Edge Davao 7 Issue 187

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

BIG TREE. Davao City General Services Office employees put Christmas balls on the 35-foot Christmas tree at Rizal Park yesterday, a few days before the much-awaited opening of the city’s Pasko Fiesta celebration. Lean Daval Jr.

NOT GIVING UP Duterte supporters to press candidacy

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

S

INSIDE EDGE

abf@edgedavao.net

UPPORTERS of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte will still try to convince him to run for President even though they had already heard him refuse several times.

Duterte made his latest pronouncement last Monday afternoon during the Mindanao Leaders’ Summit on Federalism, reiterating he is not interested to run for President due to financial constraints.

In his speech, the mayor said running for President is very expensive and he does not want to ask for financial help from the people because it could only be wasted.

Duterte said he does not want the people to spend for his candidacy just to place him in a position with the same system of government.

In a chance interview after the summit, Volunteer

Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) chairman Dante Jimenez, who is from Luzon, said despite the pronouncement of Duterte, they will not give up trying to convince him to run in 2016.

“Tingnan natin, kasi may ibang indication na parang puwede pa. Yun ang interpretation ko (Let us see, because there are indications that he could still accept the challenge.

That is my interpretation),” Jimenez told Edge Davao.

Jimenez said he is not losing hope that one day Duterte will consider the clamor of the people asking him to run for president.

He said since they are campaigning for federalism, there must be a leader who would push for this advocacy, and he said Duterte is the perfect person to do it.

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SPORTS page 14

2 THE BIG NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

ADOPTED SON. City Councilors pose for a photograph with Rev. Sang Young Gyu (third from left) who was declared an adopted son of Davao City after spearheading charitable works for the Badjao tribe in the past 19 years. The reverend was honored during yesterday’s regular session at Sangguniang Panlungsod building. Lean Daval Jr.

Danao’s wife to seek 2 protection orders

By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

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HE wife of Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Senior Superintendent Vicente Danao Jr., is set to file two protection orders against the police official within the week.

Lawyer Aimee Neri, one of the legal counsels of Mrs. Danao, said they are set to file a Temporary Protection Order (TPO) against Danao for the couple’s children and a Permanent Protection Order (PPO) against Danao for his wife.

In an interview, Neri said the case will be filed

within the week either at the Court of Appeals or at the Regional Trial Court (RTC).

“Pinag-iisipan pa namin kung sa Court of Appeals or dito ba isasampa ang kaso (We are still thinking of filing it at the Court of Appeals or here), but within the week expect it to be on court,” Neri said.

Last October, Mrs. Danao filed a case of Violence against Women’s and their Children (VAWC) against Danao before the Department of Justice after the Regional

Mambo-o urges revival of TWG to select IP rep

Internal Affairs Services (RIAS) 11 denied his motion for reconsideration to dismiss the case.

The clarificatory hearing of both parties before RIAS 11 is set in January next year.

The four counts of grave misconduct against Danao were filed before the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, California last year.

The case was endorsed to the National Internal Affairs of the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame and then

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

HE representative of Indigenous People (IP) of Davao City asked the City Council to revive of the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the selection of next IP representative.

In a privilege speech in yesterday’s regular City Council session, Councilor Berino L. Mambo-o of the

Ata tribe said the IP Provincial Consultative Body and the Deputy Mayor of six IP tribes in the city sent him a letter asking for the creation of TWG. Mambo-o said the TWG will facilitate the Information and Education Campaign (IEC) as well as review and validate the ap-

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turned over to the Police Regional Office (PRO) 11.

In her sworn statement, Danao’s wife said her husband slapped her four times inside their conjugal house in 2002.

The DCPO chief filed his counter affidavit before the RIAS 11 on September 19 in response to the case filed against him by his wife.

Danao was relieved of his post for a month and later on took his office back after the fact finding committee result favored him.

P1.6M allotted to geotag Mindanao seaweed areas

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

HE Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) allotted P1.6 million to Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (Spamast) for the geotagging of seaweed production areas in Mindanao.

“It is for the revitalization of the seaweed industry in the Davao region and Mindanao through Science and Technology interventions,” Spamast Dr. Grace Bacaltos said.

She also said the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) allotted P19 million for the development of the industry.

During the weekly Kape-

han sa Dabaw at SM City Annex last Monday, Bacaltos said Spamast is targeting to geotag seaweed production areas in Davao Region, Sarangani Province and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

A study conducted by Spamast in 2008 found that nearly 70 percent of the seaweed production in the Philippines came from Mindanao.

The study found that Davao Region only contributed 0.12 percent to the total Mindanao seaweed production in 2003. The production has since increased, according to Bacaltos, the proponent of the study.

Bacaltos said in 2004, Davao region’s seaweed

shed Management Council (WMC) representative, and the Business Bureau for further question on the status of the building because it is in the watershed area,” Abella told Edge Davao in an interview yesterday.

Abella said investors should be informed of all the laws they need to comply with before they are allowed

to operate here.

She said Maharlika Agro-Marine Ventures Corporation president Vicente T. Lao did not know that the area where the Peking duck dressing plant is located had declared as watershed area.

“I-klaro gyud ang mga zoning kay luoy man gud ang mga investors (The zoning

Inform businesses first before letting them invest: councilor

AVAO City Council committee on agriculture and food chair councilor Marissa P. Salvador-Abella yesterday reminded the city government that it should inform investors of the laws of the city before it allows them to put up businesses here.

Abella made the statement after the proposed es-

tablishment of a Peking duck dressing plant in Barangay Tamugan, Marilog was deferred in yesterday’s regular session for further discussion since the plant is located in the watershed area.

“It was deferred for the next regular session because we will be inviting the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), the Water-

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

NEWS

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People with HIV/AIDS urged to sign up with PhilHealth

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

EOPLE living HIV-AIDS in the region are being encouraged to apply for PhilHealth membership next year so that they can continue with their medication.

This is after the pronouncement that Global Finance, an international non-government organization (NGO), that it will end its assistance to the Philippine Government through the Department of Health (DOH) in the procurement of antiretroviral treatment (ARV).

Alma Mondragon, executive director of Alagad Mindanao, said during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Annex last Monday that the financial assistance will end July next year.

“By then, the government will shoulder the purchase of the anti-retroviral,” Mondragon said.

She said people with HIV/AIDS need to become Philhealth members to ease the burden on the DOH on the provision of medication.

Mondragon said she had no idea how much the health department will allot for the ARV because the price of the treatment depends on the status of diagnosis of the patient.

“If the disease is detected early, the cost of treatment will be cheaper,” she said.

Nathaniel David, a member of the Mindanao AIDS Advocates Association, Inc., (MAAI), said a single bottle of ARV costs P7,000 per

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Toril police to sue man for mauling partner

T

ORIL Police Precinct is set to file charges against a man seen who was caught on video mauling his live-in partner in Santo Cristo, Daliao, Toril.

Senior Police Officer (SPO1) Byron Imbestro said the station itself will file a case of alarm and scandal against the man since his partner has no intention to file charges against him.

“Toril police will file the case since the partner declined to file VAWC (Violence Against Women and their Children) case against her live-in partner,” Imbestro said.

He admitted, however, that they are finding it difficult to find witnesses to testify against the man.

“We are still looking

for witnesses in order to put weight on the case, If we can’t find one it will be difficult to pursue it,” Imbestro said.

According to other police officers who declined to be named, the girl does not want to pursue the case because she blamed herself for being beaten by her partner as she was having an affair with another man.

A video of the mauling was uploaded on Facebook last Sunday and immediately went viral.

A police mobile could be seen passing the area as the beating was going on, but the policemen apparently did not see the crime.

In its defense, Toril police said they received

FTORIL, 10

VOLUNTEERS. City Council committee on education chair councilor Mabel Sunga-Acosta greets the volunteers of the Australian Alternative to Schoolies during their courtesy visit yesterday at the Sangguniang Panlungsod. The

group is currently engaged in a project with its adopted school in Indangan, Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

New judge grants motion of Felonia in King’s murder

By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

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EGIONAL Trial Court (RTC) Branch 16 Judge Emmanuel Carpio granted the urgent motion to defer proceedings of the case filed by former Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) head Superintendent Leonardo Felonia, the alleged brain in the killing of Cebu-based hotelier Richard Lim King.

Carpio last Monday also granted Felonia’s urgent motion to defer the issuance of a warrant of arrest for lack of probable cause.

The motion had been left unresolved after former judge Evalyn Arellano-Morales inhibited herself from the case.

Felonia filed the urgent motion even before the voluntary inhibition of

Judge Morales.

Morales had inhibited herself from the case last October due to her relationship with one of Felonia’s witnesses.

The case was re-raffled to the sala of judge Carpio last October 23.

King was shot dead at close range while in a dinner gathering of his health supplement distributors inside the

Vital C office along Sobrecarey Street in Barrio Obrero around 6:45 p.m on June 12.

Weeks later, self-confessed triggerman Paul Dave Molina Labang and brothers Ronel and Rodel dela Cerna submitted themselves to the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) and claimed Felonia to be the brains behind the killing.

ficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

John Codilla, focal person for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS of the South Cotabato of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), said Tuesday the

nine fatalities were among the 53 new HIV/AIDS cases that emerged in the area from January to September this year.

He said the nine deaths all involved males who were already suffering from fullblown AIDS and the late stages of the disease when they submitted themselves to testing.

“By the time their results came out, it was too late for them to undergo treatment as the disease already progressed to the end stages,” he said in a media forum in Koronadal City.

Three deaths were recorded in Sto. Nino town; two each in Koronadal City and Polomolok town; and, one each in Tantangan and Surallah towns.

The victims died of severe complications of “opportunistic infections” or diseases like tuberculosis, pneumonia and Kaposi’s sarcoma, which is a cancer that develops from the cells that line the lymph or blood vessels.

Of the 53 new cases, Co-

dilla said 13 were already full-blown AIDS while 40 were asymptomatic HIV. He said most of these cases were detected by the IPHO’s HIV screening and testing center based in Koronadal City later confirmed by the Department of Health’s Sexually-Transmitted Diseases (STD)/AIDS Cooperative Central Laboratory (SACCL) in Manila.

A total of 48 cases involved males, 11 of whom were former Overseas Filipino Workers, he said.

Codilla said 25 of the new HIV/AIDS victims were aged 25 to 34 years-old and 16 were within the 15 to 24 years-old age range.

He said the youngest victim was aged 15 years-old and among the latest cases involved two male students of a university in Koronadal City.

“There has been an increasing trend in terms of (HIV/AIDS) infection among young professionals or those within the productive ages,” he said.

