Edge10 issue177 December 7, 2017

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 164 • WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER NOVEMBER 6, 201717-18, 2017

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

Serving a seamless society

DISPLACED. A young resident, together with her brothers, carries an electric fan belonging to her family as they evacuate to the nearby Bankerohan Public Market after a huge fire razed their home in Brgy. Pag-asa, Bankerohan, Davao City on Tuesday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr

DOOMED TO FAIL

Bishop Nilo Tayag says of communist ideology

By JIMMY K. LAKING

S

hort of saying that the ideology guiding the rebel New People’ Army has outlived its usefulness, Philippine Independent Church bishop Nilo Tayag said last week Marxism-Leninism is incapable of mobilizing the Filipino nation to follow its path.

“Marxism-Leninism has been there since 1938 but it has hardly taken roots,” he said, attributing this to what

DOOMED, P10

EDGEDAVAO Sports STILL PERFECT

SPORTS16

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

SPECIAL TRAINING.The 55 personnel of Davao City Police Office and Task Force Davao strike a formation for their culmination of their Urban and Rural Counter Sniper Training at DCPO grounds. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR

DAPRISA’s plight Trader’s office yields endorsed to PRRD high-powered rifl es T

By JUDIE VEGA

he Davao City Council has endorsed to the of�ice of President Rodrigo R. Duterte a petition of the Davao Association of Private Schools and Administrators seeking government subsidy for the salaries of private school teachers.

“We are reaching out to President Duterte to consider the plight of of private schools considering that it is a problem shared nationwide,” Councilor Pilar Braga told the

Pulong-Pulong ni Pulong on Tuesday at the City Council’s lounge.

This is a big problem faced by our private schools and it should be addressed by our President as well as the Department of Education,” she said.

The DAPRISA, in a petition addressed to the City Council, proposed that the Educational Service Contracting and its accompanying Teacher’s Sala-

DAPRISAS, P10

NPA frees NorthCot cop held for 110 days

T

he rebel New People’s Army released Monday a policeman from North Cotabato they held captive for 110 days.

Released in the hinterlands of the municipality of Magpet Monday morning was PO1 Bristol Catalan, of the police force of the municipality of Makilala, who was abducted last Aug. 17 in Kidapawan City as he was driving his motorcycle with his two sons onboard.

Kidapawan City Councilor Ruby Padilla-Sison con�irmed

the release. She and some members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod joined the group who witnessed when the NPA rebels turned over Catalan to his family.

Sison said the top ranks of the NPA issued the release order after they found no reason to continue holding Catalan as a prisoner of war.

A convoy of vehicles from the media, local of�icials, church people, family and friends of Catalan left the Bishop’s Palace at Baran-

NPA, P10

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

T

he Davao City Police Office is now looking for a Davao businessman after several high-powered firearms, enough to equip a small army, were seized from inside his office at Sandawa Park, Quimpo Boulevard on Monday afternoon.

DCPO director Sr. Supt.

Alexander C. Tagum identi�ied the suspect identi�ied as Earl Vincent G. Calma, a resident of Ecoland Subdivision in Barangay 76-A. Tagum bared the operating team raided the estab-

lishment of Calma through a search warrant issued by Davao City Regional Trial Court executive judge Emmanuel Carpio.

This after the DCPO received information that Calma possessed high caliber �ire-

arms.

Tagum said the police recovered two M4 ri�le, on M16 Baby Armalite and M203 ri�les, eigth grenade launchers, 585 M16 bullets, 543 .45 pistol bullets, 235 9mm pistol bullets, 60 M14 bullets and assorted magazines and bandoliers.

The �irearms were found at the old of�ice of the suspect’s late father while the others were found inside the comfort room wrapped inside several bags.

“If he is a gun collector, he

he warrant of arrest issued against Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) national president George San Mateo is based on the rule of law and not a form of harassment or intimidation as claimed by a certain activist group, Malacañang said Tuesday.

A Quezon City court has

ordered the arrest of San Mateo for leading a transport strike on Feb. 27, 2017.

In a Palace brie�ing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque pointed out that the warrant of arrest against the transport leader is for violation of Section 20 (k) of Commonwealth Act No. 146 or The Public Service Act. The said provision states

that it shall be unlawful for any public service to “adopt, maintain, or apply practices or measures, rules or regulations to which the public shall be subject in its relations with the public service.”

Roque, who is also a lawyer, added that Section 19 of the CA No. 146 also states that it shall be unlawful for any public service to provide

should not possess that number of �irearms and ammunition and we saw that they undergone hard use,” he said.

“Obviously, he is prepared to either conduct assault or defend himself, “ Tagum added.

Tagum said they are afraid that he might be af�iliated with some local terrorist groups or criminal groups.

“His �irearms might be used against the people of Davao City, “ Tagum said.

He said based on records,

or maintain any service that is unsafe, improper, or inadequate “or withhold or refuse any service which can reasonably be demanded and furnished, as found and determined by the Commission in a �inal order.”

“I think he was warned that as a holder of a franchise, a certi�icate of public conve-

TRADERS, P10

Transport leader’s arrest based on law T TRANSPORT, P10

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Cacao meet to link farmers to market T

By ANJIE SAVERON

he 4th KakaoKonek 2017 conference that ends today at the SMX convention center does not only cement Davao City’s unof�icial title as the cacao capital of the country.

It is also expected to motivate more farmers to plant cacao trees “because they can the market through these conference,” according to Valente Tutur, executive director of the Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao.

He said that when CDAMI was just starting, they only had around 7,000 hectare but now they have 50,000 hectares of land planted with Cacao trees.

“There is really a big signi�icance of these conferences because we are able to connect people. We are connecting the

market” he added.

He said that the farmers are more motivated to plant more cacao trees because they can see that market through these conferences.

The organizers expected 500 participants nationwide but as of yesterday there are already 481 participants, including representatives from the 37 exhibitors and sponsors from the event.

“The signi�icance compared to before without the conference like this the average yield is around 350 to 400 kilograms lang per tree per year and somehow now we were able to increase na nato to one kilogram per tree per year,” he said.

Davao City Mayor Sara

CACAO, P10

Solons to Gadon: Shut up

M

embers of the House justice committee on Tuesday demanded that lawyer Larry Gadon, complainant in the impeachment case against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, keep his mouth shut and avoid making statements that cast aspersions to the committee and its proceedings.

During the continuation of the impeachment hearing against Sereno, Ako-Bicol Partylist Rep. Alfredo Garbin chastised Gadon for his statements and assertions coursed through media that affect the “integrity of this impeachment committee.”

Garbin was referring to Gadon’s claim that an “oligarch” plans to bribe senators with PHP200 million in exchange for the acquittal of the top magistrate from the impeachment case �iled against her.

“I advise Mr. Gadon to keep his mouth shut if he cannot verify or reveal to us this oligarch,” Garbin said.

Garbin also slammed Gadon for saying in earlier interviews that impeachment deliberations would be done before the year ends and giving assumptions that he already knows the decision of

SOLONS, P10

WELCOME SIGHT. Members of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) help secure area and the

belongings of the residents of Brgy. Pag-asa in Bankerohan that was hit by fire on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr

Cops still stomped on 3 minors death

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

T

he Davao City Police Office is looking into several angles in the investigation on the death of three minors arising from a grenade explosion at Purok 9, Sitio Baracayo Grande, Barangay Plantation in Toril on Sunday.

DCPO director Sr. Supt. Alexander C. Tagum bared that investigators are looking into several possibilities behind the

explosion that killed Rain John V. Alagenio ,15, Aljen V. Alagenio, 13 and Julio L. Limposanan, 17.

Tagum said investigators received information that an uncle of the Alagenio brothers was seen wearing combat boots and camou�lage pants in the area, leading to the suspicion that someone perpetrated the explosion.

“The area has been in�luenced by the New People’s Army (NPA), ang kahadlukan namo basin naalaan maong

COPS, P10

Clashes displace 11,600 residents of Maguindanao

A

LOADED. A lumad who is temporarily living at Bankerohan Gym in Davao City carries on her head a sack full of used clothes she received as gifts from residents around the city on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr

gipabuthan (maybe they were suspected as military sympathizers that exploded them),” he said.

“We are calling witnesses to shed light on the incident on one of our remote barangays, “ Tagum added.

Earlier, Barangay Daliaon Plantation Kagawad Zaldy Del Pilar has withheld to comment

s most relief efforts are focused on Marawi, 11,600 people have also been displaced from their homes for months in a remote municipality of Maguindanao due to armed clashes.

Tomoko Matsuzawa, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross’s of�ice based in Cotabato City, said the evacuees come from the municipality of Shariff Saydona Mustapha, a municipality created only in 2009.

Data from the local police showed the residents were displaced by the ongoing �ighting between government forces and armed groups operating in the area.

The clashes, which started last August, were also monitored in Barangay Salbu in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Baran-

gay Pagatin in Datu Salibo, and villages from Mamasapano and Shariff Aguak, all in Maguindanao.

On Saturday, Matsuzawa said the ICRC, with support from the Philippine Red Cross, provided the IDPs food and other supplies, which would last at least 15 days.

Each family received 25 kilos of rice, a liter of soy sauce, a liter of cooking oil, 12 tin cans of 425 grams of sardines, a kilo of sugar, half kilo of table salt, two jerry cans of 20 liters each, and hygiene items for the household.

Matsuzawa said that while the attention over the recent months has been mostly focused on the Marawi con�lict, several communities in Maguindanao have also been

CLASHES, P11

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Palay harvest area expands

T

he harvest area for palay nationwide during the July-September period increased further this year, raising production of the staple grain.

This year’s palay harvest area rose 14.43 percent to 852,629 hectares nationwide, latest available data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show.

The data show such hectarage exceeded the country’s palay harvest area of 745,136 hectares and 652,718 hectares in 2016 and 2015, respectively.

“Increases in harvest area across regions were attribut-

ed mainly on suf�icient water supply and government interventions on provision of high-yielding varieties, seeds and fertilizer during the cropping period,” said PSA, explaining this year’s increase in palay hectarage.

The increase helped the country realize 14.17 percent growth in palay production during the July-September 2017 period when output hit almost 3.4 million metric tons, said PSA. Philippine palay production volume was lower in 2016 (2.96 million MT) and 2015 (2.55 million MT), it added. (PNA)

Coal tax might burden consumers: NEA chief

N

ational Electri�ication Administration chief Edgardo Masongsong is concerned that while the proposal to impose a higher excise tax on coal would promote the development of renewable energy (RE) sources, this might become an additional burden for consumers.

“I believe this will discourage investors from putting up generation facilities that are not friendly to the environment,” Masongsong said in an interview after the inauguration of the new main of�ice of the Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Iseco) on Saturday.

Masongsong urged the bicameral conference committee to review the said provision in Senate Bill 1592, also known as the Tax Reform for

Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), raising the coal tax from the current P10 to P300 per metric ton over a threeyear period, that could result in higher electricity rates.

