Edge Davao 7 Issue 23

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

www.edgedavao.net

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

LoNG QUEUE. Mall-goers waiting for taxi brave the long queue outside Abreeza Mall as cabs became scarce in the area due to the heavy downpour Monday evening. Lean Daval Jr.

‘KILLER HIGHWAY’ cops Rody wants traffic violators arrested, orders HPG to man Diversion Road

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. abf@edgedavao.net

D

AvAO City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte wants traffic violators in the dreaded “killer highway” arrested even as he called for the mobilization of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) -11 to manage the traffic flow of Carlos P. Garcia Highway (Diversion Road).

Duterte told reporters last Monday night at Grand Men Seng Hotel that with the long stretch and dark highway, he finds it appropriate for the HPG unit to be deployed in the area.

“I want apprehensions there,” said Duterte.

He said that at night time, many drivers tend to break speed limit in the area because of the absence of traffic enforcers. The dreaded highway has been observed to be dimly lit and without streetlamps.

“Yung diversion na yan wala ng makahuli diyan… except the HPG so that I can pinpoint the liability. So pagka may nangyari diyan madali

kong sabihin na saan yung highway patrol na na assign diyan,” Duterte explained.

“I told the LTO (Land Transportation Office) pati police na huwag na kayong sumali diyan kasi alam mo naman diyan sa Diversion road madilim diyan – kailangan mo ng armas, you know, baka mapara mo mga holdaper,” added Duterte.

On the other hand, Duterte urged the LTO to test the ‘Intellectual Quotient’ (IQ) of the applicants before they will issue a driver’s license.

“IQ is not dependent sa edukasyon mo … its what a reasonable man on the street

FKILLER, 10

VIsITING pMA cADETs. Philippine Miltary Academy (PMA) cadets listen to Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte’s message during a welcome dinner for PMA “Salaknib” Class 2017 at Grand Men Seng Hotel Monday night. Lean Daval Jr.

2 THE BIG NEWS EDGEDAVAO

NEW oRDER. Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte informs Traffic Management Center (TMC) chief Rhodelio Poliquit (left) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) 11 director Gomer Dy (2nd from left) in a meeting at Grand Men Seng Hotel Monday evening that he has already given the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) the task to implement traffic

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

regulations along Carlos P. Garcia Highway (Diversion Road) where a tragic road accident happened last Saturday, claiming eight lives and injured 16 others. Also in photo is Duterte’s executive assistant Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go. Lean Daval Jr.

City cops to tighten Rumble strips to be installed security in churches

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

T

He Davao City Police Office (DCPO) will deploy most of their personnel to places of worships in the city for the observance of Holy Week.

DCPO director Sr. Supt. Vicente Danao Jr. told reporters at Grand Men Seng Hotel last Monday that they will deploy at least 1,000 police personnel to secure the major thorough fairs and areas of convergence during the holy week activities.

“Hindi lang doon sa mga tourist destinations kundi sa mga simbahan, shrines,” said Danao.

Danao said that they also have 200 augmentation forces from the PNP scouts who will help them to secure the city.

Danao obliged the people

who will be in the churches to participate the church activities to be vigilant to avoid some threat of crimes.

“Kasi, we cannot cover everything… with so many household na meron tayo sa Davao City the police cannot cover everything,” he said.

He said that the security threat is always present and the authorities cannot avoid it and the seriousness still cannot be determined as of the moment.

“So, kung naa kay mamatikdan na tao nga murag dili mao ang lihok… aba, magtaka ka? Kasi unang-una semana santa yan eh,” he said.

Danao also urged the public before they have their vaca-

FcITY, 10

WEATHER FORECAST

T

abf@edgedavao.net

He Land Transportation Office (LTO) – 11 will install ‘rumble strips’ in Carlos P. Garcia Highway (Diversion Road) to serve as warning device to the motorists traversing the area.

LTO- 11 director Gomer Dy told reporters last Moday night at Grand Men Seng Hotel that they will install the warning device from the junction in Las Tarrasas, near GAP Farm, then going to the traffic light near UIas, and

the junction going to Matina Crossing.

“Para permi ka makurat ba. Ma-aware na kusog na imong dagan,” said Dy. Based on the website of United States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety, rumble strips are an effective countermeasure for preventing roadway departure crashes.

“The noise and vibration produced by rumble strips

alert drivers when they leave the traveled way. Rumble stripes is the term used for rumble strips painted with a retro-reflective coating to increase the visibility of the pavement edge at night and during inclement weather conditions, ” website stipulates.

Dy said that they are now coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the costing of the device.

Dy said that they are still waiting for the response of DPWH before the device will be installed in the area. He said that the device should be installed as soon as possible because it is an urgent.

Dy also emphasized that their office will start to educate the truck drivers in the region to make them aware that the weight of the loads carried on the truck can push it despite of the breaks used to stop the vehicle.

nalized.

Despite the absence of the final layout, the agriculture agency in Davao Region has allotted P193 million to fund the project.

Under the proposed MOA, the DA, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Tourism (DOT) will conduct the feasibility study and master plan of the APTC and provide the funding requirements for the infrastructure development while Davao City local government unit will provide the “working capital and service support for project.”

The goal of the project is to provide a “ready-market” for the products of

small independent farmers not just in the city but also in the neighboring provinces like North Cotabato, Davao del Sur, and Southern Bukidnon.

Farmers are expected to get good prices for the commodities that they will bring to the center as “there will be a good consolidation and storage facility that will enhance the value of their products.”

The complex is envisioned to become the food processing center in eastern Mindanao. It was initially conceptualized in 2004 by the city and DTI11 which identified and agreed to pursue the development of the area for the establishment of the food complex.

City, national agencies to fasttrack construction of Toril food terminal

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

He Davao City local government and national agencies are now finalizing the documentary requirements to fast track the construction of the food exchange complex in Daliao, Toril.

City Council committee on Agriculture and Food chairman Marissa Salvador- Abella said that agencies involved in the project are wrapping up the usufruct agreement of the five-hectare property owned by the National Development Company (NDC) .By usufruct agreement, the city government shall be allowed to use and enjoy the property of the NDC under certain conditions necessary for its preservation and

non-impairment.

“We are doing our best,” Abella said.

For her part, Department of Agriculture 11 (DA 11) regional director Remelyn R. Recoter told edge Davao in a text message yesterday that the proposed Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (APTC) is still on the drawing board.

“NDC has yet to finalize the lay-out of the area,” Recoter said.

The layout covers the engineering design and program of works for the proposed project.

Recoter said that the memorandum of agreement (MOA) among the parties—NDC, Davao City LGU and Department of Agriculture--is not yet fi-

NEWS 3

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

HUNTING MANNY

Palace says Kim only doing her job B UReAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares is simply doing her job as the country’s chief tax collector with her constant reminders for boxing living legend Manny Pacquiao to settle his tax liabilities following his most recent victory, the Palace said on Monday.

The BIR Commissioner was not out to spoil the fun in Pacquiao’s camp and neither did she intend to lessen the honor he brings to the country when she reminded the boxer of his tax obligations, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said during a press briefing.

The BIR chief has been criticized, especially online,

after urging Pacquiao to settle his unpaid taxes, which amounts to P2.56 billion following his latest match.

“She’s very focused on her job and on her mandate.

I don’t quite think she intends to be offensive. She’s just doing her job,” Valte told reporters.

Pacquiao regained his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight belt from American Timothy Bradley Jr. during last Saturday’s (Sunday in Manila) match at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Valte said the BIR has already been talking to his camp to address the issue.

“Nakikipag-usap naman

sila doon sa kampo ni Pacman kung ano ‘yung mga pwede pang gawin dahil doon sa mga hinaharap niyang liabilities… We don’t mean to make it hard for Congressman Pacquiao,” Valte said.

In an article published by the Philippine Star, Henares said nagging Pacquiao over his tax liabilities was never her intention and she was only responding to queries from the media.

“Hindi naman ho ako nagre-remind sa kanya, tinatanong lang ako [ng media]. Kung tama ang gagawin niya, baka wala naman siyang babayaran sa Pilipinas kasi baka mas mataas ang babayaran niya sa Amerika,” she was quoted as saying. [PNA]

cacao planters to employ online monitoring system

By CHENEEN R. CAPON crc@edgedavao.net

T

HeRe is no let up for the country’s top producer of quality cacao products as industry players in the Davao Region are moving towards implementing online monitoring system to further improve productivity.

Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao (CIDAMI) executive director Val Turtur said that the online system is intended to consolidate all cacao-related data especially the number of seedlings distributed by each government agencies and nursery farms.

“It will be like a website where all cacao industry stakeholders will encode the number of seedling distributed to farmers,” Turtur told edge Davao in an interview yesterday.

The website is already finished and it will be admin-

istrated by the Department of Trade and Industry 11 through edwin Banquerigo, DTI’s national cacao industry cluster coordinator.

“There’s a need to align the project of the both sector,” he said, adding that in the past there have been no hard data on the actual situation of the cacao industry.

“We have to converged as one sector for the cacao industry,” CIDAMI executive director said. The idea of having the online monitoring system came up after their meeting last Monday at Pinnacle Hotel and Suites last Monday.

The online system is expected to to provide real time data on cacao industry which include the cacao seedling distribution, areas planted and its location.

Turtur said that among the agencies that will be part

of the data encoding are Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of environment and Natural Resources (DeNR), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

All provincial and city agricultural offices in the region will also participate in building the online database for cacao.

“The system is already developed. We are targetting to start this by May after series of training and workshop which will equip all stakeholders involved in the system encoding,” he said.

The workshop will start on April 22 with the officials of DTI conducting the training to members of cooperatives, government officials and

FcAcAo, 10

HoLY WEEK AcTIVITIEs. Catholic devotees check out the schedule of activities for the Holy Week outside San Pedro Catherdral in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

TF Isla Verde, national agencies convene today

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

T

abf@edgedavao.net

He Task Force Isla Verde will convene this afternoon with counterpart national government agencies for a consolidated action on the rehabilitation plan for the fire razed areas in Isla Verde.

Davao City administrator J. Melchor V. Quitain told reporters last Monday that among the agencies they invited are Department of Public Works and Highways

(DPWH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and National Housing Authority (NHA).

“The approach to the problem will not be only local but also national in scope,” Quitain said.

Quitain said that the meeting with the national agencies will be talking about the possible funds needed and the nature of assistance that they can give to the task

force. earlier, he said that he ordered the task force to come up with options on what strategic approach should be done to address the problems in the area which will be presented to the mayor.

Last April 8, the city government issued the executive Order No. 18 creating the Task Force Isla Verde aimed at providing security and

public that the technical and DCWD call center operations will not be disrupted on said dates to ensure continuous water service to all DCWD customers.

