Edge Davao 6 Issue 248

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

Serving a seamless society

‘DONE IN 72 HOURS’ Rody asks businessmen to report violators

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. abf@edgedavao.net

D

ESPITE the highest rating given by businessmen to the Davao City government in the fight against corruption, Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte still urged the business sector to tell him what offices of the city government are not complying with the 72hour processing policy so that he can place them under surveillance.

“Ug isulti nila nako kung kinsa kanang mga tawhana, even secreto nga maski di nila butangan og pangalan so that I can put in place a surveillance watch-dog somewhere there so that I would know. And maybe try to follow a paper trail kung kinsa’y ang mag gunit ana,”

Duterte said in his weekly televised program “Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa” last Sunday.

Duterte said allegations of corruption would be investigated immediately and if ‘validated to be true’ he would replace employees of the department in question, including its head. Duterte pointed out offices that issue permits and clearances.

“Gikan sa pinaka taas na opisyal sa gobyerno to the janitor, ilisdan nako,” Duterte said.

Upon his assumption last year, the mayor issued a 72-hour policy on processing permits in all the offices of the city government to address issues of corrup-

tion and red tape.

Duterte also reiterated to the

business sector to show a ‘shopping list’ of requirements, such as tax declaration, from the City Assessor’s Office and other payments and after submitting them the transaction is already done.

“Kung ma submit na ninyo tanan, ayaw namog

FDONE, 10

GUINNES RECORD. Dabawenyo Machir Malih Torrefiel will attempt to establish a Guinnes record in basketball multiple spin dribbling in three point shots category in September 2014 after establishing the 2006 Guinness Book Dribbling Challenge record where he performed the maneuver for 26 hours and 40 minutes. Torrefiel bared that he also created a new dunk called “the human ladder slam”. Lean Daval Jr.

Davao schools not keen on change

By CHENEEN R. CAPON crc@edgedavao.net

T LOGO. Officials of Davao City unveil the official logo of the 77th Araw ng Davao during yesterday’s flag-raising ceremony at City Hall. The unveiling officially marks the start of the 2014 Araw celebration that will feature different events, culminating on March 16 with the Parada Dabawenyo. (CIO)

HE Commission on Higher Education in region 11 has not been apprised by higher educational institutions (HEIs) that they would adopt the new academic calendar system.

“It’s a big risk, “CHED 11 regional director Raul Alvarez said.

“But if a school is taking the risk then u would really know that that school is very independent and is not really concerned about economic implications because it is very stable, “he said.

In the the new aca-

demic calendar, classes start by August, September or October while the old school calendar starts in June and ends in March.

The new school calendar will be implemented by Ateneo de Manila University (AdDMU) and University of Philippines (UP)-Diliman campus.

Alvarez told reporters in a press conference at Kapehan sa Abreeza Thursday that schools in the region are not yet ready for the new calendar system considering that it poses a financial impact to their operations.

“Because of the financial implications, they are afraid to take it,” Alvarez said, adding that HEIs in the country may lose the opportunity to earn P25 billion in five months period of no operation.

He said that the change in academic calendar is only applicable to schools which are able to maintain the quality of education they deliver.

“Autonomous institutions are those that have proven they are capable of competing with the rest of the world,” he said. “And

FDAVAO, 10

2

EDGEDAVAO

THE BIG NEWS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

LEAVING SOON. Settlers living under the Gov. Generoso Bridge in Bankerohan, Davao City, mostly Maranaos who migrated to the city to seek greener pasture, go on with their daily lives days before they will temporarily vacate the place to give way to the reconstruction of the damaged water mainline pipe. Lean Daval Jr.

IN 2014

11 expects Power outage may DPWH P7.9 B for projects extend up to 2 hours

NEW ROTATING SCHEME

W

ITH the current critical power supply situation in Mindanao, Davao Light & PowerCo. tries its best to manage electricity distribution efficiently among its customers.

In its effort of providing for a more equitable sharing of the remaining available power, Davao Light and Power Co. introduces a new rotating power interruption scheme.

Starting Monday, March3, the existing schedule per group will be rotated for the whole week.

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

Example, if your schedule in the present scheme is between 1:00PM to 5:00 PM, you will now be in the 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM schedule for two consecutive days.

Davao Light has implemented one-hour rotating power interruptions in its franchise since February 27. This, however, may extend up to two hours depending on the availability of power on a given schedule. It will continue until notice from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to lift its implementation is received.

House body approves proposed Charter change

V

OTING 24-2-1, the Committee on Constitutional Amendments of the House of Representatives on Monday approved Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 1 aiming to insert “unless otherwise provided by law” in the economic provision of the 1987 Constitution introduced

by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Davao City Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano, who chairs the committee, said the approved resolution will be forwarded to the plenary for second reading.

Those who voted against the resolution were Bayan Muna party-list Reps. Carlos Isagani Zarate and Neri Colmenares while Pampanga Rep. Oscar Rodriguez, ab-

stained from the voting.

Despite repeated statement of Malacanang that Charter change (Chacha) is not a priority of the administration, allies still push for Cha-cha amendments.

In particular, the resolution is eyeing to amend economic provisions on the 60-40 rule that limits foreign ownership of certain activities in the Philippines.

The resolution will include the phrase “unless provided by law” in the foreign-ownership provision of the Constitution, particularly land ownership, public utilities, natural resources, media and advertising industries.

Under Article XII of the Constitution, foreign investors are prohibit-

Implementation of the rotating outages contributes to avoiding total collapse of the entire Mindanao transmission grid, which happens when the demand for power exceeds the available supply.

Earlier, the Department of Energy (DOE), together with the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR), National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines(NGCP), is closely monitoring the power situation in Mindanao as the investigation

on the root cause of the system-wide shutdown is underway.

The NGCP reported that the Mindanao system demand stood at 785 MW, and the supply is 853 MW accounting to 93 MW reserve when the incident occurred at around 3:52:00 AM of 27 February 2014. Initial reports indicate that the tripping emanated from the breaker of the Agus 1 switchyard. The breaker or the switchyard of the power plants is the facility that links the power plant to the

FPOWER, 10

T

abf@edgedavao.net

HE Department o f Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 11 is expecting a P7.9 billion funding for their 2014 projects.

Engr. Mariano R. Alquiza, DPWH 11 director, told reporters in last Friday’s press briefing at the Davao City district office that their office received P3.9 billion as their regular project fund plus an additional fund as the agency is also a recipient of funding from other

agencies.

He said that in their 2013 projects they had P8.7 billion total.

Alquiza also said that their office also got P1.9 billion from the Department of Tourism for their tourism project.

“Out of this, as of Feb. 15, we had already a major accomplishment of 3.65 percent but we are still on the positive slippage by .83 percent,” said Alquiza.

Alquiza said that

FDPWH, 10

WOMEN’S DAY. Davao City Integrated Gender Development Division officer-in-charge Lorna Mandin announces during Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of

FHOUSE, 10 SM City Davao the activities for the upcoming International Women’s Day celebration slated on March 8. Lean Daval Jr.

NEWS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

3

FAILURE. Students in most far-flung places of the country, like in Marilog, Davao City, endure the scorching heat of the sun while walking several kilometers daily to attend classes due to the government’s failure to set aside a much bigger budget for the construction of new school buildings and concrete roads. Lean Daval Jr.

MAN’S BEST FRIEND

If you love your dog, have it vaccinated!

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

T

abf@edgedavao.net

HE Department of Health (DOH) 11 is urging dog owners in Davao City to have their dogs vaccinated against rabies.

“This is just a short statement but it enjoins all responsible pet owners to get involved in this,” Dr. Annabelle P. Yumang, officer-in-charge of Center for Health and Development of DOH-11, said during the flag-raising ceremony at the city hall yesterday.

Yumang said that they will now increase the antirabies vaccine given to patients who are bitten by

animals with rabies as part of their commitment in the fight against rabies. She said that this vaccine can be acquired from the four animal bite centers which will cater to those in need.

She said that they already recorded 14 fatalities in the city from 2010 to 2012 and 10,000 animal bites in 2013.

Earlier, councilor Mary Joselle D. Villafuerte asked the city government for more funds with which to address the problem of rabies in the city for immunization of animals, purchasing vaccines for

FMAN’S, 10

Dabawenya leaders in Women Summit D

A B A W E N Y A leaders from various sectors will convene today to present a package resolution to the city government during the 5th Women Summit at the Ritz Hotel and Garden Oases.

Lorna Mandin, Integrated Gender Development Division (IGDD) officer-in-charge said that the package resolution to strengthen ordinances concerning women and children’s rights and protection.

“It seems that the over arching tone of the demand kana ganing unsaon ang pagpastrengthen sa integration ng genders,” she said.

The package resolution is a product of more than 20 pre-summit assemblies that started last February 17.

The series pre-summit assemblies was attended by more than 500 women leaders from 11 political districts, health officers, law enforcers, indigenous people (IPs) communities, and academe in the city.

Mandin said that during the pre-summits, “napag-usapan unsay mga balaod nga inplace in the local and national level, ano ung mga ordinances on local the women’s code, unsay provisions na naa pero naay gray areas na walang napatuman,”

FDABAWENYA, 10

REPORTED CASES ON

Violence vs women, children increasing

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

he number of reported cases related to violence against women and children is increasing every year because more and more women are becoming aware of their rights, an official said.

Mary Anne Sapar, Gabriella secretary general for Davao City, said in Kapehan sa Dabaw SM City Annex yesterday that the increase in reports is a positive implication because Dabawenyas are now more educated qbout

their rights.

“Aside from being educated, our grassroots women now have the courage to fight for their rights,” she said, adding that based on their study, there is a woman abused every 40 minutes Sapar said that based on the Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) of the Philippine National Police(PNP), there were 1,882 complaints under Republic Act (RA) 9262 or the “Anti-Violence against Women and Their Children

Act of 2004”.

Reports obtained from the Integrated Gender Development Division (IGDD) also bared an increase over the past years.

Since the implementation of R.A. 9262 in 2004, the division recorded 107 cases and this increased to 120 in 2005.

This almost doubled in 2006 with 399, and decreased in 2007 to 363. The number of cases increased again in 2008 with 497 complaints and

611 in 2009. There were 526 cases reported in 2010, then 634 in 2011.

There was a big leap in 2012 when cases reported reached 1,015 and 1,041 last year.

Last year, economic abuse or deliberate withdrawal of financial support to make the woman financially dependent remained the highest reported cases lodged before the division.

Cases on economic

FREPORTED, 10

ECONOMIC ABUSE. Lawyer Randy Babao, chief of technical services of the National Police Commission discloses during Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao that majority of cases filed against police personnel is economic abuse which is a violation of Republic Act 9262 or better known as Anti-Violence against Women and Children. Lean Daval Jr.

4 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

COMPOSTELA VALLEY

Zamora co-authors bills on housing dept., Family Code C

OMPOSTELA VALLEY Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora supports the creation of a Department of Housing, saying she recognizes the need to rationalize the housing program of the government.

The proposal is embodied in House Bill No. 587 entitled, “An Act Creating the Department of Housing, Planning and Urban Development, Defining its Mandates, Powers and Functions, Providing Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes,” principally authored

by Rep. Jose Christopher Belmonte of Quezon City.

“For some time now, there has been a growing clamor to officially create a housing department which will oversee government programs on shelter for our people. The need to give rhyme and reason to the often-chaotic processes and programs of the various housing agencies of government has become imperative,” Rep. Zamora said.

“If passed into law, the

proposal will put under one roof and integrate these housing agencies and programs, allowing easier coordination and effective implementation. We will thus create a one-stop-shop service that will have primary jurisdiction on all housing and sheltering concerns.

This will also pave the way for well-planned and better engineered residential communities,” she added.

The ComVal solon also affixed her signature as a co-sponsor of Rep. Rufus Rodriguez’ House Bill No. 2251, amending the Family Code by harmonizing it with recent Supreme Court rulings on divorce obtained by the alien spouse in another country.

