Edge Davao 8 Issue 135

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

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ABDUCTORS ARRESTED

EDGEDAVAO

Mayor Duterte confirms arrest but refuses to give further details

Serving a seamless society

END OF THE ROAD. In Davao City, not even a baller showing one’s support for Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is a man’s protection for committing a crime. Here, a blooded Duterte baller is seen worn by one of the two suspects in the killing of Senior Police Officer 1 Vevencio Vertudazo who met their end after trying to elude arrest yesterday in Toril, Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

BY ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

D

AVAO City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte said two of the 11 men who abducted a Filipina and four foreigners in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) on September 21 have been arrested.

In an interview on Monday afternoon, Duterte said identified one of the suspects as Bandajar Adona, alias Banon.

“He was identified kasi nakuha ang mukha niya sa CCTV (because his face was captured on closed circuit television),”

he said.

The mayor was referring to the CCTV camera of Holiday Ocean View where the victims Kjartan Sekkinstad, a Norweigian National and the Operations Manager of the resort, Canadians John Ridsel and Robert Hall, and Marithes Flor, live-in partner of Hall, were abducted on September 21.

Duterte said the two were arrested after the intelligence community intercepted calls they were making within the

Bunawan area.

The mayor, however, did not give any more details on the arrest, saying he was leaving the solution of the case to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“I cannot talk more about it. I was there during the briefing of the intelligence community because I was invited to listen,” he said.

For its part, the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG)

Ocean View said it still has no updates on the kidnapping incident.

In a text message, Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 spokesperson Superintendent Antonio Rivera said the SITG has not give him an update yet.

Duterte had earlier said the victims had been taken to Sulu and that the kidnappers were members of the Abu Sayyaf.

SITG Ocean View head

FABDUCTORS, 10

EDGEDAVAO Sports Puerto Rican star to play as import in PSL P15

NU-Ateneo war in UAAP

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

Gang leader killed

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. and FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

T

KILLERS KILLED. Members of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) inspect the body of one of the suspects in the killing of Senior Police Officer 1 Vevencio Vertudazo. The two alleged killers were themselves killed after trying to evade arrest in Toril, Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

2 cop killers slain T

WO gang members were shot dead by police yesterday morning less than 15 hours after allegedly killing a police officer in Toril, Davao City.

In an interview yesterday, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Milgrace C. Driz said the two, identified as Batang District Hall Gang members Nelson Gadiane and a certain alias Pao-Pao, were shot dead af-

ter pulling a gun at police officers who were trying to arrest them.

Driz said the police were supposed to arrest the suspects in Agton Street in Toril Poblacion at around 10:30 a.m. on October 6 but Gadiane drew his .38 caliber revolver, prompting the police to fire back.

The two were killed on the spot. A third companion, identified as Romeo Cayo,

was able to escape.

Authorities recovered a .38 revolver, marijuana, and P40 in cash from Gadiane.

According to Driz, it was Gadiane who stabbed Senior Police Officer (SPO)1 Vivencio Vertudazo in the neck at around 8:10 p.m. on October 5 while Pao-Pao served as lookout.

Police said Vertudazo was deployed in Agton Steet in front of the Toril District

Hall for police visibility.

Gadiane and Pao-Pao ran towards the inner portion of the Toril Public Market while Vertudazo was rushed St. John Hospital where he was declared dead due to the fatal wounds he sustained.

Driz said the suspects were notorious in the area for having killed several people.

For his part, Toril Police Station commander Chief In-

rights of women and address the gaps in the delivery of reproductive health services in the region.

The implementation of ARCHES started in December 2014 and will last until December 22, 2019. It will cover one city and 13 municipalities located in Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, Maguindanao, and Tawi-tawi.

Melgar said the state of

reproductive health in ARMM is a reflection of the national state. “The problem of ARMM is the problem of everyone. It affects everyone. Therefore, any improvement in ARMM is an improvement of the whole body politics,” she said.

“The project is so critical because it promotes autonomy in women which is what ARMM is fighting for,” she add-

F2 COP, 10

P232-M health project for ARMM

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

I

NTERNATIONAL humanitarian organization Oxfam, the European Union, and women’s rights group Likhaan Center for Women’s Health will be implementing a P232 million (4.459 million euro) project in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in a bid to improve the access of women and youth to health services.

“It is high time to invest

in programs that aim to improve the access of women and youth to different health services in ARMM because it is often neglected,” Likhaan executive director Dr. Junice Melgar said during the launch of the program at the Waterfront Insular Davao Hotel yesterday.

Dubbed “Improving Availability of Reproductive Health Services in ARMM (ARCHES),” the program aims to protect

FP232M, 10

HE alleged leader of a notorious robbery group in the region was killed in a shootout with law enforcers in Tagum City, Davao del Norte early morning yesterday.

Operatives of Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Intelligence Branch along with Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Davao del Norte said the suspect, Fidel G. Flores alias Rodel Galeo, was killed in a shootout after he resisted arrest.

Police said the team was about to serve a warrant of arrest on Flores at around 5 a.m. on October 6, 2015 at Sta. Teresa Village, Barangay Cuambogan in Tagum City when the suspect fired at the operatives.

The police officers fired back at Flores, hitting him several times.

The suspect was rushed to the Davao Regional Hospital for treatment but was declared dead at around 5:20 a.m.

Police said they recovered a shotgun with five shells and a homemade caliber .38 pistol from the slain suspect.

Just last week, DCPO director Senior Superintendent Vicente D. Danao Jr. warned that he would “bury” Flores if he ever catches the crime leader, who he said led the Flores robbery group responsible for a series of robberies in Davao City and neighboring areas.

Police said Flores’ group robbed a delivery van in Hillside Subdivision in Bajada on Monday night, just before his death.

Danao said Flores’ group victimized public utility vans and delivery trucks in the cities of Tagum, Panabo, and Davao.

The suspect had pending warrants of arrests for robbery with violence and intimidation from Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 4 in Panabo City and robbery with violence and intimidation from RTC Branch 17 in Davao City.

Cayetano can use my name in campaigning: Mayor Rody

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

D

AVAO City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte said he will allow Senator Alan Peter Cayetano to use his name in the latter’s campaign for the vice presidency in next year’s election.

This after reporters asked him on Monday afternoon for his reaction on reports that posters and leaflets with the words “Duterte-Cayetano para sa pagbabago” are circulating in Manila.

“Kung dad-on lang niya ang akong pangalan eh, OK lang, amigo man mi (If uses my name, that’s OK. After all he is my friend),” he said.

“Just give the guy space to do it,” he added.

Cayetano had declared his vice presidential bid in Davao City on September 29, hinting that he wanted to run with Duterte.

The following day, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos

Jr. visited Duterte, although the two insisted they did not talk about a possible tandem.

Marcos on Monday declared that he would run for vice president also.

Duterte, for his part, said he has not decided yet if he will run for president or for mayor next year.

Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) political science professor Ramon Beleno III earlier said if Duterte decides to run for president in 2016, his logical running mate should be Marcos because the latter has a solid voter base in the north.

Beleno said “winability-wise, it’s Marcos since he has captured voters. Ideology-wise, it’s Cayetano.”

But he said if he were Duterte, he would choose winability because ideology is “useless” if the candidate does not win.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

STANDARD BEARER. Senior Board Member Tyron Uy (left) is named standard bearer of the ruling Liberal Party for governor of Compostela Valley province in the 2016 election during the mass oath taking of hundreds of provincial and municipal officials held in Pantukan town on Saturday, October 3. Photo by ALEX LOPEZ

Tyron Uy is ComVal’s LP bet for governor S

ENIOR Board Member Tyron Uy was named standard bearer of the ruling Liberal Party for governor in Compostela Valley province in the 2016 election.

Uy’s proclamation was facilitated last Saturday, October 3, in a mass oath taking conducted by LP in this town that was also joined by hundreds of provincial and municipal officials in the area.

The event was also witnessed by more than a thousand barangay officials, civic organizations, the business community, and other concerned groups in Compostela Valley.

Majority of the mayors, vice-mayors, and council members in Compostela Valley swore allegiance to the ruling party last Saturday.

FTYRON, 10

Mindanao CSOs, academe ask legislators to pass BBL

M

EMBERS of civil society organizations and the academe in Mindanao have called on legislators to abide by their “solemn duty to legislate and enact laws and to transform themselves as peace builders and not as ordinary lawmakers” in legislating

the Bangsamoro Basic Law. They said Mindanao-based CSOs will continue to lobby legislators from Mindanao in particular to attend sessions in the House of Representatives to ensure quorum so that the deliberations on the BBL could proceed and

FMINDANAO, 10

NEWS 3

PHOTO OP. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte is flanked by people who want to have a souvenir photograph with him during the culmination of the 131st Araw ng Sta. Cruz on Monday afternoon where the mayor was the guest of honor. Lean Daval Jr.

Rody tells Poe to study more ‘Federalism is not about dynasty’ W

HILE he forgives her wrong concept on Federalism, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte told presidential hopeful Senator Grace Poe to study more about Federalism to correct her feudal state of mind.“It has nothing to do with (political) dynasties,” he pointed out.

The mayor’s statement came on the heels of reports about Poe’s stand on Federalism. At a gathering in Butuan City, she was quoted saying, “For me, we have a problem

on political dynasty, and under federalism, there is autonomy and the proposal is by region.

What if a particular region is dominated by only one family? “What kind of devolution of power will it be if only one particular family controls the area?”

Duterte said Poe is dwelling on the feudal stage. Duterte stressed federalism has nothing to do with ruling families.

In Philippine politics, Duterte said that “whether you like it or not you go by names”.

ON THE RISE. High School students stroll along Tionko Avenue in Davao City yesterday. According to reports given by the Department of Health (DOH) 11, cases of pregnancy among teenagers in the city continue to increase as society seems already accepted the trend of premarital sex. Lean Daval Jr.

