Edge Davao 7 Issue 62

VOL. 7 ISSUE 62 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

FAINTED. A mentally-challenged, person who collapsed at the roadside along Quimpo Blvd. in Davao City yesterday due to extreme hunger , is at risk of being hit by passing vehicles in the area.

Lean Daval Jr.

LAWYER SLAY UNSOLVED Unlike T.Y. Garcia’s case, Acuña killing has blurry evidence

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

U

nlike the killing of businessman Ramon Teodoro “TY” Garcia, pieces of evidence from closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the slaying of a young government lawyer are hard to come by.

Davao City Police Office (DCPO) city director Sr. Supt.

Vicente Danao Jr. admitted the investigation into the killing of former public lawyer Emmanuel Ledesma Acuña of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) proved to be difficult due to the refusal of the Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) Lanang branch to immediately release the video footages from the bank’s CCTV cameras.

According to Danao, BPI Lanang bank officials have yet to submit the requested foot-

ages pending clearance from the bank’s head office in Manila for the release of the CCTV clips. The police have requested the BPI to provide footages of CCTV cameras at about the exact time Acuña was shot at the parking bay in front of the bank last May 30.

Danao said they could not get any confirmation as of yet if the request has been approved.

Adding to the investigation’s woes, the woman who is purportedly Acuña’s girlfriend

FLAWYER, 10

CLOBBERED. Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Vicente Danao Jr. presents to members of media arrested convenience store robbery suspects Abdulrasid Langalen (2nd from right) and Omar Baumol Ponte (2nd from left) at Camp Domingo Leonor along San Pedro Street yesterday. The suspects were captured in their boarding house at the back of Almendra Gym after Talomo Police Precinct, led by officer-in-charge Chief Inspector Alfredo Santillana, conduct a follow-up operation. Lean Daval Jr.

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EDGEDAVAO

THE BIG NEWS

VOL. 7 ISSUE 62 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte interrogates Santos Diez, a taxi driver accused of robbing his passenger, during his presentation to the media at City Hall Monday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

Davao City prioritized Guards-turned-robbers for fiber optic cable

By ChENEEN R. CApON

F

crc@edgedavao.net

ASTEr access to information and more direct transaction with and among government offices in Davao City are among the benefits from the planned installation of the fiber optic cable initiated by the Department of Science and Technology 11(DOST 11).

DOST 11 regional director Anthony Sales told Edge Davao that the feasibility study is being conducted since last year and the project is targeted to commence by the end of the year.

“Davao City is prioritized because of its rapid development,” Sales said, adding that the installation project is a na-

tionwide initiative to lower the cost of internet accessibility and to improve the interoperability among national government offices and local government unit offices.

He said that the business sector of the city will most benefit from the project.

“Government offices can use the network in their online registration system and other government transactions.

Access to information will be faster using the network compared to what we are using now which is the local area network,” he said.

“It will be a great benefit to the Information and Commu-

FDAVAO, 10

WEATHER FORECAST

in store heist arrested

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

P

OLICE operatives yesterday nabbed two security guards who alleged robbed early morning yesterday a convenience store along Quimpo Boulevard, Davao City.

The Talomo Police Precinct arrested Omar B. Ponte, 24 and Abdulrasid L. Langalen, 20 in a follow-up operation in Trading Boulevard, Davao City at around 8:00 o’clock in the morning.

According to Chief Inspector Alfredo Santillana, officer-in-charge of Talomo Police Precinct, the robbery occurred around 4:00 a.m. and the incident was reported to them 10 minutes before 5:00 a.m.

He said that they immediately conducted an ocular inspection in the store after they received a call from one of the employees of Davao Central Convenience Store.

“Naka recover mi dayon og empty shell na .45,” Santillana said.

He said that the suspects just took the P500 from the cash register after they failed to open the cash vault which they shot four times.

Santillana said that after the ocular inspection, they asked the management for a copy of Close Circuit Television (CCTV) footage of the store. He said the management immediately cooperated with them.

“Gipasa mi sa security agency sa Superior (Davao Superior Security Services Inc.) kay sila daw ang may control sa CCTV. Adto mi sa ilang opisina, gi download sa ilang (staff) didto og nakita namo gi unsa (suspects) nila pag operate,” he said.

Santillana said that upon seeing the CCTV footage, the employees identified one of the suspects as Ponte who was formerly assigned as security guard in the same store until recently when he was fired for having caught sleeping while on duty.

Langalen was also reportedly a former guard connected with the same agency.

Santillana said that after

learning the location of the suspect, they immediately went to Trading Boulevard at the back of Almendras Gym and arrested the suspects who were then sleeping at their boarding house.

The police recovered from their possession an improvised .45 pistol with M14 bullet, .38 revolver, .45 pistol, identification cards of the suspects, wallets, pawn papers, and hand grenade. Further, inspection at the Davao City Police Office the police found two small sachets of ‘shabu’ inside the wallet of Langalen.

On the CCTV footage shown to the reporters yes-

counter also led to the arrest of four suspected BIFF members.

Lt. Col. Donald Hongitan, commander of the 45IB, and Col. Gener del rosario of the 1st Mechanized Brigade led pursuit operations against the BIFF under Commander Bongos.

Bongos reportedly staged the ambush last June 6 using an improvised explosive device that killed a soldier and wounded three others.

The soldiers were aboard a KM450 truck in barangay Maitumaig, Datu Unsay Am-

patuan town when the ambush occurred.

Hermoso said that in Tuesday’s clash government troops recovered an HM 50 cal. Barret Sniper rifle, a 60mm mortar tube with base plate and bipod, several IEDs, and a Toyota Grandia van which was believed to be stolen.

The BIFF broke away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) over disagreements on the peace negotiation with the Philippine government.

The government and

MILF signed on March 27 this year the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro that would replace the Autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao by 2016.

The agreement needs a law passed by Congress. In a joint statement Tuesday, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and Bangsamoro Transition Commission chair Mohagher Iqbal said the draft of the law will be submitted to Congress when it resumes sessions on July 28. [Ferdinandh B. Cabrera/MindaNews]

FPOLICE, 10

Troops, BIFF clash anew in Maguindanao F

OUr rebels were killed and several others were wounded as fighting erupted anew in Maguindanao between government troops and members of a breakaway Moro rebel group, the military said.

Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesperson of the 6th Infantry Division said the encounter occurred in Barangay Libutan, Mamasapano town from 5:40-7:30 a.m. Tuesday between the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIFF) and 45th Infantry Battalion.

Hermoso said the en-

NEWS 3

VOL. 7 ISSUE 62 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

DDH offers services on weight problems

By ChENEEN R. CApON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

o further improve the delivery of medical services in Davao City, the Davao Doctors Hospital recently launched its Bariatric and Metabolic weight Management Center (BMw Center), most probably the first in Visayas and Mindanao.

Dr. Leia Lacuesta-Corro, clinical nutrition physician of the center, said that it is the first hospital-based weight management center. It offers surgical and non-surgical treatment in weight problems like obesity, malnourishment and other diseases like diabetes and hypertension.

The center mainly focuses on weight management program and diet instruction for

clients who need guidance from physicians.

Corro said that the changing lifestyle of Dabawenyos, especially their patients, requires proper supervision from experts.

PAwIKAN, believed to be of the endangered species hawksbill turtle, recently laid eggs at the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park in Punta Dumalag, Davao City.

It was about 1:00 pm last May 27 when Mr. Bobby Onin, former caretaker of the Park and now a Purok Leader of Barangay Punta Dumalag, noticed pawikan tracks on the sand while patrolling the Park’s shoreline. He located the nest and immediately informed Davao Light and Power Co.’s Community relations Department Manager, Mr. Fermin Edillon.

The eggs which were laid in a densely vegetated area needed to be transferred to a better location in the Park

so that the hatchlings will not be trapped by plant and tree roots. Thus, last May 30, the eggs were transferred to a new nest with fence built around it to protect the eggs from cats, dogs and humans.

“The presence of the center provides options to our patients,” she said, adding that their services vary from diet-based exercise to surgical treatment like lap-bands and gastrectomy.

Gastrectomy is a surgical procedure that aims to remove a portion of the stomach thus affecting the amount of food being consumed.

The BMw Center is offer-

TECHNOLOGY. Arsenio Bermejo operates a boring machine which is used to drill underground holes for fiber-optic lines along J.P. Laurel Avenue yesterFDDH, 10 NEW day as part of a telecommunications company’s modernization project around Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

Pawikan laying eggs at BUSINESS OWNERS TOLD: Aboitiz Cleanergy Park Install CCTVs or lose permits A D The transfer led by Onin and Edillon was witnessed

by Punta Dumalag Barangay Captain Nestor Cirunay and Kagawad Jimmy Poliquit.

Assisting the transfer were Davao Light’s research contractors from the University of Southeastern Philippines, research Director Dr. Helen Pondevida and her associate Dr. Larry wong, and from the University of the Philippines Mindanao, research Asso-

FPAWIKAN, 10

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

AVAO City Mayor rodrigo r. Duterte has reiterated his call to the owners of business establishments in the city to install high definition Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras or face revocation of their business permits.

“Kung ayaw nilang magbili ako ang bibili sa kanila. Pero doblado ang kubra ko. Si mayor ang maglagay ng camera mo pero bayad ka lang… ako ang maghahanap ng camera.

O kaya sarahan ko na lang ang tindahan nila, kasi, tatamaan ko sila dito sa business permit,” Duterte told reporters

last Monday afternoon.

Duterte said that the CCTVs are vital in helping the police in investigating and solving crimes.

He attributed the successful police operation on the case of ramon Teodoro “TY” Garcia to the CCTV cameras of the city and the hotel where the police immediately nabbed the two suspects in just seven hours.

Duterte also asked the establishments to cooperate with the police operatives if ever there are crimes happening within their area to help expedite the investigation.

ATTRACTION. A Durian delicacies outlet tries to attract customers with its huge Durian fruit shaped display made from fiber glass at the atrium of SM City Davao Annex yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

The arrest of two robbers yesterday was also attributed by the Talomo Police Precinct to the CCTV of the establishment.

The “resolution to enact an ordinance amending paragraph 5, Section 9, of Ordinance No. 0407-12 series of 2012 entitled, an ordinance requiring all business establishments, whether commercial, industrial or financial institutions with a minimum capitalization of P3 million to install CCTV cameras” is still pending in the city council.

Based on the draft resolution, the penalty prescribed

by the existing ordinance for failure to save records of the surveillance, or voluntary submission of the tapes which is P5,000 is too light hence susceptible to non-observance by covered establishments.

But it embodies a provision specifying as penalty the revocation of business permits.

Lawyer Lawrence P. Bantiding, officer-in-charge of Business Bureau, said that the revocation of permit for failure to follow local ordinances is already indicated at the back of the issued permit.

he Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has lifted its moratorium on the opening of undergraduate and graduate programs on three common courses effective on Academic Year 20152016.

