Edge Davao 7 Issue 176

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

BREAK IT DOWN. The dancing enforcers of the Traffic Management Center (TMC) perform their dance routines to kick off the reopening ceremony of the Governor Generoso Bridge 2 yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

BRIDGE REOPENS

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. and FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

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FTER a delay of more than a month, the Governor Generoso Bridge 2 was reopened to the public yesterday morning.

After a short ceremony that featured the dancing enforcers of the Traffic Management Center (TMC) and a blessing by Rev. Fr. Jorge Angga, officials held a ceremonial drive-through to officially reopen the bridge.

The drive-through was done by city administrator J. Melchor Quitain who was representing Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional director Mariano Alquiza, project coordinator engineer Alvin Cabueñas, and barangay captains Marius Garcia (Barangay 2-A), Edgar Ibuyan Jr. (5-A), Rolando Trajera (76-

A), and Olivia Cal (Maa).

Majority Floor Leader councilor Bernard Al-ag, who had questioned the DPWH over the three delays in the opening of the bridge, said he was thankful that the reopening pushed through.

“I am very glad that there was no more postponement.

The worst thing that would have happened today was for them (DPWD) to say they were postponing it again,” Al-ag said.

Al-ag had issued a resolution expressing his disappointment over the delay of the opening of the bridge a few weeks ago.

Quitain also expressed his gratitude.

“We thank the DPWH for all of these. We experienced some delay but you cannot blame the DPWH. If you undertake a project on this

scale you have to be sure na everything is safe. You cannot hurry it,” Quitain told reporters.

For his part, Alquiza said the delays in the opening of the bridge were the result of unforeseen circumstances.

Alquiza assured the public that the bridge is well made and is far from danger, adding that the design will last up from 50 to 100 years.

DRIVE-THROUGH. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 11 director lawyer Mariano Alquiza (second from right), city administrator Melchor Quitain (left) and some barangay officials lead the ceremonial drive-through to formally reopen the newly rehabilitated Governor Generoso Bridge 2 yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

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NEWS

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

NOW OPEN. Motorists finally pass through the Governor Generoso Bridge 2 after it was formally opened to motorists and the riding public yesterday after almost six months of rehabilitation and reconstruction which caused a perennial traffic jam in the Matina area. Lean Daval Jr.

Workers unearth WWII ammunition A

By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

ROUND 4,000 pieces of various kinds of World War II ammunition were recovered in the vicinity of San Manuel Wood Product Inc. in Barangay Daliao, Toril, Davao City.

According to a report from Toril police Precinct, employees of the company were digging to construct a drainage system when they discovered the ammunition.

The security officer immediately informed Central 911 and the Toril PNP, which immediately repaired to the area.

Police said the recovered bullets were 3,500

pieces for a .30 caliber machine gun and 500 for M1 Garand rifle.

Senior Police Officer (SPO) 1 Marcial Aplasca of the City Public Safety Technical Support Company (CPSTSC) said the ammunition can still be used but it would be safer to discard them since many are already rusty.

Police believe that the recovered war materiel were placed there during World War II. The recovered bullets are now in the custody of the CPSTSC for proper disposition.

Council set to approve P5.8-B budget in 2015

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HE Davao City Council is set to approve the P5.813-billlion budget of the city for year 2015 in today’s regular session.

Set to be approved on third and final reading is the ordinance titled “An Ordinance Granting Legislative Authority to the Proposed General Fund Annual Budget and Plantilla of the City Government of Davao for Calendar Year 2015, Comprising the Budget by Fund Accounct Under the General Fund Proper, The Economic Enterprises for the Operation of Markets

Slaughterhouse, Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT), Sta. Ana Port, Cemeteries, Davao City Recreation Center (DCRC), Magsaysay Park, Pasalubong Center and the Annual Development Fund (ADF) in the total amount of P5,813,841,960.”

The proposed ordinance was amended during the deliberation last November 11 by incorporating the request of Councilor Maria Belen S. Acosta of her budget allocation under ADF (Non-Infrastructure).

FCOUNCIL, 10

Dayanghirang: I was misquoted

By CHENEEN R. CAPON crc@edgedavao.net

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AVAO City Councilor Danilo C. Dayanghirang yesterday said he was misquoted in a news story which quoted him as telling other councilors that the city council will not buy luxury vehicles.

Speaking to reporters in yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM CIty Davao Annex, Dayanghirang said he had directed his statements not at the councilor but at city build-

ing officials who were asking for 4x4 vehicles to be used to go to far-flung areas in the city.

“It started when building officials requested a budget of P1.8 million during a committee hearing and I told them to just ask their office heads to use the unused vehicles parked outside City Hall instead of buying new units,” he said.

He said the city council and city councilors were nev-

er mentioned in the discussion.

“I want to emphasize that I did not say, ‘Councilors, you borrow (from) the other side,’” he said.

In a report that appeared in the Mindanao Daily Mirror, Dayanghirang was quoted as saying, “there’s no luxury vehicles anymore for councilors.”

“The Council’s policy should be in consonance with

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte’s policy on proper standing” and that “the purchase of luxury vehicles should be avoided at all cost based on the Mayor’s policy.”

The veteran city legislator also said that Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte was right in saying that “4x4-wheel” vehicles are not considered luxury vehicles. In supporting the stand of the vice mayor,

“Di nako mopalit og gagmay, kay unang-una dali kawaton, ikaduha inig baha mo lutaw (I will no longer buy small bins because first, they are easily stolen, and every time there is a flood they easily float and go to other areas),” Duterte said.

He said he will buy 10 big garbage containers which are not easy for a man to carry have them nailed to certain areas so

they will not be easily removed.

Duterte said he is still thinking of the proposal of the Solid Waste Management Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) for the inclusion of P600 million for the additional bins.

He said the city did not allocate funds for the bins so he will ask the Land Bank of the Philippines for a loan for this appropriation.

FDAYANGHIRANG, 10

Mayor to hire trisikad drivers to collect garbage

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

D

abf@edgedavao.net

AVAO City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte is planning to hire trisikad drivers as garbage collectors in the barangays.

In his weekly program “Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa,” Duterte said he will pay every trisikad driver who will collect the garbage of households inside the barangays.

“I will employ them.

They will collect the garbage of every household

and deliver it to the main collection center,” the mayor said.

Duterte said the drivers will be paid after every delivery of garbage in the collection area.

He said he is also planning to buy huge garbage containers so that they cannot be easily removed from the collection area, adding that some of the small bins the city has today are already inside houses.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

NEWS 3 New COLA takes effect in Region 11 on Dec. 1

EDGEDAVAO

SURVEY SAYS… Former North Cotabato Governor Manny Piñol gives an update on the Facebook presidential survey he created during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao.

Lean Daval Jr.

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TARTING December 1, 2014, all private sector minimum wage workers in Region 11 will be entitled to Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) of P5.00 per Wage Order No. RB-XI-18.

This will raise the minimum wage in the non-agricultural and retail and service establishments employing more than 10 workers to P317.00 per day.

The new daily minimum wage for the agriculture sector is P307.00 and P286.00 for retail/service establishments employing not more than 10 workers.

The Wage Order covers Davao City, Digos, Island Garden City of Samal, Tagum, Panabo, Mati and the Provinces of Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Compostela Valley.

Cost of Living Allowance

(COLA) is given to workers for loss in purchasing power due to inflation at a rate normally pegged at the consumer price index (CPI) and cushion the effects of the rapid price increase of basic commodities.

While COLA is part of the minimum wage, it is excluded from the computation of wage-related benefits such as overtime pay, night shift differential and 13th month pay. However, COLA will be included in computing mandatory contributions to the Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth, and Pag-Ibig.

Through regional wage orders, the COLA may be integrated in the basic minimum wage. When the new wage order took effect on June 1, 2014, the amount of the wage-related bene-

reward offered Rody tops FB survey P200K for info on NC bombers of ex-NC Gov. Piñol A

FNEW, 10

By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

AVAO City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte topped the nine-day Facebook-based poll conducted by former North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol, surpassing five other probable 2016 presidential candidates.

Speaking in yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao Annex, Piñol said 3,351 votes or 66 percent of the 5,085 votes were for Duterte, followed by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago who placed second with 15 percent or 752 votes; and Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos who placed third with 6 percent or 302 votes.

Others in the survey were Department of Interior and Local Governance (DILG)

Secretary Mar Roxas who got 5 percent or 299 votes; Sen. Grace Poe with 201 voites, or 4 percent.

Interestingly, Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is the frontrunner in national surveys done by Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia, ranked last with 180 votes or 4 percent.

Piñol said the survey, which he conducted through a Facebook polling system from November 7 to 15, reached 439,424 Facebook users when it ended 12 noon last Saturday. He said he merely paid P6,000 and supplied the data that FB needed to run the survey.

He challenged other interested parties in Luzon and the Visayas to run their own Face-

book system surveys, saying he has confident the same results would come out. He however admitted such a polling system can be manipulated by unscrupulous groups which are capable of marshalling a Facebook barrage of supporters like fraternity brothers and sorority sisters to generate a result favoring their favorite candidate.

He said the voting Facebook users were Filipinos aged 18 to 65 years old from Philippines, United States of America, Canada, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Taiwan, Thailand, China, South Korea, Italy, Germany, Macau and Ireland.

Piñol, a self-confessed

SECOND PLACE. Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) manager Alejandro Alilin tells reporters during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao yesterday that his office is the second highest income earner among the departments under the City Economic Enterprise. Lean Daval Jr.

supporter of Duterte, said despite the huge volume of Facebook users who accessed the article on survey posted on November 7, only little more than 5,000 voted “probably because of technical difficulties in voting when the respondents use mobile phones”.

“It is worth noting, however, that the post had 174 shares, 1,631 likes, and 1,386 comments,” he added.

Piñol defended his survey from observers who said his poll was not scientific. “However unscientific and systematically flawed the system is as some sectors claim, it is a reflection of netizens’ sentiments,” he said.

