Edge Davao 5 Issue 251

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VOL.5 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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Crising leaves 2 dead in Comval 2 others injured in Lanao del Norte

For the love of Japanese food Science /Environment Page 4

Escudero sounds alarm over wildlife ‘invasion’

Sports

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PAL Interclub begins

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WO persons were killed in Compostela Valley province while two others were injured in Lanao del Norte as tropical depression Crising swept across Mindanao Tuesday.

Twenty-one of 26 Mindanao provinces were placed under public storm warning signal as of 5 p.m. Tuesday but the number went down to only one – Zamboanga del Norte – by 11 a.m. Wednesday as Crising moved over to Moro Gulf and on to the Sulu Sea. In its Weather Bulletin Eight on Crising issued at 11 a.m. Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the tropical depression slowed down as it traversed Sulu Sea. It noted that as of 10 a.m. the center of Crising was estimated at 220 kilometers northwest of Zamboanga City, packing maximum winds of

45 kph near t h e center a n d m o v ing west northwest at only 19 kph, down from 24 kph as of 5 a.m.

The bulletin said Crising is expected to be at 280 km southwest of Puerto Princesa City by Thursday morning and at 480 km southwest of Puerto Princesa City by Thursday evening. The island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi were placed under public storm warning Signal 1 at 5 p.m. Tuesday, bringing to 21 the total number of Mindanao provinces affected. But as Crising moved westward and slowed down, the number of provinces unFCRISING, 11

DRIFTWOOD. Ingenious residents living along the Davao River find ways to earn some cash by fishing out driftwood and other flotsam carried by onrushing waters at the onset of tropical depression Crising Tuesday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

2 THE BIG NEWS

VOL.5 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

LiDar says New Bataan most susceptible to flooding

By Che Palicte

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team of scientists which conducted a study last January 17 to 31 on the land formation of “Pablo”- affected-areas, particularly in Compostela Valley Province, with the use of optical remote sensing technology called Light Detection and Ranging (LiDar), has identified New Bataan among all municipalities in Compostela Valley as the most highly susceptible to flooding.

Dr. Enrico Paringit, project leader of the Disaster Risk Exposure Assessment for Mitigation (DREAM) LiDar, said in yesterday’s Club 888 media forum at The Marco Polo Davao that they were able to identify on detailed flood hazard

maps of areas affected

by Pablo in Compostela Valley, specifically the municipalities of New Bataan, Compostela and Monkayo.

“We were able to use the result of flood hazard mapping to identify safe sites for rebuilding communities and New Bataan as highly susceptible to flooding and not even safe for dwellings of residents,” Paringit said.

He added that a lot of areas in New Bataan are unsafe, especially barangay Andap which is at high risk for flooding and debris flow. “So. we recommended for residents in those areas to be relocated to some place farther than the

FLiDar, 11

ONE DIED HERE. A Traffic Management Center (TMC) enforcer checks out the wrecked PUV multicab driven by Julius Canillo who was killed on-the-spot after a Metro Shuttle bus rammed his vehicle in Buhangin, Davao City Tuesday afternoon. The Metro Shuttle bus reportedly lost its brakes causing the bus to hit four vehicles. Lean Daval Jr.

After the storm

DSWD CHARGES

A case of ‘unhappy employee’

By EJ Dominic Fernandez

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HARGES filed against four social welfare officials are merely “a simple case of a disgruntled worker whose appointment was not renewed for 2013,” according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional director Priscilla N. Razon.

Razon said that according to the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Service (KALAHI-CIDSS) Travel Report which was conducted from January 14 to 18, all the allegations that were mentioned by June

Sanchez-Obenza, former community development assistant under the Kalahi-CIDSS program, were false.

The travel report was conducted to address the grievances of Sanchez-Obenza after she sent a complaint to the DSWD national level early January.

The report conducted Focus Group Discussions, review on technical and financial documents and interviews which were made in Manay, San Ignacio, Davao Oriental, Kawayan, Pantukan, Compostela Valley and Kapalong, Davao del Norte because these were

the areas mentioned in the complaint. They did not find irregularities in these areas and people who were interviewed had nothing to say against Annabelle Jabla, regional financial analyst of the DSWD’s KALAHI-CIDSS program, and engineer Santos Eusebio Jr., KALAHI-CIDSS regional community infrastructure specialist.

Razon said Sanchez-Obenza was only displeased over the non-renewal of her contract, and that she also does not have good relations with her co-workers.

“It is actually standard operating procedure

mation on climate change adaptation given the with topographical maps that state geo-hazards like floods and landslide; which can help local governments to plan ahead given a base line data on possible disaster scenario.

“Imagine how a local government acts given timely information on disaster scenarios like inundation flood maps which can be used for disaster mitigation in identifying flood and landslide prone areas and in responding more rapidly to victims through networking with

city and regional hospitals in emergency situations,” he said.

Montejo said that Smarter Philippines is a mindset of continually finding better ways of doing things for Filipinos.

He said at the DOST, Smarter Philippines pertains to coming up with new and better products and systems of improving the quality way of life.

Montejo said smart technologies can best help practically in all aspects in the Filipino way of life from

IN DAVAO CITY

(SOP) that special project workers are merely covered by a memorandum of agreement which has no assurance of tenure,” Razon said, adding, “as early as November 2012 some 400 plus project workers were already given notice of termination and would be evaluated based on their performance and behavior for the renewal of their contract in January.”

Razon also said that part of the SOP is that employees have to signify if they still want to work, however, Razon received a text message from San-

FDSWD CHARGES, 11

DavOr sees solution to clearing debris

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HE provincial government of Davao Oriental is closing on its goals of keeping fallen coconut trees from rotting as Provincial Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon has made government agencies agree to partner in managing huge volume of tree debris accumulated as a result of Typhoon Pablo.

Malanyaon led a coordination meeting held last Feb. 19 focusing on recovery and rehabilitation of Typhoon Pablo-affected communities in Davao Oriental during which debris management and shelter came out as the current major concern in the province.

She was particularly concerned on cleaning

up wastes and debris as she wanted the province to fast-track efforts of “building back even better” the three typhoon Pablo devastated towns of Baganga, Cateel and Boston.

In his presentation during the inter-agency meeting held at the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Provincial Planning Officer Freddie Bendulo identified coconut trunks, uprooted trees, construction materials, non-biodegradable and bio-degradable materials as the major debris which, he said, could be hazardous to health and Among them, coconut trunks contribute the major volume of wastes as there

FAFTER THE STORM, 11

DOST launches Smarter Philippines

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HE Department of Science and Technology formally launched the Smarter Philippines program aimed at maximizing the use of information communication technology to spur inclusive growth and improve the quality of lives among Filipinos.

Speaking in the simple launching program at the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City, Secretary Mario Montejo of the DOST said in Davao Region, Smarter Philippines can be best understood by local residents to their access to infor-

FIN DAVAO CITY, 11

SMARTER PHILIPPINES. Department of Science and Technology Sec. Mario G. Montejo (right) leads the launching of Smarter Philippines program at the Marco Polo Davao yesterday. Also

in the launch is Undersecretary Louis Napoleon C. Casambre, Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO) executive director of DOST. Lean Daval Jr.

SUBURBIA 3

EDGEDAVAOVOL.5 ISSUE 251 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

RDR pushes DavNor tourism code D

AVAO del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario has directed the revitalized Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) to work out the immediate passage of the Provincial Tourism Code to spur investments and sustainable growth in the province.

“The first job I gave them is the crafting of the Provincial Tourism Code, which is our tool in addressing the gaps in the tourism sector,” del Rosario said, after administering the oath of office of the new PTC set of officers.

The governor stressed the measure is important in securing the province’s vantage point in supporting President Aquino’s goal of achieving 35 million domestic visitor arrivals and 10 million foreign tourist arrivals by 2016.

He added the speedy passage of the code will enable the province to make the most out of the multi-billion tourism projects available from the national government.

OIC-Provincial Administrator Norma Lumain revealed the Local Finance Committee is now wrapping up its review on the

Governor Rodolfo del Rosario, 4th left, examines the contents of the emergency kit being raffled out, during Oplan A.N.D.A.M. (Advocacy on Natural Disaster Awareness and Management) orientations in disaster-prone barangays of the province. [Noel Baguio]

draft of the code before endorsing it to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for appropriate action.

She said the proposed ordinance seeks to ensure the promotion and

development of the province’s rich tourism industry,while preserving the colorful culture, heritage, and identity of the Dabaonons.

The measure shall also

be a great come-on for potential investors, as it encourages participation of the private sector in agro-eco-cultural-tourism for countryside development.

Oriental and DSWD Head of Protective Services Unit.

According to Santamaria all barangays in Baganga, Boston and Cateel availed of the power saw as well as 11 villages in Compostela Valley.

Santamaria said the STIHL Model 720 ‘36’size saw costs P60,500.00 each, complete with spark plug wrench, allen

wrench, locking screw, open wrench, two-stroke engine oil, and two oilmatic saw chains.

The Memorandum of Agreement stipulates that the saw must be used by the barangay’s authorized chainsaw operator for cutting of trees in the natural forests or fallen trees floating in the rivers. Said trees must be cleared by the Depart-

ment of Environment and Natural Resources or the Philippine Coconut Authority, in the case of coconut trees.

Further, the MOA provides that produced lumber shall be for the exclusive use of the concerned barangay’s shelter assistance projects relative to TS Pablo Early Recovery and Rehabilitation Program. [DSWD]

Del Rosario recently presided over the oath of office of the new PTC officers, with Ms. Araceli Ayuste as President, Dizon Namoag-Vice President, Carlo Domingo-Secretary

and Edna Parcon-Treasurer.

Each of the cities and municipalities also has its own representative in the tourism body. [Noel Baguio]

HE Del Monte Philippines, Inc. (DMPI) management said it was unaware of the reasons why the New People’s Army (NPA) attacked its compound Tuesday, saying they had been providing gainful employment to thousands of residents in Bukidnon’s 10 municipalities.

In a press statement e-mailed to MindaNews Wednesday, lawyer Ramon Velez, DMPI senior manager, said company operations were not affected by the attack.

“It is unfortunate that this incident happened and we are unaware of the reasons why the rebels committed such acts of violence,” he added.

Jorge Madlos, NDF Mindanao spokesperson, said in an interview over Magnum FM CDO on Tuesday evening that the NPA launched the attacks to send a message that DMPI has to stop operations, blaming the firm for the big damage wrought by Typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro in December 2011.

Madlos said “pineapple plantations in Bukidnon” worsened the impact of the storm. He said DMPI and Dole Philippines are the same multinational corporations that allegedly abused laborers, amassed large plantation areas that

could have been subjected to land reform, and damaged the environment.

“This is our way to search for justice for the Sendong victims,” he said.

Madlos warned of more attacks if DMPI and other agribusiness companies do not heed their call for moratorium of expansion of plantations. “If they agree not to expand their areas, we might reconsider the attacks,” he said.

