Edge Davao 7 Issue 222

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

TRAGIC. The bodies of 30 policemen from Manila are retrieved yesterday morning from the scene of Sunday’s clash between the PNP’s Special Action Force, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Barangay Tuka, Mamasapano, Maguindanao. The police unit launched an operation to get Malaysian national Zulkifli Bin Hir alias “Marwan,” allegedly a member of the Jemaah Islamiyah, but did not coordinate with the military and the MILF as provided for in the GPH-MILF ceasefire agreement. MindaNews photo by Ferdinandh B. Cabrera

BREAKDOWN Zarate wants probe on Maguindanao encounter

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

AYAN Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate yesterday blamed a “breakdown” in the established mechanisms agreed upon by the government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for the deadly encounter in Mamasapanon town in Maguindanao last Sunday that left dozens of elite police personnel dead.

“Even as we condemn the loss of lives in these incidents, Congress must also conduct

a thorough investigation… since it appears that there was breakdown in the established mechanisms agreed upon by the GPH and MILF,” Zarate said in a statement.

At least 50 government troops were killed in a “dawn to dusk” gunbattle in the village of Tukanalipao between a team from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) in Manila that apparently did not coordinate with local police and military authorities, and

the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and its breakaway, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

Sources said the SAF Manila team of about 40 reportedly intended to serve a warrant of arrest on Malaysian national Zulkifli Bin Hir alias “Marwan,” allegedly a member of the Jemaah Islamiyah.

The United States’ National Counterterrorism Center in its website said

Zulkifli, 49, an engineer trained in the United States, is believed head of the Kumpulun Mujahidin Malaysia (MM) allegedly a terror group, and a member of the Jemaah Islamiyah’s central command.

“Since August 2003, he has been present in the Philippines, where he is believed to have conducted bomb-making training for the Abu Sayyaf Group,” the NCTC website said.

FBREAKDOWN, 14

INSIDE EDGE

STAYING ALIVE

Serena fights back to reach Australian Open quarterfinals

SPORTS page 15

2 THE BIG NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

SMILE! A young girl poses atop a concrete embankment beside the sea front at Magsaysay Park yesterday as her older sister takes her photo using a cellular phone. Magsaysay Park still attracts park-goers despite its dilapidated facilities.

Lean Daval Jr.

Roxas orders probe on Maguindanao encounter D

EPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas has ordered the formation of a Board of Inquiry “to get to the bottom” of Sunday’s mis-encounter between the police’s Special Action Force (SAF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

In a brief press conference held inside this camp of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, Roxas confirmed

the recovery of 43 bodies as of 4:00 p.m. Monday of SAF elements involved in Sunday’s operation to get Afghanistantrained bomb-makers Jemaah Islamiyah operative Zulkipli bin Hir, alias Marwan; and his cohort Abdul Basit Usman.

Eleven other SAF members were recovered wounded.

“I am saluting them all (fallen SAF members) and I am assuring that all honors and benefits be given to their respective families,” Roxas said.

He said he remains confident that the misencounter would not affect that ongoing GPF-MILF peace talks as it was not the MILF the state troopers were after but rather Marwan and Usman.

Roxas then requested for and led a minute of silence for the fallen police personnel.

The DILG chief also answered queries of newsmen on the pictures of someone killed with semblance of Marwan but he said this was “yet to be verified.”

He added, “Mukhang nakalabas naman si Usman.”

Roxas described Sunday’s encounter as the “single worst mis-encounter incident in recent history.”

Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, whom Roxas appointed to lead the Board of Inquiry, vowed to stay behind in the Maguindanao area until everything is cleared out.

Espina confirmed that the SAF strength involved in the

Mamasapano operation was at 393 but only 35 entered the interiors of Barangay Tukanalipao to get the high value targets.

“I will not leave until everyone in the SAF team is accounted for,” a visibly sad Espina said.

He described the incident as a legitimate operation gone bad, adding that all those involved in the mission were SAF personnel.

“The SAF has no specific area of operation. They are

highly mobile. The composite team in Mamasapano came from North Cotabato, Maguindanao and other nearby provinces,” Espina stressed.

Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, said all the recovered bodies of the fallen SAF troopers showed no sign of mutilation or looting whatsoever.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor

of the goals and targets of the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) and the Philippine Development Plan.

The MOA will cover local road projects within the jurisdiction of Davao City which are included in the DOTDPWH convergence program for 2014.

One of the on-going road projects is the road improvement and widening of G. Porras and Trade School Drive in Barrio Obrero leading to People’s Park with an allocation of P116,000.

Another project is the

upgrading and widening of the road including the reconstruction of Megkawayan Bridge along Lacson, Lamanan and Inayangan going to the Megkawayan peak with an allocation of P484,000.

The parties have agreed to cooperate with the project with respect to the following areas in undertaking the local projects.

FROXAS, 14

Anti-corruption group Council tackles MOA with DOT, DPWH on road projects active in Davao: convenor

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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HE People Power Volunteers for Reform (PPVR) continues to monitor suspected graft and corruption cases in the Davao Region.

This was bared by businessman Benjie Lizada, PPVR Region 11 head convenor, during yesterday’s presentation of the Kapehan sa Dabaw at the atrium of SM City Davao Annex in Ecoland, Matina.

PPVR is the nationwide civil society organization (CSO) formed more than two years ago to help the Aquino administration

stamp out corruption in the government.

In Davao it is initially involved in checking activities of smugllers suspected to be in cahoots with some corrupt personnel of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the Davao Port, Lizada said.

Lizada, a restaurateur, appeared in the Kapehan as vice chair of the executive committee of the Visit Davao Fun Sales (VDFS) 2015, a grand activity designed to lure tourists from all over the country and abroad, April 3 to May 17.

FANTI, 14

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abf@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City Council is set to discuss a tripartite Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the city government for the convergence program for tourism road infrastructure project prioritization (TRIPP).

In the regular session today (Tuesday), the City Council will discuss on second reading the resolution to enact an ordinance granting legislative authority to Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte to sign a MOA with DOT 11 and DPWH

11.

Based on the report of the committee on rules, privileges, laws and ordinances headed by councilor Bernard E. Alag, the DOT and DPWH are currently implementing the convergence program for tourism road convergence program.

The program is a joint undertaking of identification, evaluation, prioritization, and provision of tourism infrastructure. It includes local road projects in priority tourist destination areas in the country.

This program is in support

The undertaking are the maintenance of the local road projects, including preconstruction and construction works activities, maintenance

FCOUNCIL, 14

VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

MJ Lastimosa settles for Top 10 finish B ETTER luck next time for the next Miss Universe candidate from Mindanao.

This in essence was what Davao del Sur tourism officer Oscar Casaysay said on the failure of Mary Jean Lastimosa to capture the Miss Universe title in yesterday’s beauty pageant held in Florida, USA. Casaysay is a friend of MJ’s as he was the official chaperon of Mutya ng Dabaw beauties when he was still working with the Davao City government. Ms Lastimosa, a computer engineering graduate of the University of Mindanao, became Mutya in 2008.

Casaysay said there have been only three candidates for Miss Universe from Mindanao: Ms Lastimosa; Ms Lea Andrea

Ramos of Davao City, a political science graduate of the University of the PhilippinesDiliman; and Ms Shamcey Supsup-Lee, an architect graduate also of UP-Diliman from General Santos City.

Lea Andrea, daughter of a banker from Davao City, was Binibining Pilipinas-Universe of 2006. Supsup was born in Iligan City but grew up in Gensan. Shamcey placed third runner-up of the Miss Universe in 2011.

In yesterday’s beauty pageant, MJ, who had the full support of the North Cotabato provincial government under Gov. Emmylou “Lala” T. Mendoza, made it to the top 10 of the 88 candidates. The candidate from Colombia, Paulina Vega, 22, won the title.

AMA

Davao-Samal bridge gets closer to reality

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

HE Regional Development Council (RDC) 11 approved the conduct of feasibility study for the construction of the Davao-Samal Bridge which has an estimated cost of P10 billion.

In a statement, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 11 said the proposal “stems from the results of a pre-feasibility study funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which was a component of the Davao Integrated Development Program (DIDP) Master Plan formulated in 1999 with an estimated project cost of P6.48 billion for a two-lane suspension bridge with a length of 1,200 meters.”

In a separate study done by consultants from Katahira and Engineers International in 2005, alternative start-end points were recommended which increased the proposed bridge length to 1,350 meters, upping the project cost to P 15.93 billion, the statement added.

RDC 11 approved a recommendation by the consultants for the conduct of a full-blown feasibility study on the project in 2015. The feasibility study will be funded by the NEDA Feasibility Study Fund and is targeted to be completed by 2016 before Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario steps down from his post next year.

Department of Tourism

FDAVAO, 14

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS

3

CHEERING MJ. Work temporarily stopped in many offices in Davao City as people cheered for Mindanaoan Mary Jean Lastimosa who competed in yesterday’s Miss Universe pageant. Lastimosa, who was among the early favorites, did not make it to the final top five of the pageant. Lean Daval Jr.

Charges filed against 3 Zambo blast suspects T

HE Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) has filed criminal charges against three people implicated in last Friday’s bomb explosion that killed two people and injured 52 others in this city, a top police official announced Monday.

Charged Monday with double murder, frustrated murder and illegal possession of firearms before the City Prosecutor’s Office were: Hadja Babylyn Mualam, 41; Aldamer Sahibuddin, 23; and, Isrhalyn Ismael, 20.

Senior Supt. Angelito

Casimiro, ZCPO director, said they were arrested in followup operations hours after the incident by composite team of policemen in Oriental Home Subdivision, Sitio Talungon, Barangay San Roque, this city.

Casimiro said the follow-up operation was launched after they received information the car where the bomb was placed was seen at the compound of Mualam before the incident.

The bomb exploded around 3:15 p.m. Friday in Barangay Guiwan, this city.

The bomb was place in a

UNLOADING. Laborers unload sacks of charcoal from the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) to be delivered to Davao City’s public markets. This scene is a familiar sight at the Sta. Ana wharf. Lean Daval Jr.

car and parked in front of a disco pub located across the bus terminal.

The arresting team confiscated from the suspect’s residence one M-4 assault rifle, 17 rounds of ammunition for M-16 rifle, one long magazine for ammunition, one electric tester, two nine-volt dry cell batteries, assorted pieces of small cut-size wires, a mobile phone and charger, an earphone, an empty gallon with gasoline residue and three passport size photographs.

Meanwhile, Casimiro said initial post blast investigation resulted in the recovery of mortar fragments believed to be either of 81-mm or 60mm.

Casimiro said investigation continues in a bid to determine whether or not there are still other suspects at large.

In related development, Casimiro said the number of hospitalized victims was brought down to nine from 10 as one of them was already discharged from the hospital.

(PNA)

OUTH Cotabato’s mining and quarry revenues dropped by around P1.25 million last year as officials noted a slowdown in smallscale mining operations in the area.

Siegfred Flaviano, South Cotabato Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO), said Monday they only collected a total of P10.9 million in mining as well as sand and gravel taxes from January to December 2014 within the province’s 10 towns and lone city.

He said such figure was P1.1 million below their P12 million collection target last year that was set based on their total revenues of P12.15 million in 2013.

Flaviano said the province’s share in the mining

and quarry tax collection amounted to P4.6 million while the rest was shared by the city and municipal governments.

The provincial imposition under mining and quarry covers sand and gravel tax; mining tax; mining permit fee; ore transport fee; occupational mining tax; verification fee; filing fee; permit fee; projection fee; processing fee; fines/penalties/surcharges; and, miscellaneous (delivery receipts).

The official attributed the drop in mining and quarry revenues to the significant reduction of the number of small-scale mining operators in T’boli town last year.