“With more than 50 percent of energy source coming from coal, I am afraid we will be paying more for our electricity consumption,” Masongsong said.

Already approved on its third and �inal reading, the TRAIN bill seeks to increase the coal excise tax at a rate of P100 on the �irst year, P200 on the second year, and P300 per metric ton on the third year.

“While it may look good on one hand, I am concerned that the subsequent increase may be passed on to consumers,” Masongsong said. (PNA)

POWER OUTLOOK. Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) transition committee chief operating officer lawyer Francis Saturnino Juan (center), together with member Engr. Jose Mari Bigornia (right) and training assistant manager Engr. Katrina Amuyot, provides

the overview and updates on the integration of Mindanao to the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) during a news conference at Harana restaurant in Davao City on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr

ADB hikes assistance to PH infra spendings To assist in bridging massive infra gap

T

he Asian Development Bank has increased available funding for the Philippines’ infrastructure-related investments from 34 percent of actual lending approvals covering the 2011-2016 period to 48 percent over the next three years in recognition of the government’s strong resolve on the Duterte watch to bridge the country’s massive infrastructure gap.

On top of these available funds under the ADB’s Country Operations Business Plan, sovereign loans offered by the multilateral institution for the

country’s infrastructure-related projects account for almost 40 percent of its $3.68-billion Philippine Sovereign Lending Program for 2018 to 2020.

The ADB, led by its president Takehiko Nakao, also updated Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III on the bank’s four new lending programs for the Philippines this year amounting to $1.08 billion, in a recent meeting in Manila.

On behalf of the Philippine government, Dominguez thanked the ADB for continuing to extend its assistance to the Philippines, especially for its “Build, Build, Build infra program and for approving the new loans, which comprise Encouraging Investment through Capital Market Re-

he Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the country’s largest business organization, fears that the Senate version of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion bill would drag the competitiveness of local businesses.

This, after the Senate’s version of tax reform program will implement additional tax-

es on coal, which will lead to higher power cost.

“Power quality and costs are, indeed, among those critical elements that are always viewed with clinical valuation by foreign and local investors, especially with regards to heavy or so-called “bricks and mortars” type of production, which we need to focus on, too. Many have left some years

ago due to high and unpredictable power costs and policies,” PCCI President George Barcelon said in a statement Monday.

Senate’s TRAIN bill increases coal excise tax from P10 per metric ton to P300 in the third and succeeding years.

The increment will be in three tranches, starting

forms Subprogram 2 ($300 million), Improving Growth Corridors in the Mindanao Road Sector ($380 million), the Facilitating Youth School-to-Work Transition ($300 million) and the establishment of an Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility ($100 million).

“Thank you to a stronger, faster and better ADB,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez, who currently chairs the ADB Board of Governors, cited, for one, the IPIF, which will support initiatives of the Depart-

PHP100 in 2018 then adding PHP100 in 2019 until it reached the PHP300-level by 2020.

Data from the Department of Energy showed that coal�ired power plants accounted for 44 percent of power generation in 2015.

“To continue unlocking our country’s economic po-

8990 Holdings sets P3B capex for 2018 L Senate’s TRAIN version to drag local biz-PCI T isted mass housing developer 8990 Holdings Inc. is earmarking PP3 billion in capital expenditures (capex) for 2018, higher than this year’s P2 billion, to launch more residential projects.

Incoming president and chief operating of�icer Willie Uy said the company aims to introduce to the market at least �ive residential projects next year in Iloilo, Cebu, Davao, and Ortigas Extension in Metro Manila.

“If the permits will start coming out, there is a possibil-

ity that other projects can be launched also within the year,” Uy told reporters on Monday.

He said it is now applying permits for other locations, including Las Piñas and Cubao, Quezon City. “(Next year’s capex will be used) mostly for construction of high-rise projects because these are highly capitalized.

On landbanking, we will just replenish the land. The landbank strategy (is to acquire) 500 hectares at any given point in time,” said company

8990, P11

ADB, P11

SENATES, P11

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Tuna-rich Philippine Rise seen to boost food security

T

he Department of Agriculture is pushing for the conservation of Philippine Rise, an undersea region east of Luzon, for it to be a rich food source for Filipinos.

“We are advocating the declaration of the Philippine Rise as a Protected Food Supply Exclusive Zone,” Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said in his keynote speech at the 14th Regular Session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) on Sunday.

Formerly known as the Benham Rise, the Philippine Rise is a 24.4 million hectare marine paradise that lies under the migration path of important tuna species including the Pacific Blue�in tuna.

Piñol noted that tuna,

said to be abundant at Philippine Rise, is a top Philippine export commodity with a collective volume of 104,984 metric tons for a variety of fresh, chilled, frozen, smoked, dried, and canned products valued at USD296 million.

“This is the reason why like the rest of the region, tuna �ishing means a great deal to the Philippines. It is vital not only in the country’s continuous economic development, but also in providing food and livelihood to millions of Filipinos,” the agricultural secretary said.

Piñol believes conservation will enhance Philippine Rise’s potential of helping the country achieve food security since this measure promotes ef�icient

TUNA, P11

ECONOMY 5

Board fixes rates for kasambahay T

Effective December 16, 2017

he Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board announced that the new monthly minimum wage rates for domestic workers or the kasambahay in the region will be effective on December 16, 2017 under Wage Order No. RB XI-DW-01.

The new minimum wage rates will be as follows: P 3,000.00 for chartered cities and �irst class municipalities and P 2,000.00 for other municipalities.

This is the �irst Wage Order issued by the RTWPB in Region XI under Republic Act 10361 also known as the Kasambahay Law. In accordance with

Wage Order No. RB XIDW-01, an increase of P 1,000.00 is added to the existing wage rate of P 2,000.00 for chartered cities and �irst class municipalities while an increase of P 500.00 is added to the existing wage rate of P1,500.00 for other municipalities.

The prescribed wage rates under this Wage Order shall apply to all domestic workers, whether in a livein or live-out arrangement, such as, but not limited to:

Halal chicken factory to rise in Maguindanao

B

NEW FACILITY. ABS-CBN TVplus VisMin Sales head Glenn Enginco (right) talks about the features of its internet-ready DTT box during its

launching on Monday evening. Enginco was joined by TVplus product marketing head Regina Napile. Lean Daval Jr

a) general house help; b) yaya; c) cook; d) gardener; e) laundry person; and d) any person who regularly performs domestic work in one household on an occupational basis. The following are NOT covered: a) service providers; b) family drivers; c) children under foster family arrangement and; d) any other person who performs work occasionally or sporadically and not on an occupational basis.

uluan Local of�icials here are set to inaugurate the �irst-ever “pure” halal dressed chicken factory being built in this provincial capital town.

Maguindanao Boardmember Jazzer Mangudadatu said the halal dressed chicken production area will be the �irst of its kind in Maguindanao, in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and probably in the country.

The provincial lawmaker toured local journalists to the factory site on Sunday. He said the facility is expected to be completed before the end of this year and to be inaugurated in February to coincide with

the 3rd “Inaul” (Muslim Woven Cloth) Festival.

Once operational, the young Mangudadatu said the factory could process an average of 30,000 pieces of dressed chicken daily.

Foreign investors partnered with the Mangudadatu political clan of Maguindanao in establishing the factory to ensure halal chicken supplies are available in the local and regional markets.

National “halal” industry consultant Sani Macabalang said the production of pure halal chicken involves not only the slaughter of chicken according to Islamic tradition, but also

HALAL, P11

Joint venture bags P22.5B HK asked to open trade, economic office in PH Cebu expressway project

D

epartment of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, during an of�icial trip in Hong Kong, urged the special administrative region to open an economic and trade of�ice in Manila.

The DFA said Cayetano offered to assist investors from Hong Kong in exploring opportunities in the Philippines.

In a statement, the DFA said Cayetano echoed that tourism is “an area for growth” Hong Kong investors should seriously take a look at and consider.

“We are optimistic about the future of Philippine-Hong Kong relations and we look forward to taking giant steps in

various areas of cooperation,” Cayetano was quoted as saying.

“We talked about opportunities to further strengthen cooperation in the areas of trade and investments, labor, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, especially with the signing of the ASEAN-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement (AHKFTA),” he said.

The Philippines wants to attract more trade and investment from Hong Kong as it moves to further strengthen economic relations with the special administrative region.

The DFA said economic cooperation was on top of the agenda during the meeting

between Cayetano and Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-Ngor of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Friday.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Hong Kong on Nov. 12 signed the AHKFTA and the ASEAN – Hong Kong, China Investment Agreement (AHKIA) following a three-year negotiation at the sidelines of the 31st ASEAN Summit.

AHKFTA covers market access liberalization, trade facilitation, rules to promote con�idence in trade, and cooperation.

AHKIA, on the other hand,

complements the AHKFTA by covering the protection, promotion and facilitation of investment. Cayetano was accompanied by incoming Consul General Antonio Morales, DFA Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Manuel Teehankee, Presidential Adviser on Investments lawyer Antonio Cablitas and other DFA of�icials.

Meanwhile, joining the call from the Hong Kong side were Secretary of Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-Wah and Acting Secretary for Labor and Welfare Casper Tsui. (PNA)

A

subsidiary of Metro Paci�ic Tollways Corp. has awarded the P22.6-billion designand-build contract of the 8.5-kilometer Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway to Cebu Link Joint Venture.

Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation, a subsidiary of the toll road arm of publicly-listed Metro Paci�ic Investments Corporation (MPIC), issued last month the notice of award for the bridge project to CLJV. CLIV is a joint venture of Spain-based Acciona Construccion S. A. and Philip-

pine-based First Balfour Inc. and D. M. Consunji Inc. The much-anticipated bridge project that will connect Cebu City to the Municipality of Cordova in the island of Mactan is the �irst of MPTC’s envisioned toll road expansion projects in Visayas and Mindanao.

“We are very con�ident that we can deliver a quality state-of-the-art bridge that will provide not just travel ef�iciency but also drive economic growth and productivity in the entire Visayas region, and improve the overall welfare of the Ce-

JOINT, P11

6 SUBURBIA RISING EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Habal-habal or improvised motorbikes carrying passengers and cargoes race along the national highway of Bayabas town in Surigao del Sur on Tuesday, December 5, 2017. MindaNews photo by H. MARCOS C. MORDENO

S. Cotabato steps up preparation for La Nina

T

he provincial government of South Cotabato has stepped up its intervention for the possible onslaught in the province of the predicted La Niña phenomenon.

Milagros Lorca, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Of�ice (PDRRMO), said Monday they are currently monitoring vulnerable upland and low-lying areas in the province for the occurrence of severe �loods and landslides.

She said the province has been experiencing sporadic heavy rains these past days and such condition is seen to continue in coming weeks.

Citing advisories from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Admistration (Pagasa), she said the “weak” La Nina was predicted to start this month.

