Edge10 issue83 July 27, 2017

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY 27 2017

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‘PARA SA MASA’

Army, PNP execs elated by peaceful Martial Law

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

By JIMMY K. LAKING

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olice regional director C/Supt. Manuel Gaerlan on Wednesday expressed satisfaction and elation over the 65-day implementation of martial law, saying it proved to be for the masses.

“Para sa masa,” told the AFP-PNP press conference at the Royal Mandaya Hotel when asked how he would describe the implementation of martial law in the region.

“Necessary,” conceded Brig. Gen.Gilbert Gapay, the deputy implementer of Martial law and as spokesperson of the Eastern Mindanao Command even as he stressed how peaceful and stable the region has been in the 65 days of ML implementation.

“We were able to prevent a spill-over of the Marawi conflict, to effectively shield the region from other threats and to observe the rule of law and human rights,” he said.

10th Infantry Division spokesperson Capt.

Ryan Batchar said Martial Law in the region was lawful and it also proved fruitful as the army division was able to neutralize 241 elements of the outlawed New People’s Army.

“We were also able to reduce the influence of the NPAs and captured a lot of their firearms,” he said.

The three officers also expressed elation at the high trust rating of 89% accorded the armed forces of the Philippines.

“This awakening of public support for the  PARA, 10 armed forces is unprece-

BLATCHE OUT

Gilas 12 to FIBA Asia named minus NBA veteran

VINTAGE CRAFT. Ata Manuvu tribal chieftain Lumayon Bayantong from Brgy.Tapak, Paquibato District meticulously inspects the roof made of dried cogon grass of a traditional ‘bahay kubo’ which he and his tribe mates are building for the Kadayawan Village inside Magsaysay Park in Davao City on Wednesday. Lean Daval Jr.

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY27, 2017

NEW PRODUCTS.Shell Philippines unveils its brand new formulations for premium Shell V-Power fuels to meet every Filipino driver’s constantly evolving needs. Present during the unveiling on Wednesday at The Marco Polo Davao were (from left to right) retail territory manager Jerome David, fuels brand manager Marcia Angela Abas, fuels scientist Mae Ascan, brands and communications manager CherineCapadocia, and Mindanao District manager Arvin Obmerga. Lean Daval Jr.

SAF unit in NBP replaced - DOJ D

epartment of Justice Undersecretary Antonio Kho said that the Special Action Force contingent deployed last year to secure the maximum-security compound of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, where most of high profile and hardened inmates are detained, has been replaced.

Kho said another SAF contingent replaced the one which has been assigned there since July last year.

“SAF already removed, replaced the entire battalion,” said Kho, whose office is tasked to supervise the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

The move comes after Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II expressed concerns over the resurgence of the narcotics trade at the NBP.

Aside from this, Aguirre directed National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Dante Gierran to determine how the illegal drug trade returned at the NBP and file the appropriate administrative and criminal cases against those behind it.

Both the BuCor and the NBI are attached agencies under the DOJ. Aguirre said he will order a probe on some members of the SAF who may have been involved in the resurgence of the illegal drug trade inside the NBP. He noted that some members of the police’s elite force may have been involved due to their familiarity with the inmates.

Kho also said he intends to review memorandum of agreement (MOA) of the BuCor with the PNP regarding the deployment of SAF.

No graveyard shifts for this Davao BPO

By ANGIE SAVERON

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rylls Incorporated started to operate in Davao since 2105.

And since then, the idea of employing workers for graveyard shifts has never crossed its mind, in order to protect the health of its workers.

The company has more than a hundred employees and is currently hiring skilled web developers in preparation for its market expansion to the United Kingdom next year.

Patrick James Son, re-

cruitment manager of Crylls Incorporated told the Habi at Kapi on Wednesday that applicants who are skilled in using Magento will have an edge.

“If this person is highly skilled, he can push for an average of P60,000 monthly,” said Patrick James Son. The company has a low attrition rate that is why they only hire 4-5 employees per month.

In this expansion the company will need 10 to 20 additional workers for the

Davao Office which is located at Rizal St. cor C. Bangoy St, Davao City. The company will not only need e-commerce support but also in the normal BPO operation like voice call center agents, back office and supervisory role with the hiring process to start early next year.

Crylls Incorporated is the kind of BPO that has the usual working hours, with shifts starting as early as 6 in the morning from Monday to Friday plus the employee gets

weekend off.

About 70 percent of the company’s employees are focused on the back-office accounts like E-commerce or Business Supports and 30 percent are taking actual calls.

The actual amount of this investment was not disclosed but according to Son it’ll be a couple of million for sure.

Graveyard shifts starts normally from 11:00 in the evening towards 5:00 A.M., a schedule the BPO has not and will not entertain.

nvironmentalists here welcome President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s stern warning against abusive mining companies and supported his call issued Monday to legislators to pass the National Land Use Act. Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) acting executive director Chinkie Pelino-Golle told MindaNews Tuesday that the pronouncements of the President concerning the environment are a welcome development.

“This is the first time I

heard him issue strong statements addressed to the investors, government agencies and local government units,” she said.

Golle said she was happy Duterte recognized the destructions caused by extractive industries, like mining, to the environment and to local communities.

“His statements are strong and it somehow renewed my hope and faith in the government for making the environment a priority. It is really needed though,” she said.

Golle said she hopes the mining firms, government agencies, and LGUs will be responsible, accountable, and act appropriately to the concerns raised by the President who mandated them “to give extreme care for the environment.”

During his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), Duterte issued a stern warning to all mining operators and contractors to refrain from the “unbridled and irresponsible destruction of our watersheds, forests, and ma-

rine and aquatic resources. “ “You have gained much from mining and we only get about 70 billion [pesos] a year, but you have considerably neglected your responsibility to protect and preserve the environment for posterity,” the President said.

He ordered mining companies and its officials responsible for the full and quick cleanup, restoration and rehabilitation of all areas damaged by mining activities, and the extension of all necessary sup-

Return of Balangiga bells Environmentalists laud notice vs. abusive mines seen to boost PH-US ties E

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he return of the Bells of Balangiga to the Philippines will not only heal the wounds of the Filipino-American War but also bring closer cooperation between governments of the Philippine and the US, a senator said Wednesday.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III made this statement expressing support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s call during his second State of the Nation Address for the US

to return the Bells of Balangiga, a centuries’ old artifact taken by US soldiers from Samar over a century ago. “…We ask for the return of the Bells of Balangiga. For the return of the bells will help restore things to the status quo ante and help ease the hidden tensions that haunt the heirs of the Balangiga rebels and the American soldiers,” Pimentel said in a statement.

He further said that the

 RETURN, 10

 ENVIRONMENTALIST, 10

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY27, 2017

Davao City to host 1st Raptor research meet

By ANGIE SAVERON

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he 10th Asian Raptor Research And Conservation Network Symposium will push through as scheduled at the Ateneo De Davao University on October 18-20, 2017, the first time the Philippine will be hosting the international event.

Rai Gomez, educational administrator of the Philippine Eagle Foundation told the Kapi at Habi on Wednesday that the foundation was looking forward to the symposium to promote raptor research in the Philippines.

“This is because there are only a few people doing this research and we have 30 species of raptors in the Philippines and six of which are only found in our country,” she said.

The symposium will be hosted by Philippine Eagle Foundation in partnership with the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network and co-organized by Ateneo de Davao University, City Government of Davao City, Department of Tourism Region 11, and the Raptor Watch Philippines.

Gomez added. The Philippine Eagle Foundation hopes that through this symposium they will be able to gather

more people to support raptor conservation and raptor research in the country.

The participants of the symposium will be coming from different parts of the world namely Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Russia, United States and United Kingdom.

Some of the participants are already member of Asian Raptors Conservation Network and some were invited through emails. “But we are still open to anyone who is interested to join the symposium,” said Gomez.

In this symposium the Philippine Eagle Foundation also aims to put Davao as one of the locations of bird watching since there are a number of bird species that are only found in the Philippines.

During the migration season bird watching also proved to be an ecotourism activity.

The foundation’s coming events are the hatching days of Sakura and Sinag this November and December. The Philippine Eagle Foundation is also promoting Davao as a birding destination in the Philippines. The foundation has been conducting a free bird watching session every first Saturday of the month at the eagle center.

DND: Marawi war stems from failure to value intel

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hat happened in Marawi City was not a failure of intelligence but a failure to appreciate intelligence.

This was emphasized by Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana during Management Association of the Philippines’ security briefing held at the Makati Shangri-la Tuesday.

“There are a lot of talks coming around that there was failure of intelligence (when the Marawi City incident) blew up (in May 23) and I

was asked by one of the media there (in Moscow) I said, it was a failure to appreciate intelligence because for a long time, for the longest time, we were reading in the website of ISIS in the Middle East that says that if you (militants) want to continue fighting here in the Middle East, you go to the Southern Philippines,” he said.

And despite information coming from the President and friendly nations like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore claiming that ISIS sympa-

 DND, 10

ELATED.Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 director Chief Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan expresses satisfaction over the 65-day implementation of martial law.

Gaerlan also said during the AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday that this version of martial law proved to be for the masses. Lean Daval Jr.

House panel all set for P3.767T budget scrutiny Nograles to help ensure speedy approval of national budget

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he House Committee on Appropriation chaired by Davao Rep. Karlo Nograles has started formal preparations for the actual committee consideration of President Duterete’s proposed P3.767Trillion 2018 national expenditure program.

“It will be a hectic August for the Committee as we aim to finish and file our Committee Report on the proposed 2018 General Appropriations Act by August 30,” Chairman Nograles revealed.

Nograles however said that while his panel is committed in ensuring the speedy approval of the 2018 national expenditure program, “there will be no shortcuts

in their effort to scrutinize every single allocation and every single centavo that is contained in the proposed GAA. “We will be fast just like last year without sacrificing prudence in the use of public funds. We will look into the budget down to the smallest detail in order to make sure that that all allocations are realistic and every centavo would be well spent in improving the life of our people,” Nograles said.

As per schedule, committee preparations of the still unnumbered bill containing the National Expenditure Program for 2018 has already started, just 24 hours following formal submission by the President during his State of the Na-

tion Address on July 24th.

“We are all anxious and ready to tackle the most important law on which the successful operations of all government departments, agencies and institutions depend,” Nograles pointed out.

Actual committee briefings and hearings on the 1st reading copy of the proposed national budget actually start on August 1 until August 24, after which a Committee Report will be prepared. The said CR will again be reviewed by the Appropriations panel for approval of possible amendments introduced during committee deliberations before final committee approval of the report.

Following the President’s formal submission to Congress, the proposed national budget bill will be cal-

US donates ISR aircraft to patrol vast PH waters

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FULL SUPPORT.Councilor DaniloDayanghirang says the City Council is fully supportive to the decision of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to terminate the joint-venture agreement with Mega Harbour Port and Development

Corporation for the P39-billion mixed-use coastline development project in Davao City. Dayanghirang made the statement during during the AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday. Lean Davaljr.

endared by the Committee on Rules headed by the Majority Leader for plenary first reading before formally being referred to the Appropriations Committee for actual consideration.

Nograles is fervently hoping that the proposed national budget, as a certified urgent measure, will be approved on second and final reading by the House plenary anywhere between September 8 to 14, 2017.

“We will have to allot time for printing the voluminous budgetary documents before we transmit it to the Senate by September 21,” Nograles said, confident that the Senate will also go full-throttle on the measure which hopefully could be signed into law by the President by November 15, 2017.

he Armed Forces of the Philippines will use the two US donated Cessna 208B “Caravan” aircraft, which are fitted with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, to patrol the country’s vast maritime domains and borders, AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restito Padilla said on Wednesday.

