Edge Davao 6 Issue 232

VOL. 8 ISSUE 232 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

ALL IN A ROW. Some of the 30 young Dabawenyas vying for this year’s Mutya ng Davao crown take to the ramp during the candidates’ presentation to the media in a press conference held at Seda Abreeza Hotel yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

HIGH ALERT Davao City on orange alert status due to Mindanao bomb incidents

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

LL security forces in Davao City are on orange or high alert status after a number of bombing incidents in some parts of Central Mindanao.

Task Force Davao commander Colonel Crisotbal N. Zaragoza had written a letter to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on February 13 saying raising the alert level is due to the operation plan “Laban sa Terrorismo.”

Zaragoza said the recommendation was based on a series of incidents in Mindanao.

He told EDGE Davao that the city had previously been on “white alert” or normal operations.

First was an explosion in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat on February 2, followed by the recovery of unexploded improvised explosive device (IED) a few meters from the public transport terminal in the same city.

On the evening of February 10, there was an explosion at Police Station 1 in Cotabato City.

Last Saturday, an unexploded IED was found in the office

of the Maguindanao Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

Zaragoza said based on the intelligence reports, test bombing mission will take place in Bukidnon and the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, and Davao by a suspected terrorist group.

Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Chief Inspector Milgrace C. Driz, for her part, advised the public to be alert and vigilant.

“Kita mismo magbinantayon og mohatag ta og mga

impormasyon sa atong kapulisan (We should be vigilant and give information to our police ) because public safety is not only the concern of AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Polce) but of the entire community,” she said.

“If you notice someone who is acting suspiciously or see a person with bomb paraphernalia and components of IEDs, report it immediately to the nearest police station or to Task Force Davao for immediate action,” she said.

EDGEDAVAO Sports

West routs East P15

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 232 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

PLAN YOUR FAMILIES. Presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte tells his supporters in Tagum City last Saturday that if he is elected president, every family should undergo family planning. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.

Rody, Alan regained momentum: Laviña T HE latest ratings of the tandem of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano proved that both presidential and vice-presidential candidates have regained momentum as the election campaign enters its second week.

This was the statement of Duterte-Cayetano tandem spokesperson Peter Laviña yesterday regarding the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey which showed Duterte increasing his rating by 4 percentage points from 20 percent to 24 percent.

In a statement, Laviña said the latest SWS ratings are “proof of the rising clamor for genuine change (Tunay Na Pagbabago). Our country is mired in increasing drugs,

crime, corruption and poverty.”

“We are hopeful that as the campaign progresses, we would be able to continue this upward trend and gain more supporters,” Laviña said.

The recent SWS survey was taken from February 5 to 7. Duterte is now tied with Senator Grace Poe who also has 24 percent.

Vice President Jejomar Binay is still ahead with 29 percent, although this was a 3 percent drop from his previous rating.

Duterte’s vice presidential running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano also improved by 2 percent, up from 14 to 16 percent.

The SWS survey has a mar-

FRODY, 10

Duterte threatens to skip debate over media furor

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

RESIDENTIAL candidate Rodrigo Duterte yesterday said he might not appear at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) debate scheduled on February 21 in Cagayan de Oro City if the local media are not given a fair share in the coverage.

“I will not go there also. Pagka ganun (If it’s like that) you limit the (press coverage). Why?” Duterte told reporters after his appearance at the thanksgiving prayer of close friend Rev. Apollo Quiboloy in Buhangin, Davao City late Sunday night.

But he also said he will discuss the matter further with PDP-Laban president Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III. The Cagayan de Oro Press Club had said it will boycott the first of three rounds of Comelec debates after the poll body limited the participation of the local media in the coverage of the event.

“There have been many instances in the past when Manila-based media organizations have condescended on the provincial press. The Presidential Debate in the city is no (exception),” the Cagayan de

Oro Press Club said in a statement issued Sunday night.

The debates are sponsored by media giants GMA-7, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The statement, Mindanews reported, noted that only five slots will be alloted for Cagayan de Oro-based media — five for editors/ publishers as audience in the venue that can accommodate only 500 – and only five newspaper reporters will be allowed access to the event’s media center, a separate venue where a video

construction and maintenance of flood mitigation structures and drainage systems, P165 million; four construction and improvement of access roads leading to tourist destinations, P150 million; two rehabilitation, reconstruction, upgrading of damaged paved national roads, P11.665 million, among many other projects like bridges, water supply systems, septage, sewerage and rain collection systems.

Lozano was quoted to have that the engineering dis-

trict office is also ready with its infra accomplishment report in the years 2013 and 2014 corresponding to the third term of outgoing Rep. Ungab.

On the other hand, Regional Director Alquiza is expected to report out the overall infra picture of Region 11 during his next regular regional staff meeting before the end of February. By Armando Fenequito Jr. with a report from Dean Ortiz, DPWH regional public information section

Second Engineering District head Gene Lozano discusses his accomplishments with DPWH Regional Director Mariano R. Alquiza

DPWH finishes 209 projects worth P1.2 billion in 3rd District : RD Alquiza

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LL but few of the 209 different infrastructure projects programmed for 2015 in the Third Congressional District of Davao City have been completed, officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have reported.

DPWH Regional Director Mariano R. Alquiza and Second Engineering District head Gene Lozano discussed the agency’s accomplishments in the year just ended during a recent media briefing.

The Third Congressional District represented by Rep. Isidro T. Ungab is under the jurisdiction of the DPWH Davao City 2nd Engineering District. Ungab, who heads the House Committee on Appropriations, took up the infrastructure budgets of the district and all other parts of the country.

Alquiza said that the 2015 infra program of the 2nd engineering district consisted of 183 local infra projects costing a total of P841.7 million; 10

monitor will broadcast feeds of the debate.

The rest of the audience will be ushered to the bigger venue at the Capitol University gym which can accommodate 5,000 people and will have giant LCD screens.

“We are making a distinction between those who are invited as members of the debate audience basically a studio audience, from the general audience which will be… inside the auditorium but not within the debate hall, meaning the stage area and

FDUTERTE, 10

VOL. 8 ISSUE 232 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

RONDA SERYE. Sebastian, youngest son of presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, joins his father’s running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as they conduct a dialogue with members of Trading Bucana Operators and Drivers Association (TRABUCODA), fisherfolk, and

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

Malacañang denies using BuB for Roxas M

women’s groups from Barangay 76-A Bucana in Davao City during the launch of “Ronda Serye” at the barangay’s covered court over the weekend.

Lean Daval Jr.

ALACAÑANG on Monday denied allegations

by Vice President Jejomar Binay that ruling Liberal Party (LP) is using about P100 billion of the government’s bottom-up budgeting (BuB) fund for Mar Roxas’ presidential bid.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, in a statement, said Binay, who is running for President in the May 2016 polls, ” is atrociously ignorant of the concept of BuB.” “Where has he been for the last five and a half years? BuB does not go directly to the person. The people on the ground directly determines what project will benefit the community and the budget goes to the project,” he said.

“Maybe VP should be told that BuB is participatory governance, and not a money-making, corruption undertaking which by the way, the VP has not explained the

4Ps ‘not subject V to election ban’

corruption allegations against him,” he added.

BuB is a budgeting system wherein projects are determined with the participation of local governments and civic societies.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) earlier said about 1,590 local governments have joined the BuB program since 2013.

About 42,221 projects are included in the Open BuB Portal and 13,712 of these have been completed as of December 1, 2015.

For 2016, the program has been allocated a budget amounting to Php 24.7 billion, to be used for 14,325 poverty reduction projects.

DBM has announced that for 2017, the program will be expanded to help 42,036 villages nationwide and each will be provided Php 1 million to fund one to two projects.

(PNA)

Cayetano worried on effect of power crisis on election

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

HE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 11 assured beneficiaries that the government’s cash transfer program will not be affected by the election ban.

“The DSWD has already requested the Comelec (Commission on Election) for exemption from the election ban,” newly transferred DSWD 11 regional director Mercidita

P. Jabagat said during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao Annex.

Jabagat said government programs funded by international foreign agencies like the conditional and modified cash transfer programs of DSWD for indigenous people and poor families in Davao region will be exempted from the ban.

“The 4Ps (Pantawid Pam-

Aquino expected to tackle WPS issue in US-ASEAN Summit

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ALACAÑANG said on Sunday President Benigno Aquino is expected to tackle political and security concerns, particularly the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue, in the United States-Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Sunnylands, California this week.

President Aquino left yesterday to attend the two-day special summit between the leaders of the ASEAN and the US to be hosted by President Barack Obama. ”Expected to be discussed are the political and security issues such as the maritime security, transnational challenges and effective fight against the threat of violent extremism,” Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a state-run Radyo ng Bayan interview.

Coloma said the US-ASEAN Summit will be informal where the leaders of the ASEAN member nations can express their opinions regarding issues that they feel need to be addressed. ”Based on the discussion during the last ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur last November, it is most likely that President Obama will hold dialogue with ASEAN member states regarding the maritime security,” Coloma said.

The Palace Communications chief said maritime security has emerged as a vital concern to ASEAN. ”The goal of achieving ASEAN economic integration through the ASEAN economic community, as well as the US initiative on establishing a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to promote free trade in the Asia-Pacific region may

FAQUINO, 10

ilyang Pilipino Program) is funded by World Bank and the Asian Development Bank,” she said.

The DSWD is only funding the operation and salary of its employees working for the program.

Jabagat said since the implementation of the program in 2008, a total of 234,213 poor families have been covered, a large portion of which are resi-

dents in areas in Davao del Sur totaling to 63,890.

The province of Compostela Valley has 57,404 4Ps beneficiaries; Davao del Norte has 49,390; Davao Oriental has 41,249; and Davao City has only 22,280 4Ps beneficiaries.

DSWD records also showed that a total of 29,966 IP households are covered by

F4PS, 10

NO EFFECT. Newly-installed Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 11 director Mercedita Jabagat (center) says the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will not be affected by the election ban. Jabagat was joined by social welfare officer

abf@edgedavao.net

ICE presidential aspirant and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said he is hoping the power crisis in Mindanao will be resolved before the national and local elections this May. Cayetano made the statement in an interview last Saturday after their campaign rally in Tagum City.

“Will we have power in Mindanao? Ipokrito kami (It would be hypocritical of us) if we say that we are not concerned,” he said.

Cayetano said the team is worried that the power situation in Mindanao might affect the conduct of election.

“It’s not a matter of what

we believe. Right now were hoping but we are monitoring the situation,” he said.

Cayetano said based on the report of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), the 17 toppled transmission towers in Mindanao have not yet been fixed as of the moment.

Earlier, Kontra Daya-Southern Mindanao convenor Sheena Duazo said the power situation in Mindanao is alarming because it could lead to a failure of election in the island.

Duazo said based on the report of the Department of Energy (DOE), around 18

FCAYETANO, 10

3 Sheryll Anne R. Dumalogdog (right) and adoptive mother Mary Dorothy Abrina during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao where they promoted Adoption Consciousness Month and the agency’s 65th founding anniversary. Lean Daval Jr.