He said their records showed that out of the 184 tunnel operators recorded

SoCot mining, quarry revenues drop in 2014 S

FSOCOT, 14

4 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

New CDO bridge defaced; opening moved to Feb. 8 V

ANDALS have defaced the newest bridge in the city, prompting authorities here to move its inauguration from Feb. 6 to Feb. 8.

Department of Public Works and Highways Region 10 spokesperson Sandra Flores said they have to repaint the entire bridge after vandals believed to be youngsters defaced every girder with graffiti.

She said it would not look good not to repaint the bridge when Spanish Ambassador Carlos Salinas and DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson arrive on Feb. 8 for its opening.

“The Spanish ambassador might think that we are not taking care of the bridge which is a donation from their government,” Flores said.

She said the vandals were able to deface the bridge

when it opened for a five-day trial last Jan. 15 to 19.

“It is sad that youngsters do not appreciate this newest addition to our city,” she lamented.

The Spanish government donated all the steel girders used in the new bridge that connected Barangay Carmen to the Divisoria portion in Cagayan de Oro. The city has four other bridges.

Flores said the Philippine Government allotted P191 million to finish the construction of the new bridge.

Aside from repainting the bridge, Flores said they will use the spare period to install solar-powered lights on the structure.

She also said they will transfer an obelisk which pedestrians complained impeded their passage during the trial. (Froilan Gallardo/ MindaNews)

NEW BUT ALREADY DEFACED. The new bridge that connects Barangay Carmen to Divisoria in Cagayan de Oro City is yet to be inaugurated on Feb. 6, but it is already being vandalized as this photo taken on Jan. 23 shows. MindaNews photo by Froilan Gallardo

SouthCot gov’t clears debris off Lake Holon T

Dr. Jean-Christophe Gaillard

Expert to discuss disaster in UP Min A

FRENCH geographer and disaster expert will give a free public lecture with interactive activities in UP Mindanao, at the Lorenzo Room, Administration Building, Mintal, Davao City on January 30 at 9 a.m.

Dr. Jean-Christophe Gaillard, an associate professor at the University of Auckland, will talk on “Gender beyond men and women: Reflections on gender minorities in disasters.”

Gaillard’s topics of research are disaster risk reduction (DRR), participatory tools for DRR, marginalization and DRR with focus on ethnicity, gender minorities, prisoners and homeless people, small-

scale and neglected disasters, livelihood assessment and strengthening in DRR, and post-disaster resettlement.

His regions of interest are the Philippines, Indonesia, Nepal, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, New Zealand, and Mexico.

Gaillard did his doctoral thesis paper on the Mt. Pinatubo rehabilitation program and he speaks fluent Tagalog and Kapampangan as a result of his studies in the area.

Reservations by interested participants may be made on or before January 28 through the UP Mindanao Office of Extension at (082) 293-0494 or by email to dcguilabtan@up.edu.ph.

HE provincial government of South Cotabato has launched massive clearing operations at the critical crater-lake Holon in T’boli town to prevent possible flashfloods in its downstream outlets.

Milagros Lorca, acting head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said Friday they are currently clearing the lake of water hyacinths or water lilies and other wastes that could eventually clog up its outlets.

She said the clogging of wastes on its outlet-tributaries could cause the damming of water and eventually trigger flashfloods.

Citing reports from their area monitors, she said wa-

ter hyacinths and other water weeds have already started to fill up a portion of the lake’s main outlet.

“This might later cause the water level in the lake to rise and cause flooding in vulnerable communities in the downstream areas,” Lorca said in a statement.

She said they launched the cleanup after conducting an onsite inspection and assessment of the status of Lake Holon, formerly known as Maughan.

She said they tapped local residents to lead the clearing operations through the local government’s food-for-work program.

Based on their assessment, Lorca said there is a need to conduct clearing activ-

AUTISM WEEK. Thirteen year-old Child With Autism (CWA) Henrico Paolo Basquez performs at SM Annex Activity Centre on Sunday during the PWD Got Talent portion in observance of Autism Consciousness Week. He also sang and wowed his audience at the DSWD Convocation Program Monday morning. A consistent top student, Basquez is

ities to de-clog the lake of accumulated wastes once every quarter.

She said they submitted a request to Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes for the purchase of two pump boats that will be used for the clearing activities.

Lorca said they also recommended the immediate replacement of the worn-out rain gauge installed at the site, the installation of staff gauge or marker for water level monitoring and the establishment of a satellite office near the lake’s main outlet.

The satellite office will house the lake’s caretakers and members of the PDRRMO’s assessment team who will be assigned to monitor the lake, she added.

Flashfloods struck parts of South Cotabato on September 6, 1995 after a portion of the lake’s crater caved in due to alleged treasure hunting activities.

An estimated 30 million cubic meters of water or the equivalent of 12,000 Olympic-size pools, flowed out destructively from the lake, leaving residents in utter shock and grief. Several low-lying areas were submerged in water for several days.

Based on the official records of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the 1995 flashflood killed 53 people, 14 of them not recovered.

Damages to farmlands and infrastructure were pegged at P212 million. (MindaNews)

in second year high school at SPED Rizal, Davao City. Over 100 children with autism, parents and teachers joined the Angels’ Walk around SM City Davao Mall following the special program. Theme for the celebration is “Autism Inclusive Philippines: Aim High! Fly High!” DSWD/Carmela C. Duron

5 ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

Alabado: Visit Davao Fun Sale 2015 to draw 10k domestic, foreign tourists

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

HE Department of Tourism (DOT) in Davao Region targets to double up the number of tourist arrival in this year’s Visit Davao Fun Sale slated from April 3 to May 17.

Newly-installed DOT 11 regional director Roberto Alabado, speaking in yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Annex, said the collaboration of different tourism industry players like shopping malls, health and wellness establishments, restaurants and tour operators will bring around 10,000 domestic and foreign tourists during the summer period.

Alabado said DOT11 recorded a total of 195,713 tourists from March 14 to April 16 last year which is higher than the 190,334 tourist arrival in the same period of 2013.

“We assume that the additional 5,000 tourist recorded last summer was because of the Davao Fun Sale,” Alabado said.

He added that the city was able to earn close to around P3-billion from last year’s event based from hotel occupancy reports of different establishments in the city.

“This year’s Fun Sale event will be much bigger,”Alabado said.

The DOT 11 head said this year’s Fun Sale event is much bigger as the whole Davao City is participating, including the City Government of Davao which is assigned in promoting the six-week event not only in Mindanao but also in Manila.

“We would like to position Davao City as a key destination to food, dining, adventure and MICE,” Alabado said.

Gaisano Mall marketing manager Dondi Alentajan, who is vice president of the Retailers Association of Davao City, said malls are planning to give as much as 50 percent to 70 percent discount on their products.

“We are still finalizing whether we will give 80 percent discount on some selected items,” Alentajan said.

Nine malls and stores will give special discounts and promos during the duration, namely: Abreeza Ayala Mall, Gaisano Mall of Davao in Bajada and Toril, NCCC Mall, S&R shopping center, Robinsons Abreeza, SM City Davao-Ecol-

FALABADO, 14

FUN SALE. Newly-installed Department of Tourism (DOT) 11 director Roberto Alabado III (right) and Davao City Tourism Operations Office officer-in-charge Lisette Marques announce the upcoming launch of the Visit

Davao Fun Sale 2015, a six-week campaign promoting Davao City as a travel and tour destination, during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

TIEZA to fund 5 Davao projects

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

HE Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), infrastructure arm of Department of Tourism (DOT), will be financing five tourism projects in Davao Region this year.

Eden Josephine L. David, chief tourism officer of DOT 11, said most of these Tieza projects will be in Davao Oriental.

David said most of the tourism projects are in Davao

Oriental because the tourism agency aims to revive the tourism sector after the devastation of the province due to Typhoon Yolanda as well as assists the victims of typhoon.

“We’re looking to develop the viewing deck project for Mt. Hamiguitan in San Isidro , Governor GenerosoParola and improvement of the Aliwagwag Falls in Cateel,” David said.

David, however, wasn’t able to give the total value of

the grant as it is still being consolidated for the projects that will be implemented this year.

David said Tieza will also partly fund the construction of tourism facilities in Camp General Manuel T Yan Sr. located at BrgyTuboran, Mawab, in the province of Compostela Valley.

“The camp is being developed to cater other types of tourists who are interested to be exposed on military activi-

ties,” she said.

Around P5 million is being requested by the local government of Compostela Valley that still being processed, according to David.

Another Tieza-funded project is the rehabilitation of the Km.11Sasa Boat Landing facility that is targeted to be implemented by the first quarter of the year.

Davao City Tourism officer Lissette Marques said the City

CURIOUS. A young boy tries to touch a tropical fish sold at a makeshift store along R. Magsaysay Avenue in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Engineers Office is just finishing some specificcations of the projects required by the Tieza before giving the P5-million grant.

Marques said the rehabilitation will improve the facilitation of transport of tourist to and from Davao City and Samal.

David, meanwhile, said there are Tieza projects that were already finished.

Among these are the con-

struction of tourism facility in Subangan, Davao Oriental and also in Tibolo Eco-Cultural Village in Davao del Sur. “We are just waiting for the turn-over of the facilities in Tibolo Cultural Village to the local government unit of Sta. Cruz,’” David said..

She added that Tieza has already accomplished the the tourism project in Subangan in Mati City, which was also partly funded by Tieza.

ESPITE the slower growth of the economy in 2014, economists, the government, and the business community project brighter prospects for the Philippine economy in 2015.

The country’s average gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first three quarters of last year settled at 5.8 percent, lower than the government’s target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent GDP growth for 2014.

For Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, the economy is seen to regain its fast growth this year after “resting” at 5.8 percent last year -- correcting and adjusting from the booming 7.2 percent GDP growth in 2013.

In an interview, Domingo

projected the country’s GDP to grow at 7.0 percent and above this year supported by the expansion of the manufacturing sector, sustained strength of the services sector, continuous flow of remittances, better performance of agriculture sector, rolling out of public-private partnership (PPP) projects, higher infrastructure budget, election-related spending due to the approaching national election in 2016, continuous decline in prices of oil products, and inflation rate slowdown, among others.

For the part of Alfredo M. Yao, the president of the country’s largest business organization Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), he also forecast the

tegically located to connect Mindanao to major Asian markets.

He said with an initial terminal capacity of 450,000 TEU and the ability to expand to 650,000 TEU, it is set to be the largest container-handling fleet in Mindanao.

The other port development of P3 billion investments is the Davao International Container Terminal. It is an 8-hectare port equipped with modern container handling facility and state-ofthe-art Terminal Operating System that will ensure faster vessel turn-around time.

On the other hand, Castanaga said the Davao del Norte province also registered the highest in num-

bers among the provinces of the region of micro small and medium entrepreneurs (MSME) in the accessing loan assistance.

This he said was made through the assistance of St. Mary’s College under its Business Resource Center Program.

About 150 MSMEs were given assistance by the school in the preparation of documents needed in availing of micro financing extended by the school’s resource center to fund small projects like sari-sari store, ice-cream making and other processed food production. The other provinces only registered 60 to 70 MSMEs loan borrowers under micro financing. (PNA)

Bright prospects seen for PH economy D

FBRIGHT, 14

Poverty reduction program Robinsons expands to Tagum with P2.7-billion investment for fisherfolk in Region 12 T

T

HE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has allocated around P55 million for the implementation this year of a new socio-economic initiative for poor fisherfolk in parts of the region.

Sammy Malvas, BFAR Region 12 director, said Monday they have identified a total of 3,723 inland and coastal fishermen as beneficiaries of the newly-launched Targeted Actions to Reduce Poverty and Generate Economic Transformation in the Fishery Sector or TARGET program in the region.

