Edge Davao 5 Issue 237

EDGEDAVAO

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VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

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51 water bodies classified

DAVAO FLOOD PLANS

This is a big help!

UN body to seek funding for city Davao picked as one of 4 pilot cities for climate change studies

D Sports

Page 15

DFC: A league of their own

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AVAO City officials are banking on the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to look for fund sources for the city’s climate change adaptation plans.

The city is one of the four cities identified as pilot areas for UN-Habitat’s climate change adaptation studies. The other cities are Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo and Butuan.

“We are still in the planning stage where the agencies concerned are conducting workshops and databanking for the formulation of the comprehensive plan,” Engr.

Andrew Lepardo of the City Engineer’s Office said during Thursday’s iSpeak press conference at the City Hall.

“UN-Habitat will become an agent of proposals to first world countries that are ready to provide financial grant for our project,” he said. If the plan shows a major requirement like a

FUN,11

CHINESE ZODIAC. Whether one is of Chinese descent or not, Dabawenyos just can’t help themselves from checking out the Chinese Zodiac and the lucky charms that are on sale inside a mall along J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City yesterday.

Lean Daval Jr.

Blame the floods

Cenro expects garbage volume to rise by 15.2%

By EJ Dominic Fernandez

T

HE Davao City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) expects solid waste collection to go up by15.2 percent because of the recent

floods that the city has experienced, even as it announced that 64 waste segregation violators had been penalized.

The average volume of sol-

id waste collected by the Cenro for 2012 was 412 tons daily, but because of the recent floods it may reach 475 tons a day for this

FBLAME,11

2 THE BIG NEWS

Malacanang elated over 6.8 % growth

M

ALACANANG welcomed reports the Philippine economy grew by 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012, assuring the Aquino government will continue to work even harder to maintain the economy’s upward trajectory, a Palace official said.

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda issued the statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang Thursday following reports that the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 6.8 percent due to the robust performance of the services sector led by trade and real estate, renting and business activities as well as the substantial improvements in manufacturing and construction.

“The Philippine economy grew by 6.8 percent in the 4th quarter of 2012, bringing full-year growth for 2012 to 6.6 percent.

This is higher than the government’s official target of 5 to 6 percent,” Lacierda said.

“What is particularly important to note is that

Feb 3,4

while growth was initially driven by government stimulus, it is now being increasingly driven by private sector activity, including investments, which grew by 8.7 percent in 2012. This means growth is becoming more sustainable from a fiscal and macroeconomic perspective,” Lacierda noted.

Lacierda said the continued growth of the GDP is proof of the country’s ability to sustain a united march towards equitable progress.

“Private sector activity has been enabled by the Aquino administration’s dedication to positive reform. Without doubt, good governance means good economics,” Lacierda stressed.

“The administration’s vision for the economy has always been to ignite a virtuous cycle of growth and empowerment—to enable business and enterprise to flourish; to open doors of opportunity for each citizen; and to invest in them so that they can truly take hold of their own destinies,” he said. (PNA)

15-min power interruuptions

D

AVAO Light & Power Company will conduct two 15-minute switching power interruptions on February 3 and 4 affecting customers in the southern part of its fran-

chise Communication Officer Ross Luga said that the scheduled outages are necessary to allow the rehabilitation of lines and poles along

FFEB, 11

FOOTWEAR SALE ON FOOT. An old woman patiently displays on the pavement pairs of used shoes she’s selling outside the Sangguniang Panlungsod building along San Pedro Street, Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

EMBRACE OF PEACE. Baclid clan representative Datu Jainodin “Toks” Baclid, (left), embraces Danny Llup, representative of farmer beneficiaries, after their ceremonial signing of the Agreement per Farm Lot Allocation witnessed by North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou “Lala” Talino-Mendoza (3rd from right of back row), Department of Agrarian

EDGEDAVAO

Reform Sec. Virgilio R. delos Reyes, Vice Gov. Gregorio T. Ipong, Makilala Mayor Rudy S. Caoagdan and other visiting dignitaries during “Kanduli sa Kalinaw ug Kalambuan” in Sitio Lacobe, Brgy. Malabuan, Makilala, North Cotabato yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Number of poor Filipinos in Mindanao down - DSWD

T

HE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that while the 2009 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed 9.4 million Filipinos could not afford to lead decent lives, the number of poor people in Mindanao has greatly decreased over the years.

“There is a big difference in the reduction of poverty incidence in Mindanao based on the latest SWS survey,” DSWD Communication Development and Research Division,

Social Marketing Service chief Ana Marie Daep said during a DSWD Partners’ Forum held in the city last week.

Daep said studies show that the government has been making a difference in reducing the intergenerational cycle of poverty.

“Many were not able to graduate, hence could not find decent jobs and ended up in poverty,” she said.

“When they have children, they could not also send them to school because of poverty,” she added.

The DSWD continues

to implement various programs known as the tatlusok or convergence strategy to combat poverty. Among these are the Pantawid Pamilya Program or Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) which provides financial support to poor families subject to certain conditions, the Kalahi CIDDS and the Sustainable Livelihood Program.

“Our goal is to make the families more capable of supporting themselves after a five-year period,” she said.

DSWD Policy and Plans Division chief Raquel Nunez said they have no intention of making beneficiaries dependent on government support which is why there is a strategy for the program which includes survival, subsistence and self-sufficiency.

“While our programs are in place, we are not claiming that the recent survey showing a reduction in poverty in Mindanao is because of DSWD,” she said. [Lovely A. Carillo]

GDP growth is sustainable D EPARTMENT of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said the estimated 2012 growth of 6.6 percent on gross domestic product (GDP) was sustainable and could be surpassed in 2013.

“This was sustainable, we could (easily) surpass this record,” Secretary Domingo said when asked personally of his reaction on the data released by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) on Thursday.

Secretary Domingo’s confidence could be attributed to the positive start of the year which, during the first two weeks of January, the agency had

DTI says it can be surpassed in 2013

already recorded some P75 million new investments.

The DTI also started relaxing some foreign investment rules as it proposed to allow foreign contractors a 100 percent foreign equity to undertake projects as among its amendment to the Contractor’s License Law. Moreover, the Senate’s ratification of a bill which would allow 60 percent foreign ownership on rural banks would surely fuel growth as more capital and financing facilities will become available.

For his part, Rick Santos, Founder and

Managing Partner of DBRE Philippines, said “the confidence in the Philippines (to sustain its growth), from an investment standpoint, is very high.”

“The strong macro-economic fundamentals combined with an amazing confluence of events: renewed confidence in the country’s leadership, record low interest rate, a strengthening currency and an increase on the number of tourist arrivals, would surely help sustain the economic gains of 2012,” Santos said.

He added that the expansion of the Business Processing Out-

sourcing (BPO) sector has created a 4.5M square feet demand for new office a year.

“And with the increasing purchasing power of the consumers, demand for more residential and housing developments will continue to grow,” he added.

Fueled by strong service sector led by the trade and real estate, renting and business activities and the improvements in manufacturing and construction, the country’s GDP grew by 6.8 percent during the fourth quarter of the 2012 which paved the way for the full year GDP growth estimate of 6.6 percent. (PNA)

SUBURBIA

EDGEDAVAOVOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

Tagum City posts increase in business permit issuance T

AGUM business bureau bared that they issued 5,030 business permit renewals on January 2013 compared to 4,801 applications for business permit last January 2012.

“The 5% increase of business renewal is due to investors’ confidence,” said business bureau Chief Noeme Cacayorin when she emphasized the cause of increasing numbers of business in the city.

Senior City Councilor De Carlo Uy, SP Chair on Budget and Finance, takes pride in its successful implementation of streamline processing in one-stop shop. “We downsized by half the usual process, from 10 steps cut to 5 steps. Our

clients can finish a single transaction within halfday period only,” he said.

Record shows in bureau’s statistics that a total number of 7,184 business permit issuances were listed in 2012 as compared to 6,268 in 2010, thereby indicating a 13% increase of new businesses in the span of 3-year period.

Mayor Rey Uy is confident of the business climate in Tagum City which continues to proliferate. The increasing number of major investors in commercial banks, shopping malls, hotels, resorts, wellness, and restaurants are positive indicators that Tagum is an investor-friendly city.[CIO Tagum]

3

STREAMLINED. Clients sit while waiting for their documents during the streamline processing of the business bureau. A single transaction can be done in half-day period.

[CIO Tagum]

1 killed in renewed violence in Tampakan mining site S A

Sarangani donates two RTC buildings to SC

By Aquiles Z. Zonio

NOTHER member of a tribal clan opposing the Tampakan copper-gold project of Sagittarius Mines, Inc. was killed in an alleged encounter with the military.

Capt. William Rodriguez, 1002nd Infantry Brigade civil military officer, identified the fatality as Kitari Capion, who was declared dead by physicians in a hospital in Koronadal City around 1:45 p.m.

Wednesday.

The fatality was the younger brother of Daguel Capion, the leader of an armed tribal group opposing the operations of Sagittarius Mines in their ancestral domain.

In October last year, the tribal leader’s wife Juvy and their two young

children were killed in an alleged firefight between government troops and Capion’s group also within the mines development site. Critics of the Tampakan project described the incident as a “massacre.”

Thirteen soldiers involved in the operation were later recommended for a court martial for apparently breaking the rules of engagement.

Rodriguez said that a firefight ensued between nine soldiers and the Capion brothers and their four followers around 7 a.m.

Wednesday.

“Our troops were talking with the community in Nakultana when they were fired upon, first by a Carbine rifle and then by an M-79 grenade launch-

er. The troops were on routine patrol,” Rodriguez said on the phone.

Nakultana is a sitio in Barangay Kimlawis in Kiblawan town, Davao del Sur, where the other Capion family members have been staying.

Rodriguez said the government troops retaliated that left Kitari wounded in the hip.

The military official stressed it was a “legitimate encounter,” citing also that there is a gun ban in connection with the May 2013 polls.

Kitari was brought to the hospital after his companions retreated following a five-minute exchange of gunfire, said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said that Kitari was still alive when

they brought him to the hospital, though the military official could not say what time they exactly arrived there.

There was almost a seven-hour difference from the time of the encounter until he was pronounced dead. Travel from Nakultana to Koronadal City would take around two hours.

With Kitari Capion’s death, he urged Daguel Capion to yield and face the charges filed against him.

