Edge10 issue121 September 19 2017

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

COUNTER-CLAIM IDIS rues that funds for watershed rehab are pending

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

CUTTING EDGE. Blacksmiths sharpen newly formed large single-edged knives locally known as ‘bolo’ using grinders inside an establishment manufacturing various kinds of bladed products in Ma-a, Davao City on Monday. Lean Daval Jr.

By ANGIE SAVERON

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he Davao-based Interface Development Interventions, Inc. has come to the defense of the city government in upholding the constitutionality of its watershed code, saying that a case contesting the validity of the ordinance has put on hold funding for watershed reha-

bilitation.

‘Dili siya ma-release tungod kay naka kaso man, so si Mayor nalang naga pangita ug paagi na mag ka-project jud ang watershed rehab,” lamented Chinkie Pelino, executive director of IDIS at the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday.

DOLE Philippines- Stan�ilco

Division was assessed by the city of an environmental tax amounting to P3,324, 825 million pursuant to article 17 of the watershed code.

Pelino expressed disappointment about the claim of DOLE Philippines, an agricultural plantation, that the watershed ordinance of Davao is

unconstitutional.

The ordinance was approved way back 2007 but the collection of environmental taxes started in 2014. But all the funds collected by the city from agricultural plantations cannot be released for the development of the watersheds after the agricultural consul-

tation �iled a case questioning the constitutionality of the watershed code.

IDIS is representing non-government organizations in the watershed management council. IDIS �iled a motion of intervention at the Regional Trial Court to support the City Government

of Davao against plantations who refused to pay their payment for environmental services.

“Ang una namong �ilelan kay ang DOLE Stan�ilco kay sila man gud una nag �ile ug case sa city starting 2014 to 2017 so tulo na ka

COUNTER, 10

EDGEDAVAO Sports Fight vs HIV-AIDS high in Sara’s priorities FIRST MEDAL Filipino track cyclist Bucay bags silver at Asean Para Games

SPORTS P14

M

ayor Inday Sara Duterte has vowed to prioritize health and well-being of the Dabawenyos even as her administration is currently working hard to ensure stronger local economy and development in Davao City.

“My administration has identi�ied 10 priority areas to build Davao City around this vision and included in the agenda is health,” Mayor Inday Sara Duterte said.

Mayor Inday took note of the various health programs established by the city gov-

ernment and among these was the establishment of the Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC).

The center is handling cases of Sexually Transmitted Infections, including HIV and AIDS. “The RHWC has been established as one of the treat-

ment hubs in the country for People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV),” she said during her State of the City Address (Soca).

Last March, the local government through the RHWC supported the conduct of

FIGHT, 10

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

DIALOGUE. President Duterte meets with Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Romulo Valles at the Matina Enclaves in Davao City on Saturday evening. Also in the photo are Fr. Emmanuel Gonzaga and Msgr.

Paul Cuison. SIMEON CELI JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Coast Guard gets P6.7B to buy new patrol boats

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he national government has set aside P6.7 billion of itsP3.767-trillion budget for 2018 to build up the Philippine Coast Guardwith a �leet of brand new patrol boats, a helicopter and weapons,a lawmaker said Sunday.

“The fresh funding will help pay for the acquisition of 10 newly built44-meter patrol boats from Japan, of which �ive have already beendelivered to the PCG,” said Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, amember of the House appropriations committee.

The PCG is also acquiring four 24-meter fast boats for delivery in 12months; an 82-meter boat for delivery

in 2019; and two 94-meter,high-endurance boats for delivery in 2020 and 2021, according toPimentel.

“The 94-meter boats in particular can operate continuously for 15 days,so they can help reinforce existing Philippine Navy and PCG vessels thatare now guarding our exclusive economic zone in the West PhilippineSea,” Pimentel said.

The lawmaker said the PCG is also spending P922 million for �irearms,P686 million for a chopper meant for deployment aboard a boat and P682million for smaller watercraft.

COAST, 10

Ex-NPAs in DavOr start a new life F ormer New People’s Army rebels who decided to leave behind years of armed struggle are starting a new life after receiving �inancial assistance under the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP).

Each of the 14 rebel returnees, who are temporarily staying at Davao Oriental’s Happy Home, received P65,000 each for livelihood as part of the province’s and the Department of Interior and Local Government ’s reintegration program.

Karen Lou Deloso, provincial information of�icer of Davao Oriental, said the government released almost a million pesos to the former rebels.

This continuing program for the rebels is an indication of the government’s determination to assist them as they transition to civilian life.

Deloso said most of the former rebels are farmers and they plan to use the money in growing crops, raising livestock while others say they would like to engage in a small business like “sari-sari”

store.

Deloso added that the former rebels can also use the skills acquired during their rehabilitation at Happy Home facility, a halfway house for former rebels.

While at Happy Home, the former rebels learned crop and livestock production, which was introduced by the Philippine Army’s 701st Brigade to provide former rebels wider economic opportunities when they get back to the community.

Deloso said the government has already spent

PHP10.1 million for the livelihood assistance to a total of 187 former rebels enrolled under the CLIP since the Happy Home was established in 2013.

Deloso said they (former rebels) underwent other trainings. The former rebels also underwent a 10-day political de-radicalization process which included gardening, moral recovery, Sunday mass, and lectures on scores of topics such as Philippine history and socioeconomic theories, among others. (PNA)

The awarding ceremony was held at the Cinematheque Davao last September 13. Awards were given to the top 3 videos and consolation prizes to the top 7 videos.

Special awards were also given to the Best Actress, Actor, and Poster.

This year’s winners are the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) for their video entitled Yes, Ma, which won third place, followed by the video entry ‘Di Takot, also from the AdDU, that got the second place. The best video was given to the entry Safe-

ty: Make It A Habit from the Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku. This is the �irst time that students from the Mindanao International College participated in Davao Light’s short video-making contest.

These video entries won PhP15,000, PhP25,000 and 45,000, respectively.

Meanwhile, the top 7 video entries were Backtrack from the University of Mindanao (UM), Cada’s Tips from the Asian International School of Aeronatuics and Technology, Rush by the UM, Note by the AdDU, 4 from

AdDU, Unplug For the Ones You Love by the AdDU, and Short Circuit also from the AdDU. The winners received Php5,000 each.

Aside from these schools, there were also entries from the Davao Doctors College, Jose Maria College, Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia, University of the Immaculate Conception and University of Southeastern Philippines – Sto. Tomas External Studies Program.

Present to grace the event are Davao Light’s EVP

Catholic bishops laud rescue of Fr. Suganob Kokusai Daigaku takes first in DLPC video-making tilt

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atholic prelates on Sunday expressed gratitude to government forces for the rescue of Fr. Teresito “Chito” Suganob and another man held hostage by Islamic State-inspired Maute group in May. “Good news talaga. Nagpasalamat ako sa mga sundalo na naka-rescue kay Fr. Chito at isang teacher yata ng Dansalan (College). Na-rescue sila at kaming lahat dito ay natutuwa. Talagang answered prayers. Talagang palagi naming ipinagdarasal. Ngayon ma-

laya na sila. Thanks be to God (It is really good news. I thank the soldiers who rescued Fr. Chito and a teacher at Dansalan College. We are happy that they were rescued. It is indeed an answered prayer.

We always pray for them.

They are free now.),” Iligan Bishop Elenito Galido said in an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas.

Galido noted that as of the moment, they have not been informed as to how the hostages were rescued.

CATHOLIC, 10

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tudents from the Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku or Mindanao International College won 1st place in the annual short video-making contest of Davao Light and Power Co., Inc., a subsidiary of the AboitizPower.

This year’s theme is Dare to be Aware: Electrical Safety, which is aimed at amplifying the public’s awareness on electrical safety.

A total of 39 1-minute videos from various universities and colleges within the Davao Light franchise vied for this year’s contest.

KOKUSAI, 13

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

NEWS3

EDGEDAVAO

Caloocan cops reap child abuse charges B uhay Rep. Lito Atienza has urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Justice to �ile child abuse charges against the 13 members of the Caloocan City police who brought along a minor when they illegally raided and robbed a house.

“The DSWD and the DOJ are the lead agencies tasked to enforce the 1992 law protecting children. They should be the ones to �ile the criminal charges against the of�icers involved,” Atienza, senior deputy minority leader, said.

Atienza also urged the DSWD to take protective custody of the child, who was caught stealing valuables during the unlawful police search.

“We cannot have our

very own of�icers of the law exploiting children, just like Akyat Bahay gangs using kids to break into homes, or drug pushers taking advantage of minors as movers,” Atienza said.

The lawmaker said Republic Act 7610 expressly penalizes the use of children under 18 years of age as police guides, couriers or spies, or their use in illegal activities such as robbery, as well as their exposure to any form of danger, including threats that they might get harmed during possible hostilities.

“What the of�icers did in this case constitutes gross inexcusable ignorance of the law and barefaced negligence,” Atienza said, adding that under the law, they are

he family of Marawi vicar, Fr. Teresito “Chito” Soganub, considered the priest’s rescue over the weekend from the hands of the Maute terror group as a “miracle and answered prayer.”

Roqueto Soganob, the priest’s younger brother, said Monday they never stopped praying for the safety and freedom of Fr. Chito and the other hostages of the Maute group in Marawi City and it was �inally answered.

“God answered our prayers. This is a big relief to our family,” he said in an interview over radio station Brigada News FM. He said they never stopped believing that Fr. Chito would be able to survive the challenge and eventually come out alive and well despite the previous threats of

beheading by their captors.

The 57-year-old priest, vicar general of the Prelature of Marawi, was abducted along with several other parishioners in an attack by Maute members at the parish last May 23.

Presidential Peace Adviser on the Peace Process, Secretary Jesus Dureza, con�irmed on Sunday morning that the priest and another hostage were rescued by government troops on Saturday night.

Fr. Chito, who has been serving the prelature for the last 22 years, hails from Norala town in South Cotabato where his family still lives. He is the eldest of six siblings.

With the priest’s safe release, Roqueto said they are waiting for him to come home

CALOOCAN, 10

Priest’s rescue seen an answered prayer T

TAKING UP THE FIGHT. Interface Development Interventions executive director Chinkie Peliño-Golle (center)says IDIS, together with BantayBukid represented by Randy Legaspi (left) and BantayogAweg represented by Jay RonieGubat, will file a motion for intervention at the Regional Trial Court to

support the city government of Davao against plantations who refuse to pay environmental services fee. They made the statement during Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao on Monday. Lean Daval Jr.

Two miners killed in Kiamba mishap

Another miner hurt as tunnel collapses

Two mine workers were killed while another was hurt after being trapped for several hours inside a collapsed illegal small-scale mine tunnel on Sunday in an upland village in Kiamba town in Sarangani Province.

Venancio Wata III, operations team leader of the Sarangani Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Of�ice, said Monday the victims were working inside a tunnel in Sitio Banawag in Barangay Tablao, Kiamba when it caved PRIEST, 10 in early Sunday.

He identi�ied the trapped workers as Danilo Marquizo, Elizer Marquizo and Nelson Pastrana, all residents of Barangay Malandag in Malungon, Sarangani.

Rescuers from the Maitum municipal police station led Sr. Insp. Rodel Javison, Bureau of Fire Protection-Maitum and the Kiamba search and rescue team responded to the scene and recovered the victims at around 12:35 p.m, he said.

“Two of the victims (Elizer Marquizo and Nelson Pastrana) were declared dead upon

arrival at the Maitum municipal hospital,” he said on the phone.

Wata said Danilo Marquizo was found suffering from hypothermia and is currently undergoing treatment at the same hospital.

During the rescue operation, he said two members of the team identi�ied as Yanyan Ungat and Marvin Ilao, both residents of Barangay New La Union in Maitum, got suffocated and were rushed to the municipal hospital.

“They complained of se-

Threat belied as Bohol Hosts ASEAN summit

C BOYS WILL BE BOYS. A boy plays with his younger brother in a dilapidated fishing boat docked near their house in Brgy. 76-A Bucana, Davao City while their mother is busy doing her laundry on Monday.LeanDaval Jr.

vere headaches as a result of the suffocation,” he said.

