Edge Davao 5 Issue 241

EDGEDAVAO

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VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

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Serving a seamless society

Indulge

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White House kitchen

Drug leader shot dead Illegal drugs drive

War na jud ni!

Science /Environment

Page164 Page

Elephants breed away from humans

Sports

2 others nabbed in buy-bust operations

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NOTORIOUS drug leader was killed while two others were arrested on Tuesday as authorities intensified its anti-illegal drugs campaign in the Davao region.

Slain was Onse Arimao, alleged leader of the Arimao Drug Group, who is also facing double murder and illegal drugs charges.

Nephi De la Cruz, spokesperson of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 11, said Arimao, 51, of Bakuring, Brgy. Madaum, Tagum City, Davao del Norte, was killed when he engaged law enforcers in a shootout while trying to evade arrest in Brgy.

Madaum, Tagum City.

Page 16

FILLEGAL DRUGS,10

Pinoy Pride in Davao

In Davao City

Protesters enjoy high tolerance

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SPIDERBOY. A child beggar hangs on a railing along the pathway outside SM Lanang Premier to attract the attention of passersby for loose coins, in Lanang, Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

D

AVAO City has a “very open” democratic space even for revolutionary groups, city police chief Ronald Dela Rosa said Wednesday.

He pointed this out after 20 members of the radical youth group Kabataang Makabayan (KM), which is identified with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), staged at around 4 p.m. Tuesday a lightning rally on Claro M. Recto Avenue (a.k.a. Claveria Street).

President Benigno Aqui-

FIN DAVAO CITY,10

2 THE BIG NEWS

CSRC to measure LGU performance

VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

By Che Palicte

A

N effective tool for monitoring local government’s performance and adherence to democratic governance is now being pushed in the municipalities of Carmen and Dujali, Davao del Norte through an opinion survey by civil society organizations.

Christine Anne Villa, project coordinator of CODE-NGO, said at yesterday’s Club 888 media forum at TheMarco Polo Davao that the civil society report card (CSRC) will help the people of the two municipalities to evaluate the local government units’ performances, both in service and governance.

“The CSRC will measure the level of satisfaction in the municipal government’s performance in the areas of service delivery and good governance,” Villa explained, adding that the opinion survey will commence before the election and right now they are completing the list pf 50 respondents

who are heads of different organizations in Carmen and Dujali.

“Whether they are heads of their cooperatives or are barangay leaders, as long as they are leaders of certain groups in their municipality, they can automatically qualify as respondents of the opinion survey,” she said.

Villa said the CSRC project is part of their advocacy for transparency and social accountability, and it maximizes scale and synergy to influence public policy, providing leadership in civil society and increases the effectiveness of social development work in the country.

She added that they will be conducting a fair survey and the results will be open to the public, to LGUs, as well as candidates for local positions so that they can respond to the assessment of the people and they will be able to correct the weak programs and services if they win in the 2013 elections.

SC rules PCOS images are legal

T

HE Supreme Court has ruled the digitized representations of the ballots cast through the Precinct Count Optical Scan machine are legal and could be used in determining the number of votes in election-related cases.

In a 20-page ruling dated Jan. 22, 2013 and written by Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe, the SC en banc denied for lack of merit the petition filed by former Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Liwayway Vinzons-Chato against the House of Representatives Elector-

al Tribunal assailing the latter’s verdict directing the copying of ballots for her election protest against Camarines Norte (2nd District) Rep. Elmer Panotes.

In the May 10, 2010 elections, Panotes won with 51,878 votes over Chato by 3,882 votes.

Chato sought redress before the SC after the HRET proclaimed Panotes as the rightful winner in October 2012.

HRET chair Senior Associate Justice Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr. and members Associate Justices Lucas P. Bersamin and Diosdado M. Peralta

FSC, 10

PCL CONFAB. Mayor Sara Duterte, accompanied by several Davao City councilors, is greeted by delegates before delivering her message to some 4,000 councilors nationwide during the National Executive Officers and National Board Meeting of the

Philippine Councilors league held at SMX Convention Center of SM Lanang Premier in Lanang, Davao City, Tuesday night. Lean Daval Jr.

DPWH commended for good governance

By EJ Dominic Fernandez and Che Palicte

T

HE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), once referred to as a den of corruption, was commended by President Benigno Aquino III for having saved P12 billion as a result of conscientious and honest work.

Aquino’s remark was given at the 2013 Philippines Development Forum held at The Marco Polo Davao Tuesday.

The President said the success of DPWH was among his favorite stories of commitment and good governance which ensure integrity, transparency, and accountability to guide government operations.

“Restoring faith in sys-

tems eroded by corruption also means holding each public servant and institution up to the standard of integrity, and this applies not only to DPWH, but to other entities as well,” Aquino said, adding that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) collected over P1 trillion for the first time in history last year.

He added that the mentioned agencies will do even better this year and that 95 to 99 percent of local government units have complied with full disclosure policy and have made information on their finances and projects readily available.

“This kind of transparency and accountability leads to the increased ef-

ficiency of agencies and redounds to real results: money saved, programs improved, and people helped,” Aquino said.

He also announced the full year growth for 2012 of 6.6 percent, besting all predictions, and among the biggest contributors to this growth were trade, renting and business activities, real estate, construction activities, household consumption, and net exports.

“These indicate increased private sector activity and capacity, signs that growth has become more sustainable. The improved consumption capacity of Filipinos means that our growth has benefited households as well.

Moving forward, the challenge will always be how to ensure that our gains are inclusive or more inclusive,” he added.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or Conditional Cash Transfer Program’s budget for 2013 is more than four times what it received in 2010: from 10 billion pesos, to this year’s 44.3 billion pesos and this will help 3.8 million families, he said.

He also bared that last year saw landmark achievements in healthcare and education, with the expansion of the PhilHealth program “to provide healthcare coverage for the poorest of our peo-

February 8 - Turnover of the Prosperity Ark ceremony followed by a program at the Davao Central High School where plaques will be awarded to people who rendered service to victims of Typhoon Pablo.

February 9 – The countdown to welcome the Year of the Water Snake starts, spearheaded by celebrities Maui Taylor and Katya Santos, at the Davao Central High School campus.

“This is our way of

thanking those people who extended support and help in Pablo-hit areas,” Huang said, adding that the February 9 event will bring total entertainment to Dabawenyos.

High government officials, heads of Filipino-Chinese communities, teachers and students will participate in the program.

“We will make sure that people will get entertained while welcoming the Chinese New Year,” Huang said.

FDPWH, 10

Davao Chinese set for the New Year

By Che Palicte

T YOUTH MOVEMENT. Senatorial candidate Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, center, is surrounded by students of the University of Southeastern Philippines who want to have a souvenir photo

with him during the Padayon! Youth of the Nation Mindanao launching at USEP Social Hall in Bo. Obrero, Davao City on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr.

HE Davao City Chinatown Development Council (DCCDC) and Duaw Dabaw Foundation are all set to conduct activities for the Chinese New Year.

Jasper Huang, public relations officer of DCCDC, yesterday said at the weekly Club 888 media forum at The Marco Polo Davao that all the itineraries are ready for the event.

The following are the events that will welcome the Year of the Water Snake:

SUBURBIA

EDGEDAVAOVOL.5 ISSUE 241 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

3

DSWD 11 prepares for CDD expansion T

HE regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development is gearing up for the upcoming expansion of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated

Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) Project this year.

“Lumalaki ang responsibilidad natin na palawakin din ang kakayahan ng mamamayan na tugunan ang pangangailan-

gan ng kanilang kapwa at kanilang magamit ang pera sa maayos at matapat na paraan (We now have a bigger responsibility to enrich the capabilities of the people for them to address their needs, and for them

to spend their money wisely),” said Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman during the Kalahi-CIDSS and BuB (Bottom-up Budgeting)Planning Workshop held in Tagaytay last Janu-

WORLD RECORD. The Monfort Bat Sanctuary in Barangay Tambo, Island Garden City of Samal, made it to the Guinness Book of World Records in 2010 for hosting the world’s largest colony of fruit bats. [MindaNews/Roel Catoto]

DENR stops BFI’s extraction, transport of pine tree resins

T

HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has seized 500 sacks of Benguet pine tree resins weighing around 30,000 kilograms from a Chinese contractor of the government-owned Bukidnon Forest, Inc. (BFI).

Vergilino Alima, DENR-Malaybalay chief, told MindaNews the recent seizure came after warnings to BFI general manager Reynaldo Abordo to stop the extraction of resins due to lack of permit.

He identified the Davao City-based contractor as Chinese firm Luda Chemicals Inc. (LCI) Residents have registered their opposition to

the extraction in discussions on air and on the social networks. They feared that the extraction might slowly kill the pine trees, which help provide Malaybalay its cool weather.

Alima estimated the value of the seized resins to be around P600,000, at P20 per kilo. Harvesters in the village told this reporter they are paid P11 per kilo to harvest the resins, done like the harvesting of rubber saps.

He said the extraction is reportedly done within and outside BFI’s 38,000-hectare Industrial Forest Management Agreement (IFMA), which will expire in 2016.

Alima stressed that BFI

had been warned as early as May 2012 that the extraction of resins, believed to be an ingredient to produce inks and paints, requires a permit because it is still considered an “ordinary minor forest product.”

“They told us they will process the permit. As of now, we were told they are still processing their integrated annual operation plan,” he added.

Alima said the BFI and LCI have been invited to a DENR administrative deliberation on February 13 for them to “shed light” on the matter.

The seized sacks of pine tree resins have been piled at a dirt road in Ba-

rangay Can-ayan and covered with cogon grasses, apparently to protect its quality.

LCI reportedly employed watchmen to protect the stock from saboteurs.

Over radio station DXDB Tuesday, Danny Lucine, a BFI officer, admitted that BFI does not have a permit to extract pine tree resins.

He said, however, that they have a memorandum of agreement with the LCI. Alima, who assumed the DENR-Malaybalay post recently, said his office has no copy of the MOA, hence they have no idea about the scope of the contract. [Walter I. Balane/MindaNews]

after receiving a tip that three men were to sell a stolen motorcycle in Tacurong City.

He posted one man as prospective buyer in an entrapment operation at about 4 p.m. The suspects were selling a red Honda XRM to a policeman who acted as buyer.

Buenacosa later learned that the motorcycle was forcibly taken by the suspects from a certain Jimar Aban, 21, a “habal-habal” (passenger motorcycle) in T’boli, South Cotabato. He said Aban was shot dead by one of the suspects before fleeing with the

victim’s motorbike.

Charges of carnapping have been filed against the suspects who are now detained at the Tacurong City PNP detention cell.

Buenacosa also revealed a modus operandi used by the suspects in their “dirty business.”

He said the suspects would scout for possible buyer at the city’s public market, mostly motorcycle drivers who ferry people for a fee.

“They will ask prospective buyers what kind and model of motorcycle they would like to buy. Once both sides agreed on the model

and type of motorcycle, the suspects would contact their companions in South Cotabato to steal a particular model and bring it to Tacurong City because it has a ready buyer,” Buenacosa said.