He said the recipients were chosen from among the registrants of the agency’s National Program for Municipal Fisherfolk Registration (FishR) and the database of the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Region 12.

“We will be providing livelihood assistance to these beneficiaries, who are considered as among the poorest of the poor fisherfolk in the region,” he said during the program’s regional launching here.

Malvas said they were mandated to assist a minimum of five percent of the 68,812 fishermen in Region 12 who were registered last year with the FishR. He said they specifically

identified a total of 818 beneficiaries in Sultan Kudarat, 705 in Sarangani, 1,158 in South Cotabato and this city, 702 in North Cotabato and 260 in Cotabato City.

Under the program, Malvas said the agency will provide various fishery-related livelihood assistance to the beneficiaries as direct intervention to help improve their livelihood status.

He said the assistance, which is worth P15,000 each, will be given directly to the beneficiaries in the form of aquaculture implements and projects.

The livelihood projects would focus on resource enhancement, resource management and protection, as well as postharvest and marketing support, he said.

For recipients situated in the coastal areas, he said the program may provide assistance in the form of motorized bancas, fish aggregating devices or payaos and artificial coral reefs.

Malvas said those in inland areas could avail of fish culture inputs, postharvest implements and fishing devices.

The official said they have hired a total of 62 Field Livelihood Development Technicians (FLDTs) to handle the program’s implementation in selected communities within the region’s four provinces and five cities. (MindaNews)

HE Robinsons Mall could be the largest in this city when it fully operates by 2016.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial director for Davao del Norte Romeo Castanaga said Robinsons was the first to apply for an incentive under the new Incentive and Investment Code of the City.

“It already started its land preparation and once completed it will be the biggest mall in Tagum City,” Castanaga said. Robinsons Mall is owned and operated

by Robinsons Land Corporation.

He said there are already home grown malls operating in the city but the entry

of Robinsons is a welcome development even as they already saw the pouring in of other big investments.

In 2014, he said investments registered to about P8 billion for the province of Davao del Norte making it the highest among the provinces of Davao region in cornering investments for the year.

Part of the investments was the P5 billion port development for container and logistics facilities by the Hijo International Ports Services (HIPS) with joint business venture between Hijo Resources Corporation and ICTSI. An accredited PEZA zone, the upcoming Hijo Port is within a 54-hectare area stra-

7 ENVIRONMENT

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

Uplands devoid of forest cover.

Where have all our forests gone?

Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“

THE illness of our forest is complicated -- and cannot be cured -- with a one-stop prescription of a single medicine.” -- Former Senator Heherson Alvarez. *** During a Subic meeting of local executives some years ago, a distraught Michael Defensor, then head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), said that only 30 percent of the government’s reforestation projects succeeded. “People hardly recognize the economic benefits from protecting the environment. Most sabotaged the program,” he was quoted as saying.

Defensor seemed to echo an earlier study of the Food and Agriculture Organization, entitled Sustainable Forest Management, which stated, “Most of the (Philippines’) once rich forest are gone. Forest recovery, through natural and artificial means, never coped with the destruction rate.”

A study by the World Wild Fund for Nature in those days showed that more than 119,000 hectares of forest cover disappear yearly. At that rate, it was expected that the remaining forest cover would be depleted within 10 years.

In response to the country’s declining forest cover, particularly in natural forests that are mainly covered with native tree species like narra, kamagong, red and white lauan, tindalo, yakal and molave,

Trees are cut extensively.

which are among the most sought after by illegal loggers, President Benigno Aquino signed Executive Order No. 23 on February 1, 2011.

The presidential directive aims to uphold intergeneration responsibility to protect the environment and to prevent further destruction wrought by natural disasters.

It also resulted in the creation of a new anti-illegal logging task force, headed by the DENR honcho.

The Forest Management Bureau, a line agency of the environment department reported that out of the country’s 15.8 million hectares of classified forestland, only 7.168 million are covered with forests.

Environmentalists claim that without forest cover, the Philippines is heading for oblivion. “Where have all our forests gone?” they wonder.

But in a recent evaluation on the progress of EO 23, the current DENR Secretary Ramon Paje expressed confidence in hitting the government’s “zero illegal logging hotspot” target before the end of Aquino’s term in 2016.

“As a result of the order, illegal logging hotspots are now down to 31 from a high of 197 in 2010. We have tightened the noose around the remaining hotspot areas with support from law enforcement agencies led by the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Paje said.

According to Paje, only a total of 6.4 million board feet

were seized by the environment department before the issuance of EO 23. The confiscations significantly increased by 59 percent at 10.28 million board feet as the government’s intensified anti-illegal logging operations went into full swing in 2012.

The figures dropped by 60 percent in 2013 at 4.1 million board feet and by 70.5 percent as of September 2014 at 1.2 million board feet. “This indicates that illegal logging activities have slowed down two years after EO 23 was implemented,” Paje said.

There’s another good news, according to Paje. The government’s National Greening Program (NGP) was 11.6 percent above target. “We have reforested 1,005,013 hectares out of the actual target of 900.000 hectares form 2011 to 2014,” he pointed out.

“At the rate we are going, we expect to significantly exceed the NGP target of 1.5 million hectares by 2016.”

Logging -- legal or illegal -- has been cited as one of the primary culprits of the forest denudation in the country.

“The attitude of loggers in this country has always been: get the trees before someone else does,” said one environmentalist.

This attitude puts a premium on short-term profits, but its effect is long-term irreversible environmental damage like decreased soil fertility, loss of groundwater, extended dry seasons, and flash flood.

Deforestation giving way for agricultural production.

Deforestation continues.

“Logging is most ecologically destructive in the mountains, where most of our remaining forests can be found,” one scribe wrote. “It is next to impossible to replant trees on rocky mountain-sides once their thin skin of topsoil has been washed away.”

Aside from logging, other causes of deforestation are farming, forest fires, mining operations, geothermal explorations, dam construction and operation, and land development projects such as construction of subdivision, industrial estates, and commercial sites.

Volcanic eruptions have also devastated some of the forests. Ditto for typhoons, which have devastated considerable hectares of forest cover.

The country’s surging population has also contributed to the problem. At least a fourth

of the total population lives in the upland areas, where most trees are located.

Deforestation has resulted in enormous soil erosion, which exacerbated the destruction of watershed areas.

At least two provinces -- Cebu and Batangas -- have lost more than 80 percent of their topsoil to erosion.

“Soil erosion, especially in the uplands, is now an extremely serious problem in the country,” explained Roy C. Alimoane, the director of the Davao-based Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center. “It does not only result in increasing the impoverishment of the Filipino farmers, but also destroys other things down under.”

The rampant cutting of trees has also significantly reduced the volume of groundwater available for domestic

purposes. Again Cebu, which has zero forest cover, is 99 percent dependent on ground-water. As a result, more than half of the towns and cities in Cebu, excluding Metro Cebu, have no access to potable water, according to a study conducted in Central Visayas.

Deforestation also threatens the country’s wildlife resources. The DENR reports that of the 1,657 identified bird and animal species alone, 46 are on the verge of extinction and another 18 are on the endangered list. Seven ornamental plants and several others are on the brink of disappearance, the DENR added.

Deforestation has also altered the climatic condition in the country. Periods of drought have become more common and extensive in the dry season while floods have prevailed in the rainy months.

8

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

Full force

E join the nation in mourning the deaths of some 50 members of the Special Action Forces (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who lost their lives in a colossal mis-encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Sunday. The brave men had been simply following orders, carrying out a mission they knew was dangerous and could cost them their very lives. The target, after all, was Malaysian national Zulkifli Bin Hir alias “Marwan,” allegedly a member of the Jemaah Islamiyah. An engineer trained in the United States, Zulkifli is believed to be the head of the terrorist group Kumpulun Mujahidin Malaysia (MM) and is a member of the Jemaah Islamiyah’s central command. He has reportedly been in the Philippines since August 2003 where he is believed to have conducted bomb-making training for the Abu Sayyaf Group. Zulkifli carries a $5-million reward for anyone who could provide information leading to his arrest.

But just because Zulkifli is a high-level target does not mean the PNP could send its elite fighting force into the territory of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) without coordination.

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In the first place, the ceasefire between the MILF and the government stipulates that any operation such as the one conducted last Sunday needs to be done with the express knowledge of both sides. It must be remembered that the peace process is still ongoing and is still tenuous and can break down if the two parties violate each other’s trust. In the Maguindanao mis-encounter, the SAF went ahead without informing not just the MILF but apparently even the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

This means only one thing: the deaths of the SAF members could have been avoided if only their superiors had done their job and coordinated with everyone involved on the ground. Sneaking up on MILF territory is a sure way of getting shot – and that’s exactly what happened. Speculation has been rife that some people were out for the large reward offered for Zulkifli, but at this point it is just that: speculation. What is needed is for government to investigate the matter thoroughly to find out who made the mistake and gave the order for the SAF men to enter the area. And once that is found out, those persons should be made to face the full force of the law for all the lives they threw away.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

AGAPITO JOAQUIN JR. Associate Editor

CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY Consultant

ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. KENNETH IRVING K. ONG 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 ARLENE D. PASAJE Correspondents Contributing Photographer Cartoons MUNDA • HENRYLITO TACIO • MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO AURELIO A. PEÑA • MARY Columnists: CARLOS MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. ANN “ADI”• C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • VIDA MIA VALVERDE • Economic Analysts:• ENRICO BORBON MARY ANN “ADI” C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN • NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN EMILY “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER PEREZENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA EconomicM. Analyst:

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EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Alter ego

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IRDS of the same feather, so goes a popular saying, flock together. In other words, people get to know you better by the kind of friends you go out with.

Aristotle described friends as “a single soul dwelling in two bodies.” In simpler terms, a friend is your alter ego. Father Jerome Cummings defines a friend as someone who knows you but loves you anyway. “A friend is a person who does his knocking before he enters instead of after he leaves,” Irene Keepin says.

A person without a friend is like a day without the sun or night without the moon. Ecclesiastes 4:9 reminds: “Two are better than on, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.”

There are several reasons why you need a friend. K. Alvin Pitt shares: “A true friend is one in whom we have confidence and to whom we will listen.”

Henry Ford contends: “My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.”

“A true friend is someone who is there for you when he’d rather be anywhere else,” observed Len Wein. “Friendship makes prosperity more brilliant, and lightens adversity by dividing and sharing it,” wrote Cicero.

“Love is rarer than genius itself.

And friendship is rarer than love,” said Charles Peguy. “A valuable friend is one who’ll tell you what you should be told, even it if offends you,” said Frank Clark.

“A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson.

“One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives,” added Euripides. Thomas Fuller agreed: “A good friend is my nearest relation.” Robert Louis Stevenson

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subscribed: THINK ON THESE! “A friend is a present you give yourself.”

According to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, friends are one of the reasons why life is worth Henrylito D. Tacio living for.

“The world henrytacio@gmail.com is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers, and cities; but to know someone here and there who think and feels with us, and who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth an inhabited garden,” he pointed out.

“I keep my friends as misers do their treasure, because, of all the things granted us by wisdom, none is greater or better than friendship,” penned Pietro Aretino. H.G. Bohn agrees: “Friendships multiply joys and divide griefs.” Or as Mark Twain puts it: “Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with.”

One of the most quoted statements I have in my book of quotable quotes is this: “A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one’s heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.”

That’s what a real friend is all about.

Here’s another memorable quotation from Franklin Owen: “Friendship is loyal. A real friend is loyal through thick and thin. He will stand by you in the hour of need. He will help you when you are

down. He will celebrate with you when you are up. Friendship is patience with one’s friend when he is right, patience with him even when he is wrong.

Friendship is rankles. One’s true friends are totally without regard to station.

Friendship is helpful. Friendships form among people who strengthen one another.”