EDGEDAVAO

4 SUBURBIA

VOL. 8 ISSUE 232 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Soldiers give flowers, gifts to churchgoers

3-HECTARE DONATION. Ms Norma “Nomi” I. Monfort, also known as “Bat Mama,” donates three hectares of the Inigo-Monfort property within the vicinity of the world-renowned Bat Colony Cave in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS), Davao del Norte to the Philippine Bats for Peace Foundation. Foundation trustees Leoncio “Nonoy” P. VillaAbrille and Jose B. Custodio receive the donation “so conservation, DURIAN FLOWERS. This is just one of the paintings displayed in the ongoing Art protection and respect for the natural treasure continues long after I’m for Bats painting exhibit at the Abreeza Corporate Activity Center. It depicts durian gone,” according to Ms Monfort. Contributed flowers which could only be induced by pollinating bats. Contributed

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OLDIERS who could not celebrate Valentine’s Day with their loved ones back home found other ways to celebrate last Sunday.

On heart’s day, men and women soldiers proceeded to the Cotabato Cathedral and offered flowers, bouquets, tokens, and smiles to persons they do not know personally.

Captain Joan Petinglay, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said on orders of Major General Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th ID chief, the soldiers “spread love in simple but meaningful way” while still performing their duties as peacekeepers.

The soldiers, armed with

red roses, tokens in a form of hearts, and sporting smiles, greeted churchgoers at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in downtown Cotabato City.

“Give love and gets love in return,” Petinglay said, explaining why the soldiers chose this kind of celebration.

With the theme “Pusong Handog ng Kampilan para sa Mamamayan,” soldiers in complete uniform braved the scorching sun to give flowers, balloons, and candies to churchgoers as they emerged from the Catholic Church.

The 6th ID, in a statement, said the activity simply aimed

ARTICIPANTS to the National Schools Press Conference here next week are assured of decent, respectful, neatly dressed, and honest tricycle drivers, officials said Monday.

Koronadal City, regional center of Central Mindanao region, will host this year’s NDPC on February 22, with students from across the country to participate.

Edgard Tabago, Koronadal City traffic supervisor, said he has already directed to enforce a directive from Koronadal City Mayor Peter Miguel that tricycle drivers must be polite, honest, and neatly dressed.

They must that ensure students from other parts of the country “would feel at home.”

“Follow proper dress code and be honest at all times,” Tabago told drivers of public transport here.

He said drivers should be

professional in dealing with their passengers and must show highest form of discipline.

Among them is the ban on wearing of sleeveless shirts and slippers.

He advised all passengers to report any suspicious, not courteous and conduct unbecoming of a public transport driver so appropriate action can be applied.

“Display the fare matrix so your passengers know how much to pay,” he said.

Traffic enforcers will have their hands full in maintaining smooth flow of vehicles in major city streets so as not to inconvenience passengers and visitors, Tabago said.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro is expected to attend the opening ceremonies on Feb. 22 in front of the Koronadal City Hall grounds.

(PNA)

prepared Art for Bats exhibit Koronadal for student presscon extended to Feb. 29 P

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HE Art for Bats painting exhibit which had its world premiere at the Abreeza Corporate Activity Center in cooperation with Ayala Malls last February 5 is extended up to February 29.

This is to allow more time for schools to see the paintings and watch the educational videos, according to Ms Ruby Ochoa, Abreeza marketing manager.

Nomi Monfort, also known as “Bat Mama,” owner of the world-famous Monfort Bat Cave in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS), said the exhibit “was very well received and the visitors were all praises for the YAPis” (YAP stands for Youth AmBATsador Program). Ms Monfort also organized the BAT NINANG, Davao chapter,

who act as mentors to the youth ambassadors.

The painting exhibit’s opening was part of the celebration of the 2016 Chinese New Year on February 8 and considered an unprecedented show of solidarity of Davao Chinese and Filipino communities supporting a common cause, bats and peace, Ms Monfort said.

Hosting the event together with former city councilor Susabel Reta of the Davao City Chinatown Development Council were leaders of the Rotary clubs of South Davao, North Davao, East Davao, West Davao and Central Davao, the Davao Jaycee Senate, the Ambassador Club Davao and the newly-organized Bat

Sarangani adopts GPS tech to enhance disaster response

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HE provincial government of Sarangani is set to install Global Positioning System (GPS) devices on its vehicles to ensure immediate mobilization during disasters and related emergencies.

Robert Lubonting, operations head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said they are currently finalizing the arrangements for the installation of the GPS tracking systems on 40 vehicles owned by the local government.

“This will equip our vehicles with real-time GPS tracking capability,” he said.

Lubonting said the tracking devices will specifically be installed in 29 heavy equipment and 11 light vehicles.

The provincial government has commissioned Cebu City-based firm Galileo Satellite Control Systems to install the GPS devices, he said.

He said around P500,000 has been set aside for the project that will be sourced from the unexpended Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Trust Fund for 2014.

Lubonting said project will mainly enhance the ongoing rollout in the province of the national emergency hotline Patrol 117.

The local government launched the rollout of the hotline for all its seven municipalities in November 2015.

Lubonting said the operationalization of the tracking devices will be handled by the provincial government’s emergency operations center at the provincial capitol in Alabel town.

An operator will be tasked to handle the tracking software to pinpoint the exact location of the vehicle, he said.

“Through the system, we

FSARANGANI, 10

Ninangs, Davao chapter.

3-hectare donation Another historic event during the exhibit opening was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Ms Monfort, donating 3 hectares of the Inigo-Monfort property where the Guinness World Record Holder bat colony is located to the Philippine Bats for Peace Foundation, Inc. represented by civic leaders Leoncio Villa-Abrille and Jose B. Custodio, Foundation trustees.

Former congressman Vincent J. Garcia, current president of Hijos de Davao, symbolically receive the donation, coupled with the responsibility “to conserve, protect and respect for all

children of the world,” Ms Monfort said.

She said the painting exhibit “provides the encouragement to keep the Davao community artistically inclined,” aside from caring for the environment.

“Students are also encouraged to visit and claim a birthright as co-owners of this natural treasure by watching short educational videos that help endear bats, especially those who only start to unlearn about myths and misconceptions about the unappreciated bats,” she said.

For additional information about the exhibit and a series of events organized by the Bat foundation, interested persons are requested to call 09177054295, Ms Monfort said.

FSOLDIERS, 10

BADJAO WEDDING. A Sama Badjao groom wraps his arm around his bride. Fourteen Badjao couples were wed in traditional rites along the beach in Barangay Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City on February 13, 2016. MindaNews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 232 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

5 ECONOMY

More visitors expected in VDFS 2016

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

COMMITMENT WALL. City Tourism Operations Office (CTO) head Lisette Marques signs on the Visit Davao Fun Sale (VDFS) 2016 commitment wall with Department of Tourism (DOT) 11 director Robby P. Alabado (leftmost), VDFS execom vice chair Fides Castañeda Bernabe (second from right),

TBDFS Retailers Association vice president Russel Alaba (third from right), and VDFS execom chair Benjie Lizada (fourth from right) during Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

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crc@edgedavao.net

HE Department of Tourism (DOT) 11 is targeting to increase tourist arrival in the region by more than 40 percent in this year’s Visit Davao Fun Sale (VDFS) this summer.

Speaking in yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao Annex, regional tourism director Roberto P. Alabado said the 10-week long activity is scheduled on March 25 to May 31, in time for the Holy Week and summer period during which Davao City has no major event.

“We want to attract more visitors even after the Araw ng Dabaw” which is held on March 16, he said.

Alabado said more private players in the tourism industry will offer discounts and fun tour packages to showcase destinations in Davao City, the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte, and Davao del Sur. He said the 40-percent increase is based on last year’s figure. “We recorded a 42 percent increase in tourist arrivals mostly domestic travelers in last year’s fun sale,” he said.

Earlier, Alabado said the VDFS 2015, held on April 3 to May 17, was participated in by more than 250 establishments. The event posted a 38 percent increase in occupancy rate for hotels from April to May as well as an additional 41 percent increase in domestic travelers and 10 percent increase in foreign visitors.

The VDFS is the country’s first ever city-wide sale that features discounts and promos in all section of tourism, including tours, accommoda-

tions, shopping, dining, relaxation, and adventure.

Cynthia Ruano, vice president of the VDFS Tours Consortium, said the VDFS Fun Tours will feature 10 discounted tour packages, including Samal beaches, agricultural destinations, and Mt. Apo. trekking adventure.

Ruano said the usual city, countryside and highlands tours will be offered with up to 50 percent off during the VDFS period.

According to DOT 11, activities during the period are categorized into three themes.

“The Adventure and Sports them will feature Samal Half Marathon on April 3, Mt Apo Boulderface Challenge on April 23 to 24, and DurianMan Triathlon on May 1. The Cultural and Arts theme, on the other hand, will feature Davao Art exhibitions by various artist groups starting April 15, 26, and 17 Davao Grand Indie Film Festival which will run from May 7 and a wek-long Cinematheque that will run from May 7 to 14. The Party, Fun and Leisure category features two wvents which are Ethnica Music Fusion on April 16 and EDM Rave Volt on May 28,” a DOT 11 statement said.

Tourists can also look forward to other activities scattered throughout the VDFS duration which include Pub Crawl, VDFS Food Trips and Heritage Walk, and dive fest tours.

Meanwhile, spa association vice president Fides Bernabe said more than 60 spa establishments in Davao, Kidapawan, and Digos will be offering discounts during the VDFS period.

Oil firms to implement price rollback Tuesday

P

ILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp. (PSPC) and PTT Philippines Corp. will slash pump prices today, Tuesday.

In an advisory, the two oil firms said they will cut gas prices by P1.40 per liter and diesel prices by 70 centavos per liter.

Both companies will implement the price slash at 6:00 a.m. February 16.

Shell will also reduce kerosene prices by 90 centavos per liter.

Other oil firms are expected to announce similar cuts for pump prices later.

According to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oil Monitor as of February 9, diesel prices range from P18.85-P22.20 per liter in Met-

ro Manila, with a common price of P21.55 per liter.

Gasoline, on the other hand, has a price range of P 31.3039.10 per liter. It has a common price of P36.25 per liter.

For the year, diesel had a net decrease of P1.20 per liter and gasoline 45 centavos per liter.

Last week, the markets also shown positive reaction from a statement from the energy minister of the United Arab Emirates, baring the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is prepared to cooperate with other exporters for production cuts.

The oil prices bounced from its 13-year low, still due to the oil glut in the world market.

(PNA)

6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 232 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Sea dispute causes decline Hired jobseekers rise to 59% in 2015 in banana export to China N

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

ILIPINO Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) executive director Stephen Antig suspects that the dispute over the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea is causing the continuing contraction in the volume of bananas being imported by China.

In a recent interview, Antig said the Chinese government’s suspension of four local exporters in 2012 has not been lifted up to now.

He said he believes the territorial dispute and not the phytosanitary issue over the presence of mealy bugs in bananas is causing the problem.

The Philippines is expecting the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on its pending case against China in May.

“A total of four local exporters were suspended from exporting banana to China, one of which is a member of PBGEA,” Antig told reporters.

The other suspended firms are either members of the Mindanao Banana Farmers and Exporters Association (MBFEA) or are independent banana growers and exporters from Mindanao.

Antig said about 20 to 25 percent of total banana exported by the PBGEA member firm, which he did not name, was slashed four years ago when China gave its suspension order.