Based on CHED Memorandum Order 17, the three courses which had its moratoium lifted by CHED are Business Administration, Hotel and restaurant Management, and Information Techonology.

The three courses were ordered a moratorium by CHED last November 2010 which became effective since School Year 2011-2012.

CHED Chairperson Patricia Licuanan said that the said courses were labeled as “oversubsribed” and must be granted moratorium to address the growing mismatch in the number of graduates.

The order covered courses

offered by the country’s 109 SUCs, private HEIs, as well as local universities and colleges (LUC).

According to the current memorandum, the lifting of moratorium is in accordance with the pertinent provisions of rA 7722 or the “Higher Education Act of 1994” and by virtue of Commission en banc resolution No. 272-2014 dated May 5, 2014.

The continuous recruitment and hiring of graduates or professionals in the said courses by the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), the tourism industry, and both local and international IT industry has been considered by CHED to lift the moratorium on the said courses.

Other factors considered are: the market uptrend and leadership position of the Philippines in ITBPO; regional and

CHED lifts moratorium on 3 common courses T

FCHED, 10

4 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 62 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

COTABATO CITY

Cardinal Quevedo to Lumads: ‘Sorry’ M

INDANAO’S first Cardinal, Orlando Quevedo of the Archdiocese of Cotabato, has apologized to the Lumads (indigenous peoples) for their under-representation at the International Conference of Cotabato on June 6 and 7. responding to a point raised about the under-representation of Lumads in the conference, Quevedo at the end of Session 4 on “Education and Culture of Peace: the Future of Mindanao” mid-afternoon of June 7, expressed his apologies to the Lumads and other sectors not represented in the Conference.

“My apologies for the lacunae. There are some things missing in this conference,” he said, noting that there is no session on media as peace builders and Lumads were, indeed, under-represented. “we really did not think too much about the numbers,” Quevedo admitted, adding, “I thought Froilyn would say so much about the Lumads because she is the Commissioner representing the Lumad.”

Quevedo was referring to Froilyn Mendoza, head of the Teduray Lambangian women’s Organziation (TLwOI) and one of two Lumad (IP) representatives residing within the

proposed Bangsamoro area, in the 15-member Bangsamoro Transition Commission that drafted the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Mendoza was the lone Lumad presenter among 28 in five sessions Saturday of the Conference whose theme was “Peace is Living Together: religions and Cultures in Dialogue for Peace and reconciliation in Mindanao.”

“Sorry… we forgot about the Lumads,” the Cardinal told the participants at the Tanghalang Michael Clark at the Notre Dame University.

IpRA in BBL Quevedo proceeded by sharing with the participants a vital information that the Lumads and the Moro in the Bangsamoro Transition Commission had actually reached a consensus when they were crafting the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and that the rights of the Lumads guaranteed under the Indigenous Peoples rights Act (IPrA) were included in the draft BBL that was submitted on April 22 to Malacanang. Malacanang is still reviewing the draft whose contents have not been made public.

In a MindaNews interview in January, days after Pope Francis named him Cardinal, Quevedo urged the peace panels of the

Sarangani Province

MONTH OF THE OCEANS. Personnel of Southern Phil. Power Corp. a member of the Alcantara Group in Alabel, Sarangani Province led by Com Rel Manager L Lisondra conducted their third mangrove planting activity in Sitio Kawas, Alabel last May 27, 2014. The activity coincided with the company’s celebration of the Month of the Oceans. The planting of an additional 500 seedlings was done together with student volunteers, LGU, the Phil Coast Guard personnel, members of the PNP. This planting area of SPPC covers more than 600 meters of coastline in Sarangani Province and is a joint project with the Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation Inc. government (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to look at the issues raised by the Lumads. “I think the IPs will not be happy with some of the things (in

COTABATO CITY

the agreement), the power-sharing the ancestral domain. And I would like to see the two groups - MILF and the government - look at the issues of IPs because now they are getting a lit-

tle bit vocal of their rights to their ancestral domain which IPrA recognizes.”

Fr. Eliseo Mercado, Jr., of the Institute of Autonomy and Governance, said the consensus point

reached between the Moro and Lumad is to “put in the Bangsamoro Basic Law the rights under IPrA, without mentioning the word IPrA.” [Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews]

NCCA cites successes of ARMM adopts ‘no plastic, no styrofoam’packaging school of living tradition T

T

HE National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has recognized a tribal learning center in Sarangani Province as of the country’s most successful School of Living Traditions (SLT).

Helen Lumbos, cultural master and coordinator of the SLT based in Sitio Lamlifew, Barangay Datal Tampal in Malungon town, said Tuesday they received such recognition during the recent 2nd SLT Summit held in Zamboanga City.

She said the summit gave credit to all cultural masters and implementers of SLTs, specifically in terms of how they responded to the slowly fading culture of various tribal or indigenous peoples’ (IP) communities.

The Lamlifew SLT, which was earlier adopted by the Department of Education as a model for its IP education program, is one

of the most successful tribal learning centers of Sarangani Province’s B’laan tribe.

A recipient of the ABSCBN Foundation’s cultural tourism program, the community also maintains a museum that features the tribe’s historical and cultural heritage.

So far, the Lamlifew SLT, which is a former recipient of a grant from the NCCA, has become a cultural enterprise as well as a cultural tourism site.

Celito Terando, project manager of the provincial government’s Sulong Tribu program, said the NCCA was specifically impressed with the positive impact of the SLT on the lives of the community’s tribal residents.

He said the commission lauded the sustenance of the initiative through continued support from the local government.

[PNA]

HE Autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao (ArMM) issued Tuesday an order prohibiting the use of plastics and styrofoam in the packaging and handling of processed items and food products in all stalls at the ramadan Trade Fair that would soon be set up at the grounds of Shariff Kabunsuan Complex, Cotabato City, the provisional seat of the

TAGUM CITY

ArMM. This year’s month-long Muslim fasting celebration of ramadan here and other parts of the country would commence on June 28.

“The ArMM enjoins everyone to follow strictly the “No Plastic, No Styrofoam Policy” in all food/item containers and packages in the ramadhan Trade Fair,” the memorandum order dated

June 5 and signed by ArMM Secretary Laisa Alamia by authority of regional Governor Mujiv Hataman, said.

“Alternately, shoppers, visitors as well as business partners are encouraged to make use of environmental-friendly materials such as paper bags, biodegradable plastics and reusable green bags as trash bins are also strategically located within

the premises of the trade fair to properly segregate litters and waste materials,” the order further stated.

Alamia has further directed the ArMM’s Department of Environment and Natural resources to field more trash bins within the complex to accommodate the expected increase in garbage materials during the operation of the trade fair. [PNA]

Additional public trike franchises up for review T HE city government in Tagum City is considering granting additional 150 franchises for public motorcycles as a response to the public’s weariness over pedicabs operating in the city with no proper registration.

Tagum City Mayor Allan L. rellon bared this in the sidelines of the seminar for tricycle drivers and operators organized by the City

Transportation Franchising and regulatory Board (CTFrB) last week at the rDr Gymnasium as part of the board’s and the city government’s goal of re-educating the participants about traffic rules and regulations observed in the city. rellon said he constantly received text messages from Tagumenyos who aired their concerns over the operation of unregis-

tered public motorcycles.

But he added that it’s up to the Sangguniang Panlungsod to decide on the CTFrB’s recommendation whether to reject or approve the granting of 150 new franchises in addition to the current 3,150 registered motorcycles as of 2014.

Such move will also be beneficial since the numbers of commuting Tagu-

menyo public is increasing through the years, which is added more weight with the influx of visitors from other places.

On top of this, rellon announced to drivers and operators that his administration have initiated changes in the registration of public motorcycles from every year to every three years. [Louie Lapat of CIO Tagum]

VOL. 7 ISSUE 62 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

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6 THE ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 62 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

Local candy brand expands market Robust market, tourist arrivals prompt ‘Apo ni Lola’ to expand

By ChENEEN R. CApON

A

crc@edgedavao.net

PO ni Lola, leading durian candy and processed delicacies manufacturer, is mulling to expand its market with the construction of the P3-million three-storey building in Matina, Davao City. “we are targeting the construction to be completed by the end of the month,” Imee Añabesa, store supervisor said, adding that the facility will be utilized for production, selling and displaying of products.

She said that currently they only have two stalls in the city, one located in Matina and another in waterfront InsularDavao.

But Añabesa said their products already reached the market of Luzon through orders and shipments.

She said that the additional structure will beef up their

production up to 50 percent. “we expect that we can be able to produce 80 batches of manually-made candy balls per week. At present, we can produce 30 to 40 batches of candy balls,” she said.

Each batch contains 1,200 candies made from durian, langka and other fruits. “we have to increase our production because the demand is also increasing. we have to address the needs of our clients for durian candies,” she said.

Añabesa said there is also plan to increase their manpower from 25 to 35 people.

Each person can make 3 batches. “we have to strengthen our presence in the locality because as of now we are planning to become a pioneer

in small, medium enterprises (SMEs) food tourism to complete Davao experience,” Añabesa said.

Currently, their production area in Matina is visited by local and foreign tourists to witness how they produce durian candies, yema and other delicacies produced manually.

“Foreign tourists don’t just visit our store to buy candies but also to see how we produce our products. we can accommodate 17 buses with 50 people each every day,” she said.

She said that they can accommodate field trips of schools, local government units and tourists. “we already partnered with some tourist operators in the city to invite more foreign visitors,” she said.

COMPETITION policy for the rice and passenger transport sector is needed to encourage innovation and prevent cartels.

This was stressed in a national reference group meeting organized by state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) with the Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) International based in Jaipur, India, and the Action for Economic reforms (AEr) and attended by various sector leaders.

PIDS Senior research Fellow and Competition reforms in Key Markets for Enhancing Social and Economic welfare in Developing Countries (CrEw) Project Director Dr. roehlano Briones stressed that a more

flexible policy toward rice imports should be adopted.

There is a competitive market structure for domestic rice production and marketing, but rice import quota which is decided solely by the National Food Authority through the National Food Authority Council could facilitate a cartel-like behavior, Briones said. “NFA manages to stabilize retail prices, but keeps domestic prices high by means of an import monopoly.”

Briones cited a study by Beulah de la Peña that a few big players in the rice industry are allowed to import a minimum of 2,000 metric tons and a maximum of 5,000 metric tons of rice under the current importation quota distribu-

tion. The study suggests that small players should be allowed to import 10- or 20-ton container load of rice to prevent rice supply monopoly by a few big players.

Quantitative restrictions on imports to support the country’s rice self-sufficiency objective must be repealed, Briones said.

“If quantitative restrictions were eliminated and rice imports were allowed to freely come in the country, total rice imports would have reached 3.68 million metric tons,” Briones said. “Such high level of imports would have brought down the retail price of rice to PHP21.43 per kilogram and PHP19.39 per kilogram at the wholesale level.”