Piñol said the result of the

FRODY, 10

reward totaling P200,000 awaits anyone who can give information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of the bombing incident on Sunday night at the Kabacan Pilot Elementary School in North Cotabato that killed one person and wounded 16 others, mostly students.

Authorities have linked the bombings to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

In his report, OIC police director Senior Inspector Jarwin Castroverde said the blast could be a retaliatory attack by the outlawed group to divert the attention of the military conducting manhunt operations in nearby towns.

“The bomb was fashioned from a 60 millimeter mortar with a mobile phone as triggering de-

vice,” Castroverde said.

More than an hour after the blast, another suspected bomb was found by the authorities in the same area.

North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Mendoza called the incident “insane” and the handiwork of “senseless adventurists.”

She offered a P100,000 reward for information on the perpetrators.

Kabacan Mayor Herlo Guzman then added P100,000 to the reward.

At the same time, Guzman ensured his constituent that the local government unit (LGU) is doing everything for the safety of its people.

The fatality was identified as Monique Mantawil, 19.

According to the reports, four out of 16 victims remain in critical condition in a hospital in Kidapawan City.

MISQUOTED? Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang says he was misquoted by media on the issue of 4x4 pickup trucks requested by the office of the City Building Official (CBO). Dayanghirang was a guest in yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

4 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

Dav Oriental signs MOU with German gov’t to save forest D

COMMITMENT. The Provincial Government headed by Governor Malanyaion together the three mayors of Caraga, Manay, and Tarragona sign the memorandum of agreement with the German government represented by Dr. Ber-

nd-Markus Liss, principal advisor of the German Development Cooperatio.

Photo by Joel Owano

Tagum City budget for 2015 hits P1B T

AGUM City’s proposed budget for 2015 has hit the billion-peso mark, making it a billionaire local government unit 17 years after becoming a city in 1998.

Based on the proposed executive budget that is currently on committee budget hearing at the City Council, Mayor Allan Rellon proposed a P1,000,346,670 annual budget for calendar year 2015.

In his budget message, Rellon said the total proposed budget comes from the estimated P552 million Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) and the P448,346,670 from various local income sources.

The IRA is 55 percent of the total budget.

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The local sources come specifically from the estimated P247 million tax revenue (local taxes and real property taxes) constituting 25 percent, P104.64 million general income (10 percent), P90.65 million income from economic enterprise (9 percent), and P6 million income from asphalt operations (1 percent).

If otherwise classified into two major funds, the total proposed budget would be derived from P909,694,000 general fund and P90,652,670 economic enterprise operation fund.

The 2015 budget is 9.77 percent higher than last year’s approved budget of P911,426,000.

Rellon said the budgeting process was guided by

his EAGLE WINGS Program, an acronym for his administration’s programs, thrusts, and priorities.

“It is a people-centered budget aimed to accelerate social advancement and development and people empowerment,” he said.

“A major segment of the budget is devoted to the pursuit of goals and objectives of assuring the delivery of basic services and facilities, while full provisions of the statutory, mandatory and contractual obligations of the city government are laid out,” he added.

“The bigger budget will certainly enable us to sustain our momentum in promoting general welfare of the Tagumenyos,” the may-

AirAsia to be chosen as the official airline of team Pacman,” Fernandes said. “Congressman Manny’s story is an inspiration not only for Filipinos but to all of us who dared to dream the seemingly impossible. AirAsia’s commitment in the Philippines is anchored on the same dream, to make flying more affordable, more accessible and to provide the best quality service that every Filipino deserves.”

For his part, Pacquiao said he was “delighted to be part of AirAsia’s mission in promoting the Philippines, our Filipino talents, sports and tourism wonders to the global stage.”

“Let’s celebrate the Filipi-

no spirit and my team is looking forward to your support in my upcoming match in Macau in November,” he said.

Pacman’s fans can look forward to spotting the special Manny Pacquiao branded Airbus A320 which carries the colors of the Philippine flag and Pacquiao’s logo painting the skies red soon from AirAsia hubs not only in Manila, Cebu, Kalibo to domestic destinations of Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Tagbilaran (Bohol), Tacloban and to international points in Malaysia, China and South Korea but all over AirAsia’s 88 destinations across Asean countries and extending as far as China, India, Australia and more.

or said.

Davao del Norte Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr. hailed the P1-billion budget achievement of Tagum City, saying the 1 billion mark is a new historic milestone throughout the 74-year history of the city.

Suaybaguio served as the first mayor when Tagum, then a municipality, became a city in 1998. His uncle Manuel Baura Suaybaguio, Sr. was the first mayor of the then-municipality of Magugpo, the original name of Tagum.

Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon created the municipality of Magugpo on June 23, 1941.

Cha Monforte, Correspondent

AVAO Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the German Development Cooperation for the implementation of the National REDD-plus project with Davao Oriental as beneficiary.

The signing of the MOU by the governor and Dr. Bernd-Markus Liss, principal advisor of the German Development Cooperation, for the implementation of the National REDD-plus (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) Philippines Project is expected to further strengthen the 60 years of diplomatic relations of the governments of the Philippines and Germany.

The program is aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity conservation. It also includes components for livelihood and safeguarding the rights of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs).

Liss said the project also aims to strengthen the coordination of the national and local government units on forest protection and sustainable forest management by reducing shifting cultivation and timber poaching, in support of the National Greening Program.

Davao Oriental is the only place in Mindanao picked to benefit from the program funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety.

Liss said the German government decided to choose Davao Oriental because it is one of the “megadiverse” yet “hotspot” focal areas in the country. He said the province contains a high proportion of unique biodiversity and at

the same time has become a hotspot because its forest and other natural areas, with their unique plants and animals, are being lost at a fast rate.

He said the German government was inspired to choose Davao Oriental for the program because of the strong effort of Malanyaon, a staunch environment advocate on the protection of the forest. He said the forest plays an important role in mitigating climate change, protecting biodiversity and supporting the lives and livelihoods of the indigenous peoples and local communities.

Liss said the province can gain economically from its rich biodiversity through eco-tourism. “You are endowed with beautiful natural landscapes that are perfect for nature tourism. Davao Oriental offers scenic landscapes, unique life forms and water bodies that can be developed for eco-tourism,” he said.

In a press statement, Malanyaon said biodiversity is central to food security and livelihoods of her people.

She focused her campaign on preserving forest watershed as these would give life to rivers and its tributaries and increase water yield.

“It is indeed an honor and a privilege for Davao Oriental to be chosen as one of the three provinces in the Philippines to benefit from the National REDD Plus System Philippines Project,” she said.

Malanyaon said Davao Oriental has already experienced effects of climate change, citing the vast devastation by typhoon Pablo in 1012. Malanyaon added that Davao Oriental is among the most vulnerable areas of climate change. (PNA)

Pacquiao chooses AirAsia as official airline partner

IRASIA will be the official airline for People’s Champ and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, who is set to take his act on the road again on November 23 when he defends his WBO welterweight title against Chris Algieri at the Cotai Arena in the Venetian in Macau, China.

As the official airline of Team Pacquiao, AirAsia has unveiled an exclusive aircraft livery featuring the boxing sensation. The livery design was unveiled in a recent press launch in General Santos City attended by AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes and AirAsia Philippines CEO Joy Cañeba.

“It’s a great honor for

AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes (right) and People’s Champ Manny Pacquiao show the new logo the airline will carry for some flights.

5 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

DCOTT exceeds 2013 income

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

ITH more than a month to go before the year ends, the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) has already surpassed its entire collection for 2013.

Speaking to reporters in yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao Annex, DCOTT officer-in-charge Alejandro J. Alilin said the terminal has already collected as of October a total of P19,114,362,362.34, which is 95.57 percent of the P20 million target collection for 2014.

“We are expecting to collect P22 to P23 million,” Alilin said.

He said among the sources of collection that had a significant increase this year was the van collection per month, from which it earned a total of P2,143,250 as of October. This is higher than the P2,109,125 collection for the entire year last year.

Alilin said the increase in van collection started this year when DCOTT imposed an 18 percent increase in its collection last January. Collection continued to increase up to October.

“The mutual coordination with the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) satellite office on how to conduct and implement plans to increase collected helped us to attain

these figures,” he said.

Alilin also cited the strict collection of cash tickets or checking of the receipts at the Tibungco and Ulas checkpoints and the implementation of the mandate to increase cash tickets and official receipts during special activities and days such as Holy Week and others in vans terminals in Gaisano Mall, SM Tulip, and Victoria Plaza as among the reasons in the increase in DCOTT’s revenue.

Based on the cash tickets and official receipts, DCOTT collected a total of P218,345 for the month of October from van terminals at Gaisano Mall, Victoria Plaza, and SM City Davao.

He said although Abreeza Mall is remitting cash tickets and official receipts, it is operating without permit.

Another source of revenue of DCOTT is the collection from big buses.

Based on the terminal fees collection report for October 2014 of DCOTT, collection for big buses contributed the biggest chunk with a total of P1.14 million. This is lower than the P1.19 million collected in the same period of 2013.

Alilin said DCOTT is serving 20 bus companies travelling both north and south. CRC

SECOND PLACE. Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) general manager Alejandro Alilin tells reporters during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao yesterday that his office is the second

highest income earner among the departments under the City Economic Enterprise. Lean Daval Jr.

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THE ECONOMY

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

Davao Trade Expo opens tomorrow D

FLIP-FLOPPING. TV and movie personality Tom Rodriguez tries out Ipanema flip-flops at the Bambu outlet at Abreeza Mall on Sunday afternoon. Rodriguez also graced the opening of the Ipanema concept store. Lean Daval Jr.

avao Trade Expo (DATE) 2014, the biggest trade show in Southern Philippines, opens tomorrow at the SMX Convention Center in Lanang, Davao City.

Tomorrow’s opening ceremonies, which formally start at 3 p.m., will be led by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and DCCCII president Antonio dela Cruz.