He said Poe herself is a living example of a dynasty syndrome. “Siyamismohindinamantalagamakatakbo kung walangpangalan eh – ganuntalagaditosaPilipinas,” Duterte said, reminding Poe that her father, Fernando Poe, ran before her.

According to Duterte, Poe has been declaring to continue what his father started.

Earlier, Peter Laviña, spokesperson of the Duterte for Federalism, said rejecting federalism has exposed Poe as shallow-minded, fearful of change and lacks faith in the capacity of the Filipino people to decide their own destiny.

“That is the whole trouble with someone who has not lived in our country long enough to immerse in our political culture and wants to be our next President,” Laviña said in a press statement.

Laviña said Poe is not aware that it is under the present set-up of unitary system that has bred and perpetuated the political dynasties in the Philippines.

“She should not look far indeed. Her vice presidential team mate, ChizEscudero, is part of this political anomaly. His father served under Marcos and was a member of Congress, and her mother has replaced him in his former seat in Congress, which was passed on to him by his father. Three family members perpetuating their hold on one district, with

one elected as senator and now wants to be vice president,” Laviña noted.

Laviña however pointed out that there is nothing wrong with it because these individuals belonging to one family are for the common good. “What is wrong really is a family or clan that is only in government for their selfish ends,” he stressed.

Laviña further cited that the Federal system in the United States where Poe once pledged allegiance, has not bred political dynasties which she fears so much. He named the Kennedys, Bushes and Clintons who have been elected because of individuality and not by their ancestry.

I believe the American voters elected them not because of their popular names but because of their qualifications, he stressed.

Laviña hinted to Poe’s lack of respect and faith in the capacity of the Filipino voters to choose their own leaders and chart their own destiny.

“This smacks of elitist arrogance. She wants to instill fear, instead of inspiring the people for change. She wants to perpetuate a system that has caused so much poverty and misery to our people. She represents the status quo protecting her rich financial backers. She stands in the way and blocking the surging clamor of the masses including overseas Filipinos for genuine change in our country,” he said. (PNA)

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

Tagum infra projects inaugurated

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WO major infrastructure projects based here were recently inaugurated by the City Government this week, highlighting the local government’s commitment in promoting agricultural advancement as well as reinvigorating its health care services.

No less than Mayor Allan L. Rellon led in the blessing and inauguration of the newest building of the City Health Office along Mabini Street last

September 29, 2015, where he underscored the realization of having a conducive space to bolster the local government’s goal of providing quality health care services for Tagumenyos.

The new building just beside the old City Health Office—valued at P6.8 million, according to City Health Officer Dr. Arnel Florendo— features conducive places for dental services, pharmacy, social hygiene clinic, sanitary

office, laboratory and administrative offices, respectively.

Dr. Florendo expressed this is a major development in the city’s health care services since the old and dilapidated building cannot cater to the growing number of clients the office is serving on a daily basis.

On the other hand, the multi-specie hatchery located in Barangay Liboganon was also inaugurated by the local government led

by Mayor Rellon, Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario and BFAR Regional Director Fatma Idris.

The multi-species hatchery project, which has been tagged by local leaders as a “dream come true” after being finally realized after 10 years of intensive planning and lobbying, features an algal tank, larval tank, a reservoir, a power supply system and a nursery. BFAR XI poured P2.4 million for the said project while

the city government allocated some P650,000 as its counterpart.

City Agriculturist Harold S. Dawa said that among the impacts this project will bring is the revival of the interest of the brackish fishpond owners to invest in intensive crab farming, in line with his department’s goal of making the city as a “crab capital” in this part of Mindanao.

This will also increase the numbers of wild crabs along

Shared responsibility urged in food security

T NEW CHO BUILDING. Tagum City Mayor Allan L. Rellon, DOH Assistant Regional Director Dr. Annabelle Yumang and City Health Officer Dr. Arnel Florendo lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony during the inauguration of the new building of the City Health Office. Vinzel Bret Davo/CIO Tagum

SoCot starts review of revenue code I

N a bid to increase its local revenues, the provincial government of South Cotabato has launched a comprehensive review of its revenue code.

Alfredo Dumanig, acting head of the Provincial Treasurer’s Office, said Tuesday the local government has created a technical working group (TWG) to spearhead the review process, which includes the updating and revision of key components of the code.

“We need to review and amend some provisions of the code to complement with the changes in the socio-economic scene and other related developments these past several years,” he said.

Dumanig noted that the

province’s revenue was last amended in 2011 and some of its provisions, especially the local tax rates, needs updating based on their assessment.

The provincial impositions, as provided by the Local Government Code, covers business taxes for entities involved in printing and publication; local franchises; and, quarrying of sand, gravel and other resources.

It also levies professional taxes on persons exercising or practicing their professions; amusement tax; and, annual fixed tax not exceeding PHP500 for every delivery truck or van used by manufacturers, producers, wholesalers, dealers, among others.

“We’re targeting to implement new tax rates by next

year,” Dumanig said.

In line with the initiative, he said the provincial government has commissioned the TWG to conduct study missions in Luzon and Visayas to look into the revenue codes of various local government units (LGUs).

The TWG, which is composed of PTO personnel, was divided into two teams to fast track the conduct of the study missions, he said.

Last week, he said a five-person team embarked on an initial mission to the provinces of Batangas and Pampanga.

Dumanig said the second team will leave for the provinces of Cebu and Iloilo on the third week of October.

“We’re mainly looking at

how other LGUs prepared and updated their revenue codes as well as their basis in the imposition of new local tax rates,” he said.

He said the results of the studies will serve as basis for the crafting of the province’s revised revenue code, which will later be submitted to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan or provincial board for review and approval.

In 2014, the provincial government generated PHP173.4 million in local revenues and PHP1.16 million from other revenue sources.

Dumanig said they are targeting to increase the province’s tax revenues by 50 percent with the implementation of new local tax rates in 2016.

(PNA)

close on Monday.

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the Iloilo Plan of Action -- which was eventually endorsed to APEC Leaders who will meet in Manila later this year -- was a product of a dialogue process that involved smallholders, including marginal and sub-marginal farmers and entrepreneurs.

“In our hosting of the agriculture, food security and blue economy meetings of the APEC this week, the private sector voice -- normally dominated by the big business representatives -- has been given the right balance by (sectoral representatives supported by the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries),” Alcala said in a news briefing at the

Iloilo Convention Center.

He said such procedure supports instructions of President Benigno Aquino III “that we push not just the interests of small and medium enterprises but also the more numerous micro-enterprises, including our small farmers, fishers and agribusiness entrepreneurs -- reflecting our ob-

Strategies presented for growth in fisheries

F

OOD security and fishery leaders and policy-makers from Asia Pacific economies have formally adopted the Iloilo Plan of Action that strongly promotes climate resiliency and inclusive growth in the sector, as the two-day Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) High Level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and the Blue Economy came to a

FSTRATEGIES, 13

Tancuan Creek since every production season; the hatchery will release some of its products to the wild, thereby benefiting the fisher folks along the creek leading to the Davao Gulf.

Prior to the inauguration of the said hatchery, the local government also unveiled its newest landmark along Daang Maharlika dubbed as “Bangka,” highlighting the latter’s role in advancing development in both fisheries and agriculture.

HE challenge of attaining food security and healthy marine and aquaculture ecosystem amidst the threats of unsustainable fishing practices and environmental degradation is an issue that must be squarely addressed by Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries as one community, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said on Sunday.

In his welcome remarks at the opening ceremony of the APEC High Level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and Blue Economy at the newly-built Iloilo Convention Center, Alcala called on strengthened cooperation among APEC member-economies to “come up with responsive and feasible plans and recommendations that will substantially deal with ensuring the sustainability of of the economic benefits we get from our seas.”

Blue economy refers to a development approach anchored on sustainable development and utilization of marine resources and ecosystems in APEC region.

“Food is basic need,” the DA chief said. “As one community, we ought to put strength and ideas together to ensure that there will always be safe and nutritious food on the plates of our citizens.”

Alcala mentioned the vast Pacific Ocean, which all APEC countries share.

“Sharing the same resource means sharing the responsibility of protecting and conserving it not only for our economies today, but also for future generations,” he said.

Alcala co-chairs the twoday meeting with Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje, which forms part of lead up activities to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) in November this year in Manila.

“This forum, I believe, is one of the most significant APEC meetings as this seeks to address primary concerns most relevant to our people such as hunger, general

health and well-being,” Alcala noted.

Paje, in his message, expressed optimism that the forum would come up with policy commitment in (a) making our oceans, coastal resources and ecosystems more resilient and the aquaculture industry more sustainable; (b) working together to reduce food loss and waste; and (c) promoting agribusiness and blue economy.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, who hails from Iloilo, welcomed the APEC delegations and emphasized the commitment of the Philippine Government in its food security programs.

Drilon shared some relative legislative measures that the Philippine Congress has passed citing, among others, the Agriculture and Modernization Act and the amended Fisheries Code.

The Senate President also announced the upcoming approval of the Senate Bill classifying smuggling of agricultural products as heinous crime punishable with life imprisonment.

The High Level Policy Dialogue provides a venue and opportunity for decision makers from the government and the private and business sectors from APEC member economies to harmonize policies conducive to economic growth of the region.

Scheduled 4-6 October 2015, the forum aims to arrive at a consensus on a program of action on food security and blue economy. The program is to be endorsed to the APEC leaders of state arriving in Manila this November.

A series of related meetings were held earlier in Boracay, Cebu and this city to provide inputs to the high level dialogue.

Alcala, however, reminded the member economies that all policies they would approve should be rooted in protecting the natural resources for the sustainable livelihood of the people. (PNA)

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

“For allowing the readers to arrive with a stand, succeeded in manifesting the conviction of the community members while embodying transparency and excellence in delivering the news to the community.”

