Edge Davao 10 Issue 37

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

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OPEN SPACES Davao City advised to have‘bigger room’for its citizens

By REBECCA ESPERA

THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE. Young Muslim girls hold placards on peace and unity during the peace walk for the prevention of violent extremism in time for the 4th Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of World Peace held at the People’s Park in Davao City on Tuesday. The event was organized by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) with the collaboration of the 11 tribes of Davao and Madrasah Comprehensive Development and Promotion Program (MCDPP). Lean Daval Jr.

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RESEARCH team from the New York University has called on the city of Davao “to invest in open spaces (parks, play grounds, sports fields, public green areas” for the health and well-being of its residents.

The call was issued through the research team’s head, Patrick Lamson-Hall, in a brief speech at the Sangguniang Panglungsod session hall on Tuesday.

Hall was introduced by Councilor Pilar Baga, chair of the committee on education.

Hall’s presence was facilitated by Chinkie Pelino-Golle, executive director of the Davao City-based Interface Development Interventions,Inc. (IDIS).

Hall’s research team in coordination with IDIS has conducted a pilot study regarding the status and quality of public open spaces in Davao City, a study that sought to help the United Nations come up with its Sustainable Development Goals.

Davao City is one of only three cities that had been chosen worldwide for the study.

As explained, the City can benefit from the result of the study by getting insights on how reconcile it with its Comprehensive Land Use Planning (CLUP) and on establishing green spaces.

“Davao City needs to invest in open spaces such as parks, play grounds, sports field, and public green areas if it wants to provide an ideal place for its citizens to raise children and to grow old,” he said.

He said that opening public open spaces is vital to the health and well being of the residents.

Davao City, explained Hall, has a bigger room for development in spite of its continuous growth, which why it has been one of the chosen cities. With this, the City government is

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

The adventures of DAVAO Chito Samontina EDGE Sports ‘Muslim teachings forbid terrorism’

By JECIA ANNE OPIANA

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HE Deputy Mayor of the Iranun tribe in Davao City strongly emphasized that Muslims should not be associated with terrorism during the Peace

Walk held on Tuesday.

The Peace Walk, with the theme “Prevention of violent extremism,” is in line with the 4th Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of

World Peace.

Deputy Mayor Datu Pamikeren Latip Arumpac, Jr. said their teachings strongly prohibit violence es-

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BACK TO THE FINALS

Warriors sweep short-handed Spurs, clinch NBA Finals berth

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

SAYING IT IN LETTERS. A staff member of the Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) forms the word “peace” using letter shaped balloons during peace walk for the prevention of violent extremism in time for the 4th Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of World Peace held at the People’s Park in Davao City on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr.

CBCP hopeful on achieving peace as government, NDF resume talks

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ITH the guidance of the Lord and as shown in the determination of both the Philippine government (GPH) and the National Democratic Front (NDF), the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is confident that achieving the long-sought peace is possible.

“We, your bishops, therefore commend the next round of the Peace Negotiations to the Prince of Peace — since He calms all storms, silences the shrieking of demons, and emboldens those who are discouraged and afraid,” said CBCP President Archbishop Socrates Villegas in a state-

ment.

The Catholic prelate added, “Peace ignited that charity in their hearts that made them share everything in common.

Peace built the community.

Peace can still rebuild our nation!”

The fifth round of peace talks between the GPH and the NDF is set to open on Saturday.

With this, Villegas urged both parties to take courageous steps to be able to attain peace.

“Indeed, one of the most common exhortations in all of Scripture was one beloved to Saint John Paul II: ‘Be not afraid’. This is what we ask of

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Boy, 12, takes life by hanging

By JECIA ANNE OPIANA

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12 YEAR-OLD boy was found hanging by a piece of nylon cord inside his room on May 21, Sunday.

According to PCI Ramil Macarampat, San Pedro Police Station Commander, the boy’s mother Dionila Elesio told them that his son was suffering from appendicitis for

almost a month.

Furthermore, he also said that this is the second suicide attempt of the boy because the mother had previously caught his son attempting to end his life early on.

Macarampat said that the mother was not able to seek the help of the physician considering that they are having

difficulties with their expenses.

Police’s initial investigation revealed that around 12:45 in the afternoon of Sunday, the boy was found by his mother, lifeless inside their home at Purok 9-B Lower Madapo, Barangay 8-A, Davao City.

So far, the police also said

that the victim had no traces of foul play.

It was not determined why the boy was desperate to end his life when appendicitis is considered curable and not life-threatening.

The victim’s cadaver was brought to Angel Funeral Parlor for further investigations to determine the cause of death.

of the ADDA. The move comes after various sectors, such as members of Congress and transport groups and some drivers of public and private vehicles, called for its suspension due to confusion in its implementing rules and regulations.

Among the concerns raised are the banning of rosaries, figurines and other accessories on dashboards that distract the view of drivers, as well as the use of navigational apps, such as Waze, while driving.

Republic Act 10913 or the Anti-Distracted Driving Act prohibits motorists from making or receiving calls, writing, sending or reading text-based communications, playing online games, watching movies, surfing or browsing the Internet, among others, while vehicles are in motion or temporarily stopped on a traffic light or an intersection.

Drivers are however allowed to apply hands-free functions or applications in using such devices or gadgets, so long as these do not

obstruct their line of sight.

Violators will be fined P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 for the second offense, and P15,000 for the third offense with a threemonth suspension of driver’s license.

Violations incurred beyond the third offense shall be penalized with the revocation of the driver’s license and a fine of P20,000.

Owners and operators of public utility vehicles and commercial vehicles found in violation of the act shall both be held liable. (PNA)

Authorities bust 4 drug rings in Cotabato City, Maguindanao DOTr holds implementation of anti-distracted driving act

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OTABATO City-based anti-narcotics operatives today announced the arrest of 12 persons in a series of anti-drug operations in the city and nearby Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao on Monday and Tuesday.

Bryan Babang, regional director of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the raids also resulted in the recovery of several firearms, including an M-14 rifle, an M-16 Bushmaster and two vintage .45 caliber Thompson sub-machineguns.

He said the suspects allegedly belonged to at least four drug rings interconnected to each other and operate in the city and its environs for the supply of prohibited drugs.

PDEA agents and Maguindanao police earlier arrested a suspected drug courier during a drug buy-bust operation Sunday afternoon.

During interrogation at the PDEA-ARMM office, the man revealed the existence of drug syndicates based in Barangay Katuli, Sultan Kudarat, located just across the Rio Grande de Mindanao.

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HE Department of Transportation has suspended the implementation of the Anti-Distracted Driving Act (ADDA) that prohibits motorists from using mobile devices and electronic gadgets, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board board member and spokesperson, Aileen Lizada, said Tuesday.

Lizada said that for the meantime, the DOTr will conduct an information campaign.

No definite date has been set for the reimplementation

NEWS 3

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

PH to enhance diplomatic ties with Russia —Duterte

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USSIA will no longer be at the “margins of the Philippine diplomacy,” President Rodrigo R. Duterte said as he pointed out that “overdependence” on traditional partners has limited the country’s “room to maneuver in a very dynamic international arena.”

“This is a strategic oversight that has led to many missed opportunities for our country. I am determined to correct this,” he said during his departure message at the F. Bangoy international Airport in Davao City Monday.

Duterte made the pronouncement after announcing the administration was rejecting grants aid from the 28-country European Union, which has been critical of his bloody war on illegal drugs.

In October 2016, Duterte said the country would distance itself militarily and economically from the US to chart a more “independent foreign policy”.

Duterte’s critical stance against the US and the EU has been contrasted with his friendly overtures towards China and Russia.

He added that his administration will give Philippines-Russia relations the attention that is commensurate

to its full potential.

He said he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow and discuss bilateral cooperation in the sphere of political security, and increased economic, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges.

He said he and the Russian leaders will chart a future direction for bilateral relations, in particular regional and international cooperation.

He said he will also take this opportunity to encourage Russian business leaders to forge partnerships with their Filipino counterparts.

“Philippines means serious business,” he said.

The President added that he will show to the Russian youth that “we seek nothing but friendship” based on mutual respect.

He said his official visit will lay a firm foundation for a robust and comprehensive mutually beneficial Philippine-Russia partnership with shared aspiration for sovereignty, equality, and pragmatism.

“There is room for growth, there is room for positive change,” he said. (Mindanews)

UNDERSCORING. Councilor Maria Belen Sunga-Acosta discusses during her privilege speech on Tuesday’s regular session the need for the old City Ordinances to be rescinded and updated as they are already obsolete and are not applicable at present time. Lean Daval Jr.

Smoking violators balloon to 6,483 AFP: There is pressing

By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

T need to secure ASEAN T

HERE is a strong need to secure the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc given its economic leverage and potential, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff Gen. Eduardo Año said.

He said ASEAN has become a “rising global economic force” due to its strategic location and economic activity — abundant resources, a more integrated market, and a large combined Gross Domestic Product from its members.

“By providing security to our respective nations, we create a better environment for growth and prosperity.

And through purposive security cooperation, we actually help to secure and sustain our region’s economic gains. We all know that a secure ASEAN is a progressive ASEAN,” Año said during the ASEAN Chiefs of Defense Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM) held in Metro Manila recently.

He cited as example the

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HE apprehended smoking violators in the city have ballooned to 6,483 from April 12 to May 20 of this year.

Anti Smoking Task Group action man Volatire Engracia said that the big number of arrests can be attributed to the efforts of the task group and the Davao City Police Office as well.

Engracia said that the arrests of smoking violators was a clear message to every Davaoeṅos that the city government is serious in implementing the laws in the city.

Engracia said that the

records that he acquired in just more than a month come from the data of DCPO but did not specify the demographics of the data.

“The police have apprehended a total of 6,483 anti-smoking ordinance violators, although I do not have the breakdown with me, most of the violators are still from Davao City, only 10 were identified as tourists,” he said.

He said that though it is vivid that the city is serious with its campaign against smoking, there are still many Davaoeṅos who violates it.

In line with this, Engracia

has gathered officials from the barangays to create their own team who will enforce the anti-smoking ordinance in the 182 barangays in the city.

Engracia said that this will help the city in apprehending those violators in the baragay levels.

“We are now starting to organize the barangay enforcers. I have been talking with the barangay officials to let them create a team of their own that will watch over those violators,” he said He also reminded the public that the law covers not

Subpanel OKs bill firming up juvenile justice system

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VISIBLE. Davao City police auxiliary conduct a foot patrol along San Pedro Street on Tuesday, a day their graduation. Lean Daval Jr.

only those retailed cigarettes but also the electronic cigarettes.

On May 31st, the Anti-smoking ordinance will mark its 15th anniversary along with the world tobacco day.

The Anti-smoking Task Group has organized a fun walk for that the Davaoeṅos can attend for free.

“We are one with the United Nation on their call that on May 31, we are hoping that the city will be entirely smoke free. I hope no one will smoke on that day, just for a day,” Engracia said.

HOUSE of Representatives’ subpanel on Tuesday approved a substitute bill that seeks to strengthen the juvenile justice system, while retaining the minimum age of criminal liability at 15 years old.

The Justice panel’s subcommittee on correctional reforms, chaired by Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oaminal, approved the unnumbered substitute bill amending Republic Act 9344, otherwise known as the “Juvenile Justice Welfare Act of 2006”.

The bill will be submitted to the mother committee for approval.

During the hearing, House Deputy Speaker Pia

Cayetano said one of the major concerns addressed in the bill is the exploitation of children as syndicate pawns for criminal activities.

“We have thousands of children being taken advantage of and introduced to a life of criminality at a very young age,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano added that children in conflict with the law (CICL) must take responsibility for their actions, but without the stigma of being tagged as criminals.

