Edge Davao 10 Issue 72, July 12, 2017

VOL. 10 ISSUE 72 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017

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INFRA FIRST House panel assures fund for‘Dutertenomics’ EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

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IRST District Rep. Karlo Nograles, who heads the powerful House Appropriations Committee, said on Tuesday that Congress would ensure funding support for President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s massive infrastructure modernization program which is the core of the government’s new economic master plan called “Dutertenomics.”

President Duterte has laid down a three-year rolling infrastructure program (TRIP) that would cost at least P1.13 trillion for 2018, P1.18 trillion for 2019 and P1.29 trillion for 2020.

Nograles said that his panel would surely work hard to ensure that the government would have enough funds to make this happen.

“To hasten national economic development, we have to build and modernize the needed infrastructures nationwide. We anticipate that the President, in his State of the Nation Address, will spell out his crucial public infra-building program that will boost the country’s economy,” Nograles declared.

“The logic of Dutertenomics is simple and practical. If we modernize our infrastructure, we will modernize the economy down to the farthest municipality. And everything else will follow,” Nograles said.

The Appropriations chairman is referring to the so called “Dutertenomics” that focuses on building the needed infrastructures to bring balanced development nationwide, especially in long-neglected regions in Mindanao and the Visayas.

He said that his panel would surely prioritize the Duterte government’s “Build, Build, Build” program as this will have cascading effects on all aspects of development

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PROUDLY DABAWENYO. IBF Superflyweight world champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas, who honed his boxing skills at the boxing gym inside the Davao City Recreation Center (Almendras Gym) proudly displays his world title belt. He paid tribute to his humble beginnings as a young fighter at the Davao City facility. Athena Jillian Bravo

EDGEDAVAO Sports

Duterte cagers level series with BPI

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 72 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017

CONDOLENCES. President Duterte pays his last respects to the late Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Board Member Atty. Loreto Ata during his wake visit at the Loyola Memorial Chapel in Makati City on Monday night.

PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

4 Maute‘members’nabbed in NAIA now in custody

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HE Bureau of Immigration has turned over four out of the seven suspected Maute group members who were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA 3) to the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group (PNP-AVSEGROUP) and National Bureau of Investigation.

BI Spokesperson Antonette Mangrobang said Monday that the intercepted persons identified as Alnizar Palawan Maute, Yasser Dumaraya Maute, Ashary Palawan Maute and Abdulrahman

Maute are now in the custody of the authorities for further investigation and verification of their identities.

She said the three others identified as Mawiyag Ibrahim Cota, Acmali A Mawiyag, and Abdulcahar Racman Maute, were immediately released after determining that there is no derogatory record against their names.

They were interviewed

by ISAFP. Mangrobang added that the seven were bound for Malaysia via Cebu Pacific flight 5J 499. (Ferdinand G. Patinio/PNA)

Catholic prelate slams inclusion of Bibles in Marawi relief items

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RETIRED Catholic prelate on Monday criticized the alleged giving away of Bibles along with relief goods at evacuation centers for the Marawi siege refugees.

With this, former Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla noted that such act is encouraging tension with Muslims.

“If they do it deliberately, it’s either an insult or ignorance of the needs of the Muslims,” he said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news website.

Capalla added that “proselytizing” shows lack of respect and calls into question the sincerity of one’s charity.

“If you want to help, then give only the needs of the Muslims… the basic needs like clothing, food, water, among others,” said the co-convenor of the Bishops-Ulama Conference, an interreligious group.

He added, “We should be more sensitive. They should also ask Muslim leaders what to give in that area of religion.”

Copies of Bible and translated in Maranao language included in relief goods were reportedly being distributed to those affected by the conflict between government troops and Maute group.

However, it’s not known who were behind the distribution of the Bibles. (Ferdinand G. Patinio/PNA)

KIDAPAWAN MYSTERY Girl, 12, dies of gunshot inside car driven by grandpa

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OLICE are still facing a blank wall on the death of a 12-year old girl from a gunshot wound she sustained on board a car on her way to school here, around 7 a.m., Monday.

Scene of the Crime Operatives of the North Cotabato Provincial Crime Laboratory identified the victim as a Grade 7 student.

Police said the victim suffered a gunshot wound in the head and died while be-

ing treated at a local hospital.

She was with her elder brother inside the car driven by their grandfather.

There were talks the girl shot herself, but SPO4 Moises Abril of SOCO said they will investigate if she, indeed, committed suicide.

He said they will investigate her brother and grandfather.

The victim’s father said he felt so devastated by his daughter’s death.

He said he is bent on filing murder charges against his father-in-law.

“My daughter was under his care when she was killed. They told me my children are safe with them. But why did my daughter die? My father-in-law should be held responsible for this,” he said.

The father has been separated from his wife for one year and their children are under their grandfather’s custody.

“I have already asked them on several occasions to give to me my children so I could take care of them but they would always refuse. As a father, I am so devastated. I will let my father-in-law pay for the crime he committed,” he said.

The grandfather refused to grant media an interview.

He already submitted himself to SOCO for investigation, Abril said. (MINDANEWS/Malu Cadelina)

BTC will happen at 5:30 in the afternoon of July 17 here in the Palace,” Dureza told reporters at a press briefing in Malacañang.

He said that the OPAPP will recommend that the draft bill be immediately turned over by the President to Congress and certify it as urgent.

“As far as OPAPP is concerned, our recommendation is that as soon as the President receives it, he will turn it over to the Speaker of the House and the Senate President. We will also recommend that it will be certified as an urgent bill,” Dureza said.

“Pero recommendation namin ‘yan ha. You know very well that the President makes the final call,” he added.

On Nov. 7, 2016, President Duterte signed an executive order that expanded the BTC membership from 15 to 21 that will have 10 government-appointed members and 11, including the chairperson, from the MILF. On February 10, 2017, OPAPP announced the 21 members of the expanded BTC that will draft an “inclusive” version of the earlier BBL that failed to pass Congress in the previous Aquino administration.

The expanded BTC was expected to submit the draft of the new enabling law to Congress this July in time for Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the resumption of session of Congress.

Enactment of the BBL will create a new political entity that will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The proposed Bangsamoro territory will have greater autonomy than the present ARMM but will remain part of the Republic of the Philippines. (Cielito M. Reganit/ PNA)

New BBL copy with PRRD by July 17: OPAPP

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HE Bangsamoro Transition Commission will submit the replacement Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, July 17, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said Tuesday.

“We have already worked on getting the BTC craft a replacement bill to the failed BBL that will implement the Bangsamoro agreement --the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) of the Mori Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). And I’d like to let you know that the turnover of the output of the

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 72 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017

Solon seeks delineation of all forest land limits

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LAWMAKER at the House of Representatives has proposed a measure which seeks the demarcation and delineation of forest lands for the conservation, protection, and development of forest resources in the country.

1-ANG EDUKASYON Partylist Rep. Salvador Belaro, Jr. said Congress has long been tasked by the 1987 Constitution to “determine by law the specific limits of forest lands and national parks, marking clearly their boundaries on the ground.”

“Thirty years have passed since the Constitution was ratified. The demarcation and delineation of forest lands is most certainly long overdue. Congress must fulfill this specific mandate now to arrest any further deterioration of our country’s forest cover,” Belaro said.

Belaro has filed House Bill 5945, or the “Forest Lands Limits Act of 2017”. He noted that the delineation of forest lands is among the legislative priorities identified in the Philippine Development Plan for 2017 to 2022.

The bill seeks the creation of a National Review and Evaluation Committee which will process, evaluate and approve all completed assessment and delineation reports.

The said committee shall be headed by the Secretary of

the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as Chairperson, while the Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) shall serve as the Vice-Chairperson.

Other members of the committee shall include the secretaries of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Agriculture (DA), and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and chairpersons of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

Under the bill, previously established Land Classification survey lines per province with their respective technical descriptions and maps shall be the basic data and information that will be used as reference material in undertaking the validation, assessment and delineation process.

All completed assessment and delineation reports for a given province shall be endorsed to the National Review and Evaluation Committee.

The same process shall be followed for other provinces with ongoing assessments and delineation activities until such time that all the boundaries of forest lands of the whole country shall have been delimited.

(PNA)

NEWS 3

Duterte gets low grade on traffic; failing grade on internet access

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AVAO folk gave President Rodrigo R. Duterte a high approval rating for his federalism agenda, but rated him low on Manila’s traffic woes and internet connectivity, a survey conducted by the University of Mindanao’s Institute of Popular Opinion

(UM-IPO) said.

Administered on 1,200 respondents from May 17-26, the survey assessed Duterte’s first year in Malacanang based on the 18 programs that as a candidate he promised to implement if he won.

Dabawenyos gave the

president an approval rating of 89.38 percent for his first year in office.

The survey results, released on July 10, showed that Duterte received the highest rating for his program on federalism with 96.21 percent, said UM-IPO director for quan-

titative studies Adrian Tamayo.

“Of the promises made during elections, highest rating was afforded for the efforts to pursue federalism. In the eyes of the Dabawenyos, this is the most impressive initiative,” he said.

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HONING UP. Members of Task Force Davao participate in a mass shooting/security drill as part of the 15-day Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) training conducted by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) at City Hall in Davao City on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr.

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Injured twin Negrense soldiers: ‘Always ready to fight for PH’

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HE twin soldiers from Barangay Dulao, Bago City in Negros Occidental, who were injured in separate encounters in Marawi City, were one in declaring their readiness to fight for the country, the Republic of the Philippines.

Corporal Rey Ga and his twin Private First Class Roy Ga, both 30, are scout rangers who were among the government troopers deployed to fight the Maute bandits since May 23.

Their older brother Roderick is also a scout ranger still fighting in Marawi.

Rey, who belongs to the 2nd Company, 1st Scout Ranger Battalion, was first injured on the evening of May 27. He was hit in his left hand and his little finger was amputated.

While recuperating at the

Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center in Quezon City, Rey said he has no regrets since being in battle is part of being a soldier.

“We are always ready to offer our lives for the country,” said Rey, who entered the military service in 2007.

Before his assignment in Lanao de Sur, he was deployed in Zamboanga, Samar, Jolo, and Basilan.

In a telephone interview on Sunday night, Rey said that when he learned that his brother Roy was also injured, he immediately called him up and was thankful when he learned that his condition was stable.

“I thank God that he is safe.

Prayer is the ultimate weapon in any battle in life,” he said.

Roy, a member of the 4th

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Sen. Nancy Binay: Listening to Trillanes a waste of time

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EN. NANCY Binay on Tuesday said she has opted not to listen to negative remarks coming from colleague Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV about the Senate noting that it was a “waste of time.”

Trillanes earlier described the Senate as “lapdogs” of the Duterte administration because they were afraid to disagree with Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito is currently considering filing an ethics complaint against Trillanes. However, Ejercito said that he is willing to reconsider if Trillanes apologizes.

Binay, however, said that she was not at all affected.

“Hindi na nga ako nakikinig kapag nanggagaling sa kanya (I don’t listen to anything

that comes from him),” Binay told reporters, referring to Trillanes. “…Mas marami pang dapat pagtuunan ng panahon at dapat pakinggan (There are more important matters to give attention to),” she added.

Trillanes, tagged as Pres.

Duterte’s fiercest critic, has previously described the lady senator’s father and former Vice President Jejomar Binay as “corrupt.”

Binay said Trillanes “doesn’t have an inch of credibility” in him and challenged Trillanes to explain allegations that he used Senate funds to pay for his staff’s salaries.

