Edge Davao 7 Issue 210

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

COMPLAINANTS. Indian medical students of the Davao Medical School Foundation (DMSF) gather outside City Hall yesterday after their meeting with city administrator Melchor Quitain where they raised their concerns and complaints against their landlord. Lean Daval Jr.

INDIANS VS INDIAN Dorm owner snubs City Hall meeting

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

MEETING called by city administrator Melchor Quitain yesterday between Indian medical students of the Davao Medical School Foundation (DMSF) and the owner of the dormitories in which they are staying was cancelled when the owner failed to show up.

About 50 medical students were at City Hall for the meeting which had been set at 9 a.m. but the dorm owner, a certain Dr. Ashin Mohan who is also an Indian, did not arrive.

A dormitory staff member, Erlinda Sakay, went to the meeting but was not able to

give information and left after a few minutes.

Yesterday’s meeting was a follow-up to a meeting held Wednesday in which the Indian students made their complaints known to Quitain. Mohan was supposed to give his side yesterday.

Quitain said both parties will meet again on Monday at the office of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) 11 to thresh out the students’ concerns and complaints.

He also said the DMSF administration is now investigating the report.

Edge Davao tried to get the

statements of DMSF president Dr. Jonathan Alegre and DMSF School of Medicine Dean Dr. Petronilio Basa but was told the two were in a board meeting all day yesterday.

The complaints against Mohan range from illegal operation of three dormitories, various threats, and illegal detention.

Mohan, who is not connected with DMSF, is the alleged owner of the Davao Medical Education Management Services (DMEMS).

Mohan allegedly operates three multi-story dormitories in Bankerohan, Bajada, and in

Jacinto Street.

The three dorms reportedly house around 1,500 students from India.

The students have complained that they are being charged P10,000 a month in rent even though they had been told before arriving in Davao City that the rent would be only P6,000.

“There’s no contract signing. You will only know the real situation when you arrive here,” one of the students said.

The student said eight of them are crammed in each room, which has only one bathroom and one air condi-

INSIDE EDGE ‘HONTI’ HAUNTS Hontiveros sparkles as Alaska takes Game 1 in OT

SPORTS page 14

tioner.

Another student who requested anonymity claimed that Mohan would prevent them from leaving the dormitory whenever they failed to pay their rent even during class hours or examinations.

Another student said Mohan also threatened them with failure and expulsion from DMSF. Another student said all Indian students are required to be inside the dorms at 9 p.m.

FINDIANS, 10

2 THE BIG NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

MEASUREMENTS. A child flashes a smile while her nutrition level is being checked by a health worker using Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) during yesterday’s Task Force Davao medical mission for the Badjao community at the Barangay 23-C Mini-forest covered court in Boulevard, Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

Ceasefire declared for release of cops T

O “pave way for the safe and orderly release” of the three policemen snatched by New People’s Army (NPA), the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) has declared a 13-day ceasefire in Sirogap del Norte.

Ka Maria Malaya, spokesperson of NDFP-Northeastern Mindanao Region, said in a letter sent to MindaNews Tuesday that the local ceasefire would take effect on the same day until January 19.

But this local ceasefire, Malaya said, would only take effect once all operating units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit and paramilitary units completely cease all their offensive military operations, which include the Community Organizing for Peace and Development (COPD) and other such operations.

This local ceasefire, she said, covers four towns in

Surigao del Norte – Claver, Bacuag, Alegria, and Gigaquit – and in the municipality of Kitcharao in Agusan del Norte.

“This is a supplemental ceasefire to the 10-day ceasefire declared by the NDFP at the national level,” Malaya said.

She said this local ceasefire has been declared to avoid potential encounter between the NPA custodial forces and operating units of the AFP, PNP and CAFGU.

She added that this would also provide security and safety for the families of the “prisoners of war,” members of the Third Party Facilitators and others who will attend the actual release of PO1 Democrito Bondoc Polvorosa and PO1 Marichel Unclara Contemplo of the Alegria Police Station, and PO1 Junrie Amper of Malimono Police Station.

The NPA snatched Amper on Nov. 12 and Polvorosa and

ORMER government chief peace negotiator Jesus Dureza on Thursday urged Congress to extend the transition period for the Bangsamoro region beyond 2016, to “give the political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) time to mature.”

Dureza, also a former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, said that extending the transition period “will allow the MILF to mature politically and be able to prove to all Bangsamoro [constituents] that they are a different breed to the known past political leaders in the area.”

Congress is currently deliberating the Bangsamoro Ba-

sic Law (BBL), the charter that would govern the new Bangsamoro government.

The creation of the Bangsamoro government is the key feature of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the final peace deal between the government and the MILF. Once Congress approves the measure and ratified by the constituents in the proposed territory, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will be abolished.

A Bangsamoro Transition Authority will then be created, with the members appointed by the President, until the first set of officials are elected during the 2016 elections.

FCEASEFIRE, 10

1 dead, 20 injured in Bilibid explosion A GRENADE exploded at the maximum security compound of the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City Thursday morning, killing a prisoner and wounding at least 19 others.

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Franklin Jesus Bucayu said the grenade explosion at about 9:55 a.m. took place a few minutes before NBP officials were supposed to hold a command conference.

In a text message, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila M. De Lima said an investigation “is already ongoing to determine the cause. The situation is already under control.”

Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., for his part, said those responsible for the explosion will be held accountable.

“Seryosong bagay ito at lahat ng anggulo hinggil dito ay pinasisiyasat ni Kalihim Leila de Lima (of the Department of Justice) at titiyakin na ang mga dapat managot ay mananagot hinggil dito,” Coloma said during the daily press briefing.

According to reports, investigators have found parts of an MK2 fragmentation grenade at the scene of the blast.

The compound reportedly houses members of the Commando Gang.

Prior to this incident, the DOJ initiated a raid on the Maximum Security Compound which yielded firearms, cash, liquor, drugs, and other contraband.

The Maximum Security Compound also houses convicted drug lords and notorious robbery gang leaders. (PNA)

Last December, the MILF officially launched its political party, the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), in Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat town, Maguindanao.

At least 110,000 individuals from the ARMM and other parts of Mindanao registered to become volunteers of the UBJP, which vowed to campaign for the ratification of the BBL and will field candidates for the regional elections in 2016.

MILF chair Al Haj Murad was installed then as UBJP president.

Dureza said Congress has the power to lengthen the transition period beyond 2016 by putting such provision in

the approved version of the Bangsamoro law.

An earlier MindaNews report said that Dureza proposed the extension of the transition period for the Bangsamoro until 2019.

He called on the public today to support the extension of the transition period, noting that “politicians listen to what is popular. If this [becomes] a real popular sentiment, politicians will listen.”

“If we don’t give the MILF longer time to mature and reform things in the Bangsamoro, they will not be able to compete in 2016 with the entrenched political leaders,” he said.

Cases recommended ‘Extend transition period for MILF party to mature’ vs erring city workers F

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

HE city government urged the people to file formal complaints against erring city government employees instead of going to the media.

In yesterday’s I-Speak Media Forum, assistant city administrator Tristan Dwight Domingo said most of the complaints City Hall receives “come from the media first.”

He urged complainants to make formal written complaints addressed to city administrator Melchor V. Quit-

ain so that an immediate investigation can be conducted.

Domingo said the department heads only learn that their employees are in trouble when they read or hear about it in the news.

He also said it is hard for the department heads to validate the complaints because some are “petty” such as delays in the release of permits Besides, he said, many times the complainants themselves are to blame because the documents they submit are incomplete.

FEXTEND, 10

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS 3 CENRO wants 15 trees along Dacudao felled

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MORE TRUCKS AND BINS. Davao City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) head Engineer Elisa Madrazo (left) reveals that the city government is planning to purchase 11 new garbage trucks and 13,000 garbage bins that will be used for

better solid waste management disposal of the city. Madrazo, together with Traffic Management Center (TMC) chief Rhodelio Poliquit, graced yesterday’s I-Speak media forum at City Hall. Lean Daval Jr.

City gov’t to purchase 11 new trucks, 13K bins

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) will purchase additional garbage trucks and bins to manage the city’s garbage disposal.

Speaking in yesterday’s I-Speak forum at City Hall, CENRO head Engineer Elisa Madrazo said the city will procure 11 new trucks and 13,000 new bins which will be used for better solid waste management disposal.

Madrazo said the budget for acquiring the new bins and trucks will be drawn from a P600-million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

She said the city needs additional trucks to collect all the

garbage especially in the areas where collection is seldom done.

Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte last year said he will hire private trucks to collect garbage, but Madrazo said the mayor changed his mind because he had learned that in other cities, private firms cannot collect all the garbage at all times.

“Kung i-privatize man gud murag mogawas na wala tay pakialam, na bahala na lang kung kanus-a sila mo kolekta, nga maghulat lang ang city.

Sa atoa man gud sa siyudad, ginamonitor gyud nato pagayo kung naserbisyohan ba ang tanan na area (If we privatize it, it would be as if we

do not care about it anymore, that we are letting the private firm decide for itself when to collect garbage and we would just wait. In our city, we really monitor the collection to ensure that all areas are served),” Madrazo said.

Madrazo said 110 trucks are used in garbage collection, most of which are rented from private firms because the government trucks are not operational.

She said aside from the new trucks, the city will also repair nine compact trucks to ensure that all garbage is collected.

Madrazo said ideally 100

ut, Georges Wolinski, Bernard Verlhac, and Philippe Honoré, and economist and contributor Bernard Maris.

Also killed were two police officers.

Paraan said the killing of journalists is “true not only among those who hold to extremist views of whatever faith they believe in but even in countries that profess to respect and protect those freedoms.”

“The attack on Charlie Hebdo, the targeted killings of journalists, which have

claimed more than 170 lives in the Philippines since 1986, the worsening attempts to muzzle whistleblowers and reporters who bring to light corruption and the dark workings of state security, are all cut from the same mold,” she said.

“We acknowledge that there have been and will continue to be debates about the role journalistic responsibility – or lack of it – factors into such attacks on the freedom of the press. But while we acknowledge the indispensabil-

‘JE SUIS CHARLIE’

FCITY, 10

NUJP condemns French mag attack T

HE National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) yesterday condemned the deaths of 12 persons, six of them journalists, in the attack on the office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

In a statement, NUJP chair Rowena Paraan said the deadly attack “highlights how intolerance has become an increasingly deadly bane to freedom of expression and of the press.”

Among the dead are editor and cartoonist Stephane Charbonnier, cartoonists Jean Cab-

FNUJP, 10

NVIRONMENT and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) head Engineer Elisa Madrazo yesterday confirmed that 15 trees will be cut along the drainage in Dacudao Avenue.

Madrazo told reporters in yesterday’s I-Speak Media Forum that based on the tagging and mapping conducted last year, CENRO has observed that some of the trees really need to be removed because they had been damaged by termites.

Madrazo said she has already submitted the recommendation to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the issuance of a permit to cut the trees.

“It is up to the project proponent (Task Force Drainage) to follow up with the DENR,” she said.

Madrazo said based on the assessment of the forester,

15 of the 200 trees planted in the stretch of Dacudao Avenue need to be removed.

She said that if the rehabilitation on the drainage will push through, her office is going to give a recommendation on appropriate trees that will fit the area.