Daguel admitted responsibility to the killing in March 2011 of three workers of a construction company hired by Sagittarius Mines for a road project. [Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews]

This was what Pedro Arnado, secretary general of the Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (KMP) Southern Mindanao, said in an interview Wednesday.

Some 5,000 protesters, reportedly from ComVal and Davao Oriental, put up a human barricade at Montevista highway in Compostela Valley last

January 15 that tied the traffic for at least nine hours.

Eight of them – namely, Barug Katawhan (People Rise Up) members Carlos Trangia, Grace Curso, Bello Timdasan and Leni Camino, Prof. Mae Templa of BALSA Mindanao, Tony Salubre of KMP, Bayan Southern Mindanao secretary general Sheena Du-

azo and Juland Suazo of Panalipdan Southern Mindanao – are facing charges of “public disorder”.

The Montevista municipal police reportedly filed Thursday cases of “tumultuous and public disturbance, unlawful utterances and/or alarm and scandal” against the protesters. [Lorie Ann A. Cascaro / MindaNews]

KMP urges gov’t to stand for Montevista protesters

F

ILING charges against eight leaders of a barricade that demanded an end to foreign and large-scale mining and commercial logging in ComVal and Davao Oriental, which protesters claimed aggravated the devastation caused by Typhoon Pablo, showed that the government would not stand for the poor.

UPREME Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno personally accepted on Wednesday morning in Alabel, Sarangani he deed of donation for two new regional trial court buildings donated by the provincial government.

The facility was constructed in a lot donated by the province located within the provincial capitol complex.

The project worth about P9 million is part of the provincial government’s efforts to improve the administration of justice in the province.

Gov. Miguel Dominguez said access to justice is not just the sole responsibility of the courts.

Dominguez bared that in 2006 the province linked up with the private sectors, stakeholders and other government institutions in order to realize the objective of making access to justice easier for Sarangani residents.

Based on the record of the Provincial Legal Office, more than 3,000 cases were clogging the dockets of the then lone regional trial court branch 38.

As a result, the 200-capacity Sarangani Provincial Jail was teeming with inmates whose pending cases remained untried.

Many of the prisoners, in fact, had already

served more than their prescribed sentences.

Provincial legal officer Arnel Zapatos, who worked hard for the success of the project, said “What transpired over the years, about this project, have been stories of how our people, officials and government institutions worked together,” Zapatos said.

The provincial government, Zapatos bared, formally launched in 2006 Justice Enhancement and Empowerment Program with the battle cry “Bring justice closer to the people.”

Working hand in hand with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the provincial government strengthened the justice system right in the grassroots through the “Barangay Justice Advocates” and alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

The purpose is to screen and reduce the number of cases being filed in court.

In 2007, the province set up the Provincial Mediation Center to further decongest court dockets of pending cases.

The following year, the provincial government institutionalized the only locally-funded “Justice on Wheels” in the country.

No less than former

FSARANGANI, 11

4 SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

UNEP, FAO launch global campaign to change culture of food waste S

IMPLE actions by consumers and food retailers can dramatically cut the 1.3 billion tonnes of food lost or wasted each year and help shape a sustainable future, according to a new global campaign to cut food waste launched today by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and partners.

The Think.Eat.Save.

Reduce Your Foodprint campaign is in support of the SAVE FOOD Initiative to reduce food loss and waste along the entire chain of food production and consumption - run by the FAO and trade fair organizer Messe Düsseldorf - and the UN Secretary General›s Zero Hunger Challenge. The new campaign specifically targets food wasted by consumers, retailers and the hospitality industry.

The campaign harnesses the expertise of organizations such as WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), Feeding the 5,000 and other partners, including national governments, who have considerable experience targeting and changing wasteful practices.

Think.Eat.Save. aims to accelerate action

and provide a global vision and informationsharing portal (www. thinkeatsave.org) for the many and diverse initiatives currently underway around the world.

Worldwide, about one-third of all food produced, worth around US$1 trillion, gets lost or wasted in food production and consumption systems, according to data released by FAO. Food loss occurs mostly at the production stages - harvesting, processing and distribution - while food waste typically takes place at the retailer and consumer end of the food-supply chain.

“In a world of seven billion people, set to grow to nine billion by 2050, wasting food makes no sense - economically, environmentally and ethically,” said UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

“Aside from the cost implications, all the land, water, fertilizers and labour needed to grow that food is wasted - not to mention the generation of greenhouse gas emissions produced by food decomposing on landfill and the transport of food that is ultimately thrown away,” he added. “To

bring about the vision of a truly sustainable world, we need a transformation in the way we produce and consume our natural resources.”

“Together, we can reverse this unacceptable trend and improve lives.

In industrialized regions, almost half of the total food squandered, around

whether fresh or coastal and marine, will guide all stakeholders, from surrounding communities to water-related agencies, businesses and industries, on how best to protect and manage them so that the next generations will equally enjoy their full potential.”

Pursuant to Republic Act 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004, all water bodies in the Philippines are provided a water quality classification based on existing, or expected best usage, of each water body or water body segment.

Paje said classification is a tool that government agencies, particularly the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau, use to manage and protect all fresh surface waters like streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs, and coastal and marine waters in the country.

“Classifications and their associated protec-

tion rules are designed to protect water quality, fish and wildlife, the free flowing nature of a stream or river, or other special characteristics,” Paje said.

Each classification has associated standards that are used to determine if the designated uses are being protected, he added.

According to their beneficial use, fresh surface waters are classified as Class “AA” (Public Water Supply Class I), “A” (Public Water Supply Class II), “B” (Recreational Water Class I), “C” (Fishery Water, Recreation Water Class II, Industrial Water Supply Class I), “D” (For agriculture, irrigation, livestock watering; Industrial Water Supply II; and other inland water).

Coastal and marine waters, on the other hand, are classified as Class “SA” or those suitable for the propaga-

DENR classifies 51 new water bodies T

HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has classified 51 additional water bodies in terms of best usage and water quality in order to boost protection and ensure proper management of these water resources.

This brings to 676 the number of water bodies which have been classified nationwide, and DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje explained that the classification is necessary to determine the best uses to be implemented within these waters and the set of water quality standards to be observed in order to protect those uses.

“The Philippines has water potential abundant enough to last us for more than a decade,” Paje pointed out. “It is a matter of managing and utilizing our water resources sustainably, and classifying water bodies,

300 million tonnes annually, occurs because producers, retailers and consumers discard food that is still fit for consumption,” said José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General. “This is more than the total net food production of Sub-Saharan Africa, and would be sufficient to

feed the estimated 870 million people hungry in the world.”

“If we can help food producers to reduce losses through better harvesting, processing, storage, transport and marketing methods, and combine this with profound and lasting changes in the way people con-

sume food, then we can have a healthier and hunger-free world,” Graziano da Silva added.

The global food system has profound implications for the environment, and producing more food than is consumed only exacerbates the pressures, some of which follow:

tion and harvesting of shellfish for commercial purposes, tourist zones, national marine parks, coral reef parks and reserves designated by law and concerned authorities; “SB” (Recreational Water Class I, Fishery Water Class I); “SC” (Recreational Water Class II, Fishery Water Class II, marshy and/or mangrove areas declared as fish and wildlife sanctuaries; and “SD” (Industrial Water Supply Class

II and other coastal and marine waters by their quality).

The classification of the 51 additional water bodies is listed in DENR Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2013-03. The list covered nine regions, namely: Cagayan (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3), CALABARZON (Region 4A), MIMAROPA (Region 4B), Bicol (Region 5), Western and Eastern Visayas (Regions 6 and 8, respectively), Central Mind-

anao or SOCCSKSARGEN (Region 12), and Caraga (Region 13). Regions 4B and 8 had the most number of water bodies classified at 14 each.

Among the fresh surface water bodies, the Montible and Nagsaguipi River in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, have been classified as Class A, which means water sources require complete treatment to meet National Standards for Drinking Water (NSDW).

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

THE ECONOMY

5

EU to provide PHL P2 billion in development assistance

T

HE European Union (EU) will provide this year P2 billion in development aid to the Philippines to support grassroot development in Mindanao and in the health sector.

“The EU is supporting the Mindanao Peace Process in various ways. We support the IMT (International Monitoring Team) and we also provide development assistance to reduce poverty – which is partly at the origin of the conflict,” said Guy Ledoux, the head of the EU delegation.

Ledoux said the EU was the first to provide development assistance to Mindanao immediately after the signature of the Framework Agreement with a P400 million grant.

“People in Mindanao need to see the peace dividend quickly,” he noted.

For one, the government of Italy is providing over the

next six years P68 million in technical assistance grant for the implementation of agrarian reform community development support program in Mindanao.

The program aims to contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of about 53,000 rural families in five provinces of Regions XII and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

France, for its part, has started implementing livelihood projects with the local communities in Mindanao to increase their income and improve their everyday life.

Ledoux said the EU has been helping boost the Philippine health sector for already 10 years.

“We are deepening cooperation with DOH (Department of Health), we support the healthcare policy,” he said.

For his part, National Economic and Development Author-

ity (NEDA) Deputy Director General Rolando Tungpalan said the EU has been also assisting the Philippines to fight poverty through trade.

EU’S third phase of Trade Related Technical Assistance of the Philippines (TRTA) covers the areas of trade policy, standards conformity, food safety, competition and trade facilitation.

“Things that we need to prepare the society, the economy to address the expected influx of investments and at the same time help us diversify exports. The ODA (official development assistance) helps improve logistics, phytosanitary conditions and even design,” Tungpalan said.

In the Philippines, the disbursement of EU aid reached 110 million Euros (or 5.9 billion) in 2011, 90 percent of which are in the form of direct grants rather than loans. [PNA]

6

THE ECONOMY

Stat Watch

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

5.8% 1st Qtr 2012

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

6.4 % 1st Qtr 2012

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

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

8. Interest Rates 4/

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

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

P 42.78 Jun 2012

12. Stocks Composite Index 6/

5,091.2 May 2012

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100

130.1 Jun 2012

14. Headline Inflation Rate 2006=100

2.8 Jun 2012

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

3.7 Jun 2012

16. Visitor Arrivals

349,779 Apr 2012

17. Underemployment Rate 7/

18.8 % Jan 2012

18. Unemployment Rate 7/

7.2 % Jan 2012

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

2012

2011

2010

42.85 42.70 42.86 42.66 43.62

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

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

VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Public hearing on proposed amendments of RA 4566 set T

HE Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) is set to conduct a public hearing on the proposed amendments to the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Republic Act No. 4566 at the Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City on February 5.