“Under our present laws, when a Filipino citizen marries a foreigner, and the latter subsequently obtained a judicial decree of absolute divorce abroad, the Filipino remains incapacitated to remarry unless he or she files a separate petition for

SARANGANI PROVINCE

DSWD AWARDS TAGUM CITY. In behalf of DSWD Regional Director Priscilla N. Razon, DSWD Home for the Aged center head Annie L. Rosalinda [second from right] awards a plaque to Tagum City Mayor Allan L. Rellon as DSWD Outstanding Partner for 2013. Joining the courtesy visit at Tagum City Hall are workers of DSWD Home for Aged [from left] Elmir Botardo, Domingo Lequigan and Pacita Ehong. Presently, the Home for Aged serves a total of 58 homeless older persons. nullity of marriage here in the Philippines. The proposed measure equalizes the situation by giving the

abandoned Filipino spouse the right to register the foreign divorce, instead of resorting to costly judicial

Task force formed to probe mayor ambush T

HE Police Regional Office 12 has created a special task force to lead the investigation into the ambush on Friday night that led to the fatal cardiac arrest of the mayor of Maitum town in Sarangani province.

Chief Supt. Lester Camba, Region 12 police director, said Monday the task force was tasked to look deeper into the circumstances of the attack on the late Maitum Mayor George Mcrtson Perrett, determine its motive and identify those involved, especially their possible masterminds.

“This is to ensure proper focus and speed up the resolution of the case,” the official told reporters.

Dubbed Task Group Perrett, Camba said the task force is mainly composed of investigators from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Region 12 and other regional police units.

He said the unit commanders and heads of offices of the regional police office were also given special assignments under the task group.

Perrett, his wife Elsie

and five aides were on their way home around 10:30 p.m. last Friday when they were ambushed by unidentified gunmen at a portion of the highway in Sitio Buto, Barangay Malalag in Maitum.

Recovered from the crime scene were 13 empty shells from an M16 rifle, two from a caliber .45 handgun, and another from a 12-gauge shotgun.

The mayor and his companions attended an arts and culture event in the town proper of Maitum and were on their way home when the incident happened.

The mayor, who was then driving their Toyota Fortuner sports utility vehicle, was hit on the leg but still managed to drive to a nearby detachment of the regional police’s public safety battalion.

Another aide was slightly wounded but Elsie, who is a former three-term mayor of Maitum, and their four other companions were unharmed.

Perrett was immediately rushed to the St. Elizabeth Hospital for treatment but died of cardiac arrest due to severe loss of

blood around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday.

The late mayor, who is a close ally of Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao, is the youngest son of Walter K. Perrett, an American banker who was among the first group of Thomasites that were sent to the Philippines after the Filipino-American war.

The elder Perrett arrived in Maitum in 1918 after a brief stay in Ilocos. He was executed by the Japanese occupational forces in Kiamba during the war.

Sr. Insp. Arnold Montesa, Maitum police chief, earlier said they were investigating several angles, including politics, as possible motive of the attack.

Maitum, a coastal town bordering Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat provinces, has a history of political killings.

In 1986, Exuperio Gabucayan, a former Philippine Army captain who was appointed officer-in-charge of Maitum, was killed by assassins.

In November 2006, then Mayor George Yabes was gunned down by unidentified suspects at the town’s public market. He was replaced by his Vice

Mayor Felix Reganit, who was shot dead a year later in Tondo, Manila.

In 2010, unidentified gunmen killed municipal councilor Edwin Ramos, who was then rumored to be considering running for mayor, just outside his residence.

Last year, Barangay Kalaong chair Alan Perrett Palileo, a nephew of the late mayor, was killed on the third attempt on his life.

Meantime, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Sarangani immediately installed Vice Mayor Pepito Catimbang as mayor of Maitum last Saturday afternoon.

The town’s top councilor, Jeanne Ablog, was also sworn in as vice mayor, said DILG provincial director Flor Limpin.

Limpin said the move was aimed to avoid vacuum in the local government’s leadership and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of its services.

“We deemed it proper to immediately act on the matter in response to the attack, which is a peace and order concern,” he added. [MindaNews]

proceedings, in order to acquire legal capacity to contract marriage once again,” said Rep. Zamora.

TAGUM CITY

“The proposal is but just and favorable to the Filipino spouse,” the young lady lawmaker said.

Free civil registration offered

H

IGHLIGHTING the observance of the Civil Registration Month this February, the local government of Tagum through the City Civil Registrar Office (CCRO) conducted a free birth registration for all Tagumeños last February 27, 2014 at the Tagum City Pavilion.

According to City Civil Registrar Flordeliza Zulueta, this is in line with Mayor Allan L. Rellon’s marching order for a “100% civil registration” in the city.

Aside from the free

MAGUINDANAO

birth registration, the CCRO also tapped the National Statistics Office for a mobile authenticating process for copies of birth, marriage and death certificates.

A total of 1,200 residents availed of the services based on the data released by CCRO. Zulueta said that this special one-day activity is beneficial to Tagumeños who need not to go to the National Statistics Office in Davao City to process their documents. [Gleiza Delgado/ CIO Tagum]

Law enforcers on alert vs BIFF

P

OLICE and military authorities in Maguindanao have been placed on heightened alert in preparation for possible escalation of attacks by the lawless Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) with the expected signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB).

Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are optimistic

the CAB, the final GPHMILF peace accord, can be signed within the month.

Chief Supt. Noel Delos Reyes, regional police director of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), on Friday has ordered component municipal and provincial police offices to closely monitor possible movements by the BIFF to sabotage the signing of the CAB. [PNA]

5 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

Long rotational brownouts back in parts of Mindanao L

ong daily power interruption in several parts of Mindanao is back again due to a supply shortage.

Before the May midterm elections last year, daily rotational brownouts lasting up to eight hours also affected certain parts of the island due to power generation deficiency.

Last Thursday, a Mindanao-wide power outage lasted for several hours, with the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) saying on Saturday that based on an initial report, the tripping “emanated from the breaker of a switchyard in a power plant.” It did not identify the power plant, however.

In a text message, the NGCP also said that an investigation, which is closely monitored by the Department of Energy, is underway to determine the cause of the system-wide shutdown.

The NGCP website on Saturday showed a deficiency of 338 MW in the Mindan-

ao grid, which has a system capacity of 946 MW against a peak demand of 1,284 MW. As this developed, the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Zamcelco) confirmed it is implementing anew a daily rotational brownout lasting at least eight hours due to the generation deficiency in the Mindanao grid.

Zamcelco president Omar Sahi disclosed that the distribution utility’s supply was reduced to 55 megawatts (MW), or a shortage of 33 MW to meet the daily peak demand of 88 MW. The available supply comes from the state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. and private power producer Therma Marine, Inc. at 41.6 MW and 13.5 MW, respectively.

“We lack 33 MW and that is equivalent to an eighthour brownout because every 4 MW shortage of power translates to a one hour brownout,” Sahi explained.

Sahi said the rotation-

POWER SOURCE. From an aerial view, construction of the first 105 - Megawatt (MW) phase of the 210 - MW coal-fired power plant project in Maasim town continues Friday, February 28. The project owner, developer and potential operator Sarangani Energy Corporation is committed to help solve Mindanao’s power problem as the power plant goes commercial stream in September, 2015. al brownout Saturday, the second day of implementation, ranges from eight to nine hours, which is shorter than Friday’s nine to 10

hours.

He said the rotational brownout is being implemented in four frequencies at two hours per frequency.

Sahi said that one of the reasons why there is a power shortage is because the Bukidnon-based Pulangi IV only supplies 90

MW to the Mindanao grid, which is lesser by more than half of its total generating capacity of 255 MW. [MindaNews]

6 THE ECONOMY Stat Watch Indicator

Latest

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

7.1 1st Qtr 2013 6.8

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

7.8 1st Qtr 2013 7.5

(At Constant 2000 Prices)

(At Constant 2000 Prices)

3. Exports 1/ 3. Exports

4. Imports 1/ 4. Imports

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

7.6.Broad Money Liabilities Balance of Payments

2nd Qtr 2013

2nd Qtr 2013

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

8. Interest Rates 4/

7. Broad Money Liabilities

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

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

10.Revenues National government outstanding debt outstanding debt

P 5,609 P 41.14 Aprbillion 2013

11.Stocks Peso per US $ 12.

Composite

Index 6/

6,847.5 P 43.83 Mar Sep2013 2013

12. Stocks Composite

6,191.8 132.8 Sep2013 2013 Apr

13. Consumer Price Index

135.2 Oct2.62013

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

Sep 2013

13. Consumer Index Price Index 2006=100

2006=100 14.

Headline Inflation Rate 14. 2006=100 Headline Inflation

Apr 2013

2.9 Oct3.12013

Rate 15.

Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

Apr 2013

2006=100

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100 16.

Visitor Arrivals

2.5

418,108 Oct 2013 Feb 2013

382,022 Aug 2013 20.9%

16. Visitor Arrivals

17. Underemployment 7/ 17. Rate Underemploymen

Jan 2013 19.2%

18.

18.Unemployment UnemploymentRate Rate7/

7.1% Jan 2013 7.3%

Rate

Jul 2013

Month Average December November October September August July June May April March February January

Phil-Job.Net calls on job-seekers L

OOKING for job?

This might just be for you.

The government has opened an enhanced employment portal in cyberspace via www.Phil-Job.net for Filipino job seekers and employers looking for skilled Filipino manpower.

“This is the brainchild of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to pool the nation’s available manpower and the employers looking for them through a modern venue - the cyberspace,” said DOLE Davao regional director Joffrey M. Suyao.

Suyao said that internet is the information highway where job-seekers spend a number of hours with and it might just be high time the Philippine government join in the wagon, “this time providing a better and improved services.”

“The Department is exhausting all possible efforts to assist our kababayans to find decent employment.

More that the quantity of jobs we also value the quality of jobs

Jul 2013

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2011-September 2013) 2013

2012

2011

43.83 43.86 43.35 42.91 41.30 41.14 40.71 40.67 40.73

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

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

VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

L

EARLY BIRD. A market porter does an early morning delivery of eggs at the Agdao Public Market in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

the Filipino manpower are placed,” Suyao added.

Labor and employment secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz, for her part, encourages job-seekers to be true, accurate and current in the information and data they provide on Phil-job.net website.

“Provide prospective employers true, accurate, current and complete information about yourself and about your abilities,”

Baldoz said.

“It would be helpful if the applicant or job seeker can also provide in their online registration a comprehensive summary of experience, training and skills, factors that employers highly consider,” she added.

“To promote the efficient use of the system in the region, we have set orientation schedules among our provincial offices and the local gov-

ernment units and school-based Public Employment Service Offices (PESO),” Suyao explained.

“We also encourage our prospect employers to enroll in the system, post their job vacancies and hire or “meet” prospective employees,” he added.

Department Order 133-13 issued late last year, has ensured that a system will be put in place to protect job-seekers from

fraud, deceitful and illegal recruitment.

“Let’s make good use of our modern technology. Using the Phil-Job.net is easy and convenient to both job-seeker and prospect employers,” he added.

Aside from job vacancies, the website also features statistics on top skills needed, top vacancies, as well as jobs from its partner websites. [Sherwin B. Manual/DOLE 11]

however, is tempered by competitive dynamics and the effects of continuous climate change,” said SM president Harley Sy. Sy said the conglomerate thus is constantly evolving to take advantage of the enormous opportunities offered by a fast emerging economy.

“SM will remain focused on its core businesses of retail, property and banking with portfolio investments in high-growth emerging sectors,” he said.

The banking business accounted for the largest contribution of

42.8 percent to SM’s consolidated net income last year.

The property group consisting of malls and real estate shared 35.9 percent, while retail pitched in 21.3 percent.