“About six to seven million boxes of banana were then diverted to other markets by the suspended firm,” he said.

To regain its grasp on the Chinese market, PBGEA and

the suspended firm plan to write a request letter addressed to the Philippine government asking the Chinese government to lift the ban.

Antig said the firm targets to have a face-to-face negotiation with the Chinese government,which he said earlier threatened the whole Philippine banana industry.

Antig referred it as “economic pressure.”

He said the PBGEA wrote a request letter last year but did not get a response from the Chinese authorities “China is one of the most promising export destinations of Philippine banana because of the huge population,” he said.

Banana is still among the top commodities of the country exported to China, aside

from semiconductors and electronics, and minerals, he added.

Antig said banana exports to China had been projected to grow by 20 percent to 30 percent per annum given the large population and affordability of the fruit.

The Philippines started exporting to China 10 years ago.

At present, the Philippines is only exporting about 1.6 to 1.8 million boxes of bananas, lower than highest recorded exported volume of 268 million boxes in 2010.

The growing number of banana exporters and growers from other Asean countries like Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia also threatens the multi-billion banana industry of the country, Antig said.

uals especially upon return of the OFWs in the country.

“Understanding the value of money, knowing how we could make the most out of it and being taught on how to make it grow is very helpful for us OFW families, we know that working abroad wouldn’t last forever,” shared Rebecca M. Naïve during the discussion in financial literacy.

They were also given workshops on revisiting their values through interacting with their co-participants.

Meanwhile, a campaign on the programs and services of

the agency was also delivered.

Enthusiastic with the many benefits that the agency offers, the participants inquired more about the services they may avail of especially the scholarships and training benefits.

They were likewise enjoined to help in disseminating the agency’s services to their neighbors who were not able to attend in the campaign.

Family Welfare Officer Lorie Ann G. Hilongos then facilitated the community organizing and election of officers of the Buenavista OFWs Organization.

Moreover, Auralyn Sanchez, the elected president of the organization, afterwards held a meeting with the officers to discuss the IT Training they wish to be provided with by the month of March.

The agency will be assisting the organization for their registration with the Department of Labor and Employment. The group will also be given Techno-Transfer Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Development Training apart from their scheduled Information Technology. (JPIM, OWWA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)

tial resources in the business. Second is the strategic factor where marketing

a product or a service is taken into consideration.

Lastly, is the management

factor, in which the focus is on the management of accounts receivable (AR),

OWWA organizes OFW org in Agusan Norte town

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HE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in partnership with the local government unit of Buenavista, Agusan del Norte held a one-day community organizing to the 30 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and dependents on February 10, 2016.

The participants were provided with Financial Literacy Training and Values Reorientation Seminar, which is anchored on the aspiration of the agency to prepare the OFWs and their beneficiaries in becoming self-sustaining individ-

OT so many job applicants visited the 1,661 job fairs throughout the country in 2015 compared to those who visited the job fairs in 2014, but the number of jobseekers who were hired-on-the-spot (H.O.T.S.) rose to 59.07 percent of the total job fair registrants, or 135,590 out of the 487,640 registered applicants.

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said this yesterday after receiving the 2015 job fair accomplishment report consolidated by the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE).

“In 2014, a total of 798,433 job applicants registered in 2,025 job fairs, but the HOTS were only 31.9 percent. In 2015, the HOTS were up and we are very pleased about it,” said Baldoz.

Baldoz also said a total of 229,538 of the 487,640 registered applicants qualified for the job fair vacancies in 2015.

“The figure represents the number of applicants having the basic education and skills requirement and who meet the qualifications of the job vacancies posted by the employers,” she explained.

In 2015, the number of job vacancies posted in the 1,661 job fairs reached 4,239,392, which were solicited from 26,794 employers and recruitment agencies who have participated in the year-round job fairs.

An overwhelming number of these vacancies, 2,273,818, were for local employment, while the rest are for abroad.

“These only show that job fairs are really effective in bringing together employers and job applicants,” said Baldoz.

“As an employment facilitation strategy, job fairs provide decent employment for our kababayans through the support of other government agencies and stakeholders, specifically the PESOs, which act as job placement facilitating offices in the regions,” Baldoz added.

To facilitate an increase in the number of job fair participants every year, the Department through its offices encourages all participating employers to post their job vacancies with the PESOs’ assistance in giving job information to the various jobseekers and clients.

To improve job fair performance this year, Baldoz directed the Bureau of Local Employment to encourage all participating employers to register and post early their job vacancies in the PhilJobNet system, which has been enhanced to already capture relevant information about participating employers.

The enhanced PhilJObNet is also now able to classify specific clients, whether they are high school graduates, women, senior citizens, PWDs, displaced workers, or OFW returnees. (DOLE)

inventory management, fixed assets management, costs management, and

funds management.

This event is to be held every quarter.

P&A Grant Thornton updates Japanese firms on Phl accounting, tax rules

P

&A Grant Thornton’s Japan Desk recently conducted a seminar on accounting, tax, and business procedures in the Philippines. The seminar targeted Japanese expats in the country and aimed to aid them in understanding business management in the Philippines.

Japan Desk Director Shoichi Fushimi discussed how to minimize business risk procedure by expounding on the preparation financial statements, tax treaty relief application, accumulated retained earnings, import license requirements, and income tax returns for expats.

Hiroshi Yoshioka, on the other hand, tackled how better business management brings in more profit. He explained that there are three factors to consider in generating profit. First is the human factor which focuses on people and talent as essen-

From left: Japan Desk Director Shoichi Fushimi is joined by Japan Desk Managers Asami Remedio and Shuhei Matsushita, Saeki Mayumi from Grant Thornton Japan, and Hiroshi Yoshioka after the seminar on accounting and tax updates in the Philippines.

EDGEDAVAO

7 HEALTH

VOL. 8 ISSUE 232 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Vitamin C galore Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

S

OME animals can make this vitamin on their own, but people must get it from food and other sources.

Good sources of this vitamin are fresh fruits and vegetables.

It can also be also be made in a laboratory.

The vitamin being referred to is Vitamin C. Historically, vitamin C was used for preventing and treating scurvy. Scurvy is now relatively rare, but it was once common among sailors, pirates, and others who spent long periods of time onboard ships. When the voyages lasted longer than the supply of fruits and vegetables, the sailors began to suffer from vitamin C deficiency, which led to scurvy.

“These days, vitamin C is used most often for preventing and treating the common cold,” the webMd.com says.

“Some people use it for other infections including gum disease, acne and other skin infections, bronchitis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, stomach ulcers caused by bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, tuberculosis, dysentery (an infection of the lower intestine), and skin infections that produce boils. It is also used for infections of the bladder and prostate.”

In some people, the use vitamin can help fight depression, solve thinking problems, subdue dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, ease physical and mental stress, lessen fatigue, and slow attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder.

There is some thought that vitamin C might help the heart and blood vessels. It is used for hardening of the arteries, preventing clots in veins and arteries, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

WebMd.com further states: “Vitamin C is also used for glaucoma, preventing cataracts, preventing gallbladder disease, dental cavities

Watermelon

(caries), constipation, Lyme disease, boosting the immune system, heat stroke, hay fever, asthma, bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, infertility, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, autism, collagen disorders, arthritis and bursitis, back pain and disc swelling, cancer, and osteoporosis.”

Additional uses include improving physical endurance and slowing aging, as well as counteracting the side effects of cortisone and related drugs, and aiding drug withdrawal in addiction.

Sometimes, people put vitamin C on their skin to protect it against the sun, pollutants, and other environmental hazards. Vitamin C is also applied to the skin to help with damage from radiation therapy.

Worried about taking too much vitamin C? “High doses (up to the safe upper limit) of vitamin C are usually not toxic,” assures The Merck Manual of Medical Information, “although they occasionally cause nausea or diarrhea and interfere with the interpretation of some blood test results.”

Here is a list of foods that contain lots and lots of vitamin C. Mango: A ripe super mango emanates a sweet fragrance, reminding you of tropical summer breezes which sweep across warm, blue seas. No other mango has ever looked like this – bright yellow as the blazing afternoon sun, smooth to the tongue, and leaves a persistent craving for a next one. These are the images that only Philippine super mangoes can evoke.

“Mango has three times the vitamin C of a single orange or apple and important minerals essential to prevent cancer and other diseases,” hails Dr. Martin Hirte, a German health food researcher and pediatrician.

The German physician

also found that mango contains minerals that are vital for pregnant mothers and stressed-out people. “The calcium and magnesium of mango relaxes the muscles, relieves stress and prevents miscarriage,” Dr. Hirte wrote in his research paper entitled, The Benefits of Mango for Human Health.

Strawberry: “Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C,” says Toronto-based registered dietitian Madeleine Edwards. Most mammals – except for human beings – have the ability to produce vitamin C naturally, which is why it’s so important to get your daily requirement.

“One serving of strawberries contains 51.5 mg of vitamin C – about half of your daily requirement,” Edwards says.

“Double a serving to one cup and get 100 percent.”

Vitamin C is a well-known immunity booster, as well as a powerful, fast-working antioxidant. A 2010 study of University of California at Los Angeles discovered that the antioxidant power in strawberries becomes “bioavailable” or “ready to work in the blood” after eating the fruit for just a few weeks.

Guava: “It has more vitamin C than citrus; the edible rind alone has five times the vitamin C of an orange.” That is how Bill Daley describes guava in an article which appeared in Chicago Tribune.

Nutrition experts claim that vitamin C – mainly in the skin, secondly in the firm flesh, and little in the central pulp – varies from 56 to 600 milligrams. It may range up to 350-450 milligrams in nearly ripe fruit. When it is fully ripe and soft, the vitamin C content may decline to 50-100 milligrams.

Pineapple: In addition to 78.9 milligrams of vitamin C, pineapple contains bromelain, a digestive enzyme that helps break down food and reduce bloating.

Bromelain also

Tomato

Mango acts as a natural anti-inflammatory that can help you recover faster after a tough workout. It can also break down blood clots-proteins are what hold blood platelets together to form clots -- and clean away the dead tissue left by burns, abscesses, ulcers, and various kinds of surgery. Bromelain also has proved effective in killing parasites such as worms.

Guava

Papaya

Studies have shown that bromelain in pineapples can interfere with the preparation of some foods, such as jelly or other gelatin-based desserts.

The bromelain breaks down in the canning process, thus canned pineapple can generally be used with gelatin.

Papaya: A one-cup serving delivers 88.3 milligrams of vitamin C. Its pulp is basically very sweet in taste, fiberless and refreshing. Some liken the flavor to melon and apricot. It is used in salads, pies, sherbets, juices, jam, jelly and confectionery.

“Low in calories and full of nutrition, papaya has more vitamin C than an orange,” says Amy Tousman, a registered dietitian based in Hawaii.

“It’s loaded with vitamin A, potassium, folate and fiber. It

also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, substances which help protect our eyes from age-related blindness.”

Likewise, papaya helps in the prevention of atherosclerosis, diabetes and heart disease. Folic acid found in papaya is needed for the conversion of a substance called homocysteine, an amino acid.

If unconverted, homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls and if levels get too high, it is considered a significant risk factor to heart attack and strokes.