He cited the fast expansion of the two plantations and added Sumifru, another agribusiness firm, is also on its list. He said these firms should vacate the areas so these can be subjected to land reform.

Velez said their firm has been operating in Bukidnon for 87 years and has provided gainful employment to over 20,000 people across 10 municipalities.

“Del Monte has undertaken numerous socio-civic projects that continue to improve the lives of many families in the province,” he added.

In his account, Velez said that at around 6 p.m. on February 19, about 100 heavily armed men belonging to the New People’s Army attacked DMPI’s plantation office and truck yard in Camp Phillips, Manolo Fortich town. [Walter I. Balane / MindaNews]

DSWD releases 53 chainsaws A T

total of 53 barangays affected by TS Pablo received one unit Power Saw each from the Department of Social Welfare and Development recently. Use of which is upto six months and the barangay recipients may request for extended use when necessary. This was bared by Rebecca A. Santamaria, DSWD TS Pablo focal person for Davao

TURNOVER. Rebecca A. Santamaria, DSWD TS Pablo focal person for Davao Oriental presents the packages of STIHL Model 720 power chainsaws to barangay leaders in Boston town during the recent turnover ceremony.

Del Monte to NPA: ‘Why such acts of violence?’

4 SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT Escudero sounds alarm over wildlife ‘invasion’ S

EN. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero has called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and environmental groups to intervene in the reported entry of alien plant and animal species to the country which threatens the country’s delicate ecological balance. ”Exotic animal and plant species which are initially used as household pets or decorations almost always invariably ends up being introduced into the country’s ecosystems which in many cases disturbs the delicate balance of the country’s rich biological environment,” Escudero, chairman of the Senate committee on

environment and natural resources, said.

“This is an ecological disaster waiting to happen. The entry of alien invasive species can wreak havoc on our ecosystem in a blink of an eye. We need a cooperative approach to dealing with this looming environmental crisis,” the senator added as he pledged full support for a multi-sectoral response.

The DENR had earlier called public attention to the so-called “bio-invasion” involving foreign plant and animal species.

Escudero said that the intervention of the DENR and a proactive response from non-government organizations are made

more urgent with its own assessment that the entry of exotic species in the country “threaten not only the survival of local wildlife species, but also pose human health risks.”

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje earlier reported, for instance, that Chinese softshell turtles had started to ruin wildlife habitats in Central Luzon.

The Chinese softshell turtles (Pelodiscus sinensis) are impacting aquaculture and biodiversity in Pampanga, Bulacan and Bataan as they prey on bangus (milkfish) and tilapia fingerlings in fishponds, according to Paje.

The registration of wildlife species, whether

VOL.5 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

for recreation, conservation or propagation, is required by Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. The law also requires aquarium owners to sur-

Davao company awaits US certification of facility for medical waste processing

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local firm, while awaiting for its US certification, will open Davao City’s first Bio-Medical Waste Facility after the Davao City Council has given go signal to Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio the authority to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for a project that would address improper disposal of medical wastes.

ICT Davao president Ereberto Barriga, Jr. said the technology that won at the One Pitching from the regional to national competition and passed incubation at Silicon Valley in California, USA and at the Stanford University had gained positive result and is now awaiting approv-

al of US certification for commercialization in the global market.

Locally he said the Pyroclave Facility of RAD Green Solutions bearing a Philippine patent, is being used by a local hospital that started about three months ago.

He said this is the solution that is needed after the use of incinerator has been banned.

Law on disposal of medical waste requires specific and specialized steps but some hospitals and clinics bury them or just apply the usual practice of disposing ordinary wastes.

With Davao City making the lead of properly disposing of medical

wastes, Barriga said “we are proud that the city government patronizes local inventions and supports it as well”.

There are already schedules of launching in the pipeline in Davao del Norte, Cagayan de Oro City, Bulacan and in three other parts in Metro Manila.

RAD Green Solution has invented an equipment using Pyroclave technology that reduces the waste from its original form, and turns it into carbon within 15 to 20 minutes using intense heat.

The equipment was locally developed by an accredited local manufacturer.

Part of the agreement between RAD Green Solu-

tions and the Davao City government is to disinfect and reduce 50,000 pieces of sharps used by government medical clinics and health centers in the locality.

The facility can process three tons of waste daily. Davao City’s infectious medical wastes reach 2.5 tons everyday.

RAD Green facility will convert waste materials into carbon and disposed them in the city’s sanitary landfill.

The facility will have its formal opening today, February 21, in New Carmen, Tugbok, Davao City just across the Sanitary Landfill where the firm leased about 200 square meters in the area. [PNA]

Recently, the NEDA and the Department of Public Works and Highwaysspearheaded a study on the development of a Philippine Water Resources Sector Development Plan to address fragmentation and the lack of leadership in the sector.

The study also provides a comprehensive framework on the integration of all development plans in the water sector.

“This study reaffirmed the need for a central agency to govern management of the country’s water resources to be called the National Water Resources Management Office. The next step includes executive approval and adoption,” the Cabinet official said.

The SER also said that the government will con-

tinue to pursue the integrated water resources management (IWRM) approach as the overall strategy in the water resources sector.

“IWRM promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land, and related resources to optimize economic and social welfare without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems,” said Balisacan, who is also NEDA Director-General.

Meanwhile, the SER said that the lack of updated, harmonized, and comprehensive data and statistics in the water sector hinders effective planning, target setting and implementation in the sector.

“This further aggravates the difficulties in implementation and coordination

among related water sector agencies that cascade to initiatives of local government units. This makes it difficult to assess and address the sustainability of developed infrastructure,” he said.

Balisacan noted that conflicting reported statistics poses difficulties in tracking improvements undertaken by agencies against national targets. He added that various data issues include different and conflicting sources of data, lack of adequate disaggregation and definitions, different parameters and methodologies used, among others.

In terms of actual infrastructure provision, mixed achievements were seen in the first two years of implementing the Philippine Development Plan: 20112016.

NEDA pushes for central agency, relevant data to improve water resources sector management

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OVERNMENT must actively address institutional fragmentation, lack of reliable data and scientific decision support systems, and inadequate provision of water-related infrastructure to achieve national and local targets in the water sector, according to the recently released Socioeconomic Report (SER): 2010-2012 of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“The SER notes that fragmentation continues to dampen effective management of water resources. We must aggressively address the issue by, among others, formulating a framework for the creation of an apex body for the sector,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.

EDGEDAVAO

render their exotic fish to the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau instead of throwing these into rivers and other bodies of water when they decide to extract the fishes from their aquarium.

Among the foreign species of wildlife that had posed problems for the country are the water lily, golden apple snail or golden kuhol, tilapia, and the janitor fish. [PNA]

SouthCot board stays firm on open-pit mining ban

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HE Sangguniang Panlalawigan of South Cotabato rallied behind the provincial environment code that bans open pit mining method as the local Catholic Church urged the public to intensify the opposition to the Tampakan copper-gold project now that it obtained an environmental compliance certificate (ECC).

“The SP of South Cotabato will maintain its stand that the open pit ban provided for in its environment code will remain until a competent court declares it ultra vires (beyond one’s legal power or authority),” Vice Gov. Elmo Tolosa, the provincial board’s presiding officer, told MindaNews Wednesday.

Tolosa added that the board was not surprised that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) eventually granted the ECC permit of foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) because they were in favor of the project all along.

Asked if the mining firm will seek the endorsement of the provincial board, Tolosa said: “The environment code provision will stand in the way of any SP endorsement unless the ban on open pit mining is repealed by the SP itself or declared invalid by a court of law.”

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje announced Tuesday that the agency has approved SMI’s ECC, which is one of the requirements before the firm can go on commercial production.

The decision of the DENR, which previously trashed twice the firm’s ECC application, drew uproars among critics of the Tampakan project.

Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez also on Wednesday rallied the public to strengthen the opposition against the Tampakan copper-gold project.

Gutierrez assailed President Benigno Simeon Aquino III for the issuance by the DENR of the ECC to SMI, which is controlled by Xstrata Copper, the world’s fourth largest copper producer.

“PNoy (Aquino) is no longer believable. He had said that ‘Kayo ang Boss Ko’… it turns out now that’s just a slogan,” the bishop told a local radio station in Ilonggo.

Gutierrez pointed out that last year, the dioceses of Marbel, Kidapawan and Digos submitted 106,000 signatures to the Office of the President to persuade Aquino to thrash the Tampakan project.

The Tampakan project, which straddles the towns of Tampakan in South Cotabato, Kiblawan in Davao del Sur, and Columbio in Sultan Kudarat, is under the jurisdiction of the three dioceses.

If the people are his bosses, Aquino should heed that petition, Gutierrez said.

The cutting of trees in 4,000 hectares, the mining project lying in four major earthquake faults, the dislocation of the indigenous peoples and the disposal of mining wastes were the major reasons the religious leader cited in urging the people to continue opposing the Tampakan project.

Gutierrez also stressed that South Cotabato has an existing ordinance that bans open-pit mining, the method SMI will use in extracting the vast deposits.

[Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews]

THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 251 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

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New Castrol service center opens in Davao

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EADY to serve repair and maintenance needs of motorists in Davao City, a new Castrol Auto Service Center, SPEEDEE Motorshop, opened its doors to the public last February 8, 2013. SPEEDEE, as the name suggests, offers quick, professional auto

services which include repairs of exhaust, clutch and brake and suspension systems, installation and replacement of under chassis parts and steering system, engine overhauling, change oil and greasing, replacement of tires and batteries, engine tune-up, body repair

and repainting. Observing Castrol’s international standards in auto service, SPEEDEE Motorshop promises to deliver reliable service and customer satisfaction with its welltrained mechanics and efficient systems. SPEEDEE Motorshop is located at Maa Road, Davao City.

SPEEDEE Motorshop was formally opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by City Councilor Paolo Z. Duterte, Mr. Carmelo Panlaque, President Speedee Motorshop, and Mr Edgar Ponce, Business Manager, Castrol Phils.

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THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

NCCC wins as Mindanao’s Regional Retailer awardee T

OUTSTANDING. Philippine Retailers Association officers with DTI Usec. Zenaida Maglaya (2nd from left) awards to NCCC Supermarket, represented by its president, Javey A. Lim (2nd from right), and operations manager Jun Guerra (middle), the Re-

gional Retailer of the Year Award for Mindanao during the 16th Outstanding Filipino Retailers and Shopping Centers of the Year awards night on January 22, 2013 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ortigas Center.

HIS year’s outstanding Filipino retailer in the Mindanao category is turning 35 years old and scaling new heights to expand its brand of service to consumers.

NCCC Supermarket, a Davao-based retail supermarket chain, bags its second Regional Retailer of the Year Award for Mindanao during the 16th Outstanding Filipino Retailers and Shopping Centers of the Year (OFR/SCY) Awards Night on January 22 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

“We’ve always looked back to Davao City as where we started in 1978, together with the department store,” says Javey A. Lim, NCCC Supermarket president.