In an interview, Padilla said the ISR aircraft could also conduct photo-recon missions along the country’s coastal zones.

Padilla said the two planes, which will be formally turned over by the US government to the Philippines Thursday, were part of America’s Maritime Security Initiative.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is expected to be in the hand-over ceremony in Villamor

Air Base, Pasay City along with US Ambassador Sung Kim. The Cessna 208B will also give the AFP the capability to detect ships and other craft intruding into the country’s territorial waters quickly.

It can also be used to track down or locate lawless elements attempting to infiltrate in the Philippines’ southern maritime borders.

The Cessna 208B has a cruising speed of around 170 knots and has a range of over 1,000 nautical miles and capable of transporting eight to nine persons, including the pilot.

Minus the ISR equipment and avionics, each of the aircraft is worth about USD2 milllion.

(Priam F. Nepomuceno/PNA)

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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Diokno: We will continue with infrastructure projects

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conomic managers said the proposed tax reforms will boost the Philippine government’s infrastructure investments but Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno said non-approval of the measure will not prevent the Duterte administration from implementing its programs. ”We’ll borrow money,” he told reporters in a briefing Wednesday.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte submitted before Congress last Monday, after his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), the proposed PHP3.767 trillion national budget for 2018.

Based on the proposal, total borrowings next year will be PHP888.2 billion, 80 percent of which will be sourced domestically while 20 percent will be offshore, primarily from official development assistance (ODA) of multilateral institutions.

Total revenues for next year was set at PHP2.841 trillion while expenditures was set at PHP3.364 trillion.

The PHP130 billion gains from the first package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), which involves the cut in personal income tax as well as the hikes in excise taxes on oil and vehicles and on sugar

tax, are seen to boost revenues.

Finance officials said that impact of higher oil excise taxes on commodities would be muted, and that they have identified mitigating measures amounting to around PHP30 billion to be given to 10 million poor Filipinos.

These measures include the PHP2,400 unconditional cash transfer for a year to the lower 50 percent of Filipinos.

Diokno said net gains from the tax reform was small compared to the requirements of the economy.

The Duterte administration has set PHP8 trillion to PHP9 trillion infrastructure program until 2022 to ensure that necessary roads and bridges, among others, will be constructed nationwide to increase economic growth.

Diokno said funding these programs using state revenues as well as loans was needed, with the latter due to the advantage of low interest rate.

He said the Philippines had the “golden opportunity” of tapping funds at low rates to finance its programs. ”Kung may kulang sa tax revenue popondohan ko pa rin (If there is deficiency in tax revenues I will still finance it),” he said.(PNA)

Koronadal eyes measures to boost econ enterprises

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o raise more revenues, the city government is studying various measures to improve the operations and further develop its economic enterprises.

Marloun Gumbao, city treasurer, said Wednesday they are drawing up new strategies and possible reforms to transform four of its income-generating facilities into viable enterprises.

He said the local government currently subsidize and manage the operations of the city slaughterhouse, public market, terminal and cemetery.

The official said they are mainly working on developing these facilities into “self-sustaining” enterprises.

He said such move is based on a directive issued by the Department of Finance and the Department of Budget and Management.

It is also in line with the requirements set by the Department of the Interior and Local Government for its Seal of Good Local Governance program and its efforts to make local governance more autonomous.

“These economic enterprises have long

been existing but we lack the economic mind in terms of their operations,” Gumbao said.

In line with the initiative, he said they conducted benchmarking activities earlier this month in the cities of Tagum in Davao del Norte and Digos in Davao del Sur. He said the specifically looked into the policies and strategies implemented by the two local government units (LGUs) in line with the operations of their economic enterprises.

The cities of Tagum and Digos have been drawing substantial revenues and were able to fund various projects through their income-generating facilities or enterprises.

The city government is currently building a P150 million modern integrated transport terminal complex in a 5.9-hectare site in Purok Yellow Bell, Barangay Sta. Cruz.

The project, which is funded by a loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines, is already 70 percent finished and targeted for full completion by the end of October, according to the city’s monitoring team.(PNA)

A Cebu Pacific plane is taking off at the Davao International Airport in Davao City. CebPac will fly four times a week from Davao to Tacloban and vice versa starting today which is expected to boost the domestic tourism opportunities of both cities. Lean Daval Jr.

Davao business listings shoot up twice in ML Increase in biz inquiries also on the rise B

usiness registrations in Davao City have grown more than double in the second quarter of 2017 despite the implementation of martial law in Mindanao, an investment official said.

In an interview Tuesday, Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCPIC) head Lemuel Ortonio said the city registered around 4,600 business registrations in the second quarter of 2017, a twofold increase from a period a year ago with 2,110 business-

es registered and renewed.

For the first quarter of the year, he said they reported a total of 41,051 new and existing businesses compared to 36,434 of the same period last year.

Citing the latest figures, Ortonio claimed the impact of the martial law on the economy of Davao, the hometown of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, is almost negligible, claiming that his office has been continuously receiving quite a number of inquiries from interest-

ed investors.

He said the increase can be attributed to the “ease of doing business” here.

“There is ease of doing business in the city, there are measures to make it easier to open business here. And then with martial law comes with heightened security and it’s possible our investors have seen their investments are safe here,” Ortonio said.

Duterte declared a 60-day martial law in Mindanao on May 23, shortly after clashes

broke out between government forces and the Maute Group in Marawi City. But on July 22, supposedly the last day of martial law and suspension of the privilege of writ of habeas corpus was to end, Congress approved Duterte’s request for extension until December 31, 2017.

“I declared Martial Law in Mindanao because I believed that that was the fastest way to quell the rebellion at the least cost of lives and proper-

uwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Partylist Rep. Jericho Nograles today said he would push for a “zero” budget for the “illegal” contract of MRT 3 with its maintenance service provider Busan Universal Rail Inc. Nograles said spending P54.5 Million a month for an illegal contract and a sloppy service would better serve other legal purposes other than enriching a fly-by-night contractor.

“In consonance with President Duterte’s anti-corruption directive spelled out very clearly in the second SONA, we cannot continue paying for an unsigned and “illegal” contract.

Nograles said that he would ask the House Committee on Appropriations chaired by his brother, Davao City Congressman Karlo Nograles, to withhold deliberations on the budget item that provides for the maintenance of the MRT3 until after the Department of Transportation

(DOTr) under Secretary Arthur Tugade decides to scrap BURI’s three-year P3.8 Billion maintenance service contract with MRT3 and get a more reliable and better-equipped service provider.

“There is no contract between the former DOTC and present DOTr with Busan Universal Rain, Inc. Or BURI. Without a contract, why would we allocate any funds at all? It would be illegal to waste a single centavo on this and don’t get me started on the sloppy service,” Nograles said.

Nograles said that while he is happy that Tugade decided to hold the payment of some P200 Million which is part of the billing claims being demanded by BURI, the DOTr should already move to terminate BURI as its maintenance service provider, having no contract at all, which is patently illegal and invalid. “ In fact, BURI should refund all the payments made by the

government to them because their activities are not in compliance with our existing procurement laws. BURI pulled off the biggest scam in the country’s history and their biggest victims are the Filipino tax payers,” Nograles said.

For one, Nograles said that the DOTr has been paying millions to BURI all along on the basis of a contract that was recommended by a person who is not even connected with the government and approved by one who is not even authorized to do so by the procurement law.

Nograles revealed that contrary to law, the multi-billion maintenance service contract was not signed by then Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya but by a mere underling, then Undersecretary for Planning Rene Limcaoco and Undersecretary Edwin Lopez. Worse, BURI is not even

the named provider.

Executive Order 423 which prescribes the rules and procedures on the review and approval of all government contracts to conform with Republic Act 9184 otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act, all government contracts that is worth P500 Million or more must be approved and signed only by the heads of the procuring agency.

“This BURI is as fly-by-night as its contract,” Nograles said adding that at the minimum, the maintenance service provider must be equipped with Wheel Lathing Machine to ensure that all the wheels of the Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) are regularly trued and maintained.

“The President is clear in his SONA that he will not tolerate corruption. I just hope that Secretary Tugade got the message loud and clear. This BURI contract is illegal, invalid and a clear example of graft and corruption,” Nograles added.

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Nograles presses zero budget for MRT deal P

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ECONOMY 5

DA launches Davao as onion-producing region

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epartment of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol recently launched Davao region and the rest of Mindanao as onion-producing regions in a bid to reduce importation.

Data from the DA reveals Philippines imports 94 percent of garlic and 70 percent of onion from China and India. The DA chief noted that high importation of this commodities expose the domestic market to price manipulation of some greedy traders who have formed a “cartel” to strengthen their control over supply and prices.

“For so many years, they [cartel] have made us believe that we cannot plant onion and garlic outside Luzon,” he said.

Speaking during the recent training on onion and garlic production held at the Davao City School for the Blind in Davao City, Piñol said DA is exploring non-traditional areas for onion and garlic to increase local production and reduce importation.

In Davao Region for instance, there are areas with distinct dry climate and sand loam soil with high organic content suitable for onion and garlic production.

Piñol said results in onion pilot farms in the region are promising as it did not only show that onion can thrive in some parts of the region but could also provide good yield.

“Pilot farms show, onion can yield 10 metric tons per hectare.

In fact, we have a success story in [Brgy. Malitbog] Panabo, Davao del Norte where a farmer planted onion in only 1,000 square meters but was able to earn P75, 000 [in one cropping],” he said adding that it was planted in open field sans irrigation, mulching, and advanced technology.

Lupe Calunsag of Barangay Asinan Matanao, Davao del Sur said onion production does not require wide area and intensive labor. In his 800 square meter lot, he was able to harvest 200 kilos, which he sold at P70 per kilo.

“We are here today to be oriented on how to plant onion and garlic because I believe, we can do it. We will conduct similar training in other regions in the country,” he said while expressing his amazement with the presence of 1,150 participants coming from various parts of Mindanao.

He said the certificate of training entitles the participants of a financial support from DA. “We will validate [your areas] the moment you have trained and if we find your area ideal for onion and garlic, you can avail of a financial loan of 6% interest, no collateral and payable after 2 years in the amount of P100, 000 per hectare,” he said.

“I have always believe that one of the greatest problems facing our farmers all over the country is the inability of financing.

We will not limit our financing to onion and garlic but to other commodities as well “ he said.

He said under its Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA), DA will be generous but careful in granting loan assistance. After attending technical training, farmers will be oriented on PLEA and will be issued identification card based on satellite mapping.

Although onion and garlic production can be lucrative, Piñol however caution farmers that these are special crops that could not be planted just anywhere. “They are suitable to specific types of soil and climate.

Before you jump into it, please consult the experts to avoid failure,” he stressed.

indanao’s biggest business event is pushing through despite the pullout of some major exhibitors, organizers have said.

Some of the firms that have decided to skip this year’s holding of the Mindanao Business Conference (Minbizcon) in September are multinationals that have been regulars throughout the event’s almost three-decade history, said Minbizcon chair, Ruben Vegafria.

Many of those that have confirmed their non-attendance are US-based companies that are members of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Vegafria said.

The US embassy, he said, has informed the organizers that the companies will not be participating because of security concerns, an apparent reference to the ongoing fighting in Marawi City.

Still, Vegafria remains upbeat with this year’s Minbizcon, now on its 26th year.