Watermelon: “Despite popular belief that watermelon is made up of only water and sugar, watermelon is actually considered a nutrient dense food, a food that provides a high amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for a low amount of calories,” wrote Megan Ware, a registered dietitian and nu-

tritionist, in an article published byMedical News Today.

One cup of watermelon will provide 17% of vitamin A, 21% of vitamin C, 2% of iron and 1% of calcium needs for the day. Watermelon also contains thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, choline, lycopene and betaine.

According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, watermelon contains more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable.

Tomato: It does not come in various shapes but also in colors. You can find them red, yellow or orange.

Tomatoes are not as high in nutrients as other vegetables but they are the leader where vitamin C is concerned.

A medium tomato (120 grams) contains about 23 milligrams of vitamin C. Vegetarians will not forget to add tomatoes to their salad. Its vitamin C will enhance the iron absorption.

Vitamin C of tomatoes is not destroyed by heat and therefore they are practically valuable for all sorts of stomach and liver troubles.

EDGEDAVAO

8 VANTAGE

VOL. 8 ISSUE 232 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

EDITORIAL

T

Premature campaigning a misnomer?

HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has spoken: local candidates can still put up propaganda materials without being sanctioned for premature campaigning.

If we take the statement of Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez on its merits, it will tell us that local candidates are not covered by regulations since the campaign period for the local elections has yet to start.

This means that local candidates can still put up propaganda materials without regulation or legal consequences. So if you see a poster, tarp, or advertisement of a local candidate, there is no violation of election laws following the Comelec pronouncement that the campaign period has not started and that candidates for local elective positions, even if they have filed their COCs, are not considered candidates yet. Hence, no premature campaigning.

According to the Comelec, under the law, any person who files his certificate of candidacy (COC) shall only be considered

EDGEDAVAO

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a candidate at the start of the campaign period.

Jimenez, in a report by the Philippine Star, said that unlawful acts applicable to a candidate shall take effect only upon that start of the campaign period.

Based on the Comelec’s calendar of activities for the May 9 elections, the campaign period for local candidates will only start on March 25.

The Comelec, however, urged voters to take note of the names of local candidates engaged in premature campaigning.

Despite that pronouncement, it seems ironic that the poll body still expects that the voting public would be aware that the spirit of the law is being circumvented.

Which brings us back to the question: If there is no premature campaigning before the start of the campaign period, is there such a thing as premature campaigning at all?

Judging from the Comelec’s pronouncements, there is no such animal as premature campaigning. So why bother?

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EDGEDAVAO “Food is literally the most important thing in the world. It is not even next to life, because it is life itself. Deprived of the right to food, man knows no other. For the hungry, there is no dignity, no human rights, no rule of law, no liberty, no celebration of the spirit… the most crucial task before world community today is to assure that enough food is available at the right place, at the right time, and at the right price.” — Arturo R. Tanco, Jr., president of World Food Council *** S population continues to grow, more and more Filipinos will experience hunger. In 1980, the Philippines was home to 48 million Filipinos. In 2000, the number swelled to 78 million. By 2045, the Philippine population is expected to increase to about 142 million, according to the National Statistics Office.

As pointed out by the United Nations, “population growth remains as the single most important driver of food demand.” In simpler terms, the more people, the more demand for food.

When it comes to food, time is of essence.

As such, the time to think about food security is now — not in the future. The population is expected to increase, so we must increase our food production, too.

But the question is: how? The 1996 World Food Summit defines food security “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.”

People are said to experience lack food security when “either they cannot grow enough food themselves, or they cannot afford to pur-

A

C

ITING BOI (Board of Investment) Southern Mindanao chief Engr. Gil Dureza during a forum in Davao City on February 11, MindaNews on the same date reported that “15 companies … have so far expressed their intention to invest in the Davao Region and SOCCSKSARGEN areas.”

The two areas compose BOI-Southern Mindanao. Davao Region is Region XI (Southeastern Mindanao) composed of Davao City, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao del Norte, and Compostela Valley; and SOCCSKSARGEN is Region XII (Southwestern Mindanao) composed of the provinces of (North) Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and the cities of Cotabato and General Santos.

Most of the investors, local and foreign companies, are engaged in “manufacturing, real estate, and agriculture”. Twelve of the 15 companies have made inquiries in the Davao Region.

How does Southern Mindanao stand nationwide in terms of investment in 2015?

Total investments in the Philippines: In 2015, the BOI registered 358 projects approved worth P366.742 billion in investments, or an increase by 3.38 percent as compared P354.557 billion for 295 projects in the Philippines in 2014. Of the approved 2015 investments, 83.8 percent were projects registered by local companies valued at P307.235 billion while the 16.2 percent were by foreign companies at P59.507 billion.

In Southern Mindanao: Of the P366.742 billion national total, only P13 billion was from BOI-Southern Mindanao – a mere 3.55 percent.

The good news elicits serious questions.

If Regions XI and XII only got a 3.55 percent trickle of investments nationwide in 2015, how much of the P366.742 billion spilled to the other regions outside of the Metro Manila-Subic-Clark-Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batagas-Rizal Zone) industrial belt? Like

VOL. 8 ISSUE 232 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

The hunger games

chase enough THINK ON THESE! in the domestic marketplace.”

As a result, “they suffer from micronutrient and protein energy deficiencies in their diets.”

Some years back, the Philippines was listed by the UN Food Henrylito D. Tacio and Agriculture Organization henrytacio@gmail.com (FAO) as one of the 13 low-income food-deficit countries in Asia (“those that do not have enough food to feed their populations and for the most part lack the financial resources to pay for imports”).

The 2014 Global Hunger Index, which was based on three indicators (undernourishment, child underweight and child mortality), ranked the Philippines on the 29th spot.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer, in its February 11, 2016 issue, has identified food security as one of the agenda of the next president.

“While the incidence of hunger is at its lowest level in the last quarter of 2015, it remains a pervasive problem in the Philippines,” the national paper said. “During the period, 2.6 million Filipino families reported experiencing hunger at least once, according to a recent Social Weather Stations survey.”

The paper also cited a survey conducted by the Pulse Asia last December, which “found that 40 percent of Filipinos considered ‘having

enough to eat’ every day among their biggest problems.”

There are five contenders for the highest post: Vice-President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Grace Poe, Secretary Mar Roxas, and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Each candidate shared his or her action actions in meeting food security in the country.

Here’s what Duterte will do should he be elected the next president: • “At the outset, we must inventory our natural assets, such as land and marine resources, and come up with a plan where topography, soil quality and marine assets can best suit the needs of the market, for our food consumption, raw materials, manufacturing and processing industries, as well as for export markets.

• “Identify which regions or provinces of the country would be suitable in the production of the needed food items. This would entail a nationwide study to produce an agriculture guide map which would indicate soil suitability, climatic conditions and rainfall patterns so that farmers would be know what to plant or raise.

• “Once the key production areas are identified based on crop suitability, the government will come in with the needed interventions to support the farmers in their production.

• “Irrigation services must be considered a vital government obligation to support the growth of Philippine economy, just like the network of roads being used for free. The country’s rice farmers should be supported by providing them free irrigation water and

A crazy acronym

COMMENT

BY PATRICIO P. DIAZ political power, is it not time to disperse investment away from the Capital Region?

Now here’s what’s amusing. It is not about investment but crazy acronym.

What is acronym?

As defined by Webster: Acronym is a word (as NATO, radar, or snafu) formed from the initial letters of letters of each of the successive or major parts of a compound term; or, an abbreviation formed from initial letters. [NATO –NorthAtlantic Treaty Organiztion; radar – radio detecting and ranging; snafu –situation normal all fucked up (fouled up)].

Acronyms are commonly used today; they make present day writing and speech cryptic and unwieldy by compacting long compound terms. For instance, instead ofAutonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, ARMM saves space, time and breath; so do BaSulTa for Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi; GMA for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo;FDR for Franklin Delano Roosevelt; or MiMaRoPa for Mindoro-Masbate-Romblon-Palawan (Region IV-B), etc.

Many business names are better known by their acronyms like banks (PNB, DBP, BPI), electric cooperatives (Socoteco, Magelco, Cotelco), etc. Some geographical names are acronyms like Aleosan in Cotabato, derived from Alimodian, Leon andSan Miguel – three towns in Iloilo from where most of the settlers there came from. Some Christians named with acronyms may not be admitted by St. Peter into Heaven.

Acronyms so commonly and regularly used and accepted by standard dictionaries are readily understood without reference to their mother compound terms; but, when new and unfamiliar, they have first to be introduced or they

would be unintelligible.

What is the crazy acronym in the MindaNews report above? SOCCSKSARGEN!This is a regional name derived from “South Cotabato, (North) Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City”.

Here’s the history of the acronym. Originally, it was SOCSARGEN (or, Socsargenas used in some business names like Socsargen County Hospital in General Santos City) — for South Cotabato, Sarangani and General Santos City. It was not a regional acronym but that of a business organization; the three were still under Region XI. When Sultan Kudarat joined Region XI, the acronym became SOCSKSARGEN. That was crazy. The insertion of “SK” made it hard to be pronounced.

When Region XII was reorganized after the establishment of the ARMM, Lanao Norte was attached to Region X (Northern Mindanao).

Only Cotabato and Cotabato City were left in Region XII (then Central Mindanao) with Maguidnao and Lanao Sur having been removed earlier. South Cotabato, Sarangani, General Santos City and Sultan Kudarat were detached from Region XI to reconstitute Region XII — Southwestern Mindanao as geographically situated; Region XI, the Southeastern Mindanao.

The reconstituted Region XII made the acronym crazier. One “C” was inserted between “SOC” and “SK” for Cotabato and Cotabato City. SOCCSKSARGEN is more difficult to pronounce than SOCSKSARGEN, very much more indistinct thanSOCSARGEN? Whose idea was it to make SOCCSKSARGEN the official the regional identity of Region XII we don’t know. But it makes no sense.

First, SOCSARGEN, a perfect acronym, was for a business organization. Businessmen from Sultan Kudarat could have joined the organization without inserting “SK”. When Muslims were admitted into the Young Men’s Christian Association in Cotabato City, “M” was not insert-

VANTAGE POINTS

9

should be allowed to manage their own irrigation systems for themselves without being obliged to pay for the irrigation fees.

• “Basic infrastructures to facilitate the transport of food and agricultural products from the key production areas shall be prioritized. The use of railway transport rather than mere reliance on roads and highways shall be initiated. A Mindanao Railway Development plan that will lower the costs of food transport in largely typhoon-free Mindanao will be a major priority.

• “Food terminals complete with cold storage facilities will be established in key production areas to serve as the delivery point for the farmers’ produce. From there, the food items will be distributed to other areas where these are needed in a concept called “Food Positioning.”

• “We will create a Department of Fisheries and Marine Resource Management separate from the Department of Agriculture.

For a nation surrounded by seas, with rivers and inland lakes as well, the single-minded development of these resources will not only de-marginalize our fishermen, but also ensure affordable food for our population.”

To end this piece, allow me to quote the words Katherine Mackenzie, a journalist who writes for Inter Press Service: “Today, in our interconnected 21st century world, the persistence of hunger and malnutrition is both unacceptable, and complex to tackle. Root causes are many, they are interlinked, and they will only be addressed successfully if all actors involved… come together and agree on the policy and actions that are necessary.” ed to make the acronym“YMCMA”.

