Edge Davao 5 Issue 217

EDGEDAVAO P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

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Serving a seamless society

Indulge

Page A1

Gov. Dolfo wants

2 more ferries for IGaCoS Labing maayo!

Suburbia

Page163 Page

by Antonio M. Ajero and Che Palicte

T

HE only ferry boat service between the Island Garden City of Samal from mainland Davao, particularly Davao City, is not enough to help propel the business and tourism development of the IGaCos. There is a need to establish two more ferry boat services to enhance move-

Sports

Ferry services proposed for Sta. Ana wharf and Panabo or Tagum Reclamation of Sta. Ana also suggested

ment of people and goods to the island which is being positioned by the govern-

ment as “island summer capital of Davao Region.”

This was stated by Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, who, as congressman of Davao del Norte’s first legislative district authored the law creating Samal Island into a city. The island is one of Davao del

FGOV., 11

Page 13

POINT OF ENTRY. An old and almost forgotten Sta. Ana Wharf which was once upon a time the main point of entry to Davao City for business and commerce will regain its luster if Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario’s proposal to transform it into a leading water terminal of the city to the different destinations in the Island Garden City of Samal will be realized. LEAN DAVAL JR.

After Pablo

Follow Us On

Electric coops now more prepared R uRal electric cooperatives in Mindanao have learned something from the onslaught of Typhoon Pablo last December 4 which damaged hundreds of millions of pesos worth of electric coop-

erative equipment.

Sergio Dagooc, president of the association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives (amreco) said that among the valuable lessons learned by the cooperatives

would include the provision of storm guys or buntings that help fortify electric poles particularly when they are placed on soft ground such as ricefields.

FAFTER, 11

2 THE BIG NEWS EDGEDAVAO Vehicles for 8 lucky Gensan barangays Gov. ‘Lala’ upbeat on tourism development in her province V VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

aRIouS brands of motor vehicles will be given to eight lucky barangays of General Santos City the last week of January 2013.

This was announced to media by lawyer Paulo acharon, chief of staff to first district of South Cotabato representative Pedro B. acharon, Jr. “The project has been approved and awaits delivery of the vehicles,” he said. atlas Cebu, a contracting firm in the Visayas, won the bidding for the project.

The barangay beneficiaries are upper labay, Conel, olimpog, Siguel, Mabuhay, Buayan, Dadiangas West and South.

The vehicles will be used for maintaining peace and order, as ambulances, for beautification and sanitation projects, among others, acharon added.

The budget for the vehicles was a financial aid coming from the Priority Development assistance Fund (PDaF) of the congressman. [C. Sulit/CPIo]

Bar owners feel Sin Tax a threat

By Vicky Berdina M. De Guzman

“T

HIS new project will generate more sources of living for area residents.”

That’s how Cotabato Gov. Emmylou “lala” Mendoza describes an upcoming project that will showcase tourism in her province. She made the prediction during the ground-breaking ceremony for the 1.2 kilometer and 1 kilometer ziplines in New Israel, Makilala yesterday to prove that the province is is ready for

tourism.

In two to three months, if the weather cooperates with the construction team, the longest zipline in asia will be completed at the New Israel Eco-Tourism Park. The construction of the New Israel Eco-Park’s 1.2 km. and 1 km. ziplines and tourism buildings have a project cost of 5.8 million pesos.

In her brief remarks, Mendoza said that some of the upcoming projects that the government is

supporting in order to boost tourism in Cotabato include, aside from the Ziplines in New Israel, development of the Hot Spring in Batasan as another destination while in alamada there will be water-tubing and spelunking in the caves of Carmen and Kabacan.

“We are happy that the national government is supporting areas like Cotabato, that have great potential for tourism,” she said.

other guests at the ceremony were barangay captain lovely G. Paraiso, Mayor Rudy S. Caoagdan, Vice Governor Gregorio T. Ipong, Energy Development Corporation’s assistant Vice President for Mt. apo geothermal project (EDC aVP-MGP) Engr. alejandro V. Catacutan, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 12 regional executive director Datu Tungko M. Saikol.

By Che Palicte

D

aVao City bar owners feel threatened by the Sin Tax law for they believe it would mean less revenue for their business.

The Sin Tax reform law will restructure taxes on tobacco and alcohol products sold in the Philippines, with alcohol and tobacco products currently in the market to be initially classified according to a 2010 price survey conducted by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), using the suggested retail prices on a sworn statement of the manufacturer or importer. The prices will be subject to validation by the BIR, followed by revalidation nine months later. an understatement of 15% or more will make the manufacturer or importer liable for additional excise tax equivalent to the tax due and the difference between the understated suggested net retail price and the actual

net retail price. .

Eric Joseph Idong, owner of Zigudu Restobar located in Torres St., said he had anticipated that this law would happen and that It would threaten their business, although he is confident that the bar business would still survive even if the sin tax law was approved. “our revenue will surely be affected, pero kahit ganun we will still provide quality entertainment for Dabawenyos,” Idong said, adding that the prices of their liquor remain the same as of this moment.

Idong is hopeful that they won’t experience a big loss in their revenue because his 32-member crew relies on the bar for their living. “Maraming umaasa sa bar, and marami pa itong matutulungan so I’m hoping na tatagal pa ito even if the Sin Tax law is implemented today,” Idong said.

EaRS are not enough to express sadness for the demise of Judge Jose B. lopez (JBl as he is fondly called) who died on December 28, 2012 in Davao City.

JBl and his brother, the late Elias, are the only members of the Bagobo Tribe who were able to walk in the “corridors of power” while serving the government in various positions at the national level which they served without any dent -- the hallmark of true public servants. life is like a leaf, when it falls to the ground, it will never come again.

The Bagobo Tribe has lost a pillar whom they consider as their Supreme Datu who always advised them on the value of edu-

cation so that the Indigenous Peoples could be at par with the mainstream society. like him and his brother who came from a modest family in the farflung barangay of Baguio, who despite all odds were able to finish their education at the university of the Philippines, College of law, in Diliman, Quezon City.

In his untimely passing, let me quote an elegant piece of poetry that says; “Do not stand at my grave and weep I am not there, I do not sleep I am the million stars that glow, I am the thousand winds that blow I am the gentle drop of rain, I am the sunlight on

EXERCISE. These two men are seen giving their gamecocks a much needed exercise to make them stay in top condition while waiting for upcoming cockfight in Bucana, Davao City yesterday. LEAN DAVAL JR.

Villar Foundation asks Judge Jose Baguio Lopez NBI to stop text scam T S A Tribute

the ripened grain I am the quiet bird in circled flight, I am the soft hush of restful night Do not stand at my grave and cry I am not there, I did not die.”

Datu Lito A. Bangkas Artist/Photographer

EN. Manny Villar said the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) was sought to finally put a stop to the text scam using the name of the Villar Foundation which he chairs.

Villar said he met with NBI Dir. Nonnatus Caesar Rojas and got the commitment that the bureau’s anti-Fraud unit will investigate the matter.

“I asked Director Rojas to prioritize this. We will be turning over to the NBI the reports we have collected so they can properly act on this,” he added.

Villar, also the Nacionalista Party president, said this scam discredits the foundation that has been in the forefront of programs to benefit the marginalized sectors of society.

Earlier, the foundation

managing director, Cynthia Villar, denied that the foundation is sponsoring an ongoing raffle promo. one text message, coming from a certain Rodel Enriquez states: “Congratulations, your SIM no. won P580,000 from the Villar Foundation for its 20th anniversary, per DTI-NCR permit no. 0328 Series 2012.”

“The scammers even included in the message a DTI permit number and the name of a person who is misrepresenting himself as my secretary to make it appear legitimate. However, we would like to inform the public that the Villar foundation has no ongoing raffle promos or contests,” said Cynthia Villar. another version of the text says there is a Pamaskong Handog by

the Villar Foundation.

She also urged all those who will receive the bogus text message to immediately report to their office, contact details of which can be found on its website http://www.villarfoundation.org/.

“The only thing true or factual about the text scam is that Villar Foundation is celebrating its 20th year anniversary,” said the former las Piñas representative, who added that this is not the first time that text scams were circulated to malign the Villar name.

In 2010, text messages claiming to be from Senator Manny Villar’s alleged housing foundation ‘Handog-Pabahay sa oFW’ and promising cash rewards for overseas Filipino workers (oFWs), also circulated.

SUBURBIA

EDGEDAVAOVOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

Davao Norte towns alerted for floods D

aVao del Norte local government authorities alerted residents on Thursday for possible flooding as the provincial disaster office reported that a person is missing and some 30 families in Kapalong town have evacuated to safer grounds following continuous rains in the province since Wednesday morning.

Sonio Sanchez, Davao del Norte Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) officer, reported Thursday morning their ongoing search and rescue operation for the missing person in Kapalong after they were hindered Wednesday night due to the rising water of the Saug River.

He said the PDRRMC also alerted five flood-

1 missing, 30 families evacuated prone areas as municipal and city disaster management councils were activated when they monitored on the ground that various rivers were swelling with flood waters following continuous rains that started on New Year’s Day. alerted were the municipalities of Talaingod, Kapalong, asuncion, Santo Tomas and Tagum City.

The PDRRMC recommended a preemptive evacuation of people especially those in downstream communities here and in the towns of Sto. Tomas and Carmen, which are traversed by the the big libuganon River.

The rains in the province were brought in by the

low pressure area (lPa) earlier spotted southeast of Mindanao.

The Philippine atmospheric, Geophysical and astronomical Services administration (PaGaSa) on Wednesday said the lPa has a slim chance of intensifying into a tropical depression as it entered the Philippine area of Responsibility.

Based on the 5 a.m.

Thursday bulletin of PaGaSa, the lPa was spotted in the vicinity of Sta. Josefa, agusan del Sur. The lPa was forecast to move towards the Zamboanga Peninsula on Thursday and head towards Northern Borneo by Friday. [PNA]

She said a budget of P150,000 was already included in the province’s 2013 budget to buy ultra-violet light instrument, vessels, and reagents to complete the laboratory.

“Considering there is a tendency of an outbreak in the province, we need to check for E. coli in the province’s sources of drinking water,” she added.

E. coli or Escherichia coli, a rod-shaped bacterium commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms, is said to be the most harmful of all bacteria.

But adviento noted that this year’s project

is only a step to water quality in the province as the laboratory covers only bacteriological analyses. The capacity to make chemical analyses, estimated in 2004 at P32 million, still has no funds. “as a province with a lot of agro-industrial projects like plantations and poultry farms, it is important to check the chemical aspect of water quality, too,” she added. adviento said the laboratory is meant to help the province comply with its share in the country’s commitments to achieving the eight Millennium Development Goals, especially on ensuring environ-

mental sustainability. among the 11 indicators of environmental sustainability is to cut by half the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation by 2015.

