Edge Davao 5 Issue 166

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VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

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Soldiers foil NPA attack

2 rebels killed in Compostela

By Anthony S. Allada

T

WO members of the New People’s Army were killed while seven soldiers were wounded when government forces foiled a rebel attack at 12 noon Sunday in Barangay Calabcab, Maco in Compostela Valley.

Lt. Col. Jerry Borja, commander of the 71st Infantry Battalion, said members of the 71st IB’s Peace and

Sports

7 soldiers were wounded but are now in stable condition

Development Team were on their way to conduct a peace and development outreach program (PDOP) in Brgy. Calabcab when they were met by about 60 armed communist rebels.

Borja said his men despite being outnumbered were able to repel the attack, killing two rebels and seizing two

Page 15

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Davao officials hail Calungsod sainthood O

FFICIALS here hailed the canonization Sunday of Beato Pedro Calungsod, the second Filipino saint next to San Lorenzo Ruiz.

Pope Benedict XVI canonized Calungsod, the so-called 17th century teen martyr, before throngs of Filipinos in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. Cheers went up in the crowd of about 80,000 when Benedict declared Calungsod a saint and worthy of veneration by the entire Catholic Church.

The Pope named six other saints Sunday, some of them missionaries like the devout boy who is believed to be from Ginatilan town in Cebu.

“An inspiration to the youth and a

role model to give up his own life for others,” were the words of Digos City Mayor Joseph Peñas, referring to Calungsod’s canonization.

Rep. Isidro Ungab of Davao City’s third district said that the country is blessed as a nation as we have already two saints.

“This is to show the faith and devotion of Filipinos to the Lord Almighty.

May their works and deeds inspire and set as examples to the youth of our country,” Ungab said.

Rep Karlo Alexei Nograles of the city’s first district said, “Our country and our people are truly blessed and loved

FDAVAO, 11

high-powered firearms.

He confirmed that seven soldiers were wounded but are now in stable condition at military hospital.

“I commend the heroism and bravery of these seven soldiers who fought with dedication and willingness to sacrifice their lives in order to

keep peace and development in Maco” said Major General Ariel Bernardo, commander of the 10th Infantry Division.

“This act by the NPA is clearly out of their frustration to stop the success of Maco in gaining peace and development. They attacked the government forces without considering the presence of civilians who may be caught in crossfire.” he said.

AGREEMENT. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio (second from left sitting) signs a memorandum of agreement for the ground delineation of Davao City watershed areas with (from left) Mary Ann V. Fuertes, executive director of Interface Development Interventions, Inc., Edwin Regalado, Davao City Water District (DCWD) general manager , and Joselin Marcus Fragada, regional executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 11. After the signing at City Hall yesterday, IDIS turned over to Mayor Sara some materials and equipment for use in the delineation activities. [LEAN DAVAL JR.]

2 THE BIG NEWS

VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

DCPO, TMC set for Undas I

By Anthony S. Allada

SUMMIT. Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Nur P. Misuari (4th from right) graces the 17th MNLF Bangsamoro Grand Summit Gathering attended by at least 7,000 Muslims at the Davao Crocodile Park Sunday after-

Maguindanao massacre suspect nabbed in GSC

By Aquiles Z. Zonio

T

HE Gen. Santos City police nabbed on Sunday another suspect in the gruesome Nov. 23,2009 Maguindanao massacre.

Senior Insp. Lorenzo Henares, chief of police of Makar Police station, identified the suspect as a certain Norhato M. Kamino, alias Alfiche Banding.

Henares said Kamino was arrested after more than a month of surveillance.

“Based on the information we gathered, he formerly worked in Datu Unsay town in Maguindanao. Then he transferred residence to Margus in Glan town, Sarangani province,” Henares said.

Kamino reportedly worked in a banana plantation in sitio Paopao, T’boli town, South Cotabato since June last year.

The police official said local residents tipped them off on the presence of a massacre suspect in the area.

“His facial features

Kapalong, Davao Norte

matched that of one of the massacre suspects,” Henares said, adding that the suspect was nabbed by virtue of a standing warrant of arrest issued by a court.

During the raid, Kamino tried to escape but the police team caught up with him.

The suspect is under the custody of the Makar Police station awaiting the schedule for his transfer to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig, Metro Manila.

In an interview with reporters, Kamino denied any involvement in the massacre.

“There’s God who knows I’m innocent. I have never set foot on the massacre site,” the suspect said in the Visayan dialect.

Today (Oct. 23), is the 35th-month anniversary of the Ampatuan carnage where 58 people, 32 of them journalists, perished in what is considered the single deadliest incident of the murder of journalists in history.

Only vice mayor’s post remains to be contested

O

NLY the vice mayoralty post is hotly contested in Kapalong, Davao del Norte in the May 13, 2013 mid-term elections.

Mayor Edgardo Timbol, who faced a token candidate in the 2010 elections, is running unopposed while there are only eight candidates for councilor – all sure winners.

Timbol fielded his wife, Maria Theresa Timbol, barangay captain of Maniki (Poblacion) and the ABC president, against two-termer Vice

Mayor Romy Estrada, who was the mayor’s running mate in the 2007 and 2010 polls.

Estrada is running as an independent after being junked by Timbol’s group of President Aquino’s Liberal Party (LP).

He was a member of the municipal council for three terms and easily won against two vice mayoral rivals while he was still Timbo’s ally.

Timbol’s wife, who is vice president of the Federation of ABC in Davao del Norte, was recently

FONLY, 11

T’S all systems go in security preparations for “Oplan Kaluluwa” on November 1 and 2, 2012 which covers all public and private cemeteries.

The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) and the Traffic Management Center (TMC) will deploy personnel during the observance of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. DCPO chief Sr. Supt. Ronald dela Rosa said he will deploying 1,000 personnel who will be augmented by elements from the Police Regional Office 11 while 200 traffic enforcers are to be stationed at entrance and exit points in big cemeteries

to ease traffic congestion.

Dela Rosa is reminding Dabawenyos to refrain from prohibited acts inside cemeteries like bringing in liquor, bladed weapons, firearms, and the playing of loud music.

He admits that there will be the usual problem of drunken people visiting their dead.

“And we have no law prohibiting them from entering cemeteries,” he said.

Dela Rosa cautions residents to leave someone to watch over their homes since it would be a long weekend, November 1 and 2 falling on Thursday and Friday.

time carnapper and has connections not only in Manila but also outside the country.

He said Yu’s group is different from that of another alleged car smuggler, Allan Lynard Bigcas, who despite of facing several criminal charges, is running for governor of Bukidnon in the May 13, 2013 midterm elections.

Asked if there is a need for the government to put up a bounty for Yu’s head, dela Rosa said it is no longer necessary since his 21 victims are reportedly rich and angry with Yu and that they themselves can raise any amount of

money to run after him.

He added that the cooperation of the public helped to dismantle Yu’s carnapping group that had been operating in the city since November 2011.

Yu’s members, Hermie Tahom, Eddie Lopez, Jerry Paulino and Diego Macatimpag, were arrested during the operation.

Tahom of Tandag City, Surigao del Sur named his three cohorts in Davao City after his apprehension Monday while aboard a stolen gray Toyota Innova in Tandag.

De la Rosa said the

vehicle was traced by authorities through its global positioning system (GPS).

He said the group usually operates between 12 midnight and 2:00 o’clock in the morning, and have contacts with a car firm since through its leader, they can easily open target vehicles without breaking car doors and windows.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio urges victims of carnapping to cooperate in the filing of charges against the perpetrators even as she congratulated the police for a jobwell-done. [ASA]

las and on several occasions the crowd could only see umbrellas and a hand flipping the pages of the prepared speech he read from 2:46 p.m. to 3:32 p.m, and which he Vended with an apology: “I am sorry I was so in a hurry because it’s so hot.”

It was, indeed, “so hot” that a woman in black abaya fainted at around 3:27 p.m. and was rushed to a makeshift tent at the roadside.

As Misuari spoke, participants to the “17th MNLF Bangsamoro Grand Summit Gathering” slowly thinned out as participants sought refuge from the unbearable heat.

Crowd estimates varied from 3,000 to 10,000 but a Manila-based photographer used to cover-

ing rallies told MindaNews, “mga 1,500 to 2,000 lang.”

A number of the men in the crowd wore mostly new camouflage pants and black shirts of different designs and initials.

They gathered in front of the stage when the emcee ordered “formation na” at 2:15 p.m. Misuari, he said, was nearing the Park.

Clad in a khaki pinstripe suit, Misuari arrived at 2:30 p.m., with the emcee asking the crowd to give way to the media. Misuari delivered his speech in English, reading it haltingly, often repeating words.

There was no podium onstage. The sound system was erratic, at one moment his voice was very clear at another he was inaudible.

Now in his 70s, Misuari described Davao City as the “official capital of the Bangamoro Republik.”

He said the “Bangsamoro Republik” is 44 years old, reckoning its founding to the nineday vigil “right in front of Malacanan Palace” in the aftermath of the March 18, 1968 Jabidah Massacre in Corregidor, that eventually led to the founding of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

The MNLF signed a peace agreement with the Philippine government in 1976 in Tripoli, Libya and a “Final Peace Agreement” in Malacanang on September 2, 1996.

Misuari claimed the government has “abrogated” the 1996 FPA with

noon. Misuari uses the event to air his displeasure against the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). [LEAN DAVAL JR.]

Cops clueless on whereabouts of big-time carnap ring boss A

UTHORITIES admit they remain clueless on the whereabouts of Ryan Yu, alias “Baktin”, who reportedly masterminded the carnapping of 21 vehicles last week in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur. All of the vehicles have been recovered.

“He is in hiding. We don’t know if he is still in Davao City, Manila or abroad,” Sr. Supt. Ronald dela Rosa, director of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), told reporters during the Kapehan sa SM Monday morning.

Dela Rosa said Yu could qualify as a big-

F

Misuari on Bangsamoro territory: ‘5 tiny provinces’

ROM a makeshift stage at the Crocodile Park in Davao City, Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chair Nur Misuari, introduced by the emcee as “President of the Bangsamoro Republik,” rattled off his achievements in the Bangsamoro struggle in an introduction of himself written in third person and read by him for 16 minutes and in the next 30 minutes criticized the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro as a product of a “tripartite conspiracy” that reduced the Bangsamoro homeland to “five tiny provinces hardly the size of the Cotabato (Empire) of yore.”

Misuari was shielded from the scorching heat of the sun by umbrel-

FMISUARI, 11

SUBURBIA 3 Mati City festival

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 166 •TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

to recognize gays

T

THREE-HOUR TRIP. Vehicles negotiate a portion of the Cagayan de OroIligan highway still under construction in Gitagum town in Misamis Oriental.

Roads under construction are the major cause of delays triggering complaints

from the public. The one-hour trip between Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities now takes more than three hours. [MiNDANEws]

ComVal Province conducts ‘Bulawanong Kahanas’ tilt A

IMING to produce more skilled Comvalenyos, the provincial government of Compostela Valley Province through the Provincial Technical Education and Skills Development Committee (PTESDC) spearheads the conduct of a 2-day Bulawanong Kahanas: 5thInterschool Skills Competition and Skills Showcase at the ACN Gym, Nabunturan starting today, October 18 to 19, 2012.

In partnership with the Technical Education

and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the skills competition and showcase intensifies the awareness of the general public on technical vocational education and training, promotion of the importance and impact of technical training to the lives of the people, and the showcasing of competence of the skilled workers in the province.

It is one of the major activities of the Bulawanong Kahanas Team (referring to the Technical Vocational Education and

CDO coalition mulls Writ of Kalikasan

A

non-government organization in Cagayan de Oro City has threatened to file a Writ of Kalikasan against the city government if it will not do something against the rampant illegal mining activities in the hinterlands of the city.

Orlando Ravanera, chair of the environment coalition Sulog, said they will give the city government “ a last chance” to do something about the unabated mining in the area, otherwise a petition for a writ will be filed against officials.

A Writ of Kalikasan is a legal relief that provides for the protection of one’s right to “a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature,” as enshrined in Section 16, Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. It is the environmental counterpart of the Writ of Amparo.

In mulling the filing of a writ, Ravanera said

that people should have learned hard lessons from tropical storm Sendong, the worst calamity that hit the city in decades.

“We should stop the bleeding of the earth and it is our responsibility to hold government to do their role in protecting its people from another man-made devastation,” said Ravanera.