“The intention of the bill is to tell the parents, the children, the entire community that ‘No, you must be respon-

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

Halal products, services to lure more investments

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UPKEEP. Workers repaint the pathway of the People’s Park as part of its rehabilitation and maintenance on Tuesday. People’s Park became one of the city’s most popular attractions for foreign and domestic tourists. Lean Daval Jr.

HE president of the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (NOCCI) is hoping that Dumaguete City and the Negros Island Region will consider adopting the halal system to attract more visitors and investments.

NOCCI president Edward Du on Tuesday said this will not only further strengthen ties with the local Muslim community but will boost trade and tourism.

The chamber president explained that halal is a system or practice of Muslims on what is permissible or disallowed in traditional Islamic law, especially on food and drinks.

Du said the idea surfaced during a recent meeting among Muslims, Christians and government security forces working together for peace and development in Negros Oriental.

The meeting was spearheaded by the Bantay Bayanihan sa Kapayapaan-Negros Oriental, led by local chair Marietta Jambora.

In that meeting, a guest speaker, Musa Mohamad Sanguila of Bantay Bayanihan sa Kapayapaan in Mindanao, said that the absence of halal certified establishments here is one reason why Muslims from other countries do not visit the province.

Du pointed out that there is not a single halal restaurant, products or hotel in Dumaguete City.

According to him, having the halal certification here will help bring in visitors from ASEAN Muslim countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

“I told our Muslim brothers here that this is an opportunity for them to do business in the locality,” said Du. (PNA)

HE Supreme Court on Tuesday junked the petition of employees of the National Power Corporation seeking the back payment of additional Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) and Amelioration Allowance worth PHP8 billion to the agency’s personnel from July 1, 1989 to March 16, 1999.

In a 44-page decision dated Feb. 7, 2017 and penned by Associate Justice Marivic M.V.F. Leonen, the SC sitting in full court reversed the decision of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 84 compelling NAPOCOR to release COLA and AA of NAPOCOR employees and granted the petition for Certiorari and Prohibition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General on the matter.

“Wherefore, the petitions for certiorari and prohibition... are granted. The decision dated November 28, 2008, joint order dated March 20, 2009, and writ of execution dated March 23, 2009 of the [RTC] of Quezon City, Branch 84...vacated and set aside. The Temporary Restraining Order [TRO] dated April 15, 2009 is made permanent. So ordered,” read the decision.

Acting on the petition filed by the OSG, the SC stressed that COLA and AA of the employees were integrated with the salaries of the employees, after the promulgation of Republic Act 6758.

“Republic Act No. 6758 remained effective during the period of ineffectivity of DBMCCC No. 10. Thus, the COLA and AA of NAPOCOR officers and employees were integrated into the standardized salaries effective July 1, 1989 pursuant to Section 12 of R.A. 6758,” the SC said.

“To grant any back payment of COLA and AA despite their factual integration into the standardized salary would cause salary distortions in the Civil Service. It would also provide unequal protection to those employees whose COLA and AA were proven to have been factually discontinued from the period of R.A. 6758’s effectivity,” the SC said.

The case stemmed from the Petition for Mandamus filed by Abner P. Eleria, president of NAPOCOR Employees Consolidated Union (NECU), and Melito B. Lupanggo, president of NAPOCOR Employees and Workers Union (NEWU) before Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 84.

Eleria and Lupanggo sought the court to compel NAPOCOR to release the COLA and AA worth P6,496,055,339,98 on Dec. 28, 2007, and legal interest worth P704,777,508.60 as legal interest.

It sought to direct the NAPOCOR, its President and its Board of Directors to release and pay the COLA and AA to all NAPOCOR employees. (PNA)

consignee will be charged with violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act in relation to Executive Order 156 which prohibits the importation of used motor vehicles.

For his part, Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said the vehicles will remain under the custody of the BOC

pending further investigation on the matter.

“I have sent a lot of warnings to all unscrupulous traders in our country to stop and obey the law but they won’t listen,” he said in a statement.

“If we must impose stricter rules to protect our country’s border, then we will do so,” the BOC chief added. (PNA)

CAO hosts week-long Agri-Fishery Fair T

SC disallows release of COLA, back pay for Napocor employees

By REBECCA ESPERA

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HE City Agriculturist Office has unveiled an Agri-Fishery Fair as part of the nationwide Farmers and Fisherfolks’ Month-long celebration.

The event started Monday, May 22 at the Rizal Park and will end on Friday, May 26, 2017.

With the theme “Mag-uuma ug Mangingisda, niduyog sa Byaheng DO30 para sa madagayaong ani ug siguradong panginabuhi”, the City Agriculturist Office extended

its week-long celebration to the eight districts of Davao: Talomo, Toril, Tugbok, Calinan, Baguio, Marilog, Pakibato, and Bunawan Buhangin Districts.

The fair opened with the presence of city Agriculturist head Leo Brian Leuterio, City Administrator Atty. Zuleika T. Lopez, and with the representatives from Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources who were Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council Chairman Armando Ansinco and Ramon

Longno, Jr., respectively.

The weeklong celebration has a daily activity with respective speakers involving the farmers and fishermen participants. They presented videos that tackled the productions of Tilapia, Hito, Bangus, Shrimp, et. al., including mangrove management & fish regulation, and fishery related topics.

Evelyn Cayabyab, the Acting Assistant Head of City Agriculturist Office, said that distribution of vegetable, planting materials, and seeds is part of

their activity. They also tend to give handouts concerning information that can be benefited by the participants.

On the 26th of May 2017, Friday, the city Agriculturist event organizers will be having a pahalipay among their participants to mark their culmination day by means of games, awarding, and inductions. On same date is the chocolate forum that will be held at UP Mindanao, which is in relation to Davao City in becoming as the chocolate capital.

HE comprehensive tax reform package of the Duterte administration on Tuesday reached the plenary at the House of Representatives for deliberations.

House Bill 5636, also known as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), seeks to lower personal income tax (PIT) rates while broadening the tax base through reforms in consumption taxes such as the Value Added Tax (VAT) and the excise taxes on automobiles and

fuel.

House ways and means committee chair Dakila Cua sponsored the measure to the floor for second reading after four months since it was introduced at the House of Representatives.

In his sponsorship speech, Cua said the measure seeks to lower personal income tax rates while raising government revenues for increased spending in social welfare, infrastructure, education, and health care.

Cua pointed out that delaying the much needed tax reforms would also stall the economic growth of the country.

HB 5636 aims to enhance the progressivity of the tax structure through rationalization of the internal revenue system.

Under the bill, workers earning no more than P250,000 annually will be exempted from paying personal income taxes.

To compensate for the revenue losses from the lowering

of the PIT rates, some of the offsetting measures include increasing excise tax rates on all petroleum products and automobiles; expanding the value added tax (VAT) base by limiting exemptions to raw food and other necessities; introducing excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages; and improving tax administration measures.

The revenues shall also be allocated for infrastructure, health, education and social

shipment was misdeclared as household goods and personal effects and was filed under informal entry.

Physical examination showed the cargo, declared as 170 packages of household goods and personal effects, actually contained a used Mitsubishi-3000 GT car, used Honda CB 900, a Yamaha, and

a Kawasaki Ltd. 550 motorcycles.

He added that the motor vehicles lacked import permit from the Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Import Service.

According to Deputy Commissioner Gerardo Gambala, head of the Command Center, issued an alert order on the

shipment consigned to Efrell B. Lopez, which arrived at the MICP on April 28 from Oakland on board Cosco Thailand V-50.

The X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP) Team later found undeclared items constitutes “a prima facie evidence of smuggling.”

The BOC said that the

Tax reform package reaches House plenary T

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Smuggled car, motorcycles worth P3M seized in Manila port

HE Bureau of Customs officials presented on Tuesday a smuggled used car and three motorcycles worth P3 million which were seized at the Manila International Container Port last May 19.

Deputy Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno of the BOC - Enforcement Group said the

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

EDGEDAVAO

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC Despite the installation of the members of the Madaum Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association Inc. (MARBAI) in a 108-hectare portion of the farm owned by Hijo Employees Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative-1 (HEARBCO-1) on May 18, 2017, the final and executory decision of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Davao City, Branch 14 in Civil Case No. 33,536-2010 affirming the finality and validity of the Compromise Agreement between HEARBCO-1 and Lapanday Foods Corporation (LFC) remains valid and effective. The Compromise Agreement confirms LFC’s right to exclusively buy all the fruits produced in the entire farm of HEARBCO-1.

LFC will file the appropriate civil, criminal, and administrative actions against any person or entity who will violate the RTC decision and orders or who interfere with LFC’s rights under the judicially approved Compromise Agreement.

Please be guided accordingly.

LAPANDAY FOODS CORPORATION

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

SSC says CTRP to create jobs and to spur growth

T LOCAL PRODUCE. A farmer displays his own produced vegetables during Agri-Fishery Fair at Rizal Park on Tuesday which is part of the Farmers’ and Fisherfolks’ month celebration. Lean Daval Jr.

PH seeks to lure varied investments from Russia T

RADE Secretary Ramon Lopez is set to promote in Moscow the country’s manufactured and agricultural products for exports to Russia, while eyeing to get investments in sectors of manufacturing, agribusiness, energy, infrastructure, information and technology business process management (IT-BPM), and tourism among others.

Lopez is part of the delegation of President Rodrigo Duterte in his visit to Russia this week.

He will also sign Memoranda of Understanding on Trade and Investment Promotion and on Industry Development with his Russian counterpart.

Data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) showed that Philippine products for promotion to Russia include automotive parts and equipment; processed food, beverages, and marine prod-

ucts; information communication technology (ICT) products and services; and canned and processed fish products.

Agricultural products for promotion here are calamansi, coconut, mango, and banana.

Other Philippine products, which are listed under International Trade Center’s potential trade statistics, that will also be promoted in Russian market include cosmetics and personal deodorants, shipbuilding, cigarettes, wood furniture, fish, garments, coconut oil, and activated carbon, and natural rubber.

According to DTI’s data, bilateral trade between the Philippines and Russia amounted to USD226.25 million in 2016, with trade favorable to the latter.

The country has trade deficit with Russia in the previous year reaching USD128.38 million.

Exports to Russia only amounted to USD48.93 million last year, however, higher by 5.66 percent from 2015’s figure of USD46.31 million.

Top Philippine exports to Russia in 2016 were static converters, amounting to USD14.75 million; carageenan, seaweeds, and other algae, at USD5.01 million; fresh or dried desiccated coconuts, at USD3.91 million; pocket lighters, at USD2.44 million; and ignition wiring sets and other wiring sets of a kind used in vehicles, aircraft, or ships, at USD2.05 million.

On the other hand, imports from Russia last year amounted to USD177.31 million.

Merchandise goods imported from Russia in 2016 include petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude, valued at USD58.69 million; semi-finished products of iron and

non-alloy steel, at USD49.51 million; light petroleum and preparations thereof; pulverized or non-pulverized coal, at USD19.91 million; and machinery for preparing of making up tobacco, at USD4.38 million.

Meanwhile, DTI’s priority sectors for investments include aerospace; agriculture; energy efficiency technologies and renewable energy; infrastructure and private-public partnership projects; IT-BPM; manufacturing, particularly sectors of aerospace, electronics, iron and steel, among others; oil and gas; processed and specialty food; retail; and tourism.

Earlier, Lopez said about 200 to 300 businessmen will be joining President Duterte’s visit here.