The general public may visit DCWD website (www. davao-water.gov.ph) and official Facebook account (www. facebook.com/davaocitywaterdistrict) or call the Central

Information Unit / Call Center through the 24-hour hotline 297-DCWD (3293) and press “1” on their phone dial to listen to latest daily water updates. They may also call / text 0927-7988966, 09255113293 and 0908-4410653 for other updates, complaints, queries and matters pertaining to DCWD services. [Jamae R. Garcia]

FTF, 10

DCWD offices, collection center closed April 17- 20 LINING Up BEFoRE THE BREAK. Applicants for professional licensure examinations and professionals renewing their licenses endure the long line at one of the counters at the Professional Regulations Commission office in R. Castillo Street yesterday taking advantage of the remaining two days before the Lenten break. NJB

D

AVAO City Water District (DCWD) advises the general public that its Bajada, Matina and Toril offices as well as the collection center in Victoria Plaza will be closed from April 17 until 20 in observance of the Holy Week.

Regular transactions will resume on April 21.

Acting general manager edwin V. Regalado assures the

4 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014 Internet photos

GENERAL SANTOS CITY

Task Force LpG confiscates 6 cylinders during enforcement T

He General Santos City Task Force LPG conducted its regular quarterly enforcement last March 26 -March 27, 2014.

Said activity is pursuant to City Ordinance No. 02, Series of 2006, otherwise known as the “2006 LPG Industry Ordinance of General Santos City”.

A total of 23 firms were inspected during the two day enforcement in which 6 underfilled LPG cylinders were confiscated from the two retailers.

It was also found out that these stores committed their second violation, thus they will be finedPhp 2,000 per cylinders. The owners were given cita-

tion tickets and advised to appear at CMO-BPLD to pay the corresponding penalties. The confiscated LPG cylinders are now in the custody of the Bureau of Fire Protection for safekeeping.

The task force composed of members coming from City Administration Office, Business Permits and Licensing Division, City Treasurer’s Office, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police, GSC Consumer Welfare Council, Inc., Liquified Petroleum Gas Industry Association Inc., Department of energy and the Department of Trade and Industry.

As the LPG industry is being marred by unfair trade practices such as illegal refilling and underfilled cylinders, the task force will be at the forefront to stop its proliferation and ensure the safety of the consumers in the city.

Significantly, through the concerted efforts exerted by the members of Task Force LPG-GSC, the aforesaid enforcement created an avenue of success to further protect the rights and interest of the consumers and eventually serves as a warning against unscrupulous LPG traders and other forms of trade malpractices.[KenWong,DTI-GenSan]

COMPOSTELA VALLEY PROVINCE

Comvalenyos benefit from TESDA skills program A

NOTHeR batch of skilled graduates had been produced by the province of Compostela Valley in the first quarter of the year through a free Technical education Skills and Livelihood Training.

The skills qualifications include Food Processing, Bread and Pastry, Nail Care Services (Manicure & Pedicure), Massage Therapy, Housekeeping, and Haircutting, all leading to NC II level.

This endeavor is a community-based training program which gives access to the creation of livelihood and enterprises/ entrepreneurship on the part of those trained.

There are more training schedules lined up for April 2014 on the following qualifications: Bread and Pastry, Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Massage Therapy, Food Processing, Motorcycle/ Small engine Mechanics, and Nail Care Services.

These are all leading to National Competency II level.

Program partners of the provincial government through the Special Programs Unit (SPU) are the Local Government Units (LGUs), Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), Department of education (Deped), academe, barangays, and the Technical education & Skills Development Authority (TeSDA).

[Grace Almedilla, IDS/ Bob Mirasol, SPU]

Sultan Kudarat

DAR turns over P 7.9M infra projects

T

He Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recently turned over P 7.9-million worth of post harvest facilities and potable water system to the municipality of President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II (PARPO II) Rodolfo Alburo said the water system amounting to P 5.86-million and the post-harvest facilities, which include

450 sq. m. solar dryer and 36 sq. m. warehouse, with a total cost of P 2.05-million, will improve the agricultural activities and living conditions of the farmers in the countryside.

The infrastructure projects are implemented under the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project III (ARISP III) funded by the Japan Banking International Cooperation (JBIC).

Alburo said the Sitio

Lagon Farmers Multi- Purpose Cooperative (SILAFAMCO) vowed to take care of the projects because its beneficiaries are majority of their members.

President Quirino Mayor Azel Mangundadatu, on the other hand, thanked the government for its support to the farmers and assured the DAR that the local government of President Quirino will help sustain the projects. [PNA]

REINFoRcING RoAD NETWoRK. Department of Public Works and Highways 12 accelerates its effort in paving of national secondary roads in the region as committed for completion by 2016. Picture shows the construction of Slope Protection along Banisilan- Guiling- ALamada- Libungan Road, Camansi, Alamada, Cotabato. The project includes Bio- engineering technology application- installation of coconet on gravity wall, in consistency to climate change adaptation and mitigation of the department. Inset picture: the Raradangan Bridge, Raradangan, Alamada provides safety and convenience to residents as well as tourists who wants to see the clear waters and lush vines of Asik- Asik Falls.

5 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

Farmers, women to make chili production ‘hotter’ in Davor T

He chilling horror of typhoon Pablo’s aftermath in Davao Oriental is now replaced with the booming income from chili production of the province.

Now, production is getting even ‘hotter.’

As part of the recovery interventions of the Department of Labor and employment (DOLe) in the province, a livelihood project amounting P711,000 was granted to 197 farmers, Indigenous peoples and women to boost the chili production.

“This is part of our resource-based, innovative, technology-driven and sustainable enterprise development under the DOLe-DOST convergence program together with DA, and DTI,” said DOLe Davao Region Director Joffrey M. Suyao.

“We are also glad that our partner in the ground implementation is the Philippine Army as this (project) also contribute to the peace-building efforts of the government,” Suyao said Further, the International Labor Organization (ILO) is also putting in P1.59 million

counterpart to cover salaries and wages of the farmers who will do the land preparation Labor and employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz in her recent statement said that this is one of the first livelihood projects funded by the DOLe under the DOLe-DOST Convergence on Technology-Driven, Resource-Based, and Sustainable Livelihood.

“Our regional office in Davao has evaluated and found the chili production and processing enterprise to be viable and sustainable. The livelihood banks on chili as a main material resource and a potential income provider for the people in the area,” said Baldoz.

The chili production and processing livelihood is expected to benefit 120 indigenous peoples and women in Barangays Batawan, Mahan-ub, Banao, Binondo, and Salingmacot, in Baganga, and 77 farmers in Barangays Maglahus, Mainit, San Miguel, Abejod, and Aliwagwag, in Cateel, all in Davao Oriental.

The chili production in the said area will cover approxi-

cHILI GRANT. DOLE Davao Regional Director Joffrey M. Suyao hands to Col. Krishnamurti Mortela of the 67th Infantry Battalion the first tranche of DOLE assistance amounting to P499,900 to boost the Chili Production in Cateel and Baganga towns. Also in photo are (L-R) PA officers, Assistant regional director Venerando Cebrano, Chief Labor and Employment Officer Allan Baban, DOLE Davao Oriental Employment Focal Joseph Vingno.(Photo by Sherwin B. Manual/ DOLE11) mately 50 hectares.

The agricultural area of Baganga and Cateel towns were heavily devastated when typhoon Pablo struck in December 2012 displacing peo-

ple of their steady source of income.

“My hopes are great that this livelihood project, properly nurture, will be a boon to peace in these areas,” said Bal-

doz, who directed Regional Director Suyao to closely monitor the progress of the livelihood.

Baldoz, who was in Davao City recently personally presented the Certificate of enti-

tlement to Maj. General Ariel Bernardo, Commander of the 67th Infantry (Agila) Batallion of the 10th Infantry Division, Philippine Army. [Sherwin B. Manual/DOLE 11]

6 THE ECONOMY Stat Watch Indicator

Latest

1. Gross National Income 1. GrossRate National Income Growth Growth Rate2000 Prices) (At Constant

7.1 1st Qtr 2013 6.8

2.2.Gross GrossDomestic DomesticProduct Growth Rate Product (AtGrowth Constant 2000 Prices) Rate

7.8 1st Qtr 2013 7.5

(At Constant 2000 Prices)

(At Constant 2000 Prices)

3. Exports 1/ 3. Exports

4. Imports 1/ 4. Imports

5. Trade Balance Trade Balance 6.5.Balance of Payments 2/

7.6.Broad Money Liabilities Balance of Payments

2nd Qtr 2013

2nd Qtr 2013

USD 3,741 million 5,045 FebUSD 2013 million USD 4,708 Sep 2013 million FebUSD 2013 5,711 USD -967 million million Sep 2013 Feb 2013 USD -665 USD -640 million million Sep 2013 Dec 2012 P 4,964,560 USD 692 million million Feb Jun2013 2013 P2.45,980,938 % million Mar 2013 Aug 2013

8. Interest Rates 4/

7. Broad Money Liabilities

P113,609 2.0 % million Sep2013 2013 Mar P P5,281 127,336 billion million Mar Sep2013 2013

9. National Government 8. Revenues Interest Rate 9. National Government

10.Revenues National government outstanding debt outstanding debt

P 5,609 P 41.14 Aprbillion 2013

11.Stocks Peso per US $ 12.

Composite

Index 6/

6,847.5 P 43.83 Mar Sep2013 2013

12. Stocks Composite

6,191.8 132.8 Sep 2013 Apr 2013

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100 14.

Headline Inflation Rate

135.2 Oct2.62013

10.Peso National government 11. per US $ 5/

Sep 2013

13. Consumer Index Price Index 2006=100

Apr 2013

14. 2006=100 Headline Inflation Rate 15.

Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

2.9 Oct3.12013

2006=100

Apr 2013

2006=100 16.

Visitor Arrivals

418,108 Oct 2013 Feb 2013

15. Core Inflation Rate

2.5

382,022 Aug 2013 20.9%

16. Visitor Arrivals

17. Underemployment 7/ 17. Rate Underemploymen

Jan 2013 19.2%

18.

18.Unemployment UnemploymentRate Rate7/

7.1% Jan 2013 7.3%

Rate

Jul 2013 Jul 2013

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2011-September 2013) Month Average December November October September August July June May April March February January

2013

2012

2011

43.83 43.86 43.35 42.91 41.30 41.14 40.71 40.67 40.73

42.23 41.01 41.12 41.45 41.75 42.04 41.91 42.78 42.85 42.70 42.86 42.66 43.62

43.31 43.64 43.27 43.45 43.02 42.42 42.81 43.37 43.13 43.24 43.52 43.70 44.17

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

BIR posts 9.92% rise in March ’14 collection M

ANILA (PNA) -The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has not stop posting improvements in its tax collection with the March 2014 level rising by 9.92 percent year-on-year.

