Edge Davao 6 Issue 223

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

Serving a seamless society

WARM WELCOME. Students from the municipality of Compostela wave both Philippine and American flags to welcome newly-installed U.S. ambassador Philip Goldberg who was in the province to formally turn-over the projects funded by the U.S. government thru the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the people of Compostela Valley Province represented by Gov. Arturo Uy last weekend. Lean Daval Jr.

FIRED BOC MEN FALL GUYS Collector Pacasum sees Duterte to explain dismissal

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

T

OVERLOADED. A vehicle of the City Engineering Office (CEO) is seen overloaded with personnel while traversing Quimpo Blvd. in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

abf@edgedavao.net

HE acting district collector and his deputy collector in the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in the port of Davao have been dismissed from the service in connection with the release of rice shipment earlier held on suspicion that it was smuggled.

However, the two – Acting District Collector Datu Samson Pacasum and Deputy District Collector Edward James DyBuco – said they were shocked to learn about their dismissal.

In an effort to clear his name with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, Pacasum went to see him and told him that they released the rice cargo as a result of a court order.

Duterte told reporters that Collector Datu Samsom Pacasum explained to him that they

didn’t want to be cited in contempt of court if they defied its order to release the controversial shipment.

In a separate interview with ABS-CBN, Pacasum and DyBuco said they were stunned by the order dismissing them from the BOC central office.

They told reporters of ABS-CBN TV Patrol Southern Mindanao that no less than Customs Commissioner John Philip Sevilla ordered them to effect the release, showing the order of Sevilla to the broadcasters.

“Para sa akin parang nilaglag siya (In my opinion, he was made to take the fall) ,” Duterte said, referring to Pacasum’s made a fall guy, ending up being blamed for others’ fault.

Duterte said that Pa-

FFIRED, 10

2 THE BIG NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

Demolition team undergoes mixed martial arts training

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

O better equip them during sidewalk clearing operations, members of the Davao City’s demolition team are undergoing four days or eight sessions of mixed martial arts training mostly on stick-fighting, kick boxing and street fighting.

Yusof Jimlani, head of the City Demolition and Drainage Clearing Unit, said that the 51-member team needs to be trained as he cited the potential threats involved during their operations.

The martial arts sessions started last January 25.

Jimlani said during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Annex yesterday that the team are trained by blackbelter Tony Ranara

and boxer Jun Paso.

“This is aimed to give them self-confidence in the light of several threats against us not to mention one of them was killed last December 2010,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jimlani bared that an impending demolition activity will be implemented in Baranggay 22 and 23.

He said that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte has ordered him last year to clear the sidewalk areas in the two barangays as part of the widening of waterways project being implemented in coordination with the Davao City Water District (DCWD), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and City Engineers Office (CEO).

WAITING. Hundreds of Dabawenyos who will get or renew pertinent documents for employment like police clearance, residence certificate and health card form a queue for their turn at the ground floor of Sangguniang Panlungsod yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Quitain poises axe Swindler/pusher nabbed by police on errant workers

By EMILORD P. CASTROMAYOR

A

epc@edgedavao.net

BIG-TIME swindler who duped some 100 persons of plane tickets is facing several charges after police arrested and confiscated from him illegal drugs worth P10,000 last Saturday.

He was Identified as Giovanne Cris Teng Alpas, 37, a resident of barangay Talomo in Ulas and liaison officer of Janmar Travel Agency.

Police filed cases yesterday before the city prosecution against him for violation of section 11 (posses-

sion of illegal drugs) of R.A 9165. While victim Rolando Bravo Recta, 30, dealer of Vita Plus and resident of Km 16, Barangay Fatima in Indangan will also file charges against Alpas for large-scale estafa after he, Bravo, was duped of P73,000 worth of plane tickets.

P/Supt. Joel Manalang, station commander of the San Pedro police, said that Alpas allegedly swindled many people of plane tickets and is a noted pusher of shabu in Santa Ana and other areas.

FSWINDLER, 10

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

D

abf@edgedavao.net

AVAO City administrator J. Melchor Quitain warned city employees once again who are involved in corruption to stop or else ‘I will catch up with you.’

Quitain said during the flag raising ceremony yesterday that he has been receiving reports and he already knows who are involved in illegal activities in other departments.

“I received these complains through letters and also through the cellphone. So, I know what

some of you are doing and let me just assure you that one of these days I will catch up with you, ” Quitain said after the guilty verdict by the city investigating committee on the employees against of the CTO five. They are now investigating three others from the same office and some from other departments.

“The mayor is determined in cleansing… departments whoever might be involved – we do not care because the instruction given to me (I repeat)

is to cleanse the departments of corruption,” stressed Quitain.

Last week, Quitain announced the dismissal of Jane M. Paguidopon, Brenda R. Nirza, Rosalie B. Remon, Paul Justen B. Almonte and Analiza S. Mesa, formerly assigned at the Cash Receipts Division (CRD) of the CTO for allegedly misappropriating a total P14 million in tax collections of the city last year.

The five were found guilty of serious dishonesty, grave misconduct,

falsification of public documents, serious neglect of duty, inefficiency, incompetence in the performance of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service.

Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte signed the dismissal order based on the recommendation of the all-lawyer City Investigation Committee composed of Osmundo P. Villanueva Jr., chairman, Jhopee S. Avancena and Tristan Dwight P. Domingo, members.

WARNING. Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte issues a warning to taxi drivers who continue to engage in duping passengers during in a press briefing yesterday at the City Hall in Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

NEWS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

3

DRRMC sets community-based disaster preparedness trainings

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T ASSISTANCE. A barangay volunteer assists the students of Vicente Hizon Sr. Elementary School from crossing the busy street along Lanang in Bo. Pampanga, Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

crc@edgedavao.net

HE recent incidents of flooding, landslides, and typhoons led the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council in Region 11 (DRRMC 11) to come up with five priority training programs aimed to make communities resilient to disasters.

DRRMC head and Office of the Civil Defense 11 regional director Loreto Rirao said during the Region 11 DRRMC Initiatives Beginning Year (2014) Planning and RDRRMC 11 Full-Council meeting at the Apo View Hotel said the trainings are the community-based training on risk assessment, contingency planning, incident community training

(ICS), simulation, and rapid damage assessment (RDA).

Based on Rirao’s presentation, people in the communities will undergo tsunami drill, flood drill, and earthquake drill as part of the activities in making them prepared and resilient to disasters.

With the trainings, Rirao said the communities will have the actual basis in responding to disasters as they are already provided with clearer picture of what will actually happen during calamities.

Rirao said the planned activities in the region are being harmonized with the plan of the national government.

HE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said Monday it joins the nation in celebrating the forthcoming rebirth of peace in Mindanao with the signing last Saturday of the fourth and last component of the basic framework that would implement the peace agreement between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

In a statement, CHR Chairperson Loretta Ann P. Rosales said she is glad that after 40 years since the beginning of the armed struggle to form a separate Islamic state in Mindanao, peace is finally in sight.

“With the signing of the Annex on Normalization, the entire Filipino nation can now look forward to the establishment of Bangsamoro, a

Customs Official dismissed from service for dishonesty T

CHR lauds major breakthrough in GPH-MILF peace negotiations

T

HE Office of the Ombudsman dismissed Rafael Mendoza Merencilla, Chief Customs Operations Officer for Dishonesty for his untruthful, inconsistent and misleading declarations of his assets, liabilities and net worth as shown in his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) for the years

1997 to 2009 and for his apparent accumulation of properties grossly disproportionate to his income.

The case was filed in May 2011 by the Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS), the anti-corruption arm of the Department of Finance, after it conducted a lifestyle check on Merencilla.

In its 23-page decision, the Ombudsman said that Merencilla’s “failure to file true, detailed and sworn statements of assets, liabilities and net worth and resorting to a narration of all properties in one description, defeats the very purpose of the law which is safeguarding the integrity of every public official

DCWD: No objection to base-load expansion

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

T

abf@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City Water District (DCWD) expressed no objection to the base-load power expansion of Therma South Inc.(TSI) coal-fired power plant owned by Aboitiz Power in Binugao, Toril.

Oscar dela Cruz, DCWD Engineering Department officer-in-charge said during the energy and environment joint committee

hearing last Friday at the Sanguniang Panlungsod that as long as TSI will use surface water and will not affect its supply to the city.

“Therma South has committed to use surface water only and we have no objection to that,” dela Cruz said.

Manuel Orig, First Vice President of TSI, said that the plant will only take

what is left of the water supply.

“Since we are closer to the coast, we are already at the tail-end of the water source. The households and the other industries have already taken their water needs,” said Orig.

Orig said the power plant has an area where they can build a de-saliniza-

FDCWD, 10

20 NPAs surrender

By EMILORD P. CASTROMAYOR

T

epc@edgedavao.net

WENTY members of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered to the authorities from Jan, 1 to 27 this year, the military said.

Captain Alberto C. Caber, spokesperson of the Mindanao Command, Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the latest surrenderees identified as Efren Geno-

va alias Jonas surrendered last Saturday to soldiers of the 66th Infantry Battalion in Brgy. Cabinuangan, New Bataan, Compostela Valley Province.

Ailyn Pandatu, alias Divine; Ena Pandatu, alias Christine; Bonjoe Ulaw, alias Dennis; and Dodok Quileste, alias Robert , surrendered to the soldiers of

the 27th IB in Sitio Tuboran, Brgy Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato last January 25 while a certain, alias Bryan and alias Jason all of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee of the CPP/NPA/NDF surrendered to soldiers of the 67th IB in Brgy. Salingkumot, Baganga, Davao Orien-

F20 NPA, 10

through transparency and accountability in the pursuit of good governance”.

