforts of the President. I hope that it will be institutionalized. The BDP projects are very useful to the barangay beneficiaries,” Fernandez said.

He said nine barangay beneficiaries in his town received PHP20 million each for various projects that included water systems,

school facilities, health centers, electrification, evacuation centers, and non-infrastructure projects.

Fernandez noted that before NTF-ELCAC programs were adopted in his town, no tourists would come to the municipality to explore their tourist sites because of the presence of the communist rebels.

“Now, the people are not afraid anymore. They are working hand in hand with the military and police,” Fernandez said.

He also pointed out that since the time their barangays were declared insurgency free, they can easily access the communities and deliver the government services straight to them. (PNA)

(DSWD) through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS).

The driver-recipients of the program who lined up at the People’s Park to get the subsidy brought with them both original and photocopies of barangay certificates and valid identification documents.

Last year, over 4,000 public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers in Davao Region each received PHP7,200

worth of fuel subsidy from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

The fuel subsidy program is a one-time subsidy to provide financial assistance to PUJ franchisees and operators due to the recent hike in oil prices amid the pandemic.

The program covers PUJs, Filcabs, and even modern jeepneys that require fuel. (PNA)

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Covid-19 drug Molnupiravir.

Lloyd Laboratories expanded its facility in Malolos, Bulacan for this

project, which enabled the company to produce one million 400-milligram capsules of Molnupiravir.

(PNA)

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PH... FROM4

renewable energy, processing and packaging of seafood products from Alaska for re-export in other countries, promoting improved access for coal, electric vehicles, corn, and chipping potatoes.

During the meeting, Lopez said the Philippines-US Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) has become a vital

role in addressing economic issues between the two countries.

The US was the country’s third largest trading partner in 2021 with total trade amounting to USD19.6 billion.

The US was also the fifth largest source of foreign investments with a total value of USD77.64 million in the previous year. (PNA)

rural areas and the agricultural sector.

Lin also announced that the consulate and the city government have been preparing a similar program for Indigenous Women Weaving Product Development, which is expected to be launched soon.

Meanwhile, acting City Mayor Sebastian “Baste”

Duterte extended his thanks to the Consulate General for the generous donation and continued support to the city, especially in its contribution to the growth of the local community. He is hopeful that this program would boost local food production and uplift the welfare of the local farmers in Davao City.

ho natin na overall, tama naman po iyong paghahanda and then iyong mga kababayan natin ay handa na para doon sa elections natin sa May 9 (So far, the citizens’ movement watchdog of the Comelec is active, including the general public.

So we expect that overall, we have the right preparations and our constituents are also ready for the May 9 elections),” Sinarimbo said.

The police and BARMM government have created a task force to focus security on 16 towns and two cities identified as “red code” or “areas of immediate concern”.

“We are in touch with the inspection of the deployed groups para ho ma-i-report kaagad iyong mgaincidents para ho hindi ito lumala (so that incidents can be immediately report-

ed and will not get worse),” he added.

About 102 communities across BARMM have been initially identified as “areas of concern” (yellow code).

“Red code” areas in Basilan province include Al Barka, Sumisip, Ungkaya Pukan, and Lamitan City while Lanao del Sur has Malabang, Butig, Tubaran, and Marawi City.

The 10 “red code” areas in Maguindanao are the towns of Rajah Buayan, Sultan sa Barongis, Datu Hofer, Datu Piang, Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Mamasapano, Shariff Aguak, and Shariff Saydona Mustapha.

The provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi have no “red code” areas, but there are communities listed as possible areas of concern. (PNA)

lease and what new destinations will be opened, the new executive shared.

“We are in the process of reviewing the strategy moving forward. We’ll return some of our airplanes in 2024, so now is actually the right time to start looking what will be our medium to long term

plan in terms of fleet,” Ng said.

PAL has also partnered with Singapore Tourism Board to entice Filipinos to visit Singapore. Ng said, they will partner with more organizations because, in that way, they can also help bring tourists to the Philippines.

very different after those three minutes.

The Heat went 4 for 4 in that stretch — 3-pointers

by Butler, P.J. Tucker and Strus, with a layup by Butler in there as well — and it added up to an 11-0 run that pushed the lead out to 75-62. The margin remained at least eight points

for the next 11 minutes, before Atlanta began clawing back.

Young hit Collins with a strike for a layup, and Bogdanovic’s long jumper got Atlanta within 94-90 midway through the fourth.

But the Hawks never got the lead. Butler saw to that.

in the regular season from getting into any rhythm as they combined to shoot 33 free throws.

At one point, Memphis had Steven Adams, Jackson, Clarke and Dillon Brooks on the bench with two fouls.

That forced coach Taylor Jenkins to turn to Tillman who didn’t play in Game 1, and

he turned in the best playoff game of his young career.

The Grizzlies grabbed their biggest lead of this short series at 30-23 on a floater by Jones with 2:11 left, and they led 33-32 after the first quarter when Morant’s long buzzer-beater attempt hit off the rim and off.

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it, people started coming to the resort.

