Edge10 issue81 july 25, 2017

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

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Serving a seamless society

GLUED TO SONA. With her young son tucked, a mother watches the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Duterte through a free viewing telecast by the city government of Davao at Rizal Park in Davao City on Monday.

Lean Daval Jr

REBOUNDING Davao’s hotel industry picking up after initial losses

By JIMMY K. LAKING

D

avao City’s hotel industry, which took a beating in the initial 30 days of Martial Law, is on the rebound by registering 100% occupancy during the duration of the 4th Investments conference on July 21-22.

“It triggered a continuing trend since then,” said Jen Namis,

assistant manager of PRIME, a leading commercial real estate consultancy �irm in the Philippines.

PRIME founder Jet Yu said the hotel sector took the brunt of Proclamation 216 (mandating the implementation of Martial Law) when hotels reported a drop in

bookings and reservations.

A breakdown showed seven big hotels in Davao City recorded loses worth P20.9Million in events and functions cancelled in the �irst 30 days of Martial Law. “But the situation has brightened up since then,” he said, adding that it was an understatement

to say it is business as usual.

He said the approximate description is that business has been actually thriving under Martial Law. “Martial Law was a test of character and Davao City proved resilient,” said Namis.

REBOUNDING, 10

EDGEDAVAO Sports

HOPE IN SPORTS

So urges athletes to aim high in life SPORTS P16

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

THE MEDIUM AS THE MESSAGE. Progressive groups stage a protest rally with mock coffins written with names of alleged victims of militarization at the Freedom Park in Davao City a few hours before President Duterte delivers his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday. Lean Daval Jr.

Congress lauded for Duterte vows non-stop martial law delay T war vs drugs in SONA P he decision of the House of Representatives and the Senate to extend by �ive months the implementation of Martial Law in Mindanao will give the Philippine National Police additional powers to enforce law and order in Marawi City.

“I am very thankful to Congress for extending Martial Law (in Mindanao) that will give us additional powers to enforce the law in the troubled land of Marawi City and the whole of Mindanao. It will be easier for us to maintain law, peace and order where Martial Law is prevailing,” PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela

Rosa said Monday.

The 17th Congress, voting jointly,261,as against 18, af�irmed the need to extend Presidential Proclamation Number 216 extending Martial Law and the suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus until Dec. 31 as initiated by President Rodrigo Duterte.

It was declared in effect in Mindanao after the Maute Group terrorists conducted a series of attacks in Marawi City following the botched attempt to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader and ISIS “emir” in Southeast Asia, Isnilon Hapilon, last May 23.(Priam F. Nepomuceno/PNA)

It’s 54-3 for Mindanao solons on ML extension

H

ow did Mindanao’s 64 representatives in the House of Representatives and three in the Senate vote on the extension of martial law and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus until December 31, 2017?

Mindanao has 59 district representatives, two of whom passed away last year -- Sulu’s Tupay Loong and Basilan’s Jum Akbar -- and have not been replaced. At least seven party-list mem-

bers are from Mindanao.

In Saturday’s Joint Session of Congress to deliberate on President Rodrigo Duterte’s request for extension, 261 voted yes while 18 voted no, three of them Mindanawon party-list representatives Carlos Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna, Ariel Casilao of Anakpawis and Tom VIllarin of Akbayan.

The Senate voted 16-4 while the House of Representatives voted 245-14.

 IT’S, 10

resident Rodrigo Roa Duterte in his second State of the Nation Address on Monday reiterated that the ongoing campaign against illegal drugs will continue despite mounting criticism.

“That is why, I have resolved that no matter how long it takes, the �ight against illegal drugs will continue because that is the root cause of so much evil and so much suffering [applause] that weakens the social fabric and deters foreign investments from pouring in. The �ight will be unremitting as it will be unrelenting,” Duterte noted.

“Despite international and local pressures, the �ight will not stop until those who deal in it understand that they have to cease, they have to stop because the alternatives are either jail or hell. And I will make sure, very sure that they will not have the luxury of enjoying the bene�its of their greed and madness,” the President said.

Duterte also told the critics against this �ight: “Your efforts will be better spent if you use the in�luence, moral authority and ascendancy of your organizations over your respective sectors to educate the people on the evils of illegal drugs instead of condemning the au-

thorities and unjustly blaming for every killing that bloodies this country.”

Dutere said that he does not intend to loosen the leash in the campaign or lose the �ight against illegal drugs.

“Neither do I intend to preside over the destruction of the Filipino youth by being timid and tentative in my decisions and actions,” he said.

Duterte reiterated that he also values human life despite the deaths that have been linked to illegal drugs.

“But don’t get me wrong.

I value human life the way I value mine. Each life that is snuffed out translates into future generations lost. It is like cracking the acorn from which an oak tree grows -- which, in turn, produce the seeds to complete the cycle of [life in] perpetuity,” the Chief Executive explained.

“There is a jungle out there.

There are beasts and vultures preying on the helpless, the innocent [and] the unsuspecting. I will not allow the ruin of the youth, the disintegration of families and the retrogression of communities, forced by criminals whose greed for money is as insatiable as it is devoid of moral purpose. Neither will I be immobilized into inaction by the fear that I will

commit an act that will expose me to public condemnation or legal prosecution. You harm the children in whose hands the future of this Republic is entrusted, and I will hound you to the very gates of hell,” Duterte added.

The Chief Executive urged Filipinos to join the �ight to curb illegal drugs and criminality.

“That is why I ask you to join me in this �ight against illegal drugs and all forms of criminality. The government, equipped with legal authority, and you, with the moral ascendancy over the sector you represent, can do so much, and hopefully, eradicate this social scourge that plagues us no end.

Last June 30, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) bared that 3,677 out of 42,036 barangays in the country have been declared free from illegal drugs after a year under the Duterte administration’s continuing anti-illegal drugs campaign.

“These barangays have reached drug-cleared status after issuance of a certi�ication by members of the Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug-Clearing Program,” said PDEA Director General Isidro S. Lapeña in a statement.

The Oversight Committee, which is chaired by PDEA, is

composed of provincial representatives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Health (DOH) and local government units.

“Before declaring that a barangay is free from illegal drug activities, the committee must convene and validate the non-availability of drug supply in the area and the absence of drug transit activity, clandestine drug laboratory and chemical warehouse, marijuana cultivation site, drug den, drug pusher, and user,” Lapeña added.

The declaration is pursuant to the parameters set forth by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) as provided in Section 8, DDB Board Regulation No. 3 Series of 2017, otherwise known as “Strengthening the Implementation of the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program”.

Lapeña said that 20,104 or 47.83 percent of the total barangays in the country are drug-affected.

“Out of these barangays, 68.5 percent or 13,782 are classi�ied as slightly affected, 30.4 percent or 6,114 barangays are moderately affected, while the remaining 1 percent or 208 barangays are seriously affected,”

 DUTERTE, 10

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

NEWS 3

NCAA open for entries on culture and arts tilt

By ANGIE SAVERON

T

he National Commission for Culture and Arts has announced that is open for submission of project proposals on culture and arts that will be implemented for 2018.

Rico Pableo, Jr., NCAA executive director, told the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday that the program is part of the Philippine Development Plan 20172022 that gives importance to Philippine culture and arts as mandated by the President.

“Culture and arts is now considered as an integral part in the plans and program in achieving the dreams of the Filipinos,” Pableo Jr. said.

The program aimed to encourage the artistic creation and empowering artist and cultural workers, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts is now open for submissions of project proposals for art and culture to be implemented in 2018.

It is a competition and there is a limited number of slots per category The projects are categorized into Sub commission on the Arts, sub commission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts, Sub commission on Cultural Dissemination (SCD) and Sub commision on Cultural Heritage . This competition has the budget of 35 million for the entire Mindanao. The project information as well as the guidelines and requirements can be viewed and

downloaded at the NCCA website. The deadline of submissions of letters of intent and proposals is August 31, 2017. The proposals may be submitted via email arts@ncca.gov. ph, heritage@ncca.gov.ph, dissemination@ncca.gov. ph and traditionalarts@ ncca.gov.ph The programs of NCCA are geared towards Malasakit , Mapagbago, Malikhain, at Marangal which is this year’s theme. All the plans of the NCCA is aligned to the Philippine development Plan the “Ambisyon Natin”. “NCCA provides �inancial supports and technical assistance to all endeavors which promotes and protects the Philippine culture and arts.” said Renee Talavera head of Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts Section.

One of the main projects of the NCCA is to create a council for the culture and the arts which will enable the NCCA to ef�iciently and effectively provide the right programs and the best grants for the Local Government Unit. Pableo mentioned that for the past months he has spent time to talk to the Regional Development Council to make this happen. Recently he also discussed possible project assistance with Davao City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) for one of its rehabilitation programs is art; they wanted to give support in terms of art

 NCAA, 10

ACE UP THEIR SLEEVES. Boy scouts from Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr. Elementary School perform fancy drill routine during a competition in time for the 52nd foundation day celebration of the Davao City Boy Scout Council at Rizal Park in Davao City on Monday. Lean Daval Jr.

Unconventional way of developing Mindanao Nene Pimentel says of martial law

M

artial law Duterte style is an “unconventional way of developing the whole of Mindanao,” former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., said.

In a statement sent to MindaNews Saturday night, the elder Pimentel, father of the incumbent Senate President and a victim of human rights violation under Marcos’ martial law said it might be premature to say at this stage that President

Rodrigo Duterte, whom he described as a “uniquely thinking leader,” and the legislators are wrong.

Congress in joint session on Saturday voted 26118 to grant the request of Duterte to extend martial law and the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus until 31 December 2017.

“Looks like the people through their elected representatives have just expressed their desire to uphold an unconventional way

WIDE-OPEN TILT. National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) executive director Rico Pableo Jr (right), together with Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts section head Renee Talavera, is calling on proponents to submit proposals for arts and cultural projects to be implemented in 2018 during Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao on Monday. Lean Daval Jr.

of developing the whole of Mindanao via the ML (martial law) process initiated by a uniquely thinking leader of the nation,” Pimentel said.

“To speculate that abuses might taint the good intentions of the administration seem distant considering that unlike the Marcos martial law, the imposition of martial law in this period of our history is circumscribed by a number of safeguards,” he said, citing at least six: by Congress itself, as de�ined in the Constitution; by the military and the law enforcers themselves, exercising restraint as Defense Secretary Del�in Lorenzana and Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Eduardo Ano public vowed before the people.

Lorenzana is the martial law adminsitrator while Ano is hte martial law implementor.

A third safeguard is by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, “who, speaking for the President, vowed strict government supervision on the implementation of martial law to ensure that the rights and liberties of the people remain secure.”

The other safeguards are by the Supreme Court’s coming in through appropriate cases �ile before it; by the media “that remains free and unfettered;” and by the “people’s vigilance in

the assertion and protection of their rights and liberties.”

Pimentel acknowledged that “man-made remedies against the ills of society are always susceptible to error and abuse” but expressed belief that “adequate remedies are available to us when the times call for their application.”

Until then, Pimentel concluded, “good faith and good will may be assumed to have been President Duterte’s motivating factors for the imposition of martial law in Mindanao and its extension as mandated by Congress.”

“God bless our country and people,” he said.

Transforming Mindanao into “Land of Ful�illment” While Pimentel spoke of “developing the whole of Mindanao,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernie Abella talked of transforming Mindanao into a land of ful�illment” as he welcomed the congressional vote.

“The nation has chosen to stand united in defending the Republic,” Abella said, adding the extension of martial law is “essential to the overall peace and stability.”

He said the rebellion in Marawi continues to persist and “we want to stop the spread of the evil ideology of terrorism and free the people of Mindanao from the

 UNCONVENTIONAL, 10

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

PH budget deficit stays at P154B in first quarter

T REALISTIC GOAL. Prime Philippines managing director Jet Yu (right) and Business Development assistant manager Jen Namis say the company is planning to bring in P2 billion worth of investment in Davao City during Kapehan sa Dabaw at the annex of SM City Davao on Monday. Lean Daval Jr.

Landbank begins HARVEST program for ARMM region P1.76B agribiz investments to raise farmers income

F

inance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III announced that the Land Bank of the Philippines has begun implementing a Japan-funded $40 million (P1.76 billion) project that aims to jumpstart agribusiness investments and raise farmers’ incomes in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and other con�lict-affected areas in the southern Philippines.

The loan agreement for this program—the Harnessing Agribusiness Through Robust and Vibrant Entrepreneurship Support of Peaceful Transformation (HARVEST)—was signed between the LandBank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) last January 12, 2017, and based on documents from JICA, became effective on

June 9, 2017.

