Edge Davao 7 Issue 56

VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

RELEASED. Davao Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte talks with contractual surveyors of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who were turned over by the New People’s Army (NPA) yesterday morning in Compostela Valley Province. The five employees of the private mapping firm Sky-Eye, together with their driver, were abducted by the NPA in Maco, Compostela Valley last Friday. Also in photo are Duterte’s executive assistant Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 11 director Emerson Rosales.

Lean Daval Jr.

5 SURVEYORS FREED Duterte turns over mapping firm personnel to DENR

By GreGOrIO G. DelIGerO

T

greg@edgedavao.net

he New People’s Army (NPA) yesterday released to Davao City Mayor rodrigo r. Duterte the five-member team of surveyors from a mapping firm commissioned by the Department of environment and Natural resources (DeNr) to conduct an aerial survey purportedly aimed at validating the extent of National Greening Program in Maco, Compostela Valley.

DESTRUCTION. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 11 personnel conduct a “verification of authenticity test” on the cocaine recovered from the container of Sumifru in Tibungco, Davao City which are then burned through thermal decomposition process at Holcim Plant in Ilang, Davao City yesterday.

Lean Daval Jr.

DENR 11 director Joselin Marcus Fragada identified the survey personnel as Kendrik Wong, Nico Lasaca, Chris Favila, Matthew Cua and Tim Sabina who are connected with SkyEye, the private firm hired

by DENR to assess the NGP plantations through aerial surveillance.

Together with their driver Jonas Loredo of the Maria Ave car rental service, they were “arrested” by the elements of NPA last May 30 in Barangay

New Leyte, Maco, Compostela Valley.

Duterte arrived with freed personnel at 4 p.m. yesterday in Holcim compound in Panacan, Davao City. The surveyors were immediately fetched by Fragada who presented them briefly to the media.

Interviews were strictly barred.

Fragada earlier confirmed that Sky-Eye has been authorized by the DENR to look for the NGP

FDENR, 10

2

EDGEDAVAO

THE BIG NEWS

VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Lack of teachers bugs Davao public schools T

SLEEPY HEAD. A student of Vicente Hizon Sr. Elementary School in Bo. Pampanga, Lanang, Davao City yawns while listening to the parents and students orientation conducted by the school principal during the first day of class yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Classes open ‘smoothly’

By DANIel D. JOAquIN

By CheNeeN r. CAPON

W

crc@edgedavao.net

ITH the formal opening of classes yesterday, the lack of teachers has continued to hound Davao Region’s public schools both in the elementary and secondary levels.

Department of Education in Davao Region spokesperson Jenielito “Dodong” Atillo said

the problem is more prevalent both among schools with big population in urban centers and in schools located in geographically isolated areas.

Last year, only 19, 364 teachers catered the total 782,077 enrollees in the elementary level in the region.

From the ratio of 1 teacher is

WEATHER FORECAST

to 40 students few years ago, the education department increased the teacher- student ratio to 60.

This is the same with the secondary level which has a total of 256, 465 enrollees last year with only 9,018 teachers.

With this year’s projection of three percent increase in the

elementary including kindergarten level and four percent increase in the secondary level, the demand for more teaching personnel is also expected.

“Based on our projection, elemetary enrollees will increase to 803, 834 from last year data; while for secondary

FLACK, 10

HE formal start of school year yesterday at public schools in Davao Region went smoothly according to Department of Education (DepEd) 11 spokesperson Jenielito “Dodong” Atillo.

Even in schools located in areas previously hit by typhoon Pablo like New Bataan, Compostela Valley and municipalities in Davao Oriental, Atillo said no major glitches were reported.

But he expressed particular dismay over the preference of parents to enrol their children in big schools in-

stead of the facilities adjacent to their communities.

The problem, he said, is now prevailing particularly at the Kapitan Tomas Elementary School which now accommodates 772 kindergarten students even as it only one permanent kindergarten teacher.

He said this prompted the school to tap Grade 1 teachers to handle and teach kindergarten students, thereby creating another problem in the other levels.

Another case Atillo cited is problem at the Magallanes

Indonesia, Japan, Senegal and Thailand which went through devastation of flood and other natural disasters in the past years.

The World Bank added that the participants will also visit various project sites in Metro Manila to learn approaches flood control and disaster prevention being adopted by the region.

“The impacts of floods hit the vulnerable segments of the population the hardest, disrupting their lives, and pushing them into debt and poverty. This is the reason why the World Bank considers disasters and urban flooding in particu-

lar to be a serious development challenge,” Konishi noted.

The World Bank cited that in the past 30 years, East Asian countries were accounted for 40 percent of the total flooding in the world.

Floods and storms also cause the region an estimated loss of USD 23 billion from years 2000 to 2011, impeding development goals in East Asia.

The World Bank mentioned that in the past five years, mega-floods occurred in the cities of Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, Tacloban, Mumbai, Ulaanbaatar, Vientiane and Dakar.

[PNA]

FCLASSES, 10

PHL to host East Asia talks on flood risk management, urban resiliency T

HE Philippines is set to host another regional meeting from June 3 to 5, inviting national and local governments, development partners, and experts from 10 countries in East Asia to discuss integrated flood risk management and urban resiliency.

The Third East Asia regional workshop on Flood Risk Management and Urban Resilience which will be held at the Discovery Suites, in Ortigas Center, Pasig City is organized by the World Bank, the Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

“As a knowledge Bank, we provide global knowledge and facilitate exchange between countries to learn from each other about their challenges as well as solutions that are available to them,” World Bank Country Director Motoo Konishi said.

“Workshops like this facilitate global knowledge transfer, and help countries apply disaster and climate resilience principles in real-life development programs,” he added.

According to the World Bank, the discussion will highlight experiences from East Asian countries such as Philippines, Bangladesh, China,

NEWS 3

VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Irrigation facilities mulled in Davao

By CheNeeN r. CAPON crc@edgedavao.net

E

VEN as a long dry spell is forecasted to hit the entire country beginning next month, the local government of Davao City is still in the planning stage to construct irrigation facilities amounting to P2 million.

City Agriculturist Office (CAO) head Rocelio T. Tabay told Edge Davao in an interview yesterday that irrigation system will be constructed in agricultural areas near Davao River specifically in Maa riverside, Waan and Callawa.

He said that Davao River is a viable force of water to irrigate the identified areas.

“We are still on the stage of data gathering so this is not yet final,” Tabay said.

He said that agricultural areas in the city which are vulnerable to drought are found in Marilog, Bagiuo, Calinan, Toril, Paquibato, Buhangin, and Bunawan districts.

“Most of these areas are planted with rice, corn and other shallow-rooted plants like vegetables,” he explained.

“These identified areas have alluvial soil meaning madaling matuyo. It is most likely to be affected because of its porosity.”

Tabay said that the vulnerable areas will be supplied with water through the planned irrigation system.

As part of its mitigating

GREENER DAVAO. Mary Ann Fuertes (left), executive director of Interface Development Interventions (IDIS), together with Jimmie Loe Dela Vega of Davao Association of Catholic Schools (DACS), promotes the upcoming 3rd Lunhaw Awards, the search for Davao City’s best green initiatives, during Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Fishing closure of Davao Gulf PNP still clueless on group behind Navarro’s ambush limited to bag, ring net fishing T

HE Davao del Norte Provincial Police Office (DNPPO) has yet to identify the group behind the ambush of Mayor Reynaldo Navarro of Laak, Compostela Valley Province.

DNPPO chief, PS Supt.

Samuel Gadingan in a phone interview yesterday afternoon, however, said his office made the necessary urgent measures to solve the crime which happened in his area of responsibility.

Navarro was ambushed on Wednesday last week (May 28) by motorcycle-riding six gunmen at kilometre 9, Barangay Sagayen in the Municipality of Asuncion, Davao del Norte on his way to Tagum City from

FIRRIGATION, 10

Laak.

Gadingan said Especial Investigation Task Group Navarro was created last week to look into the case with its key members coming from the Crime Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the National Bureau of Investigation aside from the DNPPO in close coordination with the Compostela Valley Police Provincial Office.

Gadingan revealed that DNPPO already sent last Friday to PNP’s Cybercrime Satellite Office in Davao City, the cellular phones recovered from the two gunmen who were killed during the gun-fire exchange with the

FPNP, 10

RD Idris bares BFAR livelihood assistance

By ANtONIO M. AJerO

T

ajero_antonio@yahoo.com

HE ban on fishing within Davao Gulf is limited to bag net and ring net fishing only, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) region 11 office.

The penalty for those caught violating the directive is quite stiff ---fine of P100,000, confiscation of fish catch, imprisonment of six months, cancellation of license of fishing boat and gear, said BFAR 11 Regional Director Fatma Idris.

MsIdris told newsmen

covering the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM Annex that the closure or ban is only for small pelagic species within the gulf of Davao among operators of bag net (“basnig”) and ring net (“sinsuro” or “likum”) commercial fishing gears.

Examples of pelagic species are “matambaka,”“borot,” “moromoro,”“alumahan,”“karabalyas,” “atulay,” “budlatan,” “hasa-hasa” and the like, which happen to be the favorite of fish consumers in the region.

The closure was ordered

by the BFAR national office after a study found that fish production within the Davao Gulf has continued to dwindle. The study also established that the spawning season of pelagic fishes to be during the period from June to August.

“Because of this, the BFAR has recommended closure to fishing in the gulf within that period,” Idris said.

Since it would take legal publication of the BFAR administrative order takes 15 days, the closure is not expected until June 15 yet, Idris said.

FFISHING, 10

BI chief authorizes use of handcuffs B

SECURITY. Operatives of Sasa Police Station provide security at the entrance of Vicente Hizon Sr. Elementary School in Bo. Pampanga, Lanang, Davao City during the opening of classes yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

She said, the lull will be utilized by the agency for information dissemination or advocacy activities.

Idris also said the affected fish operators are also urged to register with BFAR so they could avail of livelihood assistance in the form of 5.5-horsepower inboard motor engines and some fishing gears.

She said BFAR will given away a total of 300 in-board motor engines only to those who can show proof that they have the needed boats, first-

UREAU of Immigration (BI) personnel have been authorized to handcuff unruly and violent persons at international airports and seaports nationwide.

In an order, Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison allows BI airport supervisors to use handcuffs in such extraordinary situations to prevent rowdy passengers from hurting anyone, as well as disrupting airport operations.

He also instructed BI personnel to exercise maximum tolerance when encountering disorderly and violent conduct by a traveler at the point of entry and departure, stressing that he will not tolerate the unnecessary use of force.

“I will have any immigration officer handcuffed, too,

if he is found using excessive force,” the BI chief said.

Meanwhile, Atty. Elaine Tan, BI spokesperson, explained that plastic handcuffs will be provided to BI personnel.

“Before, our officers do not have handcuffs. They are only using hands to pacify or calm down travelers/passengers,” she said, adding that such individuals are taken to holding areas so as not to disrupt operations.

“They will be using handcuffs on extreme or extra ordinary circumstances,” Tan added.

The order was issued in connection with the incident involving a tourist from Beijing, who broke into hysterics and turned wild during inspection by a BI intelligence officer last month. [PNA]

4 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

DAVAO DEL NOrTE

Open Beach project to start in Talikud T

ALIKUD Island in the Island Garden City of Samal is set to be the next Boracay of the south with the implementation of the P5.8-million Open Beach Line project.

The project aims to establish Samal’s biggest islet, known for its long white sand beaches and world-class diving sites, as a model in sustainable tourism development, along with enhanced competitiveness and investment promotion of the tourism-related businesses in the province of Davao del Norte.

It will be funded under the third batch of beneficiaries under Canadian government-financed Local Governance Support Program for Local Economic Development (LGSP-LED) to be implemented from 2014-2016.

The LGSP-LED is an $18-million, 8-year bilateral project in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) that provides LGUs technical know-how in improving their business environment to be more competitive, attractive to investments, and conducive to job creation.