The country will also hold a forum on doing business in the Philippines as well as the ‘Dutertenomics’. (PNA)

ESPITE a major setback it suffered in 2013, garlic production in Ilocos Norte has recovered tremendously in the last four years with an annual aggregate yield of 6,934.49 metric tons (MT), which was much higher than the actual average demand of 705.17 MT. Luz Ortal, Senior Agriculturist of the Ilocos Norte Provincial Agriculture Office said the figure translated a 903.37 percent sufficiency level for the commodity. It means the province is now self-sufficient in garlic.

Ortal, who presented the situation of the garlic industry in the province during the Garlic Technology Forum and Partnership Meeting held at the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) here last May 22, said there were many reasons why the production of garlic declined in the last five years. These include limited areas allotted to garlic and the late planting dates which were the result of unpredictable weather.

Research showed that garlic, which is not a perennial crop in the Ilocos region, is

best planted between October 15 to later part of November.

For other varieties such as Mindoro 1 and Cabuyao, late planting can be done until December 15, only to avoid total production failure due to crop’s vulnerability to bulb rot diseases and photosensitivity.

Also, there had been a steady increase on the price of production inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides in the last few years and the insufficient supply of quality planting materials.

“There had also been a very low and unstable price of

local garlic due to importation and manipulation of middlemen, including the insufficiency of modern technology on processing to produce quality products,” Ortal said.

Speaking before 80 researchers, farmers, policy makers, and Japanese guests, Ortal reported that from a total land area of 3,050 hectares devoted to garlic in the last eight years, it went down to only 1,740 hectares in the last three years.

Local garlic production was also affected by massive

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HE Social Security Commission expressed full backing to the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program package that the Department of Finance wants Congress to approve to make the country’s taxation simpler, fairer and more efficient.

In a resolution approved during its seventh meeting, the SSC, which is the governing body of the Social Security System, said the CTRP measure now pending in the Congress would create more jobs and further “invigorate” the economy, which, in turn, would have a “positive effect” on the financial viability of the pension fund for the private sector.

“Resolved, that the Commission express, as it hereby expresses, its full support to the comprehensive tax reform package being proposed to Congress by the Department of Finance as the tax reform would generate more employment and further invigorate the domestic economy with positive effect to the financial viability of the Social Security System,” said the SSC in Resolution No. 280-s. 2017.

Signing the resolution were SSS chairman Amado Valdez and its vice chairman-president Emmanuel Dooc along with SSC members Diana Pardo Aguilar, Arthur Amansec, Jose Gabriel La Viña, Anita Bumpus Quitain, Michael Regino and Gonzalo Duque along with Labor Secretary Sil-

vestre Bello III (who is ex-officio member).

SSC Secretary Santiago Agdeppa furnished DOF Secretary Carlos Dominguez III a copy of the resolution.

“This is to respectfully furnish the Secretary of the DOF for his information, a copy of SSC Resolution No. 280-s.2017 pertaining to SSC’s full support to the comprehensive tax reform package being proposed

by DOF to Congress,” Agdeppa said.

Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua said that “substantial progress” has been achieved in the CTRP bill after the House ways and means committee voted last May 3 to pass a substitute measure drafted by the panel’s Technical Working Group (TWG) that only had moderate changes from the original measure that the DOF submitted last year to the bicameral Congress.

Chua expressed the hope that with the approval of the substitute bill,the HB 5636, the House of Representatives could pass this vital tax reform measure before the Legislature adjourns on June 2.

“Substantial progress has been achieved in the House of Representatives,” Chua said.

“We remain hopeful that with this committee vote for the substitute bill, the tax reform measure can still be approved at least by the House of Repre-

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DOE opens ASEAN+3 energy forum, bares RP’s LNG plan

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HE Philippines’ natural gas supply from the Malampaya field is projected to last until 2024, making the country an emerging liquefied natural gas (LNG) market in Asia, Department of Energy Undersecretary Jesus Cristino Posadas said Tuesday.

“We are working closely with legislators to facilitate the enactment of a law declaring energy projects as projects of national significance and for the Philippine Department of Energy to develop a program for LNG infrastructure,” Posadas (in photo) said as he opened the three-day 6th ASEAN+3 (China, Japan, Korea) Oil Market and Natural Gas Forum and Business Dialogue held at the Sofitel Hotel.

“We are also looking at LNG importation as an option to supplement or replace our local natural gas to ensure sustainable supply for power and eventually to non-power applications,” he added.

The forum, conducted under the platform of the Senior Officials’ Meeting on Energy (SOME) +3 and ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting

(AMEM) +3, aims to continue sharing knowledge and expertise, policy updates, best practices on oil and natural gas situation and developments among the ASEAN+3 member countries.

The forum sessions mainly focused on updates on the oil and gas market situation and outlook, flexible and transparent LNG market for the ASEAN, oil and gas business updates, and oil and gas policy updates.

Representatives and other delegates actively participated in the roundtable discussion and open forum. They come from the government, national oil companies and business sectors of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan, and South Korea.

Also attending the event are representatives of the ASEAN Center for Energy (ACE), ASEAN and the ASEAN Council on Petroleum (ASCOPE).

This is the second time the Philippines is hosting the annual forum. The first was in 2013. (PNA)

7 COMMUNITY SENSE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

DTI PARTNERS WITH NEW ZEALAND TO IMPROVE EASE OF DOING BUSINESS. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (center) and New Zealand (NZ) Ambassador to the Philippines (PH) H.E. David Strachan (4th from L) recently (2 May 2017) discussed government-to-government (G2G) cooperation between both sides, touching on the streamlining of government regulatory processes to improve ease of doing business (EODB) in PH. The trade chief is optimistic that the PHNZ partnership would be a game changer in achieving reforms in the country’s regulatory environment in order to attract more investments and create more jobs for Filipinos. Following this, a two-week ‘G2G Know-How’ scoping mission by

experts from NZ was conducted in Quezon City, Cebu City, and Davao City from 2 to 12 May 2017 to identify hurdles in the business registration process and showcase NZ’s expertise in EODB, being one of the top countries in the EODB Report. The EODB agenda is a priority thrust of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), anchored on President Rodrigo Duterte’s socio-economic agenda. Also in the meeting were National Competitiveness Council (NCC) Co-Chairman Guillermo Luz (3rd from L), DTI Assistant Secretary for Competitiveness and Ease of Doing Business Group (CEODBG) Arturo Boncato (2nd from L) and Competitiveness Bureau Assistant Director Mary Lou Gesilva (leftmost).

102 to graduate from Kapatid st Mentor ME’s 1 batch in Davao P

Phoenix Petroleum continues support for children’s ward

A

TOTAL of 102 micro entrepreneurs from Davao Region are set to graduate in May and June this year from the mentoring sessions they have availed of through the Kapatid Mentor ME program.

The Kapatid Mentor ME program, or KMME, was launched on October 7, 2016 in the region, with President Rodrigo R. Duterte, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, and Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion. It is one of the three components of the Department of Trade and Industry’s umbrella program Kapatid Angat Lahat. The other components are Adopt a Shared Service Facility (SSF) and Inclusive Busi-

ness.

Initially implemented in Davao City after its launching, the program was eventually rolled out in other areas in March 2017.

Under the KMME’s design, the microenterprise owners, who are collectively referred to as mentees, get an opportunity to undergo a one-on-one weekly mentoring session by successful business owners and practitioners. These mentors provide the mentees a number of helpful tips on the different functional areas of entrepreneurship, such as Entrepreneurial Mind Setting and Values Formation, Marketing Management, Operations Management, Human Resource Management, Entrepreneurial Accounting

and Financial Management, Taxation, and Business Law, among others.

After the weekly lectures and mentoring sessions, the mentees were then required to come up with their Business Improvement Plan and presented it for critiquing.

Following it is already the graduation rites, a milestone that somehow serves as a “shoutout” to the business community and financing institutions, informing them that these mentees are now ready to scale up.

Majority of these mentees, who have operated their business for at least a year, are engaged in processed food, manufacturing, agri-production and services sectors.

The graduation ceremony for the Davao City mentees will be on May 24 with 18 mentees to graduate, Comval on May 30 with 22 mentees, Davao Oriental on May 31 with 20 mentees, Davao del Sur on June 1 with 20 mentees, and Davao del Norte on June 2 with 22 mentees.

With this capacity building program for micro enterprises, DTI hopes to bring in improved productivity for enterprises, increased value-adding activities, and employment opportunities in the region.

“We are really optimistic about the outcome of the KMME. We are definitely having the second batch by July,” DTI-Davao Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi said. (DTI)

SSS celebrates Employers’Day in Panabo O

VER 100 participants were present during the SSS Employers’ Day hosted by SSS Panabo branch and Member Relations Department last April 26 at the Pan-Philippine Highway, located in Gredu, Panabo City, Davao del Norte.

Photo shows SSS Assistant Vice President for Member Education Department Fernando F. Nicolas (at the stage, standing) gave updates on the Social Security (SS) and Employees’ Compensation (EC) Programs.

Meanwhile, employer-representatives were given the opportunity to address their queries on records transmission, contribution and loan payments, check reimbursement and settlement of SSS delinquency during the open forum.

HOENIX Philippines Foundation Inc., the corporate social responsibility arm of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, remains committed to helping out different sectors of society. One among its beneficiaries is the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in the city of Davao.

In 2012, the Phoenix Philippines Foundation started the rehabilitation of the children’s ward and put in place books, toys, and a multi-media education system. The foundation also installed air conditioning units for the room.

“Children are helpless individuals, what we can do at least for them is to make them feel comfortable,” said Ben Sur, corporate affairs manager of Phoenix Petroleum. Phoenix Philippines Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines.

The stress children experience when they are confined or frequently visit hospital wards is a problem hospital administrators find necessary to address.

“A normal scenario for a child involves playing, learn-

ing, and interacting. For this reason, we wanted to have a play corner in the pediatric ward of the hospital,” said Dr. Leopoldo Vega, hospital director of SPMC. But public and foundation hospitals find it difficult to maintain or set up a play corner in the ward, primarily due to the cost.

“We rely heavily on donations and luckily, we got Phoenix Philippines Foundation to help us,” he said.

Up to this day, the foundation continues to maintain the children’s ward in SPMC in hopes of bringing small comfort to patients and their guardians.

“We are open to opportunities where we can help. If we see that the beneficiaries are fit for our programs, we do our best to reach out and provide what we can,” Sur said.

The Phoenix Philippines Foundation began with an outreach activity in 2007 to reach out to the less fortunate of Davao City. Today, the foundation’s advocacies has grown to programs for education, environment, and health and safety and has reached a nationwide scope.

Info kiosk to provide ASEAN updates to ComVal residents

T

HE provincial government of Compostela Valley lauded the opening of an information kiosk that will provide vital news and updates on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the people in the area.

Fe Maestre, chief of the information office of Compostela Valley, on Tuesday said the kiosk was formally opened on Monday.

Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy and Efren Elbanbuena, di-

rector of the Philippine Information Agency in the Davao region, led the opening of the kiosk that was strategically set up at the tourism office in the provincial capitol, Maestre said.

Uy expressed optimism the information kiosk will help the people of Compostela Valley learn the culture, government and people of other ASEAN countries.

The information kiosk,

F INFO, 14

8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDITORIAL

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

Not living for danger and has since cancelled her concert tour.

“Nothing to prove and I’m bulletproof and

The young music superstar is set to perform in Manila on August 21 al-

Know what I’m doing

The way we’re movin’ like introducing

though it is now not clear if the event will still push through as well.

The taste of flavor, ‘cause I’m a taker

in Manila. The Manchester attack for sure was a carefully mapped out attack

With the recent terroristic attack in Manchester, this country cannot put

Us to a new thing

to risk the lives of thousands who are expected to watch Ms. Grande perform

I wanna savor, save it for later

planned months before it was executed.