RA 4566 is an act creating the Philippine licensing board for contractors, prescribing its powers, duties and functions, providing funds therefore, and

for other purposes.

In the said public hearing, among the major amendments to be tackled will be “the Regular License shall be reserved for and issued only to constructor-firms of Filipino sole proprietorship, or partnership/ corporation with at least 60 percent (from the previous 70 percent) Filipino equity participation and duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Philippines”.

Department of Trade and

Industry (DTI) Regional Director for Davao Region Marizon S. Loreto said this is an opportunity for the region’s construction industry stakeholders to share their thoughts on the proposed amendments, whether it’s beneficial or not.

“We have to hear their views on the proposed amendments so that PCAB, which is an attached agency of DTI, can do the necessary steps following thereafter,” she said.

Apart from the contractors,

the one-day consultation is also expected to gather participants from the local government units (LGUs), national government agencies (NGAs), academe, and various associations related to the construction industry.

Loreto encouraged those interested stakeholders to contact Ms. Lani T. Catalan of PCAB-Davao at (082) 2240511 local 417 for additional information about the one-day gathering. [DTI 11/Jen Mendoza]

CHEAPER. A vegetable vendor wraps bundles of fresh “kangkong” at the bagsakan area of Bankerohan Public Market in Davao City yesterday. Budget conscious buyers prefer to buy vegetables and fruits in the said area where prices are much cheaper. Lean Daval Jr.

PHL needs to liberalize FDIs to attract more investment

H

AILING the country’s economic growth as “phenomenal,” famed economist Nouriel Roubini stressed the need for more structural and institutional reforms to sustain the country’s economic gains.

“The country has shift into an economic model, it has to be more active in integrating with the ASEAN economies,” Roubini said as he lauded the many efforts of the administration in promoting good governance.

Visiting the Philippines for the first time, Roubiniwas the keynote speaker at the Philippine Investment Summit 2013 held at the Makati Shangri La on Wednesday and described the country’s businessmen as “sophisticated in their acumen” and very warm and cordial.

In his assessment of the country’s economy, Roubini explained that the country should liberalized foreign direct investment (FDI) rules and the financial market regulations in

order to attract more investments.

“Foreign investment is rather modest…FDIs are source of greater amount of investments but for more foreign investments to pour in, the (government) has to ensure the sanctity of contract and ease on conducting business,” he explained. ”Openness to FDI will increase the competition among the (local) economic powers and would break the monopo-

lies,” he stressed.

He added “there should be stronger competition policies, put more emphasis on multilateral trade and open up for more investments.”

At the same time, Roubini stressed the importance of the present administration’s thrust to provide the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) more access to capital and financing and encourage more private investments to meet the demands of strong consumption. [PNA]

as of august 2010

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

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

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

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

6:15 6:25 6:30 7:00 8:50 8:10 8:30 9:40 10:10 12:20 12:30 09:05 13:25 14:05

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

MI588 / MI588 MI566 / MI566 MI551 / MI551 5J507 / 5J598 15:55 Z2524 / Z2525 5J967 / 5J600 PR813 / PR814 5J215 / 5J216 5971 / 5J970 5J973 / 5J974 5J969 / 5J972 2P987 / 2P988 PR821 / PR822 PR821 / PR822

18:55 18:55 15:45 15:00 Mani2Mani 16:05 16:35 16:55 18:00 18:40 20:00 20:30 20:30 21:20 22:20

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

13:35 15:20 12:05 15:30 16:45 17:05 17:45 18:20 19:10 20:30 21:00 21:00 21:50 22:50

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

AGRITRENDS

7

WB officials visit infra projects in North Cot W

ORLD Bank officials visited recently the towns of North Cotabato to in-

spect implementation of infrastructure projects they co-finance with the national government.

The eight-man WB team visited the farmto-market road (FMR) projects implemented by

the Department of Agriculture – Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP) in the towns

WARM WELCOME. World Bank country director for East Asia and Pacific John Roome is warmly welcomed by the beneficiaries of the WB-funded program Mindanao Rural Development Program, a project of the Department of Agriculture. [Photo by DA Region 12]

of Aleosan and Libungan.

“We are here to personally look into the status of various MRDP projects. We would like also to solicit from you suggestions to improve the program implementation,” said WB country director for East Asia and Pacific John Roome during the focus group discussion in Aleosan town.

Meanwhile, MRDP deputy program director Arnel de Mesa said that the visit was also as part of the series of assessments for the proposed Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP).

PRDP is envisioned to be the up-scale version of MRDP which will cover all the 80 provinces across the country.

“As PRDP will be patterned from MRDP, Mindanao regions will serve as role model in project implementation for Visayas and Luzon,” De Mesa said.

Among the FMR projects in Aleosan town, the team visited the on-going 4.34 kilometer FMR reha-

bilitation projects in barangays Upper and Lower Mingading. The project amounted over P14-million.

Aleosan Mayor Loreto Cabaya Jr. said the FMRs availed of the local government unit from MRDP have significantly reduced the transportation cost of the farmers.

“With the better road conditions we have reduced the risk on travelling produce to the market and bringing farm inputs especially on the highly-elevated portions.

While the savings on transportation mean increase income of farmers,’ Cabaya said.

Aleosan town produces mainly corn, rice, coconut and high value commercial crops like rubber.

In Libungan town, the team visited the FMR concreting Sitio Abacanhan, Sitio Nueva-Fuerza, and Sitio Largo with a total length of close to a kilometer amounting to P 6.4 million. (Sherwin B. Manual/DAMRPD)

BPI plays key role in food sufficiency program--DA PHL coco exports drop GRICULTURE SecreThe DA chief also urged holders various technical ic and aromatic rice varitary Proceso J. Alca- the men and women of the services and assistance. eties to farmers, including in 2012 by 21.57 percent

A

la underscored the important role and contribution of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) in the government’s goal to attain food sufficiency during the agency’s recent 83rd anniversary celebration in San Andres, Manila.

He commended the men and women of the BPI, led by Director Clarito Barron, for their valuable contribution in the sustained growth and development of the country’s crop industry, which last year grew by 4.1 percent, with a total value of P797.7 billion at current prices.

The crop subsector contributed more than one-half (51.5%) to total agriculture production, which increased by 2.92% last year, despite several typhoons that hit the country.

DA-BPI to be pro-active in providing needed services and interventions to make the country’s crop sector ‘climate-smart’ and compliant to international food safety standards, and further enhance the competitiveness of Philippine fruits and vegetables in the world market.

“Let’s protect diligently our border’s safety. Not only for those products we import, but also for those we export,” Secretary Alcala said. For those serving as plant quarantine officers, he asked them to communicate to him whatever intervention needs to be done, to swiftly resolve major issues and concerns.

One of the pioneer bureaus under the Department, the BPI is mandated to provide farmers and crop industry stake-

These include plant genetic resource conservation and management; conduct of researches to improve crop farming systems; production of quality seeds and planting materials; enforcement of plant quarantine laws, rules and regulations; and development of processing technologies on utilization of agricultural crops and its by-products.

The agency also provides technical services on farm mechanization, physico-chemical, microbiological and pesticide residue analysis, seed testing and seed certification, and pest surveillance, control, management and forecasting.

During the anniversary program, Secretary Alcala presented awards and commendations to outstanding BPI employees, distributed seeds of organ-

fruits and vegetables production guides.

For his part, Director Barron cited the agency’s major milestones and accomplishments, including the conduct of more than 100 research studies on crop varietal development.

The BPI also imposed stricter measures to ensure that the country’s fruits and vegetables for both domestic and export markets are free from insects and diseases. In particular, it issued a new set of guidelines in the accreditation of exporters, traders, growers, and packing facilities for export of fruits and vegetables. To date, the BPI has accredited 59 banana exporters, 431 banana growers, 74 packing facility operators, and 422 packing facilities. [DA Information Service]

last January 28.

The DA chief said Costales owns a ‘nature farm’ in Majayjay, Laguna, frequently visited by Filipino and foreign tourists, and boasts of being the first agri-tourism site accredited by the Department of Tourism.

Costales was chosen as the country’s best organic farmer in 2012, under the Gawad Saka, sponsored by the DA honoring the country’s outstanding achievers in agriculture and fisheries. He is also considered a ‘magsasaka-siyentista’ by both the

His farm features an integrated natural farming system producing organic vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry and livestock. Costales said he has also adopted Japanese and Korean natural farming systems.

Secretary Alcala said he wants to see more Costales in the years to come, as the Aquino government promotes both agriculture and tourism.

In fact, President Aquino cited agriculture and tourism as among the priority investments areas in the country, during a speech at the World Eco-

Switzerland.

During the ATI anniversary, Secretary Alcala also inaugurated a Learning and Discovery Center (LeAD) for agriculture and fisheries, which serves as a showcase for value chain and farming systems, and innovations in organic farming.

He urged farmer-leaders and agriculture industry stakeholders to adopt organic agriculture technologies to reduce production costs and make agricultural products more competitive in the international market.

T

HE value of coconut exports dropped 21.57 percent to .54 billion in 2012 from .96 billion in 2011 due to depressed world markets prices.

PCA Administrator Euclides Forbes said depleted prices were due to the weak demand from the United States and Europe.

However, coconut exports increase by 1.49 percent to 1.53 million metric tons (MT) in 2012 from 1.51 million MT in 2011, in terms of volume.

Coconut oil shipments grew by 3.7 percent to 851,913.18 MT from 821.445.37 MT. Receipts of coconut oil, however, dropped by 30. 25 percent to 2.32 million from .41 billion.

Moreover, average world market price of coconut oil dropped by 32.75 percent to ,153.08 per MT in 2012 from , 714.54 in 2011.

The PCA plans to duplicate its 2012 record of fertilizing 20 million coconut trees, again another record for a year and has bought more than a billion pesos worth of salt fertilizer through a public bidding since 2008.

It also wants to establish 300 community based organizations which shall serve as a conduit of its poverty alleviation program known as KAANIB. The components of the programs are replanting, intercropping, livestock raising, trainings, and it costs P1 million each. [PNA]

Sec. Alcala urge attaches DA to promote organic farming, agri-tourism to increase farm exports HE Department of Training Institute (ATI) DA and DOST. nomic Forum, in Davos,

T

Agriculture is encouraging more farmers, entrepreneurs, hobbyists and overseas Filipino workers to establish organic farms that will serve as agri-tourism sites.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala made the pitch as he commended a model organic farmer from Laguna, Ronald Costales, and presented him a certificate as an accredited technology extension provider, during the 26th anniversary celebration of the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural

A

GRICULTURE Secretary Proceso J. Alcala has urged the country’s agricultural attaches to find ways to increase exports of Philippine farm and fishery products, and improve the country’s balance of trade.