She said the province started to use portable microbiological laboratory (PMl) in august 2012, after it acquired a grant from the united Nations Children’s Fund (unicef ) and the Department of Health to implement water quality monitoring.

For five months the province had conducted water analysis for E. coli

years-old and below.

Two of the victims lost their hands due to severe damages caused by firecracker explosion and infection caused by their exposure to gunpowder.

He said the figures were expected to increase further within the next two days as a number of hospitals and health units in the province’s 10 towns and lone city have yet to file their reports.

He said their assessment showed that the Department of Health’s (DoH) aksyon: Paputok Injury Reduction (aPIR) campaign has been ineffective in curbing the number of firework and

firecracker-related injuries.

“The program failed to convey the right message to the public regarding the dangers of using fireworks and firecrackers due to its subtle approach,” he explained.

“I think we should change the strategy and send a much stronger message next time,” aturdido said. He cited the DoH’s campaign in 2009 that used crude or “harsher” pictures of firecracker-related injuries to “scare” people from using them.

The DoH Region 12 launched in early December the aPIR campaign

in the area to highlight its drive against the use of firecrackers and fireworks. The official said most of the injuries were caused by “piccolo,” which is among the firecrackers earlier banned by authorities. “our records in the last five years showed that piccolo was the number one cause of firecracker-related injuries in the province,” he said. In 2011, 27 of the 54 total firecracker and fireworks-related injuries recorded during the Christmas and New Year’s Eve revelries in the province were also caused by “piccolo.” [PNA]

In 2013, at last

THANK YOU. Survivors of super typhoon Pablo along the highway in San Miguel, Compostela town in Compostela Valley province express their collective gratitude to the public. [MindaNews/Carolyn O. Arguillas]

A water laboratory for Bukidnon

a

project in Bukidnon Province initially planned in 2004 will finally materialize in 2013 to improve the provincial government’s capacity to avoid outbreak of E. coli bacteria, according to the Provincial Health office.

Engr. Florissa adviento, chief of the Provincial Health office’s environmental and occupational health services, told MindaNews Wednesday the provincial government will finally be able to buy the remaining equipment to build its own water analysis laboratory as its equity to an international grant for water quality in the province.

FIN, 11

‘Scare tactics’ vs firecrackers users eyed

H

EalTH authorities in South Cotabato province planned to revert to “scare tactics” in their campaign against the use of fireworks and firecrackers as the province’s injury cases in the past holiday season reached 62. as of Thursday morning, Dr. Rogelio aturdido Jr., South Cotabato Integrated Provincial Health office (IPHo) chief said the recorded firework and firecracker-related injuries in the province exceeded the five cases recorded in 2011. aturdido said 34 of the recorded injury cases involved children aged 10

3

PNP 12 starts security measures for May polls

T

HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Police Regional office 12 have started their security preparations for the scheduled May 13 midterm national and local elections.

Chief Supt. alex Paul Monteagudo, Region 12 police director, said they are presently developing a comprehensive security plan for the May elections in the region in coordination with Comelec-Region 12 and other law enforcement units in the area.

He said the Comelec regional office called for an initial security coordinating conference last month to set off their preparations for the upcoming elections.

“We’ve already set the initial strategies and we just need to lay down the mechanics and other necessary details of the plan,” the official said.

Monteagudo said their coordination with the armed Forces of the Philippines and other security units in the area are currently proceeding smoothly.

“The (Philippine) army committed their full cooperation for the coming elections and we’re continually enhancing our coordination mechanisms with them,” he said.

Monteagudo said none among the region’s

four provinces and five cities had been listed as potential hotspots or areas of concern for the elections; but said they are closely watching some localities due to the escalation of election-related violence.

He said they were specifically monitoring the political situation in Cotabato City and Sultan Kudarat province, which has started to heat up in the last several months.

“We’re presently beefing up our presence in these areas and we’re setting up some mechanisms to properly manage their security situation,” he said.

Region 12, which is also known as the Soccsksargen Region, comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

The Department of Interior and local Government earlier listed 15 priority provinces that were considered as high-risk areas in terms of political violence in the upcoming elections.

These are abra, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, la union, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Cavite, Masbate, Samar, Misamis occidental, Maguindanao, lanao del Sur and Basilan.[PNA]

4 SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

Paje tells public

EDGEDAVAO

Make tree-planting a habit

E

NVIRoNMENT and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje is urging the public to develop the habit of planting trees, saying it is the “perfect way of giving what we have extracted from Mother Earth.”

“Tree-planting is not only a rewarding experience but also a great step toward improving and protecting our environment,” Paje said, as he announced the plan of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to intensify its reforestation efforts in 2013 through the National Greening Program of the aquino administration.

He said everyone is

welcome to take part in the program, which aims to plant trees covering about 1.5 million hectares from 2011 until 2016.

Since the program was launched last year, the DENR has already planted seedlings on more than 232,000 hectares all over the country. “one does not have to be part of the government or an environmental group to make a positive impact on his surroundings,” Paje pointed out.

“Filipinos from all walks of life are encouraged to do their part in sustaining the environment by planting trees.”

The DENR chief said planting a tree is like investing in the future given

the “environmental rewards” that trees provide. as an essential part of the ecosystem, he said, trees not only provide homes and food for humans and wildlife, they also produce much of the earth’s oxygen, help reduce noise and air pollution, and prevent soil erosion.

Paje said trees could lessen the impact of global warming due to carbon dioxide emissions.

“Planting trees not only greens and beautifies the areas in which they are planted; it is also one of the ways of offsetting our carbon emissions,” he

For land management reforms

explained. according to studies, trees inhale carbon dioxide –one of the major contributing elements to the greenhouse effect which causes climate change – and exhale oxygen that is needed by humans and other living organisms.

The decimation of rainforests and mass consumption of trees destroy what experts call the “carbon sinks.”

Paje recently lauded the Department of Education (DepEd) and thanked Secretary armin luistro for requiring all public schools in Metro Manila to plant at least five spe-

cies of native trees within their campuses.

The DepEd project, he said, would complement the urban greening component of the National Greening Program which, together with the aquino government’s total log ban policy and three other categories, received a perfect score of 100 percent in the 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) of the World.

Because of the perfect score garnered by the administration’s twin forest policies, the Philippine ranking had improved by eight notches to No. 42 in 2012 from No. 50 in 2010

among the 132 countries evaluated by four respected international institutions.

The Philippines outranked countries like South Korea (43rd), australia (48th), united States (49th), Singapore (52nd) and Israel (61st).

EPI is an evaluation of the sustainability of the environmental programs and policies of the countries concerned. The evaluation was made by the Yale university, Columbia university, the World Economic Forum and the Joint Research Center of the European Commission.

DENR gets NEDA’s good practice award R

EFoRMS in land titling, land valuation and capacity building introduced by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are beginning to bear fruit after the project received the 2012 Good Practice award from the National Economic and Development authority (NEDa).

The DENR’s land administration and Management Project (laMP) called “lGu-led land Titling Through Systematic adjudication” bested 17 other entries under the Strategies for achieving outcomes category for its achievement of results, innovativeness, replicability, sustainability and social acceptability.

“We are very much grateful that our efforts in introducing reforms in the land management sector, including systems we have developed in land titling, land valuation and capacity building that are responsive to the needs of our people, are being recognized,” said DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje.

The laMP project highlighted the government’s partnership with local government units

(lGus) in improving the processing of public land applications. also called lGu-led titling, it has significantly improved survey and titling on the ground by involving the lGus and the community as active players and not just beneficiaries.

This new and participative arrangement was first tested in Bayawan City, Negros occidental, and was soon replicated and adopted by the municipalities in Bohol.

The provinces of leyte, Bukidnon, Cebu and Ilocos Norte have also adopted the strategy.

To further pursue the objective of Republic act No. 10023, entitled “an act authorizing the Issuance of Free Patents to Residential lands,” the DENR issued in 2011 an administrative order prescribing the guidelines for the implementation of public land titling in partnership with the lGus, using the improved systematic adjudication approach.

The directive aims to promote and strengthen the partnership with lGus as it provides for the creation of land management

‘SWIMMING POOL’. Children in the poblacion in New Bataan, Compostela Valley province take a dip in what they refer to as “swimming pool “ on December 30.

Evening of January 2, the municipal government ordered a forced evacuation of five

puroks (districts) due to continuous heavy rains since New Year’s night. The weather bureau warned against flashfloods and landslides in Caraga and Davao regions due to a low pressure area. [MindaNews/Carolyn O. Arguillas ]

council and offices at their level to prepare them for stronger engagement in land administration and management in the future.

To boost this, a memorandum circular was issued by the Department of the Interior and local Government enjoining the

commitment of the Philippine government to address poverty alleviation and promote economic growth through secure land tenure and equitable property valuation. aside from addressing the issues and fundamental problems in the land

lGus to support its objectives.

NEDa’s 2012 Good Practice award aims to recognize good practices employed in the implementation of the official Development assistance or oDa-assisted projects. laMP is a long-term

sector, the project also introduced and developed innovations and technologies to expedite titling procedures through cadastral surveys, systematic adjudication, land information, and land records management, thus putting integrity to land titles.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

THE ECONOMY 5

Gensan One-Stop-Shop commences R

IGHT on the very first working day of January last Tuesday, the one Stop Shop Documentation in the application for renewal and new business permits started at General Santos City Hall. according to City administrator Jong Gonzales, the oSS should start right away since the deadline will be on the 20th of this month and there will be no extension.

“If we were able to do it last year, there is no reason for an extension” he said. a program of the local government under the administration of City Mayor Darlene antonino-Custodio, it aims to hasten the processing and approval of business permits through a clearance system in which various government agencies and departments are holed up in one vicinity, in this case the City Hall compound.

The City Permits and licensing Division leads the oSS, together with the Treasurer’s Department, the Bureau of Fire Protection, various barangay councils and national government agencies like SSS, Philhealth and others.

Gonzales urged the public, particularly those who engaged in business to be early as possible to avoid congestion which usually happens during the last day of the activity.[C. Sulit/CPIo]

EARNING A FEW CASH. A boy struggles to climb the Gov. Generoso Bridge using only a rope along McArthur Highway yesterday. More and more children attempt to salvage logs and lumber carried by the current from the hinterlands of the city to earn a few cash despite the danger it brings. LEAN DAVAL JR.