“We’re continually monitoring the situation and we have ongoing engagements to properly prepare our local communities for it,” she said.

Lorca said the local government has a standby preparedness plan for La Nina, which is characterized by unusually heavy rainfall over a period.

The of�icial said they have been closely coordinat-

ing with the Municipal and Barangay DRRM Councils for the implementation of preparatory measures.

She said the identi�ied �lood and landslide prone areas in the province already have disaster alarm and evacuation systems in place.

These covers communities situated in mountainous areas and those near major rivers and tributaries, she said.

Vicente Ayongao, acting head of the Provincial Engineering Of�ice, said they have assigned standby heavy equipment for immediate deployment during emergencies.

He said these equipment are located in strategic areas within the province’s 10 towns and lone city.

“These are mainly assigned in our continuing road maintenance works but they can be pulled out anytime for emergencies,” he said.

As a result of the sporadic heavy rains these past days, Ayongao said they received reports regarding problems with road networks in the remote areas.

He said they are currently validating these reports as required for the deployment of necessary equipment.

(PNA)

DOJ orders probe on killing of university president

T

he Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the killing of the head of a staterun university here.

In his Department Order 764, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II directed the NBI to conduct an investigation and case build-up on the death of Dr. Ricardo Rotoras, “and if evidence so warrants, to �ile appropriate charges thereon.”

Aguirre said he has delegated NBI Director Dante Gierran to look into the killing of Rotoras, president of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Phil-

ippines (USTP). He also headed the Philippine Association of State Universities and College (PASUC) at the time of his death.

Rotoras was gunned down by still unidenti�ied assailants outside his home at Golden Glow North, a posh housing subdivision in Barangay Carmen, this city, on Dec. 2.

Aguirre also ordered Gierran to submit a report to the Of�ice of the Secretary on

its “current activities related to the implementation of this Order.”

NBI-10 Regional Director Sally Hans Barbaso said that local agents have been deployed to gather information on the case.

“Even before I received the order, we started initial investigation on the case. We can investigate motu propio,” Barbaso said in an interview Monday afternoon.

Barbaso said the agency is closely coordinating with other law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, a holy mass was held for Rotoras at the USTP gymnasium Monday morning.

USTP teacher Nef Luczon

said about 2,000 people, composed of the school faculty and staff, students and visitors, occupied the 1,500-capacity facility to attend the mass.

Luczon said Rotoras’ remains will be brought to the USTP gymnasium for viewing on Dec. 6-8.

In a related development, the city government has offered to give a P1 million reward for those who can lead to the arrest of the perpetrator in the Rotoras killing.

Mayor Oscar Moreno has also asked the DOJ to help in the speedy resolution of the case, said Maricel Casiño-Rivera, the city information of�icer. (Jigger J. Jerusalem/PNA)

Amotan, Mdsayap town deputy police chief.

The couple was on board a pedicab, locally known as “payong-payong,” heading for home at Sitio Macantar, Barangay Ulandang when attacked by unidenti�ied gunmen onboard a black pick-up vehicle.

Amotan said the attackers waited for the victims to pass by and opened �ire as they ap-

proached the crime scene.

The victims were brought to a hospital in the adjacent town of Datu Piang in Maguindanao but Puaya was declared dead upon arrival.

Police probers recovered 38 pieces of empty shells for M16 ri�le at the crime scene.

A follow-up investigation conducted by the military showed that Puaya was a sub-commander of the out-

lawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) under Commander Ustadz Karialan and linked to bombing attacks in Midsayap and nearby areas this year.

Army intelligence sources said Puaya was one of the students and closed-in bodyguard of Zulki�li bin Hir who was killed in police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in 2015. (PNA)

BIFF leader killed in North Cotabato ambush

U

nidenti�ied gunmen shot dead a student of slain Malaysian terror bomb expert Zulki�li bin Hir here over the weekend.

Killed was Tato Puaya, 35, who was linked to bombing incidents here and nearby towns. Puaya’s wife, identi�ied as Cherida, 32, was injured in the ambush that took place late Friday afternoon, according to Senor Inspector Junrel

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

SUBURBIA RISING7

ARMM settles clan dispute in Lanao Sur

T

he Regional Reconciliation and Uni�ication Commission in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RRUC-ARMM) on Monday settled a long-standing feud involving Moro clans in Lanao del Sur whose hostilities had stemmed from partisan politics.

Romeo Sema, RRUCARMM chair, said the con�lict started when Bayabao Tomas was shot dead allegedly by Armi Enterino after the May 16 local elections. Since then, the Bayabao and Enterino clans have been at odds with each other as battles repeatedly erupted anytime clan members meet.

Clan members from both sides had sought the help of RRUC in their desire to end the “rido” (family feud).

Sema said the warring

families actually belonged to one big family who had different political af�iliations and convictions. He said their coming over to be under the supervision of RRUC was an indication they wanted to settle their bloody differences through peaceful means.

“They are all related by blood and by af�inity so there’s no reason they will not mend ways, forget and forgive and move on,” Sema said in vernacular.

Elders of warring families swore before the Holy Qur’an and signed the peace agreement they both vowed to uphold and respect in the name of peace.

The involved families were from the coastal towns of Malabang and Balabagan.

(PNA)

Joint birthday celebrators. American Chamber Pres. Leoncio VillaAbrille (left), CEO of Cesareo Villa-Abrille Development Corp; and Director Jack Tan, President of Glowing Motor Parts Corp; both born on December 6, got the surprise of their lives when members of the AmCham Board hosted an advance birthday luncheon in their honor at Palawan-Sumatra Room, Marco Polo Hotel Davao. Standing from left are Membership Coordinator Annie Quitay; Corporate Secretary

Geraldine Tiu of Quimosing-Tiu Law Firm; Treasurer Jocelyn Catampo, General Manager of DocJoy Consultancy Services; Asst. Corp. Secretary Ross Luga, AVP of Davao Light & Power Co; and Director Benirando Claudio, President & CEO of Saragani Land & Property Corp. The two birthday cakes were personal gifts of American Chamber Assistant Treasurer Dottie Wurgler-Cronin, General Manager of Marco Polo Hotel Davao, to the twin celebrators.Photo by Annie Quitay

Cotabato carnap syndicate busted Groups say tribal leader killed

P

olice operatives busted a motorcycle carnap syndicate here with the arrest of six suspects, two of whom are from Zamboanga City.

Sr. Supt. Rolly Octavio, city police director, said the arrest on Sunday dawn was launched with the active participation of Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi.

“While the city residents are sleeping soundly, Mayor Sayadi and police teams roamed around the city during wee hours to neutralize drug personalities and other crime groups,” Octavio said.

At past 11 p.m. the roving team nabbed carnap suspects Penpen Alamada Kalon, 22, his live in partner Rowena Epanto Balane 19, Alvin Mabandis Alon, 18, Guihidin Kusain

Mamalas, 20, Kenneth Bandal, 20 and Jorhamin Tato Abang, 19.

Recovered from them was a newly carnapped Yamaha motorbike (2856-FF) and several “chopped” body parts of motorcycles of various model.

Octavio said the arrest was carried out after the suspects were monitored through street CCTV cameras while in the act of carnapping.

Investigation showed that the syndicate sells the carnapped motorbikes to buyers in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur. Octavio appealed to victims of motorcycle theft to approach the police and �ile formal complaint against the suspects now detained at the city police sub-station 2.

(PNA)

Marawi cops arrest suspect in murder of couple, daughter

P

olice in Marawi City have arrested one of the suspects in the killing and burning of a couple and a daughter in Lanao del Sur. Supt. Ibra Moxsir, Marawi City police chief, in his report Monday to the PNP Regional Of�ice - Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PROARMM) based here, said that follow up operations are underway after the suspect, whom he did not identify, named his accomplices to the crime.

Moxsir said the arrested suspect was one of three armed men who barged into the house and shot to death Khalid Ditingki, his wife Santalla and their daughter Norhidaya at past 10 p.m. Friday.

Khalid is a village councilman of lakeside village of Matampay in Marantao. The village borders Marantao town and Marawi City.

While land dispute could be the possible motive, Moxsir said there were indications

MARAWI, P11

in SouthCot was no NPA member

L

eaders of church, militant and environmental groups condemned the killing of a tribal chieftain and three other family members in an alleged encounter between communist rebels and the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato on Sunday afternoon, claiming the four were civilians and not members of the New People’s Army (NPA) as alleged by the military.

The military claimed Datu Victor Danyan of Sitio Datal, Barangay Ned in Lake Sebu, chair of the T’boli-Manobo S’daf Claimant Organization (TAMASCO), his sons Tantan,

Jr., and Artemio, and son-in-law Dodoy, were NPA members.

TAMASCO has been opposing coal mining and coffee plantation ventures in their village. “The fatalities were all NPA

members killed during the encounter with our troops,” 2Lt. Ranjan Palacio, spokesperson of the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion, said in a radio interview.

Palacio said three other dead bodies were recovered on Monday.

Two soldiers were also killed — PFC Jovanie P. Tagactac and PFC Max Jay Lord Fernando – and three soldiers were injured during the �ire�ight.

“We mourn what happened to Datu Victor,” said Fr. Ariel Destora, Social Action Center director of the Diocese of Marbel.

Destora said Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez has

requested a meeting with of�icials of the 27th IB to clarify the matter.

The priest said the diocese is concerned about what’s happening in Ned, where an estimated 211 million metric tons of coal are believed to sit.

Recently, the diocesan clergy wrote a letter to provincial legislators who are currently discussing the application of the proponents, to reject the project.

The Department of Energy issued in 1999 the coal operating contracts to Daguma Agro-Minerals, Inc. and Sultan Energy Philippines Corp., the

room and rapidly spread to other portions of the Guipo residence.

He said they are speci�ically looking at an unattended lighted candle as the possible cause of the �ire.

Guipo’s wife Merlia admitted that her husband had a habit of lighting a candle before dawn for his daily prayers.

“He (Tito) had dif�iculty walking so he failed to come out of his room in time and was eventually trapped,” he

said in a radio interview, noting accounts from family members.

He said the victim reportedly failed to immediately call for help from other members of the household and the �ire was already raging when they were awakened from it.

Peligo said they were able to immediately respond to the scene after the initial �ire call but the �ire was then already engul�ing most of the house when

they arrived.

He said they are still assessing the damage caused by the �ire, the second incident in two days here.

A �ire also gutted down a rented housing unit in Phase 6, Dona Soledad Subdivision in Barangay Apopong at around 3:43 a.m.

Sunday.

BFP said no one was inside the house during the incident, which left an estimated damage of around P250,000.(PNA)

GROUPS, P11

Man, 69, dies in pre-dawn fire in GenSan

A

69-year-old man was killed in a pre-dawn �ire Monday that hit their home in a village here.

Sr. Fire Of�icer 1 Arturo Peligo, arson investigator of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) station here, said victim Tito Diomedes Guipo died after he was trapped inside their burning house on Villareal Street, Barangay Lagao at past 3 a.m.