“Help conclude trade transactions. Understand our products and find ways to break barriers for the benefit our farmers, fishers and agri-fishery stakeholders,” said Secretary Alcala, during his recent meeting with the Department of Agriculture’s foreign agriculture service corps (FASC).

“In one of my meetings with the President, he

pointed out that we have unfavorable balance of trade in agriculture with so many countries. I acknowledged that the DA has not given enough attention and effort on this. This is one of your immediate tasks – to look into the existing trade relations, and find ways to improve our balance of trade in agriculture,” the DA chief noted.

Currently, the DA has 12 agriculture attaches deployed in eight countries, namely: Washington, USA; Beijing, China; Dubai, UAE; Brussels, Belgium; Bangkok, Thailand; Rome, Italy; Tokyo, Japan; and Geneva, Switzerland.

8 VANTAGE POINTS

EDGEDAVAO Pollution reduction efforts need teeth

VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

COMMENTARY

BY WANG AIHUA

C

EDITORIAL

D

City’s tax collection up

AVAO City Mayor Sara D. Carpio and members of her team must be smiling from ear to ear these days. And for good reason. The huge increase in tax collection recorded by the city government at the start of the year.

Logically, the feat should hearten all Dabawenyos, considering that increased tax collection means more money for badly-needed public service projects.

As of Tuesday, January 29, or three days before the deadline for applying for business permits, collection had already reached P531.8 million, up by P89,405,393 or 20.20 percent higher than the P442,476,362 collected during the same period in 2012.

Statistics actually show that there has been an increasing trend in collection from 2011 to 2013. In 2011, the collection was placed at P401,644,943.

The same report also bared an increase in the number of business permits applied and paid for this year compared to last year’s figures over the same period from 21,733 in 2012 to 24,502 in 2013.

City Treasurer Anastacio Jardin told EDGE Davao that the upswing trend is attributed to administrative policies anchored on peace and order to ensure a

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favorable business climate. Jardin said the increase was “built up from the previous policies of the city and not done overnight.”

“Previous policies such as policies focusing on peace and order and creating more infrastructures, making Davao City more conducive for investments,” Jardin said.

Many other factors can be credited for this happy development. Among them are the ideal business climate that Dabawenyos and their leaders have created for the city in the past decade or so.

Foremost of these is the maintenance of law and order, the passage of some ordinances that have made the city more attractive to investors. Many believe though that the most impressive achievement by our city is the much improved transparency in government transactions. They would like to give credit to Mayor Sara for her being a stickler for the rules of discipline and propriety that she wants everybody to follow. We take note that in the last few months of her administration, she did not hesitate to reshuffle personnel in the city treasurer’s office. This may have been one of the reasons tax collection surged.

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HINESE authorities need to put more stricter measures in force when talking about reducing pollution, as more than 10 percent of the country was shrouded by thick smog this week.

Looking to be determined in reducing air pollution, cities like Beijing have announced plans to shut down heavily polluting plants in urban areas and cut the number of government-owned cars running on the streets.

The moves sound encouraging, but when it comes to actual practice, much stricter supervision has to be implemented to make sure they are followed.

The very reason China is facing such a poor pollution situation is slack supervision.

A relevant incident took place in early January in north China’s Shanxi Province - environmental authorities did not tell the public that poisonous liquid aniline had tainted a major river until five days after it was detected.

Some experts also blame the country’s oil giants for churning out substandard products that have increased pollution emissions from automobiles.

Although it is easy to blame businesses for their lack of social responsibility, the fact is that it is the government’s job to keep such behavior in check, instead of just covering it up.

Some local governments fail to take pollution issues seriously, resulting in mass protests in some areas.

Some governments have even attempted to silence protestors for fear of losing face and tax money.

It is time for authorities to stop focusing on boosting the GDP and take real action to change China’s economic growth pattern.

In the meantime, Chinese legislators need to work out stricter laws to punish polluters and those who cover up for them.

China currently has an Environmental Protection Law and dozens of other specific laws regarding pollution of the air, soil, forests and water.

However, laws on paper do not necessarily equate with effective implementation.

Many businesses and government officials have sidestepped or completely ignored such laws.

Therefore, while enhancing legislation, authorities must improve supervision by making it more convenient for the public to report on polluters and severely punishing environmental officials who are caught shirking their duties.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has said that the people are the source of China’s power.

However, it is the people who must now depend on the government to lift the smog that has choked so many cities, as well as make other efforts to ensure a greener tomorrow. [PNA/Xinhua]

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

Indonesia strives for economic growth in equity ( Conclusion )

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RESIDENT Yudhoyono when opening a regional meeting on the Post-2015 Development Agenda in Bali, last year, said given the nature of poverty which is multi-faceted and triggered by many factors, poverty eradication should be a far-reaching and continuous effort.

He stated that global prosperity can only be attained if economy grows with equity, and in the long-run, the global economy must continue to grow in a strong, balanced, inclusive, and sustainable way.

According to Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, as the Chair of APEC in 2013, Indonesia has intended to make concrete contributions to the establishment of a future economic architecture.

President Yudhoyono has set the theme for APEC 2013, namely “Re-

ANALYSIS

BY FRED KRUPP silient Asia Pacific, Engine of Global growth”. With this theme, Indonesia will continue to promote a stronger and resilient Asia Pacific as the locomotive for world`s economic growth, the minister explained.

And among Indonesia`s priorities as the APEC Chair is to achieve “Sustainable Growth with Equity, with the focus on the SMEs, global competitiveness, financial inclusion, food security, and health,” Marty said when delivering his annual statement in Jakarta, on January 4, 2013.

The World Bank Group in a discussion on the Joint Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for Indonesia for the

period 2013 -2014, in Washington DC, December 2012, pledged its support to Indonesia`s Masterplan for accelerated growth, which is pro-growth, pro-jobs, pro-poor, and pro-environment.

“Building on six decades of partnership with Indonesia, during which economic growth thrived beyond expectations and millions of people were lifted out of poverty, the World Bank Group pledges its continued support of Indonesia`s agenda of growth with equity,” said Stefan Koeberle, World Bank Country Director for Indonesia, in a statement.

He described Indonesia`s agenda as “a strategy that focuses on tackling growth constraints across the archipelago and strengthening connectivity will bring jobs and educational opportunities to many more Indonesians.” [PNA/ Antara]

The gems and stars left off the Oscars list

I

F I could remove any word from Oscar conversations, it would be “snubbed.” It’s catchy and makes good headline fodder, but it implies that a cabal of Academy members sat in a room and consciously decided to ostracize this actor or that moviemaker.

These ballots are filled out by 6,000 to 7,000 voters, ranging from visual effects experts to screenwriters to studio chiefs.

I can’t envision secret meetings to decide the fate of each candidate.

Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained) and veteran French star Jean-Louis Trintignant were both considered serious contenders for a Best Actor nomination; neither made the final cut, even though Trintignant’s co-star in Amour, Emmanuelle Riva, was nominated for Best Actress. At one point, the gifted John Hawkes was touted as a shoo-in for his brilliant performance in The Sessions.

But I’ve learned never to use the word “shoo-in” where the Oscars are concerned.

There were fewer surprises in the Best Actress category, although some pundits had predicted Helen Mirren for Hitchcock, Marion Cotillard for the French import Rust and Bone and Rachel Weisz, who won the New York Film Critics’ award, for (The Deep Blue Sea). As it happens, they took a collective backseat to the youngest female ever nominated in this category, 9-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) and the oldest, 82-year-old Riva.

The always-crowded Supporting Actor and Actress rosters excluded such prominent figures as Nicole Kidman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson and Maggie Smith, while admitting Philip Seymour Hoffman for what is clearly a leading role in The Master.

But the biggest buzz concerns this year’s Best Director lineup. Experienced

( 1st of two parts ) ANALYSIS

BY LEONARD MALTIN Oscar watchers could see this brewing, as the current Oscar setup has a builtin dilemma. To understand it, one need only do the math: With the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences now enabling nine films to compete for Best Picture — in fact, they allow as many as 10 — but retaining only five slots for Best Director, at least four world-class filmmakers are guaranteed to be left out in the cold. How those four happened to be Kathryn Bigelow, Ben Affleck, Tom Hooper and Quentin Tarantino this year is anybody’s guess.

Only members of the director’s branch get to nominate directors; that’s an elite group of fewer than 400 people.

The same constituency didn’t cite Affleck for his terrific movie The Town a few years ago but did support Bigelow and Hooper, who went on to win for The Hurt Locker and The King’s Speech, respectively. They were early boosters of Tarantino, who won an Oscar forBest Screenplay in Pulp Fiction in 1994 and was nominated again for Best Director for his last film, Inglorious Basterds. It may be true that they’ve undervalued Ben Affleck, but there is no logic to the omission of the three other Best Picture directors.

What’s more, the Academy’s director lineup doesn’t coincide with that of the Directors Guild of America, which historically, and almost invariably, has forecast the Oscar winner. But that was before the Academy opened up the Best Picture category beyond its traditional five slots, so now all bets are off. (For the record, this year’s DGA nominees are Affleck, Bigelow, Hooper, Ang Lee and Steven Spielberg.)

Every round of Oscar nominations brings its share of surprises and disappointments. Many people I know were counting on Judi Dench to be up for Best Supporting Actress, which would have made her the first person to be singled out for a performance in a James Bond movie in that series’ 50-year history. There was also great enthusiasm for Javier Bardem’s performance as the movie’s colorfully sinister villain. Both Dench and Bardem are former winners, so the Academy actors’ branch clearly appreciates them … just not enough to make this year’s finals.

Even so, Skyfallearned a record five nominations, including one for Thomas Newman’s rousing music score and one for cinematographer Roger Deakins, who has been nominated 10 times and never taken home one of those gold statuettes. (It’s the first time around for Adele, who sang and co-wrote the movie’s theme song.)