“The HARVEST program which we signed with (JICA) a few months ago is now ongoing,” Dominguez said at a recent brie�ing in Malacanang. “The terms (of the loan agreement) are very, very liberal. The interest rates are extremely low so you can almost say they are ‘semi-grants’.”

The HARVEST program is included in the list of projects with an indicative total cost P315 billion that the Philippines has proposed for �inancing by Japan during the second meeting of the Philippine-Japan high level joint committee on infrastructure development and economic cooperation held recently in Manila.

The loan deal for the HARVEST program was among the agreements

signed between Manila and Tokyo during Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s twoday visit to the Philippines last January.

On top of the proposed loan, JICA intends to provide a technical grant of about $6 million (about P290 million) to support projects of eligible bene�iciaries of HARVEST and other initiatives that will help improve farming techniques and raise farmers’ incomes in the ARMM. The loan offers a very low interest rate of 1.4 percent per annum with a repayment period of 18 years and a seven-year grace period, for a total maturity period of 25 years.

HARVEST, which will be implemented by the Landbank from 2017 to

2022, aims to open a lending window for agribusiness ventures and other related investments in ARMM and other con�lict-affected areas in Mindanao.

According to the DOF, loans funded under the HARVEST project will be made available to large agribusiness enterprises, farmers’ organizations or cooperatives, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as well as “corporatives” or corporation-managed farms supported by the Landbank in ARMM and other con�lict-affected areas.

Projects that are sourcing products or goods from the ARMM and other covered areas as part of a value chain are also quali�ied to borrow under the HARVEST program. (DOF)

conomists at the University of Asia & the Paci�ic (UA&P) and the First Metro Investments Corporation are expecting the Duterte administration to speed up infrastructure projects crucial for creating further economic growth and jobs in the country.

As President Rodrigo Duterte embarked on his second year in of�ice, UA&P economist Victor Abola said they are banking on heavy infrastructure spending under his administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program.

“Let’s establish, push the infrastructure really because that’s going to be the driver from the

government side,” he said in an interview. “You have to see that infrastructure means lower costs for us for doing business, moving the goods, moving people, which are essential for an ef�icient economy.”

The economist thus underscored the need to implement the right-of-way (ROW) law, as he identi�ied ROW as the major obstacle to infrastructure development.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was in talks with the Supreme Court over the creation of a court that will resolve cases involving ROW issues possibly this year.

For his part, First Metro In-

vestment Corporation (FMIC) chairman Francisco Sebastian said infrastructure creates capacity, particularly in tourism and agriculture sectors.

Sebastian pointed out that previous two pillars of the economy –the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and business process outsourcing (BPO)-- affect only consumption and do not involve manufacturing and investments.

“We should have engine of growth other than that,” he said.

“We like we hear about infrastructure, it sounds very promising. We are pleased that Dutertenomics is now part of the world econom-

ic lexicon. What does it mean? It means pushing economic growth through aggressive infrastructure spending.”

The administration aimed to spend PHP8.4 trillion for infrastructure over the next six years under its “Build, Build, Build” program.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has approved for adoption 75 high-impact infrastructure �lagship projects, 53 of which amounted to PHP1.58 trillion.

FMIC is an investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, one of the country’s largest �inancial conglomerates. (Leslie D. Venzon/PNA)

Gov’t urged to push infra works a priority E

he Philippine government posted a P154.5 billion budget gap in the �irst half of 2017, higher than the P143.8 billion target for the period.

Data released by the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) Monday showed a 28 percent rise in the budget de�icit from year-ago’s P120.3 billion.

This, after expenditures rose by nine percent to P1.33 trillion, hitting the target, from year-ago’s P1.22 trillion.

Revenues during the same period posted a lower growth of seven percent to PHP1.176 trillion against the PHP1.101 trillion in end-June 2016.

Compared to the program, collections in the �irst half of the year is one percent short of the PHP1.192 trillion goal.

Of the total revenues, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) collected PHP848 billion, eight percent higher than yearago’s PHP783.4 billion but four percent short of the agency’s PHP881.7 billion target.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) collected PHP210.3 billion, three percent down from its PHP217.7 billion target but 10 percent higher than yearago’s PHP190.6 billion.

Tax collection from Other Of�ices reached PHP10.8 billion as of end-June this year, up 20 percent from year-ago’s PHP9 billion revenues and 28 percent higher than the PHP8.4 billion goal.

Non-tax revenues for the period reached PHP107.3 billion, down nine percent from year-ago’s PHP118 billion but 26 percent higher than the P85.2 billion target for the period.

”This is more as a result of the PHP16.6 billion undercollection in tax revenues,” Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno said in a message to reporters.

The Budget chief, however, pointed out that “the higher-than-program de�icit should not be concern.” ”Annual de�icit target is PHP482.1 billion. Expenditure is on the dot,” he said.

Last June alone, revenues fell seven percent short of the PHP194.2 billion target after it only reached PHP179.8 billion.

However, collections last June rose by two percent against year-ago’s PHP175.6 billion.

Expenditures surged by 23 percent to PHP270.7 billion from year-ago’s PHP220.8 billion. It was also 28 percent higher than the PHP210.9 billion target for the month.

“Underspending, the plague of the previous administration appears to be a thing of the past,” Diokno added.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III expects better contribution from the BIR, which is tasked to collect around 70 percent of taxes, and the BOC in the next quarter. ”BIR and BOC will certainly make up the de�icit in H1 tax collection by Q3,” he said.

The Finance chief also noted that the government is “expecting PHP30 billion from Mighty, which will wipe out the PHP16.6 billion under collection.”

He earlier disclosed the offer of cigarette manufacturer Mighty Corporation to settle its tax liabilities amounting to PHP25 billion.(PNA)

S Korea to raise taxes on high-income earners

T

he new South Korean government under President Moon Jae-in will push to raise taxes on super high-income earners and large conglomerates amid overwhelming public support.

The government and the ruling Democratic Party held a meeting Monday, agreeing to change its economic growth strategy from the high and exporters-driven growth to the stable and income-based growth.

The National Assembly passed about 10 billion U.S. dollars of supplementary budget plan Saturday to help create decent jobs and achieve the goal of income-based growth.

As part of efforts to �inance the expanded welfare and social security nets, the ruling party planned to push for the higher income tax on those who earn 500 million won (about USD450,000) per

year and the higher corporate tax on companies making at least 200 billion won (about USD180 million) of operating pro�it a year.

According to a Realmeter poll released Monday, 85.6 percent of respondents supported the increased taxes.

Only 10 percent opposed the tax hikes.

It was based on a survey of 507 adults conducted last Friday. It had 4.4 percentage points in margin of error with a 95 percent con�idence level.

Three major opposition parties, including the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, the minor conservative Righteous Party and the centrist People’s Party, objected to the increased income and corporate taxes.

The parties claimed that higher corporate taxes on large conglomerates may weaken corporate investment and job creation.(PNA)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

ECONOMY 5

Cebuana Lhuillier emerges as PH’s largest lending network

C

ebuana Lhuillier is now the largest lending network in the country with the nationwide launch of its loans offerings, which are now available in all of its more than 2,000 branches across the Philippines.

True to its goal of answering to the changing �inancial needs of many Filipinos, the company introduced collateralized and non-collateralized loan products obtainable with few requirements and an easy application process.

“For decades, Cebuana Lhuillier has been continuously innovating, upgrading, and adding new products and services to provide better options in response to the various micro�inancial needs of Filipinos.

With the nationwide launch of our microloans products with simpli�ied terms, minimal requirements and basic quali�ications, we hope that we will help more Filipinos and further promote �inancial inclusion in the country,” Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier said.

Ideal for both personal use and for business purposes, Cebuana Lhuillier’s loan products include: Pawn, Happy Loans, Gadget Loans, Easy Loans, and Lucky Loans, all of which are available in all Cebuana Lhuillier branches nationwide.

Cebuana Lhuillier clients facing emergency and unavoidable personal expenses like tu-

ition and hospitalizations can avail of Happy Loans which offers loanable amounts from P5,000 to P15,000, with a term of three months. Meanwhile, Gadget Loans is perfect for clients who prefer investing in technology by buying premium gadgets, including smart phones, tablets and laptops.

These high-end gadgets can be used as collateral to a loanable amount dependent on gadget type and with a term of one month.

In support of the government’s efforts to promote and encourage the growth in the SME industry, Cebuana Lhuillier has also introduced two micro loan programs speci�ically intended to provide �inancial assistance to budding and existing micro entrepreneurs. Easy Loans offers loanable amounts from P1,000 to P49,000, with loan terms up to 12 months, while Lucky Loans covers loans from P50,000 to P2,000,000, with loan terms of 6 to 24 months.

As an introductory promo, Cebuana Lhuillier clients stand a chance of winning cash prizes, a business package or gadgets for every approved Happy Loan or Gadget Loan application, which is equivalent to one e-raf�le entry. The promo is offered in all Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshop, Cebuana Lhuillier Pera Padala, and Cebuana Lhuillier Express branches nationwide and is offered up to August 23, 2017.

he Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to transfer its main of�ice to Clark as part of efforts to further decongest traf�ic in Metro Manila and boost economic growth in the countryside.

“The decision to transfer is in line with the unwavering efforts of the government to decongest Metro Manila, reduce travel time, improve travel of motorists and help boost development in its peripheries,” the department said in a statement Monday.

The transfer will be conducted gradually by batches to ensure system and ef�icient transition. The initial batch consisting of the of�ices of the Secretary, Undersecretaries, and Communications will relocate to Clark on July 28, 2017.

The DOTr expects to complete the transfer by the end of this year.

The DOTr said the relocation is expected to generate savings due to less rental and overhead costs in Clark as well as gaining potential income from opening its units in Columbia Towers at Ortigas for lease.

The transportation department stands to earn about PHP 9.3 million per year from the transfer.

The DOTr also stated that it had conducted dialogues with its employees “to thresh out issues, differences and fears about the transfer”.

It will provide free shuttle service for employees going to and from Clark, implement �lexible time and four day work week schedule to address their concerns. Subsidized accommodations for its personnel are also being discussed by the department.

Furthermore, DOTr employees were given the option to transfer or be assigned to any of its attached agencies.

Likewise, employees from its attached agencies who wish to be based in Clark were also given the option to transfer or be detailed to the DOTr. According to a study of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), traf�ic congestion in Metro Manila is costing the country at least PHP 2.4 billion daily, which if left without intervention, could likely reach to PHP 6 billion a day by 2030. (Aerol B. Patena/PNA

HOPING FOR A SELL-OUT. A hawker takes advantage of a large gathering of people to sell native fans at Freedom Park in Davao City on Monday. Lean Daval Jr.

DOLE’s livelihood program brings hope to poor workers

L

ola Rebecca Dela Cruz Ramos, 87, believes that hope springs eternal and nothing is impossible as long as she keeps her faith in the Lord.

Still her family’s main bread winner at her age, Lola Rebecca would carry her wornout stroller every day to various establishments and schools in Koronadal City to sell different kinds of “kakanin” or rice cake and other delicacies.

She has been doing such routine in the last 20 years and her always “cheerful aura” made her gain a number of “suki” or patrons who always delight seeing and buying from

through its manager Judith Marmonejo, decided to do something with her need.

Marmonejo enlisted her into the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) livelihood program and she �inally received last week her own “negosyo sa kariton” or nego-kart and PHP3,000 worth of groceries to help her expand her small business.

“We were very much concerned about the health and safety of Lola Rebecca, hence, we decided to give her a nego-kart,” Marmonejo said.

With her nego-kart, she said Lola Rebecca can now sell

her food products in front of the Notre Dame of Marbel University complex in Koronadal City.

Lola Rebecca’s nego-kart was among the PHP34 million worth of livelihood assistance released by DOLE-12 this year under the agency’s �lagship Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (Dileep).

The nego-kart project aims to assist ambulant vendors make their existing livelihood ventures grow into more pro�itable and sustainable businesses, and make their income level at par with those of the minimum wage earners.(PNA)

Lucero, National Coordi- as other plastic pollution nator, EcoWaste Coalition. prevention measures such as the ban onmicroplastics The group recalled that in personal care and cosPresident Duterte in July metic products,” she added.

2016 remarked “the Philippines is so dirty, the While recognizing the efmayors are not doing forts of the government, anything. There is trash particularly the Departand garbage around.” ment of Environment and Natural Resources “It’s time for the President and the Department of to give strong marching Health in promoting the orders to the National sound management of Solid Waste Management chemicals, the EcoWaste Commission and the local Coalition urged President government units (LGUs) Duterte to declare his to enforce R.A. 9003 to the support for the expedited fullest sans the polluting promulgation of progrespractices of open dumping, sive chemicals policies. open burning and waste incineration and with- In particular, the EcoWout corruption,” she said. aste Coalition urged the President to declare his “We are also hoping that intent to ratify the Mithe President will weigh namata Convention on in on the growing plas- Mercury before the �irst tic waste crisis and ask Conference of Parties in Congress to speed up the late September this year enactment of a national in Geneva, Switzerland. legislation banning single-use plastic bags, as well “While the Philippines

is already carrying out mercury pollution prevention and control programs and measures, our country has yet to ratify the treaty that the previous administration signed in 2013,” Lucero said.

her.