Non declaration of assets The Ombudsman found that Merencilla did not disclose some of his assets. In particular, he did not declare in any of his SALNs his ownership of a 9,190

FCUSTOMS, 10

FCHR, 10

4 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

DAVAO DEL NORTE

RDR: ‘We are stronger after 2013 tempest’ T

HE province of Davao del Norte emerged sturdier after successfully getting over the economic and climatic high winds of 2013.

Governor Rodolfo del Rosario said the province managed to perform well even as it reeled from the effects of Super Typhoon Pablo late in 2012 and the series of low pressure areas in the first quarter of last year.

The governor recalled the province, which literally wallowed in floodwaters, incurred some P4.6 billion losses in agriculture and infrastructures in the aftermath of Pablo alone.

Yet, del Rosario said external funding, such as those coming from the national government and the official development assistance (ODA), bolstered up the P905-million budget of the province last year bankroll.

He added the economic resilience of the Dabaonons and the private sector also fueled the financial dexteri-

South Cotabato

ty of the province, bankrolling the P.E.O.P.L.E. development thrust of the governor.

“The economic resilience of our people and the private sector has never been daunted despite the natural calamities,” he said, during Capitol’s recent 2013 Operations Review and Planning session for 2014.

Among the significant accomplishments of the province is the increase in the collection of local taxes, fees and charges.

Provincial Accountant Serlinda Atake said the province piled up a 13.21 percent increase in real property taxes in the amount of P2.1 million, as well as, 6.53 percent gain in other local sources, amounting to P2.6 million.

The three provincial hospitals further attained a combined income of 48.5 million, posting a P22.5 million increase from 2012.

Del Rosario said the series of calamities last year has “opened our eyes to the realities of climate change”.

REVIEW. Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario and Board Member Shirley Belen Aala, among the Capitol executives, are all ears as Provincial Agriculturist Anastasia Notarte presents the accomplishment of the People Empowerment component of the Davao del Norte’s PEOPLE development thrust. [Noel Baguio] The governor then fused the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) and the Provincial Climate Change Adap-

tation Council (PCCAC), in order to effectively coordinate all efforts to reduce the vulnerability and increase the resilience of the Dabaonons.

To start with, the province launched last December the expanded Oplan A.N.D.A.M. (Advocacy for Natural Disaster Awareness and Management)

TAGUM CITY

LGU to restore biodiversity T corridors in Mt. Matutum

that introduces simple technologies for communities to adapt to the changing climate, and reduce their risks to natural catastrophes. [Noel Baguio]

Local PESO rakes awards

E

NVIRONMENT personnel are set to embark on a massive reforestation program to rehabilitate portions of a

declared biodiversity corridor in two municipalities straddled by the critical Mt. Matutum in South Cotabato province.

Siegfred Flaviano, South Cotabato Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO) chief, said the initiative aims to

ENHANCING GOVERNANCE IN MINDANAO. (From left)US Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Gloria Steele, US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg, Zamboanga City Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar and Mindanao Development Authority Chairperson Luwalhati Antonino present the newly signed Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of USAID’s Enhancing Governance Accountability and Engagement (ENGAGE) Project during a signing ceremony held last week at the Garden Orchid Hotel in Zamboanga City. ENGAGE project aims to contribute to the goal of improving peace and stability in Mindanao by promoting good governance process through civic education and community-level participation.

increase the biodiversity within the corridor, which covers 10 barangays in Tupi and Tampakan towns.

He said the biodiversity or wildlife corridor is located within the 14,000-hectare Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL).

In October last year, Flaviano said they started the revegetation or planting of various tree and plant species along the boundary areas of the biodiversity corridor.

He said the trees will also serve as boundary markers of the areas covered by the corridor to prevent possible poaching and other related activities.

“Our focus right now is the revegetation of the main corridor area with trees and plant species that are indigenous there,” he said. [MindaNews]

AGUM City local government’s Public Employment Services Office maintained its winning streak with its latest awards handed out by the Department of Labor and Employment.

PESO Tagum clinched the title as Best PESO Office for Component City in Region XI, automatically making the office as Davao Region’s official entry to the National Search for Best PESO Office, a search that has been topped by Tagum in recent years.

Said recognition was awarded January 16, 2014 during the Regional Mid-Year Performance Evaluation of DOLE XI in Digos City, and was re-enacted last January 27, 2014 at the city hall’s flag cere-

mony.

Mayor Allan L. Rellon congratulated the PESO Office for its achievement especially that they have become the front liners of his administration in the fulfillment of its agenda on employment under the EAGLE WINGS Program.

Aside from the Best PESO Office Award, Tagum was also recognized for its excellent implementation in Career Guidance and Coaching, implementation of the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) and Skills Registry System.

PESO Chief Rogeneth Llanos said this award shall continue to inspire them to work harder for the benefit of the Tagumeños. [Louie Lapat of CIO Tagum]

5 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

Smart joins Telecom Council of Silicon Valley S

MART Communications, Inc. (Smart) was recently welcomed as a newest member of the Telecom Council of Silicon Valley, making it the first Philippine telco to join the innovation hub of top global fixed and wireless telcos, vendors, startups and venture capitalists.

In a breakfast meeting held in Palo Alto, California, Smart executives led

by Charles A. Lim, EVP and Head of Wireless Consumer Business, were welcomed by officers and members of the Telecom Council to discuss potential collaborations and opportunities for both parties.

“We’re excited to be part of the Telecom Council of Silicon Valley, “ said Lim. “As we move more and more towards the digital space, it is necessary to build close relationships with other global innovation leaders.

We are on constant look out for cutting edge services and technological trends and advances that can benefit our subscribers in the Philippines as well as put the spotlight on Filipino innovations on a global scale.”

“Today, I am joined by several of our SPIF, Service Provider Forum, members in welcoming Smart to the telecom and wireless innovation community we

help foster,” says Liz Kerton, President of the Telecom Council. “The Council collects over 2,000 telecom professionals at our 35+ meetings a year – a very forward-thinking, partnership-centric group, we look forward to Smart’s contribution to the important conversations we are having here and introducing them to the 200+ startups which we’ll filter into the Council this year.”

Joining Lim in the welcome breakfast were Mellissa Limcaoco, innovation and product development group head at Smart; Michelle Curran, data and international services marketing group head at Smart; Earl Martin S. Valencia, president of First Pacific group’s incubator and accelerator IdeaSpace Foundation, Inc. (IdeaSpace) and also head of corporate strategy at Smart.

With over 100 members across the fixed and wireless industry, the Telecom Council is a global organization that “connects companies and individuals involved in Silicon Valley’s communications technology industry with one another for business development, collaboration, and education.” It provides the network, tools, framework and opportunities

WELCOMED. Telecom Council of Silicon Valley welcomes Smart as newest member. From left to right: Earl Martin S. Valencia, President of incubator and accelerator IdeaSpace Foundation, Inc. (IdeaSpace) and Head of Corporate Strategy at Smart; Rakesh Sood, Venture Advisor, Docomo Capital; Charles A. Lim, EVP and Head of Wireless Consumer Business at Smart; Edward A. Tortorici, Executive Director, First Pacific Company Ltd.; Rick Pierson, Innovation and Strategy Executive, JT Global; Liz Kerton, President, Telecom Council; Derek Kerton, Chairman of Telecom Council and Principal Analyst of The Kerton Group; Melissa Limcaoco, Innovation and Product Development Group Head at Smart; Lawrence Johnson, Director Representative Office -North America, Salim Group; Christina Claure, Business Development Manager – Emerging Business, Sprint; Michelle Curran, Data and International Services Marketing Group Head at Smart; Rob Trice, Venture Partner, Swisscom; and Rob Hull, VP Consumer & Network Scouting, BT. to bring together various players in Silicon Valley’s telco industry.

A collection point for over 30 global telcos, the association’s annual TC3:

Telecom Council Carrier Connections Summit gathers some of the most influential global telcos and top-tier vendors to share and forge partnerships on

innovation with entrepreneurs, investors, inventors, and startups. Last year, Valencia was one of the speakers in the conference and he present-

ed Smart’s involvement with IdeaSpace and in its emerging market incubation program as a way of building innovation ecosystems.

6 THE ECONOMY Stat Watch Indicator

Latest

1. Gross National Income 1. GrossRate National Income Growth Growth Rate2000 Prices) (At Constant

7.1 1st Qtr 2013 6.8

2.2.Gross GrossDomestic DomesticProduct Growth Rate Product (AtGrowth Constant 2000 Prices) Rate

7.8 1st Qtr 2013 7.5

(At Constant 2000 Prices)

(At Constant 2000 Prices)

3. Exports 1/ 3. Exports

4. Imports 1/ 4. Imports

5. Trade Balance Trade Balance 6.5.Balance of Payments 2/

7.6.Broad Money Liabilities Balance of Payments

2nd Qtr 2013

2nd Qtr 2013

USD 3,741 million 5,045 FebUSD 2013 million USD 4,708 Sep 2013 million FebUSD 2013 5,711 USD -967 million million Sep 2013 Feb 2013 USD -665 USD -640 million million Sep 2013 Dec 2012 P 4,964,560 USD 692 million million Feb Jun2013 2013 P2.45,980,938 % million Mar 2013 Aug 2013

8. Interest Rates 4/

7. Broad Money Liabilities

P113,609 2.0 % million Sep2013 2013 Mar P P5,281 127,336 billion million Mar Sep2013 2013

9. National Government 8. Revenues Interest Rate 9. National Government

10.Revenues National government outstanding debt outstanding debt

P 5,609 P 41.14 Aprbillion 2013

11.Stocks Peso per US $ 12.

