Edge Davao 10 Issue 20

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

TERRORISM Mayor Sara says of NPA attacks on Lapanday VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

www.edgedavao.net

By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ

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AVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio described the attacks perpetrated by the New People’s Army in the city as “acts of terrorism”.

“I take what happened today as a personal insult especially because the local government of Davao City has been supportive of the peace negotiations between the national government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, the political umbrella that covers the armed guerrilla movement,” said the mayor. “And because I have repeatedly offered to talk peace with the members of the NPA within Davao City.”

At the same time, the city mayor stressed that the city government as well as the police and the military establishments are on top of the situation.

On Saturday morning, members of the 1st Pulang Bagani Battalion NPA-SMR attacked the Lapanday Foods Corporation in Barangay Mandug, Davao City, disarmed security guards at Lapanday’s 2 box plants before setting fire to several equipment.

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AFTERMATH. A firefighter from Filipino Chinese Firefighters Foundation of Davao, Inc. attempts to extinguish the fire at Lapanday Box Plant in Mandug, Davao City on Saturday morning. New People’s Army rebels from the 1st Pulang Bagani Battalion launched simultaneous attacks and burned the plants of Lorenzoowned companies as punitive action for the alleged numerous crimes against agricultural workers, peasants and Lumads. Lean Daval Jr.

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

NOT EXEMPTED. Task Force Davao personnel stand guard while their comrades fix a light armor vehicle known as Simba which was hit by the New People’s Army’s Improvised Explosive Device (IED) during the rebel group’s attacked of Lapanday Box Plant in Mandug, Davao City on Saturday. Lean Daval Jr.

Duterte pushes for drug-free ASEAN

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NFAZED by international criticisms of his all-out war against hard drug trafficking in the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday urged leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to work together towards a drug-free ASEAN. “We must also be resolute in realizing a drug-free ASEAN. The scourge of illegal drugs threatens our gains in community-building,” President Duterte said during his speech at the opening ceremony of the 30th ASEAN Summit at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

In urging for a regional stance against the drug menace, he told ASEAN leaders how

he has seen firsthand how illegal drugs have gnawed at the fabric of society.

“I have seen how illegal drugs have ended the hopes, dreams, future and even lives of countless people, especially the youth,” the President said to his fellow heads of state.

He also noted that the illegal drugs trade is an international empire whose tentacles are wide and far-reaching.

Ending it, he said, would need great resolve and the cooperation of everyone.

“The illegal drug trade apparatus is massive. But it is not impregnable. With political will and cooperation, it can be dismantled, it can be destroyed before it destroys our societies,” President Duterte said. (PNA)

DND: upcoming maritime patrols with Indonesia, Malaysia‘timely’

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HE Department of National Defense has called the soon-to-be launched maritime security patrol arrangement among the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia that would forestall terrorism and piracy incidents in their common seas, a very opportune response.

“It is a timely measure in response to the ever evolving threat of terrorism, not only in our countries but the entire region as well,” DND public affairs office chief Arsenio Ando-

long said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency Saturday.

“This bodes well for the future of maritime security and safety in our common areas.”

Following his meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang Friday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo disclosed that they have discussed the intensified security cooperation in the region.

“On maritime security, we agreed to launch the Indo-Ma-

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Dad pushes 20% increase of revenue code tax rates

By JECIA ANNE OPIANA

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OUNCILOR Danilo Dayanghirang, the chairman of the Committee of Finance, Ways and Means and Appropriation has proposed a 20% increase in the Revenue Code tax rates in a bid to beef up revenue collections.

Besides, Dayanghirang said, the revenue code has not been amended since it underwent revision in 2005.

In his keynote address during the 4th General Membership Meeting of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. attended

by different business owners and managers all over Davao, Dayanghirang said that it is but fitting to increase taxes since the Revenue Code has not been revised for almost 12 years, contrary to what the law has stated.

“According to Section 191 of the Local Government Code, adjustment of tax rates should be done once every five years at rate not exceeding ten per cent,” the councilor said.

He proposed thirty per cent increase in fees like administrative fees like photo-

copying, and twenty per cent increase for the business taxes.

According to him, these changes are across the board of all local taxes and subject to the limitations provided by the law. However, he stressed that these amendments are still subject to the conformity of the public.

As of today, Dayanghirang’s committee has been conducting committee hearings for the said amendments in the City Revenue Code. After the conduct of committee hearings, he noted that the

consultation will go down to the district level. The councilor said that public hearings will be conducted all over the different districts in the city to get the business sector involved.

“Public hearing/consultation is mandatory when it comes to increase in taxes, power and water rates. Again, this proposal is still subject to your consent. When I say consent, we should come up with a consensus—consultation and consensus process. Istorya ta, then sabot ta. Umupo tayo at magkaisa tayo.”

to hold lands of the public domain through lease for a total period not exceeding 50 years,” Calida said.

He said the 5,212.46-hectare land within the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (formerly Davao Penal Colony) in Panabo City was a land of public domain.

He added that BuCor and TADECO entered into a Joint Venture Agreement.

“Clearly, a Joint Venture Agreement is not one of the modes by which agricultural public lands may be disposed of,” he said.

He said that under the agreement, BuCor is also en-

titled to an annual production share of P26,541,809, plus a mandatory increase of 10 percent every five years while TADECO is given “free and uninterrupted use” of DAPECOL’s land.

“These stipulations clearly show that what TADECO and BUCOR entered into was not a lease, but a joint venture for the purpose of operating a banana plantation within DAPECOL,” Calida said. “This is a clear violation of the Public Land Act.” TADECO’s statement in full: “There is indeed an on-going review of the JVA between

Bureau of Corrections and TADECO at the Department of Justice, as well as a pending resolution before the House of Representatives calling for the investigation of the same filed

by Speaker Alvarez.

However, the review of the Department of Justice is still on-going and the House probe has not yet begun. Furthermore, there is no case filed before the courts on the cancellation of the said JVA. Only the courts of law can declare that a contract is void.

This is a clear case of prejudging our JVA. Where is the fairness? Perhaps the intent is

Tadeco: Solgen’s statement on Bucor deal premature

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HE Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Inc. has described as premature and uninformed a statement attributed to Solicitor General Jose Calida that the joint venture agreement (JVA) between the company and the Bureau of Corrections was illegal and should be nullified.

According to Calida, the joint venture agreement inked in 1969 goes against the Constitution and the Commonwealth Act 141 or the Public Land Act. “It should be emphasized that the Constitution only allows private corporations

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

3 hurt in series of NPA attacks against Lapanday in Davao

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SECURITY guard and a fish vendor were injured in series of attacks launched by the rebel New People’s Army in three areas in Davao early morning Saturday.

The Provincial Police Office in Davao Del Norte reported that heavily armed NPA rebels more or less 100 boarded two 10 wheeler-trucks and burned the Macondray Plastics Incorporated in Barangay Tagpore, Panabo City around 3:30 a.m.

Tagpore is a boundary area between Panabo and Davao City.

MPI, formerly Agro Plastics, Inc., supplies the requirements of the banana companies under the Lapanday Group.

This was followed by the burning of Lapanday box plant and plastic plant buildings along Tigatto road in Buhangin that resulted to the wounding of security guard Reynaldo Talamaque on his shoulder and stomach.

Buhangin Police Station commander Sr. Inspector Milgrace Driz reported that at around 5:30 a.m., an improvised explosive device exploded along Mandug road in Purok 8, Tigatto where one civilian identified as Larry Timbal Buenafe, 34, fish vendor and resident of Barangay 76-A, Agdao, this city was wounded.

Buenafe sustained head inju-

ries and admitted at the Southern Philippines Medical Center.

At around 6:00 a.m., the security guard of Lorenzo Farm, Rico Truz Badil, Jr, appeared before the Calinan Police Station, this city, with a lone injury in the buttocks. Badil told police that at around 3:30 a.m., an encounter occurred in Lorezo Farm, Barangay Pangyan, Calinan where he and three other security guards were attacked by the NPA rebels.

The rebels took away four shotguns and one M16 rifle.

Maj. Ezra Balagtey, spokesperson of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said the attack was part of the NPA’s extortion activities. He said Lapanday management had been receiving extortion letters from the communist groups.

He said the incident could not be connected to the brewing issue between the Lapanday Foods Incorporated (LFI) and the MARBAI farmers over a 145-hectare land previously awarded under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in 1996.

While the land was successfully turned over by DAR to MARBAI farmers last December 19, according to reports the farmer-beneficiaries were driven out of their own land.

In a press statement released on Saturday, NPA-Southern Mindanao Re-

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS 3

TIEZA on agressive drive after issuance of BIR fiscal incentives

By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ

“I

T’S MindaNOW.” The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), an attached agency of the Department of Tourism has spearheahed a tourism investment forum at Marco Polo Hotel Davao on Thursday to lure

local government units and the private sector to invest in tourism enterprize zones (TEZ).

Part of the nationwide roadshow after the issuance of BIR Revenue Regulations No. 7-2016, signed November 15, 2016 which spells out fiscal incentives that can

be given to firms operating inside tourism enterprise zones (TEZs), as provided by Republic Act No. 9593, or the Tourism Act of 2009.

Speaking before 150 participants, DOT Region XI director Roberto P. Alabado III stressed the importance of

tourism as an instrument in lifting more Filipinos in the countryside out of poverty as the country’s economic expansion continues to sizzle in the next six years.

Meanwhile, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA)

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VANTAGE VIEW. Residents use their motorcycles as elevated platforms as they watch the firefighters extinguish the fire at the Lapanday Box Plant in Mandug,

F 3 HURT, 10 Davao City on Saturday. Lean Daval Jr.

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

BIMP-EAGA sees firmer air, sea links to scuttle shadow economy

T UPDATING. Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. past president and proponent of the ASEAN RoRo project Dr. Maria Lourdes Monteverde (left), together with DCCCII executive vice president Sofronio Jucutan (center) and Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA)

International Relations Division development management officer Eamarie Gilayo, interacts with reporters during a news conference for the launch of the Davao-GenSan-Bitung ASEAN RoRo shipping route at the Apo View Hotel on Friday. Lean Daval Jr.

Traders seek subsidy for RoRo operation

HE Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines—East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) targets to have more air and sea linkages that will help to eradicate illegal trade and other shadow economy within the sub-region.

At the sidelines of the 30th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings Friday, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Asst. Secretary Romeo Montenegro told reporters that there is significant shadow economy within BIMP, particularly between Tawi-Tawi and Sandakan, Malaysia and Balut Island in Sarangani with Bitung and Manado, Indonesia.

Montenegro said about 60 percent of products in Tawi-Tawi came from across the border, as these were four times cheaper than sourcing goods from Zamboanga.

“These are not taxed, not regulated. These are colorum because no standards are governing them,” he said.

“Part of our policy push is to lay the ground for pecu-

Embassies urged to consult host country before travel warnings

Government asked to defray fuel for vessel B T

By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ

HE business sector is asking government subsidy “mainly on petroleum support” for the operation of the Super Shuttle RoRo, the vessel that will utilize the Davao-Gensan-Bitung sea route to trade products between Indonesia and the Philippines.

In a media briefing on Friday at Apo View Hotel, Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) former president Ma. Lourdes G. Monteverde who was representing the business sector said that if the government cannot provide subsidy for fuel, they will ask for incentives such as tax exemption on the

said product.

Monteverde further said the group will ask for Supper Shuttle Roro’s exclusivity on the usage of the missionary route.

“For it to be viable, let us give support to Supper Shuttle Asia Marine for a couple of years,” said Monteverde.