Wata said the collapsed tunnel was among the structures that had been operating illegally along the mountainous boundaries of Kiamba and Maitum towns.

The local governments of Kiamba and Maitum had launched a series of crackdowns against the illegal smallscale gold mining activities in the area but they continued to thrive as operators resorted to clandestine operations. (MindaNews)

entral Visayas Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino said there is no credible threat that may hamper Bohol’s hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Maritime Summit starting Tuesday in Panglao Island.

Espino made the assurance on Sunday during the send-off ceremonies for troops who will be overseeing the peace and security of the second ASEAN meeting to be held in Bohol.

About 3,500 troops from different security forces were deployed to various areas in Panglao for the safety of more than 200 delegates from the 10-member regional bloc.

Reports from the Tagbila-

ran airport police station said the delegates have started arriving in Bohol as early as Monday last week.

The summit, which is spearheaded by the Transportation Department, will tackle various areas of concern related to the maritime industry in the ASEAN region.

Security has already been tightened in areas leading to the main venue of the summit, while checkpoints are being placed in strategic places.

The security arrangements are similar to what was imposed during the �irst ASEAN meeting held in Bohol last April, when government forces quashed the threat posed by the Abu Sayyaf Group.

The provincial govern-

THREAT, 10

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

$600M current account deficit still‘doable’: BSP

A

ranking of�icial of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the USD600- million current account de�icit assumption for 2017 is “quite doable.”

Data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that in the �irst half of the year, the country registered a CA de�icit of USD234 million, about 0.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

The latest �igure is lower than the USD424 million de�icit same period in 2016.

The country has enjoyed CA surpluses for more than a decade but is now experiencing CA de�icits following the strong growth of imports on back of the rising domestic demand.

In the second quarter alone, CA registered a surplus of USD15 million, a turn-around from the USD1.3 billion de�icit same

period last year.

This transpired after the country registered higher net receipts in trade-inservices and the primary and secondary income accounts.

With this development, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo is optimistic that full year CA will not go beyond the latest assumption.

He cited the seeming stabilization of imports.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that as of last July, imports registered a 3.2 percent decline while exports grew by 10.4 percent.

These results made Guinigundo hope for the sustained rise of exports.

“Exports are recovering in a bigger way so I think the current account position is quite doable,” he added.

(PNA)

HEAD-ON.Philippine Export Davao chair Domingo Ang(2nd from right) and Federation of Banana Cooperatives (Fedco) chief executive officer Rene Dalayon (rightmost) say banana industry players and stakeholders will tackle the urgent need to create a banana council for the unity and sustainability of the industry with the help of the government in the upcoming Banana congress

which will be staged on October 12 to 13 at SMX Convention Center. Ang and Dalayon, together with Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) chairman Antonio Dela Cruz (2nd from left) and Davao Hog Farmers Association president Eduard So, promoted the upcoming Davao Agri Trade Expo (DATE) 2017 on September 21 to 23 during KapehansaDabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao on Monday. Lean Daval Jr.

Duterte lauds TESDA T for free skills training

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resident Rodrigo Roa Duterte has lauded the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for its free skills training program to the public.

Duterte also praised TESDA Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong for his leadership skills and for steering the agency forward in technical and vocational education.

“TESDA is really (about) hanapbuhay, and (Secretary) Gene Mamondiong has perfected the formula for that. It is an encompassing one this time, more encompassing that what was done in the previous years,” said Duterte during the 23rd anniversary of TESDA recently.

Duterte commended the

DTI monitors product standards in PH markets

projects initiated by Mamondiong as he revealed that the TESDA chief has really been programmed to be head the agency from the start because of his passion to help improve the lives of the poor.

“Our duty as government leaders is to give them (the people) a more comfortable and prosperous life. Ako, when I was campaigning for the presidency, I have always said that ang gusto ko lang sa Filipino ay hindi naman yung mayaman, I just want (for) them a comfortable life,” Duterte added.

“Filling its mandate as the lead agency to promote and advance the technical and vocational education of the Filipino workforce, TESDA has been responsible for produc-

ing the necessary manpower with the right competencies.

The success of your programs and services is best re�lected in the lives of the thousands of Filipinos that you have helped transform. May you continue to empower our people….

Congratulations, at mabuhay ang TESDA,” said Duterte.

Prior to the speech of Duterte, Mamondiong enumerated the various program of the agency since he took over TESDA last year. Among his programs were nationwide skills mapping, renovation of training institutions, installation of tendering system, building of National Inspectorate Group (NIG) and other projects that bene�it the scholars.

“Mr. President, we are thanking you wholehearted-

ly for the Universal Access to Tertiary education which you have approved just recently.

This will produce more worldclass Filipino technologists, technicians and skilled workers needed to create more jobs and means of livelihood for our people,” Mamondiong said.

Mamondiong also informed Duterte that TESDA is free of drugs and corruption.

“Leading by example here in our own backyard, all the of�icials and employees of TESDA have signed a document declaring TESDA to be corruption and drug-free, the �irst time in TESDA’s history that such a bold declaration was made. We intend to have this document hold us accountable in words and in deeds,” TESDA chief said. (TESDA)

ber 2000 to December 2007.

The most appreciated currencies were the Korean won (26 percent), Thai baht (22.1 percent), Singapore dollar (16.9 percent), the Philippine peso (16.8 percent), the Indian rupee (15.7 percent) and the Malaysian ringgit (12.9 percent).

But nine years after, as the international economy started to recover from the global �inancial crisis, Asian currencies reversed and depreciated by 14.6 percent.

Except for Singapore dollar and the Thai baht which continued to appreciate, the same currencies that appreciated were among the most depreci-

ated.

2013, with domestic in�lation accounting for less than 10 percent.

Compared to other Asian currencies Hong Kong dollar depreciated only by 0.1 percent from 2007 to September 2017. Taiwan dollar, on the other hand, appreciated by 7.4 percent in the same period, he said.

Beltran said signi�icant diversi�ication of the economy, as in the case of Taiwan and Hong Kong would, however, lead to lesser in�luence from external factors.

“This is what the Philippine economy aims to achieve in the medium term,” Beltran said. (PNA)

External factors affecting peso standing-DOF exec

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HE Philippine economy needs to diversify and not rely on remittances and business process outsourcing alone to prevent the peso from depreciating too much whenever uncertainties arise from advanced economies, the Department of Finance said.

In an economic bulletin on Asian currencies, Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said the Philippine peso was among Asian currencies that appreciated eight years before the global �inancial crisis in 2008.

Citing the Bloomberg and Asian Development Bank, data showed that the currencies of 12 Asian economies appreciated by 9.3 percent from Decem-

These were the Indian rupee (62.1 percent depreciation), Indonesian rupiah (35.4 percent), Malaysian dollar (27.2 percent), Philippine peso (21.9 percent), and Korean won (20.7 percent).

“Currency movements in Asia are a complex product of external and internal economic factors. But in the case of movements from 2008 to 2017, these are mostly accounted for by external factors, mainly the Fed QE [quantitative easing] policy,” Beltran said.

Beltran said regression results show that Fed QE policy accounted mostly for currency movements from 2008 to

he Department of Trade and Industry has strengthened monitoring of product standards in the local market through the Project Execution Team under the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau .

From August up to this date, FTEB conducted the monitoring in Region 1, Region 4A as well as in Metro Manila.

In a statement Friday, DTI said that some 1,203 enterprises were monitored as of Sept. 6.

DTI is collaborating with the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) to ensure implementation of Republic Act

No. 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, RA 4109 or the Product Standards Law, and Presidential Decree No. 1572 or the Accreditation Law. This is to ensure that substandard products are not being sold in the local market.

During PET’s monitoring in 1,203 enterprises, 72 establishments were issued with Notices of Violations (NOVs), in which 7,033 products of the monitored establishments were found without required markings.

This means these products did not undergo testing as required by law.

The DTI vowed to further intensify monitoring of product standards nationwide. (PNA)

EO on foreign investment negative list out before year end

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he Duterte administration expects to release before the year ends an executive order (EO) to enforce its Foreign Investment Negative List (FINL), as it pursues aggressive liberalization policies designed to attract more foreign players into the economy.

“It has to go the NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) Board �irst.

Before the end of the year, (the EO will be released),” NEDA Director General Ernesto Pernia told reporters Thursday on the sidelines of the Arangkada Philippines Forum 2017.

Pernia was pushing for more aggressive liberalization or “highest possible” approvable foreign equity in retail trade, professions, public utilities and contractors.

He noted a 100-percent foreign equity could be allowed for certain areas, particularly in teaching profession.

“The reason why our universities are not highly rated (is) because we don’t allow foreign professors to work, to teach and be paid, get an item which is already standard in other countries,” he added.

The country’s FINL lays out investment areas that are closed to foreign investments, and areas where foreign ownership is limited to a maximum of 40 percent of equity capital.

The NEDA chief earlier said the 60-40 percent equity ruling was “still very restrictive.”

“The (foreign investment) negative list is still a long list and I want to really shorten it drastically,” he noted. (PNA)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

ECONOMY 5

US companies eyeing more expansion in PH

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he Philippines continues to strengthen business collaboration with investors and multinational corporations based in the United States.

Speaking to 85 business executives in the Philippine Investment Forum on 31 August, Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez highlighted the sound macroeconomic fundamentals of the country, aiming a 7% to 8% increase in GDP annually and reduce poverty from 21.6% in 2015 to 14% by 2022.

The trade chief also shared the government’s focus on infrastructure development with USD 160 billion worth of projects to directly address investors’ concerns on power supply, affordable telecommunications, and ef�icient transport of goods and services.

At the sidelines of the Forum, Sec. Lopez with DTI Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Atty. Rowel Barba met with different associations and business executives to seek opportunities for the

manufacturing industries and to continue the government’s engagement with US business stakeholders.

The trade chief had a roundtable meeting with the members American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) to discuss potential relocation and expansion of their manufacturing facilities in the Philippines. He also encouraged member companies, which include Tellas Limited (formerly Luenthai USA), Under Armour Inc., Michael Kors (USA) Inc., Ralph Lauren Corporation, Coach Inc., and the Ascena Retail Group Inc., (makers of Ann Taylor, Loft, Lane Bryant, Dressbarn, and Catherines) to take advantage of the extended duty-free treatment to imports of travel goods (including luggage, handbags, backpacks, tote bags) under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Program.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in New York noted that AAFA members and the brands they carry have increased their

he Department of Agriculture is working on another major expansion and upgrading of the city’s �ish port complex in its bid to make it at par with other international �ish ports.

Engr. Ginalyn Cachuela, manager of the Socsksargen Area Development Project Of�ice (ADPO), said Monday the DA central of�ice has approved the conduct of a feasibility study for the modernization of the General Santos City Fish Port Complex in Barangay Tambler here.

She said DA’s Philippine Fisheries and Development Authority, which operates the GSFPC, prepared the terms of reference for the study.

“The �ish port is nearly two decades old so there is really a need to improve its facilities,” Cachuela said.

She said the DA central of�ice has lined up for this quarter the procurement of consultancy services for the feasibility study, which has a funding of P7 to P9 million.

The of�icial said they expect the awarding of the contract before the end of the year to facilitate the start of the six-month study by January next year.

The city government and local tuna industry stakeholders had been pushing for the rehabilitation and modernization of the city �ish port complex.

Cahuela said industry players noted that the although considered the coun-

try’s most modern, the city �ish port is “not yet at par” with those of the neighboring countries.

She said their of�ice has been regularly engaging with tuna industry players to address concerns and recommendations regarding the �ish port’s operations.

Socsksargen ADPO, a special project unit of the DA, coordinates, implements and monitors programs and projects in the area that are in support of the DA’s food security program.

It also coordinates the implementation of development plans and initiatives that complement the government’s peace efforts.

GSFPC, which is one of the biggest �ish ports in the country, started operating in 1999 and has since become a major �ish landing and trading hub in southern and central Mindanao.

The national government completed its initial expansion in 2008 that included the construction of processing and refrigeration facilities, as well as a deep-water docking facility to facilitate the accommodation of large �ishing vessels.