Composite

Index 6/

6,847.5 P 43.83 Mar Sep2013 2013

12. Stocks Composite

6,191.8 132.8 Sep2013 2013 Apr

13. Consumer Price Index

135.2 Oct2.62013

10.Peso National government 11. per US $ 5/

Sep 2013

13. Consumer Index Price Index 2006=100

2006=100 14.

Headline Inflation Rate 14. 2006=100 Headline Inflation

Apr 2013

2.9 Oct3.12013

Rate 15.

Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

Apr 2013

2006=100

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100 16.

Visitor Arrivals

2.5

418,108 Oct 2013 Feb 2013

382,022 Aug 2013 20.9%

16. Visitor Arrivals

17. Underemployment 7/ 17. Rate Underemploymen

Jan 2013 19.2%

18.

18.Unemployment UnemploymentRate Rate7/

7.1% Jan 2013 7.3%

Rate

Jul 2013 Jul 2013

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2011-September 2013) Month Average December November October September August July June May April March February January

2013

2012

2011

43.83 43.86 43.35 42.91 41.30 41.14 40.71 40.67 40.73

42.23 41.01 41.12 41.45 41.75 42.04 41.91 42.78 42.85 42.70 42.86 42.66 43.62

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

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

Reforms strengthen agri projects T

O better serve rural communities with critical infrastructure projects, governance reforms must be strengthened at the local government and project implementation level.

Under the US$ 3-million grant by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), activities that will build local capacities in project implementation is seen to institute governance reforms in implementing agriculture projects under the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP).

“Instituting governance reforms is important in improving the delivery of agriculture projects and enable a stronger investment climate in the countryside,” MRDP Program Director Lealyn Ramos said.

“It will also improve revenue and accountability mechanisms that will enable the LGUs to prioritize delivery of agricultural projects and spur development in the countryside,” she added.

Capacity building activities in the form of trainings and technical assistance (TA) have been conducted with the aim of enhancing the delivery of agriculture services and productivity through value chain.

At the project implementation level, the TA continues to strengthen the planning and management process for local subproject investments ensuring that projects adhere strictly to compliance measures and procurement pro-

CEREMONIAL LAUNCH. In this file photo, Agriculture Sec. Proceso J. Alcala presents the token of appreciation to AusAID governance adviser Sam Chittick (center) during the ceremonial launch of the US$3 million AusAID grant as support to the DA-MRDP2 last July 2012 in Quezon City. The grant will boost implementation of governance reforms in rural infrastructure projects. Also in the photo are (left to right) World Bank’s MRDP task team leader Felizardo K. Virtucio, WB lead rural development specialist Carolina Geron and MRDP Program Director Lealyn Ramos. [Photo by Sherwin Manual] cesses.

Among the trainings conducted under the grant include financial management and procurement course for LGUs aimed at improving the bidding process of rural infrastructure projects. Focus was also given on management of environmental resource and in sustaining livelihood projects.

Training on Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES), which aims to ensure that people and the environment are not adversely affected by the MRDP projects, have been conducted for LGUs particularly the Program Planning, Monitoring and Implementing Units (PPMIUs), a mechanism introduced by the MRDP to improve project implementation capabilities at the local level.

The recent AusAIDevaluation report on the grantreportedthat LGUs needto improve existing investment codes and policy guidelines in implementing projects.

There is also a need for more capacity building activities and support to LGUs to fully take advantage of public-private partnership (PPP) scheme.

To enhance agricultural services and productivity, trainings and mentoring on Value Chain Analysis (VCA) will be conducted for LGUs as well as on product development and value-adding schemes for agri-fishery products.

“Capability building activities are critical in ensuring that the DA and the LGUs effectively deliver services and fulfill the project re-

quirements in a timely manner and competent quality thereby increasing the project’s sustainability,” Ramos said.

Institutional governance reform (IGR) is one of the components under the second phase of MRDP. The program implements rural infrastructure and agricultural productivity enhancement projects and natural resource management interventions.

The Program has also formed various Community-based Monitoring Evaluation Group (CBMEG) to bolster community involvement in the implementation of projects strengthen community ownership and increase project accountability.

Through the 1,125 CBMEGs formed in various barangays in six regions covered by the

Program, it is aimed that project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is mainstreamed at the community level.

In 2011, the Program launched geotagging as a transparency measure which allows the capturing of photographs of projects and uploading it and other relevant information to Google Earth to enhance the monitoring and supervision of projects.

MRDP also strengthenedthe information network of DA and LGUs through various trainings. The Program also led in the documentation of success stories to highlight the change process in the project implementation that would help in replicating best practices in communities served by the project. [Jay Rosas/ DA-MRDP]

agency’s head office of their client’s product recall of the B-Well Steam Steriliser, an electronic product for steam sterilization intended for home use.

Based on the memorandum issued by DTI-Consumer Welfare and Business Regulation Group Offi-

cer-in-Charge Victorio Mario A. Dimagiba to the agency’s regional offices, the voluntary recall was based on the company’s discovery that “moisture may enter the electronics or the power cable at the connection between the cable and the device which may cause a short

circuit or a leakage current that may pose potential risk of fire, burning or electric shock”.

The company said the product affected by this voluntary field measure can be identified by the following article numbers: 008.0100; 008.0101; 008.0102; 008.0103;

008.0104; 008.0121; and 008.0287.

Consumers who have bought the said product with the identified article numbers are encouraged by the company to visit the website www.medela.com/bwell or send an e-mail to b-well@medela.ch.

[DTI 11/JenMendoza]

Medela AG steam sterilizer product recalled T

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Davao Region is informing the public about the recall of B-Well Steam Steriliser, a product of Medela AG. Through its lawyers, Medela AG, a manufacturer of advanced breast pumps and medical vacuum technology, told the

as of May 2013 Cebu Pacific Daily Zest Air Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri/Sun Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Thu

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

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

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

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

Cebu Pacific Tue/Wed//Sat 5J965 / 5J968 13:35 Silk Air Mon/Sat MI588 / MI588 13:35 Silk Air Wed/Sun MI566 / MI566 15:20 Silk Air Thurs MI551 / MI551 12:05 Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri 5J507 / 5J598 15:00 Philippine Airlines August 15:55 Mani2Mani 16:50 Zest Air Daily Z2524 / Z2525 16:05

Manila-Davao-Manila Davao-Singapore Davao-Singapore Davao-Singapore Cebu-Davao-Cebu

14:05 18:55 18:55 15:45 15:30

Cebu-Davao-Cebu

16:45

EDGEDAVAO

PROPERTY

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

NORTHPOINT

7

Where retirees live their desired lifestyle W

HETHER it’s an active or a more laid back lifestyle, retirees can live the life they envisioned for themselves at Northpoint, the British colonial themed condo community along JP Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City.

Northpoint offers them a resort-like ambiance with its open spaces, green landscape, and grounds that are filled with imported Caribbean pine trees. They can admire this lush vista of green from their wide windows, or enjoy the outdoors by taking a stroll at the nature park and pocket gardens.

The more active ones can brisk walk or jog along the trail, taking in the invigorating pine scent and fresh oxygen emitted by the trees and verdant plant life surrounding them. Or they can do some laps at the wellness pool with salinated

water or execute their exercise routine at the fitness gym.

Living at Northpoint is never boring for retirees.

They can hold informal gatherings for family and friends at the clubhouse, Wakefield Manor, where they can also see and chat with their neighbors and guests. They can strike conversations with them at the atrium, elevators, even the basement garage, areas frequented by residents.

If they want some downtime, they simply lounge at the comfy couches at the multi-purpose hall at the clubhouse and admire the pine trees outside the windows or surf the net using the free WiFi. They can also while their time away at the cabanas and have some barbecue at the grill pits.

With Northpoint’s central location, going out

for a movie, doing some shopping, or dining at a restaurant is a breeze as the condo community is quite near to the commercial, entertainment, and leisure district of the city.

With only a few minutes’ drive to where they want to go, driving to their destination is short and easy, saving them time, effort, and fuel. If they prefer to take a taxi or ride the jeepney, there are plenty right outside the condo property gates.

Retirees will also value the sense of security they get with Northpoint’s round-the-clock security, giving them the option to just lock up and leave. No need to look for a house-sitter and no worries about leaving their condo home for lengths of time.

At this stage when their health is a top priority, retirees will find great value

A condo home is a perfect living space for retirees, allowing them to enjoy the finer things in life.

Northpoint’s green

surroundings provid

in Northpoint’s green features. The condo towers were designed to principles of green architecture, allowing unrestricted airflow and natural light to enter the structures.

There are also indoor gardens that create a cool and fresh surrounding, and Northpoint’s fourth tower, Liverpool, will have Sky Gardens that will be decked with real, live plants, giving the building and its units excellent air quality.

After prioritizing their families’ needs while the kids were growing up, it is now time for retirees to pamper themselves and enjoy the luxuries they desire.

To find out more on how they can live the life they deserve in Northpoint, call or visit the Camella offices at Delgar Bldg. JP Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City, telephone 2953973.

e a refreshingly heal

thful environment

for retirees.