“They are dealing motorbikes that they do not own and once the buyer issue specifications, then they will carnapped what the buyer would like to buy,” he added. Following the incident, Buenacosa advised would be buyers to purchase motorcycles from dealers and not from fixers or illegal vendors. [PNA]

ary.

“One of the ironies of being in the government is that when you do good work and you deliver well, the reward is more work,” she added.

KALAHI-CIDSS is a community-driven development (CDD) project of the Philippine Government that is driven by the commitment to empower people to improve the quality of their lives, by themselves, through their power.

The NCDDP The NCDDP, or the National Community-Driven Development Program, is the scaling up of the community driven development (CDD), a strategy that has been tried and proven effective in KALAHI-CIDSS. The CDD gives citizens control over decisions and resources so they can undertake localized solutions to identified community problems. It aims to provide poor communities access to services and increase their participation in more inclusive local planning, budgeting and implementation.

NCDDP will benefit five million households, 851 municipalities with high poverty incidence, located in 68 provinces of 15 regions.

While it is the lead implementing agency of NCDDP, the Department of Social Welfare and Development will work with the other agencies that are part of the National Inter-Agency Preparation and Implementation Team (NIAPT).

These are the DILG, DAR, DENR, DepEd, DA, DOLE, DOH, DoE, PCUP, Department of Finance (DoF), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and NAPC. “NCDDP is really a recognition because we are now using the CDD

approach as a national strategy involving other national government agencies. NCDDP would mean P81B over six years, more or less. And DSWD’s portion is close to P31B over six years. Binabago natin [ang programa] para sa mas epektibong paglilingkod (We are modifying the program for a more effective public service),” the Secretary said.

This year, the NCDDP will be implemented in 27 municipalities in Davao Region.

Bottom-up budgeting An approach that will be tried in the NCDDP implementation is the bottom-up budgeting (BuB).

Additionally, eight municipalities will be covered for the bottom-up budgeting modality. Bottom-up Budgeting is an approach to preparing the budget proposal of agencies, taking into consideration the development needs of poor cities/municipalities as identified in their respective local poverty reduction action plans that shall be formulated with strong participation of basic sector organization and other civil society organizations.

PLGU engagement The provincial local government unit (PLGU) engagement with KALAHI-CIDSS will also be implemented this year.

For Davao Region, Compostela Valley was identified as the pilot province in the implementation of the PLGU engagement.

The province, led by KALAHI-CIDSS champion Governor Arturo T. Uy, demonstrated a strong commitment and support to CDD initiatives through the ATU-PEACE (Assistance Towards Unity for Progress thru Empowerment, Accountability, Cooperation and Efficiency) Project.

[DSWD/Leslie Lao-Francisco]

ARCOTICS agents arrested on Tuesday nine persons engaged in prohibited drugs and discovered a drug den in Maguindanao, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency reported Wednesday said.

Agents of PDEA in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao raided at about 4 p.m. the village of Pacoma in the town of Parang, Maguindanao and arrested nine persons engaged in drug trade.

PDEA-ARMM Director Filemon Ruiz said Hamsali Saavedra, who has been wanted by PDEA for drug peddling, was the owner of the drug den.

Arrested were Saavedra, Mike Balabagan, Primitivo Chacha, Jalil Pen-

dinatar, Titing Batu, Mohammad Kali and Monik Casabagan, all residents of Barangay Pacoma, Parang, Maguindanao.

Ruiz said Saavedra was shot by anti-narcotic agent after he attempted to pull a hand gun while being interrogated by PDEA agents.

Saavedra was rushed to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center while his companions are now detained at PDEA office in Cotabato City.

Agents recovered undetermined amount of prohibited drugs.Charges are being prepared against them for filing in the prosecutors’ office, Ruiz said.

The raid was conducted following a month-long surveillance and several buy bust attempts. [PNA]

PDEA nabs 9 pushers

3 motorcycle thieves arrested N

A

LERT policemen in Tacurong City arrested Tuesday three suspected motorcycle thieves operating in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao in an entrapment operations, police said Wednesday.

Supt. Junny Buenacosa, Tacurong City police chief, identified the suspects as Dante Balicocos, 26, Dante Pondo, 35 and Morris Kadatuan, all residents of Sitio Lambucay, Barangay Lamba, Banga, South Cotabato.

Buenacosa said he formed a team for an entrapment operations

4 SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Elephants prefer living away from humans W

ILD African elephants prefer to live in safer, protected areas and become stressed when they leave them.

Scientists have found African elephants living outside Serengeti National Park are more stressed than those within the protected area.

More elephants also

choose to live inside the park, suggesting they “know” which areas are safer to live in, and actively avoid humans.

Details are published in the African Journal of Ecology.

Serengeti National Park helps protect animals from threats such as illegal hunting and habitat disturbance.

With no fences around protected areas in the Serengeti, animals and people may come and go, and elephants can enter into areas where they are at greater risk. he study aimed to determine African elephants’ (Loxodonta africana) welfare inside Serengeti National Park and in the partially-

protected adjoining areas of Grumeti Game Reserve and Ikoma Open Area, where human disturbance is greater.

By testing elephant dung, the research team found animals outside the national park had significantly higher levels of the stress hormone, gluccorticoid.

Also, more elephants

Elephants get stressed near humans

lived inside the park, while no single males were seen outside, suggesting the elephants preferred residing in potentially safer areas.

“The reason is most probably that elephants try to avoid human-elephant interactions,” said research team member Dr Eivin Roskaft from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim.

The elephants may have learned to associate humans and vehicles with the hunting activity that occurs outside Serengeti National Park.

“Elephants probably remember where they are, and that bad experiences stress them,” Dr Roskaft told BBC Nature.

“I think elephants know where they are safe or not. However, sometimes they also are tempted by nice food outside the park which attracts them to such areas.”

The study is the latest research to show that animals avoid areas with human disturbances. A previous study, for example, showed African elephants became stressed even be-

fore raiding farmers’ fields for crops.

The research team hope their latest study demonstrates how protected areas such as Serengeti National Park can improve elephants’ welfare.

Law enforcement within the park aims to reduce illegal meat and ivory poaching. Despite this, hunters still frequent the edges of the park and surrounding areas.

“The biggest threat to African elephants and other wildlife is the human population increase outside all such parks,” said Dr Roskaft.

“Humans need food, and wildlife is cheap and easy. Therefore the pressure on such animals increases.”

According to Dr Roskaft, elephant poaching is once more increasing.

“The elephant population in Africa is presently declining at an alarming rate,” he said.

“The world must find interest in it, if not there will be very few or no elephants in Africa in about five to six years.” [BBC Nature]

HE Philippines Coast Guard Wednesday announced the Tubbataha Management Board has agreed to the salvage plan presented by the US Navy for the removal of the USS Guardian (MCM-5) which is still grounded in Tubbataha Reef, Sulu Sea. The US salvage plan involves the dismantlement of the stricken minesweeper in site and transport of its chopped sections by crane barge.

“They (Tubbataha Management Board) have agreed to their proposal,” Coast Guard commandant Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena said. He added salvage operations will start once the US Navy preposition its salvage ships in the area.

One of the US Navy contracted vessels, the “Smit Borneo” is now in the scene and awaiting the arrival of another salvage ship, the Gibraltar-flagged “Jascon 25” to start operations.

The Singapore-based “Jascon 25” is described as a pipelay crane vessel and built on 2007. It has length of 118 meters and breadth of 30 meters. The ship has a gross tonnage of 14,829 gross register tons and speed of 6.9 knots.

Its cranes has a lifting capacity of 800 tons. “They can start on Sunday or Monday depending on the weather,” Isorena added.

Meanwhile, Philippine

Coast Guard (PCG) Commander Rear Admiral Rodulfo Isorena on Wednesday said removing the grounded USS Guardian off the South Atoll of the Tubbataha Reefs National Park (TRNP) may take until April.

Isorena said they hope to start the salvage operation as soon as possible to avoid further damage to the reef. The Tubbataha Protected Areas Management Board (TPAMB) has given the green light to the U.S. Navy salvage operation team to pursue the proposal to “section” US minesweeper.

Palawan Governor Baham Mitra, who also chairs the TPAMB, said in an interview that “sectioning” the USS Guardian in several parts appear to be less destructive, though the crane ship SMIT Borneo has to drop anchor on the protected reef 2,500 feet below the water.

In consultation with the National Task Force on the Tubbataha incident, Mitra said breaking the minesweeper into several parts seem to be the safest course to take to speed up the removal.

The management of the TRNP is concerned that the grounding of the USS Guardian in the protected marine park may cause adverse effects on its tourism industry, especially because the diving season is about to start in March. [PNA]

Lagman asserts RH Law mitigates climate change T

Tubbataha Board approves US Navy salvage proposal

T

HE principal author of the Reproductive Health (RH) Law at the House of Representatives has asserted that the controversial law not only protects and promotes the reproductive health and rights of Filipinos but is also a good calamity risk reduction strategy and a climate change mitigation and adaptation policy.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman stressed in his keynote address during a forum entitled Establishing the Links between RH, Population and Climate

Change that “the RH Law is much more than just a family planning statute; it is truly an effective development tool that will aid government in addressing problems relating to population, reproductive health and climate change.”

Since a huge population and calamities are fatal partners, he said the mitigation of the population growth rate - as a logical consequence of promoting universal access to reproductive health and family planning - will enhance the country’s pos-

itive response to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

“Upholding the basic human right to reproductive self-determination, as what the RH law provides, mitigates the population growth rate,” he said.

“Decreasing migration as fewer children exert less pressure on parents to seek the elusive greener pasture in urban centers is just one of the relevant impacts of the new law on calamity risk reduction and management,” the RH champion

added.

He also cited a paper published by the London School of Economics (LSE) in August 2009 entitled Reducing Future Carbon Emissions by Investing in Family Planning: A Cost/Benefit Analysis which stated that “family planning is considerably cheaper than many low carbon technologies” and that “family planning is a cost effective tool in reducing carbon emissions.”

“Truly, lesser emitters means lesser emissions,” Lagman said. [PNA]

On 10 November 2010, the local government of Cantilan filed a petition for injunction at the Regional Trial Court Branch 41 in the same town against MMDC for failure to consult them and the residents, threatening the water source of local communities and the livelihood of fisher folk and farmers, among others.

Judge Alfredo P. Halad granted the petition on the same day, but it was only on May 2011 that the court affirmed its decision.

MMDC and another mining company, Carac-

an Development Corporation, are operating within the 43,601-hectare Cantilan-Carrascal-Madrid Watershed which is proclaimed as a water forest reserve through Presidential Proclamation No. 1747 dated March 2009.

The same watershed is serving at least 3,335 hectares of agricultural lands and 3,346 farmers in these three towns.

De Dios said he was not privy to the case as he was new to the post.

He said he will also seek clarification from MGB Director Leo Jasare-

no on his memorandum to then MGB regional director Alilo Ensomo to implement the court order.