“Since we were informed two months ahead of the scheduled

event, we were able to secure commitments from other companies to fill in the vacant slots. In short, nothing was lost,” he said.

The three-day conference that begins on Sept. 6 at the Xavier Estates Country Club, will be graced

by President Rodrigo Duterte, who is expected to give his keynote speech on the final day of the event.

Other speakers include Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) director-general Charito Plaza, and Russian Ambassador Igor Kuvaev.

There will be technical discussions and business matchings in such topics as homegrown technologies, building a disaster-resilient economy, and positioning Mindanao’s agriculture sector, among others, Vegafria said.

A total of 60 buses will also be ceremonially launched for the tourism initiative dubbed, “Go Mindanao”, during the occasion.

Minbizcon a go amid pullout of large firms M

ECSTATIC.Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) trustee Art Milan proudly announces that the recently concluded Davao Investment Conference 2017 was a success based on the number of

participants and the quality of the delegates who attended the event. Milan made the announcement during Wednesdays @ Habi at Kape at Abreeza Mall. Lean Daval Jr.

Dad backs termination of P39B Mega project A

Says it was for public interest

cting Mayor Danilo Dayanghirang rally behind Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in her decision terminating the city government’s joint venture agreement with Mega Harbour Port and Development Corporation on the P39 billion coastline reclamation project.

Dayanghirang, who chairs the city council Committee on Finance, Ways, and Means, believes there is no legal implication on the termination of the deal with Mega Harbour, saying, “It was for public interest.” He stressed it is something that the City Council cannot do anything because “in a democracy, the one who will provide leadership is the mayor”.

“Her statement is a

matter of policy. I am fully supporting her decision,” Dayanghirang said of Mayor Sara’s decision not to proceed with the P39-billion mixed-use coastline development project in Davao.

During the AFP-PNP Press Corps forum Wednesday, Dayanghirang told reporters that this should not be viewed negatively by the business sector instead should be appreciated more because it means protection of the environment.

Dayanghirang said he understands the mayor’s thrust of bringing development more in rural areas than touching the façade of the city.

According to Dayanghirang, the mayor may have considered the project’s im-

pact on the environment, navigation, and traffic at Davao Gulf, which is an important passageway for sea traffic and trading. It is also a source of food and income for small fisherfolk living in coastal areas.

Given this decision, Dayanghirang said Mega Harbour has no more reason to secure an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) and other permits for reclamation since the project will no longer proceed.

“It is now a question of protocol,” he said, adding that it is no longer needed because the city government would not also issue local permits.

This decision, Dayanghirang said would now serve as policy direction of the

city government and the city council when considering projects that require movement of the earth in the future.

It may be recalled that 4th Davao Investment Conference, Mayor Sara committed to sustaining an enabling environment conducive for businesses to grow but called on investors to be also mindful of the local and national environmental laws.

The mayor strongly emphasized environmental preservation and protection as she boasts of Davao City’s opportunities and incentives in doing business in the city.

In his State of the Nation Address, President Rodrigo Duterte also emphasized the need to protect the environment. (PNA)

of Marawi City of an ISIS-inspired extremist group that has resulted to the displacement of thousands of residents and the death of hundreds of civilians.

The installation of checkpoints,specifically in highways that cut through the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, has been perceived as advantageous by the importers since their cargoes pass through these highly secured areas, said Enciso.

Collection figures are

also up since Martial Law was imposed, Enciso said, adding that “even our imports have gone up.”

In June, the Mindanao Container Terminal subport in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, where the bulk of the imported materials arrive from other countries, recorded a collection of PHP811.23 million, or 12.50 percent increase from its PHP721.11 million target, said Samson Pacasum, the port collector.

The MCT is one of the

sea ports under the jurisdiction and management of BOC-10 and yet it collects the volume of tax collection and other duties from importation.

In the same period last year, MCT had only collected PHP589.795 million, or 20.19 percent lower than its PHP739 million target.

Pacasum said MCT aims to collect some PHP8.53 billion by the end of 2017. BOC-10’s overall target for this year is PHP11 billion. (PNA)

NMin flow of goods not affected by Martial Law

T

he flow of goods and services has remained stable in Northern Mindanao amid the implementation of Martial Law. If at all, military rule has even created a stable environment for peace and order that encouraged importers to ship their goods in the region, said Alvin Enciso, chief of BOC-10’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS).

President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law on May 23 following the siege

6 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY27, 2017

Water service interruptions in some areas July 28-30

D

avao City Water District advises of two separate sets of water service interruption.

First set will be on July 28, 2017 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM affecting a portion of Biao Guianga in Tugbok, particularly from corner of Tacunan Road to Field of Dreams. This water service interruption will give way for the tapping and looping of pipelines at Purok 1 in Biao Guianga, Tugbok.

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

Second set will be from 9:00 AM of July 29, 2017 until 1:00 AM of July 30, 2017. Affected are some areas served by Line 1 of Dumoy Water Supply System, particularly, the entire downtown, Bo. Obrero, and Agdao (Wilfredo Aquino, Gov. Vicente Duterte, Leon Garcia Sr., R. Castillo, Ubalde, Lapu-lapu, San Antonio, and Centro), portion of Cabaguio Avenue (from Deco Machine Shop to Agdao Fly-over), some Bucana areas (Savina, Sitio Narra, Manggahan, St. John, Kasilak, Sto. Niño, Bilusa, Sanasa, and Busna), and some Lanang areas (Beach Side Homes, Ramos Village, Lizada Village, Villa De Davao Subd., and Lanang Beach Club).

This water service interrup-

tion will give way for the tapping, cutting, and plugging of pipelines at Mabini St. corner Quirino Avenue and Mt. Apo St. corner Quirino Avenue and looping of pipelines near Caltex Gasoline Station along R. Castillo St. Once completed, the project will increase water pressure in the affected areas.

On behalf of the DCWD management, general manager Engr.

Edwin V. Regalado asks for the understanding and cooperation of would-be affected customers. They are also advised to store enough water prior to the scheduled water interruptions. Water supply may be restored earlier if work goes smoothly or later if unforeseen problems arise.

The general public may visit DCWD website (www.davao-water.gov.ph) and official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/davaowater) or call the Central Information Unit / Call Center through the 24-hour hotline 297-DCWD (3293) and press “1” on their phone dial for the latest daily water updates. Contact 09277988966, 0925-5113293, and 0908-4410653 for other updates, complaints, queries, and matters pertaining to DCWD services.

(Winston C. Ajero)

The DOST’s hybrid electric road train (HERT). Photo from the DOST’s MIRDC page

Tourism ‘bright spot’ in PH economy with P220B earnings S etbacks did not slow Philippine tourism down as it continued to flourish in the first year of the Duterte administration in terms of foreign arrivals, revenues and staging of various international events.

“With selfless dedication and faith in God and good old Filipino resiliency among the stakeholders, we have hurdled obstacles and surmounted setbacks.

We are up for the challenge in the next five years,” Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo said in a press statement.

In its first year accomplishment report released Monday, the Department of Tourism (DOT) revealed that tourism revenues from July 2016 to May 2017 increased by 109.13 percent to PHP 222.30 billion from PHP 106.297 billion receipts during the first 11 months (July 2010 to May 2011) of the previous administration.

The report also showed that the Duterte administration’s first 11 months welcomed a 71.83 percent increase in foreign tourist arrivals at 5.871 visitors

compared to 3.416 arrivals during the previous administration.

Citing these feats, the DOT described the tourism industry as a “bright spot” of the Philippine economy.

“The year-long tourism boom can be attributed to the government’s firm resolve in dealing with threats, creating a more secure and safe environment and raising tourists’ confidence,” the DOT report said.

DOT also took the lead in staging various international events, including the 65th Miss Universe pageant in January; the hosting of the 3rd Madrid Fusion Manila, ASEAN conferences, and the recent United Nations World Tourism Organization 6th International Conference on Statistics among other events.

The agency listed “better relations” with source markets as another accomplishment in its report for inking monumental tourism cooperation agreements with five countries namely China, Russia, Cambodia, Thailand and Turkey.

“These agreements have yielded stronger bi-

lateral relations and tourism partnerships between the Philippines and the aforementioned countries in terms of exchange programs for tourism professionals and students, joint promotions, cultural exchange, trainings and tourism investments,” the DOT report said.

Moreover, it has also spurred growth in the tourism sector, “making the Philippines one of the most favored destinations of Chinese tourists.”

“Since Duterte took office last year, Chinese arrivals surged to 36.3 percent.

Numbers are expected to increase as China committed to sending at least a million Chinese travelers to the Philippines this year,” it added.

The report also listed additional air negotiation agreements and action programs that helped acquire 811, 044 new seats with the opening of new air routes and major strides for the cruise industry bagging deals with cruise lines and receiving a total of 117 international cruise vessels.

Meanwhile, in efforts

to regulate the standards of tourism establishments, the DOT said that it has strengthened its accreditation system. And from July 2016 to July 2017, the DOT has issued accreditation to 4,057 enterprises and frontliners.

As for tourism infrastructure projects, the DOT said that it continues to work with its attached agencies like the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and the Intramuros Administration (IA) and in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to construct roads and bridges to tourism destinations.

The DOT said that its National Tourism Development Plan 2016 to 2022, which is aligned with this administration’s Philippine Development Plan, is a feat of its own. Under the plan, the agency targets to acquire 12 million foreign arrivals and 89.2 million domestic travelers for year 2022. It also aims to provide tourism-related jobs to 6.5 million workers. (Azer N. Parrocha with Angela Coloma (OJT/PNA)

DAVAO... FROM 4 ties. At the same time, the government would be adequately equipped with the constitutional tool not only to prevent the escape of rebels who can easily mingle and pretend to be civilian evacuees only to re-group in another place to fight another day, but also to prevent them from spreading their gospel of hate and violence in the rest of Mindanao,” Duterte said during his second State of the Nation Address in Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City on Monday.

He explained that martial law and the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus enable the “military to arrest, detain and question suspected members and sympathizers of the rebellion similar to what happened to the parents of the Maute brothers.”

The President also vowed to support the police and the military in the implementation of martial law.

“As president, I am reiterating my unwavering support and commitment to the soldiers of our Armed Forces and the members of our police force – those who are on the ground and in the battlefields and those who are risking their lives for our country and our democracy. I have your backs. To those who oppose and think that all these efforts are out of order, I hold myself – me and me alone should be responsible,” he said.

Reacting to his statements, Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. president Ronald Go said the underlying message of the SONA was the President’s desire to all Filipinos “to embrace the move for change and this

being basically his first year I think all of us should give him a chance.”

“The President talked about several topics at length which he obviously felt very strongly about. Among these were drugs, corruption, security and mining. I think at the core of all these issues was change or the lack thereof.

I sense that the President is frustrated with the slow pace in implementing the changes he hopes to come about compared to what he was used to as mayor,” he said.

Last July 18, City Tourism Office head Generose Tecson said the extension of martial law until December 31 will certainly have an effect on the tourism sector here but security is more important.

She said the embassies will keep their travel advisories against Mindanao.

But Tecson said security is a “primordial concern” of the city government in light of the threat of terrorism and extremism in Mindanao.

She said the city’s security forces are part of the executive committee tasked to prepare for the Kadayawan Festival next month. (MINDANEWS) “In preparation for the Kadayawan Festival, our security forces are part of the [executive committee] so that they can give their inputs with regards the plans and venues for the various activities,” Tecson said.