Northpoint’s clubhouse, Wakefield Manor, is a retiree’s ideal place to relax and have some quality time with loved ones.

8

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

The real victim

P

INOY netizens are having a field day again. The latest trending topic on the net is celebrity Vhong Navarro getting mauled in a Taguig City condominium.

The actor jumped the gun with his live television interview on Sunday narrating, in his own version, what transpired the night of January 22 somewhere in the upscale condo estate. After he spoke, the internet world threw their sympathy on Vhong. The netizen world virtually drew up their scorecards and called their verdict in favor of the beaten actor.

At that time, the woman had no face. Neither do the men who made Vhong’s face a virtual mess.

Yesterday, cyberspace seemed to be shaken with some new twists to the Vhong Navarro story. The young woman had a face—so pretty enough to melt anybody’s heart—and a name that was to be linked to a head honcho of a rival television network. All of a sudden, the plot thickened into a brewing network war again. Sympathies also changed and the scorecards turned from being one-sided to something too

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close to call. The verdict got convoluted.

Now, the question is—who is the real victim? Is it the beat-up Vhong who elicits women’s grunts when he gyrates like a python on television or is it now the young and frail-looking woman whose innocent look no one will suspect of being capable of inflicting any harm?

We never know. For one, the police have more likely slept on this case. Failing to make timely investigation and leaving the scene of the crime not sanitized and cordoned for five days.

In the end though, is this worth our time to even ogle at and argue who is the victim here?

The case will eventually die down anyway as the main actors will realize they had better off keep things off people’s prying eyes and more so, off the social media’s attention. In time, all we have left are crumbs of a crime that will be cleaned up just the same because this one involves a celebrity and the high class whose privacy is the real victim in this case.

It’s their show. It’s their time. It’s, naah, showtime.

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VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

Crucial systematic change

OLITICAL promises must be tended, of course, because there is no shortage of critical issues to be examined.

Our lawmakers should always remember they have one important duty that precedes all others: to keep the country socio-economic and politically stable and prosperous before their terms expire.

That would mean less political point-scoring and grandstanding but more practical policymaking. Legislators should involve themselves in the affairs of government especially in economic management, liberal social environment, infrastructure system, poverty alleviation, job generation and maintenance of peace and security.

Handling the responsibilities of a representative government is something that requires valuable time and effort for our political leaders to learn the business of governance. The question now is whether our present crop of policymakers can learn quickly enough to leave a positive legacy that will transcend their terms.

A NEVER ENDING NARRATIVE ABOUT CORRUPTION – Talk about a tall order. As scam after scam unfolded, media reported shocking examples of fraudulent acts in the bureaucracy. The unabated corruption at the Bureau of Customs (BoC), the government’s second biggest source of revenue is an old tale. Same is true with the situation at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and other income-generating agencies.

A more equally startling revelation that rocked the Aquino administration is the expose of the P10 billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam or anomalously known as “pork barrel” funds allegedly involving some cash-starved members of Congress. Also, the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) is another fund release scheme allegedly tainted with indiscretions.

Graft and corruption will never stop unless there is a systematic change in the bureaucracy. It pervaded all levels of public life and dishonesty is so widely recognized, accepted and talked about as part of the political game. It is high time the discretion

that allows bureaucrats to exact government funds should be stopped permanently. More than that, the Aquino administration should set the example and go after the “big fishes,” and not just the “small creepy-crawlies.” For decades the disenchanted taxpaying public decried the conspiracy wherein the income-generating branches of government are controlled by officials without a minimal sense of decency.

The upsetting revelation about a collusion between politicians, greedy officials and their cohorts has through the years becomes a testimony about a deep-seated culture of corruption in the bureaucracy.

The situation is not improving in favor of public service but is deteriorating. It is an established practice that unscrupulous traders even to this day would bestow favors on corrupt and greedy officials, BoC for example – including pre-inspection procedures, procurement of documents and smooth passage of goods jumbled with contrabands in exchange for top-end entertainment and lavish gifts or outright bribery involving thousands or even millions.

The same is true with the highly controversial PDAF resources. The money spent in various projects of several members of Congress is justified by channeling it through non-government organizations (NGOs), which are proven that many of them were either bogus or non-existing.

Lawmakers allegedly linked in the PDAF scam vehemently denied the accusation and insist that all their transactions are legitimate – processed above board and within legal bounds. Others dismissed the accusation as nothing but pure political smear tactics.

Certainly, public sentiment favors a to-

tal revamp of all agencies where corruption is entrenched and a no-nonsense investigation surrounding the anomalous distribution of “pork barrel” funds including the DAP fiasco. The series of fund scandals put pressure on the Aquino leadership to proceed quickly with its proposed complete revamp and radical reform, part of which is to strip many ranking Customs officials of some of their powers or effect enforce a reshuffling.

But to the people’s mind the idea is nothing but some sort of rigodon. Corruption is so ingrained at the BoC and other income-generating offices that any reform other than a total overhaul would not solve the shameful but highly profitable money-making venture inside the agency. Reassigned or reshuffled port collectors and sub-port collectors would merely take a brief respite, and in a matter of few days, all will be back as usual to their voracious undertakings. Meanwhile, legislators must again be reminded that their role is to enact laws in gorgeous foundation and to see to it that laws are obeyed in a way that is best for society. They just leave the implementation of infrastructure and agricultural development and basic social services programs to concerned agencies.

It still comes as the best option to completely cleanse the BoC and rid it of its “poison and toxins” that are continuously lurking in the dark corners of the bureau.

The institution can only restore its tainted image, register improvements in efficiency and improve collections by totally stamping out all forms of corruption. On the other hand, the declaration of the Supreme Court that PDAF is unconstitutional and would no longer be applicable seemed to be the most appropriate decision being made by the high court.

The public is sick of the endless shocking stories of widespread corruption perpetrated by officials who play-act like hungry leeches and a pack of starving hyenas looking for rotten carcasses, and desperately cling on to power for dear life as if there is no life after the government.

Chinese New Year: Lucky fashionable colors of 2014

S

TILL aiming to know how you can capture luck and success this year?

Well, you can try magnetizing good fortune in the Year of the Wooden Horse through your fashion statements.

Elements in the Chinese New Year can magnetize beauty and luck this year, and the right fashion can shield you from the bad aura of the year.

The spirit of the Chinese New Year always advise people how to catch luck and success, and one of the ways to be in luck is through what you wear.

It has been a tradition that never goes out of style, others might doubt, but who knows?

As the saying goes, “There’s no harm in trying.” So why not just go with the flow, try, and be in the roster of practitioners and even believers.

Celebrating Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is a centuries-old tradition wherein the Chinese use firecrackers and dragon and lion dances accompanied by loud drums to drive away malicious spirits.

SPECIAL FEATURE

BY MA. NICA ESTORIAS The color Red is considered by the Chinese as their lucky color to attract favorable luck and fortune.

However, Fengshui.about.com, said red is not the only lucky color this year.

It said that the Water and Earth (blue and black) colors of 2013 can still deliver you luck because Water and Earth elements support the Wood in its growth and well-being. Earthly elements are said to bring luck this 2014 as the Year of the Wooden Horse enters.

But if you want the whole year to be ever in your favor, Fengshui.about.com recommends the shades of green and brown to be worn.

Fashion is not just about dress and clothes of course, and every little detail counts and that is where your jewelry take center attention.

Fengshui.about.com suggests all

sorts of accessories in the green-brown color scheme, such as jewelry, belts, scarfs, etc. To make it even more powerful, you can choose jewellery with natural crystals and stones with the presence of Wood energy, such as green jade, agate, green tourmaline and malachite.

Also good are crystals and stones with the presence of Water element energy - such as turquoise, aquamarine, pearls, kyanite, lapis lazuli and moonstone. Or, go for black colour ones, such as black obsidian, black tourmaline or black onyx,” which are touted as protective stones or shield against negativity.

Following feng shui still has to be proven true, but yet many non-Chinese, including Filipinos, believe and practice these Chinese age-old customs and beliefs.

People have the choice whether to believe it or not, but fortune tellers and tipsters advise that one thing is for sure. There will be no luck, if there is no hard work.

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Bitcoin repeats gold-standard errors OPINION

BY EDWARD HADAS

T

(Conclusion)

HE spur to the monetary fear might be war, crop failure or a bust financial institution.

Whatever the cause, the sudden increase in caution automatically created a sudden decrease in the money for spending. The economic theorists of hard money said that wages and prices would also fall automatically, so the shrunken supply of currency would still be adequate to keep the economy running. In practice, the adjustment was always much too slow. Goods became unaffordable, unemployment rose and production fell.

John Maynard Keynes called it the paradox of thrift. The British economist was analysing the Great Depression of the 1930s, the last big money-prodded general decline. Keynes taught, and the world learned, that governments could and should counter bad news by ensuring that there was always enough money available to keep spending constant.

As the slow recovery from the 2008 recession shows, the policies haven’t always worked perfectly. But they could not work at all in a bitcoin economy, because there would be no authority which could decide how much new money to print. Indeed, the knowledge that governments could not create new bitcoins in a crisis would only increase thrift. Just as in the 19th century, a little bit of bad news would spawn a large economic crisis.

The problem would be worse now than then, because the economy relies so much more on bank-created credit.

Whether banks use dollars, euros or bitcoins, they lend out most of their deposits. The loans increase the supply of spendable money, because the loaned sum is added to the total while the deposits which fund the loans are not subtracted.