Despite her advanced age, Lola Rebecca, who lives in a shanty at Purok Callejo in Barangay General Paulino Santos in Koronadal City, has to endure the heat of the sun and occasional rains to earn a living with her two children who are both jobless.

Her story is known among employees at the city government of Koronadal and her dire need did not escape notice from personnel of the Public Employment Services Of�ice (Peso).

Learning of Lola Rebecca’s predicament, the city’s Peso,

DOTr moves to Clark starting July 28,2017 T Coalition says SONA must also dwell on solid waste

A

dvocates for ecological solutions to the country’s waste and pollution woes will pay close attention to what President Rodrigo Duterte will say in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Last year, the presidential pronouncement in his �irst SONA that seemingly favored waste-to-energy (WtE ) disposal technologies has left environmentalists worried as not all WtE technologies are safe, legal and socially acceptable.

“We hope that the President this time around will rally the mayors and the entire nation to intensify waste segregation at source, recycling, composting and other waste prevention and reduction strategies in sync with Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act,” said Aileen

“We hope that the mercury treaty rati�ication will be a top priority for the President in order to protect our people and the environment from this major global pollutant,” she added.

The group also sought the hastened completion of the chemical control orders on arsenic, hexavalent chromium and related draft regulations on priority chemicals of concern, including electronic waste.

Finally, the EcoWaste Coalition expressed its hope that the President will see to it that the illegal trash shipments from Canada will be returned to its origin as ordered by the court in June last year.

6 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol (center with white cap) pose with the beneficiaries of hauling trucks and tractors during the turnover ceremony in Almendras Gym, Davao City. (Photo by Ronell B. Tangonan, DA-11)

DA provides hauling trucks to cacao farmers in Davao city T

PH votes for treaty prohibiting production of nuclear weapons

F

our hauling trucks amounting to P5.96 million were distributed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to four farmer cooperatives and associations in Davao City.

DA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol led the turnover ceremony in time for the School-onthe Air (SOA) on Cacao Production and Rehabilitation held July 21 at Almendras Gym in Davao City.

The hauling trucks amounting to P1.49 million each were turnover

to Biao Agrarian Reform Bene�iciaries Cooperative (BARBCO), Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao (CIDAMI), Lapuy Batallion Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Bene�iciaries Cooperative (LABCARBCO) and Manuel Guianga Multipurpose Cooperative.

DA-11 Regional Director Ricardo Oñate said the provision of hauling trucks is necessary and vital to the buying and selling of cacao products.

He adds that the said

bene�iciaries can now expand their market to other provinces.

As for the cacao commodity, Davao City has a total of 4,171.41 hectares of planted areas wherein 2, 508.16 hectares of which are harvested areas. A total of 1,298.47 hectares are for vegetative stage and 364.78 hectares were the newly planted areas.

Meanwhile, two hand tractors worth P994, 000 each were also awarded to Gumalang Small Coconut Farmers and Workers Association and Agila

Farmers Association.

Piñol stressed the need for mechanization in order to improve farmers’ income, production’s ef�iciency and reduce postharvest losses.

The assistance aims to help farmers in Davao City to produce high-quality cacao and other high-value crops such as fruits and vegetables.

“We will uplift the dignity of our farmers by giving full support to their needs,” Piñol said.

(Che D. Palicte, DA-11)

the event, Plaza told reporters that the Xiang Lu Group aims to invest USD360 billion (PHP18.2 trillion) for the economic zone that will rise in Pangasinan and about P12 billion for an information technology (IT) building in Manila.

Plaza mentioned that the group, owned

by Y.H. Chen, is the developer of the largest economic zone in Xiamen, China and owner of the second tallest building in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

According to the investment promotion agency, the USD360

billion will cover the development of the economic zone and the investments of the locators.

Plaza said a petrochemical facility will be part of the �irst phase of the economic zone.

The Xiang Lu Group owns the Dragon Aromatics, a petrochemical business in China.

The PEZA chief added that the economic zone in Pangasinan, covering 10 cities and municipalities, will be a mixeduse facility as the company also targets to bring in cement,

tourism, and other locators from various sectors.

Plaza said the company will hold discussions with the province’s mayors whose areas will be covered by the 3,000-hectare economic zone.

Moreover, she said, the group has already purchased the land beside Diamond Hotel in Roxas Blvd., Manila for the PHP12-billion IT building.

She added that the company is currently preparing for its application to PEZA. (Kris M.Crismundo/PNA)

Taiwan firm wants to build 85-storey building in Manila firm also eyeing largest ecozone in PH

T

he Taiwan-based Xiang Lu Dragon Group is eyeing to put up the largest economic zone and tallest building in the Philippines, director general of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority , Charito Plaza, said Friday.

During the Maritime Silk Road China-Philippines Business Opportunities Conference here, Plaza said the group is looking to develop a 3,000-hectare economic zone and construct an 85-storey building.

On the sidelines of

he Philippines has joined 121 other nations in adopting a legally binding treaty that will prohibit the manufacture and use of nuclear weapons.

The treaty is a crucial step towards the total and complete elimination of nuclear weapons which the Philippines has been pushing for since the early days of the United Nations .

“This treaty is the capstone of the global disarmament architecture. It strengthens the existing network of treaties and agreements already in place by reaf�irming their collectively compelling logic of survival. We voted for its adoption because it is the right thing to do,” Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. said in the Philippine statement delivered after the conference adopted the treaty.

The treaty �ills the legal gap in the existing disarmament architecture that has already delegitimized chemical and biological weapons but not nuclear weapons, considered the most deadly of all weapons of mass destruction.

Under the treaty, States Parties are prohibited from, among others, developing,

testing, producing, manufacturing, acquiring, possessing or stockpiling nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

They are also banned from using or threatening to use nuclear weapons and explosive devices.

The treaty also prescribes pathways to enable nuclear weapon states to accede in the future and pave the way for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

The Philippine delegation actively participated in the negotiations guided by the provision of the Philippine Constitution which prohibits nuclear weapons in Philippine territory and by its obligations under the Bangkok Treaty establishing a Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone.

The treaty prescribes pathways to enable nuclear weapon states to accede in the future.

It will open for signature on 19 September 2017 and will enter into force 90 days after the �iftieth instrument of rati�ication has been deposited.

The Philippines, government and civil society alike, has been a strong voice in the nuclear disarmament discourse. (PR/PNA)

7 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

BE RICEPONSIBLE, EAT BROWN RICE

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

P

eople thought Senator Cynthia Villar would be banning the serving of unlimited rice in restaurants. But that’s not what she said during the recent Senate hearing.

What the chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food actually said was: “Unlimited rice is bad for the health.” She went on to say: “We should learn how to eat more vegetables.”

A few days after the brouhaha, the senator was quoted as saying: “I am not planning to make a law banning ‘unli-rice.’ Not at all. I just voiced out my concern that eating too much rice… I cannot prevent people from eating unlimited amount of rice. It is their choice. It was just a genuine expression of concern on my part.”

In the light of this issue, the Department of Agriculture – through the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) – has an advice to all rice-eating Filipinos: “Be Riceponsible!”

PhilRice supports what Sen. Villar had pointed out – that eating too much rice has ill effects to human health. It cited a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health which showed that excessive rice intake may adversely affect

glucose metabolism and insulin production of the body thus may result in diabetes.

According to study, the carbohydrate content of one bowl of rice is equivalent to more than twice of a can of soft drink and each plate of white rice eaten in a day raises the risk of diabetes by 11% in the overall population.

“That is the main reason why we are promoting brown or unpolished rice as it has lower glycemic index, which means that it takes longer before it is converted to blood sugar. It also has higher satiety so you tend to eat less. Those are the reasons why it is better for diabetics compared with white rice,” explained Myriam Layaoen, the director of the Be Riceponsible campaign of the institute.

Be Riceponsible promotes the eating of brown rice, the whole grain or unpolished version of white rice with its bran retained. Brown rice contains superior amount of protein, dietary �iber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help control blood sugar level, lower bad cholesterol, prevent heart disease and the risk of developing cancer.

The campaign also tries to in�luence policy directions and involve farmer-cooperatives to make brown rice more accessible and affordable to the general public.

“We are tapping local governments to issue ordinances and resolutions that will support the advocacy. Meanwhile, we also talk to farmer groups to produce brown rice and sell it at reasonable price. We also partner with food establishments throughout the country to encourage their participation,” Layaoen said.

“A lost health food” – that is how some people think of brown rice.

“Before the advent of the rice mills, Filipinos ate rice with only the hull removed, leaving the nutrient-rich brown coating of the resulting grain intact. The unpolished brown rice or pinawacontains more vitamins and minerals than its polished white counterpart,” a recent news report said Actually, brown rice and white rice have similar amounts of calories and carbohydrates. The main differences between the two forms of rice lie in processing and nutritional contents.

During the polishing process, several vitamins and dietary minerals are lost. A part of these missing nutrients, such as vitamin B1, vitamin B3,

and iron are sometimes added back into the white rice making it “enriched,” as food suppliers in the United States are required to do by the Food and Drug Administration.

But one mineral not added back into white rice is magnesium; one cup (195 grams) of cooked long grain brown rice contains 84 milligrams of magnesium while one cup of white rice contains 19 milligrams.

Shereen Jegtvig in an article which appeared in about.com shares this information: “Since brown rice still has the bran intact, it has more �iber than white rice. One cup of brown rice has 3.5 grams of �iber while the same amount of white rice has less than one gram of �iber.”

Nutritionists said that all of us need from 25 to 38 grams of �iber in our diet each day. Fiber is bene�icial for digestive system health and following a high-�iber diet may help a person lose weight.

“White rice is still the usual rice found in restaurants, so you will probably have to get most of your brown rice at home,” Jegtvig said. “Brown rice takes longer than white rice to cook, so increase the amount of water slightly. Brown rice doesn’t have the �luffy texture of white rice, but its nutty �lavor and chewy texture makes brown rice a tasty way to get �iber into your diet.”

By switching to brown rice, Filipinos would become healthier and less sickly. A National Nutrition Survey done in 2008 showed that 26 out of every 100 pre-schoolers were malnourished. Twenty-�ive percent of children ages 6 to 10 years old were underweight.

“While Filipinos have been conditioned to eating rice, the required nourishment that the body needs to arrest malnutrition is inadequate because of the loss or reduction of important nutrients in the milling process,” observed a policy advocacy, which appeared in The PCARRD Monitor, a publication of Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development.

Brown rice is, indeed, healthier than white rice. The health-promoting properties of brown rice can even more enhanced by a simple germination process. It is very simple: The raw brown rice is soaked in water for 12 hours, drained, and then wrapped in cheesecloth for 24 hours. The resulting germinated brown rice (GBR) is cooked and can then be used as alternative to white rice or as an ingredient in food products.

The �inding was based from the study, “Development and Evaluation of Functional Beverage with Germinated Brown Rice as Base Ingredient,” conducted by Rodel Bulatao, Jody Chaves, and Dr. Marissa Romero from the Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division of PhilRice.

“We know that brown rice is nutritionally superior than white or milled rice. Yet, drawbacks on its cooking time and texture discourage the public to consume it. And so we thought of germinating it to help address these concerns,” Bulatao said.

Previous studies con�irmed that germination improves the cooking, eating, and nutritional qualities of brown rice.

“We found out that GBR from pigmented rice has better phytochemical, antioxidant, and functional properties than GBR from white rice varieties. It also has higher protein (8.5-9.5%), �iber (0.7-1.0%), fat (3.0-3.1%), and ash (1.5-2.1%),” Romero said.

Aside from being nutritious, brown rice has several health bene�its. For instance, eating a serving of brown rice at least 6 times each week is an especially good idea for postmenopausal women with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

A 3-year prospective study of over 200 postmenopausal women with CVD, published in the American Heart Journal, shows that those eating at least 6 servings of whole grains each week experienced both: slowed progression of atherosclerosis (the build-up of plaque that narrows the vessels through which blood �lows) and less progression in stenosis (the narrowing of the diameter of arterial passageways).

A Harvard University study found out that brown rice can lower the risk of developing diabetes. Researchers drew on data from over 200,000 subjects and found that those who ate �ive or more servings of white rice a week had a 17 percent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with those who rarely ate white rice. What’s more, they found that those who ate brown rice

regularly were overall less likely to develop diabetes.