Friends come and go. You had friends when you were growing up; generally, they were your neighbors. You also had friends when you were in school (elementary, high school and college); definitely, they were your classmates.

Now that you are professional, you find friends from the office you are working with. Yes, friends come in different sizes, forms, attainments, and characters. We can never replace a friend, someone once said. When a man is fortunate enough to have several, he finds they are all different. No one has a double in friendship.

A wise man once said: Three men are my friends: he that loves me, he that hates me, and he that is indifferent to me.

He who loves me teaches me tenderness.

He who hates me teaches me caution. He who is indifferent to me teaches me selfreliance.

“True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost,” Henry Ward Beecher quipped. As such, “friendships should be nurtured, faithfully, lest they become fractured though neglect, or cease altogether,” to quote the words of C. Neil Strait.

In Locking Arms, Stu Weber tried to recall the powerful story coming out of World War I of the deep friendship of two soldiers in the trenches: Two buddies were serving together in the mud and misery of that wretched of European stalemate. Month after month,

ing especially MY TWO CENTS’ titillated no end by their broadsides and whims.

To use a word irritatingly prevalent in the reportage of a Manila network: “patuchaJohn Tria da.” Now, a ecisouth@gmail.com patuchada or broadside refers to a strongly worded statement that often is used as a personal rather than policy statement, often meant to stir debate or conflict, or hog the limelight. Imagine almost a fourth of your daily newscast containing nothing more than patuchada this and patuchada that. It pains me to think that 30 minutes a day of news is devoted to nothing more than these broadsides. That’s the behavior of elites who don’t care much about the others, reflected on the reportage of the elite dominated media in Manila.

This has conditioned all of us to view national news always as the goings on in Malacañang and Manila events, the controversial Binay family and whether they face the Senate or not, the rest being the endless romance of Heart and Chiz. The news that matters to us in Mindanao merits nothing more than a sidebar. Recalling the PNoy visit to Davao last year where Davao media were “barred” from joining the Malacañang press corps in the Philippine Development Forum tackling the important proposed Bangsamoro basic law, the difference in the quality of media questions from the Mindanao media and Manila press was underscored. Of the few permitted questions, the Manila media opted to focus on the Presidents love life.

This is the resulting media culture of a disempowered people who have nothing better to do on a daily basis than to talk about other people more powerful than they. A high sense of exclusion and alienation afflicts the general populace, fed a daily diet of titillating showbiz news and patuchadas that, while providing entertainment, reinforce the sense of distance

they lived out their lives in the trenches, in the cold and the mud, under fire and under orders.

From time to time, one side or the other would rise up out of the trenches, fling their bodies against the opposing line and slink back to lick their wounds, bury their dead, and wait to do it all over again. In the process, friendships were forged in the misery. Two soldiers became particularly close. Day after day, night after night, terror after terror, they talked of life, of families, of hopes, of what they would do when (and if) they returned from this horror.

On one more fruitless charge, Jim fell, severely wounded. His friend, Bill, made it back to the relative safety of the trenches.

Meanwhile, Jim was laying and suffering beneath the night flares. Between the trenches. Alone.

The shelling continued. The danger was at its peak. Between the trenches was no place to be. Still, Bill wished to reach his friends, to comfort him, to offer what encouragement only friends can offer. The officer in charge refused to let Bill leave the trench. It was simply too dangerous.

As he turned his back, however, Bill went over the top. Ignoring the smell of cordite in the air, the concussion of incoming rounds, and the pounding in his chest, Bill made it to Jim. Sometimes later he managed to get Jim back to the safety of the trenches. Too late. His friend was gone. The somewhat self-righteous officer, seeing Jims body, cynically asked Bill if it had been worth the risk. Bills response was without hesitation.

Yes, sir, it was, he said. My friend’s last words made it more than worth it. He looked up at me and said, I knew you’d come.

That’s what friends are for!

Challenging Doronila and the Manila media

N what is perhaps his main column about the Pope’s visit, Amando Doronila’s recent column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (a test of Church clout in political intervention, PDI, Jan. 26) talks lengthily about the Pope’s visit and what it means to mainstream Philippine politics in the run up to the 2016 elections. It sounds like smart analysis, but a deeper look into the background of such leaves more to discover about how he and his Manila media compatriots tend to view and analyze the news for us.

First of all, it is necessary to correct an impression many in the media seem to have about the Catholic Church in general. It is not the hierarchy alone, it is the entirety of the community of believers. We are the church, not just the bishops and the CBCP, and not just the Vatican. This is all the more clear in Pope Francis’ admonitions to the church hierarchy in his Christmas homily, his reforms in the Vatican bureaucracy.

With this, It is likewise sad that Doronila, like many in the Manila media, always tends to reduce politics and policy making to the behavior of the personalities involved, be-

and disempowerment. This is the perfect mudflat for breeding crab mentality and other destructive behaviors that pull each other down and tear society and each other, apart. There is always they “they” and the “us,” and gulf in the middle. All harsh words between them the raw material for the news.

In contrast, the Pope’s key message in his visit is straight from the example of Jesus: “Hey guys, lets reflect for a while and look at what needs to be done. Our religion asks us to take a good look at the many here and in the world who are poor, lost, disempowered, disenfranchised and unhappy, and our mission is to look beyond ourselves to lift each other up.” This message ought to lead to discussion about the greater number of our people, their daily struggles, and the fact that they deserve a future just like we do and that their empowerment and inclusion is what will make us a great nation, and the world a better place. Amid the daily national diet of constant exclusion of the many and the tireless discussion on the president’s hairline and romantic life, I hope that’s not hopelessly lost.

10 ICT HUB EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

Flogging of Saudi blogger delayed again

PROTEST. A protester holds a placard outside the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in London on January 23, 2015 during a demonstration against the planned flogging of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi who was convicted in Saudi Arabia of insulting Islam. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)

T

HE planned flogging of a Saudi blogger convicted of insulting Islam has been delayed for a second straight week, a leading international rights group said Thursday, a move that comes amid mounting pressure from Saudi Arabia’s Western allies for authorities to cancel the punishment.

The London-based Amnesty International said that around eight doctors carried out medical tests

A

on Raif Badawi, 31, and recommended that he not be flogged this Friday. Saudi authorities postponed his flogging last week after a doctor concluded that his wounds from the first 50 lashes had not yet healed, according to Amnesty.

His public flogging on Jan. 9 in the city of Jiddah led to an outpouring of international condemnation. Both the U.S. State Department and the U.N. High Commissioner

for Human Rights called on authorities to rescind the punishment. Sweden’s Foreign Ministry summoned Saudi Arabia’s charge d’affaires on Monday to protest the flogging.

Badawi was arrested in 2012 after writing articles critical of Saudi Arabia’s clerics on a liberal blog he created, which has since been shut down. He was found guilty of breaking Saudi Arabia’s technology laws and

“We are reaching the limit of what a good battery material can do,” says Abraham. “Going beyond what we have now is taking a new understanding of chemistry, material science...

People are working all over the world on it, but there is nothing on the horizon.”

Still, there are some options.

Companies recently showed off battery chargers and smartphone extenders at the annual gadget show known as CES. One that seems particularly convenient is the 911 Boost, developed by Florida entrepreneur Bernard Emano and his two firefighter sons. The small black square weighs only 2.3 ounces and is designed to be carried on a key chain. It’s versatile, with three different retractable jacks so it can plug into new and old model iPhones, and any other phone that takes a micro-USB plug.

The $30 device can only provide about a 60 percent charge for most phones, though. Emano explains that a battery with more capacity would be too heavy for a keychain. His device can plug into a wall outlet while connected to a phone, so the phone and the charger can both recharge together.

They’re sold at 911Boost.com; Emano is in talks with retailers.

Chinese company ZeroLemon has a line of rugged smartphone cases for Apple, Samsung and LG phones that come with built-in battery extenders. A $69 version for the iPhone 6, called the Rugged Juicer, will let you go up to three times as long before you need a recharge, according to spokesman Randyn Akiona.

ZeroLemon also makes pocket-sized, solar chargers that will restore a smartphone battery to full capacity in about three hours, when connected by a power cable. “It’s not for someone who needs a fast charge, but it will get you going” when there’s no other power available, Akiona says.

The SolarJuice chargers will take up to a week to recharge themselves from the sun, although you can also plug them into an outlet.

Qualcomm has extended battery life through more efficient software and hardware. After all, processors can handle sharper displays and cameras in phones these days, without the battery itself getting much bigger.

Among the power-saving advancements: When one part of the chipset is in use, the rest gets turned off to save energy.

The chipset also tries to store a lot of data internally so that it doesn’t have to expend energy constantly reaching out to the

insulting Islamic religious figures through his blog.

He was sentenced in 2013 to seven years in prison and 600 lashes, but after an appeal the judge stiffened the punishment in May to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes. Badawi was also fined 1 million Saudi riyals, or roughly $266,000.

Amnesty, which is campaigning for his release, says the lashes were scheduled to be

administered over 20 weekly sessions, with 50 lashes each week.

Badawi’s wife and three children have moved to Canada.

Souad al-Shammari, who co-founded the blog with Badawi, was detained in October. Amnesty says the mother of six was arrested after being questioned about comments she made on Twitter that allegedly mocked religious texts and

authorities, and incited Saudi Arabian women to rebel against the male guardianship system that gives men final say over issues like a woman’s ability to travel abroad.

Badawi’s lawyer, Waleed Abul-Khair, is serving a 15-year sentence for “undermining regime officials,” ‘’inciting public opinion” and “insulting the judiciary.” AYA BATRAWY, Associated Press

Lots of low battery hacks but no quick fix

T a cozy watering hole in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, bartender Kathy Conway counted four different phone chargers behind the bar. Call it the scourge of the red zone, call it battery anxiety. Smartphone users are tired of begging to charge devices behind bars or hunting for hidden electrical outlets in airports and train stations. Where, oh where, is a better battery?

The common lithium-ion battery that’s used to power laptops, cellphones and tablet computers has improved in recent years. Battery capacity has tripled since 1990, says K. M. Abraham, a professor at Northeastern University who researches batteries. But it’s not nearly enough to keep up with the demand we gadget addicts have for constant use of skinny, light mobile devices, which limits battery size.

Two billion mobile phones were shipped worldwide in 2014, 75 percent of which were smartphones, says longtime technology analyst and president of Creative Strategies, Tim Bajarin.

Demand is growing by 10 to 12 percent each year. And we want to send email, play games, stream music and videos, get step-by-step directions — all battery hogs.

POWER HUNGRY. File photo shows travelers use a charging station at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

(AP Photo/John Locher, File) phone’s memory banks.

Google, whose Android operating system runs on most of the world’s smartphones, last year launched “Project Volta” — named after Alessandro Volta, the Italian physicist who invented the battery — a tool aimed at extending mobile battery life.

For example, waking up a phone’s application processor can start consuming a lot of power, but a lot of apps don’t need to do that constantly, says Dave Burke, vice president of

engineering at Google who works on Android. A function called JobScheduler helps ensure that apps wait to perform non-critical tasks like updates when your phone is connected to a power source.

“You are out in a restaurant with 10 percent power, you don’t want apps to start updating,” says Burke.

Conway says she doesn’t know why more people don’t carry around external chargers known as power bricks. On cue, Ben Eells, a

theater electrician sitting at the bar, pulled one out of his bag. He bought it on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter for $70.

“It has LEDs built into it,” he demonstrated. “I carry batteries around, but sometimes I forget to charge the batteries.”

Next to him, a woman asked Conway to plug in her phone. She complied.

Such is modern life.

BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Technology Writer

11 COMPETITIVE EDGE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

Globe anti-spam likely to be top consumer trend in 2015 G

LOBE Telecom’s anti-spam drive is a great example of crowd-sourcing campaign expected to become one of the top consumer trends in 2015, according to trendwatching. com.

A well-respected authority on consumer trends, trendwatching.com compiled 10 key trends that will shape Asian consumerism this year.

The report was released last month.

“From Manila to Mumbai, 2015 will see the pace of change and innovation (will) continue to accelerate across Asia. The evolution of consumer expectations is endless, and the year ahead will be one where fortunes are made, remade and unmade in every corner of APAC. Trends aren’t really the point; opportunities are. Each one of the 10 trends highlights a key, actionable innovation opportunity that could see you serve, delight, surprise or build stronger relationships with consumers,” the agency said.

One of such trends is “better together” which means generating crowd action for concrete change. Trendwatching.com forecasts that brands, governments and institutions will tap consumer action and participation in effecting lasting change.

Tre n dwa tc h i n g . c o m

then cited as a great example Globe Telecom’s anti-spam campaign: “Philippine major telco provider Globe Telecom launched its #StopSPAM campaign in June 2014 with an online platform allowing mobile users to report and fight text spams/scams. Alleged spammers are issued warnings, and persistent offenders deactivated from the service,” it noted.

Globe initiated early last year its most comprehensive and aggressive campaign to combat proliferation of spam messages. As part of the campaign, Globe made available on a company web page a channel through which its customers can report text spams and text scams alike.

Customers simply have to go to http://www.globe.com. ph/stopspam and provide all the details required. Numbers that are reported to be source of text spams are first sent warnings and those that are persistent source of text spams are deactivated from the service.

Globe Telecom’s anti-spam campaign prompted the National Telecommunications Commission to order two local companies to immediately stop sending spam messages to customers of Globe, providing respite to Globe customers who constantly receive annoying

CONNECTIONS. More and more Filipinos are getting connected to each other as the country’s top telecommunications companies continue to offer greater access to the internet. Jon Joaquin spam messages. The NTC’s The company also put As of January 19, Globe has so ph); send a message through directive stemmed from into operation in August last far blocked close to 10 million Globe Contact Form (http:// separate complaints filed by year a filtering mechanism, spam and scam messages. globe.com.ph/talk2GlobenGlobe Telecom against the which prevents the transmitAside from the web page ow) and by tweeting @Talktwo companies whose agents tal of spam and scam messag- dedicated to its anti-spam 2GLOBE on Twitter. They can and employees were involved es to mobile devices. The vol- campaign, customers may put in the number, the exact in sending unsolicited promo- ume of messages blocked by also report via the Globe message, and the time and tional text messages to Globe the network filtering system website through Talk2Globe date the text spam was remobile customers. averages about 140,000/day. Chat (http://chat.globe.com. ceived.

yield 6.375 percent per annum. The New Perpetual Securities shall rank pari passu with all other outstanding unsubordinated obligations of the Issuer, who will have the right to redeem the New Perpetual Securities on May 5, 2019, May 5, 2024, and any semi-annual distribution payment date thereafter. The rate of distribution for the New Perpetual Securities will be reset every five years from May 5, 2019 and will increase by 2.50 percent on May 5, 2024, in each case if the New Perpetual Securities were not already redeemed by the Issuer. Consistent with the requirements for equity under IFRS, the Issuer may resolve, at its discretion, to defer payment of distribution otherwise payable on a distribution payment date. The Issuer intends to use proceeds from the offer of New Perpetual Securities for refinancing and general working capital purposes, including funding the Tender Offer.

The New Perpetual Securities were also widely distributed with fund managers accounting for 69 percent, banks for 7 percent, insurance for 1 percent, and private banks for 23 percent. By geography, Asia took up 86 percent with Europe at 14 percent.

M A R T Communications, Inc. (Smart) has announced that it has enhanced and continues to fortify its suite of mobile Internet offers in order to continue bringing the best of the Internet within reach of every Filipino.

“We’ve made our formula very simple – make the Internet fun, fast, and worry-free for our subscribers,” said Charles A. Lim, executive vice president and head of the wireless consumer business of both Smart Communications and Sun Cellular.

“We have forged partnerships with the world’s biggest brands and digital companies in order to bring world-class services to Filipinos. We have created value-packed bundles that cater to our subscribers’ unique lifestyle needs, and made sure that these are all backed up by the largest and most advanced network in the country today. These are the initiatives at the core of our ‘Internet for All’ message,” Lim said.

“By offering services and pursuing innovations that are both relevant and delightful to them, delivered

ICTSI executes landmark Live more, enjoy the best of the Internet with Smart perpetual securities deal S

O

N January 22, 2015, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (“ICTSI”) and Royal Capital B.V. (the “Issuer”) announced the results of the Issuer’s offer to holders (“Securityholders”) of its 8.375 percent subordinated perpetual capital securities guaranteed by ICTSI (the “Old Perpetual Securities”) to tender Old Perpetual Securities for cash (the “Tender Offer”).

An aggregate nominal principal amount of US$229,991,000 in Old Perpetual Securities was submitted by Securityholders in the Tender Offer at a price of US$1,076.25 per US$1,000 in principal amount of the Old Perpetual Securities (the “Tender Instructions”). ICTSI and the Issuer accepted all Tender Instructions submitted.

Also on January 22, 2015, the Issuer successfully priced a US$300,000,000 offering of senior perpetual capital securities, guaranteed by ICTSI and structured to constitute equity under International Financial Reporting Standards or IFRS (the “New Perpetual Securities”).

The New Perpetual Securities confer a right to receive distributions at a rate of 6.250 percent per annum and were priced at 99.551 percent to

by a robust and resilient network that is available all over the country – we are enabling Filipinos to live more and have the best Internet experience possible today,” he added.

Making the Internet fun Smart is taking the lead in making a full suite of relevant content available to more Filipinos, especially those who have no credit card.

Being a pioneer in innovations for digital goods payments, the telco leader enables all Smart subscribers to enjoy great content such as music (SPINNR, Deezer), videos (ViewStream, Blink), books and magazines (Buqo), and games (GameX), without the need for a credit card, and conveniently using only their prepaid load or charging it to their postpaid accounts.

Smart has also exclusively partnered with some of the world’s biggest entertainment companies, and is set to bring a wealth of new and exciting digital content offerings to users in the Philippines.

Innovations that work To keep mobile Internet more accessible to more subscribers than ever before,

Smart also continues to innovate and find solutions to more efficiently deliver the services that people want.

Smart Prepaid recently launched an offer called Super Messaging 10, which bundles unlimited text with unlimited access to popular online chat apps for one whole day for only P10.

Smart Bro, meanwhile, recently introduced an ultrafast and hassle-free way for users to enjoy their favorite online activities with the allnew Turbo Plans. Starting at just P799 a month, the innovative new plans let users choose between worry-free All-Month Surfing of light and casual Internet activities such as posting on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or a pure volume experience that lets them do everything they want online, including downloading and streaming.

A pioneering mobile Internet platform developed

by Smart subsidiary Chikka also allows Smart to offer Internet ‘sachets’ sustainably and without sacrificing consumer experience, enabling subscribers to pay only for the Internet services that they need, on an “always

on” basis. This platform powers a new offer, allowing Smart subscribers to access YouTube, the world’s biggest video site for just P5 for a satisfying 30-minute viewing, valid for 24 hours.

Smart likewise has a groundbreaking initiative with the Wikimedia Foundation dubbed Wikipedia Zero, which provides Smart subscribers free access to the Wikipedia sites and mobile apps until February 3, 2015.

Through the Smart Free Internet promo, all Smart, Talk ‘N Text and Sun Cellular subscribers can use their data-enabled cellphones to access the Internet without data charges for up to 30MB daily. It is available until February 5, 2015, and may be used across all network platforms – from 2G to 3G to 4G speeds in the country.

Smart continues to have the largest and most advanced network in the country today, with a total of 24,938 cellular/broadband base stations, including 9,946 active 4G/HSPA+/ Long-Term Evolution (LTE) base stations, supported by more than 90,000 kilometers of fiber-optic cables around the country.

12

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

TRAVEL

Kitty fever at

HELLO KITTY TOWN

EVERYBODY loves the little girl who lives in London who just recently celebrated her 40th year. And who is this little girl I am talking about? She is none other than the lovable Hello Kitty.

I was recently on a romp across Johor together with the people of Tourism Malaysia and as part of the tour, we decided to visit the Sanrio Hello Kitty Town located at The Little Red Cube in Nusajaya Johor, a short 20-minute ride from downtown Johor Baru.

The first Sanrio Hello Kitty Town attraction outside of Japan, the indoor theme park features various interactive and walk-through activities that are sure to delight every Hello Kitty fan, young and old.

At the Wishful Studio, visitors can look forward to various activities from creating their very own

Clowning around with Badtz-maru.

Hello Kitty themed souvenirs to getting their nails done and dressing up as their favourite character for a memorable photo moment. I loved the crafting activities where families can bond together while making buttons, Hello Kitty coasters, as

Family fun with crafts.

Inside Hello Kitty’s house. well as decorate Hello Kitty cookies which they can bring home.

Families and young children can experience the charm of Friendship Land with its playground, enjoy a tea cup ride, watch Hello Kitty and Friends perform in a live show at the Purrfect Stage and have photo opportunities at Dream Photo Garden.

I never imagined that I would have so much

fun posing with the cool Badtz-maru and having my photos taken much like a little kid. Children can also celebrate their birthday in the Apple or Strawberry themed party rooms with Hello Kitty!

Another iconic highlight is Kitty’s House, a highly themed and partly guided experience with a facilitator who will brief visitors on tasks to be completed at the six sec-

Exploring the Black Wonder adventure area. tions of the house: Living rio Hello Kitty Town is at Room, Kitchen, Bath- RM110. room, Kitty’s Room, SeA big thank you to cret Closet, and Mimmy’s Tourism Malaysia and Room. Hello Kitty fans Malaysia Themed Attracare sure to go gaga explor- tions for the wonderful ing Kitty’s House with time at the Sanrio Hello everything Hello Kitty Kitty Town. furnishing it.

Talk to me on InstaTicket prices for San- gram or on Twitter @ rio Hello Kitty Town is at kennethkingong for RM75, additional access more travel stories, foodie to the nearby Little Big finds, and happenings in, Club theme park located around, and beyond Dujust a floor above the San- rianburg.

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

UP AND ABOUT

Lucky Smart subscribers win travel adventures Agoda.com celebrates Chinese New Year with hotel specials throughout Asia

JUST by paying their postpaid bills on time, 15 lucky subscribers of wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) got to travel for free with a companion to some of the most awesome vacation destinations in the country.

The winners of Smart’s “Real Time, Real Fun” raffle promo enjoyed a 3-day/2-night stay in either Pearl of the Pacific in Boracay, Bauan Divers Sanctuary in Batangas, or Dahilayan Adventure Park in Cagayan de Oro. Iloilo businesswoman Glenda Uy got to bond with her son Jose Ena at the Dahilayan Adventure Park, where they enjoyed sumptuous food and where he rode a zipline for the first time.

“My son is in his 20s,

Smart subscriber Grenna Sanchez enjoys the lovely Boracay beach with daughter Gresi Janin. and men at that age don’t get to spend a lot of time with their mothers anymore. This trip allowed us to spend more time together. Thanks a lot to Smart, we had a wonderful vacation,” Glenda said.

Meanwhile, Riza Nebrida who works at a transportation firm in Samar took her boyfriend Samuel Pulod to the Bauan Divers Sanctuary.

“We had the place to ourselves. He learned to dive there, while I did some snorkeling. The view was breathtaking,” she said.

While on vacation, Riza shared her awesome experiences by posting photos on her Facebook account. “My mobile connection was very good. I was able to upload all my photos

quickly,” she said.