IGHEr export earnings from total agrobased products, petroleum, minerals, and forest products kept exports in a positive territory for April 2014, according to the National Economic and Development Authority.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported today that the value of merchandise exports grew to US$4.54 billion, up by 0.8 percent from US$4.51 billion in the same period last year.

Exports grew by 12.4 percent in March 2014.

“This slower export growth is not expected to persist in the long-term.

Overall, the gradual recovery of the global economy continues to firm up as demand from the Philippines’ other major export markets picked up strongly in April 2014 particularly for Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Germany, Taiwan, and the Netherlands,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.

“It is also of note that the Semiconductors and Electronics Industries of the Philippines (SEIPI) remains optimistic that the country’s semiconductor exports will bounce back, keeping the 5.0 percent growth target in electronics exports for 2014,” he added.

Meanwhile, the first four months of 2014 registered an increase in Philippine merchandise exports, amounting to US$18.9 billion, up by 5.4 percent from US$17.9 billion in the same period last year. with respect to commodities outside manufactures, revenue from total agrobased products sustained a strong performance in April 2014, with 18.1 percent growth, amounting to US$372.1 million.

“This is attributed to higher revenues from fruits and vegetables, coconut products, sugar products, as well as other agro-based products,” said Balisacan.

Competition policy needed for rice, transport sectors A

OLD TRADE, NEW GEAR. Gone are the pedal-powered sharpeners for saws and other cutting tools. They have been replaced with electric-powered devices like this one. [MindaNews photo by H. Marcos C. Mordeno]

Employment numbers improve; back growth target for the year IN APRIL 2014 J Exports grow by 0.8 percent H OBS growth in all major sectors of the economy pushed total employment to 38.7 million in April 2014, a 4.5-percent increase from 37.0 million a year ago, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

This growth translated into 1.7 million additional employed persons in April 2014 from the same period last year.

Thus, the unemployment rate dropped to 7.0 percent in April 2014, from 7.6 percent a year ago. Also, the underemployment rate went down to 18.2 percent in this period from 19.2 percent in April 2013.

“The agriculture, industry, and services sectors all posted employment gains. This broadbased growth provides a good indicator of the quality of the country’s economic performance in the second quarter of 2014. This also backs the government’s target of 6.5 to 7.5

percent Gross Domestic Product growth for the full year,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.

But he emphasized that the employment and labor data for the April 2014 Labor Force Survey (LFS) round excludes Leyte, as the province was devastated by typhoon Yolanda and no survey was conducted in the area.

“The Philippine Statistics Authority excluded the labor and employment data of the Leyte province in the April 2013 LFS round for it to be comparable,” said Balisacan, who is also NEDA Director-General.

Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate (LFPr) increased to 65.2 percent in April 2014, from 63.8 percent a year ago.

“The increase in the LFPr could be partly due to greater seasonal influx of new gradu-

ates or vacationing students who are working and/or looking for new or summer employment,” he said.

The services sector contributed more than half of the workers employed (52.8%) and the level of employment increased by 4.8 percent or by 929,000 workers in April 2014 from a year ago. In the agriculture, fishery and forestry sector, employment rose by 3.1 percent in April 2014 accounting for 30.7 percent of the total employed. “worth noting is the strong contribution to employment growth of the industry sector, which was at par with that of agriculture,” said Balisacan. Employment in the industry sector posted a 6.3 percent growth in April 2014, translating to an employment generation of 374,000. The share of industry sector to total employment was 16.4 percent.

7 ENVIRONMENT

EDGEDAVAO VOL. VOL.77ISSUE ISSUE62 62••WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY,JUNE JUNE11, 11,2014 2014

Tapping power from water phOTOs and TExT

By GERRY T. EsTRERA

T

HEY call it renewable energy because its source is considered to be inexhaustible, even if continuously used by man.

“An energy source is only renewable if, with proper management, its sustained use will not deplete supplies,” notes Cynthia P. Shea, the woman behind Renewable Energy: Today’s Contribution, Tomorrow’s Promise. “wind, sunlight, flowing water, plants, and forests are examples of seemingly perpetual energy sources.” water is not only for drinking or for watering crops; it can also be used for harnessing electric power.

“Hydropower produces almost a fifth of the world’s electricity and supplies 92 percent of electricity derived from renewable sources, yet only a third of the world’s potential resources have so far been developed,” points out richard Taylor, the executive director of the International Hydropower Association. “This is particularly surprising as there is great scope for it in countries where the need for electric power is needed.”

According to Taylor, sustainable hydropower is a renewable, safe, clean, and reliable source of energy. “It already supplies energy to 161 countries, and its development is most advanced in some of the richest and most environmentally aware nations,” he says.

“The technology for generating electricity from falling water is well developed,” Shea writes. “Commercial systems have been available since the turn of the century, when the first

hydroelectric plant started producing power at Niagara Falls on the U.S.-Canadian border.”

A world Bank report in the 1980s showed the Philippines as one of the “thirteen largest additions to hydroelectric capacity in developing countries.”

From an operating capacity of 940 megawatts in 1980, it went up to 2,195 megawatts in 1985. In 1998, the total hydropower capacity stood at 2,304 megawatts or almost 20 percent of the country’s total installed capacity.

Based on the simplest of principles, hydropower uses gravity to produce electrical power. “As water is released through the turbines, generating power, the force is, in essence, free and infinitely renewable,” explains richard Taylor, executive director of the International Hydropower Association. “water is not consumed in the process,” Taylor continues. “It passes through the power plant unchanged and can be returned to the natural river course and/or used for irrigation, water supply, and fisheries -- and to help improve navigation.”

Mindanao, the country’s second largest island, gets its power from four major sources: hydropower, coal, geothermal, and oil. The bulk – 662 megawatt (Mw) or 52% – comes from hydropower.

Oil contributes 24% of the power supply (311 Mw) while geothermal is the source of 8% (98 Mw). The remaining 16% (203 Mw) comes from coal.

Since Mindanao almost always experience power interruptions during

summer and even in some days, the San Lorenzo ruiz Builders and Developers Group, Inc. proposes to build a 160 Mw hydropower project in Davao City.

A document obtained by the author stated: “(The hydropower project) will involve a run-of-river flow low diversionary weir with a height of 25 meters at the confluence of the Davao and Tamugan rivers at elevation 210 meters.”

From there, it will be connected to “a 10-kilometer combination of tunnels, open canals and penstock to a powerhouse located at the Lapunan area at elevation 20 meters.”

According to the document, the weir area and river channel between weir and powerhouse is located on a flooding hazard zone. The tunnel, canal

and penstock will be built within landslide hazard zone.

The left bank of river channel between the weir and powerhouse is an open space and brush land which means water irrigation is not needed.

Although the right bank of the river is agricultural, no water irrigation is also required.

The general land classification of the hydropower project area is non-residential and non-urban.

Wikipedia said that a run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation whereby little or no water storage is provided. “runof-the-river power plants may either have no storage at all, or a limited amount of storage, in which case the storage reservoir is

referred to as pondage,” it explained.

“A plant without pondage has no storage and is, therefore, subject to seasonal river flows and may operate as an intermittent energy source while a plant with pondage can regulate water flow and serve either as a peaking power plant or base load power plant,” Wikipedia further explained. while hydropower is renewable, there are some who believe that hydropower plants are not really environment-friendly? There are those who think that hydropower from manmade dams produce significant amounts of carbon dioxide and methane, which are greenhouse gases closely connected to climate change.

“Large amounts of

carbon bound up in trees and other plants are released when a reservoir is initially flooded and the plants rots,” worldwatch Institute points out in a recent report. “And as plant matter settling on the reservoir bottom decomposes without oxygen, it leads to a buildup of dissolved methane, which is released into the atmosphere when water passes through the dam’s turbines.”

But H. Steven Dashefsky, the author of Environmental Literacy: Everything You Need to Know About Saving Our Planet, believes otherwise. “Hydroelectric power creates virtually no pollution problems,” he writes. “Small-scale projects cause little harm to the environment, but larger projects are environmentally destructive.”

8

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

VOL. 7 ISSUE 62 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

EDITORIAL

Coconut vs bananas

T

HE PHILIPPINES needs to spend P750 million to combat aspidiotus rigidus, the pest that is wreaking havoc in the country’s coconut plantations. The infestation caused by scale insects believed to have originated from neighboring Indonesia has already destroyed some two million trees. This is truly devastating considering that our coconut plantations are still trying to recover from the ruins of the super typhoons Pablo and Yolanda. It may recalled that Pablo and Yolanda felled coconut trees worth hundreds of millions of pesos in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley, not to mention smaller destruction of trees in neighboring Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur. Secretary Francis Pangilinan, Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization, has suggested a detailed budget for a six-month battle with the infestation to be taken from the existing budget of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

The budget effective starting this month (June) is broken down as follows: P460 million for Phase 1

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(June to August); P204 million for Phase 2; and P88 million for Phase 3.

In a briefing in Malacanang, Pangilinan said the funds will cover injection of insecticides, pruning and burning, scale-insect laboratory to produce bio-control agents, rehabilitation, surveillance and quarantine in an effort called “Scale Inject Emergency Action Program.”

The timely action of government to rescue an industry which earns billions of dollars in export is just right and proper, after all millions of Filipinos, including scores of Dabawenyo farmers, will stand to benefit from it.

However, it is hoped that the same quick action and funding will be provided by government when equally important agricultural dollar-earning industries like Cavendish bananas will be imperiled. Sorry to say but when the deadly Panama disease threatened to wipe out Cavendish bananas from the face of the country we did not see the same quick government action to rescue it.

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG Creative Solutions

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Columnists: CARLOS MUNDA • MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEñA • MARY ANN “ADI” C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NICASIO AGUSTIN • VIDA A. MIA VALVERDE • Economic ENRICO“ADDIE” “GICO” G. Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER ANGELO C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO PEñA • ZHAUN ORTEGA Analysts: • BERNADETTE B. DAYANGIRANG M.QUISIDO PEREZ • Lifestyle Columnists: BAISR., FAUZIAH SINSUAT •AMBOLODTO • MEGHANN STA. INES BORBON • MARY• JONALLIER ANN “ADI” C. • LEANDRO B. DAVAL • NIKKIFATIMA GOTIANSE-TAN NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY •ZEN NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 62 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

Truth and commission

S

OPHOMOrE Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV bats for the creation of a Truth Commission to get to the bottom of the multi-billion-peso pork barrel syndicated theft by squeezing the truth out of Janet Napoles, BenhurLuy, et. al.

Trillanes must have forgotten, or simply doesn’t know that several truth commissions have been formed in the past presidencies of Cory Aquino and Fidel ramos – the Agrava Commission and the Davide Commission.

Both the commissions failed to achieve the purpose for which they were created.

The truth remained unknown.

Now, what is a truth commission? It is a small panel of less than a dozen members who are ideally men/women of probity, integrity, honesty, conviction, etc.

But sadly, it is a body that has no power to punish or penalize witnesses who are uncooperative and refuse to answer questions by invoking their right to remain silent. Its decision or findings don’t have the

C

VANTAGE POINTS

force of a law or statute.