“When we re�ine rice, we strip away the majority of many of the nutrients,” says Dr. Walter Willet, a co-author on the study, “including magnesium, chromium and other minerals and vitamins. You’re left with a form of starch that is rapidly broken down, leads to greater spikes in blood sugar, and increases the demand for insulin.

Over time this exhausts the pancreas and leads to diabetes.”

Eating foods high in insoluble �iber, such as brown rice, can help women avoid gallstones, shows a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Studying the overall �iber intake and types of �iber consumed over a 16 year period by over 69,000 women in the study, researchers found that those consuming the most �iber overall (both soluble and insoluble) had a 13% lower risk of developing gallstones compared to women consuming the fewest �iber-rich foods.

Those eating the most foods rich in insoluble �iber gained even more protection against gallstones: a 17% lower risk compared to women eating the least. And the protection was dose-related; a 5-gram increase in insoluble �iber intake dropped risk dropped 10%.

Brown rice helps protect women from breast cancer. A cohort study conducted in United Kingdom hosted 35,972 women who were pre-menopausal. These women ate a diet rich in �iber and fruit. The �iber came from brown rice and other whole grains.

The pre-menopausal women that consumed the most �iber reduced their risk of breast cancer by about 52 percent compared to women who consumed a diet with the least �iber. Women who had high-�iber diets supplied mostly by whole grains had the most protection against breast cancer.

“Fruit source �iber also offered women protection from breast cancer,” wrote R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen in an article. “This gave women about a 29 percent reduced risk. So, brown rice and other whole grain sources still win out.”

Again, here’s Sen. Villar who also promotes the eating brown rice. “We should not encourage consumption of well-milled rice. If possible, we should already shift to brown rice so Filipinos would eat less and so that �inally, we can already be self-suf�icient,” she pointed out.

8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDITORIAL

P

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

A comfortable life for all

resident Rodrigo Duterte’s second state of the nation address The �ight against illegal drugs will continue despite the foreign preswas, as ‘advertised,’ sincere, frank and factual. sure. Amidst widespread criticisms on the bloody anti-drugs war, the President said he values human life and won’t allow drugs to ruin the It was summed up the government’s aspirations for the Filipino youth and family blaming the latter as the root cause of evil and suffering. people in simple terms as “A comfortable life for all.”

For Mindanao, a comfortable life means seeking peace of the livThe President reitereated his vow to make good his promise of ing. Martial law, the President �irmly believes, is still the fastest way to change and he wants that change to be done from the bottom. quell rebellion.

“This must be meaningful. Genuine change is what this country For the rest of the people’s basic needs, there’s the national budget need,” President Duterte opened his speech. to handle that and a Tax Reform Program aimed at pump-priming the government’s budget for basic services.

The salient points of his speech all revolve around what would make everyone’s life comfortable--peaceful existence, no drugs, no crimes, It’s still a long way to go before President Duterte could even get no corruption. That may be President Duterte’s version of a perfect near his perfect world--a comfortable life. It’s a lot of work and a lot of world. However, anything cose to that is already perfect if not nar per- sacri�ices. fect.

But it is not impossible.

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EDGEDAVAO

I

nside the old Sasa wharf, there used to be an iconic postwar building known to stevedores and customs brokers as the Davao of�ice of Compañia Maritima, a shipping �irm based in Manila but with extended branches in many areas of the Philippine archipelago.

Founded in 1890 using the combined business interests of British Neil MacLeod, the company later acquired the assets of its competitors such that by 1894 it had expanded its capital to US$2.5 million, the equivalent of US$68.854 million in 2017.

Seven years later, despite the outbreak of the Philippine-American War, Compañia Maritima burgeoned to become a �leet of 19 steamers with a total of 13,400 tons. Its presence in nearly all ports of call throughout the islands was also visible.

In 1912, brothers Jose and Ramon J. Fernandez purchased the shipping line which became one of the most successful pre-war shipping ventures in the country. For 27 years, the �irm was managed by Jose but was taken over by Ramon in 1939 following his brother’s death.

Ramon, an electrical engineer who graduated in London, originally worked in San Miguel Brewery’s electrical lighting system (1901) and later with Fernandez Hermanos (1904), the company the brothers founded.

P

eople think nothing bad will come from species loss, because scientists can’t predict exactly how many need to go extinct before the world collapses. The problem is that our environment is like a brick wall. It will hold if you pull individual bricks, but eventually it takes just one to make it suddenly fall apart.” – Gerado Ceballos, a senior ecological researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico Recently, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published a study on the “ongoing sixth mass extinction.” It’s not only an eye-opener or warning but totally disturbing!

“It wouldn’t be ethical right now not to speak in this strong language to call attention to the severity of the problem,” pointed out Gerado Ceballos, a senior ecological researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and one of the three authors of the report.

The two others – Paul R. Ehrlich and Rodolfo Dirzo – are professors at Stanford University. The three empathized that they are not alarmists “but are using scienti�ic data to back up their assertions that signi�icant population decline” and “possible mass extinction of species all over the world may be imminent.”

If you are still wondering when those �ive mass extinctions on this planet, they were all caused by large-

VOL. 10 ISSUE 80•TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

Compañia Maritima

On March 4, 1920, he was appointed him mayor of Manila, and in October 1023 won as senator of the fourth senatorial district. He also published El Debate, La Opinion, and Pagkakaisa.

As the shipping line expanded, the Fernandez brothers decided to open the Manila-Davao route. To realize this, they recruited Feliciano Iñigo, a graduate in Medicine, to assume the position of general agent of Compañia Maritima in Davao.

Part of Iñigo‘s job was to handle the cargo transactions and the land acquisitions of the shipping out�it.

Through his business acumen, he later acquired a sprawling 273-hectare estate in Davao City known as Bago Iñigo Estate.

Just before the war, two vessels, namely Bohol and Basilan, were dedicated for the Davao-Manila route, with stops in different ports that included Cebu, Maribojoc (Bohol), Zamboanga, Cotabato, Talomo (Davao City), and Daliao (Toril, Davao City).

As colorful as its pre-war history, the shipping company was embroiled in trouble following the numerous legal battles it had to �ight, the most celebrated of which was its case against the Insurance Company of North America (ICNA), which was resolved in the US �irm’s favor.

The facts of the case, docketed as G.R. No. L-18965 and decided en banc

FAST BACKWARD Antonio V. Figueroa by the Supreme Court on 30 October 1964, showed that in October, 1952, Macleod and Co., Philippines branch, contracted the shipping line by telephone for the shipment of 2,645 bales of hemp from the client’s private pier at Sasa, Davao City for transport to Manila. From there, the cargo would be subsequently transhipped to Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on board S.S. Steel Navigator.

The verbal agreement “was later on con�irmed by a formal and written booking issued by Macleod’s branch of�ice in Sasa and hand carried to Compañia Maritima’s branch of�ice in Davao in compliance with which the

latter sent to Macleod’s private wharf LCT Nos. 1023 and 1025 on which the loading of the hemp was completed on October 29, 1952.”

Court records show the vessels had their respective patron and assistant patron. The patron of both lighters dispensed with corresponding carrier’s receipts. The patron of Barge No. 1025, for one, issued a receipt in behalf of S.S. Bowline Knot, the Compañia Maritima ship from Davao, stating in good order and condition the goods from Macleod and Co., which would be trans-shipped at Manila on board S.S. Steel Navigator with Boston as �inal destination.

As fate would have it, on the night of 29 October 1952, or the early hours of 30 October 30, LCT No. 1025 sank, resulting in the damage or loss of 1,162 bales of hemp it loaded. Macleod punctually noti�ied the carrier’s Manila of�ice and its Davao branch advising them of the liability. The ruined hemp, meanwhile, was brought to Odell Plantation, in Madaum, Tagum City, to be cleaned, washed, reconditioned, and redried.

For a period of �ifteen days, the shipping line’s trucks and lighters hauled from the planttion to the Macleod of�ice at Sasa a total of 2,197.75 piculs of the reconditioned hemp out of the original cargo of 1,162 bales weighing 2,324 piculs worth P116,835.

“After reclassi�ication,” court

records show, “the value of the reconditioned hemp was reduced to P84,887.28, or a loss in value of P31,947.72. Adding to this last amount the sum of P8,863.30 representing Macleod’s expenses in checking, grading, rebaling, and other fees for washing, cleaning and redrying [valued at] P19,610.00, the total loss adds up to P60,421.02.”

Given the shipments of Macleod & Co. were insured with the ICNA against all losses and damages, it �iled a claim of loss and was paid PhP64,018.55, as noted down in a document that also served as a “subrogation agreement between Macleod and the insurance company wherein the former assigned to the latter its rights over the insured and damaged cargo.”

For failure to recover from Compañia Maritima the amount of P60,421.021, the only amount supported by receipts, ICNA instituted a legal action and won in the Court of First Instance, which ordered the carrier to pay the insurance company, with legal interest and costs.

The shipping �irm elevated the decision but it was sustained by the Court of Appeals on 14 December 1960. In its ruling dated 30 October 1964, the high tribunal ruled “the decision appealed from is af�irmed, with costs against” Compañia Maritima.

servation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that almost 50% of the world’s primate species are at risk of extinction. Overall, the IUCN estimates that half the globe’s 5,491 known mammals are declining in population and a �ifth are clearly at risk of disappearing forever with no less than 1,131 mammals across the world classi�ied as endangered, threatened or vulnerable.

“The protection of biodiversity has to be considered a basic requirement of sustainability -- passing on to future generations a world of undiminished options – and a fundamental moral responsibility as travelers on the only planet know to support life,” wrote John C. Ryan, author of Life Support: Conserving Biological Diversit y.

In 1998, the IUCN identi�ied the Philippines as one of the 17 countries in the world which are considered “biodiversity superstars.” In its website, the Mongabay Organization has ranked the Philippines 24th among the Earth’s most biodiverse countries. The country is below Panama and above Costa Rica.

“So what’s at stake?” asked Titon Mitra, the country director of the United Nations Development Programme in the Philippines.

In an article published in Business Mirror, Mitra reported that the Philippines has “some 52,000 recorded plant and animal species (the Philippines ranks �ifth globally in the number of

plant species).”

Not only that. The Philippines has a total of 464 reef-building coral species, or nearly half of all known coral species in the world. It is home to an estimated 10,000 aquatic species or approximately one-�ifth of all known species globally.

“In fact, the country’s marine waters are seen as the epicenter of marine biodiversity on Earth,” Mitra pointed out.

Let’s protect our biodiversity before it’s too late! “Protection of biodiversity should be one of the top priorities of any meaningful strategy to safeguard the world’s biological heritage,” Ryan suggested.

Dr. James Kirchner, an American professor of earth and planetary science at University of California, seemed to agree. “The planet would be biologically depleted for millions of years, with consequences extending not only beyond the lives of our children’s children, but beyond the likely lifespan of the entire human species,” he said.

But there is still a glimmer of hope.

“Humans, after all, are not dinosaurs,” wrote John Tuxill and Chris Bright, authors of Losing Strand in the Web of Life. “We can change. Even in the midst of the mass extinction, we still largely control our destiny, but only if we act now. The fate of untold numbers of species depends on it. And so does the fate of our children, in ways we can barely begin to conceive.”

Biological Annihilation

scale natural disasters like meteors or enormous chains of volcanic eruptions, “wiping out half and 96% of all living species.”

The sixth mass extinction, according to another research published in Science Advances, isn’t caused by a freak act of nature, but “by man-made changes to the environment” which include deforestation, poaching, over�ishing and global warming.

According to the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), 99% of currently threatened species are at risk from human activities. “It’s frightening but true,” it pinpoints. “Our planet is now in the midst of its sixth mass extinction of plants and animals – the sixth wave of extinction in the past half-billion years.

We’re currently experiencing the worst spate of species die-offs since the loss of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.”

Although extinction is a natural phenomenon, it occurs at a natural “background” rate of about one to �ive species per year. However, today’s scientists estimate the world is now losing species at 1,000 to 10,000 times the background rate – with literally dozens going extinct every day.

“It could be a scary future indeed, with as many as 30% to 50% of all species possibly heading toward extinction by mid-century,” the CBD deplores.

The study published in Science Advances dread that 75% of the species

THINK ON THESE!

Henrylito D. Tacio

currently known to science “could be lost in just two generations’ time.”

“We have the potential for making massive change… and the bottom line is that we can’t be the generation responsible for wiping out three-fourths of life forms on the Earth,” said Anthony Barnosky, a biology professor at Berkeley.

The recent NAS study found that about “30% of all land vertebrates – mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians – are experiencing declines and local population losses. In most parts of the world, mammal populations are losing 70% of their members because of habitat loss.”