A destination for the local population’s grocery needs, NCCC Supermarket, with 8 stores, also operates 4 Choice grocery stores, it’s mid-size format, as well as 29 Health and Beauty in One (HB1) pharmacy cum neighborhood outlets. Other than Davao City, stores also operate in the cities of Tagum and Puerto Princesa in Palawan completing 45,776.76 square meters of total selling area.

“Operation areas and market preferences have changed in the past 35 years and we intend to reach out to more customers in more Mindanao towns other than cities, thereby expanding its brand where it is needed

by the consumers,” says Lim. New City Commercial Center (NCCC) was built by patriarch Lim Tian Siu who migrated from Chin Kang, Fukien, China in 1919. The elder Lim, a former cigarette sales agent, with his spouse, Ko Giok Loo, were active traders in Cotabato City prior to their transfer to Davao City where they started a textile business in 1952.

In 1978, their eldest son, Henry, added a grocery business and turned the textile business into a department store at the building’s second floor at Ramon Magsaysay Avenue (formerly Oyanguren Street) where NCCC Main Magsaysay now stands.

It is the ideals of beneficial business partnerships that continue to drive NCCC Supermarket to bring its customer service to an expanding market. Proof of this are its awards of two Silver Seals to Main Magsaysay and Mall Davao branches in 2007 and a Gold Seal in 2008 for its Tagum store, all from the Department of Trade and Industry XI. “We are inspired by the recognition that the Philippine Retailer’s Association has extended to our company,” shares Lim. “The feat of doing it again after wining it in 2007, is a great challenge for our team as we strive to improve our services, and systems; making it as competitive, if not better, than national chains.”

14th franchise expo scheduled in Cebu City

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HROUGH the past 15 years Franchising increased tremendous in the Visayas and Mindanao and helped the whole Country to the steady business climate we enjoy now.

Specifically malls have the advantage of getting Franchised Facilities as their Lessees.

With that in mind, FIFA Filipino International Franchise Association together with RK Franchise Consultancy, Julies Bakeshop, Bubi Trampoline, O’Hair Salon, Myface n Mynails Salon, LBC Logistic Solutions, Technolux, FranchisingPH Magazine and Franchise. ph Webportal organize the 14th Cebu Franchise Expo at SM City Cebu Tradehall from March 8 to 10, 2013 for Franchise buyers to find their Franchise of choice.

80 booths showcase more than 300 Franchises during Mall Hours with free entrance and every visitor gets a free copy of FranchisingPH Magazine, the leading industry publication in the Philippines. RK Franchise Consultancy will be there to assist Business owners who want to have their business developed into a Franchise System.

A launching at the event is Verband Management, the first Company in the Philippines which engages in professional Mystery Shopping to uplift Customer service and Marketing Research as well as professional Business Brokerage. The Management is Verband Management is in synergy with RK Franchise Consultancy.

FIFA is also assisting Companies in obtaining Trademarks which secures the exclusivity of their Marks in the market and is a pre-requisite to engage into Franchising as Franchisor. A new service to Franchisors

by FIFA is operating the Social Networking in behalf of busy Franchisors.

Franchise Companies from Manila, Cebu, Davao and other places of the Philippines will exhibit and they include 7-Eleven, San Miguel Foods, Suds Laundry, Penong’s, Dong Juan, Nice Day Car Wash, YTC Tutorial Center, Farmacia Ni Dok, V-Cargo, World Connect, Solerex, Star Carwash, Dok Alternatibo, Banana Peel, Medicus, Bukomaxx, Citidrug, Premium Graphics, Magic Siomai, Transfer It.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 251 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

‘Peaceful, diplomatic solution’

E-SEASON

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Casiño calls on gov’t to revive Sabah claim M

AKABAYAN Coalition Senate bet Teddy Casiño said it was time to seriously consider reviving the Philippine claim to Sabah and “vigorously pursue a diplomatic and peaceful solution on the Sabah dispute based on the national interest of the Filipino people.”

“The recent actions of the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate have very strong historical and legal grounds. In fact, they are acting on our continuing claim on Sabah which have remained dormant under previous administrations. Maybe its time those claims are revived,” said Casiño, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“Government should not turn its back on our Muslim brothers. We should start talks with Malaysia for a just, comprehensive and peaceful solution to the issue,” he added.

“It is in the interest of the nation that the Philippine government pursues the Sabah claim with the same intensity as it is asserting our sovereignty and territorial integrity in

the West Philippine Sea. Sabah is populated by Filipino Muslims and has rich natural resources that can help provide food, jobs and materials needed by industry,” Casiño said.

Casiño furthered that by pursuing negotiations with Malaysia, “we can strengthen the Philippines’ historical position to regain what rightfully belongs to the Sultanate of Sulu and the Philippine territory.”

The Philippines’ official claim to Sabah on behalf of the Sultanate of Sulu was first made during the term of President Diosdado Macapagal in 1962, before Sabah was officially made a state of Malaysia. Malaysia continues to pay a token annual rent of about 5,300 ringgit (P77,000) to the Sultanate of Sulu as a “cession fee.”

“Succeeding governments have sadly made this claim dormant through the years. It is high time that the government, considering our nation’s long term interests and respecting the right and principle of ancestral domain of our Muslim brothers and sisters, re-

STRATEGY. A congressional candidate’s Christmas greetings streamer is seen mounted in front of an establishment since December last year in Bo. Pampanga, Davao City. Some candidates vying for local positions employ “greetings” strategy to avoid the Comelec’s rule on premature campaigning.

vives our claim on Sabah.

This is the best way to diplomatically settle the current stand-off that is the reason for centuries of unrest in many parts of Southern Philippines,” Casiño said.

Various historical re-

cords and accounts back up the existence on record from 1473 to 1658 as part of the Sultanate of Brunei. In 1658, the Sultan of Brunei ceded Sabah to the Sultan of Sulu in compensation for his help in settling a civil war

in the Brunei Sultanate.

In 1885, the colonizing countries of the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany signed a Madrid Protocol that recognized the sovereignty of Spain in the Sulu archipelago in exchange for the relin-

quishment by Spain of all its claims over Sabah in favor of the UK. In 1888, Sabah became the protectorate of the UK which then was also occupying Malaysia as its colony.

“Historical records show that the Philip-

ILIPINOS would not resort to bribing if they did not have to,” Sen. Alan Cayetano said yesterday in reaction to the survey results of the National Statistical Office (NSO) that 41.3% of those surveyed personally saw a government employee for a favor and around 9% gave “pampadulas” in the form of money or gift to facilitate the transaction.

“The people I’ve talked to – market vendors, jeepney drivers, fisherfolk - who may have, at some point, slipped in a bribe are not culprits, but victims of this shameful practice,” Cayetano argued. “They don’t do it out of custom. They do it because they’re desperate and are willing to do anything to support their family and build their business. They don’t engage in bribery because they are unprincipled, but because they are forced to,” Cayetano argued.

Since the start of the campaign, Cayetano has conferred with vendors of Pritil Market in Tondo, Manila; Dangwa flower market also in Manila; Murphy Market in Quezon City; the fisherfolk of Taguig, and furniture workers in Cebu to personally hear the concerns of the masses on the economy, specifically inflation, employment, and wages.

Malacañang, through

deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte, encouraged the public “not to give in to these demands and to report these cases to the head of agency or to the Office of the Ombudsman so that these erring officials will be dealt with accordingly.” But Cayetano said that this encouragement would fall on deaf ears, so long as the poor do not feel the benefits of a surging economy.

“If you look at the survey closely, you will find that 32% of the poor families surveyed gave the gift, favor, or money involuntarily. This means that they were forced to give the bribe, most likely to the government employee who needed the extra cash to support his own family, because his monthly salary is not enough to make ends meet with the rising cost of goods,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano said that he is, nevertheless, hopeful that the practice of bribery may be eradicated or significantly lessened by the end of the present administration’s term. “Concerns like this are still present, because it takes time to feel the trickle down effect of economic growth,” Cayetano said.

“But once GDP growth is matched by a similar increase in the quality of life index, I believe these statistics on bribery will also change.”

on bribing: Bayan Muna hails nomination Cayetano it’s the economy of employee for commissioner “F

B

AYAN Muna Representative Neri Colmenares today commended the act of the employees of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to nominate for the next COMELEC Commissioner one coming from among their ranks.

“The COMELEC does not only manage the conduct of elections but also administers the thousands of COMELEC employees all over the country. It is but right that these em-

ployees will also have a voice in the Commission.

In fact, the employee representative may be able to bring in the expertise needed in managing and supervising the bureaucracy. Most of the Commissioners appointed are lawyers many of whom do not have experience in managing a large office, one of the main reasons for the perception that the COMELEC is one of the most inefficient agencies in the country,” said Rep.

YMCA’s Training Center and Campsite. The Young Men’s Christian Association of Davao accepts a donation from the Heirs of Don Cesareo Villa-Abrille involving a one-hectare land in Tuban at Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur for YMCA’s Training Center and Campsite for the youth. Lawyer Leoncio P. Villa-Abrille (2nd from left) and YMCA past president and now 1st vice president Jose B. Custodio (2nd from right) sign the mem-

Colmenares.

“This is the first time that the employees gathered the courage to nominate one of their own and I hope Pres. Aquino will do a novel move and appoint someone who has no personal or political ties with him. It will help convince people that his appointment of a COMELEC commissioner is not intended to favor the ruling party in the 2013 and 2016 elections. A Commissioner from the employees’ rank

is like a breath of fresh air in the corridors of power in the COMELEC. Most importantly the employees will now have a voice in the Commission that will ensure that benefits are fairly and equitably accorded them. COMELEC employees are among the lowest paid when compared to other government agencies. They are given a lower salary grade compared to their counterparts doing a similar job in other agencies. ”

orandum of understanding (MOU) at the testimonial dinner in commemoration of Don Cesareo’s 120th birth anniversary. Jesusita Villa-Abrille and past president Vicente Banes, Jr. are witnesses to the MOU signing at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao.

Photo by Bert Ninal Sr.

8 VANTAGE POINTS

EDGEDAVAO Who would pull the trigger against this gentle Tausug?

VOL.5 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

( 3rd of four parts )

PERSONAL ESSAY

I

EDITORIAL

C

It’s time to get scientific

RISING is gone and the casualties recorded are down. If we are to gauge from the initial reports of the damage to life and property brought by Crising, it is far from Pablo level.

There are some good reasons why.

First, people are now wary of the importance of being ahead of the situation. Residents in the Davao Region no longer take their chances when dealing with storm after the Pablo experience. Second, our disaster response is improving as we get used to the occurrence of storms.

Oh well a third reason perhaps is because Crising is relatively a minnow compared to Pablo.

Then again, there is wisdom in being forewarned and forearmed.

Crising left two persons dead in Compostela Valley particularly in New Bataan where scientists have declared to be a hotspot for flooding.