Citing their investigation, he said the �ire reportedly started at the victim’s

8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

EDITORIAL

Costly, dangerous dengue program

T

he fact is that nearly 734,000 children aged nine and over in the Philippines have received one dose of the vaccine as part of a program that cost P3.5 billion and that there was no indication that health of�icials then knew of any risks when they administered the vaccination.

The vaccines were purchased and administered during the administration of President Aquino and under the watch of then Health Secretary Janette Garin.

There are reports of at least three deaths of children administered with the vaccines but this had not been veri�ied if it is directly related. Despite that, the government has ordered an investigation into the immunization of more than 730,000 children with dengue vaccine commercially known as Dengvaxia which has been suspended following an announcement by French drug company Sano�i that it could worsen the disease in some cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) also plans to conduct a full review of data on the vaccine but in the meantime recommended it be used

EDGEDAVAO

Providing solutions to a seamless global village.

Printed by Zion Accuprint Publishing Inc. Door 14 ALCREJ Building, Quirino Avenue, 8000, Davao City, Philippines Tel: (082) 224-1413 301-6235 Telefax: (082) 221-3601 www.edgedavao.net editorial@edgedavao.net marketing@edgedavao.net edgedavao@gmail.com

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

JIMMY K. LAKING Associate Editor PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ANGELIE SAVERON BAI FAUZIAH FATIMA SINSUAT AMBOLODTO JUDELYN VEGA MEGHANN STA. INES Reporters ARMANDO B. FENENQUITO JR. 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

the national association of newspapers

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) 09101864939 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

only in people who had a prior infection with dengue.

According to studies, while Sano�i’s Dengvaxia is the �irst approved vaccine for dengue, it did not protect equally against the four different types of the virus. A new analysis from six years of clinical data showed Dengvaxia provides persistent protective bene�it in those who had prior infection. But for those not previously infected, more cases of severe disease could occur following vaccination according to Sano�i.

There are reports that the approval and procurement for the program was done with “undue haste” and this sparked the inquiry on the issue.

Dengue has been a known killer disease in the country and where it is proven that the program proceeded without going through a process of intensive research and study by those responsible for the program, then they must be held liable for subjecting 730,000 lives to danger as well as cost the government coffers P3.5-B in taxpayers’ money.

EDGEDAVAO

E

ugenics, the science of manipulating births to produce desired and designed offspring, is tackled in Plato’s The Republic. The section on eugenics is premised by an earlier assertion that there is nothing better for the city than the coming to be in it of the best possible women and men (456e). The best women and men of the city will have the same training and education. In an age where women were treated as property and limited to the domestic sphere, such requisite of Plato for both men and women signals his disposition for radical change. He sought to overturn existing practices and ways of living, and proposed actions that are deemed aberrant of human nature.

Plato’s program for eugenics occurs in a society where there is no individual ownership.

Everything belongs to the State

I

t’s like a cinematic Perry Mason case story slowly unfolding.

I’m referring to the on-going congressional hearing of the impeachment case �iled against the SC chief magistrate Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Initially, there appeared to have been quite a shallow appreciation of the list of impeachable complaints �iled

by Atty. Larry Gadon. But as the days are progressing at the Batasan hearing, the developments that are following indicate the clear establishment of solid evidence.

Take the Supreme Court unanimous action to allow two active associate justices and one retired member to appear and testify before the HoR justice committee panel.

This proportionately brought the probe to its proper perspective considering the issue referred to Sereno’s undue unilateral bending of the rules that govern the collegial nature of the High Tribunal.

The charge is embodied in the complaint of “culpable

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

VANTAGE POINTS

9

State-mandated mating and is for the State to dispose as it sees �it. Even the normally private couplings and matings of citizens are a State affair. The Republic states that, “All these women are to belong to all these men in common and no woman is to live privately with any man.

And the children, in their turn, will be in common, and neither will a parent know his own offspring, nor a child his parent.”

In such a society, there is not only communism of material property but of people as well. The family, as we know it, is abolished. The family is the State; the State is the family. Parents do not know and own the family they mated for.

The children are all offspring of the State. A marriage between a man and a woman is only sacred if and until the State sees it bene�icial in producing quality progeny. Intercourse outside of State approval is deemed unholy.

The most sacred marriages are

CATNIP

Vida Mia S. Valverde the most bene�icial marriages (458e) and these marriages are not supposed to last a lifetime.

Partners are shuf�led by the State in permutations that produce the best possible progeny at the prime ages identi�ied for men and women. Women are supposed to bear children from their 20th up to their 40th year while men have to bear children for the State beginning at the period he passes his peak at running until

his �iftieth year (460e). Even if men and women are in their prime ages but mate without the blessing of the State, the children they bear will be deemed as bastards and unauthorized by the State. Children born of terrible incontinence are not worthy of being in the best just society (461a-b).

Plato recognizes that the concept of ownership divides people, within and without.

Engagement in the erotic and consumerist desires for possessing something and someone will only stir discordant energies better off channeled towards building the ideal society. No longer will there be disparities in wealth and sexual successes from which fragmentation among citizens may stem (464 c-e).

Couplings are clinically decided by the State. It seems that Plato envisions a utopian society

composed of asexual beings that cannot truly ful�il human desires by having something of their own and having sexual intercourse borne of private passion. The material and bodily human realities are subsumed

by Plato under the supposed higher faculty of reason that is found in the human being’s soul.

Plato deems the earthier erotic and material desires destructive to society. Eradicating all forms of private ownership is thus seen as an effective control of passions that make one blind to the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The utopian society is a just society.

Private property is a source of injustice. Anything and anyone that one can call one’s own can be a source of injustice. Thus, communism of all property, anything and anyone owned because of one’s desire, is a requisite for Plato’s society.

the “successful” impeachment of GMA appointee ex-CJ Renato Corona.

The public should refrain from associating this Sereno impeachment issue with the current Malacanang tenant in view of the former’s insinuation that PRRD has something to do with the goings-on at the House of Representatives.

Recall that unlike ex-Pres.

Noynoy who made public his dislike for the late CJ Corona since he assumed of�ice in 2010, Duterte shied away from the impeachment proceedings as properly as should be.

But because the impeachment process is a political procedure relying completely on the numbers the majority can muster in both chambers of Congress, the implication that Sereno wants to convey is that the ouster move would not happen without the President – like an orchestra - waving the conductor’s baton.

However, it must be explained that the public is getting educated based on the

�low of the proceedings and are able to amass a lot of legal jargon to make an informed choice.

Political partisanship is unavoidable. Being a designate of PNoy, Sereno is construed to be wearing the yellow color and those supporting her are also believed to belong to the same dye, like VP Leni Robredo.

Civil society and anti-Marcos guys and the religious (CBCP in particular) are cheering for the respondent.

In this scenario, sectors of the population who have grouped themselves into anti-PNoy partisans and emerged as pro-Duterte blocs are thereupon backing the impeachment of the current Chief Justice.

The cinematic appeal of the impeachment process endures. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.)

Heb. 11:40. “God has planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES.!

Castro testimony is killing CJ Sereno softly

violation of the Constitution.”

AJ Teresita Castro, who has 44 years of rich judicial experience behind her, was a picture of decent court demeanor as she – emotionlessly – described the details and the circumstances of a TRO opinion regarding the question on the senior citizen party-list.

She denied, though, that she ever raised her voice as was being bandied about against the Chief Justice and described their professional relations as “amiable.”

Castro’s appearance before the justice panel chaired by Rep. Reynaldo Umali boosted the credibility stock of complainant Gadon who continues to sound con�ident wherever he goes.

Two other AJs – the retired Arturo Brion and sitting magistrate Jardeleza - are set to make their testimonies public.

Despite the mind-blowing spectacle that is certain to hurt her and her family, Sereno insists she will �ight to the end.

This has been the usual response of of�icials who are

SPORTS KEN Fred C. Lumba on the impeachment line.

Remember Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and Comelec Chair Andres Bautista who at �irst refused to give up their “thrones” but eventually raised the “white �lag” to avoid the shame and scandal the impeachment could in�lict on them?

Yeah, they quit while the quitting was good and favorable to them.

For students of law, the current controversy is an excellent topic for class debate and discussion as this follows

10 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

DOOMED... FROM 1 he calls “concrete conditions.”

“You cannot erase more than more than 500 years of Catholicism and more than 100 years of Aglipayan and Iglesia ni Kristo in�luence,” he said.

Filipinism that is rooted in belief in God and love of country is more likely to propel “Revolution Duterte” towards transforming Philippine society, he said.

Tayag was in town Saturday for the launching of the Kabataang Magsasaka (KM) whose objective is to form a national coalition of young farmers.

Richard “Bong” Ano, who organized the KM, said the young farmers’ coalition will promote agriculture advocacies like organic agriculture, support legislation that will promote agricultural development, and ensure the participation of young farmers in the formulation of agricultural development plans from the village to the regional levels.

“We shall also help in the regional formation of commodity roadmaps to promote the crops suited to our regions,” he said.

Tayag said that other than nationalist ideology, ‘Revolution Duterte’ has three com-

ponents that are bound to turn things around for Philippine society.

Foremost, he said, is the overwhelming clamor for change that leaves President Duterte no choice but to follow.

“This revolution is not violent but is inspired by a Filipino ideology that is acceptable, practical and capable of inspiring,” he said, adding that it is bound to reshape a history controlled by more than 50 families for the past 119 years.

The second component revolves around a military component that is imbued with the Filipino ideology of love of God and country.

He said the 320,000-strong army and police are not keen on committing abuses.

He said the third component is political with a mass base of �ive million Guardians, �ive million Marcos loyalists and 13 million Duterte supporters.

Tayag is remembered in the 1970s as chairman of the militant Kabataang Makabayan. He was arrested in 1970 but released in 1982. He has since embraced the Philippine Independent Church, was ordained a priest and later elevated to bishop.

ry Subsidy shall made applicable to all private school teachers through the K to 12 levels.

It also proposed that the amount of the TSS shall increase to at least one-half of the amount of the salary given to public school teachers, with the remaining half of the salary to be the responsibility of the private schools.

Braga said lamented that what she described as a massive loss experienced by private institutions, with their trained teachers leaving for public schools for higher compensation.

Braga read the resolution supporting and endorsing the position paper of DAPRISA to President Roa Duterte for his consideration.

“It is common knowledge that the compensation package for the public school teachers is the primordial reason why many teachers from the private schools will abandon their commitments to educate the students in the private institutions in order to join the bandwagon of the well-compensated teachers in the public school is very significant, the teachers who dream

for a greener pasture cannot be at fault,” said Braga.

“The loss on the part of the private schools is alarming, continuing, substantial and painful due to the fact that these trained teachers have often been the bene�iciaries of the year-round short/longterm trainings and a number of formation programs,” she said.

Braga said that every year, over one third of teachers leave the private schools even before the end of their contract.