Other dignitaries who will grace the opening ceremonies are Luciano Frederick Puyod III; DATE 2014 Chairman, Dr. Agustin Molina; Regional Coordinator of Bioversity International, Mr. Alexander Valoria; President of the Pilipino Banana Growers & Exporters Association, Ms. Eusebia delos Reyes; President of the Mindanao Banana Farmers & Exporters Association (MBFEA), and Dr. Dietmar Stoianl; Programme Leader at Bioversity International.

This year’s DATE theme is “Davao: From Local Agriculture to Global Agribusiness.”

On its 16th year as the biggest trade Expo in Mindanao, DATE will also feature almost 200 exhibitors essentially coming from agri-trade and agri-industrial sectors together with its complementary industries, food (fresh, processed and packaging), machineries & equipment,

post-harvest facilities, agricultural chemicals, animal husbandry, fertilizers and pest management, financing, ICT and logistics, among others. In addition, exhibitors from all other industries are also invited to showcase their products and businesses in the said event.

A key highlight of DATE is the 2014 International Banana Symposium. More than 300 delegates worldwide are anticipated to participate in the IBS, all coming from the academe, research and development sector, government agencies and private businesses concerned with the banana industry both locally and internationally. Plenary event of the IBS starts on November 20 at 8:30AM. The 2-day symposium will encompass plenary lectures by internationally-renowned banana scientists, market briefings, technical oral presentations, and poster presentations and exhibitions. In line with the Symposium theme, a diverse variety of relevant and interesting scientific papers from researchers worldwide will be presented. DCCCII also partnered with Bioversity International and Banana Asia Pacific Network (BAPNET) who will be bringing in international speakers to the event.

PECIALTY practices in Davao City’s tertiary hospitals have the potential to be part of medical tourism packages for local and foreign tourists.

Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, chair of the City Council’s Committee on Health, said this following the approval on third reading last week of the revised Tourism Code that would also promote agricultural and community-based tourism.

“Here at the 3rd District where all the fruit farms are, we will now assist the farmers so they can organize in promoting fruit-picking activities, so that they can directly sell to tourists,” she said.

Villafuerte said Brokenshire Memorial Hospital, Davao Doctors Hospital, and San Pedro Hospital could have specialty practices that could fit into a medical tourism package.

Medical tourism, described last week by City Tourism Officer Lisette Marques as an emerging portfolio of cities to entice local and foreign tourists, was inserted as an amendment by Villafuerte during deliberations on the Revised Tourism Code.

“These are for local and foreign tourists who wish to have, for example, liposuc-

tion or dermatological procedures,” she said.

Prior to the amendment, the tourism code only had Medical Spa, Villafuerte said.

She said hospitals here could offer a package that would include the medical procedure, hotel accomodations, and airfare.

“I intend to give a copy of the accreditation requirements to the Medical Directors so they can comply,” she said.

Villafuerte said hospitals need to be ISO-accredited. But the other requirements for accreditation by the Departments of Health and Tourism, are “very basic,” she said, citing physical plant and equipment.

“I’m sure some hospitals already have these, but this addition in the Tourism Ordinance will assure that the city will now promote specialty practices as one of the reasons to visit Davao,” she said.

DOT XI chief tourism operations officer Eden David earlier this month said the amendment to the ordinance would also highlight the city as an agricultural destination, citing the Kadayawan festival to be only one of the many times visitors could visit the city for fruits (MindaNews)

New Tourism Code promotes medical, agricultural tourism

More manufacturing firms urged to invest in Davao City S T

HE business sector here is looking at the manufacturing sector to invest in Davao to complement the agri-based production and services sectors of the region.

Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.(DCCCII) chair John Gaisano expressed the need to increase manufacturing industries considering that the services sector, in particular, has been registering high growth in the region.

DCCCII president Anto-

P

nio dela Cruz said 2014 was very good year for the business sector with more investments expected in 2015.

Dela Cruz said investors from Malaysia and Indonesia have already shown interest in Davao City, although they are more into agriculture.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11 regional director Belinda Q. Ambi said investments and industries in Davao Region are already clustered and those investments are not only limited to the basic sector.

Other components have been noted such as production and processing.

She said the government’s direction now is to encourage agri-based businesses to expand their yield to value adding in order to maximize their production.

She added that those who want to concentrate on farming production need to move higher by adopting good agricultural practices (GAP).

“Adopting GAP would increase their farm proceeds

in terms of volume,” she said.

On the other hand, Davao Light and Power Company Inc. (DLPC) assistant senior vice president Art Milan said while new investors continue locate in the region, the manufacturing sector is important to sustain availability of jobs for Dabawenyos.

“Manufacturing is one sector that would sustain the availability of jobs other than those offered in the services sector,” he added.

(PNA)

keynote interview for The World in 2015 Gala Dinner, President Aquino will have the opportunity to share his thoughts on the Philippines’ future trajectory with senior executives from business, government, and academia who will be attending the prestigious event, the statement said.

The DFA further said that the event will also be a chance for the President

to generate goodwill and support for sustaining his reform agenda and plans and programs for sustainable economic growth, his vision for the Southeast Asian region and the Mindanao peace process as a core element of the government’s program for inclusive growth.

President Aquino is likewise scheduled to meet Singapore’s government and

business leaders in separate events.

He will return to the country on November 19.

The award-winning The World in 2015 Gala Dinner series is an annual event in which The Economist and invited luminaries share their predictions for the year ahead. It is hosted

by The Economist Executive Editor Daniel Franklin.

(PNA)

Aquino to keynote forum Singapore

RESIDENT Benigno Aquino will travel to Singapore to serve as keynote speaker at The Economist’s The World in 2015 Gala Dinner today.

In a statement Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said this is the first time that a Philippine president will keynote the Gala Dinner since its inception in 2009.

As the subject of the

7 CULTURE & ARTS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

PAROL: A FILIPINO CHRISTMAS TRADITION Text and Photos By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

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HARLIE B. Cañete, who hails from Maa, Davao City, is not your typical Filipino youth. At 21, he is already helping in what can be considered a family business: selling lanterns (also known as “parol” or star).

Every first week of October until December 22, he can be seen doing business at the not-so-busy street near the Central Bank. On this site, you can see colorful lanterns which come in various sizes, forms, and shapes.

“We started displaying here in 1999,” he says. “People come here to buy lanterns. Some establishments buy in volume; there are also others who buy and donate them to the churches where they are attending.”

For wholesale (by the dozens), they are selling small lanterns at P15, while medium and big lanterns cost P20 and P30, respectively. The bigger and better ones also come in different prices: P150, P200, and P300. Those that can be displayed at homes and offices cost P600.

On a busy day, he could sell as much as P5,000 or more. But on lean days, P3,500 is all right. “That’s about 50 small lanterns and about two big ones,” he says.

According to him, his family learned to make lanterns through his aunt. As early as January, they start to do the skeletons of all the lanterns. “We just do them if and when we have time and don’t have other work,” Charlie says.

It’s August when they work full-blast. Aside from him and his father, they also hire three others to help them. It’s a step-by-step process. One will do the skeleton of the lantern, while another one will wrap it. Another one

will place the trappings.

“If I have to make a lantern -- from the skeleton to the finished product -- it may take about 5 hours or so,” Charlie says. “But if it is done in a step-by-step process, the time is lessened to about three hours.”

Each year, they buy about 500 culms of bamboo to make lanterns. As for the plastic wrappers and other trimmings, they purchase these from some businesses in the city’s Chinatown.

The Philippines is just one of the two countries in Asia which celebrate Christmas; the other is East Timor.

In fact, Christmas is one of the country’s biggest holidays, so much so that it has earned the distinction of celebrating the Yuletide season the longest in the world. As early as September 1 -- the start of the “ber” months -Christmas carols are already being played on the air and in malls.

Christmas is celebrated until either the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 or the Feast of the Santo Niño de Cebú on the third Sunday of January. Actually, the official observance by the Church in the Philippines is from the beginning of the “simbang gabi” on December 16 until the Feast of the Epiphany on the first Sunday of the year.

Every Christmas season, Filipino homes and buildings are adorned with star-shaped lanterns. It is called “parol” (pronounced “pah-roll” with a rolling “r”), which comes from the Spanish word for lantern, “farol.”

According to “World Book’s Christmas in the Philippines,” the roots of the Filipino lanterns can be found in the Mexican “piñata.” The “piñata” came to Spain from

Italy in the 1300’s, spread to Mexico, and finally came to the Philippines when the Spaniards brought Christianity to the islands.

Actually, “parol” represents the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi, also known as the Three Kings. The Bible says: “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” (Matthew 2:910).

Today, Christmas lanterns are as beloved and iconic to Filipinos as Christmas trees are to the Westerners.

One website explains the importance of these lanterns in these words: “The ‘parol’ was originally intended as one’s offering to glorify the Lord. It was an important part of the devotion to faithfully attend the 9-day Misas de Aguinaldo, to petition for special favors. After coming home from church, instead of stowing the lantern elsewhere in the house, they would proudly hang it outside the window.

“At night, they would illuminate their parols with candles or coconut-oil lamps to display their art. The villagers would walk around to appreciate the work of others and see who had the nicest design. When new stylistic variations appeared, such as different kinds of tassels, streamers, or crowns around it, others would innovate their own creation, and make plans to display his better ‘parol’ the following year.

“This friendly competition was encouraged by the church, and the Spanish priests offered incentives for the people to invest time and money to make their ‘parol’ the best as a devotional offering to Jesus. That is why

during the Christmas season, some made it a practice to visit various churches that yearly display these new designs and better craftsmanship.

“The Spanish priests of old might have walked around the villages at night to appreciate the candlelit ‘parols’ by the windows of his parishioners, and appreciated the beautiful symbol of the star that led the three wise men to Baby Jesus.

Certainly there must have been friendly reminders to promptly blow the candles out before they go to bed.”

Perhaps the most common form of the lantern is a 5-pointed star with two so-called “tails” at the lower two tips. Other popular vari-

ations are four, eight, and ten-pointed stars, while rarer ones sport six, seven, nine, and more than twelve points.