6 THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Business bureau exec sees 95 percent permit renewals T

LIVELIHOOD. A lady checks a park visitor’s blood pressure in exchange for a loose change at Rizal Park along San Pedro Street in Davao City yesterday. LEAN DAVAL JR.

HE Davao City Business Bureau chief has predicted that 95 percent of the 29,315 existing businesses in the city will renew their permits as processing of renewals started Wednesday. lawyer Tristan Dwight Domingo said he was confident they will beat the renewal which will end on January 21.

He also expressed hope to meet their plan to establish one-stop-shop business permit renewal processing center at the NCCC Mall in Matina.

Speaking at a press conference at NCCC Mall, Domingo said historically, 90 percent of existing businesses renew their business permits annually. However, with the onestop-shop, he is optimistic the 95 percent target is achievable.

Domingo said in 2012, permits issued to both new and existing businesses totaled to 35,726 with a capi-

tal investment valued at P196,308,528,169.87.

This was higher compared to the 34,566 total number of businesses (old and new) that were issued business permits in 2011 with P187,982, 605, 516.94 capital investment.

The bureau served about 5,000 business permit renewals and applicants last year and he was expecting the number to double this year by 10,000.

Businesses with some problems in their documents were advised to process file their business permit renewals at the bureau’s main office at the Sangguniang Panglungsod building, Domingo said.

In this year’s business permit renewals and applications, the business bureau will ask establishments the certified number of employees to ensure the amount of charge they will have to pay, Domingo said. [PNA]

Power interruptions slated on Jan 6, 7

D

aVao light & Power Company will conduct 15-minute switching power interruptions on January 6 and 7 both from 5:00 a.m. to 5:15 a.m. affecting customers connected to its Ecoland Substation.

Communication officer Ross luga said that the scheduled outages are necessary to allow the transfer of Ecoland Substation from Davao to ERa line. This will facilitate the 2nd phase of upgrading works on its 69 kV line, along Maa to Brokenshire College, for a more reliable power supply.

Particularly affected by these service disruptions are customers from along Matina Town Square to Davao Memorial Park and whole of Maa. Those from diversion road bridge going to Energy FM in Shrine Hills Matina, including Brgys.

Magtuod and langub, will

also be affected. also to experience are those in SIR Matina and Ecoland Subdivision Phases 1 to 7. This will also include portion of Quimpo Boulevard from Tulip Drive to Norton Subdivision in Matina aplaya.

Davao light apologizes for the inconvenience of these scheduled power interruptions. But, it will exert all efforts to restore electric service as scheduled or earlier. However, there may be instances where restoration may extend beyond the schedule due to unavoidable circumstances.

Davao light’s Supervisory Control and Data acquisition (SCaDa) remotely controls switches in substations and along the distribution lines.

Hence, maintenance works and restoration of power supply are implemented at the barest minimum.

DTI records 52-percent increase in 2012 exports

T

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Davao Region recorded a 52 percent leap in exports last year as compared to its 2011 performance.

In its preliminary annual report ending November 2012, the agency reported that its programs, projects, and activities aimed towards export development were able to generate uS$ 81.86 million in export sales, or 34 percent higher than the uS$ 61 million target for the year.

DTI-Davao acting planning officer Marilou laguting said 36 percent of the entire accomplishment was generated through the Export Pathways Program (EPP) that provides tailor-fit package of assistance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). laguting said EPP contributed P149 million worth of investments, generated 9,049 job opportunities, developed 15 new exporters, and enlisted a total of 31 new enrollees. [PNA]

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

COMMUNITY SENSE 7

KCGP rescuers save Pantukan residents from typhoon wrath a

team of 19 trained emergency responders from the mining firm St. augustine Gold and Copper limited (SaGCl) braved the strong winds and rampaging floodwaters brought about by Typhoon Pablo and saved hundreds of Pantukan residents from harm’s way.

The team was led by Michael Salaguinto with abdul Basit Pinute, Robert Cabigas, Rhina orejela, Edwin Seno, Jummary Junio, arjay Nacilla, Robert Tubida, leslie Suico, Roger Beduya, altohamiCamamara, Roderick Bajo, Nor-akbar amil, RasvenDemura, James Baylosis, Joseph Balderas, Merchie apple Bajo, Montesa Samonte, and alejandro Gaid.

Even before the landfall of Pablo in the adjacent province of Davao oriental, the KCGP responders were already busy preparing for their rescue mission as per advise by Jonathan Bañez, community development and political affairs manager /rescue coordinator of SaGCl. They instructed the KCGP Rescue team to be on alert and to recall all community Responders (CoMRES). The Team coordinated with the Municipal Risk Reduction Management Council of Pantukan.

The team was instructed to help all evacuees and take all of them to the evacuation centers.

“If there’s an injured person we would give them immediate care and transport them to Compostela Valley Province Hospital (CVPH) of Pantukan if the situation worsens due to the calamity,” said Salaguinto in his written report to Bañez.

The KCGP also touched base with the local government unit, and the Philippine army for a better coordination of their rescue efforts during the typhoon. on the evening of December 3, the KCGP re-

sponders went on air over the radio and appealed to the Pantukan residents to cooperate with the rescue effort of MDRRMC if situation worsens and make a voluntary evacuation if needed. on December 4 at around 1 a.m., the heavy winds and partial rains came. all responders were already on alert by four in the morning just as Typhoon Pablo made a landfall in Baganga, Davao oriental.

The heavy wind and rains are throughout the Compostela Valley province. Salaguinto started to brief all responders regarding the equipment that they need, assigned groupings and safety precautions that will be made.

“We ended the briefing with a prayer that shall guide us all upon doing all actions for the community,” Salaguinto recalled. at five in the morning, the team moved out and had a reconnaissance to the areas of Mendoza, Tunga, and lahiin Barangay Magnaga; Cebulida and Sta. Cruz in Kingking; and the areas going to the Municipal Hall of Pantukan.

The team reported to Napoleon Cuahao, MDRRMC action officer, and Felimon Gamad, Municipal administrator/oIC Mayor, about the trees that fell on power lines, and coconuts that barricaded the roads. afterwhich, they went to Barangay Kingking Hall and forwarded the same report to the barangay officials. “at seven in the morning, a call coming from Magnaga Barangay Councilor Bienvenido Bajo was received sayingthat there are people trapped at upper lahi and needed to evacuate. They need our team to assist and help those people who were trapped on the flash flood,” said the team leader.

“When we reached

upper lahi, we received another call from Michael Manguhig that there are people who want to evacuate and needs our help to assist them. I decided that Team 1 will remain in upper lahi to continue in assisting, and the Team 2 will proceed to Kingking Bridge. When we reached the bridge we saw the very strong flow/ current of the water from the bridge. We took a short cut to get the people. after getting the children, women, elders along with their clothing, we assisted them in riding on the Philippine army truck and while the rest rode on the ambulance.

We put them all to evacuation center in new gym at Nursery, beside the 701st Infantry Battalion,” said Salaguinto.

When Team 1 was done assisting the upper lahi evacuees, they proceeded to looban, Kingking and rejoined Team 2 to help the evacuees. Now all responders are focused in looban. The flood was strong because of the overflowing water from Sitio lawaan. “after we assisted the residents of looban, we received a call from the mother of Rhina orejela, one of our responders.

She said that they also need assistance in helping evacuate the residents of Barangay Bongbong since the river has overflown.

Thus, all the responders, ambulance, and aTV’s proceeded to Bongbong,” narrated Salaguinto.

By 1:45 p.m., hundreds of evacuees are already safe in the evacuation center. The KCGP responders then checked all of their members to make sure are all are accounted for.

While resting, the team resumed their monitoring.

By then, the flood has reached the national highway. Their ambulance could no longer penetrate the flooded areas thus only the all-terrain vehicles

(aTVs) are working since water level was too high.

“By 3 p.m., we decided to go back to Bongbong.

We assisted the community using aTV, wherein were able to assist seven families. after that we proceed to Traveler’s Inn to wait for further instructions and call. But after 30 minutes, the rains and wind stopped. This was a good sign because the current of the floodwater is calming down and will no longer be able to rise.

We reported to Jonathan Bañez that the situation has calmed, he told us to standby in Traveler’s Inn

for observations until the next day,” Salaguinto said.

The following day, the weather is calm yet the KCGP team again conducted roving to check if the flood was receding.

“We saw that other evacuees went back to their respective houses while some are still at the evacuation centers.

The sunshine showed that it was a sign that the typhoon Pablo was out of our area of responsibility. We went back to Traveler’s Inn and called Jonathan Bañez for updates. He ordered to our responder to go home and

help their families to clean their houses,” Salaguinto recalled. after hours of adrenaline-pumping rescue efforts, the team of 19 brave souls went back to their families in good health and without any injuries.

St. augustine Gold & Copper ltd. is currently undertaking the feasibility study for mining the Kingking Copper and Gold deposit in Pantukan. They are conducting extensive environmental and social baseline studies, community consultations, exploratory drillings and other related studies within the area.

termath of Sendong. “as our collective community confronts the psychosocial impact of Typhoon Pablo, the Center of Psychological Extension and Research Services (CoPERS) wishes to share its resources in getting committed volunteers capable of delivering appropriate support to survivors,” the letter invitation from Gail Ilagan, CoPERS Director, said.

The workshops will be conducted by the Mondares couple, Jet and Jonna, Baguio-based psychologists who also helped survivors of the 2009 Typhoon ondoy.

CoPERS sent Jet Mondares, who also serves as guidance counselor of the Philippine Military academy, to Iligan City parish and Balay Mindanaw in Cagayan de oro days after Typhoon Sendong in December 2011 to conduct similar trainings.

Ilagan said other workshops will be scheduled “to enhance skills in pro-

viding psychosocial support to adult populations.”

Interested parties may call 221-2411 loc. 8351 for details and registration.

CoPERS has also linked up with the university Sports office headed by former Philippine Sports Commissioner William “Butch” Ramirez, for “holistic psychosocial services for children aged 5 to 13” at the Monkayo Central Elementary School on January 5 and San antonio de Padua parish in New Bataan on January 6. The two areas are part of Compostela Valley province.

The schedule for Davao oriental will be on January 12 in lambajon, Baganga and on January 13 in Boston.

“We’re using sports psychology for emotion regulation and restoration of cooperative play behavior among kids. This is our second tie-up following the successful summer sports program 2012,” Ilagan said. [MindaNews]

Want to help typhoon survivors cope?

Attend free workshops on psychosocial support

W

aNT to help survivors of super typhoon Pablo cope with the psychological impact of the December 4 disaster? attend the free workshops on Therapeutic art Methodologies on January 3 and Interactive Storytelling Strategies on January 4 at Rm. J301, ateneo de Davao university, from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The workshops are an initiative of the university’s Center of Psychological Extension and Research Services (CoPERS) and the university Community Engagement and advocacy Council.