Meanwhile Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Development Management Officer of International Relations Division Eamarie M. Gilayo said that tariffs have been lifted for the trade. MinDA is part of the interagency task force created to “ease the transport regulations” on the RoRo. M/V Super Shuttle RoRo

12, operated by the Asian Marine Transport Corporation will provide a weekly shipping service to the route with a vessel capacity of 500 Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).

Exporters from Mindanao can save up to 68 percent of shipping cost with the new Davao-GenSan-Bitung roll on/ roll off (RORO) shipping route, said to be the cheapest and fastest route between Mindanao and Indonesia.

Data from the MinDA showed exporters pay a shipping cost of P109,098 per TEU under the current Davao-Manila-Jakarta-Bitung sea route that takes three to five weeks of travel.

Moreover, the new sea route will cut the cost to P34,713 per TEU with a much shorter travel time of one to two days.

The shipping route is a result of the feasibility study conducted in 2010 by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, in collaboration with United States Agency for International Development and Research Education and Institutional Development Foundation, as part of the ASEAN Connectivity Masterplan.

The Davao-Gensan-Bitung RoRo launching is headed by President Rodrigo Duterte and President Joko Widodo of Indonesia.

the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

The week-long gathering spearheaded by PSAE focuses on how “agricultural and biosystems engineers” could become “prime movers in developing and managing appropriate technologies for food security.”

Officers from PSAE chapters nationwide, including PSAE-Bicol, and the Board of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering represented the country in the event while delegates from the Malaysian Society of Agricultural Engineers and Indonesian Society of Agricultural Engineers lent their expertise to the gathering.

Legazpi City Mayor Noel E. Rosal through city public information officer Menjo Ofracio, welcomed delegates to the “four-in-one” event being held

at the Legazpi City Convention Center from April 23 to 29.

The four events marked during the gathering are the-28th Philippine Agricultural Engineering Week; 67th PSAE annual national convention; 14th international agricultural engineering conference and exhibition; and 3rd Southeast Asian agricultural engineering student chapter annual regional convention.

Rosal commended all the agricultural engineers whom he said have helped the agricultural industry in developing farming methods that are “climate-resilient,” sustainable, safe and environment friendly.

“Through the methods and equipment designed by the agricultural engineers, the agricultural production of our farmers has improved and

reduced the crop losses from damaged fields,” he said.

Among the topics discussed in the conferences was “Agricultural Engineering Management and Development Extension Program in Malaysia” by Nurhayati Binti Maarof.

Professor Lilik Sutiarso discussed the “strategy direction on the development of appropriate agricultural and biosystems engineering technology for supporting the food sovereignty program” in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Professor Emeritus Dr. Mikio Umeda talked about “advanced farm mechanization in the Philippines” while Orlando Cablayan explained the “development of appropriate technology in irrigation systems in the Philippines.” (PNA)

ASEAN agri engineers share notes on‘modern farms’

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GRICULTURAL engineers from the Philippines and two other Association of Southeast Asian Nation countries are in Legaspi City this week for a series of conferences seeking to help enhance the productivity of Filipino farmers so the country can attain food security.

“Always support the implementation of Republic Act 10601 or the Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Law,” Dr. Marife Pesino, president of the Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers , told participants to the event, that included her counterparts from Indonesia and Malaysia.

She said the law urges the use of modern and cost-effective machineries to prevent among other things “crop losses” in Philippine farms that would ultimately benefit both

liar trade policy that are very much attuned to the reality,” the official emphasized.

Montenegro said the BIMP-EAGA is putting forward the Protocol on Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Non-Conventional Sized Ships (NCSS), which will allow less than 500-tonnage wooden vessels used for trade to sail within the sub-region.

He noted that this document would be critical as the International Maritime Organization has set a standard to convert wooden vessels into steel ships in five years.

“You cannot expect that from small players,” he said.

“They have to continue to make way of that wooden vessel for trade”.

“We wanted to put forward that protocol, and it is also being welcomed at ASEAN,” added Montenegro.

To cut illicit trading in the sub-region, BIMP-EAGA will be launching its first roll-on roll-off (RoRo) ferry service linking Davao, General Santos, and Bitung. (PNA)

EFORE a travel advisory is issued against a country, foreign ministries and embassies should first consult with the concerned country to avoid discouraging travel to tourism-dependent countries.

Philippine Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo reiterated this call anew at the World Tourism and Travel Council Global Summit at the Bangkok Convention Center, where she served as one of the four panelists in a forum. The two-day summit kicked off Wednesday (April 26).

Teo made her call in light of travel advisories cautioning tourists from the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom from traveling to the Philippines, particularly Central Visayas, after a recent encounter between security forces and a terror group in Bohol earlier this month.

She said the agency respects the decision of a country to take safety measures but noted that countries dependent on tourism could always issue “more reasonable and fair” travel advisories.

“We respect the decision of any country to take precautionary measures to protect their citizens but it is pivotal that a consultation be made with the destination country.

Needless to say, countries like the Philippines tend to suffer the most when advisories are unjustly issued,” Teo said.

She also stressed that despite advisories against traveling to certain parts of the Philippines, travelers are assured that the Philippines as a whole “remains a safe haven for tourists and residents

alike.”

United Nations World Travel Organization (UNWTO) Secretary General Taleb Rifai, for his part, backed Teo’s vow to assure safety and security of tourists coming to the country.

“We consider it an important sign of confidence in the Philippines, which just hosted the ASEAN senior officials meeting on Trade and Industry in Bohol,” Taleb said.

“Next week Heads of the ASEAN will convene in Manila for their annual meeting.

More importantly, the UNWTO meeting slated in Manila in June will proceed as planned,” he added.

He also urged government officials “to keep their travel advisories regularly updated and clearly limited in time and geographic scope” to avoid blanket travel advisories that affect the whole of a country.

Meanwhile, former United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron, who was also present in the Global summit discussed why governments should rethink their actions in response to terrorism.

“The effect of terrorism as you know all so well can be absolutely devastating. This devastation is not a by-product of the terrorism but it is what they want to achieve, to plunge us into a medieval world of fear and oppression, to shut down travel and tourism,” Cameron said.

Aside from Teo, other panelists were Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul and Arief Yahya, Tourism Ministers of Thailand and Indonesia, respectively; and Arun Mishra, Regional Director of ICAO Asia and Pacific Office. (PNA)

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY 5

Honda opens flagship branch in Davao City

By JECIA ANNE OPIANA

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ONDA Philippines, Inc. with its dealer DESMARK Corporation unveiled its flagship branch for Honda motorcycle in Davao City as well as its new motorcycle models on April 28 located at Km. 5, Buhangin Road.

The 6,960 square-meter Honda Davao Flagship shop is the first in Mindanao. T he branch, which used to be a store branch with showroom, sales, parts and after-sales service, now has new amenities being offered like their 742 square-meter Rider’s hall, ideal for motorcycle club events, activities and gatherings and their 1,500 square-meter test course area where riders can test ride their new motorcycles or try newly released models. The establishment also has a customer lounge for customers waiting for their service and maintenance.

“The reason why we opened here is that Davao City is that it is the capital city of Mindanao and while Honda is going to expand branches nationwide, we are putting most of our resources in Mindanao,” said Honda Philippines, Inc. President Daiki Nihara said.

He added: “The market here is very good, compared to the Visayas. The

macro-economy in Mindanao is very good. And I think people here are looking for more motorcycles for commuting so we are very optimistic with the market increase here.”

During the unveiling of the new branch, new Honda motorcycle models were also launched, namely: Wave 110, BeAT Fi, Click125i, Click150i, CRF250 and CRF250Rally, showcasing their unique and attractive design to cater to Filipino customers.

“This is the first Honda Flagship store in Mindanao and the second in the Philippines. This flagship shop is a concept that states the strength of Honda in the city. It gives it a more high-end look, giving the statement that motorcycle is now high-end. Not just any motorcycle,” Maricris Du-Lopez, Vice President for Operations of DESMARK Corporation.

The flagship branch in Davao is the second in the Philippines, following the first one in Cebu City which opened last January. The third flagship shop which will be located in Manila is expected to open within the second quarter of this year.

Currently, Honda has the largest dealership network in the Philippines with 497 shops nationwide.

PM shares role of MSMEs in Thailand inclusive growth

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RIME Minister of Thailand Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha on Friday shared the role of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in promoting inclusive growth in Thailand during the first Prosperity for All Summit at the City of Dreams in Parañaque City.

Organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), chaired

by Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III, the event highlighted the best practices of MSMEs in the region.

“It is a great honor to be invited by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, a very prominent organization of the ASEAN Community, to share my views on the promotion of micro, small, and medium enterprises,” Thai PM Prayut said in his closing keynote.

“Under the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025, MSMEs are a major driver of the ASEAN economy as they constitute more than 95 percent of enterprises within each member country.”

The ASEAN has directed its focus on micro enterprises as these comprise its economic make-up.

“If ASEAN desires to pur-

sue the goal of an inclusive economy, it must place the development of these enterprises as a priority,” the Prime Minister underscored, adding that the Thai government recognizes the crucial role MSMEs play in both economic and social dimensions.

Prayut cited as an example Thailand’s “Pracharat” (Public-Private Partnership Fund), which was established to develop and assist MSME owners. The “Pracharat” aims to provide credit to MSMEs and foster new startups throughout Thailand’s economic provincial clusters and is targeting new graduates to start businesses in their hometowns.

Thailand has approximately 5 million MSMEs that have generated more than 10 million jobs and contributed to more than 42 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). About 80 percent of Thailand’s MSMEs are involved in food, agriculture, service, and retail sales businesses.

The Prosperity for All Summit, with the theme, “Partnering for Change, Creating Prosperity for All”, is one of the related ASEAN meetings this Summit Week that will culminate on the 30th ASEAN Summit on April 29. (PNA)

INTENT TO STAY. Honda Philippines president Daiki Nihara (second from left), adviser for power products of Honda Koehi Masaki (leftmost), Desmark president Gilbert Du (rightmost) and vice president for finance Fe Soccoro Du

lead the cutting of the ribbon to mark the opening of Honda’s flagship shop located at Buhangin, Davao City on Friday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

DCCCII bares list of restricted products for Davao-Gensan-Bitung RoRo trade A

By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ

S Davao-GenSan-Bitung roll on/roll off (RORO) shipping route was launched this Sunday, a list of products has been identified as restricted for export to Indonesia.

Speaking during a media briefing on Friday, Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s former president Dr. Maria Lourdes G. Monteverde revealed that the products to be exempted from the trade included gifts, toys, house wares, electronics, pharmaceutical products, cosmetics, shoes, and textiles.

“But since the Ministry Trade Order (MTO No. 9) has been lifted, I don’t think so that they will ano, kasi they want to have that ASEAN economic community,” said Monteverde, adding that the lifting of MTO was part of the initiative of the ASEAN to achieve the desired

volume of products to sustain the trade.

Mindanao Development Authority Development Management Officer of International Relations Division Eamarie M. Gilayo commented that although six to seven restrictions were lifted, as of now, there are still issues when it comes to quarantine, and CIQS (customs, immigration, quarantine and security).

“The fresh fruits could still not be entered into this initial voyage but as mentioned both the task forces of the Philippines and Indonesia are closely coordinated with each other and hopefully after the initial voyage these restrictions would be lifted,” she added.

MinDA is part of the interagency task force created to “ease the transport regulations” of the RoRo. Meanwhile, among the

products that can be exchanged between the two countries include animal feeds, aqua products, charcoal, coffee beans, construction materials, copra, feed ingredients, fertilizers, food and beverages, fresh fruits, ice cream products, meats, peanuts, poultry (halal), soya, sugar, and synthetics.