“The salary of our public school is really different from the private, the public salary now is ranging to more or less 19 thousands and private are only more or less 10 thousand really big differences,” she added.

She added that the position paper of the Davao Association of Private Schools and Administrators has been endorsed to President Duterte for his consideration.

“Our request is already in President Duterte to subsidize the salaries of private school teacher to the level of public school teachers” said Braga.

gay Balindong here 9:30 a.m.

They arrived at Barangay Bagumbayan in Magpet town to fetch the policeman around 10:30 a.m. and went back to the Bishop’s Palace 1:30 p.m.

where a press conference was held.

The family of Catalan, in the press conference, expressed gratitude to those who have convinced the NPAs

DAPRISA’S... FROM 2

NPA... FROM 2

Members of Central 911 firefighting team take a rest while assessing the damage of the fire that razed a residential area in Brgy. Pag-asa in Davao City on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr to release the police of�icer.

They said they have waited for so long after the NPAs released on Sept. 25 a video showing Catalan was alive and was kept well while in captivity.

Catalan told media that when he was informed he

would soon be released he was so happy because “�inally, I would be with my family.”

His wife, Gigi, was full of tears seeing her husband physically �it and well and now back in their home.

(Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews)

nience (CPC), it is criminal and it is illegal for them to participate in any tigil pasada,” he said.

On February 25, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) issued a press release reiterating the prohibition on the conduct of a transport strike led by operators of public utility vehicles prior to a planned nationwide tigil pas-

ada by PISTON and Stop and Go Transport Coalition.

Despite the warning, the transport strike was carried out on February 27 as a means to oppose the government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.

“The warning was made.

He de�ied. He now has to face the consequences,” Roque said. (PNA)

Calms has only one licensed �irearm but it was already expired many years ago.

“He did not renew his �irearm license despite of our warning in several Oplan Katok we conducted,” he said.

Tagum said investigators are now �iling a case against

Calma for violation Republic Act 10591 Comprehensive Law on �irearms and explosives.

He said the raid was part of their pre-emptive operation to ensure that there are no armed groups in Davao City.

Duterte- Carpio welcomed the participants during the opening day.

“In behalf of the City government of Davao City, I would like to congratulate the Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao Inc. on this 4th KakaoKonek Cacao Conference. Participated by local cacao enthusiasts and world renowned chocolate makers from Belgium and in the United States. This assembly places gravity on the things that spotlights the Philippine cacao industry,” she said in her speech.

She said that with this con-

ference “will set the Philippine Cacao agribusiness a notch higher to a healthy discourse of the increase of global demand of cacao products, �inancial access for farmers product certi�ications and other timely subjects towards sustainable developments.”

“With this session coupled with business networking with international players in the cacao industry I am full of optimism that our micro and macro farmers and entrepreneurs will gain more insights in optimizing their productivity and giving them an upper hand

TRANSPORT... FROM 2

TRADER’S... FROM 2

CACAO... FROM 3

in the market,” she said.

She said that approximately 90 percent of Philippine cacao production, the spotlight now is on Mindanao with Davao City considered as the country’s chocolate capital.

“The Launching of the Cacao City in the Davao City Pasalubong Center last October 2, 2017 is an acclamation that the City Government of Davao City is up for the Philippine Cacao Challenge that encourages the entire industry to produce 100,000 metric tons of cacao in 2020,” she said in her speech.

The lady mayor said that during their visit at Kitakyushu in Japan the people who were there to talk to them knew about the Malagos chocolates .

“The things that we

brought as give aways didto sa Japan were T-shirt s Davao Life is here, mugs so nag ana ko sa among mga kauban sa akong mga sataff nga kauban sa city we should have brought chocolates this is one thing that the entire world knows about the Malagos Chocolates,” she said.

The mayor called on every cacao enthusiast to invest more in research and development in the cacao industry. This is to further augment pro�itability in this business. She said that this is very important so that Philippine cacao will remain competitive in the world market.

“The cacao business projects a promising tomorrow for the Filipinos and I believe we are already seeing its dawning,” she said.

the impeachment committee.

Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop said Gadon’s claims cast aspersions on the independence of each and every member of the committee.

Acop likened the complainant to the character in the children’s classic “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.”

Quezon City Rep. Vicente Crisologo threatened to cite Gadon in contempt if he continues to make unsubstantiated claims before media interviews.

“Please shut up your

mouth para naman hindi mapasama yung proceedings dito,” Crisologo said.

Gadon, in his defense, explained that in the radio interview he claimed that the senators would not be bribed because “they are digni�ied persons and will put the county �irst before anything else.”

1-Ang Edukasyon Partylist Rep. Salvador Belaro directed Gadon to write within �ive days his explanation regarding these bribery allegations and other claims. (PNA)

in view of “many versions” reaching him.

“For me I cannot identify if they really burn it or they were hit and there are some versions that the victims hammered the grenade which caused the explosion,” he said.

“I just want to have a thorough investigation regarding this incident, where the grenade came from or were they

killed,” he said.

Del Pilar said he cannot tell how the victims got the ri�le grenade because as far that he knew, the victims were farmers tilling their farm for their livelihood.

He also admitted that there many rebels used to pass by the area but that no violence occurred in the past four years

SOLONS... FROM 3

COPS... FROM 3

INdulge!

STYLE

PHILIPPINE FASHION DESIGN LUMINARY, Rajo Laurel was recently in Durianburg for an exclusive trunk show at the Dusit Thani Showroom at the Lanang Business Park from November 24 to 26.

No thanks to some urgent work concerns, I got to the opening of the event late. Luckily I was able to catch up with Rajo during the lunch break to pick his mind on his latest collection as well as fashion trends he sees for 2018.

What is your collection all about?

The Holiday 2017 Collection we have for this trunk show features pieces we brought to Paris Fashion Week. The pieces are inspired by memories when I was five.

You can see modern adaptations of voluminous ruffles and extravagant bows with notes of fun memories from the past.

Any design trends you see on the horizon?

For Spring and Summer 2018 it will definitely be about colors with some prints and patching in a nod to the 70’s. I believe pleats will also be strong in 2018 wth soft and feminine silhouettes taking center stage.

Sheer materials will still be in, but the new “pinch and flare” look where shapes are tapered at the waist and then flared out will be making waves on the runway.

You mentioned color will be in again for 2018?

Expect bright jewel tones of wonderful greens, deep plums, blissful blushes and luxurious blues with touches of sparkling golds and silvers. These colors can be harmonised with lavish fabrics such as taffeta, tulle, crepe, and gazaar.

Rajo’s trunk show may already be over for this year, but you can still check out and purchase the pieces at his website www.rajolaurel.com or visit his stores whenever you drop by Manila.

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

EDGEDAVAO

Playful visions

EDGEDAVAO

A2INdulge!

UP AND ABOUT

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

GCash scan to pay makes its way to NCCC Davao NEW CITY COMMERCIAL CORPORATION (NCCC), Davao’s homegrown retail chain, has partnered with GCash in promoting electronic payments in the country through the use of QR scanning via smartphones.

Top officials of the two companies led by Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu, GCash President and CEO Albert Tinio, NCCC President and CEO Lafayette Lim, and SVP for NCCC Supermarket Tjader Regis announced today the partnership and availability of the GCash App scan to pay feature at NCCC Supermarket in Ma-a, NCCC’s flagship mall in Davao.

With the launch, NCCC Supermarket becomes the first supermarket chain in Mindanao to accept cashless transactions using QR code for easy, convenient, and secure payment system.

QR scanning is already widely adopted in countries such as China and India where people hardly use cash anymore to pay for goods and services.

Instead, they use their smartphone to scan the QR codes of merchants and pay for their purchases.

“We at NCCC are committed to provide our customers with all their shopping needs, the highest quality of customer

Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu (2nd from right) and NCCC President and CEO Lafayette Lim (2nd from left) together with GCash President and CEO Albert Tinio (right) and SVP for NCCC Supermarket Tjader Regis (left) lead the GCash-NCCC partnership launch

service, and value for their money. Electronic payments via QR is the wave of the future and we want our customers to experience it now with the help of GCash,” said Tjader Regis, NCCC Supermarket Senior Vice-President.

“We are excited over this partnership since NCCC is a well-loved mall in Mindanao, having established its roots in Davao. Through NCCC, we would want to introduce QR payments to Mindanaoans for a better shopping experience.

With the GCash App scan to pay feature, they don’t have to bring cash anymore or even

look for exact change. They only need their smartphone,” said Cu. For GCash customers, they only need to download the GCash App for free via Google Play Store for Android phones and App Store for iPhone. The App contains several ways to use GCash, one of which is the Pay QR. Once chosen, it will open the phone camera which has to be pointed at the merchant’s QR sticker for automatic capture. The customer just has to type in the amount to be paid and money will already be transferred to the account of the merchant electronically.

The GCash wallet can be loaded via any of the over 12,000 GCash cash-in outlets nationwide.

Since 1978, NCCC has been the leading and preferred shopping destination in areas like Compostela Valley, Davao, Tagum, Mati and even in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

For almost four decades, the company has diversified from textile mart to a string of retail outlets that offer, among other things, breads and pastries (Breadfactory), health and pharmaceutical products (HB1 Pharmacy), hardware and do-it-yourself home fixtures

(Hardwaremaxx), perfect film and digital pictures (Printlife), one-stop bowling, pool, KTV spot and restobar (B3), and a lively acoustic theater that shows quality movies (NCCC Cinemas).

Meanwhile, GCash continues to promote cashless transactions in the country to reach more Filipinos by partnering with key market players and top companies beginning with Mercato and Glorietta. GCash is the pioneer in electronic payments system in the Philippines that uses QR codes instead of cash to pay for goods and services.

GCash is operated by Mynt, which is owned by Globe Telecom, Ant Financial and Ayala Corp. It hopes to change the purchasing payment landscape in the Philippines, strongly believing that cashless transactions will be the next big thing in the retail industry.

Learn more about GCash by visiting www.gcash.com. Follow us on our social media channels: www.facebook.com/ gcashofficial,www.twitter.com/ gcashofficial, and www.instagram.com/gcashofficial.

Nina corpuz features super moms of stars in new book

December 2 – 5, 2017 Only

UNEXPECTEDLY YOURS Sharon Cuneta, Robin Padilla Guaranteed Seating & One Time Viewing Only

PG

12:20 | 2:45 | 5:10 | 7:35 | 10:00 LFS

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer Guaranteed Seating & One Time Viewing Only

PG

12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 | 10:00 LFS

DADDY'S HOME 2/ *COCO Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini, Mel Gibson/ *Anthony Gonzales, Gael Garcia Bernal Guaranteed Seating & One Time Viewing Only

PG/*G

3:00 | 7:45 LFS / *12:30 | 5:15 | 10:00 LFS

WONDER/ *JUSTICE LEAGUE Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson/ *Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot Guaranteed Seating & One Time Viewing Only

PG/*PG

10:50 | 3:20 | 7:50 LFS/ * 1:00 | 5:30 | 10:00 LFS

SOME of today’s big celebrities highly attribute their success to their doting moms, and readers will finally get to find out more about these mothers’ parenting styles plus some untold stories about their children in Nina Corpuz’s new book “How To Raise A Superstar”

by ABS-CBN Publishing.

