Edge Davao 7 Issue 107

VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

SEIZED RICE FOR AUCTION 35T bags up for immediate sale

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte lights up the torch to signal the formal opening of the 29th Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival at Quezon Park Tuesday evening. Lean Daval Jr.

By Vannah S. ang

a

total of 34,700 confiscated bags of imported rice will be auctioned by the Bureau of Customs (BoC)-Port of Davao.

PALPARAN INSIDE EDGE ARREST MEANS JUSTICE WORKS THE BIG NEWS page 3

EX-DAVAO CADDIE WINS IN ASEAN PGA TOUR SPORTS page 14

According to Fatima Espino, BoC-Port of Davao public information officer, the port is currently waiting for the floor price of the confiscated commodity from the National Food Authority (NFA).

“Hopefully, we can finally auction it within the month. We have to immediately do it as those goods are perishable,” she said.

The NFA has already conducted tests on the rice and approved it for human consumption. All seized bags were stored in 100 20-footer container vans and have been on hold in the agency since September.

The bags of rice were consigned to San Carlos Multipurpose Cooperative and were confiscated by the BoC-Port of Davao as requested by the NFA due to the failure to present complete import permits.

FSEIZED, 10

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Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte’s daughter, Veronica, dances with the ethnic performers while her father watches with amusement during the opening of the 29th Kadayawan Festival at Rizal Park Tuesday evening. Lean Daval Jr.

City supports Therma South’s production Kadayawan all contracted out: Aboitiz ‘rave’party A

By Cheneen R. CaPon crc@edgedavao.net

T

HE Davao City Government is supporting the Kadayawan “Invasion Party” which will be held this August 16 at the Crocodile Park Football Field.

Lisette Marques, City tourism operations officer, said the “rave” party is one of the 12 accredited events during the Kadayawan Festival scheduled during the 3rd week of August.

A month ealier, the “rave” party drew flak from some members of the Davao City Council. It summoned erstwhile local partner Kat Dalisay on issues over incorrect payment of taxes and violations on liquor and smoking ban and possible violations on women’s code due to skimpy dresses.

Kaz Onozawa, chief financial officer of Spectrum Philippines lead organizer of the party, negotiated with the city government and took in a new local partner for the event, local businessman Marco Dizon.

“We have met with the City government (officials), we complied with

the requirements and we’re ready with the paperworks,” Onozawa said during an interview.

The organizers promised strict implementation on liquor ban particularly on the provisions against selling on minors, and curfew regulations, smoking will also be prohibited in the premises.

City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte earlier declared that wearing skimpy clothing is not a violation of the women’s code and is part of the constitutional right to free expression.

Onozawa said the party is more of a music festival rather than a rave party as they are focusing more on the music. He said they are expecting 5,000 people to attend the event.

The party is among the many private-sector activities during Kadayawan these include concerts, car races, trade fair, photo exhibits and dance contests.

According to Marquez, private sector has pumped in P7-million share in the current P14-million budget of the festival. (PIA/RG Alama)

LL 260 megawatts to be produced by the coal-fired power plant of Therma South Inc. (TSI) is completely contracted out, about a year before it starts commercial operation.

“To date, the power plant is sold out to different electric cooperatives and private distribution

utilities (DUs),” Willy Rodolfo, manager of the AboitizPower corporate affairs, told reporters in a press conference at the Apo View Hotel yesterday.

Rodolfo said that electric cooperatives in Mindanao have signed up for 100 MW, while private distribution utilities like Davao Light

Power Company (DLPC) have signed up for 130 MW. The remaining 30 MW is its additional capacity.

The electric cooperatives are Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative, Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative, Cotabato Electric Cooperative, Cotabato Electric Cooperative (P. Palma), Davao

del Sur Electric Cooperative, Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative, Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative, Misamis Occidental I Electric Cooperative, South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative, South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative, Surigao del Norte Electric Cooperative, Surigao

tance for MSMEs, including financial assistance, product development, trainings and seminars, and the establishment of shared service facilities (SSFs).

As of June, DTI 11 has assisted a total of 2,888 MSMEs in the region where 1,379 are new and 1,509 are existing enterprises.

Marie Anne J. How, DTI 11 Trade and MSME Development division, said that one of the many interventions

they have done for the MSMEs is the SME Roving Academy (SMERA) training program.

“In the program, potential MSMEs are given the opportunity to develop their skills entrepreneurially, and at the same time, enhance their management skills. It’s actually a venue for them to learn more about becoming a succesful MSME,” she said.

How said that DTI 11 will continue to cater to

more MSMEs through special assistance as they aim to improve the economy.

Mary Ann M. Montemayor, National MSME Development Council vice chair and private sector representative, said that their overarching mission is to produce more MSMEs and to make them graduate into bigger enterprises.

“MSMEs contribute greatly to job generation, so the goal is to re-

FTHERMA, 10

Coops better than banks: MSMEs

By Vannah S. ang

T

vsa@edgedavao.net

he Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 11 Council and the National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development Council plans to further improve the efficiency and productivity of MSMEs in the region through special assistance.

According to Ma. Belenda Q. Ambi, DTI 11 officer-in-charge, they have been providing various types of assis-

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

NEWS

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Region 11’s integration body Palparan’s arrest studies protectionist policies sign justice works By aRManDo B. FeneQUITo JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

HE special committee on Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) integration of Davao Region is studying policies of the country which can affect the competitiveness of products and services in the region for next year’s economic integration.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 11 regional di-

rector Maria Lourdes Lim, who heads the region’s ASEAN integration special committee, told reporters during the launching of Regional Development Council (RDC) at Big 8 Hotel in Tagum City, that the committee is looking into protectionist policies of every country in ASEAN which will stand in the way of the competitiveness of the region’s goods

and services.

“We have to ensure that our products and services will be competitive,” Lim said.

Lim said that the committee also wants to review the production hub so that Davao region will really become part of the bigger market.

“We have to ‘strategize’ our production and processing as well, that

is why we need to go with product diversification because only this way we can bring more value to our products,” she said.

In terms of the professionals in the region, Lim said that they have to meet with the standards of the ’recruiting economy’ by giving them the skills and knowledge that will fit them into the in-

FREGION 11, 10

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HE arrest of fugitive retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan is an indicator that the justice system in the country has never stopped, Lt. Col. Norman Zuniega, 10th Infantry Division public affairs chief said.

In a chance meeting yesterday at the Big 8 Hotel in Tagum City, Zuniega told reporters that the law in the country does not choose who will be prosecuted even if they occupy a high position in the government.

“Bisag kinsa’y taas na naka posisyon, senador ka man or presidente, pag naa kay tulubagon atong balaod kinahanglan gyud nga atubangon na,” Zuniega said.

He said that the law is an essential component of democracy that also enables the accused to defend himself.

“Pero, kun may warrant of arrest ka kinahanglan gyud ka gukuron sa atong gobyerno,” he said.

Zuniega also denied that Palparan hid in some parts of Davao Region before he was arrested in Manila yesterday.

“Sa Sta. Mesa (Manila) man to nadakpan so, definitely dili sa Davao,” Zuniega said.

The Philippine News Agency reported that Palparan was arrested by operatives of the Armed

Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) at around 3: 30 a.m. in a house located at Teresa and Old Sta. Mesa streets.

Palparan is wanted for the disappearance of two University of the Philippines students and a string of human rights violation cases.

The report said that Palparan went into hiding after a Bulacan Regional Trial Court judge issued a warrant arrest for him, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado Jr., Staff Sgt. Edgardo Osorio and Master Sgt. Rizal Hilario in 2011 for the disappearance of UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan on June 26, 2006.

It is said that Palparan was immediately brought to the NBI headquarters in Taft Avenue, Manila for questioning.

The report stated that the AFP participation in the arrest of the fugitive major general was borne out by the instructions of President Benigno S. Aquino III to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin last December 12, ordering the military intelligence units to track and pursue leads that will led to the successful arrest of Palparan and other high profile fugitives. (with PNA report)

Tagum donates lot for jailbirds’halfway house

By Cheneen R. CaPon

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crc@edgedavao.net

HE city government of Tagum donated a 3,000-square meter lot for the construction of the first halfway house for jail parolees and probationers in the Davao region.

Benjamin Cutay, regional officer-in-charge of the Parole and Probation Administration of the Department of Justice (PPA- DOJ) in Davao region, said yesterday that the LGU of Tagum and PPA- DOJ 11 will be signing today a deed of usufruct at the Waterfront Insular Hotel of Davao.

Cutay said that the regional administration proposed a total of P23million, to be included in their 2015 annual budget, to be utilized for the construction of the facility to benefit parolees and those under the probationary status who he referred as “clients”.

He said that the halfway house will be located in a government-owned lot in Tagum City.

“The halfway house has the capacity to shelter clients from Compostela Valley, district’s 1 and 2 of Davao del Norte and Island garden City of Samal (IGACOS),” Cutay said during a press conference for the 3rd National Executive Conference of administrators, deputy administrators, regional directors, assistant regional directors and Division chiefs yesterday.

However, he cannot give details of the design because they’re still waiting for the approval of the Department of Budget Management (DBM) of their proposed budget.

“After this, we will be tapping the DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways] 11

FTAGUM, 10

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Tagum City vies for

Special award of excellence in literacy A

FTER clinching the Hall of Fame Award in Literacy three years ago, Tagum City is now being considered to be accorded the Special Award of Excellence in Literacy by the National Literacy Coordinating Council which is considered to be the highest recognition for any local government unit in the field of literacy.

A five-man validation team recently visited Tagum City to assess the sustainability of the city’s literacy programs, its impact to the commu-

nity and the beneficiaries as well as to know first-hand the expanded and new programs being jointly operated by the City Government and the Department of Education.