Kidapawan City

Provincial Planning and Development Officer Engr.

Josie Jean Rabanos said Talikud is the only destination in Mindanao included in the ten new projects under the Batch 3 project sites of the LGSP-LED. The prioritization of the projects, which are focused on tourism development in various regions of the Philippines, including in Yolanda-affected areas, was anchored on the priority Tourism Development Areas (TDAs) identified in the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2012-2016.

Provincial Tourism Officer Noel Daquioag said the Open Beach project seeks to engage the local private sector in creating circuit-based tour packages to Davao City and other complementary attraction sites of Davao del Norte, among other objectives.

He revealed beachfront structures in Talikud, including those extending towards the sea will be evaluated in terms of their impact, placement and necessity, in such a way that they will not disrupt the beauty and balance of forces that shape the coast-

LGU conducts anti-dengue fogging operations in schools

A

nti-dengue fogging operations have been conducted in at least five public schools here in preparation for Monday’s school opening.

The health office and the city’s 911 Emergency Center here spearheaded the fogging operations.

Psalmer Bernalte, head of the 911 Emergency Center and the City Public Safety Office, said fogging operations were conducted at the Kidapawan City Pilot Elementary School, Kidapawan City National High School, Suerte Elementary School, Saniel High School, and the Spottswood National High School, all located in the Poblacion.

The schools have at least 20,000 students.

Bernalte said the operations were aimed at ensuring schools are

free from dengue-causing mosquitoes when classes start.

Citing cases from the health department, Bernalte said schools are prone to dengue virus, especially when they lack proper hygiene and sanitation.

He said the intensive fogging operations in schools were based on Mayor Joseph Evangelista’s continuing campaign against dengue.

June is dengue awareness month.

“Fogging operations are our proactive approach against dengue, being a public safety concern. This will ensure students and teachers are safe from all harm, especially against dengue-causing mosquitoes,” Evangelista said.

The operations started early Wednesday and continued until Friday.

[MindaNews]

NEW BORACAY. The Open Beach project is set to make Talikud Island in the Island Garden City of Samal the new Boracay of the South. [Photo by Ariel Noble]

lines.

Renewed interest on the paradise island was drummed up when Governor

Rodolfo del Rosario launched the Ugmad Komunidad program in Talikud some three years ago to help constitu-

Compostela Valley

ents generate more revenues through livelihood and sports tourism activities.

The province also built a

16-kilometer circumferential road to spur socio-economic development in the island.

[Noel Baguio/DavNor PIO]

Mapping firm personnel seized by NPA in ComVal

F

OUR employees of a private mapping firm hired by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and their driver were seized on Friday by the New People’s Army in Maco, Compostela Valley, a statement released Monday by the rebel group said.

Daniel Ibarra, spokesperson of the Comval Davao Gulf Sub Regional Command-NPA, identified the captives as Ken Wong (manager and team leader), Chrisandro Favela, Tim Sabino, and Nico Lasaca, all employees of Sky Eye UAV

Services.

“Their driver, Jonas Loredo of the Maria Ave car rental service, was also arrested last May 30 in Barangay New Leyte, Maco, Compostela Valley,” Ibarra, who accused them of doing reconnaissance of guerrilla bases, said.

The statement said the Sky Eye employees were bringing in surveillance gadgets, “abetting the enemy’s counter-revolutionary campaign against the revolutionary forces and environmental plunder.”

“Confiscated from them

GENERAL SANTOS CITY

were 1 sky surfer drone and two multi-rotor drones, two laptops and one gps (Global Positioning System),” it said, adding the five captives arrived in the area last May 28.

Ibarra said their initial investigation following the “arrest” showed that “Sky Eye UAV was hired by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for its socalled greening program.”

“The four personnel were conducting mapping thru aerial surveillance using drones that have high definition cameras and videos. The

company’s owners are Matt Cua and Carlos Ezekiel. They started last year and have already visited Bislig, Kapalong, Monkayo,Montevista, Polomolok,Tacloban, Panay, and Appari areas,” he added.

He said the incident confirmed earlier pronouncement by local environment officials that they will tap the “Sky High” project using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones to pinpoint so-called illegal logging “hot spots” in Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, and Davao del Norte provinces. [MindaNews]

DepEd 12 to build 929 additional classrooms

T

he Department of Education (DepEd) is building a total of 929 additional classrooms in parts of Region 12 to meet the number of classrooms needed with the full implementation in two years of the flagship K to 12 education program.

Dr. Allan Farnazo, DepEd Region 12 director, said Monday the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has issued the go-signal for the construction of

the additional classrooms in the region that will cost a total of P960.8 million.

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

The DBM earlier announced that it has released an additional P7.35 billion for the construction of more classrooms in public elemen-

tary and secondary schools in parts of the country.

Among the country’s 17 regions, Region 12 received the second biggest allocation for the project, which will be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

In the last two years, Farnazo said the DepEd central office facilitated the construction of 1,244 more classrooms in the region to fill the area’s backlog.

Some of these class-

rooms were constructed under a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme adopted by the agency, he said.

He was specifically referring to the second phase of DepEd’s PPP for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP II) that commenced earlier this year.

“Most of these classrooms are already being used by our recipient-schools but the others are still in the final stages of construction,” he said. [MindaNews]

5 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Davao farmers, fisherfolk awarded for best practices S

EVENTEEN farmers, small animal raisers and fisherfolk from the Davao Region emerged as winners in the 2014 Gawad Saka Outstanding Agri-Achievers awarded by the Department of Agriculture (DA) with Davao Oriental, badly hit by super typhoon Pablo in December 2012, posting the highest number of awardees.

Davao Oriental has eight agri-achievers awarded for their best practices in increasing yields and incomes, and nurturing small farmer/fisherfolk organizations. Davao del Sur has four awardees, Compostela Valley province has three, and Davao del Norte and Davao City have one awardee each.

Artemio Cabaňog, 44, outstanding rice farmer from Cateel, Davao Oriental said in an interview that it was his second time to receive the award for his farm performance.

The first time was in 2000 when he was planting hybrid rice. Lately, he has been practicing organic farming using inbred vari-

eties.

He said his farm has recovered from the damages caused by typhoon Pablo (international name Bopha) that hit his town in December 2012. The disaster left 40 percent of coconut trees planted in his three-hectare farm standing, he noted.

Cabaňog said he used to harvest 125 bags (50 kilograms each) of organic rice from a hectare of land. But after tropical depression Agaton hit in January, his farm yield went down to 100 bags of rice.

Similarly, Danilo Diwata, 42, outstanding small animal raiser from Banaybanay, Davao Oriental, said he had recovered from the damages caused by recent natural disasters. He began animal raising in 2008, and won his first Gawad Saka in 2011 at the municipality level.

Engr. Remelyn Recoter, DA Region 11 acting director, told reporters that all 17 regional awardees will be evaluated for the national level, adding that Gawad Saka has 23 categories.

MORNING RUSH. Trisikad drivers ferry elementary pupils and parents to Matina Central Elementary School in Davao City on the first day of classes yesterday. [MindaNews photo courtesy of Jesus Tinapay] “They are already winners,” said Engr. Ariel Cayanan, executive director of the Philippine Council for Agricultural Fisheries. He said the agri-achievers “have improved the history of farming in the

country.”

“They have also improved their organizations, and relationships between local government units and private sectors in farming and fisheries,” he added.

The Gawad Saka is an

annual activity to acknowledge the achievements of small farmers, fisherfolk, and other agri-fishery groups. The department evaluates their practices in their respective communities and how they contrib-

ute to food self-sufficiency and security in the country.

The DA expects regional achievers to share their best practices to others and act as role models in their communities. [Lorie Ann Cascaro/MindaNews]

6 THE ECONOMY

VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Disasters dampen PHL economic growth in 1Q A

MAJOR earthquake and Typhoon Haiyan dampened Philippine economic growth in the first quarter but the economy is still expected to hit its target for 2014.

The country’s gross domestic product expanded 5.7 percent in the first quarter, down from 7.7 percent for the same period last year and 6.3 percent in the last quarter of 2013, according to the government statistics agency.

Despite the disasters which occurred late last year, the economy was the third fastest growing in Asia in the first quarter, behind China’s 7.4 percent and Malaysia’s 6.2 percent, Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

He said the economy’s performance indicates it will continue to expand in the succeeding quarters.

“We remain confident that we will meet the growth target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent for the full year of 2014,” he said.

The first quarter growth was driven mainly by the services and industry sectors, while agriculture reeled from the impact of the disasters, Balisacan said, citing the millions of coconut trees and other permanent crops felled by Haiyan.

The National Statistics Coordination Board said services contributed 3.8

percentage points to the GDP growth figure, industry added 1.8 percentage points and agriculture only 0.1 percentage point.

The damage to agricultural output disrupted production and supplies, partly explaining the decline in food manufacturing, Balisacan said.

The first quarter GDP growth was below analysts’ forecasts and the first time it has dropped below 6 percent in nine quarters, said Rajiv Biswas, Asia Pacific Chief Economist at IHS Global Insight.

The growth figures, however, continue to highlight the underlying strength of the Philippine economy, Biswas said, citing domestic consumption fueled by remittances by millions of Filipinos working overseas and public construction as important sources of growth.

Last year’s natural calamities also slowed down the tourism and insurance industries, Balisacan said.

About a month before the typhoon hit in November, killing at least 6,300 and displacing 4 million in the central Philippines, part of the region also was rocked by a major earthquake. The region’s many beach resorts, which were damaged by the typhoon and the earthquake, are among the most popular in the country for local and foreign tourists.

The government’s disaster management agency reported in April that the typhoon alone caused at least 89.9 billion pesos ($2 billion) in damage.

Government infrastructure projects grew by 22.3 percent but the overall growth in construction was tempered by a 6 percent decline in private construction partly due to stricter central bank mon-

hired under the cash-forwork scheme. The emergency workers will be paid the prevailing minimum wage and shall be registered as self-employed SSS members. On SSS’ part, it shall facilitate the registration of the emergency workers and ensure that the ILO grant goes towards their SSS contributions. Aside from SSS, the ILO will also shoulder the workers’ contributions to Philhealth.

“We are very fortunate that government agencies, non-government organizations, and international institutions such as the ILO have banded together to provide means for the affected people to recover. The emergency employment programs or cash-for-work schemes for the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda are important approaches to bringing need-

ed livelihood to people and helping communities ‘build back better’, as ILO puts it,” See said.

The short-term jobs, which will be for a minimum of 15 days, involve the rehabilitation and rebuilding of areas and infrastructures such as debris-clearing of roads, declogging of drainage systems, preparation of agricultural lands for planting, and basic repair of public offices and health facilities. Majority of the emergency workers are based in Tacloban and Ormoc, while others are from Coron, Cebu, Bohol and Negros. According to ILO, its approach goes beyond shortterm emergency employment as the program is intended to transition to medium-term, labor-based community work, skills training and enterprise development.

DAMPENED. In this Nov. 15, 2013 photo, some of the estimated 33 million coconut trees toppled by Typhoon Haiyan block a road in Leyte province, Philippines. Philippine economic growth in the first quarter was dampened by a major earthquake and the typhoon but the economy is still expected to hit its target for 2014, officials said Thursday, May 29, 2014. The country’s gross domestic product expanded 5.7 percent in the first quarter, down from 7.7 percent for the same period last year and 6.3 percent in the last quarter of 2013, according to the government statistics agency. [AP Photo/Bullit Marquez] itoring of banks’ exposure to the real estate industry, Balisacan said.

He said prudential measures that were imposed late last year “to prevent the formation of real estate bubbles” contributed to a slowdown in private construction.

He also said the government has to manage the country’s energy requirements to avert a pow-

er crisis. He said measures to “cushion the impact on households and businesses” should be put in place with an expected rise in energy prices before additional capacity is installed next year.

“Also, we see the urgency of speeding up the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the disaster-stricken areas,” he said.