The International Union for Con-

VANTAGE POINTS

10 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

REBOUND... FROM 1 The two PRIME of�icials presented before the Kapihan sa Dabaw at the SM Ecoland an independent study that showed overall how business performed in the �irst 30 days of Martial Law. The study showed that investments actually went up while the residential, of�ice, and land investments sectors also went registered increased under property market overview. The hotel sector was listed as having suffered, due to substantial decrease in tourism.

“Even then it was not a total loss,” said Yu. “Pero bumalik na ang dating sigla and this was due to ICON.” The study showed Duterte’s martial law stood in stark contrast to the Marcos’ version in 1972 where the executive branch was unrestrained and

assumed total government authority and was prolonged with eight years duration.

In contrast, Duterte was restrained by checks and balances from Congress and the Supreme Court. It also upheld constitutional rights unlike the Marcos rule.

It was meant only for 60 days (then extended up to the end of the year) and was declared because of the Marawi siege. It also covered only the island of Mindanao while the 1972 version covered the whole country itself.

The PRIME of�icials said their initial target of P2Billion investments up the end of the year is realistic and not ambitious.

“The outlook is very bright and we are optimistic for more investments to come in,” he said.

Of Mindanao’s 64 representatives, 54 voted yes, four voted no while seven were absent.

All three Mindanawon senators -- Senate President Aquilino Pimentel, Emmanuel Pacquiao and Juan Miguel Zubiri -- voted yes.

Congressional record shows that the seven Mindanawon representatives who were absent were Bukidnon 2nd district’s Florencio Flores, Jr.; Dinagat Islands’ Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao, Lanao del Norte 1st district’s Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo, Zamboanga del Norte 1st district’s Seth Frederick Jalosjos, Zamboanga del Norte 3rd district’s Isagani Amatong, and Anak Mindanao’s Makmod Mending and Sitti Djalia Turabin Hataman.

President Duterte, the �irst Mindanawon to lead the nation declared martial law effective 10 p.m. on May 23, some eight hours after clashes between government forces and the ISIS-inspired Maute Group and its allied forces started in Marawi. At that time, two soldiers and a policeman had been killed while 12 others were injured.

As of July 22, 105 soldiers have been killed, according to Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Ano during the Joint session. Nearly 900 have been wounded. On the enemy side, the military claimed at least 421 have been killed as of July 19.

Duterte declared martial law from Moscow where he was on of�icial visit. He cut short the trip and returned to the country on May 24.

During the voting in March on the reimposition of the death penalty, 217 representatives voted yes, 54 no and one abstained. Among Mindanawon representatives, 49 voted in favor while 12 voted no.

Those who voted no to extension of martial law Casilao, Villarin and Zarate -- Zarate - also voted no to the death penalty. Of the seven absent last Saturday, �ive voted no to the death penalty: Amatong, Bag-ao, Flores, Mending and Hataman.

Here is how Mindanao’s representatives and party-list representatives who are Mindanawons, voted on the extension of martial law. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)

IT’S... FROM 2

DUTERTE... FROM 2 he added.

He noted that the creation of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs, or ICAD, has uni�ied, integrated, and synchronized all anti-drug efforts and strategies to holistically address the drug problem.

“The Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs composed of 39 member-agencies aims to clear 5,272 barangays before the year ends. If we can sustain the pace, ridding the country’s drug problem in the next four years is very much doable,” the PDEA chief said.

The National Capital Region (NCR) has the highest rate of barangay drug-affectation

with 97.3 percent, followed

by Region 13 at 86.58 percent and Region 7 at 82.75 percent.

The region least affected by the drug menace is the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) at 3.49 percent.

A barangay is said to be drug-affected when there is a reported presence of drug user, pusher, manufacturer, marijuana cultivator or other drug personalities and facilities regardless of the number in the area.

Aside from PDEA, agencies involved in the anti-illegal drugs operations are the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Interior and Local Government

SPEAKING OUT LOUD. An elderly man wears a small placard on his head written with ‘Lift Martial Law, Now’ during a protest rally against the Duterte administration at the Freedom Park in Davao City a few hours before President Duterte delivers his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

Lean Daval Jr. MANILA, July 24 -- President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday urged Congress to push for the restoration of the death penalty in the Philippines, noting that capital punishment is about “retribution”, not just deterrence.

“I therefore ask Congress to act on all pending legislations to reimpose death penalty on heinous crimes --especially on the traf�icking of illegal drugs,” Duterte said in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.

He pointed out the country’s criminal system uses a revised penal code centered on the essence of retribution.

“In the Philippines, it is really an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. You took life, you must

pay it with life. That is the only way to even. You cannot place a premium on the human mind that he will go straight,” Duterte said.

In March, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved House Bill No. 4727 -- or an act imposing the death penalty on drug-related crimes -- with 217 af�irmative votes, 54 negative and one abstention.

The bill limits the imposition of the death penalty to just drug-related offenses in a bid to bolster its enactment into law.

The bill delisted the crimes of plunder, rape, and treason from its coverage as a result of several majority caucuses of the House.

Meanwhile, the death penalty bill is still pending in the Sen-

materials and trainings for art therapy. It is still in discussion because they wanted to ensure that everything will go smoothly.

The NCCA plans to establish a cultural center here that will showcase art exhibits and other cultural activities of in Mindanao. The Francisco Bangoy International Airport is the target location of this hub. Pableo said that this project is under discussion and will probably have seven or eight items for this program.

The NCCA is also planning to bring the Eskwela sa Talyer Program here in Davao city. It is a vocational program that will educate out of school youth. “For now the NCCA would like our grants and programs is within the context of the locality and the Local Government Unit that is why I insisted that all of us here must be able to communicate

with the LGU so that we can ef�iciently establish out grants” said Pableo.

On behalf of the National Committee in Literary Arts Mr. John Bengan, Executive Council member of NCCA which represents the sub commisin of litirature discussed the six programs which the Committee has and these are; Regional Creative Writing Workshop and National Writing Workshop which aims to help the young writers write in different language in specially the regional languages every year. Another one is the Module Design and training for literature teachers of junior and senior high school the committee decided to support the different writer’s and art groups to create a module for the teachers in Junior and Senior high this is due to the transition to the K-12 educational system. Research and

NCAA... FROM 3

Production Grant anyone who has a good project that will yield published research and also published creative work will be supported by the NCCA. ManunUlat this is open to individuals from LGU’s, SUC, private and public schools and will give priority to writers and story tellers who lacks documentation to be the subject of this ManunUlat. And lastly the project Pangga which is a literary conference, seminar exhibit per-

formance which gives attention to the activities related to literature and writing that focuses on the theme. The target bene�iciaries of this program are the Indigenous People, Women, Children, Differently Abled people and Artist.

There is a mobile app called KULTORA available in Google play and Apps store that shows the Filipino culture and arts. This application is being updated with additional information to promote our country.

tyranny of lawlessness and violent extremism.”

With the debate over the extension done with, Abella urged the public to help in nation-building and contribute to the attainment of the “full promise of Mindanao.”

“There is much work to be done to bring back

public safety and law and order in the whole island of Mindanao.

There is much work to be done in the recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation of Marawi.

Together, let us transform Mindanao into a land of ful�illment,” Abella said. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)

UNCONVENTIONAL... FROM 3

DAVAO HELEN’S PAWNSHOP CORP. De Guzman St., Davao City Telefax (082)225-4473 NOTICE OF AUCTION SALE

All unredeemed items pawned during the month of March 2017, if not redeemed/renewed on July 31, 2017 will be put on Auction Sale on August 1, 2017 at 9:00 A. M. to 5:00 P.M. Pahibalo nga ang tanang wala malukat nga prenda sa bulan saMarso 2017, kung dili malukat sa Hulyo 31,2017 isubasta sa bulan sa Agosto 1, 2017 sa alas 9:00 sa buntag hangtud sa alas 5:00 sa hapon.

DAVAO HELEN’S PAWNSHOP CORPORATION Davao City: 252 San Pedro St., 167 San Pedro St., G/F Victoria Plaza Bajada 120-B Lapu-lapu St., Agdao 75C R. Magsaysay Ave., 2nd Level Gaisano Mall Bajada, G/F NCCC Bldg., R. Magsaysay Ave., Centerpoint Plaza Matina Fronting San Pedro College Guerrero St., Carlson Bldg., Lapu-lapu St.,Agdao NCCC Mall Matina Saavedra St., Toril Gaisano South Citimall, Ilustre St., Buhangin Cabantian Davao del Norte Gaisano Mall, Panabo Davao del Norte Gaisano Grand Mall of Tagum, Tagum City Gaisano Mall of Tagum, Tagum City Davao del Sur Gaisano Grand Mall of Digos Quezon St., Digos City

ate. (PNA)

INdulge!

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

EDGEDAVAO

TRAVEL

Reasons why you should visit

Malaysia WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM DAVAO TO KUALA LUMPUR at the recently concluded Davao Investment Conference by AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes, Dabawenyo businessmen and travellers now have a new direct link to the world opening up Durianburg to more of Southeast Asia.

In his address, Mr. Fernandes said, “Davao has a special place in my heart. It was one of the first cities we flew to when we started our Philippines operations in 2012. In fact, Clark-Davao, which we pioneered, was one of the two maiden routes when we started AirAsia Philippines five years ago. Since then, we have worked to strengthen our network in Davao. In this year alone, we have launched new flights from Davao to Cebu, Palawan and Boracay, and enabled Fly-Thru via Cebu to international destinations such as Singapore, Taipei and Seoul.

“Today marks the start of the next phase of our commitment to Davao. We believe Davao has the potential to be the international gateway for Asean to the southern Philippines, beginning with this new route to Kuala Lumpur. We strongly support the development of cities outside Metro Manila, and we are confident that by increasing connectivity and accessibility to affordable air travel, AirAsia can help play a role in boosting economic growth in the south. We can’t do it alone and we need airports to share in the responsibility, but together we can make His Excellency President Duterte’s vision of a more prosperous Philippines come true.”

With four flights a week starting December 21 to Kuala Lumpur, here are some reasons why Dabawenyos should consider a visit to Malaysia.

Scenic historic towns Being on the mainland of Southeast Asia, Peninsular Malaysia has a rich history dating back to the time of empires and colonial times. Many of Malaysia’s towns (accessible by a short plane ride or a scenic

road trip from KL) such as Penang’s Georgetown and Malacca have kept their historical city centres preserved and are sure serve as the perfect backdrop for a groupfie or two.

Walking around the heart of each town is like taking a time machine back several hundred years to have a glimpse at life and living during the olden days with the streets and squares lined with forts, old churches and quaint shophouses.

Diverse food choices As a melting pot of different ethnic groups the food scene of Malaysia is as vibrant as any metropolitan city in the world with Malay, Chinese, Indian, Mid-eastern and other cuisines coming together to form a heady mix.

One of the local haunts for good food in Kuala Lumpur is Jalan Alor, a 700-metre stretch of restaurants and eateries serving various local cuisine.

Personally, I would suggest trying the grilled chicken wings of Wong Ah Wah Restaurant. The wings are juicy and tender with the right combination of spices for a satisfying bite.

Wonderful shopping Malaysia is a heaven for shoppers as the now weaker Malaysian Ringgit means things bought in Malaysia are cheaper.

Lovers of luxury brands will want to take a peek at Kuala Lumpur’s Pavilion Mall which houses almost every label one can covet. Another big mall to explore and shop at is the Suria KLCC located at the base of the famous Petronas Twin Towers (the tallest twin towers in the world).

For the more budget conscious, Malaysia also has many outlet malls to shop at where

Top to bottom: Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas Twin Towers welcome visitors to Malaysia’s capital. (5th from left) AirAsia Philippines CEO Captain Dexter Comendador, Ambassador Alfredo Yao, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes. Shop to your heart’s content at the Pavilion Mall. Malaysia has many scenic old historical towns such as Malacca which are perfect for groupfies and more.

one can purchase items from well-known labels but at a more affordable price.

Connect with Southeast Asia and beyond Guests flying into Kuala Lumpur who wish to explore more of Malaysia and Southeast Asia can also take advantage

of AirAsia’s biggest regional hub with connecting flights on AirAsia to East Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam. the Maldives and Australia.

This means Dabawenyo travellers can easily fly direct to Kuala Lumpur and connect to

Bangkok or Bali, easily bypassing Manila’s congested skies all on AirAsia. I cannot wait to start my Southeast Asian adventure soon!

For latest AirAsia news, activities and promotions, please follow AirAsia on Twitter and Facebook.

A2INdulge!

TRAVEL

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

Chester B’s last concert in Birmingham, UK. Taken from Linkin Park’s social media photo tribute.