The expansion, which was supervised by the China National Construction and Agricultural Machinery Export/Import Corp., was funded through a USD $26 million loan with the Chinese government. (MindaNews)

US, 10

FUNCTIONS EXPLAINED. Commission on Filipinos Overseas emigrant officer 2 Allan Paul Ducusin and fellow emigrant officer 2 Ma. Camille Lacabaprovide the overview of the agency and its functions during KapehansaDabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao on Monday. Lean Daval Jr.

Nograles bats for more green jobs investments

DA okays upgrading H of GSC’s fish seaport T

ouse Appropriations Committee and Davao City Cogressman Karlo Nograles today said the Philippines is now of�icially a “green investment hub” following the issuance of the Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) for Republic Act 10771 otherwise known as the Philippine Green Jobs Law. Through this law, Nograles said that businesses that are involved in selling or trading goods and services that promotes environmental protection and climate-change mitigation would be given huge �iscal and non-�iscal incentives.

Nograles is the main author and brainchild of the landmark measure.

“With the IRR of the Green Jobs Act already

in place, local companies should grab the opportunity to qualify for the tax incentives to be given by the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs (BOC). This means going full throttle on the generation of green jobs and services,” Nograles said.

“I thank the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) under my fellow Mindanaoan, Secretary Bebot Bello for the timely issuance of the IRR. Now, business owners can be properly guided on the law’s implementation,” he added.

DOLE released the IRR via Department Order (DO) No.180 last September 8.

The labor sector is close to Nograles’s heart, being a former chairman on the House Committee on Labor

and Employment.

A green job is de�ined as a “job or employment that contributes to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment be it in the agriculture, industry or services sector.”

RA 10771 further de�ines green jobs as “decent jobs that are productive, respect the rights of workers, deliver a fair income, provide security in the workplace and social protection for families, and promote social dialogue.”

Nograles said that with the issuance of DO No.180, companies that will qualify to be covered by the law will get special deductions in their taxable income equivalent to 50 percent of the total expense for skills training as well as research and devel-

opment activities.

The deductions will be made from the �irms’ taxable income and shall be over and above the allowable ordinary and necessary business deductions for expenses.

Moreover, they will also be exempted from paying importation tax from acquiring capital equipment that will be directly and exclusively used in promoting, generating, and sustaining green jobs.

“Its about time that companies take a proactive role in caring for the environment. The incentives offered by the law ensures that such partnership with Mother Nature is sustainable and rewarding. It’s a win-win situation,” Nograles pointed out. (PNA)

velopment partners of BIMP-EAGA, forged through a Framework of Economic Cooperation in 2009. This partnership has paved way for various technical assistance and learning exchanges, which were seen to facilitate some of the BIMP-EAGA projects such as the Sub-marine Terrestrial Cable System project.

“I hope that we can start exploring new partnerships that are now more inclined on business ventures with mutual bene�its,” Alonto said.

He highlighted the need for business linkages, and private-public partnerships that are also anchored on BIMP-EAGA’s �ive pillar, which are connectivity, food basket, tourism, environment, and socio-cultural and education

from the larger economy players such as China.

“You have the technology here, but we have the natural resources,” Alonto said, citing the need to pursue win-win investment deals with larger economy players in the sub-region. BIMP-EAGA is touted as the ASEAN’s food basket region.

This expansion of partnership with China is seen to have a major impact on the economy of the sub-region, by generating investments and access to its market through direct trade. BIMP-EAGA is particularly looking at China’s One Belt, One Road initiative in boosting the trade and investments within and across the sub-region, while also achieving the long-term goal of a Pan-Asian connectivity.

Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Center (ACC) likewise reassured that ACC will continue to strengthen its links with regional cooperations, with the long-term goal of bringing the gains of economic globalization to the developing countries in Asia, which are the focus of regional mechanisms such as BIMP-EAGA. Following BIMP-EAGA’s �irst participation in a trade and investment dialogue with China, Alonto said he is looking forward to seeing inbound missions to EAGA member countries in the coming months.

“I am proud to say that the strong and sustained private and public partnership has

BIMP-EAGA to expand partnership with China

B

anking on its long-term partnership with China, the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia and Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area is looking to expand its partnership with the country to include trading and investments.

This was expressed by the Philippine Signing Minister of BIMP-EAGA and Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Datu Abul Khayr Alonto to the Chinese delegation present during the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Seminar held at Nanning, Guangxi, China from September 12-15. One of the seminars zoomed in on the potentials and opportunities of economic cooperation such as BIMP-EAGA. China is one of the de-

BIMP, 13

6 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

The main battle area in Marawi City as viewed from neighboring Marantao town, Lanao del Sur at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, 16 September 2017, Day 117 of the Marawi Crisis. The military announced through a press release late Saturday evening that the troops had taken control of the Bato Mosque and Amaitul Islamiya Marawi Foundation at 5 p.m. The military said these two structures were previously held by the Maute Group. But where are the hostages? MindaNews photo by FERDINANDH B. CABRERA

Senator lauds good MILF, BIFF clash anew: 2 dead governance in ARMM F

P

asay City (September 18, 2017) - Representatives of the ARMM led by Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman faced the Senate Committee on Finance (Subcommittee E) chaired by Senator Pan�ilo Lacson to seek endorsement of the region’s 33.469B budget to the Senate plenary.

Senator Lacson and Senator Juan Mgiuel Zubiri, were present during the interpellation of the ARMM budget.

BBL key to better governance During the hearing, allegations of corruption among local executives in the ARMM were raised by Zubiri. Hataman raised the issue of jurisdiction since local government units are not legally required to submit reports to the ARMM when it comes to the

said units’ expenditures.

“One thing I assure you: If the funds are part of the budget allocation for the ARMM, [...] ito nga po ang pangako ko lagi and I am proud to say this, kung meron isa at sabihin, merong project sa loob ng ARMM from 2012 nung naglilingkod na ako hanggang 2017, kahit isang metro na naghost, ipakita lang ang ebidensya, pwede ako bumitiw sa pwesto,” Hataman replied.

The governor then cited Republic Act 9054 or the Organic Act of the ARMM and noted that the legislation does not provide for oversight powers when it comes to local government units in the region. “’Yun ‘yung defect ng batas, as a matter of policy, halimbawa mag-Bangsamoro Basic Law tayo ngayon kung gusto

natin ng strong coordination,” Hataman stressed.

Lacson notes DPWH efforts vs ghost projects “’Yung map-based na electronic platform, that’s good. In fact I endorsed it to the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) during their DBCC hearing na baka pwede ireplicate, gawin nang national,” Lacson said in support of Hataman’s claim regarding absence of ghost projects in the ARMM. “That is very useful pagdating sa elimination ng ghost project because it’s open to the public, [...] and the public has complete access dun sa mismong project and makikita mismo ang implementation,” he said.

Lacson did inquire, however, if the quality of the proj-

ects implemented were at par with government standards.

“May dalawa kaming level ng monitoring and testing,” Hataman replied. “One is the quality control managed by the regional Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-ARMM) and, aside from that, the Of�ice of the Regional Governor through the Regional Planning and Development Of�ice (RPDO), meron kaming tinatawag na Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) which is composed of civil society,our regional legislative assembly so maaassure ko ‘yung quality.”

Fighting corruption After a rigorous line of questioning, Zubiri acknowledged Hataman’s efforts towards good governance.(Bureau of Public Information)

ighting erupted anew Sunday between government-allied Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and ISIS-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao, leaving two MILF �ighters killed and four others injured, police said.

Senior Supt. Agustin Tello, Maguindanao police provincial director, said Monday the �ighting between the MILF Task Force Ittihad (Unity) and BIFF, an armed group operating in Maguindanao second district who pledged allegiance to ISIS, erupted at 1 p.m. Sunday in Barangays Tee and Andavit, Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.

The slain MILF �ighters

were not identi�ied in the report. Those injured were Surani Abelusa, 50 of Midsayap, North Cotabato; Taha Sabpa, 30 of Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao; Mustapha Musa, 40, of Mamasapano, Maguindanao, and Mokamad Kadil of Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, all followers of MILF Commander Ustsdz Goma.

Tello said MILF and Datu Salibo poluce could not say how many BIFF terrorists were killed in the three-hour clash.

The MILF had been hunting down ISIS-inspired group led by Abu Toraife after the terrorist group tried to in�iltrate MILF held areas in Maguindanao.( Edwin Fernandez /PNA)

30 families flee homes due to floods, landslides Guv: IP welfare at stake with NCIP P1K budget

C

AGAYAN DE ORO CITYMillions of the country’s tribal peoples, including the “lumads” (native inhabitants) of Bukidnon and Northern Mindanao, will be at the losing end once the P1,000 budget approved by the House of Representatives for the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for 2018 sees the light of day, said Governor Jose Maria Zubiri Jr. One of the essential services that would be adversely affected is the processing of

titles for certi�icate of ancestral domain claims (CADC), Zubiri said, pointing out that review of such applications require hefty budget for NCIP due to the technical work.

Bukidnon is home to seven tribal groups namely, the Bukidnon, Higaonon, Talaandig, Manobo, Matigsalug, Tigwahanon and Umayamnon. These tribes have pending CADC applications, the governor disclosed.

“It saddens me,” the governor said, “because

36 to 37 percent of the 1.4 million people in Bukidnon are lumads and they are the poorest.”

As the chair of the Regional Development Council for Region 10, Zubiri said he will push Congress to “reconsider its decision.”

“I would like to appeal for compassion from the members of Congress. The budget should be appropriated for whatever agency that will receive it,” he added.

The Lower House was supposed to approve the

proposed P1.13 billion proposed budget for the NCIP. To complement the national budget for the province’s Indigenous Peoples, Zubiri said his administration has green-lighted the release of about P10 million to help Bukidnon’s indigenous peoples in processing their ancestral domain claims.

“That (P10 million) is not even enough, he said, pointing to the costs such as payment for surveyors, processing of pertinent documents, among others.

A

least 30 families have been displaced while 13 houses were partially damaged after �lash�loods and landslides hit an upland village here over the weekend.

Cyrus Urbano, city administrator, said Monday residents in portion of Barangay Saravia were forced to leave their homes due to �loods and landslides, brought by hours of heavy rains.

He said the affected areas were hillside and riverside communities at sitios Cabuling, Dungan Lahek and old El Gawel, and Purok Cris-

mus.

The initial evacuation was reported on Friday night at upland portions of Sitio Dungan Lahek and Cabuling, where three residents were con�irmed injured, he said.

On Sunday night, several residents living in the lowland portions of Cabuling were also forced to evacuate due to severe �looding.

“Our assessment and validation are currently ongoing, and we have provided initial relief assistance to the affected residents,” he said in a radio interview. (PNA)

COMPETITIVE EDGE 7 EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

Smart strengthens PH. retail network

1

5 September 2017] PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications (Smart) has partnered with the Metro Retail Stores Group, Inc. (MRSGI), one of the country’s top retailers, to expand its retail footprint in the National Capital Region, South Luzon, Central Luzon and the Visayas areas, making its products and services more accessible to its millions of subscribers.

With the partnership, Smart, TNT, and Sun Prepaid Cards will now be sold in Metro Stores, including SIM packs, and Smart Bro devices.

“Partnerships with retailers like Metro Retail Stores

is important for Smart as we bring our products and services closer to our subscribers using their existing network,” said Alex O. Caeg, head of Wireless Consumer Division Sales and Distribution at Smart.

“Our stronghold in the Visayas and Mindanao will help Smart further strengthen its brand presence. We have 52 stores across the country that can accommodate Smart activities or promo launches. A marketable brand with over 50 million subscribers, Smart is a lucrative brand to carry in our stores,” said Jonathan Juan “JJ” Moreno, chief strate-

SMART, 7

Smart, Metro Retail Stores forge partnership. In photo are (L-R) Center Head for Key Accounts Acquisition Team George Gordon; Head of Key Accounts Princesita Katigbak; and head of Consumer Wireless Division Sales and Distri-

bution Alex Caeg, all from Smart; and from Metro Retail Stores Group, Jonathan Juan Moreno, Chief Strategy Officer; Anna Marie Periquet, Vice President for Corporate Affairs; and Karan Malani, Deputy Chief Merchandising Officer.