Over the course of the year, a handful of other films elicited critical notice that might have led to Oscar recognition: Richard Linklater’s Bernie offered Jack Black an unusually juicy part as a real-life Texas character who may or may not have murdered his older female companion. Novelist Stephen Chbosky’s adaptation of his best-selling book The Perks of Being a Wallflower earned warm reviews for its deeply felt look at high school outcasts. Costar Ezra Miller has been singled out in particular amid a talented young cast.

Two of the best performances of the year were given by Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña in David Ayer’s vibrant L.A. cop drama End of Watch, but their work has been largely overlooked. Fortunately, Peña is in the running for an Independent Spirit Award as Best Supporting Actor.

ICT HUB

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Davos power rankings: Who’s up, who’s down and who’s out? ( 1st of two parts ) OPINION

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BY IAN BREMMER

FTER another year of panels, colloquia, summits, meetings, whispers and skiing, the Davos emissaries headed home with a few new connections and catchphrases (“Resilient Dynamism” forever!). After four years of gloomy predictions and summits dominated by post-financial crisis concerns, this year the mood was significantly more positive. While I would argue that the pendulum of sentiment has swung too far, there are reasons to be cautiously optimistic. Based on my observations at the 2013 World Economic Forum, here’s a power ranking of who’s up, who’s down and who’s off the radar—according to Davos attendees, at least.

UP United States: The politics of Washington were all but forgotten. With the so-called fiscal cliff standoff resolved and no current budget battle hurdles (at least for the next few weeks), there were no urgent crises to distract Davos from the strong American economic fundamentals. Instead, the chatter was about insourcing, the energy revolution and the positive growth outlook this year – all sources of a (perhaps inflated) exuberance.

Eurozone: Almost every eurozone leader of merit turned up, and so the chatter was good. (Davos is an easy place to please, as long as you put in the effort.) Mario Draghi and Angela Merkel charmed, but Christine Lagarde was the belle of the ball. She stole the show with her keynote speech; one of her strongest messages was the need to narrow the gender gap, not only from an equal rights perspective but also because “it makes economic sense to improve the situation of women.” The Europeans, it was clear, had reached bottom, and are now quite ready to make their way back from whence they came. While they’re not there yet, they’re definitely closer than last year.

Japan: For the first time since I can remember, the Japanese delegation seemed to have a certain confidence and an admirable level of coordination. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dialed in via satellite to give a brief address; Japanese representatives had their talking points in order; and Japan Night – a party 15 minutes from the Congress Centre (somewhat of a trek for the rarified air of Davos) – was a huge success, with 1,000 attendees.

Most importantly, people seem, for now, comfortable with “Abenomics” and its reliance on government-supplied stimulus.

Sub-Saharan Africa: There were a record number of heads of state and ministers from Africa this year, and, unlike in the past, they played a central role. They were on all sorts of major panels and weren’t just consigned to talking about African issues. This year, many African players were seen as emerging markets in their own right.

DOWN Britain: David Cameron’s speech in London announcing Britain’s potential withdrawal from the European Union was all the rage here…but not the right kind. Cameron was hammered with questions during his Davos appearance, and while people were polite enough in public, based on what I heard in private, blokes were less kind. Delegates from corporations, eurozone countries and financial enterprises were all nervous about the uncertainty that Cameron had injected into the market — and it’s a cloud that could hang over the United Kingdom for five years, given his call for a referendum by 2017. As Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of the WPP Group, said, Cameron may have created a “gray swan” that will limit investment in Britain.

10 NATION/WORLD

VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

NATION BRIEFS

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Increase

he Philippines said Thursday its economy grew by a better-than-expected 6.6 percent last year as confidence rose in President Benigno Aquino’s efforts to fight corruption and alleviate poverty.

A final-quarter expansion of 6.8 percent boosted the full-year figure, the government said, cementing the country’s status as one of the best performing in Asia and raising expectations of stronger growth in 2013.

Blackout

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hile it denied actively enforcing a news blackout, Malacañang admitted that discussing plans to repatriate Aman Futures CEO Manuel Amalilio might complicate the matter.

“Operationally, it’s not good for us to be telegraphing what we are doing insofar as a particular operation is concerned. I suppose it is prudent for us to not disclose every step of an operation,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a briefing.

Presidential

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he Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) is considering fielding Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. in the 2016 presidential elections, the lawmaker himself admits. In an interview with reporters, Revilla said that the option to field him in 2016 is being considered by the party, of which he is president.

“Madami nang nagsabi [niyan sa akin] but siyempre hindi ganun kadali yun,” he added.

“Napag-uusapan pero siyempre too early para pag-usapan.

Dito muna tayo sa trabaho natin sa Senado,” he added.

S

Elected

enator Edgardo Angara on Thursday said that he has been elected as the first Asian chairman of the Global Conference of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC). “I was elected last night as the chairman and chief executive of the GOPAC,” Angara told reporters in an interview on Thursday.

According to its website, GOPAC is an “an international network dedicated to good governance and combating corruption throughout the world.”

Cautioned

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ith the midterm elections just months away and with political groups already gearing for the presidential election in 2016, President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday cautioned that reforms must be maintained to avoid a return to patronage politics and corruption.

“Without structural reform, another corrupt president might one day take the reins of power; another chief justice might one day again betray the public trust,” Aquino told attendees in the 5th Global Conference of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption, where he was keynote speaker.

Trump Jr. wants U.S. ship saved before Tubbataha

EDGEDAVAO

T

HE U.S. government has already vowed to dismantle a warship stuck in the Philippines’ Tubbataha reef, but at least one of its high-profile citizens finds the idea absurd.

The namesake son of real estate magnate Donald Trump thinks saving the $277-million USS Guardian should be prioritized over saving the protected Philippine reef.

“This is how stupid we are! $1/4 bil+ ho hum ‘@ DRUDGE_REPORT: Navy to scrap $277 million ship to avoid scraping reef... http://drudge.tw/XSG79T’,” Donald Trump, Jr. posted on his Twitter account Thursday.

He was reacting to a story published on the Washington Free Beacon about the U.S. Navy’s decision to cut up the minesweeper to prevent it from further damaging the Tubbataha Reef.

Trump’s statements almost immediately drew reproach from his followers, Filipinos and other netizens alike.

Most of the reactions noted that the reef is an environmental treasure and is worth more than the U.S. ship which ran aground earlier this month while on its way to Palawan.

The Tubbataha Reef was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in

DAMAGED. This handout photo, taken on January 22, 2013 and released by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), shows a government diver investigating the damage to corals after a US navy minesweeper, the USS Guardian, ran aground on January 17 at the Tubbataha reef, off the western island of Palawan.

1993 and included in a global list of Wetlands of International Importance in 1999. “@DonaldJTrumpJr A boat is more important than a coral reef?” a user called Adam Quirk challenged.

Trump was quick to respond: “@adamq112 not the whole reef but yes a 277mil boat is more important than a 200x50 section of reef that has already been run over.” “[T]he whole reef was not destroyed just a chunk the size of a boat.

That is not worth 277 million by any standard,”

he added.

He also slammed the U.S. government’s move to shoulder the cleanup cost. “[P]lease cleanup costs? The ship is 200 by 50 at most on the edge of a reef. it hit and stopped give me a break 277 million,” Trump tweeted.

Filipinos took out on Trump more aggresively.

Controversial cultural activist Carlos Celdran said: “@DonaldJTrumpJr @DRUDGE_REPORT This is our natural resources.

US should spend more than 277 million to repair damage. Jeez. Asshole

much?”

“Hijo @DonaldJTrumpJr, before you criticize, you ought to ask yourself how in the world did they even get there?”

Twitter user @dudeinterrupted said.

Krizette Chu said: “@ DonaldJTrumpJr YOU ARE UR FATHER’S SON, DUMB ASS. The reef is worth MORE THAN 200M. It Takes thousands of years to regenerate!”

“And for your information, the TUBBATAHA is home to HALF OF THE WORLD’s marine species.

Is it still expensive?” she added. [Yahoo!]

ident Benigno Aquino’s spokesman Edwin Lacierda.

“We don’t have any existing jets right now that are in use, therefore it is necessary for us to upgrade. This is part of the ongoing process of modernizing our military hardware,” he told reporters.

Lacierda said the jets would be used for “training, interdiction and disas-

use their aerial cameras to survey areas.

He stressed that the planned purchase was “not aimed at any particular country” despite the new tensions with China over conflicting maritime territorial claims in the South China Sea. Defense department spokesman Peter Galvez said the FA-50 was chosen because it fitted all the

and because of its cost, adding that 18.9 billion pesos ($464 million) had been budgeted for their acquisition.

Manila will now begin negotiations for the aircraft, he said, adding that the government will seek to have two planes delivered as soon as possible so Filipino pilots can begin training on them.

In recent months the cash-strapped Philippines has stepped up efforts to modernize its military in the face of increasing Chinese assertiveness in pressing its claims to most of the South China Sea. Although the Philippines has long relied on its defense ties with the United States for most of its arms, it has recently been seeking more weaponry from other countries like Poland, Spain, Italy, Canada and France.

President Aquino discussed acquiring more South Korean military equipment when South Korean President Lee MyungBak visited the country in November 2011. [AFP]

Philippines to buy 12 S. Korean fighter jets

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he Philippines will buy 12 South Korean FA-50 fighter jets to strengthen its poorly-armed military, government spokesmen said Wednesday, amid increasing maritime tensions with China.

The FA-50s will be the first fighter jets to be operated by the Philippine air force since it retired the last of its US-designed F-5

A FA-50 fighter jet model is displayed at Baghdad’s International Fair for Defense and Security on April 15, 2012. The Philippines fighters in 2005, saidfighter Pres-jets toter response” and military, would country’s requirements will buy 12 South Korean FA-50 strengthen its poorly-armed government spokesmen said Wednesday, amid increasing maritime tensions with China. [AFP]

WORLD TODAY

C

Fresh air

hina’s foulest fortnight for air pollution in memory has rekindled a tongue-incheek campaign by a multimillionaire with a streak of showmanship who is selling canned fresh air.

Chen Guangbiao, who made his fortune in the recycling business and is a high-profile philanthropist, on Wednesday handed out soda pop-sized cans of air, purportedly from far-flung, pristine regions of China such as Xinjiang in the northwest to Taiwan, the southeast coast.

Warned

S

outh Korea warned the North not to make the mistake of conducting a third nuclear test and its president summoned top security officials for an unscheduled meeting on Thursday, amid signs the rival was moving ahead with preparations.