A truth commission may sound imperial, but it is actually a toothless tiger.

Borrowing Koko Pimentel’s double negative verbal jab, it is a “useless nonsense.”

It is useless because all efforts to find the truth will be an exercise in futility.

(Pardon the cliché). It’s a waste of time, effort and money.

It is nonsense because all that the panel would hear from witnesses are lies, half-truths and gossip items, especially if the commission invites Ping Lacson and Sandra Cam. Now will the commission succeed where the Senate Blue ribbon committee

failed?

No way. when Janet Napoles faced the committee, all that the senators got from her were repetitive answers like “I don’t know. I don’t remember. I cant recall.”

And the blue ribbon committee, supposed to be a powerful body, was simply helpless. Even Sen. Miriam Santiago, with her intimidating demeanor, bravura, and mocking tone, failed to shake, rattle and steamroll Napoles.

To her credit, Napoles withstood the barrage of verbal darts thrown at her by Miriam, who even advised her how to escape prison term, and egged her to point to the real scam mastermind.

Truth Commission, anyone? Corrupt senators, congressmen and government officials are happy and satisfied with “commission.” Truth is the least of their concern.

But, on the day of reckoning, the truth will not set them free; the truth will send them to jail.

the scheme for showcasing their ideas and opinions, and of course, the desire to make it again to Congress.

Although it hardly made any dent in the minds of the cautious electorate, the political infomercials became stiff competitors in terms of deceptive schemes of equally annoying and poorly-scripted TV commercials promoting different products ranging from different food brands, infant milk, energy drinks, laundry and bath soap, beauty and household commodities and many more. The recent political development recalls a time not so long ago when several government officials holding appointive or elective posts, had TV infomercials of their own.

The scheme similarly props them up as experts in their respective fields whose views and ideas appearing in their deceiving TV ads will help viewers gain insight into how they will perform once they successfully make it to the winning column. The watchful voters are apparently fuming mad at this development certainly because the likelihood of the early political infomercials becoming a platform for self-promotion and aggrandizement by senatorial hopefuls who have lots of money to spare isn’t farfetched. It’s not even campaign period yet and the “premature” campaigns in the pretext of TV infomercials are running at a pace people don’t normally see until the Comelec-sanctioned campaign period starts. Many over-assuming senatorial aspirants perhaps have already

spent several thousand or maybe even million on deceptive TV ads.

Not only are the professionals and experts who prepared the candidates’ image-enhancement modules are playing a vigorous game, but the voters are keeping a watchful eye as well. The kind of intense self-promotion and boasting on nationwide television that has characterized recent weeks are heard and seen at this early stage. The power-obsessed political hopefuls and their image-builders firmly believe that winning the political game – reelection bid or otherwise are by engaging early. But does the forthcoming presidential electoral exercise need to be more advance and focused mainly on TV presentations?

Noted political analysts and thoughtful observers, however, doubt the scheme would impress and convince a lot of political dealmakers with their ability to connect with voters. For sure, many things have changed. Proof that intelligent political discussions no longer had any place in public affairs programming either in TV or radio these days is the passing of political-oriented talk shows.

The debates after debates, another political ritual, had not started yet or perhaps would not start at all for the reason that no interested medium at this point dare tread on the idea.

There is a necessity to have an intelligent public discussions at the start of the campaign period featuring political aspirants to give voters an inside glimpse of the twist and turn in the political race. while appearing too early on TV to provide viewers with a profile report in the form of infomercial, some political experts and media personalities hold a contrary opinion and in the same manner voters apparently showed displeasure in more brutal ways.

Early illusive political approach

ANDID BLUSTEr – Most politicians view politics as a means of livelihood, a way of living – tax-free.

Through government budget, enterprising politicians know what fringe benefits to get by means of easy access to profitable projects called infrastructure and livelihood programs.

They were prompted to capitalize in politics not for practicable, but profitable reasons. They found a chance to “invest” government funds like the pork barrel appropriation and the probability of getting reelected. Some politicians in our generation need money, plenty of it, to expose themselves to the voters during elections.

PLATFOrM FOr SELF-PrOMOTION AND AGGrANDIZEMENT – The election season is still distant yet some national political aspirants notably those seeking reelection started to appear in nationwide television even if it’s not campaign period yet promoting socio-economic undertakings in the guise of infomercials.

The other sign is when these power-obsessed personalities all too suddenly assume the role of guest speaker, resource person and VIP during ribbon-cutting and other launching ceremonies in different parts of the country notably in vote-rich provinces.

Trying to beat everyone to the draw are moneyed and thick-faced senatorial candidates whose fanciful infomercials had already been on the TV screen months ago. Their strategy is meant actually to put more shine and color on their senatorial bids, which had been tarnished from allegations of their lackluster performances and implication to the pork barrel scam while serving either in the Senate or House representatives. The political agenda, of course, is clear: with the political pot starting to boil stealthily, these senatorial hopefuls could use

9

Scientific superstition

S

UPErSTITION or belief that a certain event or thing can cause good or bad luck is still pervasive in what is supposed to be an era of great scientific and technological advancements. This belief in a supernatural cause to an unlinked event can still be seen in educated people. I find myself practising the superstition of doing a pit stop first before going home when I come from a wake. It is traditionally believed that doing this prevents the spirit of the dead from following one home. Usually, I stop for a drink at a café after visiting a funeral parlor. It may also be as simple as stopping over at a gas station to do a brief stretch. It can be anything just as long as I do not go straight home. Though tradition holds that this practice is meant to thwart off a potential haunting, there really is a simpler and more logical reason behind it. I do this because I want to shake off the feeling of grief and mourning. Having a chocolate drink before going home somehow soothes my psyche and alleviates any heaviness within.

Just like superstitious beliefs, scientific explanations may also be rooted in something tenuous. An example would be Albert Einstein’s cosmological constant. In 1917, Albert Einstein introduced a repulsive force required to keep the universe in static equilibrium. At that time, astronomers saw the universe as static and unchanging but Einstein’s theory predicts that the universe would collapse into a single blob. So Einstein created a fudge factor that represents an anti-gravity which he added into the mathematical equations of his theory of gravity. Later on, Einstein admitted this to be his biggest blunder when the Hubble telescope in 1929 observed the galaxies were actually flying away from each other; that the universe was not static after all.

Superstitions and scientific theories are products of their time. The superstitious practice described above harks back to an era when non-material realities or magic or witchcraft have power to influence how people decide their course of action; just like the spirit of the dead affecting my decision to go straight home from a wake. Einstein’s cosmological constant came about because he was working within the truth at that time, that of an unchanging universe. It was only with new data brought by more sophisticated equipment and experimentation that the cosmological constant was thrown into the trash bin. People are drawn to superstitions and scientific explanations alike because they give seemingly logical and valid conclusions within the framework of experience or lived truth. Just like Isaac Newton, the brilliant physicist that he is, when faced with the possibility that there is no absolute rest as required by the theory of relativity, rejected it because he felt that it was going against his notion of an absolute God. However, as our realm of knowledge and experience expands, our truths change, enlarge, or get discarded. I still do that pit stop but it is more to de-stress and unwind from the heavy feeling of loss and death.

The cosmological constant has been discarded. But, unbeknownst to Einstein, his cosmological constant is once again gaining merit as it is now being posited as representative of another inexplicable force in the universe, dark energy.

10 NEWS

VOL. 7 ISSUE 62 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

Lawyer...FFROM 1

has since refused to make any statements.

On Sunday, Mayor rodrigo r. Duterte declared the Garcia slay case as solved after the arrest of two suspects with the aid of high-definition CCTV cameras around the city. Duterte also credited the successful police work with the use of social media in solving the Garcia case.

But unlike the Garcia, the Acuña case is facing bleak, if not blurred images. At least, as far as the captured CCTV images are concerned. The police admitted that the video footage from another CCTV camera failed to capture a vivid image of the suspect who was only described as a man in white shirt.

In a related development, Danao maintained that the voluntary appearance of businessman Francis Gerald Ang last week does not mean he is off the hook even as he assured the family slain lawyer that justice will be served.

Ang surfaced last Thursday but did not answer to queries asked by police investigators.

Danao said they are giving the case ‘air-tight’ focus since they are still on the process of gathering evidence to back up the initial theory that the crime is a case of love triangle. Acuña is reportedly in a relationship with a woman who used to be the girlfriend of Ang. “Ayaw natin madismiss ang kaso pagdating ng araw,” Danao told reporters last Monday afternoon.

Danao reiterated that the appearance of Ang last week did not change their suspicion that he might be linked to the gunman. Initial investigation by police pointed to a possible mastermind behind a hired gunman. Early reports theorized that the mastermind could be a jilted lover who wanted to get back at the victim.

“Unfortunately, hindi kami satisfied doon sa pagpapakita niya. Kasi wala naman siyang sinabi doon kundi nagpakita lang,” Danao stressed.

He said that Ang did not even answer the question that need to be asked for the development of the case.

“May mga unanswered questions sana na gusto naming i-clarify sa kanya. Pero he refused naman,” he said.

Danao said that they are still going to stick on the love triangle theory of the crime since it is much closer than other angles.

The DCPO chief said that as of the moment the girlfriend of Acuña has not yet executed his sworn affidavit regarding the incident.

“Hintayin na lang muna natin na magpirma siya ng affidavit,” Danao said referring to the girlfriend of Acuña.

A source who refused to be named told reporters that the police had a hard time solving the crime since the girlfriend of the lawyer has since not cooperated with the police for the resolution of the case.

nication Technology (ICT) sector of Davao City knowing that we are bannering the city as an ICT hub,” Sales said.

Fiber optic cable backbone is already installed in Manila and Cebu with data center in Manila.

DOST is targeting to install it in Butuan, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro. Sales said the budget to be used for the project is part of the allocation released for the integrated Government of the Philippines (iGOv) project.

Of the P878.5 million budget released by the Department of Budget Management (DBM) through DOST- Information and Communication Technology Office (DOSTICTO), P310.8 million will be allocated for the deployment of fiber optic cables in major cities in the country; P427.8

million will be used for the establishment of operation and data system; P 64.8 million for project implementation; P36.9 million for industrial cooperation of the project; and P37.3 million will be used for the enhancement of application and system development. The remaining one million will be utilized for the execution and operation phase of the project.

The allocation will be used for the second phase of iGov project that aims to harness technology in improving government services, transparency and accessibility to information.

According to DOST website, the iGov Phil is part of the e Government Master Plan 2013- 2016 that aims to utilize ICT resources through shared infrastructures, services and applications.

Davao...FFROM 2

In her earlier testimony, the woman said she recalled that her ex-boyfriend owns a black pick-up truck which matched the getaway car used by the lone gunman on the night Acuña was shot.

The source said the statement of the girlfriend is really vital for the resolution of the murder case of the slain lawyer.He said that the girlfriend did not even go to the last night of wake and the burial last Monday.