Data released by the Department of Finance (DOF) Tuesday showed that revenues of the BIR last March totalled to Php 82.18 billion, higher by Php 7.35 billion compared to the Php 74.83 billion in March 2013.

Of the total, collections by the BIR operations reached Php 78.91 billion, 9.66 percent higher than yearago’s Php 71.96 billion.

Contribution of the non-BIR operations reached Php 3.27 billion, also higher than the Php 2.87 billion it collected same period in 2013. even the Regional Offices have been posting improvements in their collection after revenues in the third month this year reached Php 31.79 billion, 10.03 percent higher year-on-year.

The Large Taxpayer Service’s collection also expanded to Php 47.12 billion, 9.41 percent up compared to the Php 43.07 billion in March 2014.

The agency has a Php 1.46 trillion target for 2014 and Internal and Revenue Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares is committed to achieve their mandated goal.

BIR collections account to about 70 percent of government revenues and it has been registering increases in its monthly collections.

In 2013, the agency slightly missed its Php 1.25 trillion collection goal after revenues totalled to Php 1.22 trillion.

However, this is an improvement by 15 percent against the Php 1.06 trillion collection in the previous year.

Henares said the fear factor drive to encourage tax payers to pay their dues is working as proven by the continued rise in their revenues.

The last day of fil-

by the numbers

The value of PHL’s merchandise exports grew

to

US$4.7 billion in February 2014 from

US$3.7 billion in the same period la

st year.

Source: PhiliPPine StatiSti cS authority (PSa) ing for Income Tax Return (ITR) for 2013 is Tuesday this week and Henares encouraged

the public to meet the deadline to prevent paying penalties. ”If they missed

the deadline they still have to pay. If they have missed payments in the past they still

have to correct it otherwise their liabilities would pile up,” she added. [PNA]

Aussie firm to start comm’l flow testing of oil find in Cebu town

C

eBU CITY (PNA) -- An Australian oil exploration firm will start actual commercial flow testing of its oil find in the southern Cebu town of Aloguinsan late this month up to early May, a Department of energy (DOe) official said.

DOe-Visayas Director Antonio Labios said Gas2Grid has already start-

ed its mobilization which will last for one to two weeks.

The flow testing will determine the commercial viability of the oil find, Labios said.

Labios confirmed the earlier announcement made by Australian company Gas2Grid in a statement posted via its website www. gas2grid.com dated April

11.

Labios also said the oil exploration venture does not require an environmental compliance certificate (eCC).

“This particular project was issued a certificate of non-coverage from the Department of environment and Natural Resources. So they are not required to secure an eCC,” he said.

An extension of one year starting January 2014 on Service Contract 44 covering the oil exploration in southwestern Cebu was issued by DOe for Gas2Grid to continue its operation for Malolos 1 Oil Field in Rig 2 located in Barangay Olango, Aloguinsan town.

The company earlier reported a “contingent resource” of oil in the two well

bores it made in Aloguinsan with a “low estimate” of 6.8 million barrels and a “high estimate” of 68.1 million barrels and a “best estimate” of 20.4 million barrels of “total oil initially in place.”

Aloguinsan town officials have expressed support for the oil exploration project as it would generate jobs for residents and earn revenues for the town. [PNA]

as of May 2013 Cebu Pacific Daily Zest Air Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri/Sun Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Thu

5J961 / 5J962 Z2390 / Z2390 5J593 / 5J348 PR809 / PR810 PR819 / PR820 5J394 / 5J393 5J599 / 5J594 5J347 / 5J596 5J963 / 5J964 PR811 / PR812 5J595 / 5J966 5J965 / 5J968

5:45 5:45 6:00 6:10 7:50 7:50 8:00 9:10 9:40 11:30 12:00 12:55

Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Cebu-Davao-Iloilo Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Zamboanga-Davao-Zamboanga Cebu-Davao-Cebu Iloilo-Davao-Cebu Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Cebu-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila

6:15 6:25 6:30 7:00 8:50 8:10 8:30 9:40 10:10 12:20 12:30 13:25

Cebu Pacific Tue/Wed//Sat 5J965 / 5J968 13:35 Silk Air Mon/Sat MI588 / MI588 13:35 Silk Air Wed/Sun MI566 / MI566 15:20 Silk Air Thurs MI551 / MI551 12:05 Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri 5J507 / 5J598 15:00 Philippine Airlines August 15:55 Mani2Mani 16:50 Zest Air Daily Z2524 / Z2525 16:05

Manila-Davao-Manila Davao-Singapore Davao-Singapore Davao-Singapore Cebu-Davao-Cebu

14:05 18:55 18:55 15:45 15:30

Cebu-Davao-Cebu

16:45

7 ENVIRONMENT

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

Will there be water crisis?

By GERRy T. EsTRERA Contributor

Photo By LEAN DAvAL JR.

“T

He world has got a very big water problem,” says Sir Crispin Tickell, former British ambassador to the United Nations and one of the organizers of the 1992 earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. “It will be the progenitor of more wars than oil.”

There are many examples.

In fact, the United Nations “has identified 70 trouble spots linked with water, from the Middle east to the Sahel, from the arid zones of Latin America to the Indian sub-continent.”

River basins – or those areas drained by a river and its tributaries – straddle national borders in 300 places around the world. Things are a lot easier when a river forms a national frontier, like the Rhine does between France and Germany, because “each party lives on their own side of the river and they need to cooperate,” comments Lionel Robaux, of the International Office of Water (IOW).

According to Crown Prince Hassan of Jordan, the 1967 Six-Day War was caused by tensions over the Jordan River and its tributaries. Former Israeli Water Commissioner Meir Ben Meir said: “It’s simply a question of survival.

Thirst for water is an ignition to violence.”

Although water is a re-

newable resource, it is also a finite one. Less than three percent of the world’s water is fresh, and more than 75 percent of this is frozen – mainly at the North and South Poles.

Of the remaining freshwater, 98 percent lies underground.

People and land-dwelling animals can only access about 0.01 percent of all the world’s water.

Water is drawn in two fundamental ways: from wells, tapping underground sources of water called aquifers; or from surface flows – that is, from lakes, rivers, and manmade reservoirs. About 2,000 cubic kilometers of freshwater are flowing through the world’s rivers at any one time; nearly one half of the total is in South America and another one fourth is in Asia.

“Over a full year, the total amount of freshwater flowing through rivers is about 41,000 cubic kilometers, including about 28,000 cubic kilometers of ‘stable’ underground flow into rivers,” reports the Washington-based World Resources Institute (WRI).

Ten countries share 65 percent of the world’s annual water resources. One and a half billion of the planet’s people have no access to clean drinking water, and 50 percent of the world’s population lives

without adequate water purification systems.

Disparity in water’s availability to rich and poor is rampant. “While an American family may rinse and flush away as much as 2,000 liters of water a day, families in some parts of the developing world survive on as little as 150 liters, and they often have to travel several kilometers to obtain the precious fluid,” wrote Michael S. Serrill in a Time special issue.

A recent report from the UN and the Stockholm environment Institute said that by the year 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population would be affected by water shortages. “World demand for water doubles every 21 years, but the volume available is the same as it was in the Roman times,” Sir Tickell says. “Something has got to give.”

“One of the clearest sign of water scarcity is the increasing number of countries in which population has surpassed the level that can be sustained comfortably with the water available,” said Sandra Postel, a former staffer of the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute and current director of the Global Water Policy Project in Amherst, Massachusetts.

As a rule of thumb, hydrologists designate water-stressed countries as those

with annual supplies of 1,000 to 2,000 cubic meters per person. When the figure drops below 1,000 cubic meters (about 725 gallons per person a day), nations are considered water-scarce – that is, lack of water becomes a severe constraint on food production, economic development, and protection of natural systems.

“Water is everywhere,” said an official of the UN educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNeSCO).

“In our bodies, in the air we breathe, in the food we eat and in the countryside around us.

It’s part of our history and our religions.”

Of course, water is free.

The UN official begs to disagree: “It may be free when it’s flowing in a river or splashing against rocks, but it isn’t as soon as people start using it.

It costs money to make good quality water available from taps and then return it to the environment after being treated.”

Unknowingly, human beings drink surprisingly little: on average, domestic water use (which includes drinking) accounts for five percent of the world’s total water consumption.

Agriculture (notably through irrigation) is by far the biggest user of water, account-

ing for more than 70 percent of total water consumption worldwide and more than 90 percent of water consumption in poor developing countries.

As such, the looming water shortage could threaten food security, said a report published by the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). After all, nearly twothirds of the world’s rice and wheat are grown on irrigated land, and future growth will rely heavily on the use of irrigation water.

Water is considered to be one of the world’s greatest healers. But it is also a carrier of several diseases. “Most of the diseases associated with water are communicable,” said the UN health agency based in Geneva. “every day, 25,000 million people die from using contaminated water, making it the world’s biggest killer, and the planet’s biggest single pollution problem,” said Sarah Russell.

In industrialized countries, it is generally safe to drink tap water. Anyone particularly worried about water quality can always buy it in bottles. The French, for instance, get through 77 liters of mineral water per person per year.

To end what Szollosi-Nagy calls the “ridiculously unequal access to water,” it has been suggested that major distributors of “blue gold” be encouraged to invest in the poorest parts of the world so as to develop their infrastructure. But how can these companies be persuaded when there is no money in it? One answer is to make water an economic commodity.

Cristina L’Homme, writing for UNeSCO Sources, points out: “Give it a price, in fact. The saying goes that it is better to tax the poor because there are very many more of them. This means their needs are going to increase as their standard of living improves while richer people’s needs have reached a ceiling.”

Daily consumption in the United States averages 600 liters per person, compared with 200 in europe and just 30 in the drought-stricken Africa. “So the water companies will get their future profits by supplying the poorest people,” L’Homme maintained.

Meanwhile, there is no substitute for water. Whether in short supply, polluted, unfairly distributed, wasted, inaccessible or argued over, it could lead to a serious crisis.

And a water crisis is likely to hit around the year 2050.

8

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

C

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

Deathly Highway

ALL it reactionary. Why do we always act only when something unfortunate has already happened?

The move to put in place a traffic detachment along the accident-prone section of Carlos P. Garcia Highway (Maa Diversion Road) after the latest of many tragic incidents in that area claimed eight lives and injured 16 others is but a repetition of many reactionary actions we make in the aftermath of accidents and calamities.

That section of the city is Davao’s “Killer Highway.”

That stretch of road going up and down Maa and McArthur Highway has already claimed numerous lives and wrecked countless vehicles. Not to mention damage to properties along the highway whether private or public.