BEST EDITED COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER (DAILY) 2014

“Demonstrated the highest standards in terms of creativity, quality, utility and style of writing that uphold the highest journalistic standards and tradition. It presents with more consistency a strong and concise community relevant stories. The style of writing is such that even as an article deals on local events it is never myopic and parochial in treatment because its perspective also transcends beyond the locality. As a whole, Edge Davao is a paragon of high quality journalism; a local newspaper that combines, in seamless meld, high quality writing and community value.”

BEST EDITED COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER 2013 “Actively dedicating regular coverage of environmental reports through news, features, columns and editorials that help promote high degree of environmental consciousness among the public. EDGE DAVAO is mindfully aware of the power of information in molding an environmentally-critical public.”

BEST IN ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING 2014 “Precisely exercised its excellence in a community-oriented culture, arts and history articles. It really focused on the preservation, protection and promotion of the cultural practices, local artists and presented to the readers the impact of arts and culture on community life.”

BEST IN CULTURE, ARTS AND HISTORY REPORTING 2014

The PPI. Or your pie.

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

Blazing the trail in innovative journalism.

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6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

Foreign-based company eyes reclamation project

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MOBILE BUSINESS. A hawker peddles bobble head dogs to passing motorists near the junction of Jacinto Extension and E. Quirino Avenue in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Slowdown seen in ICT industry

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

HE Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC) is pushing for the entry of more investment in the manufacturing industry as it projected that the city’s strong ICT industry will experience a slowdown in growth five to 10 years from now.

“The ICT (Information and Communication Technology) of the country will reach saturation point which will not be too long from now,” DCIPC

chief Ivan C. Cortez said in a recent interview.

In Davao for instance, Cortez said the city will soon become saturated because everybody is now into investing in the ICT industry due to huge demand on outsourced ICTBPO and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) skills.

“Everybody is building professionals and they are looking for clients,” Cortez said.

He said five to 10 years

from now, only big BPO companies which were able to built strong relationship with their clients will stay. Small companies will be out of the picture soon, according to him.

With the forecasted fate of the ICT industry in the Philippines, especially in Davao City that is coined as one of the Next Wave Cities, Cortez said investment in manufacturing sector should be increased.

“Our battle cry in DCIPC is

group continued to ease in September 2015, (0.7% from 1.1%) following slower price adjustments in majority of its sub-items such as breads and cereals, fish, fruits, and rice. The declining prices of regular milled rice due to sufficient supply partly supported the downward trend in overall food prices. On the other hand, meat (0.4% from 0.3%) and vegetables (2.3% from 2.0%) exhibited slightly faster upward price adjustments relative to the previous month.

Non-food inflation also declined (-0.2% from 0.2%) resulting from the sustained lowering of prices of electricity, gas, and other fuels.

Meanwhile, core inflation—which excludes selected volatile food and energy prices—slid further to 1.4 percent from 1.6 percent in August 2015 and 3.4 percent in September 2014.

Core inflation in the first nine months of 2015 averaged at

2.1 percent.

“The slowdown of core inflation further indicates that prices across a broad range of consumer items continue to remain stable,” the Cabinet official said.

Inflation for the National Capital Region (0.1% from 0.2%) and other regions in the country (0.4% from 0.8%), were also restrained in September 2015 relative to the previous month.

Balisacan noted that while low oil prices are likely to provide a cushion to upside inflationary pressures, government should remain wary of the upside risks to inflation such as the current El Niño episode in the country.

“Government must ensure that food supply is sufficient by improving the level of inventories and efficiency of the distribution system.

Continued monitoring of drought occurrence in agricultural areas is necessary to

Inflation dips to record low T

EMPERED price movement in food, power, and oil rates pushed inflation to another all-time low of 0.4 percent in September 2015, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported today that headline inflation rate recorded its lowest level, easing further to 0.4 percent in September 2015 from 0.6 percent in the previous month and from 4.4 percent in September 2014.

“We expect the current low inflation environment exhibited in the first nine months of 2015 to persist throughout the rest of the year, more so, as international oil prices continue to remain low and are not expected to increase significantly in the near term,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.

Inflation in the food sub-

FINFLATION, 10

to really move to manufacturing sector because if you look to the bulk of our investments here only about five percent is into manufacturing. That’s really small,” he said.

Among the heavy manufacturers here are those involved in steel and cement production.

He said the city needs to lure more investment in processing and manufacturing if it

FSHOWDOWN, 10

FOREIGN-BASED company expressed interest in constructing the of 200-hectare mixed-use reclamation project from R.Castillo St. to Bucana, an official said.

“The company is a consortium between a firm based in The Netherlands and Malaysia,” Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC) chief Ivan C. Cortez told reporters in a recent interview at the Marco Polo Davao.

Cortez, however, refused to disclose the name of the firm since it hasn’t submitted its intent to bid in the reclamation project.

The reclamation project was originally proposed by the Mega Harbour Development Corp. which has an estimated cost of P39 billion.

Cortez said there is a possibility that two companies might bid for the establishment of the first reclamation project in the city.

Meanwhile, the Davao City’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) Board is targeting to publish the invitation to pre-qualify for the bidding this month.

This, after the board experienced a delay in the scheduled bidding which was first targeted to be conducted in the third quarter of the year.

“The negotiation with the is still ongoing,” Cortez said. “We already have endorsed the project for Swiss challenged. Hopefully, we can publish the invitation to pre-qualify or the notice to prequalify for the bidding this month.”

The bidding will take three more months before it will be awarded to the winning bidder, according to him.

Since there will be two possible bidders for the project, Cortez said if the Mega Harbour will not win, it can still invoke its right to match as the original proponent of the project.

According to the Official Gazette of the national government ,“the original proponent has the right to match the better price proposal submitted by a comparative proponent.”

Earlier, Davao City Planning and Development Office division chief for planning Engr. Jose Froilan Rigor the city government of Davao is set to enter into a joint venture agreement (JVA) with Manila-based Mega Harbour Corporation for the multi-billion reclamation project this year.

Based on the proposal of Mega Harbour the project will involve the reclamation of four islands, with the first three to be connected by a coastal road.

The fourth island, facing Sandawa area, will be connected to the road leading to Quimpo Boulevard.

The first island with an area of 75.01 hectare (ha) will be for port operation and government center.

Rigor said the 39.24 hectare- second island will become the central business district and shopping center.

The third island that will be allocated for tourist centers and residential resorts will have a total area of 59.47 has.

The 40.89-hectare fourth island will be devoted for township development, according to Rigor.

“The developer intends to start with the Island 1 which will have the port operation and government center,” Rigor said.

Once completed, the port operation of the first island will have a berthing capacity of 2.5 kilometers, twice the current capacity of the Davao Sasa Port.

Rigor also said that the city government will have free hand on a five hectare property in the project.

“The 5 hectare area could be used by the city for any kind of development project,” he said. CHENEEN R. CAPON

INdulge!

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

EDGEDAVAO WOMEN

Blissmakerie FOR TODAY’S cosmopolitan lady and mother, whether it is with old or new individuals, finding a connection with female groups is one of those precious joys we reward ourselves with. As for me, aside from my beautiful bunch of trusted friends, I’ve also like meeting new faces who I can connect with in different ways, be it through arts and crafts or motherhood. In essence, I simply do not just count the number of individuals in my circle. Instead, I count my blessings through meaningful encounters and conversations I’ve had with each person, all of which have inspired my way of living life to the fullest.

This is one of the reasons why I joined this year’s Blissmakerie. A concept that was launched in December 2014 by established blog coach and digital content strategist, Martine de Luna, the event gathers together women of the same passion and interest to share insightful stories and experiences. For this year’s get together, Martine collaborated with fellow bloggers Carmel David, Audrey Angcos and Rikka Redrico.

The venue, Mateo’s Café, looked so much like a dreamy indoor garden, tastefully styled by Sweet Street Manila. The room was packed to the brim, with all the lady participants blending in the chic motif.

METRO MOM A4

2015

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

ABOUT TOWN

Now is the best time to

invest in

TALIKUD

LED recipients DavNor Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, center, poses with fellow presenters from other Mindanao province-recipients of the LGSP-LED at the BIMP-EAGA Trade and Tourism Investment Conference.

by Noel Baguio DAVAO CITY – Investors who are keen on reaping a return of their investments in the future should invest in the Island BIMP-EAGA confab Garden City of SaDavNor Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario promotes Samal before participants mal now, particularof the BIMP-EAGA Trade and Tourism Investment Conference ly in Talikud.

Governor Rodolfo del Rosario said that today is the perfect time for capitalists to put their money in the island while prices of properties are still relatively low.

“This is the perfect time to invest in Samal, particularly in Talikud” he said, as he made a pitch for the city before the participants of the Brunei Darussalam, Indornesia, Malaysia, Philippines – East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Trade and Tourism Investment Conference at the Marco Polo Hotel, here, on Monday.

He assured investors

DavNor Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, center, poses with Philippine delegation to the BIMP-EAGA Trade and Tourism Investment Conference at the Marco Polo Hotel, Davao City.

to earn income and see their capital investment appreciate over time, as tourism and commercial activities are expected to grow more intensive in the coming years.

He also revealed the crafting of the comprehensive tourism security and safety plan in the island to ensure the safety of tourists and investors and to prevent a repeat of the recent untoward isolated incident in the city.

Del Rosario heralded both the tourism and trade advantage of Samal, highlighting its natural beauty, rich marine resources, and close proximity to the bustling city of Davao.

He featured the best attraction of the island include “pristine whitesand beaches, worldclass diving sites, local handicrafts and delica-

cies and the warmth of its people,” that lend its potential to be the top tourist and investment destination in the south.

He also invited the investors to pour capital to over P1 billion-worth of infrastructure projects meant to address the infrastructure requirement and increase connectivity, especially in Talikud.

He revealed that over 400 hectares of cheap open properties are available in Talikud for tourism market and investment, either for sale, rent, or joint venture.

The governor is promoting particularly Talikud because of the commitment of the provincial government to the Open Beach Line Project in the island, under the Canada-funded Local Governance Support Program for Local

Economic Development ( LGSP-LED).