Jasareno issued the memorandum in keeping with his promise during a hearing called by the House committee on environment and natural resources on Aug. 17, 2011 that he would enforce the court order. Ensomo, however, did not comply saying his office was not a party to the case and there was no direct order from the court to enforce it. [Vanessa Almeda/MindaNews]

MGB 13 officials refuse again to enforce order vs mining firm

S

AYING it wanted to clarify some legal issues first, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in Caraga Region had again refused to enforce an almost two-year old temporary environment protection order (TEPO) against a mining company in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur. Newly-installed MGB director Roger A. de Dios said his office will refer to their central office the legal action to take on the order against Marcventures Mining and Development Corporation (MMDC).

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 241 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

THE ECONOMY

5

Aquino: inclusive growth requires stepping up reform in Mindanao

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TEPPING up reform in Mindanao is necessary to foster inclusive growth in the country, President Benigno Aquino III said Tuesday in his speech at the closing program of the two-day Philippine Development Forum (PDF).

He said the reform began with the synchronization of elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with the national and local elections scheduled this year.

He cited the ARMM transitional investment support plan, which allots 8.59 billion pesos for development projects, “from the construction of necessary infrastructure in transportation and health, to improving the quality of education available, to even strengthening the halal food industry.”

Aquino said the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) last year was “a move that we hope will bring an end to the decades-long insurgency, and bring a final, enduring peace to Mindanao.”

The President noted

the increased confidence of the international community, which he said meant that “the sincerity and effectiveness of the government’s efforts have been recognized the world over.”

“The continued presence of our international partners in the country is another sign of confidence—whatever the conditions may be, you have always been here to give assistance to our country, especially to Mindanao. In fact, it is only fitting that we are holding this Forum here today,” he said.

Aquino said Mindanao’s “untapped potential” and “unfulfilled promise” is the reason why the island’s development is “a priority for our administration.”

Inclusive growth Motoo Konishi, PDF 2013 co-chairperson and country director of World Bank Philippines, said in his summary report to the President the forum focused on reform agenda for inclusive growth.

“Over many decades, economic growth did not benefit the majority of the population, did not create decent jobs for all, and did not lift lagging regions out

of poverty. We believe this is the reason why inclusive growth is at the core of your Social Contract with the Filipino people,” Konishi said.

He said there is macroeconomic stability and the fiscal situation of the government is “sound and improving.”

He cited improvements in the budget with better prioritization, execution, monitoring and more transparency, bigger expenditures on health, education and social protection, and increasing and better infrastructure spending.

“Now is the time to accelerate and sustain the reform agenda,” he said, adding the time is right to create coalitions for reform that will be drawn from private sectors, labor, non-government organizations, civil society, and development partners.

He cited the need for coalitions “to deliver the peace dividend to the people who suffered from the conflict in Mindanao.”

Konishi said the forum’s economic development cluster saw the need for support to agriculture and tourism to create more jobs. [Lorie Ann Cascaro/MindaNews]

6 THE ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO Stat Watch Agri, tourism main drivers of growth VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

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

S

UPPORT to agriculture and tourism to create more jobs is important to the goal of achieving inclusive growth, according to the economic development cluster of the Philippine Development Forum held last February 4-5.

“These are the areas where we can create quality jobs quickly as compared to other areas,” Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said in a press conference after the closing program of the forum Tuesday, adding they will work with partners so that agriculture and tourism will be given attention.

In his summary report of the PDF 2013 delivered Tuesday to the President, Motoo Konishi, PDF co-chair and country director of World Bank Philippines said in the next three years, there is a need to improve the environment for the private sector to generate jobs, LUCKY CHARMS. A sales clerk of a Chinese lucky charms stall shows off a water snake key chain to passersby at the Atrium of SM Lanang Premier in Lanang, especially in agriculture and Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr. tourism.

Instead, he said, they were skills mismatch and realign the He said the cost of do- palay (rice) production, there is ing business can be reduced a need to look at crops in which looking into how to create more curriculum to better meet labor market needs. through simplification and the Philippines has compara- jobs for Filipinos. tive advantage,” he continued.

He said they will work withIn the same press conferstreamlining of regulations and He said that to further supin the limitations of the laws “as ence Social Welfare Secretary processes, citing national single window, business entry and li- port the agenda, critical laws what have been done by many Corazon Soliman said the dissuch as the National Land Use agricultural ventures in Davao cussions in the human develcensing. opment and poverty reduction “There is a need to urgent- Code, the Competition Poli- and across Mindanao.” cy Law and the Cabotage Law “Tourism and agriculture cluster pointed to sustainable ly remove barriers to entry for private businesses, especially need to be enacted or reviewed. are God-given resources to us agriculture as the key to job Asked whether focusing on and therefore we should make creation. in the areas of inter-island shipagriculture and tourism would the necessary investment The details, she added, will ping, which would help ease bring more mono-crop plantato realize the potentials,” he be discussed with local governthe pressure on food prices,” he tions and land use conversion stressed. ment units, Mindanao Developsaid.

But he said there is a need ment Authority (MinDA) and “In that regard, now that in Mindanao, Purisima said, “Well, we really did not go into to strengthen public-private national agencies. [Lorie Ann you have achieved increased detail.” partnerships to better address Cascaro/MindaNews]

Globe consolidated revenues soars to P82.7 B

G

LOBE Telecom, Inc. closed the year on a high note with consolidated service revenues soaring to an all-time high of P82.7 billion, 6% above previous year’s level of P77.8 billion. Revenue expansion was supported by an overall increase in subscriber base as well as improvements across key product segments.

Despite a very challenging competitive environment, declining yields resulting from value offerings, as well as continued prevalence of multi-SIM incidence, the mobile business finished the year with P67.2 billion in revenues.

The strong performance reflects the success of the Company’s customizable and innovative service offerings for both domestic and international markets, value-for-money promotions, handset and gadget launches, as well as the boost from the increasing demand

for mobile browsing and voice services.

The broadband and fixed line data segments likewise posted significant gains on account of the rising demand for data and internet connectivity.

Full year broadband revenues were up 16% to P8.7 billion as the year marked another milestone for the business with the commercial launch of its broadband LTE service that provided subscribers with alternative tools to improve their overall internet experience.

Fourth quarter revenues likewise recorded a quarterly-high of P21.4 billion which drew significant contributions from both the mobile and fixed line and broadband segments, as well as additional uplift from the seasonal holiday spending.

The mobile business delivered strong results with P17.3 billion in revenues which was underscored by the highly suc-

cessful launch of the Apple™ iPhone 5 in the market. Cumulative mobile subscribers by end of the year stood at 33.1 million, up 10% from previous year.

The broadband business, similarly, continued to ride on the popularity of social networking sites and benefited as well from declining prices of access devices such as PCs, tablets, and laptops. The broadband segment generated P2.4 billion in fourth quarter revenues and was supported by about 1.7 million total broadband subscribers by year-end.

Full year consolidated EBITDA, on the other hand, was at P35.0 billion, down by about P93 million from P35.1 billion in 2011 as incremental revenues were re-invested in additional marketing and subsidy expenses to acquire new postpaid subscribers as well as defend market position through various brand-building initia-

tives. As a result, marketing and subsidy as a percentage of consolidated service revenues increased to 13% in 2012 compared to 9% in 2011. Operating expenses also included charges for continued investments in network infrastructure, costs to maintain an expanded 2G, 3G, and broadband networks, and charges incurred as the Company undergoes its network and IT modernization programs.

Coupled with the accelerated depreciation charges related to the network modernization, consolidated net income after tax was down 30% from P9.8 billion in 2011 to P6.9 billion in 2012. Excluding the effects of accelerated depreciation, foreign exchange and mark-tomarket gains and losses as well as non-recurring items, however, full year core net income increased by 2% year-on-year from P10.0 billion to P10.3 billion.

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 241 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013 CULTURE AND ARTS

7

Colors and Moods: A Solo Exhibit of Elenita Dumlao At Bahaghari Gallery, Museo Dabawenyo Pichon and CM Recto Sts., Davao City January 25-February 25, 2013

by Bro. Karl Gaspar, CSsR

W

ALKING across the space of the Bahaghari Gallery, contemplating on the more than seventy paintings of Elenita Dumlao, one is struck by the millions of dots – mostly whites - spread across the art works.

There are the tiniest of dots but the dots expand to images of bubbles, eyes, the sun and the moon.

No, Dumlao is not going the way of Yayoi Kusuma, the very famous Japanese Princess of Polka Dots whose works now – mainly of all kinds and colors of polka dots - are exhibited in the most prestigious galleries in the key global cities.

Neither is Dumlao pursuing the school of pointillism, pioneered by Georges Seurat and Paul Signac in the late 1880s.

In Colors and Moods – Dumlao’s first major art exhibit now ongoing until February 25 – she asserts her own distinct artistic identity as a visual artist. Hers is a most original artistic undertaking and lucky are those who have the rare chance to view her paintings.

This exhibit is a major breakthrough for a woman artist in the burgeoning Davao visual art scene. At a time when an expanding circle of visual artists – including Kublai Millan, Vic Secuya, Anoy

Catague, Jun Cayas, Boboy Buenaventura, Reagan Deiparine, Victor Dumaguing, Jester Oani, Abe Garcia, et al – are regularly exhibiting their works either in solo or group exhibits, Dumlao’s exhibit further enriches the current dynamic visual arts scene of the city.

As one enters the Bahaghari Gallery, one is immediately confronted with the vibrant colors covering the hues of the rainbow. These colors in the paintings are strikingly bright, fully manifesting life’s pulsating energy! The viewer is lifted up by the buoyancy of the images for almost everything is in flight.

The viewer can easily imagine levitating in the room as one’s response is to flow with these paintings’ collective energy.

This is not surprising because Dumlao generously welcomes the viewer into her phantasmagoric world. Her art is one of fantastic symbolism; the sequence of associative imagery is breathtaking. One is reminded of the colors and images in the paintings of Juvenal Sanso, although Sanso veers towards expressive surrealism. Where Sanso have landscapes in tropical colors, Dumlao also utilizes such colors but she moves beyond landscapes. For her world

expands to cover the deepest seas, the highest skies and the widest plains.

Which is why the Bahaghari Gallery is too small to contain this world.

The ethereal beauty of Mother Nature is celebrated in these paintings, which is why all of creation is represented from wind to water, reefs to schools of fish, birds to dragonflies, trees and tribal dancers.

The paintings titles say it all: Bubbles Up, Deep Down the Blues, Seasons, Waves, Flight, Battle at Reef, School, Bonn’s Dragons, Torrid Zone, Nature and Nurture, The Maid and the Cow, Fish Eye, Tribal Lasses, Tribal Dance and so many others.

One can tell that this exhibit is a very personal project of the artist. One can immediately sense this upon seeing a tarpaulin notice on the wall where Dumlao presents her creed beginning with these

words: “I am a homegrown artist.” And it ends with – “Each of my works is an expression of how I feel about the real world, and what I think about it. Each contains my mind, heart and soul.”