Earlier, councilor Danilo Dayanghirang urged the city government to drop the proposal to cut down trees along Dacudao Avenue, saying it is “a direct contravention to our constitutional policy of conservation and protection on a balanced and healthful ecology.”

He also said the reconstruction of sewerage system in Dacudao to prevent flood in the nearby areas does not entail the cutting of trees.

Dayanghirang said there other ways to reconstruct the drainage without cutting down the trees if the intention

FCENRO, 10

4 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

ARMM environment group wants to plant 700,000 trees

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OUCH… A resident undergoes free tooth extraction during yesterday’s Task Force Davao medical mission for the Badjao community at the Barangay 23-C Mini-forest covered court in Boulevard, Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

Palace: DOJ to probe garlic overpricing scam ALACAÑANG is leaving it to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate government officials and individuals allegedly linked to the garlic price manipulation.

“Ipinauubaya natin sa DOJ ang pagsisiyasat niyan na sila rin naman ang tumuklas

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dito batay doon sa findings ng Office for Competition ng DOJ that were eventually confirmed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI),” Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma said in a Palace press briefing.

Coloma said charges

should be based on concrete and documented evidence that conform to due process of law.

The NBI has filed criminal charges against 119 individuals, including officials of Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), allegedly involved in the garlic cartel.

Department of Agriculture

Secretary Proceso Alcala denied “any involvement in any illegal act nor have I exerted any influence to favor any business interest in the issuance of import permits or quarantine clearances.”

Coloma said the Agriculture chief will stay in his post.

(PNA)

OLICE authorities in Region 12 have filed charges for violation of the firecracker and pyrotechnics law against four traders who were caught selling illegal materials in the recent Christmas and New Year holidays.

Chief Superintendent Lester Camba, Region 12 police director, said Thursday the four traders were among the 29 in the region found to have violated the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 7183 and related local ordinances.

RA 7183 regulates “the sale, manufacture, distribution and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices.”

He said they filed the four cases last Jan. 5, the first official working day after the long holiday break.

“We will be filing a total of 29 cases and most of these involved traders with proper business licenses who engaged in the selling of illegal firecrackers and fireworks,” Camba said.

4 traders charged for selling firecrackers P 137 firecracker, gun injuries during holidays – DOH-12

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EALTH personnel in Region 12 recorded a total of 137 firecracker-related and stray bullet injuries in various parts of the region during the recent Christmas and New Year holidays.

Dr. Teogenes Baluma, Department of Health (DOH) Region 12 director, said Thursday such figure was based on the monitoring that they conducted in 31 hospitals in the region from Dec. 21 last year until 6 a.m. last Tuesday, Jan. 6.

The injury cases were down by nine when compared to the 146 recorded by the during the previous Christmas and New Year celebrations in the region.

Baluma said the 137 injury cases include the three stray bullet incidents in Cotabato City, Malungon town in Sarangani and Midsayap in North Cotabato.

He said they have not recorded any fatality as a result

of injuries but some of the cases involved amputations and surgeries.

A four-year-old in Cotabato City was hit by a stray bullet shortly before the New Year and a 43-year-old resident of Surallah town in South Cotabato lost a finger on Christmas Eve due to an accidental explosion of the whistle bomb firecracker.

A 13-year-old boy from Barangay Namnama in Koronadal City lost two fingers and suffered serious burns due to an explosion of collected firecracker powders.

Baluma said South Cotabato province posted the most number of injuries with 45, followed by North Cotabato with 38, this city with 18, Sultan Kudarat with 15, Cotabato City with 11 and Sarangani with 10.

“This is frustrating for us because we really wanted to have zero firecracker casual-

F137, 10

F4 TRADERS, 10

FTER decade of promoting environmental protection, the Balik Kalikasan Advocacy Group (BKAG), an organization of environmentalists, vows to plant 700,000 trees in 2015.

To start the year right, the group conducted tree planting activity in Barangay Lipawan in this municipality, together with elementary pupils, teachers and administrators of Barira Central Elementary School.

The Barira local government unit and the Department of Education worked with the advocacy group.

To make the activity more meaningful, the BKAG distributed books to pupils to help them in pursuing better education.

“This is part of our advocacy this year to continue the decade-old advocacy that aims to restore lost forest and Mother Earth that will protect the communities in Barira and nearby towns,” said Col. Arnel dela Vega, commanding officer of the Army’s 603rd Infantry Brigade.

“We are eyeing 700,000 seedlings, or more, to be planted within the next 12 months. We plan to plant Antipolo and Lanipao seedlings or indigenous trees that easily grow here,” Dela Vega.

He lauded the continuing support provided to BKAG by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DENR-ARMM), 6th Infan-

try “Kampilan” Division led by Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, DepEd, Barira LGU, STI College, Rotary Club, Jaycees, Cotabato Media, Minrico Lumber and civil society organizations.

As part of its social corporate responsibility, Minrico, which is based in the municipality of Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao, vowed to produce more seedlings to be distributed free of charge to anyone who wish to help protect environment by planting seedlings in their communities or farms.

Dela Vega said the Antipolo and Lanipao seedlings are ideal for planting in open fields or along hills and riverbanks because they grow faster, especially in rich and fertile grounds.

He said aside from restoring green environment, the tree planting could serve as livelihood for farmers who would later sell timber products.

In fact, Dela Vega said some farm owners in the ARMM have already reproduced more seedlings by intercropping plants and plant more in between coconut trees.

Those who participated in the BKAG activity early have started harvesting timber products of Antipolo and Lanipao varieties.

Dela Vega reminded owners of these products to secure necessary permits from the DENR to ensure its legality.

“If they want to earn, they should plant to have something to harvest in the future,” he added.

BLACK NAZARENE. A devotee presses the Black Nazarene at the Jesus Nazareno Parish Church in Cagayan de Oro City on Wednesday ahead of the annual procession of the Black Nazarene which started Thursday. A replica or the “callejeron” of the famous Black Nazarene was given to the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro in 2008. Its annual procession has drawn hundreds of devotee from all over Mindanao. MindaNews photo by Froilan Gallardo

5 ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

DOLE issues pay rules for NCR workers during Pope’s visit T

HE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued pay rules for workers in the private sector who will report for work on January 15, 16, and 19 which have been declared under Proclamation No. 936 as special non-working days in the National Capital Region on account of the visit to the Philippines of His Holiness Pope Francis. n a statement, Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz enjoined all private sector employers in Metro Manila to observe the proper pay rules for the benefit of their workers.

The Labor Advisory states the pay rules applicable for the special non-working days as follows: If the employee did not work, the “no-work, nopay” principle shall apply, unless there is a favorable company policy, practice, or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment on a special day; If the employee worked,

he or she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his or her daily rate on the first eight hours of work [(daily rate x 130 percent) + COLA]; If the employee worked in excess of 8 hours (overtime work), he or she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his or her hourly rate on said day (hourly rate of the basic daily wage x 130 percent x 130 percent x number of hours worked); If the employee worked during a special day that also falls on his or her rest day, he or she shall be paid an additional 50 percent of his or her daily rate on the first 8 hours of work [(daily rate x 150 percent) + COLA]; If the employee worked in excess of 8 hours (overtime work) during a special day that also falls on his or her rest day, he or she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his or her hourly rate on said day (hourly rate of the basic daily wage x 150 percent x 130 percent x number of hours worked).

(DOLE/RJB/SDL/PIA-NCR)

SECRET FALLS. Thrill seekers explore the upper tier of the three-tier Secret Falls in the mountainous barangay of Pugaan in Iligan, also known as “The City of Waterfalls.” Rarely visited by picnickers, Secret Falls is not yet in the official list of the City Tourism Office, which so far has documented about two dozen waterfalls. MindaNews photo by Bobby Timonera

6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

NEW WIRES. Linemen commissioned by a telecommunication company install new wires as part of the company’s expansion program which started last year. Lean Daval Jr.

Biggest infra money alloted to Mindanao

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INDANAO will get a P30-billion infrastructure fund, the largest chunk of the country’s infrastructure budget in 2015.

This was revealed by Romeo Montenegro, director for Investment Promotions and Public Affairs, who said the fund is about 30 percent of the national budget for infrastructure.

“This is essentially part of the continuous lobbying... which is for Mindanao to be getting a better share of national budget allocation for public works within the vicinity of 30 to 34 percent,” Montenegro said.

The budget will cover all public works projects like roads and bridges.

“The big ticket projects will be those major highways connecting key major areas in Mindanao, it will also be complementing the other ODA (Official Development Assistance) projects particularly the continuing effort to upgrade the

AH 26 (Asean Highways) in Mindanao.” Montenegro said.

Identified Asean Highways are General Santos to Davao, to Butuan then traversing to Visayas all the way to Luzon.

The implementation of these major infrastructure projects are very much pursued with MinDA under the strategy outlined in the Mindanao Logistics Corridor.

Under the strategy, all infrastructure projects including farm-to-market roads will be implemented in areas where there is viability in connecting products/production centers to market centers and export gateways.

For as long as an infrastructure connects a production center like plantations to a gateway (port) automatically it will be considered as a priority project even though it is a municipal road.

Montenegro hopes these projects will be implemented and completed within this year. (PIA/RG Alama)

ABOR and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz on Tuesday said 10 new wage orders took effect in 2014 granting increases ranging from P1 to P20 in the form of either basic pay or cost of living allowance (COLA).

The Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) that issued wage orders in 2014 are those in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Regions 1, 2, 3, 4-A, 5, 7, 11, 12, and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

The rest of the RTWPBs are in various stages of assess-

ing the socio-economic conditions and holding sectoral consultations as basis of their decision to adjust minimum wages.

Baldoz said of the 17 regional wage boards, eight have brought all their minimum wages to amounts higher than their region’s poverty income threshold, in compliance with the wage reform called the Two-Tiered Wage System (TTWS).

The reform consists of a genuine floor wage as Tier 1, which is set above the poverty income threshold to help workers and families meet

DCWD nixes plan to get water from Davao River

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

HIS early, the Davao City Water District is opposing the plan of Cebu-based water company HelpMate, Inc. to extract water from Davao River to supply the needs of the second district.

DCWD spokesperson Bernardo Delima told reporters during the Club 888 media forum at the Marco Polo Davao last Wednesday that HelpMate’s proposal will defeat the very purpose of DCWD’s plan to develop the Tamugan river as another source of potable water for Davao City.

“What are we going to do with the bulk water that will be supplied by the construction of the Tamugan Surface Water Project if this company (HelpMate) will enter? Aside

from that, DCWD is already supplying to the second district,” Delima said.

Delima said HelpMate first expressed its interest when it asked for clearance from the City Council of Davao for the construction of a water treatment facility in the Buhangin area and extraction of water from Davao River.

He said the company needs clearance from the local government as one of the requirements of the National Water Resources Board (NWRB).

“I presume that the water from this company will be much more expensive because based on our study the water in Davao River is highly turbid. Kulay Milo (chocolate drink) na,” he added.

Based on DCWD’s study, the water running in Davao River is not as potable as the water coming from Tamugan River.

Delima said HelpMate will need a state-of-the-art water treatment facility to make the water coming from Davao River safe tor household consumption.