‘Cause I’m a giver, it’s only nature I live for danger”

T

HAT’S part of the lyrics of Ariana Grande’s latest hit Dangerous Woman. Whether or not she was able to sing that number during her ill-fated Manchester concert where 22 people were killed, it sure

leaves something meaningful. Those who watched the concert never thought they lived for danger, most especially those who perished.

It was a terroristic act so heartlessly perpetrated. Ms. Grande for sure did

not intend it that her fans live for danger. She may sing she is bullet-proof and lives for danger but that’s just about it. She was saddened by the attack

EDGEDAVAO

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bid, let no evil ever succeed. At this point, we’d rather not put lives in danger.

We cannot afford to live in danger. Sorry Ms. Grande, we may as well pass up

on this for now.

However, terror cannot also stop us and let it control our lives. Without

being reckless, we cannot afford to cower in terror. It’s a challenge to our authorities--in the areas of intelligence, surveillance and security.

At the end of the day, it’s not just about Ms. Grande. Whether it’s a big con-

cert or a village amateur singing contest, anything can happen. Safety and security is everyone’s concern.Keep safe and stay alert, everyone.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

JIMMY K. LAKING Associate Editor PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE

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Somewhere, some dark souls could be thinking terror in Manila. God for-

AGUSTIN V. MIAGAN JR Circulation

GENERAL SANTOS CITY OFFICE CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING MARKETING OFFICE

LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager EDMUND D. RENDON Unit 6, SouthbankMarketing Plaza Velez-Yacapin Sts. Specialist General Santos City Cagayan de Oro City Mobile: (Smart) 0948-823-3685 Tel: (088) 852-4894

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

VANTAGE POINTS

9

The bane of cityhood

T

HERE was euphoria when the town of Davao, originally founded in 1848, became a city in 1937. To the planners, becoming Mindanao’s second city was an added incentive that would further enhance the socio-economic progress of Davao. But this was not entirely the case.

In creating Davao as a city separated from the once undivided province of Davao, certain adjustments had to be considered. For instance, the taxable property assets, which are today’s real estates, had to be configured as well.

Under the old structure, Davao province’s taxable properties totaled around PhP47 million. This was reduced, however, to PhP22 million after a huge part of the province was placed under the new city. As a result, the province was demoted in classification.

The impact the partition was painful. The salaries of provincial officials had to be reduced, along with the compensation of teachers and other personnel. To address the conundrum, the officials decided to make “artificial property valuations” by raising the assessed values of taxable properties in hope of regaining its old classification and curing the salary deficiency.

But the plan to raise assessments came at a time when Davao copra was selling below actual cost. The cost of corn was only 15 cents or double for a bushel and abaca was also in the same dire straits. The huge tax burdens imposed on the farms was “surely not worth the candle.”

The Journal of American Chamber of Commerce, in its January 1941 issue, came out with a painful explanation about this economic distortion, in part aggravated by the predatory pricing imposed by foreign traders who had control of the copra trade.

“Plantation copra in Davao brings no more than P1.50 per picul. Planters don’t get P25 a ton for it, though the Commonwealth gets more than P85 ton from its oil content taxed 3 cents a pound in the American market, the proceeds being turned back to this government. Coconut farmers, Filipinos, in Davao, back from the gulf, selling to general-stores, usually Chinese establishments, get only about 1 peso per picul for their copra. The plantation may gross 45 piculs per hectare a year, or P67.50. This means actual loss. The mere farmer will not do nearly so well; his fields will not be so well kept, cleaned, and completely planted up; to him a hectare will bring less than P40 a year.”

FAST BACKWARD Antonio V. Figueroa During this time, data show, if an abaca farmer earned returns amounting to P2hP250 per hectare for selling his property, he was at a loss because he pays in form of tax PhP180 for the land and another PhP280 for the plants. For the most productive farms, the farmer grossed PhP67.50 for his copra but had to pay PhP9.90 for every hectare.

“In other words,” the report said, “the abaca grower gets a current gross price nearly 4 times the amount his neighbor gets for copra, but is taxed at valuations hardly more than half of those assessed against his neighbor who grows coconuts; that is to say, the crop that will not net actu-

al cost is taxed about twice as much as the crop that makes considerable profit.”

In short, the small Filipino coconut grower had his holdings valued exorbitantly and comparably higher than the farms cultivated by the Japanese for abaca and ramie. In, retrospect, the journal was right in saying there was disparity created as a result of the cityhood initiative.

The report continued: “We dare say that the temptation to impose those new valuations on Davao’s farmers would not have risen at this time, the least propitious time conceivable for upping agricultural taxes, had not the province lost so much revenue from the chartering of the capital as a city. Since the central government did this, surely it is [the agency] that the victims… have the privilege of looking for relief from impending misfortunes from it; first, for postponement of these new assessment values; second, for adjustment of these values to a fairer standard.”

With the passage of Republic Act 7160, the Local Government Code of 1991, these issues were considered, especially in the distribution of internal revenue allotment (IRAs). Cities with larger jurisdiction got huge tax appropriations from the national government, while smaller towns

had to be content with smaller IRAs which were augmented by fiscal support from various funding sources within the government.

But the issue of fair distribution of IRA had its major hurdle when the Supreme Court allowed the elevation of 16 towns into cities despite failure to achieve the required PhP100 million annual income the law stipulates.

The high tribunal correctly argued the tax condition was only approved after the wannabes had filed their cityhood bids.

The impact of this development, though, was hard. All the cities in the archipelago had to share their IRAs with the newly promoted settlements. Davao City, as a result, received only PhP69 in IRA in 2008 instead of the originally expected PhP263.5 million. For its part, Zamboanga, the first city in Mindanao, got only PhP35.87 million in internal revenue allotment, way below the expected IRA increase of PhP1150.84 million.

With new cities rising from many suburban settlements, certain adjustments will again be adopted in the future. Economists, however, warned that continuous subdivisions of areas into cities and towns can have longterm effect in the productivity level of certain communities with less sustainable sources of income.

its activities in the past months were consistent with this objective.

The PSC is now in everybody’s lips. My nephew who manages a boxing gym in Baguio City said the PSC had just wrapped up a regional meeting up north and left a good impression. There is now reason to believe and a meaningful sports program to implement.

Last month, PSC head William ‘Butch’ Ramirez and his team ‘invaded’ Moro territory by preaching the cause of grassroots sports to Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao officials and to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front itself!

As reported, Ramirez showed up at the MILF camp and sought out Vice-Chair Ghazali Jaafar himself with whom he broached the idea of setting up a grassroots sports program in Moro territory as part of the government’s peace process.

He was not to be disappointed.

The trip was not in vain. Both the ARMM and the MILF were won over even as they expressed support to the program. If I got it right, they even

pitched strongly for the inclusion of indigenous Moro sports.

Ramirez was quoted as saying he wanted to plant the seeds of a consistent and progressive agenda where the youth can eventually play in the Batang Pinoy and the adults can see action in the Philippine National Games. Evidently, he was also looking forward to the participation of Moro youths.

Tomorrow, in continuation of its momentum, the PSC will host a barangay sports education seminar at the Royal Mandaya Hotel with some 100 participants from 30 barangays in Davao City expected to attend.

One topic stands out: “The local government units’ role in Barangay Sports Program as part of the national goals in developing a healthy and peaceful citizenry.”

For some LGUs, this is virtually a new territory that certainly does not welcome fence-sitters. The results may not be immediate but for so long as PSC stays on course, there is reason to hope for the light at the end of the tunnel in this our lifetime.

Bitter pill for San Antonio Spurs; PSC grassroots program on course

D

ESPITE a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, the San Antonio Spurs can still raise their heads high as one of the National Basketball Association’s elite teams.

Misfortune and probably luck had something with their not contending for the NBA title this time around.

With 61 wins to their credit, the Spurs looked formidable in shutting off the door to inter-state rival Houston, 4-2.

That was early on. Against the Warriors in the first game of what promised to be a hard-fought series, the Spurs sprinted to a 25-point lead entering the third quarter when tragedy struck. Kawhi Leonard, the San Antonio Spurs do-it-all, reinjured a toe and had to limp off the court, and from the rest of the series.

With Leonard out, the Warriors counter-attacked and the Spurs’ vaunted defense simply wilted under overwhelmingly firepower. The succeeding games merely accented the obvious and the inevitable.

Of course, it could have shaped up differently had not point guard Tony

Parker been injured earlier and then Leonard.

It was a bitter pill to swallow.

But trust Coach Greg Popovich to be thinking of next year and the years to come with a revitalized and more matured Leonard and a healthy Parker back in the line-up.

Of course this is not to discount the rise of other teams in a league where there is established parity, with a few standing out only because they had in their folds the likes of Lebron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Russel Westbrook and James Harden.

Here at home, in an archipelagic collection of islands we refer to as our motherland, the idea of fielding a basketball team in a bid to win an international title is not only an impossible dream. It is like dreaming for the moon regardless of how a few Manila-based oligarch would like to see how Philippine basketball turns out to be.

First, we are not a nation of six-footers. We simply do not have the height as I adverted to in previous columns. But we have what it takes

REVERSED PUNCH (GYAKU ZUKI)

Jimmy K.Laking

to excel in boxing, in chess, in martial arts and in other fields.

All is not lost, however. For like the mythical phoenix risen from the rubble, the Philippine Sports Commission is slowly but surely bringing us to the Holy Land of salvation in sports by cranking all in its cylinders in the development of grassroots sports. It is a mantra all its own and

10 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

OPEN... FROM 1

still in its best shape and can be directed to better developments in a way that the City can provide a more viable and beneficial place for its citizens to live in.

“The quality and accessibility of public parks and open spaces are important investments for the city government in raising children and taking care of the old,” he added.

The volunteers from City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), City Planning Office, Sustainable Davao Movement and volunteer students from different Colleges and Universities had helped the research group of its data gathering, which the result will be available on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at Apo View Hotel.

existing trilateral agreement among three ASEAN countries — the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia — to combat trans-border crimes, terrorism, piracy, and other militant activities in the Sulu-Sulawesi-Celebes Sea. “This partnership with neighbors will negate the threats and shows that strong military cooperation is important in aligning our secu-

rity requirements and initiatives,” Año said.

The meeting, attended by the ten military chiefs from the ASEAN member states, is scheduled to be held next year in Singapore.

ASEAN member-states include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

(PNA)

sible for it’,” she said.

According to Cayetano, these children will be put into intervention programs determined by the State to be effective.

In February, a technical working group headed by Kabayan Partylist Rep. Ron Salo conducted meetings and discussions on six proposed legislative measures, which originally sought to lower the criminal responsibility age to nine years old, in order to address the concerns raised by various stakeholders.

Salo said the TWG agreed that minimum age of criminal responsibility will not be low-

ered to the current 15 years.

However, CICL aged below 15 years should not be immediately released, as currently allowed under the law, but should instead be immediately subjected to intervention programs of the government in order to begin their rehabilitation and reintegration to society.

Under the bill, the Department of Social Welfare and Development shall take over the establishment and operation of Bahay Pag-asa, a 24-hour child-caring institution providing short-term residential care for CICL. (PNA)

protection expenditures.

The bill seeks to impose the following excise tax rates on diesel fuel oil, liquefied petroleum gas, and bunker fuel oil: PHP3 per liter in 2018; PHP5 in 2019, and PHP6 in 2020.