Thus some of the paintings have these titles: My Familiar Land Scape, My Paper Tree, My Personal Point of View, Inside My Universe.

Those who know Dumlao as a theatre artist and have seen her stage productions performed by the Kathara Collective are not surprised with the unleashing of her visual talent. The palette is but an extension of the stage; she now captures the vivid images of her imagination within the confines of paintings the size of which ranges from a mural covering an entire wall (the Sinalimbas cover 6 X 6 feet) to delicate 28 X 40 cms.

Dumlao’s friends and colleagues who knew what she has gone through in

the past few years are taken aback by the moods of the paintings.

Tragedy after tragedy – including her own health issues – has assaulted Dumlao and so they thought the paintings’ moods would be in the black and bleak shades of color. But no, the moods are bright, euphoric, joyful, hopeful, optimistic.

One painting – Warm Embrace – manifests this strongly.

The shimmering abstractions of the paintings are a celebration of life.

But they also have a contemplative layer because if one distances oneself from the paintings – alas because of the gallery’s tight space, one can only move back a few inches – there is a mysterious overall effect.

This is rather surprising since these are paintings resulting from Dumlao’s experimentations with digital art. The first step was Dumlao’s exploration of

the computer and ended with the artwork printed on tarpaulin.

How plebeian – as opposed to elitist - could you get! The technique could lead to mass production if pirated. But the paintings on tarpaulin – which constitute the bigger ones – still uplift the viewer’s spirit.

However, the paintings that really grab the viewer’s gaze are the digital art printed on canvas to which Dumlao painstakingly added layers of paint and/or added clay and other mixed media. Dumlao has pioneered the technique in this part of the world and the result is mesmerizing. The paintings are embellished batiks, very Oriental in their conception and truly Mindanawon in their orientation.

Dumlao’s major contribution to the Mindanawon visual art scene is that she has connected the dots!

8 VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

POOLED EDITORIAL

A

Of FOI heroes and heels

MACABRE murder it was. The victim, the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, lay forlorn in the last nine session days of Congress in the last three weeks, until finally it died.

To stave off its death, the media and the citizens had cried for leadership and urgent rescue by President Aquino and his allies in the House of Representatives. He and they alone had both power and mandate to save it. But they turned a deaf ear to the citizens’ clamor.

They defaulted on their duty to lead. By their inaction, they had willed to send the FOI bill to the legislative morgue.

On the tombstone for the FOI bill, the facts should be written in no uncertain terms: Killed by official sloth, pride, and greed. Killed by politicians who lie on their promises and shirk from their duty to the people.

On the same tombstone, too, it should be written: Championed to the last by the people of the Philippines.

Official sloth killed the FOI bill. It is evident in the deliberate delays, the President’s constantly changing big and small “concerns” about the bill, and the ineptitude and chronic lack of a quorum in the House, that have marked the steadily slow pace of legislative work on the bill.

Pride is evinced in their espousal of transparency according to their terms. Transparency, they say, has been served because they have dumped tons of unintelligible but static budget and public finance records online, even as they refuse to respond to public requests for more documents on the use of taxpayers’ money.

And greed, for power and privilege surely, is palpable in their scorn for the FOI bill as it could trigger the disclosure of the full facts of their wealth and how they fiddle with public funds to finance their pork and other perks.

The FOI bill, some had admitted in candor, will only lend their political rivals information to censure and expose them.

The death of the FOI bill in the 15th Congress gives the lie to the claims of the Aquino administration that it is a government committed to trekking daang matuwid.

The FOI bill could have served as the bedrock and institutional framework of that straight, narrow path but its death leaves daang matuwid narrow, dark, and stuck in potholes. Without an FOI framework, daang matuwid remains for the most part a slogan in theory but not in practice, a PR line.

Just as important, the death of the FOI bill in the 15th Congress is a sad commentary on

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how much and how far the President and his House allies value their promises and their word. Or alternately, how they do not at all. As a candidate for President in May 2010, Aquino had sworn to accord the FOI bill top priority.

Meanwhile in 2011, his House allies filed suit to impeach, convict, and oust a chief justice, for his failure to disclose the true and full details of his wealth.

With his less than tepid verbal endorsement for the FOI bill, the President seems to be telling the nation that words are to a politician cheap, and promises, mere sound bytes a candidate mouths to get elected.

As for his House allies, the death of the FOI bill is proof that transparency and accountability is a razor-sharp sword they wield but only against political foes, never against themselves. To this day, in fact, Aquino’s House allies have refused to allow the chamber’s secretary general to release to the media and the citizens copies of all the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth of all House members, as she is authorized in law to do, without need for approval of individual lawmakers.

Without an FOI framework, daang matuwid will constantly be hobbled by official sloth, pride, and greed. It is regretful that even now, as the election campaign heats up, the political opposition has mounted yet another PR spin they call daang maganda. But whether it is matuwid or maganda, a road not lit by the transparency and accountability that an FOI law assures in theory and practice, will simply remain a vicious, not virtuous, path at all.

The Constitution, from 26 years ago, has firmly guaranteed the citizens’ right to information on matters vested with public interest and involving use of public funds. The Constitution, from 26 years ago, has also enshrined transparency and accountability as state policies.

Under the same Constitution by which they took their oath of office and swore to serve, it is the solemn duty and obligation of the President and his House allies to pass the FOI bill into law. They have chosen instead to be painted as the heels in the murder of the FOI bill in the 15th Congress.

Yet still, under the same Constitution, the people of the Philippines continue to labor and campaign for the FOI bill. In their practice and advocacy, they are the true heroes of transparency, accountability, and good governance.

It is election campaign season. All voters would do well to remember who or what killed the FOI bill.

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EDGEDAVAO

The man who once tried to construct a bridge now an inventor SPECIAL FEATURE

R

BY PAULA NAVARRA

ODOLFO B. Biescas, President of the Filipino Inventors Society, has clearly come a long way from the six-year old boy who thought he could make a bridge from ashes from a cooking stove.

Now he has 10 patented inventions like an air conditioner unit intended for the poor, a device that prevents house fires caused by ironing and a cleaning device for air pollutants.

Biescas, of Albay, Bicol invented the Semi-Air conditioner that uses ice from the refrigerator cooler instead of Freon and motor used by ordinary air conditioners.

It was invented in 1980 and was his first invention. It was given an award by the Dept. of Science and Technology but it was never mass produced due to the lack of capital.

The IronMate, considered his bread and butter, is a device used to save 53 percent of electricity due to ironing, from .19 kw consumed while ironing to .09 kw. All kinds of iron can be attached to this device, it works as a transformer where the iron can get its power source.

It also aims to avoid house fires caused by a plugged iron unit, this device automatically cuts off the electric current from the iron when the device is left too long , it can retain heat for at least a minute.

There are 33,000 units sold in Manila, each costs P 2,500. Nature’s Air is an air cleaning device that aims to solve the problems of air pollutants. In Manila alone there are 600 pollutant matters in the air, a person can only take 220 pollutant matters.

The device can remove airborne contaminants.

It uses an activated carbon filer that remove odors from closets, household cleaners, paint varnishes, care products, cigarettes and cooking smoke. As the President of FIS, Biescas lamented why Filipinos do not know anything about inventors from the Philippines: the lack of promotion.

“In our time we should be using our patented products...though we have a lot of patented products they cannot enter the market,” he said.

“Mga private entities na kung maaari suportahan ang mga Pilipino yung suporta naman nila hindi lang nakuha sa kung saang produkto talagang pinag-isipan,” he said.[PNA]

QUIPS

“Manila needs a change.

There is urban decay, people are without jobs, the government is in deficit.”

- Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada -

EDGEDAVAO

ICT HUB

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

Enough said ( Conclusion )

I

had dinner with an old friend a few nights ago in a Mediterranean restaurant. With its foreign menu, this place used to get a smaller crowd, so it’s normally relatively quiet. But that night there was a big, rowdy group of Gen Ys, who talked so loud the whole restaurant reverberated with their shrill voices and boisterous laughter.

I had a hard time hearing what my friend was saying to me amidst the din created by this rambunctious group. I turned around and saw other diners in two more tables looking at them, apparently as bothered and as annoyed as we were on these Gen Ys behavior.

Despite some word from the restaurant management, the Gen Ys persisted in their less than ideal behavior, belligerent to the warning and choosing to ignore the annoyed stares of other diners like us. We could only shake our heads at the wanton display of self-importance of this group of Gen Ys. I know not all Gen Ys are like the ones I had the misfortune of encountering. I still know many who show genuine re-

E

spect to their elders born out of the values they grew up with. If you are one of them, kudos to you and give your parents a pat on their back.

Each generation has been described with good and less than perfect traits and characteristics, and Gen Y has been called self-centered and totally uninspired by traditional values. But really? Are traditional values such as respect to elders so bad some of the Gen Ys cannot follow it?

Isn’t respecting others the right thing to do, regardless of age? Does right over wrong mean so little to many of the younger set, they would set it aside to heed their own opinions?

Everybody grows old. In 20 or so

years from now, the Gen Ys of today will find themselves in the same place where the baby boomers and Gen X are today.

Then they will feel the pinch of just how little regard and respect they had given to those that went ahead of them, by having their own sad experiences with the generation that succeeded them.

What is it they call it? Karma? Only the wiser ones will put themselves in the shoes of the Gen X or baby boomers, and ask, “Is this how I want the younger set to treat me in the future?” I believe the answer to that question is universal to all generations.

I have a Gen Z (born 1995- 2012) in my home. I don’t care if pundits call them individualists or challengers of authority like the generation they succeeded. I will pound on her values that I believe should rise beyond generational differences, such as respecting other people regardless of their age, background, or persuasion.

For me, it’s not a generation issue.

It’s simply knowing and doing what is right over wrong. Enough said.

success of the Aquino administration, arguing that, so far the country’s progress benefits only a lucky few while most citizens remain in abject poverty. He accuses that the Philippines’ surging economy has changed the political debate, but not the lives of the majority of its people. More serious still is his allegation that the present dispensation is pursuing a selective development and described the 6.6% GDP growth as “jobless growth” dependent on overseas remittances, foreign debt and speculative investments – characteristics of a weak economy. His unsolicited advice: the present leadership should overhaul its economic strategy by giving premium to creating stable jobs instead of continuing with labor export and economic liberalization policies.

In the pre-campaign phase ahead of the May midterm polls, this over-bearing senate aspirant known for his left-leaning inclination has gone far beyond in saying the Aquino administration has no feasible agricultural and industrial modernization plans and has failed miserably in the implementation of a genuine agrarian reform program.

In addition, he has challenge the Aquino leadership to depart from jobless growth and economic dictations from the influential International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB).

Clearly enough he just wants to give voters an inside glimpse of the heat of the

senatorial race by making comments and “create noise” in the expectation of being notice to promote his candidacy and earn the much needed ‘pogi’ points.