“What we can do is, as Davaoeños we should help by getting the word out that it is safe and secure here in Davao, but still we are all vigilant,” she added.

7 PROPERTY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY27, 2017

FIRST CONDO BUILDING. The Matina Enclaves’ Building B/1 with the pool on foreground.

Matina Enclaves turns over first condo Aug. 10

By NEILWIN JOSEPH BRAVO

T

he wait is over and it’s not even long.

Escandor Development Corporation’s initial real estate development venture Matina Enclaves will formally turn over its first condominium building.

The big date for the turnover of Building B/1 is set on August 10 with no less than Esdevco president and CEO Glenn Y. Escandor leading the ceremonies.

Project head Gerald Kent Garces said the first residential building of the sprawling mixed use complex is now ready for turnover to its condo unit owners.

Although details of the turnover are still being finalized as of

this writing, the ribbon-cutting ceremony will include Building B/1, atrium garden and pool amenities.

“We are excited to finally turn over the keys to our unit owners who themselves are thrilled with the thought that their dream abode is finally at hand,” said Garces.

Meantime, Garces also released the recent construction updates of Matina Enclaves Building C/2—the second condo building of the five already sold out under construction.

Building C/2 is now on the 8th floor of construction out of 10 total floors. Also ongoing are works for the plumbing, structur-

al and electrical components of the building.

The Matina Enclaves project is one of the most sought after residential projects in the city with its value for money advantage, convenient location, amenities and affordability.

Future residents of the sprawling complex will be waking up with the majestic view of the picturesque Mt. Apo virtually framed on their windows. At night, the city’s flickering lights are a spectacle to behold like moving images set on time lapse.

And it’s not just the ordinary concept of condo living.

Matina Enclaves is a virtual patch of nature where a commu-

nity thrives amidst a metropolitan setting.

A few steps away is the Davao City Golf Club, a vast ground of lush greenery for one enamoured with the sport.

Around the complex are pathways dotted with trees where one can walk, jog or bike.

The amenities too are family-oriented--a clubhouse with recreational facilities for both the young and old, lap pool, and soon, the Arcadia which is a modern gaming complex right across the road.

And since it is a gated complex, exclusivity is one so unique with condo living the Matina Enclaves way.

The Matina Enclaaves Building B/1 view from the ground.

The Atrium Garden

The Atrium Garden

8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDITORIAL

P

Bring back the bells

resident Rodrigo R. Duterte, in his second State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA), made it clear he wants the US to return the Balangiga bells taken

by American soldiers as war booty more than a century ago.

So what in the first place is the significance of the Balangiga bells?

Records show that the Balangiga bells are three church bells stolen by the United States Army from the town church of Balangiga, Eastern Samar in the Philippines as war trophies after reprisals following the Balangiga massacre in 1901 during the Philippine-American War. One church bell is in the possession of the 9th Infantry Regiment at Camp Red Cloud, their base in South Korea, while two others are on a former base of the 11th Infantry Regiment at F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. At least one of the bells had tolled to signal the surprise attack by the Filipinos while the American troop were eating breakfast.

During the Philippine-American war in 1901, Filipino freedom fighters from the village of Balangiga defended Samar island from American colonizers, resulting in death of 48 American officers and men, and 28 Filipinos.

On September 28, 1901, Filipino freedom fighters from the village of Balangiga ambushed Company C of the 9th U.S. Infantry Regiment, while they were at breakfast, killing an estimated 48 and wounding 22 of the 78 men of the unit, with only four escaping unhurt. The villagers captured about 100 rifles and 25,000 rounds of ammunition. An estimated 20 to 25 of the villagers had died in the fighting, with a similar number of wounded.

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In reprisal, General Jacob H. Smith ordered that Samar be turned into a “howling wilderness” and that any Filipino male above ten years of age capable of bearing arms be shot. From the burned-out Catholic town church, the Americans looted three bells which they took back to the United States as war booty. The 9th U.S. Infantry Regiment, however, maintains that the single bell in their possession was presented to the regiment by villagers when the unit left Balangiga on April 9, 1902. Smith and his primary subordinate, Major Littleton Waller of the United States Marine Corps were both court-martialled for illegal vengeance against the civilian population of Samar. Waller was acquitted of the charges. Smith was found guilty, admonished and retired from service.

With the President’s stern demand to get the bells back, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano is working on the possibility of negotiating with the US government. Cayetano is confident that the United States (US) government would “work with us towards recovering these and be a good gesture and symbol.”

For their part, the US has vowed to work with the Philippines to resolve the issue on Balangiga bells maintaining that the bells are both significant for a number of people in the US and in the Philippines.

It will serve the best for the US to return the bells as a gesture of respect to the country who rightfully exercise ownership of the bells and not as mere war booty.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

JIMMY K. LAKING Associate Editor PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE

ANGELIE SAVERON KENNETH IRVING K. ONG Reporters Reporter BAI FAUZIAH FATIMA SINSUAT AMBOLODTO MEGHANN STA. INES NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN FUNNY PEARL GAJUNERA Lifestyle CHA MONFORTE LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. ARLENE D. PASAJE Correspondents Cartoons Photography Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. Columnists: D. TACIO G.•DELIGERO • JOHN CARLO TRIA • VIDAGOTIANSE-TAN MIA S. VALVERDE•• NICASIO FRED C. LUMBA • ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA BORBONHENRYLITO • MARY ANN “ADI”• GREGORIO C. QUISIDO LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NIKKI ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ

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Richard C. Ebona | Product Development officer Cellphone number: 09169558559 / 09085486859 Email Address: edgedavao@gmail.com

EDGEDAVAO

W

e will skip our opinion on the two-hour plus SONA and perhaps print our take at another time.

What this corner believes is of utmost importance now is the dressing down the President gave the LGUs for not doing anything about their respective turf because of the dirty surroundings he has seen almost everywhere.

PRRD hit the nail right on the head.

Aristotle wrote: “He who is to be a good ruler must have �irst been ruled.”

As the front-liners of the Chief Executive in the implementation of existing laws and those to be crafted in the future by the legislature, the LGUs (I’m using the generic term) seem to be lackadaisical in the performance of their duties, responsibilities and obligations.

I would hazard a guess that not every LGU can deliver basic social services 24/7 to their constituents.

Many do only from Mondays to Fridays and take their days

A

couple of years ago, Sun Star Cebu published a story of some residents of the town of Algeria being hospitalized due to typhoid fever; a few of them reportedly died. Despite this, town of�icials refused to blame the water as the cause of the typhoid fever outbreak as there were others who were hospitalized and yet they had drunk from other sources.

Typhoid or enteric fever is a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. “Worldwide, typhoid fever affects more than 21 million people annually, with about 200,000 people dying from the disease,” the website, WebMd.com, reports.

“Typhoid fever is contracted by drinking or eating the bacteria in contaminated food or water. People with acute illness can contaminate the surrounding water supply through stool, which contains a high concentration of the bacteria,” the website says. “Contamination of the water supply can, in turn, taint the food supply. The bacteria can survive for weeks in water or dried sewage.

Both ill persons and carriers shed the bacteria in their stools. One famous case involved a woman who was a cook for a family on Long Island in the United States. Typhoid infections occurred among the members of this family, and an investigation showed that Mary, the cook, was a chronic carrier of typhoid.

Life, as we know it, is useless without water. As Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, Hungarian biochemist and Nobel Prize

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83•THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2017

VANTAGE POINTS

PRRD scolds LGUs

off on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) to follow the legal working conditions stipulated by law for government workers. Some creative LCEs (local chief executives) try for a time but also falter after a time.

The national government (the President, for this matter) can only achieve so much if his front-liners (the DILG people, governors, city and town mayors and barangay chairmen) respond in a positive, synchronized manner.

As PRRD has been around the country, he has seen for himself the topsy-turvy conditions prevailing in the countryside. For instance, the marketplace.

We are all agreed that the public market is the town or city’s show window. If the marketplace is in disarray and ill managed, visitors and citizens alike usually squirm in disappointment, covering their nostrils because of the bad odor. Many public markets in many towns and cities all over the country are in this

SPECKS OF LIFE Fred C. Lumba undesirable state as you see the mountains of trash scattered and dumped in prohibited areas.

One can only scratch his head in dismay because despite a national law providing for proper disposal of wastes and local ordinances af�irming such, trash and other garbage are dumped just about anywhere, including esteros, rivers and streets and thoroughfares.

PRRD is correct in

holding the LGUs responsible for the upkeep and cleanliness of their respective turfs, beginning at the barangay level. If the LGU is found wanting in this respect, the LCE should be hailed and processed by the DILG, appropriately censured and suspended if found guilty of dereliction of duty.

I believe all will agree that it is about a good time as any that PRRD whips the LGUs into line, if the citizenry expects this country to recover lost ground in governance.

These guys have long been bitten and infected by the virus of inertia and inef�iciency that rendered them ineffective in the synchronized national delivery of public social services.

As the president has been publicly pronouncing, “he cannot do it alone.”

Our democratic system of governance entails the active participation of every citizen regardless of his station in life embodied in the principle that democracy is a “government of, by and for the people.”

Henceforth, the DILG is summoned by the President to ensure that all LGUs are properly monitored as the cleanliness of surroundings and the practice of proper waste disposal ensure an environment desired by everyone.

That is why the barangay chairmen (captains) will have to march in cadence with the President’s governance style to rid their areas of undesirable elements, speci�ically illegal drugs traf�icking, criminality and juvenile delinquency (translated as children in con�lict with the law).

More so with the environmental state many barangays are in.

As we have been taught in the elementary grades, “cleanliness is next to godliness.” (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo. com.) Ps. 33:20-21 We wait in hope for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

er, Poverty and the Water Crisis. In Tawi-Tawi province, 82 out of every 100 residents lack safe water. (Compare that with three in Bataan province and 39 in Capiz.) It is obscene “if people cannot drink water without courting disease or death,” wrote Postel in The Last Oasis.

“Bad water quality is major cause of diseases in the Philippines,” read one headline. Studies worldwide have shown that programs to encourage the habit of washing of hands with soap can reduce diarrhea by between 30 and 50 percent.

In the Philippines, surveys showed that nearly all people regularly wash their hands before eating. But only 26% of households regularly wash their hands before handling and preparing food, and less than 50% regularly wash their hands after going to the toilet.

The majority of the health burden from water pollution, poor sanitation and hygiene is due to contact with human waste, a single gram of which can contain ten million viruses, one million bacteria, and one million parasite cysts, according to Global Water Foundation.

“All of these diseases are associated with our failure to provide clean water,” observed Peter H. Gleick, director of the Paci�ic Institute for Studies in Development, Environment and Security. “I think it’s terribly bleak, especially because we know what needs to be done to prevent these deaths. We’re doing some of it, but the efforts that are being made are not aggressive enough.”

“Water is fundamental for life and

health,” the UN Committee on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights said. “The human right to water is indispensable for leading a healthy life in human dignity. It is a pre-requisite to the realization of all other human rights.”

“You cannot wash �ilthy water,” the Arab proverb says. A World Bank report said that studies of groundwater quality in some parts of the country found 58% of the sampled groundwater were tested positive for coliform bacteria. Surveys done by some local government units have indicated that one half or more of their public water systems do not meet drinking water quality standards.

“Water, water everywhere,” wrote Samuel Taylor Coleridge in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, “but not a drop to drink.”

Only 2.5% of the water that covers over 70% of the earth’s surface is considered fresh water. And only 1.3% is available for human use since most of the freshwater are trapped in glaciers, ice sheets, and mountainous areas.