Trillanes, however, said that the issue has long been settled by the Commisison on Audit (COA). (ANP/PNA)

WAY from the war zone in Marawi City and supposedly safe from bullets and bombs, residents who sought refuge in evacuation centers or with their relatives outside Marawi are facing yet another danger where they are now: death from disease.

At least 34 Marawi evacu-

ees have died in hospitals as of Saturday, the regional Health Secretary told MindaNews in an online interview on Sunday.

He said the three recent cases involve children who died from pneumonia and sepsis.

“Only nine deaths are due to diarrhea” following the mass evacuation due to the clashes

TIDYING UP. City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) employees conduct a clean up drive at Magsaysay Park in Davao City on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr.

Free college education seen to lapse into law next month A

Law provides free schooling in colleges

MEASURE providing free education in state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs) and techvoc schools is expected to be passed into law on August 5 or earlier, a senator said Tuesday.

Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV made this statement Tuesday noting that the ratified version of the measure has been transmitted to the Office of the

President for Pres. Duterte’s approval on July 5.

Aquino explained that unless President Duterte vetoes it or signs it earlier, it will automatically lapse into law after 30 days or on August 5.

“It is better if the President will sign this earlier so that he can include this in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 24,” Aquino said in a press statement.

Aquino said that once

between government forces and the Maute Group in Marawi City since May 23.

in Pantar, both in Lanao del Sur; two in Balo-i, two in Maria Cristina, 2 in Buru-un, Iligan City all in Lanao del Norte . “All are treated,” noted Sinolinding He explained it cannot be declared an outbreak. “Since it is distributed and no abnormal spike in cases, it cannot be an

enacted into law, Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Finance Committee, promised to earmark the budget for its effective implementation.

Once passed into law, education in SUCs, LUCs and vocational schools under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will be virtually free, with the government shouldering tuition, miscellaneous and other fees.

It will also make scholarship grants available to students of both public and private college and universities.

The measure also has a loan program, where students can apply for financing for other education expenses.

Aquino is the principal sponsor and co-author of the Senate version of the measure during his stint as chair of the Committee on Education.

(Azer N. Parrocha/PNA)

Marawi evacuees death toll reaches 34; cholera ruled out Zambo solon sees support for martial law extension A

A boy scratches his head in one of the evacuation centers in iligan City in this photo taken Saturday, 08 July 2017. The evacuees are facing another kind of danger in congested evacuation centers: death from disease. The Department

On the reported cases of cholera, Sinolinding said there is no outbreak but he confirmed nine cases have been monitored in the evacuation sites — one in Saguiaran, two

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of Health and other volunteers have been attending to the health needs of evacuees. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO

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IRST district Rep. Celso Lobregat on Tuesday expressed optimism that President Rodrigo Duterte can win the support of Congress to extend the imposition of martial law in Mindanao.

President Duterte is required to seek the approval of Congress if he wishes to extend the martial law implementation as required under the 1987 Philippine constitution.

Congress and the Senate will convene in a joint session to vote for its approval once the President will seek an extension of martial law implementation.

Lobregat said the situation would depend on the wisdom of the President if he wishes to ask for months or years for the extension or until the local terrorists movement has been neutralized and their activities and cohorts are suppressed.

“As of now we have the numbers in congress, it will be easy for the majority to sup-

port any request of President Duterte to extend martial law in Mindanao either for 60, 90 days or even a year, depending on his justification,” Lobregat said.

But he said it will be another story if the President would request to include other areas aside from Mindanao to be placed under martial law.

“Again there can be a debate if there will be a new declaration, like imposing it or spread it in the entire country, that’s another story,” he said.

He said the imposition of martial law is getting a lot of positive feedback and positive outlook in the downgrading of criminality and rebellion in the entire Mindanao region, which is more favorable for the national government as well.

“I will be fully supporting the move of the president to extend martial law in Mindanao if it will be for the common good,” he added.

President Duterte placed

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PH’s May 2017 factory output up by 5.8%

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HE country’s manufacturing output and value posted growth in May this year.

Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (MISSI) for the month of May showed that volume of production index (VoPi) increased by 5.8 percent while value of production index (VaPi) also grew by 3.6 percent.

However, growth for VoPi this year has slowed down from May 2016’s figure of 7.4 percent, while VaPi’s growth rate remained the same.

In a statement Tuesday, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said higher manufacturing output for May was driven by increase in production of construction-related and export-oriented goods.

MISSI noted that manufacturing of fabricated metal products posted the highest growth of 116.9 percent in May. Eleven sectors also regis-

tered double-digit growth in the said period which include the following: leather products, up 44.3 percent; footwear and wearing apparel, up 34.6 percent; furniture and fixtures, up 34.4 percent; basic metals, up 29.1 percent; tobacco products, up 28.2 percent; printing, up 28.2 percent; non-metallic mineral products, up 22.6 percent; transport equipment, up 22.2 percent; petroleum products, up 16.8 percent; electrical machinery, up 13 percent; and paper and paper products, up 11.1 percent.

The same sectors have pulled the VaPi in May led by footwear and wearing apparel, basic metals, printing, tobacco products, fabricated metal products, petroleum products, transport equipment, non-metallic mineral products, electrical machinery, and leather products.

Average capacity utilization rate of manufacturing facilities in May was at 83.8 percent. (Kris M. Crismundo/ PNA)

Dominguez: BIR, BOC pursuing reforms to prevent tax leakages

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HE Bureaus of Internal Revenue and of Customs are currently pursuing reforms in tax administration, including the use of an Internal Revenue Stamps Integrated System (IRSIS) for both cigarettes and alcohol products, to plug leakages and increase revenue collections, according to the Department of Finance.

DOF Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said reforms such as the IRSIS will complement the proposed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) or House Bill No. 5636, which the Duterte administration is urging the Congress to pass swiftly in order to provide the government a steady revenue flow that will help fund its inclusive growth agenda of cutting poverty incidence to 14 percent by 2022 and transforming the country into a high-middle income economy by that time.

In Tuesday’s hearing by the House ways and means committee chaired by Rep. Dakila Carlo Cua, Dominguez also took the opportunity to thank the members of the House of Representatives for their overwhelming support for TRAIN, which this chamber passed by a 246-9 vote last May 31.

Cua was the principal author of the Department of Finance (DOF)-endorsed HB 4774, the original version of TRAIN that was consolidated with 54 other related measures into HB 5636.

Dominguez said that on top of tax policy reforms such as the TRAIN bill, the executive branch is implementing on its end improvements in tax administration “to optimize revenue collections and plug the leakages in the system that

have cost our government tens of billions of pesos in foregone revenues each year.”

At the start of the hearing, Deputy Speaker Romero Quimbo commended Dominguez for taking time out “from his hectic schedule” to attend the hearings of the committee.

“I just want to put on record that the Secretary has always been coming over to the House of Representatives, recognizing the process here.

We really appreciate your presence and for as well recognizing it [despite] the hectic schedule you have,” Quimbo said.

Cua said he “share[s] the same sentiment,” and also thanked Dominguez for his presence at the hearing.

These improvements include the affixing of Internal Revenue Stamps on imported and locally manufactured cigarettes and the implementation of IRSIS to curb smuggling in the cigarette industry.

But following the implementation of IRSIS, the government noticed the emergence of fake stamps and took steps to stop its proliferation.

Among the steps taken by the government are the planned revisions to the stamp design and the installation of closed circuit CCTV monitoring systems by cigarette manufacturers inside their factories and warehouses so that BIR personnel could monitor their operations, Dominguez said.

BIR Assistant Commissioner Teresita Angeles said at the hearing that the new cigarette tax stamps will be out by October.

Dominguez likewise recalled that four months ago, he

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VISIBLE AT LAST. Optical Media Board (OMB) chair and chief executive officer lawyer Anselmo Adriano (left), Department of Trade and Industry Regional Operations Group (DTI-ROG) undersecretary ZenaidaMaglaya (center) and representative for Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio lawyer Elisa Lapiña lead the

ceremonial ribbon cutting to mark the opening of OMB Mindanao Satellite Office at the Davao City Investment Promotions Center, Magsaysay Park in Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

DBP eyes Mindanao as big deposit contributor T

HE Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) sees Mindanao as a big contributor in terms of generating deposits.

According to Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) president and chief executive officer Cecilia Borromeo, the bank will be getting more deposits from Mindanao but this will be plowed back into the island’s economy by way of loans to various sectors.

Being the state’s infra bank, Borromeo said Friday there is a continuing stream of development projects coming into Mindanao.

DBP has launched here its Infrastructure Contractor Support (ICONS) Program, a support to contractors of various infra projects in various

levels such as the local government units, national government agencies, local water districts or even housing developers getting the services of these contractors for their projects, she said.

“We hope to give them the working capital they need that will significantly ease the flow of capital of these contractors so that they can finish their respective projects in a very timely fashion and generate efficiency that will improve their margins,” she said.

Borromeo said Mindanao’s share of the bank’s loan portfolio is about 20 percent.

Meanwhile, Borromeo underscored the country needs more infrastructure, which is now the director of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The country, she said needs more schools, hospitals, farm-to-market roads, and a 24/7 supply of water and connection to electricity.

She said the local government units will always be one potent partner of DBP and they will continue to support their projects included in the local development plan. DBP’s portfolio is 80 percent on infrastructure projects of different forms, she said.

As to the DBP Digital Banking Portal, Borromeo said they are looking to increase the touch point of the bank by deploying more automated machines (ATMs) in under-served unserved areas where ever physical and financially feasible.

“We are seriously thinking of expanding even our

branch network and with our improved e-banking services we will partner with LGU and other businesses to make their operations more efficient,” she said.

Ebanking services as payment facility are already offered to LGUs to give a hassle-free in paying their taxes.

Davao City, she said, is looking at the possibility of partnering with DBP for some of its e-banking services.

“Hopefully we can inspire them and take a look with our e-banking services and sign up with us,” she said.

DBP has now 121 branches throughout the country.

By end of 2017, four more branches will open in Romblon, Polomolok, Taytay, Palawan, and Guinobatan, Albay.

(Digna D. Banzon/PNA)

“Our country’s trade growth is consistent with the global pick-up. We are striding forward with world trade performers and we intend to match this growth with sound macroeconomic policies,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia.

For January to May, total trade grew to USD63.3 billion (13.9 percent), with exports and imports growing by 16.3 percent and 12.3 percent, respectively.

Pernia noted that the 15.4

percent growth of total trade in May was supported by the sixth consecutive double-digit growth of exports since December 2016 and by the recovery of imports from its 0.1 percent decline in April.

In terms of markets, countries in East Asia remain strong trade partners with 48.3 percent share in export revenue and 46.2 percent share in imports.

Trade with ASEAN is also strong, with 15.7 percent share in export receipts and

26.1 percent share in inward shipments.

Meanwhile, exports to the European Union continued its third consecutive month of double-digit growth at 38.5 percent. ASEAN likewise remains a promising destination for exports, with exports to ASEAN economies growing by 25.6 percent in May. The government expects Philippine exports to increase by about USD100 million annually in the next five years.

(NEDA)

PH trade competiveness needed to sustain growth

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HE National Economic and Development Authority says that the country should continue to promote export competitiveness, diversify its products and markets, and maximize trade agreements to sustain trade growth for the rest of the year.

NEDA-attached agency Philippine Statistics Authority reported that total trade grew to USD13.7 billion in May 2017, with imports and exports growing by 13.7 percent and 16.6 percent, respectively.