A requiem to a voice of a generation

ALLOW ME TO DETOUR A LITTLE TODAY from the usual themes that appear in this column. Last week, Linkin Park’s cofrontman, Chester Bennington, was found dead in his family home in California, USA. Authorities have ruled it as apparent suicide, although, a few sketchy websites have released seeming news articles that have shrouded suspicion on the real cause of his death.

Linkin Park is more than a childhood memory. They were and still are my dream. I remember While debating on the cause of his death would not bring him back, I back in 2008, they wanted to write this as an act of remembrance of who Chester was, not had their first concert in the Philippines. just to me but to a lot of us in my generation and beyond.

I was too young and broke. A freshman in high school with no savings, only a dream. Linkin Park (LP) is my favorite band in the world. I promised myself that when Linkin Park comes back and I made money for myself, I would watch them. Non-negotiable.

Five years later, I was on a plane to Manila with Rea. Listening to LP’s Living Things through my earphones, I can’t believe we were both fulfilling a childhood dream. We were finally going to be with LP! Still broke, we weren’t able to afford getting the VIP seats which could get us a meet and greet with them. Giddy fangirls that we were (and still are), we promised ourselves the next concert, we’d be front row!

Forward to 2017 and the release of their new album One More Light, we were saving up for the Asian leg of their tour.

Whether they’d hold it in the Philippines or any nearby Asian

country, we would be there.

Last Friday, the music video for Talking To Myself was released. Everything seemed great. Then I wake up feeling like everything was unreal.

I immediately messaged one of my closest friends, Rea, sharing the sad news.

A flood of emotions came, I can’t pick which one stood out the most. Grief.

Shock. Anger. Confusion.

Tears started to fall when we both shared that we were saving up for their next concert. It was too late.

We’d never get to see Chester in person and take a photo with him.

Typing this made it all too real. He was gone. He’s not coming back. I felt a part of my dream die with him. The childhood dream, at first shriveling up painfully and then dissipating into nonexistence.

There was nothing we could do to change what happened.

I cannot imagine the pain that his closest loved ones must feel right now but I am praying for them and to the countless fans like me who felt alive just listening to their music.

His hurt gave us hope, if not comfort, that we were not alone

in whatever we were going through.

He probably inspired countless others who wanted to take their own lives.

It’s too heartbreaking that he couldn’t keep himself from taking his own life.

As I wait for LP’s statement, I pray for strength for them to go on. We all know LP will never be the same without Chester. I wish they wouldn’t decide on disbanding.

This would crush us even more!

I’d still watch them, I’d still support them all. After all, after seven studio albums and over 70 million albums sold, Linkin Park is still Linkin Park.

Those memories are all we have for now. Reliving how his music have accompanied me through the highest and lowest points of my life, it stings inside me to realize that I’ll never hear him sing live.

We’ll never get to hear him sing live. We won’t hear his signature raspy, powerful yet soulful voice ring through whichever stadium we’d be in.

One day, we’ll understand. Maybe we will. Maybe we won’t.

Depression claims another life and it’s tragic when it’s somebody that we love.

While I may never know what Chester was going through, his memory, his legacy continues to live on through his music and the millions of voices that sing along with him.

We’re with you, Chester. We’re with you, Linkin Park.

We love you.

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

Cars 3 tickets up for grabs for new Globe At Home customers DISNEY PIXAR’S CARS 3 is one of the most anticipated animated films of the year, and is the latest installment following the adventures of champion race car Lightning McQueen. Customers who avail of

July 9 – 11, 2017

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Globe at Home’s new GoBIG and GoFAST plans from Plan 1299 and up can get to see the film with two free tickets!

“Globe has always supported every family’s digital lifestyle by letting them be the first to experience top entertainment content right at home. This time, Globe At Home gives families more reason to spend time together with a special movie treat as Disney Pixar premieres the new Cars 3 movie. This way, customers can continue enjoying the latest in entertainment,” says Globe Senior Vice President for Consumer Broadband Business, Martha Sazon.

From July 7 to August 15, 2017, customers who successfully have their broadband plan installed will receive an email from globeathome@globe.com. ph which will contain a GMovies code equivalent to two movie passes. Customers can begin booking their tickets on GMovies starting July 26, the premiere date of Disney Pixar’s Cars 3.

The film is the latest in a successful Disney franchise, with the first two films loved for its dazzling animation. Early reviews praised Disney Pixar’s Cars 3 for its poignant story and graphics.

Disney Pixar’s Cars 3 sees McQueen past his prime, a little slower and unable to keep up

with younger racers. However, he is committed to proving that he is still the best race car in the world by making a do-ordie deal: he either wins the first race of the season or sell out to endorsements.

New Globe at Home customers can watch the movie in over 100 cinemas nationwide, from Ayala Malls Cinemas to SM Cinemas, Robinsons Movieworld, Theater Mall and Promenade Greenhills, and Power Plant Cinemas.

The newest Globe At Home GoBIG plans let every home enjoy fast speeds starting at Plan 1299 which comes with 300GB of data per month with speeds of up 5Mbps. Those who want to stream and surf more can

avail of Plan 1599, which has a data allowance of 400GB and speeds of up to 10Mbps, or Plan 1899, which has 500GB of data and speeds of up to 50Mbps.

Under the new GoBIG plans, customers also get six months of free access to Disney Channel apps, including Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD. They may also enjoy six months of free Netflix for award-winning original content and two months of free HOOQ for local and regional films and TV shows. All plans come with an additional 100GB of data to access more videos on YouTube.

GMovies is available for free download on the App Store and Google Playstore. PR

EDGEDAVAO

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

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11 AGRITRENDS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

Philippines now 101% corn sufficient

TEXT AND PHOTOS By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

W

e are 101% suf�icient in corn today,” declared Dr. Vivencio R. Mamaril, of�icer-in-charge of the Bureau of Plant Industry and director of the Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries Biotechnology Program of the Department of Agriculture.

Dr. Mamaril bared the information during the recent launching of “Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops in 2016,” published by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).

Thanks to Bt corn, a genetically modi�ied (GM) corn. In 2003, less than 50,000 hectares of Bt corn were planted all over the country. By 2014, the hectare went up to around 700,000, or about 54% of the total 1.3 million hectares planted to corn.

Last year, more than 800,000 hectares were planted to Bt corn.

The increase signi�ied farmer and market acceptance, according to Dr. Mamaril. “The mere fact that planting area grew to 800,000 hectares is proof that it is a successful crop and farmers believed in it,” he pointed out.

Although production went down in 2015 due to drought brought about by El Niño, it rebounded the following year, according to the ISAAA report.

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

Notwithstanding the slump, the Philippines still managed to become the 12th producer of biotech corn in the world and the top grower in Southeast Asia in 2016. “The increase is due to favorable weather conditions and high local demand for livestock and feed stocks,” the report said.

Bt corn is a variant of corn that has been genetically altered to express one or more proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Bt, which has been found in Philippine soils, was discovered to have an insecticidal property in 1901.

By the 1950s, Bt became a well-known biological insecticide.

The Bt protein is expressed throughout the plant. “When a vulnerable insect eats the Bt-containing plant, the protein is activated in its gut, which is alkaline,” explained W.S. Cranshaw in a fact sheet published by the Colorado State University Extension Of�ice.

“In the alkaline environment,” Cranshaw continued, “the protein partially unfolds and is cut by other proteins, forming a toxin that paralyzes the insect’s digestive system and forms holes in the gut wall. The insect stops eating within a few hours and eventually starves.”

In the Philippines, the average landholding of biotech corn farmers is two hectares. Most of the farmers preferred stacked traits corn (84%) over single trait corn (16%). “Area planted to stacked traits corn is 679,000 hectares and 133,000 hectares to single trait corn,” the report said.

So far, only biotech corn is planted commercially in the country today.

One of those farmers who believed in Bt corn is Lydia Lapastora of barangay Yeban Norte in Benito Soliven, Isabela. According to her, she planted Bt corn in 2005 and was surprised to harvest seven metric tons per hectare which was way higher than the 5.5 metric tons per hectare average for non-conventional corn.

Her net income for the Bt corn increased to P45,215 per hectare, up from P34,194 per hectare using the conventional corn. Now a millionaire, she was named Magsasaka Siyentista in 2008.

Another successful Bt corn farmer is Maitum S. Salendab, who is from Datu Paglas in Maguindanao. The uneducated man who only knew how to use gun before until he learned corn farming related his story to James Konstantin Galvez, a reporter of Manila Times.

Speaking in vernacular, Salendab recounted: “In the past I carried a gun, but when I learned how to plant corn, I slowly realized that this was better.”

From the initial P10,000 he earned after harvesting Bt corn, he studied and �inished high school.

Now married, he was able to build his own home and a small sari-sari store for his growing family. He is still into farming – planting Bt corn.

Currently, biotech corn is planted in 16 countries. In Asia, aside from the Philippines, it is also planted in India, China, Pakistan, Myanmar, Vietnam

and Bangladesh. In North America, Bt corn is grown in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

More countries in South America grow Bt corn: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Paraguay and Uruguay. Only two countries in Africa join the bandwagon: South Africa and Sudan. In Europe, the following countries grow biotech corn: Czech Republic, Slovakia and Spain.

So far, Bt corn is the only biotech crop planted in the Philippines. In the near future, other biotech crops may also be grown. Current research and development efforts on biotech or genetically modi�ied crops include products from the public sector, particularly fruit and shoot borer resistant Bt eggplant, biotech papaya with delayed ripening and papaya ring spot virus resistance, which the Institute of Plant Breeding of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños have developed.

The other two biotech products also in development stage are Bt cotton (developed by the Philippine Fiber Development Authority and golden rice (developed by the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the International Rice Research Institute).

Golden rice is a biotech rice bioforti�ied with provitamin A beta-carotene.

“Unless there are no problems along the way,” Dr. Mamaril said, golden rice and Bt eggplant might be produced commercially in the Philippines “within two years.

EDGEDAVAO

12 ENVIRONMENT VANTAGE

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

When sea level rises

TEXT AND PHOTOS by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

W

hen the Pangi River in Davao City swelled to new heights in June 2011, 29 people lost their lives and 50,000 residents had to �lee their homes. In an editorial, the local daily “Sun.Star Davao” commented: “The rapid urban development has caused encroachment into the city drainage, preventing the water from seeping into the soil with all the construction in the heart of downtown Davao.

“The massive development of housing subdivisions and other residential buildings has also contributed to the �looding in Davao as the natural waterways in the countryside have been eliminated during construction stage,” the editorial continued. “This is the price that people of Davao City will have to pay for progress, �lood today and more �looding tomorrow.”

But those are only part of the problem. Secretary Jesus G. Dureza of the Of�ice of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process believes that the constant �looding now happening in Davao City is due to sea level rise.

“My calculation is that (the sea level) has risen by one foot over a period of 20 years,” the former press secretary wrote in his column, “Advocacy Mindanao.” “Hence, rain waters and �loods no longer easily �low or empty out into the sea. They are clogged in the waterways and spill out into the riverbanks.”

Dureza said that when �lood waters rush down during high tide, they get stuck, at times and worse, a “back�low” of seawater during high tide.

When seawaters rise high, it �lows back inland through rivers. Hence, low-lying areas or subdivisions or residential areas around or near riverbanks are in trouble.

“I know this because I personally witnessed how the sea level had gone up over the years,” he pointed out.

“Our family lived for four years in our resort house by the sea in Davao City in the 1990’s while we were slowly renovating our house in the GSIS area inland. Our beach house was in fact built over the water, jutting out into the sea, with stilt cement posts and under our �loor was sea water rising and ebbing.”

According to him, the highest water level during high tides left water

traces on the cement posts. “I would notice because every time I woke up in the morning, I could see the water markings,” he said.

Recently, Dureza asked his resort employee to check the water markings on the same post he was monitoring for years. “He told me the highest tide level has risen by about one foot or 12 inches from its highest level 20 years ago. Our science people may dispute this but I can show them the posts. In fact, we had to demolish one resort hut which was also jutting out into the sea because the water level rose to touch the �loor over the years. It was way above the water when it was built.”

Of the 25 cities most exposed to a 1-meter sea-level rise, about 19 of them are located in the Asia and Paci�ic region, according to a new study released by the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Curiously enough, seven of the 19 cities in the region are found in the Philippines. In Mindanao, Davao together with Butuan have been identi�ied. There are four in Luzon (Manila, Taguig, Caloocan and Malabon) and only one in the Visayas (Iloilo).

“Under a business-as-usual scenario, a 6-degree Celsius temperature increase is projected over the Asian landmass by the end of the century,” said the study’s report, “A Region at Risk: The Human Dimensions of Climate Change in Asia and the Paci�ic,” which Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research co-produced.