This road section is a preferred route of huge trailer trucks towing or carrying massive carriage, speeding cars, trucks carrying perishables, motorcycles and even fitness buffs either jogging or pedaling bikes. In this highway, anything can happen where vehicles run like crazy.

If you think the speed limit law is imposed religiously in the city, think again. In this section, hardly are there traffic enforcers aiming their speed guns on passing vehicles. At night, this section is dark. If not for headlamps

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from vehicles, there is hardly any streetlamp lighting up this section. When it rains, this section is as slippery as a skating rink.

All the ingredients of a Killer Highway are already present. We know that. But then again, hardly do we act to save lives before we lose them.

Alright, we cannot blame it all on authorities and the government not doing any safety nets to ensure the highway is safe for motorists. Road worthiness is everyone’s business. It is everyone’s obligation, which goes with one’s ownership of a property like vehicles, or one’s business obligation, to ensure that our vehicles are safe to ride.

A factory in the city has this signage painted on its façade: “My brakes are defective. Tell it to the mechanic.

Not the doctor. Not the judge.”

True enough, prevention not reaction is the order of the day. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Safety should be everyone’s concern—start by checking your brakes. No matter how many traffic enforcers we deploy on highways, or detachments installed in road sections, if we ignore the simple but life-saving duties as motorists, the road will never be a safe one to drive on.

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G

Wishing the crisis of confidence away

OVeRNMeNT SHOULD STRIVe TO WIN BACK PeOPLe’S TRUST AND BeLIeF – The performance of any leader is usually a sensitive issue. Particularly if his or her leadership is dogged by a wave of corruption scandals and other venalities in government, and has to contend with serious interlocking problems.

What were people notably the opposition die-hards and perennial critics to think except the worst? Mind you, the value of the peso and the stock market had risen since then and the fall lately can be attributed in part to the mounting problems besetting the Aquino administration.

But then that is just the point. Despite being bragged about that the country’s economic health is improving the delivery of basic social services is slow and scarce. People are terribly worried that President Benigno Aquino III and his throng of over-assuming advisers may be too busy focusing on the ongoing investigation of the pork barrel scam or too overwhelmed to prescribe strong enough evidence against the political figures involved.

Political analysts and experts observed that the government does not appear to be sure of itself, and that spooks the people. The President and his bunch of economic and political think-tanks supposedly should be offering potential solutions to the interlocking problems confronting the nation and its people. Unfortunately, many of his trusted and appointed officials are now arguably part of the problem.

And that worries the people across the

U

NTIL these years, there had been peace in the empire Province of Cotabato. Under the blessing of peace Christian settlers had converted the wilderness into progressive communities. Sad to note, the much older Moro communities had continued to stagnate. By this time, too, that peace was about to be shattered together with the Moro-Christian Brotherhood which the then leading Moro leader Datu |Salipada K. Pendatun prided in as the unity of Moro and Christian political leaders. The peace was the calm before that storm.

The issuance of the manifesto of the Muslim Independence Movement by Datu Udtog Matalam, immediate past governor of Cotabato, on May 1, 1968 triggered the Ilaga-Blackshirt atrocious war. This and the outbreak of the Moro rebellion on February 27, 1973 were the eruption of the long-pent up Moro grievances against the Manila government. Peace in the Moro region – the now ARMM – collapsed completely.

Troubles and Development In the early 1970s, land travel in and out of Cotabato City was restricted. No restriction was imposed. But commuters considered the Ampatuan-Maganoy-Dinaig portion of the Cotabato City-Makar road unsafe after 4 p.m. Of the Cotabato City-Davao City road, the Nuling portion was considered unsafe after 6 p.m. These did not start easing until the 1990s. This slowed down or virtually froze commerce in Cotabato City. Many big business firms opened branches in Cebu City, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City and General Santos City.

Bordering Christian and Moro municipalities were on red alert if not on war footing. Christian mayors strengthened their Civilian Home Defense Forces as the first line of defense against possible rebel intrusion.

The Moro communities, hemmed in, were

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

country. For as long as there is a failing socio-economic and political condition, the government and its people get dragged down.

However, a government thinktank group debunked the allegations saying that there is actually no sense of an impending crisis – economically and politically, but just “slowing down a bit.”

But until the alleged lackluster steering of the affairs of government is back smoothly on course, and the leadership announces drastic structural reforms, no one in the country is going to feel really confident. Of course, there is always a list of those who seem to be not in favor on how the affairs of government are being managed.

The President and his trusted people therefore will have the enviable task of resuscitating the country’s apparent socio-economic and political malaise to avoid a nail-biting crisis.

Wishing the crisis of confidence away, the leadership should work and strive hard to win back the people’s trust and belief in government.

The latest survey showing the President’s net performance ratings slipped few notches was precipitated by public perception that the

Impact overrated COMMENTARY

By PatrIcIo P. DIaz

Part 2 of 4 economically paralyzed. In Christian communities, peace varied according to their proximity to the trouble areas; but economic activities and progress went on. The wide gap of the economy in the ARMM and that in the rest of Mindanao today speaks louder than statistics.

Travel by bus or car would give a bird’s eye view of the economic and social disparities. even now, passing through Datu Odin Sinsuat adjoining Cotabato City to Datu Sangki bordering esperanza, South Cotabato (once Dinaig-Maganoy-Ampatuan) on the Cotabato City-Makar road and Sultan Kudarat (Nuling) then Pikit and Pagalungan on the Cotabato City-Davao City road would hardly give an appreciable view of economic progress despite improving peace conditions since about 2005. It was worse before that from 1970s.

In the Christian portions of the same routes could be seen as far as the eyes can see agricultural farms, plantations and industries and progressive town centers including the four new cities of Tacurong, Koronadal, Kidapawan, and Digos. The same appreciable view can be seen in the hilly and mountainous Malungon on the General Santos City-Digos road. These did not take place overnight, a testimony of steady progress despite the Moro rebellion. The same can be said of the other Mindanao regions outside of the ARMM. Four Cities The four cities of Cotabato, General Santos, Davao and Cagayan de Oro are most re-

man at bat was unable to provide potential solutions to the country’s prevailing pressing concerns. The rising corruption scandals, rampant smuggling and other venalities in government have exacerbated public anxiety and spread across the country.

An impending instability in the country caused by the never-ending political rigmarole could mean trouble and a political turmoil of some sort seems more likely now to some. It is a dangerous situation because it will happen simultaneously with socio-economic reforms.

But amid the never-ending political sideshows were the upcoming 2016 presidential elections. The coming poll is rather strategic since there is always a possibility that the next leader will not come from the ruling party coalition.

There are cracks in the front and the administration party is tottering from mounting scandals. The situation has invariably benefited the opposition to which the next in command belonged. The position of the official candidate is critical, but whoever has the backing of the ruling party would be more certain to win.

Trouble is, just like the different opposition groups the ruling coalition seems to be divided.

Maybe the President still has the time to groom a political heir, a new savior. The electorate will unite behind someone who is acceptable to most everyone. For now it’s a waitand-see situation and all eyes are on whoever emerges as the next leader after the 2016 presidential elections. By then he or she will be the least envied political figure in the land.

vealing. In 1960, Cotabato and Cagayan de Oro were about in the same class, Davao at least a class higher. Founded as Buayan in 1947, General Santos was a low-class 13year old municipality. It can be said now that in 54 years, Cotabato has just inched forward while the three had galloped to be highly industrialized – Davao a metropolis with General Santos just behind Cagayan de Oro. In summers of 1960 to 1967 and the full academic year of 1967-68, I was in Cagayan de Oro for my masters studies at Xavier University. By end of the decade, the widening socio-economic gap between the two cities had become noticeable.

I have not visited Cagayan de Oro recently but by the account of my niece and her husband who now reside there with their family, the skyline I can imagine dwarfs what I can remember of the place in the 1960s – the same with the coastal towns of Misamis Oriental which I had the chance to frequently commute through then.

While my visits to Davao were in long intervals, they provided clear observable gauge of the pace of development of its economy.

How would Cotabato compare to Davao? It’s creeping turtle to the leaping and bounding hare. The same can be said of Maguindanao in particular and the ARMM in general compared to Region XI. General Santos is my home place. During my 44 years in Cotabato, I had home visits at least twice a year – in fact, more frequently.

While Cotabato was in survival mode, General Santos boomed. The Dole Pineapple Plantation in Polomolok, the Stanfilco Banana Industry through the 1980s, the tuna industry, the fish canneries (seven of the eight in the Philippines) the opening of the Cotabato City-Makar road and the development of the Makar Port fueled the boom which in turn attracted more domestic investments.

9

Alibaba, Weibo and china’s potential for growth COMMENTARY

By Ian Bremmer

I

N recent weeks, there has been a surge in Chinese tech sector IPOs — including Alibaba, Weibo and JD.com — all planning to list on American exchanges. They’re smart to list away from home: doing so will give them access to more liquidity, and allow them to avoid certain restrictions — like the rule that companies cannot IPO in China if they haven’t yet turned a profit.

There are also compelling reasons for global investors to get excited about these offerings. China’s domestic consumer market is rapidly growing, and e-commerce is perhaps the most robust segment. There were over 6 billion parcels delivered in China in the first nine months of 2013 — up a staggering 61.2 percent from the same period a year prior. Online shoppers received half of those packages.

President Xi Jinping’s reforms are ambitious and unprecedented, and seek to transform the Chinese economy from a state-stimulated growth engine to a digital age, middle-class, consumer-driven economy in a country of more than 1.3 billion people.

If these economic reforms succeed, they will unlock huge opportunities for tech companies that benefit from rising domestic consumption and a growing middle-class that has embraced the Internet.

Yet warning signs surrounding the economic reforms are giving potential investors pause. Recently, we’ve seen wealthy Chinese leaving China. Key leaders are concerned that Xi’s anti-corruption campaign is going too far, threatening to create fissures among powerful political factions. And investors are worried that faltering economic growth — a “new normal” of 7 percent growth, rather than the 10 percent or more of past years — will force China’s leadership to return to traditional stimulus measures, instead of continuing with the current pace of reform.

However, in all of these instances, there is reason to believe that the economic reform agenda will remain on track. Let’s start with the diaspora of Chinese elite. In a recent survey of China’s wealthiest citizens (defined as having a net worth above $1.6 million), 64 percent said they have already left the country or are planning to leave, up from 60 percent in 2013. This exodus is a sign of successful economic reform, because opening the economy and fighting corruption will threaten the vested interests of many of China’s super rich, prompting some of them to safeguard their fortunes overseas.

It’s telling that China’s wealthy are bullish about the economy, even as they find themselves more likely to leave. For the first time in five years, more of China’s rich are extremely confident about their country’s economy than they were the year before.