He noted that it has been 10 months since Sendong (international codename: Washi) struck but the city government has yet to implement any serious preventive measures to assure the residents that a similar catastrophe won’t happen again.

In this city alone, Sendong claimed at least a thousand lives and a thousand more missing until now, feared to have been dead. The estimated damage to properties was pegged at P1.6 billion. The floods affected 1,144,229 individuals and swept 14,883 houses. [CONG B. CORRALEs/MiNDANEws]

Training Stakeholders) advocates to recognize and honor the skills competence of the youth, particularly those students of Technical Vocational Institutions.

The major areas of competition include Computer Hardware Servicing (assemble and installation), Food and Beverage Servicing, Automotive Servicing (automotive electrical wiring), Health Care Services (bed making), Commercial Cooking (market basket), and Bartending.

Other competitions are the Search for Mr. & Ms. Bulawanong Kahanas 2012, Vocal Solo, and Interpretative Dance.

The showcasing of skills are on Haircut, Massage, Horticulture (grafting), Electronic, Manicure, and Pedicure.

This month, 25 trainees graduated on a 5-day Consumer Electronics (Cellphone Repair Training) leading to NC II of TESDA on October 8-12, 2012 in Montevista. [BOB MiRAsOL, sPU/ GRACE ALMEDiLLAiDs]

HE gay community in Mati City, Davao Oriental will have a grand time in this year’s 12th Sambuokan Festival which will simultaneously be held with the 109th Founding Anniversary of Mati.

City Information Officer Juvy Tanio recently revealed that City Mayor Michelle Rabat had allowed the Mati City gay community who bonded themselves into a group called Pink Society, to hold an event dubbed as “Pagkamalipayon, Ipadayon” (Let’s continue the happiness ).

Slated on October 30, the event will serve as an extension of the Sambuokan Festival which will kick off on October 23, and will run until October 29 to celebrate community participation and togetherness.

A convenor of Pink Society, Tanio said the event was designed to recognize the participation of the gay sector to further push the development of the city of Mati.

As the major organizer, the Pink Society will feature a fashion show called “ The Evolution of Oyels” referring to gays who have been fondly calling themselves as “Oyels”.

The fashion show is a presentation of generations of gays as this involves the young and the old members of Mati’s gay community, Tanio said “We are glad of the

acknowledgement that Mayor Rabat is giving to us,” Tanio said.

As a show of community involvement in celebrating the 12th Sambuokan Festival, members of the Pink Society will do a volunteer work as make-up artists during the Kasalan ng Bayan which will bind together 100 couples whose wedding will be officiated by Mayor Rabat at the Cultural Center.

Same with the gay event, the Kasalan ng Bayan sa Sambuokan is organized by the City Government of Mati as an added feature of the week-long festival.

“This is the first time it happened in Sambuokan. We will be doing a community service for the couples,” Tanio said.

Meanwhile, the Sambuokan Festival will kick off tomorrow with the activation of Coca Cola Barangay Bingo which will be held at Mati Park and Baywalk. This will be followed on Thursday by the opening of the Sambuokan Volleyball clash, school band competition and SMB Got Talent competition.

Among the event set to enliven the Sambuokan on Friday are the 2nd Mayors Cup Shootfest, Asenso sa Negosyo Jobs Fair, Children’s Fun Day, Menzi Beach Park launching, Dahican Beach Games, Bugno sa (fight of) Guintong Kamao, film

links will also be monitored through their supervisory skills and their reporting responsibilities. “One of our program goals is the institutional strengthening. This means that we need to ensure that our regional, provincial, city and municipal advisory councils are properly functioning,” she said.

Advisory councils consisting of local officials, sectoral representatives and private groups are presently involved in the monitoring of the program implementation, she said.

“When we perform our tasks, we always see to it that it will be relevant to upgrading the level of well-being of our program beneficiaries such that those from survival stage will reach the self-sufficiency stage,” Clavel added. “When our tasks are clear, specific and have a numerical value, we can always measure our achievements and see how far we have gone given our

individual targets,” she said.

As of September 30, the government has released around P1.83 billion to the area’s beneficiaries in the form of cash grants, around P883.53 million of which went to the health and nutrition component and P945.89 million to the education component.

The 4Ps program is a poverty reduction and social development strategy of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to “poorest of the poor” households to improve their health, nutrition and education, particularly of children aged 0-14 years.

The program provides beneficiaries cash grants of P500 a month for health and nutrition expenses and P300 a month per child for educational expenses. A household with three qualified children could receive P1,400 monthly. [Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews]

FMATI, 11

DSWD strengthens compliance and monitoring systems for 4Ps

T

HE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region 12 has strengthened its compliance and monitoring systems for the government’s conditional cash transfer program to ensure proper implementation in the area.

Juliet Clavel, regional program coordinator, said the move is part of the strategies adopted by the agency to enhance the continuing rollout of the anti-poverty initiative, which is also known as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps. She said they recently met with the 4Ps provincial, municipal and city links to set new implementation targets and performance indicators. Clavel said the new regional targets and indicators were based on the national targets and directions set by the DSWD central office. “We need to ensure that the tasks brought

down to the regional office will be smoothly delegated to our office personnel and program implementers in the field,” she said.

Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. DWSD-12’s coverage area for the 4Ps includes Marawi City, which is part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Clavel said among the key result areas indicated in the performance contract of 4Ps implementers were the strengthening of the program’s components such as compliance, completion and monitoring of supply side assessment; the conduct of family development sessions; the organization of parent leaders; and, the implementation of other program systems.

She said the provincial

4 SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

PHL bats cited for role in durian industry

By Joseph G. Lariosa

W

HEN the large flowers of Durian tree open at night, the fruit-eating Philippine bats, whose large eyes allow them to see at night, are hard at work pollinating the flowers – transferring the pollen, from the male part of the plant or stamens of flowers to the female part of the plant, the carpel, to fertilize the flower so that fruits can develop.

On the other hand, other bats, the insectivorous kind, which do not pollinate the Durian flowers, “are insect control agents.

They are primarily nocturnal insect eaters or predators of night flying insects that include crop pests that damage the rice, corn and other plants.” Thousands of these Asian Ghost Bats (Megaderma spasma) in attics eat “50,000 insects every night,” including “moths that feed on corn or rice, saving farmers substantial” amounts of money from buying pesticides.

These are two among the reasons that the Filipino people need to understand why they should help in the conservation of bats and other wildlife species of the Philippines that are being threatened with extinction.

Nina R. Ingle, Ph. D., told this reporter over the phone that she has been a conservation ecologist for over 25 years in the Philippines but she has still a lot to learn about the bats and other vertebrates numbering about a thousand, over 600 of them are endemic or can only be found in the Philippines.

“Without bats (cave fruit bats called Eonycteris spelaea), how will Durian (Durio zibethinus L.) tree bear fruits? As you know Durian is a growing industry in Davao and other parts of the southern Philippines.

Where are they going to get the fruits, the ice cream, candies and other by-products of the tree?” Dr. Ingle (pronounced “single” without “s”) asked. She is currently a curriculum consultant of her alma mater the Ateneo de Davao University High School, where she integrates environmental content and research into academic studies.

Durian fruit contributes US$120 million to economies in Southeast Asia each year, according to Wikipedia.

The 46-year-old conservation academician and researcher was in town to receive the prestigious Parker/Gentry Award in recognition of her commitment to biodiversity conservation through research, management and education.

The Parker/Gentry award is given annually by the Chicago, Illinois-based Field Museum of Natural History to honor an outstanding individual, team or organization, whose efforts have had a significant impact on preserving the world’s rich natural heritage and whose actions can serve as a model to others. Dr. Ingle is the 17th and first Filipino and the second Asian to receive the award with a modest cash amount from an anonymous donor. The other Asian awardee was a Chinese.

INSECT-EATING BAT OF LUZON. This common Asian Ghost Bat (Megaderma spasma) helps rural farmers eats the insects, like moths that feed on rice and corn.

Without this bat, farmers will have a hard time keeping up with the damage caused by moths and other insects to their plants. (jGLiPhotograb by Joseph G. Lariosa from http://fieldmuseum.org/explore/synopsis-philippine-mammals)

FILIPINA-BRITISH WINS PARKER/GENTRY AWARD. Dr. Nina R. Ingle (second from left) is shown holding the 2012 Parker/Gentry Award during ceremonies held last Oct. 11 in the reception hall of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois. Looking on from left are Field Museum President and CEO Richard Lariviere, Philippine Consul General Leo M. Herrera-Lim and Mrs. Jan Lariviere. The award bears the names of the late Theodore A. Parker III and Alwyn Gentry, ardent conservationists and leading naturalists. Parker, an ornithologist, and Gentry, a botanist, died in 1993, while surveying hill forests of western Ecuador. Parker and Gentry worked closely with Field Museum scientists on several joint efforts, including rapid inventories for conservation. (jGLiPhoto courtesy of the Philippine Consulate General’s office in Chicago, Illinois) A Filipino British dual citizen, Dr. Ingle’s commitment to biodiversity conservation exemplifies the spirit of the Parker/Gentry Award. Early in her career, she chose to focus on bats, fascinated by their diversity and their role in forest ecology as seed dispersers, pollinators, and insect predators.

She was born in London, England to a Filipino mother, Lydia Rivera, who worked as a clerk at the Philippine Embassy in

DR. NINA R. INGLE, who earned M.S. and Ph. D. degrees at Cornell University, Natural Resources, in Ithaca, New York. (jGLiPhoto courtesy of Dr. Nina R. Ingle.)

FRUIT BAT OF LUZON. This cave fruit bat found in Luzon called Eonycteris spelaea is the same species that pollinates Durian (D. zibethinus) flowers at night in southern Philippines. The process (pollination) enables the flowers to develop into fruits. It was reported that in a study in Malaysia in 1970s, Durians were pollinated almost exclusively by cave fruit bats (Eonycteris spelaea). However, a 1996 study indicated two species of Durian, D. grandiflorus and D. oblongus, were pollinated by spiderhunters (Nectariniidae) and other species, D. kutejensis, was pollinated by giant honey bees and birds as well as bats. (jGLiphotograb by Joseph G. Lariosa fromhttp://fieldmuseum.org/explore/synopsis-philippine-mammals)

London. Dr. Ingle’s mother met her father, David Ingle, an electrical and mechanical engineer, in London.

70 species of bats identifDr. Ingle cowrote the first identification key to the 70 species of bats then known from the Philippines with Field Museum mammal curator Lawrence R. Heaney, Ph.D., in a study entitled, “A Key to the Bats of the Philippine Islands,” in Fieldiana, Zoology, 1992.

She said that the heaviest bat in the world, the endangered Golden-crowned Flying Fox (Acerodon jubatus) is only found in the Philippines. About 40 species of Philippine bats live in caves, where they can form colonies in the hundreds or thousands and even over a million.

Dr. Ingle said she was fascinated by the bats because of their roles in the forest and in agricultural areas. “They eat insects, pollinate plants, and eat fruits while bringing seeds to new locations that grow plants and serve as reforestation agents.”

She clarified there are no blood-sucking or vampire bats in the Philippines, saying there are only three species of blood-sucking bats in the world out of the more than

1,000 bat species. Vampire bats are only found in South and Central Americas.

“Bats are like people and have only one baby at a time, once or twice a year. This means that their numbers don’t increase rapidly.” Dr. Ingle added.

Dr. Ingle said she is honored to get the Parker/Gentry award named after two outstanding field biologists who died in the field in an aircraft accident while doing research in Latin America.

Contributions from PHL wildlife conservation “The award represents the collective contributions from the Philippines for wildlife conservation, particularly by members of the Wildlife Conservation Society of the Philippines that we founded 21 years ago. I›ve come to increasingly value the importance of environmental education in conservation. It is important to work with local communities on conservation through education in the public schools in every barangay. It is an opportunity for others to learn how rich is the Philippines in wildlife resources. We have more than 1,000 species of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles, and over 600 of those are found only in the Philippines like the Philippine Eagle and Cloud Rats. More species, previously unknown to science, are being discovered every year.”

Dr. Ingle has worked closely with Dr. Lawrence Heaney, curator of Mammals at the Field Museum of Natural History. Dr. Heaney said he took “interest in primary research in the Philippines in the study of evolution and ecology and conservation because unlike the Galapagos Island in Ecuador made famous by Charles Darwin, Galapagos has only four native species of mammals while the Philippines has more than 200 and to study the biological and geologic history of the Philippines is wonderful and interesting.” He co-wrote Vanishing Treasures of the Philippine Rainforest with Filipino botanist Jack Regalado, Jr. (http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/vanishing_treasures/), published in 1998.