Net income of BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) surged by 56 percent to P22.6 billion from P14.5 billion.

SMIC attributed the robust earnings mainly to the growth in loans and deposits as well as non-interest income.

SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the leading property developers in Southeast Asia, reported combined net earn-

ings of P16.27 billion in 2013.

Its consolidated revenues also grew five percent to P59.79 billion from P57.22 billion a year ago. Rental revenues accounted for 54 percent of the total.

SM Prime credited the increase primarily to the full-effect of six new SM malls that opened in 2012.

Its shopping malls in China also sustained their profit growth, with net income amounting to P958 million.

SM Prime operates 48 malls in the Philippines and five malls in

China.

Apart from malls, the property firm has interests in residential, commercial and tourism development businesses.

SM Retail also reported a net income of P5.6 billion, while sales grew 14 percent to P180.9 billion.

At the end of 2013, SM Retail had a total of 241 stores, consisting of 48 SM Department stores, and 193 food stores consisting of 39 SM Supermarkets, 39 SM Hypermarkets, 93 SaveMore stores and 22 Walter Mart supermarkets. [PNA]

SM Investments Corp.’s profit up 11% in 2013

EADING Philippine conglomerate SM Investments Corp.’s (SMIC) profit grew 11 percent in 2013, bolstered mainly by its banking and property businesses.

In a statement to the Philippine Stock Exchange, SMIC reported that net income reached P27.45 billion from P24.67 billion in 2012.

Its revenues also expanded by 13 percent to P253.53 billion from P223.88 billion.

“SM’s full year earnings for 2013 reflect the overall progressive economic environment of the country which,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cebu-Davao-Cebu

16:45

7 ENVIRONMENT

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

Tamaraw conservation efforts highlighted FIRST WORLD WILDLIFE DAY

W

orld Wildlife Day is an opportunity for the international community to celebrate the globe’s wild plant and animal life while redoubling efforts to protect them. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) welcomes recent achievements to safeguard wildlife, laments the losses and looks toward a future in which people can truly live in harmony with nature.

The United Nations General Assembly set aside March 3 to raise awareness of the intrinsic value of wildlife and its contributions to sustainable development and human well-being. The day, which marks the signing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973, is also being used to underscore the need to fight wildlife crime.

“The Earth’s wild creatures – from the tiger to the monarch butterfly – bring wonder and beauty into our lives. They are also a vital part of the forests, meadows, rivers and oceans on whose services our economy and society depend. Wildlife needs our appreciation and protection,” said Jim Leape,

Director General of WWF International.

The last year has recorded numerous achievements in the fight against wildlife crime. Several countries disposed of ivory stocks, the United Nations imposed targeted sanctions, and the recent London Conference resulted in strengthened commitments aimed at poaching and illegal trade.

While progress has been achieved, illegal wildlife trade continues to pose a grave threat to our natural world. In South Africa alone, over 1,000 rhinos were poached in 2013.

More than a statistic, it’s a sombre reminder that wildlife crime is real, that it interrupts economic opportunities, and that it poses a threat to security and stability.

Despite these setbacks, WWF is pleased to announce that the country’s very own Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis) – once hunted by poachers and assailed by disease outbreaks such as rinderpest – is on the road to recovery. One of the Earth’s most endangered species – the Tamaraw is a dwarf buffalo found only on the island of Mindoro in the Philippines.

Owing to aggressive efforts by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Tamaraw Conservation Programme, Far Eastern University, Hubbs-Seaworld Research Institute, local govern-

ment of Occidental Mindoro, Tawbuid Mangyan and WWF, wild Tamaraw numbers jumped from 327 in April 2012 to 345 in April 2013. Led by the above groups, the ‘Tams-2’ project synthesizes camera

trapping, DNA analysis and other science-based research initiatives with improved park management practices.

By working with civil society, government and business, WWF helps safe-

for scalable projects and investments, with a projected floor of 50 percent of initial adaption allocations being reserved for the most vulnerable countries,” he explained.

The Fund, the green economist said, will maximize engagement with the private sector, including a significant allocation to the Private Sector Facility, in order to provide incentives that encourage a paradigm shift to low-carbon development.

During the meeting, the board also decided that the Fund will be a leader on gender mainstreaming and will define its gender action plan in the October board meeting this year.

The Board also discussed additional key elements that will shape the Fund’s support for low-carbon and climate-resilient development: its result management framework, the risk management and investment frameworks, the

accreditation framework and the proposal approval process.

During the three-day meetings, the Board members agreed on several key decisions that will shape the Fund’s work streams and activities as it moves forward.

In May, the Board aims to take key decisions on the remaining essential requirements that will allow the Fund to receive, manage, program and disburse funds.

The Board also mandated the GCF Secretariat to develop a comprehensive work program on readiness and preparatory support, which will stimulate developing countries to benefit from the Fund.

In one of the meetings’ dinners hosted by the Indonesian government, Vice-Minister of Finance Bambang Brodjonegoro announced Indonesia’s pledge to contribute to the Fund.

“Indonesia also stands ready if all countries are re-

quired to contribute for the capital base of the Fund. I am hoping this contribution can support the Fund’s activities in helping developing countries to prepare and finance emission reduction and adaptation programs, including capacity-building programs under the SouthSouth cooperation that replicate the success stories of climate change programs in other countries. I do hope other more capable countries can consider making pledges, or adding to their pledges, or making an indication of their pledges during this Bali meeting,” the Indonesian official said.

The Board also decided that the Fund will manage access to resources with a view to seeking geographical balance and a reasonable and fair allocation across a broad range of countries, while maximizing the scale and transformational impact of the mitigation and adaptation activities of the Fund. [PNA]

HE first three days of the week will continue to be stormfree, but cold and rainy weather will remain in many parts of the country due to the effects of the northeast monsoon, the state weather bureau said Sunday.

In an interview, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysicaland Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather forecaster Gener Quitlong said the agency is not anticipating any cyclone to affect the country until Wednesday.

But he noted that partly cloudy to cloudy skies with rains will continue to prevail in many parts of the country because of the northeast monsoon.

The northeast monsoon or “hanging amihan” is a mass of cold air that blows into the country

CONSERVATION. The ‘Tams-2’ Project aims to double wild Tamaraw numbers from 300 to 600 by 2020. Owing to aggressive public and private sector efforts, Tamaraw numbers have jumped from 153 in 2002 to 345 by April 2013. Shown is a Tamaraw bull in Occidental Mindoro, the Philippines. [Gregg Yan/ WWF] guard wildlife on World Wildlife Day and every day.

For more on the innovative ways WWF is protecting wildlife and supporting communities visit: https:// earthhourblue.crowdonomic.com/

Green Climate Fund to balance climate Storm free in the next change mitigation, adaptation programs three days - - PAGASA T

HE Green Climate Fund will strike a 50:50 balance between climate change mitigation and adaptation over time as it will also aim for a floor of 50 percent of the adaptation allocation for particularly vulnerable nations – including least developed countries, small island developing states and African states.

These were among the issues taken during the recent sixth meeting of the 24-member GCF board in Bali Dusa Nua Convention Center, Bali, Indonesia, GCF Board Co-chair and Albay Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda said Monday.

The decisions taken up during the meeting ensure that the Fund can help developing countries cope with the devastating impacts of climate change and become more climate-resilient, Salceda added.

“We need to put in place essential requirements so that the developing world can access climate finance

T

from Siberia.

It is responsible for the cool weather the country experiences from early November to midMarch.

For Sunday forecast, Quitlong said that Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Visayas will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains while Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

It added that moderate to occasionally strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over eastern section of the country and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to occasionally rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northeast with slight to moderate seas. [PNA]

8

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

EDITORIAL Abolish them all

T

HE Rodriguez brothers in the House of Representatives have come up once again with an insanely great solution to an age-old problem (problems if you may) -- the abolition of 19 useless government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs).

No Brothers Karamasov, Reps. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City and Maximo Rodriguez of Abante Mindanao party-list jointly filed House Bill No. 3807 seeking the abolition of the GOCCs and GFIs, including two which are enmeshed in the P10-billion pork barrel scam – ZNAC Rubber Estate Corp.

(ZREC) and National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor).

The Rodriguezes’ move, they say, is consistent with President PNoy’s austerity measures, branding the GOCCs “unnecessary, under-performing, and worse --losing.”

According to a news item in the Philippine Daily Inquirer yesterday, the 17 other GOCCs and GFIs whose demise is sought by the Rodriguezes’ proposal, are the Banaue Hotel and Youth Hostel; Batangas Land Co. Inc.; Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) Management and Holdings Inc., Cottage Industry Technology; Freeport Service Corp.; GY Real Estate Inc.; Kamayan Realty Corp.; Marawi Resort Hotel, Inc.; Masaganang Sakahan Inc.; Natural Resources Development Corp.; National Development Corp.–Infrastruc-

EDGEDAVAO

Providing solutions to a seamless global village.

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NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE

the national association of newspapers

Printed by Zion Accuprint Publishing Inc. Door 14 ALCREJ Building, Quirino Avenue, 8000, Davao City, Philippines Tel: (082) 301-6235 Telefax: (082) 221-3601 www.edgedavao.net editorial@edgedavao.net marketing@edgedavao.net

ture Corporation; Northern Foods Corp.; Philippine Aerospace Development Corp.; Philippine Convention and Visitors Corp.; Pinagkaisa Realty Corp.; and Trade and Investment Development Corp. of the Philippines.

According to the brother lawmakers, the subject GOCCs and GFIs have failed to fulfill their respective mandates despite the fact that they are gobbling up government subsidies to the tune of P7 billion a year.

This laudable measure of the Rodriguez brothers should be subjected to a committee hearing right away. In that hearing, further scrutiny should be done on the other GOCCs and GFIs which may turn out to be all “white elephants” draining taxpayer’s money 365 days a year, indefinitely.

These government entities were obviously created to accommodate cronies and provide employment to jobless politicians. Often, they are a product of a conspiracy of sorts between Congress (House of Representatives and the Senate) and the incumbent President. It would be interesting to trace the close relationship of politicians in power led by a sitting President and those appointed to positions in these GOCCs and GFIs at the time they got their appointment.

It is only logical, therefore, that Congress and the Office of the President should initiate their abolition. The P7 billion saved with the abolition is no peanuts.

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG Creative Solutions

ARLENE D. PASAJE Cartoons

RAMON M. MAXEY Consultant

GREGORIO G. DELIGERO Associate Editor

LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. JOSEPH LAWRENCE P. GARCIA Photography Contributing Photographer

ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR./ CHENEEN R. CAPON Reporters

Columnists: CARLOS MUNDA • MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • MARY ANN “ADI” C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NICASIO AGUSTIN • VIDA A. MIA VALVERDE • Economic ENRICO“ADDIE” “GICO” G. Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER ANGELO C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA Analysts: • BERNADETTE B. DAYANGIRANG M.QUISIDO PEREZ • Lifestyle Columnists: BAISR., FAUZIAH SINSUAT •AMBOLODTO • MEGHANN STA. INES BORBON • MARY• JONALLIER ANN “ADI” C. • LEANDRO B. DAVAL • NIKKIFATIMA GOTIANSE-TAN NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY •ZEN NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ

GENERAL OFFICE SANTOS CITY CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OLIVIA D. VELASCO OLIVIA D. VELASCO RICHARDRICHARD C. EBONAC. EBONA SOLANI D. MARATAS SOLANI D. MARATAS MARKETING OFFICE | Marketing Manager General Manager General ManagerMarketingAdvertising Supervisor SpecialistFinance FinanceLEIZEL A. DELOSOLEIZEL A. DELOSO | MarketingFLORENCE ManagerS. VILLARIN

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VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014 EDGEDAVAO Ex-general faces a new battle front at Customs

A

T LAST, this city have someone at the Bureau of Customs who looks and sounds like he’s serious and determined to clean up this agency of the Department of Finance here at the Davao seaport in Sasa.