The warning by the outgoing administration of Lee Myungbak was the toughest yet after North Korea vowed to conduct more rocket and nuclear tests in response to a U.N. censure for its launch of a long-range missile in December.

Condemned

L

ebanon’s militant group Hezbollah condemned on Thursday an Israeli attack which it said targeted a Syrian research centre, saying it was an attempt to thwart Arab military capabilities and pledging to stand by its ally President Bashar al-Assad.

“Hezbollah expresses its full solidarity with Syria’s leadership, army and people,” it said in a statement.

Sentenced

A

court in China has handed down heavy sentences to a Tibetan monk and his nephew for inciting eight people to set themselves on fire in anti-Chinese protests, media said on Thursday, the first time punishment has been meted out over such protests.

Nearly 100 Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest against Chinese rule since 2009, with most of them dying from their injuries.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

Another 80 OFWs flee Despondency Syria, arrive in Manila Man blasts self, son

M

ANILA, Jan. 31 (PNA) –- Another 80 Filipino workers who fled from the upheaval in Syria returned to the Philippines Thursday, the Dept. of Foreign Affairs said.

The Filipinos arrived at 6:30 a.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal I aboard Emirates flight EK 336.

Their arrival brings to 3,451 the total number of Filipinos who have

UN...

returned home since the Philippine government imposed mandatory repatriation of workers there in 2012.

A civil war has engulfed the Arab nation and the Al-Assad regime has continued to step up its offensives against civilians and rebels despite an array of sanctions and condemnations by the United Nations, the United States and its Western and Middle East allies.

As the security situation in the country continues to deteriorate, the DFA appealed anew to all Filipinos who are still in Syria to seek immediate repatriation.

Philippine officials had to buy out their contracts from the employers so they would be allowed to join the repatriation while others refused to go home due to lack of opportunities in the Philippines .

require other communities to get involved,” he said, adding that “If the plan requires us to redirect the flow of water, then it will be redirect it to another community which should also be protected and we cannot do this on our own.”

“The plan is a comprehensive one to avoid displacement of communities,” he said, admitting that there is no adaptive measures on the drawing board yet

considering that large portion of the communities live near the shores.”

Lepardo said he could not conclude if the recent floodings in the city is caused largely by garbage because he could not put a percentage on which types of garbage were found in the debris. “There were tree branches, weeds, coconut husks and plastics,” he added. [Lovely A.Carillo]

added.

Meanwhile, the Cenro has already penalized 64 people for violation of the City Ordinance No. 0361 – 10 which is the Mandatory Segregation of Solid Waste.

She said, “Cenro has documented a total of 4,851 violators, 3,108 of whom paid fines, attended seminars and served time for community service.”

“Cenro has already filed 617 cases, and 64 people already convicted and summoned to pay the maximum penalty of P5,000,” she added.

The fine for the first

offense is P300 plus a mandatory seminar; the fine for the second offense is P500 plus 5 days community service; the fine for third offense is P1,000 plus a 10 days community service while the fourth offense will mean prosecution of the violator by a court.

Remojo expressed disappointment, saying, “We are serious in implementing the segregation law of the city, however, there are citizens who just want to throw their garbage in an easier way, without segregation when Cenro people are not around.”

malization or return of loads back to its normal set-up will be on Feb. 4 from 5:00 a.m. to 5:15 a.m. after maintenance works will be completed.

Customers affected by these scheduled service disruptions are those from Bankerohan Bridge up to Ulas Police station. This includes the whole area of Matina, Maa, Ecoland, Bangkal, Catalunan Grande and Ulas.

However, those residing from Talomo bridge

up to Bago Aplaya and from Ulas to Angalan Tugbok will only experience the outage set on Feb. 4, Monday.

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.

FFROM 1

megadike, he said, then UN-Habitat will bring the proposal to possible funding sources.

Lepardo said that once the funding countries find the proposal viable they will provide a grant, not a loan, so the city will not pay for it.

This is a very big project, he added, and the city cannot do it on its own.

“The city government does not have the capability because this is not an isolated plan and will

Blame...

FFROM 1

month, according to Solid Waste Management Board division chief Dolly Remojo in a statement at the iSpeak forum at the City Hall yesterday.

Remojo said, “Because of the flood, from January 21 to 31, a daily average of 360 tons of solid waste were collected in flood affected areas, such as JadeValley, Ma-a and Bankerohan.”

“We are still collecting solid waste up until now, and if we finish collecting solid waste from all of the barangays in the city, we expect the collection to reach 475 tons a day,” she

Feb...

FFROM 2

Catalunan Pequeño for a more reliable power supply.

Particularly affected by these service disruptions are customers connected to Ecoland, Matina, Bangkal and Puan Substations.

To keep the power interruptions within the least possible time, loads connected to the said substation will be transferred to nearby substations which will take place from 4:00 a.m. to 4:15 a.m. on Feb. 3. Nor-

11

to death with grenade

By Aquiles Z. Zonio

A

troubled man set his home ablaze before blowing himself and his teen-age son up using a hand grenade past noon Wednesday in Sulit village, Polomolok town, South Cotabato.

PO3 Homer Celiz, investigator of Polomolok Police Station, identified the victims as Charlie Mantilla, 37, and his son Charles Joven, 12.

Celiz said that at around 12:00 noon Wednesday they received a call informing them that there was a fire incident followed by an explosion in Sulit village.

Polomolok police recovered from the scene a safety lever of an MK2type grenade, a jolen gun, empty bottle of wine, burned motorcycle and the blasted bpfies of the victims.

Celiz said their initial investigation showed that Mantilla was suffering from depression based on the accounts given by neighbours and some people close to him.

Police investigation further bared that the victim’s wife has been working abroad for about six years and is scheduled to return home this February.

In an interview, Lucila Mantilla, mother of Charlie, disclosed that her son became despondent when he learned from his son Charles Joven that his OFW mom was planning to get her child.

“One time, when my grandson arrived home after visiting his maternal grandparents, he told his father that his mother wanted him to live with her own parents,” Lucila said.

The mother said Charlie was so close to his son because he was the one who took good care of him while his wife was working abroad.

Victoria De Pusoy, adopted daughter of the Mantillas, claimed that prior to the explosion she overheard Charles Joven pleading with his father to calm down.

“Bembem (Charles Joven) asked him to

stop what he was doing, which was setting his motorcycle on fire, went inside the master’s bedroom and burned their clothes. A few minutes later, there was a loud explosion,” Victoria narrated.

Neighbors destroyed the padlock of the kitchen door to gain entry.

The mutilated bodies of the victims were found in separate areas of the kitchen.

Neighbors helped n putting out the fire to prevent it from spreading towards the other houses.

Bebing Tanare, a childhood friend of Charlie, said her friend had been showing signs of depression before the incident.

“He told me there’s a voice whispering in his ear that his son wouldl be taken away from him.

Maybe, this was an adverse effect of too much alcohol intake,” Tanare said.

“I didn’t expect him to do this because he had been telling me he was okay,” Tanare said.

five more regional trial courts designated by the Supreme Court as RTC branches 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51.

However, due to budget constraints, only two out of the five RTCs – branches 47 and 48 – have so far been constructed.

The building, which is now ready for occupancy, houses not just the two new RTCs. It also has an IBP lounge, an office for the clerks of courts, records room and comfort rooms.

The provincial government, Zapatos said, has done its part in fostering and nurturing justice.

“Now, it’s the Supreme Court’s turn to respond and take the challenge,” Zapatos said.

It’s now up to the Supreme Court to cre-

ate plantilla positions, to appoint the required personnel and to allocate funds needed for the full operation of the new courts.

In his speech, Supreme Court Administrator Midas Marquez hailed the provincial government for taking the initiative to enhance the delivery of justice and rule of law in this part of the country.

“This is not the first time that the province of Sarangani partnered with the Supreme Court to improve the delivery of justice especially to far-flung areas,” Marquez said.

He said the Supreme Court is impressed that all stakeholders in the province are working together to improve the justice system in the province.

Sarangani...

FFROM 3

Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno who came over on Nov. 28,2008 to receive the donation – a bus cum mobile court – from the provincial government.

The provincial legal officer, however, said a mobile court is just a palliative solution.

Zapatos claimed that since the inception program, the number of pending cases was significantly reduced to around 700, about three-fourth of which are new cases.

The provincial government, with the help of Congressman Manny Pacquiao, lobbied hard for the passage of Republic Act 10123 which was enacted into law by Congress on June 3,2010.

RA 10123 paved the way for the creation of

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FULL COLOR ADS + 35% color surcharge

HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND, Mortgagee

VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No(s) under LOYOLA PLAN issued to the following planholders, to wit; PH NAME CFP NO. CONTRACT NO. 1. BARRIOS, AMABEL 10006405 193720-0 2. AVERILLA, LILIA 51519 NNN707313281 3. DELOS SANTOS, NILDA 37764 421033-2 were lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void. (edge 02/01, 08, 15)

EJF-REM CASE NO. 13, 886-12

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Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against SAMUEL M. JULAINE , with postal address at Lot 32,blk. 23 Gallera de Oro Subd., Bago, Davao City to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of October 19, 2011 amounted to Php 300,270.03 Philippine Currency, inclusive of interest, penalty charges, plus attorney’s fees equivalent to TEN ( 10%) of the total indebtedness plus other legal expenses incident of foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff IV of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on February 21, 2013 at 10:00 A.M. or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland,Davao City to the highest bidder for Cash or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the following real property together with all the improvements thereon, to wit: Transfer Certificate of Title No. T- 253104 “ A parcel of land (Lot 32, Blk.23xxx) situated in the Barangay of Bago, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao.xxx Containing an area of NINETY THREE (93) SQUARE METERS, more or less” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date.

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In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date,it shall be held on March 21, 2013 without further notice.

This NOTICE will be posted in three (3) conspicuous public places in the City of Davao and in the place where the property is located and where the auction sale will take place for the information of the general public and the parties.

Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the titles herein described real property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Davao City, Philippines, January 2, 2013

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SPORTS 13

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

Howard injured as Lakers lost to Suns P

HOENIX (AP) -- Michael Beasley scored a season-high 27 points and the Phoenix Suns rallied from 13 down in the fourth quarter to hand the Los Angeles Lakers their eighth straight road loss 92-86 on Wednesday night.

The dramatic comeback came in Steve Nash’s first game in Phoenix since he left for the Lakers after last season.

The Lakers, who had won three straight - all at

home, lost Dwight Howard when he reinjured his right shoulder with 6:57 to play.