9 confirmed deaths from AIDS in SoCot this year

H

EALTH personnel in South Cotabato province have recorded nine confirmed deaths in the area this year due to the disease complications triggered by the Acquired Immune De-

DRUMMER BOY. Unmindful of the risk of being hit by vehicles, a young boy sings carols using an improvised drum set to get some coins from a motorist at the junction of E. Quirino Avenue and Jacinto Extension in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

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EDGEDAVAO

SUBURBIA

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

DPWH 11 dredging rivers of ComVal to stop floods T

HE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 11 has started dredging the heavily silted portions of Agusan, Batoto, Ngan, and Agibawa Rivers in Compostela Valley Province in order to prevent the reoccurrence of heavy floods.

The dredging of the silted rivers was officially launched last November 27 by the local government of ComVal led by first district Rep. Maricar Zamora and DPWH 11 regional director engineer Mariano Alquiza.

Also present during the launch was Vice Governor Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora representing Governor Arturo Uy, Mayor Lema Bolo of Compostela Town, DPWH 11 Equipment Management Division chief engineer Lorenzo Yumang, and ComVal district engineer Joselito Caballero.

DPWH demonstrated the capability of the Watermaster Dredger which is capable of siphoning 75 cubic meters of sand and gravel per hour or about 450 cubic meters per day.

The dredger was made

available to the local government by the DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson as requested by Rep. Zamora.

Alquiza said the local government will help fund the expenses of the dredging operation for the third largest river basin in the Philippines.

For its initial stage of operations, DPWH 11 will provide the dredger and crew while the local government will put up an initial P2 million for fuel and other expenses, which will be good for about 720 meters to one kilometer for the next three months.

Yumang estimated that for the nine-kilometer span, the provincial government will spend about P16 million.

For his part, Alquiza said the dredging or desilting has become a necessity to prevent the occurrence of floods.

Heavy floods hit many areas in ComVal at the height of typhoon Pablo in December 2012 and typhoon Agaton in January this year, claiming more than a thousand lives and destroying millions of pesos worth of

ayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar led the city government officials and employees in the opening Monday night of the annual Christmas festivity dubbed “Pascua na Zamboanga (Christmas time in Zamboanga).”

The opening salvo was highlighted by the ceremonial switch-on at 6 p.m. of the Christmas lights that deck the City Hall, the giant Christmas trees and

decors at Plaza Pershing, Plaza del Pilar and Paseo del Mar. A parade followed at 6:15 p.m. from the City Hall grounds to Paseo del Mar where the opening program was held.

The opening program was marked by the showchoir competition among the different clusters, composed of the different departments under the city government.

City Hall Information

DREDGING BEGINS. DPWH 11 regional director Mariano R. Alquiza (left) is joined by ComVal Vice Governor Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora, ComVal 1st District Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora, Compostela Mayor Lema P. Bolo, DPWH

11 EMD chief Lorenzo P. Yumang, and DPWH 11 ComVal DEO district engineer Joselito D. Caballero during the launch of the Agusan River dredging operation last November 27 in Purok 5 Poblacion Compostela, ComVal.

crops and properties.

He said the dredging work will start from Barangay San Miguel in Compos-

local government of ComVal for its support to all efforts of the DPWH 11 in the implementation of all its infra

projects in the area. (Boy Dacumos/Rose B. Palacio w/ reports from DPWH-XI PIO)

“As of today, there are no more child laborers in these barangays and we have linked up with local stakeholders to ensure that this situation will be sustained on a long term basis,” Domingo said in a press conference.

The DOLE central office had set six indicators for the declaration of a barangay as child labor-free.

The concerned barangay should have no child below 15 years-old who are working, except for those exempted under the provisions of Republic Act 9231 or the Child Labor Law; no child 15-17 years old is engaged in the worst forms of child labor; all children of school-age are attending formal school or alternative learning sessions; parents have economic activity to support the needs of their children; presence of functional Barangay Council for the Protection of Children; and, implementation of local ordinances or resolutions to address child labor concerns.

Domingo said the declaration of the 12 barangays as child labor-free was an

offshoot of the interventions implemented by the agency and its partners.

She said they specifically implemented family welfare programs as well as provided livelihood projects to families of documented child laborers in the 12 barangays.

The official said these initiatives were part of the memorandum of understanding that they separately signed these past years with the concerned barangays.

She said the interventions were supported by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the local government units.

DOLE-12 had enlisted a total of 52 barangays in various parts of the region for its Child Labor -Free Barangay Project.

Also known as Soccsksargen, Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacu-

tela to Barangay Babag in Monkayo for an approximate length of 3 kilometers.

Alquiza also thanked the

Zamboanga Christmas fest on 12 barangays in Region 12 child labor-free, says DOLE M

PASCUA NA. Zamboanga City Hall is aglow with thousands of lights as the city opened its annual Christmas festivity dubbed “Pascua na Zamboanga (Christmas time in Zamboanga).” (Photo courtesy of Department of Tourism Region 9 Director Mary June Bugante)

Officer Sheila Belen Covarrubias said Tuesday the opening salvo ushered the merry month of the year where numerous activities including contests have been lined up to ensure public participation and enjoyment.

The City Hall as well as the major streets and landmarks are decked in blue and silver Christmas lights and decorations indicating harmony and goodwill with “Paz (Peace)” as the underlying theme.

Covarrubias said City Hall, like in previous years, will once again be an icon of peace, joy and prosperity and will be the center of attraction for both children and adults during night time.

The Pascua na Zamboanga is one of the most celebrated festivals and celebrations in this city that makes the celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ even more meaningful.

Pascua means Christmas, the celebration of the nativity of Jesus Christ.

(PNA)

T

HE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Region 12 has declared 12 barangays in the region as child labor-free.

Ofelia Domingo, DOLE Region 12 director, said they issued the declaration based on the results of the agency’s comprehensive assessment on the prevailing child labor situation in various barangays in the region.

She said the 12 barangays specifically posted zero rates or clean records in terms of the presence of child laborers.

The declared child labor-free barangays are Poblacion and Rosary Heights 2 in Cotabato City; Poblacion and EJC Montilla in Tacurong City; Presbitero in Pigcawayan and Saguing in Makilala, North Cotabato; Poblacion in Malungon, Libi in Malapatan and Colon in Maasim, Sarangani; Bula and City Heights in this city; and Kematu in T’boli, South Cotabato.

DOLE-12 issued certificates of recognition to the 12 barangays on Monday in a simple ceremony held in Koronadal City.

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5 ECONOMY Gov’t sees opportunity in APEC hosting EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

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HE Philippine government has seen its Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit hosting in 2015 as bringing extraordinary opportunities not only for the country but also for foreign investors eyeing to venture in the Philippines.

“For the Philippines there is nothing ordinary about 2015. The year 2015 is an extraordinary opportunity to showcase to the world what the Philippines has to offer,” Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Grego-

ry L. Domingo said during the APEC 2015 National Launch in Makati City.

Domingo said one of the assets of the country is its 100-million population, a pool of skilled and talented workforce, where both public and private sectors can take advantage of.

“There is nothing ordinary about the twelfth largest population in the world to reach the demographic sweet spot... Such an extraordinary opportunity can only be properly seen by building

BEAUTIFICATION. City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) officer-in-charge Engineer Liza Madrazo (center) supervises the ongoing beautification

an extraordinary partnership between govt and the private sector,” he added.

Hence, the DTI chief called on the local business community as well as foreign investors to invest in the Philippines in time for APEC 2015.

“In 2015, we invite you, our partners, to leverage on our hosting of APEC to bring your foreign counterparts here to see with their own eyes that now is the best time to invest in the Philippines,” Domingo said. (PNA)

project outside the Sangguniang Panlungsod building along San Pedro Street in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

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THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

Expanding global trade to sustain ASEAN growth

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HE Philippines is BEING urged to expand its share in global trade, push for urbanization, and hasten innovative technologies in order to sustain its economic growth.

The McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), the business and economics research arm of multinational management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, recently published a report citing three economic opportunities that will create substantial impact across ASEAN by 2030 which include capturing greater share of global flows, riding the urbanization wave, and deploying disruptive technologies.

The report noted that capturing greater share of global flows can create US$280 to US$615 billion to the ASEAN economy or sharing 5.0 to 12 percent of the total gross domestic product (GDP) of the region.

The opportunities of urbanization, on the other note, has a larger impact on ASEAN by 2030 with share to GDP estimated at US$520 to US$930 billion or 10 to 18 percent of ASEAN GDP. Deploying disruptive technologies can further contribute to ASEAN GDP by another US$ 220-625 billion or sharing 4.0 to 12 percent to the region’s combined economic output.

Commenting particularly on the Philippines, McKinsey & Company Philippines Managing Partner Suraj Moraje told Philippines News Agency in an e-mail that the country has bigger potential to increase trade not only in goods but also in services and skilled workforce.

Moraje cited that the Philippines ranked 45th on MGI’s connectivity index which measures inflows and outflows of goods, services, finance, people, and data and communication, relative to the size of the economy. This is far lower than some other ASEAN member states such as Singapore which ranks

4th, Malaysia at 18th, and Thailand at 36th.

“Beyond the potential for increased trade in goods, the country can also benefit from tradeable services and the freer movement of skilled labor where its proficiency in English gives it a crucial advantage over many fellow ASEAN states,” he said.

On urbanization, Moraje said the government shall sustain allotting larger share of infrastructure budget through 2030 to support the country’s economic growth.

“The Philippines has historically spent 3.2 percent of its GDP on infrastructure, but that needs to increase to more than 5.0 percent of GDP through 2030 to support economic growth and protect against climate change,” Moraje said.

“The government has already begun a major infrastructure push [aiming to take infrastructure spending to 5.0 percent of GDP by 2016] that includes bringing in private investors, but it will take a sustained commitment to address the most serious gaps,” he added.

In terms of innovative technologies, Moraje mentioned that the biggest challenge for the Philippines is building out the necessary connectivity infrastructure particularly broadband infrastructure.

“The Philippines could be fertile ground for the use of innovative technologies Filipinos are avid social media users and tend to be early adopters of new technologies like mobile payments and ATMs. Our studies in emerging economies show that broad Internet adoption drives GDP across the economy, helping large companies like banks and retail players expand their services to new segments at radically different price points while also driving productivity gains for small businesses that dramatically improves their competitiveness,” said Moraje. (PNA)

Megawide Construction to bid for P18.72-B Kaliwa Dam project

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ISTED contractor Megawide Construction Corp. will participate in the bidding for the P18.72-billion New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project in Rizal province under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Megawide Construction said the Kaliwa Dam project of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) will take the place of the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply project.

The project involves the financing, design and con-

struction of an additional raw water supply source with a design capacity of 600 million liters per day (MLD), through the commissioning of the Kaliwa Dam, including intake facilities and other pertinent facilities.

Also part of the project is a water conveyance system with a design capacity of 2,400 MLD, in anticipation of additional inflows from Laiban Dam, which is upstream of the Kaliwa Dam. The water project’s cooperation period, including construction, is 30 years under a build transfer structure. (PNA)

CHRISTMAS SHELLS. A vendor displays colorfully lit star-shaped lanterns made of Capiz shells sold for P3,000 each outside SM Lanang Premier in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

DTI calls for price adjustments as oil prices continue to decline T

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is eyeing to adjust prices of commodities lower than the current level with the declining oil prices in the world market.