Whether his flair for self-promotion may soon help in drumbeating his political aspiration remains to be seen and his actuations is one way to impress other senate bets and their handlers with his ability to connect with voters.

Our bold prediction is that even when he talks about socio-economic and political reforms over and over again, he has very little hope of winning a senate seat.

So far his political stock is minimal and continues to struggle to be heard in the cacophony of his much-hyped propoor and pro-people crusade, which was amplified by using the government’s alleged unfulfilled programs to fuel his campaign blitz. To top it all off, with serious issues about the economy and prosperity at stake, professional blabbers disguising as political contenders have demonstrated yet again the essential idiocy of political prognostication. It has even affected this presumptuous independent senate hopeful and his sharpest attack on the government in this campaign was a matter of superficial commentary, not substance.

That might make it awkward for him to champion creating and keeping stable jobs at home base, which was supposedly his priority concern. The next few weeks are crucial for the senatorial candidates, independent bets in particular, to gain ground. Already some aspirants started early but haven’t produced anything but animosity because they are not known for sweetening their words – a trademark of stubborn street parliamentarians.

Me-versus-them campaign ploy

SSENTIAL ABSURDITY OF POLITICAL PROGNOSTICATION – Every political candidate who figures a surefire way to win elections is to aim low. Some senatorial candidates are no different. Barely a week before the start of the campaign for the senatorial hopefuls, an over-assuming independent senate bet has already scored at the pre-campaign stage by conducting a fist-pounding me-versus-them strategy grounded on issues that stir the people’s emotions: food, shelter, education, health care and in particular job generation. Or so it was until February 12 when the campaign for the May 2013 midterm elections begins and the hottest electoral issue is one that used to elicit yawns: it’s the economy and job creation.

What used to be known as the ‘country’s rate of growth’ – its perennially subpar economic performance is no longer a national embarrassment. The country posted a 6.6% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the stock and property markets had since rebounded generating remarkably high percentage exceeding investors’ expectations. Incumbent officeholders and government economists credited the gleaming business campuses across the country for the vibrant economic growth. Some private economists and financial analysts say a brighter economic outlook for the remainder of 2013 will continue to strengthen the currency and propel the stock and property markets. The economic mood continues to improve and they predicted it will be much stronger within the year.

Meanwhile, an outspoken former partylist representative who is now seeking a senate seat is busily painting black and belittled the economic

9

Chances for U.S. immigration reform high ANALYSIS

BY MATTHEW RUSLING

T

HE chances of passing U.S. immigration reform are high, but the devil is in the details, and those finer points could be a stumbling block for cooperation in a bitterly divided Congress.

The long-simmering debate over fixing the nation’s broken immigration system kicked off Tuesday with a House hearing after President Barack Obama vowed last week to take action in his second term.

While former President George W. Bush tried his hand at reform with a bill that ultimately failed, experts said conditions this time are ripe for Congress to hammer out a deal.

“For the first time in many years, members of both parties have political incentives to reform our broken immigration system,” said Darrell M. West, director of governance studies at the Brookings Institution.

“With the poor showing of Republicans in the 2012 elections, they need to address the immigration issues that are at the top of the political agenda for most Latino voters,” he said, referring to the Republican Party’s loss of more than 70 percent of the Latino vote and that party’s need, by its own admission, to cast off the image of a party of old, white males.

Citing polls showing 70 percent of Americans want immigration reform, Democratic Strategist Joe Trippi expressed hope Monday during a Fox News panel that Congress could come to an agreement.

“Democrats really believe that the nation’s ready for this,” he said.

Speaking on the same panel, former Bush administration advisor Karl Rove noted a growing sense among GOP lawmakers that they need to get the issue behind them and begin making inroads with Hispanic voters.

Two proposals have been floated - one rolled out recently by a group of eight Senators and the other outlined last week by President Barack Obama. Both propose similar measures, but details differ significantly enough to tie negotiations in knots, and experts said both sides must tread carefully.

Rove said issues including border security and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants could cause Congressional fistfight, with differences over whether border security should come first.

“It’ s a complicated issue,” he said of efforts to reform the system that has created 11 million undocumented workers while millions of visa applicants remained stuck in a massive backlog.

West said the biggest pitfall will be outside pressures from people who dislike illegal immigrants or oppose particular aspects of the legislation.

Radio talk show hosts - many of whom are known to be far-right conservatives will rally their base in opposition to meaningful reform and that will be a major barrier to action, he said.

Still, the failures of the past - former President George W. Bush pushed in 2007 for comprehensive reform that ultimately failed - could drive the current process forward, experts said.

For the GOP, key to the pulling both traditional Republicans together with newly elected Tea Party members is rising star Sen. Marco Rubio, experts said. [PNA/Xinhua]

10

VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

Illegal drugs...

FFROM 1

Meantime, police arrested Hubert John Cabang, 35, of Juan Luna Street, Davao City and Hail Amad Haranil, 48, married, a resident of Purok Maligaya B, Sitio Lawis, Brgy. Bato, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, during separate buy-bust operations.

Cabang was arrested while selling a sachet of suspected methamphet-

amine hydrochloride (shabu) worth P1,000 to operatives who posed as buyers in Purok 3, Brgy.

2-A, Anda Extension Tuesday while Harani was apprehended in Sitio Badiang, Brgy. Sinawilan, Digos City, Davao del Sur, while selling the same contraband worth P500 to officers disguised as buyers.

Cabang is detained

at the Davao City Police Office jail while Harani is detained by the Digos City police further investigation.

The killing of Arimao and the arrest of Cabang and Harani came at the heels of the all-out war declaration against illegal drugs made by DCPO Chief Ronald dela Rosa last Monday. [PIA 11/ Joey Sem G. Dalumpines]

constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression.”

“We don’t distinguish the organizations, provided that at the time they conduct the rally, they do not commit unlawful activities,” she said.

Duterte said the city mayor or police director has the discretion to suppress a protest rally if there is imminent danger to the public, otherwise the position is to exercise maximum tolerance.

The protesters, who covered their faces with shirts and handkerchiefs, held placards bearing slogans like “Mabuhay ang KM (Long live the KM)!”

“Imperyalismo ibagsak (Put down imperialism)!” and “Kabatan-onan sampa sa Bagong Hukbong Bayan (Youth join the

New People’s Army)!”

Some protesters distributed copies of the “Pasa Bilis,” the official publication of the NPA-Southern Mindanao.

Meanwhile, the President said in his speech at the PDF: “Right now, we are at a critical juncture. As we near the midpoint of our term, it is all the more important for us to look back on both our successes and shortcomings, so we can strategize for the future.”

Aquino said the government continues to heavily invest in the Filipino people through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or conditional cash transfer (CCT) program, as they are the country’s “strongest competitive advantage.”

[Lorie Ann A. Cascaro/ MindaNews]

must be inclusive: if we are to foster growth that leaves no one behind, each and every person must be empowered not only to prosper and reach personal success, but also to be a better citizen,” he said.

Aquino also said that Mindanao has been the focus of the Philippine Development Forum because of its great potential for growth and development, but for the longest time, this potential remained untapped and its promise was unfulfilled resulting to violence, inequality, and corruption in local governance.

“This history is precisely why the development of Mindanao is a priority for our administration. We know it is necessary to step up reform here if we are to foster inclusive growth,” he added, saying that through the forum “they can affirm

the necessity of positive participation, not merely to point out the problems, but more importantly, to become part of the solution and when different sectors bring their areas of expertise to the table, they will set aside pettiness and parochialism in favor of service in order to build an even stronger Philippines.”

“This involves everyone,” he went on. “Nation building is never about those at the top huddling together to impose their ideas on everyone else; it is about the whole spectrum of society pulling together, steadily marching together towards a single direction. At its core is a simple concept: the genuine desire to help each other—not only in a single Forum, or the term of an administration, but over the course of our lives,” Aquino said.

In Davao City...

FFROM 1

no III was in the city earlier in the day to speak at the closing program of the Philippine Development Forum which was attended by 300 representatives from the international funding community, civil society, the academe and the private sector.

In a phone interview, dela Rosa said he did not get any report about the rally, although he noted that it was not the first time that an “underground” group staged a demonstration in the city.

In a text message, Mayor Sara Duterte said that whenever there are protests or assemblies, the city police has a standing order to observe maximum tolerance “to show respect for everybody’s

DPWH...

FFROM 2

ple for even diseases like breast cancer and childhood leukemia, as well as the launch of the K to 12 program that will help bring Philippine education up to international standards.”

The President noted that the sincerity and effectiveness of goevernment’s efforts have been recognized all over the world and as a result CEOs and businessmen themselves express active interest in the Philippines, and even extend a hope that our country will consider their proposals.

“They see that the Philippines today is different from the Philippines of the past: through our combined efforts, we are creating an environment in which both business and the citizenry are given opportunities to flourish.

This is borne of a recognition that development

EDGEDAVAO

DLPC announces switching power interruptions Feb 10 D

AVAO Light & Power Company will conduct three sets of 30-minute switching power interruptions on February 10 affecting customers in the Davao del Norte area of its franchise.

Communication officer Ross Luga said the scheduled outages are necessary to facilitate the annual preventive maintenance servicing of Tadeco Substation for a more reliable power supply.

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 4:30 a.m.. Normalization or return of load back to its normal set-up will be from 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. after maintenance works will be completed.

Customers affected by these scheduled

service disruptions are those in Carmen, Tubod, Malitbog, Manay, Upper & Lower Mabuhay, Dalisay, Tebongol, Tibulaw, Paradise Imbac, Proper Paquibato, Kasilak, New Aklan, Consolacion, Malatiba, San Roque, Fatima, Malabog, Panalum, Kiblawan and Kasilak.

Those in DAPECOL, Alejal, Magsaysay, Cabili, Ising Carmen, Tanglao, Dapco Checkered Farms, Diamond Farm and Tadeco Central will also experience the same.

Moreover, customers from crossing MaryKnoll High School up to New Malitbog and from Marsman going to the areas of NAPCO, La Liberrtad, Casigang, San Miguel, Dujali, Kinamayan, Balisong, Salvacion, Esperanza, San Vicente, Magupisong, Mabaos Bubungon, Balagunan, Sindatun and Lower Panaga will also be affected by these service disruptions.

Also to facilitate these switching outages, a 15-minute power outage on the same day, from 3:30 AM to 3:45 AM, will be necessary affecting areas from Panabo km.

30 going to Panabo Bus Terminal up to Panabo Substation.

Davao Light apologizes for the inconvenience of these scheduled power interruptions. But, it will exert all efforts to restore electric service as scheduled or earlier.

However, there may be instances where restoration may extend beyond the schedule due to unavoidable circumstances.

Davao Light’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) remotely controls switches in substations and along the distribution lines.

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

its Riverside Production Well No. 1 at Riverside Calinan.

DCWD acting general manager Edwin V. Regalado advises would-be affected customers to store enough water prior to the scheduled water interruptions as water supply may be restored earlier if work goes smoothly or later if unforeseen problems arise.