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ARMM investments reach P3.65B in Q1 I TWO SIDES OF THE COIN. Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) president Captain Ronald Go gestures as he delivers his speech during the launching of Kadayawansa Davao 2017 last week. Go said in his latest statement the organization support President Duterte in his efforts

500 firms to join 1st NIR local enterprises summit

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T least 500 firms are expected to gather for the 1st Negros Island Region Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Summit on July 19 at the SMX Convention Center here.

The assembly will be hosted by the Provincial Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Council of Negros Occidental in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Mary Ann Colmenares, chairperson of Provincial MSMED Council, said in a re-

port Monday the summit aims to pass on to the Negrenses enterprises the developments in the ASEAN economic community.

With the current free trade system there is a need to further develop local enterprises in NIR, she added.

Moreover, Colmenares said the summit will highlight the seven M’s for local enterprises to become successful.

These include mindset, mastery, mentoring, markets, money, machines, and models, which are the key elements ty-

to eradicate the elements that resort to violence and perpetuate atrocities to bring about their selfish interests but it cannot also be denied the slow down especially in the tourism industry when Martial Law was declared in Mindanao. Lean Daval Jr

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P151-billion PNR Long haul (Calamba-Bicol).

The commuter line project will be funded through official development assistance (ODA), while the Long-haul network will be financed by the Chinese government.

The feasibility studies of both projects of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) have been completed.

the highland vegetable industry of Benguet and the Cordillera region.

She said the event is spearheaded by the stakeholders which includes the packers, porters, farmers, the buyers and even supporters.

According to Balanoy, they want to promote the industry considering the existence of imported vegetables that compete with the locally grown.

She added that they want to

tell the public that they have all varieties and kinds of vegetables.

The giant vegetable salad will use 1.1 tons of vegetables to include 160 romaine lettuce, 160 kilos of carrots, 160 kilos cucumber, 150 kilos sugar bits, 180 kilos tomatoes, 150 kilos marble potato, 30 kilos alfalfa and broccoli and cauliflower which will be placed on the side of the 20x32 feet by 35 inches deep of giant container

made specifically for the purpose.

There will be three kinds of dressing – mango salad dressing, strawberry salad dressing and a honey balsamic vinaigrette to top the fresh vegetables.

Balanoy said the event is a partnership with the local government and the police with the biggest participation coming from the 14 organizations

als and non-metallic products increased by 29.1 percent and 22.6 percent, respectively.

These recorded increases led to an overall Volume of Production Index (VoPI) for manufacturing of 5.8 percent, faster than the 4.3 percent growth recorded in the previous month.

This also led to the 7.5 percent three-month moving average growth rate, reflecting a robust performance of the sector.

The Value of Production Index (VaPI) remained positive with a growth of 3.6 percent

and a 5.9 percent three-month moving average.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said that construction products are expected to grow further toward the end of the year, backed by the government’s massive infrastructure development spending.

These include the continuing implementation of major infrastructure projects such as the NLEX-SLEX Connector Road, Cavite-Laguna Expressway, and PNR North South Commuter Rail.

“Manufacturing output is

expected to sustain its growth toward the end of the second quarter, driven by buoyant domestic demand and optimistic business outlook,” Pernia said.

Seventy-five flagship projects have been identified by the administration to address our huge infrastructure deficit.

Meanwhile, Pernia said that it is important to streamline efforts across all levels of government to ensure inclusive innovation.

“Bureaucratic procedures at the national and local levels should be simplified across the

Benguet veggie growers to showcase giant salad

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EGETABLE stakeholders in Benguet province will showcase their produce in the biggest vegetable salad event set on July 13 at the town’s trading post.

Agot Balanoy, president of the Benguet Farmers’ Marketing Cooperative, said the event is in commemoration of the establishment of the vegetable trading post on July 13, 1984 and aims to highlight the contribution and importance of

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Manufacturing growth triggers increase in construction products

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HE National Economic and Development Authority credited the continued growth in manufacturing in May 2017 to the increase in production of constructionand export-oriented products.

These include basic and fabricated metals, and non-metallic mineral products, as shown in the Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries for May 2017 of the Philippine Statistics Authority, a NEDA-attached agency.

Fabricated metals registered a record-high growth of 116.9 percent while basic met-

istered three major projects this year.

The first of the three major projects is the PHP32-million fish processing and cold storage project of Abing Seafoods and Cold Storage located in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi that addresses the needs of fisherfolk in the province to process, store, and preserve their seafood catch.

Second is the PHP33.5-million cargo shipping project of J. Sayang Shipping Lines, Inc., which is also based in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, for inter-island trade, as well as, for cross-border shipping with Sabah, Malaysia.

Third, the RBOI has approved the PHP3-billion telecommunications carrier project of TierOne Communications International, Inc.

The two railway projects were among the 75 high-impact infrastructure flagship projects the NEDA Board approved for adoption, 53 of which amount to P1.58 trillion.

Of the total, 18 projects were already approved by the NEDA Board, which included the PP211.46-billion PNR North 2 Malolos-Clark Railway Project.

The railway project of the DOTr involves the construction of a commuter line and airport express railway between Malolos and Clark Green City (CGC) through Clark International Airport (CRK).

Some 55 projects were on the pipeline for processing or approval of the NEDA Investment Coordination Committee. (Leslie D. Venzon/PNA)

F ARMM, 10

P285-B railway projects up for NEDA board nod

WO railway projects worth PP285 billion are lined up for approval by the National Economic and Development Authority board chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The NEDA identified these projects as the P134-billion Philippine National Railways (PNR) South Commuter Line (Tutuban-Los Banos) and the

F 500 FIRMS, 10

NVESTMENTS in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao have remained resilient and growing, posting a total of PHP3.65 billion in the first six months of 2017 notwithstanding the conflict in Marawi City that started on May 23.

ARMM’s Regional Board of Investments (Armm-RBOI), chair and managing head Ishak Mastura, on Monday said in a statement that the region’s investment prospects continue to show signs of resilience and dynamism because the crisis area had effectively been contained by the government.

The first half figures reported by the RBOI are higher by almost 74 percent compared with 2016’s total registration of PHP2.1 billion.

The agency has, so far, reg-

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Dad seeks ban on selling of exotic meat in Puerto Princesa

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CITY councilor has filed an ordinance that seeks to prohibit the selling of exotic meat food in restaurants and other similar establishments within the territorial jurisdiction of this city.

Councilor Modesto Rodriguez of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Puerto Princesa said in the copy of the ordinance that was obtained by the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday afternoon, his proposed regulation is pursuant to Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) Resolution 15-521.

The said measure is about the 2014 approved list of terrestrial and marine wildlife and their categories following Republic Act 9147, otherwise known as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001.

“Being the country’s last ecological frontier, it is the responsibility of the City Government of Puerto Princesa to initiate measures to protect and conserve the sanctity of wildlife species in order to maintain and/or preserve a

healthy and balanced ecology,” said Rodriguez.

The city dad furthered that “selling of endangered exotic animals in restaurants and other similar establishments as food is going to be contrary to the balance in ecosystem” that everyone is fighting for.

If approved by the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the ordinance will be called the “Endangered/Exotic Meat Ban”.

Exotic wildlife, he explained, refers to species or sub-species which do not naturally occur in the country.

Endangered wildlife, on the other hand, means species or sub-species that is not critically endangered but whose survival in the wild is unlikely if casual factors continue operating.

Rodriguez explained further that restaurants may only sell them within Puerto Princesa if the owners have been issued permits or certifications of clearance by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the PCSD.

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7 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 72 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017

Sec. Lopez on ASEAN: ‘There’s unity in diversity’

I Vitaly Kamluk, Director at Global Research & Analysis Team (GReAT) of Kaspersky Lab Asia Pacific, presents his new free software called BitScout during the company’s Paleontology of Cybersecurity Conference last week in Suntec City, Singapore.

Kaspersky Lab researcher creates free software tool for collecting remote evidence after cyber-attacks

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O overcome the need for investigators to travel far and wide to gather evidence from infected computers after a cyberattack, a Kaspersky Lab expert has developed a simple tool that can remotely collect vital data without risk of its contamination or loss. Named BitScout, the tool can build a swiss-army knife for the remote forensic investigation of live systems and has been made freely available for all investigators to use.

In most cyberattacks, legitimate owners of compromised systems fall victim to unidentified perpetrators. Victims usually agree to cooperate and help security researchers find the infection vector or other details about the attackers.

However, it is a longstanding concern among forensic researchers that the need to travel long distances to collect crucial evidence such as malware samples from infected computers can result in expensive and delayed investigations.

The longer it takes for an attack to be understood, the longer it is before users are protected and perpetrators identified. However, the alternatives have either involved expensive tools and a knowledge of how to operate them, or the risk of contaminating or losing evidence by moving it between computers.

To solve the problem, Vitaly Kamluk, Director of Kaspersky Lab’s Global Research and Analysis Team in Asia Pacific (APAC) has created an opensource digital tool that can remotely collect key forensic materials, acquire full disk images via the network or locally attached storage, or simply remotely assist in malware incident handling.

Evidence data can be viewed and analyzed remotely or locally while the source data storage remains intact through

reliable container-based isolation.

“The need to analyze security incidents as efficiently and swiftly as possible is increasingly important, as adversaries grow ever more advanced and stealthy. But speed at all costs is not the answer either – we need to ensure evidence is untainted so that investigations are trusted and results can be qualified for use in court if required. I couldn’t find a tool that allowed us to achieve all of this, freely and easily – so I decided to build one,” said Vitaly Kamluk.

Kaspersky Lab experts work closely with law enforcement agencies across the world to help in the technical analysis of cyber investigations. This gives them a unique insight into the challenges LEA personnel face when fighting modern cybercrime.

The cybersecurity landscape is now so complex and sophisticated that investigators need tools that can adapt and scale to the demands of the job. BitScout is a good example of this. It can be adjusted to the particular needs of an investigator, and improved and upgraded with additional features and custom software.

Most importantly it comes free of charge, based on opensource solutions and is fully transparent: instead of relying on third party tools with proprietary code, experts can use the Bitscout open-source code to build their own swiss-army knife for digital forensics.

The list of BitScout features includes: • Disk image acquisition even with un-trained staff • Training people on the go (shared view-only terminal session) • Transferring complex pieces of data to your lab for deeper inspection • Remote Yara or AV scanning of offline systems (essential against rootkits) • Search and view registry

F KASPERSKY, 10

N the midst of calls for protectionism and global economic developments, ASEAN stands ready to respond to issues affecting trade and investment, drawing strength from its integrated economies.

Speaking at the HongKong East Asia Summit on 11 July, ASEAN Economic Ministers chairman and Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez discussed current integration efforts in ASEAN and how these would eventually translate to regional complementation.

“Each economy will be differentiating its products to complement those of other economies. Economies may not necessarily compete, but they may complement each other through product specialization and market segmentation,” explained Sec. Lopez.

The trade chief emphasized that regional integration has resulted to a wider array

and selection of products and services offered to ASEAN consumers.

“Regional integration will end up to regional complementation. ASEAN can lead the way and believes in the benefits of regional collaboration. It may work slowly but surely,” he said.

‘Unity in diversity’ “ASEAN shows how integration becomes plausible despite differences in background, culture and stages of development. With all these, we believe there is unity in diversity,” Sec. Lopez added.

As one of the fastest growing regions, ASEAN is the 7th largest economy in the world with a population of over 622 million people.

It is also a marketplace with a relatively young, growing labor force and an emerging middle class.

On the benefits of eco-

nomic integration, Sec. Lopez said that the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) affords ASEAN a bigger role and a more prominent voice in dealing with fellow global economic players.

According to him, with the AEC, the region’s connectedness combined with its diversity becomes strength as the variety in ASEAN pulls investors in, mindful of the region’s stake in open global markets.