We don’t really care to know the guy he replaced at the bureau as District Collector simply because there’s a lot of cleaning up to do in Davao City ---which has been described by the commissioner of Bureau of Internal Revenue as the “weakest link” in the revenue collection efforts of the government---something that gets Mayor Rody Duterte’s blood pressure shooting up in anger.

It’s nice to hear straight from the mouth of Ernesto Ruiz-Aradanas, the new District Collector here what he’s doing to clean up the ranks as well as the entire image of the Bureau of Customs which had been buckling on its knees from so many complaints and accusations from so many exporters, importers, traders and businessmen in this southern city.

It’s probably safe to assume that Aradanas knows exactly what is happening in the Bureau of Customs---the smuggling that had been going on for many years here, not just rice but

I

S DRASTIC REFORM REALLY ON THE WAY? – When the Department of Finance (DoF) top executive John Sevilla was appointed to head the graft-ridden Bureau of Customs (BoC), President Benigno Aquino III and his big boss at the Finance department perhaps have just one thing to say to him: “Please move ahead with the reform and crack the whip ruthlessly if need be.”

Certainly, public sentiment favors the overhaul of the BoC, perennially included in any list of the most corrupt institution in government.

Commissioner Sevilla’s appointment came in the midst of high-level corruption scandals that have engulfed the bureau and sparked a furor.

With radical changes in mind, the Customs chief likewise reminded his subordinates down the line to strictly follow what his bosses told him to do – cleanse the bureau of its “poisons and toxins.” One glaring example is the Boc District 12 based in Davao City. Newly-installed district collector retired military general Ernesto Adaranas told media during his first press conference that there will be no more bribery and corruption during his watch.

It’s just one of the many ideas discussed aimed at minimizing if not totally stamping out corruption in the bureau. The fact that it is being discussed at all shows how seriously Aradanas was taking the need to stop the payola system, which he describes as alternately “informal cash flow and Friday habit.” It is an established practice probably in all districts that when corruption is entrenched, officials certainly are oozing with cash.

also other commodities imported by local traders conniving with customs officer who sign those documents referred to only as “ID” or Import Declaration forms for a sealed fat envelope slipped inside his drawer. (It takes “two to tango”, you know.)

In our recent “ambush” interview with Aradanas together with other reporters from the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Business Mirror at the Seda Hotel beside Abreeza Ayala Mall last week, he made it clear to us that he knows exactly what is happening and taking some critical steps to minimize or totally eradicate this practice.

Perhaps it’s also safe to assume that Aradanas is fully aware about complaints of local exporters, mostly members of PhilExport Davao, that they cannot get their export shipments off the Davao port unless

their “ED” or Export Declaration has been signed by a customs officer who can sit on their export documents for a long, long time, unless five blue bills in an envelope is slipped for “merienda” or “dinner”.

During his short talk before members of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce, the new District Collector said he’s working out something to boost the government salaries of his customs collectors at the Davao port area so they won’t be tempted to accept those envelopes from exporters and freight forwarders, all frantic and desperate to get their export shipments off the port.

To us, this seems to be quite a tall order for this former brigade commander of the Philippine Army in Maguindanao, the former Brigadier General Ernesto Aradanas who went into battle facing warrior rebels in that war-torn area of Mindanao.

If he risked his life winning those battles in Maguindanao, we’re very sure this battle-scarred former general will also win his battle at the Bureau of Customs here in Davao.

(Comments ? Email > tradingpost_ davao@yahoo.com)

T h e s c h e m e referred to the day brokers, tolerated smugglers and other unscrupulous businessmen would deliver “ g r e a s e money” as financial tribute to thick-faced Customs officials and local media practitioners who in turn would divide the loot among them. The occasion brought into the open a deep-rooted culture of corruption involving Customs personnel and some outsiders.

Corrupt Customs officials would bestow favors on unscrupulous traders and brokers – including misdeclaration, under-declaration and technical smuggling of dutiable cargoes worth several millions – in return for lavish gifts or outright bribery. Such arrangements are nothing new inside the bureau with the involvement of some fraudulent media figures who act as go-betweens to shady brokers and smugglers in exchange of substantial amount of money.

As it turns out, “outside intervention” is also another problem confronting the operations of the Customs bureau. Influential people like senators, congressmen and local officials not to mention big businessmen would intervene in every twist and turn and exert influence how the Customs people will perform. Aside from this, they

would also recommend their own non-qualified people to work in the bureau thereby destroying the basic procedures in hiring new employees for itemized and plantilla positions.

Those are just part of the mounting problems.

After all, reforms are relative and may be won through forcing greater efficiencies.

However, as investigators do their work to unmask the syndicates behind the unabated smuggling at the BoC, skeptics wonder whether the new Customs chief and all newlydesignated district collectors can really deliver meaningful reforms.

Drastic change is not to say that bureau employees’ rights should be ignored. Other government institutions have been thoroughly revamped before and deserving personnel can be either retained or posted in other government offices. Government it would seem has effectively declared war against corruption and the only way to wage and win it is with the people’s unwavering support and cooperation.

Even so, doubts still remain whether radical change is really on the way. Critics and keen observers say that the appointment either of a reputed civil servant or retired military official in a crucial position is no guarantee of change. Reinforcing a traditional practice in government where top civil officials and military officers upon their retirement or while still in active duty were offered cushy jobs in government only strengthen public perception that some are taking advantage of their connections and influence. But to be fair, let’s give them a chance.

Clean-up drive

9 Is Peace an Objective or Just a Tactic?

VANTAGE POINTS

WORM’S EYEVIEW

BY MANNY VALDEHUESA

F

(Conclusion)

OR one, it would be nice to see a gesture of appreciation on their part, an indication that they appreciate solidarity founded on a common heritage worth protecting and preserving for posterity.

On our part, we must be ready to affirm that The Bangsamoro now stands with us as equal and second to none as sovereign citizens of the Philippine Republic.

Ownership?

The Chair of the Transition Team, Mohager Iqbal, asks—as does PNoy—that we “fast-track” the acceptance or approval of the agreement. In this regard, care should be taken that the presentations/consultations are done with utter delicacy, sensitive to reality.

For instance, it would be wrong to presume that everyone is open-minded, that a sense of ownership of the Bangsamoro idea can be readily acquired or implanted.

Not especially where people were not involved in the peace process, nor were made to feel as parties-in-interest.

The fact is, most Mindanaons, like the rest of the Filipino people, were not really involved in the process except as spectators. It was, is, viewed as primarily an affair between the Central Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Meanwhile, many are still skeptical of the latter’s claim to represent all so-called Bangsamoro, which to them is still a vague concept.

The imbroglio in Zamboanga City just two weeks ago, in which an assembly expressed its disaffection towards the agreement or the MILF, or both—in no uncertain terms—should caution against undue presumptions or impatience.

The Challenge One must never forget that what brought matters to this point involved the use of deadly weapons, violence, deaths, and secessionist posturing.

So there is an inhibiting fear-factor here, reinforced by general knowledge that the MILF possesses armed readiness to challenge government or the rule of law at any time.

The challenge we all face is how to convince people—especially those who have been injured or traumatized—to think of peace as something that flows from the heart or the mind rather than from the barrel of a gun. [Manny is former UNESCO regional director for Asia-Pacific, secretary-general of Southeast Asian Publishers Association, director at Development Academy of the Philippines, vice chair of Local Government Academy, member of the Cory Government’s Peace Panel, and PPI-UNICEF awardee for outstanding columnist. valdehuesa@gmail.com]

10

NEWS

Done...FFROM 1 balik. Kung pabalikon mo pahibal-a ko nganong gipabalik mo,” he said.

He added that he already ordered every office in the city to bare what requirements and payments are to be submitted so that the 72-hour policy will be followed.

“Kung imong papeles wala pa nigawas within 72 hours, diretso namo didto sa amo opisina isumbong nako kay ipatawag nako ang hepe sa opisina kay ipa explain nako sa inyoha nganong nilampas og three days,” Duterte urged.

A survey by the Social Weather Station (SWS) showed that the city got the highest rating, with Davao businesmen giving the city government a +67 grade in its fight against corruption among the national capital region (NCR), CALABARZON, Angeles, Iloilo, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro. Mahar K. Mangahas SWS president said during the roadshow spearheaded by the National Competitiveness Council at The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites Friday that the rating given to Davao City LGU ”is very good:” while the other cities were only “good,” and

the NCR “neutral.”

He said that in 2013, the net sincerity score (the percentage calling them sincere minus the percentage calling them insincere), for the entire sample, of city governments was +23, which SWS calls “moderate” (between +10 and +29).

Department of Trade and Industry 11 (DTI 11) officer in charge Suzette Lazo said the highest rating means the city government provides an environment where businesses can progress through different policies that the city has implemented.

Last month, the city government dismissed five city treasurer’s office (CTO) employees for misappropriation of tax collections amounting to P14 million last year.

Aside from dismissal, the city government also imposed accessory penalties, such as cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits and disqualification from holding public office, and banning them from taking civil service examinations.

you can count these institutions on your fingers.”

Alvarez said that the adoption of the new school calendar poses a bigger risk to small private HEIs compared to autonomous universities in the region.

“Halimbawa, ito isang eskwelehan na mag oopen sa October at yung iba sa June, diba huli na sya. May studyante pa kaya sya na papasok?” Alvarez said.

“This is a very good but

a late, late, late change that should have been done 20 years ago. This was already a finding in 1991 and yet it took us 20 years to implement it,” he said.

Currently, Singapore and other neighboring countries have already implanted the system. It is a mechanism that will make Filipino students more competitive. especially during the 2015 Asean integration.

ed to own more than 40 percent of real properties and businesses, while they are totally restricted to exploit natural *resources and own any company in the media industry.

The amendments to the Charter will be approved through separate votings by the both Chambers -- the Senate and the House of Representatives -- with a three-fourth votes required from them.

The Cha-cha debate will start as Congress resumes session on May 5 as they are prepared to go on Lenten recess on March 15.

Earlier, Belmonte reiterated that the amendments are purely for the economic provisions.

Belmonte stressed he will not allow any member to insert any provision other than what is specified in his resolution.

“I will personally block any attempt (to insert other provisions) and I will definitely discourage it. I will stop the plenary debate if there’s a move on

term extension,” Belmonte assured reporters when asked how he will stop colleagues to amend other provision other than his proposal.

“This is simple provisions on the economic, and in the course of session, all source of political changes will not be allowed,” he noted.

The Speaker has also expressed confidence that his proposal will get the vote of majority in the Lower Chamber.

He said Congress is set to prioritize Cha-cha with the Lower Chamber as the main proponent of the measure although senators would still wait for the House version once it passed the third reading.

The Speaker said that Cha-cha is a larger contributor to economic growth as foreign direct investments (FDI) are seen to increase once ownership on estates and corporations, one of the issues raised by investors for not investing in the country, is relaxed. [PNA]

Davao...FFROM 1

House...FFROM 2

VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

A cutting edge technology website needed for TESDA I

T may not be the first one to establish an on-line school or research program but Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is racing to become the first complete, fully updated techie government agency for sourcing of education, employment, business, training, information, etc.

TESDA Secretary and Director General Joel Villanueva said on Monday that the establishment of a cutting edge website will prove that being a tech-voc graduate does not mean being a second-rate citizen in the academe. ”We want more Filipino youths to choose techvoc for an easier access to high paying jobs by declaring ‘Ako’y Tatak TESDA’ instead of just loafing around due to lack of skill after finishing a secondary or even college degree,” said Villanueva. ”We are already mov-

ing to make this dream website a reality. After all, TESDA is technical and online learning is the trend of the future,” he added.

Villanueva said the agency’s current “Free Study Online with TESDA Anywhere You Are” has developed a large following as seen by the almost non-stop inquiries from website users of the courses being offered.