In the exit conference after the two-day ocular visit and validation held last August 6-7, Dir. Emelyn Libunao of the Presidential Communication Operations Office noted how every program initiated by the local government is deeply attached to the Tagumenyo people, making them

as co-owners of the program and not just mere beneficiaries.

Director Libunao chairs the national validation team with Atty.

Allen Quimpo, the president of Northwestern Visayan Colleges and Atty.

Lilia Garcia, professor of the Philippine Normal University as members.

This year’s entry to the Special Award of Excellence in Literacy is anchored on the ten-point development thrust of the local government under the leadership of Mayor Allan L. Rellon

dubbed as EAGLE WINGS. Each component in the pet program is infused with literacy programs which are either labeled as trailblazing, sustained or new programs.

The E-Learning component of the Palengkeskwelahan tops the list in the trailblazing literacy programs, along with the Alternative Delivery Mode, Balik Paaralan para sa Out-of-School Adults, Balik Aral sa Selda, the Cultural Education Programs for the city’s indigenous peoples

has partnered Holcim in donating the P.70 Million classroom building to MIS. The facility has fully-tiled flooring, genderized comfort room, 40 armed chairs and is installed with 2 units ceiling fan. Looking on are municipal local government officials led by Mayor Aniceto Lopez, Jr. (4th from left, seated), provincial local government officials and Alcantara Group personnel.

Grenade blast rocks office of Sarangani mining firm P

OLICE authorities are eyeing extortion behind a grenade explosion on Monday evening in front of an office of a mining firm based in Kiamba town in Sarangani Province.

Senior Inspector Luis Pedrio, Kiamba police chief, said Tuesday the explosion occurred at around 7 p.m. inside the compound of the Kiamba Mining Corporation (KMC) located along Mondragon Street in Barangay Poblacion.

Citing accounts from several witnesses, he said the grenade was hurled by one of two unidentified motorcycle-riding suspects who passed by the area.

Pedrio said investiga-

tors recovered from the scene the pin of the hand grenade that was lobbed by the suspects.

He said no one was hurt and no major damages were reported as a result of the attack, which came about two weeks after the company received an extortion letter from an undisclosed group.

He said they are currently digging deeper into the extortion angle but said they are not also discounting other possible motives.

Several local groups have been opposing the operations of KMC and moves for the conversion of portions of the area’s public forest/ancestral lands/watershed” into mining areas.

In June 2010, the government issued a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) to the Cebu City-based Hard Rock Mineral Trading Inc. for a mining area covering 8,331 hectares in Kiamba towm.

M P S A - 3 5 0 - 1 0 -X I I , which will expire in 2035, specifically noted deposits of gold, silver and iron within the identified tenement area.

The Coalition of Organizations to Save Kiamba Rainforest and the Natives Organization Worldwide opposed the proposed mining operations in the area, stressing it would eventually destroy the area’s rainforests and watersheds.

(PNA)

Fame Award back in 2011 after winning the first prize in the said awards in 2001, 2008 and 2010.

It was also in 2011 when the city got its first international award through the UNESCO’s King Sejong International Literacy Prize.

The Special Award of Excellence the city aims to get this year will be announced on September in a fitting ceremony in Baguio City in time for the 2014 National Literacy Conference sponsored by DepEd. | Louie Lapat of CIO Tagum

its environmental protection and enhancement plan, social development management program and the final mine rehabilitation and decommissioning plan,” he said in a statement.

The feasibility study mainly examined the economic, social and environmental viability of the planned large-scale copper and gold mining project, which will cover portions of the tri-boundaries of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Davao del Sur provinces.

The company earlier said that the decision to develop the Tampakan project, considered one of the largest foreign direct investments in the country, will mainly depend on the outcomes of the feasibility study.

SMI officials announced two weeks ago that it is targeting to begin later this year the required processes in getting the Free and Prior Informed Consent of tribal communities affected by the Tampakan project.

The Tampakan project is controlled by Glencore Xstrata that holds

a 62.5-percent interest while Indophil Resources NL holds the remaining 37.5-percent stake.

Indophil is 30-percent owned by Filipino corporations that include the Alsons Group through funding by Banco De Oro Unibank, the SM Group, San Miguel Corporation and Philex Mining Corp.

The project contains an estimated 15 million metric tons of copper and almost 18 million ounces of gold, with potential for growth, based on the company feasibility study.

The development cost for the Tampakan project was pegged at US$ 5.9 billion, including a “dedicated” power station worth US$ 900 million.

SMI initially targeted to begin the mining project’s commercial operation by 2016 but decided to later move it to 2019, a year before its Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) ends.

The national government granted the FTAA for the Tampakan in 1995. It has a lifespan of 25 years and can be renewed for another 25 years. (MindaNews)

SMI feasibility study sent to MGB central office T

Classroom Turnover. MAASIM, SARANGANI (August 12, 2014) – Alsons Consolidated Resources and Sarangani Energy Corporation Chairman and President Tomas I. Alcantara (3rd from right, seated) signs memorandum of agreement with Mangelen Integrated School (MIS) Principal Mohmen Mangelen during the ceremonial turn-over of classroom building Friday, August 08. SEC

and Muslim communities.

Identified as sustained programs are the city’s scholarship programs, the skills training program and health education campaigns.

New programs introduced last year are the Farmers’ Field School, the Vermiculture Project, Capability Building for Security Officers, Disaster Responders and Cooperative Leaders, Values Enhancement Seminar and the Tabang Eskwela Program.

Tagum got the Hall of

he Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in Region 12 has endorsed for further review and evaluation by its central office the project feasibility study of the US$ 5.9 billion copper-gold project of foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) in South Cotabato.

Constancio Paye Jr., MGB-12 director, said Tuesday they made the endorsement after completing last month the preliminary review and evaluation of the Tampakan copper-gold project’s feasibility study.

Prior to the endorsement, he said SMI officials presented to the agency the details of the study to facilitate their evaluation.

Paye said their assessment specifically covered the company’s geotechnical investigation and other vital aspects of the project.

It includes the project’s geology and mineral resources, mining, operations and employment, legal, financial, summary and facility description, he said. “(SMI) also presented

MEETING OF MINDANAO MINDS - Luwalhati Antonino, chair of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) meets with Paul Dominguez, board vice-chairman of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) during a meeting held Tuesday at the MinDA office in Davao City to discuss efforts to strengthen government and private

sector partnerships and increase investments under the inclusive business program in Mindanao. Dominguez held the position as the chair of then Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo), the forerunner of MinDA from 1992 to 1998.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

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Smuggled G-Shock watches seized A

LERT Airport Customs foiled an attempt to smuggle into the country over 400 pieces of Casio G-Shock watches concealed in balikbayan boxes which arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Various G-Shock watches of commercial quantity totaling 413 pieces with an approximate street value of Php4 million pesos were concealed inside six balikbayan boxes that arrived from Dubai were via cargo carrier FOREX and FILEX Cargo. The boxes were sent by Jeffrey N. Valencia, Peter Paul Bayani, Winly Dael Duran, Blessie Jao, and Leland Marquez and were consigned to Jennifer N. Valencia, Edward Ochave, Clarisse D. Karingal, Genevieve Ochave, and Edmund Discutido.

The shipments were subjected to Alert Order by the BOC’s Intelligence Group based on derogatory information. Upon the

conduct of spot-checking, it was found out that the contents were watches instead of declared personal effects such as chocolates or groceries. Hence, the boxes were seized by Airport Customs officials for violation of Section 2530 paragraphs E, F, I, and L of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines.

“We are closely monitoring all packages coming in or going out of the country. We have received reports that certain individuals are trying to use various cargo forwarding companies to try and smuggle items into the country,” said NAIA District Collector Edgar Macabeo.

Macabeo stressed that their heightened vigilance at all airports is thwarting smugglers from using attempting to sneak in high value items in the country.

“These smugglers will now have difficulty in their illegal operations with our continued vigilance against these scalawags.”

SkyCable’s marketing staff entertain a prospective client at the company’s SkyZone booth at the Annex of SM City Davao yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

21.3% exports growth in June in PH

P

HILIPPINE merchandise exports grew by 21.3 percent, making it the top export performer among selected East and Southeast Asian economies, and raising hopes for a stronger expansion for the rest of 2014, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“This is the highest level since the economy started posting a continuous posi-

tive growth in the same period last year. It is also way faster than the 6.9-percent increase in May 2014 and the 4.1-percent expansion in June 2013,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.

The Philippines outperformed Vietnam (12.7%), People’s Republic of China (7.2%), Malaysia (5.6%), Singapore (4.7%), Thailand (3.9%), Indonesia (3.8%), Hong Kong (2.7%),

Republic of Korea (2.5%), Taiwan (1.2%), and Japan (-6.5%).

Philippine exports grew to US$5.4 billion from US$4.5 billion in June 20l3.

For the first half of 2014, total exports rose by 8.3 percent to US$29.8 billion from US$27.5 billion in a comparable period last year.

“The export gains are broad-based, as reflected by increased overseas

demand for our manufactures, mineral products, total agro-based, and forest products. This also indicates that the global economy is ready for a strong recovery,” said Balisacan, who is also NEDA Director-General.

Manufactured goods posted a double-digit growth rate of 15.7 percent, which amounted to US$4.3 billion in June 2014 from US$3.7 billion in June

2013. Most notably, the exports value of electronics products reached US$2.2 billion in June 2014, up by 10.7 percent compared to US$2.0 billion in the same period last year.

In addition, semiconductors, which comprised more than half of the country’s total electronics exports during the period, posted its first positive growth rate in 2014.

“The positive perfor-

mance of semiconductor exports mirrored the upward trend in the global chip industry,” said Balisacan.