In her presentation during the Parker-Gentry awarding event, Dr. Ingle said that although the Philippines used to be almost completely covered by tropical rainforest, only 20% of the land area remains forested. This threatens all forest dependent plants and animals, and also threatens the watersheds on which all Filipinos depend. She said that local communities are key to wildlife conservation. (lariosa_jos@ sbcglobal.net)

DURIAN FLOWERS CLOSED BY DAY. This is a photo of Durian flowers from Wikipedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Durian)

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 166 •TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

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6

THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

Stat Watch Cacao:

1. Gross National Income Growth Rate (At Constant 2000 Prices)

5.8% 1st Qtr 2012

2. Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate (At Constant 2000 Prices)

6.4 % 1st Qtr 2012

3. Exports 1/ 4. Imports 1/ 5. Trade Balance 6. Balance of Payments 2/ 7. Broad Money Liabilities

USD 4,931 million May 2012 USD 4,770 million Apr 2012 USD -135 million Apr 2012 USD -209 million Mar 2012 P 4,580,674 million Apr 2012

8. Interest Rates 4/

4.1 % May 2012 P131,403 million May 2012 P 5,075 billion Apr 2012

9. National Government Revenues 10. National government outstanding debt 11. Peso per US $ 5/

P 42.78 Jun 2012

12. Stocks Composite Index 6/

5,091.2 May 2012

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100

130.1 Jun 2012

14. Headline Inflation Rate 2006=100

2.8 Jun 2012

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

3.7 Jun 2012

16. Visitor Arrivals

349,779 Apr 2012

17. Underemployment Rate 7/

18.8 % Jan 2012

18. Unemployment Rate 7/

7.2 % Jan 2012

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2009 - December 2011) Month Average December November October September August July June May April March February January

2012

2011

2010

42.85 42.70 42.86 42.66 43.62

43.31 43.64 43.27 43.45 43.02 42.42 42.81 43.37 43.13 43.24 43.52 43.70 44.17

45.11 43.95 43.49 43.44 44.31 45.18 46.32 46.30 45.60 44.63 45.74 46.31 46.03

EDGEDAVAO

A new ray of hope for banana farmers

By Aurelio A. Pena

L

OOKING closely at the lush green leaves of the small, growing cacao seedling was enough to convince Rene Dalayon that the sprawling two-hectare cacao seedling farm here in this small town of Asuncion, was ready to supply the needs of thousands of banana farmers who want to plant cacao between the rows of their banana plants.

“Looks good---they all look healthy and ready for distribution to our fellow banana farmers here in Davao del Norte who want to join us in the inter-cropping of banana plants with cacao,” Dalayon broke into a smile, as he passed the cacao seedling to his plant technicians for further inspection.

Dalayon, who heads the Federation of Banana Cooperatives or FEDCO as its chief executive officer, said they had been looking for ways to help banana farmers cope with two big crisis that had almost devastated

their banana farms--- the China crisis, which banned Philippines bananas from the Mainland due to quarantine problems and the spreading danger of a banana disease called Panama Wilt which had already damaged thousands of hectares of banana plantations.

“We saw the great potential of cacao and what it can do to help uplift the lives of our farmers and other stakeholders in the banana industry,” Dalayon said, looking across the thousands of cacao seedlings growing robust under the fishnet serving as a protective filter from the blistering heat of the sun.

Just over the weekend, Dalayon and his FEDCO executive staff sat down with officials of the ACDI-VOCA to sign another grant agreement of P3.2 million to set into motion the Cacao Banana Agri-Enterprise Development (CBAED) involving over 2,000 farmers in selected towns and villages of Davao del Norte

province.

ACDI-VOCA is an international non- profit organization setting up the CococoPal Farming System project in Mindanao, with funds coming from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This project, according to Nicholas Richards, chief of party in the Philippines, is to work closely with small farmers and small agri-companies as well as government agencies, local governments and agriculture schools in Mindanao.

A CBAED center, according to Richards, has five parts--- training, demo farms, post harvest processing, organic fertilizer and cacao seedling production and distribution. This center, put up by FEDCO, will have a cacao nursery, organic input facility, demo farm showing bananas growing together with cacao, and a post-harvest facility.

Farmer leaders had

been trained in mid-September on farm planning, farm decision-making, farming as a business, and technical training on cacao production.

“All these years we’ve always stick to just one goal--- to help rice farmers, banana farmers, coconut farmers, cacao farmers become more productive to earn more income and produce more food for their families,” Richards said.

Dalayon is one with his FEDCO executive staff in expressing so much optimism on the future growth of a new emerging cacao industry in the Davao region over the coming years.

“We see this cacao industry as a new ray of hope for all our banana farmers who had been suffering all these years from low buying prices and millions in unpaid debts.

This time around, they can finally stand up and face a brighter future,” Dalayon said. [Philpress Features]

UCPB Savings Bank expands service delivery channels U

CPB Savings Bank has launched three initiatives as it continues to develop its service delivery network particularly in areas where large commercial banks are not in operation or those that do not have ATM (automated teller machines) presence.

UCPB Savings Bank, the thrift banking arm of the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB), has unveiled five branches after receiving approval from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The five new branches are in Batac, Ilocos Norte; Lingayen, Pangasinan; Caramoan Island; Catbalogan, Samar; and Metro Cebu. Batac and Lingayen are primarily agricultural areas, Caramoan Island is a famous tourist destination while Catbalogan and Metro Cebu are commercial hubs. The five additional branches bring the

FUCPB, 11

BRACELET. Joey Ayala, one of the most recognized home-grown talents from Davao City, seeks the help of a lumad lady whom he bought a native bracelet at the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos, Calinan yesterday. [LEAN DAVAL JR.]

as of august 2010

Cebu Pacific Daily Zest Air Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri/Sun Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Silk Air Mon/Wed/Sat Cebu Pacific Thu Cebu Pacific Tue/Wed//Sat

5J961 / 5J962 Z2390 / Z2390 5J593 / 5J348 PR809 / PR810 PR819 / PR820 5J394 / 5J393 5J599 / 5J594 5J347 / 5J596 5J963 / 5J964 PR811 / PR812 5J595 / 5J966 MI588 / MI588 5J965 / 5J968 5J965 / 5J968

5:45 5:45 6:00 6:10 7:50 7:50 8:00 9:10 9:40 11:30 12:00 18:55 12:55 13:35

Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Cebu-Davao-Iloilo Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Zamboanga-Davao-Zamboanga Cebu-Davao-Cebu Iloilo-Davao-Cebu Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Cebu-Davao-Manila Davao-Cebu-Singapore Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila

6:15 6:25 6:30 7:00 8:50 8:10 8:30 9:40 10:10 12:20 12:30 13:35 13:25 14:05

Silk Air Thu/Sun Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri Philippine Airlines August Zest Air Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Philippines Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Sat Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Tue/Sat/Sun Cebu Pacific Daily Airphil Express Daily Philippine Airlines Daily except Sunday Philippine Airlines Sunday

MI566 / MI566 5J507 / 5J598 15:55 Z2524 / Z2525 5J967 / 5J600 PR813 / PR814 5J215 / 5J216 5971 / 5J970 5J973 / 5J974 5J969 / 5J972 2P987 / 2P988 PR821 / PR822 PR821 / PR822

18:55 15:00 Mani2Mani 16:05 16:35 16:55 18:00 18:40 20:00 20:30 20:30 21:20 22:20

Davao-Singapore Cebu-Davao-Cebu 16:50 Cebu-Davao-Cebu Manila-Davao-Cebu Manila-Davao-Manila Cagayan de Oro-Davao-Cagayan de Oro Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila

15:20 15:30 16:45 17:05 17:45 18:20 19:10 20:30 21:00 21:00 21:50 22:50

MOTORING 7

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 166 •TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe: Born in Gangnam K

orean culture is taking the entire world by storm. everything from food to pop music to soap operas is enjoying tremendous success, catapulting them to mainstream culture. The latest one to cross the oceans from Seoul to the rest of the world is PSY and his addictive song, “Gangnam Style”.

Gangnam refers to a district in Seoul where people are generally considered trendy, hip, and classy. You can liken it to their version of Beverly Hills in the US or Bonifacio Global City here. Cool and chic as the people are from Gangnam though, they never proclaim that they are, hence the comedic value of the song. In that sense, the all-new 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe is a true citizen of Gangnam. It’s not a luxury pretender. It’s cool and classy, down to its diesel-fed soul.

For starters, the all-new Santa Fe wears Hyundai’s new “Fluidic Precision” design concept—a more refined, more mature take on the original “Fluidic Sculpture” language. It isn’t as swoopy and curvaceous as say an elantra or Sonata; rather it’s more streamlined, tauter than before. It’s a move upward from pair of Uniqlo jeans to a well-pressed Hugo Boss suit. Up front, the large hexagonal grille is more upright, flanked with large headlamp and fog lamp clusters. The headlamps feature interesting LeD accent lighting while squared-off projector lights are nestled inside projecting a bluish tinge at night thanks to HID headlamps on the 4WD model.

From the side, a strong

character line extends along the body from the front wheel well and tapers off just before the rear door handle, but then picks up just before the C-pillar and integrates nicely into the wraparound tail lamps.

Meanwhile, the glass area themselves incorporate an upward rake in the rear communicating a sense of drama so lacking in the mid-sized crossover segment. The all-new Santa Fe ramps up the style even further by having standard 18-inches on the 2WD and then moving up to 19-inches on the 4WD. at the back, the Santa Fe has stylized tail lamps featuring a thin line of brightwork through the lens cap. The lamps themselves are illuminated by LeDs giving the Santa Fe a unique glow at night. a strong U-shaped character line connects the far ends of the tail lamps down the middle of the tailgate which ties the Santa Fe to the rest of the Hyundai line-up.

Inside, the Santa Fe plays a very familiar tune, especially if you’re familiar with Hyundai’s newer product offerings. The hexagonal grille is mimicked front and center on the dash with large angular vents sandwiching the integrated entertainment system.

Both the 2WD and 4WD models carry a multitude of connectivity options from MP3 to USB to Bluetooth, but the 4WD goes further with a 4.3-inch LCD touch screen eliminating some center stack clutter. The center stack gets narrower as it flows down towards the transmission tunnel where the dual-zone climate control (the rear occu-

pants get an extra manual blower with vents on all rows) is housed and operated by a set of clearly organized buttons.

The materials used inside the Santa Fe don’t take a backseat with high-quality leather (cloth on the 2WD) and soft-touch plastics enveloping the entire cabin. The color scheme is a unique two-tone brown affair with a small amount of aluminum and carbon fiber dotting the cabin. as a whole, the cabin feels truly upscale; everything from the leather used on the steering wheel to the plastics on the door trim to even small details like the window switches and stalks are all top-notch.

Plus, the entire look feels welcoming and warm than other mid-sized crossovers.

It’s a quiet cabin too. even with the sunshade retracted on the standard panoramic sunroof on the 4WD, there was very little wind noise to speak of. and the road noise from the tires is virtually unnoticeable.

Behind the front seats is a 40/20/40 split bench seat with ample amounts of both head- and legroom.

They also fold and slide fore and aft allowing access to the third row seats which feature a 50/50 split. With all the seats up, the Santa Fe offers genuine seating for seven adults with threepoint seat belts for everyone.

With both rows folded, it presents a cavernous loading bay enough to fit a decent

of

amount balk-

bayan boxes.

For the 2013 model, Hyundai asia resources, Inc. has simplified the engine line-up to just one: a 2.2-liter 4-cylinder common rail direct injection diesel with 197 horsepower and 428 nm of torque.

Largely carried over from the previous generation Santa Fe, this engine still manages to eclipse the competition not just in terms of power, but also in smoothness and quietness.

Indeed, it shames even the Germans. It can be mated to either front-wheel or allwheel drive architecture, but the sole transmission is a six-speed automatic with the H-matic manual override feature. The new addition is active eCo which modifies the shift points for better fuel economy. on the road the Santa Fe feels sweet and refined whatever the driving environment. In a more crowded setting like urban areas, the earth-shattering lowend torque is your ally in darting in and out of traffic with the 4,690 mm length feeling much smaller than it really is. as the

roads open up, the Santa Fe never feels underpowered or overworked; the engine and transmission feeling well suited to each other.