Through the project, Talikud became the model in sustainable tourism development and enhanced competitiveness and investment promotion in the Davao Region.

The province has started to prepare the quality skilled workforce needed to meet the demands of investors, as well as, the increase of tourist arrivals in the island.

Del Rosario also expressed optimism the Samal’s great prospect as investment and tourism hub will be bolstered by the coming construction of the Samal Bridge.

He earlier called the proposed project as a “bridge of change” that will link the people of the island to a better future.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

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ENTERTAINMENT

Eat Bulaga’s AlDub breaks new records

THE AlDub phenomenon continues to gain unparalleled success as it broke Twitter records once more with the hashtag #ALDUBEBforLOVE garnering over 25 million tweets as Eat Bulaga celebrated the first National Pabebe Wave Day last September 26.

This surpasses a previous record of over 12 million tweets also set by AlDub for the hashtag #ALDUBMostAwaitedDate during Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza a.k.a. Yaya Dub’s first date in the Kalyeserye segment of Eat Bulaga, which is aired internationally on GMA Pinoy TV. It was definitely a thrilling weekend for AlDub Nation, as Alden and Maine’s avid followers are called, when the two were permitted by Lola Nidora (Wally Bayola) to have their second date on last Saturday’s episode.

Now widely known as the Pambansang Bae, Alden was finally welcomed into the de Explorer’s mansion by Lola Nidora, Tidora

(Paolo Ballesteros) and Tinidora (Jose Manalo) where Yaya Dub was eagerly awaiting their third face-to-face encounter.

Before going to the mansion, Alden fulfilled one of Lola Nidora’s conditions for courting Yaya Dub, which was to sing their theme song “God Gave Me You” live. Viewers were touched as Al-

ter. They admitted this to Lola Nidora during the Wednesday episode of the Kalyeserye, which made her furious, taking back her surprise gift of allowing the two to have a movie date. However, Lola Nidora eventually forgave the two for being honest with her.

The exciting Saturday episode drew a 45.7% rating among Mega Manila Households (based on overnight data) according to ratings service provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, higher than either of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao’s latest

fights.

Eat Bulaga also posted a 37.2% rating in the Nationwide Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM), marking a significant lead over its ABS-CBN counterpart.

Whether on television or in online platforms, the year’s breakthrough love team has certainly enamored viewers from all over the world. And as the Kalyeserye continues to unfold, audiences will just have to await and stay tuned to the onscreen love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza.

den, overwhelmed with emotion, began crying during his performance.

He finally met Yaya Dub again with the condition that the pair were not to touch at any time during their date. The promise was accidentally broken as Yaya Dub choked on her food and Alden had to give her a glass of wa-

ASAP20 thanks and thrills thousands of fans in Laguna THE BIGGEST and brightest “ASAP20” Kapamilya stars went full-force to Binan, Laguna on Sunday (October 4) to bring exciting, quality entertainment closer to thousands of Kapamilya fans for their unwavering support through the years.

The “ASAP20” biyaheng Binan was welcomed warmly and was met with loud cheers from Kapamilya fans who braved the heat and patiently lined up to get inside the Alonte stadium.

As a reward, fans were thrilled to see their favorite Kapamilya stars perform a variety of stunning song and dance numbers live on Sunday with the hottest love teams of Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo, Enrique Gil, and Liza Soberano opening the show with a bang.

Stars of top-rating Kapamilya programs also graced the “ASAP20” stage such as the wellloved cast of “Pangako Sa’Yo” led

by Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo, Jodi Sta. Maria, and Ian Veneracion who sent fans shrieking in delight.

Exclusive backstage meet and greet passes and ABS-CBNTVplus boxes were also given personally by “ASAP20” stars to lucky audience members.

Meanwhile, Kapamilya stars

October 1 – 6, 2015

PAPA FRANCISCO / HENERAL LUNA Dario Grandinetti/ John Arcilla, Epy Quizon PG/R13

12:00 | 1:45 | 3:30 LFS / 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

ETIQUETTE FOR MISTRESSES

Piolo Pascual, Robi Domingo, and Alex Gonzaga, among others were spotted gamely taking selfies and approaching the crowd to give them a complete “ASAP20” experience they will remember.

“I think it’s about time that we tour ‘ASAP’ nationwide here in

the Philippines. There are a lot of people who want to see us perform live,” Piolo Pascual said in an interview with “TV Patrol.”

Binan city mayor Len Alonte also thanked and praised “ASAP20” for mounting a very organized and successful event for the people of Binan.

Kris Aquino, Kim Chiu, Claudine Barretto, Iza Calzado, Cheena Crab R13

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

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez G

R-16

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

THE MARTIAN Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain PG

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

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WOMEN

METRO MOM A1 On top of the beautiful stories shared by new friends in the room, the most memorable one for me was the story of April San Pedro, a Dabawenya crafter and artist who was the guest speaker for that afternoon. I’ve known April for years and have written about her work countless of times, but I will never tire of hearing how she followed her bliss and those significant “accounts” which molded her to the person she is today.

Thoughtful giving comes with a conscious effort to learn

more about one person by paying close attention to his/her personality and needs, to share something meaningful through your own precious time and energy. The Blissful Boxes handed out by the four gracious and generous hosts simply sent everyone in a state of excitement, even more so as we opened each box which contained useful products from carefully curated brands that tell great and inspiring stories of hard work, dedication, gratitude and purposeful living.

The most significant take away from this year’s Blissmakerie is the message of perseverance --- to believe you can make a difference and to find joy, meaning and purpose in your journey and how you can be the best version of yourself (or any of your Pinterest boards).

Thank you to Martine, Audrey, Carmel and Rikka for bringing us all together. It really is heartwarming to be in the company of women who inspire and live their passion.

EDGEDAVAO

7 BIGGER PICTURE

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

Disneyland of organic farming TEXT and PHOTOS By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

A

FTER Bacolod, Davao City hosted the national convention of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) last October 1-3. It was the 16th year of such gathering and the theme was: “Pearl Award: ATOPDOT Best Tourism Practices of the Philippine Awards.”

In its constitution and by-laws, the objectives of ATOP were enumerated. Its top reason: “Promote tourism potentials in our respective locality in collaboration with the private sector; hereby commit ourselves the future tourism sustainable programs in the community.”

Other reasons: “Provide support to all tourism related activities, produce and disseminate promotional materials to various places abroad, and assure the safety and convenience of our tourist.”

Most importantly, ATOP serves as the linkages not only of the Department of Tourism but also local government units and private sectors in their “respective jurisdiction for the good harmony and in order to attain peaceful, progressive and world class tourist destination.”

Davao City is just one of the six urban areas of Davao region (which is composed of Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley and Davao Occidental). The other cities are Panabo, Samal, Tagum, Mati, and Digos.

On the last day of the convention, the participants had the pleasure of selecting the tourist spots Davao region has to offer. Some of those came to Davao del Sur and among the sites visited was the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC), a non-government organization located 86 kilometers away from Davao City. It is based in barangay Kinuskusan, about 10 kilometers from the town proper of Bansalan.

“This place is one of Davao del Sur’s top tourist destinations,” says Roy C. Alimoane, the center’s director.

“Every year, about 15,000 people come to the center not only to see it but in some instances undergo training of the courses it offers.”

People from other countries have also come to the place: United States, Great Britain, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, Nigeria, Australia, Japan, El

Salvador, Pakistan, India and Afghanistan -- just to name a few.

“We have chosen your place as one of the itineraries of the tour since our two main thrusts are agriculture and cultural heritage,” explained Oscar Casaysay, the tourism officer of Davao del Sur. Geraldine E. Batal agreed. “We want to showcase our sustainable farming practices which the center has shown through the years,” said the municipal tourism officer.

The MBRLC is known as Davao del Sur’s goat center as it is one of the provincial pioneers in raising goats.

Among the breeds of goats it introduced, it found Anglo Nubians as the best breed for the tropical climate of the country.

Because of the various diversified farming systems it has developed through the years, it has also been called the Disneyland of organic farming systems. The center is noted foremost of its upland farming scheme called Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT). A modification of the system, where goats are introduced, was added later on and is now known as Simple Agro-Livestock Technology (SALT 2).

Because of the rapid disappearance of forests and trees in the country, MBRLC has come up with another system called Sustainable Agroforest Land Technology (SALT 3). Davao, being the fruit basket of the country, is blessed with various fruits; a system was developed for those who grow fruits: Small Agrofruit Livelihood Technology (SALT 4).

Since most people in rural areas don’t have refrigerator, MBRLC came up with a viable gardening system (in 100 square meters) which can provide vegetables for a family of six throughout the year. Food Always In The Home (FAITH) is its name and the central feature of the garden is the basket and trench composts.

Aside from goats, the center has also rabbits, sheep, swine, chickens and ducks.

Various fruits are scattered all over the 19-hectare farm: durian, mangosteen, rambutan, avocado, guyabano, banana and a lot more. There is a nursery where people can buy first-class seedlings.

Its sources of fertilizer include azolla (which are also used a feed for tilapia), vermicast (manure of

Food Always In The Home (FAITH) gardening

Harvesting tilapia

Milking goats

Roy Alimoane, the center’s director, welcoming the ATOP visitors earthworms), and leaves of various nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs like flemingia, rensonii, indigofera, ipil-ipil and kakawate.

For encouraging international utilization of these farming systems, its former director, Harold Ray Watson, received the 1985 Ramon Magsaysay Award (the Nobel Prize

of Asia) for peace and international understanding.

During the World Food Day celebration in 1991, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization gave the center a certificate of recognition for its “contribution to mobilize people’s participation in tree planting and sustainable forest resources management.” It

was signed by its director-general, Edouard Saouma.

MBRLC also received several citations and recognition from various organizations and including those from the government (Agriculture, Agrarian Reform, Science and Technology, Environment and Natural Resources and Education).