The bill would also in-

crease the existing excise taxes on lubricating oils and greases, waxes, denatured alcohol for motive power, leaded premium gasoline, unleaded premium gasoline, and aviation turbo jet fuel to PHP7 per liter in 2018, PHP9 in 2019, and PHP10 in 2020. (PNA)

AFP... FROM 3

Subpanel... FROM 3 FITTING TRIBUTE. Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang reads the names of topnotchers in the March 2017 secondary level LET examination during his privilege speech on Tuesday’s regular session of the City Council.

Muslim... FROM 1

pecially terrorism.

“Sa Madrasah,ang tinuturo doon ay Islamic values, which highly prohibits violent extremism lalo na yung tinatawag na terrorism,” he explained.

Furthermore, Datu Arumpac said that the peace walk will give people awareness as to the association of Islam to terrorist activities.

“Napakagandang pagkakataon ito para sabihin na ang Islam ay nangangahulugang “Peace.” Doon nagsisimula ang aming religion dahil itong Islam ay para sa kapayapaan.

Sa pangalan pa lang ng aming relihiyon ay wala nang puwang ang tinatawag na terorista.”

Datu Arumpac also said that his office have been conducting information drive, educating people especially community leaders on how to prevent violent incidents from happening as part of their campaign for peace.

‘Peace is a gift’ Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio also imparted her message for the event through a letter read by Maria Luisa Bermudo, Department Head of City Social Services and Devel-

opment Office.

“Ideologically motivated violence has precipitated devastating consequences to humanity. Thus, your role as proponents of peace is of utmost importance in the persistent effort to stop the tragedy of war and conflict.”

She also mentioned the importance of the youth in achieving peace.

“Your young hearts are the seeds of this peace advocacy.

The world is in hopes that in your time, we can attain resolution of conflict, maintain intercultural dialogue, and achieve absolute absence of war.”

The mayor ended her message by saying that peace is not just a government agenda but a global accountability.

“It is a gift we give to ourselves and to the world. Thank you for sharing the gift.”

A total of 250 participants took part of the Peace Walk on Tuesday.

The event was organized by the Heavenly Culture, World Peace and Restoration of Light , in partnership with the 11 tribes of Davao and the Madrasah Comprehensive Development and Promotion Program.

Authorities... FROM 2 Backed by Army Special Forces Battalion, PDEA agents raided several safe houses along the river banks. Another military and police forces used the Barangay Katuli road to prevent syndicate members from fleeing during the dawn operation.

Seized from them were about P100,000 worth of illegal drugs, cash and paraphernalia.

Babang said the suspects are now detained at the PDEAARMM lock-up cell while

charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and illegal possession of firearms are being prepared against them.

Six of the suspects were women, who were either spouses or live-in partners of the suspects.

Barangay Katuli lies along the river bank and could only be accessible by boat crossing the river from the Cotabato City wharf.

(PNA)

Dayanghirang also commended the University of Mindanao and its owners after producing seven topnotchers. Lean Daval Jr.

CBCP... FROM 2

the negotiators on both sides of the table. Do not be afraid to take the bold steps that alone can bring peace,” the Lingayen-Dagupan prelate said.

Villegas added, “Intransigence is not strength. Humility is. That one has stood one’s

ground is not necessarily the best that can be said of anyone.”

From May 27 to June 1, the two sides are set to hold the next round of peace talks in Noordwijk in The Netherlands.

(PNA)

importation and smuggling of garlic products from Taiwan and other unknown ASEAN regions by unscrupulous agricultural traders and middlemen which almost killed the price of the local produce.

From PHP164 farm gate price per kilo, farmers have

complained of the traders’ controlled prevailing price of PHP91 per kilo in the last three years.

“Despite of the previous situation, however, Ilocos Norte garlic remains the top producer to the national garlic output,” Ortal said. (PNA)

sentatives before the Congress ends its first regular session this June. We will also convince the plenary to include some original provisions that were removed,” Chua said.

“The substitute bill largely follows the proposal of the DOF with some moderate changes. The team is now estimating the revenue and deficit impact of the substitute measure,” Chua said.

The substitute bill, which the House committee chaired

by Quirino Rep. Dakila Carlo Chua approved on May 3 by a 17-4 vote with three abstentions, consolidated the DOF-endorsed House Bill No. 4774—it contains the first package of the CTRP— with 54 other similar tax bills.

The committee’s TWG met four times during the Lenten break of the Congress to finalize the substitute bill. After approving this measure, the Cuachaired panel referred it to the House committee on appropri-

ations for further deliberations on the appropriations or earmarking component of this tax reform measure.

Dominguez said CTRP’s first package aims to help raise enough cash for the aggressive expenditure program that the Duterte administration is undertaking in the medium term to sustain the growth momentum, support the golden age of infrastructure, accelerate poverty reduction and transform the Philippines into an upper middle-income economy by 2022.

“Malacañang’s plan to accelerate spending on infrastructure and on human capital by upgrading the country’s educational and health care systems, along with its goal to lower income tax rates to sharpen the Philippines’ global competitiveness, would require additional revenue measures that could only be generated in part via the CTRP,” he said. (DOF)

Garlic... FROM 6

SSC... FROM 6

Tax... FROM 4

EXTRA JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE

Notice is hereby given that

the estate of the late ALBERT FLORES

ASUNCION

died

on

March 9,2013 at Davao City has

been the subject of an EXTRA JUDICIAL

SETTLEMENT

OF

ESTATE executed among his heirs, per Doc. No.315; Page No.63;

Book No. 11; Series of 2017, of the NOTARY PUBLIC JANIS LOUIS H. ESPARCIA. 5/10, 17,24

INdulge!

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

EVENT

EDGEDAVAO

HAPPY TOGETHER

By LEILA NOEL-RISPENS and HENRYLITO D. TACIO

AROUND 100 ALUMNI of the former Holy Cross of Bansalan gathered last May 20 at Betz Café in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. It was a real home coming. The class reunion included alumni from 1963 through 1975. The Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) nuns established the school which produced the first batch of graduates in 1963. Today, the school is called St. Mary’ College of Bansalan.

Although it rained after lunch time, it stopped when the planned motorcade at 3:30 pm was about to start. Jose Cortes’s vintage Volkswagen led the pack behind the police escort. The planned motorcade was originally cancelled but three days before, there was a clamor to go ahead with it. A police’s permit to hold a motorcade and request for police assistance was secured only the day before the event.

After the motorcade, more former students started to arrive at the venue. All batches were represented except Batch 1965; Batch 1975 had a lone representative, Pancho Noel. Class ’70 won Best in Attendance with 17 attendees beating Class ’69 by just one attendee.

The most revealing and unexpected batch was Class ’63, the first graduates of HCB. Among those who came were Victorina Miral, Filomena Sison Batungbakal, Engr. Maura Fernandez Vidags, Artemio Guinoo, Honesto Cabacungan, Jose Pelarion, and Bebing Bangcot.

The program went well with award-winning journalist Jay Sonza (’72) and Liliosa Daplin (’68) as emcees for the evening. Justi and Miralita Carillo took care of the music.

Sister Maria Fe Gerodias, RVM President of the St. Mary’s College of Bansalan, also came and gave a very inspiring talk. She encouraged the alumni to remain active and render services to the community even if most of them are already retired. It was a teaching which we learned from

our alma mater.

This is the second time that the old alumni held their reunion. Several batches have been holding their respective reunions.

For Class ’69, last year’s reunion was very memorable. It was the first time that they held reunion since they left their alma mater in 1969.

Why it took them too long to hold a reunion remains a puzzle. But one possible explanation was could be the death of Esmeraldo Dumandan, the class valedictorian.

It was even more poignant when they learned that there were many more whom they considered class leaders have already joined the Maker.

Several batchmates also migrated abroad or have busy jobs that seeing former classmates was set aside.

A simple reason really is that no one took the initiative. “We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere,” so goes a saying. There is always that longing to see former high school classmates.

The good turnout of 2016 reunion encouraged a group of alumni from various batches to try to organize again this year.

It all started with a small meeting last January 15 attended by Salvador Badilles (’68), Deogracia Corpuz (’69), Mercee Polancos (’69), Ruth Sison (’69), Edeline Coronel (’70), Josie Pamfilo Ortiz (’70), and Leila Noel (’69).

The group opened a Facebook event page but there was very little response that the organizers thought of cancelling the

event. Last April 22, there was a “go-no-go” meeting this time attended only

by Edeline Coronel (’70), Mercee Polancos (’69), Mariano Parcon (’69), and Leila Noel (’69).

After considering the pros and cons, it was agreed that the reunion will go no matter what.

“Sayang man kung dili madayon,” they chorused.

The result was relayed to members of Facebook chatgroup. A conservative estimate of attendees was set at 50. They would be happy if the attendance will reach 50!

After the news was relayed, a renewed spirit to contact batchmates ensued even from those who could not attend. They provided information

where their batchmates are now located and even gave some ideas on how to contact them. A large tarpaulin was hanged at Tupaz Bldg. near Estrella Bridge hoping that alumni will see it. They also tapped the local radio. They also realized that many alumni, especially the older ones, have no Facebook accounts so many resorted to texting.

Armed with an old yearbook, Mercee and Leila decided to rent a pedicab and rounded-up some batchmates and distributed tickets. The sad part during their rounds is knowing that more batchmates in Class ’69 had already died.

This last desperate act turned out to be a tremendous help. They went to see Jose Cortes, Jr. (’64), a well-known student leader during his time.

Unknown to the organizers, he went around and contacted 1963 alumni who are still living in

Bansalan.

Her sister Estela Cortes who unfortunately could not attend, did also an extremely good job to search Facebook of alumni and fed information to contact persons of various batches. Betty Tatad, who now lives in Manila, the group’s link to the earliest batches. Teng Viacruses (‘72), Marites Tupas (‘72) and Nimfa Pagaran (‘72) also joined in.

The enthusiasm of the small group was electrifying but the results of their work only showed barely a week before the event.

Many names were given.

The targeted 50 participants became 65 and counting. The day before the reunion, a total of 106 alumni registered.

Several alumni also donated prizes for the raffles and food like Annie Capacio (first, second and fourth prizes) and Estela Cortes (Best in Attendance).

Before ending the party, batch representatives conducted a brief meeting to prepare for the next year’s event.

The recent reunion may well have proven this statement spoken by someone: “people say high school is about getting an education and getting into a good college to succeed in life. Well, to me, high school is about making memories and good times that will last forever.”

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EDGEDAVAO CHITO A3

voice over sounded like whenever he says, “Ang barbershop ng mga tunay na lalake”. LOL. What is the Chito Samontina hairstyle?

My hairstyle is simple.

Something that doesn’t require a comb or brush, gel or wax, and a lot of styling. Like me, it has to be always on the go. It’s a buzz cut. Clean yet toughlooking. I am tough, you know (imagine me giggling right now). But hey, I really am tough!

You tried Rocky’s perfume, Adventure. How does it fit you lifestyle?

Being outdoors most of the time makes me sweat a lot. I am frequently exposed to the traffic’s smoke, too. So to have a bad odor is just a disaster especially that I interview people in the streets. The Adventure perfume is just perfect for my lifestyle.

The fragrance just lasts even until I washed my shirt already.

What would you say would be Kol Chito’s ultimate adventure?

I have goals. 1. I really would like to meet all the tribes in Davao and to try living with them for a day or two to experience

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

the kind of lifestyle they have; 2. To make every barangay in Davao happy one step at a time; 3. To discover more beautiful things in my community; 4. To grow my community on Facebook; 5. To improve more in my segment in Byaheng DO30.

I work really hard and I make sure I’d reach these

goals – that’s my ultimate adventure.