This shows in the Santa Fe’s remarkable fuel economy figures of 9.52 km/l in the city for the 4WD and 10.4 km/l for the 2WD. These figures easily go up to as high as 23 km/l on the highway. These figures are achieved with the active eCo on and nothing else; no feathering of the throttle and such.

The engine isn’t the only part of the Santa Fe that deserves praise. The revised suspension with MacPherson struts upfront and multi-links at the back give this crossover excellent road manners. The overall ride is comfortable yet confident. The 4WD shows impeccable balance and control through any sort of terrain, while the 2WD just manages to chirp its front tires due to torque steer, but the addition of standard traction control limits this. The Santa Fe is also the first locally-available Hyundai to offer the company’s new driver-selectable three-mode steering dubbed “Flex Steering”. This on-the-fly rack adjuster is a nice touch enabling you to set the desired effort level. Most of the time, it will be left in “normal” mode, but “Sport” is excellent for tackling twisty roads while “Comfort” is perfect for those with less than ample arm strength.

Compared to other midsized crossovers, the Santa Fe is far more maneuverable in tight spots thanks to more manageable exterior dimensions and excellent visibility. Plus, parking assist sensors is standard in all models with the 4WD

getting a standard back-up camera with built-in guide lines as an added bonus.

Priced at P 1,768,000 for the 2WD and a cool P 2,228,000 for the 4WD, the 2013 Santa Fe is more expensive than the previous model. But before you balk at the price increase, you have to go beyond the mere sticker price to appreciate the all-new Santa Fe. In what could be a killer move, Hyundai has priced and equipped the Santa Fe to battle on two fronts. The 2WD is destined to steal sales from the ubiquitous Montero Sport and Fortuner thanks to a solid range of standard features from Smart Key keyless entry with engine start/stop to a full range of safety features.

Plus, the ride is plusher and more car-like. Meanwhile, the 4WD does battle against the explorer and comes with much more standard tech such as 19-inch rims, a panoramic sunroof, power front seats, and even an electronic parking brake with auto hold as standard. and the real world fuel consumption is much better than a gasoline-fed engine.

In short, the Santa Fe comes in with guns blazing, ready to outdraw the competition.

The all-new Hyundai Santa Fe is exciting, revolutionary, and ready to take on the world. In just three generations, it has managed to catapult itself from obscurity to the mainstream. While the song “Gangnam Style” talks about pretenders and wannabes, the Santa Fe is nothing like that. This is one crossover that exudes class and refinement from the inside out. It truly is a well-engineered, well-designed, and well-priced product. It seems that the Korean cultural invasion has finally crossed over to automobiles as well.

8 VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

EDGEDAVAO The tracks of my fears Commentary

By John C. ABell

A

EDITORIAL

The teenage saint

P

EDRO CALUNGSOD, the second Filipino to be canonized, the first being St. Lorenzo Ruiz, met his martyrdom when he was just a minor.

St. Pedro Calungsod, said to be from Cebu, was a teen missionary, who was killed by pagan natives of Guam and thrown to the sea along with a Jesuit priest, Fr. Diego Luis de San Vitores, on April 2, 1672. Not quite one of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that we know them today, San Pedro Calungsod was a teenage lay Catholic who served the Jesuit missionary in that foreign land as catechist and helper and was probably the youngest martyr of the Catholic faith at the time of his killing in 1672.

On that fateful day, Calungsod was with San Vitores at a village in Guam baptizing natives, when two incensed villagers hacked them to death. The young catechist tried to prevent the assailants from harming Fr. Diego, but was killed instead. The priest was in turn killed like him.

Not a few Filipinos are saying that San Pedro

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Calungsod would be a good role model for the young in our country. There is no gainsaying the fact that we have a surfeit of wayward teens who are leading a life of immorality and crime due to various factors which were not there during his short life.

Indeed, the supreme heroism of San Pedro Calungsod is worthy of emulation by those of his countrymen who have embraced the faith.

But the young Pedro Calungsod, being pure of heart and possessed of dauntless courage, perhaps it would be too much to ask, nay, even expect our present day youth to aspire for, much less attain his greatness.

The world has changed so much from the young Calungsod’s time in terms of circumstances that were extant then and those that mark our 21st century, that only another miracle of faith could produce a third Filipino saint.

But who knows? Miracles do happen. And when that time comes, you and I won’t be around to savor the same feeling and inspiration he has bequeathed to our generation.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

ALBERTO DALILAN Managing NEILWIN L. BRAVO Sports and Motoring ARLENE D. PASAJE Cartoons

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Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEñA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN “ADI” C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN • NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance AGuSTIN V. MIAGAN JR Circulation

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( 1st of two parts )

DVERTISERS say that if they can’t track you online, your favorite websites will die. They’re wrong.

There is lots of bad TV, and lots of bad Internet. Reducing either would be a public service of incalculable proportions. But just as some broadcasters raise the possibility of Armageddon if ad-avoiding tech like TiVo proliferates, online marketers are now making the same empty threatsabout the Internet.

They say that rich Internet “content” would disappear if something called Do Not Track became the standard.

Do Not Track isn’t the default setting of any major Web browser, even though all offer the option to “opt-in” to a private life — to send a signal to advertisers that, on this occasion, in this window, at this time I don’t want you to make use of my surfing behavior to profile me for the sole purpose of creating ads that marketers think have greater personal appeal and are more valuable.

Opting in is going to be the default in the next version of Microsoft’s ubiquitous Internet Explorer Web browser, due out any time now. Many thought Microsoft would be our best hope to change the balance of power (how the tables have turned!), of not having to take extra precautions to prevent an intrusion to which we really should not be subjected. But Microsoft’s bullheadedness (on behalf of users for a change) has prompted the advertising community to decide to ignore Internet Explorer 10’s “do not track” signal.

This means, ironically, that IE 10 will be worthless as the pioneering stealth browser it was meant to be.

That the advertisers are pushing back, declaring what amounts to thermonuclear war in the privacy campaign, might raise the profile of a critical issue.

Until now it’s been so far under the radar that most people a) don’t know that they have privacy controls on their browsers and b) don’t know they need them.

The Do Not Track debate comes down to this: Unless you take precautions (or the browser maker does), where you go and what you do can be used to, among other things, allow marketers to follow you around with ads they think are highly relevant to you.

Making Do Not Track voluntary means that (because we are lazy, easily distracted humans) there will be more people being tracked. Making it obligatory means advertisers would have to convince the general public that being spied on is worth it. It’s laundry they are desperate not to air in public, because, given such a simple choice, few would opt for living in a glass house.

Browsers have different ways of giving you control — Google Chrome allows you to create “incognito” sessions.

Apple’s Safari has an option for “Private Browsing,” as does Mozilla’s Firefox.

You have to know they are there, and choose them.

The 800-pound gorilla is Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, which owns half of the world, and which decided to show some spunk on behalf of the little guy, for a change. It created shockwaves by signaling, by default, that every browsing session in its new browser is meant to be hands-off. This was a big freaking deal. Proof: The advertising community got upset, claiming that getting rid of tracking would get rid of the Web. Sites wouldn’t be able to afford upkeep without the personal-data-filled ads that keep them in business.

EDGEDAVAO

“S

Comparison is odious

IN TAX” ENTAILS MORE PROBLEMS – It is perhaps more understandable that there has been a rash of press stories about certain individuals proclaiming that a “lobby money” might be among the reasons of the big tax proposal discrepancy between the House and Senate versions.

The tobacco industry, such stories say, are stampeding to lower the tax rates under HB 5727 or the so-called “sin tax.”

In truth, the Senate version of the “sin tax”, which proposed a P15 billion annual revenues expectedly face a less cordial reception in the consumers market.

The overall adverse impact is likely to be relatively tremendous because fundamentally the House edition proposed an annual tax ceiling of P30 billion compared to the Senate’s P15 billion.

Well, comparison is odious. The inconsistency prompted the taxpaying public to raise critical questions and the more concerned people divulge it in the open that eventually led for some quarters to suspect that, indeed, “lobby money” is stealthily in the works.

Does it mean a genuine bargaining exist especially for the multinationals seeking to dominate the cigarette market in the country? Senator Ralph Recto, the proponent of the Senate version actually is actually under pressure and could no longer stand the heat, which ultimately resulted to his abrupt resignation as chair of the committee on finance. Now it is the turn of the Senate membership to face the throbbing, be they members of the majority or minority bloc and to clear their names from the serious accusation of having benefited from the alleged “financial tribute.”

But what is really the root cause of the highly controversial “sin tax” issue?

Six months ago, members of the Philip-

N

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

pine Tobacco Institute (PTI) decried HB 5727 or the “sin tax” bill and described it as anti-local industry.

The logic of their common interest suggests that the legislative measure, if fully implemented will greatly affect the country’s tobacco industry. There are indications that the PTI is unimpressed because under the proposed “sin tax,” all improved brands will increase only by 6 percent while tax on low-priced brands will increase by as much as 1000 percent. The PTI members added that implementation of the new tax would mean excessive and unprecedented and no other country in the world has increased that much.

In their opinion, it is somewhat like government regulators have a commitment to raise tax collection in order to hit their desired target, but when it comes to a plan on what to do first, it’s less clear. The PTI members therefore urged Congress to urgently address their main concerns citing the negative impact of HB 5727 to the local tobacco industry. In addition, local cigarette manufacturers argued that local brands will be greatly unaffordable for many Filipino smokers and consumption will likewise be greatly reduced because smokers will switch to cheaper, non-regulated black market tobacco products.

Furthermore, the controversial “sin tax” would undermine the public health objective of the tax reform, government revenue objectives will be undermined by smuggled and faked cigarettes that do not pay taxes. Tobacco growers and

small local cigarette manufacturers which produced only low and mid-priced brands will be threatened in their existence and livelihood of the 2.9 million Filipinos who depend on the tobacco industry will be badly affected. Predicting that HB 5727 will affect their business, PTI members should interest to support a passage of a law which provides for the current multi-tiered structure as well as regular and moderate tax measures.

In any case, the curious consuming public expressed diverse views and most are negative relative to cigarette smoking. There is an almost infinite demand for higher tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products to prevent smokers from indulging too much with the risky habit.

The worried consuming public says that cigarette manufacturers should not panic in the face of a new tax scheme. Producers always have to bear in mind that smokers don’t buy smuggled or non-regulated cigarettes to do unscrupulous traders a favor. Smokers patronize them because they like the taste and besides they know full well that the price is much cheaper compared to the local brands.

Right now, the debate for all of us, particularly for anti-smoking groups and health buffs is how sure there’s an alleged “financial tribute” circulating around notably in the premises of the Senate aimed primarily for its members to favor the lowering of tax rates proposed under the “sin tax” bill. Why is there a big difference in the amount, gentlemen? Does the question pose a risk for the Senate leadership who is now hell bent to invite prominent government figures to shed light on the controversy? That is only the initial step to clear the names of each member from any involvement in the crucial issue.

Wreck of ‘world’s largest battleship’ in PHL waters

OT many people know the wreck of the world’s largest battleship, the Imperial Japanese Navy’s battleship Musashi, was sunk in battle with US carrier aircraft at the Sibuyan Sea, on Oct. 24, 1944.

The action was part of the Battle of Leyte which lasted from Oct. 23 to 26 that year during the liberation of the Philippines by Allied troops under Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

The Philippines will mark the 68th anniversary of this battle, considered by naval experts as the world’s most largest and conclusive sea engagement.

The combat was in response to the US and Allied efforts to retake the Philippines from Japan which began with the amphibious assault on Leyte on Oct. 20, 1944.

The liberation of the country included an amphibious landing in Lingayen Gulf on Jan 9, 1945, 16 months before Philippine independence was restored.

Musashi was the second ship of the Yamato-class, then the largest and heaviest naval craft in commission.

The ship displaced 72,800 long tons (74,000 regular tons) fully-loaded and armed with nine 18.1 inch (46 centimeters) main guns, considered the most powerful in their time, according to offi-

SpeCial Feature

By PriAm nePomuCeno cial documents.

Constructed from 1938–1941 and formally commissioned in the summer of 1942, Musashi served as the flagship of Admirals Isoroku Yamamoto and Mineichi Koga in 1943.

The ship also served as the flagship of the Japanese Combined Fleet.

Musahi and several Japanese ships were attacked and sunk by US aircraft while attempting to reinforce Japanese naval units fighting against the US and Allied navies in Leyte Gulf.

The ship and its fleet were spotted entering the Sibuyan Sea around 8 a.m. on Oct. 24 and constantly bombed and torpedoed by carrier aircraft from the US 3rd Fleet.