Presidential spokes-

man Herminio Coloma said the government will focus on encouraging investment in manufacturing, tourism, information technology, business process management, construction, logistics and agribusiness.

He said those industries can provide jobs and decent incomes that will spread the benefits of economic growth.

ing of training allowance or stipend to countless and helpless trainees or apprentices.

“While we recognize the fact that there are still good employers, who provide training benefits even without legal mandate, several employers take advantage of the needs of prospective job applicants by availing of their services for free or worse, charge them a training fee,” Unabia pointed out.

The author explained that the severe lack of employment opportunities in the country has compelled the public to find ways and means to gain practical experience on a particular job.

“Knowing fully well how important it is for a

prospective job applicant to have job experience or formal training, many employers, both in the public and private sectors, take advantage of the situation by engaging the services of a trainee or apprentice, which in most cases without providing monetary benefits,” he added.

Ironically, he stressed that many trainees or apprentices even end up paying for the service training they have rendered in exchange for a Certificate of Training.

“The most common victims are our poor nurses desiring to work abroad, who pay hospitals, including government hospitals, instead of being paid for their services,” Unabia explained in dismay. [PNA]

SSS, ILO ink deal providing social Allowance for trainees, apprentices protection to emergency workers in public, private workplaces eyed T

HE Social Security System (SSS) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a Grant Agreement for the SSS coverage of workers employed under the Emergency Employment Program set up by the United Nations and ILO in provinces devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) last year.

The signing ceremony was held on May 14 at the SSS main office in Quezon City, with the MOU inked by ILO Country Director Lawrence Jeff Johnson and SSS Senior Vice President for Accounts Management Judy Frances See. Under the Agreement, the ILO will provide the SSS a grant for three months’ worth of SSS contributions of around 6,160 workers who will be

T

HE House of Representatives is now in receipt of a proposed law granting a monthly allowance to trainees or apprentices in the public and private sectors.

“Countless of them even end up paying for the services they rendered!”

Rep. Peter M. Unabia (1st District, Misamis Oriental), author of HB 4376, laments.

Unabia is proposing to “institutionalize the granting of monthly allowance to trainees or apprentices in the public and private sectors and providing penalties for any violation thereof.”

HB 4376, to be known as the “Training Allowance Institutionalization Act of 2013,” seeks to put an end to this exploitative practice by institutionalizing the grant-

7 ENVIRONMENT

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

‘Time running out’ as CO2 levels hit new high-- UN A

TMOSPHERIC carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations have crossed a new threshold, the UN’s weather agency said Monday, highlighting the urgency of curbing manmade, climate-altering greenhouse gases.

In April, for the first time, the mean monthly CO2 concentration in the atmosphere topped 400 parts per million (ppm) throughout the northern hemisphere, which pollutes more than the south, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said.

“This should serve as yet another wakeup call about the constantly rising levels of greenhouse gases which are driving climate change,” WMO chief Michel Jarraud said in a statement.

“If we are to preserve our planet for future generations, we need urgent action to curb new emissions of these heat-trapping gases. Time is running out,” he warned.

Spring values in the

northern hemisphere had previously spiked over the 400 ppm level, but this was the first time the monthly mean concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere exceeded the threshold.

The global annual average is set to exceed the 400 ppm level in 2015 or 2016, the agency added.

The threshold is of symbolic and scientific significance, and reinforces evidence that the burning of fossil fuels is responsible for the non-stop increase in heat-trapping gases, the WMO underlined.

CO2 stays locked in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, and its lifespan in the oceans is longer still.

It is by far the most important greenhouse gas emitted by human activities and was responsible for 85 percent of the increase in radiative forcing, the warming effect on the climate, from 20022012.

According to the WMO, the concentration

PHL hosting of ASEM: A chance to share and learn about resilience

S

ENATOR Loren Legarda yesterday said that the Philippine hosting of the 2014 Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Manila Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) on June 4-6, 2014 is an opportunity to share and learn about building resilience.

Legarda, UNISDR Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific, said that “through the ASEM Conference, the Philippines is given the chance to share its experience not only in coping with disasters but more importantly in its quest to build resilience as well as to learn from other nations’ stories.

We thank the ASEM leaders for giving us this opportunity.”

Legarda, who is a Plenary Speaker for the Role of Women in DRRM, said that the conference takes off from the Philippines’ Haiyan experience as delegates aim to craft the Tacloban Declaration that will contain recommendations on improved disaster prevention and preparedness efforts to better manage mega disasters.

“Even before Haiyan happened, other mega disasters such as the 2011 Japan tsunami and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami had already

pushed us to rethink how we must build back stronger and improve our resilience strategies. The 2014 ASEM Manila Conference is a chance for the Philippines to take the lead in the shaping of DRRM policy because though we are a nation beset with challenges from disasters and climate change, we have many best practices on DRRM to share,” she said.

Before the plenary proper, delegates will visit Tacloban on June 4 to grasp the experience of the victims of Haiyan and how one of the worst-hit towns is coping with the effects of the disaster.

Aside from Legarda, other plenary speakers will be Philippine cabinet officials and leaders of international organizations on DRRM, including Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Kristalina Georgieva, and United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) Head Margareta Wahlstrom.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is the lead coordinator for the conference in partnership with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

SMOG. A woman covers her face with her sweater in the heavy smog in Haozhou, central China’s Anhui province. [AFP] of CO2 in the atmosphere reached 393.1 parts per million in 2012, or 141

percent of the pre-industrial level of 278 parts per million.

The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased on average by

two parts per million every year for the past decade. [AFP]

For the month of June, he said the state weather bureau is expecting two to three storms to hit the country.

Every year, an average of 18 to 20 storms affect the Philippines, according to the PAGASA. Javier said the public will continue to experience sunny to partly cloudy skies with possible afternoon or evening rains because of the localized thunderstorms due to the ridge of high pressure area (HPA) extending over the eastern section of Luzon.

Despite good weather, he advised the parents of

students going to schools on Monday to bring umbrellas as isolated rains will still prevail due to localized thunderstorms expected mostly in the afternoon or evening.

He explained that the convective activity brought about by intense heat triggers the formation of more cumulonimbus clouds or dark clouds associated with thunderstorms that bring rains.

On the other hand, Javier noted that Mindanao and Palawan will experience cloudy skies with passing light to moderate rains due

to the effects of an Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Mindanao.

ITCZ, which is the thick clouds coming from the south of Asia, is considered a breeding ground for low-pressure areas (LPAs) or potential cyclones.

Meanwhile, Javier reiterated that despite the rains that fell in many parts of the country, including Metro Manila, the onset of the rainy season has yet to officially come.

He noted that the criteria for declaring the start of the wet season have yet to be met. [PNA]

are women) while providing 50% of global yields and 60% of wild-caught seafood.

Unfortunately, half-a-century of unsustainable fishing has led to the depletion – even the collapse – of some of the world’s fish stocks. Often, chronic poverty and fledgling management capacity impedes recovery.

On the other hand, Aquaculture has now bypassed the amount of seafood caught from the wild, with an estimated 90 million tonnes produced annually.

To promote the sustain-

ability of global marine resources which form the production base for food, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) via its Global Marine Programme (GMP) works to transform the small scale fisheries and aquaculture industry – thereby protecting the lives and livelihoods of the world’s small scale fishers, promoting food security around their communities. Furthermore, there is a need to value and promote the services provided by the ecosystems like coral reefs, mangroves and sea-grass

beds from which fisheries and aquaculture depend on.

Taking off from an earlier meeting last March in Mombasa, Kenya, 26 participants from a host of nations convened in the primeval Philippine island of Palawan to develop strategies to improve governance, innovative tools for sustainability and stakeholder incentives. The results intend to provide small scale fishers and the small scale aquaculture business with a clearer roadmap to sustainability.

PHL is storm-free until Wednesday T

HE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) yesterday said the country will continue to be spared from storms in the first four days of the month of June.

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Buddy Javier said they are not anticipating any cyclone to affect the Philippine territory until Wednesday.

He also said that except for Mindanao and Palawan, most parts of the country will continue to enjoy relatively good weather for the next three days.

Workshop on small scale fisheries, aquaculture held

“W

E work harder now to catch less fish than we used to,” admits Billy Atung, a fisherman from Tawi-Tawi in the Southern Philippines. “The sea is just not what it used to be.”

The definition of Small Scale Fisheries (SSF) varies depending on locale, but generally employs traditional low-technology techniques and vessels for either subsistence or commercial operations. SSF currently employs 90% of the world’s capture fishers (half of which

8

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

EDITOrIAL

VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

Rogue cops

M

AYOR Rodrigo R. Duterte himself has bared trafficking but also other illegal activities, a reason the involvement of some members of the Dabawenyos seem not too worried about the recurDavao City Police Office (DCPO) in drug traf- rence of the problem. Indeed, this may just be piece ficking. of cake for the mayor, so to speak.

The mayor’s revelation is scary as it is always scary And yet, too much reliance on the capability of the for police officers who are sworn to protect the public mayor to solve this problem may not be healthy, as to be themselves involved in a crime which is known this could lead to some false security. to spawn other kinds of crime against persons and We submit that the most appropriate attitude of property. the people, his constituents, is to lend a helping hand We just don’t know how deeply is the complicity to the mayor’s effort to stop the problem. One effecof law enforcers in the illicit drug trade, but we will tive way of assisting him and his men in this great soon know as more details of this ugly episode in battle is to provide reliable information about crimpolice history unfold. inal activities and presence of criminal elements in Of course, this is not the first time that men in uni- their neighborhood whoever are involved. form have been involved in criminal activities, nor is And since the presence of rogue cops in their midst it the first time that Mayor Duterte would deal with is indubitably a shame to the force, the first guys to a similar problem in his long reign as the chief exec- help the mayor get rid of the bad eggs should be the utive of the city. Dabawenyos know how Mayor Rody good ones led by Senior Supt. Vicente Danao, the city had handled rogue cops in the past, not just in drug director.

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014 EDGEDAVAO Honest government commitment

I

NITIATIVE THAT COULD RUIN CHILDREN’S EDUCATION – In the mind of education officials, there is a compelling reason to implement a three-day school week aimed at accommodating the burgeoning student population in public schools notably in the National Capital Region (NCR). The prevailing situation therefore runs counter to the pronouncement of President Benigno Aquino III and the Department of Education (DepED) executives who boastfully claim that the basic problems in our education system have already been addressed.

If the Aquino administration and education officials seek to improve the quality of life of Filipinos by raising the level of literacy among the student population, they must consider not only the accommodation initiative, but most importantly, the students’ comfort – basic needs, program and method of learning and teaching. There is no need to invent a new concept apparently designed to free concerned agencies from culpability and neglect.

We do not need new ideas on how to contain a swelling student population by simply shortening the study period to a three-day school week. What the public need is an honest government commitment not just claptrap and hyperbole to solve the perennial problems which are basic: lack of classrooms, lack of books, facilities and skilled teachers – pervasive tools to help enhance Philippine education.

Proposing a three-day school week merely illustrates that DepED’s much-vaunted problem-solving, innovations and strategies were not as effective and factual the way it wants the wary public to believe. Many including the marginal sector now fully understand the essence of education.

The school is where we mold the strong identity of a student in the wonderful world of learning that eventually will give them a chance to become future leaders and progressive citizens. Unfortunately, there are in initiatives that could possibly ruin the children’s education.

SMOKING IS A FORCED HABIT – Opinions and

T

HE term adivasis is the generic appellation used in India for the various ethnic groups duly recognized to be its aboriginal population. This designation is similar to the Visayan word Lumad which means native or indigenous. Curiously, lumads in Mindanao are differentiated from Moros even though ethnic tribes within these two groups are all recognized as original inhabitants of this great big island. Indeed, this dichotomy departs from the Indian concept of adivasis wherein ethnic lineage is the lone basis of indigeneity. In determining the aboriginal peoples of Mindanao, religion has somehow been factored in.