In a statement, DTI Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said consumers should also benefit from the decreasing transportation cost brought about by lower fuel prices, which dropped by about 30 percent this year.

Domingo said the DTI is deliberating on how much the suggested retail prices (SRPs) of both agricultural and non-agricultural products should be slashed.

“We are going over our data to check how the price drop should be reflected on the prices of basic and prime goods. The steady decline of oil prices should now have

a significant impact on the prices of all products and services. At the minimum, they should decrease by 3.0 percent,” he said.

The DTI- Consumer Protection and Advocacy Bureau (CPAB) said a 155-gram can of sardines should go down by P0.22; a 370-milliliter can of evaporated milk by P0.95; a 50-gram coffee refill

by P0.99; and a 25-kilogram sack of flour by P25.91.

“The DTI, as the chair and secretariat of the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC), will coordinate with its members that include the Departments of Agriculture, Energy, and Health to determine the extent of the effect of the falling prices of world crude oil on products and services,” the department stated.

“The DTI is urging gov-

ernment agencies such as Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Civil Aeronautics Board, Maritime Industry Authority, and the Energy Regulatory Commission to also assess the impact of the 30 percent decline in world oil prices on trucking and shipping rates, land transportation fare, fuel surcharges, and electricity rates, among others, which are the most immediately affected in the market,” it added.

Base on data of the Department of Energy (DOE), average oil prices in the local market have gone down about 20 percent this year from P44.63 per liter in January to P36.71 in November.

The declining oil prices was pushed by the decision of world’s oil producers’ cartel Organization of Petro-

leum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to maintain production at 30 million barrels per day.

This immediately pulled down the price of the benchmark Brent crude to US$72 per barrel.

Domingo said he expects that with these developments in the world market, oil prices are seen to remain low in the coming months.

“We are calling on producers and distributors to share with the public the savings they are realizing as a result of the lower cost of transportation and energy, particularly on agricultural products and basic consumer goods. This would be a timely and much needed service to Filipino consumers especially with Christmas just around the corner,” Domingo stressed. (PNA)

which was unveiled during a meeting in Kazan on Friday.

Statistics shows that around a half of mutual payment operations between the EEU member-states account for the US and the euro, thus increasing the dependence of the trade bloc on the foreign countries’ economies.

The new concept envisages that the EEU member-states should create a joint payment space allowing carrying out transactions with due regard to the compatibility of national card systems, including BelCard (Belarus), Armenian Card (Armenia) and their Russian counterpart, which is currently under development.

Natalya Burykina, who chairs a committee on financial market of the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, said the initiative of

switching to the national currencies makes sense as the idea is to create a single economic space in the framework of the EEU, according to the report.

Eurasian Economic Union The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) is a new integration association, which will start functioning from January 1, 2015 instead of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC), which officially ceased to exist on October 10.

The EEU members are currently Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia. Kyrgyzstan is expected to join the union soon.

The EEU accounts for one fifth of the world’s gas reserves and around 15 percent of oil.

The Treaty on the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union was signed by

the presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan on May 29, 2014 in Astana.

The agreement is the basic document defining the accords between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan for creating the Eurasian Economic Union for the free movement of goods, services, capital and workforce and conducting coordinated, agreed or common policies in key sectors of the economy, such as energy, industry, agriculture and transport.

The post-Soviet trade bloc based on the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan is expected to embrace a financial system worth US$ 3 trillion. EEU member states’ mutual investments grew by 14 percent in 2013 from the previous year to US$ 1.9 billion.

(PNA/TASS)

Eurasian Economic Union set to abandon dollar, euro

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RANSACTIONS in dollars and euros could be banned within the member-states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) – Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia, the Izvestia newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The EEU countries could switch to national currencies (ruble, Belarusian ruble, Kazakhstani tenge and Armenian dram) in mutual payments by 2025-2030, the chairman of the board of directors of Russia’s National Payment Council, Alexander Murychev told the newspaper.

“It is necessary to raise a question before the national banks of the member-states on excluding the US dollar and the euro from interstate payment transactions,” said Murychev, detailing a concept for the EEU development,

EDGEDAVAO

SCIENCE

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

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Ending hunger: the limits of fisheries Text and Photos By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“I

T’S the paradox of our times: A great number of Filipinos, including 15 million children, remain hungry or malnourished while the Philippine economy continues to soar.” That was what a recent headline of Philippine Daily Inquirer said.

The news report quoted Senator Grace Poe who, in a privilege speech, urged the government and every Filipino to do their part to help end hunger. “We shouldn’t allow the applause of rating agencies drown out the grumbling of empty stomachs,” she pointed out. “We should let the issue of hunger gnaw at bureaucracy’s thick walls or the officialdom’s thick hides the way an ulcer lacerates the gut.”

Unknowingly, more and more Filipinos are expected to experience hunger as population continues to grow. In 1980, the Philippines was home to 48 million Filipinos. In 2000, the number swelled to 78 million. Today, there are 100 million people inhabiting the country.

Jules Verne had suggested that when the world reached the limits of food production on the land, man could turn to the oceans. Unfortunately, many countries have been doing just that over the past several decades.

“Between 1950 and 1989, the fish catch expanded more than fourfold, climbing from 22 million tons to 100 million tons,” Lester R.Brown, former head of the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute, reported in his feature, “Facing Food Scarcity,” which was published in “World Watch” magazine. “During the six years since then, the catch has leveled off. Contrary to the prognosis of Jules Verne, we reached the limits of the oceans first.”

Fish provides more than half of the protein requirement of almost all Filipinos. But in recent years, the average annual consumption has declined from 37 kilos to just 30 kilos. “Unless we look for other sources of protein, the food intake of Filipinos will be greatly affected,” said an official of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

The Philippines is among the largest fish producers in the world, the World Bank report states.

The commercial, municipal, and aquaculture fisheries account for 36, 30, and 24 percent of the total fisheries yield, respectively. Its annual total fisheries yield is estimated to be worth around US$70 to UD$110

billion (equivalent to about 2-4 percent of the country’s gross domestic production over the years).

Unless something is done soon, fish production may soon collapse. In Davao City, fish shortage is now happening, but no one seems to feel it yet. In the past, Bago Aplaya used to be a haven of fish in the city.

“When I was still younger,” 53-year-old Ronnie Estrera recalled, “we used to catch a lot of fish. But it’s not the case anymore today.”

As he was talking, his son Dondon came home with one ice box full of fish.

The 19-year-old lad, however, lamented that the fish were getting smaller and fewer. In some instances, they were forced to fish farther south into the waters of Sta. Cruz in Davao del Sur. “Fishers are already scarce in Bago Aplaya,” he said.

Bago Aplaya is part of Davao Gulf. With an area of 308,000 hectares, the gulf cuts into the island of Mindanao from Philippine Sea. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) considers Davao Gulf as one of the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world. Diverse coral reefs, different mangrove species, cetaceans, and a host of invertebrates contribute to the natural diversity of the gulf.

Davao Gulf is Southern Mindanao’s fishing ground.

In fact, it is the 10th major fishing ground in the country. As such, “Davao Gulf is a critical resource supporting the economies of six coastal cities and 18 coastal municipalities,” says the Davao Gulf Management Council (DGMC), composed of all the local government units surrounding the gulf.

In order “to conserve marine resources and to secure the spawning period of pelagic fishes” in the Davao Gulf, the regional office of BFAR declared a 3-month fishing ban in gulf.

The fishing ban was sort of a support of a study undertaken by the World Fish Center. It was found out that since 2000, the volume and quality of the fish in the Davao Gulf have been in constant decline. That was what the 10-year study entitled “Strengthening Governance and Sustainability of Small-scale Fisheries Management in the Philippines: An Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management Approach in Davao Region” found out.

A collaborative effort of the BFAR, local government units, and the regional office of the Department of Science and Technology, the decade-long study looked at the volume and quality of the harvests of 10 commonly fished species in the

(Second of 9 parts)

gulf: matambaka, tamban, moro-moro, caraballas, bilong-bilong, lapu-lapu, danggit, molmol, talakitok, and maya-maya.

Except for maya-maya, the harvest numbers for the species have been falling. At the current rate of decline, the caraballas, bilong-bilong, molmol, and danggit may all disappear completely from Davao Gulf within a decade, the study said.

The matambaka, tamban, and moro-moro are more resilient, but even they may disappear within a generation, it added.

But it’s not only in Davao Gulf that the situation is happening. Dr. Salome Bulayog, an associate professor of the department of economics at the Visayas State University, said the aquatic marine resources of Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte have been deteriorating in recent years.

Home to a variety of fishes, Sogod Bay is a major fishing ground for the 11 municipalities that surround it. Mangko or frigate tuna (scientific name: Euthynnus affinis) is its major fishery resource. Seasonal influx of this shallow-water tuna species has provided food and livelihood to the people of Sogod and nearby municipalities.

“Frigate tuna used to abound in Sogod Bay and was a major source of income in the 70’s until the 90’s,” said Dr. Bulayog, who headed a study funded by EEPSEA. “But today, fishermen could hardly have fish catch.”

“Likewise, reef species population is also dwin-

dling,” added the study, which was conducted in 1994 yet. “Fishermen have to spend longer time to catch a kilogram of fish; some even have to farther from the shore.”

And so it came to pass that the wealth of oceans, once considered boundless, has proven finite. Touted as “the poor man’s protein,” fish is now a resource coveted -- and fought over by countries.

“We are running out of fish and running out of time. For a country known for marine biodiversity, there are very few fish left to catch,” Vince Cinches, Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, was quoted as saying.

“Like the other vital resources such as forests, Philippine fisheries are about to collapse,” deplored Roy C. Alimoane, the director of Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC), a non-government organization based in Davao del Sur. The collapse of major fishing grounds in the country would mean uprooting 38,000 fishermen each year. “The fish is getting scarcer,” said a father of six. “We all have children, grandchildren. We have to think of the future!”

The condition of open sea access -- that exists both for international vessels on the high seas and for domestic fleets within their own countries’ exclusive economic zones -- is generally regarded as the major reason for the sad state of the ocean.

“Overfishing is the primary cause of dwindling fish population,” notes Peter Weber in his book, Net

Loss: Fish, Jobs and the Marine Environment.

Along with fishing pressure, general degradation of coastal environments has influenced the steep decline of fish stock. Population growth and urbanization along shorelines lead to greater municipal, industrial and agricultural waste discharge and pollution.

More than 40 million people in the Philippines live on the coast within 30 kilometers of coral reef, which represents about 45 percent of the country’s population. Approximately two million people depend on fisheries for employment.

Land reclamation, coral mining, and mangrove clearing for aquaculture -- itself a source of pollution -- alter the aquatic environment. The effects of oil spills and other disaster events involving shipping further threaten the ecological balance.