The general public

may call the DCWD trunk line at 221-9400 and press “1” on their phone dial to listen to the latest daily water updates, or contact its call center through the 24-hour hotline 221-9412, 0927798-8966, 0908-4410653 or 0925-511-3293 for updates, complaints, queries and other matters pertaining to DCWD services. [Jovana T. Duhaylungsod]

discretion, an exercise which we find to be well within the bounds of its authority and, therefore, beyond our power to restrict or curtail.”

It said that while the May 10, 2010 elections used a paper-based technology, “each voter was then required to personally feed his ballot into the [PCOS] machine which scanned both sides of the ballots simultaneously, meaning, in just one pass.”

“As established during the required demo tests, the system captured the images of the ballots in encrypted format, which, when decrypted for verification, were found to be

digitized representations of the ballots cast,” the SC ruling said.

It also agreed with both the HRET and Panotes that “the picture images of the ballots, as scanned and recorded by the PCOS, are likewise official ballots that faithfully captures in electronic form the votes cast by the voter, as defined by Section 2(3) of R.A. No. 9369.”

“As such, the printouts thereof are the functional equivalent of the paper ballots filled out by the voters and, thus, may be used for purposes of revision of votes in an electoral protest,” the SC said. [PNA]

Notice of water service Interruption announced

D

AVAO City Water District has scheduled a water service interruption on February 9 from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM affecting the entire Riverside Calinan, Los Amigos, Biao Guianga (Lower and Upper), Brgy. Ula, Biao Tienda, IKP Village, Small Tacunan and Martyville Subd. to allow its crew to install a 250mm diameter gate valve in

SC...

FFROM 2 took no part in the ruling while other justices concurred with Bernabe’s verdict, including Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. Aranal Sereno.

Chato cited Republic Act 9369 or the Election Automation Law as the basis of her petition.

She argued the official ballot is the paper ballot printed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or the National Printing Office was paper-based since the 2010 Automated Election System.

In dismissing Chato’s petition, the SC said “the acts complained of in these cases pertain to the HRET’s exercise of its

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 241 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

COMMUNITY SENSE11

Two Aboitiz-owned companies augment Davao City’s relief aids to flood victims T

WO leading member companies of the Aboitiz Power Group, in coordination with Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., the Group’s social development arm, have pooled resources to augment relief assistance mobilized by the local government of Davao City to help some 20 thousand families affected by the recent floods.

The Aboitiz companies are Davao Light and Pow-

er Co. of the Distribution Units, and Hedcor, Inc. Davao of the Generation Group of Aboitiz Power.

Davao Light donated 100 sacks of rice while Hedcor, Inc. provided kitchenwares and mats good for one hundred families. The relief goods were turned over by the two companies’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) executives last February 4 at one of the city’s repacking centers located

BRGY. LAPU-LAPU. The congressional staff of Rep. Mylene Garcia prepares the medicines while hundreds of residents of barangay Lapu-Lapu, Agdao district line up for the weekly Medical Mission program of the 2nd district congresswoman. Five medical

in Lower Cabantian, Buhangin District.

On hand to receive the goods were officials of the LGU led by no less than Marilou Bermudo, head of the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) who is tasked by the Office of the City mayor to be the point person of all relief operation activities. She was joined by her staff Turning over the dona-

tion of Hedcor, Inc. were Mary Aileen Mabanding, Admin Manager, and her Comrel Officer Lalaine Lonzaga. The two were joined in by Lloyd Revilla of Hedcor – Davao’s Corporate Communication Department.

Meanwhile, Davao Light’s CSR Manager Vic Sumalinog, and CSR supervisor Fermin Edillon represented the electric utility’s Executive Vice

doctors led by Dr. Lydette Galimba, Andrea Baliton, Angel Lumogdong, March Chiongson and Sam Sia Dimapinto attended to the needs of the patients.

The 100 sacks of rice and 100 packs of assorted kitchen utensils and mats from Davao Light and Power Co., and Hedcor, Inc., respectively, serve as backdrop to the handshakes that formalizes the donation. The relief goods were turned over to the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) of the city government by Davao Light CSR Manager Vic Sumalinog (shaking hands with CSSDO’s Marilou Bermudo) and Hedcor,

Inc.–Davao Admin Manager Mary Aileen Mabanding (to Mr. Sumalinog’s right). Also in photo are Hedcor Comrel Officer Lalaine Lonzaga (left) and Davao Light’s Comrel Supervisor Fermin Edillon (far right). To Bermudo’s left is her staff.

The donations boost the city’s resources for the ongoing relief assistance to the thousands of victims of the most recent floods that hit the city.

President and Chief Operating Officer Art Milan in the donation turnover.

On Tuesday, February 5, Davao Light also turned over 150 sacks of rice donations to the Municipalities of Carmen, Dujali and Sto. Tomas. The three towns in Davao del Norte are under the electric utility’s northern franchise area.

Last December 2012 until January this year the Aboitiz Group member companies through the

Aboitiz Foundation, were also very much involved in the relief operation for the thousands of families who were victims of super storm Pablo, specifically those in the Provinces of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental.

The Foundation spent about fifteen million pesos in goods and services even as it established a relief operation center in Nabunturan to be close to where the relief goods are badly needed.

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VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

Realty

EDGEDAVAO

Health and Wellness

FOR SALE:

1) 1-hectare commercial lot at P10,000/sq m, along National Highway, facing east, beside NCCC Panacan, Davao City. 2) 17,940sq m commercial lot at P2,500/sq m, along Matina Diversion Road. 3) 3,831 sq m lot along Matina Diversion Road. 4) 41,408 sq m commercial/ industrial lot at P800/sq m along the National Highway, Bunawan. 5) 7,056 sq m at P1,200/sq m commercial/residential lot along Indangan Road, Buhangin District. 6) 27,411 sq m commercial/ industrial lot along the National Highway in Bincungan, Tagum City. 7) 116.15 to 245.92 sq meters , at P5.5M to P12.3M commercial/ office condo units in Bajada, Davao City. 8) 699 to 1,117 sq m at P4,100/sq m commercial lots at Josefina Town Center, along the National Highway, Dumoy, Toril. 9) Ready-for-Occupancy Residential Properties: 4BR/3T&B in a 240 sq m lot with 177.31sqm floor area (2-storey) at P4.8M in an exclusive beachfront community in Dumoy, Toril.; 3BR 2-storey in a 71.25 sq m 2-storey in a 143sq m lot in an exclusive flower village in Maa, Davao City; 180 sq m lots with 71.25sqm to 126.42 sq m floor areas, priced at P3.751M to P5.773M in an exclusive mountain resort community along Matina, Diversion Road. 10) 1BR/2BR residential condo units located in Bolton, Maa, Obrero, Davao City. 11) FOR ASSUME (RUSH): 1BR res’l condo unit in Palmetto, Maa. P600K negotiable. Note: Items 1-9 can be paid in cash, in-house or bank financing. If interested, please call Jay (PRC REB Lic. 8237) at 0922-851-5337 (Sun), 0908-883-8832 (Smart) or send email to propertiesindavao@yahoo.com.

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(Edge 1/23,30, 2/07)

SPORTS 13

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 241 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

Short-handed Lakers beat Nets N

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to another win in the NBA against the Brooklyn Nets.

EW YORK – Kobe Bryant scored 21 points to help the Los Angeles Lakers overcome the absence of Dwight Howard and Metta World Peace, and a late injury to Pau Gasol, in a 92-83 NBA victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.

Howard missed the game as he continues to recover from a torn labrum in his right shoulder while World Peace was suspended by the NBA for the game after an incident in Sunday’s contest at Detroit in which he grabbed the Pistons’ Brandon Knight around the neck and struck him in the jaw with the back of his open hand.

Even so, the Lakers managed to post their sixth win in their past seven games as they battle to reach playoff contention.

“We’re more of a team, we’re sharing the ball, we’re playing better defensively,” said Lakers point guard Steve Nash, who scored 17 points with eight assists. “It was

a good win for us.”

Earl Clark added 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who are currently 10th in the Western Conference.

The game was tied 8080 when Bryant drove for a dunk that put the Lakers ahead with just over three minutes remaining.

Brook Lopez, who finished with 30 points for the Nets, responded with a three-point play to restore the Nets’ lead, but Antawn Jamison’s layup with 2:22 to play put the Lakers ahead for good.

Bryant followed with another basket and Clark drained a jump shot to build the Lakers’ lead to 88-83 with 1:11 to play.

Nash added four more free throws to complete the scoring.

“A lot of guys played really hard,” said Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni. “I hate to single one out because everybody that stepped on the floor did their job and more.

“We’re just playing better and that’s what’s more satisfying than anything.”

Rockets score 140, tie record in threes

H

OUSTON – Jeremy Lin drained five of Houston’s record-equalling 23 three-pointers on Tuesday as the Rockets romped to a 140-109 NBA victory over the Golden State Warriors.

The Rockets matched the NBA record with their 23 from beyond the arc, the long-range barrage lifting them to a fifth win in six games.

Lin finished with 28 points as the Rockets notched their highest-scoring game of the season. Their 14 three-pointers in the first half also tied an NBA re-

cord — even though their best three-point shooter, Carlos Delfino, was sidelined by a right elbow injury.

James Harden and Chandler Parsons had four three-pointers apiece. Harden finished with a total of 18 points and Parsons scored 16.

The Rockets tied the record of 23 three-pointers set by the Orlando Magic in a 139-107 victory over Sacramento on January 13, 2009.

With the game in hand, Houston coach Kevin McHale sent in his reserves for the final minutes.

Jeremy Lin led the three-point outburst by the Rockets.

14 SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

GIRLS FRIENDLY

EDGEDAVAO

Miriam plays Faith, ADDU Feb. 9

By Neil Bravo

V

ISITING Miriam College girls squad will play Faith Academy in a Friendly on Saturday ushering in the formal opening of the 2nd DFA Under-16 Girls Football Tournament at Faith Academy Football Field.

The Katipunan-based Miriam high school girls squad tangle with the foreign-flavored Faith side at 8 a.m. before the opening ceremonies of the Under-16 tournament organized by the Davao Football Association.

“We are honored to have Miriam’s varsity squad come and play with our teams,” Delos Reyes broke the news to EDGE Davao.

Hinex meets title favorite Ateneo de Davao University in the opener at 9 a.m. followed by the 10:30 am match between SOS against Faith Academy-A. In the afternoon, Ateneo de Davao University High School squad takes

its crack at Miriam College in another Friendly at 2 p.m.

DFA Women’s Committee chair Ching delos Reyes bared that the tournament will be open to school varsity and club teams and will run from February 9 until March 16.

According to tournament rules, those eligible to play are girls born January 1, 1996 and later, with each team are allowed to field five 1994-born players but only three 1994 reinforcements can play at the same time in every game.

“Teams will play 11-a-side games in a single round robin format.

After the elimination, the top 2 teams will play the championships while 3rd and 4th rank teams will play for 3rd place. A team needs nine players to play a game prior and during a match. Flying substitution will be implemented,” explained Delos Reyes.