Beasley, whose previous season best of 25 came two games earlier, scored on a scrambling layup as the shot clock was expiring to put the Suns ahead 88-86 with 43.8 seconds to play.

Kobe Bryant had 17 points and nine assists, but missed what would have been the tying layup with 24 seconds to play.

INJURED. Lakers star center Dwight Howard reinjured his shoulder.

RECORD. Carmelo Anthony has scored 20-plus points in 30 straight games.

Melo makes Knicks record

N

EW YORK (AP) -- The New York Knicks finally got a glimpse of what the front line of Carmelo Anthony, Amara Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler can do hitting on all cylinders, and it was pretty impressive.

Anthony scored 20 points to set a team-record with his 30th straight 20-point game, and Chandler and Stoudemire combined for 35 points on 17 of 18 shooting from the field in leading the Knicks to a 113-97 victory over the reeling Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. ‘’When I first got here I always said it was going to take maybe three years,’’ Anthony said of meshing with his fellow bigs who all came to New York between June 30, 2010 and Dec. 9, 2011. ‘’We had two half seasons to make something happen overnight. Now this season we can go through ups and downs and try to make something happen.

When the three of us are on the court, we are making things happen offensively and defensively.’’

The trio was at their best in the third quarter in sending Orlando to its seventh straight loss

and 18th in 20 games.

They combined for 18 of New York’s 28 points and keyed a late run that gave New York the lead for good. ‘’The third quarter was great,’’ said Stoudemire, who hit all seven of his shots. ‘’We played great defensively. We were able to get a good lead and capitalize. Anytime guys are double-teamming Carmelo, it gives us a chance to open a lead.’’

Chandler had one of his best games in week.

The All-Star center finished with 21 points on 10 of 11 shooting, along with seven rebounds and a season-high five assists. ‘’I had a couple of rough games and I felt like I really wanted to get into the offense early,’’ Chandler said. ‘’So I came out and made it a point to be more aggressive.’’

Knicks coach Mike Woodson was thrilled with his big men. ‘’That’s the beauty of having two big guys play and Melo plays big as well,’’ Woodson said after his team beat the Magic for the third time in as many games this season. ‘’It’s kind of nice to have three big guys like that up front playing.’’

14

SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

PRISAA NATIONAL GAMES

EDGEDAVAO

Davao shoots for no. 1

By Neil Bravo

“W

E will shoot for no less than num-

ber one.”

That’s the bold declaration of PRISAA Region XI Executive Director Joaquin Sarabia as the regional athletes are high on their buildup to the 2013 PRISAA National Games in Pangasinan set February 11-16.

Guesting at the DSA Forum yesterday at Dexter’s Pizza Stadium, Sara-

bia said the Davao Region will try to improve on their fourth place finish in the 2012 edition of the Games in Cebu last year.

“If you ask me, we will shoot for number one, it’s not easy but it’s not impossible,” Sarabia, the athletic director of powerhouse University of Mindanao, declared when pressed on their targets.

The Davao Region will be composed of 335 athletes, coaches and of-

ficials and will be seeing action in all 18 events.

The best finish of the Davao Region was second place which they did twice, the last in 2010 where they came short by 6 golds of overhauling perennial champion Cebu.

“Cebu is a very strong contingent. They have the support of the private sector aside from their schools. It’s very hard to dislodge Cebu but who knows? We are playing in

PAL INTERCLUB PREVIEW

Apo parbusters are no pushovers

(Second of 3 parts)

A

SENIORS. Boy Tan of Apo Golf and Country Club will be playing in the Seniors Interclub.(Boy Lim)

Pangasinan this year, not Cebu,” he added.

Davao Region will be defending their titles in baseball where 9 golds will count, women’s beach volleyball with three golds, and sepak takraw with 9 golds. The region also has strong chances in women’s basketball and in the medal-rich athletics.

The PRISAA Region XI has allocated P2.8 Million for their participation.

By Neil Bravo

PO Golf and Country Club, the breeder of several top amateurs and professionals, will bring its rich tradition to the 66th Philippine Airlines Interclub set to tee off in Cebu City beginning on February 21.

Apo, which has been the training ground of such golf luminaries as Tony Lacuna, Cassius Casas, Elmer Salvador and Jay Bayron, is hoping it can break through the annual team golf tournament this year in Cebu.

Apo’s men’s squad will be banking on Karlos Alba, Almar Etrone, Denden de Castro, Toffee Tionko, Peter Pineda, Patrick Tan, Pitt Jun Batu, Leo Fusilero and Chikoy Saavedra.

Cebu Country Club and Mactan Island Golf Club will host the regular Interclub set February 26 to March 2.

More than half of the 78 squads in the regular Interclub are from overseas.

In the Senior’s Interclub, Apo will be fielding a team led by former World Cup veteran Tibor Marcelino, Interclub veterans Soc Cadayona, Ting Castillo, Lando Cachuela, Boy Tan, Jun Horfilla, Jun Serado, Joe Marfori and Chito Nucum.

Canlubang will defend the seniors’ title it narrowly won last year in Davao in this year’s edition set February 21-24 at the Alta Vista Golf and Country Club and Club Filipino de Cebu Golf Club. A record 100 teams, including 53 from abroad, are entered in the Seniors event.

For this year’s event, the hosts unravel four golf courses for the event, hence the theme “4 at the Fore.”

Presented by PAL, the event is sponsored by Mareco Broadcasting Network (Crossover), Solar Entertainment, Plantation Bay and Media Five. It is also backed by major sponsors Manila Broadcasting Corp., Philippine Broadcasting Network, Stargate Media and Radio Mindanao Network.

Corporate sponsors include Shangri La Hotel Mactan, Boeing International Corp., Radisson Blu Hotel and Philippine Daily Inquirer. Minor sponsor is Ginebra San Miguel.

PRISAA. Joaquin Sarabia, executive director of PRISAA Region XI briefs media during the weekly DSA Forum on the forthcoming PRISAA National Games in Pangasinan.

(NJB)

JR NBA. Coach Bernard Sefu shows kids some basketball limbering up exercises.

Jr. NBA: Davao City kids up next

U

S Jr. NBA Coach Sefu Bernard, who is also Director of Basketball Operations NBA Asia, got kids really engaged in his fun conditioning drills during the Jr. NBA School Clinics held at the CSI Stadia in Dagupan City last weekend.

Besides conditioning, the clinic participants also learned basketball fundamentals in shooting, dribbling, passing and footwork, with emphasis on the Jr. NBA core values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude and Respect (S.T.A.R.).

The Jr. NBA Philippines 2013 presented

by Alaska has completed its Touring Clinics in Lucena and Dagupan and moves on to Davao City this weekend (February 2 and 3) in partnership with Phoenix Petroleum for coaches and school clinics at the Ateneo de Davao.

Regional Selection Camps which will choose the most outstanding young cagers in the various regions for inclusion in the National Training Camp will be held in March and April. Visit www. jrnba.com.ph for more details and schedules.

INdulge!

VOL.5 ISSUE 237 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 01-02, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

STYLE

Pastel Sweet A prom dress is like the wedding gown of high school girls. Some take months planning what to wear in this momentous evening, also considered a rite of passage.

The prom season is usually frolicking in pastel confection of poufy and satiny cloth, sashaying the halls of a dreamy ballroom.

Young girls in soft, sorbethued layered dresses are always a delightful sight, like seeing a modern Marie Antoinette swarmed in macarons and other French pastries.

Pastels are usually the main choice for prom as they are the colors that enhance, accentuate, and add a romantic appeal to the youthful glow on teens.

Just like the joy in every

FPASTEL, A4 Words and styling: MEGHANN PATRICIA A. STA. INES Creatives: KENNETH ONG Photographer: AYIE HERNANDEZ Make-up: MELODY ROSS TINOY Model: QUEENN AMORA Location: ARTISAN DESIGN STUDIO Clothes: KASUOTAN Cakes from BLUGRE, OSVALDO’S, LACHI’S, TINY KITCHEN, and MISS VANILLA.

A2 INdulge!

UP AND ABOUT

SM Lanang Premier 3 Day Sale, Feb 1-3!

SM Lanang Premier rolls the carpet for their first-ever Great 3 Day Sale on February 1, 2 and 3.

Spoil yourself with a great shopping spree and avail of up to 70% discount mall-wide.

SM Advantage, Prestige and BDO Rewards cardholders may avail of additional 10% discount from SM affiliate stores on Friday, from 10AM to 12 NN. Be up close and personal with the Philippine crooner Richard Poon on Saturday, 6 PM and learn more about Feng Shui with Maritess Allen on Sunday afternoon at the mall atrium.

Mall hours are extended until midnight on February 1 and 2.

Plus, get a chance to take home one of the five Devant 50’’ SMART 3D Internet TV! Its amazing discounts and so much more at SM Lanang Premier’s 3 Day Sale this weekend so gear up and shop!

For inquiries, call 285.0943. Like SM Lanang Premier on Facebook or follow @smlanangpremier on Twitter for event and promo updates.

DAVAO CITY, January 2013. Fr. Joel Tabora SJ, President of Ateneo de Davao University welcomes Fr. Francisco “Patxi” Alvarez SJ, assistant to the Father General on Social Apostolate and Ecology worldwide. Fr. Patxi visited and had a dialogue with the social apostolate centers of the University. He praised ADDU’s commitment in helping flood and typhoon victims within the city and the region (inset photos). (Ateneo IPO).

EDGEDAVAO

Globe is exclusive PH carrier of the Samsung Galaxy SIII mini GLOBE TELECOM gets first dibs on the Samsung Galaxy SIII mini as the first Philippine telco to carry the latest device from Samsung’s roster of Galaxy S smartphones.

Exclusively offering the device from January 23 to February 28, Globe empowers subscribers with various plan options to get the Samsung Galaxy SIII mini for as low as P999 monthly depending on their budget, needs and lifestyle.

Under Unli Surf Plan 999, subscribers get the Samsung Galaxy SIII mini for free with unlimited mobile surfing and one (1) call and text freebie* changeable monthly.

Subscribers can also opt to get the device for free under My Super Plan 999 with P900 worth of monthly consumable amount for calls and texts, free 50MB data for mobile surfing, and two (2) call and text freebies* that are changeable monthly.

Finally, subscribers can avail of the Platinum Plan 3799 which gives them the Samsung Galaxy SIII mini and the Samsung Galaxy SIII for free, complete with unlimited mobile surfing, P2,800 worth of monthly consumable for calls and texts, and seven (7) call and text freebies* that are changeable monthly.