The country’s coral reefs yield 5 to 37 tons of fish per square kilometer, making them very important to the productivity of fisheries. “And yet, only 1.0 percent to 2.5 percent is still intact and serves as habitat for diverse marine flora and fauna; 60 percent of reefs are heavily damaged,” wrote Sandra Volpp in her paper, “From the Mountains to the Seas,” which appeared in Handbook Philippines.

Mangroves are very important to marine life, fishery expert Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III points out.

They serve as sanctuaries and feeding grounds for fish that nibble on detritus (fallen and decaying leaves)

trapped in the vegetation, and on the bark and leaves of living trees. “(Mangroves) are important feeding sites for many commercially important fish species (mullet, tilapia, eel, and especially milkfish), shrimps, prawns, mollusks, crabs, and sea cucumbers,” says a World Bank report. “Fry that gather in mangrove areas are very important for aquaculture.”

But there’s a glimmer of hope: aquaculture. Though a novelty in much of the world, aquaculture has been considered by the fishery division of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as the world’s fastest growing production system.

“One in four food fish consumed by human is now being produced by aquaculture,” Dr. Albert G.J. Tacon, then FAO fishery resources officer, told this author.

There’s hope indeed.

“The ultimate success of aquaculture may lie in the ability of its developers to leapfrog the mistakes of agriculture -- to resist putting chemicals in the water and hormones in the fry, and consuming vast quantities of resources to get their production out,” notes Anne Platt McGinh, a research associate at the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute.

“The fish farmers’ tickets to the future is to align their business with the growing movement toward integrated, closed-loop production that is already making waves in the agricultural and timber industries,” she added. (TOMORROW: THE POSSIBILITIES OF BIOTECHNOLOGY)

8

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

I

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

Last shot

N yesterday’s editorial, we advocated for a cautious approach to the current move to change the country’s system of government from the current “unitary presidential constitutional republic” to a federal presidential bicameral one. Our point was that before we plunge headlong into this, we need to learn more about federalism and what exactly it entails. Fortunately we are not starting from zero as various advocates have already presented their vision of what the Philippines would be under a federal form of government. One of these advocates is former University of the Philippines President Jose Abueva, who in a 2005 paper titled Some Advantages of Federalism and Parliamentary Government for the Philippines explained that a proposed Federal Republic of the Philippines would be characterized by “Self-Rule by the people in the proposed 11 States and their local governments and Shared Rule between the Federal Government and the States and their local governments.”

Abueva also put forward the main features of a Federal Republic of the Philippines, which are, in summary: • The Federal Republic of the Philippines 1. The Federation (Federasyon) represented by the Federal Government (National Government).

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2. The Eleven (11) States (Estados/Regional Governments).

• The Federal Government (Gobyerno Federal). The Federal Government shall be responsible only for national security and defense, foreign relations, currency and monetary policy, citizenship, civil, political and other human rights, immigration, customs, the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Tribunal, and the Court of Appeals, and such other functions of federal governments.

• The States (Estados). Most other government functions and services that impact directly on the lives of the people shall be the main responsibility of eleven States or regional governments and their local governments. These include peace and justice; agriculture and fisheries; energy, environment and natural resources; trade, industry and tourism; labor and employment; public works, transportation and communication; health; basic education, science and technology; culture (language, culture and the arts); social welfare and development; and public safety and police.

At face value, federalism does seem to remedy the current system which is over-centralized and thus unwieldy and unresponsive. Further study must be done to come up with a system that is acceptable to everyone; this may be our last shot at finally pushing the country to the forefront of peace and development.

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

L

IKE the 1870 Samal revolt that was in part due to the tributes, the uprising in Baganga on September 23, 1898, at the tail-end of the colonial rule, was a protest against the collection of taxes and forced labor, which became the wick that launched the Linao revolt under Datu Dabao in Agusan 1651. The uprising had nothing to do with the independence movement in Manila, nor was it a show of discontent towards Spain.

Leading the unrest was Don Prudencio Garcia, a captain of the tercio civil in Baganga. Equipped with around 150 rifles and two mounted cannons, his team raided the understaffed contingent at the Baganga-Cateel boundary under a Spanish officer. After disposing the personnel assigned there with the help of Don Manuel Sanchez, a Spanish deportee from Cuba, he went on to install himself as caretaker of a new government.

Garcia’s raiding team proceeded to Caraga where a bloodless coup was launched. He took over the district administration and dispatched Sanchez to get hold of the steamer Bilbao that was anchored south of the township. But the Cuban disobeyed the cap-

C

HRISTMAS is celebrated because of Jesus Christ and not because of food, gifts, and drinking. That’s what Christians should think this season. “I have now disposed of all my property to my family,” Sir Patrick Henry once said. “There is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian religion.”

Francis Bacon said: “There never was found in any age of the world, either philosopher or sect, or law, or discipline which did so highly exalt the public good as the Christian faith.”

Why is this so? “The radiant Christian is more concerned with carrying his cross than with complaining about his callouses. He remembers the harvests, not the hardships. He thinks about his friends, not his failures. He talks more about his blessings than his backaches, more about his opportunities than his operations,” William A. Ward answers.

There are stories that make you laugh.

And there are stories that make you ponder.

But there are stories that touch your heart, your inner self, and your whole being. That’s what I felt when a woman shared the story of her husband, who was born to a poor family.

“When he was in high school, he contracted a very serious disease,” she said.

“The disease was in such a serious stage that it caused my husband to be paralyzed from waist down. His parents, being so poor, could not afford to send him to a doctor or hospital.”

It so happened that there was this young doctor from a nearby town who traveled by car to his clinic in the same town where the poor family lived. One morning, the fa-

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Baganga uprising

tain’s order. Instead of seizing the vessel before it could leave port, he arrested and put in prison Fr. Manuel Valles, who was the leader of the church in Caraga. The defiance angered the Filipinos who were sent to assist Sanchez. Promptly, Sanchez’s insubordination reached Garcia who was visibly angry for the disrespect being shown to the padre and at the prospect of passing up the chance of gathering more arms from the fleeing ship.

For his insolence, he was ordered shot by

Garcia.

Father Gisbert, then parish priest of Baganga, convinced Garcia to lay down his arms so the people would not be distracted from tilling their farms. But the captain was unbending, explaining to the priest that his cause had nothing to do with Spain but was merely a call for the royal crown to send just public servants willing to institute honest reforms in the imposition of taxes and services.

Later, Gisbert’s persuasive efforts paid off when Garcia agreed to surrender provided his demands were addressed by Manila, and his group granted general amnesty.

While Garcia’s concerns were popular issues, the residents of Caraga and Cateel opted to stay away from the conflict by securing themselves in the hills so as not to be compromised. In time the colonial administration in Manila ordered the head of the civilian infantry in Mati, Lt. Manuel Garcia y Neila, to contain the uprising, hopeful that the rebellious group would surrender. To avert bloodshed, Father Gisbert conferred separately with the rebel leader and the government representative as go-between—

which the two factions approved. As mediator, the padre assured the rebel leader that the tercio commander did not mean to harm his men but wanted to settle the discord amicably. He even volunteered to go to Mati to intercept the mail granting the rebels official pardon. But the amnesty papers arrived earlier at Manay, with the commander and the assessor of Mati carrying them. Without delay, fathers Gisbert and Valles brought the documents to Baganga for Garcia’s response.

A truce was finally negotiated, signaling the end of the short-lived revolt.

Neila and Garcia later met and embraced each other as a sign of peace. Neilla left Mati to join the other Spaniards leaving for Manila after Spain ceded the Philippines to the US under the Treaty of Paris signed on December 10, 1898. Garcia took over as commander of the Mati police force and used his influence to secure the release of the Jesuits of the district of Surigao. In Davao, Bartolome Garcia, head of the civil infantry, and his contingent also left for Manila on Jan. 15, 1899 on board the steamer Churrucca, in effect marking the end of Spanish rule in the district of Davao.

ther patiently THINK ON THESE! waited for the doctor’s car to pass by their house as it was situated on the town’s main road.

The father stopped the car and the doctor Henrylito D. Tacio came out and henrytacio@gmail.com learned about the son’s illness. The doctor suggested that the boy be brought to the hospital immediately for treatment. When the father told him that they cannot afford hospital expenses, the doctor volunteered to stop by their house each day before he proceeded to his clinic.

Every day, the doctor gave the boy injections and the medicines to take. “The doctor did this every day for several months until my husband was cured,” the wife said. “He did not charge a single centavo for the medications, injections and all of his services.”

Forty-five years later, the husband kept telling his wife how much he was indebted to this doctor who saved his life. “After recovering from his illness, my husband finished high school, went to an engineering school, and graduated as a mechanical engineer,” she recalled. “We met and got married and in 1974, we immigrated to the United States.”

For 30 years, the couple have not gone back to the Philippines (although they are planning on going home soon). Her story continued: “Then one day, he wondered if this doctor is still alive and still practicing

medicine. He would like very much to know if he could find a way to contact him so he could send his gratitude for saving his life.

“He searched the internet in hopes to get answers to his questions. Thanks to the advanced technology, he found out that this doctor is still alive and still practicing at the age of 79.”

It was Christmas season and he thought this was a good time to send the doctor a short thank you letter for saving his life. In his letter, he enclosed a check in amount of US$100 as a small gift. He wrote the doctor that although he may not need the money but just the same it would make the sender happy if the doctor accepted it as a token of his appreciation. He also invited him to come and visit them in Kansas City whenever he is travelling the United States.

Since then, they have been communicating with each other. Below are some excerpts of the doctor’s replies to the man’s letters: On May 4, 2009, the doctor wrote: “It is truly heart-warming to be remembered by nice people like you who remember the little favors you have received. You belong to a very rare breed and there are not many like you in our age especially in this day and age where crass materialism and self-interest overrides humanity.”

In July of the same year, the doctor sent this note: “It is very heart-warming to receive a letter with enclosed check from you. It is not the check that matters but the beautiful thought that goes with it. In the 55 years of my life as a doctor, I have not had a patient as sincerely grateful as you although I took care of you about 45 years

ago. I am indeed very appreciative for your remembering me as a humble MD who was able to minister to you when you were very ill. Your parents were very nice and simple people.”

On the 13th of November in 2009, the doctor shared this joy: “What I can say is that I’m blest to have a generous friend like you. The check you sent me is my biggest Christmas gift but what makes me happier is that you still remember me despite the years and distance.”

The wife noted: “The doctor also mentioned that my husband’s first letter and the first check he received were proudly shared with his staff at his clinic and that he framed the letter and the check. He and his staff were very touched.”

In another letter, the doctor wrote: “Someday, if health permits, I will try to travel to Missouri and would like to visit President Truman’s residence and library.”