A team of scientists belonging to Disaster Risk Exposure Assessment for Mitigation (DREAM) recently conducted a study on the land formation of “Pablo”- affected-areas, particularly in Compostela Valley Province. Using an optical

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remote sensing technology called Light Detection and Ranging (LiDar), they discovered something in ComVal. The result? They pointed to New Bataan among all municipalities in Compostela Valley as the most highly susceptible to flooding. In particular, Barangay Andap.

The scientists have already recommended residents to leave Andap and relocate elsewhere.

The two deaths in New Bataan after Crising validated this scientific finding.

Alright, the casualties are down but even the two lives lost could have been saved had we listened earlier to scientists.

It is now the task of the local government to take it from where the scientists have left. This means that they should enforce immediate relocation of residents in the identified flooding hotspots.

Perhaps, the study made by these scientists should also be done in other flood-prone areas of the Davao Region.

And let’s not go too far, in Davao City where there are identified high-risk areas for flooding.

It’s about time we get scientific.

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BY PENELOPE C. SANZ

have long accepted the reality of our work, having Zambanga as my fieldwork area. Gene Boyd was killed in that region – in Jolo, one of the most wounded islands of archipelagic Philippines. It is home to the Tausugs, who are historically known for their heroic courage to resist American Occupation at the turn of the 20th Century that caught the United States military by surprise through their suicide attacks or constructive self-destruction with their kris, muzzle loaders or brass cannons in defense of their homeland and liberty. To this day, they remain in their struggle for their Bangsamoro homeland. I have also been to Jolo and found it greatly misunderstood just like the rest of Western Mindanao where cultures and peoples are so diverse; and where poverty and wealth distribution is disparately insane. The Zamboanga and Sulu islands are consistent bottom-listers in the Philippine Human Development Index. Foreigners, tourists, priests, development workers, teachers and even the lowly cafeteria cooks were kidnapped that donor agencies now tend to shy away from Zamboanga Peninsula. Human rights abuses against the Yakans, Tausugs, Kolibugans, Subanos, Bajaos, and migrant settlers are rampant but often go unreported.

I, too, had my share of harassments.

From a mere participant observer, I moved across the continuum and became a “vulnerable observer” that I had to abandon the field about thrice, which led me to a complex peripatetic, multi-sited ethnography on mining and indigenous peoples. Of course, at one time or another in the research process, my observational method was filled with irreducible inconsistencies and uncertainties that caused me confusion both intellectually and emotionally.

I recall that in one of these three occasions when I hastily packed up and rushed home to Davao, I immediately went to Mindanawon and sought out our mentor Fr. Albert Alejo, SJ or Paring Bert for a “debriefing” to help me process my field. He was showing some visitors his new addition to his butiki (lizard) collections made of different materials at that time and he motioned for me to come and join them. Paring Bert, the anthropologist and poet as he is, has this fascination for these small harmless reptiles quietly listening in and observing the goings-on of the world up on a ceiling or on a wall. After a minute or so of awkward silence as we all looked at his butikis, I blurted out, “Alam mo Padz, doon sa Zamboanga pinipintik ang mga butiki” (You know Pads, there in Zamboanga they target and hit the lizards with a slingshot). Indeed, Nancy Schepher-Hughes is right, that “we cannot delude ourselves into believing that our presence leaves no trace, no impact on those whose lives we dare intrude.’’ A butiki when it falls on your head jolts you out of your jibbers and gives you shivers down your spine.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 251 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

B

Other bright economic spot

ASIC PROBLEMS THAT RENDER A PROPOSAL UNATTAINABLE – The country is being driven by a host of reforms under the Aquino administration – many of them designed to stimulate the domestic economy. Lately, the peso remained relatively stable performing well against the US dollar and the stocks and property markets joined most of the burgeoning regional economies in a spectacular bull run, and the index is now testing well over 7000. Of late, local and foreign investors are pumping more money into infrastructure development and consumer-based stocks – an encouraging business indicator.

While the Philippines posted the highest growth in merchandize export among its neighbors in the ASEAN Growth Area and the Southeast Asian region and improved consumer spending, particularly on big-ticket items, some private economists think that government economic planners should also look on other areas that would further help boost economic growth. The most important thing is that some sectors noticed there are other bright spots in the country’s economic sphere and government is in the right position to exploit it to its advantage.

Talking about the economic “bright spot,” a recent report of the World Bank (WB) takes a positive view of the country’s ability to avoid instability – if government pours more investments in the rural communities for growth to be more inclusive. The WB report noted that poverty incidence in the country is largely a rural occurrence citing that the urban centers consist only 12.8% and poor migrant and formal sector workers 16.7% against poor farmers and fisher folks in the rural communities which is more than 70%. The government perhaps was focusing too much on the manufactur-

S

VANTAGE POINTS

OME of the president’s defenders claim that while a minimum-wage increase isn’t well-targeted, Republican opposition to measures like the Making Work Pay tax credit and increases in the Earned Income Tax Credit leave the Obama administration with relatively few options for boosting the incomes of poor households, and a minimum wage increase is better than nothing.

This is a good point. If the congressional GOP blocks well-targeted anti-poverty policies, it is hardly surprising that congressional Democrats will pursue blunt, poorly targeted regulations instead – particularly when they’re as politically popular as a minimum-wage hike.

But is it true that a minimum wage increase is better than nothing? The classic critique of a minimum-wage increase is that it will decrease demand for less-skilled labor. Indeed, at least one advocate of a minimum-wage increase, Ron Unz of The American Conservative, has argued that eliminating lowend jobs would actually be a good thing, as these jobs serve as a magnet for lessskilled immigrants.

Others, drawing on state-level studies conducted by economists such as David Card and Alan Krueger and, more recently, Arindrajit Dube, T. William Lester, and Michael Reich, argue that the employment effects of the kind of minimum-wage increases the president and his allies have in mind are likely to be minimal.

As Arpit Gupta suggests, however, it is possible that while the effect of a min-

ing and export sectors, trading floor and forgot about the rest – agricultural development in particular, according to the report.

A rural development specialist of the WB gave several sound advices, which would give priority concern on rural development. Other officials likewise pointed out the need to inform government that if it wants to address poverty in the country, it should focus on the rural areas where majority of the poor reside. Another one is that for 30 years the concentration of development assistance is focused in the urban centers. The effort to directly shift the economy from agriculture to service labor market restructuring is lagging far behind. The bottom line is that the country’s economic growth has not been poverty-alleviating and inclusive. For the WB executives, a ladderized approach to modernize the agriculture sector is needed to improve productivity and reduce vulnerability.

Accordingly, a proposed $630 million has been allotted for the purpose under the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP). The systematic way of achieving the goal is for the Department of Agriculture (DA) to refocus on the value-chain and enterprise development through the integration of value-adding activities from production to processing up to marketing strategies. Directly involved in the project are farmers and fish-

A poor solution

ermen who were categorized in a ladder of three layers – small scale farmers with low productivity and merely engaged in subsistence farming or fishing, medium level are farmers who have the potential to produce marketable surplus while the large scale farmers are commercial smallholders, which have the potential for full market integration and can create efficient market and value chains.

Well, it’s a very impressive and encouraging idea aimed at addressing the country’s abject poverty situation and worth the peoples’ all-out support. However, simple logic dictates that it’s easier said than done. A project of such dimension needs quality time, effort and intense preparations. Remember we have to consider there are plenty of “loop holes” in which government has to first intently look into before embarking on a WB-inspired long-term agricultural program.

The proposal actually is easy to appreciate – but it is also difficult to implement.

Even experts will admit that it could not be achieve overnight. There seem to be basic problems that would render the WB proposal impracticable.

Here are some of the setbacks: One is that the rural poor have no access to the land. Despite three generations of agrarian reform program, our land distribution system is still very badly skewed. Government could only push well-meaning agricultural reforms if there are enough lands for the farmers and fishing sanctuaries for the fisher folks. The second factor is urban bias because many existing public policies are actually anti-poor. And the reason for this is simple: Public policies are largely enacted by lawmakers who live in the urban centers. As a result, we now have a discrepancy between what our rural constituencies accept and what our big city middle class insists on.

( Conclusion )

COMMENTARY

BY REIHAN SALAM imum-wage increase on aggregate employment might be minimal, it could change the composition of the workforce. For example, some spouses who might otherwise have devoted themselves to household production might be drawn into the workforce by a higher minimum wage, while less-skilled ex-offenders might find themselves priced out of the labor market. It might also encourage employers to reduce the number of work hours, shifting at least some workers from full-time to part-time status.

This matters because at the heart of America’s poverty problem is a labor force participation problem. While President Obama spoke of the challenges facing a full-time worker earning the minimum wage, the poverty rate for individuals in families with no working adults is eight times higher than that of individuals in families in which at least one adult works full-time.

The number of working poor individuals has increased since the start of the Great Recession as of 2010, 7.2 percent of individuals who work at least 27 weeks a year fall below the poverty level,up from 5.1 percent in 2007. Yet the poverty rate was much lower for full-time workers (4.2 percent) than for part-time workers (15.1 percent). A

minimum-wage increase that reduces the number of full-time jobs while increasing the number of part-time jobs would undermine its poverty-fighting purpose.

What we need are poverty-fighting policies that expand rather than shrink labor force participation. To get there, at least two things need to happen: First, Republicans need to recognize that if they are going to oppose minimum-wage increases, they ought to be more open to measures, such as the Making Work Pay tax credit, that raise incomes for working poor families without pricing marginal workers out of the labor force.

Second, Democrats and Republicans alike need to pay careful attention to the work disincentives embedded in many anti-poverty programs. Scholars such as Eugene Steuerle and Edward Glaeser have made the case that because different anti-poverty programs taper off at different levels of earned income, poor workers often face high effective marginal tax rates as they climb the economic ladder. Simplifying and consolidating anti-poverty programs can go a long way toward reducing this burden and increasing labor force participation, a cause that ought to be bipartisan.

Apart from the good these policies would do, there is a political opportunity as well. As presidential hopefuls jockey for position in the run-up to 2016, being seen as a champion of hard-working families struggling to climb the ladder of opportunity can only be a plus.

9

China, technology and the U.S. middle class ( Conclusion )

ANALYSIS

BY CHRYSTIA FREELAND

“W

E were surprised at how distinct the two were,” Autor said. “We found that the trade shock had a very measurable impact on the employment rate. Technology led to job polarization, but its employment effect was minimal.” Trade, at least in the short term, really did ship jobs overseas. Technology did not kill jobs per se, but it did hollow out those essential jobs in the middle.

The big surprise, at least for believers (like me) in the classic liberal economic view that trade benefits both parties, is the strong and negative impact of globalization on U.S. workers — Autor estimates it accounts for 15 to 20 percent of jobs lost.

“The rise of China was such a huge change. It really did matter,” Autor said. “First, China is such a huge country. Two, China was 40 or 50 years behind in technology, so it had a lot of catching up to do. Third, it happened so fast.”