M/V Super Shuttle RoRo 12, operated by the Asian Marine Transport Corporation will provide a weekly shipping service to the route with a vessel capacity of 500 Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).

Exporters from Mindanao can save up to 68 percent of shipping cost with the new Davao-GenSan-Bitung roll on/ roll off (RORO) shipping route, said to be the cheapest and fastest route between Mindanao and Indonesia.

Data from the MinDA showed exporters pay a ship-

ping cost of P109,098 per TEU under the current Davao-Manila-Jakarta-Bitung sea route that takes three to five weeks of travel.

Moreover, the new sea route will cut the cost to P34,713 per TEU with a much shorter travel time of one to two days.

The shipping route was the result of the feasibility study conducted in 2010 by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in collaboration with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Research Education and Institutional Development Foundation, as part of the ASEAN Connectivity Masterplan.

The Davao-Gensan-Bitung RoRo launching is headed by President Rodrigo Duterte and President Joko Widodo of Indonesia.

Rubio said the local “Halal Consumers Group” was organized during a meeting held on Thursday at the DTI conference room which was attended by Muslim leaders and officials from the public and private sectors.

Elected as officers of the local Halal Consumers Group were Raphy Ayub, chairperson; Bazer Jainal, vice-chairperson; and Cerna Ahmad-Ayub, secretary.

Jamir Omar Abubakar, DTI Provincial Consumer Protection Division chief, explained during the meeting the salient features of Republic Act No. 10817 otherwise known as the “Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Act of 2015”.

The new law aims to make the Philippine halal export industry more competitive in the global market, said Abubakar.

Rubio’s office has committed to assist the newly-organized Halal Consumer Group by identifying programs and projects for the group.

The Halal Consumer Group plans to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission and extends its invitation to future members interested to assist and advocate halal development and promotion. (Teofilo P. Garcia Jr./PNA)

idential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III, who said logistics, not just capital, hampers small businesses from further improving their operations.

“I think the moment they really implement all these

infrastructure, massive infrastructure, believe me a lot of MSMEs will benefit overnight,” he said in a briefing at the sidelines of the 30th ASEAN Summit.

Concepcion, Chairman and CEO of listed food and bever-

age firm RFM Corporation and founder of Go Negosyo, said MSMEs “are handicapped because they are in the province and they’re access to the main markets is pretty challenging.” “ The cost to be able to de-

DTI forms Halal consumers group for Zamboanga City

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HE Department of Trade and Industry has spearheaded the organization of the Halal Consumers Group to advocate its development and promotion in this city.

DTI Provincial Director Ceferino Rubio on Saturday said the advocacy was to ensure the welfare and protection of consumers particularly on the existing halal-certified products.

MSMEs seen to benefit from PH’s infra program

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LIGHT of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are expected to be lifted further once substantial projects under the Philippine government’s infrastructure program have materialized.

This was stressed by Pres-

F MSME, 10

6 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

STARTER KITS. 102 residents of the municipalities of Laak, Pantukan, and Nabunturan of Compostela Valley Province receive their respective starter kits following the various livelihood skills training such as Heavy Equipment Operation, Corn Production, and Coffee Production conducted through the Sustainable Livelihood Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). (DSWD)

Sarangani Energy celebrates Koronadal sets 2 new Guinness world records st 1 yr of commercial operation K M

AASIM, SARANGANI – This week, Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC) celebrates its first year of commercial operation through a series of civic-oriented programs aimed at thanking the community for hosting the power plant.

“Agapay sa Kapitbahay,” is the company’s community outreach through feeding programs, distribution of slippers, medical assistance and free checkups, as well as registration and releasing of birth, marriage and death certificates to impoverished areas in Maasim.

One of the host community identified was Purok 7, in Tinoto, Maasim located not more than a couple of kilometers from the power plant gate.

Purok 7 or commonly known as Linao is a communi-

ty of more-or-less 300 people, located in the mangrove covered shores of Sarangani Bay. The area straddles the coast and land with houses built on stilts connected by a flimsy network of footbridges.

The community leader, Chairman Aripin Hassim said that most of the people living in the community are relatives and rely mainly on fishing as their primary source of livelihood.

According to Hassim, before SEC came they are heavily dependent on government subsidy and aid for help especially in legal or civil matters considering that most of their community members are under-educated.

“Mga mangingisda talaga kami sir galing sa ibang lugar, mga 54 years ago pumunta kami dito kasi maraming isda sa Sarangani. Dito na din kami

AGAPAY SA KAPITBAHAY. Employees from Sarangani Energy Corp. (SEC) pose with children from Prk. Linao, Tinoto, Maasim, Sarangani Province Thursday, April 28th, as part of the “Agapay sa Kapitbahay” program organized by the company. The “Agapay sa Kapitabahay” also featured feeding programs,

dumami pati yung pamilya ko nandito na din at mga kapatid ko hanggang sa dumami na kami,” said Hassim.

Hassim added that ever since they are basically a self-sustaining community with few or no outside intervention.

Because of this, most of them do not have birth certificates, marriage certificates and the few that have government records in the past have not been officially registered as dead.

Leslie Lopez Flores, of the Local Civil Registry of Maasim (LCR-Maasim), said that this has become a huge problem because kids from the community have a hard time being enrolled in schools because nobody knows how old they are, their formal names and what level of informal education have they undergone.

“We also have a hard time enrolling them in government programs such as PhilHealth, Pag-ibig and other beneficial government programs because they have no papers,” Flores added.

Sarangani Energy Corp. saw this emerging problem during one of its community stakeholders monitoring initiative and with the help of the local government of Maasim led by Mayor Anecito Lopez Jr. and Philippine Statistics Office (PSA) the Mobile Civil Registration Program was organized.

This was later partnered with SEC’s other program under the ‘Agapay sa Kapitbahay’ where more than 500 slippers are distributed to barefoot kids age 1-year old to 6-year old.

Agapay sa Kapitbahay also has a feeding program

medical assistance, and free checkups, as well as registration and releasing of birth, marriage and death certificates to impoverished areas in Maasim, as part of SEC’s celebration of its one year of commercial operation.

FEET DRY AND THUMBS UP. Children give a thumbs up of approval and big smiles after receiving their new slippers. More than 500 slippers were given to children HAPPY FEET. Children share stories about their new slippers while age 1-year old to 6-year old. hanging out in the bamboo foot bridge.

ORONADAL CITY--Thundering roars of running motorcycle engines and blowing horns hovered over the main commercial area here for about a minute on Saturday morning as the city achieved its historic bid to set two new Guinness world records.

A total of 3,336 motorcycle riders converged along a stretch of the main highway here and joined the world record attempts for the “most number of motorcycle engines started simultaneously and motorcycle horns sounded simultaneously”.

The participants, composed of visiting and local motorcycle enthusiasts, lined up in clusters from the city’s roundball area, occupying more than a kilometer of the General Santos Drive here.

Taking cues from City Mayor Peter Miguel, the riders at the same time started their engines at around 10:20 a.m. and later sounded their horns simultaneously.

“This is a historic day for the city and a great achievement for the people of Koronadal and the entire Region 12,” Miguel said after the world record attempts.

The event was witnessed by thousands of residents and visitors, and was streamed live through the city’s website.

Three representatives from Guinness World Records also witnessed the event and assisted the documentation process.

Footage of the event and other necessary documents will be sent to Guinness for evaluation, said City Information Officer Judith Amido.

A decision on the two world record attempts may be issued after five days, she said. component supported by the Conrado Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation Inc. (CLAFI).

Children enjoyed the overflowing famed “Rose-Caldo” an original take on the Filipino favorite Arrozcaldo but with chicken meat being substituted by bangus from the Sarangani Bay. While children are feasting on Rose-Caldo, enjoying

The city government earlier paid around P850,000 to Guinness to facilitate the world record bid.

Miguel expressed confidence over the city’s chances of getting the official declaration from Guinness over the two attempts.

He noted that the actual turnout was more than enough to break the previous records set by Yamaha Philippine in June 2014.

“The total registered participants reached 3,336. That’s way higher than our original target of 2,500,” he said.

More than achieving the new Guinness records, the mayor said the city has succeeded in “promoting the entire Region 12 and Mindanao to the world”.

“We’ve shown to the world that it’s really fun here in Mindanao and we have a lot of beautiful attractions here that tourists can visit,” Miguel said.

The world record attempts highlighted the culmination of the city’s first-ever Motorcycle Festival.

The festivity coincides with the three-day 23rd national convention here of the National Federation of Motorcycle Clubs in the Philippines that ends Sunday.

According to the Guinness website, the current world record for the most motorcycle engines started simultaneously is 1,446 and achieved by Yamaha Motor Philippines in association with Ad Staunch Communication Network Inc. It was held at the SM Mall of Asia Complex on June 7, 2014.

The record for the most motorcycle horns sounded simultaneously was also achieved in the same event with 1,425.

their new slippers and cool snacks under the warm Sarangani sun, their mothers or fathers line-up for the free medical and prenatal checkup as well as the free medicine.

“Hindi ko masukat ang pasalamat sa saya at tulong ng SEC sa amin. Nung unang dumating ang SEC dito, maraming lumapit sa amin para

F SARANGANI, 10

7 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

Davao ICon slated in July

By JECIA ANNE OPIANA

M

INDANAO business investors committed towards magnifying investment trends and opportunities for the entire Davao Region will be converging on July 21-22 at the SMX Convention Center, Davao City.

With a theme ‘DAVAO: The gateway to a world of infinite investments,’ the Davao Investment Conference or ‘Davao ICOn’ will by graced by Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duter-

te-Carpio, as the guest of honor during the opening ceremony and President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the closing ceremony. It will also be attended by distinguished cabinet secretaries, diplomatic corps, local government officials, captains of industries, foreign and local businessmen and the national and local media.

According to Arturo Milan, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for

Davao Light and Power Company and Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. trustee, Davao Region, particularly Davao City, is the fastest growing unit in the country.

“We are blessed to have a president who is from Davao.

His insistence to spend most of his time in Davao has put our city and the Davao region in the consciousness not only of our neighboring countries but also the world,” Milan said during

the launching Davao ICOn during the DCCCII 4th General Membership Meeting.

Milan expressed that since the assumption of the president, a lot of investors, foreign and locals, expressed their interest in investing in Davao city.

“I feel that it is the right time to have this conference because if you noticed, every week, since the assumption of our president, there’s a delegation of foreign businessmen

Davao youth gather for Eco-camp 2017 A

ROUND 300 junior and senior high students all over Davao City gathered to take part in the Ecocamp 2017 held on April 21 to 23, 2017 at the Malagos Park conducted by the Davao City Water District in partnership with the Watershed Management Youth Council (WMYC).

Themed “Kilos Kabataan Para sa Kalikasan”, the camp launched one of DCWD’s yearround campaigns dubbed the #YouthActTayo in which participating students were encouraged to come up with environmental action plans to be implemented in their re-

spective schools to recognize their stand and actions toward environment protection.

Moreover, the three-day camp served as a learning avenue for the participants through lectures on environmentalism, specifically on issues concerning Davao City’s watersheds, water, and aquatic resources, from the Interface Development Interventions, Inc., City Environment and Natural Resources, and DCWD. Other event highlights include the Environmental Walk which introduced the participants to DCWD’s Integrated Watershed Management

Groups push for ASEAN ban on microplastics in cosmetics

A

S delegates assemble for the 30th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, over 500 groups and individuals have called on the regional bloc to prohibit the use of microplastics in personal care and cosmetic products (PCCPs).