Musashi eventually exploded and sank around 7:30 p.m. that day, taking down with it thousands of crew and officers.

The wreck’s location is estimated at 12°50′N 122°35′E and 1,000 meters underwater.

The destruction of the Musashi and other heavy Japanese ships by naval air-

craft marked the beginning of the end of the battleship’s myth of invisibility in the seas.

Aside from this, losses incurred by the Imperial Japanese Navy from its Leyte Gulf campaign virtually decimated it.[PNA]

‘Musahi and several Japanese ships were attacked and sunk by US aircraft while attempting to reinforce Japanese naval units fighting against the US and Allied navies in Leyte Gulf.’

9

Don’t disparage Nur Misuari aDVoCaCy minDanoW

By JeSS G. DurezA

A

( 1st of two parts )

s I wrote this column yesterday, thousands of MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) followers started flocking to the popular Crocodile Park outside the Davao City poblacion area at the Diversion Road for a “Summit” which I can call a “show of force”. When I passed by the highway early Sunday morning for a fun drive to Tagum City with the Davao Classic Sports Cars Club, the number of vehicles coming from all over Mindanao already filled up all the parking spaces inside the sprawling park area into the highway strip.

The arrivals started descending on the area even the night before, endlessly coming throughout the whole night and into the day.

I can’t accurately make an estimate of those in attendance yet but Nur’s MNLF definitely is “not a spent force” -- as some of us want to believe.

It is a big mistake to drop MNLF Chair Nur Misuari from our radar screen and relegate him to the wayside as a “has been”, as some sectors are now saying just because we all want to give prominence and importance to the MILF Framework Agreement for peace.

Last Sunday, he gathered again his followers in Davao City to rally them behind his cause.

“Maas” Nur, for all his faults, is still an icon to MNLF and non-MNLF alike, due to the personal sacrifices he gave to the Bangsamoro struggle -- although many of them may no longer believe in his cause today.

He is still a respected Muslim leader in the eyes of the leaders of the Islamic world. I saw this for myself during our foreign trips and meetings, although this was a few years back.

He earned it well in his steadfast fight for the Muslims in this part of the world.

My unsolicited advice: we must re-engage, NOT DISPARAGE, him.

SECRET MISSION --- I recall I was Chair of MEDCO in Mindanao in 2001 when President GMA called me and said: “You are a friend of Nur. Go fetch him from Malaysia”. Even during the Ramos administration, I was already handling Mindanao affairs and Nur and the MNLF were part of my coverage. Nur was detained then in Malaysia when he attempted to escape through the “backdoor” and was arrested by Malaysian authorities for his alleged involvement in the failed attack on AFP forces in Sulu. This was during the early stage of the Arroyo administration.

To make the “special ops” covert and secret, I left on a C-130 big plane at midnight from Villamor Airbase. That ride was unforgettable. For about five hours, the old but reliable giant of a plane, humped and bumped.

The cluttering noise of the “off and on” air conditioning motor even drowned out, from time to time the sound of the four engines.

Notable about that special flight were the executive seats that were temporarily installed so I did not have to stand up along the way clinging to a harness as I did in past rides on the C-130 in my Mindanao work (next to coffins, at times). We had a cooler on board with drinks and snacks for the quick trip. A military lady nurse and a case officer were also on board. ‘GOING HOME” --- When we landed at a military airbase in Malaysia, I was immediately whisked to a receiving area and waited for a while. Then the door swung open and there emerged Chairman Nur Misuari, with a Muslim Imam who was arrested with him, as his constant companion even at the detention area. He was heavily escorted by Malaysian authorities. He was surprised to see me. He did not expect to see me. “What are you doing here, Jess?” I simply answered: “I’m bringing you home, Nur.” Evidently, he did not know that he was being brought out of his detention cell that night for a trip back to the Philippines. He was merely told that they were going somewhere and he did not even know that he was at the military airport as I assumed there were no flights at night for him to suspect otherwise.

Except my C-130 landing still at dawn. Nur was not dressed for a return trip to his country and he looked to me as if he was attired to go to bed for the night. Someone in my party, a Muslim police officer, had the foresight to bring him fresh clothes. We were sensitive to a situation of having a noted rebel leader looking disheveled on his return trip home.

The scenario of a surprise “pick up” evidently took that contingency into account.

10 COMPETITIVE EDGE Pambato cargo giving service since 1979

S

IMPLY true to its meaning, PAMBATO is the leader in cargo forwarding in the Philippines today. From its humble beginning in 1979 servicing only the cities of Manila and Cagayan De Oro, PAMBATO has grown into a nationwide network throughout the provinces of the Visayas and Mindanao, Including Manila.

The Luzon region is serviced with trucking. Whether it is a shipment from Manila to the provinces or vice versa, to an isolated region, or transhipment between branches, PAMBATO will get it door to door.

For the past thirty three (33) years, PAMBATO has always endeavored to do

its task with great concern always remembering that service to its customers is of paramount importance.

PAMBATO continues to improve service to its customers by expanding into customs brokerage, local delivery, and hauling. To date, the company operates 16 branches nationwide covering 23 ports and a total of 21 areas off ports manned by highly trained and experienced workforce of over 400 personnel all together and linked by fax machines, cellular phones, and internet for easier and efficient monitoring. This allows PAMBATO the capability of handling any product at any given time.

SM Lanang Premier’s Halloween goes wild

S

M Lanang Premier brings Halloween celebration to the wild this year with its safari-themed Halloween 2012, starting off at 3PM of October 28, 2012 with an Animaland Kids Party, packed with fun games, a parade of kids and their Animaland stuffed toy, and a kung fu panda wushu demo. Plus, kids who come in their cutest animal costume will get a chance to win a special prize from Animaland.

Kids ages 12 years and below clad in their best Halloween costume may also join in the mall-wide

trick-or-treat on October 31, from 10 AM to 12 PM, and from 2 PM to 6 PM. Registration is free, and the first 250 registered kids in the morning and the afternoon’s trick-ortreat paradewill get a free Krispy Kreme Halloween donut. All tenants of SM Lanang Premier will be preparing sweet treats for trick-or-treat participants, plus other surprises. In the afternoon, kids can get spookier with the free face painting for every P1000 single-receipt or accumulated purchase from any of the mall tenants.

VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

TIME CAPSULE. Panabo City Mayor Jose Silvosa (second from right), City Engineer Glenn Olandria (right), Davao Light Panabo Branch Manager Reynold Felix, Panabo Branch Supervisor Mark Sam Banluta and Community

Relations Dept. Supervisor Fermin Edillon help each other in lowering the time capsule for the new multi-purpose center building soon to rise at the new Panabo City Hall complex.

BOITIZ-owned electric utility Davao Light & Power Co. and the local government of Panabo City broke ground last October 15, 2012 to signal the start of the construction of a P1.2 million multi-purpose center.

The project which will rise right at the back of the new Panabo City Hall is a one-storey structure with tiled floors and collapsible

the ground breaking rites.

The project is offered

by Davao Light through its Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (AFI) to the LGU of Panabo City after it was manifested by the local officials that one of the most pressing needs of the city is a multi-purpose center. This need was confirmed by the electric utility’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) unit.

Davao Light, Panabo City break ground for multi-purpose project A divider to allow a bigger crowd to use the facility. As the name implies, the facility will give the constituents of Panabo City venue for activities that include trainings and seminars, programs and meetings.

Davao Light Panabo branch manager and Asst.

Vice President Engr. Reynold Felix and Mayor Jose L. Silvosa of Panabo led company and LGU officials in

Metrobank employees help boost PH public education

M

E T R O P O L I TA N Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) partners with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) for the Build-a-Classroom project, which aims to construct classrooms in public schools nationwide. The initiative was spearheaded in line with the com-

Metrobank partners with PBSP to build classrooms memoration of the 50th anniversary of Metrobank.

The Build-a-Classroom project aims to construct 24 classrooms in 10 public schools located in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao over a two-year period and will cost of P23.4 mil-

EDGEDAVAO

lion. Construction of the Metrobank-sponsored classrooms begins in January 2013. What makes the Build-a-Classroom project more meaningful is that Metrobank employees are donating a portion of their salaries for the project.

Metrobank, represented by its President Fabian Dee (second from left) and Executive Vice President Vivian Tiu (left), join forces with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), led by its Executive Director Rafael Lopa (second from right) and Director Fe Chua for the bank’s Build-a-Classroom project.

The fund-raising drive is spearheaded by the Purple Hearts Club, the bank’s employee volunteers’ group.

“The Build-a-Classroom project is our way of serving the needs of the community and to give back to the communities we do business in. Education development has always been a core advocacy of the Metrobank Group but what makes this even more special is due to the personal contributions being made by employees of the bank, regardless of rank and position, to raise part of the cost needed to build the classrooms. It’s truly a legacy that Metrobank can be proud of,” said Fabian Dee, President of Metrobank.

Recent estimates from the Department of Education show a classroom shortage of about 68,000.

Textbook and classroom chairs shortages, on the other hand, are at 60 million and 2.5 million, respectively. The government has been encouraging the private sector to engage into Private-Public Partnerships (PPPs) to stem the gaps in the public education system.

The company is donating the 70 percent of the project cost while the LGU commits to raise a 30 percent counterpart as agreed in the Memorandum of Agreement entered into by the partner entities.

Davao Light hopes to complete the multi-purpose center project in less than two months time and turn over the same before the end of the year.

DCWD installs facilities on completed production wells

P

ART of the plans and programs of Davao City Water District is to implement projects for the improvement of water supply systems. Currently, the utility is reconstructing the pumping facilities of Dumoy Production Well Number 8 and 12. Over 70% of the project was already done and its estimated time of completion will be in November.

Both productions wells supplies water to Talomo Sump 1 that serves to following areas: Gulf View Subdivision in Bago Aplaya, Talomo, Bangkal, Matina, Ecoland, some areas in Ma-a and J.P. Laurel Avenue, entire downtown areas including Bo. Obrero and Agdao.

Likewise, the utility is now undertaking the construction of facilities Tugbok PW # 6 in Sitio Basak in Mintal, Riverside PW # 1 in Brgy. Riverside and PW # 2 located at Brgy. Los Amigos and; Lubogan PW # 2 in Brgy. Bankas. The installation of pumping facilities will be completed within first quarter of 2013. It will supply water to areas served by Tugbok WSS, Riverside

WSS and Lubogan WSS respectively.

Relatedly, the construction of facilities in Cabantian PW #2 which cost 6,544,447.86 pesos and Toril PW # 2 is costing 9,746,445.64 pesos were completed last year.

The Cabantian Well # 2 which situated in Brgy. Cabantian is now serving the residents of Holy Trinity Subd., Emily Homes Subd., Countryville Executive Homes, Emilia Homes Subd., Deca Homes, BACAHOA Village, Cecilia Heights and Greenland Village Phase II. Toril PW # 2 in Brgy.

Lubogan in Toril District supplies water in portions of Lubogan and Marapangi, entire Crossing Bayabas, Toril and Daliao including Kristina Homes II, Nakada Village, Don Lorenzo Subd.

Phase 1 & 2, Marapangi Resettlement Area, Samantha Homes, Kalambuan sa Katawhan Village, Gutierrez Village, Doña Manuela Subd., B.B. Homes, Davao Housing Subd., Ilocano Village, Prudential Village, Toril Executive Village and Rovical Village. (syLViA MAy L. VOsOtROs)

11

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 166 •TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

A sales representative of smart chopper entices passersby to purchase his product by demonstrating its functions along San Pedro St. yesterday.

[LEAN DAVAL JR.]

Davao...

FFROM 1

by God for calling as his saint our brother St. Pedro Calungsod. “May St. Pedro’s canonization inspire and strengthen our faith even more so that as a people, we all can be shining examples of love and fidelity to our Lord God,” he said.

Former North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel Piñol said the life story of San Pedro Calungsod is the perfect portrait of the Filipino’s courage and fortitude.

Piñol said Calungsod’s martyrdom speaks of his devotion to his religion and great faith in God. “The sainthood of San Pedro today is a meaningful message to the Filipinos of today. We must have the courage and fortitude to stand up and even offer our lives for what we believe in,” he said.

Davao City Councilor Edgar Ibuyan said “as a Filipino and Christian, I am truly proud that another Filipino has become a saint.”

“May his ways become

Only...

the epitome of the many so that we may live in the way that God wants it to be,” Ibuyan said.

Former seminarian Jeffrey Franca, who is working as a public school teacher, said that it was an amazing grace for every Christian Catholic who has a steadfast faith in God, in the person of San Pedro Calungsod.