Within other circles of power, Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign might trigger backlash that could slow or halt the economic reform process. Former President Jiang Zemin recently announced that “the footprint of this anti-corruption campaign cannot get too big.” Hu Jintao, Xi’s presidential predecessor, echoed these concerns, warning that the campaign shouldn’t go too far.

But in a promising sign, Xi Jinping pushed against powerful elites for a year before they began to oppose him. His anti-corruption campaign is more than cosmetic: it’s having a real impact, and these political consolidations go hand in hand with his administration’s ability to push for more open economic and social policies.

China’s waning economic growth has investors bracing for Chinese leadership to revert to the old model of state-driven stimulus measures, jeopardizing Xi’s vision for a digital age economy based on domestic consumption. But Xi remains committed to the reform agenda, and has shown a willingness to trade some state-driven economic growth in exchange for reform.

10 NEWS Killer...FFRoM 1 or what driver would do what he suppose to do,” he said.

Duterte said that he noticed that in the most road incident that some drivers did not know how to maneuver their vehicles.

He said that road mishaps are not really a question of speed but on how the driver handle the vehicle and his

knowledge on driving.

On Saturday night, eight people were killed while 16 others were injured in a four-vehicle mishap near GAP Farm along diversion road Maa. The driver has been charged with reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide, physical injuries and damage to properties.

tion they should secure their houses first by locking the door of their houses first.

“Dapat huwag niyong ipost kaagad (facebook) kung nasaan kayo. Katulad niyan ipinost mo nandun ka sa Cagayan (de Oro) pag nakita yang

mukha mo, ah… wala palang tao dito. Target agad ang bahay mo, walang tao, eh,” Danao explained.

He said that people should really prioritize their valuables and not leave them unattended. [ABF]

nursery operators. This will ensure that all distribution will be on track.

The industry cluster is also planning to have the geo-tagging that will be initiated by DA 11.

“Thru geo-tagging, we

will have real time photos of cacao farms in the region,” he said, adding that personnel of DA will go in the farms themselves and also upload it to the online system.

The region has an estimated 13,000 hectares devoted to

city... FFRoM 2

cacao...FFRoM 3

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

Edge Davao hiring 3 reporters eDGe DAVAO is a need of three staffwriters/reporters for its expansion program.

The reporters will be assigned to the business, science/environment and political beats.

Applicant must be a graduate of a four- year college course. experience is not needed although preferable.

Interested parties may send their application letter to Mr. Antonio M. Ajero, edge Davao editor, thru email address ajero_antonio@yahoo.com. For inquiries, please call Mr. Ajero thru mobile phone 09052422686 or landline 2213601.

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4/16,23,30

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4/9/16/23

showcase of eco-friendly products slated at sM city

By CHENEEN R. CAPON crc@edgedavao.net

S

OMe 25 exhibitors are set to join the three day eco-fair exhibit slated on April 21 to 23 at SM City Davao Annex.

Ann Velesrubio, consultant of People Collaborating for environment and economic Management- Davao Foundation (PCeeM) said that different environment-friendly products will be showcased in the exhibit as part of activities marking the earth Day celebration.

“We also have exhibitors from Mindanao who will bring with them their organically-grown goods,” Velesrubio said as she presented some of the processed products that will be included in the exhibit during a press conference last Monday.

Among the officials invited to grace the event are Department of Agriculture 11 regional director Remelyn R. Recoter, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR

FOR CHEATING IN CSC TEST

11) regional director Fatma M. Idris, City Council committee on environment chair councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, committee on agriculture chair councilor Marissa Salvador- Abella.

Velesrubio said a series of lectures will be conducted in the exhibit area on various topics including toxic waste and chemical-safety, hito and tilapia fish culture, vermiculture and rapid composting.

“We are planning to have

DSWD Davao offers more Pantawid scholarship slots

SC orders dismissal of court employee T T

He Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the dismissal of a court employee for allowing another person to take for her the Civil Service Commission (CSC) qualifying examination in 1992.

In an en banc ruling approved by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. Aranal Sereno, the SC found Nenita C. Longos, Clerk II at the Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) in Del Carmen-Numancia-San IsidroSan Benito, Surigao del Norte, guilty of dishonesty.

The SC dismissed Longos “from the service with forfeiture of all her retirement benefits, except the value of her accrued leave credits, if any, and with prejudice to reemployment in the government or any of its subdivisions, instrumentalities or agencies, including government-owned or controlled corporations.”

A letter dated Oct. 25, 2002 from a concerned citizen informed the CSC of Longos’ spurious eligibility.

The letter said that on Nov. 29, 1992, Longos asked someone else to take for her the CSC

Professional Career Service examination which fraudulently resulted in her attainment of an 86.10 percent rating.

The CSC also found a patent dissimilarity between the pictures pasted in Longos’ Personal Date Sheet (PDS) and in her Picture-Seat Plan (PSP).

After a judicious examination of the records, the SC noted and adopted the recommendation of the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) which found Longos guilty of dishonesty and penalized her with dismissal from the service.

“As shown by the documents on record, which were uncontested by respondent despite an opportunity to do so, it is clear that the pictures in her PDS and PSP are starkly different,” the SC ruling said.

Applying the penalties under the Revised Uniform Rules on administrative cases in the civil service, the SC sanctioned Longos “by imposing upon her the penalty of dismissal from the service with accessory penalties.” [PNA]

a monthly event in partnership with the SM City which will feature issues related to Mother earth,” she said.

PCeeM is a non-government organization that advocates for sustainable management of watersheds in the region. It is involved in various environmental advocacies.

It also supports micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMes) through trainings on how to improving the quality of their products.

He Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD11) said an additional 1,394 slots for the expanded Student’s Grant-in-Aid Program (eSGPPA) will be available for Davao Region this year.

Davao Region currently has 624 college scholars in seven state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the region, reported elvie Bahinting, regional partnership focal person for Pantawid Pamilya program.

The SGPPA ensures that the grantees are enrolled in selected SUCs duly recognized by CHeD, channeled to CHeD priority courses, and be extended the needed support that will guarantee completion of studies thus qualify them for a high-value added jobs in the future.

The accredited schools are the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) Compostela Campus, Davao Oriental State College for Science and Technology (DOSCST), Davao del Norte State College Panabo (DNSC), USeP Obrero, USeP Mintal, Southern Philippines Agri-business, Marine and Aquatic School of Technology - Digos City Campus (SPAMAST) and SPAMAST – Malita Campus.

“A total of 4,041 scholars nationwide benefitted from the SGPPA for Academic Year 2012-2013. This year a staggering 36,000 scholars will be added nationwide for Academic Year 2013-2014 through eSGPPA,” Bahinting said.

The selection of potential eSGPPA scholars is identified using the parameter of one beneficiary per Pantawid household. This number is proportioned to the number of households and the area coverage per municipality.

Potential scholars must be 16-20 years old and must be willing and interested to become a student beneficia-

ry. Moreover, an upcoming student grantee must pass the entrance examination set by the respective SUC. However, in cases that the number of potential beneficiaries exceeds the allocated slots, grade requirement shall be applied.

Students belonging to the upper 20% of the graduating class will be prioritized.

The eSGPPA aims to contribute in the increase of the number of enrolment in higher education in line with the national government’s priority degree programs among poor households, and support college graduates’ entry to labor markets through placement assistance.

A student-grantee receives a maximum of Php 60,000.00 scholarship grant per school year or P 30,000.00 per semester.

This is broken down to Php20,000 per year for the tuition fee, and Php5,000 per year for the textbooks and other learning materials.

The remaining Php35,000, which is distributed to Php3,500 per month, is allocated for the stipend for the board and lodging, transportation, clothing, health/medical needs, basic school supplies and other related costs.

“Daghan kaayong salamat sa higayon nga kami nahimong iskolar sa SGPPA. Karon wala nami sa bukid gatrabaho kundili naa na sa classroom ga-eskwela. Ang amoang mga pangandoy hapit na namo makab-ot tungod sa SGPPA (Thank you very much for the opportunity of becoming an SGPPA scholar. We are no longer at the farm working but in the classroom studying. Because of SPPPA our dreams are almost within our reach),” shared SGPPA grantee Arjun Delucan of Barangay Pinalpalan, Malita, Davao del Sur. [DSWD 11/Sheryll Jane B. Sanico]

EDGEDAVAO

HEALTH

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

11

Do you fake orgasms?

AGENCE FRANCE PREssE

M

eN and women in committed relationships have fairly accurate assessments of their partners’ pleasure, according to a recent study out of the University of Waterloo in Canada. The findings provide one more reason not to fake an orgasm: there is a good chance your partner will see through the front. even in long-term relationships, some women admit to faking orgasm from time to time. However, according to the study published in the April issue of the Archives of Sexual Behavior, men and women are relatively good at evaluating their partners’ actual level of sexual satisfaction.

The study looked at 84 married or cohabiting heterosexual couples who were part of a larger study on sexuality and satisfaction. each partner was asked to evaluate his or her level of commitment, sexual satisfaction, sexual communication and overall relationship satisfaction in a questionnaire. The researchers also tested each individual’s ability to recognize emotions.

PhD candidate erin e.

Fallis, the study’s lead author, says: “We found that, on average, both men and women have fairly accurate and unbiased perceptions of their

A new study reaffirms the link between communication and sexual satisfaction. (AFP Photo) partners’ sexual satisfaction.”

The findings place a dent in the popular misconception that men and women are inherently poor at communicating. According to Fallis

and her co-authors, Professor Uzma S. Rehman and Professor Christine Purdon, the findings also underscored the importance of communication in a healthy sexual re-

lationship.

“We also found that having good communication about sexual issues helped participants to understand their partners’ sexual satis-

faction,” said Fallis. “However, even if sexual communication was lacking, a person could still be fairly accurate in gauging his or her partner’s sexual satisfaction if he or she was

able to read emotions well.”

The study affirms once and for all the importance of good communication when it comes to establishing a better relationship overall. [AFP]

TV viewing tied to less sleep for kids: study

W

ASHINGTON, April 15 (PNA/ Xinhua) -- Kids who watch more TV or even have TVs in their bedrooms get less sleep, a U.S. study said Monday.

Researchers from MassGeneral Hospital for Children and Harvard School of Public Health found "a small but consistent association" between increased TV viewing and shorter sleep duration after studying more than 1,800 children aged from 6 months to nearly eight year.

The presence of a television in the room where a child sleeps was also associated with less sleep, particularly in minority children, the researchers said.

The study participants, children and their mothers, were enrolled in Project Viva, a long-term investigation of the health effects of several factors

during pregnancy and after birth.

From the time the

children were around six months old, and then on a yearly basis for the next

seven years, mothers reported how much time each day infants were in

a room where a TV was on, how much time older children watched TV daily,

whether children aged four to seven slept in a room where a TV was present and their child's average daily amount of sleep.