DCWD, a government-owned and controlled corporation, is the sole and authorized water utility company allowed to operate in Davao City.

JV Angeles Construction in consortium with Aboitiz Equity Ventures intends to start the construction of the Tamugan Surface Water Development Project in 2016 after the project design and

costing is finished in the middle of this year.

The construction, which will be implemented under a public-private partnership scheme, is expected to be completed by 2018.

The partners will put up a hydroelectric-powered bulk treatment facility and conveyance system that will supply 300 million liters of potable water to DCWD. Delima said the operation of the Tamugan project will address the water supply issue in Paquibato district.

“We expect that the bulk water that the Tamugan will supply is enough to address the growing demand for potable water because of the city’s increasing number of population,” he said.

their basic needs and to contribute to poverty reduction, but not to exceed average wage to allow bipartite approaches, such as collective bargaining, in setting better terms and conditions of employment.

As the regional wage boards transition to the TwoTiered Wage System, there have been simplifications in the minimum wage structures which, in turn, are expected to facilitate administration and enforcement.

“With the adoption of the two-tiered wage system, it is expected that all minimum wages shall be above the re-

gional poverty income threshold by end of 2016,” Baldoz said.

The second part of the TTWS reform aims to encourage workers and enterprises to mutually agree to adopt productivity incentive schemes as sustainable source of higher revenues for enterprises and higher real incomes for workers over and above the mandatory minimum wage. The regional wage boards issue advisories to guide enterprises who will voluntarily adopt productivity improvement programs and gain-sharing schemes. (DOLE)

HE Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is aggressively pushing for the modernization of the country’s public land transport services by issuing new yellow license plates to public utility vehicles.

DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya on Wednesday joined the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in issuing the brand-new, security feature-packed yellow license plates to PUVs. He also joined the Land Transportation Franchising

and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in inspecting the first-ever proposed route for electric jeepney (e-jeep) services in Quezon City.

“Safety and sustainability – these are key concepts in our modernization programs. Today is a milestone in the promotion of road safety through the use of new yellow license plates, and in the shift to sustainable, environmentally-friendly public transportation through electric-powered PUVs,” Abaya said.

10 new wage orders took effect in 2014 DOTC, LTO set to launch brand-new PUV plates L T FDOCT, 10

7 AGRITRENDS

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

Nature’s perfect predator

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“

BY any name, these fascinating insects are formidable predators.” -- National Geographic on the praying mantis

The mantises are among the most interesting and beneficial insects ever known. Although potentially lethal to other insects and spiders, they pose little threat to people. As a matter of fact, they have been a source of relief for those wanting to control destructive insects in their gardens and farms.

A mantis will sit motionless for hours on end in a posture like that of a person praying. It waits, however, not for inspiration but for food. Its distinctive manner of satisfying its appetite has long fascinated me no end. In fact, ancient cultures regarded this insect with superstitious awe, for the word “mantis” is derived from the Greek for “prophet” or “seer.”

These insects are found throughout the country.

They belong to the family Mantidae in the order Orthoptera, which also includes crickets (a favorite of the Philippine tarsier), grasshoppers, and cockroaches. All insects in this order are similar in that they have a first pair of wings that are straight and narrow and a second pair which fold and open like a fan.

Mantises are large insects, usually growing to a length of one to five inches. Their tough outer skeletons are green or brown, which enables them to blend into surrounding foliage as they await their prey. A heartshaped head at the front of the slender elongated

body seems disproportionately small and can be swiveled. Such contortions earn the mantis its reputation as “the only insect that can look over its shoulder.”

If you are a keen observer, you will notice that a mantis’ front legs are extremely long and powerfully muscled.

When not in use, they are folded in a manner similar to the position of human arms at prayer, which undoubtedly accounts for the name of the best-known species: Mantis religiosa, the praying mantis.

The middle and lower sections of the front legs fold against each other, and the facing surfaces have extremely sharp and sturdy spines. These projections are arranged so that they interlock, like the teeth of a zipper.

When a victim wanders within range of a waiting mantis, the insect flicks out its front legs with astonishing speed to spike the prey. As its legs retract, the spines sink deeper, securing the mantis’ grip. No wonder, this insect is called as “the preying mantis” in Europe.

Reproduction among the mantises is almost as eye-catching as their food-procuring habits. According to Bruce Kauffman, forest pest specialist with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry in Nashville, most species reproduce through fertilized eggs.

Writes Kauffman:

Praying mantis up close (from Wikipedia)

Praying mantis (from Wikipedia) “Immediately following copulation, a singular and grisly mating ritual occurs: the female in many mantis species devours the male. One observer watched a female mantis eat the male with which she had just copulated. In rapid succession, she ate seven other suitors as well. Male mantis, stronger and more capable fliers than the females, could easily avoid their mate’s grasp, but they seem resigned to their fate as post-mating feasts.”

When you find an egg case, try to open it and you would see that it consists of three separate parts. Underneath, and nearest the supporting surface, are rows of five to ten eggs lined up across the axis of the case.

On both sides of the eggs and forming the bulk of the case is a tough, frothy material uniformly laid down. Right down the center of the case is another distinct covering that is a series of overlapping scales. This has been called the “zone of issue,” for this material is constructed to allow the young mantis an easy way to break out of the case.

The female mantis lays down all of this marvelous structure continuously, rather than in stages, which says a lot for the complexity of her egg-laying organs. The material around the eggs has air frothed into it by whipping actions of appendages on her abdomen. The material is soft and sticky at first but soon dries to become hard, stiff, and

water-repellant.

After several months, it is difficult to slash the case, even with a razor. Depositing the eggs usually takes the female mantis about two hours.

Afterwards, she goes in search of food, despite having eaten her mate a short time before. A female may make up to 15 or more egg cases, Kauffman reports.

The mantises are voracious eaters with a digestive system that seems capable of handling virtually anything without apparent ill effects. Some captive mantises have thrived on corned beef and hamburgers, others have gnawed paint; still others have eaten dead insects preserved in alcohol solutions.

However, they prefer to prey upon moths, crickets, grasshoppers, flies, and caterpillars.

“They will also eat others of their own kind,” says the National Geographic.

“The most famous example of this is the notorious mating behavior of the adult female, who sometimes eats her mate just after -- or even during -mating. Yet this behavior seems not to deter males from reproduction.”

Large species of this insect have been reported to have attack frogs, mice -- and even snakes.

“So fearless are mantises in approaching possible prey that they have been known to spar with household pets,” Kauffman notes. When they are taken out of their natural camouflaged habitat, they are readily eaten by

birds.

If grasped by the back legs, they may escape by amputating the imprisoned leg. Some species scares away enemies by raising its wings and making a noise like the hiss of a snake, by rubbing the rear part of its body. The mantis kills its prey by biting through the back of the neck to sever the nerve cord.

Most mantises are solitary creatures which defend their hunting territories. Trespassing mantises will be challenged to a fight that often lasts until one insect is dead.

This instinct probably developed so that each insect would be guaranteed enough food.

Though the mantises are adept aviators, they usually do not chase prey through the air.

The naturalist Gerald Durrell’s autobiography My Family and Other Animals includes an account of a very evenly matched battle between a praying mantis and a gecko.

So, it’s not surprising at all that two martial arts had been separately developed in China with movements and fighting strategies based on those of the praying mantis.

As one of these arts was developed in northern China, and the other in southern parts, the arts are now referred to (both in English and Chinese) as “Northern Praying Mantis” and “Southern Praying Mantis.” Both martial arts are very popular in China, and have also been imported to the West in recent decades.

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EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

EDITORIAL A crime cut from the same mold

T

HE attack on the headquarters of hard-hitting publication Charlie Hebdo reminds us of the same ruthless massacre in Maguindanao that killed 58 people including 32 journalists in November 2009.

On Wednesday, gunmen shot dead 12 people at the Paris office of that French satirical magazine in an apparent militant Islamist attack. Four of the magazine’s well-known cartoonists, including its editor, were among those killed, as well as two police officers.

French President Francois Hollande described the terrorist attack as one “of exceptional barbarity.”

The Charlie Hebdo attack is believed to be the deadliest incident in France since 1961, when right-wingers who wanted to keep Algeria French bombed a train, killing 28 people.

The masked attackers opened fire with assault rifles in the office and exchanged shots with police in the street outside before escaping by car. They later abandoned the car in Rue de Meaux, northern Paris, where they hijacked a second car and fled.

The difference in the France attack and that of the Maguindanao massacre is that the attackers of Charlie Hebdo are few,

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masked, and they ran away. In Maguindanao, the supposed attackers were aplenty, not masked, and have been, for the past five years, identified albeit still to be convicted in court.

How France will deal with this attack will be known in the coming days, but for us here in the Philippines, the fight for press freedom and justice for 171 journalists who have been killed in media-related killings since 1986 continues.

Thursday morning, another journalist identified as Nerlita Ledesma was killed by motorcycle-riding men and she could be victim no. 172 if the motive is linked to her profession.

We are one with the Charlie Hebdo organization in condemning the attack in France. We pray for those who perished risking their lives in the exercise of genuine freedom of the press and expression.

While we pray that the Charlie Hebdo attackers will be arrested and unmasked soon, we also continue to pray that the perpetrators of the Maguindanao massacre, and those responsible for the rest of the unsolved killings – masked or unmasked – be ultimately served their due.

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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“

THERE is no fire like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there is no snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed.” ― Gautama Buddha *** On May 18, 1986, American financier Ivan F. Boesky delivered a commencement address at the School of Business Administration of the University of California in Berkeley, and said these words: “Greed is all right, by the way. I think greed is healthy. You can be greedy and still feel good about yourself.”

This statement was later picked up in Oliver Stone’s award-winning film, Wall Street (1987), spoken by Gordon Gecko.

“The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good,” said Michael Douglas, who portrayed the role and received an Oscar trophy for his performance. “Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.”

Was Philip Slater also talking about greed when he said, “Our economy is based on spending billions to persuade people that happiness is buying things, and then insisting that the only way to have a viable economy is to make things for people to buy so they’ll have jobs and get enough money to buy things.”

In The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote: “The world says: ‘You have needs -- satisfy them. You have as much right as the rich and the mighty. Don’t hesitate to satisfy your needs; indeed, expand your needs and demand more.’ This is the worldly doctrine of today. And they believe that this is freedom. The result for the rich is isolation and suicide, for the poor, envy

L

IVING more than half of my life in Davao City, which practically remains typhoon-free, left me without any unforgettable personal experience of what it is like getting struck by this particular disaster. Thus, experiencing the rage of typhoon Seniang while on a holiday vacation in my hometown of San Agustin in Surigao del Sur was memorable, to say the least.

By late night of December 28, 2014, the typhoon started to unleash torrential rains and strong winds, damaging power lines and telecommunication towers as it wreaked havoc on houses and trees.

After it calmed down the following morning, dozens of families—whose houses were partially or totally damaged— sought refuge in the municipal gym and barangay halls.

For the next 72 hours, we were cut off from the rest of the world. No electric power, no telecommunication signals. There was no way of getting any government advisory or getting news from our relatives.

Worse, shortly before dawn of December 29, the detour bridge constructed in Hubo River as alternative route for vehicles passing the national highway was completely washed out. It easily gave way to the huge debris and assorted cuts of logs

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

VANTAGE POINTS

9

When enough is not enough and murder.”