Inclusive growth agenda The ASEAN Community 2025 Blueprint guides ASEAN with measures to address emerging challenges and to attain region-wide inclusive growth. Sec. Lopez recognized the role played by the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region’s integration efforts.

According to him, to attain inclusive economic growth that leads to shared prosper-

ity, MSMEs need to take on a stronger role in boosting the region’s economies as creators of wealth and providers of jobs and livelihoods for the people.

He added that by heightening innovation, technology research, and human resource development, ASEAN MSMEs can also move up the global value chains.

“The big challenge really is how big companies can integrate MSMEs in their value chains—to empower them and make them more competitive and part of the equation, because it is only then we can really talk about inclusive growth,” he said.

The trade chief also cited need for MSMEs to embrace the digital economy through e-commerce, which provides an innovative platform to market, sell and research. In this respect, technology becomes an equalizer.

F SEC. LOPEZ, 10

Globe launches How to Globe, an information campaign to deliver basic know-how and tips

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LOBE Telecom, launches How to Globe, a guide for customers on how to maximize Globe products and services, as well as basic service know-how.

“With our vast selection of products and services, it will be a challenge for our customers to keep track of the basic ‘how-tos’ about our services. How to Globe aims to change that by providing quick, simple, and easy to follow steps about our products and services across our entire spectrum of brands” says Chief Com-

T

mercial Officer Albert de Larrazabal.

With How to Globe, customers, employees, part-

service. This way, regulators can actually do their job, and assure every Filipino greater access to superior Internet services, including accelerating connection speeds,” Campos, a deputy minority leader, said.

The top five countries with the highest number of Internet users are: China, 731.4 million; India, 462.1 million; the United States, 286.9 million; Brazil, 139.1 million; and Indonesia, 132.7 million, according to Internet World Stats (IWS).

Those ranked just below the Philippines are Italy, with 51.8 million users; Vietnam, 49.7 million; Turkey, 46.1 million; South Korea, 45.3 million; and Thailand, 41 million.

The figures were based on data from the International

Telecommunication Union – the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies, country reports and Facebook Inc., and updated as of March 31, 2017.

Campos has introduced a bill that seeks to distinguish Internet service as “a basic telecommunications service within the jurisdiction and regulatory power of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).”

“We have to enable the NTC to effectively protect and advance the rights and welfare of Internet users,” Campos said Sunday.

Internet service at present is regarded as a “value-added service,” thus making it out of the NTC’s reach when it comes

ners and other stakeholders can expect a regular feed of basic know-how and tips covering topics such as how to maximize data, the best promos to subscribe to, or how to self-activate certain services. “As a customer, we want the information we need quick and easy to understand, and How to Globe puts that information right at the customers’ fingertips” adds de Larrazabal.

To receive the latest #HowtoGlobe tips, customers simply need to follow @talk2Globe on Twitter or visit globe.com.ph.

Filipinos among top world Internet users

HE Philippines now ranks No. 15 worldwide in absolute number of Internet users, with some 54 million Filipinos browsing the web, or a penetration rate of 52 percent of the population, Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. said Sunday.

“There’s no question a growing number of Filipinos are relying increasingly on the Internet not only for communication, information, education and entertainment, but also to earn a living by selling goods and services, to shop and to perform financial transactions – from banking to paying bills,” Campos said.

“This is why Congress has to be highly responsive in classifying Internet service as a basic telecommunications

to mandating minimum standards and improvements.

Akamai Technologies Inc.’s State of the Internet Report as of the first quarter of 2017 tagged the Philippines’ 5.5 Mbps average connection speed as the slowest in Asia Pacific, compared Thailand’s 16 Mbps, Vietnam’s 9.5 Mbps, Malaysia’s 8.9 Mbps and Indonesia’s 7.2 Mbps.

Mbps is short for megabits per second – a measure of network transmission or data transfer speed. A megabit is equal to one million bits.

The Philippines ranks No. 100 worldwide in average connection speed.

South Korea is No. 1 at 28.6 Mbps. Paraguay is No. 148 at 1.4 Mbps.

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8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDITORIAL

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 72 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017

Weak links

HILE Dabawenyos gave their kababayan President Duterte a high 89.38 percent approval rating after his first year in office, there are areas where he needed to do a lot of work. Its not a perfect world afterall.

These are the areas of solving Metro Manila traffic and internet access. He got a low grade of 76.15 on the traffic side and a failing 72.15 on internet access.

The survey was conducted by the University of Mindanao’s Institute of Popular Opinion (UM-IPO) administered on 1,200 respondents from May 17-26. President Duterte’s first year in office was assessed by Dabawenyos based on 18 programs that as a candidate he promised to implement if he won.

The highs he received are his program on federalism with 96.21 percent followed by the war on drugs and his promise to “kill big time drug lords and suppress drug trade” which was second highest at 90.11 percent, anti- corruption (88.14 percent),

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and anti-labor contractualization (88.10 percent), health facilities (87.74 percent); improvement of wages and equipment of the police and military (87.57 percent); family planning to prevent overpopulation (87.31 percent); and responsible mining and environment protection (86.88 percent).

Despite the high scores, the two parameters where he fared low are irritants that have been existent for a while and is getting worse rather than improving. This should be a reminder to the administration to focus on these particular areas were the current leadership is not strong.

These are nagging issues which, despite the appointment of people with outstanding credentials remain a big problem. If these people are not the solution, it’s time for them to be shipped out or voluntarily step aside.

As the President himself has promised, there will be no sacred cows in his cabinet. Time to get rid of the weak links.

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EDGEDAVAO

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ISTORICAL accounts written by military historians and authors who took interest of the Philippines after it became a US colony have discrepant records on the date the Americans set foot in Davao soil. In part, the disparity could have been due to the difference in time between the East and the West and the erroneous datelines reported in US publications.

In his book The Philippines: The War and the People (1901), Albert Gardner Robinson wrote that the American troopers sailed from Manila for Davao on board the ship Manila on the morning of December 13, 1899.

Other accounts placed the US arrival in Davao region a day thereafter.

Counting the days it took to travel by boat from Manila to Davao Gulf, the vessel could have taken a week to reach the destination given that its route was interrupted by occasional stopovers in other islands to drop off military men and supplies.

When the Americans arrived on December 20, 1999, the town of Davao was “the most isolated garrison yet established.” It was placed under Major Hunter B. Liggett, head of the 31st Company of Infantry Volunteers. Their arrival was preceded by the raising of the American flag. Robinson made an account of this event: “Upon arrival the American flag was

“F

OOD is literally the most important thing in the world. It is not even next to life, because it is life itself. Deprived of the right to food, man knows no other. For the hungry, there is no dignity, no human rights, no rule of law, no liberty, no celebration of the spirit… the most crucial task before world community today is to assure that enough food is available at the right place, at the right time, and at the right price.”

That was what Arturo R. Tanco, Jr., president of World Food Council, said some years ago.

But despite this fact, governments today “have been spending less for food production than they do for defense, infrastructure and education,” said Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol in his acceptance speech as chairman of the 40th session of UN Food and Agriculture (FAO) in Rome, Italy.

“Billions of dollars have been spent by governments to perfect precision bombs but the development of precision farming technology has largely been left to private sector,” Piñol deplored.

Quoting statistics released by FAO, the agriculture secretary said that “the average public expenditures for agriculture of 51 countries from 1982 to 2007 steadily went

VOL. 10 ISSUE 72 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017

VANTAGE POINTS

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The day the Americans arrived seen to be already flying there. The Jolo influence had reached even there and a flag had been obtained and raised. A delegation of the people extended a hearty welcome.”

Historically, this was the first time that an American flag was raised in Davao region.

After securing the troops, Major Liggett, who later became military governor of Davao, boarded again the steamer and transported his remaining troops to Davao Oriental. He also visited Baganga on December 22 where he was cordially welcomed by residents and officials.

Troop reinforcements did not come until January 2, 1900 when companies “K”, later stationed in Davao, and “M” arrived. The latter was sent to Baganga, arriving there on January 8. Fourteen members of the same contingent were stationed at Dapnan, a village six kilometers away north of the town. That same day, most of the men belonging to Company “L,” except for an officer and 25 enlisted men, were transferred to Caraga.

When the new colonists arrived, Davao town was home to approximately 2,000 wild people who were “peaceful and submissive to local authority.” The population was divided into two classes, namely: the Christians, who were “of mixed and Spandown from 7.8% to 4.2%.”

Piñol observed: “While we do not have the latest data on this, it is safe to say that if the downtrend continues, many people in many countries around the world would suffer from food shortages in the coming years.”

Some years back, the Philippines was listed by FAO as one of the 13 low-income food-deficit countries in Asia (“those that do not have enough food to feed their populations and for the most part lack the financial resources to pay for imports”).

The other twelve countries -- most of them thickly populated -- were Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

“In many developing countries, rapid population growth makes it difficult for agricultural production to keep pace with the rising demand for food,” wrote Don Hinrichsen in a report published byPopulation Reports. “Most developing countries already are cultivating virtually all arable land and are bringing more marginal land under cultivation.”

Jacques Diouf, at the time when he was the director-general of FAO, echoed the same concern. “Population growth continues to outstrip food availability in many countries,”

FAST BACKWARD Antonio V. Figueroa ish extraction, Tagals, Visayans, etc.,” and the Muslims and native tribes who were collectively called as the salvajes, or savages.

Robinson wrote: “These [salvajes have] seventeen different groups or tribes in the immediate neighborhood, all speaking different dialects.”

The arrival of the Americans also meant the departure of the Spaniards from Davao in February, 1899. With the old colonists on their way out, local residents created self-government to instill order and instability and set up a 30-man military police, half of it armed with rifles.

The town was not entirely bare when the Americans set foot in

Fighting hunger

THINK ON THESE!

Henrylito D. Tacio

he pointed out during the 1996 World Food Summit in Rome.

This alarms experts so much that the concept of food security came into existence. FAO defines it as a “state of affairs where all people at all times have access to safe and nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.”

People are said to experience lack food security when “either they cannot grow enough food themselves, or they cannot afford to purchase enough in the domestic marketplace.” As a result, “they suffer from micronutrient and protein energy deficiencies in their diets.”

Davao. It already had a school building, church, barracks, and a handful of public and semi-public structures.

There were also “very good residences” owned mostly by the heirs of early Christian pioneers.

The town, moreover, was served monthly by a steamship service, which brought in mails, supplies, and other commodities from Manila.

Meanwhile, a Jesuit priest, who was already serving as the spiritual adviser of Catholics, was working in a new political environment that slowly shaping into ”a new society.”

Local historian Ernie I. Corcino, in A Thomasite’s pupil: Remembering Davao, wrote: “When the Americans arrived in Davao in 1898 they found a well-established church supported parochial school. It took some [time] for the American school to start classes because the church-sponsored school was patronized by [community] leaders… who were [also] religious and church leaders. They helped campaign for the attendance of indigenous tribes to those schools. The leaders did not want to appear disloyal to their commitment to their Catholic Church’s school. These leaders did not want to break with the Church leadership who had long been their co-workers in promoting Christian precepts among the various native

tribal groups. Some of the religious leaders suspected that the American would be promoting their protestant beliefs among the parochial students.

It had taken another American Catholic Chaplain to convince the local community leaders that the American educators would not so such change in the children’s beliefs.”

Another interesting remark was the account about hemp, described as “the staple produce of the region and a considerable quantity,” which was already a major crop in the area. This observation came out seven years after Juan Awad, a Maronite Chrsitian from Syria, opened his first abaca plantation in Lapanday.