Sasa Police Precinct commander Sr. Insp. Paulino Zaulga Jr., in an interview last week, revealed that that the love triangle theory has been strengthened by the testimony of an eyewitness closely coincides with that of a young lady, said to be the girlfriend of Acuña.

He said that an eyewitness whose identity is withheld allegedly saw a man wearing a white shirt ran after and shot Acuña.

The gunman allegedly then rode a black pick-up vehicle parked nearby. The eyewitness’ narration coincided with the testimony of the slain lawyer’s girlfriend who was earlier interviewed by investigators.

Acuña was reportedly gunned down by an unidentified assailant between 8:50 and 9:30 p.m. on May 30 in Lanang.

ALL ABOUT THE BIG V. Theatre director BJ Absin, together with artist Hochi Benitez of the Women Studies and Resource Center, promotes during this week’s edition of Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao the upcoming play, Vagina Monologues, slated on June 27 and 28 at the Philippine Women’s College in Matina, Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

Most of the recovered AK-47s bear tampered serial numbers HE Eastern Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Tuesday that most of the 45 AK-47 automatic rifles recovered in CArAGA and Davao provinces have their serial numbers defaced.

Capt. Alberto Caber, East-

T

ern Mindanao Command spokesperson, added that five of the recovered weapons were from the missing stock of 1,000 firearms allegedly sold by officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to rebels.

Tampering aims to mislead investigators in deter-

mining the source of the rifles, Caber said.

He, however, could not give the exact figures on how many of the recovered AK-47s had their serial numbers tampered.

Caber said the serial numbers are usually found on the body of the rifles.

The Philippine military is armed with M-16, M-14 and M-4 automatic rifles. All of these weapons are using the 5.56mm NATO bullets.

The AFP is not using the russian-made AK-47 which fires the heavier and more powerful 7.62mm round.

[PNA]

terday, Langalen entered the store first, followed by Ponte and immediately declared a hold-up.

Ponte went to the drawer where the caliber .38 revolv-

er was concealed. Then, another person later identified as Mosanip Antong entered the store apparently serving as a look out.

In the footage, Ponte kept

on standing in front of CCTV camera hiding his face while Langalen was pointing the pistol with silencer tube. Antong was standing behind the unarmed security guard on

duty at that time.

Langalen shot the cash vault four times but he failed to open it.

Antong, meanwhile, has evaded arrest.

ing three to nine months packages that will help patients suffering from illnesses like diabetes and hypertension and even those who just want to lose weight. “we follow an international standard in weight management to secure that our patients will attain the

body size that is appropriate to their age, disease and lifestyle,” she explained.

“You cannot just do intensive exercise and minimize the intake of food. It should be done with an expert because we are afraid that some just lose muscles not fats,” she said, adding that losing

the muscle can lower the immunity of the body from infections and diseases.

“The goal here is not to attain what the patient want but what is appropriate and needed,” Corro said.

She said that weight management is a change in lifestyle that needs discipline,

monitoring, and consultation.

The center offers consultation, surgery, weight management packages and diet instruction for different kinds of diseases. It houses doctors of different specialties like nutritionist, surgeon, psychologist and endocrinologist.

ciate Kevin Labrador. They gathered data and took 5 eggs for sampling and DNA fingerprinting. The Davao Light team with members from the Geographic Information Systems Department took GPS coordinates of the nest as part of the documentation.

Labrador said, “The gathered baseline data can be used for measurement of the turtles survival rate and de-

termining nest characteristics, among others. These will assist us on our studies of the turtles in the area and help us improve on or preserve the area’s natural condition for their survival.”

“Davao Light and the Aboitiz Group together with the local officials of Barangay Punta Dumalag have made it a priority to protect the area from any destruction or dis-

turbance that may cause the loss of the pawikans’ habitat, ” Edillon said. “Seeing a pawikan lay eggs or hatchlings emerge from their nest and crawl to the sea are once in a lifetime opportunities that many especially our children, should be able to experience,” he added.

The team will be back in Punta Dumalag after two months to gather data on the

hatchlings.

The Aboitiz Cleanergy Park is a project of Davao Light and Power Co., a subsidiary of the AboitizPower, in partnership with the Aboitiz Equity Ventures with its social development arm, the Aboitiz Foundation. The area is suited for sustainability-inspired activities such as tree planting, coastal clean-up and mangrove planting.

global increase in labor mobility; emergence of new demand for competencies such as Business Analytics; and international agreements on borderless economy.

The CHED has been conducting a stepped-up monitor-

ing starting 2011 until 2013 on higher education institutions (HEIs) offering the said courses if they are complying with CHED’s minimum requirements.

CHED allows the opening of programs for HEIs which

shall possess the following qualifications: autonomous/ deregulated status for private HEIs and SUC Level III status for SUCs; Center of Excellence/ Center of Development (COE/ COD) in the aforementioned courses; and at least Level II

accredited status in any of the said programs from CHED recognized accrediting agencies.

CHED advises HEIs with the said to submit their application to CHED regional Offices following the prescribed timeline for submission. [PNA]

Police... FFROM 2

DDH...FFROM 3

Pawikan...FFROM 3

CHED...FFROM 3

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 62 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

BIGGER PICTURE

11

The threat of dengue fever

By GERRY T. EsTRERA

D

engue fever has been with the Philippines since the 1950s but until now it has not been able to eradicate the viral disease. The dengue virus does not spread directly from person to person.

It’s transmitted mostly by the female Aedes mosquito. when it gorges the blood of an infect-

ed human, the virus enters the insect’s salivary gland, where it incubates for eight to ten days.

After that, the mosquito can pass the virus on to the next person it bites.

Symptoms of dengue vary according to the age and health of the patient. “Dengue should be suspected when a

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Tel. No. 083-228-2511 ; Fax No. 083-228-2654

General Santos Drive, Koronadal City, South Cotabato 9506 Tel. No. 083-228-2511 ; Fax No. 083-228-2654

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requirements: 1. Driver’s License receipt 1. Driver’s Licensewith withOfficial Official Receipt 2. 22.x 22 xI.D. picture (2 (2 pcs.)

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3. Certificate Employment or or clearance clearance from 3. Certificate ofof Employment from previous employment

May apply in person at Human resource May apply in person at Human Resource Department, YBLI Office, General Santos Drive, Department, YBLI Office, General Santos Drive, Koronadal City.

Koronadal City.

high fever is accompanied by two of the following symptoms: severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, vomiting, swollen glands or rash,” informs the Geneva-based world Health Organization (wHO).

Generally, symptoms last for 2-7 days, after an incubation period of 4-10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito.

But the deadly form of the infection, called dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), is another story. DHF’s deadly complication is due to plasma leaking, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, severe bleeding, or organ impairment. “warning signs (of DHF) occur 3-7 days after the first symptoms in conjunction with a decrease in temperature and include: severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums, fatigue, restlessness, blood in vomit,” the wHO informs. “The next 24-48 hours of the critical state can be lethal: proper medical care is needed to avoid complications and risk of death.”

Dr. Lulu Bravo, a professor at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, said that in DHF, cells release chemicals that trigger leakage of plasma from blood vessels.

“Fluids accumulate in body cavities, causing profound shock. Death often results

from bleeding in the brain, intestines or other organs,” she said.

In the Philippines, dengue is a leading cause of childhood hospitalizations.

“Approximately 36% of annual dengue infection occur among children aged 1-9 years, and the average age of infection is 12 years,” writes Dr. Maria rosario Capeding, of the research Institute for Tropical Medicine, in Dengue Matters.

“As a mother and doctor, I have personally experienced the impact that dengue has on the family,” Dr. Capeding notes. “when my son contracted dengue, he reached his second day (the critical phase for the risk of hemorrhage) without fever, but still experienced a significantly decreased white blood count and an alarmingly low platelet count. Fortunately, the infection did not result in hypotensive shock or hemorrhage and my son made a full recovery.”

Up to 5% of DHF cases are fatal; without proper treatment, the rate rises to 15%.

Most who die are children under the age of 15, but adults are at real risk, too. An 18-yearold construction worker was brought in to a hospital after suffering from recurring fevers for seven days. when blood tests confirmed that the teenager had DHF, the doctor administered blood and plasma transfusions.

On his third day in hospital, the teenager’s condition deteriorated sharply -- he began gasping for breath, bleeding heavily from his nose and vomiting blood. The doctor performed an emergency transfusion, but within three hours, the teenager was dead.

Having dengue is bad news. After all, there are still no effective vaccines against dengue because the immune response to the disease is quite complicated. “There is no specific treatment for dengue,” says Dr. Garcia. “All that a doctor can do to a person with dengue fever is to give him supportive treatment such as anti-fever pills and plenty of fluids.”

But hope is on the horizon. Professor Donald Shepard, in an article which appeared in Dengue Matters, reported of a dengue vaccine that is “expected to enter the market by 2015.” He pointed out that the vaccine “could be a powerful tool for governments to protect their populations and safeguard their economies from the detrimental impact of dengue.” while waiting for the dengue vaccine, there are few things Filipinos can do. “Dengue needs urgent action and we need it now,” Secretary Enrique Ona of the Department of Health wrote his Facebook page last year when 42,207 dengue cases -- of which 193

died -- were reported from January to first week of June.

“In the absence of the usual cures and vaccines, we have to rely on the basics of early prevention and community action.”

This is the reason why the health department bats for the 4 o’clock habit. The website of the DOH gives the following pointers on how to undertake the 4 o’clock habit: “It is the back-to basics STOP, LOOK & LISTEN approach. The preliminaries include mapping out high risk areas in a locality, organizing teams that will undertake critical response activities and establishing a system of communications for better coordination and sustained cooperation.

“STOP means ‘dropping’ everything and shifting current task for mosquito control. LOOK means that around 4 o’clock and until next hour, assigned teams carry out systematic ‘search and destroy’ activities that will identify and eliminate mosquito-breeding sites.

“LISTEN entails heeding the instructions from local authorities, community leaders, or work supervisors for synchronous implementation of the 4 o’clock habit. This can be done on a daily basis, or at least on a weekly basis based on institutional capacity and prevailing resources.”

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DAD

Brave heart

AnyonE can be a dad but it takes a lot of guts to be a real father. That title and privilege to bear a child into this world is not simply earned through a piece of paper a man signs.

Instead, the true measure of being a father is seen and felt through one’s capacity to love unconditionally and his dedication, support and sense of responsibility.

I’m sure we’ve all met different kinds of fathers from all walks of life. There are working dads and even stay-at-home dads. Some are working abroad, while some come in the form of single moms who take the responsibility of both mother and father.

There are those who assume parenting responsibilities from other dads, say grandparents, godparents, surrogate dads or father figures.

I grew up with a stepfather who became one of the most influential persons in my life.