“Ang Disyembre ko ay malungkot, pagkat miss kita.” I recalled this line of a popular Filipino song, Miss Kita Kung Christmas, some years back while spending my Christmas in the United States. Although I was with my sister and her family, I still felt lonely since I missed celebrating Christmas in the Philippines.

We should celebrate Christmas not only this season but throughout the years. As Norman Wesley Brooks puts it: “Christmas is forever, not for just one day, for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf. The good you do for others is good you do yourself.”

Merry Christmas to everyone!

FAST BACKWARD

BY THE ARCHIVIST

A story for Christmas

10 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

Inform...

Not giving... FFROM 1 “To push this federalism, there should be a person who believes the advocacy and he (Duterte) is the perfect guy,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez said he also invited Duterte to be the

guest speaker on December 15 for the fifth anniversary of the Bicol Autonomy in Legaspi, Albay.

Coalition of Filipino Consumers chair Perf Tagalog, who is also from Luzon, said they will still

push for the candidacy of Duterte in 2016.

“We will support federalism and the only one who could handle it to establish the new system of government is Mayor Duterte,” Tagalog said.

plicable local guidelines for the selection process.

He said the TWG will devise the means for the smooth transition of the next IP Mandatory Representative (IPMR) to the City Council since the incumbent IPMR is nearing the end of his term pursuant to the existing local guidelines.

He said the TWG would also avoid disruptions of public service to the 30,962 Ata tribe, 15,887 Kagan Tribe, 135,229 Klata- Bagobo tribe, 30,010 Matigsalog tribe, 18,501 Ovu Manuvu tribe and 100,332 Tagab-

awa-Bagobo tribe, and the 330,921 total lumad population,” Mambo-o said.

In an interview, Mambo-o told reporters that he hopes that his request will be hastened as his term will end on January 10, 2015.

“Murag nabalaka ko karon kay tungod, para dili mabakante ang pwesto kay manaog naman ko. So, kinahanglan mapadali nila (I am little bit worried because I do not want the position to be vacant since I will be stepping down. There is a need to hasten it),” he said.

He said the TWG also will help evaluate the se-

lection process of the next tribe that will represent the IP, which is the Kagan tirbe.

Mambo-o said the Kagan tribe has six aspirants to be the next IPMR. The whole tribe will have a consensus on who their representative to the City Council will be.

He said after the names are submitted to the TWG, the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) will evaluate them before it issues the certificate of affirmation on the chosen member who will be the representative of the IP sector in the city.

production increased by 80 percent and 53 percent higher in the succeeding year.

In Davao Region, the province of Davao del Sur accounts for the largest seaweed production with 67 percent, followed by Davao Oriental and the town of Mabini in Compostella Valley, which accounted for the remaining 33 percent of production.

Bacaltos said the region has an existing production area of 400 hectares that should be expanded by 50 percent in the coming years because of the increasing demand for seaweed both for commercial, pharmaceutical, and industrial use.

Seaweeds are primary

sources of agars, alginates, fucellaran, and carrageenan, she said.

Bacaltos said that the region has 706 hectares of potential areas for seaweed production. Davao Oriental has the largest potential with 306 hectares, followed

by Davao del Sur with 165 hectares, Davao del Norte with 160 hectares, Davao City with 50 hectares, and Compostela Valley with 25 hectares.

She said at present, the region has a total of 400 has production areas with more than 3,000 tons in yield.

Bacaltos said the local production cannot even address the local demand.

Seaweed can be value-added and can be used for fertiliz-

er, food products, seaweed powder, and soap.

“We are partnering with University of Immaculate Conception (UIC) for possible pharmaceutical development,” Bacaltos said.

The revitalization of the seaweed industry is an initiative of the Southern Mindanao Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (SMARRDEC).

Aside from geotagging, partnership with an academe and plantation expansion, SMARRDEC is also organizing more than 3,000 seaweed farmers to become cooperatives.

This will give an easier access to micro-financing, she said. CRC

month, and this increases as a patient shifts from another regimen.

Davao City Health Office chief of Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC) Dr. Jordana Ramiterre said there is an increas-

ing number of HIV/AIDS cases in the city because more people are accessing government services.

Ramiterre said the city has already recorded a total of 1,014 persons with HIV/ AIDS as of September this

year.

In Davao region, there are a total of 1,220 cases recorded. She said the region contributes six to eight percent to the national figure, where 15 cases of the illness are detected daily. CRC

a call regarding the incident but were given the wrong address.

Councilor Leah Librado-Yap commented on the video that her office is willing to help the woman

any time.

Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Senior Superintendent Vicente Danao Jr. asked Toril Police Station to investigate the matter.

Danao himself has a VAWC case before the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed against him by his estranged wife. Funny

rong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

Most of the identified barangays are currently within the first to third levels in terms of classification of their child labor status.

Level 3, which are dubbed the “low-hanging fruits,” are barangays where child labor issues have been addressed, various stake-

holders have been mobilized for advocacy and service delivery, local institutions have been established, and partnerships among stakeholders have been forged.

Level 2 are barangays where there is presence of child laborers in hazardous situation and where interventions have been undertaken and are continuing.

Mambo-o... FFROM 2

P1.6M... FFROM 2

People... FFROM 3

Toril... FFROM 3

12 barangay... FFROM 4

Pearl A. Gajunera

Level 1 or the “new frontier” are barangays that have child laborers in hazardous situation, but where initiatives have not yet been undertaken.

“Our interventions are currently ongoing and we’re hoping to declare more child labor-free barangays next year,” Domingo added. (MindaNews)

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

FFROM 2

should be clarified first to save investors the hassle).

They put in a lot of money only to be told that there are other requirements that they need to comply with,” Abella said.

Abella added Maharlika has already complied with the requirement from the different government agencies and local offices.

She said that company plans to invest P200 million for the establishment of the plant, and as of yesterday it already spent P17 million for the salaries of its workers.

Abella said the building was constructed in the 1970s, but the area was declared a watershed area in 2005.

She said in 1978, the City Council issued a resolution and ordinance reclassifying the area from agricultural to light non-offensive industrial zone for the establishment of a pineapple cannery and other agricultural products.

Abella said the building was renovated by Maharlika and converted into a processing plant, which would be the first of its kind in the country.

In the committee report, Abella recommended a resolution for the favorable endorsement and approval by the City Council of the establishment of the Peking duck dressing Plant in Barangay Tamugan, Marilog district.

During the committee hearing last September 17, the company presented

the whole process of the duck dressing plant and its wastewater treatment facility and its continuing need to upgrade.

In support of the proposed project, Abella said the Philippine Progress Meeting where President Aquino was the guest of honor announced that the Davao City plant will produce the first Peking duck for export in Japan.

The Barangay Council of Tamugan passed a resolution dated February 5 imposing no objection to the proposed dressing plant, situated at Sitio Lower B of the barangay.

The CPDO said in the report that the land on which the plant is located is classified as agricultural land intended for pineapple based on the Zoning Ordinance of the Davao City.

The City Veterinarian’s Office also stated in the report that it found that the building was already established and the wastewater treatment facilities were already in place when it visited the area. It requested for the furnished copy of the wastewater disposal and good manufacturing practice (GMP).

The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) said the proposal is a good opportunity for the city but environmental impact must be considered since Tamugan is considered a conservation area.

CENRO said the com-

pany needs to consider waste disposal, bad odor, extraction of water, and its water source.

It also said Tamugan is within the watershed area based on the Watershed Management Code. If proven that it is within the watershed area, the matter should be forwarded to the WMC in order to harmonize its operation.

Abella, in response, endorsed the matter to WMC. The Water Multipartite Monitoring Team (WMC-WMMT) conducted an ocular inspection of the proposed plant in the Tamugan and found that the management able to secure water discharged from the Environmental Management Bureau of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR ) for its wastewater treatment.

The plant also secured a Certificate of Potability of Drinking Water from City Health Office and constructed a rainwater catchment system.

The WMC-WMMT also noted that the plant is observing proper solid waste management practices such as safe and sound handling, storing and disposing of solid waste to avert adverse impacts to environment.

It also observed that the plant was able to intensify planting of endemic forest trees on its area to serve as buffer zone to be able to secure local clearance from CPDO. ABF

With the detection of the 53 new HIV/AIDS, Codilla said the province’s disease incidence now stands at a total of 194.

He said 184 of these cases were only recorded from 2010 up to the present.

“So far, we’ve been detecting an average of one case every week and we receive inquiries for screening and testing on a daily basis,” he said.

Dr. Rogelio Aturdido Jr., IPHO chief, attributed the rise in confirmed HIV/AIDS cases in the province to the increasing awareness among various vulnerable sectors.

“Our current rate of HIV/AIDS detection is quite alarming but were also looking at it as a positive sign

that our awareness campaigns and calls for voluntary testing have been gaining ground,” he said.

He said they consider the 194 confirmed cases in the province as just the “tip of the ice berg.”

“We expect to detect more cases in the coming months as more people are now aware of it and submitting themselves to testing,” he said.

Aturdido said the IPHO has a special unit that conducts HIV/AIDS testing and counselling for free and in confidential manner.

Those found positive are immediately referred by the IPHO to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City to undergo

maintenance or antiretroviral drug treatment.

Antiretroviral drug treatment mainly stops the multiplication of the infected person’s viral load and eventually prevents them from further spreading the disease.

In some countries, the use of antiretroviral drugs has helped effectively lower the incidence of HIV infection to about one percent and eventually stabilized the detected cases.

Aturdido said 52 of the HIV/AIDS victims are currently receiving antiretroviral from the SPMC, which is the DOH’s main treatment hub for the disease in southern and central Mindanao.

(MindaNews)

ensures that customers only invest for the capacity they need, and when they need it.

He outlined the services delivered under this model, which are Software as a Service (SaaS), Backup as a Service (BaaS) and Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), all of which are offered by Globe CloudSolutions: “SaaS removes the need for installation, setup and often daily upkeep and maintenance of software ap-

plications with solutions like Google Apps, Microsoft Office 365 and Canvas, while BaaS and DRaaS addresses the infrastructure requirements of customers to improve uptime of their applications and data in instances of natural or manmade disasters.”

Shift to the cloud Meanwhile, Globe Vice President for IG Rey Lugtu emphasized that, “at Globe IG, we believe cloud computing

is about shifting the interest from physical resources and capital expenses to efficiency and utility. It will allow companies, especially BPOs, to focus on doing what they know best, and not on spending a lot of money and time on IT processes. We believe that the companies who will strongly capitalize on this trend will maintain their edge in their industry as they carry on their journey to the cloud.”

Confirmed... FFROM 3

Elevating... FFROM 13

BIGGER PICTURE 11

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

A good harvest of Bright Leaf winners Text and Photos By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

A

three-part series on dwindling fish production in the Visayan Sea was adjudged winner in the 8th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards held at the Sunset Pavilion of Sofitel Manila last November 27.