EDGEDAVAO

8 VANTAGE

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

EDITORIAL Regaining lost glory

T

HERE was a time when politics was an honored and honorable calling, one that invited the best and the brightest to serve the people to the utmost of their ability -- even if it meant sacrificing much of themselves. There was the occasional misfit and bad egg, to be sure, but many of us can still remember the giants who served with conviction and offered an ideal to which we all could aspire. The Senate, in particular, was peopled by men and women who were eminently worthy of being called “solons” -- after the ancient Athenian statesman and lawmaker Solon who legislated against the political, economic, and moral decline of the time. Solon was not just a lawmaker but also a poet, setting the bar as to who the people should trust to lay down the basic tenets that would rule how they related with each other.

Over the years, however, we have seen the Senate’s image decline as more and more of its members display attitudes and behaviors that are the direct opposite of what are expected of them. Currently three members are facing plunder charges, two of them in detention and a third out on bail due to his advanced age. Some members have done little, while others have shown an over-enthusiasm for public attention in an obvious attempt to advance their political careers. It

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cannot be denied that the Senate is the best stepping stone for the two highest positions in the executive department as shown by the past three elected Presidents, but one yearns for the time now long gone when legislators served simply because it is an honor to do so for the people.

The decline in the upper chamber’s political clout is perhaps the reason it attracts people like Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao. The boxing champion has declared his intention to run for a seat in the Senate, no doubt because he and his people know he is extremely popular with the masses and can easily snag the position. But popularity is one thing, ability to perform the task needed quite another.

By all accounts Pacquiao has been a great boxer -- but a terrible congressman. Last year it was reported that he had reported only four times to the sessions of the House of Representatives sessions, reportedly because he was busy doing “constituency work.” Everyone knows, of course, that he was a habitual absentee because he was too busy fighting boxing matches.

We can only hope the Senate -- and all other branches of government, for that matter -- can regain lost glory and again become the home of the greatest of our generation.

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Delayed flights Dear Atty. Zen, What are the rights of airline passengers in the event the planes are delayed?

JPriz

Dear JPriz, Indeed, I want to thank the low-cost air carriers operating here in the Philippines because they allow me to travel all over the country at a cost of a bus ride. But these low-cost air carriers also showed me that travelling is not as glamorous as I thought it was – especially if you travel in economy class. Nevertheless, whether the plane is delayed or not, it is inevitable for passengers to spend at least an hour or two at the airport, but the story is different if the air carriers cause passengers to wait for more than three hours or the flights are cancelled.

Under the Air Passen-

I

N 1993, American author and relationship counselor John Gray wrote the book Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. The book sold more than 50 million copies and spent 121 weeks on the bestseller list.

In the movie, The Martian, currently shown in the theaters, there is only one Martian and his name is Mark Watney, the protagonist in Andy Weir’s 2011 novel of the same name. Ridley Scott directed this film which topbilled the award-winning Matt Damon.

The film also featured Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sean Bean, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

The story goes this way: A group of astronauts was sent to Mars on a mission but a fierce windstorm made the plan to go wrong. Watney was left behind in the planet and was presumed to be dead. But fortunately, he was alive and had to survive on his own. Shades of Tom Hanks in Castaway; but instead of being stranded in an island, it’s in another planet.

One movie critic wrote: “From the creative back and forth of Hampton Fancher and David Peoples on Blade Run-

ger Bill of Rights (DOTC-DTI JOINT ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 01-12 dated December 10, 2012), when planes are delayed for at least 3 hours after the “estimated time of departure,” the airlines must provide refreshments or meals (sufficient snacks, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, as the case may be), free phone calls, text or e-mails, and first aid, if necessary, to the passengers.

In case the flight is cancelled due to the carrier and the passenger is already at the airport, the passenger must be given sufficient refreshments, hotel accommodation, transportation from the airport to the hotel and free phone calls, text or emails and first aid if necessary. If the passenger decides not to fly, then the passenger must be reimbursed the value of the fare, includ-

ner, through the genius of Callie Khouri’s Thelma and Louise screenplay, to this terrifically crowd-pleasing adaptation of Andy Weir’s book by The Cabin in the Woods creator Drew Goddard, Scott’s greatest debt has always been to his writers.

The director may have earned a justified reputation as a ‘world-building visionary’ but his audiences always demand a good story and that’s exactly what they’ve got here.”

Another film critic wrote: “The Martian delivers on both intergalactic spectacle and feet-in-the-soil character drama. Like Duncan Jones’s Moon, much of the film’s running time finds its leading man basically talking to himself, with video diaries and delayed digital communications providing a handy dramatic framework for his quip-filled soliloquies.”

There are several good moments in the film. But one of the most interesting parts was planting potatoes fertilized with human manure (if you know what I mean). After all, he was “the best botanist on the planet.” Watch how he was able to produce water in the waterless planet.

Yes, there were other actors in the movie but I think Damon’s co-star is actually

ZENSIBILITIES

Emily Zen Chua ing taxes and surcharges. The passenger must likewise have the option to rebook the flight without additional charge to the next flight available or within 30 days.

But if the reason for the cancellation of flight is force majeure, as certified by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, then the passenger has the right to be re-

imbursed for the full value of the fare.

The above rights are the minimum entitlement of an airline passenger. The passenger may file a complaint before the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) in the event the airline was not able to provide the above entitlements to the passengers. The above rules apply, even if the passengers purchased “piso fares” or “on sale tickets.”

Most passengers while away their waiting time at the airport through mobile internet and gadgets. In my case, I take advantage of these hours of waiting time by practicing my new found skill on mindfulness.

Meditation and mindfulness are steadily gaining public recognition as scientific research show that these are the keys to battling stress. We

have the latest craze in adult coloring books and the steadily rising popularity of yoga and meditation. In fact, UK-based Action Against Hunger (ACF) for Start Network, a consortium of 24 leading nongovernment organizations (NGOs), recently launched a three-year program funded by the British government, to conduct a eight-week training program for Philippine aid workers on mindfulness- based stress reduction (MBSR).

Hitendra Solanki, ACF’s mindfulness and well-being adviser, said that practicing mindfulness results to 70 percent reduction in anxiety, ongoing reduction in anxiety three years after taking a mindfulness course, and longer and better quality of sleep. It also reduces negative feelings like anger, tension and depression; increases

disease-fighting antibodies, which suggests improvement in the immune system, and improves medical conditions such as psoriasis, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

(Philippine Daily Inquirer, October 4, 2015 edition article entitled “For stress-free life, live in the moment” by Jocelyn R. Uy) On our next stay at the airport waiting lounge, as we are inevitably cut-off from our life’s “busy-ness” and daily distractions, let us make the most of our time by trying mindfulness for a change.

-000The opinion rendered by the author does not constitute a lawyer-client relationship.

Please send your comments and questions to EmilyZen@ ezlawdavao.com or like her facebook page at www.facebook.com/zensibilities.

So far, here are some comments on what the critics said about the movie: “What’s so fascinating about the film is that it truly turns on the solving of problems, and its chief solver, stuck on Mars, manages to be so funny, interesting and infallibly likable that you’re invested in his predicament at every moment.” -- Joe Morgenstern in Wall Street Journal “The supporting cast is an embarrassment of riches for Scott, and Chastain is particularly strong as the concerned commander of the mission. Yet this is most definitely Damon’s movie and a throwback to the unabashed idealism of Hollywood past.” -- Brian Truitt in USA Today “The director and screenwriter downplay the conventional melodrama inherent in the situation in favor of emphasizing how practical problems should be addressed with rational responses rather than hysteria, knee-jerk patriotism or selfish expedience.” -- Todd McCarthy in The Hollywood Reporter “Mr. Damon’s Everyman quality (he’s our Jimmy Stewart) helps scale the story down, but what makes this epic personal is Mr. Scott’s filmmak-

ing, in which every soaring aerial shot of the red planet is answered by the intimate landscape of a face.” -- Manohla Dargis in The New York Times “Yes, The Martian does look like it was shot on Mars, even though the film’s tone is suspiciously light and cheerful for Scott, who tends to thrive on a chillier, more dour habitat.” -- Rene Rodriguez in Miami Herald “Scott’s sci-fi adventure is the kind of film you leave the theater itching to tell your friends to see. Like Apollo 13 and Gravity, it turns science and problem solving into an edge-of-your-seat experience.”

-- Chris Nashawaty in Entertainment Weekly “The Martian is a film that respects the geekiest among us, and that pays off all around.” -- Kenneth Turan in Los Angeles Times “An enthralling and rigorously realistic outer-space survival story.” -- Peter Debruge in Variety “This suspenseful survival tale, smartass to its core, slaps a smile on your face that you’ll wear all the way home.” -- Peter Travers in Rolling Stone “It’s one of the most comforting science fiction films in years.” -- Michael Phillips in

Chicago Tribune “The Martian is a straightforward and thrilling survival-and-rescue adventure, without the metaphysical and emotional trappings of, say, Interstellar. It’s pure fun.” --- Lou Lumenick in New York Post “The Martian really, truly works — not as art, necessarily, but as the sort of epic, intelligent entertainment the mainstream film industry has supposedly forgotten how to craft. All that, and the movie’s a valentine to creative collaboration as well as an example of it. It’s enough to make you almost grateful.” -- Ty Burr in Boston Globe “The Martian is nearly all things to all audiences: a ticking-clock drama, an intimate character study, a sci-fi comedy, a rollicking space adventure. It’s almost impossible to dislike, which is perhaps its only flaw. When a huge film reveals its eager-to-please intentions from the get-go, the stakes evaporate awfully quick.” -- Barry Hertz in The Globe and Mail “Damon is terrific. The movie lives and breathes on his performance, and he comes through in every scene.”

-- Richard Roeper in Chicago Sun-Times

The man from Mars THINK ON THESE!

Henrylito D. Tacio

henrytacio@gmail.com science.