Microplastic particles, which can be as small as 1 micrometer (one millionth of a meter) to nano proportions, are used in a wide range of leave-on and rinse-off PCCP formulations.

Led by Balifokus (Indonesia), Consumers’ Association of Penang (Malaysia), EcoWaste Coalition (Philippines), Ecological Alert and Recovery Thailand (Thailand), and the Research Centre for Gender, Family and Environment in Development (Vietnam), the

groups sought the prohibition on microplastics under the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (ACD).

“We urge the governments of the 10 ASEAN member states to actively support the phase-out of microplastics in the production of cosmetics to cut ocean pollution and protect marine life,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition.

“We specifically appeal to the region’s health ministers to exercise their powers to ensure that microplastics are disallowed as permitted substances in cosmetic formulations,” she added.

Through a petition sent via the embassies of the ASEAN governments in the Philippines and national cosmet-

Program, Corporate Social Responsibility, Water Treatment Facilities and Process, and various tree species. There were also workshop courses on how performing and visual arts could be utilized to portray environmentalist messages. An inspirational talk called the Youth on Leading Others was also given to motivate the participants to continue taking part in environment protection.

The event’s special guest was Engr. Elisa P. Madrazo of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office who delivered a message on behalf

of Davao City mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio. Also in attendance was DCWD’s Community Relations and External Affairs Department manager and official spokesperson Atty.

Bernardo D. Delima Jr. who inducted the new set of WMYC officers.

The annual conduct of Eco-Camp is part of the Information, Education, and Communication strategies to advocate on sustainable watershed management headed

by DCWD. It aims to uphold the youth’s initiatives to reduce environmental problems.

(Winston C. Ajero)

coming to Davao city to look for opportunities. And we feel that by having this Davao ICon, we can promote Davao and the Davao Region to be a viable investment destination in the Philippines,” said Milan.

Milan also said that this year’s investment promotion conference will focus on four major sectors: Infrastructure and Connectivity, Agriculture, Manufacturing and Tourism.

There will be regional directors

to speak about investments opportunities in the four sectors. Also other businessmen who have been with the city for many years and became part of the growth story of Davao will speak about their businesses and share how good and profitable it is to invest in the city.

Davao ICon is expecting about 700 delegates of which half are foreign delegates coming from Japan, China and South Korea.

OOPERATIVES are social institutions established by people who pull their resources together to meet their common economic and social aspirations. Coops have been instrumental in uplifting the socio-economic lives of its members and the community thru the products and services offered, as well as the various developmental initiatives.

However, recent proposals on Rationalization of Fiscal Incentives and Tax Reform embodied in House Bill No. 231 and Senate Bill No. 229 & House Bills No. 4668 and 4774 seek to repeal the tax exemptions granted to cooperatives.

If approved, it will repeal Articles 60 and 61 of Republic Act 9520 otherwise known as the Cooperative Code of the Philippines.

Cooperatives will be subjected to tax since we generate income. However, others fail to understand that a major portion of our Net Surplus is annually distributed to the members in the form of Patronage Refund and Interest on Share Capital (PRIS). We distribute our blessings to the members

who continually avail the products and services of the cooperative.

We are dedicated to continually educate our members thru the conduct of year-round trainings and seminars on specific topics affecting their lives. Ownership Meetings are also being held to ensure that members being owners of the Cooperative are updated on the financial and latest developments. This is only possible thru the allocation of not more than 7% of the Net Surplus to the Cooperative Education and Training Fund (CETF).

Communities are organized and empowered thru public – private partnership between coops and national and local organizations.

In Tagum Cooperative, we are recognized as an active partner of the Department of Education in terms of youth empowerment. All these programs, projects and activities are sourced from the Community Development Fund (CDF) which is atleast 3% of the Net Surplus allocation.

If Coops now will be sub-

The Philippine Phytopathological Society – Southern Mindanao Division (PPS-SMD) in coordination with the Southern Mindanao Agriculture,

Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (SMAARRDEC) organized the summit and gathered

Coops: No to repeal of tax exemptions C

F COOPS, 12

USeP hosts 3rd PPS Mindanao Summit

T

HE University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) hosted the 3rd Philippine Phytopathological Society (PPS) Mindanao Summit with the

theme “Emerging Trends and Issues in Banana and Cacao Industry” at the University Social Hall, Obrero Campus, Davao City on April 28, 2017.

F USEP, 12

Ms. Charita P. Puentespina of the Puentespina Farms giving the keynote speech in front of the cacao and banana stakeholders during the 3rd PPS Mindanao

F GROUPS, 12 Summit at USeP Social Hall, Obrero Campus.

8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDITORIAL

T

Accountability

HE series of attacks perpetrated by the New People’s Army’s Pulang Bagani Command in Davao del Norte and Davao City on Saturday cast doubt on the communist rebels’ sincerity towards the peace process.

The peace talks between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front has pushed the country to the brink of her long-cherished peace.

It is hoped that the Davao April 29 attacks will not derail the march to peace after it has significantly moved recently with the two panels agreeing to a truce again.

Mayor Sara Duterte took the attacks personally. She was obviously hurt after all the support the city has thrown into the peace process.

In Mayor Sara’s words, the attacks are acts of terrorism. The presidential daughter said in a statement that she had repeatedly offered to talk peace with the members of the NPA within Davao City.

“We condemn these acts committed by a group that pretends to

EDGEDAVAO

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champion social justice and equality. With its history of carrying out atrocities and its continued penchant for lawlessness and bloodbath, the NPA is an organization that is not worthy of our trust and respect,” Mayor Sara said in her statement, obviously incensed by the incident which came at the heels of the ASEAN Summit in the country.

The NPA, as it reasoned in a statement, cannot take the law into its own hands and “punish” a private business for what it calls as crimes against peasants.

That does not justify their actions either.

Has it become pointless to be discussing peace when you have someone across the table who is not dead serious about the whole thing? Or maybe, the CPP need to purge its ranks first if at all there are just some rogue factions within its organization?

Someone coming to a peace table must come with clean hands and a clean conscience.

And yes, a pure and sincere heart.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

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EDGEDAVAO

O

DA Kyosaburo (1876-1917), also known as K.S. Ohta, the name he used in doing business in the Philippines, comes to mind as one of two most successful Japanese entrepreneurs to dominate the prewar abaca industry of Davao. He used to own a Manila store specializing in imported Japanese goods but later hired Japanese laborers for job placement in hemp plantations.

Ohta’s investments, however, went beyond Davao region. In 1932, he bought a 7,000-acre (2,832.80 hectares) on the east coast of British North Borneo. The sprawling property consisted of six abaca plantations ranging in size from 600 to 3,000 acres. To cultivate and maintain the farms, he hired Japanese labor and enlisted Chinese women workers.

Using the reliable Filipino hagutan (spindle machine), the plantations “produced an excellent hemp, the production probably reaching from 5,000 to 6,000 tons a year just before the war.” Though threatened by what was described as a ‘bunchy-top disease’, the Japanese, learning from the infestations that once destroyed abaca plantations in Luzon, managed to contain it.

Ohta’s business focus was affected when war broke out. The Borneo

T

O the mariners, the idiom ‘Davy Jones’s Locker’ evokes funereal phobia for it refers to “the state of death of drowned sailors and shipwrecks” forever delivered to the bottom of the sea.

During World War II, the gulf of Davao, a sprawling depth of bluegreen sea, has been the Davy Jones’ Locker of many soldiers and the planes, ships, and submarines, they manned or piloted. There’s so many of these casualties, both human and steel, in faded pages of archival records that an illustrious historian can always compile a list by doing research.

To the eternal creativity of drumbeaters, some of the shipwrecks, mostly Japanese vessels, have beautifully integrated with the seafloor of Samal island, blending with the corals and the seascape that have become favorite destinations of wreck and scuba divers.

More than any maritime tragedy in postwar era, the aerial bombs exchanged between foes resulted in the sinking of war ships. For instance, on November 2, 1942, Gifu Maru, a Japanese vessel, was sunk by USS Seawolf near Cape San Agustin, in Davao Oriental, while on a war patrol in the Philippines-East Indies area. A day

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

K.S. Ohta’s Bornean venture

plantations, like his thriving Davao hemp farms, were without caretakers.

In 1945, after the war, A British took over the Borneo farms as alien property custodian but the massive infestation that hit the plantations destroyed in just three years nearly all of Ohta’s investments in Borneo.

Interestingly, Borneo Abaca, Ltd., a subsidiary of Luzon Stevedoring Co., Inc., got a concession from the British government in January 1949, with the British-owned state corporation known as Colonial Development Corp.

(CDC) as part owner, holding a third of the entire shares. In no time the Filipino company, trying to salvage and harvest what was left of the old Ohta plantations, adopted measures to eradicate the disease.

In August 1950, Borneo Abaca, Ltd. started replanting some 2,500 acres of the plantations with hope of getting good harvest in two years. But the threat of the same disease affected the volume of yields harvested from January to March 1950, which was below 100 tons of hemp. Though without strong competition in Malaysia, the joint venture, after due diligence and appraisal, was eventually taken over by the CDC. Interestingly, abaca venture in

FAST BACKWARD Antonio V. Figueroa Southeast Asia, inspired by the success of the hemp industry in Davao, was first introduced in Indonesia late in 1920, courtesy of the Dutch who began cultivating abaca in Sumatra using plants imported from Davao, half a decade before the export of hemp seed from the Philippines was declared prohibited or illegal.

Initially, the Dutch “found one area in the foothills [of Sumatra] which was suitable [for planting abaca] but after a year or two the small plantation was badly infested with a species of black beetle that the plants had to be cut

THINK ON THESE!

Henrylito D. Tacio

vessel resulted in the death of 102 persons, including several Filipino US army rangers. But nothing beats the significance of August 13, 1944 when three war ships were sent to Davy Jones’s Locker that day in Davao Gulf.

As a part of a diver’s itinerary, the Sagami Maru wreck poses danger.

Munda adds: “Among the interesting sights and artifacts one can still see on the Sagami are the Japanese army trucks and motorcycle sidecars in its cargo holds.

A newly discovered forward compartment also contains boxes of ordnance.

There is also a resident hawksbill that

9

down.” The American Chamber of Commerce Journal (1951) described the struggle of the Dutch colonizers to keep the abaca dream float: “In 1924, some hundreds of acres on the east coast [of Sumatra] were planted to abaca which in time produced a good yield, but again the beetles proved a destructive pest. These insects make holes in the stem for depositing their eggs just under the surface, an exuded liquid rots the surrounding plant tissue, and the larvae eat the rotted parts; large holes are formed, and finally the wind topples the plants over.

The only way the Dutch could get rid of the beetles was to pay children to pick them off.”

Despite the challenges, abaca slowly made headway in Indonesia. By 1939, Handelsvereeniging ‘Amsterdam’, a private Dutch company, cultivated 12,000 acres of abaca, which produced annually from 10,000 to 12,000 tons of “first-class Manila hemp.” When war broke out, production collapsed and the plantations ruined. After the conflict, efforts to resuscitate the devastated abaca industry in Indonesia were intensified. The journal summarized the struggle to recover: “Work was resumed after the war in the same coast area, and on

one 500-acre plantation on the south coast. The estimated production for this year [1951] is around 5,000 tons.

The high standard of preparation, color, and grading of this fibre achieved before the war [has] been recovered. One handicap is the shortage of labor, and contract labor must be brought in from Java. The industry is, in these times, further plagued by strikers among the workers. Expert opinion is that Sumatra will get back to the pre-war production, but it is not expected that it will go much beyond that.”