By some unexpected twist of uations to support his claim. fate, a loving stepfather also While each father and child figured in my daughter’s life. have their own story to tell, Papa, Dada, Daddy, Tatay, I’d like to share this touchAma… They may not make ing story about a father who sense it various parts of the fought hard for his child’s world but they all have one life. He is one who whose meaning to a child. To most, faith and strength did not a father is a knight in shining falter even when he was faced armor who they can run to with one of the most painful for protection, support and battles any parent can imagsound advice. How children ine.

The youngest of eight sibput face to each name is a different story altogether. These lings, Dr. Jess Delgado, 35 narratives are not found in years old, proudly hails from common fairytales, but are the academe. For 10 years, written in a child’s memory he has mentored students on with every significant en- accountancy and entreprecounter and are translated neurship.

“Teaching is my passion. through one universal lanThere is a sense of fulfillment guage called love.

It’s so timely that Father’s in being able everything to Day this year follows our share what I know throughvery own Independence Day out my years of studying. celebration --- a time when I do not only teach by the we commemorate the free- books, but also through what dom bestowed upon us by I’ve learned in life. Teaching heroes past. In a way, our fa- is not an easy job. you don’t thers are also our heroes and simply just impart knowlthey’ve had their own share edge but you also try to make of battles just to provide and a difference in a kid’s life. support their family. Ask any you try to open their mind child why he thinks his dad and change the way they see is a hero and he’ll give you a things. I was given the oplong list of adjectives and sit- potunity to join Ateneo de

Davao’s School of Entrepreneurship where I am currently teaching students the rudiments of business based from my own ventures. I teach them the principles of sustaining a business, how to handle loses and be innovative in creating business ideas and solutions.”

Happily married for 8 years to Bianca Estabillo, a former colleague of mine who also happens to be one of my daughter’s godmothers, Jess says he finds joy in raising their children, 7-year old Jada Anaiah and 5-year old Jaden Isaiah.

“In between my hectic schedule at work, I make sure I always have time to play with the kids. I take time to bring them to movie dates and trips out of town.

It brings me to tears when the kids ask me to stay with them when I am away on a trip.” Family is important to both parents. Jess looks back at his childhood and credits his upbringing for his positive outlook on survival and value for family ties.

“My siblings and I did not grow up having everything we needed. My mother died of cancer when I was just 7

years old. Father needed to work doubly hard to sustain our needs. He needed to feed 8 kids and send everybody to school. We experienced having our electricity and water lines cut off for months and we were even kept out of school gates because we weren’t able to pay tuition fees on time. It was tough but despite of it all, we were happy.

It kept our family together.

The key to our survival was through helping one another and finding happiness even in the smallest things. We understood that our father needed to work harder and

we helped him. We needed to transfer to different schools for him to afford our education. We worked our way through high school by being part of the volleyball varsity.

We learned how to sell things from nails, scraps and metal junks just to have extra money. I also remember taking different side jobs such as delivering tubs of soy sauce and working in an electrical store in Uyanguren.” His difficult yet humble childhood taught him the value of hard work and what it takes to earn for a living. In a way, it prepared him for family life.

What Jess wasn’t prepared to face was the possibility of losing his son. Early on in the marriage, their second child, Jaden, was diagnosed of a life-threatening condition that shook the family to their core and altered their life altogether.

“Just a day after her delivery, my wife told me our son, Jaden, had heart murmurs and that a 2D echo laboratory exam was needed to check on his condition. A flood of emotions came and I couldn’t think of anything else but my son’s survival.

At 2 days old, he was already battling for his life. His 2D echo results showed that he had tetralogy of fallot, a very complex congenital heart disease brought about

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UP AND AbOUt

Father’s Day at Cafe Marco CelebrAte Father’s day this Sunday, June 15 at any of Marco Polo Davao’s exceptional restaurants.

Have the ultimate Champagne brunch with Dad and the whole family at Cafe Marco with food highlights of roast beef with Yorkshire Pudding, Whole baked Fish with Caper Cream Sauce, Pork Knuckles with Sauerkraut and Smoked Sausage, plus breakfast favorites of bacon, Sausages and Pancakes.

Go Oriental with baba as lotus Court showcases a hearty spread of roast Peking Duck, roast Pig, Dim Sum and Ocean fresh Seafood items.

For the meat-loving Dads out there, Polo bistro offers ala carte selections of Steak, baby back ribs and lamb Chops.

Make Daddy’s day a memorable one! For reservations and inquiries, please call (63 82) 221 0888 locals 7222 for Cafe Marco, 7232 for lotus Court and 7955 for Polo bistro.

Globe Telecom steps up anti-spam campaign GlObe teleCOM is stepping up its campaign versus text spams by making it easier for its customers to report such annoying messages. the move is part of the telecommunication provider’s most aggressive initiative so far to address proliferation of spam and scam messages. the telecommunications provider has made available on a Globe web page a channel through which its customers can report text spams and text scams alike. Customers simply have to go to http://www.globe.com.ph/stopspam and provide all the details required. Numbers that are reported to be source of text spams are first sent warnings and those that are persistent source of text spams are deactivated from the service.

“We are paving the easiest way possible for our customers to report text spams in line with the company’s efforts to eliminate unwanted and unsolicited promotional text messages that many of our customers complain about. We believe that partnering with our customers in this endeavor would render our campaign more effective,” Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto said.

Crisanto emphasized Globe will continue to pursue its commitment in going after companies that engage in marketing activities thru text spamming. “the recent filing of complaint against two companies that persistently make use of text spamming as a marketing tool is just an example of the extent we will go to address the issue,” she stressed.

As part of its intensified campaign to stop text spams, Globe recently filed before the National telecommunications Commission complaints versus two companies whose agents keep on sending unsolicited promotional text messages to its customers.

In separate complaints, Globe specifically asked the regulatory body to order the two companies the payment of appropriate fines and penalties for sending annoying text spam to Globe subscribers. Globe also asked the NtC to permanently bar the two companies its agents and employees from sending spam texts to Globe customers.

Spam messages are usually sent by prepaid numbers as they are untraceable and are easily disposable. Spammers also don’t need specific numbers to send spam messages to as they make use of USb GSM modems and they spam number ranges. legitimate text blasts approved by the regulating agency are properly identified and do not carry 11-digit numbers.

Globe has also put in place other channels by which customers may report spam or scam messages: Customers who receive irritating text spam and text scam messages may also report via the Globe website through talk2Globe Chat (http://chat.globe.com. ph); send a message through Globe Contact Form (http://globe. com.ph/talk2Globenow) and by tweeting @talk2GlObe on twitter. Subscribers can put in the number, the exact message, and the time and date the text spam was received.

Aside from the Globe channels, customers can also keep themselves from getting text spams through their own devices. iOS users may block unwanted numbers by opening the message, clicking the Contact button at the right hand corner, clicking the “i” next to the number they wish to block. they can then scroll down to the bottom of the page where they will see the option “block this caller” and then click to confirm. For Android users, subscribers may block spam through their gadget’s filtering settings: Go to Settings, press the Spam Message Settings, click “Add to Spam Numbers” and add spammers’ numbers. they may also choose to actively block by inputting commonly used spam phrases and adding it to the “Add to Spam Phrases” list.

The Philippines has been getting more and more international recognition as a must-travel destination for 2014. With accommodation deals made readily available this June at itsmorefuninthephilippines.com, everyone deserves to experience the world-class Philippines.

Photo from Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines

Agoda and #itsmorefunPH roll out deals to mark Independence Day

STArTIng June, Agoda.com will roll out Pinoy Pride deals via the Philippines’ flagship tourism website, itsmorefuninthePhilippines. com. More than 70 hotels located around the country can be booked with discounted rates of up to 40% off. Stay dates validity cover until December 2014.

Agoda.com, Asia’s leading accommodation site, and the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines (TPB) signed a strategic partnership agreement earlier this year. Both entities are working together to grow online exposure for the Philippines as a premiere tourist destination.

Included in the list of recommended hotels that you can find at itsmorefuninthephilippines.com are Best Western Plus Antel Hotel in Makati City, Manila, Creekside Amorsolo Hotel in Makati City, Tune Hotel in Makati City, Manila, Tune Hotel in Ermita, Manila, Pearl garden Hotel, Manila, Tune Hotel in ortigas City, Manila, Crimson Hotel Filinvest City in Alabang, Manila, La Mirada Hotel in Mactan Cebu, Crimson

Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila resort and Spa in Mactan, Cebu, Sotogrande Hotel and resort in Mactan, Cebu, Quest Hotel & Conference Center in Cebu City, Tune Hotel in Cebu City, Lingganay Boracay Hotel resort, royal Park resort in Boracay, Tune Hotel in Davao City, Tune Hotel in Cagayan De oro City, Bohol Beach Club, and Vanilla Sky resort in Bohol.

Multiple international outlets – from Conde nast to the new york Times – have highlighted the Philippines as a must-travel destination for 2014. With accommodation deals

made readily available this June, it’s high time for Pinoys to explore more of world-class Philippines, one island at a time. It’s never too late to start today.

To learn about special deals and promotions on hotels in the Philippines, connect at www.itsmorefuninthephilippines.com or go directly to www. agoda.com/morefunph .

For hotels or properties who want to be part of our global network you may email bd-philippines@ agoda.com.

Agoda Company Pte Ltd (Agoda.com) is a lead-

ing Asia-based, online hotel reservations company, which specializes in securing the lowest discount hotel prices. Agoda.com is part of the Priceline group (nasdaq:PCLn).

Agoda.com’s network includes more than 360,000 hotels worldwide. The multinational staff of more than 1,400 professionals, located throughout the world, provides a first-rate reservation service that uniquely combines local knowledge and local connections to provide the best hotel deals to both business and leisure travelers.

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Hugh Jackman shines in 2014 Tony Awards Neil Patrick Harris finally wins for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

All of broadway’s biggest names gathered for the 68th annual tony Awards at radio City Music Hall in New York City, and it was one entertaining event—mainly because of host Hugh Jackman!

the Wolverine star sang, danced and cracked jokes while remaining charismatic, funny and extremely light on his feet! let’s recall some of his best moments from tonight’s festivities! the star put all his bouncing training to good use as he hopped his way through the theater and backstage, down the aisles and into an elevator before making his way to the main stage for the show’s opening. Sting, nominee Neil Patrick Harris and Jersey boys director Clint eastwood and the cast members from several broadway shows all made cameos in the four-minute sequence. Once on stage, the host showed off his impressive singing and dancing abilities.