This unusual polarization of indigenous identity follows the conventional view that divides Filipinos in Mindanao between Christians and Muslims. In fact, these competing claims of Mindanawon identity have given rise to the tri-people imagination of the island’s census which remarkably echoes the colonial categories that divided the natives of the colony between Christian, Moro and Non-Christian (with the modern day understanding of Lumads presumably falling under the last category) One notably consequence of this archaic classification of the Mindanao population is the relegation of the “non-religious” indios to the background of public discourse. In fact, non-Muslim Lumads desperately struggle to have their voices heard amidst the noise and notoriety generated by the Bangsamoro campaign. It is even more tragic that they continue to wallow in their marginalized state whilst being effectively dismissed in all the talks pertaining to Mindanao development. This arguably controversial observation is easily made precisely because state attention and resources seem to be directed primarily to the creation of a segregated Bangsamoro area within Mindanao. Should this anachronistic view of its population then be challenged to achieve a more inclusive development of Mindanao?

Indeed, no one disputes that this big island was, and continues to be, inhabited by at least 31 different aboriginal ethnic communities some of which have Islam as their chosen faith. No one contradicts either

observations differ on the implementation of the highly controversial “Sin Tax Reform Law.” Some say it reduced the number of smokers because of the prohibitive cost of cigarettes while others noted that the situation remained the same. As a result, smoking became one of the country’s dreaded diseases. So what has to be done in a country growing ever more populous, which sounds small but represents an enormous number of smoking fanatics?

Well, forget the old notion that only adults smoke or that smoking seldom kills. Lung cancer and other related ailment caused by excessive smoking no longer cares about age and class distinction – it’s becoming prevalent in mansions or even in slums and smokers are getting younger never seen before. Smoking actually is a forced habit and the number of tobacco addicts is somewhat staggering.

The worsening situation prompted health authorities to appeal to our legislators to enact a law that would monitor and regulate the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products – eventually to protect the people’s health. Aside from health concerns, the enforcement of the new “sin tax” would generate additional government revenues, which in turn could be used for priority projects.

But local cigarette manufacturers decried the approval of the law, which they described as anti-local industry.

They say the law entails endless problems and observed that policymakers and government regulators seemed have a commitment to raise tax collection targets, but when it comes to a scheme, it’s less clear. In addition, they strongly

The Mindanao Adivasis PEACETALK

By Atty. MichAel henry ll. yuSingco that droves of other ethnic groups emigrated to this region from Luzon and Visayas at the onset of the American colonial period. Therefore, the more historically and empirically accurate demographic divide in Mindanao would be between indigenous and immigrant. The former comprise those who trace their lineage to any of those 31+ ethnic groups and the latter from those émigrés from the north such as the Bisayas, Ilokanos, Kapangpangans, et al.

Following the adivasis concept, the point of difference most vital to the Mindanao story ought to be ethnic origin and not religious faith. This alternative approach is actually buttressed by the secular regime in the country wherein religious freedom is guaranteed. More importantly, this means the state is not an arena where the various religions compete for control. It is a neutral ground where any religion can lay claim to its own space. Any problems concerning the right to practice one’s religion automatically become a Constitutional issue with the courts as the only available recourse. Indeed, in the realm of public policy, where the matter of Mindanao development belongs, religious concerns should carry no purchase at all.

Furthermore, according to Section 22 of Article II of the Constitution—“The State recognizes and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities within the framework of national unity and development.” Like the adivasis paradigm there is no religious qualification or limitation with regard to indigenous cultural communities in this provision.

Correspondingly, by constitutional fiat the development process should be truly secular in all its stages.

The shift in outlook proposed here paints Mindanao as an island amalgamation of different ethnic groups and not a divided region of two religious faiths. Indeed this alternative picture of Mindanao

argued that local cigarettes will become more unaffordable for many Filipino customers and consumption will be greatly reduced because smoking fanatics will switch to cheaper and non-regulated black market or smuggled brands.

In this case, they ranted it undermines the public health objectives of the “sin tax” scheme that eventually would likewise be enervated by smuggled and faked cigarettes, which do not pay taxes. On the other hand, local tobacco growers and small manufacturers, which produced only low and medium-priced brands, will be directly threatened in their existence and the livelihood of about 3 million Filipino farmers who depend solely on the tobacco industry will be also greatly affected.

Right now, the consideration for all of us, anti-smoking groups and health buffs in particular, is how they can make sure that the collective move undertaken by people in the tobacco industry is actually adding a bit of value to the people’s health and well-being. Say what they will about cigarette smoking, but anybody worth his grain of salt knows that the habit is extremely bad for the health. But that mere observation offers little or no comfort at all to the cigarette producers. The logic of their common interest suggests that the “sin tax” scheme is highly detrimental to the country’s tobacco industry.

For our part, we don’t actually discourage smokers from doing their habit, but we will only encourage them to refrain from too much use because there is health risk associated with excessive smoking. And besides we don’t care if the tobacco excise tax will increase to undetermined levels. Our only concern is that aside from additional cost on one’s budget, is the rising cases of lung cancer and other respiratory ailment caused by smoking among Filipino users. However, to those who haven’t change their minds yet and decided to continue the habit while they felt they’re still quite healthy – on the surface, of course, we’re not going to stop them. Our only advice – life is short, please don’t make it shorter! facilitates a collective view of it, both as a territory and as a community of Filipinos, and not as a partition of two (or of three). In development parlance, Mindanao when viewed as such becomes a huge integrated market that demands a coordinated and comprehensive approach. Ostensibly different to the one implemented now as a consequence of the splitting-Mindanao-into-two development model instituted within the Bangsamoro campaign.

Furthermore, abandoning the religious overtone in the Mindanao narrative is largely relevant to the most important concern in the development discourse for this region—i.e. the adjudication of claims pertaining to traditional lands. In a 1987 public lecture, well-respected Mindanao historian, Professor Rudy B. Rodil, asserted that the 13 different ethno-linguistic Muslim communities and the various lumad tribes are the only groups of indigenous people in Mindanao who can make an ancestral domain claim [See http://www.muslimmindanao. ph/ancestral_domain_a.html]. Therefore, Moros, as defined in the various peace agreements, strictly speaking do not have any ancestral domain claims.

Only particular sub-ethnic groups such as the Badjaos, Yakans, Tausugs and so forth, have this inherent right. Consequently, development planners for Mindanao must reckon with specific and individual ethnic groups, and not artificially created consortiums, when faced with ancestral domain issues.

Without a doubt economic development is the answer to many of Mindanao’s woes. President Aquino promised a “positive transformation” in Mindanao to keen investors based on the potential enactment of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. However, will this really bring genuine and inclusive development to Mindanao considering he is boasting of policy reforms still deeply influenced by old, and possibly outdated, attitudes and perceptions? [Atty.

Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco is a practicing lawyer. He is presently completing a Masters of Law and Development in Melbourne Law School. He recently published a book entitled, Rethinking the Bangsamoro Perspective]

VANTAGE POINTS

9

A matter of credibility COMMENT

By PAtricio P. DiAz

A

(Conclusion)

LL these defenses and threats have heightened the sensation while confusing instead of resolving the plot of the drama. Rivera and his celebrated client have achieved their initial objective. Will they fully succeed in their stratagem?

Credibility Why are the President, the implicated cabinet officials and lawmakers rattled and offended?

That only shows how human they are. They should weigh Napoles’ sworn statement and list on the scale of credibility.

First: When Napoles testified at the Senate hearing last November 7, she repeatedly dismissed questions with “Hind ko alam (I don’t know)” or “Wala akong alam (I know nothing)”. Now, she knows – and the 120 lawmakers involved by their names.

Second: As reported, she gave De Lima her sworn statement and list after their five-hour private talk last April 22. Yet, these had been revised before their submission to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on May 22 and May26 respectively.

Third: Earlier, Rivera said Napoles had to check her statement and list with her records dating back to 2000 since she does not have a photographic memory. Later, he said the statement and list were all done by memory. Which is the truth? Some names had been included due to haste or encoding errors; these were removed. Other names were added handwritten.

He said more sworn statements will be issued later.

Fourth: Rivera said Napoles’ records differ from Luy’s; hers were handwritten since she does not know to use the computer. By “records”, Rivera must have been referring to the “red book” – as revealed by the whistleblowers – where Napoles recorded her disbursements. Luy’s disk recorded transactions by vouchers, cash slips, bank papers, etc. The narratives and list the PDI serialized from Luy’s disk must have differences with those of Napoles.

Napoles’ narrative and list must contain the data and names in her “red book” and recollections of names and events since 2000 aided by the “red book”. How credible are these compared to the computer records? Napoles’ statement and list will be further cross-checked with the original or Luy’s disk which the NBI has just furnished the Senate.

Of interest would the deleted portions of Luy’s disk which the NBI was able to retrieve.

On legal Grounds Those implicated have taken Rivera’s and Napoles’ bait. In their protestations, they are adding more confusion to the story – exactly what Rivera and his client have wanted to happen. They should have left Napoles’ statement and list to destruct in the test of credibility.

The PDAF scam will not be resolved in the court of public opinion despite the media sensation – not even at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings which are adding more to the sensation. The case is in the hands of the DOJ and the Ombudsman. Only those found with probable cause will be charged in the Sandigabayan. Those not found so should keep their peace; the more, they croak about their innocence, the more they will be suspected as crooks.

Only Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile has kept silent.

He has told media he is studying his case and will fight it in court. We think he welcomes Napoles’ statement and list; he must be encouraging the prosecution to include Napoles among the state witnesses. Confusion weakens the credibility of evidence and the prosecution. In checking his human impulse with his legal acumen, he wants the court to declare his innocence or lack of guilt based on evidence.

Speaking of credibility, how credible are the President and the implicated cabinet officials and lawmakers in their protestations in the eyes of the Filipinos and of the world?

[Author’s Note: We have deferred “Daang Matuwid Exposed”. To be discussed next.] [“Comment” is Mr. Patricio P. Diaz’ column for MindaViews, the opinion section of MindaNews.

Mr. Diaz is the recipient of a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Titus Brandsma for his “commitment to education and public information to Mindanawons as Journalist, Educator and Peace Advocate.” You may e-mail your comments topatponcediaz@yahoo.com]

10 NEWS

VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

DENR...FFROM 1

plantations through aerial surveillance, particularly in validating the survival of seedlings in the plantation areas. He said the use of the aerial survey technology is aimed to make sure that the plantations in the last three years are in place, particularly the survival rate of the seedlings in the area.

Fragada, however, clarified he was only aware of the presence of the contractors in the area when the news about the reported abduction broke out.

He said he immediately sought the assistance of Duterte to assure the safety of the surveyors.

Fragada said the SkyEye had initially conducted an aerial surveillance in Kapalong, Davao del Norte where he was also present to see the technology this year. He said the aerial surveillance in Barangay New Leyte, Maco, Comval last Friday was supposedly the second time the survey in the region was conducted.

Fragada said “proper protocol” could have been observed by the contractors with the DENR and the local government authorities of Maco about the activities in the area to prevent the abduction.

“Probably, if there was proper coordination with the regional office, we could have informed the proper authorities, the local government unit, about the existing program in the area,” he said.

In a statement earlier released yesterday, Daniel Ibarra, spokesperson of the Comval Davao Gulf Sub Regional Command-NPA accused the Sky Eye employees of “doing reconnaissance of guerrilla bases.”

Ibarra said the Sky Eye employees were bringing in surveillance gadgets, “abetting the enemy’s counter-revolutionary campaign against the revolutionary forces and environmental plunder.”

“Confiscated from them were 1 sky surfer drone and two multi-rotor drones, two laptops and one GPS (Global Positioning System),” the statement said, adding the five captives arrived in the area last May 28.

He said the incident

confirmed earlier pronouncement by local environment officials that they will tap the “Sky High” project using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones to pinpoint socalled illegal logging “hot spots” in Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, and Davao del Norte provinces.

Ibarra said the NPA views the anti-logging aerial reconnaissance as “a pretext to intensify imperialist mining plunder and counterrevolutionary intelligence in Southern Mindanao.”