Today, according to the country’s Department of Science and Technology (DoST), two of the countries which have made impressive strides in threatening the world dominance of the Manila hemp are Ecuador, which has been getting high yields per hectare, and Indonesia, which has aggressively introduced its abaca reforestation program.

Scientists at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Los Baños have already developed high-yielding and pest-resistant abaca hybrids that yield 1.56 metric tons per hectare a year, and have higher fiber recovery than the traditional varieties. Moreover, they are mass-producing these new strains for use in the rehabilitation of thousands of abaca farms.

makes its home near the bow winches.

“Topside, the ship is layered with heavy silt deposited by the nearby rivers and creeks. This makes visibility within the ship dangerous for divers.

Visibility can go from a few meters to black zero in seconds, trapping the unwary… in the maze of its inner compartments.

“There are several entry points into the wreck – the forward and aft cargo holds, the topside decks, the galley area and the broken-off smoke stack – but none of them are recommended except for the most experienced divers using the right gas mixtures for the depths involved.”

Meanwhile, Ch 12, an auxiliary submarine chaser, was torpedoed in the Davao Gulf by USS Bluegill on August 13, 1944. Also sunk by the same American warship that same day were Kojun Maru, a Japanese transport and Misagu Maru, an auxiliary submarine chaser. In the case of Kojun Maru, forty-two people died in the tragedy, while Misagu Maru contributed five deaths.

On February 25, 1944, Nissho Maru, a Japanese fleet tanker ship, was sunk near the mouth of Davao Gulf by submarine USS Hoe, while it was in convoy. A month later, on March 24,

1944, Shinkyu Maru, a Japanese cargo ship, was torpedoed by submarine USS Bowfin in waters off Davao Occidental. And, on April 26, 1944, Tokiwa Maru, a Japanese transport ship, was sent to the bottom of the sea by US submarine Bonefish.

On June 8, 1944, Kazagumo, a Japanese Yugumo class destroyer, met its fate in Davao Gulf when it torpedoed

by USS Hake. Another ship sunk by USS Hake was the Kinshu Maru, on June 17, 1944. On August 5, 1944, USS Cero sunk Tsurumi, a Japanese oiler ship built in 1922.

In 2007, a US Navy aircraft, with human bones inside it, was reportedly discovered at the bottom of the 50-hectare marine sanctuary of Malalag Bay, in Davao del Sur. The place was marked PBY-4 No. 1227, which was later confirmed by Lt. Col. Frederick A. Riker of the US Department of Defense, as a WWII Cattleya Class Patrol Bomber, a kind of seaplane listed as missing in action in Australia in 1942.

On November 14, 2007, the human remains and plane artifacts found in the wreckage were turned over to the US Joint Prisoner of War/ Missing in Action Accounting Command (JPAC) represented by Richard Keith and Brent Hepner.

For the love of work

later, the 7,189-ton steamer Sagami Maru, once the pride of the Nippon Yushen Keisha (NYK) Shipping Line of Japan, appeared on the horoscope of USS Seawolf under Lt. Cdr. Frederick B. Warder.

In an online article in Pacific Wreck dated January 6, 2006, Davao journalist Carlos Munda described the encounter in The Sagami Maru and the USS Seawolf: “The day of November 3, 1942 dawned bright over the lightly choppy waters of the Davao Gulf. It had been a productive first week for the hunting Seawolf. Just the day before, it had encountered the outbound 3,500 ton freighter transport, Gifu Maru and sent her to the bottom… Now, less than 24 hours after, Lt. Cmdr. Warder was once again peering through his periscope at another Japanese prize – one that had escaped him once before.

“With a light wind blowing from the north, the Sagami Maru lay at anchor just off the beach in Talomo Bay, blissfully unaware of the danger that lurked just beneath the ruffled and white-capped surface. It was eight in the morning, and the ill-fated ship had less than four hours before it would settle to its final resting place 300 feet at the bottom of the Davao Gulf.”

The tragic fate of the Japanese

VANTAGE POINTS

10 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

TERRORISM... FROM 1

New People’s Army-Southern Mindanao Regional Operations Command spokesman Rigoberto Sanchez said in a statement the said battalion “victoriously launched 3 simultaneous tactical offensives in Davao City against the Lorenzo-owned companies and ranch starting at around 2 am today.”

“The PBB’s coordinated tactical offensives served as punitive action against the Lorenzos for their numerous crimes against agricutural workers, peasants and Lumad,” added Sanchez.

Carpio stressed that the city government condemns these acts committed by a group that pretends to champion social justice and equality.

“With its history of carrying out atrocities and its continued penchant for lawlessness and bloodbath, the

NPA is an organization that is not worthy of our trust and respect,” she declared.

The city mayor extended her sympathies to the general public caught in the violence, the victims of these attacks, and their families.

She further assured the people of Davao that the city as well as the PNP and AFP “are on top of the situation”.

“Let us support our police and the military by openly condemning the NPA as a terrorist organization”, said Carpio.

Meanwhile, on her instagram account, the mayor posted a photo of a fish vendor who was injured in a landmine blast during the NPA attack.

Supt. Jed Clamor of Police Regional 11 earlier said elements of Task Force Davao and the police were en route to the fire in Barangay Mandug when the landmine exploded, injuring a vendor.

gional Operational command spokesperson, Rigoberto Sanchez owned up the attacks. He said the three simultaneous tactical offensives against the Lorenzo-owned companies and ranch started at around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday.

“The PBB’s (Pulang Bagani Command) coordinated offensives served as punitive action against the Lorenzos for their numerous crimes against agricultural workers, peasants and Lumad,” Sanchez said. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)

liver their produce to where the market is is extremely high,” he said.

The Duterte government plans to roll out about Php 8-9 trillion worth of infrastructure projects until 2022 to help achieve a seven to eight percent growth, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), by the end of its term.

This program is targeted to lift the country into a middle income economy by the end of the Duterte administration in 2022 and a high income econ-

omy by 2040.

For 2017 alone, the government allocated about Php 850 billion of this year’s Php 3.35 trillion national budget for the construction of road networks and transportation facilities.

Economic managers have decided to increase the government’s budget deficit ceiling to three percent of GDP from two percent in the previous administration to have bigger leeway for infrastructure spending. (PNA)

Planning, Policy and Project Development Office director Reyzaldy Tan noted on the agency’s thrust on the development of Biodiversity Ecotourism Cluster, specifically located at the eastern seaboard of the country where investors could consider applying for TEZ. In an interview with Atty.

Joy Balauitan, TIEZA Asst.

Chair on Operations, she said TIEZA is set to conduct an ocular inspection on possible TEZs in Mindanao next week.

She bared, these areas are Manyima Spring Resort, CEDAR, Lake Apo, Lake Pinamalog, and Bukidnon Tree Park, and Cinocha in Bukidnon; Tudolu in Misamis Occidental; and Mati City in Davao Region.

“We hope all of these areas will pass the inspection,” said Balauitan.

In Region XI Balauitan identified Ihu Plantation in Tagum City and Kingdom Global City in Davao City developed by a company under the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name Inc. led by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, as areas already approved for development of TEZ.

According to Balauitan, as of 2017, there are 40 pending applications across the country.

“And it’s still growing.

Agressively after the issuance of BIR Order,” she added.

Under BIR Revenue Regulations No. 7-2016 some of the fiscal incentives to be granted are six-year income tax holiday (ITH) that may be extended for another six years; as an ITH alternative, a 5% preferential tax on gross income in lieu of national taxes except for real property tax and fees of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).

The order further state s that in lieu of ITH or the 5% preferential gross income tax, a net operating loss carry over (NOLCO) scheme; import tax exemptions for capital goods and equipment needed for TIEZA-registered activities; and tax deduction of up to 50% of cost of environmental protection and cultural heritage preservation activities, as well as of sustainable livelihood programs of the registered tourism enterprises (RTEs).

3 hurt... FROM 3

MSME... FROM 5

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ASSESSING THE DAMAGE. Police Regional Office (PRO0 11 director Chief Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan (right) conducts site inspection at Lapanday Box Plant in Mandug, Davao City on Saturday with Buhangin Police Precinct

commander Chief Inspector Milgrace Driz (left) after it was attacked and burned by the New People’s Army (NPA). Lean Daval Jr.

Notorious ASG’s Misaya neutralized in Sulu: AFP M

ARINE units have shot and killed Alhabsy Misaya, one of the most notorious Abu Sayyaf Group sub-leaders wanted for several counts of kidnapping and bomb attacks, during operations in Indanan town, Sulu province Friday night.

This was confirmed by Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, in a message to the Philippine News Agency Saturday afternoon.

“Gen. Eduardo Año, Chief of Staff of the AFP, confirms

the neutralization of ASG sub-leader Alhabsy Misaya in Indanan, Sulu during a military operation late Friday evening. Troops from assigned Philippine Marine units killed the Abu Sayyaf extremist commander, who is considered to be one of the most notorious kidnappers in southern Philippines,” he said.

The operation that neutralized Misaya took place at about 9:35 p.m. in Barangay Silangkan.

No other details could be provided as follow-up oper-

ations are ongoing, Padilla pointed out.

“Focused military operations targeting local terrorist groups in all other areas continue as well,” he said.

Misaya was a Sulu-based ASG sub-leader and a native of Barangay Bunot, Indanan, Sulu.

He has a standing warrant of arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom (CC nos: 06-10; 17203 and 06-10; 1719-3), penalized under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code.

A bomb expert, Misaya was involved in many ASG bombing attacks, among them the October 2002 Malagutay bombing that killed US serviceman Sgt. Mark Jackson and the wounding of 23 others, including another US serviceman; the January 2009 bombing of the Salaam Bridge in Barangay Bato-Bato, Indanan, Sulu; and the March 2011 bombing of Dennis Coffee Shop at Barangay San Raymundo, Jolo, Sulu that killed four civilians and injured 11 others. (PNA)

Phi (Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines) trilateral maritime patrol as soon as possible,” he said.

“In combating transnational crimes, we also agreed to conduct a joint working group on counter-terrorism this year, expanding the 2014 MOU on Counter-Terrorism

Cooperation and strengthen intelligence information cooperation.”

The three Asian neighbors earlier proposed the joint patrols in the Sulu and Celebes Sea to curb the rise in kidnappings and hijackings of commercial ships by Islamic militants in these waters. (PNA)

to condition the minds of the public and pre-empt the review of Department of Justice as well as the House probe.

Our JVA has withstood the test of time and multiple reviews by Secretaries of Justice and several congressional investigations over so many years. All of them have found our JVA to be valid and

beneficial to the BuCor and the Republic of the Philippines.

These are the same items raised by Speaker Alvarez and, thus, there is nothing new in this recent statement of the Solicitor General. Nonetheless, we are prepared to answer all these issues in the proper time and proper forum.”

kumbinsihin kami na huwag sila suportahan dahil masisira umano itong Sarangani Bay sa pagpasok nila,” said Chairman Hassim.

“Pero bukod sa dumami at lumaki ang mga isda dahil mga nagbabantay na sa Sarangani Bay, may nakatutok na din sa community namin,” a thankful Hassim added.

Chairman Hassim’s sentiment was echoed by Barangay Health Worker (BHW) Nancy Martin Taliño who has been assigned to the area even before SEC came to the picture.

“Matagal na ako assigned

sa area sir, bago pa tinayo ang SEC. Naawawa ako sa kanila dati kasi alam natin na may limitation din ang kayang ibigay na tulong ng gobyerno sa mga residente ng lugar,” Taliño said.

“Pero pagpasok ng SEC nabigyan ang iba sa kanila ng trabaho, regular na ang mga community intervention na bigay ng planta, naproteksyunan ang mga fishing grounds nila, and napansin na sila. Malaki talaga ang nagbago,” Taliño added.