From Davao, Robinson chronicled, the visiting contingent took a southward route in the direction of Cape San Agustin before turning north towards the town of Mati where a garrison was already existing, manned by a battalion of American troopers.

At the time, Mati and its peripheral areas were already home to around 1,000 Christian settlers, exclusive of a huge number of people collectively called by visitors as salvajes. Generally, the township was observed by the Americans to be “in bad condition and its buildings much in need of repair” though the place was “generally healthful.”

Every night, an average Filipino joins at least 3.7 billion other people who go to sleep hungry. Their hunger, however, is not the growing, aching kind. Rather, it is silent, insidiously stunting their bodies and brains, weakening their immune systems, and sapping their energy -- and prospects for living productive lives.

Their hidden hunger is malnutrition, which reportedly contributes to killing an estimated 40,000 people each day. “The impact of hidden hunger on people’s health is very real,” the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) said in a statement.

“It can result in more frequent and severe illness and complications during pregnancy, childbirth, infancy, and childhood.”

“We’re losing one generation after another to malnutrition and this just shouldn’t be happening anymore,” deplores Dr. Howart Bouis, a senior research fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based International Food Policy Research Institute.

Hunger is the world’s “most solvable problem,” declared the UN World Food Program. But in the Philippines, hunger persists across the country. But while the situation has improved, it has remains “serious,” according to the International Food Policy Research Institute said.

In fact, the Philippines’ Global Hun-

ger Index score of 13.2 ranks 28th worldwide.

It is very alarming, indeed. Carin van der Hor, Country Director of Plan International, observed that malnutrition among Filipino children below the age of five has changed very little over the past 10 years. “The reduction of child malnutrition has been alarmingly slow,” Hor said.

Citing the National Nutrition Surveys done in 2011, Hor said that children below five years old who are underweight remain at 20% while children who are below the average height-to-age ratio remain at 30%.

Hunger is real. Malnutrition among Filipinos is real. Something must be done before it’s too late.

“When there are no roads, people would make their own trails; when there are no classrooms, students could gather under the shade of the trees; when there is armed conflict, negotiations could stop the war,” Piñol said in his speech.

“But there is nothing that could stop hungry people from staging riots,” he reminded.

“It is a must therefore that we reminded our governments that there should be more investments in agriculture not only to ensure availability and affordability of food but also to reduce poverty in the countryside,” Piñol pointed out.

10 NEWS INFRA... FROM 1

such as health care, education, job and investment generation, poverty alleviation and even peace and order.

“We cannot waste time.

The time to build critical infrastructures, like railways, bridges, expressways, subways, and other infrastructures is now,” Nograles said, adding that a “balanced economic development will help deny the enemies of government reasons for their rebellion.”

Corollary to this, Nograles also assured that Congress would continue its efforts to push the government’s drive for tax reform in the country, parallel with the determined

anti-corruption campaign in public service.

In a recent business forum, Nograles noted the country’s economic managers as stating that “Dutertenomics” adopts a sustained economic growth strategy based on long term vision that will bring development and reduce inequality and poverty in the rural areas.

Nograles believes that the Duterte leadership is determined to implement more than P8.4 Trillion public works project over the next five years, process said projects swiftly, implement them on schedule and have all of these accomplished without corruption.

Company, 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion, said in a separate interview Sunday night that he was hit by a shrapnel in his right leg around 7:00 p.m. on July 5.

A colleague brought him to a temporary medical center, and he was later moved to a hospital in Iligan City.

He is now recuperating at the headquarters of the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division in Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro City.

Roy, who joined the military in 2011, said this was the

first time he was injured in battle. “This is part of our obligation to serve the country,” he said, adding that he is always ready for the possibility to die in battle.

“We are praying for our older brother and fellow soldiers who are still fighting in Marawi,” he said.

Their sister Rosie posted on Facebook that she is very proud of her three brothers.

“We are blessed because they were given a second life.

God is really good,” she added.

(Erwin P. Nicavera/PNA)

oubreak,” Sinolinding added.

He said he wants to confirm if the nine cases came from the same barangay in Marawi before the mass evacuation.

The Department of Health and other volunteers have been attending to the health needs of the evacuees in their respective areas. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)

called the attention of e-commerce giant Alibaba regarding its online listings advertising the sale of digitally printed fake cigarette stamps.

“The Alibaba Group acted swiftly on our request for them to take down these listings and assured us that it will continue to exercise vigilance in screen-

ing its platforms to weed out these illicit advertisements,” he said.

The finance chief also said the BIR and BOC are now closely working together and sharing intelligence information on possible tax evasion schemes perpetrated by erring companies. (DOF)

ing together the four outcome portfolios for MSMEs – business enabling environment, productivity and efficiency, access to market, and finance.

Speakers will discuss overcoming mindset barriers to MSME development, mastery and mentoring toward competitiveness and resilience, accessing domestic and regional markets, overcoming money hurdles, and machines and business models toward productive and responsible

MSMEs. Stories on “Innovation in Motion: Showcasing Tech-MSMEs and Startups and the impact of Digital Trends to Entrepreneurship” will also be featured.

Before holding the 1st NIR MSME Summit, Colmenares said the council members will attended the ASEAN SMEs Summit at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on July 14. (Erwin P. Nicavera/PNA)

venues, especially at the South Cotabato Gymnasium and Cultural Center and the South Cotabato Sports Complex.

“We will strictly enforce the ‘no ID, no entry’ policy.

Children may be exempted from the rule provided that their guardians or parents can present their IDs,” Alvero

said.

Fuentes enjoined local residents and visitors to abide by the rules set by security personnel, specifically the “No ID, No Entry” policy and the ban on the carrying of backpacks in all festival venues.

“This is for the safety of everyone,” she said. (PNA)

Injured... FROM 4

Marawi... FROM 4

Dominguez... FROM 5

500 firms... FROM 6

Security... FROM 11

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UPBEAT. Optical Media Board (OMB) chair and chief executive officer lawyer Anselmo Adriano lauds the creation of the newly-opened OMB Mindanao satellite office which will make the agency more accessible to Mindanaoans.

Adriano attended the opening of the Mindanao satellite office located inside Magsaysay Park in Davao City on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr.

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His war on drugs and his promise to “kill big time drug lords and suppress drug trade” placed second highest at 90.11 percent.

This was followed by his stand against corruption (88.14 percent), and his promise to end labor contractualization (88.10 percent).

However, Dabawenyos gave Duterte a low grade on solving the traffic problems in Metro Manila at 76.15 percent and and a failing grade on improving internet connectivity and access at 72.15 percent.

Tamayo said the traffic congestion, “if translated to academic scale, this is barely a passing score.”

On internet access, he said, “It seemed like this is one thing that the administration can focus on.”

Dabawenyos gave Duterte high ratings for his program to “open health facilities in every barangay each with resident doctor” (87.74 percent); im-

prove wages and equipment of the police and military (87.57 percent); promote family planning to prevent overpopulation (87.31 percent); and put a stop to big mining companies in Mindanao that damage the environment (86.88 percent).”

Duterte maintained a good rating for his stance against abusive mining in Mindanao (86.88 percent), anti-crime program, increased infrastructure spending, among others.

Tamayo said 83 percent of Dabawenyos believe that Duterte can withstand threats of destabilization, 2 percent believe otherwise, while 14 percent pointed out that is “too early to speculate.”

“Of the 8 in 10 Dabaweyos who believe that this administration can withstand attempts of destabilization, 7 of them believe that significant leaps will happen to this country with Duterte as President,” he said. (Antonio L. Colina IV/ MindaNews)

at the trading post.

She said they are gearing to make the event a yearly occasion like the Strawberry Festival which has attained an international stature. “If not vegetable festival, at least we want to improve the salad festival event for a more appreciation,” she said.

Jonathan Micua, SKD Academy La Trinidad Campus

Director, said they have started with the preparation as early as Tuesday to meet the deadline. “Tomorrow (Wednesday), we will be working continuously with the volunteer students and staff of the school to be able to meet our deadline.”

The event will be held at the covered area of the trading post with the salad served for free to the public. (PNA)

Concluding RCEP; FTAs Citing US’ withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Brexit, Sec. Lopez reiterated the benefits of substantially concluding the ASEAN-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement by end of 2017.

The move towards RCEP means looking at a mega-trade deal, wherein ASEAN ties up with its dialogue partners Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea and New Zealand, unlocking a

huge integrated market base of 3.2 billion people or “one half of the world’s population and one third of the world’s economy.”

“The ASEAN-Hong Kong FTA definitely will be a major FTA, too that will allow us to use Hong Kong as gateway to China.

This will be a huge benefit for ASEAN,” he said.

The ASEAN-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement and the ASEAN-Hong Kong Investment Agreement are expected to be signed in November 2017 in Manila.

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Mindanao under martial law when the Maute group backed

by Abu Sayyaf bandits went berserk and occupied several establishments when government forces raided the hideout of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon

Hapilon.

The Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-inspired Maute group provides protection to Hapilon, who pledged allegiance to the ISIS. (TPGJR/ PNA)

(TierOne) for the region.

In the case of the TierOne, the company’s original plan was to start with a roll-out program in Marawi City.

But TierOne had to re-eval-

uate the place due to the current crisis. The Marawi rollout will still be implemented but in coordination with the rehabilitation and reconstruction program of the government.

country, from urban centers to far-flung areas. Market-driven research should also be made available to everyone so that firms, whether small or large, can expand production and reach larger markets,” he said.

Pernia noted that among the pillars of the Philippine

Development Plan 2017-2022 is increasing growth potential (“patuloy na pag-unlad”) which involves greater use of science, technology, and promoting innovation. The manufacturing sector stands to benefit much from this, Pernia said. (NEDA)

In PCSD Resolution 15521, the updated list of “threatened terrestrial and marine wildlife in Palawan includes critically endangered species of 10 birds; eight reptiles; six mammals, counting in the Ca-

lamian mouse deer (usa), Irrawaddy dolphin (lampasut/ lumba-lumba), and Palawan pangolin (balintong); five freshwater fish; the coconut crab (alimangong lupa/umang); and sharks and rays.

keys (autoruns, services, plugged USB devices) • Remote file carving (recovering deleted files) • Remediation of the remote system if access is authorized by the owner • Remote scanning of other

network nodes (useful for remote incident response) The tool is freely available at the GitHub code repository: https://github.com/vitaly-kamluk/bitscout Read more on Securelist. com.

As proposed by Campos in House Bill 5337, Internet service suppliers that fail to deliver escalating connection speeds within fixed deadlines face up to P100,000 in daily fines that could last up to 500 days, or reach up to ₱50 million, for every violation.

The bill also spares the NTC and its officers from pos-

sible civil proceedings with respect to any directives they may issue to ensure the performance of time-bound improvements in Internet services.

The measure seeks to bring up to date the 22-year-old Public Telecommunications Policy Law of the Philippines, which makes no mention at all of the Internet or Internet services.

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EVENT

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PLAINS & PRINTS X VANIA ROMOFF

FOLLOWING HER SUCCESSFUL CAPSULE COLLECTION FOR THE HEART OF FASHION (benefitting ICanServe Foundation) last year, renowned couturier Vania Romoff returns to bring her touch of wistfulness and whimsy to the new exclusive capsule collection of Plains & Prints, launched in a preview event at the Chimes Flagship Store last July 6.

The highly-anticipated 12-piece collection bears the romantic signatures and stylish flair of the young designer. From casual dresses, romantic blouses and bottoms, Vania takes inspirations from spring with floral trims and intriguing ikat prints that are worked

into versatile pieces.