“Coastal regions of Asia and the Paci�ic are among the most vulnerable to climate change-related SLR (sea-level-rise),” the report pointed out, adding that global �lood losses are expected to increase to US$52 billion per year by 2050 from US$6 billion in 2005.

It must be recalled that a previous study published in Nature said that the world’s oceans are now rising far faster than they did in the past. The current sea-level rise rate – which started in 1990 – is 2.5 times faster

than it was from 1900 to 1990.

The study found that for much of the 20th century, sea level rise was about 30% less than earlier research had �igured. “But that’s not good news because about 25 years ago the seas started rising faster and the acceleration in 1990 turns out to be more dramatic than previously calculated,” wrote Seth Borenstein in a dispatch for Associated Press.

“We’re seeing a signi�icant acceleration in the past few decades,” study lead author Carling Hay, a geophysical

past sea-level rise and global mean temperature over the past millennium – a 50 centimeter sea-level rise by the 2050s “may be locked in whatever action is taken now.”

Sea level rise is one of the outcomes of global warming. “The global warming is very simple,” explained Robert Watson, chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “There are increasing emissions of greenhouse gases and thus their concentrations in the atmosphere are going up. As these

change, according to Dr. Rodel D. Lasco, a member of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). For one, the country “has a long coastline where millions of people live including in urban centers such as Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao.”

Let’s take Davao City as a case in point. A report, “Business Risk Assessment and the Management of Climate Change Impacts,” published by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Bank of the Philippine

to another World Bank report.

“By the end of this century, sea levels in the region are expected to rise by about 125 centimeters, exceeding the global average by 10-15%,” noted the bank report, “Getting a Grip on Climate Change in the Philippines.”

“Even assuming the sea level in the region rises at the global average rate of about 100 centimeters, about 14% of the Philippines’ total population and 42% of its total coastal population will be affected by intensifying storm surges resulting from more intense

researcher at Harvard University, was quoted as saying.

According to the report written by Borenstein, previous research showed that between 1900 and 1990, the seas rose about two-thirds of an inch a decade. The new study recalculates the 1900-1990 rate to less than half an inch a decade. Old and new research both say that since 1990s seas are rising at about 30 millimeters a decade.

“The implications are troubling – accelerated ocean warming, ice sheet collapse and sea level rise – all point to more and more sea level rise in the future, perhaps at a faster rate than previously thought,” noted Jonathan Overpeck, co-director of the Institute of the Environment at the University of Arizona. “This will make adaptation to climate change more dif�icult and costly.”

As a consequence of climate change, project sea-level rise is a highly dif�icult, complex, and controversial scienti�ic problem, according to a report released by the Washington, D.C.based World Bank.

Using the analysis of “semi-empirical” approach – projecting global sea-level rise by taking into account the observed relationship between

concentrations increase, the temperature of the earth rises.

The World Bank report – entitled “Turn Down the Heat: Climate Extremes, Regional Impacts and the Case for Resilience” – maintained: “Limiting warming to 2⁰C may limit sea-level rise to about 70 centimeters by 2100, but in a 4⁰C world over 100 centimeters can be expected, with sea-level rise in the tropics 10-15% higher than the global average.”

A research conducted by the Philippine Country Study to Address Climate Change, the Manila Bay is already subjected to several hazards, including �looding and storms. “Shoreline changes due to reclamation for housing, ports, coastal roads, buildings and other urbanized development are high, adding to an increased threat of inundation,” the study said.

In a weekly forum some years back, a weather specialist said the waters around the archipelago rose by 1.8 millimeter every year from 1961 to 2003. In a presentation, a study was shown that the coastal areas in Davao City, Navotas, Malabon, Cavite, and Legazpi City sank by 15 centimeters from 1970 to 1999.

The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate

Islands (BPI), said that sea-level rise may create problems for Davao City’s ports.

“Located along the relatively shallow channel between the city and Samal Island, these port facilities are a nerve center for Davao City’s economy, and serve a variety of ships handling both cargo and passengers,” the risk assessment said.

A previous study also pointed out that a six-meter sea level rise in the Davao Gulf could submerge the coastal area of Davao City. According to the study, the Agdao district, Panacan, Sta. Ana wharf, part of the Lanang, Bajada and Matina areas, the whole downtown area, including the City Hall, will be completely under water.

“These areas will virtually be part of the Davao Gulf,” it said.

As a result, 40% of the city’s total population will be forced to evacuate to higher areas like the Buhangin district, Catalunan Grande, Calinan, Mintal, and Paquibato. Once the downtown is inundated, businesses have to be relocated to higher areas.

Sea level rise within this century will affect a larger percentage of the Philippine coastline compared with that of other developing countries of Asia and the Paci�ic region, according

typhoons.”

American bestselling novelist Tom Anthony came to the Philippines when he married his Filipina wife, whom he met in Singapore. Since his wife is from Mindanao, he decided to settle in Davao City.

Two years ago, Anthony built a house near a beach front. The place was so beautiful as it reminded him of another home in California. Trees were trimming all over; there was also a cemented pathway along the shoreline.

Then, something happened.

When he returned lately to his home in Davao City, he observed that there were already cracks the cemented pathway. Some portions are no longer passable as it was dangerous to walk above it. In fact, the dead end of the long road from the entrance is now placed with orange signage with the word: DANGER. The cemented fence of a house built near the seashore may soon give way as the waves of the sea kept on encroaching the backyard.

“This is a proof that sea level rise is for real,” says Anthony, the man who wrote the best-selling “Rebels of Mindanao.” “I think people should stop thinking that climate change is a state of mind. We need to do something about it now before it’s too late.”

AFP elated by Duterte’s statement of solid support

P

resident Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement that he is solidly behind the backs of military personnel will greatly encourage every service-

men to do more and carry out their constitutional duties.

This was emphasized by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson

NEWS 13

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla when sought for a comment on the Chief Executive’s statement during his second state-of-the-nation-address (SONA)

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

is in need of

4 REPORTERS Submit application letter and resume to: Mr. Antonio M. Ajero, Editor-in-Chief or Mr. Jimmy K. Laking, Associate Editor Edge Davao Review Publishing Inc. Door 14 ALCREJ Bldg., E. Quirino Avenue, Davao City Or email at edgedavao@gmail.com

that he solidly behind Filipino troops doing their mandated duties especially in Marawi City where soldiers are now engaged in neutralizing remaining Maute Group terrorists.

“With no less than the Commander-in-Chief saying, this is more than a just assurance but a solid guarantee of his support in the ful�illment of our constitutional mandate,” he noted.

Padilla also pointed out that this statement of support inspires every soldier all the more to carry out its sworn duties.

President Duterte also said in his SONA speech that he declared Martial Law in Mindanao because he believes it is the fastest way to quell rebellion in Marawi City which was being instigated

by Maute Group terrorists.

“Never fear, do your duty, I will stand by you,” the Chief Executive said.

The 17th Congress, voting jointly -- 261 as against 18 -- af�irmed the need to extend Presidential Proclamation Number 216 extending Martial Law and the suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus until Dec. 31 as initiated by President Rodrigo Duterte.

It was declared in effect in Mindanao after Maute Group terrorists

conducted a series of attacks in Marawi City following the botched attempt to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader and ISIS “emir” in Southeast Asia, Isnilon Hapilon, last May 23.

“I am reiterating by support to soldiers and police force. Those who are risking their lives for our country, I have your back,” he stressed.

Also, Duterte said he is working to create a more stable nation defense to combat terrorism. (PNA)

Chinese FM takes official trip to Manila

C

hinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi commenced on Monday a two-day of�icial visit to Manila upon the invitation of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano.

Wang and Cayetano are scheduled to have a bilateral meeting on Tuesday where they are expected to discuss various aspects of their bilateral relations and regional

issues of mutual concern.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the two Foreign Ministers are also expected to sign a memorandum of understanding .

The reciprocal visit comes after Cayetano’s productive visit to China on June 28 to July 1 this year and the warm welcome extended by the Chinese Foreign Minister.

(PNA)

14 MOTORING EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

Smoking is also T bad for your car

Suzu inaugurates new parts warehouse

I

t wasn’t too long ago that people weresmoking everywhere—inside restaurants, bars, malls and more. However, with stricter smoking bans now in place, we see fewer people lighting up in public, which is a good thing … Bystanders don’t want to get exposed to second-hand smoke.

One of the last few refuges for the smoker is the car.

However, research suggests that smoking in the closed environment of a car seriously pollutes the interior with nicotine and other smoke pollutants. Such nicotine pollution constitutes third-hand exposure.

In a 2010 article titled “Residual Tobacco Smoke in Used Cars: Futile Efforts and Persistent Pollutants,” researchers from the University of California, San Diego, and San Diego State University

examined total smoke pollution in used cars whose previous owners were either smokers or nonsmokers.

Speci�ically, surface wipe, air and dust samples were analyzed for nicotine. Furthermore, previous owners were interviewed about smoking behaviors, including variables such as number of cigarettes smoked per day both inside and outside the car as well as use of ventilation, such as rolling down the windows or turning on the air conditioner.

smoke still sticks, or adsorbs, to surfaces of the car no matter how much a person cleans.

Ventilation efforts, like using the air conditioner or holding a cigarette close to or outside a rolled-down window, have little or no effect on total smoke pollution levels inside a vehicle.The biggest predictor of total smoke pollution in the car is the number of cigarettes smoked by the driver.

Smokers had more ash and burn marks on the interior of their cars as well as �ilthier ashtrays (no surprise here).

Smokers reported using air conditioning less than nonsmokers did. Smokers reported rolling the windows down more frequently than did nonsmokers.Cleaning has little or no effect on the levels of total smoke pollution inside the vehicle. In other words,

Speci�ically, when a person sits in a car that’s been smoked in, nicotine and other smoke pol-

So what can we do about total smoke pollution in cars? First, people who smoke should avoid doing so in the car. (In 2006, only 33 percent of Californians selling their used cars reported banning smoking in the car.) Second, the researchers suggest that used car dealers disclose whether the previous owner smoked in the car as well as certifying certain cars as smoke-free.

test being three times cleaner than the limit.

And like all other Petron fuels, Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6 is formulated with TriAction Advantage. It provides better engine protection for longer engine life, better mileage for longer drives, and better power.

These advantages were con�irmed in a performance marathon run across the entire length of Luzon where Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6 delivered improved ef�icien-

cy and performance.

Petron Blaze has always been the leader in fuel technology and innovation. When it was launched in August 2000, it was the only premium unleaded gasoline with a Research Octane Number (RON) of 98, the highest in the country then. In 2010, it was re-launched with a RON rating of 100. Four year later, it became the �irst gasoline fuel in the country to be certi�ied Euro 4. And now, just this year, it has passed Euro 6 standards.

Findings from the study include the following:

Although third-hand smoke exposure that arises from merely traveling in a car isn’t as bad as somebody actively smoking in the car, or second-hand exposure, it still constitutes a risk--especially for children.

lutants covering the interior (dashboard, upholstery and dust) are released into the air.

Furthermore, these pollutants also get on the skin and in the mouth (imagine putting your �ingers in your mouth after touching the upholstery). Because the average American spends more than an hour a day driving in a car, exposure to pollutants covering car surfaces adds up. Moreover, total smoke pollution can linger in a car’s interior for days, weeks or even months.

Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6 is most advanced fuel in PH

P

etron Blaze 100 Euro 6 is now acknowledged as the best gasoline in the country, based on tests conducted by SGS, a global leader in inspection, veri�ication, testing, and certi�ication; ISP - The Testing Institute, one of the world’s top testing laboratories for automotive fuels and lubricants; and The Millbrook Proving Ground, one of Europe’s largest vehicle testing centers.

Produced and formulatedat Petron’s

Bataan re�inery, the most advanced in the ASEAN region, Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6 meets the most stringent Euro 6 emissions standards that allows sulfur content of only 10 PPM (Parts Per Million). In comparison, the mandated Euro 4 standards allow up to 50 PPM. Additionally, Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6 surpasses the critical Particle Number (PN) test that separates Euro 5 and Euro 6 fuels.

Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6 surpassed the PN

o support customer satisfaction with a bigger inventory for their vehicles, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) has inaugurated its latest warehouse located in Taguig City.

In partnership with DB Schenker (Schenker Distribution Solutions Inc), IPC opened the DB Schenker Levi Mariano Warehouse last July 18, as start of a strategic partnership between the two industry leaders.

The ribbon cutting ceremonies was headed by IPC president Hajime Koso, EVP Shojiro Sakoda, Isuzu Motors Limited Japan after sales division executive of�icer Hiroshi Hisatomi and DB Schenker Managing Director Jonathon Kottegoda Breden.