Fresh water is drawn either from wells (tapping underground sources called aquifers) or from surface �lows (like lakes, rivers, and man-made reservoirs).

“Whiskey’s for drinkin’,” Mark Twain once wrote. “But water is for �ightin’ over.” Sir Crispin Tickell, one of the organizers of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, agreed: “The world has got a very big water problem. It will be the progenitor of more wars than oil.

Yes, water can kill

winner for medicine, puts it: “Water is life’s matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.”

“Water is the most precious asset on Earth,” says Dr. Sandra Postel, director of the Massachusetts-based Global Water Policy Project. “It is the basis of life.”

Ideally, a person should have at least 50 liters of water each day to meet his basic needs – for drinking, food preparation, cooking and cleaning up, washing and personal hygiene, laundry, house cleaning.

When there is a shortage of water, the Jekyll-and-Hyde paradox comes alive: from giving life, water turns into a “killing machine.” Dr. Klaus Toepfer, during his term as executive director of the Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Program, said: “Unlike the energy crisis, the water crisis is life threatening.”

Contaminated water causes 90% of cases of diarrhea among children. Acute diarrhea is one of the �ive leading causes of sickness and death among Filipino children – for every 100,000 live births, 914 die of diarrhea, leading to almost 12,000 infant deaths every year from a preventable and easily curable illness.

“I understood when I was just a child that without water, everything dies,” Marq de Villiers once observed.

Other common water-related and water-borne diseases are malaria, dengue fever, �ilariasis, typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera, hepatitis A, and schistosomiasis.

THINK ON THESE!

Henrylito D. Tacio

In his column, Michael M. Alunan wrote: “Due to the lack of water, about 55 Filipinos die daily because of dirty water. The National Sewerage and Septage Management Program itself reports that 55 Filipinos die daily because over 90% of sewage is not collected or treated. And only 10% of the population has access to piped- sewage systems.”

The notion that water can carry disease �irst occurred to the ancient Greeks. The physician Hippocrates, the ancient innovator of medical ethics, advised that polluted water be boiled or �iltered before being consumed.

Today’s “crisis in water and sanitation is – above all – a crisis of the poor,” says the United Nations Development Program study, Beyond Scarcity: Pow-

10 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY27, 2017

PARA... FROM 1

JOB WELL DONE.Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCim) assistant commander and Martial Law spokesperson Brigadier General GilbertGapay says the region has been peaceful and the security is stable during the 65-

day of martial law implementation. Gapay added during the AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday that military were able to prevent a spill-over of the Marawi conflict because of martial law. Lean Daval Jr.

Leyte cops on guard vs terrorists spillover DND...

T he police provincial office here is strengthening their coordination with residents in coastal villages to prevent the entry of criminal elements and terrorist groups.

Aside from deploying personnel to ports, the Southern Leyte police office is also stepping up its information gathering in coordination with village officials, said police provincial director Sr. Supt. Warren F. De Leon.

Considering the proximity of the province to Mindanao and presence of ports for Bohol and Cebu-bound ships, they have to be vigilant to ensure the spill over of terrorist groups.

The ports of Liloan and San Ricardo towns are the gateway for travellers and motorists to and from Mindanao.

“Generally, the situation in Southern Leyte is peaceful because we have

intensified police operation, checkpoints and police visibility, particularly at entry points in the province from Mindanao,” de Leon said.

De Leon confirmed of receiving intelligence report that some terrorists have been planning to enter Southern Leyte, prompting them to alert residents and fishermen in coastal communities and ask them to report presence of suspicious persons.

The provincial police office aims to maintain the status as one of the province with low crime rate in the region at 12 percent, next to Northern Samar province with nine percent crime rate.

Aside from securing the province against terrorists, the police has been intensifying its drive against illegal drugs in all 18 towns and one city in the province.

“That is why I say that it is not enough that we mine this wealth. What is more important is that we convert the raw material thereof into finished products for international and

local economic purposes.

That way, it will not only be the few who are the rich but also the poor who are many who will benefit therefrom,” he said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

thizers are infiltrating through the borders going into Southern Philippines, Lorenzana said the military seemed to be in denial of this fact.

“And when I assumed the position of the Secretary of Defense, I was told there were no ISIS in the Philippines, so we (kept) that stand until (last) November when we had this operation in Butig against the Maute Group (which resulted in the recovery of evidence pertaining to the lawless elements allegiance to the international terror organization), so then we would change our stance and said they are there,” he noted.

He added that what happened in Marawi City is a lesson for the DND as it failed to appreciate the

looming problem despite the fact that a lot of fighters, both local and foreign, along with firearms, were reported streaming in the locality.

“When this Marawi incident blew up in May 23, (initial reports claimed that), there were only about 200 to 250 fighters, it turned out there were more than 700 at the start of the conflict, that is why up to today fighting goes on, we still incur casualties almost everyday, just yesterday (Monday), we had two killed again of our soldiers and about more than dozen wounded, three days before we had nine killed and 45 wounded, that’s how intense the fighting there in Marawi,” the DND chief said.

FROM 3

Cleared structures in Marawi unsafe

Some may still contain explosives

B

uildings and houses in this city which have been cleared of Maute gunmen are still unsafe as they may still contain unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices, a military official said in a press briefing here Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. Ramiro Manuel A. Rey, commander of Joint Task Group Ranao, said government forces have cleared some 600 structures at the city’s conflict zone.

But he said these struc-

tures were yet to be cleared of explosives which the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group may have left behind.

During the briefing the military showed a video footage of an IED discovered inside a building.

Rey said that in some buildings in a cleared area west of Agus River, employees of business establishments who returned to retrieve documents and equipment found a number of grenades.

He added that after clearing the structures of explosives they will start retrieving cadavers.

He said they are looking for a permanent burial site [for bodies that would be retrieved] because Islamic practice forbids remains from being transferred once they are buried.

(As a general rule, Islam prohibits the digging up and transfer of buried remains.

But there are exceptions like when a dead body was

buried in a graveyard of non-Muslims.)

In the same briefing, Capt.

Joanne Petinglay, spokesperson of Joint Task Force Marawi, said government forces have suffered 109 fatalities as of Monday, the 63rd day since fighting erupted in the city.

She added that some soldiers in the field have contracted bacterial and viral diseases like dengue, a mosquito-borne ailment. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno / MindaNews)

dented,” said B/Gen. Gapay.

“We believe that with the army transformation roadmap, this trend will be irreversible.”

“I was a young lieutenant during the last years of Martial Law under Marcos and there was negative perception about us,” said C/Supt. Gaerlan. “We are committed to fully changing that image.”

Capt. Bachar said there is no stopping the armed forces from becoming a “source of national pride.”

The three officers said they were supporting President Duterte in his decision to scuttle peace talks with the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines.

“The CPP has no control over the NPAs for as we talk, they are stabbing us in the back,” said B/Gen. Gapay, adding the talks were an exercise in futility.

C/Supt. Gaerlan Duterte’s decision stemmed from his frustration with the CPP. “He offered so much, released some of their leaders, gave concessions but in the meantime the NPAs were into recruitment and extortion.”

Gaerlan added there will be no let-up in the war on drugs even as he called on people in the communities to watch their neighbours as a means to helping curb drugs.

Gapay said the Easter Mindanao Command will be relentless in implementing martial law towards the end of the year as well as in the war against insurgency.

He said the EMC has also been innovative in ensuring maritime border security to prevent foreign terrorists from slipping into its jurisdiction. (30)

return of the bells would help mute the anguish, ease the anger and dull the pain in the hearts of the heirs of the protagonists on both sides of the war.

It was during the “Balangiga Massacre” where US soldiers killed hundreds of civilians in a counterattack.

“The Bells of Balangiga are important to us because they are a part of our history,” he added noting that they were requesting for the return of the bells not for commercial but cultural and ecclesiastical value.

Pimentel explained that the war trophies from Balangiga included two church bells with the Franciscan Order emblems dated 1863 and 1889, respectively, and an English-made cannon dated

1557, now on display at the Trophy Park of the F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Meanwhile, the fourth artifact, a small church bell with the Franciscan Order emblem dated 1896, is with the 9th US Infantry Regiment in Camp Red Club in South Korea.

On September 28, 2011, Pimentel filed Senate Resolution No. 610, reiterating the call for the return by the United States of America of the Bells of Balangiga and other artifacts and war booties.

Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., the younger Pimentel’s father, authored the first resolution passed by the Senate in 2002. (Azer N. Parrocha/PNA)

port to the communities that have suffered mining’s disastrous effects on their health, livelihood, and environment, among others.

“You see the palayan… ang palayan tumuyo at ang soil nag-crack. So the farmers cannot eat anymore. They are reduced to the garbage of what you can get there, salvage anything and sell it to the scraps.

Iyon ang nangyari sa Pilipino…hindi ko kayo kalaban.

As a matter of fact, you give government almost 70 billion; pero actually maliit lang ‘yan.

Ngayon nakikita ninyo itong mga palayan na tumutuyo, and the rivers…wala nang isda. The only source of protein. Hindi ka naman puwedeng mag-hunting, may makita kang eagle diyan barilin mo, preso ka,” Duterte said.

Golle added that they also support the pronouncement of the President calling on Congress to pass the National Land Use Act in order to rationalize and sustainably manage the resources relative to climate change adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Management.

“We are also hopeful that those areas and communities affected by mining will be rehabilitated and restored and for the communities to be extended with support and assistance,” she said.

Duterte appealed to Congress to immediately pass the National Land Use Act to ensure “the rational and sustainable use of our land and other physical resources, given the competing needs of food security, housing, businesses and environmental conservation.”

“Ours is a rich country.

The natural wealth that this country is endowed which is a gift from God to be utilized for the people’s welfare and the common good. I do not believe that this gift was given to us to be merely viewed or appreciated, but to be extracted from the earth and utilized to make life worth living,” he said.

He also encouraged industrialists, investors and commercial barons to establish factories and manufacturing establishments to process raw materials into finished products.

RETURN... FROM 2

ENVIRONMENTALIST... FROM 2

INdulge!

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY JULY 27, 2017

FOOD

EDGEDAVAO

FOOD BAZAARS

THERE’S ALWAYS AN EXCUSE TO INDULGE. Always, always an excuse. Filipinos as we are, happiness is always with a plate (or two or a smorgasbord) of dishes we’ve either prepared and cooked or ordered out. Nonetheless, any gathering is not complete without the presence and involvement of food.

With today’s foodie laden society armed with social media goodness, nothing speaks best of ‘eating out’ than a strip of food stalls and kiosks -- rain or shine. In Davao and the rest of the world, food bazaars have taken the place of street food and casual dining under the stars. Though a definite calorie activity, the joy of seeing happy faces with plates and cups filled with food is just something you cannot just say no to.

From north to south, vacant lots are turned into a foodie fantasy land. From sweet to savoury, you’d surely find something new. Or if not, have a taste of that something you once had somewhere.

With a plethora of selection, go for something you are not familiar with. That’s what I do then I explore and end with food finds I’m familiar with.

Familiar dishes will surely have you craving so always, always have room to spare. Viet Cafe’s Vietnamese Pizza is always on my list. Not to mention, Tita Rosita’s beefy nachos and Chuck’s meaty nachos and fries. I just love the combination of crunch and stale from sauce effect of ballpark munchies.