What is striking, and frightening, is the extent to which, at least in the U.S.-China trade relationship, the knee-jerk, populist fears intellectuals tend to deride actually turned out to be true.

“U.S.-China trade is almost a oneway street. This trade relationship doesn’t clearly give you the benefit that you can sell a lot of stuff to your trade partner,” Dorn said. “If you talk to someone who is somehow involved in the promotion of free trade, they may say that maybe the headquarters of Apple (AAPL.O) benefits. That may be true. But the first-order effect is of job loss.”

The impact of technology is more familiar. Autor, Dorn and Hanson found that it did not create fewer jobs overall, but it did hollow out the jobs in the middle.

“Technology has really changed the distribution of occupation. That doesn’t necessarily go hand in hand with reduced unemployment, but it creates a more bimodal set of opportunities,” Autor said. “There is an abundance of work to do in food service and there is an abundance of work in finance, but there are fewer middle-wage, middle-income jobs.”

What is challenging about both of these trends, and what makes the hollowing out of the middle class a political problem as well as an economic one, is how different they look depending on whether you own a company or work for one.

Shipping middle-class jobs to China, or hollowing them out with machines, is a win for smart managers and their shareholders. We call the result higher productivity. But, looked at through the lens of middle-class jobs, it is a loss. That profound difference is why politics in the rich democracies are so polarized right now. Capitalism and democracy are at cross-purposes, and no one yet has a clear plan for reconciling them.

10 COMPETITIVE EDGE

VOL.5 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Davao Light’s Oplan ISAAC brings electricity to 49 homes in Brgy. Sindaton, Panabo City

F

ORTY-NINE customers at PEARBEMPCO Subdivision in Brgy. Sindaton, Panabo, an area 23.5 kilometers away from downtown Panabo, are now enjoying their newly installed electric connection from Davao Light and Power Company, an Aboitiz Company, through its Oplan ISAAC program.

Oplan ISAAC or Instant Site Application And Connection is a rural electrification project taken to a higher level.

With this, processing of application is done on site followed immediately by a meter installation for qualified applicants.

“So far, this is the biggest volume of customers who have benefited in this program.

We are looking forward to be able to do the same in other rural areas to bring electric connection right on their doorstep.” said Engr. Reynold Felix, manager of Davao Light’s Panabo branch, the team that initiated the program in Brgy. Sindaton last January 31, 2013.

“We are very grateful to Davao Light for choosing our community as a beneficiary of this program. Electric connection has been made easier for us. We were able to avoid the hassle and the cost of going back & forth to Panabo office just to apply for an electric service. We will now

benefit from having electricity for our community for years to come.” said Rolly Espartero, a resident and chairman of the board of PEARBEMPCO Subdivision.

HE San Pedro College of Davao City continues to uphold its reputation of being one of the Top 10 performing nursing schools in the Philippines by producing topnotchers.

In the recently-released results of the December 2012 nurse licensure examinations, no less than eight SPC graduates landed in the top 10 column. They are Airen Tulawi Belarmino and Fritz Dominguez Sustino, 5th placers with a rating of 84.80 percent each; Ma. Lourdes Isabelle Llerin Fernandez, Jinky Patron Guilonsod and Christine Chua Lua, 8th placers with 84.20 percent each; and Pamela Mae Gagni Cagape, Marie Angelique Chua Go and Fernan Kristoffer Marte Ocat, 9th placers with an identical rating of 84 percent each.

The John Paul ll College, a relatively new school in Davao City, also had a 9th placer.

Ms Jeannie H. Bibera, dean of the SPC nursing department, earlier in the

results of the June 2012 NLE, 96 percent of the first timers passed the exam, while 67 percent of the repeaters did.

In the December NLE, 473 of the 529 total takers (including repeaters) from San Pedro, or 93 percent hurdled the examination, Bibera reported.

She said that six out of the eight topnotchers graduated with honors – two magna cum laude and four honorable mention.

Considered a high point in San Pedro’s success as nursing college was when one of its graduates, Ms Judith Piansay, topped the licensing test given in 1989, Ms Bibera bared.

She attributed the school’s outstanding record in producing topnotchers to the following factors: quality faculty, implementation of curriculum, admission and retention policies.

She also credited the San Pedro Hospital as a factor in the nursing college’s outstanding performance.

Davao Light and Power Co’s. Panabo Branch personnel, (from left to right, center) Leah Evangelista and Michelle Paglinawan, process the new electric service applications of some residents in PEARBEMPCO Subdivision, Brgy. Sindaton.

Oplan ISAAC has already provided access to electricity to 149 customers from the time it was launched in September 2011. The success of this project has allowed

these customers to save a total of more than 8,300 kms. round trip travel time from their houses to Davao Light’s office just to apply for a new service connection.

GO,M. Top 9

GUILONSOD,J. Top 8

LUA,C. Top 8

OCAT,F.,Top 9

8 San Pedro College grads among topnotchers in 2012 T

Rentals payment advanced for Hedcor’s Tudaya Hydro

S

OME 90 local landowners from Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur recently received a 6-month advance payment from Hedcor. The payment covers landuse rentals for the period January to June of this year, the third set of lease payments made by the company.

Hedcor pays a lease to owners of land on which the Tudaya hydroelectric power project will stand. The Tudaya project covers 21 hectares and rentals are paid to about 90 different land owners. To date, the cost of rentals for the project has reached almost 12 million pesos.

Speaking in her local dialect, Avelina Dagansina, one of the landowners expressed gratefulness for receiving payment of rentals even if the project is still in its construction stage.

Composed of two plants, namely Tudaya Hydro 1 and Tudaya Hydro 2, the project is on schedule for completion in 2014. Progress on the Tudaya Hydro 1 construction is about 20% complete. Work is fo-

cused on the excavation and drilling works for the tunnel outlet and installation of conveyance pipes. Meanwhile, Tudaya Hydro 2, which is located downstream, is half-done with the construction of its powerhouse. Its locally-manufactured pipeline has been laid through a 2 km stretch. A total of 6 km of access road is now being used for the continued construction and also as a farm-tomarket road for farmers. The total number of employed locals stands at 324 and this number is seen to increase as the construction progresses.

The Municipality of Sta. Cruz hosts Hedcor’s existing Sibulan Hydropower Plant, and the Tudaya Hydropower Project. The run-of-river systems harness the power of the Sibulan River.

Hedcor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AboitizPower, with 19 run-of-river hydropower facilities in Benguet, Ilocos Sur, Davao City and Davao del Sur with a total capacity of 155 MW.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 251 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Crising...

FFROM 1

der Signal 1 fell to 11 as of 11 p.m. Tuesday, five as of 5 a.m. Wednesday and down to only one – Zamboanga del Norte – by 11 a.m.

Andap death Crising claimed yet another life in Barangay Andap, New Bataan, the village with the highest death toll when super typhoon Pablo struck the area on December 4.

Marlon Esperanza, municipal information officer, told MindaNews the body of farmer Francisco Digaynon Jr., 37, married and father of four, was found in Purok 16, Barangay Cabinuangan, at around 9 a.m.

Tuesday.

He said Digaynon’s body was recovered some two kilometers from where he drowned in Sitio Taytayan, Barangay Andap Monday evening.

To recall, Andap’s poblacion was swept away and buried by a debris flow on December, killing at least 400 residents, the highest death toll among the estimated 1,000 persons who died in the areas battered by Typhoon Pablo.

LiDar...

Esperanza said Mayor Lorenzo Balbin, Jr. on Tuesday issued Executive Order 5 ordering preemptive evacuation for all floodprone and landslide-prone areas in all barangays.

He said continuous rains flooded the villages of Andap, Cabinuangan, San Roque, Magsaysay and Cogonon “which damaged road network.”

Balbin told reporters at the provincial capitol in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley province last Friday that citing maps prepared by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), only 189.19 hectares are safe for relocation or 0.27 percent of the 68,860 hectares total land area of New Bataan.

In Montevista town also in Compostela Valley province, one Erwin Campana was reported to have drowned in Barangay Camansi when Saug river overflowed Tuesday, according to Edwin Antia, municipal information officer.

Floodings The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Moni-

Two of the four family members residing in the house were injured and admitted at the Lanao del Norte Provincial Hospital in Kapatagan – Maria, 20, and Dodong, 8. Maria’s husband, Anatallo, and nine-month-old Boy, were spared.

Floodings were reported in several provinces on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The NDRRMC reported flashfloods in Barangay Cabagayan, Tarragona in Davao Oriental at around 9 a.m. on February 19, totally destroying one house and destroying a foot bridge in Sitio Mamoyapoy, Barangay Lucatan, also in Tarragona.

The NDRRMC also reported flashfloods in Datu Montawal town in Maguindanao at around 7:30 a.m. on February 20, affecting five barangays. (MindaNews)

ter going directly to the town proper.

“Compared to other municipalities, Monkayo is on higher ground and they have a wider river downstream, so it is not that risky for flooding,” he added, saying that the data was given to Com-

postela Valley Province Governor Arturo Uy last Friday and is being studied by Task Force Pablo.

“With the help of our data, they will be able to identify safe zones and they will be able to make their people safe,” Paringit added.

media to check the credibility of the source and investigate the background of the person because, “Sanchez-Obenza came from a non-government agency and DSWD Caraga region where she did the same thing of bringing the institution down.”

This was supported by the newly appointed DSWD region 7 director,

Mercedita Jabagat, formerly director of DSWD Caraga region, who said that Sanchez used to be a project development officer of a Spanish -funded project on violence against women in DSWD Caraga.

“Sanchez-Obenza did not have graceful exits from most of her jobs,” Jabagat said.

net is a powerful tool to bridge information, it is also a public domain and everything posted their can be seen by everyone.

Casambre said that even criminal elements lurk in the internet.

He also observed that people with less information technology education even unwittingly place their post publicly and have no way of knowing how to hide private information.

“The internet is a public place that is why it is dangerous. Consciously knowing that it is a public place, you must protect yourself and let your government protect you,” he said.

Representatives of the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines, United Nations-Habitat Philippines, the European Union and the US government pledged support to the program. (PIA XI- Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)

toring Council (NDRRMC) website listed four persons injured in a landslide that destroyed the house of the Nacua family in Barangay Malasalug, Sapad, Lanao del Norte.

FFROM 2

town itself,” Paringit bared.

He explained that what happened to Andap during the Pablo event was because the topography of the alluvial fan changed and the route of the river was diverted resulting in the wa-

DSWD charges...

FFROM 2

chez-Obenza on January 24, before the controversies erupted, saying, “I will not renew my contract because the consultants are difficult to be with.”

Razon said, “It was her (Sanchez-Obenza) choice not to continue, maybe because she does not like her co-workers.”

Razon also challenged

In Davao City...

FFROM 2

agriculture, governance, economy, environment, human resources and people.

Undersecretary Louis Napoleon Casambre, executive director of the Information and Communications Technology Office of the DOST said underscored the use of the information highway in promoting the smarter Philippines mindset.