DOF adopts single platform to ease trading requirements C A

high-level committee chaired by the secretary of the Department of Finance has agreed to adopt a government-built online platform for traders as the vehicle for the country’s National Single Window, which aims to facilitate trade, heighten transparency in customs procedures and improve revenue collection.

DOF Undersecretary and Chief Economist Gil Beltran said this online trading platform—TradeNet.gov.ph—will perform the functions of the

NSW, which will eventually be interconnected by December to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Single Window, a regional initiative that aims to speed up cargo clearances and promote economic integration by enabling the electronic exchange of border documents among the organization’s 10 member-states.

The NSW Steering Committee met last Aug. 30 at the Ayuntamiento building of the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) to discuss the imple-

mentation of the Philippines’ single window, along with related measures to facilitate trade and improve the ease of doing business.

Besides the DOF, the other members of the NSW Steering Committee are the secretaries of the Departments of Trade and Industry (DTI), Agriculture (DA), Transportation (DOTR), Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Health (DOH); the governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the director-general of the National

Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

In a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Beltran said the members of the steering committee also agreed to “streamline and automate processes their respective processes “to minimize costs of doing business and enhance the country’s competitiveness.”

The NSW Steering Committee is part of the NSW Task Force for Cargo Clearance created via Executive Order EO No. 482 issued in 2005. (PNA)

to free popcorn to go with their favorite blockbuster movies. Those who booked tickets at SM Cinemas using Globe Rewards can double their points, plus the �irst 20 customers at each branch also received a surprise gift from Globe.

Those who want to experience the thrill of the theater can enjoy the wholesome family fun of The Sound of

Music, as Globe LIVE brings the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical to Manila. As a special treat to its customers, Globe Rewards for its Postpaid customers offers 20% discounts on A-reserve and B-reserve seats to the Sound of Music shows on Tuesday to Friday from September 15 to 17.

For gamers, they can head out to Quantum

Amusement branches and get four additional tokens for every 10 tokens or by scanning the promo through the Globe Rewards app from September 15 all the way to December 31.

To �ind out more about the latest promos and how to redeem them, visit the Globe Rewards page at http://www.globe.com.ph/ rewards.

Enjoy exclusive privileges with Globe Rewards

T

ake time to unwind this month, with the exclusive perks from Globe Rewards as it celebrates 917 day! As a way of saying “thank you” to all its valued customers, Globe Rewards offers exciting deals and discounts for their preferred type of entertainment.

Last September 17, Globe customers watching at the Ayala Cinemas were treated

Cebu Landmasters Inc. opens MesaTierra showroom in Davao

ebu-based and publicly-listed real estate �irm Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) recently opened its MesaTierra Garden Residences showroom right in the heart of Davao City.

Located at the ITH building along the corner of Quirino Street, Davao City, the much-awaited showroom and sales of�ice re�lects MesaTierra’s signature appeal as a refreshing garden community amidst the progressive and booming city.

“We are inviting Davaoenos to visit our newly-opened MesaTierra Garden Residences showroom.

We are now open and ready to serve you,” CLI Chairman and Chief Executive Of�icer Jose R. Soberano III. Housing a scale model of the wonderfully designed garden community of MesaTierra, the showroom seeks to inspire visitors by showing the 5.69-hectare development in its entirety.

To give the visitors a taste of the beautiful garden living experience, the showroom also showcases studio deliverable units and furnished studio and combined units.

“Through the showroom,

we hope to immerse our visitors into the MesaTierra experience. While modern in its extensive use of glass and wood material, the showroom is designed to be in harmony with nature,” said Soberano.

The 250-sqm showroom is wrapped in full-length curtain walls, with the glass structure letting natural light in during daytime while serving as a beacon of light at night.

“With MesaTierra, we offer a relaxing and refreshing garden environment complete with a swimming pool and a sky garden. With the amenities offered, you can unwind and relax after a long day.” said Soberano.

Other amenities include a spa pool, �itness gym, jogging trails, playroom and, prayer room.

In only 6 months since its launch last March 2017, MesaTierra Garden Residences is sold at 85%.

This garden-inspired development is a joint venture under YES Inc. and is developed and managed by Cebu Landmasters in partnership with Yuson Comm Investments.

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s) under LOYOLA PLAN ISSUED TO THE FOLLOWING PLANHOLDERS, TO WIT: PH NAME

CONTRACT NUMBER

C. F. P. NUMBER

1. Benedicto D. Dejan

NNN 111080082

1002503

2. Nancy Farnacita S. Mutia

NNN 130006086

21048474

were lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

Linog Pocaan, a maker of baur or wooden chests adorned with intricate carvings and mother of pearl shells, shows some of his finished items at his home in Tugaya, Lanao del Sur on Sunday, 17 September 2017. Pocaan says his in-

come from selling his works has dipped after the siege in nearby Marawi City broke out. MindaNews photo by H. MARCOS C. MORDENO

9/19,26/10/03

8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

EDITORIAL

Protecting the children

E

veryone may not know this but there is an existing law in Davao City that regulates travels by minors.

Lest it be misuderstod as restricting freedom of travel, adults cannot just bring out minors from Davao City unless they get the consent of the children’s parents and comply with some documentary requirements.

The law says clearly and it applies even if the accompanying adults are the grandparents, aunts, uncles and older siblings of the traveling minors.

To facilitate travel by minors unaccompanied by parents, there is a need to procure from the Davao City Social Services and Development Of�ice permits to travel for children aged 15 years and below. Issuance of permits to travel is covered by the Children’s Welfare Code of Davao, a locally crafted city

EDGEDAVAO

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KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ANGELIE SAVERON BAI FAUZIAH FATIMA SINSUAT AMBOLODTO Reporters MEGHANN STA. INES NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN FUNNY PEARL GAJUNERA Lifestyle CHA MONFORTE LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. ARLENE D. PASAJE Correspondents Cartoons Photography Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. Columnists: D. TACIO G.•DELIGERO • JOHN CARLO TRIA • VIDAGOTIANSE-TAN MIA S. VALVERDE•• NICASIO FRED C. LUMBA • ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA BORBONHENRYLITO • MARY ANN “ADI”• GREGORIO C. QUISIDO LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NIKKI ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ

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GENERAL SANTOS CITY OFFICE MANILA MARKETING OFFICE CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING MARKETING OFFICE Richard C. Ebona | Product Development officer LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager EDMUND D. RENDON Unit 6, SouthbankMarketing Plaza Velez-Yacapin Sts.Address: 04 Orilla St. Purok 4B Lower Bicutan, Taguig City Specialist Cellphone number: 09472652969 General Santos City Cagayan de Oro City JAMILA C. CANONIGO AGUSTIN V. MIAGAN JR Email Address: edgedavao@gmail.com Mobile: (Smart) 0948-823-3685 Tel: (088) 852-4894 Circulation Marketing Specialist

OLIVIA D. VELASCO D.D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONA OLIVIA D. VELASCO JOCELYN S. PANES SOLANI SOLANI MARATAS General Manager Finance Advertising Specialist General Manager Director of Sales Finance OREAL L. REAL Marketing Assistant

ordinance which has existed for more than a decade now.

This came at the heels of a controversy where 15 lumad children were held at the airport for lack of travel permits by their wards. There is an existing law here and that has to be implemented. Not even one’s lack of knowledge will excuse him from the application of the restriction.

For everyone’ss consumption, the permits to travel were processed and released after necessary documents are provided by the applicant. The documents include birth certi�icates and parental consent. The implementation of the Children’s Code of Davao is basically enacted to protect our children from possible incidents of traf�icking. There is no controversy here.

Only some people not informed.

EDGEDAVAO

W

ith recent reports of higher June Foreign direct investment �igures and a heightened growth forecast from international institutions it seems that our economic growth continues despite the current political noise.

Knowing this it is not surprising that growth often creates in�lation. With this, our in�lation �igures have encountered a slight uptick.

Yet as observed by donor agencies, this growth is driven by consumption of goods by the people. This is a good sign, since it means that people are buying products produced by locals, which in turn creates jobs.

Lately, prices of some commodities have gone up as a result of the recent bird �lu scare and typhoons in Luzon. Yet the reality we need

S

ea cucumbers – those marine invertebrates with the shape of the vegetable fruit that they are named after – may be weird marine creatures but to some people, they are delectable.

Across Asia, sea cucumbers have long been a staple in peoples’ diets, mainly in soups, stews and stir-fries. They are highly nutritious – described as “an ideal tonic food” – as they provide more protein and less fat than most foods. “Like tofu, it is �lavorless but absorbs the �lavors of its surrounding seasonings and foods,” wrote an epicurean.

Generally, sea cucumbers are sold as “trepang,” which is easier to store and handle than the fresh product. They are valued as an exotic delicacy and a �lavorful condiment for soups, noodles and other dishes.

In some parts of Europe, whole “bêche-de-mer” can be stuffed with a �illing of pork, cornstarch and chopped fried �ish. Cooked fresh and quickly on a hot griddle, “espardenyes” are served with olive, sea salt and a squeeze of lemon in Spain.

They can also be prepared as salads and eaten fresh minus the internal organs.

To some people, sea cucumbers are more than just food. In fact, there are people who believe sea animals possess some aphrodisiac powers. The reason for this

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Better Logistics needed to Grow! Grow! Grow! to face is that severe weather patterns will be upon us, creating short term spikes in in�lation when it decreases the amount of food produced in a particular economy.

This explains why during typhoon seasons, commodity prices of food items go up in Luzon but not in Mindanao.

Eventually, the food prices ease as more production eventually recovers.

These swings are not good, as they create volatility that tends to affect the stability of growth when prices spike. As I have written before, what matters is that government does what it can to keep in�lation within a preset band, and not allow it to go beyond this sensitivity.

There are tools the economic team can use to in�luence in�lation behavior, but that is the subject of another column.

MY TWO CENTS’ John Carlo B. Tria However, it is clear that the cost of food is exacerbated by the reality that logistics within the country is poor and expensive, what with all the double handling and transfers needed to bring

these goods to the Visayas and Luzon.

Even if Mindanao is the food basket, and even as economic growth and consumption increases, our inability to bring them to other areas quickly and cheaply is a chronic problem needing a long terms solution if we hope for our production to achieve sustained increases.

We are therefore seeing the effect of in�lation spikes due to a variety of factors. Whether we blame government or not we need to realize that food prices are affected by supply and demand concerns fed by growing patters and distribution issues owing to expensive distribution.

With this, we all need to plant, plant and plant to increase the buffer of food supply to feed a population growing more af�luent and

buying more food. Time to buy seeds and activate our backyard gardens. Time to return to our ancestral properties and make them productive.

At the very least we are able to feed ourselves. The volume of commodities we no longer buy from the market will contribute to increasing the available stock, and keep prices low.

Beyond this, however, we will need to �ind better and cheaper ways to bring our produce to the markets, for instance of tourist hubs Cebu and Bohol.

With the proposed Mindanao railway in the works, and various port improvements, we hope that more affordable and faster means of transport and more ef�icient logistics may be availed of in the future.

From the Farm.”

Aside from food, there’s also an emerging market for the use of sea cucumbers in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Common medicinal uses of sea cucumber in China include treating: weakness, impotence, debility of the aged, constipation due to intestinal dryness, and frequent urination.

As demand continues to escalate, the supply dwindles – to the extent that their population is now in jeopardy.

“With over�ishing, there has been a decline in the populations of sea cucumbers in our coastal waters where they dwell in the bottom of seagrass beds and coral reefs feeding on organic matter,” wrote Dr. Guerrero, former director of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development.

The overharvesting of sea cucumber is due to its big demand and high price. “A kilo of dried sea cucumbers can sell as much as P4,500 in the local market and P12,000 in the export market,” Dr. Guerrero said.

The Philippines is one of the top ten sea cucumber exporting countries of the world which include the neighboring countries Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Sea cucumber stocks are under intense �ishing

pressure throughout the world, according to a recent report released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (FAO).

Most high value commercial species have been depleted.

In Asia and the Paci�ic region, the most sought-after species are largely depleted.

The region generates some 20,000 to 40,000 tons per year, which are exported to China and other Asian markets.