Food bazaars won’t be complete without having some freshly fired pizza from Clas-

sio and some aromatic steaks from Colasa’s and Steak ni Juan. For that crunch, have some classic street food staples from Freshko and jalapeno sticks on the side. D’lish also serves delicious plates of chargrilled chicken that seems to call to your fingers to dig in.

If an all-nighter is what you want then go for some buffalo wings from Yolks or some onthe-go crunchy treats from Snok. Don’t fail to have a taste of Paella from Chef Uno’s booth too. For a fierce night with the peeps, try the gambas and Philly Cheese steak sandwich from All Fired Up. (Missing those gambas...terribly) Sweet Cakes by Raqq’s Kitchen is also a favourite to cap a night of savoury goodness. Try the ube cake and you’d surely thank me later.

For that hot and cold flavour combo, try Egg Waffle Davao.

Perfectly cooked waffle stuffed with ice cream and every other sweet nibbles you can think of.

The moment it hits your palate is like no other.

All those munching surely needs some liquid to push ‘em calories down. Most often, I settle for a bottle of water but whenever Tita Rosita’s is around, I’m sure to line up and grab a Pink Pomelo in a snap.

I love that it’s subtle yet very Davao. Also, Teamoji’s Milk Tea selection is something you’d want to try. However, if you want a milk tea with a kick, go for Viet Cafe’s Mint Milk Tea while strolling for a new food find.

Want to know my latest food finds? Follow me on Instagram @iamleebai and Facebook @ RoyalChefEats Happy munching, #royalistas!

A2INdulge!

FOOD

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2017

Cabalen opens first restaurant in Davao

DRIVEN by the heart to bring authentic Kapampangan cuisines even in distinctive areas, Cabalen is set to satisfy the cravings of Davaoeños as it opens its first Mindanao branch at SM City Davao this July 21, 2017.

Now on its 30th branch here in the Philippines and one store at San Bruno California, Cabalen is indeed getting bigger and better!

Cabalen never fails to excite the local market with the array of food in the buffet line. Tagged as the Home of the Best Kare-kare and known for their sumptuous Kapa mpa nga n dishes like Dinuguan, Caldereta, Letchon Paksiw, Crispy Kangkong, and Tibok-tibok, your cravings for Filipino food will truly be satisfied.

For three decades now, Cabalen has proved its position as the standard of ex-

cellent Filipino cuisine. With its freshest ingredients and the most stringent quality control, Cabalen has kept its patrons coming back for more.

Cabalen remains true to its mission in bringing Filipino families closer together by offering functions where families could celebrate momentous occasions like no other.

Apart from its appetizing food, Cabalen also offers export quality products called Filipina Deli that can also be availed in all store outlets.

Indeed, Cabalen is, and will always be, every family’s all-time and leading buffet favorite.

Visit their newly opened store at Ground Floor, Annex building, SM City Davao. PR

All Davao City Bank Employees are entitled to a 10% discount on a MINIMUM purchase worth P2,000.00 on REGULAR-PRICED items in a single-receipt upon presentation of Bank Company ID together with SM Advantage/Prestige/BDO Rewards Card at The SM Store Davao. What’s more? Qualified shoppers can claim 10% discount on any room type plus Php1,000 worth of resort credits voucher from Malagos Garden Resort; upon presentation of The SM Store tape receipt, and SM Advantage/Prestige/BDO Rewards Card from July 27 - 31, 2017.

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2017

EVENT

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

Okinawa group tours Davao SIX MONTHS after welcoming Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao received 54 Japanese nationals from Okinawa, Japan for a five-day Friendship Tour on July 21 to 25, 2017.

July 26, 2017 only

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As tradition of more than five decades would have it, Okinawans travel to Davao City at this time of the year to celebrate their solid companionship with its people. Every year, the Okinawa-Davao group stays at the premier hotel and ends their weeklong tour with a culmination program together with its staff.

The night of July 24 brought quite a number of entertaining performanc-

es from Japanese ballads to cultural ensembles to a mix of modern dances.

The best local performers and the beautiful Mutyas of Dabaw were all invited to join the festivities.

During dinner, reigning Mutya and Filipino-Jap-

anese Reina Kobayashi gave her own words of welcome, stressing that it is even safer in the city now, despite the Martial Law. Much later into the evening, the Waterfront team prepared a humble

rendition of a Japanese song about friendship over time. “Let this be but a small gift from us, your Waterfront family, as we bid you Sayonara until we see each other again”, said Hotel Manager Bryan Lasala.

EDGEDAVAO

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VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2017

EDGEDAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS STYLE

Serving a seamless society

Advertise with

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

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

Advertise with

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

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

11 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY27, 2017

CIRCUMCISION: “The coming of Age”

by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

C

ircumcision is probably the world’s most widely performed procedure. According to some studies, approximately one-third of males worldwide are circumcised, most often for reasons other than medical indication.

To people who practiced Judaism, circumcision is very important.

In fact, over 90% of adherents have the procedure performed as a religious obligation. The basis for its observance is found in the Torah of the Hebrew Bible, in Genesis chapter 17, in which a covenant of circumcision is made with Abraham and his descendants.

Circumcision is actually the surgical removal of all or part of the prepuce (pronounced “pre’pyoos”) – that flap of tissue covering the head of the penis – or foreskin. In the United States and most industrialized countries, circumcision is usually performed on the first or second day after birth and usually takes only about 5 to 10 minutes.

“It becomes more complicated and riskier in infants older than two months and in boys and men,” American doctors claim.

But not so in the Philippines, where most boys are circumcised between the ages of 10 and 12. If you go to the rural areas, especially during summer, you will see the long line of boys waiting for their turn to be cut. “They’re proud to go back to school, to talk about how brave they were,” says one doctor.

Aside from there is more time to recuperate after the surgical procedure, the other reason why summer is the most popular time for circumcision in the country is its being the most ideal time both for those conducting the medical mission and for those who will be circumcised.

“It’s the optimal time for us and the kids, because we’re on break, and they have ample recovery time, so their circumcision won’t interfere with school,” Dr. Victoria Dimacali was quoted as saying by GMA News Online.

Here’s what a foreigner says of the circumcision he had witnessed: “Filipino boys are circumcised by the group during summer time under the banana tree by a manunuli using dorsal slit method that takes only few seconds without anesthesia. They don’t mind being seen by others kids to be circumcised, too.”

Circumcision in the Philippines is not related to religion. The vast

majority of Filipinos are circumcised - whether they are Catholic, Muslim, or whatever. It is a “coming of age” ritual, and traditional for a boy to prove his manhood properly, it should be done without anesthetic.

Ancient operation Until now, there is no firm consensus as to how it came to be practiced worldwide. One theory is that it began in one geographic area and spread from there; another is that several different cultural groups began its practice independently. That was according to the authors of the study, “Neonatal circumcision: a review of the world’s oldest and most controversial operation.”

In 1891’s History of Circumcision, physician Peter Charles Remondino suggested that circumcision started as a less severe form of emasculating a captured enemy: penectomy or castration would likely have been fatal, while some form of circumcision would permanently mark the defeated yet leave him alive to serve as a slave.

However, the history of the migration and evolution of the practice of circumcision is followed mainly through the cultures and peoples in two separate regions. In the lands south and east of the Mediterranean, starting with Sudan and Ethiopia, the procedure was practiced by the ancient Egyptians and the Semites, and then by the Jews and Muslims, with whom the practice traveled to and was adopted by the Bantu Africans. In Oceania, circumcision is practiced by the Australian Aborigines and Polynesians.

In tribal settings, circumcision is nearly always associated with traumatic puberty rites. Occasionally the severed part is offered as a sacrifice to spirit beings. According to Encarta Encyclopedia, the operation certifies the subject’s readiness for marriage and adulthood and testifies to his or her ability to withstand pain. Circumcision may also distinguish cultural groups from their uncircumcised neighbors.

Medical reasons Since the 19th century, many English-speaking peoples have adopted the custom of circumcision, primarily for medical reasons. In modern medical practice, circumcision of males is a minor operation usually performed in infancy for hygienic purposes. It is currently estimated that 85 percent of North American males are circumcised.

The incidence among non-Jewish populations of continental Europe, Scandinavia, and South America is low.

There is good but not ideal evidence that circumcision reduces the incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in boys under two years of age, and there is fair evidence that the reduction in incidence is by a factor of 3–10 times.

The 2012 Technical Report of the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Circumcision said there is a plausible biological explanation for the reduction in UTI risk after circumcision. It said that the orifice through which urine passes at the tip of the penis hosts more urinary system disease-causing bacteria in uncircumcised boys than in circumcised boys, especially in those under six months of age. As these bacteria are a risk factor for UTIs, circumcision may reduce the risk of UTIs through a decrease in the bacteria population.

Circumcision has also been found to have protective effect against the risks of penile cancer in men, and cervical cancer in the female sexual partners of heterosexual men. “Childhood or adolescent circumcision is associated with a reduced risk of invasive squamous cell carcinoma in particular,” said one report. “There is an association between adult circumcision and an increased risk of invasive penile cancer; this is believed to be from men being circumcised as a treatment for penile cancer or a condition that is a precursor to cancer rather than a consequence of circumcision itself,” another report pointed out.

Meanwhile, studies comparing disease rates among circumcised and uncircumcised men in the AIDS-ravaged Africa show on average three times more HIV infection among the uncircumcised. One study of a group of HIV-infected men having sex with men in the United States also found a correlation.

Dr. William Cameron, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa in Canada who co-authored several African studies, theorizes that the uncircumcised foreskin sustains tiny abrasions during intercourse, allowing HIV to enter the bloodstream. Several studies have found that such sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis also occur somewhat more frequently among the uncircumcised.

Other side of the coin The medical case for circumcision is unproved and controversial, contends Dr. Donald F. Tuzin, an American professor of Anthropology at the University of California in San Diego. He says that physicians in the 19th century advised the operation for many ailments, including hysteria, sexually transmitted disease, hypersexuality, and even hiccups.

Removal of the foreskin also precludes phimosis or the inability to retract the foreskin. Louis XVI of France, a famous phimosis sufferer, was unable to have sex with his wife Marie Antoinette until he was circumcised at age 21.

Modern proponents suggest that diseases result from the buildup of smegma, a substance secreted under the foreskin. Also cited is evidence that circumcised populations (especially Jews) display low rates of penile and cervical cancer. Critics reject the validity of these claims, arguing that such disorders are more likely caused by poor hygiene and by contact with multiple sex partners.

There’s more. A study published in the British Journal of Urology International found that both the masturbatory and sexual pleasure decreased after the males underwent circumcision.

In the early days of Christianity, a controversy arose over whether Christians should be circumcised, as Jews were. The Apostle Paul emphatically told Gentiles in his epistle to the Galatians: “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision.”

Controversy To cut or not to cut – this is now one of the most debated subjects among the medical profession. In fact, there are now Filipino doctors who won’t perform circumcision. “I have convinced quite a number of adolescent males who came to my clinic not to have circumcision anymore,” one surgeon admits. “Those who are convinced are happy and thankful to me. Those who are not convinced seek other surgeons to do the circumcision for them.”

In America, “it’s still an ongoing controversy about whether circumcision is really necessary,” says Jack Sherman, M.D., associate chairman of pediatrics at Nassau County Medical Center in East Meadow, N.Y. “In 1971 and 1975, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

Photos courtesy of Dr. Francis Lagudas said it wasn’t necessary. Later, they amended their policy statement, citing studies about lowered penile cancer and first-year urinary-tract infections among circumcised males.”