The researchers found each additional hour of TV viewing was associated with seven fewer minutes of sleep daily, with the effects appearing to be stronger in boys than in girls.

For racial and ethnic minority children, the presence of a bedroom TV reduced average sleep around a half-hour per day.

The results support previous short-term studies finding that both TV viewing and sleeping in a room with a TV decrease total sleep time, which can have negative effects on both mental and physical health, the researchers said.

The findings were published in the U.S. journal Pediatrics. [PNA/Xinhua]

12 CLASSIFIED

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

INdulge!

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

WOMEN

The talented Miss Joey WE’vE heard her on radio. She is the voice that kept us company while driving on the way to work. She is also the voice behind countless radio commercials, promos, narrations, corporate presentations, web audio and political sound clips. Her voice even sometimes looms through speakers inside the malls, talking of trends, hot deals and must-see shows in town. We’ve seen her onstage hosting mall events and corporate gatherings.

Eloquent and chic, she keeps her audience entertained with her wit and humor as she talks to guests in front. One day you see her talking business, history and statistics, while on other days she pokes fun with wacky poses alongside equally charming and comical music artists. She even dared a selfie onstage with the country’s most followed and sought-after celebrity stylist. Clearly, there is no dead air when Joey takes the mic. She not only commands attention,

but also stirs up laughter and enthusiasm in any scene.

Joan Marie “Joey” Sy Domingo made her mark in events and broadcast-

ing through her 13 years with the Davao-born radio station 105.9 MIXFM. Since then, Joey has become a household name and usually the first choice when it comes to voice talents and event hosting.

Married in 2007 to Chris Domingo, Joey is blessed with an equally articulate and smart daughter, Jia Beatrice.

This fun, quirky, multihyphenate and talented woman is one I consider as the jack of all trades. Just when you thought voice is her only talent, she turned everyone egg-static when she launched her own twist of the famous Brazo de Mercedes. Flazo, as she calls it, has become a popular dessert and gift-dujour in less than 6 months.

Sound and Flazo bites aside, Joey maintains that it is her love for life, family, creativity and play that saw her throughout her 14 years as a voice talent and radio personality.

Get up and Go “My penultimate dream before was to be a news anchor and to be seen on Tv. However, during that time, I was too young and had no way of getting myself into the business.

So, I followed my father’s request and took up architecture instead. My reverie remained a dream for a couple more years.

In 2001, I learned that MIXFM needed a newscaster. A day after I submitted a demo, I got a call and was asked to come back for an interview. The manager back then, Mr. Nigel Gamalong, christened me with the name “JOEY” and trained me for a year. When Mr. Bong Aportadera assumed the position of Station Manager, he gave me a slot in his morning show and worked as his newsie and eventually made me his sidekick in the Get up and Go morning Show which launched the Get up and

FTHE TALENTED, A4

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

UP aNd aBOUT

Lenten celebrations at Waterfront Insular Davao CELEBRaTE this Holy Week at the Waterfront insular Hotel davao!

Bring your family to Café Uno on Wednesday and Easter Sunday and enjoy 50% off our international daily Lunch Buffet.

Have a Lenten Staycation in our relaxing rooms with our Big Price Cut. The sea breeze, a dip in our Pool aquarius and our excellent hospitality should do wonders to rejuvenate you.

Have fun with the whole family at our Easter Sunday offering dubbed Summer Chill. Held for the first time at our Pool aquarius, enjoy fun & games, Egg Hunting with a twist and free swimming for the whole family.

Make it a grand experience at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao. For reservations and inquiries, contact us at +63 82 300 8881 or 233 2881 to 87.

Family getaway at Marco Polo Davao THiS Lenten season, have a much-needed getaway with your family, friends and loved ones at the Marco Polo davao.

Café Marco offers their special Lenten menu of Seafood Pescatora, Tuna Casserole, Baked Snapper Fillet with Brown Butter and Capers, Paella with Cuttlefish and more.

Take a blissful weekend stay in our rooms at 75% off with our Big davao Fun sale promotion.

Swim to your heart’s content in our stunning pool and have an invigorating massage at the Lazuli Spa. Take a moment to relax in peace only at Marco Polo davao.

For reservations and inquiries, please call: (082) 221-0888 local 7340-7341 (Room reservations) 7222-7223 (Café Marco) and 7280 (Lazuli Spa) .

AN EASTER ADVENTURE IS HATCHING AT ABREEZA MALL. Hey mommies! Let your kids experience the greatest egg hunt ever at Abreeza Mall this Easter Sunday! Simply present a minimum P500.00 receipt from any Abreeza Mall store to the main concierge to get your Easter stamp card!

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

SM Davao’s PET EXPO: Canine Series features Jojo Isorena RENOWNED dog behaviour counsellor and trainer Jojo Isorena joins SM City Davao’s Pet Expo: Canine Series set on April 24 to 27 at the mall’s Annex Event Center.

Isorena has been working with dogs since 2002 when he acquired his first dog, an Alaskan Malamute. In 2006, he attended the Triple Crown Academy for Professional Dog Trainers in Austin, Texas where he trained under top professionals and competitors in the field. After successfully completing the graduation requirements, Jojo received his certification as a Canine Training and Behavior Specialist.

Jojo returned to Manila and began working professionally as a vet-referred behaviour

formation on April 24 & 25; Dog Olympics, Pet Training Seminars and Free Dog vaccinations on April 26 & 27.

Hundreds of dog owners from different parts of the country are expected to participate in the expo.

The event is supported by the Davao City veterinarian’s Office, Philippine Dog Athletics Association, Philippine Canine Club Inc., Davao Canine Exhibitors Club, Davao Agility Unified Group, and Clusterstorm Kennel Club. It is also made possible by PETCO, Homecrest and Bosch.

For inquiries, call 297.6998 local 126. Like SM City Davao on Facebook or follow @smcitydavao on Twitter and @ smdavao on Instagram for event and promo updates.

counsellor and trainer. In 2009 Jojo established BetterDog Canine Behavior Center, the first professional training facility in the Philippines that educates owners in building better relationships with their dogs through positive training methods.

SM City Davao’s Pet Expo is a 4-day event with Pitbull and Dog Con-

Globe Telecom wins in ASEAN Corporate Sustainability Summit and Awards 2014 LEadiNg telecommunications company globe Telecom won the integrated Communication Category in the aSEaN Corporate Sustainability Summit and awards 2014 for having incorporated strategic communication programs for a more meaningful impact. aCSSa was created to acknowledge individuals and organizations for their successful demonstration of commitment to sustainable operations, and provide a platform to showcase sustainable practices and create an avenue for benchmarking. it also aims to establish an opportunity to promote maturity in sustainable practices through a healthy competition among industry peers.

Recognizing the impact of environmental and social concerns on the global economy, globe committed to integrate sustainability in its core operations. in line with this, globe combined sustainability with its annual financial report to improve stakeholders’ perception on accountability and transparency, and demonstrate the connection between corporate responsibility and business operations and strategy.

For the past three years, globe continues to meet international standards for

its annual and Sustainability Report by increasing its reported performance indicator and maintaining a B+ level of assurance. Last year, the 2012 aSR was recognized in Mercomm’s aRC international awards XXVii under the specialized annual report category.

To provide its stakeholders the convenience in viewing the report, downloadable files were uploaded in the globe website (www. globe.com.ph) on the day of the annual Stockholders Meeting. a dedicated microsite was also developed, accessible via PC, tablet and smartphones.

in its aSR, globe Telecom’s sustainability initiatives are divided into four areas – Environment, Workplace, Community and Marketplace. globe promotes efficient and effective environment protection initiatives through managing its operational carbon footprint, implementing waste management programs, and reducing energy consumption. The company also takes care of its employees and enables them through technology, systems and processes to make the difference in the lives of the customers.

Likewise, globe promotes social and economic well-being in communities through various corporate social responsibility initiatives while at the same time, expands network coverage and infrastructure to provide access to as many people as possible through diverse sets of products and services and minimal operation cost. in improving mobile and internet connection, and mobile e-commerce, globe maintains high business efficiency, effective risk management strategies and customer-focused loyalty program.

Yoly Crisanto, Globe Telecom SVP for Corporate Communications receives the award from Dr. Aditi Haldar, Director of Focal Point India and South Asia Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

EDGEDAVAO

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

ENTERTaiNMENT

Solenn goes all-out Hot or whacky in ‘Da Possessed’ not? iT girl Solenn Heussaff makes her big-screen debut with Star Cinema as she stars in da Possessed – in the biggest comedy flick to hit cinemas this summer season.

Known and highly-revered for her stunning good looks and drop-dead gorgeous physique, Solenn is a Filipino-French VJ, model, make-up artist, and fashion designer who created a splash in the entertainment industry in 2010 as an actress and TV host who also ventured in the music industry as a singer and recording artist. Solenn has since starred in numerous movies that showcased her competence as an actress. Moreover, Solenn is able to establish a solid and loyal fan-base that is greatly enamored with her versatility and sensuality as an artist. in da Possessed, fans can look forward in witnessing the whacky side of Solenn as she stars opposite Vhong Navarro for the very first time. directed by box-office director Bb. Joyce Bernal and written by ice de guzman, da Possessed is a joint project of Star Cinema and Regal Films. The movie revolves around the peculiar story of simpleton Ramon who attempts to venture into landscape art. Ramon falls for his sexy boss but conflict begins when spirits from another world start to possess his body thus igniting a series of whacky and riotous events. “it’s such a joy to work

with Solenn who, for me, is a very talented and promising comedienne,” says Vhong who is making a grand movie comeback via da Possessed. “Her comedic timing is impeccable and it’s so natural for her to deliver a line and make it hilarious. i am very impressed with her.” director Joyce Bernal on the other hand, who direct-

ed three of Vhong’s most iconic and most successful films namely Mr. Suave (2003), d’ anothers (2005), and agent X44 (2007), is very surprised with Solenn’s impeccable performance in the film. “Solenn is very sexy and sensual and yet she is able to maintain a wholesome image. it was so light and easy to work with her.

She got along with everybody. Vhong and Solenn have very good rapport as actors and their chemistry on screen is so palpable. She constantly made fun of herself and she never took her beauty seriously in this film which made her all the more beautiful and funny.”

Co-actor John Lapus is also all-praises with Solenn.

“She is so effortlessly hilarious. Her comedic performance in this movie is such a revelation to me. She didn’t have any qualms when she did her comedic scenes.

Solenn really went all-out funny in this movie.”

For her part Solenn is thrilled to work with Star Cinema for the very first time, “This is definitely a major milestone in my career. it’s such an honor to finally work with Vhong, direk Joyce, and Star Cinema in this awesome project.” also starring in da Possessed is an assembly of the country’s finest comedians and character actors as led

by Smokey Manaloto, Empoy, John Lapus, Beverly Salviejo, Lito Pimentel, Joy Viado, aaliyah Belmoro, Matet de Leon, and Joey Marquez. da Possessed is showing in all cinemas nationwide starting april 19.