During his opening monologue, Jackman poked fun at himself, saying, “tonight is a celebration of broadway, the only place you can see rocky in a boxing ring, bryan Cranston in the Oval Office, and Wolverine in tap shoes.”

sides that never understood each other. It’s kind of like people who are against same-sex marriage and people who mind their own business,” he said. the actor continued to showcase his charm, singing the nominees for best lead Actress in a Play to the tune of “l-O-V-e” by Nat King Cole, before presenting the award to lady Day at emerson’s bar &

He also joked about Harvey Fierstein’s play Casa

Valentina. “It highlights the tension between married

Grill’s Audra McDonald. later, he revealed an unknown talent—rapping! the Prisoners star took the stage with t.I. and ll Cool J to perform a very memorable rap rendition of “the Music Man!” A raisin in the Sun, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and A Gentleman’s Guide to love and Murder took home numerous trophies throughout the night.

men who cross dress and the gay community, two

Meet the 2014 Tony Award winners Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: Mark rylance, Twelfth Night Actor in Featured Role in a Musical: James Monroe Iglehart, Aladdin Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: bryan Cranston, All the Way Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical: Neil Patrick Harris, Hedwig and the Angry Inch Actress in a Featured Role in a Play: Sophie Okonedo, A Raisin in the Sun Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical: lena Hall, Hedwig and the Angry Inch Actress in a Leading Role in a Play: Audra McDonald, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical:

Jessie Mueller, Beautiful--The Carole King Musical Best Direction of a Play: Kenny leon, A Raisin in the Sun Best Direction of a Musical: Darko tresnjak, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder Best Choreography: Warren Carlyle, After Midnight Best Orchestrations: Jason robert brown, The Bridges of Madison County Best Scenic Design of a Play: beowulf boritt, Act One Best Scenic Design of a Musical: Christopher barreca, Rocky Best Costume Design of a Play: Jenny tiramani, Twelfth Night Best Costume Design of a Musical: linda Cho, A Gentlemen’s Guide to

Love and Murder Best Lighting Design of a Play: Natasha Katz, The Glass Menagerie Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Kevin Adams, Hedwig and the Angry Inch Best Sound Design of a Play: Steve Canyon Kennedy, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill Best Sound Design of a Musical: brian ronan, Beautiful-The Carole King Musical Best Play: All the Way Best Musical: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder Best Book of a Musical: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder Best Revival of a Play: A Raisin in the Sun Best Revival of a Musical: Hedwig and the Angry Inch Isabelle Stevenson Award: rosie O’Donnell

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 2D *Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler GP

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

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS 2D / * EDGE OF TOMORROW 2D Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort / * Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt PG 13 / * PG 13

12:30 | 2:55 LFS / * 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

BLENDED 2D / * NOAH 2D Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore / *Russell Crowe

R-16

PG 13 / * R13

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

MY ILLEGAL WIFE 2D Pokwang, Zanjoe Marudo PG 13

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

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Brave...FFROM A1

by pulmonary stenosis and holes in his heart that needed to be patched. My heart sank. We took turns in looking after him 24 hours a day after he was brought home.

We cried almost everyday.

My wife looked after him like a robot, programmed herself to check his every move, heartbeat, etc. At that time, Jada, our eldest, was only 2 years old and my wife needed to balance her time in looking after both kids.

While she had already resigned from work because of her delicate pregnancy with Jaden, Bianca had to totally give up corporate world because of Jaden’s condition.

Being the man of the house, my role is to provide for the family. We had a pending immigrant application for abroad. We were practically good to go and it was only a matter of waiting for Bianca

to give birth before the Embassy could give us the go signal to leave. When they found out about my child’s illness, the Embassy denied our application. We were so hopeful about migrating abroad as a family because that seemed to be, at that time, the only chance for my son to be operated.”

“A heart surgery is too expensive for us. So, after accepting the bad news that came, I decided to look for sidelines and part time jobs, aside from my regular teaching job,” Jess explains. “I taught in 2 more colleges as a part time teacher, became solutions analyst for several businesses, installed CCTV’s and accounting technology systems, and even ventured into agribusiness and banana export. My son’s survival was my driving force and I had my own father’s teachings

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to nourish my soul. god led the way and he gave me so many opportunities to earn.

Through god’s grace and prayers from friends and family, we were able to save enough for Jaden’s operation.

In 2011, Jaden, who was then 2 years old, successfully underwent surgery.”

The couple also had to ask for blood donors, in case Jaden would need some during the operation. This posed quite a challenge for them as it left them with limited possibilities. given Jaden’s age and condition, it required them to only accept donors without history of alcohol use or any illness that occurred 6 months back, on top of the usual restrictions on blood letting. Finally, after a week, they were able to find qualified donors.

“After his operation, Jaden had transient seizure,” Jess recalls. “The entire left part of his body jerked and got paralyzed for an hour. We needed to rush him to the hospital again. We only had 3 hours to rest after he was discharged from the heart center. At that moment, it was hard to believe that Jaden had a stroke at 2 years old. His stroke didn’t have anything to do with his heart condition, though. It just happened. That incident put our lives to another pause but, eventually, we became witness to god’s healing as Jaden became stronger by the day. god healed him completely. Before, he couldn’t stand running around. He would lie on the floor to rest and, sometimes, even vomit he catches his breath. But, now, he can run and jump around. He’s normal. He can play with his sister, wrestle with her, etc. Just this year, we enrolled him in a Wushu class. He’s so active now and he can do cartwheels, headstands and many other things he couldn’t do before.”

Jess keeps his hopes up and says that there is nothing impossible if you work to make things happen. “Do not lose hope. There is a solution to every problem. Let your family serve as your inspiration and let god guide you. I try to

be the best dad to my daughter and son. I am not perfect, but with the support and love from my wife, I know I am on the right track. our family’s health and welfare remain top priority. Fatherhood is actually is a gift because it’s a life changing experience and you get to live the rest of your life watching your kids grow up to be person you are preparing them to be. Everything that we do as fathers grooms them for the future.

We should be a good example to them. Along that process, you have to give them space to learn, but make sure you are there when they turn to you for support and guidance.”

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Dad’s lust for Game Pad CHILL JILL

Athena Jillian Bravo

M

Y father is one oneof-a-kind dude.

Last weekend, he dragged me to the Samsung shop in Gaisano Mall right after lunch presumably to browse through the latest gadgets from the brand (which is fast turning out to be his favorite).

I thought at first he’ll be shopping for a new smartphone or a tab but the heck I thought he just got himself a Note 3 with Galaxy Gear to boot and a Bluetooth keyboard to match (other than the Samsung tabs we both have).

Turns out, my dad is trying out the Sansung Game Pad. It didn’t help that the S Console games available on the Game Pad does not have the game app NBA 2K14

which he is itching to play using the buttons instead of sliding his fingers on the touchscreen.

“In the long run, your screen could suffer from the wear and tear of gaming so this pad should solve it,” he reasoned.

Too bad, it did not work and the NBA 2K14 did not apparently match with the games on the pad. But knowing my dad, he will never give up.

He’ll find a way soon.

Anyways, happy dad’s day to my ultra-techy father and I wish I could give you that pad (but pay for it first…hahaha).

Back to our game-hunting, while looking for a brand new game app that’s far different from the usual rPGs and movie-inspired games, I came across this game which I find to be worry-free and easy to play.

It’s called “The Line.”

The simple challenge the game offers is simply to keep the ball on the line.

Needless to say, all you need to do is to keep that ball on the line like a professional bowler. Nevertheless, the

easy ones could turn out to be the toughest nuts to crack afterall. we know that games like this with the easiest instructions could turn out to be a headache. One mistake and it’s game over.

Here is how it works.

Just lead the ball to the line and avoid hitting the red wall. The exciting part here is how you put your patience to the test— again one of those games where the yardstick is patience-o-meter. It reminds us of Flappy Bird. The more you stick on that line and stay away from trouble the higher you go and the longer you play.

It’s that challenge that lurks in the subconscious that drives you to break that high score each time.

And before you know it, one Game Over leads to another. You restart and restart all over again until you hit your high marks.

“The Line” actually broke into the rankings of iTunes games and because of this, it became a hot item in the android market.

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DABAWENYO WINNERS. Coach Rommel Tan (front row, right), poses with a Malaysian Karatedo official as winning AAK-Davao karatekas (l-r) Jam Ramirez, Pavel Bacayo, Ela Estarija and Gab Quiñones show off their hardware won during the 15th Milo/Malaysian Open Karatedo Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

[AAK Davao]

FUTURE AZKAL. Ateneo de Davao University booter Jed Diamante, interviewed here by Dyan Castillejo, is one of the young amateur standouts who made it to the Clear Dream Match last Saturday. [FB Photo by Joy Diamante]

Jordan set to upgrade team

Wainwright joins C Pacman in Kia bench

w

ITH Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao being officially introduced as head coach of the Kia Motors PBA expansion squad, he’s brought together a couple of former pros to lend their expertise in his corner.

One such guy was former Coca-Cola player rob wainwright, who was part of the Tigers’ championship runs in 2002 and 2003.

The Filipino-American swingman was in attendance at the event on Monday at the Pacific Star Building in Makati, though he clarified that he wasn’t out there to attempt a comeback in the PBA. “As of now, I’m helping the team out,” wainwright told

InterAksyon.com. “whatever happens in the future, we’ll see.” wainwright and fellow former PBA player Chito Victolero had been helping Pacquiao out since Day One. Victolero, a former coach of the Mapua Cardinals in the NCAA, and wainwright, who served as an assistant coach in the ASEAN Basketball League, are there to provide some more experience to the Kia bench.

He’s also here to give back to the game of basketball.

“I went to Vietnam to serve as assistant coach of the team after my ABL career,” said wainwright.

“Then I went back to the Philippines para magturo sa

mga bata.”

He said he was hesitant to transition into coaching at first but has found it a natural fit over time.

“Someone asked me before if I want to become a coach, I said no. Kasi alam ko yung difficulty dealing with players.

May players na mabait, mayroon namang maarte,” wainwright said.

“But over the last few years, I found myself being the old guy on the team, parang kuya na. I was team captain and the younger guys look up to me.” wainwright enjoyed seeing his younger teammates develop into better players and wanted to continue doing that.

“Through that, it grew on me. when Aldrech ramos got drafted, he texted me and said ‘Kuya, thanks for your advice’.

It was a great feeling, just like making a winning shot in the game.”

But with spots on the roster up for grabs, the question for wainwright was whether he still had it in him to make a comeback.

He’s smart enough to listen to his body, though, and will likely resist urge to get back onto the floor. ”My basketball side would say, I would love to play, but my intellect as a person would probably say not. I have bad knees. That was my problem most of my career,” he said.

HArLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -Michael Jordan anticipates the Charlotte Hornets will make another big splash this offseason.

Jordan said Monday with three draft picks and more than $13 million to spend in free agency the Hornets are in position to make a ‘’big difference’’ in upgrading their roster. ‘’I think we made a difference last year with Big Al (Jefferson) and some of the acquisitions and I don’t anticipate this year being any different,’’ Jordan said.

Behind Jefferson, who was recently named third-team AllNBA, Charlotte made the playoffs for the first time since 2010 - the year Jordan took over as majority owner.

Jordan is hoping Jefferson’s success will convince other bigname free agents to come to Charlotte. ‘’I always thought Charlotte was a great destination,’’ Jordan said. ‘’Big Al has proven that you can come here and make a big difference. Hopefully we can look at that and attract some other superstars.’’