“The Visayan Sea, one of the country’s major fishing grounds, is overfished at a degree where it is difficult for fish stocks to replenish,” the citation said. “This threatens not just the livelihood of thousands of fisherfolk but also the country’s food security. The problem is complex and needs a package of solutions that includes rationalizing policies, law enforcement, and resource management.”

The series, authored by Cherry Ann T. Lim and Liberty Pinili, appeared in the June 2014 issue of Sun.Star Cebu.

Winner of the Agriculture Photo of the Year was Harley Palangchao of Baguio Midland Courier. His photo entry, entitled “Frostlandia,” depicted a vegetable farm in the province of Benguet that was enveloped with the cold and chilly weather turning the vegetables frosty.

The Tobacco Photo of the Year went to Mauricio E. Victa of Business Mirror.

His award-winning photo, “Leaves of Gold,” showed a colorful and heart-warming glimpse into a moment in the life of a female tobacco farmer.

Gabriel Cardinoza, of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, took home the Tobacco Story of the Year for his story, “Pan-

Winners all

gasinan farmers in hopes on tobacco.” The citation said: “(It) narrates the devotion and labor of the Pangasinan farmers put in each tobacco farming season to have a good harvest.”

All four major winners received a cash prize of P50,000, an iPad Mini, and a trophy.

Cardinoza also got another award – Best Agriculture News Story National – for his article, “Carabao vanishing in Pangasinan,” which appeared in Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The Best Agriculture Feature Story National was won by this writer for “The prospects of swine industry in the Philippines,” which was published in Marid Agribusiness Magazine.

Sun.Star Cebu harvested all the regional categories.

Flornisa Gitgano got the Best Agriculture News Story for her story, “Cold weather’s toll now P26 million,” while the Best Agriculture Feature Story went to Cherry Ann T. Lim for “Bug slay, nature’s way.”

All four winners received a cash prize of P20,000 plus trophy.

Mindanao took home all the awards for television and radio categories. “Father’s Day Episode,” which was shown in ABS-CBN’s “Agri Tayo Dito” was named Best TV Program or Segment. It was produced by Karren V. Montejo and hosted by Ruben Gonzaga.

“Panahon,” which was aired in “Bida Specials,” was chosen as Best Radio Pro-

Cutting of ribbon gram or Segment. It was written by Malu Cadelina Manar of DXND in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato.

Both winners received a cash prize of P50,000 and a trophy.

For the first time since the competition started, this year’s winners are also entitled to join an Asian trip next year.

The Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards was launched in 2007 by Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc. (PMPMI). “Bright Leaf is the name given to Virginia Tobacco because it turns into a vivid yellow when it is cured with in-

tense heat,” its website said.

According to the website, the Bright Leaf Awards is committed to promoting and creating awareness on the most current agricultural issues and the best farming practices from environmental care, safety, to crop sustainability. In so doing, the general public’s attention is focused on the plight of the agriculture sector as well as the opportunities available.

In his welcome address during the awarding ceremony, Paul Riley – the president of Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation – said he considers the Fil-

Top prize winner ipino spirit to be admirable.

“Their dedication to their craft and livelihood whatever it may be, inspires respect,” he said.

“And their hard work and

determination are stories that are meant to be told.

And through the journalists’ works, all these stories are being shared with the world.”

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

WOMEN

Healthy meals to Grab and Go Fresh, cold-pressed veggie and fruit juices are fast becoming one of the most popular and profitable business opportunities. Aside from reasonable start-up costs and operating capital, this type of business supports and represents a growing market that’s leaning towards a healthier and balanced lifestyle.

Today’s urbanites have embraced the movement to eat healthy, get active and fit. There are many who ventured into online marketing channels where anyone can order for bottles to be delivered to their doorstep. It relieves one of the trouble of having to press your own veggies and fruits, especially if you don’t have the proper gears nor the luxury of time to do so.

Even Davaoeños have caught up with the trend and are starting to stick to healthier options from a variety of fast food selections. To any health-conscious soul, fast food now means convenient and handy nourishment that you can buy and take with you wherever you go.

The growing demand for these nutritious blends prompted Soul Kitchen Co. to open its Grab and Go concept store at the heart of Davao’s main food strip. This line of coldpressed liquids has become a favorite among locals, regardless of age and status.

All juices are made fresh and delivered according to schedule, which used to be limited to only a couple of days per week. A lifestyle

brand that campaigns on wellness and “real food,” it has created a niche of its own as it expanded its menu offers from nutritious fluids to savory items such as Supersalads, Overnight Oats, soups, pasta and a variety of Quinoa recipes. Now boasting a revamped label and spankin’ new packaging, Soul Kitchen Co. has become a household name which continues to increase its following even in neighboring towns around the region.

The Grab and Go store is only on its soft opening phase yet droves of health aficionados have already frequented and flocked the counter to order their stash of drinks and power munchies. Conveniently located near wellness and fitness centers, Soul Kitchen Co’s overwhelming foot

traffic comes from the community of people who understand the value and benefits of eating right and getting fit. Families and individuals in neighboring subdivisions have also become part of the store’s regular crowd.

Soul Kitchen Co. is the brainchild of mompreneur Mimi Vergara-Tupas who is also widely known for her clothing brand and pet grooming centers. A mompreneur who, despite the busy schedule, gives priority to her family’s wellness, she herself is a firm advocate of juicing as part of their lifestyle --not to replace solids but to complement them and nourish the body with nutrients which aren’t present in some meals and snacks.

“I want my children to enjoy real food --- get the right amount of energy, nutrition and vitamins, and a feeling of wellbeing.”

“The market’s response to healthy living is beyond our expectations, more so with opening of our take out counter,” shares the juicing mama. “It was through my husband’s prodding that I found inspiration and energy to put up this place. This makes it convenient for our customers to choose and buy from our selection of available best sellers, be it drinks or delectable goods, at any time of the week. This is a step forward in terms of service, because we can now cater to their demands without the limitation of delivery schedules.”

I’d say the soft opening couldn’t have come at a better time. With series of holiday celebrations coming, most people are bound to keep their calorie intake

at the right level with fiber infused drinks and lighter meal options. After all, health is the best gift you can give yourself and your family.

For your daily dose of healthy, swing by Soul Kitchen Co’s Grab and Go store located next to One Fab Pooch along F. Torres St.

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

UP AND ABOUT

Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao to hold New Year countdown party WATERFRONT INSULAR HOTEL DAVAO presents “Fusion”, an evolution of music through the ages at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao’s Garden Pavilion!

The New Year’s Eve Party ticket price at Php 2,015.00 nett per person and is inclusive of a special buffet dinner, cocktail food and drinks, exciting games and prizes, live entertainment and countdown party with DJ Torch.

Early Bird’s can avail a 15% discount for booking on or before December 15, 2014.

For reservations & inquiries, please call 082-233-2881 to 83 OR 082-300-8881.

Ranchero offer more options to add to Baby Back Ribs THERE are more way to enjoy your all-time favorite Baby Back Ribs! Just add php150 to get a bucket of Fries with Garlic Aioli Mayo Dip or Potato Mojos with Smoked Bacon Mayo Dip. This promotion will be available at Ranchero Nuevo SM City General Santos starting Dec. 2 and available at Ranchero Abreeza starting Dec. 3.

A private night with Jim Paredes at Toto’s Bar

AFTER a long hiatus, Toto’s Bar at Casa Leticia will be re-opening this December 13, 2014. Experience the distinct vibe that makes the bar stand out together with musical artist Jim Paredes of the Apo Hiking Society.

For details and inquiries please contact Casa Leticia at 082) 224-0501 or+63917-702-5427 and +63939-902-550.

SM STORE HOLDS KIDS AND BABIES BLOWOUT. Come to the SMAC 1-Day Kids & Babies Fashion Sale on Dec 3, Wednesday! Get 10% OFF on great selections at The SM Store nationwide. Happy Shopping!

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

EVENT

Grand Regal Hotel’s Kadayawan restobar reopens in style

By Kenneth Irving Ong

THE Grand Regal Hotel Davao recently unveiled their newly renovated food and beverage outlet, Kadayawan Restobar, located inside Pagcor’s Casino Filipino.

Already a favourite hangout for gamers in Mindanao’s biggest gaming and entertainment venue, the Kadayawan Restobar is ready again to serve the public after an extensive renovation.

The new Kadayawan Restobar sets a cozy ambience that for diners and gamers alike to unwind and relax be in over a cup of coffee or a cocktail prepared at the restobar’s new show bar. New menu items were also introduced to provide guests with the best dining options.

Cozy lounge seating as well as mood lighting define the new look of the Kadayawan Restobar which is modern and sleek yet with touches and patterns that are inspired by Davao’s unique culture.

Another improvement involves the creation of a show kitchen where food orders will be prepared and quickly delivered to hungry guests.

Grand Regal Hotel Davao’s general manager Ilde Bontia Jr., says he is extremely pleased with the completion of the first phase of the 16-year old hotel’s renovation program and promises that there will be more improvements that will come to the Grand Regal Hotel.

Grand Regal Hotel Davao’s marketing communications and public relations officer Domini del Rosario also adds that after the renovation of the Kadayawan Restobar, the

next phase of hotel improvements will be in the form of a new and bigger lobby, Champagne Bar, Momarte Cafe, as well as updated guest rooms.

Mixing up a cocktail at the bar.

Vincent Chua, Ilde V. Bontia Jr-Grand Regal Hotel General Manager, Barbara Gail Gaisano-Chua.

Mico Parcon-Front Office Mgr, Rowena Garay-F&B Mgr, Pagcor’s Branch Manager Dario V. Cordero James Salvador-Training Director & Exec. Asst for Admin. with Grand Regal General Manager Ilde Joel Sazon-Compliance Manager & Exec. Asst for Operations. V. Bontia Jr.

PAGCOR’s Acting Chief Security Officer-Fortonato Gogo, Pit Manager-Nonito della Rosa, Casino Shift Manager-Rodolfo Manatad, Asst Branch Mktg Officer-Bryan Deles, Branch Surveillance Officer-Benigno Supnet, Internal Security Supervisor-Antonio Navida.

Domini Sebastian del Rosario-Mktg Communications & PR Officer, Ernesto Macasaet Jr-Acting Chief Security Officer Jessa Caumbo-Chief Accountant, James Salvador & Mico Parcon.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

Camille Prats talks about second chances GMA Network is cooking up another primetime masterpiece titled ‘Second Chances’. The new telenovela will feature a powerhouse cast including former child actress, Camille Prats. Here is an interview with Camille on her role in ‘Second Chances’ as well as some insights on her life and acting and hosting career.

Q: Can you tell us something about your upcoming series Second Chances?

C: The show is about second chances when it comes to love and family.

Second chances at things na hindi mo nagawa dati tapos nawala. So ito ‘yung pangalawang pagkakataon mo sa kung ano man ‘yung nawala sayo. ‘Yun ang premise ng buong show.

Q: Can you describe your role in this series? How is it different from the other roles you have portrayed before?