For more updates about “ da Possessed” simply visit www.StarCinema.com. ph, http://facebook.com/ StarCinema and http://twitter.com/StarCinema.

Lupita Ngyong’o lit up the red carpet of the 2014 MTV Movie Awards in this candy-colored frock by Chanel. She completed the utterly joyful look with a cool clutch, Vita Fede jewelry and a pair of sky blue heels.

Although it can be debated by some that the colours on the dress are overkill and the highnecked cut is just not at all flattering.

Pop diva Kuh Ledesma in ‘Powerhouse’ this Wednesday POP diVa Kuh Ledesma is the voice behind some of the classic Filipino hits such as “dito Ba,” “Till i Met You,” and “i Think i’m in Love,” and the theme song of the controversial TV series My Husband’s Lover, “One More Try.” Even though the actress-singer has been in showbiz for quite some time, Kuh is very elusive when it comes to interviews. But on a rare occasion, the Pop diva opens the door of her house to gMa-7’s lifestyle program Powerhouse this Wednesday, april 16.

Located in indang, Cavite, the four-hectare Hacienda isabella is named after Kuh’s daughter, isabella.

The house shows Kuh’s fascination with antiques. in fact, some pieces of her furniture are made and designed from old woods. aside from her an-

tique collection, many bible verses embellish the walls of her house, which shows how religious she is.

Because the house has a romantic ambiance, her friends advise her to open it to the public. Now, her dream farm house is already a bed and breakfast and caters to weddings and team building activities. in her exclusive interview with Kara david, Kuh will talk about her role as Elaine Soriano, the mother of Tom Rodriguez’ character in “My Husband’s Lover.” Why did she refuse to slap Carla abellana in one episode? is she really anti-poor? and what about the lesbian rumors surrounding her?

Learn about the inspiring life story of Kuh Ledesma on Powerhouse this Wednesday, april 16, right after Saksi, on gMa 7.

RIO 2 2D Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway GP

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

RIO 2 3D Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway GP

12:00 | 2:15 | 4:30 | 6:45 | 9:00 LFS

DIARY NG PANGET 2D / *SON OF GOD 2D

R-16

PG 13 / *PG13

James Reid, Nadine Lustre / *Diogo Morgado, Roma Downey 12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 LFS / * 7:30 | 10:00 LFS

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER 2D Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson PG 13

11:20 | 2:00 | 4:40 | 7:20 | 10:00 LFS

A4 INdulge!

WOMEN

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

The talented... FFROM A1 Go with hometown heroes Sonny and Joey. The show lasted for 8 years and received numerous praises.”

“In my years in radio, I’ve learned that career is not a linear experience.

Meaning your career is neither a ladder nor a pyramid. To me, it’s the idea of climbing a ladder, at one point, thinking we will ever reach the top? Contrary to what happened to me, I’ve learned to appreciate radio, hosting, voice over stints, teaching and baking as a way of life and not as an 8 to 5 job. Passion grows in me through the days and years, just as learning is an everyday experience. It is like any favorite app on iPhone --you simply download it and get hooked.”

EDGEDavao Davao Partners

Multi-faceted life “It’s really hard to tell how many events or roles I take in every week. I start my day early to prepare my daughter for school.

Tuesdays and Thursdays see me at the University of Immaculate Conception where I teach Radio and Television Principles and Interpersonal Communication Skills. I record and write scripts for clients several times in a week.

In between busy days, I bake and deliver Flazos. I also handle special events, hosting and voice over jobs for corporate and mall events.”

“Teaching in a university has always been in my bucket list. When I got the offer last year, I saw it as an opportunity for me to share what I’ve learned from the industry. I enjoy discussions in class.

Sometimes, three hours is not even enough. I took it upon myself to share everything I know, also with help from friends in the industry who also eager to share their time and knowledge. I find teaching an extremely rewarding career. Watching young minds learn and helping them realize their full potential is truly a gratifying experience.”

Live and learn “I always maintain the attitude of a student --- I don’t stop learning. I try my best to make each day count. Every time I bake, I feel happy and excited that I’m sharing something that I love with friends.

Instagram and Facebook posts about Flazo inspire me to create more flavors and make them available to everyone. When I host and do voice over stints, I try to be as professional and engaging as possible. I enjoy meeting people from all walks of

life. Entertaining people and keeping them in high spirits are my goals. The world will definitely become a better place if we all did our part in keeping the people around us happy and cheerful. And who says the world has to live under gray skies all the time anyway?”

“Through the years, I’ve realized that if you aren’t passionate about something, it is hard to express your true self to anyone. If

you cannot identify with an activity that you are exploring, then it’s hard to truly understand yourself as an individual. Our love of certain things, ideas and beliefs that exceed anything tangible and those which are close to our hearts make us passionate human beings. I consider myself a student— I learn and try to discover something new everyday, even through little missteps along the road.”

“For me passion and inspiration are related to the idea of loving life. If you are able to figure out what makes you tick and feel alive, you can improve your life greatly and make every day exciting.”

To order Flazos, please contact Joey through mobile number 0920 951 6494. You may also place your orders through w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / FLAZODvO.

13 COMMUNITY SENSE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

sM welcomes new scholars F New SMFI Scholars. In the photo are SM City Davao HR Manager Karleine Del Muro, SM new scholars Zandra Jean Madera, Jan Junibelle Lura, Jaryeth Princess Basco, Arnel Legarte & Prencepe John Rabaya, and SM City Davao Asst.

Mall Manager Engr. Warren Rey Bautista.

IVe high school graduates were awarded full college scholarship grants by SM Foundation Inc. last April 10. The contract signing was held at the training room of SM City Davao in the presence of Assistant Mall Managers engr. Nick Santos and engr.

Warren Bautista.

The new SM Scholars from Davao City Zandra Jean Madera, Jan Junibelle Lura, Jaryeth Princess Basco, Arnel Legarte and Prencepe John Rabaya. The new

WE’RE HIRING!

scholars will be taking up courses of BS Accountancy, BS Computer engineering and BS electronics & Communications engineering at SMFI’s partner universities Ateneo de Davao University, University Immaculate Conception and University of Mindanao.

The SM Scholarship Program has been providing education opportunities to less fortunate high school graduates for 20 years. To date, it has produced at least 1,500 gradu-

ates who are now successful in their chosen fields. A number of graduates are now gainfully employed in SM group of companies.

The Foundation has four areas of advocacy: education through scholarship programs and donations of school buildings to public elementary & high schools; health & medical projects like medical missions with a mobile clinic, and renovations of hospital activity centers and religious community projects.

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INTERIoR DEsIGNER / ARcHITEcT sToRE MANAGER / ADMIN oFFIcER sALEs / MARKETING Send your CV / Resume to furnone.abreeza@gmail.com and become part of our team.

3rd Floor Abreeza Mall, J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City

Destiny Training Center located at Silway-8, Polomolok, South Cotabato, Philippines Area: 1.5 hectares (clean title) Contact Person: Jayson Mata and Jarry Cortez Mobile Numbers: 09073069070,09266173168 Telephone Number:(083)301-7975 email Ad: april23jayson@yahoo.com / jarrycortez@gmail.com website: http://www.destinytrainingcenterph.com

SM Founder and Chairman Henry Sy, Sr. established SM Foundation to help the less privileged members of the society. For more information, interested parties may visit http:// www.sm-foundation.org/.

This e-mail message, including any attached file, is confidential and legally privileged. It is solely for the intended recipient and if you received this e-mail by mistake, you should notify the sender immediately and delete this message from your system.

You are further prohibited from disseminating, distributing or copying this e-mail. This e-mail cannot be guaranteed to be secure and error-free as it could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late, or incomplete, or contain viruses or other malicious programs. Unless it relates to business discharged by officials of the company, any views, opinions or factual assertions contained are those of the author and not necessarily of the Company. The Company prohibits unofficial use of its email and consequently disclaims and accepts no liability for any damage caused by any libellous and defamatory statements transmitted via this e-mail.

Let's save trees. Print only when necessary.

14

EDGEDAVAO

MOTORING

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

FERRARI cHALLENGE Floirendo in podium finish

By NEILWIN JOsEPH L. BRAvO njb@edgedavao.net

V

INCeNT Floirendo of the Philippines finished third in the Ferrari Challenge in Sydney, Australia recently.

The 46-year-old businessman from Davao City, who also earned the distinction as the first Filipino to participate in the prestigious Ferrari Challenge, an international series of races for nonprofessional drivers, took third place in the tough race according to a report

by Top Gear Philippines.

Top Gear Philippines splashed the photo of Floirendo taking his place in the podium with two other unidentified winners last Sunday. “enteng finished third and we are so proud of our fellow driver from the Davao City Classic and Sports Car Club,” said Willie Torres when interviewed by edge Davao last Sunday at the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

The race was held at the Sydney Motorsport Park in Australia from April 11 to 13. Floirendo will next compete in Shanghai, China, from June 6 to 8; Inje, Korea, from July 4 to 6; and Fuji, Japan, from September 19 to 21.

The culmination of the challenge, known as the Finali Mondiali—or the World Finals—will be held in Abu Dhabi from December 3 to 6.

Marc Soong, executive director of Autostrada Motore Inc., the official importer and distributor of Ferrari cars in the Philippines, hopes that Floirendo’s international exposure will encourage more Filipinos to venture into racing and believes that this will serve as a sign of great things to come for Philippines motor sports.

“We were very particular about who would represent the country—and the company as well,” Soong said in an earlier news conference announcing the participation of Floirendo to the elite race.

“Anyone can drive a vehicle but to drive it well and race it competitively, that’s totally different,” said Soong in that interview.

A report in the Business Mirror Motoring last March 28 described Floirendo as “a veteran racer in karting, circuit and Formula 3 competitions, Floirendo has all the accolades to back up his momentous selection. The Davao native is a two-time Driver of the Year in the Yokohama Philippine GT Championship Series, winning the crown in 2011 and 2012.”

“Racing is my passion and right now, I’m driving for Ferrari, so it’s a dream come true,” Floirendo said in that article.

According to the report, Floirendo’s Ferrari car for the challenge will be flown directly from Italy to the circuits. “Before I only used to watch races on YouTube or Star Sports. It’s a dream, especially now that I’m representing the country. It’s exciting—but that of course puts added pressure on me.”

FERRARI CHALLENGE The Ferrari Challenge, which began in 1993 and has featured over 2,400 drivers of 48 nationalities in 1,600 Ferrari Challenge

poDIUM FINIsH. The Philippine Vincent Floirendo (top photo, extreme right) takes the third place podium stand in Sydney, Australia’s Ferrari Challenge.