He cited that “Maco is not a hotspot for logging as its forests are largely denuded and its mountains mainly mineral-rich.”

“It would appear that Sky Eye is mainly protecting, if not linked towards the big mining operations in Maco and mountain boundaries of Pantukan and Mabini, areas under the control of foreign large scale mining concessionaires Apex Mining and St. Augustine Mining Corp.

The DENR’s UAV use is far from protecting the environment, but is mainly to defend the interest of the big mining companies that are guilty of destroying and plundering our environment,” he said.

“The NPA will release the captive drone personnel on condition that the Sky Eye will stop its surveillance and intelligence activities in the areas of People’s Democratic Government,” he concluded.

Capt. Alberto Caber, Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson, described the abduction as NPA’s “disregard for Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHIHL), which it signed together with the Government of the Philippines.’

“It’s a violation of the CARHIHL as they (rebels) deliberately targeted civilians. This is another blatant human right abuse committed by the NPAs and we are requesting peace and human rights advocate to closely monitor this incident to ensure that the victims will be release immediately,” he said.

[With reports from MindaNews, PIA and PNA]

FISHING MORATORIUM. Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 11 director Fatma Idris discusses the planned 3-month fishing closure or fishing moratorium for bagnet and ring net gears in Davao Gulf during this week’s edition of Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Fishing... FFROM 3 come-first-served basis.

This is the first time in history that a closure for fishing is imposed within the gulf, Idris said.

She said the enforcement and monitoring of the closure

will be the responsibility of a task force composed of BFAR, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime Police.

The common practice in fish conservation within the gulf is the declaration of cer-

tain municipal fishing areas into fish sanctuaries.

She said there are now a total 48 fish sanctuaries within the gulf of various areas from one to several hectares.

They were recommended to

be proclaimed as such by local government units.

Sanctuaries have been proven to be very effective in conserving fish and other marine products within the gulf, she said.

Elementary School which he described as overpopulated while the neighbouring Bolton Elementary School is

experiencing low number of enrolees.

While the preferred schools by parents are more

popular, he said these schools have to confront with shortage in terms of facilities and teachers because of over-

population while the facilities and teachers in least preferred schools are readily available.

is 265, 852,” he said during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Annex yesterday.

The shortage in the number of teachers per school in the urban centers stemmed from the prevailing practice among parents to enroll their children in central schools, believing that school facilities offer better quality of education.

“Our teachers from Appari to Tawi-tawi were all trained the same that’s why parents should not send their children to far schools because they just add to the big population of the

schools,” he explained.

For instance, he cited the case of Magallanes Elementary School in Davao City where he described as over populated while the adjacent Bolton Elementary School got a small number of enrollees.

As for the schools in farflung areas, Atillo said the scarcity of teachers resulted from the low rate of enrolment and low salary.

Atillo said that teachers given with more than one level load are being tapped as solution to schools that have

low rate of enrollment which is common to schools in geographically-isolated areas.

“Sometime we allow the teacher to teach for two different levels that has almost the same curriculum. For example, a teacher can teach both Grade 5 and Grade 6 at the same time,” he said.

Atillo said that the local government unit (LGU) usually extends help through the local school board but he pointed out that while the number of students in public schools increases every year,

the number of teaching personnel decreases as some of them left the service either by retirement or by venturing to a greener pasture.

He said one of the viable solutions is to fill up the vacant positions allocated in the region now numbering 867 in elementary and 698 in secondary.

“This is our way to at least address the gap between the supply of students and demand of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools,” he said.

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back-up security of Navarro.

“The cellphones were submitted for digital forensic exam,” Gadingan said.

On the other hand, Gadingan revealed that his office had already the identity

of two killed gunmen when their wives showed up to claim their remains.

The wives identified the two assailants as Nestor Torredes and Simeon Roma, both allegedly from San

Irrigation...FFROM 3

Isidro, Davao del Norte.

Because the wives failed to present their identification, Gadingan explained his office required them to present a certification from their barangay to vouch

their identity.

“Pero binigay na po namin yong bodies,” he said clarifying that the police had already turned over the body to the wives. [PIA 11/ Jeanevive Duron-Abangan]

2. 2 x 2

measures against the impact of El Niño phenomenon, CAO will be providing technical and other assistance to farm-

ers.

our post rehabilitation program,” Tabay added.

Aside from seedlings of cacao and coffee or seeds of

rice, corn and vegetables, he said the local government will also distribute fertilizers to the farmers.

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Male, 28 – 40 years old 2. At least high school graduate 1. Male, 28 – driving 40 yearsexperience old 3. With 5 years (bus, trucks)

Requirements: 1.

Driver’s License with Official Receipt Requirements: 2. 2 x 2 I.D. picture (2 pcs.)

1. Driver’s License with Official 3. Certificate of Employment or Receipt clearance from I.D. picture (2 pcs.)

3. Certificate of Employment or clearance May apply in person at Human Resourcefrom previous employment Department, YBLI Office, General Santos Drive, Koronadal May City. apply in person at Human Resource Department, YBLI Office, General Santos Drive, Koronadal City.

Classes...FFROM 2 Lack...FFROM 2

PNP...FFROM 3

“We are also planning to give-out planting materials to affected farmers as part of

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11

Top 5 android games to end summer CHILL JILL

Athena Jillian Bravo

S

UMMER is about to end and then comes the busy school grind (alas, not much time for gaming). I’m pretty sure everyone is making most of their time with the remaining days of summer.

For the final grind of summer, here’s the equally hard last push by game apps in a bid to grab the top spot on Google Play’s list.

1. DON’t tAP the WhIte tIle This adrenalin-rushing

game took Candy’s throne this summer because of its boredom breaking game features. It now has 10 million downloads with so far very good feedbacks from its players. The game is simple. Don’t tap the white until or it’s game over. It’s like the piano tile that has cool sound effects which makes you keep going. With its five game modes, you will definitely enjoy this game. You may choose from the arcade mode, zen mode, rush mode, relay mode of the classic mode.

2. 2048 NuMBer GAMe We all know this game because this one is for math freaks. The numbers game has found itself up on the second spot as gamers rush to sharpen their math skills before the school season sets in. What a way to shake off that brain rust.

3. CANDYCruSh SAGA

The throne owner Candy is still up there. For as long as there are grandmothers playing this game, it will still be up there as top boredom-killer.

4. ZOMBIe tSuNAMI We’re not getting enough of zombies and proof of that is this app which still ranks up there at no. 4 Zombies feasting human brain without mercy still rocks the rabid game addicts. With its exciting features and cool graphics, don’t count this game out yet.

5. SuBWAY SurFerS This game app finally crashed into the top 5. Maybe everyone finally got to know and enjoyed this game. Now with one hundred million downloads and counting, the surf’s surely up this side of the beach.

That’s the top five but I’m adding one up as my personal pick. Call it #top6 or #on-

emore. It’s Finger dancing : StapMania. Whoa! This app rocks. I can’t wait to get my fingers dancing. Simply finger-tapping good!

I tell you about this game.

It’s like the Dance Dance Revolution or the NX Mania we play in the arcade only that we use our fingers. What’s cool about this game is that it has downloaded 3 free songs from the market and you’re allowed to play the songs you have in your music library. Say like play your favorite party song, it will totally freak you out and dance with your fingers!

Best summer I had to play the songs I love fond in my music library. It’s almost June but summer isn’t over yet for everyone. You still have the chance to enjoy all these games to ease your boredom. Try them and you’ll know what I’m talking about!

Nokia XL Arrives in the Philippines N

OKIA XL, part of the new Nokia X family of affordable smartphones that run Android apps, has begun selling in the Philippines. The new device is the perfect introduction to the world of Android apps, coupled with great design, an intuitive user interface, and the most popular Microsoft services.

The Nokia XLboasts of unmatched quality and design, with a fresh, tile-based user interface inspired by our Lumia family. It comes with Fastlane, a screen which lets people switch between their favorite apps more smoothly. People can access curated, quality-tested apps from Nokia Store, more than a dozen third-party app stores, and by sideloading. All devices are also pre-loaded with a variety

of very popular third-party apps and games.

“We believe this unique combination will resonate with consumers around the world and set a great precedent for the level of quality that can be achieved in the fast-growing, affordable

smartphone segment.” said KarelHolub, General Manager, Philippines, Microsoft Mobile Devices Sales.

Out of the box, they can enjoy qualityexperiences including free HERE Maps, with true offline maps and integrated turn-by-turn navigation.The

Nokia XL is also an affordable introduction to popular Microsoft services, including free cloud storage using OneDrive.

Nokia XL: Big, Bold and Beautiful The Nokia XL is the premium offering in the Nokia X family. Boasting a 5” display,

5MP rear-facing autofocus camera with flash, and 2MP front-facing camera, it is the ultimate choice for big-screen entertainment. The Nokia XL features the same performance boost as the Nokia X+ but on a larger format. People can also take advantage of the larger screen size, front- and rear-facing cameras to get the most out Skype video calls and video apps like Vine.

The Nokia XL features two screens: the Start Screen, a home screen which features a fresh, tile-based design and the Fastlane screen. Fastlane is a dynamic record of how people use their phone, day by day, moment by moment.

It captures everything people

equip yourself and help kick-start your career. · Do your research.

Before you apply for a company, take the time to know more about the organization, the mission-vision, values and industry. Visit the company’s website and official social media accounts, and ask around.

Going to the interview with this information will help you ace the interview. · Know what you want. Know your goals, your strengths and your

weaknesses. Promote your strengths and improve on your weaknesses. This will also help you decide what job is best for you. · Be tactful and professional – As part of a multi-national company, it is essential that employees have that sense of tactfulness and professionalism.

Some important things to keep in mind: treat everyone with respect, know the dress code and respond in a timely and professional manner.

· Grammar counts.

What you say isn’t the only thing that matter but also how you say it. Always keep in mind that grammar is a reflection of your thoughts and recruiters will be analyzing your ability. · Set goals and aspire for something big.

Goals never hurt anyone; if anything, they help one work harder. Once you’ve landed your dream job, show your boss and colleagues that you’re in it for

love: they need only to swipe once from the Start Screen to access Fastlane, see a record of recent activity, and switch between their favorite apps, smoothly. They can return a missed call by calling or texting, accept or decline calendar invitations, or control the music player – all from within the Fastlane view. People can select what appears on their Fastlane feed, read notifications from their social networks and update their status, making them more productive on the go.

Availability and Pricing The dual sim Nokia XL is now available at all Nokia stores and authorized resellers for PHP 8,990 (SRP).

Teleperformance Shares Career Tips for Fresh Graduates W

ITH thousands of fresh grads competing for the same jobs this time of year, at times the hunt for the perfect job” becomes competitive and you’re faced with ensuring you stand out in the labor market.

Teleperformance Philippines, the leading global provider of outsourced customer experience management services, is sharing tips on how you can get the job you always wanted!

“Landing your dream

job seems miles away if you are a fresh graduate competing with more experienced applicants,” says Marilyn Ventenilla, communications and marketing manager of Teleperformance Philippines, “However in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, we encourage fresh graduates to apply.

The industry has many opportunities for full-time and long-term careers.”

Ventenilla shares a few tips on necessary skills to

the long haul. Show passion, drive and initiative to learn and tackle situations with a positive attitude.

“These skills are inherent to Filipinos, and this is one of the reasons why contact center companies are thriving in the Philippines,” says Ventenilla. “It is just a matter of honing these skills and you’re on the right path. At Teleperformance we are here to help you build a progressive career in a world-class organization.

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EVENT

Seeing the world with cameras from Colours

EvEry traveller’s best friend is his camera. This trusty gadget records memories and experiences for one to keep or to share to the world. Of course, the act of finding the right camera can be taxing.

Lucky for Dabawenyo urbanites, Colours Fotos Cameras Gadgets, is finally open.