He said that a most modern TESDA Online Program (TOP) should be successful as the agency has partnerships with big names in the information technology industry such as Google, GSM, and Autodesk to make its system efficient and help in enhancing the use of technology in youth training nationwide.

He added that TESDA should be the leader in technology research development program to propagate a culture of research among technical

vocational institutions (TVIs) as he encouraged the private sector to partner with the agency in the development of the TESDA Information System Strategic Plan (ISSP).

He also wants TESDA to get into better data and information management that’s easy to understand and access for the regions by asking them to identify TVIs in technology research in need of support, get the best insights and replicate the best practices all over the country.

Villanueva cited employers and investors searching for the best trained and skilled workers in a particular geographical location and kind of business they want to invest in.

He cited investors who are eyeing to put up hotel business in cities like Manila, Quezon City, Cebu and Baguio should find it easy to check online the availability of

skilled workers such as bartenders, chefs, baristas, tour guides, etc.

He also asked media to help effectively drumbeat public support for the most modern TOP because it is good for the country and its economy.

Villanueva said recent data from Google Analytics showed that page views for http://www.e-tesda.gov.ph reached 5,117,681 since it went online in May 2012 up to January 15, 2014.

The website has 499,533 unique visitors, according to the data. To date, TOP has recorded a total of 25,631 students enrolled in various courses.

A post by one user of the online program h t t p : / / w w w. j b s o l i s . com/2014/02/freestudy-online-with-tesdaanywhere.html recently went viral, generating close to 12,000 Facebook likes and 11,000 shares.

[PNA]

the 3.65 percent accomplishments were in the district offices

of Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental and Davao del Norte.

He said that in 2013 the regional office had an accomplishment rate

of 85.79 percent, tops among regional offices of the DPWH.

transmission network.

The DOE and TransCo were gathering all the facts to validate the reports from NGCP, NPC and IPPs. NGCP and NPC were tasked to reconcile

their data and provide their respective loggers, which contain the recorded sequence of events. NGCP and NPC shall be conducting technical evaluations of condition of the switchyard

and the power plants, of which Transco is tasked to interpret the results.

To know your new schedule, please visit the Davao Light website atwww.davaolight.

com and its Facebook and Twitter accounts. You may also email atdavaolight@ aboitiz.comor contact 229DLPC (3572) or 822-DLPC (3572) for customers in Davao del Norte.

Mandin said in yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Annex.

It will be presented to the city government for necessary executive and

legislative action.

She said that the package resolution contains the concerns of the women sector gathered during assemblies.

In the same event, Mandin and invited Dabawenyos to join a walk on March 5 starting from Freedom Park to People’s Park for the culmination of

the International Women’s Day. Issues confronting the children and women’s sector will be tackled during the event. [CRC]

those who are exposed to animal bites, impounding of stray dogs, and training of personnel to attain the goal of a rabies-free city in the Philippines by 2020.

Villafuerte said that the city government

needs to focus on dog vaccination and dog population control through registration to attain the goal.

The councilor said that in 2013 the city veterinarian’s office

registered 70,956 immunized animals compared to 58,939 in 2012.

She said that only half of the approximate population of dogs was immunized only last year,

which means that they did not hit the target.

Villafuerte said that in 2013 there was a decrease in the number of people exposed to animal bites (6,959) compared to 2012 (7,543).

abuse comprised 54.47 percent of the total 1,041 cases reported.

It includes “withdrawal of financial support or preventing the victim from engaging in any legitimate profession, occupation, business or activity, except in cases where-in the other spouse/partner objects on valid, serious and moral grounds as defined in

Article 73 of the Family Code; “Deprivation or threat of deprivation of financial resources and the right to the use and enjoyment of the conjugal, community or property owned in common; destroying household property; and controlling the victims’ own money or properties or solely controlling

the conjugal money or properties.”

Second most reported is physical abuse with 143 reported cases or 13.74 percent.

Third is psychological abuse with 123 cases or 11.82 percent. In 2012, there were 128 cases reported, 33 in 2011, and 43 in 2010.

Others are marital

infidelity, threat, rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, abandonment, child custody, visitation rights, legal advice, separation of property, and child abuse.

Gabriella and IGDD are entities that advocate for women and children’s rights and protection in the city.

DPWH...FFROM 2 Power...FFROM 2

Dabawenya... FFROM 3

Man’s...FFROM 3

Reported...FFROM 3

EDGEDAVAO

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11

North Cotabato, DENR launch nat’l rubber budwood nursery T

HE Provincial Government of North Cotabato and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) jointly launched last week a 6-hectare National Rubber Budwood Garden inside the provincial capitol grounds in Amas, Kidapawan City.

The project is funded by the DENR with P8 million. The nursery will be planted with the PB260 rubber clone seedlings.

Dr. Ricardo Calderon, director of the Forestry Management Bureau, said this is the first time that the DENR has invested in a high-value crop like rubber in the department’s National Greening Program, a P30-billion reforestation program

covering the period from 2011 to 2016. Unlike other reforestation programs in the past which were foreign-funded, the NGP is fully bankrolled by the Philippine government, a reason agencies and individuals involved in it are more accountable and responsible to the Filipino people.

Calderon said that other provinces like Sultan Kudarat are aching to replicate the budwood nursery of North Cotabato after realizing its advantages.

In its experience and surveys made, the DENR found that people participating in the NGP are more responsive to planting high-value crops like rubber, coffee, cacao and

fruit trees that trees like narra and other hardwood varieties.

“This is the first time that DENR has accepted the reality that people prefer to plant trees that they can benefit from in a short period of times than forest species,” Calderon said.

Half of the total area was already nurturing since November 2013 with around 15,335 high quality rubber tree seedlings worth P2.4 million.

North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza said PB260 which would yield latex or sap in just over 3 years is a prolific rubber clone that will help the in solving the issues confronting the rubber industry such

as low market price and low quality of rubber produce.

The PB260 rubber clone was proven to be more productive than the rest of the rubber varieties in the province which usually take five years to start producing sap.

Eliseo M. Mangliwan, North Cotabato provincial agriculturist, said that as soon as the provincial government receives the remaining funds from the DENR, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist will proceed to the second half of the nursery and complete the planting of more than 30,000 PB260 rubber clones.

The province initially bought and planted PB260 in the nursery out of the

‘Hot Pablo’saves Cateel town farmers from economic woes

“Kung hindi dahil sa DA na nagbigay sa amin ng chili seeds, malamang hindi na kami nakabangon mula sa pagtama sa amin ni Pablo”, (Had it not been for the help of DA, we will never get back on our feet).

HIS was the testimony of Junuel Batao, a member of Subangon Dumang Makers (SDM), a small processing enterprise which produces chili powder from “siling labuyo” both from Open Pollinated and hybrid varieties which is locally known as “dumang”.

The major production areas are found in Barangays Taytayan, Maglahus, Malibago, Aliwagwag, Abijod, Aragon and Alfonso in Cateel, Davao

T

Oriental.

Based on the data from DA, the 30-hectare chili planted areas in Cateel with a potential production volume of 150 kilograms were totally damaged

by Typhoon Pablo.

The DA-RFO 11 through High Value Crops Development Program immediately provided 500 packs of planting materials wherein one pack is good for one thousand square meters area and the seeds were planted to 50 hectares in different municipalities and barangays in Cateel.

Edgardo Arisola, Chairman of SDM said that they now explore in marketing fresh and dried chilli forms with a selling price of 500 pesos per kilo

with a return of investment of 36 to 40 percent.

In 2013, they were able to produce 2,700 kilos of processed chilli powder with its major markets Porky’s Best, Kablon Farms, Green Mindanao and other institutional markets within the region such as malls like SM. Secretary Proceso Alcala who visited recently the chili growers to personally assess the progress of the rehabilitation of the typhoon affected agricultural areas in Cateel said that DA is committed to continue providing the additional farming needs of the people of Cateel and the other calamity-ravaged areas.

“Kabilin-bilinan ng ating

Marketing Agreement. Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Proceso Alcala (3rd from left) witness the check turn over of Vieva Philippines Incorporated President Leah Cruz (in brown bluse), the initial payment of One Million One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (PhP 1,150,000.00) to Subangon Dumang Makers Chairman, Edgardo Arisola (extreme right) at Cateel, Davao Oriental. Also in photo are DA 11 Regional Director Remelyn R. Recoter (2nd from right), Mindanao Development Authority Chairperson, Secretary Luwalhati Antonino (4th from left), OIC PA Rotchie Ravelo (Center) and Ms. Melani Provido, Regional HVCDP Coordinator (Extreme Left). (Inset) Secretary Alcala takes a closer look at a “hot pablo” product produced by Cateel,Davao Oriental chili growers.

pangulo na lahat ng tinamaan ng bagyo ay huwag pababayaan.Tayoy magtutulungan na maibangon po ang inyong kabuhayan”,Alcala said. (The president asked us to aid the typhoon affected farmers. Let us help each other to build back your livelihood).

Part of DA Chief’s interaction with the Chili producers was to witness the joint marketing agreement signing between Vieva Philippines Incorporated (VPI) as the buyer to initially purchase 2,500 kilograms of chili powder amounting to 1.15 million pesos and SDM. VPI intends to export the so-called “hot pablo” to Guam, USA. Pipelined 2014 interventions of DA-HVCDP (Regular Fund) to the chili growers include two units each of grinders and multi-commodity solar dryers and UV film worth 680 thousand pesos.

On the other hand, Pablo Rehabilitation funds for 2014 is expected to assist the farmers with the procurement of seeds which will cover the expansion areas to cope with the demand.

The Chili Industry in Cateel and the rest of the producing municipalities in Davao Oriental will be asssisted not only by DA but also DTI, DSWD and DOLE in collaboration with the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental and the Municipal Governments.

The “Hot Pablo” name was coined by the Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Rene Almendras in one of the CABSEC meetings to review the budget proposal of the Livelihood Cluster which was attended by DA OIC-RED Remelyn R. Recoter and now OIC-RTD Ma. Febe T. Orbe.[Aggie Media Service]

initial funds released by the DENR. It is highly anticipated that the rubber bud wood nursery will eventually become the source of quality bud woods for planting and propagation in the province.

Jack Sandique, owner of Sandique Rubber Farms based in Makilala, Cotabato, first planted the rubber clone in his plantation in 2010 and after a span of only three years he was able to harvest latex instead of the regular 6-year span.

Present during the launching were DENR 12 Regional Director DatuSaikolTungko, DENR Forest Management Bureau Director and National Greening Program Focal Person Ricardo Calderon and Office

of the Civil Defense 12 Regional Director Jerome B. Barranco.

Calderon, in his message commended the Provincial Government of Cotabato for this “one of a kind” venture that seeks to elevate the condition of the rubber industry of the province.

He said that the DENR is not just impressed of the what the provincial capitol has done out of its bud wood nursery but was totally appreciative of the positive output it will bring to rubber farmers, tappers and producers as well in no time.

He also said that a worthy project such as this deserves the full support of government agencies such as the DENR.

World fish trade to set new records

T

HE booming world fish trade is generating more wealth than ever before, but countries must help small-scale fishers and fish farmers benefit too, FAO recently declared.

Global fishery production from wild capture fisheries and aquaculture is expected to set a new record in 2013 at 160 million tons, up from 157 million tons the previous year, while exports will reach $136 billion, according to FAO’s preliminary data.

“The record trade figures reflect the strong growth in aquaculture output and the high prices for a number of species such as salmon and shrimp,” said Audun Lem, Chief of FAO’s Products, Trade and Marketing Branch. “This is underpinned by firm underlying demand for fish products from world markets.”

Aquaculture production is expected to hit about 67 million tons in 2012 and projections for 2013 point towards fish farmers producing 70 million tons – 44 percent of total fishery output and 49 percent of fish for direct human consumption.