Likewise, strong outward sales of iron ore agglomerates and chromium ore with Japan and China propelled mineral products to a hefty growth rate of 85.1 percent, amounting to US$486.0 million in June 2014 from US$262.5 million in June 2013.

increased by 46% yearon-year to Php 5.8 billion in 1H-2014. Net interest margin was sustained at 3.5% in 1H-2014, same level as in 2013. Core revenues – which consist of net interest income, fee-based income, and trading gains attributable to customer flows – increased by 31% year-on-year to Php 7 billion in 1H-2014. Fee-based income inclusive of asset management was Php 850 million. Over-all trading gains contributed Php 1.66 billion.

Security Bank’s total operating income increased by 59% year-on-year to Php 8.4 billion while operating cost (excluding provisions for credit losses and impairments) grew by 11.8%. Ten new Security Bank branches were opened in the second quarter of 2014. The

Security Bank group has a network of 253 branches and 444 ATMs as of June 30, 2014.

After almost doubling its branch network in a span of less than three years, Security Bank in 2014 is implementing BetterBanking, a comprehensive re-branding and retail bank transformation aimed at making banking easier and better for clients. Clients currently enjoy enhancements in services that include transaction alerts every time they use their cards, no charges for transacting at other banks’ ATMs, faster and paper-less transactions in the branches, faster approvals for home mortgage and consumer loan applications, among others.

Security Bank continues to sustain superior asset quality with gross NPL

ratio at 0.57% as of June 2014 compared to 0.59% a year ago. Notwithstanding this, the Bank made Php 700 million in credit provisions in 1H-2014, further increasing the reserve cover to 297% as of June 30, 2014 from 266% a year ago. Pre-provision operating profit (PPOP) was at Php 4.3 billion, representing 143% year-on-year increase.

After the Php 1.00 per share in semestral cash dividends to stockholders in June 2014, the Bank’s capital attributable to shareholders grew by 15% yearon-year to Php 43.7 billion.

In July 2014, Security Bank successfully issued Php 10 billion in Basel III compliant Tier 2 Notes to further increase its total capital adequacy ratio to support the continuing growth in its

earning assets.

Security Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Alberto S. Villarosa said, “All of our business segments strongly contributed to the results, thanks to the healthy economy and our strong customer focus and business discipline.”

Security Bank Chief Financial Officer Mr. Joselito E. Mape said, “Our cost efficiency continues to improve, with cost-to-income ratio at 44% in 1H-2014.

Our capital adequacy ratios under Basel III are sustained at healthy levels, with Common Equity Tier 1 (CET 1) at 13.2% and Total CAR at 14% as of June 30, 2014.”

-----------------------------------About Security Bank Security Bank is the

8th largest private domestic universal bank in the country with total assets of Php 385 billion, 7th largest in loans with loan portfolio of Php 173 billion, and 8th largest in total capital at Php 45 billion as of June 30, 2014.

Security Bank has been a recipient of numerous awards, among which, in 2013, Security Bank was Best Managed Bank in the Philippines by The Asian Banker of Singapore, and in 2012, Security Bank was Bank of the Year in the Philippines by The Banker of London, and the Strongest Bank in the Philippines by The Asian Banker.

The Bank has been operating for 63 years since it was established in 1951.

More information is available on our website: www.securitybank.com.

Security Bank 1H net income up 115% 1

2 August 2014, Makati, Philippines – Security Bank Corporation (PSE: SECB) earned Php 3.614 billion in net income in the first half of 2014, representing 115% yearon-year growth and 17.2% return on shareholders’ equity (ROE).

This result was driven by sustained growth in the Bank’s core businesses, with loan portfolio increasing by 30% year-on-year to Php 173 billion, investment securities expanding by 106% to Php 111 billion, and deposits growing by 22% to Php 218 billion, which fuelled a 31% yearon-year increase in Security Bank’s total assets to Php 385 billion. The loan-to-deposit ratio was 79%. The return on assets (ROA) was 1.9%.

Net interest income

7 ENVIRONMENT

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

Text and Photos By aRManDo a. MoRTeJo

“I

’M more worried about global warming than I am of any major military conflict,” United Nations weapons inspector Hanx Blix once said.

While the recent surge of super typhoons, severe droughts, continuous flooding, and other natural calamities have caught the attention of scientists from all over the world, no one seems to bother about the effects of global warming to agriculture.

Just how disastrous is global warming to agriculture can be summed up in this story written Danielle Nierenberg and Brian Halweil, which appeared in the “State of the World 2005” report: “High in the Peruvian Andes, five hours by car from Cuzco and six hours by horseback, a new disease has invaded the potato fields in the town of Chacllabamba. Warmer and wetter weather associated with climate change has allowed late blight -- the same fungus that caused the Irish potato famine -- to creep 4,000 meters up the mountainside for the first time since humans started planting tubers in this region thousands of years ago.

“In 2003, farmers here saw their crops almost totally destroyed. Breeders are rushing to develop potatoes that retain the taste, texture, and quality preferred by local people and that also resist the ‘new’ disease.”

What happened in Peru is just a harbinger of the worst things to come.

“As farming depends so heavily on a stable climate, this industry will struggle more than others to cope with more erratic weather, severe storms,

and change in growing season lengths,” the two authors surmised.

It is not happening in the Philippines yet but it may happen soon. “Global warming is more disastrous to the agricultural industry of the Philippines and its neighboring Asian countries than in other parts of the world,” noted Dr. David Street of the US Argonne National Laboratory.

“As plant scientists refine their understanding of climate change -- and the subtle ways in which plants respond -- they are beginning to think that the most serious threats to agriculture will not be the most dramatic: a lethal heat wave or severe drought or endless deluge,” noted Nierenberg and Halweil.

“Instead, for plants that humans have bred for optimal climatic conditions, subtle shifts in temperatures and rainfall during key periods in the crop’s life will be most disruptive,” the two authors pointed out.

Plant scientists at the Philippine-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) are already noting regular heat damage in Cambodia, India, and their test farms in Laguna, where the average temperature is now 2.5 degrees Celsius higher than 50 years ago.

“In rice, wheat and maize, grain yields are likely to decline by 10% for every one degree (Celsius) increase over 30 degrees,” said researcher John Sheeny. “We are already at or close to this threshold.”

According to Sheeny estimates, grain yields in the tropics might fall as much as 30% over the next 50 years -- a pe-

riod when the region’s already malnourished population will increase by 44%.

The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development said that about 5-7 percent decline in yield of major crops in the country has been attributed to climate change.

“The yield reduction is caused by heat stress, decrease in sink formation (number of spikelet per unit ground area), shortening of growing period, and increased maintenance for respiration,” said the line agency of the Department of Science and Technology.

Not too many know that emissions from burning oil, coal and gas are both heating up the oceans and making them more acidic. That is combining to reduce the amount of seafood that can be caught, according to “Ocean-Based Food Security Threatened in a High CO2 World.”

Seafood is a primary source of protein for more than a billion of the poorest people in the world, said Matthew Huelsenbeck, author of the report and marine scientist at Oceana, an environmental non-government organization.

“Seafood is the only source of protein in large parts of the world,” Huelsenbeck said. “And for many local fishers, if they don’t catch fish, they go hungry.”

Filipinos are one of the world’s biggest fish consumers as more than half of their protein requirement come from fish. Each year, a Filipino consumes almost 30 kilograms of seafood.

Global warming disastrous to agriculture, too!

Rising sea levels are seen by many scientists as the most serious likely consequence of global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a group of 2,500 scientists from all over the world, predicted in 2007 that sea levels will rise by up to 59 centimeters (23 inches) before 2100 due simply to the expansion of warmer ocean waters.

The Philippines ranks fourth in the Global Climate Risk Index. Fifteen of the 16 regions of the country are vulnerable to sea level rise. The Philippine Country Study to Address Climate Change found that the Manila Bay is already subjected to several hazards, including flooding and storms.

Dr. Street said that most countries in Asia and the Pacific region have very large populations that are heavily dependent upon their marine ecosystems and natural resources. Climate change will definitely

make the problem more complicated.

“Many fish stocks will suffer because their spawning and nursery grounds in coastal mangroves and lagoons will be engulfed by rising sea levels,” the Panos Institute reported. The IPCC said that climate change may become a more important threat to ocean fisheries than overfishing.

Then, there’s the connection between climate change and water. “In a warmer world, we will need more water – to drink and to irrigate crops,” said the Londonbased Panos Institute.

“Water for agriculture is critical for food security,” points out Mark W. Rosegrant, a senior research fellow at the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute.

“The link between water and food is strong,” says Lester R. Brown, president of Earth Policy Institute, also based

in Washington, D.C. “We drink, in one form or another, nearly 4 liters of water per day. But the food we consume each day requires at least 2,000 liters to produce, 500 times as much.”

This explains why 70 percent of all water use is for irrigation. An estimated 40 percent of agricultural products and 60 percent of the world’s grain are grown on irrigated land. “Agriculture is by far the biggest consumer of water worldwide,” IRRI said.

For instance, to raise a ton of rice, you need a thousand gallons of water.

“Climate change is the biggest environmental issue because it threatens to be disastrous,” pointed out Geird Leipold, international executive of Greenpeace. “It will not only directly affect our climate. It will severely affect human beings and the ecosystem. We will have millions of people suffering from it.”

8

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

MSMEs and banks

HE Department of Trade and Industry in the Davao Region ought to be congratulated for a job well done, most specifically in assisting the region’s numerous micro, small and medium enterprises. In a report by DTI 11 regional officer-in-charge Ma. Belenda Q. Ambi, it was learned that the department, during this year alone, had assisted close to 3,000 MSMEs in the region in improving the competencies of the entrepreneurs and their staffs through trainings and seminars, product development, marketing and most important of all, financial assistance.