Second, Region XII is a political unit. When it was reconstituted, SOCSARGEN, the business organization was on its way out if not defunct.

Why twice-corrupt the original business name to perpetuate it as Region XII’s identity?

Third, “Southwestern Mindanao” is a very appropriate identity of Region XII. As Region XI is also called “Davao Region” being the original un-divided Davao, Region XII can be named “Cotabato Region”, as the undivided Empire Province of Cotabato minus Maguindanao.

How can an acronym be formed out of “South Cotabato, Sarangani, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato and Cotabato City”– one more sensible and easier to pronounce than the present?

How about this? To the original “SocSarGen” add “SukCoCoc” or just “SuCoCo”.

Hence, “SocSarGenSukCoCoc” or “SocSarGenSuCoCo”. Either has all the initial syllables of the names in series and is easier to pronounce. But it is too long; typical acronyms don’t exceed four syllables. We are amused but not selling it.

We are not aware of an acronym for “Davao del Sur, Davao City, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte and Compostela”. Are people in Region XI less bright than those in Region XII? Or, have they more sense? But how about this:“DasDacDoDanCom”? We are amused but not proposing it.

It will not be a surprise if some would call us “crazy” instead of SOCCSKSARGENwhich is widely used in the national and online media.

Why not just go with the tide? However, we prefer Region XII or Cotabato Region or Southwestern Mindanao.

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Patricio P. Diaz was former editor of the Mindanao Cross in Cotabato City and later the Mindanao Kris. The Titus Brandsma Media Center honored Mr. Diaz with a Lifetime Achievement Award)

10 NEWS Duterte... FROM 2 audience area fronting it,” Rey Hulog of the KBP said of the media set-up.

“We just want to make sure that we are inviting legitimate press members,” Hulog was quoted by Mindanews.

But COPC president Msgr.

Elmer Abacahin said it is not for the debate organizers or the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) to choose who to allow inside the debate area to ensure that participating journalists are “legit local press” because the media community in the city “would know better.”

Duterte, who along with running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano are strongly advocating the passage of the Freedom of Information bill, said the local media should be given equal treatment and be spared from discrimination.

“Kaya nga ako tumatakbong president because I want people from the provinces to

be given equal treatment. Kaya ako ay for federalism,” Duterte said.

The mayor, however, said he is confident the Comelec will find time to dialogue with the press clubs of the host cities of the debates and strike a win-win solution.

It would be unfortunate, he said, if the local media will feel they are being treated as second class citizens in the media community.

The other venues for the debate will be in Cebu (March 20) for Visayas and Manila for Luzon (April 24).

Duterte had earlier declined to participate in the debate while the disqualification cases against him were still pending.

When the Comelec dismissed all 4 cases filed against him, the presidential aspirant said he is raring to go to the debate.

gin of error of plus or minus 3 points, indicating a still wild and take you pick presidential race.

The survey was conducted when Duterte was facing three disqualification cases, all of which were dismissed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The Duterte team is campaigning heavily on the platform of anti-crime and anti-corruption and is offering itself as the last chance for a genuine change in the country.

For his part, Davao City first district Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles said the latest SWS survey result showed

that Duterte “has recovered lost ground.”

“Just as we predicted, as soon as Comelec throws out the DQ cases against Mayor Duterte for President you will see a surge in his ratings,” he said.

Nograles said now that there are no more obstacles to Duterte’s candidacy, the people are once again supporting him.

“If you remember, he hit 38 percent before the disqualification issue arose. Now we expect that more than 50 percent of the people will vote for him on election day,” he said.

ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

be enhanced through more vigorous trades that, in turn, must be assured by freedom of navigation in the main navigational routes of global trade and commerce, including the South China Sea,” Coloma said. ”President Aquino has always represented the Philippines’ position on the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight, as well as adherence to UNCLOS and international law,” he added.

Coloma said President Aquino has also been a leading advocate for a legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, as well as on the importance of seeking peaceful avenues for dispute resolution

that underpins the Philippines’ petition before the UN Arbitral Tribunal at The Hague, a move that is being followed closely by other states with maritime entitlement claims.

After the ASEAN-US Summit, Coloma said President Aquino is scheduled to meet the Filipino community and some groups of investors and businessmen in Los Angeles.

President Aquino will be presented with an honorary degree in Humane Letters by the Loyola Marymount University in recognition of his achievements as President of the Philippines, “for his integrity and for embodying the spirit of the Jesuit education.”

(PNA)

the modified conditional cash transfer program.

Majority of these IP family beneficiaries resides in Davao City with 10,828, followed by transmission towers have been bombed since last month.

She said it seems that someone is creating a scenario for a failure of elections here in Mindanao.

Duazo said the people should pressure the government to fix the power crisis in

Rody... FROM 2

Aquino... FROM 3

4Ps... FROM 3

EDGEDAVAO

SUPPORT. Vice presidential candidate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano talks to supporters during a campaign rally at the new Tagum City Hall arena last Saturday. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.

Aquino vows to keep Phl’s stand on peace process during US trip

P

RESIDENT Benigno Aquino has vowed to further solidify the Philippines’ stand for the peace process during his attendance in the two-day ASEAN-US Leaders’ Summit in the United States this week.

The Summit, to be held in Sunnylands, California, aims to strengthen the cooperation among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the US. In his departure speech on Monday, the Chief Executive said that in his last attendance in the

Summit as President, he will be sharing again his resolve for the peace process, which is the country’s contribution on the issue of extremism and lack of stability.

“Naudlot man ang panukalang Bangsamoro Basic Law sa ating Kongreso, di nagbabago ang ating posisyon ukol sa BBL: Ito pa rin ang pinakatamang landas tungo sa kapayapaan at kaunlaran para sa Mindanao,” he said.

Approval of the proposed BBL has faced difficulties in both houses of Congress. The Senate cannot move for its approval with-

to spread the spirit of love to the community they are serving.

Surprised to see soldiers in complete uniform milling around the Church entrance, Aling Solima Vergara was reluctant at first, thinking something was wrong.

She was surprised when a male soldier approached and offered her flowers then kissed her hands.

Residents and churchgoers initially expressed surprise to see men in uniform just

outside the cathedral on Valentine’s Day. “It was an act of giving importance and appreciation to the mothers, the wives and the daughters who inspired and nurtured love in our families,” a soldier who asked not to be named said.

About 200 men and women, children and elderly (including men) were given the simple gifts and flowers, including Monsignor Antonio Pueyo, the mass celebrator on Sunday. (PNA)

Davao del Norte with 10,088.

The province of Compostela Valley has 6, 336; Davao del Sur with 2,461; and Davao Oriental 253.

could easily track down vehicles nearest to incident locations and tap them for verification and mobilization,” he said.

He said the tracking system would specifically provide a link for vehicle movement during emergency situations and in providing special services along evacuation routes.

Using the GPS, he said, introduces “a new level of flexibility for operational command structures.”

Unlike the usual GPS, he said the units that will be used

by the local government include a fuel gauge to monitor fuel consumption.

They are also equipped with SIM cards and microphones for easier communication.

Lubonting said the presence of tracking systems in vehicles is common in large private companies.

“Sarangani is so far among the first local government units in the country that will adopt this technology,” he said.

(PNA)

Mindanao as soon as possible.

NGCP spokesperson lawyer Cynthia Alabanza said President Benigno Aquino gave a deadline to all concerned agencies especially in the power sector to solve the problem on or before the election in May.

and report information; and the back-end keeps it simple for management to make good decisions and communicate these quickly. This balance makes Squadzip a powerful tool in business development in today’s fast-paced environment,” she added.

With the funding we’ve received from Kickstart and Plug and Play, Mercado expressed confidence that they are in an even better position to help more businesses serve their customers better and faster while saving them time and money.

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out the House of Representatives’ prior thumbs up.

The 16th Congress has until June 30 to approve the measure but with sessions currently on recess and will resume only on May 23, some lawmakers have cast doubts on the BBL’s success within the current administration.

Meanwhile, President Aquino is also scheduled to speak before the Los Angeles World Affairs Council (LAWAC), which he said is an honor since his father, former Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr., also served as its speaker in 1981.

He is also set to meet with representatives of Disney, and with this the Chief Executive is very optimistic on its impact on the country’s economy in the future.

“Ang mensahe nga natin sa lahat ng negosyanteng nakakausap natin: Sulit na sulit na ngayong tumaya sa Pilipino; sama-sama nating itulak pa ang malaking pagbabago sa ekonomiya at kalakhang bansa,” he said.

The President is scheduled to return to the country on Friday.

(PNA)

one which is seamless and integrated inevitably becomes the challenge. Just think about how social networks have changed day to day behaviour for individuals. Now take that concept, and apply it to the way businesses work together to deliver their products and services.

Digital Business Networks will become a new gateway to the global consumer, and the collaboration between government agencies, multinationals, startups and entrepreneurs will determine the pace and success of its adoption. Here are three tips for businesses to successfully foray into their digital transformation: • Define a digital transformation roadmap that clearly outlines the business outcomes and benefits to all C-Suite stakeholders, and gets their buy in.

• Use agile methods to rapidly test the actual outcome versus the desired outcome and improve fast.

• Ensure an effective collaboration method is in place, and is accessible so the organisation can learn and adopt from their successes and failures.

virtually everything can be connected to the Internet, we have to recognize the security statement: Everything that can be connected to the Internet can potentially be hacked. With Big Data – ranging from customer information, financial transactions, employee records to social media feedback, companies need to look at more effective ways to secure, store, and track the vast amounts of data that will be generated.

The future of cyber security lies in combining solutions for pattern-based recognition of security breaches and ability to correlate large volumes of current runtime data, including network activity. For example, there are solutions that focus on identifying external attacks as they are happening.

The solution’s pattern recognition functionality filters out anomalies such as suspicious discrepancies between a user’s past and current behavior — perhaps as the result of a hacking attack.

What is promising is that the same global security survey showed that enterprises are becoming increasingly convinced of the value of data-driven analysis to protect their businesses.

The key is picking a comprehensive suite of products and services which allow businesses to embark on a successful digital journey that brings all the participants solutions aimed at delivering a profitable, seamless and integrated experience. It is intelligent strategy, not solely technology that drives digital transformation.

Digital... FROM 11

3. Security becomes priority The Global State of Information Security Survey 2016 revealed that companies are becoming increasingly alert to cyber threats. 10 years ago, information security was largely seen as an IT topic. However, with digital becoming part of our everyday lives and implications of data losses critical, concerns have been elevated to the boardroom. In the future, when

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Digital tech startup Squadzip closes successful seed funding

S

QUADZIP, a mobile-first software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform for productivity and collaboration that applies the ease of use and familiarity of popular social media platforms to a sales and project management context, received an undisclosed amount of funding from corporate venture capital firm Kickstart Ventures and Silicon Valley-based seed-stage investor and innovation platform Plug and Play Tech Center.

Squadzip is the first co-investment between Kickstart Ventures and Plug and Play Tech Center. This also marks the first investment of Plug and Play Tech Center in the Philippines.