“The proportion of fish production being traded internationally is significant, at around 37 percent

A handline Filipino fisherman

in 2013,” said Lem. “This makes the fisheries sector one of the most globalized and dynamic industries in world food production.”

Support for small-scale fishers Developing countries continue to play a major role in supplying world markets, accounting for 61 percent of all fish exports by quantity and 54 percent by value in 2012. Their net export revenues (exports minus imports) reached $35.3 billion, higher than those for other agricultural products combined including rice, meat, milk, sugar and bananas.

But benefits from international trade are not always trickling down to small-scale fishing communities, even though small-scale fishers and fish farmers constitute about 90 percent of the sector’s global workforce, FAO said.

The Organization is urging countries to assist small-scale fishers and fish workers – around half of whom are women – to overcome a number of barriers such as lack of bargaining power and access to credit, difficulty in meeting market access regulations and poor trade-related infrastructure, so that they can access local, global and especially regional markets. [FAO]

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13 COMPETITIVE EDGE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

USeP’s School of Applied Economics to launch three books in economics and econometrics E

conomics, aside from being an interesting subject, is equally vital to humanity and to the world as a whole. It cuts across areas of discipline. This has been the guiding principle behind the course offerings of the School of Applied Economics (SAEc). Fifteen years after when SAEc was formally established as a college of the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) on April 19, 1999, SAEc

continues to excel in research, a testimony of which were papers presented in local, regional, national and international conferences and conventions.

Most of the papers had been published either at the websites of seminar organizers or in a hard copy form. To celebrate its fifteen years of existence, SAEc decided to publish three (3) books, classified as: Production Economics (Book 1), Development Economics and Policy

Issues (Book 2), and Applied Econometric Techniques (Book 3).

The first book (Book 1) is about Production Economics, which contains 29 articles dealing with the decisions that farmers make. It has relevance to farmers, producers, policy makers, and economic practitioners. It also presents some of the most-commonly used methodologies and tools dealing with the subject. On the other hand, Book 2 on De-

velopment Economics contains 26 articles dealing with the economic, social, political and institutional mechanisms for the improvement of the standard of living of the people. The third book, Applied Econometric Techniques contains 26 articles about current and “out-of-the-box” econometrics techniques applied to analyze relevant social and economic problems in the society.

SAEc will have its

book launching ceremony on March 7, 2014, (9:00 AM), at the USeP Social Hall, Obrero, Davao City.

For interested parties who want to order, you can download the order form from the USeP website (www. usep.edu.ph). For further inquiries, contact the SAEc college clerk, Katherine P. Atamosa or Wilfredo Mellejor at (082) 227-8192/2254696 loc. 231 and 226, or you may email at usep.saec@gmail.com.

Purchase could be made in any of the following modes: (1) Cash - pay directly to the Finance Division of USeP after securing payment order slip (POS) from SAEc (2) C h e c k / B a n k Deposit: Account number: 0915-010315-030 (University of Southeastern Philippines – STF Fund) Bank Name: Development Bank of the Philippines, Claveria St., Davao City.

Holcim certified as Best Employer F

or programs that ensure its people are highly engaged in their work, leading cement manufacturer Holcim Philippines, Inc. recently earned a Best Employer certification from global human resource consultancy Aon Hewitt.

The citation, based on an Aon Hewitt survey of Holcim Philippines’s 1,700 employees, showed the cement manufacturer enjoyed a positive perception from its workforce particularly for occupational health and safety, organizational reputation, innovation, and managing performance.

The results are ranged against the standards of the Aon Hewitt global employee engagement database.

Holcim Philippines CEO Eduardo Sahagun attributed the citation to the com-

pany’s deliberate efforts to take care of employees and provide development opportunities, citing that a highly engaged workforce is a key to good corporate performance.

“Cement manufacturing is always associated with the large industrial facilities and heavy machines, but our most important asset remains our people. Last year, we delivered our best-ever financial performance in the company’s history and this was made possible by our highly engaged workforce,” he added.

Holcim Philippines Vice President for Human Resources Araceli Gonzales said the company continues to look for ways to further improve engagement and hopes the citation will help the company further attract talent.

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s)21048996 under LOYOLA PLAN Contract No.(s) 194657-3 issued to NARCISO C. FRIAS was lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

3/4,11,18

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s)21048995under LOYOLA PLAN Contract No.(s) 194656-2 issued to HELEN C. FRIAS was lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

3/4,11,18

14 SPORTS

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DACHEA SPORTSFEST. Jocemer Tapic of the City Administrator’s Office soars for a second line attack against the City Engineer’s Office during the recent finals game of the Davao City Hall Employees Association women’s volleyball at the Davao City Recreation Center (Almendras Gym). The City Administrator’s Office won the championship. (SKIPPY LUMAWAG/SDD-CMO)

Noah scores triple double in Bulls win C

HICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Bulls were open all over the floor, so Joakim Noah kept collecting assists.

Jumpers for Jimmy Butler and Kirk Hinrich. A dunk for Taj Gibson, another jumper for Butler, and on and on it went.

The All-Star center put on quite a show.

Noah had 14 assists in his fifth career triple-double, leading the streaking Bulls to a 10990 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday. ‘’It’s really all my teammates,’’ he said. ‘’I think we’re getting better every game.’’

Noah also had 13 points and 12 rebounds in his second triple-double of the season, but it was his deft passing that really stood out. It was the most assists by an NBA center since at least the 1985-86 season and a franchise record for his position. ‘’What can you say?

He is playing MVP basketball,’’ Gibson said. ‘’He is doing everything in all facets of the game.’’

Chicago had seven players score in double figures and set a franchise record by committing only three turnovers in its ninth win in the last 10 games. The Bulls also reached 100 points for the fourth consecutive game for the first time since Oct. 30-Nov. 5, 2010.

D.J. Augustin had 21 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as Chicago (33-26) improved to 21-8 since Jan. 1 and a season-high seven games above .500 overall. Butler

scored 19 points and Carlos Boozer had 14. ‘’We’ve hit a stretch where we have guys that are healthy playing that I think they know what to expect from each other,’’ coach Tom Thibodeau said. ‘’I think they’re playing to their strengths.’’

While the Bulls are galloping through the weak Eastern Conference, the Knicks are floundering.

Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points and Tyson Chandler had 22 rebounds, but New York dropped its sixth consecutive game. The Knicks (21-39) are just 6-16

since Jan. 14. ‘’It’s embarrassing,’’ Anthony said. ‘’It’s frustrating and it’s embarrassing.’’

Swingman Iman Shumpert had three points on 1-for-6 shooting in his return to the lineup. He missed five games after he sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee during New York’s 98-91 victory over New Orleans on Feb. 19.

Noah rolled his right ankle at the beginning of the second half and got it re-taped before coming back in at the start of the fourth quarter. He heard

BLOCK. New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton (2) has his shot blocked by Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Sunday, March 2, 2014, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jeff Haynes)

more chants of ‘’M-V-P! M-V-P!’’ when he went 1 for 2 at the line to make it 89-70 with 9:26 to go.

There were more loud cheers when Jimmer Fredette checked in with 3:08 left after joining the Bulls earlier in the day. The sharp-shooting guard drilled a long jumper on his first shot, making it 107-83 with 2:16 remaining.

Fredette, the 10th overall pick in the 2011 draft, was bought out by Sacramento on Thursday and cleared waivers on Saturday. His contract with the Bulls covers the rest of the season.

NEW CLIPPER. Los Angeles Clippers forward Danny Granger warms up prior to an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Saturday, March 1, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Granger eyes stating spot

L

OS ANGELES (AP) -Danny Granger was all set to make his debut with the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night before coach Doc Rivers accidentally left his new acquisition’s name off his list of active players.

It was a classic Clippers moment, but Granger is here because the longtime Indiana Pacers star is confident his new franchise’s truly star-crossed days are in the past. ‘’The point I’m at now, coming to this team, whatever role Doc sees fit for me is the role that I would do,’’ Granger said. ‘’I’m not one of those players that says, ‘I have to do this, or I have to do that.’ I just want to play, have fun, shoot some 3s, throw some lobs, go celebrate.’’

A day after formally joining the Clippers, the former All-Star planned to be in uniform when Los Angeles hosted the New

Orleans Pelicans. Granger went through warmups at Staples Center before being informed he wasn’t eligible.

Granger might not have played anyway, but Rivers is thinking about the best ways to use the versatile scorer joining his first new team after 8 1/2 seasons in Indiana.

Rivers said Granger would ‘’ideally’’ be a starter for the Clippers because of his height and the flexibility to bring Matt Barnes off the bench as an energetic scorer. Rivers also likes Granger’s familiarity with most of Los Angeles’ defensive concepts, which are similar to the Pacers’ ideas. ‘’The whole key is how quickly we can get him acclimated, how quickly we can figure out what he does well,’’ Rivers said. ‘’And he’s still coming back from the injury, so even though he’s back, he still needs more time and minutes.’’

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EDGEDAVAO

TRAVEL

Punto de Disembargo de Rizal en Dapitan.

Daytrip Dipolog:

Casa Redonda.

Inside St. Jame’s Church.

A historical walk back in time

IF there ever was a day tour that will allow one to step back in time a hundred years, then a trip around Dapitan City would be it, thanks to its wealth of historical sites that are associated with our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, as well as the charming centuries-old homes and churches.

One of the old houses in old Dapitan.

Rizal’s blackboard and desk.

Hamming it up at the relief map of Mindanao.

My day trip around Dapitan started off with a short ride from Dipolog City. Riding along Sunset Boulevard, I first came upon Punto de Disembargo de Rizal en Dapitan. Now marked with a bronze sculpture made by national artist Napolen Abueva, the landmark marks the spot where Dr. Jose Rizal disembarked to start his exile in Dapitan.

Also in the area is a cross marking where the original Spanish-era port of Dapitan used to be.

After the monument, we proceeded to downtown Dapitan where the old city hall and Saint

James’ Church are located. Along the way, are many centuries-old houses which are still in use today. I also noticed the roads that have familiar names of the protagonists who can be found in Jose the mountain ranges and Rizal’s novels as well as a valleys are clearly seen on street named after Jose- the relief map. phine Bracken.

Not to be forgotten was The old city plaza was a visit to the Rizal Park quaint and well kept with and Shrine located at TaliSaint James’ Church tow- say, a short drive from old ering over the area. Al- downtown Dapitan. though the church itself The Rizal Park and was not designed by Rizal, Shrine used to be where It was in this church where Dr. Jose Rizal used to live Rizal would frequent to during his exile in Dapihear mass everyday. In tan. Now a government fact, there is a marker in- owned park, the area’s side the church where he main attraction is its Dr. would stand.

Jose Rizal Museum where Right in front of the one can find the hero’s church is Rizal’s famous family tree, as well as his relief map of Mindanao old clothes, reproductions which Rizal would use of his sculptures as well as to teach geography to his actual blackboard and his students. Although it desk. used to be made of just The park is also where dirt and shells, the map is one can see reconstrucnow covered in grass but tions of Dr. Jose Rizal’s still shows the many geo- houses such as Casa Regraphic features of Mind- donda, his octagonalnanao, even the heights of shaped hut that served as Dapitan’s tourism office is also located in a heritage house.

his primary clinic and as a dormitory for his students, and the Casa Recidencia which was built on the site where the original house used to be and where Rizal actually lived in during his exile.

Given its rich heritage sites Dapitan is truly a walk back in time with sights that harken back to more laid-back times and a page of our history as a nation.

Get to Dapitan from Davao via direct flights from Dipolog on Cebu Pacific four times a week.

Many thanks to the DOT-IX team for hosting my stay.