“Plains & Prints, like me, caters to the same kind of modern woman – proud, powerful and confident in her femininity. When designing this collection, I had imagined a vibrant, light-hearted and beautiful woman who enjoys life. And she expresses this love and optimism for life through the way she dresses,” Vania explains of her creative vision. Each of the exclusive pieces reflect Vania’s penchant for subdued drama with dainty ribbons, delicate embellishments, and flounce.

“For this collaboration, I wanted to infuse a sense of playful optimism and celebrate the Filipino woman through wonderful prints inspired by local flora and beautiful ikat prints. I took these elements and worked them into classic silhouettes like shift dresses, wrap dresses and trousers, all staples for the working woman’s wardrobe,” she adds.

Vania Romoff’s capsule collection will be available in all Plains & Prints stores nationwide starting July 15.

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Bongao holds 50k Ultramarathon

By BAI FAUZIAH FATIMA SINSUAT AMBOLODTO

ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS of the 59th founding anniversary celebration of the municipality of Bongao in Tawi-Tawi province, the local government, in partnership with the Tawi-Tawi Provincial Tourism Office and Gawad Kalinga’s Kusina ng Kalinga, organized its first Ultramarathon race last July 2, 2017.

One hundred ninety runners from across the country defied their limits in the 15K, 25K and 50K race courses. The 50K race course took the runners around Bonga’s paved coastal and mountain highways -- including an ascent to Bud Bongao, the province’s highest mountain at 422 meters above sea level.

“This race will not only give the runners an opportunity to see how peaceful and beautiful our municipality. With their pleasant experience in Bongao, they could help bring in more tourists and help stir economic activities,“ said Bongao Mayor Jimuel S. Que. Of which the young athletic mayor also took part (in the race).

“We want to hold races in areas that are rarely visited by people. When people hear about TawiTawi, there are so many misconceptions about the province that’s why we decided to hold it here to prove them wrong,” said race director Dan Requejo Bercasio of The Great Filipino Race.

Bercasio also plans to hold races in other areas in Mindananao, such as Maguindanao, Sulu and Bukidnon.

“We hope to have a bigger Ultramarathon next year. We will strengthen the promotion of the race and help make Bongao as sports and tourism destination”, said Department

of Tourism ARMM Secretary Ayesha Mangudadatu Dilangalen.

Winners of the Bongao Ultramarathon (Age Category| Female & Male) are: 29 years old and below: Catherine Millan & Jonel Bechayda; 30 to 39 years old: Mary Joanne Lim & Oliver Angeles; 40 to 49 years old: Jessibel Casamis & Roderick Salih; and 50 and up: Maktadir “Thadz” Absara.

50K race Winners: 3rd place (female) – Jovene Torribio at 4 hrs, 52 mins; 2nd place (male) – Marianito Ramirez, Jr. at 4 hs, 38 mins; 2nd place (female) – Mary Ann Beth Kong and Ma. Elena Cu-

ario at 6 hrs, 46 mins; and 1st place - Anthony Delima at 4 hrs, 36 mins.

Youngest Runner Female – Marilyn Muloc, 8 years old; Youngest Runner Male – Iacco Reyes, 9 years old; Oldest Runner – Romeo Taup, 76 years old Proceeds of the race will go to the feeding of public school children in Tawi-Tawi for at least one school year through Gawad Kalinga’s Kusina ng Kalinga program.

An ultramarathon, also known as ultradistance running, is any footrace longer than the traditional marathon length of 42.195 kilometers.

VOL. 10 ISSUE 72 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017

UP AND ABOUT

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Batibot now on App Store Educational app develops essential thinking skills among children PARENTS USING IOS-POWERED SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS can now download for free the Batibot mobile application, an interactive version of the beloved TV show that helps enhance learning among children.

Earlier launched on the Android platform, the app features fun games that teach kids basic learning concepts like matching, sorting, and

grouping. The app also lets children practice tracing letters with the proper strokes, and helps them identify shapes, colors, numbers, and

letter sounds.

The app’s “Awiting Batibot” feature enables kids to sing along to Batibot songs, while “Kuwentong Batibot” contains local stories that promote good values.

What makes the Batibot app stand out from other educational apps is that it is the only app in the Filipino language that is aligned with the

Two DCWD IP scholars finish college TWO SCHOLARS under Davao City Water District’s College Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples graduated from the University of Southeastern Philippines Mintal Campus on June 22, 2017.

They were Chona B. Desierto and Emma I. Tungkalan of the BagoboTagabawa ethnic group who both finished a bachelor’s degree in Business

Administration major in Agricultural Business Management. As scholars, they have been provided by DCWD with free tuition and miscellaneous fees and uniform, textbook, transportation, meal, and housing allowances throughout their college years.

DCWD College Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples started in 2004 and has produced 12 graduates to date. The program is intended for all members of the IP communities and Muslims who reside in the District of Toril, Tugbok, Baguio, Calinan, and Marilog.

At present, DCWD supports 15 continuing IP scholars and will be welcoming five new scholars for the school year 2017 to 2018.

This scholarship is part of DCWD’s Corporate Social Responsibility which aims to contribute in the sustainable development of its partner communities in Davao City’s watersheds. (Winston C. Ajero) Davao City Water District’s scholars earn college degree. (From L) Chona B. Desierto and Emma I. Tungkalan finished college through DCWD’s College Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples.

kindergarten curriculum of the Department of Education.

The Batibot app is the product of a collaboration among Smart Communications, Community of Learners Foundation, and developer startup OrangeFix. The app jumpstarted Smart’s efforts to work with various communities and organizations to create literacy apps in local languages.

Smart public affairs head Mon Isberto said that since the Batibot app was launched on the Android platform, a lot of parents had inquired as to when it would be downloadable on iOS devices.

“Many parents based here and abroad said their kids had grown up speaking English, and that they wanted their children to be proficient in the Filipino language too.

The Batibot app will certainly help them brush up on Filipino in a fun, interactive way,”

he said.

“When you search for educational content online, you’ll find that most of them are in English. There is a need for digital learning content that promotes the Filipino language as well as Filipino values. The Batibot app addresses that need,” Isberto added.

To bring the Batibot app to remote, underserved communities, Smart installs the app in the tablets it donates to public schools under the TechnoCart and School-in-aBag programs.

Smart TechnoCart, which is donated to public schools with electricity, is a 2x2 ft mobile laboratory containing 20 tablets for students, as well as a laptop, projector, and mobile Wi-Fi with starter load for the teacher. The School-ina-Bag, which is meant for remote public schools without electricity, is a backpack containing a solar panel, a laptop,

five tablets, a mobile phone, a pocket Wi-Fi with starter load, LED TV, and learning modules.

Smart as well as individual and corporate sponsors have so far donated TechnoCarts to 40 schools, and School-ina-Bag units to 18 schools all over the Philippines.

Teachers of the recipient schools are given training on tablet basics and on child and curriculum development.

“Combined with guidance from elders, mobile devices and the internet can be powerful tools in enhancing learning among children,” Isberto said.

“Batibot helped shape a generation of Filipinos, many of whom are now parents and teachers. They now have an opportunity to share the Batibot learning experience with their children and students through the Batibot app,” he added. PR

Catch Benjamin Alves at SM Davao’s University Fair

Model-actor Benjamin Alves, John Naranjo and Chito Samontina are set to join SM City Davao’s 5th University Fair this Thursday to Friday at the Annex Event Center.

Model-actor Benjamin will deliver his keynote speech during the opening ceremony on July 13, 10:30 AM. He will talk about achieving academic excellence and finding a balance in his career, social life and education. Alves graduated summa cum laude at the University of Guam with a degree in English Literature.

On July 14, John talks about entrepreneurship and ingenuity. John is an alumnus of Philippine Science High School Mindanao campus and the CEO and founder of Ingenuity Global Consulting Inc.. He also founded Hackademy, aiming to develop an improved

breed of software engineers.

On Saturday, July 15, social media influencer and TV personality Chito shares his thoughts on education in the digital age. Samontina has produced numerous viral digital content. He is a product of both Holy Cross of Davao College as well as Ateneo de Davao University.

At the U-Fair, mall-goers can check out what University of Santo Tomas, Mapua University, Malayan Colleges, Silliman University, and Ateneo de Zamboanga has to offer for incoming senior high school and college students.

Davao-based schools Ateneo de Davao University, University of Immaculate Conception, University of Mindanao, Davao Doctors College, and the Holy Cross of Davao College are also ready to address inquiries from interested students

and parents. Completing the line-up of schools are the Philippine Science High School, Davao City National High School, I-Chef, IMS, St. Alexius Flight School, MOST Institute and Joji Ilagan Bian Career Center.

Those who wish to study abroad may visit Catholic University of Murcia (Spain) UCAM’s booth and attend scholarship talks for Japan and other countries. The Commission on Higher Education, Department of Science and Technology, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, as well as the SM Foundation Inc. are also expected to discuss their scholarship programs.

Admission to the fair is free. For inquiries, call 2976998. Like SM City Davao on Facebook or follow them on Twitter and Instagram for event and promo updates.

PR

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Cabinet spouses send 30K relief goods off to Marawi

A

BOUT 30,000 relief goods prepared by the Duterte Cabinet Spouses Association Inc. (DCSAI) will be ferried from Cebu to Marawi City on Wednesday.

This was announced by Bhai Norhata Alonto, wife of Mindanao Development Authority Chairman Datu Abul Khayr Alonto, in a press conference here Monday afternoon.

Alonto said the DCSAI has been collecting cash donations and in kind and has never stopped its delivery of relief goods to Marawi since the start of the siege.

“Whatever and how many we have gathered, we immediately deliver it to the affected people and families in Marawi, especially those who are still in the evacuation center,” Alonto said. “You can just imagine living in an evacuation center. It is very far from being comfortable.”

She also said that the

transmission of disease, like cough and colds, is easy in a sardine-like proximity within the evacuation center, and that is why their relief packs include a hygiene kit.

Each pack of relief goods contains five kilos of rice, a blanket, groceries specifically with no pork, a mosquito net, and hygiene kit with toothbrush, toothpaste, and soap.

The DCSAI relief goods will be ferried to Marawi via Iligan City by Landing Craft 299 of the Philippine Navy.

“I believe that everything happens for a reason, with the will of God, with the will of Allah. Because through this incident, we realize that we belong to this country, we belong to this nation. Because we feel that we are loved, indeed we are not enemies. We can be one nation because we never felt as much welcome, as much love after what happened in Marawi,” Alonto said. (LBG/USJR intern Levirose Caballero/PNA)

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11th Judicial Region Branch 14 Davao City

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF THE SECOND REGISTERED LIVE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF DAPHNE MARIE PABROA TADLE WITH REGISTRY NUMBER 85-24413; AND TO CHANGE/CORRECT THE ENTRIES ON THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF DAPNE MARIE PABROA TADLE BEARING REGISTRY NUMBER 85-19126, to wit: CHANGE THE FIRST NAME IN ENTRY NO. 1 From MARY GRACE to DAPNE MARIE; CORRECT the first letter of the middle name in entry No.1 from “F” to “P”; And CORRECT THE FIRST LETTER OF THE MAIDEN LAST NAME OF HER MOTHER, (Gloria B. Pabroa) in entry No. 6 from “F” to “P”; DAPHNE MARIE PABROA TADLE Petitioner,

SP. PROC. CASE NO. R-DVO-17-01444-SP

VERSUS THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR OF DAVAO CITY Respondent xx---------------------------------------------------------------------------xx ORDER OF HEARING A VERIFIED PETITION has been filed by petitioner through counsel, praying that after due publication and hearing, the Honorable Court issue an Order directing the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) of Davao City , to wit: a) To cancel the second Certificate of Live Birth of the petitioner with Local Civil Registry No. 85-24413; to change the entry of her first name from MARY GRACE to DAPHNE MARIE; and to correct the letter “F” of the first letter of her middle name and the maiden last name of her mother to letter “p” ON HER FIRST Certificate of Live Birth with Registry No. 85-19126; b) Furnishing a copy of the Decision or Judgment to the Local Civil Registrar of Davao City where this Honorable Court issuing the Decision or Judgment is situated, who shall forthwith enter the same in the Civil Registry, pursuant to Section 6, Rule 108 of the Revised Rules of Court; c) Further, it is respectfully prayed that a copy of the Decision or Judgment be furnished to the Philippine Statistics Authority or PSA so that the proper annotation be entered on the petitioner’s Certificate of Live Birth, and for other reliefs just and equitable under the premises are likewise prayed for.