Project Assurance Manager Joel E. Aton of Sarangani

Energy Corp. (SEC) assured the public that this is just part of “keeping and even surpassing SEC’s promise of bringing growth and progress to the municipality of Maasim.”

“Maasim, the province and the people of Sarangani has been such a good host to us, na we feel that it is our duty to return their kindness and support through our community-centered social programs,” Aton added.

SEC started their civic social responsibility operations benefiting the community of Maasim long before the con-

struction and even the commercial operation of the plant.

Just recently, the company also turned over more than P17 million in business tax to the LGU or Maasim last week.

The more than P17 million in business tax paid by SEC during the first quarter of this year alone is more than half of the total overall tax collection target of the whole municipality of Maasim which is pegged at no more than P21.4 million pesos per year and this is just the first year of commercial operation for the plant.

DND... FROM 2

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Tadeco... FROM 2

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

EVENT

EDGEDAVAO

VDFS 2017 kicks off with a sparty

THE REGION’S BIGGEST SHOPPING AND TOURING EVENT IS BACK as the Visit Davao Fun Sale (VDFS) officially kicked off its 2017 season last April 19 at the Garden Tent of the Waterfront Insular Hotel.

The Coachella-inspired party, which was hosted by the Davao Wellness Association (DavWell), was attended

by Davao Region’s gov-

ernment tourism heads, tourism associations, friends in the tourism industry, artists, event sponsors, and media.

I loved how the event

highlighted the region’s “Explore. Relax. Repeat.” mantra and making the late afternoon fun and exciting were free 15-minute complimentary massages courtesy of DavWell as well as face painting, henna tattoo, and hair braiding booths featuring VDFS sponsors, BPI Credit Cards, Bonamine, AirAsia, and Cebu Pacific (whose director for corporate communications Ma. Rosario

“Charo” Lagamon arrived to officially seal the airlines’ VDFS sponsorship in an event prior to the party.)

“Every year the Visit Davao Fun Sale becomes bigger and bigger, with more events catering to more diverse travellers.” said Department of Tourism XI director Roberto Alabado III, “this year, aside from the events within Davao City and Samal Island, we are opening attractions in Davao Oriental which are sure to excite travellers.”

Aside from getting discounts at Durianburg’s many malls, restaurants, and hotels, there are a plethora of cultural, artistic, fun, and exciting activities scheduled from April through the end of May. New for the VDFS are the skimboarding and frisbee competitions on Dahican beach to be hosted by Davao Oriental.

Clearly, Davao Region’s summer season is quickly evolving and is more exciting then before thanks to the VDFS. I can only look forward to see more interesting places to visit, things to see, food to eat, and events to experience from now until the end of May and beyond to the 2018 iteration of, what could be, the biggest, integrated, regionwide, tourism festival in the Philippines.

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UP AND ABOUT

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

Ready, jet-set, go! at the first-ever TLEX Davao FROM OUR PRISTINE BEACHES AND LUSH COUNTRYSIDE to the exotic and off-kilter appeal of our metropoles, it is no wonder that the Philippines continues to attract hordes of travelers from all corners of the globe in search of a different kind of adventure. On the flipside, the local tourism industry is witnessing an unprecedented surge in Filipino’s jet-setting activities as more and more people get acquainted with the joys of travel and leisure.

Inspired by the growing need to provide Filipinos with more access to hassle-free travel and leisure products, Worldbex Services International (WSI) – the country’s leading events and expositions organizer – is more than thrilled to present the first-ever Travel and Leisure Expo (TLEX) Davao on May 11 to 14, from 11am to 7pm, at SM Lanang Premier. Admission is

Kayangan Lake. Photo by Eric Beltran. free!

Co-located with the 3rd PHILBEX Davao, TLEX Davao marks a groundbreaking chapter in the trade show history of Davao as it forms part of a sensational convergence of the region’s construction and design industry with that of its burgeoning travel, leisure, hospitality, and tourism sector.

In effect, a strong sense of anticipation surrounds TLEX Davao not only as it is the first to be mounted by WSI in the region but also as it is expected to deliver a truly memorable and exciting experience for the people of Mindanao. As its tagline of “Excite. Explore.

Experience.” suggests, TLEX Davao ultimately aims to inspire

visitors to discover the world of travel. And one way of doing this is to bring within reach a wide array of top-rated and accredited travel and leisure brands.

Eyeing an estimate of 13,000 visitors including those who will be attending PHILBEX Davao, TLEX Davao is set to occupy a total of 1,263 sqm of exhibition space as it houses over 40 exhibitors from all over the country.

From premium and accredited travel agencies and tour operators, the exhibitor profile of TLEX Davao include national tourist offices and organizations such Visit Davao Fun Sale, airline companies like Philippine Airlines, cruise liners and shipping firms like Cathay Pacific, as well as countless hotels and resorts. One of its official media partners is the Davao Blogger Society.

In opening up Mindanao to a host of travel and leisure

opportunities, TLEX Davao envisions an optimistic and promising impact towards the enrichment of the region’s cultural and social development.

Moreover, it signals a favorable outgrowth for the region’s local tourism and hospitality businesses.

Renowned for its spectacular and world-class expositions, WSI through the first-ever TLEX Davao is poised to change the way people travel in the region and likewise their impression about what trade expos should be.

Given that TLEX Davao is only the first of many installments to come, WSI is confident that it will only mark the beginning of bigger and greater things to come for Mindanao’s travel and leisure industry.

For more information, go to www.worldbex.com or follow Travel and Leisure Expo on Facebook and @tlex.ph on Instagram.

EDGEDAVAO KORONADAL PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

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

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INdulge! A3

When Easter means hope

By BAI FAUZIAH FATIMA SINSUAT AMBOLODTO

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EASTER TYPICALLY MEANS BUNNIES, EGGS AND KIDS. Not to mention, chocolates, candies and a whole lot of fun and games.

At the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao, Easter also means HOPE.

Last April 16 2017, Sunday -- Renowned Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao celebrated a fun filled Easter Sunday with the kids of Kids of Hope from the House of Hope Foundation. Dubbed Easter Means Hope: A Rockin’ Easter Egg Hunt Party with the Kids of Hope, the event was held at the hotel’s Grand Agila Ballroom. The celebration featured a number of fun and exciting games, entertainment and a day of non-stop laughter for everyone in attendance.

Warming up the participants needed some commanding as a “Bring Me” game had everyone up on their feet. There were about 80 kids in attendance. Of which, just about everyone wanted a piece of the bagful of treats. Who wouldn’t, right?

It did not take long before the kids were in ‘game’ mode. Following “Bring Me” was their version of “The Easter Egg Puzzle”. Winners got to take home a Waterfront Powerbank and loot bags as consolation.

Shortly after their afternoon snacks, participants were escorted to the Garden Area (of the hotel) to

hunt for eggs. A thousand eggs to be exact. Respective egg hunting areas for children ages two to six and seven to 12 were cordoned until the whistle was blown. Easter bunnies,

hotel souvenirs, gift certificates and complimentary pool passes were given to those who collected the most number of eggs for each age category. Also to those who found the four special eggs hidden in both areas.

Ending the day was a rockin’ finale were a number of kids (below 10 years old) performed and provided entertainment for everyone in attendance. Collectively known as Lightheart Band, they were coached by choir extraordinaire, Peter Ian Buaya. Inspired by the 2003 film, School of Rock, they brought out their musical prowess in hopes of inspiring the other kids to embrace their musical inclinations.

A special award was given to 2-year old Aika who came in her cutest Easter costume.

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

11 ENVIRONMENT EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

Mangroves are ecologically disturbed Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“E

C O L O G I C A L LY disturbed.”

That is how the recently-released summit proceedings described the status of mangroves of Southern Luzon.

In Marinduque, for instance, the dumping of mine wastes along the coastal areas has been cited as the biggest threat to mangroves in the province.

“From 1975 to 1988, almost 300 million dry metric tons of mine tailings were directly dumped in Calacang Bay by the Marcopper Mining Corporation,” the proceedings said. “In 1979 to 1997, the Consolidated Mines Incorporated directly dumped their mine tailings in Ulong Bay, Mogpog.”

In Romblon, among those that have been cited as culprit of mangrove denudation include illegal construction of fishponds, human settlements and reclamation, unregulated tourism development and illegal beach quarrying.

“Threats both from anthropogenic and natural causes greatly contribute to the

degradation of the mangrove forests in the province,” said the proceedings which was edited by Severino G. Salmo III, Abigail Marie T. Favis, Marie Nathalie S. Ting and Anne Brigitte U. Lim. In Occidental Mindoro, the decline of mangrove stands can be traced to the conversion of mangroves into aquaculture areas, reclamation and conversion for agricultural production and human settlements, cuttings of mangroves for firewood and housing materials, and flooding, soil erosion and sedimentation.

Some mangrove areas in Oriental Mindoro has likewise decline due to cutting, conversion into residential areas, and influx of coastal residents from other municipalities and provinces.

The mangroves in Batangas were not spared. “Clearing of mangrove forests may be blamed on the development of coasts for aquaculture, residential settlements and tourist facilities and infrastructures,” said Lorena A. Candava, the head of the provincial forest

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF DAVAO CITY

SILANGAN MULTI-PURPOSE COOPERATIVE (SMPC) Mortgagee, -versusLEAH C. MATUTINO, married to JUANITO F. MATUTINO, JR., Mortgagor/s.

EJF-REM CASE NO. 16,254-17

x - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE

Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against the mortgagor/s LEAH C. MATUTINO married to JUANITO F. MATUTINO, JR., both of legal age, Filipinos and residents of Block 7, Lot 19 ,Emerald Street, Doña Rosa Phase II Subdivision Lizada, Toril, Davao City the mortgagors stand indebted to Silangan Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SPMC) for the sum of SIX HUNDRED SIXTY TWO THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED THREE PESOS and EIGHTY CENTAVOS (Php 662,103.80) Philippine Currency, representing principal interests and other charges plus other legal expenses incident to foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff IV of Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on June 8, 2017 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City to the highest bidder for CASH or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the following real property mentioned and described below together with all the improvements thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 146-2014075558

“A parcel of land (Lot 6, Blk. 7, of the. Plan Psd- 11-036238, being a portion of Lot 163-B, PSD-4665), situated in the Barangay Daliao, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, xxx Containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY (150) SQUARE METERS, more or less xxx.”

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the abovestated time and date.

That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on July 6, 2017 without further notice.

Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the titles herein-above described real property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Davao City, Philippines, April 24, 2017.

Noted by:

FOR THE EX-OFFICIO PROV’L SHERIFF: ALBERT C. ABEJARON Sheriff IV

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER Clerk of Court V OIC - Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Provincial Sheriff

management section.

In Cavite, the decline was due to the conversion into fishponds, salt beds and built-up for settlement areas.

“Mangroves are also used as wood for charcoal-making,” the report added.

But there is some good news. In Palawan, the country’s last frontier, mangrove areas have increased over the years: from only 3.4% cover in 1992, it went up to 3.5% in 1998, 4.0% in 1992 and 4.4% in 2010.

“Despite these, mangrove forests are still threatened by human activities,” deplored Noel E. Aquino, of the provincial environment and natural resources office. “The ‘open access’ mangrove forests in some areas are still exploited for construction materials, firewood, tanbark, charcoal and for conversion into fishponds.”

But it’s not only in Southern Luzon where mangroves are fast disappearing. It is true even in others parts of the country.