In the past, the lanterns were made from simple materials like bamboo, Japanese rice paper (known as “papél de Hapón”) or crêpe paper, and were lit by a candle or coconut oil lamp.

Simple lanterns can be easily constructed with just ten bamboo sticks, paper, and glue.

Today’s Christmas lanterns have endless possible shapes and forms (planes, houses, fruits, toys, etc.).

They can be made of a variety of materials, such as cellophane, plastic, rope, capiz shell, glass, and even recycled refuse.

The most spectacular exhibition and parade of “parol” is held every year in San Fernando Pampanga, famous for the most unique star lanterns in shapes, colors and sizes made from all kinds of material. The town becomes the center of Christmas activities, every year spectators get to marvel the amazing lights of the giant lanterns.

Although the use of the “parol” as a Christmas decoration is dominantly observed in the Philippines, other countries where the Filipino diaspora have settled have also adapted its use.

In Austria, for instance, the lanterns are a big attraction in the annual Wiener Christkindlmarkt (Vienna Christmas Market).

8

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

EDITORIAL Rave partying restrictions

P

EOPLE obsessed with fun ought to realize that there are other people who are obsessed with something else like living a healthy life.

Last Saturday, rave partying was back in Davao City with the staging of Carte Blanche at the Davao Crocodile Park. Yes, the venue is a privately owned venue and we assume the organizer being one who had a history with the City Council already learned her lesson well. Given a second lease on life as an organizer, the outfit brought back the rave party in much grander fashion complete with carnival type entertainment. Judging from the photos on social media, the people who attended the party had real fun.

Here’s the catch. After the partying when everything is over but the cleaning, the venue was a mess. Two days after, when the regular users of the vast area like joggers, bikers, and all other physical fitness buffs came, they found the roads not fun to do their workout. To their consternation, they place was littered with broken bottles of beer, plastics and food leftovers.

Yes, the venue may be a private property and we do not question

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that. However, responsibility should fall on organizers to anticipate some of the things which can be avoided like barring the sale of beverages and liquor in bottles. They should heed the city ordinance and take the lead in promoting environment-friendly partying by using biodegradable cups and paper bags instead of bottles.

Alright, a crowd of 12,000 is so huge to control but then again, isn’t it also a wonderful opportunity for this organizing outfit to redeem itself by using the multitudes of audience to promote responsible partying? In Boracay and in Manila, for example, people promote rave parties and still remain in control of the crowd and their wayward habits by banning bottles in the venue or policing the area. It also helps to announce in advance, post in entrances and gates, or print in tickets the restrictions to be imposed.

We do not abhor rave partying as it is an expression of fun especially for young people, but we cannot also tolerate rude behavior and irresponsibility. Let’s help raise a generation of fun-loving people who are law-abiding and concerned of the rights of fellow citizens obsessed with fun things other than rave partying.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

AGAPITO JOAQUIN JR. Associate Editor

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. CHENEEN R. CAPON BAI FAUZIAH FATIMA SINSUAT AMBOLODTO Reporters MEGHANN STA. INES AQUILES Z. ZONIO NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. FUNNY PEARL GAJUNERA Lifestyle Photography CHA MONFORTE JOSEPH LAWRENCE P. GARCIA Correspondents ARLENE D. PASAJE Contributing Photographer Cartoons MUNDA • HENRYLITO TACIO • MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO AURELIO A. PEÑA • MARY Columnists: CARLOS MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. ANN “ADI”• C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • VIDA MIA VALVERDE • Economic Analysts:• ENRICO BORBON MARY ANN “ADI” C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN • NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN EMILY “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER PEREZENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA EconomicM. Analyst:

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Everyone has a role and both matter a lot

W

E are all citizens of a democracy.

Public official or plain citizen, we play a role in government, and each role is important.

Performing it properly and fastidiously matters a lot to the proper functioning of the political system. It assures the steady flow of benefits to society. And it secures the common good.

A public official’s role is to serve the people with dedication—selflessly, fairly, and justly. A citizen’s role is to live productively, cooperate with fellow citizens, participate in public affairs, and live by the Rule of Law. An official owes his position and its privileges to his constituents; he owes them—not some political boss—his loyalty, honesty, and best effort. A public servant, he is bound by his oath of office.

A citizen owes himself and his family a living, the community his cooperation, and its government his participation. Along with the public servants, he is responsible for upholding peace and order and good governance. ***** Both officials and citizens have the duty to live honorably and lead exemplary lives.

Both are responsible for securing their com-

L

AUGHTER, The Reader’s Digest claims, is the best medicine. But then, crying has the same effect, too. For instance, if you are depressed, the best thing you can do is have a good cry, according to psychologists.

If talking about your problems leads to tears, let them flow. “Crying is a wonderful release – especially if you know what you’re crying about,” says Dr. Robert Jaffe, a marriage and family therapist in Sherman Oaks, California.

If your world is a little bit stressful, you can either yell or cry. It’s not always possible in the typical office, but in some situations – a private office or your car, for instance – a purely emotional outburst is perfectly acceptable. Screaming or crying, says Dr. Emmet Miller, medical director of the Cancer Support and Education Center in Menlo Park, California and one of America’s recognized experts on stress, “can provide a release for the emotions generating the stress you’re feeling.”

Tears, according to famous English bacteriologist and discoverer of penicillin Sir Alexander Fleming, are capable of killing microbes. One teaspoon of tears, he declared, is potent enough to purify 100 grams of water.

What’s in tears, anyway? Tears, an expression or result of an intense emotion, contain proteins that help make our sight organ immune to infection. It also has a mild germicide called “lysozyme” that kills bacteria and other potentially harmful microbes.

Why is crying often associated with women and not men? According to psychologists, women cry more often than

THE WORM’S EYEVIEW

BY MANNY VALDEHUESA munity or barangay, that it may be a strong bastion of democracy and a durable foundation of the Republic.

And both are also bound by the Principle of Subsidiarity—which requires that what can be done locally should not be delegated or assigned to a higher level, which is the essence of autonomy or self-governance.

By the same token, no higher-level agency should do what a lower-level agency can do better, although it is also incumbent upon the higher level to assist the lower level as called for.

The same principle requires that public decisions be taken as close as possible to the citizen so that he may participate in making them and readily comply with them. ***** Everyone is bound by duty 1) to participate in public life, 2) to help his community govern autonomously, and 3) to keep local governance free from abuse and corruption.

If unchecked at source in the community, abuse and corruption infect other barangays

and rise to upper levels of government, undermining society and weakening the Republic.

This concern for one’s community and local governance also bids everyone to avoid being distracted or preoccupied with upper level politics and politicians except for cause.

Governing one’s barangay is the citizen’s proper area of concern, tending to its processes and securing it as befits the basic unit of our Republic. ***** There’s enough to preoccupy every citizen in community relations, civic affairs, and local governance. To be fixated or obsessed about upper level affairs except for cause distracts one from his immediate concerns and detracts from what are needed to make local governance efficient and effective.

Partisan politics in the barangay should also be avoided. It is divisive and it violates the Omnibus Election Code (Section 38), thus unlawful.

Moreover, it is important to uphold the state policy of decentralization and the Local Government Code’s dictum that every level of government—primary (barangay), intermediate (municipal/provincial), and national—should focus on their jurisdic-

tional tasks and not impinge on others.

Thus it is incumbent upon officials and citizens alike to know and to observe what tasks are appropriate for each level, avoiding the inappropriate. Respect for the boundaries between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches must also be fostered.

Important also is knowing the nature of government at either level, namely: 1) the parliamentary form guides the primary level (barangay), while the presidential form applies to upper levels. And what obtains at the primary level is direct democracy while representative democracy reigns above.

There is a world of difference between these distinctions but no one bothers to point them out, let alone explain them. Perhaps no one knows or cares?

(Manny is 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 Panel; awardee, PPI-UNICEF outstanding columnist. He is president/national convenor, Gising Barangay Movement Inc. valdehuesa@gmail.com)

dies believed to have an emotional cause.

Skin eruptions like weeping eczema, hay fever, colitis, digestive upsets, and a dozen other nuisances may all in fact be the psychosomatic expressions of the frustrated need to cry in men.

Another study revealed that 73 percent of men feel better after crying. After all, crying is still a basic form of outlet for happiness or grief. In July 1982, American wrestler Jeff Blatnick was diagnosed as suffering from Hodgkin’s disease, a form of cancer. His spleen and appendix were removed and he received radiation therapy. Two years later, he won an Olympic gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling.

After his final match, which he dedicated to his deceased brother, Blatnick fell to his knees and burst into tears for the first time since his brother died seven years earlier.

In 1972, a lot of Filipinos probably cried when Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. On the other side of the world that year, American senator Edmund Muskie was the leading contender for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. However, his campaign was derailed when, angered by a vicious attack on his wife by New Hampshire newspaper editor William Loeb, he began weeping during a speech. It was later revealed that the newspaper attack was part of a “dirty tricks” campaign orchestrated by Richard Nixon’s reelection committee.

One actor who cried in public was Hollywood actor Patrick Swayze. He was in the middle of a 1988 televised interview with Barbara Walters when he expressed regret that his father had not lived to see

him become a star in his own right. Suddenly, the actor burst into tears. “It’s like a water faucet when I talk about him,” he later explained, “because I have so many things I wanted to say to him.”

History has stories of famous people shedding tears dictated by their emotions.

Fifth Roman emperor Nero (Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus), remembered for his cruelties, unstable character, and persecution of Christians, reportedly shed crocodile tears. That was when he put to death his mother, and also when he murdered his wife Octavia.

The Holy Bible recorded two famous men who cried in public. The most noted was, of course, Jesus Christ. After Lazarus died, Jesus led his disciples to visit Lazarus’s sisters, Mary and Martha. When the friends of Lazarus agreed to show Jesus the cave where Lazarus’s body was laid, Jesus wept.