The arrangement is always potentially unstable. If the borrowers cannot repay too many of the loans or if depositors want to withdraw their money too fast, the bank may fall short of funds. A failure, and an ensuing panic, can only be avoided if banks can find cash elsewhere.

The ultimate “elsewhere” is always the government, which can create new funds out of thin air. Government rescues are not ideal, but better than any known alternative.

In a bitcoin or growcoin world, the government would have nothing to offer. Frequent bank runs and financial panics would be unavoidable.

Charitably, the popular interest in bitcoin can be interpreted as a sign of ignorance of economic history. More realistically, it is a sad statement of a loss of faith in a monetary system which has not worked as well as promised. Unfortunately, bitcoin is no more than a high-tech version of an even worse system.

10

NEWS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

Swindler...FFROM 2 Police said that at about 1:00 p.m. of January 25, Recta called the attention of the police after seeing Alpas walking long a street on corner Bonifacio and Claro M. Recto. The victim confronted the suspect while the police were coming to the place where the suspect was.

Manalang said Alpas tried to run when he saw

police coming and when the police checked his bag they found one large elongated sachet, four medium-sized sachets all with a total street value of P10,000 shabu.

Alpas is detained in jail while the police are waiting for other complainants to show up so the suspect will be facing several counts of estafa.

tal last January 24.

Caber said they tallied 200 surrenderees last year and all were given livelihood and cash assistance to start a new life.

“I am confident that there would be more NPA returnees in the coming days. This is the result of the collaboration between our local officials, community and our Bayanihan teams on peace outreach works

in the far flung barangays”.

Commander Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rainier G. Cruz III of the EASTMINCOM said.

Meanwhile, Major General Ariel Bernardo , commander of the 10TH ID said rebel returnees who want to go to school can avail of the Alternative Learning System that the Armed Forces of the Philippines supports the program.

sq. m. lot in Lipa City. In another property, he also did not declare the existence of residential buildings on his 18,535 sq.m. agricultural/ residential lots also in Sto Nino, Lipa City which he acquired in July 2001.

Lumping of assets “Respondent’s motor vehicles were declared together with his other personal properties in his SALNs making it difficult to ascertain its composition.

Worth noting is the declaration by the respondent that his Honda Accord was acquired in 1998 and was actually a part of his cash on hand during the same year. However, our scrutiny of his cash for the year is only Php70,000.00 vis-àvis his acquisition cost for this car which amounted to Php510,000.00”, according to the Ombudsman decision.

Untruthful declarations The Ombudsman found that Merencilla made untruthful declarations in his SALNs when he declared that he acquired two townhouses through a loan from GSIS. However, RIPS investigators found out that he did not receive nor did he apply for any loan from the GSIS. “We also cannot accept his (Merencilla’s) reason that declarations for GSIS loan were made based merely on an honest belief that they obtained a loan from the GSIS since GSIS Loan continuously appeared on his SALNs from 1997 up to 2009. To our mind, the scheme was intentionally resorted to by the respondent (Merencilla) to conceal the increase in property holdings by making it appear that he and his wife obtained loans

from the GSIS. “Furthermore, it is rather absurd to claim that a housing loan was obtained from the GSIS when neither respondent nor his wife accomplished any loan application therefore. While good faith is considered as a valid defense, the fact that respondent repeatedly and continuously declared in is SALNs from 1997 to 2009, for a period of 13 years, that he and his wife availed of real property loan from the GSIS negated such a defense”, the Ombudsman said.

Properties grossly disproportionate to his income “From the pieces of evidence at hand, it has become evident that there has been an astonishing increase in Merencilla’s total assets from Php4,480,000.00 in 1997 to Php29,301,380.64 in 2009”, the decision states.

The Ombudsman did not accept Merencilla’s justification that the increase of his properties came from the income from his business connections.

It said that “as regard his business connections, no mention was made on his income received there from, neither did he present any financial statement, statement of operations, and income tax return to support his claims that he has legally obtained other incomes from his businesses and investments”.

The dismissal order, which takes effect immediately, includes the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification for reemployment in the government service. [PNA]

20 NPA... FFROM 3

Customs...FFROM 3

NEW YEAR DÉCOR. Shoppers of SM City Davao walk by a Chinese lantern which is part of the mall’s Chinese New Year decoration at the Annex yesterday. Chinese communities in Davao City are now in the final stage of preparation for this year’s Chinese New Year celebration which falls on January 31. Lean Daval Jr.

Fired...FFROM 1 casum told him that they held the container of rice because its owner could not show an import permit from the National Food Authority.

In an interview with TV Patrol Southern Mindnanao, Pacasum and his deputy Edward James Dy Buco were stunned with the report of their dismissal from the central office.

Dy Buco said that they just followed the memorandum of BOC Commissioner John Philip Sevilla.

Pacasum showed the order directing him to

release the 167 container van in line with writ of injunction order of the court.

“Ito po yun dokumento ni Commissioner Sevilla dated January 6. At ito po, na pinagbabawal kami na maghold, mag cease dahil po sa kautusan po niya,” Dy Buco said.

He said that they were upset with the decision because their names were dragged into the smuggling issue in the port.

DyBuco said that there are reports that tthere is now a move to dismiss ci-

vilian customs collectors and replace them with retired military officers.

Earlier, the National Food Authority filed a motion to lift the writ of preliminary injunction issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 16 over the petition of a businessman seeking the release of his P21-million worth of imported rice earlier seized by the BOC Davao.

NFA argued that the court has no jurisdiction to take cognizance of the case and to issue a writ of preliminary injunction against the hold order

dated November 2 last year issued by Pacasum as this is an encroachment of the power of the BOC over seizure and forfeiture proceedings.

Judge Emmanuel Carpio of RTC Branch 16, issued a writ of preliminary mandatory injunction dated last December 12 after Joseph Mangupag Ngo posted a P5-million injunction bond enjoining and restraining BOC from seizing millions worth of rice shipment from the Starcraft International Trading Corporation.

tion facility in case water in the area will not be enough.

“This will be our last option as de-salinating water will be costly and this will have an impact on the power rates,” Orig said.

Orig added that new capacity is needed not only to solve the present shortage in power in Mindanao, but also to address future

needs.

“We should not make the mistakes of the past where we failed to build power plants to address future needs. Let us not wait for brownouts to hit us first before we start building power plants,” he added.

The original proposal of TSI is to have a 300

MW facility which will use 1,500 cu m. of fresh water as its processed water that will be heated to turn into steam. The pressurized steam will turn the turbines to produce power.

This will be recycled as it will be cooled and turned back into water to be re-heated again. Sea water will be used for cooling the

system.

The first 300 MW of TSI will be completed in early 2015. If approved, the expanded capacity will come online by 2017 and 2018.

The committee hearing was also attended by groups opposing the power plant construction led by the Davao No to Coal coalition.

special region that would guarantee the right to self-determination of all communities within it,” Rosales stressed.

She noted that the GPH-MILF final peace agreement, including its annexes, is part of a continuum of peace agreements that go back to the 1976 Tripoli Agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the peace accords under former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fi-

del Ramos, which led to the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Rosales pointed out that the idea of human rights is critical to the success of the GPH-MILF peace process.

“Earlier peace efforts did not underscore human rights as much as how this is underscored now,” she explained.

According to the CHR chairperson, the protection and promotion of

human rights brought the two parties to an agreement.

“In 2012 under my leadership, the CHR started earnest efforts to help build a just and lasting peace in Mindanao by ensuring that human rights would be at the center of the discourse,” she said.

She noted happily that “within just a year, we were able to secure the creation of a CHR Regional Office in the

ARMM and work for its transition to become the ARMM Regional Human Rights Commission. In partnership with the ARMM Regional Government, international organizations and local civil society groups, the Commission has been able to work out a remarkable and unprecedented balance between the universality of human rights and the political implications of autonomy.” [PNA]

DCWD...FFROM 3

CHR... FFROM 3

EDGEDAVAO

ICT HUB

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

11

Train to be a RoboCop

By ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO

H

AVE you ever imagined yourself as a RoboCop? There’s no need to go back to the 80s and get a glimpse of what a RoboCop is. Here’s the game where you can put on that steely figure and start chasing those criminals.

Who is RoboCop? The good thing is, the supercop movie character will be back in the silver screen once more. Here’s his story: In 2028, multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. When Alex Murphy (played by actor Joel Kinnaman)—a loving husband, father and a good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit is critically injured by a car-bomb in the line of duty, OmniCorp sees their chance a part-man, part-robot police officer that made them turn him

to be like one.

That’s the movie character of Alex Murphy.

Now, if you wish to be like Murphy, here’s the closest thing to get yourself Robotic.

In this computer game, you can be virtually trained and experience how it feels like to be a cyborg RoboCop as Glu Mobile brings you the official game of RoboCop movie.

To begin training, the gamer in you must join the OmniCorp program to become a RoboCop, the ultimate law enforcement officer and battle with crooks, robot enemies and learn how to defend the citizens from the corrupt streets of Detroit.

This virtual training will teach all the things you need to learn as a RoboCop. You’ll be taught how to SHOOT your way through the console quality train-

ing simulations.

USE drone strikes to take out large groups of enemies.

SAVE human hostages and capture informants.

BATTLE aggressive ro-

bot enemies from the film like the EM-208 and EM209.

UPGRADE your weapons and robot suit to the latest technology that the OmniCorp has to offer.