The AAP’s 1999 policy statement, based on a review of 40 years of data, states that circumcision has potential medical benefits. “But they advise that parents not use that as their primary criterion when making a decision,” says Sherman.

“That’s like not expressing an opinion at all.”

Opponents against the practice say that in circumcision, the baby has no “power” to say no. Others suggest that circumcising an infant imprints violence on the baby’s brain. Still, others contend that circumcision will leave the male spe-

cies traumatized by the removal of their foreskins.

Dr. Yehuda Nir, a psychoanalyst who was formerly head of child psychiatry at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York, says he hasn’t observed circumcision trauma. “The only thing men are concerned about with regard to the penis is its size.”

Now, whether a child should be circumcised or not, here’s the personal opinion of Dr. Ramon L. Arcado, past dean of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine and UP Manila chancellor: “What matters is that the welfare of the child is taken into consideration up to the time he grows up into adulthood, in the context of his health status, his parents’ beliefs and society’s expectations.

12 AGRITRENDS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY27, 2017

INTENSIFIED SUPPORT FOR CACAO GROWERS. DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Pinol shows a sample of the recently launched Juan Magsasaka at Mangingisda National Farmers Registration Monitoring ID to SOA on Cacao farmer-graduates of Davao Region. Photo by: Ronell B. Tangonan, DA11

School-on-the-Air Certificate entitles Cacao farmers for loan application W ith the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) thrust to uplift the livelihood of Cacao farmers, DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol has formally introduced the Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) to Davao Region’s Cacao growers.

In his message as a guest speaker during the Graduation Ceremony of 550 farmer-graduates of the School-onthe-Air (SOA) program held on July 21 at Almendras Gym in Davao City, Sec. Piñol assured the Cacao farmer- graduates that DA will extend its utmost support in cacao production and rehabilitation.

“For our farmers to prosper, they should have the support they deserve. There are three primary support

services that our farmers need to increase their productivity and income: first, technology; second, financial; and, third, marketing, “said Sec. Piñol.

Secretary Piñol cited the SOA program of the agency as one way of technology transfer to equip cacao farmers with production and postharvest technologies as well as rehabilitation techniques.

The SOA on cacao production and rehabilitation which runs from May 2, 2017 to June 24, 2017, was conducted over DA Region XI’s Mag-UmaSenso Ta Radio Program and aired over DXRD 711 khz., Sonshine Radio.

For financial assistance, Piñol said cacao growers can access the recently launched Production Loan Easy Access

(PLEA), to avail themselves of a loan financing of which the amount would depend on the commodities being produced.

“Your certificate here in SOA will be used as a ticket for you to avail yourselves of the PLEA because you can’t avail this loan program if you haven’t undergone any training conducted by DA. Cacao farmers who will graduate today will be entitled for a 25,000peso loan with 6 percent interest per year, no collateral and payable after 5 years,” said Piñol.

The launching of the loan program as an initiative of Sec. Piñol comes with the introduction of the national ID card system for farmers in the country the “Juan Magsasaka at Mangingisda National

Farmers Registration Monitoring ID” where pertinent information of Filipino farmer can be found including his land area through the use of satellite mapping.

In his recent FB post, Piñol directed the DA regional offices to intensify the interventions provided to farmers in terms of production and extension services.

Based on DA XI- High Value Crops Development Program report, it has distributed a total of 3,940,509 grafted cacao seedlings to 423 farmers and people’s organization to an area of 7,881 hectares in Davao Region. (Celso C. Vergara, DA 11)

go training on how to use it. They also receive materials such as bioactivators and seeds of green manure plants, which they can distribute to farmers in their village,” they wrote.

According to the two authors, the program work so well because of the dedication of most of the soil doctors. “In fact, it works so well that many soil doctors are overloaded with multiple tasks of coordination with the LDD and sharing and disseminating information to fellow farmers,” the two noted.

It is their role of being a link between farmers and the LDD personnel that makes soil doctors very important as “a change agent.”

The two authors explained: “Since soil doctors are themselves farmers and also living in the village, their

fellow farmers can have full access to information about SLMs as well as the material support they may need to

Soil Doctors help combat land degradation

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

T

hey are called soil doctors and one of their main tasks is to disseminate information about soil conservation methods.

Actually, they are appointed by the Land Development Department (LDD), the only agency in Thailand whose mandate is directly involved with land degradation.

The LDD initiated the program in 1995. Soil doctors are selected from a group of farmers who “are in good health, at least 20 years of age, keen on land development activities, residing in the concerned areas, and willing to work with the LDD.” Oftentimes, soil doctors have been selected from community leaders or farmers who have successfully adopted some sustainable land management (SLM) practices, according to

Rawadee Jarungrattanapong and Orapan Nabangchang.

Jarungrattanapong and Nabangchang are both with the School of Economics at the Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University. They co-authored a new report, “Socio-Economic Dimension of Adoption of Sustainable Land Management.”

“Since there is one soil doctor for each village, the LDD staff has a channel to communicate information about soil conservation at the very grassroot level,” the two authors wrote.

Although soil doctors work under the supervision of LDD, they do not receive a salary from the government. They are treated as volunteer workers.

However, “each soil doctor is provided with a soil testing kit and under-

adopt SLM practices.”

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has identified SLM as one way to mitigate environmental damage caused by land degradation. SLM practices “help close yield gaps and enhance resilience of land resources and communities that directly depend on them while avoiding further degradation.”

The soil doctors have been cited as one of the reasons why most farmers in Chiang Rai province, located in the north of Thailand, adopted SLM innovations.

“Of the total 580 parcels surveyed, 177 parcels have switched to mixed cropping,” the two authors reported. Other common practices include hillside ditches, terracing and contour hedgerows.

Some farmers even adopt a combination of various SLMs. “Any of these common SLMs can be adopted together with other practices such as intercropping, application of green manure, composting, rotating crop production and little or no tillage,” the two authors said.

Aside from Chiang Rai, surveys were also conducted in two other provinces: Khon Kean (in the northeast region) and Suphanburi (central region). All in all, over 600 households were selected for the study, which part of a collaborative effort of the ELD (Economics of Land Degradation) Initiative and Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA).

In Thailand, land degradation comes in the form of erosion, salinity and acidity of the soil. Land degradation, the LLD said, “is the reduction of the soil productivity formed by natural processes and human activities which degrade soil properties in both quality and quantity.”

In Khon Kean, farmers included in the survey were those who adopted at least one practices to mitigate saline soil problem like green manuring and crop rotation.

In the case of Suphanburi, which is known for rice production, selected farmers were those who adopted either organic farming or

good agricultural practices.

“There is a need to increase economic incentives for farmers to adopt SLM techniques,” the study suggested. It added that LDD should provide farmers with information on the costs and benefits of SLM adoption in addition to information on SLM techniques.

Another recommendation: soil doctors must be provided with adequate incentives aside from reassessing their workload.

“During our brief interactions with soil doctors, we found out that not all soil doctors are hard-working and there are those who feel overburdened and undercompensated,” the authors pointed out.

The two authors also suggested that the principle of cost-sharing be applied to all types of SLMs and to all provinces. “Being used to receiving free assistance, farmers will not welcome this change,” they noted.

“How receptive they are will depend on how well-informed they are of the costs and benefits of SLM adoption.”

If financial support is to be provided at all, it should be address the shortages of materials needed for SLM adoption, the two authors contend. “Farmers in all three study sites mentioned that they face shortage of materials,” they wrote, referring to acacia seeds, seeds of green manure crops, organic waste for making compost, and cow manure, among others.

Finally, the two authors also suggested that ongoing policies that contradict the goal of organic promotion be reviewed. For instance, while LDD is promoting organic farming, other government agencies are distributing chemical inputs at subsidized prices.

“It is no wonder that chemical inputs are still being used among SLM adopters in the three study sites,” the two authors concluded. “This is a clear indication that the concerned government agencies need to synchronize their goals and approaches.”

NEWS13

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 10 ISSUE 83 • THURSDAY, JULY27, 2017

Over 2,700 aliens barred from entering PH in 2017

C

lose to 3,000 foreigners have been barred from entering the country by Bureau of Immigration inspectors in the different ports of entry nationwide from January to June this year.

According to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, out of the 2,717 aliens that were excluded, a total of 2,421 foreigners were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The remaining 296 arrived in the airports of Cebu, Davao, Clark, Iloilo, Kalibo, Laoag, Puerto Princesa, and the Zamboanga City seaport.

He noted that number of aliens denied entry during the first semester was 39 percent higher compared to the 1,948 aliens who were turned back in the same period in 2016.

“We shall continue to exercise utmost vigilance in

screening arriving foreigners by seeing to it that they are properly documented and are not likely to become public charges while they are here.

It is our job as gatekeepers of the country,” the BI chief said in a statement.

Morente noted that the bulk of the aliens that were turned back were considered public charges, or aliens who would depend on government for subsistence and

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become social burdens due to lack of financial capacity to support their stay in the country.

NAIA-BI statistics showed that visitors from China recorded the highest number of barred nationals totaling to 1,594, followed by Indians with 127; 117 South Koreans, 106 Americans, 101 Vietnamese and 43 Indonesians.

On the other hand, BI port operation division Marc

Red Mariñas explained that a foreigner may also be denied entry if based on the immigration officer’s assessment his presence here is inimical to the national interest or a threat to public health and safety.

“That is why among those we have turned away are registered and convicted sex offenders, fugitives from justice, suspected terrorists, previously deported aliens, and

those who are in our blacklist of undesirable aliens,” he added.

Mariñas said the list also include foreign passengers who did not have entry visas or are not properly documented to enter the country.

The BI has processed some 3.6 million foreigners who entered the country during the first semester.

(Ferdinand G. Patinio/Diana Bando/OJT/PNA)

basketball culture within the world’s largest and fastestgrowing life insurance company in the country.

Eight teams from the field of AXA teams made it to the quarterfinals. In the end, Team AXA Life-A bested AXA’s Go Elite in a “man’s game”, that gave the crowd a “show of force”.

The Girl’s Under-18 Division title match came down to the girls of Team Bulacan and University of Baguio, where Bulacan relied on Cindi Gonzales’s steadyplay in the paint and deft ball distribution to win the day. Additionally, Escuela de Sophia dominated the Boys Under-18 division and edged out schoolmates EDSCI by nailing crucial twopointers that to secure the lead and the victory.

The Celebrity Division was won by Team Uy, Uy, Uy

headlined by sports analyst Dominic Uy, PBA legend and coach Vince ”The Prince” Hizon, as well as coach and sports analyst Charles Tiu. Their opponents, Mongrel Mob, starring ex-PBA player Mark Andaya, TV host Bobby Yan and actor Neil Sese, fought valiantly but were left behind in the end game.

shooters raised P70,000 worth of free throws for Tahanang Walang Hagdan.

RECORD... FROM 15

In the Individual categories, Billion Enriquez from Zamboanga is AXA ThreePoint Shootout Champion; Brian Agarin of Cubao, Panasonic Master ThreePoint Contest Champion; Alexis Ramos of Tanauan, Batangas, Cloudfone ShootSolve-Selfie Challenge champion; and Shekel Estrelles of Caloocan, Globe Do It Different Three-Point Challenge champion.

In the AXA Shoot For A Cause challenge, free-throw

NBA talents Steven Adams of the Oklahoma Thunder, former Sacramento Kings head coach Reggie Theus, also known as Kobe Paras’ coach at Cal State Northridge in the US NCAA, and the Laker Girls awarded all winning individuals and teams their medals and trophies.