THINK ON THESE! How true, indeed! Pope Benedict XVI once warned, “If people look only to their own interests, our world will certainly fall apart.”

Are Henrylito D. Tacio our politicians hearing henrytacio@gmail.com these words?

Or are they playing deaf -- as if they don’t hear the statement.

These days, rich people have accumulated more wealth than they could ever imagine while poor individuals have become poorer. “What is mine is mine, what is yours is mine, too.” That seems to be the mantra of most of the people. But that should not be the purpose of life. Jay Leno reminds us, “If you think of life as like a big pie, you can try to hold the whole pie and kill yourself trying to keep it, or you can slice it up and give some to the people around you, and you still have plenty left for yourself.”

A teacher and the school principal were standing near the playground where the children were frolicking to their heart’s content. The teacher asked the latter, “Why is it that everyone wants to be happy, but so few ever are?”

The principal looked at the playground and replied, “Those children seem to be really happy.” The teacher answered back, “Why shouldn’t they be? All they do is play. But what keeps the adults from being happy like that?”

“The same thing that can keep children from being happy,” the principal said. Then, without saying any word, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a handful of coins, and threw them among the playing children.

Suddenly, all laughter stopped. The children tumbled over one another, fought and argued. The principal told the teacher, “Well, what do you think ended their happiness?”

“The fighting,” the teacher answered. “And what started their fighting?” the principal inquired. “Greed,” the teacher replied.

God created this world for everyone to enjoy. “In this world there’s room for everyone, and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone,” said Charlie Chaplin in the movie, The Great Dictator. “The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goosestepped us into misery and bloodshed.”

Mahatma Gandhi echoes the same concern: “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.” As Seneca pointed out, “To greed, all nature is insufficient.”

Why is this so? “Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction,” American psychologist Erich Fromm explained.

Janwillem van de Wetering commented, “Greed is a fat demon with a small mouth and whatever you feed it is never enough.” This reminds me of the story of Jonathan, the only son of an affluent family. When his father died, he inherited all what his parents had and became the heir of the land. But he

wasn’t contented; he wanted more land.

Once, a stranger came by, apparently a man of means and power, and offered to give him all the land he could walk around in one day, on condition that he would be back at the spot from which he started by sundown.

Early the next morning, the boy set out, without eating any breakfast or greeting anyone. His first plan was to cover six square kilometers. When he finished the first six, he decided to make it nine, then twelve, then fifteen. That meant he would have to walk 60 kilometers before sundown. By noon, he had covered 30 kilometers. He did not stop for food or drink. His legs grew heavier and heavier.

About 200 yards from the finish line, Jonathan saw the sun dropping toward the horizon. Only a few minutes left. He gathered all his energies for that one last effort. He staggered across the line, just in time. Then, he reached for his heart and fell down in a heap – dead. All the land he got was a piece six feet by two.

“From top to bottom of the ladder, greed is aroused without knowing where to find ultimate foothold. Nothing can calm it, since its goal is far beyond all it can attain. Reality seems valueless by comparison with the dreams of fevered imaginations; reality is therefore abandoned,” French sociologist Emile Durkheim reminded.

“The point,” to quote the words of American businessman Donald Trump, “is that you can’t be too greedy.”

“It was not curiosity that killed the goose who laid the golden egg, but an insatiable greed that devoured common sense,” reminded E.A. Bucchianeri, author of Brushstrokes of a Gadfly.

excessive charges by the local folks.

A few meters transport of fruits cost P10 per box while a large bag of personal belongings cost P20. Just imagine how much a trader had to shell out for a truckload of merchandise goods.

Motorcycle drivers also charged an exorbitant P300-P500 for each passenger travelling to the capital city, almost five times the normal bus and jeepney fare.

Local folks obviously made a killing out of people desperately wanting to spend New Year’s Day with their loved ones and families.

Why the original bridge is still far from being operational even after more than a year after the onslaught of Yolanda, only the officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) can offer any plausible explanation, if not dubious excuses.

Yet, even if the bridge is finally restored, a local farmer opined in a matter-of-fact way that there is no assurance the same inconvenience would not recur, citing the presence of assorted cut logs rushing with the flashfloods which prove too heavy for the bridge’s structure to withstand every time a storm or a typhoon strikes.

The volume of sand, gravel, and boulders being excavated from both the down-

stream and upstream portions of the river also compromised the integrity of the bridge’s foundation.

Local officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) may have provided good reasons why they are not being held liable for the glaring unabated illegal logging in one of Mindanao’s few remaining densely-forested areas and the continued quarrying in one of the province’s critical waterways.

More than the timely repair of the bridge, therefore, the bone of contention is our collective failure to best manage the utilization of our natural resources. The daunting task of addressing this challenge is imperative for all the stakeholders to avert, if not totally eliminate, the recurring sorry consequence.

The responsibility lies not only in the hands of government officials – both local and national – but also of the people in the community, the supposed direct stewards of our environment, many of whom have also benefited from illegal logging and quarrying activities, including the people who made a killing out of the passengers affected in the recent catastrophe. (For comments and suggestions, the author can be reached through gregradel@ gmail.com )

Troubled waters

PLAIN THOUGHTS

BY GREGORIO G. DELIGERO brought by flashfloods.

The repair of the original concrete Buhisan Bridge, named after the barangay just a kilometer before the town proper, has yet to be completed. It was destroyed during the height of typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

The bridge is a vital infrastructure facility connecting our town, the other ten municipalities in the eastern part of the province and the capital Tandag City to Agusan provinces and the Davao Region. The only other access is the circuitous route via the coastal towns of Surigao de Norte.

With the entire detour bridge nowhere in sight, a makeshift passageway was constructed from the riverbank up to the remaining half structure of the original concrete bridge to facilitate the mobility of people and merchandise goods that got stranded for at least 14 hours.

The improvised wooden ladder was accessible only by foot and passengers with merchandise goods who wanted to transport their baggage across any point of the bridge’s approaches had to contend with

10

NEWS

Indians... FFROM 1 The night guards would turn off their lights at exactly 10:30 p.m. every day, preventing them from studying further.

“We just want to be good doctors but before that we need to study hard first,” she said.

Sakay, the staff member who went to the meeting, claimed she did not know who the owner of the dormitories is.

She also denied the students’ allegations, saying it was the first time she heard the complaints.

“Usually they only complain about food but not about the management,” she said.

Bridgette Abrina, a concerned citizen who is helping the Indian students, said the students fear Mohan especially since four Indian students were sent to jail in May last year and were deported to India.

Abrina clarified that Mohan is not connected with DMSF but has a partnership with a certain David Pillai, CEO of India-based Transworld Education Academy, which is the principal Indian associate of DMSF. Rick Reyes, border crossing control officer of the Bureau of Immigration, said Mohan has no power to deport the students.

Contemplo on Nov. 16 last year.

In its separate letter, the NDFP-North Eastern Mindanao has also issued an order of release for the three captives.

“Heeding the request of the family and loved ones of the POWs, the NDFP-NEMR deemed it necessary not to proceed with the preliminary investigation and trial proper, and thus ordered their immediate release,” Malaya said.

She, however, did not disclose where and when will the policemen be freed.

“This local ceasefire declaration and the eventual release of the prisoners of war in Surigao del Norte form part of the confidence building measures of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines for the resumption of the peace talks,” Malaya said.

“In compliance with this unilateral ceasefire declaration, all units of the New People’s Army (NPA) have been ordered to cease all their offensive action against the AFP, PNP, CAFGU and other paramilitary troops,” she added.

The government earlier declared a month-long unilateral ceasefire from Dec. 19 to Jan. 19.

The CPP-NDF-NPA reciprocated with a staggered truce covering Dec. 24 to 26;

Dec. 31 to Jan. 1; and Jan. 15 to 19.

But the communists accused that despite the AFP’s Suspension of Military Operation (SOMO) and the PNP’s Suspension of Police Operation (SOPO), there are still violations committed, foremost of which is the COPD. Malaya said that should the government forces “remain adamant in their position, and in effect in jeopardize the security of the NPA custodial force and the POWs themselves, the NDF-NEMR shall have no other recourse but to cancel the release.”

Of the nine original captives, only the three policemen from Surigao del Norte have remained in the hands of the NPA, according to Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos, spokesperson of NDF-Mindanao.

Madlos told MindaNews during the 46th CPP anniversary celebration on December 26 in Marihatag, Surigao del Sur that military operations in Surigao del Norte continued despite the SOMO declaration, thus preventing the release of the remaining captives.

He said government forces were still deployed in Claver, Gigaquit, Bacuag, Placer, Tubod and Alegria towns and some parts of Agusan del Norte.

“The new PUV plates will marginalize colorum operators. They cannot be removed and transferred from one vehicle to another. They will indicate the vehicle type as well as the place of its registration.

The ‘third-plate’ windshield sticker will also display the PUV’s plate number and authorized route,” he added.

The new yellow-andblack plates issued by the LTO under the leadership of Assistant Secretary Alfonso Tan Jr. have the same security features as the white-andblack private motor vehicle plates, such as tamper-resistant locks and screws to permanently attach the plate to the vehicle, thereby preventing “tanggal-plaka” practices, and reflectorized sheeting to make the PUV plates visible from afar and from any angle.

“Meanwhile, our inspection of the very first proposed

route for e-jeepney services ushers in a new paradigm for public land transport services. We hope this is the start of replacing smoke-belching and poorly-maintained jeeps with high-tech, efficient, and environmentally-friendly e-jeepneys,” Abaya said.

The LTFRB, led by Chairman Winston Ginez, supports sustainable PUV services in line with established policies. It is mandated to hear and rule on the petition for issuance of new certificates of public convenience (CPC) for E-Jeepney.

E-jeeps are expected to have modern features such as a cashless payment system using reloadable cards, fixed stops, GPS and wi-fi connectivity, side entrance for easier boarding, and CCTV cameras to better ensure passenger safety, among others. (dotc. gov.ph)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

Ceasefire... FFROM 2

DOTC...

FFROM 6

TRANSITION. Commissioner Abdulla Camlian (right) of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission answers questions from media practitioners during the media roundtable discussion on the Bangsamoro Basic Law at The Royal Mandaya Hotel yesterday. Also in photo is Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel and Bangsamoro Transition Commission chair Mohagher Iqbal. Lean Daval Jr.

Extend... FFROM 2

Dureza was among those invited to the “Media Roundtable on the Bangsamoro,” which MindaNews organized in partnership with the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), Conciliation Resources, European Union, Philippine Information Agency and the Canadian government.

Prof. Miriam Coronel Ferrer and Mohagher Iqbal, chief peace negotiators of the government and the MILF, respectively, also graced the event as key resource persons.

Both appeared optimistic that the BBL will be approved

by Congress and ratified by the constituents in the proposed territory this year.

Ferrer said the GPH-MILF peace process has reached this far “mainly due to the trust and confidence as well as the resiliency and creativity shown by each party.”

“The good thing now is we’re starting to reap the

benefits produced by the past efforts to solve the [Bangsamoro] problem,” she said.