C: This is very different kasi medyo kontrabida ‘yung role ko. Tapos, meron akong psychological disorder, so medyo hindi stable ‘yung aking pag-iisip. Very big movement and large acting kaya malayungmalayo siya sa mga role na pino-portray ko dati na nakakaawa at umiiyak lang palagi kasi nawalan ng anak.

Q: What are your preparations for your role?

C: Well, of course regular ‘yung taping namin. Pagdating naman sa how I prepare for the role, I basically have an idea kung ano ba ‘yung mga struggle ng isang bipolar na tao tapos parang ginagawa ko lang

lationship with Suzie Entrata–Abrera?

C: Kami ni Ate kasi, we’ve been working for two and a half years now and so far, sobrang enjoy naman.

Kaya siguro isa rin ‘yun sa mga dahilan kung bakit very successful ang Mars is because magkasundo kaming dalawa. Tapos we’re both supportive of each other and kilala namin ‘yung isa’t isa. That’s why we know our limitations.

So hindi kami nagkakaroon ng problema dahil nirerespeto namin ang isa’t isa. She’s been a host na rin for a very long time so marami akong napi-pickup from her, marami akong natututunan from her. And she’s very flexible.

siya based on how I understand it. Siyempre with the guidance of the script and my director, sinasabi sa akin kung ano ‘yung dapat na emotion.

Q: How is it like working with Jennylyn Mercado, Rafael Rosell, Luis Alandy and Raymart Santiago?

C: Si Kuya Raymart kasi, I have already worked with him and so as Rafael. Si Jennylyn, this is the first time na magkakatrabaho kami pero magkakilala na talaga kami. We are seeing each other sa mga guestings, so okay naman kami.

Nakakatuwa kasi ‘yung cast, everyone’s very professional. They are very passionate about their job and very intense actors din itong mga ito. So ang sarap nilang makatrabaho kasi they give too much energy and actually help you in acting. ‘Yung ang dali-daling humugot dahil ang laki ng support na ibinibigay nila sa bawat eksena. Malaking factor kasi ‘yun.

Q: Can you share some of your acting styles and techniques?

C: Unang-una, you really have to study your role.

You have to study your character. Tapos, dapat din you have to know your lines. Kasi kung hindi, mal-

aking problema ‘yun. So it’s just basically that, taking it seriously and knowing what you’re supposed to do hindi ‘yung sa set ka pa lang mangangapa or magtatanong. Dapat confident ka sa mga gagawin mo.

Q: Let’s talk about Mars.

How is it so far? What can the viewers expect from the show in the coming months?

C: Actually ‘yun, marami pa ring masasarap na recipes, more handy-Mars projects, mga topics din namin sa Mars sharing group that not only the mommies or women, but even the men can actually relate to.

Q: How do you balance your career and personal life?

C: Of course, kung sa personal life, lagi akong may oras doon because I’m a mom and I have a son so I need to make sure na I’ll have time for him. Hindi ‘yung puro trabaho lang.

Q: Where do you see yourself five years from now?

C: Hindi ko pa masabi.

Hopefully, may Mars pa rin. ‘Yung mga shows ko, sana active pa rin. But also, I still want to have a family.

I want to have a kid.

Q: What are your plans for Christmas?

C: I’ll celebrate it with my family.

Siyempre mas maraming tawanan pati na rin fitness tips. Marami rin kasing maghahanap niyan, ‘yung sa workout, especially after Christmas, kailangan nang mag-workout ulit.

Q: What is it about hosting this show that you like best?

C: Bilang medyo madaldal naman akong tao, might as well! (laughs) I enjoy hosting because I get to share my opinion about things.

Tapos I get in touch with other people also. Masaya lang siyang gawin. Very light lang siya. Hindi rin siya stressful na trabaho.

Q: How’s your working re-

Star Music releases 2015 papal visit album, with Jamie Rivera singing official theme song STAR MUSIC has released its special Papal visit album titled “We Are All God’s Children,” featuring the official theme song of the highly anticipated apostolic visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines in January 2015.

Approved by the Vatican City, the song “We Are All God’s Children” was written and sung by multi-awarded Inspirational Diva Jamie Rivera, with music by Noel Espenida.

Rivera said that song was inspired by the humility of Pope Francis himself.

“Echoing the theme of mercy and compassion, the song calls all God’s children to show love and reach out to the needy. We should help the poor with joy and humility,” she said.

Just like during the 1995 World Youth Day, attended in Manila by now-Saint John Paul II, the official

theme song for the 2015 Papal visit will have its own actions and hand gestures choreographed by Landa Juan.

Aside from “We Are All God’s Children,” Rivera also sang three other tracks in the album, namely, “Our Dearest Pope,” “The Mission,” and “Papa Francisco, Mabuhay Ka.” Also sharing their talent for the 2015 Papal visit album are some of the country’s best singers, namely, Jed Madela and Angeline Quinto (“On Eagles Wings”), Liezel Garcia (“Anima Christi”), Janella Salvador (“Give Thanks”), Fatima Soriano (“Lift Up Your Hands”), Aiza Seguerra (“Lead Me Lord”), Erik Santos (Lord, I Offer My Life To You), Juris and Robert Seña (“One More Gift”) and Morissette Amon (“Take and Receive”).

“We Are All God’s Children” album is now available at all re-

cord bars nationwide for only P250. 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.

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1 Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson PG 13

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

PAST TENSE Kim Chiu, Aiai Delas Alas, Xian Lim GP

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PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR / *GRACE OF MONACO

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Tom McGrath, Chris Miller / *Nicole Kidman, Tim Ruth, Paz Vega 11:25 | 1:15 LFS |* 3:05 | 5:00 LFS

DUMB AND DUMBER TO Jim Carey, Jeff Daniels, Carly Craig R 13

12:20 | 2:40 | 5:00 LFS

A4 INdulge!

Holiday

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

STYLE

travels

By Kenneth Irving Ong

THE holiday season is the busiest time of the year especially for jet setters as the long break allows people to put their life on hold and to take that trip to far off places.

Inspired by its travels around the world, Plains and Prints holiday collection plays up on the Modern Metropolis theme, featuring 20 unique, trendy dresses inspired by different cities around the world for Plains & Print’s 20th anniversary.

“I just got back from some traveling when the idea to design an entire collection inspired by different world cities came to me. It was perfect timing since the owners said they wanted to celebrate the brand’s anniversary with a collection of 20 dresses,” expounds Rett Eala, creative director. “I thought this was

a great opportunity to pursue the idea.”

The theme certainly fits well with the holidays as many people aspire of spending Christmas abroad. “I think one of the things many people dream of is to experience what it’s like to spend the holidays abroad. With the collection, we’re sort of letting them do that,” says Eala.

Another very interesting aspects of this collection is the combination of materials to create unique pieces.

“We also wanted to reflect global fashion, and that’s going towards the edgy side.

However, we still wanted to

retain the classy, timeless vibe we are known for. So, we combined that by using a combination of many different fabrics in classic silhouettes,” he adds. “For example, one of the pieces has a combination of chambray and flat knits.”

The Plains and Prints holiday collection is a series of Holiday Dresses with prints inspired by some of the famous cities in the world, the likes of Milan, Shanghai and London. This season, take a trip around the world in stunning colours and cheerful prints of the Modern Metropolis and is now available in all Plains & Prints stores nationwide.

L.A.

Milano.

Barcelona

13 COMPETITIVE EDGE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

Tokyo Tokyo opens Elevating outsourcing sector 2nd store in Davao operations through the cloud S O

INCE opening its first store in SM Lanang Premiere in July 2012, Tokyo Tokyo has been satisfying the growing appetite of Dabawenyos for Japanese food with an unbeatable combination of value for money and accessibility. With more than 50 stores nationwide offering Japanese cuisine at affordable prices, Tokyo Tokyo has brought California Maki, Tempura, Tonkatsu, and other favorites within everyone’s reach.

The Philippines’ leading Japanese restaurant chain was once Makati’s delicious little secret. Located at the Quad Car Park (now Glorietta), Tokyo Tokyo built an incredibly dedicated following with its combination of quality, value, and abundance.

While other Japanese restaurants at that time focused on delivering more traditional experiences, Tokyo Tokyo strove to give its customers a modern, mainstream, and accessible approach to Japanese cuisine, and it turned out to be the perfect recipe for success.

Today, Tokyo Tokyo is an established name in Filipino dining landscape. Its all-time bestsellers like Prawn Tempura, Beef Misono, and Pork Tonkatsu have been joined by delectable new menu items such as the Japanese-inspired

burgers, teriyaki and ramen.

Taste and abundance guarantee a satisfying meal in Tokyo Tokyo. A Bento Meal, a complete meal for one or a Sumo Meal, perfect for sharing comes with unlimited rice and Red Iced Tea. “We now have two stores in Davao, the first one is our original store in SM Lanang and the newly-opened store in SM Ecoland. This validates our confidence on Davao’s growing demand for Tokyo Tokyo’s Japanese cuisine,” says Tokyo Tokyo Brand Manager Mardi Dator.

Over the years, Tokyo Tokyo has proven that quality, value and abundance stand the test of time. With a spirit of innovation driving these qualities to even greater heights, the brand’s future looks brighter than the rising sun.

The newest Tokyo Tokyo store in Davao is located at the ground floor of SM City Davao or SM Ecoland as what locals refer to. For regular updates on Tokyo Tokyo’s product offerings, promos, franchising opportunities, like their Facebook page www.facebook.com/TokyoTokyoPhilippines, follow their Instagram account @tokyotokyophilippines and Twitter account @TokyoTokyoPHL.

UTSOURCING remains a strategic tool for businesses, especially in the Philippines as ASEAN’s top destination in a highly-competitive global environment. In terms of information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) services in Asia, the country was also cited as the most attractive global provider. The sector in particular is expected to continue its uptrend with revenues targeted to rise as more overseas companies chose the country to locate and expand their operations.

The rapid growth of the sector is also projected to propel the Philippines into a trillion dollar economy by 2030.

Touted as a key driver of local economy and fastest growing source of employment and revenue, outsourcing has leveraged on the sheer potential and power of new technologies, specifically the cloud, to monetize existing resource base, develop new industry-specific applications and build new business models.

With data search, integration and management earmarked to drive revenues worldwide, local IT-BPMs are seen to heavily adopt to cloud computing as the

Philippines leads the trend among emerging markets in the ASEAN region, including China and India. In fact, focus on “cloud-friendly” industries, specifically in IT-BPM, was cited as instrumental in the country’s upward movement in the Asia Cloud Computing Association’s Cloud Readiness Index 2014.

At the forefront of cloud adoption in the country, Globe Telecom, through its IT-Enabled Services Group, points to cost, capacity, scalability and accessibility of the cloud over traditional computing to generate demand for cloudbased IT outsourcing or ITO services, and as an alternative to update physical infrastructures for increased efficiency.