He reminded the people that though the inter-

11

DSWD probe clears project engineers

T

HE investigation conducted by the national office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in relation to the grievance filed by former employee June O. Sanchez found no proof that engineers of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) Project demanded certain amounts from contractors as commission.

This was what came out in the fact-finding mission conducted by the agency on January 14-17.

According to the findings, Arkcons Inc. Manager Jericho Bajo’s engagement with KALAHI-CIDSS started when his brother-in-law, DSWD former employee Willow Bringas, asked him to participate in the procurement activities of the project as there were no contractors with a Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) license.

Bajo clarified that

there was no incident of a staff from DSWD requesting for ‘commission’. He further cited that he would not allow such because, when summed up, all of its five contracts with KALAHI-CIDSS had profits.

However, there was an incident where he gave P3,000 to Bringas who initially refused to accept the amount, but the contractor insisted and put the money in Bringas’ pocket. Bajo explained that the amount given was a token of appreciation, or as he put it “for the boys”, for assisting him to manage the community laborers from conflict-affected barangays. This incident, Bajo said, only happened once.

Bringas handed the money to Engr. Santos Eusebio and the latter treated the KALAHI-CIDSS staff in the region to pizza.

Moreover, other municipalities that participated in the fact-finding mission confirmed no valid ground for the issue raised.

KALAHI-CIDSS is one of the three core programs of the Department that aims to empower communities, improve local governance and reduce poverty.

“The Department emphasizes that all its transactions uphold the tenets of full accountability and transparency.

The community-driven development (CDD) approach of KALAHI-CIDSS empowers citizens, and these citizens serve as watchdogs against anomalies. Plus, the findings reveal that no beneficiary filed a complaint against any irregularity in the implementation of the project,” OIC Regional Director Priscilla N. Razon said.

The regional office is confident that with the result of the probe, it can now focus its resources to projects particularly in areas devastated by typhoon Pablo.

“We hope that the result of the investigation will put an end to the issue so that we can continue our work,” Razon added.

partment of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), while those taking charge of processing and marketing were DOST, DENR, DSWD, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Tourism and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

As coconut trunks would likely get rotten after six months, PCA will handle the treatment process, aside from taking part in cutting of coconut trunks using a cash for work mode of directly employing people to operate 40 chainsaws that it had distributed in areas with so much coconut debris.

Meanwhile, Malanyaon found an answer to concern on retrieval of coconut trunks in privately-owned lands as DSWD Davao Oriental coordinator Rebecca Sta. Maria, head of DSWD Protection services opened the idea of buying them using the livelihood assistance grants of DSWD. In a separate interview, Sta. Maria explained that beneficiaries can use the P10,000 livelihood assistance grants as start-up capital to roll out a community business of buying and selling coconut lumber.

DTI was also looking at mobilizing traders based in and outside of Davao Oriental to buy coconut lumber from the province.

On the other hand, optimism ran high on meeting shelter needs as Sta. Maria revealed that the DSWD was set to build this year a total of 20,673 housing units for typhoon-affected residents in Davao Oriental.

In an earlier interview, Malanyaon was sure that 15,000 housing units would be made available this year for the typhoon-displaced families, aside from the on-going construction of some 2,000 housing units .

“We already had two ground-breaking ceremonies, in Baganga and in Cateel,” she said referring to the project of the Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) group of companies and the Gawad Kalinga (GK) Village.

On top of the national government housing projects, Malanyaon disclosed interest of the private sector agencies, from the Filipino-Chinese community and from the Senators, among others, to answer housing needs. (PIA XI/Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)

After the storm...

FFROM 2

are about six million of them which are either felled or uprooted due to strong winds of typhoon Pablo.

The provincial government had already made known earlier that it would only be using about 500,000 trunks for reconstruction and shelter assistance purposes.

Tuesday’s inter-agency meeting of Malanyaon with heads of regional line agencies yielded the creation of clusters of government agencies to handle the collection, cutting and transport of coco trunks; warehousing; and processing, marketing and training.

Among those agencies tasked to handle the hauling of coconut trunks to a warehouse are the Provincial local government unit (PLGU) Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development through which cash for work program can be utilized to run the task.

Assigned to carry out warehousing were PCA, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Agriculture and the De-

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VOL.5 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Realty

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EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 251 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

SPORTS 13

Hunter sees threat in Tiger M

ARANA, Ariz. (AP) -- Bring together the top 64 players in the world and no one knows what to expect.

Especially at the Match Play Championship.

Hunter Mahan, the defending champion, was asked Monday to list the top three players who have the best reputation in this format. He made logical choices in Luke Donald, Tiger Woods and Ian Poulter.

Donald, who won this event in 2011, has a magnificent short game and can produce the kind of

Defending Match Play champion Hunter Mahan (left) sees threat in Tiger Woods (right).

shots that change momentum in a match. Poulter, the star of just about every Ryder Cup he plays, has such a strong self-belief that he can will his way to wins, as he did at Dove Mountain in 2010. And Tiger, well, is Tiger. ‘’Just a great player and he doesn’t like to lose,’’ Mahan said.

Before anyone pencils in a bracket that puts those three players in the semifinals, consider recent history.

Donald was No. 1 in the world and lost in the first round a year ago. Poulter hasn’t made it beyond the opening round since he won the Match Play Championship.

Woods, the only backto-back winner of this World Golf Championship, hasn’t made it out of the second round since his last win in 2008.

The brackets are set up like they are in other sporting events, whether it’s a Grand Slam event in tennis or the NCAA basketball tournament. The difference in golf is that over 18

holes, there’s not much to separate No. 1 from No. 64.

It all starts to unfold Wednesday on The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain, a Jack Nicklaus design that features massive slopes on the greens and might not be much fun to play if not for the format of match play.

Rory McIlroy is the No. 1 seed and takes on Shane Lowry in the first of two matches between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Graeme McDowell faces Padraig Harrington in the opening round. Woods opens against Charles Howell III, while Poulter faces Stephen Gallacher of Scotland.

Most of the players arrived Monday for practice or to see the golf course.

All of them would like to stick around as long as possible. ‘’If you get to the weekend, it’s one of the most fun weeks of the year,’’ Geoff Ogilvy said last week. ‘’If you lose the first round, it feels like the worst week of the year.’’

14

SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Donaire-Rigondeaux fight launch on Friday N

ONITO Donaire and Guillermo Rigondeaux will be join Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum in the formal announcement in Manila tomorrow for their slambang showdown set for April 13 in New York.

“Both of them will be there,” Arum told said on Tuesday from the US. The Radio City Music Hall will be the venue of the 12-round world unified super-bantamweight title fight and as soon as the event is over, Donaire and Rigondeaux will head to their respective training camps.

While Donaire is expected to be installed the favorite, Rigondeaux is somebody not to be taken for granted.

Rigondeaux had over 400 amateur fights but only has 11 in the professional level.

Still, Rigondeaux believes he has what it takes to score an upset against the Filipino-American pound-for-pound entrant.

Arum said things are looking up.

“Everything’s doing great,” said Arum, who is also at the forefront of holding Top Rank’s first-ever foray in Macau with the April 6 show featuring legendary Chinese Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming.

Zou has reported for training camp at the famed Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.

Soon, Zou will spar with Brian Viloria.

The Macau card will also feature the world flyweight championship match between Viloria and Juan Francisco Estrada.

Bobby Parks Manotoc, Clavecilla fighting for life not seeing action T P IT’S A GO. Nonito Donaire (left) of the Philippines will be announcing his next fight on Friday against Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba.

BA Hall of Fame import Bobby Parks, who battled laryngeal cancer several years ago, is reportedly currently in intensive care from an apparent relapse of his illness.

The news was relayed to PBA carrier station InterAKTV by San Miguel Beermen coach Leo Austria, who replaced Parks at the helm of the ASEAN Basketball League squad.

“I was told by (assistant coach) Alvin Teng that Bobby is in the ICU. We’ve talked to the team and we’re planning to pay a visit tomorrow (Wednesday),” said Austria, who took over coaching reins last October from Parks.

A few weeks ago, Parks’ close friend Norman Black said that he had paid his fellow former import a visit at the hospital. “Not

Davraa Meet at DSA Forum today at C5

T

HE upcoming Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2013 will be the main topic of the weekly Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum that resumes at 10 a.m. today at the Calle Cinco Restobar along J.P. Laurel Avenue.

Davao del Norte provincial sports coordinator Giovanni Gulanes is set to brief DSA mem-

bers on the host province’s preparations for the regional eliminations slated Feb. 25 to March 1. The games will serve as qualifying for the Palarong Pambansa set on April 21 to 26 in Dumaguete City.

Joining Gulanes is NCCC entertainment marketing assistant John Ochia who will discuss the Vaseline Inter-Primary Bowling Tournament.

good” was how the Talk ‘N Text coach described Parks condition.

San Miguel Corporation executive Noli Eala wrote on his Twitter account about his visit to the seven-time PBA Best Import on Tuesday. “Please continue to pray for Bobby Parks.

He needs all our prayers and support,” Eala posted.

Austria said his last communication with Parks came last November after he greeted the latter on his birthday.

Parks also holds a position with National University, for which his son Ray stars for the Bulldogs. But NU athletic director Junel Baculi said he’s had no contact with Parks since last year.

“He’s my assistant, but I haven’t spoken to him since November,” said Baculi. “I hope he gets better soon.”

HE Philippine Airlines Seniors Interclub golf tournament begins tomorrow in Cebu City without two of its foremost campaigners – Tommy Manotoc of Canlubang and Iggy Clavecilla of Luisita.

Manotoc, winner of five individual seniors titles, has begged off from the annual event, ending a string of nine consecutive appearances.

“I haven’t played 18 holes for months now,” said the 64-year-old Manotoc whose absence will be keenly felt by the defending champions Sugar Barons.

Manotoc, who now heads the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP), has been instrumental in Canlubang’s run of six titles in nine years.

Clavecilla, also a for-

mer individual winner, has yet to fully recover from a freak accident last year in South Korea. He slipped while taking a shower.

The sports commissioner, however, will still be part of the Luisita squad as non-playing team captain. Philip Brodett will take the place of Manotoc while Bong Sison will replace Clavecilla.

Canlubang rallied in the final round to edge Luisita by three points with Cebu Country Club finishing a strong third, five points behind.

The seniors event will be played at the Alta Vista and Club Filipino de Cebu, courses carved out of mountains.

A record 100 teams, including 53 from abroad, are entered in the fourday, five-to-play event.

This year, the PAL Interclub is being sponsored

by 105.1 Crossover, Solar Sports, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, 92.3 FM Radyo 5, Araneta Coliseum and AXN. Major sponsors are Airbus, Manila Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine Broadcasting Network, People Asia, Radio Mindanao Network, Business Mirror and ABSCBN The Filipino Channel (TFC).

Corporate sponsors include Radisson Blu Hotel, Shangri-La Resort & Spa, Boeing, Inquirer Golf Magazine, Philippines Graphic and Manila Bulletin.