Leyte businesswoman Grenna Sanchez won a trip to Boracay which she enjoyed with her daughter Gresi Janin.

“I’d like to thank Smart for the trip and for the good service. Right now my family has three postpaid accounts with Smart, and we’re getting additional ones for our staff,” Grenna said.

“We are glad to know that our customers enjoyed their trip and are happy with our service.

This promo is just one of our ways to thank them for their continued trust,” said Maricris Crisostomo, customer value chain head at Smart.

Crisostomo added that Smart’s postpaid subscribers can choose from various bills payment channels that process their transactions

easily and quickly. They can use their credit card and pay via the my.Smart online portal (my.smart. com.ph), settle their bills with a few clicks on their mobile phone via Smart Money, or pay at E-Pay accredited merchants, 7-Eleven, Bayad Center, and Cebuana Lhuillier.

“We at Smart are committed to providing our customers with realtime payment solutions that are a perfect match to their fast-paced life.

By using these alternative payment channels, Smart subscribers can pay their bills with a few clicks or at more convenient locations. This will enable them to save time and focus on more important things like family and their career – in effect, empowering them to Live More,” Crisostomo said.

AGODA.COM, one of Asia’s leading hotel booking sites and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq:PCLN), is celebrating one of Asia’s most colorful holidays with outstanding hotel specials for Chinese New Year.

The centuries-old tradition is based on several important aspects of Chinese culture – honoring one’s ancestors, worshiping deities, spending time with family, and a thorough cleaning of the house to symbolically sweep away bad luck. Throughout Asia’s Chinese communities, the holiday is enthusiastically celebrated.

Dragon dances, firecrackers, food, music, and a variety of cultural performances can be seen in every neighborhood.

This year, travelers can celebrate the holiday in some of Asia’s most popular destinations. Discounts of at least 20% can be found throughout Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bali, and Tokyo. Book now – the promotion is available for travel between 13-25 February, and only on bookings for 2 nights or more.

To see some of participating hotels and destinations, go to www.agoda.com/ChineseNewYear.

To connect with Agoda.com and learn about special deals and promotions on hotels worldw ide, like us on Facebook or follow us on Google+, Instagram, or Pinterest.

MX3 wins herbal dietary food suplement award THE Business Achievement & Recognition Awards (BARA) Council has chosen and awarded MX3 as the Winner of the Herbal Dietary Food Supplement of the Year.

The ceremony was held in Summit Circle, Cebu, Philippines on December 14, 2014. The Award Committee is composed of 5 individuals from the Government, Business Entity, Religious Group, Media and Market In-

dicators Consultancy Group. Criteria of judging are: Company/Brand Recognition, Excellence in Customer Service, Product/Service Quality, Company Reputation, and Customer’s Confidence and Acceptability.

This is the 4th times the MX3 Products won said award. The “Seal of Excellence” will be the patent/ marked of such prestigious product quality recognition.

This Award Recognizing

Body has consistently placed this honor to the DMI, Medical Supply Co. Inc. as main distributor of the MX3 Product.

MX3Company maintains its integrity of Excellence in matters of Quality, Customer Service and Ministry Service for the Glory of God. The Company is committed to its health and wellness advocacy to benefit the People, Nation and the World. All these for the Glory of His Majesty!

Thank you for trusting us!

VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

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ENTERTAINMENT

Julian Trono trains under the Korean Pop System GMA Artist Center teen star Julian Trono recently signed a contract with JU Entertainment and Music Contents, Inc., a Philippine company with Korean counterpart, in partnership with GMA Records at the GMA Network Center.

Julian is considered to be the first Pinoy celebrity to be trained under the Korean Pop (K-Pop) system. He will undergo intense training schedule, including voice and dance lessons, under experienced Korean instructors.

His fans will have another reason to swoon as he tries to take over the music scene with his upcoming project, which will be an avenue to harness both Filipino and Korean talents.

Known for giving life to top RnB hits through his choreography, Julian is on his way to another venture. In the upcoming project, Julian will not only be dancing, but

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: GMA Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago – Lara, Julian Trono, JU Entertainment Music and Contents Inc. Chief Executive Officer Alfredo ‘Doc’ delos Santos and GMA Records Managing Director Rene A. Salta. he will also be the voice behind the music he’s dancing to.

The Kapuso star has already recorded the single, and is currently shooting the music video. He will be collaborating with a Korean rapper, who will be coming to the Philippines to also shoot the remaining parts of the video.

Julian is very grateful for this opportunity despite feeling challenged

about the project. According to him, he is not very familiar with K-Pop at the beginning and that singing is out of his comfort zone. However, he is more than willing to learn more and grow as a performer.

“Talagang whole new world siya sakin, so I did research kasi siyempre kailangan akong makarelate sa kung anong culture nila dun,” says Julian.

Now, the GMA Artist Center star is able to embrace the K-Pop culture, and is enjoying every single part of his experience in the project.

“I’m more than familiar with it now and I can say na iba yung quality at efforts na binibigay nila sa mga proyektong ginagawa nila kaya naiintindihan ko na why a lot of Pinoy fans are into K-Pop. Na-enjoy ko na rin siya talaga,” claims Julian.

JOHN LLOYD STICKS WITH ABS-CBN. Matinee idol John Lloyd Cruz ended the speculations that he will leave his home network as he renewed a three-year contract with ABS-CBN this Thursday (Jan 22). Aside from his sitcom “Home Sweetie Home,” John Lloyd revealed that his new contract includes both TV and movie projects. “There are a lot of good projects in store for me and I am very excited,” the actor said. Though he did not fully give out the details on his upcoming projects, John Lloyd disclosed that he will be working once again with Sarah Geronimo and Bea Alonzo on the big screen. He also shared that it would also be nice to work with Toni Gonzaga again in a movie. Present during the contract signing were ABS-CBN president and CEO Charo Santos-Concio, broadcast head Cory Vidanes, Star Creatives head Malou Santos, Star Magic consultant Johny Manahan, and talent management & development center managing director Mariole Alberto.

Zanjoe adopts “baby” in ‘Dream Dad’ Zanjoe Marudo’s character in ABSCBN’s top-rating primetime drama series “Dream Dad” is ready for fatherhood. Now that Baste (Zanjoe) has grown closer with Baby (Jana Agoncillo), he is now willing to do everything to officially adopt her.

How will Baste fulfill the responsibilities of a single father? What will he do when Baby’s biological mom Bebeth (Yen Santos) suddenly appears and takes her back from him?

Meanwhile, “Dream Dad” continues to reign primetime TV as it brings viewers positive vibes every night. According to data from Kan-

tar Media last Thursday (January 22), Zanjoe and Jana’s drama series ranked as the most-watched TV program in the country with a national TV rating of 28.6%. It is twice the ratings of its rival program on GMA “More Than Words” (14.5%).

Don’t miss the continuation of

the feel-good family drama series that will draw smiles in the hearts of viewers, “Dream Dad,” weeknights, after “TV Patrol,” on ABSCBN Primetime Bida. For more information about “Dream Dad,” log on to the show’s official social networking sites Facebook.com/ DreamDadOfficial, Twitter.com/ DreamDadTV, and Instagram.com/ DreamDadTV. Viewers may also catch up on full episodes and past episodes of “Dream Dad” through ABS-CBNmobile. For more information, please go to www.abscbnmobile. com.

Miriam Quiambao’s life story in ‘Tunay na Buhay’ MIRIAM QUIAMBAO became a household name when she tripped on the Miss Universe stage in 1999.

But when she got up and showed amazing grace under pressure, many Filipinos and the whole word fell in love with her. She won 1st runner up honors that year.

From then on, she entered showbiz and made a name for herself as one of the most dependable hosts of GMA. At the height of her success though, she left showbiz

and got married. But after two years of living in Hong Kong, the couple decided to call it ‘quits.’

Miriam considers this as one of the darkest moments of her life.

Now, Miriam has renewed her faith with the Lord and has fallen in love again. She is now an inspirational speaker and a loving wife to her writer-businessman husband.

Join Rhea Santos as she discovers more about Miriam Quiambao this Tuesday on Tunay na Buhay, 4:35PM on GMA7.

January 23-27, 2015

AMERICAN SNIPER Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller R 13

11:40 | 2:15 | 4:50 | 7:25 | 10:00 LFS

TAKEN 3 Liam Neeson PG 13

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

ANNIE Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz PG 13

R-16

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

MORTDECAI/ *BLACKHAT Johnny Depp / *Chris Hemsworth R 13/ *R 13

12:00 | 2:20 LFS / * 4:40 | 7:20 | 10:00 LFS

EDGEDAVAO

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

DESIGN

RAIN RAMAS is not only a local celebrity, he is also a graduate of Bachelor of Interior Design from the University of the Philippines. He said his course has taught him “both the basics and the complexities of furniture design, and the importance of bringing together the aesthetic and functional values in each creation.”

Despite being a graduate of the course, his career took on a direction towards the fashion industry in which Rain learned the ways of product development - design and styling, marketing, retail, and the whole business that goes behind and around it.

It was his job as head of Visual Merchandising Operations for an international clothing brand that realized the charm of novelty fixtures and furniture. Many times he found myself thinking, “Oh, I’d love to have that at home!”

It was on a trip to Bangkok, Thailand that he had the first spark of inspiration to do crate furniture.

Rain observed the creative ways of using crates and pallets as main motifs and accents in fixture styling, and found them extremely adorable. Despite their simplicity, the repurposed value of these crates just oozes with so much character - rustic, casual, flexible, artistic, unexpected.

When asked how he got into the furniture business, Rain answered, “I know a lot of people also find that charming and wish to have a piece or two at home, but do not know how or where to get them. I created this line for that market. Five years ago, I decided to start my own business, and since I like to do new and different things, coming up with this furniture line

and getting serious about it is really one interesting experience for me. I’ve developed so many different pieces in those years mostly customized as per my clients’s requirements - but this time I am working on my own personal vision. My own brand of design.”

What does he aim to provide? What is his main objective?

Rain believes and admires the effect of novelty and non-mainstream furniture pieces. He considers them as useful artworks, not only as accent pieces or as functional fixtures. Thats the effect that he’s trying to create with each piece he makes.

He wants people to look at them, feel good about it, and converse about it.

One of the pieces Rain showed me is a stackable bookshelf that could be turned into a coffee table/ center table, multifunctional indeed. His products are priced anywhere from P1,500 to P6,000 as of this time. “I want my creations to feel reasonable and accessible.” he added.

Despite their simplicity, the repurposed value of these crates just oozes with so much character rustic, casual, flexible, artistic, unexpected.

Whats next for Rain Ramas? “I’ve always dreamed of promoting the skill and craftsmanship of rattan furniture makers in Sarangani Province and Bamboo furniture makers in South Cotabato. It has been a passionate vision for me to someday work with them and come up with more updated designs that are aligned with international trends. I’d like to see more of these locally created furniture being used around.”

Rain Ramas is a visual artist, an events and marketing consultant, a decorator, a tourism advocate, a motivational speaker, a host, and a lifestyle writer. He can be contacted through rain.ramas@ gmail.com for interests related to this article) Follow me on Twitter or Instagram, @kyriekoutre for more adventures in and around my wonderland that is Gensan, Tuna Capital of the Philippines.

Rain Ramas and his

FURNITURE CRATE-ATIONS

VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

EDGE

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14

NEWS

Breakdown... FFROM 1 Zulkifli carries a $5-million reward for anyone who could provide information leading to his arrest, the NCTC said.

Zarate said the encounter as well as other incidents in Mindanao – including last week’s bombing in Zamboanga City that killed two persons – “show that finding genuine peace in Mindanao is still as elusive as before even as the Aquino government is rushing the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).”