Warrior King David also cried. When he and his troops returned to the city of Ziklag, after being sent home by the princes of the Philistines, they discovered that the Amalekites had invaded the city and taken captive all of the women and children, including David’s two wives. David and his men immediately “lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more power to weep.”

Clearly, many things move us to tears.

However, Billy Graham reminded, “Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign of strength.” To which Frank C. Rideout added, “More tears are shed in our theaters over fancied tragedies than in our churches over real ones.”

The crying game

men, and for physiological THINK ON THESE! as well as psychological reasons. “Women have a different set of hormones, which make them more weepy,” explains Dr. D o m i n i c Henrylito D. Tacio McAleer, an American psy- henrytacio@gmail.com chiatrist.

“But psychologically, many women have a close relationship with very young children, and must use a lot of emotive, expressive cues to get their message across,” Dr. McAleer further notes. “The man, on the other hand, has to be reserved. As hunter and fighter he couldn’t afford to cry – he had to see what he was doing. Men traditionally can’t afford to break down, no matter what is happening inside. This internal stress is one reason that many die of high blood pressure and coronaries.”

Women cry over anything. When asked what makes her cry, a lady blushed, apologized, and said her little list was very corny. “I cry watching people say goodbye at airports,” she said. “I cry for anyone who can’t appreciate tearjerker films. I cry about forgetting my mother’s birthday.

And I cry when I see someone struggle to express love, when he has never been able to communicate it before.”

But do men cry, too? Or should they cry? Studies have shown that men who do not weep are more susceptible to mala-

10

NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

Rody... FFROM 3 online survey “should now prompt a national review of the reliability, objectivity, and accuracy of the surveys conducted by the so-called public opinion polling groups.”

He said the Senate should conduct an investigation on the integrity of polling groups.

“The investigation must be immediately conducted in view of 2016 Presidential election where unscrupulous individuals could just come up with made-up survey re-

sults to condition the minds of the public and create a bandwagon effect on the voters,” he added.

Asked by Edge Davao by email to comment on the matter, SWS president Mahar Mangahas said Piñol’s survey is “not worth commenting on.”

“It does no harm to the reputation of scientific polling organizations, anyway,” Mangahas said. CRC with a report from Jon Joaquin

Dayanghirang said that Paulo Duterte’s definition conforms with that of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) when he inquired.

The story alleged that Dayanghirang said 4x4 wheel vehicles “are considered luxury cars because they are expensive” and “the city has always practiced motorpooling and even the councilors should follow this practice in case they need vehicles in performance of their functions.”

He was also quoted as saying that the councilors “have been issued Avanza vehicles and if they need 4 x 4 vehicles they only need to look at the 4 x4 vehicles parked at the City Engineer’s Office.”

In yesterday’s Kapehan, Dayanghirang said he was “a little bit misquoted” and that the report irked Vice Mayor Duterte.

Paolo, in a Facebook post, challenged Dayanghirang “and the Dept. Head, who approved the budget for those avanzas, to use those toyota vehicles for a month and use it to visit far flung barangays of davao city, kung makasugakod ang sakyanan

wa tay problema” In a text message to Edge Davao yesterday, Councilor Dayanghirang said “my apologies if I caused a different interpretation of what I’ve said. Criticism is part of public service, so it’s okay with me (to be criticized).”

“Vice Mayor Pulong is right that a 4x4 vehicle is not a luxury vehicle, as defined in the rules and regulations of DBM,” he said.

Dayanghirang said that “my focus now a finance committee chairman is to let the budget pass for next year and I know it will be supported by the body,” referring the city council.

The councilor also said that his committee will discuss the city’s employees Christmas bonuses as soon the pertinent proposal is submitted by the city mayor’s office.

He also clarified that as far as necessity is concerned, having a 4 by 4 car is not a luxury.

Dayanghirang said he texted Paulo last Friday to have a meeting with the committee at 1 p.m. yesterday. CRC

fits enjoyed by the workers also increased since the increment in the basic minimum wage in the amount of P11.00 already subsumed the COLA. All workers and employees in the private sector receiving the minimum wage in Davao Region are entitled to receive the new COLA of P5.00 for the second trance of the new wage order to coincide with the holiday season.

However, domestic workers covered by Batas Kasambahay (R.A. 10361), family drivers, persons employed in the personal service of another, and workers of establishments registered under the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBE) Law are not covered.

No exemption from compliance under this Wage Order is allowed except those automatically exempted by law.

the number 2 seed Brgy.

Ginebra San Miguel on Friday.

On the other hand, Guaio admits that there are still a lot of tweaking is yet to be done for his team although they dominated their game against Meralco. “wala namang perfect game kahit malaki ang lamang namin may mga mali pa din, but in general I am happy with the way we play -- yung rebounding at ball

movement namin mas maganda and I think marami din aming assist,” he said.

“There are a lot of things to be happy about pero ayaw mo syempreng masyadong masiyahan at mag relax you have to be alert and always ready,” added the 1st district congressman of Pampanga.

However, despite of their winning skid Guaio said that the plan of trading half of his team will be revived if they lose again.

Dayanghirang... FFROM 2

New... FFROM 3

Black... FFROM 15

NOW OPEN. Motorists finally pass through the Governor Generoso Bridge 2 after it was formally opened to motorists and the riding public yesterday after almost six months of rehabilitation and reconstruction which caused a perennial traffic jam in the Matina area. Lean Daval Jr.

Council... FFROM 2 Acosta amended the allocation of the development fund for every councilor. For the Comprehensive Health Program, the allocation was changed from P5.4 million to P5.2 million, or a decrease of P200,000.

For the Sports Development Program, the amount was changed from P28.828 milllion to P29.128 milllion, an increase of P300,000.

For the Social Alleviation Program, the amount was changed from P12.95 million to P12.85 million, a decrease of P100,000.

Of the total budget, the bigger chunk goes to the General Fund Proper with a total of P4.5 billion or 79 percent of the total budget.

General Fund will cover the expenditures for the current operations of various departments and offices of the city government comprising of personal services (PS), maintenance and other operation expenses (MOOE) and Capital Outlays, Statutory and Contractual Obligations, aids to the national government

agencies, boards, councils, committees as well as some programs and projects.

The development fund will have a P1.09-billion allocation, or 19 percent of the total budget. This will cover infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects including debt servicing for the ensuing year.

The city also allocated P129.862 million for the expenses of the eight economic enterprises of the city.

Around P1.1 billion is allocated for PS for the salaries and other personnel benefits of all officials and employees of the city government.

There is a decrease of P2.9 million compared to the current year’s budget due to the non-inclusion of the budget for the Productivity Incentive Benefits under the PS account. The performance-based incentives will be charged against the miscellaneous personnel benefits accounts as advised

by Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

The PS total appropri-

ation will only account for 24.5 percent which is within the bounds of Section 325 of Local Government Code that allocation for PS shall not exceed 45 percent of the total annual income from regular sources.

The MOOE and Capital Outlay for 2015 are pegged with the current year’s budget, except for the wages of Job Orders and Contract of Service employees. These employees are pegged at minimum rate of P312 a day and cost of living allowance of P5 or a total of P317 a day.

Of the total allocation under the General Fund, the City Mayor’s Office (CMO) has the highest allocation of P1.691 billion or 36.9 percent, since its budget includes the funds for Peace and Order Program, Central 911, Traffic Management Center (TMC) and the eight office such as Business Bureau, Davao City Investment and Promotion Center (DCIPC), City Tourism Operation Office, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), Integrated

Gender and Development Division (IGDD).

The CMO also funds the Lingap Program, Crisis Intervention, Barangay Development, Traffic Signalization Project, and Intensified Canal Clean-up, drainage projects and sidewalk vendors demolition team.

The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) has 9.9 percent or a total of P455.48 million budget.

The City Engineers Office (CEO) has an allocation of P362.21 million or 7.9 percent of the General Fund budget.

All offices such as the Sangguniang Panlungsod, City Administrator’s Office, City Health Office, City Social Services and Development Office, City Agriculturist Office, City Veterinarian Office, and other offices will receive an allocation ranging from P383.5 million down to P14.1 million for their current operating expenditures, capital outlays, and projects under general fund. (ABF)

Pagara smilingly engaged Hirales to a savage exchange of body blows inn the fourth and fifth rounds and as the bout wore on, Hirales started to show signs he has a soft spot in his ribcage, guarding that section like a fenced territory. Seeing a chink in Hirales’ armour, Pagara went to the body and blended it with occasional

shots to the head.

At the end of the sixth, Hirales’ right eye was almost grotesquely swollen shut. Nothing in Hirales’ arsenal could seem to hurt Pagara who continued to press on the attack in the seventh round. Pagara punctuated the round with a right to the head that momentarily shook Hirales. Again, the

merciful bell sounded to save him yet another time.

With blood flowing profusely on the cut on Hirales’ eye, Pagara made the Mexican’s face his target, painting it with combinations. The tough Mexican staggered to his feet and began to clinch, holding on for dear life. Meantime, Pagara went through a busy

routine--tagging Hirales on the head and flicking body blows to the midsection.

Hirales went to another trip to the ring doctor after the cut got deeper midway into the 10th round.

He finished the fight on his feet but it was obvious he had nothing in his toolbox to match Pagara’s skillset.

(NJB)

victory is due to their good preparation in which whether he is present or absent in the court, they still won the game because the applied and followed their game plan.

“Alam naman ni (assistant) coach Caloy (Garcia) kung ano ang game

plan at sanay na rin siya ganyang situation, madalas akong ma thrown-out . So, hindi na mahirap (Coach Caloy already know the game plan and he used to it because I am frequently being ejected inside the court. So, it is not hard for us),” Guiao said.

Guiao attributed their win on their rebounding and good ball movement because he saw that the team made many assists during that night.

“Yung defense namin, na sustain naming yung energy sa defense (our defense, we sustain our energy in

defense),” Guiao said.

Paul Lee led the Elasto Painters with 20 points with 10 assists and five rebounds.