Squadzip was inspired by CEO and co-founder Roman Mercado’s own frustrations in using productivity solutions while he was working in enterprise sales for medical, banking, and digital media industries.

In his corporate life, Mercado saw many corporations sink huge amounts of money into enterprise solutions, the implementation of which meant high upfront fees, hardware cost, complex user trainings, and time delays. These

11 ICT HUB

solutions ranged from the free to typically expensive legacy enterprise platforms. The situation prompted Mercado to tap colleague and now CTO and co-founder Joaquin Barandino to help build Squadzip, a productivity tool for businesses that allows teams to communicate in real-time and share data without having to endure lengthy forms.

“For our enterprise customers, Squadzip is like their own private company social media platform and wiki.

Activities are posted in real time on a live feed which are time- and location-stamped, while business intelligence is captured from each post to be classified and organized easily and in real time into Intel Pages. Also, sales teams involved in specific deals can collaborate and access data from anywhere in the world,” said Mercado.

Mercado and Barandino capitalized on the Filipinos’ proclivity for social media apps in a bid to ensure easy adoption by those assigned to use Squadzip. Instead the traditional task- and form-based paradigm commonly seen in other solutions, they created a hashtagging system called

“ziptags” based on natural reporting behavior which allows users to quickly categorize, search, and retrieve data on customer histories, competitors, and service issues as well as added powerful geolocation and timestamp features that allow businesses to know what is going on and where it is happening.

“We make it a point to work closely with each client to make sure we remain responsive to actual needs and pain points they go through in their day-to-day operations.

Our customers today use Squadzip to locate, monitor, and track sales teams remotely; capture and organize valuable customer data, service issues, and leads seamlessly; and analyze sales funnels, monitor ongoing projects, and track performance,” Mercado said.

Since July 2014 when Squadzip was adopted by their first paying enterprise client, it is now in smartphones carried by teams traveling to different parts of the world. Squadzip is being applied in various use cases including sales, customer relationship management, and project management.

Kickstart Ventures, Plug

and Play Tech Center co-invest In just 18 months since they started, Squadzip has already gained a portfolio of enterprise users across multiple industries. The funding from Kickstart Ventures and Plug and Play will enable the founders to further improve their product and scale distribution here and abroad.

“CRM remains to be an interesting space for Plug and Play. Particularly those with very creative solutions in enhancing the user experience and interphase, like Squadzip.

Its approach to ease of use and intuitive tagging of information I believe is key to its success. Squadzip is the first investment of Plug and Play in the Philippines so we’re excited to work with Roman and his team and we hope to accelerate Squadzip’s potential globalization, possibly to become the next Salesforce or Sugar,” said Jojo Flores, Co-Founder and Vice-President. Plug and Play engages over 300 corporations in Silicon Valley.

Minette Navarrete, president of Kickstart Ventures, a wholly-owned venture capital subsidiary of Globe Telecom, also welcomed the addition of Squadzip in their investment portfolio. “Squadzip is an enterprise solution designed to be frontline-focused, and architected to be enterprise-grade. Frontliners and head office management share the goal of growing their business, delivering great quality service to customers, and sharing information in real-time, frequently over multiple locations,” she said.

“Squadzip’s intuitive user interface makes it easy for distributed teams to collaborate

FDIGITAL TECH, 10

1. Live Enterprise: Flexibility is the name of the game

team from Asia Pacific College that developed a pocket-sized electrocardiogram device was named second placer and received a P200,000 prize and a P100,000 grant for their school.

Placing third were representatives of University of San Jose Recoletos with their travel game app Quests. The students received P100,000, while their school got P50,000.

Other special citations during the ceremony were the Smart Innovation Award, given to De La Salle University Science and Technology Complex, and the Huawei Innovation Award given to Gordon College. The rest of the shortlisted teams and their respective schools received merit prizes.

The other finalists were students from Angeles University Foundation, De La Salle University—Science and Technology Complex, Gordon College, Holy Cross of Davao

College, University of Cebu-Banilad, University of the Philippines Los Baños, and Wesleyan University Philip-

pines.

SWEEP Awards is part of Smart’s SWEEP program, under which the company

partners with colleges and universities to improve engineering and IT education in the country.

Digital enterprise transformation in 2016: Accelerating the accelerated

A

SIA Pacific is swiftly becoming the “frontline for the Internet of Things (IoT)” with 8.6 billion connected devices and a robust digital infrastructure.

Most countries in the region are actively implementing digital initiatives so as to transform their nations into smart economies. While this presents innumerable opportunities for businesses to tap on, it is vital for companies to leverage technology and innovate faster, in order to keep up with the rapid adoption of all things digital.

IDC predicted that by 2017, 60 percent of the APAC top 1000 enterprises will have digital transformation at the centre of their corporate strategy.[2] Manik Narayan Saha, Chief Information Officer (CIO), Asia Pacific and Japan for SAP shares three musthaves to enable businesses on their digital transformation journey in 2016:

At the very core of businesses, today’s digital era lies the opportunity to evolve into what we call a ‘live enterprise’.

From enhanced seamless and personalised customer experiences, to a more engaged workforce and supply chain, a ‘live enterprise’ essentially predicts and acts with the future in mind, rather than solely reporting the past. This means incorporating agile business processes and possessing the ability to mass customise everything for every single consumer. It also is the ability to connect each colleague and asset to a single, intelligent and digital core system — one that can anticipate, simulate and innovate new opportunities on the fly.

2. Digital Business Networks as the new marketplace Digital Business Networks will become the platform of choice for transactions and commerce. In this marketplace, the responsibility to orchestrate the process into

FDIGITAL, 10

Batangas State U bags 2016 SWEEP innovation awards grand prize

A

GROUP of engineering students from Batangas State University won the grand prize at Smart Communications’ 12th SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards for Pinoy X-tra, an app connecting workers like plumbers, carpenters, and tutors with people who need their services.

The team received a P300,000 prize while the school received a P150,000 grant from Smart. The school also bagged the Ericsson Networked Society Award.

For over a decade, Smart has been recognizing innovative projects of information technology (IT) and engineering students under its industry-academe partnership called the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP).

This year, 10 teams made the cut as finalists out of 304 groups that submitted entries from all over the country. A

SWEEP also aims to help schools produce industry-ready graduates or future technology entrepreneurs.

The Batangas State University team, winner of the 12th SWEEP Awards, receive their trophy from Smart SVP for Network Mar Tamayo (far left), DOST Asec.

Mon Liboro (second from left), Smart public affairs head Mon Isberto (second from right), and event host Miriam Quiambao

12 CLASSIFIEDS

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EDGEDAVAO EVENT

A celebration of tradition

EVERY YEAR, the Lunar New Year celebrations in Davao City seem to become bigger and bigger, with gatherings and parties being held all around Durianburg.

An institution when it comes to celebrating the Lunar New Year, The Marco Polo Davao’s festivities are what I always look out for and this year was no exception.

The celebration at the Marco Polo Davao was held last February 7 with many of the hotel’s regular guests from the Chinese-Filipino community, the hotel’s heads-of-department, media friends and associates filling up the lobby.

“This Chinese New Year Celebration holds a lot of meaning for Marco Polo Davao, as we are also celebrating our 18th year of existence as the first and only premier hotel in Mindanao. We are also very pleased to see our beloved friends and guests from the Fil-Chinese Community here in the city, as they have long supported Lotus Court from the very beginning” says GM Dottie V. WürglerCronin.

The event was formally kicked off with the traditional dotting of the lion’s eye at the hotel’s entrance, led by GM Dottie V. Würgler-Cronin, which was immediately followed by

an energetic Lion Dance performed by the Davao Lion Dancers Association.

Guests later proceeded to the Marco Polo Davao’s Cantonese restaurant, The Lotus Court , to dine on the special Chinese New Year Buffet which

featured Peking Duck, Steamed Pompano, Premium Seafood, as well as Chinese Sweet Cake locally called Tikoy.

Students from Colegio de San Ignacio also entertained the guests with Chinese cultural perfor-

mances at Lotus Court ,adding a festive air to the celebration.

The Chinese New Year Celebration is also widely celebrated by Marco Polo Hotels in all its 14 properties in China, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 232 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

UP AND ABOUT

Arts and hearts rule at Abreeza Mall this February THIS FEBRUARY, Abreeza Mall celebrates both the Valentine’s season and the National Arts Month with a series of activities designed to make customers feel the sweetness of romance and appreciate the beauty of different art forms.

On February 9, Abreeza Mall launched an exhibit dubbed Secret Feels: A Collection of Reflections on Love, Loss, and Longing at the Ground Floor Supermarket Hallway. Ongoing until February 26, the exhibit gathers heartfelt quotes rendered in brush lettering that cover the wide spectrum of romantic love, from attraction to bliss to heartache.

From February 11 to 13, Abreeza Mall lets shoppers fall in love with the world of art at heArt Weekend at the Activity Center. An art exhibit with performance and interactive components, heArt weekend gathers the works of artists Kublai Millan and Bong Perez, photographer Aidx Paredes, and portraitist Macky Bongabong, and invites shoppers to flex their creative muscles by taking part in coloring and interactive stations. heArt Weekend also showcases the diverse artistry of Davaoeño talents with performances scheduled every evening at 6:30pm: musicians Maan Chua and Thea Pitogo took the stage on February 11, members of the Young Davao Writers deliver spoken word poetry set to music by Kevin Becira on February 12, and the UP Mindanao Dance Ensemble represents the art form of contemporary dance on February 13.

Abreeza Mall also brings the charming concept of “love

locks”—found in popular locations in countries such as France, Germany, Russia, and South Korea—to Davao City for the Valentine’s season. From February 12 to 29 at the Ground Floor Fashion Hallway, shoppers will get the chance to declare their love and strengthen their bond using padlocks of promise.

On February 14, Valentine’s Day, music will fill the air at Abreeza Mall. Local choral

groups are set to sing sweet serenades at the annual Harana sa Abreeza competition from 1pm to 4pm at the Activity

Center. Meanwhile, Wander in Love will see community musicians giving surprise live performances to customers from

4pm to 6pm at secret locations around the mall.

Finally, Abreeza Mall makes Valentine’s Day even sweeter for couples with a promo that promises romantic prizes to three lucky winners. All customers have to do is share a photo of their favorite date spot at Abreeza Mall along with a romantic caption on Instagram from February 12 to 14, tag @ iloveabreezamall, and include the hashtag #LovEmHeart. The customers with the three best entries get to win an overnight stay for two at Seda Abreeza Hotel as the first prize, a romantic dinner for two at Italianni’s as the second prize, and movie passes plus snacks for two from The MovieSnackbar as the third prize.

For inquiries and updates on Abreeza Mall news and events, please visit the Main Concierge at the ground floor or call (082) 321-9332. Stay updated by liking www.facebook.com/AbreezaMall and following @abreezatweets on Twitter and @iloveabreezamall on Instagram.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Miguel Tanfelix featured by online fashion hub

WITH HIS BOYISH GOOD LOOKS, dance floor swag, and burgeoning acting chops, Miguel Tanfelix is certainly one to look out for this year and we are not the only ones who think so. Recently, Miguel collaborated with StyleMNL—an online spot for fashion, style, lifestyle buzz, and celebrity features to take part in promoting the new website for it’s opening salvo.