“As it is now, very clearly there are groups that are apparently still left behind under the present scheme of things because it is not fully addressing the Moro people’s historical quest for selfdetermination,” he added.

For her part, GPH Peace Panel Chair Miriam CoronelFerrer said the panel is “deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the tragic encounter.”

“As we know, elements of the Philippine National PoliceSpecial Action Force were conducting law enforcement operations in the area in pursuit of Malaysian bombmaker and top Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, known as Marwan.

This objective of arresting the growth of extremist cells lodging themselves in our interior villages and sowing indiscriminate violence remains,” she said.

Ferrer said based on the reports of our ceasefire mechanisms, all efforts are being exerted to retrieve the casualties and provide safe passage to other SAF personnel who remain in the affected areas.

“Members of the International Monitoring Team, the Government’s and the MILF’s ceasefire committees, the 6th ID of the AFP, and the regional police are working closely together in these efforts,” she added.

Ferrer lauded the “quick action of our mechanisms and their courage in immediately going to the conflict site.”

“As soon as our ceasefire teams learned of the hostilities, they immediately effected a ceasefire. We regret, however, that due to the involvement of other armed groups, some intermittent fighting continued,” she added.

Ferrer said government’s aim is to normalize the situation as soon as possible in order to prevent the displacement of civilians and give full swing to the humanitarian effort.

“This incident and other recent acts of violence by other armed groups manifest the diverse security challenges that confound the peace process. But our resolve to see through the process of legislating the Bangsamoro Basic Law and implementing the different Normalization programs, including the security components, is only further strengthened,” she said. “‎We say to our fallen policemen: for your selfless courage, for your steadfastness in answering the call of duty, for your sacrifices in the name of peace, we salute and honor you. To their families and loved ones, we convey our deepest condolences,” she added. With reports from MindaNews

and, SM Lanang Premier, Victoria Plaza and Aldevinco Souvenir Shop.

Restaurant Owners Association of Davao City president Benjie Lizada, meanwhile, said various restaurants and dining areas in Davao City like in the Matina Town Square (MTS), Damosa Gateway, Lanang, Lanang Business Park, The Peak in GMall of Davao, Bricklabe in Obrero, Victoria Plaza Carpark and those in the streets of Rizal, Torres and Roxas will offer 20 percent discount on selected food item on their respective menus daily.

Food establishments Eden Nature Park and malagos Mountain Resort and Philippine Eagle Center in Calinan area will also give 20 percent discount during the six-week event, according to Lizada.

“We currently have a total of 106 participating food establishments but we’re hoping to get more,” he said, Another sector of the tourism industry that will participate in this year’s fun sale is the health and wellness sector headed by Davao Wellness and Spa Association president Fides Bernabe.

Bernabe said a toptal of 30 owners of different spa establishments in the city will offer

the “Madayaw Massage Promo” during the fun sale.

“We will be offering a 30 minute dry massage for P100 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. from April 3 to May 17,” he said.

Hotels and accommodation establishments will also offer packages to both local and foreign tourists.

“Each hotel and resorts in Davao City and even in Davao del Norte formulated packages that will surely entice tourists,” Hotel and Resorts sales and marketing Association president May Aranda said.

A total of 38 resorts and hotels will join the fun sale, according to Aranda.

Tours Consortium vice president Edmund Mayormita also said that tour operators in Davao City will offer three kinds of tour packages: countryside tour for P1,500, city tour for P600 and island tour for only P1,500.

Interested local and foreign tourists can avail promos and special discount by having a Visit Davao Fun Sale (VDFS) passport to be issued in the airport and participating malls and by downloading an android and smart phone application at vdfs.discoverdavao. com.

Alabado... FFROM 5

EDGEDAVAO

Roxas... FFROM 2 Mujiv Hataman, for his part, said he was saddened by the incident and called for the pursuance of the GPH-MILF peace overture to avoid further bloodshed of such magnitude in the troubled south.

“Nakikiusap ako na huwag sana mapunta sa negatibo ang usaping pangkapayapaan dahil sa pangyayaring ito,” he said.

Roxas pointed out that the

bungled SAF operation was never about the huge bounties on the heads of Marwan and Usman at US$5 million and US$1 million, respectively, but focused mainly on the neutralization of the two high value terrorists.

“The bounty is only incidental and never was it discussed anywhere, anytime during the law enforcement operation,” he said. (PNA)

An unprecedented tourism effort, VDFS involves practically all sectors of the local tourism industry.

“We have five active cases being monitored by the PPVR,” said Lizada, who did not reveal details of the cases.

The PPVR collaborated with businessman Rodolfo “Popong” Reta in running after BOC officials who were said to have been involved in the smuggling of rice.

Most of the BOC officials, including a district port collector, have been dismissed as a result of the charges filed by Reta against them.

Earlier, Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Rodolfo Elman told members of the Rotary Club of East Davao that his office welcomes the involvement of individual volunteers and civil society groups, like the PPVR, in the war against corruption.

Elman reported that at least 45 persons in Mindanao were dismissed from the government last year after they were found to be guilty to have committed graft and corrupt practices while in office.

The deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao reported during the year his office resolved a total of 1,109 administrative and criminal cases (as of December 12, 2014), leaving only 979 cases, the lowest since year 2000.

“In the case of the Ombudsman-Mindanao, we were able to meet our target of disposing all 2010 and earlier docketed administrative and criminal cases,” he said.

Elman credited the positive development in the office to the assumption of Justice Conchita CarpioMorales as Ombudsman.

ANTONIO M. AJERO

in the gold-rush areas of Barangays Kematu and Desawo in 2013, only 94 have remained last year.

“The total number of small-scale mining operators has greatly reduced because of our enforcement activities on errant tunnel owners and operators in T’boli,” he said in a statement.

Flaviano said they recommended to the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB) the closure of a number of mine tunnels for violations of standards and regulations.

He said they also continued with the crackdown last year against mine tunnel and ball mill operators that lacked proper permits and licenses from the provincial and municipal governments. provincial The government issued the closure orders in compliance with a directive from the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board and the provisions of Provincial Ordinance No. 7, series of 2003.

Ordinance No. 7 specifically sets the “taxes, fees, charges and other impositions on small-scale mining, mineral processing operations and transporting of mineral ore within the province of South Cotabato.”

Aside from this, PEMO personnel facilitated the closure of around 100 smallscale mining operations, mostly illegal, in the mountains

of Tampakan town.

Flaviano said these included the illegal “banlas” or sluice mining operations, which was mainly centered in Sitio Kampo Kilot of Barangay Pulabato.

Banlas mining, which is considered a highlydestructive mining method, involves the pouring of large amounts of water using highpressure water jets on a mountain’s surface to extract the rocks containing the gold ore, and then pan them with mercury.

The use of the illegal mining method was first uncovered in T’boli, and eventually reached the small-scale mining areas of Tampakan.

The province’s mining and quarry tax collections posted a steady increase from 2010 to 2012 before absorbing a P3 million drop in 2013.

In 2010, the province posted a total collection P406,834.05 and it increased to P3,518,287 in 2011. It reached an all-time high of P 15,790,315.30 in 2012.

Despite the drop in quarry and mining revenues last year, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Region 12 said the province has remained the top earner in terms of mining and quarry taxes among local government units in the region. (MindaNews)

Anti... FFROM 2

SoCot... FFROM 3

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Council... FFROM 2 of the completed local rod projects including repair and rehabilitation of the roads, and monitoring and evaluation covering the physical works and outcomes.

During a previous

committee hearing, City Tourism Operation Office head Maria Felisa Marques clarified said her office’s role deals more on the initial planning in the monitoring and evaluation of local roads.

(DOT) 11 regional director Roberto Alabado said he is hoping the project will be implemented under a PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) scheme.

“The feasibility study is very essential to entice the private sector in funding the Davao-Samal bridge,” he said.

This big ticket project gained praises from different stakeholders in the tourism sector because of its positive impact on the economy and tourism industry in Davao City and Samal.

Hotels and Resorts Sales and Marketing Association president May Aranda told reporters during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao Annex yesterday that the bridge will provide better accessibility between the

islands, especially to Samal’s tourist destinations.

However, Davao City Tourism Officer Lissette Marques said the impact of the project on the environment should also be considered.

Marques said the building of the bridge might expedite environment degradation and affect marine lifeforms.

She also said the construction of bridge might also lessen the time spent by tourists in Samal.

“There might be an influx of day-tour tourists because of better accessibility to the island,” she added.

However, she emphasized that she is not against the setting up of the bridge because it will also help make the tourism industry in Davao City more vibrant.

Philippine economy to expand better this year than in 2014.

Yao projected GDP growth for this year to settle at 7.0 to 7.2 percent.

His reason: Same as the DTI chief’s.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS * Investments in manufacturing sector are expected to continue. Both the Board of Investments (BOI) and Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) -- two of the country’s largest investment promotion agencies (IPA) -- noted surge in investments in the manufacturing sector in 2014.

Approved investments by BOI in the manufacturing sector last year increased by 78 percent to PHP24.5 billion from PHP13.8 billion in 2013.

Likewise, PEZA recorded huge investments in the sector last year as four out of 10 biggest economic zone developers were for the manufacturing sector while six out of 10 largest projects in the previous year were expansions from manufacturing companies.

BOI and PEZA, which are under the DTI, expect investments in the manufacturing sector to continue with positive expectations of foreign investors in the country.

Both IPAs will continue to promote the Philippines this year as an investment destination, with focus in Japan and European countries for PEZA, while BOI -- aside from the traditional markets -- will attract investors from South America. * Automotive industry will continue to perk up. The auto industry ended 2014 with a booming 27 percent growth in sales totaling 270,312 units last year.

The industry expects total sales this year to reach 300,000 units. * Recovering electronics sector. Positive outlook is seen for the electronics industry,

both in trade and investments.

The World Bank has said that markets of electronic products already recovered. Thus, the Philippines -- as one of the major electronics exporting countries in the region -- will benefit from the recovering global electronics industry.

The Semiconductor and Electronics Industry of the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI) said the industry’s exports in January to November 2014 period grew by 8.0 percent to USD22 billion.

Electronic products account for around 30 percent of the country’s total exports.

In terms of investments, PEZA said the electronics industry will remain the top investor this year, particularly with the robust demand in the auto electronics. * Lower oil prices, higher purchasing power. The Philippines is a big beneficiary of the declining oil prices in the world market since the country is a net importer of oil products.

According to the World Bank, oil prices have decreased by more than 40 percent between January and December last year and is seen to further decline by an average of 31.9 percent this year.

The World Bank added that this will push for higher household and business purchasing power, which can support consumption growth in 2015.

“Moreover, lower oil prices can boost the economy of the Philippines’ oil importing trade partners, thereby increasing demand for Philippine exports,” the World Bank noted in its Philippine Economic Update published earlier this month. * Favorable exports sector.

Aside from the benefit of falling crude prices to the export sector, the inclusion of the Philippines in the European Union Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (EU GSP+) will be favorable to the country’s exports revenue.

Davao... FFROM 3

Bright... FFROM 6

VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

STAYING ALIVE

15

Serena Williams reacts after winning a point against Garbine Muguruza.

Serena fights back to reach Australian Open quarterfinals

S

ERENA Williams avenged her heaviest Grand Slam defeat with a comeback 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Garbine Muguruza on Monday to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals.

The top-ranked Williams was pushed all the way by No. 24-seeded Muguruza, who matched her in the heavy-hitting rallies, and who had conceded only four games to her in a second-round upset last year at the French Open.

Five-time Australian Open winner Williams next faces Dominika Cibulkova, who reproduced the kind of tennis that helped her reach the final here last year as she beat two-time champion Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Defending champion Stan Wawrinka beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6 (2), 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8) to move into the men’s quarterfinals, where he’ll play either No. 5 Kei Nishikori or No. 9 David Ferrer.