Nina interviewed Min Bernardo, Kathryn Bernardo’s mom; Pinty Gonzaga, the mother of Alex and Toni Gonzaga; Dionisia Pacquaio, the famous mommy of Sen. Manny Pacquaio; and the only actress among the featured moms, Karla Estrada, known as the ‘Queen Mother’ of Daniel Padilla. She then compiled their revelations in her much-awaited parenting book.

The author said the project aims to share parenting tips from popular moms highly acknowledged for the success of their celebrity sons and daughters. “We chose them because they are almost as visible or nearly as talked about as their children. This time we will hear their side of the story and see how close they come to the saying, ‘mother knows best,’” shared the anchor/ host in the book.

The book highlights these personalities as certified super moms.

“After reading the book you will realize that the people behind these

superstars are superstars themselves. Two words – Super Moms, and there is a wealth to learn from their experiences,” said Nina who is also a mother of three.

Readers will discover how Mommy Pinty has raised versatile stars in Alex and Toni and her quick tips for both parents and children who want to make it big in the industry.

Mommy D told her story of how he raised a champion like Manny, and how prayers helped her raise good and obedient children.

Karla and Min gave insights on how they raised today’s teen king and queen, Daniel and Kathryn, and also revealed 10 fast facts about

the two.

The book is not just for moms who want their children to shine.

It also talks about chasing dreams and dealing with failure, serving as an inspiration to dreamers who aspire to be superstars in different fields. It also includes advice from TV host and talent manager Boy Abunda, and tips from behavioral pediatrician, Dr. Francis Xavier Dimalanta.

“How To Raise A Superstar” is under ABS-CBN Publishing in partnership with Working Mom. It will soon be available in leading bookstores and newsstands nationwide for only P225.

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

EDGEDAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

Advertise with

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

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

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

THE... FROM 12 point, I consider dengue vaccine as experimental and therefore should never have been implemented as a school-based program without having completed 5-6 years of Phase IV implementation.”

Dr. Mata echoed the same concern. “I am not against Dengvaxia,” he said. “They could have started low pro�ile in private sectors and allow more good feedback. And probably further research on safety for less than 9 years old, just to satisfy the doctors who are meticulous.”

Last November 29, the dengue vaccine made headlines when Sano�i Pasteur announced that, based from six years of clinical data, it poses more risks for people who have not been infected by the dengue virus before immunization.

“The analysis con�irmed that Dengvaxia provides persistent protective bene�it against dengue fever in those who had prior infection.

For those not previously infected by dengue virus, however, the analysis found that in the longer term, more cases of severe disease could occur following vaccination upon a subsequent dengue infection,” Sano�i said in a press statement.

“Vaccination should only be recommended when the potential bene�its outweigh the potential risks (in countries with high burden of dengue disease),” it added.

“For individuals who have not been previously infected by dengue virus, vaccination should not be recommended.”

Aside from the Philippines, 10 other countries have approved the commercial release of the dengue vaccine; these are: Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

Immediately after the announcement, the government suspended the dengue immunization program for public school children.

But the hitch is that more than 700,000 children were already given the vaccine.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told the press that so far no cases of “severe dengue infection” have been monitored among those that were given the vaccine.

It takes about �ive years for such severe dengue cases to become evident, some reports said.

In another news brie�ing, Dr. Eric Tayag, DOH spokesman said the health department “is prepared for a worst-case scenario.” He added that those who had been vaccinated “are being followed up for adverse effects.”

Since dengue vaccine is still in a limbo, there’s a better way to treat dengue. That is through water. “Dengue is a water-borne disease and so the best possible solution to it might be in water, too. It’s simply water-in versus water-out

issue,” said Dr. Mata.

“When the mosquito bites you, the dengue virus will enter your blood vessels and it will cause plasma leakage, or what I call as butas ang mga ugat. It’s like you have thousands of pinpoint holes in your blood vessels that causes it to leak with water that will cause dehydration,” he explained.

“Para kang supot na may tubig na may butas butas,” he further said. “It’s like a secret diarrhea.

And that’s why it’s dangerous because you cannot see the �luids that comes out of the vessels unlike in loose bowel movement where it’s obvious. So, it’s easy to estimate the needed amount of hydration in diarrhea than that of dengue. All the worst if you don’t even know its dehydration.”

Dr. Mata said dehydration causes shock, “dahil naubos na ang tubig, wala ng pressure. Kaya nga tinawag na dengue shock.”

Dehydration also causes intestinal ulcer that causes bleeding.

“And because the platelets are low, the bleeding becomes severe,” Dr. Mata said. “But if there was no dehydration, there will be no ulcer and thus no bleeding – even if the platelets are low. So, it still boils down to dehydration.”

Dehydration also causes kidney failure, which result from the decrease in urine output. “This causes the water to be retained in the lungs thereby creating congestion that can kill the patients,” he said.

Many people believe congestion is caused by over hydration.

“But the truth is, it is caused by kidney failure due to dehydration,” he said. “That’s ironic, right?”

Dr. Mata suggested that doctors should focus on improving the knowledge and the management on hydration. By doing so, he said, “we will save thousands of patients from those complications of dehydration and even from dying.”

If only the scientists got it right from the start, it should have been called dengue dehydration fever and not dengue hemorrhagic fever.

“Imagine how many people we could have saved by proper understanding,” he pointed out.

“So how will you know if you are well-hydrated,” he asked. “Ang ihi ng ihi wagi! Dengue patients must be well-hydrated with Oresol and dextrose. If the patients are well hydrated, they will always urinate. With an almost clear color (of the urine)!

“Those who urinate small with longer intervals and with dark colored urine are in danger of severity. The good news is that the quality of the urine can warn us before the blood pressure drops and thus can be hydrated early and save the patient,” Dr. Mata concluded.

seriously affected by armed clashes.

“We remain concerned about their plight as they have been displaced for more than three months,” she said.

The evacuees had been deprived of basic necessities as intense �ighting continues in the area, the ICRC said.

Some residents, however, had returned home to plant

CLASHES... FROM 3

11

EDGEDAVAO rice and other crops but are staying closed to the roads so they could �lee anytime the clashes would erupt, the ICRC added.

“These families have reduced the number of meals to

two per day, and also limited them in variety. It is important that as people try and restore their lives, they receive basic support to do so,” Matsuzawa said. (Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews)

chief �inancial of�icer Roan Torregoza.

The company currently has a land bank of 554 hectares.

“In the next 10 years, I

don’t think the demand for housing in our price levels will subside,” added Uy. “At levels of below P2 million, this is the market that needs houses.” (PNA)

tential and improve living standards, power supply must be delivered in an accessible, affordable, reliable, sustained and competitive manner,” said Barcelon.

“It is, therefore, imperative that any policy affecting the quality and costs of power supply should be approached with active awareness and purpose of enhancing the key elements of our economy and that the same shall promote sensitive inclusiveness,” he added.

The PCCI chief noted that the Philippines is already

“poorly situated in terms of power cost competitiveness”, and preventing the increase in power cost should be a priority.

We now enjoy this rare opportunity when our country is catching the eye of international business community, so let us not rock the boat, as it were, by tinkering and erroneously demeaning the impact of any increase in our power cost,” Barcelon said.

The Senate approved on thrid and �inal reading its version of TRAIN bill last week. (PNA)

ment of Transportation and Department of Public Works and Highways in conducting pre-investment activities for public infra projects.

The IPIF will include support for feasibility studies, detailed engineering design, preparation of bid documents, due diligence review and other activities.

In that meeting, the ADB, in turn, expressed its support for the Duterte administration’s “hybrid” approach to PPP infrastructure projects, in which the government �inances the initial construction phase of the projects to speed up their implementation and bids out the other stages, usually the operation and maintenance, to the private sector.

“It’s very positive that the government is very serious about the “Build, Build, Build,” said ADB principal country specialist Joven Bal-

bosa during the meeting.

The Duterte administration is planning to spend P8.4 trillion on its “Build, Build, Build” program to rapidly modernize the country’s infrastructure over the medium term.

In the meeting, the ADB also expressed its support for the government’s tax reform initiatives to help raise revenues for its “Build, Build, Build” and social protection programs.

Besides Nakao and Balbosa, the ADB delegation also included Yoichiro Ikeda, Senior Advisor to the ADB president; Tomoyuki Kimura, Director General of the Bank’s Strategy and Policy Department; Ramesh Subramaniam, Director General of the Southeast Asia Department and Cleo Kawawaki, Deputy Director of the General Asia Department. (DOF)

buanos,” CCLEC President and General Manager Allan Alfon told the local bourse.

CCLEC will build, operate and maintain the toll bridge through a joint venture agreement with the local governments of Cebu City and Cordova municipality. Acciona’s Ruben Camba, representing the CLJV, said: “We are delighted to be part of this landmark project.

We have put together a very experienced team, and are

looking forward to working closely together with the customer to deliver a new toll bridge that will bene�it both local communities and the Philippines.”

The CCLEX allows for shipping traf�ic and the link is expected to serve at least 40,000 vehicles daily.

The project is envisioned to decongest the traf�ic in the two existing bridges between Mactan and Cebu. (PNA)

8900... FROM 4

SENATES... FROM 4

ADB... FROM 4

JOINT... FROM 5

TUNA... FROM 5

use of natural resources to meet present and future needs.

“Whatever we do there will take into consideration conservation,” he said in a media conference for the international �ish conservation conference hosted by the Philippines at the Philippine International Convention Center this week.

Conservation will help

ensure availability of Philippine Rise’s resources for needs of future generations, he said.

He said if sustainably managed, Philippine Rise would provide generations of Filipinos with unquanti�iable food.

“We must ensure there’ll be enough food for Filipinos today and in the future,” he said.(PNA)

the raising of chicken according to halal standards.

According to Mangudadatu, dressed chicken in the market today may have been slaughtered according to Islamic tradition but uncertain how they were raised.

The project is a joint venture between local traders and Malaysian investors who see chicken production the halal way as a means of ensuring dressed chicken in the market are safe and permissible to Islamic law. (PNA)

letter said.

Chinkie Peliño-Golle, executive director of environment group Interface Development Interventions, described the slain tribal leader “as a man of integrity.”

“He is one of the IP (indigenous peoples) leaders who inspired me to work on upholding environmental and social justice. I’ve never heard him ask for anything but only to own back and manage their lands,” she said on social media.

“Datu Vic is not a NPA member. There was even an assurance that their community will not be touched because he is not part or a member of

the NPA,” Golle said.