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

EDGEDAVAO

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ENTERTAINMENT

The Oscars 2014:

A look into this year’s Oscar-nominated films (part 1) as if Leonardo DiCaprio was born to play Jordan Belfort (as much as he was born to play Jay Gatsby in Baz Luhrmann’s messy adaptation). Proving he won’t stop at nothing just to get the yes of a potential investor, DiCaprio exhibits a natural charisma and magnetism other than his usual movie-star wattage that he becomes the embodiment of the lure of money and greed.

Adapted by the autobiography of the real-life stock broker, Wolf did not really rise to the level of critical acclaim enjoyed by most of the nominated films, mostly pointing out its obscene excesses and glorification of money.

Scorsese’s black comedy reverberates the feel and narrative approach of his Goodfellas with its exposition of a criminal

By Jay Rosas RECENT Oscarwinning films have reflected the state or sentiment of contemporary America.

From the heart of darkness explored in the Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men, which mirrored the crises and violence during the Bush administration, to the saccharine longing for the past in the silent film The Artist.

Last year’s winner, Ben Affleck’s Argo, about the CIA rescue of American foreign diplomats during the 1979 hostage crisis in Iran, suggests that the country’s long-standing knotty relations with the Middle East nation is far from over, showing an America that has grown increasingly anxious and threatened.

Daring rescue: Captain Phillips The kind of straightforward storytelling in Argo is continued by this year’s Captain Phillips directed

by Paul Greengrass, about the rescue of a hijacked Maersk ship across the pirate-infested Horn of Africa. Inspired by the real-life hostage of the ship’s captain Richard Phillips and his crew, the film treats the narrative in a kind of journalistic fashion unlike Argo, its trajectory owing more to last

year’s Zero Dark Thirty directed by Kathryn Bigelow, which reenacts the capture and fall of Osama Bin Laden. Similarly, Captain Phillips also deflects any on-point criticism to America’s powerful geopolitical influence that could have made the film more potent and compelling than it already is.

Despite this, Phillips is a tremendous nail-biter, showcasing perhaps Tom Hanks’ best performance since Philadelphia, and from an unknown Barkhad Abdi, who plays the Somalian pirate leader Muse. The final moments in Phillips where

a befuddled and traumatized Hanks battle for his wits as medics checks his physical condition is one of this year’s best scenes, a powerful moment that showed the limitations of might and that catharsis may only be found in facing one’s vulnerability.

Lost in space: Gravity Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity, a co-frontrunner in this year’s Oscar race, also channels a kind of vulnerability, an unconscious return to innocence shadowed by the history of America’s first venture into space. Instead of the seas, the central character

finds herself in a distant and terrifying territory.

One of the year’s best shot films, Gravity gives us instead an immersive experience through a first-time space voyager Dr. Ryan Stone, played by Sandra Bullock, a performance way better than her Oscar-winning turn in The Blind Side.

Cuaron’s vision is only as good as cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki’s work. Through his lens, the film becomes the imagery of birth/rebirth.

Like what he did in Julian Schnabel’s The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Lubezki thrusts us into the very eye of Dr. Stone’s experience so much so that we lose a sense of gravity while taking in the beauty and terror of

being extremely isolated.

The sight is a wonder, the experience visceral, but there’s only so much one can take before it overwhelms and crushes. And crashes – for what comes up must come down. The film is filled with images that recall classic sciencefiction films like Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 A Space Odyssey and Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris, reminding us of our negligible existence in the vast universe.

Lone wolf: The Wolf of Wall Street The central figure in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street though far from being isolated is still a lone wolf in a pack.

Played with a virtuoso energy never seen before, it’s

underworld, this time disguised in the halls of American capitalism. The true indictment is masked by episodes of depraved moments that are no less entertaining and surreal – Belfort and his cohorts engaged in no-holds-barred debauchery drenched in Quaaludes, drugs, sex and alcohol. The film revels in the excesses because it depicts the kind of high aided by these vices that akin to the delusion of the filthy-rich man on top of his pack. But the film cleverly ends with that final shot reminding us that the victims of this organized crime might be as willing and ambitious as the lone wolf was.

(Next: Her, American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave)

EDGEDAVAO

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The best and worst of Oscars 2014 THE OSCARS are finally here, and Ellen DeGeneres was ready to deliver an Academy Awards telecast celebrating stars such as Jared Leto, Cate Blanchett, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Lawrence and Lupita Nyong’o and a host of films such as 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, Dallas Buyers Club, Frozen, Her and more.

And, of course, there was that epic selfie.

So, while we debate all the winners and losers and most memorable bits, there is one thing we can all agree on: It’s time to get started.

So read on for our Best and Worst of the 2014 Oscars….

Best Introduction: Ellen DeGeneres killed the opening monologue. Funny, honest, serious and totally irreverent, she tackled everything from Hollywood’s obsession with youth, Jennifer Lawrence falling down, the Hunger Games-like quality of the awardsseason, sex at the rodeo, Liza Minnelli impersonators, possible Oscar racism and that thing you do...if you’re Jonah Hill in The Wolf of Wall Street, which was disgusting.

Best Recycling: We were impressed by all those empty Oscar bottles that made up the stage decoration. We hear if you bring back 10 of those to the Academy, you get a free Technical Oscar!

Worst Surprise: Jared Leto,

who totally earned that Supporting Actress award, doubly earned it by saluting his mother, his brother and the people of troubled places like Ukraine and Venezula, as well as paying tribute to people who. Oh, and he plugged his band 30 Seconds to Mars, too. Not too shabby.

Best Capper: Pharrell’s hat was awesome, and the singer underneath the lid got a trio of amazing dancing performances out of Lyong’o, Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. Damn, give that performance an Emmy and a Grammy or two, people.

Worst Cutaway Shot: Jim Carrey introduced a tribute animation, and during his wacky monologue, which included a disturbing (and funny!) Bruce Dern impersonation, and then he made a joke about LSD. So, who did the telecast director cut to? The guys in U2. Yeah, we get it. Drug jokes because they are the least dramafilled four guys in the room who are avid humaitarians and promoters of change in the world and up for an Oscar for writing a song about the late Nelson Mandela.

So, yes, the guys in the rock band get the drug joke reaction shot. But yeah, that was funny.

Most Strangely Intimate and Strange Moment: Matthew McConaughey and Kim Novak were intro-

ducing animated shorts like Get a Horse, but, heyyo!, it was more like “Get a room!” with their breathy, close-talking sexytime introduction. Rambling? Yes. Odd.Totally. Hot? ...Yes. Get a (screening) room, you two.

Best Comeback: We loved when Ellen came back onstage in the wrong spot (on purpose!), for a joke about the importance of hitting your mark.

Best Mooning of the Audience: Karen O’s rendition of the “The Moon Song” from Her was just absolutely beautiful.

Biggest Tease: Not sure what took them so long to figure it out, but only giving out one award—and the least surprising one, to boot!— really made the show seem less boring.

Cutest Reaction: Kate Hudson’s folks, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, were beaming when the star came out just to present the Live Action Short Film award. Beaming!

Worst Coincidence: Two awards in a row mentioned that people involved in the

films (The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life and 20 Feet From Stardom) had passed away in the last few weeks. Still, we’re glad that they knew they’d been recognized.

Top 20 Moment: Darlene Love, one of the subjects of 20 Feet From Stardom, brought the house to its feet with a joyous, a capella song.

Best Kiss: Brad Pitt kissed Angelina Jolie after a clip of the Unbroken director accepting her Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

Nicest Shoutout: U2 may be a huge, iconic rock band up for an Oscar, but they offered up a sweet shoutout to Darlene Love at the end of their performance of “Ordinary Love.”

Best and Least Surprising Surprise: Lupita Nyong’o won, as expected. She gave a sweet, thoughtful and moving speech, as expected. And she totally won our hearts with her endearing spirit. As expected.

Best. Pizza. Ever: Sure, you thought, Ellen ordering a pizza for the assembled stars would be funny, and it was.

But then the pizza delivery guy showed up, and Brad Pitt helped pass out plates and Kerry Washington had a slice (or two) because she’s pregnant and even Harrison Ford got a slice. The whole thing was funny and normal and capped off by Jennifer Lawrence enjoying her slice while the Academy president addressed the house.

Truth: There is no bad pizza.

Oscar 2014 winners: The complete list ASIDE from Jennifer Lawrence’s trip-up before heading into the show, Oscar nominees like Jared Leto, Sandra Bullock and more headed in to the Dolby Theater safely to find out if they would walk away with Oscar gold.

We’ll be revealing the winners as they’re announced, so keep checking back here for the stars who took home Oscars at this year’s show!

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyer’s Club Achievement in Costume Design: Catherine Martin, The Great Gatsby Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling: Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews, Dallas Buyers Club

Animated Short Film: Mr. Hublot Animated Feature Film: Frozen Achievement in Visual Effects: Gravity Live Action Short Film: Helium Best Documentary Short Subject: The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life Documentary Feature: 20 Feet From Stardom Best Foreign Language Film of the Year: The Great Beauty, Italy Achievement in Sound Mixing: Gravity Achievement in Sound Editing: Gravity Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave Achievement in Cinema-

tography: Gravity, Emmanuel Lubezki Achievement in Film Editing: Gravity Achievement in Directing: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity Achievement in Production Design: The Great Gatsby Best Original Score: Gravity, Stephen Price Best Original Song: “Let It Go,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez; Frozen Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze, Her Achievement in Directing: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

STARTING OVER AGAIN 2D Piolo Pascual, Toni Gonzaga PG 13

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

POMPEII 2D *Kit Harington, Emily Browning PG 13

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

NON-STOP 2D Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore R 13

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

R-16 THE THIRD EYE 2D Carla Abellana, Ejay Falcon PG 13

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

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

EVENT

The one-stop wedding expo: Kasalang Filipino 2014 at Gensan

BROUGHT together by Kasal.com, ABSCBN Regional Network Group and Project O! Consultants, the Kasalang Filipino 2014 was held at the Gaisano Gensan Atrium.

The 6th year of the longest running and biggest wedding expo to happen in the Socksargen area, which is tied to major cities in the Philippines, like Angeles, Subic, Davao, Imus, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, San Pablo, Manila and Cebu. these cities comprise the stops of this epic bridal road show, that’s aiming to promote the local wedding and tourism industry.

The 6th Kasalang Filipino 2014, started on Feb. 28, 2014, 10:00am, the booths were open to the public, later on around 1:00pm the opening ceremony was held, First Lady of Gensan, Jane Gollonrivera graced the opening ceremony with her presence and inspiring message wherein she thanked the wedding industry key players for being a part of Gensan’s tourism efforts.

On the same day, multiawarded Wedding & Portrait photographer, Alvin Guevara shared photography tips to the crowd that

gathered at the expo.

Walking along the booths you would feel as if you’re going through a wedding magazine, wedding suppliers from cakes, catering services, venue, stylist, designers, photographers etc., have definitely brought game to their booths, I myself was part of the exhibit, featuring me dress shop, Kyrie Kouture along side my partner, Pau of Cakes N’ Styles. Among the other exhibitors are, Greenleaf hotel, Classic Weddings, Sugarts, Yolachs Venue, Neonas Catering, Mona’s Creation, Skinfluence, Alveo Land, AMS Events, and Jemaca Styles from Davao.

2nd day, Mar 1, A bridal make-up competition was held and sponsored

by Ever Bilena Cosmetics, models wearing bridal gowns rocked the stage along with their make-up artists.

On the 3rd and last day Mar 2, a make-up demonstration by Envy Me’s owner and resident kikay,

Donna Mae Congson, wowed the crowd with her sweet and simple bridal make-up demo, which by the way, is modeled by yours truly . During her demo, Orman Manansala and Chiclet E. MoscosoRillo of Project O! Consultants tickled the crowd with their undeniable on stage chemistry, and narration antics. After the demo the audience were given the chance to ask Ms. Donna their questions regarding make-up, from what foundation and lipstick to use for different skin tones, and do grooms also get their make-up done during weddings, and everyone who asked questions received Ever Bilena goodies.