“The fast pace of development of sea cucumber �isheries to supply growing international demand is placing most �isheries and many sea cucumber species at risk,” pointed out the FAO report, “Sea Cucumbers: A Global Review of Fisheries and Trade.”

Sea cucumbers – which are echinoderms just like star�ish and sea urchins – are utilized almost exclusively as an export commodity. This huge export makes the population to decline signi�icantly. “Yes, we used to have a lot of sea cucumbers in our coastal areas,” admits Dr. Guerrero. “They have been depleted because of overharvesting.”

While sea cucumbers are highly-valued, the large bulk of sea cucumbers harvested from the wild in the country is low-priced because “the dried forms are of different varieties, undersized and poorlyprocessed,” Dr. Guerrero said.

Big demand for sea cucumbers

belief is the peculiar reaction of the creature on being kneaded or disturbed slightly with �ingers. It swells and stiffens and a jet of water is released from one end. This behavior is similar to the erection and subsequent ejaculation of the male sexual organ.

By the way, people in Palau use the sea cucumber to protect their feet when walking in the reef. They squeeze the sea cucumber until it squirts out sticky threads, which they put on their feet. Even though this practice may sound harsh, the sea cucumber returns to the reef unharmed.

In the Philippines, sea cucumbers are found in burrows, seagrass beds or sandy areas with large amounts of coral rubbles. Some are found in waters of up to 20 meters deep. These can be found off the coastal waters of Zamboanga City; Zamboanga del Sur; Zamboanga del Norte; Basilan Province; Jolo, Sulu; South Cotabato; Surigao del Norte; Villareal and Catbalogan, Samar; Negros Occidental; Cebu; Calatagan, Bangas; Polilio Island, Quezon; Masinloc, Zambales; San Vicente, Cagayan; San Fernando, La Union; Bolinao, Bani and Alaminos, Pangasinan.

For almost a century, the harvesting and processing of sea cucumbers has been a source of income for

THINK ON THESE!

Henrylito D. Tacio

many Filipino families. As Naga, the publication of the WorldFish Center, reported in 1987: “The steady demand for sea cucumbers from other countries has made sea cucumber harvesting an attractive source of income for many Filipinos. In many islands and coastal villages, the income derived from it constitutes a signi�icant portion of a family’s livelihood.”

There are some 1,250 known species and the Philippines is home to 200 species, of which 14 are commercially important.

“They are considered to be of high value for their big demand in local and foreign markets as seafood items and source of pharmaceuticals,” wrote Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III in his monthly column, “Straight

10

NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

COUNTER... FROM 1 kaso ilang g-�ile sa city and SUMIFRO (Philippines) Corporation parang this year lang nag �ile,” Pelino said.

But in its petition, the agricultural plantation claimed that the imposition of the tax was “excessive, oppressive, con�iscatory, arbitrary and discriminatory.”

Lawyer Mark Peñalver, IDIS policy advocacy specialist said that the agricultural companies wanted to invalidate the article imposing taxes.

He said the companies are also working to have the ordinance declared unconstitutional.

The ordinance has mandated that 25 centavos per square meter should be collected from the agricultural businesses, both principal and growers operating in Agro-Forestry/Agricultural Non-Tillage Areas and Prime Agricultural Areas of not less than 50 hectares payable upon the renewal of annual business permits.

The IDIS of�icial added there was poor implementation in the collection of taxes from the agricultural taxes, forcing the NGO to lobby time and again.

“Unsaon man na nato nga daghan kaayo economic activities sa atong mga watershed and walay enough na budget

to rehabilitate and to maintain,” said Pelino.

He said the collected amount arising from the environmental tax was meant to fund programs and projects related to protection and rehabilitation of watersheds to mitigate the damages posed by businesses that operate in the watershed areas, even before the ordinance was passed.

The Tamugan- Panigan Water shed is one of the watersheds protected by the ordinance. Randy Legaspi of the Bantay Bukid said that if the watershed ordinance will be disregarded then there is a possibility that the watersheds will suffer.

He said their group is pushing for the upholding of the watershed code to help protect the source of water for future generations. A total 221 bantay bukid of�icers are monitoring the watersheds of the region, 52 of them are in Tamugan- Panigan watershed area. “Dapat ang plantation kay nag ka income na sila, nagagamit na sila sa yuta, sa tubig, ug hangin sa Panigan-Tamugan dapat mubayad sila para naa madungag sa rehabilitation project at the same time didto nalang pud kuhaon ang incentive sa bantay bukid,” said Pelino.

#SaveSexy in Davao -- an awareness campaign on the HIV-AIDS. The establishment of the RHWC has made the city host of two HIV-AIDS treatment facility. The other facility is in the Southern Philippines Medical Center.

With the RHWC, the City Health Of�ice has become very active in addressing reproductive health and HIV issues in support of the country’s national response to HIV-AIDS. The prevalence of HIVAIDS in the city made it the Top 5 on the list of the country’s areas with the most number of reported cases from January 1984 to February 2016.

From January to June this year alone, a total of 524 people had been diagnosed with HIV. Of the number, 49 percent or 259 undergo treatment at the RHWC. The RHWC was also chosen to become a pilot testing site for rHIVda (Rapid HIV Diagnostic Algorithm) even as hospitals continued to use the western blot as con�irmatory test for HIV. Under the western blot system, the sample would be processed at the STD AIDS Cooperative Center Laboratory (SACCL) in Manila and it usually takes more than three weeks

for the results to be known.

But using rHIVda, the determination of the result is much faster.

Aside from establishing the necessary facility for HIV concerns, the city also continuously conducts information and education campaign to somehow minimize the stigma attached to HIV. The City Population Of�ice also closely coordinates with universities and high schools for the conduct of seminars and symposiums on STI and HIV-AIDS. The RHWC, aside from helping HIV patients, has also been very active in encouraging people to be tested for HIV, considering that treatment is available for those detected at an early stage.

“Early detection, especially for those with high-risk lifestyle, is encouraged,” RHWC head Dr. Jordana Ramiterre said.

The other priority concerns of Mayor Inday under Byaheng Do30 are: Poverty Alleviation, Infrastructure Development, Solid Waste Management, Education, Agriculture, Tourism, Transportation Planning and Traf�ic Management, Peace and Order, and Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation.

CIO

“These new assets will go a long way in enabling the PCG to perform itsmission to enforce our maritime laws, conduct sea disaster search andrescue when needed and protect our marine environ-

ment,” Pimentel said.

Of the P6.7-billion in new appropriations, P3.1 billion is lodged in the budget of the PCG itself, while P3.6 billion is in the allocation of itsmother agency, the Department of

FIGHT... FROM 1

COAST... FROM 2

MODEL FAMILY. Department of social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 11 director Mercidita Habagat (leftmost) introduces the Bentua Family from Sto. Tomas,Davao Del Norte who recently won the regional search for HuwarangPamilya2017 during KapehansaDabawat the Annex of SMCity Davao on Monday.

Lean Daval Jr.

Transportation, according to Pimentel.

The lawmaker said 4,000 new positions for PCG uniformed personnel have been also authorized in view of the upcoming new vessels.

“We’ve increased from 8,930 this year to 12,930 in 2018 the authorized positions for uninformed PCG personnel,” he said.

At present, the PCG has �illed up 8,792 of the 8,930 authorized positions for uniformed personnel. The PCG also has 506 positions for civilian employees, of which 352 are �illed.

Pimentel said the PCG is also procuring high-performance rigid in�latable boats (RIBs), ranging from seven to 15 meters, which can be used to deploy troops from bigger patrol vessels or shores, and can also serve as lifeboats.

“These high-speed RIBs will be helpful in vessel interdiction and non-compliant boarding team operations.

They can also help �ight off terrorists as well as drug smugglers aboard motorized boats,” Pimentel said.

In April this year, in an attempt to kidnap foreign tourists, at least 11 members of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group sailed on board three motorized boats all the way to Inabanga, Bohol from Indanan, Sulu.

The raiders were beaten by local military and police units with the help of alert Inabanga residents. Of the 11 attackers, 10 were killed while was one captured and later slain after he attempted to escape.

With respect to drug traf�icking, the bulk of the Philippines’ supply of shabu is smuggled in by ships from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The ships take advantage of the Philippines’ vast and poorly patrolled coastline to of�load the drugs into smaller boats that deliver the supplies to local traf�ickers.

Pimentel said the country has at least three “hotspots” that require intensive coastal patrol operations – the West Philippine Sea, NorthernLuzon and Sulu Sea.(PNA)

“Hindi pa namin siya nakita, bago lang ito. Hindi namin alam kung nasaan siya, kung nasa Marawi o dalhin sa Manila (We haven’t seen him.

We just knew now. We don’t know where he is, if he is in Marawi or he will be brought to Manila),” he added.

On the other hand, Ozamiz Archbishop Martin Jumoad lauded the safe release of the hostages, noting that the power of prayer prevailed.

“So many are praying for his freedom. So many Masses are celebrated for that intention,” he said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philip-

pines (CBCP) news website.

The Mindanao prelate added, “The power of prayer is once again shown as a witness of our solid faith in God.” The rescue of Fr. Chito was con�irmed Sunday by Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza.

Dureza, in his Facebook post, said the update was relayed to him by his staff in the Of�ice of the Presidential Peace Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) based in Iligan City.

Dureza said that Fr. Chito was rescued at 11 p.m. Saturday at the Bato Mosque.

(PNA)

CATHOLIC... FROM 2

CALOOCAN... FROM 3

face dismissal from service, prison terms, and perpetual disquali�ication from public of�ice.

The 13 of�icers who barged into the home of a 51-year-old woman in Barrio Sta. Rita, Barangay 188, Tala on Sept. 7 without a search warrant are already facing a robbery charge.

They stole cash and watches worth P30,000 from the house. They also did not �ile a spot report after their search, which did not yield any drugs.

The erring of�icers likewise committed violations

when they allowed a civilian informer to carry a �irearm and participate in the search, and when they wore clothes that made it dif�icult to ascertain whether they were hooligans or agents of the law, according to the National Police Commission.

All 1,200 members of the Caloocan police have been sacked on account of the break-in and robbery that was caught on security video and broadcast over TV and the Internet, amid prior accusations of complicity in the summary killings of two teenagers.(PNA)

and take a much-needed rest.

“We’ve been longing to see and spend some time with him. He has gone through a lot but we know that he will come out stronger from these,” he said.

Meanwhile, South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes lauded the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the safe rescue of Fr. Chito.

“This is a good news for us here in South Cotabato,” said the governor, who had been

closely following the operations of government stoops against the Maute group in Marawi City and the status of the abducted priest.

She said the priest’s rescue only shows that the crisis in Marawi City is �inally nearing its end after nearly four months.

The governor called on the remaining members of the Maute group to just surrender to prevent more bloodshed.

(PNA)

ment is likewise pinning its hopes that nothing untoward will happen, as far as security is concerned during the conduct of the ASEAN meetings.

Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto said there may be a third meeting in the province next month, but he is still waiting for con�irmation from the organizers.

Espino said the strength of the personnel is enough to repel any potential threat to the summit which ends on

Thursday.

This early, a no-�ly and no-sail zone has been implemented near the resort where the summit will be held.

The summit will be the third biggest international conference hosted by Bohol this year.

After the April meeting of ASEAN trade ministers, Bohol also hosted the 34-nation Asia Cooperation Dialogue on the food-water nexus last month. (Dave Albarado/PNA)

PRIEST... FROM 3

THREAT... FROM 3

INdulge!

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

TRAVEL

EDGEDAVAO

INTO THE VALLEY OF THE LATTE

THEY SAY that the peoples of the Pacific share a common ancestry and even though the island of Guam may be over 2,000 kilometers from the Philippines, there are many things that we share with the Chamorro people, the original inhabitants of Guam. This was made more clear thanks to a visit to the Valley of the Latte thanks to the invitation of the Guam Visitors Bureau.

Latte (pronounced LahTi) are an icon of Guam and many of the island dotting the Marianas Islands. Composed of two stones, the shaft stone placed on the ground called the “haligi” and a cap stone called the “tasa”, latte stones formed the foundations of important structures in Chamorro villages.