Subscribers availing of the Platinum Plan 3799 are also eligible to get the Platinum Blue membership, which includes access to the 24/7 Globe Platinum Hotline for aftersales support, nationwide assistance from the Platinum Concierge Service, exclusive offers and privileges from partner establishments, and priority lane access in Globe Stores nationwide.

“We cement our leadership in postpaid with our opening salvo for 2013 – the Samsung Galaxy SIII Mini.

Our one-month exclusivity with the device testifies to our strong and robust partnership with Samsung. Get the best smartphone experience from Globe with the new Samsung Galaxy SIII mini, headlined by our roster of customizable postpaid plans and exclusive offers, powered by a faster Globe network, now with more pervasive 3G and 4G coverage nationwide,” said Martha Sazon, Head of Globe Postpaid.

Sazon added, “The components of our plan offers are perfect for users to enjoy the features of the new Samsung Galaxy SIII mini – from unlimited surfing to upload multimedia content and update social networking sites worry-free, to free calls and texts to connect with one’s social circles anytime, anywhere.”

The Samsung Galaxy SIII mini

resembles Galaxy SIII’s minimal and organic design inspired by nature.

Its beautiful 4.0-inch Super AMOLED display offers a generous viewing experience that lets users view multimedia and Web content in brilliant color and clarity. It is powered by Samsung’s own 1 Ghz dual core processor, 4-inch AMOLED touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system, complete with Bluetooth, WiFi and WiFi hotspot. Its humancentric nature provides an ergonomic and comfortable experience with enhanced usability, while its comfortable grip and gentle curves deliver a natural feel and design.

Starting February 1, subscribers who wish to purchase the device can go to a Globe Store nearest them to apply.

SM Dept Store holds nationwide branded jewelry fair SM Department Store brings you the Branded Accessories’ Jewelry Fair, a Nationwide Luxury Sale of Jewelry on February 1 to 28, 2013 -- featuring brands such as F&C, The Jeweller and Hearts & Arrows!

DAVAO CITY, January 2013. Engr. Diosdado Banatao who is known as “The Filipino Bill Gates” and “The Father of the Semi-conductor,” is greeted by Ateneo Presidents after his talk on Depth Engineering at the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU). The talk was attended by Deans, faculty and staff of all Ateneo Universities, along with ADDU students. (L-R) Ateneo de Zamboanga University President and incoming Philippine Jesuit Provincial Fr. Tony Moreno SJ; Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Jett Vilarin SJ; Ateneo de Davao University President Fr. Joel Tabora SJ; Engr. Banatao; Xavier University President Fr. Bobby Yap SJ; and Ateneo de Naga University President Fr. Jun Viray SJ. Engr. Banatao is an Atenean, being a graduate of the Ateneo de Tuguegarao, Cagayan Valley. He has since made his home in Silicon Valley (Ateneo IPO).

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Shoppers get up to 50% off on all items, plus 10% discount with your SM Advantage, SM Prestige, or BDO Rewards card. Get exclusive freebies for a minimum purchase of P10,000.

SM’s Branded Accessories’ Jewelry Fair, is a Nationwide Luxury Sale on February 1 to 28, 2013 in all Branded Accessories Department of SM Department Store branches nationwide.

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EDGEDAVAO

ENTERTAINMENT

Alicia Keys named BlackBerry’s new global creative director WHO KNEW Alicia Keys was so tech savvy?!

Earlier today, BlackBerry announced that the Grammy-winning singer has been named the smartphone company’s new global creative director.

“Excited2jump right in2my new role as Global Creative Director of@ Blackberry!” Keys tweeted after the big news went public. “#BlackBerry10 #keepmoving #forward-

thinking.”

According to Keys’ official website, her new BlackBerry duties will include working “closely with app developers, content creators, retailers, carriers and the entertainment community to further shape and enhance the BlackBerry 10 platform, and inspire creative use through its remarkable capabilities and functionality.

“From music to books, to film, to apps, Keys will lead the charge of enhanc-

ing entertainment consumption and distribution, through the power of BlackBerry 10.”

Additionally, BlackBerry President and CEO Thorsten Hein said in a statement, “We are excited she will be bringing to us her enormous capabilities, as well as a vast network of relationships in the entertainment, social media and business communities, to help shape our brand and grow our business.”

Congrats, Ms. Keys!

Pregnant Kate Middleton spotted browsing for workout clothes KATE MIDDLETON isn’t letting a little thing like pregnancy get in the way of some retail therapy.

Just days after hitting up a maternity shop on trendy King’s Road, E! News confirms the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge browsed casual clothes and sportswear at Sweaty Betty, a women’s sportswear brand, while

at Selfridges department store in London on Monday.

A store source told E! News that Middleton browsed the clothes but could not confirm if the mother-to-be actually purchased any items. The source added that no one noticed her browsing or took photos of her while she was there.

Last week, a royal insid-

er told E! News exclusively that despite Middleton’s occasional trip out to a few stores, “Kate’s been laying low. She’s been staying at Kensington Palace and living the life of a duchess.”

And obviously waiting for the arrival of her and Prince William’s little one.

The palace announced earlier this month that the bundle of joy is due in July.

The Vampire Diaries first look:

Twilight’s Charlie Bewley makes his Damon-torturing debut WATCH OUT Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), there’s a new hunter in town!

Twilight actor Charlie Bewley is set to guest star on The Vampire Diaries as Vaughn, another member of the Five, a highly skilled group of vampire hunters whose tattoos are a road map to the cure for vampirism.

We’ve got your exclusive first look at Bewley as the “charming and tough as hell” Vaughn, who isn’t exactly Damon’s (Ian Somerhalder) biggest fan.

In these stills from the CW hit’s Feb. 14 episode “Down the Rabbit Hole,”

Bewley makes his debut as Vaughn, a hunter, when the gang, including Da-

mon, Elena (Nina Dobrev) and Stefan (Paul Wesley), take a trip to Nova Scotia in an attempt to find the cure. (Nothing good ever happens in the woods, have they learned nothing from scary movies or their previous experiences?!)

Vaughn is seen torturing Damon, whom he’s heard a lot about, but can’t quite understand why he feels so strongly about Elena.

As we first reported, Bewley, who played Volturi member Demetri in the Twilight franchise, will stick around for several episodes.

INdulge! A3

A4 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO

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STYLE

Pastel...

FFROM A1

cake slice, pretty pastels also bring us back to the divine sweetness of our youth --- back in the carefree days when calories didn’t figure. While prom fashion has gotten a bit sexier nowadays, with skirt lengths cut right at the knee, most designers have maintained the dainty take by frosting on cotton candy shades with semi-precious stones, floaty feathers, lace, floral applique and other ultra-feminine broderie.

Young girls in soft, sorbethued layered dresses are always a delightful sight, like seeing a modern Marie Antoinette swarmed in macarons and other French pastries.

SPORTS 15 DAVAO FOOTBALL COMMUNITY LEAGUE

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A league of their own

FOOTBALL. Jack Ibarreta, Tournament Commissioner of the Davao Football Community, announces the staging of the DFC League beginning Sunday at the Davao Crocodile Park during the DSA Forum at Dexter’s Pizza Stadium yesterday. Lower photo shows some of the DFC players in action during their weekly community games. (NJB)

By Neil Bravo

F

ROM homeless to a league they can call their very

own.

It used to be that members of the Davao Football Community (DFC) were homeless weekend warriors who had to scamper for a field in order to sweat it out with whatever is left of their fading football skills.

N ow, t h e DFC has

established a home inside the sprawling Davao Crocodile Park and has organized its own Division II league called the DFC. Jack Ibarreta, DFC Tournament Commissioner, yesterday officially announced the opening of the 2013 DFC season with the staging of the DFC League beginning this Sunday at the Davao Crocodile Park.

“We are opening our DFC League tournament this Sunday and it will be played every Sunday for eleven Sundays,” Ibarreta said during the weekly Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at Dexter’s Pizza Stadium.

The DFC League has grown to 12 teams

this year with two new clubs as expansion.

The DFC clubs are Solido FC, Fil-Chi FC, Belisario Futbol, Davao Crocodile FC, KMMPC FC, and Davao Agila FC. The tournament is a 9-a-side league with double round elimination format. It will have a total of eleven matchdays with each team playing two matches every Sunday.

“We have balanced teams now and we have excluded all active Division I players,” Ibarreta added.

Meantime, DFC Administrator said they are proud to have contributed to the development of young football players in Davao City. He cited two junior players Jed

Diamante and Javier Romero-Salas who starred for the Philippines’ Little Azkals U-14 squad. The two players used to don for Solido FC but have joined the ranks of Division I in the Davao Football Association (DFA).

“They are the youngest Division I players at 14. They have bright future ahead of them,” Arrieta said.

Diamante and Romero-Salas carried the scoring cudgels for the Little Azkals in their friendly matches against Chelsea FC of Korea.

Davao Norte bids for 2014 PRISAA W

ITH its spanking new sports complex, Davao del Norte will be strongly making a pitch for the 2014 PRISAA National Games.

PRISAA Regional Executive Director Joaquin Sarabia said Vice Governor Baby Suaybaguio and provincial sports

coordinator Giovanni Gulanes will be officially presenting the bid of Davao del Norte during the PRISAA National Games in Pangasinan.

The PRISAA Nationals will be held in Pangasinan on February 11-16 in Lingayen and Dagupan.

“They have the spe-

cific instruction of Governor Rodolfo Del Rosario to strongly bid for the Games next year and we are very happy for that,” said Sarabia who welcomed the move.

Davao has not hosted a national event of such magnitude ever since the UAAP Nationals was held at the

fire-razed Palaruang Lungsod sometime in the 80s.

Davao del Norte boasts of a 12-hectare sports complex with a rubberized track oval, 10-lane Olympic-sized pool, 5,000-seat grandstand, 1,000-seat bleachers, clubhouse, air-conditioned gymna-

sium and professional lighting.

The facility was inaugurated last December 12, 2012 although the layering of the rubberized track is still underway due to the delays caused by recent rains.

“It is the turn of Mindanao next year and we

are praying it will be in Davao del Norte,” Sarabia said after noting that Zamboanga City has always hosted the event during the Mindanao cycle.

“For a change, they said Zamboanga is willing to pass it up for Davao,” he added. (Neil Bravo)

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