The DTI’s help cannot be gainsaid, considering that the perennial challenge of MSMEs in this country has always been lack of capital.

In their utter lack of access to financial assistance, it does not help that the country’s banks

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have remained collateral- oriented. In fact, the DTI openly declares that in the matter of extending financial succor to MSMEs, the country’s cooperatives are much better than the banks. Of course, the banks have their own reasons for being conservative with their money, after all Filipinos are not exactly known for being excellent borrowers.

Nonetheless, we are all hoping that most banks will find creative ways to help the MSMEs, considering that they constitute 99 percent of the country’s business establishments. One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize how indispensable they are in making our country’s economy afloat and in generating jobs at least among those who are not qualified to seek employment abroad.

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OBIN Williams, the Hollywood comedian who entertained moviegoers from all over the world for more than four decades, is dead at 63.

The Oscar-winning actor -- whose life was influenced by such personalities as Peter Sellers, Richard Pryor, Jonathan Winters, George Carlin, Chuck Jones, and Spike Milligan -- was found unconscious in his home in unincorporated Tiburon, California, at around noon on August 11, 2014.

The Marin County Coroner Division suspects the death to be suicide by asphyxia, pending investigation. According to his publicist, Williams was “battling severe depression” in the time before his death, though his publicist, Mara Buxbaum, would not confirm the reports that the death was suicide.

In a statement, his third wife, Susan Schneider, said she was “utterly heartbroken” and hoped “that the focus will not be on Robin’s death.”

“This morning I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings,” she said in the statement.

“On behalf of Robin’s family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope that the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless moments of joy and laugher he gave to millions.”

It may take sometimes before the world will know if it was really a suicide

L

ET’S hope effective steps will be taken against the pork barrel scammers, enough to stem the rising anger and lessen public agitation.

If public anger or disgust reaches scandalous levels, society’s malcontents can exploit it to sow confusion and mayhem as the MNLF did in Zamboanga City.

Or military adventurers can ride on the opportunity to pole-vault their careers to high political office, as two sitting senators today can attest.

But however firm or willful the administration is in pursuing its alleged anti-corruption campaign, however determined it may be to clean up the system, the effects are bound to be transitory unless enough people are awakened and empowered to do what it takes to enforce transparency and accountability in government.

The trouble is, we don’t even have a Freedom of Information Act. Malacanang and Congress have been keeping us in a state of helplessness, unable to check venality or plunder in their ranks.

The ruling clique keeps society helpless, allowing abuse to take place with impunity.

Delimiting the People’s Sovereign Role Not only that, for the longest time now, we have allowed traditional politicians—trapos—to confine our role in the political process to a narrow one that serves their purposes. This role, on

VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

VANTAGE POINTS

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GOODBYE, MR. HOLLYWOOD

BY GerrY T. eSTrera or there’s a foul play with his death, but one thing is sure: he was once married to a Filipina. Marsha Garces, his second wife, is a Filipina who grew up in the United States. The two met while she was working as a nanny to his first child, Zachary, from his first marriage.

On April 30, 1989, they two tied the nuptial knot. They have two children, Zelda Rae (born July 31, 1989) and Cody Alan (born November 25, 1991). In March 2008, Garces filed for divorce from Williams, citing irreconcilable differences.

When asked by Ruben Nepales, a Filipino reporter now based in the United States, if his two kids with Garces still keep in touch with the Filipino side of their family, he replied: “Big time.” “Very much so,” he further explained, “because of Marsha. My ex-father-in-law, Leon, was amazing. They keep up with the Filipino part of my family.”

Robin McLaurin Williams was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of a senior executive at Ford Motor Company and a former model. Although he was raised in the Episcopal Church (while his mother practiced Christian Science), he grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

He admitted that he was a very overweight child. As a result, nobody would play with him. He started talking in different voices to entertain himself by imitat-

ing the voice of some people, particularly his grandmother. He did not overcome his shyness until he became involved with his high-school drama department.

In 1973, he went to Juilliard School and joined one of only 20 students to be accepted into the freshman class. He was also one of only two students to be accepted by John Houseman into the Advanced Program at the school that year, the other being Christopher Reeve. In his dialects class, Williams had no trouble mastering all dialects quickly. Williams left Juilliard in 1976.

Williams started his acting career in television. He caught the attention of a producer when he appeared as the alien Mork in the hit TV series “Happy Days” (1974). Now it can be told: When he auditioned for the role, producer Garry Marshall told him to sit down. Williams immediately sat on his head on the chair.

Marshall hired him, saying that he was the only alien who auditioned.

As Mork, Williams improvised much of his dialogue and physical comedy, speaking in a high, nasal voice. He was a hit that he was signed to do “Mork& Mindy,” which ran from 1978 to 1982. “I started doing comedy because that was the only stage that I could find,” he was quoted as saying. “It was the pure idea of being on stage. That was the only thing that interested me, along with learning the craft and working, and just being in productions with people.”

In 1977, Williams made his first film appearance in the comedy, “Can I Do It ‘Till I Need Glasses?” It took three years before he was given a leading role in “Popeye” (1980) in a movie directed by Robert Altman. The film was a disappointment but not his second role, a young writer in “The World According to Garp” (1982).

In the mid-1980s, he appeared in soso movies: “The Survivors” (1983), “The Best of Times” (1986) and “Club Paradise.” He excelled as a Russian saxophone player who defects in Bloomingdale’s in Paul Mazursky’s “Moscow on the Hudson” (1984). But it was his appearance in “Good Morning, Vietnam” (1987) that he finally received his first Oscar nomination.

He received two more Oscar nominations: as an English teacher in “Dead Poets Society” (1989) and as a troubled homeless man in “The Fisher King” (1991). But it was for his role, as a psychologist in “Good Will Hunting” (1997), that he clinched a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

After having won the Academy Award, Williams sent Peer Augustinski (who was his standard German dubbing voice) a little Oscar replica with a note: “Thank you for making me famous in Germany.”

Williams reached a unique milestone by having two of his films reach the $100-million mark in the United States exactly the same week: “Jumanji” in 1995 and “The Birdcage” the following year.

conjunction with other winners to establish a government that protects and not betrays the public trust.

There is the obligation to ensure that government enhances and not diminishes the common good; then to do all other tasks that make democracy vibrant, government receptive, and the Rule of Law prevail.

Voting alone does not fulfill the affirmative acts a citizen must perform in order to sustain a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

People Power, Consent–of-the-governed Essential to such government is people power and its role of ensuring that official behavior accords with the principle consent-of-the-governed. Corollarily, people must support what is right, reject what is wrong, and withdraw authority that is abused or misused.

To make governance responsive, citizens have the duty to contribute to the give-and-take of ideas and acts, especially at the primal base of the republic—the barangay—where all the people are and where direct democracy operates.

As members of the Barangay Assembly, the community’s legislative governing body or parliament and its highest authority, everyone is duty-bound to take part in local governance—just as citizens do in the direct democracies of Switzerland and everywhere else where this system operates.

Only in the barangay is it possible to convene an entire community to undertake the business of governing. From municipal to upper levels, it would be unwieldy to convene the entire constituency, which is why they are governed by a representative democracy; officials (proxies of the people) do the governing. ***** Active people power or the exercise of citizen sovereignty is important to ensure consent-of-the-governed, especially during periods between elections.

And it is needed in times like today— when the public trust is being sorely tested.

In the wake of the general outrage provoked by the pork barrel revelations, restoring trust and confidence won’t be easy. No less than a revolution in our attitudes may be called for.

Thus we would do well to perform citizen duty and keep all trapos at bay and under advisement. The abuse and the corruption must stop.

Mannyis former UNESCO regional director for Asia-Pacific; secretary-general, Southeast Asia Publishers Association; director, development academy of Philippines; member, Philippine Mission to the UN; vice chair, Local Government Academy; member, Cory Govt’s Peace Pane; awardee, PPI-UNICEF outstanding columnist. He is president/national convenor, Gising Barangay Movement Inc. valdehuesa@gmail.com

Trapos trash the political system WORM’S EYEVIEW

BY MannY ValdehueSa which they focus everyone’s attention and through which they manipulate elections, is the simple act of casting one solitary vote every three years.

It has been a great disservice to our society that trapos make our people believe three wrong notions about voting.

One, they make people believe that the exercise of sovereignty consists mainly of the act of voting on election day. This makes simple folk believe that merely to vote fulfills the duties of a citizen in a democracy; leaving the interval between elections unguarded.

Two, they make people believe that it matters little whom they vote for as long as they vote and, if they can, to do so even more than once; which is what flying voters do.

Three, they make the poor and the undereducated think it’s all right to support a candidate who buys their vote; then, having made the point, they proceed to buy up all the votes they can afford! ***** In fact, voting is merely the minimum that a citizen of a democracy can do; it does not embrace the totality of his duties. It is only one of many.

There is the duty is to ensure that those who win an election proceed in

10 NEWS

Seized...FFROM 1

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

Meanwhile, another shipment of imported rice consigned to Starcraft International Trading Corporation is still not available for auction. It is currently on hold due to a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court (SC) earlier this year.

In December, the

shipment was purchased by a businessman named Joseph Ngo but a preliminary injunction was issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) which barred the BoC-Port of Davao to confiscate it.

In compliance to the preliminary injunction issued by RTC branch 16 Judge Emmanuel Carpio, the bureau was obligated

to release 3,348 tons of rice stored in 167 container vans from Vietnam from the Port of Davao.

However, with the TRO issued by the highest court, the bureau stated that “the BoC can continue to hold the remaining 85 containers of rice imported by Starcraft that are being held at the Port of Davao.”

ally focus on this sector so 2 million jobs could be generated with a 40 percent contribution to gross value added (GVA) by 2016,” she said.