Adventure perfume, from Rocky’s new fragrance line, is available in all Rocky’s Barbershops at Victoria Plaza, Abreeza Mall, GMall, SM City & SM Lanang Premier in Davao City, and Centrio Ayala Mall and SM City in Cagayan de Oro City.

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

PEOPLE

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

The adventures of

Chito Samontina YOU may have spotted a tall, tough-looking tattooed man weaving through the crowded lanes of the Roxas Night Market or having soup before the break of dawn in Bankerohan market. Or perhaps, you see him on his weekly TV show, Byaheng DO30, and know him as Kol Chito.

If you’re a fan of Chito Samontina, then you must be one of the tens of thousands of followers on Facebook and multitude of viewers of his viral videos who look forward to his next street adventure post.

Chito delivers his stories proudly in “bisaya”, which is very endearing, but his proficiency in the English language is as remarkable. But whatever dialect and language he speaks, this man’s voice can command attention.

Get to know Chito Samontina, his path to becoming one of Davao’s top video blogger, and the advocacy behind each adventure he embarks on.

How did you start in social media and how long have you been on it?

My online presence is just very recent. It all started with a bisaya video rant (Dabawenyo conyo) in January 2016 while working in a corporate office in Alabang.

My video blogs were random: love advice, tattoo discrimination, supporting Digong, social experiments, and parody until I discovered that I have a niche for adventure and street video contents.

Tell us about your adventures, how do you select them?

My adventure videos are those of my travels and street discoveries. Mindanao tourism partnered with me to go on adventure to different places in Mindanao such as my trending Paragliding experience in Saranggani.

Whenever I make travel

videos, I make sure that it’s enticing and the place must really be promoted.

There’s my street discoveries such as ‘can you watch a movie for 50 pesos?’ (Cinematheque) video. But the most significant was my Roxas Night Market Challenge: Where can your 100 pesos take you? It was the time where I partnered with Davaoeño volunteers to regain the Roxas Night Market after the bombing incident. I think, somehow, it contributed to the local Government’s campaign on standing tall and being united and resilient.

How did you garner so much following?

When I conceptualize my video content, I always ask myself first, “If I were a bisaya FB user and sees Chito’s post, will I watch it? Will I react to it? Will I share it?” Virality is vital and critical at the same time when creating contents for Facebook. And that’s my mission, that’s how I grow my community. Because when my contents become viral, others are encouraged to join my community (follow me on Facebook). For every viral video (100K-500K views), sometimes, my following increases to 3K-8K depending on the virality of the post.

Engagement is a very important component when you are into content creation. Replying to their comments, acknowledging their video/content suggestions by creating one, replying to messages whenever possible, and most of all, being at your friendliest whenever

of the City Government of Davao.

My being part of the TV magazine show has disadvantages though.

No, not that it is something too negative. For instance, I used to not care too much about how I really look. I didn’t care if I get too dark or to rugged or if I get messy hair. But I realized, I am representing a show. Not to mention, the presenters of our TV progam: Mikey and Kessia are well-groomed.

That put a pressure on me.

LOL.

members of your community (or followers) approach you in the street to express how much they appreciate my works and sometimes, take a picture with me. I don’t find it challenging anyway since I am a very people person. I treat everybody as a friend.

Did you ever dream of getting this famous?

Famous? I find it funny when people tell me I am famous or that I am a local celebrity. Sure, others would ask for a selfie with me in the streets. But to be

tagged as ‘famous’? I don’t think I’d ever accept that unless the whole world knows me. However, I do acknowledge that some people recognize me. I prefer to be known as an artist rather than a “celebrity”. I don’t have fans, rather, I have a community.

Being recognized in the public wasn’t a plan. But, I have always dreamed of hosting a show on TV. That’s why I started video blogging since it’s the closest to my dream. It only requires a camera and internet connection.

And this started the career on TV. How has TV changed everything for you?

My online presence opened an opportunity to make my dream come true. Hallelujah! It paid off. The City Information Office, Byaheng DO30 said they discovered me on Facebook and that my style fits one the segments they were planning for the show which materialized as ‘Kol Chito. I’m really happy and honored to be part of Byaheng DO30.

Not to mention, to be part

Who do you turn to for your personal grooming?

My being the Kol Chito on TV and just being me as Chito Samontina in social media is a brand itself.

A brand that will always be associated to “Davao”.

I think everyone known I am a loud and proud Davaoeño. So in choosing a barbershop, I turn to Rocky’s. Because it is not just a barbershop. It is Davao’s barbershop!

No. no, no! I am not trying to sound like I am a sales person for Rocky’s but it really is! I have always been a Rocky’s client since 2005 and I will never forget how that man’s

CHITO A2

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

BIFF bomber killed in Maguindanao raid

A

SUSPECTED bomber of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters was killed in a joint operation

by Army and police forces in Maguindanao early on Monday.

Capt. Arvin Encinas, spokesperson of the 6th Infantry Division said Murad Ali was slain when police commandos and Army soldiers raided his hiding place in Barangay Capiton, Datu Odin Sinsuat town, Maguindanao.

In a press release Monday, the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command said “Ali was a “notorious bomb instructor and a protege of the late Basit Usman. Just like Usman, he was an expert bomb trainer of newly recruited BIFF members.”

Usman was killed on May 3, 2015 in an encounter with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Wesmincom said joint elements of the 603rd Brigade from the 5th Special Forces Battalion and the 19th Infantry Battalion, and from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao raided Ali’s place in Capiton at 1:00 a.m. Monday.

The operatives were armed with search warrants for violations of Republic Acts 9516 (law on illegal possession of explosives) and 10591 (Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition).

“Further recovered were a 60MM HE mortars round; a fragmentation grenade; an INGRAM; and suspected components of an Improvised Explosive Device, composed of seven pieces of nine-volt battery, 16 blasting caps, nine battery connectors, four sets of cutting tools, four cellular phones, a radio, a detonating cord, a GPS, and a laptop,” the press release said.

“The recovered items were brought to the headquarters of the CIDG-ARMM for documentation and proper disposition, while the remains of Ali were turned over to his relatives after proper procedures were made by the SOCO team,” it added.

“This recent operational accomplishment will seriously degrade the BIFF, which propagates terrorism by conducting bombing activities in Central Mindanao,” said Wesmincom commander Lt Gen Carlito G. Galvez Jr.. (MINDANEWS)

Tagum income forum accents participation of private sector

T

AGUM City’s private and business sector stole part of the limelight in the budgeting process of the Local Government of Tagum after being duly represented in the latter’s exclusive roundtable assembly known as Income Forum held May 19 to 20, 2017 at Davao City.

The forum focused on the budget planning on income estimates of the local government for the year 2018, which kicked off the tedious budgeting process of the LGU as it prepares for the next fiscal year.

During the forum, Virgilio Agunod, CPA of Tagum City Chamber of Commerce took the opportunity of raising the concerns of his fellow businessmen, especially those that relate to their welfare.

He also extended his appreciation to the local government for launching the initiative of tapping the business sector to join in such crucial process.

Representatives from Tagum City Bankers Association and Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce were also present during the budget planning. They also constitute Tagum City’s Local Finance Committee, representing the Civil Society Organizations, together with the organic offices of LGU Tagum such as the City Budget Office,

City Treasurer’s Office and the City Economic Enterprises Office, among others.

Mayor Allan Rellon pointed out that the participation of the private sector is part of his advocacy for an ‘open government’ wherein the City Government of Tagum had opened its doors for the private and other sectors to pitch in their ideas and concepts in the planning and decision-making activities of the local government.

This initiative is seen to eradicate the culture of secrecy in government as this promotes a participatory kind of local government administration.

Meanwhile, the projected revenue of the City Government of Tagum for the year 2018, which was the result of the forum, was pegged at P1,319,335,455 with an equivalent increase of around 5.8% compared to P1,246,440,370 target income for 2017. This will be the basis for the city government to shape the projects and programs that will be implemented next year.

The forum was followed with the monthly accomplishment report of the LGU’s Department Heads and the Executive-Legislative Agenda of the local chief executive and the 7th City Council. Roy Banias/CIO Tagum

Davao Region shines in Rice Achievers’ Award D

AVAO region bagged several major awards during the 2016 Rice Achievers’ Award held Tuesday at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

Compostela Valley Province was hailed as the “outstanding province” despite its climatic condition and challenges on climate change.

The province was able to gain a 2.7 percent increase on their rice production level in 2016 and reached 4.14 metric tons per hectare (MT/ha) last year compared

to the 3.86 MT/ha in 2015.

The province won PHP4 million cash grants to be utilized to further enhance it rice production.

The municipality of Hagonoy in Davao del Sur was also recognized as one of the outstanding municipalities, winning a PHP1 million cash grant.

With a total of 2,266.25 hectares of rice areas, the municipality won after recording almost 7 MT/ha harvest in 2016. About 40 per cent of their rice fields were planted with inbred variety while 60 per cent were

planted with hybrid variety.

The Pagsabangan Tagum Farmers Irrigators Association (PATAFIA) from Tagum City, Davao del Norte and Batinao Cabacungan Sto. Niño Irrigators Farmers Association, Inc. in New Bataan, Compostela Valley Province also won as outstanding irrigators’ associations (IA).

Both IA’s received PHP1 million each.

Meanwhile, 11 outstanding agricultural extension workers and one local farmer technician from Davao region were also recognized and received PHP20,000

each.

“On behalf of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office XI, I would like to extend our heartfelt greetings and congratulations to this year’s roster of rice achievers in the region.

May your success serves as an inspiration for other farmers and extension workers to emulate. May you also continue to aspire for a more robust rice production that could further boost food security and sufficiency in our region if not our country,” acting regional director Ricardo Oñate said.

Drinking‘tuba’is DavSur town’s oldest grandpa’s secret to long life

D

any disease, there were no prohibitions to his diet, although he seldom eats pork and chicken.

He prefers to eat more fish.

Saturos was a World War II veteran and later became a “Tenyente del Barrio,” now called barangay captain, for several years during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos in the 1970s.

He became a widower in his 70s after his wife died due to diabetes. Seven of his eight children are still alive.

His youngest daughter already passed away when she was still in her 40s. His eldest is 79 years old and his youngest son is 65.

Saturos is still praying that God will give him more years to live.

(PNA)

RINKING a glass of “tuba” (coconut wine) is a daily habit of 101-year-old Leoncio Sayson Saturos, who claimed that it is his secret to live a long life.

Accompanied by five of his eight children, Saturos rode a vehicle to travel for about five kilometers from his residence in Purok 1-A in Barangay Bacungan to reach the municipal hall here.

The good news was officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XI and Mayor Arthur Davin are waiting to hand over to him the PHP100,000 cash incentive for being an inspiration of a “well-lived, healthy and happy lifestyle” pursuant to Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016.

Saturos, who walks with

the help of crutches, has still a sharp mind, although one has to go nearer to him to be heard.

He said the money is a big help to sustain his needs, especially that he is just dependent on his pension as a war veter-

an.

T

DENR-10 assistant regional director, said the symposium was attended by students from various universities and colleges in the city.

Melicor cited the capability of the students and the youth to spearhead significant changes in the protection and in the creation of a

better environment.

He said that as future leaders, it becomes imperative to educate the youth while still young in order to plant the seeds of environmental consciousness.

The “Month of the Ocean” focuses its observance on the “People and the

Ocean” with emphasis on the protection of the marine environment for healthy oceans, abundant resources, and happy people.

Melicor said that the observance of the “Month of the Ocean” is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 57.

during Monday’s flag raising ceremony.

The tables were donated to the city by the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) under its nationwide anti-poverty program, Sayadi said.

“I am happy (DA) Undersecretary Ranibai Dilangalen was able to join us in the turnover, this is a government caring for its people,” Sayadi said.