The regular tournament kicks off next week at the Cebu Country Club and Mactan courses with CCC defending the title it won last year in Davao.

It marks the first time that four courses will be used in the tournament, hence the theme, “4 at the Fore.”

UNITY. Cebu Country Club VP Evans Tumaliwan, PAL Interclub chairman Atty. Domeng Duerme, Mayor Mike Rama, Alta Vista Golf & Country Club Vice President Peter Aznar and PAL VP for Marketing Bong Cruz hold a driver signifying their unity in the staging of the 66th PAL Interclub in Cebu. (PAL photo)

INdulge!

VOL.5 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

FOOD

For the love of Japanese food JAPANESE culture has definitely taken root in Philippine culture, given the many Cosplay events, anime fan clubs, and the many Japanese restaurants that have recently popped up in virtually every corner of Durianburg. There are some that are more sophisticated than others and have different special dishes that set each other apart, be it their ramen, or their gyoza.

For Teriyaki Boy it definitely has to be their Teriyaki chicken, sweet and tender grilled chicken cooked in teriyaki sauce with a nice caramel soy flavor that is sure to be a hit on everyone’s palate.

But for the entire month of February though, there is even more to love at Teriyaki Boy as it reintroduced its Sushi Feast, an eat-all-you-can sushi treat for only Php269 that is sure

Philly Cheesesteak Maki, California Maki, Uni Sushi, Tamago Sushi, and seven other more sushi varieties.

And to sweeten the love month even more, Teriyaki Boy also has an Eat Must Be Love special offer. This designed-for-two promo allows diners to get a pair of specially designed mugs when they order two Donto be a hit for all the sushi buri from any of the fealovers out there. On the eat tured choices, Teriyaki Boy all you can sushi menu are Chicken Ju, Katsudon and

Sukiyaki Beef Don with two singe serve Iced Teas all for only Php500.

Add to that the many new and delicious offerings like their Crunchy Tuna or Salmon Salad and their irresistibly crunchy soyglazed chicken Tebasaki, it is a sure bet that you will love Japanese food even more.

Terikayi Boy is located at the Second Floor of Abreeza Mall. For reservations you can call 321-0887.

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

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

UP AND ABOUT

SM City General Santos My City My SM My Cuisine set on February 22 SM Supermalls celebrate the flavors of Philippine regional cuisine with its My City My SM My Cuisine campaign. This SM mall-wide culinary roadshow will stop at SM City General Santos to feature personalities who play important roles in the rich food tradition and industry of GenSan. Moreover, an open category cooking contest featuring two signature recipes from GenSan will be held on February 22, 2013 from 10AM – 12NN at the 3rd Floor Bridgeway of SM City General Santos.

The cookfest will highlight GenSan’s delicacies such as dried papaya, dried pineapple and Tuna Roe. Two winners will be chosen, one for the entrée and one for the dessert. In the dessert category, participants are expected to make any dessert with dried papaya and pineapple as main ingredients.

Winners will be selected on the following criteria: 30% Faithfulness to the original recipe or dish, 40% Taste, 15% Use of ingredients and 15% Presentation.

Grand winners for the entrée and dessert will each receive SM Gift Certificates and gift packs, while the non-winners will also receive P1,000 SM Gift Certificates. Gift packs from Homeworld will also be given to participants.

On the same day, the program launching of My City My SM My Cuisine will follow at the Mall Event Center at 5M. The launching will feature the heirloom recipe of Chef Kring Macion, an original recipe of Ranchero’s Ms. Sol Sunglao and a native cuisine by a native t’boli, Marina Sudao herself.

For event details and updates, visit and like SM City General Santos (Official) on facebook or call (083) 8780667. SM City General Santos, where shopping, dining and entertainment is brought to the next level.

CEB offers Seat Sale to 43 Philippine and Int’l routes for Summer The Philippines’ largest national flag carrier, Cebu Pacific (PSE:CEB) announced a seat sale to 43 domestic and international routes, with fares to Xiamen as low as PHP99. The seat sale is available until February 21, 2013 or until seats last.

For travel from April 1 to June 30, 2013, passengers can buy PHP99 seats from Manila to Xiamen.

Discounted fares from Clark to Hong Kong or Macau are available for as low as P699. Travelers from Manila to Guangzhou; Cebu to Iloilo or Hong Kong can grab seats for as low as P899. Those coming from Manila to Hong Kong, Macau, Taipei or Shanghai can enjoy the reduced fare of PHP999.

CEB guests travelling from March 15 to July 31, 2013 can take advantage of the P199 Lite Fare on the following routes: Cebu to Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Dipolog, Davao, General Santos, Legazpi, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Siargao, Surigao or Zambaonga; from Davao to Iloilo, Zamboanga, Butuan; from Cagayan de Oro to Bacolod; from Iloilo to Cagayan de Oro or General Santos; from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi or Cagayan de Oro. From March 15 to April 3, 2013 and June 1 to July 31, 2013, seats from Manila to Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Davao, Dipolog, General Santos, Ozamiz, Pagadian or Zamboanga will be available for as low as PHP699.

Seat sale fares quoted are for one way travel and are exclusive of check-in baggage allowance.

“CEB guests planning to spend summer break or the holy week on vacation, can take advantage of Cebu Pacific’s Lite Fares to 43 Philippine and international routes featured in this seat sale. With fares as low as P99, we are giving every Juan, good reason to explore the best of the Philippines and CEB’s international routes covering China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau,” said CEB VP for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog.

For bookings and inquiries, guests can go to www. cebupacificair.com, or call the reservation hotlines (02) 7020-888 or (032) 230-8888. The latest seat sales and promos can also be found on CEB’s official Twitter and Facebook pages.

FOOD

Beating the blues away THE unpredictable weather makes me crave for comfort beyond comfort. I seek to be in control thus I seek for things that could help me keep warm from the inside. Admittedly, comfort, most often than not, spells F- OO-D on my end.

Here’s two of my favorite dishes that helps me get by the cold weather. Keep yourself wrapped in bed, snuggled in between your pillows while watching a movie and these foods to keep you warm and you are all set for a night of fantabulousity!

Let’s get started. . .

Chili Curried Vermicelli with Vegetable and Shrimp Balls Nothing means asian and Filipino than a heap serving of vermicelli. Yeah, “Pansit” as we fondly call it, has been part and parcel in our tables – be it during special occasions or not – it is one of the easiest dishes to whip. Experiment and see how far you can push this simple yet flexible dish!

Ingredients: 1 pack vermicelli noodles Oil for sautéing 1 medium sized shallots, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 piece chicken bouillon 150 grams chicken liver, trimmed and chopped 2 ½ cups of tepid water 3 tablespoon light soy sauce ½ medium sized cabbage, chopped ½ piece carrot, julienned 1 piece red bell pepper, julienned Variety of vegetable, shrimp balls (you can

use whatever you want), quartered Mixture of 2 tablespoon curry powder + 1 tablespoon sesame oil + salt and pepper 2 tablespoon chili powder Calamansi, optional Procedure: In a bowl, prepare the curry and oil mixture.

Make sure everything is completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a pan (I prefer one that is non-teflon coated), heat oil over low-medium heat. Sauté onions until translucent. Add onion and cook. Do not burn.

Next, add chicken bouillon. Dissolve while stirring. Add the chopped chicken liver and sauté until liver is cooked. Season. At this stage, I just put black pepper.

Once cooked, add the cabbage and carrots. Stir continuously. Add the tepid water and let simmer until lightly bubbling.

Make sure every flavor blends in. Add the quartered variety of balls. Cover and let simmer for a 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the noodles. Stir as to ensure that the flavors blend in. After a minute, add the curry-oil mixture.

Coat all over and add the chili powder and the red bell peppers. Let the noodles absorb the flavors. Let

it stand for 3 to 5 minutes.

Make sure that there is still enough water as we want to have a bit of moisture in the noodles.

Turn off the heat and serve with kalamansi. You can eat this on its own (as this is considered a One Dish Meal) or with soft buns.

Chicken Arrozcaldo I love how a simple dish could take all my blues away. As soon as the first rain drops from the heaven’s above, I crave for anything hot and soupy. Yes, I always associate comfort with my mom’s arrozcaldo dish. Oh and do not forget the calamansi!

Ingredients: 1 cup rice Water 1 medium shallot, chopped 1 thumb size ginger, sliced Chicken chunks, skinned and trimmed Salt Pepper Chicken bouillon Garlic Powder Procedure:

In a separate bowl, season chicken chunks with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a deep pan, cook porridge. Make sure there is more than enough water to cover the rice. Let it simmer for a good 30-35 minutes or until the rice starts to pop. Cover and stir.

Once rice has popped, add ginger, shallot, chicken bouillon and chicken chunks. Mix and continue to simmer until chicken is cooked. More so, dissolve the cube completely.

Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix and let it cook. Keep it covered to ensure that chicken cooks thoroughly. Serve hot.

You could keep it plain or could top it with fried garlic chips, slices of scrambled egg or even deep fried eggplant chips.

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!

OVOL.5 ISSUE 251 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

Michelle Williams: I’m growing my hair back!

WHILE we’ve loved Michelle Williams’ short hair since the day she chopped it all off, we wouldn’t mind seeing the actress with her long locks again.

“I think I’m ready,” the 32-year-old star told us this weekend while promoting Oz the Great and Powerful. “It’s on its way,

slowly but surely.”

Let’s just hope she can make it through the tough transition from short to long hair.

“That’s why I’ve stayed with short hair for so long,” Williams explained.

“The mid-stage is insufferable. It’s really hard on your self-esteem.”

In Oz, Williams wore a flowing blond wig to play

Glinda the Good Witch.

With a much deserved acting break scheduled for the next few months, Williams has plenty of time to decide what style is best for her. “I’m really happy to not have anything looming—except my hair,” Williams joked.

“I’m really working on my hair growing out.”

Good luck!

Boy George’s dramatic weight loss WHO is that slimmer man with the funky hat?

Boy George (real name George Alan O’Dowd) was nearly unrecognizable in a photo he posted on Twitter Sunday, showing off his dramatic weight loss.

“Rock n roll sunday!” the 51-year-old Culture Club singer-songwriter said, and then later tweeted, “I love that the size of my ass is trending worldwide!”

Fans were quick to question how the celeb dropped so many pounds, and he had no problem sharing his diet plan with his followers.

“Portion control. 5 hour gaps between meals. No coffee or tea, except at meals,” he tweeted. “Water & fizzy water between meals! No bread, sugar!”

In addition to that, Boy George admits that one of

his “secrets” to slimming down is Freer Nutrition, a weight-loss program run by a nutritional therapist.

What do you think of Boy George’s new look?

Sound off in the comments!

Rihanna Debuts her River Island Collection at 2013 London Fashion Week RIHANNA finally revealed her highly anticipated collection for River Island at London Fashion Week on Feb. 16, and fans of the singer’s racy signature style are sure to love her debut designs.