CoPERS has been providing psychosocial support to typhoon survivors in the affected towns in Davao oriental, Compostela Valley and agusan del Sur since the first weekend after Pablo pummeled these areas. last year, it also dispatched teams to Iligan and Cagayan de oro cities in the af-

8 VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

Lacierda shoots from hip again

P

EDITORIAL

Double rage

W

HaT infuriating incidents to greet the nation on New Year’s Day! Yes, on New Year’s Day newspaper readers, radio listeners and television viewers were greeted with the story of Stephanie Nicole Ella, the 7-yearold, who was hit by a stray bullet in the head while outside her Caloocan City home with her relatives watching fireworks. She died later inside the intensive care unit of a hospital. The other shocking story was about the murder of community environment and natural resources officer (Centro) alfredo almueda by defiant illegal loggers in Maddela, Quirino province.

Similar incidents have happened before, crimes that recur and make our law enforcement agencies and government itself look stupid and helpless. already, there are reports that in the case of almueda, who had reportedly received death threats prior to his killing, there was a se-

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curity lapse. His team was allowed to man the checkpoint without security backup.

Nicole’s story should not have happened if only government authorities could have been more strict in implementing the law against illegal firing of guns, especially in populated areas. as for almueda’s murder, we suggest President aquino take the defiance of illegal loggers as a personal insult. He should not allow his popularity to dip by allowing himself to look helpless before ruthless illegal loggers. The least the President can do in the case of almueda’s killing is to make an example of the guilty parties by using the power of the Presidency to bring them to heel and receive their just punishment. That ought to work miracles in the campaign against illegal logging in particular, and against all types of crime in general.

He can do it, if he wills it!

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RESID E N T I a l spokesman Edwin lacierda was again at his element when he immediately castigated the C o m m u nist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its political umbrella, the National Democratic Front (NDF), for terminating a ceasefire that was supposed to end on January 15 yet. lacierda can only be lying to his teeth or unforgivably ignorant in conveniently blaming the CPP for yet another episode of government looking to paint the communist as powder-brained lot (utak pulbura) and thus not worth talking peace with. or lacierda is on the hawk’s side that he cannot bear to sit in the same table with people who have been risking their lives for a cause he does not agree with.

“That is expected from somebody who cannot blame themselves, and they know that a ceasefire of that (duration) would be detrimental to them so they decided to cut it short and blame government,” he said Tuesday morning while the Presidential Palace was in receipt of a letter from the Department of National Defense recommending the extension of the government-declared ceasefire to January 15, a date both agreed by the negotiating panels of Philippine government and the NDF on December 18 in The Netherlands. or maybe lacierda is merely trying to smokescreen the government’s failure to issue a reciprocal ceasefire declaration that belatedly came after the CPP and its military wing, the New People’s army (NPa), have already terminated its unilateral declaration. or maybe lacierda, in spewing that statement, was in fact referring to the Philippine government which he has served, sometimes over zealously.

Getting any organized armed group fighting the government to stop firing their guns and reciprocating it with a truce declaration, however limited, is but one of confidence-building measures that could fast-track the peace process.

Had the government and the MIlF failed to agree to a ceasefire, they would not have come up with a piece of document, the Fundamental agreement on Bangsamoro, and hundreds more would have been killed in the war front.

That the Philippine negotiating panel was able to get the CPP-NPa-NDF to resume negotiations without reference to the release of its detained consultants was already a big step forward in the continuing quest for lasting peace.

It took an announcement of the termination of ceasefire declaration from the CPP, under pain of being pictured as jingoists, to make the government realize that it has in its midst plenty of warmongers.

If only the likes of lacierda knows how to keep his mouth shut when he should, this country could be a better place to live in.

[MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Edwin Espejo writes for the asiancorrespondent.com.]

EDGEDAVAO

a

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

The world’s most powerful people

few days ago, I took a quick, informal survey around Eurasia Group, the political risk outfit I lead, on power and global politics. The question: Who are the world’s most powerful people? We defined power as a measure of an individual’s ability to singlehandedly bring about change that significantly affects the lives and fortunes of large numbers of people.

Here’s what we came up with, in descending order: 1- Nobody – In a G-Zero world, everyone is waiting for someone else to shoulder responsibility for the world’s toughest and most dangerous challenges. The leaders you’ll see named further down this list are preoccupied with local and regional problems and don’t have the interest and leverage needed to take on a growing list of transnational problems.

2- Vladimir Putin – In Russia’s personalized system, Putin is still the person who counts. He isn’t as popular as he used to be, and his country has no Soviet-scale clout or influence, but no one on the planet has consolidated more domestic and regional power than Putin.

3- Ben Bernanke – The world’s largest economy is still struggling to find its footing. To help, no one has more levers to pull and buttons to push than the chairman of the Federal Reserve.

The world needs the u.S. economy back on its feet, and Bernanke has more direct influence than anyone else on when and how that happens.

4- angela Merkel – For the moment, the German Chancellor’s commitments are the glue that binds Europe. Merkel’s ability to bankroll Europe’s emergency funds, win concessions from the governments of cash-strapped peripherals, and maintain solid popularity at home continues to be a remarkable political and policy achievement.

SPECIAl FEATURE

By Ian Bremmer

cal reforms will be needed to keep China moving forward, and Xi will make some difficult (and profoundly import-

VANTAGE POINTS

9

The fiscal cliff deal proves U.S. Congress is working ( 1st of two parts )

COMMENTARY By anatole KaletSKy

T 5- Barack obama – Even at a time when Washington is focused almost entirely on Washington, the elected leader of the world’s most powerful and influential country carries a lot of water. The obama administration will watch the eurozone from the sidelines and keep commitments in the Middle East to a minimum, but the united States will continue to broaden and deepen security and commercial relationships in East asia, and obama’s decisions on how far and how fast to move will be crucial.

6- Mario Draghi – Europe’s chief banker, and its backstop. Europe’s Central Bank has kept the continent’s blood flowing at a crucial moment in its history, and his work is far from done.

7- Xi Jinping – China’s progress is the world’s most important variable, and the incoming president of China is now the man behind the wheel. over the next decade, economic and politi-

ant) decisions.

8 (tie)- ayatollah Khamenei – The supreme spiritual and political authority in Iran, a country at the heart of a volatile region. Halfway through 2013, President Mahmoud ahmadinejad will be succeeded, but it is still Khamenei who will decide how the international fight over Iran’s nuclear program plays out and what the future holds for the Islamic Republic.

9 (tie)- Christine lagarde – The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, and the world’s fire marshal. Here is that rare leader whose contribution will be crucial in multiple regions at once. But nowhere will the IMF’s work be more important than in keeping Europe on track.

10- King abdullah bin abdulaziz – King of Saudi arabia, a kingdom with a unique power to move markets. The Saudi monarch is not in the best of health, but the choices he makes in determining who will lead the world’s hydrocarbon powerhouse into the next generation will help shape the entire global economy for many years to come.

HE u.S. fiscal cliff was dodged in pretty much the way that seemed most likely after November’s election: a bipartisan deal in which pragmatic Republicans, no longer focused on ending the presidency of Barack obama, joined moderate Democrats to prevent economic sabotage by extremists from both ends of the political spectrum. on Wall Street, the immediate reaction was euphoria. But among mainstream economists and political commentators in Washington, it was cynicism.

While stock markets around the world approached their highest levels since the 2008 financial crisis, media headlines emphasized grim forebodings: Fresh stand-off looms after uS cliff deal (Financial Times); Budget deal passes, debt ceiling looms (Wall Street Journal); Deal done but threats remain (Washington Post); Bigger showdowns loom after fiscal cliff deal (Reuters); House backs tax deal as next fight looms (Bloomberg).

Investors’ initial reactions are often misguided, especially to complex political events, but this time the markets will probably be proved right, and the pundits wrong. This week’s deal marked a genuine, and most likely sustainable, breakthrough for reasons of both politics and economics.

Politically, the bill’s decisive majorities in both houses of Congress showed that the u.S. Constitutional system is now less dysfunctional than widely believed. While ideological divisions may still be as wide as ever, November’s election transformed the political calculus for pragmatic Republicans such as John Boehner and Mitch McConnell. Instead of dedicating all their efforts to ousting obama or wrecking his signature policies such as healthcare and financial reform, pragmatic Republicans must now consider how they might shape the president’s agenda over the next four years to protect their own vital interests and those of their constituents and financial supporters.

The most vital of these interests is to avoid another recession that would be calamitous for american businesses and workers, given the still-fragile condition of the u.S. economy and financial system.

The united States may now have, for the first time since 2009, a legislature capable of creating bipartisan majorities of pragmatic Republicans and Democrats working together on issues of fundamental importance to american voters. The more this pattern becomes established, the more it will neutralize radicals, both in the Tea Party and the Democratic left. Having compromised so many principles and suffered such acute political embarrassments during the fiscal cliff bargaining, the last thing Republican leaders will want to do is repeat the same experience in two months’ time. Future policy clashes, at least over economic policy, are likely to be less viciously adversarial, not more so, especially when the ultimate outcome of the argument is obvious and inevitable, as it was in the case of the fiscal cliff.

But will avoiding a default by the u.S. Treasury be seen as necessary and inevitable in the same way? This will depend on President obama discovering an interest in economic policy detail that was notably absent from this recent debate and from his first term generally.

10 ICT HUB

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

In 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Rise in hacktivism, Cyber-espionage, state-sponsored cyber attacks seen C

yBer-espionage, “hacktivism,” and nation-state cyber-attacks made it to the list of top predictions that will shape the digital security landscape for 2013, according to Kaspersky lab, a leading developer of secure content and threat management solutions.

The report entitled “Kaspersky Security Bulletin 2012: Malware Evolution” also lists legal use of surveillance tools, attacks on cloud-based networks, cyber extortion on companies and individual Internet users, and mobile malware as among the top predictions for 2013. other top predictions include fake security certificates, deterioration of personal privacy, the development of more Mac oS malicious software, and cybercriminals’ growing use of software exploits.

Incidentally, some of the predictions for 2013 mentioned in the report are also rooted on incidences for 2012, including an escalation of serious types of cybercrime such as targeted attacks on companies, “hacktivism,” attacks on cloud-based infrastructure, deterioration of digital privacy, issues with online trust and digital authorities, attacks on Mac oS X malware and mobile malware, and ransomware and crypto-extortion.