According to StyleMNL, they wanted to work with Miguel because he shows great promise. Aside from that, they, at StyleMNL, have seen the growth of Miguel through the years.

“As part of the new site’s opening salvo, we thought of featuring a talent who’s very promising, a young talent that you must definitely watch out for this 2016; we couldn’t think of anyone else but Miguel. We have seen

Solenn Heussaff to launch her own perfume line

him in StarStruck as a kid, a Mulawin star as Pagaspas and now a teen star able to claim his own spot in the industry.

We see that Miguel has the right attitude and potential to be the next lead,” Edryan Lorenzo, Creative Director and PR Manager of StyleMNL said.

The StyleMNL team also admitted that they enjoyed working with the young actor because Miguel’s professionalism goes far beyond his young age of 17.

Despite that, he still hasn’t managed to lose his fun and goofy side.

“Miguel is very easy to work with. He’s funny, singing One Direction’s “History” in between layouts and Zayn’s “Pillowtalk” then candidly admitting that he really doesn’t understand the lyrics because of Zayn’s accent. [He even performed] magic card tricks right after the shoot. The kid is very professional and you can see that he’s passionate with what he’s doing,” added Edryan.

THE LONG WAIT IS OVER as Solenn Heussaff confirmed the date of her perfume launch.

Solenn announced that she will be launching her perfume line last November 2015 and based on her Instagram post last February 12, it will be coming out in just a few days.

According to the Taste Buddies host, S.O.S or Scents Of Solenn was crafted for two years. She said, “Woohoo!! This is finally happening after almost 2 years in the making!!! My very own Scent.

Will post details soon!”

Solenn divulged that experts from France helped her create the products. For a personal touch, she drew the design for S.O.S. “Created 3 scents with experts from my hometown France, I drew the floral design and concept. Can’t wait to share a bit of ne with all of you! #SosSunrise #SOSsunshine #SOSsunset I present to you S.O.S (Scents Of Solenn)” S.O.S. pocket perfume and perfumed body cream will be launched on February 26.

Metro Society opens entertainment issue with a bang THE THREE PILLARS of leadership of ABSCBN in their first magazine cover together.

Gabby Lopez, Charo Santos-Concio, and Carlo Katigbak come together for a historical feature commemorating the succession from one passionate leader to another, and what it takes to be at the helm of a company that is truly in the service of the Filipino.

In other special features, join us as we celebrate local entertainment.

We delve into the world of film and what makes these pieces of fiction so moving that audiences are transported through time, into different worlds of drama and

action and romance and comedy. We look into the past with a story of film restoration and take a peek into the future of the industry as we introduce you to the young producers, directors and actors that have made names outside the norms

CALLING ALL PHILHEALTH EMPLOYEES AND MEMBERS IN DAVAO AND GENERAL SANTOS CITIES! Come and shop at The SM Store Davao, Lanang Premier and General Santos On February 11 to 17! Enjoy an exclusive 10% discount upon presentation of your SM Advantage Card and PhilHealth ID with your P1,500 minimum purchase!

of pop culture, truly focusing on talent and hard work rather than relevancy and a fan base in our On The Verge Section.

This month has many interesting reads on what is new around the metro. Our Dining section features Bondi and Bourke, a restaurant featuring elevated comfort food, which is the brainchild of Australian Chef and owner Wade Watson.

Delicious steaks, fresh oysters, and scrumptious meat pies all await in this Legaspi village gem. In the mood

for something a little more relaxed? Make sure to leaf through our Entertaining with Flair section featuring the Chi Spa at the Edsa Shangri La hotel, perfect to cap off the relaxing day.

Of course no issue would be complete without the many socials that hit the city and allow me to paint the town red. Head on over to our party hopper section and get an all access pass to Tommy Hilfiger’s launch of tennis star Rafael Nadal as their new face as well as a big surprise for Presy Lopez.

February 11-16, 2016

HOW TO BE SINGLE Dakota Johnson, Alison Brie, Leslie Mann R16

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

DEADPOOL Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin R16

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

GIRLFRIEND FOR HIRE/ *ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME Andre Paras, Yassi Pressman / *Sarah Jessica Parker, Rosie Day PG/*R13

11:50 | 2:00 | 4:10 LFS / * 6:20 | 8:10 | 10:00 LFS

LOVE IS BLIND Solenn Heussaff, Derek Ramsey, Kiray Celis G

12:00 | 2:00 | 4:00 | 6:00 | 8:00 | 10:00 LFS

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EVENT

MX3 shares good health at the Dinagyang Festival

AS A TRIBUTE TO THE BIRTH OF CHR ISTIANIT Y IN THE PHILIPPINES, the Dinagyang Festival is celebrated every third week of January in Iloilo. The city is known for its historical structures that can be seen through the architectural landmarks, old churches, and museums. Panay Island is famous as the home of well loved Filipino delicacies.

Apart from being a religious festival, the Dinagyang Festival also showcases Philippine culture at its finest. “Dinagyang” is an Ilonggo term to mean “Merry Making”. This is a way to show gratefulness for the bountiful harvest of the many tribes all over the island. The city streets are lined with people ea-

ger to see the burst of colors in the parade. Together with the thunderous beat of the drums, people are one and united saying “Hala Bira.” Millions flock to watch the popu-

lar Iloilo Dinagyang Ati Tribe competition which is performed out on the streets.

The vibe of the “Dinagyang Festival” echoes the life in the island where

people are proud of their roots and culture. In partnership with GMA, Team MX3 joined the revelry of this annual celebration.

Kapuso stars Bianca Umali and Miguel Tanfelix

performed and showcased their talents and skills much to the delight of the crowd. The MX3 Team distributed game prizes and shared its health benefits through free coffee sampling for all.

MX3 believes that health is a primary component that allows us to enjoy and live life to the fullest. DMI – MX3 wants

to mirror the zest for life that Philippine Festivals have. In order for us these, we must always be at the top shape of our health. A good balanced diet, exercise and investing in natural substances that can boost the immune system to protect our bodies is an unbeatable formula to make sure that we can be Extraordinarily Fit.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 232 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

NEWS 13

EDGEDAVAO

FOR IMMEDIATE HIRING A leading distributor of Irrigation System, Agricultural Machinery, Generator and Heavy Equipment immediately needs sales personnel to complement its staff, with the following qualifications: 1. Licensed Agricultural Engineers or Licensed Mechanical Engineers; 2. Male or female, 24-35 years old; 3. Background knowledge or sales experience in agricultural machinery, irrigation system, generators or heavy equipment is an advantage; 4. Must be willing to travel within the island of Mindanao.

Interested applicants should submit application letter, bio-data and transcript of records to:

INTERNATIONAL HEAVY EQUIPMENT CORPORATION

Km. 7 McArthur Highway, Bangkal, Davao City Tel. Nos.: 285-0685; 297-5851 Fax No.: 2975849 Email add: info@ihecdavao.com, info@ihec.com.ph

Month-long dry day spell threatens ARMM, Luzon M ETRO Manila and seven other regions face up to an entire month of dry days in March amidst continuing onslaught of the drought-driving strong El Nino phenomenon.

In its latest outlook, State weather agency Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said between 25 and 31 dry days are possible this March in each of Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) as well as Regions I,II, III, IV-A and IV-B, all in Luzon.

PAGASA forecast the same number of dry days in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“Dry day is a day with 1.0 mm of rainfall or less,” noted

PAGASA. For Luzon, PAGASA forecasts this March way below-normal rainfall with precipitation reaching only almost 19 percent of this area’s normal level.

According to PAGASA, way below-normal rainfall is less than 40 percent of normal precipitation in an area.

Way below-normal rainfall is likely next month in Luzon’s Metro Manila, CAR as well as Regions I, II, III, IV-A and IV-B. PAGASA forecasts rainfall in such areas to be merely 8.6 percent, 25.2 percent, 24.7 percent, 19.3 percent, 12.6 percent, 22.8 percent and 11.7 percent of their respective normal levels, PAGASA said.

In ARMM, PAGASA said

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s) under LOYOLA PLAN issued to the following planholders, to wit; PH NAME 1. ERLINDA L. GUYO 2. GLORIA P. FAUSTINO

CPF NO. 45783

21022525

CONTRACT NO. 455978-7

NNN 130004955

were lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

2/2,9,16

rainfall this March will likely be way below-normal as well with precipitation hitting only 27.5 percent of normal level there.

Weather systems that may affect the country this March are the northeast monsoon or ‘amihan,’ tailend of a cold front, easterly wave, inter-tropical convergence zone, low-pressure areas, ridge of high-pressure area and tropical cyclones (TCs), PAGASA said further.

The northeast monsoon will possibly terminate during the late February to early March period, noted PAGASA. Between zero to one TC is possible in the country this March, PAGASA also said.

PAGASA data show that during previous strong El Nino events, the country mainly had zero TC occurrence in the month of March except in the 2009-2010 period (one TC) and 19821983 period (two TCs).

Earlier this month, PAGASA said the prevailing strong El Nino might gradually weaken through MarchApril-May 2016.

The transition to neutral condition is possible during the May-June-July period this year, PAGASA added.

(PNA)

EDGEDAVAO

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Toyota reveals more Fortuner tidbits

T

OYOTA Motor Philippines gave a sneak peek of its all-new 2016 Fortuner at its annual media thanksgiving party last January. And now, they’ve revealed even more tidbits including one, interestingly enough, that has to do where the Philippines will source Toyota’s PPV or Pickup-based Passenger Vehicle.

The third of the IMV or Innovative Multipurpose Vehicle range, the Fortuner was first launched in the Philippine market in 2005.

It soon became one of the country’s most sought-after vehicles and has been a strong seller for Toyota.

Having such a legacy on its shoulders, the allnew Fortuner remains an important vehicle for Toyota Motor Philippines. With retail sales starting by the middle of March, TMP set a lofty target of moving some 2,000 units of the Fortuner on a monthly basis. To accomplish this, the all-new model must have a sleek and eye-catching design that emphasizes stylishness and presence. According to chief designer Hiroki Nakajima, the main challenge is to make a modern SUV without the outdated boxiness of the previous model.

The all-new Fortuner is longer and wider than the outgoing model and features bi-beam LED headlights with daytime running lights on higher trim models. It’s set apart by the three “iconic” lines found on the side as well as available 18-inch alloy wheels.

At the back, it also has LED tail lamps as well as a shark fin type antenna.

Inside, the Fortuner has a Hazel Brown interior for all V grade models and lighter Chamois colored interior for the G grades. It

boasts of increased headroom for the front passengers as well as a more spacious second and third row. Though the third row seats still fold sideways, it’s easier to flip up thanks to a spring-loaded mechanism as well as hooks located within reach of the luggage compartment (aft of the D-pillar, actually). The interior has 12 cup holders.

In terms of performance, the all-new Fortuner features Toyota’s next-generation D-4D and VVT-i equipped engines. The 2.8-liter engine in the 2.8 V 4x4 has 174 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and 450 Nm at 1,600 to 2,400 rpm while the 2.4-liter engine in the V 4x2 and G Diesel variants have 147 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and 400 Nm of torque from 1,600 to 2,400 rpm. The 2.7-liter G variant boasts 163 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 245 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm thanks to Dual VVT-i.