That’s just Marquez’s negotiating style - - Arum

T

OP Rank’s CEO Bob Arum had no concerns when discussing the recent comments from Juan Manuel Marquez, who stated that he doesn’t have any interest in a fifth fight with Manny Pacquiao.

On December 8th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Marquez (55-6-1, 40KOs) knocked out Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38KOs) in the sixth round. Because he finally secured his sought after “clear victory” over Pacquiao, Marquez claims that he doesn’t have any reason to fight Pacquiao again.

“I think for me there is no point [in a fifth fight].

We already achieved the desired result. Then why do it? So I also asked several people, several friends that I have around me and they told me not to do it, that there is no point in a fifth fight. I said before the fourth fight that no matter how this fight ends, there can not be a fifth,” Marquez said.

However, there are no worries on the part of Top Rank according to a report in www.boxingscene.com.

“His idea of negotiations,” Arum smiled.

Unless Marquez, 39-years-old, is going to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a rematch, or move up to 154-pounds to fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez the most lucrative fight, financially, is a fifth meeting Pacquiao. Marquez was easily outboxed for nearly every minute of his twelve round fight with Mayweather in 2009. And

Marquez is too small, even with his newfound muscles, to challenge Canelo at 154.

Fights against Timothy Bradley, or the winner of Brandon Rios-Mike Alvarado, are possible - but money involved is far, far less than a fifth Pacquiao encounter.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, expects the fifth fight to happen.

“What other fight for him is out there? Is he going to fight Mayweather again? Can he beat Mayweather? He got killed by Mayweather.Sso what’s the biggest fight out there?

Can he fight the young guys coming up? He’ll negotiate when it gets closer, I’m not worried about that. He really doesn’t have anything else. Bradley and all of those other guys out there, he’s not going to make the money that he would for Pacquiao,” Roach told BoxingScene.com.

“The thing is, he won the fight so he’s going to get more money. I think that this fight, because the fourth one was so exciting, this is bigger than Mayweather-Pacquiao right now. The third fight was boring, so not that many people were interested in the fourth. But the fourth fight may been the best one [in the series], both ways. It was back and forth, both guys were on the deck. In this one, both of them will make a lot of money. I’m not worried about negotiations, Bob Arum will do his job.” (www.boxingscene.com)

FAITH Academy’s Under-16 girls team will face Miriam College of Manila in a friendly match ushering the 2nd DFA U-16 Girls football tournament on February 9 at FAITH Academy Field.

UFL

Sparks whip Army 4-1 D

ESPITE playing without their top stars, the Loyola Meralco Sparks overcame an early deficit to wallop Philippine Army, 4-1, in the opening day of the 2013 United Foot-

ball League competition Tuesday night at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

Loyola was without Phil and James Younghusband, who were with the national team for the

Azkals’ friendly match against Myanmar on Wednesday.

Army’s Relan Bretana caught Loyola off guard at the 18th minute, blasting a goal from left flank to give his team a 1-nil

advantage.

But it was the last taste of glory for Army, as the Sparks quickly equalized on a Freddy Gonzalez header off a Mark Hartmann corner at the 32nd minute.

Meralco Sparks’ defender Chad Gould booked a goal for the Loyola club against Philippine Army in the UFL. The Sparks won 4-1 to kickstart its UFL campaign.

INdulge!

FOOD

VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Romanticising the palate at The White House

ANYONE who follows me know that I love old houses, especially the ones which are lovingly restored. The history in every wooden plank, window pane, and chandelier harken back to times of romance and mystique and one of my favourite ancestral houses in Davao has got to be the old Kerr House which is now the address of The White House restaurant.

Wanting to bring an elevated gastronomic experience paired with an elegant atmosphere, banana magnate, Tonyboy Floirendo and his team set about transforming the 1930’s hacienda home into a thing of beauty and pleasure to the palate which keeps me coming back to taste their gustavian delights of Fois Gras, Rack of Lamb, and Crispy Duck Confit.

This February however marks the introduction of new items on the menu, alongside favourites, that are sure to tickle the palate of every Dabawenyo foodie. I loved the fresh Fern “Pako” Salad which highlights the lush bounty of Davao City. The ferns were fresh and crisp with a nutty flavour that pairs well with the punchy shallot dressing.

Another beautiful way to start a dining experience would be The White House’s Uni Shooter, a fresh spin on a classic oyster shooter, the uni served was fresh and salty with a bit of spice coming from the sauce the shooter was served with. The addition of a rich quail egg, makes for a delicious and rich appetiser that leaves the palate begging for more.

New also on the menu, is their version of Fish and Chips. What makes The

White House’s fish and chips extra special is that you can actually see the Garupa that was used to create the fillets. In fact, the bones of the fish is also served crispy fried for those who prefer to do nose to tail eating. The fact that the fish is from the sea, means the chips taste clean and fresh, literally from the sea.

For the main course, I noticed that there are finally some pork dishes in the menu, much to the delight of pork lovers like me. I suggest an order of their Buta Kakuni, a slowbraised pork belly served with bok-choy and mustard. The mustard balances the richness of the pork belly.

For those who would like keep to their diets while tasting the many different flavours The White House has to offer however, then I would suggest the Yakitori sampler that has seven different kinds of

grilled meat of a skewer.

And what is a great meal without dessert right? I would suggest you to try the Pineapple Puff served with Pecan Ice Cream, the tartness and sweetness of the pineapple pairs so well with the sweet saltiness of the pecan ice cream.

Of course given that Valentines is around the corner, I am happy that The White House is offering two different Valentine’s set menus priced at Php1,100 and Php1,600 only, from February 13 to 15. Each

tasting set menu consists of seven courses plus a glass of Luis Felipe Edwards Cabernet Sauvignon. Mix in some romantic music to serenade the person you are dining with and romance is sure to fly.

Seats for dinner may be limited so I suggest interested diners to call 2824540, 0915-4483601, or 0932-8687073 for reservations.

Follow me on Twitter or Instagram @kennethkingong for more foodie finds in, around and beyond Durianburg.

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

UP AND ABOUT

Chinese New Year at the Lotus Court

VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

FOOD

VDay gift ideas

WELCOME the Year of the Snake at Lotus Court. Delight in a feast of savory Chinese dishes for Dinner on February 9 and Lunch and Dinner on February 10 with Roast Peking duck, Roast Pig, crabs and other pre- I LOVE February as mium Seafood items. All these at Php1, 200 I can feel the love in net per person and Php 600 net per child. the air. I know love Join our unique celebration showcasing the Lion is but inevitable but Dance and cultural performances. Chinese sweet cakes I feel most loved when it is February. are also offered Literally, the town in two popular is painted red – the flavors – Classic redder the better. and Cappuccino.

Pictures depicting Celebrate lovers, heart shaped good fortune stuffed toys, arranged and good health flowers and a bountithis February at ful feast of chocolates Lotus Court. For line every counter reservations and in preparation of inquiries, please the love month. Not call (082) 221 only that, everybody 0888 local 7232 seems to be in high or 7233. spirits as February comes rolling in.

SM City Davao celebrates the Year of the Snake

There’s a world of good karma at SM City Davao as we bid farewell to the year of the Dragon and welcome the coming of the Water Snake on February 9 and 10.

Know your Zodiac Fortune this Year of the Water Snake. Check out the Chinese Zodiac Forecast at the Chinese Zodiac Wall located at the 2F of the main mall from February 1-15.

Marvel at the colors and motions of Colegio de San Ignacio’s fan and umbrella dances. Experience traditional performing arts live at the Event Center, the Annex on February 8, 6PM. On February 9, learn the Chinese martial arts Wushu and discover the discipline of forms and sparring. Catch Infinity More Than Medals at 5PM. Learn how to improve your fortune with Feng Shui expert Richard Yu on February 9 and 10. Lecture starts 10 AM and consultation at 4 PM. Admission is free with single or accumulated P1000 worth of receipt (dated Feb 4-10) from any mall tenant. A consultation pass is available with a purchase of 5 SM Ecobags. Only thirty (30) tickets will be given away per day from 1PM at the Ecobag Booth. Each pass entitles a shopper to a 5-10minutes consultation.

Plus, catch good fortune as the Dragon and Lion dancers spread prosperity at the mall on February 10, 10 AM. Celebrate the Chinese New Year with good karma and great fortune! Visit SM City Davao this Chinese New Year.

For inquiries, call 297.6998. Like SM City Davao on Facebook or follow @smcitydavao on Twitter for event and promo updates.

With the impending celebration, there is also that clamor for unique and budget friendly gift ideas.

Some restaurants and cafes offer customized preparations for their clients while others, those that on a tight budget, opts for something handmade – they say the effort counts so it’s more meaningful.

True Love is a force to be reckoned with.

Although I am one to buy gifts from the malls, I also love the idea of making the gifts on my own.

One factor maybe is the fact that I am able to cook thus I can whip up something from my pantry.

Try these recipes and wrap them accordingly.

Give them as gifts to your friends or call up your significant other and have a chocolate overload time at your place. Enjoy!

Deep Fried NeilIna Goodies Paying homage to the greatest Tumblr Love Team, NeilIna, this deep fried goodies are best eaten hot – hot from the pan, hot in love or hot from the presence of your significant other. Serve it as it is or pack them is up to you -- whatever way you opt to share them, remember that is the intention that counts.

Happy heart’s day!

Ingredients: 1 pack Oreo (any flavor will do) 1 200g pancake mix 1 tbsp cornstarch 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract 1 egg white ¾ cup beer 3 pcs ice cubes Oil for deep frying Method: In a bowl, whisk egg

Although I am one to buy gifts from the malls, I also love the idea of making the gifts on my own. One factor maybe is the fact that I am able to cook thus I can whip up something from my pantry. white until stiff. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix pancake mix, ice cubes, vanilla extract and beer.

Combine until smooth.

Fold in egg white. Meanwhile, heat pan with a bit of oil over low heat.

Dip Oreo’s in beer batter completely.

Deep fry until golden brown.

Can be served with whipped cream or drizzled with chocolate syrup.

Note: You can actually use other goodies like wafers, chocolate bars, fruits and even gummy bears. When using chocolates, make sure that is it duly frozen before frying.

Sponge Lollicakes Tired of the bland flavor of sponge cakes, I opted to make lollicakes instead.

Yes, lollipop made of cakes, which could be give as a treat or formed into a bouquet. Add your favorite chocolate balls, mashed up chocolate chips or even snippets of fresh flowers – it’s all up to you and your imagination!

Ingredients: Store bought Sponge cake ¼ cup dried Prunes, chopped ½ cup semi-sweet choco-

late chips ½ cup maple syrup ½ cup softened cream cheese Lollipop sticks Method: Slice sponge cake and set aside.

In a bowl, mix sponge cake, dried prunes, chocolate chips and maple syrup.

Mix until well incorporated. Add cream cheese and mix thoroughly.

Form into balls, insert lollipop sticks and freeze.

Roll in powdered sugar.

Coat or drizzle with more chocolate before packing.