The Elasto Painters had it third winning streak which put them to third in the standing with five wins and two losses tied with Ginebra San Miguel.

Pagara... FFROM 15

Yeng... FFROM 15

11 MOTORING

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

Redefining the SUV

T

AKING a bold step to redefine the SUV market in Asia Pacific and beyond, Ford recently unveiled the new Ford Everest, a technologically advanced, stunningly capable and refined seven-seat SUV that will be launched in 2015. In Asia Pacific, the Ford Everest will be available in nine markets: China, Australia, New Zealand, India, and markets across the ASEAN region. Ford will also introduce the rugged SUV to Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa in 2015.

“The new Ford Everest is an exceptionally versatile vehicle, equally prepared for the everyday commute as it is for the most extreme off-road terrain,” said Dave Schoch, president, Ford Asia Pacific.

“The Everest’s unique blend of tough capability and exceptional comfort is going to resonate with drivers across Asia Pacific and around the world.”

With a rugged, sculptural design that reflects its unshakeable toughness and technological prowess, the new Ford Everest blends strength, smart features and style to bring consumers a tough and versatile SUV with true offroad capability. In addition to surprising and delighting fans of rugged off-road SUVs, the new Ford Everest embodies Ford’s fun-to-drive DNA to deliver rewarding and dynamic on-road handling, offering no compromises on refinement and comfort.

“The Ford Everest will help to expand our product footprint in the region with a tough and refined vehicle that enables drivers, their families, friends and colleagues to go anywhere comfortably – whether on urban roads or far off the beaten track,” said

Trevor Worthington, vice president, Product Development, Ford Asia Pacific. “From the EcoSport to the Everest, our SUV portfolio in Asia Pacific offers something for everyone.”

Led by Ford’s Asia Pacific design and product development teams, and making use of Ford’s global SUV expertise, the new Ford Everest builds on the reputation of the current Ford Everest, which is praised for its durability and versatility. The new Ford Everest will be available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive variants depending on specific market demand.

“The new Ford Everest represents an epic commitment on the part of the Ford Motor Company to meet and exceed high customer expectations,” said Worthington.

“From the very beginning we set aggressive targets, and with the Ford Everest we have truly raised the bar for this type of vehicle in design and capability, with advanced technologies for a smarter, safer and more capable vehicle at a very attractive price.”

Balancing rugged offroad and refined on-road capability The new Ford Everest was designed from the ground up with the durability to take on the most inhospitable environments. One of the toughest SUVs in its segment, the Ford Everest has a true body-onframe design, assuring the torsional strength required for challenging terrains. Together with an intelligent four-wheel drive system, an active transfer case with Torque on Demand, Terrain Management System, and best-in-class ground clearance of 225 mm

and water-wading capability of 800 mm, the Ford Everest helps drivers navigate difficult terrain with ease.

For ultimate capability, the advanced Terrain Management System gives drivers four preset settings – Normal, Snow/Gravel/Grass, Sand and Rock– that alter the vehicle’s throttle response, transmission, intelligent four-wheel drive system and traction control to confidently tackle any situation. For extreme offroad environments, drivers can manually lock the transfer case in low-range four-wheel drive mode for increased control.

These impressive off-road credentials are paired to a new level of ride quality and dynamic handling beyond what consumers have come to expect in a rugged SUV. Thanks to its coil spring front and rear suspension and a Watt’s linkage on the rear axle, the new Ford Everest provides a comfortable, stable ride with agile and predictable handling on the road, keeping the promise of Ford’s fun-to-drive DNA. Advanced technology for a smarter, safer drive Ingeniously packaged with “up for it” functionality enabling extraordinary journeys, the new Ford Everest is one of the most technologically advanced off-road SUVs ever made, and builds on Ford’s global expertise in the utility segment.

The latest generation of Ford’s in-car connectivity solution, SYNC 2, lets drivers use natural voice commands to control the car’s entertainment system, climate controls and connected mobile devices more easily than ever before.

SYNC 2 also boasts an 8-inch touchscreen with color-coded

corners for easy menu navigation.

The new Ford Everest also offers a number of segment-first technologies, including Curve Control, designed to help drivers maintain control when approaching turns too quickly; Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Aid, two technologies that help prevent drivers

from unintentionally drifting out of a lane; and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert, which informs drivers when there is a vehicle in their blind spot while driving or when preparing to reverse out of parking spots.

The vehicle also offers other advanced features, including Adaptive Cruise Con-

trol, Forward Alert with Collision Mitigation, Roll Stability Control and an Electronic Stability Program that works with traction control to help the driver stay in control. To reduce parking anxiety, Active Park Assist enables drivers to parallel park hands-free, requiring only accelerating, shifting and braking from the driver.

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

INdulge!

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

TRAVEL

The magic of Hong Kong’s goldfish market B

ACK in the days when my family used to own a small glass shop along R. Magsaysay Ave. (Uyanguren for older Dabawenyo urbanites), I remember that we used to have a wall of aquariums and we would also sell the various fresh water tropical fish we would stock the aquariums with. From oddly-shaped goldfish to bright neon tetras, majestic angel fishes to feisty siamese fighting fish. My love for keeping fishes stayed with me as I grew up.

Sadly though my tropical fish hobby had to take a back seat when I left for college in Manila up to today, due to my already busy schedules. But once in a while, I would visit the nearest pet store to take a gander at their tropical fish on display. So imagine my excitement when I was finally able to find my way to Hong Kong’s Goldfish Market.

Located at Tung Choi Street North, the Goldfish Market consists of a row of stores on both sides of the street that sell freshwater and saltwater tropical fish of various shapes, sizes and species with prices

walking along a street filled with rows upon rows of hundreds upon hundreds of of ornate tropical fish hung out outside each shop.

A walk along the Goldfish Market also reveals stores that specialise in freshwater planted aquariums, there are stores that specialise on reptiles like tortoises, iguanas, and cha-

that range from affordable to out-of-this-world. What makes the Goldfish market popular, especially for the locals is that Hong Kongers believe that fish bring good luck and keeping fish at home or at the workplace ensures that there one will always be prosperous.

Another unique trait of Hong Kong’s Goldfish Market is how a lot of the fish are displayed. Imagine

Colourful discus fish bagged and ready to be sold.

Row upon row of colourful fish line the storefronts.

One of the many stores that line the Goldfish Market.

Freshwater crabs on display.

Various aquarium plants were also on display.

meleons, while there are other stores that specialise in amphibians and crustaceans such as freshwater shrimp.

The best time to visit the Goldfish Market is during the late afternoon, the fading sunlight gives way to lights coming from the stores and the many bags of fish on display, each one

glittering with colour as if they were Christmas balls.

A side note though, photo taking is generally allowed except in some stores that explicitly announce or post no photography signs.

To get to the Goldfish Market, you can take the MTR Prince Edward Station, and exit through B2.

Walk east along Prince

Edward Road West until you reach the market. The stores normally open from around 11 in the morning and close at around 8 in the evening Follow me on Instagram or on Twitter @kennethkingong for more travel stories, foodie finds, and happenings in, around and beyond Durianburg.

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

UP AND ABOUT

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

EVENT

Globe offers complete digital experience for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus plans Globe Telecom officially launches the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with its suite of compelling offers and exclusive privileges for a total digital experience for Philippine consumers.

“Finally, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have arrived in the Philippines and Globe is beaming with excitement to bring the latest iPhones to Filipinos. With our long-standing partnership with Apple, we are poised to provide a complete digital experience to consumers: best-in-class postpaid plans, exclusive privileges and the biggest rewards, and a complete suite of value-added services and apps,” said Issa Cabreira, Senior Vice President for Consumer Mobile Marketing at Globe Telecom.

Reset program The leader in postpaid is bringing back its highly-successful Reset program, a Globe-first, which allows existing postpaid customers to renew or extend their existing account to get the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus. This means that if a subscriber’s 24-month contract is still not up for renewal to get a new device, a corresponding “reset fee” can be settled to get the latest devices under the same postpaid line. The Reset program is available until December 31, 2014. iTunes apps purchase Another exclusive offer is the easy apps purchase from the US iTunes Store using GCASH American Express Virtual Card, enabling customers to download and purchase apps, media, and games and charge it to their postpaid bill or prepaid load without using a credit card. The GCASH American Express Virtual Card is a prepaid virtual card connected to a user’s GCash mobile wallet which allows the user to shop conveniently online from local and international sites. It also provides users with added security in the form of a card that won’t get stolen, and a security code that can be renewed easily.

Discounts on iPhone accessories New and existing customers availing of the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus from Globe are also entitled to get 35% discount on Speck, Ballistic and Tech 21 products, and 25% discount on all powerbank brands at Beyond the Box and Digital Walker stores. Customers can also get 30% discount on Moshi, Lab C and Opt cases, Belkin accessories, Milli powerbanks, Divoom and Doss Bluetooth Speakers at Switch stores. The offer is available from November 14-16, 2014, with redemption until March 31, 2015.

Complete suite of Globe Apps Customers can also enjoy the complete digital experience with Globe Apps, where they can store and access photos, videos, music, documents, contacts, and messages in one place with Globe Cloud; book seats and buy movie tickets with GMovies; enjoy great discounts and deals, membership privileges and redeem offers with GDeals; and check load balance, subscribe to promos, share load and manage account with GServices. Exciting perks and freebies are up for grabs for customers getting the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus from Globe on November 14.

Globe is offering the iPhone 6 (16GB) at Plan 1299 with P800 monthly cashout good for 24 months, while the iPhone 6 Plus (16GB) is available at Plan 1299 with P1,000 monthly cashout also for 24 months, payable through major credit cards at 0% interest.

Both plan offers come with 3GB of GoSURF mobile data monthly, Photo Bundle for unlimited access to Instagram, Photo Repost, Photo Grid, and Instasize, 20 minutes of calls to all networks, 400 texts to all networks, free 3 months of access to Spotify Premium, and free Gadget Care coverage for 1 month.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in Globe Stores nationwide starting November 14. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is also available online at www.globe.com.ph/ iphone6.