The 2.8-liter V Diesel 4x4 boasts of a part-time four-wheel drive system (eliminating the outgoing model’s full-time system), Active Traction Control, and Hill Start Assist. It also has Vehicle Stability Control and Trailer Sway Control. Seven airbags are also standard on the V 4x4.

The most interesting part of the all-new 2016 Toyota Fortuner is where the Philippines will source its units. While the outgoing model was imported as a CBU from Thailand, the allnew model is a CBU from, surprisingly, Toyota’s Indonesia assembly plant.

Whether or not this move will have any discernable effect on build quality remains to be seen. Whatever the case, this is one move that everyone didn’t see coming.

Ford Ranger: The importance of being global

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HEN Ford announced their “One Ford” global strategy, some pundits denounced that it wasn’t going to work. They thought: how can you build a single vehicle and expect it to be successful in almost every market it competes in? These critics clearly have a myopic view since they’ve set their goals far too low. They’re convinced that for as long as you’ve nailed a particular country’s market requirements, it’s okay to compromise.

Ford doesn’t look at it that way.

The Ranger is a runaway success for Ford for a very simple reason: it doesn’t compromise. From the get-go, Ford understood that pickup customers will demand a range of qualities far greater than the differences in operating condition from country to country. During its development, Ford didn’t simply benchmark the competition with the goal of being better in terms of specifications or technology. Although that’s always going to play a part in the vehicle development process, Ford instead focused on what customers needed and wanted.

Ford didn’t simply build a truck that satisfies the Asia-Pacific market or the European market.

They engineered one that satisfies customers everywhere. In short, they challenged themselves to build a Ranger that’s tough yet comfortable, rugged yet stylish, safe, technologically advanced and powerful, yet remaining affordable. Drawing on resources,

facilities, and expertise on a global scale, Ford headquartered the Ranger’s development in Australia and understanding this market a bit more as well as One Ford can help you understand why the Ranger has become as competitive as it is.

In the Philippines, the Ranger is the best-selling pickup, but Down Under, not only is it the best-selling pickup (or ute as they call it), but it’s the fourth best-selling nameplate. It does even better in neighboring New Zealand, where it’s the best-selling vehicle overall (in both cases, it has managed to dethrone the Toyota Hilux). That shouldn’t come as a surprise given that Australians and New Zealanders have come to love the Ranger given how they use their pickups.

A walk around Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure capital, as well as neighboring Wanaka, reveals some local peculiarities here: almost every car’s got a hitch or tow hook installed. Whether it’s a wagon, crossover, pickup, or SUV—they’ve got to be haul-ready on the go. Come to think of it, once the weekend hit, it’s normal to see a beat-up 20-year wagon dragging a trailer loaded with bikes or jet skis. And it’s not just for recreational use, either. In Minaret Station for instance, it’s used as the main workhorse—making sure the entire farm with its 370 kilometers of fencing and 15,000 resident livestock remain in tiptop shape. Such is the demands put on the Ranger and one where

it performs beautifully.

Remember the key figures the Ranger is known for such as the 3.5-metric ton towing capacity and one-metric ton payload capacity? It’s hard to imagine, but those figures found in all new-generation pickup trucks are there because of the Ranger.

And in turn, those are partially because of customer requirements in markets like Australia and New Zealand. Surefooted towing and hauling is an integral part to a Kiwi’s way of life that Ford doesn’t even offer the smaller engine there. All Rangers come standard with the larger 200-horsepower motor.

Being able to tweak the specifications to meet certain market requirements is another advantage afforded by One Ford. Instead of a having a “take-it-or-leave-it” approach, Ford is able to work with suppliers to develop parts that can be made in the same factory, but look and perform depending on market requirements.

And all this is done without fundamentally affecting the design or engineering of a particular vehicle.

In short, the Ranger will always be a Ranger wherever it’s sold.

When Then-president and CEO Alan Mulally laid down that vision in 2006, he summed up Ford as a global company, but not acting like one. Since then, the company fine-tuned its operations to wring efficiency and economies of scale. From 27 different platforms, the company has reduced this to just eight. And 99 percent of

their products are now produced on those eight common platforms.

Of course the drivetrain forms only a part of that equation; everything else—from the frame, the suspension, brakes, and chassis must all work cohesively. And it does.

The development of a one global Ranger meant Ford leveraged its teams to work around the clock. More than 30,000 computer-aided assessments were done even before the first prototype was built. After that, it was extensively tested and evaluated in 15 countries under the harshest environments from the Australian Outback to the German Autobahn to the Argentinean Pampa.

By the time Job One rolled out of Thailand, Ford collectively logged more than a million kilometers of testing on the road.

The Ford Ranger isn’t just the culmination of hard work by almost 500 engineers around the world. It’s the quintessential proof that the One Ford works. It’s sold in more than 180 markets, making it one of the farthest reaching Ford products in the world. And along the way, it has successfully become the leader in its segment.

It successfully puts together Ford’s global capabilities, testing facilities, and pickup truck knowledge.

It’s capable, comfortable, powerful, fuel-efficient, and safe. It’s a pickup that has captivated the world, but more than anything, it’s a pickup that anyone will be proud to own and confident to drive anywhere and everywhere.

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WEST ROUTS EAST NBA All-Star Game 2016 sets scoring record

Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Western Conference dunks in the first quarter against the Eastern Conference during the NBA AllStar Game 2016 at the Air Canada Centre on Sunday in Toronto, Ontario.

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HERE wasn’t much drama in the 2016 NBA All-Star Game from Toronto but there was a lot of scoring. In fact it was a record level of scoring for the two teams as both the East and the West teams each bested the previous team-high record of 163 points, and they set the combined record with 369 points, which bested the

previous mark of 321 total points.

For such a prolific scorer in the history of the game, Kobe Bryant got to see a layup drill and a fireworks display in his 15th (18th selection overall) and final AllStar Game. Bryant, who said earlier in the weekend he planned on capping out at 10 minutes, played 26 minutes

and finished with 10 points (4-of-11 shooting), seven assists, and six rebounds. His one steal moved him ahead of Michael Jordan all-time for All-Star Game steals.

Paul George led all scorers with 41 points and set the All-Star Game record for 3-pointers with nine. He broke the record held by Carmelo Anthony, who hit eight

of them in the 2014 All-Star Game in New Orleans. But it was Russell Westbrook winning his second straight All-Star Game MVP by finishing with 31 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals. He is the first back-toback All-Star Game MVP since Bob Pettit in 1958 and 1959.

Nine players from the West scored in double figures

with five getting at least 23 in the game. Stephen Curry scored 26, Anthony Davis had 24 and James Harden tied Kevin Durant with 23 each.

Chris Paul’s 16 assists tied for the fourth-most in an All-Star Game, and was six behind Magic Johnson’s record of 22.

In the East, John Wall scored 22 points to support George’s scoring, while sev-

en players scored in double digits. Every player who participated in the game scored, which seems perfect considering the records set Sunday night. LeBron James finished with 13 points to move ahead of Kobe for the all-time AllStar scoring leader.

The 2017 All-Star Game will be hosted by the Charlotte Hornets.

fortunate to be able to play the game that I love and be in the NBA for more than half my life.

“It’s a thrill to be here in this All-Star Game so thank you for voting me in. I get a chance to be around these young players here, who when I first started playing most of them were my kids’ age now.

“It feels so good to be able to speak to them about the game and to be able to share some of the knowledge that I have learned throughout my career to them so that they can carry on the tradition of the NBA

and hopefully play 20 years themselves.”

When the first NBA AllStar Game to be held outside of the United States finally got underway, it was Bryant who went up against LeBron James for the opening tip. James won the tip but appeared to send it over to Bryant’s Western Conference team.

Bryant played nearly 15 minutes in the first half and scored 10 points, including a patented fadeaway late in the opening quarter that drew loud cheers from a celebrity-dotted crowd that included director

Spike Lee and supermodel Kate Upton.

The 20-year NBA veteran, who by his own admission this week is “old as hell,” was held without a point the rest of the way.

When Bryant, a fivetime NBA champion, twotime NBA Finals MVP, onetime league MVP and fourtime All-Star Game MVP during a career spent entirely with the Los Angeles Lakers, checked out of the game with 66 seconds left, he received a standing ovation from both team benches while the crowd chanted “Kobe, Kobe.”

Westbrook wins MVP Kobe’s farewell tour makes biggest stop in ASG

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RAKE would say Westbrook went back-toback like Jordan in 1996-

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook won his second straight All-Star MVP on Sunday, scoring 31 points to go with eight rebounds, five assists, five steals (which is incredible in a game in which absolutely no defense was played) in just 22 minutes.

Westbrook threw down a dazzling array of dunks throughout the night -- the real reason the All-Star game exists

-- and brought his usual swagger and killer instinct, scoring right off the bat to set the tone.

Westbrook has no chill and does not know how to fail to compete, it seems. Westbrook is the first player to go back-toback in All-Star MVPs since Bob Petit in 1958-59, when it’s safe to say the game was quite a bit different.

Paul George came one shy of the All-Star record of 42 points set by Wilt Chamberlain, finishing with 41 points in a losing effort. I’m sure he’s all broken up over it, too.

Donaire confident against ‘tough, capable’opponent

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ONITO “The Filipino Flash” Donaire considers his next opponent, Hungarian boxer Zsolt Bedák, to be a tough, capable fighter but remains confident that his team can come up with the right game plan to neutralize his foe.

The 32-year-old Bedák holds a 25-1 win-loss record, and will head into the April 23 fight at the Araneta Coliseum with a 10-match winning streak. He is not well known for his power, registering only eight knockout victories, although Donaire considers the Hungarian an “overall fighter.”

“He’s got speed and pretty decent power if he wants to, but he’s more of a technical fighter than anything,” Donaire told Ronnie Nathanielsz, as reported in Boxing Scene.

“He wants to beat you by

points, but we won’t allow this,” he stressed. “We know what we have to do.”

Donaire said Bedák is “a tough guy, a capable guy,” but believes he and his father and trainer, Nonito Donaire Sr., will “come up with the best game plan.”

“Power is sometimes not enough to beat a guy who moves around,” he observed.

“It’s a matter of having the best, most intelligent game plan.

When we follow that game plan, we can beat anybody.”

Donaire is set to leave for Las Vegas this week, and already has at least one sparring partner lined up.

“We are coming out with all the weapons,” he said. “We are going to bring it.”

Donaire will defend his WBO super bantamweight title in the bout.

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OBE Bryant made the biggest stop of his farewell tour on Sunday as he played the last NBA All-Star Game of a remarkable career in which he established himself as arguably the best player of his generation.

Bryant, who said all week he did not want his fellow players to go easy on him in his final All-Star Game, was a shadow of the player who dominated the NBA’s midseason showcase many times before, but was still the man of the hour.

Prior to the game’s opening tip, NBA great Magic Johnson lauded the 37-year-old in between a pair of tribute videos featuring some career highlights interspersed with messages of thanks from a handful of fellow NBA players.

Bryant announced last November that this would be his final season and was made the leading vote-getter for his 18th and final All-Star appearance by fans.

“I just want to thank you guys for all of your support for all these years,” Bryant told the Toronto crowd and a global television audience.

“I’ve been extremely

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