Jordan spoke Monday fol-

lowing a presentation at Hornets Nest Elementary school in which he, along with Lowe’s and Fox SportsSouth, donated $250,000 to Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. The event marked the organization’s first community service initiative since the changing its name from Bobcats to Hornets last month.

The Hornets have the ninth, 24th and 45h picks in this month’s draft.

If forward Josh Mcroberts decides not to opt out of contract the Hornets will have all five starters from last season under contract - and still have at least $13 million to spend under the NBA salary cap. If Mcroberts opts out the team could have closer to $17 million free under the cap. ‘’This year we have a lot of flexibility and I’ve been speaking to that over the last three or four years - flexibility is very important and we are going to use every resource to try to better the team,’’ Jordan said.

Charlotte finished last season 43-39 and earned the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

ArIS (reuters) - when roger Federer won his 17th grand slam title in 2012, it seemed his record haul would last forever as it took more than a century of trying for a super-human male athlete to come along and win that many major trophies.

Yet only two years later, a younger, fitter, hungrier rival by the name of rafa Nadal is now threatening to topple the Swiss from his perch after hoisting his 14th major silverware at roland Garros on Sunday.

As the Spaniard has now contested the last three slam finals it is not inconceivable that by the time he returns to Paris next year to target a 10th Musketeers’ Cup, his name could be alongside Federer’s on the list of all-time leading title hoarders.

As the first man to win nine times at the same grand slam tournament and with time still on his side, Nadal has shown no signs of relinquishing his hold at the French Open, where he owns an eye-popping 66-1 win-loss record.

The tennis world may be

obsessed with finding out just how many more trophies Nadal is capable of winning but the 28-year-old did not seem to care a hoot about where he ended up in the pecking order.

“Federer, well, he’s had 17 and I have had 14 grand slams... but I’m not really worried. It’s not a source of motivation for me,” said the French Open champion, who owns two wimbledons, two U.S. Open and an Australian Open trophy.

“I don’t really care that much about the records. I’ll still play with a lot of intensity.

I’ll still be motivated.

“I’ll follow my own path.

Then when my career is over, we’ll count.”

That path will initially lead him to wimbledon, where he desperately wants to make amends for his shock first-round defeat last year to 135th-ranked Belgian Steve Darcis.

The switch from clay to grass in just two weeks proved to be a challenge too for Nadal and his overworked knees in 2013, especially as he was on the way back from a seven-month injury break.

Manny won’t draft brother P F

ILIPINO boxing icon and Kia coach Manny Pacquiao is dead serious about building a competitive team for the new expansion squad in the upcoming PBA season. with reports circulating that Pacquiao’s brother Bobby is planning on joining the annual PBA rookie Draft, the newly-appointed coach quickly shut down the possibility of him using a pick on his sibling.

“Hindi,” Pacquiao answered when asked about selecting his brother in the draft.

“Malaking pabor yun.”

Kia has been holding tryouts, which Pacquiao said has been attended by quite a number of players, mostly undrafted rookies and veteran free agents.

The eight-division world champion has beefed up his coaching staff, some of whom were present during the team’s presentation on Monday. Former Mapua coach Chito Victolero and former PBA player rob wainwright were among those helping Pacquiao conduct practices.

They will decide on the final roster after the dispersal draft for expansion clubs and the rookie draft.

“Humanda na sila dahil dadaan sila sa training ko,” the

coach warned potential recruits.

The Filipino boxing icon was officially introduced as new head coach of Kia Motors, one of potentially three new

expansion teams in the PBA for the coming season.

But the final word on his plan of playing in Asia’s first professional league may have to come later.

NEW COACH. World boxing champion and Congressman Manny Pacquiao has added the head coaching job to his current job list.

Rafa closes in on Roger’s record

SPORTS 15

VOL. 7 ISSUE 62 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

SPURRED INTENTIONS Heat expect ‘inspired’Spurs in Game 3 M

HUDDLE. San Antonio Spurs players need to take at least a win in Miami as the NBA Finals, now tied at 1-1, moves to the Heat homecourt.

Flopping Wade fined P

IAMI (AP) -- Dwyane wade thinks there’s no one better than the Miami Heat at dealing with the mental challenge of the playoffs. In his eyes, only one other team might compare.

He’s talking about the San Antonio Spurs.

That’s why wade believes these NBA Finals are just getting started. when he looks at the Spurs, he sees qualities his own team has, including an ability to break down a loss and quickly correct things. It’s what Miami did before Game 2 of the finals and it’s what wade expects the Spurs to do before the title series resumes with Game 3 in Miami on Tuesday night. ‘’You never put them away,’’ wade said. ‘’I think they always believe and it’s the same with us. You can’t, you won’t, put us away because we’re always going to believe. That’s why this is a perfect, different animal, kind of series. They’re the other team like us. They don’t lose much and when they do they come back and be better in the next game. So we’ve got to come out and do the same thing.’’

That would explain why on Monday, instead of a day

off, the Heat gathered to watch video of Game 2.

By winning in San Antonio to even the finals at 1-1, homecourt advantage now belongs to the Heat. But no one in their locker room thinks it’s going to get easy now. ‘’They came out great.

They played a great game,’’ Spurs guard Tony Parker said after Miami’s 98-96 win in Game 2, the 13th straight time the Heat immediately followed a postseason loss with a victory. ‘’Now it’s our turn to go over there and get one. we played pretty well all season long on the road and so we’re going to have two great opportunities to try to come up with a win.’’

Miami has won a franchise-record 11 straight postseason games at home.

The last team to win a playoff game in Miami was the Spurs, winning Game 1 of last season’s finals. ‘’we are in a tough situation because we’ve got to go to Miami and we’ve got to get one,’’ Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. ‘’we don’t want to come back here 3-1 down. It’s very hard to overcome that.

Definitely going to be a great challenge for the team to play in an arena like that and having to win.’’

final to No. 2 Novak Djokovic, they would have swapped places in the rankings.

No. 3 Stan wawrinka and No. 4 roger Federer also stayed put, but Andy Murray climbed from No. 8 to No. 5 by reaching the French Open semifinals. First-time major

semifinalist Ernests Gulbis jumped seven places to a career-best No. 10.

In the women’s rankings, No. 1 Serena williams and No. 2 Li Na didn’t move despite early losses in Paris, while runner-up Simona Halep rose one spot to No. 3.

Nadal stays at no. 1, Sharapova moves up to no. 5

M

IAMI (AP) -- The flop is having an impact on the playoffs, and it’s being caught much more than it was in the regular season.

Miami guard Dwyane wade became the latest recipient of a postseason flopping fine Monday when the NBA ordered him to give up $5,000 after a review showed he over-exaggerated a foul

during Game 2 of the finals that was charged to San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili.

And there’s an ironic twist - Ginobili is often considered a master flopper, but he wasn’t even warned once about it this season. ‘’He took a swipe and he hit me,’’ wade said Monday, before the fine was announced. ‘’It was a late call by the ref, but he called it.’’

The league saw it a little differently.

It was the fifth flopping violation of the playoffs, which works out to one in every 17.2 games. The NBA said 35 flops were caught in the regular season, or one in every 35.1 games. Players are not fined in the regular season until their second flop of the year; in the playoffs, every flop is a fine.

the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He played under Knicks President Phil Jackson with the Los Angeles Lakers, and helped that franchise win five NBA titles.

Fisher would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer, though it was widely known that this season would be his last as a player. And once the Knicks failed to close a deal with Steve Kerr - who wound up accepting an offer from Golden State - Fisher was believed to be the next target on Jackson’s list.

Jackson was fined $25,000 for the league last week for a tampering violation involving Fisher. He was still under con-

tract with the Thunder when Jackson told New York reporters that Fisher was ‘’on my list of guys that could be very good candidates’’ to replace Mike woodson on the Knicks’ sideline.

Fisher surely could still play. He has just suspected for a while that his time has come to do something else. ‘’Coaching allows for you to positively impact other people’s lives,’’ Fisher told reporters during his exit interview after Oklahoma City’s season ended. ‘’To help a group of people find success, whether they have or haven’t before, you’re all working together for a common goal.’’

Fisher is next Knicks coach D

ErEK Fisher has agreed to become the next coach of the New York Knicks and will be introduced at a news conference Tuesday morning, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

The Knicks did not confirm the hiring, other than saying they were planning a ‘’major announcement.’’

The person who confirmed the deal to AP spoke on condition of anonymity because neither side authorized the public disclosure of any information related to the deal.

The 39-year-old Fisher just completed his 18th season, finishing his career with

ArIS (AP) — rafael Nadal has held onto the ATP’s No. 1 ranking thanks to his ninth French Open title.

Maria Sharapova’s second trophy at roland Garros moved her up three spots to No. 5 on the wTA list Monday.

If Nadal had lost Sunday’s

CLIMBING UP. Maria Sharapova of Russia is moving up to world no. 5 after winning the French Open title. Men’s champion Rafael Nadal of Spain keeps the no. 1 spot.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. VOL.77ISSUE ISSUE62 62••WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY,JUNE JUNE11, 11,2014 2014

Saludar in title eliminator FROILAN SALUDAR. Fighting a Puerto Rican on June 19 as a prelude to a world title fight.

Fights Puerto Rican June 19

T

HE father-trainer of five division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire who runs his new gym in Oakland, California says undefeated flyweight Froilan “The Sniper” Saludar who has been training at his gym, went to the gym of Virgil Hunter and sparred with Abner Mares.

Donaire told Viva Sports that from reports he received, the former Davao amateur boxing standout did very well against the former world champion.

Mares is the former IBF bantamweight, wBC super bantamweight and wBC featherweight champion.

Saludar is scheduled to fight Puerto rico’s former Olympian Mcwilliams Arroyo on June 19 in Bayamon, Puerto rico in a title eliminator.

Saludar who has a record

of 19-0-1 with 12 knockouts showed good condition and a stinging jab during his twelve round sparring sessions at the gym of manager Dr. rajan Yraola prior to his departure for the US. Trainer Jun Agrabio told us Saludar who is ranked No. 11 by the IBF. No. 3 by the wBO and No. 7 by the wBC battles Arroyo who has a record of 14-1 with 12 knockouts and is ranked No. 11 by the IBF has “the best chance to win and fight for the world title next” against the winner of the title clash between champion Amnat ruenroeng of Thailand and Kauto Ioka of Japan.

Agrabio who is now in New York for the rematch between “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona and wilfredo Vazquez Jr at Madison Square Garden tomorrow will return to Donaire’s gym and leave for Puerto rico with Saludar.

DABAWENYA PRIDE. Davao City’s Ella Grace Moulic (left), a mainstay of Holy Cross of Davao College, won the silver medal in the standard U-16 girls division along with a gold medal in the team event for Team Philippines. Moulic earned the Woman Candidate Master title with her strong finish in the recent ASEAN Age Group Chess Championships in Macau, China. John Marvin Miciano also won a silver medal in the individual standard U-14 Open and a silver in the team event. (Photo courtesy of Skye Bangoy Dionela)