Montemayor also said that MSMEs need to improve to be capable of competing in national and international markets.

“MSMEs need to improve to be at par with other players in the global market, particurly in the wake of the

2015 Asean Economic Community,” she said.

As DTI 11 and the National MSME Development Council targets to further assist MSMEs in the region, they will hold the National MSME Summit on August 20 to 21 at the SMX Convention Center.

“The summit, with the theme Philippine MSMEs: Beating Challenges, Accelerating Innovation, will surely benefit all MSMEs in the

region,” How said.

The summit is comprised of various presentations, including the state of the Philippine MSMEs and the updated MSME development plan for 2016, priming industry clusters for the ASEAN Economic Community, innovating local government unit (LGU) support to MSMEs, finance operation and better financial management, and more.

del Sur I Electric Cooperative, Surigao del Sur II Electric Cooperative, Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative, Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative, Zamboanga del Sur I Electric Cooperative, and Zamboanga del Sur II Electric Cooperative. The private DUs are DLPC, Cotabato Light and Power Company and Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company.

“The whole of Davao Region, Sokcksargen, Caraga, parts of Bukidnon, Cotabato and parts of Zamboanga Peninsula have power supply contracts with Therma South,” Rodolfo said.

He said that major cities like Davao, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Butuan, Cotabato, Tagum and Kidapawan

among others will be getting power from TSI. “As you can see, most of Mindanao will be benefitting from Therma South,” he added.

However, Rodolfo said that TSI will not displace Mindanao’s hydro power sources like the Agus-Pulangi Hydro Power Plants because the primary baseload power will still come from these renewable power sources.

“Therma South will only compliment the supply by providing baseload power. We believe that TSI will be very improtant during summer and dry months when the water levels in Agus- Pulangi are down and the power output is down,” he said.

According to him,

the power plant is 88 percent complete. This is despite the recent incident involving the dismissal of their contracted Chinese workers becaus of the lack of working papers.

He said that the incident did not affect the construction of the coal-fired power plant in Binugao, Toril, Davao City.

“At this rate we are hoping to complete the constructiion by this year and for testing and commissioning to start also this year,” he said.

Rodolfo said that pending any major delays, commercial operation of TSI will start by the first half of 2015.

CRC

for the proposed design of the halfway house,” Cutay said.

He, meanwhile, said that a halfway house is still not viable for Davao City because of the lack of area. He said that they are planning to talk with the City Government of Davao this year to ask for a vacant site for the facility.

According to Cutay, the facility will be used for the rehabilitation program for their clients in the region. It will be also used in the skills training program of the PPA- DOJ 11, hence

transforming convicts who are ready to become responsible citizen of their respective communities.

“Hindi na lang sila magiging tax-eater kasi they will become taxpayer. They will later-on contribute in the economic activity of the region and the nation,” Manuel G. Go, PPA- DOJ administrator said.

Cutay said that their clients will be subjected to skills training program and capacity building seminars of different partner agencies.

“Through the insti-

tutional convergence with other agencies like Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, PPA- DOJ 11 will be able to train our clients,” Cutay said.

Cutay said that they are still negotiating with other LGUs for more construction of halfway houses in Davao region.

For the first semester of the year, Cutay said that PPA 11 is supervising a total of 1, 275 probationers and 670 under parole and pardon. CRC

Coops... FFROM 2

Therma...FFROM 2

Tagum...FFROM 3

FIESTA IN THE CITY. Workers place buntings along Bonifacio Street in Davao City as the city is gearing up for this weekend’s culmination of the 29th Kadayawan Festival

which was formally opened yesterday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

Region 11... FFROM 3 ternational market.

“Para pagdating nila doon, they are prepared, academically and also in terms of skills test they can really be trained and can participate in the profession that they have chosen,” she said.

She said that a representative from ASEAN Secretariat discussed with them how to be prepared in the next year’s

economic integration.

“They presented to us the various policies, from trade facilitation services and the operation of customs. The Philippine Customs must be geared in this ASEAN single window, so, we have to look at this, too,” Lim said.

Lim said that the committee is co-chaired

by Department of Agriculture and Department

of Trade and Industry for the market concept and Commission on Higher Education for the mobility of human resources.

The committee is composed of several national agencies mandated for trade, promotions and mobilization of human resources including the customs which will be tasked for the ‘single window facilitation’.

LegaL noTICe

This is to notify that MR. LUCILo L. Wong, left their conjugal dwelling in Agdao leaving his wife and children , last July 1, 1999. For any information you may contact LenY Wong at telephone number (082)3006042 and mobile number 09204597141.This affidavit is executed through Doc. No. 419, Page No. 84, Book No. XI ,Series of 2014 of the Notary Public JhoPee S. aVanCeÑa-agUSTIn. 8/12,19

11 HEALTH

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

DON’T DIE OF CERVICAL CANCER By geRRY T. eSTReRa

E

VERYDAY, it kills 12 Filipinos, mostly women. To think of, the deaths could be prevented. In fact, there is now a vaccine for the disease and it can be cured – if detected early!

Cervical cancer, which also afflicts men, is women’s enemy number two.

“In the Philippines, cervical cancer is second to breast cancer as the most common malignancy that afflicts and kills women with conservative estimates between 35,000 and 70,000 cases with almost 7,000 new cases added every year,” reports Dr. Cecilia LadinesLlave, former chair of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital Cancer Institute.

Between breast cancer and cervical cancer, the latter is the deadliest.

As Rina Jimenez-David, a recognized advocate in reproductive health, puts it: “While breast cancer is the most common form of cancer for women in the country, it is not the most deadly. The death toll from cervical cancer is higher than for breast cancer, and this is mainly because by the time its victims come for treatment, it is already too late.”

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus. It extends into the vagina. Cervical cancer, which results from the uncontrolled growth of severely abnormal cells in the cervix, usually affects women aged 35 to 55, but is can affect women as young as 20.

“The younger a woman was the first time she had sexual intercourse and the more sex partners she has had, the higher her risk of cervical cancer,” points out The Merck Manual of Medical Information.

Usually, it takes about ten years before cancer develops. But it presents some early signs. “In the early stages, cervical cancer usually causes no symptoms. It may cause spotting or heavier bleeding between periods, bleeding after intercourse, or unusually heavy periods. In later stages, such abnormal bleeding is common,” says the Merck manual.

Other symptoms may include a four-smelling discharge from the vagina, pain in the lower abdomen, and swelling of the legs. The urinary tract may be blocked, without treatment, kidney failure and death can result.

Contrary to common beliefs, cervical cancer is not hereditary. It is primarily caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted during sexual intercourse. HPV takes several forms, which are referred to by number.

“There are about 100 types of HPV that generally infect people in various parts of the body but there are only 13 types that can cause cancer in the cervix,” wrote Dr. Llave in a paper presented at the Global Conference on Low-Resource Setting Cervical Cancer Prevention held at

the Johns Hopkins University.

The most common causes of cervical cancer are HPV Types 16 and 18. These two types are responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancer around the world.

HPV Type 16 also causes oropharyngeal cancer.

Condoms do not fully protect against infection because the virus can exist throughout the genital area and around the anus.

“Exposure to HPV alone is not enough to cause cancer – human bodies are equipped with the mechanisms to naturally reject and fight infections, HPV included,” wrote Elderita C. Rizo in an article which appeared in Health and Lifestyle. “However, in some women, the virus stays and survives for years without manifesting any symptoms, which eventually changes normal cells to pre-cancerous cells.”

Although sexual intercourse is the primary culprit cited for cervical cancer, there are several other factors that may trigger such cancer among women.

These factors include early age at first birth, having many births, tobacco use, prolonged use of hormonal contraceptives, and an impaired immune system, particularly related to HIV infection.

“Twenty percent of all cancers are caused by viruses,” Prof. Ian Frazer, a clinical immunologist and currently the chair

of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation’s Medical Research Advisory Committee. “If we know that cancer is caused by a virus, then we know how to prevent it.”

And this, he added, is where vaccines would come in. There are two vaccines against HPV currently sold in the market: Cervrix and Gardasil. A woman must be injected three times to guarantee full protection against the specific types of HPV infection.

The World Health Organization recommends HPV vaccination as early as nine to 13 years old, especially in liberal countries. “But every woman is at risk so women aged 13 to 55 years old can still have the vaccine,” Dr. Llave said.

Clinical trials done by Prof. Frazer and his team showed that the vaccine can last for as long as ten years. However, as these do not protect against all types of cancer-causing HPVs, more vaccines are need to combat the other HPV strains.

If detected early, cervical cancer is curable.

“There is no reason for any woman to die of cervical cancer,” deplores Noe Tuason, a research scientist at the University of San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Industrialized countries, like the United States, have achieved success in early detection of pre-cancerous conditions in the cer-

vix with the Pap smear.

But in developing countries like the Philippines, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) is recommended.

In VIA, a swab cotton is immersed in acetic acid, and then placed on the cervix. If an area turns whitish, this is an indicator for health practitioners to suspect for the presence of cancer.

Several international medical societies and health governing bodies have rated VIA as equally, if not more useful than Pap’s smear and as more appropriate and cost effective in low resource areas. In the Philippines, studies show that Pap’s smear has a cancer sensitivity rate of 30 to 89 percent while VIA has a sensitivity of 51 to 77 percent.

In a lecture held at the College of Medicine

auditorium at the University of the Philippines in Manila last year, Prof.

Frazer reiterated three things that must be done when dealing withcervical cancer.

He said that a person must undergo prevention (changing one’s lifestyle or avoid certain environments), then early detection through screening, and finally definitive therapy once thecancer cells develop.