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, this Court hereby sets the same for hearing on August 23, 2017 at 8:30 in the morning. Let this Order be published at the expense of the petitioners in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Davao,once a week for THREE (3) CONSECUTIVE WEEKS. All interested persons may appear before this Court on or before the aforesaid date of hearing to show cause , if any, why the petition should not be granted.

Furnish a copy of this order together with a copy of the petition to the Office of the Solicitor General, Makati City: the City Prosecution’s Office , Davao City; the office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Davao City; and Counsel for the petitioner, as well as the petitioner.

SO ORDERED. Given this 25th day of May 2017, in the City of Davao Philippines.

(SGD) JILL ROSE S. JAUGAN- LO Presiding Judge Copy furnished: Atty. Mylene A. Anito-Guhiling, CPA/Atty. Janice A. Aspiras-Pepito/Atty.Eni Grace Fabila-PAO, Davao City.

Office of the Clerk of Court-RTC-Davao City The office of the Solicitor general -134 Amorsolo St. Legaspi Village, Makati City Pros. Faizal A. Padate- office of the City Prosecution, Davao City Office of the Local Civil registrar-Davao City Daphne Marie Pabroa Tadle-Purok 22-E, # 158 Camia St. kabacan, brgy. 76-A, Bucana, Talomo,Davao City

ANOTHER COAL PLANT. The coal-fired power plant in Barangays Libertad and Tacub in Kauswagan town, Lanao del Norte is targeted to start operations this year with a capacity of 540 megawatts. It is run by GNPower Kauswagan,

which is controlled by AC Energy, a fully-owned subsidiary of Ayala Corp., the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure Fund and Power Partners Ltd. Co. Photo taken on July 10, 2017. MindaNews photo by H. MARCOS C. MORDENO

Security measures up for 18th T’nalak fest

Highlights 51st foundation celebration P OLICE authorities in South Cotabato assured that all security measures are in place in line with

the province’s week-long 18th T’nalak Festival and 51st foundation anniversary celebration that will formally

open on Wednesday.

Sr. Supt. Franklin Alvero, South Cotabato police director, said Tuesday they have

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is in need of Lay-out Artist Qualifications: • Male / Female • Knowledgeable in Adobe Photoshop and Indesign application • Willing to work under pressure

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deployed enough security personnel in various strategic areas in the province to properly secure the lined up festivities, which are slated until July 18.

He said all police units within the province’s 10 towns and lone city remain on full alert in connection with the prevailing martial law in Mindanao.

Aside from police personnel, Alvero said the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion has assigned security teams in Koronadal City, the main venue of the festivities.

The Police Regional Office 12 has augmented the area’s security with personnel from the Regional Public Safety Battalion and they also utilized members of the barangay peacekeeping action teams or BPATs as force multipliers, he said.

Owing to this, South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes said they have increased the budget for the security aspect of the festivities to P2.1 million from the initial P1.5 million.

The governor said the additional funding was set by the festival’s executive committee, which she heads, to accommodate additional security personnel.

“It will be used for thee food, necessary equipment and honorarium of our BPAT teams,” Fuentes said.

Under the festival’s security plan, all festival spectators will be required to carry identification cards for random inspections.

Such measure will be implemented in all entry points of the designated activity

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Moving toward a blue economy Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

T

O HARNESS the vast resources offered by the seas and oceans from fisheries to mineral deposits, the Department of Science and Technology-National Academy of Science and Technology (DOST-NAST) expressed support to the so-called “blue economy” by focusing on more research and development activities.

Economist Dr. Ronald U. Mendoza, Dean of Ateneo de Manila University’s School of Government, urged science experts and the government to invest enough in the marine sector, and to use “not only science but also economics.”

In a recent scientific meeting with the theme, “Attaining Sustainable Development Goals: Philippine Fisheries and Other Aquatic Resources 20/20,” held in Cebu City, Dr. Mendoza said, “What we want out of this (blue economy) is not just the extraction (of fishes), it’s actually the sustainable management of this particular resource.”

He believed that once investments in the country’s marine sector set sail, the road towards the sustainable management of the country’s blue economy will not be far behind.

In the same meeting, Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III, a member of NAST-Agricultural Sciences Division, stressed that there are vast opportunities the country can harbor from the blue economy and that there is a need to “prioritize the use of the seas for the benefit of the people.”

Dr. Guerrero, who was former executive director of the Philippine Council for

Aquatic and Marine Research and Development, also emphasized further that blue economy can bring not just fishes but also oil, gas, minerals, and even pharmaceuticals.

“We are a maritime nation so we must behave as such,” the late Senator Letecia Ramos-Shahani once said.

The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 island and has 220 million hectares of water area, which is seven times bigger than the country’s total land area of 30 million hectares. With 36,289 kilometers of coastlines, the Philippines holds the record as the fifth longest.

Not only that. The Philippines is also referred to at the center of marine biodiversity, refers to the species richness and abundance in the oceans and seas. Studies have shown that 70% of the coral triangle is located in the country and it has more than 400 species of corals – plus over 2,228 species of reef fish.

“Although we have not attended well enough to them, our coastal and marine resources have been contributing billions to our economy annually (about P200 billion in one estimate),” wrote Dr. Cora Claudio, director of Asiapro Foundation in an article that was published in Philip-

pine Daily Inquirer.

In a report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2014, it ranked the Philippines as the 10th among the world’s top fishing nations.

“Yet our fisherfolk are some of the poorest of our poor and close to one-half of our coastal residents are below the poverty line,” Dr. Claudio deplored.

The 2014 poverty report of the Philippine Statistics Au-

thority (PSA) is a proof. With 39.2% poverty incidence, the fishermen in the country have been “living with an average earning of P178 a day, with less to nothing to eat every day.”

In a news report, which appeared in Business Mirror, Dr. Mendoza lamented that the economic footprint of the maritime economy in the country “is very small at this point.”

This is the reason why he batted for blue economy.

According to the “Prin-

ciples for a Sustainable Blue Economy,” published by the Worldwide Fund for Wildlife and Nature (WWF), there is no specific definition of the term. “For some, blue economy means the use of the sea and its resources for sustainable economic development,” the report reads. “For others, it simply refers to any economic activity in the maritime sector, whether sustainable or not.”

In the Business Mirror news report, authored

by Stephanie Tumampos, Dr. Mendoza defines blue economy as “a version of the green economy made relevant to seas and oceans.”

“The concept of a blue economy is not in competition with the green economy approach as they are interdependent,” the authors of the WWF report clarified. “Oceans are critical to sustaining Earth’s life support systems and the billions of people who are dependent on oceans for livelihoods, food security, and economic development.”

As this developed, the country’s fish production from open seas is fast dwindling and it may continue to do so in the coming years. “The total volume of fisheries production in the country from January to December 2015 reached 4,649,313 metric tons,” wrote Allalyn de Vera-Ruiz in an article published in Philippine Panorama.

But fisheries production dived by 8.7% – from five million metric tons in 2010 to 4.7 million metric tons in 2015. “In terms of value, the 2015 fisheries production was valued at P240 billion as compared with the P224.7 billion in 2011, an average yearly increment of P1.8 billion,” Vera-Ruiz wrote.

If that’s not bad news enough, most of the country’s major fishing grounds are already overfished. “Ten out of 13 (major fishing grounds) are under intense fishing pressure,” deplored Vince Cinches, Philippines oceans and political campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

“There are just too many fishers going after too few fish,” he pointed out.

Gregg Yan, new director for Communications of Oceana Philippines, agrees: “Overfishing is the main issue, with today’s fishers ranging farther and trying harder to catch more – but there are too many fishers and too few fish.”

But some experts believe overfishing is just one part of the equation. The destruction of the coastal ecosystems is also to be blamed.

“The conditions of our fishery habitats like seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and coral reefs, which are considered to be spawning and breeding grounds for fishes and other aquatic products, are in dismal conditions,” Cinches pinpointed.

Climate change has also to do with it. Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, said that oceans have absorbed about a third of global carbon dioxide emissions, causing acidification. This has also resulted in coral bleaching.

“Ocean acidification is causing irreversible damage to coral reefs. With global warming of up to 2°C, 98 percent of coral reefs will die by 2050,” Legarda said in a press statement issued during the recent World Ocean Day celebration.

The lady senator cited

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ENVIRONMENT... FROM 12 a World Bank study which showed that ocean acidification “would cause decrease in marine fish capture by about 50 percent in the southern Philippines by the year 2050.”

In addition, climate change is also causing the sea level to rise. “If global temperature rises by 2°C, sea level rise is projected to be less than 70 centimeters; with warming of up to 4°C, sea level rise is projected to be more than 100 centimeters,” Legarda claimed.

“For an archipelagic country like the Philippines, this unraveling scenario is a nightmare due to threats of inundation, decrease in fish catch,

and weak tourism in marine environments. Rising sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification are projected to cause major damages to coral reef systems,” Legarda added.

Filipinos are urged to help protect the oceans. “The ocean is the lifeblood of our planet,” declared Secretary Emmanuel F. of the Department of Agriculture. “It gives us food and mitigates climate change. Every second breath we take is generated by the ocean.”

Legarda suggested: “We must adopt responsible fishing practices and sustainable marine management and conservation systems not only to

improve fisheries yield but also to maintain ecological balance,” Legarda said. “We must all work together to bring back our oceans and the whole marine ecosystem to excellent condition so that our seas can benefit us in a sustainable manner.”

Meanwhile, with Philippine Rise (formerly Benham Rise) harboring 13 million hectares of oceanic plateau, both Dr. Guerrero and Dr. Mendoza agree that it is a challenge on how to sustainably manage the country’s marine and aquatic resources.

It can be – through blue economy!

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NEWS 13

PPA ready to operate P13M ‘Travelers Hub’

T

HE Philippine Ports Authority is set to inaugurate the newly-constructed P13 million passenger terminal building at the local port.

The terminal building, dubbed the “Travelers’ Hub”, will be inaugurated on July 17, according to PPA-Zamboanga Manager Liberto dela Rosa.

Dela Rosa said on Monday that the Travelers’ Hub is

equipped with the needed facilities such as the X-ray scanner machine, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, internet connection, public address system, air condition units, prayer room, fountain, play area, and chairs.

The Travelers Hub is equipped with X-Ray, air-conditioning units, chairs, public address system, WiFi, prayer room, water fountain, play

area, and CCTV. This new terminal will be manned by 10 PPA personnel.

He said the Travelers’ Hub will be jointly manned by PPA and Bureau of Immigration personnel since it will cater to passengers traveling from this city to Malaysia via the city of Sandakan in Sabah.