The official partners of NBA 3X Philippines 2017 presented by AXA include CloudFone, Globe At Home, Globe Prepaid, Panasonic, with SM Mall of Asia and Spalding serving as Supporting Partners.

Official NBA broadcasters for the event are ABSCBN Sports and Action, Basketball TV, and NBA Premium TV.

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BLATCHE OUT Gilas 12 to FIBA Asia named minus NBA veteran

N

ine of the members of Gilas’ “SEABA 12” made the final list of players for Gilas in the will once again don the national team said continental tournament.

The three other players who made the colors for the FIBA Asia Cup in Beirut final cut are Almazan’s fellow Elasto Painter from Aug. 8-20.

Gabe Norwood, Alaska Ace Carl Cruz, and In an announcement by Coach Chot Reyes former Basketball Bundesliga star Chris on social media on Tuesday night, TNT’s Standhardinger.

Jayson Castro and RR Pogoy, GlobalPort’s Owing to security issues in Lebanon, longTerrence Romeo, Star’s Jio Jalalon, Phoenix’s Matt Wright, Alaska’s Calvin Abueva, Ginebra’s time naturalized center Andray Blatche begged Japeth Aguilar, Rain Or Shine’s Raymond off from joining Gilas for the tournament, Almazan, and San Miguel’s Junemar Fajardo ensuring that Fajardo and Aguilar will get are among the SEABA team members who more minutes playing the center spot. (PNA)

BACK IN THE FOLD. Gabe Norwood (10), whose slam dunk in the face of NBA player Luis Scola of Argentina in the 2014 World Championships lingers in the memory of basketball fans, will be back in the Gilas line-up along with Jayson Castro William (7) for the fIBA Asia Cup in Beirut.

Cavs sign Rose to 1 year contract C

LEVELAND (AP) -- Derrick Rose’s goal is to win an NBA championship. He’s a little closer to one.

The free-agent guard signed a one-year contract Tuesday with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team that has blocked his path to a title before and one that needs him now more than ever.

Rose is getting a oneyear, $2.1 million deal the veteran’s minimum, and all Cleveland could offer - from the Cavaliers, who now have a possible replacement for Kyrie Irving. Rose gives the Cavs a proven player to handle point-guard duties if they choose to trade Irving, who recently told the team he wants to be dealt despite making it to three straight NBA Finals.

And while Rose is taking a substantial pay cut (he made $21.3 million last

knows who was promoted that’s like. from an interim role on Monday. ‘’Derrick could For seven years, he was have gone to a number the unquestioned star of other teams, but for the Chicago Bulls, his specific mindset, who got to the Eastern goals and total focus Conference finals in and commitment to 2011 but were beaten winning are what

by James’ Miami Heat. resulted in him signing with the Cavaliers. We Now, Rose and James, are confident he will both former league be a very good fit with MVPs, are united. our organization and we look forward to James welcomed his new the many ways he will teammate Monday on contribute to the team.’’

Twitter , posting five rose emoji’s with the A three-time All-Star message: ‘’Let’s Rock G!!’’ and the 2011 MVP, Rose averaged 18 points and Rose drew interest from 4.4 assists last season several other teams while shooting 48 but chose the Cavaliers, percent from the field who despite their with New York. Although recent turmoil and the he has been injury uncertainty surrounding prone, Rose played Irving, are the class in 64 games for the of their conference. Knicks and in 181 over the past three seasons. ‘’We are very excited to be able to add a player Rose has averaged 19.5 of Derrick’s caliber and points and 6 assists in experience to the team,’’ eight seasons as a pro. said GM Koby Altman,

season in New York), he’s Rose focused on one thing. what ‘’I have a single focus and purpose of wanting to play to win,’’ he said. ‘’Being part of a roster and organization that shares that type of commitment and being able to play with the Cavaliers and compete for a championship is the only thing that matters for me. I am very happy to be in Cleveland and look forward to getting to work.’’

The Cavaliers’ pursuit of Rose seemed somewhat puzzling before Irving’s demands became public. The All-Star guard, whose 3-pointer in the waning moments of Game 7 of the 2016 Finals gave Cleveland its first sports championship in 52 years, has reportedly grown tired of playing alongside LeBron James and wants to be the focal point for another team.

CDO netter wins in China

F

ilipino tennis player Francis Casey Alcantara won his first match in the ongoing USD25,000 China F14 Futures tournament in Tianjin.

A l c a n t a r a outclassed Chinese wild card Yili Zheng. 6-1, 6-1, in their openinground duel at the Tianjin International Tennis Center outdoor hard court on Tuesday.

Alcantara will be up against Japanese Issei Okamura, who eliminated seventh seed compatriot Kento Takeuchi, 6-2, 6-2.

Meanwhile, Alcantara and Japanese partner Shintaro Imai won their first-round match against Chinese wild cards Xi Qi and Sheng Hao Zhou, 6-3, 6-4, in the doubles category.

Alcantara and Imai’s next opponents are Chinese tandem Rigele Te and Yibing Wu, 6-4, 6-3 winners over Hong Kong’s Skyler Butts and Chun Hun Wong.

Alcantara, who has improved his world’s rankings to No. 407 after winning four doubles titles this year, will banner the men’s squad in the Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia next month.

Also competing in Malaysia are Ruben Gonzales Jr, Jeson Patrombon and Alberto Lim Jr. The women’s team is composed of US-based Denise Dy, Filipino-German Katharina Lenhert and homegrown talents Khim Iglupas and Anna Clarice Patrimonio.

Dy is a two-time SEA Games gold medalist in the mixed doubles with fellow US-based Treat Huey.

They won in Myanmar (2011) and Singapore (2015).

Chris Cuarto will coach the men’s team while Czarina Mae Arevalo will handle the women’s team.

(Jean T. Malanum/ PNA)

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LAKER GIRLS. Celebrity players with the famous Los Angeles Lakers Girls

Record field in NBA 3X NBA 3X Philippines 2017 presented by AXA reached an all-time high in popularity this year with increased participation from Metro Manila and provincial teams joining the various age group categories of the sevenyear old 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

Fifty-six out of 176 participating teams survived the qualifiers held at Don Bosco Makati on July 15-16.

The quarterfinals, semifinals and finals matches of the Boys Under-13, Under-16, and Under-18, Girls Under-18, Men’s Open and Women’s Open were staged at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall on July 22-23.

New champions were hailed in the avidly watched Men’s Open division that was won by Team Rocan from Valenzuela, Bulacan.

Christian Chua, Mark Fernandez, Elmer de la Cruz, and Philip Torres outhustled Team 459 Legaspi from Colegio San Juan de Letran in a closely fought game. EGS Elite, four-peat champions of the NBA 3X Philippines Men’s Open division since

P

RES. Duterte’s decision to give up hosting the 2019 SEA Games is wise and practical.

I’m all for it. For several reasons.

First and foremost is the VERY HUGE EXPENDITURE that will be earmarked for the construction and improvement of sports infrastructure (one stadium or venue for each sport and the facilities and equipment therein).

We should remember that as hosts we always put our best foot forward. This means the government will not leave any stone unturned to ensure that the thousands of our guests and visiting athletic delegations from twelve ASEAN nations are fully satisfied and pleased.

For this alone, ONE or TWO BILLION PESOS would not suffice. You need to hire and enlist sports experts, medical teams,

2013, was unable to follow through with their plans for a fifth championship after failing to show up in the quarterfinals.

The Women’s Open Division was won by National University (NU)-A with Trixie Antiquiera, Ria Joy Nabalan, Samantha Harada, and Rhena Itesi, besting their teammates on the opposing NU-B squad. Both teams play for the NU women’s basketball team that has dominated U A A P women’s basketball for three consecutive seasons.

“It was a challenge to have to face our teammates who are familiar with our style of play, but we are proud to earn this

 RECORD, 13

victory,” said Antiquiera.

Among the highlights of the afternoon was the hotly contested match between the Boys Under 16 finals between the Berkeley Aquanauts of Berkeley School Baguio and Makati Basketball.

Intense play coupled with dazzling, athletic play from two former Jr. NBA National Training Camp finalists, Jazzy De Ayre and Ethan Rodelas,

mesmerized the mall crowd, eliciting cheers and loud crowd reaction. Similarly, the Boys Under-13 finals between Berkely School of Baguio and De La Salle Zobel-2 showcased wire-to-wire action from very young ballers playing like big boys, which the crowd enjoyed immensely.

A special division for AXA also freatured the rich

HEATED ACTION. Some of the intense action of the Philippine leg of the NBA 3X.

CELEBRITY PLAYERS. Celebrity cagers who took part in the NBA 3X sideshow.

Give up 2019 SEAG hosting

technical personnel, manpower and materials, etc., etc.

Besides, PRRD is authoritatively right that instead of spending this huge amount to stage the least prestigious of all regional sports competitions in this part of the world, the money would be better set aside for the rehabilitation of Marawi City which is now in total ruins due to the on-going rebellion and terrorist warfare initiated

by ISIS-inspired Maute and Abu Sayaf groups.

Now, read on, folks.

In 2005, while the Philippines copped its first ever SEAG championship as host of the event for the third time in its history, did that bring our athletes anywhere near Olympic standards?

What happened in 2007?

Despite being the defending titleholders, Filipino athletes landed an embarrassing sixth

SPORTS KEN

By RED C. LUMBA

overall.

What prestige is there to gain when Philippine Olympic Committee officials cannot even guarantee we can again clinch overall honors?

Corruption reared its ugly head in 2005 when millions of taxpayers’ money could not be accounted for. A former mayor in the Visayas until today is facing a plunder suit at the Ombudsman for failing to liquidate millions in his custody.

Secondly, practical wisdom dictates that the victims of the Marawi siege should first be given preferential attention. PRRD, as the father of the nation, knows in his heart that the welfare of the aggrieved and downtrodden Marawi constituents must first be addressed.

Thirdly, the Philippines will not lose face if it surrenders the right to host the biennial sportsfest. Indonesia is very much willing to step in, in as much as it is calendared to stage the 2018 Asian Games and that leaves them able and ready with completed sports infra at their beck and call the year after.

The frenzied appeal of sports officials led by the ageing and under- performing POC president Peping Cojuangco for PRRD to reconsider does not hold water.

It is cloaked with alluring deception and self-

aggrandizement. Even if the sportsfest can magnetize thousands of foreign visitors and enable the country to showcase its tourism attractions and generate income opportunities for the people, Cojuangco and his POC minions cannot guarantee we will come out on top. So, then what is the use of hosting if the Philippines does not emerge SEAG kings?

Consider also the security nightmare.

I have been a sports fixture and insider decades before incumbent PSC chief Butch Ramirez surfaced into the national sports scene; long before Cojuangco barged into the halls of the POC. Chairman Butch personally knows that I know how schemes are hatched within the POC conclave. I know who are the BTOs in this they call the “boys club.”

Sayang lang ang pera ng

bayan. Wawaldasin na naman.

If the President has time to read this piece, I am strongly urging His Excellency (Mayor pala) to proceed with his decision to channel the money for the benefit of thousands of Muslim families and their children for the rebuilding of a new Marawi.

Sir, gift the young Marawi children with new school buildings, new classrooms, new parks and playgrounds.

Build a new community in the heart of Moroland that will stand as a solid foundation of brotherhood, amity and peace for both Christians, Muslims and other ethnic and tribal folks in the area.

Thank you for your time, Sir. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) Prov.

14:34: Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a disgrace to any people. GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

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