Golle said the military had earlier assured Sister Susan Bolanio, executive director of OND HESED Foundation, Inc. and member of the Regional Peace and Order Council, that they would not touch Datu Vic as they were convinced he was not a member of the NPA. Ryan Lariba, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Mindanao coordinator, said what happened Sunday was a “massacre that should be blamed on President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to wage an all-out war against the communist rebels.”(Bong S. Sarmiento with a report from Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

Mira Mirano of Aklan reign in the girls 20 and under with nine wins undefeated in nine games of play.

Other individual gold medalists in the blitz competition were Vincent Ryu Dimayuga of Batangas and Al-Basher Buto of Cainta, who tallied eight points each in the Boys 8 and under, Mi-

chael Concio Jr. of Dasmarinas, Cavite won the Boys 12 and under with eight points marker, Daniel Quizon of Dasmarinas, Cavite prevailed in the Boys 14 and under with 8.0 points and Brylle Gever Vinluan of National University took the gold in the Boys 18 and under with 6.0 points in seven outings.

implementation of the two top leadership initiatives of China and an important action to promote cooperation between China and the Philippines.”

Zhou and Pacquiao jointly held its �irst promotion in China on September 29, 2017,

a ‘by invitation only’ boxing event at the Heyuan Royal Garden Hotel in Beijing that featured Zhou’s prospect Lu Bin on the main event and undefeated former Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga of the Philippines on the main undercard.

the suspects were supporters of local Maute terror group.

The charred remains of the victims were immediately buried by relatives in keeping with the Islamic tradition of burying the dead within 24 hours.

Citing police reports from Lanao del Sur, Senior Inspector Jemar Delos Santos, spokesperson for PRO-

ARMM, said that the victims were asleep when the suspects barged inside the house, opened �ire on the couple and daughter before setting a�ire the family’s remains.

Neighbors rescued the seven other children of Khalid and turned them over to the city social welfare and development of�ice in Marawi.

(PNA)

HALAL... FROM 5

GROUPS... FROM 7

PH... FROM 15

MANNY... FROM 15

MARAWI... FROM 7

12 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

The dengue vaccine imbroglio

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“Please, our son needs help!” pleaded Rina as she carried her son Noel to the hospital.

The nurses, who were having lunch that hot Friday afternoon, immediately quit eating and tried to calm the mother of the 9-yearold boy from Bansalan, Davao del Sur. “What happened,” one of the nurses asked. Rina then shared this story: Five days earlier, Noel had a fever and was complaining of abdominal pain. The parents thought it was due to some kind of “wind” because the child had not eaten. The fever, however, was onand-off for four days.

Despite the medications they have given to the boy, their son’s condition was getting worse. That was when the parents decided to bring the boy to the hospital. By this time, Noel’s breathing was rapid and the pulse was beating fast. His skin was cold and clammy.

Chest X-rays showed the boy having an abnormal build-up of �luid in the lungs. He was breathing dif�iculty. Doctors told the parents that their son was in a state of shock.

The boy was immediately brought to the emergency department. Inside the intensive care unit, the boy started bleeding profusely despite the blood transfusion done by the doctors.

Early Sunday, at about three o’clock, Noel died.

Out of 211,000 suspected dengue cases last year, more than 1,000 people – mostly children – died from the mosquito-viral disease, according to the records released by the Department of Health (DOH).

The dengue virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Most Aedes mosquitoes are found indoors than outdoors. The Aedes aegypti prefers to rest in shaded places while Aedes albopictus prefer to rest in shrubs and trees.

Actually, there are two kinds of diseases caused by dengue virus.

There’s the classical dengue known for more than 200 years. The other new entity, dengue hemorrhagic fev er – also called as Philippine, Thai, or Southeast Asian hemorrhagic fever or dengue sh ock syndrome – emerged in 1953 in Manila and in 1958 in Bangkok.

One of the most cost-effective ways to reduce the spread of dengue is through a vaccine. “Many biotechnological approaches have been used in attempts to develop dengue vaccines candidates, including live attenuated vaccines, infectious clone-derived vaccines, recombinant live vector systems, subunit vaccines, and nucleic acid vaccines,” pointed out the “State of the World’s Vaccines and Immunization” in 2002.

There are several reasons why dengue vaccine is very hard to produce. One of these is that dengue has four distinct strains.

“The vaccine must cover for all four strains because if there is a strain

not included, it can become a dangerous vaccine that may give potential harm than good,” explained Dr. Richard T. Mata, a pediatrician from Panabo City.

In 2002, Professor Natth Bhamarapravati, chief scientist of the dengue research team at Bangkok’s Mahidol University was reported to have spent already 12 years of his life trying to develop the dengue vaccine. There were other medical researchers doing the same thing.

Last year, what seemed to be a breakthrough, a dengue vaccine was introduced. The world’s �irst dengue vaccine for human use was approved in three countries, including the Philippines, according to Sano�i Pasteur, the vaccines division of France’s Sano�i. (The two other countries were Brazil and Mexico.)

“Approval of the �irst dengue vaccine in Asia, which bears 70% of global disease burden, is a major milestone in dengue prevention and public health,” said Olivier Charmeil, president and chief executive of�icer of Sano�i Pasteur in a press statement.

The vaccine reportedly has undergone testing on more than 29,000 patients worldwide. The Philippines participated in all three phases of the clinical development of the vaccine called Dengvaxia.

“The New England Journal of Medicine” published the pooled ef�icacy and integrated safety analyses from the 25-month Phase III ef�icacy studies and the ongoing longterm studies.

But there’s a hitch. “Dengvaxia is not for children below 9 years old because there were �indings that those given had more chances to be hospitalized of dengue than those not given,” said a press release.

The dengue vaccine is also not recommended to people aged above 45. A study conducted in Australia showed that people aged 46 to 50 had a very low antibody response to the vaccine. This means that “it is likely to be less effective at protecting people in this age group from dengue.”

“Primum non nocere” (First, do no harm), so goes the cardinal rule which physicians follow. This rule, according to Dr. Rafael R. Castillo, editor-in-chief of “Health and Lifestyle,” must be observed in connection with the government’s dengue vaccination program.

Two years ago, Professor Scott B. Halstead, an acknowledged �igure in dengue research in the past 50 years, published an article claiming that the dengue vaccine may even enhance the development of dengue rather than pre-

Dengue patient (Photo courtesy of Dr Richard Mata) vent it.

“The vaccine appears to cause antibody-dependent enhancement or ADE, a phenomenon whereby the dengue vaccine literally predisposes the dengue-naïve recipients of the vaccine for a more severe clinical expression of the disease,” explained Dr. Castillo in his editorial piece.

“Dr. Halstead was the �irst to identify this phenomenon, and he explained that in ADE, infection with one of the four strains of the dengue virus produces antibodies to that strain and cross-reactive antibodies to the other dengue strains,” he added.

Here’s what Dr. Halstead said: “Over time, you make and keep protective levels of antibody from the initial infection, but you lose the cross-reactive antibodies. That allows a second dengue infection to cause severe illness, including dengue hemorrhagic fever.”

In December 2015, the Philippines was the �irst country in Asia to approve the use of dengue vaccine for people aged 9 to 45. The health department approved the procurement of Dengvaxia intended for one million public school children in areas reported to have

the highest incidence of dengue.

Alarmed by the said program, doctors and health advocates, led

by Dr. Antonio L. Dans, Dr. Leonila F. Dans, and Anthony C Leachon, submitted a position paper to the Congress Committee on Health and Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

“There is a lingering uncertainty about the long-term safety of this new vaccine against dengue fever,” the position paper said.

“Evidence from the manufacturer’s trial shows that there may be a paradoxical increase in the incidence of severe dengue beginning a few years after children are vaccinated, and possibly continuing for the rest of their lives.

This danger especially applies to children who have never had dengue fever before,” the document explained.

Clinical trials were conducted to assess the danger of dengue vaccine. Sadly, the danger has been con�irmed. “A trial that included Filipinos showed that the incidence of severe dengue increased up to �ive times more, three years after children were vaccinated,” Dr. Dans, an epidemiologist from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, was quoted as saying by the

Health and Lifestyle.

The position paper reported: “In one study involving Asian children aged 2-14 years, vaccination increased the incidence of severe dengue by 400% on the third year of vaccination.”

The authors of the aforementioned study concluded that the reasons for the rise in dengue need further investigation. “We agree,” the doctors said. “Until these trials are completed, we recommend, as many other groups have, that children should be tested for past dengue infection before vaccination.”

According to the position paper, in terms of easing the dengue burden in the country, the current program is not a feasible strategy. It gave this bit of information: “The program cost the Philippine government P3.58 billion, for just one million children in only three regions, representing a mere 1% of the population. Scale-up this program, even for the lowest quintile of wealth, is simply not a viable option for the country.”

Because the program was done hurriedly, the community was “inadequately prepared” for the implementation. From the time the Formulary Executive Com-

mittee issues guidance, some 1218 months is allotted to prepare health workers and communities to introduce a new vaccine.

“Administrative orders and guidelines needs to be issued to local government units. Field manuals need to be produced and translated into dialects. Health workers need to be trained to give the vaccine and answer questions from parents and children. Referral systems for adverse events need to be activated and tested, a research protocol for monitoring on adverse events should be in place,” the position paper explained.

And these were done only in a matter of 26 days. “Many parents, teachers and health care workers claim they were never fully informed about the bene�its and potential side effects of the vaccine,” the paper said.

To proceed or not to proceed – that is the question.

“I am not against it having been registered for Phase IV but it should have been physician-supervised like most drugs launched in Phase IV trials,” Dr. Teodoro Javier Herbosa, former undersecretary of health, said at that time. “Up to this

THE, P11

13

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Water Interruption EDGE DAVAO in some Bucana areas is in need of Serving a seamless society

D

avao City Water District advises of a water service interruption on December 8, 2017 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM affecting these areas in Bucana: San Pedro Extension, Nograles Avenue, Sanasa, Bolton Isla, Kabacan, Kasilak, Bilusa, Busna, Sto. Niño, Savina Compound, Manggahan, St. John, and portion of Quimpo Boulevard (from corner San Pedro Extension to Bolton Isla including Felcris Centrale, Almendras Gym, and immediate environs).

This water service interruption is needed for the tapping of the newly installed pipeline to DCWD’s existing pipeline for the mainline improvement at Savina Compound in Bucana.

Once completed, the project will allow for accommodation of additional service connections.

On behalf of the DCWD management, general manager Engr. Edwin V. Regalado asks for the understanding and cooperation of the would-be affected customers. They are also advised to store water in clean and covered containers as wa-

ter supply may be restored earlier if work goes smoothly or later if unforeseen problems arise.

The general public may visit DCWD website (www. davao-water.gov.ph) and of�icial Facebook page (www.facebook.com/davaowater) or call the Central Information Unit /

Call Center through the 24-hour hotline 297-DCWD (3293) and press “1” on their phone dial for the latest daily water updates.