Iqbal, also the chair of the BTC which drafted the BBL, appealed to Congress to pass “a good BBL.” “The key for bright future is for Congress to pass a good BBL. Let us not miss this rare opportunity to establish peace in Mindanao, as this opportunity may not come again,” he said.

Iqbal recalled that the negotiation stage was never easy, but because of the goodwill shown by the parties, they were able to forge a final peace agreement. “[The negotiations were characterized by] giving and taking, and taking and giving.

Not all taking, not all giving.

Compromises were made, that’s the essence of negotiations,” he said. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)

new trucks should be used in garbage collection to make sure all areas are served, especially in the distant areas in the second and third districts.

She said the additional bins will be also used to replace the damage and missing bins. There are more than 10,000 bins installed in the designated collection area of CENRO.

Madrazo said these bins will be also used and installed during the big events in the city such as Araw ng Davao and Kadayawan Festival because CENRO does not want to remove the bins installed in the collection areas.

She said before the bins are installed, an operation manual will be made first to inform the people of their proper use.

ties,” he told the Radio Mindanao Network in Koronadal City.

Of the 137 injury cases, Baluma said 118 involved males and 19 were females, majority of whom were children.

A total of 79 victims were aged 12 and below while the remaining 58 were 13 and above, he said.

He said the banned firecracker piccolo caused the most number of injuries, followed by kwitis and other fireworks, and big illegal firecrackers like pla-pla and judas belt.

Despite the conclusion of their monitoring last Jan. 5, Baluma said they expect the injury figures to still increase

in the next few days.

“Our online reporting system clogged up these past several days so there could be more cases that we have not yet added to our list,” he said.

For instance, the Integrated Provincial Health Office of South Cotabato already recorded 112 firecracker-related injuries as of Jan. 5.

The DOH-12 earlier expanded its monitoring sites for firecracker injuries to 31 hospitals in the region from six in the previous year.

The agency said it increased the monitoring sites to facilitate the proper reporting and handing of firecracker injury cases in the region.

City... FFROM 3

137... FFROM 4

NUJP... FFROM 3 ity of ethics in the profession, we also maintain that no mode of expression, however offensive or unethical it may be, deserves a death sentence,” she added.

“In the face of these, there can be really only one response – to fight back by continuing to express ourselves freely despite our fears. Today, let us all proclaim, je suis Charlie (I am Charlie),” Paraan said, echoing a solidarity statement in French that has gone global.

For its part, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the attack was “senseless and appalling.”

“We join the French nation and the rest of the world in

denouncing this blatant disregard for human lives and the fundamental right of expression,” a DFA statement said.

Charlie Hebdo or Charlie Weekly had published controversial articles on Islam and numerous caricatures ridiculing the Prophet Mohammad.

“We are appalled by the senseless attacks that took twelve innocent lives and wounded several others in Paris,” the DFA said.

“We condole and sympathize with the families of the victims as they mourn the loss of their loved ones and begin their quest for justice.” Cheneen R. Capon with a report from PNA

is to rehabilitate it to prevent flood.

But Taks Force Drainage chair Yusof Jimlani had also earlier said based on the initial report of the technical working

group (TWG) that conducted a tagging of the trees located along Dacudao Avenue, a number of trees need to be cut and pulled to allow personnel to clean the Dacudao canal. [ABF]

Police units in Region 12 earlier launched a series of raids against illegal firecrackers and fireworks or pyrotechnics in compliance with a directive issued by the Police Regional Office 12 and the Philippine National Police central office.

During the raids, Camba said they arrested a total of 19 persons and confiscated nearly P500,000 worth of illegal items.

He said the biggest haul was in South Cotabato, followed by Cotabato City and North Cotabato.

The South Cotabato police earlier reported two major operations in the municipalities of Tupi and Polomolok that netted around P125,000 worth of illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnics.

The official said most of the 29 traders facing charges were able to escape and evade arrest during the raids.

But he said they were able to identify them based on the business registration documents for their firecracker

stalls.

He said the illegal firecrackers found at the stalls will serve as evidences in the cases against the erring traders.

Under RA 7183, firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices that have more than the allowable explosive content are strictly prohibited.

Among the banned materials are watusi or the “dancing firecracker,” piccolo, super lolo, atomic big triangulo, mother rockets, lolo thunder, pillbox, boga, big Judah’s belt, big bawang, goodbye Philippines, kabasi, five star, pla-pla, OG, giant whistle bomb and unlabeled firecrackers.

The Departments of Health and the Department of Trade and Industry had issued prohibitions regarding the use and sale of the said firecrackers and fireworks.

Camba earlier said they concentrated their operations on piccolo, which caused the most number of firecracker-related injuries in the region in the past holidays.

CENRO... FFROM 3

4 traders... FFROM 4

EDGEDAVAO

11 PROPERTY

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

CAMELLA DAVAO

Why choosy homebuyers select Northpoint

Northpoint holds the distinction of having world-class facilities such as this wellness pool with salinated water.

S

ELECTIVE homebuyers have high standards as far as choosing a new home is concerned. They have specific wishes they want met and most of the time they are not even willing to compromise. They will find that Northpoint, with its many attributes desired by even the choosiest of homebuyers, easily meets what they look for when choosing the best home for themselves and their loved ones.

They want prestige. Those with discriminating tastes want a beautiful home within a distinguished neighborhood, a place they will be proud to call their own. Northpoint fits the bill with its premier address, British colonial themed condominium buildings, and well-thought condo layout and design.

The prestige of living in Northpoint stems from the fact that this master planned condominium is a landmark development of Vista Residences, the vertical marketing arm of the country’s largest homebuilder, Vista Land.

They want distinction.

Northpoint is the only condominium development in the region that has hundreds of imported Caribbean pine trees dotting its grounds, making it a veritable pine estate and lending it a distinct character.

The restored and enhanced

White House on top of the rise beside its entrance, currently hosting a fine dining Asian fusion restaurant and wine cellar, is a local landmark having been erected decades ago by the previous land owner, a Scottish businessman who contributed to Davao’s economy as one of its first purveyors.

They want beautiful surroundings. Northpoint’s curb appeal is undeniably charming.

Further enhancing the pinefilled surroundings of Northpoint are meticulously landscaped grounds, a thick carpet of grass blanketing its open spaces, profuse greenery and preserved olden Acacia trees all around.

Nestled within these beautiful and verdant surroundings are the majestic condominium buildings whose design was inspired by the distinct British colonial look of the White House.

They want to be near the pulse of urban life. Nestled within the heart of north Davao’s growth area, Northpoint is a stone’s throw away from modern workplaces and business offices, shopping and commercial centers, and recreation and leisure spots.

It’s a breeze to go to a business meeting, grab a drink and sandwich from a coffee shop or bistro, shop for the latest in fashion, or unwind at a bar after a day’s toil in the office buildings

Picky or not, homebuyers will find their ideal condo home in Northpoint.

With hundreds of imported Caribbean pine trees dotting its grounds, Northpoint is a veritable pine estate in the middle of the city.

Northpoint has a premier address urbanites and sophisticates will be proud to call their own. nearby.

They want security and privacy. Northpoint’s property management team keeps a tight watch over the condo property’s security, ensuring the safety of the homeowners and their condo homes. The round-the-clock security includes guards manning the main entry gates and personnel roving the grounds and parking areas. Guests are carefully screened and permission is sought for entry, thus ensuring that homeowners will not receive unwanted visitors.

While there are currently three condominium buildings, with another soon to follow, Northpoint is not

wanting in privacy. The pine trees that can grow up to a hundred feet provide not only shade from sunlight or barrier from strong winds; they can also serve as a natural screen between buildings and from prying eyes outside of the property.

They want convenient and hassle-free living. Northpoint is strategically located at the junction of Buhangin Road and JP Laurel Avenue, Bajada, two major thoroughfares plied by public transportation that leads to all the major streets in the city. It’s a short commute or drive for homeowners when they need to pay the bills, go to church, get to their doctor’s appoint-

ment, or buy groceries.

A few kilometers away are schools and universities, banks, supermarkets, hospitals, public markets, bus and van terminals, jumpoff points to Samal’s white beaches, and other public utilities homeowners will need to go to on a daily or weekly basis.

Clearly, Northpoint easily surpasses the yardstick of choosy homebuyers when selecting a new home. Picky or not, homebuyers can get their ideal Northpoint condo home by visiting the Camella offices at Delgar Bldg., (fronting Northpoint), JP Laurel Avenue, Bajada, telephone 226-3100.

12

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

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EDGEDAVAO CLASSIFIEDS NOTICE OF LOSS Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s) 3453 under Loyola Plan Contract No(s). 101608975/MRO530003849 issued to PAZ M. DIMALALUAN that PAF (Plan Application Form) No(s). 00235894235895 and 00235899 issued to SHARON C. PACIENTE were lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

INdulge!

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

EVENT

Retro-ing into 2015

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

T

he Royal Mandaya Hotel sure knows how to end the year with a bang and meet the new with aplomb.

Here’s what. Through the last six hours of 2014, The Royal Mandaya Hotel made some noise, not of the firecracker kind, but of some tunes worth swinging into as it geared up for the dawning of year 2015.

There’s no New Year’s Eve partying like this elsewhere that day so TRMH threw in some more to make it a family thing. And what way it is to make the NYE Party a fam-bam affair but to rake in the kids and roll in the fun—there’s facepainting, games and magic show and henna tattooing too.

The five voices of Echoistic ensemble sang serenades to open up the mood for partying and just like that, The Royal

Ballroom was in party spirit.

Now, with all that flair, everyone just had to let down that hair. Partying guests hammed it up to retro tunes garbed in retro fashion too all the way back to the great 60’s.

As the clock went from hours to minutes to just ticks away to NY2015, everyone had a blast doing the countdown, slowly rising in crescendo as the anticipation level rose from one level to next, and then erupting into wild cheers as 2015 officially dawned in into its first ticks.

Now, if you think that’s the end of the party, you are making your first wrong guess of the year.

Party wore on until the first hours of the year.

HNY, y’all!

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

UP AND ABOUT

Search for the Happiest Pinoy returns with P1M cash prize

CEBUANA LHUILLIER’S Search for the Happiest Pinoy is back, with a wider scope, new special awards, and bigger cash prizes.

A P1-million cash prize, tax-free, awaits the Search for the Happiest Pinoy 2014 grand winner while nine (9) runners-up will receive P50,000. The country’s leading micro financial company will also give special prizes to the Happiest Student and Happiest Overseas Filipino Worker.

“With our Search for the Happiest Pinoy, we want to recognize outstanding Filipinos who are able to both rise above life’s challenges and positively impact the lives of other people with their positive outlook in life,” said Michael Sena, Cebuana Lhuillier’s Integrated Marketing Communications Group Head.

“This is our way of celebrating the values of optimism, resilience, and hope among Filipinos.”

Filipinos, 18 years old and above, with good moral character can be nominated to the search. Nomination forms can be downloaded from www.happiest-pinoy. com and are available in any of Cebuana Lhuillier’s more than 1,700 branches nationwide, to enable more people to nominate their happiest Pinoys.