What started out as a weekend picnic hideaway is now an all-year round destination for locals and tourists alike seeking white sand beaches and great food.

Unlike other beach resorts in Samal, Paradise’s beach is clean with crystal clear waters. However, the beach gets really shallow in mid-day so if you visit the resort and plan to do real swimming, do it in the early morning and late afternoon (swimming in mid-day will take you farther from the beachfront).

“Lifeguards are tasked to check and clean the swimming area of plastics, bottles, cans, sharp objects, and floating debris, among others,” Rodriquez said. Sea maintenance personnel are responsible for monitoring and cleaning the swimming area from 5 in the morning until 10 in the evening.

And the foods – they’re super delicious. If you like seafood, you can order jumbo prawns, lapu-lapu, pompano and/or hito – which can be prepared either grilled or steamed. It also has other choices: kinilaw na isda, grilled tuna, shrimp tempura, hilabos na hipon, calamares a la Roman, and grilled squid. For our lunch, we ordered a seafood basket which is good for 3-4 persons; it is composed of malasugui, shrimp and squid.

Aside from seafood, there are also several other choices: pork, beef, chicken, pasta/noodles, sandwiches, salads, desserts and soups.

You can also try its fresh buko juice and eat the very delicious sweet pomelo.

What we really liked during our brief stay was

eating the buko halo-halo after we toured the resort.

“Its halo-halo is one of a kind,” said James Delfinado, who accompanied me during my visit. I couldn’t help but agree with his comment.

“Foods served to diners are always assured to be from fresh ingredients sourced from credible suppliers,” Rodriguez assured.

“Quality, not price, is the main consideration in marketing raw materials.”

While eating your lunch, you can also listen to acoustic music. In the past, some visitors were serenaded while eating their lunch.

The all-male singing group, which sang a variety of songs, transferred from one area to another to entertain the guests.

Another good thing about the resort is its courteous and well-disciplined staff. Take the case of the waiters. “The waiter assigned to us was very patient and very helpful,” one guest said. “He even helped us with some things that we were doing. He made it a point to talk to us and ask us how we were doing during the day.”

Now, if it’s not a taste of paradise, I don’t know what it is!

Finally, here’s what another foreign visitor said of the resort: “We have been to Samal so many times and we loved Paradise Island very much. The people and staff are very friendly, well-guarded places to stay overnight, the beach is so wonderful and the weather is excellent! The prices are very much affordable.

We will be in this place as soon as I retire and make it our retirement home someday!”

ing camp late last week.

BoxingScene.com has learned that the reported weight check provided to the BBBofC had the three-division and reigning bantamweight titlist closer to 114 pounds, with the discrepancy raising a flag and with alleged documented proof leaving Casimero in a bind.

The 33-year-old from Ormoc City, Philippines has been met with a ‘Show Cause’ action from the WBO, where he has until close of business Thursday to convince the sanctioning body to not vacate his title reign. It is the second time in four months that he is required to explain his actions, both coming in scheduled and eventually canceled title defenses versus Butler.

Casimero caused mayhem when he failed to make it to the weigh-in for his planned December 11 title defense versus Butler in Dubai. It was reported that Casimero was hospitalized due to gastritis, with his team providing the necessary documentation to keep his title reign intact—on the condition he face Butler no later than April 30.

A deal was reached to reschedule the fight for April 22, which Butler accepted in lieu of an on-the-

spot offer to face stand-by opponent and former titlist Joseph Agbeko for an interim title on the original December 11 date. Butler— who has won seven in a row since a twelve-round loss to then-unbeaten Emmanuel Rodriguez for the vacant IBF bantamweight title in May 2018—decided to hold out for the real thing.

That dream once remains on hold, though it’s possible that his fight with Sultan (18-5, 11KOs), who was in country as the assigned standby opponent for Friday’s main event.

Sultan came up well short in a May 2018 title bid versus countryman and then-IBF junior bantamweight titlist Jerwin Ancajas, his lone title shot to date. The 31-year-old Cebu native has since won four of his last five fights, including an upset ten-round win over then-unbeaten bantamweight prospect Carlos Caraballo last October 30 at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City.

The timely win saw Sultan surge in the WBO rankings, as he is presently number four but also the next highest ranked available challenger after Butler.

Sultan also owns a win over Casimero in a 2017 non-title fight.

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Jimmy Butler goes 15 for 25 in 39 minutes of action.

PHOTO: AP

Butler scores playoff career high 45 as Heat edge Hawks

M

IAMI — Jimmy Butler scored a playoff career-high 45 points, including a personal 7-0 run in the final moments, and the Miami Heat held off the Atlanta Hawks, 115-105, in Game Two of their Eastern Conference first-round series Tuesday night (Wednesday, Manila time).

Tyler Herro scored 15 for Miami, while Max Strus scored 14 and Gabe Vincent added 11 for top-seeded Miami, which took a 2-0 lead over the eighth-seeded

Hawks.

Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 19 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter for Atlanta. Trae Young scored 25 for the Hawks, while De’An-

dre Hunter had 16 and John Collins finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks.