The tour of The Valley of the Latte starts near the mouth of the Talofofo River.

As we made our way slowly upstream, our tour group was transported to another time at the heart of Guam. Our guides shared the rich history and culture of the Ancient Latte site, how the local tribesmen used the wild hibiscus plant for many of their building needs. There was also a quick lesson on the local flora and fauna thanks to a quick crab and fish feeding stop.

We eventually made our way to a living Chamorro village representing the daily lives of the people and also where we can see the actual

latte stones. A Botanical Garden also showcases the vegetation and fresh water spring that allowed the people to live off of the land.

At the village we met the Ulitao, a passionate group of Guam islanders working to revive, preserve, and grow the Chamorro’s ancient seafaring traditions. They skilfully craft every canoe using local resources and traditional techniques. Their home at the Valley of the Latte provides a deeply felt experience of the living history of Guam.

After touring the village our group was given a quick lesson in Chamorro village life essentials such as fire starting using coconut husk fiber and gumamela sticks, and basket weaving, which left our group amazed at the skill and creativity of the island’s weavers.

A trip to the Valley of the Latte is not complete without a visit to its animal sanctuary which features the typical farm animals in a Chamorro Village. This includes chickens, goats, and karabao which

Cruising down the Talofofo and Ugum Rivers.

Latte stones from the foundation of a building.

A Chamorro woman shows her basket weaving skills.

were introduced by the Spaniards to Guam from the Philippines as a beast of burden.

Guam may be a destination for non-stop shopping but a trip to The Valley of the Latte should not be missed for both adults and kids alike to learn something new from the old.

Cebu Pacific flies three times weekly from Manila to Guam.

TOP: Mangrove crab feeding time on the Talofofo River.

RIGHT: Hanging out with the Ulitao at their boat-making building.

EDGEDAVAO

A2INdulge!

TRAVEL THE FIRST LEG of the Philippine Surfing Championship Tour (PSCT), the 19th Siargao National Surfing Cup, kicked off yesterday with a total of 186 surfers from different regions in the country.

The first day was spent qualifying 18-and-under surfers, the top 12 of which will advance to the main Men’s Open division. With 1 to 2 feet waves on offer, the day’s action began when crowd favorite, 8 year old Kaikai Alcala, the youngest competitor in the contest, who showed everyone that he shouldn’t be underestimated because of his size as he competed against surfers twice as big as him.

Alcala nabbed a clean overhead head wave (for him) during the last minute of his heat, posting a 5.25 score and snatching second place away from 17-year-old Brent Carlo Manegdeg, while Wawa Delamide put up a dominating performance and easily secured his first place spot.

18-year-old Mike Canon from Barangay Catangnan, General Luna, Siargao displayed an impressive performance during the first round of the contest, posting the

highest single wave score of 8.00 against fellow Siargaonon surfers Jomar Saavedra, Jimmy Gultian and Thark Alipayo. The intensity was felt at the Cloud 9 tower when Canon showed his prowess in the second round by putting together powerful combinations of turns to seal his victory. Canon earned the highest combined score of 12.25 (out of a possible 20 points) of the day’s competition.

14-year-old Gabriel Lerog and John Carlos Nogalo shook up the competition when they put on an outstanding show, exchanging snaps and cut

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

19th Siargao National Surfing Cup kicks off

backs during their first round heat. The spectators at the tower went crazy when Lerog landed an air reverse, the only completed aerial of the day. The judges rewarded him with a 7.25 score, which gave him the lead against John Carlos Nogalo to win the heat.

“Medyo kinabahan din ako sa heat ako pero inisip ko na experience din para sa amin to kaya nag enjoy lang kami sa heat namin. Salamat ng marami sa PSCT para sa ganitong competition,” (I was a bit nervous during my heat but I just thought that this competition is all part of our experience, that’s why we just enjoyed it. Thank you to PSCT for organizing this kind of surf competition.) said Lerog, who also gave an outstanding performance at last year’s national surfing cup, earning him a spot in the WSL Qualifying Series international event.

“Okay lang hindi na rin ako nag alala. Kumuha na lang ako ng magandang alon para mapaganda yung sitwasyon ko para

The iconic tower at Cloud 9 in Siargao is in its festive mood for the competition season.

Gabriel Lerog in the middle of an air reverse, the only aerial that was completed during that day in the competition. Photo by Gaps Sabuero hindi na maagaw yung second place,” (It’s okay, I didn’t worry about my heat. I just took enough good waves to secure the second place position.) said John Carlo Nogalo.

Unfortunately, Nogalo came up short against Gabriel Lerog and Kent Brian Solloso during Round 2, failing to advance. Nogalo was in the lead for the majority of the heat, but Solloso’s consistent performance with huge combinations of snaps and cutbacks got him into the lead and earned him the heat win.

Day One of the 19th Siargao National Surfing Cup saw a recordbreaking number of competitors registering for the event, with a total of 186 surfers from areas such as La Union, Baler, Zambales, Catanduanes, Pagudpud, Cebu, Lanuza, Cantilan, Davao and Siargao. 49 of those aspiring competitors were 18 years old and below. Thus, due to the unexpected large number of registrants, PSCT officials decided to have an 18-andunder qualifying round to choose the top 12 who will advance to the main Men’s

Open round.

With a swell forecast of 1 to 2 feet for the second day, PSCT officials have decided to commence Round 1 at 6:00 am. We will witness the Philippines best surfers in action, battling it out for the 19th Siargao National Surfing Cup title and to be the first winner of the Philippine Surfing Championship Tour.

The 19th Siargao National Surfing Cup, a PSCT Grade 2 Sanctioned event is brought to you by the following sponsors and media partners: The Municipality of General Luna, Province of Surigao Del Norte, Department of Tourism, SkyJet Air (Official Airline Partner), Solar Sports (Official TV Partner), Reef, Oakley, Kermit Surf Resort, Gwapitos, Fluidsurf, BackBurn, Greenhouse, Kudo Surf, Inquirer.net, INQPop, The Manila Bulletin, Edge Davao, Going Places Magazine, Blunt Magazine and My Life on Board.

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

UP AND ABOUT

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

SM Store, Pioneer, BDOI launch insurance payment centers nationwide

Marco Polo Davao celebrates Italian explorer’s 763rd birthday with a bang

MAKING IT EASY for people to pay for simple insurance products, The SM Store, BDO Insurance Brokers, Inc. (BDOI) and Pioneer Group launched payment centersin all 56 branches of SM malls on Sept. 6 in Discovery Primea, Ayala Avenue, Makati City.

MARCO POLO DAVAO invites you in celebrating Marco Polo’s 763rd birthday!

Introduced as Insurance Made Easy at The SM Store or Insure ME@SM, customer or business services at the malls now acceptpayments for simple insurance products for travel, dengue and compulsory third party liability (CTPL) for vehicles.

Attending the launching, BDOI General Manager and SVP Tracy Tan explains that one can go to any customer service at The SM Store to pay for insurance, and immediately the coverage will be activated.

Lorenzo Chan, RO Head of Pioneer, which spearheaded the event, said it is the company’s vision to make insurance “reach more people at the most convenient and affordable ways.”

Safe Trip Comprehensive Travel Insurance Worldwide 2.5M provides medical treatment cover up to 2.5 million Philippine pesos and satisfies the Schengen Visa requirement. It also offers personal acci-

Plan your staycation with us from September 1 to 30, 2017 and get 30% off on all suites and club rooms.

Guests also get to enjoy Continental Club Lounge access, early check-in and late check out privileges, 30% discount at our food and beverage outlets, plus a complimentary order of Silk Road Iced Coffee, Marco Polo Hotel’s signature beverage.

For bookings, please visit our website marcpolohotels.com or email us at res.dvo@marcopolohotels. com.

RO Head Lorenzo Chan Jr. poses with The SM Store’s Chelo Monasterio and BDOI’s Tracy Tan during the InsureME launch at the Discovery Suites Primea Makati last September 6, 2017. dent up to Php1 million, personal liability up to Php1.5 million, and covers travel inconveniences, such as trip cancellation, flight delay, and loss of baggage. It additionally provides access to emergency and travel assistance hotlines. Aside from the Worldwide 2.5M, Safe Trip comes in the Worldwide 1.5M and the Domestic 500k variants.

MediCash Dengue Insurance provides a Php10,000 cash assistanceon top of HMO and PhilHealth in the event the covered person is diagnosed with Dengue,

even if diagnosis does not require hospital confinement.

CTPL is required by law before any vehicle will be registered at the Land Transportation Office to cover insurance for death, disablement and medical expenses for person injured due to accident involving the covered vehicle.

For SM Store President Chelo Monasterio, Insure ME@SM manifests its consistency with “the vision to offer as many choices in products and services as possible to its shoppers and the public.”

EDGEDAVAO

A4INdulge!

INdulge!

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

EDGEDAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

Tel No. 082.221.3601/224.1413 Email: edgedavao@gmail.com marketing@edgedavao.net

SCIENCE 11 EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

Seahorses galloping into oblivion

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

‘

The Philippines is a mega diverse country, but it is also one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots, with a large number of species either endangered or threatened of extinction. There needs to be stronger convergence among government agencies and local government units and collaboration with the private sector, civil society and citizens to protect our wildlife

’

species. – Senator Loren Legarda Three years ago, on September 22, the “Philippine Daily Inquirer” carried a news report about rare species of seahorses in the Philippines that had not been seen before in the country’s seas.

Divers reportedly captured on camera two rare species of seahorse.

The news item said: “The photographs of a weedy pygmy seahorse (“Hippocampus pontohi”) and Severn’s pygmy seahorse (“Hippocampus severnsi”) were submitted to the iSeahorse website (www. iseahorse.org), which gathers sightings from the public, and have been veri�ied by the Zoological Society of London’s (ZSL) Project Seahorse as the �irst records of these species in the Philippines.”

The two rare species brought “a total of 11 species of seahorse known to inhabit Philippine waters.”

The report added: “Conservationists hope that news of this discovery will encourage other members of the public to keep their eyes for these chameleon-like �ish when they are out snorkeling or diving in coastal waters.”

“The exciting discovery of these seahorses in new waters demonstrates the important role citizen scientists can play in conservation,” said Chai Apale,

iSeahorse Philippines coordinator for Project Seahorse. “Seahorses are found all over the country, but we need the support and participation of the citizen scientists to help us map out the exact locations of these threatened �ishes.”

Although they are not considered endangered yet, seahorses abound the Philippine waters. The coastal community of Handumon in Getafe, Bohol, for instance, was once upon a time a haven for seahorses. In fact, there used to be seahorse-watching activities.

But when �ishermen learned there was a ready market for the strange-looking �ish, they harvested them as if there was no tomorrow.

“I’ve been �ishing seahorses for 18 years,” a local �isherman told People and the Planet. “They are very important for my family because I use (the money I get for my catch) to buy food and medicine.”

It was in this area where Canadian marine biologist, Dr. Amanda Vincent, established a community-based resource management project in 1995. It later became a full-�ledged non-government organization named Project Seahorse Foundation (PSF).

“I hate the way the �ishermen just hang the seahorses out to dry, stringing them up and leaving them to �lop in the sun,”

Dr. Vincent, one of the world’s leading experts on seahorses, was quoted as saying.

Today, the seahorse-rich waters of Handumon are devoid of the marine creatures that used to abound. According to PSF’s Angie Nellas, they could still easily spot a seahorse within a few-meter radius of the marine protected area. This was between the late ‘90s and in the early 2000. These days, it takes about an hour or so to �ind just even one seahorse.

“Sa una daghan seahorses makuha all over Bohol but opportunistic man ang mga tawo when they discovered the market,” Nellas told Freeman’s Liv G. Campo. Buyers pay from P50 to P70 per seahorse or a whooping P14,000 per kilo.

Dr. Vincent, a Canadian assistant professor in Conservation Biology at McGill University, became interested with seahorses during a three-year-period in a labora-

tory she built herself in Cambridge. She started to kook at the global demand for seahorses after plunging in the Philippine waters and other parts of the world.