Dilangalen commended

the city government for being the first LGU in the entire country to have its fisherfolk registered with the BFAR. “This is just one of the many proofs that the Cotabato City government is a working government and as your mayor, I will remain true to my sworn duties and responsibilities to the best of my ability,” Sayadi said.

She lauded Dilangalen “for your continued cooperation and I hope that we will

always work together for the betterment of our Cotabato City.”

She also lauded the national government and “our national leaders for the help that they are extending to us.”

During the simple program held at the City Hall, more known here as the “People’s Palace,” Sayadi announced the city government is planning to build a bigger and better mega market in 2018.

(PNA)

Aside from his tuba habit, he is also used to drinking goat’s milk and “tsokolate” and eating fresh tobacco, fruits and vegetables.

Still not diagnosed with

North Mindanao observes‘Month of the Ocean’ HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 10 on Monday held in Cagayan de Oro City a symposium on coastal and marine environmental protection in observance of the “Month of the Ocean.”

Paquito D. Melicor,

Cotabato City vendors get free stainless food stalls

T

HE local government of Cotabato City has turned over 250 stainless stalls to the city’s fish vendors to ensure hygiene and customer-friendly market food stalls.

“These stalls are state of the art and are made of stainless steel, which is ideal because it is sturdy, easy to clean, and it can withstand any weather,” Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said after the vendors received the tables

12 ENVIRONMENT EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

Biotech crops have mitigating effects on climate change

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“T

HE ill effects of global warming are being reversed by the increasing area for genetically modified crops which have been contributing to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emission.” – Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR).

Biotechnology can help offset the effects of climate change and help increase food production, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).

“Biotech crops have become a vital agricultural resource for farmers around the world because of the immense benefits for improved productivity and profitability, as well as conservation efforts,” pointed out Prof. Paul S. Teng, ISAAA Chair of the Board, during the launching of the latest report, Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/ GM Crops: 2016.

Biotech crops – also known as genetically modified (GM) crops – are modified through genetic engineering. “(Genetic engineering),” explained Dr. Saturnina C. Halos, who used to be with the Biotechnology Technical Advisory Team of the Department of Agriculture, “is a procedure that produces a genetically modified organism.

“It comprises a set of techniques that transfers desired Bt talong (SEARCA)

Biotechnology can help offset the effects of climate change and help increase food production, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA).

Golden rice (IRRI)

genes by splicing the genes to a DNA vector and forcing the entry of the vectors with the genes into cells and the stable integration of the genes into the genetic machinery of the host cell,” she added.

For the last 21 years of commercialization, biotech crops have been contributing to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.

In 2015, genetically-modified (GM) crops helped reduce 26.7 billion kilograms to carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere. “That’s equivalent to taking 11.9 mil-

Corn lion cars off the road for one year,” Prof. Teng said.

Carbon dioxide, which plays a major role in controlling the earth’s surface temperature, is one of greenhouse gases, which also include chlorofluorocarbons, methane gas, and the nitrogen compound. They are important in what science called as “greenhouse effect.”

“When radiant energy from the sun reaches the earth’s atmosphere, it passes through the greenhouse gases, heating the earth’s surface,” wrote H. Steven Dashefsky, author of Environmental Literacy: Everything You Need to Know about Saving Our Planet.

“The heat (infrared radiation) is then reradiated (released) from the earth back up into the atmosphere,” Dashefsky further wrote.

“The greenhouse gases, however, absorb infrared radiation, trapping it and heating

up the lower portion of the atmosphere.”

As long as the amount of greenhouse gases remains constant, along with other climatic factors, the temperature on the planet remains steady.

Increased amount of greenhouse gases due to human activities increase the greenhouse effect and are believed to lead to climate change.

“Climate change is more disastrous to the agricultural industry of the Philippines and its neighboring countries than in other parts of the world,” warned Dr. David Street of the US Argonne National Laboratory.

The Laguna-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) reported that climate change could reduce rice yields. Although its study showed that rice could benefit from higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, an increase in temperature

would “nullify any yield increase.”

As such, the ISAAA bats for green biotechnology that offers a solution to decrease greenhouse gases which, in turn, mitigates climate change. “Crops can be modified faster through biotechnology than conventional crops, thus hastening implementation of strategies to meet rapid and severe climatic changes,” the ISAAA briefing paper explains.

The 2016 ISAAA report said that biotech crop planting resumes high adoption at 185.1 million hectares around the world.

“A year after the second decade of commercialization of biotech/GM crops in 2016, 26 countries grew 185.1 million hectares of biotech crops – an increase of 5.4 million hectares or 3% from 179.7 million hectares in 2015,” the report explained. “Except for

the 2015 adoption, this is the 20th series of increases every single year; and notably 12 of the 20 years were double-digit growth rates.”

The 185.1 million hectares of biotech crops were grown by 26 countries, of which 19 were developing and 7 industrial countries, the report said. Developing countries grew 54% (99.6 million hectares) of the global biotech crop area compared to 46% (85.5 million hectares) for industrial countries.

The Philippines now ranks as the 12th biggest producer of biotech crops, particularly corn, in the world. It remains to be the top grower of biotech crops in Southeast Asia, according to the report.

“About 812,000 hectares of biotech corn was planted in the Philippines in 2016, a remarkable 16% increase from the 702,000 hectares planted in 2015 which is equivalent to 110,000 hectares,” the report said.

The increase was due to favorable weather conditions and high local demand for livestock and feed stocks.

“Adoption rates of biotech corn also increased from 63% in 2015 to 65% in 2016, when the number of small, resource-poor farmers, growing on average, 2 hectares of biotech corn in the Philippines was estimated to be over 406,000,” the report said.

The report added that the farm level economic benefit of planting biotech corn in the country from 2003 to 2015 was estimated to have reached US$642 million, and for 2015 alone, the net national impact of biotech crop on farm income was estimated at US$82 million.

Biotech corn, approved for commercial planting in 2002, is the only biotech crop planted in the Philippines today. The report said that “only 13 biotech corn events” have been approved for cultivation, the last of which was given in 2014. All in all, about 88 biotech crop events are approved for food, feed and processing, including: alfalfa (2 events), rapeseed (2), cotton (8), corn (52), potato (8), rice (1), soybean (14), and sugar beet (1).

The acceptance of biotech crops in the country has been demonstrated by key stakeholders including the general public, such that a Joint Department Circular (JDC) was

F ENVIRONMENT, 13

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

13

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ENVIRONMENT... FROM 12

quickly put together in record time of three months in 2016 after the Supreme Court nullified and invalidated the Department of Agriculture Administrative Order 8 which served as the government policy for biotech crops for more than 20 years.

Aside from DA, other government agencies that are involved in the implementation JDC – “Rules and Regulations for the Research and Development, Handling and Use, Transboundary Movement, Release into the Environment, and Management of Genetically-Modified Plant and Plant Products Derive from the Use of Modern Biotechnology” – are the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

As per Republic Act 10611, the five aforementioned agencies “shall be responsible in the enforcement of food safety and sanitary rules and regulations, including inspection and compliance.”

One of the priority research areas of DOST is modern biotechnology. As such, the department is given the task for “evaluating applications for contained use and

confined test of regulated articles.”

The DENR, which is responsible for the conservation, management, development and proper use of the country’s environment and natural resources, will “lead in evaluating environmental risks and impacts of regulated articles for field trial, commercial propagation and direct use of living modified organisms in accordance with the circular.”

For its part, the DOH shall “lead in the evaluation of health impacts of regulated articles for field trial, commercial propagation, and direct use of living modified organisms” as stated in the circular.

The DA is given a bulk of work. It does not only “evaluate applications for field trial, commercial propagation and transboundary movement of

regulated articles,” but also “evaluate the independent reports as well as socio-economic, ethical and cultural considerations.”

The DILG will conduct public consultation through public hearing.

“All the results of the risk assessment and public hearing and consultation will be used as decision tools before approving a transformation event,” said Dr. Vivencio R. Mamaril, officer-in-charge as director of the Bureau of Plant Industry and director of the Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries Biotechnology Program of the Department of Agriculture.

Future commercialization of Bt eggplant, ring spot virus resistance papaya, Bt cotton and golden rice will be regulated under the new JDC.

14 MOTORING Carmudi in 7th ASEAN Automobile Safety Forum A EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

LIGNED with its advocacy to promote road safety, leading car portal Carmudi recently joined the 7th Asean Automobile Safety Forum held at the Berjaya Makati Hotel.

The event aims to tackle the region’s vehicle safety features and its effects on the market. Cholo Syquia, Chief Operating Officer of Carmudi Philippines joined notable officials from ASEAN-New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), Automobile Association Philippines (AAP), as well as various stakeholders at the event.

Since Carmudi’s business engaged in online car buying and selling, the company presented technology’s role in influencing consumer use and purchasing behavior.

Syquia noted that the

Philippines, on average, has 119M mobile phone subscriptions and Filipinos spend 3.5 hours on mobile, while 5.2 hours on desktop and tablet.

“The availability of online data increases general consumer awareness towards vehicle safety. Using technologies such as the internet, we may now educate both consumers and end-users towards both availability of safety features and its proper utilization,” said Syquia.

In a research made by Carmudi Global, it was revealed that the Asian region welcomed substantial amount of innovation towards vehicle safety features over the years.

“Over the past decade, the booming automotive industry in Asia has seen

a considerable amount of change and innovation. In less than ten years, the process of car buying has been completely revolutionized, with ONLINE SEARCHING

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What is RA 10913 or the Anti-Distracted Driving Act? RA 10913 or the Anti-Distracted Driving Act is a new law that prohibits motorists from using communication devices and other electronic entertainment and computing gadgets while vehicles are in motion or temporarily stopped on a traffic light or an intersection. A motorist, as defined under this law, is a person who is driving a motor vehicle.

What vehicles are covered by this Act? This act covers both public and private vehicles.

It also covers wheeled agricultural machineries, construction equipment, and other forms of conveyances such as bicycles, pedicabs, trolleys, “habal-habal”, “kuligligs”, wagons, carriages, and carts that may either be human-powered or pulled by an animal as long as the same are operated or driven in public thoroughfares, highways or streets.

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What does this law prohibit?

Prohibited acts made while driving include but not limited to: making or receiving calls, writing, sending or reading textbased communications, playing games, watching movies, performing calculations, reading e-books, composing messages, and surfing or browsing the internet.

di forged partnership with AAP and helped them in the reproduction of pamphlets of Republic Act 4136 (Land Transportation and Traffic Code) to educate more peo-

ple about the said legislation.

The company also held a Road Safety Caravan in Taguig City for STI-BGC students to educate them of the do’s and don’ts of the road.

motorists?

The DOTr - Land Transportation Office (LTO) is the lead implementing agency of the Act. The LTO also has the authority to deputize members of the PNP, MMDA, and LGUs to carry out enforcement functions and duties.

cles (PUV) also liable for violations made by drivers?

Yes. Operators and owners of Public Utility Vehicles (PUV) and other commercial vehicles shall both be held liable for the violations committed by

their drivers.

11 things to know about Anti-Distracted Driving Act

Editor’s note: This FAQs was issued by the Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board.

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taking precedence over traditional methods,” explained Syquia.

Carmudi has been an active advocate for road safety. Late last year, Carmu-

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What are the actions exempted from this law?

Motorists are allowed to use their devices to make or take emergency calls to authorities in cases of a crime, accidents, bomb or terrorist threat, fire or explosion, instances needing immediate medical attention, or when personal safety and security is compromised.

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Can we use hands-free devices like microphones and earphones?