Changing GenSan’s fitness landscape

Photos by: Jepoy Kitanar

OCTOBER 28 2014 marked the grand opening of Metro Lifestyle Gensan. It was a day long celebration that started as early 6 am for the ribbon cutting, up to a Zumba party at night with ZES prince Paltuob and ZIN Corbett Alforque of Davao with lots of fun activities packed in between.

From power instructors from Davao and Gensan.

Activities such as a Zumba toning and a Senato class by Joy Olimba and Kat Halvez, a Power cycling class with Ichin Daclan and Joy Manog kept guests excited and ready for more. There was also a Zumba Step and Metro steike class with Jammer

Lozano and Nell Astudillo as well as a Belly dance class with Nash Villa and Samm Sallh and a Muay Thai and Boshido karate demo with Nell Astudillo.

Not all activities are hectic though, as Yoga fanatics had a yogafest with yoga instructors Joy Olimba and RJ Casabuena leading the group. Metro Lifestyle Gensan opened its doors from 10 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon for an open house on the same day.

For more info in and around my wonderland that is Gensan follow me on Twitter @kyriekouture

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

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ENTERTAINMENT

Zanjoe Marudo and Jana Agoncillo Kapamilya network’s newest ‘couple’

ABS-CBN’s newest feelgood family drama series “Dream Dad” is set to bring positive vibes on primetime TV beginning Monday (November 17). The upcoming teleserye will introduce the newest ‘Kapamilya couple,’ Zanjoe Marudo and Kapamilya child actress Jana Agoncillo.

“Dream Dad” will revolve around the story of its two main characters— Baste (Zanjoe), a hot bachelor who is trying to mend his broken heart by focusing on his family’s welfare, and

Baby (Jana), a young orphan who is searching for a family that will love and fully accept her.

How will the lives of Baste and Baby change when their paths come across?

Joining Zanjoe and Jana in “Dream Dad” are sina Maxene Magalona, Beauty Gonzales, Yen Santos, Ana Feleo, Katya Santos, Ketchup Eusebio, Ariel Ureta, and Gloria Diaz. It is under the direction of Jeffrey Jeturian.

“Dream Dad” is produced by the team behind the phenomenal morning romantic com-

edy series “Be Careful With My Heart” and the recently concluded primetime teleserye “Pure Love.”

Don’t miss the beginning of the newest feelgood family drama series that will draw smiles in the hearts of viewers, “Dream Dad” on Monday, after “TV Patrol,” on ABS-CBN Primetime Bida.

For more information about “Dream Dad,” log on to the show’ official social networking sites Facebook.com/DreamDadOfficial, Twitter.com/ DreamDadTV, and Instagram.com/DreamDadTV.

Gimme 5 goes all out with original pop-rock hits PURE teen fun, vibe, and music is what Gimme 5’s self-titled debut album under Star Music is all about.

Released last Sunday (November 9) on “ASAP 19,” the first album of the hottest teen male group in the country showcases the overflowing talent and energy of its well-loved teen heartthrob members, namely, Joaquin Reyes, John Bermundo, Grae Fernandez, Brace Arquiza, and Nash Aguas.

The tracklist of the alloriginal, pop-rock album of Gimme 5 includes “Pag Kasama Ka,” “Aking Prinsesa,” “Hey Girl,” “Growing Up,” “Ikaw Na Na Na Na,” and its carrier single “Hatid Sundo.” Minus one

versions of the songs are also part of the album.

The Gimme 5 album is now available at all record bars nationwide for only P199. Digital tracks can also be downloaded via

leading record stores all over the country and in online music stores such as iTunes, Mymusicstore. com.ph, and Starmusic. ph.

For more information,

visit Starmusic.ph or follow Star Music’s official social media accounts at Facebook.com/starrecordsphil, Twitter.com/ starrecordsph and Instagram.com/Starmusicph.

North Luzon Expedition Part 2 in ‘Let’s Fiesta’ this Sunday LET’S FIESTA resident traveller John Feir continues his road trip northbound with his sights set on the beautiful province of Ilocos Sur this Sunday, November 16.

He begins his journey in the Heritage City of Vigan to witness the celebration of the annual Raniag Twilight Festival—the city’s version of Halloween where fantasy-themed floats and dancers in mystical costumes parade its centuries-old streets.

John is also on a mission to bring viewers to some of the city’s most visited and unique destinations: from a carenderia that serves the best sinanglaw to a food join that offers the smallest as well as the biggest burger in the

INTERSTELLAR Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway PG 13

12:00 | 3:20 | 6:40 | 10:00 LFS

RELAKS, IT'S JUST PAG-IBIG Inigo Pascual, Sofia Andres PG 13

country.

Next stop is the town of Caoayan where he gets to witness a cultural show by the cooks and waiters of Pinakbet Farm. He then

ends his road trip at the town of Tagudin to see its iconic historical sites.

All these and more in Let’s Fiesta’s episode this Sunday, November 16,

from 7:00am to 8:00am in all nine GMA regional stations in Ilocos, Bicol, Dagupan, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao, GenSan, and Cagayan de Oro.

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

WHITE BIRD in a BLIZZARD/ * HORNS Shailene Woodley / *Daniel Radcliffe

R-16

R 16 / * R16

12:00 | 1:50 | 3:40 LFS / * 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

BIG HERO 6 T. J. Miller, Jamie Chung PG 13

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

EDGEDAVAO

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

EVENT

A glittering LEGO winter wonderland

By Kenneth Irving Ong

O

All eyes were on the LEGO Christmas Village made out of thousands of LEGO bricks.

ne sure sign that Christmas is around the corner is when the local malls start sprucing up their atriums with brilliant Christmas decor and wonderful, awe-inspiring Christmas trees.

A marching band heralded the arrival of Santa.

The Songspell Kid’s Choir pose in front of SM Lanang Premier’s 57-foot tall tree.

Fast off the heels of SM City Davao, SM Lanang Premier lit their gigantic 57-foot Christmas tree last November 8 in a grand ceremony hosted by Kiana Valenciano who sang some Christmas tunes to liven up the crowd. There were also musical performances by Davao’s Songspell Kids Choir, as well as the Davao Girls’ Choir.

Aside from the lighting of SM Lanang Premier’s grand Christmas tree, there was also the simultaneous unveiling of the LEGO Christmas Village which excited the kids as well as the kids at heart.

True to SM’s tradition, there was also a icing of gifts to selected children beneficiaries by Santa together with the SM foundation.

The LEGO Christmas Village will run from November 8 until January 4, 2015. There will also be meet and greet events with LEGO Santa on all

weekends of November and December as well as on the 24th and 25th of December.

VIPs pose together with celebrity host Kiana Valenciano.

The Davao Girl’s Choir.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

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Send application letter & resume to: HR Supervisor ZION Accuprint Publishing, Inc. Door 14 Alcrej Building, Quirino Ave., 8000 Davao City, Philippines E-mail: marketing@edgedavao.net zion_publishing@yahoo.com Telefax: (082) 2213601 Website: www.edgedavao.net

ANNOUNCEMENT To serve you better Edge Davao and Zion Accuprint Publishing Inc. have added a new telephone line: (082) 224-1413

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14 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

DONNIE’S DATE WITH HISTORY Nietes surpasses Elorde DRIVING IT THROUGH. Donnie Nietes of the Philippines (left) tags Mexican challenger Carlos Velarde to a corner. Michael Ocaña photo from Edito ALA Villamor

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

C

LONGEST REIGNING CHAMP. After his historic win, Nietes bares his plans to media in an interview after the fight. NJB

Melindo wins in a sleeper

C

EBU CITY -TOP-ranked flyweight contender Milan “El Metodico” Melindo survived a pesky Saul “Baby” Juarez of Mexico in a sleeper of a fight serving as International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior flyweight eliminator in the undercard of the Pinoy Pride XXVIII: History In The Making at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel and Casino ballroom.

Melindo, who improved to 32 wins against a single loss in 33 fights with 12 stoppages, surprisingly won on all three judges’ scorecards--116-112, 115-113, and 118-111—despite Juarez being the more aggressive fighter.

He did nothing much but to keep on his feet and put Juarez at bay throughout the uneventful fight. Many times, the crowd egged the two fighters to go at each other but there were but sporadic

exchanges.

Juarez, the reigning World Boxing Council United States light flyweight champion, hounded Melindo with jabs despite being two inches shorter than the Filipino former WBO international flyweight titlist. His uncanny style appeared to have perplexed Melindo who could not get his game plan going with the shifty Juarez dancing away from harm each time he presses the attack.

Dictating the tempo from the start, Juarez tagged Melindo in the 8th with combinations to the head. In the ninth, Melindo closed the round with a right to the side of Juarez’s face but the bell sounded in time to halt what could perhaps the opening the Filipino needed.

Juarez dropped to 20 wins, 4 losses in 23 fights.

(NJB)

njb@edgedavao.net

EBU CITY -Make way for the new longest reigning Filipino boxing world champion and he is not Manny Pacquiao or Nonito Donaire.

Reigning World Boxing Organization light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes emerged from the shadows of his more illustrious countrymen in the world of boxing when he stopped Mexican Carlos “Chapito” Velarde in eight rounds on Saturday night at the Cebu Waterfront Hotel and Casino.

With his reign of seven years, one month and 15 days, Nietes is just a month and a half away from the record of the late Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who reigned as world champion for seven years and 3 months in the sixties.

In this historic night in Cebu, Nietes walked into the jampacked ballroom under glitzy lights with his pet snake wrapped around his neck. At the end of the night,

C

he stood proud under the rain of confetti celebrating his coronation as the country’s most durable champion.

Perhaps too, the birth of a new boxing icon will also pave the way for bigger paycheck and most importantly, more respect for the quiet reign of Nietes.

Nietes started slow as usual but when he saw an opening midway through the opening round, he struck with a vicious right from close range causing an uglyy gash in the left eyebrow of Velarde. He followed that up with another uppercut to the right eye.