Located at the third level of the Abreeza Mall, Colours’ sixth branch nationwide offers a wide array of the latest digital cameras and is the official dealer of major brands like Canon, Sony, Samsung, Nikon, Pentax, Fujifilm with complete accessories and guaranteed manufacturer’s warranty.

From the novice photographer to the most discriminating professional, Colours carries camera models that fit every specification. Fashion trendy photographers will want to try their hands on the fashion-forward Fujifilm

Instax cameras which allow for instant photo production. There is also an Instax printer that allows users to instantly print photos direct from their Android or iOS devices onto instal film. Adventurers love GoPro camer-

as and Colours carries all the brand’s accessories to maximise the fast-paced experience.

Aside from cameras and lenses, the Colours store carries accessories, flash kits, tripods, blinds, cleaning kits, as well as camera carrying cases and bags to suit every photographer’s lifestyle and needs.

The Colours store opening day also saw a whirlwind of activities as it held a couple of fun photography workshops featuring renowned photographers Jay Tablante who talked about cosplay photography and Nikko villagas who talked about fashion photography using the latest Fujifilm XSeries cameras and lenses.

Follow me on Instagram or on Twitter at @kennethkingong for more travel stories, foodie finds, and happenings in, around, and beyond Durianburg.

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UP AND ABOUT

The White House all-youcan-eat merienda treat ThE famous White house Cuisine and Wine Lounge is offering a smorgasbord of native delicacies that you have been missing from your old home’s kitchen.

These are the food that your nanay or lola used to comfort you during summer days and rainy afternoons—cooked not only using the finest ingredients but also with passion and love.

This is the first time that a Davao restaurant is offering a merienda buffet.

Chef Cathy Binag said the merienda buffet of White house promises the generosity and goodness of home food cooking.

You can enjoy the massive spread of delectable, sweet dishes including puto bumbong, bibingka, binignit (ginataang halo-halo), champorado, sopas, ginataang mais, lumpiang sariwa, pancit luglog, lugaw, tokwa’t baboy, mais con yelo, saba con yelo, turon, lumpiang gulay, suman sa latik, and halo-halo.

“Our Filipino merienda treat offers an overflowing sweet delights that will not only satisfy your cravings and complete your day, but also will bring back happy memories of home and family,” Binag said.

Taught by her mother the secrets of home food cooking, Binag said the White house merienda buffet offers “delicacies that are close to your heart.”

“The best chefs in the universe are our own mothers and with great joy, the White house wants to share these secrets with you through a table full of merienda treats garnished with the joys of home and the affection and love of mothers,” Binag said.

And because it’s the White house Cuisine and Wine Lounge, your all-you-can-eat merienda buffet experience from 3pm to 5pm will truly be perfectly authentic and ‘in style’ for only P450.

The White House Fusion Cuisine and Wine Lounge is located at Camella Northpoint along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Davao City. For reservations, kindly call (082) 2824540 and +639154483601.

Globe unveils new flat rate of P599 per day for unlimited surfing abroad TO simplify the roaming experience and protect customers from bill shock due to excessive charges, Globe Telecom launches a new standard rate for unlimited mobile surfing.

For only P599 a day, subscribers travelling outside the country for work or leisure can avail of unlimited data roaming services without the need for promo registration. This means that customers can surf the Internet on their mobile phones and enjoy access to their e-mail accounts, social networks, apps, and other sites for a full 24-hour cycle.

The new P599 flat rate for 24 hours of unlimited mobile surfing is available in 20 countries and roaming partners worldwide, which include Australia (Yes Optus), China (China Mobile), Czech Republic (Telefonica O2-CZ), Germany (Telefonica O2-DE), hong Kong (CSL), India (Airtel), Indonesia (Telkomsel/TSEL), Ireland (Telefonica O2-IRL), Macau (CTM), Malaysia (Maxis), Saudi Arabia (STC), Singapore (SingTel Mobile), Spain (Telefonica Movistar/ TO2), South Korea (SK Telecom), Taiwan (Taiwan Mobile), Thailand (AIS Th 03), UAE (Du Telecom), United Kingdom (Telefonica O2UK), USA (AT&T), and Vietnam (Mobifone VMS).

With the new default P599 per day unlimited data roaming rate, subscribers are guaranteed of no bill shock, especially those who don’t get to activate or renew promo subscriptions. Customers no longer have to take note of various roaming rates with a standard rate that covers 20 countries. They also need not wait until midnight to register and keep track of time zones since the new default rate covers a full 24-hour cycle.

“One of the reasons of bill shock is excessive charges due to data roaming. With our new default P599 roaming rate, subscribers can enjoy Internet connection without the fear of bill shock.

Using the flat rate covering 20 countries and roaming partners, customers no need to memorize roaming rates or promo codes.

Subscribers can also register anytime because the P599 rate is valid for an entire 24-hour period. Just select the roaming partner in your country of destination and enjoy a wonderful and worryfree data roaming experience from Globe,” says Raul Macatangay, Vice President for Postpaid Business and Devices at Globe.

Aside from worry-free surfing, subscribers will also enjoy free TravelCare insurance for up to 30 days, which provides up to P200,000 worth of protection from travel inconveniences like flight or baggage delay, loss of travel documents, and trip cancellation, as well as accidental death or medical expenses.

To know more about the new P599 flat rate for unlimited surfing abroad, visit www.globe.com.ph/roaming or call the Globe Roaming Hotline at +6327301212 toll-free even while abroad.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

ARTS AND CULTURE

‘Maynila’ Wins Best Restoration title at FOCAL Awards

LINO BrOCkA’S Maynila: Sa Mga kuko ng Liwanag recently won the “Best Archive restoration/ Preservation Title” award at the 11th annual FOCAL (Federation of Commercial Audiovisual Libraries) International Awards. The ceremony was held April 30, 2014 in London.

The Maynila nomination was a result of the work between The Film Development Council of the Philippines and The Film Foundation / World Cinema Project of Martin Scorsese. The restoration was carried out at the Cineteca di Blogna / L’Immagine ritrovata laboratory, in association with LvN, Cinema Artists Philippines and Mike De Leon. The nomination was sponsored by FIAF (International Federation of Film Archives).

Cecilia Cenciarelli from Cineteca di Bologna and Davide Pozzi from L’Immagine ritrovata laboratory were present to receive the award. A surprise also, was the showing of a video message from Martin Scorsese on behalf of the Film Foundation, World Cinema Project, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

“We were thrilled when the opportunity came to restore Manila, one of Brocka’s greatest films,” Scorsese said. He then went on to thank the institutions and individuals involved for their remarkable work on the restoration. He concluded, “It means a great deal to us to see our efforts acknowledged. I thank you.”

FDCP Chairman Briccio Santos shared similar sentiments, saying, “FDCP is most honored by this latest recognition for a film of great heritage significance to Filipino. This affirms FDCP efforts to pursue the preservation and restoration of the country’s cinema classics.”

Maynila: Sa Mga kuko ng Liwanag is indeed a

Filipino classic. The film which originally came out in 1975, presents one’s desperate search for his place within the world. Fuelled by hope and love, the adventures and experiences of Julio in the midst of an alienating metropolis, paint a picture of the unforgiving circumstances people deal with in order to survive. The film is a masterpiece and an honest, al-

beit bleak, mirror of Philippine society; a masterpiece born during one of the country’s darkest hours.

The digitally restored work however has been making festival rounds in the recent year, most notably being featured at the Cannes Film Festival’s “Classics” Section in 2013.

SM Cinemas also had a special limited run during August of last year.

The other 2 film titles in the running for the restoration award were: Jean Cocteau’s La Belle Et La Bete (Beauty and The Beast) from France and J.B.L.’s The Epic of Everest from the Uk. The 11th Annual FOCAL International Awards in association with AP Archive was hosted by Dan Snow and held at The Lancaster Hotel. The awards are held to honor producers, filmmakers and other creative professionals who have used library footage across all genre and platforms of production.

Other past recipients of the award include David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia (1962), George Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon (1902), and Herbert G. Ponting’s The Great White Silence (1924).

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ENTERTAINMENT

Talk ‘N Text ‘ka-tropa’ Empress Schuck stands by her own set of social networking rules ACTRESS and new Talk ‘N Text ‘Ka-Tropa’ Empress Schuck makes sure she adheres to her good girl rules when it comes to social networking. Knowing that she is being tracked by hundreds of thousands of followers in her Instagram and Twitter accounts, the 21-year old drama actress exercises caution whenever she’s online. “hindi lang dahil naging part ako ng Talk ‘N Text family kaya ako maingat with what I put out there sa social media. When I entered show business, I was very aware na kasama yung ganitong responibility. So kahit ano pang endorsements ang pumasok, naniniwala ako na dapat talaga we, as public figures, should always set a good example, hindi lang sa kabataan kung hindi para sa lahat lalo na mas may channel sila to get in touch through internet na araw-araw nila pwedeng i-access through affordable loading nila sa Talk ‘N Text,” said TV’s ‘Em-

press of Drama’ in the middle of volumes of hyped up locals on May 14 where the Pulilan, Bulacan leg of Talk ‘N Text’s Panalo Ka, Pilipinas leg was held.

The former child actress also reminded her contemporaries that social media freedom comes with a big responsibility. “Ang daming ways para malaman ng tao ang lahat ng galaw mo ngayon. Parang lahat pwede na i-track kahit na

hindi ikaw mismo ang magpost, alam ng public agad, they get to access agad.

Ang daming eyes on you right away. Dahil may ganitong klaseng freedom na tayo ngayon, mas malawak at mas malaki na talaga ang responsibility ngayon hindi lang para sa mga tao sa industriya pero para sa lahat talaga ng gumagamit ng technology.”

The Talk ‘N Text poster girl stressed that aware-

MATINEE idol Richard Gutierrez confirmed earlier rumors that he already has a child with girlfriend Sarah Lahbati last Sunday.

This was revealed on pilot of his family’s the reality show “It Takes Gutz To Be A Gutierrez” aired last Sunday on E! channel.

“A lot of people think that Sarah left the country because we are having a baby and she’s pregnant. I just want to set the record straight and tell everyone that I’m a proud father of

baby Zion,” the 30-year old actor said.

Richard said they found out about the pregnancy when they were in Paris, after the shooting of “Makapiling Kang Muli.” They then decided to keep the baby news within the family.

“We didn’t want to make Sarah’s pregnancy a tabloid circus.” adds Richard.

“We get to share baby Zion to everyone with our own terms.”

Prior to the admission, the couple remained

mum on the rumoured pregnancy.

“It Takes Gutz To Be A Gutierrez” airs every Sunday at 9 p.m. on E! channel.

ness and humility play huge parts in keeping her closet skeleton-free. “Lahat ng mga artista talaga ngayon mas kailangang maging aware palagi with the way they act and the way they conduct themselves everywhere. Kasi even the most natural gesture like halimbawa nagpahid ka lang ng alcohol could be misinterpreted na ayaw makipagshake hands or what. But we have to accept that. It’s part of the job.”

Calling herself a trueblue “goody good girl,” Empress said surrounding herself with the right group of people keeps her feet on the ground. “Fortunately for me, I was raised aware of things like that. I’ve always been a good girl. Yan ang masasabi ko, na talagang I’ve always been a goody good girl. Obedient ako pagdating sa magulang ko. I still have this personality na I want to be normal. hindi nawawala sa isip ko lahat ng mga pinagdaanan ko when I was just starting a career in

the business and I always go back to my roots.”

Empress walked the talk during the TNT Panalo Ka, Pilipinas festivities. The trooper in the actress rode Talk ‘N Text’s carabaopulled wagon during the said town’s Kneeling Carabao Parade under the scorching heat.

“I don’t really experience a lot of fiestas in Manila

but being an ambassador for Talk ‘N Text blesses me to fully enjoy celebrations such as this one. Katulad nitong event na ito na sobrang bongga ang pagkakagawa kaya nagugulat pa rin ako sa magnitude ng celebration. You get to realize more how creative Filipinos are in grand fiestas like this one. I get to see the culture of the Philippines more.”