In an article, journalist Lee Hutchinson reported: “Author Andy Weir famously put in months of painstaking research on potential ways Watney could survive on Mars, working out detailed math and procedures on how and what to do. Damon was quick to assure us that Weir’s efforts didn’t go to waste and that the science remains the star in the movie as well.”

Damon told Hutchinson: “When we made the movie, we had to go through step by step,” he said. “He (Watney) is very logical and practical and methodical in how he goes about surviving. He says, essentially, ‘I need air, water, and food, and what do I need to do to ensure I have those things?’ And then kind of lets the science bring you there.”

10NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

ABDUCTORS... FROM 1

P232M... FROM 2

Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 deputy director for administration Chief Superintendent Federico L. Dulay Jr. presented the cartographic sketch of one of the suspects in the kidnapping incident.

Dulay said the suspect was identified by a foreign couple (names did not reveal for security purposes) when he barged in to their yacht at around 11:40 p.m. of September 21.

The suspect, according

to the witnesses, has a height 5’2” to 5’3”feet, medium built body and his age is around 25 to 30 years old.

Dulay said only one suspect was identified because he is the only one who tried to abduct the couple.

The Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reporter that the group was on board two motorized banca forcibly took the victims inside the resort.

ed.

spector Hamlet Lerios said an informant close to the suspects told them that Gadiane once told them that he would kill all members of the intelligence branch of Toril Police Station.

He said Gadiane was facing several charges before the Toril Police Station for theft.

Lerios said police are still looking into all possible angles of the case, including the

involvement of Vertudazo in the apprehension of Michael Chua, a well known drug pusher in the city.

Lerios said Vertudazo had acted as a poseur buyer in the buy-bust operation in which Chua was arrested.

He said Vertudazo’s death may lead to the dismissal of the drug case against Chua. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. AND FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

subsidy in the total amount of P316,000.

Among the areas of cooperation, the barangay is set to partner with the Technical Assistance Movement for People and Environment Inc. (TAMPEI), a non-government organization which has pool of technical staff, architects and apprentice who shall render and extend technical support in behalf of the barangay to hasten the project implementation.

It will provide P250,000 for the construction mobilization, supervision and management expense to be incurred by the partner NGO which will supervise the construction of shelter units using the agreed structural model.

Upon complete impleentation of the project, the barangay is tasked to facilitate, process and assist in individualization and transfer of the title in coordination with PILHOAI into the name of individual member-beneficiaries.

The barangay will also source out the necessary counterpart funding support for the implementation of the community development plan which includes the provision of community organizing/ social preparation, Day Care Center, Health Station and livelihood training of the beneficiaries.

For the part of the city government, the CSSDO is tasked to provide food assistance for the beneficiaries and volunteers during the implementation of the construction of houses in the project site.

It will facilitate the formulation of the community development plan for the relocation project and lead the implementation of community organizing and social preparation activities.

The CSSDO will also en-

sure the implementation and installation of community sustainable mechanisms which shall include but not limited to community and individual livelihood activities, community conflict resolution mechanisms and family development programs.

PILHOAI, meanwhile, is tasked to ensure that no member of the association is a recipient of any government housing program, owns or coown a real property and is a professional squatter or is a recipient of any other housing assistance to families from any other individual groups or agency of government or non-government organization for a disaster victim.

It shall also ensure compliance by all the member-beneficiaries with the agreement and understanding that upon turn-over of their new dwelling units, they shall dismantle their house and other structure and completely remove all their materials from their old site and transport them to their respective areas at the resettlement area.

The association also expressed its agreement that the individual titles to be released to all the member-beneficiaries shall contain an annotation of a deed of a restriction that the property granted them shall not be conveyed, transferred, encumbered and disposed of unless by hereditary succession within a period of 20 years from the issuance of the title.

“This is a meaningful day for all of us, for our children and our grand children. This day marks a new chapter of our lives. We are very grateful to all of you,” said PILHOAI president Vircelina Suarez as she addressed the audience after MoA signing and groundbreaking ceremony.

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Melgar said the project will focus on capacity-building of health service providers, formulization of supporting policies and advocacies, and mobilization of communities.

“The project aims to improve the availability of and access to basic Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services fir underserved women and young people in the ARMM,” Morgan added.

Department of Health (DOH)-ARMM chief administrative officer Tato Usman said it is not just the number of health centers and hospitals that is scarce in ARMM but also the number of health service providers.

“The ratio of reproductive health units (RHUs) per municipality in ARMM is not 1:1. Women have to travel far just to access birthing services and prenatal checkups,” Usman said.

He said only 25 percent of the women population in ARMM have also availed

themselves of health services because of their fear of paying a high amount, while only a few are members of PhilHealth.

For his part, Oxfam country director Justin Morgan said with the support and cooperation of the regional government and other stakeholders, “we will make SRH happen in the ARMM.” “Between the Reproductive Health Law and ARMM’s Reproductive Health Care Act, we have enough policies to implement SRH services and program that, if implemented successfully, will improve the lives and health of 1.44 million people from the target areas, and assure their children’s future,” Morgan added.

The project aims to reach 150,00 women and adolescents in covered areas in ARMM as well as capability building of 290 frontline health service providers like midwives, barangay health workers from both the public and private sectors. CRC

ensure its eventual passage.

“We call on them to consider the common good and not for self-interests,” said Atty. Romeo Cabarde, chair of Ateneo de Davao University’s Community Engagement and Advocacy at a media forum conducted concurrently with the launching of the Peace Photo Exhibit entitled “Peace Now! Mindanao” at SM City Davao on September 28.

He said “they must consider that the Bangsamoro Basic Law is no ordinary legislation as this is a result of 17 years of negotiation and is representative of the Bangsamoro people’s struggle for self-determination.”

Cabarde said they consider a BBL to be meaningful and acceptable for all if “it … recognize(s) the right of the Bangsamoro people’s right to self-determination and must be consistent with what has been agreed upon in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.”

He also said CSOs believe the BBL should reflect vested powers and benefits not less than what the existing laws already gave to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“They (should) be given genuine political autonomy and (should) not to be treated as an ordinary local government unit, which is consistent with the Constitution.” Cabarte said.

Lyndee Prieto, represen-

tative of the Initiatives for International Dialogue National Secretariat for International Dialogue, said CSOs would continue lobbying with legislators to religiously attend deliberations on the BBL and ensure quorum.

Prieto said despite the apparent “deliberate delays caused by successive lacks of quorum during sessions due to absences from the other legislators, our battle cry remains: Never say never to hopelessness and un-peace.”

Meanwhile, a peace photo exhibit entitled called “Peace Now! Mindanao” was put up at the SM City Davao last September 28 to mark the celebration of the National Peace Consciousness Month. The exhibit ran up to October 2 and was organized by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Mindanao Media Bureau (MMB) in partnership with with PIA 11, Mindanews and the SM City Davao.

The photo exhibit aimed to provide a venue for the different stakeholders in Mindanao, including the grassroots to project their efforts and significant contributions in attaining genuine and lasting peace in Mindanao. “It provided a clear perspective of how the people in the grounds strive to work for peace in their respective localities,” said MMB Director Marlon Peter F. Dedumo. (PNA)

Mindanao... FROM 3

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. That CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s) MRO21020962 under LOYOLA PLAN Contract No.(s) 10162944 issued to MA. ILOWA KRISTINE B. DARANTINAO was lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

10/7/14/21

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

Uy will be in tandem with incumbent Vice-Governor Manuel ‘Way Kurat’ Zamora who also took his oath to LP on Saturday.

1st District Rep. Maricar Zamora also graced the gathering and will continue to run as the district’s representative in 2016.

LP’s line-up for provincial board members in district 1 includes Joseph Jauod, Renato Basanes, Joanna Gentugaya, Marie Jude Lopoz and Nena Calim.

For the province’s district two are Macario Humol, Mycel Sebumpan, Vivencia Secuya, Randy Opisan and Governor Arturo Uy. In his message during the proclamation, Governor Arturo Uy said the choice for the province’s standard bearers for LP was finalized in consultation with the key leaders of

Compostela Valley, from the provincial, municipal and barangay levels.

He also urged the upcoming leaders of the province to continue the programs and projects aimed to bring in developments in the area especially in the far-flung villages.

Last Saturdays’ proclamation was also in time with the inauguration and opening of the biggest gymnasium in the province that was constructed here.

With a cost of P62 million, the gymnasium will become the venue of upcoming sports events in the province.

It can accommodate around 3,000 individuals, said Governor Uy, who led the inauguration ceremony that was witnessed by other provincial and town officials in the area.

Alex D. Lopez

really wanted to a sustainable economic growth and development.

Among its initiative to position the city as the “manufacturing belt in Mindanao” is its promotion activities slated two weeks from now in Metro Manila.

“We will be assisting the promotion of the Ciudades, a property project of the Lorenzo Group, to owners and chief executive officers of different manufacturing companies in Metro Manila two weeks from now,” Cortez said.

Ciudades is the only real estate project in Davao City that has an accreditation from

the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA). Locators in PEZA zone can avail incentives.

“Ciudades is the only PEZA area in the city which can host manufacturing companies,” he said. However, it is only limited to light to medium manufacturing activities because it also host three residential projects.

The northern part of the Davao City, specifically to areas going to Bunawan, can host companies engaged in heavy manufacturing.

Positioning Davao City as the center for manufacturing industry in Mindanao will allow products passing trhough here to be value-added. CRC

ensure timely policy actions, including importation of rice and other basic commodities to augment domestic supply,” Balisacan said.

The NEDA Director-General added that expanding agriculture support structures from production areas to the demand centers will also further bring down the cost of transporting goods and services.

As the El Nino intensifies, Balisacan said that the government may consider increasing the number of agricultural workers as potential beneficiaries in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program to offset farm output losses.

He said government must also ensure that access to finance in the agriculture and fisheries sectors remains unhampered.