Accomplished nomination forms can be mailed together with supporting documents to: SEARCH FOR THE HAPPIEST PINOY SECRETARIAT, PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies, Inc., 2/F Annex 2, PJL Corporate Centre,

Asia trips up for grabs in Smart and Cathay Pacific promo WANT to fly to an Asian country for free? If you’re a mobile or broadband postpaid subscriber of wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), you have a chance to win Cathay Pacific tickets to an Asian destination if you use Smart’s convenient billing and payment channels.

Under the “Live More, Fly More” raffle promo of Smart and Cathay Pacific, 30 subscribers will each win two roundtrip tickets to any of the following Asian destinations – South Korea (Incheon, Busan), Japan (Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka, Narita, Haneda), Southeast Asia (Bangkok, Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Saigon, Penang, Surabaya, Phnom Penh, Siam Reap), China (Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Guilin), or Hong Kong.

To register to the promo for free, you must text the following to 6771: REG <space> LMFM <space> Name/Complete Address/e-mail address/Smart account number (Example: REG LMFM Juan de la Cruz/1 Paraiso Street Dasmariñas Village Makati City/jdelacruz@email.com/0729107382).

You will get a confirmation text message asking if you agree to receive Cathay Pacific’s monthly newsletter via email. You can opt in to this by replying with the letter Y. You can start earning electronic raffle entries by either enrolling to environment-friendly electronic billing statements via the my.Smart customer service portal (my. smart.com.ph), use a credit card to pay your bill online on my.Smart, settle your bill with a few clicks on your mobile phone using Smart Money, the world’s first electronic wallet, pay your bill in cash using Load Connect machines in Smart Stores, or pay your bill at any EC Pay partner merchant You can earn entries until February 28, 2015. Winners will be determined via raffle draw on March 13, 2015.

Here’s one more perk under this promo: Smart subscribers who will apply for a Smart Money card in any Smart Store during the promo period will be able to get it at 50% off -- for only P50. They will also receive a P100 Smart Money credit the first time they pay their Smart mobile or postpaid bill using Smart Money.

“Our vision at Smart is to empower people to ‘Live More.’

We do this by offering relevant services that suit our subscribers’ different lifestyles; providing customer service channels that allow them to easily, quickly, and conveniently complete aftersales transactions like bills payment; and launching rewards programs and promos like ‘Live More, Fly More’ as a way of thanking our customers for their continued trust in our service,” said Smart Customer Value Chain Group Head Maricris Crisostomo.

1782 N. Garcia cor. Candelaria Sts., Makati City 1209. Scanned copies of the accomplished nomination forms and supporting documents can also be emailed to www.happiest-pinoy@pjlhuillier.com. Nominations can be submitted from

October 24, 2014 until March 31, 2015.

The nominees will be screened by the Happiest Pinoy Board of Judges composed of CNN 2009 Hero of the Year Efren Peñaflorida, Camarines Sur 3rd District Representative Maria Leonor Robredo, McCann-Erickson Chairman Emeritus Emily Abrera, Assistant Secretary Anne Corominas, Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions (CLIS) General Manager Jonathan Batangan, Happiest Pinoy grand winners Winston Maxino and Rommel Arellano, inspirational speaker and corporate trainer Francis Kong, and broadcast journalist Luchi Cruz-Valdez.

Since its launch in 2009, the Search for the Happiest Pinoy has

been awarded to two deserving individuals. Winston Maxino, a corporate executive who was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a degenerative and incurable bone disease, was declared the first Happiest Pinoy grand winner in 2010. Rommel Arellano, a guidance counselor who was afflicted with polio at age 1, was declared Happiest Pinoy in 2012, besting more than 13,000 nominees nationwide.

This year, Cebuana Lhuillier is taking its Search for the Happiest Pinoy to different schools and offices nationwide to get even more nominations.

Follow the official Search for the Happiest Pinoy Facebook page at www.facebook.com/happiestpinoy for more updates. You can also follow it on Twitter and Instagram @ happiestpinoy

Globe Business launches comprehensive platform for customer care

COMMITTED to enable its enterprise clients to provide the best experience to their customers, Globe Business recently launched the Globe Contact Center Solution, an all-in-one internet protocol (IP) communications software suite that provides multi-channel contact center automation functionality for mid-sized to large organizations.

The enterprise ICT arm of Globe Telecom worked in close collaboration with Interactive Intelligence Inc., a global provider of contact center, unified communications, and business process automation software and services, in launching the robust cloud-based, single platform solution which will allow companies to take a highly-personalized, allin-one approach to customer care.

According to Globe Senior Vice President for Enterprise Group Nikko Acosta, “This partnership fortifies the goal of Globe Business to provide customers access to some of the world’s leading information and communication technologies,

Formalizing the partnership are representatives from Globe Business (from left): Director of Product Marketing Gerry Soler, Head of Mobile and Fixed Communication Louie Villanueva, Senior Vice President for Enterprise Group Nikko Acosta; and from Interactive Intelligence, Chief International Business Officer Gary Blough and Regional General Manager for Asia Simon Lee. enabling them to elevate service levels and customer satisfaction. With this innovative customer care solution, companies can improve operational performance with real-time monitoring and full-time operational visibility.”

Meanwhile, Interactive Intelligence Inc.’s Chief International Business Officer Gary Blough said, “This service makes a company’s customer touch points more flexible by offering varied contact options such as voice, email, fax and chat, as well as SMS, business objects, and social media.”

He also mentioned that the new service offering

enables enterprises to develop and manage creative outbound campaigns to build brand and customer loyalty and open up new revenue streams.

A voice technology workshop featuring the solution was conducted during the launch, as well as knowledge sharing sessions of the latest contact center trends and market opportunities by information technology professionals from the business process outsourcing, manufacturing, financial, healthcare, retail, and services sectors.

Globe Business has been creating a wonderful ICT landscape for in-

dustries, commercial enterprises as well as their customers by providing a comprehensive range of interconnectivity solutions engineered according to their business requirements, enabling them continuous access to information. Its portfolio of products and services encompass mobile, wire line, broadband, data connections, Internet and managed services, among many others. For more information on running your business with Globe Contact Center Solutions please visit business.globe. com.ph or get in touch with your Globe Business Account Manager.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

Hiram na Alaala is indeed most memorable HIRAM NA ALAALA showcased how the power of shared memories can cause great love to become real, providing viewers a unique viewing treat every night.

And as Hiram na Alaala comes to an end, Dennis Trillo and Kris Bernal, with Lauren Young and Rocco Nacino, share their unforgettable experiences while doing the show.

For Dennis, playing the role of Ivan is memorable. “First time ko kasing gumanap bilang isang sundalo sa TV. The role itself is physically demanding. Kailangan talaga paghandaan. Masasabi ko ring memorable ay yun mapabilang sa programang ito dahil kakaibang konsepto itong Hiram na Alaala at siyempre makatambal si Kris.

Very refreshing sa mga manonood ang ginawa ng GMA na pagtambalin kaming dalawa.”

To be teamed up with Drama King Dennis

Trillo is one of Kris’ most unforgettable experiences. “To be part of a series with great actors and yun team-up namin ni Dennis, and my love

scene with him would be among the most memorable,” she shared.

For Lauren, to be a better actor and a better kontra-bida are among

the things she learned and will never forget.

“My character is very exciting. It challenged me more kasi bigla na lang siya nag-shift in that way. Kaya abangan nila kung ano pa yun mga pasabog ni Bethany,” she said, adding that one of the most unforgettable experiences are certain scenes with Kris. “Kasi she’s so small and I’m big so when we have to do physical scenes medyo mapapalakas but she’s a good sport naman and we just laugh it off after.”

Rocco plays the role of Joseph/Otep, and for him, all his episodes are unforgettable. “Lahat ng episodes na inaatake ako ng post-traumatic stress disorder dahil napaka-

hirap. Very challenging yun mga scenes na ganoon. Yun pag switch ng character. But at the same time, very fulfilling.”

As Hiram na Alaala bids farewell this Friday, find out what will happen to Bethany after all that she’s done, how Rocco will take responsibility for his son/daughter with Yasmin, how Andeng will face her future after all that she’s been through and how Ivan will cope with the death of her mother. And finally, discover who will win Andrea’s heart. Will it be Ivan or Otep?

Don’t miss the finale week of Hiram na Alaala after Once Upon a Kiss on GMA Telebabad.

Forevermore reigns in time slot despite new rival kilig-serye PRIMETIME TV’s most-loved romantic drama series, “Forevermore,” continues to reign in its time slot despite the airing of a new competing show.

Based on data from Kantar Media last Monday (January 5), ABSCBN’s kilig-serye starring Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano scored a national TV rating of 23.6% or more than 8 points higher compared to the pilot episode of GMA’s “Once Upon A Kiss” (15.2%).

Meanwhile, what will Xander (Enrique) do now that Julius (Kit Thompson) has been chosen as the new vice president of Hotel Grande? Will he now decide to reconcile with his family or is he

already content with his simple, happy life with Agnes (Liza) in Si-

tio La Presa?

Continue to feel the thrill of falling in love for the first time in “Forevermore” weeknights after “Dream Dad” on ABS-CBN Primetime Bida.

For more updates about “Forevermore” visit Forevermore.abscbn.com and follow the show’s official social media accounts at Facebook.com/StarCreativesTV, Twitter.com/StarCreativesTV and Instagram.com/ StarCreativesTV. Viewers may also catch up on full episodes and past episodes of “Forevermore” through ABS-CBNmobile. For more information, please go to www.abscbnmobile. com.

Born To Be Wild expeditions in Thailand and the Maldives begin this Sunday BORN TO BE WILD kicks off 2015 with two exciting expeditions in Thailand and the Maldives beginning this Sunday on GMA7.

The pristine islands of the Maldives have breathtaking views to offer, and this January, Doc Ferds Recio takes viewers on a journey to discover an island nation that has been described as a paradise by tourists and conservationists. Ocean giants like sharks, rays, and the elusive napoleon wrasse are only some of the species found in the Maldives.

But the Maldives now

faces threats due to climate change. Experts believe that these islands may eventually be submerged under water if sea levels continue to rise. Doc Ferds meets residents of the Maldives who continue to look

after the protection and conservation of the marine species which they consider their treasure.

Doc Nielsen Donato, meanwhile, journeys to a lake in Thailand famous for the big fish that thrive

beneath its waters. But among the giant fish, the Arapaima is said to be the biggest and most feared.

The Arapaima can grow up to fifteen feet. Its strong head is said to be tough enough to knock down fishermen. Using a catchrelease method employed by fish researchers, Doc Nielsen sets out to meet the Arapaima and encounters other lake giants like the red-tail catfish and the alligator gar.

Journey to the Maldives and Thailand with BORN TO BE WILD beginning this Sunday morning, right after AHA on GMA7.

January 8, 2015

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB Ben Stiller, Robin Williams PG 13

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

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES Martin Freeman,Ian Mckellen, Richard Armitage PG 13

1:00 | 4:00 | 7:00 | 10:00 LFS

SEVENTH SON Ben Barnes, Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges PG 13

R-16

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

THE AMAZING PRAYBEYT BENJAMIN / * LOVE ROSIE PG 13 / *R 13

Vice Ganda, Richard Yap / * Lily Collins, Sam Claflin 12:00 | 2:00 | 4:00 LFS / * 6:00 | 8:00 | 10:00 LFS

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

EVENT

Seda Abreeza was swinging to the retro groove of the 70’s and 80’s as they welcomed the new year.