Williams appeared to be laboring at times, and had a serious cough. She struggled with her serve in the first set, winning only one of a dozen points on her second serve as the 21-year-old Spaniard went on the attack.

She couldn’t convert her six break-point chances, while Muguruza broke her twice.

“She hits the ball really, really big, really, really hard,” Williams said. “Someone in the crowd was like ‘C’mon Serena use spin’ and I was like ‘OK.’ There’s coaches everywhere out here! Thank you.”

Williams hasn’t advanced past the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park since winning her last title here in 2010.

There was a lot to distract her. In the first set, a six planes were doing coordinated loops and tricks in the sky over Rod Laver Arena, as part of the national day celebrations in downtown Melbourne. She

had difficulty breathing at times, and had heaving coughing fit into a towel at a changeover.

“I’ve been a little sick the past couple days but I just love it here,” Williams said, when asked if she’d swallowed a fly. “When I got down, I was thinking, “What can I do now? Whatever happens, I thought, I’ve won this five times.”

She gradually picked up power in the second set, broke for a 5-3 lead and then fired three aces and a service winner to level the match at 1-1, screaming as she pumped her fist.

After missing break points on Muguruza’s serve in the opening game of the third, Williams saved six break points and needed al-

T

as if it was June.

James scored 34 points, including the first eight in the fourth quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-98 on Sunday for their sixth straight win.

James made a pair of

3-pointers and a nasty fadeaway jumper to give the Cavs a 91-80 lead. Later, the fourtime MVP fed Kevin Love for a 3-pointer with 3:38 left that put the Thunder away.

The Cavs, who seemed to be unraveling two weeks ago during a six-game los-

most 13 minutes to hold.

Her confidence up, Williams broke for a 3-2 lead and dominated the rest of the match.

She’ll need every bit of confidence against the 1.61-meter (5-foot-3) Cibulkova, who pounded 44 winners and broke former No. 1-ranked Azarenka’s serve seven times to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the sixth time.

The No. 10-ranked Cibulkova lost the final here last year to the now-retired Li Na, and is back in that kind of form.

“I just walked onto the court and all great memories came to my mind,” she said,

LeBron lifts Cavs over Thunders

HE sold-out arena buzzed with 20,000 fans decked out in matching gold T-shirts. There was a national TV audience, two high-profile teams and All-Stars all over the floor.

It felt like the playoffs in January. LeBron James played

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the game on Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. (Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)

S

O Mary Jean Lastimosa didn’t make it to the last five finalists of the Miss Universe pageant yesterday. But that doesn’t mean she was a dud. That doesn’t mean too that we will all put the blame on her national costume which many on social media compares to an icing-laced cake.

I still believe clothes don’t make the man (or woman in this case). It’s the wearer that matters.

If you think MJ’s costume was crazy, look at Miss Canada who donned a dress fitted with hock-

ing streak, are now 6-1 since James returned after missing eight games with a strained back and knee.

After going scoreless in the third quarter, James scored 12 in the fourth as the Cavs kept their momentum rolling. ‘’We’re a confident bunch,’’ James said. ‘’But for us, we’re a humble bunch. It’s one game versus a very experienced team, a very talented team, a very good team that’s been together for a while. It shows that we can match up with some of the high-caliber teams.’’

Love added 19 points and 13 rebounds, Kyrie Irving scored 21 and J.R. Smith had 14 as the Cavs concluded a 4-0 homestand. Reserve Tristan Thompson grabbed 16 rebounds.

Kevin Durant scored 32 with nine assists and Russell Westbrook had 22 points for the Thunder, who went 3-2 on their longest road trip this season. Dion Waiters, acquired from Cleveland in a three-way trade earlier this month, added 14, but the Thunder shot only 39 percent and couldn’t get big shots to go down.

Manny saves the day ey sticks and a headdress made of a digital scoreboard. My good friend Moses Billacura, resident of Edmonton in Canada, is happy about that.

So what the heck?

Despite not making it to the final five, still MJ made a good account of herself in the tough pageant. We just can’t win ‘em all. Or even come close to winning.

When MJ was gone, we thought the Philippines is out of the Miss Un global coverage. But wait.

Enter Manny Pacquiao.

Just in time.

LET’S GET IT ON

Neil Bravo Manny, looking dapper in a tux, came down like a consoling rain after lightning struck us empty with MJ’s elimination.

And with the usual Pac-

quiao English delivery like no one could, Manny threw the question to Miss USA Nia Sanchez like his vaunted left hook. Crisp, hard, but easy to chew. “If you have 30 seconds to deliver a message to a terrorist, what would it be?”

No need for Miss USA to request Manny to read the question again.

Manny has taught us all to accept that you need not pronounce English words well in order to be understood by the world. Let me put some pun into it. It’s the Englisher not the English.

re-

flecting on how her run last year

is

inspiring her at the Australian Open, “I thought ‘I’m a great player and I can do it.’”

“As you can see, I’m not

t h e tallest player on t o u r, I need to have something extra if I want t o beat these t o p players,” she said of her heavy ground strokes. “This is my energy on the court, this is how I play.”

Iran’s protest against Iraq rejected

I

RAN’S protest that Iraq fielded an ineligible player in their stormy Asian Cup quarter-final was shot down following lengthy deliberation by tournament organisers on Sunday.

Iran lodged a formal complaint, claiming that midfielder Alaa Abdulzehra failed a drugs test while playing for an Iranian club last year, but it was rejected by the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) disciplinary committee.

“It’s rejected, they said this player can carry on and play,” Iranian delegation head Houshang Moghaddas told AFP. “Iraq tomorrow can play ... tomorrow morning we fly (home),” he added.

An AFC statement released later said that the protest was “unfounded”, without giving further details.

The decision follows several hours of closed-door talks in Sydney with Iraqi and Iranian delegates both giving evidence to the AFC’s disciplinary committee.

It means 2007 champions Iraq, who won Friday’s combustible match on penalties, are free to contest their semi-final against South Korea on Monday.

Iraqi coach Radhi Shenaishil insisted the 11th-hour protest had not distracted his team as they made final preparations for the last-four clash in Sydney.

“The objection has been officially closed and the subject is closed from our side,” he told reporters at Stadium Australia. “We have nothing to add. The (protest) from the Iran team is something they created and hasn’t affected us at all for tomorrow’s match.”

The AFC’s decision also avoids the messy scenario of throwing out Iraq and reinstating Iran, which would probably also have meant rescheduling the semi-final.

Iran’s protest centred on their claim that Abdulzehra, now playing for Iraq’s Al Shorta, failed a drugs test while at Iranian club side Tractor Sazi last year.

In the same manner that people should just accept that it’s not the dress that MJ was wearing but MJ herself.

I’m sure if MJ were to advance to the final five and asked the same Facebook question, she would answer in the same manner as my personal pick Miss Jamaica Kaci (pronounced kay-cee) Fennell was when she singled out music legend Bob Marley and the planet’s fastest Usain Bolt as Jamaica’s best contribution to the world.

MJ would have easily

said the people’s champ is the country’s best contribution to the world.

Next to only to people power.

Take a bow then MJ. Take a bow Manny.

You made us proud.

Missing out on the Miss Universe title will go down as just one of those nights.

MJ did her part, and Manny saved the night. We win some, we lose some.

Let’s get on to the next battle.

Come on Floyd Mayweather Jr. Make your country proud.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 7 ISSUE 222 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

Cua invited to welcome FIBA inspection team

S

AMAHANG Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Mindanao Basketball Region B director Regino “Boy” Cua has been invited to attend the welcome gala prepared for the visit of the 2019 Basketball World Cup Evaluation Commission.

No less than SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan invited the long-time Davao Region basketball top honcho to grace the welcome dinner set tomorrow for the FIBA Evaluation Commission at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel.

“I was pleased and delighted by the invitation of Mr. MVP to be part of the

socials that would welcome the FIBA inspection team,” said Cua, who is a member of the SBP board of trustees.

The four-man committee formed by FIBA was in the country to assess the capability of the Philippines to host the 2019 FIBA World Cup of Basketball.

The Philippines had submitted its bid to host the quadrennial sporting event that features the world’s best basketball players. The games were held in Spain last year.

Along with China, Germany and Turkey, the Philippines made up the shortlist of bidders that would

ETERAN guard Willie Miller has been plucked out of semi-retirement and will get a chance to prove himself once more after being signed up by Talk ‘N Text for their upcoming PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign.

The 37-year-old, twotime MVP told InterAksyon. com that he has agreed to terms with the Tropang Tex-

ters, a franchise he played several seasons for in the past.

“Try lang natin until next conference,” Miller wrote in a text message. “Sana makatulong ako sa kanila.”

Miller’s entry comes at a perfect time for Talk ‘N Text, which will be missing the services of former team captain Jimmy Alapag. The 5-foot-9 Alapag recently announced

his retirement and will be serving as the team manager moving forward. His jersey will be retired by the franchise on Wednesday in the team’s conference opener against Rain or Shine.

Miller, who was left unsigned in the Philippine Cup, will have a shot to prove he still deserves a spot in the PBA. He will join Talk ‘N Text’s talented backcourt, which currently

features star guard Jayson Castro and rookie Kevin Alas.

He suited up for Barako Bull last season, averaging 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per contest.

HE biggest mixed martial arts organization in the world could be on its way to the Philippines. Combat Press reports that the UFC is targeting to hold its first event in the Philippines on May 16 most likely at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“The promotion has

been targeting an event in the island nation for the past few years and now those plans have come to fruition,” the report stated.

Filipino fighters of Team Lakay Roldan Sangcha-An and Mark Eddiva are expected to be in the card and it could be headlined by the Filipino Wreaking Machine

Mark Munoz. The card would be of the Fight Night variety for the UFC. “An official announcement from the UFC regarding the event, as well as details about the fight card, is expected to be released in the coming weeks,” the report ended.

Past reports have quot-

ed UFC Vice President of International Business Development Joe Carr saying that the UFC will three to four events in Asia this year. One of these countries would be Japan and the other possibly Macau. The UFC visited Singapore in 2014 but they only drew 5,216 fans.

possibly capture the hosting of the next biggest basketball tournament in the world.

The SBP is proposing five venues for the event, three of them already existing, which include SM Mall of Asia Arena, Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao and Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. The two other sites are still in the blueprint stage.

The SBP Mindanao Cluster B areas of responsibility are Davao City, Davao province, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, General Santos City, Cotabato province, South Cotabato, Saran-

TNT signs veteran guard Miller V

Ateneo de Davao University’s Francis “Ep-Ep” Escandor attacks the basket against Agro Industrial Foundation College defender during the Seaoil National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) League Junior Regional Championship at Goldstar Gym in Davao City on Sunday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

gani, Sult a n Kudarat, Maguindanao, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur.

UFC targeting an event in Manila - report T

Mark “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” Munoz, left, of Vallejo, Calif., is expected to headline a UFC event in Manila on May 16.

What Pacman asked during Miss Universe pageant F ILIPINO boxing champ Manny Pacquiao was the first judge who asked a question during the final round of the 63rd Miss Universe pageant in Miami, Florida on Sunday night (Monday morning in Manila).

Pacquiao asked Miss USA about terrorism.

“If you were given 30 seconds to deliver a message to a global terrorist, what would you say?” he said.

Miss USA replied, saying: “I would just say that… I know that as Miss USA I can always spread a message of hope and love and peace.

And so, I would do my very best to spread that message

to them and everyone else in the world.”

The rest of the Top 5 candidates came from Netherlands, Ukraine, Jamaica and Colombia.

The Philippines’ representative in the Miss Universe pageant, Mary Jean Lastimosa, ended her journey as part of the Top 10.