Laywer Elbert Rosauro, regional officer of the National Labor Relations Commission 11, and also a former seminarian, said the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod is a milestone of our Catholic faith and as a Filipino nation.

“This should give us all the more reason to believe in the essence of charity, self-sacrifice for the greater glory of God. At the same time when we have lots of workers (living heroes) working in foreign lands. the life and deeds of San Pedro Calungsod can be a source of inspiration and strength who like them worked and was mar-

tyred in Guam,” Rosauro said.

He said our OFWs are martyrs too who sacrifice themselves for their family and country, adding “it is my prayer that San Pedro Calungsod would continually intercede for them for God’s protection and guidance.”

Eduardo Fernandez, former Brother of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and now a book author, inspirational speaker and journalist, said that Calungsod’s canonization is to remind us of our mission to love God and the ordinariness of our life and to inspire the young to give their lives to God and to prayer and not to material things of this world. (AsA)

FABC president which qualified him as member of the provincial board.

The incumbent municipal councilors of Kapalong are Rowell Se-

lim, Alan Quezon, Helario Caminero, Dominador Cruda III, Rebecca Balinggao, Freddie Pentacase Sr., Chichina Faye Lim, and Porferio Tuna. [ASA]

Camarines Sur; Libmanan, Camarines Sur; Sta. Ignacia, Tarlac; and Lamitan, Basilan. Calauag is more popularly known as the Communications and Transport Capital with four public transport companies and a communications firm headquartered in the municipality.

The seven ATMs went online early October; target in 2013 is to provide all UCPB Savings Bank branches with ATMs. “We are aggressively expanding the bank’s service delivery network – our branches and ATMs– not only to generate lowcost funds but help promote financial activities in these communities which are not usually served by other commercial banks,” Justiniano says.

UCPB Savings Bank, a subsidiary of UCPB, likewise plans to open four new lending offices by 2013 to augment the two existing offices. The sites for the four new lending offices will be in Calbayog,

Samar; Tacloban, Leyte; Butuan; and Toril, Davao City. Justiniano states that the bank’s expansion mode is anchored on the commitment by the parent company, UCPB, to build on its extensive service delivery network to reach a wider public nationwide.

UCPB Savings Bank registered significant improvements in its financials for the first 9 months of 2012. Loan portfolio expanded by 22 percent to P6.22 billion from P5.10 billion in December 2011. Deposits grew by 20 percent to P5.25 billion from P4.38 billion. Interest income went up by 12 percent to P524 million to P629 million while non-interest income increased by 50 percent, from P107 million to P161 million. Net income also registered a hike of 12 percent to P231 million vis-à-vis the P206 million posted on December 31, 2011. END

FFROM 2

appointed to replace Vincent Floirendo, who resigned two weeks ago as barangay captain of Adecor, Island Garden City of Samal and concurrentlty

UCPB...

FFROM 6

total current number to 41 UCPB Savings Bank branches.

“The branch expansion will target smalland medium-enterprises (SME) and individuals.

Our new customers could expect similar services that large commercial banks provide, this is what we would like to be known for in the areas we serve,” says Joseph C. Justiniano, president of UCPB Savings Bank. “We are providing banking products and services to the target market such as payroll service, and we handle remittances of the modern-day Filipino heroes – the OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers),” he adds.

In addition to the expansion of the branch network, UCPB Savings Bank has rolled out seven online ATMs in areas that list agriculture as their major economic activity namely, Calauag, Quezon; Lucban, Quezon; Goa, Camarines Sur; Pili,

Kiblawan mayor rapped for anti-B’laan stand

By Aquiles Z. Zonio

H

UMAN rights group KARAPATAN-SOCSKSARGEN is urging Mayor Marivic Diamante of Kiblawan town, Davao Del Sur to stop acting as the mouthpiece both of Xstrata-SMI and the military.

Zadrach Sabella, Karapatan-Socsksargen spokesperson, said Diamante doesn’t know what she’s ranting about.

Sabella assailed Diamante for saying that B’laans may wage a “pangayaw” against government forces due to the death of Dagil Capion’s wife and three children.

Sabella also rebuked Diamante for labeling

Misuari...

Dagil as a bandit not an anti-mining activist.

In a statement sent to Edge Davao, Sabella said “Dagil and his group have been waging a pangayaw for almost two years now because of their opposition to Xstrata-SMI’s operation.

Sabella said many lumads would be displaced from their ancestral lands once Xstrata-SMI starts its full-blast operations.

“They want that their lumad culture and rights over their ancestral land be respected. They take up arms when their plea fells on deaf ears,” Sabella said.

He said Diamante’s claim that Capion was a bandit smacks of insensitivity.

“She is downgrading Dagil’s resolute stand in defending his ancestral land against the onslaught of a foreign mining company which is widely opposed but enjoys the wholehearted support of the Kiblawan mayor,” he said.

KARAPATAN-Socsksargen is calling for an indepth and impartial investigation of the incident and the pullout of all military and paramilitary forces from the mining area.

nine cities.

“The conspiracy in Malacanang Palace that afternoon of October 15 and the signing was like signing figuratively, their own death sentence,” Misuari said.

MILF chair Al Haj Murad and the MILF he said, were “duped and ensnared” and had “fallen along the way, ending up joining traitors to their cause.”

He said the MILF leaders had become “pure and simple puppets and pawns” of the Philippines and Malaysian “colonial powers.”

Malaysia facilitated the talks between the government and the MILF. “Murad and compa-

ny have agreed to get only five tiny provinces, which, combined together, is hardly the size of the Cotabato (Empire) of yore,” Misuari said.

Reacting to Misuari’s statement, MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal said Misuair is “no longer rational. The Framework Agreement speaks of its quality. Out of 13 he only got five provinces and one city?”

Iqbal said.

Misuari called on the audience to “join me to continue our efforts to reclaim Sabah and the rest of North Borneo.”

There was no reaction from the crowd. [Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews]

Search for Sambuokan King and Queen.

To cap the week-long celebration on Monday (Oct. 29), the city government of Mati has organized the 109th Founding Anniversary Program slated at Pelaez Covered

Court. Events that will be simultaneously held on the same day are the Indigenous Peple’s Day Dental-Medical Mission, Sangguniang Kabataan Inter-Barangay and Pop Dance Challenge. [PiA 11/

FFROM 2

the signing last Monday of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro by the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). He described the latter as the “fragmentary remnant of the MNLF.” Then MNLF vice chair Salamat Hashim broke away from the MNLF to form the “New MNLF” in the late 1970s, later renaming it to MILF. Hashim in a 2000 interview told this reporter that during the Tripoli talks in the mid-1970s, he pushed for autonomy in Moro-dominated areas only but Misuari wanted autonomy for the entire Mindanao, eventually settling for 13 provinces and

Mati...

FFROM 3

showing, masquerade ball and variety show.

Sambuokan weekend events are the CFC Youth Regional Conference, concert of the youth, body building competition, games, fun-run, street-dancing, and the

JEANEViVE DURON-ABANGAN]

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EDGE DAVAO is in need of an editor and three staffwriters/reporters for its expansion program.

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Applicant must be a graduate of a four- year college course. For reporters, experience is not needed although preferable. The editor should have at least one-year experience in editing.

Interested parties may send their application letter to Mr. Antonio M. Ajero, Edge Davao editor, thru email address ajero_antonio@yahoo.com. For inquiries, please call Mr. Ajero thru mobile phone 09052422686 or landline 221-3601.

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14 SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Beaten Banal looks forArematch

J `Bazooka’ Banal is asking for only one thing and nothing else after his shocking ninthround technical knockout loss to Pungluang Sor Singyu of Thailand in their world bantamweight championship fight on Saturday night--an immediate rematch.

As soon as possible.

That may be asking too much, but for a big-hearted loser, that’s just quite a natural thing to do, or ask.

“Rematch…na,” said the 23-year-old Banal in between sobs inside the Filipino’s funeral-like dugout at the Mall of Asia Arena.

His lovely wife Junbeth tried to comfort him, and later on ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer, all to no avail.

Banal came just short of blaming veteran referee Tony Weeks for prematurely stopping the fight at the 1:45 mark of the ninth round even if the Thai had already floored him twice behind a barrage of solid punches.

For Banal, that cost him his bid to win the World Boxing Organization 118 lbs. title.

“Kaya ko pang bumangon. Siyempre, mag-stop ako (after the knockdown) para mag-focus ako sa CHAMPS. The Holy Trinity College Wildcats of Gen. Santos City recently won the 2012 PCCL Mindanao eliminations to book themselves a ticket to the Nationals. The 2012 laban tapos bigla ini-stop ng referee,” said Banal with his head bowed.

PCCL is sponsored by Phoenix Petroleum. (PhOENix PhOtO)

S

This chess stalemate

PORTSWRITER-on-leave Moses Billacura emailed me last weekend from wherever he is across the globe.

Actually, it was a forwarded email from Mr. Ronnie Tabudlong of Blue Knight Chess Club of Davao.

The email contained clarifications from the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) particularly Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales, the NCFP Executive Director.

The NCFP is the national sports association governing the affairs of chess in the Philippines. It is currently under its President former Surigao governor Prospero Pichay.

Here’s the content of the attached email of Mr. Gonzales purportedly addressed to Mr. Tabudlong: To: Ronnie Tabudlong This is to clarify the details of the Mindanao Leg of Batang Pinoy chess tournament on November 7-10,, 2012 and the press release in Sun Star on October 11, 2012: 1. The host of Mindanao Leg has been transferred to Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte.

2. The technical guidelines for all sport disciplines is that “The tournament is

open to all Filipino players (boys and girls) aged 15 years old and below, duly certified by their respective LGU’s.

3. The format of the chess tournament in the Mindanao Leg of Batang Pinoy is Open - 15 years old and below in both categories (Boys and Girls).

4. The tournament which is being organized

by James Infiesto on Oct. 20-21 is not coordinated with NCFP and, therefore, it is not sanctioned by NCFP. 5. James Infiesto is not the recognized NCFP Regional XI coordinator nor NCFP Regional Director as allegedly stated in the press release. There is no position of Regional Director in the organizational chart of NCFP. For your information and guidance.

Best regards, GM Jayson Gonzales NCFP Executive Director I would like to stress items 4 and 5 of Mr. Gonzales’s email which should be a problem area for sports here in Davao. I have heard of this conflict in the past and I have seen chess grow despite the differences. But it has never been as disturbing

as this that a tournament organized for choosing the city’s representatives to a national competition organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is being disowned by the chess governing body.

For starters let us draw the landscape for this conflict. Mr. James Infiesto, the acting assistant chief of the city sports development office, has said time and again that he is the regional director for NCFP in Davao. He has organized several tournaments—national and local—under the color of that authority.

Mr. Ronnie Tabudlong, meantime, maintains that he is the official NCFP representative for the region.

He has also organized chess tournaments under the color and authority of the NCFP. Tabudlong maintains that he is the NCFP region-

Garcia decks Morales N EW YORK—Danny Garcia stopped Erik Morales at 1:23 of the fourth round Saturday night to retain his WBC and WBA super lightweight titles in the first boxing event at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Garcia (25-0) beat Morales for the second time this year, though this one was much easier than the unanimous decision he won from the 36-year-old in Houston on March 24. After a quiet opening two rounds, Garcia began getting the best of Morales with a series of body blows in the third.

M

but then looked to be in trouble after the Australian leveled the match and then broke to love in the first game of the third set.

But Wozniacki fought back to level at 3-all, and broke again in the last game when Stosur sent a backhand wide on Wozniacki’s second match point. ‘’At the right times I managed to win the right points,’’ Wozniacki said. ‘’I tried to stay aggressive and stay close to the line and just dictate. But she played well and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.’’

Stosur felt she was unlucky at times in the

FTHIS, 15

match. ‘’I certainly put myself in too much of a hole to be allowed to get out of it,’’ she said, ‘’I feel like I went for the right things and missed by a couple of inches.’’

Stosur was playing in her second final this season after also being a runner-up in Doha, and is 3-12 in WTA finals.

Wozniacki has not qualified for the season-ending WTA Championships in Istanbul, but can return to the top 10 in the rankings if she wins the Tournament of the Champions, which starts Oct. 30 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

the pocket. I just turned my whole body. I hit him with a perfect left hook and it landed.”

Garcia remained unbeaten despite connecting on 26 percent of his 220 punches thrown. He dominated in power punching, by landing 47-of-91, including nine of his final 13 that led to his latest win.