Butler’s previous playoff best was 40, done twice, both in the bubble when the Heat made the 2020 NBA Finals. The Heat needed all of his heroics then, and they needed them all on Tuesday as well.

Bogdanovic’s 3-pointer with 3:15 left got Atlanta within 104-101.

From there, it was all Butler.

He had a dunk, a 3-pointer and another dunk — all in the span of 56 seconds — to turn things from in doubt to locked down, putting Miami up 10 with 1:20 remaining and ensuring the Heat would finish off the win.

“Just staying aggressive,” Butler said. “Taking what the defense gives me.”

As would be expected in a playoff series, pleasantries began being exchanged with more regularity. The first half featured 16 fouls

by Atlanta and 14 by Miami — a season-high for the Hawks, one off the season-high for the Heat, and those 30 personals didn’t even include a double technical that Lowry and Hunter got for getting face-toface.

Young picked up a technical for arguing a foul against him late in the third as well, the capper to a period where the Heat went from barely ahead to holders of a double-digit lead going into the final 12

minutes. He played the entire third quarter, but managed only two shots in that span — making both — and didn’t get to the foul line, while committing five turnovers in that period alone.

And in time, Miami hit its stride.

Kevin Huerter’s stepback 3-pointer with 8:59 left in the third pulled Atlanta within 64-62. The Hawks went nearly three minutes without scoring again, and the game looked

FBUTLER, P10

Grizzlies even series with Wolves M

EMPHIS, Tennessee — Ja Morant scored 23 points and handed out 10 assists as the Memphis Grizzlies looked much more like the team that posted the NBA’s second-best record, routing the Minnesota Timberwolves, 124-96, on Tuesday night (Wednesday, Manila time) to even up their first-round Western Conference series at 1 apiece.

Morant went to the bench with 4:40 left to a huge ovation. He finished a rebound shy of a triple-double. Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. each added 16 with Jackson hitting 4 of 7 from 3-point range as the Grizzlies finished with seven in double figures.

Brandon Clarke, Xavier

Tillman Sr. and Ziaire Williams each had 13. Tyus Jones added 10.

Game Three is on Thursday night in Minneapolis.

Anthony Edwards, who scored 36 points in his playoff debut in Game One, led Minnesota with 20. All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Naz Reid and Taurean Prince had 12 each off the bench, and D’Angelo Russell added 11.

The Timberwolves dominated the series opener after scoring a franchise-record 41 points in the first quarter.

This time, officials stayed very busy calling 20 fouls in a very long first quarter. That kept the NBA’s top scoring teams

FGRIZZLIES, P10

Ja Morant scored 23 points and handed out 10 assists.

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Jonas Sultan takes over the place of Casimero and will face Paul Butler on Friday for the interim WBO bantamweight crown.

SUB SULTAN

Jonas Sultan in, Johnriel Casimero out for fight vs Butler

J

onas Sultan takes over the place of Johnriel Casimero and will face Paul Butler on Friday for the interim WBO bantamweight crown at the M&S Bank Arena.

The WBO already approved the fight following an emergency meeting after the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) prohibited Casimero from defending his title for violation of its medical guidelines arising from the use of sauna ‘close to the proximity’ of the April 22 bout.

BoxingScene.com has confirmed that an emergency meeting held by the WBO Championship Committee has resulted in Butler being permitted to enter an interim WBO bantamweight title fight versus Philippines’ Jonas Sultan, a late replacement for full champ John Riel Casimero this Friday at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool. The opponent switch was confirmed Tuesday, hours after Casimero was denied permission by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) to proceed with his planned title defense after a medical guidelines violation.

“Wherefore, considering the preceding request, the WBO World Championship Committee hereby grants sanction approval for the subject matter bout between Paul Butler and first available World Bantamweight Contender Jonas Sultan to be held on Friday, April 22, 2022, at the Echo Arena [M&S Bank Arena] in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom,” Luis Batista-Salas stated in a letter to the representatives for Butler and Sultan, a copy of which

was obtained by BoxingScene. com. “The Interim Bantamweight Championship Bout Butler/Sultan is sanctioned subject to WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests.”

Butler (33-2, 15KOs) was momentarily left without a title fight for the second time in four months following the BBBoC’s ruling to bar Philippines’ Casimero (31-4, 21KOs) from this weekend’s event in Liverpool. The governing body’s decision was made after evidence was provided of Casimero using a sauna ahead of his scheduled title fight—which is strictly prohibited in the United Kingdom—along with what was documented as drastic weight loss.

Both matters are being challenged by Casimero’s team, representatives tell BoxingScene.com.

The stipulation itself does not exist anywhere in the provided 84-page document of rules and regulations that presently exist on the BBBofC website. However, it is a noted prohibition according to most industry experts familiar with UK boxing rules and also stipulated on a sheet provided to the boxer’s immediate camp upon checking in ahead of fight week.

Casimero claims that his weight at last check was 119.8 pounds, roughly similar to his weight upon leaving his U.S. train-

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