“We have got good treatments for cervical cancer especially if we detect it early, in which state it becomes definitely curable. This is why screening is very important,” Prof. Frazer explained. “The problem arises if a woman waits until she finds she is sick of cervical cancer, wherein by that time, the disease is so advanced that is already becomes incurable.”

12 CLASSIFIED

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Billiard Supplies

Phone Nos.

Cell Nos.

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WOMEN

Seda Abreeza’s Chef Bang Flores and her Mindanao flavours

Seda abreeza recently took part in Intercon Manila’s davao Food Festival which was met with much gusto as well as critical acclaim in Manila. The success of the festival was thanks due in part to Seda abreeza’s very own executive Sous Chef bang Flores whom I had the pleasure of meeting.

being the only woman holding the executive Sous Chef position in durianburg, chef bang is definitely on league of her own.

She attributes her love for cooking to her family. “My mom, my grandmother, my great grandmother love to cook.” she says “For me they were the best cooks in my life.”

“When I was younger, my mom did not allow me to cook, I guess she was afraid of me getting burned, but I really wanted to cook”, recalls bang “but when she left for work, that was when I would experiment with whatever I find in the fridge and cook.”

Ginisang Pasayan with Roasted Grated Coconut and Aligue.

Seda Abreeza’s Executive Sous Chef Bang Flores.

Originally from Cebu, Chef bang Flores eventually made her way to davao in 2007 to pursue her culinary career after going to culinary school in Manila. The food scene as well as the different flavours of davao also influ-

enced her and her cuisine as well.

“For the davao Food Fest at the Intercon, I had to do research on the many different ways of food preparation as well as flavour and spice profiles, not just of davao City, but

Nilutlot na Kasaba. from all over the Mindanao region as well.” says bang “I found that there are dishes that required cooking inside bamboo such as Nilotlot na Kasaba which enhanced the dish’s flavours as well as recipes that had complex layers

of flavour such as the Maranao’s Chicken Piyanggang.”

Knowing that dabawenyos are also devout foodies, Chef bang Flores’ davao Food Festival dishes will be made available this august 16 at Seda

abreeza’s Harvest Festival buffet at the hotel’s restaurant, Misto.

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

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

UP AND ABOUt

Free Xiaomi Mi 3 smartphone with Smart’s Data Plan 999 ExcEllENt high-end features on a smartphone don’t have to come with an expensive price tag. Mobile users can now experience the legendary performance of a smartphone with the ‘nationwidest’ mobile network as wireless services leader Smart communications, Inc. (Smart) announces the availability of the Mi 3 from xiaomi, one of the most soughtafter smartphones of today.

Soon to be available for FREE under Smart’s Data Plan 999, the Mi 3 offers what no other smartphone can give at its relatively affordable price range: a powerful 2.3 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 16GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM, a 5-inch full HD IPS display, and a 13-megapixel rear camera.

Interested subscribers can now register their interest to get their hands on the exciting Mi 3 device by going to the preorder site at smart.com.ph/mi3. the units will be delivered to approved applicants for free. coupled with Smart’s superfast mobile network nationwide, the Mi 3 delivers the best experience even to the most demanding mobile Internet users around, so they can play high-definition games, watch Youtube videos, and instantly upload to Facebook or Instagram without any interruption.

“We’re honored to have the most sought-after Mi3 in our postpaid lineup, which gives more best-value smartphone choices to our subscribers,” said Kathryn carag, Postpaid Marketing Head at Smart. “xiaomi is a revolutionary brand that is changing the mobile landscape, and Smart is proud to partner with them to offer more game-changing products to Filipino users.”

Hailed for its premium features and top-of-the-line performance, the Mi 3 has won the approval of even the staunchest gadget critics the world over, particularly due to its solid, premium finish and a user-friendly interface known as MIUI. the MIUI runs on top of the default Android KitKat 4.4.2 operating system and provides users with a smoother and better interface, more software features, and hundreds of themes that can be used to customize the Mi 3’s look and feel.

All these features are backed by a highly capable 3,050 mAh battery on the Mi 3, which gives users about a day and a half of constant use, even with mobile data turned on. And with all-day mobile surfing plus calls and texts to all networks from Smart’s Data Plan 999, the Mi 3 becomes the perfect gadget companion for all mobile users who want to stay constantly connected.

SM ACCESSORIES GOES ON FINAL MARKDOWN SALE! Get up to 50% off on the most fabulous finds at the SM Accessories Final Markdown Sale! Go crazy for a limited time as we give you our best items half the price! To top it all off, get an additional up to 20% off when you show your SM Advantage, SM Prestige, BDO Rewards or Mom Card.

Drop by SM Accessories now before the items run out. See you there!

Promotion Duration is August 14 to 31, 2014.

Celebrating Kadayawan Festival at Eden Nature Park and Resort aS one of the country’s prime nature resort destinations, eden Nature Park and resort has many ways to celebrate davao City’s most anticipated event, Kadayawan Festival.

Witness the live cultural performance at Tinubdan Cultural Village on august 15-17, 2014 from 9am to 4pm. Tinubdan, an outdoor museum and cultural park, features an educational tour of indigenous cultural heritage of Mindanao.

Get healthy while having fun exploring! eden’s most popular feature where a truly gastronomic experience awaits you, harvested from eden’s state-of-the-art hydroponic technology are several varieties of lettuce which are served fresh at the Vista restaurant. davao is known as the durian City of the Philippines. The gastronomically adventurous tourists in the city can enjoy not just the fresh fruits itself, but also try different takes on durian-infused desserts like ice cream. don’t leave without indulging in some gourmet ice cream flavors of durian and Marang which is offered in the buffet at The Vista restaurant on august 15-17, 2014. rising in the highlands of davao City, at almost 3,000 feet above sea-level, eden Nature Park and resort is a treasure for those who love nature and has become a must-visit ecological tourist destination in the Philippines. The 80-hectare man-made

mountain resort is a sanctuary where guests get to enjoy one of the best views of davao City. eden relishes a cool and crisp mountain weather all year round. The cluster of cottages and its breath taking landscapes form a tapestry of calmness and laidback lifestyle, making it an ideal place to simply reconnect with your inner self or bond with the family.

aside from its rich cultural heritage, superb cuisine, it gives travellers not just a chance to enjoy nature and a change from a daily routine, but it also provides an opportunity to experience the great outdoor adventure.

The resort’s numerous activities and amenities ensure that guests get to enjoy both quiet and soothing moments as well

as active pursuits. For the thrill-seekers, experience real adventure with eden’s Skyrider (zipline) and Skycycle. Feel the adrenaline rush in Skycycle as you bike on top of a cable that is 60 feet high with a distance of 200 meters. discover the best of davao at eden Nature Park & resort, a must-visit leisure and nature resort destination in Mindanao.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

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ENtERtAINMENt

Glaiza de Castro:

No longer the villain KAPUSO star Glaiza de castro may be accustomed to portraying villainous roles where she makes life miserable for the lead characters like what she did in temptation of Wife, but playing the female protagonist in the currently airing Dading simply tells viewers there’s still much to discover in her.

In Ricky Davao’s latest directorial assignment, Glaiza’s character Beth falls for a guy (Benjamin Alves as Joemer) who gets her pregnant, but it is her gay former boyfriend and present best friend (Gabby Eigenmann as carding) who helps her get through her tough pregnancy.

“Dito sa soap na ito, iyak ako nang iyak. So ibang hirap din, ibang challenge para sa akin,” she said in a recent interview at the sidelines of the Kapuso Fans’ Day in Batangas city as part of the Sublian Festival celebration.

Read on as the actress opens up about the latest role she’s playing, her sentiments on being part of a show that is doing well in terms of ratings, and how she manages the expectations not only of the viewers but of her home Network as well.

Q: How does it feel to be part of a successful show

pagbutihan lalo.” Siguro ‘yun ‘yung tamang mindset every time na binibigyan ka ng project para hindi ka marelax.

Q: Do you often re-invent yourself?

G: As much as possible, oo.

Natutuwa ako na bilang actor, ‘yung trabaho namin is parang to live different lives for a certain time. ‘Yun din kasi yung goal ko na sana hindi ako ma-compare sa previous roles na nagawa ko.

As much as possible gusto ko mag-deviate.

like Dading?

G: Nakaka-overwhelm kasi unang-una, parang ngayon na lang ulit nagkaroon ng ganitong soap sa GMA Afternoon Prime na may ganitong klaseng konsepto. Actually, before kami mag-air, medyo ninenerbiyos kami kung tatanggapin siya ng mga manonood kasi nga hindi rin maiiwasang maicompare siya sa ibang previous soaps and shows. tapos noong umere na siya finally, nakakatuwa kasi hindi namin in-expect na maraming matutuwa at maraming tatangkilik, sa ganoong oras pa. So we’re very grateful, grateful pa rin kami every time. tapos, masaya rin na-

man kasi sa set namin kahit na inuumaga na kami, nandoon kasi ‘yung support ng bawat members so nothing but gratitude talaga.

Q: In terms of acting, do you still feel challenged considering that you have already portrayed numerous roles in the past?

G: Oo naman po. With every project talaga, kinakabahan ako na parang lagi akong bagong pasok sa showbiz.