Do you want to be a part of Davao’s Thursday habit? Send me your recipes, questions, suggestions and comments and be featured.

If you are interested, then email me at leebai@chefroyale.com or visit www. chefroyale.com for more recipes. Happy Cooking!

VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

ENTERTAINMENT

PETA slams Beyonce’s Superbowl outfit

PETA thinks Beyoncé showed way too much skin at the 2013 Super Bowl.

“We would take a bet that if Beyoncé watched our video exposés...she’d probably not want to be seen again in anything made of snakes, lizards, rabbits, or other animals who died painfully,” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals told E! News, reacting to the halftime show headliner’s skimpy leather outfit, which also incorporated iguana and python skin (but, for the record, no rabbit) in addition to nylon and other man-made materials.

“Today’s fashions are trending toward humane vegan options, and Beyoncé’s Super Bowl outfit missed the mark on that score.”

It’s already been a rough year for these two, PETA also reportedly finding fault with the Christian Dior mink

coat Beyoncé wore to the presidential inauguration last month.

PETA did, however, have find something to cheer about after the Super Bowl: They applauded the complete absence

of great apes in this year’s batch of commercials, taking special note of CareerBuilder.com’s decision to not once again dress chimps in suits and ties for human amusement.

a really audacious movie.

The biggest third movie of this kind I’ve ever seen and I just think people are going to really love it.”

Mazin says we’ll see the wolf pack heading to multiple U.S. cities in the flick (not outside the country though), adding, “What starts in Vegas must end in Vegas.”

Mazin also said it was “weird” for Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and everyone to say goodbye to the franchise. “It was

a hard thing,” he said. “I think they’ve become such great friends and, frankly, all of them really became stars from The Hangover and it’s a big part of their lives...I certainly felt choked up on that last day.”

And as for reports funnylady Melissa McCarthy will pop up for a Hangover 3 cameo? “She might or might not,” Mazin teased.

“If I told you, first of all, I would be killed and then you would be killed.”

Hangover 3: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis flick will be “Biggest third movie…ever”

DON’T EXPECT The Hangover 3 to be just like the first two films in the wild and hilarious franchise.

“It’s going to be quite a bit different,” Hangover 3 writer Craig Mazin told us at last night’s L.A. premiere of Identity Thief.

“They don’t wake up and wonder what happened the night before.”

“The storyline is quite a bit different, but it’s still the four guys that are on an insane adventure,” Mazin continued.

“Frankly, [director] Todd [Phillips] and I really approached this in the point of view of a great ending to a trilogy and it kind of explains quite a bit and ties back to the first movie in a very interesting way. I think Todd did an incredible job.”

Mazin promises The Hangover 3 will have all the shock-value of the first two. “There is stuff in this movie that I just can’t believe was filmed,” he laughed. “It’s not even shocking, well yes, but it’s just so audacious. This is

INdulge! A3

A4 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

STYLE Starlight, Star bright! Sultry metallic Glitz and Glam. This long metallic bronze halter dress shot at Arena’s Event Bowl. dress makes a strong statement at the Barker’s Alley

Dazzle with SM’s modern metallics

Metallic Diva.

Steal the spotlight in a oneshoulder metallic number, shot at the Event Bowl.

THE FUTURE is looking bright as Modern Metallics celebrate the start of a brilliant new year at SM!

Metallics, after all, have been adding shine to Spring 2013’s fashion runways with designers like Burberry Prorsum, DKNY, Alexander McQueen, and DVF taking the lead. And with boho queen Sienna Miller recently illuminating the London scene in a cool metallic gold top, SM Ladies Fashion brings on the glow with textured metallic jersey pieces.

It’s a luxe look with fluid, light reflective pieces in glitzy gold, sparkly silver, bedazzling bronze, and polished pewter. There are high-voltage sultry dresses, shimmering tops, and metallic cocktail trousers that create richness and playful elegance by putting a fresh spin on more timeless looks.

Beautifully photographed at the Mall of Asia Arena, the Modern Metallics collection dazzles at the new state of the art venue for world -class entertainment. Located on an 18,214 square meter side at the SM Mall of Asia complex, the new 64,085 square meter five storey landmark by the Bay can accommodate a seating capacity of 15,000 with a full house capacity of 20,000. Designed for concerts and basketball games, it can also be configured for boxing, theater, fashion, and ice skating shows.

The Modern Metallics collection is available at the SM Ladies Fashion of the SM Store.

Heavy Metallic. Amp up your fashion voltage with this metallic textured jersey top shot at one of Arena’s modern-designed smoking lounges.

Midas Touch. Seal a deal or watch a highpowered concert in the cozy Corporate Suites of Arena in a pair of metallic pants worn with a tailored blazer.

Shine On. Shimmering metallic tank dress.

Dressing Room Drama. High-collar, cut-out back dress with metallic bodice.

All that glitters! The facade of Arena, with its Gold Rush. Dazzle day to dash of metallic pewter and stone finish, is night in a metallic gold top the perfect backdrop for this pair of metallic silver pants worn with a sheer black top. worn with black pants.

SPORTS 15

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 241 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

Gilas gets all-out support

T

HIS TIME, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is really sacrificing its season for the national interest.

With all teams committed to throw in at least one player each to the national basketball squad, the PBA is even ready to tweak the 2013 Annual All Stars for the sake of national cause.

Already penciled from May 1-6 in Digos, Davao Del Sur, commissioner Chito Salud bared to online sports network Spin.ph the league is now revising the format of the meet’s centerpiece event to turn into matches that could benefit Gilas Pilipinas’ buildup for the Fiba-Asia championships.

Instead of the usual set-up pitting the Rookies, Sophomores, and Juniors against the Veterans, Salud said his office is now bent on forming a PBA selection that will play Chot Reyes’ Gilas team in the main event.

Reyes is expected to name his 15-man roster on Thursday. Those who will be left out will be automatically be considered for the All-Star selection to be formed by the league.

“Para naman hindi mabakante `yung team natin at mabigyan rin sila ng high-level competition, bubuo tayo ng 12-man lineup na PBA selection,” said the amiable commissioner.

Salud likewise revealed the league is studying the option of holding regular games between Gilas Pilipinas and the PBA selection in the run-up to the August 1-11 event serving as the qualifier for the 2014 world championships in Spain.

“Open din tayo to allow our teams to play with the national team in front of the PBA

National coach Chot Reyes (top photo) can now heave a relief. The SMART Gilas Pilipinas squad will be banking on a solid line-up that boasts of (clockwise) Gabe Norwood, Marc Pingris, LA Tenorio, June Mar Fajardo and Sonny Thoss.

crowd,” Salud hinted. “At least, hindi rin masyado ma-miss ng fans `yung mga favorite

players nila.”

Salud plans to hold the matches on game days vacated follow-

ing the re-scheduling of the season-ending Governors’ Cup. Meanwhile, Chinese

Basketball Association Shanghai Sharks owned by retired NBA star Yao Ming will be

the first foreign team to play Gilas-Pilipinas in an exhibition series set May 6-8.

Aside from this, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), under president Manny V. Pangilinan, is also arranging a pocket invitational tournament in the first week of June wherein Fiba Asia-bound countries will be invited to see action.

Among the early countries which reportedly indicated interest are Qatar, Lebanon, and Jordan.

“We are doing this all for one aim, give pride to our country,” Salud stressed.

The PBA on Tuesday announced the cancellation of the Governors’ Cup from its original date on May 12 to give way to the training and preparation of the national team for the Asian showpiece.

The league board approved the moving of the season-ending tournament to August 14-October 28 while extending the run of the Commissioner’s Cup until the final week of May.

16 SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 241 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Ray “Boom Boom” Bautista will see action before Davao fans on April 20 in Davao City.

ALA PROMOTIONS USHER BIG CARD IN DAVAO CITY

Pinoy Pride XIX • Boom-Boom Bautista to headline card

By Neil Bravo

I

F PLANS don’t miscarry, local boxing fans need not salivate anymore. The square ring could be lighting up again in the city when the epic Pinoy Pride XIX goes to Davao on April.

Cebu-based boxing promotions outfit ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer announced in Cebu on Tuesday the 19th sequel of the boxing spectacle Pinoy Pride to be staged on April 20 at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) Gym. The Pinoy Pride series has pitted the country’s best boxers against foreign champions and world-rated fighters in past editions. ALA Promotions reportedly felt that the outfit had to do something in Davao.

It will be the first Pinoy Pride in Davao and the biggest boxing card in years. The last big fight in Davao was in 2002 when Manny Pacquiao fought Fahprakorb Rakkiat-Gym of Thailand.

WBO International featherweight champion Ray “Boom-Boom” Bautista will reportedly banner the card against a still unknown opponent.

Bautista, who totes a 35-2 record with 25 knockouts, has been rumoured to be lined up for a fight with former world champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez of Puerto Rico.

As early as last year, ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer discussed the fight with WBO president Francisco

“Paco” Valcarcel during the 25th Annual Convention of the WBO in Florida.

Bautista narrowly survived a big, hard-hitting Mexican Daniel Ruiz who was three pounds over the limit at the official weigh-in and came in much heavier at fight time during the Pinoy Pride XVII at the Mall of Asia last year.

In that epic fight, Bautista never backed off and engaged the tough Mexican in several furious exchanges to win a well-deserved split decision.

The win was the 26year old Bautista’s eighth since losing an eight round decision to Heriberto Ruiz on November 22, 2008. He then underwent surgery for a rotten bone in his left wrist.

Lopez, 29, has a record of 31-2 with 28 knockouts with both losses inflicted

by Mexico’s Orlando Salido who won the WBO featherweight title with an 8th round TKO on April 16, 2011 and repeated the feat with a 10th round TKO on March 10, this year.

ALA Promotions will also be pitting two promising unbeaten fighters in one of the bouts in Pinoy Pride XIX. Newly-crowed Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super flyweight champion Arthur Villanueva will be tested against fast-rising super flyweight king Marco Demecillo “Singwangcha”.

Villanueva was crowned the new OPBF champion after a unanimous decision over Japanese Taiki Eto in Japan last December. Villanueva sports a 21-0 record with 12 knockouts. He has fought the likes of former world title contender

Pramuansak Posuwan, world-rated Mark Anthony Geraldo and current World Boxing Council International flyweight champion Rey Megrino.

Demecillo, who has a 18-0 rind record with 14 knockouts, is a feared knockout artist. He has a string of six fights ending in abbreviated fashion, including wins over erstwhile undefeated boxer Marvin Mabait and Marjun Tabamo.

Meantime, Danny “Ahas” Nietes will face the highly regarded Mexican boxer Moises Fuentes in the Pinoy Pride XVIII main event on March 2 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. Angky “Time Bomb” Angkotta, conqueror of Nietes, will try to claim another ALA Gym stalwart when the Indonesian fighter battles Genesis “Azukal” Servania in the main undercard.

Boom Boom Bautista won a decision against David Ruiz in Pinoy Pride XVII last October in the Mall of Asia.