The Waterfront Insular Davao Hotel took guests on a musical The 50’s theme of the Marco Polo Davao’s New Year’s Ball was a hit time machine together with with guests swining to the tune of the jukebox and old style rock and a view of Fireworks on Samal Island. roll.

6 parties to greet A

round the world New Year’s Eve is often celebrated with a bang, but ever since Durianburg has banned pyrotechnics of all kinds over a decade ago Dabawenyo urbanites have learned to celebrate the coming of the new year in more creative ways and this year was no exception.

My night started street side at the Torotot Festival along Roxas Avenue. A celebration highlighting the city’s firecracker-free status, the Torotot Festival featured a horn making contest, a parade, as well as live entertainment featuring Luke Mejares and Color It Red. The Department of Tourism also joined in the celebration to kick-start the Visit Philippines 2015 campaign in earnest.

From the Torotot Festival, it was a short walk to the Marco Polo Davao where the Marco Polo Ballroom was decked out in bright 50’s paraphernalia with a giant jukebox dominating the dance floor. Entertainment was courtesy of the Rock and

Roll All Stars who belted out hits from the roaring 50s, much to the delight of the crowd.

A short ride away was Seda Abreeza with their own New Year Countdown featuring hits from the age of Disco as performed by the band 8Mile.

Wine and other premium drinks flowed as the clock ticked closer to 12 midnight and I still had three

parties to attend.

I arrived at the Waterfront Hotel Davao just past eleven and the party was swinging with guests taking to the dance floor thanks to dance hits spun

by DJ Torch. Even that early, there were already some fireworks going off on Samal Island which can be seen from the Waterfront Hotel’s massive seaside Garden Pavilion.

Rushing to Park Inn

by Radisson Davao, I was greeted with a more chilled out yet equally energy filled RBG. Although the buffet dinner service was over, it may seem that the guests are still game to jam along with the acoustic band that was performing on stage.

With just a couple of

SM Lanang Premier’s new year coutdown featured It was a chill out evening at the Park Inn by Manic Nightning’s house DJs as well as Manila DJ Radisson Davao while it waited for the clock to Travis Monsod and was broadcast nationwide on strike midnight.

GMA’s new year countdown program.

Government officials led by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte together with Dept. of Tourism Asst.

Secretary Art Boncato and Smart Regional Sales Manager, Arnold Dellosa welcomed 2015 with horns at the Torotot Festival.

2015 minutes to spare, I hurriedly ran over to the SM Lanang Premier’s nearby Fountain Court and with just a few seconds to spare, I was able to catch the highlight of the

countdown to 2015 with a shower of confetti and loud music blasting courtesy of DJ Travis Monsod.

With a glass of Baccardi cola in hand, I greet everyone a happy new

year and a more prosperous and happy 2015!

Follow me on Instagram or on Twitter @kennethkingong for more happenings in, around, and beyond Durianburg.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 â&#x20AC;˘ FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

EDGE

13

EDGEDAVAO

Serving a seamless society

DAVAO

WANTS YOU!

ZION

ACCUPRINT PUBLISHING, INC.

MACHINE OPERATOR (Printing Press)

Qualifications:

Account Executives (2) - Male / Female, not more than 30 years old - Candidate must posses a Bachelor/ College Degree in any Business field.

- Willing to work under pressure, flexible, persuasive, can speak fluently and computer literate - A team player - With Basic Salary, Transportation, Communication, allowance + Commission For interested applicants, you may send your resume to: HR Department EDGEDavao

Doors 13 & 14 Alcrej B;dg., Quirino Ave., Davao City Tel. No. (082) 221-3601 Email: edgedavao@gmail.com

- At least high school graduate, not more than 30 years old - Physically and mentally fit - Can handle minor repairs of the machine - Has the ability to be cool under pressure of deadlines and complex projects - Experience of at least one year Door 14 Alcrej Building, Quirino Ave., 8000 Davao City, Philippines E-mail: marketing@edgedavao.net zion_publishing@yahoo.com Telefax: (082) 2213601 Website: www.edgedavao.net

14

SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

‘HONTI’ HAUNTS Hontiveros sparkles as Alaska takes Game 1 in OT T

HEY did it again.

The Alaska Aces came back from a 22-point deficit to pull off a magical 88-82 overtime victory over the highly fa-

NO CLEAR PATH. Cyrus Baguio of Alaska tries to wiggle out of the clutches of Chris Lutz of San Miguel Beer in Game 1.

Nuki Sabio

vored San Miguel Beermen in Game 1 of the 2014 PBA Philippine Cup Finals, Wednesday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Dondon Hontiveros, a member of the San Miguel Beermen for over a decade, sank a crucial triple with 2:34 left in the overtime period to give Alaska an 82-76 advantage. The

Aces held on for the rest of the game as the Beermen suddenly went cold from the field.

Calvin Abueva was named the Best Player of

the Game because of his all-game brilliance as he finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists.

Rookie Chris Banchero also played one of his best games in his young career with 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists.

However, it was Hontiveros who scored the key baskets once again for Alaska. After making five threepoint shots in their last win, Hontiveros made four in Game 1 as he scored 15 points and added six rebounds.

Chris Lutz led the Beermen with 24 points, four rebounds, and four assists but he committed a costly turnover at the tail end of regulation, which cost them an opportunity to win the game.

June Mar Fajardo scored 14 points and added 17 rebounds but most his points came in the first quarter.

Arwind Santos added 12 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks but he turned the ball over seven times.

The Beermen showed that rust would not be a problem for them as they quickly built a double-digit lead at 15-5 after a fast break layup from Fajardo.

Cal-

vin Abueva checked into the game to try and arrest the skid but he quickly made his way back to the bench after being called for a flagrant foul penalty 1 on David Semerad.

The Beermen were up big, 27-5, after the first quarter thanks to a 16-0 run.

Their defense held the Aces scoreless in the last 6:39 of the opening period.

Needing to change the game up, the Aces employed their vaunted press to start the second. This quickly led to six points for the rookie Chris Banchero as Alaska eclipsed its five-point first quarter less than two minutes into the second.

With Abueva and Ping Exciminiano providing the energy, Alaska got within nine points of the Beermen at 29-20, thanks for a 15-2 run. However, San Miguel Beer held a 45-31 lead at the half after getting bonus points from defensive stalwarts Bitoy Omolon and Chris Ross.

The third quarter saw the Aces storm their way back into the game. A late 9-0 blast capped by a Hontiveros triple got Alaska within four at 50-46, the closest they’ve been since the Beermen erected a 7-2 lead.

From a high of 22 points down, the Aces only faced a 54-49 deficit heading into the final quarter.

The Aces got their first taste of the lead, 63-62, at the 6:29 mark of the final

quarters after back to back triples from Hontiveros and RJ Jazul. This was followed by a steal from Casio and a layup from Baguio but Santos tied the ball game anew at 65 with a straightaway three.

The Beermen then built their own three point lead but Casio tied the ball game at 72 with his own triple.

Down by a single point late in the game, the Alaska Aces went to the former Beermen and Hontiveros responded by draining a jumper to give them a 74-73 lead with 40.8 seconds left in the ball game.

Alaska had a golden shot at icing the game but lighting struck JVee Casio as he slipped again reminiscent of the game-turning series in the semifinals of the 2014 PBA Governors’ Cup. In the ensuing jump ball, June Mar Fajardo grabbed the ball and called for a timeout but the referees refused to blow their whistles. Calvin Abueva then fouled Fajardo who split his free throws for a 74-all deadlock.

Casio then missed his goahead attempt but Chris Lutz launched a prayer from the wrong side of the court even if there were still more than three seconds in the contest with the Beermen still holding two full timeouts.

This gave Alaska the chance to win the ball game but Hontiveros his game-winning three-point attempt with 1.5 seconds

left.

The Main Man: Abueva was once again the key ingredient in the Alaska mix as his energy changed the complexion of the game. His first stint on the floor was cut short by a flagrant foul but he made up for it in the rest of the game.

Honorable Mentions: Hontiveros, Banchero, and Casio all scored in double-digits for Alaska to serve as Abueva’s main back-ups.

Game Turning Point: The triple Hontieveros sank with 2:24 left in the overtime period sank the Beermen’s hopes of getting back into the game. A turnover from Lutz and misses from Cabagnot and Santos hastened SMB’s downfall.

Tweets from the Game: Stat of the Game: With their starters struggling, Alaska’s bench carried the fight for the Aces. Their bench mob score 61 points compared to only 20 for San Miguel.

Next Game: Game 2 on Friday, January 9, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum He Said It: Alaska head coach Alex Compton: I thought we had a bad a start as we could have.

We came out flat. Parang kami yung galing sa layoff but with these guys, their heart, their effort, I just kept reminding them that we’ve come back from 20 points down in the third quarter before if we commit to defense.

They guys never gave up.

They kept chipping away.

ITY Mayor’s Office bucked a slow start and overcame an early double digit deficit to carve out an 87 – 69 win over Everball Columbia Computer Center on Wednesday night in Game 3 of their 2015 Basketball Friendly Series at the Davao City Recreation Center Almendras Gym. The City Hall dribblers erased an 11 points lead, 26 – 15, in closing minutes of the first period and went into offensive blast in the final half behind Christopher “Bong” Go to notch their third straight victory for a 3 – 0 series lead.

Go came through with 40 points with the bulk of it came from long range bombs as the CMO’s scoring-leader continued to flourish at the rainbow area in this series.

The sweet-shooting trusted-aid of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who fired off an appealing rainbow shots that seem to find the net more often than not, shot a total of 28 three pointers in three games of the series.

With his lethal pull up and fall away jumpers and ripening running bank-shots,

Go possesses the most offensive force in this series that enabled the City Hall dribblers to pull off a win in dominating fashion.

Everball Columbia came out strong dictating the tempo bridging the first and second period.

But they fumbled the rest of the way to absorb another setback despite Rico Kwan Tiu found his offensive game going.

Kwan Tiu scored teamhigh 16 points but the Everball Columbia go-to-guy drew limited support.

Eugene Labor made 17 and Ricky Sumagang and Joel Aberilla chipped in a combined 17 as well for CMO. Filbon Maligro had 11 for Everball Columbia. (Rico Biliran) BOX SCORES CMO – 87 – GO 40, LABOR 11, ABERILLA 9, SUMAGANG 8, APOSTOL 6, CLORIBEL 5, FLORES 4, CASAN 2, PELOTON 2, POLIQUIT 0, REYES 0.

EVERBALL – 69 – KWAN TIU 16, MALIGRO 11, LUCERO 9, ANGSINCO 9, BALISALISA 8, MACARANDANG 8, FRANCISCO 6, CHUIM 2, SUAREZ 0, AVINANTE 0, MENDING 0

takes 3 - 0 Smart partner community CMO lead over Everball bonds with cage heroes C SMART TREAT. Smart treats community partners to Talk ‘N Text game. Residents of the Marikina Watershed, a community partner of Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) in efforts to reforest the Marikina Watershed, took time off from their duties to watch a basketball game featuring Talk ‘N Text at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. As a community partner, the group takes

care of the seedlings planted by Smart, its volunteers, and partner organizations. Members also serve as guides and provide assistance during tree-planting activities within the watershed. They are shown here with Talk ‘N Text and Gilas Pilipinas power forward Ranidel de Ocampo and guard Jayson Castro for a meet-and-greet with the players after the game.