SCAN your targets with body heat vision to find their location and weak points.

RoboCop is free to play with over five million downloads this year

and 122,603 total of high ratings in iOS and Google Play store but you can choose to pay real money for some extra items.

So Murphy, are you ready?

Apple mulling over mobile payments A

PPLE is considering launching a mobile-payments service for its iPhone and iPad, which would compete with major players such as PayPal, The Wall Street Journal said Friday.

The newspaper, citing sources familiar with the matter, said Eddy Cue, Apple’s iTunes and App Store

chief, “has met with industry executives to discuss Apple’s interest in handling payments for physical goods and services on its devices.”

Apple manages purchases of digital content in its online store iTunes. Consumers can also buy mobile applications using their iTunes account, meaning the company al-

ready has hundreds of millions of credit cards on file.

“In another sign of the company’s interest, Apple moved Jennifer Bailey, a longtime executive who was running its online stores, into a new role to build a payment business within the technology giant,” the newspaper said, citing “three people with

knowledge of the move.”

Apple could use the fingerprint reader on its latest model, the iPhone 5S, to limit fraud.

The company last year said it had 575 million registered users with its iTunes store and has sold 375 million iPhones over the last five years and 155 million iPads since its launch in 2010.

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General Santos Drive, Koronadal City, South Cotabato 9506

Tel. No. 083-228-2511 ; Fax No. 083-228-2654

General Santos Drive, Koronadal City, South Cotabato 9506 Tel. No. 083-228-2511 ; Fax No. 083-228-2654

WANTED FOR IMMEDIATE HIRING!

WANTED FOR IMMEDIATE HIRING!

BUS DRIVER

BUS DRIVER

Qualifications: Qualifications:

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2.

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Male, 28 – 40 years old 1. least Male, high 28 – school 40 years old At graduate 2. At least high school graduate With 5 years driving experience (bus, trucks) 3. With 5 years driving experience (bus, trucks)

Requirements: Requirements: 1. Driver’s License with Official Receipt License (2 with Official Receipt 2. 21.x Driver’s 2 I.D. picture pcs.)

2. 2 x 2 I.D. (2 pcs.) or clearance from 3. Certificate of picture Employment 3. Certificate of Employment or clearance from

May previous apply in employment person at Human Resource Department, YBLI in Office, General Santos Resource Drive, May apply person at Human Koronadal City. YBLI Office, General Santos Drive, Department, Koronadal City.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

CLASSIFIEDS 13

EDGEDAVAO WANTS YOU! Serving a seamless society

-

Account Executives (3)

Male / Female, not more than 30 years old Candidate must posses a Bachelor/ College Degree in any Business field.

Willing to work under pressure, flexible, persuasive, can speak fluently and computer literate A team player With Basic Salary, Transportation, Communication, allowance + Commission

For interested applicants, you may send your resume to: HR Department EDGEDavao

Doors 13 & 14 Alcrej B;dg., Quirino Ave., Davao City Tel. No. (082) 221-3601 Email: edgedavao@gmail.com

14 SPORTS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

All set for DAVRAA B

EDGEDAVAO

Manny needs to outfight Bradley: Merchant

By NOEL BAGUIO

T

HE region’s sports action swings back to Davao del Norte as the province will be hosting once more the 2014 Davao Regional Athletic Association (DAVRAA) on February 9-12, 2014.

Over 5,000 athletes, coaches and officials from six cities and four provinces in the Davao Region are expected to attend the four-day spectacle at the modern Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex in Mankilam, Tagum City.

Vice Gov. Victorio Suaybaguio and OIC-Provincial Administrator Norma Lumain led the Executive Committee meeting on Monday to work out on the working, security transportation, medical and other important details of the games.

Governor Rodolfo del Rosario earlier said the province will leave no stones unturned in ensuring the security of all the participants and visitors.

It can be recalled that Davao del Norte’s spank-

ing sports complex first hosted the DAVRAA on February last year.

The facility again saw action during the Mindanao Batang Pinoy Qualifying Games that followed on August, 2013.

Davao del Norte won the right to once again host the 2014 DAVRAA during the DAVRAA Board meeting last September.

Del Rosario said the state-of-the-art sports facility was a major factor why the DAVRAA Board opted to bring the regional

meet back to the province.

He noted the DAVRAA Board was impressed by the province’s first hosting of the competitions.

Hostilities will yet again resume at the facility in the coming month of April this year with the holding of the National Private Schools Athletic Association (Prisaa) championships.

The province hopes to up the ante as it is optimistic about the prospect of hosting the 2015 Palarong Pambansa.

DAVRAA. Vice Gov. Victorio Suaybaguio, center, and OIC-Provincial Administrator Norma Lumain, 3rd right, lead the Executive Committee meeting of the Davao Regional Athletic Association (DAVRAA), which will be held once again at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex on February 9-12, 2014.

OXING’S next big rematch is on its way, as it was officially announced that Manny Pacquiao and Tim Bradley will lock horns yet again inside of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 12.

Bradley won a highly-unpopular split-decision over Pacquiao in June of 2012 and there is definitely some unfinished business on the table.

Catching up with former HBO analyst Larry Merchant over the weekend, he insists the matchup is even on paper.

“I think it’s the fight that had to be made and I think don’t think Pacquiao needs to outbox Bradley,” Merchant revealed.

“For me it’s a pick em’ fight.”

Asked what it is about Bradley that resonates, Merchant pointed towards his successful 2013 cam-

paign that saw him win a hellacious firefight against Ruslan Provodnikov before returning to edge Juan Manuel Marquez in competitive chess match.

“His resilience,” said Merchant. “He came back and fought the kind of fight we didn’t know he had in him against Provodnikov. And then he comes back and he beats Marquez. Those are important statements.”

Many saw Pacquiao out boxing Bradley in their first match but Merchant feels that the Filipino star will have to take things even further in the second encounter.

“I question whether Pacquiao can just outbox Bradley,” Merchant said. “I think he’s going to have to outfight him. And we don’t know if that’s where Pacquiao wants to go.”

easy for the Yankees with at least $84 million tied up in for 2014, but it was possible. They had 12 contracts coming off their books this offseason leaving them with $100 million on free agents before crossing that line and Alex Rodriquez’s suspension promised another $26 million for the 2014 payroll. Yankee fans were mildly horrified by the idea for the most part, but resetting that luxury tax rate had to be extremely tempting for the Steinbrenner brothers. Unfortunately, Plan-189 would have meant truly rebuilding and everyone knows; the Yankees can never rebuild.

The 2013 team was as close as the Yankees have come to a rebuilding effort since the days before the strike. The t e a m didn’t look to

trade away talent, but they shunned top free agents like Zack Greinke and Josh Hamilton and focused on adding veterans with upside on short term deals.

They added Kevin Youkilis and Travis Hafner, picked up the some of the remains of Vernon Wells albatross contract and re-upped veterans Andy Pettitte and Ichiro, who had been solid for them in 2012. That strategy had its merits, even if worked out horribly in the end. Had Youkilis or Hafner hit on a late career renaissance, they would have produced significant value at a modest cost and possibly even brought in draft picks by warranting a qualifying offer. At the very least, the plan opened the Yankees roster up to a proper gutting at the end of the season.

Though the results of this plan were disastrous, strong pitching kept the Yankees in the playoff hunt for most of the 2013 season and as a result their 85-77 record doesn’t reflect just how bad the team really was last year.

$345-M USD Band-Aid T HE Yankees keep scooping up the best the free agent market has to offer, but $345 million just doesn’t buy what it used to.

With the signing of Masahiro Tanaka, the Yankees have now landed four of the top six free agents on the market this winter. Between resigning players like Derek Jeter, Brendan Ryan and Hiroki Kuroda and these additions, New York has spent approximately $345 million dollars this winter. This wild spending spree obviously recalls the 2008-2009 offseason, when they responded to missing the playoffs for the first time since the 1994 strike by buying up the top of that winter’s free agent crop.

The 2009 Yankees added Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, Nick Swisher and A.J Burnett, then ran away with the AL East on their way to a World Series championship. Though the strategy might be identical, its results probably won’t be. Many experts have respond-

ed to the Tanaka signing by labeling the Yankees Wild Card contenders. $345 million spent and the Yankees are still not even clear favorites to make the playoffs. That wasn’t the case in 2009 and that shows just how far the Yankees have fallen in the last five years.

This offseason, the Yankees didn’t buy up the top of the market to return to the type of domination they have grown accustomed to, they did it just to remain relevant. Despite their incredible financial advantages and winning tradition, the Yankees are finding it harder and harder to compete as consistently as they have over the past decade and a half. The strategy that landed them a World Championship in 2009 is outdated and they have yet to adapt to that reality. The result is a $345 million band-aid that

MASAHIRO TANAKA. The 345-Miliion Dollar Man.

will keep them in contention

for a few more years while making it still more difficult for them to adapt to the game’s new landscape.

The Yankees had been dabbling with the notion of pushing their payroll down below the

$189 million luxury tax hold prior to their spending spree this winter. Getting below $189 million was

never going to be

INdulge!

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

TRAVEL

Davao’s Chinatown and the dreamer in me

IT IS another Lunar New Year and Chinese communities all over the world are busy preparing for the coming of spring. In Singapore’s Chinatown, massive lanterns of the animal Zodiacs are erected all over with the celebrations revolving around the Buddah’s Tooth Temple. Macau’s Senado Square is decked with many lantern figures as well as thousands of lanterns over its wavy plaza.