She soon sensed trouble. She found out that some seahorse populations have declined by 15-50%, depending on the species. She believed that the global trade in seahorses, involving around 38 countries, is largely to blame.

“The threats are great to seahorses around the world,” said Dr. Vincent, adding that dredging, dumping, polluting, silting and clearing of coastal waters do additional damage by destroying seahorse habitat.

Countries that trade in seahorses include Australia, Belize, Brazil, China, Dubai, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United States, and Vietnam.

Seahorses have been used in Chinese medicine for at least 400 years. They are used to treat asthma, arteriosclerosis, incontinence, impotence, kidney disorders, skin ailments, and thyroid disorders.

The seahorse, whose genus Hippocampus (hippo means “horse” and campus “worm”) is placed in the family Syngnathidae. It swims weakly, propelled largely by the rapid motion of its dorsal �in. Its food primarily of minute planktonic crustaceans, which are ingested into a small mouth at the end of a long

tube-like snout by rapid intake of water.

The seahorse characteristic that many �ind fascinating is the reversed sex roles. The male has a kangaroo-like pouch on its ventral side in which the eggs are deposited by the female and held until they hatch. The eggs are fertilized as they enter the pouch, hatching after approximately 10 days.

“Like chameleons, seahorses can change color to match their surroundings, going from drab to psychedelic in a matter of moments, and they can even grow skin �ilaments to better mimic algae or coral,” Natalie Angier wrote in New York Times.

Seahorses have been swimming the seas for an estimated 40 million years. They are pictured on Greek vases, for they were thought to be the offspring of the stallions that carried the god Poseidon’s chariot across the waves.

The Roman naturalist Pliny wrote that ashes of seahorse could cure baldness, impotence, and rashes.

It wasn’t in the 18th century that scientists realized seahorses are actually �ish, though highly modi�ied ones.

Unlike most �ish, they wear their bones on the outside, as an exoskeletal armor that offers considerable protection against predation.

As �ish, seahorses are very romantic. Once they have chosen a partner, they have eyes for no other. “In a world where in�idelity is almost universal, seahorses pair up and seem

to be unerringly faithful to their mates, reaf�irming their bond each day through elaborate courtship rituals,” Angier wrote.

Scienti�ic studies have shown seahorses having no problem of breeding, but only one in a thousand will reach maturity. Of those, tens of millions are captured and processed annually for medicines or as aphrodisiac.

In its website, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) reported: “Since the mid-1990s, the number of seahorses in trade (domestic and international) has substantially increased, with estimates ranging from 24.5 million to more than 150 million now consumed annually by some 80 countries.”

Trade is not the only threat to seahorses, as their ocean habitat – primarily mangrove, sea grass, and coral ecosystems – are some of the most endangered in the world.

“Worldwide, over the past few decades an estimated half of all mangrove habitats have been destroyed; nearly 60 percent of coral reef habitat has disappeared, become degraded and/or fallen under imminent threat; and some 1,400 square miles of sea grass habitat has been lost,” AWI reported.

“Such degradation – caused by coastal development, pollution, dredging, climate change, and destructive �ishing practices that include the use of trawls, dynamite and poisons – are just some of the threats to the places seahorses call home,” AWI added.

12 NEWS

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

IDIS throws support behind city case ever Wateshed Ordinance

D

AVAO CITY--The Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) has vowed to intervene in the case �iled by big banana players questioning the legality of the Watershed Code, particularly on the payment of environmental tax at P0.25 centavos per square meter.

IDIS executive director Chinkie Pelino-Golle said owners of these plantations have been paying the environmental tax to city since 2014 even as it was under protest.

Golle noted that it was only after six to seven years since the approval of the Davao City Watershed Code in 2007 that the banana plantations paid their environmental tax.

The case is against the city government, but Golle said IDIS will �ile a motion for in-

tervention to support the city government against plantations who reportedly refused to pay their payment for environmental services.

The banana plantations are operating within the city’s Talomo-Lipadas and Panigan-Tamugan watershed area.

There are four big banana plantations within the area.

Golle said the big banana players have argued that the imposition of the environmental tax is excessive.

She said banana plantations do not only wish to invalidate the provision on environmental tax, but to declare the Code as unconstitutional.

According to IDIS, Section 42 of the Davao City’s Watershed Code mandates the annual collection of environmental tax on all agricultural

business operating in agricultural non-tillage and prime agricultural areas of not less than 50 hectares at the rate of 25 centavos per square meter upon renewal of their business permits.

The environmental tax will be used to fund conservation and rehabilitation of watersheds to mitigate damages posed by businesses operating within the area.

The Watershed Code of Davao City was passed in 2007 during the term of mayor now President Rodrigo Duterte with the aim to protect, to manage, and conserve the city’s water resources.

There are 9,570 hectares declared as conservation area or agricultural, non-tillage areas.

The Code has provided a

buffer zone to protect the watershed areas from pesticides.

“We in IDIS are disappointed because the Watershed Code of Davao City is being questioned in court,” she said.

IDIS will also be joined

by Bantayo Aweg and Bantay Bukid, whose members are also residents in nearby communities but serve as monitors in the area.

Legaspi of Bantay Bukid said his group is backing the city government. He underscored the importance of protecting the rivers to prevent severe �looding not only in their community but those areas in the downstream.

Bantay Bukid is also deputized by the city for the protection of the watershed areas.

(Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)

PRRD says Sept. 21 is a‘Day of Protest’ M

President Rodrigo Duterte

ANILA - President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday said that he would not declare September 21 a holiday but would instead declare it as a “Day of Protest.”

“September 21 is not a holiday. I have declared it as a “Day of Protest.” Lahat ng gustong mag-protesta laban sa gobyerno, laban sa pulis, sa military o lahat, magbabaan kayo diyan, mag-protesta kami (All those who want to protest against the government, against the police, military or everyone. You all come downand conduct a protest action),” Duterte told reporters during a chance interview after his visit to the wake of a

slain policeman in Caloocan City.

The President said classes will be suspended and government of�ices would be closed on Thursday.

September 21 marks the 45th anniversary of the declaration of martial law by the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

Various groups announced to stage massive demonstrations on the said day.

Duterte said everyone is free to join the rallies, including government workers.

“Oo, walang trabaho. Kung gusto ‘yung taga-gobyerno, meron man ‘yang ‘yung mga union diyan (There will be no work. Those working with the government who are mem-

bers of employees unions), the unions created under the -- they should participate,” he said.

“Kami ring mga taga-gobyerno, ako mag-protesta rin kasi ang aming sahod maliit.

Wala kaming equipment, wala kaming mga allowance. Sabay tayong mag-protesta sa gobyerno natin (We in the government will also protest because our salaries are low, we don’t have equipment and we don’t have allowances. Let us all stage a protest against the government),” Duterte added.

The President said even the New People’s Army (NPA) are free to join the rallies for as long as the demonstrations are peaceful. (PNA)

UST condemns death Senate asked to views of student in hazing ethics plaint with caution

M

ANILA - The University of Santo Tomas (UST) on Monday condemned the death of law student Horacio Castillo III due to alleged hazing.

“We condemn in no uncertain terms hazing in any form or manner. Violence has no place in an academic institution, particularly in the University of Santo Tomas that values and promotes charity and compassion,” the Catholic university said in a statement.

At the same time, the university expressed sympathy to Castillo’s family “No words can describe our sadness for this unfortunate incident. We express our profound sympathy and offer our prayers to his family for their pain and anguish--- a pain that we share seeing that the life of our very own student, with all of its aspirations and potentials, taken away because of a senseless act,” the statement added. (PNA)

M

ANILA-Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Monday urged his colleagues to view complaints �iled before the Senate Ethics Committee with extreme caution as the number of complaints continue to pile up.

Drilon, former Justice Secretary, made this remark the same day former Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon �iled an ethics complaint against Senator Pan�ilo Lac-

son.

It may be recalled that Lacson, in a privilege speech, exposed corruption within the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and alleged that Faeldon received PHP100 million worth of “pasalubong” or payoffs. Faeldon, however, denied these allegations.

The senator said that he was concerned that the “relentless” �iling of complaints has “cheapened the process.”. (PNA)

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER AND/OR RELINQUISHMENT OF RIGHT

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late MARTINIANO MERILLO CASTILLON, SR. who died on April 23, 1997 at Davao City has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER AND/OR RELINQUISHMENT OF RIGHT executed among his heirs, per Doc. No.178; PageNo.35; Book No.XXIX; Series of 2017, of the NOTARY PUBLIC BANSALAN B. METILLA. 9/5, 12, 19 EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF REAL ESTATE Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late EUTROPIO AVERGONZADO and GREGORIA SERADO-AVERGONZADO who died on June 27, 1984 and September 15, 1993 at Brgy. Cawayan, Calinan, Davao City, Philippines has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF REAL ESTATE executed among their heirs, per Doc. No.180; Page No.35; Book No.XXIX; Series of 2017, of the NOTARY PUBLIC BANSALAN B. METILLA..

9/5, 12, 19 EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH ASSUMPTION OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late SEVERIANO TAJON who died on August 4, 2006 at Davao City has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH ASSUMPTION OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE executed among his heirs, per Doc. No.177; PageNo.35; Book No.XXIX; Series of 2017, of the NOTARY PUBLIC BANSALAN B. METILLA. 9/5, 12, 19

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US... FROM 5

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presence in the Philippines due to huge domestic market, rapid economic growth and expanding middle class.

Sec. Lopez also met with

the of�icials of a research-centric organization, the US-Philippines Society, for a collaborative project to streamline the country’s revenue-gener-

ating operations, to respond to internal and external security concerns, and to mitigate the impact of global warming on vulnerable sectors. (PNA)

been one of the strengths of this economic cooperation.

With this, are potential investment partners here in China can be assured of a conducive business environment within the sub-region,” he said.

BIMP-EAGA covers the entire country of Brunei Darussalam; the 10 provinces in the Indonesian islands

of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Irian Jaya; the state of Sabah; the group of islands of Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines; and the state of Sarawak, and the territory of Labuan in Malaysia. # Photo Caption: Philippine Signing Minister for BIMP-EAGA and Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Datu Abul Khayr

Alonto urges the Chinese delegation present during the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Seminar (CABIS) to explore the investment potentials of the BIMP-EAGA sub-region and forge joint ventures of mutual bene�its.

The CABIS is held alongside the 14th China-ASEAN Expo, held annually at Nanning, Guangxi, China.

gy and governance of�icer at MRSGI. Based on the partnership roadmap, Smart products such as eLoad will be integrated in Metro’s pointof-sale (POS) terminals; and in merchandising, store opening, and other consumer promos.

MRSGI operates stores encompassing multiple for-

mats: Metro Department Store, Metro Supermarket, and Super Metro Hypermarket. According to a 2014 Euromonitor report, Metro is the largest operator of department stores and hypermarkets in the Visayas.

Smart has been aggressively partnering with retail institutions to expand its distribution channels and

improve product availability.

“There will be more partnerships similar to this as we progressively make our products and services more accessible to our subscribers. Our goal is to make buying Smart eLoad and other Smart products as convenient as possible,” added Caeg.[END]

and COO Rodger S. Velasco and AVP for Reputation Enhancement Rossano Luga together with some executives

and managers. AboitizPower VP for Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Marco Carlos and Commission on

Higher Education Supervisor Dr. Nelia Alibin were also present to grace the event.

(DLPC)

BIMP... FROM 5

SMART... FROM 7

KOKUSAI... FROM 2

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FIRST MEDAL

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

Filipino track cyclist Bucay bags silver at Asean Para Games Filipino track cyclist Arthus Bucay (left) wins first medal for the Philippines at Asean Para Games.

A

rthus Bucay, a Paralympics veteran and an Asian Games medal winner, handed Team Philippines its �irst medal by racing to a silver in the men’s kilometer C5 track event of cycling in Sunday’s opening of the 9th ASEAN Para Games at the Velodrome Nasional Malaysia in Nilai Negeri Sembilan.

The 37-year-old Bucay, who raced in the 2012 London Paralympics and 2014 Incheon Asian Para Games where he pocketed a bronze, timed in an hour, 15 minutes and 4.32 seconds to snare the silver that he wasn’t expected to deliver.