Showdown... FROM 6

Inflation... FROM 6

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE / TRANSFER OF RIGHTS

Notice are hereby given that the estate of the late ABDUL UY SR. and ALICIA B. UY has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE / TRANSFER OF RIGHTS executed among their heirs per Doc. No.301; Page No.61; Book No. 108; Series of 2015, of the NOTARY PUBLIC FATIMA IRENE T. ADIN 10/07.14.21

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

11 COMPETITIVE EDGE

PEZA zone to rise in Panabo City The entrance to the 53-hectare Anflo Industrial Estate, situated in Barangay San Vicente in Panabo City, Davao del Norte

A

S 2015 comes to a close, the Anflo Group of Companies, through its subsidiary company, the Anflo Industrial Estate Corporation (AIEC), races to the forefront of Mindanao’s booming economy with its latest project, the Anflo Industrial Estate (AIE).

The estate has recently been proclaimed a Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Special Economic Zone by the Office of the President.

With this authorization, future investors can put their confidence and trust in this project, which will be developed into an area suitable for man-

ufacturing and warehousing agro-industrial components.

Situated in Barangay San Vicente in Panabo City, Davao del Norte, a mere 25 kilometers from Davao City, this 53-hectare property is designed to be a world-class and self-sustaining ecozone to accommodate agro-industrial and light manufacturing companies. Best of all, it is located near the leading and most modern container terminal in Mindanao, the Davao International Container Terminal, Inc. (DICT).

“This is one of the many initiatives that the Anflocor

Group is undertaking in Panabo City which we believe will help develop the city further and create an alternative yet complementary investment destination in the region,” said Ricardo “Cary” Floirendo Lagdameo, Vice President for Damosa Land, Inc. (DLI) who is also heading its affiliate company, AIEC. With the integration of production areas into economic zones in the Regional Development Council’s Long Term Plan (2003-2030), the estate will provide a conducive environment for locators, enabling them to compete in the export

market. This will ultimately help in expediting the economic growth not just of Panabo City, but also of the entire Mindanao region.

“The project can potentially create thousands of jobs, increase trade in the city, and thus boost the local economy. With the establishment of DICT [in 2013], there is truly a strong case for locating manufacturing operations in our industrial park, which is only 300 meters away from DICT. You won’t find that in many other places,” Lagdameo elaborated.

Adding to the character-

istics that make AIE a worldclass facility are the safety measures that will be installed, such as a suitable perimeter fence, CCTV, and 24/7 security. The estate will be equipped with basic structures and facilities, including power, water, communications facilities, and sewage or drainage systems.

Aside from these, meeting rooms, PEZA facilities, and a central administration building will be constructed within the area to house its service team.

Apart from this, the company is also launching new projects in Panabo City that

Phl developers push for global digital inclusion

P

UNITY. ARENA XI President and DPWH 11 Regional Director Mariano R. Alquiza delivers a speech before employees from various National Government Agencies during the ARENA XI (Association of Regional Executives of

National Agencies in Region XI) Quarterly Flag Raising ceremony held at the People’s Park last October 5, 2015. In his message, Alquiza stressed the importance of unity among his fellow civil servants.

DavOr gets P 8.5M water system projects

A

TOTAL of P8.5 million in water system projects to be implemented in five far-flung barangays was approved by the Provincial Peace and Order Council during its meeting last September 30, 2015.

Funded by Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) through the Payapa at Masa-

ganang Pamayanan (Pamana) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the project aims to provide ample supply of potable water to the residents in these remote villages.

Recipient barangays include Binondo in Baganga town, Sitio La Fortuna, Malibago in Cateel town, Magan-

da and Tubaon in Tarragona town, and Sitio Camanuyan, Maragatas in Lupon town.

These water system projects are part of the approved Pamana-DILG Fund Projects for 2015 based on the proposal submitted by the Provincial Government through the DILG. In addition to these newly approved projects, the

OPAPP through the Pamana Program pledged a total of P1.5 million intended for livelihood projects in conflict-affected areas.

Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon thanked the OPAPP and the DILG for their constant support that has been helping improve the lives of residents in far-flung communities. PIO

will highly complement the operations of AIEC. This includes the joint undertaking of the Anflocor Group and the University of the Philippines for the establishment of the University of the Philippines (UP) Los Baños extension campus, which will offer courses specializing in the study of agriculture. In addition, a proposed mixed-use development with residential, tourism and commercial components will be launched by Damosa Land Inc (another subsidiary of Anflocor) in early 2016. The future UPLB Panabo campus will be located in this development.

HILIPPINE startups and developers were recently called to push for global digital inclusion by providing free access to basic internet services to millions of people worldwide through Facebook’s Free Basics powered by Globe.

Globe, through its venture capital subsidiary Kickstart Ventures, Inc., recently brought Facebook’s Free Basics closer to Philippine developer and startup communities to rally them to develop locally relevant and useful services for Filipinos through the Free Basics platform.

Jackie Chang, Product Partnerships Manager, Facebook, spoke to over 150 members of the Philippine startup community at the Raid The Fridge event hosted by Kickstart.

“We’re here to support local developers create locally relevant services and content that will make a real impact in people’s lives. This is an opportunity for the developer community in the Philippines to scale their products and bring the benefits of the internet to more Filipinos,” said Chang.

One of Kickstart’s portfolio companies, Kalibrr, which provides online job training and assessment tools to job applicants, is already one of the pioneer Philippine digital startups to be part of the Free Basics platform. To date,

Kalibrr has 40,000 monthly active users on its blog advice content.

Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Group Daniel Horan is equally excited with the partnership between Globe and Facebook to connect more people around the world through free internet services.

“Globe continues to share with Facebook the common goal of expanding the digital lifestyle and make it more inclusive. By opening Free Basics to developers and entrepreneurs, we see more opportunities to bring more Filipinos online and to benefit from the free basic services offered.

With this collaboration, Globe and Kickstart aims to bring more developers and services to the platform,” Horan said.

He said the Globe-Free Basics partnership would serve as the company’s impetus to drive existing business models, launch new and exciting offers and make mobile internet more accessible within a safe browsing environment for Globe customers, without having to worry about unexpected data charges.

With the refurbished platform, more than 60 new services are available across the 19 countries where free basic services are available. People using the app or mobile web version can navigate to a menu where they can select which services to add to the list.

12CLASSIFIED

EDGEDAVAO

DAVAO CITY MAIN OFFICE JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales Door 14 ALCREJ Bldg., Quirino Ave., Davao City Tel: (082) 224-1413 Telefax: (082) 221-3601 GENERAL SANTOS CITY MARKETING OFFICE EDMUND D. RENDON Marketing Specialist Mobile: (Smart) 0909-424-7990 MANILA MARKETING OFFICE ANGELICA R. GARCIA Marketing Manager 97-1 Bayanbayanan Ave., Marikina Heights, Marikina City Tel: (02) 654-3509

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

ZION Is in need of:

EDGEDAVAO

CLASSIFIED 13

Strategies... FROM 4 ACCUPRINT jective of fostering all-inclusive able development and utiliza” tion of marine resources and PUBLISHING, INC. growth.

He added: “Their influ- ecosystems in APEC region.

MACHINE OPERATOR (Printing Press)

Qualifications:

- At least high school graduate, not more than 30 years old - Physically and mentally fit - Can handle minor repairs of the machine - Has the ability to be cool under pressure of deadlines and complex projects - Experience of at least one year

Send application letter & resume to: HR Supervisor ZION Accuprint Publishing, Inc. Door 14 Alcrej Building, Quirino Ave., 8000 Davao City, Philippines E-mail: marketing@edgedavao.net zion_publishing@yahoo.com Telefax: (082) 2213601 Website: www.edgedavao.net

ence and contribution to the outcomes of these policy dialogues is marked and I am proud of their substantive contributions.”

The Department of Agriculture (DA) co-hosted the dialogue with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), with Alcala and DENR Secretary Ramon Paje Jr. sharing chairmanship duties in the sessions.

This year’s meetings included for the first time a session on blue economy, which refers to a development approach anchored on sustain-

The Iloilo Plan of Action on Food Security and the Blue Economy consists of three very specific implementable pillars: blue economy towards sustainable food supply chains for food security; fish loss reduction for increased fish production; and, agribusiness development for food security and inclusive growth.

Alcala said the plan of action will operationalize and help realize the intent and goals of all of numerous APEC declarations on food security and the blue economy, including the Xiamen Declaration

(2014) and Bali Declaration (2013).

“It is now the time to take the necessary actions of mutual interest and benefit to APEC Member-Economies,” Alcala said.

In the same statement, the DA chief thanked and congratulated all other government agencies, local governments that helped ensure the success of the meetings, including the host city and province of Iloilo, and the officials of Miag-ao and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center in Tigbauan, Iloilo which the delegates visited earlier this week as part of the technical tours.

(PNA)

14 COMMUNITY SENSE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

New life, new hope for a new settlement

GROUNDBREAKING. Officials from Holcim Philippines, Inc., DSWD, local governments of Davao City and Barangay Ilang and the recipient community association participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the three-hectare relocation site.

By GREG G. DELIGERO

T

OUTED as a pioneering initiative in Davao City, if not in the entire country, a new community will soon rise in barangay Ilang showcasing the convergence of resources in making available decent housing and basic services through public-private partnership with direct and active participation of the community members themselves.

With a theme “New Life, New Hope,” members of the Pag-Asa Ilang Homeowners Association, Inc. (PILHOAI) were in a celebratory mood last September 9 as they witnessed the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and groundbreaking ceremony held in a three-hectare lot located in the upper portion of barangay Ilang where their homes will be built.

PILHOAI is community association of clusters of informal settlers occupying the riverbank and river delta of Ilang River who were affected by flooding incidents sometimes in 2011, 2012 and 2014.

At the behest of barangay officials chaired by former

city councilor Arnolfo Ricardo B. Cabling, the disaster-affected settlers “subsequently organized for the purpose of pursuing voluntary and in-barangay relocation.”