ESIDENTS of the Marikina Watershed, a community partner of Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) in the protection and preservation of a critical watershed, took time off recently to watch a basketball

to reforest and protect the Marikina Watershed, which serves as the last line of defense against floods for Metro Manila and other outlying areas.

The residents of the said community take care of the

R

game featuring Talk ‘N Text at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

Smart organized the activity for these basketball aficionados in recognition of the community’s invaluable contribution to efforts

reforested areas of Smart, established by its volunteers, and partner organizations. They also serve as guides and provide assistance during tree-planting activities conducted within the watershed. (PR)

VOL. 7 ISSUE 210 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 9-10, 2015

SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

MOVING ON. AnaIvanovic of Siberia hits it low but still gets the winning result in Brisbane.

15

FRENCH BET. Alize Cornet of France plays a forehand to Casey Dellacqua of Australia in the women’s singles match during day four of the 2015 Hopman Cup at Perth Arena on January 7, 2015 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell/ Getty Images)

Ivanovic ends France stays alive Aussie charge

in Hopman Cup F

RANCE kept their hopes of a second successive Hopman Cup title alive by edging past Australia at the Perth Arena on Wednesday.

The French pairing of Alize Cornet, who teamed with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to win the mixed teams tournament last year, and Benoit Paire won the Group B tie 2-1, after taking out the deciding mixed doubles rubber against Casey Dellacqua and Marinko Matosevic.

With one win and a loss from their two ties, Cornet and Paire, who replaced the injured Tsonga at the tournament, will need to defeat unbeaten Poland on Friday to be in with a chance to advance to Saturday’s final of the eight-nation tournament.

If the Polish pairing of Agnieszka Radwanska and Jerzy Janowicz win Friday’s tie they will go through to the title decider.

Radwanska and Grze-

gorz Panfil were beaten in last year’s final by the French.

World number 18 Cornet, who appeared to be troubled by a lower back complaint, had her hands full with local favourite Casey Dellacqua early and it was the 29th-ranked Australia who took the first set 6-4.

At 5-5 in the second set the match was evenly poised, but the Frenchwoman then won seven successive games to put her on her way to a 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 win.

Paire then looked set to secure the tie for the French when he took the first set against Matosevic, but the Australian substitute player fought back to win the match in three sets, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

The French then claimed the mixed doubles, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 in a very tight battle.

Earlier, Radwanska and

ORLD number one Novak Djokovic took a significant step towards winning an opening week tournament for the first time in eight years on Wednesday, simultaneously earning himself a meeting with the man with 9,000 aces.

The Serbian’s increasingly fluent performance during a 6-2, 6-1 win over the Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky avoided a potential banana skin against an opponent best known for upsetting Roger Federer at Wimbledon 18 months ago, and it carried him into the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open.

Djokovic was pleased that

after saving three break back points in the seventh game, he acquired more rhythm and started dominating an opponent whose penchant for net attacks can be disruptive.

“From that moment on it felt a different match,” Djokovic said. “I felt I was more swinging through the ball on the court and playing more confidently.”

It earned him a meeting with another unusual opponent who can be dangerous in a very different way -- the seventh seeded Ivo Karlovic, whose 17 aces during a straight sets win over Nikoloz Basilashvili, a qualifier from Georgia, increased his career total to 9,041.

Djokovic nears first title of the year W

Janowicz remained unbeaten after two ties by claiming the deciding mixed doubles rubber against Great Britain’s Heather Watson and Andy Murray.

Radwanska gave the Poles the early ascendancy when she was far too good for 50th-ranked Watson, winning plenty of cheap points through Watson errors in her 65-minute 6-3, 6-1 win.

Radwanska said she played significantly better than when defeating Australian Casey Dellacqua on Sunday.

“I felt very good on the court today and in the second set I was playing much better, I think more consistent and confident and that’s for sure,” she said.

Radwanska said defeat in last year’s final would motivate her in Friday’s tie against the French.

Murray, ranked sixth in the world, levelled the tie with an impressive 6-2, 6-4

win over Janowicz.

The Scot dropped the first two games against the dangerous Janowicz, but then reeled off nine successive games to take total control.

Murray had complained of shoulder pain after his opening win against Paire.

While he was still a little sore during the clash with Janowicz, he said it was nothing to be concerned about.

“My shoulder felt much better today,” Murray said.

“As I’m playing the matches it’s starting to feel a little bit better.

“It’s not like when I play on it it gets much worse, I do feel much better after a bit of rest and treatment on it.”

In the mixed doubles, the Poles were always in control in their 6-4, 6-4 winning match, creating 15 break points to their opponents’ three during the match.

A

NA Ivanovic has dumped the last remaining Australian woman from the Brisbane International, defeating Jarmila Gajdosova in straight sets.

Making her first appearance in Brisbane in three years, the Serbian prevailed 6-4 6-1 to open her 2015 account in style at Pat Rafter Arena on Wednesday night.

Following Sam Stosur’s shock first round loss and the exits of adopted Aussies Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Gavrilova on Tuesday, there are no locals left in the women’s singles draw.

Ivanovic was given a stern test early on by wildcard entrant Gajdosova, who upset China’s Shuai Zhang in the first round and has made strides on her comeback trail from a bout of glandular fever.

But the former world number one turned the screws at the right time, saving three break points to hold 5-4 before closing out the opening set in 44 minutes.

She then soaked up the pressure from Slovakian-born Gajdosova, who tried her best to stay in touch but was ultimately outclassed by Ivanovic,

currently ranked No.7 in the WTA, in a brutal second set.

“We actually grew up together playing juniors so we’ve known each other for a long time,” Ivanovic said.

“I really tried to get into the match a little bit in the beginning and I was really happy to raise my level in the second set.” All four women’s quarter-finals will take place on Thursday, with Ivanovic to face 2012 Brisbane champion Kaia Kanepi after the Estonian’s 6-3 7-6 win over Madison Brengle earlier on centre court.

Ivanovic did not finish with a top 10 WTA ranking in any year from 2009 to 2013, but appears to be on a slow climb back to the top after a breakthrough season last year.

She captured a career-best four singles titles and notched seven top 10 wins in 2014.

“It was an amazing year,” Ivanovic said.

“I really started to enjoy myself off the court and tried to approach it a little light-hearted and enjoy the competition.

“I was really happy that I managed to do that and my form improved over the last few months of last year.”

INTO THE FINALS. Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball to Sergiy Stakhovsky of the Ukraine during their tennis match in Qatar’s ExxonMobil Open in Doha on January 7, 2015.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. VOL.77ISSUE ISSUE210 210• FRIDAY-SATURDAY, • FRIDAY-SATURDAY,JANUARY JANUARY9-10, 9-10,2015 2015

PINOY PRIDE 29. ALA Promotions president and chief executive officer Michael Aldeguer (center) is joined by (from left) trainer Edito Villamor, Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo, Jason “El Niño” Pagara, Genesis “Azukal” Servania and “King” Arthur Villanueva during the launching of Pinoy Pride 29 at The Royal Mandaya Hotel yesterday. Pinoy Pride 29 is slated on February 7 at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) Gymnasium. Lean Daval Jr.

MEXICAN CHALLENGE

Davao fans get rare boxing treat

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

D

AVAO fight fans will have the time of their lives when big-time boxing returns to the city with Pinoy Pride 29 set February 7 at the University of Southeastern Philippines Gym (USeP Gym).

Two of the country’s best hopes for a world title— light welterweight Jason “El Nino” Pagara and super bantamweight Genesis “Azukal” Servania-- will be at the limelight this time with tough hombres from Mexico making the challenge.

“It’s going to be a big treat for Davao and we are glad to bring Pinoy Pride back in your city,” said ALA vice president Dennis Canete.

The fight will be launched formally in a few days.

The promising Pagara, 26, will battle 27-year old Cesar “El Dolar” Chavez while Servania will tangle with “Black Pearl” Juan Luis Hernandez.

The last time Pinoy Pride was held in Davao City was in the Pinoy Pride 18 that saw Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista lose to Mexican Jose “Negro” Ramirez at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) Gym. Philboxing.com reported that Chavez, who has a record of 23-7 with 11 knockouts, is coming off a rousing 3rd round knockout of Javier Gallegos last October 3 and had earlier won the vacant Mexican Pacific Coast light welterweight title with a 5th round TKO of Fernando Hernandez

on December 29, 2011 but lost by a 4th round knockout to Roberto Ortiz in a WBC Silver title fight on February 4, 2012.

Pagara won the title with a smashing 6th round TKO in a rematch with menacing-looking Rosbel Montoya who had won a unanimous ten round decision to grab the WBO Asia Pacific Youth title on September 10, 2011.

Pagara, who has a record of 34-2 with 21 knockouts is coming off a successful fourth title defense of his WBO International title against resilient Mexican Mario Meraz, scoring a TKO with one second remaining in the 4th round when referee Danrex Tapdasan called a halt despite the fact that Meraz beat the count,

raised his hands and indicated he was ready to continue last June 21.

On the other hand, the undefeated 23year old Servania who has a record of 25-0 with 11 knockouts, will have a tougher challenge than Pagara when he battles the 32year old Hernandez who sports a record of 17-3-1 with 9 knockouts.

Pinoy Pride is the most successful boxing show promoted by ALA Promotions with CEO Michael Aldeguer at the helm in partnership with television carrier ABS CBN Sports.

international junior welterweight crown against Cesar ”El Dolar” Chavez of Mexico.

Pagaara, who will be entering the ring at 34 wins and 2 loses with 21 knockouts, also promised Davao fans an electrifying title clash.

The Filipino champion, ranked number four by the

WBO, is being prepared for a stint in the US by the AlLA Gym. Also fighting in the card are three impressive Filipino fighters aiming to reach the top.

WBO intercontinental jr. featherweight titlist Genesis “Azukal” Servania (25-0, 11 KOs) will see action in

TOUGH CHALLENGE. Genesis Servania will have a tough opponent in Mexican Black Pearl Hernandez. ABS CBN Sports Photo

Pinoy Pride returns to Davao

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY

B

OXING fans in Davao City get the chance to witness another exciting action atop the ring with the staging of Pinoy Pride 29 on February 7 at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) Gym in Obrero.

“We’re looking forward to a great show,” ALA Pro-

motions president and CEO Michael Aldeguer said of next month’s card featuring Filipino ring warriors against equally tough rivals from Mexico and Thailand.

The big event dubbed “Fist of Fury” will be headlined by Jason “El Nino” Pagara’s defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO)

the co-main feature opposite challenger Juan Luis “Perla Negra” Hernandez of Mexico (17-3, 9 KOs).

Arthur Villanueva of the Philippines faces Julio Cesar Miranda of Mexico while the promising Mark Magsayo steps into the ring opposite Sukkasem Kietyongyuth of Thailand.

Aldeguer presented his fighters at a press conference yesterday at The Royal Mandaya Hotel.

The ALA Promotions had its first Pinoy Pride boxing event in Davao City back in April of 2013 when Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista lost to Jose Ramirez of Mexico.