The 24-year-old Philadelphia native had his second fourth-round knockout in three months. On July 14, he stopped Amir Khan in his first title defense, winning that fight with the same punch that stopped Morales.

TENNIS BEAUTIES. Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Agnieszka Radwanska, Angelique Kerber, Petra Kvitova, Sara Errani and Na Li pose for photographers during the draw ceremony for the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships held at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, Turkey.

Wozniacki wins Kremlin Cup

OSCOW (AP) -- Caroline Wozniacki won her 20th career title Sunday, beating Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 in the final of the Kremlin Cup. The former top-ranked Dane has fallen to No. 11 but is showing signs of returning to her best after also winning in Seoul in September for her first title of the year.

Andreas Seppi rallied to beat Thomaz Bellucci 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3 to win the men’s final.

Wozniacki dominated early against Stosur

Garcia continued firing blows at Morales in the fourth and ended it quickly it for his 16th career knockout. He hit Morales on the right side of the head with a sharp left hook, and climbed the ropes in triumph while awaiting the official announcement.

“I noticed when I was backing him up with the jabs a little bit and when I was in the pocket hit with a hook one time,” Garcia said. “My dad was like, ‘You slapped him with a hook.’ So the second time I was backing him up. He was trying to take me to the body so I just stood in

IT’S NOT THE DRESS. Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki in action in winning the final match over Australia’s Samantha Stosur at the Kremlin Cup tennis tournament in Moscow, Russia, Sunday.

Wozniacki’s outfit created a stir in the internet when it was criticized for being plain ugly. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

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VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

TRAVEL

One of the many alleys leading out from Lan Kwai Fong.

The lights and vibe of Lan Kwai Fong Exploring the alleys of Hong Kong’s nightlife

TheviewdownPottingerStreet.

ThelightsofLanKwaiFong.

Hong Kong may be known for its wonderful shopping and gastronomic delights but its many colorful alleys and boroughs harbor some of the best party places in Asia. You have observatory road at Tsim Sha Tsui that has tapas bars and restaurants that are just meters away from residential condos. There is also Soho with the trendier restaurants and brunching places. but my favorite alley would be the famous Lan Kwai Fong, that is located just a short walk from Central MTR station.

Populated with wine bars, clubs, and restaurants right beside each other. Lan Kwai Fong is the best place in Hong Kong to grab a drink and

An impromtu street performace at three in the morning.

Not to be left behind. San Miguel Beer is taking Hong Kong by storm.

a jiggy or two. The drinks are cheap by international standards and the clubbing goes from the sunset to sunrise.

For the ones who are on a shoestring (like me) you might want to try to grab some drinks from the nearby 7-11 convenience store (Hong Kong has no shortage of convenience stores, having the most number of them per square kilometer than anywhere else in the world) where readyto-drink cocktails and beer are more affordable as compared to ordering one at a bar. In fact, some drinks can be bought at a discount whenever you

purchase two bottles or more, so try to read the prices on the shelves for the offers. Being that you ARE at a 7-11 that means cannot just make a fool of yourself and dance on the street, but at least you can take in the vibe and energy of the place.

Aside from the main Lan Kwai Fong strip, there are other smaller alleyways on the side that lead to more, less-crowded trendier bars where the locals choose to drink and party. one such side street would be Pottinger Street.

Far from the craziness of Lan Kwai Fong and its annual beer festival, Pot-

tinger Street is relatively quiet except that this is the place to be for the ever present expect community of Hong Kong to chill out and relax. I suggest a visit to Linq bar, where the DJs are friendly, the vibe is good, and the drinks are heavenly.

To get to Lan Kwai Fong, you can take the MTR to Central Station and find the D2 exit, turn left towards Theatre Lane and up beyond the Coach store. A warning for those night owls who stay beyond 1am though, the MTR closes at one in the morning and opens at six, just in time for a breakfast.

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UP AND ABOUT

Alodia graces Mindanao Cosplay Summit at SM Davao Annex, Oct 28 THE biggest and grandest cosplay gathering in the region rolls out the carpet on October 27-8 for the 2012 Mindanao Cosplay Summit at the city’s hippest hub, SM City Davao The Annex!

Buckle up for the MCS Extreme battle among the best cosplayers in Mindanao. Elimination for the Davao leg is on October 27 while the final bout for GenSan, Cagayan de Oro and Davao will be on October 28. Interested parties may visit Ambox Events on Facebook for registration guidelines.

Plus, meet and greet Animax-Asia ambassador and VJ Alodia Gosiengfiao on Sunday. VIP passes will be given away to 150 lucky mall-goers with a single or accumulated receipt/s of P1000 for Oct 27-28.

Do not miss this epic cosplay event. For inquires, call 297.6998 local 126. Life SM City Davao on Facebook or follow @smcitydavao on Twitter for event and promo updates.

The Cyberzone event is also made possible by the, ACLC, Brother, KCEI Davao, Lucky Me!, Tadakuma, Pizza Hut, Green Windows, DanPro, Blinque, Mocha Productions, World of Fun, Mendez and Picture City.

Stigma Halloween Ball on October 26 PARTy Animal Productionstogether with Red Bull and Fahrenheit Cafe celebrates Halloween with the Stigma Halloween Ball on October 26 at the Fahrenheit Cafe.

Dance the night away with DJ yancy, DJ Big and DJ Zacky. Come in your scariest costumes and win as much as P5,000 pesos in prizes.

Tickets to the Stigma Halloween Ball are at P150 with bottomless drinks from 8 pm to 10pm, get a 50% discount if you come in a costume. For tickets or reservations, call 09267063888.

VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

EVENTS

Campaigns & Grey re-brands Davao office

Holds private exhibit, sale of fine art works

By Kenneth Irving Ong

CAMPAIgnS & grey, one of the top ten advertising agencies in the country, recently rebranded its Davao office formerly known as Campaigns Davao to Campaigns & grey Davao after global advertising network grey group acquired a majority stake in Campaigns & grey.

Launched last october 16 at the woodlane clubhouse, Campaigns & grey Davao also held a private exhibit and sale of fine art by renowned artists from all over the country. Proceeds of the sale will help fund for the agency’s student awards program, which aims to reward Davao City’s most talented graduating Advertising and Fine Arts students.

Campaigns and Grey Group chairperson Yoly V. Ong (3rd from left) with C&G strategic planning director Chuck S. Nitorreda, managing director of C&G Cebu and Davao Zen E. Pastoriza, C&G Davao account director Marga N. Rey, C&G Davao associate art director Melissa M. Arborante, C&G Cebu VP for client service Vicki I. Pastoriza, C&G SVP for business development Jev G. Ramos and C&G account director Raymond Lapena.

C&G Davao account director Marga Rey , C&G strategic planning director Chuck Nitorreda, Philippine Women’s College of Davao VP & COO Amelia Bonifacio, C&G group chairperson Yoly Ong, PWC fine arts program head Brenda Barba, and PWC fashion design program head Emi Alexander Englis

Michelle Seng, Tobi Ang, and Carlo Lorenzana.

Ross Luga.

Marivi and Bam Laurel.

ManagingdirectorofC&GCebuandDavaoZenPastoriza talksabouttheexhibitandsilentauctionmountedbythe agencytoraisefundsforastudentawardsprogram.

MX3 joins Dumaguete’s Buglasan Festival 2012

Known by its people as the City of gentle People, Dumaguete City recently celebrated the Buglasan Festival. named after “Buglas”, the tall reeds that were predominant in the area the Bulgasan Festival is the largest festival of Dumaguete City and has evolved into a “Festival of Festivals.”

Participated by different neighboring municipalities of the province of negros oriental, the Festival was a celebration to the many colors of the city with the participants showcasing their passion and artistry. with loud and happy music, food, and culture; MX3 was in sight mingling and joining the festive celebration. As one of the major sponsors of the Buglasan Festival, MX3 partnered

with gMA Kapuso in a night full of fun and excitement. The people of Dumaguete enjoyed an evening with their favorite Kapuso stars as prizes were given away.

As fun escalated to its fullest, MX3 did not forget its Christian mission

when Christian CDs were also distributed to remind the people that the celebration was not a mere celebration but much more a thanksgiving to our goD the Father for his continuous blessing to the gentle people of Dumaguete.

VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

ENTERTAINMENT

George Clooney: We have to “make life miserable” for president of Sudan GEORGE Clooney continued his quest last night to stop the atrocities occurring in Sudan.

“We hear these slogans and say them a lot—”not on our watch,” “never again”—but the truth is that when it comes to innocent people being slaughtered, it always happens on our watch,” the Oscar-winner said at last night’s Carousel of Hope Ball, where he was honored with the Brass Ring Award. “It happens again and again and again.”

Clooney said he is dedicated to helping end President Omar al-Bashir’s horrific reign over Sudan.

“The truth is…were going to have to find lots of ways to make life miserable for people who make lives miserable,” he said.

“And more importantly… we have to continue to make life bearable for those whose situation has become unbearable.”

One of Clooney’s most impressive endeavors is financing a satellite that focuses on Sudan.

“It’s an area that journalists can’t get into,” he said. “There’s a good reason they can’t get in is because the president of Sudan Omar al-Bishir is consistently and constantly killing innocent

civilians.”

Clooney said Bashir, who has been charged with war crimes against humanity, has publicly complained about the satellite.

“President Bashir posed the question, ‘How would Mr. Clooney like it if everywhere he went cameras were following him?’” Clooney said as the crowded ballroom erupted in laughter.

The actor added with a smile, “It sounds terrible.” “you can’t make people do the right things,” Clooney said, “but you can make it harder for them to do the wrong things.”

The event, held at the Beverly Hilton, benefits the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes.

Clooney’s girlfriend Stacy Keibler was by his side.

They sat at a table with Sidney Poitier, Jane Fonda, Quincy Jones, David Foster, Clive Davis and CAA honcho Bryan Lourd.

American Idol star Jessica Sanchez performed “And I’m Telling you I’m Not Going.”

“I just want to dedicate this song to George Clooney,” the 17-year-old singer said before belting out her jaw-dropping rendition of the Dreamgirls song.

have continued to shoot down numerous engagement rumors, even causing Adele to clarify her status by taking to her

own Twitter and tweeting: “I’m not married.”

Hmm, well we still wonder if now baby makes for a ring?!

Adele & Simon Konecki welcome baby boy!

OH, we can only imagine what lullabys this baby will get to hear!

Singer Adele and her beau Simon Konecki welcomed a bundle of joy into the world, delivering a baby boy on Friday according to People.

The 24-year-old first announced her pregnancy via her blog, sharing with fans: “I’m delighted to announce that Simon and I are expecting our first child together. I wanted you to hear the news direct from me, obviously we’re over the moon and very excited but please respect our privacy at this precious time.”

Adele and her 36-yearold boyfriend were first spotted out together back in January 2012 and

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FOOD ENTERTAINMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

Clawdaddy’s opens 7th restaurant at SM Lanang

THERE is nothing better than licking your fingers for the remains of a spectacular meal. And spectacular is just the word for Clawdaddy’s concoctions, most especially their mastery of serving the best of seafood cuisine.

Boasting a comprehensive menu that includes the best of Cajun seafood cooking, their extensive offerings also include top quality steaks, delectable ribs and generous offerings of tasty appetizers soups and crisp salads.

However, outstanding among their mouthwatering choices, are their delectably irresistible Boiling Bags. Found nowhere except in the superior kitchen of Clawdaddy, these boiling bags offers an array of seafood choices such as shrimp, prawn, mussels, and clams cooked in a Cajun spices. Included in their quality seafood offerings are various types of crabs such as Typhoon Crab, Butter ginger and Sand of the Beach.

The choices for these luscious Boiling Bags vary to suit their beloved customer’s preference. Their Seafood Boil in a Bag is a Seafood feast of Crabs, fresh water prawns, South Pacific clams, green mussels, Manila clams, Andouille sausage potatoes and corn.

Their All Shrimp boiling bag, is composed of a scrumptious selection of Baby shrimp and fresh water prawns, Andouille sausage, corn and potatoes. The Shellfish Boiling Bag is teeming with South Pacific clams, giant white mussels, Manila clams, green mussels, Andouille sausage, potatoes and corn. The Maryland Crab Boiling keeps it simple with Fresh water crabs, Andouille sausage, potatoes and corn And finally, as the name suggests the Louisiana Crab and Shrimp boiling bag is composed of fresh water crabs and prawns, Andouille sausage, potatoes and corn.