Turn to Davao’s Chinatown though and things are a bit on the quiet side with a scheduled civic parade on January 30. I understand that the Chinatown Council has been busy with their plans as a parade is no small feat but given a chance and some more creative oomph in the coming years, I believe Chinatown Davao can become one of Davao City’s top destinations and here are some of my ideas, big and small, I picked up from my travels which hopefully can be done for future Chinatown events.

Temple tourism Traditionally, the first day of the year is spent with a

visit to the local Buddhist temple. It is here where incense and prayers for good fortune as well as a prosperous new year are made, similar to the midnight masses we hear at church for the Western New Year.

The temples would be decked out in lights as well as decorations welcoming the springtime. The

Imagine how our own Po Lian Temple (above) would look like decorated with lanterns and cherry blossoms like at the Buddah Tooth Temple at Singapore (below) during Chinese New Year.

Macau’s Senado Square decked out with lanterns.

Davao Chinatown council might want to consider decorating the local Buddhist temples for Chinese New Year as well as for other occasions such as the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Light up the streets Since fireworks are banned in Durianburg, other creative means of celebrating Lunar New Year should be done. One way is to light up sections of Chinatown Davao with differently-shaped lanterns that are sure to elicit some oohs and ahs.

I remember the many colourful arcs that span the main roads of Singapore’s Chinatown and the massive dragon that literally screamed to everyone that “You are in Chinatown!”

Cultural shows and con-

FDAVAO’S, A4

A2 INdulge!

UP AND ABOUT

Enjoy wonderful treats and rewards from Globe WATCH a movie, dine out with friends, gas up, and go on a shopping spree without your wallet? Sounds impossible?

With Globe Telecom, the most wonderful treats are now within your reach, thanks to your Globe rewards points.

With the telco’s innovative rewards program which now offers a point-to-peso conversion of 1 point = P1.00, subscribers can use their Globe rewards points as cash to redeem and purchase items from its growing list of partnermerchants, and enjoy movie tickets, food and drinks, theme park passes, gas, medicines, all the way to a grand shopping spree and the latest gadgets just by being Globe-powered.

Transforming the mobile phone into a virtual wallet, Globe partnered with the biggest merchant stores in the country to ensure subscribers will enjoy redeeming their points in exchange of their favorite items or purchases.

Partner merchants include Ayala Malls Cinemas, Figaro Coffee Company, Wendy’s, Enchanted Kingdom, Sunglass Hut, Rose Pharmacy, Bench, Petron, KFC, Memo Express and select Greenhills partner outlets.

“We are truly overwhelmed with the response from our subscribers, who were eagerly excited to use their mobile phones as virtual wallets and turn their Globe Rewards points to actual cash and use them as a form of payment from our growing list of partner-merchants,” said Jay Beltran, Head of Customer Lifecycle Management at Globe Telecom. “We are happy to provide subscribers with rewards that best fit their needs and lifestyle, as we continue to lead the industry with innovative rewards offers that subscribers will definitely enjoy.”

Globe rewards points are earned every time a prepaid subscriber tops up, or a postpaid subscriber uses his Globe Postpaid plan. Globe Postpaid subscribers outside of contract earn points based on total billed amount, while Globe Postpaid subscribers within contract enjoy the gadget they have availed and earn points based on usage above monthly plan. Subscribers can also receive points shared by fellow Globe subscribers for bigger rewards.

Damosa Fairlane welcomes the Year of the Horse with a bang!

CHINESE NEW YEAR celebration begins with a bang in Damosa Fairlane on the traditional bespiras, 30th of January 2014. It will be hard to ignore the big paper lanterns adorning the Continental Club of the residential community and the festive ambiance that the future homeowners and guests will enjoy.

Chinese lion dancers perform from late afternoon to the break of the evening luring the audience to join in the dancing to ward off bad luck. The luck of the Year of the Wooden Horse will also be ushered in with the traditional horoscope forecasting for astrology lovers, complete with free charms and holiday-inspired giveaways. These, together with the serving of tikoy or Nian Gao, will symbolize the wish for wealth, prosperity, luck and good health to Damosa Fairlane and its future homeowners.

PREVIEW SALE OF BRANDED ACCESSORIES’ FINE JEWELRY SALE! Catch this on Jan 29 to 31 in Mall of Asia, North Edsa, Megamall, Makati, Aura, Cebu, Lanang and Bacolod! Up to 60% off on selected items.

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

FOOD

Let them eat cake!

Gensan-based husband and wife duo offer elegant pastries

I

love to have my cake and eat it too. Because after I had my first chance to sink my fangs into their cake, I immediately got hooked, there is no turning back.

What started as a home based business way back in 2010, established and managed by nurses turned pastry chiefs, Gerardo Dula-ogon and Pauline Maravilla-Dulaogon, Cakes N Styles defines quality over quantity. One could tell in their freshly baked pastries made from locally and internationally sourced ingredients, executed by not only nurses but culinary and advanced pastry graduates as well.

The business has expanded, motivated by passion and the love for the culinary crafts they opened shop last May of 2012 on Salvani Street, Cringe Subdivision, Block 8, Barangay City Heights, GSC. Along with the expansion they also offer the power of lush desserts with their dessert buffets, custom cakes and cup-

cakes.

The couple, specializing in elaborate event cakes, undergo a process in which they go through a lot of detail about how the final product should look, with face to face consultations with their clients.

Clients present them with their vision and Cakes N Styles execute it under a very reasonable price. At first glance most people would be shocked because first time customers would always mention that they thought the prices were too far off the box, but Cakes N Styles never fail to give exemplary quality without breaking the bank and even exceed ones expectations. As Miss Pau mentioned this is a business driven with passion, they treat the cakes as if they’re edible canvases, with visuals and flavors that would mystify ones senses and will surely make any event even more special.

Without compromising the flavors the couple really goes all out to deliver. They manage to turn simple things – flour, eggs and some sugar – into something spectacular.

I know the year has just begun and its really hard to keep the diet plans on track, but remember, there’s always room for cake.

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

ENTERTAINMENT

By Request : Bamboo and Yeng Constantino the concert DAVAO CITY will soon host a one-of-a-kind pre-Araw ng Dabaw offering as the country’s top rock artists – Bamboo and Yeng – perform in a concert that is totally different from the usual shows they do.

Aptly titled “By Request”, Bamboo and Yeng dare fans to pick out songs they can perform onstage on March 8, 2014 at the University of Southeastern Philippines Gym. Be enthralled as premiere rock star Bamboo Mañalac goes out of his comfort zone to bring an unforgettable, yet a more exciting, performance. See rocker chic, Yeng Constantino, give a refreshingly different show to include popular songs you never hear her sing.

By Request is set to make a mark in Davao’s local concert scene as it promises everyone a night of wonderful surprises. Produced and organized by Crossover Events, By Request is also gearing up for its Baguio

show on March 16.

For inquiries and ticket sales, you may call 93.1 Crossover Davao office at 222.2931 or mobile number 0915. 8360059. You may also

visit the following ticket outlets: South Brews Jacinto and NCCC Mall, Bagobo House Hotel, Antonio’s Bar & Grill SM Mall, Blue Post’s Boiling Crab or www.ticketworld.com.ph

characters. The film aims to communicate the fact that every choice in life has a rippling effect that one must inevitably accept and not everyone is blessed with a second chance to love.

Starting Over Again is centered on Ginny (Toni Gonzaga) and Marco (Piolo Pascual) who are former lovers with a major unfinished

ever delivered in the history of Philippine advertising.

Since the run of their TVC, Piolo and Toni pursued their individual careers. Piolo continued his prodigious acting career as “Ultimate Leading Man” of the industry. He is a multi-awarded actor and one of the country’s top product endorsers. Piolo appeared in some of the finest Filipino films ever made and his most recent achievement is his superb performance in the film OJT. Toni on the other hand, metamorphosed from an aspiring young actress to being a Box-Office Queen of Philippine movies. Today, Toni has a huge and powerful fanbase and she is regarded as The Ultimate Multi-Media Star who has conquered not only the movies but television and music as well.

In Starting Over Again the wait is finally over, as Piolo and Toni reunite for the very first time in a long overdue romantic comedy.

Can love be rekindled after much pain and heartache? Is there such a thing as true love and destiny? When is a relationship worth saving? Discover all the answers in this upcoming romantic comedy. Starting Over Again is showing nationwide in all cinemas this Valentine.

Piolo and Toni reunite in Starting Over Again

FALL in love all over again this Valentine’s as Star Cinema, on its 20th anniversary, presents Starting Over Again – an Olivia Lamasan film featuring Piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzaga in their muchawaited first big-screen team up.

Since it kicked-off its 20th anniversary celebration, Star Cinema has produced and offered an eclectic line-up of quality films that celebrate the beautiful diversity of Pinoy life. The anniversary of Star Cinema will never be complete without a movie by Olivia Lamasan who is arguably one of the most accomplished master storytellers of the iconic film outfit. Starting Over Again is Lamasan’s 11th movie with Star Cinema and the film once again showcases her brilliance as one of the country’s most respected directors whose unmatched body of work consists of unforgettable storylines and realistic characters that have all been rightfully canonized as certified Filipino motion picture classics.

Starting Over Again is a different kind of love story as it takes the huge risk of debunking the prevailing notion that for every romantic film, everything should endup happily ever after for its

business to settle in their relationship.