However, a more pressing concern is the rise of cyber-attacks authorized by nation-states. Costin Raiu, Kaspersky lab Director of Global Research & analysis Team (GReaT) said that this could be an era of cold “cyber-war.” “looking ahead, we can expect more countries to develop cyber weapons designed to steal information or sabotage systems - not least because the entry-level for developing such weapons is much

lower than is the case with real-world weapons. The targets for such cyber-attacks could include energy supply and transportation control facilities, financial and telecommunications systems and other ‘critical infrastructure’ facilities,” warned Raiu.

Governments, pressured by the growing threat of cyber-attacks against their infrastructure are also compelled to use technology for monitoring suspected cybercriminals, a serious security breach that could put law enforcement to question. “Clearly, the use of legal surveillance tools has wider implications for privacy and civil liberties. and as law enforcement agencies, and governments, try to get one step ahead of the criminals, it’s likely that the use of such tools - and the debate surrounding their use - will continue.”

Vulnerabilities in the past Raiu stressed that 2012 was already a year for cyber-activism or “hacktivism” and cyber-espionage against global private industries and governments.

These events were continuation from the same incidences from previous years, though these were in much wider scale and had more serious effects.

“The powerful actors from 2011 remained the same: hacktivist groups, IT security companies, nation states fighting each other through cyber-espionage, major software and gaming developers such as adobe, Microsoft, oracle or Sony, law enforcement agencies and traditional cybercriminals, Google, via the android operating system, and apple, thanks to its Mac oS X platform,” Raiu said.

Key predictions for 2013 a more comprehensive

forecast of Kaspersky lab for 2013 are as follows: 1. Targeted attacks and cyber-espionage While the threat landscape is still dominated by random, speculative attacks designed to steal personal information from anyone unlucky enough to fall victim to them, targeted attacks have become an established feature in the last two years. Such attacks are specifically tailored to penetrate a particular organization and are often focused on gathering sensitive data that has a monetary value in the ‘dark market’.

2.

The onward march of ‘hacktivism’ Stealing money is not the only motive behind attacks.

Sometimes the purpose of an attack is to make a political or social point. Society’s increasing reliance on the Internet makes organizations of all kinds potentially vulnerable to attacks of this sort, so ‘hacktivism’ looks set to continue into 2013 and beyond.

3. Nation-state-sponsored cyber-attacks We are now entering an era of cold ‘cyber-war’, where nations have the ability to fight each other unconstrained by the limitations of conventional real-world warfare. looking ahead we can expect more countries to develop cyber weapons - designed to steal informa-

tion or sabotage systems, targeting energy supply and transportation control facilities, financial and telecommunications systems and other ‘critical infrastructure’ facilities.

4. The use of legal surveillance tools The efforts to keep pace with the advanced technologies being used by cybercriminals are driving law enforcement agencies in directions that have obvious implications for law enforcement itself. Clearly, the use of legal surveillance tools has wider implications for privacy and civil liberties. and as law enforcement agencies, and governments, try to get one step ahead of the criminals, it’s likely that the use of such tools will continue.

5. Cloudy with a chance of malware It’s clear that the use of cloud services will grow in the coming years. But as the use of the cloud grows, so too will the number of security threats that target it. In particular, the wide use of mobile devices, while offering huge benefits to a business, also increases the risk.

6.

Dude, where’s my privacy?!

The erosion or loss, of privacy has become a hotly-debated issue in IT security. Every time we sign up for an online account, we are required to disclose information about

ourselves and companies around the world actively gather information about their customers. The value of personal data - to cybercriminals and legitimate businesses - will only grow in the future, and with it the potential threat to our privacy increases.

7. Who do you trust?

We’re all predisposed to trust websites with a security certificate issued by a bona fide Certificate authority (Ca), or an application with a valid digital certificate. unfortunately, not only have cybercriminals been able to issue fake certificates for their malware they have also been able to successfully breach the systems of various Cas and use stolen certificates to sign their code. The use of fake, and stolen, certificates is set to continue in the future.

8. Cyber extortion This year we have seen growing numbers of ransomware Trojans designed to extort money from their victims, either by encrypting data on the disk or by blocking access to the system. These have now become a worldwide phenomenon, although sometimes with slightly different modus operandi. Such attacks are easy to develop and, as with phishing attacks, there seem to be no shortage of potential victims. as a result, we’re likely to see their continued

growth in the future.

9. Mac oS malware Despite well-entrenched perceptions, Macs are not immune to malware, which has been growing steadily over the last two years. We have also seen targeted attacks on specific groups, or individuals, known to use Macs. The threat to Macs is real and is likely keep growing.

10. Mobile malware Mobile malware has exploded in the last 18 months. The lion’s share of it targets android-based devices - more than 90% is aimed at this operating system. There is also a high probability that the first mass worm for android will appear, capable of spreading itself via text messages and sending out links to itself at some online app store. We’re also likely to see more mobile botnets.

11.

Vulnerabilities and exploits Java vulnerabilities currently account for more than 50% of attacks, while adobe Reader accounts for a further 25%. Java is not only installed on many computers, but updates are installed on demand, not automatically. For this reason, cybercriminals will continue to exploit Java in the year ahead. It’s likely that adobe Reader will also continue to be used by cybercriminals.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

Gov...

FFROM 1

Norte’s three cities, the other two being Panabo and Tagum.

In a New Year’s Day interview with a handful of local editors and national correspondents, Del Rosario said that ideally, the other two ferry boat systems should be established where the old Sta. ana wharf in Davao City is and either in the city of Panabo or Tagum in Davao del Norte.

The leaders of the region should take advantage of the strategic location and tremendous potentials of Sta. ana wharf as a ferry boat station and as a fisherman’s wharf similar to the one in the city of San Francisco (California), del Rosario said.

The ferry service operated now between Sasa and Babak by the

After...

Bangayans is only for cargo, not for passengers, according to the governor, who initiated the government-operated ferry system with the late Gov. Prospero S. amatong. The ferry capsized and the accident caused it to deteriorate, a situation that gave a private investor an opportunity to start a privately-operated ferry, he said.

Dek Rosario said the ferry boat service for vehicles should be separate from the one for passengers only, adding that this is the system in Hong Kong, Macau and other progressive cities in the world.

Del Rosario said that it is the right of Davao del Norte to have a ferry service to Samal since the island belongs to Davao del Norte.

The governor, who said that he was one of the regional leaders with the late lawyer-industrialist Jesus V. ayala, then the chairman of the Regional Development Council, who persuaded the national government to transfer supervision of the Sta. ana wharf to the city government.

If I could have my way, Sta. ana wharf ’s ownership should be ceded to the city government.

The governor, who is the chairman of the Davao Integrated Development Project (DIDP), also proposed that the Davao International airport be located in Samal and that some 100 to 200 hectares be reclaimed in the Sta. ana wharf area to be used for development purposes.

general manager of the Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative (Buseco) said one lesson is the institutionalization of Task Force Kapatid organized by the National Electrification administration (NEa) and the amreco.

He said that under Task Force Kapatid, linemen complete with trucks and tools from 33 rural cooperatives under amreco were dispatched to calamity stricken areas for rehabilitation work.

Buseco linemen were among those who responded to help restore lines in Davao oriental and Compostela Valley provinces.

Joceler Moralda, general manager of the

Surigao del Sur Electric Cooperative (Sursureco) describes the calamity as two-in-a-row after Sendong which also hit their area last year. He said the last visit by a typhoon was way back in 1981 when Typhoon atang ravaged Surigao del Sur. one of the important lessons, Moralda said, is for an electric cooperative to be prepared logistically and financially.

Horacio Santos , general manager of the agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative (aNECo) said one practical lesson is to establish strong foundations for electric posts to make them withstand heavy winds. [PIa 11/RG alama]

their own water systems for sustainability.

With a water laboratory, it is easier and faster to monitor water quality. adviento said with PMl they were able to process four water samples only in a day.

The laboratory will enable them to process at least 50 for the same period. adviento cited that another grant extended initially for the water systems of 10 towns in the province via the Department of Interior and local Government has improved the prospects

of keeping water quality in Bukidnon. But eight of the projects are still “under construction” and two have “water source problems.”

The bacteriological capacity of the water laboratory, she said, could at least help PHo test all sources of drinking water in the province’s barangays every quarter.

From august 2012 onwards, they have tried to test more than once.

Before that, it was only once a year, or worse in most barangays, none at all. [Walter I. Balane / MindaNews]

FFROM 1

another lesson is for electric coops to have stockpiles of electric posts, materials and financial resources to undertake immediate repair work while another vital lesson is to come up with local ordinances that prohibit the planting of trees near posts and electric lines.

Dinagat Province has an existing ordinance which bans the planting of trees and shrubs near electric lines or posts.

The Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative lost about P258 million, mostly poles and other electrical equipment, about P218-million of these were in hard-hit Compostela Valley province.

Ed Masongsong,

In...

FFROM 3

bacteria and other waterborne diseases.

But adviento said they were only able to reach 54 of about 260 barangays not yet covered by water districts where water quality testing is mandatory.

Bukidnon has 464 barangays.

She said most of Bukidnon’s villages have barangay-based water systems only, which are more prone to E. coli.

She said the water laboratory project is part of its plan to empower the barangays to administer the sanitation of

SPORTS 11

GPH-MILF annexes done in two months T

HE government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic liberation Front (MIlF) peace panels ended 2012 without finishing what it agreed to complete: the annexes to the Framework agreement on the Bangsamoro (FaB) that would have formed part of the comprehensive peace pact, but GPH peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer is optimis-

tic “it should not take more than two months to finish the four annexes.”

By then, Ferrer said in her New Year’s message, the 15-member Transition Commission (TransCom) “should have been fully organized and ready to build on the terms laid out by the Panels in the annexes.”

The annexes on Power-sharing, Wealth-sharing, Normalization, and Transitional arrange-

ments and Modalities were supposed to be finished by yearend to complete the comprehensive peace agreement.

“The future is on track,” Ferrer said.

MIlF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal said the MIlF is “hoping 2013 is as productive as 2012.”

“May this year usher in more partnership with the GPH,” he said. [Carolyn o. rguillas/MindaNews]

can’t say no to the evacuees,” he added.

While some of the evacuees occupy evacuation areas, including the gymnasium in barangay Kabinuangan and Comval Central, education officials have made certain that the schoolchildren are back to school as scheduled. atillo said school at this time refers to the three tents which are equivalent to the size of two classrooms, giving the students learning spaces equivalent to six regular classrooms. He said four more traditional classrooms have been left unaffected by the typhoon so these are also being used by students.