For all these the choices for the flavoring include garlic butter, creole Cajun and the home grown clawdaddy spice. Choosing as well between mild or spicy.

Characteristic of their commitment to fine dining, and in commemora-

tion with the celebration of the opening of their Davao branch, their brilliant kitchen has created a menu that will include the best of the seafood that Davao has to offer. Making their boiling bags all the more enticing, they are thrown in with tuna tails, giant white mussels and pacific clams, just to name a few of the many gifts of Davao that will be added to their stellar recipes.

Clawdaddy offers more than great food, it provides an opportunity to bond with the people close to your heart over bibs, buckets of shells and most importantly an unforgettable cuisine that offers the best that the sea has to offer.

LouisianaCrabandShrimpBoil SeafoodCiopinnoPasta

OystersRockefeller

SPORTS15

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 166 •TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

Donaire not seeking fight against Pacman

W

ORLD super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire is not actively seeking a boxing match against his compatriot, Filipino fight king Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao.

Donaire and Pacquiao are both included in the top five of most poundfor-pound rankings, with Pacquiao considered as one of the two best fighters in the world aside from unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather Jr. But Donaire has been steadily climbing the pound-for-pound ladder, and his latest victory against top Japanese boxer Toshiaki Nishioka has led some analysts to believe that he is closing in on Pacquiao’s pound-forpound rank.

In an interview, Donaire stressed that he

This...

is not in any way seeking a fight against Pacquiao, especially as they campaign at different weight classes anyway.

“He’s like five divisions higher than I am,” Donaire said.

Pacquiao fights at the welterweight division, with a weight limit of 147 pounds. The super bantamweight division has a weight limit of 122 pounds.

“As a fighter, we are not afraid to fight anyone.

But we are friends, and it has to be mutually agreed.

But we don’t seek for it, and it’s not in my head,” Donaire emphasized.

Donaire said that instead of looking for a fight with Pacquiao, he wants to “fight the best in this division.”

Still, “The Filipino Flash” is honored to be compared to Pacquiao.

“That’s another step to where I want to be. You’re being compared to one of the top guys, one of the top guys in history,” he said.

“That means I’m doing something good.”

Donaire said being compared to Pacquiao is similar to a basketball player being compared to Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant.

“That’s the exact same feeling, the feeling of ‘I think I’m making it,’” he said.

Donaire is hoping that he and Pacquiao will continue to inspire Filipinos to take up boxing, especially after watching the Pinoy Pride event at the Mall of Asia Arena last Saturday.

“There’s so much talent in the Philippines in terms of boxing, because of Manny, Gerry Peñalosa, who inspired me as well to keep trying,” he said.

October 13 and Sunstar SuperBalita dated October 12. You will also notice that their angle and presentation of story are different which are based in my email. The reason I will be conducting a city-wide elimination is to discover new youth talents from inschool and out-of-school and give a chance to all qualified youth players.

This upcoming elimination is also in support of the program of PSC which will be facilitated by NCFP. I decided to conduct this tournament after I, being the recognized chess leader in our city, was tasked by our Sports Development Division-City Mayor’s Office, under our City Mayor Sara Duterte, to submit names of qualified youth chess players per age-category. I was informed that our Mayor approved the budget for a maximum of 12 youth chess players to represent our city.

2. I have an official appointment as NCFP Region XI Director signed by our NCFP President Prospero A. Pichay, Jr. dated May 8, 2006. It clearly states that it cannot be revoked except in writing and my understanding that only the NCFP President has the right to revoked it. Therefore, as of today, I am still the NCFP Region XI Director and had never misrepresented myself.

When you took over as NCFP Executive Director last 2011, I remember that I in our conversation in Tagaytay City during the Asian Zonal Tourney, Me and NM Wilfredo Neri, expressed our full support in your leadership. In return, you recommended

and supported our inclusion in RP Youth Team for 2011 ASEAN Age-Group in Tarakan, Indonesia. To which until now we are very grateful. You even discussed to us your plans that we as NCFP Regional directors should be rewarded and be given incentives since we are not receiving any allowance or salary from NCFP and PSC. And, we are spending our own money and are using our own resources in promoting NCFP and chess programs in our regions.

You even promised us that all NCFP affiliated events should be coordinated through us if it will be held in our jurisdiction. Also as recognition of my designation as NCFP Region XI Director, you authorized me to organize the PACE-NCANCFP Age-Group Mindanao Leg last September 30 to Oct 2, 2011 which was held in NCCC Mall Davao.

Regarding your reminder that I need to coordinate first with NCFP any event or tournament that I will organize, I clearly remember that in our conversation with our President Pichay in his office last 1st week of May 2012, that the tournaments that need clearance from NCFP head office are the following: international, national and open tournaments that involves International Masters and Grand Masters. Hence, our city-wide elimination for 15 years old and below doesn’t need permission from your office.

It is in this connection that I would like to appeal to our honourable president, Prospero A. Pichay, Jr. and your good office as NCFP Executive Director

FFROM 14

al representative and that fact was attested to by Mr. Gonzales, the NCFP Executive Director. Infiesto, for his part, maintains he is the Regional Director of NCFP and according to him his appointment comes from Pichay himself and that can only be revoked in writing and by the President himself.

To be fair with Mr. Infiesto, I texted him to ask about the imbroglio and he promised to send me immediately his reply via email. And so I held in abeyance my comments to this issue and waited for Mr. Infiesto’s email. The following day, I received three emails from him.

The first email contained a letter dated October 12, 2012 from Mr. Gonzales calling Mr. Infiesto’s attention to the unsanctioned tournament and asking him to explain within 48 hours why he should not be sanctioned for the improper news announcement and the apparent misrepresentation of NCFP. Mr. Infiesto wrote Mr. Gonzales a letter as his reply. The letter goes: Dear GM Gonzales, First, I am thankful of your letter dated Oct. 12, 2012 to clarify our press release in Sunstar For our Batang Pinoy Elimination.

1. Above is the official press release that I sent to all sports editors and writers. The same details were also posted in my wall of my Facebook dated October 7, 2012. If you notice, I never mentioned NCFP. I have no control of the actual release per newspaper. I can also furnish you with the release of Mindanao Daily Mirror dated

that no disciplinary action should be imposed on me for the reason that up to this point I didn’t receive any document revoking my appointment. And, in fact, I received a text message from our President Pichay dated April 2, 2012 that stated, “Congrats for a job well done”. This referred to my continuous effort in promoting chess in my region. Message such as this from our president inspires me to continue my role as a volunteer partner of NCFP in my region.

I would also declare that I had been a loyal subordinate of our president Pichay since 2006 up to the present. There had been pressures from our local politicians that I should stay away from our President Pichay since he is in “hot seat” in the Aquino government.

But, as a loyalist and true gentleman in CHESS who believes in his leadership, I opted to continue to serve NCFP and chess as a whole in my region.

Lastly, I would like to remind you that there was no previous agreement that I will apologize to you to resume working relationship. When i obliged to the request of our President Pichay to settle misunderstanding with you in the 1st week of May 2012, I flew to Manila against the will of my wife since I am still recuperating from stroke.

Before we were given the time to talk alone , there was no condition imposed by our President Pichay except that we need to be united and moved on for the sake of NCFP. And in last week of August 2012,

with the intervention of GM Eugene Torre, I went again to Manila to meet you and NM Neri, with the intention of showing our sincerity for reconciliation. It was only you who insisted that I should apologize and defied the order of our president.

The reason that I refused to rectify any blogs and articles is because I didn’t write any blogs and articles nor I have knowledge with the blogs and articles written against you in the chess portal or any website as you alleged in our 1st re-conciliatory talk. Also, “Pinoy Chess Addict” is not a website.

It is a Facebook chess group where chess players openly post anything, from chess updates to chess issues. If my memory served me write, I only gave my opinion on issues which were not initiated by me and in that discussion I never curse you or call you bad names.

If you will ask me today, my opinion will still be the same. That’s how it works. If we accept high positions in any organization, we should be open to criticisms. We may differ in opinions or principles but I hope and pray that we move on and we will be one again in supporting the leadership of our President, Prospero A. Pichay, Jr. for the sake of CHESS! Sincerely, James Infiesto Director NCFP Region XI Finally, upon instructions by Mr. Pichay for James, the latter issued this apology on October 17, 2012.

October 17, 2012

GM Jayson Gonzales Executive Director National Chess Federation of the Philippines Dear GM Gonzales, I would like to extend my apology for whatever i had said or written against you that had hurt your feelings.

I was only giving my personal opinions on chess issues that involve our chess community. But, I never mean to disrespect your position as Executive Director of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).

With this, I am again declaring my full support in your position and to the leadership of NCFP president, Hon. Prospero A. Pichay Jr. And, will follow the rules and regulations and promote our federation to the best of my ability.

FA James Infiesto I thank James for the clarifications and for being a gentleman in this crazy situation. In the same way, I thank Ronnie for bringing up this matter and standing up for what he strongly believes.

Also, my good buddy Moses Billacura for leading me to this issue.

Now that James and Jayson are about to fix their own misunderstanding, I leave it all up now to our good friends James and Ronnie to come up and talk. I can buy you guys a cup of coffee at any of your favourite coffee shops and solve this matter once and for all.

For the good of the sport you both love so much— chess.

Let’s stop this stalemate. I tell you, that’s the best move.

16 SPORTS

Armstrong cheers riders while awaiting his fate

W

ITH a major moment of truth for his legacy only hours away in Europe, doping-disgraced US cyclist Lance Armstrong cheered on 4,300 bikers Sunday morning at a charity race in his hometown.

Embattled Armstrong spoke for about 90 seconds before the start of the Livestrong Challenge, a 100-mile cycling event to benefit the cancer-fighting foundation he created 15 years ago.

Armstrong stepped down as Livestrong chairman on Wednesday in the wake of detailed revelations about his role at the heart of a doping ring that helped him win seven Tour de France titles from 1999-2005.

“I’ve been better, but I’ve also been worse,” Armstrong said. “Obviously it has been an interesting and difficult couple of weeks.”

A record turnout of riders raised $1.7 million for Livestrong on the eve of a decision by the International Cycling Union (UCI) on whether or not it will follow through on punishments imposed by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

“We’re so grateful even more people (than expected) are here to support the mission,” Livestrong spokesman Kather-

ine McLane said.

USADA released 1,000 pages of testimony and evidence 12 days ago about why it imposed a life ban on Armstrong in August and stripped him of his Tour de France victories and other results when he refused to fight doping charges.

Since then, major sponsors have distanced themselves from Armstrong, and he stepped down from his leadership role at Livestrong in hopes it would not be damaged by the controversy swirling around him.

In submitting the report to the UCI, USADA chief executive Travis Tygart called the doping scheme centered on Armstrong “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.”

While the cycling world awaited Monday’s announcement in Geneva, Armstrong kept the focus on the cancer-fighting foundation during his appearance in Austin, Texas.

His t-shirt was black rather than Livestrong’s signature yellow, a nod to the yellow jersey worn by Tour de France leaders.

“This is truly an honor to be here. I’m truly humble,” Armstrong said. “We have had a lot of lucky breaks along the way, but it has been a special ride.

VOL.5 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Chinese Taipei edges Philippine XI C HINESE Taipei beat the Philippines for a place in the second round of the qualifiers for the 2013 AFC Women’s U-19 championship with a 1-0 victory last night at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

Pan Yen-Hsin let loose a looping long shot that sailed beyond the hands of Phl keeper Inna Palacios in the 35th minute as the Taiwanese (six points

on 2 wins and a loss) took runner-up honors behind unbeaten Myanmar (nine points on three wins) in Group C of Qualification Round 1.

Myanmar, which completed a sweep of the four-nation Manila qualifiers with an 8-0 whitewash of Hong Kong in the first game, tows Taipei to the Qualification Round 2 alongside seeded Vietnam and Thailand. PH U-19

wound up third in the qualifiers with three points while winless HK ended deadlast.

“Good fight, we gave it our all. But this isn’t the end for us. Everything we’re doing is all for the progress of women’s football. Even if we didn’t qualify for the second round, our programs continue,” said PH goalkeeping coach Melissa Marquez.

Pan scored the

game-winner in a counter off a 1v1 situation bungled by the hosts. PH tried in vain to score the equalizer, stymied by lack of finishing and poor quality of passes.

“We’re having problems with finishing. The goal was a result of miscommunication and mismatching in defense. But overall, their (Taipei’s) possession was good, especially from the back,” Marquez said.