Contact 0927-7988966, 09255113293, and 0908-4410653 for other updates, complaints, queries, and matters pertaining to DCWD services. (Camille Margarette U. Solon)

DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE INTESTATE OF ESTATE GODOFREDO DEVENECIA CIRINEO JR.

Notice is hereby given that the estate of GODOFREDO DEVENECIA CIRINEO JR. has been the subject of an Deed of Extrajudicial Settlement of the Intestate of Estate executed among his heirs, per Doc. No.30; Page No.06; Book No. X; Series of 2016, of the NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY LEO S. GILLESANIA. Nov. 13, Dec 06 and 13, 2017

3 ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Qualifications: • BS Marketing Graduate • Male/Female • With Pleasing Personality

DRIVER Qualifications: • at least 21 years old, male • with Driver’s License • physically and mentally fit Submit application letter and resume to: ELLA P. TINGZON HR/Admin Supervisor Edge Davao Review Publishing Inc. Door 14 ALCREJ Bldg., E. Quirino Avenue, Davao City Or email at edgedavao@gmail.com or ella_tingzon@yahoo.com

14 MOTORING EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Nissan: Simplicity in driving

W

ith the in�lux of technology and the speed at which it’s developing, one thing that most of us probably miss is this: simplicity.

Back in the day, things get done when they get done.

Nowadays, everyone wants everything at the snap of a �inger. And we’re not talking about the latest smartphone or appliance, for that matter.

No, this story is about the integration between technology and driving.

Before you think “automation,” that’s not what we’re

the 2018 X-Trail and, while it wasn’t perfect, it gave us a real feel of how intelligent driving should be about. It’s not about being the next self-driving vehicle; it’s about giving drivers and commuters the con�idence of being on the road and having a guiding hand right there in the car with them.

Starting with the most common: moving object detection and rear cross traf�ic

talking about, either. The concept of automation is the instant recall in motoring today, especially with the growing category in global trade shows like CES. While that is well and good, what most of us are missing out on is how the details that make up the idea of automation are actually the features that are worth looking at. These are features that should not only make driving easier, smoother, but also safer every time we get behind the wheel.

Nissan Philippines Inc. President, Ramesh Narasim-

alert (or, in layman’s terms, allaround sensors). Most of the newer vehicles have them and it’s useful for helping drivers “see” around the perimeter as they are squeezing into tight spaces. What’s different for the X-Trail is the presence of 4 cameras that provide an actual 360-degree visual on the incar monitor. When an object or a person gets too close to the perimeter, a yellow warning

han said it best: the idea of “value for money” should not just be about the monetary equivalent, but should also be connected to the quality and the actual value that the product offers to the customer. This philosophy ties in seamlessly with the foundation of the Nissan Intelligent Mobility: creating a community between cars and people. Before dismissing this as yet another hyped-up technology, we haven’t even talked enough, much less gotten behind the wheel to experience it �irsthand. Nissan gave us this opportunity with

box appears on the screen to signal the driver to stop. This feature, however, only engages if you are moving at 10 km/h or less; clearly not meant for cruising down the highway.

The second feature is the blind-spot warning signal.

Any driver knows how challenging it is not being able to spot reckless motorcycle drivers that can come just a little too close for comfort. The

detector serves as an effective warning signal to the driver that a vehicle is a tad close to where it cannot be seen. The sensors engage as soon as the car hits a speed of 30 km/h and higher, making it perfect for going through tight roads or when going down EDSA. While it does not replace good old-fashioned mirror and shoulder-checking, it’s a great reminder to the driver to keep tabs on his surroundings, especially since the signal is in the form of a blinking orange light right in the direction of the side mirrors.

The next notable feature is the forward collision warning and intelligent emergency braking. Its application is useful when encountering sudden obstructions on the road.

The system sends an audible warning and an emergency brake immediately engages to avoid the hit, best for driving on the highway or areas where road conditions are

particularly tricky.

However, our favorite feature is the around view monitor. The demo is an actual test drive inside a blacked-out X-Trail with the windshield, driver’s side window, and front passenger window all covered with duct tape, making the driver completely dependent on the 360-degree perspective broadcast by the vehicle’s cameras to the incar monitor. This activity was the demo that showcased the strength of the Nissan Intelligent Mobility system. We got behind the wheel and guided the car around the track, simply by following the reference points on the monitor. It was amazing to see how accurate the guidelines were; every turn of wheel showed exactly in what direction the nose of the car was going to go and if you needed to adjust your angle further or pull back. The cameras look ahead for you and warns you of any upcom-

ing obstruction. More than that, the best part was the realization that this �inal leg of the activity tied everything together. Being “blinded” to the outside world forced us to trust in the technology handed to us, but also in our own instincts; when to act and how to react.

This brings us back to the underlying philosophy of Nissan Intelligent Mobility in creating a holistic 360-degree approach between man and machine. At the end of the day, Nissan reminds us that automated technology does not have to be complicated.

The system is designed to make us more con�ident on the road by designing a simpler track, aiding in reducing hazards, and making the experience safer. But ultimately, it is still up to us, the drivers, on how we react to these warnings. And that is where the true value of technology lies.

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

SPORTS 15

EDGEDAVAO

PH chessers win ASEAN Age Group title

FUTURE OF PH CHESS. International arbiter James Infiesto of Davao City with Ruelle Canino of Cagayan de Oro City who won six medals in the recent 18th ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship. Canino won three golds for individual standard, rapid and blitz and another 3 gold medals for the team competitions.

CHAMPION. The Philippine team on the podium after winning the team blitz title of the 18th ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship.

FILIPINO woodpsuhers led by Davao chess wiz Samantha Babol Umayan captured the the title in the Girls 12 and under en route to a gold medal �inish in the team event of the blitz competition at the conclusion of the 18th Association of Southeast Asian Nation Age Group Chess Championship in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia Sunday night.

bagged six gold medals, the same medal tally output of Kaye Lalaine Regidor of Sta. Rosa (Girls 8 and under) and Ruelle Canino of Cagayan de Oro (Girls 10 and under) who also snatched six gold medals, two in standard, two rapid and two blitz in the individual and team event.

Kaye Lalaine Regidor of Sta. Rosa tallied perfect 9.0

Umayan, who �inished in 4th to 5th place in the individual competition, teamed up with Jerlyn Mae San Diego of Dasmarinas, Cavite and Mhage Gerriahlou Sebastian of Flora, Kalinga Apayao to amass a total 22.0 points enough to win the title.

Sebastian and San Diego, both won the gold in the individual event with 8.0 points

apiece in nine outings. Laysa Latifah of Indonesia took the silver with 7.0 points. Umayan and Krisen Yochabel Marie Sanchez of Cebu got 6.0 points each for 4th to 5th place.

San Diego, a product of the sports development program of Dasmarinas, Cavite mayor Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga Jr. and fourth district Cavite representative Jenny Barzaga,

Pacquiao, recently inked a comprehensive agreement to develop and promote professional boxing in China.

Dancing Sports president Vincent Zhou and Pac-

quiao signed the agreement in an elaborate ceremony on December 2 at the Diaoyutai Hotel in Beijing which was attended by Chinese dignitaries and representatives from the Chinese media.

Part of the agreement was the establishment of the Manny Pacquiao International Boxing Academy (PIBA) in China envisioned to become an instrument to attract, train and develop Chinese world class boxers and to regularly promote professional boxing matches all over China.

“This agreement of course will de�initely shower a new boxing era in our sports and will contribute to help realize our great potential in boxing,” Zhou said.

Pacquiao, who was in Bejing from Dec. 1 to 3 to also

points to rule the Girls 8 and under of the individual blitz competition.

Ruelle Canino of Cagayan de Oro scored 8.5 points to pocketed the gold medal in the Girls 10 and under.

Alexis Anne Osena of Manila and Woman Fide Master Allaney Jia G Doroy of Agusan del Norte shared the top honors and gold medal winner in

the Girls 16 and under with seven points each in nine outings.

Doroy, Nazareth School of National University 15-year old student, playing under the tutelage of sportsman Samson Go, bagged four golds and a bronze while Osena notch four gold.

Woman Candidate Master

PH, P11

Manny inks deal for boxing academy in China B EIJING – China’s Dancing Sports, an organization at the forefront of sports development in China, and Filipino senator and boxing legend Manny

PACQUIAO IN CHINA. He Zhenwen (Vice-President of Beijing Sports University), Vincent Zhou, Manny Pacquiao, Wang Guojun (head coach of the National Boxing Team) and Pacquiao’s Chinese translator Peter Tsai.

BOXING ACADEMY. Filipino senator and 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao (R) and Dancing Sports president Vincent Zhou (L) sign the documents last Dec. 2 in Beijing attend the Chinese Communist Party’s ‘World Political Parties Dialogue’ said, “Yesterday, I met with President Xi and Prime Minister Li Keqiang, and I am glad

to establish the Manny Pacquiao International Boxing Academy in China and to develop and promote boxing in China.

that the high level relationship between China and the Philippines is going further.

President Xi’s Belt and Road initiative is very important, it will help countries along

exchanges and cooperation at all levels across borders. It is not dif�icult to see that the signing of this comprehensive agreement is exactly the

MANNY, P11

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 10 ISSUE 177 •WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

STILL PERFECT

PH batters win 6th straight in Pacific School Games

By NEILWIN JOSEPH BRAVO

A

USTRALIA -- The Philippines is poised to make a good run in the 10th Paci�ic Schools Games as it has strung up six wins by far in girls softball.

The PH belles were as hot as the Aussie summer in this South Australian

capital of Adelaide with another doubleheader victory on Tuesday at the Adelaide Shores, West Beach.

The Pinays, inspired by the presence of Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Charles Raymond Maxey,

UNDEFEATED. The Philippines pose with players from Victoria after defeating the Melbourne-based clouters 5-1 on Monday. With the team is PSC Commissioner Charles Raymond Maxey.

survived is toughest challenge by far turning back

outings.

T h e y

West Australia 4-3 after yielding the most number of runs to the opposite side in six

came back later to dispose off Queensland 8-0 to complete a 6-0 slate.

The PH belles opened the tournament with a 6-0 spanking of host South Australia before clobbering India 16-0 on Sunday.

They nailed another doubleheader win on Monday with a close 1-0 shave over New South Wales before routing Victoria 5-1.

The teams participation in the tournament is made possible through

t h e Philippine Sports Commission.

In an earlier pool report, Glory Alonzo, the fastballer from Domingo Lacson National High School in Bacolod, struck out seven batters against South Australia, while Madaylene Dumaug and catcher Chastine Jover

homered to lead the attack over India.

Jover sent a 2-1 pitch into deep left in the 2nd inning to send her teammates celebrating on the bench.

The team is composed mostly of the Phili p p i n e squad t h a t won a silver medal in the World Little League series j u s t months back.

OUTSTANDING JOB. The Philippines’ pitcher Glory Alonzo hurls against West Australia.