Scaling the benefits “Organizations transitioning to the cloud can realize several benefits such as increased computing efficiency, managed redundancy and financial value to the business, among many others,” said Michael Sy, Head of Products, Service and Delivery for Globe IT Enabled Services Group (IG).

“Specifically in terms of cost, these positives translate into lower start-up spend, reduction of upfront payment

IN THE CLOUD. Globe Vice President for IG Rey Lugtu says cloud computing will allow companies, especially BPOs, to focus on doing what they know best. for IT infrastructure as well as software, and mitigation of risks associated with large capital investment with predictable operational expenditure. Large one-off software upgrade costs are also elimi-

nated,” Sy pointed out.

Rather than over- or under-engineering an on-premise business application, “elastic scalability,” as described by the Globe IG executive,

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

BEAT THE HEAT Aussie Open tweaks heat policy

M

ELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australian Open organizers have tweaked their ‘Extreme Heat Policy’ for next year’s tournament after being accused of forcing players to perform in “inhumane” conditions during a heatwave in January.

Despite water bottles melting, ballboys collapsing and players vomiting and passing out when temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for four days at this year’s tournament, play was stopped for only four hours on the outer courts.

There was a groundswell of criticism from players, mainly over the lack of transparency about when the policy would be implemented as it was entirely at the discretion of the tournament referee and not triggered by temperatures reaching a certain level.

Tournament director Craig Tiley said on Tuesday the addition of a roof over a third showcourt, the Margaret Court Arena, would mitigate the effe c t s o f h o t weather and he hoped t h e changes to the policy would make matters clearer to players.

“The heat policy, as al-

ways, will be applied at the referee’s discretion,” Tiley told reporters.

“The decision on implementing the heat policy will take into account the forecast once the ambient temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius, and the Wet Bulb Global Temperature (WBGT) reading exceeds 32.5.

“When conditions exceed these levels the referee is taking into account the forecast and state of play when making his discretionary call.”

Rather than use the raw Celsius readings to assess the heat, organizers prefer to use the WBGT composite, which also gauges humidity and wind to identify the perceived conditions.

In another

change, w h e n the policy is enacted match-

es in progress will continue until the end of an even number games in that set or completion of tie b re a k , limiting the exposure of players to the heat.

The loudest complaints in January came from Canadian player Frank Dancevic, who lambasted organizers after collapsing during his first round match on an uncovered outside court.

“I think it’s inhumane, I don’t think it’s fair to anybody, to the players, to the fans, to the sport, when you see players pulling out of matches, passing out,” he said.

“Having players with so many problems and complaining to the tournament that it’s too hot to play, until somebody dies, they’re just keep going on with it and putting matches on in this heat.”

Meteorologist Bob Leighton said long-range forecasts indicated that there would be no similar heatwave this year at the Jan 19-Feb 1 tournament at Melbourne Park.

“At this stage it’s looking like a normal summer, perhaps slightly warmer,

with only one day hitting around 40 degrees, and little or no rain forecast,” he said.

FIGHTING THE HEAT. Maria Sharapova and Gael Monfils will be battling the heat at the Australian Open.

Red Lions take PCCL national title over LaSalle T

CHAMPS. The San Beda Red Lions swept the La Salle Green Archers in the PCCL Finals. (Photo by Dominic Lim of Tiebreaker Times)

HE San Beda Red Lions added the PCCL title to their fifth straight NCAA title after defeating the La Salle Green Archers, 7362, Monday afternoon at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Ola Adeogun was named the Finals Most Valuable Player as he scored 19 points and grabbed three rebounds in Game 2 after playing less than 17 minutes. San Beda’s top import played limited minutes in the game as he committed three fouls in the first half.

In his stead, Pierre Tankoua also had a good game with nine points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.

Arthur Dela Cruz carried the fight for the Red Lions as he scored 15 points while adding 13 rebounds, two assists, and two steals while shooting 50% from the field.

San Beda started the fourth quarter down 50-47

but they exploded for 26 points in the final quarter including a 12-2 run late in the fourth quarter.

Baser Amer struggled mightily from the field as he made only 6 of 24 shots for 14 points but he added three rebounds, four assists, and two steals to aid San Beda’s cause.

Jeron Teng led the fight for La Salle with 25 points and two rebounds while rookie Paolo Rivero added 11 points and eight rebounds.

After trash-talking with Adeogun on Twitter, Ben Mbala chipped in 10 points and 12 rebounds. La Salle head coach Juno Sauler interestingly played only seven players in the contest while San Beda head coach Adonis Tierra played 11 Red Lions.

Adeogun was part of the competition’s Mythical Five alongside Arthur dela Cruz, Jeron Teng, Baser Amer, and Thomas Torres.

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS 15

FOR THE MONEY

VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

T

UAE group offers $110-M to stage the fight

HE eagerly awaited mega fight between Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao and unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather is gather steam with an investment group from the UAE having made an offer of $110 million.

Hot on the heels of a Dubai boxing promoter Prince Amir speaking of plans to bring Pacquiao to the UAE with or without Mayweather, veteran boxing executive M. Akbar Muhammad has thrown his hat into the ring with what seems an irresistible offer.

Muhammad, who represents an investment group from the UAE, has offered a combined purse of $200 million to lure the elusive Mayweather for the first ever $1 billion fight in history.

“I’ve been instructed by the group to do whatever it takes to bring this long-awaited and eagerly anticipated fight to fruition,” Muhammad was quoted as telling boxingscene.com website.

“We want to be a part of Mr. Mayweather’s historic march to 50-0, no matter where the fights may take

place,” added Muhammad who has worked with ‘The Greatest’ off all time Muhammad Ali himself.

The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight is expected to take place in the first half of 2015 possibly during April or May.

Meantime, some of the biggest names in boxing have added their voices to those clamoring for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. to face off in the ring.

Some of the biggest names in boxing have added

their voices to those clamoring for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. to face off in the ring.

Oscar De La Hoya and Juan Manuel Marquez both spoke out in support of a fight between the two men considered the greatest

pound-for-pound boxers in the world. Chatter around the fight finally happening has picked up following Pacquiao’s victory over Chris Algieri in November.

The two have come close to fighting in the past, but negotiations have always

Defending champion McIlroy, who beat world number three Adam Scott with a birdie at the final hole last year, wrestled with the course and the windy conditions and finished joint 15th at two-over 286.

It was an amazing performance from the young American, and left McIlroy and Scott flailing in his wake.

Spieth was runner-up at the US Masters last April behind fellow American Bubba

Watson, narrowly missing out on being the first Masters rookie to win since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

But he said he was a long way from challenging for the world number one ranking, even though he was expected to climb to 11 from 14 after his Australian triumph.

“I think I’m very far away.

This week was big because I was able to close it out,” he said.

“I felt the pressure, I felt the nerves and performed the best I’ve ever performed and there’s a big difference from playing great at Augusta and coming up just short and closing out a tournament.

“It just feels completely different. Even though that week was one of the most memorable of my golfing career it still wasn’t a win and it still wasn’t the same feeling that it was this week walking

down the 18th fairway,” he added.

“In order to do this in majors it’s going to take a lot more than it took this week.

“I still believe I am far away because I believe I have to win a major or two in order to significantly progress to that goal of being world number one and so now I look to April (Augusta Masters).”

- Peak of career McIlroy’s resurgence kicked off at the Australian Open last year, when he edged Scott for his first tournament win of 2013.

The Northern Irishman went on to win two majors (the British Open and the US PGA Championship), a World Golf Championship title (WGC-Bridgestone) and the flagship event of the European Tour (BMW PGA Championship) to finish this season at the summit of the world rankings.

“I take a lot of confidence from that knowing that this course was challenging for everybody, including world number one and number three,” Spieth said.

“Hall of Famers, that’s

broken down before they got to the ring. Pacquiao has made no secret of his desire for the fight, and Mayweather taunting the Pinoy fighter over social media recently indicates he too might be interested.

Marquez, who knocked Pacquiao about in 2012, told ESPN Deportes the fighters should make sure the bout happens.

He said:”As a fan, I think the fight should get done and they need to stop the bickering over who wants to earn more than the other.

“The most important thing here is that the fight is carried out and stop talking about nonsense and give the fans what they want - the fight.”

Oscar De La Hoya, who has become a promoter since retiring from boxing, is also keen to see the two fight. De La Hoya took to Twitter to throw his weight behind the fight. He tweeted: @SportsCenter I’m prepared to put up the biggest guarantee in sports history, to give the fans #TheFight @MannyPacquiao @FloydMayweather “

Despite win, Spieth is far from the top R

ISING star Jordan Spieth obliterated world number one Rory McIlroy by 15 strokes in his runaway Australian Open triumph, but says he is “very far away” from becoming the topranked player.

The 21-year-old Texan blitzed the field with a sizzling course record eight-under-par 63 to win the tournament on Sunday by six shots at 13-under 271.

what I think when I look at this (Stonehaven Cup), you just see those names on this trophy and you don’t see that on every trophy and it’s real cool that my name will go on here.

“This is the peak of where I’ve ever been as a golfer and it’s really cool and hopefully I can work some more to climb some more peaks.

“If I had the follow-up year that Rory had this year then I would be pleased next year.”

Spieth said he would “certainly” be coming back to defend his Australian crown at the same course in 2015.

It was a torrid time for McIlroy as his title defence crumbled around him.

“It’s been tough all weekend, but going out there, I was trying to get something going but with the pin positions and the wind, it was just very hard to get the ball close to the hole,” he said.

“Anything under par would have been a good score.

I just really couldn’t get anything going.

“I hit a few loose shots again but yeah, just wasn’t meant to be this year.”

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 187 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

PWD Day Fun and Games at NCCC today I

N celebration of World Disability Day, NCCC Mall hosts a day-long fun and games activity featuring over 100 Persons With Disability (PWD).

The games to be played are chess, billiards, table tennis, bowling, goalball and wheel chair basketball.

Incheoon Asian PARA Games triple bronze medalist Ernie Gawilan of Davao City will personally grace the event as featured athlete and will be rendering his other talent in singing.

“It’s our tribute to our PWD brothers and sisters in Davao City,” said Philspada Davao president James Infiesto at the SCOOP Session of The Royal Mandaya Hotel.

Gawilan will join the PWD Talent Showcase that will also feature dancing and magic show.

“We call on our PWDs in the city to come out and join us,” said Infiesto, also regional director of the National Chess Federation of the Phils. (NCFP) XI. City Councilor Bong Advincula, chairman of the Social Services committee has been invited to attend.

The event, sponsored by NCCC Mall, NCCC Supermart and NCCC B3, will start with a motorcade from Rizal Park to NCCC Mall Davao.

MAD SCRAMBLE. Ateneo de Davao center Francis Escandor and teammate Beldua battle for the loose ball against Ateneo de Manila players during the 2014 JAM cagefest at the Ateneo de Naga.