“Ilang beses lang kaming naka-train sa event na ito dahil dinagdag lang ito nung huli. Buti na lang naka medalya pa,” said Philippine cycling coach Nort-

berto Oconer, himself a former cycling Olympian.

Malaysian Zuhaire Bin Amad Tarimzi booked the gold in 1:09.690 while Indonesian Sufyan Saori claimed the bronze in 1:19.170.

Bucay, who had an accident in a cycling race in 2013 that led to an operation that left him with an unproportioned pair of legs, goes for the gold in the 4000m individual pursuit at 4:30 p.m. Monday that he hopes to add to his silver.

In table tennis at the Hall 8 of the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Billy Smith Cartera and Darwin Salvacion routed Cambodia’s Voy Yasal and Ch Parnsamoth, 3-0, in the men’s event TT4 of table tennis that practically assured them of at

least a bronze.

After seizing the �irst two singles matches, Cartera and Salvacion then sealed the match win with a quick, merciless 118, 11-1, 11-6 win over Yasal and Parnsamoth in the doubles.

“This win assures us of a bronze because there are only four entries in this division,”” said table tennis mentor Louise Mark Eballa.

The triumph was a soothing balm to their teammates’ broken hearts following setbacks

by Rogelio Cezar and Jobert Lumanta and Pablo Catalan and Benedictp Gaela to their respective Indonesian opponents in the TT8 and TT9 class, respectively.

The Philippines also had a solid start in goalball after fending off a late �ightback by Cam-

bodia to eke out a 12-11 win.

But the Filipinos nearly blew the win after coach Freddie Estacion substituted starters Jolan Camacho, Jomer Anden and Lemuel Garcia in favor of James dela Cerna, Jefferson Balenton and Jeff Fernando that opened the doors for the Cambodian to score three straight booming goals to close the gap by just a hairline with nine seconds to go.

Good thing they had enough left in the gas tank to preserve the win.

“I was just letting the other players to experience playing.

It will not happen again,” said Estacion, whose charges face off with Laos Monday.

Action in all fronts heat up Monday including centerpiece athletics and medal-rich swim-

ming.

Rio Paralympics bronze medallist Josephine Medina will also start her table tennis event with hopes extending her golden reign in the sport she dominated since the 2003 staging.

At the pool, Filipino swimmers seek to create a big ripple as they compete in 10 events including 2015 Singapore edition double gold medallists Gary Bejino and Ernie Gawilan.

Bejino competes in the 100m freestyle S7 while teaming up with Gawilan, Roland Sabido and Arnel Aba in the 4x100m free.

Others seeing action at the pool are Sabido (100m free S9), Claire Calizo (100m women S14), Judy Ann Neblasca (50m breaststroke and 100m free S14), Adrian Azul (200m free

S14), Aba (50m breast SB8), Edwin Villanueva (50m breast SB8) and Patrick Crisostomo (50m breast S14).

Romeo Tamayaw (49kg), Marydol Pamatian (41kg) and Achelle Guion (41kg) also launch their bid in powerlifting while Joey de Leon, David Gonzaga and Anna Amizola tackle separate foes in boccia, both set at MITEC. In wheelchair basketball, the Philippines collides with Laos in the �ive on �ive and Myanmar in the three-on-three.

The biennial event was of�icially ushered in Sunday night with 3,300 athletes, coaches and of�icials from 11 participating nations marching in a display of colors at the main hub—the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

PHL beats Cambodia in table tennis

K

UALA LUMPUR - The Philippines scored a 3-0 victory over Cambodia on Sunday in the men’s team Class 4 of the 9th ASEAN Para Games table tennis tournament at Hall 7 of the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibit Center (MITEC) in Jalan Duta.

Billy Smith Cartera defeated Yoiy Kosal, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5 in the �irst singles while Darwin Salvacion prevailed over Ek Nhansamoth, 11-4, 11-5, 11-4 in SMASH HIT. Josephine Medina (right) returns the ball against her Vietnamese opponent during their match the second singles.

Cartera and Salvacion at the 9th ASEAN Para Games held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur on Monday (September 18, 2017). Medina downed her opponent in five sets, 3-2, at the team event wrapped up the match after beating Kosal and Nhansamoth, competition. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

11-8, 11-1, 11-6, in the doubles.

Earlier, the Filipinos bowed to their Indonesian opponents in the men’s team Class 8 and Class 9, respectively.

Rogelio Cezar and Jobert Lumanta fell to Banyu Tri Mulyo, 0-3, in the Class 9 competition while Pablo Catalan and Benedicto Gaela also surrendered to their rivals in Class 9 with the same score.

Competition in the men’s team continues on Monday, with Cezar and Lumanta going up against their Vietnamese rivals at 9 a.m. They are also scheduled to face the Thais at 2

p.m.

Cartera and Salvacion, on the other hand, are scheduled to meet their Vietnamese opponents at 4 p.m. while Catalan and Gaela will be against host Malaysia at 2 p.m.

Also seeing action on Monday are Paralympian Josephine Medina and Minnie Cadag in the women’s team Class 9-10. They won the bronze medal in the 2015 edition of the ASEAN Para Games in Singapore.

Aside from the team bronze, Medina and Cadag won the silver medal in the doubles event.

(PCO).

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Canelo Alvarez doesn’t seem too interested in a Gennady Golovkin rematch

welve hellacious rounds wasn’t enough to provide a clear winner between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin. 36 minutes of action only left us wanting more and the fact that one scorecard was absolutely atrocious — Adelaide Byrd’s 118-110 score for Canelo — it was obvious that everyone wanted more.

Obvious for everyone but Canelo Alvarez.

In a showdown that was dubbed as “The Real Fight,” Canelo and GGG battled to a split draw in a sensational �ight that satis�ied the lofty expectations of fans across the globe. But without a victor being decided, one would expect both �ighters to jump at the opportunity to do it again. Not only that, but a rematch during Cinco De Mayo weekend in 2018 stands to eclipse what will likely be massive gate and PPV numbers from the �irst �ight.

Golovkin wasted no time calling for the rematch.

“This was the big drama show,” Golovkin said while citing his catchphrase. “Of course

I want the rematch. Look I still have all the belts, I’m still the champion.”

But Canelo refused to demand a rematch despite his performance and the fact that he was unable to snare away the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, and IBO middleweight titles that Golovkin held. Instead, Canelo put the onus on the fans to ask for rematch.

“If the fans want to see it again, why not?” Alvarez said in his post-�ight interview.

At the post-�ight news conference, it appeared that Oscar De La Hoya waf�led back and forth on the rematch and was hesitant to commit. Initially, he said that Alvarez would exercise a rematch clause but it was later clari�ied that Team Alvarez would take some time to ponder their options before a decision was made.

This is made all the more interesting by the fact that a rematch would �ind Canelo (27 years old) still in his prime boxing years while GGG would turn 36 by the time the two �ighters met again.

Canelo Alvarez connects with a left to Gennady Golovkin.

Man U dominates Everton F

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HESITANT

VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

anchester United didn’t even need four minutes.

Or at least Antonio Valencia didn’t.

On what was supposed to be Wayne Rooney’s day in Manchester, Valencia stood still and alone, outside the right corner of Everton’s penalty box. Then he saw Nemanja Matic’s cross skipping across Old Trafford’s plush green grass and into his path. He stepped up. And he won the Super Sunday clash between United and Everton before it had even kicked into gear: He also changed it. Everton had come to Old Trafford with a plan to defend for its life. It packed �ive defenders and two defensive mid�ielders into a rearranged 5-4-1. It prepared to bunker in. So much for that.

But the ensuing 80 minutes were almost as unsettling or off-putting as Valencia’s goal. United, the Prem i e r League’s

leader entering the weekend, should have coasted; it didn’t.

Not until the 84th minute, when Henrikh Mkhitaryan doubled United’s lead.

But 4-0 was deceiving.

Maybe United tried to coast, but Everton simply wasn’t having it. The Toffees had been booed off �ields twice in a week, and hadn’t scored a goal since an August Europa League quali�ier.

They still haven’t. But if nothing else, they salvaged pride from a game that could have exacerbated their gloom.

The afternoon was destined to be about Rooney, and it almost was. In the �irst half, the United legend came a few feet away from marking his return to Old Trafford with a goal. In the second half, a David De Gea leg was the impediment. Gyl�i

Pacman makes fun of Golovkin-Canelo result

Sigurdsson was also denied by De Gea from close range.

United over�lowed with energy at the outset. It wasn’t just the goal. The Red Devils’ pressure left Everton pinned back and Rooney isolated up top. But after 10 minutes of oneway traf�ic, pre-arranged road signs were discarded. Everton charged against the grain. It controlled the ball. It established its presence.

In some sense, that was by United’s design. Jose Mourinho’s team is often at its most dangerous as its opponents appear to grow into games. And that was the case Sunday, at least sporadically. Had United been clinical on the break earlier, the narrative would be a lot different.

That is the risk of playing on the counter. When it works, it is emblematic of Mourinho’s brilliance. When it doesn’t, it is emblematic of his �laws.

When it works, United shows its title credentials.

Manchester United players celebrate Antonio Valencia’s goal.

(Getty Images)

ilipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao poked fun at the result of the “super �ight” between Gennady Golovkin and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on Sunday on Twitter.

P a c q u i a o live-tweeted the box-

ing match held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and after nine rounds, he said he had it 6-3 in favor of the Kazakh star.

The “Pacman” may have been surprised at the result, however.

The match ended in

a split draw, after one judge scored it in favor of Golovkin, another saw it for Canelo, and the third scored it an even 114-114.

Pacquiao, of course, was referring to the result of his own bout against Jeff Horn

last July in Brisbane, Australia, which saw the Filipino ring icon lose a disputed decision.

All three judges saw the “Battle of Brisbane” in Horn’s favor, much to the dismay of Pacquiao and his camp.

Former PBA player Bolado passes away

F

ORMER PBA teammates of big man Cris Bolado expressed shock and grief upon learning of his untimely passing on Sunday in PhnomPehn, Cambodia.

Four-time league MVP Alvin Patrimonio and Mythical Team member and All-Star Jeff Cariaso were both surprised upon learning of Bolado’s death.

Reports said the 6-foot-7 former National University standout died in a motorcycle accident in the Cambodian capital, where he has been travelling back and forth after opening a restaurant business there named Inasal Nation: Home of authentic chicken inasal.

He would have turned 48 this October 25.

“Nakakalungkot na balita yan,” said Patrimonio, when asked by spin.ph if he had already got wind of the news about Bolado’s death shortly after Star’s 104-99 loss to TnT Katropa in the Governors Cup

Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Cariaso meanwhile, took to tweeter in condoling the family and loved ones left behind by his former Alaska teammate.

“Sadden by the news that my former teammate and good friend Cris Bolado has passed,” said Cariaso in his account @ thejet_22.

Cariaso, one of coach Alex Compton’s deputies at Alaska, added the hashtag #gentlegiant and #luckycharm to his tweet.

Indeed, Bolado was considered lucky charm by most of the teams where he suited up for winning a championship with them. A second round pick (13th overall) by Alaska in the 1994 draft, Bolado won seven straight conference championships, from the Governors Cup during his rookie season all the way to the 1997 Commissioner’s Cup. He was with Alaska from 1994 to 1996 and bagged �ive consecutive titles with the team, including the grand slam

in 1996.

Bolado and Cariaso were teammates at Alaska for two seasons (1995 and 1996).

The following season, Bolado transfered to Purefoods, where he won the 1997 All-Filipino crown with Patimonio.

‘Cap’ vividly remembers that season. “Kasi after niya manalo ng all-Filipino title sa amin, I think na-trade siya sa Gordon’s Gin nung Commissioner’s Cup (second conference), and then nag’champion din yung team. Kaya nga siya tinawag na lucky charm, di ba?,” recalled Patimonio, now the Hotshots’ team manager.

Bolado won two more championships after that, bringing the total of titles he won from 1994 to 2003 to nine overall.

Aside from Alaska, Ginebra and Purefoods, Bolado also saw action for Pop Cola/Coca-Cola, San Miguel, and Red Bull.

He had career averages of 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds.

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 121• TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017