The tents or learning spaces measure 84 square

meters each which is roughly equivalent to the size of two classrooms.

“Since there are no more classrooms anywhere, we now call this borderless learning,” atillo said. Starting January 3, 2013, students in barangay Kabinuangan will use the tents on a shifting basis, divided into different ages from 3 to 6, 7 to 10 and 11 to 15.

The learning spaces aim to provide a semblance of normalcy to the lives of the children so they will get over the trauma left by the disaster, with each shift lasting from two to three hours.

There are an estimated 1,800 students in Kabinuangan and 52 teachers occupying the learning spaces. [laC]

cases of the Marcoses -assuming that Congress would abolish the PCGG. “Just to make it clear, the pursuit of ill-gotten wealth will continue even if the recommendation will be acted upon by the President,” he said.

The PCGG earlier proposed to end the almost 30-year hunt for the embezzled wealth of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, with more than half the supposed uS billion fortune still missing.

PCGG chief andres Bautista said that with Marcos’ widow and children back in positions of political power, and the government tightening its belt, the cost of the pursuit has become prohibitive.

“It has become a law of diminishing returns at this point,” he said.

“It’s been 26 years and people you are after are back in power. at some point, you just have to say, ‘We’ve done our best’, and that’s that. It is really difficult.” amid recommendation to abolish the PCGG, lacierda assured that all cases related to ill-gotten wealth, which are pending in various courts will continue. “let me assure the public (that) the cases which are now pending before the various courts are going to continue.

The party in interest is the Republic of the Philippines and, therefore, even if assuming any recommendation will be acted favorably by the President -- and I’m saying this only as an assumption -- the cases will still continue,” he said. [PNA]

Flashfloods in New Bataan fail to stop class resumption

F

looDING in New Bataan, Compostela Valley has not deterred teachers and students from going back to their makeshift classrooms in barangay Central Kabinuangan Thursday.

Students and teachers trekked to the three tents set up by the Department of Education and called “learning spaces” on January 3, 2013 when classes were supposed to resume after Typhoon Pablo.

“There is no problem in Davao oriental where classes have resumed, but flashfloods in New Bataan is a different story,” DepEd spokesperson Jenielito atillo said. The flashfloods resulted in a new set of evacuees in the barangay even with the scheduled resumption of classes. “We

Aquino wants further study on proposed PCGG abolition

P

RESIDENT Benigno aquino III has tasked the office of the President (oP) to study the proposed abolition of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG).

Presidential Spokesman Edwin lacierda, in a press briefing on Thursday, confirmed a meeting was conducted on the proposal, “but the President wanted further study.”

“The oP is still studying that particular recommendation. The President tasked oP to study that particular recommendation and so there are a number of details that need to be vetted,” he said. lacierda, however, stressed that the government is bent on pursuing the ill-gotten wealth

12 ClASSIFIEDS ADS There’s a better way to get attention.

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VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

Realty

EDGEDAVAO

Coffee Shop

FOR SALE:

1) 1-hectare commercial lot at P10,000/sq m, along national Highway, facing east, beside nCCC Panacan, Davao City. 2) 17,940sq m commercial lot at P2,500/sq m, along matina Diversion road. 3) 3,831 sq m lot along matina Diversion road. 4) 41,408 sq m commercial/ industrial lot at P800/sq m along the national Highway, Bunawan. 5) 7,056 sq m at P1,200/sq m commercial/residential lot along Indangan road, Buhangin District. 6) 27,411 sq m commercial/ industrial lot along the national Highway in Bincungan, tagum City. 7) 116.15 to 245.92 sq meters , at P5.5m to P12.3m commercial/ office condo units in Bajada, Davao City. 8) 699 to 1,117 sq m at P4,100/sq m commercial lots at Josefina town Center, along the national Highway, Dumoy, toril. 9) ready-for-occupancy residential Properties: 4Br/3t&B in a 240 sq m lot with 177.31sqm floor area (2-storey) at P4.8m in an exclusive beachfront community in Dumoy, toril.; 3Br 2-storey in a 71.25 sq m 2-storey in a 143sq m lot in an exclusive flower village in maa, Davao City; 180 sq m lots with 71.25sqm to 126.42 sq m floor areas, priced at P3.751m to P5.773m in an exclusive mountain resort community along matina, Diversion road. 10) 1Br/2Br residential condo units located in Bolton, maa, obrero, Davao City. 11) For aSSUme (rUSH): 1Br res’l condo unit in Palmetto, maa. P600K negotiable. note: Items 1-9 can be paid in cash, in-house or bank financing. If interested, please call Jay (PrC reB lic. 8237) at 0922-851-5337 (Sun), 0908-883-8832 (Smart) or send email to propertiesindavao@yahoo.com.

LOT FOR SALE 180 sq. meter, Farland Subd., Dumoy, Toril, P 350,000 only Contact: 0927-706-2510

EDGEDavao Gensan Partners

Tel No. (083) 553-2211 / (083) 877-0019 / (083) 878-0308

We offer Pasta, Pizza and all Filipino foods and international cuisine

South Osmeña, General Santos City Cell No. 09999923588 Tel. No. (083) 552-3297

NOTICE OF LOSS Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No(s). 21002292 under LOYOLA PLAN Contract No(s) NNN 130003725 issued to MARCELINA B. JALOG was lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

12/28, 01/4, 11,

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Edge Davao hiring editor, 3 reporters

IDEAL FOR INDUSTRIAL / MANUFACTURING PLANT, 3 hectares, Santa Cruz along the National Highway, Direct Buyers only Contact: 0927-706-2510

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

The reporters will be assigned to the business, science/environment and political beats. on the other hand, the editor will supervise the reporters and do gate-keeping tasks. 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.

PRIME PROPERTY FOR SALE ROBINSONS HIGH LANDS, 173 sq. meters, 1.5 M, Direct Buyers only Contact: 0926-305-1555 0942-966-2444

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 2213601.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

SPORTS 13

Hot James cools Mavs M

Lebron James had another monster game as the Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks in overtime.

IaMI (aP) -- once the Miami Heat found a way to rally in the final moments of regulation, they made overtime look easy. leBron James scored 32 points and finished one assist shy of a triple-double, Dwyane Wade scored 27 and the Heat pulled off both early and late before beating the Dallas Mavericks 119-109 in overtime Wednesday night.

Down 100-94 with 3:02 remaining in regulation, the Heat closed the game on a 25-9 run - and sent Dallas to its sixth loss in as many overtime games this season. ‘’We have ultimate confidence in our team, our talent level, our execution,’’ said Chris Bosh, who scored 17 points for Miami. ‘’and we believe in each other. To know we can be down by six with 3 minutes left and still have the confidence to overcome everything and get the job done, it works out great.’’

Ray allen added 15 for Miami, which extended its Eastern Conference-lead-

ing record to 22-8 despite trailing by 12 in the opening minutes. James had 12 rebounds and nine assists for the Heat, who scored the first seven points of overtime. o.J. Mayo scored 30 and Dirk Nowitzki - still working his way back from knee surgery - added 19 in 29 minutes for the Mavericks. ‘’It shouldn’t have gotten to overtime,’’ Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. ‘’We were up six with a couple minutes to go and our inability to keep them out of the paint was our downfall.’’

Vince Carter had 15 points, Chris Kaman scored 14 and Darren Collison finished with 11 for Dallas. allen hit a 3-pointer to start overtime, James scored on a stepback over Nowitzki and Wade came up with a steal and dunk to put Miami up 110-103 early in the extra session, and the Heat weren’t in trouble again. James sealed it with a threepoint play with 48.6 seconds left.

14 SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

PBA SEMIS GAME 6

EDGEDAVAO

TNT guns for Finals tonight T

alK `N Text guns for a third straight trip to the PBa Philippine Cup Finals as the defending champions try to finish off the gritty alaska aces in Game Six of their semifinals series tonight at the astrodome.

The Tropang Texters lock horns with the aces at 6:45 p.m., aiming to deliver the final blow against their embattled opponents and inch closer to becoming the first team since Crispa to win a hat-trick of all-Filipino championships. a third straight appearance will also be the longest by any team since Purefoods (now B-Meg) made it to seven straight Finals in an all-Filipino conference from 1988 to 1994. alaska coach luigi Trillo, however, is out to derail the Texters’ quest for history as he expects the aces to go full steam ahead in trying to forge a deciding Game Seven on Sunday.

Trillo said their 95-99 loss to the reigning champions in Game Five was due to their lack of effort and focus during the endgame.

“I’m not gonna make excuses. our effort was not there. We need some adjustment on the effort part,” Trillo said.

Despite the 2-3 deficit staring his team, the 37-year-old Trillo remains confident they have what it takes to end Talk ‘N Text’s two-year Philippine Cup reign.

“I think we’re capable of beating them (Tropang Texters). We beat them three times this conference. We’re the only other team to beat them after Ginebra. We have the pieces here,” added Trillo.

Talk `N Text coach Norman Black, meanwhile, said defense will get the Texters over the hump.

“We have a tendency to play good defense in one game and seem to lose it in the next,” admitted Black. “of course I give alaska credit for that.

They’re also a very good team, and they make adjustments as the series goes on.”

Black said even with a talented and experienced bunch led by onetime MVP Jimmy alapag, Jayson Castro, Ranidel de ocampo, larry Fonacier, and Kelly Williams leading the way, beating alaska entails a lot of effort.

“But at the same time, we just have to come out with the same effort we had and execute like we did if we want to win and make it to the Finals,” he added.

Rookie Calvin Abueva will be the leading force behind the Alaska Aces in Game 6.

Capacio steps down

G

lENN Capacio said Globalport will be stepping down as assistant of Junel Baculi who was appointed head coach of the PBa’s newest ballclub.

Capacio, who served as coach on an interim basis during the Batang Pier’s campaign in the Philippine Cup, firmly believes the franchise’s rough start to its first season in the pro league has nonetheless strengthened the team’s bond.

“Mas okay na kasi ang samahan ng team. Siguro adjustment na lang ni coach Junel with the players ang kailangan. Siyempre, may ibang system na ipapasok si coach Junel,” Capacio said minutes after Baculi’s official announcement was made on Thursday.

The 48-year-old Capacio admitted moving down as assistant coach was something he pre-

pared for even before he accepted the coaching job of Globalport during the Philippine Cup. “Di ko pa ngayon alam ano plano ni coach Junel sa akin kung ako ba magiging lead assistant, pero ako naman, alam ko na naman before na interim (coaching) basis lang ako sa team,” he said. as Baculi presides over the team’s first practice of the year on Friday at the Moro lorenzo gym inside the ateneo campus, Capacio said the bemoustached PBa mentor will have to instill a defensive mindset on the Batang Pier considering their anemic 1-13 record in their very first tournament.