Right after the Q&A portion, the crowd and mall goers were serenaded with love songs performed by Nhallie’s Band that ended the 3 day event with a bang.

Follow me on Twitter or Instagram, @kyriekoutre for more adventures in and around my wonder-

EDGEDavao Davao Partners

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS 15

VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

RESPECTABLE FINISH DCGC winds up 5th, Apo 7th, RPV tied for 8th

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO njb@edgedavao.net

D

avao City Golf Club went to its veterans to salvage fifth place at the close of the tough 67th PAL Interclub Golf Tournament which ended in Bacolod City on Saturday.

The Matina-based swingers counted on Benhr Villarosa and Larry Pasquil to lead the scoring as the duo responded with 29 and 28 points, respectively. DCGC also got 21 fromBong Basilla and 19 from Andrew Bautista for a final day total of 97,

matching its best output of the tournament in Day 1. DCGC turned in a fourday aggregate of 358, 26 points behind eventual Sportswriters Division winner Eagle Ridge (384).

Lumbia (377), Cebu Country Club (376) and host Bacolod City (360) took the first four spots.

The other Davao teams fared rather forgettably. Apo Golf and Country Club, which started the second round enjoying a five-point

deficit behind Valley Golf, eventually withered in the tough conditions and the mounting pressure to wind up at 7th place while Rancho Palos Verdes came in a tie for 8th with Forest Hills (392). Forest Hills finished on top with a 352 aggregate.

Apo got a pair of 29s from Karlos Alba and Denden De Castro while Jing Gavino added 23.

RPV finished with a 392 as Kresh Samanodi fired a 35 and Marc Lopez

scored 31. Christpher Tan added 26 while the usually steady Joel Yamyamin succumbed with an 18.

This year’s Interclub is being co-sponsored by CrossOver with Boeing, Philippines Graphic, Stargate Media (People Asia) and Rogue as corporate backers. Also lending support are Airbus, Business Mirror, One Mega Group (Travel Now), Philippine Broadcasting Corporation, Manila Broadcasting Corporation and Manila Bulletin.

at the Mall of Asia Arena. After finishing ninth overall and failing to advance to the playoffs last season, Barako Bull initially planned to sign up the 6-foot-9 Chism as its reinforcement in the mid-season tourney and the former University of Tennessee mainstay even performed well in the Energy’s 94-89 win against reigning

champion Alaska in a tuneup game last February 20, producing 25 points and 16 rebounds.

But his failure to get the release papers from his previous team, the Albacomp Fehervar in the Hungarian basketball league, forced team management to look for a quick replacement, paving the way for the entry of

Dollard, 27, who is listed at 6-foot-7–probably the shortest among all the imports this conference. However, Barako Bull team officials are optimistic Dollard can offset his height disadvantage with his versatility and scorer’s mentality, having proven those during his stints in Turkey, the Czech Republic and Finland.

MAIN COG. Joel Yamyamin of Rancho Palos Verdes watches his shot on the 18th hole during the 67th Philippine Airlines Men’s Interclub championship at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Barako Bull tabs college star as import Tiger quits Honda Classic F

OILED in its bid to get the services of Devon Dwayne Chism, Barako Bull has decided to go with Josh Dollard, confident the former Auburn University and University of South Carolina-Aiken stalwart has what it takes to help the Energy’s title bid in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup that gets going this Wednesday

Creamer breaks long spell P

AULA Creamer might be one of the biggest names on the LPGA, but before Sunday it had been a long, long time since she last raised a trophy.

Creamer’s win at the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open looked like a jumping off point for her career, but 79 events later and Creamer was still without a win. That changed on Sunday at the HSBC Women’s Championship in Singapore when Creamer drained an incredible 75-foot putt on her second playoff hole for an eagle and the victory over Azahara Munoz.

The putt, one of the most dramatic you will ever see, was in such a bad spot on the 18th green that even the announcers were pushing for a two-putt and a birdie to extend the playoff.

But just as the putt got to the top of the hill, it looked like it might have a chance to disappear, and it just continued to break at the end to hit the middle of the hole and drop.

Creamer called her 10th LPGA victory “one of my favorite wins,” and if nothing else it will definitely go down as one of the best final putts in the history of the LPGA. Also, her reaction was exactly what it should have been for a putt of that length to drop.

Paula Creamer exalts after sinking a 75-foot putt.

P

ALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) -- The road to the Masters got off to a bumpy start Sunday for Tiger Woods when he withdrew from the Honda Classic with what he said was a lower back injury.

Woods was 5-over par for the final round - 12 shots behind Rory McIlroy at the time - when he shook hands with Luke Guthrie on the 13th green and told him he was done. It was the farthest point at PGA National, and the tournament sent a van to collect Woods and his family.

Police kept the media from the parking lot. ‘’He just came over and said, ‘I can’t go anymore. It was a pleasure playing with you,’’’ said Luke Guthrie, paired with Woods the last two days. ‘’I just said, ‘Take it easy. Feel better.’ Pretty uneventful.’’

But the speculation over his future figures to be a big buzz leading to the Masters next month.

Woods said through spokesman Glenn Greenspan it was a lower back problem that had started Sunday morning as he was warming up. He was to defend his title next week in the Cadillac Championship. ‘’Too early to tell,’’ Woods said in a statement about playing next week at Doral. ‘’I’ll get treatment every day to try to calm it down. Just don’t know yet. Wait until Thursday and see how it feels.’’

Woods already has played a limited schedule this year - 10 complete rounds. He was to play twice more before the Masters on April 10-13.

Woods said the spasms were similar to what he felt last August at The Barclays, where he dropped to his knees after hitting one shot.

Woods finished that tournament in a tie for second, one shot behind Adam Scott.

It was the second time in two years that Woods has walked off the course

in the middle of the final round. He quit after 11 holes at Doral when he was well out of contention - and then won Bay Hill two weeks later for his first PGA Tour title since his return from the chaos in his personal life.

Guthrie said he could tell early on in the round that something was not right with Woods. ‘’He made a couple of uncharacteristic shots - the first on 3 kind of was the first one,’’ Guthrie said. ‘’I didn’t know if he wasn’t feeling the greatest, and it kind of seemed like he might have been protecting - came up and out of it. I didn’t think much of it until maybe 11. I noticed he was bending down gingerly. ‘’He didn’t mention it to me,’’ Guthrie said. ‘’Obviously, he wasn’t playing the greatest. I wasn’t playing the greatest. He was battling out there. It’s not like he was throwing in the towel. He was still trying.’’

Woods started the final round seven shots out of the lead and was out of the tournament quickly. He muffed a tough chip in the rough on No. 2, and then took double bogey on the easy par-5 third hole with a drive that found the water hazard left of the sixth green. He bogeyed the fourth from behind the green, and then put his tee shot into the water on No. 6 and had to scramble to save bogey.

Woods had said earlier this year in Dubai that he spent the majority of his offseason working on his physical strength, at the expense of neglecting his game. He opened the year by missing the 54-hole cut at Torrey Pines (where he is an eight-time winner), and then tying for 41st in the Dubai Desert Classic.

The Honda Classic was his first tournament in a month, and he didn’t make it to the finish line.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 6 ISSUE 248 • TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

PWC Minis bag TRMH Cup title T

SUGAR SWEET Servania leads Pinoy sweep

HUDDLE. Ateneo de Davao University cadets team in a huddle with coach Miggy Solitaria.

HE Philippine Women’s College mini squad swept Holy Child in their best of three finals series to pocket the 4th Royal Mandaya Hotel Cup on Saturday at the Davao City Recreation Center.

The PWC Baby Patriots scored a devastating 75-39 win in Game 1 then followed it up with a 62-53 finishing blow in Game 2 to dispose off the multi-titled Baby Reds.

Precious International School turned back the challenge of Ateneo 6255 to salvage third place in the SBP-sanctioned tournament sponsored

by Royal Mandaya Hotel through its president Glenn Escandor.

In the Cadet division, bitter rivals Ateneo de Davao University and Holy Child will extend their tightly-contested

series to a rubber match Game 3 after the series is locked at 1-all.

The Blue Knights drew first blood in Game 1 winning it by the skin of their teeth 63-61 but the Reds came back in the afternoon to even things out with a 66-49 win in Game 2.

“It’s now down to the last game. It’s win or go home,” said Escandor after watching the exciting series last Saturday.

“There’s no reason to push the panic button.

The breaks of the game decided the outcome.

One thing about this series is that these are teams who will go all out to win. Walang bigayan kaya pukpukan talaga,” said Ateneo coach Miggy Solitaria.

The finals is set on March 24 at the DCRC. [NJB]

JUMPBALL. Ateneo de Davao and Precious International School disputed the third place trophy in the mini division. Precious won this one.

2 teams knock on PBA’s door

SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE. WBO Intercontinental Jr. featherweight champion Genesis “Azukal” Servania (2nd from left) of the Philippines retained his title via a technical knockout on former two-time world champion Alexander “El Explosivo” Munoz of Venezuela in 2:22 of the 12th round last March 1 at the Solaire Resort and Casino in Paranaque City. With him are (from left) ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer. (Photo by BOY LIM)

G

ENESIS Servania preserved his undefeated record, kept his WBO international super bantamweight belt, and overcame the stiffest challenge of his young career as he defeated two-time world champion Alexander Munoz of Venezuela.

The young Filipino warrior floored Munoz in the second and ninth rounds before finally ending the night with a picture perfect right hand late in the final round.

Munoz was able to get up before referee Danrex Tapdasan reached the count of ten but his legs

were still wobbly. The referee saved the gallant former champion from more punishment at the 2:22 mark of the 12th round.

Servania raised his record to 24-0 with 10 knockouts while Munoz drops down to 36 wins against six losses and may contemplate retirement again.

“He’s a tough opponent. He’s a two-time world champion and a veteran boxer but I did my best and I’m happy with the win,” Servania said in Filipino after the fight.

“Munoz is a really good fighter but I had a tough time finishing him be-

cause my leg was cramping up.”

Servania scored a knockdown in the second round as he landed a left to the body, which lowered the Venezuelan’s defense, followed by a straight right that floored the Venezuelan. Munoz, the veteran, took his time on the floor as he gathered his wits first before getting up at the count of nine.

The young Filipino went for the kill but the bell saved Munoz from an early exit.

Servania won most of the early rounds but he allowed Munoz to creep

back into the fight in the sixth and seventh rounds.

The Venezuelan finally warmed up while the young Filipino seemed to be slowing down.

In the eighth round, an accidental head butt opened a cut on Servania’s left eyebrow. The taste of blood re-energized the young fighter as he lustily chased Munoz around the ring. The veteran Venezuelan made an unlikely rookie mistake late in the round as he mistook the ten-second warning as the bell. Servania took advantage by landing a stiff right hand that staggered Munoz.

F

rom ten teams, the PBA could have a total of 12 next season as two companies have expressed interest in joining Asia’s oldest professional basketball league.

“Our office has received two formal letters of intent to join the PBA in its 2015 season: Columbia Automotive Corporation (Team KIA) and Ever Bilena Inc. (Blackwater Sports),” said PBA Commissioner Chito Salud.

“Their admission as new franchise holders is subject to a 3/4 approval by the Board of Governors after evaluation of their financial capacity, among others, by the Commissioner and the recommendation resulting from such assessment.”

Blackwater Sports had some success in the

D-League as they won a championship there. Team Kia on the other hand is a wild card as no one exactly knows who will be the people running the team.

GlobalPort Batang Pier, the last team to join the PBA, first tried to be an expansion team. However, owner Mikee Romero saw an opening and bought the Powerade Tigers instead.

As expansion teams, Blackwater Sports and Team Kia will be allowed to directly hire players.

However, they will still need to travel a long road before they officially join the PBA. Also, most of the country’s best players are already signed with current PBA powerhouse teams so it will be difficult for the two teams to compete from the start.