Kasi iniisip ko kung hindi ako kakabahan, mas lalo akong matatakot kasi ibig-sabihin masyado na akong kampante sa sarili ko. Pero once na meron kang kaba, meron ka pa ring “Hindi, gusto kong

G: Siguro kasi nakikita nila ‘yung other side of it. ‘Yung finished na, ‘yung tapos ka nang make-up-an then makikita ka na lang nila sa commercials. Pero even ‘yung commercials, ‘yung proseso noon hindi rin naman ganoon kadali. Every time, ang nakikita na lang ng mga tao is ‘yung finished product. Siguro nagmumukha siyang madali pero ‘yung proseso behind it, iba. Hindi rin naman siya nalalayo sa mga doctor o sa teachers na kailangan mo talaga siyang pag-aralan at meron siyang science behind it. Siguro dahil marami ka na ring roles na nagampa-

nan at medyo matagal ka na rin sa industriya. Dati parang laro-laro lang, may times na parang wala lang, may times na macha-challenge ka.

Pero heto ngayon nasa state ako na trabaho talaga siya na kailangan mong pagbutihan kasi hindi mo alam biglang may bagong darating and anytime pwedeng mawalan ka, so you have to make your mark talaga.

Aside from Dading, which airs weekdays after The Half Sisters, Glaiza can also be regularly seen in the weekend variety program Sunday All Stars and the sitcom Vampire Ang Daddy Ko on GMA.

Q: In Dading, you play the role of a loving mother. Do you miss portraying kontrabida roles?

G: Nakaka-miss din lalo na dito sa soap na ito, iyak ako nang iyak. So ibang hirap din, ibang challenge talaga para sa akin. Whereas kung kontrabida ako, lagi lang akong galit. Iba, ibang level siya. Pero ngayon thankful din naman ako na hindi lang ako na-stuck lang sa isang genre. Kumbaga after temptation of Wife, may Dading naman. ‘Di ko rin masasabi kung after nito, babalik ulit ako roon. Or depende rin siguro sa project. Pero kung ako ang masusunod, gusto ko talaga iba’t iba ‘yung ginagawa ko.

Q: People often think of acting as a glamorous profession. Can you share with our readers what this job is really all about in your perspective?

Robin Williams dead at 63 ROBIN WIllIAMS has died. the multifaceted actor, who brought memorable characters to life such as the alien Mork from Mork and Mindy and Mrs. Doubtfire was found dead at his home in tiburon, california Monday morning (Monday evening Manila time) according to the Marin county Sheriff’s Office coroner Division.

“Robin Williams passed away this morning,” his rep confirmed to E! News.

“He has been battling severe depression of late. this is a tragic and sudden loss. the family respect-

fully asks for their privac y as they grieve during this very difficult time.”

Williams h a d been extremely candid- a n d humorously self-deprecating--when it came to his past battles with substance abuse. Earlier this summer he had checked into a preventive treat-

m e n t facilit y as part of what his rep called his “continued commitment” to staying sober.

While Williams’ name tends to be synonymous with comedy, and he’s also considered one of the all-time great standup comedians, his’ dramatic work earned him great

critical acclaim as well. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a compassionate, brilliant and still-grieving psychologist opposite Matt Damon’s troubled genius in Good Will Hunting and was nominated for Best lead Actor three times beforehand, for Good Morning, Vietnam; Dead Poets Society, and the Fisher King.

Williams also won four Golden Globe Awards, two Emmys, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and five Grammys.

Robin Mclaurin Williams was born July 21, 1951, in chicago.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Megan Fox, Johnny Knoxville, Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher PG 13

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

SEX TAPE Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel R 16

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

THE EXPENDABLES 3 Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li PG 13

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

R-16 INTO THE STORM / * LUCY Richard Armitage, Jeremy Sumpter / *Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman PG 13 / * R 16

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

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

WOMEN

Interior motives

redeCOraTING your home can be an overwhelming affair amid infinite options and styling possibilities. but let’s face it, that’s what also makes it so much fun. Sometimes, when faced with the challenge of redecorating a space that’s in dire need of a spanking new look, you don’t need to splurge on an all-new set of furniture or hire an interior designer. You can easily liven it up and give it a facelift by adding a few thoughtful accessories.

Find the pieces you love and shop at Florence Home --- a quaint little store located in downtown davao, owned by taste master Florence Ferraris - alejandre. This professional event stylist and homemaker just recently opened her shop out of her husband’s suggestion of turning her styling obsession into a full blown business. “If you’re going through the trouble of procuring and shipping in rare finds, why not buy in bulk and sell the rest of the pieces?”

“It made sense,” Florence said. “In a way, I get to bring in profit out of my habit and hobby. You see, I’m on a constant search for ornaments to add in our home. I see

Call: 224-0733 • Tionko St., Davao City

one thing and I imagine how it would look like if matched and placed beside another thing. I’m always in the mood to mix and match. I guess that’s the stylist in me, thinking. I’m just lucky that my husband supports me in everything I do, including my interest and passion in interior design.”

Florence Home houses a selection of exquisite, tasteful, and culturally inspired home décor pieces.

It has a wide variety of products that will give any home contemporary flair.

These unique home accents are procured come from locations across the region, to ensure that every customer have the best variety for her living space.

“The idea of this store is to share a little joy and beauty with each home.

My display started with only fancy porcelain and tea cups, and later on grew into a collection of crafty ornaments made from glass, wood, brass, acrylic and ceramic. In the beginning, all items were only exclusively displayed and available online. However, due to popular demand, I was compelled to turn my office into a standalone shop which also doubles as my meeting

venue for clients in need of my help for events and parties. The response is really overwhelming and we now ship orders to different cities. I didn’t even know that there are a lot of women in davao who share the same obsession in collecting tea cups or decorating houses.”

“The art of arrangement is always stylish,” shares Florence. “To spruce up your living space, all you need is a few throw pillows, vases, frames, stoneware, china

and mirrors to instantly liven it up. despite being small, accessories are your quick makeover solution that can make a big change and turn any room into a well-designed space worthy of a magazine cover. Tea cups, saucers, pots and the like make pretty accents for all those nooks and crannies.

You can even hang up china to decorate your walls and stack up your shelves with fun trinkets, wooden decorative or color coordinated prints. Mirrors

can give any small space an added boost, while photo collages and frames look more interesting in variation colors and form.

There are a wide variety of artifacts to choose from, and all you need is determine how best to incorporate these accents into your room. These accessories are less expensive compared to a total room renovation or refurbishment, and can simply be changed on a whim from time to time depending on the season or theme you want to follow.”

Find out more styling tips and interior design solutions by checking out available decorative accents at Florence Home, located along Road 1 in Dona Vicenta Village. You may also check out new stocks through @florencehomeaccents on Instagram or send in orders via Viber to 0917 701 3346.

13 COMMUNITY SENSE Tagum distributes 1 million bangus fry to fishers O EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

NE million bangus fry were formally turned-over to 175 brackish water fish-

pond owners and caretakers who are growing bangus in three coastal barangays in the city, fol-

Opening of 8th Phil-BIST Conference and Fair. Univ. of Southeastern Phils. Pres. Dr. Perfecto Alibin (left) and San Pedro College Pres. Sister Annabella Roña, OP cut the ribbon to open the 8th Philippine Book, Information Science, and Technology Conference and Fair (Phil-BIST) which is being held on August 11-13, 2014 at San Pedro College. Looking on are UP Mindanao Chancellor Sylvia Concepcion, keynote speaker Dr. Edizon Fermin of Miriam College, and heads of member-schools of the Davao Colleges and Universities Network (DACUN), namely: University of the Immaculate Conception, Brokenshire College, Phil. Women’s College of Davao, San Pedro College, Assumption College of Davao, Davao Doctors College, Holy Cross of Davao

lowing the City Government of Tagum’s vision of reviving the bangus industry in the city which

was devastated by the brunt of Typhoon Agaton earlier this year.

Under the Bangus

College, Rizal Memorial Colleges, University of Mindanao, University of Southeastern Phils., and University of the Philippines Mindanao. The Conference lectures are on the theme, “Preparing Libraries and ICT Services for 2015 ASEAN Integration: Issues and Challenges” . The Fair exhibitors are Academic Book Sales, Belview Co., C&E Publishing, CD Books Int., Creative Mind Book Center, DD Knowledgeseller, EDCA Publishing, F&J de Jesus Inc., Fastbooks Educational, Forefront Book Co., Global Int. Link Ent., Golden Books, Great Books Trading, Megatext Phils., Mind Mover Pub., Mind Tools, New Century Books, New Day Pub./Ateneo Press, Superpages, and U.P. Press. The 8th PhilBIST is an 11th Anniversary Offering of the DACUN Library Committee.

Fry Dispersal Program of the City Government of Tagum through the City Agriculture Office, the 175 farmers received the said government assistance last August 12, 2014 spearheaded by Mayor Allan L. Rellon and Vice Mayor Geterito T. Gementiza.

“This is an initiative of the local government to help our fisherfolks who suffered during the flooding in the recent calamities that hit the city,” Mayor Rellon said.

The local chief executive noted that this is the biggest assistance rolled out by the local government for the fisherfolks in Barangay Busaon, Bincungan and Liboganon to the tune of 700,000 pesos utilized under the 5% calamity fund of the local government.

Another 560,000 pesos is intended for the rehabilitation of agricultural areas, which puts the total rehabilitation fund to 1, 260,000 pesos.

“This would greatly alleviate the plight of farmers and fisherfolks whose losses in expected income were great-

ly jeopardized,” City Agriculturist Harold S. Dawa said.

Dawa further stressed on the importance of helping the bangus industry of the city since its demand is high.

Currently, the city is host to 1, 118 hectares of brackish water fishponds growing bangus, all of which are located in the three coastal barangays of Tagum.

Throughout the rollout of the program, technical assistance will be provided by the City Agriculture Office.

The aim of reviving the bangus industry in Tagum will soon be given a boost once the construction of the Multi-Species Hatchery in Liboganon will be finished sometime this year.

Built in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the hatchery is expected to sustain the supply of fingerlings for mariculture projects not only in Tagum but for the entire Davao Region. | Louie Lapat of CIO Tagum

14 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

FROM BAGS TO RICHES DAVAO BOY. Johnnel Ababa in action during the Penang Open Golf Tournament in Malaysia.