Richard Gutierrez admits to having baby with Sarah Lahbati

39 Kapuso millionaires and counting SINCE 2012, GMA Network’s Kapuso Milyonaryo has continued to make dreams of Kapuso viewers come true by giving them the chance to change their lives with millions worth of prizes.

To date, the promo has already produced 39 Kapuso millionaires from all over the Philippines. Among them are Josefina, a store owner from NCR who dreamt of expanding her business and contributing to her church, Alfredo who hoped to bring his family in Mindanao out of poverty, and Rutchelle of

V is ay as w h o wante d to provide the best care for her parents and siblings.

Now on its 5th season, Kapuso Milyonaryo Level Up Panalo takes it to the next level by giving away over P25 Million in prizes, tax free, to more winners.

Promo sponsors AJI GINISA FLAVOR SEASONING MIX,

NESCAFE 3 I N1, MILO, FAMILY’S BRAND S A R DINES, ENERG E N , FUDGEE BARR and SMART PREPAID, are giving away P1 Million in cash each to 7 lucky winners.

A brand new house and lot, 3 Isuzu Alterra SUVs, and over 500 smart phones from MyPhone and many more are also up for grabs.

Kapuso Milyonaryo Level Up Panalo starts on May 26, 2014 and entries may be sent until July 20, 2014. Winners of the Grand Draw will be announced on July 27 on GMA7’s Sunday All Stars.

For further details on how to have a chance to be a Kapuso Milyonaryo, watch the Kapuso Milyonaryo Level Up Panalo plugs on GMA, see posters, or visit www. gmanetwork.com/kapusomilyonaryo. Like our official Facebook page www. facebook.com/GMAKapusoMilyonaryo.

X-MEN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST 2D / *EDGE OF TOMORROW 2D (Sneak Preview) PG 13 / *PG13

Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence / *Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt 12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00LFS / * 7:30 | 10:00 LFS

MALEFICENT 3D Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning GP

1:30 | 4:00| 6:30 | 9:00 LFS

MALEFICENT 2D Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning GP

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

R-16 MAYBE THIS TIME 2D Sarah Geronimo, Coco Martin PG 13

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

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UP AND ABOUT

Natural blemish-free skin with Blemish Off Herbocautery Davao BLEMISH OFF founder of the first Herbocautery Davao ever franchise locatis rooted from its ed in Davao City.

The Davao branch mother company, TACC Skin re- started through opensearch, Inc., with the ing an exhibit at SM City goal of providing in- Davao last March 19, 2012 digenous local treat- to middle of August. The ments for various said exhibit showcased skin disorders. Mr. treatments through the inaugural vergel N. Adonis, company’s President of TACC product, Blemish Off cream, Skin research, Inc. Herbocautery and an experienced from which the name of Filipino-American the clinic was derived. businessman, is the The Blemish Off Hersole proprietor and bocautery cream was

EDGEDavao Davao Partners

developed from the wellknown enzymatic and thermogenic characteristics of papaya extract.

This wonder cream has been proven to be safe and effective against Condiloma Accuminata (perineal and genital warts) as well as common warts, skin tags, moles and other skin blemishes. The continuous success of the exhibit made way for the construction of the Davao clinic which opened on August 17, 2012.

Blemish Off Herbocautery Davao is located at 2nd level, Main Building of SM City Davao

and provides treatment for the said skin aliments with the use of the wonder cream along with various facial cleaning services. The dermato-

logic clinic is operated by dedicated and welltrained dermatologic technicians with ample skill and experience.

“Now you see it, now

you don’t!”. With ten to twenty minutes of your time, for a lifetime blemish free skin-this is what we aim at Blemish Off Herbocautery Davao. PR

Cinema one announces final ten films for Cinema One Originals Address: Tionko Street, Davao City Call:

09178739767

Service Offered:

Catering services for all occassions

NOW celebrating its 20th anniversary of constantly supporting the growth of the local film industry, Cinema One has finally announced its selection of ten films for the upcoming Cinema One Originals Festival.

On this special year, Cinema One has chosen to allocate a budget of P2-million for the production of these ten selected films, all carefully chosen out of numerous submissions upon its call for entries during the festival’s previous year.

The ten films chosen were those by directors Jay Abello, Nash Ang, kanakan Balintagos, Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, Eduardo Dayao, Alec Figuracion, Antoinette Jadaone, Malay Javier, Paolo O’Hara, and remton Siega Zuasola.

Jay Abello’s film entitled “red”

is an action film of how mere gossip rocked a town’s circuit of local drug dealers, junkies, and vagabonds in Bacolod. red, a legendary fixer in the underground world of visayas, is called to patch things up—but he soon finds

himself framed for the very thing he was asked to repair, forced into decisions that put his life at stake.

Nash Ang brings the film “Seoul Mates” to this year’s festival. “Seoul Mates” is a sweet comedy of a man and woman who fatefully meet on a bridge just at the moment that they attempt to jump from it. They arrange and schedule their deaths with each other, but something goes wrong.

They fall in love—a situation further complicated because the two are not exactly the traditional man and woman tandem. Set in Seoul, “Confessions” is a koreanovela in the making.

“Abel/Cain” is what director kanakan Balintagos is bringing to the table this year. An adaptation of Auraeus Solito’s play entitled Esprit de Corps in the 1980’s about the game of seduction and

ranks in the rOTC, “Abel/Cain” is a queer story of two cadets and their pursuit to outwit a corrupt Major Marcus for his position.

Director Sigrid Andrea Bernardo presents the film “Lorna,” a midlife comedy drama of a woman’s romantic life—a story of being alone, growing old, looking for love, and moving on. Lorna, already in her 60’s, finds an online lover and an old flame that will turn her life upside down.

But at her age, is love too late for a woman like Lorna?

The film “violator” is a psycho-horror set in the brink of an apocalypse by director Eduardo Dayao. In it, three policemen with nowhere to go and everything to lose meet a mysterious stranger in their precinct that will force them to confront a darker secret amidst them.

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7 ways to jumpstart an exciting school year

HE long, worry-free days of summer vacation may be winding down, but this does not mean your good times should end, too. After all, the coming school year presents a lot of opportunities to take on new challenges, discover and develop

your talents, as well as meet new friends who share your interests and passions.

Here are seven ways to jumpstart an exciting school year and make sure you’ll have an epic ride: 1. Rank your subjects and determine which study habits

work for you. Here’s the time to look at your last report card and see which subjects you should prioritize this time. And then, assess whether you’re the type who covers more things at crunch time, or the type who needs a relaxed pace to absorb new concepts. Do

you work better alone or in study groups? Do gadgets help you or distract you? School life is a balancing act and determining which methods work for you is key to your academic success.

2. Sign up with school organizations. Learning should not be confined within the four walls of the classrooms or buried in the pages of textbooks. If you are good at sports or have talent singing, dancing or acting, take the chance to join school clubs or organizations. Being part of school groups not only enhances your talent and skills, but also helps you tap into your inner leader. Also be discerning 3. Expand your social circles.

Having your own close-knit group of friends should not prevent you from connecting to even more people. Meeting new people who share your passions and beliefs opens doors for interaction, and helps you build on your social skills. So get out there, meet new friends with whom you can share your knowledge and experiences.

4. Join school competitions.

Nothing helps you bond more with your peers than a school competition. The long hours of rehearsals and preparations can be a challenge, but the fun and fulfillment that comes with working

toward a single goal is all worth it.

5. Get into volunteer work. If you’re passionate toward a cause and itching to make a difference, don’t hesitate to join volunteer groups. Whether it’s for teaching public school students basic Math or simply cleaning up your community, volunteering opens your mind to the concerns of the people around you and allows you to make a real difference in their lives while inspiring others to the same.

6. Connect with the rest of the world. Today’s technology allows for a quick flow of knowledge and information. Aside from doing research online, take a step further by collaborating with your counterparts from different parts of the world using social networking sites or online groups, as well as engaging in discussions with experts and leaders.

7. Arm yourself with the right tools. It’s not just about having a complete set of school supplies and gadgets. It’s also about making sure you have the right SIM card on your handset for all your communication needs – from connecting with your new peers at school to tapping ultrafast internet on your device so that you can surf for school work and stay active on your social network accounts at student-friendly rates.

Available at only PHP15, the Smart Jump-IN LTE SIM is specially designed to give you a wide array of exclusive offerings for call, text and data services that certainly won’t make a dent on your school allowance.

For example, you may take advantage of Jump All Out 50, which gives you sure load for five days for only PHP50: Each day you may enjoy 30 minutes of calls to five barkada numbers on Smart, Talk ‘N Text and Sun, unlimited texts to all networks, and 10MB of data surfing - by simply texting JUMP50 to 5867. What’s more, your unused call minutes and data allocation shall also be carried over to the following day so you’ll make the most of your load.

Smart Jump In also gives you exciting perks in its line-up of school activities, fairs and competitions throughout the year– all geared toward inspiring you to let go of your hesitations and jump in to life’s moments.

For more information on Smart Jump In offerings, as well as Smart Jump-In activities for the youth, simply like the Smart Jump In official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/SmartJumpIn) or visit www.smartjumpin.com.

14 SPORTS

VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

WINNER AND LOSERS. Eugenie Bouchard (left) will advance to the quarters while Ajla Tomjlenovic (right) and Roger Federer (below) are out of the French Open.

Sharapova moves to QF ROGER AND OUT. Roger Federer of Switzerland leaves the court after being defeated by Ernests Gulbis of Latvia in their men’s singles match at the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. REUTERS/ Stephane Mahe

It’s over for Federer P

ARIS (Reuters) - Roger Federer suffered his earliest defeat at the French Open for a decade on Sunday when he lost to Latvian Ernests Gulbis in the fourth round but Novak Djokovic made light work of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to reach the quarter-finals in a flash.

The Swiss fourth seed, who won the title in 2009, seemed to have the match in his grasp against the unpredictable Gulbis but faded badly to lose 6-7(5) 7-6(3) 6-2 4-6 6-3.

World No.2 Djokovic destroyed local favourite Tsonga 6-1 6-4 6-1 to set up a meeting with eighth seed Milos Raonic of Canada, who advanced with an emphatic 6-3 6-3 6-3 victory over Spain’s Marcel Granollers.

Last year’s runner-up Maria Sharapova, the seventh seed, survived a shaky start to beat Australian Sam Stosur 3-6 6-4 6-0, winning the last nine games to set up a quarter-final against Spanish sensation Garbine Muguruza, who rounded off a bad day for

the host nation with a 6-4 6-2 win against France’s Pauline Parmentier.

Another fast-rising talent, Canadian Eugenie Bouchard thrashed German eighth seed Angelique Kerber 6-1 6-2 to claim a quarter-final spot, crunching 30 winners in 52 dazzling minutes to stretch her winning run on clay to nine matches.

Andy Murray lived to fight another day after a fiveset thriller against Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round.

WINNERS. AAK Davao’s Chino Lao III (center) is flanked by silver medalist RJ Romero of Holy Cross of Sasa and bronze medalist Pavel Jervis Bacayo of AAK Davao during the awarding. (Photo by DODONG BACALLA)

P

ARIS (Reuters) - Maria Sharapova, seventh seed and last year’s losing finalist, won the last nine games of the match to sweep past Australia’s Samantha Stosur 3-6 6-4 6-0 into the French Open’s quarter-finals on Sunday.

The 19th seed outfought and outfired the former world No.1 in the first set and held her nerve when Sharapova broke early in the second set.

But the Russian began to build a remorseless momentum

to grind down Stosur with her accuracy from the baseline.

Sharapova broke for a 5-4 lead to take the second set and raced to a 3-0 lead in the third after winning 17 of 20 points.

She won the match on her second match point and will play unseeded Garbine Muguruza of Spain in the quarter-finals after she beat Pauline Parmentier 6-4 6-2.

“It was so difficult in the beginning, Samantha was playing so well, but I got energy from

the crowd,” Sharapova said.