Transferring its parts warehouse to their new home, the newly-inaugurated facility warehouse for IPC—which will be hub for all Isuzu parts and accessories—is now strategically-located nearer to Isuzu dealerships.

Situated at Pedro Cayetano Avenue, Ligid-Tipas in Taguig, the allocated space for IPC at the DB Schenker Levi Mariano Warehouse is 6,000 square meters as compared to the previous warehouse of 3,586 square meters.

The DB Schenker Levi Mariano Warehouse still has some 1,600 space that can still be utilized should there be a need for expansion. Moreover, it has more than 12,000 stocks locations ranging from bins, to shelves, to selective racking and

even block stocks intended to securely and properly store the various parts for wide array of Isuzu vehicles.

IPC transferred its parts warehouse to this new facility that has bigger space and nearer to port and Isuzu dealerships. Aside from addressing the need for a bigger warehouse space, IPC chief Hajime Koso said that the move was made to improve three major concerns from growing sales of units, storage space and customer satisfaction.

To address all these, Koso said, they need to maintain an inventory suf�icient to the growing needs of customers, implement proper racking and shelving of parts with suf�icient space that would, in turn, improve delivery frequency to dealers and delivery lead time.

“We see this new partnership as a good investment for Isuzu.

We would like to continuously improve on our ef�iciency in making our vehicles as well as catering to the needs of our customers,” Koso said.

Further, Koso also said that that the move is in line with their celebration of being two decades of successfully being the responsible partner and meeting the demands of the Filipinos through their line-up.

“To the 20 years that has passed and beyond, rest assured that IPC will continue to develop more ways to attend to the growing demands of the market. We will continue our pledge in serving this nation,” Koso claimed.

SPORTS 15

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

Cray, Richardson lead PH tracksters

F

ILIPINO-AMERICAN ace tracksters Eric Cray and Kayla Anise Richardson will banner the 38-man Philippine track and �ield team in the 29th edition of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, startingAugust 19.

Cray and Richardson are defending titlists in the men’s and women’s 100 meters which they ruled in the 2015 edition of the regional meet in Singapore.

Cray completed a rare double, defending his 400 m hurdles title in a record-breaking feat, setting a new meet and national records, respectively. A total of 11 records were broken at the competition.

Cray is one of seven athletes who won two individual gold medals at the 2015 games.

In Kuala Lumpur, Cray will be competing anew in the 100 meters and 400-meter hurdles. He will also see action in the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays.

On the other hand, Richardson will be defending her title in the 100-meter run. She will also compete in the 200 meters, 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

Before going to Kuala Lumpur, Cray and pole vault specialist Ernest John Obiena will also lead the national athletes seeing action at the London world athletics’ tournament on August 4 to 13.

Other members of the track and �ield are: Men Jeson Oyco (marathon), Anfernee Lopena (100m /4X400m relay), Aries To-

Eric Cray Richardson

ledo (4X400 relay), Arniel Ferrera (hammer throw), Archand Christian Dimaan Bagsit (200m, 4x100m /4x400 relay), Immuel Candole Camino (3,000m steeplechase), Christopher Ulboc Jr. (3,000m steeplechase), Clinton Kingsley Bautista (110m hurdle), Edgardo Alejan Jr. (400m /4X400m relay), Eric Shaun Cray (100m /400m hurdle/ Elbren Neri (1,500m), Ernest John Obiena (pole vault), Janry Ubas (long jump), Kenny Gonzales (javelin throw), Manuel Lasangue Jr. (high jump), Marco Vilog (800m), Mark Harry Diones (triple jump, 4x100m relay),Francis Tiaga Medina (400m hurdle), Melvin Calano (javelin throw), Mervin Guarte (800m /1,500m), Michael Carlo del Prado (4x400 m relay), Patrick Ma, Unso (110m hurldle/ 4x400 m relay), Ronne Malipay (triple jump), Tyler Christian (long jump), Trenten Anthony Beram (200m /400m /4x100m relay /4x400m relay).

The women’s track and �ield team include Emily Jean Obiena (pole vault), Eva Palabrica (javelin throw), Katherine Kay Santos (4x100m relay/ 4x400m relay/long jump), Marestela Sunang (long jump), Riezel Buenaventura (pole vault), Rosie Villarito (javelin throw), Reah Joy Reyes Tabal (marathon) and Zion Rose Nelson (100m /200m /400m /4x100m relay /4x400m relay). (Primo P. Agatep/PNA)

Kayla Richardson

Davao City all set for Sports tourism forum

M

EMBERS of the local sports and tourism community will meet on July 25 to charter a course to establish Davao as a major sports tourism destination.

The one day only Sports Tourism Forum hosted by the City of Davao with support from the Department of Tourism and the Philippine Sports Commission, will be held at the Grand Meng Seng Hotel from 9am.

Much acclaimed speakers in the �ield of international sports event organizing and marketing as well as local experts in identifying sports pri-

T

orities will provide insights to a relative new but potentially promising tourism niche market.

Leading the panel of speakers is Ms Princess Galura , general manager of Sunrise Events, Inc the Philippine organizers of the famed Ironman, Xterra and Alaska sponsored events. Mr Matthew Cullen, the managing director of the Philippine Rugby Union Association will explain the phenomenal development of the sport in the Philippines and the rise of the Volcanoes.

Mr Charles Lim chairman of the Philippines Sports Tour-

ism Awards will discuss the criteria in selecting awardees, leading to the ultimate aim of encouraging more sporting events in the region. Mr Jude Turcuato, senior vice president and general manager of FOX Philippines will be discussing the role of the media in promoting sports and a destination.

Other topics include event sponsorships, budgeting, digital event solutions by Avolution; support from LGUs and NSAs. Spearheading the local updates and presentations are Ms GeneRose Tecson of the City

Tourism Of�ice and Mr Michael Aportadera of the City Sports Development Of�ice Panelists will also include of�icials from DATA, DTAA, HSMA, local media and event organizers.

Sports Tourism Forum is presented by Selrahco Management - the leading sports and tourism marketing �irm in the region with Avolution, Inc. a fast growing digital advertising company now in Davao.

Registration is ongoing at P1,500.00 which includes lunch, snacks and certi�icates

PH volleybelles making strides

HE intensive training and preparation of the Philippine women’s volleyball team is starting to bear fruit following a very impressive performance in a friendly match against the Okayama City Seagulls Saturday at the Zip Arena in this lovely Japanese city.

Powered by 6-foot-5 winger Jaja Santiago, the Nationals gamely challenged the elite Japanese club before bowing in a four-set exhibition match, 22-25, 14-25, 22-25, 20-25.

Santiago led the charge with 20 kills and three aces for 23 points while open spiker Alyssa Valdez chipped in 15 kills,

an ace and a block for 17 markers for the visiting squad, which displayed tremendous improvement in blocking and �loor defense in the �ifth day of training under Seagulls coach Akiyoshi Kawamoto.

Playmaker Kim Fajardo was also impressive, �inishing with 40 excellent sets laced with a kill and an ace while team captain Mika Reyes stepped up in the absence of injured middle blocker Aby Marano to �inish with four markers.

Head coach Francis Vicente was happy over the performance, but quick to tone down expectations, saying that the squad still remains a work in progress.

“I like our progress in this early stretch of our training,”said Vicente following the match witnessed by no less than Department of Foreign Affairs Sec. Alan Peter Cayetano, who is the chairman of the organizing committee of the Asian Senior Women’s Championship in Binan City and Muntinlupa City next month.

“But we still have a lot to learn. We still have to perfect our blocking and �loor defense as well as improve our composure in the crucial stretch of the match. There’s still room for improvement. We’re still a work in progress.”

Vicente, the Generika-Ayala mentor in the Philippine Superliga, was referring to the action-packed fourth set where the Nationals trailed by �ive, 3-8, before Fajardo connected an ace to tie the match at 13.

A strong hit from the left wing by Valdez gave the Filipinos the lead, 15-14, but the Japanese quickly retaliated, turning it into a 22-19 advantage en route to the victory.

Kawamoto said he was impressed by the development of the Filipinos and expressed con�idence that they would come up with a good performance in the Asian Seniors and the 29th Southeast Asian Games.

“Your team did great,” he told Vicente through an interpreter. “There were some lapse on defense, but overall, your team is doing good in training.”

The Nationals took a breather on Sunday before plunging back to training with the Seagulls on Monday.

The following day, they will take a 30-minute bullet train ride to Osaka to train and compete with noted university and club teams, including reigning PSL Invitational Conference champion Kobe Shinwa University.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

HOPE IN SPORTS

So urges athletes to aim high in life

By ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO

I

ndeed, sports is the world’s greatest equalizer.

Citing the rise of former gym rat Jerwin Ancajas to the top of the world super�lyweight diadem, Dabaw City Sports Council Inc. President Dexter So extolled Dabawenyo athletes to use sports to alleviate their lives.

Speaking during Saturday’s 23rd Annual So Kim Cheng Sports Awards Night at the Grand Regal Hotel, So said young athletes can look up to the example of the 25-year old world champion Ancajas who traced his humble beginnings at the Almendras Gym’s boxing sweatshop several years back.

“Each one of you has a chance at a better life because of sports,” the grandson of the late Davao sports patron So Kim Cheng said in his speech.

Seven-year old karatedo child prodigy Atko Kaiyel Tan received her second straight Athlete of the Year award along with fellow Association for the Advancement of Karatedo (AAK) Davao karateka Julian Ambrose Ramirez, who now also has two SKC plaques after winning one in 2015.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, represented

by PSC-Philippine Sports Institute director Ronel Abrenica, received the Lifetime Sports Achievement Award while a citation was also given to PSC Commissioner Charles Raymond Maxey.

Mario Palazuelo of Arnis was awarded with the Sports Leadership Award while AAK Davao head coach Rommel Tan was given Coach of the Year award and earned his place in the Hall of Fame.

Former PSC Commissioner Binggoy Montemayor presented the trophies to the awardees along with So Kim Cheng Sports Foundation

Inc. Chairman So Peng Kee.

Posthumous Awards were given to the late Davao Football Association (DFA) president Edward Lam and Michael Boris Diez of chess.

Citations were handed out to Michael Ibag of arnis, Engr. Aan Diez and Blanche Elyzz Bongato of chess, Michael Angelo and Maria Isabel Castillo of duckpin bowling, John Paul Ponce, So�ia Agulo and Pervis Bacayo of karatedo, Davao Regional Football Associaton for football, Jesus Vincent Lumapas of motocross, James In�iesto of Philspada, and Rosebe Hilot of rugby.

The year’s outstanding athletes are Sandra Adlao, Nasef Ecoras (archery), Sheila Mae Morales, Jonathan Ryle Mata (arnis), Karylle Kaye Molina, Arthur Samuel Salvado (badminton), Irish Yngayo, Wesley Magbanua (chess), Myra Acedo, Richard Handumon Jr. (cycling), Krashel Bishoppe Balanza, Kalel Clark Delute, Milagros Sasin, Randy Cortez (dancesport), Shazma Theresa Del Rosario, Ronald Magday (duckpin bowling), Jessica Pido, Amir Andre Amaikurot (football), Khyzzia Pauline Navarro, John Philip Cagandahan (karatedo), Tristan Lou Galanto (motocross), Ernie Gawilan (Philspada), Diana Cosare, Raphael Carlo Mancha (rugby), Ayesha Bonnimhe Quibol, Herzel Miles Abendan (table tennis), Paquito Santos (tennpin bowling), Jacon Adeva (volleyball), Ronnie Marielle Santiago, Clyde Rodelos (wushu).

Citations for support were given to PSC, Mahugani Security Agency, Bee�it Gym, SM Supermalls, Northwood Industries, AAK Davao Parents, UIC High School, Feliz Beach Resort, Gerard Cantada, DPWH 11, SOS Children’s Village, Ateneo de Davao University, and Davao City Sports Development Of�ice.

Media citations will go to Edge Davao, Mindanao Daily Mirror, Mindanao Times, Sunstar Davao, ABS CBN Davao, TV 5 Davao and GMA Davao.

VOL. 10 ISSUE 81 • TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

SKC AWARD. Edge Davao, represented by contributor Athena Jillian Bravo, was given a citation by the So Kim Cheng Sports Foundation Inc. and the Dabaw City Sports Council Inc. during the 23rd So Kim Cheng Sports Awards Night on Saturday at the Grand Regal Hotel.

TOP ATHLETES. DCSCI president Dexter So (extreme right) with SKC chairman So Peng Kee, former PSC Commissioner Binggoy Montemayor and PSC-PSI director Ronel Abrenica present the award to top athletes Julian Ambrose Ramirez and Atsuko Kaiyel Tan, and coach of the year Rommel Tan.