He also said that by July 15, the Bureau of Immigration will already be present in the new passenger terminal building.

“Matagal na natin plano yan na kailangan separate ang domestic and foreign passengers at kailangan din nila dumaan ng immigration. Sinusunod natin yung standard operation ng passenger terminal just like sa airport separate ang international and ang domestic passengers,” dela Rosa said.

It took time before the passenger terminal to be operational due to the funding and the arrival of amenities such as the chairs, air conditioners, and x-ray machine.

The construction of the PHP13 million worth Travelers Hub started last March 19, 2014 and finished last year.

The construction of the building was handled by Al-Raf Construction while the RR&B construction handled then site development. (PNA)

14

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 72 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017

SPORTS 15

KOH sweeps Blitz, Rapid titles

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

T

njb@edgedavao.net

HE King of Hearts swept the team rapid and blitz chess titles in the recent 2017 Blitz and Rapid Team Chess Championships Mindanao Leg over the weekend at the NCCC Mall Davao.

The King of Hearts was

bannered by Vince Angelo Medina, Nazario Ubanan and Paul John Lauron.

In the three-man rapid team competition, King of Hearts amassed 14.5 points with top Board 3 player Lauron scoring a perfect 6 points.

Medina had 4.5 while Ubanan had 4.

M. Sacar Customs Brokers finished second with 12 points while WINRAR finished third with 10.5.

M. Sacar was bannered by Mohamad Sacar (4.5), Moctar

Ali (5) and Nhaid Cosan (2.5).

WINRAR was banneredby former national player Alexander Lupian (4.5), Ruel Canaveras (1) and Rodrigo Catayas (5).

In the three-man Blitz team event, King of Hearts

beat Joden Coal Team and M. Sacar Custom Brokers for the title.

King of Hearts received P25,000 for the Rapid title and P12,000 for the Blitz title and individual medals plus a chess set from the organizing

Artillery Foundation of the Philippines Inc. (AFPI) represented by GM Jayson Gonzales and sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) represented by international arbiter James Infiesto.

HILIPPINE government is leaving no stone unturned for the success of the country’s hosting of the 19th AVC Asian Senior Women’s Championship set from Aug. 9 to 17 in Binan City and Muntinlupa City.

Malacanang, through its lawyer Concepcion Ferrolino-Edad, recently tasked all government agencies, including government owned and controlled corporations, to provide support to the country’s hosting of the prestigious tournament, which stakes ranking points in the FIVB. With the pronouncement, all government agencies will be mobilized, especially vital offices like the Philippine Sports Commission, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs, Philippine National Police, Metro Manila Develop-

ment Authority and Department of Tourism, to ensure that the country’s hosting of the event will be trouble-free.

This is the second time that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte showed its support to Philippine volleyball.

Last year, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea declared the month of October as “Volleyball Month” that paved the way for the successful hosting of the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship.

Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. (LVPI) acting president Peter Cayco lauded this pronouncement by Malacanang, saying government support is a major boost to the country’s hosting of the biggest, most prestigious volleyball tournament in Asia.

“We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the national government for showing us that they’re behind us in growing the sport by giving us this kind of support.”

“Rest assured that we will do our best to come up with a very good hosting and make the country proud both inside and outside the playing court.

We will roll out the red carpet for all delegates and make sure to give them a wonderful experience,” he added.

Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) executive council member Ramon “Tats” Suzara echoed Cayco’s statement, adding that the job of the organizers became a lot easier knowing that the government is behind them.

Suzara is also the president of Philippine Superliga (PSL) wherein 13 of the

14 members of the national women’s volleyball team are currently seeing action.

Bannered by Olympic Most Valuable Player Zhu Ting, China leads the strong cast of competitors together with heavyweights Japan, South Korea and Thailand.

The Philippines scored a very favorable draw as it landed in Pool A together with Kazakhstan and Hong Kong.

Pool B has China, Japan and Australia while Pool C has South Korea, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The Thais lead Pool D together with Chinese Taipei, Iran and Maldives.

The Nationals will fly to Japan on July 17 for a 17-day training camp before competing in the Asian Seniors and the 29th Southeast Asian Games.

niyo kung hindi pati bansa niyo. (You are representing not only your respective schools but your country as well.)

You will give your best and let God take care of the rest,” said Umali during the orientation program and pep rally for the Singapore-bound athletes held last July 8 at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City.

On the same occasion, Umali instructed the athletes, who are mostly medalists in the 2017 Palaranong Pambansa, to place their right hand on their chest while saying, “Ako ay isang atletang Pilipino. Mahal ko ang bayan ko. Ibibigay ko ang lahat ko para magbigay ng karangalan sa bayan ko.

Mangyayari ito! (I am a Filipino athlete. I love my country. I will give my all to bring honor

to my country. We will make this happen!)”

Meanwhile, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, who also heads the Palarong Pambansa Board, has given her full support to the biggest delegation the DepEd is sending abroad.

“This is a very honorable activity. You give glory to the country, to yourself and it is a very good profession itself. I hope we can attract more students to specialize in sports through the K to 12 Program,” Briones said in a news release issued Tuesday.

Aside from Umali, other officials present during the pep rally were DepEd Director Rizalino Jose Rosales (head of delegation); DepEd School Sports Chief Cesar Abalon (deputy head of delegation);

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Charles Raymond Maxey; and Negros Island Region Assistant Director Salustiano Jimenez.

Umali and Maxey will join the delegation to attend a meeting with the ASEAN Schools Sports Council (ASSC), which is organizing the 9th edition of the tournament carrying the theme “Together As One”.

Umali said the Philippines will be aiming to improve on its fourth-place finish in 2014, the year Manila played host to the tournament for high school students 18 years old and below.

Three years ago, the Philippines won 11 golds, 14 silvers and 22 bronzes to finish fourth behind Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

said match.

After the fight review, one of the judges had it 115-113 Horn, while two others gave identical 114-113 scores favoring Horn.

A fourth judge had it 114113 Pacquiao, while the last judge scored a 114-114 draw.

The lone judge that gave Pacquiao the win and the two others that scored 114-113 Horn wins gave Pacquiao a 10-8 score in Round 9.

After a tabulation that will determine which fighter won each round based on

60, 80, and 100 percent average scales, that is, at least three judges should agree for a certain pug to take a certain round, Horn won seven rounds, while Pacquiao got five.

Afterwards, the independent judges’ scores were combined with those of Waleska Roldan, Chris Flores, and Ramon Cerdan, the actual judges of the bout.

The new tabulation saw Horn winning six rounds, Pacquiao getting four, and two rounds, Rounds 10 and 11,

being swing rounds.

The review was conducted upon request of Games and Amusement Board, which was looking for transparency especially with Roldan giving what was thought as a dubious 117-111 win for Horn.

The said fight review process was also used in another controversial Pacquiao fight, his first meeting with Tim Bradley, and was also used in the review of the fight between Chris Algieri and Ruslan Provodnikov. (Ivan S. Saldajeno/PNA)

Duterte cagers level PH to ensure successful hosting of AVC series with BPI P T EAM Duterte defeated BPI, 95-85, in Game 2 of their basketball friendly series on Friday at the Genesis 88 Gym. Taking another break from his hectic schedule as the President’s trusted aide, Sec. Christopher “Bong” Go threw his energy to the court, burning the hoops with 13 conversios from beyond the arc in another stellar display of marksmanship as Team Duterte equalized the series, 1-1.

Go, the special assistant to President Rody Duterte, finished the game with 45 points to lead the way for Team Duterte which completed a revenge of its Game 1 loss.

Ronel Bantilan chipped in 17 baskets for Team Duterte.

BPI battled hard all game long, playing the same way that enabled the bankers to take the series opener.

The bankers replicated its Game 1 performance with its run and gun type of play but fell short to muster similar result.

Valdez and Rivera paced BPI with 26 and 20 points respectively as Apurada had 13.

Go made sure Team Duterte stays away from a 0-2 hole as the sweet-shooting guard came out with a remarkable offensive performance.

He carried his team when needed it most with raining treys and timely shots down the stretch.

Team Duterte set its sight in Game 3 with the momentum now on its side.

BIG NIGHT. Sec. Bong Go fired a game-high 45 points.

PH athletes urged to give best in ASEAN meet

D

EPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali has urged the 159 athletes joining this year’s ASEAN School Games to do their best and make the Philippines proud.

The athletes, who will be a ccompa nied by 65 officials, make up the delegation that will leave on Wednesday for Singapore, which is hosting the tournament on July 13-21.

“Just promise your country, tayo ang dinadala ninyo (you are representing us).

Hindi lamang ang paaralan

T

WBO Review: Horn won fight vs Pacquiao

HE World Boxing Organization (WBO) said Jeff Horn indeed beat Manny Pacquiao.

In a statement early Tuesday (Philippine Time), the boxing body declared that Horn rightfully won his now controversial match against Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight championship on July 2 in Brisbane, Australia following a review of the fight.

In the said recount, five anonymous judges were summoned to conduct their own independent judging of the

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 10 ISSUE 72 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017 DABAWENYO CHAMP. Davao-based world champion Jerwin Ancajas answers questions from media at the Councilors’ Lounge at the Sangguniang Panlungsod on Tuesday. At his left is GAB commissioner Edwin Trinidad. AJ Bravo

GRATEFUL JERWIN Ancajas relishes roots from Almendras Gym to world fights

By ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO

F

ROM honing his skills at the sweatshop of Almendras Boxing Gym to fighting for world titles in foreign boxing rings, Jerwin Ancajas never failed to amaze people how powerful his punches are.

Images of Ancajas putting down Japanese challenger Teiru Kinoshita on bended knees in retaining his IBF Super Flyweight title last July 2 at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane will linger in the minds of boxing afficionads.

In a way, the Dabawenyo kid’s triumph softened the impact of Manny Pacquiao’s loss to Jeff Horn in the main event of the “Battl of Brisbane.”

Ancajas, who’s better known as Pretty Boy, is finally home and ready to meet his fans. He hails fromm Panabo City but started residing in Davao since he was 9 years old.

From that time, he started spending most of his time in the Almendras Gym where he first held boxing gloves.

Who would have thought a Dabawenyo at the age of 25 is now considered a “superstar” in the boxing world.

It all started when he won the world title against McJoe Arroyo last September followed by his fight with Rodriguez which were both not aired in his hometown.

Pretty Boy is the first world champion under MP Promotions which made this life-changing event a dream come true for him now that he fought along-

side with his “boss” and “idol” Manny Pacquiao.

Not everyone gets an opportunity like this, but Ancajas with the support of his parents managed to make this happen.

He was said to be a very humble boxer and a very coachable fighter who is serious in training. He now totes an impressive 27-1-1 win-draw-loss record punctuated with 182 knockouts.

Ancajas continues to develop his footwork and boost up his power punches. He would even start training again after a twoweek week rest to maintain his condition.

It was never easy for Ancajas as he went through a lot of struggles before his fight. But it was all made possible with the support of his coach Joven Jimenez and MP Promotions who were there helping him out.

His team will now be preparing for his possible upcoming fights after meeting up with Manny Pacquiao and Bob Arum.

With Ancajas’ strength, there’s more to see in the upcoming fights as he surely brought back the glory and excitement in Pinoy Boxing.

Ancajas retained his junior bantamweight world title for the second time as he impressively knocked out mandatory challenger Kinoshita with a right hook to the body in the seventh round.

Fighting in the co-feature of Manny Pacquiao’s welterweight world title defense against Jeff Horn, Ancajas made his mentor proud.