From its original area of approximately 450,000 hectares in 1918, the mangrove areas went down to 140,000 hectares in 1991. It decreased further in 1994 to 120,000 hectares, according to Dr. Carmelita I. Villamor, of the Ecosystems Research and Development (ERDB).

In her paper, she summarized the culprits of mangrove denudation in the country, among which were logging for firewood, harvesting for tanbarks, and the conversion of mangroves to fishponds for milkfish and prawn culture.

“In the 1950s, mangrove firewood was the preferred fuel source in coastal villages and most bakeries because of its high heating value,” Villamor reported. “But a greater volume was exported to Japan as firewood, which reportedly became the source of rayon.”

Large tracks of mangrove forests were lost and degraded when the government en-

couraged development of aquaculture to increase food production in the 1960s. Around half of the 279,000 hectares disappeared between 1961 and 1988 due to conversion into milkfish or shrimp ponds, according to other reports.

Mangroves grow well in tropical countries, including the Philippines. But most Filipinos don’t consider mangroves – touted to be the forests in the coastal areas – as important.

“Coastal forests…. are not familiar to the average Filipino due to their early loss,” wrote Jurgenne Primavera and Resurreccion Sadaba in the book, Beach Forest Species and Mangrove Associates in the Philippines. “They’ve long gone unreported in the yearly Philippine Forestry Statistics.”

Actually, mangroves are communities of trees in the

tidal flats in coastal waters, e x tendi n g i n land along rivers where the water is tidal, saline, or brackish. “There are 25 to 30 species of true mangrove trees and an equal number of associated species,” says Dr. Miguel Fortes, a professor of Marine Science Institute at the College of Science of University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

Dr. Theresa Mundita Lim, director of the Biodiversity Management Bureau, says its agency has identified 42 species of mangroves in the country. None of them are facing extinction yet. But the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is considering of putting 11 out of 70 mangrove species assessed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Mangroves are very important to marine life, says Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III, former head of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development.

They serve as sanctuaries and feeding grounds for fish that nibble on detritus (fallen and decaying leaves) trapped in the vegetation, and on the bark and leaves of living trees. “(Mangroves) are important feeding sites for many commercially important fish species (mullet, tilapia, eel, and especially milkfish), shrimps, prawns, mollusks, crabs, and sea cucumbers,” a World Bank report on environment adds.

“Fry that gather in mangrove areas are very important for aquaculture.”

Unknowingly, mangroves also help protect people and even properties from destruction brought about by typhoons. Moises Neil V. Seriño, assistant professor of the Department of Economics at the Visayas State University, found this out after he and co-researchers conducted a study on the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) in 2013.

“Our study shows that mangrove vegetation reduced the number of deaths and damaged houses during the Yolanda incident,” Seriño said.

“This property and lifesaving effects of mangrove is robust.

Mangroves can protect us (our lives, livelihood and properties) from damaging effects of typhoons.”

The Conservation International and Turing Foundation agree. In their message in the proceedings of State of Mangrove Summit, the two organizations noted: “These natural buffers (referring to mangroves) are even more important now considering how the super typhoon Haiyan wreaked havoc, claiming over 6,000 lives in the Philippines.

Haiyan will always serve important lessons on our climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

“We need to protect and rehabilitate our mangrove ecosystems,” they added.

12 NEWS

MULTI PURPOSE PAVEMENT. [from left] Municipal Area Coordinator for Kalahi-CIDSS Jean S. Bautista, Barangay Captain Noli S. Uy, Barangay Sub-project Management Committee Chairman (BSPMC) Danilo O. Palaruan and Kalahi-CIDSS Area Coordinator Francis B. Pineda cut the ceremonial ribbon during the blessing and inauguration of Kalahi-CIDSS Php 793,480.00 Two Units Multi-Purpose Pavement in Sitio Kilongag, Barangay Bolila, Malita, Davao Occidental. The newly inaugurated sub-project will benefit 217 households in the barangay.

Groups... FROM 7 ic regulatory agencies, the groups called for “decisive action against the use of plastic microbeads and other microplastics in PCCPs manufactured, imported, distributed, sold and used in the region.”

To justify their push for a regional ban, the groups noted a United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolution stating that “the presence of plastic litter and microplastics in the marine environment is a rapidly increasing serious issue of global concern that needs an urgent global response.”

Through Resolution 2/11, UNEA urged governments and product manufacturers to phase out microplastic particles in PCCPs and “their replacement with organic or mineral non-hazardous compounds.”

The groups likewise cited

Coops... FROM 7

jected to tax, it will directly impact the members and the community due to the foreseen decline in the Net Surplus allocations. The scenario will be lowered interest rates for savings products, high interests on loans, minimal patronage refund and interest on share capital, limited education for members and forgotten communities.

We must reminisce the true essence of Cooperativism – members helping members.

As members of the Cooperative, we are now faced with this great challenge but we must not waiver. We must unite and strongly stand against the repeal of our tax exemptions.

Let us be one with all Cooperatives in the country and show our opposition by changing our profile pictures in Facebook and sharing the news or updates on our campaigns to capture social media interest.

Most importantly, as member-owners who pledge to attend cooperative affairs, you are enjoined to participate during the Simultaneous Show

EDGEDAVAO

USeP... FROM 7

Kalahi-CIDSS or Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services, one of the core programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is a community-driven development (CDD) program of the Philippine Government aiming to empower people through sustainable development, enhanced participation in local governance, and management of poverty alleviation projects. (DSWD/ Photos by Francis B. Pineda)

recent reports highlighting concerns about plastics and marine pollution, including the first World Ocean Assessment, which expresses concern about the ability of microplastics to enter marine food chains and their potential harms.

“Because of their microscopic size, these particles flow straight to the drain and into the water bodies, contributing to the alarming plastic pollution of the ocean,” the groups warned According to the research by the United Nations Environment Programme: “washed down the drain, these particles cannot be collected for recycling, nor do they decompose in wastewater treatment facilities, inevitably ending up in the global ocean, where it fragments and remains” and “these plastics may take hunof Force to be held on May 13, 2017 (Saturday). More details will be announced later.

We are one with the government in the hope of creating a more efficient tax system

dreds of years to completely degrade.”

Microplastic particles can absorb and release highly toxic chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants like dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethan e (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), according to studies.

These toxin-laden microplastics can be easily eaten by fish, mussels and other aquatic organisms and thus contaminating the marine food chains and posing risks for human health and the environment, the groups said.

Some of the microplastic-containing PCCPs in the market include shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, toothpaste, facial creams and masks, shower gel, shaving creams, deodorant, lipstick, moisturizers, sunscreen and many other products. (PR) aimed towards poverty alleviation. However, we strongly believe that Cooperatives have been and will continue to perform its vital part touching the lives of the Filipino community.

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late ULYSSES L. ASISTIDO has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT executed among his heirs, per Doc. No.455; Page No.91; Book No. 120; Series of 2017, of the NOTARY PUBLIC SALVADOR M. BIJIS 4/24 ,5/1,8

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

around banana and cacao industry stakeholders – farmers, businessmen, private companies, government personnel, graduate and undergraduate students from agricultural schools in Region XI and XII, Mindanao’s renowned plant pathologists, and non-professional plant pathology practitioners to convey and discuss opportunities, challenges and emerging trends and issues related to these priority commodities in the country.

During the opening program, Dr. Lourdes C. Generalao, USeP President and the incumbent President of the PPS-SMD, welcomed the participants. She mentioned that the summit is one of the PPS-SMD’s undertakings to host relevant events that would serve as a venue for all dedicated plant pathologists to convene and tackle important matters affecting the interest of Mindanao.

Ms. Charita Puentespina, owner of Puentespina

Farms that produces the famous Malagos Chocolate, gave the keynote speech.

In her message, she encouraged the participants, especially the farmers present, to plant more cacao. She even emphasized that her company required a certain quantity of dried cacao beans for chocolate manufacturing and that the farmers could market their produce to her at a higher price.

Topics discussed during the summit included Management of Vascular Streak Disease of Cacao presented by Mr. Elijah Z. Davalos, Senior Science Research Specialist of Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech); Management of Phytophthora Disease of Cacao given by Ms. Marilou N. Infante, Center Chief of the Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC XI); Prospects for the Philippine Cacao Industry discussed by Mr. Peter V. Cruz, Founding Member of the

Cacao Industry Development Association in Mindanao, Inc. (CIDAMI); and the TADECO Experience on PhilGAP tackled by Mr. Reagan D. Navarro, Senior Manager of Research, Information and Compliance Division of the Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Inc. (TADECO).

Meanwhile, one of the goals of PPS-SMD is to raise enough fund to continually support its scholarship program for poor but deserving students who will be trained as future pest control officers of the country. These scholars are students in the University of Southern Mindanao (USM), Kabacan, Cotabato and USeP Tagum-Mabini Campus. Incidentally, some proceeds generated from the registration fees and the donation/monetary support of the private companies for the conduct of the summit has been retained and form part of the society’s fund for the scholarship program.

(Sheryl S. Bayang)

Wright to the roster that will vie for the lone Southeast Asian spot in the FIBA Asia Cup. “I think it’s very balanced and versatile. It has size. I think it’s a great combination of Gilas rookies and veterans,”

Reyes said of the 12-man crew.

He said he intends to field the “SEABA 12”, sans Blatche, who will join the team in practice only on May 2, in the final game of the All-Star series against the Visayas All-Stars in Lapu-Lapu on Sunday night.

However, with Fajardo and Romeo, who are supposed to be members of the Visayas All-Stars, named to the SEABA 12, a late shakeup to the Tim Cone-coached all-star lineup is expected. (Ivan S. Saldajeno/PNA)

Gilas... FROM 15

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Account Executive Qualifications: • BS Marketing Graduate • Male/Female • With pleasing personality Send your 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

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017 REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF DAVAO CITY NATIONAL HOME MORTGAGE FINANCE CORPORATION (NHMFC) Mortgagee,

EJF-REM CASE NO. 16,245-17

-versus-

MARIBETH CORPUZ PEROCHO, married to CELESTINO AVELINO PEROCHO Mortgagor/s. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE

Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against the mortgagor/s MARIBETH CORPUZ PEROCHO married to CELESTINO AVELINO PEROCHO, with residence and postal address at ROSALINA VILLAGE I SITIO LIBBY LOT 17 BLK. 28 BAGO GALLERA TALOMO DIST., DAVAO CITY, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of February 28 , 2017 amounted to( Php 1,367,065.18) Philippine Currency, inclusive of interest and penalty charges, plus attorney’s fees equivalent to ten percent (10%) of the total indebtedness plus other legal expenses incident to foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff IV of Regional Trial Court, Davao City; will sell at public auction on June 1, 2017 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City to the highest bidder for CASH or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the following real property mentioned and described below together with all the improvements thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T- 211335

“A parcel of land of the consolidated-subd project (Lot 17, Blk. 28, of the consolidated-subd. Plan Pcs- 11-001332, being a portion of Lots 878-A 1-C; 878-A-1-D & 878-A-1-E, Psd- 11-005208, xxx), situated in the City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, xxx Containing an area of ONE HUNDRED (100) SQUARE METERS, more or less xxx.”

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on July 6, 2017 without further notice.

Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the titles herein-above described real property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF DAVAO CITY NATIONAL HOME MORTGAGE FINANCE CORPORATION (NHMFC) Mortgagee, -versus-

Noted by:

JAY C. ESPERANZA Sheriff IV

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER Clerk of Court V OIC - Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Provincial Sheriff (Edge 4/24, 5/1, 8)

EJF-REM CASE NO. 16,207-17

ROSALINDA A BULAT-AG, single Mortgagor/s. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE

Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against ROSALINDA A. BULAT-AG, single, with postal address at Model F-1, Davao Empress, Phase 1, Lot. 11, Blk. 4, North Diversion Rd. Bo., Panacan, Davao City, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of February 28 , 2017 amounted to (Php 984,053.66) Philippine Currency, inclusive of principal due, interest, penalty and other charges and plus other legal expenses incident to foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff IV of Regional Trial Court, Davao City; will sell at public auction on June 1, 2017 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland ,Davao City to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the following real property/ies mentioned and described below together with all the improvements thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-234658

“A parcel of land xxx (Lot 11, Blk. 4, xxx Psd-11-029550, xxx), situated in the Barrio of Panacan, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao. xxx Containing an area of SIXTY THREE (63) SQUARE METERS, more or less xxx.”

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on July 6, 2017 without further notice.

Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the titles herein-above described real property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Davao City, Philippines, April 10, 2017.

FOR THE EX-OFFICIO PROV’L SHERIFF:

Davao City, Philippines, April 17, 2017.

FOR THE EX-OFFICIO PROV’L SHERIFF:

13

EDGEDAVAO

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF DAVAO CITY NATIONAL HOME MORTGAGE FINANCE CORPORATION (NHMFC) Mortgagee, -versus-

FOR: EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER ACT 3135, AS AMENDED

EFREN C. ROSOS married to JOSEPHINE G. ROSOS Mortgagor/s. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE

Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against EFREN C. ROSOS married to JOSEPHINE G. ROSOS, with postal address at Cabantian Country Homes Subd. Blk. 51, Lot 23,Cabantian, Buhangin, Davao City, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of February 28 , 2017 amounted to Php 734,644.59 Philippine Currency, plus other legal expenses incident to foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff IV of Regional Trial Court, Davao City; will sell at public auction on June 1, 2017 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City to the highest bidder for Cash or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the following real property/ies mentioned and described below together with all the improvements thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T- 214653

“A parcel of land xxx (Lot 23, Blk. 51, xxx situated in the Barangay of Cabantian, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao xxx. Containing an area of NINETY SEVEN and 58/100 (97.58) SQUARE METERS, more or less xxx.”

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on July 6, 2017 without further notice.

Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the titles herein-above described real property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Davao City, Philippines, April 11, 2017.

FOR THE EX-OFFICIO PROV’L SHERIFF: NICOLAS L. SUMAPIG Sheriff IV

JULITO J. ANGOT Sheriff IV

Noted by:

Noted by:

(Edge 4/24, 5/1, 8)

(Edge 4/24, 5/1, 8)

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER Clerk of Court V OIC - Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Provincial Sheriff

EJF-REM CASE NO. 16,228-17

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER Clerk of Court V OIC - Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Provincial Sheriff

14

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

EDGEDAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

EDGEDAVAO Sports 15

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

TOUGH TEST Davao U12 girls face uphill task in Singapore bootfest

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

T

njb@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City-Philippines Under-12 girls football squad plunge into action in the tough 2017 JSSL Singapore International 7-a-side football tournament which began on Saturday at the United World College in Singapore.

The tournament is set April 29 to May 1 with 12 teams competing for the prestigious crown.

The other participating teams are Anza,

Chadwick International, Girls soccer Academy, JSSL Elite 1, Jakarta Indonesia Academy, Poveda Philippines, JSSL Stoney, JSSL Elite 2, Tai Tam Tigers, LFA, and Subang Jaya Community.

Coach Reynalyn Ravanes led the team which flew out on Thursday for Singapre.

“As a Coach this will be my second time to join this tournament. Last time it was in 2015 for Under-13 girls, and this time there are new sets of players born 2005 (or later)

who will join the Under-12 girls category,” Ravanes said.

Only one player will be back from that 2015 team and she is team captain Jasmine Cassandra Agustin who was only Grade 3 when she first played in the tournament. Agustin is an incoming sixth grader.

The squad, composed of an all-Ateneo de Davao University players, will also be have Analou Ingles as assistant coach.

Bannering the Davao

City-Philippines squad are Jasmin Cassandra A. Agustin, Glenne Danielle T. Dela Torre, Julianna Cassandra B. Del Mundo, Isabelle Renee C. Taojo, Akia Domini S. Cayabyab, Minerva Lian D. Evasco, Princess Graillet T. Juan, Samantha Hope J. Salise, Lacy Therese J. Uy, and Jelena Marie M. Pido.

“We hope to be out there giving them a good fight. It’s a very tough tournament. Very strong teams are here but we will give it our all,” said Ravanes.

Gilas’SEABA 12 named

C

ALL them the “SEABA 12”.

Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes officially named the “chosen dozen” that will represent the Philippines in the Southeast Asia Basketball Association (SEABA) Men’s Championship on May 12-18 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

In a public announcement Friday night at the Quezon

C

HRIS Paul scored 29 points and the Los Angeles Clippers forced a Game 7 in their first-round series with a 98-93 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday night.

The Clippers will host the only do-or-die game of the first round Sunday, with the winner advancing to face the Golden State Warriors.

Los Angeles began to edge

Convention Center right after the PBA All-Star Game, Reyes named Alaska’s Calvin Abueva, Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar, Rain or Shine’s Raymond Almazan, Xinjiang’s Andray Blatche, TNT’s Jayson Castro, RR Pogoy, and Troy Rosario, San Miguel’s Junemar Fajardo, Star’s Jio Jalalon and Allein Maliksi, GlobalPort’s Terrence Romeo, and Phoenix’s Matt

F GILAS, 12 OFF TO SINGAPORE. The Davao U-12 girls squad during their sendoff to Singapore.

Clippers force Game 7

away in the third quarter and appeared to be in control when Austin Rivers capped a 9-2 run with a step-back 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 91-77 with 3:58 remaining.

He hit another with 1:29 left to make it 96-86, but Gordon Hayward scored seven straight to bring the Jazz within three before Joe Johnson missed a 3-pointer in the wan-

ing seconds.

Paul pushed Los Angeles throughout the night and just wouldn’t let the Clippers lose.

The nine-time All-Star dominated and finished with eight assists, three rebounds and two steals. DeAndre Jordan added 13 points and 18 rebounds.

The Clippers overcame a slow start to finish at 49 percent shooting from the field.

The Jazz went in the opposite direction, getting sloppy with the ball in the third quarter and making numerous defensive mistakes. They also shot just 41.0 percent from the field and were 7 for 26 from behind the arc.

Hayward led the Jazz with 31 points, George Hill added 22 and Rudy Gobert finished with 15 points and nine rebounds.

OPPOSITE SIDES. Calvin Abueva, playing for the PBA All Stars Luzon side this time, defends against Gilas teammates Alein Maliksi and Ed Daquiaog. PBA Media

Celtics eliminate Bulls

T

HE Boston Celtics kept reminding each other not to let up as they closed in on a lopsided victory and a trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

No need to worry about that.

Avery Bradley scored 23 points, and the hot-shooting Celtics pounded the Chicago Bulls 105-83 to win their firstround series 4-2 on Friday night.

The top-seeded Celtics simply torched Chicago to finish off a tougher-than-anticipated series and advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

Boston regrouped after dropping the first two games at home and will meet Washington in the Eastern semifinals. Game 1 is Sunday. ‘’Once we started to get the game at hand and in control, we all just kept repeating to stay focused, to keep it going, to keep pushing,’’ Al Horford said. ‘’We didn’t want to give them any life. We were as focused and we were enjoying the moment.’’

Bradley finished one point shy of a playoff career high he set in Game 5. He nailed three 3-pointers and the Celtics hit 16 of 39 from long range.

Gerald Green scored 16 in his fourth straight start and Isaiah Thomas had 12 before heading home to Washington state for his sister Chyna’s funeral on Saturday. Her death in a car accident the day before the playoff opener dealt a blow to the Celtics. But Boston rallied around its

star player and regrouped when it looked like the series might slip from reach. ‘’Bigger things than basketball happen and that takes precedent,’’ coach Brad Stevens said. ‘’I was really proud of our guys, how they treated each other and how they stuck together. Nobody pointed fingers and we’re a great support network for one another, especially Isaiah. I think they appreciated being counted out.’’

Jimmy Butler led Chicago with 23 points. But the Bulls never really found their rhythm over the final four games with point guard Rajon Rondo sidelined by a broken right thumb.

Dwyane Wade shot just 1 of 10 in a two-point effort that could be his final appearance for the Bulls. He has a $23.8 million option on the two-year deal he signed last summer to leave Miami and come home to Chicago. ‘’The big thing about it is we got off to poor starts in pretty much every game after the first two,’’ coach Fred Hoiberg said. ‘’But we found a way to bounce back and make it close.’’

Not this time.

The Celtics set the tone by hitting 3s on their first three possessions on the way to a 13-point halftime lead. They buried Chicago in the third, outscoring the Bulls 34-18. Things got so lopsided that Thomas gathered his teammates near the baseline late in the quarter and screamed: ‘’That’s a wrap for these (expletives)!’’

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 20 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, APRIL 30 - MAY 1, 2017

1

Search for Bb. DavNor 2017 makes summer hotter

BY NOEL BAGUIO

2

D

AVAO del Norte – After a hiatus of 13 years, the Bb. DavNor beauty pageant returns to select a beautiful, confident and empowered lady, who will be Davao del Norte’s ambassadress of goodwill and development.

Eighteen pre-selected candidates representing the 11 local government candidates of the province are now vying for the Bb. DavNor 2017, which is among the major highlights of the 50th Founding Anniversary of the province.

The candidates went through rigorous screenings in their respective LGUs, besting other aspirants who tried their luck in having a shot at becoming a beauty queen.

Governor Anthony del Rosario said the resurrected pageant celebrates the Dabaonon women from all backgrounds.

“With this competition, we hope to inspire our beautiful and talented Dabaonon women to step out of their comfort zones, experience the opportunity to represent the Province and become the ambassadress of goodwill and development,” he said.

Most of this year’s

1. The Bb. DavNor 2017 candidates in their ethnic attire.

2. Candidates of the Bb. DavNor 2017 make the summer hotter.

3. The Bb. DavNor 2017 candidates are all ears during their Disaster Preparedness Workshop.

3

exciting roster of candidates have experience in local beauty pageants, while others are degree holders and working professionals carving a niche in their respective fields.

The ladies stunned everyone with their charm and confidence onstage on their official presentation during the Capitol Monday Con-

vocation last April 10.

Soon, they had their hands full with a series of photo shoots and workshops that aim to enhance their capability in helping build the nation.

These include the Disaster Preparedness Workshop on April 21 and the Community Development Workshop on April 29, with Pro-

fessor Angelito Manalili of the University of the Philippines’ College of Social Work & Community Development.

The wannabes will also have the opportunity to further develop their pageant skills through a first-rate beauty camp on May 12-13, 2017, top billed

by Jonas Gaffud and Atty. Nad Bronce of the

famous Aces & Queens, which is the creator of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach and other world-class beauty queens like Venus Raj, Shamcey Supsup, Janine Tugonon, and Megan Young, among others.

The sweltering summer will be more blistering still as the candidates will hold

their hot Tour DavNor caravan, which include some preliminary competitions, from May 1526 around the LGUs of the Province.

Finally, the best among the best Dabaonon ladies will shine brightest during the grand coronation on June 28.

Prizes at stake include P200,000 for the winning Bb. DavNor 2017, while the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th runners up will receive P150,000, P100,000, P75,000 and P50,000, respectively. More cash prizes worth P80,000 are allotted for the minor and special awards, at the same time that the other non-winning candidates shall receive a consolation prize of P15,000 each.