This is the highly anticipated film collaboration between Piolo and Toni who are two of the biggest stars of ABS-CBN. Piolo and Toni worked together 13 years ago in a popular TV commercial where Piolo was the object of a young Toni’s desires. Toni’s famous line, which she shouted to the top of her lungs, “I love you Piolo” remains to be one of the most infectious taglines

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY 2D Ben Stiller GP

12:40 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

BRIDE FOR RENT 2D Kim Chiu, Xian Lim PG 13

12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 | 10:00 LFS

POLICE STORY 2D Jackie Chan R 13

12:40 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

R-16 I, FRANKENSTEIN 2D Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy PG 13

12:25 | 2:20 | 4:15 | 6:10 | 8:05 | 10:00 LFS

A4 INdulge!

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

TRAVEL

EDGEDavao Davao Partners

A stage act at Singapore’s Chinatown centre.

Enjoying a Chinese seasonal food market.

Davao’s...FFROM A1 tests Given that Davao City has a fairly big Chinese community with four Chineselanguage schools, why not hold open mic nights for students as well as the older set to belt out Chinese songs old and new? I remember the F4 fad where everyone learned or at least try to learn the lyrics of the songs popularised by the Chinovela.

Another event could be the search for a Mr. and Ms. Chinatown, the winners can become the ambassadors and spokespersons of Chinatown Davao whenever there are visiting dignitaries or guests.

Chinese bazaar With so many stores and trading centres, there is nary a store in Chinatown that excessively sells Chinese trinkets or Chinatown souvenirs. Maybe the council can create seasonal bazaars that are properly curated so that bazaar participants sell only Chinese handicrafts

and trinkets. The bazaars can also be used to encourage young Chinoy foodies to come up with their own unique food items to sell.

A Chinatown visitor center My ultimate dream though would be the establishment of a Chinatown visitor centre where visitors can get information on where to go and what to do in Chinatown Davao. The centre can also serve as a small museum where the history of Davao Chinatown and its landmarks can be shared.

These are just ideas and may just remain ideas, but maybe with some advanced planning, elbow grease and knowing that the Davao Chinatown Council is truly passionate about it, these dreams may become reality.

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

Singapore Chinatown’s visitor centre.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 223 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

SPORTS 15

SWISS CHAMP. Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland stretches out for a backhand return (left) against Rafael Nadal of Spain in the Australian Open. Nadal (right) was hobbled by injury to lose to the Swiss upstart.

Open results Wawrinka stuns Nadal Aussie shake up rankings to win first Slam title L M

ELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Stan Wawrinka added a win over Rafael Nadal to his list of firsts in a stunning run to his maiden Grand Slam title, extending his rival’s injury-cursed run at the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 upset in Sunday’s final.

The 28-year-old Wawrinka had never taken a set off Nadal in 12 previous meetings, but attacked from the start against the 13-time major winner and regained his nerve after dropping the third set against the injured Spaniard.

Nadal appeared to be on the verge of retiring in the second set, when he hurt his back and needed a medical time out, but he refused

to quit.

‘’It’s really not the way you want to win a tennis match, but in a Grand Slam final I’ll take it,’’ said Wawrinka, the first man in 21 years to beat the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked players en route to a Grand Slam title.

Nadal was a hot favorite to win at Melbourne Park and become the first man to win each of the four Grand Slam tournaments twice in the Open era - instead, his injury curse struck again.

It remains the only major he’s hasn’t won at least two times. ‘’Rafa, I’m really sorry for you, I hope your back is going to be fine, you’re a really great guy, good friend and really amazing cham-

pion,’’ Wawrinka said as he accepted his first major trophy. ‘’Last year I had a crazy match, I lost it. I was crying a lot after the match. But in one year a lot happened - I still don’t know if I’m dreaming or not but we’ll see tomorrow morning.’’

Wawrinka lost in five sets to Novak Djokovic in the fourth round of the 2013 Australian Open, in the longest Grand Slam match of the season. Djokovic went on to win his third consecutive title at Melbourne Park, and then beat Wawrinka again in five sets in the U.S. Open semifinals.

But Wawrinka avenged those losses this time, beating Djokovic in five sets in the quarterfinals - ending a run of 14 straight losses to

the Serbian player.

Now he’ll move from No. 8 to No. 3. In doing so, he’ll surpass Federer, a 17time Grand Slam winner who lost to Nadal in the semifinals - to become the highest-ranked Swiss player for the first time in his career.

A constant supporter of his countryman, Federer was one of the first people to call and congratulate Wawrinka after his win.

Wawrinka also broke up a sequence of wins for the Big Four - with 34 of the previous 35 majors going to either Nadal, Djokovic, Roger Federer or Andy Murray. ‘’Stan, you really deserve it,’’ Nadal said. ‘’Luck was against me today but you really deserve it.

There are mitigating factors in Murray’s case because he missed the final third of last year because of a back surgery which, as proved in his loss to Federer, will require time before he regains his former strength and power.

Federer, who played beautifully to reach the semis, was outplayed by Nadal and the suspicion remains that while still majestic at his best, his chances of adding to his record haul of 17 grand slam titles are receding.

Wawrinka’s wonderful fortnight in Melbourne has propelled him to third in the rankings, making him Switzerland’s number one after a career spent in Federer’s shadow.

Heat topple Spurs in Finals rematch

M

BLOCK. Miami Heat’s Michael Beasley and Chris Anderson blocks a shot by Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs.

ONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - An Australian Open that began in a heatwave and contained seismic shocks aplenty ended with Stanislas Wawrinka defeating Rafa Nadal to further undermine the superiority of the so-called big four in men’s tennis.

In reaching the final after missing last year’s tournament Nadal has cemented his world No. 1 ranking and will be hard to shift from the summit but below him the landscape is changing.

Novak Djokovic, whose bid for a fourth consecutive Australian Open title was thwarted by the inspired Wawrinka, remains No. 2 but both Andy Murray and Roger Federer are falling, to numbers six and eight respectively.

IAMI (AP) -Dwyane Wade came off the bench for the first time in more than six years.

The Larry O’Brien Trophy wasn’t at stake.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich sported a casual, no-tie look.

An NBA Finals rematch, yes. An NBA Fi-

nals replay, it was not.

Either way, it still wound up going how the Miami Heat wanted.

Chris Bosh scored 24 points on 9 for 10 shooting - making him 17 for his last 18 from the floor - and LeBron James added 18 points as the Heat rolled past the San Antonio Spurs 113-101 on

Sunday, never trailing and leading by as many as 29 points along the way. ‘’Did that feel like The Finals? No, it did not feel like The Finals,’’ is how Heat coach Erik Spoelstra opened his postgame remarks, without anyone even asking the question.

EW YORK (AP) -- No 62-point game for Carmelo Anthony on Sunday.

He didn’t even match his first-half total from Friday night.

He didn’t have to, with the Knicks offering him plenty of support for a change.

Anthony scored 35 points, four teammates had at least 13, and New York beat the Los Angeles Lakers 110-103 on Sunday. ‘’I don’t think they just wanted to watch me out there playing offensively,’’ Anthony said. ‘’They wanted to be a part of it

and they did.’’

Anthony finished with two points fewer than he had at halftime of his record-setting night, but he scored six straight New York points down the stretch after the Lakers cut the Knicks’ lead to two with just over 5 minutes left.

Melo fires 35 as Knicks sink Lakers N

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

STAN’S THE MAN

VOL. VOL. 66 ISSUE ISSUE 223 223 • TUESDAY, • TUESDAY, JANUARY JANUARY 28, 28, 2014 2014

Wawrinka defeats Nadal to win first Slam title

THE MAN. Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland holds the trophy after defeating Rafael Nadal of Spain in the finals of the 2014 Australian Open in Melbourne Park. Full story on Page 15.

RENEWING RIVALRY. Ateneo de Davao University’s Martinez (left) and Holy Child Reds’ Silva starred for their teams in the semifinals of the 4th Royal Mandaya Cup Inter-High School basketball tournament last Sunday at the Davao City Recreation Center. The Blue Knights and the Reds will meet in the finals. Lean Daval Jr.

HolyHChild in ‘double finals’ MINI DIVISION *Holy Child 2 *PWC Ateneo Precious IS

W 1 2 1 1

L

CADET *Ateneo *Holy Child Assumption Ford *Clinched Finals

W 2 2 1 0

L 0 0 2 3

1 2 2

OLY Child School of Davao lined itself for a possible double title when it advanced to the finals of both Mini and Cadet division of the 4th Royal Mandaya Cup Inter-School basketball tournament over the weekend.

The Reds, with its

gallery of fans cheering them on lustily, formalized their entry into the Finals of both divisions with convincing wins in the Final Four stage on Sunday at the Davao City Recreation Center.

The Mini Reds booted out a fighting Ateneo de Davao University to barge

into the championship against early tormentor Philippine Women’s College (PWC). Holy Child and PWC finished the single round robin semis with identical 2-win 1-loss slates. Ateneo (12) and Precious International School (1-2) will figure in the battle for

third.

In the Cadet division, Ateneo mastered deposed champion Ford Academy 70-47 while Holy Child turned back a fatigued Assumption College of Davao 69-62 to set up a much-awaited finale notwithstanding their remaining match in the

semis which no longer affects the standings.

“The semis game between Ateneo and Holy Child may be scrapped upon agreement of the two teams. They will meet in the finals which could now be a best-of-three affair,” said tournament manager Jek Melendres.