“We initially met resistance from the settlers because of their fear and intrigue that they will be displaced without an assurance of affordable and accessible relocation site. Even as they have experienced flooding for a couple of times, they still opted to remain in their disaster-prone homes. We did a lot of convincing for them to agree for relocation,” Cabling said.

Key stakeholders in the collective drive to provide safe and comfortable to the settlers are Holcim Philippines, Inc., Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD), the city government through the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) and the local government of barangay Ilang.

For Cabling, the convergence of resources from both the public and private stakeholders would best serve as

a “model initiative” worthy to be replicated in other parts of the city and elsewhere in the entire country.

“We have demonstrated how close collaboration of efforts and resources work,” he said.

Under the “collaborative resettlement project,” Holcim executed a deed of donation in favor of the Barangay Ilang for the resettlement site containing an area of 30,000 square meters square meters valued at P54 million.

In addition, the company provided skills development and training for the beneficiaries of the project “to capacitate them to take active part in the construction of their respective houses.”

Holcim also pursued the land preparation of the project site including road networks, grading, dozing, site survey, road rolling, monument installation, topographic activity, drainage system construction and water drilling in the total amount of P8.64 million.

As spelled out in the signed MoA, the company

SHELTER ASSISTANCE. DSWD assistant regional director Rebecca A. Sta. Maria (seated, leftmost) lead the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the shelter assistance to the disaster-affected beneficiaries together with Ilang Barangay Captain Arnolfo Ricardo B. Cabling, Holcim Davao Plant Manager Zita D. Balogo and PILHOAI president Vircelina Suarez. Witnessing the signing are (from left) Barangay Ilang councilor Amado T. Babao, CSSDO department head Ma. Luisa T. Bermudo and representatives of settlers’ association.

GREETINGS. Ilang Barangay Captain Arnolfo Ricardo B. Cabling greets Holcim Philippines Chief Executive Officer Eduardo A. Sahagun when they meet for the MoA signing and groundbreaking ceremony at the relocation site.

DONATION. Holcim Philippines Inc. has executed a deed of donation in favor of the Barangay Ilang for the resettlement site containing an area of 30,000 square meters square meters valued at P54 million. Signing the document are (from left) Ilang Barangay Captain Arnolfo Ricardo B. Cabling, Holcim Davao Plant Manager Zita D. Balogo and Holcim Philippines Chief Executive Officer Eduardo A. Sahagun. Witnesses at the back are (from left) Barangay Ilang councilor Margo Babao, PILHOAI president Vircelina Suarez, DSWD assistant regional director Rebecca A. Sta. Maria and CSSDO department head Ma. Luisa T. Bermudo.

which is operating mainly in Barangay Ilang, declared its commitment in “pursuing corporate social responsibility, managing resources responsibly and working with communities to develop sustainable options for their future.”

For its part, DSWD is set to release P9.03 million to the 129 beneficiaries for the construction of the houses.

It will also provide cash assistance amounting to P2.91 million to support the needs

of the beneficiaries and their families through cash-forwork scheme at the rate of 75 percent of the daily regional wage, worth of cash for a maximum period of ten days with 25 percent as beneficiary equity.

However, according to the agreement, the rate per day shall only be given to families who work for at least eight hours per day.

“In an effort to help family-victims of various disasters

to start their lives anew, the government has implemented various shelter programs,” said the document, adding that DSWD has ensured that the areas where the resettlement or houses will be built are not prone to hazards.

Barangay Ilang, on the other hand, has contributed to the social preparation and the skills development and training of the beneficiaries in form of allowance and rice

FNEW LIFE, 10

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015

SPORTS 15

EDGEDAVAO VOLLEY BEAUTIES. (Leftright) Alyssa Valdez of Ateneo, Myla Pablo of NU and Lynda Morales of Puerto Rico and RC Cola (PSL).

BATTLE ROYALE

Puerto Rico star to play as PSL import

After beating Ateneo, NU ready for UAAP wars A

C

OACH Roger Gorayeb has his sights on the UAAP title, saying it is his purpose to bring the National University Lady Bulldogs to the top of the collegiate league.

“I want NU to make it to the championship in the UAAP this season. That’s really my dream. That’s my purpose for NU,” said Gorayeb after steering NU to the Shakey’s V-League Collegiate Conference crown.

NU bagged its sec-

ond V-League collegiate crown on Sunday, downing Ateneo, 25-21, 26-24, 25-19, at the Arena in San Juan City last Sunday.

Gorayeb said the stint helped his team a lot in terms of experience, preparations and poise although they will be without Dindin Santiago-Manabat and Rubie de Leon in the UAAP starting in February next year.

But Gorayeb believes the two guest players have done their jobs for NU in the

V-League, boosting the team to the title as well as share their knowledge with the rest of the Lady Bulldogs.

“That’s why I only took in Rubie late in our V-League campaign so that my other players, including my setter can learn,” said Gorayeb, referring to young Rica Diolan, who takes over as starting setter.

“Rubie took her under her wing in a few weeks she was with us and I hope she has learned from her, espe-

Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday evening.

From there, they had to ride another plane, this time going to Beijing, China where they linked up with the foreign-based players who came from the United States, Germany, England, among others.

In Beijing, they waited for another six hours before finally leaving for North Korea on Monday noon.

The 31-member Philippine delegation arrived here at around 3 p.m. and headed straight to Koryo Hotel, one

of the luxurious hotels in this North Korean capital.

They also made a quick trip to the Kim Il-Sung Stadium in the afternoon to get a feel of the 55,000-capacity venue where they’ll train and play.

North Korea is still unbeaten after three matches in its FIFA World Cup Qualifiers campaign as it currently sits atop of Group H. The Azkals, meanwhile, are at third with a 2-1 slate as they lost their last outing against Uzbekistan, 5-1, last September.

Azkals battle N. Koreans tomorrow

M

EMBERS of the Philippine national men’s football team landed in North Korea on Monday after a long arduous journey to the reclusive state.

The Azkals arrived three days before their tiff in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against North Korea on Thursday.

With no direct flights available and only China serving as the entry point to North Korea, members of the Azkals based in Manila had to first board a flight to

cially in decision-making,” he said.

De Leon dished out solid performances in the finals, especially in the last two matches where she exploited the team’s advantage in depth and talent.

Myla Pablo, who was named Finals MVP trophy, is also expected to be assigned skipper.

“I’m choosing between Myla and Jorelle (Singh) to be my team captain but it’s probably her (Pablo),” said Gorayeb.

LL is set for caliber volleyball action in the 2015 Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix featuring arguably the strongest batch of reinforcements in the league to date.

Set to see action are Lynda Morales of RC Cola-Air Force, Bojana Todorovic of Philips Gold and Christina Alessi of Meralco in the Grand Prix opening on Saturday at Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.

A 6-foot-1 middle blocker, the 27-year old Morales is touted as a gem of an import as she remains an active member of the Puerto Rican women’s national volleyball team. In fact, she will not arrive until Friday as she is still competing in the World Grand Prix in Turkey.

She will team up with Sarah McClinton, who emerged as one of the best volleyball players out of Kansas University.

“We haven’t personally seen Lynda, but I think she

is the player we badly need,” said RC Cola-Air Force coach Rhovyl Verayo.

“She is a middle blocker and an experienced international campaigner. She will be the anchor of our defense and will play an active role in our offensive attack.

I think we found a gem in her.”

Todorovic is a 5-foot11 outside hitter who led National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I University of California-Los Angeles to the national title in 2011. She will partner with 6-foot-5 Alexis Olgard.

Alessi competed for Palm Beach Atlantic University in the NCAA Division II and gained significant international experience after playing as import in a commercial league in Sweden. She will team up with Liis Kullerkann, who played for Ohio University before suiting up for the Estonian national team in the 2014 FIVB World Championships.

The Azkals arrived three days before their tiff in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against North Korea on Thursday.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

READY TO FLY

VOL. 8 ISSUE 135 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2015 APO BET. Jungol sensation Ella Nagayo will be suiting up for Apo Golf.

Rancho Palos Verdes Lady Swingers for PAL Ladies Interclub bared

By NEILWIN JOSEPH BRAVO

D

AVAO City’s Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club will be sending a solid squad capable of springing some surprises in the Philippine Airlines Ladies Interclub golf team tournament set to tee off October 7-9 in Bacolod City.

The Cabantian-based RPV Lady Swingers will be skippered by Jean Gotianse and will see action in the Sportswriters division.

Backstopping Gotianse are Korean expats Kim Young Ram, Jo Mi Sun, Chon Young Run, Park Ok Hee and Kim Sun Ae. Also with the squad are Gemma Bokawachi and Cristine Powell.

Also seeing action for Davao is the Apo Golf and Country Club squad headed by jungolf phenom Alessandra Christine “Ella” Nagayo with Mimi Siason who will act as team captain, veteran Imee Garcia, Lilibeth Crisologo, Mafy Singson, Danica Nagayo, Rose Sara, and Tsouky Montillo.

RPV SWINGERS. The Rancho Palos Verdes squad in a team photo.

Manila Southwoods-Masters is odds-on favorite to extend its reign to five years due to its intact line-up.

“We are definitely going for our fifth crown,” said Masters playing team captain Claire Ong in a statement.

Ong said the same players that won them their fourth title last year in Cebu City will be back to rekindle their rivalry

with Cebu Country Club.

Aside from Ong, the other members of the squad are Lora Roberto, Sofia Chabon, Abby Arevalo, Missy Legaspi, Annika Guangko, Claudine Garcia and Serafina Kim. The event, now on its 10th year, will be held Thursday, Oct. 8 and will run for three days.

Each of the 19 teams entered will play two rounds un-

der the Molave scoring system at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, popularly known as Marapara.

It will mark the first time that the tree-lined course will play host to the event.

Ong said Marapara will play longer than what they’re used to, but added they’re ready for the challenge.

“We will have our practice

rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday,” she said.

CCC, which lost by a single point at the Alta Vista Golf Club last year, will be missing two or three players, according to team captain Mary Kim Hong.