Yes. Motorists can use the aid of hands-free function and applications as long as these do not interfere with the driver’s line of sight. This means that no communication or electronic gadget should be affixed on the car’s dashboard and steering wheel.

In addition, drivers are only allowed to wear earphones

when making or receiving calls. Using earphones to listen to music falls under “similar acts” in Section 4B of the law, in addition to reckless driving violation penalized under other relevant laws.

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Can we still use traffic and navigational apps like Waze and Google Maps while driving?

Yes. Although motorists are being advised to set their preferred destination on these applications prior to their departure. Gadgets with these applications may be installed in areas that will not obstruct the driver’s view. In cases when motorists need to find alternate routes while in traffic, they are advised to first pull their vehicles aside.

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Who are authorized to apprehend violating

How will we know if drivers of private vehicles with heavily-tinted windshields are violating the law?

Aside from high-definition cameras that can monitor lights from devices inside heavily-tinted vehicles, the law will also be strictly enforced by enforcers on the ground who were welltrained to determine from the movement of the vehicle whether or not a driver commits distracted driving.

A Memorandum Circular setting specifications on the regulation of tints shall be released by LTO soon, upon consultation with tint manufacturers.

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What are the penalties?

Violators will be penalized with a fine of five thousand pesos (Php5,000) for the first offense, ten thousand pesos (Php10,000) for the second offense, and fifteen thousand pesos (Php15,000) for the third offense with a three-month suspension of driver’s license. Violations incurred beyond the third offense shall be penalized with the revocation of driver’s license and a fine of twenty thousand pesos (Php20,000).

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Are operators of Public Utility Vehi-

Info... FROM 7

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When will this be implemented?

The Anti Distracted Driving Act shall be implemented nationwide starting May 18

Uy added, will be an avenue to promote the importance of communication in creating a dialogue and healthy discussions.

“Under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte, the foundation of the ASEAN Regional Integration is believed to be stronger as we involved the different provinces and municipalities in our pursuit to have an improved economy, sustainable peace and development, and strengthened linkages to raise the number of opportunities for the Filipinos,” the governor said.

He also commended PIADavao for the said initiative.

“The information kiosk highlighted information materials about ASEAN as the re-

gion celebrates this year’s 50th anniversary and in time for the Philippines’ chairmanship of the regional bloc,” Maestre said.

She added that aside from the ASEAN information materials, the kiosk also featured information materials about the programs and advocacy of national government agencies.

The opening on Monday was also graced by Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro of the Mindanao Development Authority, Assistant Regional Director Wilhelm Suyko of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and Atty.

Lucky Seigfred Balleque, provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry.

(PNA)

the Filipino pugilist who finally ended two failed tries to win a world title.

Although it is unlikely that the fight would be the most favorable one for the new champion, Petalcorin’s camp is hopeful.

“I also hope that he will give Randy [Petalcorin] a shot,” Manangquil said in the news report.

Petalcorin (26-2-1, 19 KOs) is a former interim World Boxing Association world light flyweight champion. He recently won the vacant IBF Pan Pacific light flyweight title and is ranked No. 4 by the IBF.

Manangquil said “there is really nothing wrong with an all-Pinoy title fight.”

“I think this is one of the things we need to accept to bring back the glory days of Philippine boxing,” added Manangquil.

Melindo’s recent win improved his record to 36 wins, 13 by knockouts, against two losses. Yaegashi, a three-division champion, dropped to 25-6.

Melindo joined the list of current Filipino world champions that includes Manny Pacquiao, Donnie Nietes and Jerwin Ancajas.

MINDANAO... FROM 16

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017 ANOTHER SHOT. Steph Curry of Golden State celebrates after the Warriors clinched another trip to the NBA Finals.

BACK TO THE FINALS

Warriors sweep short-handed Spurs, clinch NBA Finals berth

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PSC-backed barangay sports seminar unfolds

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OME 100 officials from 30 barangays of Davao City and other stakeholders will be on hand as the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)-backed Barangay Sports Education seminar unwraps at 9 a.m. today at The Royal Mandaya Hotel here.

Liga ng mga Barangay president and Davao City Councilor January Duterte will welcome participants while PSC Commissioner Charles Raymond A. Maxey will tackle the PSC/LGU’s role in Barangay Sports Program in Achieving National Goals to Develop a Healthy and Peaceful Citizenry.

Philippine Sports Institute Davao del Norte coordinator Giovanni Gulanes, meanwhile, will discuss the Model LGU with Healthy and Funcitional Sports Program even as Antonio Lumactod will talk on Evolving Spirituality in Sports.

The Sports for Peace Core Group of Serge Opena, Gemima Valderama and Ed Fernandez will conduct a Workshop on Strengthening the Barangay Sports Program.

PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez will also be in attendance in the seminar that serves as pre-event of the Summer Chil-

SPORTS 15

dren’s Games 2017, a component of the PSC’s Sports for Peace Program that is a brainchild of Ramirez. The Games will kick off at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, at the Rizal Park.

The 30 barangays, representing the three congressional districts of the city, will field two teams each in the boys 12-under 3-on-3 basketball, one team each for girls 12-under volleyball and 10 participants each for Larong Pinoy.

Games will be played at the Rizal Park, Davao City Police Office court and Almendras Gym Davao City Recreation Center.

Mildren Untalan, chief-of-staff of Councilor Duterte, earlier said that they encouraged the barangays to include out-of-school youth and children in conflict with the law (CICL) in their respective teams.

Barangays entered are 2-A, 7-A, 23-C, 10A, 27-A, 76-A Bucana, Catalunan Grande, Talomo Proper, Dumoy, Buhangin Proper, Indangan, Cabantian, Vicente Hizon, Vicente Duterte, Centro Agdao, San Antonio, Mahayag, Tibungco, Lasang, Tamayong, Baguio Proper, Marapangi, Dalag Lumot, Tamugan, Megcawayan, Mulig, Bantol, Biao Joaquin (Escuela) and Sto. Niño.

PSI

OLDEN State made sure the inevitable was unavoidable.

Heavily favored to beat the Spurs, especially once Kawhi Leonard sustained a series-ending injury, the Warriors completed a dominant sweep in the Western Conference Finals.

Stephen Curry scored 36 points and Golden State beat injury-ravaged San Antonio with a 129-115 victory Monday night, becoming the first team in league history to start the playoffs 12-0. ‘’(Being) 12-0 is great, but it doesn’t mean anything going into the next series, and we understand that,’’ Curry said.

Golden State led by as many as 22 points in cruising to its third straight NBA Finals.

The Warriors await a possible third straight championship matchup with Cleveland, which leads Boston 2-1 in the East finals. ‘’It’s great to be one of the last two teams standing, we’ll see how it goes,’’ said Kevin Durant, who had 29 points and 12 rebounds.

San Antonio’s only lead came on the opening possession when Manu Ginobili tossed in a left-handed scoop shot. The Spurs started Ginobili in what could be his

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final game with the team. The 39-year-old had maintained he will not ponder whether to retire or return until after the season. ‘’We started him tonight out of respect,’’ San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. ‘’That was the whole reason for starting him. Before the game, you think it may or may not be his last game that he ever plays in, and I did not want to miss the opportunity to honor him in front of our home fans for his selflessness over the years.’’

Unsure if the beloved veteran will return, the crowd serenaded Ginobili with ‘’Manu, Manu’’ chants as the game came to a close. ‘’He kind of worked us pretty good these four games,’’ said Draymond Green, who had 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Warriors. ‘’So, I think he’s got quite a bit left in the tank. Obviously, it’s up to him how much longer he wants to go. But one thing about it, he’s definitely not a liability on the floor.’’

Ginobili finished with 15 points in 32 minutes.

Kyle Anderson scored 20 points to lead the Spurs, who were without Leonard, Tony Parker and David Lee. ‘’Obviously it (stinks) that Kawhi wasn’t there and Tony wasn’t there and David wasn’t out there,’’ Green said. ‘’But, at the end of the day, a win is a

TITLE SHOT. Kevin Durant will now get a title shot with the Warriors. win and you have to beat whoever is out there against you.’’

San Antonio didn’t go down without a fight despite the injuries.

Anderson dove on the court for a loose ball that the Spurs had tipped away defensively, pushing the ball upcourt to Patty Mills who fed Ginobili for a 3-pointer that pulled San Antonio to 108-94 with 7 minutes remaining.

The effort made Popovich smile and clap at times, but the Warriors’ depth and talent proved too much for short-handed San Antonio. ‘’It’s the second time we’ve gotten swept in 15 years, and those are the easiest to digest because you’ve been overplayed,’’ Ginobili said. ‘’The opponent was better than us, and in this case, way better than us.’’

“This is the best team we ever formed for the AWCC,” said Tomas shortly after the squad embarked on a 15-hour flight to Istanbul, a four-hour flight to Almaty and another two-hour travel to Ust-Kamenogorsk in northern Kazakhstan.

PSL president Ramon Suzara stressed that the PSL stars should use the experience they will gain from his event in bannering the country in two major international tourneys this year: The AVC Asian Senior Women’s Championship and the 29th Southeast Asian Games.

He added that he will forev-

er be proud to see the PSL players compete against the giant clubs of Asia.

Vicente said winning the crown is a tough task, but at least they should be able to beat Vietnam and keep the scores very close against Japan and China.

Vietnam, one of the Philippines’ Southeast Asian rivals, is reportedly coming in without an import and will parade the core of its national team while majority of the Japanese players are fresh from seeing action in the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship in Kobe, Japan.

Rebisco-PSL off to Kazakhstan tourney

EBISCO-PSL Manila left for Ust-Kamenogorsk in Kazakhstan Sunday night, with fervent hopes of springing a surprise in the prestigious AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship.

Seasoned international campaigner Rachel Anne Daquis banners this collection of PSL stars, who are looking to surpass the seventh-place finish when the country hosted the tournament last year.

Daquis is joined by fellow veterans Jovelyn Gonzaga of Cignal, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and Rhea Dimaculangan of Petron as well as young guns

Mika Reyes and Ces Molina of Petron, Aby Marano of F2 Logistics, Denden Lazaro of Cocolife, Kim Fajardo of F2 Logistics, Jaja Santiago of Foton, Gen Casugod and Bia General of Generika-Ayala and Lourdes Clemente of Sta. Lucia.

National women’s team head coach Francis Vicente will serve as mentor.

They will be marching without an import but team manager Anna Tomas believes this squad is capable of stunning other clubs in its pool like Hisamitsu Springs of Japan, Tianjin Bohai Bank of China and VietinBank of Vietnam.

STALWARTS. (left to right) Mika Reyes, Aby Marano and Rachel Ann Daquis.

VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 37 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

MINDANAO COLLISION? Gensan boy wants to challenge Melindo F

ORMER world lightflyweight champion Randy Petalcorin of General Santos City wants to challenge the newly crowned International Boxing Federation (IBF) world champion Milan Melindo, another Mindanaoan from Cagayan de Oro City.

In a news report by Manila Times posted on Philboxing.com on Tuesday, Sanman chief executive officer Jim Claude Manangquil bared that the hard-hitting Petalcorin hopes to book a fight with Melindo,

who shocked the boxing world on Sunday night with a first-round technical knockout win over Akira Yaegashi at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan to win the IBF junior flyweight title.

The 29-year old Melindo, nicknamed “El Metodico” and fighting out of the fabled ALA Stable of Cebu, floored the Japanese champion thrice in the opening round and at the 2:45mark of the first round, referee Eddie Hernandez decided to stop the fight in favor of

F MINDANAO, 14 RANDY PETALCORIN. Former WBA lightflyweight champion.

MILAN MELINDO. Newly-crowned IBF world champion.