Capacio added that recruiting a tall and dominant import for the Commissioner’s Cup can solve the team’s rebounding woes since Globalport has an array of shooters who can take care of scoring.

Jared Dillinger of Talk N’ Text will be a vital cog for the Texters in Game 6 of the PBA Philippine Cup semis between Talk N’ Text and Alaska. TNT needs just a win to take the series.

(PBA photo)

INdulge!

STYLE Lace top and long sleeved shirt from Forever 21; jeggings from Dorothy Perkins; bag, necklace and bangles from Parfois.

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

GO

GREEN Styling by Meg Sta. ineS and Kenneth Ong PhOtOS by aidx ParedeS MOdel: la SubidO lOcatiOn: SKy garden Of SM lanang PreMier

blouse and leather shirt from forever 21; necklace from forever 21; hat, belt and bag from Parfois.

by Meg Sta. Ines

WhilE we’re united with the global call for environment conservation and adaptation of vegan living, no, we’re not talking here of tree planting or munching on mixed vegetables. instead, we’re flashing the green light to welcome 2013 with Edge Davao’s own take on style and trends. Presenting, our first fashion editorial for the year.

Ruffled top and jeggings from Dorothy Perkins; necklace and dark glasses from Forever 21; minaudiere, ring, and bangles from Parfois.

Through the years, we’ve seen how the wide range of vivid and vibrant tones weave new designs into the fashion scene, sparking imaginations and motivating purchasing decisions.

Every designer and retail giant relies heavily on forecast for inspiration for next season’s collection. This time around, PANTONE, the universal color authority and every design professional’s most reliable source of color information, picks Green as its top hue for the year 2013.

The birth of green in fashion first sprung in the midst of the environmental awareness in the 90’s. The green branding is closely defined around the values of eco-living. Eventually, the prevalence of green rose in couture markets, and we began to see more hints of green translations in boutique racks and runway shows.

As it takes a stronger presence in 2013, the most prevalent shade of green is predicted to be that of the verdant gemstone, emerald.

This luminous, magnificent hue is the color of sophistication, life, prosperity, and beauty. Such color serves its purpose in fashion as its classic elegance makes well for stunning women’s

formal, daily wear, and accessories. While it screams of elegance and luxury, it is, first and foremost, a neutral color that can promote harmony to every outfit. Whatever piece of green you wear will complement the other elements of your ensemble. however, while this shade enlivens all colors in the spectrum, it is best matched with tan, black, blue, yellow, and purple. Designers Michael Kors and Vivienne Tam were right on the money when they featured emerald green in their recent runway shows. Soon after that, hollywood celebrities donned themselves in green for red carpet events.

Sashay in your best street armor by incorporating an element of emerald green into your getup. Styling in this color is perfect for everyone living in the metro as it calls to mind a sense of clarity and rejuvenates the soul amidst the fast paced city life and buzz.

This shade is the most relaxing to the eye, and balance is something people pick up and listen to. in effect, it commands attention and ushers in appreciation from on lookers. This is also an all-weather appropriate tone which effortlessly gives you a fresher feel, come rain or come shine.

Blouse and shorts from Dorothy Perkins; belt, scarf, and minaundiere from Parfois; necklace and dark glasses from Forever 21.

Blouse and shorts from Dorothy Pirkins; all accessories from Parfois.

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge! uP anD aBouT

Sun Business rolls-out “Sun On Wheels” SME caravan to Laguna

Sun Business’“Sun on Wheels” caravan hit the road once again, introducing its array of services this time to Laguna SMEs.

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

STYLE

The caravan served as an avenue for Laguna SME leaders to learn about two key Sun Business services, namely the Message Cast and Track and Trace. Both solutions boost productivity and provide businesses with seamless and efficient operations. one of Sun Business’ more popular services, Message Cast, lets businesses disseminate information directly to a wide range of customers with its ability to text multiple recipients in just one click. The service also allows businesses to customize the sender name for easy brand recall and customer validation.

Track and Trace, on the other hand, allows the monitoring and managing of assets and employees via realtime GPS tracking, therefore letting business owners maximize productivity and profit. This service also has an automated reporting system, which generates tracking reports at the subscriber’s convenience. aside from these solutions, the Sun on Wheels Caravan also featured Sun’s value-for-money mobile plans and connectivity services like the Fixed Load Plan and Sun Broadband Wireless.

The Fixed Load Plan is a mobile postpaid service which offers Sun’s renowned unlimited call and text services under a fixed monthly charging system. aside from not letting businesses go overboard with charges, this plan is also flexible and open to prepaid reloading. Sun also offers 3G connectivity services for businesses, with flexible and value-for-money plans packaged to suit SME needs. Sun Broadband Wireless offers unlimited surfing with speeds up to 7.2 mbps.

Lucky attendees at the caravan were also treated to giveaways, and a raffle, which included android-powered smartphones and tablets. The Sun on Wheels caravan was previously brought to Bulacan and Cebu earlier this year.

For more information on the Sun on Wheels Caravan and other business solutions, log on to Sun Business’ dedicated website, http://sunbusiness.com.ph/, or call 395-8Pro (776). You can also check for updates by logging on to Sun Cellular’s official Facebook page: facebook.com/suncellularph or on Twitter: twitter. com/suncelltweets.

Sun Business is powered by Sun Cellular, a member of the PLDT Group.

Florals forever

From (L-r): Aisalin Borcelis, Community Consultant of PLDT SmE Nation; Faraday Go, VP for retail management and Corporate Sales of Sun Cellular, raffle Winner Alex Criste, Business Unit Head of Star Honda; Gilbert Eleria, Area Sales Head of PLDT SmE Nation; Corinne Zablan, AVP for Strategic Sales Partnership of Sun Cellular

Budding Beauty.

Floral arrangement. a pair of flower- Let your style bloom printed shorts is a nice way of putting a floral in acid bright foliage pieces. spin to your wardrobe.

In Full Bloom. Day dress with classic garden-variety flower prints.

FLoraL prints are a fashion classic that shows no signs of wilting. They are blooming all over in the runways of the fashion capitals of the world, with rag & Bone showing a slick tapestry of tailored coat silhouettes, Er-

dun with graphic lace infused bouquets, and Valentino’s romantic rendition of the trend.

Flower Power. A look that’s fun and fab.

Fresh Pick. Give a vintage-inspired dress an edgy urban attitude with a string of flower motif.

With stylish celebrities like Jessica alba, Lauren Conrad, Miranda Kerr, Vanessa Hudgens embracing floral fashion, the GTW section of the SM store brings the freshest blooms to adorn key pieces of the season and everything’s coming up roses, daffodils, orchids, and daisies at SM with delicate English garden prints, big and bold patterns, brilliant acid bright foliage, luxe jeweltone flowers on a dark background and vivid graphic prints blooming all over. Pack a flower power punch on sleek jackets, pretty pants, stylish shorts, and shift dresses.

Petal Pushing. Beautiful blooms spring up on this flirty day dress worn over a collared sleeveless top.

Photographed at the Philippine National Heritage Train Station at Palawe, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, the floral collection is available at the Girls Teens section of the SM Store.

Clothes are available at the SM Store.Photography by Raymond Celestino of Edge of Light. Acknowledgment to the City of San Fernando Tourism Office headed by Ms. Ching Pangilinan-Gonzalez

Pick of the Bunch. embrace the season’s passion for flowers with this floral printed skinny straight pants.

Best Buds. skinny straight pants with bold blooms and a shift dress with luscious bright floral prints.

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

EnTErTaInMEnT

Justin Bieber paparazzo killed while trying to shoot photos of singer’s car a PHoToGraPHEr was killed after being struck by a car while trying to snap photos of Justin Bieber’s Ferrari Tuesday in Los angeles.

Per the Los angeles Times, Bieber wasn’t behind the wheel of the vehicle at the time of the incident.

The photographer, whose identity has yet to be disclosed by police, was reportedly attempting to shoot pictures of the pop star’s car, which had been pulled over for a routine traffic stop shortly before 6 p.m. as he crossed Sepulveda Boulevard to head back to his vehicle, he was reportedly hit by another car.

The photographer was taken to ronald reagan uCLa Medical Center, where he later died. Police are currently investigating the incident, and no arrests have reportedly been made.

In a statement to E! news, Bieber said, “While I was not present nor directly involved with this tragic accident, my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim.”

The 18-year-old hitmaker added, “Hopefully this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation and whatever other necessary steps to

protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers, innocent public bystanders and the photographers themselves.”

Miley Cyrus also weighed in on the tragedy, tweeting: “Hope this paparazzi/JB accident brings on some changes in ‘13 Paparazzi are dan-

these types of situations by pushing for legislation that would protect the general public, celebrities and paparazzi alike. unfortunately, the State law that passed in 2010 was not successful in a recent court case, so I would urge our State legislators to revisit the statute and

gerous! Wasn’t Princess Di enough of a wake up call?!”

Those pleas were not lost on Los angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine, who, in a statement to E! news, addressed the need for stronger legislation safeguarding the well-being of shutterbugs and the celebrities they cover.

“This incident is a tragedy for all involved and I send my condolences to the family of the young man who died,” he said. “I have sought to avoid

make amendments in order to strengthen it and make it more effective.”

This past summer, a paparazzo was charged with reckless driving after getting into a high-speed car case with Bieber—the first photographer to be busted under California’s 2010 law lobbing increased penalties at paparazzi for reckless driving. a judge later dismissed the two misdemeanor charges.

Miley Cyrus: Justin Bieber paparazzo death was “bound to happen.”

MILEY CYruS surely isn’t alone in her reaction to a paparazzo getting killed last night in an attempt to get a nighttime traffic shot of what he thought was Justin Bieber being pulled over.

But Miley is the one who’s asking for help to make a difference. “@kenbakernow if you ever wanna help me get involved and really try to make a change hit me up. @justinbieber you too,” the pop star tweeted to E!’s chief news correspondent, Ken Baker. “@kenbakernow you can have a big part in making that change if the photos stop being made entertainment,” Miley added. “There’s plenty of news without paps.” responded Baker: “@MileyCyrus honestly, I can’t believe this hasn’t happened before. So many super sketchy street ambushes, all for stupid pics.”

Chris Guerra, 29, was hit by a car last night at around

5:50 p.m. while crossing Sepulveda Boulevard near the Getty Center Drive exit of Los angeles’ 405 Freeway. LaPD said that the California Highway Patrol officer who pulled Bieber’s Ferrari over (Bieber

science] as well! This was bound to happen! Your mom teaches u when your a child not to play in the street! The chaos that comes with the paparazzi acting like fools makes it impossible for any-

was not in the car at the time) witnessed Guerra cross four lanes of traffic to get a picture of the scene and he was hit while returning to the other side of the street.