(Middle photo) Floirendo during the formal annuncement as the first Filipino to race in the elite Ferrari Challenge. (Bottom photo) The Sydney race is a tough race where only the best Ferrai drivers are picked to compete. (Photos from the Internet)

cars, is divided into four classifications. Aside from the Trofeo Pirelli, the challenge will also showcase the Trofeo Pirelli Pro, the Coppa Shell, and, making its debut this year, the Gentleman Cup, which is open for drivers over 50 years old.

The challenge will run across three series in europe, North America and Asia Pacific. For the Asia-Pacific region, the other contenders come from Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia and South Korea.

“We congratulate Vincent Floirendo for taking up this exciting and history-making challenge for the Philippines,” Soong was quoted in that Business Mirror report after explaining that Ferrari and its official dealers are the only ones allowed to enter cars in this racing series.

The Ferrari 458 Challenge Asia Pacific is a one-make race series, which means all participants will drive the same model that levels the competition, where the race’s outcome primarily boils down to the racers’ skills. For this race, drivers will get their hands on the 458 Challenge evoluzione, a modified version of the Ferrari 458, which is said to be so versatile that it can be used from the road straight to the track.

The 458 Challenge eVO modifications include the 570 hp/ 540 NM 4.5 L V8 Ferrari 458 Italia engine that uses special gearing in the dual-clutch setup for increased torque response at the lower end of the powerband, allowing the driver to accelerate out of slow corners faster. It also includes a lightweight carbon fiber for the body and clear Lexan for windshields, while steel uniball joints, single-rate alloy dampers, 19-inch center-nut forged rims and a ride height lowered by 50 mm, ensure the car’s composure for rapid corner entry and exit.

MALAysIA LEG In February, the first race of the seven-leg series took off in Malaysia which the Filipino racer took on after a yearlong layoff.

The neophyte in overseas racing had only three full days of practice before race day but for Floirendo, who sported the No. 145 on his car along with a proud Philippines flag, the biggest difference came from the adjustment to the transmission of the car. Being used to racing a Mitsubishi evo 6 in GT300, Floirendo had to get a grasp of the Italian supercar’s paddle shift transmission.

In the race held at the Sepang International Circuit, a famed Formula 1 track, Floirendo battled his way through several odds and finished at 15th place in the 14-lap opening race of the Coppa Shell class. Floirendo clocked in at 2:22.175 against the 2:15.640 top speed of David Tjiptobiantoro of Indonesia.

Floirendo had a tough break in the second go-around when he was forced to retire with just four more laps to go in the humid Sepang tarmac because of mechanical gremlins. He finished 22nd overall in the 30-driver field.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

Julaton: From boxing to MMA O

Ne Fighting Championship™ (ONe FC), Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, has finalized the lineup for the blockbuster ONe FC: RISe OF HeROeS event with the addition of a bout between boxing world champion Ana Julaton and egyptian kickboxing champion Aya Saeid Saber.

CeO of ONe Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui stated, “ONe FC is returning to the Philippines with a night of exciting mixed martial arts action.

Filipino fight fans have been clamoring to see Ana Julaton in action for years and their wait is finally over as Julaton will make her mixed martial arts debut opposite kickboxing champion Aya Saeid Saber.

This explosive bout completes the lineup for ONe FC: RISe OF HeROeS. Fans all over the world can look forward to a night of world class mixed martial arts action as ONe FC: RISe OF HeROeS comes to you live from the Philippines!”

Julaton, nicknamed “The Hurricane,” is the first Filipina boxer to win the women’s WBO Super Bantamweight and IBA Super Bantamweight World Championships.

Julaton’s signing with ONe FC marks her first step to becoming a two-sport athlete. Her overpow-

ering attacks in the ring earned her the nickname “The Hurricane” and made her a fan favorite in the Philippines. It took her only five professional bouts to win a championship in boxing and she hopes her mixed martial arts career will be equally successful.

Ana Julaton is excited to compete in the Philippines for the first time. She stated, “Aya Saber is an experienced MMA warrior and champion in kickboxing. I know she will bring her very best on May 2nd. I’m training for my ONe FC homecoming fight in Manila harder than ever before and what gives me strength through my ups and downs are the hearts of my Kababayans all over.”

Aya Saeid Saber is an egyptian kickboxing champion who has conquered the kickboxing scene in the Middle east. Saber now sets her sights on scaling ONe FC’s highly competitive female circuit. She combines explosive kicks with steadily improving takedown skills. This is a clash of striking styles and Saber is relishing her opportunity to upstage Julaton and upset the boxing world champion in front of her 20,000-strong Filipino home crowd.

Saber stated, “I am excited and honored to be the first female mixed martial artist from egypt

TOP SEED

T

ANA “THE HIRRIcANE” JULAToN. Trying out the MMA.

to compete in ONe FC. I can’t wait to get into the cage and beat Ana and make my fight team and family proud.

Unlike Ana, I am not new to MMA. Be careful Ana, you are entering my world. I’m coming!”

Fans in the Philippines can catch all the action live on FOX Sports Philippines while the rest of Asia can catch the action live on STAR Sports. Check your local listings. Also, fans from around the world can witness the action online via live streaming at www.onefc. livesport.tv. The event will be available for purchase at just US$9.99.

For more updates on ONe Fighting Championship™, please visit www. onefc.com and follow on Instagram and Twitter @ONeFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook. com/ONeFCMMA. TIGHT GUARDING. Chris Anderson of the Miami Heat puts the pressure on Nene Hilario of the Washington Wizards.

Heat defeat allows Pacers to grab East

ReVOR Ariza scored a game-high 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting as the Washington Wizards cruised past the defending champion Miami Heat 114-93 at Verizon Center.

Miami on Monday suffered its fourth loss in the last five contests which means they surrendered the eastern Conference’s top seed to the Indiana Pacers.

The Heat, who rested both reigning NBA MVP LeBron James and centre Chris Bosh in their second to last game of the regular season, will be the number two seed when the postseason starts this weekend.

The Heat allowed the Wizards to shoot an impressive 59 percent from the field and go 14-of-29 from three-point range. Ariza drained five-ofeight three-point attempts and Al Harrington nailed four-ofsix from beyond the arc in a 16-point performance off the

SPORTS 15 SPORTS

bench.

Nene and Bradley Beal tallied 18 and 15 points, respectively, to Washington’s third straight victory. Marcin Gortat posted a double-double of 10 points and 13 boards.

Michael Beasley paced the shorthanded Heat with 18 points and Toney Douglas scored 14 in the loss. Dwyane Wade, playing for the second time since returning from a nine-game absence caused by an injured hamstring, had just nine points in 18-plus minutes of playing time.

The Wizards cruised into halftime with comfortable 7048 lead as they shot a blistering 70.3 percent in the first half.

Washington carried that over into the third quarter, going ahead by as much as 36 points and taking a commanding 98-65 lead into the fourth.

Miami outscored Washington 28-16 in the final frame to make the final score more respectable.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 7 ISSUE 23 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

No LoVE LosT. Floyd Mayweather (inset) is not in the mind of Bob Arum for Manny Pacquiao’s next fight after the Filipino defeated Timothy Bradley last Sunday. (Yahoo Sports Photo)

Arum: No to Floyd-Manny G

OLDeN Boy Promotions Chief executive Richard Schaefer, who said he returned from a spring-break vacation with his family Monday, said he doesn’t believe rival promoter Bob Arum truly wants to make a Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao bout for the fall.

Pacquiao won a unanimous-decision victory over Timothy Bradley on Saturday to capture the World Boxing Organization welterweight belt, and Pacquiao promoter Arum urged Mayweather’s camp to join him at the negotiating table after Mayweather’s likely May 3

victory over Marcos Maidana.

“He sure knows how to get something done: by telling people to boycott Floyd’s fight, calling it a terrible matchup,” Schaefer said. “Is that how you negotiate or create goodwill? It doesn’t make me want to say things that would leave hope for that fight, because I don’t believe he wants the fight. This is how you do things when you don’t want to get things done.

“So I’m not going to lead fans down that pipe dream.”

Schaefer said he’s not ready to discuss Pacquiao until Mayweather is done with Maidana, a world welterweight champion.

“It’s not a tuneup fight,” Schaefer said.

Meanwhile, Schaefer said that “90% of this stuff” about a strain in his relationship with Golden Boy President Oscar De La Hoya is false.

“I made [a Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez] fight on my vacation, I’m talking here about my exciting calendar with Bernard Hopkins fighting this weekend to become a champion at 49, I’ve got an April 26 card at StubHub Center and Mayweather.... I’m here in my office making more fights, and my keys still worked when I got to the office this morning,” Schaefer said.

CCRO wins DACHEA hoops title

T

He City Civil Registrar’s Office twice beat the City Mayor’s Office to win the Category A title in the Davao City Hall employees Association (Dachea) Araw ng Dabaw Basketball tournament at the Almendras gym.

CCRO first crushed CMO, 94-91 last April 7 in a closely-fought match. CCRO continued its winning ways via a 79-71 victory in Game

2 to sweep its best-ofthree championship series last April 9.

General Services Office took second runner-up followed by Cenro.

City Administrator’s Office and City Planning shared top honors by ruling the Category B and C divisions, respectively.

GSO finished second in Category B followed by Cenro and PSCC, while the run-

ners-up in Category C are the Vice Mayor’s Office, Department of education and Ato Ni Bai teams in that order.

The event was supported by the City Sports Development Division headed by OIC William “Butch” Ramirez with Billy Cruzada and Nestor espinosa as the tournament director and coordinator, respectively. – CSDD/CMOLDR

WISH COME TRUE

Wizards sign 10-year-old girl with kidney cancer I

N the here-today, gone-tomorrow world of professional sports, late-season acquisitions rarely have an especially significant influence on the teams that sign them. But while the contract of the Washington Wizards’ latest backcourt addition has already expired, I’m betting that she — yes, she — made a pretty significant impact on her “teammates” during her short time at the Verizon Center.

The Wizards announced last Thursday that they planned to sign Amaris Jackson, a 10-year-old point guard out of Takoma education Campus in D.C., to a one-day contract ahead of their Saturday matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks, in partnership with the Mid-Atlantic branch of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Jackson was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma — the most common type of kidney cancer in adults, but one that’s “rare in children or in adolescents younger than 15 years of age,” according to the National Cancer Institute — in May 2013, and has had surgery to remove two tumors, undergone two months of chemotherapy, and will have another surgery this week “to remove a small tumor in her lungs,” according to Laken Litman of For the Win.

HIGH FIVE. Veteran point guard John Wall high-fives rookie Amaris Jackson. (Photo via the Washington Wizards)