In the third and fourth rounds, Nietes went to the body and dug himself under trying to look for an opening. Occasionally, he would flick crisp combinations to the head of the Mexican who kept the fight at close range.

The fight steadily grew in intensity when in the sixth, the Bacolod native pressed

the attack in the sixth round, locking up the Mexican in the ropes as he battered away at will. The gritty Velarde untangled himself and did the same thing to Nietes landing a few hard blows to somehow equalize the scoring in the round.

In the seventh, Nietes tagged Velarde in the head with vicious left but it was a headbutt after digging underneath that aggravated the cut on the Mexican’s left eye. Velarde could hardly see with blood flowing from the cut, but the warrior that he is typical of Mexican fighters, Velarde egged Nietes to come in instead.

Velarde tried to mix it up until the bell sounded ending the round. He was prevailed upon by his corner to call it a night.

Nietes thus improved to 34 wins against a loss and 4 draws in 39 outings.

He has held the world title since 2007 and defended it nine times. He is also the ac-

knowledged Ring Magazine junior flyweight champion after stopping Moises Fuentes of Mexico in the ninth round last May. With the win, Nietes will take over the record of Elorde by the year’s end.

More significantly, he will be moving up in weight division to the 112-pound class where he will seek a title fight next year.

“Aakyat na po ako ng timbang. Panahon na po na umakyat sa 112 pounds,” Nietes said after the fight. He is being lined up for a shot at either the WBC title of Roman Gonzales or the WBO title of Juan Francisco Estrada.

Against Velarde, Nietes said he had a hard time adjusting at first because the Mexican shifted his strategy and fought at close range.

“Binago niya ang style niya.

Dumikit siya kaya nag-adjust muna ako,” Nietes said, who will now be the top fighter out of the fabled ALA Promotions.

weight champion now rated WBO no. 6 contender, lost for only the second time in his career after the Indonesian connected on an uppercut to his right eye that opened a nasty cut in the third round.

Blood profusely flowed from the ugly cut and two calls to the ringside physician Rene Bonsubre did not help his cause as he was declared unfit to continue at the 2:02 mark of the fourth round.

Nenggo, Indonesia’s no. 1 minimumweight contender, improved to nine wins with 6 losses and 3 draws in 17 professional fights. Sabillo, on the other hand, dropped to 23-2-1 in 25 outings.

Sabillo’s only other loss was at the hands of reigning WBO world minimumweight champion Francisco Rodriguez of Mexico in a 10th round TKO in Mexico last March 22. Rodriguez was in

the same card on Saturday against Filipino Jomar Fajardo and likewise got stalled to a split draw.

Had Sabillo won, he would have been lined up for a possible rematch with Rodriguez. Sabillo won the WBO title in 2013 over Jorle Estrada but lost it to Rodriguez after defending it once against Carlos Butrago at the SMART Araneta Coliseum last November 30, 2013. (NJB)

Sabillo loses to Indon foe for second straight loss

EBU CITY - Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo’s dream of getting another shot at a word title suffered a shocking debacle on Saturday night when he lost a fourth round technical knockout loss to Indonesian Faris Nenggo in one of the undercards of the Pinoy Pride XXVIII: History In The Making at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Appearing sluggish, the former WBO minimum-

SPORTS 15

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

CMO bounces back

3 FORE TREE. After the huge success of the 3 Fore Tree golf tournament over the weekend, organizers Green Tee.Org pose with the winners and celebrity golfers Daisy Reyes, Tonton Gutierrez, Glaidel Mercado and Epi Quizon at the Rancho Palos Verdes clubhouse. Boy Lim

Black: Winning games, not quotient is my priority

By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

“

I’M worried about winning games I’m not worried about the quotient,” said Meralco Bolts head coach Norman Black after they lost to a 28 points deficit against Rain or Shine (RoS) Elasto Painters Saturday evening at Davao City.

Meralco lost control of the ballgame dominated by the RoS despite Coach Yeng Guiao being thrown out during the 2nd quarter due to using profane words.

However, Black waved out the blaming game and accepted the fact that they really played a bad game, admitting that his team committed a lot of mistakes.

“The effort wasn’t there,

we really got truely outplayed by Rain or Shine -- I am not happy with the players and their performance,” Black added.

When asked about how they are going to bounce back from their loss, “We’ll just go back and watch the tape, and we’ll try to correct the things we did and we try to come back and do better the next time,” he said.

The Meralco Bolts also lost to the Talk ‘n Text Tropang Texters last Tuesday, which makes this their second consecutive loss.

Meralco, which is in mid-standing with 3 wins and 3 losses, will be facing

FBLACK, 10

C

ITY Mayors Office got back on track following a sound beating in its previous game to vent its ire on Police Regional Office-XI, 84 – 63, in the resumption of the Mayor Rody Duterte and Vice Mayor Pulong Duterte – 12th AFP-PNP Basketball Tournament on Monday at the Davao City Recreation Center Almendras Gym. The Executives used a

strong third period to notch their sixth win in seven games and regain their solo leadership in the standing.

Christopher “Bong” Go scored nine of his game-high 20 points in the decisive third canto where the Executives went into scoring spree that put the Policemen at bay.

Roy Bangkas and Dindo Pastor contributed 11 and

10 respectively for the City Hall dribblers who had a 65 – 45 lead entering the pay off period.

Edwin Awitin paced with 13 points for the PRO which dropped to 2 – 3.

Meanwhile, Davao City Police Office edged Regional Public Safety Battalion, 64 – 61, to extend its winning run to four games.

Marlon Cabanog top

scored with 14 points for the DCPO that moved up to third place with 4 – 1 win-loss record.

Robinson Palomares made 12 while Jerry Tugade had 10 for the Camp Domingo Leonor-based dribblers who snapped the RPSB’s four game winning streak.

Rommel Cameros had 17 for the RPSB which dropped to 4 – 3. (Rico Biliran)

profane words.

In an interview, Guiao said that he used to be in the situation because being emotional is part of his personality.

Despite of Guiao’s

ejection, the Elasto Painters still managed to win with a dominating 28 points ahead on the 107-79 score against the Bolts.

Guiao said that their

Yeng: Davao will be remembered

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

D

abf@edgedavao.net

AVAO City will be a memorable venue for Rain or Shine Elasto Painters head coach Yeng Guiao as he earned his first game ejection for the 20142105 PBA season.

Against Meralco Bolts last Saturday at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) Gymnasium, Guiao was ejected by the officials during the 10:31 mark of the second quarter for using

Pagara stays unbeaten, keeps title

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

C DOWN FOR GOOD. Albert Pagara scores a knockdown over Raul Hirales Saturday night.

FYENG, 10

njb@edgedavao.net

EBU CITY--IBF Inter-continental super bantamweight champion “Prince” Albert Pagara of the Philippines outpointed a tough Raul Hirales of Mexico to retain his IBF intercontinental super bantamweight championship and stay unbeaten in 22 fights on Saturday night during the Pinoy Pride XXVIII: History In The Making at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel and Resort grand ballroom.

Pagara improved to a spotless 22-0-0 record with 15 stoppages after he scored a unanimous decision over the second-ranked Hirales, 120-107 and 119-108.

Hirales entered the ring with an impressive 22-3-1 record with 11 wins coming inside the distance in 26 outings. He engaged the confident Pagara to a fierce exchange all throughout 12 rounds and never backing down. In the end, it was the superior skills of the ALA Gym mainstay that swung the fight to his favor.

Both fighters came into the fight with incredible physical condition. Pagara stuck to his game plan of reading the Mexican and sizing him up for good measure. He landed some good body shots early but the Mexican also responded with a combination of his

own.

Pagara began thie third connecting on jabs to the head. The Mexican bounced back with a flury of his own but Pagara stood his ground with some wicked body shots. Hirales was cut under his right eye with a minute left in the round after ducking too low. He then dropped the Mexican to the canvas for the first time with a barrage of punches to the head.

Referee Danrex Tapdasan gave Hirales the standing count but when he signaled the fight to continue, the bell mercifully sounded to save the Mexican.

His confidence boosted,

FPAGARA, 10

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 7 ISSUE 176 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

TO THE RESCUE Escandor lifts Execs past ABC

G

LENN Escandor stepped up big time as he lifted the City Hall Executive Oldies past archrival Association of Barangay Captains (ABC), 82 – 73, in their friendly basketball match on Saturday at the Genesis 88 Gym in Ecoland.

The spot-up shooting Escandor was simply unstoppable, firing away a team-best 19 points for the Executive Oldies who missed the services of Christopher “Bong” Go. Marked on his favorite spots, Escandor unraveled a wide arsenal of moves as the businessman-sportsman torched the hoops with tough shots from inside and timely jumpers from the outside.

Joey Felizarta made 18 baskets for the Executive Oldies who got 14 from Ram Reyes and 13 from Rhodelio Poliquit.

Romeo Torrejas Jr. led the ABC scorers with 23 points. Guevarra and Bantayan had 11 and 10 respectively for the village chiefs.

The Executives led the way majority of the contest but could not burst out with the village chiefs.

ABC managed to stay within the striking distance before the village chiefs plagued with turnovers and miscues down the stretch.

The Executives made the most of the crucial errors to pull away with the victory.

(Rico Biliran)

CELEBRITY GOLFER. Actor Cesar Montano watches his ball roll to the cup as his caddie does a jig during the 2nd 3 Fore Tree Golf Tournament organized by Green Tee.Org at the Rancho Palos Verdes last Friday and Saturday. Boy Lim

REBUILDING. Businessman-sportsman Glenn Y. Escandor, owner of the Royal Mandaya Hotel-City Mayor's Office Basketball Team, gave a short but fitting talk to around 50 hopefuls who participated in the first open try-out conducted by the team on Sunday night at the Genesis 88 Gym. The try-out is the start-up in the formation of the TRMH-CMO commercial basketball team aimed at giving a chance for the homegrown talents to show off their potentials (Rico Biliran)