ASEAN PGA Tour photo

Davao’s Ababa prevails in Penang U

NHERALDED Jhonnel Ababa of the Philippines lifted his first ASEAN PGA Tour title on Saturday with a two-shot victory in the PGM-ASEAN PGA Penang Championship.

Ababa, the 30-year old former caddie at Apo Golf and Country Club, was three strokes ahead overnight but was pushed hard by Thailand’s Atthaphon Sriboonkaew who twice drew within a stroke of the leader.

However Atthaphon, an experienced campaigner who won the 2010 Mercedes-Benz Masters Indonesia on the ASEAN PGA Tour, blinked first and his brave challenge ended with a three-putt bogey on the 16th at Penang Golf Club.

The 30-year-old Ababa, who represented his country on many occasions during a standout amateur career, shot a bogey-free 69 for a total of 18-under 270. Atthaphon carded a 68 which included dropped shots at the fifth and 16th.

“I’m very, very happy with the win. No bogeys playing in the final group on the final day is very satisfying,” said Ababa, who is from a family of golfers including his uncle Cesar Ababa – a former touring professional “It’s definitely the biggest win of my career against some good players. I’ve been feeling very confident over the ball all week. I’ve been having a lot of fun out there, just enjoying playing golf and that has kept me very relaxed.

“Today I always thought if I could get two or three birdies I’d be hard to catch. My birdie at 10 was the best, a wedge to about two inches. I’m happy with putts

like that.

“I putted well all week and again that is the key here. Everyone hits it close and it’s all about who putts best.”

Singapore’s Choo Tze Huang (69) and Thai Nakarintra Ratanakul (67), who both played college golf in the United States, finished joint third, s i x shots behind the winner.

The final r o u n d turned into a duel between Ababa, n a m e d “Player of the Year” on the Philippine Golf Tour in 2011 after three triumphs, and Atthaphon.

Four birdies in five holes from the third saw Atthaphon draw within a stroke of Ababa but the Filipino responded with back-to-back birdies on the the 10th and 11th.

Atthaphon narrowed the gap again with two straight birdies of his own on 13 and 14 before handing the initiative back to Ababa by bogeying the 16th.

“I got great support out there from the crowd and it was like playing at home. My dad comes from about an hour away from here so yeah, it was like playing at home,” said Atthaphon.

“I’m happy with the way I played today and all week. It was just the three-putt on 16 that spoiled my day and that came from a poor decision with my third shot when I was in between clubs.”

Choo said he would head to next week’s US$1 million Fiji International on OneAsia in good spirits after a fine week.

“Overall I’m pretty happy with the way I played this week.

I played four solid days which

shows I’m on the right track at the moment,” he said.

“It’s good to be going into the Fiji International next week with some good form, so I’m looking forward to kicking on.”

Formerly called Bukit Jambul Golf Club and built in 1984, the Penang Golf Club has undergone a major facelift and reopened in November 2012 with new turf and some modifications to make it more challenging.

The next leg of the ASEAN PGA Tour will be the PGM-ASEAN PGA Staffield Championship from October 15-18, another co-sanction with the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour.

Leading final round scores: 270 – Jhonnel Ababa (PHI) 68-68-65-69 272 – Atthaphon Sriboonkaew (THA) 68-67-69-68 276 – Nakarintra Ratanakul (THA) 65-70-74-67, Choo Tze Huang (SIN) 72-66-69-69 277 – Pravee Visalkit (THA) 65-73-70-69 278 – Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) 68-67-75-68, Khor Kheng Hwai (MAS) 71-67-7169, Piya Swangarunporn (THA) 67-70-69-72 279 – Airil Rizman (MAS) 71-71-71-66, Mike Bibat (PHI) 69-70-72-68, William Sjaichudin (INA) 71-69-7168, Thammanoon Sriroj (THA) 72-67-68-72 Selected 282 – Mardan Mamat (SIN) 69-7371-69

TEEING OFF. Ludwig Van Ledesma shows fine form off the tee during the 1st Red Cross Golf Tournament at the Apo Golf and Country Club over the weekend. Boy Lim

VOL. 7 ISSUE 107 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014

SPORTS 15

EDGEDAVAO

COLLISION COURSE Ateneo, DCNHS lead opening day winners By neILWIn JoSePh L. BRaVo njb@edgedavao.net

D

EFENDING champion Ateneo de Davao showed its fangs to a hapless Cor Jesu College side to set off its title retention bid on a high note in the Shakey’s Girls V L e a g u e Southern Mindanao leg on Monday at the D ava o

Doctors College Gym. The Blue Knights, who ended the four-year reign of Davao City National High School last year, displayed its voracious appetite for another title in sending the Digos City volleybelles to a sound trashing 25-18, 2519 in their first outing.

That win easily installed the Blue Knights as the prohibitive favourites to take their second straight title

and advance to the Philippine Finals in January.

That, however, could be too rash a conclusion as three other teams came through with equally impressive debuts.

There’s the four-time champion Davao City National High School which had a more dominating performance in drubbing Holy Cross College-Sasa 25-13 25-13. With fire in

their eyes, the Greenies could yet return to the big stage if they play consistently.

Ateneo and DCNHS looked headed to a collision course this early. Both are on top of their respective groups—Ateneo inPool A with a 1-0 win-loss slate, and DCNHS in Pool B with an identical record.

On the darkhorse lane, there’s the reigning Batang Pinoy national champions EASY OVER. A spiker from the Davao City National High School puts an easy over in this bit of action during the Shakey’s Girls V League Southern Mindanao Leg at the Davao Doctors College Gym. Lean Daval Jr.

Tagum City National High School which thumped Maa National High School 25-15 25-12 in another ho-hum match. The Tagum lasses are no pushovers and could make a good run against the twin favorites.

And then there’s University of the Immaculate Conception which earned a close 25-16 27-25 win over Notre Dame of Cotabato City.

Cor Jesu came back lat-

er to beat Maa NHS 25-19 25-19 to get back on track.

Hoy Cross of Sasa likewise made t 1-1 after turning back Daniel Aguinaldo National High School in the only match decided on a three-setter 17-25 25-16 25-16.

The tournament, locally organized by the Balibolista de Dabaw, serves as the qualifying school for the Shakey’s Girls V League Philippine Finals.

DIMINUTIVE SPIKER. This pint-sized player from Cor Jesu College Lady Lancers gets one spike through the outstretched arms of the defense during one of the exciting action of the Shakey’s Girls V League Southern Mindanao Leg at the Davao Doctors College Gym. Lean Daval Jr.

Kadayawan 100K Ultramarathon set Saturday All set for the first ever Davao Tribal Games

T

HE year’s toughest road race Kadayawan 100 Ultramarathon gets going on Saturday beginning and ending at Brokenshire College in Madapo Hills.

The Ultramarathon is a 100-kilometer footrace for runners who are qualified to race the distance. Organizer Roel Ano said they will be screening the particioants ad will limit the slots to only 100.

Assembly time is set at 4:00 p.m. and gunstart will be at 7:00 p.m.

Cutoff time, according to Ano, is 20 hours.

The race will also have a side event—the Kadayawan Color Run over distances of 3K, 5K

and 10K. The color race will be staged on Sunday with gunstart at 5:00 am from Brokenshire College and back.

Registration fee is P1,950 for Ultramarathon inclusive of racebib, singlet, finisher shirt, medal, plaque, carbo loading, and finisher meal. Cash prizes and trophy will be awarded to the top 3 finishers in the men’s and women’s races.

The Color Run 3K will have a registration fee of P300 and will be limited to 300 slots only inclusive of racebib, singlet, certificate and medal for first 100 finishers. Color Run 5K will have a registration fee of

P350 (300 slots) inclusive of racebib, singlet, certificate and medal for first 100 finishers.

For the 10K Colr Run, registration fee is P350 (400 slots) inclusive of racebib, singlet, certificate and medal for first 100 finishers.

The winners of the Ultramarathon will receive a whopping P10,000, P7,000 and P5,000 for men and P6,000, P5,000 and P4,000 for women. The 10K winners get P2,500, P1,500 and P1,000 for both divisions, the 5K winners get P1,500, P1,000 and P700, and the 3K winners get P1,000, P700 and P500.

(NJB)

T

HE first ever Davao Tribal Games for Peace, perhaps the first of its kind in the country, gets going tomorrow, August 14, at the People’s Park in Davao City.

Five tribes coming from Ata, Klata, Matigsalog, Ovu-Manubo and Tagbawa will parade their delegations during the opening ceremonies which will be highlighted by a ritual and opening prayer.

Six games will then be played in the morning.

The events to be contested are Pana (bow and arrow), Sisibow (spear throw), Kakasing (topspin), Bubuntug (bam-

boo spear), Solopot (blow gun) and Bibinayo (rice pounding), Siklot (wood sticks), Aakow (wooden stilts), Totaringki (fire making), Sosakoro (water fetching), Dagan (running) and Tug-of-War. Each tribe will be represented by 50 players aged 18 years old and above, in the one-day historic event held in celebration of the annual 29th Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival.

The over-all team champion will pocket P50,000 while the first and second  runners-up will get P40,000 and P30,000, respectively.

The third and fourth runners-up will each bring

home P15,000. Trophies will also be given away to the teams while medals will be awarded to the individual winners.

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte will be the guest of honor in the awarding and closing ceremony.

The Tribal Games is also organized to commemorate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples held every August 9 by the United Nations.

The over-all champion will win P50,000 while the first and second runners-up will get P40,000 and P30,000, respectively.

The third and fourth runners-up will each bring home P15,000.

16

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