“I’m so happy to be back in the quarter-finals, it’s such a special tournament for me.

“It’s a big step but when you get there it will get more difficult.

Hopefully I will raise my level.”

Sharapova is favourite to win the title after the early exits of defending champion and world No.1 Serena Williams and second seed Li Na, although Simona Halep of Romania is the fourth seed and in great form.

beating Bruce Lee Alegado of Combatants in the kumite finals. The Worshley bested his own teammate Seth Michael Narro in the kata championship.

AAK Davao also got the golds from comebacking Arthur ‘Chino’ Lao III (Men’s Open Kumite), Darlene Maramara (Girls 12-13 yrs old Kumite), Carmela ‘Ella’ Estarija (Women’s Kata), Ai Rina Pistelos Kanano (Girls 8-9 yrs old Kata), John Paul Ponce (Boys 10-11 yrs old Kata) and Jamaica Quiben (Girls 12-13 yrs old Kata).

Lao, who is coming from a leave of absence due to his studies at Ateneo de Davao, used his experience in beating HC Sasa’s RJ Romero in the exciting championship match of the men’s kumite. Lao quickly landed a kick on the head for a 3-0 score but was hurt by an illegal punch on the throat by Romero.

Lao, however, recovered just in time to again connect another kick on the head to widen his lead, 6-0. Romero, a 2012 Batang Pinoy champion, answered with a reverse punch on the body before the end of the 10-minute match.

“Ginamit ni Chino ang kanyang experience at utak sa laro,” said AAK Davao chief instructor Rommel Tan. Romero, 16, an incoming biology freshmen, advanced

in the finals after surviving against Lao’s teammate Pavel Jervis Bacayo via a technical decision. Bacayo, a geology student of the University of Southeastern Philippines was disqualified after knocking down Romero with a smashing kick on the face.

“The referees and judges decided it was an illegal blow.

However, when we reviewed the video, it was not really that strong,” Tan said.

The referees and judges were all coming from the different clubs except AAK Davao.

Maramara beat her own teammate Jamaica Quiben for the gold in the girls’ 12-13 kumite.

AAK Davao’s silver medals were courtesy of Lexine Tan (6-7 yrs old Girls Kata), Seth Michael Narro (6-7 yrs old Boys Kata), Kyzzhia Pauline Navarro (8-9 yrs old Girls Kata & 8-9 yrs old Girls Kumite), Rick Aquino (8-9 yrs old Boys Kata), Darlene Maramara (1213 yrs old Girls Kata), Julian Ramirez (12-13 yrs old Boys Kata), Daryl Sulla (16-17 yrs old Girls Kata), JP Kalis (16-17 yrs old Boys Kata), John Paul Ponce (10-11 yrs old Boys Kumite), Manuel Sy (12-13 yrs old Boys Kumite) and Estarija (16-17 yrs old Girls Kumite).

The bronze medal winners were John Cristopher Orille (boys 16-17 kata) , Christian Miguel Quibod (boys 16-17

kata), Ai Rina Pistelos Kawano (girls 8-9 kumite), Julian Ramirez (boys 12-13 kumite), Mitsuki Kawano (boys 12-13 kata), Liyandro Mendiola Jr. (boys 14-15 kata), Manuel Sy (boys advance 12-13 kata) and Bacayo (men’s kumite).

Shoto Kai Karatedo Association of Mati City under Resty Beloria finished over-all second with 6 golds, 6 silvers and 14 bronzes followed by the Shorikan Karate Club of Bukidnon under Medz Bakonawa with a 5-1-7 medal haul.

Over-all fourth place was Holy Cross of Sasa (3-2-5) under Ricky Romero followed by the AAK University of Immaculate Concepcion and the Shorin Ryu Combatcom of Toril with identical 1-2-4 card.

The Standard Karatedo Association of Mindanao (SKAM) placed 7th with only a 1-1-5 slate.

The event was supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Outback Grill, Zoofari, Mr. Calvin Mangubat, LCI Inc., Cherifer PGM 10-22 ‘Tangkad Tibay’ and the parents of AAK-Davao.

The arbiter was Marcelo Ayala of Japan Karatedo Association-Kuwait while the referees and judges were SKAM’s Bert Apas, Shorin Ryu’s Marcelo Villaflor and Cris Campomanes, SKKC’s Medz Baconawa and GenSan’s Thelma Odimer.

Davao... FFROM 16

SPORTS 15

VOL. 7 ISSUE 56 • TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

ONE ON ONE. It’s going to be Lebron James of Miami and Tim Duncan as the most dominant player of the decade.

O

TIEBREAKER Tim, Lebron try to break finals tie

VER the last 10 seasons, only one NBA player has been part of more wins than LeBron James.

His name is Tim Duncan.

Their numbers over that decade are incredibly similar.

Duncan has appeared in 622 regular-season and playoff victories, James has played in 621.

Duncan is shooting 50.2 percent from the field, James is shooting 50 percent. Duncan has won two championships with San Antonio during this 10-season stretch, James has two with Miami.

Plus, when facing each other in the NBA Finals, both has won one, lost one.

Here comes the tiebreaker — a Finals rematch that will have high expectations.

Miami and San Antonio are the league’s last two teams standing for the second consecutive year, their next chapter

BIG 3. The Spurs Big 3 against the Heat’s own version will be the featured match up in the Finals. starting on the Spurs’ home floor Thursday night. The Heat won a wild series last season for their second straight championship, needing a frantic rally to avoid elimination in Game 6 and then riding the strength of a 37-point,

BLOODIED BUT UNBOWED

12-rebound effort from James to top the Spurs in Game 7.

“I think our guys, they actually grew from the loss last year,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “I call it fortitude. I think they showed an unbelievable

It’s Nonito’s turn to shine N

ONITO “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, his left eye ripped open by a series of numbing head-butts, refused to quit for the sake of the Filipino fans who kept chanting his name and fulfilled his quest for a fifth world title by winning a unanimous technical decision at the end of the fourth round to capture the WBA featherweight title from rugged Simpiwe Vetyeka of South Africa before a sellout crowd at the magnificent Cotai Arena of the sprawling Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino here in Macau on Saturday night.

Despite blood streaming from a nasty gash in his left eye, Donaire remained unbowed and when referee Luis

Pabon who did a forgettable job as the third man in the ring asked Donaire whether he wanted to stop the bout at the end of round one because of the bloody cut, Nonito said “No,I don’t want to disappoint the fans” and he didn’t.

He wobbled Vetyeka with a left hook followed by a right in the third round forcing the South African to hold on to the top strand of the ropes to prevent himself from going down.

Donaire picked up the tempo in the fourth round and after a torrid exchange near the ropes Nonito slipped out in a flash and connected with his patented left hook that had dropped so many champions in the past to send Vetyeka crashing to the canvas midway

in the round.

With blood streaming into his eye Donaire gave Vetyeka a much-needed respite as he had the blood wiped clean before he rocked the champion who almost went down one more time except that he was held up by the ropes.

Unable to continue because of the profuse bleeding as a result of the series of head-butts and his left eye almost closed, referee Pabon was informed by the ringside supervisor that an accidental head-butt, one of the four that the referee missed, didn’t allow Donaire to continue forcing them to go to the scorecards under the WBA rules.

All three judges, Levi Martinez, Raul Caiz Jr and

amount of fortitude. If I can compliment my own team humbly, to have that tough loss, especially the Game 6 and not have a pity party and come back this year and get back to the same position, I think that’s fortitude.”

It’s the league’s first Finals rematch since Chicago and Utah played in 1997 and 1998.

The teams have actually played three times since last season’s classic series ended, twice in the regular season, an-

other being a preseason meeting in Miami where the Spurs acknowledged that the pain of losing Game 7 on that floor was still real.

Then again, it’s almost like they wanted to feel that hurt at times. Popovich showed the Spurs clips of Games 6 and 7 early in training camp this season, not so much to open old wounds but rather speed up the healing process.

“We were just trying to put it away, just get over that part of it, learn from it, and move forward from there,” said Duncan, a champion in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Move forward, they did.

San Antonio won 62 games in the regular season, the best record in the league. One of those wins was a 24-point romp over Miami, on the same floor where this series will start on Thursday.

GOING DOWN. Nonito Donaire of the Philippines watches South African champion Simpewe Vetyeke fall down.

Francisco Martinez had Donaire the winner but even here there was confusion as ring announcer Lupe Contreras said all three judges had turned in identical scorecards of 49-46 when it should have been 39-36.

After getting 11 stitches

to close the cut, Donaire told this reporter and Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN in an exclusive interview in his dressing room that the head-butt at the end of round one “felt like I got punched in the head and I couldn’t see anything. But my heart said I’m not gonna

give up, I’m not gonna give up.”

Donaire was clearly disappointed at the way the fight ended but he told us “it’s a good feeling to win and to know that I gave it all that I got and will take the belt home.”

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. VOL.77ISSUE ISSUE56 56••TUESDAY, TUESDAY,JUNE JUNE3,3,2014 2014 LAO CONNECTS. AAK Davao’s Chino Lao III (right) connects a kick on the face of former Batang Pinoy National Games gold medalist RJ Romero of Holy Cross of Sasa to win the championship match of the men’s kumite in the PSC-AAK Interclub Karatedo Championship held May 30 at the Abreeza Mall of Davao. (Photo by DODONG BACALLA)

MEDAL TALLY TEAM G AAK DAVAO 10 Shoto Kai 6 SKKC 5 HC Sasa 3 AAK UIC 1 Combatants 1 SKAM 1

S 13 6 1 2 2 2 1

B 8 14 7 5 4 4 5

DavaoQuiñones, bets rule PSC Karate Worsley are double champions H

OST Association for the Advancement of Karatedo (AAK) Davao pocketed 10 gold medals with 13 silvers and 8 bronze medals to dominate the 2014 Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)-AAK Interclub Karatedo Championships held Friday at the Abreeza Mall of Davao.

Gabriel Quiñones and Josh Worsley, both preparing for the 15th Malaysian Milo Karatedo Open Championships slated on June 6-8 in Kuala Lumpur, each won two gold medals in their respective categories.

Quiñones topped the boy’s 14-15 years old Kata and Kumite divisions while the Fil-Briton Worshley dom-

inated the boys 6-7 Kata and Kumite events.

Quiñones, 15, an incoming senior high school at Brokenshire College, outclassed Luis John Decrepito of Holy Cross of Sasa in the kumite finals with a convincing 8-0 victory. He first landed a reversed punch followed by two consecutive kicks on the head.

Quiñones advanced into the finals with a hard-earned come-from-behind win against 2014 Batang Pinoy National Games 45-kgs. gold medalist Luis Angelo Cabaron of Shoto Kai Karatedo Association of Mati.

Worsley, on the other hand, won the kata before

FDAVAO, 14

CMO settles for third C ITY Mayor’s Office essayed a masterful 9586 conquest of Bureau of Fire Protection to clinch the third place in the Davao Summer Sports for Peace Festival AFP-PNP Basketball Tournament last week at the Davao City Recreation Center (Almendras Gym).

The Mayor’s men came out roaring in the third period, outscoring the Firemen 31-13, to break away for good.

Christopher “Bong” Go scattered 25 points, 15 in the pivotal third canto, for CMO which turned a 44-all deadlock at the break to a 75 – 57 lead entering the pay off period.

Ryan Lomotos contributed 16 baskets as Roy Bangkas and Ronel Bantilan added 14 and 11 respective-

ly.

The Firemen managed to keep pace in the first two period but were swiftly battered in the third frame as Mayor’s men struck with barrage of points from all angles.

Warlito Castillo made 18 points for the BFP which tried to comeback in the pay off period to no avail. Robert Namuag and John Manguhig had 11 apiece.

Both started slow with the score tied at 18 after the opening period.

CMO lost to Police Regional Office while BFP bowed to Davao City Police Office in the semifinal round that arranged their battle for third encounter.

PRO and DCPO are battling for the crown. [Rico Biliran]