“Hope this paparazzi/JB accident brings on some changes in ‘13 Paparazzi are dangerous! Wasn’t Princess Di enough of a wake up call?!” Miley also tweeted.

“It is unfair for anyone to put this on to Justin’s [con-

one to make safe choices.”

Ironically, the first charges filed under the driving-related anti-paparazzi law passed in California in 2010 were against a pap accused of speeding after Bieber—and a judge threw the case out, ruling that the law, as it was written, could end up overreaching in its attempt to crack down on reckless driving in the pursuit of gathering news.

INdulge! A3

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

EVEnTS

A French affair i

T was a fabulous Parisian New Year’s Day countdown with the chi-chi crowd of Durianburg as the Marco Polo Davao threw a lavish French-themed party with crazy hats, the feathers, the confetti, the Arc de Triomphe, the Venus de Milo, and even the Eiffel Tower all fitting in the Grand Ballroom of the Marco Polo Davao.

The party was a blast with flowing wine, champagne, and lots of dancing thanks to the funky music of the Flintstones. i believe i had almost an entire bottle of the bubbly stuff myself to celebrate the passing of the end of the world and the coming of a new era (based on the Mayan calendar).

And as the clock struck midnight, the crowd cheered, confetti and balloons dropped, and the sound of pots and pans greeted 2013 with a joyful ruckus.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

SPORTS 15

Durant ejected in OKC loss

Thunder tumbles o

KlaHoMa CITY (aP) -- P.J. Carlesimo’s first big motivational message as the interim coach of the Brooklyn Nets earned him an elusive win in oklahoma City, and perhaps the kind of jolt his team needs to get out of a monthlong funk.

Joe Johnson scored a season-high 33 points, Deron Williams added 19 points and 13 assists, and the Nets snapped oklahoma City’s 12-game home winning streak by beating the Thunder 110-93 Wednesday night in a game featuring the first ejection of Kevin Durant’s career.

Johnson said Carlesimo ‘’jumped on us’’ after a 31-point thumping at San antonio two nights earlier, stressing the importance of ball movement on offense and helping each other out on defense. ‘’To be honest, it helped,’’ Johnson said. ‘’It translated into the game because we were in a spot defensively that we hadn’t been in in a while. We was talking, communicating, the ball was moving great, guys were getting wide-open shots and it just kind of played into our hands.’’

The Nets built a 23-point lead late in the second quarter, then allowed oklahoma City to tie it at 85 before ripping off a 23-8 run to seize control right back. Durant was ejected near the end of the surge, arguing with Danny Crawford after the referee had already issued a technical foul against Kendrick Perkins. ‘’I just thought it was a

bad call. You get frustrated throughout a game, you show emotion. That’s how you can tell you love it,’’ said Durant, who scored 27 points.

The three-time scoring champion had never before been ejected in his six NBa seasons but got tossed after Brooklyn rallied largely from the foul line. The Nets made 11 free throws in a span of just over 5 minutes, pulling away after oklahoma City had finally fought all the way back.

But Durant said it wasn’t a disparity in foul calls or any cumulative complaint about the officiating that sent him to the showers early. ‘’I said, ‘It’s a bad call,’’’ he said. ‘’They’ve got a quick trigger now.’’ ‘’I think I’m allowed to be frustrated, especially in this league. With the ups and downs, the players are allowed to be frustrated,’’ Durant added. ‘’It is what it is, move on from it.’’

Brook lopez added 25 points as Brooklyn ended a seven-game losing streak in the series and got Carlesimo a victory against the team that fired him back in 2008. He’d only had one win in oklahoma City during his abbreviated tenure in charge of the Thunder, getting fired after a 1-12 start after the team’s summer relocation from Seattle.

He started his interim stint with the Nets by notching wins against Charlotte and Cleveland before the 104-73 blowout loss at San antonio.

Warriors extend Clippers skid o Brooklyn Nets’ Derron Williams led his team against Oklahoma.

aKlaND, Calif.

— Stephen Curry scored 25 of his 31 points in the first half, David lee finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds and the Golden State Warriors coasted past the ailing los angeles Clippers 115-94 on Wednesday night (Thursday, Manila time).

Harrison Barnes had 13 points and nine rebounds, and Curry added eight as-

sists and six rebounds to pace Golden State’s 26-8 spurt to start the game.

The Warriors handed the Pacific Division-leading Clippers their second loss in two nights after winning a franchise-record 17 straight games.

Jamal Crawford scored 24 points off the bench and Chris Paul had 23 points and six rebounds for the Clippers, playing with heavy hearts after learning

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors scored 31 as the Warriors stormed past the Los Angeles Clippers who dropped to a second straight loss in the NBA

of the death of owner Donald Sterling’s son earlier in the day. Starting small forward Caron Butler also wasn’t with los angeles because of personal reasons.

The Warriors are 2-0 against the Clippers this season. after the NBa’s longest winning streak since Boston rolled off 19 in a row from Nov. 15 to Dec. 23, 2008, los angeles has struggled to shoot in losses at Denver and Golden State on consecutive nights. The Clippers shot 38.5 percent in Tuesday night’s 92-78 loss at Denver and 36.4 percent at Golden State, ending a difficult 24 hours for the franchise.

Scott ashley Sterling was found dead of an apparent drug overdose at his Malibu home late Tuesday night, authorities said.

He was 32.

Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said before the game the Sterling family’s loss was “first and foremost on everybody’s mind.” He also said he wanted to “see what we’re made of” in the first game since his team’s record winning streak ended.

This was no normal Clippers-Warriors matchup.

Every fan received a “Winter Whiteout” T-shirt between two perennial losing franchises that are among theNBa’s hottest and most surprising this

season. The Clippers (258) and Warriors (22-10) had never met with both in first and second in the same division, going back to the 1978-89 season when the Clippers moved West from Buffalo. los angeles had its best month in franchise history by going 16-0 in December, while the Warriors equaled their most wins (12-4) in any month in set by the 196162 team.

The Warriors built a big lead in a hurry from beyond the arc and never relented. Curry, Barnes and Klay Thompson each swished a 3-pointer during Golden State’s sizzling 26-8 spurt to start the game.

Former Warriors small forward Matt Barnes brought the Clippers back, igniting a 27-5 run while hustling hard on both ends.

Barnes, who started in Butler’s place, converted a pair of 3s and a running layup to slice Golden State’s lead to four early in the second quarter.

Curry returned and made nine of his first 10 shots, going 4 of 5 from beyond the arc. He started a three-point play with a running shot off the backboard while getting fouled

by Paul, pumping his chest with both arms in an emphatic celebration. The Warriors led 62-49 at the break behind Curry, whose 25 points were the most a Warriors player has scored in any half this season.

16 SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 217 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 04-05, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Not a Weiss choice?

l

ooKS like national football team coach Michael Weiss is not getting a passing grade from his employers.

That is if you ask the head of the Philippine Football Federation of how he rates the twoyear azkals coach.

PFF president Mariano ‘Nonong’ araneta on Wednesday hit out at “weaknesses” in Weiss’ coaching style which he said impede the progress of the Philippine football team in the international scene.

The former national booter and two-sport star also pointed out “flaws” in the azkals’ game under the German mentor, whose contract as national coach expires on January 15 and is up for renewal.

“Itatanong ko lang kay (azkals team manager) Dan (Palami) dyan, ‘Is Weiss the coach that could bring us to a higher level (in world football)’,” araneta said in his most scathing criticism yet of the azkals coach.

When asked to elaborate, araneta declared: “Mahina pa rin hanggang ngayon yung ball handling natin, and walang improvement sa cohesion. Wala tayong system of play (under Weiss),” araneta said. araneta also expressed displeasure over the azkals’ failure to

keep possession for long periods against quality opposition as well as the team’s penchant for resorting to long balls.

“Balik tayo ulit sa long balls eh, from the defense laging diretso ang bola sa strikers,” said the Ilonggo sports official. “Kaya madalas makikita mo si Phil (Younghusband) mag-isa lang umaatake sa front.

Swerte na kung dalawa sila.

“Yung ibang teams like Singapore and Thailand, pag umaatake, they have at least four people in front,” he continued. araneta also rued the lack of cohesion of the Philippine eleven, whose regulars are mostly based overseas.

“Cohesion, dapat andyan ‘yan sa team. Pag titignan mo yung mga players natin kasi iba iba ang posisyon nila,” said the PFF head. “Dapat kung midfielder ka, midfield ka lang. Iba yung right wing sa left wing.

“Kaya madalas may misccomunication.”

The PFF technical team is currently evaluating the status of Weiss, who is currently on vacation in Germany and unavailable for comment.

He is not expected back until Sunday. although the Philippines went from No. 159 in the world rankings to an all-time high of 147th during Weiss’ first two

National football coach Michael Weiss reportedly did not get the passing mark from the PFF.

years in charge, araneta said it could have been better.

“We have the players now who have the experience,” he said, rattling off the names of new recruits like Dennis Cagara, Jerry lucena and Stephan Schrock.

However, araneta gave Weiss credit for the discipline he has in-

stilled in the azkals as well as the team’s conditioning.

“In fairness, maganda ang conditioning ngayon ng mga bata. Kita mo parang mga diesel, pag second half duon bumabanat,” said araneta while praising the azkals third-place finish under Weiss in the last Challenge Cup.

Chieffy Caligdong will be wearing the colors of the Green Archers after leaving the Philippine Air Force in the UFL.

Chieffy goes to Green Archers P

HIlIPPINE national men’s football team skipper Chieffy Caligdong will be staying in the Philippines to play football after all.

The azkals hero, who earlier announced that he was considering migrating to the united States with his family, will be transferring to Green archers united Globe in the

united Football league after getting his discharge from Philippine air Force last month.

“Green archers FC and Globe Telecom have come to an agreement with Chieffy for him to play with our club starting with the PFF Smart Championships later this month,” said Green archers manager Monchu

Garcia, who added that the left winger will be formally join the squad during the uFl transfer window, which is set on January 21.

Caligdong will be joining a Green archers squad that finished fourth in the recently-concluded united Football Cup. Rumors about Caligdong’s transfer to Green

archers were rife last year after the player was signed to an endorsement deal by the telecommunications company as a sports ambassador. Globe is the main sponsor for Green archers in the uFl. last June, Caligdong revealed plans to migrate to Texas where his wife, a registered nurse, received an employment offer.