While not as scandalous as the see-through dress she recently donned or some of her sexy Twitpic getups, RiRi’s River Island pieces still featured a fair share of her fave styles, like flesh-baring crop tops, maxi dresses with thighhigh slits and barely there bandeau tops.

And the show, much like the clothing, was also distinctly Rihanna with the pop star skipping a traditional runway in favor of a concert-like stage, where models struck poses as rap music blared.

The collection goes on

sale March 5, but you can get a better look at the pieces now in this video from Rihanna’s debut runway show! Plus, check

out how everyone from hair and makeup artists to Rihanna helped prep the models for the big reveal.

A4 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

FOOD

Prawn House brings amazing prawn cuisine to Davao

By EJ Dominic Fernandez

AFTER having two years of successful operation sin Cagayan de Oro City, Prawn House Seafood Restaurant opened in Davao City last Monday to let Dabawenyos have a taste of their delicious prawns.

Prawn House along Torres Street, no doubt Davao City’s food street, is an expansion of the Prawn House Suites and Restaurant in Cagayan de Oro which offers varieties of prawns with prawn thermidor and tempura as their flagship food.

Prawn House Davao managed by Love Joy Malalis said that her dad observed that Dabawenyos are seafood-lovers which brought their prawn restaurant business to Davao.

According to Mary June Cranedo, operational manager of Prawn House in CDO, their restaurant has better kind of prawn cuisine because their prawn are very fresh and export quality direct from their own farm “CDO customers keep coming back, some even come back three times a week,” Cranedo said.

Some of their customers who love the food that

they offer are top government officials and movie stars.

Cradeno said, “Prawn House CDO has been serving fresh mouthwatering prawn for more than two year, and with more prospected customers here in Davao City, we are expecting a more successful run.”

Mary June Cranedo, operational manager of Prawn House Cagayan de Oro. Lean Daval Jr.

Prawn House Davao manager Love Joy Malalis. Lean Daval Jr.

SPORTS 15

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 251 •THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

AZARENKA PULLS OUT

GOODBYE DUBAI Wozniacki, Stosur breeze through LIKE SWAN. Caroline Wozniacki (top) slips through the court like a swan in hitting this backhand foray in Dubai. Lower photo, Samantha Stosur hits a serve.

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UBAI (Reuters) Grand slam winners Samantha Stosur and Petra Kvitova strolled into the second round of the Dubai championships with straight sets wins on Tuesday after Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka withdrew due to a foot injury.

Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki also went through as the leading players made short work of lower-ranked opponents on a subdued center court.

Seven of the top 10 remain in contention but Belarussian Azarenka decided to rest her injured right foot.

“I have been playing a lot of tennis over the last five days, so going to a new tournament is too much to handle right now - it keeps getting worse,” said the world number two.

Australian seventh seed Stosur beat Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova 6-3 6-1 after suffering one wobble on the way when she lost her serve to fall 3-2 behind in the first set after slugging an easy cross-court smash wide.

However, that shocked the 2011 U.S. champion into action and Stosur then won 10 out

MATCH PLAY

Tiger faces Howell of 11 games as her opponent wilted.

Makarova, 24, scuffed a backhand into the net to lose the first set, while the second was a formality for Stosur.

“The first couple of games were good - I was getting ahead in the games but not winning them - and then I got down that break and that kicked me into gear,” Stosur told reporters.

“It wasn’t like anything outstanding, but I played tight games and didn’t really give her too much.”

Czech Petra Kvitova put an indifferent start to 2013 behind her as she thumped Daniela Hantuchova 6-2 6-1.

Kvitova won Wimbledon in 2011, but suf-

fered a second-round exit at January’s Australian Open.

“At the beginning of the season I wish (I had) better results,” Kvitova told reporters. “I changed my fitness preparation, so I needed some time to get used to it.”

Eighth seed Wozniacki was similarly dominant in beating Lucie Safarova 6-2 6-2 although the Dane lost her serve at 5-1 in the first set before breaking back immediately.

Safarova double-faulted to gift the world number 10 a 3-1 lead in the second set and the Czech capped a miserable display with a shanked forehand to cede the match to Wozniacki.

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HE bracket is out for the Accenture Match Play and while Rory McIlroy is the No. 1 seed, it’s some of the other big names that have some of the best early round matchups this week in Marana, Ariz. The first round starts on Wednesday, and with it we have Tiger Woods going up against Charles Howell III, Graeme McDowell drawing Padraig Harrington and Hunter Mahan taking on Matteo Manassero.

The tee times for all the first round matchups are right here, after the jump.

7:25 a.m.: Sergio Garcia vs. Thongchai Jaidee 7:35 a.m.: Matt Kuchar vs. Hiroyuki Fujita 7:45 a.m.: Ian Poulter vs. Stephen Gallacher 7:55 a.m.: Bo Van Pelt vs. John Senden 8:05 a.m.: Charl

Schwartzel vs. Russell Henley 8:15 a.m.: Zach Johnson vs. Jason Day 8:25 a.m.: Jason Dufner vs. Richard Sterne 8:35 a.m.: Hunter Mahan vs. Matteo Manassero 8:45 a.m.: Justin Rose vs. K.J. Choi 8:55 a.m.: Bill Haas vs. Nicolas Colsaerts 9:05 a.m.: Adam Scott vs. Tim Clark 9:15 a.m.: Jamie Donaldson vs. Thorbjorn Olesen 9:25 a.m.: Bubba Watson vs. Chris Wood 9:35 a.m.: Jim Furyk vs. Ryan Moore 9:45 a.m.: Lee Westwood vs. Rafael Cabrera-Bello 9:55 a.m.: Martin Kaymer vs. George Coetzee 10:05 a.m.: Keegan Bradley vs. Marcus Fraser 10:15 a.m.: Ernie Els vs. Fredrik Jacobson 10:25 a.m.: Steve Stricker vs. Henrik Stenson

10:35 a.m.: Nick Watney vs. David Toms 10:45 a.m.: Dustin Johnson vs. Alexander Noren 10:55 a.m.: Graeme McDowell vs. Padraig Harrington 11:05 a.m.: Webb Simpson vs. David Lynn 11:15 a.m.: Peter Hanson vs. Thomas Bjorn 11:25 a.m.: Louis Oosthuizen vs. Richie Ramsay 11:35 a.m.: Branden Grace vs. Robert Garrigus 11:45 a.m.: Luke Donald vs. Marcel Siem 11:55 a.m.: Paul Lawrie vs. Scott Piercy 12:05 p.m.: Rory McIlroy vs. Shane Lowry 12:15 p.m.: Rickie Fowler vs. Carl Pettersson 12:25 p.m.: Tiger Woods vs. Charles Howell III 12:35 p.m.: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano vs.

Francesco Molinari

16 SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 251 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

PAL SENIORS INTERCLUB

3-cornered fight looms T

PAL SENIORS INTERCLUB KICKS OFF. Interclub Chairman Atty. Domeng Duerme, PAL VP for Marketing Bong Cruz and Alta Vista Golf & Country Club Vice President Peter Aznar make the ceremonial tee off to start the PAL Seniors Interclub in Cebu. (PAL photo)

HE Philippine Airlines Interclub seniors’ golf tournament kicks off today with organizers hoping that clear skies will prevail in the succeeding days in Cebu City.

Heavy rains brought about by tropical depression “Crising” pounded the Queen City of the South for two consecutive days, forcing some cancellation of practice rounds at the Alta Vista and Club Filipino de Cebu yesterday, according to Luisita team manager Joey Romasanta.

Alta Vista and Club Filipino are two of the four courses that will be used this year. Next week, the regular Interclub will be played at the Cebu Country Club and Mactan course.

With “Crising” expected to leave the country’s area of responsibility, hopes are high that good weather will return starting today.

A three-cornered fight looms among defending champion Canlubang, Luisita and Cebu Country Club, three teams which were separated only by five points last year in Davao.

The Sugar Barons rallied behind Tommy Manotoc and Jose Mari Hechanova to edge Luisita by three and CCC by five points.

With Canlubang and Luisita facing manpower problems, CCC looks poised to win its first seniors crown at home.

The Sugar Barons will be without Manotoc who has been instrumental in all of their six championships while the Luisitans will miss the prolific Iggy Clavecilla.

Manotoc, who won the individual title last year at the age of 63, has not played 18 holes for months due to health problems.

Clavecilla, another former individual winner, has yet to fully recover from a freak accident last year in South Korea.

While CCC enjoys an edge in course familiarity, old rivals Canlubang and Luisita can count on their championship experience to make this year’s contest a free for all.

This year, the PAL Interclub is being sponsored by the Department of Tourism, 105.1 Crossover, Solar Sports, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, 92.3 FM Radyo 5, Araneta Coliseum and AXN. Major sponsors are Airbus, Manila Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine Broadcasting Network, People Asia, Radio Mindanao Network, Business Mirror and ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel (TFC).

Corporate sponsors include Radisson Blu Hotel, Shangri-La Resort & Spa, Boeing, Inquirer Golf Magazine, Philippines Graphic and Manila Bulletin.

Present during the ceremonial tee-off yesterday at Alta Vista were Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama; Peter Aznar, VP-Alta Vista; Evans Tumaliwan, VP-Club Filipino de Cebu; Atty. Domingo Duerme, PAL Senior Asst.

VP-Mindanao & Interclub Chairman; and Felix J. Cruz, Jr., PAL VP-Marketing Support & Interclub co-chair.

A record 100 teams, including 53 from abroad, are entered in the fourday, five-to-play event.

ordinator Billy Cruzada said that the events are badminton at Wheels and More Gym, chess and sepak takraw at DACS, basketball at University of Immaculate Concepcion gym, table tennis at Spin Davao, volleyball at Philippine Women’s College gym and UIC Bajada gym, and taekwondo.

Also present in yesterday’s opening salvo were former Philippine Sports Commis-

sion chairman Butch Ramirez (who is now the athletic director of the ADDU) and DACS Executive Director Jimmy Lou de Vega.

The inaugural staging of the CEAP Mindanao Conference was held last year Feb. 1619 at the UIC Bajada with 300 athletes also coming from the elementary, high school and college.

This year’s theme is “Youth as Advocates of Peace”.

2nd CEAP Mindanao Games opens

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AVAO CITY—The second Catholic Educational Association of the Phils.

(CEAP) Mindanao Games formally kick off yesterday (Feb. 20) at the Holy Cross of Davao College Bajada Campus.

At least 300 athletes and officials coming from regions 9, 10, 11, 12 and Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao will see action for four days.

Over-all defending

champion Region 11 is the host through the leadership of the CEAP Mindanao Secretariat and the Davao Association of Catholic Schools (DACS).

HCDC president Msgr. Julius Rodulfa gave the welcome address while CEAP Region 11 president and Ateneo de Davao University president Fr. Joel Tabora, SJ declared the opening of the games.

Over-all sports co-